Hongjoong's pov
After comparing both mine and Innie's maps I can see the similarity and all.
"Ok guys. I have a plan but would be a bit difficult." I said as I look at all of them. They look back at me with serious face.
"What is it?" Seungmin asks.
"Well, if he's the one that gives up himself by his pure will so it would be difficult to pursue the King to let him go. Other thing is the Queen wanted to ship him off to other country as she wanted the second born to be the King and not Innie. So yeah..." I told them the truth.
"What do you mean by that?" Felix asks in confusion.
"Well... the truth is Jeongin was given to be adopted not because the Queen was worried about him but rather because she didn't want him as he didn't have strong features. But she was caught by the King, and she made a lie saying that she was worried about him. The King is wrapped around her little fingers so he comply to her wishes." I explain again.
"That makes a lot of sense..." Seungmin mumble to himself.
"What's wrong Seungmin?" Seonghwa hyung asks him.
"When we were little, I always asks him about his family as I was curious and he said didn't know much about his family. I didn't push too much as I'm afraid he would still be sad about his parent's death." He explain more
"Yes, he didn't know much but the King actually always asks about him as he was his first born." I explain more.
"So we can do it like this. You guys can go into the castle through the secret passage and search for him as I try to persuade the King about how Innie is unhappy with the decision. And Bangchan, may I tell his majesty about you and Innie?" I ask his permission.
"What do you mean?" Chan asks.
"Well, I think I can persuade him if I tell him about you." I said to him.
"If that's the case then let me go with you. I want to persuade him too. I think I know how too." He explain.
"Are you sure?" I ask again. He nod his head firmly. I nod back.
"Ok so let's do like this, the SKZ team will scope the palace, Seungmin, Felix and Han will go and search for Innie, and Ateez will guard the outside just in case anything happens. I want Seonghwa hyung and Yeosang to be in our get away car and be our medic just in case something happens." I explain the plan in detail as I show where they will be stationed.
They nod their heads and begin to do their work again. I sigh.
'It looks like I have to give him a call.' I sigh again.
"What's wrong baby?" Seonghwa hyung asks as he put his arm around my shoulder. I blush a bit at the pet name.
"It's nothing hyung. I just can't believe I'm going back after I swore that I won't ever again." I said to him.
"Hey, it's ok. If anything happens just tell us ok?" he said in comforting manner.
"I will hyung. Thank you. But hyung can you promise me something?" I ask him.
"Tell me first so I can decide to promise or not." He said to me seriously.
"No. You need to promise me first hyung. It's not something dangerous or anything." I said to him again.
"Ok, fine. I promise." He said but with sceptical face as he lace his pinky with mine.
"Promise me if anything happens you help the kids first. Can you?" I ask him.
"What do you mean Joongie." He asks.
"Promise me hyung." I said to him seriously.
"Yes, I promise. But what do you mean by that?" he asks. I just smile at him and shake my head.
"Just making sure as they are important to me and I don't want anything to happen to them. That's all." I said to him. He nods his head.
I take out my phone and dial the number that I'm so dreading to call.
"Hello Jongiepie!" the receiver scream out in glee. I have to pull the phone away from my ear as it about to burst my ear drum.
"Yeah.. Hi hyung... how are you?" I answer back monotone.
"Well good, good. Why did you call? Did you miss your awesome hyung?" he tease.
"No hyung, just that I'm coming home tomorrow." I said to him.
"Really?! So does this mean you agree to the agreement?!" hyung asks excitedly. I clench my fist tightly and slowly breath out through my nose.
"No hyung. I have other things to settle in the castle." I said to him.
"What kind of things? Didn't you quit already? Ah! It must be because the prince is back right?!" he exclaim loudly again.
"Partly." I answered courtly.
"Well, you do know you need to agree to the condition to come home." He said in matter of factly.
"No hyung, I don't agree to it! I just want to finish some business and that is all. Can't you understand that?! I don't agree to any of that, and if you try to monopolize this conversation just remember be careful of your next steps as I have lots of eyes and ears inside the castle." I huffed out angrily.
