Finally returning from the hospital, Seokjin escorts Minji to the gate. "You didn't have to send me home, Your Highness." Minji replies, "I could've just took the bus back home." "Actually, there's something else that I have to— "Minji," replies her omma, coming out of the house, "where have you—" At that moment, Minji's omma stops in awe to see Prince Seokjin standing in front of her. "What is with all the commotion?" asks Minji's abeoji, also coming out of the house, "And who is this?" "Before we do any talking," Minji replies, "I think we all should head on inside before anyone else hears our conversation."

Minji's omma comes out of the kitchen, bringing out four tea cups and a full tea kettle for the four of them. "Sorry about the mess." Minji's omma replies, while setting the coffee table, "We weren't expecting to have such an important guest tonight." "Aish~" replies Minji's abeoji, "why are you talking like that?" "Because he's the famous Prince Seokjin." she explains, "The only son of—" "Omma!" Minji exclaims, "Abeoji!" "Wae~" the two exclaims back. "What Minji-sshi is trying to say is that she wants your permission for her to be my wife." Seokjin replies. 'Yah!' she thought, 'I did not say that at all; you're just going to make it even worse!' "O-omma....A-appa...." Minji stutters, "I-I d-did not agree to whatever he just said." "Am I dreaming?" asks Minji's omma, with excitement, "Please tell me that I'm dreaming, yeobo." "I don't think you are." he replies, "I think he's being serious." "I am not getting marry to the prince!!" Minji exclaims, "I can't marry him in the first place."

"I plan to make a marriage contract for us." Seokjin explains, briefly, "But I won't send it to you the details right away." "Huh?!" they all exclaimed. "I'll give you one week to think about the marriage contract, Kim Minji." he explains, pulling out his business card, "Once you've decided, give my number a call and we can discuss more; thank you for your time." Seokjin puts on his coat, heads for the front door, puts on his shoes and walks out without saying another word. 'One week?' Minji thought, 'I'm gonna need more than one week.'

Upon returning home, Seokjin is greeted by his personal bodyguard, Lee Hoseok. "Yah! Kim Seokjin." he replies, "Do you know that I've been—" "Lee Hoseok...." Seokjin replies, "How many times do I have to tell you not to use my full name?" "How could you leave me here?" Hoseok asks, "I'm your bodyguard and what if something were to happen to you?" Seokjin lets out a sigh and enters the house, only to be greet by Mr. Han. "Young master," he replies, "your father is waiting for you in his office; please be there within five minutes." As Mr. Han walks away, Hoseok walks up to Seokjin and asks, "What was that all about?" "If I don't come out of my father's office alive, you will be my witness, Hoseok." Seokjin proceeds up the stairwell, taking multiple turns in the hallways and finally reaches his soon-to-be "death". He opens the door and asks, "You wish to see me?" Seokjin's abeoji looks up from his business papers and sees Seokjin staring straight at him. "Come take a seat." he replies, gesturing his right hand to the chair in front of him. Seokjin comes into the room, closing the door behind him and immediately sits in the chair. "Where have you been?" his abeoji asks, "It's not like you to be wandering out late." "I had personal business to do, abeoji." Seokjin explains. "Find that girl, wasn't it?" "Of course not." Seokjin bluffs, "Why would I go out and find—" "Remember what I said, Kim Seokjin," his abeoji replies, sternly, "if that girl of yours is pregnant with your child, you are out of this house." 

Meanwhile, Minji is sitting outside of her house, pondering about the marriage contract. 'Can I really go through with this?' she thought to herself, 'I got drunk, had a one night stand with the Crown Prince and now he wants to marry me?!' Just then, Minji's omma had come out of the house and sits beside her daughter. "Omma?" Minji asks, once noticing her. "Still worried about the marriage contract." her omma asks. "Yes; I'm not what a Crown Prince should be marrying." Minji continues, "His parents will surely turn me away since I'm not of royal blood or rich." "Even if you aren't any of those two things, Minji," her omma replies, "you need to show them that you are the perfect daughter-in-law." "But—" "As far as seeing him come to our home today, I can tell that he truly wants this to work out; despite being the Crown Prince."

Back at the Kim's estate, Seokjin finally escapes the horror of hell and is immediately told to meet with his mother, who happens to be in her private room. He carefully knocks on the door before entering and sees her waiting for him. "Did you need to talk with me, omma?" Seokjin asks, nervously. "Tell what your abeoji told you just a moment ago." she replies, picking up her tea cup, "And I will try to reason with him." "And what if you can't reason with him, omma?" he continues, "You know that abeoji can't control his temper." "I know; but I can always try." Seokjin sighs heavily and sits down besides her. "Omma," Seokjin replies, "I found the girl." "Really?!" his omma asks, with excitement, "Did you find out if she's—" "She's not pregnant." he lies, hoping that she will take the bait, "The girl that I slept with is not pregnant."

