Chapter 3 - Sing

“So you can sing??” The princess insisted. “Try, sing, sing.” 

 

“I don’t know if you’d want to listen to it though, your highness,” 

 

“Just call me Junghwa. We’re friends after all right?” she smiled. “So, go on.” 

 

I hesitated for a bit, “um.. Okay, here goes…” 

 

“Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me,”  I started singing, “Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all, all, all,” I looked over to see the prince- Junghwa swaying with the melody, “They won't let go, Ex's and oh's.” I finished the song.

 

Though it was lacking a bit, since it was supposed to be a duet together with my sister...

 

“You were AMAZING!” she grabbed my hands. “You should sing more often though, it kind of sounds familiar…” 

 

Familiar? I’ve never sang this song to anyone since I was supposed to sing it with my sister. How can it be ‘familiar’?  

 

She started to think back, “Yeah, I’ve definitely heard it before, but it’s like accompanied with this musical instrument,” she started ‘strumming’ the air. 

 

The guitar? This is weird. 

 

“Are you sure?” I asked her.

 

“Yeah, I’m 100% positive.” 

 

What? I really never sang this to anyone… since when we were going to sing it, she passed away…

 

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“Shinhye, I think I finished it!” I went up excitedly to my sister. “We should sing it together,” 

 

“Yes! We should,” she smiled back at me, “see, i told you I could help you with the song.” she proudly mentioned her part that she wrote, which happened to be the chorus. 

 

“Of course, we’re twins. We literally spent our whole lives together so, of course we’d think alike.” I slung my arms around her shoulders.

 

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“I want to sing with you, can I?” Honestly, I’ve never really met someone so eager to sing with me, except my sister of course. 

 

“Sure…” I allowed. 

 

“Okay you start first.” 

 

“Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's,” I started, ““...they haunt me, Like gho-o-osts they want me to make 'em all, all, all,” she started harmonizing with me, taking the higher notes, while I took the lower, melody notes. “They won't let go,” Our voices working in harmony. “Ex's and oh's.” We finished the song together. 

 

Why does singing with her bring back memories of her? 

 

“Oh my God, that was GREAT! Honestly, i’ve never actually sang anything…” she was genuinely happy at the thought of singing for the first time. 

 

“You’ve never sung before? That’s weird…” I muttered. 

 

“Yeah, we don’t really listen to music here and and if I sing, it’ll be considered ‘rude’.” she explained. 

 

“Ahh… I see.” 

 

“Anyway, why does it seem so familiar when i sang with you?” she looked me in the eye.

 

She was basically thinking the same thing I was. 

 

“I don’t know…” 

 

“Well, it’s getting late. Let’s go shower and go to sleep, yeah?” she went up to go to the bathroom.

 

I stood up and walked around the room, looking at the enormous room my so called ‘luck’ has brought me to. The bed was placed in the middle of the white coloured room. The walls had little patterns of flowers. There was a mini chandelier in the middle as well, illuminating the room well. There were 3 windows, the one in the middle being the biggest with a window seat and fluffy cushions. Near the windows, there was a desk with several books on top. The bed was a king size with pastel pink sheets. There were many pillows on top as well. In the corner of the room, some dolls were neatly stacked as well as a ‘little’ playhouse for the dolls sitting beside the dolls. 

 

For girls to be hated, this ‘hate’ doesn’t seem that bad… I’d love to have these…

 

I picked up the doll placed at the very top, examining it. It was a very soft bunny plushie. As I played a little bit with the plushie, the door creaked open. 

 

“Junghwa, father wants to se-” I looked up to see the man that entered the room. 

 

“Umm.. she’s in the shower right now…” I informed. 

 

“Who are you?” he looked, more like glared, my way. 

 

“Um… I was kind of invited by Jung- the princess…” I looked down at my fiddling fingers. 

 

“Why the hell are you here? No one’s supposed to be here.” He approached me, cautiously. “State your name and your purpose here.” he commanded. 

