Monday, January 8, 2024
I went to my mother's house. As usual, she pretended to be worried about Victor—and for a moment, I almost believed her.
My family knows very well that if Victor dies, I'll inherit everything.
I head upstairs to my old bedroom. My mother still keeps it exactly as it was. Sometimes, I feel like telling Victor to go to hell and moving back here. But I can't. There's a stupid contract tying me to him forever.
My father merged his company with Victor's father's business. My family owns a distribution company, while his family owns a soft drink brand. The merger was a success, and it's bringing in a huge profit.
I take a copy of the contract and stare at it. Our parents really screwed us over. Whoever decides to walk away and file for divorce loses everything. Victor owns fifty percent, and I own the other fifty. My family would never allow me to get divorced.
"Thinking about filing for divorce?" my sister Ariana jokes as she walks into the room and catches me staring at the contract.
"Do you think Mom would let me divorce Sasuke Uchiha?" I joke, putting the contract away in the drawer.
"We're twins. I can tell when you're sad," Ariana says, sitting beside me on the bed. "How about we run away?"
"Are you crazy?" I ask, incredulous.
"We could go to England. That's where we grew up," Ariana says thoughtfully. "Mom doesn't even bother hiding her favoritism. She likes Ana more."
"Look on the bright side... at least we grew up together," I reply with a smile.
"I still can't understand what our parents were thinking when they sent their youngest children to a boarding school in England at just six years old," Ariana says bitterly. "The only reason I never ran away somewhere far away was because of you."
"I don't have the heart to do that to our mother. She's getting old," I say thoughtfully. "Dad died not that long ago. I want her to enjoy a comfortable old age."
It's already late afternoon, and I'm getting ready to leave. As I walk down the stairs, I hear my older sister Ana's voice.
"Leaving already, Ariel?" Ana asks.
"Yes," I reply without looking back.
"Going back to your Prince Charming?" she says mockingly. "Back to your little love nest?"
I stop and turn to face her.
"What exactly are you implying?"
"That your marriage is a disaster!" Ana says, crossing her arms.
"Can you just leave Ariel alone?" Ariana intervenes, appearing behind her.
"Can the three of you stop it already?!" my mother shouts from the couch.
"I'm going home," I say before leaving without looking back.
I return home, but Ana's words keep echoing in my mind. My marriage really is a disaster. This place is so toxic that I've completely lost my inspiration to paint. Who would've thought it? Me, Ariel, who used to create such beautiful paintings, losing my talent entirely.
It's already nighttime, and I'm in the living room watching a movie when Victor arrives.
"Now, explain to me... what happened last night?" he says, stopping in front of the TV.
"What do you think?" I reply, tugging at my shirt collar to reveal the hickeys he left on my neck. "You were hotter than a boiling kettle."
"I hope you enjoyed every moment of it," Victor says furiously as he heads toward the stairs. "Because it's never happening again."
Wow... He's really offended.
It doesn't take long for me to take a shower and go to bed. Eventually, I fall asleep.
Suddenly, I jolt awake. I'm lying on my side when I feel the mattress sink behind me. A moment later, an arm wraps around my waist.
"Why are you here all alone?" Victor asks, but his voice is gentle.
I turn my head and meet his eyes. He smiles at me tenderly.
"Your Highness..." I say in shock. "I thought I'd never see you again."
I wrap my arms tightly around him.
"Why are you here? I've been looking all over the house for you," he says, confused.
"This is my bedroom," I reply.
"Don't hide from me again," Victor murmurs, pulling me against his chest.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
It's morning, and Victor's prince personality hasn't disappeared. Thank goodness.
We've showered together, and now we're sitting at the table, having breakfast.
"I still need to get used to using these things from the future!" Victor says awkwardly, clumsily bumping his utensils together. "I want to do something later."
"What is it, cutie?" I ask, watching him struggle with the silverware.
"I want you to show me the future," Victor says excitedly. "I want to ride in that iron palanquin."
"It's called a car!" I reply, laughing.
"Good morning," Carlos says as he walks into the room.
"Good morning," I reply.
"Sir, the meeting is at exactly eight o'clock," Carlos informs us, glancing at his tablet.
"Meeting?" Victor asks, confused.
