Yonghwa couldn’t fully concentrate after he found out that the pendant of Seohyun’s necklace was a ring.

It was a simple, might be, silver ring with about twelve little something like diamonds. And when she looked up to see the twilight, he could see something that was engraved on it. He just could read the first two words, the rest was unseen.

It must be her fiancé name. He concluded inwardly.

Everyone who was close to him knew that Yonghwa could get mood swings easily. He was basically like an open book. And his sulky face was caught by Seohyun in the end.

“Are you tired? Do you want to continue our work tomorrow?” Seohyun asked worriedly.

“Aniyo. Let’s finish it today.” He said lightly.

It made Seohyun confused but she decided to just follow his want. And he still looked so gloomy even until they reached Seohyun’s Dorm.

***

Seohyun still frowned as she watched Yonghwa and Mr. Ham were walking away. She didn’t know why he suddenly looked so gloomy like that.

“Yahh, what happened with the Prince’s face? Why does he look so sulky like that?” Sooyoung who just arrived in the Dorm commented as he saw Yonghwa’s face.

“I don’t know. Maybe he just tired?” Seohyun replied it, still confused.

“Hmmm…yes, he must be so tired. Stops exploit him, Seohyun-ahh! He is a Crown Prince. Don’t force him to work hard to just get a perfect score.” Sooyoung gave her an advice and Seohyun just rolled her eyes, felt so annoyed.

“I’m not exploiting him.” Seohyun replied coldly.

They finally arrived in their room. Sooyoung just laid herself on her bed, while Seohyun walked to the bathroom.

“But I know you will exploit him in the end. You must be told him to continue your work this weekend. That’s why he was so sulky, right?” Sooyoung said confidently.

“No, this weekend is his Royal schedule.” Seohyun replied as she closed the bathroom door.

A sudden fact just hit her again.

Yes, I almost forget that he is a Crown Prince.

Seohyun talked to herself inwardly. That fact surprisingly left a slightly hurt in her heart.

“So, you’ll go home tonight, Seohyun-ahh?” Sooyoung shouted as Seohyun still in the bathroom.

“Ne~. Don’t forget Sooyoung-ahh, she invites you too.”

This Sunday was Seulgi’s birthday. Seohyun’s mother told her to go home and celebrate her sister birthday together. Her family usually celebrates the birthday together right when the day changed.

For the real party, Seulgi already booked a top floor private area including balcony space of T-Lound. T-Lound was one of the hottest bars in Seoul. And yes, Seulgi was a true party girl.

Saturday Morning

After family breakfast, Seohyun decided to just stay in living room and watched the television randomly. Her parents were talking to Seulgi about her party preparation.

But suddenly she saw news about Queen Kim Pil Ok and Crown Prince Lee Yonghwa who attended the International Dementia Forum Conference in Yeouido.

Ahh so his Royal duty today is attending the international conference. Joohyun said inwardly.

She looked at the Crown Prince in the television, and she felt her heart beat rapidly again. He looked so…far. So…high. She couldn’t believe that he was the same person who was rejected by her two weeks ago.

“He’s in DGU too, right?” Seulgi asked abruptly.

Her question made Seohyun startled at first, and back to her sense.

“Yep,” Seohyun replied shortly.

“He’s so good looking when I see him in the television like this. How is he in a real life? Is he more handsome in a real life or not? You must be met him often in DGU, right Eonni?” Seulgi asked further.

“Hmm…” Seohyun considered her answered. “He’s so handsome, that’s true. He’s so smart too, and modest. If I tell you that he is interested in me, will you believe me?”

Seulgi rolled her eyes, “don’t be too delusional, Eonni. I know exactly that he is the dream Prince for every girl in South Korea. But he is too good to be true.”

Even Seulgi said that too. He is too good to be true. I shouldn’t put my expectation too high. Besides, he acted like he never asked me out before. He never mentioned about that night too.

Seohyun added inwardly as she sighed.

***

Yonghwa arrived in the dining room before his father and mother arrived. There was Soojung who already there.

“What happen with your mouth?” Yonghwa asked his sister who pouted as she took off a ring from her finger.

“Abeoji just gave me this ring. Come on, it’s too old fashion. There is no cool girl who wears that kind of ring anymore, jinjja.” Soojung whined as she handed the ring to her brother.

Yonghwa took the ring as he sat right beside her sister. But Yonghwa surprised because the ring looked similar with the ring that Seohyun used as a pendant. Then he looked at the words that were engraved on it.

True Love…he already read that words on Seohyun’s ring too, but the last word is…Waits?

True Love Waits…?

“What is this ring?” Yonghwa couldn’t help to ask. He felt his heart started to beat rapidly because of the curiosity.

“Purity ring.” Soojung replied coldly. “If you wear that ring, that’s mean no before marriage. It’s so ridiculous, jinjja.” Soojung still upset.