Minji, unconsciouly, stares at Seokjin's business card on her desk. 'It's only a year, right?' she thought to herself, 'I should be able to survive until then.' Just as she's about to dial the number, something on her mind stops her. 'But what if I can't survive until the baby is born? No, you made this far; you have to call him.' Proceeding with her gut feeling, Minji dials in the first number on Seokjin's business card and waits for someone to pick up the call. "Hello?" he asks. "Is this Seokjin-sshi?" she asks, nervously. "This is he." Seokjin answers, "Do you have an answer for me?" "I do; but—" "But what?" "Can we go over the—" "I haven't made the contract yet, Minji-sshi," he explains, "But I'll contact you when I have it." 'Then why give me a week?!' she thought, 'Should've just told me that you didn't have it done.' "Seokjin-sshi," Minji complains, "if you don't have the marriage contract at all, then why did you give me your business card?" "How else are you suppose to contact me?" Seokjin asks, "We never exchange numbers before, have we?" Minji hesitates to answer him back and ends the call out of embarrassment.

Nearly a week later, Minji waits outside of a book café for Seokjin. 'I hope he can find it.' she thought, 'More like I hope I sent him the right address.' "Minji-sshi!" Seokjin replies, in the distance, "Minji-sshi!" She turns her head to the sound of his voice and sees Seokjin and someone else walking towards her. "I didn't think you would bring—" she began. "He's my personal bodyguard." Seokjin interrupts. "Bodyguard?" Minji asks, looking at well-built man. "Lee Hoseok is my name." he replies, with a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet the future daughter-in-law of—" "That's enough, Hoseok." Seokjin interrupts, "Let's head on inside."

Once settling down at a booth, Hoseok hands Seokjin an large envelope to which he gives to Minji. "Is this the—" she asks. "Marriage contract." Seokjin answers, "While we're here, you and I can dicuss about some opinions about the contract."

"And what about Hoseok?" Minji asks,
"Is he gonna—"
"Hoseok, why don't you get something
for us to drink?"
"Yes, sir." Hoseok replies, heading for
the register.

As he is ordering for their drinks, Seokjin and Minji read over the marriage contract together. Ten minutes later, Seokjin begins up the question, "Is there anything that you would like to add or change?" "This is probably outside of the marriage contract." Minji replies, "But is it possible for us to sleep in separate rooms? For the time being?" "I've already prepared a room for you." he explains, "So you won't have to worry about the whole room situation at all." "Your Highness," Hoseok replies, coming with their drinks, "I ordered two iced americano for the both of us and a strawberry banana smoothie for my lady." "Thank you, Hoseok." he replies, taking one of the americano, "Why don't you sit down with us?" "Your Highness...." Hoseok replies. "No one is here to judge you, Hoseok." Seokjin replies, "You are my friend as well." Hoseok hesitantly takes a seat and sits there quietly as they continue to talk with each other. "Then meeting with your parents—" Minji replies. "Don't worry about that either." Seokjin explains, "I will plan a dinner night for us to discuss about the circumstances and bring along your parents as well." "I see." she responds with a sad tone. Seokjin reaches for Minji's hands and gently pats it. "I know this is hard on you, Minji-sshi." he confesses, "But we'll get through it together, right?" "And what if your parents don't take me as your—" she asks. "Once we sign the marriage contract," Seokjin reassures, "no one can deny that we are husband and wife." Hoseok then hands Seokjin a pen and he proceeds to sign his name on the contract with Minji doing the same.

She soon part ways with Seokjin and Hoseok from the café and heads on home. Approaching her house, she sees an expensive black vehicle parked in front of the gate and two strangers, dressed in black suits, waiting in front of her doorstep. 'Who are they?' she thought, slowly making her way up to the house, 'Why are they here?' "Excuse me, miss." replies one of them, noticing her, "do you know a woman by the name of Kim Minji who lives here?" "I'm Kim Minji." Minji replies, "What is it that you need to—" Before finishing her sentence, both her parents comes out of the house with her luggage. "Omma....Abeoji...." she questions, "What's going on?" "You're no longer staying here, Minji." her omma explains, "It's not safe for you here." "But what about—" "It's for your own safety, Minji." her abeoji replies, cutting her off, "You'll be better off if you go with them."

