Iseul and Seoha weren't part of his world, not when he put his education before them.
« Sunghoon, are you going to stay here forever? » Nicholas was trying to pull the blanket out of his face but he didn't care. « Leave me alone. »
Nicholas sighed and sat down on the couch near the bed watching his friends mourning the death of his own family.
« It's not our fault. » Sunghoon chuckled and looked at Nicholas for a moment before grabbing him by the shoulder. « I killed them. » In fact, Sunghoon was responsible for their deaths when he wasn't there to protect them like he promised.
« I was the one who killed them. » His tears were near to falling down as Sunghoon got away from him and asked him to get out of his room.
« Get out now. » Nicholas sighed making his way out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Once he lost Seoha and Iseul, he decided to go back to his palace taking back his place as the duke of Erya.
When they left four years ago, Sunghoon's father was dead and somehow he decided to live his life freely with her but fate decided to punish him for the mistakes he made.
« Sunghoon. » He looked at the door, meeting his mother who immediately pulled him in a tight hug like there's no tomorrow.
« I am happy you're there with me. » She sniffed away her tears and pulled away from the hug. « Mom, I-I killed them. » She shushed him by hugging him tightly.
« You didn't. It was their fate. » She hugged him tightly and wiped away his tears. He might appear as a strong one but deep inside he's just a man who lost his own family.
« We'll hold the funeral here, I think Iseul's dream was to become a princess. » He nodded and chuckled looking down on the floor as he closed his eyes right after.
You'll be the happiest up there. « You should rest for a moment, I asked Nicholas to stay here. » His mother closed the door and sat on the floor. How will they face the world without their loved ones?
« Sunghoon, are we safe here? » Seoha asked, tucking the blanket over Iseul as he nodded.
They had everything to be happy, they were happy and more important he felt alive. But there's a day, where Sunghoon was asked to come to visit the palace knowing that his mother was sick. « We'll be ok, you should go right now. » Kissing both of them, Sunghoon didn't know that it was the last moment he'll see them. « Bye bye, father. »
Night took place in the court as he sat on his bed tucking the hem of his blanket, feeling the warmth of tears on his cheeks. « Hey, Sunghoon. » A soft pat on his blanket as he looked around meeting Nicholas, that's where he broke down... He wasn't strong enough to hold it anymore. « You can cry. Release your pain. »
Weeks passed and Sunghoon was getting ready with Nicholas fixing the tie over his suit as he looked at his expression through the mirrors touching the puffiness of his eyes. « I look like a zombie. » Nicholas chuckled and opened the door, « They're happy up there. »
Sunghoon nodded and followed him outside, where his mothers invited Seoha's family and Sunoo, someone he didn't expect here. « My condolences. »
Sunghoon's was maybe her true love but Sunoo was her first one and somehow they understood each other. « Son, you did your best. You were good to them. »
Dear Seoha,
Here I am writing a letter dedicated to you. Honestly the moment we met, I didn't plan to fall in love that quickly with someone but you made the best of me and somehow you learned to love me despite my shitty behavior.
People were confused on how our relationship went, but we both knew that it was worth it to try it. I took the risk to love you and I don't regret it.
Iseul was the person I've never thought I needed in my life, but she made me the happiest.
I didn't protect you like I promised. Both are now up there, and I'll get even for you both.
After that traditional ceremony, Sunghoon was on the bench drinking the liquor in his hands.
« You'll catch a cold. » A warm blanket wrapped around his shoulder as he smiled at the warmth of it.
« Always there for me. » She sat next to him on the bench, and took his hand in hers, caressing his cheek slowly.
« You grew up so much, Sunghoon. Your father would be proud of you. »
His father, when Sunghoon left the castle with Seoha his father was near the end and even if he was the successor, he didn't mourn his memories.
« I became like him. » His mother sushed him up, by shaking her head as she looked at him, eyes full of tears.
« You're not like him. Sunghoon, you were a good father to Iseul. »
« But she's not there with us! And that's my fault. » He gripped tightly the empty glass in his hand as he shut down his eyes.
« You're not, Sunghoon. » His mother let Sunoo and him talk after three years of not seeing each other. « How have you been? »
« Well like a man who lost his lover and child. Better I guess. »
Sunoo chuckled and poured another glass of whisky, before speaking again.
« So you did have a child with her. Seoha was always against that, but you changed her perception of that. »
Sunghoon scoffed and looked beside him at Sunoo who was still looking straightforward. « Sunoo, do you know who killed them? » That question has been eating him up since the day he left his home.
« I don't. But there's someone near you who has connections. » Sunoo landed his eyes on her.
« She's the one who can help you to get even. »
Sunghoon was willing to start a new adventure, ready to get even. I'll venge you. A fallen empire's tragedy, Sunghoon was back as the duke for that.
« What are you doing? Let go of my arm, you're hurting me. » Sunghoon chuckled and looked at her, before pinning her on the wall.
« Are you ready for a game? You as the duchess and me as the duke. » Ava gasped looking away as she was flustered.
« Help me to burn this empire. »
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✓ CROWN OF THORNS | SUNGHOON
قصص الهواةAs the Crown Prince, he bore the weight of his kingdom's future upon his shoulders, the beacon of hope for a brighter tomorrow. Yet, amidst the adoration and sacrifices made for him, there lingered a disquieting truth: he was not the destined heir h...
