Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

49 |1| (De/Re)jection

There were a lot of things that he wanted to share with, to tell to, to hear from his family. 22 years is a massive gap and a short meeting is not enough to catch up with them. He has so much to find out about his newfound family. Although he was a bit reluctant at first, Seonghwa kept insisting that he should stay back at the cottage and that Wooyoung could come back to the palace anytime he's ready. If he wants to come back. He has found his real family, a subject that had never been brought up among them. A subject that seemed so far away and sounded like a dream just a few days ago.

Seonghwa, Bulan and Suria are about to make the journey back, but Wooyoung's parents invited them in for tea. Now they are sitting in a circle at the round table, facing the garlic bread and chocolate chip cookies Haneul just baked for them. Wooyoung is beaming and at the same time his eyes keep following the movements of his family members, as if fearing that they might disappear if he were to ever take their eyes off them. Wooyoung sits in between Haneul and his younger brother, Yeohan as soon as he finished helping his mother to serve the spread. He pats his brother's head as he lowers himself down onto the chair, and his brother grins back at him. Considering how close they look right now, it doesn't even look like they've never met before.

"I never would've thought that I'd be serving tea to two princesses at one time. It's an honour to have both of your highnesses here," Haneul says as she bows for a moment. "I hope that this spread is to your liking."

"Please, don't call us that. We're not princesses here, we are merely some people out to help them. I do hope that you can drop the honorifics. Just call us Suria and Bulan."

Suria nudges Bulan, who nods like a woodpecker. Bulan has a distinct glint in her eyes - as if she has found treasure. "Yes. In fact, I'm more honoured to be here. I'd never thought that I'd actually get to meet the people in the stories I've read multiple times."

"Stories?" Garam pipes up.

"Ah," Bulan clasps her fingers and fixes her glasses. "Your names are famous in the stories passed around because uh..." she trails off when she realizes that she might have come across as rude. She's treating them as if they're not real people, as if they don't have feelings. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."

"It's fine," Haneul replies softly. "I'm just curious on what they have got to say about us."

Bulan looks at the rest, as if trying to look for approval to start the story. When the rest doesn't seem like they're against the idea, she relays the whole story, without even leaving a single detail out, including the forewarning of a curse in case someone is to get involved with them. All along the storytelling, the couple doesn't seem angry; in fact they seem more amused.

"It's... amazing what people can come up with; a story crafted purely out of their own imagination," Garam laments.

"How did the story of the curse come about?" Seonghwa who has been quiet throughout, suddenly asks. "It doesn't make sense."

"Is it because you think a curse should be something scary? Something like... death?" Wooyoung's father examines the young man's face. There's something dignified about the young man in front of him, a determination that makes sure he won't let anyone cross him over.

"No. I'm just curious on how it relates to what you did 22 years ago," he replies carefully, trying not to touch the sensitive subject. He wants to know because the curse reminds him of someone he misses dearly. Akira.

"Well," Garam leans back in his chair. "From what we've heard from the young princess right here," he gestures towards Bulan, "We can't really confirm with anyone about not being able to see colours if you get involved with us, so maybe you can find out if there is actually a curse once you go back." He smiles lightly. "But I think I can figure out where the idea of the curse came from." He takes a deep breath, looking like he's going to tell a really long story.