Crown Prince's Marriage Proposal

Episode #:1 Not a day went by without loving you

Constitutional Monarchy, Republic of South Korea. Year 2016 0 Months 0 Days. 04:00 a.m.

In the night duty room, where only the light of the electronic clock was faintly reflected, a majority of the people were passed out only to breathe the air in and out. Li-Jin was shutting her eyes amongst them, barely getting her body to curl up in a fetal position. She must sleep this time. She kept her vigil for four days. Nothing can interfere with her sleep. If anyone does, he will be cut! Shortly after, someone shook Li-Jin aggressively. It indeed felt as if she just met her worst enemy.

“Hey. Choi. Choi. Get up. Get up now. Li-Jin Choi!”

Li-Jin frowned even harder and tucked her face in even deeper.

“Mmmm….I don’t know what’s going on but take someone else. I barely got 20 minutes of sleep. 20 minutes in the last four days…..Give me a break, Gil-Gang….”

“To hell with the 20 minutes. It’s an emergency. Emergency!”

Because the voice yelling sounded pretty desperate, Li-Jin had no other choice but to peek her face out to stare at Gil-Gang while blinking her eyes.

“What is it. What?”

“We have to enter the palace now.”

“Enter the palace?”

What is this nonsense cock and bull story? Entering the palace at the crack of dawn?

“…The Crown Prince, has passed.”

Li-Jin stood up flashing her eyes open as the news was such a bolt in the blue.  

“Come on up quickly. We don’t have much time.”

Gil-Gang went out of the night duty room with a dim look, and Li-Jin quickly got out of bed and picked up the camera. She was in outdoor clothing as she was always on standby for coverage. However, she fixed her clothes once more to neat out the wrinkles before stepping outside. The situation was worse and even more chaotic. Of course, it is. The passing of the Crown Prince of South Korea. Also, the sudden demise of the young Crown Prince. This is a national emergency, a national mourning. Li-Jin lifted up her head and dimly gazed at the footage of the scene already on the big monitor. At an early hour before the sunrise, white lanterns were poorly swaying in the rain. It was as if even the sky wanted to shed tears. When she was a little child, the palace portrayed on television was always nothing but gorgeous and beautiful like the world of fairy tales.
It was the same even when she interviewed the royal family herself as a reporter for the Social Affairs Department. However, the palace today seemed to be in a sorrow. "Reporter Choi! Hurry!”

“Oops, yes!”

Li-Jin tried to shake off her thoughts and take a step. However, she instantly lost her gaze the moment a particular person appeared on the monitor.

A man standing unsteadily at the front of the main gate of the palace in the pouring rain. 

Even though she couldn’t make out of the face as it was being filmed from a far distance, for some reason, she could not take her eyes off of him. The whole body, yes. She got an impression that his whole body was weeping.

"Hey, Reporter Choi! You kidding me?”

"Yes! Yes! I’m coming"

She forced herself to stop watching and step away. The man on the screen was still standing staring at the front.A few hours later, she found out about the man during the national mourning.

The fact that he was ‘Si-Jun Lee.’ The new Crown Prince of South Korea.

Li-Jin was constantly checking the clock and the speed while driving along the coast. Her current look was breathtakingly amazing that she could blew everyone away. The sleek legs in a white velvet slit dress that blatantly wrapped her perfect body were exceptionally seductive and the exposed white neck line with a red toned hair twisted up could make one faint. Jeju Hayatt Hotel was the destination upon upgrading the level of beauty from an angel to the level of goddess. A private celebrity charity event on Jeju Island. Today, Hye-Ri Lee the Tinkerbell, the national fairy, would be here. There waone purpose. It was to find out the very truth whether or not the top actress of South Korea and also the youngest daughter of the Golden Group, Hye-Ri Eun would appear as the fiancée of Crown Prince at the coronation. Only the rumors had circulated around and because neither the royal family nor the family of Hye-Ri Lee had taken any special measures, only the interest of the people had intensified.

Therefore, in various media, the focus was solely on the movements of Hye-Ri Eun and the royal family. She clenched the steering wheel with a grim look. She flew here without getting to make up with her boyfriend after a huge fight. This interview was that important. She has downgraded from the social affairs department to the entertainment department due to a major mistake she had caused, but only if she would bring an exclusive news!

"Anyway, how do I infiltrate inside the venue? I’ll get kicked out immediately if I’m not affiliated. I did dress up just in case..."

At that point, Li-Jin’s cell phone rang and a familiar number emerged on the screen. At that moment, her face slightly frowned

"Damn."

