“Wow, the air here is definitely better than when we came when we were kids,” Yangyang exclaimed after getting out of our private plane and stepping his feet on South Korean soil after 12 years.

That’s it. I’m here. There is no place to run after this and I’m starting to feel sick to my stomach. Not only I will have to meet the person that I hate the most in life, but also will have to attend the meetings with my dad and older brother, which are probably going to be boring as hell.

My father started replying Yangyang while he was going down the airplane stairs.

“Yes, Son. The air is better because of the environmental agreements we did with South Korea and because of the green technology, they export to our country. Now, the Chinese industries don’t release much pollution into the air, and it doesn’t reach South Korea. That’s why we must preserve our agreements with South Korea. We help each other a lot…we need to stay close”

He said the last phrase looking at me and stopping his track right by my side.
After all of us got off of the plane, someone that looked like an employee of the South Korean Crown came close to us, doing a long a respectful bow. We responded with a little tilt of heads and the young man started to talk.

“Nice to meet you, Your Majesties and Your Royal Highnesses, my name is Hyoseop, and I’ll oversee your escorting to the castle. Please accompany me. Your Majesties and Highnesses are already waiting for your arrival.”
After a quick nod from all of us, the boy directed us to a big black car that was parked not far from the plane. We entered the car, the more looked like a van and started getting out of the airport.

While we were getting out of the airport, we could already hear and see a big commotion at the airport exit. When reaching the exit, we could see the huge number of photographers and “fans” that were concentrated to see and take pictures of the Chinese Royal Family and their “ethereal beauty” as the media would say. I just had to say that I found this worship a little too much.

Since the windows have window tinting and the curtains down, the photographers couldn't take pictures, and neither see us. But we could see them a little bit and they were a lot!! Definitely a lot!
I wasn’t much comfortable around paparazzi or people that wanted something with my image. I had some bad experiences in life with these kinds of people and now I can’t manage to deal with them.

After a 15-minute ride, we arrived at the South Korean Royal Palace and I opened the curtains to see better. The castle looked so much bigger than it looked the last time I came here when I was a kid, probably because I’ve gotten bigger too.

“We are here, Your highnesses,”
Hyoseop said while opening the door of the minivan for us to come out. He stretched out his hand to support me and I came out of the vehicle. I looked straight and there she was. Aligned with her family in front of the palace entrance, on her father’s side and wearing a Burberry long sleeve checkered shirt and a dark mini skirt with long boots and her hair loosened up with waves, looking sharply at me. Choi Yujin. Oh God, this is going to be a tough week.

We walked till close to them while the Royal Fanfare was playing the trumpets announcing our arrival respectfully. When one royal family was in the place, the commotion and conduct codes were already a lot. But when two Royal families were meeting, the commotion went to another level.

“Announcing the arrival of the Chinese Treasure, The Shen Family. The royals and rulers of the Chinese empire.”
The South Korean Herald announced when we got face-to-face with the Chois. My dad facing King Hyunbin, my mom facing Queen Yejin, Yangyang facing Yujin, Me facing Doyoung, and Lucas facing Yeseo. After the announcement, we did the Royal bow that is in the protocol we all learn and must follow, when meeting another ruler, and looked up. After the formality, Uncle Hyunbin, whom I called like that when the formalities were down since I was a kid, opened a big smile and embraced my dad in a big hug.

“Long time no see, Ming. I miss you, friend” My dad laughed and patted his back mentioning that he missed him too.

All of us started greeting each other like close friends and family friends do it, hugging each other and talking. Yeseo was already dragging Lucas inside the castle saying that he had to see her new videogame console that her sister brought to her from Thailand and Doyoung and Yangyang were already planning a baseball match later in the afternoon and talking about sports. My mom and aunt Yejin already heading to the garden while talking, and the Castle chamberlain, Hyoseop, informed us all that the lunch will be served in 2 hours at 13:00 but that a brunch was served in the palace’s back-room, right after the entrance, and that the actual King and Queen of South Korea – that I had almost forgotten were still queen and king since Uncle Hyunbin and Aunt Yejin were already ruling even before their coronation – were arriving for lunch before he went inside of the castle to do whatever work he had to. Like that, only me and Yujin were left by the stairs at the entrance of the castle, looking at each other as if the most horrible enemy of our country was in front of us. Yes, that’s it. We still despised each other.

