chapter soundtrack:
blossom - ong sung eun

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Sooho couldn't count how many documents he had checked and reviewed. After all those meetings he had in the afternoon, he had to help his father with paperworks in the evening at the main palace. Since he had more available times during college holidays like this, he received more requests than usual. Beside of the royal wedding preparations and other multiple responsibilities in his hand, one thing that had been keeping him busy lately was the art and culture event that will be held next month in collaboration with the Japanese government.

At least, the month of January would end soon and he would get himself focused for his final project with his friends. By then, he could have less paperworks to be done.

The skies outside turned darker without him noticing. When he checked the watch on his wrist, he couldn't believe it had passed dinner time. Kangmoo had called him for dinner some minutes ago, but Sooho didn't realize it was already that late.

"Has Youngro had her dinner?" He uttered unconsciously as his hands took up his phone from the table. "She's already at the mansion, isn't she?" He guessed, while his thumbs were typing a message to send to the girl

[Sooho] Youngro, have you eaten?

[Sooho]I just finished my works

[Sooho] Sorry I couldn't help much with the wedding preparation today

"Your Highness," Kangmoo called as the Crown Prince walked out of the main palace office. "Your dinner is ready. Let us you to your mansion."

Sooho nodded curtly to his right hand man, then followed him from behind.

Once the Crown Prince arrived at his mansion, the first thing he did was to look for his fiancée. They said, Youngro would stay at the palace that night, so he assumed she would be there at the mansion before him. The girl hadn't replied to his messages yet, maybe she had gone to sleep earlier? But, at this hour? Wasn't it too early?

When a familiar maid passed by and gave him a polite bow, the man called her before she walked away. "Excuse me,"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Is Miss Youngro already asleep in her room?" He asked.

Although the young maid wasn't directly looking at him since she had to avoid his sight, Sooho could notice the confused expressions on her face. "Miss Youngro is going home tonight, Your Highness. She said it's a sudden change of plan and she needs to go home."

Suddenly?

Sooho cleared his throat, "Alright then, thank you." He simply said before walking himself towards the dining room.

The man silently wondered, what was it that makes the girl had to go home without telling him? Was it urgent? Did she need any help?

When the dishes were served, he still stared curiously at his phone screen. He just sent another messages to check on her. Whatever the reason was, he hoped Eun Youngro was fine.

There's no place like home, they said. And it was true. When her heart felt heavy that evening, Youngro decided to cancel her previous plan which was to stay the night at the palace. That evening, she just wanted to escape all of the troubles she was facing and just go home to her family. She didn't mind about the work loads of the royal wedding preparations, though. It was because of— those pictures she found at the Crown Prince's darkroom.

Youngro spent some minutes there, holding on the stacked pictures of Kang Chungya, taken by Im Sooho, crying in silence. It was the moment as if the reality just slapped her through her face.

Although the Crown Prince had told her that they had ended things between him and Kang Chungya, it was still... a big news to her. She didn't know they were still together even in December last year. A month ago. Literally the same month when Youngro engaged with Sooho. When he said she had nothing to do with this, Youngro fully believed, she must be one of the big reasons why.

Kang Chungya was the woman Im Sooho proposed to. He asked her hand in marriage first. She was the chosen one. Yet, the woman turned his proposal down. If she acccepted it... then, Youngro wouldn't be in her place now, would she?

At the same time, Im Sooho must had faced a hard time, all this time with Youngro. She finally fully understood that their marriage would solely be a duty for Im Sooho.

This one-sided feeling she had for Im Sooho... she didn't know what to do with it.

"Thank you, Secretary Gong."

As soon as the royal palace car came to a halt in front of the Eun family house, Secretary Gong immediately helped Youngro to open the car's door. A concerned look was noticeable on his face. When he first saw Eun Youngro that evening asking him to get her back to her home, Secretary Gong knew there was something wrong. There was clearly something wrong.

The cheerful girl looked like a mess.

Puffy wet eyes, red nose, and there was a glimpse of blood on her lower lips. She definitely just cried.

"My pleasure, Miss." Secretary Gong replied politely, his gaze was glued on the girl's face. Carefully, he tried to comfort her with his words, "Miss, if there's anything disturbing you... You know, if you don't know who to share your problems with, you can come to me too. I'll be all ears, and mouth shut. I'm good at keeping secrets."

This time, a small smile appeared on the girl's face. However, the smile didn't reach her dark eyes. Those usual bright eyes had lost its lights that evening. And in somehow made Secretary Gong... sad. Although it hadn't been so long knowing Eun Youngro, he could see her as a bright, cheerful, and warm woman. What made her cry? What was the reason? Was it the Crown Prince? If the Crown Prince was an ordinary man, Secretary Gong would definitely scold him for hurting Eun Youngro.

Youngro gulped, trying to find her own voice. She was worried if she tried to say something more, her voice would crack— "I'm alright, Secretary Gong. Thank you for sending me back home. Please drive safe." Once she bid her goodbye, Youngro slowly walked herself into her home, leaving the old man outside wondering to himself.

"I'm home,"

"Huh? Is it Youngro?" Hong Aera's voice could be heard from the kitchen. It seemed like she was cleaning the dishes since at this hour, they probably had finished their dinner. "Aren't you staying at the palace tonight? Why are you coming home? Isn't it like... less than 2 weeks before the royal wedding and there are a lot of things to prepare? You said it yourself," The older woman chattered as her hands were washing the plates. Her eyes were focused on the running water and the cutleries on her hand, she didn't notice her youngest child was entering the kitchen to see her.

"Judging from the available time now, you really should be preparing the wedding, honey—" Once the mother turned her head to her back, her words cut midway as she caught her own daughter standing at the kitchen entrance, looking all gloomy. "Youngro?"

"I just want to go home tonight," Youngro whispered, her voice sounded tired and weak. Her eyes were on the floor, not wanting to face her mother being broken like that. But her mother was the only person she wanted to run to that evening. "I just want to be home for tonight."

"Oh, my daughter—" Aera quickly stopped the tap water and left her chores. She quickly dried her hands with the nearby napkins before coming to her daughter to give the girl a warm hug. "Of course you can always go home to us, honey."

When her mother hugged her, Youngro left out a long sigh. She closed he