“General Kang Seungyoon!”. Jinwoo raise his voice as he look at how close the sword is with Seunghoon’s neck. It’s only one centimeter away to make his cousin bleed to death as it rips the veins out of his neck.

“General Kang are you out of your mind?!”

 

“General Kang..” Seunghoon scrupulously speak out.

“The.. The sword is too close..”

 

But those words don’t effect the generals’ will and sword.

“Aren't you the HanYang?”.  He exhales the smokes out of his mouth.

He turns around and hold on Seunghoon’s neck.

“You can't even get out of that horse,”. Still, the sword is involved in it.

“How can you stop me?”

 

And there's no way for Seunghoon to escape. His heart’s beating fast as he checked on how close is he and the sword that holds his life.

“General…”. He stumbled.

 

Jinwoo have no choice but to get out of the horse.

He drops himself to the ground,

“Argh!” And curled up due the pain.

 

 

“You stupid Yang,” Seungyoon drop his sword and run towards the prince.

 

In pain, Jinwoo gets up and try to avoid the general.

“What are you going to—“

 

Seungyoon huddles and check on Jinwoo’s back.

“Do you really think that I will kill you now?” He whispered.

“To kill a weak prince who throws his body from his own horse would definitely hurt my pride”

 

Seungyoon stand up and leaned on the nearest tree. He light on the pipe and start to smoke again.

“You guys still have two hours before your dinner feast”

His hand reaches for something behind the tree.

“Try to at least break one of this”. He throw two stick of wood that shaped like a sword.

 

Seunghoon who wasn’t able to do anything earlier finally have the guts to look at the general eyes, and pick up the stick and help his cousin to sit.

“General you don’t have to do that..” He mutters.

 

“What did I do wrong?”

Seungyoon set his eyes on the HanYang.

“At your age, I was already asked by your Dad to him on a diplomatic mission to the South kingdom,”

 

“You don’t need to anyone,” Jinwoo leave no regret for replying the general’s cold stare.

“Can you like at least for once try to breath in peace, general?”

 

Seungyoon drop his pipe and  sit up. He slightly opens his mouth and blew some smoke out of his lip’s cavity.

 

Unexpectedly, the smokes reach the face of the two princes who are sitting five meters away from him.

 

Both Jinwoo and Seunghoon coughs.

 

“You’re too naive to understand the word peace, HanYang”

He turns off the pipe, then lie around under the tree, covering his face with a piece of cloth.

“Wake me up when at least one of you guys is bleeding or actually manage to rip those expensive cloths”

 

……………………………………………

 

 

 

“Should we wake him up?” Seunghoon catches on his cousin’s bleeding arm. He was the one who cause it when he accidentally swing the stick to hard and hurt Jinwoo’s arm.

“ Are you okay?”

 

 Jinwoo rips a little part of his clothe and use it to wipe on his blood and cover it as a bandage.

“Now we can,”.

 

The two princes try to approach the sleeping general. 

“Ge..General Kang..”. With his shaky hands, Seunghoon touches Seungyoon’s feet.

“We’re done.. General..”

 

But there’s no response. General Kang doesn't move an inch.

 

“General, it's almost dark, YangKwon will be furious if we’re late for dinner” Seunghoon continue. 

 

“Is He Dead?” Jinwoo wondering. 

He bent a little to check on the pulse,

“He’s ali—“

 

All of a sudden, Seungyoon throw the cloth from his face and awoke. He grabs at Jinwoo’s arm, and remove the bandages.

“Not Bad”.

Seungyoon stand up, and lights his pipe.

“It's a merit for both of you,”

He leaves Jinwoo and Seunghoon alone in the shades of dusk as he goes back to the fortress

“Finally, you can face your YangKwon in a good manner”.

 

 

 

Jinwoo and Seunghoon looked at each other in confusion. 

“Are you sure that he’s only three years older than us?” Seunghoon asked.

“He’s almost as scary as YangKwon..”

 

“Maybe that’s why Dad favors him too much,” sneered Jinwoo. 

 

And now the shadow is completely gone, but the two Yang’s is still nowhere near their dining table. 

 

“Jinwoo, We need to go now”. Seunghoon draws Louis’s bridle and whip up the saddle.

“Come on”. He told Jinwoo to get on the horse back.

 

“Seunghoon… I can’t…”. the HanYang just stay still.

“There’s no way I can get on that horse’s back..”

 

“Yes there is!”. 

Seunghoon tap on Louis’s back for three times, and it's lying down on the ground.

 

Jinwoo is surprised.

“He can sit??”.

 

“He can do anything as long you’re being sincere with him,”

Seunghoon pushes jinwoo to sit on the saddle.

