I went back to the pavilion looking defeated. The king noticed my demeanor.
"What happened? Did you two fight?" the king asked.
"No," I said, then continued eating.
"Tell me what's on your mind."
"Let's have dinner with Empress Isha later." I diverted the topic.
He nodded. "Where do you want to eat? Here?"
I nodded again, then put a spoonful of rice into my mouth.
I got hurt today. I hurt Min Yun as well. I don't know what to do anymore.
After our lunch, I decided to go back to my chamber. The king offered to accompany me, but I refused. I told him to return to his quarters and rest since he hadn't had any rest since yesterday.
When I entered the chamber, I saw Empress Isha looking out the window.
"You're already awake," I said.
When she noticed me, she turned and smiled. "I miss being ordinary."
"Do you want to go back home?"
"Yeah, with you."
I sighed and lay on my bed.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"I hurt Min Yun."
"Your cousin? Why?"
"He got jealous of the king. He left because he couldn't stand seeing the king being sweet toward me."
She smiled. "That's tough."
"Yeah."
Empress Isha lay on the bed beside me.
"Is it that difficult?" she asked, teasing me.
"Are you mocking me?"
"What do you think?"
I rolled my eyes at her. She just laughed.
"I'm in a complicated situation now. Please, don't tease me."
"What should I do? I like teasing you."
"Just go back to your country, Empress Isha," I said sarcastically.
"No. Tell me to go back to our real world."
I looked at her. I felt guilty knowing she came back here just to fetch me. I hurt her, yet she's still concerned about me.
"You know I can't go back..."
"Yeah, yeah. Because you're still looking for the culprit, right?"
I sighed. "After this, everything will be over."
Empress Isha hugged me. "Yeah."
We lay there for a few hours until I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep.
Von's POV
Teresita didn't realize she had already fallen asleep. I stared at her face, feeling worried. I was worried because I didn't want her to experience what I had gone through while living here. Hearing her stories, it seems like she's stuck between two young men who have feelings for her.
I remembered the time I met the king. I was only sixteen when I first fell in love.
Just like Teresita, I was absorbed into the book without any warning. Luckily, I was transported to a place where they accepted me as their daughter—a rich elderly couple who never had children. They took care of me as their own, fed me, educated me, and even spoiled me with worldly things.
One time, my parents were invited to the palace because my father was visiting the king, who happened to be his best friend.
My father introduced me to the royal family. They were fond of me and even joked that they wanted me to become the wife of their son.
I felt awkward at first because in our world, getting married at sixteen is too young. But then I remembered: this is not our world.
The crown prince wasn't present during the meal. He didn't dine with us.
Afterward, I excused myself. I wanted to roam around the palace. Of course, I couldn't explore it all in one day—it was massive—but at least I could get a glimpse.
As I walked outside, the flowers in the garden caught my eye.
I smiled and went straight toward them, still staring at the colorful and beautiful blooms.
I stopped when I reached them. I touched the petals gently and even leaned in to smell their fragrance.
"Wow," I whispered.
We had a garden back home, too, but this one was different—much bigger and more enchanting.
"You like it?"
I gasped when I heard someone behind me. I turned around to see who it was. As I turned, I didn't notice I had stepped on my hanbok, causing me to lose my balance.
I thought I was about to trip in front of this handsome man, but to my surprise, I didn't fall.
His hand was at my waist, supporting me.
We looked at each other. Our faces were just inches apart. I could even feel his breath. His warm, deep eyes made my cheeks flush. I didn't know how long we stayed like that—seconds? Minutes?
"Who are you?" he asked, still holding me in that position.
I snapped out of it and felt embarrassed. I quickly straightened up and stepped away to create some space.
"I'm sorry," I said, bowing my head. I could feel the heat of my blush spreading across my face.
"Answer me," he said, sounding so serious.
I looked at him. He wasn't smiling.
"Ah... Ahm... I am Isha," I said.
"What clan?"
"Huh?"
"Are you deaf?" he seemed annoyed.
"I... I'm sorry, but I have to go."
I didn't let him say another word. I just ran as fast as I could.
I went back to the king's chamber where my father was. I went inside, panting.
"Why are you panting so hard? Are you okay, Isha?" my father looked worried. Yeah, I'm super lucky. Even though they don't know the real me, they accepted me wholeheartedly.
"Isha, come sit here," my mother said.
I followed and sat beside my mother.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness, if I interrupted your conversation. I didn't mean to."
