Seohyun drove her white Mini Cooper. That car was her 18th birthday gift from her father. Yep, she was a typical woman who didn’t really pay much attention on fancy car like her friends did. Sooyoung who drove red Porsche Boxster-GTS already told her that Mini Cooper was too cheap for chaebols like them. Even Seulgi got silver Audi S5 Cabriolet for her birthday gift yesterday. But Seohyun didn’t care what people said as long as she felt so comfortable to drive her car.

That morning, Seohyun decided to just drive to her campus right away from her house.  But she woke up five minutes late than her plan. So, in the bus stop Seohyun looked at her wrist watch, to make sure that she didn’t late for her first class. But she was so surprised when she saw Yonghwa, then Mr. Ham, got out from the bus that was stopped in front of her car. They were caught people attentions. But Yonghwa just smiled and nodded to all of them then walked fast toward DGU main gate.

It was actually not a something new for DGU students because the Crown Prince often took public transportation to go to campus. That was why he got so much respect from Korean people. He was indeed a very down to earth Prince.

And Seohyun smiled warmly because of that. She still couldn’t believe it that she just rejected the modest Prince that was loved by everyone. She still felt so guilty, that was true, but strangely, she didn’t regret it…yet.

Then Seohyun continued her drove.

That day, they met again in Jangchung Park. Their project was almost done and the next week would be their last meeting before Professor Kim due date.

“So, next week we will just prepare the presentation,” Yonghwa said as he tidied up his stuffs. Then he took out something from his bag. “Do you want some kimbaps? I made it before I go to campus this morning.” Yonghwa handed a box with kimbaps to Seohyun.

“Jinjjayo? You made it by yourself?” Seohyun surprised with that new fact. She was looked in disbelief.

“Waeyo? Don’t look down on me like that, Seohyun-ssi. I cook often in my own house during my school days. Just try it first.” Yonghwa said as he chuckled and handed again his lunch box to her.

Seohyun frowned but she took a slice of kimbap in the end.

Woww, it’s surprisingly delicious…Seohyun shouted inwardly as she looked at Yonghwa with wide eyes.

“I told you! Kimbap is my best dish. My family likes it so much.” Yonghwa spoke proudly. And Seohyun just giggled because of that.

“I don’t know you cook for your family.” Seohyun commented.

“Ahh, just once in a while. And I just cook simple dishes for them.” Yonghwa said, as he was look shyly out of sudden.

“Eomoni is really a good cook. She always said that she might be the best chef in South Korea if she didn’t marry to Abeoji. And Abeoji loves to cook since he was in army. He even prepared lunch boxes for me and Soojung when we were in grade school. And Soojung, even if she loves sleeping more than cooking, she is really good in baking.” He added proudly.

“Jinjjayo? Woahh daebak.” Seohyun commented spontaneously. But she caught something else from Yonghwa’s explanation. “But you call your father ‘Abeoji’?”

Seohyun was surprised when he called his father like that. In television or other media, she never heard what the royalties call their parents. So this was her first time to hear that.

“Waeyo? Are you expecting me call my father ‘Abamama’ and my mother ‘Eomamama’?” Yonghwa asked back as he couldn’t hold his laugh. “This is 21st century, Seohyun-ssi. The royalty is not as stiff as you think.”

“Ahh..ne~ you’re right. It will be so funny if you call your parents like that. But I’m really surprised, your family are really good cooks.” Seohyun replied as she giggled.

Seohyun felt so happy and surprised when Yonghwa told her about his family. But when she felt her hope started to rise again, she threw away all of it and back to the reality.

“I…I saw you.” And Seohyun blurted randomly, tried to make a new topic. “I saw you got out from the bus this morning. Did you really prepare all of this by yourself?”

“Mwo~? You still don’t believe me? Just ask Mr. Ham if you need a proof. He is always become my victim to try all my dishes.” Yonghwa replied sadly and Seohyun laughed hard in the end.

“Just kidding, you know.” Seohyun said as she patted Yonghwa’s back lightly.

But she surprised by her own act.

Yonghwa realized it, and he laughed hard because of that.

“It’s okay, Seohyun-ssi. We’re friends.” Yonghwa replied as he patted back Seohyun’s back lightly.

And Seohyun couldn’t help to feel more surprised by Yonghwa sudden reply, while Yonghwa just laughed harder.

This is too…natural. Seohyun said inwardly.

She didn’t know since when they could joke around naturally like that. He could tell everything to her like they were long friends. Deep inside her heart, Seohyun started to scare of her feeling.

Is it too natural? But I’m so happy. Ottoke?

“Do you love to cook too, Seohyun-ssi?” Yonghwa asked out of sudden and broke all Seohyun’s thought.

