“Honey, wake up.” BoA shifted under the sheets, reluctant to get up. “Ok, you sleep a little more. Don’t forget that you need to greet Father by noon,” Yunho said before kissing her temple. She smiled at his complacency and snuggled deeper under the covers. The couple had a romantic night out before having a passionate night in. Half an hour later, a servant came to wake her up. After her shower, she looked around the room for her husband. The prince should have returned from his morning greeting already. Then she noticed a piece of paper on his desk.

Babe, I’ll be with Father in his hall for a long time. Come and join us when you’re ready.

She headed out toward the king’s hall and noticed the weird expressions on many of the servants’ faces. As she walked up to the hall, she overheard a few maidservants talking.

“Did you read the papers today?”

“I did. How could she do that to the Royal Family? Can you believe it? She almost became a princess!” BoA was suspecting that they were talking about Joohyun.

“Thank goodness the princes didn’t marry her. She’s such a gold digger.” BoA’s secretary cleared and scolded the maidservants in BoA’s presence. But BoA stopped her and asked them to explain themselves. They told her how Joohyun was involved in a smuggling case and got exiled with her father. BoA controlled her emotions as she listened to them. She silently turned away from them and toward the hall, but saw Changmin looking at them. The maidservants knew they were in huge trouble, but Changmin simply joined BoA in silence to greet the king.

The king and his son were waiting for the arrival of the prince, in hopes that they could ease his pain with reason and reason with his pain. The prince silently greeted his uncle as BoA joined her husband.

“I am guessing that you have both heard the news,” the king started. The newspaper was on the coffee table, so BoA took it to understand the news better.

“Changmin-ah, how are you?” BoA looked up from the paper and studied Changmin’s face. The prince, containing his pain and pushing for hope, asked his uncle, “May I know where she is?”

The king gave his answer, “We lied to the media about the protection program." Everyone's heads turned to the solemn king who sighed knowing he would regret his words. "Seo is exiled for good, while his daughter is exiled until a new king reinstates her citizenship. Her whereabouts will be kept a secret to all except the king. Even if you want to reinstate her, Yunho-ah, you have to wait a few years. Reinstating her right after you inherit the throne would be considered as rash and selfish by the public because of your relationship with her.” Changmin face bore so much confusion. There was hope yet there was defeat. The king sighed and continued with the words, “Changmin-ah, you should not chase after her anymore.... We were wrong about the Seo’s. The late king was not appointing her as Yunho’s wife, he was telling us to stay away from them.”

Changmin’s eyes couldn’t contain his tears anymore and he broke down with pain. The family looked at him with sadness in their own hearts – two out of the three saddened with the same reason that Joohyun had chosen to be away from him. “Yunho-ah,” the king said to his son. “Help Changmin out. Take care of him. I need some time alone.” Yunho brought Changmin out to the lotus garden, with BoA strolling behind them. They sat on the ground and leaned against the tree.

“Hyung,” Changmin said lifelessly. “What can I do?”

Yunho looked at him. A tear rolled down Changmin’s cheek. “What can I do, hyung? I can’t be with Joohyun until I become king. I’ll be