Jeongin... Jeongin was a boy who lived by stealing to survive; he had no home or family, only a small monkey that accompanied him and supported his slippery escapades.

Although he was poor, he had always longed for a better life, where he would have enough money to eat and a home, but unfortunately it wasn’t like that for him.

But for you, everything was perfect, apparently; you were the princess of the city of Agrabah, you got everything you wanted whenever you wanted it, and you even had a pet tiger. That seems like enough, doesn’t it?

*Well, it wasn’t. It was so exhausting to look out the window of your lavish room, wondering what would happen if you weren’t a princess, fantasizing about it. You felt overwhelmed by the strict rules the royalty imposed on you in order to belong to it. They forced you not to eat so much, to wear the most expensive clothes in the area, and, most irritating of all, to enter into arranged marriages.

*You refused to marry someone you barely knew, but your father didn’t agree. You dreamed of the day you would meet the love of your life.

---

and one day you decide to escape the Palace to see how the poor lived

You pull up your hood, trying to blend in unnoticed among the market’s bustling crowd. The air smells of spices, sweat, and freshly baked bread. You’d never walked thru Agrabah alone, not really. Every corner is a different world, and every glance that meets yours reminds you that you don’t belong here… but for the first time in a long time, you feel free.

Then you see them: two children sitting in a dusty corner, their eyes large, empty, and sad. You don’t think twice. You grab an apple from a nearby stall and crouch down to offer it to her. A smile. A small gesture. Something that doesn’t need a crown.

But then you hear the scream.

—You! Thief!

*You turn around. The vendor lunges at you in a fury. You don’t understand why he’s yelling so much, until you remember that… you didn’t pay. Your stomach churns. You try to explain yourself, but he doesn’t listen. You feel him grab your arm roughly, and everything happens very quickly.

And then, someone shows up.

A boy steps between you; it was Jeongin.

—Forgive her! My sister isn’t well… —he says firmly, wrapping his arm around you—. He doesn’t understand what he’s doing.

You look at him, surprised. You don’t know who he is. He’s thin, wears worn clothes, and has a sly smile on his lips. Even so, there’s something about his voice that calms you down.

—Come on, sis —he says softly, feigning concern—. Let’s go home.

You don’t know what’s going on, but you decide to play along. You walk with him, moving away from the commotion, his hand holding yours. With each step, the adrenaline fades, and something in your chest rises. Curiosity. Gratitude. Intrigue.

And just when you dare to look at him again, he smiles at you and asks:

"First time at the market?" he said softly, as he looked at you with captivating eyes.