Chapter Seventeen: Little Lee Beomseok
Han Wangchul was a complete mess, his legs already gave up as he flopped his exorbitant price clad at the dirty surface of the stable. Haneul failed to support him with her slender arms hence, she took the weight off her feet.
Seeing the state of him, Haneul can't help but get worried and at the same time be confused. She searched the pits of her brain to figure out what's causing Wangchul to be like this. After a split-second, her pupils shrank and she mentally cursed at herself for forgetting that Wangchul is vulnerable and traumatized by the thunder roar.
When he was still young and wandered in the slums along with his biological mother, they often collect scraps, especially during rainy days. Scraps from the main streets would normally go with the surge of the storm, the two will then be taking a shelter nearby the Han river and would wait for the abundant group of scraps delivered by the fluvial flood.
One rainy night, a man who happened to claim as Wangchul's biological father and more importantly the Emperor, came and planned on him taking away from his mother. It turns out that his mother was a maidservant at the palace and was noticed by the Emperor for her ethereal beauty. When she noticed a small sign of pregnancy, she pondered and the Harem flashed on her mind.
She was fully aware of how the harem would react and do once they found out. Hence, she ran away before it reaches the ears of the Emperor; in order to protect her unborn child. And that made Wangchul a sequestered imperial prince.
Her mother refused to take him away from her, for she knows how cruel the palace is. But in just a matter of time, his mother died in front of him, under the inclement and harsh pouring of rain as few rumbling sounds of thunder came rolling beyond the dark skies.
After that, every time he gets to hear the roaring of the skies he would be in this state.
Haneul remembered what his mother would do to soothe him, unsure if it would work or not, she might as well gave it a shot. She cleared her throat and mentally recited the revised version.
She immediately embraced him and gently pushed his head on her chest, "Hush now, my little one. Hush now, my little Wangchul. Haneul is here by your side and will protect you. Haneul won't ever leave you. Won't let the bad guys take you. Hush now, my little one. Hush now, my little Han Wangchul." Haneul lulled him as she pats his head or sometimes caresses his back with a very soothing and angelic voice.
'I give my thanks to the annoying white old man who always uses the lullaby Wangchul's mother used for him to me as if I was a baby every time he got the chance to sing it. I don't think it's annoying anymore!'
With the help of Haneul, Wangchul slowly snapped out. His trembling lips were now shut tightly, his face on track as his tears stopped escaping from his eyes. Unexpectedly, instead of his in-front-of-Haneul-face; puppy eyes and a gentle, relaxed expression, Wangchul's face was so cold like a frozen lake that it was bone-chilling. Yet his pair of eyes were burning crimson red. It was the face of the Emperor who hid his deepest and darkest secret for so many years, ensuring that he was the only one aware of his past.
Wangchul returned the hug that Haneul gave him by a tight one enough to suffocate her.
The once light taps on the back became slow yet with force taps. "W, wangchul-ah I, I can't breath."
Hearing Haneul whimpering, Wangchul was taken aback and loosen his grip. His face still cold but his unreasonable soul-fire, raging eyes vanished. He was angry about Haneul knowing the song for it also means that she was aware of who he was before he became a known prince. However, he does not know how much Haneul knew him before. It would also be a possibility that someone taught Haneul her mother's lullaby.
Wangchul pulled her away and looked deeply into her eyes. Haneul's face remained flustered and also stared at him as if it was a challenge that the one who blinks would be the loser.
They were quiet for a while, the roaring thunder stopped but it was still raining. The sound of the rain resonated towards the durable and stable roof. "From whom did you learn that song?" Wangchul broke the silence between them.
Haneul saw it coming. She was also prepared to lie, it was one of her expertise after all. She would also love to just be honest, the people won't believe her, however.
Haneul showed off a soft expression, her eyes filled with longing, "Hush now, my little one. Hush now, my little Beomseok. Mommy is here by your side and will protect you. Mommy won't ever leave you. Won't let the bad guys take you. Hush now, my little one. Hush now, my little Lee Beomseok." she once again sang it. This time, it was the original version of his mother's lullaby.
"..."
"It was the original lyrics. When I was little, I once got lost in a slum our family visited. Crying on a corner, a little boy patted my head and sang me that song. It was such a wonderful song that I only heard it once, I never forget its melody and started to use it whenever I feel lonely." She said with brimming emotions as if telling a past on her childhood like it was a wonderful experience and it really happened.
Haneul looked at the expression of Wangchul and how would he react. His mouth agape, eyes trembling as if on a verge of tears again.
Of course, it was expected that he would react like that since it really happened in his past. A little noble lady who was lost and was approached by the main character. Their family was at that slum for a week of charity work. They then became friends and even promised to marry each other near future. The little noble lady is Wangchul's first love. It was not Haneul of course. She just claimed that it was her for the sake of getting a wonderful excuse.
Sooner or later, in the original story, the original little noble lady would show up and would make the male lead be confused at his feelings. It was the angst part. Haneul would be shunned for a month and Wangchul would be back running towards her after he found out that the little noble lady was a married woman.
Haneul planned that if ever the little noble lady would show up, she would just shut her up first to avoid confusion and the truth coming to the light, or else she would be executed for stealing the identity of Wangchul's first love.
"D, do you not remember me?" Wangchul said while trembling.
"You are his majesty, the emperor. In any way, pray forget what I had told you, Wangchul-ah. Lee Beomseok was nothing but my first love, we promised to get married. However, it did not happen, that is why I believe that we are not destined for each oth—" Haneul continued with her lies when Wangchul abruptly cut her words and yelled.
"NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE!"
"..." did she perhaps, miscalculated again? did she miscalculated the reactions to be expected as she spat some nonsense excuse?