When Peony Blooms #AMBW

Chapter 50:

A few months back...

Seo-jin found himself standing in the study with his father. " Are you feeling better?" Minister Kim asked as his gaze fixed on his son.

Seo-Jin with a subtle smile just nodded. There was only a moment of brief silence before Minister Kim began speaking again. He called out his son's name. As nonchalant as Seo-Jin was, he accepted that a lecture of some sort might've been on its way.

"Seo-jin," Minister Kim started, " I'll be straightforward, as I said I would be from now on. The queen, she's alive. You will see more of her around I want you to prepare for that." Minister Kim said.

Seo-jin's expression hardly changed. He looked at Minister Kim with an indifferent gaze, as if the news didn't affect him as it should have. His heart felt like it was stuck somewhere between relief and denial. His eyes however wouldn't allow it to show, his confusion that is.

His mother, who he believed was lost to him forever, was alive. That she died before there was a chance. Yet, the pain and longing from all those years of growing up without her refused to simply fade away. He wasn't motherless... so he couldn't pretend that he cared before he found out there was something to care about. Still... he did feel out of place finding out that his parents weren't his.

The Minister studied him for a moment before he asked, "Would you like a second chance, Seo-jin? A chance to reveal your true identity to her?"

Seo-jin was silent for a while, mulling over the proposition. Then, he spoke, " Aboeji, I have a mother... as for the queen .. she was never really a mother to me, neither when I thought she was alive, nor when I thought she was dead." His voice held no bitterness, only a resigned acceptance of his past. "I do want to connect with her, but now may not be the right time. I have other priorities."

He paused for a moment, before adding, "But I'm glad that she's back in your life. I can see the difference it makes to you." His gaze softened, "I can see how good a brother you are to her. That makes me want to eventually get to know her."

In his words, there was an understanding, a maturity. His father nodded his head. A proud sadness. " I'm proud of you." He said. Seo-jin scoffed a little.

" Don't be too proud, I feel the same way about him." He said pointing to the room where the crown prince was rested. " For today I'll let that go." Minister Kim said.

His son gave a small smile before bowing to leave.

In the present, sitting underneath, the flickering light of the lanterns, the crown prince was still with a quiet patience, his shoulder exposed to the cool air. His mother, hovered over him, her fingers deftly wrapping cloth around his wounded shoulder. After lathering it with herbs.

" Couldn't you have waited, Ji-Ye?" She chided; her tone more worried than angry. "What if someone had seen you?"

"I needed to see her again," he confessed, his voice filled with an unspoken longing, "and I am glad I did. Most of the servants have been helping Minister Kim as it is. " His words, wrapping them both in an understanding silence. The queen paused in her ministrations, sighing as she looked at her son. In her heart, she knew it was right for him to have comforted Ayodele.

Just then, Lady Choi entered the room, her eyes reflecting a hint of knowing amusement. "I can truthfully say I know that feeling. I wonder why?" She eyed the queen, hinting at the latter's past disregard for her warnings.

" You talk too much, you know?" the queen retorted, her voice taut, drawing a boundary around her past decisions.

Unfazed by the queen's response, Lady Choi nodded, gliding further into the room to take a seat. "I thought it was Seo-Jin going in to confront Ayodele yesterday, I'm sure she was surprised." she mused, breaking the brief silence that had settled in the room.