The king and queen just laughed. "It's okay. Are you enjoying your stay here in the palace?"
Then I remembered again the young man I met a while ago.
"Oh, yes." Then my cheeks turned red.
"Are you sick, my daughter?" my mom noticed the redness in my face.
"No, Mom, I just feel hot," I said while touching my cheeks.
The conversation was interrupted when someone barged into the chamber.
"Crown Prince..." the king called out to the person who entered.
I turned around to look at the person whom the king had called.
I gasped when I saw that the young man I had seen in the garden was now standing at the door.
"Crown prince?" I whispered to myself.
"Do you know him, Isha?" my mom whispered.
"What? No, Mom."
"So you are here," said the crown prince, who had already noticed me.
I bit my lower lip and ignored the confusion on my mom's face.
"Come here, Crown Prince," the king commanded.
He silently sat on the floor in front of me. He looked at me intently, as if examining my every move. I looked away and tried to focus on the conversation between my dad and the king.
Then the topic shifted back to us.
"So, Crown Prince, since you've met Lady Isha, I hope you can get along," the king said.
"What?" I muttered in a low voice.
"Do you still remember our promise?" the king asked my father.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I want it to be fulfilled."
"What?" my father asked.
"You told me that if I have a son and you have a daughter—and vice versa—we would let them marry."
My father just laughed.
"Aren't they still too young?"
"The crown prince is already 18. How about Lady Isha?"
"Ahm... 16," I answered.
"See? They are not that young anymore."
I looked at the crown prince, who was just confidently sitting there as if the topic wasn't a big deal.
"What do you think, Crown Prince?" The king diverted his attention to him.
"Does this help our country?" he asked, without showing any emotion on his face.
"Yes, of course."
"Then let it be," he answered, then looked at me.
I was caught off guard by his answer. Does he want me to be his wife?
The conversation ended, and the king and my father shook hands.
"Come here often and bring your daughter."
"Sure, Your Highness," he said, bowing.
My mother bowed her head, too.
"We will go now," my father said.
For the last time, I looked at the crown prince. His face remained the same, emotionless.
As we went out, I touched my chest and breathed heavily.
"What happened to you?" my mother and father looked worried.
"I'm fine..."
"Is this because of the promise?"
I looked at my father. "Father, do they know that I'm just adopted?"
"What? Just adopted?" he repeated, then continued, "I never think of you that way. You are my real daughter."
"But they should know," I said.
"The king knows about it. I never hide secrets from him, and neither does he. We are like brothers, as if our intestines were connected. But hearing you say you are 'just' adopted makes my heart hurt."
I bit my lower lip and bowed my head. "I'm sorry, Father."
My mother tapped my shoulder. "We told you the moment we saw you that you would be our daughter. Regardless of your past or wherever you came from, what matters most is the present."
I wanted to cry. I don't know what I did to deserve this. Thinking of the reality made me feel guilty. I wanted to tell them the real me—my real world. I wanted to tell them that they are just fictional characters. But I had no courage. I didn't want to hurt them.
My father and mother held my hands. We walked together, hand in hand.
It has been three years since I started living here, three years ago when they found me in the forest wearing thin clothes. They were shocked at first, but they didn't hesitate to help me. I was in shock, too. I didn't know what to do. This world was new to me. Everything was my first time.
We rode the palanquin and left the palace. I looked at the gate one more time. When will I meet the crown prince again? Thinking about getting married made me nervous—and excited. The moment I saw him in the garden, my heart fluttered. Am I starting to like him?
"Really, Father? We're going to the palace again?" I asked excitedly.
My mother smiled at my reaction.
"Yes, the king invited us to visit him again. But this time, we'll be staying there for three days."
"Three days?" I felt even more excited.
"Yes."
I couldn't hide the excitement I was feeling.
"Do you really like the crown prince that much?" my father asked.
That's when I stopped my delusions and tried to calm down.
"Ahm... I mean, I'm excited to roam around the palace."
My father and mother smiled. The whole day, our servants helped us prepare our things. My parents went out to buy gifts for the royal family.
The servant smiled while looking at me daydreaming.
"Are you excited, my lady?" the servant asked.
"Do I look excited?" I asked.
"Yes."
I smiled. "Am I beautiful?" I asked.
"You are the most beautiful lady I've ever met, my lady."
I blushed. "Stop complimenting me. I'm not that pretty," I said, but deep inside I was very pleased.
I continued helping my servant pack my things. I couldn't wait for tomorrow.
All night, I couldn't sleep. I was too excited.