❛ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ❜ | jsc

24

sungchan and aera burst through the gates of the castle for the first time in a month, out of breath as they answered the queen's summons.

even the guards stared at them in shock, not expecting them to be back in the castle this early. the king's sickness had been kept a secret from the palace servants in order to prevent any type of treachery from occurring.

as a result, the queen had summoned the entire family back to the palace: jaehyun, sungchan and aera, and sungchan's little sister.

sungchan's little sister was a pretty and calm girl by the name of jung eunhye, she had been sent away at a young age a few years ago to the lee kingdom to continue her studies. she had insisted on going herself, and since she wasn't next in line to the throne, she was allowed to go.

so when sungchan saw eunhye in the throne room, talking to a boy by the name of jaemin, so skidded to a stop and stared at his little sister.

"oh sungchan! long time no see bro!" eunhye waved and smiled. jaemin also turned and waved as sungchan and aera came up to them.

"why are you back here?" sungchan asked, knowing that eunhye definitely want to leave the lee kingdom and her studies.

"i got a letter from mother. i had no choice, i'd look like the world's worst daughter if i didn't come home. jaemin heard i was in town again and came to visit me," she beamed at the boy in front of her. jaemin was the son of a nobleman and was also eunhye's childhood friend.

aera peeked out from behind sungchan, waiting for him to introduce her but he never did.

"who is that girl behind you?" jaemin finally asked and eunhye pulled her out from behind sungchan.

"you must be moon aera! sungchan's soulmate! i'm his little sister, its a pleasure to meet you. i've always wanted a big sister," her smile was warm.

eunhye glared at her brother, "why didn't you introduce her, she must have felt awkward, right aera?"

aera nodded shyly and decided she liked eunhye a lot. sungchan shrugged and scratched his head. he patted his girlfriend on the shoulder, "why don't you stay here and get to know eunhye and jaemin, i'm going to go to the king's quarters and check on him."

eunhye tilted her head, "are you sure you don't want to take her with you? the king might favor her more if she visits him while he's sick you know."

sungchan shook his head, "it's fine."

eunhye took aera's hand into her own, "i'm sorry, my brother doesn't really have a brain. you'll have to forgive him."

aera chuckled.

~

it had been hours since sungchan had left aera to go speak to his father. after a while, eunhye and jaemin had to regretfully leave aera by herself. they had apologized over and over again but already had made plans earlier to hang out in town together.

aera had ushered them off, wanting to find and talk to someone that was especially dear to her.

she walked past her father's classroom and waved cheerfully, visited the balcony where she had first met sungchan, and even roamed the gardens.