THREE

“Spring II ”

that memories of our first encounter; I can't forget you.

what will the story be in the prince's point of view? let's find out!

{ jongin's pov}

Since hundred years ago, nobleman Kim Jong Il and his ancestors are well-known with its noblety and traditions. One of the famous traditions of the family is political marriage between one family son or daughter with other noble family. The tradition descended from generation to generation from century to century until today.

That is, I, Kim Jongin, the seventh generation of the Great Nobleman Kim Jong Il, will tangled in this political marriage.

In the age of seven, my future bride was decided by my own family. I didn't know anything about the political marriage at that age. Until it was my fifteenth birthday, my parents told me that when I turned eighteen, the political marriage will be held. I was shock. Well, I know about the political marriage, but no one ever told me that I should be married at the age of eighteen?!

So, I decided to oppose the marriage.

It turned out to be a bad decision I made.

“You will bring shame towards our family, Jongin! The bride has been decided for you!” I still remember those words from my birthday party. Everyone was looking at us.

I clenched my fist tightly, “No! I said no! Getting married in such young age? And I don't even know who the hell is my future wife? Hell no!”

“Ungrateful son! You shouldn't talk back to your father like that!” My mother was trying to backing up my father. I saw her eyes was in verge of tears, but I quickly shove off the good deed thoughts inside me.

No! I should decide my own future, not my damn parents! this political marriage! this tradition!

All the people were staring at us. I'm the host. It's my birthday party. I can do whatever I want.

“Your future bride family will—!!”

“Damn those guys, mother! I will not getting in this idea of political marriage—or whatever it is!” I rised my voice higher than usual. I should stop this before it's too late. I don't want to get married at the age of eighteen and I don't want to get married with an unknown women whom I share my eternal life with. What if she's not what is she look likes? No! I should find my OWN bride with my OWN hands.

So that, I decided, “Fine, then!” I looked around the ballroom, people are staring, they're paying their attention to us. Great. I stare back at my parents and took a deep breath, “If I can find a suitable girl to be my girlfriend before my eighteen birthday, then this political marriage are nothing but only an expired contract—”

“What did you—?!”

“—BUT! If I can't find any girl that suited to be my girlfriend, then...” I gritted my teeth, hardly to say the next words, “My future is depend on you to decide, father, mother.”

With those words, I bow to them before leaving the ballroom without looking back.

I won't regret my decision.

Never.

To get it start, I enrolled in a public school instead of a private academy after I finished my middle school years. Public school was hard because I have to deal with the commoners and people that aren't the same social status as me. People called me 'prince', because of my looks and my attitude. I have to admit I was proud being called like that. It's unusual and I felt special.

“Oi, move.”

One day, I met this one guy with a serious poker face. Like, did he never smiled? I bow apologitically at him since he looks super scary like a delinquent. But out of the odds, the girls are squelling at him like they did on me. So, I done some research by following him around. Going to school, lunch breaks, and after school. 

His name is Oh Sehun. First year like me in Gwangju High School. He's in class 1-D. His parents owned a convenience store. He earned the title of flower boy because of his fresh good-looking face. He's not a top student or anything, but he's the member of basketball club in school.

Hm, interesting. I want to know more about this guy.

“What? You wanna be my friend?” he asked me again when I came up to meet him in the gymnasium. I nodded as my eyes sparkled with hope that he would accept my request.

He scratch his face and after that, he give me a light nods, “Sure. Whatever.” 

Until the day I met Sehun, I never know the meaning behind 'friendship'.

It's the started of my second year in April of my seventeenth. Nothing has changed, but I gradually become more comfortable to socialize with everyone—it all thanks to Sehun. He brought me into a daily life as a normal people and I actually blended in faster than I thought. But people would still call me prince, and I don't hate that. I manage to live normally than ethics tradition that I learned since childhood. Second year, I hope this year will be another great year for me.

“We're in the same class, dude.” Sehun came up next to me when I was standing in front the newsboard. He looked at me and smiled like he usually does. 

I give him a light punch on his shoulder, “Just some luck.” I said as I burst to follower, he was following me after.

Our class, 2-B, I saw most of my classmates from last year, and a few of new faces. My old classmates came up to me and greeted me good morning like they usually did. The girls are staring at me (you know it how girls stared at boys right? It's super creepy) and I have no choice but give them that 'prince morning smile' to them.

Wow, they unexpectedly happy.

I looked around for an empty seat inside the classroom, but accidentally, my eyes met with a girl sitting at the corner of the class. Her eyes quickly left after she realized our eyes met in an awkward encounter. I gulped down my saliva and fixed my bangs down to hide my face. 

This is the first time a girl actually avoided my eye contact.

The girl. She is somewhat different from the others. I heard from the other classmates that she was called the Ice Princess, because of her cold attitude towards others, especially boys.

“Oh, Soojung? She's very cute but too bad she won't talk to boys.” A respond from a classmate when I asked him about Soojung.

“She turned down my confession last year with shaking her head and walked off just like that.” One of my friend who had confessed to her, poured his frustration down after he overheard I was asking about Soojung. “It really hurts, you know! At least, tell me she's sorry!”

Yeah, man. I know that feel.

After hearing all those stories about Soojung, I began to feel curious about her. She's a mystery. Why won't she talk with boys even just a word? Does she have a bad memories with boys? Or a past boyfriend? I wonder. She still can socialize with girls, but not with boys. 

“Does she have any friends?” I'm still asking about the mysterious Ice Princess. I know my friends are getting weird ideas about how I kept asking about her but I'm seriously interested with her.

“Her only friend is Choi Sulli. I thought they were twins when they first came to this school because I have seen them together everywhere.”

“She was rumored to be a delinquent and her father is a mafia. Thanks to her boyish appearance.”

“If the rumors are true, then poor our Ice Princess Soojung...”

A rumored delinquent. An ice princess.

What an interesting duo.

“Jung Soojung, please read the poem.”

My heart jumped when our literature teacher called her name. I was looking forward to hear her voice. Perhaps she has a soothing voice like a mermaid? Or a cracked voice like an ogre? I need to find out.

“Y-yes sir...”

Whoa, was that her voice? So soft.

It's already passed one minute but I didn't hear a thing. I thought she has ended reciting the poem so I turned around, and again, our eyes met. Her eyes was looking at me, like she was pleading for my help. Wait, was she lost? I look back at my textbook and scribbled it with a red marker at the poem she should read before showing it to her.

“There's the poem,” I whispered to her. Thank God she heard me.

After she finished reciting her poem, once again I turned around to look at her. I give her a smile before whispering 'great job' and surprisingly, she smiled back and whispered 'thank you'.

I couldn't explain what kind of noises that's going on inside my chest that time.

“Wanna grab some popsicles from my pops's store after school?”

I nodded. Sehun, lik