Best friend’s Brother! Gunil who’s only interested in you because you’re not interested in him.
✩ Gunil was quite use to his sister’s friends falling at his feet to put it frankly. A satisfied smirk never failed to grace his face when him making eye contact with one of his sister’s friends made a blush fall upon their face.
However everything changed when his sister brought you over to the house for the first time. His presence didn’t make your knees go weak. His eye contact didn’t bring a rose hue to your face. In fact it brought a disgusted glare to your face instead. Safe to say Gunil was far from use to being treated in such a way, so one day he cornered you. Trapping you against the hallway wall on your way back from the bathroom.
“What is wrong with you?” you spit, trying your best to shove his body away from yours, but his strong muscular body had you pinned.
“You’re what’s wrong with me,” he stated, his hands gripping your wrists more firmly pushing your arms even harder against the wall.
You scoffed, “Me? What could I have possibly done? All I do is try to ignore you.” You gave another useless shove.
“Exactly, you ignore me.” He brought his face closer to yours. You instinctively turn your head away from him. Gunil didn’t like this, so he transferred your arms above your head, now pinning them in place with one of his hands and using his other to grip your chin between his thumb and forefinger, making you look at him.
“Not used to it?” You raised a brow, egging him on. Gunil’s jaw clenched, tongue swiping across his teeth.
“No.” He admitted. “So what gives? You got a boyfriend or something?” he interrogated.
“No,” you said casually. Then a smirk pulled at your lips and this time you lean your face closer to his, so close your lips are millimeters apart. “I’m just not into you.”
He sits at the back of the lecture room in the corner by the window. Nobody really pays attention to him there, which is why he likes it. He also likes that it gives him the perfect view of you from where you sit four rows ahead. You’re perfectly spaced in the window created by other surrounding students. You’re close enough that he can hear you laugh whenever your friend leans over to whisper something to you, but you’re far away enough that you won’t notice his stare. His lovestruck, love dripping stare.
Sometimes he likes to imagine that he’s brave enough to talk to you. When in reality his throat goes dry the moment you look over your shoulder. You’re not even looking at him, merely in his general direction, yet he still feels his knees go weak in his chair. Oh and the one time you actually made eye contact with him? He swears his heart combusted inside of his chest, sending all of the feelings he harbored for you throughout his entire body like an electrical shock.
Upon my re-listen to their entire discography I kinda can’t believe I ranked Lxve to Death last. When I made this list I remember not being that into the album for some reason. (Not saying I disliked it, but it wasn’t an instant fav.) I think it’s because when they released it I wasn’t actually in the mood to listen to new music. I don’t know if anyone else ever feels like that. However even if I redid this list I genuinely don’t know where I would rank it. Like I stated in the tags on the original post my top 4 albums are locked in, but the rest of the list is highly subjected to change, so I guess all have to say is take my ranking of albums 5-9 with a couple pinches of salt lol.
Kwak Jiseok
Summary: It’s been ten years since you became the queen of Thethia. A whole decade has passed since the last time you saw Prince, now King Jiseok. You’ve convinced yourself that he is only a person of your past as much as that hurt. However with the talks of Moondoria’s skills comp starting back up, yours and Jiseok’s paths are fated to cross again. Causing those dormant embers of your heart’s true desire to spark once more.
WC:~5.3k
Warning:angst
Suggested songs to listen to 🎼the one that got away -Katy Perry the cure -Olivia Rodrigo Leave Your Lover -Echos
The country of Moondoria consists of three different kingdoms: Lisea, Thaethia and Leenavia. To each of these kingdoms there are the Kings and Queens who rule them. King Jungsu rules Lisea alongside his wife, Queen Minah. The kingdom of Leenavia is ruled by King Jiseok and his wife, Queen Seonghye. Finally there’s you, Queen y/n the ruler of Thaethia along with your husband, King Seungmin.
Each of the rulers have given birth to heirs or next in line for the throne. King Jungsu has two twin girls, Princesses Jinsu and Sujin. They’re nine years old. King Jiseok has one son, Prince Hajun, eight years old. You and Seungmin also only have one child, Princess Isla, eight years old. All of your kids attend Evercrest School Of Royals together. Where history has a funny way of repeating itself.
“I feel as though I’ve been transported twenty-ish years or so into the past,” Mr. Leonard, the painting teacher, remarked as he stood behind Hajun and Isla, looking at their paintings. Prince Hajun had painted a picture of marigolds and Princess Isla had painted a picture of daffodils. Both of the young royals look back at their painting professor.
“What do you mean sir?” Princess Isla asked with a tilt of her head.
“Your parents,” Mr Leonard answers, kneeling down to be eye level with the two children. “Albeit you two have it reversed,” he chuckled. “Your mother,” He looked at Isla, used to always paint marigolds.” “And your father,” He turned to look at Hajun. “Used to always paint daffodils.”
