A Blue Summer Girl

The oh-not-so Dense Man

Seongnam pov

Yi Kang's body stiffened as the girl wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in a soft, pleasant, flowery scent that filled his senses. Her form felt delicate against his own, momentarily jolting his mind from the competition he had been preoccupied with. The sudden embrace from a stranger caught him off guard.

"Why didn't you come that day? Do you have any idea how long I waited for you?" the girl's voice trembled with emotion as she tightened her hold, her proximity causing Yi Kang to panic. This intimate contact was unfamiliar territory for him; he had never experienced such closeness, not even with his own mother. With a mixture of haste and gentleness, he gently pushed her away, confusion etched on his features.

"What are you doing?" he asked, puzzled. Was the girl confusing him with someone else, or worse, had someone sent her to distract him from the Crown Prince selection?

The girl offered a sheepish smile. "Don't you remember me? The knife at the dispensary..."

"Ah..." Yi Kang's realization was swift, accompanied by a surge of guilt. He remembered the girl mentioning the knife, a gift from her late mother. Cursing himself inwardly, he acknowledged his forgetfulness. His mind had been consumed by matters concerning his brother, leaving little room for anything else. He hadn't realized he had broken his promise to meet her at the dispensary, nor had he considered how to make amends.

"Ah... so you forgot about me, I really miss you. My name is Yoon Cheongha, What is your name?" the girl asked as she extended her hand.

Yi Kang raised an eyebrow, regarding the girl with curiosity. He wondered why she was offering her hand to him.

"Ah...I forgot, hello. My name is Yoon Cheongha," the girl said, bowing.

Yi Kang remained frozen in place as the girl called out, "Soenbi-nim?"

"Ah... Pardon," said Yi Kang.

"What is your name?" the girl asked.

"My name?"

The girl nodded eagerly. "Yes," she said.

Yi Kang's mind raced; he couldn't use his real name aloud. Competing meant following the rules, and revealing his identity as a prince during the ongoing competition was out of the question.

Yi Kang cleared his throat. "I'm Kang," he said, opting for his mother's surname.

"Ah... so it's Kang Soenbinim then?"

"Kang Soenbinim, what are you doing in this place?"

Yi Kang remained silent, uncertain how to answer. He couldn't divulge that he needed to bring someone to secure the crown prince seat.

"Soenbinim?" The girl's face was filled with curiosity.

"I need to bring someone to the capital," Yi Kang blurted out without thinking, instantly regretting it. But the girl's expression demanded a response.

The girl nodded several times. "And you? What are you doing here?" Yi Kang asked.

"Ah... I came here because I heard you are here," the girl said, nervously fidgeting with her skirt.

Yi Kang grew alarmed. The competition was confidential, likely organized by his father, and even the ministers might not be aware of it.

"You heard I'm here? From whom?" Yi Kang asked.

"From your brother," said the girl.

Of all possible answers, Yi Kang never expected this one.

"My brother? Did you know my brother? Where did you meet him?" Yi Kang asked hurriedly.