“It’s ridiculous to submit that I murdered Kim Gwiboon. She was my best friend.” Hyun Jung protested haughtily as Jonghyun – accompanied by Kibum, Minho and, of course, his parents– accused her to be the murderer.

“Your majesty, everyone knows I wasn’t in town the whole week because of my husband’s funeral. How should I manage to do it when I wasn’t even here?” She added.

“You’re lying. You were here. You were in the castle together with Taemin and you killed my mother.” Kibum said, causing Hyun Jung to laugh.

“Oh sweetheart, you’re talking nonsense. I hadn’t seen your mother for over a week before her death. Instead of accusing me, you should rather show thankfulness. I cared for you for years as if you’re my own child. Is this what I get from it?” said the woman, playing the innocent one.

“You—“ Key tried to protest as Jonghyun cut him off.

“How dare you lie shamelessly in front of the King’s family? You cared for him like your own child? You rather treated him like trash. If I could I would stab my sword into your chest right now to see if there is a heart, but I’m sure you do not have such a thing. Yet, there is one thing you should know.” Jonghyun stated, grabbing Key’s hand, pulling the boy closer to himself. “This boy is a treasure and I’m not going to let you or anybody else hurt him again.” He continued, causing Key to blush like a tomato.

“My prince, I know you love Cind--, I mean Kibum; but you still shouldn’t believe everything he said. Only because he doesn’t like me, he can’t claim me to be the murder without any evidence.” Hyun Jung replied calmly, being absolutely sure there was nothing that could prove her guilt.

However, she was wrong. She failed the moment she underrated the boy named Kim Kibum.

“Enough talk. Jonghyun, show us the evidence or I’m going back to the castle. We still have to find your sister.” The King said and everyone held their breaths.

“Yes, father,” replied Jonghyun before turning to Hyun Jung. “Please show us your keychain, the one the King gave you as a gift.”

Hyun Jung was shocked for a second. She didn’t know what the young prince was up to, but she knew he wouldn’t find anything.  

“What is this going to be? What do you want with my keychain?” She asked.

“Just show it to us. You still have it, don’t you?” Minho questioned back. Knowing she hadn’t lost the keychain at the crime scene, Hyung Jung felt certain. Without any hesitation, she handed it to Jonghyun.

“Of course I still have it. It is a crime to lose the king’s gift,” answered the woman with a smirk. She thought she had won. And she was so wrong.

“Bummie, is this it?” Jonghyun asked and gave the keychain to the other boy. Taking it, Key looked at it carefully as if he was looking for something.

Silence filled the room as everyone looked at him curiously. And then, he found it. The evidence.

“Your Highness, on the first sight this looks like every other keychain. But the truth is, even if they are all the exact copies of the others, this one is different.” Kibum finally said. By that Hyun Jung let out a haughty laugh.

“This is so ridiculous. How is it different?”

“Because…  It belonged to my mother, my real mother.” Key answered, causing the three adults to look confused.

“What are you talking about, my dear?” The Queen asked.

“Your majesty, I’m saying that this keychain belonged to my mother and it was taken away from her the night she died … by the murderer.” The boy explained, pointing at Hyun Jung.

“This is absurd. This is mine unless you can prove the opposite. Is her name written on it?” Hyun Jung asked with sarcasm.

“To be honest; yes, it is” answered Kibum as he opened the keychain. Everyone looked at it curiously and then they saw it, a gravure. His stepmother paled in fear. There was ‘Kim Jungnam – Gwiboon – Kibum’ written on it – or rather in it.

“It can open? How did I not know that?” Hyun Jung murmured to herself.

“See? This is anything but yours. Mother wanted it to become something more special and caused to make this gravure.” Key said.

“Kim Hyun Jung, can you explain this?” The King questioned with his low voice.

The young boys breathed out relief. Finally, it was happening. Finally, the truth came out.

“Of course, I can.”

NO, damn it.

“Your Highness, this keychain was indeed Gwiboon’s. The truth is…”

NO, don’t lie.

“The truth is she gave it to me.”

Liar.

“You’re lying,” Kibum exclaimed. This woman, would she ever tell the truth?

“Of course, I am not, sweetheart. Your mom gave it to me.” Hyun Jung played the calm mother figure.

“If it were so, where is your own keychain? How did it end up on the library’s floor, next to Mrs. Kim’s dead body?” Jonghyun asked in anger. The thing he wanted the most right now was to punch this woman hardly in her face.

“Of course it was there. We exchanged the keychains and that’s why she had mine. It was like a way to show our friendship.”  Hyun Jung lied once again without flinching.

“And when did you do that? Why didn’t mother say anything about it?” Key asked in frustration.

“We have exchanged the keychains for months before her death. She must have forgotten to mention it. After all, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“You disgusted me. How can you tell us one lie after the other?” asked Kibum as his hands clenched.

“Kibum sweetheart, you’re being really rude, do you know that? You can’t call me a liar if you don’t --,” said Hyun Jung who was cut off by her own son, Taemin.

“Mother,” exclaimed the boy as he walked down the stairways.

“Stop this, please. Tell them the truth. Do the right thing for one time, please.” He begged. Even if she was his mother, she was disgusting him too. He was ashamed of her.

“Taemin, be quiet. This is not a discussion for kids,” warned his mother.

“Mother,” called Taemin once again.

“Be quiet, Taemin”

“Your majesty, this is nothing but a misunderstanding. The prince and my stepson must have this wrong suspicion because of the keychain. But now when it is clear that Gwiboon and I exchanged the keychains, everything is fine again, isn’t it?” The woman stated and turned to Kibum. “And sweetheart, I don’t know how you could think of me that bad, if I did something wrong in the past, please forgive me. I love you.”

The four boys felt like throwing up everything they had eaten in the last three years. How was it possible for a human to be that fake?

“It was a waste of time. Excuse me, boys! I’m going back to the castle now. And you, children, should apologize to Mrs. Kim.” The King stated and headed to the door, together with his wife.

“I wish you a nice day, your Majesty.” Hyun Jung bowed, smiling in victory.

“No, father, please wait. She is the murder. I swear to God she is it.” Jonghyun stopped his dad.<