She was lying on her bed, half asleep when the Crown Prince walked into her room, signaling her to stay still.

“What are you doing?” She watched him closely as he checked her room carefully. But there was no one else other than them.

“Happy birthday, lil’ sis!” He came to hug her and placed a nicely wrapped box on her bed, a sad smile lingering on his lips.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have! The party is tomorrow evening.”

“I know, but I wanted you to have this before. Wear it, okay? I saw you looking at it last week and thought you’d look really good in it,” his long fingers opened the box for her and revealed a handmade beret decorated with colourful, youthful pins.

“Oh, this is gorgeous! Thank you so much!” She hugged him quickly before putting on the beret, rebelliously pulling it over an ear. “How do I look?”

“Like the brat that you are! Auch!” He flinched in pain where she flicked him. “Good, you look good. Satisfied?”

“Maybe! You know,” she put the beret back into the box, hesitating to look into her brother’s eyes, “father asked his secretary to have someone follow you around. I think he knows.”

The Crown Prince stood up from his place and walked to the window. Outside, this beautiful full moon was illuminating the park of the palace. “I know,” he whispered a minute later. “I hate him so much! He’s ruining everything for everyone ever since mother died.”

“What can we do? We’re his children and you’re the heir to the throne.”

“But what if I weren’t?”

“What do you mean?”

His eyes were sparkling strangely when he turned to her. “I can’t lose her! Maybe someone else would do it, but I won’t. She’s been there for me when everyone else left. And I owe her at least this.”

“If you’re talking about what I think you are you should forget it!” She warned him, sensing the danger lurking around. “She’s a waitress!”

“Well, mother was just a teacher when she met father. And she became the queen of this country!”

“Yeah, she was a university teacher. Not a waitress! Look,” she paused, cutting him out, “I don’t have anything against her, you know I super like her, but father won’t stand by and watch and you should know that better than anyone.”

“What if we force his hand?”

“How?”

“I’ll need your help.” His eyes were begging, just like his trapped soul. He felt trapped, enclosed like an animal in between the walls of the palace or even outside, with all the eyes watching him. This was his ticket out. ‘I hope you’ll forgive me, lil’ sis…’ he thought while closely examining the princess’s face.

“You know I’d do anything for you!” She frowned just a bit before motioning him to sit down and tell her everything. Which he did.

 

“Happy birthday, duckling,” her father whispered before kissing her cheek. “Are you having a nice time?”

“Who wouldn’t like such a party?” The princess just laughed, maybe a bit tipsy from all the champaigne.

“Where’s your brother? I don’t think I’ve seen him tonight?” The king was already frowning, disapproving of his eldest child wrecklessness. The Crown Price was taking too much after himself!

“I’m right here, Your Majesty,” the price’s voice made both father and daughter turn around. Holding tightly onto his arm was a pretty woman who looked scared and fascinated at the same time. Her features looked like a China doll’s, thing that would inspire poets to write her ellogies.

“What is she doing here?!” The king saw beyond the young woman’s make-up and dress, recognizing her as the woman who was seeing his son. “I thought I clearly told you that I want you to break-up with her! What else should I do to make it clearer to you?”

“How can I break-up with my wife, father?”

“Pardon?!”

“That’s right, I married her. She’s now your daughter-in-law.” The Crown Prince’s smile was victorious while the king’s lips were curving down in a rictus of anger. The entire room was watching them when something snapped inside the old man.

“He loves her, father. It’s not just a fling.” The princess cut in just as the king opened his mouth. But her words only drew his frown upon her, his lips trembling just a bit upon the realization that both his children had played him.

“You knew of this?” He whispered, looking her in the eyes.

“Father, please…”

“I asked if you did knew of this, princess!”

But she didn’t bow her head. Instead she returned his stare with a defying expression. “I was the witness at their civil wedding.”

“I see,” was all the king said before returning to the Crown Prince. “You will undo this wedding or face the consequences.”

“No one can undo this, father, as I don’t plan to get a divorce anytime soon. Not even you have power over this marriage.”

“Oh, is that so?” The king was smiling. And everyone knows the smile of a king brings no good to anyone. “I ask you again: get this foolish union undone.”

“No, father,” the Crown Prince stood his ground, firmly believing in his cause.

“Fine, be it as you wish then,” the king’s words had everyone sigh in relief. “However you’re no longer son of mine. I hereby strip the prince of his title and any right to enheriting the throne. He is to be known by his borth name only and is to never return to the palace. Guards, please lead the prince out after he bids farewell to the princess.”

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

The princess was walking around the room, waiting to be summoned by the king.

‘I’m sorry, lil’ sis, to having put you in this situation. Tell father I’m sorry I couldn’t be the son he wanted to take over for him. I just… didn’t feel like home in the palace. Now I’m finally free. Thank you, sis, I hope I’ll be able to repay you someday.’ Her brother had texted her before he left the country. She knew he flew away because it was all over the news, just like the rumours on her situation. So she was sure it was only a matter of time before she would be called to face her enraged father.

