But don't you tell yourself
Moonchild you shine

... Eomma? ..who's the father?" You furrow your brows in confusion.

You look mesmerised at the cutest little girl running with exuberance and jumping into your best friends arms, who lovingly embraces her. Your shock is unfathomed.

She is the spitting image of your best friend, her mother. She didn't answer you because she couldn't look you into the eyes.

"Er...Vicky meet my little girl Hwan-hee."...she looks at her wide smile and beckons Hwan-hee to say "hi to my friend, ajumma ( aunty) Vicky-"...little hand wave at you with a mouth full of cute teeth.

You smile widely," hi pretty girl, you so beautiful?" Hwan-hee smiles shyly and lays her head on her mom's shoulder. Your best friend smile and let her slowly down

"Where's jeungjo halmeoni?" She asked her daughter.

"She's napping...I played with Barbie. Do you have a Barbie, ajumma Vicky? She innocently asked.
You chuckle. You had all the Barbies and porcelain dolls of every era. It's in storage right now.

"At my home. Hwan-hee,"
you smile at her cuteness. She seems very intelligent. But you want to know when did this milestone happen? Did your friend date in university?

"Hwan...would you like to draw ajumma a nice picture...I think she would like to see it" she beckon her daughter to go to the dining table where all her colouring stationery was.

Hwan -hee's little face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Really...alright...I draw a beautiful one ajumma is very pretty."

She quickly ran to the table as fast as her little legs could take her.

Your best friend looks sadly into your eyes, and you knew right then that it's a complex topic for her. You smile at her and give her a quick hug.

"It's ok, my friend, you don't have to tell me now. I can't see it's too painful to utter his name. I'll wait till you ready..." you said with understanding.

"Thank you Vicky...I invited you for my halmeoni Kimchi...she called me a while ago to inform me she was done cooking it, let me quickly check in the kitchen ..." she smiles and quickly retreat to the kitchen while you look around. Your friends' apartment is squeaky clean and admiringly so, with a toddler.

You look at all the picture frames. Mostly from her and Hwan-hee. Most of the photos are of Hwan-hee as a newborn baby in her mom's arms. Your best friend looks tired, but her eyes still look filled with sadness even with the bundle of joy in her arms—more of Hwan-hee in different stages. At a party, at the zoo with her great-grandma. You sense how much she loves her child.

You smile as you look at Hwan-hee pouting as she's concentrating. Her biting her top lip. She giggles cause it reminded you of Jin -Goo, who loves to bit his top lip when he's focusing on a project. It's refreshing to see it's not an exclusive thing; someone else can do it too.

"Ajumma," she calls at you..".come see."

You quickly walked to her as she proudly shows you a cute picture of a princess. Whoa, you look in awe at this child art talent. She's gifted.

"Whoa, Hwannie...it's so beautiful. H...how old are you? Wow!" You look at her beaming face.

"I'm three years old... "she shows you three to four fingers. You chuckle. She's so pretty and talented. Your best friend got a beautiful child.

Your best friend is busy in the kitchen. You quickly went to check on her. You promptly saw her wipe her eyes. You wonder what's it all about.

"Hi, Vicky...I accidentally rub my eyes with spicy fingers. I hope you're hungry. My grandmother Kimchi is to die for...she's fatigued. You'll meet her before you leave."

You helped her with the plates and went to the dining room. Hwan -hee got off from the chair to show her mom the picture of ajumma

"Wow, baby, that is so good...will you give it to ajumma as a gift?"Hwan-hee nod and stood in front of you with a wide smile. She had the paper behind her back.

"Ajumma...I have a gift for you...do you want to see it? I finish!" She handed it over to you. You bow and thank her—what a cute child.

You took it and placed the plates on the table. You look in awe at your best friend.

"Wow, Hwan-hee got serious visual art talent. Where did she learn to draw like that?" You ask.

Your best friend smile proudly," My maternal grandfather is an artist in Jeju Island. She has natural ability. I'm also paying for art lessons once a week to sharpen her skills at a young age."

"Wow...she's good...did you entered her in any art competitions?" you look again at the painting of the princess. If Hwan-hee knew you are a real princess.

She looks very proud of her little art protege.

After you help set up the table for the three of you, you indulge in the dish. You love it so much. You talked about the Firm.

Your best friend told you that she wants to open up her firm because she major in entertainment law. She wants to take high profile celebrity cases one day.

Luckily her maternal grandparents are super-rich. They will help her.

"Wow! You focus, my friend".You proudly look at her.

"I have to be...it's no longer just me...I have to think about mapping out a great future for my child?" She looks with a deep love at her daughter, who sip on her drink.

You furrow your brows, " I'm sorry to bring it up, but don't you get any help from her dad".

