gladiolus | enhypen (On Hiatus)

8: Moving Forward

JUNGWON

"Heeseung?! What are you doing here?"

"You know him?" Prince Jake looked at me surprised.

I nodded, "He's my cousin." I looked back at Heeseung who was still desperately struggling against the guards. " Please can we just let him in so we can talk? I promise you he won't hurt anyone." I pleaded.

Jake looked over at Heeseung skeptically. Niki walked over and put a hand over his brothers shoulder. " It's ok. I know him. He's a good guy."

Upon hearing Niki's assurance Jake agreed to let him in.

We all decided to sit in one of the beautiful gardens in the palace to talk.
Heeseung shifted nervously on the grass beside me.

" What were you trying to do Heeseung?" I asked him softly putting a hand on his knee.

He sighed deeply. " It's just- I heard about the prophecy..."

Damn...word sure travels fast around here.

"...and that you might be part of it..."

He suddenly faced me, eyes glassy with unshed tears. " Please Jungwon..." He cluched my hand desperately as if I was about to fly away. "I can't risk losing you! You're all I have left-" He choked on the last word. Tears were now flowing down his cheeks unobstructed.

My heart broke.

On his other side Niki reached out to pull him into a hug. I could only look down at my hands in shame.

I was so caught up in everything going on, not once did the thought of Heeseung cross my mind. Some brother I am. Especially after what he had to go through, Heeseung should be my first priority.

"I'm sorry to interrupt..." Jake said, " But what is he talking about? "

"Well, you see..." I started. " Heeseung's mom died when he was very little. Ever since his dad and me are the only family he's known. However, his dad was one of the people deployed to the front line in the recent battle. He...didn't make it back..."I finished.

Heavy silence settled between us, occasionally broken by Heeseung's sniffles.

After a few minutes Jake broke the silence. " Heeseung." He spoke carefully,  as if speaking to fast or too loud would cause him to shatter. " What if you joined us along with Jungwon. "

I started at Jake in shock for suggesting something like this. Niki seemed to have shared my thought process.

"Jake!" He said incredulously. "How could you ask something like that?!"

But when I looked over at Heeseung, he seemed to have stopped crying. His eyes were open, but he was staring blankly, still wrapped in Niki's arms.

"That way you can still be with Jungwon and look after him," Jake continued. " As well as avenge your father by winning this war for him."

Heeseung still didn't say a word. Just continued his blank staring, this time a Jake.

I looked back and forth between the two of them, wishing I could understand what was going on in either of their heads.

"Ok.."

The voice was so soft I almost didn't hear it.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I said I'll join." Heeseung was sitting up straight now, looking a me. His gaze
slowly shifted from heartbroken to determined. " I join you in this quest." He addressed Prince Jake this time, who nodded and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.