Chapter 99 - The trip [1] (1/2)

”What's with the preparation going around?” Moon Jiwoo questioned.

Her back leaned against the pillar as her hand held on to a lollipop. While she stared at Oh Sookyung, she popped the lollipop inside her mouth.

Before her was the grand hall, and staffs were running around the place, arranging and decorating things inside the grand hall. The atmosphere was quite busy.

Beside her stood Oh Sookyung, dressed in casual clothing. Exhaustion could be seen on his face as leaned against the same pillar as Jiwoo from different side.

”The leaders decided to hold a ball for me, and all the young ladies in the Kingdom are required to join. I will be searching my fated one amongst them,” Sookyung said, ”This is so troublesome I swear, but I am wholeheartedly praying that I don't meet this fated one of mine.”

Jiwoo chuckled and stated, ”What are you? The prince from Cinderella? This Underworld is completely surprising. Well, you might not be finding your fated one, but you could get someone to fall in love with.”

Sookyung scoffed and voiced out, ”I doubt I am the Prince from Cinderella. I don't think I will be falling for someone at first glance.”

Nudging at the man with her elbow, Jiwoo spoke out, ”It's too early for you to say that. You might actually fall in love at first sight, and about the fated one, you don't know how the connections work. What if you fall for that person in first sight?”

”I don't know how to feel about that, but I have a feeling that I would not be falling in love that easily,” he stated, ”What about you?”

”Me? Why are you suddenly asking me about it? I don't know if I want a love life this time around. I can get seriously crazy once I am in love, and last time around, I ruined my life due to it.

That's why, I guess I don't want to fall in love with someone,” Jiwoo vocalised, ”Although I was not a decent person to begin with, love changes people to a scarier version of themselves. I don't want to go through that or endure all those hateful gazes again.”

”Oh,” Sookyung said, ”But just because one turned out to be a fail doesn't mean others will be, and even if you mess up this time around, I am there beside you. I will protect you.”

”I realized that I took the correct decision by protecting you,” Jiwoo expressed, ”Although you were annoying, you are really helpful now, and your personality a lot more better. There are lots of benefits by being with you.”

Moving forward to stand before Moon Jiwoo, Sookyung extended his hand towards her and grabbed on to her cheeks. A wince escaped from Jiwoo's mouth as he pulled her cheeks, and a pout began to form upon her features.

”What are you doing, Oh Sookyung?” she questioned— her voice coming out strangely due to her cheeks being stretched.

”Your cheeks had gotten to become really plump. How much do you eat regularly?” he commented with a hint of tease in his eyes.

Seeing the glint in his eyes, she slapped away his hand away from her, and glaring at him, she spoke out, ”Whose fault is that? The entire day you remain busy and there is nothing I can do other than eating or roaming around the palace.”

”Wow! So, now you are blaming me?” he raised one of his eyebrows.

Nodding her head, she answered, ”Of course I am. Who do think is responsible for this if it is not you?”

”Fine, fine,” Sookyung stated, ”In order to make you feel at peace, I will be placing the blame upon myself. So, let me make it up to you. Do you want to accompany me to a trip? I ȧssure you it will be fine.”

”Trip, hmm,” she said, ”Sure, why not! I will be bored to death by staying inside this palace as well, and adding on the depression, I will probably be two hundred pounds before my death.”

At her words, laughs escaped from Sookyung's lips, and the corner of his eyes crinkled up at that. In that instant, Jiwoo's face went blank as she realized something— Sookyung's laugh was beautiful.