Chapter 19- Spend the day

'And that was how it went', I said, 'Everybody dead'.

Chloe sniffled, her eyes were red from crying. Darcel looked shocked. Nyx was the quickest one who recovered.

'That's some pretty dark stuff', She said crossing her arms, 'I can't imagine what you're going through but I'm starting to feel bad for jerk Joon'.

I bit my lip, 'I know. I didn't know he went to such great lengths. How could someone's personality flip over completely'.

Chloe wiped her eyes hurriedly, 'Do you….think  we should go talk to him?'

'I think it's better if we should', Darcel said, biting her nails, 'I mean…I don't want to but what if he remembers this as well?'

I sighed, 'Ugh, I just don't understand!'

I flopped down onto my bedroom floor.

'We're coming with you k?', Nyx said, 'Just ask him if he remembers and then then tell him "thanks for your sacrifice bro. I died too. Since both us died together last time, this time let's go our separate ways"'

I gaped at her, Chloe giggled and Darcel hid her face in her hands.

'What?', Nyx asked, 'What else is she supposed to te-'

'Girls!'Uncle Wen emerged into my room, 'I brought your snacks. And drinks. Talking about boys?'

'Uh, no', I said, taking the tray from him, 'It's about you-know-what'.

'Ah', He said, pushing his hair back, 'It's good to see you getting along, Mae. Hyun's pretty happy too. Don't keep things to yourself all the time alright?'

He patted my head as I slurped my drink and left.

'You uncle's so cool!'Darcel said, 'Does he need a wife? I'm willing to volunteer'.

I laughed,  'Uncle Wen needs a husband, not a wife', I corrected her.

'Damn', Darcel pouted, 'What a shame'.

'Either way', Chloe said, 'Please don't repeat what Nyx said. She's crazy. You two just need to talk it out and slowly work out the differences'.

'Yeah I know', I agreed, 'I'll do it tomorrow'.

'Yeah yeah', Nyx waved it off, 'For now, let us see our artist Mae's collection of art!'

'Guys no-'

'Yay!'Chloe squealed, 'I love going through other people's stuff'.

'Hang on-'

'Take us to your chamber of art', Darcel said getting up.

'I-it's not that perfect you know', I said blushing, 'Just some paintings. There's nothing interesting about it'.

'Rubbish', Darcel said, pulling me out of my room, 'I want to see why you're so hyped up about this Jae-Sung'.

She put it in air quotes.

'Jae-Sung this, Jae-Sung that. Blah blah blah', Darcel said, 'Is he even worth it?'

'Did you draw Taehyun?'Chloe asked as we made our way into my workspace, 'I feel like he was telling the truth when he said he had no part in it'.

'I don't know Chloe', I said, 'I didn't live long enough to figure that one out. And no I didn't draw him. He's kind of a touchy subject'.

'Guys like that always are', Nyx said.

I pulled off the covers over my paintings.

Chlose gasped, 'Oh my god he's so pretty!'

'Handsome', Nyx said with a smirk.

'Agreed', Darcel said, fingering the features, 'Maybe he looks better with longer hair'.

'I've noticed it in plenty of other dramas too', I said, 'Guys usually look better with longer hair'.

As my friends rifled through my other drawing I just sat back and watched. 

They were making such a ruckus that I felt like joining them.

Did I finally make some real friends?

I really don't know how to fix our relationship Min Joon, I thought, I just hope that everything works out for both of us, at least in this lifetime. 

I sighed.

Extra- Taehyun's demise

Taehyun was completely devastated after all that happened. He didn't want anybody to die. Especially not Sun-Hee. 

He sat on the roof of the meeting hall and gingerly fingered the gold anklet, a full jar of wine next to him. He kept the very first and last gift he gave her when she was alive. 

She loved that boy enough to slit her own throat. Couldn't she have the same feelings for him?

He smiled, 'What sort of fool am I? Did I really expect someone like Sun-Hee to reciprocate my feelings?

He chugged down the wine from the jar and let out a sigh of relief.

Mother died giving birth to me. Father killed ruthlessly to make me an heir of a much larger kingdom. Sun-Hee died because...

Am I a curse? 

He remembered her pained expression when she realised that he was dead. 

'All because of two useless emperors', Taehyung sighed, 'I don't want to take this anymore. I can't keep living like this with a load of people's lives to blame'.

Tears trickled down his face. He threw the rest of the wine down his throat. Stray drops fell on his royal clothing. 

He climbed down the building and walked towards his chambers.

Swaying with the empty jar in his hand.

The guards looked at him in sympathy as he passed, reeking of alcohol and staggering around. 

He tripped and fell on the floor of his bedroom and a guard helped him to his bed.

'Just leave', He said as the guard asked him whether he needed help changing.

As the doors closed, he was alone in the room.

'Sun-Hee', He gurgled drunkenly, 'Where did you go? I want to….f-find you'

He tried to get out of bed and tumbled onto the floor with the bedclothes. 

He searched blindly around his room throwing things all over the place until he got hold of a small vial.

This was when he felt sober.

The vial was labelled, for external application only. Do not swallow. Keep away from children.

This was the medicine given by the imperial physician for serious wounds. All you had to do was to crush one pill, put it into the water and wash the affected areas with it. Using more than one pill will aggravate the wounds causing pus. Last time a person used more than one, he had to cut off his limb. Which is precisely why, one it's for external application and two it was used for extreme situations. 

Taehyun smiled.

He spilled out all five pills. Even one pill was dangerous. An overdose would be….

'Goodbye father', He said, 'I refuse to bear your sins. Sun-Hee, in my next life I hope to meet you. Perhaps then I might have the chance to love you'.

He swallowed all the pills. It had an unbelievable bitter taste. The effects were immediate. He just wished there was a more less painful way to die. 

The entire room tiled and he collapsed. The guards outside paid no heed as these noises were often heard lately. One of Prince Taehyun's drunken episodes. 

Taehyun collapsed, foam trickling from the side of his mouth. He spasmed  thrice and went still. A tear fell from his closed eye. 

The next day, a maid came in to help him dress as usual. 

A piercing scream echoed from within his bedchamber. Guards rushed in.

The maid was sobbing over the body. A gold anklet was clutched firmly in his cold fingers.

The guards froze.

She turned, her eyes, pools of red. 

'Tell the king', She said, 'That prince Taehyun is dead. Our only heir is gone'.