The Scarlet Heart (MarkHyuck)

4. Hair Accessories

Haechan was still startled and stared straight at Prince Minhyung whose left face was covered in a mask. Prince Minhyung still hugged Haechan's waist in front of him. Prince Minhyung spurred his horse hard, making Haechan's hand hold tightly to Prince Minhyung's slave to keep his balance so as not to fall.

Prince Minhyung stopped his horse's steps, and pushed Haechan down from the horse. Haechan fell to the ground, grimacing in pain. People in the market still look frightened to see the presence of Prince Minhyung. Haechan tried to stand up while holding her painful waist. Haechan looked at Prince Minhyung angrily.

"Wait!" haechan shouted furiously, stopping Prince Minhyung who was about to leave.

"Can you drop someone like they're stuff or a sack?" haechan said angrily, Prince Minhyung still did not care and chose to leave immediately. Haechan again restrained Prince Minhyung's horse pace by standing in front of Prince Minhyung's horse.

"Say wait, don't go yet! You ride horses at high speed when there are people on a narrow road like this? Let's see that! Looky, looky. Everyone should step aside because of you. Humans are more important than cars, um, I mean more important than horses. Is your horse more important?" haechan said shouting and had a wrong word.

Prince Minhyung smiled cynically at Haechan's angry babble. Prince Minhyung pulled the strap of his horse. The horse responded with a neigh and raised both of its front legs high. Obviously Haechan immediately retreated in fear to fall for fear of being kicked by a horse leg.

Once again Prince Minhyung smiled slightly and left from before Haechan.

"Hey, hey, you!" haechan shouted while pointing towards Prince Minhyung who had gone far away.

A woman approached Haechan. "Agasshi forget this" The woman tried to give Haechan a suggestion.

"I can't forget this, we have to catch the guy" Haechan said.

"Whatchu mean? You really don't know the Fourth Prince? He is the Fourth Prince. You're alive and you're lucky" said the woman.

"Fourth prince? Prince again? How many children did King Donghae have?" haechan said she never thought she would have to meet the Prince again. Haechan again remembered her goal of pursuing Heechul but she had already lost track of him.

"Agasshi" Jeongra came after Haechan in a hurry.

"What is Agasshi doing here?" jeongra said worriedly.

"Jeongra, who is this tall man? With big eyes, he's out of our house. Did you know there were such guests?" haechan asked Jeongra.

Jeongra did not answer Haechan's question.

"It's not the time you're here. Princess Minah is looking for you everywhere." Jeongra said in a panic, Haechan also panicked that Princess Minah was looking for her.

♡♡♡

"Why the fourth Oraboni has not come yet" said Princess Minah who was with the Princes.

"It looks like the fourth brother is not coming" Princess Minah added looking at the door.

"Seeing the fourth Hyungnim alone has given me a headache" Prince Jaemin said.

"Two days ago I met him and I accidentally stepped on his foot" Prince Jaemin told his brothers.

"He immediately said something horrible to me 'would you die?', I was so scared" Prince Jaemin said as he covered part of his face resembling Prince Minhyung's mask.

"You suck" taunted Princess Minah to Prince Jaemin.

"We do have the same mother, but we rarely communicate. I can't talk to him well. If I greet him, he never responds to me." Prince Sungchan.

"He does have a tendency to ruin people's moods in an instant" Prince Wookhei commented.

Suddenly the door opened, Prince Minhyung entered. The atmosphere suddenly became quiet and tense. Prince Sungchan, Prince Jaemin and Prince Wookhei who previously told Prince Minhyung look scared.

Princess Minah smiled happily seeing Prince Minhyung coming to the palace. Prince Minhyung just stared coldly at his brothers.

Prince Jaehyun glanced cynically at the younger brother.

Prince Jaemin, Prince Wookhei and Prince Sungchan also greeted him politely and rushed to a corner of the room.

"Hyungnim, you're coming" said Prince Kwanhyung, who hasn't seen him in a long time. Prince Minhyung ignored him, then chose to sit away from the others.

"You're late apparently, you and I should practice for the ritual together separately." Said Prince Jeno looking casually talking to her brother.

"We can do it" Prince Minhyung said.

