traditions are something ingrained within him, taught into him since he was a child. even now, as he recites the analects of confucianism and poetry of the olden arts, traditions are something that hui deeply appreciated. a look of confusion masked his soft feature, brows arching in a questioning manner.
❝ but, traditions are traditions for a reason, ❞ he tried, lips pursed together. it was simply something he could not understand fully; even at his academy, there were always someone who liked to break out of the traditions. his father would have called them misfits - though on a personal note, hui thought that was a tad too much.
hui’s eyes lit up at the sight of the soft sweet cakes on the plate. it’s a simple dish, but hui would never turn down an opportunity for sweets ( and meat buns ). cheeks dashed in a hint of rosy hue as he smiled, so wide his eyes almost disappear into upturned crescents, he stepped forth immediately to accept with both hands.
❝ thank you so much, lady bae, ❞ hui said, melody lacing his soft words, as if he was lightly singing to an unknown tune. joy was evident in his body language, if not his expression, as he held it close to him. if it was a toy, or a book, he would even have cradled it in his arms. but cakes are different, and they don’t deserve rough treatment like he would with inedible items. ❝ ah, how about you, lady bae? have you tried the cakes? ❞
he nodded, both hands holding gingerly onto the plate of sweet cakes in his hands, settling down to sit. the skies were clear too, and if he could, he would have laid down on the floor, just staring into the vast skies, orange hues of the burning lanterns lighting up around his peripheral vision. he and his brother used to do that often as children, laying down in their own courtyard, staring into the skies.
his mother had chided them for not behaving appropriately, but hui never fail to spot the tiniest hint of a smile on her kind lips, before he ran forth to tug at her sleeves asking for an affectionate pat on the head.
❝ it is. i haven’t seen such clear skies in a while, sometimes the snowfall made it looked like it was weeping. ❞ still, a smile remained on the young man’s face, before he held the plate towards her. ❝ would you perhaps like to have some, lady kim? ❞
seollal lights were always full of hope, but even such optimism faltered given the recent events, still so fresh in his mind. hui had always been one whose mood rose and fall with the smallest of things, like the blooming of flowers rampant in sping, and the withering shell of a beetle at the end of summer.
as silently strong as they stood year on year, without a seeming care in the world, hui just felt an overwhelming sense of sadness at the same thought. because life is so fragile, and memories, easily forgotten at will. alas, those are not the right thoughts for seollal, for she is right. he pressed his lips into a smile. ❝ if only these lights could be around all year long. then again, it wouldn’t be exceptional if we do see it daily, would it? ❞
his words immediately brought the imagery of the wedding, even though it may not necessarily refer to the event. as much as he was not related to any of the families who lost a beloved one, it affected him in ways more than he imagined. eyes fluttered to the ground, hui kept silent for a moment.
and yet, being a supreme commander - or being a royalty himself - the elder male stood tall, unwavering. hui couldn’t imagine the kind of courage, nor the burden he had to undertake with the happenings. but responsibilities come with greatness, born or acquired. he tried a smile, small, but apparent as he looked at san.
❝ and i hope the new year would share its kind blessings to you and your family, your highness. ❞
lovely indeed. after the happenings of the last month, this event seemed more quiet, calming even. hui rest his hands behind his back, one hand holding onto the wrist of his other hand, staring ahead. lights lit the streets that etched on for seemingly forever, disappearing into the dark skies. his eyes roamed over the elder male, lips pursed in a small, silent hum.
❝ it is. makes me want to sit down and read, or even write a few lines dedicating to the night skies. ❞ his words fade away as his eyes soften, head tilting upwards. ❝ it almost feels too serene to be true. ❞
he received the gift with both hands, motions gentle and careful as if he was holding water, trying his best not to spill a single drop. it was an embroidery, a beautiful one; when he was younger, he’s tried his mother’s half-woven work left on the table. hui could still recall the pickle of his index finger, and the shock of the household maid to find the smears of red on the cloth.
hui was - still is - a clumsy one when it came down to such delicate crafts. small hands not nimble enough for the needle. he’s seen dongho handle one with awe, but such arts were best left to someone who knew what they’re doing. instead, hui turned to his own art, the way of the brush, with written words painted on parchment.
❝ it’s beautiful, ❞ he whispered, fingers running along the rise and bumps of the thread. and just like a child, he smiled, lips tugging into a wide smile, a hint of pink flushed across his cheeks in his simplistic joy. ❝ thank you, your highness. you seem to really enjoy making embroidery...? when we meet, it always seem like you are working on a new piece. ❞
A yawn escapes his mouth. He feels tired it’s probably because of this stupid wedding he is attending, why is he even attending it? How did his father manage to get Daehyung convinced to go to this wedding, right now Daehyung would even rather wash clothes or help his mother cooking, but she was here with him and his father and so it had ended that Daehyung could do nothing but attend this dumb wedding.
