The torturous training continued for Wonwoo for the next few mornings. Wonwoo always hated exercise and gave utmost priority to his schedule and gaming. Now he is literally touching grass everytime he fails to land a blow on Mingyu.
At least three weeks has passed by after his dinner with Prince Iseul and his mind was all over the place. He couldn't figure out who to trust.
"Mingyu.." He stopped abruptly and looked straight at Mingyu.
"Y_es..Hyung. If it's about the training..We can't take a break, you took five breaks already."
"No its not about that. I don't know if I can really trust you but I will take a leap of faith."
Mingyu looked at the now serious expression of the prince and nodded to reassure him.
"You know I can't help but get involved in these stuff, now that my life is probably in danger. But I hope I can investigate stuff in a more undercover way so that I don't become the target. So I wish you will answer all my questions truthfully."
Mingyu looked directly into the golden brown eyes of Wonwoo shivering under the sunlight. He wanted to tell the prince that he can trust Mingyu but all he could do was stare at the prince and hoped that the prince understood him.
They continued their training without another word till the afternoon meal. Wonwoo followed Mingyu to the kitchen while the taller one started preparing the meal.
Wonwoo's idol life felt like a far away memory for him. He was comfortably settled into the daily schedule of exhausting training, meals by Mingyu and a chatty dive into sleeply nights.
Wonwoo had many questions but he waited to complete his meal.
Mingyu knew the prince's mind was elsewhere these days but he couldn't blame the prince, he wondered what kind of nonsense the crown prince and Prince Iseul filled into the mind of Wonwoo.
He patiently waited for the prince to open up or at least ask for his help. He hopefully followed the prince back to his chambers and settled down to answer anything the prince asks for.
Wonwoo pulled his cushion in front of Mingyu and hoped the tall guard will at least be truthful to him.
"Do you know how my mother died?" Wonwoo had a feeling something surely was linked to the death of the mother.
"Erm.. poison."
"And I guess the royal physician checked her?"
"Yes. Once my mother told me that your mother umm.. poisoned herself. I don't know more than that." Mingyu bit his lip unable to look at the prince.
"Oh. So any other deaths of queens or consorts that are strange?"
"Other guards were always gossiping about how the Crown prince's mother disappeared out of nowhere. She was the Queen before the present Queen."
"Interesting." Wonwoo hummed to himself.
"Can you accompany me to Prince Jeonghan's residence and I need you to do something for me."
"Anything you want my Lord." Mingyu bowed, he was happy that the prince wanted his help.
"Leave after I enter the residence and go to Minister Kim, tell him that I asked you about my mother's 'murder' don't use the word poison. I am sure you are my guard due to Minister Kim's influence so do your job."
Mingyu was no more shocked with the intuitive capability of the Prince, even though Minister Kim asked him to be a spy, he decided to never betray the prince the moment he realized the prince was a good person.
"My Lord I will never betray you." Mingyu didn't fail to face the prince this time.
"I don't know about that but I want you to betray me by telling him only the things that I want you to tell him." Wonwoo smirked.
"As you wish My Lord." Though Mingyu was confused but he agreed within a heartbeat.
"Stop this 'My Lord' thing. Now let's go to the crown prince."
Mingyu nodded and accompanied the Prince outside. He was not sure what this Prince was plotting but he didn't care. He reluctantly left the Prince outside the crown Prince's chamber and headed outside the palace to the Kim Residence.
"What happened to your guard today? I thought you would visit me sooner?" Jeonghan beamed as he saw Wonwoo enter.
"He said he had something urgent to do."
"And what is that?"
Wonwoo shrugged.
"So about Iseul? Did you find something?"
"Yes. But I will need something from you in return if that is alright. " Wonwoo beamed a 'two can play at this game' smile.
"Sure. What do you want?" Jeonghan smirked.
"Information about my mother's death."
Jeonghan pondered for a bit but eventually agreed to help Wonwoo.
"Prince Iseul said he found my eunuch carrying a black satchel of poison and your guard killed him and got killed himself." Wonwoo eyed Jeonghan but he was as calm as ever.
"That guard was someone new. I didn't even know he existed until that incident. I am myself investigating it and apparently that guard is not from my residence. His name is not even marked anywhere in the official records."
