Chapter 18:

Princess Jisoo made history. The world buzzed about her message for weeks. Jaehyun proudly watched his Princess change the world on a TV news broadcast the day after she made the speech. He couldn’t be more proud of her.

It’s been a month since she left Los Angeles. And Jaehyun was back on his grind, getting A’s in his classes and working multiple shifts. Knowing that Jisoo was making a difference in Korea helped motivate him to do better on his own. His friends were happy to see him a little happier than a few weeks ago. For the past couple weeks, he’s been keeping update on news on the Princess and talking about it nonstop.

Today, Jaehyun didn’t hear anything significant on the news about her. Today, he finally brought himself to visit her room for memories sake. He dropped his backpack off at the kitchen when he arrived back home from school and glanced over to her door. He slowly opened the door and found it just as she would leave it, neat and clean. Jaehyun sat on the side of her bed to embrace the familiar air and the atmosphere of her the room that reminded him so much of everything that he loved about her.

He scanned the rest of the room to oddly find a folded piece of paper and an unfamiliar gold bracelet lying on her bedside table. He stood up to investigate it, only to find the folded paper read “Prince Jaehyun.” While unconsciously smiling, he reached for it and opened it up to find a fully written letter by Jisoo. It read:

My Jaehyun,

I don’t know when you’re going to find this letter. You don’t go into my room very often, so it might have taken you a while to find and read this. By the time you’re reading this, I’m probably still in Korea, acting as the Princess that I was born to be. I hope you’re still healthy and living a fun, busy life in the big city.

I know it must be hard for you to suddenly go about your days alone, or maybe not, maybe you’re doing completely fine without me following you around. You’re probably wondering why I’m taking so long to come back… or why I’m not calling to update you…

I want to come back to you as a new, upgraded version of me. I want to come back to you, being proud of who I’ve become and what I’ve done for us and the world. I don’t know how long it will take me to finish this upgrade, and I don’t know what it takes to actually have one. But I promise you that once I’m finished becoming a better person for you, I’ll come right back.

When I get back, we should take a little trip somewhere, anywhere. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be content. Also, make sure to keep getting my money from the jeweler. Use it to pay for your tuition, or that trip I mentioned earlier. Also, I’m giving you my favorite gold bangle to keep and wear while I’m gone, so it can remind you that I’m always with you.

Think of me often! Know that I miss you. I’ll be back soon. I love you very, very much.

Your Princess, Jisoo

Jaehyun’s smile reached from ear to ear and he made sure to keep the letter safe. As for the gold bangle, he wore it everyday since then, for remembrance of his Princess and also acting as a little symbol for other females that he’s a taken man. He waited for her patiently and made her absence a subtle motivation to do well in everything. Jisoo was out there being a respectable Princess and becoming a better version of herself. Jaehyun knew that he should at least be happy for her while doing his best at everything he does.

Before they knew it, Thanksgiving passed, then Christmas, and New Years.

Princess Jisoo spent her months training Taeyong and Chungha how to be royals, whilst actually going out of the palace to participate in charity work and speaking at primary schools across the nation. She became a symbol of joy to the young generations and a symbol for change to everyone else. Although, not everyone agreed with her decision to give up he royal bloodline, she gained millions of supporters and followers that wish to follow her footsteps of choosing happiness.

For the past few months, High Schools and Universities consistently reported higher rates of student satisfaction and happiness. Articles and blogs release accounts of young people beginning to follow their heart, pursue their dreams, and report being increasingly happy with their lives. Hashtags and social media movements were openly utilized to show the Princess that they support her and approve of her release from the royal scene. In other words, the country and world publicly showed love and support for the Princess.

As for Taeyong, the country tried their best to look at him with a less-criticizing eye. Taeyong took the chance that he got from the country and did his best to gain public support. He openly shared his life to the people through means of talk-shows and interviews.

The King was planning to retire on the 1st of February. And excitedly, he bought a mansion on Jeju Island, where he plans to stay for his retirement. Jisoo’s father gradually accepted Jisoo’s decision after he realized how much the people supported her dreams. And as a father, he let her do whatever made her happy. As a little Christmas gift, the King reached out to the United States government and got granted diplomacy for himself and his daughter, for when she plans on returning to America.

~

February 2nd. Taeyong’s and Chungha’s official coronation / wedding. Jisoo sat with Chungha in the make-shift bride’s room of the palace. The courtyard was already filled with big-time guests, including government figures, A-list celebrities, and family. Today was the biggest day of the century. And Chungha was nervous as heck.

Jisoo patted her back as Chungha chugged her glass of water.

“You’ll be fine out there.” Jisoo told the bride, who gradually turned into a very good friend of hers throughout the months.

Ch