Chapter 19: Apology

Vice's POV

Lilia laughed. "So you're deceiving me back then?" she asked, then chuckled.

Yelena smiled. "Well, that's my job – "

"Yeah. You're deceiving everyone from the start, aren't you, con artist?" I said, glaring at her. What the heck is this?! I thought, upset. She's… she's alright?! "I've been worrying for nothing." I said, angry. I'm very worried what might have happened to her when I heard the explosion, yet…

"Hmm? Who's deceiving who?" Yelena asked.

"What do you mean, young woman?" the queen asked me.

"Why don't you explain it to them, Yelena?" I said, looking at her. "That you're really not the East Kingdom's princess?" I dropped the bomb.

Emil and the queen gasped. Rio sighed. "This is really troublesome – " she said.

I looked at her. "So you've been deceived, too, fairy?" I asked Rio. This is so unusual for a fairy to be deceived by a human. I thought. They always see the darkness of a human's heart.

Rio's expression didn't change. "I haven't." she said.

I was shocked. "What – " I said, then looked at Yelena, confused. If the fairy hasn't been deceived, then... "So I'm the one you're deceiving?!" I asked, hurt. So I'm the one here who – I took a deep breath when my chest hurt. "So last night was really – " I said, remembered last night when I asked her the same question.

"Yes." She said. "It's true."

My mouth fell open, can't believe what I heard. "So you're really deceiving me – " I said, my tears fell.

"Eh?" Yelena was startled when she saw my tears.

I shook my head. "You really disappoint me." I said, then walked out. I sobbed and leaned on the wall when I was far from them. "So she's really just toying with me – " I said. "Damn her. She's such a liar – "

"Uhm…"

I suddenly turned. My eyes went wide when I saw who it was. "Your… Your Majesty?!" I said, shocked, when I saw it was the queen. "Ah – " I said then immediately bowed. "I'm sorry for my rude behavior and unsightly display of – "

She raised her hand and smiled. "No, that's – " she said, then scratched her head. "How do I say this…?" she said, then looked at me. "Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked.

"Huh?"

Royal Garden.

"It's calming, isn't it?" she asked and sipped her tea.

I smiled and looked at my cup. "Yes. It's so refreshing and relaxing… its calming effects are superb." I said and took a sip again.

She chuckled. "Thank you." She said. "Now, then… as for your crying earlier – " she said.

I spit my drink. I looked at her, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

She chuckled. "You cried because of my daughter, didn't you?" she asked.

I nodded, looking away.

She smiled. "I'm sorry if you feel you've been deceived." She said. "Yelena didn't mean for this to happen." She said.

I looked at her. "You… knew?" I asked, surprised.

She smiled and nodded. "I thought it's strange, my daughter felt so distant to us. But at times, I felt her needing us." She smiled. "So I had my doubts from the start." She said. "Not as Yelena being not my daughter, but – " she said and looked at me. "If she really remembers who she is. That's what I'm doubting." She finished.

My mouth fell open, shocked.

She smiled. "I've already told my husband about this." she said.

"Then, why – " I asked.

"Why did we act as if nothing happened?" she asked.

I nodded.

She chuckled. "Because we don't want to break our daughter's heart." She answered. "We knew she's trying her best to act as our daughter… well, he's our daughter, alright. But she thinks she's not." She explained. "So that's why we act as if we don't notice." She said.

She's… she's so cool! I thought and smiled. "Yelena has such great parents." I said and sipped my tea.

She smiled. "Well, I think you have, too." she said. "You won't be a fine woman if your parents didn't raise you well." She told me.

I smiled sadly. "Unfortunately – " I said. "I was raised by my aunt."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that." She said.

I shook my head. "It's fine, Your Majesty. I'm not that greatly affected. I was loved by my aunt, and my big brother." I said.

She smiled. "Then they must be lucky to have a family member like you." She said.

I smiled. "I – no, we are so grateful to have a king queen as you, Your Majesty." I said.

She smiled.

…

"You're really leaving?" Emil asked. We're outside the palace's gate.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"But – " he said.

I smiled. "I understand everything now." I said. "Yelena didn't deceive me."

"Then why – "

I took a sharp breath when my chest hurt. "Well…" I started. "Everything's just so complicated – "

"So that's why you're running away?" Rio asked.

I looked at her. She's leaning on the wall. "Rio." I called. "How unusual of a fairy to lean on the wall – "

"Don't change the subject." She said. I didn't answer. She rolled her eyes then sighed. "You two are just so stupid – " she said and flew away.

I sighed. "She just doesn't understand grown-ups' problems – " I said.

"Really? I think he's right, though." Someone said.

"Oril." I said when I saw him go out of the gate. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Rio just left – "

"Don't change the subject." He said and leaned on the wall. "I chose to stay here. Rio agreed, too." he said, then looked at me. "You're running away that's why you're leaving." He didn't ask. He stated it.

I sighed. "I'm not running away. I'm leaving." I said and turned. My chest hurt. I took a deep breath and stopped. I closed my eyes. "Uhm, could you tell Yelena I'm sorry and – "

"No way!" Emil and Oril said. "You tell her yourself." They said.

"How can I tell her when I'm leaving - ?!" I asked, pissed.

"Then don't leave."

My body froze. That voice…! I thought. My tears fell.

"Don't leave," she said. "Vice."

My heart throbbed when she called my name. I opened my eyes as more tears fell. "Ye…" my voice choked because of crying. "Yelena." I called, sniffing.

She smiled.

Ah… that smile… I thought as I felt my heart melted. She's standing in front of me. She's too close. I thought and smiled.

"Vice." She called.

I gasped when she said my name. My cheeks burned and I held my breath when she touched my cheek and wiped my tears.

"Vice…" she called, wiping my tears. "I'm sorry." She said in a soft voice.

I sobbed. "Yelena…!" I said. I can't take it anymore. I hugged her. "Yelena! I'm sorry!" I said. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry - !"

She chuckled and hugged me back. "I'm sorry, too." she said and rubbed my back. "I guess we're even now?" she asked.

I chuckled. "Yeah." I said. I felt her take a deep breath and hugged me tighter. I smiled. She's so warm. I thought.