"I don't understand, abeoji; who am I going with?"
"You are living with their Majesties." replied one of the men.
"Their Majesties?" Minji asks.

"Mr. Han," Seokjin asks, once arriving home, "where did my parents go?" "They said that they needed to see an important guest." Mr Han explains, "But never told me when they would be back." 'Could it be?' he thought, 'Did they find out who Minji is?' "Kim Seokjin." replies his abeoji. Seokjin turns around and sees Minji coming out of his parents' vehicle. 'Damn it!' "We need a word with the both of you." replies Seokjin's omma, "Meet us in your abeoji's office within five minutes." After his parents and Mr. Han left for upstairs, Seokjin immediately rushes over to Minji, grabs a hold of her wrist and replies, "We need to talk right now." "Four minutes." Mr. Han shouts, over the stairway. "Come on." He leads Minji into the mansion's kitchen and finally releases her wrist. "Why did you drag us in—" Minji asks. "How did my parents find you, Minji?" Seokjin asks, "They weren't suppose to know....hold on....could it be?" "My parents—" "Two more minutes!" Mr. Han continues. "HOLD ON, MR. HAN!!!" he shouts. In that moment, both Seokjin and Minji couldn't hear Mr. Han's voice again.

"Who did you say it was again, Minji?"
"My parents must've called one of the numbers
on your business card." Minji explains, "Probably
that second one."
"Just when I thought everything was going to plan,"
Seokjin complains, "let's forget about it and heads on
upstairs."

"So, miss Kim," replies Seokjin's abeoji, "how did you and my son meet?" "Abeoji, she and I are—" "Seokjin, please let her talk." replies his omma. "I wouldn't consider this as our first meeting." Minji replies, "Because we had a one night stand three months ago." "ONE NIGHT STAND?!" exclaimed both Seokjin's parents. "But don't blame Seokjin for the incident." she begs, standing up on her feet, "I took the blame for it because I was the one who dragged him along." Silent circled around the room for more than ten minutes after Minji's explaination. 'Now my parents are gonna kick me out of the house.' Seokjin thought, 'They might even tell Minji to have an abortion as well.' Just then, Seokjin's omma walks over to Minji, grabs a hold of her hands and replies, "I know how you feel, my dear." "Huh!!" shouted both Seokjin, his abeoji and Mr. Han. Minji looks at Seokjin's omma with a confused look and then stares at Seokjin for help. "Seokjin, my son," replies his omma, "your father and I weren't always perfect when we were about your age; we, too, had a one night stand." "WHAT?!" Minji and Seokjin exclaims. "Jagi~" Seokjin's abeoji replies, "I told you not to tell them this story." "Why can't I?" she asks. "Because we promised that we would never tell Seokjin about our royal mistake." 'I guess history does repeat itself.' Minji thought. 'So my parents lied about having on their wedding night.' Seokjin thought, 'But that means I can use this to my advantage whenever they try to prove me wrong...right?'

Meanwhile back at Minji's home, her parents are dicussing about something. "Yeobo," asks Minji's omma, "did you think it was right of us to tell their Highnesses about our daughter?" "This is the best for us." he replies, "We can't let Minji suffer living like us." "But—" "She can't know that we are in debt to those loan sharks; besides, she is carrying the next heir for their family." "This isn't the point here." she replies, "We can't let Minji stay with stranger, especially not their royal Highnesses." "It's our only option right now, dear." he replies, "I don't want to do this either, but it's for the best in all of us." Minji's omma sighs heavily at her husband's words and eventually heads off for bed.

"How did my parents know where you live, Minji?" Seokjin asks, as they are walking from his father's office. "My parents must've contacted your parents." Minji explains, "But I don't know why they would if they—" "Seokjin," Hoseok exclaims, "how did it go?"

"Better than expected, Hoseok."
"Really? Did your father say anything?"
"Nothing at all." Seokjin replies, "My mom
rendered him speechless."
"Sorry to interrupt your celebration." Mr. Han
replies, "But it's time for bed, your Highness and miss
Kim."

Minji then remembers something. "Where am I going to sleep?" she asks, looking at the three men. "In the guest room, miss." Mr. Han replies, "If you follow me, then I—" "Miss Kim will be residing in my room tonight." Seokjin replies, butting in, "But all her things will be in the guest room for now, Mr. Han."

"Hoseok," Mr. Han replies, "I'll need a helping hand."
"Why is it always me?"
"Lee Hoseok...."
"Fine fine fine; but you're gonna have to
pay me back somehow."

Once left alone, Seokjin then leads Minji to his private bedroom and called it a day for a better tomorrow.

• • [ end of chapter two ] • •