== PROLOGUE ==

No matter what wil happen in the future, as long as I can be with you, I can bear anything. But the thing that I can’t bear is none than losing you. How can I lose you when you are the half of me? Losing you only means that I can die, anytime, right when you leaving my sight.

(May 11^th, 2017)

 

== CHAPTER 2 ==

6 years later…

            “Eomma! [Mom!],” said the 6 years old boy who while running towards her mother who sat in front of their small house.

            The mother turns her face to see her boy with her husband who just came back from the river to catch the fishes.

            “You caught many fishes…” said the mother.

            “I catched this all by myself,” said the 6 years old boy proudly.

            “So, your father can’t catch any fish at all?” ask the mother.

            The boy shook his head.

            “Hwa Young-a, go to a kitchen and bring me a bowl,” ask the mother.

            The 4 year old girl named Hwa Young goes inside to bring a bowl.

            “How do we cook this fish?” ask the husband.

            “Leave it to me,” answer the wife.

            “You don’t want me to help you?” ask the husband again.

            “Yoo Ajusshi [Uncle Yoo], better you watch the triplets. I’ll take care the cooking with Hwa Young and Hwa Rang,” answer the wife while pulling his husband to watch their triplet children.

            That’r right, this is Yoo Family. Finally, Yoo Ki Hyun married to the woman he loved, Lee Ji Hyeon. After 6 years old of marriage, they had 5 children that are Yoo Hwa Rang, the first son, he is 6 years old. He resembled his father so much. The second child is Yoo Hwa Young. She is 4 years old girl who resembled her mother so much. And their third also fourth and fifth children because they are 2 years old twins who named Yoo Yoon Gi and Yoo Yoon Jin are boys and Yoo Yoon Ah is girl.

            Although they lived on the small house, but their house always full happiness. Eventhough their label at the social-rank as petty noble family, but they can live happily as a small family.

            “Ji Hyeon-a, I’ve invited my best friend to our house,” said Ki Hyun.

            “Who?” ask Ji Hyeon.

            “A friend that I always tell you about him. The one who came from well-known family but he is willingly to befriends with a poor scholar like me,”

            “Ah, geu bun… [that person],”

            “He said that he wants me to introduce him to our family, he said that he wants to know the girl that can make me loves her so much,”

            “You tell him about me too?”

            “Geureomyo, [of course]. I should brag about the thing that I proud of,”

            “What if he fallen for me?”

            “Ey, no way, because you are always be mine. He wouldn’t dare to steal you from me,”

            Ji Hyeon only smile when she heard every word that his husband said. It’s totally right, because she knows that his husband always loves her that much. She is also proud to have Ki Hyun as her husband who always proud because he became her husband. It’s the right choice that she ever made in her life time.

***

 

Flashback to 6 years ago…

            “Would you marry me?” ask Ki Hyun.

            Ki Hyun holds Ji Hyeon’s hands tightly as he doesn’t want to let go of her hand again. As if he doesn’t want to lose Ji Hyeon too. He looked into her beautiful eyes.

            “Ey, no way, you just tricked me, right?” ask Ji Hyeon.

            Ki Hyun startled by Ji Hyeon’s reaction. He never thought that Ji Hyeon would gave him that kind of responses.

            “Ji Hyeon-a, look into my eyes,”

            Ji Hyeon looked into his eyes. Although every day, every time, they’re always playing around together and never be serious about one thing, but today, she finds that sincerity that hards to believe through his eyes. He is being sincere about what he said before.

            “I’ll ask you again, would you marry me?”

            It’s really hard to believe for her. Because for the past 10 years, they’re only became a best friend who always depends on each other. But the fact that can’t be avoided is that she also ever thinks that someday Ki Hyun would ask that kind of thing to her. And finally, the day is coming.

            “Why you didn’t say anything? Did you just reject my marriage proposal?”

            “Actually, it’s hard to believe,”

            “Why?”

            “We are known each other for 10 years already and we are still young. We are only 18 years old. I never thought that you would made such a big decision this fast,”

            “So what if we are still young? If we are still young doesn’t mean that we can’t married,”

            “That’s right, but---“

            “What should I do to prove that I am being sincere and serious about this marriage? Should I jump from the edge up there so that you can believe that I am ready to marry you. I am ready to be your husband. I am ready to accompany you for the rest of your life,”

            “You don’t need to do such things,”

            “Saranghae… [I love you],”

            Ji Hyeon even more startled by Ki Hyun sudden confession that she never heard before. She really never thought that Ki Hyun loved her more than as best friend.

            “Saranghae…[I love you],”

            As he repeated those sacred words, his face goes closer to Ji Hyeon’s face. Without realizing it, his soft lips reach Ji Hyeon’s soft lips. He kissed his beloved woman softly and warmly. He closed his eyes and gently kisses the lips of the woman that he chooses as his partner of life.

