chapter soundtrack:
melt away - kim yeonjeong

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He said he had something to talk with her.

Chungya wondered what was it he wanted to talk about, since the man didn't respond at all right after he sent that last message to her. She didn't care what it would be, as long as she would meet Im Sooho, she would be happy. Who knew, he would come to meet her to hang out and have breakfast together before he goes back home to South Korea. By then, they would have to have a long distance relationship again.

Relationship?

They didn't even know what they were, but Chungya knew for sure they both knew their relationship was special.

Chungya was the one who recommended the place for breakfast that morning. It was a small family restaurant located at Beak Street. They didn't have much options in the menu, but all of their dishes tasted so good. Sooho should give it a try, she thought.

Sooho came a few minutes later after Chungya arrived, just on time with the schedule they both agreed on.

He came in a black windbreaker jacket, the hoodie and his black cap gave him coverage on his face. But Chungya could notice it was him.

When the man pushed the entrance door opened, Chungya immediately raised her hand and waved it at him. With a wide smile on her face, she beckoned at him to come to her table. "Come here, Sooho!"

"Were you drunk last night?" Chungya raised both her eyebrows in wonder as she saw the man across him pouring another glass of water for himself. "You would drink a lot of water whenever you're trying to get rid of the hangover."

In response, Sooho simply nodded. "You're right." He said, then his hand picked up his first bite of breakfast. Vegetable salad to be exact, for his breakfast that morning. Deep down, in all honesty, he would prefer the Korean dishes back at the hotel along with the Haejangguk soup. It must tasted so good... at least Youngro would have it.

He hoped it would help with her hangover. The girl couldn't drink as much as he could, she probably had a worse hangover than him.

"So," Chungya smiled cheekily as she cut a piece of vegan sausage on her plate. "What is it do you want to talk about with me, Sooho? When will I come back to Korea? When will we meet again?" The woman jokingly snickered, "You're gonna miss me once you come back to Korea, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll have to go back for our graduation. But you should have extended your stay here, you know. We haven't had the chance to go for a date together here."

Sooho clenched his jaw as he swallowed down his salad. In his mind, he was thinking of the words he got to say as a response to the woman. "I can't. We have to go back to Korea since the royal wedding is just a few weeks away." His throat moved.

When he said "we", he meant him and Eun Youngro. There was no Kang Chungya there. And it somehow made Chungya feeling miserable with herself.

"It's really happening then."

Sooho raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"The wedding."

Sooho tilted his head, his eyes were locked with Chungya. "It really is."

Both of them became silent. Sooho with his salad, and Chungya was busy cutting another bite of the vegan sausage. Each of them didn't say a word, and it was getting awkward, so Chungya came with another question, "So what is it you want to talk about? You haven't answered me."

Upon hearing her question, Sooho shifted his glance to the woman, then to the almost empty plate of her breakfast.

Sooho wanted to make sure at least she had a good breakfast before he dropped... the bomb to her.

"Chungya, thank you for accepting my invitation for a breakfast together."

"Are you kidding me? This is a brilliant idea! I'm so happy we can meet again after the show last night."

"Last night." Sooho blurted out, his eyes was staring down at the clean table, avoiding her excited gaze. For a second, his face looked stern, yet there was also a glimpse of sadness there. "I want to talk about what happened last night, and the day before, and also... about what will happen next."

Chungya shutted , her smile slowly faded away. She looked at him questioningly.

What happened last night at the show?

"Sooho! You came!" Chungya, still in her complete ballerina costume, came running across the crowded hall to the man she expected to meet the most that night after the ballet show. He came in late with his fiancée, she noticed. But it was alright, at least he really came to her show, watched it until the end, and even brought her a bouquet of dark red roses as he always did. "You really came." She said it once more as she finally came closer to him who was walking calmly towards her.

A big bouquet of fresh dark red roses was in his hand, and Chungya smiled at the view. The Crown Prince looked dashingly handsome that night. His slicked black hair... his perfect body with that perfectly tailored tuxedo... he was perfect. 

The ballerina raised her hand to touch his face, yet the man subtly moved away from her touch. There was still a smile plastered on his face, though, so Chungya replied it with a brighter smile for him.

"Well, as promised. I come with your favorite flowers." Sooho grinned as he handed the flowers to her. "Congratulations, Chungya. The show was wonderful. You really have become the world-class ballerina as you always wished for. I'm proud of you."

Chungya left out a happy laughters to his words, her hands were hugging the bouquet of roses then. "If it wasn't because of you, I wouldn't be here, Sooho. You're the reason why I could start chasing my biggest dream."

The Crown Prince cleared his throat, giving the woman his best smile. "It's a pleasure." His hands patted her shoulder, giving a friendly gestures to show her how proud he was. He really, fully, was proud of her and her achievements.

Sooho still remembered their high school days, when he would be the only audience Chungya had as she danced around in an empty hall. Now, she had hundreds, even thousands, of audience soon as she had become the world-class ballerina.

In front of him, the woman was still smiling widely, even chuckled as she felt his hand on her shoulder. But when her peripheral view caught a glimpse of the shiny wedding ring on his hand, she somehow could feel her heart clenched.

"Thank you, Sooho."

The woman whispered, her eyes turned gloomy. Her eyes lingered on his calm eyes, then to his sharp nose, then down to his lips. Those lips, which she fully kissed back in Seoul, in the middle of the dance floor at the party. Those lips, which she pecked the night before for a good night kiss. Those lips, which was fully hers before, back in the days when he was not engaged to another woman-- which was even stranger to him.

