Framed
Secret of the Eastern Sky 동쪽 하늘 의 비밀
While Chanyeol is reading, Kyungsoo sits besides him and stares at him. He felt entranced by Chanyeol because the male is just too charming. A voice spoke to him softly that he shouldn’t be like this to the crown prince, it held a warning to him, but he didn’t listen to the voice inside his head. His heart is beating harder than any drum even during the sounds of war.
“Are you going to keep staring at me with those huge eyes Soo?” Chanyeol tears his eyes away from the book and gives Kyungsoo a smile.
Kyungsoo’s brown eyes looks to the floor and he keeps his head down, “I’m sorry your highness, I shouldn’t be looking at you like that.”
“I didn’t say you could look away. Look at me again.” Chanyeol commands and Kyungsoo follows, looking at Chanyeol with his big eyes. It was silent between them but their eyes did most of the talking on its own. Extreme opposites of each other, so different they were identical but somehow they complimented each other. Even if they were to turn off the lights, the sound of rapid heart beatings could be heard.
The brooding is broken as Chanyeol coughs silently to change the topic. “Remember about the lantern festival that the youngest prince talked about? I heard it is coming up but I have no time to take you out.”
“Your highness, don’t worry about me. I know you have a lot to worry about and that everyone is keeping a close eye on you. I’m just grateful you even thought about me.”
Chanyeol ushers Kyungsoo over to him with a warm smile. Kyungsoo moves closer to the crown prince and sees that the crown prince shoulder is stiff. He carefully presses on the crown prince’s shoulder, giving him a massage. He is glad he is behind the crown prince so the crown prince could not see the pink in his cheeks.
“I know you’re far from your home and the palace is not generous to you. I could see the sadness and sorrow in your eyes along with the despair in your voice. You try to maintain a happy look with me but I could see that you miss your father and sister. It isn’t only the lantern festival that I want to bring you to, but it’s also an excuse to let you see your family again.”
Kyungsoo feels touched as he massages Chanyeol’s stiff muscles from having been slumped when he continuously leans down to read. “Your highness, besides from another maid in this palace, you’re the only one that cares for me this much. I know I don’t deserve it but I’m grateful for you to even think of someone as low as me. So even if I can’t go outside, I’m still content that you brought up the idea.”
Chanyeol turns around causing Kyungsoo to pause. He looks shock and puzzle as Chanyeol takes his hands, making his stomach churn in all types of happy ways. Chanyeol looks deep into Kyungsoo’s eyes, “You are not low, you are human, and we are all human. Just because you were born into a less wealthy home and not a royalty does not make you any less of a person than me. With your caring heart, along with people in your village, I know that your people are even better than people around here. I don’t trust anyone.”
“Your brothers should be trustworthy, your highness. I think they care for you more than you think.”
A scoff escapes Chanyeol’s lips as he lets go of Kyungsoo’s wrist. “My brothers are sometimes more dangerous than the high officials. Everyone here wears a mask, I don’t know who cares about me and who doesn’t and I don’t know who is lying to me and who isn’t.”
The crown prince’s eyes are making Kyungsoo nervous. He is no better than the rest of the people here, because he is also lying to the crown prince about his true identity.
He wants to tell the crown prince the truth so he could feel less guilty but he fears, fears that the crown prince will punish him or worse- hate him. His face gets pale but before he gets the chance to confess, Chanyeol touches his face, “But out of everyone, I know you aren’t lying to me. You’re not wearing a mask and I trust you. It’s strange but I completely trust you and that’s why I’m telling you all this. I feel bad for making you do so much for me even though I say we are both human, so I will try to get all my duties done and bring you out.”
“Your highness you don’t have to, I am completely fine with staying inside. I-” Chanyeol’s finger touches Kyungsoo’s lips to make him quiet. Kyungsoo looks at Chanyeol and studies how his serious face turns into a soft face.
“Your voice is pretty but you’re talking too much” Chanyeol teases. “Now I will stop getting distracted and focus on my studies. Tomorrow night, get ready because I will take you out.”
Even if Kyungsoo wanted to reject, he couldn’t because Chanyeol looks set on his opinion. It brings Kyungsoo to a silent excitement.
“I will leave to prepare for your dinner now your highness” Kyungsoo bows and leaves the room. The whole time a thought appears in the back of his head is the crown prince fond of me too? It is such a ridiculous thought but it leaves him smiling the whole time, a pure action from the smaller.
-----
When Kyungsoo leaves the east palace and walks towards the kitchen, someone stops him. The maid looks confident and holds an icy gaze. “You are the crown prince’s maid right? The 2nd prince would like to see you.” The maid (which Kyungsoo assumes is the 2nd prince’s maid) commands.
Kyungsoo is confused but follows the maid nonetheless, because he isn’t in any position to not follow a royal order. He trails behind her as she leads him to the 2nd prince residence. Kyungsoo doesn’t even know what the 2nd prince looks like, he has only seen the 4th, 5th and 7th prince, no one else.
When he gets inside the room, he comes to face the 2nd prince along with Empress Kim. He definitely knows Empress Kim and Empress Park because all the maids fear them. He starts to look distinctly sad and worryingly unconfident but he bows right away, “I’m at your service your highness.”
