Chapter 25 - Forbidden Love

Seomin was walking down the halls of the Kingdom of the Northern Skies and came to a stop when she heard someone call her name. "Seohoon oppa."

Seomin turned around and saw a pretty girl walking towards her, "We haven't formally met yet.  I am Soojung.  Sunggyu oppa's little sister."  She smiled and took a step towards Seomin and walked around her, "I'm curious about something?"

"Curious about what?" Seomin asked.

"Why are you pretending to be a boy?" Soojung asked as she grabbed onto Seomin's arm and pulled her towards her room.  Soojung closed the door behind her and reached for Seomin's hat.  Seomin tried to stop her, but it was too late. 

Seomin just started at the Princess.

"Are you playing games with my brother's heart?" Soojung asked as she asked Seomin in a cold voice. She wanted to get to the bottom of why a girl would pretend to be a boy.  There were a lot of girls who wanted to get close to her brother.

"No, I am trying to protect him." Seomin said.

"Protect him from what?" Soojung asked.

"The Dark Kingdom." Seomin said.

"You mean the Dark Kingdom is real?" Soojung asked and walked over to her bed. 

"Yes, they have attacked me twice. I think they want to weaken each kingdom." Seomin said as she looked at the younger girl. 

"How am I supposed to believe you?" Soojung asked.

"I will sacrifice myself for Sunggyu if needed." Seomin looked at the Princess.

"I like you unnie..." Soojung said, "but you need to tell my brother the turth soon."

"When the time is right I will." Seomin said with a gentle smile.  "I should get back to work." She reached for her hat, but Soojung pulled it away.  "What are you doing?"

"You can tell Gyu oppa when you want, but I think he should meet the real you soon unnie." Soojung said with a smiled.

"It's Seomin." She smiled weakly and wondered what Princess Soojung was planning. 

Soojung pulled Seomin over to her closet and grabbed a dress. "This will fit you.  This dress is too long for me.  She helped me get dress and sat me down before brushing my hair.

"Are you trying to set me up with your brother?" Seomin asked.

"Maybe, Seomin unnie.  I can tell that you like him more than a friend.  I think you are a perfect match for him.  Not like those girls that my mother picked out for him.  They are so mean to me and when I accused you about playing with my brothers heart, you were nothing but nice."

"I do not think I am a nice person if I keep lying to him." Seomin said with a weak smile and looked at herself in the mirror.  She watched Soojung tie a ribbon in her hair. 

"I think you are nice." Soojung smiled, "You can come back here later to pick up your clothes."  Soojung hid the clothing and smiled.  She took Seomin's hand and led her into her room. "Don't worry unnie."

There was a knock on Soojung's door, "Soojung ahhh." Sunggyu called. "Can I come in?"

""Nehh oppa..." Soojung said cheerfully.

Sunggyu entered his sister's room and paused when he saw a pretty young woman around his age with his sister. She looked familiar to him. Sunggyu could not put his finger on it. "Soojung I did not know you had a guest."

"It's alright oppa." Soojung smiled as she looked at Sunggyu. 

Seomin turned around and looked at Sunggyu.  This was only the second time she was meeting him as a girl.  "It is nice to meet you Prince Sunggyu."

"You look like someone I know." Sunggyu took a step forwards.

" Seohoon is my twin brother.  I came here to see him, but I could not find him.  Princess Soojung told me that he was doing some earns." Seomin smiled at him.  She needed to make sure she kept this act up.  Seomin did not know what Soojung was planning.

"I see..." Sunggyu said.

"Oppa, I have to meet mother for tea. Why don't you show Seomin Unnie around?" Soojung gave Seomin a push towards Sunggyu.  Seomin stumbled and Sunggyu caught her.  

"Soojung I have..." Sunggyu started but his sister already disappeared.  He looked down at Seomin and smiled.  He did not want to leave her alone.  Ever since Seohoon told him about Seomin, he has been wanting to meet her.

"You're highness I hope you have been treating my brother well." Seomin said with a gentle smile. 

Sunggyu smiled and linked arms with Seomin and started to lead her down the hallway. "I have Miss. Seomin.  He has told me a lot about you.  Seohoon told me that you are a force to be reckoned with that you could beat up a man. You do not need to be so formal with me."

"He talks too highly of me. I am not that great." Seomin said as she walked with Sunggyu.  She wondered where he was leading her.  Sunggyu opened a door and led Seomin inside.  Seomin's eyes widened because she has never seen this room before. It was a bright room with windows that went to the ceiling.  In the center of the room was a white, grand piano.

"This is my favorite room in the whole castle." Sunggyu turned and looked at Seomin and lifted her chin. He wondered why she did not look him in the eye. "I know I met you before."

"You have, Prince Sunggyu.  I thank you for healing me that day in the woods.  I am sorry that I ran away from you.  If I knew you were..." Seomin said as she contiuned to look into his eyes.  She could not explain the feeling that she was getting.

"The girl who fell into my lap, how could I forget?" Sunggyu smiled as he moved his hand away from her chin and led her to the piano.

"Do you play?" Seomin asked as she watched Sunggyu sit down.  He patted the spot next to him and Seomin sat down.  She looked at Sunggyu and watched him start playing the piano, and moments later he started to sing. 

Seomin closed her