𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈-𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎 | ᴀʟᴄʜᴇᴍʏ ᴏꜰ sᴏᴜʟs

-ʚɞ--- 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒 ⁰⁵

At that moment, Yul knew if he was to see this friend who made Hye-Jin hurt as bad as she is, he would kill her, without thinking twice. He was glad he wouldn't meet this friend, he would be too scared of what he might do to her if he were to.

"There isn't much I can say to ease your mind, Hye, there isn't anything anyone could say. But what I can offer you, is comfort knowing your father loved you. Knowing that whatever was to happen after this point, after everything you might do, I will always be here for you. I swear to you."

___

Seo Yul sat there. Reliving this touching moment, and knowing that his words were as good as none, that he was deceitful, that he as well changed.

Looking out onto the ripples of water at dawn, like what he and Hye-jin always did before, he couldn't help but scorn himself for being such a deceptive friend.

If he hadn't let her go in the most ruthless time of her life, she might have never become the person she was. She might have never slipped through his grasp as if water that stood before him.

There wasn't anything now that he could say to rekindle that fire that burnt between them years ago, when they were nothing more than children playing in a childish game. But it still haunts his thoughts, so much so, that it seems to not have been so. They weren't playing a game anymore, this was real. Their feelings were always real and present, he knew that long ago, and he knows that now. What he felt for Hye-jin was to always be real, no matter all his denial, no matter if he knew nothing when he was 15, he knew he had loved her at some point. He hadn't changed much, because he will always know that.

It weighs heavily on him to know that he knew everything at 15, than to knowing nothing, like he knows now.

These feelings were to always weigh him down, for all the choices he decided to make, or the decisions he never in fact made.

He was a coward to never tell her how he felt. He is a coward because he still can't live with the decionses he has made, yet has done nothing to repair his mistakes.

He was to remain a coward as punishment to himself for never being there for her. He deserved to know nothing.

A lonely tear fell down his face, and into the water as he stepped away and headed home.

——

"You may do as you please." His majesty said, as to which Hye-jin faces scrunches with disgust.

"Your Majesty, I can assure you what you grant Jin Mu to be a waste, Songrim has done nothing wrong, not under my vision." Hye-jin stepped forward, in front of all the other mages.

"Lady Hwang, don't undermine my ability to make decisiones. You are necessary to ensure that all stays neutral throughout the different families, in which you have done well. But don't you dare to abuse your power as Mage of Daeho to save your friends from their own mistakes. Do you understand?" His majesty scolded Hye-jin, as she nodded, her head facing the floor in his act of belittlement towards the mage.

"I understand." The crown prince looked back at his father, urging him with an appalled expression to stop belittling his bride to be.

His majesty just nodded as he dismissed the meeting.

As all the mages leave, Go-won rushes to his betrothed, dying to catch up to her fast pace.

"Hye-Jin." The Prince calls out, as she stops in her tracks, with an expressionless gaze to face her friend. Her face lights up when seeing him once again.

"Go-Won, surprise to see you here." Hye-jin walks up to him, as his hands rest folded behind him.

"Well yes, I live here, you see, so will you too." Go-won expreses with delight, thinking of the days he is to wake up next to her.