Amidst her hopes of having a private talk even a small one with her brother, Queen Seon Jung found it impossible when she found herself in a room with the entourage and security of her dearest eldest granddaughter.

 

"What do you mean Sooyeon is missing?"

 

Eun Jin lowered her head. She couldn't look into the Queen's eyes without feeling guilty.

 

"It is my mistake, Your Majesty. I-"

 

Before Eun Jin can take the blame, Princess Soojung interrupted her.

 

"Granny. It's nobody's fault."

 

Seon Jung directed her stern gaze to her grandchild, although the gaze was somewhat warm that it didn't strict any fear to the young monarch.

 

"And why is that?"

 

"This is the typical Sooyeon unnie who would often make her escapes out of the palace."

 

"I know that but your sister should keep in mind that she is no longer a child. She is bound to be married for goodness sake."

 

Soojung frowned. She doesn't like where this talk is heading. Her grandma, mother and father would always find a way to bring the topic of marriage every now and then and it is somewhat starting to tick her off.

 

"Two nights ago was the last full moon of the month and Sooyeon was supposed to select her future husband from the three but we delayed it, again. Next week was supposed to be the engagement party but only then will she have her pick. The week after that was supposed to be her wedding but now it's the date for the engagement party. We changed all the plans because of Sooyeon's stubborness."

 

"Grandma, if you will only let me speak..." The young Jung waited for an approval and continued once she received a nod. "Sooyeon unnie...  She just want to break free even if just for a while."

 

The old monarch steadied her breath. She was rather thankful she has no kind of sickness or else her blood pressure would have risen.

 

"Sooyeon unnie has always been vocal about her resentment about the marriage. She just-"

 

A palm was raised to stop Soojung from saying anything more. Seon Jung ordered the rest to excuse them. Once the door closed and she was left alone with her grandchild, she lowered her palm and resumed their talk.

 

"I know why your sister escaped."

 

Soojung didn't like the phrasing. It sounds as if her sister was an escape from prison or something.

 

"It's about Im Yoona."

 

Eyes grew wide, mouth fell open and beads of sweat came out her pores. Holy - Did she happen to have a slip of tongue? Did she say anything to her family or maybe to the people who were with them in room earlier? But as she try hard to recall with the help of her sharp memory, no, she has never said anything. So how come her grandma knows?

 

"Yeah. Yoona unnie is one of the people Sooyeon unnie made friends with during her stay outside the palace."

 

"You and I both know the relationship they have is more than friends."

 

Crap. Soojung gulped tad audible and obvious. "Yeah. Best friends."

 

Queen Seon Jung's mouth twitched at the impending smile but quickly recomposed herself, donning the stern look once again.

 

"Lovers. That's what they are."

 

The sweat dropping girl seem to be tongue tied. This isn't the Soojung who always have counter arguments and comebacks since for the first time she has nothing to say.

 

Checkmate.

 

"H-How did you know that grandma?"

 

There is no more use in hiding. Her grandma already knows the truth. She knew how the elder one hates liars and so it is better to admit what she knows.

 

"I've seen them together. Your sister... The first time I saw Sooyeon smile until her eyes disappear and reach her ears was when she was holding Yoona's hand."

 

Soojung fidgeted on her spot with the way her grandmother was looking at her. It somewhat made her nervous. Was her granny mad because her granddaughters kept this secret from her?

 

But it's a secret! It's supposed to be kept! Soojung reasoned in her head.

 

"You do know your sister's Engagement party is this Saturday, right?"

 

Of course Soojung knows. Her sister is supposed to choose from the three gentlemen who to marry and after making the decision they would be engaged. That is exactly three days from now and she still wonders how her sister will pan out her so call 'escape plan'.

 

Yet she hope something good happens to turn this situation around.

 

 

****

 

 

Jessica widened her eyes in utter horror when Yoona pointed excitedly at the high rise bungee tower.

 

They are in Youldong Park, Bundang where the famous Youldang Bungee Tower is.

 

When Yoona suggested bungee she thought the girl was joking but it turned out to be serious.

 

"I can't do this, Yoong!" Jessica freaked out, her feet stomping wildly in protest. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

 

She feign throwing up but Yoona was too excited to notice her. A displeased frown etched its way to her features. Seohyun, who saw the change in the Princess poked the excited Yoona. Once she got the girls attention, she pointed at the Princess. Yoona's smile faded.

 

"Hey... What's wrong?" Yoona walked over to Jessica, cradling her cheeks between her palms.

 

"I don't think I can do this."

 

"You can. If you can ride a rollercoaster I don't think you'll find this scary at all."

 

Jessica glanced over Yoona's shoulder to check the tower once again. She faced Yoona and shook her head.

 

Yoona sighed. "Okay. Maybe we can go to another place."

 

Jessica didn't fail to notice the disappointment behind her girlfriend's voice and it made her feel guilty.

 

"Hey... Do you really want to jump?"

 

"There is a couple jump wherein they strap us together. I was planning on shouting to the world how much I love you."

 

That did it for Jessica. She's a er when it comes to Yoona.

 

"I guess trying it won't hurt right?"

 

Jessica's anxiety and uncertainty faded away when she saw the wide grin Yoona had. The girl was dancing in circles not caring of the looks she got from the people around them.

 

Although Jessica would love to see her do the dorky dance all day they can't afford to blow their cover and so she grabbed Yoona's shoulders in order to stop her from moving.

