THE PRESENT

Kibum searched Minjung's eyes. "I love you, Han Minjung." he whispered. "And I want you to trust me. I'm not going to let my status hurt you. I'm not going to give up on us. Please wait for me. I will solve this."

Minjung smiled and nodded. She trusted him with all her life.

Kibum intertwined their fingers and gazed at their hands. *I'm never going to let this hand go, ever.*

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Key sat up in his bed, his heart beating eratically.

He stared at his hands, his brows furrowed in confusion. "That dream..." Key muttered in disbelief. "It felt so real. It's as if.. I was that prince.."

He could still feel that Palace Maid's touch on his hands, her soft lips against his, the warmth she sent up his entire body.

Key shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Kim Kibum, just because you got the same name as that prince, doesn't mean anything. You're Almighty Key, and that's just a dream."

He got out of bed to brush his teeth, hoping that his life would not turn out to be like that of the prince.

However, what bugged his was how surreal the dream felt.

It was as if he was the prince himself. It wasn't any other dream where you would forget in an blink of the eye.

He could feel every single thought that was going through that prince's mind. He could feel the love the prince felt for the Palace Maid. He could feel the yearning the prince felt. He could feel the desperation for them to get together.

"Key, you better wake up from that dream." Key told himself in the mirror.

"Key oppa.. are you sure about this?" Minjung gulped as she looked up at the towering mansion.

Key squeezed her hand gently. "I'm sure baby." he nodded. "I don't want to spend my life with anyone except you. Isn't it better to introduce you to my parents as soon as possible?"

Minjung blushed. "But.." she hesitated. "it's really early.. We just stared and I'm not ready."

Key understood. But he needed to do this.

The fact that Jaejoong was doing everything to snatch Minjung away from him made him want to assure himself that MInjung is really his.

And he had to admit the dream he had made him unsure about their future as well.

*I'm sure our love story won't end up like that prince and palace maid.* Key led Minjung in. "I want to be with you forever baby, just trust me on this." he whispered.

MInjung nodded and followed him in.

Mrs Kim's eyes widened when she saw another girl following her son into the living room. "Key?" she hesitated. Her eyes fell on their intertwined hands. She frowned. "Who is that?"

Key smiled excitedly and pulled Minjung from behind his back. "Don't be scared baby." he whispered.

He took a deep breath and smiled brightly. "Umma, I want you to meet my girlfriend. Han Minjung." he put his hand on MInjung's shoulder.

Minjung smiled timidly and bowed respectfully. "Annyeonghaseyo."

Mrs Kim frowned. "Hi." she said stiffly. She had a worried expression on her face. "Han Minjung.." she muttered. "She's just a short term fling right?"

Key's eyes widened, unable to believe what he just heard. Did his mother just ask that?

"No." Key pulled Minjung closer. "It's quite early to say this, but I'm sure she will be the one I'll marry in the future."

Mrs Kim paled significantly and she steadied herself by the dining table. "Mrs Kim!" Minjung yelped and ran to help her.

The older lady shrugged off her grip and sat down on the chair. "Key, go fetch your father from the study room. We've got to talk about this."

Key nodded and called his father down.

Soon, the elders were sitting on one side of the couch and Key and Minjung were sitting on the other side. Minjung was sweating profusely, afraid and anxious. She could see this wasn't going in a very pretty direction.

"You say, you want to marry this girl." Mr Kim repeated in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself Key? This is ridiculous!"

Key flinched. *No. It can't end up like that dream. It can't.*

"Why is this ridiculous?" Key protested. "I love her and she loves me. I know you may think we're too young to deicde our future, but I've never been so sure my life. She is the one I'll marry, if not I'll stay single for life."

"Let me remind you Key," Mr Kim growled. "You're a heir to the company. Your marriage with such a common ordinary girl would not help the company at all! Why don't you consider Jessica? She's pretty and she came from a nice family."

Key stood up angrily. "APPA!" he raged. "I can't believe you're saying this in front of my girlfriend!" he screamed. "Do you know how cheap you sound?"

"Cheap or not it is the truth!" Mr Kim roared. "I will not allow such a poor girl to be Kim's daughter-in-law. Never."

"Appa!" Key called out desperately.

Mr and Mrs Kim left, leaving a shaken couple. "Oppa.." Minjung buried her face in her hands, tears flowing non stop.

Key wrapped his arms round her and guided her head to his chest. "It's okay baby. I won't give up." he assured as he her hair.

What scared him wasn't the new side of his parent's he discovered today.

It was how frighteningly close his life was turning out to be, compared to that darned prince.