-- narrator's pov

    It was a perfect day, and the palace grounds were busy. Everyone was bustling about with their business, attending to different matters and hurrying to get several things done. The princess's eighteenth birthday was nearing, and the king wanted everything perfect. He had every right to be, since the princess was the only one he could spoil ever since his wife died.

 

    The King was very much loved by the people. He had been born and raised there, and was known as the "Korea's Protector" since every country who'd so much threatened Korea was immediately silenced by the king. Korea hadn't seen war ever since Son Seung Hyuk had become the king. They loved him even when he married a woman who ranked lower than him. The late Kim Mi Hee was a silent creature, known for her talented hands and graceful body. She was a docile woman who had a quiet disposition. She was very much charming, and she had that innocent aura about her that made her endearing. She died while giving birth to their angel, Son Na Eun.

 

   The Kingdom had become gloomy after the queen's death. What used to be a perpetually happy kingdom turned into a depressed one. The king rarely smiled, even though he ruled properly. He didn't pay attention to his daughter, and because of that he didn't realize that she looked so much like his wife. It was only during her first birthday did he get a good look at her face, and he was speechless. Only then was she formally recognized as his wife's child and their kingdom had returned to its usual state. It had become happy once more.

 

   Everyone loved her. She was the spitting image of her mother and had the same innocence about her... but she had her father's personality. She was headstrong, and determined. She was truly the princess, hence everyone loved her.

 

   "PRINCESS! Wait! Don't run - " The maids called out, lifting their skirts as they followed the light footed Na Eun as she easily sprinted through the busy castle walls. Her face was animated as she ducked and shifted her body, and the staff who had a glimpse of her face merely chuckled instead of stopping her. Three maids followed her, but they couldn't catch up to her. Even when they had lifted their skirts and were running to the best of their ability.

 

   "Excuse me." She angled her body to get through two people but couldn't slip past them when one man shifted his body to prevent her from escaping. "Excuse... Oh father!" She exclaimed, a bright smile touching her face. She threw her hands around his neck and beamed. 

 

   "Causing trouble so early in the morning, I see." He chuckled, accepting a kiss on the cheek from his daughter. Na Eun smiled, and nodded. He laughed, and patted her head. "Why don't you head to your room, dearest? Give your maids a chance to breathe." Although he said this goodnaturedly, it was an order. Na Eun didn't mind.

 

   "Of course, father." She smiled before her soft footsteps started a while later. It started off slow, but once the king and his advisers disappeared from sight, she started running. She was careful not to damage her dress. It was one of her favorites, and she didn't want to change to something else so early. She only got to wear a dress once before it remained in her closet, waiting until she decided to donate it. 

 

   She arrived at her room without much drama, and she locked her door once it closed. She didn't want her maids coming in. She took a deep breathe and smiled to herself. She felt so free today. Her birthday was only in a month, but the castle was busy preparing for it. Smiling, she seated herself at her vanity stool and frowned at an envelope that had been placed on it. An invitation to her own birthday? An amused smile reached her face and she opened the envelope.

 

   She read the contents before she set the envelope and the letter down. 

 

   She wondered who was going to come to her birthday. She fiddled with a pillow, before sighing. She heard the knocks on her door, but she didn't bother to answer. She merely opened her laptop and was greeted with the sight of her own face. Her name was one of the most searched terms that day, since her becoming of age was near. She was going to be eighteen, and was going to be married off soon. She didn't want to get married, to be quite honest but that was how life went on. 

 

    Another name caught her attention, and she clicked the article that said "Tycoon Kim Myungsoo Purchases House of Park"

 

TYCOON KIM MYUNGSOO PURCHASES HOUSE OF PARK

It has been revealed that Kim Myungsoo, owner of Kim Industries
has purchased the hotel chains owned by Mr. Park Tae Jun, consequently
named House of Park. House of Park is well known for hosting public
figures, most especially the royal family. He declares that he will
not be making any changes to the layout of the hotels and they will
continue their services to all those who frequent House of Park.

 

     Na Eun blinked. House of Park was getting sold? She frowned. It was one of her favorite hotel establishments, and she and her father stayed there whenever they went to other place. In her opinion, their most beautiful hotel was in Japan. She loved the blending of the colors. It made her want to live there.

 

 

-- na eun's pov

   I sighed as I closed my laptop. Why did that Kim Myungsoo buy those hotels? They were perfectly being managed well, so why did he come butting in? I looked around the room. Businessmen. You never know what runs in their minds.

 

    I rubbed my eyes. A nap would be good, right about now. Before I could plop on the bed and close my eyes, I heard my cousin, Son Dongwoon's, voice outside as he knocked on the door. 

 

   "Wakey, wakey, Na Eunnie!"

 

  I rolled my eyes. "Shut up! I told you not to call me that!"

 

    "I can call you whatever I want. Or I can call you princess, your majesty." He teased, as I flung the door open. He stood there with a smirk on his face. I glared at him.

 

   "No more Na Eunnie, capisce?" I jabbed my finger on his chest to illustrate my point. I didn't let on that it hurt more than I expected it would. Had Dongwoon been working out?

 

   "Whatever you say, poppet." He smirked. I pushed him.

 

   "Why'd you call me that?" Poppet was what his father called me. And Dongwoon's older sister, Ga In, used it whenever she was feeling cheeky which was all the time. They were my cousins from my father's side. If my father had died and their dad had ruled, they would have been the ones living in the palace.

 

   "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

 

   "You're an idiot, you know that?" We both knew that he'd have gotten into trouble if people found out he spoke to me like this. Even if he was family, we had different statuses. He spoke to me in a very different fashion whenever dad or his parents were around. He'd turn very stiff and very formal that I'd end up snickering. My father would always shoot me a look that said 'quiet'.

 

  "We're both idiots. Anyway, who're you going to get married to?" He plopped onto my bed, and grabbed the pillow I'd been playing with earlier.

 

   "I don't know. I do think that Ki Kwang's cute."

 

   "You already know he's engaged." Dongwoon rolled his eyes and poked me with his shoe. I slapped his foot away. Trust him to be very dirty.

 

   "I know, that's why I'm thinking of people he's possibly going to shackle me with." I grimaced.

 

   "I don't know, maybe that Kim Myungsoo guy? He's all over the news today." He shrugged.

 

   I punched his arm. "Don't be stupid. Dad won't let me marry someone managing hotels. I thought you had more sense than that."

 

   He winced, and scowled. "Hey, you're a princess. You shouldn't go around hitting guys. It's unbecoming." He pinched my nose. I kicked him, just strong enough to dislodge him from my bed and go crashing down on the floor. He whined.

 

   "But that Myungsoo guy's cute. I don't see him running hotels though." Thoughts of him being behind the front desk was what filled my mind. It looked totally ridiculous.

 

   "Have you met him before?"

 

   "Nope. Just read up on him earlier." I shrugged. "No big deal."

 

   He rolled his eyes. "Personality wise? You'd end up biting each other's heads off. You're too much like uncle. And he's a cold hearted dimwit."

 

   "Don't say such a thing. We should go out now, before dad comes here and talks about that dinner meeting. I don't like wearing the dresses for those functions. Too itchy."

 

   He grinned and towed me out the door.

 

   He even brought my pillow.

 

   Idiot.