Episode 20: His Arrival At The Palace

The sun finally rises the next day.

Kim Residence…

“SeonHo, wake up now. They’ll be here in an hour.” Ms. Kim was sitting at the edge of his bed while trying to wake him up.

“Oemma, I had this crazy dream! (sitting up) We were escorted to Changdeokgung Palace and we were told that I was the missing Imperial Prince Tae Hoon! Hahahaha!”

“SeonHo, that really happened. Don’t you remember?”

Then, it all came back to him.

“WAAAHHH!!! I’M THE MISSING PRINCE?!”

Then, Mr. Kim hearing him shout immediately went upstairs and into SeonHo’s room.

“What happened?! Are there any reporters there?! What?!”

“No need to worry! Our little Prince here woke up thinking that what happened yesterday was just a dream!”

“SeonHo, no. We should be calling you Tae Hoon from now on. Wait, it’s alright for you if we don’t call you Your Highness right?”

“Ahpah! Oemma! I would rather prefer any of my two names than that!” He stood up and hugged them both.

“I’ll miss you. I’ll really do.”

“SeonHo…” They hugged him back.

Then, they all heard a sound coming from outside.

“Hey what’s that? It sounds like someone is climbing!”

Then, from the window, a knock was heard. When they looked at it, they saw a man with a camera!

“Imperial Prince Tae Hoon! Just one picture please!”

“Yah! Go away!” Mr. Kim quickly went towards the window and covered it with his body. “You two! Go downstairs now!”

Ms. Kim pulled SeonHo and went downstairs along with her. When they got there, they saw one of the Imperial Guards assigned to guard their area.

“Are guys doing your jobs?! How was that photographer able to get on our second floor?! What’s happening outside?!” shouted Ms. Kim.

“We’re so sorry for what happened. We were overwhelmed! It’s just that, we didn’t know that so much of the press and media would be coming in numbers like these! Take a look for yourselves! Your Highness, I advise that you only let your mother to look because it would only make them more persistent in seeing or catching a glimpse of you. All the Imperial Guards assigned here are now blocking all of them in front, at the back, and both sides of your house.”

“I see. Oemma, what now?”

“The photographer’s gone now. Some Imperial Guards were able to bring him down. Son, go do your morning routines, eat your breakfast and then get ready because in an hour, your ride will be here.”

“Araseo.”

After doing all that, he was now ready.

“I never thought this day would come. My dear, we will miss you.” said Ms. Kim as she hugged him.

“Become the Prince who you truly are my son. And also, love them for they are your real family.” Mr. Kim hugged him too and in turn, Tae Hoon huuged them both. “Ahpah, Oemma, thank you. Thank you for everything. Don’t worry! I’ll try and come to see you everyday!”

“There’s no need for that. You must concentrate first in what you should be doing in the Palace. Since you are a Prince, you’ll be educated in the proper etiquette and ways while in the Palace and as a member of the Imperial Family.”

“You must be strong okay?”

“Neh, Ahpah, Oemma…”

“BEEP! BEEP!” Tae Hoon’s ride has now arrived. As his parents or should I say foster parents gave his things to the Imperial Guards which he will be bringing to the Palace. Tae Hoon then went outside. Like the Imperial Guards, he was overwhelmed by the huge crowd of press and the media who were all trying to get some pictures and footage of the Imperial Prince.

“Kim SeonHo! Can we have your reaction when you found out you were the missing Prince?”

“We need to get a lot of pictures!”

“All of you! Get back! GET BACK!” yelled the driver. “Your Highness, please go inside now.”

“Neh, kamsahamnida.” Before he went inside, he looked back towards Mr. and Ms. Kim who were both smiling at him and so he smiled too knowing they are happy for him. He finally went inside, closed the door and after some minutes, they were now on the way to Changdeokgung Palace. They had some bodyguards escorting them on both sides while riding the motorcycle.

“Um, uh, excuse me but, may I know your name?” asked Tae Hoon.

“Of course Your Highness. Just call me Mr. Shin. I am Crown Prince JoonSe’s personal driver and so will be yours too. I was the one who brought you and your foster parents here yesterday.”

“I see! Gomawo Mr. Shin! So um, Mr. Shin, what is it like in the Palace?”

“We’re all like one big family there. The Imperial Family trusts all of us there. When your brother, Crown Prince JoonSe was born, we were all so happy that we actually had a one-week party inside the Palace complex itself! The Imperial Family even came to celebrate with us! Of course, the whole country was rejoicing as well! It was repeated when you were born! Hahaha! I can still remember all of us there having fun! Until, you disappeared and her late Majesty, Empress Haewon, your mother, died. The happiness of the Palace was away. The Emperor, your father who used to smile every day, stopped doing so. He became much more serious because he, along with Princess Che-Rin and Prince Dong Hwan are searching for you.”

“I see. That is sad indeed and while my real family was in deep sadness, I was brought into a family who was experiencing the opposite.”

“Your brother, Crown Prince JoonSe, since he has to grow up without a mother and you, his younger brother, was starting to drift apart from your father. There’s a lot of times he would disobey him but, when it comes to matters concerning about you, it’s like they would be temporarily close with each other and then be apart from one another again. But, now that you have been found and will be returning, it seems though that the happiness the Palace once had is starting to come back! Just this morning, we saw the Emperor smiling AND! He was talking happily with JoonSe! Your Highness, thank you for bringing back the happiness of the Palace. I, in behalf of the other staff of the Palace owe you a lot.”

“Mr. Shin… “

By the way, after HyoEun collapsed last night, JoonSe called for her helpers. He wanted to stay but, HyoEun’s parents said that he should go home to prepare for Tae Hoon’s arrival.

That day was declared by the government a holiday for Imperial Prince Tae Hoon has been found! Celebrations were being planned all over the country! Countries from all over the world are sending congratulatory letters to South Korea. It was a joyous occasion for everyone!

Finally, they have arrived at Changdeokgung Palace. As their car drives toward the main lobby, Imperial Guards were all lined up at both sides and were all saluting once the car passes each and every one of them.

“Wow! This is just unbelievable!”

When their car finally stopped, Tae Hoon got out and saw his father, Emperor Gojo, brother, Crown Prince JoonSe and aunt and uncle, Prince Dong Hwan and Princess Che-Rin all waiting for him.

“Imperial Prince Tae Hoon. My once missing son, Welcome to your TRUE HOME…”