Cinderella's Fate | 🤍 seongjoong 🤍

Chapter 36

Hongjoong's POV

Meanwhile...

     I was already back of the office after setting up the plan with my parents on a notebook. Trying to avoid the main lift in case any of my subordinates will ask me to answer hold a press conference on question about my own wedding.

     Clicking on the on button of my sleeping laptop, it was displaying the new policies that I was preparing for my coronation. That is, if I ever hold my wedding.

In that case, I would lose my title and live as a citizen, as stated in the succession rules.

    I sent drafts to my parents , making sure that they align with the conduct of the country; a series of rules that were amended since the famous queen , Patricia, had set out to rid of the evil queen, a selfish individual set out to destroy the country for her own gains.

    Opening a new document project , I jotted down the plan , making sure there was a clear outline and the main goals that should be reached. I checked my messages, noting down in the plan that Jongho was already at the house of the madame to get further information.

    Another ping, this time from my mother, relaying to my policies. There were annotations all over the document, promising long hours of review and lack of sleep. However, if the investigation want solved , I would be able to get to my coronation.

    Pulling out more documents from the interrogation of the day, a sweeping sound caught my attention. Looking up to the door and there he was standing, my assistant.

"So, what was that about?"

    He must be referring to Jonho's interview. It had been playing in the background as we planned the investigation's success, and I had prayed that my parents wouldn't have asked me. I had succeeded in that, but not with him.

I should have known he came here , just to point out about my avoidance of the marriage.

"Yunho", I sighed, "Not you too".

He sat down on the couch on my left .

"Come on, tell me, what is making you so anxious about getting married?"

     The question had been revealed to the words, and the sudden exposure made me feel naked. Uncomfortable in my own skin and conscious of my one thought and decisions. I turned to him, my expression soured and slumping in m chair as a small pout formed on my lips.

"I'm not anxious ..."

"I sense a 'but' ". Yunho was as observant as ever.

I gave appointed look, since he read me line a book again.

"I was getting there you know", he hummed as if I was lying through my teeth, "Not you failing to believe me , but yeah... I want" , I paused, unsure on how to phrase it, "I WANT to get married , but not right now- I mean not at the time scheduled. I was hoping that the investigation would be a reason to postpone it".

"Is this about the man who run away?"

Strike two.

I nodded.

"What is the problem? Did you fall in love with him at first sight? "

"Well, let's just say I have gained an interest? I felt a connection with the person, even if we didn't speak for long, it seems like you and me talking. Not actual feelings, I have that for someone else-"

"Someone else?"

"Yeah! You know, the funniest thing was that the man at the ball and the one I meet at the forest-"

"Yeah, I forgot about that man. Do you still talk to him?"

    It shut me up right away, surprised that the question was asked in the first palace. It had been a few weeks after the disaster of the meeting, I was hoping that my acting skills would have given me a nonchalant vibe, but I couldn't hide anything from Yunho. Not after everything we have gone through together.

    I had started to hate the life I was living. A marriage that had to go through even though my heart belonged to someone else. When I danced with the man in the silver dress, I felt a sense of familiarity, one that I had been shown in the forest all these months ago.

Silence fell.

"Sorry, for asking", Yunho guiltily said.

"You are right"

"What?", Yunho had a baffled expression on his face .

"Remember when you said that I would have fallen for the forest guy, when I was denying my obvious flirting. You were right, I was — am — falling in love with the man who clearly sees me as Hongjoong instead of a prince. The man at the ball resembled the man from the forest, and I was hoping that finding him would have been able to lead to my love."

"Gosh, you really are a romantic, at least he will match your energy"

"Stop teasing me, and he might not be . Throughout the whole time we hang out, he barely cast me a glance. "

"Well, he must be your soulmate, right? That why you want him that bad, that's why you got hurt that day after what he said. That can be the only explanation. I mean, you are showing all the symptoms. "

"Is it possible to meet your soulmates outside of the ball? Or to have two soulmates?"

Yunho shrugged.

"You will need to check the documents on that, Hyung"

      I got up abruptly, heading to the library, the one sealed away from the public. Yunho also got up, knowing that the conversation had finished, however the door opened widely , Jongho and San standing with a hard expression.

     I looked at Yunho finding that he was already looking at me with the same worried expression I was currently sporting.

"We have new reports about the investigation", Jongho said.