Prince Hajun and Princess Isla looked at one another, then at each others paintings and back to Mr. Leonard.
“I painted marigolds because my father’s favorite painting is of marigolds. He has it hung up in his study,” Hajun spoke.
“I painted daffodils because my mother’s favorite painting is of daffodils. She has it hanging in our reading room,” Isla says.
Mr. Leonard smiled to himself. He was glad to know that you and Jiseok still cared about one another. He doesn’t know what happened between the two of you, but he knows that something certainly did happen. His trained eye had no problems discerning that something was up between you two eleven years ago at King Jungsu’s wedding. That something was confirmed when neither of you attended one another’s weddings. Alas it wasn’t his place to pry, but he always knew the term "friends" never suited you and Jiseok. And that one day it would probably lead to whatever tore you two apart ten years ago.
“Well, what an extraordinary coincidence we have on our hands,” Mr Leonard told the royals. He stood up from his crouching position, gave either of the kids a pat on the back and walked away to inspect the royal kids' works.
Hajun and Isla turned to look at their works again, both of their minds wondering if it really was a coincidence or if there was something neither of them knew about their mother and father.
“Queen y/n.” King Jungsu formally greeted you with a bow as he gently took your hand in his.
“Jungsu please drop the formalities already. We’ve been friends since we were kids.” Yet you still gave him a small curtsy.
A small smile graced Jungsu’s lips as he motioned for you to sit down. The two of you were having tea together in the outside foyer of his castel. You took your seat as did Jungsu and soon enough a maid was coming to pour your tea as another maid brought out a spread of snacks, ranging from small sandwiches to fruits to cube pieces of cheese. You thanked the maids for their services and they proceeded back inside the castel, leaving you and Jungsu to your business.
“I spoke with a Moondorian diplomat today. They were talking about starting up skills comp again,” he shared the news with you. Your eyes instantly shot down to look at the ring that adorns your ring finger on your left hand. It’s the one that Jiseok ‘proposed’ to you with on the night of Jungsu’s wedding. You never took it off. The people of your kingdom nor the people of your neighboring kingdoms for that matter know the origins of your wedding ring. That it wasn’t given to you by your husband Seungmin.
“Skills comp,” you repeated the words. “I see.” You fiddled with the ring on your finger. “I supposed it is over due. We did start competing at age five. All of our children are above that age,” you say.
“We don’t have to. Skills comp can stay a thing of the past. The last one left us all traumatized. With the wild boars incident and everything,” Jungsu tells you.
“Yeah, everything,” you laughed humorously. “But would it really be fair to our children to deny them of having skills comp?”
“Can you handle seeing him again?” Jungsu’s question causes yours and Jiseok’s entire relationship to run through your mind. From meeting at age five to seeing him for the last time, hearing about the news of his marriage, hearing about the birth of his son. Any snippets of him you heard from Isla when she talked about Hajun.
Truthfully you don’t know if you could handle seeing him again, but, “I miss him.” Because even if your heart never fully healed from how you two parted you still cherish all of your memories with him. He was your best friend and so much more.
“He misses you too,” Jungsu voiced. You didn’t need Jungsu to tell you that though, you already knew. You were sure that your hearts missed each other in the exact same acheful way.
“Lisea can host,” Jungsu went on to say. You looked at him.
“Thank you,” you say appreciatively.
“Of course.”
The pair of you went on to enjoy your tea. Until it was interrupted.
“Mother I wish to go home right now,” your daughter, Isla, pulled on the sleeve of your gown. You turned to your daughter, looking down at her. “And why’s that?” You caressed that back of her head.
“Because Jinsu and Sujin keep saying that King Jungsu and Queen Minah have the most romantic love story, but it’s obviously you and father. I mean he was your personal guard and you two fell in love. That's way more romantic than King Jungsu and Queen Minah who were an arrange marriage.” Isla crossed her arms over his chest.
“But our father fell in love with our mother at first sight.”
“That’s way more romantic than King Seungmin having to court Queen y/n.” Jinsu and Sujin spoke in tandem, coming to stand on either side of their father.
“Now, now.” You picked up your daughter, placing her on your lap. “You shouldn’t look down on arranged marriages. You know your grandparents had an arranged marriage and you see how much they love each other.”
“See.” Jinsu and Sujin chorused.
“Now, now, girls.” Jungsu also placed his daughter on his lap, one on each leg. “Just because a love story doesn’t involve love at first sight, doesn’t make it any less romantic.”
“See.” Isla retorted.
“Isla,” you lightly got after her.
“What got you girls talking about love stories anyway?” Jungsu asked.
