Kim Jaein never thought of herself as a princess, nor asked to be born as one. She liked the idea of people guarding her, or that someone had to taste her food before eating, but she never wanted to be one ever. She liked the beautiful dresses, and the accessories that the royal family received from other kingdoms, however not necessarily the royal status. But she’s unable to erase the fact that she’s in fact a princess. Her blood was linked to the Silla king, Jinheung, making her family stand at the top of the bone-rank.

Her father was a prince, the brother of King Jinheung, and a notable warrior and the leader of Hwarang; special elite formed by the king for chosen sons of the true-bones to learn the art of poetry, combat, and other forms of knowledge to protect the kingdom. Her father had refused to live in the palace like the royals and chose to live like warriors instead. Kim Jaein and her brother were raised in a tough environment. All their childhood was spent learning about swordsmanship. They had been up late to learn how to battle privately at the garden of their house and were able to combat at the age of 15.

The two had taken the gene from their mother and had grown into beautiful human beings. Her brother Kibum was the exact description of a Hwarang. He was beautiful, as stunning and beautiful as a flower petal and was able to combat perfectly without a flaw. But Kibum had no intention of joining Hwarang. He rather played as the capital’s dark horse when needed, which he did. He’s some sort of a ninja, an assassin chosen by The King himself. It was the King’s way to prepare him to be the heir of the throne without him knowing.

The siblings lived their live being ordinary young masters other than royals, Kibum even played as a boy who knew nothing but flirting. There wasn’t a day where he didn’t go out and flirt to at least one girl. But he never took any of them seriously. He knew he’s royal and he’ll marry other of the royal descendants. Ordinary girls were nothing to him. He was that cold-hearted.

“Jaein! Jaein did you see my hair pin?”

Kibum walked out from his room, his long black hair flowing behind him as he tore his way towards his sister’s bedroom. He slid the wooden door to the left and saw his sister dressed up in her favourite purple dress, busy packing the powder from the metal jar onto her complexion. Tonight they’re going to the Okta—a traditional place similar to a modern nightclub—with their friends. Surely a girl at the age of marriage like Jaein would want to look her prettiest. Jaein wasn’t that old, she’s only 21. But everyone seemed to think that an unmarried girl above the age of 20 was controversial. Different case went to Kibum who was 2 years above his sister.

Kibum looked at his sister that had his foxy eyes and pouty lips on hers. The only thing told them apart was that the frame of her face was softer and more feminine compared to his. Jaein looked back at her brother, eyes as cold as her brother’s heart. She stared sharply as if Kibum had been interrupting her during an important meeting and went back on applying red tints on her lips. Kibum searched around the room, his small eyes scanned on Jaein’s figure and stopped when he found a copper piece of metal stuck on her black bun.

“What’s that on your head?” Kibum pointed to the metal piece on his sister’s head.

“My hair.” Jaein coldness seeped through as she looked at her brother and acted as natural as possible to cover the metal pin she ‘borrowed’ from her brother’s room earlier. It’s not the first time Kibum caught her red-handed. A few weeks ago she took Kibum’s jade earrings without permission and wore it to the town with her friends. “Never seen a lady’s hair before?”

Kibum rolled his brown eyes after the revelation of his sister was the one who stole his one of many hairpins from his room. His pale arms folded upon his chest. He tapped his feet on the wooden floor, waiting for the younger Kim to go to him and give the headpiece back. But he was joking with nobody, the siblings shared one trait in common, pride. One of them liked to boss on one another and only obeyed who they chose to voluntarily obey. And it was clear that none of them was willing to be under one another.

Kibum flapped his long black hair that fell on his blue silk robe before he placed his twiggy fingers on his hips. “Kim Jaein, I said give me that back!” He stomped on the wooden floor, making the surfaces nearby to shake as if a mini earthquake just occurred. Kibum finally got her attention after she’s done colouring her lips and glared at him.