"If you are right.. than he is definitely employed by someone inside the palace I assume. " Wonwoo added.
"That's my fear, though I can't be sure." Jeonghan shrugged.
"Now I am sorry if this offends you but can you tell me about your mother's disappearance?"
"Only if you are comfortable." Wonwoo added.
"Why? Do you think these events are connected somehow your mother and mine?" Jeonghan tried to pry but Wonwoo's cold stare never faltered.
"That's my assumption, I might be wrong. Anyways I believe you are more clever than you let on. If it was you, you won't fail to poison me. So I have decided to take your side."
"That was a compliment right?" Jeonghan chuckled nervously.
Wonwoo nodded.
" I believe I am more capable than you for the throne and the King knows it himself. I don't really need to kill you." Jeonghan added.
"That was comforting to hear." Wonwoo mumbled.
Jeonghan couldn't trust anyone except his loyal guard Seungcheol. At first he approached Wonwoo out of sheer curiosity but now he wished a person like Wonwoo to support him for the throne. It was clear Wonwoo didn't want to be involved in anything but he couldn't deny his gut feeling about Wonwoo playing a huge part in unraveling a lot of mystery shrouding the palace.
"No one ever tried to question about the past Queen's disappearance. Everyone including the King, assumed she was fed up with the palace life solely based on a letter she left behind. Why are you suddenly interested about it?"
Wonwoo pondered for bit deciding whether to reveal his theories or not.
"You don't have to trust me but we need to work together because, believe it or not we are both in danger." Jeonghan continued.
" Yeah we can be partners for this issue I guess. I won't force you to reveal too much and I expect the same from you. Deal?" Wonwoo extended his hand.
Jeonghan liked the conditions, but still wasn't sure how much he could trust this strange prince. On top of that he was confused why was the prince extending his hand. Hesitantly he extended his hand in confusion towards Wonwoo.
Wonwoo firmly shaked his hands with the Prince materializing their deal.
"Uh.. so about my mother why did you ask about it?"
Jeonghan took back his hand from Wonwoo's and he was now convinced the third prince was a bit eccentric.
"It's just a theory, but I think there are two groups of people one who deals with people through poison and another who makes people disappear."
"Why not one group?" Jeonghan inquired even though his own theories were similar to Wonwoo's.
"That might be possible too. But I believe we need to investigate about your mother and erm... mine. I think somehow it's connected." Wonwoo sighed.
Jeonghan nodded in acknowledgement.
"But people can't know we are investigating about the disappearance of the Queen." Wonwoo added hurriedly.
"I know that too but you do know that the walls have eyes of its own. I want to investigate this myself but how will you explain our frequent meetings. It's visibly clear we aren't suddenly best of friends." Jeonghan pointed.
"You can go to your own clan for this you know. Why me?" Jeonghan asked the question which was bothering him all this time.
"You approached me first didn't you? Moreover you are most likely to be the King, so I took the better option."
Jeonghan could never get used to Wonwoo's straightforward answers. Though he was uncertain about Wonwoo, finding answers about his mother clouded his every other thought.
Jeonghan provided Wonwoo with everything he gathered all these years about the last Queen's disappearance.
They spent hours as the darkness swallowed the light outside. They went back and forth with every information endlessly.
This kept Wonwoo's mind away from his attraction to Mingyu and the sudden glimpses of sad memories from the life he left behind.
Their discussion came to a halt as Seungcheol announced his arrival outside the chamber.
Wonwoo didn't fail to notice the way Jeonghan's eyes lit up as Seungcheol walked inside and bowed to both of them.
Jeonghan's eyes softened as he gestured Seungcheol to come closer.
"What's with that expression? Did you meet father?"
Wonwoo in turn looked at Seungcheol and didn't find any change in expression.
"My Lord, The Royal Physician came to deliver these reports." Seungcheol laid a few loose sheets in front of the crown prince.
"You didn't answer my question?" Jeonghan rolled his eyes.
"Uh...yes I briefly met the King outside the residence. He asked about your health." Seungcheol bowed and left the room hurriedly.
"Wha....ayy why are you leaving so fast?" Jeonghan whined as the stoic guard rushed outside.
Wonwoo found this exchange cute and he smiled to himself despite his attempt to remain cold.
