Flower Dream Chapter 0

It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.

Dan Yuha kept repeating the word “okay” to himself, pressing strength firmly into his trembling toes. If he didn’t, it felt like he would collapse to the ground right then and there.

“As you commanded, every last person has been gathered, Your Highness the Prince.”

At the sound of a familiar voice in the distance, Dan Yuha’s body flinched and trembled. But no one thought it strange, because the others were just as startled.

They couldn’t help it—this was a summons from the Third Prince, the most noble bloodline of the empire and a descendant of the Divine Dragon. He had not only visited the small island of the Cheongsong clan without any prior communication, but had also called all of its residents to gather in one place.

Sensing that the situation was far from ordinary, people watched each other with tense faces. All the more so because all sorts of ominous rumors about the Third Prince had been circulating lately.

What if someone here had committed a grave offense against him?

In the worst case, everyone gathered here could be slaughtered by the imperial guards the Prince had brought with him. Even if their home were erased from the empire’s map today, there would be no one to protest. People trembled at the mere thought of this chilling possibility.

“The noble descendant of the Divine Dragon approaches! All pay your respects!”

At the cry announcing the Third Prince’s entrance, people’s upper bodies bowed even lower. Some even prostrated themselves flat on the ground. Seeing this, Dan Yuha hastily knelt as well.

“Greetings to the descendant of the Divine Dragon who upholds the sky of the empire!”

“Greetings!”

Voices full of awe and fear rang out loudly, echoing across the wide plaza. Dan Yuha, hidden among the crowd, only moved his lips faintly. Though it was unlikely, he was terrified that the Prince or his adjutant might somehow recognize his voice.

Step.

A neat yet weighty footfall rang out, cutting through the hushed air of the plaza. As the sound of footsteps grew closer, everyone collectively held their breath. Dan Yuha nervously chewed his lips. His heart, already pounding fiercely, thumped even harder.

I should have just left.

Dan Yuha regretted it belatedly. The moment he heard the news of the Third Prince’s visit, he should have fled without looking back.

But even if he could turn back time, he would probably still be here. He never imagined that the Prince would summon everyone like this.

Feeling wretched, Dan Yuha squeezed his eyes shut as he sensed the footsteps come to a halt. The reason he hadn’t run away even after hearing of the Third Prince’s visit was because he wanted to see him again, even from afar. He hadn’t realized that foolish greed would invite such disaster.

“Hmm…”

The people gathered in the plaza could barely breathe properly once one of the most noble figures in the empire revealed himself. Perhaps because of that, the short sound the Prince made reached Dan Yuha’s ears with piercing clarity. It felt almost like an illusion that he was standing right in front of him.

“Do not be so tense. The reason I have called you all here is to verify one thing.”

The Third Prince spoke in a gentle tone, as if to soothe those frozen with tension. Yet people’s expressions refused to ease. Dan Yuha’s face also turned pale.

Could it be…

Yuha chewed his lips at the ominous guess that flashed through his mind. Had he somehow found out he was here? No, that can’t be. He desperately suppressed the anxiety writhing up from within him.

“Everyone, rise.”

At that moment, a low command was followed by the sound of light footsteps again. The Prince had begun to move once more. He walked back and forth, pausing in his steps occasionally, looking exactly like someone searching for a particular person.

Please, please, please…

Having risen awkwardly, Dan Yuha bowed his head deeply to hide his face as much as possible. And he prayed fervently, not even knowing to whom. Cold sweat poured down his trembling back.

It won’t be. There’s no way His Highness is looking for me.

Dan Yuha desperately denied the situation he was in. But the more he did, the more his mind kept recalling the wanted poster he had seen not long ago and the rumors people were buzzing about. That the Third Prince of the Empire was searching for the flower person (花人) with whom he had spent the night…

Then, a surge of emotion mixed with vain hope and fearful dread filled his chest, and his heart pounded violently like a ship caught in a fierce storm.

Step.

His round shoulders flinched at the presence felt close by. Dan Yuha clutched his clothes tightly, hoping the Prince would simply pass by him, but unfortunately, his wish was not granted. The Prince’s footsteps stopped right in front of Yuha.

“…!”

Dan Yuha, who had furtively opened his eyes, swallowed a sharp breath at the shoes caught in his blurry vision. Right after, a deep shadow fell over his head.

Rustle.

As the Prince leaned his upper body towards Dan Yuha, his jet-black, long hair cascaded down as if covering the stiff, rigid shoulders, tickling his pale cheek. Then, a hot breath touched his coldly chilled ear tip before dispersing. In that position, the sound of a deep inhale was heard, followed by a whisper laced with an eerie delight that burrowed into his ear.

Found you.

The low murmur was closer to rapture than anger. As the pleasant baritone coiled around his ear, Dan Yuha’s eyes shook violently. In that instant, Yuha realized that the Prince had summoned everyone to find him. And that the Prince had discovered traces of him.

“Raise your head.”

“…”

The Prince, who had straightened his upper body, commanded Dan Yuha. Yet he did not raise his head. No, he couldn’t.

“How dare you! Such insolence! Raise your head at once!”

When Dan Yuha remained silent with his head bowed, the Prince’s adjutant immediately scolded him sharply. His thin shoulders jerked once at the fierce shout.

“Enough.”

Restraining his adjutant, who was about to shout again, the Prince silently looked down at the frozen Dan Yuha. Then, he slowly reached out and grasped the slender chin, forcing him to look at him.

“Ugh!”

His face lifted forcibly, Dan Yuha let out a short groan. As his gaze met the strange gleam in the black eyes, his body stiffened rigidly.

The Third Prince of the Empire, Shin Ryuwon, stared wordlessly at the terrified Dan Yuha, then moved his thumb to caress the small lips. As if assessing something, he savored the soft texture of the flesh for a moment, then languidly stroked around Yuha’s eyes this time. As he did so, he slowly infused divine power.

“Ahhk!”

In an instant, the Prince’s fingertips shimmered gold, and an energy hot as sunlight seeped into Dan Yuha’s eyes. As his eyes seared as if burned, a groan escaped his lips. Yuha squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth to suppress a scream. Tears welled up in his eyes from the terrible pain.

“Open your eyes.”

Shin Ryuwon commanded the pain-wracked Dan Yuha firmly. At the irresistible demand, his trembling eyelids lifted. Then, the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes streamed down.

The color of Yuha’s eyes now revealed was completely different from just moments before. The medicinal effect that had been hiding his real eyes had entirely vanished. It was the power of the divine power Ryuwon possessed.

“…As I thought.”

Confirming that Dan Yuha’s irises had shifted from deep brown to a pale pink hue, Shin Ryuwon let out a faint exclamation.

“It was you.”

The Prince stared straight at Dan Yuha with eyes like a predator who had come face to face with prey it had once let slip. A strange light flickered in his pitch-black eyes, like go stones. Between his lips, which curved in a graceful arc, a voice mixed with joy and anger leaked out.

“The thief who stole my night.”