Chapter 12

“Would you like to have tea together?”

“Yes, let's go have that tea of yours.”

Ha-Eun immediately brightened up and called for her maid to set things up for them. As she was busy instructing the maid Dan-Bi pulled Rose back.

“Are you sure you want to have tea with her?”

“It is just tea Dan-Bi, relax.”

“As you say then.”

Rose squeezed her hand and gave a reassuring smile. It’s not like Ha-Eun would poison her cup.

“Huibin, why aren’t you drinking?”

“Um….”

`Wow dude didn’t tell you Dan-Bi to relax? Why are you hesitating now?”

`We need to talk! Who are you?’

`Yeah yeah. Concertate on the queen right now, poor lady looks like a disheartened puppy.’

“Is this not to your taste? We have many different types, which one would you like? I am so sorry I should have asked you before what you like.”

“No, this is fine. I don’t really know the different types of tea so I wouldn’t have known what to choose.”

“I can teach you! We can try them all day by day. We have tea from other kingdoms too!!”

“I’ll th...sure let’s do it.”

Rose didn’t have the heart to reject the excited puppy. Ha-Eun didn’t seem that bad now….but still can’t take risks.

“Can we exchange our cups?”

“Yeah...sure..but why?”

“Your cup seems smaller.”

“It is the same size. They are a set. Do you not like tea?”

“No it is not that I just prefer yours.”

“You think I poisoned yours?”

Rose opened and closed her mouth, not being able to reply immediately.

“Did you?”

“I...No!..of course not!...Why...What...Why would I do that? Here take mine. If you want I will take a sip from both the cups.”

“That’s not needed. I am sorry I just..I am really sorry.”

“It’s okay...I..I am sorry too...I mean..yeah it is kind of weird...the queen usually doesn’t..you know...hang out with the king’s consort. It’s obvious you would be suspicious.”

“You are also a very good liar.”

“Huh?”

“When we were in the infirmary you came up with a whole scenario on spot.”

“Oh that..”

Rose blinked in confusion as Ha-Eun broke into a fit of laughter.

“Is that not true? Why are you laughing at me?”

“I’m not..I’m not..god no..I’m not laughing at you and I have not poisoned your cup either. Yes it is true I am a good liar but I am not a compulsive liar. It was needed at that time and here I don't have any reason to, so yeah, I am not lying, that cup is not poisoned ….. and…not making fun of you either.”

¨Yeah…fine…okay.¨

Rose mumbled to herself and took a sip from her cup. She placed the cup down, relishing the fresh fragrance it filled her with. She raised an eyebrow as Ha-Eun exchanged their cups.

¨I am just proving that both cups are fine. Take a sip.¨

¨Why is it so bitter?!¨

¨Okay so don't like bitter. Noted.¨

¨Are you writing that down?¨

¨Yes, I learnt something about you.¨

¨Yeah b-...yeah okay. Well now since you know something about me I should know something about you too. So how about we play a game?¨

¨Fine. What do you have in mind?¨

¨ `Would you rather´ !!¨

Ha-Eun smiled softly seeing Seo-yeon get excited. She clapped her hands a couple of times to show she shared her enthusiasm.

¨So what is it?¨

¨You…don´t know `Would you rather´?¨

¨Is it a very popular game?¨

¨Well not that popular…I mean it is a common game in gatherings…it's just for when…you know to break the ice…it's just for fun.¨

¨Sounds great! How do we play it?¨

¨So I will give you two situations you need to choose one. I will start okay would you rather have the ability to see 10 minutes into the future or 150 years into the future?¨

¨10 minutes! What will I do knowing what happens 150 years in the future..I won't even be alive.¨

¨You don't want to know how the future generation be like??¨

¨Why?¨

¨Curiosity.¨

¨Not curious at all.¨

¨Well okay then.Your turn.¨

¨Um…so.. Would you rather lose your sight or…your memories?¨

¨Memories.¨

¨Really?¨

¨Yeah I can learn how to live without sight but if my memories are gone then how will I make them again? Also it is my memories which make me the person I am. Now my turn! Would you rather have a personal chef or personal maid?¨

¨I have both.¨

¨Hypothetically if you didn´t…which one would you choose.¨

¨Maid..she can do the cooking too. My turn. Would you rather oversleep for a week or not sleep at all for four days.¨

¨Oversleep. Without a doubt.¨

¨Same for me. Your turn.¨

¨Okay give me a minute I will have to think of something.¨

¨Sure sure. I am really liking this! I already have the next question ready.¨

¨Okay okay I got one! Would you rather find true love today or win the lottery next year?¨

