Sung Joon stared at Jinwoon for a while. "Wh… What!" Jinwoon gave him a big smile. "I… I Sung Joon stared at Jinwoon in disbelief. "Wh… What!" Jinwoon gave him a big smile. "I… I thought… Why… Why would you? You're a woman!" Jinwoon laughed. "That is what we told other people. Elder Young and Ki Ha know the truth. You can ask them if you don't believe me."
"Also I wouldn't lie about something like this. I didn't know it either. I found out after coming here. Sung Hoon knew straight away but I was clueless. To be honest when Elder Young told me, I was shocked and scared."
"I didn't have time to digest it. It was... no it's still hard for me to imagine myself getting pregnant and giving birth. To say that I'm at peace with it is a big lie. I'm still very scared but the thought of having children of my own has been something that I always dreamed of."
"I just didn't think that I'll be doing all the hard work." He laughed and looked at Sung Joon. Sung Joon was looking at him with his mouth wide open. "I'm telling you this because I want to understand that it's alright to be scared."
"Like I told you before. You're not alone." Jinwoon felt relieved telling Sung Joon this. It was true that he still was struggling with the thought of being Intersex and that he really didn't had time to come to turns with this but for some reason he was fine with it.
He understood very well how Sung Joon was feeling right now. "What... I... I don't know what I should do." Jinwoon tilted his head. "What do you mean?" Sung Joon fidget with the hem of his robe. "I've been told my whole life that being Intersex is bad."
Jinwoon nodded. "But what are you feeling and thinking now?" Sung Joon chewed the inside of his cheeks. "I... I haven't... I really don't know." Jinwoon reached out but stopped. He didn't know if Sung Joon would appreciate that.
"I'll leave you alone. Think about it. If you want to talk to me just come downstairs. If you want we can get Elder Young together. There is still a lot that I don't know. So we can go together." Jinwoon stood up to leave. Sung Joon bit his lip before giving a nod.
"I'll call you for dinner?" Sung Joon shook his head. "I'll come down myself." Jinwoon smiled and left the room. He opened the door and saw Sung Hoon standing nearby. He gently closed the door. "How is he?" Jinwoon gave Sung Joon a thin smile.
"I really don't know but..." He looked back at the closed door. "I told him about myself." A deep frown etched Sung Hoon's face. "Was that a smart idea?" Jinwoon was perplexed. "Why not?" Sung Hoon let out a deep sigh.
"I don't want him to tell the queen. We really don't need anymore drama. I still need to tell the ministers that I've brought him over. I know the queen will still do everything to have her way." Jinwoon was a little disappointed in Sung Hoon.
"It shouldn't matter. He's confused, sad and hurting. His world has crashed down in front of him. If he tells the queen, so be it. If it makes him feel better, I don't mind." Sung Hoon put his head down. "Sorry, you're right. I'm just worried about you."
Jinwoon smiled before grabbing Sung Hoon's hand. "I know but let's think about him first." Sung Hoon squeezed his hand. "I'll follow your lead." "Then let's go downstairs. Let's try to figure out what to do."
Sung Joon had been listening at the door. He felt a warm feeling wash over him. He hadn't expected Jinwoon to be so forthcoming to him of all people. He walked back and sat on the ground again. He didn't know what to think and feel anymore.
His mother had dictated so much in his life. Scratch that his mother had told him what to feel and think his whole life. While staring at the sky his young life flashed in front of him. He felt something switch his mind. It didn't hurt but it brought pain to his heart.
He stood up and walked down stairs. "I want to talk to the queen." He looked at Jinwoon before turning to Sung Hoon. Sung Hoon stared back and turned to Jinwoon. His face was derived from emotion. "I just want to ask why. I won't tell her about Jinwoon."
Sung Hoon turned back towards Sung Joon. "That's not what I'm worried about. Jinwoon and I had a talk and we will eventually have to tell everybody the truth. Jinwoon and also me are more worried that you'll get hurt."
Sung Joon lips trembled. "I... Want to think for myself. I... I hurt you two but you're still thinking about me." Tears started to drop. Jinwoon stood up and wrapped his arms around Sung Joon. "We're not heartless." Sung Hoon also felt bad for Sung Joon.
Sung Hoon waited for Sung Joon to calm down. "I will bring you tomorrow." Sung Joon looked up at Jinwoon. "Will you come with us?" Jinwoon looked at Sung Hoon with wide eyes. "The three of us will go. We'll stay with you." Sung Hoon said softly.
The next day, the three of them went to see the queen. Sung Joon kept on licking his dry lips. He knew what he was going to ask his mother but he had no idea how she was going to react. Jinwoon's words kept repeating in his mind, reassuring him.
'I'm not alone. Jinwoon and Sung Hoon will help me if things go wrong.' After walking in silence they finally reached the queen's residence. "We can always come another day." Sung Hoon turned to Sung Joon. "No. I need to do it now. I'll never do it."
Sung Hoon smiled before entering. Jinwoon and Sung Joon followed close behind. The queen was in her sitting room with a few of her ladies-in-waiting. She looked at Sung Hoon with disgust but her face turned when she saw Sung Joon.
She jumped up, forgetting the others. "My child! How have you been? Have they hurt you?" She rushed towards Sung Joon. She tried to hold his face but Sung Joon took a few steps away from her. "Can we talk?" The queen glared at him.
"Then talk." Her voice was cold. Sung Joon started to fidget with his hands. "Elder Young did a scan and I'm..." "And you believe that! Are you so gullible?" Sung Joon flinched. All the things he wanted to say and ask were gone. All he wanted was to leave again.
"What would Elder Young achieve by lying to a young boy?" Sung Hoon gave the queen a dirt look. "Elder Young is one of your people, of course he would lie to Sung Joon!" She looked at Sung Joon with sad eyes. "My baby?! Why would you believe something like that?"
"Baby? Your Highness, who is this?" One of the ladies, Madam Han Ji Han looked at Sung Joon with a curious look. "Is that your nephew? Or you little brother. You look so much alike." The queen's eyes blinked rapidly before turning to ladies. She had actually forgotten about them.
"This... Ah. This... Indeed, he's my little brother. He has come to see me." Sung Joon put his head down. "I hope my ladies won't mind coming another day?" The ladies looked at each other before slowly standing up.
Sung Joon took a deep breath. "My name is Sung Joon. I'm the queen's youngest son." The ladies stopped in their tracks. "What!" Sung Joon, Jinwoon and the queen looked at him in shock. "Sung Joon?!" Sung Hoon was the first to talk.
"It's alright. People will find out anyway." Sung Joon gave him a silly smile. "But..." Sung Hoon ran his hand through his hair. He'll need to do some major damage control later. The queen was frozen in place.
Madam Han Ji Han could smell gossip. "Son? We didn't know the queen had a son?!" Sung Joon smiled. 'It's now or never.' "She didn't want to wait for the king to give her a son, so she did it all herself." The ladies looked confused before realisation hit them.
They all turned to the queen in shock. They all heard about her rants on Intersex and Sung Hoon's birthfather. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. The ladies started to laugh, thinking it was a bad joke.
But the look on the queen's face showed that it wasn't a joke. "Oh my. Uhm, girls, let's leave. We've already heard enough." Madam Han Ji Han was feeling uncomfortable. This was too mind blowing. "Goodbye." Madam Han Ji Han indicated for the others to follow her.
The queen was trembling. When the ladies left the room, she turned to Sung Joon with fire in her eyes.