“The literature teacher started reading Romeo and Juliet to us and the leading question to think about while we listened to the story was “What is love?” Over the course of listening to the story we’re supposed to highlight sections that we think are actions of love and explain why,” Sujin explained.
“You guys seem a bit young for that. Do they not?” You looked at Jungsu.
“Hearing this as an adult, yes they seem a bit young, but I recall doing the same assignment at their age,” he said.
“Ah that’s right. We did do this assignment.” You remembered.
“I’d climb a balcony for you,” a young prince Jiseok leaned over to whisper to you as he highlighted the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.
“I’d climb a balcony for you too,” you whispered back to him. Oh how young and naive you two were back then. Being completely unaware that your love story would be a tragedy just like Romeo and Juliet's.
“Mother, do you think you or King Jungsu has the most romantic love story?” your daughter asked, looking at you innocently. The innocents in her eyes made your heart ache. Alas it’s not like you can tell your precious daughter that you actually never fell in love with her father.
“I think Gunil and his wife have the most romantic love story actually,” you tell her.
“Gunil? Like Hajun’s uncle Gunil?” Jinsu asked from across the table.
“Yes, him,” you confirm.
“Why?” Isla questioned.
“Because gave up the throne to be with his lover. He gave up the luxurious life he could’ve had as king, because she meant more to him than any luxury out there,” you elaborated.
“Sacrifice,” Jungsu simplified. “I agree, I think sacrifice is the greatest action of love there is.” You and Jungsu shared a knowing look across the table.
The painting of pink daffodils stares back at you from where it hangs on the wall.
The daffodils in this painting will never wither
like how my love for you will never stop.
In another life it would be us forever.
That’s what was written on the card Jiseok sent you along with the painting. It was his wedding gift to you. Even if it was far too much for him to handle going in person, he still wanted to let you know that he cared.
“I figured you would be in here.” Seungmin’s voice cuts your attention away from the painting. He walks over next to you, joining you in front of the painting. “I heard about skills comp.” He looked at you.
“Yeah.” Your lips pulled into a line. “I don’t think it would be fair to deny the kids of it. Isla always loves when we tell her stories about skills comp.” You turned to look at him.
Seungmin takes in a breath. He reaches to grab both of your hands, resulting in you two facing one another. “Are you sure you can handle it? Seeing him again?” Seungmin’s eyes cast sideways to the painting of the daffodils.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” you admitted. “There’s this part of me that misses him and wants to see him, but there’s this other part of me that knows how hard it’s going to be. That it’s going to hurt.”
Seungmin smiles at you sadly. He gives your hands a squeeze and pulls them up to rest against his chest. “I’ll be right there with you. If it’s too much, let me know. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you,” you smiled appreciatively at him.
“Always.” He let go of your hands and settled his hands on either side of your waist, pulling you in close so he could press a caring kiss against your temple. You let your arms loosely wrap around his lower back and move your head to rest against his shoulder. Seungmin smiles, arms moving around your body to cradle you against him. He knows that you’re still in love with Jiseok. No matter how much time has passed. No matter how much you try to convince yourself he’s a person of your past. He knows how your heart truly feels. That’s why in moments like these where you lean on him Seungmin feels gratified that you let him be the one by your side for all of these years.
It was the night before skills comp and you were feeling jittery to say the least. You found yourself in the reading room with a cup of tea. Tucked up into one of the chairs, staring at the pink daffodils.
Never dreamed that one day I’d be losing you.
In another life it would be us forever.
That’s what you wrote on the card you wrote to go with your blue marigold painting you sent to Jiseok for his wedding. You didn’t have the heart to attend in person. It would have been way too much, but still you knew you had to send him something to let him know that you would continue to love him.
“You really make me wonder if I did the right thing, you know?” You are taken aback when you hear your mother’s voice. You look up and see that she’s seated in the chair adjacent to yours. You never heard her come in.
“What are you talking about?” you asked.
“You and Jiseok.” She nodded at the daffodil painting that you had just lost yourself staring at. “I don’t know what fully happened that day, but I do know that you’ve never been the same since.” Her words make you think back on that fated day. The one you can never tell if it was horrid or heavenly. Confessing your love to one another should have been beautiful, but instead it was yours and Jiseok’s tragic downfall.
“I thought that once you and Seungmin married you would start to finally move on, but instead you never moved from right here.” Again she looks at the painting. “And every time I see you in front of this painting I start to think that I was wrong,” her voice cracked.
“Mother.” You reached out to her, placing one of your hands over her that sat on her lap. “Jiseok and I both had duties to our countries. We were the only heirs. It was impossible for us to be together. It wasn’t your fault. It was ours. We failed to keep our hearts' true desires under control and we’re paying the price for it.” You sucked in a breath that felt like glass cut through your lungs.
