The crowd was still chasing after the coin, shoving and tripping over one another as they scrambled to claim it.
Eun glared at one of the thugs who scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could in fear.
Haesoo rushed forward to pick up her coin. Soo Hyuk, still nursing his bleeding mouth, saw someone bump into her, causing her to lose her balance.
He quickly rushed forward, intending to catch her. Haesoo saw the man she had accidentally hit coming toward her to help, and she let out a sigh of relief—
but at the last second, he suddenly turned around and ran away.
Eun, just a step away, rushed forward. He stretched out his hand, preventing her from falling hard onto the ground.
She landed against him, their eyes locking for a brief moment as the coin continued flipping high in the sky above them while the villagers fought desperately below.
Haesoo stretched out her hand as the coin flipped above Eun and grabbed it before it could fall on him.
She quickly stood up and dashed back into the crowd, clutching her coin tightly.
"Eun!" Ji Woon called as he hurried over to help him up. He hugged Eun tightly before giving him a light smack on the head.
"Hey! Darn it!" Eun yelled.
"What? What? What if the thug had hit you badly, huh?!" Ji Woon yelled back, frustrated.
Eun cleared his throat and walked away from Ji Woon, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Hey! Are you hurt?" Ji Woon called, chasing after him.
Eun smiled faintly. Ji Woon had always cared for him like a brother ever since they were young. Ji Woon was his family.
---
Soo Hyuk couldn't believe the palace guards decided to show up at that exact moment.
He remembered the look in Haesoo's eyes when she saw him rushing in to help her.
Darn it. What did she think of him now? He sulked, pouting a little.
He should get moving before the guards caught him. But just as he slipped out of his hiding place, the guards appeared right in front of him, startling him.
"Goodness! Alright, alright!" he said, raising his hands in surrender.
"The queen wants me back, right?"
"No, Your Highness. The king summons you to the assembly hall," one of the guards replied.
Soo Hyuk slowly turned around.
"The king? Why?" he asked, confused.
He couldn't understand why the king would suddenly summon him—him, of all people.
"We do not know the reason, Your Highness."
Soo Hyuk sighed and followed after them.
---
The king and ministers awaited the Third Prince's arrival.
"Your Majesty, Prince Soo Hyuk—"
The doors to the assembly hall flung open.