Episode 32: The Discovery Of The Journal

It was about an hour when the group finally arrived at the Kang Residence. Mr. and Mrs. Kang, Mr. Kwon, Ms. Song and Prime Minister Jin all welcomed the group.

“Your Majesty! Your Highnesses! Are you all alright?!” asked Mr. Kwon.

“Yes we are! Don’t worry too much Mr. Kwon!” said Tae Hoon.

“Everyone, please get inside now! We might be in danger here if we stay here outside for too long.” said Mr. Kang.

When they got inside…

“So it’s true then huh? Prince Dong Hwan has intiated a coup’d etat. This is bad, really bad!” said Prime Minister Jin.

“But wait! What about you Prime Minister Jin?! He said he’s going to replace you!” said JoonSe.

“Yes I know that. When Princess Che-Rin sent me here instead staright into the Palace, she told me all about it. I have tried contacting my ministry but, it’s like they’re all blocked! For instance, 15 minutes ago, I was supposed to receive a call from the Foreign Minister but, it didn’t happen! I even tried using Mr. and Mrs. Kang’s phone and telephone but it was no use as well!”

“What the heck is going on here then?!” said Sun Joon.

“This is just bad then! If Prince Dong Hwan successfully makes that man, Mr. Choi as Prime Minister then what would happen is that we will return to being an absolute monarchy! Yeah sure we have a Prime Minister but, he’s being controlled by the monarch himself!” exclaimed Ms. Jang.

“What are we going to do then?!” asked SongHyun.

“Well, for one thing, you’re all not safe here in the mainland. How about we go to Jeju and you guys stay there in our tea farm? Your Majesty, would you like that?” suggested Mr. Kang.

“I have no choice then. Dong Hwan has taken the throne from me and I can’t do anything about it. If I die then what will happen to my sons then? I can’t choose power over family.”

“Then it’s settled! To Jeju Island it is!” said Mrs. Kang.

“But wait! Won’t Tae Hoon and JoonSe’s friends be in danger too?” said Mr. Kim to which HyoEun thought of something.

That evening at the Kang Family Villa at Jeju Island…

“So let me ge this straight. First, His Majesty, Emperor Gojo has been forced from his throne by Prince Dong Hwan who is now our new Emperor; second, he’s planning to appoint a new Prime Minister from one of his men thereby making Prince Dong Hwan absolute ruler of this country and finally, we’re all here at HyoEun’s family villa because we’ll all be in danger if we stayed at the mainland. WOAH!” exclaimed Mu-Ryong.

Apparently, HyoEun called for all of their friends and their families to come to Jeju… well sort of… What really happened was that after she called, they were all fetched by guards of the Kang Family and was brought to Jeju.

“Well, that’s the gist of it!” said Tae Hoon.

“And we can’t do anything about it!” said SongHyun.

“Aigoo! SongHyun, what did you do?” asked Dong Wook.

“I didn’t do anything! What kind of Oppa are you?!”

“What now then?” asked Hae-young.

“We have no choice but to stay here for the time being for our own safety as well as to try to figure out a way on how to stop our uncle’s plans!” said JoonSe.

Tae Hoon then steps out into the terrace and before him was a beautiful tea farm! The others then joined him as well.

“Hey HyoEun, is this the tea farm where that man from the other day in the news was killed?” asked HyeJung.

“Well, yeah, apparently. He was the farm’s guardian. I’ve met him actually quite a few times and I noticed he was such a hard worker. His other companions were really proud of him.”

“Is that his house over there?” asked Seung Ryong who pinted at a little house.

“Yeah, why?”

“Let’s check it out!”

“Mwo? I’m not sure if we can do that.”

“Oh come on now! We’ll only be there for a while!” said Min Young.

“I suppose so… Araseo!”

They all trooped out of the villa and headed for Mr. Im’s now abandoned house. When they got there, they saw that the windows were all shattered and the door was wide open. Also, the “No Crossing” police line was taped all over the door.

“Well, let’s go in!” It was Seung Ryong who led the group inside. Once inside the house itself, they all separated and headed to different sections of the house. They were all in pairs or in groups of three: Tae Hoon and SongHyun; HyeMi, Mu-Ryong and Hae-young; Sun Joon, Seung Ryong and Dong Wook; Jeong Hoon and HyeJung; Min Young and HyeRi and lastly, JoonSe and HyoEun.

Tae Hoon and SongHyun was the pair who reached the kitchen first because SongHyun said she has to wash her hands. When she opened the faucet, there was no water coming out.

“Hmm, the water line to this house must have been cut off.” said Tae Hoon.