“She tried to persuade me, the former queen of Leenavia,” your mother discloses.
“What are you talking about?” you questioned.
“She came to me. I think it was two months after that skills comp. She came to me and she said that she could tell her son was in pain. That it wasn’t from his injury, it was his heart. She wanted to discuss with me about finding a way for you two to marry, because she could not stand seeing her son in such pain, but I-” She removed his hand from your hold, like she didn’t deserve your comfort. She avoids your eyes as well. “I told her that there was no way. That Thaethia had not gone through generations of arranged marriages for the sake of keeping the bloodline pure, just to throw it away because of a couple broken hearts. I assured her that all we needed to do was find spouses that were a good fit for either of you and then everything would right itself.”
You don’t know what to say. Could there have been a way for you Jiseok to be together? And did your mother crush it? Should you feel angry? Yell at her for thinking so little of your pain?
“Duty means doing the things in life you may regret.” Is what you find yourself saying.
“Pardon?” Your mother’s guilt filled eyes found yours.
“That’s something father told me a long time ago. Back when he took me out on my first hunt. I shot a sparrow. It wasn’t a great shot so the sparrow wasn’t fully dead when I picked it up. I saw the pain in its eyes and started bawling, saying that I would never shoot an animal ever again. That’s when father told me that duty means doing things in life we may regret. That as the royal family we have our duties that we owe the kingdom. Sometimes those duties will lead us to doing things we regret and those are the sacrifices we make for our kingdom,” you explained.
“Becoming queen was my duty. Letting Jiseok go was a sacrifice for my kingdom…even if I regret it.” You looked back at the pink daffodils with sorrowfilled eyes.
“If you love them, let them go free and if it’s meant to be, they’ll come back to thee.” Your mother placed a hand on your shoulder. Was she trying to give you hope? That somehow, some way there is a path you and Jiseok could walk down together.
“Mother, father, I am so excited!” Isla bounced for joy as the three of you were riding in the carriage on your way to Lisea for skills comp. Her excitement brought a smile onto your face. It reminded you of how much you used to enjoy skills comp.
“Do you know what you’re going to paint for the painting category?” Seungmin questioned.
“Mr. Leonard told me that mom used to always paint marigolds, so I was wondering if I should keep that tradition going?” Isla answered.
“You know I’m still unsure if that was ever really a tradition or I just knew I had no chance at beating Jungsu, so I might as well have painted the same thing every year,” you shared.
“But King Jiseok used to always paint daffodils and Gunil used to always paint hydrangeas, so wasn’t it a tradition for you three to all paint the same flowers?” Isla cocked her head to the side.
“Did Mr. Leonard tell you that too?” you chuckled.
“Yes, he was also feeling excited that skills comp is coming back, so he was telling us stories about it,” she chimes.
“I see,” you smiled. “Well you can paint whatever you like dear,” you tell her.
“Okay, but while we’re on the topic. I am kinda wondering something,” she starts.
“Yeah?” You looked at her to continue.
“I was a little surprised to find out that you always painted marigolds since your favorite painting is of daffodils, so why is that painting your favorite? I thought it was because daffodils are your favorite flower.” You stiffened in your seat at her question. Seungmin’s hand was quick to find yours, lacing your fingers together.
“That painting is her favorite because someone very special gifted it to her,” he answered with ease.
“Oh, so you like it because of who gave it to you, not necessarily because of what the painting is of,” Isla concluded.
“What a smart girl I have,” Seungmin raved and affectionately rubbed his daughter's head.
“Ooh, we’re close!” Isla cheered when she saw the Lisea castel coming into sight. You took a breath as you watched the castel get closer and closer. Seungmin gave your hand a reassuring squeeze and gave you a look, asking with his eyes if you were ok? You gave him a small nod and rested your head on his shoulder for a few moments of peace before you had to walk out into the oncoming tempest.
The carriage comes to a halt at the front of Lisea’s castel. Isla practically jumps out of the carriage as soon as the door is open. Meanwhile you and Seungmin take your time. Seungmin gets out first and extends his hand to help you out. You wrap your fingers around his palm, mindfully ducking your head as you exit the carriage, stepping onto the stone paved ground. Even when both of your feet found their place on the ground, Seungmin kept holding onto your hand as you walked up to the castle doors.
“Queen y/n, King Seungmin,” Jungsu pauses his greeting briefly to bend down slightly. “Princess Isla, glad to see you all here,” he finished, standing up straight again. The three of you exchange your greetings back.
Before you can start any other conversation the sound of the castle doors opening interrupts. For the first time in nearly a decade you and Jiseok are in the same room again. Your eyes lock with one another’s. Like they were drawn to each other like magnets. Your heart pounds inside of your chest. Dormant embers of your heart’s true desire, sparking back to life. You want to run over to him. You want to wrap your arms around him. Knowing that is the only way to soothe your ever broken heart.
