How to Deal with the Crown Prince (English)

Chapter XX

스무 번째 왕관(20)

“You want to have a high salary to pay your bills, right?”

“Uh… yeah?”

“And you want to debut your hit novels into a book, right?”

“Yes. Umm… Your Highness, why are you asking me that?”

“You want to achieve it all, right?”

“Yes.”

Prince Yi Eul kept his stare on her. “Then, be my fiancée.”

Jae Kyung snorted as she waved her hand. “Oh~ that’s an easy job—what?! What again?!”

“I want you to be my fiancée.”

“Are you kidding me?!”

If the Crown Prince’s room is not really that soundproof, Jae Kyung’s voice will be heard even outside the Crown Prince’s mansion.

“Lower your voice, I’m just meters away from you. Geez.”

“Are. You. Kidding. Me?!” Jae Kyung repeated, emphasizing each word.

Jae Kyung is expecting that Prince Yi Eul will say ‘Hah! It’s just a joke! I got you!’ and crack a laugh like what he usually does when he feels like he wants to tease her.

But instead, Prince Yi Eul just stared at her with a serious face. “I do not kid.”

Jae Kyung gulped. This is the first time she ever saw the Crown Prince’s expression like this.

“You’re there. You heard us. You heard the queen.”

“Yes, I did. I was standing right behind you and I heard everything—from Queen Jang Eun asking you to get married because she wants to see your successor to mentioning your fiancée,” Jae Kyung said. “And now, I really thought that you’re just kidding right now. I mean, is your fiancée that bad?”

“Am I going to ask you to be my fiancée if I haven’t met her and if I like her? Basic common sense, Kim Jae Kyung,” Prince Yi Eul sighed. “That woman who will be my fiancée… she’s the State Minister’s great-great-granddaughter. She’s the sole candidate to be my Royal Princess Consort since her family’s lineage is from Yangban—a clan of munban.”

“Then she’s really perfect to be your consort, Your Highness.”

“Did I tell you to speak?” Prince Yi Eul paused for a second then waved his hand, dismissing his question, remembering that his great personal secretary didn’t actually follow his rules and just want to speak what’s in her mind. “Yeah, she’s perfect—if she’s not really a total negative aura! She can’t really be my fiancée! Do you know how the heck she stalked me in high school and made my life miserable? She’s f*****g giving me goosebumps! She’s a creep and I don’t like her because she’s a straight-up brat!”

“Says the one who’s actually acting like a brat right now,” Jae Kyung couldn’t help but comment.

Prince Yi Eul frowned at her. “Did you just call me, His Royal Highness, a brat?!”

“Uh, yeah? Because you’re actually acting like a brat who’s actually throwing a tantrum right now.”

“God, can you please stop showing me that feisty attitude of yours, Kim Jae Kyung! I’m having a dilemma right now!” Prince Yi Eul couldn’t help but put his hand on the back of his neck as if he’ll going to pop up a vein.

It took Jae Kyung a few seconds to speak. “Is that really your reason, Your Highness?”

Prince Yi Eul settled his gaze on Jae Kyung. “What?”

“Is that really your reason… the sole reason that you don’t want to accept this fiancée of yours and get married according to Queen Jang Eun’s wish and ordeal? Is that really your reason?” she asked.

Prince Yi Eul fell silent. He averted his gaze on the glass wall of his room, letting the silence swallow them up.

Jae Kyung sighed in silence. I knew it. It’s Da Hyun. Even if that chic is already in a relationship with someone else, he still has feelings for her, he still loves her… and rooting for her.

Haaah… what a complicated situation.

Jae Kyung sighed once again. “Okay, fine.”

Prince Yi Eul’s eyes settled onto her again, and by the looks of it, he’s actually surprised with Jae Kyung’s response. “Really? You’ll agree?”

“You know what, the contract stated that I’ll work for you as your personal assistant and I will not go beyond that. Obviously, this is some kind of violation of the contract policy. But since this is really urgent… emergency. So, as your personal assistant, I’ll do it,” Jae Kyung said. Before the Crown Prince could speak, she added. “I’ll just do this once. For the sake of the salary and my book debut that will come true as what you’ve promised when you hired me as your personal assistant. But this is just a one-time-only. You really need to hire someone to be your fake fiancée, Your Highness. I’m serious about it.”

Prince Yi Eul just stared at her and nodded. He, then, outstretched his hand for a handshake. “Deal.”

“Deal,” Jae Kyung nodded and held his hand for a handshake. “It’ll be an honor to rescue the Crown Prince on this dilemma.”

“Well, you know what, Your Highness. I regretted agreeing to you on this.”

“No backsies, Kim Jae Kyung. We’re already here.”

Jae Kyung couldn’t help but slam her fisted hand on her fluffy hanbok skirt and glare at the Crown Prince. “I can’t help it! I’m nervous! I’m nervous to the core, Your Highness!”

They’re now in the huge property owned by the royal house of Yi where Queen Jang Eun is residing. Both Jae Kyung and Prince Yi Eul were still inside the limousine because Jae Kyung couldn’t get out because of her mild anxiety. She actually felt hot wearing her bright-colored yellow with the combination of white jeogori (the blouse-like top part) and red chima (the skirt-like bottom part)—her hanbok that is too fancy for her liking. Her hair was fixed in daenggi meori with baetssi daenggi on top of her head that really looked so fancy and some fancy cheopji that were put on both sides of her hair. She could actually be mistaken for a princess wearing her everyday outfit during the Joseon Dynasty.

As of the Crown Prince Yi Eul, he’s wearing a blue gonryongpo and sajoeryongbo on the front, back, and shoulders. The dragon’s toes are visible on his left shoulder: four for him as the Crown Prince. He’s also wearing an ikseonggwan—the actual crown that is mainly depicted as being black in color. Of course, he’s the Crown Prince after all.

“Why are we even wearing hanbok? This made me more and more nervous.”

“Because we’re going to face Queen Jang Eun in her own residence, Jae Kyung. We must look pleasant in her eyes.”

“You even made me more and more nervous.”

“Jae Kyung, calm down. You already saw the Queen. You already met her. You even gave her a bouquet,” Prince Yi Eul said in a tired tone. Jae Kyung being antsy is really tiring him out.

“This is a different case, Your Highness. I met her as your personal assistant at that time. The situation is different right now,” Jae Kyung took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down.

Prince Yi Eul stared at her for a second. He, then, sighed and held her hand which made her gasp in silence and look at him. “You don’t need to be scared nor anxious, you know? I’m here. You’re here standing side by side with the Crown Prince.”

Jae Kyung couldn’t help but stare at him in awe. She was actually expecting that Prince Yi Eul will tease her for being a scaredy-cat but he seemed really sincere when he tried to comfort her in the simplest way he knew.

She, then, put her other hand on the Crown Prince's hand that is currently holding her hand. She took a deep breath and nodded.

Prince Yi Eul smiled at her. “Let’s go.”

As they went out of the limousine, both Jae Kyung and Prince Yi Eul’s eyes were fixed on the door of Queen Jang Eun’s house as they both walked side by side towards it.

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Somehow, she felt that her anxiety and nervousness died down. She felt secured walking side by side with the Crown Prince towards the door where the Queen is waiting for them.

— Dealing with the Crown Prince, Chapter 15

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“Your Majesty, Crown Prince Yi Eul is here to see you."