Chapter 15 – [1805]

In Youngtae’s hands was a painting, he had personally painted himself. The content of the artwork was that of a whole view of Jongno, with the details of commoners, animals, buildings, and even plants. However, the palace was the least visible in Youngtae’s painting, all for the reason that he wasn’t sure he could draw the palace well when he hasn’t seen every corner of it. Being an outcast prince, he was granted very little freedom to roam within the palace. Though the King had not said a word regarding the topic, the palace people has taken it upon themselves to confined Youngtae into his room for two thirds of his days.

The child who was not allowed to learn from books since young, in case his intelligence is underestimated and he plots ill intentions toward the Crown Prince and King. Thus, Youngtae made it his hobby to draw as no one would be able to make out whether he’s a genius or someone who simply painted what he saw. The young male glanced up from his painting and showed it to the lass, the maid from before, across from him. “Maid Ji, what do you think?” He asked with curious brows. The lass gripped gently onto the sides the prince had been holding and brought it before her own eyes. There she gaze up, with a smiley expression on her beautiful, milky face.

“Well done, my prince.” She whispered so only he could hear. “I’m sure his highness the Crown Prince would like it.”

Youngtae was happy at the sound of that thus he couldn’t hide the growing grin on his face. “You think so?”

The maid rocked her head to the side a little, “I know so, your highness.” She reassured him before passing his work to him. “Your highness, but will his highness accept your present? Did his majesty say you can attend the ceremony this afternoon?” Maid Ji asked, cleaning the smile off Youngtae’s face. The young male placed the paper onto the table between them and sighed.

“Maid Ji, please hand it to the Crown Prince and inform him that it is my gift to him.” Youngtae said, the maid nodded and stood. Before she could retrieve his present, the lad spoke once again. “Tell him, I wish him a happy 15th birthday.” The young woman who was no older than him nodded before handling the scroll of painting.

As the ceremony began, many officials had arrive and taken up all of the seats set in the empty halls, to face the center of the party. The King was already seated ar his chair as men, women, and children entered to pay their respects. Jaemin, too, had returned from his personal outings with his wife and showed up as Junseung's grandparents. Changwoo relaxed beside Junseung who had to wait to be called into the party. Junseung was going through the large three tables which was covered with nothing but guests presents to Junseung. Maids after maids enter to set more gifts on the table and even by the table’s legs. Junseung sighed at the sight, overwhelmed by it. “Changwoo, can you guess, how many of these gifts will be to my liking and how many will be given away to palace servants?” Junseung asked as he grabbed a box, wrapped with a red cloth and tied with a green ribbon.

“What do you mean? You used to love it when the tables are full of presents only for you,” Changwoo reminded.

“Sure, I do. I did.” Junseung placed a hand on another gift, this time wrapped with a black cloth, “But even after the fifteen time I have beome inundated by them, Changwoo.” Junseung said before looking at Changwoo. “How about it? I’ve got a plan. Would you help me?”

“A plan?” Changwoo asked, wanting to hear it out first before he willingly help the prince.

“Yeah, once the party is over, let’s give these away to the children on the streets.”

“Your highness, but you can’t go out—”

“Is that it?” Junseung question broke off Changwoo’s objection, “When we were children you would agree to my everything. You would play along and with me! You would always call me by my name in the loudest voice you possibly could, but now that we’ve become older you’re starting to treat me like the rest of them!” Junseung shouted once no more maids were coming in, he then looked away with water forming in his eyes. “I understand, it is because I’m the Crown Prince. So my image should come before my interests. I know that much, but even if everyone treats me as a god without any feelings,” Junseung spun back around to look Changwoo in the eyes, “you mustn’t do what they do. The more formal you are, the more you’re creating a distance between us. You are my only friend, the only loyal one I can trust, Changwoo.” Before Changwoo could break his silence, they heard the scuffling of someone’s footsteps.

From around the corner, Maid Ji made her appearance at the door with her head down. “Your highness.” She greeted. Junseung who didn’t want to give her anything to gossip about turned his back to her.

“What is it Maid Ji?” He asked. Changwoo and the lass made quick eye contact before he noticed the scroll in her hands.

“I’ve brought you a present,” before she could finish Junseung stopped her.

“Leave it on the table and go.”

“It’s from the prince, your highness.” Maid Ji finished.

“Prince Youngtae?” Changwoo questioned.

“Yes.”

Junseung turned around and approached her, there he ripped the scroll from her grasp. Without a word Junseung unfold the scroll with rough movements, as he scanned the painting he scoffed. “What is this? Did he give me this to mock me? To show me he has all the freedom I, the Crown Prince, don’t?”

Changwoo frowned at Junseung’s sudden attack. The Minister’s son knew Junseung was no fan of the prince, his own older half-brother, but to see Junseung snappy made Changwoo uncomfortable.

“That’s not—” before the maid could stop Junseung, the lad toss the scroll onto the ground.

“Take it back, I don’t want it. If he’s going to give me a present then he might as well just leave! It’ll make my life easier!”

“Your highness!” Changwoo called as Junseung stormed out of the room. Changwoo sighed deeply, “Maid Ji, please return it to Prince Youngtae. Tell him that his gifts won’t be accepted by his highness.” Without another word Changwoo chased after Junseung. The lass heaved a short sigh before squatting down to pick up the scroll, as she held it up with both hands gently she noticed another figure in the room. She looked over and into the eyes of Chun.