“Hajun!”
“Isla!”
Your kids shouted each other’s name with such happiness as they ran to meet one another. You can’t help but see yourself and Jiseok in them. It’s exactly how the two of you used to greet one another when you were younger. Your eyes casted back over to Jiseok and you can tell he’s thinking the same thing as you watched the sad smile pull across his lips.
“The painting part of skills comp will take place in half an hour in the great room,” Jungsu stepped in. “Feel free to walk around until then.”
“Hajun, let go find Sujin and Jinsu,” Isla tugged Hajun along, leaving the group of adults together.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Jiseok..and Hajun. He loves the honeysuckle lemon tarts you make.” Queen Seonghye approached you. You almost feel bad because of how kindly she’s looking at you.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” you forced a smile.
“Isla always talks about your butter cookies. She says that they’re the best. That something must be different about Leenavian butter.” Seungmin smoothly joined the conversation, wrapping his arm around your waist in a comforting manner. His thumb stroked up and down your side, in an effort to ground you.
Envy fills Jiseok’s body before he can do anything about it. It’s the same envy he felt when he heard the news of yours and Seungmin’s marriage. He doesn’t carry any disdain towards Seungmin though. If he can’t be the one by your side he’s glad that Seungmin is, but he really despises the fact that he’s not the one by your side.
But maybe he still is the one inside your heart. His eyes caught sight of the ring on your finger. He recognizes it instantly. It’s the one he proposed to you with, despite knowing that you two could never be.
“There are refreshments and snacks in the great room,” Jungsu says after observing how you all interacted. “I’m sure you guys are tired from your long journeys.”
“Time is up, please set your brushes aside young royals,” Mr Leonard, announced as the last specs of sand slipped through the hour glass. The castle staff came and took the paintings, moving them to where they would be displayed and judged.
Right before the paintings were about to be shown, Prince Hajun pulled on Mr. Leonard’s sleeve, motioning for him to bend down. He whispered something in his ear.
“Yes, alright, I see.” Mr. Leonard nodded at Hajun. Mr Leonard straightened up and cleared his throat, ready to announce the paintings.
“First up, Princess Jinsu, she painted a lily pad waterscape. Second, Princess Sujin, who painted a cherry blossom tree. Third, we have Prince Hajun & Princess Isla who have painted a joint painting of a flowerfield adorned with daffodils and marigolds.”
Your breath gets caught in your throat as you stare at the pink daffodils sprawled across the canvasses alongside the blue marigolds.
“If you love them, let them go free and if it’s meant to be, they’ll come back to thee.”
You looked across the great room at Jiseok. He was already looking at you.
You didn’t even hear them announce that Hajun’s and Isla’s joint painting had won.
“Mother, we won! It’s Theathia’s first win in the painting category too, right? At least for the first time in a very long time.” Your daughter’s arms wrapped around you in a celebratory hug, pulling your gaze away from Jiseok. You bent down and picked her up in your arms.
“Yes, it is,” you smiled at her. “I’m proud of you.”
Isla was soon guided away to get changed into her archery clothes. Meanwhile you made your way into one of the many halls of the castle to take a bit of a breather before heading outside to the shooting range. You leaned against the wall, letting your head fall back against the cool, hard surface.You took a breath and blew it out, bringing your hand up to your chest, pressing it against your aching heart.
You haven’t even spoken to him. Could you even manage speaking to him? You don’t think that you could. Not without losing your composure at least. You would definitely crack.
“Queen y/n there you are. I was looking for you. Isla has gotten hurt.” A member of the castle staff came up to notify you.
“What?” Your eyes widened with concern.
“It’s a minor injury, a simple scrape, but she wishes to see her mother. She’s in the infirmary getting it treated.” The castle staff leads you to the infirmary.
“Isla, what happened? Does it hurt-” You entered the infirmary in a haste, but you’re met with an empty room. You looked around the empty infirmary, gaze landing on the empty bed. Images of when Jiseok was injured flash through your mind. You looked down at your hands remembering how they were coated in his blood.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
You remembered the kiss you two shared. You remember holding his hand till the last possible second. You remember refusing to say goodbye, but rather “See you soon.”
“Hajun!” Jiseok came flying into the infirmary. Only to discover that it only contained you.
“Y/n.”
“Jiseok.”
It felt like the world stood still. Then Jiseok moves, practically throwing his entire body at you. He wraps you up in his arms, surrounding you with his embrace.
“I missed you so much,” he cried. Holding you so tight like he was terrified you would disappear if he let go. You couldn’t contain the tears that slipped through your eyes as you hugged him back, wrapping your arms around his waist and pulling him impossibly closer to you.
