Into The Mirror

Chapter 2

As Subin neared the town centre he could hear the usual shouting of the stall owners at the market, along with the chattering of the many people milling about. Market day was the busiest day of the week, and a day that many people looked forward to, the young prince included. Although, on that day he just wanted to appreciate the sunny spring weather.

Subin only rarely bought things from the stalls, he rather preferred just walking around, occasionally talking to the people who would approach him, or the stall owners he knew. There were a few that he spoke to every time he went, including some of the ahjummas, who for some reason, he didn't mind them babying him.

Some of the people walking past him greeted him as he entered the main square of the town, and he smiled back, not really in the mood to talk to people.

One of the stalls he usually visited was a stall owned by one of the friendly ahjummas, who always had her dog next to her. The dog usually didn't like people, she had told him, but for some reason the dog liked Subin, so much so that she always looked out for him. The dog, called Mia, soon noticed him as he made his way over to the stall.

"Ah, my handsome Subinnie!" The ahjumma exclaimed, almost completely ignoring the customer she was serving.

"Hello, ahjumma!" Subin said with as much enthusiasm as he could put into it being in the mood he was in. He still bowed slightly to her, not forgetting his manners.

She waved her hand at him dismissively. "None of that."

He crouched down and petted Mia while the ahjumma finished serving the customer.

"Now." She turned to him. "What's wrong with you today? I can't be having you all gloomy, young man!"

"Nothing much. Nobody wants to entertain me in the palace." Subin replied, looking up at her, seeing her face wasn't convinced.

"I was bored, but everyone is busy, so I snuck out." He explained.

"You know", she looked him up and down, "you need a boyfriend. Then you wouldn't be bored and moping around all the time. Find someone to spend all that 'free time' with!"

"Wait- how did you know?" She smiled at his confused face.

"I've seen the way you look at girls, my dear." She said with a knowing smile, turning back to the customer who had been standing there waiting for her to acknowledge them.

"You know I would never be accepted like that." He muttered. He knew she most likely wouldn't hear him. 

Subin decided to leave her to focus on her work and wondered of to explore more of the market. It was days like these that made him wish he was born into a normal family, without the pressures of being part of the royal family. Being able to do what he wanted, when he wanted, with who he wanted was all he ever dreamed of. That and also having someone that was just his friend that he didn't have to 'share' with his brothers, as selfish as it sounded. He didn't want to share friends with his brothers, or be friends with someone just because they were part of a prestigious family, or because they knew his brothers.

In his bid to get away from the bustling town square, he wondered further through the town, eventually finding himself towards the outskirts furthest away from the palace. He had only been here a few times, and that was when he was with another person, so being by himself probably wasn't the best idea, he had to admit.