I'm so sorry about Hongbin in this chapter

The next morning, Hongbin followed Hakyeon and Jaehwan to the market in the village. He insisted to follow them to buy their groceries, and also he planned to make an apple pie for Taekwoon and his uncle later. Hongbin wore his cloak and hid half of his face with a mask. Jaehwan walked beside him to make sure Hongbin was safe. When they arrived in the market, Hongbin kept tugging on Jaehwan’s shirt, the market was so busy that day. Hongbin asked Jaehwan to buy the ingredients for him while he bought the apples.  

Hongbin bought so many apples, yeah.. he love apple so much. And he would make a pie for his beloved one. Jaehwan and Hakyeon helped him making the apple pie and they had so much fun together.

It was already afternoon when the apple pie was ready. Hongbin dressed nicely and he didn’t know if Taekwoon woud come to his house or not. So he decided to go to Taekwoon’s uncle’s house.

“Hongbin? i think you should just wait him here instead of going there yourself” said Jaehwan as he fixed Hongbin’s cloak and covering his head.

Hongbin took a basket which contained with the apple pies for Taekwoon. He smiled to his hyung, “It’s okay hyung, i’ll see you later” then Hongbin went to Taekwoon’s house.

Taekwoon was sitting with the woman –the Queen- in the dining room while the Queen fed his lunch. The Queen laughed flirty and Taekwoon was watching her with the lust eyes. His uncle kept watching them from the corner of the room and sometimes he shot daggers at Taekwoon. He cleared his throat whenever Taekwoon leaned into her and the couple would part away. The Queen pouted because Taekwoon’s uncle kept bothering them.

“I thought you will leave today to continue your journey, miss” said his uncle with a mock tone.

Taekwoon clicked his tongue in annoyance, “yeah. She will leave with me later”

“Taekwoon?”

“Aaah.. my Prince.. you’re so kind to me. But, I hope I’m not bothering you”

“Oh it’s okay Miss umm..” Taekwoon hadn’t ask her name.

“Just call me Beauty”

Taekwoon smiled lazily and he nodded, “Beauty.. it really suits you” he whispered and lifted her hand and kissed it.

The Queen smiled sheepishly and his uncle’s voice boomed in the room, “Taekwoon? Can you come here?”

Taekwoon bowed to the Queen and he followed his uncle to the back of the house.

“What is it uncle! Why are you so annoying!” he couldn’t help but screamed to his uncle. His uncle scrunched up his nose, he never heard Taekwoon yelled at him. Taekwoon was such a good boy for him.

“You’re acting strange Taekwoon-ah. Why are you flirting with her? How about Hongbin? I thought that you love-“

“Hongbin? Hongbin? who the hell is him!! Seriously! Uncle! Stop talking about .. this Hongbin! okay! I don’t know him!”

“Taekwoon? What happened to you?”

Taekwoon didn’t answer, he only glared at the old man, “Don’t disturb us again uncle!” then Taekwoon left.

His uncle confused seeing Taekwoon’s strange behavior.

Taekwoon sat back to the chair and he smiled at her. He held her hands and pulled her onto his lap. She willingly sat down on his lap and cupped his face.

“Come with me.. live with me Taekwoon-ah..” she said sweetly and Taekwoon’s heart about to burst at that moment.

“I want to live with you Taekwoon-ah..” she said again as she leaned in and she captured his lips and kissed it roughly. Taekwoon responded her kiss and pulled her a little bit closer.

Hongbin smiled when he arrived and found the door was opened. He knocked the door before he stepped inside.

“Hello?” he greeted with not too loud voice.

He walked towards the dining room, ‘maybe they are in the dining room, talking, aah they must be happy when they see me’ Hongbin was so excited to see them and he put a big smile on his face as he stepped closer to the dining room. He gripped the basket tighter and took a deep breath.

And he stepped into the dining room and….

Hongbin gasped

He dropped the basket

The apple pies were scattered onto the floor

Hongbin’s heart felt hurt and a sob escaped from his lips

He covered his mouth as he felt his tear slowly ran on his cheek.

“Taekwoon…” he whispered, but Taekwoon didn’t hear him. Taekwoon was busy making out with the woman. Hongbin’s heart clenched and hurt seeing them.

Taekwoon broke the kiss when he heard a soft sob.

The first thing Taekwoon saw was, a young male stood still across the room. He could see his tears were running on his cheeks. It looked like the young male was… sad. Taekwoon stood up and looked confused to the young male. The young male took a step back and avoiding his gaze. Taekwoon could hear his sobs.

“Who are you!” asked Taekwoon with a cold tone.

Hongbin sobbed harder when he heard Taekwoon snapped at him. Hongbin quickly ran away and he wiped his tears as he ran towards the forest.

Taekwoon was about to run after him but the Queen held him back.

The Queen smiled secretly, she put her hands on Taekwoon’s arm.

“Do you know him, my Prince?” Taekwoon slowly

Taekwoon slowly shook his head, and the Queen smiled.

“Then leave him, maybe he’s just some strangers, or maybe a peddler. Look at the mess he made.” She pointed at the apple pies  on the floor and she shook her head,”Stupid peddler”

Taekwoon only silent, he felt like he had met with that big-doe eyes before, and that beauty face…. he swore to himself that he had seen that face. but he couldn’t remember.

“Stop thinking, my Prince.. let’s pack your things, shall we?”

