Chapter 10:

For some unknown reason, Jisung was dismissed from his work at the palace fairly early. It was still high afternoon and he doesn’t usually get off work until 4pm. Mister Han gave him instructions to meet someone at a tea shop near Jisung’s Home. On his way over to the tea place, that he’s never been to before, he wondered who would’ve summoned him in the first place. And why is it so urgent that he had to leave work early? How did the person end up informing Mister Han? Is it someone who works in the palace too?

He opened the glass, sliding door into the aesthetically pleasing tea cafe. He sat down at an open table for two, without ordering anything because he didn’t plan to stay long. Not a minute has passed and an unfamiliar figure pulled the seat in front of Taeyong and sat across from him without warning. Jisung wasn’t entirely familiar with the face, but he sent Jisung an ominous aura.

“I hope you weren’t waiting long.” The man greeted Jisung, his appointment.

“Do I know you?”

The man reached his out for Jisung to shake it. And he did. “My name is Lee Taeyong. I’m the one who called you out to tea.”

Confused, Jisung shyly introduce himself. “I’m Jisung. But you probably already know that. May I ask why you called me out for tea?”

“I know a lot about you, Jisung. And I just wanted to know a little more.” Taeyong folded his hands in front of him on the white, circular table.

Assuming that Taeyong was attempting to make an advance on the teenager, Jisung declined, “Sir, I’m sorry for not making it apparent, but I am straight. I like girls.”

Taeyong burst into cackle, finding the teenager’s assumption funny. “I’m not trying to hit on you.”

“Oh… then?”

“You know a lot of things, Jisung. I overheard you on the phone yesterday.” Taeyong looked as if he was staring in Jisung’s soul. “I know that you know where the Princess is.”

Jisung panicked and his face began to burn up. “N-No I don’t.” He tried to bust the man’s assumption.

“Don’t lie to me Taeyong. On the phone yesterday, you called your ‘Noona’ and asked her how she’s doing at her new environment. You asked if your brother was treating her well.”

“Y-yeah b-because she’s… my sister.” Jisung lied.

“You don’t have a sister.” Taeyong said without hesitation.

“How would you kno-,” Jisung tried.

“I asked your mom, a royal maid at the palace. She didn’t know why I was asking such a random question. But I figured that you didn’t tell her that you are the reason why the Princess escaped.”

Jisung felt threatened and endangered, frightened that the man would report him to the police or the king for doing what he did.

“Why are you doing this?” The boy gulped in fear.

“Tell me where the Princess is.” Taeyong demanded. “If you tell me today, I won’t report you to anybody. And nobody will know that you were part of this. But if you delay telling me the truth, I will be happily to report you to the police and the King.”

Jisung panicked even more. Everything just got so much more intense. “What do you want from her?? She’s happy now, far far away from the palace. Leave her alone.”

“I just want to know where she is.”

“No! You just want to drag her back to the palace, somewhere she knows she’ll never be happy!”

“I promise!” Taeyong exclaimed to shut the boy up. There was a silence between the two and Jisung was taken aback by the man’s increased volume. Taeyong continued, “I just want to know where she is…”

He looked at Jisung with pleading eyes. “The King is worried sick about his daughter and he just wants to know where in the world she is…”

Jisung remained suspicious of this confusing man. A few minutes ago, he was threatening me with imprisonment, and now he’s begging for my help.

“Why would the King as you for help?” Jisung asked him.

Taeyong sat up in his seat, “I’m the one who was supposed to marry the Princess. But before you assume anything, marrying her is not my intention and it never will be… The King told me that he will allow the Princess to live happily is he just knows where she is.”

Jisung stopped to have a thoughtful pause about Taeyong had told him.

“So… can you please tell me where she is?”

Jisung sighed and gave in to the words of this man that he just met. He leaned over to table, preparing himself to share the precious information. “Fine.”

~

Jisoo agreed to tag along with Jaehyun to school because she had nothing better to do. It was already 10am and they were struggling to find close enough parking at the University: USC. When they finally parked, the two unbuckled their seatbelts and headed out. “I have only have two classes today.” Jaehyung explained to Jisoo, “I’ll introduce you to my friends as we wait for my 10:30 lecture.”

She smiled and nodded before he led her through a vast, stone courtyard. The buildings of the University were tall and made of red stone and brick. The architecture of the University wasn’t like the the other buildings in Los Angeles.

Jisoo’s eyes explored every angle of the scenery in awe, as if she was a little girl seeing Disneyland for the first time. “This looks like it could be a very, very big palace!” She exclaimed to Jaehyun, who led her through the crowd of students by tightly holding her wrist.

He chuckled, “Yeah, this University gets that a lot.”

They made it to a large, fancy water fountain, decorated flowery edges. Beside the water fountain were a group of 3 boys, socializing beside it. Jaehyun proceeded to lead Jisoo towards them. One of the boys noticed their friend approach them and waved gleefully as the two walked up to them. “Look it’s Jae! Jae over her—,” The b