chapter soundtrack:
enchanted - taylor swift

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"Isn't it too bold on me, Maeng?"

Youngro worriedly stole a glance at her reflection on the mirror. The woman next to her was busy brushing red lipstick on her bottom lip. "This shade of red is really suitable with your skin tone, it's perfect with the Christmas vibe. You're about to go for a Christmas dinner with the royal family, aren't you?" Her fingers tucked strand of hair away from Youngro's face before finally moving her hands away from the girl's face. She was checking her final make up look. "You are really blessed with a perfect face, Youngro. I don't have to do much make up on you but you're already looking this good."

Youngro chuckled bashfully and waved her hands. "What do you mean, Maeng? It's all thanks to your make up I can look this good!" Youngro took a while to study her looks for the night. She had warm colors for her eye shadow and blushes, and the red lipstick really completed the look. Maeng was right, the shade of red she chose was perfect for her.

"Boonok, have you done preparing the dress?" Maeng then walked away to get the chosen dress that night.

The Crown Prince was standing in front of a big mirror inside his walk in closet. He stared at his reflection on the mirror carefully, making sure he's all ready for the royal family dinner tonight. The royal family Christmas dinner usually felt more intimate and informal, the conversations would be way lighter than usual dinners they had on the other days. By the end of the dinner time, they would all gather inside the main palace living room to enjoy some tea, sweets, and even more chats— although Sooho would barely talk and join the olders chatting. And they all would take a couple of pictures to share it to public as a formal Christmas greetings for the public.

His fingers were busy fixing the tip of his sleeve when Kangmoo came walking in to the walk in closet, and Sooho caught him from the mirror. The man had dressed up as well. He was wearing a black suit, and his hair was combed neatly. He was as ready as Sooho for the dinner tonight.

"Oh, that's one good suit, Crown Prince. A new one, I see?"

Sooho lifted up one of the corner of his mouth, "Yeah. Stylist Lee insisted to make me wear this one for tonight. You look good yourself, Hyung." he said.

When Sooho didn't hear Kangmoo's reaction, the man finally turned away from the mirror, checking on the older man who was already seated comfortably one of the seats inside the closet. He was crossing his legs, and his eyes were locked on Sooho.

The Crown Prince hummed, questioning the look of his personal assistant. Both of his thick eyebrows were raised.

"It's good to see Miss Youngro getting along really well with the royal family." Kangmoo uttered.

"Yes, that relieved me as well." Sooho replied, although he was slightly confused on the sudden topic the man brought up for him. His hand then moved to pick one of his watch collections inside one of the drawers. A black one with accents of gold, completed with black leather straps, a Rotonde de Cartier watch would be perfect to complete his look tonight.

As the man proceed to wear his watch, the older one was watching him carefully. He looked like he was considering something, before he finally shot his question at the Crown Prince. "Do you like her?"

The question Kangmoo asked made Sooho froze for a second. He glanced at Kangmoo from the corner of his eyes for a while before moving it back to focus on his black watch he was wearing. "I enjoy her company." as he finished wearing his watch on his left wrist, he finally shot another question back at Kangmoo, "What's with the sudden question?"

The older man shrugged, "I just want to know how you really feel towards her now." He simply answered, but when he saw the Crown Prince didn't look satisfied with he answers, he tried to elaborate. "Crown Prince, listen. I see how you have been treating her lately. You're being so nice to her— it's great to see. And that's how you're supposed to be towards her, I get it. But I just want to check on you..."

Kangmoo gulped, how was he supposed to bring up Chungya in this conversation?

"Have you grown... feelings towards her as a woman?" Deep down, Kangmoo really hoped the man said yes. 

But the Crown Prince didn't say anything to him, he gave him silence instead.

"Miss Youngro, she's going to be your... wife. Your life partner. A Queen in the future, even." Kangmoo added. "I just hope you can use this time before the engagement and the wedding to try to really open up with her, Crown Prince. I hope everything you're doing right now, is driven by the intention to know her better, and to really..." he paused for a while, thinking of the right words to say. "To really open up your heart, for her."

