Yoongi left his room slowly and strolled tiredly to the bathroom. There he washed his hands and face then he hurried into the kitchen. To his amazement breakfast was already set on the table. He usually made breakfast himself but today his foster father had a good mood and time to do so. Yoongi sat down and suddenly Song Il-Kook entered the kitchen too and joined him. He poured a hot cup of tea and stirred some sugar in it.

Around a week ago they had a very intense conversation about Yoongi's family and past. The mood had sunken very much back then.

“Why are you... are you at home?”, Yoongi asked a little bit curious.

Song Il-Kook looked at him and said quietly: “You can call me father, my son. I have the day off.”

Yoongi nodded and began to eat while the nobleman took a sip of his hot tea. It was delicious lotus tea, his very favorite one.

“Your father is a guard from Gongju, right?”, he asked to break the silence and scratched his beard.

He lifted the cup a second time and sipped his tea, which he enjoyed a lot.

Yoongi looked up briefly from his breakfast and answered with a full mouth: “Yes, why?”

Song Il-Kook shook his head left to right with a disappointed expression.

“How often should I tell you that you should not speak with your mouth full?”, he admonished his adopted son.

Yoongi looked at him in shame and apologized. His mouth was still full, but this time the nobleman did not care. The boy finished eating in peace, while Song Il-Kook finished his cup of tea.

“Why did you ask?”, the little boy wanted to know.

The nobleman looked at him thoughtfully, then poured himself tea again.

“Well, I heard that a powerful guardian has returned to Gongju.”, he explained, “I thought, maybe it is your fa-”

“No.”, Yoongi interrupted, “I don't think so, except…”

“Except he has found your little brother.”, the nobleman finished his sentence.

Yoongi immediately jumped up and stared at his foster father. Hope rose in him. What if it was true? Song Il-Kook looked at him sadly, then smiled briefly.

“Yoongi, if you want to, I will take you to the palace.”, he suggested and continued, “You have the right to see him, if it really is your father. Maybe it is really Jung Yunho…”

Yoongi nodded hopefully. His eyes sparkled. He became nervous and excited.

“Yes, please! Take me there, please!”, he begged, “My brother... My father... I need to see them!”

Song Il-Kook shook his head with a smile and ordered with a big grin: “Well then, hurry up! Let us see who this guardian is!”

Yoongi left his breakfast and hurried into his room. He took off his pajamas and put on fresh clothes, a red shirt, a white overcoat, and the matching pants. He ran into the bathroom brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and washed his face again. Then he rushed back into his room and put on some white socks. The little boy just wanted to look good. After all, he would meet his father after almost a year. It was an important moment in his life. When he got back into the kitchen, he put the dishes in the sink and wiped the table. Song Il-Kook attached great importance on cleanliness, so the boy did his best to make him proud. The nobleman also entered the kitchen. He too had changed his clothes. He wore an emerald ordinary hanbok. Usually, he only wore classy clothes with golden embroidery and great designs, but this time he did not want to attract much attention.

They left the Giwajib together and walked side by side on the gravel road towards the center of Gongju. They went through the market where Yoongi had first met the nobleman about a year ago. He immediately remembered it. Song Il-Kook also had to think of it, and he smiled too. Whenever they strolled through these streets, they would recall their first encounter.

“If it does not turn out the way we hope, then do not be sad...”, Song Il-Kook said at some point.

Yoongi gave him a quick look. No! It should turn out as the little boy hoped. Otherwise, it would be a terrible disappointment for him. He would be deeply hurt. The nobleman was sure his adopted son would be having a mental breakdown.

They left the market as quickly as they had entered it and then went to the huge palace. Black flags hung everywhere. There was restlessness in the air. Anybody must have died. Song Il-Kook tilted his head and scratched his beard. He had somewhat a clue of what had happened. When they stopped in front of the palace, the g