An Ode to Maehwa | kth

Chapter 36: The Tinderbox

Perhaps picking up something on the street was inherent within the Kim royal family. That night, Hoseok was given a second path he thought he'd never have. Not much time was needed before he decided to take the offer, provided with all three essentials; food, clothing and shelter in which his sickly sister could come together. If it weren't for Kim Seokjin, his sister might not have recovered from the sickness, leaving Hoseok all alone in the world, probably taking away his will to live altogether.

Seokjin only did it with a whim, impressed with Hoseok's strength—and he wasn't wrong—as Hoseok was quick on catching the skills with proper training, getting an upper hand against elders in no time. He was soon assigned as Seokjin's personal guard, and he swore his life upon him. Hoseok was a palace guard, but his loyalty lay with Seokjin, and Seokjin, too, found no man as trustworthy as him. The two were a master and a servant, but there was a bond stronger than that—as though of a friend, as though of a sibling sworn by heart.

It was when Seokjin was twenty when he decided to go down to see the lantern festival again. Hoseok didn't even bother protesting, and obliged to accompany him. To this day, Hoseok wasn't sure if he was supposed to stop him because if he didn't go to the festival on that day, at that moment, Seokjin would've never met Roh Dawon—the tragic fate that had changed their relationship completely.

Seokjin first saw her at the dancing parade. She was one of the dancers in a group, dancing under mellow orange lanterns dangling in the air under navy breezy sky. Seokjin and Hoseok were enjoying the parade from the side, Seokjin clapping and cheering the performers—and that was when Dawon fell into his arms, tripping on a stone. It was as simple as that, but Hoseok swore he could hear the sound of someone falling in love when the two met their eyes.

Seokjin, needless to say, was a Crown Prince, next in line to sit on the throne. The blood labeled his body and heart to never belong to himself, but rather to the family, to the officials, to the people—to his empire. Marriage was obviously a tool for politics, and he was to marry a daughter of some state, of a highly regarded bloodline, in order to ensure peace among the empire.

And to have an affair with the commoner was an atrocious deed.

Hoseok, who was his personal guard but no less a palace guard, hesitated, hinting disagreement at first. He was the only person Seokjin trusted, and hence the only helper to sneak Seokjin out for their rendezvous, of which he eventually did willingly, helplessly pleased to see Seokjin creasing in soft smile, genuinely happy when he met his love.

Hoseok couldn't see his way out—Seokjin's happiness came first.

Yet none of the issues were solved—he was the Crown Prince, and she was a commoner. Soon enough, few people started noticing something odd, sniffing away her existence, secretly informing the Emperor. Seokjin was called to their room immediately.

"You are not to see that commoner again."

Seokjin saw no point in denying their relationship. They must have had thorough research done using their private specialists or whatnot, and he knew this was going to come sooner or later.

"I and the head of the Southern State agreed on marriage. You will be engaged to his daughter soon," announced the Emperor.

"She's a pretty lady, my son. You will love her," the Empress smiled encouragingly.

Even though those words reached Seokjin's ears, they couldn't reach his heart.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I would like you to break the engagement," Seokjin said, bowing deeply on the floor.

"What?"

"My incapable heart can only have a room for one person, and that is Roh Dawon, whom I wish to marry."

"KIM SEOKJIN," roared the Emperor. His father was who he respected the most—and who he was scared of the most. His commanding voice zipped down Seokjin's spine.

"Have you forgotten who you are, and the responsibility you hold?"

It was dominating, wielding, and it was what made Seokjin fear and respect him, however, he couldn't let this one string of hope and happiness he had got, deeply nestled in his heart.

"...I have forgotten neither. Those creeds I was reminded of every single day of my life," his voice calm, "...but how could I possibly forget the happiness I found, who reminded me that I also was a human who could love someone?"

And so the admonishing didn't end well. Instead they grew more adamant on their position, as the Emperor proceeded with the engagement preparation while Seokjin ignored every summoning.

It wasn't long before a thunder struck through a tinderbox one day.

Roh Dawon's pregnancy.

Hosoek could still reenact at the back of his eyes how Seokjin beamed with delight informing him of the news. The bigger part of him cheered at his happiness, but he still had that part of him who couldn't ignore the storm coming. At that moment, pregnancy wasn't necessarily a blessing.

Seokjin attempted for the last time to convince his parents, who literally had no words for the announcement. Only after a good painful silence did they react—the Empress with a cry, and the Emperor with a prayer to God challenging him. They couldn't possibly ignore the royal blood and had at last compromised to have Dawon as a consort, if Seokjin were to marry Southern State head's daughter. But there was no way Seokjin would nod to that.

"I'm going to leave the palace, Hoseok," announced Seokjin back in his dark room, after having an unresolved argument with his parents.

"Your Highness-"

"I'm going to quit my blood," he muttered deeply, as his words lingered heavily in the air.

Hoseok drew in that air, hoping to say something but he could only choke, with no words willing to come out. Everything seemed to be scattered to no resolution.