nytis
"more deaths?" jihoon assumed when he saw jeonghan staring at the newspaper again.
not even looking up, jeonghan nodded. "more deaths, that's for sure but also new robberies. look here," turning the paper in jihoon's direction, the boy glanced at the paper and blinked in surprise.
a large picture of one of the more wealthy shops selling jewelry was on the front page. "someone stole from that shop? wow i gotta say, people are getting more and more ballsy."
"someone stole and they didn't get caught. no traces of the person were left, the only things that changed were the missing money and a broken lock." jeonghan said, impressed. "ahh, if i had those skills? i would totally ditch the bakery and become a wanted criminal."
"of course you would."
shooting jihoon a look, jeonghan continued talking, "i have a feeling the new murderer and this broken in shop are related..."
jihoon hummed, "what makes you say that?"
"i don't know, just a gut feeling." jeonghan tossed the paper away, "you know, this ought to put those royals into panic, especially that king."
"yeah, they're probably so used to not doing anything, when something like this comes up they'll have no idea what to do." jihoon muttered flatly. "can't wait to see this killer knock nytis into shambles."
jeonghan cackled, "go killer! i'm rooting for you! shake up the entire royal kingdom!" the man hollered.
snorting, jihoon threw on his apron. "just wait until the killer comes and robs your bakery."
"enough about this killer." jeonghan said, slinking over beside jihoon. "we need to talk about you and a certain someone. someone who's name starts with a 's', ends with a 'g' and has pretty silver hair.."
"i don't know who you're talking about." jihoon turned his head away from jeonghan suddenly finding the ground very interesting.
"soonyoung," the man drawled out, squeezing jihoon's shoulders tightly, lips forming the shape of a crescent moon. "ji, you've got yourself a hot man." jihoon brushed off jeonghan's hands.
"he's just a friend." jihoon mumbled. "actually he's barely considered a friend. he's more like a little dog i can't shake off."
"barely a friend?" jeonghan questioned, not buying jihoon's words. "well i don't think that barely friends call each other jihoonie and i definitely don't think that you'd invite a barely friend to bake with you."
"quiet." the boy grumbled, flicking some water at jeonghan's face. "we are barely friends." the man only laughed.
"okay.. whatever you say dear jihoonie. oh by the way," he paused, "the customer was really satisfied with those macaroons you and soonyoung made. perhaps i'll let him bake something else.. or maybe even hire him..."
just then, the door jingled open soonyoung walked in waving around a newspaper. "did you guys see the news?"
"oh soonyoung! we were just tal-
"we saw the news!" jihoon blurted in quickly, secretly kicking jeonghan in the ankle. "i mean.. we saw the new." jihoon said, quieting down. "it's a little shocking yeah?"
soonyoung nodded, "that's why you should be more careful jihoonie."
"yeah, jihoonie." jeonghan echoed, snickering.
soonyoung watched cluelessly as jihoon glowered at jeonghan before turning to the work that had to be done that day.
"i heard that the king is going to make an announcement today." soonyoung continued on. this earned a low whistle from jeonghan.
"about time. do you remember when the last time the king decided to make an announcement ji?"
jihoon sighed, "honestly, i don't think he ever has. now that he is finally deciding to make one, i'm not even sure if i should be happy or not.."
watching from the side, soonyoung blinked his eyes. he never expected jihoon and jeonghan to dislike the king that much. "wow, is he really that bad?"
jeonghan gave him a side smile. "you decided for yourself once he see him."
later that day, the king actually did make an announcement. beforehand, a whole bunch of servants alerted the people to gather under the royal balcony and wait for the king.
jihoon was in the middle of piping icing onto a cake when someone called the three out the bakery, putting the boy in a worse mood. "let's get this over with and see what his majesty has to say."
the crowd swept jihoon and company along to the royal balcony where everyone waited to see the king show his face. only after a short minute, loud horns were blown and velvet banners with the royal emblem on top were dropped down. a young man draped in the most luxurious clothing jihoon had ever seen stepped out.
he had a pair of beady black eyes that went along with his shiny black hair. his face screamed i have never done work, and will never do work in my life. as the people around the three cheered and clapped, soonyoung, jeonghan and jihoon stood still immediately hating the king.
"citizens of nytis!" the man called out, raising his hands in silence. "as most you you know my dear father is deathly ill. i promised my father that i, prince dongyun, will take good care of nytis."
jihoon gritted his teeth while looking at the royal. good care my ass. when looking over at soonyoung, he was met with a furious face. both fists were clenched tightly, and eyes were clouded with anger.
soonyoung wanted to storm up there and punch the guy. he remembered the poor people and the cramped houses jihoon showed him. it was clear, this person cared nothing about the village. even as a temporary king, he should take care of the citizens better. "good care huh, with more than half the citizens starving in those tiny houses?" he muttered angrily.
dongyun continued talking. "despite all the work i have, i've decided to come out to address the recent issue about a new killer on the loose. i'm sure most of you have heard of it by now and are worried. but please do not fret, i've sent out my best team of guards led by none other than wen junhui, the captain of the royal guards, to hunt the killer down."
a quiet murmur of relief washed across the crowd.
"i hope that you dear citizens continue to play your role in society as a good, contributing citizen." dongyun said smiling, "remember, good citizens pay taxes, good citizens do not start fights, good citizens follow the rules. failing to do these things can result in severe punishment including death." the king announced clearly.
"but good citizens also get rewarded!"dongyun clapped his hands, the entire mood flipped 180 degrees. "this year, i've arranged a special event open to all the citizens of nytis. no spoilers yet but keep this point in mind!"
people cheered and all jihoon could do was shake his head. dongyun's horrible. he's a horrible, horrible king.
when jihoon headed home that day, he noticed something strange in front of the door. it was a dirty cloth bag stained with something dark. when he opened it, a couple of gold coins fell out.
something about this made the boy uncomfortable. he quickly placed the coins back inside the bag and dropped it to the side of the house before walking inside.
the next morning, the first thing that jihoon saw when he opened the front door was the bag. the bag was the same one, stained with that same dark colour.
it was sitting at his door once again.
