LOVED BY YOUR MEMORY

CHAPTER 14

The afternoon sun hung over the palace as Grand Princess Su Jin walked through the courtyard with Mi-Ra her personal maid following closely behind.

“Your Highness,” Mi-Ra called.

Su Jin didn't stop.

“Yes?”

“Where are we going?”

“The kitchen.”

Mi-Ra stared at her.

“The kitchen?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I'm hungry.”

“You had lunch.”

Su Jin finally stopped and looked at her.

“Are you keeping track of my meals now?”

“No, Your Highness.”

“Good.”

She continued walking.

Mi-Ra sighed and followed.

---

THE KITCHEN DEPARTMENT

The kitchen was busy with preparations for the evening meal.

So-Hee was sorting ingredients when Hye-in walked in.

“You finally came,” Hye-in said.

So-Hee looked at her.

“I told you I was busy.”

“I know. I just wanted to check on you.”

“So you walked all the way here just to ask if I'm alive?”

Hye-in smiled.

“Yes.”

“So touching.”

“I can leave.”

“No, stay.”

Hye-in laughed.

Before they could continue, the entire kitchen suddenly went silent.

Everyone bowed.

“Your Highness!”

Hye-in immediately turned.

Grand Princess Su Jin had entered.

Hye-in quickly bowed.

Su Jin looked around.

“Why does everyone look like they've seen a ghost?”

Nobody answered.

Su Jin sighed.

“I'm only here for food. You can breathe.”

A few servants exchanged nervous glances.

Su Jin walked toward the table.

“I want something sweet.”

The head kitchen servant immediately bowed.

“We have freshly prepared rice cakes, Your Highness.”

“Perfect.”

She picked one up.

Before taking a bite, she noticed Hye-in standing beside So-Hee.

Su Jin pointed at her.

“You.”

Hye-in looked around.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

Hye-in stepped forward.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

Su Jin looked at her curiously.

“Why are you standing there?”

“I came to visit my friend.”

Su Jin looked at So-Hee.

“This is your friend?”

So-Hee bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Su Jin looked back at Hye-in.

“And you came all the way here just to see her?”

“Yes.”

Su Jin took a bite of the rice cake.

Then she nodded thoughtfully.

“That's suspicious.”

Hye-in blinked.

“Suspicious?”

“You walked into the kitchen without being hungry?”

“I wasn't.”

Su Jin narrowed her eyes.

“Then you must be very devoted to your friend.”

Hye-in nodded seriously.

“She is my friend.”

Su Jin took another bite.

“Hmm.”

Hye-in waited.

Su Jin suddenly asked,

“Does she owe you money?”

So-Hee nearly choked.

Hye-in stared at her.

“What?”

Su Jin smiled.

“I'm trying to understand why someone would willingly walk all the way to the kitchen just to check on another person.”

Hye-in laughed.

“Your Highness, she's my friend. That's all.”

“Ah.”

Su Jin nodded.

“So you're the loyal type.”

“I suppose.”

Su Jin studied her.

“That's dangerous.”

Hye-in frowned.

“Why?”

“Because loyal people always get dragged into trouble.”

So-Hee quietly looked at Hye-in.

Hye-in looked back at her.

“She's right.”

“Hey!” Hye-in protested.

Su Jin laughed.

“I like you.”

Hye-in blinked.

“Your Highness?”

“You don't immediately agree with everything I say.”

“I wasn't disagreeing.”

“You were thinking about it.”

Hye-in smiled.

“Perhaps.”

Su Jin laughed again.

“What's your name?”

“Hye-in, Your Highness.”

“Hye-in.”

Su Jin repeated the name.

Then she held out the rice cake.

“Try this.”

Hye-in looked surprised.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Hye-in carefully took it.

She took a bite.

Su Jin watched her expression.

“Well?”

Hye-in nodded.

“It's good.”

“Only good?”

Hye-in hesitated.

“Very good.”

Su Jin smiled proudly.

“Better.”

So-Hee covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Su Jin noticed.

“Why are you laughing?”

So-Hee immediately straightened.

“I wasn't, Your Highness.”

“You were.”

“No, Your Highness.”

Su Jin pointed at her.

“Your friend is a terrible liar.”

Hye-in turned toward So-Hee.

“She is.”

So-Hee stared at her.

“You're supposed to defend me!”

Hye-in shrugged.

“I changed my mind.”

Su Jin burst into laughter.

Even several of the nearby servants smiled.

For a moment, the kitchen no longer felt tense.

Su Jin finished her rice cake and wiped her fingers.

“I've decided something.”

Everyone looked at her.

“I like this kitchen.”

The head kitchen servant bowed.

“We are honored, Your Highness.”

Su Jin looked at Hye-in.

“And I like her.”

Hye-in pointed at herself.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Su Jin smiled.

“Because you're entertaining.”

Hye-in laughed awkwardly.

“I wasn't trying to be.”

“That's what makes it better.”

Su Jin turned toward the exit.

Then she stopped.

“Hye-in.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“If I come back tomorrow and the rice cakes aren't this good, I'm blaming you.”

Hye-in's eyes widened.

“Why me?”

“Because I like you.”

“That doesn't make sense!”

Su Jin laughed as she walked away.

Mi-Ra followed, shaking her head.

“Your Highness, you really shouldn't threaten palace maids over rice cakes.”

“I'm not threatening her.”

