Gihyeon Kwock stood up and embraced Jinsu’s neck from behind. The two had been friends for ten years.
“Jinsu, your little baby fiancé is here. How annoying. You’re mine…”
Jinsu smiled, “One more ridiculous word, and I’ll kill you.”
Gihyeon continued his mocking tone, “Isn’t there a way I can keep from losing you to that little girl?”
Jinsu made no reply. Gihyeon rose, “Shall we go talk to her?”
Jinsu was obviously perturbed, “Wh..why?”
“Well, you are going to marry her, so let’s go take a look at her, shall we?”
Jinsu stood up.
Gihyeon started searching. “You’re certainly acting strange. It’s not like you to show interest in a girl. What’s going on? You’d better knock it off or I’ll really be jealous!”
Jinsu laughed. With Gihyeon, there was never a dull moment.
“Don’t make a big deal out of it. We’re just going over to have a little chat.”
Jinsu’s heart started pounding, and he had no idea why. She was only four. Why did she have this effect on him? He assured himself, I’m sure it means nothing. It’s just that I’ll marry her some day.
Suddenly, Emilia looked startled, “They’re coming over here!” she squealed.
I found myself a bit flummoxed, too.
I addressed them: “How do you do? I am Sanghee Kim,” I attempted my most proper pronunciation. Used to playing up my babyish side with Hwanseong and Sujin, I found it difficult to speak formally all of a sudden.
“You certainly are beautiful, Princess. I should be wary.” Gihyeon teased.
I was confused. What did he mean?
Jinsu said nothing while Gihyeon continued, “I am Gihyeon Kwock. I’m seventeen, same as Jinsu, and the youngest son of Marquis Kwock. So …I finally get to meet my rival.”
“Rival?” I asked. I tilted my head, as though I had no idea what this meant.
Gihyeon kindly supplied, “It means we are competitors.”
Competitors? I’ve already won. Jinsu and I are engaged. Jinsu, why don’t you set him straight?
Jinsu abruptly just turned to leave again. It was almost as if he had approached me just to show this boy to me.
I remembered his words “I love someone else.” Could Gihyeon be he? Oh, no, it couldn’t be true.
Gihyeon linked arms with Jinsu again, and observing Jinsu’s acquiescence, an odd sensation washed over me.
In this world, magical abilities was power, pure and simple. You needed something called a magic stone just to drive a car. Magic stones were sources of energy that can only be charged by men born with magical abilities
The two young men were in a car headed toward the Empire.
Gihyeon said, “She seems smart for a girl.” He continued. “She didn’t seem timid around us, perhaps because she’s a princess. She seems different from other girls.”
Their conversations often consisted of Gihyeon prattling on while Jinsu listened, his silence punctuated with an occasional chuckle or a nod.
This time, Jinsu abruptly cut him off, “Stop that.”
“What?”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Why?” Gihyeon’s voice registered his surprise.
“She is a princes first of all, and the person I am to wed. She’s not fodder for gossip. Show some respect.”
“What’s with you?”
Gihyeon cocked his head, confused by Jinsu’s behavior. There was nothing wrong with speaking to girls this way. He hadn’t said anything insulting. Besides, they were having a private conversation. Even the driver couldn’t hear them.
Jinsu stared out the window. Gihyeon was understandably taken aback. Gihyeon’s comments were not out of line, and any other time, Jinsu would have nodded.
Jinsu was upset with himself as well. Why on earth am I behaving like this?
The scene outside the window blurred as their car gained speed.
Now for an update. I am now seven years old. Since you last saw me, I have become far more articulate. The third-born prince (aka the younger brat) Hwanseong, threw open my door.
“Hey, Mutt! I’m finally a knight!”
“Brother Hwanseong!” I greeted him cheerfully. Have you forgotten how to knock? Now that I’m seven, I should be treated like a young lady. I threw my arms around him with perfectly feigned joy.
“Congratulations!”
“Yup. I’m pretty awesome. Right?”
I had to agree. At the tender age of ten, Hwanseong has become the kingdom’s youngest knight. Congratulations are certainly due.
I could practically hear Hwanseong salivating, and I knew what he was thinking.
“No,” I refused. “I just gave you one yesterday.”
“Oh, please! Just one chocolate bar!”
I stood my ground.
“I promise to be good and not even call you names!”
I refused him again.
Hwanseong, you are a slave to chocolate. This was truly an incredible turn of events. That a princess would flatly refuse a prince’s request was unimaginable. However, this was par for the course for Hwanseong and me.
I then heard someone’s voice in the hall.
She introduced herself: “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seohee Kim. I would like to speak to you for a moment.”
I had never seen this girl before. She was quite pretty, so she must have been blessed with good genes. Perhaps she was one of my numerous older sisters. In this world, girls wildly outnumbered boys, and it was quite possible I had sisters I had never met. Since I had turned seven, I had seen more girls I was told were my sisters.
Hwanseong’s expression suddenly turned icy. It was frankly frightening. He said, “Who do you think you are to interfere?”