“I missed you too.” You’re not sure how long the two of you stood their embracing. What you do know is that your heart finally stopped hurting. It may only last for a few moments. For however long you and Jiseok are able to hide away in your fantasy of being together. Your heart isn’t aching in pain, but rather burning with the warmth of comfort.
Jiseok pulled away from the hug to cup your face in his hands instead, tenderly wiping your tears away. “You look as beautiful as ever.” You chuckled, bringing your hands up to cups his face, fingers brushing away the remnants of his tears. “You look pretty good too, handsome.” Jiseok grabs your left hand.
“You still wear it.” He ran his thumb over the ring on your finger. “Mine actually goes with it.” He held up his left hand, displaying the band that surrounds his ring finger. It does match the band of your wedding ring perfectly.
“I love you Jiseok. I’m still in love with you,” you revealed to him.
Jiseok smiled, “I love you too y/n. I told you, my love for you will never stop.”
“But-” Tears glossed over your eyes. You thought about the painting Hajun and Isla painted of the pink daffodils and blue marigolds together and how that was impossible for you and Jiseok.
“Don’t think about that.” He cupped your face once more, his thumb brushing the tears away from your waterline. “Let’s just be us for as long as we can.” He moves one of his hands to hold the side of your neck and leans his forehead against yours.
For a few moments all you two do is breathe each other in. Soaking in the presence of one another that you so desperately missed and yearned for in the past ten years you’ve spent apart.
“Can I kiss you?” His breath ghosts across your face and his fingers grip a bit tighter around the back of your neck.
“Like you asked the first time?” you remarked with a light chuckle. A chuckle vibrated through Jiseok’s chest as well he thought back on your twos first kiss. He lifted his forehead from yours.
“Things were a bit different back then.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear.
“Yeah, they were.” Your right hand slid down his chest, pressing your palm against the fabric that lied over his heart. “But our hearts are the same.”
It’s true those embers of love that sparked through yours and Jiseok’s hearts never burnt out. Despite every strong winds that tried to blow them out, they stayed. Perhaps forced to be dormant, but still there much there, simply waiting for when they could burn again.
“I stood in front of that marigold painting every day, imagining a life where it was just us. Somewhere we were free to be together,” he tells you.
“I did the same. Anytime I would look at those daffodils, I would imagine a life where we were together,” you told him.
“It could be possible,” Jiseok claims. You doubt it instantly.
“How? You’re King of Leenavia. I’m Queen of Thaethia. We’re married to other people. We have kids. We don’t work Jiseok, as much as it pains us.” You dropped your head, feeling your heart clench with the painful reality of you and Jiseok. Jiseok raised your head back up, cradling your face in his hands.
“We’re not heirs anymore. In fact we now have heirs to pass the throne onto,” he says.
“Hajun and Isla are far to young Jiseok,” you reminded.
“For now, yes, but we’ve already waited ten years. Won’t you love me in another ten?” He asked, looking you in your eyes.
“Jiseok, I will always love you,” you declared. Your hands traveled upwards, holding right below his jaw.
“I will always love you too, so once Isla and Hajun take over the throne we can go find that marigold and daffodil field. It can just be us forever,” he proposed.
“Can it really be that simple?” You were so sure that there was no possible future where you and Jiseok end up together. Even entertaining the idea that you two can be together in this reality scared you.
“Does waiting another ten years sound simple?” he rhetorically asked. Because, no, enduring another ten years without each other will be just as painful as the previous ten. Your hearts won’t stop aching for the comfort only each other can bring. It will be living another ten years without your best friend. The one your heart desires most.
“No, but if there really is us standing hand in hand at the end of it. Then it’s more than worth it,” you tell him with a pained smile.
“So, see you in ten years?” Tears glossed over his eyes as they did yours.
“See you soon.” You and Jiseok would never say goodbye to one another.
“See you soon.”
10 Years Later
“Gunil had it right all along. This is way better than royal life.” You and Jiseok were outside of the cottage the two of you lived in together.
“Any place where we can be together is the best place to be.” He wraps his arms around you from behind and rests his head over your shoulder looking out at the flower field that isn't far from your cottage. It was full of daffodils and marigolds and looked suspiciously like the painting your kids painted.
“I love you.” You turned your head to look back at him.
“I love you too, always.” He leaned in to connect your lips together. And your heart has never felt lighter, happier, warm, loved.
Kwak Jiseok
Summary: It’s been ten years since you became the queen of Thethia. A whole decade has passed since the last time you saw Prince, now King Jiseok. You’ve convinced yourself that he is only a person of your past as much as that hurt. However with the talks of Moondoria’s skills comp starting back up, yours and Jiseok’s paths are fated to cross again. Causing those dormant embers of your heart’s true desire to spark once more.
