The mornings in the Choi household were always a quiet one. With its master always away and its princess living somewhere else, the large estate had always been filled with servants. But that day the kitchen was unusually busy. The princess’ room was not empty.

A uniformed maid knocked twice, thrice, but no one answered. The butler smiled at her and opened the door. “Go and wake up the madam. Make sure you stay by her side until she’s up and standing.” Butler Lee turned to leave, “ah, and you are allowed to touch her. Do everything to wake her up.” he added, leaving a confused Miya in the corridor.

Miya cautiously approached Seung Im, the curiously called Song Ji hyo. She was fully covered, lost in the comforters of frilly pink. She was a new recruit in the Choi household’s army of servants and it was her first time to see the princess as the old Choi had referred to his only daughter.

“Miss Song Ji hyo…” she called softly. It was already 7:50 and she was told that the princess should be in the breakfast gathering at 8:00. With a deep breath, Miya pulled the covers. “Miss Song –” the young maid blushed. Ji hyo looked perfect. She didn’t know the princess would literally look like one, despite her wardrobe of skimpy old shorts showing her long shapely legs and a comfortable looking cotton shirt that hugged her curves perfectly.

“Miss Song,” Miya whispered after she finally found her voice again. The princess stirred, but only to find a more comfortable position and resume her sleep. Song Ji hyo was really never a morning person. With a sigh, Miya reach out to give the princess a gentle tap. “Miss, please wake up.” but it was useless. With determination, Ji hyo’s name echoed in the whole house.

~~~

Mr. Choi cringed after hearing his daughter’s name. He smiled embarrassedly to his visitor. “Ah, my daughter had slept so late. It’s nice of you to worry and look for her.” he said to the person seated on his right. They were on the garden having coffee and waiting for the princess to join them for breakfast.

“It’s okay Mr. Choi. We have a little rendezvous today. Miss Song and I would –”

“A date?” the older man said with a chuckle, his eyebrows raised. “Ah, but that child still uses that name.”

The older Choi’s companion only smiled and nodded, ignoring the coffee in front of him and opted for a glass of orange juice.

~~~

“Yah!” the princess finally sat up, her puffy eyes stared at the nervous Miya. The first thing she noticed was the smell of azaleas, her mom’s favorite scent. She felt a pang of sadness when she remembered how they used to walk in RM High’s garden before. It was filled with azaleas in all colors planted by her dad for his wife, but since the time her mom died, her dad has lost interest in that school. Even the Ji Hyo azalea gardens had deteriorated little by little, and in the present, it has become the botanical garden.

She stretched his arms with a yawn and then got up from her bed. Wait, I’m not supposed to be here… but in the dorms… I’m late!

“I’m so sorry Miss. I was instructed to wake you up no matter what—”

“Oh, I am in the house. Don’t sweat it, you.” she said pointing to an open-mouthed Miya. “Where’s appa? Garden? Breakfast? Great I am famished.” And with that Ji hyo stormed out, dressed in her sleepwear. It took Miya a minute to finally run but Ji hyo was fast.

