Echo
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"So what did you do?" I called Samuels after I cleaned up the mess that was on my kitchen counter. What kind of sicko would leave that package outside my doorstep with lots of palace guards roaming around.

"I did what a rational person would do. I buried it deep in the forest. I'm not a dummy to keep that beheaded snake here." I was looking at the stove, watching my water boil.

"Who that? " I heard a familiar background voice in Samuels end. There was some fighting and tumbling before I could see who it was. Charles emerged victoriously. I eye-rolled them for this act of childishness. Samuels was defeated and exhausted lying on the ground while holding his knee.

"Hey! What's happened? " I could see Charles just finished his daily workout. He was still wearing his workout clothes and bathed in sweat. I could hear faint groaning from Samuels but we both ignored it. I filled Charles with what happened earlier.

"Did you see anything?"

"Nope, just the box." I studied the box again but there was nothing in it but bloodstains.

"It was obviously an inside job. The Palace is the safest place to be. Did you ask the palace guards if any suspicious things were happening? "

"I was about to do that but if it is an inside job, then maybe the guards are in cahoots with the person who sent me this." I grabbed my kettle and poured the hot water into my cup. I stirred it around before drinking. Hibiscus tea helps me think and I need some extreme thinking to figure out who did that. After exchanging some ideas with Charles and Samuels, I decided it was best if I look around the area. The person who did this might left a clue.

I grabbed my coat and flashlight before heading outside. I transferred the call to my earpiece so I could still talk to Charles and Samuels. I investigated the outside part of the cabin.

"Look for footprints for tracks. Don't forget to take pictures and send them to the lab." Samuels advised. As I look for prints, I noticed there was something on the ground, something shiny. It was a pin. The pin had something embedded in it. It was the countries emblem, a jasmine flower.

"I found a pin. It has the Demark's emblem." I hold it up so they could see the pin I was holding. They were squinting to confirm if it was really a Denmark's emblem engraved in the pin.

"Keep it." I wrapped it in my hanker-chief before shoving it down my jacket's pocket.

I continued looking around the cabin but I couldn't find anything more, not even a footprint. I extended my search for clues to the garden when it rained. Not a drizzle but a full-on shower. I ran to the nearest shade I could find. I sought shelter in the greenhouse.

The rain was so hard that I got drenched. The greenhouse's air conditioning is not helping me. I am shivering like a leaf right now. I hugged myself and stared at the rain.

Great. All the tracks will be washed away after this rain.

I noticed there was no noise or voices in my earpiece. My earpiece got wet and the call was probably dropped. I checked my phone and was right, I got disconnected.  I will not find any more clues because of this stupid rain.

Due to my frustration, I threw my earpiece. I heard a groan coming from the place I threw my earpiece. I saw it move and got scared. I thought it was a rat so I threw my shoe this time.

"What the?!" The unknown figure started to grow. It was like standing up. I realized it was a big guy. I saw a big stain of mud on his shirt from my shoe earlier.

"Did you just throw a shoe at me?" He picked my shoe up and dangled it in the air. I was horrified to see who it was. Why is the Prince of Denmark sleeping in the greenhouse?

"I'm sorry your Majesty. I thought you were a rat and I panicked. I am so sorry." I felt shame and bowed down like a chicken pecking its food from the ground. How could I hurt a prince? I wanted to run as fast as I can but the rain is too heavy.

"It's ok. Though, I don't like to be compared to a rat." He let put a boyish laugh. I too let out a weird laugh that I do not recognize my whole existence. He looked outside and saw it was raining. His gaze went back to me and looks like he was studying me from head to toe.

"You look like someone who was just left on the side of the road." I agreed with him. I look like sh*t. I tried to fix my appearance but there was no use.

"I got rained on, Your Majesty. I was walking around and the rain poured down. I had to find the nearest shelter."

"So you chose to seek shelter in my private place?"  His private gazebo? Does he mean this greenhouse is his?

"I didn't know that this was private. I shall leave you, Your Majesty. I am sorry." No one bothered to tour me around so I didn't know which places are off-limits. I turned my back and was ready to leave the place. He grabbed my arm before I step out.

He pulled me I little too hard and I wasn't able to respond quickly. We fell to the ground. I was laying on top of his chest and my face is aligned with his. I could see his two blue orbs very clearly. I couldn't help myself but stare at it as he stares into mine. I remember what my mother told me when I was a little kid.