"We haven't heard from you at all in Shinju, so we're almost going to get people to go to Shinju. Why don't you ever tell me?" princess Minah said kindly.

"Aren't I here now" Prince Minhyung said.

"You should stay here with us while you're in Songak. I want to hear about Shinju." Princess Minah said.

"Yes, you'd rather stay here than stay at the Queen's residence." Prince Jeno agreed to his sister's suggestion.

"Jeno don't try too hard. He understands animals better than man." Prince Jaehyun said with a cynical tone.

The other four of their younger siblings looked frightened and shocked at Prince Jaehyun's words. Prince Minhyung just sighed hearing the innuendo of his mother brother.

"Ah, how yes, I think your words are too clear" Prince Minhyung said.

The atmosphere of tension in the room d was slightly solved by the waiters who will serve drinks and food.

Jeongra entered with several servants to serve food and drinks to the Princes and Princess Minah, Haechan peeked out from the front door and entered by covering her face to avoid being recognized by the Princes.

Prince Minhyung looked at Haechan who came in by covering his face and hiding behind a pole.

Prince Jaemin's attention was on Haechan who was acting strangely. Prince Jaemin approached him. Prince Jaemin was in front of Haechan with a pole between them. Prince Jaemin tried to see the face but Haechan always avoided it. Prince Jaemin pulled Haechan by force and looked at her face fixedly.

"Have you ever seen me before?" prince Jaemin said.

"Never" denied Haechan.

"You don't look foreign." Prince Jaemin said sure.

"No, no way" Haechan continued to deny it.

The other Jung brothers saw it too. Prince Jaemin tried to take a closer look at Haechan's face to confirm it. Haechan tried to outwit her by rolling her eyes to avoid being recognized by Prince Jaemin.

"You're the one who's been peeking at us taking a shower, right?" prince Jaemin said. Finally Prince Jaemin recalled Haechan, the woman who spied on them while taking a bath.

"Where is possible" Haechan denied it anyway.

Prince Jaemin raised the face of Haechan who kept his head down by holding Haechan's cheek.

"Yes, that's you!" yells.

"That's not me!" haechan said that he shook Prince Jaemin's hand and accidentally hit the tray containing drinks held by Jeongra. The tray fell down to cause a commotion.

"What's this?" princess Minah was angry. Haechan chose to run away.

"Hyungnim is that girl?" Prince Sungchan was ready to pull out a sword to fight if it was the woman who was spying on them.

"It seems he was surprised so I think it was him" Prince Kwanhyung also felt Haechan was indeed the one after seeing Haechan's shock at Prince Jaemin's accusations.

Prince Jeno smiled slightly at Haechan's behavior.

"His appearance changed, he used to be very neat and polite, wasn't it Hyungnim?" prince Kwanhyung asked Prince Jeno.

"I don't know about him either, we're not too close, I'm not sure" Prince Jeno said.

"Jaemin you must have seen wrong, where maybe Haechan could be in the bath area special royal members" Princess Minah told Prince Jaemin.

"I'm very good at recognizing people's faces, I'm sure" said Prince Jaemin, feeling he was not wrong.

Haechan made it out safely. "That kid, that little guy should believe it, I've said no" Haechan said. "I'd be crazy if things were like this, if I could get through today I probably wouldn't see her again" Haechan said sighing and patting her chest.

Prince Jaemin exited the room to look for Haechan.

"What's he doing here?" said Haechan who saw Prince Jaemin and immediately hid from Prince Jaemin.

"Where is he?" asked Prince Jaemin to himself, he turned left and right but did not find him. "Where or there" said Prince Jaemin, pointing left and right. Finally Prince Jaemin chose to walk directly to the front. He looked around for where Haechan had gone to check the big urn to stir the glue.

Prince Jaemin's steps stopped at a door to the room, then he peeked out of the hole of the door that was hollow, seen Jeongra who faced back was changing clothes. Haechan came out from hiding, looking from behind Prince Jaemin was cool peeking out of the door hole while continuing to gulp.

Jeongra turned his back, feeling that someone was watching him from the door hole and then shouted hysterically when he found out that someone was peeping.

Jaemin frantically attempted to flee, but his steps were stopped by Haechan already standing with a sinister gaze blocking the path of Prince Jaemin.

"Stop" said Haechan blocking Prince Jaemin's path.

