"We are not doing that."

"Do what?" Wooyoung lowers down his voice. "Wearing all those fancy suits and preparing a grand coronation ceremony for you?"

San puts a finger to his lips, reminding the other to keep his mouth shut about the matter, especially since they're in town. The five of the remaining young masters in Nyla, are all out and about in town after they had sent Akira, Seonghwa, Yunho and Jongho away. They had decided to take some fresh air while walking around town, with San needing it the most considering how he had just, although still quite reluctant, to take on the title as king officially.

Wooyoung lowers down his voice, looks to the back to see Mingi, Hongjoong and Yeosang window shopping in the streets, then looks to his surroundings before lowering down his voice. "It's a big event! And it's not like we're going to be inviting others. It's just among us! You know, those in the palace... maybe Mingi's parents? Oooh and the new king and queen." He starts to ramble, "Talking about the new king and queen of Lucida I wonder when they will be holding their ceremony. Can you imagine? The boy who's been with us since we're kids is becoming a king in another kingdom."

San chuckles before shaking his head. "There's a reason why the tradition is set for the Shadow King. It's supposed to be a humbling experience, not something to boast about."

"But still," Wooyoung mumbles. "I think it'd be really fun to attend. I want to see my childhood friend walking to that throne, putting on that crown he deserves. Hmm?" He leans to the side, shaking San's hand. "What do you think? We're not exposing you, just among us."

"So you want to have a coronation ceremony among us, just so you can see me putting on that crown?"

Wooyoung nods enthusiastically.

"For my friend who's been with me since we were kids..."

Wooyoung looks at him expectantly.

"I'll think about it."

Wooyoung's shoulders sag. "Well, at least that's better than completely trashing that idea. I have to think about what I'm going to wear that day. I can't lose to you; you may be handsome but-"

"-you get all the girls, I know," San drawls, rolling his eyes so hard that he could feel as if he could see his skull.

"What are you guys talking about so seriously?" Mingi approaches them, pushing them apart before putting his arms around the both of them. "We're here to window shop, not discuss palace matters."

"Have some fun, you losers," Yeosang comes next, followed by Hongjoong who just scared off a little child because he was frowning as he looked at the flowers a florist is selling. "We're in town, try something fun and not bring palace stuff here."

"How do we even have fun these days?" Wooyoung sighs. "I can't wait for next year's ball too. I feel like that's one of the days I look forward to every year."

"Sure, sure and we all know the reason why," Mingi utters. "And you, Kim Hongjoong. Why are you looking so intently at the flowers being sold? Thinking of buying them for someone?" He gasps, "Don't tell me you've already found someone new?"

"What?" Hongjoong frowns, shaking his head profusely. "No, no, no. Before Seonghwa left he gave Wooyoung and I the trust to look after his garden-"

"Ah right!" Wooyoung exclaims, then slapping his forehead. "I completely forgot about that."

"It's barely been a few hours since Seonghwa left, and you've already forgotten about what he asked you to do?" Yeosang tuts.

"Can't blame me." Wooyoung shrugs. "Whatever that guy says goes into one ear and out the other. His voice has a huge tendency to not stick in my brain. It's probably all the greasiness he has."

The rest of them snort except for Hongjoong, who seems to struggle to recall something. He sighs, "Damn it, Seonghwa literally took us on a whole tour around his garden to say what kind of flowers there are, but I can barely remember some of the names. Pretty sure I wrote the names down somewhere, but there are just too many to remember."

"As for me," Wooyoung announces, as if proud, "I couldn't remember from the first flower he pointed out, except for maybe, the delentines. Yeah, that's probably the only flower I remember."

"Talking about delentines..." San butts in, "Didn't those flowers only grow because of him? He's the only person who managed to grow them in this whole country."

"Oh it's going to die..." Yeosang says in a melancholic tone.

"The garden will be a barren land by the time Seonghwa comes over to visit," Mingi adds.

"Someone's going to get their butts whooped," San says, "and it's not going to be me."

Wooyoung seems to think for a moment, putting a finger to his chin before he snaps his fingers. "You know what, before that happens and we see red in Seonghwa's eyes because we destroyed his garden, we should learn the names of the flowers real quick."

"Both of you go and do that, I'm just about to pop at the wish fountain just for a second," Yeosang utters before scurrying off.

"Wait, what are you wishing for?" Wooyoung shouts to him because Yeosang seems to be chasing the fountain, as if it would disappear if he's only one second late. "What could possibly Kang Yeosang want in this life?" he shouts again, gaining some attention from the others in town. He smiles and waves when he sees some of the girls chatting among themselves while pointing at him, clearly smitten.

