Even if it differed from his older brothers’ answers, it was far too different.
Moreover, while he spoke so proudly, the content was merely “I played dodgeball,” so the people who had been momentarily dumbfounded couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It was because they thought he was truly as funny and adorable as always, without change.
No wonder he had been fidgeting throughout the earlier interviews—it must have been because he wanted to tell that story. In any case, since the atmosphere was appropriately lightened thanks to that, the satisfied host played along a bit more.
“It seems you had a lot of fun?”
“Ah, yes, well, I was flying around.”
Another round of laughter erupted at Hwan’s boasting, which sounded like typical bravado from a boy his age.
“Of course, of course. Now that I think about it, Your Highness also played sports separately during your childhood. Then you must have achieved a great victory—how was it? Were there any bets or penalties, anything like that?”
Looking at Hwan’s face, which seemed to have more to say, there was clearly a more interesting episode. Her instincts as a host told her so. So she asked somewhat excitedly, but Hwan gave another answer that was difficult to predict.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know the result.”
“…Pardon?”
Everyone’s faces became bewildered, wondering what this absurd statement could mean. Not winning, not losing, but not knowing? Could such a situation even exist? Then Hwan casually added another comment.
“The thing is, I got hit by the ball in the middle, so I couldn’t see the result.”
It seemed to be a hint of sorts, but people became even more puzzled because of it.
It was because his words didn’t seem to match up at all.
He had spoken so proudly about flying around, yet what did it mean that he got hit by the ball in the middle, and even if he had been hit by the ball in the middle, he should have just gone outside the line, so what did it mean that he couldn’t see the result?
‘Could he have possibly lost consciousness after being hit by the dodgeball and been carried away?’
In that brief moment, there were also people clicking their tongues and criticizing that see, it was bravado after all.
However, on the other hand, the self-proclaimed “Hwan experts”—that is, people who knew Hwan well—found it suspicious that Huiseo’s name hadn’t come out of his mouth yet, and urged others not to be fooled, saying this was a buildup to bring up Huiseo’s name.
Because of that, the chat window had become noisy with “I’m right,” “You’re right.”
The answer could be confirmed through Hwan’s words that followed.
“Huiseo is such a scaredy-cat.”
As expected, Huiseo’s name came up.
“Actually, I was just lightly hit by the ball. But he got so startled and hugged me, worrying so much…! His mind completely went blank…!”
He was speaking as if scolding Huiseo for making such a fuss, but no one would take those words at face value. To believe that, Hwan’s cheekbones, the corners of his mouth, and even his shoulders were positioned far too high compared to usual.
Afterward, Hwan gave a small clearing of his throat and finished off pretending to be well-behaved, saying, “There was such a slightly embarrassing incident,” but it was the same.
Many people watching him couldn’t help but make somewhat dumbfounded expressions.
[It’s bragging.]
It was bragging. No matter who looked at it.
[His laugh sounds like ‘chwa-ha-ha-ha’ fuck lololololol]
[People don’t call them Hwan experts for nothing. They even saw through the buildup lol]
[What makes me laugh the most is how he can’t hide his disgusted expression next to him every time lol]
[If they hadn’t asked about recent events, he would have gone to the palace and cried, right?]
[There were so many kids saying lately that he doesn’t follow Huiseo around anymore and blah blah, but he’s clearly grinding sesame seeds everywhere.]
[I knew this would happen lol]
Huiseo’s face, watching that chaos unfold through his phone in his room, flushed red. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, embarrassed to watch Hwan, whose transparent appearance seemed to ask, ‘Huiseo worried about me this much. Aren’t you jealous?’
In fact, it was a sight that would shock Hwan if he saw it.
‘Huiseo? Watching an internet livestream?’
It wouldn’t be strange if he asked that several times in disbelief.
But even so, Huiseo wasn’t someone who had just dropped in from the Joseon era, so he knew at least how to look this much up. Though he said this, the secret was that actually, at first, Hwan’s second older brother Ho had helped him a little. It was the same with sending him the link separately today.
Hwan wouldn’t know, but during this time, Huiseo had been watching events he didn’t attend like this, worried inside. If there was a live broadcast like today, he’d watch the live broadcast, or even if it was a recorded broadcast, he wouldn’t miss it and would carefully monitor whether anything unusual had happened.
Actually, the Empress Dowager’s permission that Huiseo had received was conditional.
