Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea - Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Flower of the Boudoir

The rumor that Irang would become the Crown Princess Consort spread in an instant. Especially the campus of the Royal Academy, which was filled with full-blooded teenagers, did not wish to miss the aspects of that gossip. To that degree, it was about time to show a reaction, but Irang alone was peaceful amid the clamorous campus.
 
While preparing for the university entrance examination during the day, and practicing practical skills in the music room in the evening.
 
But moderately ignoring also had a limit. It was because the students, who had been unfolding wings of imagination while whispering among themselves, began to seek out Irang and ask directly.
 
"What is your plan when you graduate?"
 
Among them, there were also those who asked subtly.
 
"Is that rumor true?"
 
There were also those who were a bit more blatant.
 
Irang, who wore a smile that did not appear too arrogant nor appear too naive, chose things she could answer and countered moderately.
 
"I do not know either. Because not everyone who majors in it can live as a performer."
 
"Is your dream still a pianist?"
 
"Why?"
 
"Are you not going to change your major?"
 
"Do I have to change it?"
 
Jaekyung, who was preparing the piano practical skill together with Irang, could not hide a flustered complexion. She had thought if she was informally designated as the Crown Princess Consort, she would change her major too, but Irang's face asking if she had to change appeared oddly displeased.
 
"No, I am...."
 
Irang, who looked at the troubled Jaekyung, let out a small sigh.
 
"...I have thought about theory as well."
 
While making a corner to escape into. Even if a visible check was disagreeable, she must not react too sensitively. Because a benevolent disposition was also one of the virtues a queen must possess.
 
"Ah, theory?"
 
At that time when Jaekyung, whose expression brightened at once, chimed in agreement, a single girl clad in a bright red ceremonial robe entered into the music room. Jaekyung knitted her brows as if she knew who that girl was.
 
"Why did that girl come here."
 
Whether she was intending to give an answer to the murmur that was like talking to oneself, the girl approached with big strides and said.
 
"Are you going to keep being here?"
 
"What?"
 
"Because it is cleaning time soon."
 
"The music room person in charge is the Baekho Palace, so why you, who are the Jujak Palace?"
 
Jaekyung asked as if exercising territoriality. It was because there were few cases where different dormitories got along close with each other. Even if the rival of the Jujak Palace was the Cheongryong Palace, and the rival of the Baekho Palace was the Hyunmu Palace, there was only a difference in degree.
 
"It's a punishment. Because I beat up someone of the Baekho Palace a bit."
 
The girl answered bluntly. The space between the brows of Irang, who had been saying nothing all along, was knitted. Even while talking about having beat up someone, a trace of guilt or reflection was not visible on the girl's face.
 
"Name?"
 
"Pardon?"
 
"Name."
 
"Hah..."
 
When Irang asked, the girl openly let out a sigh. She appeared to have no intention to hide the fact that she was bored to death. Jaekyung burst out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded, but Irang waited possessing patience.
 
"Jujak Palace 9th grade, Sung Heejoo."
 
Ah.
 
Irang let out a small lamentation. It was a name she had heard immensely because it was so famous. If counting only the number of times she saw her from afar, it was a quite non-negligible relationship. But because she held no interest in things like eccentricities, there was no impression she was remembering. But to end up seeing her this close.
 
"So you are that Sung Heejoo."
 
To Heejoo, such a face of Irang was exceedingly unlucky. She was not unaware of the rumors rotating in the school. The pride of the Baekho Palace who was said to be informally designated as the Crown Princess Consort, and the flower of the boudoir who was said to be elegant even on top of a horse. Everyone talked as if praising, but in Heejoo's eyes, she was a mere pathetic senior.
 
When she possesses that many talents, why does she do marriage? When her noble status is high, her family is good, and even her own ability is outstanding, exactly why?
 
Although she was doubtful, she wasn't curious enough to ask a question. The thing she was truly curious about was,
 
"So when do I do cleaning?"
 
Only until when she would be sitting in the music room.
 
Irang, who was a bit bewildered, rose from her seat while smiling. Then, the senior named Jaekyung or Jakyung or whatever, who had been chattering at her side, also raised her body. Is she a minion, or what.
 
"Sorry for taking your time."
 
"Yes."
 
Heejoo, who did not deny saying it wasn't so, began cleaning. When her time to study was lacking anyway, because the service hours she must fill were like a mountain, her mind was urgent.
 
"That girl is truly strange, right?"
 