“See, he’s a nice horse!”. He taps on the horse back for another three times, and it gets up.

 

“Woah! Woah! Seunghoon Help me!!”. Jinwoo’s streaked out.

 

After a long time, finally Jinwoo is able to sit alone on a horse back. 

An additional, the horse that he’s riding with is no ordinary Horse. It's Louis, His 15th birthday gift from YangKwon, his dad. The white and doughty obedient horse that not everyone can touch, the price of thousands of gold coins.

 

“Now you really look like a HanYang!”. Seunghoon looked at his cousin with pride.

“See, Louis is a very good boy! You need to love him more!”

 

But still, Jinwoo’s look like he’s going to puke.

“Seunghoon..”

 

“Fine,” Seunghoon jump into the saddle and sit in front of Jinwoo. He took the reins, and put on jingo’s hand sarong his waist.

“Jinwoo, how can you get married if you can't even ride a horse?”

 

“Seriously Seunghoon, do you really wanna get scolded by my Dad?”

 

“No! No! Fine, lets go!”. He stomps the rein, and Louis goes galloping.

 

……………………………..

 

Jinwoo and Seunghoon ran into the dining room. They are late, and it's never been a good sign. Even worse, both of them are reeking of sweat.

 

In front of the dining room, they both took their time to maintain their breath.

“Jinwoo you stink!”. Seunghoon still took his time on pointing at useless stuff despite of his trouble on breathing normally.

 

“You too”. 

Jinwoo slightly open the door and take a peek inside the room.

 

There are two people filling the chairs, and four chairs are still empty.

“Dad is not here yet!” Jinwoo exclaimed.

 

Without hesitation, they open the door and go inside.

“Hey! We’re here!” claimed Seunghoon.

 

And the two people who’s sitting, Ah Taehyun and his dad Ah Seungri immediately turn their faces on the two Yang.

 

“You !” Taehyun yelled at them.

“How can you guys walked in like that?!” he scans at his friends from head to toe, finding dirt and sweat all over their body.

 

“Taehyun,” Seungri pat on his son’s hair, telling him to calm down.

“Yang Jinwoo, Yang Seunghoon, I think you guys still have time to—“

 

And before Seungri’s able to give those boys a suggestion, someone open the door 

A woman walks into the room. 

“YangKwon will definitely throw his rage on you guys”. She chirps.

She walks on to the nearest chair and sit on it.

“Seungri your friend is an idiot, I want to punch his face”. She complained.

 

“Yang Dara..”. Seungri called her

“He’s, he’s probably on one of his bad days, you know..”

 

“Oh really? Then every day is a bad day for him!”. She pounded the table.

 

Jinwoo and Seunghoon still standing in front of the door, watching at their aunty getting angry.

 

“You two, you better sit now or that will definitely throw some wine on you guys”. Dara pointed at two empty chair next to taehyun. 

 

Yang Dara is the representative of the castle. She’s the youngest child and the only daughter of the late YangKwon Chulgyeong* who is also their grandfather. Whenever there's a local event or festival, Dara is the first one to attend on behalf of the kingdom. She’s pretty, graceful, elegant and can easily fit herself in any kind of situation. The People of Yang love her the most.

 

And this is the first time for Jinwoo and Seunghoon to watch the kingdom 27th years old sweet heart pissed off. 

“Alright..” Right away, they took the two empty seats next to Taehyun.

 

“Ugh, you guys are stink!” Taehyun cover his nose as soon as the Yangs sit next to him.

“I can't eat like this” He mutters.

 

“Can you ask Ah Seungri about my Dad? I mean, why is he late?” Asked Jinwoo As choose to ignore Taehyun’s thoughts.

 

“Tsk, you can ask him yourself”. Taehyun tap on his dad’s shoulder, then get out of his sit.

 

“Oh, HanYang Jinwoo, can I help you?”. Seungri turns his face on Jinwoo.

 

“You can just call me Jinwoo, You know”  Jinwoo pouts. He doesn't like it people call him HanYang, He prefers Yang or even just his name without any title is fine. To Him, The Title HanYang is such a bothersome and too much of a pressure.

 

“Hahaha, fine, Jinwoo, can I help you?” Seungri finally act like an Uncle that Jinwoo always liked.

 

“Where’s my dad? Why is he late?”. Jinwoo leaned towards Seungri and try to speak in a low voice.

 

“Your dad? I honestly don’t know..” Seungri reply in whispers.

“He probably got some errands to do, I mean he’s the YangKwon..”

 

Jinwoo nods, and realize just how make sense it is. Sometime he forgot that his dad is the king and also the respectful YangKwon.

