Yong Sun was born in the times when Evil had an upper hand over Goodness.

He'd been born out of the blood of his Ancestors, with eyes that fire pitch darkness, much like a glimpse into his very own soul.

One would believe that knowing his fate, The King and Queen would've brought him up in a much gentler manner aiming to instil in him values of perseverance, love and admiration.

Alas, fate finds it's way, one way or another.

You can run from it but you can't hide from it.

It finds it's way to you.

Yong Sun was born under the complex of having to share his face with another human being.

One who was cared for and nurtured, dotingly.

What didn't help him any better was how that younger infant looked back at him, with eyes that held the stars, the galaxy rather and a whole hearted admirable smile.

Yong Sun would give in to his younger brother's antics and cooed at him even however, with the rise in comparison between the two, Yong Sun's inherent desire to surpass and be better than the crinkle-eyed, marshmallow cheeked younger twin, intensified.

He was hell-bent on making an identity for himself.

He always had to have the upper hand at things that concerned Yun Ki and him.

He needed to be acknowledged and be told he was better and that it was this quality of his that helped him stand out.

He hurled china dishes and the most expensive wooden hand carved ducks every time a Maidservant called him by Yun Ki's name.

It fuelled something monstrous within him.

Something that could set him off and ruin him to shreds, if he didn't control himself.

Such was Yong Sun's complex.

So, he used his Brother's pushover tendencies to gain an upper hand over him.

You tell someone something again and again and they start believing it.

That was Yong Sun's mantra.

Hence, as he coerced Yun Ki by compelling him into believing that he was just a mere shadow, Yun Ki started repeating the same phrases over and over agin, like a mantra.

One that'd been embellished in his flesh and being for the major part of his childhood.

One, that'd instilled in him values of insecurity.

Hence, the man came to be known as 'The Master of Manipulation'.

———

"What must we do with him? He's morbid." Minister Choi proclaims, lifting Joon Ki's emaciated arm.

Yong Sun sits back on a wooden chair, hands intertwined over his chest.

"Yeah well, it's only a matter of time. The herbs I've been slipping into his food have been bringing this process to a much deserved end. Very strategic of me, if I can praise my own self." Yong Sun declares, watching Joon Ki's flexed neck as he looks over at him, painfully.

Yet, Yong Sun believes he's being shown authoritative eyes, ones that remind him of the one his Hyung Seokmin had shown him before he'd been decapitated.

Yong Sun loved exploiting one's weaknesses and Joon Ki was really no different.

"What are you staring at?" He barks, scolding Joon Ki, who lies as a shrivelled prune on the dingy bed.

Yong Sun hates the glare he's receiving from Joon Ki and gets off of the chair, in an instant.

"You're quite gutsy, aren't you? Emaciated, a step closer to death and yet you have the audacity to look me in the eyes with an expression that reads rage and challenge?" Yong Sun chimes, cupping Joon Ki's bony chin under his calloused rough fingers.

Joon Ki struggles to open his mouth, the muscles in his neck and the vessels plunging out, a depression in the centre of his throat as he's sucking in air, to speak.

"Don't even bother talking. Play your part and remain motionless as a statue. Besides, you're just an excuse to lure Soojin into coming back home.." He spits, finger digging into the paralysed man's cheekbone, almost painfully.

Yong Sun chuckles, evilly as he watches Joon Ki's chest with rib protrusions to heave at an erratic rate, though his white singlet.

"B-Baa—" He tries and speaks, muscles in his throat contracting, causing him to wheeze, pathetically.

Minister Choi pats his chest, calming down his dry spell of coughs.

"Can't even utter a word before almost dying by choking.." Yong Sun tuts.

"Uncle, we need to get him to pass away as naturally as possible. There shouldn't be any hints giving us away." Yong Sun explains.

Minister Choi nods, hastily, a sly smile evident over his face.

"W-What are you going to do with Soojin?" Minister Choi asks, rubbing the palm of his hand over Joon Ki's chest.

