Kyungsoo looked at us, or more specifically Junmyeon with an enraged gaze. His hair was dissheveled and his clothes were wrinkled as if he had just got out of bed, but that look didn't suite him. Both of us didn't notice him was there, and who knows how long we didn't notice. 

"K-Kyungsoo?" Junmyeon said in a surprised tone. "I-We didn't see you there. You at least should've spoke..." 

His gaze didn't falter, "But I'm more concerned in your future rule as king. Are you out of your bloody mind, Junmyeon?"

He blinked, "You overheard our conversation?"

"Yes, and it was a relief I did!" he stormed towards us and jabbed a finger at Junmyeon. "Do you know how much danger you're putting us in by letting those people outside the walls come in? Your childish and ludicrous decisions are not of a king, I do not approve any of this."

Junmyeon started to move forward but I held him back. Don't, I sent him a silent message.

He gently pushed me away, it's okay. "Kyungsoo, I know you don't approve of my decisions. But it is final, this is what I will be doing for my people. And that is righting the wrongs we have done in the past-"

"We did nothing wrong, how many times do I have to repeat it to you?" he was close to yelling. "We had to survive, we had no choice!"

Junmyeon squared his shoulders, "And we abandoned the ones that needed saving, how is that acceptable?"

Kyungsoo jabbed a finger at him, "You're don't deserve to tell me about being acceptable! Your very plans and actions are hardly acceptable at all! I would've reported you straight to father, he never should have believed in you! Once you take the throne, all our plans would go up in smoke!"

Junmyeon narrowed his eyes, "Brother, you're not serious about those plans that were discussed. It...was never supposed to be brought up to the meetings!"

"Well what did you think it was for?" he demanded. "I know you never were in favour of the plans, but it has been decided. Junmyeon, you have to decide on what's best! And that's by following father's orders!"

"He may be our father but we are not obliged to follow all his orders. I have my opinions about how this city should be run, and I will stick to my ways. I will be future king, and I want to keep to my duty for my people."

Kyungsoo let out a humorless laugh, "Your people? Your duty? That's naive, dear brother." his eyes were dead panned cold. "My saying was true, blind love really does turn a person into a blithering idiot." he spat. "Well, you were an idiot from the start anyway."

I stepped forward, because I couldn't hear another word from him. "You take that back." I warned with clenched teeth.

"Or what, you peasant?" he questioned. "Your looks and deceit may fool him, but I know a threat when I see one. It was you, you stepped into the picture and ruined everything! Now all Junmyeon thinks about is you, and all that nonsense about fighting for the citizens. You brainwashed him!"

"No she didn't, brother," Junmyeon said calmly. "Irene only made me realize how much I cared, and how much more I needed to change our system. This is the New World, and we need to unite to fight the dangers-"

"I'm not going to fight in a losing war," Kyungsoo said. "The New World does not need compassion and sappy feeling, your mindset hardly meets the cut! You are no brother of mine, I don't have a brother like you!" 

Even though he looked calm, I could see the hurt in Junmyeon's eyes. He sighed and tried to touch Kyungsoo's shoulder, "Brother, please..."

Kyungsoo jerked his arm away, "Stop calling me your brother - you mudblood !"

Junmyeon's eyes widened in dismay, he shook his head, "You wouldn't say that." he said scarcely.

"Oh no, I've been keeping that phrase for you for years." he spat. "You're filthy, you stained our family with that dirty blood in your veins - you were never a part of our family, only I was smart enough to know that. All mother thought about was you - a failure and a parasite living within the castle walls. She treated you like a son, when I was the one she should've paid attention to!"

Junmyeon was slightly shaking, "I am her son, we all know that. I am no less a part of our family, than you are. But this is not a topic for debate; father chose me to be king because I was older, because I was wiser, because I knew how to balance my work and relaxations. Unlike you, who only cared about the life of the party. You think I didn't know you spend endless nights mauling endless girls in the castle? You think I didn't notice when you got up each morning, only to see the dark circles under your eyes from illicit gambling for stock markets? The only reason I didn't say anything was because I didn't want to interfere since it was your choice to live your life this way. I've known for a big part of my life, and I respect you."

