• Be My Princess 2: Sleeping Mirror •

[Chapter VI] Caché

"Wishing, praying. All of your dreams come true. Please remember..Where'er you are my heart is with you." Sophielle hummed a song she just remembered. In her memory, she saw someone singing this to her. She couldn't remember the face nor name. But she can feel that the person who sang the song for her is someone important to her. She can feel both of the warmth and the coldness of the person.

"Softly, sweetly..Wrapped up in heaven's arms. Sailing, soaring over the moon Gathering star dust." Sophielle continued humming the song but then she couldn't remember the next part of the song.

In her mind, she thought of something. Does the person still think of her? Does the person still remember her despite she herself couldn't remember them?

The white tiger softly walked up to Sophielle and placed its head on her shoulder. Sophielle reaches her hand out for the tiger's head and pets it gently. She then noticed the tiger is staring at the mirror.

Then it hits her. Isn't it about the time for Ivan to come?

Sophielle stood from her comfortable bed and heads towards the mirror. She doesn't put her hand on top of the mirror yet but this time the lights appeared by themselves. It isn't just white. there are more colors. Violet, indigo, turquoise and many more. She doesn't what that means but that's not important for her. What's important to her now is to be able to meet her friend. The prince. She immediately puts her hand on the mirror's cold surface and then she sees it.

His face.

"I'm glad you're here," Ivan said to Sophielle with a simple yet meaningful smile. A smile that Ivan rarely shows to people.

"Um.. Thank you.." Sophielle is not sure how to return his kind words but she is thankful for those kindnesses. Although she doesn't deserve it.

"I went to Orien today." Ivan continued.

Sophielle who heard what he said became a little bit tense. She doesn't want to be hopeful or anything. She has to admit she is hoping Ivan to say something good. But, she knows she shouldn't. She knows that being hopeful lead one's to nothingness. It would just hurt them more than they already are.

On the other hand, Ivan feels confused. He doesn't know how to break the bad news for Sophielle. He didn't find anything about her but he got a clue. But, he thinks that if he said that Sophielle would be unstable again.

"I met a friend of mine. His name is Kuon... I asked him something. He hasn't told me anything but he has the clues." Ivan finally said it to Sophielle. He tried to make it sounds more hopeful.

"I see. I.. don't know what to say." Sophielle muttered in a low tone.

She expected this. But, it still saddened her a little bit.

The atmosphere around them became cold and quiet. The two of them doesn't know how to break the coldness and the awkwardness. They both are avoiding making eye contact.

"Have it occurs to you..? How if I'm actually already dead. Then everything you did for me would be meaningless." Finally, Sophielle asked Ivan.

"No. I believe that you're alive.. somewhere in this world. I know you are." Ivan replied with a determined face.

"I see. You're a very kind prince, aren't you..? I'm sure your people are proud to have you as their prince." Sophielle muttered again.

Something about her is strange to Ivan. He feels as if she's trying her best to hold her disappointment of something. Or maybe it's a hidden sadness. Well, he doesn't know.

"I'm proud of the people too," Ivan muttered again. This time his eyes gleamed just like child's eyes.

"Tell me about Sanct Sybil... What is the thing that makes it different from other?" Sophielle questioned the prince again.

"How we're still trying to be united and how a woman... Is not allowed to work." Ivan said the last words bitterly and it makes Sophielle becoming curious about it.

"How come?" She asked softly again.

"It's... Complicated." Ivan lowered his eyes and Sophielle sighed a little.

"Well, I think you should change that. How if the woman has to work so they can feed their child? Isn't it mean to make them feel weak and useless?" Sophielle for the first time openly shares about what she believed to be true to the prince.

The prince says nothing. He couldn't. Part of him, the selfish-prideful side of him, said that woman still should not work. But, another part said Sophielle is right.

"I.. apologize." Sophielle glanced back at the floor below her with her eyebrows knitted together in guilt.

"No it's-"

Before Ivan can finish what he wanted to say, he could hear the sound of footsteps coming closer. It's the sign of Mikhail is going to be here by any time.

Ivan stared at the lady in front of him.

He doesn't want to end the conversation too soon. But he hides those emotions well. It's his specialty after all.

The two of them kept staring at each other.. or at least that's what Ivan think. The truth is that all this time, Sophielle never make any direct eye-contact at him. She only stared at his nose or forehead.

However, he knows the reasons. It must be because she still traumatized by her memories. A memory that is still hidden to him.

The footsteps are getting louder with each passing seconds. But at this point, Ivan is not able to think properly. Reluctantly he opened his mouth and mutters,

"I have to go to the front line tomorrow. I won't be seeing you for a while.. until then.."

"I understand. I'll be praying for you. Please take care of yourself. Be careful."

And with that, their faces started to fades away from each other's mirror. Of course, not long after that they already longed for each other's company. They both hide what they really want from each other. Afraid of getting hurt.

Afraid of being lonely in the end.

Also, little did they know... The footsteps weren't Mikhail's footsteps.

But someone else's.