Violets are Blue (The King's Affection fanfiction)

Prologue

"I can never forgive your father."

Dam-I's words were like a sword piercing through his heart. They became etched in his brain, making his body numb and weak. It was as if all of the strength and courage he had had evaporated with his tears.

Jung Ji Un had experienced pain before but nothing like this. He thought he was strong. Dam-I had been the motivation for him to be anything but weak. Without her, he was nothing.

"Why?"

He silently cried to himself as he fell onto his knees on the cold, pebbled ground, thinking to himself why must he be the son of Jung Seok Jo, the man who kills innocent people without batting an eye.

He used to look up to his father and even wanted to grow up to be just like him at one point. That all changed when he witnessed his father gruesomely murder a young court maid.

"Your father killed my friend and my twin brother," Dam-I reminded him just moments ago before he took off from the palace in heartbreak.

"He killed countless other innocent people and forced me to live a life meant for my brother."

"Why?" Ji Un sobbed softly to himself.

It was the only question he had but could never answer. Why wasn't their love powerful enough for her to leave all of those memories behind them? More importantly, why him? Was it because he committed unforgivable sins in his past life?

"Everything will be okay," said a sweet, familiar voice.

His head jerked up at a pitiful Shin So Eun. She forced a soft smile, although she was probably as much of an emotional wreck as he was. He'd broke her heart after all.

Without saying a single word, he got up on his feet and let her lead him to Samgaebang, which was pretty much his home before he entered the palace to become Royal Tutor Jung.

"I'm staying here temporarily," So Eun told him, as she opened the doors.

It was quiet inside. It was then that he suddenly realized how much he missed this place.

"Jung Ji Un?"

His long-time friend, Bang Jil Geum, descended the stairs and approached him. He hadn't seen the guy since they defeated Lord Sanghyeon some months ago.

"I'm back," Ji Un replied in a low tone.

"It's good to see you're still in one piece," said Jil Geum.

Shin So Eun shook her head at Jil Geum as a warning to be careful with his figurative speech.

"I miss you," he quickly added. "We miss you!"

Ji Un did a quick scan of the room for Bang Young Ji, Jil Geum's younger sister.

"Where's Young Ji?" he asked.

He assumed she was still living there as well since Jil Geum had spoken on behalf of her.

"You see, my little sister has grown up," Jil Geum replied. "She's with that royal bodyguard from the palace."

Ji Un slightly lowered his head at the word "palace".

"They just went to the market and will be back shortly," So Eun added.