Youngmin stepped out of the car to attend to a gala for him: tonight was the eve of his coronation as the crown Prince of the North Kingdom. He was dressed in his royal clothes, sparkling gold embroidered in his majestic red ch’eollik, a smile on his pretty face and a bright lights on his wide eyes.

He was the picture of happiness and perfection; every girl and boy wanted to marry him, others wanted to be like him. But they all can’t and won’t be able to do so.

Youngmin was greeted by a boy and was welcomed to the hall where lights and sounds playfully filled every corner of the room.

“hyung! You look handsome!”

His twin brother had welcomed him, not bothering to bow down at the prince, since he’ll be crowned tomorrow as well, but as the prince of the South Kingdom.

“Regarding me as your mirror?”

Youngmin asked with a smug expression and Kwangmin nodded; since they are twins, Kwangmin had already gotten used to complimenting his brother just so he can indirectly compliment himself.

“It’s unfair that you got the South Kingdom while I got the North Kingdom, It’s practically poor and useless!”

Youngmin uttered, soft like a whisper but loud enough for his brother to hear as they move their way across the room, the people parting to give them way.

“Hyung, North is rich in untapped resources! They can build nuclear bombs if they want to! You just need to focus your attention on the good side of North. South is rich financially but it lacks things that only North Kingdom possesses.”

Kwangmin answered back.

“and what is that?”

Youngmin inquired which made Kwangmin smile.

“It’s people! Before the unification, the communist North had been loyal and obedient to their supreme leader. Now that you are their leader, you’ll have their trust, loyalty and obedience, but you have to prove yourself first!”

Kwangmin uttered in a matter-of-factly tone which irritated the heck out of Youngmin. He hates it when Kwangmin makes sense.

“But South has good people as well..”

Youngmin muttered and Kwangmin gave him an exasperated look.

“Hyung! The South is teeming with gang lords that I must trample! And we both know that when it comes to fights, I am better!” Kwangmin responded and Youngmin heavily sighed, his brother is right with that point but hey, he can be tough as well, if the need arises. Youngmin doesn’t have anything against the North Kingdom, it’s just that he preferred the South where he grew up; The North has been living in a communistic regime for so long that progress was hindered. Youngmin knew from all the lectures given to them that rebuilding the North to where the South is right now would take years, and perhaps, he’ll be dead first before North could reach even half of South’s economic status.

Working hard isn’t the question here, Youngmin is a dedicated royal and not just a pretty face; what he disliked is the comparison between the twins. Youngmin disliked losing, earning him the competitive fierceness that can’t be easily put down. And both them ruling the newly unified North and South Kingdoms would lead to more comparison, and having a developed kingdom like the South would be an advantage over the deprived North; this bothered Youngmin.

“Hyung, It’ll be ok.. there’s no competition between us right?! Let’s just prove our worth as crown prince and show dad that we can effectively rule our kingdoms and lead our people to prosperity!”

Kwangmin muttered, knowing fully what was bothering his twin; they are twins for God’s sake and they have this invisible connection to each other.

Kwangmin wasn’t as competitive as his older twin but when it comes to dedication and passion for work, it’s not a questionable matter. He is as serious as his brother is when it comes to work and he believes that being royalty doesn’t just mean smiling and waving before the people but serving the people who are loyal and obedient to them.

Kwangmin is the aggressive twin and had led a battalion during a previous attempted rebellion of the remaining communists of North and the vigilant gangs of South, and he was a mere 16 year old prince. Youngmin wasn’t the type to go and lead an army but was known as the great mind of the Kingdom. He was the strategist and his plan of action combined with Kwangmin’s effective leadership had led to a victorious and peaceful end to the attempt.

Both had earned great respect and solidified their statures as future leaders of Korea, and they were destined to acknowledge their responsibility as Crown Prince as they turn 18; young but agile, they were the hope of the unified Korea.

--..—

Korea as the World knows it.

The history books would tell of the demarcation line that divided Korea into North and South. It was true until the late Jo YoungKwang had gained the thrown of the South Kingdom. He lived up to his name as he did his very best to unite the 2 warring kingdoms. He moved the palace from central Seoul to the Middle state where he built the Korean Central Palace. Right at the heart of the then demarcation line, the central palace covered Panmunjum, where the previous border was located, and extended to both villages Daeseong-dong from the South kingdom, and Kijong Dong from the North Kingdom. The twin princes’ grandfather wasn’t able to completely unify the country during his reign but his son and current King Jo Changmin continued to pursue their people’s dream of unification and finally succeeded today, as the 2 princes took stand before the people of North and South, bowing as the ceremonial crowns and sashes were handed.

A bright smile appeared on everyone’s face as the previous flags from both warring kingdoms were hoisted down and was replaced by a unified flag of Korea; this was a piece of history and the whole world rejoiced with them.

The idea was to balance the two kingdoms and bring back the prestige of both before one sole ruler was crowned as the ultimate king of the unified Korea. It has been discussed and planned out; the youngest son Hyunmin would be the sole ruler while the twins would still be the designated princes of the north and South kingdom.

It was discussed long after the three were born and their futures laid out for them. The three had been trained for this day and while the twins were out to do the dirty work, Hyunmin was with his father to help in balancing the government and to give support to either kingdoms that needed them.

The central state, or the accumulated provinces of Panmunjum, Daesong-do and Kijong-do are all under the current King Changmin and will later be controlled by Hyunmin while the rest of the North and South kingdoms are all under the care of their respective princes.

It doesn’t sound like a unified country since the division is still evident but the control of the kingdoms are now under one family which meant that control and policies would be the same for both kingdoms