Chapter XXII
1722 Words
이십이분의 왕관 (22)
We’re just acting… he’s just saying this to convince the queen…
Queen Jang Eun stared at Prince Yi Eul at the same intensity as he did. She then spoke. “Are you willing to defy my order? Are you that willing to marry this woman and give up everything that you have, even your position as the Crown Prince?”
“Daebi-mama!” Cho Rong couldn’t help but exclaim. “You don’t mean it, right?”
“Ma-Mama…” Jae Kyung looked at Queen Jang Eun then averted her gaze to Prince Yi Eul who’s still staring at the queen. “D-Daebi-mama, jungyohan goseun…” (*Your Majesty, the thing is…)
God, we’re just acting! Why did we have to go to such lengths like this?!
Worried about Prince Yi Eul (even if she didn’t want to feel this way), she was about to speak when Prince Yi Eul interrupted. “I will.”
Eh? Jae Kyung stared at him in utter astonishment. What the heck, is he nuts?!
“I will, Your Majesty,” Prince Yi Eul settled his gaze on Jae Kyung who’s now staring at him as if she’s telling him that ‘he’s crazy’. “I want to spend the rest of my life with Jae Kyung. I love her.”
And before Jae Kyung could argue, Prince Yi Eul kissed her in front of everyone, in front of Queen Jang Eun.
“Why in freaking Grimm’s name is he kissing me in front of the queen?!”
She wanted to push the Crown Prince away so bad that she even punch him in the chest but instead of pulling away, the Crown Prince even deepen the kiss. She secretly side-eyed the Queen who just stared at them in awe—which she actually didn’t expect the said reaction.
Cho Rong scoffed at the scene before her and with a thud, she walked out from the house with her mother followed suit while calling her name. It took seconds for Prince Yi Eul to pull away from the kiss which made Jae Kyung gasped. Jae Kyung even covered her face in so much embarrassment.
She couldn’t face the Queen but she has to out of respect.
She nudged her elbow secretly to the Crown Prince who’s now competing gazes on Queen Jang Eun. “J-Jeonha, you have to apologize to Her Majesty,” she, then, looked at the queen and bowed deeply. “Joesonghamnida, Daebi-mama—”
“I’m sorry for doing such a thing in front of you, Your Majesty. I apologize for doing such an act but I just want to prove my point here. As I said, Your Majesty, you may choose anyone to be my fiancée, but the only fiancée I recognized and I love is this woman beside me. If you want me to step down from my throne just to be with the woman who saved my life and I love, I will,” he bowed.
A pregnant silence invaded them. No one dared to break it. The tension is so heavy that Jae Kyung couldn’t help but close her eyes tight; hoping all of this is just a dream for her.
Suddenly, she heard a giggle. “My my, our prince has grown up so well.”
Both Prince Yi Eul and Jae Kyung raised their heads up as the Queen stood up, smiling at them. She walked towards them and cupped Prince Yi Eul’s cheeks. “Who would really think you’ll grow up so fine? You really caught this old queen off guard when you said those things. You remind me of your grandfather. Aah~ watching you too, I felt like I just came back from my youth when I and His Majesty shared our first true love’s kiss,” she brushed her thumb onto his cheek. Prince Yi Eul and Jae Kyung couldn’t help but clear their throats out of awkwardness when Queen Jang Eun shared her love moments with the late King. She, then, averted her gaze to Jae Kyung who’s just standing awkwardly beside the Crown Prince. Queen Jang Eun smiled at her as she cupped Jae Kyung cheek as well. “You finally brought the woman you love here in my humble place.”
Jae Kyung and Prince Yi Eul looked at each other and as if they’re using telepathy, they both sighed in relief inside their heads.
“So, shall we continue our meal in celebration? I want to have a chat with the new couple in the house of Yi.”
Prince Yi Eul savored the peace around him as he walked around the courtyard. It’s been a while since he last came here. When was that? Ah, after he graduated from high school. It’s been years since then.
He was silently looking at everything he could see around the courtyard when he felt a hard smack from his back. He yelped and held his abused shoulder. “What the—why the f**k did you hit me?!”
