Seven.
fac ut ardeat cor meum (amor vincit omnia)Author's Note:
I honestly love Jongin's male friends in this story. They're cute and adorable.
Also, I know Soojung hasn't made her 'presence' in this story yet, but be sure she'll definitely has her spotlight soon. I just want it to happen on a perfect time and perfect place (hehehe). It'll be even 'more' than the previous version.
And thank you SO MUCH for the support so far, guys, I'm glad that many of you think this reedited version is better than the previous, THANK YOU SO MUCH :") I hope you'll continue this journey with me until the end of this story akjdankjd.
Slight fluff for Kaiseul in this chapter, you're welcome.
Love,
Nat
VII.
carpe noctem.
seize the night.
It took almost a week before the terrorists are caught. Sadly, however, all of them died before the police force could interrogate them. Seungwoo tell them as they're having their breakfast.
“One shot himself in the end, two other died because of a suicide bomb.” He explains, distaste dripping in his voice.
“Were they really affiliated with the RAEMs?" Seulgi asks.
“The team have searched their place but find nothing. I'm not surprised. If those terrorists really were part of RAEM, they'd hide any clues that would lead to the movement." he replies as he cuts his sausage.
“Bunch of bastards." Yerim curses, much to Eunhee's displease.
“Kim Yerim!" the woman exclaims. “Language!”
Jungwoo clicks his tongue. “Will the team continue the search, though?” he asks, looking directly at Seungwoo. “Can't just drop it like this.”
“They'll continue the investigation for as long as necessary-" the rest of the King's words are cut as he suddenly coughs, heavy and wheezing, his whole body seemed to tremble as he struggles.
“Oh, no, Soonyoung! Bring the medicine please, hurry!" Eunhee says loudly to the nearby servant. Hurriedly, she gets up and tries to ease Seungwoo.
Soonyoung readily hands the medicine to Eunhee. A bottle filled with tablets. Quickly, Eunhee opens the cap and helps Seungwoo drink it down. The King's eyes are shut, as if the coughs pained him. Fortunately, the coughing gradually stops and for the first time, Seungwoo looked very old and tired.
Jongin staters at Seungwoo in worry, “Father, you have to take care of your health more,” he says with a certain urgency in his voice.
But Seungwoo waves his hand dismissively. “I'm sick but not dying. I know my limits, boy.”
“But you're getting older, Father, you can't push yourself too much like you used to.” Jongin insists.
Seulgi notices the room has gone quiet. Even Yerim looks away. Seungwoo seems annoyed.
“You know that's simply not an option.” He says with a calm voice.
“But if something were to happen to you-”
“Enough, Jongin.”
And Jongin is immediately silenced by Seungwoo's stern voice. The King barely yelled, but the authority in his voice seems to make Jongin shrink.
Seulgi half expected Jongin to apologize, but he simply finishes his breakfast in silence. Wordlessly, the others continue their breakfast, too, but Seulgi can't help but notice the displeased look that Eunhee gives to her husband and her first son.
As soon as everyone finishes, Jongin walks out of the room, nobody tried to stop him. Glancing at his retreating figure, Seulgi mentally debates whether she should go after him or give him the solitude he seeks.
“I'm sorry you have to see that, Seulgi." Seungwoo murmurs, breaking her chain of thoughts. “Though I guess one thing that you must know about this family is how often we bicker.”
Seulgi mulls over her words. “Families fight, but they also love." she replies.
Seungwoo let out a sigh. “Jongin is a good son. A dutiful son who's eager for acknowledgement as much as he’s eager to please.” he broods, ignoring the way Eunhee squints her eyes at him. “But if he keeps on turning back to look at me each time he takes a step, he'd walk a path that isn't his.”
Seulgi doesn't know what to say to that. Her mind travels again to Jongin. She tossed the dice and played with her luck.
“Thank you for the food.” Seulgi says demurely before getting up and chase after her husband.
****
She finds him standing on their bedroom's balcony, basking under the morning sunlight, his skin looks like it glows gold. The sight somewhat freezes her, the boldness she felt a few seconds ago seems to shrink away into oblivion as she did a double-take. Approach him or leave him be?
She decides to push her luck further by walking towards the balcony and stands by his side, fingers gripping the cool railing.
And another push when she speaks. “A penny for your thoughts?”