            “Can you feel it?” ask Ki Hyun.

            Ji Hyeon nodded her head.

            “So, would you marry me?”

            Ji Hyeon only replied to his marriage proposal with her beautiful smile. Although she still can’t believe it, but Ki Hyun’s sincere break those wall of hesitant that hinders her true feeling towards Ki Hyun.

            “Gomawo…” said Ki Hyun.

            Ki Hyun holds Ji Hyeon’s face. Again, his soft lips touched Ji Hyeon’s lips. This time, he kissed her as if he doesn’t want to let Ji Hyeon go again. He closed his eyes and kissed her gently. Slowly, Ji Hyeon closed her eyes too. She kissed Ki Hyun’s lips softly, as if she wants to tell her true feelings to Ki Hyun’s through that kiss.

End of flashback…

***

 

            “Is it true that this is Yoo Family house?” as a handsome man to a 6 years old boy who just got back from his grand family’s house.

            “Ne, majayo… [Yes, that’s right…]” answer the boy.

            The 6 years old boy is Hwa Rang, he look into the man in front of him with suspicious gaze.

            “Ajusshi [Uncle], what do you need? Do you need to meet with my family?” ask Hwa Rang.

            “So, you are Ki Hyun’s son,”

            “You know my father?”

            “Dangyeonhaji [of course], I am his best friend,”

            “Jinjja? [Really?]”

            “Your father invited me to come to your house,”

            “Let’s go, then…”

            Hwa Rang the handsome man to his house.

            “Min Hyuk-a, wasseo [you are here]?” ask Ki Hyun when he saw his friend with his son.

            “This Ajusshi  is really your friend, Father?”

            Min Hyuk and Ki Hyun only laughed heard Hwa Rang’s question.

            “Maja [That’s right], he is my friend,” answer Ki Hyun.

            “Your son resembles you so much,” said Min Hyuk.

            “Of course, he is my son though,” said Ki Hyun proudly.

            “Who is your name, child?” ask Min Hyuk to Hwa Rang who still stare at him suspiciously.

            “Hwa Rang. Yoo Hwa Rang,” answer Hwa Rang.

            “What a beautiful name,” said Min Hyuk.

            “Hwa Rang-a, tell your mother that my friend is already here,” Ki Hyun ask his son to tell Ji Hyeon.

            “Ne [Yes],”

            Hwa Rang go inside their house to inform Ji Hyeon.

            “Eomma…”

            “Hwa Rang-a, why is it takes so long? Did you deliver the food to your grandparents already?”

            “Ne, Eomma…”

            “Oh, gomawo geureom… [Then, thank you…],”

            “Eomma, we have a guest. He is Dad’s friend. Dad told me to inform you that his friend is coming,”

            “Oh, he is already here?”

            Ji Hyeon goes to Ki Hyun and Min Hyuk’s place. While Hwa Rang is follows her behind.

            “Oh, it’s my wife,” said Ki Hyun as soon as he saw Ji Hyeon with Hwa Rang.

            Min Hyuk turns his head to see Ji Hyeon.

            DEG!

            As if her heart stops beating for awhile as soon as she sees Min Hyuk. She was frozen in her place.

            “Ji Hyeon-a…”

            Ki Hyun’s voice brought her soul back so that he walks slowly toward his husband and Min Hyuk’s place.

            “She is my wife, Ji Hyeon, Lee Ji Hyeon,”

            Ki Hyun introduces his wife proudly to his best friend. But Ji Hyeon seems confused and awkward.

            “Annyeong haseyo, jeoneun Min Hyuk imnida, I am your husband best friend,”

            Min Hyuk introduced himself to Ji Hyeon.

            “Ki Hyun always told me that he is really proud of you. Indeed, you are beautiful. No wonder that he kept bragging about his wife,”

            “Ah, gamsahamnida…”

            “Did Ki Hyun tell you about me too?”

            “Ye [Yes], he always told me that he had a good friends who always supported him,”

            “Geuraeyo? [Is that so?],”

            “And I’d like to thanks you because you always support my husband and you willingly to be my husband’s best friend although we are from different social-rank,”

            “Aigoo, such a good wife,”

***

 

            Meanwhile, at the palace, the King talks about some important matter with the Queen. The topic seems to be really serious because the King order that no one can enter his private room until this important matter been settled.

            “Jeonha [Your Majesty], what is it about?”

            “About the Crown Prince,”

            The Queen startled because suddenly the King bring the topic about Crown Prince.

            “Did the Crown Prince made a mistake?”

            “No, not at all. But I’ve been thinking about this for long time and it’s for his owns good too,”

            The Queen seems to be more worried as she saw the King expression that full of seriousness too.

