To Be a Beauty

Chapter 14: Il Minjoon

He demanded his father's presence. But they stopped him saying that it was impossible. The group of servants looked at him with mockery in their eyes. It made him falter, yet his resiliency made him unwilling to concede.

He then asked if he could go to where the Emperor is, but they stopped him again saying that he wasn't allowed to go out of the courtyard.

He was once again left in his own room. His thoughts running wild.

Maybe, it was because of him that he couldn't see his mother. Maybe he wasn't trying hard enough.

Maybe his mother gave up on him, maybe she hated him from the beginning. Maybe this was all a lie, a passing dream that would disappear once he woke up.

But as days passed, he knew this wasn't a dream. He was abandoned and left in this horrid place, with a bunch of liars and leeches hoping to gain power and wealth.

He cried and cried. He hated everybody, he didn't want to talk to anybody. He just wanted to go home.

Then one day he stopped crying. Looking at the ceiling while lying down in bed, he realized this wouldn't help. This situation wouldn't change even if he had shed a considerable amount of tears.

During his stay there, he discovered a library while walking through the corridors.

It was initially closed, the double doors looked huge and intimidating. Like it was not meant to be opened.

Yet his curiosity got the better of him and in the end, he opened the door.

An amazing mountain of books was suddenly displayed in front of his eyes. Tall shelves reaching up to the high ceiling fully brimmed with works of art and literature.

The scent of old books prickled his nose. Its woody and earthy smell became stronger as he came inside. His body stepped forward as his eyes glittered, looking around. The sun shone through the tall window that is almost triple his size. With his hands outstretched, he felt the rough texture of wood and paper in his palms.

Since then, he went there every day to read books. He did not miss even a single day, and he continued to read incessantly.

It was something that distracted his thoughts, and he willingly welcomed it with open arms.

And now was another day,

He hopped off the bed and walked towards the door. He would read before the maids come.

He walked along the familiar hall with his blue robes trailing behind. He did not bother to change his clothes, it's still clean anyway.

Minjoon turned the knob and pushed the door open. Dust wafted through the air, making his nose itch. His face scrunched up as he tried to hold it in, but alas he couldn't.

He sneezed.

He stopped for a second and he closed his eyes. Rubbing his nose, he slowly opened his eyes.

Minjoon became alarmed as his brows furrowed, focusing on an old man. The man stood by the shelf reading a book. He wore a darkish grey robe that looked tattered and a bit old, his greyish white hair set on a simple bun.

Looking at the book held by the old man, he squinted his eyes to look closely.

It was a leather-bound book that looked like a diary. He could not see any title or author but maybe because it was too far away.