 --The Director of the Entertainment Department

‘I wonder why. Has somebody already published an exclusive?”

Li-Jin carefully plugged in the earphones with an anxious look.

“Boss, I’m trying so hard to get there….”

[Reporter Choi! One way or another, you are going to have find out the truth about Hye-Ri Eun sometime today. Whether it is true or not, I want an answer. Right away!]

Li-Jin opened her mouth with a look of doubt on her face as the voice was too intense. She knew it was an urgent matter, but why within today?

“I mean, why in such a rush….”

[You don’t even browse the internet and you call yourself a reporter? The Crown Prince’s very first broadcasted interview is up! It is epic!]

“Broadcasted, interview?”

[Yes! Not only that, it is not just a broadcasting of the interview!]

Li-Jin quickly steered the handle to pull over. A display of a man filled the cellphone screen. To be specific, all her movements came to a stop as the Crown Prince started to speak.

In front of a neatly dressed announcer, there was a man with a smile that looked as if it was drawn with a pen, dressed even more neatly, sitting without much movement even in the midst of shooting that had been lasting for more than three hours. Hair falling neatly down to a pale young boy like face and calmly relaxed eyes filled with coldness, and the nose carved like a statue and giving off the bold vibe.

This gorgeous man who would, without a doubt, be awed by anyone was, Si-Jun Lee, the new Crown Prince of South Korea, who was about to have a coronation.

The interview went smoothly despite the concerns due to the face of the prince never been revealed before. Finally, there was only one question left.
“As we wrap up the interview, I will ask a question that our people would like to know.”

“I can suspect what kind of question you will be asking.”

“Haha, normally the Crown Princess accompanies at the coronation of the Crown Prince. However, this coronation is being proceeded in a bit of rush. Nevertheless, is the new Crown Princess going to be with you? Or Your Highness will be on his own as we expect it?

“No. There is someone.”

The reporters, along with the announcer, anxiously kept their eyes and ears wide open as the answer was unexpectedly very straightforward. This might be an exclusive scoop.

“Wow. This is exclusive, right? Is the royal family assigning….?”

“No.”

For the first time, after letting out the most favorable answers, Si-Jun mumbled in a low voice as he let air out with the end of his lips trembled.

“I have someone that I endear.”

“Oh? Okay. Is this someone that the royal family is unaware of?”

“Even she does not know, yet. But I will do it. The proposal.”

The reporters started to type away faster as Si-Jun let out his answers.

This is indeed incredible. A secret love of the Crown Prince of South Korea. 

“You are keep surprising us. Could we possibly know what kind of person she is?”

He answered in the sweetest voice after hesitating for a moment.

“The only sweetest dream I ever have, as warm as the spring.”

“Isn’t it too abstract? But you must be in fond of this person very much. Your highness’s look is completely different than before?”

He paused for a moment instead of giving out straightforward answers. Unlike before, he let out a very long breath and as if I was telling someone over the camera, he addressed his message short and concise.

“It is the best luck I’ve ever had. From the moment I first met her until now.”

After a brief moment of silence, the most affectionate proposal burst out with the breath mixed with tremors.

“I have never stopped loving her.”

[She does not know, yet. But I will do it. The proposal.]

The Crown Prince’s surprise public proposal. The exclusive scoop should have been from on our end. The situation became ironic as the Crown Prince gave out an exclusive news himself.

Li-Jin started at the face of the Crown Prince appear on the screen.

It was not only the first time the interview being aired, but also the face being revealed this closely. Li-Jin, on the other hand, had seen him from a far distance on the National mourning day.

Seeing it like this, he had the look that could compete with any man in the world.

The nose and firm lips that fall sharply around the masculine jawline, which was contrary to the face with a very beautiful line. A truly perfect crown prince with breathtakingly close trims and excisions from head to toe.

“I’m very proud as a citizen of the Republic of Korea."

[I have never stopped loving her.]

The melody of voice that was flowing properly the entire time suddenly had unfamiliar trembles when it came to that phrase; as if he was considerate of even his every breath embracing the words.

Even the face of Li-Jin, who was merely looking at the handsome face of Crown Prince, has also changed a little. Yes, even if other things are uncertain, it is certain that,

‘The eyes have changed.’

The interview video was over before she knew it. However, some unknown lingering sound circulated in her head. The new Crown Prince of the Republic of Korea, Prince Si-Jun Lee of Ahn Hwan.

