Chapter 4

• Ae Ri's POV
• I bowed my head sadly as Ye Jun left the class. I never wanted to have a friend before but now that I need one, he can't stay because of my attitude.
• I've never really spoken freely to anyone except my parents. They're the only one I open up to and tell all my secrets.
• Now that they're gone, it's hard for me to open up to anyone else. I miss them so much!
• I ate my snacks and waited patiently for the first teacher to come in.
• Minutes later, the students came trooping in probably because lessons are about to start. I stared at them as they came into the class in groups and I suddenly wish I had a friend.
• I never saw any reason to have a friend because my parents were always there for me but now that I need someone to talk to, I guess I'll make a friend.
• There's no other person I can make friend with except Ye Jun. I'll try talking to him once class is over, I wonder why he isn't here though.
• As if he was reading my mind, he came in at that moment and sat opposite me in the second row.
• He stared at me for a while before looking away, I kind of deserve it.
• Immediately classes were over, I walked up to Ye Jun. We didn't have the chance to talk during lunch because I was busy and I couldn't find him too.
• "Hi" I muttered shyly
• He looked around to be sure I was talking to him before looking back at me.
• "Was that for me?" he asked and I nodded my head slowly before looking up at him
• "You said we aren't friends so why are you talking to me now?" he asked with a scoff
• "I'm sorry" I mumbled staring down at my feet
• "Whatever! What do you want?" he asked a bit rudely
• "I.. I want your forgiveness and if possible, I want us to be friends" I said staring directly at him but he looked away
• "Why do you want to be friends with me?" he asked after gulping hard
• "Because you said we were friends. I've never had anyone to call a friend so I want to have one now"
• "Why did you choose me then? You should go for a girl"
• "I don't want a girl, I want you"
• "Alright. I forgive you and we can be friends, can I go now?" he asked with an eyeroll
• "Is that how friends treat each other?"
• "You haven't had a friend before so there's no way you'll know how friends treat each other"
• "I watch films and I've seen other friends too. They don't talk rudely to each other and they smile a lot too" I explained calmly
• "Alright then, I'll smile often and I won't speak rudely"
• "Okay. Can we go out together? I don't feel like going home?"
• "Why don't you feel like going home?" he asked curiously
• "Home is really boring. Ever since my parents died, I've been all alone with the maids in that big mansion"
• "Wow! You must be really lonely"
• "I guess so, I have no one to talk to. I eat alone, sleep alone, watch TV alone. I don't think anyone can understand how I feel" I said as tears rolled down my cheeks
• "Stop crying" he said and that was when I remembered what happened yesterday
• I quickly wiped my face clean because if the tears drop, it will turn to pearls.
• "Let's go. I know somewhere you will forget all your worries even if it's for a while" he said picking his bag
• I also picked his bag and we got into my car and drove off.
• *In the Mermaid world*
• The queen could be seen boiling in anger because of what the Royal families and people at the court were saying.
• Only few people were on her side. The rest of them wanted her to step down for Are Ri to take over.
• "Silence all of you!!!" she screamed sending shivers down their spine
• "How dare you think of asking your queen to step down? When the king and queen died, who took over the throne to prevent the kingdom from falling into chaos? It's me!!!!
• Who has ruled the kingdom for over two years?!! It's me!!!!
• Who led our men to war during those two years and came back victorious? It's this same me!!!!
• You all have the guts to ask me to step down from the throne for a girl that knows nothing about this kingdom to take over? You've got to be kidding me" she concluded hitting her staff on the ground
• "Now listen, and listen good everyone of you!! If anyone ever talks about this again, he or she will be gone for good. I'm your queen and it's going to remain that way until my daughter takes over. Dismissed!!!!" she screamed and everyone of them scurried out of the meeting room
• Ye Jun's POV
• I stared at Ae Ri as she sat in the car looking so sad and completely lost. She must be going through a lot, and here I was thinking she was arrogant.
• "Stop staring at me please, it's making me uncomfortable" she muttered lowering her head
• "Sorry" I apologised and stared outside
• After giving directions to the driver, we arrived at the lake. It's a place I come to spend time whenever I feel lonely or I need someone to talk to.
• The gentle breeze and calmness of the blue water couple with the beautiful trees surrounding the lake makes me think this is where nature really lies.
• A wow escaped Ae Ri's lips as she stared at the beautiful lake and got down from the car. She walked forward and a smile tugged at her lips when she saw the blue water.
• "You like it?" I asked as a followed her
• "I love it, it's really beautiful" she confessed smiling widely
• How come she looks really beautiful now? I think she's even more beautiful than this lake
• "Come with me" I said walking to the lake after snapping out of my thoughts
• I help her sit on a rock and I also sat on one too. She took of her shoes and dipped her feet into the water.
• "How does it feel?" I asked her
• She closed her eyes and felt the breeze before opening it.
• "It feels really good, I don't feel like leaving here anymore" she said making me smile
• "You can always come here whenever you like but you can't stay here forever. You can't even spend the night here because there's no where you'll sleep.
• I plan to build a small house here so I can spend the night here sometimes but that will have to wait" I said not wanting to tell her it's because of money
• "I will build the house so we can come here sometimes. We can build a mini castle or what do you think?" she asked turning to me with a smile
• "Uhhm!! I think that's okay" I said with a shrug
• "Alright"
• We discussed many things and splashed water on each other until we noticed it was getting dark.
• "I think we should go now" I said to Ae Ri who was obviously still enjoying the view
• "So soon?" she asked with a pout
• "Y... Yeah! It's getting dark"
• "Alright, let's go!"
• We got into the car and Ae Ri dropped me off first before going home
• "Thank goodness you are safe" mom said hugging me the moment I got in
• She can be so dramatic at times,I should have called to inform her I will be coming home late.
• "I..can't br...eath"
• "Oh my God, I'm really sorry. Are you hurt anywhere? What happened to you? Where did you go?" she asked checking me out
• "Mom please, I'm not a kid" I said with an eyeroll
• "But you got me really worried" she said with a frown on her face
• "Fine, I'm sorry. I will make sure to call you from now on"
• "I think I like that, go freshen up and come downstairs for dinner"
• "Alright mom"
• TBC.............
• ©️ Tricia