Two Kingdoms | Park Sunghoon

20

AT THE BALL.

Aeri walked inside the ballroom. It had a gorgeous, circular ceiling with many foreign paintings on top. The chandelier gave the room its shine, and added to the elegance of the party itself.

Women in their puffy gowns, men in their black tuxedos, all glided synchronised across the floor in repetitive oscillations. Almost as though a large crowd of shadows dancing. All drunken and having the 'life feels great right now' smiles all over their faces; without an ounce of care for their surroundings or life in the given moment. Everyone seemed to have wanted to live life to the fullest, that they could and would die happily if the world were to collapse in the given moment.

Seeing the joy radiating off the faces made Aeri give a small grin.

Until her eyes feel upon the wine fountain. Without a second thought, her feet took her there and before she could even blink, she had downed three glasses already.

"Ah shit, why is the wine so strong," she muttered whilst holding her head tightly as the alcohol hit her immediately.

That didn't matter though. She still grabbed another glass, losing count over the amount of alcohol she had just wolfed down. The taste burning in her throat, she craved more. The alcohol intoxicating her slowly yet her common sense dissipated quickly.

"Woah woah woah, I wouldn't want to see my future wife pass out on this joyful night now would I? That's enough." Her favourite voice spoke whilst grabbing her wrist, pulling her away from the station.

"Oh! There's my handsome man. I missed you so much, precious." Aeri slurred her words and wrapped her arms around the Prince's nape.

"As much as I enjoy how you're acting right now, you are crazily drunk my Queen. I cannot have you acting like this in front of everyone." Sunghoon said softly, whilst lifting her from the ground and heading towards the courtyard.

Placing her on the swing, he kneeled down to her level.

"Has anyone told you how gorgeous you are?" The drunken queen whispered, whilst caressing the Prince's cheek with her palm. There was only pure silence after she said that, he didn't even give her a response. They both only stared into each other's eyes, one staring with admiration and the other staring with greed. But she didn't realise, she was too in love and drunk to.

"So, Your Highness, what caused you to get so... indulged- that's one way to put it- into drinking." Sunghoon questioned softly, his hand resting softly on the queen's lap.

"I'm not sure. Something about wanting to feel drunken, something to do with all the couples and the love floating around me. Sickening. But I'm also filled with jealousy." The Prince only nodded, listening intently to the young woman about to pour her heart out to him.

"Love never fails to impress me. Such a strong feeling that lets no other destroy it. The only thing that can is betrayal, and that happens so easily. Love has no limits, it's endless. So blinding yet ethereal. Beautiful, isn't it Sunghoon?" She broke her trail of thought and met her eyes with the young man's.

"Truly. However not as beautiful as you m'lady." He kissed the top of her hand.

Almost as if she had flicked the drunk switch back on, she lifted his face with her index finger.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" Her voice breaking in between the sentence, about to cry.
His voice replied genuinely, with the most genuine eyes and the most genuine smile and the most genuine stare.

"Only the most beautiful to be born."

Abruptly, she had stood up spun round in circles with her arms wide out to her sides whilst shouting, "Do you hear that, cursed world? My man, he called me beautiful." She had a smile on her face that she had never had before, one she never gave to anyone before. His heart too warmed up in shock as to her genuine reaction, jerking a tear in both their eyes. He quickly wiped them away and the Prince ran towards her and grabbed her by the waist, as they both spun into their own abyss just as the sky let out a few tears watching the two, drenching them in their tears.

It wasn't just love that was beautiful. It was their love that was beautiful.