Since When Was I Engaged?! {A Korean not-so-Cinderella story}

Episode 5

Eun Chae had begun to figure that if she and the prince could have several more dates like the one they'd had, she had a chance at being tolerated by Bae. Not that it would be easy, but she had to try at least, right? Lewis sat staring at her as she modeled one of her new skirts in a mirror, "Hmm, what do you think, Lewis old friend? Too flashy?" She scooped him up and cradled him, "You are one of my only friends now, you know that?"

Min Jung knocked on the door, "Hey, Big Sister!" she called, "Can I come in or what?"

"Oh, sure," Eun Chae called as she shoved Lewis under her pillow.

Min Jung was clothed in a hanbok, minus the jeogori, and had on a pair of heeled sandals, "My goodness, aren't you looking cute today, big sister! I take it that big brother treated you nicely the other day?"

"Shockingly yes," Eun Chae laughed, "I was terrified. Your outfit differs slightly from the previous days, what's going on, Little sister?"

Min Jung smiled proudly, "I decided to break off from the stuffy court way of wearing hanbok and wear something slightly more original. You like, yes?" she spun around so Eun Chae could see it from all sides.

"It is different and really cute... what did Mother and the queen say, though. Your mom isn't welcoming the civilian clothes I bought to well, what does she think about your back showing like that?"

"Mother thought it was a pleasant change for the approaching summer, Mama, on the other hand... well, she told me it was 'unbecoming' for a lady of my status."

"What did you say?" Eun Chae leaned forward slightly.

"She told Mama to evolve and Mama chased her around with a shoe for an hour threatening to beat some sense into her," Bae was leaning against the door frame with Il Sung at his side, "It was hilarious, actually."

Min Jung turned and furrowed her brow, "She didn't ask you, Big Brother, so shut your mouth before I come over there and choke you with my braid!"

"I'm only being honest," Bae yawned.

Min Jung waited a moment and jumped at him, send them both, poor Il Sung caught in between, sprawling out into the hallway in a flurry of slapping and kicking. Eun Chae was trying her best to suppress laughter as Min Jung stuck to her word and tried to choke Bae with her braid. Il Sung was trying to pull them off of each other when Mother and the Queen come down the hallway, "What in the name of-?" the Queen asked appalled by her children's behavior, "Stop it at once!"

Min Jung and Bae, however continued rolling around on the floor and hitting each other, "Stupid twit!"

"Big oaf!"

Mother was laughing merrily, "Now now, if siblings don't fight now, they hate each other later on. It's a proven fact."

"Queen Mother!" The Queen looked at Mother in shock, "You're insane! You two better stop or I swear, I'll-!"

Eun Chae was laughing up a storm. She loved how, despite all Bae's squirming, Min Jung was still managing to beat up on Bae, "Get him, Little sister!"

"Hey! You're my WIFE lady!" Bae snapped at her.

Eun Chae stuck her tongue out at him, "Well, you're getting what you deserve after being so mean to me, so: ha!"

Il Sung quickly ran behind the queen, "You two are nuts! Perfectly nuts!"

After a moment, Min Jung hopped up, dusting herself off as she did, "I don't have time to waste beating up on you. I do, however, have some time to hook you lovebirds up with a romantic dinner date," she looked at Eun Chae and wiggled her eyebrows mischievously, "and I know the perfect place, too."

***

"When Min Jung said she'd found the perfect place, I was hoping it would be indoors," Bae confessed as he wiped his brow with a nearby napkin that Min Jung had provided.

Eun Chae was fanning herself with her hand, "Tell me about it. It's so hot outside..."

Min Jung showed up carrying a pot of dumplings and a basket full of homemade bread, "I decided to make you both dinner tonight in honor of your happy marriage! Go ahead, eat some and tell me what you think." Eun Chae and Bae weren't picky eaters, but as soon as they put a dumpling into their mouths and proceeded to chew, their cheeks ballooned and their eyes widened. They exchanged a glance of utter terror and disgust, both asking the other whether spitting it out or swallowing it is the right option, "Well, how is it?"

Bae swallowed it hard, a shudder going through his body before plastering a fake smile onto his face and forcing, "They're great, little sister..."

Eun Chae did the same, "Oh yes, they're great..."

Min Jung clapped in delight, "Yay, I'll go make dessert~!"

"No! No! No! No!" Eun Chae and Bae pleaded in unison.

"You don't have to, little sister!"

"That won't be necessary, Min Jung!"

Min Jung, clueless to their refusal, gave a shrug and stood up, "Okay then; I'll leave you two alone... why aren't you eating?"

Bae quickly shoved a dumpling into Eun Chae's mouth and Eun Chae did the same to him. As soon as Min Jung was gone the two spit the dumplings out and proceeded to rub their tongues on their hands, "Ugh! That is bad, really bad!" Bae gagged.

Eun Chae wrinkled her nose, "How do we tell her that, genius?"

"Simple," Bae stated matter-of-factly, "we don't."

"I wonder if the bread is any better," Eun Chae eyed the bread hesitantly, "Should we...?"

Bae shook his head, "Not if you have a will to live. Come on, we'll feed it to the ducks on the pond."

They picked up the bread and wandered down to the pond where several brightly colored ducks floated lazily on the pond. They ripped up the nasty bread and threw it to the water fowl, who came up quacking happily. One duck, a male far more brightly colored than the rest, was chasing the other ducks off, all except for a lone and homely female. No matter what he did, the female wouldn't budge and eventually he began pushing pieces of bread towards her with his bill, "You know, Bae, those ducks remind me of us. No matter how mean you were, I didn't budge and now we're getting along okay."

"Part of me hopes that one day we can get along better than  just 'okay'," Bae muttered just loud enough for Eun Chae to hear him, "but you keep forgetting Jae Hwa..."

"What about her?"

"Um, well, she's coming to visit tomorrow..."

"She's coming over to the palace... to see... you...?" Eun chae laughed nervously, "Oh, I am sooo going to die..."