The Crown Prince's Protector

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"Birth mark"

Eon Jin walk around at the palace because she couldn't sleep. She miss her room, her bed and Muk... "Wol Sook... I miss our house..." She said as she stamp her feet. "Aishhh... Abeonim is right, it's so sad to live here in the palace..." Eon Jin said. "Your Highness... You want to play a game just like before?" Wol Sook said. 

Eon Jin smile, "Jegichagi???" She said. Wol Sook nodded.

Tae Pyung heading back to his quarter   when he heard some laughters at the pond. "What is it?" He asked to Man bok. "Ah, The Crown Princess and all her servants are playing jegichagi at the pond, Your Royal Highness..." Man Bok said. "Playing???" He said.

Jegichagi is a traditional korean games. the player kicks a jegi up in the air and keeps on kicking to prevent from falling to the ground. In a one-to-one game, a player with the most consecutive kicks wins. In a group game, the players stand in a circle, and take turns kicking the jegi. Players who fail to kick the jegi upon receiving it and let it drop to the ground lose. As a penalty, the loser tosses the jegi at the winner so that he can kick it as he wishes. When the loser catches the jegi back with his hands, the penalty ends and he can rejoin the game.

Eon Jin's laughters are filled the entire place. All her royal court ladies are also laugh whenever she laughed. Wol Sook smile because she heard Eon Jin's laughter again. Since they went here to the palace, Eon Jin look sadder everyday.

Without them knowing, Tae Pyung is watching them from a far. He can't explain why he automatically smile whenever he heard her laughing. "Your Royal Highness... You want to join them?" Man Bok said. Tae Pyung take off his eyes from Eon Jin, "Aniyo! Yah! Look at her... She's a Crown Princess but she's like a kids playing on the street..." He said and he walk towards to his quarter. "If Master Kim will see you, for sure you will be scolded..." He whispered and he smile unknowingly.

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Tae Pyung is riding on his horse towards to the forest to meet Lady Sora. While waiting to her, he decided to sit down on the rock facing on the cliff. As he close his eyes, he sees the eye smile of the girl who helped him.
"Young Lady..." He whispered. He open his eyes when he feel someone is behind him. "Your Royal Highness..." Sora said. Tae Pyung stand up and look at her as he let out a small smile. Sora immediately approach him and hug him, "I miss you..." She said and hug him tightly. She notice that Tae Pyung didn't return a hug.

"Is there something wrong, Your Royal Highness?" She asked. Tae Pyung look at her. "Are you okay now?" He asked. Sora smile as she nodded. Tae Pyung let out a small smile, "That's good..." He said. Sora felt that there's something wrong about him. "Are you okay, Your Royal Highness?" She asked. Tae Pyung turn around and look at the view on the cliff. And he was hoping that there is a better explanation on it. "Lady Sora, I want to ask you something..." He said. Sora look at the Crown Prince from his behind, "What is it?" Sora said. Tae Pyung take a deep breath before he speak. "Are you really the one who saved me before?" He asked. Sora got shocked and ask herself why the Crown Prince suddenly asking that. "What?" She said. Tae Pyung look at her in her eyes. "Are you the really the who save me?" He asked. Sora felt anxious while looking at the Crown Prince. This is the moment she's afraid of, that Tae Pyung will know the truth. ""Ah... Your Royal Highness... Why are you suddenly asking that?" She asked. "I'm the first who throws a question, Lady Sora... So answer me first..." He asked. Sora gulped and she doesn't know what to answer. "Yes, ofcourse... I'm the one who save you..." She lied. Tae Pyung look at her and Sora avoid his gazed. He suddenly grab her right hand and Sora startled, "What are you doing, Your Royal Highness?" She asked. Tae Pyung look at her right wrist and he feel betrayed and hurt when he didn't find the birth mark on it. "Who are you?" He asked. "Your Royal Highness..." Sora said. Tae Pyung look at her intently. "You're not her! You're not the Young lady who saved me... Who are you?" Tae Pyung said and got annoyed. Sora started to feel panicked, "Your Royal Highness... How did you know about her?" Sora asked. Tae Pyung tighten his grip, "So, you knew her? Why you need to lie on me and making me believe that you are her? Tell me!" Tae Pyung said out of his frustration. Sora's eyes are now filled with tears. 'Eon Jin....'  In her mind. She thought that maybe Eon Jin finds out that he's the boy she's looking for and tell him the truth.

"Your Royal Highness, don't believe on what Eon Jin said to you... Please listen to my explanation first..." She said. Tae Pyung got surprised when she mentioned Eon Jin's name. "Princess Eon Jin knew about it too? She doesn't tell me about anything..." Tae Pyung said. "Now, tell me... Is Princess Eon Jin is the one who save me?" He asked. Sora couldn't speak, 'This can't be happening... If I told him the truth... I will lost him and Eon Jin have everything that I wanted... Aniyo! I'll never let that happened...' In her mind.

"Lady Sora! Tell me..." He said. "Aniyo! She's not..." She said. Sora's tears are now flowing from her eyes. "Fine, I'm not the one who really save you but I... I'm there to help you too... Your Royal Highness... It's all in the past now, so please let's forget about it." Sora Said. Tae Pyung trying to read her mind. Tae Pyung hurt on her revelation. Sora lied to him for hiw many years.

"No, I will never forget about it... If she's not Princess Eon Jin then why you  suddenly spill her name?" Tae Pyung said. "Because I told her about this... I thought she tell you this... Your Royal Highness... Please hear me out... I'm sorry..." Sora said and reach his hand. "Then who she is? And where she is?" Tae Pyung asked. Sora didn't know how to answer his questions. "Your Royal Highness..." She called. "Why you need to lie on me, Lady Sora?" Tae Pyung said. " Because I don't want to loose you, Your Royal Highness..." Sora said. "Tell me... Where she is? I want to know who she is?" He said. Tae Pyung look at her and he's anger arouses because everytime he's looking at her, he reminded how she make him fool for how many years. He pulled his hands from his hold and walk passed through her. Tae Pyung decide to leave before he could tell or do something bad to her because of her lies. "She's dead! So please... Stop searching for her..." Sora said. Tae Pyung stop and look at her, "What did you say?" He asked. "She's dead, Your Royal Highness... That's why I hide it from you because I don't want you to know that she's dead..." Sora said.

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Author's note

Full of lies... Aishh Sora making me more mad at her 😅😒