〜S∿o∿u∿l∿m∿a∿t∿e∿s〜 [Y/n x M.Mina]

SM.2

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(Y/n POV)

"Y/n!" I turned my head and saw my best friends standing there

"Oh hey guys, I didn't expect you to come, ya know thought you all were busy"

"We were, keyword 'were' we could never miss a day to hang out with you, I mean you basically never go out into the main part of town anymore anyway" she rolled her eyes dramatically 

"Oh don't exaggerate, I do go out to town"

"Yeah the last time was 3 years ago"

"Ok that's fair, but you know I don't have any reason to go plus, what happened that night.."

"Yeah true"

"Anyway! What have you been up to these days in the forest?" 

"Not much, just looking after the animals that wander around" I answered plainly "what have you guys been doing? I know Yeji and Yuna have been working at the bakery, how has that been going?" I asked, trying to turn the attention away from me and back onto them, I mean they have wayyyyyy more to do than me. I just sit around all day in these trees and they have to deal with everything in the main part of town

"Oh it's going well, we've been getting many customers, especially since the rumors of the royal family coming to visit for something. Hundreds of people have been traveling far and wide just to stay here" Yeji answered enthusiastically and Yuna was practically jumping up and down

"How is the book store coming along?" I looked at Ryujin, Lia, and Chaeryeong. They were running a book store, more like an archive but they don't like to call it that.

"Like Yeji said, since more people were coming into town, we got more people wanting to look at and buy books, turns out a lot of people love old timey things" Lia said

"Oh and I made some new friends!" Chaeryeong added

"Oh really? Who?" I asked

"Bae Joohyun, Kim Chaewon, and Huh Yunjin"

"Oh are they nice?"

"Very! They love almost the same things I do"

"Yeah she's been ecstatic ever since" Ryujin chuckled

"Have you ever found that snake?" Lia asked

"Oh yeah actually! I think it's finally warming up to me too, I was trying to feed it the other day, and it actually ate out of my hand without running away" the snake wasn't that big, but it wasn't that small either, I had found it trapped under a rock and after i helped it, It just kept coming back, but anytime I got closer, it ran away. So I just left food out for it "oh wait! There it is!" I spotted the bright patterns on it's back from behind Chaeryeong "be careful no to scare it away, it's easily startled by loud nosies or quick movements" I warned as Chaeryeong stepped away as quick as possible but not to scare the snake away

"Did you name it yet?" Lia asked "it looks like it's gonna be around for awhile anyhow" she smiled 

"I actually haven't thought about that, I'm not sure what to name it now that I think about it, any suggestions?"

"What about flower?" Yeji suggested

"Eh"

"Achilles?" Ryujin added

"Maybe"

"Wyn?" Lia said

"Yes! That's the one" I smiled to myself

Eventually, the girls left and I was alone with just the animals and trees again. I didn't mind at all. Well, most the time

It does get lonely ever so often here, but I chose this life and i'll stick with it, the quietness and no disruption is nice. I don't have to deal with all the chaos and loudness of the towns and cities, it's too fast paced and too many ruckuses for me

I suddenly heard the breaking of a branch and turned back to see a small bear

"Oh hey little guy where's your mother?" Are you lost?" I don't know why I talk to animals like they can understand me, they likely can't but I like to think they can, something tells me they understand

I walked closer and the bear backed away with every small step I took, until it was Mable to move backwards anymore, I reached out my hand to it, surprisingly, I went up to it cautiously.

It smelled my hand first before it laid it's head on my hand, it was warming up to me rather quickly, most animals take a while 

I decided to get some food for it, I ran back into the wooden cottage and when I came out, I saw it wandering around the back, I set the food down and watched as it approached and stiffed it before deeming it safe.

It ate slowly like it was being fed so maybe it just wandered away from it's mother and she's probably near here

I slowly reached my hand to touch it's fur, it flinched but didn't move away, I started softly stroking it back and forth

"I hope I see you again little guy"

(Mina pov)

"Princess Myoui?" I heard a serving knock on my door

"Come in" I replied softly

"The Queen requests your presence in the dinning chamber Princess Myoui" 

"Okay thank you, also, no need to be so formal around me, you've practically been with me since I was young," 

"Yes, yes, but that wouldn't be very fitting of me?" She bowed slightly and I took it as a hint to start moving, she escorted me down to where my parents were

"Mina! There you are. Come, come, we have many things to talk about" I have a bad feeling about this. Nonetheless, I sat down next to my mother, with my father absent, again. I guess whatever this is about isn't important enough for him to be here

"Me and your father have decided that we should improve our image to the public,"

"Ok? And so how are you gonna do that? Does it involve me?"

"Well, sort of, we were thinking about sending to to the nearby town and having you give a speech." I felt my breath hitch, and my heat start to race, A speech? In front of people? Alone? What? No I can't no no no. 

"Calm down Mina, I'll go with you if you want, we already wrote the speech out for you so you don't need to worry about making one. People from all over will flock just to see you make an appearance, they'll be too captivated by your beauty and elegance to be worried if you mess up anyway" that didn't make me feel any better. There will still be people, lots to be too. I can't, it doesn't mater if they won't notice me mess up, I'll notice me mess up

"Oh and you can ask some of your friends if they wan to come, I already asked their parents and we've sorted everything out if they would like to join you" Nayeon and Sana? No maybe Momo?

"Get some time to think about it," I nodded and started to walk away and up the stairs. What was I gonna do? It isn't a serious thing, I just make it seems so much worse than it actually is.

"Princess Mina?" I looked and saw Dahyun standing there with worry on her face

"Hm? Yes? What is it? Is something wrong?" 

"I should be asking you that, are you ok?" I looked around and decided to just tell her to follow me into my bedroom chambers. 

"I don't know." I flopped onto my bed "I'm supposed to give a speech in a nearby town, with people from everywhere... I can't I'm too scared to do that. What do I do Dahyun?" 

"What if someone goes with you? It won't be so bad if you have someone you know with you right?"

"I mean my mom said she can go with me, or I could get on of my friends but I don't know"

"Well, take it as an opportunity to get out of the castle, you are practically locked up in here 24/7"

"I guess you're right,"