The Fourth Story.

 

Heojun tapped the side of Jaeho who was half asleep while standing. 

"... what is it."
"I think the King is awake."
"Is that so..?"

Jaeho squatted on the floor as he stretched his arm and yawned at the same time, then he looked up at Heojun.

"Do you think the boy is dead?"
"... that doesn't matter to me."
"You are so... cruel..."

As soon as Jaeho finished his words, the King's door slide open. Jaeho who was squatting down, gasped as he quickly stood up from his spot. Heojun was gretting the King as he bowed 90 degrees which Sangbae just nodded towards him. There was Jaeho who looked up at the King with curiosity.

"... your highness."

Sangbae turned his head to face Jaeho.

"What... happened to the boy..."

Sangbae looked at Jaeho for a long time, then turned to his back. There was Jonghwa who was still sitting on the chair and Jaeho smiled showing his teeth and waved happily towards him which Heojun gave him a warning with his eyes to stop.

"Your highness... but why..."
"I lost from the bet."

The King pulled on his straight face as he looked at Heojun.

"Prepare as it was planned."
"But..."
"Heojun."
"... yes."
"You know that I keep my promise, right?"

'Yes, your highness.' Heojun spoke up but then he was still unsure about Jonghwa. I don't know where he came from, and who's family he is from... and that confidence towards the King... Heojun was thinking about the night before how Jonghwa called out the King's name in front of everyone. With the corner of his eyes, he looked at Jonghwa.

He isn't from a poor background... looking at him sitting like that having his eyes on the King.

"Make him take a bath, and give him the new clothes. The bow and arrows will be replaced with a new one, throw all the old ones out. Throw everything out that the previous guard used, and make a new one."

Sangbae coldly spoke to the two guard who was beside him and turned to see Jonghwa again.

"Stay at the room that you've been told to, until your new room ready."

Jonghwa stood up from the chair and bowed towards the King.

Sangbae tapped Heojun's shoulders twice and left the room, he then looked back at Jonghwa and was about to walk out.

"Huh? Hey! Heojun. Where do you think you are going?"

When Jaeho called out for Heojun, he stopped and looked at him.

"You do what ever you want to do with him."

Heojun spoke so coldly as he stomped out. Jaeho was just standing there looking dumfounded looking at where Heojun disappeared to and sighed as he had his eyes on Jonghwa who was also looking at Jaeho. He just awkwardly smiled towards Jonghwa.

"I guess I'll be the one who will help you, since Heojun is angry."

Jaeho had his arms around Jonghwa's shoulders.

"Don't you think this is fate? Anyways, did anything happen yesterday?"
"Excuse me?"
"You know, this and that..."
"... this and that... do you mean..."

Jaeho playfully smiled as he looked straight into Jonghwa's eyes.

"The King doesn't like woman. So, inside the palace there's a rumour saying he likes boys. So, did the King touch you?"

When Jaeho said that Jonghwa remembered about last night of what Sangbae did to him. Then, he had shivers all over his body, and looked away from Jaeho because he didn't want to show his face flush towards him.

"No... the King didn't do anything to me."
"... really? Hm... is that so... then... it means that... there's nothing going on with Kyungtak too..."
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's go."

 

*

 

"Your highness!!!"

Heojun caught up with Sangbae who was looking around the palace. He turned to see who was calling him and looked at Heojun questioning why he was here. Heojun who was now in front of the King had his head lowered.

"What makes you come after me?"

Sangbae chuckled, and Heojun looked up at the King.

"... I... can't take the order... that you have said to us."
"Order? What order... ah- about making you prepare the boy as my new guard?"
"Your highness. You don't know where the boy has come from. His age is also... young..."
"Do you remember. Heojun?"
"... remember?"

Sangbae turned his back on Heojun and continued to walk.

"Kyungtak's age..."

Without an reply, Heojun just looks up at the King and he laughs out loud.

"How about the age when you were also chosen as my guard?"
"... your highness."
"... how old were you?"

He looked at the King with hatred for a second and then lowered his head again.

"I was... fifteen years old..."
"... does that answer you now?"

'Yes.' Heojun could never win over the King that he gave up convincing him. 

"Don't worry."

Sangbae turned as he smiled towards Heojun.

"It won't take too long..."

When the King said that, Heojun had too many things on his head. He didn't understand by the last word he said to him. Sangbae was humming to a song, as he continued walking around the palace. It made Heojun more nervous and worry about the King more. Heojun just looked at Sangbae who was now few feets away from him that he shook his head and ran behind Sangbae and walked behind him.

 

*

 

Kyungtak walked inside the library as he always do. He put the books back to where it belongs and at that moment, he also heard footsteps coming his way.

"Hey - !!! Kyungt --"

Kyungtak took his sword out from his sheath as he pointed the sword towards Jaeho. He put the sword down as he realised who he was, and then he looked who was behind him and then quickly lowered his veil. He was relieved that he stopped Jaeho from calling out his name. 

"Oh. Hey, I just came to introduce you to a new person."

