✓ Lost Garden • [Yoonmin]

2 . Hidden truth

A month later

"Your highness." The servant bows to the prince who was waiting for him to show up.

"Are they here?" The prince asks calmly as the maids proceeded to help the prince to wear the robe.

"Yes, they are here, your highness. They have been waiting for you." The prince smiles as he quickly wears the robe before tying it by himself.

"Let's go." He spoke and walks off.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Woah. .this is extraordinary. .." Jimin gasps while looking at the vase and ornaments around the big hall.

"Jimin...sit down, the prince will be here soon..." Jimin's father orders him but he is in his world, astonished by the designs and structures of these beautiful pieces of ceramic.

"The prince is entering!" The guards yell as the doors open from the outside. The prince walks inside and immediately his eyes drifted to the guests in the hall.

The merchant was bowing down but he was confused because the boy wasn't beside his father. Then he looked around and saw him at the corner, eyes glued to the vases and other ornaments.

"Please raise." He orders as he sits down and smiles at the boy who looked back at him and shyly lowers his head before walking back to his father and bows down quickly.

"My apologies, your highness. This boy has never been out from home much, so he gets lost in everything." The merchant explains but the prince kept staring at the boy who was hesitating to look up at the prince.

"It's okay. I am happy to see him running around. He should be running around like that than sitting at home, feeling bad for being fragile." The prince explains as he leans on to his hand.

"So, what have you got today?"

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Pack those with these and then-" The prince stopped when he heard some muffled sound, coming from the spot next to the merchant.

The boy was covering his mouth to stop his coughing and don't want to draw any attention to him. But once he controlled his coughing, he looked up to see the prince was already staring at him. A confused look was on the Prince's face as he frowns.

"Merchant... " The prince calls calmly as he leans back in his seat. The merchant gulps but bows down to the prince.

"Yes, your Highness.." The prince whispers something to his servant and he motions the servants to go away.

"How's your son's medication is going? " He asks after dismissing the servant. The merchant started to shake a little. The boy was worried about his father when the prince asked something so critical.

"Your Highness... Please forgive me!" The merchant immediately bows down in front of the prince who sighs.

"I had a lot of debts and I have few more to finish my debts. I used my son's medication payment to pay those debts... Please forgive me! My Lord! I have a big family to handle... " The prince sighs and the door opens, the doctor from before enters and bows to the prince before walking toward the boy.

"Well, I want to propose something to you, merchant." The prince spoke which made the merchant look up at him.

"Sure... My lord. "The prince shift in his seat before leaning on his hand with a smile.

"I want your son to live at the palace with me." The merchant was surprised by the odd proposal from the prince.

"My son...I have done the wrong, your highness! Please punish me! not my son!"The merchant cries but the prince rolled his eyes.