Yoon found herself in a small, humble restaurant that sold varying types hot and cold soups. She avoided locking gazes with Kris, and focused on the steamy soup that was set in front of her. The steam brushed against her skin, and she was aware that Kris never averted his gaze from her. She could feel his penetrating eyes on her face. Uncomfortable she slurped a spoonful of the delicious liquid. She would’ve drowned most of her soup if he hadn’t spoken up.

“Yoon.” He said carefully, “Where were you? Do you know how worried your parents are?” He asked as he studied her expression.

Yoon gnashed her teeth together, and dug the soup for another taste, although it didn’t taste as good as the last bite.

“9 years Yoon, and yet you don’t even want to talk to me.” He sighed.

Yoon answered with a deafening silence.

“YOON!” Kris thumped his palms against the low, wooden table. The plates clinked, and a few customers shot them queer glances.

Yoon glared at him, “What Kris?” She raised her delicate voice.

Kris blinked in surprise. She sounded hostile, as if he were a perpetual enemy. “What happened to you?” He whispered warily.

Yoon slapped her spoon down and continued to glare at Kris, “What do you want?” She snapped, standing up and looking down at a stunned Kris. His reaction to her was not one she wanted to see, because she couldn’t handle being that cold to someone who’d only treated her nicely despite her royal title. Kris was like her second father. He helped raised her, along with the other nobles.

She demolished the happy memories she spent with Kris and focused on trying to leave. She didn’t know why she took up his offer to sit in the run-down restaurant and slurp soup together. Now that she was thinking about it, she could say that it was a foolish act. She pushed her black tendrils of hair behind her ear and eyed Kris. “Will you tell anyone that you’ve seen me?”

“I have no choice.” Kris looked hurt by her attitude towards him.

“Don’t.” Yoon warned. She knew it was stupid to threaten a noble, but she couldn’t have anyone knowing that she was alive and closer than they think.

“Trust me Yoon. Your parents will hear of this, I cannot stand the sadness in their eyes. They are practically dead on their feet, just barely keeping the order of the kingdom intact.”

Yoon flinched hearing that, but she reminded herself of what her parents were capable of. She shook her head defiantly, “If you speak of me to anyone Kris, you’ll never see me again.”

Kris spoke out too soon, “We’ll track you.” He shot back.

This caused Yoon to laugh dryly, “Oh yeah? So why didn’t you detect me in the last 9 years?””

The look that washed over Kris’s face made Yoon’s heart clench in response. She quickly rushed out of there and tracked speedily back home. She leaped onto her mattress and rolled onto her back, thinking of how disastrous the day had been. Her fingers curled into a ball feeling a bitter feeling surge through her body.

She shouldn’t have attended the Academy.

She didn’t even spe