4 CHAPTER III
세 번째 왕관 (3)
JAE KYUNG COULDN'T LEAVE the place since she, as what the Crown Prince's bodyguards said, is the prime and the only witness of the attempt assassination of the Crown Prince.
She couldn't help but sigh. How things turned out this day is beyond her expectations. All she wants is to land a successful interview with the Crown Prince—which she was about to ditch because she didn't like how he talked to her and how he insulted her profession—and not to become some sort of a prime witness.
She badly wants to go home but ended up sighing because the Crown Prince is currently holding her bloody hand while lying on the stretcher.
"Yah, Wangseja, can you let go of my hand? I'm going home! I still have an early work tomorrow, you know?" she hissed.
"Not until you give me your phone," Prince Yi Eul stubbornly said.
Jae Kyung rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I will not gonna publish that thing because of this awful situation of yours. Even if I oath in front of my peers and everyone to give the people in the society a factual news, for your privacy's sake, I will not do it… yet. It's not my duty anyway. It's the Dispatch's duties so, yeah. Just let me go so they can take you to hospital now."
"I still not gonna trust you, you journalist," he smugly said. "If you think I will let you off the hook, mind you, it's not gonna happen."
Jae Kyung creased her brows and she was about to retort to what the prince said but the nurses already took him inside the ambulance and left.
One of the Crown Prince's bodyguards glanced at her and bowed. "Prince Yi Eul told us to escort you home for your safety."
She sneered. I bet he's not actually thinking about my safety. He was actually thinking about his reputation's safety. What a load of bull.
"Don't worry about me, sirs. I can go home by myself."
"His Royal Highness also told us to guard you until you'll go visit him tomorrow," one of the bodyguards said.
Jae Kyung creased her brows. "I already gave you and the police officers my statement about what happened earlier. Why do I have to visit His Highness tomorrow?"
She almost called him a jerk in front of his guards.
"That's His Highness' order that we need to comply, miss," one of the bodyguards answered as he opened the car's backseat door. "Please, miss."
Jae Kyung tried her best not to roll her eyes since the Crown Prince's bodyguards are being nice to her so she ended up sighing and pursing her lips and entered the car, texting Min Ho that she's already home.
That jerk of a Crown Prince is really a pain in the ass.
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"Good morning, South Korea's savior!"
She couldn't help but jaw-dropped when she saw the happy face of her peers in their publishing greeting her that morning as well as Mrs. Jang who's now beaming at her, holding the other publishing company's newspaper with her picture as the front page.
Oh, it's not just her. It's also with the Crown Prince as well. In that picture, she was holding—actually, more on hugging—the Crown Prince which she finds really, really embarrassing.
"Brave Journalist saves the South Korean Crown Prince from the assassins!" Mrs. Jang reads the headline in such enthusiasm. "We're so proud of you, Jae Kyung! I bet the CEO of our publishing company is actually proud that he has a brave journalist like you who saved the Crown Prince!"
Jae Kyung made a face. She was just dragged in the situation because of her curiosity. "It's not really my intention, Mrs. Jang. I was just about to land an interview with the Crown Prince and not to be in the front page with him."
"No, no. This was actually greater than the interview!" Mrs. Jang squealed in so much happiness. "One of The Seoul Times' journalist is really brave to save the Crown Prince in that dangerous situation which she doesn't mind about what will happen to her as long as she could save His Highness that time. It actually boosted our reputation, Jae Kyung! I'm so proud of you!"
Jae Kyung sighed as she's mentally sobbing. For the love of her favorite chocolate Pepero, she was just got dragged in the situation. Blame her adrenaline rush.
"If only that incident will make me have my position in creating novels in the column section then I'll be good, happy even," Jae Kyung muttered, almost pouting her lips.
Mrs. Jang was about to breathe a word but their attention were caught by two hunkies who entered their building. They stopped and bowed to everyone. "Good morning."
"Y-Yeah, Go-Good morning," Mrs. Jang, along with the staff greeted them, staring at the two hunks wearing black suits in astonishment.
Jae Kyung's eyes widen and she quickly walked towards them. "Why are you here?"
