He Walks Alone in the Moonlight [COMPLETED]

MATTERS OF THE HEART

"She what?" Chang choked on his drink, coughing violently as Songmin patted his back harder than necessary.

"Calm down. It's not like she died," Songmin said bitterly as the prince entered his study to find the pair together.

"Who didn't die?" Doyoon forced his way into the conversation, desperate to assuage the image of Jihyun's retreating back ingrained in his mind.

"Your sister! Apparently she's allergic to one of the ingredients in my hangover cure. And this genius told her that I'm the one who made it!" Chang groaned miserably, burying his face in his hands. "This won't do," the soldier stood abruptly, overturning the stool he sat upon. "I must go and apologize." He grabbed the prince's arm, pleading dramatically. "Do you think if I go beg on my knees and swear I didn't know that she'll forgive me? Oh, by the moon, I just don't want her to kill me." Chang fell to his knees, his face miserable as he clung to the prince's leg.

"You're being ridiculous. Besides, she's in no state to be killing anyone right now," Songmin huffed as he rolled his eyes. Doyoon digested Songmin's words, his mind spinning as he pulled his leg out of Chang's grasp.

"It seems as though you were the one who actually gave her the hangover cure?" He directed the question at Songmin, who didn't reply, instead staring murderously at the fallen stool. "I'll take that as a yes, then," the prince sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Just then, Jaeon entered the room with Minjoo close on his heels.

"Wonderful, the cavalry has arrived," Doyoon muttered to himself, stepping over Chang and taking a seat.

"Your Highness, the princess-" He held a hand up to stop Jaeon from talking.

"I already heard about my sister's condition. So-" the prince stared at Songmin until the advisor met his eyes, "I trust your report that she is fine is true?" Songmin snapped his fan open, then closed it with a dissatisfied slap against his lap.

"I didn't say she was fine. I said she didn't die." The prince grit his teeth, then motioned for Jaeon to continue.

"The princess called for a royal physician, and from what I can tell she is stable now. However...." the guard hesitated, then Minjoo gave him a jab with his elbow.

"Tell them," he whispered. Jaeon sighed, closing his eyes.

"Minjoo thinks he saw the princess leave the palace."

"That's not possible," Songmin stood in protest. "I saw her mere hours ago and she couldn't even get herself into bed!"

"You saw the princess get into bed?" Chang questioned from the floor, quickly silenced by Songmin smacking him on the head with his fan.

"Is that what's important right now?" Minjoo fussed, crossing his arms. "Look, you can think what you want, but I know what I saw."

"Maybe you're going blind from staring at a needle all day, because there is no way the Princess could leave the palace in her condition," Songmin spat back, mirroring Minjoo's pose.

"There's nothing wrong with my eyes. You're the one who was stupid enough to poison the Princess-"

"I didn't poison her!" Songmin roared, slamming his hands on the table. Minjoo flinched and Jaeon pulled the tailor behind him. "I didn't poison her. That woman drank the damn thing herself. She knew what was in it. Don't blame me for her being suicidal. It's not my fault. It's not!" The words shot out of the advisor like steam from a kettle, scalding the air. His usually cool eyes burned with fire, his steady body shook with untampered emotion. Doyoon grabbed him by the shoulder, forcing him to sit.

"Calm down, right now. Or I'll have Jaeon escort you back to the Kim manor." Songmin managed to keep his mouth shut, but his body continued to shake.

"Minjoo, tell me what you saw." The tailor shared a look with Jaeon as he stepped forward. The guard placed a comforting hand on his back, but his face twisted with worry.