Chapter LI
1294 Words
오십 일번재 왕관 (51)
Prince Yi Eul kept on lowering his bonnet so people could not be going to recognize him. Since Jae Kyung already pulled him to the crowd where they’re watching a live band performing just around Myeondong, he couldn’t help but just sigh.
This damn girl.
“What the heck, Jae Kyung. This place is too crowded! The people might recognize us!”
Jae Kyung turned her head at him. He was already speaking in English so she knew that the Crown Prince was already anxious. She just smiled and fixed his bonnet, enough to make him at ease. “Don’t worry, I’m here, you know?”
That made Prince Yi Eul locked his gaze on her. As the live band behind them kept on singing to a love song that he always heard from the radio, Jae Kyung felt like the time was passing slow the more she stared at the Crown Prince.
It felt like they’re in a romance movie but there’s no romance between them. There’s no romance between the Crown Prince who’s actually in love with another woman and the mere, aspiring romance writer like her who only believed that love in fiction is good. That she couldn’t have it in real life…
…or so, she thought…
♪ Uri sarangui race kkeutnal su eopsge babe jigeum doraseomyeon dasin doragal su eopsdago eh~
Dasi hanbeon naege malhaejwo ooh~ ooh~ ooh~ nareul saranghandago haejwo
Don’t leave me alone baby
Just stay for the night baby
Nal tteonaji anhgessdago malhaejwo
Tell me your love again
Come back to me again
Tell me your love again
Come back to me again ♪
Prince Yi Eul’s gaze settled on the live band in front of them and Jae Kyung just lowered her head as well. She turned to the live band and watched them, clapping her hands with the people around them.
“They’re covering a song?”
“Yep, usually, public performances are either covering any songs or singing their own songs.”
“Not bad. They’re talented,” Prince Yi Eul muttered.
Jae Kyung looked at him and grinned. “See? I told you you’ll gonna enjoy public performances. This is not the one live performance you could see here. You could see in Insadong, Hongdae, it’s just around the corner.”
Prince Yi Eul hummed as he watched the live band again as Jae Kyung jammed with the song. Suddenly, a couple in front of the suddenly moved backward and that made Jae Kyung moved backward and almost fell from where she’s standing. She felt Prince Yi Eul’s hand around her shoulder which made her look up to him as well.
“Hey, watch it,” he said in an authoritative tone.
The two couple in front of them turned their heads to them. “Oh, we’re sor—hey,” the girl pointed Prince Yi Eul. “You looked familiar.”
Alerted, Jae Kyung moved to Prince Yi Eul’s left side and grabbed his arm. “Uh, you must be mistaking somebody.”
“What do you mean familiar, babe?” the girl’s boyfriend.
“You looked familiar, really,” the girl gasped as she spoke again. “You looked like the Crown Prince Yi Eul!”
That made Jae Kyung flinch but Prince Yi Eul just stared at the two couple in front of them.
“Are you serious, babe? He’s too far from the Crown Prince. He’s just ordinary looking.”
“No, I’m serious, babe! He’s definitely looked like the Crown Prince!”
Jae Kyung noticed that they’re now gaining people’s attention and before everyone could recognize him more, Jae Kyung slowly pulled Prince Yi Eul. “You must be really mistaking my boyfriend into someone else, Miss.”
“Hey—” before the girl could utter a word, Jae Kyung pulled Prince Yi Eul away from the crowd and ran away as fast as they could. “Hey you!!!”
“Run, Yi Eul, run! Run faster!” Jae Kyung half-shouted half-whispered at the Crown Prince as they continued running away.
“God, that is so exhausting. I almost felt like we’ve run a mile,” Jae Kyung muttered to herself as they both sat down on the bench just in front of Han River. It was already six in the evening and the skies slowly became darker as the sun sets. Jae Kyung had no idea how the two of them went to Han River but all she knew was that she just wanted to take Prince Yi Eul away from that place.
She actually bet that the Crown Prince was now mad at her so she prepared herself mentally. She inhaled deeply and cleared her throat and spoke. “Umm… I-I’m really sorry about what happened earlier, Your Highness. I should’ve known. I shouldn’t have take—”
“You said you’re calling me by my name,” Prince Yi Eul said, cutting her off as he finally looked at her, making Jae Kyung stare at him in awe. “You said that, didn’t you?”
“Y-Yes…” she muttered, dumbly.
“Then, call my name.”
“But Your High—”
“Call me by my name, Kim Jae Kyung,” he told her.
“Yi-Yi Eul. Yi Eul.”
“Good,” the side of his lips quirked up and he suddenly chuckled. “You know what, it’s actually fun. I realized that there are so many things that I’ve never done in my life. This is actually a new experience for me. I’ll credit you for that.”
Jae Kyung couldn’t help but smile at what Prince Yi Eul said.
“But next time, we don’t do that again. We’re not going out to the public again. You see? I almost got recognized!”
“Aw, you no fun,” Jae Kyung said. “It’s not like she recognized you anyway. She just said that you looked like Prince Yi Eul and haven’t you heard her boyfriend? He said you looked ordinary than the Crown Prince so which means, the disguise is effective.”
Prince Yi Eul couldn’t help but shake his head. “I can’t with you anymore.”
“Oh! Oh! There’s a food truck!” Jae Kyung pointed to a white food truck with few people lining up. She, then, turned her head to Prince Yi Eul and tapped his shoulder. “I’ll buy some food and something to drink as well. Be right back!”
She didn’t wait for Prince Yi Eul to say something as she stood up and left to buy some food. He sighed for the nth time as he stared at Jae Kyung walking away from him then he settled his gaze on the Han River, savoring the peaceful ambiance around him.
“Yi Eul-ah?”
He flinched when he heard a familiar voice calling him. He turned his head and saw Da Hyun wearing a disguise as well. She may be wearing that but Prince Yi Eul knew it’s here.
He slowly stood up and locked gazes with her. “Da Hyun-ah…”
From the distance, Jae Kyung was happily holding two Sprite in can and two bowls of Odeng-guk and she was about to call Yi Eul when she saw her talking to someone who’s wearing a hoody jacket as well.
And albeit she didn’t see who’s the person talking to Prince Yi Eul, by the looks of the Crown Prince’s face, she knew who is it.
She saw Prince Yi Eul’s eyes settled on her and he was about to call her but she suddenly turned her back to him and left.
She left with something suffocating her inside her chest.
- Writer
