𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇. enhypen

twenty-seven

No one ever told her what had happened after her mother died of her sickness, Jihye was only left to assume that she never had a proper funeral ceremony. Jihye didn't even know where or if she was buried.

Sunghoon had stabbed right through the thinning trust between Jihye and her Father, it had her wavering in all her beliefs and began to question all other things said by him. The thought crushes Jihye's mind between sharp claws, causing a throb of pain to pulse through her temple.

"Do you even hear yourself? You're insinuating that my mother's death was staged!" Jihye squeaked, obviously affronted by what he had said. Out of breath after just a few words, Jihye averted her gaze and scoffed at him.

Though Jihye had revealed enough by her reaction. She wasn't all too sure herself if she could even prove Sunghoon wrong. She wavered in her belief with him so close, her mind torn apart into two sides that waged a relentless war within.

"Most things in our lives are and will be faked for the public eye." Sunghoon's explanation slapped Jihye in the face much more brutal than the one she physically gave him.

All of her life ran through his mind, the feigned events she had to live more vividly than the rest. The public statements the Royal Council would make in order to keep different towns and villages at bay and from revolting. Often Jihye couldn't understand their political motives and steps, most of them she didn't approve of at all. She often impugned their abilities to lead as it would have been so much easier to tell things in truth instead of painting it completely different.

An alarming amount of her people were being maltreated, Jihye could tell despite still not being all too aware of events that had unfolded while she had grown up sheltered from the outside world. However, most often than not, those who fall in the fire of injustice, are framed as criminals for attempting to retaliate against the race hierarchy. All just to maintain the Kingdom's image of power.

What could possibly stop the Royal Council and her Father from faking the Queen's death?

Jihye couldn't pinpoint why she was inclined to his claim, which bothered her greatly. She wouldn't dare to even entertain the thought or vocalize it to Sunghoon. He was surely coaxing her into trusting him to falter her trust of another. Jihye was above astute mind games, those that twisted whatever she priorly believed to a new befitting philosophy that favored a majority's.

A frown spread across her features once she eyed Sunghoon as he placed the journals wordlessly into her hands. Perhaps Sunghoon believed he knew more about Jihye than she knew about herself, but none of it mattered when Jihye was struck with stupor. The mentions of Sunghoon's theory snapped her out of the trance. "It might sound far fetched, but I think the person who wrote both of these is-"

Jihye let the journals drop onto the ground with a resounding thump. "Don't continue." She ordered, voice low and wavering, eyes watering once more. After gandering at Sunghoon for some more moments, Jihye finally dropped her gaze right onto the ground.

Jihye had heard enough to think differently of every aspect of her fidelity. All of her life she had lived according to Eastern history's teachings and yet doubt reigned within her. But despite the unidial and strained bond between Jihye and her Father, she was still deeply reliant towards him. Because in the end, he was all Jihye had left of true blood relation. She didn't want anything to jeopardize what little family was remaining.

It didn't stop the questions upon questions that roared through her mind like a whirlwind. She had already fallen down a rabbit hole with no way of returning. Though, Jihye's inner turmoil gets momentarily sidelined by the pounding against her skull.

Jihye bit her lower lip as the sight itself had her wavering in her beliefs. Yet it grew harder the further she pondered. Her eyes moved frantically from one object to another in order to avoid Sunghoon at all costs, but backfired on her as she landed on her reflection in the tall mirror. Jihye felt confined, her appearance looking more and more like a doll than the person she was. "Just give me a second..."