“You just blamed her for the kitchen's cooking.”

“I was being friendly.”

Mi-Ra sighed.

Behind them, Hye-in stared after the Grand Princess.

So-Hee burst out laughing.

“She definitely likes you.”

Hye-in shook her head.

“I think she's strange.”

So-Hee smiled

“You just called the Grand Princess strange.”

Hye-in's eyes widened.

“Don't tell anyone.”

So-Hee laughed even harder.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

BACK TO THE CROWN PRINCE'S QUARTERS

By the time Hye-in left the kitchen, the afternoon sun had begun to fade.

She hurried through the palace corridors.

She had stayed with So-Hee longer than she intended.

First, they had talked.

Then the Grand Princess had unexpectedly appeared.

And somehow, a simple visit had turned into half the afternoon.

Hye-in sighed.

“I've been gone for too long.”

She quickened her steps.

When she finally reached the Crown Prince's quarters, she slowed down.

The guards were still standing outside.

Hye-in bowed to them before entering.

The room was empty.

She looked around.

Seo Jun still hadn't returned.

Hye-in frowned.

Where could he have gone?

She hadn't been told where he was going before she left.

All she knew was that he had been there earlier.

She glanced toward the table.

The royal records were still where she had left them.

Hye-in walked over and checked them.

Everything was in order.

She nodded to herself.

“At least I finished everything.”

She then sat down and waited.

A few minutes passed.

Then more.

She glanced toward the door.

Nothing.

She stood and walked around the room.

Then she sat again.

Another stretch of time passed.

Hye-in looked outside.

The sunlight was slowly disappearing.

“He's taking quite a while.”

She wondered whether she should ask one of the guards where he had gone.

But she decided against it.

If Seo Jun wanted her to know, he would have told her.

So she simply waited.

Eventually, a palace servant passed by the open doorway.

Hye-in quickly called out.

“Excuse me.”

The servant stopped.

“Yes?”

“Has His Highness returned?”

The servant shook his head.

“Not yet.”

Hye-in nodded.

“Thank you.”

The servant left.

She returned to her seat.

Then I suppose I'll just wait.

As evening approached, the palace became busier with preparations for dinner.

Hye-in noticed that the Crown Prince's meal had been brought in.

She looked at the untouched dishes.

“He really should be back by now.”

She checked the doorway again.

Nothing.

Her stomach growled.

Hye-in looked down at herself.

“I haven't eaten either.”

She stared at the dinner table.

Then she quickly shook her head.

“No. I'll wait.”

She didn't want to return the Crown Prince's meal without permission.

So she remained there.

Time dragged on.

The lanterns were lit.

The sky outside turned dark.

Hye-in began to feel sleepy.

She stood and stretched.

“This has been such a long day.”

She had been awake since morning.

She had dealt with royal records.

Been scolded by Seo Jun.

worried about shadow

Visited So-Hee.

Met the Grand Princess.

And now she was waiting for a Crown Prince who hadn't even told her where he had gone.

She sighed.

“I should have stayed in bed this morning.”

A faint sound of footsteps suddenly came from the corridor.

Hye-in immediately straightened.

The footsteps drew closer.

The doors opened.

Seo Jun stepped inside.

Hye-in quickly bowed.

“Your Highness.”

Seo Jun stopped when he saw her.

“You're still here?”

Hye-in looked at him.

“I was waiting for you.”

His eyes moved toward the dinner table.

Then back to her.

“You've been waiting all this time?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Seo Jun frowned slightly.

“You could have left.”

Hye-in hesitated.

“I wasn't sure if I was supposed to.”

He stared at her for a moment.

Then he walked toward the table.

“You should have eaten.”

Hye-in lowered her gaze.

“I thought I should wait.”

Seo Jun said nothing.

He sat down.

After a moment, he glanced at her.

“Next time, don't wait until the food is cold,just return it back to the kitchen”

Hye-in looked up.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She quietly returned to her place.

Only then did she realize just how tired she was.

It had truly been a very long day

Seo Jun remained near the entrance for a moment before removing his outer robe.

An attendant stepped forward to take it from him, then quietly left the room.

Seo Jun walked toward the dining table.

His eyes fell on the meal that had been waiting for him.

He paused.

“You've been waiting here?”

Hye-in, who had been standing quietly to the side, bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“How long?”

“I don't know exactly.”

Seo Jun glanced toward the darkened window.

“It is already late.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He said nothing more.

He took his seat at the table.

Hye-in remained standing several steps away, as she was expected to do.

Seo Jun picked up his chopsticks and began eating.

The room fell silent.

Hye-in stood quietly, keeping her eyes lowered.

There was nothing else she needed to do.

Her duty was simply to remain there until the Crown Prince had finished his meal.

Minutes passed.

Seo Jun ate calmly while Hye-in fought the heaviness in her eyes.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Then she yawned quietly.

Seo Jun noticed.

His eyes lifted toward her.

“You're tired.”

Hye-in immediately straightened.

“No, Your Highness.”

He looked at her for a moment.

“You've been standing there since I returned.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Seo Jun returned his attention to his meal.

After another moment, he spoke.

“You may leave once I've finished.”

Hye-in bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She remained quietly by the side of the room.

Outside, the palace had become almost completely silent.

The long day was finally coming to an end.

Hye-in stared at the floor, waiting patiently.

For now, she only wanted the night to come to an end.