Maybe It's You (It's You Series #1)

12 ✽ The Final Attempt

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Park Yul did not look one bit happy.

He was alone. His bodyguard was nowhere to be seen, but knowing him, he was probably watching them from a distance.

Now that her plan was busted, Eun-bi gave Yul a sheepish and awkward smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, my lord."

He raised a brow instead. "You're an hour late. On purpose."

She laughed nervously. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I was about to go to you but I lost my way. My sense of direction is so bad that my sister often berates me."

However, the dubious expression that he was giving her made it known that he didn't buy her ridiculous excuse. He stretched a hand out towards her.

"Return my jade charm."

A mischievous smile crossed her face. She shook her head, clicking her tongue to express her disapproval. "Before I do that, shouldn't you reward me for finding it?"

For the second time that night, he reacted to her words. His melancholy dark eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of annoyance.

When he didn't answer her, she tugged on his sleeve playfully. "Walk with me until the red bridge. I'll let you go afterwards."

He remained unresponsive. Taking his silence as his consent, she started strolling ahead of him. She knew that he was following her when she started hearing a set of footsteps behind her.

Neither of them spoke for a good minute. Honestly, Eun-bi hated it whenever she had to walk beside somebody who wasn't making the effort to talk. The silence was often unbearable.

"You're awfully quiet for a person," she started saying. "You do know that impersonating the Crown Prince's personality isn't exactly a talent, right?"

However, Yul said nothing, which only spurred her to talk more. Mostly on meaningless topics.

"Being the son of Minister Park must be nice. I assume that a guy like you will have countless maidens vying for your attention?"

Silence.

"Who gave you the jade charm? Was it from someone you love? Like your first love or something?"

Silence.

"You said you were busy during the day... What were you doing?"

There was just...silence.

Rolling her eyes, she imagined herself swatting him across his head with a rolled-up book. For heaven's sake, was this man deaf? Mute? He was really testing her patience, wasn't he?

She swivelled on her heel and started jabbing his chest lightly. "Can you hear me? Or did my beauty rob you of your speech?"

Finally, his answer came. "I hear you."

"Great." She rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Now you're saying something!"

Yul shook his head at her and mumbled something, which she could only catch at the end of his sentence.

"...Too noisy."

Eun-bi glared at him, her hands placed on her hips. The audacity of him to admit that he could hear her and insult her when they barely knew each other!

"What did you say? I didn't catch that. Why don't you try saying that again loudly?" she scoffed.

He watched her indifferently, his cold eyes pinned on her. "Your foot is on mine. Remove it."