Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea - Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Jealousy or Admiration

The spectacle of Wan loitering outside the archery range was extremely lacking in shape. To think he was going through this hardship just to find a single person. If he told this story to his older brother, it was certain he would tease him just like last time.
 
'For my younger brother to have an unrequited love....'
 
But the reason he wanted to meet that girl again was not that kind of category his brother thought at all. It was just that her performance in the friendly match was magnificent; he wanted to give her a compliment. Because her tenacity in persistently receiving the Eosahwa flower in the end, after screaming and shouting even while opposing him, was commendable.
 
As a senior, and just as a human being.
 
The problem was the point that that girl was not in sight. Surely he had heard a rumor that she spent more than half of the day in the library, but not a single strand of her hair was in sight.
 
Although it was a situation where a normal person would likely give up, Wan ended up having stubbornness arise.
 
'Uh, she was here until just a while ago...?'
 
It was because he had heard the same word a few times. When the thought that she might be avoiding him deliberately crossed his mind, Wan became resentful. Was it not himself who let her not receive demerit points, and who let her practice all day long at the archery range.
 
Wan, whose mind became crooked like that, vowed that he would show a senior's dignity when they met again, but—
 
"......"
 
The moment the junior, who was in the middle of practicing, entered his eyes, he forgot all his vows. While she didn't even show when he searched for her so much, her appearance standing on the shooting stand stole his gaze. The eyes that were burning brightly, the eyes that were desiring to their heart's content, were cool.
 
Because he was envious of the confidence that didn't hide the mind that wanted to win even a little bit.
 
Perhaps because of that, he might have wanted to take the junior's side. In a method of pretending not to know the junior's fault, and granting what the junior wanted, yet it wasn't that he felt a feeling of compassion as his brother said.
 
Rather... it was admiration.
 
Just in time, the junior finished her practice and began to pack her bag. A flustered Wan took a step backward without his knowledge. He didn't want to show a shape like he had waited for nothing.
 
He thought it would be most natural for himself, who visited the archery range for practice, and the junior, who was coming out after finishing practice, to run into each other, but—
 
"......"
 
The cheeky junior passed by while only lowering her head roughly. Wan, who thought she would know how to at least acknowledge him even if it wasn't a long conversation, hurriedly called and stopped the junior.
 
"Y-You...!"
 
The junior, who turned around as if annoyed, stared blankly. It was a gaze telling him to quickly say if he had a word to say and get the hell out. He felt a feeling like his mind would become crooked once more, but Wan wanted to show his tolerance as a senior.
 
"During that friendly match... you did well."
 
Wan, who showed a smile as softly as possible, delivered words he chose and chose. But the junior's expression showed no sign of improving and rather crumpled further as if displeased.
 
"Don't tell me you are... showing off right now?"
 
"Showing off. Are you unable to distinguish between a compliment and showing off."
 
"If not, whatever."
 
Then she went her way as if she didn't have any lingering attachment. Wan, who had only thought it would be good if they became close after delivering some compliments and doing some well-wishing, stared at that heartless back with a dumbfounded face.
 
Then the junior, who stopped her steps, turned around again and approached with long strides. If one considered only that momentum, it was to the extent of having enough left over to land a blow, but the work the junior actually did was to bow her waist and greet. Just like that day she was caught practicing secretly.
 
Wan, who burst into laughter belatedly, shrugged his shoulders. The lawless behavior of the junior, who had good greeting manners, was cute. Wan, who was snickering all along unable to do anything about that heart, stiffened his face only after seeing Jungwoo standing inside the archery range.
 
"Were you here?"
 
At the word he asked because he was embarrassed, Jungwoo nodded his head indifferently.
 
"Yes."
 
"Since when?"
 
"Since before Your Highness was loitering?"
 
When thinking that he had seen everything of him peering around to see a single girl, Wan wanted to die of embarrassment. But being the Grand Prince of a nation, he determined to be brazen instead. Pretending as if nothing were the matter while fondling his bow, he said casually.
 
"Are you close with Sung Heejoo?"
 
It seemed natural to this extent.
 
"We are close. The dormitory is the same too."
 
Min Jungwoo also answered quite naturally.
 
"How is she?"
 
To the unnatural question....
 
"She's pretty."
 
Although he gave an answer that didn't please him at all.
 