She inhaled deeply," it's complicated".

"Oh." you just said. Your friends' life seems like a highly complex life.

You hear footsteps. It must be your friends' grandmother.

When hearing her woken great granny. Hwan-hee jumped up excitedly, and accidentally the juice glass toppled over the table on the floor in a million shards. You instantly jump up and grab shocked Hwan-hee up into your arms to prevent her from stepping into the glass. Your best friend looked concerned.

"Sorry, Eomeoni!...Ajumma!" She wanted to cry. You console her and kiss her cheek.

"It's ok, baby...no one got hurt."You comfort her.

Your best friend quickly ran to the kitchen to get cleaning aids.

"It's ok, Hwan...Eomeoni is not cross. It was an accident. Show Ajumma our house so long. Let her meet your jeungjo halmeoni first. I'm quickly clean, and then we can eat ice cream, ok."

She smiled brightly and clapped her hands.

Her grandmother came out of the hallway. You bow respectfully, and your best friend introduced you as her school friend.

She's very friendly. Your best friend greets her grandmother with a tight hug.

"My feet are killing me...I just need a glass of water, and I'm going to sleep a little early, dear."
She sounds tired.

"It's alright, halmeoni. Thank you for the dish. We enjoyed it thoroughly. I'll spend time with my little girl...I'll take her with me to drop off my friend later. I'll get us fresh bread and milk on my way back. She told her gran.

"Please give Vicky some sweet treats, cakes and biscuits and Kimchi to take home. I made a lot for us. She will enjoy the sweet treats for days." She offered.

Your best friend nodded and went back to the kitchen to discard the glass shards. She was her hands and took out take away containers to pack the foodstuff for Vicky

Vicky and Hwan -hee is on a tour of the house. She shows you her great-grandma room, her mothers' room. She shares with her mom.

"This is Eomma and my room. We watch "the return of  superman" stories..."She took your hands and led her to their bathroom.

"I like to bath...with lots of bubbles. I don't like the rainy place..." You frowned and wondered what is the rainy place until she shows you the shower. You chuckled and rubbed over her hair. She giggled, and like a big girl, she pats her hair in place.

You hope your friend let you spend more time with this little jewel. You already love her child. You can't wait to spoil her obviously with permission.

You saw a brush on the counter, pick her up and put her on the counter to brush her hair. She has beautiful pitch-black thick hair. The blood drained from your face as you behold something so peculiar at the top of her ear.

It's like your blood ran cold as you slowly brush Hwan-hee hair softly aside.

A cute tiny heart-shaped birthmark.

But no one knows what it means unless you are born into the Royal bloodlines. It's a mark that appears when the baby is still in the womb. That mark that the system verified as born into royalty.Oh, My Gawd! Hwan-hee is a royal baby...who is her father? Where did your best friend meet him? How?

Today you'll find out the truth, and you have to know. Your royal heart shape is on Your left ear. It's only on the ears. Very discreet but visible for essential people to notice.

"Ajumma, are you Kay? "She looked very concerned about your spacing out.

You smiled and tapped her button nose.
"I'm ok, let go, Eomma waiting for us...don't you want to eat ice cream

She bounces up and down. "yeah! oooh, love ice cream".

You pick her up and balance her on your hip. You walk back to the living room with lots of questions swirling in your mind. As a royal, you need answers.

Their grandmother had retreated to her bedroom to rest. Your best friend smile at you. There was a tub of "praline and cream" flavoured ice cream on the little table.

"Come sit, you two...I have Baskin Robbins ice cream. A bit pricy but lovely on the tongue." She was busy dishing to you.

She dishes two spoons for Hwan-hee, who was jumping up and down next to her mom to hurry up cause her tongue is hungry. You giggle.

"Hwan-hee, calm down.."Her mom berates her, shakes her head, but give her a dessert bowl.

"I'm going to sit with jeungjo halmeoni, bye Ajumma...eomeoni" she took her bowl and sprint to her great grans' room.

You and your friends are lounging on the sofas and enjoy your ice cream. You don't know how to start without hurting your friend.

"You truly have a lovely daughter, my friend...Oh gosh, she got such a unique birth mark ...a little cute heart. Wow...it's so adorable". You gushed, hoping she'll take the bait to talk about it.

She laughs a little," That is the strangest thing with that mark since I  was still a few months pregnant."

You frown, " how so, did you have a difficult pregnancy?"

She furrows her brows," it was so strange...when I went to my first appointment at my gynea...She took blood samples and came visibly shook back. Asking me very personal questions, which I was unable to answer obviously...when I didn't confirm the dad's identity, she didn't elaborate about her finding...She wanted to speak to the father...I refused. So she just told me my baby has a rare blood type."

