Seventeen Preferences & Scenarios

Prince Seokmin

• Prince Seokmin, second son

• he's one of Prince Jihoon's younger brothers

• but was never expected to become the crown prince, let alone king

• and he's okay with that because he honestly doesn't want to be king

• he's a very kind and vibrant soul, and kind of at odds with the rest of the court because of this

• he never learned to be cunning or sly

• the only thing keeping him from being taken advantage of is his bodyguard Mingyu and the protection of his older brother

• but now it's just his bodyguard

• his brother got caught up in a scandal and was disowned and had his royal title stripped away

• Seokmin suddenly found himself burdened with the title of eldest prince and a potential arranged marriage on top of that

• and having to support his younger brother Chan who was forced into the crown prince slot Jihoon used to fill

• the poor guy nearly had a nervous breakdown

• and has since been running around like a madman trying to get everything right again

• but how could anything be right when Jihoon is gone?

• one day he finds himself being dragged out by a group of "friends"

• and before he knows it

• it's night and they're gone and he's alone in the royal city and they got him drunk enough to be very lost and confused

• where's Mingyu when you need him?

• poor Prince Seokmin is wandering around on the verge of tears

• eventually crashes in an alley

• in a trash heap to be precise

• wakes up at sunrise all stiff with a killer headache

• and someone is brushing the hair from his face and murmuring a quiet song

• naturally he panics and rolls away

• the person has a black cloak and hood on

• and the upper part of their face is obscured by a half-mask

• but they place one finger to their lips and shush him

• and in a distinctly feminine voice

• "I kept you safe last night," they say in an undertone

• Seokmin stares as she stands up, cloak swirling around her

• "now go home, and put your country's mind at rest."

• and she's gone

• a very tired and smudged and smelly and sore and dazed Seokmin stumbles through the castle gates half an hour later

• and the entire court starts to freak out

• mostly because they're glad to see Seokmin safe and sound

• but also because those "friends" of his were legitimately trying to get him mugged and murdered and weren't expecting to see him come back alive

• Mingyu checks him thoroughly for injuries and heaves a huge sigh of relief when he finds that Seokmin is unscathed

• surprise there's an important thing to do the kid can't even rest from his traumatic experience before a bombshell is dropped on his life

• the betrothal went through!!