“Me? Aniyo~ I’m not good at cooking. But I can make some simple dishes like toppoki, kimchi fried rice, and curry. But I can’t guarantee the taste. My dishes are always according to my mood. So, don’t ask me to cook when I’m upset.” Seohyun admitted honestly.

Yonghwa chuckled by Seohyun’s honest answer.

“But I want to try your toppoki. Could you bring it for me next week?” Yonghwa asked boldly.

What? Seohyun surprised. But when she looked at Yonghwa’s expression, he didn’t look like he was joking.

“But I told you that I can’t guarantee…”

“It’s okay. I just want to try it. Jebalyo…”

Seohyun didn’t know since when she was so weak with Yonghwa’s plea like that. So, in the end she said, “I’ll try my best.”

“Good. I really can’t wait for it.” Yonghwa said cheerfully.

But Seohyun started to think about to go home again this week. That was true that Seohyun could make toppoki, but she just tried to make that snack once. It was so bearable to be eaten, but she couldn’t prepare a messy toppoki for the Prince. So, she needed to ask her mother’s help until she could make a tasty and pretty toppoki.

***

The Next Week

Yonghwa was so excited to taste Seohyun’s toppoki. He grinned like a stupid man when he imagined it in his mind.

What happen with me aishh…

And he decided to walk fast toward Professor Choi class. But he was surprised when he saw Choi Sooyoung, Seohyun’s best friend, was standing in front of his class.

“Anyeonghaseyo~ Yonghwa-ssi.” Sooyoung greeted him as she smiled to him gently. “I just want to tell you that Seohyun’s sick. She got fever since last night. She was so sorry because she can’t meet you today. But she asked me to give you this,” Sooyoung handed a box that wrapped by a yellow bag to him.

Yonghwa was so surprised to hear that news. How he really wanted to send her a message since last night but he held it. He didn’t know that she was sick and he regretted it so much in the end.

“How is she, Sooyoung-ssi?” Yonghwa asked worriedly.

“She couldn’t sleep last night because the fever. But she was sleeping when I checked her this morning before I left. She’ll get better soon, Yonghwa-ssi, don’t worry.” Sooyoung replied as she smiled reassuringly.

Yonghwa then just stood there blankly.

“She forced herself to make you that toppoki even if she couldn’t stand properly this morning. I already told her to just get some rest. But you know her, she won’t hear me. So, I hope you’ll enjoy her sincerity. Trust me, it is look so bearable to be eaten. But I don’t know about the taste.” Sooyoung added and it succeed make Yonghwa chuckled.

“Ne~ please tell her that I’m so happy for this. Thank you so much.” Yonghwa said, but still couldn’t hold his worried expression.

“I don’t know what happened to her, when she decided to go home in a hurry last week, and she was soaked when she came back yesterday. You know that there was a heavy rain yesterday, right? Yes, she was so babbo. She didn’t bring umbrella when she took a public transportation. That’s why she got a fever.” Sooyoung continued her explanation. “It was before I realized that she asked her mother how to make that toppoki. So, I hope you’ll enjoy it, Yonghwa-ssi.”

Yonghwa smiled sadly because of that, “Of course I will.”

They silenced in awhile, before Sooyoung bade him goodbye. “Okay then, Yonghwa-ssi. I already delivered her message to you, so I’ll get going…”

“Ahh, changkamanyo~ Sooyoung-ssi.” But Yonghwa stopped her out of sudden. “Can I have your phone number? I really want to know about her condition. Can you tell me about her after your class finish?”

Sooyoung was looked so surprised but she smiled cheekily in the end.

“Ohh, sure.”

After that, they exchanged their phone number. But Sooyoung suddenly said, “Ahh, can you please to not tell Seohyun about what I had told to you? About her sickness and toppoki thing? Because she definitely will kill me if she know. Jebalyo…”

“Ne~?” Yonghwa surprised by Sooyoung sudden request and it made him laughed. “Okay, don’t worry!”

“Aigoo~ daenghida. Thank you so much, Yonghwa-ssi.”

After that, Sooyoung really bade him a goodbye.

After his last class, Yonghwa told Mr. Ham about his changed schedule. He should be go to Jangchung Park to meet Seohyun and prepared their presentation for tomorrow, but because Seohyun was sick, he decided to just go home right away. He stopped by the grocery store near his house to buy some stuffs.

Yes, he decided to make a healthy juk, rice porridge, for Seohyun.

It was his first time to make juk, but he really wanted to make it for her. Sooyoung already told him that her last class would end at 5 PM, so he still had two hours to prepare the juk before he asked Sooyoung to give it to Seohyun.

Yonghwa really wanted to visit her too but every tim