Chapter 13

Gyeongbok-goong, Seoul, Korea

"Gong Nae Gwan, do you think I still fit to be a Crown Prince?" Lee Hoon asked, his voice less confident that before. Gong Nae Gwan have never heard him sound like this before.

"Daegoon mama, you have to be strong. These scandals for sure will be cleared."

"But what would the Royal family get from my uncle? They keep on asking where else he could be. I've already told them what I know." Lee Hoon looked at the round moon hanging from the sky, thinking that his life and a moon's life is no different, it changes constantly. "What truth could my uncle know about me? There are times I'm afraid to know, but there are times I want it so badly."

"You don't have to worry about that, mama. The Palace is taking care of it."

"Thank you Gong Nae Gwan. You should rest now, it's been a long day for you."

Lee Hoon heard the door close as Gong Nae Gwan exited. The scandal about his true heritage have been an issue since he was declared as the next Crown Prince. The Royal family have been keeping it low key for now, however the Royal Council have been threatening to put this issue publicly. It seems they have succeeded as one newspaper have published about it.

"What have you gotten yourself into," he thought. "First they tell me that I am Crown Prince's son, and now they say I am not. So what is the truth then?" He was into his own thoughts that he didn't hear anyone approach him.

"The truth is you are not the former Crown Prince's son?" Kim Seung-min said under the sliver of moonlight passing through Lee Hoon's room.

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Madrid

Shin has been reading for two hours in the study room, when he noticed that it has grown unusually quiet. A while ago, he could hear the chatter of Chaegyeong and Lady Choi in the kitchen, they were discussing about the ingredients of the next cake that Chaegyeong would like to bake. She's been craving cakes this past week. And he had been sent out of the bedroom for not buying a slice of old fahioned chocolate cake the other night.

"Park Sang hyo, where is Chaegyeong?" Shin asked his assistant as he saw him pass by the study room.

"Bigoong mama went to take a nap, Your Highness."

"Again?" Shin said to himself with a slight smirk.

Shin went to the bedroom, sat beside a sleeping Chaegyeong and watched her sleep. He wondered how can she be a mother, when she is like a child herself? More so,he still can't believe that he is going to be a father. It took sometime before he became excited with the pregnancy. If it wasn't for the scare three weeks ago, he would still be in denial of the baby's existence.

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Three Weeks Ago

"Shin goon! Shin goon!"

Shin was suddenly awakened by his wife's scream. He immediately got up and ran towards the bathroom where he heard her scream coming from. When he opened the door, Chaegyeong was sitting on the toilet holding her underwear. She showed it to him. Shin got numb for a few seconds upon seeing some dots of blood on it. When Shin got back to his senses, he immediately picked-up Chaegyeong and carried her.

"Shin goon, I don't want to lose our baby." Chaegyeong cried on Shin's shoulders.

"No, I won't let it happen."

Upon exiting their bedroom, Shin called for Mr. Park and asked him to call for a cab going to the hospital.

Both parents-to-be were relieved when the doctor told them its just some minor spotting. Chaegyeong just needs bed rest for a few days and no any sexual activities for two weeks.

When they got home, Shin carried Chaegyeong all the way up to their apartment. He laid her on the bed and covered her with the blanket. He then laid down beside her and embraced her.

"I'm sorry." Shin said.

"For what?" Chaegyeong asked.

"I have taken your pregnancy for granted."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I have been thinking how this baby would complicate things for us... but then when I saw the fear in your eyes earlier... I got scared too." Shin's voiced cracked a bit while speaking, "I suddenly realized that I want this baby as much as I want you next to me."

Chaegyeong turned in her husband's embrace and faced him. She wiped Shin's tears with her thumb.

"Thank you." She said and kissed him.

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So now it has been three weeks of celibacy for Shin. He didn't even try to make any intimate contact with his wife, for fear she would bleed again and loose the baby. But Chaegyeong just entered her second trimester of pregnancy. What they say about it is true. It's getting harder to resist her, especially now that he thinks that little bump on her tummy was sexy.

Chaegyeong woke up and the first thing she saw was Shin's face. Shin fell asleep beside her. Chaegyeong smiled and lightly touched his cheek.

"Look at your appa," Chaegyeong said, talking to her unborn child, "he looks so sweet when sleeping."

She got up and went to the bathroom to take a pee. Then she took her lipstick from her make up kit, as well as her digital camera. She took pictures of him sleeping. However, afterwards she started applying lipstick on his face. She took pictures again, this time Shin have big red dots on each of his cheeks, and his lips were so red, and shaped like a clown's exaggerated lips.

When Shin woke up Chaegyeong was not beside him anymore. He got up, went to the bathroom to pee. He washed his hands and went looking for his wife. He found Chaegyeong and their Korean neighbor in the kitchen, they were having a snack together with Choi Sang gong. All girls suddenly burst into laughing when he showed up.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." Chaegyeong answered.

"Jeonha would you like to have some dukbboki?" Choi Sang gong asked.

"No, thanks."

Chaegyeong burst out laughing again.

"Why don't you wash your face and come back. I'll serve you a slice of cake."

Shin realized that there must be something on his face. So he touched his cheeks, and when he looked at his hand there's red marks on it.

"Yah! Shin Chaegyeong what did you do to my face again??!!"

Chaegyeong just giggled in response.