¨I already got money so true love would be nice.¨

¨Oooh someone is richie rich~¨

¨Isn´t that obvious tho?¨

¨Just let me be please. Your turn.¨

¨Fine. Would you rather be 11 feet tall or nine inches tall?¨

¨Nine inches tall....I will be able to fit anywhere.¨

¨Where do you want to fit?¨

¨I don´t know you were the one who asked the question.¨

¨I...well I actually don´t know why I asked that.¨

They spent the entire afternoon presenting each other with all the different situations they could make up. Their cups were replaced with bowls and tea with food. After transmigrating this was the first time Rose truly enjoyed herself. Before they realized it the big ball of fire had clocked out leaving behind orange hues in the sky to be chased away by the moonlight.

¨I am having fun but we should really go to our rooms now. It is getting dark and honestly a little cold too.¨

¨Yeah sure. Let's go.¨

They both walked together leaving a little space in between but still trying to match the other´s speed. They were speaking so much a few moments back and now suddenly they didn't have anything to say.

Ha-Eun suddenly stops and looks at Huibin with a big smile. Rose knotted her eyebrows trying to guess what was going on in the queen's head. Oh wait isn't this place-

¨Huibin do you…¨

¨Don't you dare say it.¨

¨I was just gonna ask if you want to go to the market tomorrow.¨

¨Oh really?¨

¨Yes….definitely not wondering if you remember a certain someone resting on the ground in the middle of the night.¨

¨Don´t forget I am the older one!!¨

¨Yeah about that, why do you think that? I am definitely the older one.¨

¨Woah from where is such confidence coming?¨

¨I saw your file in the infirmary. I am one year and five months older. Did you not know Dan-Bi and I are the same age?

¨I didn't know Dan-Bi was older either. Wait. Oh my god. Where is she? Why are we alone? When did she leave?!¨

¨You are panicking really late. She left long back, like when we were sitting there playing. She had asked to go to the infirmary and you nodded. So she went.¨

¨ So she is with Sang-Ki. Then it's okay. Is Sang-Ki your age too?¨

¨No, she is two years older than me.¨

¨And Joonwoo?¨

¨My age.¨

¨Then Sang-Ki is older….and there is one more sibling right. The one who said he is the elder brother of Joonwoo.¨

¨Yeah that one is older than Sang-Ki too…by five years I guess..I am not really sure about him.¨

¨Okay…this is just my understanding and I could be wrong. Sang-Ki is not the previous king´s daughter right?¨

¨Actually she is.¨

¨What? Then how….¨

` Dude forget about how anything happened here! Ha-Eun just gave you the opportunity to go out, do you not want to take it??´

`There is nothing outside. It's all blank. I saw it myself.´

`Oh you idiot….this is like a game where places unlock as the plot progresses.You, of course can´t do it since your character is not valuable enough to have large area of..um..existence…like you are not required in many places and hence don't have many places unlocked, so for you other than the palace every place is non-existent but Ha-Eun, the queen, more valuable character to the plot has a wider area to roam around which includes the market place therefore if you go with her, it will be available to you too.´

`I am not valuable enough?´

`Woah really? That is all you got from the whole speech I gave?´

`Sorry, it's the low self-esteem.´

`Well you can increase your value level by helping in advancing the plot. Just stop hiding away from the characters.´

`I wasn´t planning on hiding forever!´

`Yeah of course you weren´t. Anyway the best strategy for you would be to stick with the queen.´

`You are from the company too right?´

`From where else could I be?´

`What exactly are you? I can´t see you but I hear you very clearly.´

Rose found a tiny winged girl with her hands resting on her waist standing on her right shoulder. The gaurdian angel pushed Rose´s face towards Ha-Eun with her itty-bitty hands.

¨You said something about going tot he market?¨

¨You do know that you just completely blanked out there….right?¨

¨Uh….yeah I am so sorry. It happens I kind of disconnect. Leave that…are we really going out?¨

¨Yeah let´s go tomorrow morning. That way we will have the whole day to roam around.¨

¨Okay tomo-...no no I am sorry. Tomorrow morning I need to meet to meet your mother-in-law.¨

¨Oh yeah that is there too…..¨

¨Why do you look so disheartened? We can go day after tomorrow since I don´t know how much time it will take at her place.¨

¨Okay. Dan-Bi is here to take you back. Tomorrow after you get free from her place come to the library.¨

¨Why?¨

¨Because I will miss you.¨

`Oh my god this much cheese is making me sick.´