It just keeps getting bet (1/2)

The Grand First Dinner was over extravagant. It was traditional for the hosting family to go all-out on the entertainment, food, comfort and whatever else their guests required during the Yearly Royal Meeting. The Grand First Dinner was just the start of it and therefore every year, the hosting families tried their best to make a good first impression and show-up the last hosts. Royal families were very competitive, and the Lee family was no exception. This year, they’d redone the massive ballroom, dressed in the most amazing outfits, making sure no other royal family outshone them, even their servants were dressed to the nines. There were trapeze artists hanging on the high ceiling above them and flame throwers doing dangerous tricks in a fire-proof room. The circus performers entertained the young royals while amazing singers, comedians, dancers and actors performed on stage one-by-one entertaining the older royals while they ate.King Soo Man sat on his throne looking on at the Dinner and smiled when he saw that everyone was impressed and enjoying themselves, even Queen Kan who was the grouchiest royal ever known. He noticed all the children playing and enjoying themselves as the circus performers kept them busy and out of their parents’ way and the young adults dancing and having fun in their own ballroom so they didn’t have to worry about being scolded for their unroyal behaviour. On stage at the moment, the best group of stage actors were performing ‘Romeo and Juliet’, a royal favourite. He had on a smug grin at his success and knew that he still had one surprise under his sleeve.‘Sica! Seriously, just come with me! I can’t wait until the end of the dinner to speak to you so please come with me to your garden now!’ Jonghyun begged his fiancée as she stubbornly sat on a velvet couch in the smaller ballroom where all the royals their age were partying.

‘No. I have to stay and be a good host,’ she said to him.

‘What good host sits and doesn’t socialise? Taeyeon noona is the leader anyway, let her do it. You’re just sitting here while all the others greet and talk to other people. Even Seohyun who barely talks to others!’ Jonghyun argued.

‘No!’

‘No?’ Jonghyun asked.

‘No!’ Jessica affirmed.

‘Arasso,’ Jonghyun huffed and slipped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and tossed her torso over his shoulder and carried her out of the ballroom.

‘Jonghyun! Put me down! This is embarrassing and I’m a princess!!’ she squealed.

‘I wouldn’t have had to come to this if you had listened to me in the first place, princess,’ he said as they left the ballroom and began walking through the frigid-cold garden.Once Jonghyun stepped onto the pergola in Jessica’s garden, he put her down but kept his arms around her waist so she could not escape. She tried to wiggle out of his hold but was unsuccessful. In her temper, she kneed him in the stomach. It worked, maybe a little too well since he was doubled over in pain. Sica was about to run away but felt guilty for hurting him so she stayed, wondering what she should do.

She hesitantly asked, ‘Jjong?’

‘Yeah? And hey! You called me Jjong… that makes me really happy!’

Jessica blushed but nevertheless ignored his comment, ‘are you okay?’

‘Do I look okay? That really hurt… I’ve been feeling sick all day so this made it worse!’ he cried.

‘I’m so sorry!’ Sica yelled, startled, ‘can I do anything?’

‘It’s okay. It’ll pass soon. Just promise me that you’ll come with me to your surprise?’

‘Okay… only because I feel guilty about kneeing you,’ she said and sat down to wait for him to recover since she could do nothing to help him.After a while, Jonghyun felt better but was still a bit weak. His stomach was churning but he still wanted to show Sica her surprise.

‘Follow me,’ he said, ‘I won’t kidnap this time, promise.’

Sica nodded and obediently followed. They crossed the small river that ran through the gardens over Sica’s specially made pink bridge.

‘I remember when we made this…’ she sighed happily, running her hands over the rail.

‘You made this bridge?!’ Jonghyun cried.

‘Yes. My sisters and I all worked together to decorate each others’ gardens one-by-one. It took us ages to make this bridge because we were still so young and clueless about woodwork. But it was fun!’ she smiled, reminiscing about her wonderful childhood memories.

Jonghyun couldn’t help but smile, he just KNEW there was a sweet princess under the ice princess façade, and he hoped that his gift would bring her out some more.‘Come on, just a little bit further,’ Jonghyun urged her.

‘I thought the gift was in my garden!’ Jessica cried with difficulty, ‘not on top of a mountain!’

‘Well… it’s just a bit away from your garden since yours is at the edge of the palace grounds. Come on, I know it’s hard to walk uphill but I promise it will be worth it!’ Jonghyun said.

‘Okay… wait, let me catch my breath first…’ she huffed with her hands on her knees.

‘Here,’ Jonghyun offered her his hand, ‘if we go up together, it might not be as hard.’

She gratefully took his hand and let his lead her to the secret place, but it was more like her was carrying her weight up the mountain.