내 왕자 My Prince || Stray Kids Hyunsung (Hyunjin x Han)

»»-- ♔ 𝑩𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 ♔ --««

‚Han, do you admit to have committed the murder?' The judge asked.

‚No'

‚Are you aware that the knife that was used to kill the victim, was identified as being your knife?'

‚How did you identify that it was my knife? It's a simple knife .. nothing special. It's one of hundreds of the same kind. Even in the case that it had been my knife, I had left it in my room in the guard housings that day. I didn't have it with me at any time.'

‚Can you prove this?'

‚No.' I said, not breaking eye contact.

‚Then your defence is invalid.' He simply stated with a side glance to the second prince. 

‚If you claim not to be guilty, where have you been that night? None of the guards that were asked had seen you at any time.'

‚I wasn't near the place he was murdered. I was doing my duty, guarding in front of the prince's room.' It was a lie, obviously. But even if you shouldn't brag about it, I was pretty good at lying. I didn't even flinch, telling lies like truths. The only one I could never lie to, had been Hyunjin. He somehow could always see through me. That.. or my skills significantly decreased the moment his eyes were on me. There had always been something between us. His look did something to me that I don't understand til the present day.

‚You could have left easily. Did anyone see you guarding the prince?' Of course not.

I stayed silent. The prince couldn't have seen me.. under normal circumstances he would have been asleep and I couldn't lie about anyone else having seen me, as they could easily prove me wrong by calling for testimony. As good as I could lie, none of the guards in the palace would dare lying for me. If they were asked they'd rather expose me, enjoying the thought of me possibly getting executed. Staying silent was the only safe way to not end the trial immediately.

‚So-‚ The judge wanted to start again, but was interrupted.

‚I saw him.' Someone stepped forward behind me. The guards left and right had a tight grip on me, so turning around was difficult. In the corner of my eyes though, I could see a figure in dark blue and black clothing. So he must belong to the first prince's guard. Blue was Hyunjin's colour. The guards in Leejin's part of the palace had dark grey uniforms with accents of mustard yellow. The unknown guard's hair was a medium chestnut brown with a slight golden hue, his side profile sharp and almost daring. His body shape was similar to mine, not brought but also not as slim as Hyunjin. 

‚Who are you?' The judge asked surprised. A question that was also very present in my own head, though I let nothing show on the outside. If I looked surprised even the slightest bit, Leejin would get suspicious. So I forced my features to stay neutral.

‚Lee Minho, I'm a palace guard.' A name that did not ring any bells for me. A palace guard?

‚You may speak.'

‚I was making my usual circles around the palace. My route goes past the prince's room, that it when I saw Han, standing in front of the prince's doors.'

He was lying.. I knew most of the palace guards.. I started as one myself, before I became Hyunjin's personal guard.. but I had never seen him before nor heard his name. So why was he risking his life, lying to the court. What was in for him in doing this, when one possible outcome was his head on the block along with mine? My eyes went to the blonde prince, in midnight blue, who was watching the scene calm and collected. Our eyes met for a moment, before his eyes went on to the palace guard that was lying for me. The only possible reason I could think of would be that this guard had some kind of connection to Hyunjin.. though... I had always been around him. He had never done things I didn't know of.. and if.. then I'm not sure how much I actually know of him anymore. I thought I would know him.. maybe I was a fool thinking that. Usually nothing went past my ears, but this guard's existence did. Who was he...?