Chapter Text
The Kim-Wongs
The ballroom in Fiore is buzzing with activity. Nobility and royalty mingle between tall tables in their tuxedos and gowns. Hor’dourves and champagne flutes flit by on the hands of caterers. A string quartet sits on the landing above the occupants of the ballroom. The gentle music fills the rooms, pushing out the glass doors and spilling into the moonlit garden. The chatter of the party-goers rises and falls over the string instruments, creating a music all its own. Amidst it all stands a beautiful woman in a gown the color of the moon and hair like the setting sun.
Her smile rivals the stars with dimples appearing on her cheeks. A tall man strides across the ballroom, a flute of champagne in one hand and a charming twinkle in his eyes. In a swift motion, the man swallows the contents of his glass and places it on a passing tray. He bows slightly to the staff, his light hair falling in front of his eyes. The woman watches as he approaches her, his hand reaches out to her.
“May I have this dance, Your Majesty?” The man bows, hand still outstretched.
“You may, Your Majesty,” the woman laughs and takes his hand. The music swells as they spin around the ballroom gracefully, all eyes on them. “I thought you might spill your drink on me again.”
He laughs, “you will never let that go, will you, Vivi?”
“Never,” she smiles brightly. “It’s why I chose you to be my king.”
“And people say romance is dead.” The couple continue their dance across the ballroom. Other couples join in, the synchronized movement transfixing the occupants of the ballroom. Vivi can’t help the laugh that escapes her. She is lucky to have married a man that is as charming as Kai. She wishes she could have married for love, but that is a luxury she does not have.
“They clearly have not met you, Kai.” Over Queen Vivi’s shoulder, King Kai catches the eye of a familiar face.
“I think there is another that rivals my romancing,” he says lightly, keeping eye contact with the woman across the room. He tilts his head toward Vivi, beckoning the short haired woman. She shakes her head. Kai sighs and begins to glide their way to her without Vivi’s knowledge. With a well-timed spin, Kai deposits Vivi into the arms of the woman.
“King Kai,” the woman’s protest is in vain as Queen Vivi looks at the woman expectantly.
“Well, Haseul, are you going to leave your queen waiting?” Vivi smirks when Haseul ducks her head. Both women blush deeply at the close contact.
“No, Your Majesty.” Haseul gathers Vivi into her arms and joins the synchronized movements of the nobles in the center of the ballroom. The pair are aware of the soft skin under their palms and the rapid thrum of their heartbeats. Vivi can remain calm in the face of diplomats and thousands of people watching her every move. Yet when she is in close proximity to Haseul she is the furthest thing from calm.
“People are looking,” Haseul’s eyes dart around the room. Vivi reaches up and pulls Haseul’s attention back to her. When their eyes meet, it’s like a jolt of electricity through their bodies.
“Let them look.” Around them everything fades except for the sound of the string quartet. Until Kai comes dancing with King Seokjin, the two are locked in a tight embrace with matching cheeky grins. The two kings laugh as they push through nobles leaving a sighing Queen Sunmi in their wake. Kai winks at Vivi as he spins past her. “Everyone will look at them now.”
Haseul laughs with a shake of her head and continues leading Vivi in their dance. Feet light, hearts lighter.
“She’s beautiful,” King Kai whispers as he stares down at the little bundle in his arms. Queen Vivi steps up beside him and smiles upon the baby in his arms. She runs a loving hand over the dark tufts of hair on the baby’s head. The King and Queen had tried to conceive their own child, but they were unable to fulfill their duty to provide an heir to the throne. There was much talk around the topic in their capital, Strelitzia, and even across Fiore as a whole. People worried for the future of the crown.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t have our own,” Vivi says. Kai lifts his head and peers at his wife. “I know the parliament is not pleased with us having to adopt.”
“Screw the parliament.” Kai lifts the baby and places her into Vivi’s arms.
“They’re going to treat her differently because she isn’t of our blood.” The queen smiles sadly at her baby. She worries for the baby’s well-being, for the baby’s acceptance by their people. The last thing she ever wants is for her child to feel unwelcome at home. But, where Vivi is worrisome, Kai is reassuring.
“We are not going to give them any reason to. She will be as brave, as intelligent, as capable as any other royal.” The baby reaches out at the sound of Kai’s voice, her hand latching onto his finger. Kai’s smile widens, his heart filling with so much love for his daughter. “She’s going to be so much more capable than any other royal. Isn’t that right, Hyunjin? You’re going to knock them off their feet.”
Hyunjin snuggles into Vivi’s chest, hand tightening her hold on Kai’s finger. The parents gaze down at the beautiful new addition to their family. A knock at the door breaks their trance.
“Am I interrupting?” Haseul says stepping into the room.
“I was about to send for you,” Kai answers, lifting Hyunjin from Vivi’s arms. “It wouldn’t be right if you weren’t introduced to Hyunjin before anyone else.” Haseul holds the small baby in her arms and regards Hyunjin with as much love as the King and Queen. Kai nudges Vivi toward their friend. “I’m going to, uh, go send for some….toys. Yeah, toys.”
Kai leaves the two women alone with Hyunjin and the moment the door shuts, Vivi crosses the room to sit beside Haseul. Haseul gently rocks the baby in her arms cooing under her breath. Vivi leans against Haseul’s side and gazes down at Hyunjin who now has her hand wrapped around Haseul’s finger. Vivi can’t help the smile that forms.
“She already loves you,” Vivi sighs. “This is how I imagined starting a family.” The moment the words leave the queen’s mouth, both women burrow deeper into each other. An ache blooms in their chests, a quiet heartbreak echoes in the otherwise silent room.
When Hyunjin learns to walk, the palace is in shambles. The one-year old is inquisitive and adventurous. Every surface is hers to explore and tumble from. King Kai and Queen Vivi spend most days chasing after their daughter down one corridor or another. Hyunjin’s little legs are no match for her parents, but the giggle that she lets out when they capture her is music to their ears.
The King and Queen have split duties to ensure that someone is always with the mischievous child, but there are many days where both of the royals are needed. Little Hyunjin is often left in the hands of the King and Queen’s best friend, Haseul. Haseul who has become the Queen’s royal adviser, but would much rather spend those hours with Hyunjin instead of in a stuffy counsel room.
Haseul takes Hyunjin out to the gardens of the palace. The sun peeks out behind the clouds casting shadows across the ground that Hyunjin is intent on catching. Haseul giggles at the little girl. Grass stained and smiling, Hyunjin waddles up to Haseul.
“Hi, cutie,” Haseul scoops the little girl into her arms. Hyunjin juts her hand out to Haseul. “What do you have in your hand?”