“Mwo~??? Jinjja?” but Yonghwa was so surprised when he finally knew the definition of this ring.

Yonghwa couldn’t help to not chuckled in the end.

So, she is not engaged. But, why does she wear it as a pendant?

“Do you have to wear it in your finger?” Yonghwa asked further.

Soojung rolled her eyes, “It is a ring, Oppa. Of course you should wear it in your finger.”

“I mean, is there a meaning if you’re not wearing it in your finger?”

“I don’t know. If you’re not so pure anymore, there’s no point to wear it in your finger. Maybe…”

And Yonghwa silenced after that. But he was smiled in the end.

What do I expect from her? She already rejected me. And, it’s almost impossible to find a really pure woman these days.

He felt relieved when he finally knew that Seohyun might be not engaged. But the fact she didn’t wear the ring in her finger still disturbed him.

“Don’t you dare to take it off, Gongju.” But suddenly their father, King Jitaek appeared, with their mother, Queen Pilok who followed him behind.

“Ne~” Soojung replied dryly and it made Queen Pilok giggled.

“Abeoji is right, Soojung-ahh. Don’t ever take off this ring.” Yonghwa suddenly added as he handed back the purity ring to his sister.

“Ne~” Soojung repeated her first answered as she rolled her eyes.

“What is your schedule for tomorrow, Yonghwa-yahh?” his father started to ask. And the dinner was starting to be served.

After the dinner, Yonghwa stay in his room in Donggung Palace. It was the palace where Crown Prince living. In this era, the real Gyeongbok Palace, the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty, were maintained as its original form and became houses the National Palace Museum of Korea. Meanwhile, the royal built a modern version of Gyeongbok Palace, as their main palace at that time.

Yonghwa laid himself on his bed, when suddenly felt an urge to talk to Seohyun but he didn’t ask her phone number. He felt so stupid because of that. But he remembered someone who must be knew Seohyun’s phone number. Then, he decided to call his cousin, Sooyeon.

After a few seconds, he finally could hear Sooyeon’s voice.

“Ye~ Seja Jeoha~” Sooyeon greeted Yonghwa with her usual endearment to him. Yonghwa didn’t like that endearment, but Sooyeon loves to with that.

“Eodiya?” Yonghwa asked her right away, ignored that sweet annoying endearment.

“Hmm…I’m on my way to the party…” Sooyeon replied it. They way she answered it, Yonghwa was sure that she was in the middle of touching up her makeup.

“Again?” Yonghwa still amazed with his cousin’s hobby, which was attending so many parties. “Whose party is it anyway?” but he asked her in the end.

“…hmm…one of SAM heiress…”

What? Yonghwa surprised by Sooyeon’s answer.

“Jinjja? Nugu?” Yonghwa asked her further.

“Why suddenly you sound so excited?” but Sooyeon was Sooyeon, she was really sharp and always asked him back before answered his question.

“Just tell me, Sooyeon-ahh.” And Yonghwa was not in the mood for arguing her back.

“Seo Seulgi. I’m just invited by Seohyun. Wae?” Sooyeon was still curious with Yonghwa’s sudden excitement.

Yonghwa then silenced, considered something as fast as he could, and finally said, “Then pick me up now!”

“What? Why should I pick you up?” Sooyeon who was so surprised, without she realized it, she just asked him in English with her American accent.

“Pick me up, Sooyeon-ahh. And don’t ask further!” Yonghwa said sternly. He could hear she clucked her tongue.

“Why don’t you just go by yourself? Let’s meet in the T-Lound.” It seemed like she didn’t want to pick him up.

“I’m not invited, Sooyeon-ahh.” Yonghwa replied it lightly. “Palli, I don’t have much free time like you.”

He heard Sooyeon sighed then replied. “Ye~ Seja Jeoha. Jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo~.” And it sounded annoyed.

After that, he began to prepare himself, but he suddenly grabbed a wireless phone on the table beside his bed. He dialed Secretary Lee’s extension number. He then asked him to come to his palace. And after a few minutes, he finally came.

“Is there anything that I need to do, Seja Jeoha?” Mr. Lee asked the moment he was entered the room.

“Are there any schedules left for today?” Yonghwa asked back as he wore his blazer.

“No, Seja Jeoha. Your last schedule ended four hours ago.” Mr. Lee said as he checked his tablet.

“Good.” Yonghwa replied shortly, then added, “And how about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow morning you needed to attend Annually Namsan Mountain Walking Event with Princess Soojung.” Mr. Lee replied as he still checked on his tablet. “Your schedule this week was not so tight, Seja Jeoha.” He added.

“Okay then,” Yonghwa replied shortly, then added, “and now I’ll go to my friend’s party, Mr. Lee. I just need Mr. Ham and two others bodyguards who should just watch over me from afar as always.”

Mr. L