Chasing his light, shallow breath, Dae Wong stepped backward. He tried to move away from the swarm of people inside the small room, trying to get some air. While stepping away, he almost tripped on my floor, but thankfully, Sae Joo was able to hold him by his arm. "Is something bothering you, Minister Dae Wong?"

Blinking his eyes fast, he shook his head and avoided Sae Joo's gaze, "N-no-nothing, Your Highness. Maybe I just need some air. I feel suffocated."

"I understand. Just leave the room, and go outside this inn. We will follow once Shun's father wakes up."

Dae Wong craned his head towards Muhyuk who was grimacing and panting—sweats flooded all over his face and body. "Uh, all right, Your Highness."

The minister bowed his head, turned around, and walked towards the door. But the moment that his foot was an inch away from the doorway, he heard Shun exclaimed, "Father! Can you recognize me?"

Dae Wong was cemented to his place like a statue. Even the last strands of his hair did not dare to make a single move. He stood stiffly by the doorway and listened.

"S-shun? Is that you?" whispered Muhyuk.

Clasping the old man's hands, Shun nodded and smiled, "Yes, Father. Thank Heavens, you are all right!"

Muhyuk adjusted his blurry sight, scanning the small room filled with hwarangs and people with elegant robes. He squinted, trying to observe the face of a young man, dressed elegantly in front of him.

"Where am I? Who are they?"

Sae Joo walked slowly beside the bed and introduced himself. "Ahjussi, I am Sae Joo, Silla's Crown Prince. I am your son's friend. It is truly a relief, knowing that your condition is better now."

Muhyuk's pale face lost more colors, as more sweat dripped down his face. "P-pr-prince? How did you—" he looked at his son, telling him to explain. "What is happening?"

"Father, it is a long story. Yes. The Prince is right. We know each other."

The man under the weather tried to rise from his bed, but his son immediately stopped him, pushing him gently back to bed. "Father, what are you doing? Please do not make this hard for us! You are ill, please for Heaven's sake, stay put!" the frustrated young boy rubbed his head before letting a warm, heavy exhale out of his lungs.

"Forgive me, Father. I was just concerned about you."

"I am the one who should ask forgiveness to you. I know this is difficult for you. You do not even have your own life without me. All your life, I have been a liability to you."

"Say no more, Father. I do not regret doing all that I have done for you. I cannot, and I will never get tired of you."

The observing Prince could not help but be moved by Shun's dedication and love for his father. He realized how lucky he was having a healthy father, whom he knew would be always there whenever he needed him. He did not want to distract the two from their father and son bonding, but he had to because Muhyuk needed to drink his medicines already. He cleared his throat first before speaking, "Uh, I hate to break it to you two, but I guess you already need to take your medicine, Ahjussi. We will just return to the palace and do some errands to give you private time with your son. I truly wish for your complete recovery... Shun, we shall be on our way. Just meet me when you... are going back to your hometown already."

Shun moved closer to the Prince and bowed his head. "Your Highness, you have done more than enough. I will never forget this moment. I owe you my father's life. Please take care."

Sae Joo smiled and patted Shun's arm. He cocked his head to Muhyuk saying his final goodbye before leaving, "Ahjussi, we shall leave. I shall cover up the expenses for this room and for your medicines. Doctor, make sure that Shun's father will be taken care of."

"Yes, Your Highness," said the doctor while heating up some medical apparatuses on a corner, for aseptic purposes.

With no response, Muhyuk avoided Sae Joo's eyes and mumbled, "M-my gratitude, Your Highness."

The Prince, together with his retinues, left the room, while the doctor remained to assist Muhyuk as per Sae Joo's orders. Dae Wong, on the other hand, moved out of the door slowly after the Prince's group had passed by him. Shun noticed the anxious face of his father, which made him question the ill man. "Father, I have noticed that you were quite nervous when you were talking to the Prince. Is there something wrong? You were always avoiding his eyes."

"What? No. I was just, uh, overwhelmed by the fact that you know His Highness. You should not look in his eyes when you talk to him since he is a royal, unlike us... u-un-unlike you, who is just a commoner."

Shun scratched his head and curled his lips, "Yes, you do have a point. He is a royal person after all. Maybe I was just used to treat him like a friend, so I tend to speak to him casually at times."