Jeongra came out with an angry face and shouted "who is it". but his shout stopped because the culprit was a Prince.

"I'm right you're peeking" said Haechan, convinced the Prince of Jaemin had peeked.

"Do you suspect me? I am a Prince, how could I peek at a lowly servant like him" Prince Jaemin said as he puffed his chest.

"Yes, it is" Haechan said confidently.

"Are you sure it was me who did it?" prince Jaemin asked Jeongra. Jeongra looked scared to talk to the prince.

"My jawab. Are you sure you saw me peeking?" prince Jaemin asked with glaring eyes.

"I didn't see it clearly" Jeongra said with fear and a bowed face.

"You heard that, right? You shouldn't suspect the Prince anymore." Prince Jaemin said he felt he could escape responsibility because he was a prince. Prince Jaemin is leaving.

"Jeongra may not see you, but I see you clearly. I understand that you're curious about women. However, it was not good to peek at them! Apologize to him now!" Haechan stopped Prince Jaemin's departure.

"I'm sorry you said? Are you telling a prince to humble himself in front of a servant? There is no such regulation in this country" Prince Jaemin said and told Haechan to step aside.

"Hey! You're not ashamed? Basic Taka was shameless" Haechan sneered still blocking Prince Jaemin's path.

" You dare to speak like that in front of a Prince? How insolent of you!" Prince Jaemin said.

"Surge!"

Haechan chased after him, "You have to apologize now" Haechan said.

Prince Jaemin was angry when Haechan dared to pull his clothes"Ah really, your value is just a grain of rice" Prince Jaemin said to Haechan and pushed it down.

Haechan grew angrier and immediately pulled the leg of Prince Jaemin as he was about to leave and eventually fell rolling over. The two of them immediately pulled each other by pulling hair.

The sound of Haechan and Prince Jaemin fighting was heard all the way to the room where the Princes and Princess Minah were.

"I think there's a fight outside" Prince Sungchan said in shock at the noise outside.

"It must be Jaemin Hyungnim" lamented Prince Kwanhyung. The two of them came straight out of the room.

"They are not grown at all" commented Prince Wookhei, Prince Jaehyun with his world gaze walking out of the room.

"Yes, everywhere the fight is very entertaining" said Prince Wookhei and followed the brother out of the room. So will Prince Jeno, Princess Minah will come out and see Prince Minhyung just sitting while raising his legs while closing his eyes, as if he did not care.

Prince Jaemin managed to make Haechan unable to move by curling his neck, but Haechan retaliated by biting Jaemin's arm. Finally Prince Jaemin let go of his hand. All had already come out of the room looking at Prince Jaemin's fight with Haechan who was a woman.

Haechan managed to kick Prince Jaemin down, Prince Sungchan and Prince Kwanhyung held back laughing because Prince Jaemin could get kicked by women. Haechan was finally able to sit on Prince Jaemin's body while hitting the prince's face.

"Hey.... You think it'll be safe after this?" prince Jaemin threatened.

"Loose man!" haechan.

"You won't win against me". Reply to Prince Jaemin by sticking his tongue out at Haechan who was on it.

"Still you talk." Haechan said angrily then banged his head on Prince Jaemin's face.

Prince Jeno gawks at Haechan's behavior, Prince Sungchan and Prince Kwanhyung laughs at Prince Jaemin being defeated by women. Jeongra was frightened because Haechan dared to hit a prince.

"People like you should be taught a lesson to be aware" said Haechan wanted to hit Prince Jaemin but his hand was held by someone, Haechan yelled asking to be released.

Prince Minhyung had already walked out of the room and was now holding Haechan's hand who wanted to hit his sister. Haechan was surprised to see Prince Minhyung already in front of him, Prince Minhyung immediately pulled Haechan's hand until he stood right in front of his face. The two stared at each other.

Prince Jaemin woke up, "Hyungnim, don't let go of the woman" Prince Jaemin told Prince Minhyung.

Prince Jeno detains Prince Jaemin who wants to fight again with Haechan.

"She's a terrible woman, you crazy girl" Prince Jaemin said, upset to hit Haechan.

"Jaemin" said Prince Jeno to stop Prince Jaemin.

"Youngnim!" The Prince of Jaemin protest.

