The five of them burst into the palace doors after being granted entry to find Yunho walking down the stairs, clearly looking tired from the event that happened in town.

Mingi runs over to Yunho, taking the latter who was not paying attention by surprise when he grips the general's arms and says, "Was it true, the news that we heard?"

"Oh," Yunho utters. "All of you are still in Lucida? I thought that you're already well on your way out of the kingdom; we didn't see you in town."

Hongjoong grimaces as he slowly makes his way to them. "We were kind of lost and somehow ended up at the residential area, but then we got back to town. That was when we heard the news about the king being attacked out of nowhere."

Yunho sighs before running his hand through his hair. "Looks like news really does travel fast. It's true; His Majesty-" he gives up in trying to keep up with the titles, "-Seonghwa got attacked by some random... I don't know, I guess he was one of the opposing people. But I don't even know his true intention; one minute it seems like he's all for Akira being queen but not Seonghwa, and another minute it seems like he doesn't want both of them to be taking the throne." He massages his temple, "But one thing for sure is that he expressed his refusal to accept Seonghwa as king."

"Because he's from Nyla?" Yeosang asks.

"Because he's from Nyla..." Yunho drawls, "and because he has not a drop of royal blood in him. He told Akira that most of the people only wanted her as the queen, and that they're only putting up with it because Seonghwa is her husband."

"That's so mean," Wooyoung complains. "Just because my brother is crimson-blooded and that he's from Nyla, it doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to rule a kingdom. I bet he can even do better than those with pure royal blood." Then he quickly adds when San glances at him, "Not you, of course. You're good too."

"Akira told me that whatever the man said was true," Yunho supplements. "But they're still in a great deal of shock, so I don't think you can meet them now either." He mulls over his words, "That man attacked Seonghwa on his face."

Wooyoung gasps in horror as his hands fly to his own face. "His face?"

"Uhm," Yunho agrees to it. "I think it's going to leave a scar."

Hongjoong pushes his tongue from the inside of his cheek, his hand tracing the scar on his own face. "Looks like I have a friend."

Yunho grimaces. "But I don't think Seonghwa is taking it that well."

"I mean who would?" San says, worried. "You're being attacked by your own people, the people who are supposed to have your back. That's one of the nightmares for anyone ruling the kingdom."

"Agree," Mingi states. He scratches his head, "Seonghwa has a high physical pain tolerance but when something hurts his heart, he usually can't take it that well."

"Remember when he cried a river after Akira got hurt?" Hongjoong asks. "Yeah, I don't think I'm strong enough to be the witness again."

"Is the wound on his face that bad?" Yeosang inquires, wondering whether their palace doctor is already attending to them.

"Not really sure," Yunho states. "After the attack I went to deal with the culprit and Akira and Seonghwa are on their way back accompanied by the others who went with us."

"Ah... I feel really bad for Seonghwa and Akira..." San utters. "They were really thinking about how it would be if they were to accept the offer."

"No one expected it to turn out this way," Wooyoung replies. "They were in a bind too."

"Maybe we'll leave tomorrow," Hongjoong says. "Stay another day. I really hope they'll be doing fine."

---

Seonghwa wails as Akira touches his wound, his wife unsure on whether he's actually crying or merely faking it, because no tears are pouring out yet his cries have filled their whole room. She's sure that anyone passing outside would have heard him since he started 'crying'.

"Does it really hurt-" Akira starts but Seonghwa wails again and she's left to backtrack. "Well- I mean, if it hurts let me help put some ointment and a bandage on it."

"Akira!" Seonghwa wails again, but says nothing more.

She sighs, gripping his hands that are flying to his face, prying them apart as she inspects the wound. The part near his cheekbones are nicked, and there's about a 2cm wound opened with dried blood sticking to it. When she wants to touch it he wails louder, until she slaps his thigh to make him shut up.

"I thought you have a high pain tolerance, why are you wailing like a baby?"

This makes him stop 'crying' and he sniffs. "It stings. A bit."

"Huh," she scoffs. "Just when I'm about to treat you you're crying loudly. Maybe I should just ask Dr. Kee to patch you up..." She stands up, referring to their palace doctor.

"No," he whines as he holds on to her hand. "I don't want him to treat me. I want you."

She rolls her eyes and collapses back onto the bed, opening the first aid kit Yunho had given her. "Then stop whining."

She takes the basin filled with water, dips a towel in it before she cleans the wound, her mouth twisting as she focuses to make sure it's as painless as possible. After patting it dry she unscrews the cap of an ointment tube, takes a pint-sized drop on her finger before dabbing it onto his wound. Then she tears off a bandage before placing it onto the wound. After she's done she lightly pinches his cheeks and only then he makes a sound.

All throughout his treatment he stares at her, lips curved into a secret smile as he watches her concentrate, oblivious to how he can't keep his eyes off of her. Obviously, the wound was nothing compared to the wounds he had acquired in all his life; it was just a small cut either from a purposeful attack or an unskilled attacker. All that 'crying' was fake too, and it's just because he liked seeing how she couldn't stop fussing over him even though the wound was nothing serious.

Of course, he likes all the attention Akira is giving him.

