Rawon sat in her car, in the parking lot of the police station. He old car was easily recognizable, and policemen and detectives passing by must have gauged that she was in it. Unable to wrap her head around the announcement and how it caused her life to go downhill in less than a few hours after her plan failed, she regretted every bit of her actions. She was not as smart at sabotage as she thought herself to be. 

Calls from her family kept her phone buzzing. At this point, Rawon wanted to throw her phone away. She was in no condition to talk or answer and yet, nobody understood. Someone knocked at the passenger seat window. Rawon lowered the glass. Hocheol. She unlocked the car for Hocheol to sit in. He rolled the glass back up as Rawon locked the car.

"You heard about it, right?" Rawon asked Hocheol without looking at him.

"Hmm." Hocheol said, twiddling with his finger. He scratched his nail against his jeans. "How did it come down to this?" he asked, his voice laden with a pang of betrayal.

"I tried my best to avoid it. I got them to spread the rumour that bastard Jin had proposed to Semi. I thought it would work out in my favour. But, that man has no spine. He could not stand up for what he wanted."

"Only if you told me your plans, I could have helped. You are bad at sabotaging people's lives." Hocheol remarked.

"What should I do now?" Rawon now faced him, tears streaming down. "I cannot marry him. I hate him with the entirety of my being."

"If you against the King's order, it is going to cause trouble in your professional life. People would pass condescending looks and remarks and whatnot." Hocheol sighed.

"I can't spend my entire life being this nation's Crown Princess and then Queen. I am Detective Ju Rawon. My identity as a detective is the only thing I chose for myself. I can't let anyone take that away from me. Even if I cannot control anything else about my life, I want to control this at least."

"Get a divorce after a while."

Rawon chuckled. "Divorces are worse than death among Royals and nobles. This concept is unheard of in those circles."

"Make them hear it. You are bad at sabotaging but good at rebelling." Hocheol placed his hand on Rawon's. "I have known you for years now. If you are hell-bent on proving something right, or even wrong, you will. All you have to do now is prove that you are not deemed to be fit as the nation's Crown Princess. Get kicked out so long as it serves your purpose."

Rawon turned to look out of the window. Hocheol connected his phone to the car and played music loud enough to push out any other thoughts or conversations. Rawon was not to be pacified. Verbal reassurances seldom worked for her as she always needed tangible actions to confirm her state. Hocheol had never expected Rawon's condition to be this bad.

***

Upon returning to the palace, Jin headed straight to his room. His heart was still pounding, but the reason for it remained a mystery to him. Just as Jin was shutting the door, his eyes travelled to the window seat, where Joon was dozing off. He was in no mood to speak to Joon- his mood was already sour, and speaking to Joon used up a lot of mental resources. Jin wanted to shoo away Joon, but waking him up was risky. Not wanting to do anything at that point, Jin merely threw himself on his bed. The creak woke up Joon, who yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"You're back? You staked out for her. Admirable!" Joon said in the most teasing voice he could.

Jin was irked. "I had to speak to her. It was about my life."

"It was about her life as well." Joon said getting up. "You could have gone to the station too." He raised his eyebrow and looked at Jin. "Sorry. I forgot. It is below you to go to such places. My to-be sister-in-law practically lives at the station. I don't think I'll see her around." Joon was now merely dallying around the room. "I haven't even introduced myself to her. I'll pay her a visit soon."

"And get shot?" Jin barked. "Get out! She has put my life into peril and you are taking her side?"

"I am not taking any sides. It is what it is now."

"She made one mistake and now I have to marry her. She could not think better. She did not think this through. Not at all."

"You did not do anything better. You cowered in face of this marriage proposal. She at least did something."

"I made a marriage proposal to Semi."

"And got rejected, isn't it?" Joon shook his head in reprimand and walked out of the room.