WC:~5.3k
Warning:angst
Suggested songs to listen to 🎼the one that got away -Katy Perry the cure -Olivia Rodrigo Leave Your Lover -Echos part 1: here
The country of Moondoria consists of three different kingdoms: Lisea, Thaethia and Leenavia. To each of these kingdoms there are the Kings and Queens who rule them. King Jungsu rules Lisea alongside his wife, Queen Minah. The kingdom of Leenavia is ruled by King Jiseok and his wife, Queen Seonghye. Finally there’s you, Queen y/n the ruler of Thaethia along with your husband, King Seungmin.
Each of the rulers have given birth to heirs or next in line for the throne. King Jungsu has two twin girls, Princesses Jinsu and Sujin. They’re nine years old. King Jiseok has one son, Prince Hajun, eight years old. You and Seungmin also only have one child, Princess Isla, eight years old. All of your kids attend Evercrest School Of Royals together. Where history has a funny way of repeating itself.
“I feel as though I’ve been transported twenty-ish years or so into the past,” Mr. Leonard, the painting teacher, remarked as he stood behind Hajun and Isla, looking at their paintings. Prince Hajun had painted a picture of marigolds and Princess Isla had painted a picture of daffodils. Both of the young royals look back at their painting professor.
“What do you mean sir?” Princess Isla asked with a tilt of her head.
“Your parents,” Mr Leonard answers, kneeling down to be eye level with the two children. “Albeit you two have it reversed,” he chuckled. “Your mother,” He looked at Isla, used to always paint marigolds.” “And your father,” He turned to look at Hajun. “Used to always paint daffodils.”
Prince Hajun and Princess Isla looked at one another, then at each others paintings and back to Mr. Leonard.
“I painted marigolds because my father’s favorite painting is of marigolds. He has it hung up in his study,” Hajun spoke.
“I painted daffodils because my mother’s favorite painting is of daffodils. She has it hanging in our reading room,” Isla says.
Mr. Leonard smiled to himself. He was glad to know that you and Jiseok still cared about one another. He doesn’t know what happened between the two of you, but he knows that something certainly did happen. His trained eye had no problems discerning that something was up between you two eleven years ago at King Jungsu’s wedding. That something was confirmed when neither of you attended one another’s weddings. Alas it wasn’t his place to pry, but he always knew the term "friends" never suited you and Jiseok. And that one day it would probably lead to whatever tore you two apart ten years ago.
“Well, what an extraordinary coincidence we have on our hands,” Mr Leonard told the royals. He stood up from his crouching position, gave either of the kids a pat on the back and walked away to inspect the royal kids' works.
Hajun and Isla turned to look at their works again, both of their minds wondering if it really was a coincidence or if there was something neither of them knew about their mother and father.
“Queen y/n.” King Jungsu formally greeted you with a bow as he gently took your hand in his.
“Jungsu please drop the formalities already. We’ve been friends since we were kids.” Yet you still gave him a small curtsy.
A small smile graced Jungsu’s lips as he motioned for you to sit down. The two of you were having tea together in the outside foyer of his castel. You took your seat as did Jungsu and soon enough a maid was coming to pour your tea as another maid brought out a spread of snacks, ranging from small sandwiches to fruits to cube pieces of cheese. You thanked the maids for their services and they proceeded back inside the castel, leaving you and Jungsu to your business.
“I spoke with a Moondorian diplomat today. They were talking about starting up skills comp again,” he shared the news with you. Your eyes instantly shot down to look at the ring that adorns your ring finger on your left hand. It’s the one that Jiseok ‘proposed’ to you with on the night of Jungsu’s wedding. You never took it off. The people of your kingdom nor the people of your neighboring kingdoms for that matter know the origins of your wedding ring. That it wasn’t given to you by your husband Seungmin.
“Skills comp,” you repeated the words. “I see.” You fiddled with the ring on your finger. “I supposed it is over due. We did start competing at age five. All of our children are above that age,” you say.
“We don’t have to. Skills comp can stay a thing of the past. The last one left us all traumatized. With the wild boars incident and everything,” Jungsu tells you.
“Yeah, everything,” you laughed humorously. “But would it really be fair to our children to deny them of having skills comp?”
“Can you handle seeing him again?” Jungsu’s question causes yours and Jiseok’s entire relationship to run through your mind. From meeting at age five to seeing him for the last time, hearing about the news of his marriage, hearing about the birth of his son. Any snippets of him you heard from Isla when she talked about Hajun.
Truthfully you don’t know if you could handle seeing him again, but, “I miss him.” Because even if your heart never fully healed from how you two parted you still cherish all of your memories with him. He was your best friend and so much more.
