Where the sea sleeps [HoonHao] ✔

31

Hoshi ignores Mister Yoon, who clearly seems to know him with the way he demands to know what he's doing. He keeps asking, but Hoshi barely spares him a glance as he approaches Woozi, stopping a few feet away before bowing politely.

"What do you think you're doing?" Wonwoo queries, eyes shifting between Hoshi and Woozi as he tries to figure out what this situation was. "He isn't the prince"

"Does he bear the mark?" Hoshi interrupts with a smile. A smile that says he knows the answer without needing to be told it. That he knows more than they realize and way more than he's letting on.

"Yes, but—"

"Jeonghan told you it's a fraud and made you check and now you're not sure what to believe," he finishes off. He doesn't acknowledge Woozi as he takes a step back. "Which is exactly what he wanted you to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Hoshi, what are you speaking about?" Woozi hisses softly.

"I'm referring to the fact that Mister Yoon Jeonghan knew precisely who you are the moment you stepped in here, Woozi." He looks to Wonwoo as he proceeds. "You see, the prince's memories have been stolen."

"By whom?"

"Me." He takes a step back as the guard tries to grab for him, a hand lifting in the air to stop him. Wonwoo doesn't move. Despite his attempts to try (which anybody could clearly see), he couldn't seem to move. A sly smirk descends upon Hoshi's face. "Please, Wonwoo, if you would let me explain."

This time, he doesn't turn to Jeonghan for assurance, but to Woozi. Which means he believes what Hoshi is saying. He believes that in some way, Woozi is the prince. Either that or it's the hope that's been creeping into his eyes ever since he saw the mark. It makes him wonder what sort of ruler Yoon Jeonghan was.

Woozi nods his head, and almost immediately, Wonwoo steps back. Another nod gives Hoshi the permission to speak.

"I was following through with strict orders given by the right hand man of the royal bloodline." When they don't say anything, he gestures to Jeonghan who, with a glance his way, is no longer seated in the throne. He's standing, facial expression hinting at his frustration and annoyance. Woozi stares a moment longer before looking back to Hoshi who has continued speaking. "His plan was to get rid of the royal bloodline and take over the throne. He strictly made me promise not to say a word to anyone. So, I told someone."

"Who?"

Somewhere between Hoshi's explanation, Wonwoo disappeared from Woozi's side. Taking a look back, they see him beside Jeonghan, a hand around his arm. He was further from the thrones now, closer to one of the side doors; he was most likely trying to escape.

"I told the queen. She cared not what happened to her, but their only heir, so together, with the king, we devised a plan for the prince's protection." With a hand, he makes a wild gesture to Woozi who stands stock still, disbelieving of everything that's being said. Trying to grasp his head around the idea that he may just be an heir to the throne was more than just a tad difficult.

"With their permission, I took his memories and kept them with me. I sent him with a close friend of mine who left him on a boat and by the time I returned, Jeonghan had already reported the deaths of the king and queen. I confirmed the prince's death."

"So then how?" Woozi's voice is most certainly not his own. Not the way he's been hearing it all this time. With all this information, speaking felt different. Like he wasn't the person he believed himself to be.

"You were supposed to be dead, my highness. As far as the kingdom, the towns and all surrounding cities knew, you died along with your parents. Of course I could not fail the royals and let that happen. With the help of my colleague, I ensured you would be in the course The Drifters were heading so I would find you again. So I could keep you safe from up close."

"You said you were part of their crew," Woozi reminds him, as if he's forgotten the information. Which he hasn't.

"I was. Unlike the others, I had another job. They knew this and didn't mind if I needed to disappear every now and again. I've been part of the crew for a while. Though my heart will always lie with the royals." His eyes are sparkling as he looks at Woozi. "When everyone claimed to hate the bloodline, did I ever say that I did?"

"No." He never did. When they bad mouthed the royal bloodline, he always remained silent. Not once did he ever provide his own opinion. "But then if everyone knew of the deaths—"

"Typically, anyone who stays out at sea such as the crew wouldn't know unless directly told upon hitting land. Though a death like this, people expect you to know. They were never told about the deaths and that is why they complained the way that they did. They hadn't realized another ruler had taken over and made the name for pirates even worse."

With a bow of his head and a hand pressed to his stomach, Hoshi makes a request. "My prince, if I may be given the permission to return your memories to you."

Rather than saying anything, Woozi steps forward. He doesn't want to say anything because as much as he trusted Hoshi, for all he knew this could be a lie. He could end up not being the prince they wished him to be, but then how else would they explain the mark? How else—

A hand touches his head and a bright orb is brought close to his face. So bright he can't keep his eyes open. A soft breeze brushes along his face and for a moment, everything is the same. Only for a moment.

It hits him hard; the change. It's as if he's able to feel the orb being pushed into his skull and the further inside it goes, the more his head hurts and the faster the images flash before his eyes. Memory upon memory floods his brain; he's trembling at the intensity of it all, but then again, that's just what you get when restoring twenty-four years of memories, he supposes. And it's exactly what's been missing. Everything comes back to him.

The hand on his head shifts over to his shoulder, a soft squeeze before Hoshi—Kwon Soonyoung—takes a step back.

"Your highness," Soonyoung says, a smile curving across his face as he turns around to face Wonwoo and Jeonghan, expression reserved. Meeting Wonwoo's expectant eyes, he lifts his right hand and rests it on the left side of his chest.

"I, Lee Jihoon, heir to the throne, will put my people above all else. I will ensure the safety of my people and ensure their needs to come first. I ensure that the city and its people are protected from harm; that as their prince, they are my responsibility and I will do everything in my power that I am able to meet the expectations and not allow a chance of them losing faith in me. Above all else, I am a prince of this city and will see to it that all who have done wrong are rightly prosecuted and all face consequences. I will protect my people, no matter what." He releases a breath he didn't know he was holding, and lowers his arm as he shoots Wonwoo an expectant look of his own. "If that is not enough for you, Jeon Wonwoo"

He bows, cutting Jihoon off completely. "It is more than enough and I apologize for ever questioning you, your highness."

Jihoon nods stiffly before turning his attention to the glaring Jeonghan. "As for you, Yoon Jeonghan, this is your endline."