He already knew about that Jonghwa was going to become the next guard from the gossip that he heard from the maids. Kyungtak bowed towards Jaeho and then from the veil looked at Jonghwa who smiled as he bowed towards him.

"He is our new King's guard. He is the same age as you."

Jaeho who was looking at Jonghwa as he said that, looked back at Kyungtak.

"Isn't it dark. Wearing the veil inside the library?"

Kyungtak just shook his head in reply. Jaeho shrugged as he looked back at Jonghwa.

"He is the best swordsmen here. So, you should be atleast askhim him to take good care of you."
"Ah..."

Jonghwa looked at Kyungtak, and then he bowed towards him. Kyungtak just looked away from it as he didn't know what to do.

"You should do your job. We're going now."

Jaeho skipped out of the library, Jonghwa who was about to leave, looked back at Kyungtak again. He bowed towards him once more, as he left. The door closed on him, and Kyungtak pulled his veil up. Without a word, he looked at the closed door and then looks away.

 

*

 

Jaeho grabbed onto his horse and jumped up. Jonghwa was just looking at the horse that was in front of him.

"You can ride a horse right?"

He looked down as him as he spoke. Jonghwa just nodded his head in reply as he did the same as he jumped up on top of the horse.

"Follow me carefully, since you'll have to go all the way to the village."

Jaeho was the first one to lead as the horse galloped and the soldiers opened the palace door wide open. Jonghwa who saw that, also galloped out the palace. The people at the village was moving so fast, as they were doing their own thing. Jaeho who was really excited that he was out from the palace, screamed out.

"Make space!!!"

With that scream, the village people moved aside and Jaeho turned to see Jonghwa.

"If you turn right, then there it is."
"Huh? Ah... yeah. Okay..."

Jaeho's horse turned right, and Jonghwa slowed the horse down, as he also turned the same way as he did. Jaeho was already off his horse.

"Hey, old man!"

Jaeho checked Jonghwa to see if he was there and then ran inside the place. Jonghwa stopped his horse, and climbed off.

"Jonghwa."

He turned his face, only to see Daewon.

"Oh! Daewon. When did you come?"
"... I just saw you going out of the palace, so I followed you here."

'Is that so?' Jonghwa smiled. Daewon looked at Jonghwa and had the urge to tell him about Kyungtak, but he kept his mouth shut.

"... may I ask? Did anything happen inside the palace?"
"Yes, everything is fine."
"... I can't always sneak inside the palace... but still, just incase you have to stay safe."
"Yes, okay."

Jonghwa was looking at the place with the corner of his eyes, and Daewon who noticed that looked at Jonghwa who later, had his eyes fixed on him.

"I think I need to wait abit longer."
"What?"
"Yesterday, I got sent to the King's room."

Daewon's face stiffens when he heard that. Jonghwa shook his head towards him.

"Nothing dangerous. I was there just sitting."
"... prince."
"The King has made a bet."

Daewon couldn't go against his prince, so he swallowed his words back in.

"... I won that bet... so I became one of his guard. Our plan is working as we planned. Soon..."
"... I am worried."

Jonghwa looks at Daewon, he was looking at him worried.

"You do need to... kill the King as soon as possible... the fact that he is making you stay beside him... when you guys only met for a day... even though he has changed... he was once called the Blood of King. Say, he doesn't do anything to you now, but later..."
"... Daewon."

Jonghwa looked at him with the eyes, that he was hurt by his words.

"I also think that what you said is right, but this is a chance."
"Prince... this is not the thing that you can easily..."
"... do you still look at me as the prince who can't do things by himself?"
"Ofcourse not."
"But why are you saying something like that, what are you worried about Daewon?"

Daewon really wanted to take Jonghwa out of the palace. He knew that Kyungtak was alive, but he has already turned his back on the prince and that he know about Jonghwa's identity. If Kyungtak think about the bad, then before Jonghwa can kill the king, he would get killed by Kyungtak instead that ofcourse, It was right for Daewon to think in a negative way. He knew that if Jonghwa stayed any longer he will be in danger. He needed to tell Jonghwa about Kyungtak, but he couldn't because he knew that Jonghwa will be really upset... if he knew that Kyungtak has turned his back on them.

"Lee Jonghwa!!!"

Jaeho's voice was called from behind. Jonghwa looked back at Jaeho with wide eyes looking really shocked. Daewon hid himself fast so he don't get caught. Jaeho came out of the place and then looked around the area.

"What are you doing?"
"Huh? Oh, I was just looking aroud here and there. Since I am not from here..."

Jaeho just laughed out loud.

"Come inside, we will have to measure you to make the new clothes."
"Okay."

Jaeho walked back inside the place again, and Jonghwa looked behind. Daewon came out from behind the trees. After giving one last glance at Jonghwa, he lowered his head and and walked his way. Jonghwa was there until Daewon was out of sight, and walked into the place.

I also know what you are worried about Daewon... But... I won't easily lose from them. I am not the Jonghwa you know from before, I am not the Jonghwa who couldn't do anything when we got attacked by our enemies. I... also won't be going too easy on them.

 

 

 

 

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