The Other Prince (p.j.y.)

IV.

The two of them decided to lay in the grass by the lake and admire the moon and stars above.

The princess rested her head next to his shoulder as the prince held her hand and intertwined their fingers together.

Princess Nalira sighs, "Do you sometimes wish you weren't born into royalty and you were as free as those swans over there in the lake..."

The prince scoffs and nods in agreement without hesitation, "Oh all the time...being a prince in South Korea is different than here for you in France. You're a public figure here, correct?"

"Yes."

"Over there, I am one as well, but I'm more of a diplomat, I suppose you could say."

"Ohh, I see...wow that's a lot more responsibility since you have to travel and represent Korea, especially your kingdom."

Jinyoung sighs, "Exactly. I mean...I don't regret not seeing the world, but I'd like to enjoy the world more freely without responsibilities, you know? My father sent me here to hopefully exchange trade deals with your parents but I just don't feel like doing that."

"Yeah, I completely understand. For me, it's difficult as well since I can't get any peace with being a 'Gem to the Kingdom.' Everything I do, I have to do perfect and posh. That's pressuring half of the time."

"Feeling forced all the time to be perfect is very annoying but I definitely understand. It feels fake at some point since when you try to be yourself, you get looked down upon, but if you become this person people want, you get praised."

"Exactly. I just want to be myself you know. When I read a book, or when I'm in the grand library, that's when I truly feel myself."

"I agree, getting lost in a book is practically the only escape available."

They both sigh, feeling for each other's hardships of being a royal.

"That is only one of the reasons I do not want to return back home..." Jinyoung says.

"What's the other one?"

"I would never see you again when I leave for home..."

The princess frowned and looked up at him with great worry in her eyes.

The prince gives her a small reassuring smile and caresses her hair, "I don't want to leave you, and I won't. We'll find a way, don't worry."

She hugs him, burying her face in his chest, "Please don't...you're the best thing to ever happen to me..."

He hugs her back and rests his chin on her head, rubbing her back to calm her down.

"I promise, I won't. You're the best thing to ever happen to me too. I'm...too deeply in love with you to let you go..."

Nalira looks up at him from hearing his words and she sees the smile on his face as he wipes the tears that had fallen down her copper cheeks.

"You-you.."

He shushes her and nods, "Yes princess, I've fallen very deeply for you...I know the feeling now, and I can show you." He whispered

Prince Jinyoung lifts her chin and brings his face slowly down to hers as he joins his lips with hers in a kiss.

He kisses her softly and passionately with his plump soft lips, feeling his heart pound strongly in his chest.

The prince lets go from the kiss and smiles at her, holding her cheek in his hand, "You...don't have to tell me anything. I can see it in your eyes, you're deeply in love with me too." He says quietly.

Her eyes widened at how he knew that, but relaxed, feeling relieved that he did. She did love him, and had faith that they would work out.

"May I answer your question now?" Jinyoung asks her.

"What question?"

"If I thought love could be predestined? If it was inevitable."

She nods, now remembering from when she met him earlier.

"I believe it is, because, even if I must return back home, and I never saw you again for a few years, just like that man and woman in the book I showed you earlier...I believe we too can also see each other again for the next set of years. Have a different experience, but still be as deeply in love with each other then as we are now." The prince explains

"Now, I'm not saying that I'm returning home because, I won't...and neither will you." He smirks.

She gives a small chuckle as the prince began to stand up and take his suit blazer off, leaving just his dress shirt.

"What do you mean by that?" She asks him and stands up as well.

The prince winks at her and takes his black silky tie off, "Run away with me, princess. Let's see the world."

Her eyes widened at his sudden rebellion, but felt a smile grow on her face from the idea, "It might just be possible. We're in France, and its actually easy to travel around Europe from here...there's this train we could take, and I believe the station is beyond this lake."

"Really? Then let's do it! Let's visit all the places in those books we've ever read! Let's be normal people."

"What if...they find us escaping...we're sure to die, Jinyoung..."

"I'd rather die having lived my life a free man with you, than live behind tall castle walls and never see you again..." he tells her truthfully.

The princess smiled and took her tiara off, throwing it into the lake with a plop. She then ripped half of the bottom of her gown to make the skirt shorter and more breathable.

Jinyoung smiles at her and takes her hand in his, "Shall we run?"

"Let's do it."

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