“Ommo, what now Miya!” the young maid said, certain that it would be her last day in the Choi’s household after she let the princess run away covered in those garments.

~~~

Ji hyo rushed to the gardens, not caring if her outfit wasn’t really fit for the outdoors. It has always been like that so everyone was used to it. She just needed to greet her father, eat and hurry back to the dorms for the meeting with  – wait why do I seem excited for that… eyy never mind.

“Pa!” Ji hyo smiled widely at the old man, rushing to give him a hug. Even if they had a bit of quarrels now and then, the older Choi is truly treasured and loved by her daughter. “Pa, I need to get back –”

There on his Father’s right side was the man she never expected to see, worst he was wearing a smug grin in his face. “Yah! What is that spy doing here?”

“Spy? I thought we are helping each other now, Miss Song?” Kim Jong kook said, his heart thumping nervously in his chest, his eyes trying not to look too much at Song Ji hyo, afraid that her image would forever burn in his memories. He knew he doesn’t look it, but Ji hyo’s image before him almost made him choke in orange juice.

The older Choi cleared his throat and looked disapprovingly to his daughter. “Seung Im, your manners… and your outfit.” Her Pa said. The old man never used her real name unless he was serious. "He is my guest, and your colleague." defeated, Ji hyo dragged her feet to the table and chose a seat far away from Jong kook. Her father eyed her and with a sulky pout, Ji hyo inched closer and sat on the chair opposite Jong kook.

Ji hyo blushed knowing how she looked. She must be crazy but she didn’t do anything. Her pettiness prevailed not her shame and it wanted the man in front of her to suffer. It was obvious that he was pretending but he was uncomfortable. With a sweet smile, she slid to the seat in front of Jong kook. “Pa, I’m hungry. Oh, perfect.” She said, sipping the coffee placed in front of her. Ji hyo grinned in the cup as she observed the P.E teacher in front of her, but she frowned because she liked his causal look. A simple black shirt that accentuated his muscular built, and a dark denim pants paired with tennis shoes. Casual and sporty, she thought.

Choi only observed the youngsters in front of him, wondering what to think of the situation. Her pretty princess and his father’s bet friend’s son, he wasn’t blind to the tension but he wondered what kind it was.

“I hear Ji hyo, you two has somewhere you need to go.”

“Neh, Pa… Mr. Kim here suggested we plan something to catch the culprit behind those slanderous accusations.”

“I could handle it for you dear, why do you have to go that far? Let your old man clean this up.”

“Mr. Choi, I appreciate the help, but…” Jong kook didn’t really know what happened to him, clenching his fist, he forced a smile. “I am sure we could do it alone sir. It’s better to try and” he gulped, he was distracted, very distracted. He avoided looking at Ji hyo and turned to her father. He really didn’t know why it was so important to him to do it the hard way when there were far easier routes. “I just believe it’s my responsibility.”

“Yup Pa, responsibility. It’s this man’s fault we are in this bind.”

“In a way it is my fault, but Miss Song –”

“Why Mr. Kim? Is it mine?” Ji Hyo threw back at him.

“The two of you, I’d let you two fix this but I’m coming in if things aren’t looking good. But I don’t like it at all, Mr. Kim take care of my daughter.” Mr. Choi cut in to Ji hyo’s protests at his words.

“Oh, Pa… I said I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I am not a babysitter. I am doing a favor.” Jong kook hissed to her.

 The woman really got to his nerves. He couldn't help but worry about her. Last night when she couldn’t be found he had to call Mr. Choi right away to ask. The old man told him to calm down and sure enough after a few minutes, Ji hyo arrived at the Choi’s estate.

That morning due to some reckless thoughts, he ended up asking Ji hyo’s father about her, he revealed their plans, and now he was sitting in front of her, trying not to look at her.

“Seung Im, now, I am letting you do anything you want. Be a good girl and get along with Mr. Kim he was really wo –”

“Mr. Choi! I mean, umm, thanks for breakfast.” Jong kook said, he didn’t want Ji hyo to know why he really was there.

The awkward atmosphere never went away until they finished breakfast. The oldest one could only smile. He trusts the young man and he knows his daughter well. Choi thought he never has to worry anymore on his daughter growing to an old spinster.

~~~

Ji hyo wanted to bang her head to the bathroom tile as she showered. She could never understand that sheer need to annoy Jong kook even in front of her father. In front of her strict Pa, and she was surprised that all she got was some reprimanding words.

She turned off the water and stepped out, cringing as she saw the clothes she wore in front of Jong kook. Shaking her head, she proceeded to dry her hair wondering what style to do. Aigoo, where are you going Ji hyo, a date? No, no, no!

She entered her walk in closet, sighing because she knew the clothes she had left were those that were too nice for some casual mall stroll with the babysitter. After a lot of sighs and internal battles, she finally settled on simple yellow top, fitted black pants that didn’t reach her ankles and a comfortable pair of flat sandals with high straps.

She checked herself on the mirror again. Simple but chick, and she hated it. it looked like she really prepared for their – she doesn’t even know what to call it – but her normal looking clothes were already at the dorms and she suspected her Pa had a hand on making sure the comfy wardrobe she prefers were gone.

~~~

Jong kook waited in the gardens alone. He was writing something on a little black notebook. He looked at his list and thought hard, but all he could think of is she.

Jong kook-ah focus, you two are just going to figure out who did it…

But why in the mall?

Why not?

Isn’t it called a date?

No, it’s not…

“!” Jong kook didn’t like where his thoughts were going. He especially hated it when his breath caught after seeing Ji hyo standing on the door.

“What are you doing?” she asked. Jong kook cursed himself when he was unable to produce any sound. Where was his voice? Unknown to him, something else was stolen from him at that moment.

“Took you long enough!” he finally said.

“Well I’m sorry but this morning was just too bad and it seemed to have slowed me down.” she said sarcastically, emphasizing the word bad as if throwing it to him.

Jong kook knew they could just bicker there for hours and not go anywhere. Admitting defeat first, he sighed. “Come on.”

~~~

They rode Jong kook’s car. Ji hyo couldn’t help but admire the little piece of artful machinery. It wasn’t a car a normal high school teacher would have, and its owner could really drive.

“I don’t know with you… but it has been stressful enough at school.” Jong started but only got a silent nod from the woman beside him. “I – I know this is weird, but can’t we get along for a while Miss Song?”

“I always get along fine with anyone.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“You irritate me.”

“You… you occupy my mind.” Wrong choice of words idiot!

Silence and it was suffocating. He regretted he said that. Why did he even dared? “I-I mean, my grandfather was close to yours, I... when we were young. I mean when –”

“I know you were that oppa.”

