Why am I the Princess?

At 32 years old, Kim Sun-hwa still looked young enough to pass for her mid-20s. I couldn’t help but admire how their identical apartment layout had been transformed into such a sophisticated and elegant space.

“Si-yoon, you’re here?”

The man of the house, Lee Jin-seok, appeared, despite his notoriously busy schedule. Without much enthusiasm, I waved lazily in his direction. He simply smiled warmly in response.

“Oh my, aren’t you scared of him, sweetie?”

Despite being referred to as just the “guy next door,” this man was none other than Lee Jin-seok, heir to Hanseong, the second-largest conglomerate in Korea. His scarred face, the result of an accident involving broken glass, often intimidated even adults.

“Hmm… not really,” I replied casually.

Though the scar gave him a rugged look, it wasn’t as frightening as people seemed to think. Compared to some other faces I’d seen, it was almost cute. Having spent time around me, Lee Jin-seok had begun to treat me like a second daughter.

“Did you come over to play with Dayeon?”

“Ugh… just give me some snacks.”

I climbed onto a chair with practiced ease and started munching on snacks as naturally as if I were at home. Dayeon, meanwhile, clung tightly to her stuffed animals—Antonio, Olivia, and Mamarid—clearly hoping I’d play dolls with her.

“Why do they have English names?” I asked.
“They were born in England!” Dayeon declared proudly.
“Ah…”

Being “foreign-born” explained everything.

“Si-yoon, we’re going to Australia! It’s going to be so much fun!”

Kim Sun-hwa sat beside me, gently wiping my mouth with a napkin.

“Hmm… sounds like a hassle.”
“But there’s so much fun stuff to do there!”

Leaning back into the sofa, I glanced over at Lee Jin-seok, who was engrossed in his work.

“Great Barrier Reef,” I said.

At my words, Lee Jin-seok flinched slightly, his focus momentarily breaking. When I grinned knowingly, he avoided my gaze entirely.

“…?”

“Hoho… a five-year-old grasping the essence right away? Impressive,” I quipped.
“…..”

I continued snacking while glancing at Kim Sun-hwa. Even at home, she was fully made up and dressed in stylish clothing. The only visible difference was her slightly rounded belly—Dayeon was going to have a sibling.

“All Blue.”

Lee Jin-seok flinched again.

“What’s ‘All Blue’?” asked Kim Sun-hwa.
“It’s from a pirate anime~”

“Huh?”

After finishing my milk, I wiped my mouth with the handkerchief she offered.

“Shall we practice some English?” I asked Dayeon.
“Yes!”

I picked up Antonio and Olivia, still cradled in Dayeon’s arms. Though her parents were present, she seemed far more attached to me. Together, we began chatting in English, leaving the adults to their conversation.

“What’s ‘All Blue’?” asked Kim Sun-hwa, her curiosity piqued.
“Uh…”
“It’s what Si-yoon mentioned. Why did she call the Australian ocean ‘All Blue’?”

Lee Jin-seok avoided his wife’s sharp gaze. Sensing his discomfort, she reached out and pinched his cheek.

“Honey. Before I get upset, why don’t you explain yourself?”
“…Fishing,” he admitted reluctantly.
“And ‘All Blue’?”
“Well… it’s where all the world’s fish species gather…”

“Oh my gosh… I knew you liked fishing, but this…”

Clearly embarrassed, Lee Jin-seok refocused on his work, pretending to be fully engrossed.

“What’s wrong with going somewhere you like?” Sun-hwa teased with a smirk.
“…Sun-hwa.”

Lee Jin-seok gave his wife a deep, affectionate look.

“Jin-seok. Si-yoon’s right here,” she reminded him sharply.
“…Right.”

Despite being the heir to one of Korea’s most powerful conglomerates, Lee Jin-seok was undoubtedly the lowest-ranked member of his household.

“Si-yoon, let’s eat,” called Kim Sun-hwa.

I shook my head.

Jung-yeon must have just returned from her academy class. She peeked at me from behind Kim Sun-hwa, stealing glances with curiosity.

“You should eat with Dad,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because eating alone is sad.”
“Oh… should I call him then?”

I thought of Dad, who had likely already prepared dinner back home.

“He’s probably already cooked.”
“Si-yoo-na… are you leaving?”

Dayeon’s voice quivered, her eyes welling up as she always grew emotional whenever I left her house.

“Should we eat at my place instead?” I suggested.
“Yes!”
“Is it okay if I take Dayeon with me?”

Kim Sun-hwa smiled warmly and nodded.

“Of course~”

Dayeon quickly began gathering her stuffed rabbits, but I stopped her with a grin.

“Just one.”
“But they’re all friends!”
“Pick one friend to come along.”

After a long moment of serious deliberation, Dayeon finally chose Antonio, the ill-fated rabbit.

“Let’s go.”

Holding Dayeon’s hand, I led her to my house. The door was slightly ajar.

“Dad!”
“Coming! Wait a sec!”

Dad rushed to the door and opened it wide.

“Oh, Dayeon’s here too?”
“Yes! Mom said I could come play!”
“Really? Come on in!”

As Dad picked up Dayeon for a hug, I interjected.

“Dinner.”
“Got it. Give me a moment. Dayeon, have fun with Si-yoon, okay?”
“Okay!”

The moment I stepped inside, I plopped down on the couch and pulled out my phone to watch a movie review.

“Si-yoon, shouldn’t you play with Dayeon?” Dad called out from the kitchen.

I sighed and looked at Dayeon, who was staring at me expectantly.

“Dayeon,” I began.
“Yes?”
“Isn’t playing with Antonio enough?”
“…I want to play with Si-yoon too.”

Dad, overhearing our conversation, chuckled softly from the kitchen.

“Si-yoo-na, why don’t you play with both Antonio and Dayeon?”

Grumbling, I led Dayeon to my room instead of staying in the living room.

“Wow! You have so many dolls!”

Dayeon’s house had plenty of expensive, high-end dolls, but my room was overflowing with rare, limited-edition ones that little girls could only dream of owning. Thanks to Dad’s network as a renowned composer and one of the hearts of JSM, I frequently received these exclusive gifts.

“Do you want this one?” I asked, holding out a doll.
“…Can I really have it?”
“Sure~”

To be honest, I didn’t usually like children, but Dayeon was an exception. Despite being at an age where most kids were self-centered, she wasn’t like that at all.

She felt like living proof that people could be inherently good.

Dayeon stared wide-eyed at a rabbit plush nearly as big as she was, her gaze filled with longing.

“Do you want that one?” I asked.
“…Yes.”

“Dad!!!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the house.

Dad, who had been in the middle of cooking, came running in a hurry.

“You called?”

I pointed at the enormous rabbit plush with my finger.

“Dayeon wants it.”
“Are you sure you don’t need it anymore, Si-yoon?”
“Nope.”
“Alright~ When Dayeon goes home, I’ll carry it over for her.”
“Really?! Yay!!!”

Dayeon’s face lit up with excitement as she hugged the oversized rabbit plush tightly, grinning from ear to ear.

I watched her for a moment before calling out, “Alpha, Beta, come here.”

Hearing my voice, Alpha and Beta strolled leisurely into the room. Dayeon’s eyes sparkled with joy as the two cats approached her, and they seemed to take an immediate liking to her.

“Here,” I said, handing Dayeon a tube of churu cat treat.

“Feed them a little at a time.”
“Okay!”

Meanwhile, the once cherished, ill-fated rabbit plush Antonio had been abandoned on the bed, long forgotten.