However, the prince was hidden behind the presence of the late Prince of Kang Hoon and everything was kept secretly. He was not even in Korea until recently. From what she heard; he was studying abroad in the United States.

"By the way, he looks strangely familiar when I look at him closely. It seems like I've seen him somewhere ..."

[Reporter Choi, Reporter Choi!]

She quickly fixed her hand and grabbed the phone after hearing the voice of her boss, whom she has forgotten about.

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“You finished watching the video of the interview, right? I looked into it and the video was before the rumors about Hye-Ri Eun had spread.]

“It wasn’t the most recent interview? It was a small crowd, but I noticed in the video that there were reporters there as well.”

[It was an embargo (a term used in the media, which represents banning broadcasting for a certain period of time),

Since it is let loose, there will be waves of speculative articles. However, they are all pointless speculation. The royal family is still silent, and so is the Golden Group. How could they keep their mouths shut even in a situation like this? Or is it the Crown Prince's arbitrary action? The Crown Prince is more impetuous than I thought!      

[So go get the answer from Hye-Ri Eun by the end of today. Even better if it is by 1 minute or 1 second faster than other media outlets. Okay? I'm going to wait without sleeping, so be sure to take pride in the reporter!]

"... ... But is Hye-Ri Eun really the fiancée of the Crown Prince? Are you convinced?"

[It's your job to find out the truth. However, with the way things are now, there is no doubt it is Hye-Ri Eun! The game is over once you get the answer. She is not just an actress, but the youngest daughter of the Golden Group. You already know what kind of company the Golden Group is. It's a company that allowed the current royal family to exist. What more information do you need? In addition, I heard that they have been long time friends.]

Speaking of which, she had the potential to be the Crown Princess. But why did the Golden Group have to brought up like this right now.

[The proposal is nothing but simply to create a topic of discussion, just a show. Stop talking nonsense and get the job done. Stop having a rampage like when you were with the Social Affairs Department! You are covering the national fairy, Tinkerbell, not the thugs you used to interview. Talk in a calm and nice manner instead of being intimating. You might make her cry.]

"Cry? Yeah right. What’s are you talking about? I’m good at appeasing and soothing people. I’m such a kind person. You don't know my nickname? A self-luminous Goddess in perfection! People suddenly become very open-minded once they encounter my beauty!”

[Yes, I know it well. Sometimes it becomes a problem that I know it too well. Do you know how worried Gil-Gang is? Keep your temper under control! I’m going to wait until it is submitted to the desk.]

"Yes, I understand. Please leave it up to me."

After the boss hung up, Li-jin looked at the Crown Prince's face, which had covered the entire page on the news website, with a strange look on her face. Indeed, he looks familiar. How? From where?

"Familiar, my ass. How would I not remember such a handsome face like that. Moreover, it's the face of the Crown Prince."

Li-Jin confided her useless thoughts and quickly started the car. One way or another, she must meet Hye-Ri Eun and ask her whether she was the person receiving the Crown Prince’s public proposal.

"There is also an answer that I have to hear personally."

The bathroom door opened and a man walked out with the foggy steam.

Drops of water that had fallen from the hair that had not dried properly, ran on the wide shoulders that were revealed completely naked.

He took a step while wiping off the water with a towel.

Every time he moved, his smooth and rigid upper body squirmed, and the towel that was barely covering the waist down seemed to be at the risk of falling off any second. However, the man casually checked the mobile phone with a careless gaze. Then, his lip was slightly raised after noticing the video attached to an unpleasant message. It was the footage of him dropping a bombshell.

Si-Jun could not possibly watch the video.

"I did not even say it with her in front of me, yet it is nerve wrecking."

Even before getting to acknowledge the lingering feeling, a call from the sender rang his phone. 

Si-Jun hesitated whether to pick up the phone or not, but even if he avoided it now, he could not avoid it entirely. Therefore, he picked up the phone after taking a deep breath.

"Hello?"

[You take a call ever so nonchalantly after filming a romantic movie publicly.]

The voice of Do-Un, his secretary and also a part of the royal chamber, pierced his ears. However, Si-Jun skillfully responded well with a mischievous tone of voice.

"Consider it I put on a rare show to the citizens as the Crown Prince. I hope it did not make your heart flutter too much.”

[You want to be joking around right now?]

"You can’t tell? I'm trembling as I speak."

[The queen is cutting you some slack.]

As Si-Jun took off the towel and put on his clothes, his finger flinched. However, he quickly continued his words casually.

"Yes, I'm always grateful and thankful."

