❛ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ❜ | jsc

10

the day had arrived, that sungchan was supposed to propose to princess jeon bom. she had once again visited the palace and was now waiting for her prince in the garden, where their first meeting took place the most.

word had spread across the entire castle that today was the day that prince sungchan would be proposing to his future bride. everyone was excited, people running around to make sure everything was the uttermost perfection.

when aera had heard the news, she didn't feel any joy at all. it felt as though someone had taken a sharpened knife and dug it deep into her heart. as tears slowly started forming in her eyes, she gently dropped herself to the floor, feeling to much pain to stand. she knew fully well that she was feeling like this because of the soulmate bond.

when renjun saw this, he rushed to her side, pulling her into his warm embrace. "aera! are you okay?"

aera stared at renjun with a tear slowly falling from her eye, making its way down her cheek. "he's my soulmate." she whispered to her best friend, biting her cheek to make her stop tearing up.

renjun eye's widened as he heard her words. it came as news to him as she hadn't told him yet. "the.. prince?" he asked unsure.

aera slowly nodded as more tears spilled down her cheeks. renjun pulled her closer in their embrace, making her feel a little better.

"pardon me for intruding, but it wouldn't be me if i didnt ask if you were okay" a kind voice sounded behind the duo as renjun and aera looked up to find a pretty girl dressed in a simple yet gorgeous flower dress.

aera forced a smile through her tears as she wiped them away with one of her dress sleeves. "i'm better now, thank you for asking."

aera had never seen the girl before, however she had this energy radiating from her that made aera want to be friends with her. it was bom's nature to be kind to everyone, even if she had something more important on her mind.

however, the feeling of wanting friendship with the girl soon sunk when aera saw a certain prince briskly walked over towards the group, his attitude colder than ever paired with a scowl etched slightly onto his face.

"princess bom, welcome back." sungchan bowed as he kissed her hand as per the custom. he completely ignored aera's presence, treating her as if she wasn't even there.

it wasn't as thought he wanted to ignore her, but after their last meeting he couldn't bring it up to look her in the eye. she had been one of his biggest distractions, aching to be in her presence. however, he had no time to get distractions. the only thoughts allowed in his mind right now, was his kingdom and the marriage. aera didn't fit anywhere into the equation.

renjun eyed the prince, not liking the attitude that sungchan was exhibiting towards his best friend. all he could do was glare to the prince.

bom replied to sungchan with a genuine smile. "thank you, it's nice to see you again prince sungchan."

however genuine bom's smile was, she was still masking her pain. not even she truly wanted this marriage and she was a girl that believed in the royal system and its customs. her heart ached for the soulmate that she had only met once but she put this aside and continued to smile.

bom pointed towards aera and renjun, much to their surprise. "i've just met these two, would you mind if i spent some time with someone other than you for a bit?" she requested of sungchan.

sungchan paused, wondering how on earth his fiance and his soulmate would ever get along. but he couldn't say anything out loud. instead he nodded and retreated, allowing the trio to exit the scene.

aera's gaze followed her soulmate until he was out of sight, wondering why he had suddenly been so cold around her. her attention slowly switched to bom.

as they entered the garden, bom took aera's hand in hers and smiled sweetly. "you don't have to tell me why you were crying. but i do hope we can be friends. after all, i'm going to have to live here soon in a place where i don't have any friends"

bom paused for a moment before continuing. "i don't even have someone i truly love."

aera lips slightly parted as she heard those words. "you don't... love him?"

bom's face fell. "well, no. i'm doing this because it's my duty. my heart... belongs to someone else."

"your soulmate?" aera guessed and bom nodded.

aera couldn't hate bom even if she tried. both girls were beyond kind and as a result they got along extremely well. aera felt sad for the girl, they were both in the same exact situation. teared away from their soulmates.

"have you any of you found your soulmate?" bom asked both renjun and aera to change the attention to them.

renjun shook his head. "i haven't, but she has."

aera blushed and looked in a different direction as bom clapped her hands together delightedly. "that's wonderful!"

aera's expression didn't match the joyful one from bom. "yes... it is. but i'll never be able to be with him."

bom's eyes saddened, feeling aera's pain. "oh... i'm sorry."

"it's okay it's not your fault," as soon as these words left aera's mouth, renjun raised a brow. aera's noticed as she softly pushed him. after all, it really wasn't bom's fault.

aera decided to lay down on the soft grass, staring at the blue sky, wondering why on earth she had to be the one to feel this type of pain. finding your soulmate was supposed to be the light at the end of a long tunnel, but yet, finding sungchan only meant a never ending tunnel of pain and misery.

bom laid down next to aera and stared up at the sky as well, her mind drifting to the boy that she had found to be her soulmate. if it were up to her she would be running to him in a heartbeat.

renjun awkwardly sat with the two depressed girls and at some point he clapped his hands together, "why are you accepting this as your fate?" he asked both of them, making them look at him curiously.

aera turned to look at bom, maybe renjun was right.