Chapter 10

                                    

                                          
He took a step closer to you as you did the same. The two bodies met on the middle of the bridge, warm sunlight engulfing them. If this was the movies, he would have wrapped his arms around you, and you would have melted in his touch. But it wasn't the movie. He stood a foot away from you, hands at his sides. 
                          
"Your Highness, what are you doing here?" you asked. It felt like a dumb question, he's the prince, he should be able to do whatever he wants.
                          
"I-I'm not sure exactly. All I know is that I wanted to see you today." he said, looking down at his feet. It's rare to see him so not confident. "Sorry if Yoongi made you feel uncomfortable in anyway."
                          
"That's not new." you laughed. "But have you been waiting long?"
                          
"For you, I can wait as long as possible." This was very direct, there's not a lot of ways you could interpret it. It made you blush. But to be honest, you had no idea how to feel. You want to be happy, but you can't be. The Prince is getting married soon, no fiance yet, but it'll happen soon. It's wrong for you to feel attachment to him, but you can't help this feeling. You love him, it wasn't just mere admiration, there's a part of you that wants to spend the rest of your life with him.
                          
"Your Highness, you shouldn't be here. And moreover, you should not be here with me." your voice was quiet and in your head, you took a step back. But your physical body remained. 
                          
"Namjoon." he said, eyes deep into yours. 
                          
"Pardon?"
                          
"You need to call me Namjoon." he said again. This time, he closed the space between you two. You could smell his cologne and all you wanted to do was wrapped yourself in him. You dared not to look at his face, instead looking at the distance between your feet instead. You noticed a movement, his hand moving and then it was holding yours. You gasped, now looking up at him. The Prince smiled.
                          
"Nam-Your Highness, this is wrong." you said, still unable to say his name. It felt like something sacred and coming out from your mouth would be a sin. 
                          
"Why?" he asked quickly, desperation ins his voice.
                          
"Because you're getting married soon. And if anyone sees us, you could get in trouble."
                          
"You don't have to worry about other people seeing us. I booked the whole park, it'll just be us for the day."
                          
"But-" He furrowed his eyebrows and it made you stop talking. 
                          
"Enough about this. Right now, I am not the prince, I am Kim Namjoon. And I am spending the day with you, Y/N." He cleverly avoided the topic of his marriage and you knew he would not talk about it even if you ask. With you hand still in his, he began walking past the bridge and onto a path overlooking the river. "How do you normally spend your day off?" he asked.
                          
It caught you off guard, but you answered nonetheless. "When I wake up, I eat breakfast, watch some TV to catch up on korean dramas. Then start some laundry. I would then go to the market for groceries. After getting back, I would cook myself some lunch, or if Mrs.Lee from next door happened to make some extra food, I would eat that instead. I'm not a great cook, sadly. Sometimes, I would clean the house while listening to music. Or I would lay on my couch for hours reading a book." you laughed in embarrassment. "Saying this out loud make me realize how boring my life is."
                          
"Do you hang out with friends a lot?" he asked. You both had stopped walking and was now just observing the movement of the water. His hand was still holding yours though.
                          
"Well, I do have a couple of friends from college. But they moved to other parts of the country to work so I don't see them often. I do visit the orphanage from time to time, I bring some fun snacks and new clothes." The river and the sun casted an orb of light on him, making him more ethereal than usual. It made you blush. You two continued walking some more, there was a small waterfall nearby and a bench directly across from it. 
                          
"Can you tell me more about the orphanage?" he asked.
                          
"What do you want to know exactly?"
                          
"Everything. But if some things are too much for you, you don't have to share them with me. I know I'm putting my nose in your personal life. But I just want to know everything about you." Your cheeks redden, matching the rose bushes scattered across the park. 
                          
"Let's see. My caretaker told me that I was dropped off by a man when I was a child and I had no recollection of who I was or what had happened to me. I integrated relatively easily to the other kids. We only had each other. We did what kids would do. Play hide and seek, tag, steal extra food for the night, mess around with the adults. Eventually, most of them were adopted, or they waited until they were legally old enough to leave. But unlike them, I had no choice. The people at the orphanage specifically told me to go to school and get a degree. They never told me how they got the money, college isn't exactly cheap. But I was grateful for that, because then I got this job."
                          
"And do you like your job?" he asked curiously, leaning an elbow on his knee and looked at you in content.
                          
"I love it. I think it's every girl's dream to be in the palace. I might just be a tutor, but I feel like I have such an important job and I really do. Ha Eun is like a sister to me. If I am allowed to say that."
                          
"You can say whatever you want around me. I am also happy you're at the palace. It makes the place less lonely."
                          
"What do you mean, your Highness?"
                          
"I feel like you're my only connection to the outside world, the real world. Sure, I can leave the palace, but never on my own accord. When I see you, I see the world." You turned away so that he couldn't see the giant smile on your face. What is happening right now. Why does it feel like a date. And why does it feels so right. He noticed and chuckled. "I would like to visit the orphanage with you one day." the Prince said. 
                          
"You would?"
                          
"Yes, I want to see where you grew up. I also believe they would have your baby photos. I want to see those little Y/N. And I would also like to thank them for taking care of you so well." He sounds as excited as he does with any subject, but there was a hint of longing in his voice. 
                          
"I'm warning you first, it's not as glamorous as you think. But I'm sure the kids would love to see the Prince there."
                          
"I don't want to be there as the prince." he said sternly. "I want to be there as...."