Hyunjin smiles, her whole face brightening. She opens her palm, revealing a small yellow flower. The stem is broken and it’s missing a few petals, but Haseul takes it between her fingers.
“A flower, thank you, Hyun.” Hyunjin nods and squirms in the older woman’s arms. “Okay, okay, putting you down.” When Hyunjin’s feet hit the ground she’s off again tumbling in the grass and staring at the flowers in wonder. Haseul tucks the little flower between the pages of her planner before jogging after the adventurous toddler.
Haseul revels in the hours she gets to spend with Hyunjin. In those moments where there’s no lady’s maids, security, or press following after them. At this age, Hyunjin doesn’t have any idea about her duties. She eats dirt and passes gas during noble dinners. The young princess is unaware of all that is waiting for her, and Haseul wants to do all she can to preserve her innocence. If only for a little while longer.
She doesn’t call her “Princess” in these moments, doesn’t scold her for getting dirty or acting uncouth. She lets the toddler run wild in the gardens, smelling the flowers and trying to climb the trees.
Hyunjin is waddling around the fountain in the center of the garden. The edge of the fountain far too high for her to reach. Haseul takes her eyes off the toddler for a moment and checks her phone. Reminders of meetings and phone calls she needs to make fill the screen. But it’s one text message that catches her attention.
Vivi: how are my babies doing? I wish I could be with you.
Haseul’s smile grows, red tinting her cheeks as she glances around the garden as if she’s expecting to be caught. She has loved the Queen long before she assumed the throne, long before she married Kai. Haseul grew up around the palace as the daughter of the head chef. She spent countless hours with Vivi playing games, learning the ways of the aristocrats that she so often has to interact with. The two were inseparable, even as Haseul took on the role of intern to the Royal adviser. She fell in love with Vivi and Vivi fell in love with her.
But that was a different time, and with no title to her name and no money to her family, Haseul was not eligible to marry Vivi. Instead, she watched the woman she loved marry her best friend. While the sting of not being able to show her love for Vivi was, and still is, very real, she’s content by simply being in her life; in Hyunjin’s life.
As she’s about to respond to Vivi’s text, she notices Hyunjin isn’t in the same spot she last saw her. Unfortunately, she notices a moment too late that Hyunjin is on the edge of the fountain; doesn’t even have a chance to wonder how the mischievous toddler got up there. She abandons her phone and planner on the ground and rushes to her. Hyunjin spots Haseul running toward her and the little girl spreads her arms open.
“Mama!” Hyunjin’s toothy grin and words catch Haseul off guard. She falters on her feet and then there’s a splash.
“Hyunjin!” Haseul gathers the now soaking wet little girl in her arms. She’s still grinning.
“Mama. ” The toddler wraps her arms around a shaking Haseul’s neck and giggles. The older woman’s heart is hammering in her chest for more reasons than almost killing the royal heiress.
Later, Haseul is playing with Hyunjin in the toddler’s room. After drying the young princess off, Hyunjin dragged the older woman to her dolls. Haseul let Hyunjin take the lead, the toddler hands her clothes and dolls, occasionally repeating sounds that Haseul is making. The older woman is lost in thought wondering how she is going to tell her best friends that their daughter spoke her first word. That their daughter called her “mama.”
Hyunjin’s face appears in front of Haseul’s vision. Tiny hands waving in frantically. “Mama, mama, mama!”
“Hyunjin, I’m not your mama,” Haseul sighs and cuddles the toddler in her lap. “Your mama is that beautiful woman with red hair.” Hyunjin nods. “Yes, Vivi is your mama.” Haseul blows raspberries on Hyunjin’s cheeks.
“Mama. No.” Hyunjin giggles and pushes Haseul’s face away.
“I’m not—”
“Did Hyunnie just call you mama?” Kai steps into his daughter’s room, Vivi on his heels. The King tickles his daughter on the tummy when he reaches her. “I see we missed her first word.”
“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty, I—” Haseul glances between the two monarchs in front of her, Hyunjin still in her lap. “I tried to explain I’m not her mom, but—”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kai waves his hand. “You’re like a mom to her, Seulie. Right, Vi?” The pair turn to the queen, who’s gaze has been on Haseul this whole time, eyes glistening with tears unshed. “We’re taking that as a yes.”
Vivi blinks rapidly and clears her throat. “You’re as much a mother to Hyunjin as I am.” Haseul and her share a heated look before a gleeful squeal fills the room. Kai is spinning Hyunjin around slowly, tickling her tummy whenever he stops. Vivi takes the opportunity to place a feather light kiss on Haseul’s cheek. Kai smiles having seen the interaction out of the corner of his eye. He passes a giggling Hyunjin off to her mom before walking over to his friend.
“You two don’t need to hold back when I’m here, or even when I’m not here, you know that, right?” He asks and takes a seat beside Haseul. Many people are blind to the love Vivi and Haseul have for each other, but Kai isn’t. Much like Vivi, he wishes more than anything that they could have married for love. Instead, they settle for a love shared between friends; a love for a daughter that will grow to be Queen.
“Vivi is loyal, as long as you two are married, she would never do anything unfaithful.” Kai wraps his arm around Haseul. Her breath is uneven, seizing in her chest. She tries to breathe through it, to push the long standing, deep seated pain away. It never truly goes away.
“I’m sorry,” he presses a kiss to her head.
“I’d rather her be married to you than someone else, I’m sure she feels the same way,” Haseul sighs, leaning into Kai. Kai and Haseul watch Vivi and Hyunjin play across the room, matching smiles on their faces.
Vivi feels their gazes on her and when she looks up she’s met with looks full of love. The love of a best friend and the love of the woman she wishes she could have built this family with. But she knows she will never get that. She has been taught that the call of duty always comes above the call of the heart. And as Vivi beckons the pair over to play with her and Hyunjin, she is content in knowing she still has Haseul by her side.
Kai’s face appears on the computer screen in front of Vivi and Hyunjin. The moment their daughter catches sight of her father she squeals. Kai’s smile brightens.
“Daddy!” Hyunjin says bouncing in her seat. “Daddy, I miss you.”
“Hi, Hyunnie!” Kai settles into the chair in the hotel room he’s in. He has a teddy bear hat that Hyunjin gave him sitting on his head. “I miss you beary much, princess. Have Mom and Mama Seul been taking good care of you?”
Not long after Hyunjin started talking, she took to calling Haseul mama, too. Kai started calling his best friend Mama Seul, and it didn’t take long for Hyunjin to follow suit. Despite her protests, Haseul couldn’t stop the little girl from calling her that. She’s grown to love it and feeling that connection to Vivi makes it all the better. It’s not conventional in the slightest, but Haseul will take it.
