Chapter 27: Cure
It is already night time and the guests are starting to arrive, the palace was filled with lights and decor, the plaza outside was dazzling in night flowers and fairy lights that was wrapped in each pillar, the ballroom set its tone to a more elegant vibe, people walking around enjoying the night with their masks on and also a live orchestra playing at the side. Lovely comments from the royal families from every nation filled the area saying how beautiful Helianthus was.
Jaehyun and Niki were on their way to the event, not knowing that another person had been sent to follow them there. Sunghoon has been busy all day and night, commanding each and every guard to where they are supposed to be positioned. Sicheng has also been invited by Mark's parents to at least have him there for support for his cousin, Yuta prepared himself also for the event, he made sure he looked decent in everyone's eyes and surprisingly...he was the talk of the night. Yuta wore a traditional Kimono that is colored black with golden roots crawling to the side for design, his belt tightly wrapped around his slim waist, his white hair tied up in a half bun and for his shoes he wanted to wear black boots for a change and shockingly it looked really good on him, he didn't bring his katana with him but he didn store it somewhere safe and near just in case danger might occur tonight.
Mark and Donghyuck inside their shared bedroom were getting by the maids helping them with their clothes. Mark was fully dressed and was now sitting on a chair where a maid fixed his hair and placed a bit of gloss on his lips to get that plumpy texture. Meanwhile Donghyuck was still getting dressed and was being helped by the maids to put on his waist corset and his boots. They also made sure he wore the royal cloak to show which class he belonged to, let's just hope the royal families don't judge him by his class.
Bursting the doors open revealed Sunoo with all his gorgeousness, his white long sleeves with gold iridescent sleeves was everything, his tight pants and his side cloak freely flowing on his right shoulder. He smiled at Mark who was in the middle of getting handsome and checked on his brother who looked serious.
Once everyone was done with the two boys, they left, leaving Mark, Donghyuck and Sunoo inside the room.
"You guys look great" Sunoo started, putting his hands behind his back, he heard Mark hum in agreement but didn't hear any from his brother, he saw Donghyuck's face, he looked like he was in the middle of something.
Mark followed where Sunoo was looking at and they both felt something off about Donghyuck.
"Hey" Sunoo tapped him by the shoulder, "are you okay?"
"I feel something" the honey-skinned said, "I feel something bad is going to happen tonight" he added, he balled his hand into a fist and gulped while looking outside the window.
"Sunshine" Mark faced Donghyuck to him and engulfed him in a hug, he made sure to place a kiss on his cheek too, "we're right here, if anything wrong is going to happen tonight, we're here to save you or Helianthus, alright?"
Donghyuck wrapped his arms around Mark's neck and tightened the hug, he was so thankful for Mark to be there for him, no matter what. He's so lucky that he finally got Mark to love him and how happy he is that they would not hate each other even when they get married.
"Thank you, Mel"
Mel, something he came up with just now, it was a bit random but he likes the name, it has a little ring to it.
"Can you guys stop it" Sunoo huffed out air, "you're making me feel lonely" he said as the couple laughed.
"Let's go?" Donghyuck smiled and held Mark's left hand and Sunoo on the right.
The three exited the bedroom and were now escorted to the main ballroom, they made sure to hold their masks as they entered. The people inside all looked at the three in awe and soon bowed to them to show respect.
After all the greetings, they parted ways, Donghyuck went to the balcony area, Mark entertained more guests, and Sunoo was looking for Sunghoon. The event is currently going smooth, after breathing fresh air from outside the balcony, Donghyuck joined everyone inside and decided to greet them, he then got a glass of liquid which he assumed was juice but it was wine, he tried his best not to show the guests that he was having a hard time swallowing it down due to the sparkly and stingy effect once it goes down your throat.
"Hello there, future king" a deep voice whispered behind Donghyuck's left ear, making him flinch in surprise.
The younger turned around to see a guy with chestnut brown hair and a black mask with two long feathers swaying, the guy then took off his mask revealing Jaehyun with a handsome smile.
"Jaehyun!" Donghyuck squealed, he placed his glass down and hugged Jaehyun by the chest, "I didn't know you were coming! You look so handsome!" he complimented, giggling at the older.
Jaehyun bowed his head and chuckled, "you look good yourself too, have you gotten yourself used to Minhyung yet?" he asked.
Donghyuck nodded, "yeah, we've gotten better understanding with each other"
"Well that is nice to know, I hope you both do the best" Jaehyun said and hugged Donghyuck again only for someone to separate them.
It was Mark with his mask off, crossing his arms as he glared at Jaehyun. "Kindly take your hands off of Donghyuck please" he asked politely as Jaehyun raised both his arms up in defeat.
"No need to get jealous sir Mark, I was just wishing your husband my...highest...hopes?" the milk-skinned boy's words were slowly said when he caught someone familiar in the ballroom. "Excuse me for a second" he said and left the couple.
"Oh Mel" Donghyuck playfully at the older, he wrapped his arms around Mark's neck and swayed his body left and right slowly, "why do you get jealous over the smallest things?"
"Because Haechan, no one should be touching my future husband like that than me" Mark pouted, "why can't they learn that you're mine?" he looked down only for Donghyuck to raise him up again by the chin.
"They know I'm yours Mark" he said.
"Oh by the way, I want you to meet my cousin" Mark held Donghyuck's hand and took him to Sicheng who was in the middle of a talk with Yuta, both looking like something was going on between the two of them.
