Heejin was more than pleased with her new guard’s presence every time there were nobody but them on the palace’s wide rooms, Hyunjin’s calm and focused personality created and interesting contrast against the princess’s constant urge to explore everything they had in hand. A morning with the day light shining through the windows on the dance room, Hyunjin felt her heart get warmer than the sun itself as the piano cut the silence under the princess’s talented hands. Heejin’s face was almost covered by her hair falling in perfect waves around her features only visible form Hyunjin’s spot only steps away from the instrument as she stayed standing next to the closed doors, the guard felt her stomach twist for a moment when the princess’s gentle eyes opened to look at her with a smile over her lips like she was trying to let Hyunjin know her presence was enough to make her happy at least for a moment.

-Do you know how to play it?-Heejin’s voice sounded over the music without looking away from the other girl, Hyunjin shook her head softly.- It’s okay, using a sword is more difficult than this.

Hyunjin’s found herself smiling softly at the princess who seemed happy about the reaction, Heejin always tried to get any kind of reaction out of the taller since she used to speak only the necessary when they were alone and nothing when they were with the others, the princess knew she owned the silence to the training but yet she could see the spark on the girl’s eyes when she tried to talk to her about anything. Hyunjin wasn’t like any other guards Heejin had on her life and the princess was excited about it, she wasn’t trying to win the princess respect with desperate attempts to please her and instead she kept herself focused on her duty which was not letting the princess be in dangerous situations like falling into the fast part of the river weeks behind.

-Come here please.- Heejin asked looking up to meet the doubt filling Hyunjin’s eyes for a quick second before walking the steps that kept her away from the back of the piano making Heejin giggle.-I mean to this side dummy.

Hyunjin’s cheeks turned light red at the words making her lower her face to meet the floor as she went closer to the princess to the point where only three steps kept her away from Heejin’s side, a hand extended towards her as the princess waited for her to take it with a smile on her lips. Heejin liked to hold her hand and being honest she didn’t quite understand why they couldn’t do it whenever since the guard seemed to like the sensation of her fingers entwining just as the princess did, she felt tickles on her stomach almost making her laugh out loud in pure joy when the bigger hand reach her, it was warm and welcoming as she held her hand like it was made of glass. Hyunjin wasn’t quite sure if she was going to be able to speak if the princess asked her anything at that point, she felt a little less comfortable when the hand holding hers let her go when she took the free seat next to the princess in front the piano.

-I’ll teach you how to play-Heejin announced with a wide smile suddenly taking both of Hyunjin’s hands to place them over the instrument. - And maybe you could teach me to use a sword tomorrow.

-You don’t need to use a sword princess-Hyunjin remembered with almost a whisper without being able to look at the princess who laughed softly at her words.

Caring a sword meant you were ready to fight every time it was needed and with fights there came wounds, cuts, and pain. The last thing Hyunjin wanted to happen was the princess being hurt.

-You’re right, that’s why you’re here-Heejin said before focusing her gaze once again on the instrument away from the blushed face only a shoulder away from her.- I promise it’s easy, try this.

Heejin played a few keys effortlessly before turning to meet Hyunjin with an encouraging smile, one of the things Heejin like about the guard was that she always seemed to be happy around her and it had being a long time since the last time she was truly happy about somebody. Hyunjin couldn’t help but smile when Heejin started to complete the symphony on the other side of the piano making her feel like a part of the music when she was only playing the same few sounds when the princess asked her to, the guard’s eyebrows furrowed when her finger landed on the wrong piece but instead on complaining the princess left out a loud laugh and somehow the sound was enough to make Hyunjin giggle at herself as well.

-We might need some other lessons-Heejin laughed letting her hand rest over the guard’s to give it a light squeeze.

Hyunjin almost drop the low blench where they were seating when she jumped from it the second the wide doors of the dance room opened to reveal the prince and a tall woman walking towards them, Heejin smiled at the woman and could only bow a quick second for the prince. Hyunjin’s heart was beating fast on her chest almost creating a ringing sound on her ears when the woman looked between both of them with her eyes narrowed, she wasn’t supposed to talk to the princess or even more touch her even if it was just and hand. The guard couldn’t help but notice the frown on the princess’s face when her body was trapped between the man’s arms holding her against his chest tightly without realizing how uncomfortable the girl was, Hyunjin didn’t use to have anything to complain about the prince but the closer she got to Heejin the less she could bare the man presence, too bad she seemed to be the only one that noticed the girl’s sadness, from her position saying something other than an ovation for the prince was a jail sentence and she was still too young to die on a cell with the rats.

The tall woman stood next to the guard in silence steps away from the couple, Hyunjin was curious to know how was that the adviser was the only person on palace that could equal the princess’s beauty. Different from Heejin, Ha Sooyoung was serious and direct and only a few people dared to talk to her directly, of course Hyunjin wasn’t one of them despite the princess had introduced them several times before that morning. Heejin walked closer to them as she heard the prince talk about his hunting without actually listening to his words, Hyunjin almost gasp when she felt the princess’s fingers caress the back of her hand only forcing the guard to hold both of her hands on her back so Heejin wouldn’t get them into any kind of trouble and for a second she thought she was succeeded on her mission until the prince came closer as well placing himself between the two girls, stepping on Hyunjin’s foot harshly on the process, a gasp escaped her lips from the pain but he didn’t move an inch instead he only added even more weight to her foot.

-You’re hurting her.- Heejin realized alarmed almost pushing the prince away from her to end the guard’s pain, Hyunjin’s face was already turning red.

-Sorry, I didn’t notice- The prince turned around to meet the guard with a cocky smile, Hyunjin could only nod as his hypocrisy- I’m here take you for a walk princess, I heard you like the garden when it’s warm outside.

Heejin was forced to separate her eyes from the guard to look at the man with a smile just as faked as his with her lips pressed together and barely curved, he didn’t seemed to mind. His hand reached her without even asking before making her walk towards the door despite the princess’s lack of answer, Hyunjin almost had to jog to reach them only to find the prince disgusted face the second he turned around to meet her, her job was to be there with Heejin and it was going to take more than a frown to make her fail at that.

-We won’t need you guard, I can protect the princess by myself-The prince said looking down at the girl who bite her tongue not to answer and yet the anger seemed to fill her eyes as she looked at the man.- you should bow for your future king, after all you’re nothing but a poor guard.

The words made her chest burn with anger as soon as they left his mouth, the truth she didn’t want to be remained was thrown to her face without a warning and the sudden wave of sadness made her lower her head in front of the ruler without another spoken word. If Hyunjin wouldn’t had forced herself to keep her eyes on the floor, she might had realized that her pain was the same one filling the princess's last stare before leaving her behind on the room.