The Heir and the Spare

Back Together (19)

Seowon

"Father? Do you think there's something wrong with my hair?" Yona asked their father as she got ready excitedly. Su-won would arrive in any moment, and Seowon knew that her sister was still in love with him. Her long red hair fell loosely down her back with flower ornaments holding it in place. She truly had grown so beautiful.

Seowon smiled at the question. Yona always liked fishing for compliments, and their father easily handed them out. A hand settled on her hip as she listened to Yona complain about her frizzy red hair. Hak kissed her temple briefly. 

"Seowon's hair is so black and silky like Mother's. It makes no sense!" Yona grumbled and stomped around. Their father let Yona get away with very unladylike behavior.

"No need to disparage it so. Right, Seowon, Hak?" King Il smiled at Hak and Seowon.

"If anything," started Hak with a smug look, "there's something wrong with her head."

"Silence, flunky." Rage filled Yona's eyes, and she picked up tea cups. In her irritation with Hak, she started throwing them at Hak, forgetting Seowon was being held by him. He easily dodged or grabbed the flying projectiles."Do something about him, Father. A servant shouldn't be this arrogant."

"Hey," said Hak, catching a tea cup before it hit Seowon in the face. "Watch where you throw things."

"Now, now, you grew up together. And he may only be 18, but the fact is he is one of our finest generals and your brother-in-law." King Il reminded Yona once again. Hak and Yona never lost their ability to bicker with each other.

"Couldn't Seowon marry someone with more charm?" whined Yona, glaring at Hak and pulling Seowon away from him, hugging her protectively as she glares at Hak. "We can always find away to get rid of him, Sister."

Seowon smiled softly and brushed some stray hairs from Yona's face, tucking them into the flower ornaments. "He's bearable, so we don't need to get rid of him."

"You can't turn my wife against me, Your Highness." Wrapping his arms around Seowon's waist, Hak pulled her against his chest. "And speaking of charming, shouldn't you be making yourself more charming? Lord Su-won has arrived."

Panic filled Yona's eyes as she scurried to finish getting ready. "Why didn't you say something sooner? If you weren't fawning over Sister all the time, you'd be more useful."

As Yona ran out of the room to go find Su-won, King Il looked so confused. "Su-won? Is that why she's so concerned about her hair? What difference does it make to him? Their cousins."

"Girls," sighed Hak. King Il returned to his duties, leaving Seowon and Hak alone. He had a smirk on lips. "You were never that obsessed with me. You must not love me that much."

"I guess not," teased Seowon, leaning against Hak's chest. 

"Brat." He kissed her hair. "You're supposed to deny it. Don't think I won't forget that you said I was 'bearable.'"

She stuck her tongue out. "You won't do anything about it."  

Hak chuckled. "If anyone else saw how the 'mature' Princess Seowon acted around me, your reputation would be in shambles."

"Good thing only you see it, and you can't even expose me since who are they going to believe more: you or me?"

"I see what you've done." He slowly let her go so they could get going with their duties for the day. "Make everyone believe you're sweet and docile, and no one will realize how cunning you've become."