The king came and seated himself beside the judge who signalled with his hand to start the trial. 

"Jung Daehyun the prince may bring forth his claims." The judge bellowed. 

Daehyun sat comfortably as he spoke, "This man physically abused my guard and harrassed him with unnecessary questions!"

"What were those questions?" 

"He asked about our status and wealth and made my guard feel inferior!"

"Overruled."

Daehyun was surprised at how fast he was asked to shut up. This could take a bad turn so he better be quick. 

"But he did physically abuse him! He did beat my guard for no apparent reason!"

"Is it true, Yongguk?" The judge asked. 

"No, sir. What re-"

"No one asked you what really happened!"

To Yongguk's surprise, it was the King himself! Why did he say such a thing?

The judge was visibly shocked but didn't dare say a word against the king. 

Daehyun smiled, "Not just that, he has even tried to brainwash the prince from marrying me.He's trying to make the prince do whatever benefits him and his family! This man is going to be much troublesome to deal with!"

The king huffed in a sneering manner and looked at Jongup, "No wonder you were changing so fast. Is this the reason? Is this how I brought you up?"

Yongguk turned to look at Jongup, whose eyes had turned glassy and his lips shut in a tight line. This had obviously happened before or perhaps it was expected since they really didn't care much about him. 

But why? Isn't he their son?

What was the danger the prince was facing earlier that they hired him for? 

I can't make sense of any of this!

The judge cleared his throat, "Is there anything else for you to say, prince Daehyun?"

He smiled, "Oh no, that's all."

"Then," the judge turned to Himchan, "Why are you here?" 

Himchan's glasses weren't on his face anymore, they were hanging from his coat at the waist and his hair and clothes was dishevelled.

Yet his cocky smile didn't leave his face,

"Oh! Please give me justice, sire! This guard was also involved with Youngjae, the chief-"

'Shut your mouth, fopdoodle. No one has time for your abydocomist way of getting by. I'm sick and tired of this." Youngjae retorted, looking down at the other. 

"What's your story, chief guard?" The judge asked.

"They are lying, your honour."

"About what?" The king grunted in a threatening manner. 

"Himchan is lying. He bribed our soldiers just to get Yongguk in an empty cell to threaten and abuse him."

"Threaten him for what?" The judge pressed on but the king quickly interrupted. 

"Judge, I think we can tell from the condition Daehyun's guard is in that Yongguk is indeed guilty!"

The prince, whose heart was palpitating out his chest in complete disbelief, stood up and shouted, "Please! He did nothing wrong! Daehyun is lying! Dad! Are your trading contacts more important than me!?"

The judge took this as an opportunity to ask Yongguk about his side of the story, "Please tell us what happened."

Yongguk looked at the judge with eyes that were like those of a puppet, empty and hard. His lips were cracking and his skin was pale. 

"Himchan tried to fight me over nothing so I defended myself. I tried to save Prince Jongup from Daehyun's harassment. When I came back with the prince safe with me, someone convicted me of harassing and abusing the other party." 

He spoke in broken sentences, abrupt. As if he lost all hope in anyone believing him.

"I believe you as we had a case similar to this before." The judge said but then quickly looked away as the king was now speaking to him.

"I knew I shouldn't have let a peasant like you set foot on our grounds! Throw him in prison! That'll serve him right for disrespecting the Royal guests of ours!" He yelled angrily. 

"I can only put him for 2 years in prison according to our laws a-"

"Listen to me! You obey me! Not the damned book! Put him in prison forever and drive out his family!" The king said scornfully.

"What about Himchan?" The judge asked, fearfully.

"Throw him in prison for a while too! He bribed my guards. The guards should have the bribe money confiscated from them immediately!"

Yongguk felt like his world came crashing down on him. He looked at Jongup, who looked like he was screaming, trying to fight through Youngjae's arms blocking him, his wet cheeks and eyes a depressing red, but for some reason the guard couldn't hear him. There was a strange buzzing in his ears as he was taken away. He couldn't think. He didn't even know whether he was breathing. He let himself be led away. He did think though, 

Am I being punished for being righteous?

