Around Dawn

Lee Yun, the Emperor of the Empire of Korea, heads to New York upon hearing the news that his youngest son, ‘Shin’, who was believed to have died long ago, is alive. Sleeping in a luxury hospital room is a beautiful boy who looks strikingly like him. Shortly after, he faces the shocking truth that his own older brother was the child’s kidnapper.

“I’ll make you happier than you were in the United States.”

Boarding the private jet bound for Korea side by side, the thirty-four-year-old Emperor swore to the fifteen-year-old boy.

…The boy didn’t dislike the man he was meeting for the first time.

—

I grew up in a New York Penthouse. Although there were people I called Daddy and Brother, I usually stayed alone. In that house, I was a meaningless, worthless piece of artwork placed solely for display.

One day, Daddy left the penthouse after telling me to stay home no matter what. But that night, Daddy never returned, and flames engulfed the penthouse.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital. Inside the pure white hospital room, which should have been empty, stood a man, with black eyes that matched the exact color of mine.

“Hello.”

The man introduced himself as my father. He was Lee Yun, the Emperor of the Empire of Korea.

I couldn’t be sure if he was someone I could trust, or if he really was my father. Overwhelmed by confusion, I bit my lip and lowered my head. Suddenly, a low voice caught my ear.

“Sweetheart, let’s not bite your lip.”

Two days later, I boarded an airplane for the very first time in my life alongside the man I had met for the first time just a week ago.

Our destination was Korea, Seoul.