Woohyun's POV

Fan-flippin'-tastic.

The three of us, nay, the four of us were currently walking through a seemingly endless forest on our way to meet the poor, delusioned sap that wanted to marry Nicole.  I frowned to myself as I was currently the caboose; the new guy and Nicole were both in front having what seemed to be a genial conversation while my fiancee -gag- was in front of me humming something to herself.

There were two things wrong with the statement above:

One, why did Nicole allow some random dude into our group?  I mean, honestly...  What if this Jinwoon's guy actually a or something?  Aishhhhh...  Nicole's naive just like her sister...

Two, how could there be a guy interested in Nicole?  That fail-princess wasn't worth anyone's interest, let alone a prince's interest!  Saying someone was interested in Nicole would be like saying someone was interested in that woman.

Then again...  I was the one who offered the engagement plan to her.

It was for a damn good cause though!

I'm not seriously interested in her!

Honestly!

---

Seungyeon's POV

I sighed as I watched the scene in front of me unfold.  Nicole and this Jinwoon guy seemed to be getting along well; they were acting like siblings separated at birth or something.  I frowned inwardly to myself.  I wish Woohyun and I would get along just as well...

But...  I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to Woohyun's engagement deal.

[[f l a s h b a c k]]

Six months ago...

"Princess, there's a letter for you in the post from the Nam kingdom!" shrieked a maid as she handed over an envelope addressed to me.  Indeed, on the left-hand corner of the envelope, there was a return address that addressed the Nam kingdom as the place of origin.  I raised an eyebrow at the maid who seemed to look at me expectantly, like a dog waiting for a juicy bone.  "Well?  Aren't you going to open it?"

I sighed.  "I'm not sure if I should...  I don't know anyone in the Nam kingdom...  And we're currently at war with them...  What if this is just hate mail?"  I bit my lip.  Hate mail had been flooding the palace a lot lately, and not just from the Nam kingdom.  This war was an unpopular war with the Han citizens as well, but it couldn't be helped.  My father was a stubborn man, and he didn't want to end this war until someone was declared a victor.

"But miss...  What if it's a ransom note?  What if someone's been kidnapped?"

I crinkled my nose.  "That'd be rather...  Worrisome...  Hah, I guess I'll have to open this after all and see what's inside."  The maid nodded furiously and handed me a short, skinny blade to tear the envelope open with.  Taking the letter opener from her, I hastily slit the top of the envelope open and unfolded the letter inside.  There was only a brief message written on the inside:

"Dear Princess Han Seungyeon,

My name is Nam Woohyun and I am the eldest prince of the Nam kingdom.  Would you do me the honor of meeting with me tomorrow afternoon outside the gates of the Han kingdom?  I promise you, nothing bad will happen.

Most sincerely, Prince Nam Woohyun."

"Well, princess?  What does it say?"

"It's a letter from the first prince of the Nam kingdom...  He's asking me to meet with him tomorrow afternoon..."

The maid's eyes widened at my answer.  "The Nam prince wants to meet with you tomorrow?!?  Omo, princess, what if it's a trap?  What if he's going to kidnap you?  What if it's not really the prince, but some sick person who wants to-"

"You're dismissed,"

"Yes ma'am!"

---

The next day, the sun was shining and everything in the world seemed right, if only for a moment.  I sighed, content, until I remembered that I couldn't be relieved over the smallest change in weather; there was still a war going on...  A war that's been dragged on for far too long.  I wonder if Prince Woohyun wants to discuss the war...

"We're here, princess.  We're at the gates."  I stood up and left the open carriage as the carriage-driver ushered me out.  "I'll be waiting here, by the gates.  If anything strange happens, do not hesitate to yell."

I smiled in return and curtsied before heading out of the gates myself, nodding to the guards to open the kingdom entrance along the way.  When I finally exited the kingdom, someone suddenly grabbed my arm and spun me around into his chest, enveloping me into an embrace.  I heard hushed whispers and a few catcalls from the guards behind me as they closed the kingdom gates.  Then, there was silence...  All I could hear was the rustling of the short grass around me and the quickening beats of my own heart.

"Alright, the coast is clear." I heard the person mumble before I was released from the hug.  I looked up...

And that was when I fell in love with Prince Nam Woohyun at first sight.

His prominent jawline...  His dark, smouldering eyes...  The way he casually brushed hair away from his eyes...  He had even just given me my first hug from someone male other than my father!  Everything about him seemed perfect in that one moment.  Of course, like all supposed "perfect" moments, this one was ruined the moment the prince opened his mouth.

"What the hell are you staring at?"