He shouts out in pain when she pinches his waist, as hard as her expression, and that manages to make him shrink slightly.

"You have a person worrying about you and you faked-cry? You think I wouldn't know?" she says sternly, her eyebrows furrowing as she twists his skin again.

He pouts. "Because if I don't make it look like it hurts you'll probably just send me to the doctor."

"Maybe I should have," she deadpans. "I married a toddler it seems."

He starts fake-crying again, patting the bandage as his mouth is pushed further outwards. He says through the pout, "What if you don't like me anymore because I have a scar on my face?"

She looks at him with an 'are you serious' look before she slaps his shoulder and nags. "Do you know how worried I was for your life when that man attacked you?! Now that's all you're worried about? I didn't marry you for your looks, you idiot. Stop-" he slaps his shoulder again, "-worrying about trivial stuff and worry about your life instead! So what if you have a scar on your face?" She pushes her hair aside and reveals the scar she has on her forehead. "I have one too, so what's the big deal?"

"Akira..." he trails off, realizing how she seems to be really tense. She pokes her cheek with his finger. "I was just joking."

She sighs before burying her face in her hands. "I'm sorry. Everything that man said just kept replaying in my head and I'm-" she looks up, "worried for you."

He pulls her into a hug, letting her bury her face in his chest as his chin rests on top of her head. "You're worried for me?"

"Of course I'm worried for you, you idiot. He was threatening you and he even had the guts to attack you in broad daylight. People like him will not hesitate to get what they want and prove their point."

"You have someone as capable as Yunho leading your army, you used to be the general and I think," he shrugs, "I can fight a little bit if things go awry."

She looks at him, as if not believing how relaxed he's sounding; as if he was not just threatened and humiliated in front of the public. It makes her feel like she's the one over-reacting to this deal, when she's dead worried for her husband's safety. Maybe she should not be that concerned...

"As long as they don't touch you, I'm fine," he finally says, revealing what he's suppressing. "And the words the man said, when he asked you to choose between Lucida or this... lame husband of yours from Nyla, I understand the decision that you're about to make. I know that obviously Lucida is your home, and that your heart is forever with your kingdom." He puts a hand over his eyes, looking away dramatically. "If you don't want to be with me anymore, I understand. Say it, even though I know it will hurt."

When all is quiet he turns back his body to face her before peeking through his fingers. He gulps as he sees Akira crossing her arms, face unsmiling. He bares his teeth in an awkward smile before he receives multiple slaps on his body from her, and he screams in high pitch when she doesn't stop. It looks like she's not hitting him hard, but enough to make him put up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

She frowns before giving a last push to him, and he bounces on the bed before sitting up straighter again. She utters, "You really think this is a joke, don't you?"

"I don't want to worry you more than I should," he utters, this time with a more serious look. "I didn't mean to make light of the situation, but I don't want you to worry about me that much when you should be worrying about your own condition." He changes his seating position so that he's facing elsewhere other than her. "I'm already a burden to you here, and considering how you always think about others first rather than your own self, this is not the time to be worrying too much about me."

She releases a shaky breath. "That's how marriages are supposed to work, silly. If I'm worried about you burdening me in the first place I wouldn't have accepted your proposal." She picks her skin near her lip. "You said so yourself that we're in this together. Unless..." she mumbles, "you're the one regretting our marriage."

His eyes go wide as he hears this before turning to look at her again, profusely shaking his head. It seems that he's speechless at her conclusion that he keeps on shaking his head until she has to hold his head in place.

"I got it, I got it," she mutters before looking away, a slight smirk on her lips.

"Do you really think that way?" he asks, eyes dripping with worry as they turn grey. "Do I really act as if I regret my decision to marry you?"

She doesn't answer his questions but merely shrugs.

"Akira," he whines. He grips her arms and shakes her body from side to side, demanding an answer. "Akira," he repeats.

"No," she answers shortly.

He heaves a sigh of relief, but not long after he frowns. "I will never."

"Never what?"

"Regret my decision of marrying you."

She chuckles. "Sure, give it a few more years and we'll see whether you'll be speaking the same thing. Men can always change."

"No." He crosses his arms, his heart already set in stone.

She stays quiet, conscious of her own being. Even she was a product of an affair. If the king hadn't met her mother, fallen in love... then Akira Hwang wouldn't exist. That is one of the reasons that she's in a bind; she should know her place.

"I overheard Jihyun talking to one of the palace staff," she admits finally. "And uh..." She intertwines her fingers, "Well, I guess it was more of gossiping. I was planning to go to the kitchen and they said that I was only lucky to be here because my father was a cheater."

Seonghwa's face changes at this, and there's a slight speck of red as he's infuriated.

"I mean," she scratches her cheek, "it's true that I'm here because my father had an affair, and all the hatred Emira had towards me was because of that. So maybe, this is just my luck."

"Who was the palace staff?" he asks through gritted teeth. "Which one of them?"

She looks at her hands on her lap and mutters, "One of the maids in charge of cleaning." She refutes, "I don't know who they were but maybe I could've heard them wrong. That's not my point, it's just that..." she trails off, unable to finish her sentence.

