In Another Life

If He Had The Courage Before...

Loud screeches could be heard from Mingyue's bedroom. Heeseung was the closest, so he was the first to arrive to see Jangmi was attacking Mingyue. She had a few gashes from the letter opener that Jangmi must've taken off of Mingyue's desk.

The princesses perfect face was tainted by her crimson blood that slowly dripped down from the cut.

Heeseung was the first to react. He really didn't know what to do, but he had to get Jangmi away from Mingyue. By separating them, Jangmi slashed him with the letter opener as well. Once the small blade made contact with his skin she knew that she was damned.

Frozen with fear, Jangmi dropped the letter opener. The guards had arrived and took her out of the room, fear still stuck on her face. She didn't mean to do that, she was just angry. She never meant for any of it to go this far.

"Mingyue, are you okay?" Heeseung rushed to the girl that was covered with cuts. "Let's get you to the infirmary, they can bandage you up and you can go back to sleep. Does that sound like a plan?"

The girl was shaking, never has she thought that in her sleep she would be attacked. She wasn't prepared for it, was she too vulnerable again? No one would have the audacity to pull such a stunt if she was still a cold hearted bitch.

Both Mingyue and Heeseung got bandaged up before they were told they could leave. Heeseung watched as the girl he loved hadn't uttered a single word. He was truly scared that she would shut everyone out again.

"Goodnight Mingyue," Heeseung said. He waited for a response, but she just went into the bedroom and he went into his. Even in the dark halls of the night, he could see the dullness her eyes held. He sighed disappointed in himself. If he had plucked up the courage and asked her to be his wife, then Jangmi would've been long gone.

He really thought that they were making great progress with getting Mingyue to trust people again, but they were back at square one because of Jangmi.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Yes?"

"Can I come in?" The door cracked open just a little, Mingyue stood there. Heeseung nodded, lighting a candle.  "I didn't want to be alone... I didn't know where else to go." The girl started tearing up dispite every will in her mind to stop it.

"Come here." Heeseung patted his bed, Mingyue made her way over and immediately hugged Heeseung. "Do you want to stay here?"

"If you want me here–"

"Of course I want you here, you can take the bed, I'll set some blankets on the floor."

"I'm sorry about earlier– not really saying anything."

"Mingyue, I'm the one that should be sorry. If I sorted things out earlier, Jangmi would've been out of the castle by now. This could've all been avoided if I..."

"If you what?"

Heeseung took Mingyue's hands in his, "If I asked you to be my queen." The candle light illuminated their faces, their eyes were filled with love and care for one another, "Li Mingyue, will you marry me?"

Everything made complete sense now. Haewon putting them across the hall, telling Mingyue that she can repay the favor by agreeing. This was it– this is what Haewon had been hinting at the whole time.

"I would love to Heeseung," Mingyue smiled.

Both of them fell asleep, Heeseung slept on the floor and Mingyue in his bed, with their hands intertwined. It was a lovely surprise when Haewon went to check on them.

Well actually, she went to check on Mingyue. When she saw that the bed was completely empty she panicked and barged into Heeseung's room to find the two lovebirds. Although she thought that it was a cute sight, she mentally laughed at her son because she knew that he was going to be in pain when he woke up.

She quietly closed the door, careful not to wake them up. Then she skipped down the corridor to find her husband to tell him what she saw this morning. Haewon was full of energy now that she saw her son actually growing a pair and making some moves. It had been excruciatingly slow watching everything, even she tried to speed up the process, but it was Heeseung that had to make the first move.

When Heeseung and Mingyue woke up, it took them a second to remember what happened last night. But when they did, both of them blushed.

"Do you want to change and go down to breakfast together?"

"I'll meet you in the hall in ten minutes?"

"Sounds good. Wait–" Heeseung stoped Mingyue, abruptly, before she could leave, "Good morning~"

"Aish you scared me for a second Heeseung!" She hit him with a pillow, huffing at him. He was laughing at how effortlessly adorable she was.

"How did you sleep?" Haewon asked the two kids.

"Good," They both hummed, eating their food thinking nothing of it. Haewon rolled her eyes at the two of them. She wanted details– specifically if Heeseung proposed.

"Do I have a wedding to plan?" Heeseung's ears turned red and a light blush flooded Mingyue's face. They both slowly nodded, resulting in Haewon squealing. "How far out does it have to be? Can it be soon? What kind of theme are we going for?"

"Mom, I just asked her last night–"

"And it took you long enough." Haewon snapped at her son, "Anyways, Mingyue, I will be talking to you about the wedding because Heeseung is being a thorn right now." She said sweetly. Mingyue laughed with her soon to be mother-in-law.

"Heeseung, we do have to talk about when we want the wedding to happen, and what theme."

"I know, but can't we just enjoy the moment now?"

The couple were in the garden, looking at the beautiful sky above. The moon seemed just as bright– if not brighter than it was two years ago. This garden seemed much more graceful because Heeseung knew that Mingyue would be by his side forever.

There was no rush for him, he just wanted to spend time with her now.

"How about... in three months?" The girl suggests. Haewon already had everything chosen. She had been planing this day ever since Heeseung was little. She actually had quite a few different wedding ideas, all of which were amazing.

"How about in two months?" He asked.

"I thought that you wanted to enjoy the moment?"

"Don't make me change it to one month~"

"I'd like to see you try–" before Mingyue could finish her sentence, Heeseung had wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her from behind, his chin rested comfortably on her head.