Cinderella's Fate | 🤍 seongjoong 🤍

Chapter 47

Narrator's POV

The questioning began.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" Hongjoong asked, his face serious as he looked at Seonghwa.

    Seonghwa stood by the small couch in Hongjoong's office, nervously nodding. He wasn't sure what to expect from this situation.

"I need a verbal answer," Hongjoong added, his tone firm.

Seonghwa responded.

"I swear." He raised his hand, swearing, his eyes wide at seeing a new side of Hongjoong.

 He had never seen his friend like this before.

"What were you doing before I caught you?" Hongjoong asked, his voice steady and intense.

"I was getting a book," Seonghwa answered quickly.

"What book? And why do you need it?" Hongjoong pressed.

"The book is called Fate," Seonghwa replied. "Yunho told me he needed it."

Hongjoong paused, thinking for a moment before asking, "Do you know what's in the book?"

"No," Seonghwa answered, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" Hongjoong asked, stepping closer. He had noticed how quickly Seonghwa had grabbed the book earlier. His reflexes had been too fast, and now Hongjoong wanted answers. He held out his hand.

Seonghwa looked confused for a moment, but then handed the book over to Hongjoong.

    Hongjoong held the book carefully, feeling its weight. It wasn't just heavy because of its size; it felt important. Seonghwa sat beside him, watching closely.

"This book is about my family's history," Hongjoong said quietly. "Yunho has access to it, so there was no reason for you to be here. But if Yunho needed it, let's look at it together and find out why."

    Hongjoong opened the ancient cover, and the soft creak of the pages filled the silence. He began reading, his finger tracing the family tree on the first pages, stopping at his own name. Seongwa's eyes followed, relating to the history that he had lived that day at the ball , remembering vividly that Hongjoong's direct ancestor was part of the rebellion. It read: "The prince of this land and his descendants are bound to a sacred blessing: the gift of true love."

    It was a bond between soulmates, said to bring balance and peace, not only to the royal's heart but to the entire kingdom. This bond wasn't simply a romantic connection—it was something deeper. The connection between the royal and their soulmate would affect every part of their being.

    As Hongjoong continued reading, the book described how the bond between soulmates grew stronger with time. It was meant to fuse the souls of each person, becoming stronger and more vulnerable through their bond. But if neglected, or if the bond was broken, chaos would follow.

"It speaks of my family's blessing... and the dangers it brings. And that's why they were hoping to find my soulmate at the ball , and by tradition the first person you dance with , no matter the circumstance, is the designated soulmate. That is why the book is named Fate " His eyes met Seonghwa's, the truth in his gaze clear. "The one I'm meant to be with... their presence comes with a cost. Someone will always try to destroy the bond."

     Seonghwa frowned. Clearly, he was worrying that just like his life , the feelings he had built towards Hongjoong had become meaningless since it was already predetermined. However, the clue in the story meant that there was danger ahead of them, as it was also predetermined.