Jin got up and locked the door again. He took off his jacket and shirt and threw them on the couch. He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

He had no intentions to have a happy married life with Rawon or tolerate her whims and fancies and tantrums and attitude. He was against having any feelings for a woman who hated her origins, who hated them all. He refused to think about that woman in a positive light even though she had saved him twice. His greatest deluge, which was his marriage to her, had cancelled every good opinion he had of her. Jin did not want to see Rawon. Jin decided to hate Rawon. Jin decided to get revenge.

***

Rawon sat in the bride room all alone. Her heart was thumping so hard that she thought it would jump out anytime now. She had tried every method to calm herself down, but nothing had worked. Her engagement to Jin was to be a public spectacle- to be broadcast live across the world for everyone to see. After the engagement, she would be moving to the palace for her training to become the perfect Crown Princess- something she evidently didn't want to be. She had lost all hope in the situation- the rate at which things spiraled out of control was shocking and created a despondency within her. She decided to let time take its course, and in due while, go for a divorce. Hocheol's idea wasn't half as bad. She would be drawing flak, putting her reputation in peril, but at least she would be away from Jin. Three months was the time Rawon gave herself. Compatibility issues weren't uncommon these days and considering their circumstances, everything fell in place. She did not want to let Jin get a whiff of what she was planning.

She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing an indigo off-shoulder trumpet gown. It was a bit too dazzling for her. The ankle-strap heels she wore were causing her immense pain. She had spent the past decade roaming around in sneakers, high-tops and boots due to her job. Heels were a hindrance in her line of work, and she couldn't allow herself that leeway to be slow because of them. She had admitted to the fact that she was going to be who she was. She still hoped at she got footwear that was mildly similar to shoes.

There was a knock at the door. Hocheol, Yulhee and Taemin entered. Rawon had asked them to be there. She did not trust her own family, and hence needed someone she could call close to family.

"You'll look taller than him in those heels." Taemin said. "The Crown Prince would need insoles."

Rawon burst out laughing. "Give some to him." Her smile vanished as quickly as it came. She looked at Yulhee, who stepped forward and embraced Rawon. She held Rawon for a long time, feeling her shiver, and then finally relax in her arms. "Can you help me run away?" Rawon whispered.

Yulhee took a deep breath. "I can do that. But I want to play a bigger game for your sake. I can't let you remain confined in the palace. You will be working on the Anti-Monarchy Group case. You have ignored it for far too long." Yulhee let go of Rawon. "Detective Ju Rawon comes before Crown Princess Ju Rawon. Remember that." Yulhee squeezed Rawon's shoulders and smiled sadly. Yulhee turned and nodded at Hocheol. She then went to Taemin and dragged him out of the room much to his displeasure and resistance.

Once they were out, Hocheol, who was holding a bag, stepped forward. He led Rawon to the camelback sofa and made her sit. He kneeled in front of her and took out a pair of kitten heels from the bag. "You needed this."

Rawon smiled at him. Hocheol raised his eyebrow. Rawon nodded and raised her gown slightly. Hocheol took off her ankle heels and kept them aside. "Nobody tells Ju Rawon what to do. Rawon does what she wants. Rawon has all the strength in this world. Rawon has me. Rawon has us." saying this, he put on the kitten heels on Rawon's feet and adjusted her gown.

"If you could get away from her, it would be better. She is the nation's Crown Princess." came Jin's voice.

Rawon looked up and Hocheol turned to find Jin standing at the door. He was wearing an indigo tuxedo with an off-white shirt under it. Hands crossed across his chest and his jaw hardened, he looked every bit ruthless. He strode towards Rawon, his face stone cold.

Hocheol stood up and faced Jin. "She is my friend before everything else, Your Highness."

"You are rather impudent. I can send you behind the bars." Jin claimed with an arrogant smile.

"Not when he is the best person to find links to the Anti-Monarchy Group." Rawon remarked, giving a satisfied smile.

