•Choi Palace•

"Seungcheol?! Please bless your father for once." Sunwoo scoffed, "Attain the throne! I could have forced you to do so a long time ago but I don't want to use power over my own son."

"Dad I've already told you. I've no problem with attaining the throne. I'm already trained well." Seungcheol stared at his father, "All I'm telling you is that I won't marry."

"You can't attain the throne without marrying." Ara intervened, "You need your queen or king by your side."

"And what have I said about it? Why do you all need to keep reminding me about my departed soulmate?"

"It's you who can't forget her. She was cursed by the superior powers, why the hell can't you understand that?" Ara became outrageous, "Even if she was alive, you couldn't have married her. The only way was for her to be reincarnated which is not going to happen."

"How do you know that?" Seungcheol debated.

"BECAUSE SHE WAS CURSED FOR HER VERY OWN SINS!" Ara yelled, "There's no way, heaven would reincarnate a cursed soul."

"I don't care." Seungcheol rolled his eyes, "I'll wait for her, I promised her to do so. The throne is not more important than her." He left his parents' room by slamming the door shut.

"Ara? Is it really true that she won't reincarnate?" Sunwoo felt vulnerable.

"Oh lord, that's not possible at all. The Moon Goddess has already declared that she won't be given a life again and it's better to keep a venomous soul dead." Ara scoffed, "I'm so done with all this unnecessary drama."

"Oh god please have mercy on our old retired souls." Sunwoo begged, "Can't we just transfer the throne to Seokmin?"

"That isn't possible, your highness." Jiwook stepped into the room and bowed, "Sorry for interrupting you."

"It's okay Jiwook." Ara nodded, "Do you have any solution for this?"

"I'm sorry your highness but we tried everything." Jiwook looked down.

Sunwoo sighed, "I don't want to lose my calm."

"Don't worry your highness, I'll find a way out. As the queen of this kingdom, I'll take the responsibility to fix everything." Ara vowed.

"I trust you." Sunwoo smiled at his wife.

"Uh-" Seungcheol welped as he bumped into someone while walking through the hallways of the palace.

"What's your problem?" The ethereal man scrunched his brows.

"You are the only problem I've in my life, Yoon Jeonghan." Seungcheol rolled his eyes.

"Nothing new." Jeonghan scoffed.

Seungcheol shrugged, not in the mood to have another argument with the most annoying person he had ever met in his entire life. As he began to walk away, he heard a whistle from behind.

He turned around to witness Jeonghan leaning against the wall with a small grin.

And Seungcheol hated that grin. That evil and mischievous smile which meant nothing but harm.

"You know you're whistling at the crowned prince right? That's unethical." Seungcheol raised a brow.

"Prince, just prince because everyone knows you aren't crowned yet because of an oh so broken heart and incomplete love story." Jeonghan mocked, "Plus I don't think uncle Choi would mind me doing this anyways."

"I swear I'll literally slice that smirk off your face with my dagger." Seungcheol fumed with anger.

"Dagger?" Jeonghan laughed as he displayed him the small weapon, "This?"

"What-" Seungcheol's eyes widened, "When did you get my dagger?"

"Just now, when we bumped into each other." Jeonghan retorted.

"You know what, Yoon Jeonghan? Please try to stay away from me. I can't really endure your everyday bullshit." Seungcheol scoffed, "Keep that dagger, I'm leaving."

Jeonghan snapped his fingers after which Seungcheol felt the dagger back in his pocket, "I don't want to face you either but guess what, I'm bound to visit the place where you live."

"If it's bothering you so much then tell me, I'll ask Dad to fire you." Seungcheol raised a brow.

"He may disown you but will never fire me." Jeonghan stated, "Because I'm doing a great job for this kingdom while you're just running away from your responsibilities because of being delusional."

"Thank you for the enlightenment Mr. Yoon but keep it with yourself." Seungcheol sarcastically chuckled after which he left.

Jeonghan rolled his eyes as he walked towards the Emperor's room.

"Hail the emperor, hail the empress." Jeonghan bowed as soon as he got in.

"Oh son!" Ara managed to smile.

"The invasion from the east has been successfully disrupted." Jeonghan proudly stated.

"I'm proud of you." Sunwoo stood up, "I hope no one came to know that you and Joshua are our secret weapons."

"Don't worry about that, your majesty." Jeonghan nodded, "None of the alive soul would ever know about Choi Dynasty's secret agents. If they do, they won't be alive anymore."

"I trust you, Agent Yoon." Ara stated.

"Now, as a son, I'm asking you aunt, you seem stressed." Jeonghan knelt down in front of the empress who was sitting on the royal seat.

"Yeah." Ara mumbled.

