/The Cursed Prince/ Hwang Hyunjin

Decisions.

Pearl's pov.

Jisung's ceremony was canceled and instead they postponed it but this time it was going to be Hyunjin's crowning.
We went inside the palace and my mum,the King and the Queen went to another room to discuss some things.
Me,Jisung and Felix we all helped Hyunjin to go rest on his bed. Even though we healed him from his wound he needed rest. He lost a lot of blood.

We went to a big living room and sat there.
Jisung and Felix were holding hands. I couldn't stop smiling they were adorable.
"Princess Pearl thank you for helping my brother and saved him. You helped me too. We are strangers but you cared for all of us."he smiled and rubbed my back.
"Please just call me Pearl or I will call you Prince Jisung all the time and you don't need to thank me because all of you helped me find my mother too and you risk your life. I am happy that all of us are happy now even though Kkami.." I couldn't continue what I was saying tears were ready to fall from my eyes.
"Yeah Felix told me about it earlier. I'm sorry for your loss. Kkami was a good guardian and friend to you. At least his sacrifice was worth it after all but he didn't deserve this." he looked at Felix and Felix was sad too.
"I'm sure he is happy now that we made it." I smiled weakly.

Jisung and Felix hugged each other. I'm sure they want to be alone now.
"Jisung is it okay if walk around the palace? I really want to see all of it." I asked him.
"Of course you can Pearl. You can consider here your home if you want. Just don't go on the royal bedroom I think father doesn't like expose his private areas in the castle." he told me and I stood up.
"Yes of course I wasn't going to the bedrooms anyways." I said left the living room.

I was wandering around the corridors while I was examining the walls and the ceilings.
Everything had blue and gold colors. The ceilings had delicated shapes and paintings and the portraits on the wall were showing the past royal families of the kingdom.
This castle was so different from my mum's. Here you can feel the love from the families and kingdom's people in addition to mum's where hate was only existed.

I walk through a big room with a piano in a corner. I assumed this was where ceremonies or parties were taken place.
"Princess Pearl?" I heard a voice and I turned around and saw a middle aged woman.
"Please just call me Pearl." I smiled.
"I can't Your Grace I am servant here. Prince Jisung told me I will find you around the castle. I have orders to clean you and dress you up. Please follow me." she said and starting walking away.
"Wait wait you don't have too. I never asked that." I said in hurry and ran behind her.
"It doesn't matter Your Grace. I have orders please help me fullfill Prince Jisung's orders." she said and smiled.
She was really sweet.
I nodded and we went to a big bedroom and there were more servants.
"We will now clean you Your Grace." the lady said and everyone got around me.

They treated some wounds that I had and with towels brash the dirt away.
They brash my hair and styled it with the pearls I already had.
"We will now dress you up Your Grace." and the lady took a long skirt with different shades of blue on it and put it on me. It had glitter details and also some pearls here and there.
They changed my old bra with a new one the same pattern as the skirt and then put pearl earings on my ears.
"Can we take out your necklace? a servant asked me.
"No please don't I love this necklace and I think it fits the whole look." I looked myself in the mirror. I had never imagined myself like this. I was actually looking like an actual princess.
"Thank you so much for your hard work. Everything is lovely. I hope you have been treated well here." I said and bowed to them.
"Don't bow to servants Your Grace you don't need to." the lady said.
"But I want to so I will do it. I have one question though. Does this castle have a garden or something like that?" I asked them and they smiled.
"Of course. I will lead you there Your Grace." the lady said.
"Thank you so much." I said excited almost like a baby. "Also can you tell me your name?"
"My name is Hailey Your Grace." she bowed and I did the same.
"Nice to meet you Hailey."

She leaded me to the back of the castle and once we went outside my jaw dropped.
It wasn't like the gardens outside the water obviously but it was as beautiful.
Small fishes,big fishes,different kind of plants with many colors,corals and they even had benches and a table with chairs for the royal family to sit and relax.
It was truly amazing.
"Thank you Hailey you don't have to be with me now. I will stay here for a little,it's beautiful. I know how to come back now." I bowed and she did the same and left.

I started walking around the garden.
After a while I sat on the bench and was just enjoying the view.
"You really belong here Princess Pearl." I heard a voice and I saw Hyunjin coming to my way.
"Hyunjin you need to rest more why did you wake up?" I said worried and crossed my arms.
"I couldn't sleep more and I am fine. I heard the servants talking about a beautiful princess and I thought that they were talking about you. So I asked them where you were and Hailey told me that you are on the garden." he came closer to me and took my hands and hold them.
"Yes I couldn't resist it's beautiful here." I smiled widely and looked around.
"God do you know how adorable and gorgeous you are right now?" Hyunjin said and I turned looked at him. I blushed immediately.
He leaned down and kissed me gently.
I felt butterflies in my stomach and I smiled through the kiss.
"Pearl you know I am crazy for you?" he asked me and looked at me in the eyes.
"I know Your Highness." I smiled and he hugged me tightly.
"Pearl I have to ask you. What will you do now? Will you stay in the sea or return to the surface?" he asked and I saw that he was worried.
"I don't know Hyunjin. Can I just leave my life back in the surface and start living here? And my dad? After all he did for me I will turn my back to him?" I looked down.
I know he was disappointed with my answer. But I need time to think.

He lifted my chin up.
"Pearl don't worry. We wil get through this together okay? There is no rush. Take your time. Whatever you decide it's best for you. I will support you. Of course I want you with me but it's your life not mine. You get to decide." he made feel so safe and loved.
"Thank you for understanding." I hugged him tightly again and he stroke my hair.
"Everything for you Princess." he said and kissed my head.