empress || hwarang

beautiful revelation,

Jinheung, Hae-nim and Sun Woo turned around just as a scroll rolled down from the gazebo above the entrance. The Hwarang gathered around with their eyes widen in shock as they look up at the scroll.

THE KING IS WITHIN HWARANG

"The King is within Hwarang. Does that mean what I think it is?" Yeo Wool asked and turned to Ban Ryu.

"The King is within Hwarang?"

"What?"

"The King is among us?"

Jinheung and Hae-nim froze as they look up at the scroll in mixture of shock and fear.

"That makes no sense."

"Why not?

"The King is here?"

Wi Hwa ripped the scroll in half and threw the other half to the ground. "If this is a joke, I will forgive it just this once. However, if there was a motive behind this, I will not forgive it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

Everyone left, excluding Jinheung, Hae-nim and Sun Woo.

Hae-nim glanced worriedly at Jinheung as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. She turned to Sun Woo and saw his face was expressionless, but his eyes held resentment. The memories of his deceased friend and Ah Ro's real brother, the thought of revenge came rushing back to him.

•••

Liwen and Lu closed and locked the doors of the infirmary as they stood guard outside, while Hae-nim and Jinheung were inside.

Hae-nim sat beside Jinheung on the couch and handed him a cup of tea.

"Drink this. It is rose tea. It will calm you down."

Jinheung grabbed the cup and slowly drank the tea. "I imagined this moment countless of times, but it is not that big of a deal." he said and looked at Hae-nim. "Could it be because of the tea, or because you are here?"

Hae-nim grabbed his hands that were holding the cup. "No matter what happens, I will not leave your side. No one will find out about you. No one will know, unless you want to." she said, earnestly.

Jinheung smiled. "Ah, that sounds relieving." he mumbled and looked away. "If people find out, it would be one or the other. I will die in the hands of the assassins, or become a real king. Die, or become king. I thought about both over again everyday. Now that I am faced with it, I fear more about becoming a king rather than dying. I really don't know what to do."

Hae-nim grabbed his cup and placed it down on the table nearby. "Jinheung."

"Is it not funny? A king is afraid of becoming king." Jinheung said, mockingly.

Hae-nim gently cupped his face with her hands and force him to look at her. "Jinheung, it is okay to be afraid." she said, comfortingly. "Honestly, you are not the only one. I am afraid too. I am afraid to become Empress to a powerful country. I mean, who would not? Who would not be afraid to rule a country on your own and be a good ruler that your people expects you to be."