 

“S-S-Seong Seunghye… I-I was i-invited.” I stuttered. Damn it, now I sound stupid, thanks a lot mouth. 

 

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me closer, “You think that’ll work? Nice try.” he smirked. “Tell me the real reason you’re here.” 

 

With our faces inches apart, my concentration just dropped, “I-I told you, t-the princess invited me…” I whispered the last part. 

 

“Oh did she?” he laughed, “She doesn’t associate with peasants like you,” 

 

He was about to throw me down then, “Brother! What are you doing?” Junghwa entered the room after her shower. 

 

He let my wrist go, making me stumble back. 

 

“Are you trying to hurt MY guest, brother?” She looked sad, her eyes getting teary. 

 

“Oh, she’s your guest? I didn’t know.” He walked up to her. 

“Yeah, she is. Brother, please don’t hurt my guests.” she begged, “You know I don’t have any friends here and I always feel so lonely since all my brothers are busy…” her eyes got teary.

 

The man, whom now i know is one of her brothers, put his hand on her shoulder in attempt to calm her down, “Jungkook? He can come and play. He always does anyway. What about Jimin and Taehyung? They come by often as well.. We always come by, you know that.” He spoke gently now. 

 

“Yeah, but they’re still always busy… Now I have a friend. Please brother, Just let her be?” her statement came out as a question.

 

“Okay, I won’t hurt her. Don’t cry now, yeah?” he petted her hair gently, “I have to go now but dad wanted to talk to you so you should go meet him.” 

 

“Okay,” she wiped her tears with the sleeves of her pajamas, “I’ll meet him now.” 

 

“Good.” he smiled at her and left. 

 

A couple minutes after he left, she sighed. “Okay, he finally left.” she wiped the extra tears. “Man, fake crying is tiring. I didn’t think I’d have to do it again tonight.” she sighed again.

 

Hold up…. Fake tears????

 

“Fake tears?” I asked her. 

 

“Well yeah, I have a few tricks to ‘captivate’ them, if that’s even the word.” she giggled. “I’ll tell you later on okay, I need to meet my father right now.” She waved and left the room as well, leaving me alone. 

 

I guess, I should go get ready for bed now...

 

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Boy’s POV

“Your Highness, the king has summoned you.” The guard informed me as I was leisurely reading. 

 

“Okay.” I set the book down and got up. 

 

As I walked in my father’s office, “What is it father?” 

 

“Tomorrow we might have to eat breakfast with a guest, I’m not sure if you are aware of this but, the guest may be special since, she is also my daughter’s so-called friend. Some of the boys are away right now but some of the others are already informed. Would you mind calling Seunghye here on your way back? You may go now.” he dismissed. 

 

“Very well, father.” I bowed and left the room.

 

On my way back to my room, I walked passed my beloved sister, Junghwa’s room. Though of course I wouldn’t be obnoxiously loving like Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok, at least I show I care. How can I not? She’s adorable and just so pure that I can’t help but love her. 

 

Walking passed her room, I heard a voice, an unfamiliar voice yet, a familiar one. I waited outside as I listened to her sing, then soon after, the person started singing with my sister. I would be lying if I said they didn’t sound amazing. I honestly never knew my cute little sister could sing. 

 

I leaned against the wall waiting for them to finish singing. Then a couple minutes after they stopped, I figured they’d still be talking. I walked in the room. 

 

“Junghwa, father wants to se-” I walked in the room, only to see the girl who was singing from before.

 

“Umm.. she’s in the shower right now…” she was hesitant with her words.

 

“Who are you?” I looked, more like glared, at her.

 

“Um… I was kind of invited by Jung- the princess…” I looked at her nervous state. She was looking down while her hands were fiddling together. 

 

Cute. wait, what am I doing, I can’t fall for a commoner.

 

“Why the hell are you here? No one’s supposed to be here.” I approached her shaking figure. “State your name and your purpose here.” 

 

“S-S-Seong Seunghye… I-I was i-invited.” she was a stuttering mess. 

