In the Middle of the Night [BANG CHAN FF] ✔️

8. Locked in

A small sparrow landed on the metal bar covered in snow, fluffed itself, and quickly flew away, leaving the princess's sight. Yona sighed and looked away from the window with metal bars put across it, being an everyday reminder of her actions. They were her punishment, just like the locked door and the plate on her desk with half-eaten lunch. Ironically... She felt like a bird in a cage... Like a prisoner. Princess Yona, after the incident in the town, left her room only when her father allowed it, which was only for family meals on holidays, and for bathroom use. Teachers came to her room, giving her lessons and leaving the castle right after, just like her father told her they would do on the day after the attack. The wound on her head healed fast, doctors assured everyone that she won't have any consequences on which the king quietly nodded and left the room without a word. Thinking that she couldn't get hurt anymore, the lack of her parents' affection and compassion still saddened the young princess. Tea parties with her friends were canceled, not that she really wanted to see them, so other than teachers Yona didn't meet anyone. She haven't seen or heard of Bang Chan ever since the incident and thoughts about him saddened her, as well.

Chan's wound on his left forearm took a long time to heal. The attacker's knife pierced his muscle deep but, luckily, the damage won't affect the future use of his arm. Still in bandages, Bang Chan received a reward directly from the king, for his bravery and quick thinking to save the princess and fight off the attacker. Army commander's respect for Chan grew as well so he advanced in ranking and was assigned to be one of the captains, a leader to group missions, with the old commander teasingly promising to open his position to Chan on which the young one laughed along. With a new title came the bigger responsibility and more obligations for Bang Chan, thereupon a thought about Yona would cross his mind mostly at night when he lay in bed, unable to sleep; his thoughts were rushing as the rumor of her being "imprisoned" in her room spread like wildfire.

And while Chan was being busy all of the time and traveling the kingdom for said missions, Yona was trapped within the space of the four walls of her room, her anxiety and depression reaching their peak... yet no one seemed to notice, care, or ask about her mental wellbeing. From the traumatic experience she had that night, princess Yona stopped smiling, talking only when asked.

"Good job, Your Highness," literature teacher, a slim woman in her 30s, smiled while handling the notebook back to the princess, "As expected, your analysis on the novel I gave you was so detailed. You pointed out and found a deeper meaning behind the protagonist's feelings and actions which even I couldn't," the smile didn't leave her face. 

Yona nodded, her move barely noticeable, looking at the notebook in her hands. The teacher smiled out of courtesy, her smile showing bits of fear to the princess's emotionless face. And just like her, other teachers wanted to get out of the room fast, rushing through lectures. Yona noticed their behaviors but didn't comment on them.