05 Chapter - KIMI GA SUKI

05 CHAPTER – KIMI GA SUKI (I LOVE YOU)

The banquet for the birthday of Japan’s Emperor was long, boring and uninteresting. The only reason Princess Lee Jae Shin kept a smile on her face was because she was playing the role of a diplomat for South Korea.

It was ironic to say the least that despite being surrounded by numerous world leaders and being clothed in the finest dresses and jewels, Princess Lee Jae Shin remained unhappy and completely unimpressed.

An hour later and finally unable to take the boredom, Lee Jae Shin faked a headache and made her leave. She stealthily exited the banquet hall along with her bodyguard, Yeom Dong Ha. And while she was at it, she avoided Prince Toshi at all cost. The young prince was becoming an incessant annoyance, and she was not in the mood to deal with him.

“Aigoo… How can they call that a birthday party when it’s so boring!” Princess Jae Shin remarked as soon as she was in the safe confines of her quarters. “Yah, Yeom Dong Ha-sshi, do you think we should go to a real party instead?” She grinned conspiratorially at her royal guard.

“Your Highness, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Of course, Officer Yeom Dong Ha was against it.

“And why is that?” Jae Shin asked with a pout as she sat on a chair.

“It’s not safe for you.”

“But I was the perfect princess today.” Jae Shin continued to sulk. “I should at least get a little break and be allowed to go out.”

“It would not be ideal, Your Highness.”

“How about this? You call my brother now and ask permission from him. Tell him if he doesn’t agree, I’ll be sure to escape and disappear for a few days.”

After all these years, Lee Jae Shin still acted like the bratty little sister that she was to Lee Jae Ha. And she wasn’t in the least bit scared of her older brother in using threats as a means to get what she wanted. At that moment, she wanted a bit of freedom from the societal confines that held her, and she was determined to get it.

While Officer Yeom Dong Ha made the call, Princess Jae Shin went through her closet and chose a less conspicuous set of clothes. She chose a white sleeveless button-up blouse, paired with black denim pants and sturdy black boots. Then, she undid all the pins on her hair and allowed it to flow freely.

Looking at the mirror, Princess Lee Jae Shin looked casual enough. The clothes she chose were mediocre which allowed her to blend in with the crowd, but were also functional enough to allow her to move freely. Then, she got a small black shoulder bag for her phone, wallet and cards.

After changing her clothes, she faced Yeom Dong Ha who was still talking to her brother on the phone. Without warning, Lee Jae Shin snatched the phone from Dong Ha and spoke to her brother.

“Oppa, I just need a few hours off. I’ve been really good tonight.” Jae Shin pleaded. “In fact, I’m bringing Officer Dong Ha with me. We’ll just go to a bar. I’ll do a bit of dancing and then we’ll be home before you know it.”

“And if you’re recognized?” Lee Jae Ha sounded skeptical on the other line.

“Officer Dong Ha and I will be wearing civilian clothes! We’ll totally blend in! Besides, you trust Officer Dong Ha, don’t you? He’ll keep me safe. And I promise I won’t do anything rash. Please, Oppa? Please, please, please.”

Lee Jae Ha sighed on the other line. “Fine, but don’t get into trouble. If you ever get into any trouble, call me immediately. Arasso? And make sure that Dong Ha keeps the other royal guards on stand-by in case you need back-up.”

“Alright, I will! Thank you, Oppa! You’re the best big brother in the whole wide world!”

A little less than an hour later, Princess Lee Jae Shin and the unwilling Dong Ha found themselves inside a small bar in one of Japan’s red light districts. Dong Ha kept sober while Jae Shin alternately took shots from bar and danced on the mosh pit.

“Lighten up! We’re here to have a good time!” Lee Jae Shin prodded as she poked Dong Ha.

“Your Highness, I think this is enough. We should go back now.”

“Mwo?! I’m just starting to have a good time!” She shouted amidst the noisy crowd. “Oh, and please don’t call me ‘You’re Highness’ here if you don’t want us to be discovered. Call me Jae Shin.” She grinned invitingly at him, feeling a little buzzed because of the shots she downed earlier.

“J-Jae Shin-ah.” Dong Ha reluctantly called the Princess. “I think we should go now. Your brother will have my head if we don’t return sooner.”

“One last dance!” She held up one finger and insisted. “Just one last dance and we’ll go.”

Without waiting for Dong Ha to respond, Jae Shin was already on her way back to the dance floor. Little did Dong Ha know that Lee Jae Shin prepared a devious plan to have a few more hours of freedom.

