Throne | Lee Jeno

11

Hana woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. The storm had now passed and revealed a beautiful, sunny morning. Hana got out of bed and walked to her balcony. Looking around the castle's ground she was shocked to see the destruction that the storm had left.

Her eyes landed on the barn and fenced fields. She saw the mess and gasped, immediately rushing to get ready and run outside.

Hana almost tripped as she reached to Jaehyun's side.

"Woah, slow your horses."

"J-Jaehyun!" She stammered. "The stables! The fence! The-"

Jaehyun shushed her and attempted to calm her down. "Yes, I know."

"Where's Adam?"

The Duke sighed. "Right. About your horse... He must've ran off during the storm."

Tears brimmed her eyes. "We have to find him! We have to send a search patrol right now! Jaehyun, he-"

"Hey, what's happening?" Jeno worriedly asked, rushing to Hana's side and holding her in his arms.

Jaehyun put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Her horse, Adam, escaped last night during the storm. Hana raised him when he was a colt, so he means the world to her." He laughed, "if Hana cares about anyone in this world it would be that horse."

Jeno nodded in understanding, looking down at the girl. "He'll come back."

She cried. "But what if he doesn't?"

"He will." Jeno smiled amusingly, "come on, the fearsome Hana crying?"

Hana smiled and laughed lightly, wiping a tear away and punching Jeno in the arm.

"Ow!"

"Don't tell anyone about this." She turned to Jaehyun. "You too."

He held his hands up.

...

Jeno walled with his hands behind his back, steps in sync with the Queen's. "Does he really mean that much to you?"

"Like Jaehyun said, I raised him since he was a baby. I helped his mother give birth to him. Adam is just a horse, but he means the world to me."

Hana gasped, surprised and quickly turned to Jeno. "Actually, Adam is the horse that..." Her voice trailed off.

"That...?"

"That day... when we very first met and I came into the throne room late," she chuckled at the memory, looking a bit sad. "Adam was the foal I was helping during birth that day."

"Oh," Jeno leaned down, getting a closer look at her face. "But why the long face? Shouldn't it be a happy memory?"

"It is. But it also... isn't."

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Hana smiled softly. "The day I met you I thought you were the most handsome boy I had ever seen. Although it was arranged, for some reason I was excited that I would have you as my husband." She looked into Jeno's eyes and he saw the pain behind hers. "But that day I realized you only had eyes for my sister."

Jeno stood silently. "Hana, I'm-"

"It's fine. We were both young- I was young. You don't need to apologize."

Hana gave him a brief look before continuing to walk. For a moment, Jeno stood there in his own thoughts. And then he turned and ran after her.

He grabbed her hand, making her turn around to look at him. "It's not fine. Sure, I was young and naive. But it isn't the same anymore."

Hana scoffed. "What do you mean 'it isn't the same anymore'? Up until last month you and Haneul spat in my face about your love for each other. Don't tell me that 'it isn't the same anymore' because before our marriage- even during our marriage, I lied in bed alone knowing that the two of you were laying together."

Jeno stared at her intently, eyes switching between the two of hers. Hana smirked bitterly. "Whatever you're trying to pull," she let go of his hand. "Give it up, Lee Jeno."

She turned around again, only for Jeno to pull her back again and into his arms.

"Jeno- what are you doing?!"

He looked at her. "Hana, can't you see?"

"What!?"

Jeno sighed in frustration. "Are you damn blind? Can't you see my actions towards you have changed? Can't you recognize my feelings?!"

Hana spoke softer, "what?"

"God damn it, I like you!"

Hana blinked, processing the words he had just spurted out. "You're lying."

"I'm not," he gulped. "Kim Hana, I have feelings for you."