 

Taehyun who were busy looking for a towel finally gets back to his seat and throw a piece of towel to Jinwoo.

“Share it with Seunghoon” He said.

 

Before Jinwoo gets to use it, Seunghoon snatch the towel and use it to dry his face.

“Sorry, but I ride the horse”

 

Jinwoo completely understand and wait for his turn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So everyone is here?”. Two familiars open the door and a guy on his late thirty walks in. It's the young king who’ve been ruling the country since he was fifteen. The one and only YangKwon Jiyong.

 

Unlike any other days, he pulled his chair for himself, and sit on it.

Another familiar come and pour him a glass of wine.

“My son, why are you so dirty?”. While looking at the poured glass, he speaks.

He raises the glass and glared at his son who is three seats away from him.

“Why?”. He smiles sarcastically.

 

No one has the guts to talk back at him, even the one who’s got questioned.

Jinwoo just looked down and avoid any kind of eye contacts.

 

“Yang Jinwoo?” The YangKwon raises his voice.

 

“Jiyong” Dara glared at her older brother.

“You’re late and we’re hungry”

 

Jiyong chuckled.

He claps his hands and a young lady came with food trays on her hands. She carefully serves the YangKwon, and his family members.

“Shall we eat?”. Jiyong took a sip on his wine and start to eat.

 

After the YangKwon took his first bite, everyone is finally able to eat. There are seven different menus for seven people who’s sitting on the dining table. Each of them got their special menu of their favorite food, except for Taehyun.

 

The familiar who serve the food were happen to be Yu. 

Taehyun don't know what to say right after he saw his plate.

A plain baked chicken leg.

Taehyun can't eat that. He needs at least some sauce on it.

 

Yu smile at Taehyun, signaling something like ‘i hope you enjoy the food’ before she serve another plate for Seungri.

 

“Thank you..” Taehyun try to warmly smile back at her.

 

“Taehyun You should have a specific request..”. Jinwoo notice the same serve that Taehyun and his dad got. Which is ironic cause Taehyun dislikes anything that his dad likes.

 

“Oh, Taehyun? what’s with your plate?” and shortly Seungri realize his son’s unusual dinner menu.

 

“Just shut up and eat your own food”. Taehyun sneered as he bites the plain chicken for the first time. 

He squint his eyes and wrinkle his forehead. He doesn't like the taste of it.

 

“Taehyun? Why are you eating a plain chicken?” Even seunghoon notices.

 

“Shut up”. 

 

 

 

“Jinwoo I heard that you finally appreciate my gift for you” YangKwon is the first one to finish the meal. 

“See, Louis is not that bad, right?” He smirks at his son.

 

As usual, Jinwoo feel intimidated by his dad deadly stare. Its like he can never talk to him when they’re sitting on the same table.

 

 

“Jiyong He’s your own son” Dara is at her edge, she can't help but to be the only who have the guts to confront his brother. She really hates the way his brother treats her nephew.

“Stop treating him—“

 

“He’s the HanYang!”. Jiyong shut Dara’s mouth with those three words. 

“I was fifteen when I ruled this kingdom! I took care of every s that our dad passed on us! I took care of you since you were three! And now my son is seventeen and he’s afraid of horses!?” He burst out.

 

 

Everyone was streaked by the king’s words. 

 

“You can't protect this kingdom with that pretty face, son”.  Jiyong lowered his toned.

 

Tears start to fall from Jinwoo’s eyes. 

 

“Jiyong!!” Dara yelled at his brother.

 

But he doesn't seem to be bother by it. 

“You’re not a king nor a parent, you can't“

 

“I’m a family for god sake!!”. Dara stood up.

“Jiyong—“

 

“You should make your own family seven years ago”. Jiyong cut on his sister's trembling’s voice.

 

“Jiyong!” Seungri can't take his buddy’s anymore. He thinks that Jiyong's definitely cross the line.

 

 

 

And it's true, the king has crossed the line. Dara has nothing else to say, and in tears, she walks out of the dining room.

 

Jiyong didn't even blink when his sister walks away in such an urge.

“I want to talk with my son, alone”. He mutters.

 

 

 

 

Seungri Taehyun and Seunghoon get up and go through the door.

“And please close the door” Jiyong continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLACK.

 

The door is closed, and now only two people are left in the stately dining room.

 

The father and son who are sitting far apart are left in silence. 

 

“If you can't answer me, you can always nod or shake your head”. The YangKwon pour another drink for himself.

“Do you hate me?”. 

 

Jinwoo shake his head.

 

“Good, Cause I don’t hate you either”.

"but.."