Behind These Walls | Park Banryu

XXIII

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at him. "I'm a what?" I stared at him in confusion. "Don't play dumb, I was told you are a half breed." Banryu responded. I shook my head. "N-no. No I'm not?" I denied even though I was just as confused. "Areum-"

Before he could say anything else I ran off and jumped onto my bed.

"You didn't tell me you are a half breed."

His words rang through my head like an alarm. "Half breed? I'm just a peasant aren't I? How could I be a half breed? I have no relation to a true bone whatsoever." I mumbled.

Is there something I don't know?

Banryu POV

Areum slipped away before I could explain anything else. "Is she playing dumb or did she really not know?" I questioned. I shrugged it off and quietly walked back to my dorm.

"Where did you go?" Jidwi asked me when I entered the room. "Washroom." I replied bluntly before getting back into bed. "Did you try to find Areum?" he questioned. Thank god Suho and the others were asleep. "No. Go to sleep." I scoffed and pulled the covers over my head.

I heard Jidwi let out a soft laugh before everything went silent.

Areum POV

I didn't get any sleep last night. I kept tossing and turning as the incident didn't leave my mind. I tried to think of other things, literally anything but nothing worked. Light started to shine through the thin curtains of my window and that's when I let out a loud sigh.

I gave in and rolled myself out of bed. I opened the curtains and let the sunlight shine on me for a while. I sat in front of the window and brushed my hair. Feeling the bristles run down my scalp to my hair as it got rid of any tangles gave me a sense of comfort. My mother would always brush my hair in the morning as she sang me a song. It was a chinese song that she would sing every time and I knew every word of it because of her.

(a/n: the song i'm talking about is a song by charlie zhou. I don't know the name of the song cuz it's in chinese but i highly recommend listening to his songs, he has a nice voice.)

I sang the tune and I closed my eyes and remembered the memories I had of my family when we were all together. I smiled and giggled to myself as I thought about all the happiness we had. Although, that was cut short when there was a knock on the door which made me open my eyes and my smile disappear.

"Areum, the queen is waiting for you." Mo Young says. "I'll be right there." I respond. I rushed to put on my hanbok. I was escorted to where the queen was.

"Areum, I am thankful for your loyalty and dedication to me and my family." Jiso smiled and I bowed. "Of course, your highness." I gritted my teeth. "I have a question for you Areum." she continued. "What is that?" "Do you have any family members that you lived with before entering the palace?" I gulped but maintained a calm face.

"No your highness, my family has been dead for a long time." I say and the queen looks at me with suspicion. "Are you sure?" she persisted and I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, why do you ask your highness?" I acted clueless. She seemed quite annoyed at my answer.

"No big reason, I just wanted to thank them as well for raising such a good girl." she recovered. "If you don't mind me asking, how did your family pass?" My brain scrambled to make up a lie. "Both my parents fell ill, so did my brother a while after they passed." The queen clenched her jaw at each word that I said.

"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that." The queen muttered and I chuckled. "It's nothing, they've been long gone and I've managed to survive on my own. I'm pretty strong to say the least." I grinned at her and she turned her head to roll her eyes but I took notice of it.

"If that is all, I shall leave now." I broke the silence, bowed and traveled to the exit. "Before you go..." the queen called out before she continued her sentence. "What was your mother's name?" I stopped in front of the door and smirked. "Sorry your highness, I must not be late. The princess might get angry." I say and leave.

I strolled down the hall and scoffed to myself. It seems you're starting to finally figure it out.

Queen Jiso POV

"Sorry your highness, I must not be late. The princess might get angry." Areum spoke before walking out the door. My eyes widened and I cursed. "T-that bitch!" I scream out.

"Watch out Areum, because I can take your life in a matter of seconds. Just like what I did to your parents." I smirked.

Areum POV

"Sorry for the hold up, your mother called for me." I apologized to the princess. "You two aren't needed for today anyway. I'm getting annoyed about two dogs following me around all the time. I'll let you two go for today." The princess asserted which made me roll my eyes.

"Thank you, your highness." I said through a clenched jaw and left the room along with Seonwoo. "Are you going to go see Ah-ro today?" I asked Seonwoo and he nodded. "Alright, see you around." I waved.

I stood in the same spot for a good minute before starting to walk out the gates until I noticed something unusual.

It was Jidwi entering the palace. I furrowed my eyebrows as the doors were opened for him immediately.

Who are you Jidwi?

Jidwi POV

I was told by Pa-Oh that my mother called for me so I walked into the palace. "Yes mother?" I walked to her. "Jinhueng, Areum was your teacher for hwarang. Did you two grow close during that time?" she asked me which made me confused. "No, not really mother. Why?" "Has she grown close with any of the other hwarangs?" she asked another question, ignoring mine. "Why do you ask?" "Just answer the question!" she strictly let out. I sighed. "Banryu and Suho seemed to have a liking towards her. What are you going to do to her?"

"Her mother. She was a wonhwa." My mother breathed out. "Don't tell me you're going to kill her." I clenched my jaw. "I have to, she claims that her parents fell ill and died but I know she's lying. I killed her parents." "Mother, leave her alone. She doesn't even know who the king is." I tried to convince her but she shook her head.

"Even so, she holds more power than you think." My face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean? It seems like she has no rank." I reasoned but she looked me dead in the eye.

"Her mother is my sister. Areum is your cousin, Jinheung."