Even the people here bore him, he finds nothing special about them but that’s probably because he only admires himself, if you asked Daehyung and he had to tell the truth then he would tell you that he was even better than the queen, this of course was something he kept to himself.
But as the minutes passes by he feels more and more bored, he just wants to escape this stupid wedding, he just wants to head home, unless there suddenly happens something like the princess runs away or dies then this wedding is going to be boring the whole night.
“Why am I even attending this wedding? I don’t care about the princess at all” the words comes out of his mouth and he doesn’t seem to care because his parents aren’t around him right now “it would be better if someone just burned this place down” he continues, probably an exaggerate but why would that matter? it wasn’t like someone would care about what he just said.
wedding are crowded, loud places - something that hui had learned all about and tended to avoid whenever possible. as the younger son of the deputy chief scholar, hui always had that little bit of leeway thanks to his brother; with him around, he was never required at most of these socializing events.
but this one was different. a good friend, a respectable hyung, was getting married. this was a huge event that he felt more than incline to participate, and send his well wishes. for one, this was the first wedding of someone he knew, not just an ‘acquaintance’. ( and perhaps, it was for the better that he’s not heard any hisses of gossip lurking in the corners between the bride and the groom. )
he hicced, pursing his lips shut in efforts not to make too loud of an unruly sound. having a little bit of alcohol tend to cause that to happen. or at least, this second time he’s down a bowl of wine, was the second time that sent him into a light, prolonged fit of hiccups. but nothing a few gulps of tea and a withheld breath of air couldn’t fix - a trick his household nanny had taught him when he was a mere child.
and even then, he couldn’t do it in peace. eyeing the person beside him cautiously at first because of his loud...disgruntled mannerisms, the pursed lip expression soon turned into a downright frown. neat eyebrows knitted together in mild annoyance as his expression continued to sour with each word he said, it was the inauspicious statement that had him jumping up onto his feet.
❝ that’s unnecessary, ❞ he said, voice holding a childish spark in his retaliation. hui was never one great at arguments, mostly because he’s a pacifist out of convenience, but this young man had touched a nerve. who is he, anyway? ❝ weddings are times for celebrations. perhaps you should have made your way home if this doesn’t suit your preference, instead of being a mean, killjoy! ❞
♡ “ of course i did. ” a dreamy look comes over minseo, eyes beautiful and far away, not that she’s looking at hui anyways. minseo is focused on her needlework, her first piece of embroidery for the new year. “ it’s my favourite part of seollal. i love looking out the window and being able to see lights for miles … don’t you think that darkness is so LONELY? i think it is. ” a pause. minseo puts down her embroidery, and when she looks up and meets hui’s gaze, her expression is no longer far away. it is very present, and it is very sad, rooted still in grief from her sister’s passing.
he parted his lips to speak, but there’s something in her eyes that stopped him. the male’s eyes softened, memories from the last month coming to mind. there’s nothing more he could have said to comfort someone who has lost their loved one; it is a pain that he could not truly empathize with, and something he could never imagine going through.
❝ mmm. it is lonely, sometimes, ❞ he replied eventually, putting on a small smile he hoped was at least, of some comfort. fingers curled around the fabric of his outfit by his knees, and hui held it there, unmoving. but his eyes looked away and out to the lights lining up the roofs, a sign of life never pausing to stop at tragedy. ❝ but, sometimes, because there is darkness, we learn to appreciate the lights even more, ❞ he crooked his head to look back at her, words uttered in a soft tone. and these lights delivered hopes - hopes of a better year come the end of seollal.
❝ and life, like flames still burns brightly despite the dark. ❞
・ ・ ・ ・
THESE ARE THE INBOX PROMPTS for our seollal event! remember your rp karma: try to send out as many prompts as you receive. if necessary, make sure to change pronouns to fit the muse in mind. these can be used as starters, or just as drabbles - it’s up to you! these will be available to reblog until the end of our event on february 12th. have fun!
“ keep your apology.”
“ everybody wants to change the world.”
“ you have to be what tomorrow needs.”
“ are we having fun?”
“ i think i better go now.”
“ here, i got this for you.”
“ you are so good for me.”
“ and so it is.”
“ i know it won’t be a good year.”
“ i hope it will be a better year.”
“ i don’t care if it’s tradition -”
“ it’s tradition.”
“ i’m not eating that.”
