레드벨벳 평행 우주

11화. 그녀의 내면의 아름다움

Seulgi woke up to an excruciatingly painful headache. She groans as she opens her eyes.

Irene

You're awake?

Irene lifts Seulgi's head and stands up.

She couldn't believe she actually let Seulgi rest on her shoulders and so she attempts to leave.

But Seulgi wouldn't let her. She grabbed Irene's hands right away.

Seulgi

Don't go...

Irene

You dared to sleep on my shoulders, and now you're giving me orders?

Seulgi

N-no. I... Please don't leave me here alone.

Irene looks at her in disbelief.

Irene

You think please will do the trick?

Seulgi

Please... M-my most painful memories are flashing before my eyes. It's giving me this excruciating pain in my head...

Irene heaves a deep sigh, left with no choice but to stay.

As she sits back down, Seulgi lets herself lay down the floor, using Irene's leg as her pillow.

Irene

What are you doing?

Seulgi

I should look like a servant at least. That way you won't feel inferior.

Irene couldn't answer.

She never experienced being treated like that before. Her feelings were never considered that way...

Seulgi rested for a long while, leaning on Irene.

Seulgi

Ju Hyun...

She unconsciously whispers things that are going through her mind.

And Irene can no longer hold her curiosity back.

Irene

Who exactly is that Ju Hyun that you keep on mentioning from the start?

Regardless of the pain she's taking, Seulgi comes back to her senses.

Seulgi

Ju Hyun? She's... like my only friend.

Irene

You have the audacity to complain about me having no friends, but you only have one? Hah!

Seulgi

You're right... Why did I even do that when we're pretty much the same.

Irene

Same? A queen and a servant?

Seulgi laughs at the thought.

Seulgi

No. Not in that sense of course...

Seulgi

You see... from where I came from, I was also an outcast.

Seulgi

I was always alone. I lost my parents at a young age. And... life kept on playing me.

Seulgi

But, Ju Hyun... she was the only one who took me in. Willingly.

Irene

Fine stop. This is getting too mushy for me.

Seulgi

Wahh, you're really Ju Hyun's exact opposite.

Seulgi

Although you do have one trait that's similar.

Irene

Being gorgeous?

Seulgi couldn't help it but smile at Irene's silly ideas.

Seulgi

Well, that is a given. I just said you look exactly the same. Of course she's gorgeous as well. But that's not it...

Irene

What then?

Seulgi

Mmm, being kind... You're both kind.

Irene

You must have been really hurt in the head... It was just yesterday when you bad-mouthed me in front of other servants.

Seulgi

Y-you were there?

Irene

Irene's face turned grim. It was supposed to be a sarcastic joke but Seulgi just acknowledged it to be true.

She hits Seulgi in the head.

Irene

You really did that?!

Seulgi

Aw! Hey, I'm sorry okay?

Irene

Hey?!

Seulgi

Your highness... I'm sorry, your highness.

From outside, Joy kept her eyes on them.

She was still against the idea of the queen being attached with people who are practically strangers.