I can feel someone pull me into their embrace.
"Hey, it's ok Joongie. I'm here. Don't worry no one can harm you ok?" he said as he hug me in his warm embrace. I sigh and hug him back.
"Thank you hyung." I thank him.
After a while both of us pull away.
"I need to go to Chan to tell him the plan ok?" I said to him. I smile and made my way to where Chan is.
'Ughh... I hope all went well... Don't worry Joengin-ah, we're coming to help you.' I thought to myself.
"Hey, all is set. We just need to go at dawn as it is a quite far." I told him as I can see he was caressing and looking at a picture of smiling Joengin.
He just nod numbly.
Chan's pov
I was so lost in thought and rage as I was looking at a picture of my smiling baby.
"Don't worry baby, we're coming to you." I whisper to myself as I put my hand on my forehead.
Next day at dawn
"Is everyone ready?" I ask seriously as I look around.
I can see they tense up and nod their head.
"We're ready hyung. Now it's time to get Innie." Seungmin said seriously with him already suit up.
"The most important today is everyone's safety and getting Innie out ok? Now let's go!" I bark the order and all of us begin our journey.
After a few hours all 10 cars arrive infront of the castle.
"Joongie, is it really ok for you to only go there with Chan?" I can hear Seonghwa asks Hongjoong in worry.
"It's ok hyung. Just remember the promise ok?" he said to worried Seonghwa.
In the end Seonghwa nod his head in agreement with a sigh.
I can see Hongjoong tip toe and give a small peck on the cheek to Seonghwa and he was whispering something before he come to my side.
"Let's go Chan." He said seriously and lead the way.
Both of us walk to the entrance and was stop by the guards.
"Who are you and what is the purpose coming here?" he asks sternly.
"Kim Hongjoong and Bang Chan. We have an audience with the King." Hongjoong said calmly.
He look at us for second before he got the answer through his earpiece before he let us in.
"Once you're in front of the King, speak when spoken."Hongjoong said to me quietly. I nod my head and walk to the throne room.
"Oh! Hongjoong! How are you?" the King asks happily. He run down from his throne to hug Hongjoong.
"I'm fine your highness." He said politely with a smile.
"That's good then! And who you might be?" he asks as he turns to look at me.
"Hello, my name is Bang Chan. I'm Joengin's boyfriend." I said truthfully with a bow to him.
"Boyfriend? Since when? My wife said that he was single. That's why we wanted to proceed with the marriage." He said in shock.
"We've been together for a while now. I'm actually coming here to get your blessing of taking him back home." I said to the King politely.
"Home? What do you mean by home? He is home right now." He asks confused.
"Pardon for my rudeness your highness, but this is not his home. His home is with us. All of us are waiting for him. He always been growing up with up through thick and thin. Through every fight and kidnapping." I said to him seriously as I look straight through his eyes.
"Kidnapping...? Fight...? What do you mean by that?!" he exclaim in shock and confusion.
I look at him for a few seconds before showing him a one of the videos that showed how Innie went to mission and risking his life.
"Pause the video!" he commands. I pause it. He took the phone with a shock face.
"That symbol..." he said with shock. I look at the phone and I can see one of the guy's tattoo was shown.
"That's the Queen's men symbol..." he said in shock.
"Yes... it has been years since the fight your highness... since Joengin was little... that's why he didn't want to come back to the castle. The Queen wanted the second prince, his son to be the King..." Hongjoong explain.
"But... he's her son too..." he said in shock as he look at the both of us.
"Not biologically..." Hongjoong said.
"No, he is hers biologically!" the King exclaim.
"That's the thing. He's not. The Queen had a lover before she married you... she was pregnant then. She hated Joengin as he looks so much like her past lover..." Hongjoong explain with a big sigh.
"That's mean..." he asks in stutter.
"Yes. Joengin is technically an illegitimate son of yours your highness." Hongjoong said.
"No, you're wrong. Joengin is my real son, as she had a miscarriage before she had Joengin..." the King explain.
