childhood [noun]

the period of time when you are a child:

I had a very happy childhood.

 

---

 

Cries sounded through the little straw roof hanok. After mine months of waiting, little Hyukjae has finally been born. The midwife cleans little Hyukjae before wrapping him up in a clean towel and holding him next to Jin ah.

 

Though tired, Jin Ah still managed to reach out a hand to caress little Hyukjae's slightly bluish cheeks. A small smile spreads on her face as the newborn baby's eyes slowly flutter close.

 

"Hyukjae ah, thank you for entering my life. Umma will protect you."

 

∞

 

It has been five months since little Hyukjae's birth and on this day, and it is little Minah's one hundredth day anniversary. Little Minah is the daughter of their neighbour Yunho and his wife. The couple had helped Jin Ah out a lot when she had first moved in. Today is little Minah's hundredth day since birth and Jin ah had brought little Hyukjae along with her to the celebration.

 

Despite it being a happy occasion, little Hyukjae had been exceptionally grumpy. Little Hyukjae has always been sweet but these days he was just so irritable. During the celebration, little Hyukjae had cried not just once, but twice, causing Jin ah to bring him out of Yunho's house so as to not disturb the others.

 

Also, little Hyukjae had been drooling so much nowadays and putting anything he sees into his mouth. Jin ah has no idea what is happening and had started to get a little irritated.

 

Soon, it was time to foretell little Minah's future. She is placed in front of table filled with many items for her to choose. Being the weird little Hyukjae he is these days, he crawled towards the table and picked up a brush and put it into his mouth, biting on it. Little Minah just stared at him and giggled.

 

After noticing this, Jin ah immediately picked little Hyukjae up and tried to get the brush out of his mouth but the stubborn Hyukjae did not want to let go and started bursting into tears.

 

"Hyukjae is teething, it's ok. Just let him be." Yunho told Jin ah.

 

The moment his mother let go of the brush, little Hyukjae stopped crying and continued biting on the brush with his little lips slightly curled up at the sides.

 

Now that all the attention is back to little Minah, her mother urged her to pick something up from the table. She looked at all ten items, ranging from books to rice before she reached her hand out to pick the little thin piece of thread at the corner of the table. She giggled and toyed it with her little fingers before putting it on her head.

 

"Minah picked the thread, she will live a long life." Someone in the crowd congratulated the couple.

 

∞

 

A ten month old little Hyukjae took one small step out. He did not fall. He took another step put and giggles a little while looking at his mother not far away from him. Little Hyukjae took another small step, followed by another, stumbling a little at times but managed to balance himself again.

 

As he was just three steps away from Jin Ah, he stretched out his little hands and walked slightly faster, excited to get into his mother's arms. On his last step, little Hyukjae stepped out and lied own in his mother's laps, little hands clinging onto his mother's sides as he let out another set of giggles.

 

Little Hyukjae has learnt how to walk.

 

∞

 

Spring had finally came and the flowers in their residence had finally bloomed. Little Hyukjae slowly walked towards the small bush and plucked one fully bloomed flower before sticking it in little Minah's hair.

 

Little Minah giggles before making random sounds to little Hyukjae. Little Hyukjae, in turn, babbles back at her, as though they can understand each other and were having a conversation.

 

Yunho and his wife had something on and had asked Jin ah to help take care of little Minah. When the couple brought their daughter over, little Hyukjae had been so excited he ran towards her.

 

"Hyukjae, Minah, lunch is ready!" Jin Ah called out to the two kids.

 

She heard squeals and laughter from outside the house but the two did not come in. Jin Ah walked out to see that the two were happily trying to catch a butterfly while they were still seated.

 

Upon seeing Jin Ah, little Minah pointed to the butterfly with her little fingers as she giggled while little Hyukjae went, "Umma!"

 

Jin Ah could not believe what had just happened, little Hyukjae had spoke his first word, he had called her mother.

 

"Again." Jin Ah urged.

 

"Uuuuuuu.... Mma!" Little Hyukjae did as he was told.

 

Little Hyukjae had said his first word, umma.

 

∞

 

When both Hyukjae and Minah were already three years old, they have both learnt to speak. The two of them are always spotted together, chatting away happily.

 

That winter, Hyukjae had went to Minah's house for the day. The two of them hid under a thick blanket Minah had which they have always used during winter.

 

"It's cold, really cold today." Hyukjae complaint.

 

Hearing this, Minah snuggled closer to Hyukjae as she hugged him under the thick blanket.

 

"Is it warmer now?" Minah asked, hugging Hyukjae tightly.

 

"Le me tell you I secret, I haven't finished the bathed for three days." Hyukjae shared.

 

"I haven't finished the book appa asked me to read..."

 

"I haven't pooped yet this three days."

 

∞

 

Time passed so fast and Hyukjae was already six years old. Both he and Minah attended school together and this day, they had a little mischievous plan.

 

Hyukjae and Minah left their houses that day as usual. With Minah's bodyguards following them, they headed for school.

 

Minah's family belonged under the higher ups of the middle class therefore Minah had her own bodyguards to follow her around daily. However, not many knew that it was just an excuse to have bodyguards protecting Hyukjae.

 

As they reached the entrance of their school, Minah sent the guards off as they have already reached school. After the guards have walked off, Minah and Hyukjae dashed off. They had planned to skip school today as there is circus group in town today.

 

The two spent their day watching the shows, playing the games and Hyukjae had bought a bracelet with a seashell charm on it for Minah. However, Minah insisted to buy Hyukjae something as well. They went around many times and Minah eventually decided on a bracelet made of leather for Hyukjae.

