Side Story 1.
-Dojae in the Korean Empire
“Y-Your Highness?!”
“……Ugh.”
Pure white walls.
Dojae opened his eyes and felt his body stiffen, causing him to stir.
However, it was only a slight movement.
His body, having been lying down for so long, wouldn’t move as he wished.
“Are you finally awake, Your Highness!”
“…….”
Dojae woke up to a familiar voice.
‘How long have I been asleep?’
Even without Head Eunuch Kim’s surprised voice, it was clear he had been asleep for a very long time.
The bones and muscles, having been immobile for so long, were screaming in protest.
On the other hand, his mind was very clear and sharp.
It was even refreshing, as if all the fatigue that had accumulated until now had disappeared.
‘It feels like I had a very long dream…….’
In his dream, Dojae was able to achieve all the ‘dreams’ he had longed for.
He sang, and unexpectedly, he danced.
He had colleagues to be with, and he was happy with them on stage.
He received a lot of love and laughed a lot.
‘Was it not a dream?’
Everything was too vivid.
It was as if it had actually happened somewhere.
No, it still felt like it was actually happening.
He was awake here, but it felt like he was still living happily in his dream…….
‘I’m here, but where exactly? What a ridiculous thought.’
It was absurd and made no sense.
A bitter smile hung on Dojae’s lips.
“He’s awake?!”
The hospital room door burst open, and Dojae’s doctor appeared.
Seeing the man in a white coat with surprised eyes, Dojae finally recognized his surroundings.
It wasn’t the palace, but the Imperial Central Medical Center.
‘I wasn’t just asleep… I lost consciousness.’
Dojae retraced his last memories.
He had a banquet at the palace before the <124th Anniversary of the Korean Empire Proclamation> event, and he felt indigestion at the uncomfortable meal.
Then, he was strongly drawn to something and a voice reflected on the TV…….
‘Did I collapse then?’
Dojae answered the number of fingers held in front of his eyes as the doctor requested.
“It looks like two.”
After confirming that there was nothing wrong with Dojae, the medical staff was surprised, but soon relieved.
Head Eunuch Kim, who had been watching the situation from the side, was so relieved that he seemed about to collapse.
“Your Highness…….”
“You must have been very worried. I’ve caused you trouble.”
“Don’t! Don’t say that!”
Head Eunuch Kim said almost tearfully.
Dojae realized that Head Eunuch Kim’s face was much worse than the last time he saw him.
It was clear that he had been in the hospital room longer than he had thought.
“What… exactly happened to me?”
When Dojae asked in a calm tone, Head Eunuch Kim quickly explained.
“You suddenly collapsed. We didn’t know the reason, we didn’t know the diagnosis, you just lost consciousness…….”
“We really tried our best to find the cause, but it wasn’t easy. There was nothing wrong with your internal organs or brain waves, no, rather, your numerical values were very healthy, but you were unconscious… We could only think that you were in a deep sleep…….”
Dojae’s doctor also added an explanation.
‘They must have done their best.’
Dojae nodded quietly.
Even if he was the insignificant Third Prince, he was still a prince.
He thought everyone must have been very surprised.
Even he found it hard to believe while listening to the explanation.
“Then how long have I been like this?”
“Today is the 125th year of the Empire. Ah, now that it’s January 1st, it’s the 126th year.”
“No way…….”
Dojae looked at Head Eunuch Kim with an astonished expression.
He couldn’t believe he had been lying down for over a year, even after hearing it.
“I’ve contacted the palace, so everyone will be arriving soon. I’m so glad, Your Highness. I was so worried……”
After hearing that he had been unconscious for a long time, he understood why Head Eunuch Kim’s expression, which he thought was always stern, was collapsing, and why the atmosphere was so somber.
“I’m fine. It just feels like I slept a little longer… Rather, my body feels lighter than before.”
“We’ll have to do another examination tomorrow, but you really seem fine. I’m so relieved!”
The doctor also said with a face that looked like he had aged ten years.
“You must have been very worried all this time.”
Dojae was about to express his gratitude to Head Eunuch Kim, who had suffered during that time, the two or so guards who were guarding the hospital room, and the medical staff.
The hospital room door burst open.
“Your Highness!”
“Dojae-ya!”
It was the Emperor and Empress.
At that moment, Dojae bit his lip tightly, feeling like tears would pour out.
It felt strangely nostalgic.
He couldn’t even guess how long it had been since the name ‘Dojae’ had come out of his mother’s mouth.
“How did you two…….”
“We came right away after hearing that you had regained consciousness.”
“You’re really awake! Oh my god, thank you.”
When the Emperor and Empress left the palace at the same time, a tremendous amount of preparation and manpower was required.
Even if it was a special situation where the prince suddenly regained consciousness, it would have been impossible to come to the hospital this quickly.
Moreover, tomorrow morning is January 1st, the New Year’s event, one of the biggest events in the Imperial Palace.
Dojae wouldn’t have been surprised if they had come after the event was over.
Because the Emperor’s duty came before his children.
Dojae was dumbfounded to see the two people outside the palace in such light clothing, which he had never seen before.
What was even more surprising was what came next.
“Dojae-ya!”
“Lee Dojae!!!”
There were people left behind the Emperor and Empress who came to the hospital room.
It was the Crown Prince and the Princess.
The two of them were also in clothes that were no different from pajamas, as if they had rushed over as soon as they heard the news.
It was truly a rare… no, a sight of his family that he had never seen before.
But even that sight seemed to be missed.
‘I… must have been lying down for a long time.’