"Our father can be a bit rude to foreigners, he is still not used to Seungcheol." Jeonghan faced Wonwoo in a pout.
"Foreigner?"
"Huh? everyone knows about this... did you really lose your memory? Was it true?" Jeonghan moved his face closer to Wonwoo to examine him as he uncomfortably shifted backwards.
"He was the only Prince of Ilchul Kingdom. Well some barbarians from east took over that kingdom and he somehow managed to escape. I was 12 year old then, father wanted to give him away but I took him in."
That explains his dominating aura. Wonwoo thought to himself.
"Well he was muscular, excellent in sword, archery and martial arts even at that age. And he had those beautiful eyelashes. It was a waste to send him away." Jeonghan glanced towards Wonwoo and continued...
"Don't look at me like that, I know I am kind like a deity. Lot of people call me that."
'Simp...that's what I think you are!'
Wonwoo thought but didn't dare to say it out loud. He was flabbergasted into silence.
"What are these?" Wonwoo decided to change the topic and pointed towards the loose sheets.
"Oh you can have a look at them. It's the medical record of your poisoning and that maids records are here as well." He shoved the records towards Wonwoo.
It hit Wonwoo that though these characters were similar to hangul, some characters were hard to determine.
"Can I take them?" Wonwoo decided to ask Mingyu later rather than admit to Jeonghan that he can't recognize various characters.
"Sure, but return them soon by yourself. Don't trust anyone." Jeonghan's gaze didn't leave Wonwoo as he uttered those words.
"Alright. I will take my leave now." Wonwoo hurriedly gathered the records and bowed to the crown Prince.
"First Seungcheol and now you? Why are you guys in a hurry...have dinner here." He whined.
Wonwoo sometimes couldn't belive he was talking to a crown prince.
"Mingyu will be waiting outside and it's late. Have a good night." Wonwoo smiled and left the chamber.
Wonwoo hoped Mingyu returned as he walked through the hallway absent-mindedly. As soon as the entrance came into his view his eye wandered towards the familar tall figure.
"Mingyu when did you return?" He waved towards the taller guy.
"Some time ago. Did you have dinner?"
"No. What about you?" Wonwoo looked up into the radiant eyes of the taller one flickering in the moonlight. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, Mingyu made his heart quiver everytime he laid eyes on him.
"No. Let's return, I will prepare the dinner." Mingyu beamed happily.
"Yeah."
Yes Mingyu's smile with those perfectly canine teeth were creating a chaos in his heart yet he knew better that he had to resist every feeling.
He bottled up that perfect smile and decided to think about that poisoning incident instead.
At this point his suspicions were on Minister Kim and him trusting Mingyu with important information could be a recipe for disaster. He wanted to trust someone and he wanted that someone to be Mingyu, ironically a Kim who he had just know for a few weeks.
"Hyung!"
"Huh?"Wonwoo jolted into reality as a firm hand held his wrist.
He looked at Mingyu in confusion.
"We reached your residence why are you walking straight into the bush?"
"Oh. I have a lot on my mind. Let's head to the kitchen first, I am starving." Wonwoo chuckled nervously.
Mingyu didn't question him and led the Prince into the kitchen and prepared the meal silently.
"What did Minister Kim say?"
" He seemed confused. He claimed your mother erm.. took poison herself.... Oh he asked me to inform him if you say anything about the Crown Prince. He knew that you went to meet him today." Mingyu mumbled as he prepared the dinner.
"Oh. I erm...Nevermind. " Wonwoo wanted to ask Mingyu about the reports but he decided against it.
They both kept quiet during the meal. Wonwoo walked out after dinner, leaving Mingyu behind to clean up.
He half dragged his body to his chamber. The training and these dilemma of choices tired him out into sleep.
But the sound of Mingyu shuffling woke him up after some time. Mingyu unaware of the prince's consciousness decided to change his clothes which felt sweaty.
Wonwoo wanted to look away but he couldn't move his eyes away from the greek god body he saw in front of him. His eyes travelled towards Mingyu's thick biceps to his firm chest and his perfect set of abs.
He was too tired and sleepy to look away or deny the attraction he felt.
Ah!..man boobs.
Wonwoo thought to himself as he let sleep embrace him again.