Princess Lee Jae Shin pretended to enjoy dancing on the dance floor, only to get close enough to the fire exit. Once she was covered by the multitude of gyrating bodies on the dance floor, she did not hesitate to make her way out of the bar through the fire exit.

Once out, she breathed deeply to savor her bit of freedom and made her way to another bar. This time, it wasn’t a disco bar. It was a music lounge. The dim lounge along with its chill atmosphere and cool ambience was quite a stark contrast to the noisy disco bar she just left. Breathing heavily, Jae Shin decided to cool off a bit by sitting at a table by herself.

The band that was performing for the crowd that night had just finished their set. The floor manager shortly announced an Open Mic and invited everyone who would like to perform up on stage.

An Open Mic usually meant that any of the people inside that bar can freely go up on stage and perform whatever song they’d like to sing. Princess Lee Jae Shin was tempted, but she was still breathing heavily so she decided to just watch.

Lee Jae Shin was lazily sipping on her iced tea trying to shake off her tipsiness without bothering to look at the empty stage when she heard a soothing melody from the speakers. Looking up, she spotted a familiar figure sitting on a tall stool by the stage.

All too suddenly, when the spotlight hit the performer on stage, Lee Jae Shin felt her heart suddenly skip a beat. She rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn’t just seeing things. And when she opened her eyes once again, all she saw onstage was Eun Shi Kyung, in all his rugged glory.

He was wearing a black blazer over a gray shirt, paired with rugged denim pants, and nondescript casual shoes. His cheeks were a little hollow and he lost a bit of weight, but he looked very much alive.

Lee Jae Shin he could feel her heart hammering wildly inside her chest as she stared at him wild-eyed and shocked. She could hardly breathe. She wanted to run to him and hug him tightly, but she couldn’t even bring herself to move. She could feel the tears stinging at the corner of her eyes, but all she could do was stare at him dumbfounded. And when he opened his mouth to sing, the tears that were stinging on the corner of her eyes all broke loose.

“Nemurenai yoru beddo no naka… Bonyari hikaru ekishou miteta… Totsuzen naridashita keitai kikoete kuru kimi no furueru koe… Baby tell me doushita no? Moshikashite naiteru no? Soto no ame no oto de chanto kikoenai yo…”

(Translation: I laid in bed on a sleepless night… Staring at the dim lights of the TV… Suddenly, my cell phone rang… And I hear your trembling voice… Baby Tell Me, what’s wrong? Are you crying? It’s hard to hear with all the rain outside…)

“Kimi ga suki ichiban taisetsu na hito… Zutto soba ni itte dame na boku wo shikatte… Ima chikau yo kimi wo mamotte yuku… Datte kimi wo konna ni aiseru no wa…

Boku dake…”

(Translation: I love you… You’re my one and only… Stay with me forever… Yell at me because I’m no good… I swear now that I’ll take care of you… Because I’m the only one who can love you this much…)

“Shi Kyung-ah…” Jae Shin whispered as she sobbed. “Eun Shi Kyung-ah!” She finally shouted as she stood up by her table, getting the attention of the other customers and of the man who was singing onstage.

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: The song is Kimi Ga Suki by Shota Shimizu.

SHAMELESS PLUGGING:

I know you like reading my fanfics, but if you have time,
maybe you can check out my original stories, too?

Title: She Caught Me

Link: Wattpad, FictionPress


About the Story:

Melissa Castillo has had enough of hiding her feelings for her best friend Samuel Torres. They've been best friends for far too long, and she has been in love with him ever since forever! It also doesn't help that Sam is a big tease. He always drops an innuendo or two when they're together, but doesn't really act on it. 

Now that College graduation is just around the corner, Melissa finally convinced herself to push her inhibitions aside. She hatches a plan to reveal everything she felt for him without actually telling him!

Title: Helena's Heart

Link: Wattpad, FictionPress

About the Story:

Hotshot lawyer Helena Perez has come a long way from being a troublesome tomboy in her teens. She's now dubbed as her law firm's Ice Queen, attributable to the fact that she's calm, composed and completely intimidating when she's handling a case. This could be one of the reasons why, at twenty-five and despite being highly successful, Helena remains single. 

The problem is, before her grandfather died, they had an agreement: in the event that she turns twenty-five and still remain single, she would meet the man he arranged to help her. 

Turns out, the man her grandfather arranged for her to meet on her twenty-fifth birthday is none other than Raphael Crosse, her former best friend turned arch-enemy. 

How exactly do you find your perfect match if your match-maker is someone you'd like to face in a boxing match?