 

"We will do the bungee jump but you need to stop doing this."

 

Yoona broke into another eye blinding grin. She fixed Jessica's cap in order to hide her face a little from the people that got their attention.

 

"I bet even though you wear every piece of disguise out there we still can't hide your Princess vibe."

 

Jessica leaned closer, the brim of her cap against Yoona's forehead. "Should we just blow our cover then?"

 

Yoona was so tempted to taste those lips and Jessica knew that so she began to nibble her lower lip to complete the seduction. Just when Yoona was to capture her lips, a soft cough interrupted them.

 

"Unnies... We better go."

 

In another circumstance, if that was somebody else Jessica would have been mad for ruining her moment with her girlfriend but it wasn't somebody else. It was Seohyun, the gentle Seohyun, so Jessica couldn't find it within herself to be mad.

 

She gave Seohyun, whose cheeks are now red after witnessing the intimate moment earlier, a small smile.

 

"Seohyun's right. Let's go."

 

 

****

 

 

Jessica gingerly walked to where Yoona was. The latter was in the middle of the ledge to get her safety harness done. Jessica just finished wearing the safety vest and now she only need to wear the safety harnesses and jump.

 

The height was 45 meters. She tried looking down earlier and spotted Seohyun who is a size of an ant down there. She gulped loudly though she intended it to be soft and not obvious.

 

"Jess! Come here! They'll attach the harness on you."

 

Jessica glanced behind her. To see Yoona smiling that widely, eyes twinkling in pure excitement, she couldn't find it within herself to back out of this jump.

 

And so Jessica, although hesitant and scared, went to where Yoona was in order to have the crew attach the safety harness. She can hear the chief of the crew shout the reminders they needed to remember but Jessica's loud beating of her heart was pounding against her ears completely shutting him off.

 

She felt something slid between her fingers. Gazing down she saw Yoona holding her hand tightly. She lifted it up and kissed the back of Jessica's hand.

 

"I'm scared too you know." She admitted. "But as long as you're here I can do this."

 

"I didn't know Im Yoona is a scaredy cat."

 

"I am. You're my strength and weakness, Jessica. Tell me not to do this and I'll respect your decision. You didn't have to put up with me in the first place."

 

This is Jessica's last chance of escaping this scary situation.

 

"No. Let's do this."

 

But of course she turned it down. Just like Yoona, the girl is her strength as well as her weakness. Sure she was scared but Yoona's assurance to be there beside her was enough to shoo away the rat on her chest.

 

Yoona held a hand and the Princess took it with care. Taking a deep breathe, Jessica followed Yoona near the end of the ledge. That is where they will jump.

 

Jessica's heart nearly dropped when she got a view of what's below. It seems like looking down with and without rails are both completely different. But right when the Princess is about to chicken out she got a view of Yoona who was staring right into her eyes.

 

"I got you."

 

Jessica thinks that was what the girl has said. The blowing wind, her pounding heart and the screaming crew drowned out any words Yoona has said. She was scared, Jessica will admit that. But when she felt hands snake around her waist and a pair of eyes staring at her with concern, Jessica felt she can do anything.

 

She slid her arms under Yoona's underarms, wrapping it around the girls back. She closed her eyes to calm herself and to inhale deeply. When she open her eyes, she locked gazes with Yoona as the crew begins his countdown.

 

"3...2...1..."

 

Jessica kept her eyes locked on Yoona as her hands gripped Yoona's shirt tightly.

 

"Bungee!"

 

As if on slow motion they stepped off the ledge and the warm yet strong wind caught them as they fall down.

 

"I LOVE YOU JESSICA!" Yoona shouted on top of her lungs. Yes she was scared but with Jessica in her arms she felt as if she can do anything.

 

Jessica managed to smile a little even though she was screaming violently. Their bodies spun around in the air. Their souls almost left their bodies but as they were halfway down adrenaline kicked in. Fear was replaced with excitement.

 

"Wooohoooo!" Jessica's dolphin shriek was replaced with an estatic scream. "Daebak!"

 

The jump was supposed to be 45 meters but it felt short. They wanted to be in each other's arms for a longer period of time but when the boat has caught their dangling in the air bodies in order to remove the harnesses, they were relief and upset at the same time. Half of them enjoyed the jump and the other haf felt like they peed their pants. Luckily the latter didn't happen.

 

"I love you too." Jessica whispered to the girl beside her.

 

The harnesses have been removed and they are being rowed back to the dock as they lay panting at the lifeboat.

 

"Do you wanna go back?" asked Yoona.

 

Head shakes. "I'm hungry." Then a pout followed.

 

Yoona gushed at the adorable creature in front of her. She badly wanted to kiss her right now.

 

And she did. She placed a lingering kiss on her lips.

 

 

****

 

 

Yoona pulled the car a few blocks away from the Palace. Seohyun got off the car to check whether the coast is clear and once done she tapped the passenger's seat window where Jessica is sitting.

 

"Ah. My stomach is full."

 

Yoona giggled at the girl rubbing her tummy. "You ate a lot.... More than I did."

 

"It's your fault! You made me eat ddokbokki then jeon then galbi even twigim!"

 

"In my defense I ordered them for myself but after tasting all of them you took everything away from me. Seohyun and I had to share the fish cakes she boug