How To Win A Husband ✔️

Part 8

"Today will conclude the end of the second round of selection. Out of the 15 of you, with the help of the crown prince, we have chosen the 6 that will move on."

The dreaded day came where the 9 of us will go home. I don't even know how I survived this far but if I get eliminated today, I would still be happy with the results.

"Lee Hyerin"

"Yoo Bora"

"Kwon Nari"

"Cho Sun-hi"

"Han Goeun"

"Song Ji-young"

The girls that got called were glowing with happiness while the rest were crying in despair. Court Lady Choi sighed before starting her intellectual speech again.

I don't think it was a good thing to be selected for the third round. I already told the prince I wanted to be just friends, so why am I still here?!

"The third and final round will determine our crown princess, so his highness himself gave out a question he wants you ladies to try and answer. The answer will be due in a week, so submit your letters to me after thinking hard about it." Court Lady Choi gave each of us a slip of paper before leaving to do her other work.

The question was simple but I don't think it would be that easy to answer.

"How can I make my people happy as the crown prince of this nation?"

---

I had a whole week to write down my answer so I didn't rack my brain like how the other girls were doing. Hyerin said she already had something in mind, which I wasn't surprised of, because she has her way with words as well.

It was around 11 am in the morning and I was bored out of my mind. Hyerin pulled me to the side a while ago and told me that Prince Yul wanted to meet her in the royal library today privately.

I parted ways with her a while ago and walked around aimlessly. Before I knew it, my feet had led me to the general's work room. "Is he inside?" I asked the soldiers but they shook their heads no.

I wonder where he could be at this time?

I walked to that one place I saw where the general was practicing archery with his men. I had a mission to accomplish today and I won't back down until I succeed.

Once I went to the training area, I saw all the men wielding their sword and the general himself watching over it from the side, giving out advices on what to improve.

"General?" I called out in a whisper shout voice from afar hoping that he heard me. He finally noticed me once I waved in his direction. His hair was up in a bun today and his bangs were swaying softly by the wind.

"Lady Goeun, what brings you here?" Now that I think about it, I'm always the one seeking him out to meet up with him and spend time together. Am I being annoying?

"Nothing really, I just wanted to see if you had any free time today. I was bored and didn't have anyone to hang out with.." I stared at him expectedly waiting for his answer.

He sighed and ran his hand through his bangs. "I unfortunately don't have time to do that right now. I'm training my soldiers and am also dealing with the man who escaped a while ago." He had lost a little weight from the last time I saw him and it made me feel concerned.

"Okay you don't have to hang out with me for long. Just take a small rest in the shade here." I pulled him away from the heat and into the shade so he could sit down and relax.

"Here, I think I have it with me right now." I pulled out the handkerchief I had recently finished and tried to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Just as I was about to pull away, he suddenly held on to my wrist stopping me from moving.

"W-what are you doing?" Flustered, I tried to free myself from his grasp but he wouldn't budge an inch. Instead he pulled me closer to him and I let out a small gasp. I've never been this close to a man before..

"That's what I want to ask you. Why are you, the crown prince's woman, looking after another man? Or are you like this to all of the men here?" His eyes were cold and distant, his warm breath fanning my face. His voice sounded irritated and that made me feel hurt inside.

"Who said that I was the crown prince's woman? The results aren't out yet and I even told his highness that I wasn't interested" "And no, I am not that undignified or desperate to care for every man with affection" By the end of my speech, I felt out of breath and angry with the man in front of me.

We stared at each other silently for a moment, his gaze was unexplainable and fierce, but I had no reason to back down.

Today didn't turn out the way I had imagined it..

His grip on my wrist loosened and I harshly pulled away before holding the spot that turned red from the pain.

"All I wanted to do was ask for your name today. Is it that bad that I want to get closer to you?" I looked down slowly and my brain was chanting in my head Do not cry, do not cry, don't let him see your tears

"Are you perhaps interested in me, Lady Goeun?" This time he gently held my wrist that was at my side and rubbed it softly, easing the pain.

"I don't deserve to have a woman like you caring for me" He tilted his head to the side to take a closer look at me. I pouted slightly before raising my head. "So you won't even give it a try?"

"Then let's take it back a few steps and start over. My name is Kim Yo Han, and you are?"

At least he didn't fully reject me

I found my smile again and made a little courtesy.

"It is nice to meet you, Kim Yo Hanssi, I am Han Goeun"

I liked how his name sounded and thought it matched him really well.

I wished that he knew, that he was the reason why I embroidered jasmines on that particular handkerchief.

(If you don't already know, feel free to search up the meaning of jasmine flowers:))