On her way back home in that gown, Rawon's brain kept ringing with Jin's words. Contract marriage. Contract marriage. The more she tried to shove the thought aside, the more it engulfed her from outside and wrenched her from within. She was mistaken that she was the only one with a plan. She should have known that Jin was shrewd- at least when his reputation was at stake. It would be easier for him to discard her so long as they remained in a contract marriage. 

She could well guess the terms of the contract- they weren't supposed to get intimate would undoubtedly be the first one. While it was relieving to her, it also meant her being unable to bear the Royal family's heir would become a public scandal- enough reason for her to be thrown out without a second thought. She scoffed in disbelief. Rawon was yet to meet a man as bad as Jin- he was equal competition to the criminals she had caught, only that he wasn't behind bars yet.

***

Jin kept grimacing throughout his ride. Doksoo shook his head upon glancing at Jin through the rearview mirror for the nth time. He was disappointed. He had not intended to, but had heard what Jin had to say to Rawon. A contract marriage, if discovered, would bring shame upon the Royal family's name. Even if Jin had sought this as a method of self-preservation, it appeared dangerous in the long run.

Doksoo had found Rawon's rebellious spirit intriguing right from the beginning. Having spent the entirety of his life around people who'd do anything to maintain their privileges, it was his first time encountering a force who had willingly given up all those to design her own life. Rawon, thought Doksoo, deserved better than a self-centered human like Jin. Yet, a part of him wanted Jin to be a different person than he currently was and nobody but Rawon could make it possible. He also acknowledged it to himself that it wasn't Rawon's responsibility or obligation to make Jin into a better person. If anything, she needed more help than Jin considering the surroundings she was about to re-enter. In the end, Doksoo knew that his duties entailed obedience, not opinions. And so, he kept his mouth shut. 

"Secretary Yoon," Jin began, "You must have heard what I said. I expect you to keep it a secret." He got no response. "Secretary Yoon."

"Yes, Crown Prince." Doksoo answered. He hesitated for a while before asking the question that was troubling him. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"If you separate from the Crown Princess..."

"Don't call her that." Jin cut him off abruptly. "She doesn't deserve the title. Ju Rawon is fine."

"Yes." Doksoo shook his head slightly. "If you separate from her, people would get the impression that there is something wrong with her. Wouldn't it affect her later on?"

"Something?" Jin chuckled. "Everything is wrong with that woman. And why should I care as to what happens with her. She can die tomorrow and I won't shed a tear."

"Would you not?" Doksoo asked, looking at Jin through the rearview mirror.

Jin shifted in his seat uneasily. "Never."

Doksoo nodded. "I see. We'll need a lawyer for the contract."

"I'll type out one. As I said, we must keep this amongst ourselves."

Doksoo sighed at the immaturity of the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was still stuck in his teenage years where nothing matters except oneself. In retrospection, his entire circle was plagued by people who were the exact same in character and demeanor. There was nothing to gain or lose.

***

"Is he senile? Has his position finally gotten to his head?" Hocheol exclaimed, slamming his beer can on the low table.

Hocheol was at Rawon's place. They had dropped off Yulhee and Taemin before grabbing some drinks and snacks and heading to Rawon's house. Rawon had rushed to the bathroom and changed her clothes. Dressed in comfortable pyjamas and a pullover, she had come to the living room where Hocheol had already opened the snacks and kept a spread on the low table. She had pulled a cushion and made herself comfortable across him on the floor and switched on the TV, allowing some drama to play in the background as she pondered over the spectacle her own life had become.

"I know, right?" Rawon answered. "I wanted to be dethroned at the very least. And this person wants a contract marriage."

"At least you can make him keep his hands off you through a contract. That's good. The Crown Prince appears a wild horse to me. Untrustworthy man."

"Hocheol," Rawon ruminated, "I should have just run away somewhere. Left the country."

"Upon second thought, that might have been better."

"I hate this." Rawon kicked and tossed her feet and hands in the air out of frustration.

Hocheol looked on, chewing on some crackers, waiting for Rawon to come back to her normal self. Once she was calm, Hocheol handed her her can of beer. "Just drink."

Rawon took a sip. "You know, I was about to collapse. If Yulhee eonnie hadn't intervened, I would have been screwed. Big time." A tear trickled down Rawon's cheek.

Hocheol sighed. He moved the table aside and opened his arms. Rawon looked at him. She smiled and hugged him. She lost control over her well-maintained emotions soon and started sobbing like a distraught woman in Hocheol's arms. Distraught she was, but even Hocheol was surprised at the emotions Rawon had bottled up. Except a few tears here and there, Hocheol had never witnessed such a purgation from her end. So far his memory of their friendship went back, it was only after the Royal family started meddling in her life that Rawon began crying on a regular basis.

Hocheol continued patting her on the back. "Rawon." Hocheol contemplated. "Do you want to try speaking to your family once? Maybe your sister if not your parents?"

