CHAPTER 9
1749 Words
THE HILLTOP
“And here we are.”
Shadow brought the horse to a stop at the foot of a gentle hill.
Hye-in climbed down and looked around.
Before them stretched a breathtaking view of the town. The rooftops glowed beneath the afternoon sunlight, while the distant mountains were softened by a thin veil of mist.
Hye-in's eyes widened.
“Wow…”
Shadow watched her reaction with a faint smile.
“Come on.”
They climbed the hill together.
When they reached the top, Hye-in slowly turned in a circle, taking in the scenery.
“It’s beautiful.”
She stepped closer to the edge and spread her arms as the cool breeze swept across her face.
For a moment, Shadow simply watched her.
There was something different about Hye-in when she wasn't inside the palace.
No formal manners.
No fear.
No concern about titles.
She simply looked… free.
“Is this why you come here whenever you sneak out?” she asked.
Shadow nodded.
“This is my favorite place.”
He sat beneath a tree and rested his back against the trunk.
“Whenever the palace becomes too suffocating, I come here.”
Hye-in looked at him.
“I understand.”
She sat nearby.
“By the way, how did you find me?”
“You forgot your bow with me.”
She lifted the bow slightly.
“I was returning it when I saw you sneaking out.”
Shadow glanced at the bow and chuckled.
“So that's why you followed me?”
“Of course.”
Hye-in smiled proudly.
“And I saved you from those thieves.”
Shadow raised an eyebrow.
“You saved me?”
“Yes.”
She folded her arms.
“Didn't you see how brilliantly I distracted them?”
“You mean when you ran for your life?”
Hye-in's mouth fell open.
“I was distracting them!”
Shadow laughed.
For a moment, the hilltop was filled with the sound of his laughter.
Hye-in stared at him.
It was the first time she had heard him laugh so freely.
“You should laugh more often,” she said quietly.
Shadow's smile faded slightly.
“Why?”
“Because you look different when you do.”
He looked at her for a moment before turning away.
“Different?”
“Less like Shadow.”
Hye-in smiled.
“More like yourself.”
Silence settled between them.
Shadow looked at her again.
Then he reached into his bag.
“Do you mind if I draw you?”
Hye-in blinked.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Of course.”
She sat beneath the tree, facing him.
Shadow opened his drawing case and carefully arranged his pencils and paper.
“Don't move.”
“Why?”
“Because you'll ruin the drawing.”
Hye-in immediately sat straight.
“I'm not moving.”
Shadow looked at her.
“You're already moving.”
“I am not!”
“You just moved your head.”
Hye-in tried to suppress a laugh.
“Fine. I'll be still.”
Shadow began sketching.
The sound of the pencil moving across the paper was soft against the quietness of the hilltop.
Hye-in watched him.
“You're very serious.”
“I have to be.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm drawing someone difficult to capture.”
Hye-in frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Shadow didn't answer.
His eyes remained focused on the page.
Every now and then, he glanced at her before returning to his drawing.
The sunlight fell gently across Hye-in's face.
A breeze moved a few strands of her hair across her cheek.
She reached up to move them away.
Shadow paused.
For a second, he simply looked at her.
Then he lowered his gaze and continued drawing.
After a while, he finally put down his pencil.
“Done.”
Hye-in leaned forward eagerly.
“Let me see!”
Shadow turned the paper toward her.
Hye-in went silent.
Her expression slowly changed from curiosity to amazement.
“It’s…”
She looked at the drawing.
“It’s really me.”
Shadow smiled faintly.
“You don't recognize yourself?”
“I do.”
She carefully took the drawing from him.
“But you made me look…”
She paused.
“Beautiful.”
Shadow looked away.
“You already looked that way.”
Hye-in looked at him.
“What?”
He cleared his throat.
“I mean… the drawing captured your expression.”
A small smile appeared on Hye-in's lips.
“You're surprisingly good with words for someone who barely talks.”
Shadow gave her an amused look.
“Don't get used to it.”
She laughed softly.
Then she looked down at the drawing again.
“Can I keep it?”
Shadow nodded.
“It's yours.”
Hye-in carefully held the drawing against her chest.
“Thank you.”
Shadow watched her smile.
For some reason, he found himself smiling too.
He didn't understand why.
He simply knew that the sight of her being happy over something so small made the entire afternoon feel different.
He packed his drawing tools into his bag and stood.
“Let's go.”
Hye-in carefully folded the drawing.
“I'm keeping this forever.”
Shadow glanced back at her.
