𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 - 𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧

(twelve)

We say goodbye to everybody and get back in the carriage. Some people complained that we're leaving a day early, but Princess Siyeon said we have "important business to attend to". I don't know what she's talking about, but I guess I'll know whenever we encounter this important business.

"You look tired," Princess Siyeon says, "Please, feel free to go to sleep. We have quite a long journey home."

"Kim Bora." I open my eyes to see Princess Siyeon standing next to me.

"Are we stopped? Are we home?"

She smiles. "I'm not. Come on, follow me." She takes my hand and pulls me out of the carriage. Immediately I'm attacked by the familiar brilliant sun and dry air I grew up with.

I hesitantly ask if we can visit my family while we're stopped. The Princess tells me that's the reason we stopped in the first place.

"Okay, follow me, then." I keep a tight hold on her hand as I run down the streets I know well until I come to a stop at a grey house with boarded up windows. The Princess stands beside me, panting and wheezing from running in such a dry climate. I forgot some people didn't grow up in a desert. I ensure she's okay and breathing properly before we climb up the porch steps.

I knock on the window rather than the door, knowing it echoes more in the house. A voice calls out, "I have a knife!" Jiwon must be home alone.

"Wow, what a welcome home!" I see Jiwon's eyes peer between the slats in the wood boards, blinking rapidly when she sees us. I hear all three locks on the door disengage before Jiwon runs out and tackles me in a hug. I pick her up and spin around. "God, you got so big, little bug!"

Jiwon shifts her attention from me to the Princess. "You look familiar..." she says, trying to remember why she recognises that face. I whisper in her ear that she's talking to the Princess, and immediately Jiwon begins apologising profusely. The Princess assures her it's okay, but Jiwon feels bad anyway and asks us to come inside.

The three of us sit on the couch waiting for my parents. Princess Siyeon looks uncomfortable and afraid. Maybe she understands how I felt when I first got to the palace. Both of us had to challenge our comfort zones.

"Bug, we got juice! And hella cheap. It's good for three days, max, so we gotta drink it quick. Think we can do it?" Mom shouts from the entryway. She shouts Jiwon's name again when she doesn't respond.

After another painful silence, my mother walks into the house. She turns the corner into the living room with dad hot on her heels. She sees me and gasps, her hands flying up to cover her face. My dad dives to the floor to catch the bottle of juice before it can hit the ground. Of course, he hits his head and his elbows in the process, but he saved the juice. Only now does he notice me.

"Hi, guys," I whisper, "I missed you." Both of my parents charge me at once, hugging me tight and crying. I cry with them, tears of both grief and gratitude. I miss everything I left behind, but I left to ensure their safety, and they're all okay. I can see each of them has a little more meat on their bones and a skip in their step.

Once we've all finished crying, I see the Princess shifting uncomfortably out of the corner of my eye. "Oh! Mama, papa, this is Princess Siyeon."

Both of them bow and greet her respectfully. And then they insist we stay for dinner. I look to the Princess for approval and she smiles at me, which I'll take as a good sign. We agree to stay, and my mother claps her hands, squealing.

"Why don't you go show your friend around while I start dinner?" She says. I'd really prefer not to, but if it'll make mom happy, I'll do it.

She's already seen the entire downstairs: entryway and attached kitchen and living room, which is really more like just a kitchen we somehow fit a couple of couches into.