Excerpts From the Offical History Book

of the Kingdom 

ruled by the kings 

Kim Kibum & Kim Jonghyun

The following passages are recorded by the late Kim Sanggyun and the current recorder Lee Sungjong. The current recorder has gathered together both his and his previous mentor's recordings of the kingdom's history in this script.  

All events are recorded from the information the recorder can gather with his extremely limited sources, due to the gracious kings refusing to expand in detail the events of the kidnapping of the most glorious kings, twenty-two years prior to this event of gathering together this rather random and pointless collection of events.

All mistakes and omissions in the following script is not the faults in the recorder, but simply the faults in, and to, his limited sources. 

KYG.... 32 yrs

-Kim Sanggyun

Last night, as the moon hide behind the clouds, a lone rider on horseback rode up to the gate. Even from my position across the grounds, I could hear the shouts of the men and the horseback-rider as words were shouted and the gate opened. I waited up, but when nothing followed the horse's hooves, I fell asleep again. It was the next morning, though, when the true reason for the man to come knocking on our gates; Choi Minho. 

Choi Minho was the Lord Siwon's son, and the heir to the Lord's estate, village, and quite a large section of the countryside that expands in all directions. He was the only son in the family, but it was age, not gender, that determined he would be heir. The decision was made at birth, as it is traditionally. But now I, and the castle, wonders if perhaps we should begin to change this tradition, for some of these heirs may have dark hearts. 

And Choi Minho's heart is dark, indeed, from what this breathless rider, by the name of Yu Barom, has told us. It is that of just after dusk that Choi Minho snuck into his father's bedroom with a knife. The lovely Lady was not in the kingdom, and so the king was alone, sleeping, the perfect victim for Choi Minho's twisted, power-hungry mind. Perhaps, as Barom tells, Minho had gained wind of his father's intention of requesting an official edit of the heir, to place the manor in his eldest sister's care and heiritage. Of perhaps Minho was just tired of waiting. 

The son was leaning over his father, with a knife to his throat, but he had not made a mark, when suddenly, mercifully, the good soldier and close friend of Choi Siwon appeared, to only check that the king's windows were open. The soldier, by the name of Jaebum, struck Minho on the throat and thigh as the tall son tried to fight back, but he soon fled. No word has arrived, and it seems the treacherous son has disappeared without a trance. 

It is the wish of the king that I enter in this book a description of this man. He is said to be tall, with dark eyes. It is inferred that he has a scar on his neck and slicing up his left thigh, and it was said by the stunned residents in the manor that he had this dark cloud around him, seemingly carrying with him this untouchable charisma. 

If you have seen or heard of this man, please report to the messagers. It may save a child's life, and it may save a kingdom.

KYG.... 41 yrs

-Lee Sungjong

It is with great sadness that I give you this news; that Kim Sanggyun died, late last night. The doctor said that it was of old age, and the 86-year-old man passed away in his sleep, the most painless deat known. I, his apprentice, has been given this duty, and I promise to be faithful to our history, and also the memory of the kind Sanggyun. His name will forever be imprinted in these pages, and I know that's where he would want his mark on the world to be, because this was his greatest passion. 

And so I, only 17 years old, is now the new recorder. I hope that I grow to be the man that my mentor was, and if I am only half of what he was when I die, I'll consider that a life well led. 

I ask of the reader, who may be reading this an hour after I write this, or 50 years, to take a second, just a second, to remember this man. Maybe you didn't know him, and don't have anything to remember. But you do; in these pages. Look back, on his words, and see him, for he poured his heart and his soul into these papers. 

KYG.... 44 yrs

-Lee Sungjong

And yet another tragedy strikes through the heart of the city.

Or maybe the neck would be more accurate, because without the king, the city'll be like a headless chicken, and who knows what'll happen with the prince sitting on that throne.

And it is, after all, the king's neck that was found with a knife.

A murder, a murder of a king, no less. Nothing like this has been seen for a century, and no one saw it coming. 

An intruder was seen in the palace that night, and he is reported to be an extremely good fighter, so that even the king's guard couldn't stop him. The palace, the city, the kingdom, are in shock. Mourning for the great king is matched, too, to find this man that killed the king. 

Kim Jonghyun's crowning date has not yet been announced, but the prince is as shocked as anyone, maybe more. The prince, who will soon become a king.