“C’mon, I’m hungry and I can’t let you here all by yourself when everybody is gone otherwise my dad is gonna kill me.” She spoke and started walking inside her house and followed her sighing and whining. I didn’t remember much of the castle since there are 12 years since the last time I came, and the palace underwent some renovations.
We entered and there was a big table full of Korean, Chinese, and Western brunch menus, and another table with comfortable armchairs placed on the ground floor “balcony” that was in front of the garden where my mom and aunt Yejin were talking and laughing. I always found interesting the number of balconies this castle has, at the same time I found it really beautiful and strategic since you can have a full view of the exterior of the castle no matter where you are.

I started serving myself with some Korean Soybean Paste Stew that I really liked, and a croissant served with some coconut water. I sited at the big table facing Yujin who was really concentrated on her soup and hadn’t even noticed that I was already on the opposite side of the table, eating too.

“So, you still like Doenjang-jjigae, huh?” She said startling me and making me face her, that was already looking right into my eyes with a little side smirk plastered on her face while holding her spoon graciously.

“Can you please not talk neither address anything to me please?”
She looked a little surprised to see anyone talking like that to her. Since she was the crown princess, people didn’t talk to her in any harmful way or in a way that could make her upset.

She was super feared. The fact that this slim, bunny-like, small girl was extremely feared, and people were afraid of ‘hurting her feelings’ just by talking in a normal way with her made me so upset. She thought she was so superior just because she is a royal. And that annoyed me even more.

“Gosh, I had forgotten how annoying your voice was.” She placed the spoon in the table napkin right beside her plate of soup and rolled her eyes. Yes, I got into her and that actually made me smirk a little. Annoy Yujin was actually one of the funniest things ever, but she could never know that.

“Look, Xiaoting, we both know we don’t like each other, but we have to pretend that we can at least tolerate one another even for our parents to believe it. After the act, we don’t have to look at each other’s faces and make the favor of disappearing from each other’s lives. Deal?” She proposed taking a deep breath and looking a little irritated

“Ha, you’re just wanting to pretend because you don’t want to explain to them how this disliking started and how you make my life a hell on Earth in England to start with,”
I said and continued eating my stew, but she already did what she did best. Made me ing pissed off.

Remembering my experiences in England made me so irritated and to think that much of it was Choi Yujin’s fault didn’t make our relationship any better.

“I MADE YOUR LIFE HELL? LIKE YOU HAVEN’T DONE THE SAME TO MINE!”

She raised her voice and got up from her chair just to sit back when she saw that her mom and my mom were still in the garden and could listen to our little fight on the balcony that was facing them.
“Don’t act like you’re the victim here. You from all people know what I was passing through in England and still ed my life up” she said and looked down. I did the same.

We knew too much about each other. And we’ve both done some stupid over unimportant stuff.
But what she did still hurt and left scars. And I won’t be able to forgive her. NEVER! She is the worst person I’ve ever met. Even though she has been through some stuff. I can’t forget what she did to me.

“But still, I only responded to you provoking me first!” I said whisper-screaming to her that had a deep frown on her forehead.

“Yeah, Xiaoting I was the one that started with everything. Believe in that. You are such a manipulative person, trying to always turn things better to your side of the story.” She said forgetting about our moms that were in the garden and of the castle staff that was around the place.
“You act like you’re so superior just because you hate being a royal or as if being one is a bad thing and that’s why you don’t care about anything and just believe in other people’s assumptions when I actually have never done anyth-“

When I noticed that the guards outside of the back room we were, were starting to focus on our conversation and were almost ready to enter the room, I got up from my chair, ran to her side, and closed putting my hand on top of it. Mentioned for her to get up, still with my hand on top of , and dragged us to the hallway that was on the side of the balcony we were right now and that led to another way of getting in the side garden.
When we reached the hallway and I saw that no one was there I didn’t even have the time to take my hand out of because she had already pulled out of it.

“Why are you freaking dragging me here?” She exclaimed with a huge, annoyed face and fixed her clothes.

“You’ll never do this again, you understand me? NEVER!”

“Shut the hell up, pabo-yah” I said and could see her eyes getting bigger than already were. “You were starting to scream, and the guards were noticing. Besides, our moms were just in the garden.  Do you want the whole palace to hear that we ing hate each other and the whole mess that happened in England because of your fault?”
I crossed my arms on top of my chest and waited for her to reply, but when she was about to speak, she looked on top of my shoulder and her expression lighten up and she smiled.