"His prince personality is back," I explain.
"What are we going to do?" Carlos asks in desperation. "The meeting starts in thirty minutes."
"But I'm going sightseeing with Ariel," Victor declares firmly. "I want to see the future."
"But we need the chairman at the meeting," Carlos insists anxiously.
"You'd better call his father," I suggest thoughtfully. "In this state, Victor has no chance of participating in a meeting. He'd be completely lost."
I get in the car and take Victor out for a drive. Everywhere we went, he asked me to stop. He was like a child, amazed by every new thing he saw.
We finally arrive at the mall. Right at the entrance, Victor spots a claw machine and becomes fascinated by it.
"Ariel, what is that?" he asks, captivated, pressing his hands against the glass.
"It's a claw machine," I explain, stepping closer. "You put money in, use these buttons to control the claw, and try to grab one of the stuffed animals inside. If the claw closes properly and doesn't drop the toy on the way up, it'll fall into that compartment down there."
I show him the controls.
"Do you want to try winning one?"
"I do!" he replies eagerly.
I put some money into the machine, and he starts trying to grab a stuffed animal. But he fails every single time.
"I can't do it," he says in frustration.
"Relax. I'll teach you," I say, stepping behind him and placing my hands over his. "There's a trick to winning."
I try to rest my chin on his shoulder, but our height difference makes it impossible.
"It's impossible to grab one," Victor grumbles dejectedly. "It feels like someone smeared soap all over that iron claw."
"Let's try together," I suggest, moving the claw more carefully. "You have to aim properly and pick a stuffed animal that's not buried under the others."
After three more attempts, we finally succeed. The claw closes firmly around the toy and, this time, doesn't let go.
When the stuffed animal drops into the prize compartment, Victor jumps up and down with joy while I retrieve it.
"We did it!" he cheers, smiling as if he'd conquered an entire kingdom.
We're having ice cream now.
"I don't think it's possible that you're not Min-jae's reincarnation," Victor says dreamily as he tastes his ice cream. "You have exactly the same personality as he did. You're kind and polite."
"I can't say the same about you," I reply, taking another spoonful. "You and the other Victor have absolutely nothing in common."
"How can you say that? Victor is my reincarnation. I'm Crown Prince Yi Do-hyun," he says, looking at me in confusion. "How could he not have my personality?"
"So that's your name..." I say with a smile, finally hearing him reveal it.
"Yes. But you're not allowed to speak the Crown Prince's name," Victor says, suddenly turning serious.
"You're not a prince anymore," I retort.
"Forgive me... It's a force of habit," he replies with an embarrassed smile. "But tell me... what is Victor like?"
"Cold and cruel," I answer without hesitation. "He's selfish and only thinks about himself."
"Me? Cold and cruel?" he asks incredulously.
Victor falls silent for a few seconds, lost in thought.
"I can't imagine myself being like that..." he murmurs. "But at least there's one good thing about all this: we love each other."
I lower my eyes to my ice cream, feeling a tightness in my chest.
"The truth is... I loved you. Victor never loved me. He always mistreated me and treated me with contempt."
Victor's mouth falls open at my revelation.
"Why didn't you tell me that before?" he asks, shocked.
"I just wanted to forget the past and build a new future with you," I say thoughtfully. "But I never imagined that you and Victor would end up fighting for control of the same body."
"Don't worry," Victor says, gently touching my hand. "We'll find a way for me to remain in this body permanently."
"That would be my greatest dream," I reply, my voice trembling.
Victor doesn't take his eyes off me.
"Did you find your spellbook?" he asks intently. "If you did, that proves you're Min-jae."
"I found a spellbook inside a hole in a tree," I say, still stunned as I remember it.
"Then it really is you," Victor declares with a smile. "Only Min-jae can touch the spellbook."
I look away, embarrassed.
"All right... I found the spellbook." I sigh. "I made the love potion and gave it to Victor."
"So that's what awakened me," Victor says thoughtfully. "With the help of the book, we'll find a potion that will get rid of Victor's cruel personality for good."
My heart races, overflowing with hope. If the cruel Victor disappears forever... that means I'll finally be able to find happiness with my sweet, adorable Crown Prince.