Our eyes widen in shock.
"D...does this means she hated Joengin because he wasn't her lover's child...? So does that means the second prince is...?" Hongjoong trail off.
"Oh god... I was so naïve... he had gone through so worse..." the King sigh as he sat on the ground.
"I need to make all of this right." He mumbles to himself.
"Guards! Call all of the royal family now!" he command before he goes back to his throne.
"You guys can stand here, beside me, ok?" the King said.
Joengin's pov
"Crown prince, the King has summon you to the throne room. Please come at this once." The attendee said with a sneer ad glare to me. I sigh. I carefully cover all of the bruises that I got from them and try as best as I can to walk normally.
I can feel a hit at the back of my head. "Please walk normally your highness." He sneer at the word your highness. I sigh before straighten my pose. I sigh before the door opens.
I look around and I can see Mother and my little brother there as they glare at me. I can feel the fear tingling up my spine. I can feel someone shove me into the room with a huff, I trip and fall face first on the ground.
"Oh dear, Joengin. That's so not elegant of you. You should've walk with elegance or how else would your fiancée look at you." She said with voice full of venom.
I clench my teeth and hand tight. I just stand up without saying anything. I walk to infront of the King.
"I greet to the King of this empire." I said as I bow but still looking at the ground.
"Be at ease Joengin." He said. I stand up straight but still my gaze not meeting him. I'm just looking behind him with a bored expression.
"Dear, why did you called for us? You do know that Joengin is busy preparing for his far away journey tomorrow." Mother said as I can feel the disgust and venom in her voice. I clench my teeth tight.
"Did I give you the permission to speak?" the King said with a cold voice. I was surprise but still not paying attention to them.
I start to daydream away.
'How is Minnie hyung? Is he ok? he must be worried. What about other hyungs? NO! This is the right choice! They won't be targeted anymore! Stay strong Joengin-ah! You did all of this because you love them!' I'm talking encouraging to myself when I feel a blow my cheek.
My head snap to the side. I look at the culprit and I can see that it's my baby brother.
"You fucker! All of this are your fault! Because of you! Mother was always unhappy! Because a useless shit! Just die! You're just a burden! You don't know what a hard life is even!" he yells. I snap when he said I don't know what a hard life is.
I with a swift movement put my hand around his neck and with ease lift him off the ground. He was trashing around and trying to scratch for me to let him go.
"I don't know what a hard life is? Who is the one that has been fed with a silver spoon since he was born? I've been followed since I was a baby. Countless murder attempt on me. Never had peaceful day. Always have to look over my shoulder because I'm scared that someone will come and murder my true family. I came back so that they will be saved. I stayed quiet when you were hitting me, when all of the useless lives were treating me like shit. And you said I don't know what hard life is?" I ask with venom and wrath.
I throw him to the ground. I can see he gasping for air and pain. I put my foot at his throat and gave a little pressure.
"Do you know what kind of hell did I go through for a little shit like you? Did you? No you don't because you're a bastard child of mother's lover. Too bad he was no fun at all. He was being a little bitch like you." I said as I put more pressure on his neck.
"I learnt from a young age how to combat, how to hold a gun and knife, how to survive, how to eat poison, how to hack and everything because of your shitty mother that godforsaken my own biological mother." I said as I take my foot off his neck. I grip his hair and lift it to my eye level.
"and you said you live a hard life? Just because mother dearest didn't give you some attention." I spit out as I throw him to the ground again.
I turn to the King.
"You're highness. Please punish me what you see fit. As you can see, I hurt your precious little baby. Disown me, kill me. Do whatever you want, just remember this, I never had a family from the here. All of them were killed and being followed by the so called Royal Family. Please do make him the King so that you can a happy ending without anything to interfere." I said to him as I take the knife that I had hidden in my sleeve. I stab myself near the heart.
"Joengin!" I can hear voices called me. I look up and I can see Channie hyung's worried face.
"I'm sorry hyung..." I mumble out before completely blank out.