Rawon sniffed, not letting go of Hocheol. "Rahee is the worst. She would want to replace me with herself. This is no drama where the bride gets replaced."

"Wouldn't that solve the problem?" Hocheol asked. "If she suggests herself as a replacement, let her be." Hocheol sighed. "For the drama bit, your life is one right now."

Rawon wiped her tears on Hocheol's shirt and drew apart. "The media has seen me. It won't be possible. My face is now an open secret. To make matters worse I must move into the palace tomorrow."

"Just sleep for now." Hocheol suggested. He stood up to clear the table. Rawon got up as well. "I'll take care of it. Just sleep." Hocheol said. Rawon nodded. She went to her bed and got under the covers.

Hocheol transferred to snacks into containers and began washing the dishes.

Rawon could see him from behind. "Hocheol, did you hear anything from Juhoon?"

Hocheol's hands stopped midway for a moment. He sighed and shook his head. "Nothing." He resumed washing the dishes.

"Don't leave." Rawon said before turning her back towards Hocheol.

The sound of the running water being interrupted by Hocheol's hands lulled Rawon to sleep.

***

Jin was summoned by his parents early in the morning. With Rawon, as the King and Queen understood, matters were different. Yulhee's warning was legitimate, and if they wanted to project themselves as a progressive monarchy, they had to take the risk. Yulhee would have her way with the Anti-Monarchy Group investigation and she would keep Rawon no matter what. Since they couldn't force Rawon to give up her job as a detective, they had to create situations enough for her to resign. There was no way for her to balance her duties as the Crown Prince and her job as a detective simultaneously. She would eventually choose the Royal family. They had let the previous day slide since media was present, but knew that they wouldn't be doing the same forever. 

The bottom line of their discussion was that they had to make Rawon one of them. The King and Queen's disappointment with Jin was apparent- even if Rawon did, he, as the nation's Crown Prince, should have stayed back. Him going behind his wife merely left a bad impression- one that indicated his own lack of self control, unsuited for a Crown Prince. After a good deal of scolding, he was sent to bring Rawon to the palace. The least he could do was now pretend to care for his soon to be wife.

***

Jin did not bother ringing the bell. He entered the passcode to Rawon's house which he already knew and entered, Doksoo in lieu. He was greeted with the most amusing sight- Rawon, her hair still a mess, holding a baseball club pointed towards him and Hocheol, with a painting in his hand, ready to slam into his head. Detectives. Something perturbed him more- Hocheol had slept over, as evident from his crumpled clothes from the previous night. There was a pillow and a blanket on the sofa, which Jin assumed, had been Hocheol's bed for the night. The Crown Princess had spent the night of her engagement with another man after kissing him. Hocheol had slept on the sofa where Rawon had fallen on top of Jin. No. It wasn't the time for such thoughts. Not now.

Jin cleared his throat. "Ju Rawon, do you plan on killing the Crown Prince?"

Rawon kept the club aside. "The Crown Prince enters like a thief. What am I supposed to do?" She shook her head and went to the bathroom.

Hocheol put the painting back on the wall and began folding the blanket. Once done, he picked up his pillow and blanket and placed them in the cabinet under the TV. He finally looked at Jin. "You can sit there if you want."

Rawon came out to find Jin seated and Doksoo standing next to him. Hocheol was leaning against the TV cabinet. Her bed was done too, and she knew Hocheool was the one behind it. Rawon stood next to Hocheol and scanned Jin's face. "I thought I had to report by tonight."

Jin forced a  smile. "I was asked to bring you."

Hocheol chuckled.

Jin sneered. "If your friend could leave, we could finish the discussion from yesterday night. I want things sorted before we head to the palace."

Rawon and Hocheol looked at each other. "If it's the contract you want to discuss, I already know about it." Hocheol remarked casually.

Jin shifted his gaze from Rawon to Hocheol. Their proximity was getting on his nerves now. He stretched out his hand and Doksoo produced two copies of the contract Jin had spent the entire night working on. He handed a copy to Rawon. 

Grabbing it, Rawon went to her bed to comfortably read it. As she opened the file, Hocheol adjusted himself next to her. Jin's eyes remained fixed on them as they went through both the pages.

"What would the reason for our divorce be?" Rawon asked after having gone through all the terms of the contract. "That part isn't mentioned here."

"Irreconcilable differences." Jin curtly answered.

"You don't need a year to see that." Hocheol commented in a low voice.

"Do you want to add anything?" Jin asked Rawon.

Rawon looked at Hocheol who shrugged. "Nothing for now. If I do later, I will add it."

"Let's sign it then." Jin said. He brought out a pen from his coat and signed his own copy. He stretched out his hand for Rawon's copy too. When she handed it to him, he signed that as well. He held out the pen for Rawon who took it.

She looked at the dotted lines which demanded her signature. She took a deep breath before signing them. Once done, she took her copy and looked at Hocheol. She turned back to Jin. "Crown Prince, this is the only time we will agree on the something. We are parallel lines, and we'd better remain so. Different and never meeting."