Brown ceiling, floral perfume, silence. These are the three things which welcomed SinB when she reopened her eyes. A soft sheet was caressing her skin. The silence was peaceful until someone broke it: 

• Oh SinB you’re awake. whispered Umji. 

SinB turned slightly towards her. Umji was sitting on a chair just beside the bed on which SinB was lying. 

• What happened ? asked SinB unsure of how she ended up here. 

• You fainted. Sowon told me that you were surely exhausted that’s why. 

• Yes maybe … I haven’t slept the previous night. But I guess you neither. 

• I did, confessed Umji, but Yuju didn’t. That’s why she went to sleep in a room.  

• How long have I slept ? 

• Ten hours but it is normal. 

• Why are you here ? 

Umji looked hurt and SinB noticed her mistake. 

• Sorry I didn’t mean it like this. I mean you should be asleep too. 

• Oh I did. But I was worried that’s why I wanted to see you. confessed Umji shyly. And because I have some questions for you. 

• Tell me … 

• You got your memory back, right ? Then, tell me everything about you. I am curious. 

Again … SinB was facing that situation. Until now, she had always found a lie. But why was she lying  anyway ? Why didn’t she want to tell the truth to Umji ? SinB tried to search for a reason, but she didn’t find. So she decided to tell her the truth. 

• Umji in reality … I have never lost my memory. 

The change in Umji’s face, SinB swore that she had never seen a face that shocked. She looked even more shocked that if she had face death. But it was normal: she was facing the truth that everything SinB had told her until now was just lie. 

• What … why ? Umji asked confused. 

• First because I couldn’t trust you. 

• But what about the second time I asked you ? Why haven’t you told me the truth ? 

• I … I don’t know. 

Umji obviously was hurt but she eventually asked SinB to go on and told her about herself. This time, SinB told her everything. 

• So you’re the Snow Kingdom’s princess … Umji stated, she still couldn’t believe it. She had heard about her in the village but for most people it was only a legend. 

• And my real parents destroyed your kingdom … it is horrible. How can you still stay here in that place with the children of those who have killed your  … ?  Umji couldn’t finish her sentence. She looked at SinB with sadness in her eyes. 

• I came back here for you in order to save you. And I am staying here for the same purpose. SinB admitted. 

Umji looked at SinB and she wanted to believe her but the fact that SinB had lied to her all this time still hurt her. She nodded before saying: 

• I am going to see Yuju. At least I know that whatever words will come out of , it will be sincere and trustful. 

SinB sighed. Umji was still mad at her and she could understand it. She did wrong with her just like SinB’s parents did with her when they did not told her about the war. Suddenly SinB saw Sowon’s face in front of her and she jumped back towards the headboard of the bed. 

• Oh sorry I didn’t mean to scare you … 

Oh right, it wasn’t the Sowon in SinB’s nightmares but the real and normal one. 

• It is okay I just didn’t hear you enter the room. 

Sowon sat on the chair then she reached out her hand towards SinB’s forehead. But SinB avoided it. 

• Oh sorry I just wanted to check your temperature … I am so used to do this. said Sowon with regrets. 

• What do you mean by you’re so used to do that ? asked SinB. 

• Oh right you don’t know because you were asleep every time I was doing it. 

Fear was written all over SinB’s face so Sowon quickly added:

• When you were in the dungeon. I was visiting you every night when you were asleep. I know it was forbidden to visit you and even after my parent’s death the guards still banned me from visiting you. So I was doing it secretly. 

SinB was shocked. Sowon used to visit her … well now that explained why she sometimes felt the traces of a presence in the room. Sowon resumed:

• I was so angry towards you because of what I was told your parents did to Yewon. My parents they told me that your parents have found Umji and killed her. That was the official reason to why we waged war on your kingdom. I was fooled by my own parents. I am so sorry for what we have done to your kingdom and to you. 

Sowon’s pain was mesmerizing to see because her wet eyes gave her the allure of a goddess. In fact, her eyes were sparkling and SinB forgot to breath for a moment. As a result, SinB appeared to be shocked and she certainly was but it wasn’t for Sowon’s words. 

• I know you must be shocked. Again I am so sorry. repeated Sowon in reaction of SinB’s silent. And as she spoke she sat on the bed beside SinB then she put her hand on SinB’s forehead. And this time SinB let her do so. 

Sowon frowned maybe because of SinB’s burning forehead but then her face softened when she looked into SinB’s eyes. 

• I am sorry if I appeared to be so confortable with you. But again visiting you every night back then felt like I know you well. When in reality the little information I had about you were nothing but lies. 

SinB wanted to reply but she felt like she didn’t need to. Sowon was saying and doing everything right without SinB having to tell her anything. Needless to say that SinB was somehow impressed by Sowon’s natural charisma. Sowon talked again: 

• You didn’t fully recover so sleep some more. I will bring you food. You must be starving that would explain why your body is so weak. 

SinB didn’t even have time to react that Sowon was already gone and with her a little piece of her heart. 

…

Umji told everything Yuju and she wasn’t expecting Yuju’s reaction: 

• So what ? I can understand why she lied to us. I mean I would have done the same if I were her. 

• But not the second time when I asked her, she should have told me. 

• No Umji, what she hid from us is a very big secret, a dangerous one. I mean she is the princess of the Snow Kingdom … that’s not nothing. She is the enemy of our kingdom or rather she was. We aren’t people of her kingdom. That’s pretty understandable and really smart from her. 

For the first time, Yuju was on SinB’s side. Still, Umji being stubborn as she was, wasn’t convinced by Yuju's arguments even though she had a point. Or maybe it was because of something else. Jealousy maybe. 

-------

Chapter 19 done 

Oh is it the beginning for WonB ? ;)

Do you think Umji has an exaggerated reaction when she learned the truth about SinB's memory ? Or do you think she was right to react that way ?

Thanks 

xoxo

PS: I have a very big annoucement to made but I will keep it for the next chapter ;)