"Wow!"

 

Jessica snapped her camera to capture the festivities around the place. Franfurt is currently holding their Sausage festival for three days, today is the second day.

 

They have arrived two hours ago. They just placed their things in their hotel suite before going out to go around the city. Ever since then Jessica has been in awe, snapping pictures here and there with Yoona's DSLR camera.

 

"Yoongie, look!"

 

Yoona craned her neck to whichever Jessica was pointing. She was pointing to a huge banner that was hung up in the air that read: 'Welcome to this year's Sausage Festival!'.

 

Yoona grinned when Jessica once again snapped another photo. She was enjoying this to much and Yoona is enjoying the excited look on her girlfriend's face.

 

"Wah!" The overly excited Jessica has sauntered to a stall that is giving away Bockwurst, a sausage that originated from Frankfurt itself. "Yoona come here!"

 

Yoona skipped over to where her lover is, the smile on her face still present. "Why?"

 

"This is so good!" Jessica said after tasting a slice. She poke with her toothpick two more pieces, bringing it up to Yoona. "Here, try it."

 

"You go try it. I already know how it taste." A pout instantly made its way to Jessica's face so Yoona relented and opened .

 

Jessica popped it inside and waited for Yoona's reaction with hopeful eyes.

 

"Yes, it's good." said Yoona.

 

A girlish giggle left Jessica as she once again tried another piece, chewing it longer than the first one to savor the taste.

 

"I didn't know German sausages are so tasty!"

 

Yoona cannot contain the motherly smile on her face. "It's your first time here in Germany?"

 

"Yes. I would have gone here since before if I only knew how delectable the sausages are."

 

"You know, sausages here are like soju and ddokbukki. If Koreans love soju and ddokbukki, Germans love sausages that they can't last a day without it. In France, they love bread. One bread can lift one's mood throughout the entire day."

 

"Tee-hee." Jessica popped another slice. Her cheeks were bursting with all the sausages she's eating but the look was just plain adorable in Yoona's eyes. "It's a good thing these things are free."

 

Yoona furrowed her brows. "Who said it's free?"

 

Jessica stopped chewing, her face washed with anxiety as she stared at Yoona with wide eyes. "You mean the thing we just ate...what I just ate, isn't free?"

 

Yoona nods. She ruffled Jessica's hair when she wore a rather apologetic expression. Pulling her wallet out of her purse, she paid the owner of the stand with 20 Euros and just when the owner is about to hand her change, Yoona told him to keep the change. In exchange, the owner poked four slices of sausage with two toothpicks and gave it to Yoona.

 

"Thanks!" Yoona said in German.

 

For the next thirty minutes of their tour around the place, the hyperactiveness Jessica has before has died down a little. It made Yoona curious of the sudden change in  behavior.

 

"What's wrong?" She asked Jessica who tried to busy herself of taking pictures instead to get her mind off eating. "Why aren't you eating?"

 

"I don't want you to spend so much." Jessica admitted. That was her plan but she caught another stand, this time Knackwurst sausage, so watered unwittingly.

 

Yoona followed Jessica's gaze and chuckled. She took her hand and pulled her along. She had a little difficulty because the girl was digging her feet to the ground but Yoona wasn't Him Yoona for nothing right? With a few tugs, and also a pair of pout and puppy eyes, she has managed to pull the girl along.

 

"It's time I put a good use with my wealth." said Yoona, smiling widely as she hand over a piece of sausage to Jessica.

 

Jessica rolled her eyes. Typical Yoona. "You really have to bring that up?"

 

She shrugs. "You mentioned earlier that I'm too thrift. Now I'm gonna go use all my money."

 

Jessica held her hand, shaking her head. "Look, I don't want to impose. It's fine, really. You don't have to pay up."

 

This time instead of a smug grin, Yoona has this gentle smile that radiated warmth for Jessica.

 

"Even if I use up my whole inheritance for you I wouldn't care. But to be honest one can't travel without spending. Come on babe! This is Europe. You need to taste everything. And as your girlfriend slash tour guide slash financer, I will take care of the bills."

 

Jessica scoffed but nonetheless opened for Yoona to pop in the slices of sausages.

 

"Wow, this is soooo good!" She exclaimed, eyes transforming into half-moons just like Tiffany's.