 

As the time where school usually ended came, the two went headed back home with big smiles on their faces. However, the sight they came home to see was not pleasant. Jin ah and Yunho were at the door waiting for them.

 

As Jin ah saw Hyukjae, she immediately started reprimanding him and demanding him to tell her where they had went. Eventually, Hyukjae was made to raise a basin of water above his head.

 

Minah was luckier, her parents never raised their voices at her and punished her. Yunho just told her to never do it again as it was dangerous.

 

However, being the close friends they were, Minah ran off to Hyukjae's house after Younho have finished speaking to her. She filled another basin with water on her own and raised it up together with Hyukjae.

 

∞

 

Little Donghae was born outside the palace, in his rightful home. He did not cry much during his birth, little Donghae was smiling sweetly most of the time. He spent the first few minutes of his life in the arms of his rightful mother. He only had those few minutes with her, those minutes which he probably would never remember.

 

Soon enough, the innocent baby was taken away from his mother. He was secretly brought into the palace that night and was forced to cry, something that he did not do much despite being a newborn child. They had pinched him on his arm and hit him so as to make him cry.

 

It was cruel indeed.

 

∞

 

Four months into little Donghae's birth and he was on his gigantic bed that day.  Song Qian was seating on the edge of the bed looking after little Donghae, the new King.

 

Song Qian was a maid that had been taking care of the young emperor since his birth. She knew of his real identity and she sympathised him. After taking care of little Donghae for so long, she had became really familiar with just how much of a sweet heart Donghae is.

 

He rarely cried, and was always being really obedient, feeding him, washing him and bringing him to sleep was never tough. 

 

However, fate just had to make this little sweet heart go through such a life.

 

That day, little Donghae was just playing his little toys on his bed as usual. It was time for lunch and Song Qian went to get the young emperor his lunch. As she came back, little Donghae was lying on his stomach, flailing his arms around.

 

"Your Majesty, it is time for lunch." Song Qian told little Donghae while he giggled in response.

 

Song Qian scooped a spoonful of porridge and cooled it down before bringing it to his little mouth. Little Donghae gladly welcomed his food into his mouth and ate happily.

 

As he had emptied his bowl of porridge, Song Qian placed the bowl down and wiped the young emperor's mouth. Little Donghae took the chance to grab the spoon in the bowl and placed it into his mouth, biting onto it.

 

Song Qian took the spoon back and cooed him into opening his mouth with little Donghae gladly did. She took a look at her gums and saw two little white teeth peeking out from the gums already.

 

∞

 

Nine months into his birth and little Donghae first appeared in front of other figures. He had been confined to his quarters and had only appeared in front of the maids, Song Qian and Queen Jiyeon, no one else. This day, his supposed mother had brought him out to her quarters where there were a couple of the royal court figures.

 

Queen Jiyeon had brought little Donghae's favourite toy, a fish plush toy, along and was using it to encourage him to walk. Song Qian was on little Donghae's side while Queen Jiyeon was on the other. Song Qian had her arms around the young emperor just in case he falls. Seeing his favourite plush toy, little Donghae slowly made his way towards the queen.

 

When he had finally reached Queen Jiyeon, she scooped her up into her arms and the toy in his arms.

 

"Congratulations my queen, your majesty has learnt to walk." The chief advisor said as the queen let out a series of laughters, which definitely did not reach her eyes.

 

∞

 

When little Donghae was slightly over one years old, he finally learned how to talk.

 

It was just another day of Song Qian playing with little Donghae, they were having a game of hide and seek but it was his fish plush hidden by the maid instead.

 

After a good whole fifteen minutes of searching all over the room, little Donghae has yet to found his fishie. Growing frustrated, he let out a series of whines while a pout unconsciously appeared on his lips.

 

Among his whines and blabberings, a soft 'noona' escapes. Song Qian had wondered if she had heard wrongly, but as little Donghae said it again with a whiny voice, she knew she was not imaging it.

 

∞

 

As Donghae grew up, he still remained innocent and obedient. Those traits are what every parents want to have in their child. However, this traits had became an advantage to Queen Jiyeon in using him as a puppet.

 

As Donghae grew older, he started to take up role of being the emperor of the kingdom while the queen became the empress dowager.

 

Even at the tender age of five, Donghae was forced to go to court, meet tons of royal court figures. At the age of five, Donghae was exposed to the harsh world of politics.

 

Whenever a big decision had to be made, or when the kingdom was facing a crisis, he would be nagged on an on by hundreds of royal court figures to either make a decision or to a change his decision.

 

However, no one knew that all decision made by him was actually an order to him given by his mother.

 

Being the little kid Donghae was, all he knew was to play. He did not care if he was asked to give a death sentence to a innocent life so long as he got what he mother promised, which were his toys and his play time.

 

At first, Donghae had obeyed his mother's wishes so as to get his mother's attention. However as time passed, he had come to realise that painful truth that his mother would not care about him other than those times where she needed him to make decisions. He had got to realise that all he had were his toys.

 

Even at the tender age of five, Donghae had ruined many innocent lifes...

 

 

---

 

A/N: I finally finished this chapter!!! This chapter is much longer but I know that I took quite long to update too /because the part on donghae is too sad i cannot... <-excuses/

I will try to at least update one chapter every week now. Thank you for subscribing and commenting! Feel free to tell me any mistakes or anything that can help me improve.

Ps: I hope there isn't any inaccuracies for the history and culture, historical fics are so difficult to write!