Uncharted Affections

"Send this to my uncle..."

Min Jun handed the scroll to the head eunuch, who then passed it to the messenger. Without delay, the messenger hurried off to the destination mentioned by Min Jun.

The prince sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. Today had been a tense day, especially after last night's incident. He closed his eyes, searching for a moment of peace.

***

"Daegum..."

Soo Young approached cautiously, her voice soft. Min Jun opened his eyes and gave her a faint nod.

"I'm sorry for causing trouble—"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Soo Young-ssi. What you did was noble, with good intentions. If it wasn't for your quick actions, we might have lost Gisa Ahn and Dan," Min Jun reassured her with a hint of gratitude in his tone.

---

Soo Young noticed Min Jun's lingering glances at both Dan and Uk. Since she arrived at the Red Ruby, she noticed how Min Jun kept staring at both men who casually hangout around the Red Ruby. They look especially close, making the prince looked uneasy.

When Soo Young saw them, she somehow remembered something. She hesitated for a moment, sensing his prince's uneasiness perhaps due to what she saw on her way to the Red Ruby.

"What's wrong, Daegum?" Soo Young asked gently. Min Jun shook his head slightly, choosing to focus on his treatment rather than dwell on the strange behavior between the two.

"Dan-ssi and Uk-ssi... are they close?" Soo Young's sudden question struck a chord in Min Jun.

"Why do you ask?" Min Jun responded subtly, trying to hide his jealousy while his mind struggled with the interactions between those two.

"I saw them talking outside the house when I was on my way here. They seemed... discreet, almost secretive," Soo Young explained casually. It wasn't until she glanced back at Min Jun that she noticed his reaction.

"I'm sorry, Daegum! I didn't mean to pry..."

"Did you hear anything?" Min Jun's question made Soo Young hesitate. She put down the needle, glancing briefly at Uk and Dan before turning her attention back to Min Jun.

"I heard them talking about meeting a group... something about dancers?"

"You mean, the Shaman's dancers?" Min Jun asked, his tone stiff, though he tried to keep his emotions in check. Soo Young nodded quietly.

"I think that's what I heard..."

"Did they mention where the meeting would take place?" Min Jun pressed further.

"There's a tavern in the middle of the forest, next to Moon Stream..."

The prince paused, his mind racing as he paced around the room. After a moment, he stopped and turned to Soo Young.

"Soo Young, can you help me?" Min Jun asked urgently. Soo Young nodded, ready to assist.

"Stop by this place on your way home. Ask for Asura and Indra. I'll write the details in a scroll—please pass it to one of them," Min Jun instructed. He quickly wrote something down, rolled it into a scroll casing, and handed it to Soo Young. He then scribbled a note on a piece of paper and slipped it into her hand.

"Certainly, Daegum..." Soo Young took the scroll and carefully placed it in her bag.

---

Later that night...

Min Jun opened his eyes slowly. When he glanced to his side, Uk was gone. The prince squinted, a twinge of disappointment in his chest.

He rose from bed and took out his black attire from the cupboard, dressing carefully. Once ready, he quietly left his room and headed straight for his reading room.

As soon as Min Jun entered, three pairs of eyes looked up at him. He sighed and walked toward them, holding a black and gold hwandok with a silver rope.

"I wish I didn't have to call on you like this, but I have no choice..." Min Jun apologized to Asura and Indra.

"It's fine, Daegum. We're here at your service," Asura replied firmly.

"Did you read the scroll I sent?" Min Jun asked.

Both Asura and Indra nodded, exchanging glances before Indra spoke up.

"Daegum, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling about this, so we did some brief investigating. The place does exist, but there are troubling stories about it."

"Go on," Min Jun prompted.

"It's true that the Shaman's dancers perform there. But there have been reports of missing people—mostly lords—who were last seen attending the shows," Indra explained.

Min Jun sighed heavily, the weight of potential danger pressing down on him.

"I think we should pursue them. Something feels wrong about this. Soo Young-ssi, you should stay behind," Min Jun suggested, but Asura shook his head in disagreement.

"Daegum jaga, we have to bring her along," Asura insisted. Min Jun frowned, looking at him.

"We need someone who can sneak and strike. Soo Young-ssi is a skilled archer," Asura explained, surprising Min Jun.

"How do you know?" Min Jun asked. Asura smiled and tapped Soo Young's hand.

"We attended the same archery class once. Believe me, you won't regret bringing her along," Asura assured him.

Min Jun chuckled softly, thinking about the many talents his practitioner possessed. Not to mention, she attracted attention wherever she went—even now, Asura was looking at her in admiration.

"Fine then. Let's go!" Min Jun declared. Asura and Indra quickly prepared, checking their belongings before Soo Young followed them out.

**"

Dan glared at Min Jun. The prince stood before him, eyes fixed in a piercing gaze. Dan sighed, closing the book he had been reading, and focused on Min Jun.

"I already informed your household that you'll be here for a while. You have to stay until the investigation is over," Min Jun said plainly.

Dan nodded, accepting Min Jun's decision to place him under house arrest temporarily. His involvement with Sunhwa made him a target—not just for the kingdom, but for others as well.

"I didn't mention anything about the incident. So, don't worry about it," Min Jun added, sitting at the entrance of the house. His expression showed traces of disappointment.

"Thanks, cousin..." Dan muttered, feeling both guilty and worried.

"Why did you keep this from me? We've never kept secrets from each other before," Min Jun asked, his voice tinged with frustration. He had been holding back his anger since last night, but now that the immediate danger had passed, it was time to address it.

"I was worried you'd reject the idea of us seeking information from the Dark Hours area. I believed that to find someone connected to it, we needed to ask someone from there directly," Dan explained, his voice subdued.

"So, you turned to the most infamous and suspicious rat in the kingdom—Sunhwa? Do you realize the consequences of seeking help from someone like her?" Min Jun's voice grew sharper. Dan winced and nodded.

"I'm sorry, cousin..."

"It's not just about your safety, Dan. It's about a lot more. You and hyung-nim were in a suspicious place, surrounded by dangerous people. What if someone from the royal council found out about your involvement with Sunhwa? Your loyalty to me would be questioned! You could be labeled a traitor!" Min Jun's anger boiled over.

"All I wanted was to help, Daegum. Nothing more," Dan replied, his tone apologetic.

"Dan, you've been walking a dangerous path. I know because I'm in the same situation. We both frequent at the Dark Hours area. Even though I'm a prince, I'm always under scrutiny. Everything I do, everyone I meet—the council knows," Min Jun said, gripping the doorframe, his expression somber.

"Imagine if it were you... You're someone close to me. Do you think they would overlook your presence there? They won't! So you have to be careful! Now, look what's happened!" Min Jun's frustration was palpable.

The conversation dwindled after a while. Everything had been said, and the air between them was heavy with the weight of their words.

"Stay here for a while, at least until things settle down. I said it's a house arrest, but you know I won't make things difficult for you, cousin. Stay as you wish, but don't leave the premises without my permission," Min Jun instructed, standing up and brushing the dust from his attire.

"What about Uk-ssi?" Dan asked, curious. Min Jun gave him a resigned look.

"He'll probably stay close to me from now on. And now that you mention it, I guess I have to deal with him too..." Min Jun sighed, bracing himself for another confrontation. This time, it's quite intimate and domestic.

One down, one more to go...