Nineteen

"King Lee Hwi? Pfft!"

Lord Sanghyeon dramatically spat on the ground for he was disgusted by his so-called grandson. He should've made sure himself at the time that the little bundle of terror perished all those years ago.

"You think you can deceive people with your decorated attire and hat?! You are nothing but a fraud! A fraud!"

Fuming with anger, Hwi clutched his fists and bit his tongue. Tears flooded in his eyes, not because he was upset or weak either, but because of the uncontrollable hatred for this man.

"You think you can take your little secret to the grave?! More importantly, you think the little brat Taeyeon is allowed to become king once everyone learns he isn't yours and your queen's?"

Hwi had allowed for his maternal grandfather to spout nonsense for so long that it wouldn't make any difference if he allowed for the lunatic to finish speaking before killing him.

"You think you're being a great father and a great king? You think you're some hero saving Joseon?!"

Lord Sanghyeon scoffed loudly and moved in closer to Hwi in order to whisper loudly in his ear.

"Pathetic! You're no different from me!"

Hwi threw a punch but didn't feel his fist pierce through any flesh. Yes, he could've swore he punched so hard that it was likely he could've left a hole in a human body... but, he didn't.

"Your Majesty!"

Hwi jolted upright suddenly to find Noh Ha Kyung deliberately wiping sweat off of his forehead. He was panting heavily and his heart was pounding as if it was about to jump out of his chest.

"Bad dream?" Noh Ha Kyung asked.

Hwi gulped. He then gasped for breath again and closed his eyes for a second.

"It felt very real," he finally replied.

"It's just a bad dream," said Noh Ha Kyung.

She began dabbing at his sweaty sideburns.

"Not just a bad dream," said Hwi. "More like a warning."

He turned to her.

"It's been a while since I thought of him," he said.

"Who?"

"My maternal grandfather."

Noh Ha Kyung's eyes widened. Her hand slid off the side of Hwi's face as she let out a small gasp.

"Lord Sanghyeon."

Hwi nodded and sighed.

"But you shouldn't be worried because he's no longer a threat," Noh Ha Kyung reminded him. "This is a new era now."

"That's not the point," Hwi replied.

He was worried. Really, he was always worried, worried for Taeyeon and Noh Ha Kyung and what would become of them if their secret was revealed.

"You mustn't forget how we're at this point now," said Hwi. "We are literally risking it all."

Hwi gently massaged his forehead with his right hand. He just had to accept the fact that the past will always haunt him... his past... and this was his grandfather's way of telling him that Taeyeon will be in danger sooner or later... and that he'll never be truly happy.

"Well we can either risk it all and try to be happy and strong together or risk it all and live in fear," said Noh Ha Kyung.

Hwi looked at her and gave a half smile. He was impressed by her maturity and growth.

"We've come this far," she said. "We just have to keep going."

Hwi sighed.

"You're right."

They've come this far. They have to keep going. They must.

"You need your rest," Noh Ha Kyung. "The state exams begin tomorrow."

Hwi nodded and lied back down. He turned to the other side so that his back was against her.

"I will take my secret to the grave, grandfather," Hwi thought.

He closed his eyes and tried to fall back asleep. He needed every ounce of his energy for tomorrow and the following days to come. Although he trusted The Royal Institute to have everything under control, he was still the last of the scoring stage.

"There's a first for everything, so no need to worry or feel pressured," Hwi said to the royal tutors the next morning.

He wanted to give them a little 'pep talk' before they begin their day, especially with it being an important day.

"After you three decide on the best answers, they are turned over to Shin Yeong Su for his opinion."

The royal tutors all glanced at one another and simultaneously gave a single nod along with a half bow to acknowledge Hwi's order.

"It seems he not only gets cooler but also wiser, don't you guys think?" Royal Tutor Park Beom Doo asked the other two.

They stood at the door and watched as Hwi was further and further out in the distance.

"Well, he's gotta set a great example for our young prince," said Yang Moon Soo.

"Rest assured our nation is in good hands," added Royal Tutor Choi Man Dal.

"Come on, let's not lollygag any further," said Yang Moon Soo. "We've an exam to monitor!"

It was a fine autumn day, perfect to hold a state exam in the royal courtyard. The weather was nice, not too hot and not too cold. Hwi had ordered for soldiers to set up little white tents for the scholars taking the state exam. It served as their home away from home for the next few days until the exam period was complete.

