Hwarang (ON HOLD; UNDER EDITING)

22

Su-Jin woke up to the buzzing of the busy village.

"Rice cakes! Rice cakes! Get your fresh rice cakes now!"

She sleepily rubbed her eye and sat up on her bed.

"Good morning."

Su-Jin turned her head to the direction the sound came from. There she saw Maek Jong drinking tea...with a man.

She kept her eyes on Maek Jong who was oblivious to Su-Jin's suspicion. The man cleared his throat and both turned to look at the man.

That was when everything clicked inside Maek Jong's head.

"Ah, Su-Jin, this is my...uh...guard. Bodyguard."

He looked at the man and said, "This is Su-Jin, princess of Gungnae"

The man bowed as a sign of respect in front of Su-Jin, who nodded kept her chin up. She was always like this in front of people she just met - excluding Maek Jong - , mature and calm.

"Your majesty, would you like to have your breakfast now?", the man asked Maek Jong.

"Sure.", was all he said. The man bowed once more. He turned around and walked out of the room. They heard his voice talk - he probably bumped into someone outside - then seconds later, an old lady entered their room and bowed in front of them.

"Good morning, your highness, good morning your majesty, may I ask what you two would like for breakfast?", asked the old lady.

"What would you like, Su-Jin?", Maek Jong asked as he turned to look at Su-Jin who was right beside him.

"Anything would be fine with me", she replied calmly with a gentle smile as Su-Jin looked at the lady. Su-Jin easily grew fond with old people, and this lady was no exception.

The old lady returned the gentle smile. She could tell Su-Jin was a nice person.

She turned to Maek Jong. "What about you, your majesty?"

"Ah, just some ricecake and tea.", he replied.

She must know him..., Su-Jin thought.

Su-Jin hadn't realised that the lady was gone until Maek Jong snapped his fingers in front of her face. Su-Jin flinched and blinked fast as she was surprised with Maek Jong's sudden actions.

"What is it?", she asked.

"Nothing. You were lost in thought so I woke you up from whatever trance you were in."

"Why don't you look out the window and observe the village while waiting for the food?", he suggested.

Su-Jin nodded and walked over to the open window and gazed upon the people minding their own business.

A few minutes later, the old lady came back with a tray. She set it down on a low table and poured some tea into the two cups. Su-Jin turned around and started to walk over to the table. She sat in front of Maek Jong at the other side of the table. She looked down at the food and noticed the old lady served them the same thing, not that she was complaining.

She took a bite of the ricecake and stared at it.

"This is good!", she exclaimed.

Maek Jong chuckled at the princess' sudden change of behaviour. Just a few minutes ago, Su-Jin was mature and quiet, observing the village and looking out the window. But now here she is with her eyes wide and surprised about how good the ricecake is.

This girl is really different, he laughed in his thoughts.

Did he not know that that would he the reason he would fall for her more?