Heart of Ice

Hickey

The following day, Yewon decided to make a final visit to Soonyoung before he heads off into exile the following morning. She couldn't tell Seungcheol this, because she knew he would forbid it if she did. No matter how much her blood ran cold at the thought of the pictures he had drawn of her, he had been a friend and a very important part of her experience in Solen. She would miss him, and so she wanted to bid him the final farewell and to thank him for what he did for her.

The court had ruled, internally, that Princess Jieqiong was an unfit bride for Seungcheol now that Soonyoung had "desecrated" her. There was no way that Seungcheol could marry a princess that his brother had publicly kissed, and so Soonyoung's actions had prevented what would have been such a difficult heartbreak for Yewon. She knew full well that he did it for her sake, and she was so thankful for that.

He was packing his belongings when she came to him. He looked a little troubled, and Yewon knew that he was terrified of what was to come on his journey.

"You'll be okay," was the first thing she said to him. He gave her a doubtful look.

"I think I'm going to die," he shrugged.

"Don't say that," she drawled, feeling her spine run cold at the mere thought. "You'll be back here soon."

Soonyoung's gaze then caught something on her neck, and he let out an amused grunt as he pointed a finger towards it. "Tell Seungcheol I got the message."

Embarrassed, Yewon covered the red markings with a scarf. The previous night had been a wild one, and it left some markings on her body that she couldn't hide very well, despite Haein's attempts at doing so with clothes and various ointments.

"Were you the one who told him, by the way?" Soonyoung asked her, and Yewon immediately knew that he was referring to their affair.

"No," she answered. "It was Wonwoo."

"Of course it was," Soonyoung said with indignation. He didn't seem surprised at all, and didn't even ask how Wonwoo came to know about it.

"It was an accident," she defended him.

"It was not an accident. It was revenge for sleeping with Jinye," Soonyoung mumbled.

"I don't think..."

"Oh please. Think about it, Yewon– Wonwoo exposed me when Seungcheol was already angry with me for what I did to Jieqiong. That bastard could have revealed it any other day, but no, he just 'happened' to reveal it on the very night that Seungcheol already had enough of me. Plus he..." he trailed off, biting his lip and shaking his head. He seemed so irritated.

Maybe it was true, Yewon considered. Maybe Wonwoo did actually tell Seungcheol out of spite for Soonyoung. It was not like he hadn't revealed things to Seungcheol out of malice before; Yewon remembered, way back before the battle, Wonwoo revealed that he had kissed Yewon just to spite him.

Soonyoung sighed. He looked stressed and very upset. "You know, it's very sad that almost every single member of my family hates me because of the women I associated with: Wonwoo hates me because of Jinye; my parents hate me because of Jieqiong; Seungcheol hates me because of you. And now I'm being pushed out by their collective will. It's just really damn hurtful, you know."

He did indeed look hurt and betrayed and frustrated. "I'm sorry," Yewon apologized. Somehow she felt partly responsible. If it weren't for her, Soonyoung would not be in this mess.

He shook his head. "It's not your fault," he said. "You and Yulhee might actually be the only family members I have that don't seem to hate me."