Muhyuk's eyebrows met as his eyes sharpen into a glower. "What did you say? You speak casually to him? Shun!"

"Relax, father. I am trying to adjust now."

"You better put an end on your relationship with the Prince. A person as high as he should never be friends with a low-life person like you. We are just mere commoners, remember that. You are a commoner!"

"Give it a rest father. What is wrong with you? I know that I am just a commoner. Please do not rub it in my face. Besides, we are leaving Seorabeol soon, right? Worry not, for I will just settle things with the Prince, and we shall go back home."

"Could you make it as soon as possible?"

"I will father. Do not worry."

Trying to get away with the stressful topic, Shun just decided to ask the doctor, who was pounding some green herbs using a small wooden mortar and pestle. "Doctor, how is it going?"

"Oh, it is getting ready. Once done, I will just go out to get some herbs needed. I was actually hesitant to ask this but uh, could I ask the both of you to go out as well and get these sets of herbs that I will list? One should go to the West Wing of the market, while the other one should go to the South Wing. I, myself, will go to the Central Wing in order for us to get everything quickly," requested the doctor.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"So that means father will be left alone in here?" asked Shun.

"Yes, for a short period of time only, if that is alright with you."

Shun looked at his father, and the sick man nodded, "You should go and follow the doctor. Besides, I am feeling a little better. My intense chest pains have receded already."

The doctor interrupted, "I am done. I shall go now. Here is some silver as your budget."

Deok Cheol asked, "Shall we go out too?"

"Yes. Let us go so we could go back faster," replied Shun.

Shun touched his father's head, informing him that they would be back shortly. After a kiss in the forehead, the good son, together with his friend left, leaving the sick man alone in the room.

The two ran across the hallway, dodging some drunk reeling noblemen hugging some courtesans in a broad daylight. When they went out of the inn, they ran on their separate ways. While Muhyuk was having his lone time inside the room, that was the time when tears already had burst from his eyes. He looked upwards, praying this whole nightmare to end. He wanted to go home eagerly, to get his son away from the capital.

Heavens, please. Let me go home with my son safely.

After praying; as he was about to catch some sleep again, he heard a knock by the door. "Shun, is that you?" called him. No one responded, and the wooden door just slid open, exposing purple silk pants and robe. When the door opened fully, Muhyuk's eyes grew large in shock, his mouth hanged wide, jaws dropped. The nobleman standing before him was a part of his nightmare. Those small eyes still haunted him despite the time that had passed.

"Chil Yook. Fifteen years had passed, and I still could not believe that we met this way."

"D-Dae-Dae Wong?" the ill man stuttered, rising from his bed. The minister walked closer, held his back and assisted him.

"It has been a long time. I almost did not recognize you. I have so many questions in mind, Chil Yook. I know that this might not be the right time, but I want answers."

"Just let me live in peace, Dae Wong. The Heavens have already punished me by giving me this illness. I know you do not want mere answers; you want to get even as well."

The minister's forehead folded as his eyes narrowed in sympathy. "Never think that way. Whatever happened in the past was done. It is history. We could never go back and prevent it, but today, in the present, I guess we could still patch things up—clarify everything."

Chil Yook dipped his head in a low bow, before looking at the minister's eyes. "What do you want to know?"

Without even blinking, Dae Wong spilled his first question. "What happened to you and Lady Jang on the day you were supposed to be exiled?"

"It was a long story. We were actually ambushed by a group of rebels. I have no idea why they did that, but I guess robbery was their main motive," narrated Chil Yook, darting his eyes sideways.

"Liar." Dae Wong scowled and bit his teeth.

"It was true! They took us to their hideout. They said that they would release us if we would give our accessories."

"Stop lying, Chil Yook! We went to the crime spot and recovered the weapons used. The arrows were from the weapon factory owned by one of our hwarangdos. Chances are, someone from the capital or even from the palace had planned everything."

Shaking his head, Chil Yook vehemently denied Dae Wong's accusations, "No. I have no idea about that."

"I will not leave until you admit the truth. Just tell me that the Prime Minister was the one who plotted all of those. Why? Because you were threats to him!"

