A Tale About A: Forgotten Princess [Part 2]

Chapter 2: Birthday Present

After running off from that peculiar boy, I headed towards the craft store to choose a present for my father. Well, he's not my real father...I was told from the age I could understand words that I'm actually an orphan and father had adopted me when I was still an infant. But that doesn't affect the close bond we had and I was thankful I had a father instead of having no parents. Sound depressing isn't it?

I entered the quiet craft store down the street and comforting smells of wood wafted up my nose. The craft store sold many items such as drawing items; kitchen tools; fabrics and so on. I'm here to pick a carving knife for my father since his carving knife was already dull and old. He had been using it since he was young and it has been nearly twenty years already. 

I looked at the rows of carving knives displayed neatly on the display table with awe as I wondered which would best suit for my father. 

"Looking for a carving knife?" The voice of the owner shocked me and I jumped. "Sorry to scare you, but I thought you needed some help since you've been staring for nearly ten minutes." 

"Ah...yes. I'm buying a gift for my father actually..." I scratched the back of my head as I explained sheepishly.

"Well then, is your father a right handed or a left handed?" The owner questioned.

"He's a right handed." I said and he picked up a few carving knives.

"Does any one of these catches your liking?" I browsed through the ones on his hand and picked up one. 

"How much is this?" I asked and the owner said, "Oh you have a good eye Miss, that knife is imported from the west. It's 70 coins for one."

"70?! Do you have any that's 50 coins?" I gasped at the price.

"This knife here is 50 coins. Will you like to purchase it?" The owner introduced and I took a good look at the knife. I mean, I don't really know how to differentiate good and bad ones but I have to act a little more knowledgeable right?

"Sure, I'll take it. Please wrap it up nicely for me." I smiled jovially as I waited for my purchase. 

"Such a coincidence." I turned to the voice to see someone uninviting. The artist boy strolled in to the craft store casually with a smug face.

I rolled my eyes at him as I averted my attention to the brushes by the counter. His hand reached for one of the brush that I was staring at and I followed his hand as he brought it up to examine it. I quickly looked away when I realised I was staring at the hand involuntarily and folded my arms.

"I confirm that you're 100% stalker." I said as I received my package from the owner and thanked him. "I better go now." 

I shoved past the boy as I hurried out of the store. 

"W-wait, where are you heading to?" The boy sounded urgent as he placed the brush back on to the counter and followed after.

"It's none of your business! Stop following me!" I spat as I quickened my pace back home. 

I took a swift stop of my step when the boy suddenly blocked my way and I glared at him. "What do you want from me?!"

"You're an interesting girl. I want to be your friend." The boy broke the ice and introduced himself as Baekah. 

"Hell no." I refused and passed him by as I started to sprint across the street. 

"Wait! I haven't got your name!!" He shouted for me but I was not in the mood to entertain a stalker like him.

I panted and kept looking to the back to see if he really followed me home but thank goodness; he didn't. "Baekah..." I repeated his name softly; "Why is he so interested in me?" I shook my head in confusion as I walked in to my house. 

"Father, I'm home!" I announced as I marched in to the front yard. 

"A-Yeon ah!" I could hear his voice from inside the room. Must be doing one of his paintings again. Did I mention my father is an artist? No? Okay.

"Father, what are you drawing this time?" I slid open the door and true enough; my father was sitting on the stool and drawing on a rice paper hanging on an easel. 

A sudden thought occured to me as I entered his room that Baekah was an artist as well. Seriously, what's with all the coincidences? 

I brushed off the thought and stared at the beautiful drawing on the rice paper. There were two people sitting on the table under a pavilion; and a court lady was offering them tea. I gave a soft smile as I looked at the drawing.

"Is that you in the drawing?" I asked.

He turned to me with a sad emotion but quickly dissolved it with a concerned smile. "How did your hunting went?" 

"Ah...I managed to convince the trader to trade me fifty coins for three rabbits. It was a tough negotiation!" I said. 

My father smiled as he continued, "So what did you get with the fifty coins?" 

I gave him a big grin as I fumbled with the package I had behind my back. "Well...I..." My heart pounded nervously as I was looking forward to his reaction when he sees the present I got for him.

"Happy birthday, father!" I presented the present to him as I exclaimed. Father was definitely surprised as he took over the package from me. 

"A-Yeon ah...you bought a present for me?" He asked with a shocked tone.

Father unwrapped the paper and opened the box to see the carving knife that I have chosen for him. 

"Your current knife is already very old and dull...I thought I would gift you a new one. I hope you like it." I explained as tears trickled down his eyes.

"Thank you, A-Yeon. I love it." He stood up and embraced me in to a comforting hug.

"Now you can carve your pencils in to lovely shapes; and draw lovely drawings." I grinned.

That night, one of father's friend visited us to celebrate his birthday as well. She had brought a whole cooked chicken and some other dishes. This was the first time I'm seeing a friend of father's even though I knew he received letters from time to time.

"Hello, my name is A-Yeon and I am seventeen years old." I bowed as a form of respect to the woman. 

She gave me quite a long stare as her eyes became watery. "So you're already seventeen..." The woman swallowed and calmed her emotions as she introduced, "Nice to meet you. I am your father's friend; you can call me Aunt Yuri." 

Aunt Yuri smiled graciously; she seemed like a wonderful person with her well-groomed hair and luxurious looking hanbok. She turned to give father a smile as she wished, "Happy birthday, Jong Suk oppa." 

Both of them looked in to the eyes of one another longingly and I felt awkward. I wonder how long had the both of them last seen each other? Could she be the one who always wrote letter to father?

"Thank you. Come, let's eat before the food turns cold." Father said as he gestured Aunt Yuri to sit.