KKB.... 4 days

-Kim Sungjong

The kings are gone. Jonghyun is gone. Kibum, who no one really knows of, is gone. 

And suddenly they're back, Kibum with a truckload of extremely good fighters right behind him and both of them beat up as they stumble into the palace. But they say nothing.

So what am I supposed to write? 

They went for a stroll in the woods. Met some bears, beat them up. Gained the respect of people across the kingdom and beyond for fighting bears and winning. These people decided to come to the palace, in packs, at night, so no one knows they're here except for us. They decide they all want to train. Then, more people four the kings had fought bears and won! They want to train too. And then they all disappear. Except for Mark, Xuimin, Zelo, and the new palace guards.

There. 

A little improv on my part.  

KKB.... 2 mths

-Kim Sungjong

A man by the name of Mark Tuan has taken the reins of the kingdom's secret service force. (Since this is classified information, this recording of history will only be recorded in the official book. Although it is apparently not so classfied, because I know of it and I'm usually the last to know even though I should technically be the first) 

I've met him before, and so I shall feel inclined to piece apart this man and predict what this will mean for the kingdom. 

Mark, at first sight, seems very quiet. He's more of the observer, but he excels at observing, so I find no fault in that. It would be a fault if he was a listener not a talker, but he didn't actually listen and instead think about what he wants to eat. 

 He does have good ideas, though, when he shares them, and he's willing to consider other's opinions and ideas. He's a very steady person, and makes this clear distinction between work life and personal life that I like. What happens with him isn't something to take out on his assassins and spies, and he knows that. He knows to keep the lives separate, and that's important.

One fault, I would dare to say, is that maybe he's too quiet, and too reserved. Hopefully his workers won't see that as him not trying to connect with them, because trust is extremely important in his line of work, as well as knowing the other's every step before they take them. If he doesn't open up to people, he may be weak in the field, and he may be weak working from afar in the palace. 

Also, Key has mentioned Mark's withdrawness as a negative, mostly because he'll be the source of and the cause of no gossip whatsoever, and I would conpletely agree with that if I wasn't being so professional here. 

In conclusion, may the kingdom's spies be in Mark's steady hands. Steady is exactly what we need now, and I'm not complaining. He has my blessing.

KKB.... 2 mths

-Kim Sungjong

Now, this is one of King Kibum's decisions that I just have to question. 

Kim Xuimin is now the head of the army. 

I'm not questioning how talented he is, or how well he can slap that pitiful group of recruits together, or how big he can make his cheeks, I'm questioning who he is. 

I know Mark is from the west, and he was head of something there, and I can except that admittedly flawed excuse of an answer. But Xuimin just appeared out of nowhere. Nowhere. 

Am I not allowed to be suspicious? 

Besides that, I would approve him. He looks like he has the guts to go into battle, the lungs to scream at the lazy ones, and the brain to at least give the enemy a decent fight.

He's loyal, and the brightest side I see to him, is that he didn't want it. He didn't want to be in charge of the army, but everyone knows no one says no to Key.  

So let's see what he can do. Let's see what he does. Maybe he'll be the best thing that ever happened to the kingdom. Maybe he'll be the worst. 

But sometimes, you just gotta hope. You gotta throw out a prayer and take the leap, and just hope you reach the other side.

KKB.... 3 yrs

-Kim Sungjong

Finally! It's a day for all of the kingdom to dance, for the 9 month war is finally won, and we are finally free. The kingdom to the east has lowered their weapons and surrendered to Xuimin's army, and we can finally sleep the night. 

The war has taken an enormous toll on our economics, our people, our army, our rulers, but hopefully Xuimin, Key, and Mark can negotiate out terms with the defeated, and gain back some of what we spent and lost. But our people's pride has never been lost, our faith has never wavered, and we are victors! 

So let yourself smile, let yourself laugh, left yourself feel the claws of war finally loosen. The kings, who have taken most of the burden of this war, may come down to the festivals after the negotiating is finally done! Your brothers and sisters and husbands and wives and sons and daughters are coming! We are here, we are joyous, we are alive! 

And may I add another piece of news to this great day; more of a rumor really, although from my lengthy experience, rumors are, 50% of the time, right. And rumors of Xuimin kissing the captain Chen after the battle, especially from the mouthes of my amazingly still alive brother, and then the king Kibum, are very true.

And I'll go out on a limb, with this new piece of knowledge, that the rumor of the marriage between the army's head and the captain may not be rumor after all.

