The Accidental Monarch

Kissing

With the sun hanging low in the sky, Seri watches Jeong-hyeok swing his golf club to execute the perfect shot that lands his ball onto the green. They have been playing nonstop for hours, but the actress barely notices the time as she has been too busy appreciating the handsome view. A shy grin appears on his face at the sound of her clapping, and it melts her heart how easy it is to make him happy.

The past couple of days on the island allowed the pair to reconnect without fear of their privacy being compromised. The problem they had before with their dates in the city is only having a couple of hours before they have to part. But now, they are together at the break of dawn and will only retire up to their rooms when neither of them can no longer keep their eyes open.

He takes her to all his favorite spots on the island and teaches her the sports available to them. He lets her ride his retired polo horse. He wraps his arms around her as he teaches her how to correctly swing a golf club. He rides the ocean waves with her on separate surfboards and cheers whenever she successfully catches a wave.

She discovers that the only two places where she can defeat him are on the tennis court and in the kitchen. The prince realizes how formidable an opponent she is when he almost trips over his own feet trying to hit the oncoming ball with his racket. Instead of keeping her cool, her giddiness over the win transforms itself into silly dance moves that makes him double over in laughter.

Later that evening, she chances upon him cursing while trying to heat up some home-cooked noodles. He was too busy slicing up the scallions that he didn't notice the water bubbling over. In his haste, he nicks his finger with the sharp knife and burns another with the boiling water.

He mirrors a deer caught in the headlights when she makes her presence known. "Never thought that His Royal Highness would be so clumsy," she teases as she wraps his finger with a bandage. He stays silent and continues to pout. "What were you trying to do, anyway?"

"The cook has all the ingredients prepared inside the fridge. All I have to do is heat them up and toss them all together," he explains like a child chastised. "But then, I noticed that there weren't any scallions. So, I tried slicing some up while boiling the water, and... well, here we are."

Unable to resist, the actress presses a kiss on his injury and watches his face light up in surprise. "I can help you if you want," she offers sweetly. Her smile matches the one playing on his lips. She clears her throat and looks at everything else but him. "Tell me where the ingredients are."

Jeong-hyeok leans against the kitchen counter while she works, telling her about the funny mishaps he had in the kitchen and making her laugh. For the first time, there aren't any staff members waiting on them, and the atmosphere between them shifts from being comfortable to feeling right at home.

He shares the noodles with her, twisting it with his chopsticks and bringing it up to her mouth.

It is quiet, intimate, crossing a line they have never stepped over before.

After that night, she finds out how affectionate the prince can be.

He manages to always find an excuse to touch her. Every trace of his hand leaves goosebumps in its wake. A gentle graze on her shoulder. A soft caress on her hand. A tender brush through her hair. He does not shy away from showing people that she means a lot to him, and the way his attention is solely focused on her whenever she is near says it all.

During meals, he moves away any glass that her animated hand might accidentally topple over. During walks, he blocks the sun from getting into her eyes and offers to carry her things for her. It makes his staff uneasy, but seeing him with a huge beach bag over his shoulder makes her giggle every time.