“Yeah! Mom and Mama Seul make me cookies and we watch movies all night!” Hyunjin grinned at her dad through the screen. “And I got lots and lots of snuggles!”
“What? I’m so jealous,” Kai feigns hurt, his eyes flicker to Vivi’s. “Cookies, movies, and cuddles? You better save some of that for me when I get home.”
“Okay, daddy. When are you coming home?” Hyunjin’s demeanor deflates. Kai’s been going on business trips a lot lately, dealing with international relations with other countries. He offered to go in place of Vivi, though it didn’t take much convincing when he pointed out Haseul would still be there.
“I’ll be back in time for your fifth birthday party, cutie. My little girl is growing up so fast.”
“I’m not little! I’ve grown a whole inch, right, mommy?” Hyunjin looks up to her mom with a proud smile.
“An inch and a quarter, baby.” Vivi kisses her daughter's head.
“See! Not little,” Hyunjin puffs her chest out, then grins again. “Okay, bye daddy! I’m gonna go play with Mama Seul.” Before either parent can say anything, the little girl scurries away with her lady’s maid on her tail. Vivi slumps the moment her daughter is off screen. Kai notices the exhaustion on her face for the first time since the call started.
“Hey, how are you?”
Vivi leaves her head resting on her arms, turning to face the camera slightly. “I’m exhausted. Parliament won’t listen to a single thing I have to say about the marriage law, Hyunjin has more energy than our entire military combined, and I—” Vivi’s voice breaks.
“Fuck this meeting, I’m coming home.” Kai pushes his chair back forcefully, the sound of the chair hitting the ground comes through the video feed. He begins to pack up his room, throwing clothes and wires into his suitcase with carelessness.
“Kai, stop, we need this—”
“No, we don’t,” he turns back to the camera with a stuffed animal cat in his hand.
“Why do you have Hyunjin’s stuffed animal?”
“Oh, she told me to take it with me,” Kai shrugs, the corners of his lips turning upward. “She didn’t want me to be alone.” The parents share a look, one they often share when their daughter does something like this. They know she’s going to be a great leader. A leader that is going to be kind, empathetic, thoughtful.
“You can’t cancel the meeting, Kai.” Vivi says after a moment.
“I’ll make them come to me, then.” He continues to pack his suitcase without a glance at the camera. “You know King Seokjin, Queen Sunmi, and King Jung won’t mind. They can bring their kids. We can have a little royal picnic.”
“Please, just sleep on it. We don’t need to make ourselves out to be weak,” Vivi whispers the last part drawing the attention of Kai.
He approaches the camera. “Look at me, Vivi.” She lifts her gaze to his. “You are the strongest woman I have ever met. You do not need me to run Fiore with you, but you have me. Asking for help does not make you weak, it is a sign of strength to know when you need assistance. Don’t let pride be your downfall.”
His words wash over Vivi, her back straightens and she looks at him more clearly. “Please sleep on it, Kai,” she hovers the mouse over the end call, “but I do need help back home. I trust you to make the right decision.”
“I love you, Vi.”
“I love you, too.” Vivi ends the call and goes in search of her daughter. The sound of laughter and a loud crash is indication enough for Vivi.
The next day, Vivi wakes up late and rushes to Hyunjin’s room. She promised her daughter she would have a tea party with her. But the queen had stayed up late going over documents and laws trying to find a way to abolish Fiore's marriage law. She fell asleep on a pile of papers and woke up with a document stuck to her cheek. It wasn’t her best moment.
As she reaches her daughters room, high pitched giggles and a deeper laugh float out of the room. Vivi pushes the door open to find Kai kneeling next to Hyunjin. He has sparkly clips in his hair and a fluffy tiara sitting on top of his head. Hyunjin rubs glittery makeup on his face with her hands as she giggles to herself.
“You look so pretty, daddy.” Hyunjin steps back and looks at her work. She nods with a satisfied smile.
“The prettiest king in all the land,” Vivi pipes up from the doorway smirking. “Bright blue is your color, Kai.”
“I always thought I was more of a pink guy, but Hyunjin really has an eye for colors,” Kai kisses his daughters cheek. He walks over to Vivi and places an identical kiss on her cheek.
“I didn’t expect you home so soon.”
“I slept on it for about thirty minutes and hopped on the jet an hour later,” Kai smiles. “You deserve to relax, Vivi. I’ve got Hyunjin, go relax.”
“Okay…” Vivi hesitates in the doorway.
“Haseul is down by the pond, I have a feeling she might be waiting for you.” Kai winks and pushes her out of the room. She stands outside the room stunned. Slowly, a smile grows on her face, a weight lifting from her shoulder. She walks toward the pond.
Vivi finds Haseul leaning against a large tree near the water’s edge. She has a book propped open on her lap and a small basket of fruit beside her. Her breath catches in her throat as the sun shines down on Haseul. In all the years they have known each other, Haseul’s beauty continues to leave Vivi in awe. It’s effortless. Or maybe she is simply that in love with her.
“Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to join me?” Haseul asks, her eyes never leaving the pages.
“Can’t I do both?” Vivi jokes as she walks over to Haseul.
“You’re the Queen, I suppose you can do whatever you please,” Haseul closes her book.
“I wish I could kiss you,” Vivi whispers, eyes searching the brunette’s.
“You could,” Haseul says, almost as a dare. She’s not naive though, she knows exactly what Viv’s response is going to be. “But you won’t, and that’s okay.”
“It’s not okay, I—I hate that this is how we have to be,” Vivi sighs. She drops her head against Haseul’s shoulder, their hands intertwining on her lap. Haseul heaves a sigh, her chest tightening with each passing moment. She wishes beyond anything that she could love another or that she could be with the one she does love. Vivi wishes for the same. Yet despite the pain they endure, they can’t seem to let each other go no matter how hard they have tried.
“Maybe one day,” Haseul tightens her hold on Vivi’s hand.
Haseul is in her office a few months later. It’s late and she’s finalizing the Queen’s schedule for the upcoming week. Meeting with dignitaries, ribbon cutting ceremony for the new tailor shop in Fiore’s capital city, Strelitzia. Not to mention all the documents and bills that the Queen needs to sign. There’s so much Haseul has to pack into a week without overlapping. She also has to be mindful of Hyunjin, which events she can attend, which one’s they need a nanny for. But, most importantly, Haseul is always sure to block out time where the Queen has uninterrupted time with her daughter.
That has been something Vivi, Kai, and Haseul always agree on; family time is important. While royal life is never dull, and there is always something they have to do, they make sure to have time set aside to give their daughter their undivided attention. No lessons, no lectures, only being a family.
Haseul is in the middle of organizing the schedule draft when there’s a knock at her door. “Come in,” she keeps her eyes on her work.
