Rawon had switched off her phone after the events at the palace. She had become elusive and avoidant from that day, something that confused Taemin to a great extent and Hocheol to some. A constant fear both pervaded and surrounded Rawon- her so called perfect life could crumble any moment now. Yulhee needed no verbalization of Rawon's issues. A look and a tear were enough for her to understand what must have transpired.

Rawon pulled all-nighters to avoid stepping outside the police station. The Royal Family, she thought, would not stoop so low as to enter the station looking for her. They cared a bit too much about their public image. This was the safest place for now. 

She was at her desk, surrounded by piles of documents. Yoontae's case was getting difficult by the day- his crime was violent only after being financial. To add to it, he had laid hand on Crown Prince Jin. For now, the case would be transferred to the Financial Crimes Unit. Rawon loathed the very idea. Their team was the one who had done everything in their might to catch Yoontae. Catching Yoontae was both a victory and misfortunr for Rawon since that was the landmark event which had gotten her involved with the man she loathed the thought of. 

Her team would be working on the Anti-Monarchy Group case once Yoontae's case was transferred. Her fate was now linked to them. She could avoid them at one front, but not the other. Yulhee had told her that the Royal Family wnated her out of this. But Rawon was determined to rebel. As always.

Hocheol held out a cup of coffee for her. Rawon took it. He pulled his chair close to hers and sat on it. They were the only ones in their division. Most lights had been turned off, and the only lights switched on were those above their desks. Rawon took a sip of the coffee.

"What's the matter?" Hocheol asked.

Rawon took a sip of her coffee. "Nothing."

Hocheol shook his head. Keeping his cup on his desk, he pulled Rawon's chair to face him. She was taken aback, but knew Hocheol's strength. Things like these were easy for him. One of the many reasons she felt safe around him. "You're lying."

"I am not."

"Did your parents ask you to return home?"

Rawon shook her head. "I got a command from His Majesty."

"From the King himself?"

Rawon bit her lip. She kept her cup aside and looked at Hocheol teary-eyed. "What do I do, Hocheol? He asked me to get married to the Crown Prince and become the Crown Princess of this nation."

Hocheol was flabbergasted. Shocked even. It took him some time to register Rawon's words, resolve the confusion in his head, and frame a comprehensible answer. "Why?" This was the only thing he could formulate.

"I don't know either. He just said it and I...ran out. I did not have courage stand there."

"Worse could have happened if you remained there." Hocheol was still in a state of daze. "What is your plan?"

"None for now."

"And..." Hocheol hesitated for a moment. His friendship with Rawon had been long enough for him to forego of all hesitations, but the mere thought of his friend becoming inaccessible as the Crown Princess was heart-wrenching. He had never viewed Rawon as a noble as she had never let that aspect of her life dictate her. Yet, he felt a certain distance between them even though nothing was decided yet. The uncertainty was what both he and Rawon were hinging on, but the King's command was not something they could disobey. "What about Juhoon? Have you talked to him?"

Rawon scoffed and shook her head. "I have been single for almost 2 years now. Juhoon is my boyfriend only in name. We haven't texted each other in over 6 months."

Hocheol sighed. "If he were to know..."

"We'd be in trouble." Rawon completed the statement. "We'd better have some tteokbeokki and soju. This entire matter is messing up with my brain."

"It's almost midnight." Hocheol said just as Rawon was getting up. "But we'll find something. Let's wash away our griefs."

They laughed as they put on their jackets and left. In that moment of laughter, Rawon felt that nothing had changed. Nothing was capable of changing either. She was in love with the moment, in love with the people she was working with. She couldn't have asked for better, and she was determined to do everything to continue being where she was.

***

Jin was tossing and turning in his bed. He had been sleep deprived since the procession. The gunshot rang in his ears at random times of the day, followed by a dead silence. His nightmares did not have Rawon protecting him. In them, he was merely shot in his chest, blood oozing out, staining his hands and clothes. It was only the reality where he had been spared and saved. His white outfit from that day had drops of blood on it. Rawon's blood.

Sitting up, he turned on the table lamp and took out the bottle of sleeping pills. He kept the bottle aside since sleeping pills weren't helping him either. Any more of them, and he would die of overdose. He found himself engulfed in darkness. He adjusted himself, leaning against the backrest and switched on his phone.

