As if there was nothing more left to hear, my dad headed straight toward Busan.
Throughout the drive, not a single person broke the silence.
The interior of the car was thick with stillness, and everyone quietly walked on eggshells around me.
The time I had spent drawing closer to Joo Minhyuk and loving him amounted to barely four months.
After spending numerous years here living like complete strangers, we had only been close for four months.
I couldn’t confidently declare that I truly knew everything about Joo Minhyuk in that short span of time.
Joo Minhyuk was an imperial royal to his very bones, a textbook dominant Alpha born into the ruling class.
Since he had lived his entire life in that environment, it was impossible to judge his character as simply good or bad based on that alone.
For him, that was the only world he had ever known.
He had reigned over everyone his whole life, meaning he could never truly stand on equal footing with others.
He loved his citizens, but he was a man who didn’t necessarily seek to blend in with them.
Because he was the Emperor.
Could a man like that truly change just because he shared his body and affection with someone for a few months?
Had he genuinely dreamed of a mundane future with me?
There was no way. If he had, he would have told me.
He would have explained that the Prime Minister was plotting this conspiracy and suggested we overcome it together.
But Joo Minhyuk didn’t do that.
He kept the truth hidden from me, even though everyone else in his circle was fully aware of it.
What did that imply?
Was it because I was the Prime Minister’s grandson?
No. It was because I was never truly one of Joo Minhyuk’s people.
The time Joo Minhyuk spent opening his heart to me was brief, whereas the time he spent orchestrating his revenge was vast.
How had Joo Minhyuk been depicted in the original novel?
He would wear a smiling face while feeding the Grand Imperial Concubine contraceptives, whispering sweet nothings all the while plotting to tear him down from his position.
Could he really have been any different here, hiding his true motives beneath an indifferent facade while constantly seeking an opening for a sudden strike?
There was absolutely no rule saying a man like that wouldn’t pull off an act like this.
In fact, he was a man more than capable of it.
What aspect of his character had I trusted so blindly that I felt this devastating shock upon learning Joo Minhyuk was the mastermind behind this?
Even after everything I went through.
Joo Minhyuk was the exact same person, whether in the novel or right here.
It was only my own eyes, blinded by emotion, that had failed to see it; Joo Minhyuk had never changed.
Then what about me?
Was I any different?
Was I really any different from the original Grand Imperial Concubine?
No, I wasn’t.
The jealousy, the envy, and the innate nature of looking down on others that the original character possessed when loving Joo Minhyuk were beginning to surface in me too.
Every time I looked at Siyoon, a voice inside me whispered, ‘How dare a pathetic recessive Omega look above his station and covet the Emperor? Over my dead body.’
Without even realizing it, I had harbored those exact thoughts.
I was no different from the Grand Imperial Concubine in the novel.
Amidst a transformation that was growing grotesque, a faith that had turned cold, and a suspicion that was ballooning by the second, I could no longer remain by his side.
Moreover, regardless of what intentions Joo Minhyuk had when planning this, I refused to be dragged away and live my life locked up.
I didn’t even want to ask him about it.
When I saw Joo Minhyuk sprinting toward us earlier, I genuinely thought he had come to rescue me.
But that wasn’t the case at all.
Since he was the very person trying to drag me away, he must have known exactly where I had gone.
He is undoubtedly pursuing us even now. Not a chance.
“Haejoo, we’ve arrived. Everyone, let’s get ready. The ship is over there. Can you see it? A few cruise security guards are coming out, so let’s board immediately. Hyunwook and young Master Heesung, you two should board first as well, and we can figure out the next step afterward.”
Hearing Dad’s words, we nodded our heads, and my brother stepped out of the car, dragging the unconscious man along.
It was just as we were scanning our surroundings and approaching the massive cruise ship ahead.
Several cars screeched to a halt behind us, and men instantly spilled out of them.
I was completely devastated by the sight of them tracking us down without showing an ounce of fatigue.
“They’re sticking to us like absolute leeches.”
Watching them step out of their cars alongside me, Hyunwook bit his lip tightly.
Reaching a sudden decision, he called out to my brother and Seojoo.
Spotting the expression on Hyunwook’s face, I sensed that something was deeply amiss.
“Elder brother! Hand that man over to me! Seojoo, I’ll block them here to buy some time, so take Haejoo and your father and run for the ship! Han Heesung, you keep up closely too!”
“What? No!”
“Hyung! Have you completely lost your mind?!”
Startled, Seojoo and I frantically tried to stop Hyunwook, but he refused to listen.
Attempting to shake us off and bolt forward, Hyunwook suddenly halted, grabbed Seojoo by the collar, and planted a brief kiss squarely on his lips—almost as if commemorating a final farewell.
Staring at a completely stunned Seojoo, Hyunwook rushed out his words in a breath.
“If you cheat on me while I’m gone, you’re dead. Once you’re settled, make sure to contact me. I’ll be waiting.”
“Hyung, you can’t do this. Please, come with us. The Emperor will kill you.”
“He isn’t the type of person to do that. So go, Haejoo. Take Seojoo and run. Don’t look back; just sprint for it.”
Before I could even formulate a response, Hyunwook left us with those brief yet pregnant words and charged toward the men, using the hostage as a shield.
Although the number of pursuers was significantly smaller than before, Hyunwook would undoubtedly have to endure severe injuries if he faced them completely alone.
“Hyunwook! Hyunwook!”
Joo Minhyuk won’t let Hyunwook off easy this time.
If we just leave like this…
But hearing Hyunwook’s directive, Dad pulled my arm with a swiftness that seemed almost cold, dragging me toward the ship.