“Do you know how much you gave me such fright earlier? You even kissed me in front of the Queen for Pete’s sake! Aren’t you ashamed about it?!” he could really see that Jae Kyung is almost throwing a fit at him with all the stomping and all that she had to hold her chima just to stomp. “And you even said that you’ll be going to give up your Crown Prince title like—are you really that insane? What if she’ll do it?! What if she’s serious about you stepping down from your throne?!”
She’s cute...
Prince Yi Eul paused. Wait, what? No, she’s not! She’s not cute at all!
“I did it so she would believe us, you know? If we have to act, of course, we have to be believable to everyone,” Prince Yi Eul said as he shrugged. “And besides, I don’t have to worry about giving up my title because as you can see, I am the only successor of my dad and there’s no one else could inherit the Crown Prince title except for me.”
“God,” Jae Kyung couldn’t help but hold her head as if it’s going to explode. “I’m seriously going insane because of you.”
“Welp, I should be thankful,” Prince Yi Eul said, smirking.
Jae Kyung glared at him. She actually had the urge to punch him but she couldn’t since they’re surrounded by the queen’s servants. “Curse you.”
“How dare you curse the Crown Prince like that? That insolence!”
Jae Kyung sighed and shook her head. “I don’t care. I’m tired. Let me go home.”
She walked ahead and Prince Yi Eul noticed that Jae Kyung is having a hard time walking. He, then, walked towards her, pulled her arm, and turn her towards him.
Jae Kyung raised her head to him and frowned. “What?”
Prince Yi Eul kneeled in front of her and held her foot. She almost got out of balance because of it. “Wait—Your Highness! Wha-What are you doing?!”
“This danghye, is it too tight for you?” Prince Yi Eul asked, raising his head to meet Jae Kyung’s stare. (*Danghye is another type of women’s shoes made from leather. They are decorated with scroll decoration. They might look similar to the men’s taesahye, but danghye have pointed fronts and have more colorful variations.)
Jae Kyung winced when the Crown Prince held her ankle. Albeit she’s wearing boseon (socks), she could still feel the blister stinging. “You should’ve told me so I could tell my personal stylist to get you a pair of comfortable danghye.”
“I-I actually don’t want to complain about this. It’s already embarrassing on my part to ask you something like this. Especially that this hanbok and danghye are quite pricey,” she said.
“What’s embarrassing about it? You are my personal assistant and I dragged you here, so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about it. It’s more embarrassing that you walked like that in the presence of the queen than asking for another pair of comfortable danghye.”
Jae Kyung averted her gaze from him.
Right, I am just his employee. I am just her personal assistant and he dragged me on this mess.
But, why I felt like my chest is throbbing?
She gasped when Prince Yi Eul removed her danghye and turned his back on her. He side-eyed her. “C’mon, I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”
Jae Kyung’s eyes widen and she immediately pulled the Crown Prince up but unfortunately, Prince Yi Eul didn’t budge. “Are you insane, Your Highness?! Get up! Get up! The queen might see you on this! It’s embarrassing! Get up!”
“No, why is this embarrassing? Isn’t it great? If she’ll see me carrying you to the car, she’ll think that I’m romantic and I’m really in love with you because I’m taking care of you. She’ll be more convinced that you’re my fiancée and she will not barge into my love life anymore,” Prince Yi Eul said, proudly smirking at her.
Jae Kyung shouldn’t feel this since they agreed about this scheme.
But somehow, she felt the throbbing sensation inside her chest again.
Too tired to argue, she silently hugged the Crown Prince’s shoulders as the Crown Prince held her both thighs and stood up, lifting her for a piggyback ride. “Hah, you can’t really resist this, don’t you?”
“Just shut up and walk.”
“How dare you speak like that to His Highness?”
They didn’t know that Queen Jang Eun is looking at them from the pavilion, proudly smiling at her grandson. She sighed in contentment. “Our Prince Yi Eul grew up so well. He grew up as a fine and loving man. Don’t you agree, Secretary Lee?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” her royal secretary, Secretary Lee responded as she bowed at her.
She fell in silence for a second then smiled at her secretary and spoke. “We have to work now, we have a big event coming up next week.”
- Writer
