“Well what do we have here?” Donggun grinned that kind of grin sly or cunning people make. He pressed a button and the television screen went black. He then pressed eject and out came a compact disc.

“This is beautiful,” he said as he wrote, ‘Eric moves on someone forbidden territory’ and went to put the disc in a small plastic sleeve.
“Donggun-sshi,” a servant knocked at the door, “the staff are about to send their records to the king for an evaluation. Do you have yours ready?” Donggun eyed the disc in his hands.

“One moment,” he got up from his desk with a booklet that was assumed to be the report as well as the disc. He handed them to him.

“Tell him I recorded something for him to watch for entertainment later,” the servant nodded before leaving. Donggun went back to his desk just as his glamorous wife strolled in with her white playsuit with the buttons undone at the chest.

“The boys are in bed except for those who are out clubbing, want to come to bed early?” Donggun made a tiger growl.

“Why don’t you slip into that little leopard print thing I bought you the other week?”

“Good idea darling,” Hyori winked, “see you in the bed.” She went off and Donggun stretched his arms and then left his office closing the doors behind him.

***

“Your majesty, these are the reports for the day,” the servant bowed to Youngmin as he handed the pile of paperwork. Youngmin flicked through them and placed three of them on the desk beside him.

“Thank you,” he said with gratitude as the servant left. Hwang looked at the disc, perplexed by what Donggun had printed on the front neatly. He didn’t have to see a name to recognize Donggun’s writing style. He put it by his large plasma 3D screen (LMAO) television and read through them. He then stopped, went through the piles. He frowned as he went to the front door and called over the next servant that went past.

“Excuse me, but did Eric-sshi submit his week’s records?” The servant paused to think.

“Well he should have, his office was one of the first places we went to.” Youngmin nodded.

“Do you know if he’s still in his office?” The servant shook his head.

“I don’t know your highness, maybe get it from him in the morning.”

“Alright thank you,” Youngmin turned and went back to his quarters. An hour later he had read the records and was onto the second pile. He yawned and decided to go to sleep. In the morning he finished reading the records and writing feedback and recommendations for the staff. He remembered the disc by the television screen and decided to play it in the background while he got dressed to do some boxing practice. The screen changed as he went to his wardrobe.

“You seemed scared Eric-sshi,” Youngmin froze; he turned to the television screen which was in color. The voice sounded familiar.

“I can’t let anyone know what I’m doing,” his ears pricked up and he peered closer seeing someone that sounded and looked like his assistant.

“Eric-sshi…” That voice was someone he knew but he didn’t remember who.

“This is breaking the rules,” Eric began, “but I don’t feel right so I’m scrapping the rules just for tonight.” His eyebrows went up in question.

“I’m sorry Eric-sshi but I don’t understand why you have to be paranoid.”

“Withdraw from the competition. Leave and make the number ninety nine.” Youngmin found himself on the edge of his bed.

“What? Why do you want me to withdraw?”

“Didn’t I just make it clear to you why?”

“No Eric-sshi, you haven’t told me why.”

“Because… It’s because I don’t want you to go out with him at all!” The female gasped. “You are number seventy four Kang Eunsun! Why be such a number and just become number one… My number one…” Shock hit Youngmin square on making him clench his fists, he was shaking.

“Eric-sshi,” The next thing Youngmin knew he had dropped his mobile phone onto the floor, his face focused on what seemed to be something that was driving a knife through his back.

“Eric-sshi I…What have you done?!”

“I shouldn’t have,” Eric said on the tap, “but I wanted to so badly.” His “I was happy when I heard what happened with you and Youngmin-ee but I also felt bad because of how strongly he feels about you...” Youngmin rose from his seat, pressing stop on the player, ejecting the disc and going out of his quarters.

***

He went to Eric’s office opening the doors wide open. Eric almost lost balance from resting his feet on the edge with him leaning back in his chair. Youngmin slammed the disc hard against the desk in its sleeve. Eric looked at it, frowned and looked at his boss.

“What is that?”

“Were you aware that you have a camera in your office?” Eric sat upright and swore.

“What? But who would--?!”

“That is not important!” Youngmin snapped, “I just want to know why!”

“Why I did what?”

“Drove a knife into my back,” it took a moment for him to realize that Youngmin was figuratively speaking.

“What makes you think that I was--?”

