"Your Majesty, Emperor Yong-Gi wishes to speak to you." Hongjoong looked up from his studies and dismissed the maid.
Hongjoong walked down the long corridor, sleek paintings decorated the walls and long curtains drooped down from the windows.
Arriving at his father's office, he knocked twice before entering.
"Your Majesty." He said and bowed.
"Hongjoong, it is just us. No need for the title."
"I wanted to talk to you. You are a young man now. Don't you believe that it is time for you to prepare for marriage?"
Hongjoong resisted the urge to let out a sigh, "Father, I have plenty of time to prepare for marriage. Besides, I'm not interested in getting married any time soon."
"Well, I have a few maidens picked out for you. I would like you to have at least one meal with each of them. Who knows, maybe you'll end up with one of them."
Hongjoong simply nodded his head, "Will that be all, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, that will be all. Tomorrow the first meal is scheduled. Lunch with an older lady named Kang Seulgi."
Hongjoong bowed and left the room, when he shut the door he let out a quiet sigh and ruffled his hair.
"Stressed, Your Majesty?"
He jumped slightly at the voice of his personal butler, Park Seonghwa.
"Seonghwa, how many times do I have to tell you? Just call me Hongjoong, I'm not the emperor, and I won't be for a while."
The two walked back to Hongjoong's suite, only a few words being exchanged.
When the two reached the suite, Hongjoong finally opened up.
"It's just stupid, ya know? I'm not gonna take over the land any time soon, I can't until he dies and he's like 43 and in perfectly healthy condition! But he wants me to get married? To a girl? Sometimes I just wish that I can scream that I'm gay, a homosexual, a fucking fag! But I can't! I don't even know what's holding me back either! It just doesn't feel right, but of course it wouldn't feel right, right?"
Seonghwa walked over to Hongjoong and started massage his shoulders, "Your Majesty, you need to relax. You can come out whenever you feel it is best, or you can even stay in the closet if you wish to do so. It's just one lunch date. Don't trouble yourself so much."
Hongjoong let out a sigh, "I guess you're right. Thank you, Seonghwa. Even though I probably shouldn't, I feel like I can trust you with my life."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Seonghwa!"
Seonghwa grinned, "Sorry, thank you Hongjoong."
