The masks they wore were really stuck to them, and he well enough knew they wouldn't take them off and the only reason, of course, was so they wouldn't look bad. But he wanted them to take off the masks they wore to hide who they really were and how they really felt. He didn't know when he'd see their real faces, and he knew why they wore masks.

He wished to know why, since he might as well know since they were going to be in his life for a very long time. He knew it wasn't just his parents who wore the masks that fooled everyone, but even those who worked for his family. They all knew everything, but him.

He didn't want to wear a mask either, but he had to. He was forced to, unlike those who wanted to have their masks for as long as forever. He didn't want to, and he didn't believe it was for the best either. He thought it was bad for all of then to wear the masks they wore to avoid everything that'd somehow make chaos.

He was still young, so he knew himself that he didn't understand. But he thought it was unfair to lie to everyone. Everyone thought this home of his, was a beauty, and why must they lie when to everyone...they're known as those who are beautiful and magnificent? But wearing disguises, wasn't magnificent to him. 

He was wandering the long quiet hallways of the castle when he heard a familiar yell. He could tell it was a woman's...and it was very familiar. It sounded a bit like his mother's voice. He tiptoed to wear he heard the yell. He continued hearing more faintly yells, until he made it towards two big white doors with black fish head doorknobs. He leaned his right ear close to the door to listen.

“It's...it's to painful to remember all this, you know that! I hate how you must bring this up! Especially in front of him when he knows nothing about this!" 

It was his mother.

“Sorry for remembering the happy times we once had! It wasn't my fault, and you know that! You want them back as much as I do!"

It was his father too. But what were they talking about? 

“I do...I do...I really...really do...but we can't get them back, can we? They're forever gone! Gone I say! Now...now we must deal with...with it."

“Why? Why can't we recall it all to everyone?"

“Min Yoon gave us something...and...we must accept that something she gave us."

Min Yoon? He's never heard of such name before ever in his life. But...what couldn't his parents recall? What did his mother not want his father to remember? What were they hiding? Whatever it was, he knee he wasn't going to know since he heard crying and “shh" from his father who was comforting his mother who was likely a wreck.

But why? Why was she crying? And what about? Was it about him? Or was it not? If he were to ask, he knew they'd immediately place their masks right on and think they were fooling him. But no one did, everyone was as clear as crystals now. He noticed the signs and ways people tiptoed around him. 

They had been pretty good for awhile, but now, they were just playing a game they wouldn't win. He knew now and they didn't know that, which made Jaejoong more aware that the masks they wore were hiding something big. 

He had to smile and act as if he were okay too. But he wasn't. He was a kid who was growing and learning new things, especially to how the world worked. 

He was learning what people really felt.

He was learning how people could be two-faced, rude and nice at the same time. 

He was also...learning about...about love. 

He had believed he knew what love was, but he didn't. His parents said they loved him, and so did the people working for the royals. But they were all frauds! He had learned that, and kind of wished he hadn't. He didn't want to realize everyone was hiding something obviously big from him. 

And if he had to figure out they were all liars, might as well figure out the secrets too. They were to why the reason they wore the masks.

The love he felt and knew, was something indescribable and magical. He couldn't say he was exactly feeling it for someone...but he knew his feelings were getting that close. A boy about his age and one who he'd have to be close to.

He had tried to dismiss the feelings, but...well enough knew he couldn't. As much as he wanted to, the feelings wouldn't disappear or erase. They were there permanently, which was something he couldn't understand. 

Why couldn't these feelings go away? Why couldn't they be erased? Why couldn't he push them away? Or why couldn't they just fade away like mist and fog?

“Master Jaejoong! You should be in your room with Mr. Shin! Learning about the Unimonian history is very important! Especially for the heir of Unimon!" Maid Ji Hwa said from behind him. 

He flinched and wheeled around. Hopefully the maid wasn't heard from the other room or his parents wouldn't cone out. He couldn't be caught, but part of himself was telling himself that he had just dug his own grave. 

He swallowed hardly and smiled sweetly, “Yes Ms. Oh...I...I was just wondering where...um...you see, I had lost something. A book."

Ji Hwa quirked her eyebrows and placed a hand on her hip, “A book? From the library or...from Mr. Shin?"

Jaejoong smiled nervously. “Mr. Shin had lent me it...and I...I know how angry he gets...and so...I...I just have to find it! Mind keeping a close eye for it?" With his dark doe sparking eyes and little lips smiling sweetly, the maid would let him go.

“Sure...I'll keep an eye for it...just...ugh, just head back before your parents find out you were ditching classes!" Ji Hwa said. His lies had jut gotten him by and he was pretty happy it did. Then again, he needed to.

As he walked away from the room to where his parents were, he still couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about. He hoped, he really hoped one day...all of them would take off all their masks and reveal what they really felt...and who they really wore.

He wished they actually wore masks that people wore on masquerades, at least not the ones that were used to tell everyone they were perfectly fine when in the inside, their skin was turning red and their blood was boiling.

If only they'd reveal how they really felt and who they really were...instead of living lies, Jaejoong thought before sighing and finally turning away from the room where his parents likely spoke of the truth. 

The truth that they wouldn't reveal to him.

The truth that he was now dying to know.

The truth he'd try to get.