✓ the hooded princess • kim seungmin

f i f t y s i x

Han Jisung curled himself at the corner of the room. He leaned on the wall and hugged his legs tightly to his chest. The hard floor hurt his bum as he had been in that position for awhile now but that does not concern him.

The dungeon was lit up by torches just outside his cell. It was hot and dark down there. Jisung had no idea how many days had it been because he was sure he'd be dead after a month of living like this, unmoving, only eat half of the food portion given and in grief.

He wanted to know about Eunkyung but the guards would not tell him anything. He was sure Yunseo was already dead because he was alone in this cell, along with a maid he recognised as Yunseo's weak alliance to spy what happens in the castle. The old woman's condition was uglier than him. He thought he would be like her after a few days.

The sound of door creaking was heard. The old woman next to his cell gasped. She scurried over to the metal fence and cried, begging to free her. Jisung, however, sat unfazed.

"This way, Your Highness."

A few moments later, the door closed. The light disappeared again.

"Princess Eunkyung, Your highness," the old woman croaked out. "Y-you promised me you won't let me get caught b-but why am I suddenly here–"

"I didn't promise you anything, Lady Saehui." said princess spoke.

Hearing the voice, Jisung's head perked up. His pupils shook when seeing Eunkyung in front of his cell, staring at him solemnly. His lips trembled to speak but not even a word comes out.

Both of them were silently hurting.

It was hard to speak.

But it was harder when there's other people in the room as well. Eunkyung took out a key. Everyone but Jisung screamed as she unlocked the gate of his cell. Even so, the guy just sat still on the ground.

"Is he being released?!"

"He just got here a few days ago!"

"Let me go too, Your highness I'm not at wrong here!"

"Quiet!" a guard's voice roared. Eventually everyone shut their mouth. The guard then grabbed Jisung by his arm and dragged him outside.

Eunkyung locked the cell and followed suit. They entered an empty room. There's only a table and two chairs. It looked like an interrogation room.

"I'll be waiting outside." the guard informed and he closed the door. There, the two sat in silence. Jisung stared at her with gloom eyes. There's an obvious difference between them. Eunkyung was dressed in her casual gown while Jisung had his hair disheveled, dirty face and torn off clothes.

They felt so distant with each other despite have been friends for years.

After minutes seem like forever, Eunkyung let out a small sigh as she looked down to her hands. "Seungmin is not waking up soon."

That hurts Jisung. After days of not hearing anything about her, she could say something about Seungmin instead?

But then who was him? Just a mere friend that stabbed her from behind and attempted murder on her lover because of jealousy. Jisung knew he had no chance since the beginning so he tried to last choice in his list. And he ended up here. In front of the princess, the girl he loves, in this condition.

His life is already destroyed, isn't it?

Seeing the lack of response, Eunkyung continued, "The others are interrogating Lady Saehui so I am here to so the same thing." she sat up straight and looked at him in the eyes. "Does Yunseo have other people, spy or alliance in the castle like Lady Saehui?"