NEFARIOUS - TAEGYU ??

Taehyun reaches Byeol Fortress and finds his dad in the ballroom. He rushes towards his dad and gives him a hug which Ha Joon, the King accepts it and hugs him back tightly.

"Mom was murdered?" Taehyun asks, eyes glossy.

Ha Joon nods. Taehyun can see the horrible eye bags of his dad's and his face red and tear stained. Most importantly, he can see the rage and inferiority in his eyes.

"Who is it?" Taehyun asks, referring to the murderer.

"Sire! They're here!" one of the guards says.

"BRING HIM IN!" Ha Joon gestures.

As the fortress guards drag in a young man, hands cuffed and attached with chains. Taehyun's eyes widen in shock, his hand start to tremble and he suddenly feels weak. Taehyun feels his heart clench as he slowly feels pieces of his heart break. They push the young man down and he looks up, locking eyes with Taehyun.

"TAEHYUN!" Beomgyu calls out, eyes brimmed with tears, darkened in fear.

"Beomgyu!" Taehyun dashes towards the latter but was immediately held back by his dad.

The ballroom starts to be crowded with guards and Taehyun spots Mrs Choi and Ryujin being held by the guards, their faces wincing in pain. The situation was so surreal, he's confused at what's happening as everything's going too fast.

"Taehyun! Please believe me, I don't know what's going on!" Beomgyu shouts. The guard behind him kicks Beomgyu onto the ground, igniting a flame in Taehyun that he's never felt before.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TOUCH HIM!" Taehyun shouts, glaring at the guards and setting everyone in the ballroom at silence, including his dad. Taehyun then turns to his dad, expecting an explanation.

"Choi Seojun, the man who took care of you was the one who killed your mom." Ha Joon explains.

"Utter bullshit. He won't do that, I know him."

"How naïve can you be son? You've only known him for months."

"Then deal with him, don't drag Beomgyu into this." Taehyun says, scowling at his dad.

Ha Joon shook his head. "I would. But, I can't. Beomgyu will repent for him."

"What do you mean?"

"Choi Seojun is dead. He was murdered yesterday."

Taehyun stares at his dad in disbelief.

'What do you mean he's dead?' Taehyun thought to himself.

Taehyun smacks his dad's grip off him and he bolts towards Beomgyu, kneeling down and enveloping him in a hug. Beomgyu rests his chin on the younger's shoulder as his hands were still cuffed behind his back. Taehyun can feel Beomgyu panting and the anger flowing in him so he rubs the latter's back, the only way to calm him and he does.

"I don't know anything. I just knew dad was killed. I don't know about the corpse; I didn't know it was your mom's. Everything's happening so fast, it's tearing us apart." Beomgyu says.

"This is a set up." Taehyun whispers, shushing him.

"Please believe me."

"Always."

Taehyun stands up and walks a few steps towards his dad.

"They didn't do it." Taehyun says sternly. "Yeong-won would never do something like this. Where are the evidences?!"

"Are you hearing yourself son? Yeong-won, specifically Choi Seojun was the one who killed my dad, your grandfather and the previous King over a misunderstanding that can be solved through a simple discussion. But, no, he resorted to kill him off without listening first."