"May I know the cause?" Jeonghan asked.

"Jeonghan? Can you talk to Seungcheol over his unnecessary stubbornness? He needs to attain the throne really soon." Ara massaged her forehead.

"I'm sorry aunt but I'm the last person he'll listen to." Jeonghan scoffed, "Why don't you ask Mingyu? He's really close to him."

"That's the problem." Sunwoo intervened, "Mingyu is close to Seungcheol so they can't talk to each other sternly."

"Don't worry Jeonghan, I understand. You don't need to talk to him." Ara chuckled, "Ask Joshua to visit me soon."

"Sure aunt." Jeonghan stood up as he bowed to the royalty, "I'll get going."

As he got out of the room, he encountered Lee Seokmin, the second oldest prince of the Choi Empire.

"Oh hyung!" Seokmin grinned as they shared a brief hug after which Seokmin began to look around.

Jeonghan laughed, "Joshua isn't here."

"What hyung? I wasn't looking for him." Seokmin scratched the back of his neck.

"Yah why don't you propose my brother and take him out of the house?" Jeonghan rolled his eyes as both of them began to walk.

"Hyung!" Seokmin whined, "Even if I propose him, he won't marry me until you get married."

"Oh please, it doesn't matter in our household." Jeonghan scoffed.

"It does. It's just you who doesn't accept these customs." Seokmin nodded, "Just like you don't believe in reincarnation of soulmates."

"Yeah, I don't." Jeonghan agreed, "I mean what's the point? Even if your soulmate is reincarnated, would they remain the same person as they were in their previous life? No, right? How's that true love?"

"Sorry to interrupt you Mr. Yoon." A deep voice echoed, "But you don't know what true love is."

"Educate me, Mr. Choi?" Jeonghan turned around to witness the eldest prince, "Because I really don't think that reincarnation makes any sense. Every soul gets reincarnated, probably, but that doesn't mean they remain the same kind of person in each of their lives."

"You might be true but true love isn't about people, it's about the souls itself." Seungcheol retorted.

"Huh?" Jeonghan frowned, "If your so called soulmate from previous life becomes an enemy and threat to the Choi Empire, to your parents, would you still love her? Just because she WAS once your lover?"

Seungcheol stayed silent. What was this question? Why did it make so much sense? Why was it shaking his trust and belief over his true love?

"What if she reborns with a motive to kill you and your family?" Jeonghan continued, "Would you still love her?"

Seokmin sensed the tension between the two. It wasn't a new thing anyways, they had always been like this.

"You hate me right?" Jeonghan walked closer to the older, "What if I'm her reincarnation? Would you still love her?"

"Stop." Seungcheol mumbled, "Get out of my sight."

"I wasn't even talking to you in the first place." Jeonghan retorted, "It's you who interfered in my conversation with Seokmin."

Seungcheol simply looked away. Why was Jeonghan always a threat to his power? A prince who had won numerous intense wars single handedly was always speechless in front of him, why?

"You-" Jeonghan chuckled mockingly, "Are the most insecure person I've ever met in my entire life. Sucks to be you."

Jeonghan began to leave but Seungcheol held his arm and stared at him, "Seokmin, leave."

"Hyung-"

"Leave, I said." Seungcheol sternly ordered.

Seokmin hesitated but he had to leave. Jeonghan twisted his wrist to escape but Seungcheol tightened his grip and pulled the younger closer, "Insecure?"

"Yes you are." Jeonghan glared at him, "You're scared that no one will love you now so you're weeping over someone who isn't coming back. Your parents are worried for you, you've so many people to care about you, yet, you only want that one person who was literally cursed by the omnipresent authoritative powers."

"This isn't love, Seungcheol." Jeonghan stood close to the older, "This is complete madness. A betrayal to your own parents who love you more than that girl. A cowardly move for your responsibilities. This kingdom wants you as their ruler but you're simply showing your back to them. You're breaking the trust of your own people.

Winning wars surely made you a good leader but you're still not a good ruler."

"Right." Seungcheol laughed, "Now waiting for your love makes you a bad person. No one understands the pain of separation-"

"You're too full of yourself, aren't you? Do you think only you're the one who went through traumatic experience?" Jeonghan chuckled bitterly, "My mom died right in front of my eyes during a war. But the next day, my father still went to serve YOUR kingdom. I took care of my younger brother when I myself was scared. We didn't know if our dad will come back or not. Pain of separation."

Seungcheol's grip on the younger's wrist loosened when he saw a hint of sadness and guilt in his eyes. The usual fierce eyes were now craving for shelter.

