chapter soundtrack:
open house party - yoon chae young

❄️

Wednesday, 22 December 2021

It was 7 AM in the morning. Youngro never visited the royal palace this early.

As informed by Sooho on the previous day, they would be having a fitting session that morning with Maeng and her team. Youngro didn't know exactly where it would be done, so she stayed at the main palace lobby, sitting on one of the available sofa seat.

It was snowing crazily last night. This morning, on her way to the palace, her neighbors and the people around the street were busy removing piles of snows in front of their house. They were doing it too at the palace. Some maids were busy removing snows that were covering the roads inside the palace.

That morning, Youngro came to the royal palace by herself. Secretary Gong offered her for a ride, but she turned it down. As she knew, the royal engagement news would be announced to the public anytime soon that day. She was afraid having fancy cars and a dozen of royal palace staff picking her up at her small neighborhood would attract too much attention. So, she took the bus instead.

If you looked at her outfit, you would think she's an undercover idol.

Before she went to the royal palace, Youngu and Aera made sure that Youngro was well covered so no one would notice it's her. From head to toe, she was covered by various clothing and accessories.

Her long hair was styled in a bun, and covered with a red beanie. Her eyes were covered by her mother's old sunglasses. Her face? She chose turtleneck and pulled the collar up to her nose and she covered her neck with a scarf. Her long black coat covered almost all her body up to her legs (It was Youngu's) and down there, you could only see her small feet wearing a pair of white Adidas shoes.

People would see her as an ill person who was having a really bad cold. But if that was how people think when they looked at Youngro then, her mission was succeeded.

She was humming her newly written song when she felt her phone buzzing on her purse. Her tiny slender fingers that were almost covered with her brother's jacket sleeve were struggling to fish out her phone. When she checked on the screen, she found it was a notification from her closest friends' group chat.

[Hyeryeong] Guysss ssup!

[Hyeryeong] It's 2 days before christmas!!!! Anyone wanna go shopping with me? 💃🏻🛍

[Jeongmin] no thanks, i'm working on another project for my family business.

[Seolhee] My family suddenly planned a trip to Hongkong! 😫

[Hyeryeong] Aww shucks. Where's Youngro anyway? Hey @youngro wanna come with me? I'll buy you a cute dress! I passed by Dior's store yesterday and saw a new pretty dress from winter collection!!

[Hyeryeong] and it's purple, you're gonna like it

[Jeongmin] youngro has been inactive lately... @youngro are you doing fine?
 

Youngro bit her lips, her eyes looking up to the ceiling, thinking. How should she explain her situation?

As ordered by the Queen Dowager, the royal engagement will be kept secret until it's officially released to the public by the royal family. She couldn't tell this even to her friends... could she?

[Youngro] Heeey 

[Youngro] I'm fine unnie! Just doing some important stuff these days...

[Hyeryeong] is your father OK?

[Youngro] He is! Thankfully, he's recovering really well 

[Seolhee] Aaah glad to hear that, Youngro 😭

[Youngro] yup! everything's fine 😃

[Jeongmin] what's with that emoji? you rarely use it. something wrong?

[Youngro] Noooo

Youngro held back her laughter. Her Jeongmin unnie was such a caring person to her. She even realized there was actually something that Youngro's hiding that time. But still, Youngro couldn't spill a thing.

[Youngro] Umm I'll be inactive and be away from my phone for today

[Youngro] and @hyeryeong unnie! Sorry I can't go shopping with you 😫 i'll make it next time!!

[Youngro] Gotta go, see you soon all!

[Youngro] and no matter what happened, please believe me... I love you guys and please... always stay with me 💕

[Jeongmin] yo youngro's being weird.....

Ugh... what will they say when they find out the news....

"Miss Youngro," Secretary Gong came approaching her and curtly bowed. Youngro immediately locked her phone screen and put it inside her purse. She then stood up on her feet to reply the man's greetings.

Secretary Gong looked like he was quiet taken a back when he saw Youngro with her outfit. He looked like he's about to left out a hearty laugh when he continued with his briefing.

We will be escorting you to the Crown Prince's mansion. The stylist team are already there, and His Royal Highness has been expecting you as well."

"Okay, Secretary Gong. Please take me there."

The Crown Prince's mansion located quiet far from the main palace complex. It's been said that the Crown Prince's mansion was one of the newest royal palace buildings that were built in the 1980s.

Secretary Gong took Youngro there from the main palace with an SUV. Once they arrived at the mansion complex, Youngro's jaw dropped open.

She removed her mother's sunglasses from her eyes so she could see outside clearly. Next to her, Secretary Gong noticed that the girl next to him was amazed by the view outside. He then purposefully slowed down the car so the girl could enjoy the view.

There was a vast garden in front of the mansion and not far from there, there was a frozen pond with numerous big trees around it. There was also an open space outside the mansion with some tables and chairs. They looked so pretty.

When her eyes move to learn the building in front of her, Youngro got even more mesmerized. It looked like it came out from a Disney princess stories. Most of the mansion wall was covered in pastel c