“Your Highness, the king is asking for you in his office,” the king’s secretary bowed politely and held the door for her.

The king didn’t even raise his eyes from the papers he was studying attentively. They were alone and yet he didn’t spare her a single glance. And when he finally did, his eyes were cold and distant.

“I didn’t raise such rebellious children,” he finally spoke, looking at her from above his reading glasses. “What happened I wonder, where did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, we grew up,” she didn’t cave in or beg for his forgiveness, just like he was expecting.

“Yes, that happened. Then, if you know that you also know that with growing up comes great responsibility as well. Your brother took his share and will bear it for the rest of his life. Now it’s your turn,” the king turned to his papers, looking older and weaker all of a sudden. But shedding that image quickly, he pulled out two envelopes and handed them to his daughter without any ceremony. “You can open them later. They are official news. One informs you on your new title as the Crown Princess, heir to the throne,” he revealed, looking straight at her as her eyes widened in shock. “The second one is a royal command to join the army. Effective immediately!”

“The army, father?!”

“Yes, the army. I want you to go and get that rebellious spirit educated. At least that way it’ll have some use in the future.”

“But father…”

“That’d be all now.”

She was trembling, crumpling the envelopes in her hands. “I will never forgive you! Never!”

But the king didn’t bother looking at her. “You can thank your brother for that. Now go. A car will pick you up and drop you at the Ministry of Defense headquarters.”

The whole country was celebrating the naming of a new successor to the throne while the princess was leaving the palace with only a small suitcase of clothes, swearing to prove the king that her spirit wasn’t going to be broken or bent by the army or any other force than her own will.

“We usually don’t do this when we give official orders, but you are the Crown Princess, so I’ll let you choose,” the Minister of Defense smiled as if doing her a great favour. “A division of women or a division for men. What will it be?”

“Father wants his daughter to replace a son, so I should prove him I can be one,” she reached for the envelope which held the official order for her to join the division of men.

“It’ll be tough.”

“I never expected to be easy.”

The car drove her across the country to the sea side where the men division she was assigned to was located. Dropping her at the red barrier of the entrace in the headquarters, the driver bowed deeply before driving away and leaving her inhale the dust. A soldier showed her the commander in charge, a bald man wearing sunglasses despite being indoors.

“Well, well, well, what have we here? When I was told the royal offspring will be dropped off I thought it was your brother, but I got you. A woman! Welcome to Hell, princess!”

“Soldier Lee reporting for duty!” She saluted him, military style while keeping her posture and eyes straight ahead.

“That’s the spirit!” The captain laughed amused. “Private Min here will lead you to the deposit where you’ll get your gear. Your bag will be searched and any items that are against the regulations will be confiscated. Then you’ll be lead to the barracks where you are to keep your bed as neat. If things are found in disorder, you and your division will be held accountable. Lights off at ten pm. You wake up whenever I want. Any questions? Didn’t think so either! Dismissed!”

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

She was waiting for someone to come and check her bag after having taken her equipment from the deposit. Ignoring the whispers and staring, she sat directly on the full rucksack, staring back at the men who were staring at her.

“Who is that?” A man stopped walking across the road and frowned from behind his sun glasses.

“That’d be the princess. She was sent here to serve the mandatory service after her brother was disowned,” the private following him revealed. “I guess she’s waiting for someone to show her around.

“Wrong,” she spoke, chuckling before turning to them with a straight face. “I’m soldier Lee and I’m waiting for someone to check my bag before I can head for the barracks like I was instructed. Do you know who is supposed to check my bag?” She turned her eyes to the man who was clearly higher in rank.

The man pursed his lips, displeased. She was going to be a headache if she were to be placed in his care. And taking his luck, he was 99,9% sure she was going to be in his group. “Private Jung, take these to the Staff Sergeant. He’ll know what to do with them,” he passed his papers to his subordinate before turning to the princess. “As for you, soldier Lee, follow me!” And he spun on his heels and marched to the his office. “Your bag here, your equipment to your boot,” he instructed while taking off his sunglasses and revealing a rather handsome face.

“What is this?”

“Hydrating mask.”

“This?”

“Night treatment.”

“And this?”

“Thongs, soldier.”

His cheeks flushes just a bit. “It’s Sergeant, soldier Lee and you’re to address me accordingly to my rank. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir!”

“This is not your papa’s palace and no one is your servant here. You’re to care for your things, wash your clothes and make sure you don’t run into problems. I don’t want to hear ing about the soldiers’ comments towards you, just like I won’t listen to their complaining if you slap them. Do you get it?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Training starts tomorrow morning at six-hundreds sharp! Dismissed!”

She took a long look at her bag.

“Something wrong, soldier?”

“Who will be holding the training, sir?”

He chuckled. “Me, of course.”

