Hierarchy || Nakamoto Yuta

19

The beautiful rays of sunlight fall on my face as the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds. The Kingdom looks sad and mournful as all the flowers and decorations are stripped off after Former King Wang Shi Hyun died. The Queen was the only one who cried for her husband's death because she was the only one who was capable of loving a monster.

Wang Woobin and his brothers were neutral during the funeral ceremony. They shed no tears and stood alongside their Mother with a closed off expression. Wang Shi Hyun wasn't a father to them, he was a tyrant King who enforced harsh measures on his people, he never showed love towards his children except when to ignite hatred and lust between them. Perhaps that is why when he died, no one mourned for him. The entire nation rejoiced at the death of a merciless King and prayed that his son would be better than him.

I shake my thoughts away as I see Wang Woobin practicing archery with his brothers. I stop in my tracks when I see Jinheung arrive at the scene with Minhyung and they bow to Woobin. It is a happy moment between them, the six boys smile at each other as Seungmin and Hyunjin hand them their bows and arrows.

I can't help but notice that each one had a unique design imprinted on it. Wang Woobin's bow caught my eye and it had a golden rose carved on it, the drawing was so delicate and simple yet it attracted me the most. I motion for my Head Maid to continue walking but a voice stops me.

"Lady Eunha," Wang Jae-Ha jogs towards me with a soft smile on his face, "Would you like to shoot some arrows with us?"

"I don't think it's fitting for a lady to use weapons." I chuckle weakly as I shake my head, "Besides I don't want to intrude, you all look happy."

"Nonsense, a Lady can do whatever she wants," He smiles at me and I notice how lovely his smile is. Rare are such people whose smile can ease your burdens.

He outstretches his hand as he continues, "Lady Hana will join us too, she's quite fond of archery. You will be of great company to us and to her."

I look back at the group of men who paused their own activity and were staring at me. My eyes travel upto Woobin's and I see a glimmer of hope in them.

I accept Wang Jae-Ha's hand and smile, "You're a great negotiator, My Prince."

A bow is handed to me by Hyunjin who lowers his head towards me. He has been kind to me since the first day unlike Seungmin who dealt with me harshly. I stare at my bow for a long time as my hand grazes over the drawing of a sun.

"Do you need any help, Lady Eunha?" Minhyung asks me as his arms shake under the weight of the bow and arrow, "I'm a professional at this."

"You can't even hold the bow properly, Min." Jae Chan laughs as he pulls his arrow back and shoots it. It flies a great distance before it hits just under the mark.

"That was so close." Minhyung gawks as he stares at the arrow and then at his friend, "Please, please teach me, I want to learn how to shoot arrows to impress the ladies."

I shake my head as I laugh at the silliness of the two boys as Minhyung clings onto Jae Chan's robe who strokes his chin and pretends to think.

"I'll teach you only if you admit that I'm more handsome than you." He laughs as he sticks out his tongue at Minhyung and runs around in circles as Minhyung chases him.

"Lady Eunha, are you fond of archery too?" a soft voice asks me and I turn around see Hana. She's dressed in tight black armour while I'm wearing a simple light blue gown.

I'm reminded of Woobin's words who told me that he taught me how to shoot an arrow and after that Master Rin, my father helped me to polish my skills.

"I do," I smile at Hana as I see Eunwoo lingering close to her, "but I'm quite rusty at it."

"Would you like me to help you?" She offers as I see a bright sparkle in her eyes, the one that you see when people talk about the things that they love.

"You won't," Eunwoo grabs her hand and pulls her away, "because you'll be having a competition with me."

I laugh at him as he winks at me before he hands Hana a bow. I smile because he's trying to move on from me and he's spending more time with his wife.

"Would this lady mind if I help her out?" I hear Woobin's voice from behind and I feel my face turn crimson.

My restless gaze searches around to see if anyone is looking at us but there are all engrossed in their own activities.

"I wouldn't mind," I hold my breath as Woobin stands behind me, his breath sends a tingle through my body as he whispers, "Don't be nervous, Soyeon."

My heart thumps loudly in my chest as Woobin holds my hand which has the arrow in it and holds it against the string. He pulls my hand back and the arrow flies right through and hits the mark.

Forgetting about my nervousness, I turn around and celebrate my accomplishment, "That was all me."

"I never said otherwise," He replies smugly as his lips turn upwards in a smile. His smile heals me and it feels as if relief takes over me. I realise with a jolt that I've seen this smile before.

"About last night," Woobin begins softly as he pulls his own arrow back and shoots it. It cuts my own arrow into half, "You kissed me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie as I avoid his gaze and take the arrow that he hands me. Our fingers brush against one another and I retreat my hand quickly.

I see a spark lighten up in his eyes as he takes a step towards me, "Would you like a recap?"

"You're the King," I protest weakly as I take a step back, "and the others might be looking at us right now."

"No one cares," he smiles as he looks around and indeed, everyone is engrossed in their own world, no one pays attention to us.

"I'm the King yet a theif stole my heart. She tore it in half when she left but now she's back to glue the pieces together." He stares at me with the same burning gaze that he gave me when I first met him.

"Yeon-ah" he whispers as the sky above us changes and turns into orange and red hues as the sun gives up on itself to let the moon shine.

"It's you," I smile as tears threaten to slip out, "You're Woo, you're the boy from my dream."

x x x

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