seven || feud

“You go home late and on top of that, you bring a boy home with you?”  Heechul angrily scolded Sohye who was shamefully kneeling on the ground. “Are you really crazy? Didn’t I tell you to not talk to strangers? Are you that stupid?”

Seokmin felt offended at his words, he didn’t have to go that far as to insult her. “You shouldn’t say that to her. She was----“

“I’m not talking to you!” he shouted at Seokmin, who was suddenly reminded of his brother. “And why aren’t you kneeling?” for some reason, he found himself actually submitting to his commands. Was it because this was the first time someone seriously scolded him other than his brother?

“I’m really sorry, I just forgot about the time and I----“

“Did you not even consider how much your mother would be worried when she finds out I almost lost you?

Sohye bowed down in shame. “I’m sorry.” Was all she could say, she didn’t try to utter any more excuses.

“Didn’t that brain of yours even think of such simple matters?”

“I’m really sorry.”

“Are you really that senseless?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey, she already apologized. You don’t have to degrade her that much.” Seokmin interrupted, feeling sorry for the girl beside her.

“Shut up, this is between the two of us and you have nothing to do with it!”

Seokmin glared at him. ‘You’re the one who dragged me into it.’

“Please don’t get mad at him.” Sohye raised her head to look at the boy beside her, her eyes looked somewhat confounding. “Everything really is my fault so please, don’t shout at Heechul.”

“What?” Seokmin felt a bit insulted. “Why are you defending him? He’s been shouting at you and calling you stupid. From what I see, he should be the one getting the scolding.”

“But---He---I just--“without even realizing, tears started to gush out of Sohye’s eyes.

The sudden tears caught him off guard, Seokmin flusteredly reached out to her but he couldn’t bring himself to touch her, he felt that if he did, more tears would come out from her eyes. “I---I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to---I---”

“No, it’s not your fault. I just---I don’t know why I’m crying.” Sohye said in between sobs.

Heechul, who was intently staring at the two of them, slightly felt annoyed and then sighed and stood up from his seat. “Let’s stop right here.” He said in a very imposing tone. “Sohye, go to your room now.” Sohye bit her lip and stood up, she looked at Seokmin and mouthed the word ‘Sorry’

Seokmin watched as the girl went inside the room and disappeared from his sight, her sobs still ringing clearly on his mind.

“As for you.” Heechul stared down at Seokmin angrily. “Isn’t there someplace you should be?” a scoff escaped his mouth as he looked down at the guy.

That moment, Seokmin thought the man recognized him, but screw that! ‘I don’t care anymore!’ He kept firm as he stood up and looked directly into his eye. “I don’t need you to tell me that.” He retorted.

Heechul smiled.

And we all know his smiles never meant anything good.

“I’ll be out for a bit. If you want to leave, leave! But don’t drag her into it.” The tone in his voice became friendly, but oddly enough, it felt threatening.

Heechul gave a tap on his shoulders before he walked passed him and went outside. As to what he was thinking, only he knows.

As soon as Seokmin heard the door shut, his knees suddenly fell weakly to the ground. ‘Who the hell is that guy?’

‘If he already knew I was a prince, then why was he like that?’

At the same time, Sohye, who was in the room, had her head glued to the door, trying to get the idea of what was happening. When she heard the door close outside her room, she immediately opened hers and peeked outside. Her heart felt lighter when she didn’t see any sign of Heechul.

Sohye fully opened the door and walked towards Seokmin, who was staring up at her as she did so.

“Are you okay?” she asked worriedly as she leaned down to his level.

Seokmin smiled at her. ‘Too cute.’ He felt his whole body ease up as soon as he heard her voice. “Are you?” he asked back, remembering the things that were said to her earlier.

“Mm.” Sohye nodded. “I’m sorry. He even got mad at you. All of this is my fault.”

“No it’s not.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m not.”

Sohye smiled at his attempt to comfort her.

But then, “Ah!” she noticed it again just as she looked at his face. “It’s bleeding again.” Sohye immediately got up and went to her room, then went back with a wet towel at hand. She then moved closer to him as she cleaned the cut on his face.

Their eyes locked for a moment. Sohye smiled at him so innocently that he was mentally going crazy.

Her gestures made his heart pound faster. ‘Ah, how is she doing this to me?’

“I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Seokmin felt both happy and frustrated. “Why do you keep apologizing? It was partly my fault so you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“But—“

“It’s really fine.”

He said that, but still, Sohye couldn’t erase the guilt she felt inside.

Along the road just a little distance outside Mallady Village, a long line of travelers stayed in wait for the examination undergoing through the gates.

Kim Mingyu remained seated with his back pressed on the wooden wall of the wagon as he waited while Lee on the other hand, impatiently kept moving about. “Urgh!” For the 1oth time, Lee groaned in frustration.

“Will you stay still?” Mingyu, who still had eyes closed and his head rested on the wall said.

“But we’ve been stuck here for hours!”

“Yeah, and I’m tired of your whining already.”

Lee tsk-ed and sat down, but without even a minute passing, he stood up again. “I’m going to see what’s happening.” He said as he jumped down from the wagon getting ready to walk up front when they heard the old man’s voice.

“Get down boys! It’s our turn!” Lee’s uncle shouted from outside.

“Finally!”

It was a quick process. They passed the inspection smoothly and got into the village easily than they had thought it would be.

Mallady was much bigger than expected. But what surprised Lee more was that the whole city was still awake so late in the night. There were so many people along the streets. Shops were put up neatly in two lines beside the road.

“Whoa!” Lee Chan, with his eyes sparkling and his mouth hanging wide said in amazement. “This is awesome!” he shouted as he ran off to the nearest store.

Kim Mingyu chuckled at how much of a kid he was and turned to Lee’s uncle. “So, what do we have to do?” Of course, they weren’t here to have fun.

“You have to go to the training grounds of the imperial army. It’s over there.” Uncle pointed somewhere beside the huge castle from afar. “You see it?” Mingyu noticed the barricaded walls surrounding the castle and beyond it.

Being here again, it made him remember many things.

‘Those walls weren’t there before.’ He laughed internally. ‘They’re so scared now that they even put up walls within walls.”

Well of course, after the late king’s assassination, who wo