It's not what she thinks, how do I say that I'm way more worse than what people say? How do I tell her what I actually am? His gaze wandering all over her face,his throat tightening with the feeling of anxiousness.
He straight away freed his hand from hers, leaving her muddled. He took some steps backward. Before she could ask anything, he said
"I have to go somewhere, maybe I'll stay out for night."
"B-but where are you going?" jang mi asked,puzzled.
"Just somewhere " with that he turned around and walked away.
"B-but-" she went towards the door but he didn't stop. She frowned in confusion.
Jae young headed to the living room and stopped there. The sound of his breathing reached his ears. It was my fault. She trusts me because she thinks,deep inside I am a good person. Sooner or later she will know about my real intentions, what will happen then? He thought, sighing an exasperated sigh. Will she ever support me when she will know what exactly I want?"
Jihoon entered in the room and did a deep bow.
"Your highness, shall we go now?" he said then gazed up at Jae young, noticing his aura was beyond agitated. He asked, "Is everything alright, your highness?"
Jae young let out a deep sigh, his gaze shifted reflectively to nothing in particular. "Master, is something bothering you?"Jihoon asked again, concerned.
"Jihoon, how do you think jang mi will react when she will find out about my.…real motive?" Jae asked. Jihoon's brows slightly lifted higher as he got it all. I knew this day would come. He thought.
"Tell me." Jae young asked impatiently. Jihoon lowered his eyes.
"uh...what can I say…?" he replied nervously.
"Did I not give her the idea of what I want? Because she thinks I-" Jae young got cut off by Jihoon.
"Master, You saved her and gave her another life. You've been taking care of her since the day you mey her, you treated her so well and provided her everything she needed. She knows it too. She never thought, you were getting something from this marriage. She was the only one. Now what do you expect her to think about you?"
Jaw young closed his eyes for. a few moments pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure what exactly was he regretting, meeting jang mi? Marrying her! Or being good to her...or everything? Because he knew she wouldn't support him with what she wanted.
**********************
Minhyuk entered in the room, slamming the door behind him. His eyes were rimmed with red,showing his clearly when Min ah approached him.
"Did you meet her?" She asked curiously waiting for his answer.
Sitting on the bed, he gripped on the sheets tightly with both his hands, his eyes on the ground. "What happened?" She asked again. She could see the anger in his eyes.
I bet no man, No man can stand his wife meeting her ex lover. She thought, an invisible smirk appearing on the edge of her lips. And a man like the 2nd prince? Never. She was looking intently at Minhyuk, wanting him to tell her everything that happened in Jae young's mansion.
"She said, s-she will never forgive me! She hates me!" He replied, his voice sounded irritated.
Min ah thought, her plan could fail because Minhyuk was stepping back so easily.
"Uh..Sh-she is angry with you, th-that's why she said that."Mina said.
I know she hates you and I know she will never come back to you. I just want you to separate her from the 2nd prince, I want the 2nd prince himself to kill her. Her inner thoughts were totally opposite from the things she was saying to Minhyuk.
"You cannot give up if you love her , Minhyuk." That made Minhyuk look at her with narrowed eyes.
"You seem too dedicated into this more than me." He said makings her nervous. "How did you gladly accept all of a sudden that I should make her marry me?Is this one of your dirty plans?"
"I already told you." She said, her lips quivering. She tried not to fidget and stay serious so he couldn't suspect her. "If you'll marry her then you'll stay happy and then you'll also forgive me, right? i-I'm ready to share you with her." Her hands reaching for his, she took his hand in her. "As long as you don't hate me anymore."
Minhyuk sighed, shifting his reflective gaze to the ground.
"I'm sure she will forgive you, It wasn't your fault anyways." Her voice had a hint of falseness but he was too lost in his thoughts to notice it.
*****************
Jaw young was sitting at a tavern, they had a reserved room for their meeting. He was in disguise so that none can recognise him outside.
Jihoon was sitting beside him when Hansu entered in the room. He was his cousin from his mother's side. He was a tall young man who was around at the age of 29. He had ling , wavy hair and greyish eyes like a glass marble.
He bowed and straight away sat opposite to Jae young. Nobody was suppose to know that Jae young was still in touch with his mother's side of family and so they used to meet like this for special discussions.
Few moments later after a little talk, Hansu spoke about the matter he had called Jae young there for.
"There is a problem now."
"What is it?" he asked.
"The king of Xue country is going to ask for the princess's hand in marriage for his son." Hansu said leaving Jae young astonished.
"What?" His eyes widened in shock.
"And your father is obviously going to accept it to improve the relation between both the countries, How are we supposed to attack Xue now?"
Jae young hardly slammed his hand on the table, making a loud sound. His breathing was rapid. Anger and frustration burning through him.
