13.
1116 Words
Chapter 13 – A Quiet Promise
The morning market was already busy.
People moved between the stalls, buying vegetables, rice, and fresh fish. The smell of warm soup and grilled food filled the air.
Ara was standing behind her stall, preparing bowls for customers.
“Two bowls of soup!” a man called.
“Coming,” Ara replied with a smile.
Her hands moved quickly. She had done this work for many years, so everything felt natural.
But today something felt different.
Every few minutes, her eyes moved toward the road.
Minho noticed immediately.
“You’re looking for someone,” he said while eating a rice cake.
“I’m not,” Ara answered quickly.
Minho raised an eyebrow.
“Really? Because you’ve looked at that road at least ten times.”
Ara frowned.
“Mind your own business.”
Minho laughed.
“You’re waiting for Jin Woo.”
Ara didn’t answer.
But the small smile on her face gave her away.
Just then, a familiar voice spoke behind her.
“Waiting for someone?”
Ara turned quickly.
Jin Woo was standing there.
He looked relaxed, wearing simple clothes instead of his official robe.
Ara blinked in surprise.
“When did you arrive?” she asked.
“Just now.”
Minho grinned.
“She was waiting for you.”
Ara quickly threw a towel at him.
“Go do your work!”
Minho laughed and walked away.
Jin Woo sat down near the stall.
Ara brought him a bowl of soup without asking.
“You must be hungry,” she said.
Jin Woo looked at the bowl.
“You always know.”
Ara shrugged.
“You always come here at this time.”
Jin Woo began eating.
The soup was warm and comforting.
“Nothing in the capital tastes this good,” he said.
Ara smiled proudly.
“That’s because you are eating in the right place.”
For a while they talked about simple things.
About the town.
About the market.
About Jin Woo’s work in the capital.
But after some time, the crowd began to disappear.
The market slowly became quieter.
Jin Woo looked around.
“Are you finished for today?” he asked.
Ara nodded.
“Yes. Almost.”
Jin Woo stood up.
“Then come with me.”
Ara looked confused.
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Ara hesitated.
“I still have work—”
Minho suddenly appeared again.
“I’ll close the stall,” he said.
Ara narrowed her eyes.
“You just want to be lazy.”
Minho shrugged.
“Maybe.”
Jin Woo laughed.
“Come on.”
Ara finally agreed.
They walked through the quiet streets of the town.
The afternoon sun was warm.
After a few minutes, they reached a small hill outside the town.
From there, they could see the fields and the distant mountains.
Ara looked surprised.
“I didn’t know this place existed.”
Jin Woo sat down on the grass.
“I discovered it when I was studying for the exam.”
Ara sat beside him.
The wind moved gently through the trees.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
It felt peaceful.
Ara looked at him carefully.
“You seem different,” she said.
Jin Woo tilted his head.
“Different?”
“You look tired.”
Jin Woo smiled faintly.
“The capital is not a simple place.”
Ara nodded slowly.
“Are people treating you well?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“But it is a world full of politics.”
Ara looked worried.
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
Jin Woo looked at her.
“You don’t need to worry.”
Ara crossed her arms.
“I will worry anyway.”
Jin Woo laughed softly.
Then his expression became serious.
“Ara.”
“Yes?”
“I missed you.”
Ara looked surprised.
“You only left for a short time.”
Jin Woo shook his head.
“It felt longer.”
Ara looked away shyly.
“You talk like a poet now.”
Jin Woo moved a little closer to her.
“Maybe you inspire me.”
Ara’s cheeks turned pink.
“You’re saying strange things today.”
Jin Woo gently reached for her hand.
Her fingers were warm.
Ara did not pull away.
They sat there quietly, holding hands.
The wind carried the smell of flowers from the fields.
Jin Woo spoke softly.
“Do you remember the first day we met?”
Ara nodded.
“You looked like you hadn’t slept for a week.”
Jin Woo laughed.
“That was probably true.”
Ara smiled.
“And you kept coming back for soup.”
Jin Woo looked at her with warm eyes.
“I wasn’t coming for the soup.”
Ara raised an eyebrow.
“No?”
Jin Woo slowly leaned closer.
“No.”
Ara’s heart began beating faster.
“You say these things so easily,” she whispered.
Jin Woo gently lifted his hand and touched her cheek.
“Ara…”
She looked into his eyes.
Before she could say anything, Jin Woo leaned forward and kissed her.
It was soft and gentle.
Just a simple kiss.
But it made Ara’s heart race.
When he moved back, she stared at him with wide eyes.
“You really did that,” she said quietly.
Jin Woo looked a little embarrassed.
“I wanted to.”
Ara tried to act serious.
“You didn’t even ask.”
Jin Woo smiled.
“Would you have said no?”
Ara was silent for a moment.
Then she shook her head slowly.
“No.”
Jin Woo laughed softly.
Ara lightly pushed his shoulder.
“Don’t laugh.”
But she was smiling too.
The sun slowly began to set behind the mountains.
They sat together, watching the sky turn orange and red.
For a moment, everything felt simple.
Peaceful.
As if nothing could ever change their lives.
But far away in the royal palace…
Princess Serina was standing beside a window.
A spy knelt before her.
“My princess,” he said.
“I have returned.”
Serina looked down at him.
“Did you see them?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
The spy hesitated before speaking.
“They are very close.”
Serina’s eyes became colder.
“How close?”
The spy answered quietly.
“They looked like lovers.”
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Serina slowly smiled.
But there was no warmth in that smile.
“Good,” she said softly.
“Let them enjoy their happiness.”
She turned back toward the dark sky outside.
“Because it will not last forever.”
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