            “In order to protect his position as the Crown Prince, we should do anything. As we know that there are people who always tried to take his position and wanted his position that badly. They’ll do anything to not let him  to ascends the throne. But I can’t sit still,”

            “So, what should we do?”

            “We should held his marriage as soon as possible,”

            “Do you have someone in mind to be his Crown Princess?”

            “I don’t have anyone and I don’t think we can marry him to one of Minister’s daughter too,”

            “Why?”

            “We should protect this royal blood, so he should marry the one of his sisters,”

            “But we only have Lee Ha Ni and Lee Ah Jin and they’re already married too. As we know that Lee Ah Jin already married to Minister of Education Chae’s son, Chae Hyung Won a few months ago. We can’t do anything about that and it’s impossible to divorce them since Ah Jin already pregnant too. Also, Lee Ha Ni already married to Lee Ho Seok,”

            “As you aware too that those people would create a conspiration to make Lee Ho Seok ascends the throne. Lee Ho Seok still in our blood line too, but he can’t ascend the throne because he is the son of the one of our ancestor’s concubine. Those people who plot the conspiration get stronger as he married Lee Ha Ni because Ha Ni is the decendants of our ancestor’s royal concubine,”

            “We should protect the Crown Prince, whatever it takes, then…”

            “I guess, we have no choice,”

            “Do you mean---“

            King only nodded his head to answer the Queen’s question. No need for explanation because the Queen fully awares of what the King means.

            “Jeonha…”

            After the long discussion with the King, the Queen heads to her quarters. But on her ways, she meets Lee Jin Yi and Lee Son Ja.

            “Mama… [Your Highness],” Jin Yi and Son Ja greets the Queen.

            “Jin Yi-ya,”

            “Ye, Mama? [Yes, Your Highness?],”

            “The King would make such a big decision, so I hope you can be prepared for that,”

            “Big decision?”

            “I can’t believe it myself too but I guess we have no choice,”

            Jin Yi and Son Ja seemed to be confused about what the Queen means.

            “We’ll discuss again once everything settled,”

            “Ye, Mama. [Yes, Your Highness],”

            The Queen heads to her quarters. But Jin Yi and Son Ja still thinking about what the Queen’s means until they reachs Jin Yi’s quarters.

            “Son Ja-ya…”

            “Ne, Eonni? [Yes, Sister?],”

            “To tell you honestly, that I am really curious about what the Queen means. Beside my curiousity, but I feel worrying about something too,”

            “Forgive me to saying this, but I have a bad feeling about this. It feels like something great would happen sooner or later. But I hope it isn’t a bad thing. I hope,”

            “I hope so,”

            “We would heard the announcement sooner or later,”

            “That’s right. The Queen’s expression seems really serious too. It makes me even worry,”

            “Let’s hope that only something good will happen,”

            “Yes,”

***

 

            In the darkness of night, there’s a handsome man who walked at the lonely streets. He is heading to a place where’s he lived with a man who always accompanying him wherever he goes. But as soon as he saw a middle-age woman at the end of the lonely street, he stopped his step.

            “Seja Joha [Crown Prince],”

            As she saw the Crown Prince, the middle-age walks toward the Crown Prince and greets him.

            “Oraenmanieyo [it’s been long time], Lady Son,”

            “Seja Joha, there’s something that I’d like to ask you,”

            “Mureobwa [Just ask],”

            “Maybe it happens that you already known everything?”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “That…”

            Lady Son looks really hesitant to mention the thing that she hidden for several years.

            “Ah, that thing…,”

            The Crown Prince got what Lady Son means.

            “I know, of course,”

            “Forgive me for saying this, but can you do me a favor?”

            “Sure,”

            “Can you hide everything that you know to the royal family?”

            “Why?”

            “I think no need for me to explain about that. But you, as the Crown Prince, well-awares about what kind of situation it is. So, I hope you can do that to protect the innocent citizen,”

            Crown Prince only looks at Lady Son. He doesn’t give any responses. Even he doesn’t know what should he said to Lady Son too.

            “I hope I can do that,”

            “Seja Joha,”

            “Although my position now as the Crown Prince, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have a greedy trait like another person do. I do have that greedy trait too, since I am also a human too. I might do as you said, but it will hurt my heart as well. I want to protect those innocent citizens too, but for now, I am, myself, even doesn’t know what to do. Even I can’t predict what will happen once the royal family founds out everything without me telling them,”

            “Seja Joha…”

            “I have so many burdens already. I hope I can bear it for a bit longer, but I’m not sure that can bear it anymore. I don’t want this kind of ill-fated happen to me too, but I guess I have no choice too since I was born like this. In this position,”

 

To be continued…