The old man could not hold his emotions anymore. His stabbing glare fifteen years back resurfaced through his deep, sunken eyes. "Stop this, Dae Wong. It was all in the past. I have a son to protect."

"So that is the truth. He is involved! Even though you do not admit it, I could see it in your eyes... and oh, a son?"

Dae Wong stood and paced down the room. "Son... your son?" scoffed he.

"Yes, my son. I have a son!"

Unconvinced by the former Grand Marshal's statements, Dae Wong shook his head and moved back closer. Chil Yook breathed deeply and sucked his teeth, trying to conceal his fearful soul. He was afraid that the minister might discover his son's real identity, especially with their current intertwined situation.

Dae Wong sat again beside Chil Yook and clasp his eyes with his. "Tell me the truth, Chil Yook. I am tired of all of your lies. Do not force me to do my investigation about you, everything about you including your son. Because if I do, the King might know about this, and possibly, your former master, Prime Minister Jung Ho," threatened the minister.

The ill man immediately grabbed Dae Wong's hands as he pleaded, "I beg you with all my heart. Please, just leave me and my son in peace. He was the one who gave direction to my life. He was the one who killed the old Chil Yook and birthed the new me. I want to live a life with my son, away from the capital."

"I will not report this to the King. You can assure that I will shut my mouth and erase in my memory this meeting of ours. I can do that in one condition."

Chil Yook squinted, "What is that?"

"I just have one question. I hope that you will answer me with all honesty... Who is Shun?"

The entire world froze when Chil Yook heard Dae Wong's question. His senses dropped as all of his nerves felt numb. Noticing that Chil Yook's face color died, Dae Wong snapped his finger to call his attention. "Chil Yook, did you hear me?"

"Shun? Shun is my son!"

"No, he is not." smirked the minister.

"He is!"

The minister gripped the old man's arm, perforating him with a glare. "How on earth would you have a son when in fact you are castrated? All Gukseons are castrated, so that makes you incapable of having a son," explained Dae Wong.

No words came out from Chil Yook. His shaking lips and teary eyes anchored in place, looking at Dae Wong. Soon after, another set of river flowed down his face. Dumbfounded by Chil Yook's soft side, the minister's lips were stitched into a thin line, as he was not able to utter words for a few seconds. He still found it hard to process the sight of his former nemesis. Fifteen years ago, never in his wildest dream that he could see the frail side of the former Grand Marshal.

"Chil Yook, calm down. I was just asking about your son's identity. Why are you so afraid? What are you hiding? I know that we are not on the same side, but trust me, all the things that I have done are for the kingdom and its people's welfare."

The former Grand Marshal wiped his tears, sniffing. "I know that. I know that you are a good person, and I would like to apologize for all the things that I have done before. I was blinded by the Prime Minister's false principles. The moment I decided to cut my ties with him, I wanted to kill myself. I was so ashamed! But I found a new purpose in life, and that is to become Shun's father."

"Killing one's self must be a shameful end line of a hwarang. Thank Heavens, you have become strong."

With all the summed fear, paranoia, and despair, Chil Yook realized that he was already trapped in a fiery hellhole. He knew Dae Wong's character—he was a persistent man. If he wished to know even the most irrelevant detail, he would not stop until he discovered it. So, the former Grand Marshal decided to open up his heart, risking the biggest secret of his life. "Fine! Listen to me carefully. I have decided to trust you, so please I want you to keep this secret forever. I want the truth to come from me before you start digging up on everything, and eventually, the King discovers."

Dae Wong twitched his eyes as he frowned in confusion. "I promise. Just tell me the truth, and the King will never know about this. I will also not investigate Shun's identity either."

"My gratitude. As a matter of fact, this is about Shun's identity. You are right. He is not my son. I believe that the Heavens have a reason why they let you and me cross paths fifteen years after. As much as I want to keep him by my side forever, I realized that I am being too selfish. All secrets are meant to be revealed. It is just a matter of timing and the right people to share the secret with. Now listen..."

"... Shun is the King's second son. He is Prince Sae Joo's twin brother, Prince Sae Yoo."

__________

__________ [https://em.wattpad.com/60557e3880a077e3489cb431fef3d4a9f2e94c28/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f57446a4a537078594b71457254773d3d2d3730363633363033322e313538626263613866636630366630323138323630313236333935332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]