Instead of hearing a reply, he hears a scoff from Empress Kim. “The emperor just decided to trade you out with the 2nd prince’s maid. You are to follow the 2nd prince's orders now.”
It was too sudden to process because he was just accompanying the crown prince earlier. How is this possible without any prior notice?
“C-Can I say my farewell to the crown prince?” he asks softly.
“Shut your dirty lips! How dare you lowly maid have a say in this?” Empress Kim gets up and sends a slap across Kyungsoo’s face, the slap stings and leaves a red mark on Kyungsoo’s pale features. Kyungsoo holds his breath and tries to not get emotional, he should be used to this type of treatment.
“You guard over me now.” Woobin commands and Kyungsoo could only bow. From the moment he entered this place, he knows he has probably been thrown into a wolf cave, with the sharp glare Woobin has on him, he knows the 2nd prince is not fond of him.
-----
The sunrise hits with a nice breeze brought its scent to the sleeping delicate figure. Before Kyungsoo could get up, he feels himself being shoved off the bed. “Y-You! How dare you get in bed with me? You lowly maid!” the 2nd prince screams could be heard loudly as the guards and other maids rush in. The sight of Kyungsoo’s messy hair along with Woobin’s hair gave the impression that they were sleeping together the night before.
Kyungsoo looks down at his body and sees his garment is still on. Before he could react, the guards grab Kyungsoo’s arm and Kyungsoo tries to resist. “W-We didn’t do anything…I didn’t do anything.” He defends himself.
There were more people cluster near the doorway this time, all awaiting to find out what has happened. Kyungsoo is a maid, someone that is supposed to serve the prince formally and courteously, not try to seduce the prince at night.
The sound of Woobin’s stomp could be heard as he walks towards Kyungsoo and slaps the smaller on the spot, startling the open audience.
There has been more commotion in Woobin’s residence as more people gather in to make sure the prince is fine. Woobin gives Kyungsoo a fierce glare and then turns to the guard, “Bring her to prison and make sure they deliver the appropriate punishment.”
“Yes, your highness.”
-----
It didn’t take long for Chanyeol to arrive in Woobin’s room, making the other maids and guards obediently leave the two alone. The atmosphere is tense as Chanyeol turns his attention to Woobin. “I don’t know what happened but my maid is getting punished right now. I was told it was about your reputation and honestly hyungmin, why are you taking your anger out on her? She is a maid, someone so much lower than you.”
Woobin looks sideway at Chanyeol and laughs. “It’s been awhile since you have accompanied me Chanyeol, all for a maid, I am surprised.”
“I will cut to the point. Let her go.”
“If I let her go, this news will travel to the emperor and the emperor will have her beheaded. How dare your lowly maid try to sleep next to me? She is assigned to you but I think she grew bored of you.”
Chanyeol is 100% sure Soo isn’t that type of person. She carries such a burden on her shoulder and she is worry about also her actions in the palace, she will not do something as life threatening as seduce someone like the 2nd prince. There is no way. Chanyeol is sure Woobin has framed her but he has no evidence, so his testimony will not work on anyone.
“I know you did something hyungnim. Hear me now, if you don’t let her go, when I become the emperor, you will be the first family member that I let go.”
“Oh you’re threatening me? Let’s see how you will be the emperor later when the you cannot even save someone as pathetic as your maid.”
Chanyeol doesn't change his emotion, but stares into his intense brown eyes.
-----
The sun is about to set and Chanyeol couldn't focus on any of his task, his gaze wondering in all types of directions, searching for someone that isn't there. He is worried thinking about the possible things they are doing to his maid. If he could just march right in there and take Soo out, he would. Why did it have to happen when there were so many witnesses? Even if he is the crown prince, he has no power in this situation. The only way is to tell the emperor, but getting the emperor involved in a case with a maid, there is bound to be misunderstandings.
He is sure that yesterday night the 2nd prince has set Soo up, and that's why Soo didn't return back to Chanyeol's residence. The only thing that confuses him is, how did Soo manage to get onto bed with someone like Woobin?
"Hyungnim!"
He looks up to see Baekhyun and Joohyuk enter the room, both dressed in commoner attire. A wary, sadness flows over him as he is reminded that he is supposed to take Soo out tonight to see the lanterns. Now Soo is in prison, trapped and alone.
"Hyungnim why aren't you dressed? Tonight is the lantern festival" Baekhyun seems a bit too excited for his own good.
A sudden anger breaks forth, smashing a wall of sadness that he just held inside. Baekhyun looks at Joohyuk and both wore a confused face. Chanyeol had to explain to the two what has happened and the atmosphere in the room turns cold.
Baekhyun freezes, mid movement and his shoulder turns tense. This makes no sense, he hasn't known Soo for long but he had good intuition about Soo, Soo isn't that type of person. The wave of grief threatens to drown Joohyuk as his eyes lost the shine that he had when he came in.
"Joohyuk, the 2nd prince is your actual blood related brother. Do you know anything about this?" Baekhyun turns to Joohyuk but Joohyuk just shakes his head.
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