Starfall. |Lee Know

Thirty-Two.

Dabin was on cloud nine as she walked through the gates of her palace. Her mind was all Minho, Minho, Minho, Minho, and Minho. He was running restlessly inside her brain. She was so saturated with him, his smile, his voice, his touch, and his whole existence. A night spent with him and she was already feeling like exploding from warmness and happiness. What would the poor her do when she moves to endlessly live with him? That would be dangerous for her.

As Dabin skidded playfully through the hallways to her wing, she noticed how the staff were looking at her weirdly while whispering. And they had every reason. She was smiling stupidly while jumping and singing her way to her room. She knew she looked odd in their eyes but what would she do? She was in love and poor them, they had never tasted a love like that.

In her eyes, all human beings were worth empathy. Every person who wasn't loved by Minho was worth empathy.

Entering her bedroom, she slammed the door closed behind her and twirled herself before dropping her body with a thud to the bed. She shrieked to herself and covered her blushing face as she kicked her legs everywhere. She then moved her hand up to have a look at the very unique proposal ring. It was the only one in the world. A unique ring specially made for her.

The door being kicked open made Dabin jolt. She jumped to her feet immediately to be faced with her panicking brother.

"Are you okay?" He took big strides to where she was standing and cupped her face.

"I am." She said through her squished cheeks. At first, Dabin didn't understand why he seemed to be that worried till she remembered his call with Minho the night before. "Ah! I wasn't that sick, I was just tired. Don't worry about it." She patted his hands that were cupping her face before pulling them away.

"No one harmed you or harassed you in any way? Huh?" Changbin questioned. "Nothing happened?"

Dabin scrunched her face. "What might happen? Who would harass me?" She tilted her head.

"The off-" Changbin paused as he examined her face. "You.. you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Oh, God!" He gasped and stood back, rubbing his face. "You really don't know."

"Know what, Changbin?" Dabin started to worry.

Changbin huffed and looked at his sister with pity and concern. "It's Minho."

Dabin felt her blood freeze and her brain go numb. She gulped, sensing the heaviness in Changbin's voice and aura. Something was wrong.

"W-What's about Minho?"

"He's under investigation," Changbin uttered and Dabin's whole body shook. "An official case was opened and there are accusations against him. It's nothing but chaos in the Lee Kingdom. I guess it happened just as you boarded the plane."

"What accusations? For what?" Dabin panted.

"It's regarding his latest project. He's accused of money laundering, using paper companies, unofficial dealing, private profits, and every single corruption accusation in the list."

"That's bullshit!" Dabin yelled. "He would never do anything like that. I worked with him during the whole project."

"We know that, Dabin. But that's what the people who framed him into this shit wanted."

Dabin flinched.

Framed.

He was framed into this and she knew who would do something so evil like that.

The twins.

Minho had a pair of cousins who were nothing but pure evil, envy, greed, and hatred. Those older twin cousins were always very obvious in their feelings toward their younger cousin. They wanted his position and wanted him out of the picture. They wanted one of them to be the successor to the King. Their plan was sailing smoothly since Minho showed no interest in the throne and the King himself didn't trust his own son. Felix too, the other cousin, was no threat to them. He was grateful for what he had and being Minho's right-hand man was more than enough for him. But lately, Minho was showing interest, getting involved, gaining love and support, and engaging with the public, which made the council and the King reconsider his coronation.

And that was the threat.

They surely framed him into those accusations. Dabin knew that. She was aware of their envy and greed.

"I-I.." Dabin stuttered as she tried to collect her thoughts. "I need to talk to Minho. No! I need to go see him." She rushed to the door.

"You won't be able to see him even if you went there." Changbin stopped her.

"What? Why?" Dabin looked at him, feeling an irritating unsettling emotion bubbling up inside her chest.

"He's been taken to The Royal High Court right after you left his palace." Changbin sighed and looked at her in defeat. "He was arrested."