Soldiers guarded every nook and cranny of the exam grounds. The royal tutors, on the other hand, patrolled the aisles to monitor the test-takers.

"Cheating is, of course, prohibited!" Park Beom Doo randomly bellowed.

He coolly tapped his mustache to display some sort of authority.

"If I catch you cheating, you will be disqualified!" he spat.

Baek Jin Hee rolled her eyes and continued with her writing.

"You!" Park Beom Doo had noticed the reaction of the young scholar. "What's your name?"

"J-Jeong Jin Won," Baek Jin Hee stuttered.

Jeong Jin Won, Jeong Jin Won, Jeong Jin Won!

She had to remind herself that that was her name from now... until further notice...

"I don't make the rules, okay?" Park Beom Doo hissed to her. "It's simple really, because if you get caught cheating then you're done!"

"I got it," Baek Jin Hee clearly replied.

She had to learn how to tone down on her attitude and control it. Otherwise, it would make her appear too feminine.

Park Beom Doo smirked and proceeded down the aisle. When he disappeared from sight, Baek Jin Hee rolled her eyes again.

"Cocky bastard," she mouthed.

"Everything looks calm from the view up here," Shin Yeong Su turned to Hwi, who was staring into the distance.

Shin Yeong Su wasn't sure if Hwi was staring at the white tents or into space. He was beginning to think it was the latter because they'd been standing at the top of the staircase outside of the assembly hall for so long and Hwi haven't said a single word.

"Your Majesty."

Shin Yeong Su then looked from Hwi to the white tents and back to Hwi again.

"Your Majesty."

Hwi suddenly snapped back into reality and slightly jumped at the sight of Shin Yeong Su. He had forgotten how long he had been talking to the guy.

"W-what did you say?" Hwi blurted.

Lord Sanghyeon had been on his mind all morning and Hwi couldn't seem to get him out. The bad dream was more than just that.

"My Lord, you don't seem well," said Shin Yeong Su, totally ignoring Hwi's question.

Hwi quickly turned the other way so he wouldn't notice the cold sweat that had formed on his face.

"I'm fine," he lied. "I think I let the state exams stress me out more than it should."

"I see," Shin Yeong Su stroked his beard.

"Perhaps you will feel better if you take a stroll through the exam tents? Then, you will see everything is under control."

Honestly, that wasn't a bad idea at all. Hwi hadn't planned to distract the scholars in any way but perhaps, it will help him get his mind off of Lord Sanghyeon.

"I will be in my study, my lord," Shin Yeong Su informed him before excusing himself.

Hwi nodded and turned to Eunuch Hong.

"Let's go check it out," he said.

Eunuch Hong followed closely at Hwi's side, down the steps and towards the royal courtyard to the testing grounds.

"Your Majesty."

Royal Guard Kang Eun Soo greeted Hwi with a slight bow. One hand remained on his sword.

"Relax," Hwi told him. "They are scholars holding brushes not weapons."

Kang Eun Soo's hand slid off his scabbard.

"Although we made it clear no weapons are allowed and followed all safety check-in protocol, we can never be too sure," he told Hwi.

"I have the best soldiers guarding this area, but since it's the first day, I thought I'd...

"It's fine," Hwi reassured him.

"Stand guard here with Bok Dong while I stroll around."

Hwi casually turned around and proceeded through the first row of tents. All of the scholars seemed to be deep in thought, much to Hwi's content. As Hwi approached the end of the first aisle, one particular scholar, however, caught his eye.

Recognizing Hwi at once, Baek Jin Hee turned to the side and hid her face with her left hand to avoid eye contact with His Majesty.

"It can't be..." Hwi thought to himself.

"She couldn't be here..."

Just when she thought Hwi proceeded forward, Baek Jin Hee looked up, confirming Hwi's speculation at once.

"What're you doing here?!" Hwi whispered as he leapt into Baek Jin Hee's tent.

He did so so quickly so that the other scholars didn't notice.

"Hello, Your Majesty."

Baek Jin Hee smiled shyly at the handsome face before her. It never occurred to her that she'd encounter him on the very first day.

Was he going to reveal her true identity?

Her hand became frozen on the spot. Even the ink from the quill began to drip onto the parchment paper for she was speechless at the moment.