He was thrown into a dark, damp cell. 

The guards spat some words about how he was about to put them in trouble but were thankful that he's a lowly peasant that no will care for. 

Does being poor make me undeserving?

He looked at the narrow opening that was in the middle of the door for the guards to check on prisoners. 

There was a weak ray of light shining through them and Yongguk wished that they would put something over it so he doesn't see the light, so he is cast in darkness forever. 

He hates how this light managed to pass through the most wretched of places. 

It was as if it was telling him to have hope. 

While hope is only a way to deal with extended misery. 

Jongup's brother, who saw all of this unfold before him had rushed towards his brother's side.

The prince, who rarely ever showed emotions, was on the floor, tearing at his hair, screaming and screeching about how this was wrong, how Yongguk did nothing wrong. 

Everyone had left the courtroom, except for Youngjae, Jayhuan (Jongup's brother) and Daehyun, who stood a few feet away, watching them in silence. 

Youngjae walked over towards him, "Didn't you have enough fun already? Please leave or I may have to force you out." 

Daehyun looked up, his face was filled with shame, he was holding back tears.

For what?

It was as if he was asking for help and Youngjae completely despised it. 

"You're still a kid aren't you? The same spoiled kid who ruined Jongups' life before too. Cried over it. Did it again ten years later.

Your tears are nothing but fake. They are not crying out of guilt, they are crying out of denial of what awaits you. The realization that Jongup will hate you worse than before. That he won't succumb to you anymore. That he will never as much as look at you anymore.

You're crying because you know he is not meant to be yours. That you were never worth for him.

So you tried to ruin what he thought of his own worth, you tried to destroy his own pride. Thinking he will come to you as you will be his only option."

Daehyun had a different glow in his eyes now, he was furious. 

"How dare you say such about me!?" 

"I have lived many wars and I can safely say that you are truly wounded right now, and by wounded I meant your conceited mentality. It will take a long time for you to get anyone at all, unless you change yourself." 

"I am not as you say! Watch me."

Daehyun sauntered towards Jongup who was on his knees, sobbing and heaving. 

"H-hey... i-it's alright! I'll try to convince your parents in taking Yongguk out... I didnn't mean-"

"You meant all of it." 

Jongup's voice was husky, deep. From his lack of breath and sore throat from crying and screaming so much. His voice felt like they weighed a tonne. 

It actually stimulated Daehyun despite how it scared him, he tried to shake his head, telling himself this was a serious situation.

Jongup stood up, coming close to the other's face, "I won't kill you. I won't do anything to you. I will just push you off a cliff without you realizing it. Until that day comes, say your prayers." 

Daehyun wanted to laugh, as if he could do that!

"Jongup, as I said earlier, please trust me. I promise I'll do something about it." Jayhuan said.

"You didn't do anything."

"You'll see soon, what am I capable of." 

"YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" Jongup exclaimed in exasperation. 

His brother remained quiet. 

Youngjae held the prince from the shoulders, leading him away. 

"This is bad for you, sire. Please let me lead you to your room." 

The prince let himself be led to his room. 

"Why does this keep happening?" He asked the chief guard. 

"You remember your first guard..."

"Yes..." 

"You remember why he died?" 

"Yes..."

"The story they told you about him trying to take you away is false."

Jongup looked at Youngjae, waiting for more.

"He was in love with your mother. Your mother and him had an affair."

The prince's eyes widened. He wasn't sure if he was ready for the next words. 

"You are not the king's son, Jongup."

Hello my lovely readers!

How was the cliffhanger ;)))))

I updated despite my busy schedule because I missed BAP and with Yongguk's news I'm more excited than ever about what the future awaits our boys!

I will highly appreciate your comments and yoru upvotes!

Thanks a lot for reading and suppporting this! I'm planning to write more BAP fics in the future!