Act 3 : A Little Time

"I'm sorry Jungwon, I haven't found a way to remove this curse," said Heeseung who was walking with Jungwon. Jungwon chuckled, "It doesn't matter Heeseung, take your time, I'm not going anywhere either," replied Jungwon, Heeseung smiled while he stopped in his tracks, "I do take my time..." Heeseung muttered as he looked at the shorter, "Hm? Did you say something?" Jungwon asked turning towards Heeseung, the prince shook his head then approached Jungwon.

"This is getting annoying," Ni-ki muttered looking at Jungwon and Heeseung from afar, "Mr. Ni-ki?", Ni-ki sighed, "It's more than a week and Jungwon–hyung still doesn't want to accept Heeseung's love... like, come on now...." Ni-ki complained irritably, "Be a little patient Mr. Ni-ki, I'm sure Prince Jungwon has his own reasons," said one of his subordinates soothingly, Ni-ki sighed in defeat.

The next morning, Heeseung didn't go to bed straight away, he went straight to the library after arriving at the palace. He picked up the books he hadn't finished reading, hoping to find answers to remove the curse surrounding Jungwon and his subjects.

Several hours passed, Heeseung almost lost hope. He leaned back and let out a frustrated sigh, "This is going nowhere," complained Heeseung looking up at the high ceiling of the library.

"You look tired," said someone who suddenly appeared in Heeseung's sight, the prince immediately turned around in surprise, "Father," said Heeseung when he saw who was talking to him. Heeseung turned back to his reading table, "You know you missed breakfast, right? " Chan asked approaching his eldest child, Heeseung widened his eyes when he heard that, "Really?!" Heeseung asked in surprise then looked out the window, the sun was starting to getting higher. "Sorry, I was so focused that I lost track of time," said Heeseung looking down, Chan smiled, "No problem, this isn't the first time you've focused too much on something," Chan said stroking Heeseung's head.

Chan then looked at the books on Heeseung's reading table, "Magic and Curses huh? This reminds me of something," Chan said then sat down facing Heeseung, the prince raised his head after hearing that, "Something?" Heeseung asked, Chan nodded.

"In the past, when I had not long been crowned king, Dark Moon received a message from one of the neighbor kingdoms to accept refugees from one of the kingdoms that had collapsed," Chan explained, Heeseung leaned forward, "A kingdom that has collapsed? Why?" Heeseung asked curiously. Chan shook his head, "No one knows for sure, but one of the refugees who claimed to be a sorcerer from the royal family, he said that their king and queen had been killed by a dark sorcerer and the only prince they have, disappeared along with his personal subjects," Chan explained. Heeseung listened carefully to his father's story. He tried to draw a red string from his father's story to today's event. Could it be that the kingdom in father's story was Jungwon's kingdom? Heeseung thought.

"But looking back, I feel that meeting with the sorcerer was good thing for me," Chan said smiling as he looked at the wedding ring on his finger. Heeseung looked at his father, "Oh yeah? Why?" Asked Heeseung curiously, Chan smiled, "If it wasn't because of him, your papa and I probably wouldn't have two great princes who could inherit my throne one day," said Chan looking at his son with his trademark smile, Heeseung smiled before chuckling, "Alright dad, that's cheesy ," said Heeseung, "You brat," replied Chan, they laughed.

"You'd better eat your breakfast now, before your papa and the cook throws tantrums," said Chan as he stood up from his chair, Heeseung chuckled, "I will," replied Heeseung.

Heeseung leaned back in his chair and thought back to his father's story.