Uk turned his head, facing Min Jun with a droppy eyes. The prince– still in his official seja robe– smiled as soon as his eyes gaze upon him.
"I see that you already found the paper..."
Uk lifted the marriage certificate on air and casually handed it to Min Jun. His eyes pierced deep, asking for a good explanation. No words coming out of his mouth. There's no need to. Min Jun knew what he needed the most right now.
The truth.
The new appointed Seja moved closer to Uk. As he faced his lover, he flaunted a bitter smile. Staring at the face that he missed the most; his heart felt restless. He wanted to kiss Uk so bad, but he knew that's not the thing he needed right now.
"You lie to the kingdom, jeoha mama..
"I have no choice. I don't want to betray my own words; my own promise..."
"To whom?"
"Dan."
That short reply made Uk scoffed. "That's... Too lame to use his name..."
"He was the one who brought this marriage certificate. I didn't know, until he recited about it before he passed away. I thought, maybe he had his family seal, but I guess, he knew even his seal won't help Soo Young," Min Jun explained, word by word.
"How can this... Exist?" Uk asked, voice still in suspicion.
"There's an error during the registration. The office was busy and they accidentally mix the documents. We had to wait for another two hours for a new certificate. What a hustle day, indeed..." Min Jun said. "And, it's not even worth it! In the end, I got ghosted by my sobangnim before I could even explain myself–"
"We were away from each other for almost six months, jeoha mama. How would I know if you suddenly change your mind? And I don't even know that Dan and Soo Young ever planning to get marry!"
Min Jun grabbed Uk by his waist and pulled him closer. They lock eyes before Uk slowly retreated. Even if they're in a relationship, Min Jun now is a Seja. That fact alone was already drew a thick line between them.
"I think, we should reassign and reconsidering our status, jeoha mama. You're Seja. You shouldn't behave like this–"
"Before I became Seja, I am your lover," Min Jun scoot even more closer. "I put my priority based on what or who comes first."
"You're too high for me to reach now, jeoha–"
"Call me jeoha again, I'll cut your tongue!"
"I might lose my tongue if I didn't address you like that, jeoha–"
"ENOUGH!"
Min Jun's thunderous voice strike across the room. Had Soo Young didn't chase away all the guards and court maids, everyone at the Red Ruby might acknowledge the fight between these two lovers.
Min Jun huffs a bit before he calmly grabbed a chair. He took a deep breath, lowered his back and sat on the chair. Looks like a lovely method to coax Uk had failed. Right now, he had no choice but to talk like two mature men with Uk.
"I can understand your reaction. If I've been in your shoes, I might react the same. Or maybe worst," Min Jun stated. "But at least, I want to hear the excuse. I won't simply run, and I can't bear the overthinking as well! So please, hear me out!"
Uk sighed. He bit his lower lips, supressing the frustrated feeling inside. His broken heart caused him to act a bit childish. But, he couldn't blame himself for feeling betrayed. He loved Min Jun so much, so when he learned the news from the man himself, the world just crashed on his head and shattered his heart into pieces.
Cause he loved Min Jun so much!
"You're matter to me, sobangnim. I love you so much, I don't think anyone in this world will understand how deep is my feeling for you. But, you should know, I have my obligations as a cousin, as a friend..." Min Jun glared at Uk. "... And as a prince to the kingdom and people."
Uk sighed again. His mind was too messy to think right now. He could only grabbed another chair and took his place– facing Min Jun– and sat in silence while looking at him.
"I'm not mad at you anymore, jeoha mama. I think, more or else, my guts churn for something else. It's about us," Uk softly explained his emotion. "I don't think there's a future for us, jeoha mama. Now, you're a Seja. Eyes all over you. Your movement will be the center of the attention."
Min Jun shut. His fingers rub the top part of the table. "We used to debate over this long time ago, I believe. Somehow, it feels different now," he said.
Uk nodded. Finally, they came back to square one. The same issue, but this time, they both were in a different position. The gap wasn't that large before, but now, it's insanely huge.
Unconsciously, Min Jun's fingers dance, lurking around Uk's hand on the table. The crown prince softly grabbed it, making them locking gaze again.
"Ahn Uk, do you still love me?" Min Jun asked a simple, yet meaningful question. Uk's eyes brim with tears as he stared at Min Jun. The overwhelming feelings flushed all over him. Unconsciously, his head nodded faintly. Although he was fully aware that it's wrong for him to love Min Jun, now that his status had changed.
"People used to say, goodbye isn't always forever. I believe, there's a layer of it. I can fully understand your position right now. But, trust me... In any sort of circumstances, my love for you remains the same," said Min Jun. Softly, his fingers travel along Uk's forearm, straight up to his cheek.
The two men simply exchange smile, though in bitter.
"I might be belong to the kingdom, but my heart and soul belong to you. Things will be hard for us now, but I won't back off from my true feelings, sobangnim. I love you, and it will always be like that," the crown prince earnestly let out his feelings.
Uk nodded. "My heart remains the same, jeoha mama. Trust me. All I did is for you."
Min Jun can finally smiled properly. "I got the answer that I want. The assurance that I need. I'm glad!"
Uk blink his eyes. "What... What do you mean?"
"So, now you said what you did is all for me. So, I believe, I have rights to make some demands, isn't it?" Min Jun suddenly turned cheeky. The air felt lighter from the heavy storm just now.
"What demand?" Uk asked.
"Well... As a Seja, I demand you to stay in this kingdom, and becomes my bodyguard again. No more foreign business for you. No more military missions. Stay by my side, along with manora jaga and protect us," said Min Jun. He handed a scroll– in golden tube– to Uk.
"This–"
"Yes. The official sealed indictment from jeonha mama himself. From now on, you're my head bodyguard. With that, you have to take an oath; no matter what happens, you can't leave me."
Uk read the scroll carefully. The demand not only made by Min Jun, but Soo Young's name also mentioned in a clause where they need a guarantor to support the demand.
"Soo Young needs her friend. And, I need my boyfriend.."
Uk scoffed as he turned away, hiding his shyness. Min Jun slowly stood up, spread his hands for a hug. Uk carefully arrange his stance as he softly squished the crown prince into a warmth embrace.
"I'm sorry for ghosting you..." Um softly whispered to Min Jun.
"Do that again, and I'll cut you into pieces. I meant it. I am a Seja now, I can do a lot of things to you. Remember that!" the warning sounded silly yet true for Uk.
"Please don't misuses your power, jeoha mama..."
"Love can make people go crazy anyway..."
Uk let out a faintly giggles as he tighten his hug. Min Jun rest calmly in the embrace, tossing away the worries about future. Right now, they said goodbye for the past, to the future that awaits for them. He felt brave enough to face the new dawn, with Uk by his side, nothing seems impossible now.
"This love will stay forever, wangjanim..."
"I know..."
They both shut their eyes and soak in the love that binded them, forever.