His phone chimed indicating a text message. It was from Gu Semi, his ex-girlfriend. She was of noble lineage too. They had studied together abroad, and even though he was two years older than her, he always thought of Semi as someone who had matured earlier than him. She was calm and composed, and had her way around with words. They got along extremely well right from the start. However, it got difficult for them as their relationship progressed- both were ambitious, both had their duties, and both were unrelenting. Their fights usually ended unresolved, and an accumulation of those arguments and incomplete discussions increased the distance between them. Before they knew, they hadn't spoken with each other in over a year, and even though never mentioned overtly, they had already broken up. Jin had then returned to the country to fulfil his duties as the Crown Prince. Semi had returned a year ago, and was now a director at her mother's company.

The text message wasn't particularly concerning, but had a hint of bitterness in it. 'Congratulations on ending up with the outcast.'

Jin dialed Semi. After a few rings, she answered. "Can we meet up?" he asked.

***

Informing Doksoo, Jin had snuck out of the palace in his car. He waited for Semi at a spot close to Han river. From where he stood, he could see the skyline of Seoul. He took a deep breath and could smell the river. It was calming.

At some distance, there were some late-night snack bars which were still running. An aroma of tteokbeokki wafted out of one of the bars and he found himself hungry. His stomach grumbled, but he could not enter the snack bar and eat. He was a Royal and ordinary food wasn't something he could digest well. Everything he ate was first tested for poison. He found it ludicrous in his teenage years, but his body had been so used to having food prepared at the palace kitchen that his one-time rebellion of gorging on street food ended up in food poisoning. Jin knew that Joon snuck out pretty often just to eat, and did so pretty well; his body was built different.

He heard a car coming in his direction. The headlights flashed on him. He stood as he was. In a few moments, Semi arrived and stood next to him. She was wearing track pants and a hoodie- a no-nonsense night look. Jin, on the other hand, was dressed perfectly in a jeans and shirt with a jacket over it. Semi sighed as she scanned his outfit.

"Do you still care about how you appear in the news?" she asked.

"I don't have a choice. I have to be alert at all times." Jin said.

"You weren't too alert calling me here. If you get clicked with me, you'd be in trouble. After all, you are to marry the most obnoxious and most hated person of the nobility- Ju Rawon. She has bad blood with more nobles than you think." Semi thrust her hands in her pockets. "How did you two end up together?"

"It's a crazy story."

"She saved you twice. Your knight in shining armour."

"I don't like her. I am repelled by her existence."

"Royals and Nobles don't have the freedom of choice. People are jealous of her since she exercised some of it. She is infamous for all the wrong reasons. And quite a few right ones too."

"You," Jin turned to face her, "Have a lot to say about her."

Semi shrugged. "We were best friends in high school. Then she ran off to the police training academy and cut off all contact. Haven't spoken to her since then."

Jin nodded and faced the river again. They stood in silence for a while. Jin cleared his throat. "Would you want to marry me?"

Semi looked at him with disbelief. "What did you just say, Crown Prince?"

"Marry me. I don't want to be with her. No. I don't think I can be with her." Jin said with the most earnest expression he could pull off.

"It'd be worse if we are together."

"If I make it my command..."

"Wasn't your engagement to Rawon His Majesty's command? Do you think your command has the power to invalidate his? I doubt."

Jin balled his fist. "I won't marry her."

Semi nodded. "I think that is something you should tell your family. You can't show your power at the wrong place."

Jin sneered. "She hates the monarchy. She hates the nobility. How am I to take her as a wife if she doesn't believe in the very society and its that people I am a part of?"

"She has always hated our kind."

"We are here to do good for the people. It's not like we are ill-treating them. Then what's the entire notion that we are the evil ones?"

"She told you about all of it?" Semi raised her eyebrow. "Some progress."

"I deduced it from whatever she said. Anyways, you..." Jin said, "must marry me."

"I will reject the offer."

They turned in the direction of the snack bars since they heard a howling laughter. Emerged two people, visibly drunk, supporting each other and laughing like madmen. Semi recognized one of the laughs. It was a bellowing and howling sound one person from her past used to make- Ju Rawon.

