"Princess Lee Jieun!" 

Jieun reluctantly looked up from the pages of her mystery novel at the servant's words. She hated being interrupted in the middle of reading - a fact most of the people in the palace knew of. She figured the news must be important. 

"Go on," she spoke, a bit impatiently. She was only three chapters from the ending of the book, and the clues were finally coming together.

"His Majesty requests your presence at the conference room." 

Jieun let out a sigh, wondering what it was this time. Meetings in the royal conference room never took less than an hour, with her father's various advisors arguing while she sat bored in her seat. Often times she wondered if her presence was even necessary, or if her father just saw enjoyment in watching her drown in her own boredom. Another sigh escaping her lips, Jieun set down the book down on her bed, careful to mark the page she was on, before straightening and following the servant into the palace's conference room.

The room was different today.

None of the king's usual advisors were present. The only people in the room were the king and a young male with two guards standing at his sides. At closer inspection, she noted he seemed to be of her age. He had black hair, nicely trimmed, and facial features that could almost be charactered as aristocratic - though his frayed clothes contrasted the look. 

"My Jieunnie, come sit," the King's voice broke her concentration on the male, and she nodded before walking up and sitting at the chair next to her father.

"Do you know who stands before us?" the king asked. Jieun shook her head and he continued, "My daughter, have you ever heard of the thief L?"

She snorted. "Who hasn't heard of him? He can steal anything..." Jieun's voice trailed off as her eyes flickered over to the boy standing with the two guards at his side. He was wearing an amused smile. Could it be? She'd only heard tales of him, and how many people in the court had their precious treasures stolen by him, but never imagined he was so young. And, well, so handsome.

For the first time, the thief, L, spoke. "I would like to apply for the position of your bodyguard, Princess." Jieun stared at him wordlessly, and he seemed to take that as a cue to continue. L reached into a small bag he had been holding and took out a gold crown, decorated lavishly with jewels. 

Jieun's brows knit together in confusion. "That was in my room."

L smirked. "It was." 

The king finally spoke. "He claims he has the skills necessary to protect you. I was going to send him straight to the prisons, but I figured you might have an interest in him."

Jieun looked back and forth from her father and the thief. It was true that she had been searching for a bodyguard. But a thief as a bodyguard? 

"I would like him to be my bodyguard."

At her words, both L and the king looked up in surprise. Jieun very well knew that everyone in the room expected her to reject him. After all, L was in the list of Korea's most wanted and most likely dangerous. Yet, her sense of curiosity and adventure overwhelmed the nagging voice in the back of her head that told her this was likely a very bad idea.