"Many servants have seen" said Prince Jeno, reassuring Prince Jaemin that the servants were looking at everything, "do you have to keep doing it".

Prince Jaemin was upset and chose to go the other way.

Haechan tried to let go of her hand, but Prince Minhyung held it so tightly that he finally let go with a mocking smile at Haechan. Haechan glanced cynically as Prince Minhyung dared to hold his hand.

♡♡♡

Prince Minhyung walked down the stairs, Haechan who was still upset chased and called out "Hey, wait" Finally Prince Minhyung stopped walking with a cold glance.

"You've done this before, am I like a sack or something?" haechan complained to Prince Minhyung.

"You should apologize too." Haechan.

"I? Who are you?" prince Minhyung said asking who the woman in front of him was.

"I? You ask me who? Haechan. My name is Seo Haechan." Haechan.

"I didn't ask your name. What was your position to act like that towards the prince?" prince Minhyung.

"Tell me, you have to apologize. Why are you asking for my rank like I'm in military school? Would you ignore me if I were a servant and apologize if I was a Princess? God, this is a weird neighborhood." Haechan said annoyedly.

"So, do you want to hear my apology?" ask Prince Minhyung.

"Yes, and not just from you, but from the little one, the little prince. I'll get an apology from him too. The higher your position, the more you should care about justice. Didn't we?" Haechan.

"Alright, but after you hear me say 'sorry' to you, then you have to die. Does that matter to you?" said Prince Minhyung walking over to Haechan, standing right in front of his face.

Haechan just looked at him, he started to gamang.

"then so... I'm asking.." Prince Minhyung's apology stopped.

Because Haechan suddenly shouted to Madame Injoon. "Eonni, have you come to look for me?" haechan exclaimed at Madame Injoon, Haechan ran over to Madame Injoon and walked behind him.

Madame Injoon had paid her respects to Prince Minhyung who was her brother-in-law. Prince Minhyung could do nothing and saluted his sister-in-law and let Haechan go following Lady Injoon.

"Let's go. Come on, let's go and talk" Take Haechan to Madame Injoon.

After Haechan's departure, Prince Minhyung called his name "Seo Haechan.."

♡♡♡

Madam Injoon piled stones with a mountain-like shape, besides there were also several mountain-shaped stones and also lanterns hung on a tree without leaves. Madam Injoon started praying, Haechan just kept quiet while biting her lips.

"Whatever the reason, you have struck the son of the King of our nation. You won't be able to avoid punishment. Maybe my prince will be punished too." Said Mrs Injoon who thought it might also affect Prince Jeno.

"Do you think you can help me? I'll try my best to explain it to the King." Haechan said she was starting to panic.

"Do you think it's easy to meet the King?" said Mrs Injoon.

"I don't know how you've changed so drastically. You used to be a well-behaved girl." added Mrs Injoon.

"The mother earth Songak came here to pray for the welfare of their children. Have you ever wondered why I came here, even though I have no children?" Said Madam Injoon. Haechan could only bow silently.

"This is what Queen Sunyeong made for Prince and Princess Minah" Injoon said, pointing to one of the stone piles beside her

"And this, I built this for you." Said Madam Injoon pointing at the mountain-shaped stone pile that was in front of her. Haechan was shocked to learn that the pile of stones belonged to her.

Madame Injoon started to tell me "When you first came to this house and knew that you would grow up alone because you had no mother, so I never thought of you as a cousin but thought of you as my own son. Your mother would do this for you if she were here. I want to do the same for you. However, on a day like this, I wonder if my efforts are enough or not. Your mother must have been watching us and I was wondering what to do. I feel ashamed." Madam Injoon said withstanding her sorrow. Haechan immediately cried remembering her mother.

"Mother" said Haechan remembering her mother. Madame Injoon hugged a cousin who was already considered to be her son.

"Please. What have I done for you? Think about your mother and live well." She said as she fondly stroked Haechan.

♡♡♡

Haechan sat alone in front of her mound of stone, muttering in her heart "Lee Donghyuck, you become a burden wherever you go. Everyone's nice to you, but you're a bully"

"Can't I go back? If only I could, then I'd like to go back. My mom's gonna wait." Haechan.

