Jongin walks his horse back and forth along the riverbank, a solid 20 meters beneath the cherry blossom tree, searching in the bright moonlight for any sign of a fall. The makeshift ‘path’ is so narrow, a person could easily fall or jump and miss the ledge here completely, tumbling into the river directly, but Jongin’s mind refuses to focus on that possibility.

Spying an irregularity ahead on the dirt shoreline, Jongin quickly dismounts his horse and goes to inspect it up close.

Rocks. Several dozen rocks the size of his fist cluster together in a haphazard pattern. Jongin peers up the cliff’s edge, trying to determine if there was a rock slide. The debris is consistent with the cliff’s wall, although the jagged patterns of the wall make it impossible to tell if the breaks are new or old.

He checks the trail of the rocks and notices they reach a bush, slightly misshapen. Jongin checks the branches: freshly broken on one side. It’s possible, then, that the prince fell or slid down the cliff’s face and this bush helped break his fall. Jongin’s heart rate picks up, flooded with hope.

But then… where. Where would he have gone?

Just as Jongin is about to stand back up from his crouched position, he hears his horse whinny, startled by something. Or someone.

Jongin’s hand flies to his sword as he keeps hidden behind the bush. He hears cautious footsteps creep closer and closer, and Jongin’s blood pounds in his ears trying to decipher: friend or foe?

Taking no chances, he stands with sword drawn, prepared to fight. “Who goes there?”

A man in elegant robes gasps and hops backward, drawing his sword in turn. “Halt!”

The two size each other up, recognizing each other’s faces shortly thereafter.

Jongin sighs with relief, putting away his sword. “Junmyeon.”

His friend, an officer from the bureau of investigation, sheaths his sword as well. “Jongin, what are you doing out here? I thought you were due back at the palace tonight.”

“I heard the crown prince was missing the minute I arrived at the gate.”

“...and immediately came to find him.” Junmyeon gives a sympathetic smile. “Truly, there’s a reason why you are Seja-igwisa.”

Jongin brushes the comment off, feeling wholly undeserving of the position at present. “What do you know?”

“Officially, just the story circulating within the palace. The crown prince went hunting, chased game too ambitiously, and fell into the river when his horse pulled up at the cliff. He is presumed drowned.”

“But were there any witnesses??”

“The servants in attendance can only attest that His Highness charged off suddenly and they could not keep pace. Only the royal guard that was on horseback accompanying the crown prince was able to race after him. He was the one who relayed the news of the cliff fall to the Vice Premier and--” Junmyeon gulped before finishing his sentence. “...was instantly killed for failing to protect the prince.”

The wind whips through the river canyon and chills Jongin to the bone. “So the only witness… is dead.”

“That’s correct.”

“Who was it?” Jongin asks stoically.

“Minseok.”

Jongin lowers his head, taking a moment to acknowledge the passing of one of his guards. Minseok was a sensible choice, to stick close to Prince Kyungsoo while he was away. He had served the royal family for years. The wheels turn in Jongin’s mind, questioning if Minseok was a victim, if he deserved death for not saving the crown prince… or if he was involved more intimately in his disappearance.

“Jongin, you need to go back to the palace.” Junmyeon voice carries a pleading note to it.

“No.”

“If you do not return when expected, they may begin to suspect you were involved.”

Jongin turns his piercing eyes upon Junmyeon. “I would never --”

“I know you wouldn’t. I know how sincerely devoted you are to the prince,” he soothes.

You only know half of it, friend. Jongin purses his lips, holding back his full emotions for Prince Kyungsoo, as he always does.

“But it will do no good for you to be written off as a treasonous guard.”

“You’re out here in the middle of the night,” Jongin counters. “You don’t believe His Highness is dead either, do you?”

“I… I don’t believe we have the full story. So I am here doing my duty and investigating.”

“And I, likewise. I took an oath to protect the Crown Prince until the day I die, and I intend to fulfill my promise.”

“It is said there will be a new crown prince in a mere few days,” Junmyeon says softly.

Jongin snarls. “And why does that not disturb every last person who lives or serves in the palace??”

“It does disturb some people. But not as many as it should.” Junmyeon holds his hands up, defensively as Jongin tenses through his broad shoulders. “You know the crown prince’s demeanor is not exactly… warm.”

“What of it.”

“You are fond of him, but surely you know that you share a different kind of closeness with His Highness than, well, anyone else does. He keeps even his own family members distant by comparison.”

Under different circumstances, Jongin might have felt a warm pride over these outsider observations. But at present, it simply leaves him heartbroken. “Are you suggesting no one in his family or the king’s court is likely to object to a new crown prince? That everyone is anxious to usher out His Highness and welcome his half-brother to the throne instead?”

“Not no one. But those of us who object must operate very carefully. Hence why I’m out here at this late hour and not midday.”

Jongin looks to the lonesome moon in the sky. “Sehun knows I returned this evening. I asked him to stall the ceremony. Will he? You know him much better than I.”

Junmyeon splutters at this, tripping over his words and refusing to look at Jongin. “I-- I wouldn’t say necessarily say that. Our fathers are friends, so we sometimes meet, that’s all.”

Jongin ignores the l