“Good,” she smiled strangely before picking up her bag and her heavy rucksack without wincing, unknowningly gaining his respect.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

A week into her training and she was secretly crying under the shower while trying to quickly wash up before all the others would barge in. The Sergeant was making her life a hell and nothing from what she did was ever good enough for him. She always got some extra miles of crawling through the mud, some extra miles of jogging, some extra potatoes to peel. This one time her bed cover was wrinkled and she had to jog while carrying her entire equipment through the pouring rain.

A month into her training she was still getting extra work, which she did without complaining. Actually she never complained or talked back to anyone. Not even when the other soldiers were making ist comments or whistling at her when she had her clothes wet or when she was applying her hydrating treatment. She endured everything and pretended they weren’t even there.

Three months into the training and she walked out of the shower only wearing her underwear. And when one soldier who just didn’t know when to shut up called her ‘sugar’, she slapped his throat with the wet towel making him choke on spot right when Sergeant Kim entered the barracks for an unexpected inspection.

“Atten-tion!” The private on duty made them all stand straight next to their beds. Some were in their briefers, some were fully dressed, prepared for showering. But none made the sergeant stop in his tracks like she did.

“What is the meaning of this? Is this a strip club and I’m not aware?” His eyes measured her black, simple undies and brassiere.

“No, sir!”

“Then what’s up with this attire?!”

“Permission to speak,” she replied back, keeping her eyes ahead.

“Permission granted.”

“I’m but a soldiers. Half of the guys walk around around here and they’re not part of a strip club, yet I walk in my underwear, from the shower because it’s too hot in there and too humid to put my clothes on right away and suddenly this is a strip club?! I wouldn’t want my fellow colleagues to think we’re talking about ism here.”

Sergeant Kim stepped closer to her until they were an inch away and she was facing his chin. “Is this a threat, soldier Lee?”

“No, sir!”

“It better not be. ‘Cause I’m gonna crush you like a cockroach if you think for a second I’m impressed by the fact you’re a princess. Give me twenty!” He barked.

And she complied, instantly starting to do push-ups just like any other soldier would do, her head filled with all the curses she knew and some new.

 

The darkness was hiding her silhouette, only the end of the lit cigarrette giving her away. But she had to calm down, the nightmares had been taking a toll on her and she got herself extra work and extra training for the first time in almost half an year since joining the army. Even the guys were starting to feel sorry for her, which she couldn’t stand!

“Who’s there?”

Guilty, she quickly hid the cigarrette behind her back and saluted with the other. “Soldier Lee, detachement 250 8!”

“What are you doing up at this hour?”

“Sergeant Kim?” The flashlight was blinding her.

“Oh, sorry! Why are you up?” He approched after turning off the flashlight. But seeing a fleeing troubled expression, he smiled for a second before he too swallowed his smile. “You have permission to speak, soldier. And pass that cigarrette here as well.”

She smiled guilty and passed him the half smoked cigarette. “I’ve been having nightmares and they’re getting me in trouble. The ocean calms me down, it can make me sleep better.”

“You could always see the doctor here, you know,” he inhaled deeply the smoke before passing her back the cigarette. “Is this why you picked up smoking as well?”

“Oh, this?” She looked at the cigarrette a bit surprised. “No, it was because of you.”

“Of me?!”

“Yeah,” she put off the cigarrette with her boot, crushing it to the ground with visible pleasure. “I have your permission to speak? And I cannot be held accountable for what I say? Like you cannot give me extra work for what I say next and like that.”

He laughed for the first time, startling her. “Fine, this time only.”

“Because you’re a piece of and a bully who loves tormeting me… sir,” she added with a smile, looking into the distance from where the waves could be heard crushing against the shore. “I should go back in. there’s still some time left before the wake up call.” And after saluting, she spun on her heels to return to her barrack.

“Soldier Lee!”

“Sir?”

“After the wake up call I want you to go to the doctor here. Tell him I sent you.”

“But sir –”

“No ‘buts’! It’s an order, soldier!”

And as she went off kicking pebbles and mumbling to herself, he smiled without realizing.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

Another night, same dark corner of the barracks, both listening to the ocean somewhere out there while craving for the same freedom.

“I’m totally going to the beach during my days off. I’m gonna party and make a fool out of myself,” she spoke, smiling only at the thought of dipping her feet into the water.

“Too bad I’ll be back by then, ‘cause I’d totally come only to take some shots of you and show it to the guys,” the Sergeant chuckled, exhaling the smoke of their cigar.

“Whaaaat? You got your leave before me?!” She frowned. He had joined her detachment on the same day as her.

“Compliments of these stripes, baby!”

“But… I’m the princess! The sole heir to the throne! I’m the future queen and mother of the nation. Mother of all dragons! I should be going first. It’s not fair!” She childlishly hit the ground with her foot.

“There, there, big baby, you’ll go as well!”

“Permission to speak freely, sir!”

“Permission not granted, soldier!” He laughed while walking away, knowing that she’d curse like no tomorrow otherwise. “Glad you’re feeling better,” he yelled, waving her off.

But she just stood there, a bit masmerized, a bit mad, feeling too much for what she could handle when sudenly the alarm’s siren went off and all the lights all around the camp.