“Hi, Seul.”
“King Kai, what are you—” Haseul sits up straighter. The two have been best friends for nearly their whole lives, long before he was engaged to Vivi. Long before either had ever met Vivi. Despite all of that, she still maintains a level of professionalism with both the King and Queen. At least, until they tell her to stop. Which is always.
“I’m coming to you right now as a friend,” he crosses the room and drops into the chair in front of her desk. Kai is exhausted, it’s evident in the way his body sags in the chair, the way his head falls to the side. Haseul notices this. She notices the blood-shot and yellowing of his eyes, the light sheen of sweat on his skin.
“You’re sick.” The words fall heavy between them.
“I am…” Kai tries to smile, but fails. “That’s where I’ve been. Between business trips, I’ve been to several doctors and specialists...they all say the same thing.”
“What—what is it?” Haseul walks over to the chair beside him and sits.
“Pancreatic cancer, stage four.” The King rubs his face. “I don’t even know how this happened, neither do the doctors. It’s one of those that has risk factors, but...unless someone in my family had it before, I don’t have any of those factors.”
“Have you told—”
“I will in the morning, but there’s something I need you to do for me.” Kai reaches down beside him and pulls up the recurve bow and an envelope. Haseul recognizes the bow immediately, it’s the same one he’s always used in competition and at his coronation. The one that he used to teach Vivi and Haseul archery. The one she knows he would have gifted to Hyunjin one day. He hands them to Haseul. “I’m dying, Haseul. There is no way around that.”
Haseul reaches for his hand and holds it tightly in hers. Hot tears spill out of her eyes, chest tightening with each word her best friend utters. His eyes meet hers, tears falling down his face.
“I’m dying and I’m going to miss the rest of Hyunjin’s life. I won’t be there when she graduates high school or college. I won’t see her fall in love or be crowned the queen. I won’t be able to walk her down the aisle, or meet my grandchildren,” Kai’s voice breaks. “I need you to give her those gifts from me when she is old enough to assume the throne. She’s too young now to remember any advice I give her. Please, I need you to do this for me.”
Haseul covers his hand with both of hers, “I will.”
He regards his friend with a serious expression, “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“I know you love her,” his gaze stays on her unwavering. Haseul feels fresh tears tumbling from her eyes. “I know you love them both. Please, promise me you will take care of them.”
“Kai, you don’t even need to ask me to do that.”
He laughs through his tears, “I know, Seulie, Just promise me, okay?”
“I promise.” Haseul stands up and wraps her best friend in her arms. Kai crumbles in the warm embrace, his sobs reverberate off the office walls. And all Haseul can do is hold him.
The next morning, Haseul takes Hyunjin out to the garden while her parents talk, leaving the King and Queen alone. Kai tells Vivi with a choked voice and shaking hands. Vivi remains quiet as Kai explains. The only indication that she’s listening are the tears she cries. There aren’t enough words in the world to express what she’s feeling.
She has grown to love the man standing in front of her. She has grown with him. Vivi knew she would never have the luxury to marry for love, but she was lucky to marry a man she could fall in love with. Not in the way that romance movies portray, not in the way that she feels anything more than a familial love for him. But she loves him, he is a major piece of her life. He has been her confidant, her partner in crime, her rock to lean on, her co-parent. Her absolute best friend. They’ve both sacrificed so much for their people, for Fiore, and now he’s dying. He’s leaving her.
“I don’t want to lose you,” Vivi weeps. Kai hugs her to his chest, his hand gently running down the back of her head.
“I don’t want to go.”
“God, what are we going to tell Hyunjin?” Vivi’s stomach drops at the thought.
“The truth, when the time is right. For now, I have a present for her.” Kai brushes away Vivi’s tears with his thumbs. He strides across the room and pulls a giant teddy bear from the closet. A strangled laugh pushes out of Vivi’s lips.
“She’s going to lose her mind.”
“Come on, let’s go show her.” He takes her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. A quiet reassurance. He is here. For now, he is here.
When they reach the gardens, Hyunjin rushes to her dad. Her little feet trampling the ground as she stops in front of him. On his shoulders sits the giant teddy bear. Kai grins at his daughter. Her eyes wide and mouth agape.
“Is—is that for me?” She gasps.
“It is,” Kai kneels on the ground. “I love you beary much, Hyunnie.”
“I love you beary much, too, daddy,” she giggles and reaches her hand out to pet the teddy bear. “What’s it for?”
“When I’m gone, you can hug this all you want. It’ll be just like daddy is hugging you back,” Kai swallows past the lump in his throat. “When I can’t be with you, this bear can.”
Hyunjin hugs her dad excitedly, missing the misty eyes of her father and the crying women that stand behind her. The three adults brush their tears away before the princess can see.
The next week, Kai is with Hyunjin out on the east lawn. A target is a few feet away from them, a little kiddie bow in Hyunjin’s hands. He has wanted to teach this sport to Hyunjin for a while, but continually put it off. He can’t change the past, but he can spend what time he has left doing all that he wished to do with his daughter.
Kai kneels beside his daughter, adjusting her grip on the bow. Hyunjin furrows her brows in concentration, her tongue poking out. “Is this right, daddy?”
“You got it,” He beams at her. Kai spent the first half of the lesson teaching her the components of the bow and the lingo before bringing her to the practice range he set up. “Okay, now grab an arrow from your quiver.” Hyunjin’s small hands reach for the arrows in the quiver strapped to her waist.
“Nock the arrow,” she says, though she turns to her dad to double check.
“Yes!” Kai fist pumps and Hyunjin giggles. “You catch on fast, Hyunnie.” Hyunjin lifts the bow so her left arm is straight and her right arm is pulled back toward her face. Kai moves to lower her right arm slightly. “Keep it here, near your jaw. When you’re ready, take a deep breath and release.”
“Okay,” Hyunjin whispers, eyes focused forward. She takes a calming breath and makes sure her arrow is lined up with the center of the target. It’s no more than three feet away, and when she releases the string the arrow flies right into the target.
Kai cheers. “Center! Center! On your first shot, unbelievable!” He hoists his daughter up, spinning her in a circle while she laughs. “You’re a natural, baby! I’m so proud of you.”
Hyunjin’s smile is so bright, so happy. Kai’s heart aches knowing that his days seeing that smile are numbered. He squeezes her tightly in his arms, planting several kisses across her face as her laughter echoes through the property. The staff that mills around smile at the sight.
“Daddy, put me down, I wanna try again.” Once her feet are back on the ground, she rushes to duplicate the first shot. She turns to her dad with a proud smile, hoping for the same reaction, and when she gets it, her laugh is even louder. She never wants to forget this.