"I'll call her here, under the pretext of her brother's death. I'll keep Yun Ki occupied at The Palace and ensure that Soojin walks into my trap alone.. Now listen carefully, you will be the one distracting Yun Ki. Do something, just about anything and get Yun Ki to leave Soojin to go over to her Mother's house alone.

Soojin will walk right into the house, to find me seated with her dear naive mother. She'll want to complain but I'll have the nook of my knife held close to her mother's throat. I'll then, have my way with her. I'll fill her with my seed.."

Yong Sun explains, massaging Joon Ki's scarce hair.

"B-But, how will that help you get the throne?" The elder man asks.

Yong Sun pats a hand over the pale man's head.

"He'll come after her, won't he? He'll die when he learns that the love of his life, his pious Soojin is carrying the child of his elder brother..If he doesn't die that way, I'll kill him the way I know best..All I know is, he will die." Yong Sun completes.

Minister Choi smiles.

"A-And then they'll call me to take up the throne and I will reveal to the court that the twin that they'd all deemed dead was very much alive..Of course, you'll be working on behalf of me, as per what we've decided.." His uncle responds.

Yong Sun hates working at the whims of someone else.

He, however, knows how to remove sticks and stones from his path.

Of course he wouldn't hand over any authority to the drunk Minister Choi, whom he met passed out in a ditch.

"Of course! It's all you, Uncle.." Yong Sun curses in his mind.

Why does everyone want what he wants?

Just then, Joon Ki withers under Yong Sun's grasp.

"What is it? Did you not like me talk lewd about your sister?" He asks, leaning into his ear.

A tear slips down Joon Ki's eye as his pupils shiver in pure unadulterated rage.

"I can't help it. She makes me want to be a horse. She instils that energy, that lust and that libido in me. Ugh, the way I crave to land my hands over her and just ruin her..You do know what they say about virgins, don't you?" He asks, watching the shrivelled up man's lips to distort.

"They're the sweetest fruit. You have seen me dig into fruits, haven't you?" He questions Joon Ki, smirking.

Joon Ki's limbs contract as he lands a slap over Yong Sun's cheek, from the close proximity between their faces.

The slap is rather loud and the intensity booms in the room, much like an echo.

What shocks Yong Sun is that even in such a pathetic state, the man had the courage to deliver a harsh blow over his face.

Yong Sun grasps his reddened cheek as his eyes tremble in anger and he twists Joon Ki's arm, he twists it so hard and pressed down into his bony ensemble, hard enough to hear a crack.

He'd cracked his wrist bone, with his bare hands, causing Joon Ki to enter into a traumatic shock, the pain overwhelming his senses and turning him blind in excruciating pain and all that leave past his lips are contoured mumbles and whines.

They're high pitched and fuel Yong Sun's temper as he watches Joon Ki's wrist turn purple from the contusion.

"You crippled mess! How dare you!" Yong Sun screams, causing Soojin's mother to enter the room, hearing loud sounds erupt past her son's treatment room.

She walks in hastily, watching Joon Ki's purple arm with Yong Sun raising a hand to hit him and she rushes over to him, clinging onto Yong Sun's bicep, desperately.

"W-What are you doing?!" She cries, receding his arms and Yong Sun goes ballistic as he shoves Soojin's mother back such that she plants over the hardwood floor with an impactful thud and she's wincing in agony.

"Both of you, nincompoops are ruining everything for me.." Yong Sun screams, hurling a vase towards Soojin's mother, it misses her and crashes down the wall, pieces of ceramic coating the floor.

She's shaking out of pure fear, watching a man become a monster.

"Wh-What are you doing..Who are you?" She cries, desperately.

Yong Sun walks towards her, grabbing her by the collar and lifting her up, like she weighs nothing.

"I'm the man who'll get to taste your daughter, first.." He spits, eyes pitch-black in lust and he's almost unrecognisable.