MARKED BY THE MOON:THE HEIR AND THE MARKED

CHAPTER 6

Palace Garden – A Hidden Corner

Muwon stood calmly, adjusting the cuffs of his robe, while Yuhyun, Dohyun, and Taejin loomed nearby—behind them, a crowd of selected palace workers, handmaidens, and even a few low-ranking officials milled about, curious and whispering.

The setup was simple but dramatic. Flowers. A red carpet. A table with tea. A placard that read "Say Yes, Sihyun!" in unnecessarily flashy letters.

Muwon looked visibly nervous.

Taejin clapped his hands once.

"I think it's genius. Imagine—he walks in, everyone's cheering, emotions are high, you drop to one knee—bam! He says yes."

Yuhyun sighed, arms crossed.

"Or he kills everyone here in a magical fit of rage."

Dohyun elbowed Muwon, grinning.

"But seriously, what if he doesn't say yes?"

Muwon gave a dry smile.

"Then... maybe we're just not meant to be."

Taejin raised an eyebrow.

"A little dramatic, don't you think?"

Muwon shrugged.

"He means everything to me. I don't want to force him."

Yuhyun rubbed his temples.

"You're literally forcing him. With… people. And banners."

Dohyun laughed.

"If he doesn't show up, I'm making a dramatic exit and taking the pastries."

Muwon stared ahead toward the palace walkway.

"He'll come."

Taejin whispered under his breath,

"And if he doesn't… we're all doomed."

The King's Private Pavilion (Overlooking the Garden)

The king stood behind the silk curtains of his private pavilion, high above the palace garden, gazing down at the curious gathering below.

He narrowed his eyes.

A red carpet.

A ridiculous placard that said "Say Yes, Sihyun!".

A crowd that included his personal cooks, a few junior nobles, and even his notoriously grumpy royal scribe holding a small "❤️" flag.

"…What in the kingdom is going on?"

He turned sharply to the guard standing by the doorway.

"You. What is this nonsense?"

The guard bowed quickly.

"Your Majesty, Prince Muwon and his companions arranged a surprise… courtship celebration. To win over the demon sorcerer."

The king blinked.

"The demon sorcerer?"

"Sihyun, Your Majesty."

The king stepped forward slowly, clasping his hands behind his back as he observed the scene below.

"…They're doing this publicly?"

he asked dryly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It was Lord Dohyun and Lord Taejin's idea."

The king sighed long and slow, shaking his head.

"Fools. The whole lot of them."

Then he waved the guard away, murmuring to himself.

"Let's see how this unfolds…"

But despite the disapproval in his voice, the king remained rooted to the spot—watching closely, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

Palace Garden – The Grand (and Very Loud) Proposal

The moment Sihyun stepped into the garden path, he stopped dead in his tracks.

His eyes scanned the scene with growing horror:

Streamers fluttered in the morning breeze.

A ridiculous hand-painted banner read in bold,

"Make the Prince Happy: Say Yes!"

A group of palace staff, junior nobles, and confused musicians holding handmade heart signs were all lined up like they were attending a royal parade.

Muwon stood in the middle of it all—nervous but hopeful.

Dohyun and Taejin grinned proudly at the masterpiece they had orchestrated. Yuhyun stood quietly beside them, arms folded, clearly regretting everything.

Sihyun's gaze darkened.

His face slowly twisted as he muttered under his breath,

"I'm killing someone today."

The crowd parted like the sea as he marched through them, his robe sweeping behind him with every stormy step. Everyone stared, holding their breath. Even the birds went silent.

He walked up to Muwon—face calm, voice not.

With clenched teeth, Sihyun leaned in and hissed,

"What. Are. You. Doing?"

Before Muwon could speak, the crowd suddenly burst out in unison—

"PLEASE SAY YES! PLEASE SAY YES! PLEASE SAY YES!"

The chant echoed through the garden like thunder.

Sihyun flinched at the volume, his eye twitching. He turned slowly and spotted Dohyun and Taejin gleefully chanting along like mischievous devils.

"PLEASE SAY YES!"

He turned to Yuhyun.

Yuhyun just smiled at him innocently and gave a shrug as if to say, You're on your own, hyung.

Muwon gently reached for Sihyun's hand.

Despite the chaos, the noise, the people—his voice was steady.

"Sihyun… be my man."

Sihyun swallowed hard. He could hear nothing else but his own rapid breathing and Muwon's quiet voice.

The world narrowed to just the two of them.

His rage, his confusion, his walls—

—all shaking under the weight of those four simple words.

Sihyun's breath hitched, heart pounding under the pressure of dozens of voices chanting like a mantra around him—

"PLEASE SAY YES! PLEASE SAY YES!"

The crowd felt suffocating. His gaze snapped from face to face—Dohyun and Taejin were practically jumping from excitement, while Yuhyun watched silently, his expression unreadable but calm.

Sihyun's eyes returned to Muwon.

The prince stood unwavering, hopeful, refusing to back down.

Then—

Sihyun finally spoke.

His voice low, his words trembling, like they were betraying the emotions he'd been holding in for too long.

"If you don't stop this, I swear I'll do it myself."

Muwon stepped closer, undeterred.

"Not until you say yes."

The chants grew louder. The pressure... unbearable.

Sihyun's head pounded. His hand shot out and gripped the front of Muwon's robe tightly, dragging him close—

Their faces only inches apart.

He whispered, voice heavy with defeat, exhaustion, and maybe something else—

"Fine. Just… make them stop."

Muwon's eyes widened with joy. He leaned in, smiling.

"Does that mean you're saying yes?"

Sihyun exhaled shakily, eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

"…Yes."

The word came out soft.

But it was everything.

Muwon beamed like the sun had returned to the sky. Without waiting, he spun around and shouted:

"He said yes!!"

The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers, the garden exploding with laughter, claps, and celebratory whistles. Petals were thrown in the air from somewhere.

Dohyun and Taejin were yelling like drunk nobles at a spring festival, high-fiving and hugging people around them.

Sihyun blinked in pure horror.

He turned slowly to Muwon, eyes sharp, whispering furiously—

"You said you'd make them stop, not scream it to the whole palace!"

Muwon just grinned and pulled him into a tight hug, lifting him slightly off the ground.

"You've just made my entire year."

Sihyun exhaled, cheeks flushed.

He didn't hug back—but he didn't pull away either.

From the side, Yuhyun smiled warmly, quietly muttering to himself,

"Please… let this happiness last."

Royal Pavilion – The King's Private Viewing

The king stood alone, slightly hidden behind a sheer curtain in his private pavilion overlooking the palace garden.

His sharp gaze settled on the vibrant scene below—Muwon clutching Sihyun like he'd finally captured the moon itself. The crowd's cheers rang in the distance, shaking the palace air like an early storm of change.

He scoffed softly, arms folded behind him.

"Persistent little fool…"

the king muttered to himself, the edge of a smile playing on his lips—though it didn't reach his eyes.