Unmasking Souls

Tear Your Own Heart

Author's Note:

NSFW, but not what you expect.

One scene might be hard to read, but I hope you won't skip it.

Angst. You've been warned.

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Park Hae Soo decided he had never been that angry in his life before.

For the past month, he had suspected that Min Ho was actually spying on the Park Clan to attack them all one day.

He had tried to tell himself that he was being absurd, seeing too much into things.

Min Ho was intelligent. Maybe close to a genius. He played his role well and Hae Soo would never think otherwise if only he didn't see it one evening.

It was during their usual leisurely party.

He just drank a lot and ended up taking a half-naked courtesan who sat on his lap.

When things made sense again, he saw Min Ho talking to one of the Left Ministry high official.

The man was Hae Soo's assistant and was also his childhood friend. He hated the emperor with a vengeance.

The man said, "The emperor is such an annoying bastard who acts righteous. Wait until we get him. We'll murder him, rape his beloved Lady Jeon, and let the horses stomped that little prince of his until he die with no bones intact!"

The man was very drunk. And he spoke that stupid insult while slurring every five words.

Min Ho must have thought that he, Hae Soo, and the rest of the men were sleeping or were too drunk to understand.

In a split second, Min Ho had unsheathed Jo Yeong's sword and swung it to the man's throat.

"My Lord, no. Please. This is not good," Jo Yeong had said, prying Jo Yeong's hands off the sword.

The glare Min Ho gave to his guard was murderous.

"My Lord. Think clearly. I beg you!"

It was a short battle of hands as Min Ho tried to press the sword, Jo Yeong tried to pull it away, and the would be victim staring at them, paralyzed with fear.

In the end, Min Ho stood up and left the room.

Jo Yeong followed a few seconds later.

His assistant was punched until he was unconscious by Jo Yong and couldn't remember anything at all in the morning.

But Hae Soo witnessed it. He knew the truth.

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What he felt afterwards was anger. Humiliation. And then fear.

Min Ho knew all his dirty secrets and he would surely die when he revealed it all.

He was also genuinely disappointed because he really liked Min Ho. He thought they were matched as best friends, both were born to conquer the world.

But Min Ho was a traitor. He had never been real to begin with.

What exasperated him was because he could not see any difference in Min Ho's behavior. He acted really well as someone who had enough wealth for ten lifetimes, cared for nothing and no one except wishing for the emperor to die.

Min Ho was always witty, sarcastic, cynical, and a little childish.

He talked with Hae Soo as if they were the best of comrades.

While actually he was only trying to find ways to kill me.

Min Ho had never used a courtesan in the sitting room. He always brought them to the bedroom.