"Everyone around you has went through something. But no one has given up on their life and duty." Jeonghan stepped backwards, "You're just showcasing your selfishness as true love. Anyways, leave it. Uncle Choi is a better king than a heartbroken pathetic loner. Goodbye."

"If it wasn't for your job then you would have definitely been sued for being so fucking manipulative." Seungcheol scoffed.

"Really?" Jeonghan turned around as he slowly walked back towards the older, like he was his prey.

He held Seungcheol's collars and pulled him over himself with a jerk as Jeonghan's back rested against the railing of the palace while the older's arms fell over the railings.

"I manipulated you?" Jeonghan raised a brow, "Yes, I did."

Jeonghan traced Seungcheol's arm with his palm as he reached his neck and then cheeks.

Jeonghan leaned in to place his ear against the older's chest after which he backed away with a chuckle, "The effect I've on you right now is a bit questionable Mr. Choi."

Jeonghan's hand moved behind the older's back as he pulled him closer.

"Manipulation? Spells?" Jeonghan inched closer to his ear and whispered, "If your true love can be manipulated by spells, if your heart has started racing because a person except for your lover is close to you, then you need to think again if your love is true or not."

Jeonghan gently pushed him away as he winked with a menacing grin, "You can win millions of wars but never against Yoon Jeonghan. And trust me, it's not the spells that work. Goodbye, honourable prince." He left with a subtle laughter.

"The fuck is wrong with him?" Seungcheol held his chest, "And why was I standing like a statue?!"

"He's such a menace I swear." Seungcheol rolled his eyes, "I need to stay away from him."

Seungcheol stared at the disappearing figure of Jeonghan. He was too good with words, wasn't he? A manipulator, as everyone used to call him. He once again played with Seungcheol's mind, right? Because there was no way he was talking about the truth.

It was nonsense. Yes, it was. Right? Then why was this confusion? Why did Seungcheol actually want to think over his words once again?

•Heaven's Cloud•

Ara was sitting beneath the blanket of the starry night. It was a place where no one except her could go because she gad that special permission of the Moon Goddess. And what was she doing here exactly? Of course, summoning the goddess.

Soon enough, strong winds began to flow along with the minute white sprinkles. The fragrance of the area began to get sweeter after which a white brilliance was observed, depecting the arrival of the omnipresent Moon Goddess.

"Hail the Goddess." Ara knelt down.

"Stand up daughter." Moon Goddess's honey like voice echoed, "What's the matter, precious?"

"You know." Ara looked down, "My eldest son, the heir of this dynasty. I swear he's not irresponsible, he's just caught in the web of hope as well as dejection."

"I've already told you Ara." The Goddess stated, "His soulmate, Kim Hari, can never reincarnate. She was cursed. Everyone knows that."

"I know." Ara nodded, "That's why I'm here with a plan this time. I just need your help, for the sake of the descendants of water and ice, the Choi Dynasty."

"Say."

"I know Hari can't be reincarnated but we can make Seungcheol believe that she did." Ara explained, "A fake soulmate. He can marry him or her, thinking that the person is the reincarnation of his soulmate. You have to help me to provide the soulmate mark to the person I'll choose for him. The same mark which Seungcheol has on his right shoulder."

"Hmm, it makes sense. Although it's not a very ethical way but it's for the well being of the supreme Dynasty." The Moon Goddess nodded, "Sure I can do that but you've to be really cautious while choosing the person."

"Why?"

"Giving that mark to a random person won't make him or her the reincarnation of Hari. But with that mark, will come great powers." The Moon Goddess stated, "I assume you'll choose a person who already has supernatural powers but after this mark, that person would become a part of the water clan and will gain all those extra powers.

You've to be sure if you trust that person completely. Because if he or she decides to go against your kingdom, it will be a huge trouble for you. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't rush it. Take your time to search a trustable and worthy person."

Ara fell silent. She was in a problem again, wasn't she?

"I know it's hard but it's not impossible." The Moon Goddess chuckled, "I trust you, daughter. Let this remain between you, Sunwoo and Jiwook. When you find the person, summon me again. Good bye my dearest child."

Ara bowed her head as the Goddess disappeared in thin air.

"How am I going to find such a perfect person?" Ara sighed.

She walked back and forth for a while after which an idea clicked her, "Royal Ball Party. Yeah. It would be a great excuse to test a few ladies and gentlemen. Let's see, who's worthy enough for the second crown of Choi Dynasty beside Seungcheol being the first crown holder."

"KIM JIWOOK!" Ara summoned.

A/n : What are your thoughts after the first chapter?

I literally made Seungcheol a soon to be king and the same day I watched him in the role of janitor and security guard. 🧍🏻‍♀️

Anyways, take care everyone!
-Jeonghanneyonghaseyo