Staring hard at the concrete wall in front of him, Jihoon couldn’t help but think about the things his father said to him. He needed to step up his game. He needed to work properly and do his missions right. How could he do so with the Prince being a pain in everyone’s ?

He groaned in exasperation before massaging his forehead with his palm. These thoughts were continuously giving him headaches.

Jihoon was currently standing in front of the door of the Prince’s room. He was the one in charge for today and thankfully, the Prince hadn’t pulled so much problems since the King gave him his punishments. The agent couldn’t be much happier. If this continued for six months then he and his team wouldn’t have any more problems.

As he continued thinking deeply in the middle of the hallway, he didn’t notice someone’s presence looming over his. Before he could even react, a deep laugh reached his ears that made him slightly flinch.

“For an agent, you have really slow reflexes, Lee Jihoon.”

The said man abruptly turned his head and blinked once, then twice as he stared at the first prince of South Korea – wait, what?

His eyes twitched at the sudden realization. Another stuck-up , huh? Shaking his head internally at the thought, he bobbed his head to show the man, Choi Siwon if he was not mistaken, that he was listening.

“I actually was watching you from the stairs a while back. You make such,” the Prince waved his hand in front of his face to make his point, “really amusing expressions. I didn’t expect that especially so that the palace talks about your team, especially you.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered by that, Your Highness.”

“Ah, my mistake!” Siwon chuckled before offering his right hand. “Choi Siwon, first son of the King Choi Sangjun. It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Lee.”

The friendly tone in the man’s voice didn’t sit well with Jihoon. Nevertheless, he shook the other’s hand shortly. “It’s nice to meet you too, Prince Siwon.”

Retracting his hand, the older man wagged his index finger in front of Jihoon’s face, “Nuh-uh, you’re too polite. The rumors were true, really. You’re sometimes cute, then sometimes you drop into this emotionless, respectful person. Gives me the creeps, you know?”

The agent tilted his head to the side in confusion, not quite understanding the words being uttered by the prince.

It seemed like the man noticed his distraught expression making him laugh once again, “Forget about it. I was just here to talk to my brother. Heard he was giving you too much headaches, huh? I'm going to teach him a lesson.”

Good Lord, someone finally noticed. Instead of voicing out his thoughts, the agent shook his head and offered a tight-lipped smile to the prince. “Not quite, Your Highness.”

“Oh, hush. No need to be very nice and cover up his acts in front of me,” Siwon muttered cheekily, “I know him all too well, Mr. Lee.”

“I thought all princes were dense, Your Highness. You kind of proved me wrong,” Jihoon commented, the side of his lips twitching in amusement.

The said Prince grinned at this before shaking his head, “Hey, don’t generalize, Mr. Lee. It’s just Seungcheol, I tell you. Most of us are like any normal citizens too. Seungcheol is too, actually. My brother’s a really nice person. It’s just sometimes, life hits people in the face full force.”

I doubt that, Jihoon thought. But, he couldn’t help but think about the last part of his statement. Did something happen to Seungcheol before that he was not aware of? Maybe. He didn't even knew the man that well. Either way, he wasn’t entitled to know anything. He was just the man’s personal bodyguard. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Anyway, I notice you making a long face from down the palace. Your aura says so, you know? Did you have any problems in here?”

Jihoon blinked slowly, the Prince was really observant compared to his of a brother, “Well, not quite, Your Highness.”

“Let me guess,” the first prince hummed as if he was in deep thought before snapping his fingers in front of the younger, making the latter jump in shock. “This is about your father, yes? The leader of the Lee Clan?”

“How did you –”

“I’m not supposed to be the incoming king without a reason, right Mr. Lee? I have my sources. We won’t hire you if we don’t know anything about you.”

He had a point. Now that he remembered, the man in front of him was supposed to be the real heir of the King’s throne before he was diagnosed with –

“You really are an open book. Even when they say you’re stoic as , I still can read you all too well. And, wow, it’s even our first time meeting each other.”

“You really have a wide range of vocabulary here in the palace, Your Highness.” Raising his eyebrows, Jihoon couldn’t help but question the Prince, “I don’t know why you’re being too friendly, Your Highness but I tell you, if you need anything from me, I don’t have –”

“Not everyone who wants to be friends with you have ulterior motives, Jihoon,” the prince speaking his name made him wince slightly. “Oh, should I continue using Mr. Lee?”

“No sir,” he spoke up, a small lull coming forth in their conversation before he continued, “I just… sorry.”

“No need to. So, Jihoon?”

“Yes sir?”

“You know about my sickness, right? Why you’re guarding Seungcheol instead of me?” The Prince voiced out his thoughts, his stare becoming more lifeless and dull.

Jihoon nodded, making his expression as solemn as his face could, “Yes, Your Highness. The king told me. Yet, you look really healthy. You could have fooled me.”

Siwon nodded, not minding Jihoon’s slightly insensitive words as he understood the situation. He then started pacing in front of the shorter man. Back and forth. Back and forth. A sign of fear. “Have you told Seungcheol yet?”

“No. It is not my job to tell him, Your Highness. I am out of the place,” Jihoon murmured, a determined expression overcoming his face.