SongHyun and Tae Hoon then notice that the cupboard (the area under the sink) has a keyhole on its door.

“That’s a peculiar cupboard. It has a keyhole on it.” said SongHyun.

“But, why would someone have it placed right there? It is peculiar.” said Tae Hoon.

“Well, since we don’t have any key, let’s go back to the others then.”

After just a few minutes of searching the house, they all went outside.

“Well, that was boring!” exclaimed HyoEun.

“Did anyone find something interesting?” asked JoonSe to which no one replied except for SongHyun and Tae Hoon.

“Oh! What did you find dong-saengs?”

“Well, we were in the kitchen and we saw that the cupboard underneath the sink has a keyhole on it. That’s not normal for most cupboards right?” said SongHyun.

“Yeah that is weird… said JoonSe but then, they got spotted by Director Ryu!

“Yah! What are you all doing inside that house!... Oh! Your Highnesses! Forgive me for raising your voice…”

“It’s okay Director Ryu! Well, we should be apologizing! We just did some small exploring of the house that’s all.” said JoonSe.

“I see. Well, for your Highnesses and your friends’ safety, let’s all go back to the villa.”

As the group arrived back at the villa, Tae Hoon, JoonSe and SongHyun were at the back of the line with Director Ryu behind them. The three was still talking about the keyhole on the cupboard so they asked Director Ryu about it.

“M-MWO?! Are you telling me that you saw a keyhole on the cupboard in the kitchen of that house?!”

“Yes! That’s what we just told you!” said SongHyun.

“So that’s what that key is for!” he exclaimed.

“Key? What key?” asked Sun Joon who overheard the director’s words.

“Everyone! Get inside! Quickly!”

A few minutes later, Tae Hoon, JoonSe, their friends, Emperor Gojo (well he is the lawful one right?),Prime Minister Jin, Ms. Jang, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, Mr. and Mrs. Kang and Commander Im  was all gathered by Director Ryu at the living room.

“Director Ryu, why did you gather us here?” asked Emperor Gojo.

“Your Majesty, do you remember about the key that we discussed to you before we fled here?”

“Yes and if I’m not mistaken, it’s with you right Prime Minister Jin?”

“Ah yes! (gets it from his pocket) This one!”

“Yes! That’s the one! You see, the Crown Prince and Imperial Prince as well as their friends have just recently returned from the house of Mr. Im and…”

“What?! JoonSe! Tae Hoon! What were you all doing there?!” asked the Emperor.

“Mianhaeyo Ahpah! We just did a little exploring…” said Tae Hoon.

“Your Majesty, I know you have every right to get mad at them but! Their little exploration turned out to be productive! Prince Tae Hoon here and his girlfriend…”

“HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!”

“SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFREND!” shouted both Tae Hoon and SongHyun at the same time to which everyone looked at them! They were both speechless and they both blushed!

“Hahaha! Director Ryu, they’re just best friends!” said JoonSe.

“Um, Mianhamnida you two… Sorry for that… You two just looked so good together! Hahaha!... ehem! Anyway! Let me rephrase what I have just said! Prince Tae Hoon and his bestfriend SongHyun both discovered a mysterious keyhole on the cupboard of the kitchen sink at Mr. Im’s house!”

“I think I know what you’re thinking Director! Let’s try it then!” said Ms. Jang.

Later, everyone was at Mr. Im’s house. With the key, Director Ryu carefully inserted it onside the keyhole, turned it and, it opened! As he slowly opened the cupboard’s door, they discovered the journal of Mr. Im which he he hid on the night he was murdered! They immediately took the journal with them back to the villa. It was Mrs. Kim who read the journal’s contents for everyone. They were all stunned at what the jounal’s secrets were!

It detailed how Mr. Im brought baby Tae Hoon to the Kims and then, his subsequent hiding from his former boss. But, what stunned the Emperor, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, Tae Hoon and JoonSe was that Mr. Im apparently knows that his former boss was Prince Dong Hwan!

It said: “I have decided to not tell my good friends, the Kims the identity of my boss for if it got out, not only would they be in danger but, the whole country might go back to turmoil. Baby Tae Hoon, I hope you get raised well…”

The journal also revealed how he found out the identity of his boss.

On an earlier page: “I really can’t believe that our boss is His Royal Highness Prince Dong Hwan! What is he thinking?! Killing the Emperor and Empress and then making sure that their sons, JoonSe and Tae Hoon gets separated and be brought to another country?! Why did I even think about working here?! …”

“I… I can’t believe it!” exclaimed the Emperor.