───아가페┊사랑～

|𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝖈𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝖇𝖊𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖞|

The lotus pond shimmered under lazy flicks of a koi's tail, the refined serenity and anticipation of waiting for the one tricking past the time as her gaze reserved to the pavilion. Servants in muted silk moves gracefully, sweeping the stone pathways──ensuring that every leaf and petal is in its rightful place.

At the heart of the garden, she waited for her soon-to-be-betrothed. The carefully arranged ceremonial table with fresh fruits and warm tea now nearly lost her interest as her sole breath was calculated under the eyes of every single one in the silk robe that surrounded her. Every movement is measured, precise, nothing less than perfection is acceptable in the presence of───

" The crown prince is here."

The sole title turning her gaze steady onto the path of the pavilion, the arrival of the esteemed one and only prince── the future king of Daeho walking towards her in the protection of guards enclosing him.

The initial formal meet between the two was interlined for considering her as a potential crown princess, the audacity to arrogantly request her hand in join the families ticked off more than just a nerve, yet satisfied by the title.

When Na-ra met Go-won for the first time, she found the man cold , repulsive and tiresome. The embodiment of a man she found herself dodging away for decades. However unexpectedly to her incredulity, it was entirely the opposite, ───he was an grumpy, benevolent and childish in Jang Na-ra's perspective.

Someone she didn't acknowledge herself to be closer with.

" You're here. " The acknowledgement of her presence provided with an cold shoulder while her gaze conferred the warmth of familiarity. " Yes, your highness. I wanted to meet you, since I missed your presence. "

The sweetness that interlaced her words riveling the honey biscuits presented in the golden smeared ceramic plates, the warmthness in her gaze imparting the shy tug of lips of the guards that stood beside, yet her gaze conveying that is contrast from warmth to the boy in front.

" Leave. I need to talk to her."

Complying the order with no agitation, the men and women that awaited their assistance walked away with ease stringing along Young-hee──as Na-ra found herself to be bereft of the presence of other than the crown prince.

The second the figures disappeared from their corner of their eyes, the two refined figures of the kingdom broke out their facade in an instance─── the precise posture of hers, now slouched back to the wooden polished chair as if the comfort of straight posture were needles digging onto her spine and the crown prince- Go-won, is too occupied stifling his laugh that embarked to his heart content, mocking the one and only girl that sat aside him.

" I feel like sometimes you forget, that I'm only tolerating you because of your title."

Her words seethed out as if the title and position of the man that sat in front of hers was null in the moment, and surprising as it is, as for a man who takes great pride in his title───he didn't appeared to be slightly vexed by it.

Rather,continued his antics that vexed the latter.

" I...I missed your pr-presence. " Repeating her lines that she wished to erase from the history if she can, Go-won found himself pestering her repose without anticipating the aftermath of her anger.
" How did you come across those cheesy lines? "

" Don't even mention it. Kim Do-joo was begging me to read those strange books that were filled with these kinds of words." Her fingers tracing the golden rim of the porcelain cup as she recalls the cliché words that etched onto the valuable papers. " She was desperate to a point where she replaced my medicinal books into those trivial things. "

Finding her misery a delight in the monotonous life of his, every word of hers materialized a place in his memory to haul.

The quietness that's rather pleasant between the two, sprung upon. The stillness of the air surrounding them drifting through the plum blossoms, the petals that are imminent to fall── drifting alongside.

" So, you have heard about it right? " The coltish bantering now drifted away along with the wind, the significance in his inquiry weighing down the ambience.

" About what? Inquire properly, I hear countless things each da── "

" About Naksu." The particular name that is all too famous in every corner of the kingdom for her news of demise, fell onto the plate of their discussion.

" Who hasn't? I've just seen her lifeless form yesterday in songrim. Master Heo called for me there, Master park was there too..." The distinct longing and inessential depiction at the end of her words she chose to conceal the tensed up nerves just by hearing the name, shot back as her mouth deliberately chose to bite back one's presence.

" Who else was there? " A question she didn't anticipate from the latter, notably by the slip of words from hers at that.

" How-how did you know? " The visible bewilderment creased over her parted lips, puzzlement of how he structured to read out her mind when they were mere acquaintances── where to a point he unveiled the tip of her secrets that included his cousin by doing the one thing he's well-versed at── vexing her til she gave out the harmless insight of her pursuing his cousin a decade before.

