Your Highness

F O U R T Y T H R E E

C H A P T E R F O U R T Y T H R E E

When Hayoon escaped the claws of sleepiness the sun had already found a comfortable spot above the clouds. Yoon has long been awake, couples of time replacing the cooling dishes on the table with newly made ones. It was already the third time she was doing this, though she felt it was a waste of food a part of her remained a positive mind, as Hayoon seemed to get compensation for the sleepless nights.

With a light heart, Yoon packed out the dishes, while waiting for Hayoon to wake up. When Hayoon arose from the bed, Yoon expected a full rested Hayoon, but all she got was a sullen expression of a pissed girl.

"Awake?" Yoon asked.

"Obviously?" Hayoon answered, her tone sourer than usual.

Yoon couldn't tell why the young girl held so much negativity, unlike others, Hayoon was never victimized of bullying or mistreated in any sense, yet Hayoon bore the expression as if she experienced all that.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

"Don't even mention it." Casting the blanket aside, Hayoon got up and headed to the desk-table at the corner.

Above the desk-table was a big golden-brown bowl filled with water, serving the purpose to cleanse her face. Yoon would usually help Hayoon to freshen herself up, but today Hayoon didn't even wait for Yoon to approach. Without hesitation, Hayoon submerged her entire face in the bowl until her lungs gave in.

With hitching breath, Hayoon raised her head from the bowl gasping for the air that was lacking in her system. All her sensed awakened and she no longer felt the effect of the medication have control over her body.

"What are you doing?!" Yoon said, her voice raising with astonishment. She'd never seen Hayoon doing that, it was out of order and for good seconds Yoon was frightened, afraid that Hayoon would permanently keep her head buried under the water.

Hayoon was still catching her breath, her anger fuelled her heart to pump faster and in addition of the several moments she had held her breath, only speeded up the heartbeat that long had been too relaxed.

Yoon rushed to her side turning Hayoon around to face her with force. Yoon was masked in worry, while Hayoon was still fuming with the anger she couldn't speak up. What was she supposed to say? That she was together with a stranger yesterday? That she was put to sleep by drugs?

Without knowing what to say, Hayoon could only bite down the anger and pretend as if nothing was wrong besides usual grumpiness.

"What's wrong?" Yoon grabbed Hayoon's hands, kneeling beside her as if pleading for an answer. Yet, she received none. Hayoon didn't say a word, only staring at Yoon with a tensed expression without giving the reason behind it. After what felt like eternities Hayoon finally spoke, but it wasn't an answer to Yoon's question.

"Did you met Han yesterday?" While the sentence was formed as a question, the tone wasn't seeking the truth. As if she was looking for an answer she hoped to be the truth.

"Didn't I already told you?" Yoon said with a cautious tone.

"You are not answering my question."

Though confused, Yoon could only answer the question. Yesterday, though Han only spoke through Gwan and not directly with her, Yoon clearly saw his back inside the chamber when Gwan occasionally went in and out to delay her messages.

"Yes, I did. Why are you asking that again, Hayoon-Ah?" Yoon's tone decreasing with despair.

Again silence returned and so did the emptiness in Hayoon's eyes. Why did she even ask when already knowing the answer. What was she even thinking?

"I want to take a walk." Again Hayoon avoided the question and only gave the answer she wanted to give. At this point, Yoon had already given up on getting a reply.

"But you haven't even eaten anything." Yoon pursued.

"I'm not hungry,"

There was no point in arguing when communication only worked one way.
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After getting Hayoon ready, at last, they went for a walk. Yoon looked regretful at the dishes on the table which soon will turn them into the third set she would cast aside. She stole one last glance of it before closing the door shut so she could attend Hayoon.

The two ladies walked along the corridors and eventually reached the wild garden. To Hayoon's surprise, they weren't the only one present. Huai was present with the court of maids surrounding her, and even from afar Hayoon could spot the person standing beside her. The silver locks that reflected the colors of the stars on a night sky.

With the realisation, Hayoon's expression darkened and her eyes turned cold and void. First now did Hayoon cast aside the suspicion of yesterday's man being Han. No, it couldn't be him. With such a poor condition a person would barely recover after weeks of rest, but here was Han before her eyes, walking with steps matching Huai's.

Why was she that obsessed with that person being Han in the first place? Why was she even deceiving herself, when it impossibly could be him. Yesterday's condition was of a severely ill person. But the person in her view was a completely fine person.