“How is the prince?” Chun asked.

Before replying the lass wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes. It pained her to have to bring back the present her master have relied on her to pass onto his brother. “He, he’s fine.” Her answer was short and stuttering, before she hurried out of the room. The chubby, who had witnessed everything, couldn’t do anything but let her go.

Changwoo blocked Junseung from wandering off too far from the ongoing party, “Junseung, was that necessary?”

Junseung looked up to meet Changwoo’s clear eyes. Junseung’s expression was stern and there were no trace of joy, even on such amazing day for him. “Isn’t this what everyone wanted, Changwoo?”

“Junseung, you’re starting to act weird. Something did happen, didn’t it?” Changwoo asked, referring to the earlier incident when Chun was tiring the floors outside of Junseung’s room.

“What’s weird about it?” In Junseung’s tone were no emotions, “It’s normal for I, the Crown Prince to dislike princes since they are a threat to my future.”

“Since when was Youngtae a threat?”

“Right now.” Junseung answered immediately, as if he knew the question before it was asked. Which showed how much the Crown Prince has been thinking about his future as King.

“What?” Changwoo wasn’t sure where Junseung was coming from. Usually he could predict what the younger is thinking, but today and in that moment was different.

“He is a threat to our friendship because right now you see him as someone better than me,”

A frown formed on Changwoo's face before he try to stop the Crown Prince, “That’s not true—” but the Crown Prince dismissed his explanation.

“Then tell me the reason why you called me weird? If it wasn’t because of him, you would had never seen me as weird would you?” Junseung asked, putting a deeper scowl on Changwoo’s face. “You’ve seen me treated servants like how I did just now, but you’ve never called me weird. But today you see me as someone different because the one I behaved toward is my brother, a prince. Otherwise you would have just kept silent and not speak about it, true?” Junseung took a short breather before pushing, “Answer me!”  

Changwoo took a step back at the realization. “Junseung….I didn’t mean to—”

“Of course you didn’t.” Junseung stated before walking by Changwoo. The older watched as his younger companion moved away and toward the party. Changwoo brushed a hand through his hair before following with an overwhelmed expression.

Maid Ji placed the roll on the table and slide it over to Youngtae, who wore an unreadable facial expression. “Isn’t this…?” Youngtae rose the courage to complete his question but stopped himself when he saw Maid Ji’s gloomy state. “Did something happen?”

“His highness didn’t want it.” Ji said with her head down and eyes on her hands, which were on her laps. After registering what she had meant, the prince unrolled the scroll and looked at his work once again. He noticed the dirt specks and wrinkles on the scroll, therefore he could only assume Junseung must have been aggressive with the present.

“He didn’t...huh?” Youngtae voiced once more before rolling up the artwork again. “I’m sorry I had you delivered the gift…. I never knew his highness was this disheartened about my existence….”

“No,” Maid Ji insist and look up to lock eyes with the young male, “it is my fault. I’ve failed to follow your order. Please forgive me, my prince.” A half smile was drawn on Youngtae’s face as he placed his left palm, open, on the table between them.

“Your hand?” He whispered. Maid Ji returned his smile with her visible ones as she slide her right hand into his. Once contacted, Youngtae caressed it gently by making circles with his thumb. “You did well, you’ve never failed me so don’t say such words. You’re the only one I have here and I’m very thankful for that.” With his warm words, the room’s atmosphere began to warm itself.

Changwoo kept his eyes on his friend who had made it to the King’s side. Junseung wore a fake smile in order to entertain his guest. On the ground, guests gather to bow and pay their respects to the royalties. Junseung sat in the center of his mother the Queen Yoomi and father, as to the King’s opposite side was the healthy Queen Mother Heo Pama. Queen Pama spent most of her summer days in her chambers after the loss of her husband a little more than a decade ago. Her winter would be spent in another palace home outside of town, there she would bathe in hot springs and cleanse herself of stress and ill memories. Changwoo can’t recall the last time he has personally spoken to her as she was a very introverted individual.

The King used to say it was the Queen Mother’s reserved nature that the former King adored the most. However, Changwoo has heard too many stories of her, some said it was because of the former King’s spoiled personality that made her shy, and others said because of her keeping to herself, the late King was able to do anything which was why he loved her. Whatever the case, the Mother Queen was still an important figure nonetheless.

Changwoo soon caught the sight of his father smiling to him, thus he left his post by the palace doorway and joined his father with the seated guests.

“Your majesty.” Junseung whispered from the side, when he caught Minho’s attention, the King leaned over to his son.

“What is it?”

“I thought to put on a show to show our guests how well my swordsmanship is,” Junseung explained, earning an arched eyebrow from the King who thought he had misheard.

“You want to put on a show? But who will you compete against?”

Junseung noticed Changwoo in the crowd and how the fellow was with Minister Jaejung. “Changwoo, but, please lend us your sword.”

“My sword?” This time the King withdrew from Junseung’s side and spun his upper body fully around to look only at his son. “Why my sword?”

“I want to show everyone how much I have learned and that I trust Changwoo. He will be my Minister of Defense one day, if you hand him the sword then it will also show how much you trust him too. This will be a small gift I want to present to Minister Oh for his teachings, and it would means a lot if you approve.”

“If I do will you end your hobby of minerals collecting?” The King questioned.

Junseung hummed, “Anything for you, father.”

End of Chapter Fifteen.