A Travel Documentary [On Hold]

[ the princess and the guard ]

. . . 

Grazing her fingers across the silky surface of the laminated paper, she meticulously reads the pamphlet. It was given to MiYeon whilst the couple were walking across the rather crowded street. She accepted the leaflet and couldn't help to halt under the algid morning. 

A photo studio just recently opened and there were various themes offered in certain packages. The package prices were reasonably set to arouse her interest. She loved to take pictures, of which is not comparable to someone like Jin. 

A variety of genres were outlined in bold white against the navy, blue background. The themes include royalty, galaxy and spaceship, romantic duo, a family photo, a hoard of puppies and kittens, school themed and just the average photo booth. 

One theme that piqued her interest was the Princess and the Guard. 

Jin didn't grasp the text right away, but noticed the graphic beside it. 

It is at this moment that MiYeon was halfway done with dressing up as the princess. Jin wasted no time staring at the leaflet and instantly agreed to take the last package. He didn't mind dressing up as the guard. It strangely enlightened him to envision his wife as a modern princess. 

"Feeling nervous?" 

MiYeon glances at the hairdresser and cracks a timid smile. She nods and grasps the ends of the simple dress. She went with a simple appearance instead of a dress that weighed almost five kilograms with several layers of material. Her heart is throbbing in anticipation at the final result and to see how Jin would appear in a uniform. 

Jin is certain that this photoshoot deems a fun activity with his wife. 

"This is our first time getting a photo together in a studio. I imagined taking one with my whole family." She remarks and masticates her lips. 

"I'm certain the outcome will look fantastic. You guys look great the moment you stepped in the studio." She comments and smiles. 

The hairdresser is careful when straightening MiYeon's delicate hair. The adjusted temperature is settled to a medium heat to prevent any damage. The two ladies converse comfortably as the hairdresser puts the final touches. She clips artificial peach flowers on MiYeon's hair. She also adds a light shade of pink lipstick to match the flowers. 

"Whew ..." The wife surveys herself in the mirror. She couldn't whistle even if she tried. 

Jin, on the other hand, has been waiting for half an hour. He couldn't communicate much, but managed short topics with the male staff and photographer. They got along pretty well despite being acquaintances. A moment of silence ensued and Jin grabs for a magazine to flip through. 

He was dressed up in a guard uniform, but it resembled more of a prince rather than a guard. His hair was styled neatly to represent neatness. A few adornments were attached on the breast pocket of his navy blue uniform. 

Jin admired himself from the mirror for a few minutes privately. He could boast about his appearance to the boys until their faces turned red in jealousy and annoyance. He took some pictures of himself to keep as memory and to send to MiYeon later on. 

He ponders how she'll look like in a princess costume and how she'll react to his appearance. 

"She's all done!"

Jin glances up from the magazine and his jaw almost drops in awe. 

Stepping out from the makeup room is his wife, dressed up in a simple, white dress. Her hair has been flattened carefully and adorned with flower clips. Jin was always used to seeing her in casual outfits, aside from the parties and occasions she's had to attend to. This felt different for Jin.