Taekwoon didn’t answer, his mind still busy thinking whether he had seen that pretty young boy before. He let the Queen guided him to his bedroom and to pack his things.

Hongbin didn’t have any energy to move, so he fell on the dirty ground in the forest. He cried there harder and he was sure no one would hear him. his heart hurt so bad and he clutched his clothes tightly. He couldn’t believe that Taekwoon betrayed him like that. He couldn’t believe Taekwoon would do that to him. Hongbin wanted to forget what he had seen earlier or maybe he wanted to forget about Taekwoon. He wished he would never met Taekwoon that day, so he would not feel the pain in his heart.

The rabbits, the deer and the birds started to surround him. they could feel the sadness that he felt. The rabbits slowly hopped closer to him and twitched its nose to him. they tried to calm him. the birds chirped softly and Hongbin looked up. He tried to smile to his friends.

“Oh.. you guys are here?” Hongbin tried to laugh and assured his friends that he was fine.

He picked up a little brown rabbit and he kissed its nose, “I’m fine… it’s just.. my..something got into my eyes and it hurt” the rabbit got up with its tiny legs and leaned in to kiss Hongbin’s cheek. Hongbin chuckled, “Thank you my little friend. Yeah, i feel better now”

Hongbin looked around and the deer also came to him. its nose sniffed at Hongbin’s cheek and Hongbin softly caressing its head. At least, he had some friends and could forget about Taekwoon for a moment.

It was already dark, and Hongbin walked with slumped shoulders and puffy eyes back home. He closed the door behind him and walked directly to his bedroom.

“Hi Bean, how’s the date?” asked Jaehwan as he prepared for the dinner when he heard the front door closed. But he looked up when he heard Hongbin slammed his bedroom door. Hakyeon wasn’t home yet, he was still outside collecting something for… he didn’t know, Hakyeon never tell him.

Jaehwan rushed to Hongbin’s bedroom and he sensed something was wrong with Hongbin. He walked in and all he could see only the darkness. He could hear a faint sob and Jaehwan the lights.

He saw Hongbin buried his face in the pillow and he could see his body shook lightly. He sat near him and slowly put his hand on Hongbin’s back.

“Why my heart hurts so much hyung..”

Jaehwan knew what happened, it must be Taekwoon had hurt his feelings.  Jaehwan shouldn’t let Hongbin close to Taekwoon at first. And he hated when someone hurt his brother’s feelings. He would take revenge to Taekwoon later for making Hongbin cried like this. Jaehwan pulled Hongbin to his arms and hugged him. he didn’t say anything, he let Hongbin cried in his arms while patting his back.

Jaehwan told Hakyeon about Hongbin.

“I told you earlier! He would hurt my baby Bean someday! And see! Bean is hurting right now and I want to punch his handsome face so badly!”

Hakyeon massaged the bridge of his nose and tried to calm himself, “Taekwoon.. I believe he would never do that. I know Taekwoon is a-“

“But look at Hongbin now!! he is crying a lot! He is hurting a lot!”

“Jaehwan-ah.. Taekwoon is in under someone’s spell. And I believe that it was the evil Queen’s plan.”

Jaehwan tried to calm his anger and he thought for a moment, “What will we do then?”

“I have to help Taekwoon first, i have to take off the magic off of him.”

“That means…. Are you going to fight the Queen?”

Hakyeon didn’t answer, he looked away. Jaehwan stood still and screamed.

“NO WAY! Hakyeon! No!”

“Jaehwan-ah..”

“NO! NO!! I SAID NO!! You know how powerful and evil she is! And she could… she could kill you, and I don’t want that to happen.”

“But I have to, Jaehwan-ah. It’s for their sake. I want Hongbin to be happy with Taekwoon because I know, Taekwoon and Hongbin meant to be together.”

“But not with sacrificing your own soul”

“I can fight her Jaehwan-ah.. don’t you trust me?”

“I do… but.. Hakyeon-ah……..”

Hakyeon put his hands on Jaehwan’s shoulders and smiled, “Trust me”

“Just.. stay safe”

Hakyeon nodded. He walked towards his work place and started to make a potion for Taekwoon so the magic would be gone from him.

Taekwoon had packed his bags and he was with the Queen outside the house, ready to leave.

“Taekwoon-ah.. please.. don’t leave me…Taekwoon-ah.. you are my only one nephew that I have” his uncle begged him and clung onto his arms.

The Queen made a disgusting face and she pulled Taekwoon’s other arm, “Let’s go and just leave this old man! He is so annoying”

His uncle coughed and his breath turned shallow and fast. Taekwoon immediately went inside and he took his uncle’s medicine. He gave it to his uncle and slowly his uncle’s breath turned normal.

“Please.. Taekwoon-ah.. don’t leave me” he begged with a whisper.

Taekwoon turned to look at the Queen and she looked away, “Yeah.. uncle.. i’m sorry, and I won’t leave you alone”

“My Prince, but you promised me to go with me”

“I’m so sorry Miss Beauty, but… you see how weak my uncle was right? And.. I can’t leave him alone like that. “

“Fine! Tomorrow! You have to go with me tomorrow!” she turned and leave the house.

“Where are you going Miss?”

She glanced over her shoulders, “I’m going somewhere, but I’ll be back soon Prince”

“Hey Miss.. will you be alright, I can accompany you aft-“

“I’ll be fine!”

Then she gone, towards the forbidden forest, heading towards Hongbin’s house.