“You remember?”

“Yes, I was not a baby back then, but it’s funny that I never knew your name.” Maybe that was what annoyed her to no end. His lies, the way he assumed she had forgotten, no wonder he was familiar. He felt familiar even if he no longer was the scrawny oppa she used to know. “Prince.”

There was another bout of awkward silence. Ji hyo remembered that little boy really well. They used to visit each other’s homes once a month. She used to play with him, but when her grandfather died, the two families grew distant. But she never forgot the first boy she had ever called oppa. Her prince oppa.

“So you remember me.”

“And you never told me anything about it spy.”

“Princess.”

Ji hyo froze. It has been a long time ever since that day. Her name, princess Song Ji hyo – “Don’t call me that Mr. Kim.” She won’t go back, she wouldn’t. The past was long ago gone. When Jong kook hid who he was, he threw her away the second time… again.

“Okay. Let’s just be civil to each other today.”

“Okay.” were her short answer and the last until Kim Jong kook parked the car on the mall’s car park building.

~~~

 “Miss Song, where do you want to go?” it was still suffocating stiff. Jong kook regretted that he was too confident he could be alone with her when her very name already triggers something in him that he didn’t want to acknowledge. It was clear that she hated him more now after learning who he really was.

The grandson of Kim Hyun Mo, the famous mogul in the late 90s. That until his son made the mistake of loving a woman who destroyed and ran away with a wealth unimaginable to a common person.

This rift destroyed his family. It killed his dad, and he had to grow up with his grandfather. They weren’t poor. The great Kim Hyun Mo was not a mogul for nothing but the death of his son and their unsolved problems made the old man grow weak. And he never really wanted to step foot in the corporate world. The empire faded, save for a few businesses, which his grandfather really loved.

“Hey, Mr. Kim.” Ji hyo spoke with an excited voice. Puzzled, he looked at her and her eyes were twinkling. “Umm, do you mind if I shop for a while?” she said in a small voice that was actually very cute.

“Sure…” he replied, but he wasn’t sure she heard for Ji hyo was already lost inside a store. Jong kook looked up and realized, it was a three-day sale – a women’s paradise and man’s hell was right in front of him. With a chuckle, he went in to the store amidst the sea of women trying to get their hands on premium items.

It took Jong kook an hour to finally locate Ji hyo in a corner, in her hand was a basket. Seeing him, Ji hyo smiled and he found himself holding a basket full of – underwear? Seriously!

“Don’t look!” she yelled and continued to dive like a shopaholic, into the crowd. After another half hour, he was carrying another basket of clothes, this time, sweatpants, polo shirts and boxes of shoes.

~~~

He was tired and beat but the girl in front of him were hoping merrily. Her thin arms have shopping bags everywhere, but it was still nothing compared to what he has to carry.

“Yah, Kim Jong kook-ssi! In here.” He went to her and he was relieved when someone got the bags from his suffering arms. “These people will deliver the items on the dorms.”

“What? In that cubbyhole? These?” he said, pointing to the mountain of bags. “And we have a car you know.”

“Your boyfriend seems to –“

“Shut up!” they both said to the flustered man who was only doing his job. “I’m sorry. –They both said to the man- Yah quit mimicking me! –They said to each other at the same time-”

Blushing, they both left the counter and walked around until they were in the mall sky garden. Jong kook found an empty bench and sat down with a loud sigh. “You’re really a beast Miss Song.”

“Yah, you shouldn’t have brought me in a mall then, anyway why don’t we look for something to eat. My treat.”

“I think I am already fine just sitting down here.” he said with a really tired voice, sounding as if shopping were more tiring than the gym.

“Yah, I can’t believe this, with all these muscles –” Ji hyo stopped and gulped, looking at her hands. Jong kook too followed her gaze and blushed. Ji hyo was sitting too close to him due to the small size of the bench, her softness pressing to him, her scent invading his person, and her dainty hands were measuring his bulging muscles.

Red faced, Ji hyo stood up so suddenly but it caused a bit of problem in her circulation and she felt dizzy. Ji hyo dropped unceremoniously, to the available lap of the awkward muscles. Too shocked and frozen in place, they were in that position for a good one minute.

It was Jong kook who stood up first and sort of carried, guided Ji hyo to stand on her own. “I’m sorry –“

“It was nothing.” cut Jong kook.

Great… now what? Thought Ji hyo.

“Let’s go and eat. I know a good place.” said Jong kook, leading the way while Ji hyo followed like a lost puppy. She wanted to go home, but she couldn’t just run away even if the man in front of her wasn’t looking.

Then he stopped and she bumped on his broad back. “Miss Song.” his voice was tense. “Who knew that we are going here in the mall today?”

I really enjoy writing this because there’s no pressure, it’s cute and light… and I just write what comes to mind. I hope you guys enjoy the story :) I would try to update this more often ^_^