 

Is she the one Father was talking about? She sure doesn’t look that way.

 

I grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer, “You think that’ll work? Nice try.” I smirked. “Tell me the real reason you’re here.” 

 

I looked in her pupils shaking, “I-I told you, t-the princess invited me…” she really looks like someone, who was it? 

 

“Oh did she?” I laughed, She thinks she can trick me? Yeah right. “She doesn’t associate with peasants like you,” 

 

I was about to throw her down but, “Brother! What are you doing?” Junghwa entered the room after her shower. 

 

I quickly let go of her wrists, slightly pushing her back.

 

“Are you trying to hurt MY guest, brother?” She looked sad, her eyes getting teary. Oh no… Don’t cry...

 

“Oh, she’s your guest? I didn’t know.” I walked up to her. 

“Yeah, she is. Brother, you please don’t hurt my guests.” she begged, “You know I don’t have any friends here and I always feel so lonely since all my brothers are busy…” her eyes got even teary than before. 

 

I put my hand up on her shoulder, moving my hands and and down her arm to try to calm her down. “Jungkook? He can come and play. He always does anyway. What about Jimin and Taehyung? They come by often as well.. We always come by, you know that.” I spoke with a gentler tone. 

 

“Yeah, but they’re still always busy… Now I have a friend. Please brother, Just let her be?” her statement came out as a question.

 

“Okay, I won’t hurt her. Don’t cry now, yeah?” I gently petted her hair, “I have to go now but dad wanted to talk to you so you should go meet him.” 

 

“Okay,” she wiped her tears with the sleeves of her pajamas, “I’ll meet him now.” 

 

“Good.” I smiled and left the room. 

 

I swear, I’ve seen her somewhere before…

 

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Junghwa’s POV

 

“What is it you want from me, Father?” I asked as I entered the room.

 

“It has come to my attention that, you haven’t came and visited me since that girl came,” He didn’t look up from his paperwork. 

 

Are you serious… I came all the way here and all he wanted me here for was to see him? I’ll see him tomorrow though! 

 

“But I have seen you, when I returned home, Father.” 

 

“How many times have I told you not to say that?” He finally looked up from his paper work and looked me in the eye. 

 

“I’m sorry, daddy.” I started acting like a little child again. 

 

“It’s getting late, you should go now.” He hinted me.

 

He just wanted me to say goodnight to him didn’t he?! I walked so far…

 

“Goodnight daddy.” I smiled, walking up to him giving him a peck on the cheek. On my way out, I saw a small grin on his face. 

 

Sigh, I knew it…

 

I left the room and finally, after the long walk from the office, I made it to my room. When I walked in, I saw Seunghye already in bed, tucked in. 

 

Guess she must be tired, I would be too if i was being damn tortured by the person I trusted.

 

I got in bed beside her and went to sleep. 

 

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“You really think you could escape?” the hooded man laughed, “No one can escape me. NO ONE. And after what you did to you, you won’t escape me as well.” 

 

“YOU’RE ING INSANE! LET ME GO!” I screamed, but nonetheless, it was useless… 

 

“If I can’t have you, no one can.” he smirked and stabbed me right in the gut. 

 

“No one will have this pretty face of yours now,” Then, he left.

 

A familiar face came to view, “SHINHYE! OH MY GOD… SOMEONE! SOMEONE HELP MY SISTER… MY SISTER…. SHINHYE NO STAY WITH ME NO! SHINHYE NO!” 

 

And everything went dark yet, the pain still lingered. 

 

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I Woke up. My heart was racing, I was sweating and I was utterly confused. It was a dream, yet it felt so real. 

 

Seunghye? She was in the dream this time… 

 

I’ve been getting these dreams recently, though it wasn’t as drastic as this one. The ones I had were loving and cute but this one…

 

 I really don’t know what these dreams are but now I know, It’s connected to her. 

 

I looked at the sleeping figure beside me. 

 

Who… are you, Seunghye?