Vivi sits beside Kai’s hospital bed three months later. His condition had worsened quickly, forcing them to tell Hyunjin the truth sooner than they wanted. She looked at her parents curiously before stating that it was like when Kai went on business trips. They tried to tell her he wouldn’t be coming back this time, but Hyunjin would only hug her dad and not let go. She understood. But she didn’t want to.
Over the past few months, Vivi and Kai talked a lot. They broke the news to their country, fielded all the questions they had to, put everything they needed to in order. But they didn’t talk about the one thing that Kai believes is important. And even though his breathing is slowing, even though it hurts like hell to talk, he has to say it.
“You remember when we first met?” He wheezes, startling Vivi.
“Of course I do,” Vivi shifts in her seat. “You spilled your drink on me and said, ‘You’re not the first woman I made wet on first sight.’”
“You smacked me.” Kai’s breathing is getting shallower, his words slow to form.
“I think it was deserved,” Vivi laughs through her tears. Her chest is tightening with each passing second, hands shaking as she tries to cling to Kai as if her tight hold will keep him here.
“Haseul dared me to do it,” he admits with shallow breath. Though his eyes are dull, his smile broken, she can see the happiness. “She didn’t tell me you were the princess I was there to meet.”
“She always liked to play jokes on the more clueless nobles.” Vivi remembers the mischievous nature of Haseul. Where Vivi had to remain composed, Haseul had the ability to act out a little much to her royal friend’s delight. But after all these years, Vivi was unaware of who was behind her meeting her future husband. The thought hurts more at the realization.
“She talked a lot about this royal friend she had, I never knew it was you. I never knew it was you she was in love with until it was too late. Until we were engaged.” Kai begins to cough, full bodied, and wheezing. Vivi rushes to get him a drink, slowly rubbing his back. When he calms down enough to drink the water Vivi responds.
“I had a duty to the crown.”
Kai takes her hand, eye imploring her to listen. “You have given up so much for the crown, Vivi. It’s the crown’s turn to give you something.” His breathing is shallow, the heart monitor on the wall begins to slow. The beeps getting further and further apart. Kai speaks again, his voice barely a whisper, “I don’t regret a single moment with you and Hyunjin. You two were the greatest parts of my life. I love you both more than words can express….but I missed out on the kind of love they talk about in story books. Yours is right in front of you. Haseul is right there, Vivi. Don’t lose her.”
“I love you, Kai.” Vivi sobs when his smile fades and his hand goes limp. The monitor slows to a flatline letting out a prolonged beep. Vivi’s heart breaks. She leaves the hospital in a numb state, not entirely sure how she makes it back to the palace. All she remembers is falling asleep in their bed with Haseul holding her from behind and Hyunjin clinging to her front. They sleep like that for the whole week leading up to the funeral.
Haseul and Vivi have no idea how they made it through that week. It was difficult for them to leave the bed, to be away from Hyunjin for more than a few minutes. Any room they enter isn’t as bright as it once was. The palace is too quiet. No loud laughs, no commotions. There isn’t a smiling face to greet Vivi when she enters their shared office. No bad jokes or chaotic pranks.
The palace is full of people and yet it’s quiet. Dull. Lifeless.
Vivi and Haseul try their best to keep Hyunjin distracted, happy, but it doesn’t work. Hyunjin feels the absence, too. She looks for her dad every night, insists on going into every room in the palace before she will go to sleep. Hyunjin whispers that he will come back before she falls asleep.
Haseul and Vivi share in the misery that is losing their best friend. They find comfort in each other, but it doesn’t fill the void inside them. Doesn’t make the sharp shooting pain in their chests go away. Doesn’t stop the tears or loosens the tightness in their lungs. The three of them go through the motions, make appearances, plan the funeral. No strolls in the garden, or movie nights, or cuddles make that pain go away. No amount of love they pour into each other makes the fact that Kai is dead any less real.
The day they come back from the funeral, Hyunjin runs out of the car the moment it pulls up to the front steps. Vivi goes to follow her daughter, but the press surround them wanting a statement. Haseul gives Vivi a look and the Queen rushes after her daughter leaving Haseul to handle the press.
“As you can see, it is a very difficult time for the Queen and Princess,” Haseul says, her voice composed even with the tears threatening to fall. “I will answer some questions on their behalf.”
Haseul’s voice fades as Vivi rushes into the palace. Their staff point toward Hyunjin’s room, each person’s expression as pained as her own. The Queen reaches her daughters room and gently pushes the door open. Her lip trembles as her teary eyes find her five-year-old daughter sobbing on the giant teddy bear her father got her. Vivi takes tentative steps toward Hyunjin and rests against the bear with her.
“Oh, baby,” she sighs. Her fingers brush the dark locks out of her daughter’s face. Hyunjin peers up at her mom and the sight breaks Vivi’s heart. Hyunjin has always been bright, strong, a whirlwind of chaos wrapped in the gentlest shell. There haven't been many times that Vivi has seen her daughter cry; has seen her so broken. Vivi is certain if she looked in the mirror the pair would be wearing the same expression.
“Daddy said to hug the bear when he was gone,” Hyunjin’s voice is small, eyes searching for some kind of reassurance. Vivi isn’t sure she can give it. “He—he said it would be like hugging him. It’s not—it’s not the same, mommy. When is daddy coming back? I want him to come back.”
“He—” Vivi begins to cry harder, “He’s not coming back, sweetie. It’s just us now.” Hyunjin buries herself in her mom's arms, tugging one of the teddy bear's arms around them, too. That’s how Haseul finds them later, wrapped in the arms of a teddy bear; the teddy bear that is Hyunjin’s only physical connection to her dad. Haseul places a kiss on both of their heads before leaving the room, unsure of how any of them will move on from this.
Hyunjin is eight when she meets Yerim. The Princess is hiding in a small nook underneath the staircase in the main foyer. Her knees are pulled to her chest with her head on her arms as she cries. She overheard her mom and Haseul talking about the preparations for the annual memorial event for her dad. Hyunjin hates that it’s been almost three years without him, without his hugs. She’s slowly forgetting how his laugh sounded and the way his hugs felt. All she has left is a giant teddy bear and memories that are fading faster than she can grasp them. They slip through her fingers like fireflies on summer nights. The memorial is a reminder that her dad is gone and it still hurts.
Yerim finds her there on her way to the security room where her mom, Irene, is working. The two had arrived a few days before, not long after the old head of security moved out. Yerim’s mom, who’s now the head of security, told her to go explore the palace grounds and get familiar with it. She found all kinds of secret passages and hiding spots she could use to pull pranks, much to her mother’s dismay. That’s how she finds Hyunjin.