“Oraboni, you want this? Take it yourself.” Jaein teased and dodged, bending herself close to the chestnut-coloured floor when her brother darted himself towards her. She slid the paper door open and flipped herself out to the garden. She knew that Kibum may use a little bit of his combat skill because she also would, and their mother would beat their bums for fighting inside the house.

The both can hear their housekeepers shouting at them to be careful not to hurt themselves but the siblings only had one thing in their mind: winning over the other. Kibum jabbed towards Jaein’s head but the girl once again dodged and attempted to trip her brother, but Kibum’s able to read her move so he’s able to lump when the girl lowered herself to tackle.

They were chasing one another when Jaein bumped onto someone’s chest and looked up to the owner just to hide behind the figure coated in his yellow robe. “Jinki-Oraboni, my own brother is trying to kill me.” It was the eldest son of the Lee family, or known as Master Lee’s successor, Lee Jinki. Jinki had a reputation of being able to successfully cure the patient’s disease like his father. Every single time Jaein asked him how he did what he did, he just answered by saying he studied his father too much. But Jaein was sure his smile played a part. Jinki’s smile looked like he’s smiling from the heart, and he’s very generous about giving it to people. That’s why his clinic was always full of girls asking him to check on them.

“You fool asking for a death wish. I won’t be stupid enough to make any fuss with your brother if I were you.” A figure scoffed next to the smiling man. It’s the youngest of Lee family, Lee Taemin. Taemin was the same age with Jaein. He’s tall and skinny with a face that’s so pretty every girl in the capital envied him, even Jaein and her brother. Taemin had no other remarkable talent than sword dancing or playing musical instruments and was actually a shy boy. His swordsmanship was decent, but he didn’t want anything to do with being a guard of soldier. Even so, Jaein could still beat him in a one-on-one spar.

Jaein glared to Taemin with her brown eyes and blew the hair falling on her face. When her mother first introduced him, she thought that Taemin was a very shy and polite kid, but he had proved her wrong after years and years spent being friend. Taemin liked to endlessly tease Jaein to the point that she couldn’t take it anymore and hit him hard on the arm. He also liked to make her cry. But surprisingly both of them had a soft spot for each other.

Jaein poked her finger hard on Taemin’s purple robe. “You, Lee Taemin, you too are asking for a death wish.” The girl poked on his hard chest that might even leave a bruise later. Taemin caught her hand to prevent her from poking him even further, but her other hand quickly picked up where she left.

“Are you guys dating? You two are wearing matching colour.” Kibum purposely teased his sister to stop her from beating him to pulp. Jaein hated it when people are saying things about her and Taemin being a couple. She quite disliked the idea.

The only girl in the garden groaned to the boy holding her hands. “Lee Taemin, why do you always copy me? Now I have to change my dress!” Jaein was about to fly away from the boy, but Taemin tightened his grip on her hands.

Jaein glared back to the boy just to be welcomed by his tender gaze. “Don’t, you look pretty, Jaein.” Said the boy. His one hand moved from her hand to caress on her cheek that was tinted in red due to his action. Jaein barely had a first-hand experience on this field because her father went full warrior mode whenever there’s a boy having an intention to get to her romantically. She had seen other girls hugging and kissing with other boys secretly behind the wall of her house, and loved to imagine scenarios where a man would do the same to her. And as young lady her age, she too was curious how it feels. Taemin smiled tenderly and moved closer to Jaein’s face. “But I’m prettier! Ha ha ha ha ha!”

“Lee Taemin, you’re really asking for it this time! Oraboni, hand me my sword! I’m gonna murder this young man with my own hand!” Jaein roared to her brother who was watching them while laughing hysterically with Taemin’s older brother. She looked back to the tall boy in front of her and tried to reach for his neck to choke him to death.

“Fetch it yourself, woman. What am I, your servant?” The boy let his sister off the hook and tangled his arm on Jinki’s shoulder. Seeing her being humiliated by Taemin was enough for him. “You lovebirds are going to rumble like that all day? We’re going to the Okta. Bye guys!”

“Kim Kibum don’t you dare!”