Heart of Ice

Hazard

So it had been the kitchen boy this whole time?

Based on all the clues that Haein had revealed, it could be no one else.

That boy had been invisible to her until now. He only served her, only delivered things to her; she had never thought more of him. She couldn't even recall exactly how he looked like, even though she saw him nearly every day. He was the one who brought in her food to her room when she was sick, the one who delivered the bread, and the one who served them during royal meals. He was everywhere, but passed by unnoticed.

Yewon told Haein to not turn in the kitchen boy for clearly breaking so many rules to get the bread to her. She wanted to speak to him first, to know what he was doing and why he was doing it. She didn't understand why a kitchen boy would risk so much to give her bread. It didn't make sense, and she was suspicious. What if there were things in it that were meant to hurt her? What if Haein had been right to prevent her from eating them? Had Yewon been a fool this entire time?

-

During the royal dinner, she saw the kitchen boy for the first time since she had figured it out. She tried not to make it obvious that something was different now and only glanced at him a couple of times as he was serving the royal family. He exuded of kindness, and she found it so hard to think that someone who smiled the way he did would be out to hurt her.

He had a nice smile, Yewon thought.

She reassured herself that there was nothing to be afraid of with this young man. He seemed so far from dangerous. Perhaps he had sent her the bread out of the kindness of his heart, because he knew how much it would mean to her? Then again, that seemed highly idealistic.

She really wanted to speak to him alone, and so when he left the dining room, she also excused herself and followed him out.

"Why do you give me Galacian bread?" Yewon called out to him as he walked forward with an empty tray in his hand.

The boy stopped midway in his tracks and turned to face her. He looked scared, because the bright smile that had been on his face was replaced with pursed lips. He bowed to her like he usually did. "Is there something you want, your highness?" he asked.

"What's your name?" she asked him for the very first time.

He hesitated to answer, but he eventually did: "it's Seokmin, your highness."

S.

"Seokmin," she repeated to herself. "You're S, aren't you?"

Seokmin didn't answer and instead looked at the floor, but she took that to mean confirmation.

"Why?" she asked him.

Seokmin looked around to see if there was anyone to hear, and when he saw there was no one he transferred the tray he was holding from his left hand to his right and put his left hand on his heart. "Hail," he greeted her.

Yewon froze in her place as she saw the gesture from him; it gave her goosebumps. It's been so long since she'd seen it, and it flooded her with memories of her home which she missed with everything she had.

From the way that he executed the greeting, Yewon could tell with so much clarity that Seokmin was not Solenese. He was of her own blood, a Galacian, and it made her so happy.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"I promise I'll explain, your highness," Seokmin whispered, "but not in the palace hallways. I hope you understand. Can I just put the tray back in the kitchen and meet you in your room in ten minutes?" he asked politely.