Moonlit Shores

𓆉 Chapter 6

The next day, Seungcheol was very lively around the castle and seemed to be in a better mood than usual, especially since he was a big part of planning an event at the castle. Today he was scheduled to start planning for the annual Spring Festival, and it was their kingdom's turn to host. To prepare him for his future royal responsibilities, his parents had decided that he would be the main event planner, though they would give him advice and insight along the way. They also insisted that Chan tag along so he could observe as well.

Seungcheol headed straight to the dining hall, where he saw his parents and Chan sitting at the table, about to eat. He skipped to his seat, humming softly, which left his parents looking at each other in confusion. Even Chan raised an eyebrow.

His father cleared his throat. "Did you have a good dream?" he asked.

Seungcheol grinned as he picked up his utensils. "You could say that."

As they ate, his parents started discussing the Spring Festival.

"Remember, Seungcheol," his father began, "the festival is coming up and you'll need to make sure the flower arrangements are perfect. Have you spoken with the servants about the floral designs?"

Without thinking, Seungcheol nodded, his mind elsewhere. He wasn't really listening. He was thinking about the day before- his 'date' with Jeonghan. Thinking back on it now, it felt more romantic than it had even seemed in the moment. The sunset behind them as they talked secretly away from prying eyes, where two different worlds met and blended in harmony. Two worlds just wanting to know more about each other. They had shared glances, smiles, and blushes. Seungcheol couldn't help but wonder...

Was Jeonghan thinking the same?

Suddenly, a splat of potato salad hit Seungcheol's face, yanking him out of his thoughts. Chan snickered from across the table, while their parents sighed in frustration.

"Chan!" their mother scolded. "What have we told you about playing with your food?"

Seungcheol wiped the salad from his face, glaring at his brother. He turned back to his parents just as his father asked, "Do you remember what type of flowers you need to arrange with the servants?"

Seungcheol paused, thinking, but then shrugged. "Uh... I'm not sure," he admitted.

His father sighed deeply, setting his cloth napkin aside. "Seungcheol, I already told you yesterday. You need to pay more attention. This festival is important, and if you can't handle something as simple as planning an event like this, how will you manage bigger responsibilities when you take the throne?"

Seungcheol shifted uncomfortably, nodding slightly.

"Look," his father continued, softening a little, "you should have fun with this. Put your own twist on the festival, but don't forget that it's a serious responsibility."

His mother smiled gently. "Remember, the point of the festival isn't just tradition. It's about bringing people together and showing the kingdom that you're capable of being creative and thoughtful in your leadership."

Seungcheol gave a small smile. "Alright. I'll make sure everything's perfect."

He looked over at Chan, who was now quietly eating his food. "But someone's going to help me clean up all this potato salad first."

𖢖⪻𓅢⪼𖢖

Right after breakfast, Seungcheol stumbled down to the main kitchen, where the private chefs, maids, and servants typically worked. He noticed it was unusually quiet and that no one was around, but he still wandered through the space out of curiosity. He hadn't really been in the kitchen since he turned eighteen, when his royal responsibilities had become so demanding that he rarely had the time to explore as freely as he used to.

As he looked around, he noticed a pot on the stove and leaned in to see what was inside. It looked like some kind of soup. Without much thought, he grabbed a wooden spoon and dipped it into the pot to give it a taste. Just as he was about to take a sip, a voice called out from behind him.

"It's not ready yet, Your Highness!" Seungcheol quickly turned around and saw Joshua, one of the servants, standing in the doorway. The only reason he knew Joshua's name was because they had been in the same gardening club when they were younger. The memory flashed through Seungcheol's mind: he had been twelve years old, and instead of going back to the castle after one of the fairs, he had wandered into the gardening club. There, he and Joshua had planted tulips together, and though Seungcheol hadn't thought much of it back then, it felt like a different world now.

An idea popped into his head.

What if Joshua helps me with the flower arrangements? If my memory serves me right, he was very skilled at that when we were younger.

"Would you be interested in helping me with the flower arrangements for the Spring Festival?" he asked, making the younger servant slightly confused by the suddenly request.

Joshua composed himself and quickly bowed. "Of course, Your Highness. I'd be happy to help."

Seungcheol waved off the formality. "Sorry about snooping around the kitchen, also."

Joshua raised an eyebrow but then shrugged. "That's no issue. The soup is for one of the maids. She's not feeling well today."

Seungcheol's expression shifted, his eyes widening with concern. "She's sick? Why is she still working if she's unwell?"

Joshua sighed softly. "That's just how it is, Your Highness. She needs to work to get he pay."

Seungcheol frowned slightly. "That's not right. Tell her she can take the soup home and rest until she's feeling better."

Joshua hesitated, clearly confused. "But if she doesn't work, she won't get paid, and-"

"I'll pay her myself," Seungcheol interrupted, his tone firm. "Whatever her wage is for today, I'll cover it."

Joshua stood there, momentarily speechless. In the five years he had worked for the royal family, he had never seen the king or queen act like this. While they were kind and fair, they still maintained a certain distance from the staff. It was almost as though he was experiencing culture shock- Seungcheol's compassion felt so out of place, so unexpected.

Seeing that Seungcheol was serious, Joshua bowed deeply and set off to deliver the message.