The two men bowed at her. "We know you don't want us to barge in your workplace, Miss Kim but His Royal Highness gave us a call earlier that he wants to see you."
"As in now? I told you, I have so many work to do this morning. Can I just visit him this evening?" Jae Kyung asked, a slight frustration is dripping in her voice. She was really, really frustrated for the fact that the Crown Prince actually sent this two bodyguards to watch over her in her apartment and in her workplace as well.
God, he is such a pain in the ass.
One of the bodyguards shook his head. "We're sorry, Miss Kim but this is His Royal Highness' order. We need to go to the hospital now."
She was about to refuse and retort but her editor suddenly popped beside her. "Oh, you can go visit to the hospital now! We don't want His Highness get mad, yeah?"
The two bodyguards nodded, making Jae Kyung looked at Mrs. Jang in awe. "But, ma'am. I still have some articles and paperworks to do!"
"Oh, no Jae Kyung. You don't need to worry about it. I'm giving this day for you as your free day. And besides, you can't refuse His Royal Highness order. I don't want you get into trouble. Now, off you go! Send our regards to His Highness, 'kay?"
She pursed her lips as she looked at the two bodyguards who are now bowing their heads on her and gestured the way out.
She clicked her tongue. That jerk of a Crown Prince is such a spoiled brat.
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"His Royal Highness, Miss Kim Jae Kyung has arrived," one of the bodyguards guarding the door announced.
Jae Kyung didn't wait for the possible response of the people inside the private ward so, with irritation invading her system right now, she went inside the ward. "What do you want from me?"
Prince Yi Eul who's currently leaning his back on the hospital bed's headboard opened his eyes and setting his gaze on Jae Kyung. A faint smirk flaunted on his face while looking at the former's annoyed look.
Prince Yi Eul's royal spokesperson, Mr. Im frowned as he eyed the woman in front of them. "Young lady, don't you have manners? You're talking to the Crown Prince of South Korea. You should greet him and stop being disrespectful."
The Crown Prince raised his hand, making Mr. Im shut up. "Mr. Im, can you leave us alone for awhile? I need to talk to Miss Kim privately."
"Yes, Your Highness," Mr. Im bowed at him before eyeing Jae Kyung who's still looking at the Crown Prince in an irritated manner. He shook his head before leaving the room.
"Now, what do you want that you have to let me visit you in this ungodly hour? Damn, man I'm still working my ass for a living. Visiting you is the least of my priorities," Jae Kyung huffed.
Prince Yi Eul crossed his arms over his chest, throwing an amused look to the latter. "How come you didn't prioritize me, the Crown Prince of South Korea? You should be grateful and honored that I called you and talked to you personally."
Egotistical moron. Jae Kyung clicked her tongue in irritation. "First of all, Korea is now a democratic country, Your Highness. Which means, I still have rights to speak my mind out. I am a journalist and we value the freedom of speech, that's what. Second, I don't like your bodyguards guarding the shits out of me as if I'm a criminal. For the love of Pepero, I know you have this disliking feeling for journalists like me but when I said I will not gonna publish that photo then I am not. Can't you see? The only article appeared in the tabloids is me saving you which is I really don't care by the way. And third, if being grateful and honored that the Crown Prince in the person of you will give me a raise in my salary to pay for my apartment's rent then yeah, sure."
Prince Yi Eul couldn't help but blink and stare at her in awe. He bet that she knew the consequences on talking like this to the Crown Prince but she still remained unbothered. He couldn't help but smirk. "Feisty and sassy, aren't we?"
She shrugged. "Call me what you want, I don't care. Now, are we done here? I need to leave. I left so many paperworks at my workplace."
"From now on, you're not gonna work your ass on that petty paperworks and most especially, you're not gonna set your foot on your workplace anymore because I will not gonna let your face out my sight anymore."
She frowned. "Excuse me? What do you mean?"
Prince Yi eul looked at her in a smug smirk. "Starting today, you'll work for me as my personal assistant, Kim Jae Kyung."
Jae Kyung couldn't help but gasped and make her voice raise an octave. "What?!"