Jeongra came to see Haechan was already in front of the pile of rocks, "Agashi go inside because the air outside is very cold" Jeongra said asking Haechan to come in.

"Do you know about the person I asked you about before? Do you still not know who he is? There are other guests besides the Prince" said Haechan who recalled Heechul's face.

"Either... This house is frequented by guests. Now it looks like you need to take a shower." Jeongra said while looking at Haechan's body was dirty from sitting on the ground.

"The place where I was injured, you said it was the biggest bathing area in Songak right!" haechan said he remembered the first time he was in Kwangya, when he came out of the royal pool, the princes who saw him, Prince Jaemin who tried to chase after him. Jeongra pulled her out of the cave and told them that they were in Songak's largest bathing area.

"You can't go there. I feel bad about that place. How can you go back there?" reject Jeongra.

"I'll prepare water for Agashi so Agashi can take a bath at home."

"That man is the man I saw before I died." Haechan muttered very well with the same Ahjussi face as Heechul.

♡♡♡

Heechul narrows his eyes, Prince Kwanhyung and Prince Wookhei hold back his laughter.

"Your body is going to be bruised, to be blue" Heechul said.

"It may even blacken" Prince Wookhei said. Everybody laugh.

"You can be more beautiful than a painting." added Prince Kwanhyung.

"I won't let that woman get away with it. How dare he do that to the prince?" prince Jaemin said. Prince Kwanhyung kept him from leaving.

"So you mean your enemy now is Haechan Agasshi? From what I saw and heard, she was a very agile girl. It's not easy to meet a woman like that. You're having something rare." Heechul.

"Rubber.difficult to recognize a person despite only meeting once and difficult to also get the experience of being hit by people. You may have met your destiny, Jaemin" Tempted Prince Wookhei while teasing Prince Jaemin by jabbing his finger at Prince Jaemin.

"You said my destiny? Destiny, what!! More precisely he's an enemy destined for me." Prince Jaemin said annoyed.

"No, you don't know women very well. If he's not interested in you, then he won't touch you." Prince Kwanhyung has a lot of experience with women.

"So, you mean, he hit me because he was interested in me?" asked Prince Jaemin approaching his sister by opening his curious eyes.

"Yes, I said it could be. Nor can it" said Prince Kwanhyung. And Prince Kwanhyung secretly laughs a little at Prince Jaemin believes his talk.

♡♡♡

Prince Minhyung entered Dawimon Palace and headed to the bathing pool with some servants looking frightened, then climbed the stairs. Prince Wookhei all saw the first arrival of Prince Minhyung was immediately shocked as well as Prince Jaemin and Prince Kwanhyung, they immediately hid. The atmosphere was so cold, the three Jung brothers peeked out from behind a wooden pole wondering what their Prince Minhyung would do.

The waiter panicked at Prince Minhyung's arrival and wanted to block his way in front of the door. Prince Minhyung encouraged the servant to step aside.

When entering the room, Prince Sungchan and Prince Jaehyun were chatting with Queen Soojung very familiarly. Queen Soojung glared in shock at the arrival of her son, Prince Sungchan wanting to rise up to greet her brother but being held back by his mother. Queen Soojung then hinted at the maid to close the door.

Prince Minhyung smiled in front of his mother.

"I want to say hello to you, mother" said Prince Minhyung, then bowed and sat up straight, but Queen Soojung remained unconcerned.

"How are you?" Prince Minhyung asked with a beaming face.

"I heard that you have arrived. I will call you" said Queen Soojung coldly.

"I've met my brothers, so I thought I should meet you, mother." Prince Minhyung.

"Mother, it looks like Hyungnim has been learning martial arts lately." Prince Sungchan's story is full of enthusiasm, Queen Soojung looks incredulous.

"She was great last time for a ritual rehearsal. According to rumors." said Prince Sungchan who was immediately interrupted by his eldest brother

"That's just a rumor. Jaemin says Shinju's government is on the verge of collapse and he's talking shit like that." Prince Jaehyun.

"You, tell me. Have you studied martial arts?" ask Queen Soojung to Prince Minhyung.

"No, Not yet" replied Prince Minhyung.

"Why should? They didn't raise you to be a tiger. So why would Kang's family teach martial arts?" queen Soojung comments coldly while drinking her tea.

