war-ridden | 최연준

3 | prince of haeyong.

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"What?" Yeonjun muttered, "T-that couldn't possibly be true."

"I'm afraid so." Heejoon stood with his hands clasped in front of him, delivering the marriage news of Yeonjun's secret lover.

"H-how could this be possible?" The boy ran his hands through his silk, black hair, staring outside at the window. The same view the girl once had of the kingdom across lit by the starry sky. "I need to go talk to her."

Yeonjun placed his mantle on before attempting to run out the door, soon stopped by the servant standing in front of him.

"You do know your relationship is private and dare I say, forbidden, your Royal Highness?" Heejoon let go of the grip he had on the prince's wrist once he felt the nerves slowly dissipate.

"I know." His head hung low. "But I know this isn't Akari's doing. Something's going on and I'm certain of it."

"Your Royal Highness," The servant took a seat next to Yeonjun, helping the prince next to him take a seat as well. "It's been a couple of months since you've last seen the princess. Don't you think it's slightly possible that she may have found another—"

"No, and I refuse to listen to this any longer." The prince stood up and adjusted his mantle.

"But the guards will see you—"

"I know where she would be at a time like this. I know my lover all too well." Yeonjun bid farewell to his kind servant and headed to the one place he was certain to meet his lover,

or, his past lover.

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The prince's shoes grazed the grass as he continued to take steps to the place he planned in his head. She had to have been here—after all, this was their place,

except...it's been months now. Maybe Heejoon's right. Maybe Akari did forget about him, maybe she did move on.

How could she not? He hadn't been able to speak to her for months now, nearly getting caught sending letters to her every time he attempts. It was almost impossible to meet up at the same time. She was a princess of one kingdom and he was the prince of another. He should've never mixed it up.

As if looking for a beam of support, he held the promise ring on his finger, looking down at the ground starry eyed with tears filling his eyes.

Could she really be getting married—No, Yeonjun, you know better than to think like this. He shook his head as he walked around the garden, watching the waterfall droplets fall against his mantle as he smiled at the flora surrounding him.

He remembered nearly every instance with Akari in here—the way she would spin around the grass on her pointed toes as if she were a ballerina, but maybe she was considering how delicate and articulate she was. He remembered the endless paintings he made in this same garden, the ballerina painting staying still on his wooden desk in his room.

Akari was beautiful—everything about her was perfect. Yeonjun wanted nothing more than to be with her, happily ever after.

"Akari!" He shouted from inside of the forest, attempting to find the log they sat on when he gave her the promise ring. "Are you here?"

He heard a rustle from the log, his hopes raising and soon falling as he saw a stray kitten run away from him. he sighed, falling onto the log, his head in his hands as he ran it through his hair.