Chapter 99 - The trip [1]

"What's with the preparation going around?" Moon Jiwoo questioned.

Her back leaned against the pillar as her hand held on to a lollipop. While she stared at Oh Sookyung, she popped the lollipop inside her mouth.

Before her was the grand hall, and staffs were running around the place, arranging and decorating things inside the grand hall. The atmosphere was quite busy.

Beside her stood Oh Sookyung, dressed in casual clothing. Exhaustion could be seen on his face as leaned against the same pillar as Jiwoo from different side.

"The leaders decided to hold a ball for me, and all the young ladies in the Kingdom are required to join. I will be searching my fated one amongst them," Sookyung said, "This is so troublesome I swear, but I am wholeheartedly praying that I don't meet this fated one of mine."

Jiwoo chuckled and stated, "What are you? The prince from Cinderella? This Underworld is completely surprising. Well, you might not be finding your fated one, but you could get someone to fall in love with."

Sookyung scoffed and voiced out, "I doubt I am the Prince from Cinderella. I don't think I will be falling for someone at first glance."

Nudging at the man with her elbow, Jiwoo spoke out, "It's too early for you to say that. You might actually fall in love at first sight, and about the fated one, you don't know how the connections work. What if you fall for that person in first sight?"

"I don't know how to feel about that, but I have a feeling that I would not be falling in love that easily," he stated, "What about you?"

"Me? Why are you suddenly asking me about it? I don't know if I want a love life this time around. I can get seriously crazy once I am in love, and last time around, I ruined my life due to it. 

That's why, I guess I don't want to fall in love with someone," Jiwoo vocalised, "Although I was not a decent person to begin with, love changes people to a scarier version of themselves. I don't want to go through that or endure all those hateful gazes again."

"Oh," Sookyung said, "But just because one turned out to be a fail doesn't mean others will be, and even if you mess up this time around, I am there beside you. I will protect you."

"I realized that I took the correct decision by protecting you," Jiwoo expressed, "Although you were annoying, you are really helpful now, and your personality a lot more better. There are lots of benefits by being with you."

Moving forward to stand before Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung extended his hand towards her and grabbed on to her cheeks. A wince escaped from Jiwoo's mouth as he pulled her cheeks, and a pout began to form upon her features.

"What are you doing, Oh Sookyung?" she questioned— her voice coming out strangely due to her cheeks being stretched.

"Your cheeks had gotten to become really plump. How much do you eat regularly?" he commented with a hint of tease in his eyes.

Seeing the glint in his eyes, she slapped away his hand away from her, and glaring at him, she spoke out, "Whose fault is that? The entire day you remain busy and there is nothing I can do other than eating or roaming around the palace."

"Wow! So, now you are blaming me?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

Nodding her head, she answered, "Of course I am. Who do think is responsible for this if it is not you?"

"Fine, fine," Sookyung stated, "In order to make you feel at peace, I will be placing the blame upon myself. So, let me make it up to you. Do you want to accompany me to a trip? I ȧssure you it will be fine."

"Trip, hmm," she said, "Sure, why not! I will be bored to death by staying inside this palace as well, and adding on the depression, I will probably be two hundred pounds before my death."

At her words, laughs escaped from Sookyung's lips, and the corner of his eyes crinkled up at that. In that instant, Jiwoo's face went blank as she realized something— Sookyung's laugh was beautiful.

This was definitely not the first time he had laughed before her, but this was the only time she noticed this about him. At that instant, she found herself observing every little features of his when he laughed— how his eyes closed slightly, the creases beside them, and the tiny, bȧrėly noticeable, dimple that dent on his cheek.

"Great then. Prepare for the trip then. We will be heading out in three days," Sookyung spoke out, "And stop staring at me in that way or else I will be misunderstanding the situation."

Creases appeared between both of her eyes as she stared at Sookyung with confusion in her eyes, and remaining oblivious, she questioned, "What do you mean?"

"Nevermind, just forget it," he said, "I had a great time now, but I have to leave. Work is calling for me unfortunately."

"Oh," Jiwoo stated, "Thanks for accompanying me despite your busy schedule, Sookyung. I really mean it."

Extending his hand towards her, he touched the top of her forehead and patted it softly as a wide grin formed on his face. He then voiced out, "You have really learned some manners, Shin Daerin!"

°°°

Oh Sookyung had to halt in his steps as he saw a middle-aged man standing before him. The man carried himself with pride and had his hands folded over his ċhėst. He stood in Sookyung's path, intending to block him.

"Han Sungmin," Sookyung enunciated.

Han Sungmin, the man before him, was his father. Despite of this, he could not feel any warmth from him, and over a period of time, he had grown to learn that, rather than caring for him, his so-called father cared more about his position as the King.

Although it had sting him in the beginning, after a little while, it did not matter him anymore. Sookyung bȧrėly knew the man and had no sentiments towards him even if he was his father. Over all, Sookyung did not care about what the man thought of him because, at the end, he was merely a stranger to him.

That was probably the reason he was unable to call him father. That, coupled with the fact that he did not do it for his entire life, made such a task impossible for him despite of how much he was urged by other people for it.

The hint of anger in those cold eyes of his did not go unnoticed by him, and creases formed between Sookyung's eyebrows as he had a guess that Sungmin will be once again lecturing him on some matters— something Sookyung took to be quite irritating.

"Is there anything you needed?" Sookyung questioned curtly.

"How close are you to that protector of yours?" Sungmin asked.

"About us, we are quite close, but I don't think you stopped me in my steps in order to discuss about that with me," Sookyung pointed out.

"You are right. I would not have a problem with your interactions with your protector if he was a male, but seeing how your protector is a she, maintain distance with her. Either you kill her or send her back to the surface," Sungmin stated.

Hearing Sungmin's words caused a grim expression to form on Sookyung's face. He had already missed her terribly for six months and did not want to let go of her from his sight that easily again.

"No, I don't have any dėsɨrės to do that. I don't see how that concerns you. About out relationship, I believe that I will be able to manage it well," Sookyung spoke out, "That's why, I would appreciate it you do not interfere or try to do anything behind my back."

"Even if you say that right now, do you think that your fated one will be able to endure seeing another woman close to you even if she is your protector? Killing her would not be a big problem since she was meant to die in the first place, and if you are unable to do that, send her away from your sight forever."

"Once again, I am doing neither of that. About my fated one, she will have to accept all of this. I don't care what she thinks about my relationship with Shin Daerin. Daerin is a treasured friend of mine, and I am not letting go of her just because of some woman I never met," Sookyung stated— his tone showing how serious he was.

"Although you are saying that right now, you will be regretting your decision soon enough. I ȧssure you that," Sungmin vocalised.