“What, what?” Her fellow colleagues were all getting up and already putting on their clothes when she entered the barrack fully dressed.

“Assault drill,” she informed them while quickly grabbing her gear.

“Atten-tion!” The Corporal accompanying Sergeant Kim made them all stop and salute as the Sargent entered the barracks, fully equiped with his own battle gear.

“This is an assault drill and you are to act accordingly. What is our targer, soldier Lee?”

“Indentify the assaulter and neutralize it, sir,” the princess quickly gave her answer, her eyes staring in the distance.

“That’s right, neutralize. And what do we do about captured fellow soldiers or even superiors?”

“Rescue or neutralize, sir!”

“Good luck! I expect you make no fool of me or Hell will be your best friend. Five minutes till departure!” He informed them before putting on his cap and leaving them to prepare. All packed and ready, they smeared their faces with camouflage colours as the military truck took off through the darkness, dropping them somewhere on a filed with tall grass which scratched their faces as they kept their eyes on the beach bellow them.

“What division are you guys from?” The princess asked the group that soon joined them.

“555 4,” a soldier with his face painted in black answered while securing his combat knife to his belt.

“250 8. You’re special forces! Is Sergeant Kim with you?”

“Wasn’t he supposed to be with you?”

“!” She cursed under her breath. “Kim, tell me what you’ve got!”

“Special forces tanks. Bullet proof and bazooka proof as well. They set camp under a rock, coordinates 2.3-2.5 kilometres N-E from here in an old observation cabin,” the intel whispered the information using the right tone so everyone could hear.

“So what’s the plan?” The private with them looked around. They were all kids, no older than 20.

“The you’re asking me that?! You’re the highest in rank here, you should know!” The princess hissed with a frown.

“They’ve got Sergeant Kim!” Their intel whispered desperately.

“So this is what it’s about, huh?” She whispered to herself, aware that all eyes were on her. “I guess you’re the same rank with special forces, huh?” She turned to the one wearing only black, yearning a quick nod. “Fine! Take your guys and surround the premisses. I want you to be the eyes of whatever bat if going inside that cabin. We’re on channel 2.3 so all of you tune to it. Park and Hwang, you will be the decoy – you’re gonna shoot at the tanks and allow them to capture you, got it?”

“And you?”

“I will wait for the special forces to fume them good. Then I’ll go in and try to rescue the Sergeant. Be careful, this might be a drill but they’re after us to see if we comply to the rules. So no trying to be a hero, alright? And if I get captured… shoot me on sight if there’s no other way,” she said after a second. “No good ever came out from royalty being captured. Now scramble!”

With the special forces quickly disappearing into the darkness, she only had to wait, slowly approaching the beach with some fellow soldiers who remained with her. And while Park and Hwang’s decoy covered all the sounds they made, she could get close enough to the cabin to be able to act upon signal.

“Black Panther to Python, over!” She heard the radio call.

“Python, I read you loud and clear, over.”

“Baby egg is chained up. Polecats all around, over.”

“Signs of indigestion?”

“Negative.”

“Wait out,” she instructed, feeling a major headache taking over. So the Sergeant was held hostage and they were beating him to a pulp while he only said his name and military code again and again. There was no chance of escape from his end. “Python to Black Panther,” she squeezed the radio in her tiny hand, “smoke the den, out.”

She only heard the faint whizzing of the smoke bombs before the hostile forces scrambled out, allowing her and the others to sneak closer and neutralize the few they got their hands on. And with them tied up and taken away, she was able to make her way inside the cabin.

“Looks like the royalty stepped right into the trap.”

The distinct voice of the captain of her detachment made her blood boil and so she managed to use her anger to escape the hands of her so called ‘enemy’ with a few punches sent left and right. Choosing the combat knife, she sent it flying right towards the captain, pinning his coat against the wall and thus taking him out of the game.

“Move and this pretty Sergeant dies,” Private Min’s knife was already drawing a thin, red line on the prisoner’s neck.

“You all think that because I’m a woman, I’ll chicken out,” she huffed, annoyed as the helicopter above them illuminated the cabin.

“This is the moment where you should chicken out, soldier,” the captain looked at her expecting her next move.

“Not when it comes to royalty, sir. We’re stubborn till our last breath,” she chuckled, looking Sergeant Kim in the eyes at all times. A blink of a swollen eye made her decide. Her hand moved faster than they knew it could and in a second she had already fired her gun, making the private and the Sergeant fall to the ground, covering their heads as she armed the gun and aimed it at her own head. “Soldiers do not get captured alive,” she smirked.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

“For proving great bravery and leadership, soldier Lee here is now to be known as Sergeant Lee and is entrusted with the command of the 280 5 detachment,” the captain pinned her medal on to her uniform, while Sergeant Kim changed her stripes to match her new rank.

“Sergeant Kim is awarded the rank of Staff Sergeant for his great contribution to the armed forces through hard work and dedication,” their captain continued. “Congratulation!”

