chapter soundtrack:
at the park - you heeyeol

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"So..."

Sooho lazily turned his head to the person next to him on the driver's seat. His eyes met Kangmoo's for a second before he threw his glance away, outside the car window. It was pass midnight but the street was still a bit crowded.

The older man mumbled, as if he was talking to himself. "It's Chungya, huh..."

Kangmoo, being the closest person at the royal palace and the one who would always be beside him, knew Chungya for sure. He always knew about this unknown relationship between both of them, but he also understood what they had was special. As a close friend of Sooho since they were child, he never saw Sooho having a crush beside of this only girl, Kang Chungya.

However, he didn't know their complete history. He just knew Sooho was falling hard for her since the beginning. And it slightly saddened him as well knowing the girl turned Sooho's proposal down.

They were on their way back to the royal palace from Gyeokchan's party that night, just the two of them inside the car.

Usually, for informal schedules outside the royal duties, Sooho would have less guards from the palace with him. Especially at the times he would hang out with his friends, he would go undercover together with Kangmoo, just like how they were together that night. It would be easier to go with just him. 

"Did you come into the party?" Sooho blurted out. "I told you to come in but you didn't want to."

"I didn't," Kangmoo answered. "I slept at the car until I saw you walked out with Chungya. She looked so drunk, though. Lucky she had her personal bodyguards with her." His mind recalled the scene that night when Sooho walked out from the building, his hand holding Chungya who was having trouble walking straight. He was escorting her outside from the party to her car.

The older man stayed silent for a while, riding the car as the traffic light turned green. 

"Sooho," he called. "You should be more careful, though."

The younger one turned his head again, raising an eyebrow.

Kangmoo's eyes were focusing on the road, but he looked like he was having deep thoughts inside his mind. "The PR of the royal family will make a press release soon this week, making your royal engagement known to public. They will also introduce Eun Youngro. The public and the media will have all their eyes on you even more. So, you need to be careful."

He's right.

"Yes. I understand, Hyung."

Come to think about it. There were only a few people who knew about Sooho and Chungya's relationship since they were hiding it only between them and their closest friends. They were trying to avoid rumors, and they chose to keep their relationship that way. Sooho just hoped, this relationship between them wouldn't break out to the public. Chungya wouldn't like it.

In between the silence, Kangmoo raised another question. "How about Eun Youngro? You haven't told me much about her." 

Sooho left out a long sigh, leaning his head against the headrest. His eyes squinting. "She..." the sight of that woman appeared inside his head. He couldn't deny that the woman was beautiful— "She is kind of plain."

He added, "I don't know that much about her as well. Beside of from her profile you gave me, I can't really see her personalities through the private meeting days ago. I tried checking on her socials and... well, I guess from there I see her as a bright woman. Loves music. Loves photography— especially film camera photography. I guess it's just her kind of aesthetic. Also, planting and gardening. Weird poses sometimes... well, she's good so far."

He chuckled as he remembered some pictures where the woman put stuff on her head, trying to balance it. 

"Oh, and she was the one who spilled hot coffee on me last week. That's one fun fact right there."

Kangmoo's jaw dropped open when he took a quick glance at Sooho. "Shut up!" He left out a hearty laugh. "I have this feeling that we can expect more unique things from her later." Kangmoo grinned. 

"Yeah..." Sooho's eyes gazing out of the window, staring at the passing streetlights. His thoughts flying elsewhere. "She has her own reason for this engagement, and the marriage. I fully understand her reasons why and I get it. So, we're stuck together, I guess."

The Mercedes Benz came in a halt in front of the lobby of the Crown Prince mansion, and Kangmoo unlocked the car doors. 

"Thanks, Hyung." Sooho shared a thin smile with Kangmoo before walking out of the car, entering his mansion. 

As Kangmoo saw Sooho's back disappearing, his hand fished out his phone out of his pocket. He unlocked it and opened the photo gallery, tapping on one of the folders. 

And there was a picture of Sooho and Chungya kissing at the party.

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Monday, 20 December 2021

[Secretary Gong] Miss Youngro, please let us know once you're finished at the college. We will be picking you up immediately.

[Secretary Gong] As per discussed regarding your schedule, our royal facilitator will have a session with you this evening. 

[Secretary Gong] I hope you have a good day :)

[Youngro] Yes, Secretary Gong. Thank you so much for reminding.

"Some of the students are already off for Christmas holiday, huh?"

Youngro lifted up her head, looking away from her phone screen as she saw Hyeryeong with her smoothies (Youngro didn't know what kind of smoothie it was, but Hyeryeong always loved to experiment by mixing random ingredients— for diet, she said), taking a seat next to her.

She then threw a look around to find quiet halls. Hyeryeong was right. The college looked emptier than usual that day. Thanks to Hyeryeong, the girl finally realized that Christmas would come really soon.

"Ah... that's right. The Christmas day will come this week." Youngro uttered.

"Have you finished all the projects for this semester?"

"Yes, Unnie. I have submitted all my projects today. Tomorrow I just need to come here to take care of some administrations. Oh, and additional class from Mrs. Oh."

"Oh, that annoying lecturer?"

Youngro furrowed her eyebrows and pouted, "That's right..."

"Anyway. Was someone texting you?" Hyeryeong smirked while trying to peek on Youngro's phone screen. "You were on your phone most of the time. Is there any lucky man who finally got a reply from you, Eun Youngro?" She teased Youngro, nudging her shoulder.

Youngro waved her hand in response, denying the older's statement. "No!" She blurted. "No, no, Unnie. I was just..." chatting with the royal palace staff? Secretary Gong? How do I say this? 

Her memories flew back to the day she had private meeting with the royal family. The Queen Dowager kept both engagement rings with her until the day of the royal engagement. She was briefed that everything that happened on the private meeting and the engagement scenario should not be exposed to public yet, although the public already knew that the Prince would have an arrangement marriage soon. They said, the royal palace would make an official announcement a week before the engagement. 

Based on the latest update Secretary Gong told her, the engagement would be set on 31 December, one day before the new year...

 A week before the engagement. Which means, anytime that week, Youngro's identity would be exposed as the Crown Prince's fiancée. 

Youngro shivered at the thought of that, it gave her anxieties. However, she covered it with a wide smile. "I was just chatting with my brother." She explained. "My father was sick last weekend... but don't worry Unnie, he's getting a lot better now. Don't worry." Youngro added, as she saw Hyeryeong's eyes rounded when she heard her father was sick.

Youngro's closest friends— Hyeryeong, Jeongmin, and Seolhui, they all knew that Youngro's father was sick. Some