Dojae thought as he watched his sister drop tears from her eyes.
It was the first time he had seen the Princess’s tears since he was a child.
By the Princess’s side was her fiancé, Park Seung-ho.
‘I’ve only met him once or twice, but why does he look so familiar…….’
“I’m so glad. I’m so glad!”
The Crown Prince muttered as he looked at Dojae’s clear eyes.
The owner of neat features with youthful eyes despite lying down for nearly a year and a half.
His brother had returned.
“I’m sorry for causing you concern.”
Once at his sister shedding tears, once at the Empress looking at him with disbelieving eyes.
Dojae apologized as he scanned his family with his eyes.
The Crown Prince quickly shook his head.
“Don’t say that.”
At that time, the Emperor grabbed Dojae’s hand.
It would have been nothing if they were ordinary father and son, but there had been nothing like this between the two, at least since Dojae began to read.
The Emperor’s hand holding Dojae’s hand was warm.
He must have been surprised and trembled all the way to the hospital.
“Thank you. For opening your eyes like this…….”
“Your Majesty…….”
“Before being the Emperor of the Empire, I was just a parent.”
The Emperor sighed softly and continued.
“The prince has done his duty just by waking up.”
“…….”
“Now, do what you’ve dreamed of.”
***
..About half a year after Dojae lost consciousness.
The Emperor regretted the past.
Wasn’t it only the living who could fulfill the duties of the Imperial Family?
If Dojae were to wake up, he would let him achieve everything he had dreamed of.
The Emperor thought, and as soon as Dojae woke up, many things changed.
In fact, the restriction on the occupations of the Imperial Family was aimed at preventing them from privately using their status and gaining unfair profits.
In reality, the job of a singer was not in the political or business world, so it did not violate that purpose.
Rather, the big reason why Dojae couldn’t become a singer was that it would degrade the dignity of the Imperial Family.
It was a very outdated idea in an era where everyone under the sky said that all imperial citizens were equal and that there was no distinction between jobs…….
The palace was inevitably conservative.
And Dojae broke that mold and opened the way to becoming a singer.
He was happy that Dojae had woken up, but only for a while.
The opinions of the imperial citizens were divided in half at the Imperial Family’s surprising announcement.
The majority of young people welcomed the changes in the Imperial Family.
It was seen as an effort to break away from the rigid image and become more public-friendly.
It was also true that there were too many restrictions on the lives of princes and princesses.
On the other hand, there was also a backlash that the dignity of the Imperial Family would be degraded if Prince Dojae stood on stage with other singers.
However, the latter’s opinion was difficult to gain much strength.
Degrading was too weak to be a justification, and Dojae had organized the part about the singer’s income first.
This was because Dojae had promised to donate all the profits from his singing activities to the Imperial Family Foundation and to carry out his singing activities within the scope of fulfilling his duties as a prince.
Rather, others gained strength by saying that he became a singer too easily because he was a prince, a singer that many people could only dream of with a lot of effort.
But wasn’t he the prince who was loved as a ‘handsome prince’ and suddenly lost consciousness, plunging the entire Korean Empire into shock?
Everyone had hoped that he would wake up soon and be healthy.
The controversy, which had no right answer, quickly subsided, and the majority of the imperial citizens were looking forward to seeing what Dojae would look like as a singer.
***
As soon as he finished his muscle rehabilitation treatment, Dojae scheduled a meeting with an agency after discussing it with the people of the Imperial Palace.
Dojae was a celebrity that imperial citizens could not help but know because he was a prince.
So many companies showed interest when Dojae said he would become a singer.
The buzz and company promotion effect that they would enjoy if they helped Dojae’s debut would be enormous.
“We have arrived at Saenal Planning. Please get off, Your Highness.”
“Yes. But, Head Eunuch Kim.”
“Yes?”
Head Eunuch Kim, who was supposed to be in the palace, volunteered to be Dojae’s ‘manager’ for him.
Once the agency was decided, they would assign a manager there as well, but a person was needed to manage the minimum safety and schedule issues of Dojae, who was a prince.
“I am grateful for your great decision for me… but please refrain from using the title ‘Your Highness’ as much as possible for the time being.”
He was worried that ordinary people would feel alienated by the fact that he was a prince, and that they would be more difficult every time they heard the sound of ‘Your Highness’.
“Just call me Dojae, or something like that.”
“How can I…. Ah, I understand.”
“Thank you, Head Eunuch Kim.”
Head Eunuch Kim entered the Saenal Planning building and continued the conversation.
“As I said, Saenal Planning is the largest agency in the Empire. They also wanted the prince, no, Dojae, the most.”
“Yes.”
The building itself was magnificent enough to know without listening to the explanation.
Some of Dojae’s favorite singers were also from Saenal Planning.
“It’s annoying. We’ve been practicing for over 5 years to debut at Saenal, but we’re still not there…….”
“I know, right? Myungwoo, you practiced for 3 years before you debuted!”
When they were about to enter the office entrance.
Kim and Dojae were frozen by the unexpected conversation.
Solo singer Yoo Myungwoo, who debuted a while ago, was talking with people who seemed to be trainee friends.
“I guess he just wanted to be a singer because he was bored, but if he’s a prince, he should just stay in the palace. Why did he crawl out?”
Yoo Myungwoo muttered annoyedly.
“I know, right? I don’t even know if he can sing? What kind of singer is a prince…….”
Dojae grabbed Head Eunuch Kim’s sleeve as he flinched as if he was about to jump out right away.
Dojae walked towards them with an indifferent face.
The expressions of those who recognized Dojae turned pale.
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