And with that they were all dismissed to celebrate on their own, with a free evening.

“Congratulations, soldier Lee!’ Staff Sergeant’s arm was slung in a scarf.

“Sergeant you mean, sir,” she swallowed her smile and kept a straight face.

“You actually shot me,” he shook his head, pretending to be disappointed.

“That’s what you get for getting your leave before the Crown Princess!” She just couldn’t help it and stuck her tongue out. “Say, during this fine day, will I finally get to know your full name. You always wear the tag with only your last name on.”

“Oh, it’s Namjoon. Why? Do you plan to write my name on some Death Note?” He smiled, showing off his dimples.

“Not today, sir, not today. So, Special Forces, huh?”

“Been dreaming of it ever since I enlisted.” His eyes were sparkling as her heart skipped a beat. “Don’t worry, I’ll visit often to see how you’re holding up.”

“Taking that I threw a combat knife at the captain, hmmm, I don’t know, I think I’ll make it,” the princess laughed, making his heart shake. “Say, Staff Sergeant, will you come work for me when I get discharged?”

“And iron your skirts?”

“No, sir, that’s for competent hands, not for those that get themselves shot by a mere soldier,” she smirked. “I mean as my personal bodyguard. I’d feel less as a target knowing you’re around.”

“Leave the military brats to be the babysitter of a royal brat, huh?”

“Permission to speak freely, sir!”

“Permission not granted,” he laughed, his hand unconsciously reaching out to mess her hair. “I’ll think about it during the hard training of the special forces, okay? No, I promise I’ll come with a straight answer on the day of your discharge, al’ght?” His dimples some more although he already knew the answer he was to give her 15 months later on.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

She kicked a pebble away. And then another one. And then another one. Soldiers were cheering in groups, parents were crying, siblings were trying to run away, grossed by the sudden sibling love while she was waiting there alone. The soldiers were bowing politely and she was saluting her superiors while her eyes were looking, waiting for the promised figure.

“Princess,” a group led by a man in a suit approached her, drawing her attention. “Congratulations on your discharge.” Another bow. “His Majesty is waiting, Your Highness,” was the only sentence which made her eyes avert from the crowd.

“So it’s time for me to return to being just a princess, huh?” She chuckled bitterly.

“Not ‘just’ a princess, but the princess. We’ve been waiting for you all this time,” the man finally smile, somehow delighted at the transformation of the girl who became a steel woman.

The princess sighed, he wasn’t coming. He was just like all the others, lying after all to keep a façade. “Yeah, let’s go.” And she picked her own gear, ignoring the hands that rushed to her air. She was no longer just royal, she was also a soldier and soldiers don’t get captured without their gear.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

“SergeantLee reporting!” Her posture was stiff, her eyes fixed ahead while the king returned her salute.

“At ease, soldier,” the king smiled, giving away his happiness to finally see his daughter back at home. “Welcome home, princess,” he kept his arms wide open under her emotionless stare while she remained still, making him put his arms down. “You haven’t changed one bit.”

“Wrong,” she smiled for the first time, a victorious and sad smile, “I have changed and I’m more me than I ever were. And don’t think for a second that I’ll forget what you said or done two years ago. Now, if Your Majesty excuses me, I need a shower a good night sleep before I take on my royal duties.” A bow and she left him speechless to endure the shame of his biggest parental mistake.

“Don’t,” she raised her hand to stop the secretary from saying even a word about what he had just witnessed. “I will see you all in the morning,” her feet stopped naturally in front of her apartment’s doors, a heavy sigh growing in her chest. And yet she pushed open the doors and stepped inside alone, embracing her old, but new found loneliness.

Sleeping with a heavy heart, she woke up before anyone else and went for a jog around the park of the palace, music blasting through her earplugs while she ignored the rain pouring down. She had to examine that bothering feeling that she was betrayed… what were they more than colleagues, superior and subordinate? She knew she shouldn’t have felt that way and yet all her feelings were hurt, her pride bruised and on the floor. So she had to do something to fill her head with something else…

“Come in,” she answered as soon as she heard the knock on her door. “Why are you so surprised?” She stopped to look at the baffled secretary who couldn’t help but stare. The princess was awake and working at her desk at only 8 am! “We should have a briefing over what is expected of me for the next days because, to be honest, I’m quite behind with all the diplomatic news,” she offered a crooked smile before returning to her papers.

“First thing first, you need to attend the training of your bodyguards. We want to make sure you’re happy with what we hired,” the secretary quickly placed the leather file on her desk, politely stepping backwards a second later. “I personally made sure they’re all over qualified, just so that you’re safe. Of course, please do feel free to cut out anyone who you think wouldn’t meet your expectations.”

“I don’t need to look over their files, secretary Kim, I need to see them. His Majesty already lost a child, I don’t want to make him childless,” the princess stood up in her killer heels. “I’ll change in something more appropriate and then we’ll go have a look at their training.”