Seungmin's pov
"Minnie! Can you hear me?!" I can hear someone said through the earpiece.
"Yes I can! What's wrong hyung?" I ask.
"It's Innie. Come to the throne room right now!" Hongjoong hyung said in hurry.
My eyes widen. I look at Leo hyung. I can see he that he ushered me to leave my post. I quickly run down from my post to the castle.
A guard tried to stop me when they can see Hongjoong hyung they let it go.
"What happened hyung?" I ask in panic as the both of us run at full speed to the throne room.
"Joengin stab himself. We need your help right now." He said. My eyes widen and I fasten my pace even more. When we arrive, I can see Chan hyung clutching on to Innie with tears running down his face.
"Hyung, move a bit. I need to help him now!" I said to him in a rush.
"Thank you Minnie..." he thank me before he make way for me.
I look at Innie's condition. I look around and I can't see anything to help in stopping the bleeding.
I tear his clothes and put pressure on the wound.
"Here." Someone said as they passed me the first aid kid with sewing kit in there.
"Help me with the pressure hyung." I said to Chan hyung. He quickly come over and put pressure.
I quickly wipe my hands with the anti bacterial wipes to clean my hands. I put on the gloves and thread the thread at the needle carefully. When everything is I went back to Innie.
"Move hyung!" I said urgently. I quickly begin to do the stitching. When it was done, carefully I bandage him up.
"Done." I said with a sigh as I slump beside Innie. I can see his breathing become more stabilize. I gently wipe away the sweat away from his forehead.
"Thank you Minnie..." he said with gratefulness. He quickly go to Innie and carefully carry him out of the throne room.
After a bit I tidied up and stand up. I was surprise when someone tap me on my shoulder.
"Thank you so much for saving my son. I'm forever will be indebt to you." The guy said.
"It's ok. I don't like it when he got hurt. That's the least I can do after he taught me so much about how to view life." I said to him with a smile. As I was walking away, I can see the second prince that was always seen everywhere there laying on the floor. I went to him and kick him hard enough to hear him grunt out in pain.
I crouch down to his level and said in his ear.
"If you ever do something like that again to Innie, just remember this, he have thousand of guys will back him up. I know about all of your dirty plans. I can expose you now. Keep that in mind." I said to him before walking out from the room.
As I was walking out I can see the Queen there. Her face flush red as she had seen what I done to her baby.
"yeah, yeah. You can go crazy as much as you want. Just know this. That guy's pinky was from us. It was such a shame how a little bitch he was and exposing everything to us after just water boarding. Keep a watch on yourself because you just mess with the wrong gangs bitch. SKZ will come and get you sooner or later as you did harm the leader's baby." I said to her with a smirk as I can see all of the colour drain from her face.
"Oh, thank you for being so stupid and giving Innie to us. He's so much happier with us than with his biological mother that is shit and just going around being a slut with everyone in the castle. Make your son the King. I dare you. Just know this someday and somehow all of your filthy bloodline will be gone." I said to her with no emotions before continuing my journey out from the castle.
"Baby! Are you ok?" Binnie hyung asks as he quickly engulf me in his warm embrace.
"I'm ok hyungie! I just had to do something." I said to him as I look at his face with full adoration.
"Thank god baby. You suddenly run off. I was worried something might happen." He said worriedly as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I can't help but to smile in content.
"Let's go baby. I know you're dying to go and see Joengin right?" he said as he pick me up and walk to the waiting cars.
Felix's pov
"Lixie hyung, you guys can come to Chan hyung's house. Innie are already with us." Minnie said through the earpiece.
"Really?! Is he ok?" I ask in worry as I put away all of our gears in our back.
"He... he stabbed himself. But it's ok. I already patched him up." He said.
"WHAT?! I'M COMING RIGHT AWAY!" I said in panic. I look at Hannie and nod our head simultaneously.
As the both of us running to the car, the both of us was caught.
I look at the culprit and I can see that it was Hyunnie.
