Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

29 Happiness

Hongjoong rubs his palms together as he is about to dive deeper into his memories. He never would have thought that he'd share his deepest scar with someone other than the palace's occupants. But yet here he is, telling his story as if they've known each other for years. "I know I don't seem like it, but I used to be someone more social. I'd hang out around town, just like Mingi and Wooyoung. I know the people around town, and they'd know me as the blacksmith from the palace. And one day... I saw her. She's possibly the most beautiful person I have ever met, but after that one meeting, I never saw her around town again. I'd spend most of my time in town, hoping that I would catch a glimpse of her one more time. Only then I know she's not from Nyla. Still, I waited for her. I did see her again, but our next encounter wasn't such a happy one. She fell in front of me, looking like she was running from someone, her clothes torn and her face dirty. She was hysterical but I tried to calm her down and brought her back to the palace. After a while she told us that she ran away from the Lucida palace because she couldn't stand being a servant anymore. She told us straight that the new queen is the most vile woman you will ever meet."

She blinks as she hears the story. It is a familiar story to her, a story that is famous around the palace. A warning to the other servants that they shouldn't step out of line. "Lee Haera... was her name wasn't it?"

"Yes." He tilts his head back, trying to prevent the newly tears formed from wetting his cheeks. "We took her into the palace, promising that we will protect her and let her live a better life."

"I'm not the first one aren't I? There are other people that have taken refuge in the palace."

He dips his head lightly. "I guess... that's our tradition. Trying to help people the best we can."

"Because that's how Nyla is."

He doesn't comment on her reply. Instead, he continues laying out the story. "She's a good cook, so she did help around in the kitchen. We had to keep reminding her to not overwork herself, but she likes spending her time in the kitchen. Trying all those new recipes, and we are the ones who become her guinea pigs to try them. Some might seem weird, but we all loved them nevertheless. Well, at least I loved all of it. I fell in love with her cooking, and before I knew it, I fell in love with her." He smiles as the fond memory visits him. His eyes glisten from tears, but his expression brightens up. "It took a lot of failed confessions and embarrassing stuttering in front of her to finally catch her attention. It doesn't help that Wooyoung likes to be around her too."

She can't help but chuckle. She can imagine how Wooyoung would be.

"We were 20 then but we decided to get married anyway. She moved into the hut with me, and I couldn't be a happier man. It made me happy to know that every time I come back I would be able to see her face. But our happiness didn't last long. She stepped outside of Nyla because she was craving for a fruit that its name I can't even pronounce. Seonghwa told us that we could only find it at the central forest, so that was where she went. I kept telling her that I would get it for her, but her being the stubborn girl she was, couldn't wait. No one even knew she went outside. I went back one evening, and I couldn't find her anywhere in the palace. Fearing the worst, I dashed through town and to the central forest. She was-" He takes a sharp breath. "-almost dead. The soldiers, they caught up with her. I tried fighting back but I was weak. I saw her die right in front of my eyes yet I can't do anything. The soldiers walked away after that like nothing ever happened, and they left her knowing that she wouldn't make it out alive. All I got from the fight was this ugly scar on my damn face."

She finally understands his unreserved hate towards Lucida soldiers. Being one herself, if she were to be in his position, she would be the same. Probably even worse.