All the young masters from the Nyla palace are clearly well-known around town, but out of the bunch Wooyoung is the one who gets the most attention, mainly because he knows how to socialize with them. He knows how to say the right words, do the right things that make them keep their interest in him long-lasting, squealing every time they see him in town as if it's the first time they've seen him.

Still, he walks forward while slightly bowing to those he had gained attention from, approaching Yeosang who is earnestly clutching his hands in front of the fountain. He puts an arm around the palace doctor, trying to listen to whatever he's whispering to the flowing water.

Wooyoung listens intently, nodding as if he can hear whatever Yeosang is wishing for. By the time he's done, Wooyoung repeats, "What did you wish for?"

"None of your business," he deadpans.

"Aw, Kang Yeosang don't be such a butt. Share with me your fantasies. You want to marry a princess? Live in a palace? Overthrow the king here and take the throne instead?"

Yeosang hits the back of Wooyoung's head with his palm. "None of that."

"Then what did you wish for?" Wooyoung says through a pout.

He turns around, refusing to answer but Wooyoung grabs his shirt, pulls him into a headlock before messing up his hair. "Why won't you tell me?"

The people are amused watching them having a friendly banter in front of the wishing fountain, with Yeosang's arms flailing out, asking for help from the rest of the young masters. The other young masters walk slowly towards the two, already looking like they want to claim that they don't know them. However, that won't work- everybody knows the five of them are the famous young masters from the Nyla palace. So they are left to walk towards the two, ready to pry them apart.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you what's what," Yeosang relents as Wooyoung loosens his grip around his neck. He waits for the rest to approach them before saying in a lower volume, "I just wished that everything would be well for us, for the palace once San takes on that throne. Even though he's the only one taking the title officially, technically we're all responsible for what goes on in the Nyla palace. So I just hope that nothing will go wrong."

"You made a wish for San? That's nice of you," Hongjoong comments.

"Don't get me wrong," Yeosang starts. "If San destroys the kingdom after he gets on the throne, we're all going down and heck, I'm definitely losing my job as the doctor. So to make sure that doesn't happen, I wish the best for you," he refers to San.

San laughs at this. "But still, I'm honoured that you kept me in your prayers."

"Since Yeosang made a wish, I'll make one too," Wooyoung announces, "and the rest of you should too. Now that we're here, it's a waste to only pass by the fountain."

Wooyoung makes them circle the fountain, looking like they're about to do a summoning ceremony when in fact they're only whispering their wishes to the fountain. Even though he's the first person to start mumbling his wishes, he's the last to open his eyes. When he does, the rest are looking at him with interest, wondering what he could be wishing for, to be having him standing in front of the fountain the longest.

"Now what did you wish for?" Yeosang counters.

Wooyoung looks taken aback at how Yeosang is the one asking the question to him now, until it looks like he's avoiding it instead. But it seems he's not going anywhere as Yeosang taps his knuckles against his thigh, patiently waiting.

As it seems that the others are waiting for him to answer, he manages, "I'll only spill if the rest of you tell me what your wishes are."

"You know mine," Yeosang utters.

"I want more jobs coming in and to just lead a peaceful life in the hut." After a thought, Hongjoong adds, "Of course, for the kingdom to flourish too."

"I wished for my parents and brother's wellbeing, and ours," Mingi offers.

"I wished for the best for our kingdom," San says lastly. "After, you know." He doesn't want to say it out loud in fear of people eavesdropping.

Wooyoung didn't expect them to share their wishes so easily, that he thought that maybe he could wriggle his way out from having to share his. But now they're looking at him full of expectations, ready to hear what he wished for.

He nervously laughs. "Maybe I didn't think this through."

"Don't even think of running away," San warns him in a half joking tone. "We shared ours and it's only fair if you share yours too."

Knowing that he has no way to escape, he sighs, leans against the wall he walks over to before beckoning for them to come over to him. They follow obediently as he starts telling what he wished for. He takes a deep breath before pursing his lips and his shoulders droop. He makes sure to say it as quietly as he can, one by one.

"First off," Wooyoung begins. "I wished for our friend here to take the throne without any obstacles." His eyes dart around to make sure that no one is listening. "Secondly, I wish for our kingdom to flourish under his ruling." He stops.

"That's it?" Mingi frowns. "End?"

Wooyoung looks hesitant and slightly guilty before he relents. "This might sound a bit... too sudden but I kind of wished I could know who my parents are."