“Hi, grandma didn’t knew you had arrived” Yujin passed through me and went to give a quick bow and a big hug to her grandma.

“Me and your Harabeoji¹ just arrived, I was passing by and heard your voices and just came here to check up on you two.” Queen Ilhwa smiled at Yujin and caressed her hair when her eyes laid down on me and she gave me an eye smile just like the one Yujin does.

“Hello, Xiaoting. You’re so grown and beautiful. Come here” I walked to the Queen passing through Yujin, that wasn’t much comfortable with her grandma catching us fighting, and stopped right in front of her, doing a respectful gracious bow right after and smiling at her after doing it. When she pulled me for a quick but very meaningful hug.

The Chinese and South Korean Royals have actually a long relationship and friendship. Mine and Yujin’s dad were friends since they were young and their parents were friends too, so Queen Ilhwa was my grandma’s friend before my grandma passed out 5 years ago. So, she treats me like her own granddaughter and is really caring with my family.

“You look so gracious, Xiaoting. Your Nǎinai² would be proud of you. You should come over more.” She smiled one more time and caressed both my arms changing her eyesight to Yujin. “I actually was looking for you guys to call you to come for lunch. Let’s go?”

I and Yujin both nodded and were about to get out of the hallway when Queen Ilhwa started speaking again and we automatically stopped on our track.

“Another thing. I hope you guys will be at peace during this time Xiaoting’s family will be staying over.” We looked at her and she proceeded to speak, “I heard you screaming and fighting a while ago. First: You are princesses, please don’t scream. Second: I thought you were friends, so please try not killing yourselves during those weeks. Now let’s go and behave. Yujin?” She as asked trying to make a point to Yujin and waiting for a confirmation.

“Yes, Halmeoni. We will behave…I will behave.” She said and the Queen continued her way out of the hallway with Yujin and I chasing her.

I found it really amazing how the feared and confident Choi Yujin would become a little girl in front of her grandparents and parents. But as she said to her grandma, we will behave. I don’t want to cause any problems here. I just have to stay away from Yujin, and everything will be okay.
                                                                               **
Yujin POV:

After grandma’s scolding, when arrived in the dining room only to be embraced by our families and my grandpa, that had just come home after assigning some documents for my Appa’s coronation. My grandpa was still the King on paper, but my dad was already working actively as King.

The energy in the castle was so good. Everybody was happy and playing around. To be true, when the Chinese or Thai royal family came over, it didn’t feel like a ‘royals conference’, where we had to be super polite with each other and follow all the royal protocols. It felt just like two close families gathering around to hang out and fraternize. Which I really liked.

“Let’s eat. Today’s menu is roast lamb” Xiaojun and Yeseo mouthed a “uhuul” and YangYang laughed, messing up Yeseo’s hair.

I’m not gonna lie I’ve already cogitated the idea of having a relationship with YangYang, over the simplest fact that he is handsome, treats my siblings so well, and could end my sin of having to marry a royal to continue the legacy.

Actually, I don’t HAVE to marry a royal. But I just think everybody thinks so down on me, that marrying a male royal would ease my problems. People would think I’ve ‘calmed down' and that I’m sticking with traditions. But at the end of the day, I just simply can’t look at Yanyang that way. Since we grew up together, he is also like a big brother to me.

I sited at my usual place on my dad’s right side, facing Xiaoting that was on her mother’s side.

After eating lunch and waiting for dessert, we were all talking about Xiaojun and Doyoung’s training sessions. Both of them were training to become idols. Doyoung here in Korea in SL entertainment and Xiaojun on a subsidiary of SL entertainment placed in China. But deep down we knew that Jun probably wouldn’t be able to debut because of his position in society and his father’s wishes. Then suddenly Hyoseop enters the room asking us to excuse him because he had something important to say to my dad and grandpa. He whispered something into their ears, that I tried my best to hear but couldn’t. The only word that I could manage to catch from the talk were: War, North Korea, Russia, and Fire. Now I was attentive. Probably the war exploded and started to get form. My dad and grandpa mentioned to Uncle Xiaoming to follow them to my dad’s office and then, asked us to excuse them and said sorry. When I and Yangyang mentioned getting up from our seats, since we were the Crown Prince and Princess from our respective countries, our dads said for us to stay and that if needed we would be called.

