Precious ◈ | Seongjoong/Yungi ✓

Episode 6: Sleeping Souls Dwell in the Deep ◈ Part 1

Seoul Palace feels colder than he remembers. It's as if the whole building is encased in thick, arctic ice. There is not a single loving memory of this place. Even the moments with his father were burned to ash. Mingi doesn't say a single word throughout the journey here, but he wonders if he'll have the courage to speak up against the villainess of his story.

Soldiers walk him into the throne room. Despite coming of his own volition, they would naturally stay vigilant lest he attempt to run. He knows he won't, but he wouldn't trust himself either if he was them. Running away again won't solve his problems, though.

He'll most likely kill himself instead.

His presence put everyone in danger, and running back to them will reverse the effects of giving himself up. What would be the point then?

And there she is, sitting on her platinum throne. Song Hajung. Actually, Mingi's father's surname wasn't Song. When the Queen forced the man to marry her, she legally changed his name. Technically, all of their children took on their mother's maiden name. Mingi remembers his father telling him his real name once: Yoon Hamin.

Hajung jitters elatedly at the sight of the young man below her. She uncrosses her legs and clacks down the staircase to greet him. Her smile is manic, one that belongs in an asylum rather than a royal seat.

Flushing down his emotions along with his saliva in a thick gulp, Mingi keeps his expression blank. Only his eyes show what he's truly feeling—sadness and terror. Realistically, he's bigger than the woman and could easily take her down; but when one is broken by trauma inflicted since birth, they often lack the courage to do anything even with that sort of strength.

Not to mention that she's his mother, and Mingi is too pure of a soul to lay a hand on her. The source of his innocence is a mysterious miracle and a badly-timed curse.

Hajung cups the man's cheeks, and a tear slides down her face. "My son... Welcome home."

This shithole is nowhere near a home.

When she doesn't receive a response, the villainess loses her temper. "Won't you speak to your mother?!"

"...I'm sorry," Mingi mumbles meekly.

"You should be." Hajung scrutinizes him from head to toe in disgust. "Those sea slugs have tainted you. Look at what you're wearing! And this hair—oh, this hair! I thought the red your father pushed on you was bad, but this orange is wild like a hooligan. It must be dyed black at once."

A strong string snaps within Mingi, one of many holding him together. "No. I like my hair."

Hajung scoffs, "I didn't ask if you did. I said it needs to be changed. Your room has been cleaned up in preparation for your arrival, so go wait there until the hairdresser comes."

"I said no," the prince defies. Barely ten minutes, and she's already trying to deconstruct the parts that make him himself.

Just like that, the faux warmth in her eyes ices over just like the air in the palace. Mingi recognizes that look.

And he knows what comes after it.

Such a shame. Yunho worked really hard to heal Mingi from those scars.

The Queen is shorter than her son even with her stilettos, but in this moment, it's like she's towering over him through sheer power. "You've been learning bad habits. No worries. I can fix you. Just like my father fixed me."

Mingi shakes his head desperately, but the woman issues the order. The soldiers by his side capture him by his arms and drag him out of the room, their combined strength too much for him. Not there. Not that dark room, please!