Eyes are windows to the Soul

She got that from a book written by Shakesphere, I think. She was always a fan of him. I got distracted from the reality but then came back when His Majesty said something.

"Even after getting rained on, why do you smell like strawberries?" Thanks to the rain, it was dark inside the greenhouse and he can't see me blushing. This is stupid. I shouldn't be affected by these kinds of words from people. I hate this feeling like l had animals in my stomach.

I quickly got myself together and rolled over. He sat up but his gaze is still on me. I couldn't look at him so I just stare at my shoes.

"What's wrong, little red?" All my agent life I heard that nickname. I both liked and hated my nickname. It is accurate but I don't like being called "little". Yes, I am smaller than him but I am taller than the average women.

"Just so you know, I am not little. I am taller than average women." I emphasized the word average so he knows.

"If you say so~," he said mockingly. If someone teased me, I would've thrown my shoes at their eyes. I held my heel and was ready to throw it at him but I reminded myself that the person who is in front of me is a very important person and the Chief would have my head on a platter if anything is to harm His Majesty. I took a deep breath and calmed down. I let go of my foot and huffed some air.

"What are you doing here? At this hour?" I racked my brain for an excuse. I could say I was chasing a rabbit but that would sound ridiculous. I just went with:

"I lost my bracelet when I came home from school. It's important to me so I needed to find it." There was no bracelet to find. I hope he does buy the excuse.

"How important was it? Was it given to you by your boyfriend?" He looked so serious with his question that burst into laughter. The laughter is heard from a mile away. I held my stomach and almost weakened my knees. I felt a happy tear drop almost escape my eyes but just wiped it away.

Me in a relationship was funny as hell. I couldn't take care of my goldfish in my apartment so how the hell will I take care of another person.

"Wow, that was funny to you?" He looked confused.

"Sorry." I said in between gasping for air.

"I just-" I can't form a sentence right now.

"Why do you keep laughing like that?" He looked annoyed to me. I stopped laughing now and faced him.

"No haha...It is from my mothers." I remember my 16th birthday gift. My mothers gave me a rose gold bracelet which we couldn't afford at that time but luckily the upstairs neighbor gave it to them with a discount. His Majesty nodded in response.

"What does it look like?" I was shocked he asked another question about the bracelet. I began describing the bracelet to him and I watched his eyes sparkle in amusement. I guess he likes jewelry.

After I finished, silence falls upon the two of us. I began to walk around the room and admire the plants in this gazebo. The flowers are so beautiful and colorful. I saw some blue roses, chrysanthemums, orchids, and some more. One type of flower caught my eyes. I could recognize this flower from five miles away.

"Your Majesty, did you grow this?" I touched its leaves. My mom grew this flower on our window ledge. I used to stare at it when I get bored.

"Yes, Spider Lilies is hard to grow in this country. I took extra care with this. It helps me keep pests away from the other plants." He smiled while looking at the flower.

"It's a surprise that you know this flower." I asked. His persona doesn't fit planting flowers. I misjudged him again. I should review my judging people skills now. He shared how much planting helps him destress. Nobody in his friend group knows this place. I learned something about him that nobody knows about just like what happened at the bridge.

"I never imagine you enjoying this, Your Majesty. I admire you for that." I smiled at him. He stared at me. I stared at him back. We got so invested in each other that I didn't notice our faces are inches apart. He stared at my lips and back to my eyes. I know what will happen next so I need to act fast. I turned my head to the side and took a step back.

He turned his back on me and coughed too. It became awkward again. I continued walking around the gazebo.

"Echo."

"Your Majesty?"

"First of all, don't call me Majesty. Fifth is fine." He gave me his one-of-a-kind billboard smile.

"Second, about what happened to me? The panic attack? My parents don't know about my condition and I intend to keep it that way. Can you not tell them?" I was confused why he doesn't want his parent to know but that is his request, and I need to be close to him.

"No problem, Your- Fifth." I changed the subject because I feel that he is uncomfortable. I let him teach me about the many plants I couldn't recognize. We didn't realize the rain has stopped for maybe an hour after it stopped.

We bid farewell to each other and I went back to my cabin. I fell asleep with an innocent smile plastered on my face.