“Promise me you will not tell him.”

“I…I cannot do that to him. I might not have such relationship with him anymore but I just can’t hide this from—”

“PROMISE ME! PROMISE ME NOW OR I WON’T TELL!”

Memories flooded his mind but that was what always happened. There was never a time when he did not recall things. Who did not think about what happened days or hours ago? But now it was more than a day or week ago. It had been months since Jaejoong and he had a conversation together. The whole “heir time” did not exist anymore. 

It would not be long until their time came and the time they used to have together would fade away. There would not be much of a reason to see each other since they would be busied with political work and many other matters and concerns they would be forced to be involved in that had do with their own realms and not each other’s.

Was it something pleasing? No.

Was it something they would all like? No.

Yunho had heard Kangin had a tiny outburst knowing that he would not be able to have much communication with his friends besides letters and that was all. Kangin and Yunho still had their “talks” of whatever and whoever, but now that would go away. There would be no more of that.

Kangin’s outburst was not the only thing that kept him up all night. Many things had happened and he had not known of them. Someone was dying and he had no clue. He was so occupied with his own responsibilities and duties that he had no clue that King Kim Shin Young had died a month ago. But now, his wife, Queen Kim Min Jun was dying as well due to heartbreak and a case of some bad illness.

They would find the cure after they died, Yunho thought in his head.

The queen had wished for his presence’s which had confused him. No one seemed to mind or care since they knew it was likely “royalty matters and concerns” but they were wrong.

Jaejoong—his ex-lover was nowhere to be found. Yunho thought the boy was likely crying and sobbing in his own room, so he believed. But what did he know? He thought their relationship would last and it did not. How would he know if he was actually mourning or not? He knew nothing about Jaejoong anymore and he thought he had. But he was mistaken, so, so mistaken.

The queen was lying down on the bed she shared with her husband but had been spending nights alone since he had died a month ago. When looking at the Unimonian Queen, he was not surprised to see her face of sadness and sickness. She did not look strong or healthy; weak and sick she was inside and out. Yunho would not give her a hard time for she was a sick woman who was using all her energy to speak to him.

“Queen Min Jun, I will not ask if you are okay since it is obvious, but why am I here? Why do you wish to see me?” Yunho asked in confusion and sadness. He did not like how he was healthy and fine and she was not. He did not see her as a bad woman since she had done nothing bad ever.

The queen did not reply as quickly as she would have years ago. She took a deep breath and her frown looked sadder. “Why...why…it was always why…”

This confused Yunho. He did not understand what she was saying at all and he hesitated to ask her what she meant. Perhaps she was not just physically sick? Maybe the illness and her husband’s death had gotten to her head and she was just saying words and all sorts of nonsense?

“My Queen, I feel oblivious, for I have no clue to what you are referring to.” Yunho said softly. He did not want to startle her.

Queen Min Jun turned her head to the right but did not stop talking to Yunho. “You two looked happy…you two are not now…why?”

It took him a second or two to release who she was talking about, but he knew now. The relationship between him and Jaejoong were not expressed much publically and they hoped it would not. They were quite aware of the possibilities of everyone finding out. He knew he was not that happy…but Jaejoong called it off. Perhaps he was hurting to? Yunho did not know.

“I have no clue, My Queen.” Honesty was all he could tell her and that was what she deserved. He wondered why Jaejoong would think she would lie to him. “He had chosen to go this route and I followed along too it seems.”

Queen Min Jun shook her head slowly as if disagreeing. “No…no…he would not…oh never mind that. I deserve to die and he’ll be happy.”

What was she saying? “I deserve to die and he’ll be happy”? What did that mean? Yunho was able to piece it up—the queen felt guilty for something and Jaejoong would be happy once she is gone. Why? What son would be happy about his parents’ departure? Great, wonderful, and innocent parents? Yunho felt angry at his ex-lover. How dare he?

Yunho shook his head this time, disagreeing with the queen. He wished she knew what she was saying. “You’re wrong, My Queen. No one will be happy once you leave and you do not deserve such fate. You are a good woman.”

Queen Min Jun chuckled lightly. “Would a good woman…Shin Young and I are not…who we seem to be. Whatever our son thought…he was right. He pieced it all together. When we wanted to hide everything and wish he saw nothing and stay clueless…he was the opposite.”

“W-what do you mean?” Yunho asked.

Queen Min Jun turned her head to look back at what used to make her son smile sweetly and forget about everything bad and corrupting his mind and heart.

“I have something to tell you…and you must promise me to say nothing to no one.”

Like Leeteuk, Jaejoong had become a ruler quite early. Both of their parents died and it was their turn to take over both throne and crown and their realms and people. They looked more like queens than kings due to their immortal beauty they held and they did not really look much like their parents as others would have thought. They had a different grace, bravery, and elegance in them.