“It's only a drawing.”
Hye-in smiled.
“Maybe.”
She followed him down the hill.
“But it's the first drawing anyone has ever made of me.”
Shadow said nothing.
Yet the faint smile on his lips remained.
When they reached the bottom, Hye-in spotted the horse still standing where they had left it.
She stopped.
“What about the horse?”
Shadow glanced at it.
“Leave it.”
Hye-in stared at him.
“Leave it?”
“Yes.”
“But it's not ours.”
“I know.”
“Then what if someone takes it?”
Shadow shrugged.
“They'll probably return it to the thieves.”
Hye-in looked at him in disbelief.
“You really have no conscience.”
Shadow gave her an amused glance
You stole it first.”
“I didn't steal it!”
“You did.”
“I was saving you!”
“By stealing a horse?”
Hye-in folded her arms.
“It was an emergency.”
Shadow chuckled.
“Come on.”
They left the horse behind and continued along the quiet path toward the palace.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The afternoon sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains, casting a warm glow over the road.
Hye-in walked beside Shadow, occasionally glancing at the drawing hidden inside her sleeve.
A small smile appeared on her face.
Shadow noticed.
“You're still looking at it?”
“No.”
You're smiling.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Hye-in quickly turned her face away.
“Just keep walking.”
Shadow smiled to himself.
By the time they reached the outskirts of the palace, the sky had begun to darken.
Hye-in slowed down.
“We should separate here.”
Shadow nodded.
“Go back before anyone notices you've been gone.”
Hye-in took a few steps before turning around.
“Shadow.”
He looked at her.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
She smiled.
“For today.”
Shadow stared at her for a moment before giving a small nod.
“Get back safely.”
Hye-in nodded and hurried toward the palace.
Shadow remained where he was for a few seconds, watching until she disappeared from sight.
Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Neither of them noticed the figure standing silently in the distance, watching them return.
The figure slowly pulled the hood farther over their face.
Then disappeared into the shadows.
BACK AT THE PALACE
After returning to the palace, Hye-in hurried toward the Crown Prince’s quarters.
She had completely forgotten that she was still carrying the bow.
As she approached the courtyard, she spotted Seo Jun standing alone.
His hands were clasped behind his back as he stared toward the sky.
The moment he heard footsteps, he turned.
“Hye-in.”
Hye-in smiled and walked toward him.
“Your Royal Highness.”
But instead of returning her smile, Seo Jun's expression hardened.
“Where have you been?”
Hye-in stopped.
“I…”
Seo Jun's eyes narrowed.
“I asked where you have been.”
His voice was cold.
Hye-in swallowed.
“I went to return something.”
“Return something?”
“Yes.”
Seo Jun studied her carefully.
His gaze moved from her face to her clothes.
There was dirt on the edge of her sleeve.
A tiny scratch was visible near her wrist.
Then his eyes fell on the bow in her hand.
“That isn't yours.”
Hye-in looked down.
She suddenly realized she was still holding Shadow's bow.
Oh no.
Seo Jun stepped closer.
“Where did you get it?”
Hye-in quickly hid the bow behind her.
“It… belongs to someone.”
“Someone?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Seo Jun's expression became even colder.
“Who?”
Hye-in hesitated.
“I can't tell you.”
Seo Jun's eyes darkened.
“You can't tell me?”
“I mean…”
Hye-in quickly searched for an excuse.
“I found it.”
“You found it?”
“Yes.”
Seo Jun stared at her in silence.
Hye-in could feel his gaze becoming more suspicious by the second.
Then he noticed something else.
“Why do you smell like the forest?”
Hye-in froze.
He noticed?
Seo Jun took another step forward.
“Where exactly did you go?”
“I…”
Hye-in couldn't answer.
She couldn't tell him that she had followed Shadow outside the palace.
She definitely couldn't tell him about the thieves.
Seo Jun's eyes narrowed.
“You disappeared without permission, returned covered in dirt, and you're carrying another man's bow.”
Hye-in's eyes widened.
“Another man's?”
Seo Jun reached for the bow.
“Give it to me.”
Hye-in reluctantly handed it over.
Seo Jun examined it carefully.
His expression suddenly changed
“This belongs to Shadow isn't it??”
Hye-in's heart dropped.
How did he know?
probably because she told him about the archery practice
Seo Jun slowly lifted his gaze.
“Why were you with him?”
Hye-in opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Seo Jun's expression remained unreadable.
“Answer me, Hye-in.”
She lowered her gaze.
“I…”
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