Abyss

t w e n t y s e v e n

The cool breeze felt so refreshing against his soft skin, moving his silky dark hair out of his forehead.

He looked up to the sky determining the time and sighed.

A working day in the wheat field seems endless but he has no other choice.

Being the oldest son of the family, his father died a long time ago in the war field and his mother's health got poor from overworking herself over many years, this was Woo young's fate; to take care of her and his siblings.

beauty is a blessing but it never felt that way to him, his dazzling beauty was his curse because wherever he went people would stare at him, whisper behind his back and refuse to hire him for physically taxing jobs instead make him cheap offers. (if you know what i mean)

The sound of galloping snatched all the workers attention and they watched as some horsemen stopped near them. But they weren't ordinary horsemen, they were knights from the castle.

"Put down what's in your hands and stand here in line!" One of them yelled and everyone did as told. The workers stood in a row, side by side with their heads down.

"They must be looking for someone, an escaped culprit maybe." that's what going on inside everyone's head.

The leading knight jumped down from his horse. He walked in front of the line stopping to stare intensively at the faces, as if searching for something or someone.

Woo young's heart thud in his chest when he stopped in front of him, he took a longer time looking him up and down before cupping his chin to raise his head for a better look.

"What's your name?", he asked and the poor male struggled to find his voice, "Woo-Woo young" "full name"

"Jung Woo young". The knight nodded and then released him.

A silent conversation took place between him and another knight, then he continued his walk until the end of the line. And when he finished, they simply left.

woo young finally released a breath he didn't know he was holding and everyone got back to their work but they didn't stop talking about what happened.

"I think they are looking for an escaped culprit."

"I heard they are collecting new workers for the castle. If they pay well, I wouldn't mind going. It'll be great to live in the luxury."

"Not workers but paramours and mistresses for the prince."

"Which prince? It makes a difference."

"It can't be prince Seonghwa because he already has a partner."

"Then it must be for prince SAN. Oh lord!"

"No one really knows how the prince looks like. They say he's a freak, he was born like that; a monster."

"Poor whoever they're going to choose. I would prefer to die than be in their place."

A shiver run down Woo young's spine hearing that and he didn't know why.

"Shut up, if someone hears you talking about the prince like that, you'll lose your head."

He kept quiet trying to ignore all the gossiping going around him and to focus on his work.

They are just rumours, nonsense talks. The castle is too far, with high walls and closed doors and no one of them including him knows what's really happening in there... 

It was already evening when Wooyoung returned back home. As always, he helped his mother prepare dinner and put his siblings to bed.

"Ma, I'm going out for a walk." He told her before leaving but it was a lie. A white lie.

"Okay but don't stay out late."

She got used to him going out every evening to get some fresh air but she didn't know that it wasn't his only purpose. Everyday, at the same time he would go out to secretly meet his lover.

Woo young smiled when he reached their hidden spot and saw the man standing in the shadows, waiting for him.

They would talk for awhile and change gazes of admiration and then have to go their separate ways.

The reason behind this whole secrecy is that both of them are from different worlds, an impossible combination; a poor simple family and a royal noble family. It was all so complicated.

 *The next day*

When Wooyoung reached the neighbourhood, he saw people gathered in front of his home.

His heart accelerated its pace as he ran, pushing his way through the crowd.

"What's happening?!" he questioned, his eyes already searching for his mother and his siblings while expecting the worse.

"Jung Woo young, you're going with us", he was surprised to see the knight from the other day standing in front of him accompanied with other guards.

"W-What do you mean? Where are you taking me? I didn't do anything", He said his voice shaking.

"We're not taking you as a prisoner but we're collecting new workers for the castle and you've been chosen", the man responded calmly and with a blink of an eye, guards circled him.

"Leave my son alone!" Wooyoung was relieved when he saw his mother, she was fine and his siblings were too.

"Don't touch me!" he resisted and struggled as they gripped his arms with iron holds, "...sir please, I beg your mercy! I can't leave my family alone, they would die of hunger, please..."

His cries made the knight approach him, maybe out of pity, "don't you want to leave poverty and live a life of luxury? People dream of glimpsing the insides of the castle once, yet, you refuse to live and work there."

"Don't misunderstand me sir, it's an honour that you choose me but my father is dead and my mother is sick, were poor and I am the oldest of my siblings-" "and this is your opportunity to save them"

Woo young agreed. They promised to pay him a good amount of money and he offered for it to be transferred to his family.

He sacrificed for them, when he looked into his siblings' innocent eyes and his mother's tired face. He wanted a better life for them, he wanted to save them from misery.

And its not like he has a choice after all, even if hedidn't agree they would forcefully drag him.