The children's eyes were sparkling brighter than the crystals on the main entrance's chandeliers. For how anxious they were to come to a place like this for the first time, Dokja was worried they were going to strain their necks with how eager they were to take in the palace around them. Though honestly they'd spent the whole day shaking from
excitement and nerves when he told them they were going to visit the royal palace, afraid to make the family look bad but still eager to see it themselves.
The whole day that their family spent getting ready for their attendance, Gilyeong and Yoosung were asking him questions about what the palace looked like, what food they'd eat, if they'd have to dance with each other etc. to which Dokja happily answered them. From the measurements that the maids took from them while they were in the countryside, both children were able to get formal attire for royal events.
They spent a whole hour staring at the clothes wonder, asking him repeatedly if it was really okay for them to wear such fancy clothing. When Dokja finally convinced them to let the maids dress them, they spent the next hour showing off their clothes to everyone in the family and tried to get Dokja to choose who looked better. Thankfully, before their argument could evolve any further, they set off to the palace.
They had just arrived at the Southern Palace for the impending hunting tournament, the sun already dipping below the horizon.
He caressed their heads and smiled down at them before turning to look outside the palace doors. There were many carriages lined up outside the royal gate, knights making sure to inspect the carriages and their belongings thoroughly before letting any of them in.
All the members of the Underworld Ducal had already arrived and were escorted out of their carriages, accompanied by Knight Heewon. They were soon joined by Han Sooyoung, who had opted to take her own carriage to the event.
After Sooyoung had exchanged her greetings to the family, Persephone turned towards him. "Why don't you give Gilyeong and Yoosung a tour around the palace? It's their first time here, right?"
Dokja nodded to her, "Mhm, let's go, there's a lot to see here."
-----
"I wonder how much they spent on this." Heewon looked around the place, her eyes landing on the extravagant food platters and dishes set up in the ballroom, "I'm sure, it's a lot."
Sooyoung nodded along to her, drooling at the plate of lemon tarts, "As expected from the imperial family."
After showing the children around the halls and gardens of the palace, the kids had started complaining about how hungry they were getting, their expectations already high from what Dokja had told them before. So the group decided to convene at the ballroom, most of the other nobles had been gathering there to wait for the royal family's
entrance anyways.
Standing in front of the buffet, the children looked as amazed and overwhelmed as they had when they were touring the rest of the palace. After waiting patiently for them to regather their bearings, Gilyeong and Yoosung simultaneously tugged on his sleeves and gestured at Dokja to get a piece of the black forest cake for them.
Plate in hand, Dokja went to grab the knife when his fingers brushed another that had also been reaching for it. He looked up
and did a double take upon realizing who it was.
"A-ah, Greetings, Your Highness!" He tried putting on an amicable smile, but even he felt how crooked his lips were. Considering the circumstances that they'd last seen each other under, Dokja had expected the prince's
contempt for him to skyrocket. But rather than being treated to another chokehold or death glare, Yoo Joonghyuk simply gave him a blank stare, his entire body frozen in place.
Relieved at the lighter treatment, though a bit unnerved, Dokja cleared his throat into his fist, "Is there something on my face, Your Highness?" Joonghyuk subtly jolted, as if returning to his senses. He was about to respond when someone interrupted him.
"Master, Her Highness was looking for…" Jihye began to speak as she approached them, but she stopped when she noticed Kim Dokja. She bowed to him, "Greetings, Sir Dokja" she said formally, but not before giving him a skeptical once over.
Lee Jihye: A knight in training under Prince Joonghyuk's instruction. She came from a long lineage of
knights that had served the royal family.
At first Yoo Joonghyuk refused to train her because of her young age and temperamental disposition, but after persistently following him around and referring to him as her 'Master', the prince eventually relented.
Since she followed the prince around like a baby duckling, she was no stranger to the rivalry between 'Kim Dokja' and His Highness, at times getting caught between the two herself. There were many instances where she was fed up enough to try to take down the heir herself, though she would be dragged away by Lee Hyunsung to let the prince deal with the situation himself. The young knight's view of him was unsavory, to say the least.
"Greetings to you as well." Dokja returned with an awkward smile, then returned his gaze back to Yoo Joonghyuk, who was still staring at him.
Beside Dokja the kids had started glaring at the prince, not liking how the other man looked at their guardian. Making sure to usher the kids behind him in case the prince decided to go back to his violent ways, Dokja took a step back to make more space between the two.
"I see that you're about to grab the knife. You can go first, Your Highness."
But to Dokja shock, Joonghyuk shook his head and grunted at him to go ahead, "No, it's fine, you go first."
He thought that Joonghyuk would just take the knife and ignore him, maybe throw in a spiteful insult or two. Dokja shook his head. "I kindly decline. It's okay, Your Highness. You can go first."
"No, you should go first."
"You go first, it's really fine, I promise."
"Y–"
Sooyoung abruptly cut the prince off, "You know what? I'm the one who should go first, goddamn it," and shoved him lightly. After grabbing a slice of cake for herself (and stacking it precariously on top of the pile of lemon desserts on her plate) Sooyoung hurriedly cut a slice for Kim Dokja and Joonghyuk. "Now, happy?" She asked the two of them, her expression unimpressed.
Dokja grabbed her arm. "Please, forgive my friend's bad manners, Your Highness, We hope you enjoy the feast," he rushed out before dragging Sooyoung away with him by the elbow, Yoosung and Gilyeong still clutching his waist.
–
Joonghyuk continued to stare at Kim Dokja as he walked away. Jihye was bewildered at the scene in front of her. First the Ugly Squid Ahjussi didn't start any commotion with her
master, then her master was actually considerate to him…? What the hell was going on here?
