A splash of comedy, a pinch of romance, and a cup of fluff

Word Count: 1375

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“Announcing Princess Mina from the Kim region!” The herald yelled out loud towards the sea of people. His voice echoed through the huge ballroom as guests from all the regions and lands faced the entrance. One in particular, son of the very man who is hosting this dance, turned with a small grin and expectant eyes.

Mina hated heralds. They attract unnecessary attention. Yet, she straightened her back and lifted her head with a smile. Her eyes instantly locked onto the prince by the window. She could practically see the mischief in his eyes as she walked into the ballroom after thanking the herald.

“Darling, you look beautiful.” Her father, King Minhyuk, greeted his daughter along with her mother who sent her a smile of approval.

“Are you wearing flats?” Her mother asked with a knowing eyebrow raise in which her daughter lifted up her dress at the ends and showed them her choice of footwear.

“I thought I would look presentable.” The king and queen looked at each other with astonishment. Never does Kim Mina wore heels unless she was forced too. And they both definitely stated before that this ball isn’t that big of a deal for its only to celebrate a new army of guards. So, what’s got their daughter wearing heels? Better yet, who?

“Hello, King Minhyuk and Queen Chung-Ae,” he gave them a bow as a sign of respect and the couple returned it as well. Then he turned to Mina, “Princess Mina, you look breath-taking as always.”

Oh, him. Both of her parent’s eyes Mina who curtsied in response to his bow. “ Prince Jaehyun, to you as well.”

After a bit of conversating with Jaehyun, her parents excused themselves to mingle with the other kingdoms, but not before sending teasing looks to Mina. They both noticed the way the prince’s orbs never wavered away from her unless he was spoken to. Once they left, Jaehyun fully faced Mina who was looking down at her shoes in distaste. A laugh almost erupted out of his system when rolled her eyes down at the heels.

“Would you like to wear my shoes?” His eyebrow lifted up.

Mina lifted her head in surprise before smirking, “does that mean you would wear mines?”

He shrugged, “I would be taller than anyone in here. Could be quite an experience for me.”

Both of them went silent after his declaration. That was until they busted out laughing. Jaehyun, in heels? The King would be concerned and all of the people would either faint or die in shock. In the midst of their laughter, they didn’t see a trio of girls, waving their fans, that marched up to Prince Jaehyun.

“What seems to be funny?” The eldest one, and richest, aske with her nose pointed in the air. She gave Mina a glare of dislike along with the rest of the three.

Mina and Jaehyun looked at each other in shock and quivering lips that was waiting to burst. It was like they were having a conversation with their eyes by the amount of shifting and widening towards each other and some at the girls.

Jaehyun’s eyes flickered to the first girl. You tell her.

Mina widened her eyes. No, you!

Suddenly, the corners of his eyes crinkled down to form the epitome of a puppy dog face. I can’t! A prince has to be modest.

She rolled her eyes. Modest my arse.

That’s a bad word, Princess.

Whatever. Fine, I’ll tell her, but if she gets in my face, I will kick you in your family jewels that even the next two generations-

Before Mina could finish her thought and possible threat to Jaehyun, the second girl of the trio coughed out of impatience. Mina and Jaehyun turned to them with uneasy smiles. The princess blinked at the sight of the first girl again. Who wears that much powder? Did she put on the whole container and then two hundred more?? I swear even jesters, actually no one on this entire planet, don’t use that much. With that many layers, will I still feel her skin if I touched it? Jaehyun knew what Mina was about to do, so he quickly grabbed her hand in his to prevent her from touching the girl’s face out of curiosity.

“Princess Ari, Princess Chaeyeon, and Princess Minyoung, how are you ladies doing this evening? Is the ball treating you fine?”

Mina swore their souls left their bodies once he spoke. They literally swooned. By swooning, their pupils were crafted into hearts, hands immediately come together and pressed against their cheek (as if they were going to be pray, lord know they need some piece of him. Maybe all), and the cherry on top as if they were out of a cartoon, all three girls sighed dreamily in unison.

“Gorgeous decorations.”

“Lovely appetizers.”

“Fancy music.”

The way the trio said different responses at the same time was not only creepy but made the pair of standing in front of them very on edge. They had to get away. Making every contact with each other once more, the two counted down.

1

2

3

Jaehyun dragged Mina behind him running out of the ballroom, pass the lady with shrimps in her bra (who dropped the tenth one on the ground in surprise), drifted by the herald which almost gave him a heart attack, and through the castle doors. Their legs didn’t stop until the view of the fountain grew closer. Panting through fiery lungs, they both sat down at the edge of the fountain, laughing.

“Did you see their faces?” Mina wiped a tear away from her eye.

“I’ve never seen more aghast and shocked faces in my entire life!” Jaehyun fell forward.

“I am never going go to one of your balls ever again. They scare me.” Mina scrunched up her dress until her shoes were visible. Moving forward on her lap, she made way to take them off when Jaehyun suddenly kneeled down in front of her, already taking his fingers to remove the strap around her ankle. She watched him as he took off each heel and when she thought he was done, he surprised her again by taking off his shoes and replacing them on her feet. Making sure it was tight, but not too tight that it would constrict her blood circulation, Jaehyun lifted up his head with a soft smile and wide eyes.

“Well, I’ll make sure to never invite them. In fact, they are forbidden to enter the castle grounds unless they have fifty horses as gifts and birth certificates to go along with them.” Jaehyun smiled innocently as if he hasn’t done it before. But Mina knew somewhere in his office, locked in a glass case, set with an alarm, there was a huge file that contained all the names and birthdates of the fifty horses he owned now, and underneath, a separate document that contained the very man who did a disastrous deed a couple of months ago at his ball. Mina to this day, since didn’t know whether it was for his entertainment or because the man spoke rudely to her, maybe both.

“Seems like they’re only crime is causing the shortage of rice.”

“Why?”

“Face powder is made of rice.”

“Oh……OH!”

The pair grew silent for a minute until Jaehyun blurted something out. “Marry me.”

Mina paused her breathing. Slowly, she faced Jaehyun who was still kneeling in front of her. “Uhm ,what?”

“Marry me.”

Instantly, she stood up. “MARRY YOU? PRINCE JUNG JAEHYUN OF THE JUNG REGION, WE ARE ONLY 19 YEARS OLD. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY BALANCE BOOKS ON MY HEAD OR MAKE THE PERFECT TEA! HECK, my niece-“

A boisterous laugh interrupted her rambling. Why is he laughing? “We’re you even serious?”

Jaehyun halted his laughter and stood up. A strange emotion invaded his eyes while his smile grew wider. “One day. Who knows? I might even propose tomorrow.”

“Jung Jaehyun!”

All of a sudden, a splash happened and the screams of a 19-year old male following after. Ignoring the cries for help, Mina shook her head in mock disappointment and walked back to the ball where her parents transpire to be waiting.