"You like children." It was a statement rather than a question. Hyun Joong and So Min had been walking in one of the lovely parks Dongyihad to offer and So Min had paused to watch a group of children playing on the swings.

"I love children," she replied. "That’s why I became a teacher. When I was younger I told my mother I wanted at least a dozen of my own."

"A dozen? Then you definitely would need a castle to hold all of them."

She laughed that musical laughter that affected Hyun Joong deep in the pit of his stomach, "Or an old two-story rambling farmhouse."

Hyun Joong watched her as she looked at the playing children. He found her face utterly fascinating, full of expression and animation.

Two nights ago he’d held her while she cried over her parents and her grief had resonated deep inside him. Since that night they seemed to have become more comfortable with one another.

She turned to him suddenly. "If you weren’t a prince, what would you want to be?" she asked.

They continued their stroll through the tree-lined sidewalks of the park. "Oh, I don’t know." He grinned at her. "Perhaps a farmer with a two-story rambling farmhouse perfect for a dozen children."

She nudged him in his side and laughed. "I’m being serious."

This was one of the things he enjoyed about her. She challenged him, made him think of things he’d never thought of before. "I don’t know it’s difficult to think about options when you’ve been raised all your life for the role you will undertake." He smiled at her. "What about you? What would you have been if not a teacher?"

She shrugged and a light breeze caused her hair to dance bewitchingly on her shoulders. "Maybe a social worker. I like people as much as I like children."

"And that will make you a perfect princess," Hyun Joong said.

"Hyun Joong, the only reason I agreed to spend the last few days with you is because Hye Sun told me it would be better if you made an announcement to the press that you’d dumped me instead of me dumping you."

"But, I’m not dumping you."

"Hyun Joong’ you aren’t listening to me." Her eyes flashed with anger.

"You have a temper," he said in surprise.

"Yes, I have a temper, and I probably sometimes chew with my mouth open. I eat crackers in bed and if there are more than two forks next to my plate I don’t know for sure which one to use. Face it, Hyun Joong, I’m not princess material."

For the first time Hyun Joong wondered if he’d jumped too fast, if maybe she was right and this was all a big mistake.

Had he only chosen her because of the fight with his father? Because he knew his father would disapprove but would be unable to do anything about it?

"Ah, I see I’ve made you think." She laughed suddenly and in that sweet sound of her laughter, in the sparkle of her eyes, any doubts Hyun Joong momentarily entertained disappeared.

"I’m only wondering how difficult it is to sleep on cracker crumbs," he replied.

She started to speak again, but he stilled her by placing a finger on her lips. "You know, most women would think what I’m offering you are a magical fairy tale."

"But I know better," she replied. "It isn’t a fairy tale at all."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

Her eyes lost their sparkle of laughter and instead became somber. "Because everyone knows fairy tales always end happily-ever-after and we aren’t going to have that ending."

To be continued?