“ the future is looking grim.”
“ this was a lovely night.”
“ i know it’s not traditional. i wanted to get you something different.”
“ i made a promise.”
“ did you see the lights?”
“ how is your family?”
“ we’re not supposed to be meeting like this.”
it was night. cold air slipped into the room through the tiny crack of the windows, just enough to show the hanging moon in the skies; hui had always loved this view from his room, a clear path away from the extending branches allowing moonlight to grace the floors when he blew out the candlelight for the night. now, even when his room is brightly lit, hui still enjoyed the majestic display of the night star.
he wondered when his brother is returning, if his brother was victorious in the hunt. the mere thought had him smiling, brush still in hand before he set it aside. hyeon might have always been the more athletic one, but even he wasn’t sure if he’s up for the job in an actual hunt. part of him was worried; he’s never been to one, but he’s heard enough stories about them. when push comes to shove, accidents could happen. but he trust him to take care of himself well enough. or so he hoped.
instead, his eyes roamed to the piece in front of him. his handwriting had always been neat, the right amount of strength laying in each calculated stroke of his arm. hui was trained in the art of calligraphy since he was a child, from the very basics of preparing the ink to the technique of spacing his hanja, his hands remembered each stroke of the thin cane upon the back of his hand when his brushed flattened too much against the parchment.
hui was a quick learner, and that proved to be even faster with the help of a prickling sensation upon his sensitive, pale skin. and now, he spent his spare time writing calligraphy, beautiful words chaining up to cheesy stories and poems. he couldn’t draw either, unlike his peers who could paint a thousand words with dyes and watered ink, black and grey and white and more forming sceneries that he could only watch with parted lips and childish envy.
he could do none of that. but words, words he could do. so he aimed to perfect it.
except that none of these would see the light of the day. hui sighed dreamily, leaning forward till he could rest his elbows on the table, and his head above them. a faint blush painted his cheeks at the sight of those long eyes and charming smile, down to the way he would always be patient with him, listening to his rambles of the classics to his absurd requests of sweet cakes and meat buns.
it felt like love, even if he knew how silly, how crazy, and how unspeakable it would be if he spoke it out loud. such affections do not exist between men; how scandalous would it have been! but hui couldn’t help it; helped how he wanted nothing more than to spend ever additional hour with him. it’s so akin to the books he’s read, to the man who stared after the lady of his dreams, to the woman who whispered of her wishes to be by his side. hui empathised with both the man and the woman.
he empathised with the feelings of affection in the way only a man could for a woman, and vice versa.
even though his was for a man, as a man himself.
the male closed his eyes, sighing softly. perhaps he was mistaken after all. it could not have been love. and the words he wrote, so akin to confessions of one’s heart, was wrong in all ways he’s been taught. there was thump in his heart, like a weight was placed upon it even though he couldn’t understand it. but that was a question for some other day.
he straightened up, pulling the papers together. ❝ dol-ah, ❞ he called, sliding the door open. it’s cold, but it’s not snowing today. out here in his corner of the courtyard, the moon seemed to dance in the vast skies on its own, illuminating the grounds. he swung his legs out from the room, bare feet dangling on the edge when he straighten them. his mother would have teased that it was unsightly of a grown adult to act like a child, but here, alone, he basked in the last, fleeting moments of his youth.
his valet appeared quickly enough, a small basin left right beside him. years of being by the young master’s side had made it know the kind of habits hui had harbored over the years. the pieces of paper danced in the fire from the lit wooden splint, curling up and disappearing in a matter of minutes. the warmth almost had him reaching out to rub his palms over it, like how he would in an open air fire, but he didn’t.
instead he watched till every last bit of parchment disappeared into ashes, the ink of his carefully written words hidden within. gone. like it had never existed. it stung his eyes, and hui looked away, the last of the warmth quickly overtaken by the chill in the night sky.
( if only he knew how his budding affections on the fine young man would burn into ashes the very same way, perhaps, he would never have written them. )
red was the color of weddings, in the hanbok where the wedding bride would wear, in the silk cloth adorning the tables of the married couple. in chinese tradition, red was auspicious, the color of celebration, a symbolism of the beauty of eternal love. to them too, red was by default the colors of the blushing bride, a whisper of well-wishes.
but not this red.
hui stared ahead, petrified, feet rooted to the ground when the yelling started. unconsciously, he had stood up from his table, tilting his torso to get a better look, a better understanding. his mind churned, gearing along, trying to made sense of everything that’s happening - loud mumblings of horrified mantra sounded around him, children crying; and hui found his breathing quickened, eyes wide, lips parted.
