Yunxi had woken up one day and ridden his horse to the hospital. He hadn't made any plans about what he would say or do, but he came anyway. In the past few days, he had tried, but always ended up hiding and going back. This time, it was like the boy was possessed.
He had come, even after everything he had done, after the false accusations.
He slowly walked in, step by step, until he spotted Nim behind the hospital, cleaning. Yunxi stood there without saying a single word until the other saw him. His eyes filled with unshed tears. Nim stood still, staring at the figure in front of him. He didn't say a word either, he just looked back in silence.
With calm movements, Yunxi carried his weary body forward, walking slowly, his eyes never leaving Nim's until they were face to face. His white boots were stained with mud. Neither spoke, they only looked at each other. Yunxi's eyes looked so tired, as if he hadn't slept in months. He walked closer and leaned his forehead against Nim's chest, closing his eyes as he felt the other's warmth, and Nim let him.
---
Yura tried pushing the door open. She banged it, kicked it, but no one came to her rescue. She didn't know what the Emperor would do, but she knew how much he hated liars and traitors. Yunxi was his friend, but from what Yura had heard between the two in the past few days, they had split up. So she imagined the worst.
If only she could go and explain to the Emperor what had really happened. If only Jing could trust Yunxi and tell the truth. But that was all just in her head.
Han Ying knelt beside her, trying to soothe her. She knew that if something happened to Yunxi, Yura would never forgive herself. She hated herself for having such a foolish brother.
"Young miss, don't cry… you'll fall sick. Young miss…" Han Ying couldn't hold back her own tears either.
"What if big brother Han gets so angry and ends up killing him? He didn't do any of the things Jing said. Jing knows that, so… so why can't he listen?" Yura snapped through her tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for having such a brother, young miss," Han Ying could only apologize. They had been together all along, so why couldn't her brother accept that Yunxi was innocent?
Outside the closed doors, Jing stood quietly, leaning against the wall. They had no idea he was there. His face looked hurt as he listened. If it were as easy as those two thought, he wouldn't be standing here now.
It wasn't that he didn't trust his sister and the princess, but there was something who couldn't explain to the two stubborn ladies inside this room. Jing remembered. That night, after they went to bed, he had slept on the floor, leaving the bed to Yunxi.
"It's not like I'm going to eat you. Why sleep on the floor?" Yunxi asked as he removed his boots.
Jing didn't answer, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. Time passed, and the room grew quiet. Yunxi got up from the bed slowly and walked to the door, his boots in hand. He was sneaking out. When the door shut behind him, Jing opened his eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep, and it seemed neither had Yunxi.
Now that he thought about it, the shadow that had been killed that night, the time Yunxi left the inn....it all matched. It was enough to make him keep his sister away from that man. And he keeping his sister away meant the princess too.
He feared that if they kept poking their noses into the man's business and Yunxi was found guilty, they would all be punished along with him. Yura was a princess, but he and his sister were just servants. If they were caught up in such crimes, they'd be killed without hesitation.
Jing felt sorry for his sister, but he couldn't let that be the reason they died. To him, staying away was the simplest and safest choice.
---
Jihwan sipped from the cup of tea before him, his eyes drifting until they fell on the scroll lying on the table. Its seal was red and untouched.
"Is anyone there?" he called.
A servant entered and bowed respectfully. "You called, sir?"
Jihwan glanced toward the door and at the guard.
"Ah, sir — young master Ajing left about two or three hours ago," the guard explained.
"Why did no one tell me about this?" Jihwan demanded.
"Young master Ajing told me to give you that," the guard said, pointing to the scroll. "He said that after you read it, you would understand."
Jihwan frowned, picking it up. He hadn't read it earlier since he didn't recognize the seal. "Who sent this?" he asked as he broke it open.
The guard didn't respond, he just stood silently while Jihwan read through it. The long scroll contained only a few, chilling words:
Ar Xi killed the Queen, not you. When taken to the Emperor, say;
There was a boy with him, a friend he always played with. Nim was his name.
I thought he was protecting him for something else…
It will save more time and face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Jihwan threw the scroll at the guard.
The guard picked it up and looked through it, equally confused. "I don't know who sent this, but young master Ajing told me to pass it to you," he said.
"Where did he get this from? Who brought it?" Jihwan slammed the table in fury.
Who was behind this? Who was toying with him? He thought this was over, or at least he had hoped so. So many people were already dead, and none of this would bring them back.
And where was his son, anyway?
Jihwan had already heard the news of the murdered shadow, and that it was somehow linked to his son. He had also learned that the Emperor had left the city for personal business, which made this the perfect chance to fix everything, if only his son were home. But that brat never listened.
He had tried to reach out, but all in vain. If the Emperor had left to find his son, if this so-called personal business was really about him..... if that was why the boy hadn't answered his letters....then why inbhell would Ajing leave in the time like this? This was the time he needed him and he was no where to be found. where in hell had he gone to?
The thought drove Jihwan mad.