We started eating our desserts in a nervous state that got everyone on the table. Everyone imagined what could be happening. We all figured it had something to do with the war but were waiting for a confirmation.

After 30 minutes we were all sited in the living room, already talking about stories from the past, when we were kids and easing the situation a bit. When suddenly we hear the office door opening upstairs and my dad, my grandpa, and uncle Xiaoming get down the stairs with serious faces and the Chinese and South Korean army captains with them.
We were all shocked to see the two military men since we didn’t know the level that the war was. They bowed in front of us and continued their way towards the exit. When my dad started to talk.

“The war has officially started. North Korea took as a ‘pick of side’ the act of China coming here and attacking the DMZ. We lost 5 men and I’ll have to take actions.” My dad said trying to look fierce but we all knew he was shaken up about everything that was happening.

“We are waiting for Russia’s response in a couple of minutes, and we are afraid that they might unite with North Korea!” King Xiaoming said coming closer to where we were sitting. “Since we have Yangyang’s marriage alliance with the princess Arina, I don’t think they will take any actions.”

“Unless they think you coming here is a way of making Yujin and Yangyang get married.” My grandpa said taking a seat right by my grandma’s side and at the same time I and Yangyang looked at each other. This couldn’t be happening, and this was nonsense.

“I’m afraid they might think that too, even though Yujin and Yangyang are to become the principal rulers of their countries, there are situations - that already happened before – of a sovereign reigning their country from the country that they are living because of marriage or choosing a regent to rule on its place but keep the title…” The 3 of them started to look at each other and I had to step in since they were talking about my life and my country.

“Look we just have to show them that I don’t have any intentions to marry YangYang and that the only reason our families are meeting is that we have economic deals and a friendly alliance,”
I said starting to get my body more to the front to look more confident and persuade them. This marriage story between me and YangYang was starting to get too deep for my liking and we had to cut that out before they start to think that this is actually a good idea.

“And Papa, if you let me talk to Arina, I can ease things out!” Yangyang got up and his dad gestured for him to sit back, which he did.

“You can talk to Arina, Yangie but we still need a way to secure our alliance with South Korea. Because if North Korea discovers that we are not in a true alliance, they will attack us too since their goal is to ‘capture’ the territories around them. And if Russia sees that we are in an alliance, they will get together with us too and we will have enough nuclear weapons against North Korea and its allies.”
Uncle Xiaoming stated with a lot of gestures for us to understand.

“But I don’t think that ONU will let Russia use their nuclear weapons after the war they lost against Ukraine 30 years ago in 2022,” Yangyang said, and I could only agree.

“We can talk to the Ukrainians too! They are our ‘friends’ and could help us. Plus, wasn’t I being matched with the Ukrainian Prince too when we were kids? Can’t we use this in our favor?” I said and everybody started to think about the idea until my dad started talking again.

“That’s a good idea, Yujinnie but we still have to strengthen our alliance with China since we already have a lot of economic deals with them, and we would be much more useful to each other during those tough times.” My dad said and looked at me and then at Xiaoting.

Xiaoting started getting up and I did too.

“Sorry, Uncle Hyunbin but what exactly do you have in mind?” Xiaoting started saying with an anxious and nervous tone.

“WE think that a way that we could formalize our alliance in a more proper way is getting you two, Yujin and Xiaoting, on a marriage alliance.” Uncle Xiaoming started speaking in a calming tone.

“NOT EVEN IN A HUNDRED YEARS. WE ARE NOT GETTING MARRIED” Xiaoting started shouting with wide eyes and clenched fists.

“Xiaoting please, listen to uncle, that’s a necessity to our countries. Plus, aren’t you guys friends? You can keep the friendship and if the destiny wants, get in love in the futu-”

“I’M NOT MARRYING HER! WE ARE NOT FRIENDS. WE LITERALLY HATE EACH OTHER!” I stepped in screaming too. I can’t believe he is doing this to me. Appa promised that I would be able to choose the person that I wanted to get married to and now he is doing this, with the most awful person in the whole world.

“What do you mean you hate each other? Stop making things up only for this marriage not to happen, Yujin.” My dad said getting closer to me. He was starting to get angry, but I couldn’t care less.