In other words, this could be called an experiment to see how far Hwan could endure without Huiseo. If he couldn’t endure and ended up causing an incident, the promise was that he would follow him around again like before.
That meant.
‘If he had thrown a tantrum and whined like usual, he would have gone back already.’
But surprisingly, Hwan didn’t do so.
It wasn’t that he never showed signs of dissatisfaction, but once the events started, he followed along quite well. So from the imperial family’s perspective, they thought, ‘This is pretty good, isn’t it?’ Though Hwan might have been struggling and barely holding on, of course.
For Huiseo, it was both admirable and disappointing.
When did he grow up like this? He even had foolish thoughts like, isn’t this what parents feel when they first send their child to school?
‘I thought he couldn’t do anything without me.’
Huiseo’s heart, watching Hwan alone from afar like this, was that complicated. Even though he was the one who had first suggested this situation.
“…Idiot.”
His complaint that wasn’t quite a complaint was directed at the idiot laughing on the screen.
***
In any case, it was true that the atmosphere of the interview venue, which had been stiff, brightened considerably thanks to Hwan’s antics. Good, the host muttered to herself and clenched her fist tightly, unable to miss this golden opportunity.
In fact, there was separate content she was burning to extract from this interview, so this was a renewed determination. As she had briefly mentioned earlier, it was about Crown Prince Kang’s “marriage.”
What a hot topic it had been in all sorts of media until now.
But to have the very person involved sitting there and end it with bland and unsubstantial talk? That was something that must never happen in her career.
Of course, earlier, when she asked a subtle question, Kang had deflected with an overly model answer befitting an imperial family member, saying things like “I’ll show you a good image” and “I’ll bring you better news,” putting up a wall. However, since what people truly wanted to know wasn’t such stodgy stories, she couldn’t give up like this.
The host’s eyes sparkled as she prepared her question.
“You and Huiseo-gun continue to be as lovey-dovey as ever. It’s really nice to see. But if there’s a place where sesame seeds are truly being ground, wouldn’t it be right here? How is your newlywed life, Crown Prince?”
Though there were signs of being slightly flustered by the sudden call-out, who was Kang?
Having experienced all sorts of trials and tribulations, this kind of mischievous question was nothing to him. Quickly putting on a smiling face, he recited an answer, knowing full well that this wasn’t what the host wanted.
“These days, I’m feeling even more responsibility than I’ve had as Crown Prince until now. Having a family would naturally be like that. The two of us are working hard together to show you a harmonious life.”
“If you could speak more specifically?”
“First, we’re diligently paying our respects to the imperial family elders and seeking their advice….”
“Wow…. I see….”
Someone typed ‘horrible’ in the chat window.
The host’s reaction clearly showed disappointment too, but Kang just wore a calm expression. Watching him, the host clicked her tongue secretly. Setting aside her own regret at not catching a scoop, from the perspective of someone doing broadcasting.
Even though it was imperial family talk, it was still regrettable that he persistently pulled it toward documentary style despite being given several opportunities. In a situation where people’s interest was already declining, wouldn’t it be necessary to explore a new path?
She wasn’t hoping for him to be as ridiculous as Hwan.
Just half of that. Approaching it that lightly wouldn’t be bad either.
How could brothers be such polar opposites? Wasn’t there some way to mix them half and half? With such thoughts, clicking her tongue in disappointment, the host turned her gaze to Hwan. This time too, it was a request for help to somehow revive this atmosphere that had grown cold and practically died from Kang’s earlier answer.
Come on, release some new Huiseo episode.
Rather than wanting much, that was about the extent of her feelings.
But a moment later, when Hwan, who seemed to be thinking for a bit, finally picked up the microphone and opened his mouth, the venue was once again plunged into great chaos due to completely unexpected content.
“Now that I think about it, I witnessed Her Highness the Crown Princess presenting flowers to His Highness the Crown Prince not long ago.”
It was a bombshell statement dropped casually.
‘The Crown Prince and flowers?’
‘Is he unexpectedly a bit romantic?’
It was when everyone’s eyes, imagining a scene that seemed fitting yet unfitting, widened like saucers a moment later.
“Wait a moment? Did I hear that correctly? Who? To whom? What?”
While the incredulous host’s relentless barrage of question marks continued, the people watching the broadcast could finally properly understand the situation, one beat late.
They naturally thought it was given from the Crown Prince’s side.
But he received it instead?
However, what surprised them even more was the fact that Kang’s face, which was shown in close-up afterward, was flushed bright red.
‘Who is that person?’
