The Cold Curse | MarkHyuck

Chapter 10:

"Now, breathe out."

Mark instructs Haechan as they are currently meditating. Meditation was really going well for Haechan since the abandoned kingdom was always quiet and almost noiseless. The two of them were at the balcony as Mark later noticed that the sky was indeed pink and bright when they were at the highest floor.

It only gets dark at the ground because of the overgrown trees and probably because of Haechan's negative and blank energy.

"Take your time and find what's missing in you."

Mark says as he observes Haechan. He looks at Haechan from his face down to his body, observing how he reacts to this. Mark later realizes that even if Haechan looked different with his lightly blue-toned skin and his highlighted hair, he still looked like the Haechan he met.

Maybe it was because of something? His face? Maybe. Or his lips? Mark tried to find what it is that makes Haechan still look like himself under all of the drastic changes.

He, then, thought that maybe the past Haechan was still inside him under all of the coldness that had got to him.

"Do you know what's missing?"

Mark asks as Haechan slowly nods. Haechan was seeing nothing but all black but he was visualizing his old self. In his vision, he listens to his younger self telling him repeatedly what was missing but he couldn't quite understand since his younger self was a bit gibberish.

Then, he finally understood what his younger self was saying.

"Love."

Haechan unknowingly says as it surprised Mark. Haechan frowns, still listening closely to what his younger self tells him.

"... What kind of love, Haechan?"

Mark asks but Haechan doesn't respond until he finally opens his eyes as he is back to reality. Haechan didn't know what he said to Mark that it shocked him when he saw Mark frown.

"Why are you frowning?"
"... You said 'Love' was missing in you... but I don't know what kind of love it is..."

And it sent Haechan to panic inside. Haechan wonders why he acts or feels like this towards Mark. It's even worse for him since he can't even identify or express what he's feeling correctly.

He looked at Mark as he completely stared at that one part of his face.

'Kiss me.', Haechan thought abruptly as he shakes his head before asking Mark a certain question.

"Hey, Mark."
"Yes?"
"Can you..."
"... Can I what?"
"... Forget it. Forget all of that. I'm going to eat. Do you want to come and eat lunch with me?"
"I- Uh... sure!"

Mark shrugs as Haechan holds his hand, going downstairs with Mark. Haechan was frustrated because he doesn't really know how to ask Mark for anything not related to his curse. Originally, Haechan was going to ask Mark THAT question.

It has only been three days since they met and he really planned to ask Mark into kissing him?

Haechan knew that it's weird for men kissing and loving other men... but it also sounded romantic and it didn't really sound wrong.

'What am I thinking?!', Haechan angrily thought as he looked at Mark who was still holding his hand.

On Mark's side, he knew that being attracted to men was a crime in Canada but he never thought of it as an actual criminal act. It's just men loving men like how a man loves a woman or a woman loves a man. Different identities but same thoughts of love, right?

Well, Mark never dated a man before since his father forbade him from dating anyone at all. His father wanted him to focus on his career until they found the "perfect woman" for him to love and cherish. Well, Mark ended up running away from his wedding because he never liked the thought of getting married for money when he can marry someone he will grow old with.

Lots of thoughts but so little discovery about this type of love.

"Your highness, we have steak..."
"Steak? Did Jeno-"
"Yes, your highness. Jeno went outside of the kingdom with his new friend."
"... He went out with Jaemin?"
"... Yes, your highness."
"Well, alright..."

Haechan says as Mark sits beside him by the dinner table.

"Will they eat with us, Mrs. Areum?"
"I believe that they have plans..."
"... Like what?"
"I apologize but they never told me about it, your highness."
"... Alright."

~

The elf wakes up in a cage as he finds out that both of his hands were cuffed to the rails. Something about those cuffs prevented him from using his abilities... well... more like almost gone abilities. Renjun squints his eyes as he sees the tall man once again.

His eyes widened as he backed away in fear.

"Do you know where he is?"
"No, I don't- Ah!"

Renjun whines in pain as the tall man hits him with the handle of the sword, holding the blade while wearing an iron glove from an armor. Renjun was afraid of this man. He was tall, deep voiced, and mysterious.

Just like the king.

"Do I have to hit you once again until you bleed?"
"I'm sorry but I can never tell you where he is!"
"And why is that?"
"... Because he has a condition- I have to save him!"
"He has to be gone forever or I will never be king! Do you understand that?!"
"... You're never a true blood... You're just a class lower than the prince. You'll never be like Prince Haechan-"
"Of course I will never be Haechan because he'll be gone soon... I will be King... King Jisung."
"You'll never be royalty, you mutt. Not even the queen will allow you..."
"Oh, of course! She's already gone."

Renjun found out that Haechan's mother died because of poisoning. This prince in front of him killed Haechan's mother because he knew that she would get in the way of him wanting to be the king.The next person in Jisung's list was Haechan, of course.

He wouldn't be the next king if Haechan still existed.

"Now, do me a favor? Find Haechan and bring him to me."
"I won't ever do that. The Prince is way too powerful than you are-"
"But I just absorbed your magical abilities... and your importance and purpose in this world will be gone in seconds. Think again, Elf."