Jongin heaved a sigh. “He's been sick for quite some time. Problems with his lungs,” he starts, “The medication helps but if he's not going to start taking better care of his health, I worry something bad might happen. He hasn’t been present for most of my life because of his job. The least he could do is take care of himself more.”
The spitefulness in his tone is so palpable, like poison biting through the air. Seulgi realizes then, that this is their first common ground in which they could relate with each other. The lack of their parents’ presence throughout their lives.
“You're a good son, Jongin." Seulgi says. “Your father loves you.”
But Jongin shakes his head. “Could’ve been better.” he bristles. “There’s this template I should follow and I do everything according to that template.”
She bits her lower lip. “I don’t see what’s so wrong with that.”
“It means, I’m ordinary.” he answers, “Just your typical ordinary Jongin. I did what was expected of me to do.”
Seulgi turns to look at him in worry. “You’re more than that,” she says, frowning. “There are things that people expect you to do and you could’ve just forsake it, you could’ve said screw it and go your own way, but you didn’t. You did your responsibilities excellently and that’s good.”
Realization dawns upon her then, that the look on his face is somewhat similar to how Joohyun looked like everytime their father places more expectations, duties and responsibilities upon her shoulders. Joohyun carries herself with poise, elegance and assertiveness and much of them resemblances Jongin.
Without hesitation, Seulgi grabs his hand, hoping that she could somewhat projects reassurance through their contact.
“You'll be a good king, Jongin, Aria is lucky to have you." she says, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
He smiles again, then, but she's relieved because he looks a bit more at ease now. Jongin raises his free hand and gently rubs Seulgi's head- from the crown of her head, to the sides, until it brushes against her cheek and stops at her jaw.
“Thank you, Seulgi.”
He withdraws after, but the warmth of his touch lingers in every strand of her hair.
****
Time goes on quickly after. With the terrorists have been dealt with, their attention is now solely focused on the cabinet meeting. Seulgi studied a lot, revised her points so often she lost count and as the day grows closer, she finds herself getting more and more antsy.
“You need to take a break,” her aide, Miyeon, says, noticing that Seulgi’s eyes has stopped moving from one word to another, her attention have been completely diverted from the book she was reading.
Seulgi looks up at the girl and smiles. “Honestly, Miyeon, as much as I want to, I can never rest in peace until I’ve done with the meeting.”
From her right, her advisor Taehyun smiles. “It’s funny how you can be so similar with the Crown Prince, no rest until duty is done.”
The man’s compliment makes Seulgi oddly happy, she doesn’t really understand why. However, she recalls the event that unwrapped a few days ago, Jongin’s hand so gentle on her head and her heart picks up its pace.
Miyeon takes her time to pour Seulgi tea before sitting in front of her. “Surely there’s something you can do to relax yourself when you’re stressed out.” the girl says. “When I was so nervous for an upcoming exam, my mother used to make me a cup of peppermint tea and it helps me to calm down.”
Humming, Seulgi lets herself think. The answer has been easy. “I often paint.” she answers and then she realizes it’s been quite a long time since she last painted. Seulgi finds herself missing it, the scent of the paint, the feeling of brush against her finger, the colors.
“I didn’t know you paint, Princess, I would love to see your works someday.” Taehyun says.
“Maybe you should paint,” Miyeon offers, smiling slightly.
“Perhaps,” Seulgi sighs. Nobody here knows of that particular hobby of her and she hadn’t thought of asking someone if there are rooms available for her to paint on or buying the equipment. They’re all still too busy, with the weddings, with the decree, with the bombs. She takes a sip of her tea and exhales. “There are things I have to settle first, though.”
Miyeon looks as if she’s going to roll her eyes, but stops herself. “Another thing to pour your whole energy on?”
This brings a smile on Seulgi’s lips. “Miyeon, I promise, once I'm done with the meeting, I’ll get a good long rest,” she reassures the girl. “I’ve been thinking. We’re planning to set up this organization focused on Altarian-Arian welfare and… I’m wondering who fits to be the board members.”
A thoughtful look passes on Miyeon’s face. “They’ve got to be Altairian, or Altairian-Arian, right?”
Seulgi nods. Sure, she knows quite a handful of influential Altairian-Arian in this kingdom, but ironically she h
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