"Mother, did you know that there was a wolf dog in Songak? They say he's terrible, to the point that he's more terrible than a dog or a wolf." Prince Jaehyun said to Prince Minhyung.

"Don't they say the wolf dog was from Shinju?" reply Prince Minhyung knows for sure his brother is insinuating him. The two stared at each other cynically

"You haven't been to the capital of this country for a long time, Songak, so enjoy your visit here. I've prepared a gift for your mother, you don't need to see me anymore while you're in Songak. Now you can go." Queen Soojung said coldly.

"We haven't seen each other for two years, but you easily told me to leave?" prince Minhyung said in disbelief with teary eyes.

"That's because your foster mother, will suffer without you by her side" Queen Soojung said.

"This time I plan to stay here long enough, what if I stay in the palace with my brothers" Prince Minhyung said.

"That can't be yelling!" Queen Soojung, makes Prince Sungchan shocked.

"Since you are the Kang family of Shinju, if it is forgotten when you return to the palace then it will incite old grudges between the two families."

"You said I was sent there for adoption. But I am a hostage" Prince Minhyung said, Prince Jaehyun held back a laugh hearing him.

"What are you saying. How can you say you're a hostage. I'm just worried it's gonna bother your foster mom." Prince Jaehyun's Comment.

"Jaehyun's right. Why did I send you there as a hostage?" queen Soojung defended herself

"Because you said so, then I'll trust you" Prince Minhyung replied and then wanted to pull out a hairpiece for his mother.

But Prince Sungchan used to give her a box of gifts for her mother, "I brought you a present" Prince Sungchan said, as Queen Soojung looked very happy to receive a hairpiece.

"Mother really likes it" said Queen Soojung.

"I know you love hair accessories so I deliberately bought a market made of silver so you have to wear it during royal rituals" Prince Sungchan said.

Prince Minhyung also saw Prince Sungchan's belongings better than his own, finally he undoes his intention to give gifts to his mother.

"Thank you" said Queen Soojung, thanking Prince Sungchan.

Prince Minhyung went to his mother, but she didn't care.

"How can a prince look so low? That's so embarrassing." Sindir Prince Jaehyun, Prince Minhyung was already at the door choosing not to reply.

Prince Wookhei, Prince Jaemin and Prince Kwanhyung eavesdrop on their conversation at the door. When Prince Minhyung came out all immediately scattered. The other two could pretend to be busy, while Prince Jaemin could only fall in fear. Prince Minhyung did not say much and chose to leave.

"After the ritual is over, make sure Minhyung returns to Shinju. If you still insist on staying in Songak call the security guard and drag him out" Queen Soojung asked Prince Jaehyun.

"Mother, there's no need to worry about that because there's no point in Minhyung staying in the palace" Prince Jaehyun said.

"Did you know? There are many rumors on the market about Minhyung Hyungnim. There are people who say that our mother made her face like that." Prince Sungchan said plainly. Queen Soojung fell silent at Prince Sungchan's words.

"Where could that be? Sungchan, you don't need to go outside the palace if you come back with such rumors" said Prince Jaehyun who saw his mother's face look tense.

"Alright" said Prince Sungchan, bowing in understanding.

♡♡♡

Prince Minhyung walked quickly.

"Prince Jung Minhyung" Call Heechul. Prince Minhyung stopped with a sinister glance, but Heechul was a bit nervous after Prince Minhyung looked at him sharply. He realized Prince Minhyung's mood was bad and Heechul only returned with a smile.

"You have to take a bath before the ritual" Heechul said.

"Prepare a bath for the fourth Prince" Heechul orders the servants.

Prince Minhyung did not reply, but followed what was suggested by . The maid escorted Prince Minhyung to the prince's special bath.

Heechul only sighed seeing the departure of Prince Minhyung.

While behind the wall, Prince Wookhei, Prince Jaemin and Prince Kwanhyung saw it all.

"When Minhyung Hyungnim's face was injured like that" Prince Kwanhyung said wondering.

"Do you know that?" prince Kwanhyung asked Prince Wookhei.

"No, I only know that" said Prince Wookhei, shaking his head in ignorance.

"Yes, I also only know like that" Prince Jaemin said.

...~TBC~...