"Lee Jihye, what were you saying," her master demanded. He hadn't shifted his eyes and his voice was faint, as if he was spaced out. Startled, the teenager straightened herself out and looked at the prince.
"Uh, right…Master, Her Highness was looking for you." Lee Jihye stated, still glancing nervously at him.
"…Right," Joonghyuk sighed, and after a few more seconds gazing at Kim Dokja, faced his disciple. "Lead the way."
-----
As soon as they left, Heewon whistled out, "Holy shit, now that was awkward." She cast a questioning glance to her master, but he could only shrug, about as lost as everyone else was about what just happened.
Namwoon added on to her, "Why was His Highness staring at you Hyung... for once he didn't look like he wanted to kill you" he said, though Dokja could see his eyes trailing after Lee Jihye eagerly.
Gilyeong joined in, "Hyung, who's that sooty bastard? I'll release Titano on him if he looks at you weirdly again" the boy declared assertively.
Dokja sighed out,"Language Gilyeong," he chided the child, frowning at him and hoping the boy didn't actually bring his pet grasshopper to the palace, "though to answer your question, he's the crown prince of the empire, a dangerous man you shouldn't mess with."
"Pffft, more like an emo bastard." Sooyoung muttered out. Dokja hit her over the head, "Hey!" She yelled.
"Please, language!"
Noticing Hades and Persephone walking towards them, Kim Dokja waved them down.
"I hope you and the children are enjoying yourselves so far."
He nodded, "Of course, Mother, there are lots of things to do here," …and lots of food to eat, but thanks to that awkward encounter he wasn't able to indulge the children nearly as much as he wanted to.
The group then got seated at their table. As they waited for the event to begin, Dokja fed the two kids the cake he got his hands on, along with a couple lemon tarts he swiped from Han Sooyoung's plate.
Seeing their cheeks adorably puffed up like squirrels was worth having her screech at him for the rest of the night. They inhaled their desserts so fast that their faces were covered in frosting and crumbs. Dokja made sure to wipe their faces clean with his handkerchief, the one Lee Seolhwa had made for him.
Eventually, the ceremony officially commenced as the prince was called up to give the welcoming speech. "His Royal Highness, Yoo Joonghyuk, the Crown Prince of the Seoul Empire"
The crown prince strode to the front of the room with confident steps, his head raised. This man was a far cry from the seemingly dazed prince he had encountered only moments before. Though, his posture didn't last for long. Upon facing the guests, Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes met Dokja's once more, and continued staring from where he left off.
As Dokja began to shift restlessly under the man's searching gaze, the guests started to chatter amongst themselves, wondering if there was something wrong with the prince, and why he was just standing there instead of speaking. Kim Dokja's table mates gave him curious side eyes, wondering what he could've done to capture the prince's
attention like this.
After a few agonizing moments of Yoo Joonghyuk not speaking, Lee Hyunsung finally decided to snap him out of it. "Errr, Your Highness?" Joonghyuk, blinking out of his stupor, turned his attention to the nobles once more.
"Ah...yes," The prince cleared his throat and began his speech as if nothing happened. Hyunsung and Jihye exchanged bewildered side-eyes.
As soon as Yoo Joonghyuk's stare was no longer on him, Kim Dokja released a breath he didn't even know he was holding. "Wow, that makes it twice in one night. What a reception from the Royal Prince!" Heewon said under her breath, bemused.
The duchess questioned him, "Dear, did you do something again?"
He muttered and turned his head away, "No, mother. I don't know why he was staring at me like that." Even as the prince was going through his rehearsed speech, Dokja could still feel his gaze flit to him every once in a while. Dokja sighed quietly and asked his companions. "Shall we wander around the castle grounds again?"
The duchess sprang up and clapped her hands together, "That's a great idea, my dear. Go have fun, the duke and I will be talking to some guests." Hades and Persephone withdrew from the table and went to mingle with the other guests. Han Sooyoung leaned onto his side.
"Hey Rat, you're gonna participate in the hunting competition tomorrow right?"
With Hades and Kim Namwoon participating tomorrow, he didn't have much of a choice otherwise.
"Well...yes..why?" He asked.
"Were you really serious when you said you wouldn't try to kill the prince this year? With how distracted the emo bastard gets every time he looks at you, this year is probably your best bet,' Han Sooyoung started nudging his side,her lips unfurling into a sly smile, "Y'know, if you make a plan that's really entertaining then maybe I could be persuaded into helping you out, my novel has been in need of a good murder plot for a while now."
Sighing internally, he merely responded with an innocent smile, "No, I won't do that, I'll be on my best behavior this
year." Sooyoung gave him a dry look.
"You know, lying is bad," but Dokja only grinned even wider and turned to face the children.
"Let's go to the garden." The children simply nodded, and the rest of the group followed suit.
Seriously, what was up with the prince today?
[Unbeknownst to Kim Dokja, for the past several weeks every time Yoo Joonghyuk entered his quarters to shower or rest, he's been assaulted by the various memories of the night they spent together. After that fateful occurrence, Yoo Joonghyuk took to scrubbing down all the bed sheets, clothes, and every inch of the room he could reach, trying to erase the memories of that night.
But it was a futile endeavor. No matter where he looked, images of Kim Dokja's teary, flushed face welled up, his sweet voice begging for more. Needless to say, he's been having a very hard time sleeping in the room without waking up with a…problem. On multiple occasions Lee Hyunsung has found his master pulling all nighters in the of ice or even sleeping in his chair in his attempt to avoid his bedroom, and all the memories within it]