Yerim is aware that it’s the royal heiress. She’s aware what date is approaching. The young girl knows what it’s like to lose a parent, though she was far younger than Hyunjin when it happened. Still, the hole is there regardless.
“The guards have been looking for you,” Yerim approaches the crying girl.
“Let them look, they’ll find me eventually,” Hyunjin sighs and wipes her eyes. “Who are you?”
“Yerim,” she smiles, “my mom is your mom’s guard now. Wanna play a game?”
“I don’t really feel like it.” Hyunjin tucks herself tighter into herself and pulls her gaze away from Yerim.
“You’re already playing though,” Yerim tilts her head, her smile never fading.
“What?”
“All you have to do is hide, Hyunjin.” Yerim stretches out her hand. “Then we watch the guards frantically look for you and see how long it takes!”
Hyunjin hesitates but grabs the new girl’s hand and lets her drag her out of the foyer. The princess isn’t sure what to think of Yerim, who talks incessantly and never stops smiling, but something about it feels familiar. She finds herself smiling despite the ache in her chest.
The pair are inseparable by the end of Irene’s first week. Yerim doesn’t mind when Hyunjin gets quiet, she fills the silence. She doesn’t question why Hyunjin talks to the teddy bear in her room, or why she randomly cries. But seeing Yerim happy without a dad, gives Hyunjin hope that she’ll be okay, too.
Vivi watches the friendship bloom, relieved that her daughter has found a friend. The life of a princess is often a lonely one, she remembers that well. Her friends were other princesses and nobles until she met Haseul. Though Vivi is happy that her daughter has a companion, she isn’t happy about the absolute chaos the duo causes in the palace. Wherever Hyunjin and Yerim are there is a guarantee that something will break or laughter will echo through the corridors.
She’ll never forget going to take a piece of pie only for a frog to jump out covered in cherry filling. Vivi knew immediately who the culprits were and found them giggling in the pantry of the kitchen. Despite the mischief the pair gets up to, Vivi is beyond thankful for Yerim coming into Hyunjin’s life. The security guard’s daughter reminds the Queen so much of Kai, with her bright smile and silly antics.
The Queen tried her best to cheer up her daughter after Kai’s passing. They watch movies, play card games, go for walks in the woods, but it’s difficult. Vivi is running the country alone now and it pulls so much time from being with Hyunjin. She couldn’t grieve as long as she needed to, she had to jump back into her duties as a queen and as a mother. Haseul does her best to be there for Hyunjin; playing with her, talking to her, simply being there. But having a friend her own age, someone who understands that loss and is okay, that was something Hyunjin needed.
Even if it gives the whole palace headaches.
It only gets worse when the Queen finds the two girls out in the gardens with a new friend. “Mom, we found her on the front step!” Hyunjin grins tugging her new friend toward her mother.
“Yeah, can we keep her, Your Majesty?” Yerim adds with a bright smile.
“She’s a person, girls, not a puppy,” Vivi looks over the young girl, “where are your parents, sweetie?”
“My name’s Hyejoo,” she frowns, “and they left me.”
“See, we can keep her right?” Hyunjin looks at her mom, her bottom lip jutting out.
“Let me go talk to Haseul, you three stay here okay? Don’t go too far.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Yerim says only for Hyunjin to smack her arm. Vivi shakes her head and walks back toward the palace.
“Stop, you can just call her my mom,” Hyunjin grumbles.
“She’s the Queen, Hyun. I’m young, not stupid.” Yerim rolls her eyes and turns to their new friend. “Wanna play a game we call Hide Hyunjin?”
“Sure, what do we do?” Hyejoo looks between her new friends who are both grinning.
“We hide Hyunjin and then laugh as the security guards can’t find her,” Yerim giggles, “They can be kinda dumb.” Hyejoo agrees and the trio rushes off deeper into the garden losing Hyunjin’s security guards on the way. Hyejoo stays hidden with Hyunjin in one of the bushes deep within the garden. They watch in amusement as Yerim walks innocently up to a guard.
“Mr. Guard Sir, I can’t find Hyunjin,” Yerim pouts.
“You hid her again, didn’t you?” The guard sighs when Yerim’s shrug. He speaks into his radio, “Code 2, the Cat is missing again.”
“Are they playing Hide Hyunjin again?” Another voice calls through the speaker. “I’ll alert the Deer and Dove.” A few beats pass before Vivi’s voice can be heard through the whole garden.
“I told them to stay there!” Vivi yells, causing Hyunjin and Hyejoo to giggle in the bushes. It doesn’t take long for them to be found, but the trio have never smiled so big. Vivi and Haseul, always weak to the kids happiness, take them down to the kitchen and get to know Hyejoo over bowls of ice cream.
Hyejoo, being abandoned, allows for the Crown to take on legal guardianship of her. Haseul offers to look after the dark haired girl, but everyone in the palace begins to pitch in just as they do for Yerim and Hyunjin. Though Hyejoo technically lives in the suite with Haseul, she spends most nights sleeping in Hyunjin’s room with Yerim.
The trio, though a bit destructive, are sweeter than anything. Hyejoo is often found rummaging through the kitchen for snacks for Hyunjin when she’s sad. Or Yerim who takes the blame for pranks they pull to protect her friends. Or Hyunjin who settles disputes with a fair hand.
Vivi watches as her daughter grows older with her best friends. She watches as Hyunjin takes on more of the qualities of her late father. Hyunjin has always been kind and thoughtful, but the older she gets the more obvious it becomes to Vivi. Her daughter is strategic like she is, organized like Haseul, and brave like her father. Hyunjin goes down to Strelitzia and gives aid where it is needed, she hears the needs of the people and brings the information back to her mom. And she does so with her friends, who share similar traits.
Though that’s easy to forget when the flower pots on her balcony keep breaking.
Vivi initially thinks it was stray rocks hit by the lawnmowers, but when she steps out onto her balcony one afternoon her suspicions are disproved. Her newly potted plant is shattered by an arrow that flies past her.
“Hey!” She yells, looking around the grounds below. Unsurprisingly, she sees the thirteen-year-old trio looking up at her sheepishly.
“Sorry, mom,” Hyunjin ducks her head. In her hand is an old bow and arrow from the barn that Vivi recognizes. “We’ve been trying to practice.”
Vivi remembers a time after Kai’s death when she found Hyunjin out by the practice range. Her small bow in her hand, arrows littering the ground around her, and tears streaming down her face. The young girl kept repeating that she couldn’t do it, that it wasn’t working. All Hyunjin wanted was to make her dad proud, and now she can’t even succeed in the last thing he taught her. Vivi’s heart broke then and it breaks again now realizing the once talented little archer can’t even remember the basics Kai taught her.