[Even though the Queen has approved, I'm not sure if this is the right decision or not. Are you sure you are going to be okay without a royal guard?]

"It's okay. The only person that can recognize the Crown Prince, who is publicized once, is reporters."

[The reporters are the ones to look out for. Especially being in a situation like this. Why on earth did you go to Jeju Island?]

At that sudden moment, Si-Jun’s voice suddenly sank rather indifferently.

"It is the farthest. From the palace"

[Your Highness…]

“Will you hang up now? I don’t want to hear some dark colored man’s voice at this late hour.”

Please be careful. Never expose your identity. Do you know how much stuff you have to take care of once you are back?]

Regardless, he pressed the hat deep enough to cover his face as last as he was ready to head out.

"Yes, I know, so don’t worry about it. Because I won’t be the Crown Prince for the next three days."

Upon arriving at the hotel parking lot, Li-Jin continuously called her friend Hae-In with anxious look. By a strange coincidence, this was the place where Hae-in worked. She was clinging onto hope that maybe she would be able to enter the venue as an affiliated employee.

“Hae-In, please. Please! You are the only one I have. Hae-In. Please!”

Unfortunately, she could not get a hold of her. One cannot simply continue to waste time. Let’s hit it.

Li-Jin left the hotel parking lot and carefully headed for the main gate. As expected, the reporters waiting for Hye-Ri Eun were in conflict with the guards. The rumors had been floating around already, yet the Crown Prince’s public proposal brought them to surface as the top headline. Li-Jin called Hae-In once again. After all, only the long ring-back tone continued. She stood up straight and entered the hotel with a relaxed smile. Whether it was the flashy look that helped, but no one doubted her as the reporter at the main gate.

"Well, I’m too beautiful to be just a reporter.”

Li-Jin nonchalantly began to look around looking as unsuspicious as possible.

"The venue is clearly the seminar room on the 3rd floor. There has to be an elevator somewhere here..."

At that moment, Li-Jin’s eyes shined sharply toward the hall, and she then grinned like a cat.

"Okay, found it."

As she was about to walk away quickly while calling for joy inside,

"Wait a minute, Miss."

Someone grabbed Li-Jin from behind even before she took a step. She tilted her head in the most innocent and naive way while calming down her pounding heart.

"Yes?"

The man with a generous look had approached and greeted her politely. On his left chest was a golden name tag written, ‘Floating Manager’.

‘Floating Manager? Wait, did I just get caught?’

"You must be having difficulty getting around. May I help you?”

At least it seemed as if she was not caught as a reporter. Then, she must act as naturally as possible.

"Oh, I lost my cell phone. Any chance I could borrow a phone?"

Li-Jin purposely looked directly at him and smiled.  The manager nodded and guided her.

"Yes, that’s fine. The front desk is over there."

She followed the manager. At that instant moment, her eyes suddenly shined and her high heels wobbled as she stumbled.

"Ah!"

"Miss!"

Li-Jin sat down on the floor and grabbed her ankle. The manager quickly took her to a nearby chair.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, I must have sprained my ankle. Ugh!”

Li-Jin stared at the manager helplessly. Before she knew it, tears like a round-eyed ball floated in her eyes, naturally giving off the fragile vibe and stimulating the man’s protective instinct. The manager quickly stood up after seeing her state.

"Please be patient. I'll bring you a first aid kit right away!"

"That's a nuisance. I'm really sorry and thank you."

He immediately put his foot behind him, and as soon as he disappeared completely from the sight after watching him for a while, Li-Jin immediately started running toward the elevator.

"I'm really sorry! But I had no other choice!"

I didn't have time. If the manager noticed she was gone, the manager would obviously not stay silent. The elevator just arrived on the first floor making the ‘Ding’ happy chime noise and the door opened. However, there was someone in the elevator. A man wearing a hat deep down to his eyes. Li-Jin slightly shifted her body, thinking he would get off, but he didn’t flinch. It was a bit strange, but because she didn’t have time, she quickly got on the elevator. When the door closed, she finally let out a sigh of relief. Of course, it is too early to let the guard down yet. She pressed the button on the third floor and gently leaned her body against the wall. Frankly, she was bothered by the man behind her.

‘He doesn’t get off on the 1st floor, but doesn’t press the button either. Is he going to the 3rd floor? Is he a reporter?”

Li-Jin examined the man through the mirror. It was difficult to see his face as the hat was pushed down too deeply. In a way, it seemed as if he was looking at her.

"Strange. Completely strange. Is he checking me out? Well, it is difficult to take eyes off of my beauty.’