"Hyunnie! We need to hurry up! Innie was injured! We need to go now!" I said in panic.
"We can't yet baby. The King wants to see you two." He said as he looks at both me and Hannie that's in Minho hyung's embrace.
"Us? Why?" both of asks in confusion.
"Well... it's easier when you see him. But let's go right now." He said as he holds my hand and brings me to the throne room.
"How did you know that the King wanted to see me?" I ask in skeptical.
"Hongjoong hyung called." He answered. I nod and followed him.
As we arrives I was frozen in my spot with Hannie as in front of us was our own parents.
Both of us frozen in shock. The four of them including the Queen and the second prince was kneeling on the floor with their hands tied behind their back. I can see all of them glare at us.
"Hey, it's ok, baby. I'm here. No one will dare and try to hurt you." Hyunnie whisper to me as he gently hooks his arm around my waist and guide us in front of the King. My eyes still stayed glued to them as I can feel the flashback coming again.
"Baby, breath baby. Slow breaths. I'm here. He said as he gently caress the back of my hand with his thumb.
I try to calm myself but the shaking is still present.
"Hannie! Listen to me! Listen to my voice! They won't do anything to you! They won't and they can't!" Minho hyung said to Hannie as he hold both of his shoulder and look at him directly in his eyes.
I look over and I can see that Hannie with tears running down his face shaking with fear.
"H...hyung... they...they're the ones... They're the ones that hurt big Hannie!" Hannie cried out with tears running down and pointing to them. He tried to sprint out of the room.
"Hannie no. They won't. I'm here now. They won't hurt big Hannie anymore baby. They won't." Minho hyung console little Hannie as he hug Hannie in a tight hug and cover his face away from those monsters.
"This is what you said you did nothing wrong?! You traumatized the poor children! In pretext of discipline?! I'm disappointed with all of you! Especially you! The Queen! I know everything that happened inside the castle! The people you were sleeping with and all! I knew about Joengin too. I pushed him to come home so that I can confirm it. I'm so disappointed. For what you did to the child! With this all of you are punished to execution!" the King ordered as all of them being drag away.
I can hear all of them beg for mercy.
"I'm so sorry my children... I'm so sorry... I should've investigated sooner so that I could've helped. I'm so sorry." The King apologized profusely as he cried in his hands.
"Your highness..." I said slowly in empathy to him.
"Thank you so much Hyunjin and Minho... You guys protect them just like how you guys promised. I know how much all of them are important for my son. Thank you for making him happy." He thanked.
I was surprised. I look at Hyunnie in surprise.
"It's ok your majesty. It was our own pleasure to help you and at the same time thank you for giving us a lot of resources to use while we protect all of them." Minho hyung said as he's carrying Hannie.
Minho hyung carrying Hannie just like how you would of a kid with Hannie's face in the crook of his neck sleeping soundly. I can't help but to smile at Hannie and gently run my fingers through his hair as he's sleeping.
"Umm... Felix, it's not that I hate you or anything but right now I'm feeling very possessive of my baby. I advise you to not touch Hannie before I did something that I will regret and making hannie sad." Minho hyung said to me with a strained voice.
I quickly go back to Hyunnie and hid behind him.
"It's ok baby. All of us are a bit on edge. Let's all go home and rest to release all of these stress ok?" he said to me as he ruffle my head. I beam at the thought and nod my head happily.
"Well, I guess you guys should go home first then. Please come and visit me. I would like to make amends with Joengin if I can as I've been useless of a father towards him." His majesty said with a sad voice.
"We will your highness." Hyunnie replied. He turn around and motion for me to hop on his back for piggy back ride.
I beam at the thought and quickly jump onto his back as I snuggle my face at the back of neck and inhale his heavenly scent.
'We're coming home everyone!' I thought happily before me too off to dreamland.
a/n: Hey! Sorry for not updating for a loooooooong time! I'm so busy with life and school now! Thanks for patiently waiting for the update! Anyway, I will try to update the next chapter sooner! Just so you know, the story is almost coming towards it's end soon!