Hocheol chuckled, only to receive a death-glare from Jin. Jin shook his head. The more time he spent around these detectives, the more annoying he found them. They were too immersed in their own selves, as well as each other. Jin felt as if Rawon and Hocheol were dating, and would continue doing so even after his marriage to Rawon. The thought made him shudder. A Crown Princess like Rawon would bring the ultimate downfall on the Royal family's reputation. His image was at stake due to his soon-to-be wife. He had lived a sheltered life while Rawon was all tough. "Let's go." Jin said.

Rawon adjusted her gown and tried standing up. Hocheol extended his hand for Rawon to grab it. Seeing this, Jin extended his too. Rawon stared at both outstretched hands before taking Hocheol's and standing up. Jin balled his fist and let his hand go back to his side. He gritted his teeth.

"I hope you aren't planning to walk out holding his hand." Jin remarked.

Rawon sighed in exasperation. "I can walk out well by myself." She let go of Hocheol's hand and started towards the door. "Are you not coming, Crown Prince?"

Jin shook his head and went and stood next to her. He grabbed Rawon's hand and held it firmly. "If we are pretending, we'd might as well pretend well." He interlocked his fingers with Rawon to receive a surprised stare. "I love you." Jin said with a naughty smirk.

Rawon's jaw dropped. She broke into a cold sweat, unable to formulate a single thought. Jin's words were shocking, and were the very last thing she had anticipated. She felt all the more unprepared in light of what she had just heard. If this man indeed loved her, he would not let her go. Divorce was a distant thought, but something else plagued her mind first- he would want to consummate their marriage. She shut her mouth and gulped, all in a daze.

"I was kidding." Jin said with a chuckle. "I hate you. Ju Rawon."

Rawon glared at him, but from within, a wave of relief had taken over. She relaxed a bit as they walked out.

***

Rawon and Jin exchanged rings, with their engagement ceremony becoming a global spectacle. Rawon had always thought of eloping and marrying the guy she loved, but here, she had neither managed to elope, nor was she with a guy she loved. Even though she had never thought of marriage seriously, she had harboured certain fantasies, and seeing them go down the drain was gut-wrenching. She kept doing as everyone asked her to. With all the money they had spent on an engagement ceremony, Rawon could have easily cleared paid back the money Yoontae has siphoned off his victims. A better use of wealth, but nobody could get that across royals.

Jin kept stealing glances at Rawon. She looked totally lost. Jin had developed a habit of putting up a happy face no matter what he was going through, but Rawon was expressive- her face showed what was on her mind. He was equally uncomfortable in front of all those cameras- something that he had been used to since his childhood. He reminded himself that his main aim was to give the country an heir, and it did not matter who he married. He was prepared for a marriage  arranged by the elders, yet when he was standing there, he disliked every bit of it.

Soon enough, the sounds of camera shutters were replaces by a chant, which only grew louder every passing moment. "Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss." came the chants, which slowly encompassed Rawon and Jin. There was nothing else that they could here. Jin and Rawon looked at each other. Jin shook his head slightly. He could not let the entire world watch him kissing the woman he loathed. It would be an insult. He would not kiss her.

Rawon kept trying to clear her thoughts. The best way to tackle these people was to take them head on. She would be figuring out things later on anyways, but it would be better to gain Jin's trust before shattering it and leaving him. She had to improve her sabotage.

Rawon stared into Jin's eyes. Jin realized the sudden change in her expression and composure. She was determined. She knew what she wanted. Jin thought it was him. Rawon knew it was freedom.

Rawon held Jin by his nape and drew him closer, kissing him. As their lips touched, Rawon felt a strong wave of disgust. She should have thought better.

Jin, on the other hand, had butterflies in his stomach. He shut his eyes which had remained wide open when Rawon pulled him. He brought his hand to Rawon's cheek and let it traverse towards her nape, and pulled her closer.

For a while, Jin thought it better to forget there were cameras around them. But what he forgot, everyone else noticed, especially Joon.