" I know you. So who was else there? "

The answer was unmistakably evident with no further words needed. Jang Na-ra was someone who tolerated and endured any calibre, the sole purpose of her being the young lady of Jang household was to represent her last name while disentangling the knots her brother left behind mostly under the broken engagements which she attained a significant part in. It ironically even appeared to be embarrassment of remitment which she personally tended to presenting her face was relish to her at this point, til it comes to him.

"......Seo-yul. "

Barely a whisper as if the name itself burned inside her chest. She hated him── or she pretends to be atleast. The accusing and blameworthy gaze of  burning down two bridges that were the path of his and hers to something the both wished to hold together always remained on her as a burn mark that doesn't fade away quite simply by time, yet she somewhat coveted the same gaze to ease her pain.

She didn't desire to turn the wheel of time to the past and reform what her past self revealed or ruined. If she could, she wished to turn the wheel til she could feel the pain of losing and shattering her own hopes to the point, where everything could be easier to forget and uproot herself from the guilt.

The abrupt change of ambience didn't gone unnoticed by the boy, her gaze latched onto the porcelain tea cup weighed sorrows he can't erase── but can stop reminiscing over it atleast for the moment.

" I heard that your brother Jang uk, got kicked out from Gisan. "

The mockery spawned from the feud between the two dropped into their converse, as if he's awaiting all this time to brought upon the repeated blunder of his adversary.

" He wasn't kicked out. He walked out, willingly." Each words protesting against the ones that's parallel to expletives that thrown towards her brother. As much as she loathed her brother for his never ending hope and attempts while neglecting the household, a quite compact corner in her mind yearned to watch his hopes weren't unattainable, yet in the world she lives in─── hopes are nothing but nemesis of duty.

" what is with you and Uk always speaking ill of each other?? It's equal to listening squabble of childre───wait no, children are more sophisticated than you two. "

Uncertainty behind the deep hostility two held for each other from the moment the proposition of engagement that ties the Royal family and Jang household brought upon── the two didn't spared a glance rather than the words of shortcomings of each other as the girl found herself to be the mediator in between.

" I'm speaking ill of him?! He spoke down to me the day that I came to Jang household to request your hand in marriage. I'm a crown prince, I only spared him because he is your brother!."

Defending himself from the partial accusation that shunned by her, as if his benevolence for his adversary being the kin of his betrothed were the only reason to spare him and while that, he utterly failed to percieve the one who nearly concede to the impulse to shatter the ceramic plate that held untouched honey biscuits upon his head.

" Request? " Her voice shrill under the bafflement as she repeats the particular word in his statement as an question.

Momentarily loosening the restraint of her words held, she couldn't help but to
blame the tactics of the one that appeared barbaric and arrogant in her perspective regardless of how much the action partially an benefit in the end for herself.

" You're a cruel woman. " Attempting to ignore the shiver of dread that creeped upto his spine merely by the conception of the image of tied to a rock, he personally entitled the name that leud in his thoughts. " Well, You are a arrogant man. "

" See how we are made for each other?? Even Master Heo can't find a better match than me for you." Notioning his hands in between as if his choice and partially her choice in finding their match can't be reveled upon by any other, he slouched back on his wooden chair with Victory creased on his lips.

" Well....I finally understand what Uk meant by the term──narcissistic. " With ease of watching the man, she hoisted up the certain word from the vocabulary her brother made solely for Go-won, who accepted the accusation rather than the continuous defense. " Fine, it's my fault. I do not object it─── But he should have fallen silently rather than utter ' we aren't in need of a relation with Royal Family ' in my face. "

"───And don't be too ferocious with me! You wanted a good partner with title, wealth, dignity and a good heart! There is no another man in Daeho that fill all your requirements." Narcissism Or truth, at the moment Na-ra was reluctant to find out which as disappointment was the sole thing that coursed through her veins.

" Don't be too self-admiring. At the end, try not to end up alone. " Sympathy that interlaced with rather mortification partially for the boy as her advice that can be simply taken as insult reached upto him.

" I am the number one candidate on Master Heo's list of the most eligible partner for women in Daeho." Proudly stating the information he attained by peeking onto the piece of paper while in Sejukwon, where the old man keep tracks of the men worthy to marry his grandchild, Heo Yun-ok.

"Set aside your title for a moment and see where you’ll end up on the list ──I mean
If, you're on the list. "

" Cruel woman. "

◌ ☯ ◌

───아가페┊𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔱𝔥𝔷𝔷𝔨𝔨