Semi chuckled in disbelief. "Does it make sense? The future Crown Princess is getting drunk out here."

Jin squinted his eyes to see better. It was indeed Rawon. He stared at the sight in front of him, agape. Rawon, and another male detective-- he didn't remember the name, but recognized him from the carriage-- were laughing as if all the world's jokes had been cracked right there. They were supporting each other arm in arm, and barely walking straight. Jin sighed. His father, the King, wanted to bring in this woman as the Crown Princess- this woman who was miles away from decorum, flouted rules like it was her only business, and got drunk on the streets. This woman was also someone who did not think twice before using her hands for saving others. Rawon was skilled at all things and was doing all things that Jin might have wanted to, but he would not admit to anything that would hurt his pride.

Semi started walking in Rawon's direction. Jin followed her. As they approached Rawon and Hocheol. Rawon caught a glimpse of both of them. The smile on her face immediately disappeared. Her expression turned grim and her body cold. Her body was sobering her up for the challenge in front of her.

Hocheol looked at Rawon. He tightened his grip around her forearm. He nodded at Rawon reassuringly when she glanced at him with uncertainty.

Semi came to a halt in front of Rawon. Jin stood next to Semi.

"Long time no see, Rawon." Semi grinned.

"It's Detective Ju Rawon. We aren't close enough to be talking informally." Rawon hissed, barely containing her anger.

"Why are you acting up? Is it because you are soon going to be the Crown-"

"Shut up!" Rawon said through gritted teeth. "I want no nonsense from you."

Hocheol glanced at Rawon and then at Jin. While the former was agitated and suppressing her violent self, the latter was immersed in himself, too proud to intervene. Hocheol sighed in disbelief. There was no way Jin and Rawon would ever be on the same page. It was impossible.

"We were best friends in high school. How can you be so cruel to me?" Semi said, making the most innocent face.

"Best friends?" Rawon scoffed. "As if!" She looked away, sniffing. The cold breeze was getting to her. Rawon was never very comfortable with colder weathers. Autumn and winter brought with them their own problems for Rawon. It was the beginning of autumn right now, and Rawon felt like one of those many leaves on the ground waiting to be crunched under people's feet. Semi had made her feel that way once. And now, she was back to make her feel that way all over again. The only addition was Jin in alliance. She turned to Jin. "Crown Prince, I thought that avoiding this problem would be better. But now, I must go to His Majesty and let him know that I would be disobeying his command."

"Good. You can go ahead and make your stance heard. It clears my path without maligning my reputation." Jin said in the most unaffected manner.

Hocheol balled his fist which Rawon immediately saw. She tugged at him to stop him.

Jin noticed it. He also noticed Hocheol still holding on to Rawon's arm. He sneered. "And I won't anyways marry the woman who goes around with her male colleague at night. You were told to become the Crown Princess and look at you. You show nothing that is worthy of being a Crown Princess."

Hocheol could hold it no longer. "Crown Prince..."

"The same could be said for you. Meeting a woman in the middle of the night."

Jin frowned. "I will not be questioned for my actions."

"Then don't question others for theirs." Rawon rebuked.

Hocheol smirked. He was proud of his friend. The aloof Rawon had disappeared. The fierce Rawon was back.

Semi kept looking at the to and fro of arguments. "Rawon, it's not like that. He had a lot of things on his mind, so he asked to see me. There's nothing else."

"Since he relies on you so much, " Rawon said, "you should marry him. It would suit you perfectly. You both have the same personality anyways."

Jin clapped, impressed with what Rawon had just said. "That's exactly what I want her to do. We are exes anyways, so we just have to get back together."

Rawon stared at Jin and then at Semi. The fact that they ever dated was a bolt from the blue. Before she could react, Hocheol's phone rang. He answered it. After ending it, he turned to Rawon. "The substitute driver is here. Let's go. I'll drop you off at home."

Rawon shook her head. "Let's go to the station. I don't want to go home."

Hocheol sighed. "As you say."

Without exchanging any words of farewell, they turned and headed in the direction of their car. 

As Rawon sat in the backseat, she took a quick glance at Semi and Jin. She had a plan.