Maybe she doesn’t want to.
“Let me at least get you three a trainer, okay? I don’t need to lose an eye,” Vivi forces a laugh and smiles at her daughter, who beams right back.
“You’d look good with an eye patch, Your Majesty,” Yerim grins with a thumbs up. Hyejoo nods along beside her.
“I’d rather not have to find out, Yerim.” Vivi looks back to her daughter, “If you are going to practice for now, how about aiming out toward the pond.”
“Sure thing, mom.” Hyunjin blows her mom a kiss before turning to face the opposite direction. Her friends duck behind a tree just in case. Vivi keeps her eyes on her daughter, watching her form before the arrow goes flying, though not in the direction of the pond. The grin Hyunjin shoots at her friends is so similar to that of Kai’s that Vivi loses her breath.
Hyunjin offers the bow to Yerim and helps her hold it like she had. She talks carefully, gestures to Yerim, before giving her an encouraging thumbs up. Everything about the moment reminds Vivi of her late best friend, and though the ache has dulled over the years, it has never disappeared. Watching Hyunjin playing with the bow and arrow, her heart swells and a tear slides down her cheek.
“She is so much like her father,” Haseul’s voice says from behind her. All Vivi can do is nod. Haseul wraps her arms around the Queen and the pair watches in wonder at the magnificent woman Hyunjin is growing into.
Vivi smiles, “Kai would be so proud of her.”
The Jeon’s garden is in full bloom during the spring. The colorful array of flowers brightens the outdoor area. Sun glistens off the lake, casting a glare that many of the nobles turn their backs to. Hyunjin isn’t one of them. She sits, as elegantly as one can, on a rock near the lake. Her floral dress ruffles in the breeze, flower petals float past her and drift into the water. She shouldn’t be hiding, she’s well aware of that. But, to be fair, she is in plain sight for anyone who may want to talk.
Hyunjin did her rounds though. She already greeted the dignitaries of all ranks. She’s said hello to those royals within her age. She had polite chit-chat with Queen Jessica and her sister, Princess Krystal. Hyunjin even danced a few rounds with Dukes, Lady’s, and even one Lord who would not stop pestering her—he proceeded to step on her foot multiple times before she called it quits.
She’s not really hiding as much as she’s taking a break. There’s no rest for a princess, especially one that is to assume the throne in two years time. Hyunjin has to make a good impression on everyone she meets. There are potential investors, alliances, and partnerships that can be formed at these functions. Vivi has drilled that in her head. Her mom also tells her that there is no fault in taking a moment to collect oneself.
“It is better to face them with a clear head than one on the verge of exploding,” Vivi tells her before each event. Mostly in response to the one Kai Memorial Ball when Hyunjin was ten and she had screamed at King Seokjin for taking the last brownie. Hyunjin had been tired, overwhelmed, missing her father terribly, and lashed out. King Seokjin, being nothing but kind when addressing Hyunjin that evening. He missed Kai, too, and her outburst was a normal reaction to stress.
She misses both of the late Kings.
Hyunjin walks herself over to the lake feeling too overwhelmed. She sent Vivi the look and the Queen simply nodded, turning back to her conversation with Countess Eunbi.
She isn’t sure she wants to go back to the party at all. It’s not much of a party as much as it’s an opportunity for the nobles and royals to flaunt their ridiculous wealth and status. Hyunjin doesn’t care for it. She wants to discuss issues that matter, not listen to people boast and try to one up each other. But it’s her duty to attend these events; to save face and make sure she is well aligned to make the best decisions for her people.
“Is this seat taken?” A slow, sweet voice asks from behind her. Hyunjin turns to find Princess Jinsol smiling softly. The blonde princess gestures to the rock beside Hyunjin.
“It’s all yours.” The pair sit on the rocks staring out at the lake. Voices rise and fall from up in the garden. Laughter reaches their ears before the music picks back up again.
“You look beautiful today, Hyunjin,” Jinsol says breaking the quiet.
“Only today?” Hyunjin teases, sparing a glance at the woman beside her.
“Now you’re fishing for compliments,” Jinsol laughs.
“And have I caught one?” Hyunjin raises an eyebrow, lips contorting into a sly smirk.
“You look more beautiful every time I see you.” The sincerity in Jinsol’s voice brings Hyunjin to duck her head. Jinsol pokes her in the side.
Hyunjin takes a deep breath and lifts her head, her eyes shining, “you probably say that to all the women.”
“Not true,” Jinsol defends. “I said it to a man once. He appreciated it more than you.” Hyunjin laughs this time, it’s loud. Her hand covering her mouth as she looks away.
“Thank you, Jinsol,” Hyunjin says softly when her laughter dies down. She leans closer to the blonde princess, their shoulders touching. She doesn’t normally appreciate company when she’s trying to clear her head. But it’s different with Jinsol.
The two princesses stay like that, watching the flowers dance in the wind on their way to the water. They watch the sun slowly sink little by little into the horizon. They only break apart when Lady Jungeun comes to find Jinsol, pulling her back toward the garden because Jinsol promised her a dance.
Hyunjin misses her company the moment she’s gone.
Haseul hears snickering as she’s walking past a hall in the palace. She knows this palace like the back of her hand, so when she peers down the hallway and finds it empty, she knows that the trio have found their way into the secret room. Haseul found that room by pure accident once and happened to stumble upon Vivi during her explorations. Many secret dates and moments of reprieve from duties were held in that room. But, knowing where that room leads lets Haseul in on what the trio have planned.
Hyunjin, Hyejoo, and Yerim have always been troublemakers around the palace. That is well known on the property. Haseul has hoped that the three women would have grown out of it now, but it appears that they’re up to their tricks again. Hyunjin has returned home from college, she’d studied public and international affairs on a fast track to graduate in time to assume the throne. Yerim and Hyejoo have been studying at the local college, though while Hyunjin has been away, their antics have not been as frequent. The three women call themselves sisters, even triplets, especially when they all had brown hair that one year and the staff struggled to tell them apart. That only made their pranks even more elaborate.
Vivi’d had to kick Yerim out of a meeting of the Parliament as she was disguised as Hyunjin. It didn’t take long for the Queen to realize that her daughter was not the one sitting beside her.
Haseul approaches the wall with the hidden door, and runs her finger along the molding until it catches on a piece. To any other eye, it would be a dented portion of molding, but Haseul pushes down and watches as the wall swings open revealing a staircase.
Her steps are light as she ascends the stairs, ducking her head not to hit the low ceiling of the room. She hears their laughter again as she gets closer to the room off to the right. The room sits above the kitchen, a grate in the wall opens to give sightlines throughout the whole kitchen. Whoever had designed this palace was spying on everyone , and the trio had every intention of using it for their own gains.
