The next day had come, and early in the morning Joonghyuk had arrived at the doorstep of the Underworld Duchy.Though, instead of being greeted by a servant to take him to Dokja's quarters, he was met by Duke Hades himself.The man was looking at him as if Joonghyuk was the dirt under his shoes.
"Good day to you, Your Highness..."
Joonghyuk nodded and replied, "You too, Your Grace." He then looked around and asked, "Is Dokja already awake?"
The duke's expression only darkened further with his words, "Unfortunately not, you will have to wait until later to see him" the Duke practically growled out to him, "In the meantime, why don't we have a small conversation together?"
Sensing the tension rolling off the man in waves, Joonghyuk steeled his nerves, taking a good guess at what he wanted to discuss, "Of course, Your Grace. We can talk."
"Very well, follow me," the duke said curtly, turning around and walking away. Joonghyuk followed closely behind him as they made their way through the manor. Knights, maids, and servants alike steered clear from the two. Seeing the most intimidating men in the empire was a sight that would make anyone shiver in their pants. Especially when the duke looked like he wanted to rip the other man's head off.
Upon reaching the duke's office, Hades opened the heavy door. Inside Duchess Persephone was already sitting on one of the sofas, patiently awaiting their arrival. Seeing them come in, the duchess gave a smile to him. To anyone else it would've been an elegant greeting, but Joonghyuk saw that it had a certain sharpness to it that could only belong to a predator eyeing their prey. Duke Hades wordlessly took his spot by his wife's side, while Joonghyuk settled on the sofa in front of them. The atmosphere intensified as they locked eyes.
"I heard you're already engaged. Congratulations," Duchess Persephone said lightly.
Joonghyuk furrowed his brow in confusion. He knew that no one should have known about his supposed engagement, especially since it wasn't even true. "Who told you that, Your Grace?" he asked, seeking clarification.
The Duchess maintained her smile and replied, "It doesn't matter how I obtained that information." However, there was a subtle undertone in her words that felt somewhat venomous to Joonghyuk.
Joonghyuk sighed, "No, Your Grace, it matters because..." He paused, recollecting what he had discussed a few days prior. "Is Dokja the one who said that?"
He thought that the duchess would speak but this time the duke was the one who responded "What does it matter, boy? No matter who said it, it doesn't change the fact that you will discard our son to the side once you are engaged..." the duke spat at him in anger.
The duke's dislike of him had been apparent for a long time, but hearing him have an outburst like that, caught Joonghyuk off guard. However, Joonghyuk maintained his composure and responded, "Your Grace, I assure you that I would never discard Dokja. He is a valuable person to me, I couldn't do that to him"
"Then, Your Highness, do you love my son or are you just playing with his feelings?" Persephone eyed him up and down suspiciously, not willing to hand her son over to some lying bastard, no matter if it was the crown prince or not.
Joonghyuk didn't hesitate to answer the Duchess's question. "Yes, Your Graces, I would do everything for him, no matter what the cost. I love him, and his happiness matters more than anything else." he replied with conviction.
The husband and wife both glanced at each other, puzzled frowns on their faces. "Then if you really love my son, why would you marry the northern princess?" the duke posed.
"Your Grace, I apologize for any misunderstandings. The news of my engagement to the northern princess is false. I have no intention of marrying anyone other than your son. My love and commitment are solely for him," Joonghyuk explained earnestly, hoping to alleviate their worries and clarify the situation. He hadn't been able to clear the air when he visited Dokja the other day, and he was determined not to squander the chance to do so now, especially in the face of his (hopefully) future parents-in-law.
The couple sighed in relief upon hearing Joonghyuk's clarification. The duke, however, was still skeptical about Joonghyuk's. "You say our son matters more than anything else, but how far are you actually willing to go to insure his happiness? How do we know everything you're saying isn't just flattery to get into our good graces?"
Joonghyuk's expression turned serious as he straightened his shoulders. "I assure you, I mean my words in every sense. In fact, I will be losing my title in twelve days," he stated, his voice filled with determination. Despite the impending loss of his title, he managed to smile at the couple confidently. For the first time, he was finally able to get it off his chest. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The couple's eyes widened in shock upon hearing Joonghyuk's revelation. The Duchess couldn't contain her surprise,"What? What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"
Joonghyuk, his confidence not wavering, explained further, "You heard me correctly, Your Grace. My father gave me an ultimatum to marry the northern princess, but as I've made clear, I refuse to betray Dokja in such a way. As a result, he has decided to replace me with my second brother and remove my name from anything associated with the royal family." he explained, his words flowing freely as they carried acceptance with a tinge of resignation. "In twelve days, I will lose my title and become a commoner. So, please, from now on, there is no need to address me as Your Highness." he ended lightly, embracing the changes that were about to come to his life.
The couple exchanged glances, at a loss for words, realizing the weight of the situation that Joonghyuk was facing.They understood the sacrifices he was making, not only for Dokja but for his own freedom. The pain of being forced into marriage was all too familiar to Persephone and Hades, their own families had been one of the main obstacles to their relationship. So, for the crown prince himself to be going through the same thing, and make the jump to resign from his position… they silently offered their support and comfort.
Joonghyuk appreciated the couple's sympathy for him, which contrasted greatly with his strained relationship with his father and stepmother. "Your Graces, I kindly ask that you refrain from mentioning this to Dokja. I don't want him to worry about me unnecessarily," he gently requested. Joonghyuk wanted to shield Dokja from any distress and maintain a sense of normalcy in their relationship.
