The Forgotten Love | Jeongcheol

CHAPTER SIX

A few days later, the atmosphere in the palace grew tense. The King was in his chambers, deep in thought, when the prince arrived.

"Your Majesty," Jeonghan greeted, giving a princely bow.

"Ah, Jeonghan-ah, sit down," the King replied, his tone distant yet commanding. Jeonghan sat, unsure of what was to come.

The King wasted no time. "So, coming to the point, I need you to get married to the Princess of the North Kingdom, Jeon Hyejin. The wedding will be in six months."

Jeonghan's eyes widened in shock. "Your Majesty, I—"

"I didn’t ask for your opinion. You are dismissed."

The prince’s heart sank, but he tried once more. "Y-you can’t do this to me."

"I can, and I will. You have no choice. You know the consequences if you disagree," the King said coldly.

Jeonghan could barely form his words. "Your Majesty—"

"And another thing," the King interrupted harshly. "Man up a bit. We don’t want our in-laws to think we have a weak prince here."

Jeonghan’s head bowed, the weight of shame crushing him. "I’m extremely sor—"

"OH, CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?" The King’s voice boomed through the chamber, silencing Jeonghan instantly. "That’s all you ever do! Apologizing as if you’ve no other purpose. You’re a disgrace! You’ll never be a king like me. GET OUT! I don’t want to see your face."

The outburst left Jeonghan paralyzed. His chest tightened with devastation, his mind spinning. Was he really that useless? Was he truly a disgrace? Would his life amount to nothing? He stumbled out of the room, his heart heavy with sadness.

Later, Jeonghan found himself standing at a mountain cliff, the cool breeze brushing against his skin. He looked out at the vast horizon, his thoughts drifting to his mother. Where are you, Mother? he thought as loneliness wrapped around him like a cloak.

Suddenly, he spotted two boys, their conversation catching his attention.

"Hyung, how long are we going to hide our relationship?" one boy asked, his voice soft yet anxious.

"Patience, Bin," the other boy replied. "We don’t know how they’ll react. They might kick us out."

"But, hyung—"

"No buts. Let's go." The second boy glanced up and met Jeonghan’s eyes, freezing in fear.

"Y-your Highness," the boy stammered, his face pale.

Jeonghan recognized him. "Oh, Yeonjun-ah. How are you?"

Yeonjun, taken aback, stood frozen for a moment before nervously replying, "I-I’m fine, Your Highness."

The prince offered a small, comforting smile. "Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. This isn’t my issue."

Both Yeonjun and Soobin, the other boy, visibly relaxed, relief washing over them. Soobin, after a brief exchange of words, bowed deeply, thanking the prince for his understanding.

As Jeonghan watched the two, something tugged at his heart. They were so lively, so full of warmth and connection. I wish I had a relationship like that, Jeonghan thought. The ache of longing swelled in his chest as he silently wished for the same kind of love and acceptance in his own life. But in his world of duty and expectations, that dream seemed far out of reach.

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