In less than a minute she was back, wearing a jogging suit, light and thin which showed her curves and tonned body. Tensed, she still kept her smile, politely returning everyone’s bowing while they headed for the tennis court where the training was held.

From afar, they looked like a military assembly tortured by their superior who was imposing the rhythm with a metallic whistle he was keeping in between his lips. Two by two, the bodyguards were fencing, attacking and fighting their colleagues, fists flying through the air and forcing the opponent to step backwards and attack back.

Something was familiar in their movements, the elasticity of their position – it felt like her entire group from the army was in front of her!

“They’re soldiers, aren’t they?” She turned to her secretary while they snuck behind the green fences, looking to appear right in front of them as the group left the tennis court for a long jogging session.

“I thought Your Highness would be more comfortable with people who have gone through a similar training. Was I wrong?”

“No. C’mon!” And she stepped out, stopping abruptly in her tracks in the middle of the alley, forcing the entire group of sweaty bodyguards to stop confused. “Well, well… I didn’t expect to see D-35 here,” she smirked, cocking an eyebrow at the group who was always the one to come in first among all Special Forces groups.

“Your Highness!!” They quickly bowed, keeping their eyes lowered.

“You’re no fun anymore!” She laughed, giving them the cue that they could relax. “How come you guys left the army? I thought you were set on serving the country.”

“Serving our princess is like serving the country, if not more important. You’re the Crown Princess now! You need tough guys to keep you safe now,” one joked.

“Oh, do I? Let’s have a match and see who wins then,” her grin was inviting to old school competition. And in their tough play only the grass of the royal lawn had to suffer as no one dared to touch her more than needed, while she landed some tough kicks and hits.

“What is the meaning of this?” He didn’t yell or raise his voice more than he would’ve done before. And yet the entire group broke and assembled quickly in a perfect line, their bodies stiff and hiding the princess who was still laughing while wiping away her sweat. “I thought I said you are to jog at least five laps. What’s this about?”

“Don’t be do harsh on them, chief Kim,” she finally stepped out from behind them, dusting her knees. “I’m afraid I am to be blamed for this disorder.”

“Princess!”

Only the inflection of his voice made her raise her eyes. Wearing his hair short and eyes hidden behind pilot sunglasses, he still managed to make her frown like before as her inner self recognized him faster than her mind and eyes did.

“Chief Kim, how unexpected of you to be here,” she kept on smiling, only her eyes raging. “Secretary Kim?”

“Your Highness?”

“Can I have that file now, please?” She reached her hand out, waiting while her eyes never left the man who looked straight ahead with a stiff position. She looked away only for a second, just so she could quickly scan the file. Yes, there he was, Staff Sergeant Kim Namjoon, Special Forces troup leader had been named Chief in charge of the Royal Forces aka the bodyguards hired to protect and guard the princess who had just been discharged from the army. “I see, I see, a month already, huh?” She mumbled to herself before passing the file back to her secretary. “Chief Kim, follow me. The rest of you are dismissed until further notice,” sergeant Lee came out abruptly, leaving everyone is a rank panic as she stomped away, quickly followed by her sweating secretary and a man who was looking at the sky.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

She was fuming under the shower. At least she wasn’t able to hear her murderous thoughts under the droplets of the shower, so she remained there for over half an hour, intentionally making Chief Kim waiting while she slowly put on some clothes and dried her hair. And before stepping out, she made a promise to herself not to get angry or anything. But how could she when he was standing there perfectly calm while she had a whole storm raging on the inside?!

“Should I ask Chief Kim to enter now?” The secretary quickly stoop up as soon as she marched inside in her high heels.

“Please,” the princess plopped down behind her desk, before browsing through the file of the bodyguards again. “Please give us some privacy, thank you,” she said as soon as the bodyguard stepped in and remained standing in front of her desk.

The door closing behind the secretary made her eyes turn to the man in front of her. He was keeping his posture straight, eyes fixing the wall behind her with the attitude of a soldier brought in for questioning in front of his superior.

“Do you have something to tell me?” She leaned back on her chair.

“No, Your Highness.”

“Nothing at all?”

“No, Your Highness.”

Strangely, her heart ached a bit. “Very well then, let’s go through a briefing of the staff. What should I know about them?”

“They are the best men the royal family could have hired to protect Your Highness. They’re loyal and ready to take action without hesitation. They will be Your Highness’s shadow, protecting you without making you feel uncomfortable.” His tone was like before, when they first met: flat, no inflection as he was delivering only the information and nothing else.

“Who is directly in charge of me?”

“That would be me, Your Highness.”

The princess’s eyebrows shot up in tandem with her heart inside her chest. “Why is that? Why not… soldier Min for example?” She could see his jawline hardening as he clenched his teeth. “It’s a simple curiosity, Chief Kim, why do you consider you’re up to the task? Is it because of your rank? Is it something else? I want to understand and feel like I can trust you, soldier, but right now I find it pretty hard,” she continued, standing up from her place and walking to the windows that showed the gardens of the palace. “I need someone to trust in this place, someone who will understand freedom just as well as confinement. So, Chief Kim, why you? Why did my father allow a complete stranger to assume such a role?” She turned to him once again, looking for signs of cracking. “Cat got your tongue, soldier?”