The duchess sighed, "We will," she promised. "But Dokja has the right to know about this. Please, in the days leading up to your loss of title, try to find the right time to talk to him about it. It's better for him to be prepared rather than blindsided when the day comes."
Joonghyuk nodded appreciatively. "I will," he assured them with a sincere smile, grateful for their understanding.
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Dokja woke up when he heard a knock, the person outside asked "Young Master, are you awake?"
Dokja, still groggy from sleep, recognized the voice outside his door. "Yes, I'm awake," he replied, his voice slightly hoarse. "Please come in."
The maid came in with a food trolley in her hands "Good morning, Young master..." the maid said, and walked towards the table and put the food in the table.
"Her grace said you should eat and dress up, His Highness is here for you once again, sir."
As Dokja heard the maid mention Joonghyuk, he couldn't help but feel a surge of nervousness. The fear of confessing his feelings and potentially facing Joonghyuk's rejection weighed heavily on his heart. The thought of seeing Joonghyuk's soft eyes be replaced with cold indifference filled him with a sense of apprehension. Dokja took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and gather his thoughts before facing Joonghyuk. But it did nothing to alleviate the heavy weight in the pit of his stomach.
He smiled gratefully at the maid and watched as she finished setting the food on the table. "Thank you for setting up my meal, you can take your leave now. I'll come out when I'm ready." The maid nodded understandingly, giving a gently reminder from the duchess to eat the whole meal before bowing and leaving, closing the door behind her. Left alone in his room, Dokja took a moment to gather his thoughts and prepare himself emotionally before facing Joonghyuk.
Dokja quickly finished his meal, took a refreshing shower, and dressed himself. His hair was still damp as he stepped out of his room, spotting the maid waiting for him. "Please follow me, Young Master," she said, turning around and leading the way. Dokja nodded silently and followed her, taking a deep breath. As Dokja and the maid made their way to the garden, his heart leaped at the sight of Joonghyuk sitting there, enjoying a cup of tea and one of Persephone's biscuits. The maid left Dokja at the garden entrance, excusing herself to allow the two to have privacy.
He thanked the maid one last time before returning his full attention onto the other man. Dokja, despite the racing of his heart, walked towards Joonghyuk and bowed respectfully once he reached the table. "Greetings, Your Highness," he said, his tone formal but still not able to hide the underlying emotions that were eager to burst from him.
The air was thick with anticipation as the two exchanged glances, each carrying their own set of emotions beneath the surface. Joonghyuk set down his teacup and wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. Afterward, he stood from his seat and approached Dokja, who had frozen in front of the gazebo.
In a surprising turn of events, Joonghyuk slowly took Dokja's hand, savoring its warmth, and brushed his lips against the knuckles "Greetings to you as well, My star." From where his lips remained on the back of Dokja's hand,Joonghyuk looked up to be met with the other man's widening eyes.
"Eh?" Dokja's surprise was evident in his muttered response. He had never expected Joonghyuk to act in such an affectionate manner, as he had always perceived Joonghyuk as someone who would remain distant and cold. Was the prince still putting up an act? But there was no one else in the garden to witness it…
He didn't even realize he had already taken a seat, Joonghyuk guiding him to his chair and pouring him tea. The unexpected welcome had completely caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily disoriented. As he collected himself, he glanced up at Joonghyuk, his eyes filled with earnestness.
Dokja mustered up his courage, determined to finally let his true thoughts out. Even if Joonghyuk might not reciprocate his love, this was about him, and getting the closure that he needed. "Joonghyuk~ah," he tried to make his voice as firm as possible. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the vulnerability that lay ahead. It was a pivotal moment, one where he would lay his heart bare, regardless of the outcome.
To Dokja's surprise, Joonghyuk responded with a smile, "Yes, my star?" The warmth in Joonghyuk's voice brought a glimmer of hope to Dokja's heart.
Dokja's voice trembled with nervousness as he spoke up, "I have something important to say..." The weight of his words hung in the air. Joonghyuk nodded his head. "I have something important to say too, my star," Joonghyuk's expression turned serious, and Dokja couldn't help but feel a surge of fear, wondering what Joonghyuk had to share.
Had he already caught onto Dokja's feelings? Was he going to preemptively reject him?
Dokja let out a shaky exhale, "You can go first..." His voice quivered slightly, betraying his anxiety. Ugh, even now he was still running away. Letting Joonghyuk say his piece first just to procrastinate his own words. Maybe he was hoping the prince would rip off the bandaid for him, so he could go back to wallowing under his blankets.
Dokja shook himself mentally.
No, there's no time for putting himself down right now! Joonghyuk was here to express his honest feelings just as much as he was. If he expected Joonghyuk to sincerely take in his words at face value, then Dokja should be able to do the same, with no expectations. So Dokja tried his best to shut off his buzzing thoughts and lend his full attention and understanding to the man in front of him.
Joonghyuk stared into Dokja's eyes and clasped Dokja's hands together with his own, sending shivers down Dokja's spine. A swirl of complex emptions filled the other man's eyes, ones that were indecipherable to Dokja's own anxiety addled mind. As he opened his mouth, Dokja's heart clenched, readying himself for whatever may come out.
"Kim Dokja... Let me court you,"
"…I beg your pardon?"