Silence. Again.

Kangmoo noticed the Crown Prince clenched his jaw slightly. He wasn't looking directly at him, but he knew the younger man had listened to everything he just said. He really didn't want to give Sooho any more burden, but he wanted to make sure that the Crown Prince really knew what he was doing.

Sooho had been really nice and kind to Youngro, that's true. Even in front of the crowd at the private party, Kaangmoo also saw the loving gaze Sooho had been giving to Youngro— and even that greetings he said to the whole room, when he referred Youngro as his love. 

Most of the people might see the Crown Prince had grown his feelings towards the woman he was about to marry. But Kangmoo waas one of the people who knew the Crown Prince's true feelings. He knew Sooho still had feelings for Kang Chungya. He knew it all. He even saw the couple shared a kiss across the room, in the middle of the dancing crowd at the J Corp's heir's party. 

"I get it, Hyung." Sooho finally said. He showed the older man a thin smile, trying to comfort him as he noticed Kangmoo actually had a slightly concerned look on his face. "I get it." He repeated again to make sure he's clear. He didn't have more things to say, so he tried to change the topic. "Shall we go pick up Youngro from her room? We shall be at the main palace soon." he tapped his watch that was showing the time, it was almost 7 PM.

The knocking sounds at the door surprised Youngro. Was it Secretary Gong?

When she was about to stand up from her seat to check on the door, Boonok quickly rushed to open the door to find the Crown Prince outside, so she curtsied and moved away from the door to let Youngro saw him.

Youngro couldn't help but feel butterflies tingling inside her stomach again. Had she really fallen for him?

"Sooho-ssi," she immediately raised to her feet, standing up and curtsied as well.

"Youngro," he greeted back. The man took in the sight of her for a while and smiled,

She looked beautiful. As always.

"Are you ready for the dinner? Secretary Gong had the car ready for us at the lobby."

"Oh, yes! Maeng, I can go now, right?" She asked the stylist, making sure she could really go then. When Maeng gave her a thumbs up, Youngro happily proceed to walk outside the room to join Sooho.

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And there she was again, at the very same seat at the main palace dining room, seated next to the Crown Prince, across the Queen.

By this time, Youngro almost felt more comfortable and easy. She had fully learned the table manner, and it was delightful for her to chat with the older family members. They were all so welcoming and warm to her.

"We really enjoy your presence at the party, Youngro. There were so many guests who came to me and congratulated me for getting such a wonderful future daughter in law like you." The King said as he cut his baked turkey meat on his plate.

"Ah," Youngro smiled brightly to the King, "It is my pleasure, Your Majesty. I am also so grateful that the royal family and the guests were being so welcoming to me."

Across her, the Queen cleared . "Youngro, how are you feeling? Your forehead, is it okay?"

Youngro patted her forehead, "Thankfully, it's alright, Your Majesty. I don't feel the pain on it since this afternoon. It seemed like I had a lot of fun during the private party until the pain faded away,"

The King and the Queen Dowager left out a soft laughters.

"Happy to hear that, Youngro. I thought you would be nervous for your very first party, but you handled it really well. Did our Sooho help you well enough?" The Queen Dowager grinned cheerfully at her, giving Sooho a playful look once.

The Crown Prince peeked at her, giving her a soft smile.

"He's always been so helpful and kind to me, Your Majesty. It's all thanks to him. He helped me a lot." Youngro answered, before turning her head to Sooho to returned back his smile.

The sight of the young couple brought hearty laughter to the Queen Dowager. "Oh!! I really can't wait for the wedding day! You two are really a match made in heaven!" She giggled.

The King smiled fondly at his mother, he looked grateful to see her being so happy that night. "We will have to wait for the engagement first, Mother."

"Ahh, the engagement day," The Queen Dowager's face brightened up. "It's 6 more days to go!"

That's right. 6 more days to 30 December. The chosen date for the royal engagement.

Suddenly, Youngro had a hard time swallowing her mashed potatoes.