Unmasking Souls

The Worst Kind of Torture

"It's been years since I went here," he said with a nostalgic tone, "This is my palace since I was a child until five years ago."

Many lanterns and candles were lighted, accompanying them as the took a look around.

Go Eun didn't realize it, but she was reaching out her hands to touch the doors, walls, and furniture, as if trying to view his past by doing so.

Ten minutes after being inside, a smile formed on her face while she walked from room to room.

"You liked this place right, My Lord?"

"Um.......yes. I do. I still do."

"The place is welcoming you," she uttered gently. "You were happy here, I can feel that."

He felt the corners of his lips rising into a smile, walking with her to the main bedroom where she opened the windows wide and inhaled deeply.

An adult prince couldn't stay in the imperial palace for fear of conflicts. But he and his hyeong were breaking that rule that time.

"Stay for a few days here. I need you," Jung Jae had said, and he didn't want to be anywhere else anyway. He wanted to be there, close to his tortured brother and nephew.

He finally acknowledged that it was a hard day when he circled his arms around her waist, leaning his head on her shoulder.

She held his hand and they stayed like that for a while.

Maybe it's wrong to feel peace again in this difficult time, he thought, but let me be.

He held her tighter, cradling her left and right.

Let me be.

************************************

Park Hae Soo, the Councillor, the highest in the Left Ministry, and undoubtedly the most powerful in the government after the emperor and the grand prince, was a mysterious man. He trusted no one. Absolutely no one. He rarely shared his deepest thoughts to anyone. He was definitely sure he would be perfectly fine living like that until the end, Min Ho had changed his mind.

With increased bitterness, he realized he was.......disappointed.

He thought Min Ho was his.......

Dare he say it even to his own conscience?

Friend.

He chuckled hollowly to himself, his mind wandered back to that moment in time which he could never forget.

He remembered he was twelve when his father first brought him to the imperial palace.

His father was a minister also, and pretended to have undying respect to the emperor, when all he wanted was to see him dead on the floor.

Hae Soo had to endure very strict education in politics and martial arts, so he naturally thought the two princes also experienced the same.

They didn't. Or at least, not all the time.

They were passing a very wide garden. It was a fine summer morning and he was dressed in his best.

What he saw surprised him and left a deep impression.

Jung Jae and Min Ho were racing each other from one end of the garden to the other. A guard yelled the start sign and off they went together, running as fast as they could, paying no heed of other things beside defeating the other. It was obvious they put all their energy into it.

Hae Soo and his father stood immobile, watching the scene in fascination.

Either it was because of luck or because he was working harder, Min Ho won. The boy was jumping and yelling in pure joy, laughing in victory. "I won! I won, I won, I won! Hyeong! Could you believe that? First time faster than you! Haha!"