CHAPTER 47
Muwon's gaze remained distant, his jaw tightening slightly.
"He doesn't know how to accept love,"
Yuhyun continued carefully.
"Especially not from someone he's been forced to be around... someone he thinks might only be pretending."
Muwon finally lowered his head, meeting Yuhyun's eyes.
"But I meant it,"
Muwon said quietly.
"Every word. I wasn't pretending."
Yuhyun gave a small, sad smile.
"Then you just have to keep showing him, Your Highness,"
he said.
"Even if he tries to push you away a hundred times..."
He turned to glance at the door again, hearing the muffled sound of Sihyun sobbing.
"... deep down, maybe he's just waiting for someone who won't give up on him."
Muwon closed his eyes for a brief moment, steeling his heart.
When he opened them again, they burned with new determination.
After parting ways with Yuhyun, Muwon made his way toward the palace gardens where his childhood friends, Dohyun and Taejin, were lounging under the shade of an old ginkgo tree. They were laughing about something, relaxed and carefree — a sight that made Muwon's chest tighten.
The moment they spotted him, their laughter faded.
Dohyun sat up straighter, sensing something was wrong.
"Muwon?"
he called, brows knitting together.
"You look like you're about to pass out."
Taejin leaned back lazily, smirking.
"Or like someone stole his favorite sword."
But Muwon didn't smile. Instead, he dropped down heavily beside them, raking a hand through his hair in frustration.
"I'm going crazy,"
he muttered under his breath.
Both Dohyun and Taejin stared at him in disbelief.
"What??"
Dohyun gasped dramatically, scooting closer.
"Did you just say you're going crazy? You? Prince Jin Muwon? Mr. Calm and Perfect?"
Taejin sat forward now, serious.
"What happened?"
Muwon looked at them both, his throat tightening. For a second, he thought about brushing it off — but then he exhaled shakily.
"I confessed,"
he said.
Dohyun blinked.
"Confessed? To who?"
Muwon hesitated for a heartbeat, then said it plainly:
"To Sihyun."
The two friends froze, mouths parting in pure shock.
"Wait—Sihyun?! The demon sorcerer Sihyun?!"
Dohyun cried out.
Muwon nodded.
"And he..."
Taejin trailed off, searching Muwon's face carefully.
"How did he react?"
Muwon let out a dry, almost bitter laugh.
"He rejected me. Twice."
He lowered his voice, staring at the grass.
"Pushed me away. Used magic on me."
Dohyun looked horrified. Taejin just rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I knew he wouldn't exactly... throw himself into your arms,"
Dohyun said cautiously.
"But damn, you didn't even get to finish your words?"
Muwon smiled faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"He doesn't trust me,"
he said quietly.
"He doesn't trust anyone. And maybe... maybe I was selfish. I wanted to believe my feelings could reach him."
Taejin crossed his arms, looking thoughtful.
"Feelings don't work like that,"
he said.
"Especially for someone like Sihyun."
Dohyun elbowed Taejin lightly.
"But they can work, if you don't give up. Right?"
He turned to Muwon eagerly.
"You're not giving up, are you?"
Muwon lifted his gaze slowly, and something cold and burning flickered deep within his black eyes.
"No,"
he said.
"I'm not giving up."
Taejin leaned back on his hands, a slow grin pulling at his lips.
"Well, you're doomed,"
he said casually.
"In love with a demon sorcerer who hates your guts. That's gotta be some kind of tragic poetry."
Dohyun burst out laughing, clapping Muwon hard on the back.
"Don't listen to this idiot,"
he said between snickers.
"It's not hopeless. You're just... facing an uphill battle the size of a mountain. Covered in ice. And fire."
Muwon let out a weak chuckle despite himself, shaking his head.
"You two are terrible at comforting people,"
he muttered.
"But we're great at scheming,"
Dohyun said brightly, eyes gleaming mischievously.
"We just need a plan! We'll help you."
Taejin nodded solemnly.
"Operation: Melt the Ice Sorcerer's Heart."
Muwon gave them both a dry look.
"You realize Sihyun could burn you alive if he finds out you're meddling."
"Then we'll die heroes,"
Dohyun said dramatically, placing a hand over his heart.
Taejin just grinned wider.
"Or at least look cool trying."
Muwon's chest felt a little lighter seeing them act so foolish just to cheer him up.
He gazed up at the sky for a moment, feeling the heavy weight of Sihyun's rejection still there — but now, strangely, it didn't feel so suffocating.
Maybe...
Maybe there was still hope after all.
The room was a mess, with the remains of the broken food tray scattered on the floor.
Sihyun sat hunched on the bed, his knees drawn up, his arms wrapped tightly around them. His whole body trembled — not from fear, but from something deeper, heavier. His throat burned from all the yelling and crying, but he couldn't stop the tears silently sliding down his face.
He buried his face against his knees, whispering to himself bitterly.
"Why... why did it have to be him..."
The door creaked open carefully.
Yuhyun stepped inside, glancing around at the broken tray, the cold food, and then at Sihyun, still a curled-up figure of misery.
He sighed softly and closed the door behind him.
"...Are you calm now?"
Yuhyun asked gently, walking closer.
Sihyun didn't answer. He just kept staring at the ground with dead, empty eyes.
Yuhyun sat on the edge of the bed, not too close, and said quietly,
"You don't have to fear love... or being loved. It's not a trap, Sihyun. It's not something to hurt you. Loving someone... being loved by someone... it doesn't make you weak. It makes you stronger."
Sihyun finally stirred, lifting his face a little, his voice cold and sharp,
"I'm not Mom,"
he said.
"And I'll never be Mom. She was a fool for falling for a human."
Before either of them could process it —
Smack.
Yuhyun's hand moved before he could stop himself, slapping Sihyun across the face.
A sharp, loud crack echoed through the room.