In Another Life

Haneul's Wedding

"Mingyue, do you know what happened?"

The girl frantically shook her head. Heeseung was carrying her bridal style out of the infirmary. He had seen the creepy old physician and how he looked at Mingyue.

"No, only that my head feels like it's about to explode." She tucked her head in his shoulder, screwing her eyes shut. If she opened them, she feared that she would feel sick. "Jungwon found me, he brought me there to get help."

"Let's get you to your room and I'll get some others to help. Do not tell anyone of this– not even Ms. Byun. We mustn't trust anyone right now."

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

"In all honesty, you shouldn't. But I am on your side, just remember that."

Heeseung returned Mingyue to her bedroom, leaving hastily to find Kangdae, Jake, Jay and Sunghoon.

"So what exactly happened? Isn't it strange that she finally acts like her old self, but is showing signs of being poisoned?" Kangdae asks. "Heeseung, yesterday, you said that you had a way of getting through to her. Tell us what exactly happened."

"I couldn't fall asleep, so I went to the kitchen to make myself tea. Mingyue also went down to the kitchen... that's when she started opening up about what happened two years ago. Then we made Haneul a cake for her wedding."

"You said that you made tea, did she drink it?" Sunghoon asked.

"Yes, she did... are you accusing me?"

"It does sound a bit odd. You gave her tea, the next day she falls ill? That doesn't sound right." Jay states.

"If I poisoned her, I would be poisoned too. I also drank the tea." Heeseung states.

"He has a point, plus what motive would Heeseung even have? He's a hopeless romantic for her–"

"Really Jake?" Heeseung cuts off the younger one, clearly annoyed. "If anything, The Queen should be our first suspect. It seemed like she tried to kill Mingyue two years ago."

"That was said to be an accident." Kangdae pointed out.

"Who claimed it?"

"... The Queen. But tell me one reason why she would want to kill her own daughter?"

"Kangdae, tell me one reason why she wouldn't? Think about it, Mingyue is a reminder of her dead husband, she's also stubborn when it comes to Lumena. Plus look at it this way, she tried to marry Mingyue off two years ago, tried to kill her by locking her outside a castle during a storm, what makes you think that she wouldn't try poison?" Heeseung defended.

They all knew that Heeseung wasn't capable of killing someone. Even when they were younger and had to train for swordsmanship, he felt really bad for hitting someone else. Violence was not who Heeseung was.

"Let's play into this idea, everyone will keep an eye for anything remotely suspicious. Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, I want you to find anything you can about this poison and find an antidote. Heeseung and I will make sure nothing more happens towards Mingyue." Kangdae stated.

"Your Highness, you have a visitor."

"Who?"

"Princess Haneul."

"Send her in."

Haneul took one look at Mingyue, seeing her so pallid brought a knife to her heart, "Mingyue, Jungwon informed me you weren't feeling well. I won't hold it against you if you can't attend my wedding."

"I will make it there. I promised you I would and I intend to keep my word."

"I don't want your health to get worse. You don't even look like you can walk, Mingyue, promise me that you will put yourself first right now."

Ms. Byun came back in, "Your Highness, Prince Heeseung has come to visit."

"Let him in."

"Mingyue are you feeling better?"

The girl couldn't even lie, she felt like absolute death. "Heeseung, what's going on? You always know how to fix everything."

"Sorry, Haneul, this time I don't know. You can't tell anyone about this, do you understand?"

Haneul didn't want to agree, but Heeseung had a way of making everyone agree. His charms really worked on everyone.

The three sat on Mingyue's bed, trying to figure out a plan of action. Heeseung had told them all about the plan the the Hyung's came up with– not without swearing them to secrecy.

That day, Mingyue was stubborn to go to Haneul's wedding. Heeseung kindly offered to escort her so she could hide the fact that she was deathly sick. It was also that night when Hajoon and Haewon were able to see their son's feeling towards the cold girl.

From their eyes, they saw adoration as Heeseung looked upon the girl that clung to his arm. Hajoon focused more on Heeseung, when Haewon focused on Mingyue.

The woman saw the fatigue that Mingyue was trying to hide with her makeup. She could see past the whole facade that was being put up.

"Can I have a word with Mingyue?" Haewon asked her son.

Heeseung looked at Mingyue, making sure that the decision was her. She nodded before slowly walking out with Haewon.

"Mingyue, dear, is everything alright?"

Trust no one.

"Yes, of course it is, why would something be wrong?"

"Mingyue, I can tell that you're sick. If you want help, I could help you, but you need to accept it."

Mingyue wanted so desperately to hug Haewon, but she couldn't. Tears ran down her face, Haewon had broken the final barrier to her heart.

"Come here dear," Haewon welcomed the girl with open arms. Mingyue cried in Haewon's arms. What was supposed to be a happy day, turned into a depressing one. "Hey, let's go fix up your makeup and go back in there with smiles."

Haewon swiped one last tear away before helping Mingyue to her room to redo her messed up makeup. The woman kindly smiled as she cleaned away the face of makeup and reapplied it to Mingyue's face.

"You look beautiful dear, how about we go back? Hm?"

"Thank you so much Auntie Haewon, I don't know what I would do without you."

That was the first night Haewon noticed that Mingyue hadn't changed much at all. Her smile was still the same, the way she spoke was still beautiful, the only thing that differed was Mingyue's cold outlook on the world.