Chapter thirty-one: The date

The duo went around the terrace garden admiring the scenery, they stopped from time to time to ask the guides the names of some flowers they are seeing for the first time.

Excitement was almost driving them crazy that they felt like flying.

Mischievously, Soon kept looking for an excuse to touch the girl, either he's feigning dizziness and holds her shoulder for support or he's brushing off an imaginary dust from her hair or her dress.

Yoona kept shivering from each touch but pretended not to have taken notice.

They finally settled at one corner from where their discussion kicked off, they started off by discussing insignificant things and funny gossips among noble ladies.

They kept on talking till it diverted to their identities and families. Yoona told him about her parents and her funny brother who always think he is a comedian.

"Hmm... I would like this kind of brother-law"

Yoona blushed at his remarks but pretended not to be affected.

It got to Soon's turn and his face turned sad, he told her about his overbearing mother who loves him alot, his wise father and meek husband, his two sisters whom he loves alot and are a source of strength to him and lastly, his loving elder brother who everyone thinks is a fool but whom he thinks is a hero and his best friend.

She particularly noticed that his eyes turned red when he started talking about his brother and knew from the tone of his voice, that this brother of his is very special to him.

They all talked about their families without particularly mentioning their families surname, they both noticed it but kept it to themselves for reasons best known to them.

The prince hid his identity not because he wants to ,but because he wants it to be an added bonus to her when she agrees to be his wife ,but Yoona kept hers away because she thinks that the young master would abandon her the moment he finds out her mother was a slave, so she planned to tell him in a place with less people so that when he starts insulting her with her mother's status there would be less people to watch the drama.

They left the terrace garden to go to a nearby restaurant to eat. While they were going, Soon suddenly stopped in his track but resumed walking, all this took just 3 seconds.

They reached there and he sat her down and left the restaurant, but before he left he told her to wait for him to come before ordering anything.

He walked briskly past the interception at the road and took a sharp bend to wait for them at the hidden corner.They finally came and he came out of his hiding place and asked...

"Why are you following me ?"

"Sorry master, the chief eunuch ordered us to shadow you in case there is an emergency"

"Why does it seem like you guys are babysitting me not shadowing?"

The puzzled shadow guards kept mute while kneeling on the ground.

"Go back to the palace and wait for me ..."

He said that and made to run back to the girl waiting for him but stopped when it occurred to him that they might hide their aura and keep on following him.

"...and if I find out you guys disobeyed my orders and followed me, l will hack your heads into pieces and feed it to the crows"

Cold sweat broke out on their foreheads and the one that wanted to keep following him discreetly gave up on the idea immediately.

Satisfied with the impact of his words, he nodded and proceeded to return to the beauty waiting for him.

He diverted and went to the jewellery shop he saw earlier on and decided to get something for her.

There is this particular ring that he saw, it's appearance was appealing to the eyes and it's perfection left him in awe .

"Boss, l want that ring"

The said boss rushed out and greeted his customer while bringing his order for him, he decided to convince the customer in case he decides not to buy it again, what he didn't know was that the person before him always get the first thing he sets his heart on.

"Dearest customer, this is a twin ring worn by intending couples to seal their prospective marriage... once you gift this ring to your lover and she accepts it wholeheartedly, then no force under the earth will break the relationship" he concluded.

Happy that he had seen the ring, paid triple the price and made him wrap it up with a flower shaped hairpin he saw besides the ring.

Done with his purchase, he ran all the way to the restaurant in order not to keep her waiting any longer, there he met a table full of dishes .

Awed at the beautiful food gracing his eyes, he walked slowly towards the table and sat down not removing his eyes once from the girl.

While he was gone, Seohwa returned with Jae joon and brought the food their mistress had prepared that morning. She begged to stay but her miss shooed her away and ordered Jae joon to take her out on a date, she gave them her money pouch and ordered them to return only an empty pouch.

Back to base, Prince Soon marvelled that the restaurant had beautiful and nice smelling food but was shocked when Yoona told him she was the one that prepared the whole dishes.

Soon thought she was joking but was awestruck when the restaurant waitresses came and begged Yoona to give them her recipes, they even made a deal not to collect any money from them for using their table and chairs .

They added that the customers that saw and perceived the aroma are asking to be served the same thing. Yoona chuckled and gave them only the recipe of the main dishes not adding the side dishes.

Satisfied with what they were given, they left them alone to enjoy their meal and ordered the chef to use what was written on the list.

Back to earth now, Prince Soon picked up his chopsticks and proceeded to eat the meal, after the first bite, he looked at the girl before him and swore that only death would stop him from making her his wife.

He started daydreaming about an empress who is also a good cook, waking up from the daydream he continued eating his food while putting food on her plate from time to time.

After eating everything she had brought, they ate the desserts she brought too.

Soon thanked his lucky star for meeting her and convinced himself to talk to his mother about her.

They left the restaurant after Soon insisted on paying them for using their space. They went towards the river bank from where they wanted to watch the fishermen fishing.

"Do you know how to fish?"

Soon asked her suddenly and she said no.

"Very soon, l will take you fishing and teach you how to catch different types of fishes"

The excited girl rested her head on his shoulders and relaxed her nerves.

A man walked closer to them to confirm that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him , after observing that they were the ones they have been looking for ,he ran towards their camp to make a report to their boss.