“Permission to speak freely, Your Highness!”

“This isn’t the army, soldier,” she smiled at him cracking under her eyes.

“It’s Staff Sergeantif you insist using military ranks,” he chuckled while slowly taking off his sunglasses before finally looking her in the eye. “I didn’t come to your discharge because I was already here. I won’t offer any excuses if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“Why?”

“Because it would be irrelevant now. I was here, preparing the guys that I handpicked for your protection for what was about to come their way. And my way as well.”

“And what’s that?”

“You, Your Highness. A brat that can’t get over one itsy bitsy mistake I made and is going to bother the soul out of me until I apologize – which won’t happen anytime soon, or forgets.”

“Excuse you?!”

“A brat that came back to the place from where she was chased away because she’s worried about her father, a brat that has insomnia and will walk around the palace for sure, a brat that is a killing machine trained to protect herself and the others as well,” he went on, ignoring her widening eyes. “At some point in my life I wanted to serve my country well. I wanted nothing more than to be the best soldier that there is. But then I met you and that changed too. Now all I want is to protect you and make sure nothing will ever happen to you. That’s why I am the man that is directly responsible for your protection and that’s also why I couldn’t come to you ceremony. Hope that made things clear and that you won’t make my life a living hell, soldier.”

“Sergeant,” was all she said, before smiling whole heartedly for the first time in a while. “You keep on getting my rank wrong, Chief Kim. And just to make things clear, here I’m the one in charge.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” his eyes were telling a different story though.

“A brat, huh?” The princess looked at her white shoes for a second before a mischievous smirk blossomed in the corners of her lips. “Chief Kim, let’s go for ice-cream!”

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

It was crazy hot outside, tourists crowding the streets of the city center where she finally decided to stop for ice-cream after having refused a couple of good, local ice-cream boxes the palace staff brought to her.

“I hope you’re kidding me,” Namjoon looked at her and then back at the street. “Is this your way of getting back at me?! ‘Cause if something happens…”

“Nothing will happen, come now!” She beamed and stepped out of the car, forcing him to quickly jog to her side. It was just the two of them as she had insisted on ‘testing his skills’ as her sole protector. But even for a man with his training, it was hard to keep the people from bumping and pushing against her.

“Your Highness…”

“Shush! Here it is!” She just grabbed his hand and pulled him along in an obscure little shop. “Smashing, isn’t it?”

The place was cosy and painted in pastel colours, bringing back the vibe of the ‘60s with the décor and uniform of the staff who greeted them all smiles. There were few customers in so they were able to pick a booth far from any attention.

“C’mon, pick something! I’ll pay! They have the best ice-cream ever!”

“Fine,” he sighed and browsed through the menu under her eyes. Five minutes later she was scooping out of her funky coloured ice-cream while eyeing his plan, Belgian chocolate ice-cream as well. “Why did you insist on coming here, Your Highness? You could have easily asked someone to come and order something for you and bring it home. Why the trouble?”

“Why do you have to spoil this little pleasure of mine, Chief Kim?”

“Because I want to know why,” he insisted, his eyes looking for hers concerned.

She sighed and put down her spoon. “This is the place I used to come with my brother when mother was still alive. They never changed a thing to it because the royal family took a liking into this place when we were kids. It allows me to visit it because it’s never crowded and I can enjoy a little time away from my princess shoes.”

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is that really it? Or all of it?”

Why did he have to put all the right questions? “It’s also what I wanted to do with you after the ceremony.”

“I see,” was all he said before starting to eat his ice-cream with real interest. “Hey, you can’t do that!” His hands quickly surrounded his bowl as she spooned out some of his ice-cream and quickly ate it.

“I can do whatever I please. I’m the damn princess!” She stuck out her tongue as well.

“Brat!”

“Bastard!”

“I can’t believe you’d say something like that to your superior! I’ll have to discipline that vocabulary of yours!” But he was laughing. And she was laughing as well. “So, are we even now?”

“Oh, not even close, my friend!”

“Oh, my… Princess!”

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

“You’re not making my job easy when you wake up earlier than supposed to go jugging, you know?” Namjoon casually joined her relaxed jog, startling her. “Next time, please let me know before hand.”

“I didn’t know I have to answer to you. What? Disturbed your beauty sleep?” She just frowned, returning to her pace.

“No, I was actually taking a deserved shower after guarding your sleep. Just tell me, okay? It saves a lot of troubles and also a lot of staff,” he looked ahead, clenching his teeth. He was fuming after going to an almost panic attack when he discovered her apartment empty after returning from his room. It took thirty men scattered all across the domain to finally find her jogging around the lake.

“Look,” she stopped abruptly, taking off her sunglasses which revealed her dark circles, “I don’t think I need 24/7 protection. At least not when I’m sleeping!”