it was only when his brother had grabbed him did he broke out of his reverie, easing his breathing. he could see hyeon’s lips moving, asking if he’s alright, and he blinked out of his petrified state. he’s fine, besides being shaken up that someone had just died right before his eyes. that people are dying at a wedding. the wedding of one of his good friends, the wedding of the bride who was now laying in the arms of his crying friend.
he could feel the tense grip of his mother’s hand on his shoulder as he spun around; her eyes reflected fear, mirroring his own, but knowing that his own family was fine had made it easier for him to breathe. arms throwing around her as if he needed to make sure, he pulled away only after moments. the hall was in a mess; his father had left their side, his duty to the court calling.
eyes roamed from his family towards the main table for a slight moment, he turned his head away just as hastily. part of him wanted to rush up to jinil, but it’s not in his position to do so.
this was supposed to be a celebration. the mark of a new chapter.
not death. not tears, not the wailing.
he shivered. hui could hear the beating of his heart hampering against his chest, and felt the crack of his own heart over the lost lives of people he did not even know.
“ lord jinha, ” he greeted softly, just loud enough to be heard as he set his cup of tea quietly on the table - first using his pinky finger to dampen the sound as the edge settled on the wooden surface, before removing it entirely to rest the cup. such etiquette might have been more rare for men than it was for women, but hui had always been a child raised with decorum.
despite the many visits to jinil’s place, it was almost rare for them to speak; but hui knew enough about him through the word of mouth. he tilted his head to the side, wondering for a moment. he would have thought that the elder would be more enthusiastic about the wedding; after all, it is one of his own kin. if it was his own wedding, he knew hyeon would have been the first person to share his happiness at the top of his voice.
but he did not know the other enough to understand their dynamics, nor to understand him as an individual. hui hummed, looking out at the crowd, then back onto him again. perhaps he too, did not dwell well in such crowded events? he could understand that much. “ today must have been a busy day for you as well? ”
hey everyone! just thought i’d drop a mun notice here first before i tackle any pms on both muses (hui and dongho) as well as complete the asks in our inbox.
i was away for a week for a company retreat! but i’m back in action and hui/dongho are ready to jump back into the game. sorry for not stating it earlier ;; if you’d like, you can find us at @aniuver on twitter for plotting as well. see ya!
“ i think i’ll need more wine to get through this.”
open ✉ ❝ royal wedding prompts ❞
the younger male cast a look of amusement at his brother, pursed lips trying to withhold a laugh as he nudged into his brother’s sides a little. while hyeon had always been the more sociable, and fun son of the chief scholar, hui supposed that he still preferred running wild, roaming about instead of having to sit through something as formal as a wedding celebration of a princess.
❝ you have already downed a whole jar, hyung. ❞ his voice is soft, even if it was spoken in a timely reminder, it sounded less of a chide than a by comment. pulling his cup of tea closer to take a sip, he hummed softly, looking around them. marriage and celebrations was not new to him, but one that involved a groom he was well acquainted with, that was something different. in the corner of his eyes, he could see dongho downing a bowl of wine himself in high spirits, and shook his head.
instead, he turned back to his brother. ❝ i thought you enjoyed your share of chatter, ❞ hui laughed, teasing him by referring to his stream of words whenever the brothers are left to their devices. still, it showed when they’re in events, how hyeon always blended well with others. ❝ i never thought i’d see a friend get married so soon. it makes it seem like the wedding is more alive than the ones we’ve been to, if i make sense? ❞
he tilted his head slightly, chubby cheeks pushed upwards as his lips pursed together. he meant the lift in his own mood, out of the care and happiness he wished upon his dear friend. but words wasn’t coming to him after the bout of full meal.
hui still remembered the last time he’s had a drink - or two - at the banquet celebrating none other than the queen herself. it did not end well; a pink hue flushed upon his cheeks at the memory of him sauntering down the corridors in an uncomfortable, drunken-like state, before emptying all his tummy’s contents in the loo. that’s hardly appropriate in his opinion, the son of a scholar looking like a potential alcohol addict, except that he simply could not hold his liqueur.
eyes roamed over the wine on the table, lips pursed as his cheeks puffed up naturally in the motion, he still gave a firm nod. after all, who is he to say otherwise to the crowned prince? besides, while the lack of alcohol tolerance was his own embarrassment to relive, it wasn’t as if he disliked being in his company. Like the other royal family, the prince held an air of dignity, and charms.
he also have a really, really beautiful smile.
hui’s lips pulled into a soft smile, the embarrassed flush from his own unsightly memories now lightening to the natural, pinkish glow across his pale skin.