"That will wreck my palm!!!" He said , his voice louder.
Jihoon stood up and walked outside to keep an eye so that none could listen the conversation as Jae Young's voice was getting louder.
"How about we change our plan? I don't think, it's going to work now. If we will attack them they can easily suspect it's not from our country and they won't fight back."
Gritting his teeth, Jaw young closed his eyes for a moment trying not to lose his temper.
"What is this bullshit now all of a sudden!??"
"I'm sure, your father must have suggested it to clear the conflict between the both countries,to choose peace"Hansu assumed.
"THE HELL WITH PEACE!!! I WANT WAR!!!"He shouted, clenching his fist on the table.
"But what are we going to do now? I think, changing the plan would be the best option. Let's not take any risk with this,ok? What is they suspect you!"Hansu asked , concerned, his brows down.
"They can never suspect me, they couldn't suspect me for years." He said. "We will attack Xue country and I'll make sure they attack us back with more power. Plan will remain the same, it will just be modified."
"But how? How can we attack now?" Jihoon asked.
"Not now. Just wait for the right time. I'll tell you what are we going to do next."
Jihoon sighed and nodded his head.
"The prince of Xue will soon visit to meet the royal family and also the princess." he informed.
"Let him come. He will become the solution all these problems " His said, his gaze reflectively sharp.
"Y-you are not planning to do anything wrong to him,right? Because that way, things can get complicated and-"
"It depends" Jae young said, cutting him off. "It depends on what will he choose " Saying that an evil smirk appeared on the edge of his lips.
Hansu trusted Jae young with everything, of course because Jae young was the mastermind and they just had to follow his orders.
Hansu's family was also treated awfully by the people after the abolishment of Jae Young's mother from the position Queen . They hand to hide for years here and there. They and nothing to eat, nor roof to sleep. He decided to help Jae young since then in getting the throne so he and his family could live normally again.
After a while , Jihoon served white wine to both of them.
"I'll not drink" Jae young said, glancing at Jihoon. Jihoon bowed.
"Why not?" Hansu asked.
"I'll got back home after a while, I don't think I should drink." That made a frown across Hansu's face.
"We're meeting after so long, are you still not drinking with me?" Just a little?" He insisted.
"I-.…"
" I'm saying, just a little." He poured the wine in a little cup and gave it to Jae Young. "You can drink at least this much?" He asked.
After a while, Jae young sighed and nodded his head slightly, picking up the cup of wine.
"Well , Jihoon told me everything about you marriage. That was a very smart move. he said.
Jae young just hummed at that. He was trying not to think about Jang mi but it made his attention again shift to her thoughts while he took a sip from the cup.
"Why don't you too sit with us and have a drink,Jihoon? Let us all just become friend again like the old times for a while?" Hansu said to Jihoon.
Jihoon glanced at Jae young.
"Uh…i-I'm good-"
"It's okay , you can sit." Jae young said cutting him off.
He bowed and sat beside them.
Jihoon drank too much and he was half asleep while they were going back home in the palanquin.
"Yes, your highness!" he muttered in sleep, his voice heavy yet sleepy, his head fell on Jae Young's shoulder which made Jae young roll his eyes. "I'm your servant,my master." He was almost inaudible because of the stuttering.
Jaw young was getting annoyed by his talked when he pushed his head away by his shoulder, his eyes opened, he realized what just happened.
"M-my apologies, Your highness" he stammered looking at him, his eyes half closed.
"Stay awake!" Jae young commanded.
"Y-yes, yes your highness." he said, moving a little far from Jaw young so that he won't be touched anymore.
But he was really drunk and sleepy, he couldn't keep his eyes open when again after some time ,Jihoon's head drifting,dropped on Jae Young's shoulder. He again fell asleep there. Jae young sighed in annoyance.
"My lord, are you going to kill me too!!?" Jihoon raised his voice,lifting his hand slowly in sleep like as if he was standing in a war.
"JIHOON!!!" Jae young yelled by which Jae young immediately got up, startled, his heart pounding in his chest by his loud voice.
"P-please forgive me, master. My apologies, my apologies."He said, bowing head continuously many times with his hands together.
"I told you to stay awake!!" Jae Young's voice stern.
Jihoon's drunken eyes, glancing at him replied,
"Y-yes, yes my master." He opened his eyes widely and decided to keep them like that only so that he doesn't fall asleep again.
"I shouldn't have let you drink. What a waste you are when you're drunk!" he said.
Jihoon chewed his lips, lowering his head, like a kindergarten kid who was getting scolded by his teacher.
Jihoon kept dozing off during the ride by which Jae young was extremely annoyed but he didn't wake him up again. Once home, the guards took him to his room.