Heejoo, who returned to the dormitory, chewed over the encounter with Grand Prince Leean. Because it was a turn where she had been avoiding him since the night the friendly match ended, when she came to know Grand Prince Leean's competitive spirit, she was deeply flustered.
 
There was no reason for avoiding him. Just... it was a bit uncomfortable, so to speak.
 
It wasn't difficult. Because he was an exceptionally tall person, he was seen well whether from the end of the hallway or from a corner of the campus. In the midst of that, to think she would run into him in front of the archery range of all things.
 
"......"
 
The face she encountered after a long time also didn't please her. Despite being a subject who had no choice but to lose in a game he had won entirely, she didn't know why he was wearing such a smile. Whether he wasn't even resentful. If it were herself, she felt like she would be pissed off and wouldn't even want to look at him.
 
Therefore, she had wanted to just pass by. Because she didn't wish to compartmentalize compassion for a high and mighty prince.
 
Although it didn't happen like the wind.
 
"......"
 
Heejoo, who shook her head as if shaking off the conversation with him, sat in front of her desk and opened her textbook. At any rate, it was a matter of not getting entangled from now on. Even now it wasn't to the extent of expressing that they were particularly entangled, but the face that popped up abruptly was uncomfortable.
 
To the extent that it was inwardly a relief that only she knew how hot it was when those cool eyes looking down at an opponent burned brightly.
 
When the weekend came, Heejoo headed to the main house together with Taejoo. The two people, who kept their mouths tightly shut after boarding the car, didn't appear to have a good relationship no matter who looked, but no matter who looked, they were siblings. Although they were half-siblings, Chairman Sung's genetics seemed to be dreadful.
 
Heejoo, who felt stifled, lowered the window to catch the wind. Heejoo, who didn't like going home unless it was a vacation, felt a bleak feeling already.
 
"Hey, did you prepare a present for Father?"
 
Taejoo, who was holding onto his phone and exchanging messages with Dayoung all along, asked.
 
"Why, what did you prepare."
 
Heejoo, who countered bluntly, stared at the shopping bag wedged in Taejoo's flank. It was obvious he had prepared a strange present again on the account of it being Father's birthday. Because unlike his appearance, he was a human who had a romantic side. Last year he had even gifted a portrait of Father he drew himself, and when he was younger than that, he had even folded paper cranes to gift.
 
What did she prepare herself.
 
"Did you say 'you,' you brat. Does the word 'Oppa' not come out like that."
 
"One must act like an Oppa for the word 'Oppa' to come out."
 
"This girl, seriously!"
 
"What, what!"
 
Just when Heejoo was about to grab Taejoo's hair, Taejoo's phone rang.
 
"Time out for a moment."
 
"You love time outs. Are you using a trick?"
 
"Ah, it's Father's call!"
 
Taejoo, who screamed while thrusting his phone forward, said. Only then did Heejoo withdraw her extended hand and cross her arms. Because there was no need to listen to nagging even before meeting.
 
Taejoo, who was murmuring as if resentful, answered the phone with the most charming voice in the world. Heejoo, who anticipated the conversation that would follow, naturally searched for her earphones and plugged them into her ears.
 
"Yes, Father."
 
The title Sung Taejoo used to call Father, too,
 
"Since it's been a while since we departed, we will enter before long."
 
Father, who was waiting for such a Sung Taejoo, too,
 
"We are going to buy a cake on the way in, what do you want to eat? It's chocolate rather than fresh cream, right?"
 
Because she hated to see the relationship of the two who were fine even when acting brazenly.
 
She was determined not to have the thought of being envious even if she died. To be jealous of a foolish Sung Taejoo, she herself was smart, and to admire a heartless father, she herself didn't like Father either. Because if you are envious, you lose.
 
In the meantime, Taejoo, who finished the call, rummaged through the shopping bag he prepared. Although she intended not to place her gaze, her eyes went to the movement that was busiest in the world. Seeing the familiar logo on the green box, it seemed to be a watch.
 
"A watch?"
 
At the question she asked while pretending not to be interested, Taejoo nodded his head.
 
"Because Father gave me the one he used to wear."
 
Only then was the watch strapped to Taejoo's wrist seen. She thought it was somehow old, but it seemed he had received Father's watch.
 
"What did you prepare."
 
"I didn't prepare anything?"
 
"You didn't?"
 
"This exam's top spot was claimed by me again, and I received the Eosahwa flower too... is there a need to prepare more?"
 
Although there was a present she prepared inside her bag, Heejoo answered like that.