I could literally feel my eyes bug out of their sockets.  "Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf, woman?  I said, what the hell are you staring at?  Bloody hell, are you Han people not only rude but also deaf?" The prince in front of me suddenly scowled and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm sorry, I know I was a little late, but..." I glared at him. "... That's no reason to speak so rudely to me!  And at our first meeting too!  And you call yourself a prince?!?"

The man in front of me merely shrugged before taking out a loose scrap of paper.  "Alright, whatever...  Let's not waste anymore time. Look, the reason I called you out here was to end the war between our kingdoms; I did not come here to argue with you." He slightly bowed in front of me before taking out a quill and an ink bottle.  "I apologize for being rude, but time is of the essence.  Being late, you just wasted time."

I felt an eyebrow twitched before I sighed and grabbed the paper in his hands to read it over.  "Hummm... Hm...  Wait...  EXCUSE ME?!?" My eyes widened.  "Are you saying that...  You want me to marry you?  YOU?"

Woohyun shook his head.  "Damn woman, just read the contract carefully!  I'm not marrying you; we will only be engaged for a time period of two years!  Then, we'll split up and go our separate ways!" He groaned and rubbed his temples.  "This was the only way I could think of to stop the war between our countries - if the two eldest children became lovers."

I felt another eyebrow twitch before I read the contract more carefully.  "Weekly dates?"

"So that we look like we're in love."

"No affairs?"

"We may be in a fake relationship, but how would it look if we supposedly 'cheated' on one another?"

"No pet names?"

"Ugh, I never understood pet names..."

I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I gazed at the last condition.  "... No falling in love?"

Woohyun raised his hand in a shooing movement as if I was a bug or a fly.  "Honestly, woman, stop asking so many questions and just sign it.  It's for the good of both of our kingdoms."

[[/ f l a s h b a c k]]

Huh...  I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, thanks to the memory.

Come to think of it...  I broke that last condition right at the start, didn't I?

I shook my head free of my memories as I dared to glance back behind me at the ice prince who was currently trailing behind the rest of the group.  He seemed to be mumbling incoherent things, most likely insults directed at either me, Nicole, or our new group mate.

How did I ever fall for him?

---

???'s POV

"Oh my, they're almost at the edge of the forest!" I smirked.  "That means, it's time to put 'Plan B' into action...  Mwahahaha..."  I muttered an incantation to myself:

"Time is passing much too fast,

Make me young again,

But make it last!"

... Before I transformed into a young girl.

This spell only lasts 24 hours; I need to make those 24 hours count!

---

Nicole's POV

"Ahaha, that's hilarious though!" Jinwoon's eyes crinkled as he laughed at my story.  I had just told him about how I had confessed to Sungmin and been rejected.  The smiling guy in front of me was finding my sob story much too amusing.

"It's not funny at all, damn it!" I pouted as I smacked him in the arm...  I didn't fail to notice that his arms felt like rocks.  Damn boy must have worked out quite a bit.

Jinwoon pretended to be hurt as he clutched his arm.  "Ow~  You pack quite the punch, Nicole!"  I blushed.  I still wasn't used to him calling me by my given name without "princess" or "-sshi" attached.

"Oh, shut up and take it like a man." I scoffed before I stuck my tongue out at him.  Jinwoon gently laughed again before turning his attention forewards.

Suddenly, my sister shouted, "LOOK!"  Woohyun, Jinwoon, and I all turned our heads to the direction that my sister had pointed to.  There, lying to the side of our path, was a little girl with bobbed hair who seemed to be clutching her knee to her chest.  Leave it to my sister to suddenly break away from the group and rush over...  She always did have a weak spot for kids.

The three of us stayed standing where we were as we watched my sister run over to the child.

"Are you okay?" Seungyeon asked, as she gently pet the girl on the head.

The kid started crying, "I-It hurts, unnie~  Make it stop~"

"Oh, hun..." Seungyeon took off her rucksack and started picking through her things.  I guess she was looking for a first aid kit, because moments later she took one out.  "Before I do anything though, I need to know what's wrong.  Is your leg broken?"

The kid stopped making any sound of all.  Then, the nastiest smile that I've ever seen on a child suddenly spread across the little girl's face.  "Actually, unnie, it doesn't hurt at all."  The girl then grabbed onto Seungyeon and shouted:

"Take the two of us far away so that we may play!"

... And with that said, she was gone.

Gone, with my sister.

Author's Note: Oh my, where could the little girl have taken Seungyeon to? Dun dun dunnn~

Also, I delved a bit into the pasts of Seungyeon and Woohyun...  Because I thought it might clear things up for anyone who's confused over their exact relationship.  Haha.

Comments/Criticisms are always welcome~~~^^