Rivals Seongjoong Ateez

15

    Seonghwa's pov

  "Mom, dad, I have a request," I asked once I stood before the pair of royals. My mom looked a bit questioningly at Hongjoong in my arms but nodded.

  "We need to get the remains of Kim Bumjoong from the Song Kingdom. They have him in the monument they made against Aurora-"

  "Seonghwa, he was the one who killed Mingi's uncle. I don't-"

  Hongjoong instantly dropped himself from my arms to face my parents.

  "With all due respect, Bumjoong was only sixteen, sir. He was staying with me on the ship while it was my father who killed Song Jiyong.

  "Prince Mingi claimed he had saw my father kill his uncle, so I don't understand how my brother came into the crossfire. I don't understand how they could kill a sixteen year old boy and showcase his clothing and jewelry at a monument to deter others from harming their kingdom."

   My parents' faces fell as they heard Bumjoong's eternal age.

   "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but all I want is for my brother to be put to a proper rest." Hongjoong asked softly.

"Hongjoong, by asking for Bumjoong to be properly buried, you're letting the Song Kingdom know that they killed the wrong person. They will manage a way to kill your father. Is this what you want?" My mom asked gently, despite her words holding dark meaning.

"That bastard should've been the one to die fourteen years ago. He should've died instead of letting my mom die so brutally in the Lee Kingdom. That man has evaded death so many times it concerns me he has made a deal with the devil himself," hongjoong laughed dryly.

"When you allowed Seonghwa to come onto Aurora, my father ran away through your kingdom like a coward. He will get what is coming to him."

My mom's eyebrows raised in surprise at how harshly my soulmate spoke.

"As long as you know what may happen, then I don't see a problem with it."

  "Thank you," Hongjoong smiled softly as he bowed towards my parents.

When he was told to stand back up, his cheeks were, once again, tear-stained. My mom gasped softly and carefully descended from her throne to pull her handkerchief from her dress pocket and wipe at Hongjoong's tears.

"My bonus son, we will make Bumjoong's funeral as you believe he would've wanted it, okay? Oh... my heart breaks seeing you cry," my mom spoke softly as her own eyes grew a bit misty. Once his cheeks were dried and his tears were gone, she opened her arms towards him.

Hongjoong gently wrapped his arms around my mom's shoulders before she hugged him tighter.

"I won't break from a hug, little star. You can hug me tighter," my mom teased him affectionately as she rubbed his back. When he broke into tears again, this time much louder, my mom panicked slightly.

"Did I say something wrong?" She asked softly as she lifted one hand to his hair. Hongjoong shook a bit as he cried but managed to speak again.

"That's- that's what my momma always called me, mom. She called me her- her "little star." How did you know?" Hongjoong asked through his soft sobs. My mom smiled sadly but continued to soothe my soulmate.

"I always called Seonghwa my "little moon" when he was younger. He would get so excited at something and his eyes grew like little moons.

"As for why I chose "little star" for you: when you looked at Seonghwa the day you first arrived, your eyes seemed to have little stars gleaming in them. I thought it would fit," she said.