You listen with care to the explanation. The doctor can only speak when the father confirms his paternity. Your friend didn't know that in the blood sample is a gene the system recognises as royal blood. When the blood tests, the pathologist saw a royal blue swirl under the microscope. Her baby was already part of the world's Royal dynasties and can receive endless perks without knowing the reason behind it.

"I'm just glad my baby is healthy...what was so strange for my gran and me. We were transferred to another private hospital—a very private one. We were so confused. She ,my doctor, told us she has friends there and she wants her colleagues to look well after her patients. We will not pay any extra on our medical aid...Vicky I gave birth in style. My hospital suite, even my gran, could sleepover. I don't know why?...but my baby got everything she needs from diapers to formulae." She smiled.

Royal births are highly confidential, but babies got the best care. She was giving birth at the Royal hospital without knowing. How did She pull it off without disclosing the father? When the father bonds with his baby the first time, the baby is officially registered with the father's royal name. She will appear on the Royal family tree in whichever country of origin. Does your friend know the importance of Hwan-hee lineage?

"Wow, you are fortunate". You just said.

"Before we were discharged... hospital staff took beautiful pictures of us. They want a pic of Hwan-hee. She was the first baby born in that hospital for that month. It was strange. I was the only pregnant mom in the hospital for those days."She said with a confused tone.

Your poor best friend doesn't know. Hwan-hee is on the system. Her blood shows royal blue swirls. When her father bonds with her for the first time, his immediate family will see Hwan-hees'name on the family tree with her mom's. There must be a royal invocation. Hwan-hee will be then introduced to all the Royal families at a big ball in her honour.

Oh, and did the father reject your friend? or what. She is a commoner.

"...Hwan-hee still gets gifts from our doctor. The hospital offered free paediatric services, only for her. I'm blessed with my baby. She's healthy and gifted..." Your friend smile fondly, thinking about her child.

You look at her beaming face, and you know she'll get hurt when you bring it up.

"I'm so sorry, my dear friend, but please tell me what happened to you to get pregnant so early?, before the appearance of your soul mark, even not knowing who your soulmate will be...didn't you get into trouble with the Moral code?" You ask her softly.

She bit on her lip and look at you with teary eyes.

"We didn't plan on it...it just happened Vicky...we didn't know what happened?" Her eyes are full of tears. You jump up and go and sit next to her when she started to sobbed heartbreakingly.

"Please..please tell me what happened? First of all, who is Hwan-hees' dad?" You look at her softly. She looks up at you with trembling lips. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. You can feel how her body is shaking. Your friend is under a lot of stress.

"I...I spend the night of our farewell with...Jin-Goo, your best friend". She winced, waiting for your reaction.

You jump up with eyes widen and jaws dropped. The shock was an understatement.  What the hell! Jin Goo is a dad at 22 years.

"Oh My Gosh! You and Jin Goo were not even drunk. How did that happen?... I ask him to look after you ...did he seduce you?..." You'll kill him.

She blushed red.

"No...! He did what you ask him to do. He walked with me to our hotel room. Before he left, he was examining our room. He looked into the cupboards, behind doors, windows curtains, on the balconies, under the bed, even in the bathroom. It was strange behaviour...like those bodyguards in movies..." She softly states.

"And then..".You beckon her to go on.

"Oh, Vicky ...I don't know what happened. He places the key card in my hands, and then suddenly, we locked eyes. We were looking intently at each other, and like a force field, we were kissing each other as if it was the last drink in the desert. My goodness, Vicky, I never felt so alive in my entire existence. I was kissed by the guy I loved for years...My dreams came true" she scoffs when she thought one act ruined her.

Her face was flustered. You shiver when You think about your innocent friend in your well-experienced best friend arms. She was putty in his hands. Omg!

"...then we found ourselves on the bed...I...I gave him permission Vicky to do whatever he wants with me...without thinking about the consequences...and I ...loved every minute in his arms Vicky...it was so strange. The atmosphere around us...I don't know.." She looks at you with a confused expression.  It was like they were under a powerful spell.

You were flabbergasted. Your friend lost her innocence. Birth a royal baby. Jin-Goo will be livid if he finds out he missed his first child's birth. A baby 15 th in line of the throne. A princess.

"What did Jin-Goo do the next day?" You feel so sorry for her.

"You didn't come back to the room. I was never so relieved that you didn't find us in bed...I was so embarrassed. Jin-Goo was so upset with himself. He couldn't understand why he did it. I told him we both wanted it. I wanted him so bad Vicky...it was like closure for me...being with the guy I always loved...he couldn't believe he spent the night with me...he doesn't even like me...how did he become so attracted to me...what hurt me so badly was that he said what I always knew... I wasn't even his type ...I was too innocent for him... I was so sad, but ...."Her eyes started to tear up again as she started to sniff, " ... he told me we need to forget whatever happened between us. I must forget...how Y/n, please tell me how do you forget your first time...unplanned or not..."