"Ah! You must be Lee Donghyuck, Mark's fiance?" Sicheng asked, raising a brow with a small smirk on his lips.
Donghyuck nodded, "yup that's me and you must be his cousin? What is your name?" he wouldn't lie, Sicheng is so handsome.
"It's Sicheng" he extended his hand to Donghyuck as the younger gladly shook it, the tanned male then looked to his right to see Yuta behind him, blushing like crazy.
"I see you guys are having a good time" Donghyuck teased, wiggling his brows as Mark laughed at it, I mean what the younger said was true, they did look like they were having a good time.
"Yeah we actually are," Sicheng admitted as Yuta slapped his arm in embarrassment.
"Well we'll leave the two of you, right Mark?...Mark?"
Mark was gone, he disappeared when Sicheng, him and Yuta were talking. Yuta said he saw him leave going to the west window area. Donghyuck wondered why he suddenly left without permission.
He decided to find Mark outside till he was stopped by Mark's mom, "Queen Nala? Is there anything wrong?" he asked with a worried tone.
"Oh no, it's nothing Donghyuck, I just wanted to give you this" she handed the love charm cure to Donghyuck, "it's for Mark, It is fully tested and will work greatly for Mark" she said and just left like that.
"Oh...okay?" Donghyuck furrowed his brows and looked at the blue glowing potion on his hand, he held it tightly and proceeded to find him. He called him a few times but he received no response, he asked the guests but no one knew where he went.
He is now outside and is holding his long cloak tight as he went down the stairs, he saw Sunghoon having a chat with Sunoo and Niki but he didn't care less, he went to the right and was met with a passage leading to the garden. He was greeted by more guests until he heard whispers coming from his back, he hesitated to listen at first but then he heard Mark's voice.
His expression dropped when he saw who Mark was with.
Koeun.
He didn't know she came, she never went to him to greet, who is he joking about? She probably hates him so much.
He wondered what they were talking about, he wanted to know what it was but it's bad to eavesdrop. Screw it, he needs to know.
"Are you really going to replace me with the prince of Helianthus?" She whined, holding her mask and a bouquet of black roses. "Don't you love me anymore?"
"Koeun, I-....I don't know anymore, we've had our time together and we both know we've loved each other very much, but after what your father did to Helianthus' king...I don't think I can marry someone like you-"
"Bullshit!" She shouted, throwing her mask on the ground, bouncing its way to Donghyuck's feet.
Koeun sensed something in Mark, something that was bugging the male, she squinted her eyes to really check what it was, he sensed the pink throbbing flare of magic inside Mark's eyes, she smirked and raised her hand.
"So this is the reason why you don't love me anymore" she swiped her hands in front of Mark's eyes as the love charm is in Koeun's grasp, she disintegrated the charm into black dust and wiped the dust away with her dress.
"Koeun?" Mark's breathing was loud, the charm was long gone, he felt like a huge rock had finally risen off his chest. "You...you did it, you took off the love charm" he said in satisfaction.
"you're telling me Donghyuck drugged you into loving him, huh?" Koeun gritted her teeth, hating Donghyuck more.
Donghyuck on the other hand, saw the process on how the girl took off the charm, he heard every bit of information coming from the two. He walked towards them with the cure still on his hands, he wanted to explain what really happened to Mark.
"It's not like that, I inhaled the love charm by accident...It was my fault, not him" Mark explained, "don't do anything to him, this is all me"
"So you're defending him now?" Koeun raised a brow, "your thoughts never changed? You still love him?"
"I- koeun just please, I learned how to control the charm and I've-"
"So you really don't love me anymore!?!?!" Koeun shouted, stomping her foot as she starts to tear up.
"Koeun, we can work this out, okay? Please relax-"
"But I love you Mark" was her last sentence before she grabbed him by the collar and smashed her lips on his.
Donghyuck's heart started to ache, the heat in his cheeks started to feel and his eyes were watering. Mark wouldn't kiss back, right? He would never-
And there it was, Mark closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.
Donghyuck's heels stopping were heard by the two, Mark raised a brow and looked to his side, seeing Donghyuck standing there with betrayal shown in his eyes, he dropped the blue cure to the ground.
"Haechan..." Mark said.
Koeun smirked and held Mark's arm tight, "you may simply fuck off now, Donghyuck...he's mine, not yours" she said and giggled.
Donghyuck balled his hands into a fist, closed his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows before running elsewhere.
"No, Haechan!" Mark was about to chase him but Koeun stopped him.
"Mark no!" she said, "do you really want to end up with him, a danger in our lands? An ascendant?" she tried to persuasive him but it didn't work.
Mark pushed her to the ground, "get away from me you hag, I will do anything in my power to protect him because I love him now more than you" he said before running off.
The loud cries of Koeun and her faint shout of "No!" could be heard echoing in the skies.
Donghyuck panted for air as he reached the entrance of the palace, he looked everywhere and saw a man waving at him, flirtatiously.
The man strutted his way towards the young boy and lifted him by the chin, "it sucks to be you" he whispered, throwing Donghyuck away from him.
Donghyuck didn't know who he was but he didn't want to know him, all he can say is that he is one of Koeun's people.
The man smiled at him and soon transformed itself into a raven, flying away from the tanned male.
He was right, he knew all along that something bad would happen tonight but he didn't know that it would fall on him. What did he do to deserve all of this bad luck?
He heard people of Helianthus from the gates screaming in anger, he took a look on what the fuss was about only to meet eyes with the villagers holding pitchforks and torches.
"There! It's the king! It's the ascendant! Kill him!"