Behind These Walls | Park Banryu

XVI

Areum POV

"Areum!" Suho calls out to me and runs to my side. "O-oh, Suho. Hi." I awkwardly greeted him. "Sorry for that night, I shouldn't have been so up front. I shouldn't have made it awkward between us." he apologized.

"I'm sorry as well, I didn't mean to run off like that. I was just shocked." "I don't blame you. We're still friends, right?" I giggled. "Of course."

"Have you heard anything about Soo yeon." I asked and he shook his head. "Nope, I'm worried about her." He sighed. "Me too, I shouldn't have been so stupid." I mumbled but it was loud enough for him to hear.

"What do you mean?" Suho questioned. "H-huh? Nothing." I tried to change the subject but he insisted. "No, tell me." I looked down in shame.

"Soo yeon found out I liked Banryu. She thought she was being selfish and left so I could be with Banryu." Although Soo yeon's reason for leaving seemed odd and too simple, Areum still couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Wait, you like Banryu?" I tried to run off but Suho was quick to pull me back. "Yah! Answer me!" "Yes! I do, okay?" I let out. Suddenly I heard a faint scoff coming from behind us.

I turn around and see Banryu standing there. "So it is true, you do like me. This was your plan, all along. You wanted Soo yeon gone didn't you?" He interrogated. I quickly shook my head and approached him and placed my hand on his arm. "No, I would never even try to do that. Banryu please believe me." I started to cry.

He shoves me away harshly but Suho was quick to keep me on my feet. "You bastard, don't blame this on her." "Why? Soo yeon wrote a letter clearly stating why she left and it's all because of Areum." Banryu shamelessly says.

"You little-" Suho throws a punch at Banryu making him fall back. "Suho stop it!" I tried to pull him back but it was no use. He kept punching Banryu with all his might, leaving bruises and gashes on his face.

"Suho please stop!" I cried louder. I managed to get between the two and I wrapped my arms around Suho's waist to prevent him from going back to Banryu. "Stop please." I whimpered.

Suho saw my broken expression and calmed down. Banryu stood up and Suho pointed at him. "If you hurt her again, I'll kill you." he says before pulling me away with him and walking off.

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I bandaged Suho's fist which was bleeding from punching Banryu so hard. "You shouldn't have done that." I complained. "He was hurting you, I couldn't just stand there." Suho shrugged. "You didn't have to beat him up though." "Yah! Stop defending him, he hurt you, he blamed you, how can you still defend him?" I stayed quiet.

"Areum, please. Stop liking him, I'm not saying this just because I like you but I also care for you. He'll only end up hurting you." Suho advised. "I-I'll try." I sniffled.

Banryu POV

"I didn't know you could be this much of a jerk." My Nangdoo's voice was heard from behind me. "What are you doing here?" I sneered. "I'm your nangdoo, of course I'd be here." Kang Sung chuckled evilly.

"You made two girls cry, wahhh. You really are a bastard." I was fed up with him so I held him up by his collar. "Shut up before I kill you." Kang Sung only laughed. "Whatever." he rips himself away from my grip and calmly leaves.

Areum POV

I was walking down the hall from the medical room until I bumped into Seonwoo. "Oh, do you need anything?" I asked him. "Did you talk to Ah-ro?" I nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. I won't let her be a wonhwa." I assured him. "How?" he questioned.

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"Your highness, Areum is here." Mo Myoung called out to the queen. The door slid open and I entered. "Hello your highness." I bowed.

"Areum, what brings you here?" The queen allowed me to sit in the seat in front of her. "I need a favour." Jiso places her tea cup down. "Of course, I did say if you needed anything I would grant your wish. So what is it that you need?"

Suho POV

"What happened to you?" Yeo wool pointed at my bandaged hand. I glared at Banryu who was sitting at a different table this time. Yeo wool followed my eyes and chuckled. "Another fight with Banryu?" I aggressively poked at my food as the thought of Banryu hurting Areum ran through my mind.

"What did he do this time?" Hansung asked curiously. "Just eat." I blankly responded. Hansung shrugged and continued eating.

I realized that Areum wasn't here. I looked around the room to see if she was anywhere in the room sitting at another table but she wasn't.

"Where is she?" I muttered. "Who?" Jidwi questioned. "Areum." "She went to talk to the queen." Seonwoo answered my question. "Huh? Why?"

"The queen made Ah-ro a Wonhwa, but Areum is going to convince the queen to change her mind." "How can Areum just simply change her mind? This is the queen you're talking about." I scoffed.

"She isn't just going to change her mind, she's going to give her something in return." Seonwoo added. "And what is that?" I leaned towards the man as he placed his spoon down and looked me straight in the eye.

Queen Jiso POV

"So what is that you need?" Areum smiled at me. "I heard that Ah-ro has become a Wonhwa." I raised an eyebrow at the young girl's words. "Yes, and what about it?" I took a sip of tea as I waited for her to continue.

"You see your highness, I feel that I would be a better fit for the position. Ah-ro is a fragile and naive girl. She wouldn't be a good fit as a cadet." Areum reasoned. 

"Also, Ah-ro is a good friend of mine, I don't want to see her hurt. So I would greatly appreciate it if I could take her place." she persuaded.

I was stuck on the thought. Did she even know the fate of a Wonhwa?

I suddenly remembered her mother. I do need to get rid of you. If you want to be a Wonhwa, so be it. Just know you have chosen the fate of your mother.

"Alright, I will let Ah-ro go and I will put you in her place." I approved and she smiled widely at me. "Thank you so much, your highness." she bowed before leaving.

Such a naive child, just like her mother.

Areum POV

I walked out of the palace with a smirk on my face.

How gullible can you be, your highness?

a/n: sorry for this short chapter aha. I tried to make it as long as I could but I promise the next one will be longer. as always don't forget to comment and vote <333