The others' expressions change at this, but especially Mingi.

Wooyoung continues, "I know that I'm already 23, which means that this is my 23rd year of not knowing who my parents are, or..." he shrugs, "whether they're still alive. But I don't know. It's what I wish for every time I go to the fountain."

San tilts his head. "You've been wishing for that, every time you go to the fountain?"

He nods. "Well," he looks away, "I guess the fountain isn't that effective because I've been wishing for it for as long as I can remember. It's my fault too, I guess. I didn't make any effort to find them, but maybe it's because I'm afraid to face the consequences. I didn't want to find out the reason why they abandoned me. I'm not ready to face the fact that my parents didn't want me and left me at the palace instead. I wanted to find them, but at the same time I don't." He chuckles, "It's kind of a push and pull for me. I hoped that the wish came true but I dreaded for the day that it would."

Mingi stays quiet the longest, although the rest don't notice how he's gone extremely quiet after Wooyoung relayed his wish to them. There seems to be something bothering him heavily that even as they keep on walking, with them wanting to get their lunch fixed at a nearby restaurant, his expression remains the same.

Wooyoung's parents... he wants to know who they are, and whether they are doing well.

"How would you... react if you found out who your parents are?" Mingi asks, him and Wooyoung detached from the other three as they walk forward.

Wooyoung thinks for a while, obvious that he didn't think about the question thoroughly. All this while he's only focused on the fact that he wants to find his parents, but not what he would react if he could indeed find them one day.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "Maybe it's the fact that I know it's an almost impossible wish, so I've never really thought about it. Ayy," he grins, "why are you the one being so worried about what would happen? Don't worry, I'm pretty sure that it's a dream that should be long forgotten. 23 years and never once did anyone try to claim me as their son. Relax, Song Mingi. I'm all good; being a Jung Wooyoung is fun on its own."

"Would you blame them?" Mingi presses further, his eyebrows furrowing. "What if... what if they were forced to leave you at the palace? Like they had no other choice but to leave you there?"

Wooyoung hums, slightly confused on why Mingi looks like he's the one who's in distress; when really, it should be the other way round. In fact, Wooyoung himself doesn't even feel anything anymore when the topic of his parents are brought up. It's just simply a routine; something that he's used to wishing for whenever he sees the fountain.

"If they were really forced to..." Wooyoung sighs, "What could be the reason for them to abandon their child just like that? If they indeed loved me, as their child, would they stand to leave me alone when I was just a baby?" His eyes glaze over but he doesn't let the tears fall. "I'm perfectly fine as I am right now, living with you guys, in the palace even. What more could I ask for? Come on, let's stop talking about this. Aish, being who I am I shouldn't have forced Yeosang to share his wish. Now everyone knows my weakness, my sob story," he tries to joke but Mingi isn't affected.

"But still," Mingi attempts, "if you could know who they are... would you want to? If there's somehow a chance for you to meet them, do you want to?"

Wooyoung stops in his tracks before looking back to Mingi. "And you're saying? Are you offering to find them for me?"

"That's..." he stops.

"Don't bother," Wooyoung replies, trying to put on a fake smile. "You'll only waste your time, and I don't know how exactly I will react if I ever get to meet them. I'll probably put on a rampage, huh? All those pent up anger and frustrations. So don't bother, find something else useful for you. I don't know," he chuckles, "someone you like? Chase after them instead, not my parents."

Mingi presses his lips into thin lines, watching as Wooyoung joins the other three, his demeanour completely changing as he laughs along with them with his arms across their shoulders. They're happily walking, their thoughts only on their rumbling stomachs and what they can order to fill themselves up.

Only Mingi is left behind, his hunger long forgotten but replaced with a new worry. He still remembers how Wooyoung saved him from being killed by the Lucida soldier, how he was forced to hold on to the tree while Wooyoung fought the soldier with his life. With that, Mingi feels forever indebted to him; without him he probably wouldn't have lived to witness another day.

It is a secret only shared between them; up to this day none of the others know how the late Queen Emira had sent off a soldier to kill off Mingi as a warning. They decided to let the secret be buried together with Emira's passing, figuring that there would be no use in bringing it up. Even that feels like a heavy secret to keep, but he's living with it.

But now, there's another secret that he doesn't know whether he's capable of keeping.

He has found the names of Wooyoung's parents, but he's not sure whether Wooyoung would be ready to accept the reason why he was left on the palace steps even before he could recognize the world.

What he feels now is that with Wooyoung's attitude on the topic of his parents, he might not want to hear about the truth at all.