Surprises [The King: Eternal Monarch FF]

SURPRISES

Kim Mina had one goal in mind as she settled down in her new apartment in the Kingdom of Corea: find Jo Yeong and relive old times.

It's been a little over six years since she left the Kingdom and in turn, Jo Yeong. They never really had a serious relationship, it wasn't what she wanted and perhaps it wasn't what he'd wanted either. They had fun, but they'd parted ways on a bad note. She was determined to make that right. Plus, being linked to Jo Yeong now, it didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Being abroad, she tried to focus on her daily life there, but every now and then she'll search news from the place she once called home. The King was a private man; Jo Yeong was even more private about his personal life. She knew very little of the man she once called lover. All she knew was that he was now the Captain of the Royal Guards and spent most of his time by the King's side.

"I could meet the King. Personally." Mina grinned at herself in the mirror as she fixed her hair again.

She had no idea how to contact Jo Yeong. She'd tried his old phone number, but it was out of service. There's no way she'll be able to get close to the palace by just saying she was an old friend of the Captain.

"I'll figure something out." She nodded at herself and walked out of the apartment. "Time to revamp my wardrobe."

Out of all the places she'd thought to see Jo Yeong, the highly private and high-end boutique on a Thursday evening was not one of them.

Maybe he's with the King. The thought excited her.

He looks different, she thought. She couldn't exactly pinpoint what about him, but he seemed different. He looked gorgeous, of course, but something about him intrigued her now more than ever.

"Oh, this'll be fun." She grinned in satisfaction, staring at the man she thought she still knew well.

As she tried to quickly make her way to the Captain, she soon stopped dead in her tracks a few feet from him when she saw him turn and grin.

He wasn't looking at her. He'd never looked at her like that, much less give her a true smile. No, he was looking at a woman who came to stand beside him, saying something that Mina couldn't hear, but whatever it was, the Captain found it worthy of his smile.

Mina narrowed her eyes at the woman as she stared, slowly getting closer to be able to hear what was going on.

"-seriously, you could've told me!" the woman had the audacity to slap Jo Yeong on the arm and to Mina's shock, he just laughed.

"I think it looks cute." He said in a teasing tone Mina wasn't familiar with.

"I looked hideous in it. I'm not getting this dress." The woman returned the dress to the clerk and asked to be shown something else.

"That's a lie. You look beautiful in everything," he said with a glint in his eyes as he leaned to whisper something to his companion, causing her to blush a deep red and earning him another slap on the arm.

"Behave." She warned, which cause the Captain to grin once again.

He still looked ready for any attack, alert, but now, there was also an air of peace surrounding him. It didn't make sense, but that's what Mina felt from him.

"How about this one ma'am?" the clerk came holding an emerald long dress, with thin straps. It looked simple, not anyone could pull it off and Mina scoffed as the woman grabbed it and went to try it on.

Now or never, she thought and finally approached Jo Yeong.

"Long time no see." She started off, making him quickly loose his smile and softness of the facial features, turning him serious and unapproachable.