Princess And The Pizza Box

Meanwhile, back in the modern world, Princess Seohwa stood in the middle of Yoon Seo's tiny studio apartment, staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror. Her meticulously styled royal hair was now a tangled mess, and she was draped in an oversized hoodie that read "Life's a Beach."

"This… is witchcraft," she declared, tugging at the drawstrings of the hoodie. "What manner of garment strangles its wearer?" She yanked the strings hard, only for the hood to tighten around her neck. "I demand a court physician at once!"

Across the room, Hyejin sat frozen, a slice of pizza halfway to her mouth. "Okay," she said slowly, "so either Yoon Seo's pranking me, or I've officially lost my mind."

"Who is this Seo of Yoon?" Seohwa asked, glaring at Hyejin. "And why do you sit there consuming… what is this abomination?" She snatched the pizza slice from Hyejin's hand and sniffed it suspiciously. Her expression shifted from disgust to curiosity, and finally to sheer delight as she took a hesitant bite. "By the gods! This is… ambrosia! Do peasants eat like this?"

Hyejin blinked. "Uh, yeah. It's pizza. Are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?"

Seohwa straightened, trying to look regal despite the hoodie. "I am Princess Seohwa of the Goryeo Dynasty. How dare you address me without bowing?"

Hyejin snorted. "Right. And I'm the Queen of England. Now can we stop playing and figure out what's going on?"

"Silence, commoner!" Seohwa snapped, throwing the pizza box open. "Bring me more of these… pies of… cheese."

Hyejin buried her face in her hands. "This is a nightmare. This is an actual nightmare."

---

As the day progressed, Seohwa explored the apartment with the awe of a child and the attitude of an empress. The television, which she referred to as "the magical painting that speaks," sent her into a panic when Hyejin turned it on.

"The tiny people inside!" Seohwa shrieked, pointing at the screen. "Have they been imprisoned? Release them at once!"

"It's a TV," Hyejin explained, exasperated. "Nobody's trapped. It's just… entertainment."

Seohwa's eyes narrowed. "Your sorcery grows more alarming by the minute."

Later, Seohwa discovered the wonders of running water. She stood in the bathroom, turning the faucet on and off repeatedly. "An endless spring within the walls," she marveled. "How do your people not worship this?"

"Look, Princess," Hyejin said, leaning against the doorframe, "I don't know who you really are or why you're acting like you've never seen a sink before, but can you please stop flooding my bathroom?"

Seohwa's response was to turn on the shower. She let out a startled yelp as water sprayed over her head. "I've been cursed! The walls are weeping upon me!"

---

By the time evening rolled around, Seohwa had taken her first tentative steps outside. Clad in Yoon Seo's leggings and sneakers, she declared them "undignified but passable." Hyejin reluctantly agreed to show her the city, hoping that maybe something—anything—would jog her memory.

Their first stop was a convenience store, where Seohwa's royal instincts immediately kicked in.

"What is the purpose of this place?" she asked, inspecting the rows of snacks.

"It's… a store. You buy stuff," Hyejin explained.

Seohwa scoffed. "A princess does not buy. She commands." She marched up to the cashier, who blinked in confusion as she declared, "I shall take this basket of treasures as tribute. You may bow now."

"Ma'am, you have to pay for those," the cashier said hesitantly.

Seohwa's eyes widened. "Pay? You dare demand payment from royalty?"

Hyejin grabbed her arm and yanked her away. "Oh my God, we're leaving before you get us arrested."

"Arrested? By whom?" Seohwa demanded. "I command armies! I am the law!"

"Yeah, well, welcome to democracy," Hyejin muttered, dragging her out the door.

---

Back in the apartment, Seohwa flopped onto the couch, clearly exhausted. "Your world is a strange and treacherous place," she admitted. "But it has its… charms."

"Like what?" Hyejin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Seohwa gestured toward the pizza box on the table. "Mostly this. If I am to be stranded here, I shall require more of these cheese pies."

Hyejin rolled her eyes. "Great. So now I'm your royal pizza servant?"

Seohwa grinned, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "Precisely. Now, fetch me dessert. The princess commands it."

Hyejin groaned but couldn't help laughing. Despite everything, it seemed this royal disaster was here to stay—at least for now.