1 Memories of Him

The wind brushed by her skin, making her shiver. It was a breezy day and despite the sunny day, the girl wore thick clothes. The jacket and boots she wore were hand me downs and too large for her tiny body. But these were her favorite clothes and no matter how much people laughed at her for wearing winter clothing in the middle of summer, she did not care. These were her only possessions and she liked to wear them.

Her brown hair was cropped into a bob cut while her doll-like face was slightly pink due to her hypothermia which was why she wore such thick clothes. She was short for her age and even though Mr. Han had gently coaxed her into eating more, she was too skinny for her age. She was a picky eater and could go on days without much food. Many people considered it to be rude but she simply did not like to eat anything much other than a few sweet dishes.

She sat on the steps of the patio, staring into nothing in particular. Her head was clear of any thoughts and yet, she looked morose.

Surrounding her was a large garden built on more than 50 acres of land. The flowerbeds consisted of exotic flowers of colors like red, white, blue, black and many more. They were placed in a semicircle, encompassing the garden's borders. There was a pond right next to the garden with crystal clear water, sparkling under the sun. A fountain was placed in the middle of it and showered water up to 15 feet high.

A squirrel was nipping on an acorn in front of her and soon, it was joined by another one. There were many such tiny animals and sometimes, monkeys also broke in from the private sanctuary park right next to the garden. The weather was nice and despite the sun, she felt a cool air which was a little refreshing. But she was not paying attention to the beautiful garden. She was too used to it.

Instead the eight year old girl was lost in her mind as she seeked answers to many things. Why was the sky blue? Why were the birds flying? Why were leaves green and not pink? She liked the color pink more.

She looked up at the clear sky, holding her hand up.

"Castles," she murmured. The cloud above was shaped like the palace she was living at. Was it bigger than her home or smaller? Mr. Han always said that clouds were nothing more than air and gas but she did not believe it. Clouds looked like cotton candy to her and she was sure that clouds were actually floating candyfloss.

Her little palm was trying to hold the cloud in its grasp but it was so far away…

"Are you still trying to catch clouds, Sunye?"

An annoyed voice came from behind her and a boy her age was standing there with his hands on his hips. Unlike her, the boy wore elegant clothes. His shirt was neatly pressed and buttoned up while his pants were properly cleaned before being ironed to perfection. His hair was brushed back and his dark eyes were staring at her. His boots were custom made and there was a slight arrogance on his face.

"They look like candy," she murmured. Kim San sighed and sat beside her.

She was the adoptive daughter of their cook, Han Daewhi. Three years ago, she fell in front of their car and had lost all her memories in the process. The only reason they knew her first name was due to a locket around her neck which had her name engraved on it.

His father, the Emperor of the country was the one driving that night and even though it was an accident, they covered up the accident in order to save face. The public would not take the accident of a little girl lightly, so he arranged for Sunye to stay with them until she regained her strength. They tried to find her parents but never found them and hence, she was adopted by Han.

Now, three years later, Sunye was slowly adapting to palace life but was still averse to social gatherings. The trauma she had suffered was deep and it was taking time for her to heal. The only friend she had was Kim San, the Crown Prince himself.

"You forgot your scarf," he said, handing her a pink scarf. "Tie it around your neck otherwise you'll catch a cold!"

There was a warmth in his voice whenever he talked to her. Sunye blushed as he wrapped the scarf around her neck.

"Your hypothermia is gonna get worse if you keep neglecting your health!" he nagged at her. They were children but he scolded her like a mother disciplining her child.

"Yes yes!" she exclaimed and smiled at him. San also blushed upon seeing her genuine smile and looked away.

"What are you doing here anyway?" he asked, still not looking at her.

"Candy," she mumbled. San could only sigh. The girl was crazy for cotton candy but it was forbidden within the castle walls. The Emperor strictly forbade any outside food in the premises in fear of potential poisoning and as the only heir to the throne, San was not allowed to have any either.

He looked at Sunye's jet black eyes. She was hopeful that he would be able to give her cotton candy but his hands were tied.

"I can't give you any cotton candy," he said in an apologetic tone. Seeing her looking crestfallen made his tiny heart ache. Even though he was forced to mature beyond his years due to the kingdom's responsibility, San was still a child who wanted to make his friend happy.

Sensing his helplessness, Sunye said in her innocent voice, "It's okay, Crown Prince. I'm not really that fond of it. I was just wondering how it tasted like."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying!"

"Liar," San stated in a deadpan tone. Sunye pouted and turned away from him. San was about to pull her cheek when an uniformed servant came walking towards them. She bowed deeply at San who merely nodded.

"Your highness, the playmates chosen by the Emperors for you have arrived," she informed him.

"Not interested," San said flatly.

"Your highness we cannot send them away-"

The servant faltered under San's chilly gaze. "I said, I don't want to play with them and to send them away," he said coolly. "Are you disobeying a royal command?"

His earlier warmth was gone, replaced by a stoic and cold demeanor. He might be the Crown Prince but he did not care much about his image. People who came across him called him a rude and cold child who never smiled nor had any words of kindness. But he was taught not to be lenient with anyone. As the Crown Prince, it was his job to be haughty and arrogant in front of those he deemed as inferior. For him, everyone was beneath him.

Except for Sunye.

Sunye watched as the servant bowed and quickly walked away.

"That was rude," she commented. "Why are you so rude to them and so nice to me?"

"Because, Han Sunye," San began. "Someday, you'll be my Empress and marry me."

"I will never get married!" Sunye said, feeling irritated. "Seems like a pain."

"I'll give you cotton candy!"

Sunye thought about it before replying, "I want a strawberry licorice flavored wedding ring then."

"Raspberry flavored."

"NO!" Sunye exclaimed, standing up. "Strawberry flavored!"

San made a face at her which earned him a punch on the arm.

"Weakling!" he teased. "You can't even punch!"

"You-"

Sunye tried to hit him again but he ran off, making her chase him. She tried to catch up but he was too fast. San laughed as he teased her.

"Slowpoke!" he yelled as he kept on running with Sunye on his tail. Their laughter echoed through the cold walls of the palace, brightening up the dark abyss with some hope.

Before all hell broke loose.