What surprised Yunho was at Jaejoong’s coronation, which was right after Queen Min Jun’s death; there were two other young men near the same age as Jaejoong. Yunho had asked his advisor who had given him the right information.

“Prince Jaejoong had chosen two young men, Sir Kim Hyun Joong and Sir Park Yoochun, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“Heirs and heiresses—if he not to have one, then the children of Kim Hyun Joong or Park Yoochun will rule the Unimonian throne. Also, in case the prince was ever to be assassinated then one of them would take the throne. It seems to be all sorted out, Your Majesty.”

I guess the Kim bloodline was never there, Yunho had thought after the small take and after a man had placed the Unimonian crown on top of Jaejoong’s raven black hair.

“How bad is it?” Yunho asked, softly.

“It might make you hate me and you…you would not want to keep…such secret hidden from him. You would feel it is…right to tell him…to let him know…the truth…he deserves to know…it would make you feel like…my husband and I do deserve…death…” The queen’s words were soft and weak, for her energy was less every time.

“I…I…if it is that important I should probably tell—” Yunho was cut off by the queen.

“Promise me you will not tell him.” Queen Min Jun said softly, with a pleading face and glassy eyes.

“I…I cannot do that to him. I might not have such relationship with him anymore but I just can’t hide this from—” Yunho had shaken his head and had spoken just to be cut off by the woman once more.

“PROMISE ME! PROMISE ME NOW OR I WON’T TELL!” Queen Min Jun yelled, now sitting up. Yunho was surprised that there were no guards bursting into the room but he ignored that thought.

Yunho released a deep sigh and nodded his head. “I promise, you, My Queen, not to tell. I swear on the Jung bloodline.”

Queen Min Jun nodded and tears rolled down her eyes and her voice started to go raspy and crack. “Eight...”

Yunho tilted his head to the right, bemused. Completely and very much confused. “Eight, what?”

“Eight princesses died in the month of January…very young and beautiful they were…they would have been amazing queens…the Ocean was their home…” Queen Min Jun whispered.

Yunho felt shocked. Eight princesses and their home was the Ocean? These girls were Unimonians, and not just any, royal ones.

“Royal princesses from Unimon?” Yunho asked.

Queen Min Jun nodded. “Dead…and unknown.”

Unknown?

“They aren’t known of, are they?” Yunho asked and the queen nodded her head. “Weren’t their births known? Only King Shin Young and you knew?”

“Hidden we kept them…and they were assassinated by unknowns…our fault it was, our fault!” Queen Min Jun cried.

“How do you know?” Yunho asked.

“My husband I found…their bodies bloody and breathless…where we had hidden them…in a tower where they were isolated and knew of…gone they are…gone…”

Yunho grabbed the queen’s hands in his and smiled weakly. “What were the princesses’ names?”

“Sookjin, Yoosoon, Seonhee…Ahyoung, Jinhee, Sooyoung…Minkyung, Mikyeong…eight beautiful youths who deserved life…” Queen Min Jun whispered, answering Yunho.

Yunho nodded his head. “Sisters of Jaejoong…that’s what you were hiding? Every January, King Shin Young and you leave to visit their graves? That was all you hide? Not as serious as what Jae believed.”

Queen Min Jun shook her head. “Not at all….not all…not real sisters…of his.”

What?

Yunho blinked in confusion. “W-what do you mean, My Queen?”

“J-J-Jae…is not our real, biological son…” Queen Min Jun whispered.

Yunho’s eyes widened and he gasped. He let go of the queen’s hands and looked away from her face. This was indeed more serious than he had thought and probably more than what Jae had thought as well. This was something that could not be leaked out.

This would destroy Jaejoong.

This would ruin his reputation and he would not be the true heir of the Unimonian King and Queen. He would be an outcast.

“H-how…”

“She couldn’t…she couldn’t take care of him…we said we’d take care of…him…our son…our son…” Queen Min Jun whispered before closing her eyes.

Yunho looked directly at Jaejoong just watching him. He pitied him. He knew exactly what had happened. Jae had confronted his parents and they gave him a choice and he chose.

Why…

He too wondered why. But one of them knew something while the other knew nothing. Yunho did not want to hide this from him, even though he was still angry at him. Even though he ended them…it just did not feel right to just keep this secret hidden.

To his surprise Jaejoong saw him staring and stared directly at him too. It was as if it was years they knew each other. It was as if they stared at each other their whole life. There was nothing else for them to concentrate on, nor was there anyone else for them to love. And it was all true.

I still love you, Yunho thought in his head and turned away from where he who he was looking at. He had not noticed that Jaejoong stared at him as he left.