Finally, the elevator arrived at the destination. Li-Jin went out and walked towards the long corridor. As soon as you turned the corner, there was a seminar room where a charity event was being held.

‘I have no choice but to face it!’

                    The moment Li-Jin was about to finally take the corner to where the seminar room was located,

“It might be a reporter who snuck in. I will sweep around."

                    At that moment, her heart dropped on the floor. It seemed like the manager had already made contact. If she happened to get caught like this,

‘It would be a shame. I would be dragged to the police station and make a fool out of myself. After that, to hell to returning to the Social Affairs Department. I will be fired. Fired.’

                    Li-Jin quickly turned her body to the opposite direction. She constantly checked her back as she was running softly to minimize the footstep noise. However, the elevator was staying on a higher level far from the third floor.

“Ugh, for real!”

                    She felt like getting caught any minute.... The problem was that she would not be able to escape to the other side. At that moment, she felt a movement beside her and Li-Jin turned her head as she startled. A man in a familiar hat stood next to her. The man who was in the elevator!

‘What the hell is with this guy?’

                    However, even before having a chance to think about how strange he was, she heard a voice close to despair.

"There is another elevator in the opposite direction. We will head over there."

They are coming this way! Li-Jin looked at the elevator with a pondering look. Still on the 8th floor! It is a renowned hotel, but why is the elevator so outdated like this! She is about get caught. She will get caught!

Li-Jin glanced over the shoulder of a man standing beside him, anxiously stomping her feet. At that moment, her eyes quivered and she bit her lips tightly.

In the distance, a person dressed like a body guard appeared over his shoulder. In addition, he was gradually walking toward them…

"Damn, he better not see my face. It is not easy to not remember a beauty like this!"

Li-Jin tried to turn her head quickly. However, the man standing beside her was staring at her. Of course, she could not make out of his facial expression as the hat was covering the face, but he was clearly looking at her.

"Did he really fall for me? Is that why he did not get off the elevator and waited for me? To hit on me? But not now!"

Wait. This might be an opportunity. Li-Jin gazed low and grabbed the man’s wrist in order to prevent herself from making more fool out of herself, even though she could be called a mad woman by doing so.

Right, there is no other choice!

"I'm sorry, but please, just consider you are saving somebody’s life and let me borrow it.”

The man looked down with a strange gaze while his hand was grabbed by Li-Jin. Even though she was wearing heels, the man was much taller than her.

"Exactly what?"

A very low and proper tone of voice. Somehow, it was a familiar voice. However, until the elevator arrived, she didn't have time to trace my memory, even if it was for one minute or even one second!

Li-Jin pulled his body toward her and held into his wide arms. Then, she softly whispered in a quivering voice.

“Your body.”

One might think she was a mad woman, but she needed the man’s body. He obviously seemed big enough to hide her body. On top of that, if a couple were to be hugging like this, he could possibly just pass by!

‘I must be out of my mind. Being embraced by a man you do not even know! Still... Yes, only if the elevator arrives now!"

Surprisingly, the man didn't complain, and Li-Jin hugged even more tightly into his chest and hid her face and body. Finally, the elevator door opened with the ‘Ding!’ chime noise. Alive at last! Now only if she hopped on the elevator without any issues….

"Excuse me, Miss! Wait a minute!"

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The word ‘failure’ was boldly engraved into her head. Is this really the end? Is it time to be handcuffed to the police station, a place where she used to visit to cover news? Just like that, the face being broadcasted all over the country and imagine the boyfriend Do-Hyun were to see it!

"I will get dumped right away! I wouldn't be forgiven even with the pretty looks!"

A more intensified tone of voice, different from the moment prior, held her intensely.

"While I lend you."

“……”

“Might as well do it right.”

With no time to think about anything, his hands pulled her back and back of her neck all at once.

She could not help but grab the man's solid shoulder as the heat and intense breathing touched her cheek at a distance too close.

Perfect body-to-body contact.

The guard approaching them eventually cleared his throat and turned his head at the sight of an intimate moment between them. The man then took a step into the elevator while holding her.

Li-Jin, on the other hand, was unable to interpret the situation she was in, because of the man right in front of her.

While trying to catch herself from losing her consciousness as she became dizzy due to his hot temperature embracing all over her body, she lifted up her head ever so carefully to lock eyes with the man’s gaze hidden beneath the hat. 

For a brief moment, her mind went blank. A face that is too familiar. The name that comes out far too naturally.

"Your…..Highness...?"