 

Yoona chuckled. She paid the owner once again before pulling Jessica along. She said they should stop tasting slices and just eat it whole. So they went inside one of the famous restaurants in Frankfurt and ordered different types of sausages Jessica has ever imagined. watered with want and once Yoona said that everything is served, Jessica didn't waste any time picking her fork and attacking the food.

 

After a sumptious meal, the two continued walking around the city. Jessica continued her role as a photographer and Yoona was unfortunately the model of each of her so called masterpiece.

 

"Let's have a picture together." whined Yoona. But Jessica was still engrossed clicking the camera, making sure Yoona is part of the shots.

 

"Later! I have a fondness in taking pictures. One time Soojung and I took a whole day capturing Venice, Italy."

 

Not taking it anymore, Yoona grabbed her own DSLR away from Jessica. She ignored the girl's protest and went over to a guy wearing a thick jacket, asking for a favor of taking a photo of them.

 

"Sure." He said, grinning widely as he take the camera from Yoona.

 

Yoona pulled Jessica by the waist. The latter was taken aback at the sudden contact so she looked up only to see Yoona smiling brightly at the camera. Feeling her heart swell in happiness, Jessica averted her eyes to the lenses and flashed her most gorgeous smile.

 

A flash of light emitted from the camera told them the process was done. Yoona walked over to the kind stranger, shook his hand and muttered a simple thanks. She returned to where Jessica is and showed her their photo.

 

"Hmmm... Not bad." said Jessica. "You know I think it's really better taking our photos together."

 

"See? So stop taking pictures of me. This is our trip so let's create memories...together." Yoona beamed at her before placing a soft peck on her lips.

 

 

****

 

 

King Yunho marched through the Ministry of Defense's hallway. He is on his way to meet the Minister of Defense and the Chief Investigator of the case regarding Sooyeon. Apparently the results came out and the King, as curious as he his, opted to head here first thing in the morning.

 

"Your highness." The Minister bowed his head the moment the King came in. "This is Lee Sungmin, the Chief Investigator in-charged of Princess Sooyeon's case."

 

Yunho nodded his head. He sat in one of the chairs and waited for Sungmin to begin. His security was just outside but his Head of Security, Kim Jongkook was inside with them.

 

"After the autopsy of the assassin we found this insignia on his arm." Sungmin began, fishing out a photo from one of the many brown envelopes.

 

Yunho took it and inspected it closely. His eyes widened in realization of what the insignia means.

 

"This is the symbol of the Northern Army back in 1940's, before the South and North split."

 

"Northern Army? You mean the soldiers of the Northern Fraction?" The Minister added, equally surprised as the King.

 

Yunho nodded. He looked up at Sungmin for confirmation and when he earned a nod, he felt as if the whole world is now sitting on his shoulders.

 

"I don't think the attack on Princess Sooyeon is a mere act of terrorism." Sungmin continued. He pulled out parchments from another brown envelope and passed it to the King. "Is cyanide suicide familiar?"

 

Yunho nodded, knowing perfectly the implication behind that innocent question.

 

"In the previous assassination attempts to King Yoon Taek and King Baek Jo, the culprits died on the spot due to cyanide poisoning. They have a tooth that is filled with cynanide implanted in their mouth and once the mission fails, the break that tooth and die in a way they think is honorable."

 

"Not only that. Mass cyanide poisoning was the way the Northern Fraction killed the American and Southern Fraction soldiers to regain control of the country." King Yunho elaborated.

 

The Minister bobbed his head in understanding. "But what they did angered the Americans and Southern fraction that's why the Korean war happened. The nothern fraction leaders were overthrown and many died in the war. Those who survived went hiding. After the war the country was split to two, with the southern fraction taking up most of the healthy land, leaving the barren and small portion of the country to the northern people who survived. That's the reason why they have a hard time planting their resources. The land, that was previously healthy, was rendered barren when the missiles stuck it."

 

"Exactly." Sungmin said. "But what happened to those culprits who succeeded in assasinating the two Kings?"

 

Yunho frowned at the mention of his dead father and grandfather. "The culprits were never found. There were no corpse nor any trace of evidence."

 

"Yes. That's because they didn't have to kill themselves. They succeeded."

 

Yunho swallowed hard, not wanting where this talk is going. "So where did your investigation lead you?"

 

"This." Sungmin once again handed King Yunho another photo. "It was found in the scene of the crime. It's a ring which we assumed belong to the assasin."