"You're scared that I'll end up the same as your father."

"He's not my father," she replies. She closes her eyes, "I don't- I don't know. He was the reason I'm here, but he's also the reason I lost my mother and my sister. I had never been able to call him my father even though he was right there in front of me. I didn't even know he was my father until after he died. It's not you that I'm worried about. It's me."

When Seonghwa looks at her in confusion, she continues.

"That's not the only thing they talked about." She utters slowly, "They said that being a cheater must run in the blood. That even I cheated my way through to take the throne, and that-" she stops as she gulps, "I'll probably end up cheating on you one day too."

"Those-" Seonghwa starts as his eyes get coloured red, this time uncovered.

She holds him down, backtracking. "Don't worry about that, it's just harmless gossip."

"But I can't stand them talking about you that way."

Her eyes soften, but she doesn't let go of her grip on him. "People can always talk; it's not like you can close their mouths shut. It's just that... well, if whatever they say comes true, just leave me. Whoever cheats don't deserve to stay with their partners."

He relaxes, touching her chin as he sighs. "You really are too nice for your own good."

She chuckles. "Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard that when I was a general."

"Our parents don't define who we are," he utters. "And whatever people say don't define who we are."

"Ooh," she grins. "I'm slightly touched."

Seonghwa pinches the bridge of his nose as he looks on proudly. "Come on, this is why you married this amazing man."

"You just self-confessed that you're lame."

"I didn't."

"'And the words the man said, when he asked you to choose between Lucida or this... lame husband of yours from Nyla, I understand the decision that you're about to make.'" She mimics him. "Is that not a self-confession from you? The man never said you were 'lame'."

He makes a face. "That was obviously for dramatic effect."

"You're always dramatic. One of these days I won't be able to tell whether you're only exaggerating or you're being serious."

He grins before snapping his fingers, remembering something. He stands up and looks for his jacket. Once he finds it hanging at the clothing rack he fishes the pockets and smiles as he takes out the two bracelets he had gotten in town. He brings them over to her to show them to her.

"Which one would you like?" He holds each in his hand. "The darker or lighter shade of purple?"

"Either one is fine," she replies. "Couple bracelets?"

"Why?" He lowers down his hands. "You don't want to? If you're uncomfortable we don't-"

"Who said anything about that?" She shows her wrist to him. "I'll wear whichever one you give me."

He takes a moment to decide before he puts down the lighter-coloured bracelet on the bed before pulling her hand gently, clasping the bracelet with the darker-coloured beads around her left wrist. After clasping it, he instinctively traces the scars she has on her arm with his thumb, releasing small sighs.

"They're just scars from the battles I've been to, they're nothing." Subconsciously she pulls back her arm, looking away.

He doesn't say anything as he shows his wrist, nudging the lighter-coloured bracelet towards her.

She looks at his arms for a moment; unlike hers they're barely scathed, his skin as smooth as a baby's bottom. She chuckles slowly before picking up the bracelet, clasping it around his left wrist.

Grinning, he twists his wrist a few times to show off his new accessory, stating, "The girl said if we always wear them, our relationship would last forever." He beams, "That's kind of cute."

"You believe in that?" she mutters, rolling the beads in between her thumb and forefinger. "You're putting our relationship on a piece of object?"

He leans back, shrugging. "Well, rather than that I'd like to think that the bracelet will remind us of each other. So whenever we look at it, we remember the other person, and we always think about them. Reminds you of the trust that we have with each other."

She lies down, looking up at the ceiling as she mumbles, "I guess that's fair."

He joins in beside her as he tries to look for something on the plain ceiling. "They're cute, aren't they?"

"Who?"

"The kids," he replies.

"Hmm," she hums reluctantly. "I don't know- I still feel awkward around them. I feel as if I'm capable of hurting them."

"What do you think..." he says, "of our own?"

She blinks, turning her head to the left to see him staring at her. The words feel foreign to her as she utters, "Our own children?"

He nods.

She turns her head to face the ceiling again. "Not now." Even though she's not looking at him, she can feel how he's slightly disappointed in her answer. She balls her fist, knowing that her next words will cause another friction, but she says it anyway. "I want to focus on Lucida first. Fix what's wrong, earn the trust of the people. Only then, we'll focus on ourselves." She doesn't want to see his face, because she knows that whatever she had said had hurt him so she turns her body to the side. She lies on her right side, her back towards him. "Plus... I'm scared of bringing in a child into this world; I don't want to end up hurting them like I was hurt."

"I understand," he answers simply.

He doesn't say anything else as they lie on the bed, and for the first time their backs are facing each other. He's slightly disappointed but he knows that he can't be selfish. He wants to let her have her time, only wait for when she's ready. Although he doesn't like to admit it because he knows it's wrong, when all his words have been promising Akira that he'll follow whatever she decides.

It's always Lucida... never us first.

But for once. Just for once.

---

[A/N: VOTE FOR ATEEZ ON SMA OR AKIRA AND SEONGHWA WILL NOT GET THEIR HAPPY ENDING!!!!!

i'm just kidding (or am i...) but imagine how happy ateez would be if they managed to get a bonsang :""""))))) ]