“What else can I call it?!” Youngmin demanded, “I thought I made it clear!”

“Made what clear?”

“That you are not to favor any of the women over the others!” Eric gaped.

“I have not Youngmin-ee!”

“So instead you go and profess your love instead?!” Eric let out a breath. Youngmin shook his head, “I just don’t understand why Eric-sshi—When you knew how I felt about her.”

“It isn’t fair,” Eric began, “she is more than halfway down the list of prospective women yet she is the woman who you seem to like most at the moment.” He ran a hand through his hair, “I didn’t tell you how I felt because I knew how you felt, but then when she turned you down I figured why not have a try at least?” He shrugged as he said this last part. Youngmin pushed the plant pot that sat on Eric’s desk onto the floor with one sweep of his hand. The terracotta shattered into large pieces, the soil sitting on the coils of the carpet while the plant lay pathetic. Eric watched his master who looked like a silent volcano ready to blow.

“Give me one good reason not to fire you,” Youngmin stated as he stormed out his anger terrifying the servants who watched him leave. Eric slumped in the desk his face in his arms.

***

Eunsun was sitting in her suite with Hara and Seungyeon teaching them about flowers that could be made into corsets from a book. Nicole and Gyuri came in with their faces stunned.

“Wow you both seemed shocked,” Hara suggested.

“The king just blew up in front of a waiter,” Nicole said almost a little too straightforward.

“What?” Eunsun ended up putting the book down.

“Why would he do that?” Seungyeon asked them.

“We don’t know,” Gyuri shrugged, “rumor has it he discovered something that started it all and then it just built up until the waiter dropping his coffee was the last straw.”

“Wow it must have been pretty controversial then,” Seungyeon admitted.

“Do you know what it was?”

“One of the servants overheard Eric and he having a conversation,” Gyuri continued, “said that Eric-sshi appeared to have betrayed him some way.” Everyone but Eunsun gasped.

“OMG that is big news!” The girls looked to Jiyoung who had come out from the bathroom, “what could Eric have possibly done to make the king hate him so much?”

“Whatever it was must have happened this morning, seeing as that’s when his majesty visited Eric-sshi…” Gyuri was trying to remember something else, “God I know what it is! He found out Eric likes the woman he loves!” This time it was Eunsun who gasped.

“Unnie…” Nicole started hesitant, “is there something you should tell us?”

“Maybe we should get out that box of cookies HoDong bought us the other day; I think we’ll need it.” Eunsun said as Hara went to the kitchen.

***

“So what happened?” Jiyoung asked as they all nibbled their cookies.

“Eric-sshi,” Eunsun’s face burned from the shame, “He…He kissed me.”

“No way,” one of her maids gasped as the others looked at each other, “he seriously did?” Eunsun nodded.

“But I pushed him away,” she admitted.

“That is good,” there were choruses of this.

“Yeah but still,” Seungyeon said, “that was pretty low of him to do that seeing as you don’t feel that way towards him… Omo do you unnie?” Eunsun shook her head.

“No I never felt that towards him.”

“Oh ok.”

“But how would his majesty know that it even happened?”

“Oh I forgot to mention,” Gyuri interrupted, “they found a hidden camera in Eric’s room.”

“Oh the drama of this it’s so controversial.”

“Where was it?” Eunsun asked becoming dry.

“They found it in Eric’s grandfather clock in the face where the twelve sits.”

“This is terrible,” Eunsun buried her face in her hands, “I’ve ruined their friendship just by being here.”

“No you haven’t unnie, you can’t be responsible for others feelings towards you,” Jiyoung put her arms around Eunsun while Nicole reassured her with words, “this can be fixed, it will just take time.” Eunsun lifted her head up.

“You’re right, I will pray about it.” She gaped as she let it slip.

“Oh please…Please don’t tell anyone about what I said just then.”

“It’s ok,” Nicole smiled, “I actually believe that too,” Jiyoung and Seungyeon nodded with her.

“Oh wow that’s great.”

“Me and unnie don’t believe,” Hara spoke up, “but we will pray for you too because it seems right.” Eunsun smiled at her maids.

Aww this was sweet except for Youngmin and Eric man I feel bad for them both. I don’t think I will make Eric leave though it seems logical. Hmm maybe he can punch Donggun, would that work LOL.