All the while heading to the dormitory after coming out of the music room, Jaekyung did not stop swearing about the cheeky junior. Irang did not particularly concur, but she thought it wasn't a wrong word. When she had wondered why she was famous to this extent just because her structural components of origin were a bit unusual, it seemed there was a reason. Because at the side of things that do not know how to bend, things that wish to break them are bound to stick.
 
"Hey, Yoon Irang!"
 
From the end of the opposite hallway, a cheerful voice was heard. It was Han Dayoung, who was an eccentric as much as Sung Heejoo who would be doing cleaning or whatever in the music room. While being a daughter of a traditional noble family, she possessed no dignity, and she seemed to play all day long but her grades were good.
 
"Are you going to go home this weekend?"
 
Dayoung, who approached right under her nose with large strides, asked. Dayoung and Irang did not like each other, but their mothers possessed a friendship quite enough to hold a meeting every weekend. The two people often used to enjoy sitting together with their daughters at that place, and Dayoung disliked that time immensely.
 
It was because of the nagging of her mom who compared herself with Irang, who was the flower of the boudoir itself.
 
"This week I have a lesson, so I cannot go."
 
"That's great. Then I will go this week. You go next week."
 
Dayoung, who openly brightened up, forced a promise. Irang, who did not wish to carry out an unnecessary war of words, nodded her head readily for her. Dayoung's lightness was jarring, but as far as her being honest without being twisted, it was worth evaluating that she was more magnificent than anyone.
 
"Ah, right!"
 
Dayoung, who was running away in a good mood, ran back as if there were something she forgot.
 
"Are you meeting His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
 
"Uh...?"
 
When the flustered Irang could not answer right away, Jaekyung stepped forward.
 
"Why do you ask that sort of thing. When the time comes, she will let us know on her own."
 
Jaekyung, who gave a coy scolding, stared at Irang like a child waiting for praise. But the praise she waited for did not exist, and a sound was heard from Dayoung. A snicker, because a scoffing sound was also a sound if it was a sound.
 
"Jaekyung."
 
A deep dimple formed on Dayoung's cheek as she smiled brightly.
 
"Did I ask you?"
 
It wouldn't be easy for such a bright face to be scary too. Dayoung was a person who accomplished that. In the first place, Han Dayoung was a figure famous as the crazy dog prior to Sung Heejoo. Only that she wasn't loud because she was a crazy dog born in a noble family. Seeing her doing up to being the dormitory leader and the cheerleading captain at the Jujak Palace, which was filled with kids famous for fiery personalities, was it not obvious?
 
"Stop it."
 
If Irang had not naturally arbitrated, Dayoung would have bitten Jaekyung on that day.
 
When she straightened the cluttered chairs and organized the music stands, Chopin's sheet music entered into the eyes of Heejoo. Following the will of her father, who said one must know how to handle at least one musical instrument, she received piano lessons, but she wasn't terribly talented.
 
Rather, the appreciation for music was on Sung Taejoo's side. It wasn't an easy thing for the mind of an idle person who liked useless things not to like music. Especially he liked Chopin, and even that was different from Heejoo.
 
Heejoo's taste was Beethoven's passion rather than Chopin's romance.
 
"Taejoo's sister!"
 
With good timing, Dayoung opened the door of the music room and entered. Even while knowing her name clearly, it was irritating that she called her 'Taejoo's sister' every time, but Heejoo nodded roughly and accepted the greeting.
 
"Do you know where Taejoo is? Because he hasn't been answering calls since earlier."
 
"Did my brother perhaps not talk to you saying his relationship with me is not good?"
 
Dayoung burst into laughter as if she heard a grand joke. Then she wore a welcome face while looking at the sheet music held in her hand.
 
"Still, it seems you are siblings. Do you like Chopin too?"
 
"No."
 
"I should ask Taejoo to play this a bit later."
 
"You do that on your own, and could you please get out. Because I have to clean."
 
"Ah, sorry."
 
Dayoung, who packed the sheet music with a bright face, nodded her head.
 
"Leave the sheet music behind. Because it is a music room fixture."
 
Heejoo, who caught Dayoung who was about to go out just like that, said.
 
"Is it not fine if you just pretend not to know?"
 
"Me?"
 
Heejoo, who shrugged her shoulders, stared at Dayoung with a face asking if that made sense. When a fixture disappeared while she herself was taking charge of the music room, the one who became troubled was herself. Che, Dayoung, who grumbled with a coquettish nasal sound, set down the sheet music.
 
"Cold, cold."
 
Looking at the departing back of Dayoung, who left while acting a hurt expression, Heejoo thought once more.
 
"Why does that sister meet our brother.”