Tales Under A Cloud

09| Light and Shadow

"This is a park," Yuxin said when they arrived.

"Yes, want to swing a bit?"

She sat down first, and he started pushing her from behind.

"Huh? Aren't you going to sit on the other one?"

"I want you to have a little fun" Actually, Kun wants to cheer her up and see her smile again. He thinks that what he said yesterday has put a wall between the two of them. 

His thoughts were interrupted when Yuxin stopped him from pushing her.

"Let's have fun together."

They swayed as much as they could, and from one moment to the next, both were laughing and the tension in Yuxin shoulder lessened. The discomfort disappeared. They felt like being children again.

"When you become king, do you have other plans besides building parks?" She asked after a while and Kun looked at her with a soft gaze.

"I have a lot and you appear in all of them"

Yuxin blushed, and then covered her mouth with her hand. She is shrinking like a shy bean now. Something that Kun finds so cute.

"I think we should go back now," Yuxin said while moving her fingers in a restless and nervous way. And not to bother her anymore, Kun nodded and smiled. After Yuxin told him that she doesn't know if she wanted to go home, she gave Kun a chance to win her heart and he would do it step by step. 

He will eventually stop when she answer what he confess yesterday. When he has lost in winning her heart.

"Let's go"

When they returned to the castle, the soldiers, who were guarding each of the girls, reported to the prince what they did.

They hadn't been taken to see the place, it was the fourth round. It was about humility and for that, no one had to know about it. Because that part must come from a queen naturally.

Participant number four and nine were eliminated.

There were only three left now.

*

For the last round, which was the hardest of all, they had been allowed a few more weeks before doing it.

And during all those days, Yuxin hadn't seen Kun.

"You look out the window a lot these days, do you miss the prince?" Yuyan asked her directly.

Yuxin's shoulder tensed and instead of answering her. She scratched her head, but Yuyan knew the answer anyway.

Kun appeared in Yuxin's head every day, and not having him there seemed like a torture to her.

"I heard from Xie Na that he is coming back tonight" Yuyan assured her, and Yuxin's face lit up, that she stayed by the window waiting all the afternoon. Even a cold heart like Yuyan found it nice that her friend fell in love. Now, she just need to realize it.

It was dark, and Kun's voice was barely heard. Yuxin got nervous and her heart began to beat fast.

She was in the kitchen to get a glass of water, but now that the prince arrived she can't move. She had that strange feeling again, Kun was the only one who made her feel that way.

"Here you are"

Yuxin startled in her place, while Kun approached her.

"W-Were you looking for me?" she asked.

"Yes, I missed you"

How can he be so straightforward?

Kun looked paler and it seemed like he hadn't rested for days. That worried Yuxin as she reached over and touched his forehead.

"Aren't you feeling well?"

The prince took her hand gently and looked into her eyes.

"I'm ok now"

"You're not okay, what did they do to you? Look at the bags under your eyes, you're not rested enough"

Is she scolding me? Kun thought, and Yuxin led him to the door of his room.

"Go in, you have to sleep."

Kun didn't do what she said, he was still holding onto Yuxin's hand. It was true that he felt tired, but he hadn't seen her for days and he wanted to spend more time together.

"Kun ..."

Yuxin couldn't finish what she was going to say when Kun hugged her.

"I missed you so much," he said. And to Kun's surprise, Yuxin returned the hug. "Did you miss me too?"

She nodded without looking at him. And with that, Kun felt that all the energy returned to his body. When they broke the embrace their faces were so close that Kun couldn't resist it anymore and look at her lips. He leaned toward her a little, but Yuxin just opened her eyes and crouched down.

Am I being too fast? he asked himself as he stepped back and gave Yuxin some space.

"Am sorry. I think you should go to sleep too, it's getting late," he said, looking at how she was still in her place without moving and covering her face.

"Why do I feel like this with you?"

Huh?

Yuxin just realized that she said it out loud.

"F-Forget what I said, I'll go to my room"

But Kun wouldn't let her, not after what she just said. He might not be able to sleep with that.

"How do I make you feel? Is it disgusting?" he asked after crouched beside her.

"No, is not that".

"It's pity? Pride?"

"None of them"

"Then?"

"When I'm with you, my heart beats a lot"

Kun widened his eyes and tried to remove her hands from her face.

"Don't" Yuxin insisted on covering her face, but Kun managed to push it away.

She is blushing so hard, Kun thought and his lips began to strech.

"You are not the only one. Maybe my heart will explode first than yours."