“They aren’t making things up. Today I saw both of them fighting. They really aren’t friends.” My grandma said still on my grandpa’s side on the sofa and looking at me mouthing for us to stay calm.

I looked at the rest of the people in the room, and they all looked so shocked just like us. Our siblings were nervous and ready to defend our respective wishes.

“I don’t care if Yujin is a friend or not. She will have to do this. For the greater of her country.” My father said and I was fuming in rage

“You too, Xiaoting! You are marrying her!” Uncle Xiaoming told directing his speech to Xiaoting.

Me and Xiaoting exchanged looks and there was only one thing that we could notice in our red eyes full of tears: We don’t want to get married to each other.
Xiaoting sighed hard and stepped out of the room probably afraid of fighting with her dad, that even though was a good person, was terrifying when angry.

I saw her getting out and her mom and siblings following her and then I looked at my father and shook my head.

“You promised me…You promised me that I would get the right to marry a person of my choice. I’m disappointed in you.” I spat the words at him and got out of the room.

I ran to the back garden of the castle when I heard my siblings coming after me, where I found Xiaoting sitting close to the little brook close to the securet woods we had in the castle.

“HEY, XIAOTING” I screamed her name and she looked back with her big round eyes red because of the crying.

“What do you want?” She said in between her sobbing. I haven’t noticed till now how beautiful and ‘doll-like’ she looked, wearing an Alexander Wang Off White Crystal Knot Shirt, white skirt, and white Valentino Rockstud pumps heels. She looked beautiful.

“Look, I want this less than you do. We can’t marry each other. We must do something to not let this marriage happen!” I said pulling her more to the side, where the trees hid us so that our families and the servants won’t be able to see us.

“I agree. What do you have in mind?” She said a little anxious and twisting her right foot. Something that I noticed that she does since we were kids when she is nervous or excited.

“We have to find a way of still protecting our countries but without getting married to each other. I will probably have to marry someone else and I’m thinking of the Japanese Prince, Nakamoto Yuta. He is my friend; we have already had a fling and he isn’t Japan’s crown prince. Even more, Japan is a strong ally when talking about military power and has a strong voice in United Nations. If we arrange it well, Japan can even support China and you guys will always have South Korea’s support” I said a little too fast because when the ideas start to come into my head, it’s difficult to stop.

“I like it. But the formal alliance between our countries won’t happen that way. I don’t think our parents will agree.” Xiaoting said biting her bottom lip and thinking of another way out. Gosh, she was charming. As much as I dislike her, I can’t act like she isn’t pretty, because she is. Why am I thinking that?

“We can form an alliance between your country and Choi Enterprises! I was already planning to talk to your dad about the deal tomorrow. We will still have a formal alliance but in a more economical way and less formal than a wedding. But it’s still something!” I said starting to regain hope again, which I could clearly see the same happening to Xiaoting too.

“I think this could work!” She said and smiled at me. “But hey, nobody can even dream about this plan of us. Try talking to your future fiancé, for him to make a formal proposal to court you, direct to your dad so that they won’t think it’s our plan and won’t the plan up.”

“Hey, language!” I reprimanded her and she rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. She was probably really happy about us fixing things up. “But okay. I’ll talk to him. This will work. Trust me” I nodded at her trying to pass confidence and she nodded back. I went back to the castle, and she said she was staying in the garden for a little longer.

I direct myself to my chambers and locked the door. I needed a cigarette and whisky shot.
While drinking sitting on my bedroom sofa with a cigarette in between my fingers, I thought about everything that happened today. I was only sure that I couldn’t marry Xiaoting and that I would do anything in the world to prevent it.
Our plan has to work. 
                                                                                                                             **

Glossary:
1 – Harabeoji (Korean) –> Grandpa (English)
2 – Nǎinai (Chinese) –> Grandma (English)

***************************************

Sorry for taking some time to update but I just had my exams in college and It took a lot of my time! Anyways, things are starting to take place and the story is only gonna get better from now on! Hope you guys are liking it and don't forget to give me feedback in the comments.
Ps: Xiaojun is only 2 years older than Yeseo in this story. And Angela, Xiaoming, Hyunbin, and Yejin are like 45/46 - 50 years old in here. Yujin is 25, Xiaoting is 23, and Doyoung is 2 years younger than Yujin, 23. YangYang is 26.
See ya!