Omg, JinGoo! What an idiot!

"I don't know...my friend. You must've been very hurt?" She bit her lip, not to cry again.

She inhaled deeply," I told him he mustn't be a concern. I'm not planning to run after him, being clingy or force him to be with me...I'm not like that. I told him, I'll forget about that night, erase it from my mind...forget him.. he looks at me quietly for a long time and left the room."

"What happened afterwards? You didn't stay for the weekend...you just left" you remember she only texts you to say she's gone. JinGoo looked nervous and was more quiet than usual. In deep thought.

"My Appa was livid that  I stayed the night...he was so furious with my Eomeoni for letting me go to the farewell... that was not all...two weeks into summer I  found out I was pregnant... there was war in my house...my Eomeoni went with me to the doctor...She was so disappointed but more afraid of my Appas reaction..." She looks defeated as she looked at you.

"Let just say...I don't have a family any more." She looks so hurt. Her life was an uphill battle from the start.

"What do you mean by that?" You felt uneasy.

"Simply...I was thrown out of the house by my Appa. I was the black dot on the family, the loose daughter...the filthy rag...so my father disowned me. My brother donglyo and Eomma tried to reason with Appa...but to no avail. I called my halmeoni and told her my situation. She instructed me to come to Jeju Island. She immediately send for me. I got a chance to pack all my bags. My Eomma was crying. My donglyo was so angry at Appa. My Eomma was kissing me constantly, telling me she loves me. My donglyo took me to the Airport..." You couldn't take it anymore.

You hugged her tightly, and you felt so guilty.

"I'm so sorry...why did you cut me off. I tried to call you, but you never contact me for years. I was so sad. I could've helped you." You start crying with her. She carried your niece all alone without any emotional help from you.

"I couldn't Vicky ...I couldn't risk Jin- Goo for finding out. He'll think I trapped him. I didn't know what to do?..must I kept it or- ...but I dismissed that idea. What if this baby is Jin-Goos and my last hope to be parents'. It was the only thing that kept me going to give life to Jin-Goos' baby. Even if he didn't like me at all,  I couldn't kill it. I love my baby so much." Her heartbreak was evident in her voice.

"My Appa disowned me...he rejects me as his daughter. He froze all my money ,took my technology. Cell phones. Everything he bought me except the clothing. He told me not to use his family name. So, I  changed it to my mother's maiden name. My ID card is also changed. Even my entrance certificates have been changed..." the deep hurt was evident. She couldn't believe her fathers' love will turn into hate.

She exhaled, " My Eomma never met Hwan-hee. My donglyo came and visit me once a month and bring lots of gifts for Hwan-hee. He secretly shows photos to my Eomma. She only sees all the photos at my donglyo house."

"So what happened with your pregnancy and uni? How did you cope?" You ask with interest. It must've been extremely tough going through pregnancy and university courses.

"My halmeoni bought this apartment for us. She even decided to stay with us, look after my baby and go home some weekends to Jeju Island. She bought me a ring as if I was engaged...told the admin my boyfriend died...when I started to show ...I decided to do the rest of my first year online. I passed with honours. I studied extra hard. My focus was on my child. To become a successful lawyer and make her proud..." She explained.

"What if you meet your soulmate? What then?" You asked her.

"If we are yellow-blue string. I'll set him free to date someone without baggage. If it's red gold... it's up to him if he wants me, but I knew a long time ago...I'm unlucky in love. So I pray for a Tarnished status. I'm just scared when Hwan-hee goes to nursery school next month and wants her dad"...She looks very concerned.

"I'm scared of JinGoo Vicky... I was so relieved when I heard he's in the USA, but when you return to South Korea...I'm nervous every day. I still love your, friend Vicky. I can't disrupt his great life...he has the best career and a beautiful girlfriend." She visibly shudders.

"Jin-Goo cannot find out now, my friend, Hwan-hee is your spitting image. Just trust that you get your soul mark and soulmate to play it safe let him figure it out by himself...I'm not going to tell him...let's keep our Hwan-hee out of his sight for now." You suggest a plan, not sure if it will work.

You thought about the parental royal bonding when he'd see his child for the first time.

All you know is JinGoo will be livid...

A/n... hope you like the chapter.

Question 1: What do you think about your best friends' lifestyle so far?

Question 2:  Can you imagine JinGoo reaction?

Thank you for all the support. You are amazing.