Shin went to the bathroom and looked at his face on the mirror.

"Haiz! Shin Chaegyeong you had me again." He paused from wiping off the lipstick on his face and wondered, saying to himself, "but when can I have you again."

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Shin was in the bathroom brushing his teeth and preparing for bed. He was thinking of ways on how to resist another night lying beside his sexy wife again.

"Don't think that she's sexy... arrrrggghhhh." Shin looked at his reflection in the mirror, he can't hide his frustration even to himself, he thought.

When he came out of the bathroom Chaegyeong wasn't in their bed. He went to see if she's in the kitchen again raiding their fridge for some late night cravings. He was right. Chaegyeong was sitting at the kitchen table, with what looks like chocolate bars, couple of wine glasses, and a bottle of wine. She's muttering something and keeps on shaking her head.

"Yah, what's this?" Shin picked up the bottle of wine, "This is champaigne! What are you going to do with this? You can't take alcoholic drinks!"

"It's nothing like that. Of course I know I can't drink that."

"And what's in those two glasses, huh?"

"One is just sparkling grape juice, the other one is yours."

"And what's in it?"

"Champaigne." Chaegyeong relied shyly.

"What are all these for?"

"It's just I wanted to try something I saw on TV." Chaegyeong looked at Shin, who gestured with his head for her to continue, "I've never done it before. Maybe we can?" She said in a small voice.

Shin sighed, "Okay. Let's do it. But after this I want you to go to sleep, understand?"

"Yes!" Chaegyeong said eagerly, delighted that Shin gave in to her request.

Shin picked up the glass of champaigne, gestured to Chaegyeong to do the same. Then they crossed their arms, and drank with their heads close to each other.

Chaegyeong opened one eye and peek on Shin. Shin finished his glass, and caught Chaegyeong looking at him. Chaegyeong blushed shyly when Shin caught her peeking at him. They unhook their arms and put their wine glasses down.

"So are you happy?"

"Yes. Thank you Shin goon." She said cheerily then whispered, "Let's see if what Lana gave me is effective."

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing. Chocolates?" Chaegyeong put on her most innocent smile.

"Alright, go to bed now. I'll clean up here!"

Chaegyeong stood up and walked towards their bedroom. Shin looked at her retreating back, and suddenly his body felt warm. How can she sway her hips like that? He thought, he never saw her hips sway like that. Shin poured champainge on the glass and drank it straight again. He then ate a few bars of chocolate. He just realized that he's been craving chocolates since last week. The chocolate tastes familiar to him, tastes like the chocolates that Chaegyeong gave him before.

After eating all the chocolates and drinking half the bottle of champaigne, Shin went to the bedroom after cleaning up the table.

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After doing his nightly rituals in the bathroom, Shin laid down beside his sleeping wife. She's so pretty when sleeping, he thought. He could see the outline of her curves through the little shine of moonlight coming in from the window, that little bump of her tummy, the up and down sway of her breast as she breathes, up to her sexy neckline and further up to her full and lucious red lips. He shook his head when he noticed that his thoughts has gone a little further than he wish them to be. He turned his back on her, and sighed deeply.

"Shin goon, what's wrong?" Chaegyeong asked sleepily.

"Huh? What do you mean?" His back still facing her.

"You haven't given me a goodnight kiss, for two weeks now. Am I that fat already?"

How can she think that, she's really sexy to me. He sighed and turned to face Chaegyeong, "You're pregnant with my child, how can you be fat?"

"Then what's wrong? You haven't touched me for more than 5 seconds each day, nor have i got any real kiss from you."

"It's just I feel that if I touch you or kiss you, I wouldn't be able to control myself."

"Why would I want you to control yourself?" Chaegyeong was puzzled at that thought and realization hits her, "Ahhh! Is it because of what happened?"

Shinl looked down and picked on the imaginary lint on the comforter.

"But the doctor said it's okay now."

"Yes, but I still can't help and be scared."

"But can I just get at least one kiss?" Chaegyeong appealed to her husband.

Shin can not resist that pout she would use whenever she's asking something from him. So he drew closer to her and kissed her cheek.

"Aigoo! On the lips!" Chaegyeong uttered half demanding and half in annoyance.

Shin was surprised at his wife's almost demanding tone. So he obliged her and dipped his head and kissed her lips. He was not aware of how it happened and when, but the next conscious thing he felt was that of Chaegyeong's naked skin next to his. Chaegyeong's lips all over his neck, marking him and the bump of her tummy pressed onto his stomach.

Shin blocked off all the irrational fears in his head, and just carried on with their love making, and in doing so he helped expunge all the insecurities felt by his pregnant wife.

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Shin was walking on the way home from a nearby store with a happy gait in his steps. He has been like this since that night that he and Chaegyeong got their grooves back. Chaegyeong has been craving again that morning. His wife's craving seemed to be never ending to him. Thus the reason for buying butter waffles at Chaegyeong's favorite nearby waffle and pancake store.

As he near their apartment, he saw three black official looking sedans parked in front of the building. He looked at the car plate and saw that the cars belong to a diplomat. He thought that he didn't know that there's a diplomat living in their apartment building. But then he saw the little flags at the front on one of the cars. The little flag was familiar, a closer look revealed that those are Korean flags.

Shin's eyes grew big at the realization of what those innocently parked cars could mean.

"What's Halmamama doing here?"