"Well, you can quit respecting me, because I never respected you!" he said harshly. "You know nothing about me, you never did! Mother and father were the same, they never regarded me of anything worthy. It was always you, a filthy mudblood who would give up this empire our family built for our own good - you're a disgrace, Junmyeon. You're a DISGRACE! You should've ended up in a pit with you're mother-"

Junmyeon lashed out and grabbed Kyungsoo by the collar of his shirt, "I'm warning you, do not mention any of this." he warned him in a dangerously calm tone.

But Kyungsoo didn't seem to be affected, he laughed it off, "Or what? Are you scared of the truth? That you're not a pure blood?" he looked over to me, and he smirked. "Oh right, you wouldn't want the love of your life to know such a shameful truth. You'd like to lie forever if it was possible, am I right? Sorry to spoil it for you, but you'll forever be a parasite living in our family!"

"I said enough!" and he hit Kyugsoo in the face, sending Kyungsoo falling to the ground.

At that moment, I gasped and held my hand to my mouth. He would never hit anyone, I thought, never. Yet, he was just standing there his face enraged and pained and shaking. I wanted to run to him, but I knew this was something I couldn't interfere. Kyungsoo choked and cackled a little, he got up. "Is that all you got?" his chin trickled with blood. "This was what you wanted to do for some time now, wasn't it? Now I'll let you, hit me then!"

Junmyeon looked away, "I won't."

"Then I will!" and he returned a blow at Junmyeon. Junmyeon stumbled, there a bad blackish blue bruise on his cheek. He winced, but he let Kyungsoo beat him to a pulp. 

"Stop it!" I was screaming, but no one listened. I did the only thing I could do, and ran towards them. Kyungsoo was going to hit me too, but he missed and I slapped him hard across his cheek. I would've hit him harder, but it'd be too obvious. He looked startled at my sudden interruption, and I pushed him away. 

"No one is fighting, not anymore." I said sternly. 

"I will deal with you soon enough, Bae Irene," he said. "You don't need to be so impatient."

"You're not going to deal with anyone, he is your brother and that's the truth!"

He laughed, "Not everyone is being honest, humans are broken mirrors. I think you know that very well, truths are usually painful. You should ask him about it, I will take back what is mine, Kim Junmyeon - mark my words." and he turned away into the darkness.

"Sit still, Junmyeon." I said to him, as I dabbed his bruises with oilment with cotton wool. 

"I told you I was fine, Irene," he protested. "These bruises hardly hurt, I'm embarassed for having you witness all of that. I'm terribly sorry, my dear."

"It was a relief I was there, or the both of you would still be beating each other up right now." I answered. "I still don't understand, I've never seen him this...enraged before."

He sighed and shook his head, "He's right, Irene. Humans are broken mirrors, no one is ever completely what they seem. That includes me, I'm still a broken mirror keeping my deepest darkest secrets within me. Trust me, even we try to ignore the truth sometimes and get on with our lives." he got up from his chair and looked out from the window from his room.

I got up slowly, anxious. "But, it can't be true. What he said, I mean? You're the rightful heir to the throne, and you deserve every recognition you get. No one has the right to take that away from you, not even him-"

"But he makes me doubt, Irene." he said heavily. "Because he's not lying, I am not fit for the throne. Everytime he brings it up, he just reminds me how unworthy I am. I might be my mother's child, but the blood in my veins is not fully royal. I am not who you think I am."

I was baffled, "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, and took a step closer and held my hands, "Irene, you and I both know that no one has secrets unkept. And I am no better, and you need to know how much I am keeping from the world and you. But I need to know, do you love me? And why?"

Before this, I would hesitate and might consider saying no. But under these circumstances, after all we'd been through, I knew exactly what to say. "Yes." I said immediately. "I love you, with all my heart. I can't explain how much, or when, or why, I just do, Junmyeon."

He nodded, "That's enough for me to believe, Irene." and he cupped my face with his hands. "I'll tell you everything, but not tonight. Meet me tomorrow, after midnight near the lighthouse -then you'll understand everything."