With a deep sigh, Siwon stopped directly in front of him. Now that he did, he noticed that the Prince was a full head taller than him. Just like Seungcheol. ing palace people, what do they eat? “I guessed as much. You weren’t close with him, you’re even a dignified agent of your clan. Why did I even doubt you?”

“Maybe because trusting people in this kind of world is slowly becoming a taboo thing, Your Highness.”

“I like the way you think,” Siwon smiled wholeheartedly, bowing down so that he could look at Jihoon straight in the eye. “And, I like that you’re the one father entrusted Seungcheol to. You’ll do him good.”

“Or maybe before I could, he has already sent me off to rot in hell with his attitute,” he tried to joke light-heartedly. And, it seemed as if Siwon had get it with the way he threw his head back, a small laugh escaping his lips.

“Well then, Jihoon. Please help hone Seungcheol to be a better man for this country and the people.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

Jihoon didn’t know what he was feeling. Was it pity? Or maybe respect? He really couldn't understand himself. All he knew was that Choi Siwon was different from the whole palace family. He had this aura that encased people around him and made them feel comfortable – even trusting. His kind was dangerous. His kind was scary.

“I can now die peacefully,” the Prince grinned, as if the sound of death was just a mere joke for him.

“Please don’t joke about those kinds of stuff, Your Highness,” Jihoon said in a hushed whisper. He was used to killing people, frame them, betray them. But, he wasn’t used to hearing people talking about their own deaths with him as if they were just chatting about the weather.

“Why would I joke upon my death if it is inevitable already, dear?”

A lengthy silence came upon the both of them after his utterance. The usual smile in Siwon’s face was nowhere to be found and was instead replaced by something grave. They both looked at each other straight in the eye, not once thinking of backing out. Not until they heard the loud sound beside Jihoon, and then an overtly acted cough.

“You guys look like you’re both getting closer, huh.”

And here comes the to the hole, Jihoon thought before realizing the distance between the prince and him. That was why he carefully backed away and bowed his head, turning towards Seungcheol with a straight face.

“Brother, you’ve finally faced the world once again,” the smile on Siwon’s face came back once he saw Seungcheol walking towards them. Their expressions clearly conveyed how close they were. It made Jihoon missed his own brother. “I’ve been sent by father to send you a message. And, to finally meet your infamous bodyguard. He’s quite nice, you see.”

Seungcheol snorted as his eyes darted from Jihoon to his brother, “Nice, my . He doesn’t even know how to smile. Or have fun outside. He’s a pain in the .”

Jihoon muttered a soft “same as you,” making Seungcheol turn towards him with a hard glare. The agent instead offered the younger prince a raised eyebrow. “Why? Were you affected?”

“See, brother? I told you, he has no manners at all,” the second prince huffed like a child, crossing his arms when he was exactly in front of his brother. “Anyway, what brought you here?”

“Ah,” snapping his fingers, Siwon reached for a fancy card from behind him and gave it to Seungcheol who looked slightly confuse. “That’s an invitation to a party tonight, at the Minister of Taxation’s place. It is said that they will have a special announcement to make so you need to be there.”

That made Seungcheol even more confused, “Wait, I need to come? Normally, I don’t go to such events anymore. You know that –” His words stopped once he realized that they were not alone. Looking back at Jihoon for a fraction of moment, he once again rested his eyes on his brother and let his actions do its talking.

“Ah, sweet Seungcheol. We’re grown-ups already. Adult, even. And as a part of that, change also has come. From now on, you need to be part of every event. Held by the ministry or not, you need to attend. Do you understand me?”

“But hyung –”

Seungcheol’s words got halted when he heard a soft groan coming from his brother. Seeing his brother clutching his stomach hardly made him jump from his spot alongside Jihoon, and went to Siwon’s side. “Are you okay, brother?”

Looking at Jihoon, he motioned for the other to zip his mouth. It made the younger nod his head which the younger prince took note of. It looked like they were hiding something from him and it irked him to no end. Was his brother exchanging him for this little creature now?

“I’m okay Seungcheol, no need to worry. Maybe this is a sign of aging already?” The older prince tried to lighten the atmosphere with a small smile before patting his brother’s back.

Seungcheol sighed in relief before hitting his brother’s shoulder in return, a wide cheeky smile gracing his lips. “You scared the hell out of me! And bro, you talk as if you’re dying. You’re only 38, come on.”

Jihoon’s heart clenched at the interactions of both brothers in front of him. Seungcheol looked really carefree right that instant. It was as if the old prince was wiped from the face of the earth and was replaced by someone more pleasant. If this was the effect Siwon had to his brother, the young agent didn’t even want to imagine the devastation the second prince would feel if he finally knew of his brother’s disease.

But Jihoon tried to hide away his thoughts and feelings. No. He wasn’t supposed to think like this. All people inside the palace were the same. Everyone of them was two-faced. He was not going to be deceived again.

“So, make this old guy’s request, okay? Come to the party tonight. Or I’ll make Jihoon pull you in your pajamas. I bet you don’t want that.”

Jihoon’s head shot up at the mention of his name, nodding