“You’d be surprised how many assassination attempts are made at night when the guard is low. I know you can’t sleep that well when I’m in the room, but please try to get used to it because my job is to protect you 24/7,” he looked at her over his glasses before resuming his jogging. “Now c’mon, soldier, I trained no wuss when it comes to exercising!”

“Who says I can’t sleep when you’re on call?” She simply ignored his bossy self and walked while stretching. “I sleep just fine!”

“You forget that me being on call, means I’m in the room as well. You toss and turn and mumble most of the night. Don’t worry, I’ve seen legs before and if I’m not mistaken, I’ve seen you in your lingerie as well,” his chuckle only made her mad.

“Listen here, I think you’ve got the ranking all wrong here, Chief Kim,” the princess kept her back straighter than usually, showing just how pissed she was the he read right through her. “I’m the princess and you’re my bodyguard, not my conversation partner. You speak only when address to, are we clear?”

“Yes, ‘mam!”

“Good! Now let’s go back. I’ve got that seminar to hold and I can’t be late,” she just spun around on her heels, sprinting towards the palace, too embarrassed that she had pulled the princess card on him. She knew he meant well, but his bossy side sometimes made her feel as if she was back in the military and not all things were nice there.

Once inside, she was immediately greeted by her secretary who informed her on the schedule for the day, highlighting that the seminar was just not as important as the meeting with ministers later that evening.

“Jin,” she raised her hand to stop her while she marched down the corridor which led to her apartment, “I think inspiring the students is just as important. So please, do make sure we’ll have time for Q&A afterwards, alright?”

“Right away, Your Highness,” he just scribbled down something on his notebook. “Anything else?”

The princess stopped in front of the door to her apartment. “Yes, please make sure Chief Kim here gets a rest day today. That’s be all,” she dismissed them both by closing the door between them.

“Right,” Jin turned to the bodyguard, “you heard the princess, Chief Kim, today you’re on a leave day. Make sure the best man takes your place. It won’t be like you being there, but we’ll have to make do. Make all arrangements, okay?”

“Secretary Kim –”

“Jin,” the man stopped in his tracks, “we’ll be seeing each other a lot, so you should call me ‘Jin’, like the princess does.”

“Alright, Jin,” Namjoon frowned just a bit while the perfectly dressed man in front of him checked his watch, “we can’t afford to have the princess outside without me being there.”

“Do you not trust your men, Chief?”

“It’s not that.”

“Do you consider yourself better than them then?”

“Wha-?! It’s not like that although I am better than them since I was in command of most of them,” Namjoon’s frown only deepened. “I feel more comfortable when I have my eyes on her because I know that if something were to happen, I wouldn’t hesitate to take a bullet for her.”

“Her Highness will be just fine, Chief Kim,” Jin checked her watch again, his mind working fast on all the adjustments he had to make due to the princess’s demand. “I think she needs to some away from you most than anything. And being considerate as she is, instead of throwing a tantrum, she preferred giving you a day off. You should enjoy it as it doesn’t happen often. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to make sure everything’s ready.”

‘Oh, this is the royal version of a tantrum,’ Namjoon thought to himself while having no other choice but to walk away.

∙∙∙ ■ ■ ■ ∙∙∙

Having the day full with events, she didn’t have that much time to think about Namjoon or the time-out she gave him, but being surrounded by mostly men at the minister’s party, she regretted not having him around to crack a joke.

“I see you’re taking your role as the Crown Princess very seriously,” the King joined her on the balcony. “I don’t know what went wrong with your brother. I wish he were more like you, you know?” He actually smiled while sipping from his glass of champagne.

“I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about brother now, Your Majesty.”

“Then what should we talk about? The weather? The stupidity of these men here who only think about getting richer? Which of these lovely topics appeal to you, princess?”

She turned to him with a stern face, annoyed that he still actually expected her to be more than just the princess to him. “You really should stop, Your Majesty. I won’t go back on my word, not when you renegaded your own son, my brother! Now, I don’t us to fight in public, so let’s just stop here?”

“Your brother would have never made it. He was not made to rule. He was… weak,” the king only looked in the distance. “He wanted to be free and I wanted a strong heir to the throne. I think we’ve settled quite right.”

“Wait, what?”

“What? You though I didn’t know the little plan your brother had? Ha! When will you kids learn that I know everything?!’

“So you know what brother had planned and still allowed him to go with it?! Just so that you had a reason to dispose of him?! I can’t believe you!” She hissed, shocked and deeply troubled by the news.

“Your brother saw it coming. There was no way out for either of us, princess.”

“So while he kicked away his country for love, you just rolled with it because you wanted a different heir?!”

“That’s politics, my child.”

“I’m disgusted. By you and by the one all this time that had been wronged. You two deserve each other!” Her fingers squeezed around the railing before letting go and putting on a calm façade. “From now on I’d appreciate if you’d stop talking to me unless official matters. You wanted a worthy heir to the throne, now you’ve got it. But think about it, Your Majest