Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

extra #3: crimson's pride

Year 3085

Madam Kang folds her hands on her lap demurely, her eagle-like eyes trained on the servants that are putting down their breakfast before them. Her eyes then dart back and forth from her family - her husband and two children - gathered around the dining table and her yellow-blooded employees setting up the table. She flinches when she catches sight one of them almost tipping over one of the glasses, but relaxes when she manages to catch it in time. She wants to bark at the servant, fire her this instant but she decides that today is not the day. Today is a day for celebration, because her eldest son, only 17 years old, has been invited officially through a letter to live at the palace, to act as the royal doctor.

That's something to boast about, and that's something what people like them - crimson-blooded - should be getting.

"Doesn't this call for a celebration, Yeosang? You are officially the royal doctor," she gushes over to her son, whose eyes are only directed at the food in front of him. This little disrespectful brat, she mutters to herself, but still, he's my son. "Yeosang?" she utters through gritted teeth, already feeling annoyed that her son is not paying attention to her.

"Mother, it's still not official until I get to the palace. Calm down," he mumbles. His hand is already reaching to grab another piece of bread but his mother swats it away, glaring at him. Only when he looks up and resists the urge to roll his eyes does he say, "Well, yes, mother. Of course it's a day for celebration."

"Does this mean I can always come over to visit you at the palace anytime I want?" his younger sister, Yoojung, bounces excitedly in her seat at the thought.

He resists the urge to roll his eyes once again, because she knows that visiting him is the last thing his sister plans to do if she were to step foot at the palace. "Sure, do whatever you want. Or maybe you'll find yourself kicked out before you even managed to see that Seonghwa guy or whatever his name is because you're annoying."

"Mother, look at him being mean to me!" Yoojung whines, already crossing her arms with lips pouting.

"There, there, it's not the time to fight over this," Sir Kang suddenly speaks up when he sees that his wife's eyes are already bulging, glaring at her two children fighting. "Yeosang, be nice to your sister. And Yoojung, please stop talking about this-" he looks to his wife.

"Park Seonghwa," Madam Kang replies while grumbling.

"-this Park Seonghwa boy because who knows what colour his blood is. For all we know he could be a commoner or worse, a servant, and you don't want that, do you, dear?" Sir Kang says it gently, but there is a sneer in her voice, clearly mocking the thought of it. "The one you should be looking at is another nobleman, or even better, find a prince yourself." He leans back in his chair, finished with his breakfast.

The Kang family is a respected family, one of the richest noblemen in the kingdom and ones that care too much for their blood colour. Their family is blessed with both riches and looks and it's obvious that they passed it on to their two children. Yoojung might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but Yeosang's hands and brains are clearly a gift. Their son is only 17 but people from all over the kingdom have visited them to get treated by him. Although his parents itch to turn away the servants and commoners because they are considered unworthy; they stayed still by the thought that their son could finally be noticed by the palace to take him in as their royal doctor.

It worked, as a letter bearing the emblem of the Nyla's royalty arrived in their mailbox yesterday. Their son is finally one step closer to royalty, but there is one thing that worries both the parents.

"Yeosang, you know how once you live in the palace, you will meet all kinds of people, right, son?" She presses on, trying to fake the cheeriness in her voice. She slightly shudders at the thought of her son, alone, at the palace, mingling with those who are not crimson-blooded.