Chapter 4: The Art of Escape

**Naomi's POV**

It didn't take long after I met Lian to realize one thing: meeting her was like opening a door to a new world I'd never explored. My life, usually wrapped up in rules and responsibilities, suddenly had a spark of excitement—and I wasn't about to let that go anytime soon. The only problem? Jung Soo. My ever-watchful bodyguard, whose life mission seemed to be keeping me under his constant surveillance.

I knew I had to get creative if I wanted to see Lian again without Jung Soo tagging along like a shadow. Today would be my first test. I had a spur-of-the-moment coffee date with Lian, and there was no way I was letting Jung Soo crash it.

The plan was simple—or so I thought. I started by dressing down in a plain hoodie and jeans, trying to look like any regular twenty-something. I pulled the hood over my head and grinned at my reflection. "They'll never see this coming."

**Jung Soo's POV**

The princess was acting weird today, and that always set off alarm bells. She'd ditched her usual designer clothes for something way more casual. My gut told me something was up. I kept a close eye on her, never letting her out of my sight as she moved around the estate.

Naomi was smart—too smart. She knew how to act all normal while secretly planning something sneaky. I had to stay one step ahead.

**Naomi's POV**

Step one: the decoy.

"Jung Soo," I called out, using my sweetest voice. "I'm thinking of spending some time in the library today. You know, catch up on some reading. I'll be in there for a while, so you can take a break."

He gave me a suspicious look. "Sure, Miss Kim. But I'll still be nearby if you need anything."

"Of course!" I beamed at him, looking as innocent as possible.

As soon as I got into the library, I made sure he saw me heading toward a stack of books. I waited until his footsteps faded away, then quickly slipped into the secret passage that led to the garden—a passage only I knew about.

Once I was in the garden, I had to move fast. I was halfway through when I spotted a gardener who, bless his heart, might've blown my cover. "Oh, hey! Have you seen a cat around here?" I blurted out. "It ran off, and I've been trying to find it."

The gardener looked confused. "A cat? No, Miss Kim, I haven't—"

"Thanks!" I cut him off, hurrying along before he could get too curious.

Finally, I made it to the outer wall. The tricky part was next. Step two: the distraction.

**Jung Soo's POV**

Something was off. It was too quiet. I decided to check on Naomi, only to find the library empty. My heart sank. She'd outsmarted me. Again. I rushed to the garden, figuring she might be using her usual escape route.

"Miss Kim?" I called out, trying to stay calm.

No answer.

Then, I heard it—a loud commotion near the fountain. I sprinted towards the noise, and what did I find? The estate's peacocks, all freaking out, flapping their wings everywhere. And in the middle of it all, the poor gardener, desperately trying to calm them down.

"What's going on here?" I demanded.

The gardener looked at me, flustered. "I don't know, sir! The peacocks just started going crazy out of nowhere!"

A realization hit me. Naomi had pulled this trick before—causing chaos to distract me while she slipped away. I was running out of time. I dashed back toward the estate, hoping I wasn't too late.

**Naomi's POV**

I couldn't help but laugh as I made my way to the side gate, knowing Jung Soo was probably dealing with the 'peacock pandemonium' I'd set up. Lian once joked that I was like a character out of a spy movie, and right now, I was living up to that.

But when I reached the side gate, I hit an unexpected snag: it was locked. Panic started to creep in, but I quickly reminded myself to stay calm. There had to be another way out. I spotted a tree nearby, its branches just reaching over the gate. Without thinking twice, I kicked off my shoes, climbed up, and swung myself over the wall.

Landing on the other side, I dusted myself off and glanced back with a smirk. "Take that, Jung Soo," I muttered to myself.

**Lian's POV**

I was waiting at the coffee shop, tapping my foot nervously. Naomi was late, and I couldn't help but worry that she wouldn't show up. Just when I was about to give up and leave, the door swung open, and in she walked, out of breath but grinning like she'd just run a marathon.

"Sorry I'm late!" Naomi said, sliding into the seat across from me. "I had to, um... take care of a few things."

I raised an eyebrow. "Take care of a few things? Like climbing walls and ditching bodyguards?"

Naomi's grin got wider. "Exactly."

I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief. "You're something else, Naomi Kim. I wasn't sure you'd make it."

"Are you kidding?" she replied, her eyes shining with mischief. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

As we settled in, all the tension and worry I'd been feeling melted away. Naomi's humor and daring had a way of lightening the mood, and before long, we were deep in conversation, sharing stories and laughing like old friends.

**Naomi's POV**

The escape was so worth it. For the first time in forever, I felt free—free to be myself, to laugh, and to enjoy the company of someone who saw me for who I really was, not just as the president's daughter. As we sipped our coffee and shared jokes, I knew that this was just the beginning of something special.

But deep down, I also knew that Jung Soo wouldn't let me get away with this so easily. The next time I tried to escape, it wouldn't be this simple. And that only made the thrill of the chase even more exciting.