She wanted him.

Oh stars above, if only he knew how much she really wanted him.

But she couldn't. Not when he was being a Crown Prince of the whole nation. Not when he had his royal duty, which would also impacted her as well.

Chungya wanted freedom. She wanted to keep flying higher to chase her biggest dream, and even go far beyond that. And becoming a Crown Princess... she believed it would be fully against the life she had planned.

But she knew, she was being greedy. She had rejected his proposal, and he had another woman by then.

Yet, she still loved him. In any way possible, she wanted him to be hers.

But how?

One thing for sure, Chungya believed they both still had the same feelings. She believed that even if the girl, Eun Youngro, had taken the big role of his life to be his future wife, to be the future Crown Princess, Sooho would still love her more. He would still love Kang Chungya.

In one swift move, she stepped closer to the man and tip toed, trying to get closer to his face.

She wanted to kiss him.

"No, Chungya."

In a split of seconds, Chungya felt a strong grip on her shoulders. It pulled her back to reality, yet she still pushed herself.

"You don't want my kiss?" She whispered. "Is it because of the crowd? This hall is full of people who are busy with themseleves, Sooho. They're busy with the other cast and crew. No one is looking at us. Just a small peck like yesterday?" She knew it sounded crazy, but she insisted.

The Crown Prince threw his eyes around the room, then hardly sighed. "No— please don't." He mumbled as the woman tried to move again, getting closer to his cheek this time.

By then, it really hit Chungya.

"Oh, you're fully into your fiancée now, aren't you?"

That question of hers, made Sooho frowned. A feeling of sadness flashed before his eyes. He couldn't say anything. His mind was clouded. When he finally opened his mouth to say something, the woman in front of him suddenly threw her hands around him, pulling Sooho into a tight hug.

It was when Chungya caught the sight of Sooho's fiancée coming towards them with her butler. As it happened, she instantly pulled the Crown Prince for a hug. Her face suddenly turned bright, beaming with a wide smile on her face.

"You came. You really made it. Thank you for coming, Sooho. And thank you for giving me these flowers. You really know my favorite."

At least, Chungya made sure Eun Youngro saw her with him. At least, she could show the girl who was the one Im Sooho was truly in love with. And she wished, one day the girl would notice that it was because of Kang Chungya, Eun Youngro could be engaged with the Crown Prince.

"Oh? Last night?" Chungya innocently smiled, however her right hand that was holding a knife going back and forth with more force as she cut her meal. "What about it?"

She didn't see him directly, but she could hear Im Sooho leaving out a long sigh before saying, "Chungya... I don't know where to start. But if I'm being honest with you, I'm still trying to love again. I'm still trying to love Eun Youngro."

This time, Chungya dropped the cutleries in her hands. And so was her face, her face dropped as her smile immediately wiped away. Her eyes now fully focused on Im Sooho, who was gazing at her bitterly.

"Eun Youngro... she's... I adore her. She's such a loveable girl. A delightful and warm person. But I'm still figuring out my feelings." He said carefully with each words.

Across him, Chungya listened to his words. Her eyes were gazing straightly at him, waiting.

"However, Chungya, what you did yesterday— and the night before, I can't accept that anymore from now on. I'm engaged to Youngro. I'd appreciate it if you keep a safe space between us."

"What do you mean?"

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, slightly shaking his head. He pursed his lips, his eyebrows furrowed together. "I can't..." he paused for a while. "I can't keep my feelings for you any longer. I'm letting you go, so you should give it a try too."

"What?"

Sooho gazed down at the table, sighing. "You heard me."

Chungya could feel her eyes grew warmer, as it slowly got some tears pooling in the corners. Before a tear drop fell on her cheeks, the woman quickly blinked back her tears and sniffed. "We don't even have a clear relationship since the beginning, Sooho." She said slowly, her eyes trying to meet his, but to no avail since the man didn't even lift up his face then.

She shifted on her seat, moving her upper body closer to him across the table. "Listen. I love you. And you love me back. That's it. We have been keeping it that way. Why can't we just....... do that?" Her voice turned shaky.

"I can't." He replied clearly.

Chungya scoffed. This time, she pulled her body away, resting her back to her seat. She bit the inside of , eyes moving around to keep the pooled tears on her eyes from falling down to her cheeks. She had some seconds to proceed everything. By that time, she couldn't even look at him. Then, she sharply asked him back, "Then, tell me. Do you love Youngro?"

No answer.

"You said you're still trying, aren't you?"

When there was still no answer, Chungya chuckled bitterly. She was ready to face him again So, with her wet eyes, she shot an intense gaze at him. 

"Look at me and tell me you love her."

Slowly, the Crown Prince lifted up his face to meet her eyes once more. Chungya could clearly see the tense on his expressions. Below the table, Sooho was clenching his fist. He took another deep breath before at last, he answered her question.

"I love Eun Youngro. And I'll marry her."

Chungya froze.

"I'm leaving back to korea tomorrow morning with Youngro. the wedding will be by the end of this month. I hope... after all of this, we can still be friends."

A tear fell from her cheek. How could he leave her so easily? Why was their relationship so complicated?

She always wanted more, but there was always— always, a line between them.

"I left Youngro for quite a while now, I need to go back. Until I see you again, Chungya. Take care, and I wish you good luck, as always."

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