He even barked at my hesitating brother and Seojoo, telling them not to interfere with Hyunwook, who was intentionally buying them time.
“The ship is leaving soon! Run, fast!”
“Huh? Where’s Heesung? I don’t see Heesung!”
Heesung was nowhere to be seen.
Where did this kid go?
This is no time to be playing around!
Just then, Heesung’s voice echoed from further down the pier.
Snapping my head toward the sound, I saw Heesung standing at the rear, flashing a bright grin and waving his hand at us.
‘What is he doing? Hurry up and get over here!’
“Your Highness! I can’t leave Hyung all by himself! I’m going to block them together with him! Stay safe, Your Highness! But we’re going to meet again anyway, so I won’t say a final goodbye. I’ll keep my number the same and wait for you! Brigadier General! I’m going to get this treated properly, so you must absolutely come check on it later! I’ll be waiting!”
“Heesung!”
Flashing one last beaming smile, Heesung turned around without a shred of lingering regret and bolted toward Hyunwook.
The boy who had initially run toward me was now turning his back and running away for me.
Heesung wasn’t the Yeong Hwagung from the novel anymore; he was my true friend Heesung….
Watching his retreating silhouette as he ran down the pier completely broke my heart.
Heesung doesn’t even know how to fight; what if he gets severely injured?
What am I supposed to do?
Joo Minhyuk won’t leave Heesung unscathed either, given that he’s a thorn in his side.
Is this really right?
Is it right for me to abandon them like this and escape alone?
Everything was a chaotic blur.
Staring at Heesung as he charged down to defend us, my brother gritted his teeth, his eyes trembling violently as he spotted something in the distance.
He suddenly gripped my wrist tightly and accelerated into a blind sprint.
“Brother?”
“It’s the Emperor’s car! His Majesty has arrived! Run faster!”
What? Joo Minhyuk’s car? I didn’t even know what the Emperor’s vehicle looked like.
More importantly, if Joo Minhyuk was right there, I would be caught and dragged back.
If I got captured, I wouldn’t be killed, but I might end up living the exact same miserable life as the original character in the novel.
I closed my eyes and simply ran.
To save myself, to avoid being captured by the Emperor, I left behind Hyunwook—whom I had miraculously reunited with—and abandoned Heesung, who had rushed all this way for my sake.
I ran toward the ship for dear life.
Solely to avoid being caught by Joo Minhyuk….
Carrying emotions that words couldn’t begin to articulate, I finally crossed into the interior of the ship.
Because we had precisely calculated the timing to enter right before departure, Joo Minhyuk wouldn’t be able to catch me even if he stepped out of his car.
The massive vessel carrying us immediately blasted its horn, signaling its departure.
Catching my breath for a brief moment, I bolted straight toward an area that offered a clear view of the outside.
I needed to see with my own eyes what had become of Hyunwook and Heesung.
Standing on the deck of the ship as it drifted further and further from the mainland, I scanned the pier for any sign of Hyunwook and Heesung, but the two were nowhere to be found.
Not only them, but even the men who had been pursuing us had completely vanished from sight.
‘What on earth happened while I was boarding the ship?’
In the space where the crowd had been violently tangled together, numerous vehicles had now taken up positions.
Unable to make sense of the situation, I narrowed my eyes and scanned the surroundings.
Just as desperation began to mount because the ship was pulling further away and the two were nowhere in sight, a single silhouette came into sharp focus.
Joo Minhyuk. Joo Minhyuk was sprinting toward the retreating ship.
Had he spotted me?
His face appeared distorted, but the distance was too vast to discern his expression clearly.
As the physical distance widened, the chasm between us was truly becoming absolute.
We had been so undeniably happy just a short while ago; how did things end up like this?
Even if I repeated the question tens of thousands of times, the lack of an answer might simply mean that there was never a conclusion to be found between us.
“…Perhaps if we stay apart, we might eventually find the answer.”
Standing perfectly still, I watched and watched the fading silhouette of Joo Minhyuk as it shrank into the distance.
By the time Minhyuk arrived at the pier, the location was already an absolute shambles.
Haejoo was nowhere to be seen; only Hyunwook and Heesung were desperately holding the line against the assailants.
Minhyuk’s men swiftly brought the situation under control, and Minhyuk utilized that gap to search frantically for Haejoo.
The bastards who had clung to Haejoo like leeches had ultimately brought about this exact scenario.
With a fury that flared straight to the top of his head, Minhyuk continuously kicked the body of a man slumped on the ground.
The mastermind who had orchestrated this entire mess was none other than the Prime Minister.
He had driven a wedge between the two of them until the very end.
Until the bitter end.
Scanning the area in a desperate bid to locate Haejoo, Minhyuk’s eyes caught a human silhouette on the massive cruise liner that was drifting further away.
Locking eyes with that distant figure, Minhyuk stood rooted to the spot like a stone statue, staring blankly at the retreating ship.
Haejoo had left. Without listening to a single word.
“It’s because I didn’t know the proper way. Plagued continuously by threats and blackmail, my environment was always the absolute worst, and I simply had to make the absolute best choice suited for each given situation. Seeking advice from someone else was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I was always doubting and guarding against everyone.”
As if Haejoo were standing right in front of him, Minhyuk whispered in a faint murmur.
“Haejoo. That’s why I don’t know how. Choosing, judging, and deciding entirely on my own became a habit, and it felt far too natural to me. I didn’t even realize that it was completely arbitrary. So… can’t you just teach me? What am I supposed to do now?”
What on earth was he supposed to do?
For the very first time in his life, Minhyuk realized just how terrifying absolute helplessness could be.