“Girls,” Haseul whispers. The three women startle, yelping as they jump up. Their heads smack the ceiling. “What are you up to?” Hyunjin, Hyejoo, and Yerim exchange guilty glances.
“Mom,” Hyejoo blanches. Though the Crown had fiscal responsibility for Hyejoo, Haseul took on the parenting role with the young girl. Haseul’s heart still warms when she hears that word. “We—um, we’re…”
“You act like such a badass and you’re still scared of your mom,” Hyunjin laughs.
“Please, you do the same with your mom, Hyun,” Yerim rolls her eyes.
“She’s the Queen!” Hyunjin glares at her friend. “Don’t act like you aren’t scared of Irene, too.”
“And? She is armed and well trained, I am not messing with that,” Yerim counters. Haseul watches them go back and forth before intervening.
“Anyone care to explain what you’re doing in here?” Haseul tries again.
“Nothing?” Hyunjin offers weakly. The three women glance through the grate and then back to Haseul.
“Nice try,” Haseul says. “Who are you messing with in the kitchen?”
“How do you—?” Hyejoo tilts her head.
“We’re messing with Yeojin,” Yerim admits with a grin.
“Yerim!” Hyejoo and Hyunjin both hit the girl on the arm.
“Why are you messing with Yeojin?” Haseul kneels to the ground, her back hurting from the hunched position she has been keeping. “For fun or for revenge?”
“Revenge,” Hyejoo says.
“She said something mean and we’re getting her back,” Hyunjin shrugs.
“Yeah, she said you follow Vivi around like a lost puppy.” Yerim receives another round of smacks from Hyejoo and Hyunjin.
“Please stop hitting her,” Haseul sighs. “Is there a frog in the pie?” The trio share grins but shake their heads. “Is it dangerous, deadly, or disgusting?”
“Disgusting,” they say in unison. This is a system Haseul has developed over the years with the three. Their pranks have often been harmless, but there are occasions where they don’t think of the ramifications of their actions, and people have been hurt. When the prank is disgusting, though, Haseul usually makes them clean up the mess after and tell Vivi. But, the chef’s daughter could use a lesson in making fun of her.
“Good luck,” Haseul starts backing out the room. “Don’t get caught, and when you do, I know nothing about this. I was never here.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Hyejoo smiles. Yerim nods in agreement, giving her a thumbs up.
“Yeah, thanks, Mam—Haseul…” Hyunjin turns her head away to look back in the grate. Haseul turns before the girls can see the pained expression on her face. As she’s walking back down the stairs, she hears a crash, followed by a scream. She closes the hidden door and proceeds to her office without a glance back.
A few weeks later, Hyunjin’s standing in her mom’s suite. It’s the day after her twenty-first birthday, and she’s supposed to be celebrating with Yerim and Hyejoo. They had a whole weekend planned, but her mom had requested her presence. And when the Queen requests one's presence, there’s no avoiding it, especially when the Queen is her mom.
“What’s going on, mom? Is there something wrong with Haseul?” Hyunjin reaches out to her mom who is sitting on the lounge chaise.
“No, Haseul is fine,” Vivi regards her daughter. She’s grown so much. Long gone are the days she asks for bedtime stories or tea parties. Long gone are the movie night cuddles and walks in the garden with Haseul. Hyunjin isn’t a kid anymore. She has a degree and real world experience. She’s taller than her mom and built strong like her dad. Yet, despite the fact that Hyunjin is grown enough to care for herself, Vivi had hoped she could do this one last thing to take care of her daughter.
“Mom, you’re scaring me.” Hyunjin crosses the room and sits beside her mom. “Can you please tell me?” Hyunjin remembers the last time her mom was this quiet and it ended with her telling Hyunjin that her father was dying. The Princess can only imagine the worst right now.
“You know about our Fiore's marriage law, right?”
“Yeah, it states that any heir or heiress to the throne must marry before they can be crowned,” Hyunjin states, “what does this—oh…”
“You’re twenty-one now, you’re expected to take the throne within the next few years…” Vivi runs a hand over her face, finally meeting her daughter's concerned gaze. “I spent most of my time as queen trying to repeal this law. It isn’t fair to force anyone into a marriage they do not want for politics.”
“But you and dad…”
“I loved Kai, I don’t regret my marriage with him, but I didn't love him like that…” Vivi wistfully looks away. Hyunjin knows without asking who Vivi loves. Haseul has been there long before Hyunjin was adopted and has stayed this whole time. She’d be blind and stupid not to notice the way the women look at each other. Hyunjin and her friends don’t understand why they aren’t together, yet.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I never wanted you to have to marry someone so you can rule the country, but those crotchety old men in parliament won’t listen to me.” Vivi grabs Hyunjin’s hand. “I wanted to be able to give you the option to choose who you will marry based on who you love, but I failed. The parliament has given you a year to find a suitable partner to marry before you can assume the throne.”
“And if I don’t?”
“The crown will go to the next family in line, the Choi’s. But this throne has been in the hands of our family for centuries and—” Vivi takes a calming breath, her shoulder dropping. “I don’t want you to worry about that.”
“No, this is our family’s crown, I won’t let us lose that,” Hyunjin stands.
“Hyunnie, I’m so sorry, I wanted to give you the life your father and I didn’t get to have.”
“It’s okay, mom. It’s my duty, and I will fulfill it.” Hyunjin kisses her mom on the forehead and turns to leave. When the door shuts, both let out the tears they held back.
Later, Haseul is walking back to her suite after dealing with a fiasco in the kitchen because of Hyejoo and Yerim. She’s passing Hyunjin’s room when she hears the familiar sounds of the girl’s sobs. Haseul is thrown back to the day she found Vivi and little Hyunjin after Kai’s funeral, and her heart aches.
Worry gets the best of her and she pushes the door open slightly and hesitates. Hyunjin is curled in the arms of the giant teddy bear that still resides in the corner of her room. She’s crying into the matted fur, hands clutching at the soft body of the teddy bear.
“I miss you, Dad,” Hyunjin cries. “I wish I could remember how your hugs feel. I wish I could remember more about you other than the stories mom and Haseul tell me...I miss you so much. Mom does her best. Haseul, too. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love. I can’t—I can’t do this, Dad. But I have to, it’s my duty. I have a duty to my people, to Fiore…”
There is a moment of quiet before a loud sob erupts from the young woman’s lips. Haseul doesn’t hesitate anymore. She crosses the room and wraps her arms around Hyunjin’s shaking body. The Princess collapses into the embrace, clinging to Haseul like she had clung to her mom all those years ago.