Coup De Foudre // Joo Seokhoon × Bae Rona (feat. Lee Minhyuk) AU 🌃🌌🌙

3// Fated Betrothal

Year 1910
The Great Ha Kingdom
Palais de la rêverie

'What about a game of polo?'

Kang suggests as the others all nod in agreement.

After breakfast, the rest of the royal children ventured out to the private gardens to enjoy the famous homemade and aged red wines of the palace.

At the agreement of playing polo, the males all went in to change into the proper outfit and gear for the sport.

Minhyuk was the first to come out, swiftly wearing the black leather gloves. He smirks and sneakily approaches Rona who was leaning on the huge banisters of the neoclassical balcony.

'Don't even try to sneak up on me.... I heard and saw you from my peripheral vision.'

The princess comments in her low and chill voice. Turning around she rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the prince who silently pouts at her cold reply.

'Aishhh!!! Your no fun.... you could have at least pretended to be shocked.'

From the side Eunbyeol, the youngest princess of the Ha Kingdom could only laugh at the petty bickering.

Prince HaRu soon approaches his sister and smiles as he sweetly helps the younger female to wear her leather gloves.

' Did you wear your boots yet? You should probably ride with oppa today. Unless......'

The charming prince swiftly leans forward and continues as he whispers beside Eunbyeol's ear.

'Unless you want to ride with DoHyun...'

As soon as he finished talking, HaRu receives a painful slap on the shoulders from his youngest sibling.

'Oppa!!!! Shut up or else I'll tell Princess Eun that you still cry whenever you have nightmares.'

Somehow the siblings also start to bicker but eventually they would stop at the appearance of the two elder Lee brothers.

The polo field of the palace was far from the gardens, hence they needed to ride on horses to go there.

As the servants brought the groomed and beautiful horses over. Minhyuk smiles almost arrogantly as he flaunts his new horse that was brought over from Persia.

A dashing and tall White male horse.

Reaching his hand out, the prince smirks and speaks in his boyish and low tone.

'Your highness.... My dearest grand princess, would you please?'

Rona scoffs but still accepts his hand. Minhyuk effortlessly lifts the princess up and helps her sit on the sadle. After adjusting her long and fluffy silk gown, the prince himself jumps up and sits behind the princess basically wrapping her into a backhug.

'You really take every chance you can get do you?'

Rona speaks as the white horse starts moving slowly on Minhyuk's orders.

Nodding his head, Minhyuk smiles and replies.

'Well technically.... I don't really need to make any effort do I? Our parents will force us to end up together anyway.... I'm just doing this because I like you and still want to prove it to you.'

A thick and almost awkward silence quickly took over, glancing at the princess through the side.

Minhyuk grins but it was significant to mention that there was a tad bit of sadness mixed into it.

' Just as I said before.... I'll patiently wait for you so don't feel too pressured. We are best friends anyway... Aren't we?'

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rona could only nod and force a smile in a attempt to rid of the awkward tension.

Soon enough, the group had arrived at the royal polo field. As usual the princesses all gathered under the shade and sat down to drink tea and watch the males play.

Lee Minhyuk swiftly takes his mallet and fastens the hat on. Effortlessly, he jumps onto his white horse and daringly pulls the ropes to make the huge white horse jump.

After his little stunt, the prince looks back at the shades and winks at Rona who honestly wasn't even looking at him or giving him attention.

Princess Seola chuckles as she nudges the other princess.

'Minhyuk has been making such an effort to impress you... But, aren't you really gonna give him an answer.'

Silently dipping the teabag onto the precious pink porcelain cup. Rona sighs and replies in her hushed voice as she secretly looks up to observe Minhyuk who was now focused on the sport.

' If only that was easy..... '

Looking up and smiling sadly at Seola, Rona shakes her head and sips on her tea as she continues in her hushed voice.

'Just like how you said.... If only love was easy and I could reciprocate Minhyuk's feelings but... Turns out no matter how hard I try, I can't look at him as something more than a brother and friend.'

Seola sighs as she takes the princess's gloved hand and strokes it as a way of comfort and reassurance.

' Rona yah.... Take this as an advice from a elder sister whose also had to go through the same thing.

I had to marry Kang and go through a loveless marriage but believe me... Just because you don't love him now, as a princess you'll eventually learn how to live with it and love him. '

From across the table, Eunbyeol nods and interjects into the conversation with her sweet and low voice.

' Father and mother had already planned to have you both engage anyways.... They're just waiting for your Rona yah, Maybe just maybe.... It's finally time to open your heart?

In a blink of an eye, you'll also be 29 soon. You can't grow old alone you know. '

Seola nods in agreement as the 2 princesses focused their attention on the obviously frustrated Rona who scrunched her face as she gazed blankly at the tea and mini cakes on the table.

' Think about it for now Rona yah.... No one's pressuring you anyway.

At the end you won't hurt Minhyuk even if you reject him and decide to marry another guy.

I'm sure father and mother will respect your decision....that includes Minhyuk.'

Eunbyeol adds as she turns away to observe the ongoing loud and active polo game on the fields.