 

"Assume? You just assume?"

 

"The ring matched with the mark left on his finger. His DNA was also present. There was even a bit of saliva and blood on the ring. It probably got there when he wiped his busted lip he got  from the fight with Princess Sooyeon's savior."

 

Yunho stared at the photo and much to his horror saw the insignia of the previous Northern Fraction government, an Eagle that has its wings spread out.

 

"From all the evidences that we have gathered we have concluded that the attack on Princess Sooyeon isn't just an act of terrorism. It is more than that."

 

Yunho exhaled a long troubled breathe. "I think so too. Someone is after Sooyeon."

 

"No, Your Majesty. They aren't just after Sooyeon."

 

He nods, getting what he meant. "Someone is after the throne."

 

Yunho still cannot believe that what happened to his father and grandfather is happening to his own child. But now that he's thought about it, why weren't there any assasination attempts for him?

 

When his father King Yoon Taek learned of his father's death by assasination, he knew it would not just stop there. His theory was proven correct when the car that was supposed to pick his son Yunho and wife Seon Jung caught flame. Luckily nobody was hurt but it only solidified his idea of that someone is trying to eliminate the whole Royal Family.

 

So he sent his wife and son to New Zealand to go hiding. Yet until now Yunho could not fathom why he didn't experience any attempts in his life. His journey since the moment he was crowned King up till now has so far been smooth except for that failed attempt of killing his eldest daughter.

 

So why now? Why Sooyeon? Why not him? He'd rather wish to be the one in danger rather than his child or anyone in his family for that matter.

 

"No, not just the throne. Someone is after the Royal Family, especially the one next in line for the throne."

 

"I think it's safer, Your Majesty, if Princess Sooyeon remain out of public's eye." suggested the Minister. "Wherever she is, I think it will be better and safer for her to just stay there. We need not to worry much about a possible attempt for her life."

 

The King nodded, agreeing over the suggestion.

 

"Should we tell this to the people?" The Minister was cautious than ever.

 

Yunho stayed silent as he mulled over the question. Honestly he was still at a lost. He just found out that the Northern Fraction are the people behind all those attacks to his family. He had a speculation when he was young about it but when he told his father about it, he didn't believe it. How come he came to a conclusion it was the North? We'll the ring he just saw in the photo handed to him by Sungmin minutes ago  is something he is very familiar.

 

His grandfather died of a long range shot. He was shot from a nearby hotel, the hotel that Yunho happen to stay along with his mother and then Crown Prince Father. Yunho was a very playful kid so he ran around the hotel until he reached the rooftop.

 

That's where he found the ring. That's where his grandfather was shot. And that's where he wish he can go back. Because if only he was smarter, if only he was braver, then maybe that guy wearing that old and funny looking baseball cap, that guy wearing black leather gloves, that guy who disposed of his one bullet sniper on the trash can, that guy who nine year old Yunho befriended, and that guy who threw a ring with outmost disdain, wouldn't have escaped.

 

Justice would have been served. But the King was naive back then. He had no idea why there was a commotion when he peeked down from the rooftop. He had no idea the guy he just gave a band-aid to cover his bleeding finger was the one who killed his grandfather.

 

And all of this is still to much for King Yunho to take.

 

Sungming raised a finger. "Your Majesty, may I say my own suggestion?"

 

Yunho reached for his throbbing forehead, massaging it gently to find relief. "Go on."

 

"I think it would be better if we tell this to the public."

 

"Why do you think so?"

 

"It's like killing two birds with one stone. If we announce this, the people behind the assasination will have problems dealing with the uproar from the public. The public will serve as our greatest weapon. With them knowing about the assasination, those bad people will have a hard time plotting things and putting things into action without the people knowing. They will be forced to do things discreetly-"

 

"But they already do things discreetly."

 

"Then they'll be more discreet. They have a purpose to fulfill and they won't let the knowledge of the public, the people they don't care about, to hinder their plans."

 

Yunho kept quiet. Sungmin has a point.

 

"And like I said, it will be like killing two birds with one stone. This news can disrupt all the rumors and the public's curiousity about the wedding."

 

Now that he think about it, Sungmin is right. Perhaps until they settle and solve this case it would be better if Sooyeon would temporarily hide from the public's eye. And it's also a good idea to let the pub