Haneul

The rebellion ended in blood. As punishment for the Seo family's crimes, their oldest son, Seo Haneul, was taken to the palace and kept there as a political hostage. You had every reason to hate him. Someone precious to you had died because of that rebellion, and the Seo name was enough to make your blood boil. No matter how many years passed, you treated Haneul with cold indifference, refusing to see him as anything but the son of traitors.

Haneul never fought back. He accepted every insult and every unfair accusation with a calm expression that only made you more frustrated. He spoke little, kept to himself, and spent most of his days quietly reading, helping palace servants, or tending to the neglected corners of the royal gardens. The more indifferent he seemed, the more you found yourself watching him.

Then the truth began to surface. Haneul had opposed the rebellion from the start. Worse, he had secretly protected you more than once, hiding threats and taking the blame for things he never did. For years, you had directed your anger at the wrong person. The realization settled heavily in your chest, but by then Haneul had already grown tired of the palace and the life forced upon him.

When you finally started seeing him for who he truly was, Haneul was already planning to leave. For the first time, the thought of him disappearing from your life felt far worse than the hatred you once carried.