KKB.... 4 yrs

-Kim Sungjong

The brother of king Kibum, Taemin, has come home after his first successful mission. He went, accompanied by the messagers and fighters Kangjun and T.K, to far in the south, across the Graeta's ocean, to negotiate the first trade with the queendom. 

The boy is growing up well, and he's accepted this newfound position in the world with grace. He works hard, he laughs hard, and there is never a better combination in a person than that.

KKB.... 5 yrs

-Kim Sungjong

And so the heirs are born! 

Not exactly born, more like adopted. But adopted by the kings all the same, and the kingdom is rejoicing with the two. The twin brothers, Daeryong and Soryong, of two years of age, were homeless, and then they found this home; my home, our home. The palace. 

They're both extremely adorable, and both the kings have never looked so happy. They deserve this. They deserve this happiness, and I wish the brothers well. I wish the new family well, and I know the brothers will be fine men. 

May you not live with your eyes open, ears open, and mind open. 

KKB.... 5 yrs

-Kim Sungjong

And again we find ourselves here. Mark, with the help of his network of spies and other killer machines, have managed to root out a organization of trailers in our midst, working to overthrow first Xuimin, who has become quite the figurehead of power and bravery in the kingdom, and then the kings themselves. 

The man began to infiltrate this organization, slowly, with spies of his own. At the same time, he was working to capture and question members of the organization, without others knowing. Slowly, he dug out the leader, the main central of power, and yet he waited. He knew most of everyone that had turned against the kings or who were never with the kings in the first place, and yet he waited. 

Finally, they made their move, and Mark was ready. I don't know the exact details, because, again, I'm literally the most uninformed person in the palace, but I know he and another assassin, Jackson, managed to defeat the traitors by themselves, facing what was close to 20 people alone. 

So, the palace and the kingdom are safe again, and Mark has, once again, proved himself worthy. 

Mark has not, though, proved the rumors that him and Jackson are dating, not even to Key. 

And so this pointless thing ends. 

Did you like it? 

It took a long time, on my part, and I need to go down to the city in a couple minutes. 

But I've one more point. 

I've been with you guys a long time. I've seen a lot, I've heard a lot, and I've written a lot. But you, the kings, and Xuimin, and Mark, never fail to amaze me. You change the world; I just write it down. So I'd like to thank you. Key and Jonghyun, you should be proud. Daeryong and Soryong grew up to be amazing people, and you couldn't have taught them better. Mark, you've done heroic things and you've saved us, and you're just a person. Just a person, yet you've made all this difference. Xuimin, I shouldn't have doubted you. That's all I can say. 

You asked me to dedicate this to someone, even though I really have no idea why, so here goes. 

I dedicate this to Kim Kibum, for being wise and being strong and being my friend through all those hard times. You tookthis  kingdom, and you made something beautiful, something you can point to, and say, "I did that. I made that possible. I made all this possible." And you did. May your name be printed on the palace forever, because you truly deserve to leave a legacy. But maybe you alread have.

I dedicate this to Kim Jonghyun. Sure, you may have started out as a brat, but you changed, and for the better. Look at you, all grown up. Look at you, leading these people with an expert hand. Look at what you've done. Look around Jonghyun, and be proud, because you but this city. It was falling down, but you never gave up, and look. Look at what you've accomplished, and look at who you are now, and be proud. 

I dedicate this to our army. The general, the captains, and the ordinary people. You all have such bravery, you all have such strength, and we, as a kingdom, owe our lives to you. 

I dedicate this is Xuimin and Mark, our literal saviors. I shouldn't have had a second of doubt, and I know it was hard. I saw the doubt others had for you, and I know they acted on it. I don't think I could have stood tall through that, but you proved them wrong. You both proved them all wrong. May you live your lives the same as you had we living them before. 

I dedicate this to Km Sanggyun, my mentor, for giving me the tools and the knowledge to live wisely, and to live carefully, and to live beautifully. 

Finally, I dedicate this to you, reader. Here are just short passages, and in no way to the sum up what these amazing people have done, but they've shown you a little piece. I hope you come away from this with something. This whole story, in folding in front of your eyes. Zelo told the beginning, and I have just wrote the end, but I hope you have learnt something. I hope you have. And if you haven't, I hope you at least enjoyed this little story. 

~Lee Sungjong, Recorder