“He misses you too,” Jungsu voiced. You didn’t need Jungsu to tell you that though, you already knew. You were sure that your hearts missed each other in the exact same acheful way.
“Lisea can host,” Jungsu went on to say. You looked at him.
“Thank you,” you say appreciatively.
“Of course.”
The pair of you went on to enjoy your tea. Until it was interrupted.
“Mother I wish to go home right now,” your daughter, Isla, pulled on the sleeve of your gown. You turned to your daughter, looking down at her. “And why’s that?” You caressed that back of her head.
“Because Jinsu and Sujin keep saying that King Jungsu and Queen Minah have the most romantic love story, but it’s obviously you and father. I mean he was your personal guard and you two fell in love. That's way more romantic than King Jungsu and Queen Minah who were an arrange marriage.” Isla crossed her arms over his chest.
“But our father fell in love with our mother at first sight.”
“That’s way more romantic than King Seungmin having to court Queen y/n.” Jinsu and Sujin spoke in tandem, coming to stand on either side of their father.
“Now, now.” You picked up your daughter, placing her on your lap. “You shouldn’t look down on arranged marriages. You know your grandparents had an arranged marriage and you see how much they love each other.”
“See.” Jinsu and Sujin chorused.
“Now, now, girls.” Jungsu also placed his daughter on his lap, one on each leg. “Just because a love story doesn’t involve love at first sight, doesn’t make it any less romantic.”
“See.” Isla retorted.
“Isla,” you lightly got after her.
“What got you girls talking about love stories anyway?” Jungsu asked.
“The literature teacher started reading Romeo and Juliet to us and the leading question to think about while we listened to the story was “What is love?” Over the course of listening to the story we’re supposed to highlight sections that we think are actions of love and explain why,” Sujin explained.
“You guys seem a bit young for that. Do they not?” You looked at Jungsu.
“Hearing this as an adult, yes they seem a bit young, but I recall doing the same assignment at their age,” he said.
“Ah that’s right. We did do this assignment.” You remembered.
“I’d climb a balcony for you,” a young prince Jiseok leaned over to whisper to you as he highlighted the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.
“I’d climb a balcony for you too,” you whispered back to him. Oh how young and naive you two were back then. Being completely unaware that your love story would be a tragedy just like Romeo and Juliet's.
“Mother, do you think you or King Jungsu has the most romantic love story?” your daughter asked, looking at you innocently. The innocents in her eyes made your heart ache. Alas it’s not like you can tell your precious daughter that you actually never fell in love with her father.
“I think Gunil and his wife have the most romantic love story actually,” you tell her.
“Gunil? Like Hajun’s uncle Gunil?” Jinsu asked from across the table.
“Yes, him,” you confirm.
“Why?” Isla questioned.
“Because gave up the throne to be with his lover. He gave up the luxurious life he could’ve had as king, because she meant more to him than any luxury out there,” you elaborated.
“Sacrifice,” Jungsu simplified. “I agree, I think sacrifice is the greatest action of love there is.” You and Jungsu shared a knowing look across the table.
The painting of pink daffodils stares back at you from where it hangs on the wall.
The daffodils in this painting will never wither
like how my love for you will never stop.
In another life it would be us forever.
That’s what was written on the card Jiseok sent you along with the painting. It was his wedding gift to you. Even if it was far too much for him to handle going in person, he still wanted to let you know that he cared.
“I figured you would be in here.” Seungmin’s voice cuts your attention away from the painting. He walks over next to you, joining you in front of the painting. “I heard about skills comp.” He looked at you.
“Yeah.” Your lips pulled into a line. “I don’t think it would be fair to deny the kids of it. Isla always loves when we tell her stories about skills comp.” You turned to look at him.
Seungmin takes in a breath. He reaches to grab both of your hands, resulting in you two facing one another. “Are you sure you can handle it? Seeing him again?” Seungmin’s eyes cast sideways to the painting of the daffodils.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” you admitted. “There’s this part of me that misses him and wants to see him, but there’s this other part of me that knows how hard it’s going to be. That it’s going to hurt.”
Seungmin smiles at you sadly. He gives your hands a squeeze and pulls them up to rest against his chest. “I’ll be right there with you. If it’s too much, let me know. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you,” you smiled appreciatively at him.
“Always.” He let go of your hands and settled his hands on either side of your waist, pulling you in close so he could press a caring kiss against your temple. You let your arms loosely wrap around his lower back and move your head to rest against his shoulder. Seungmin smiles, arms moving around your body to cradle you against him. He knows that you’re still in love with Jiseok. No matter how much time has passed. No matter how much you try to convince yourself he’s a person of your past. He knows how your heart truly feels. That’s why in moments like these where you lean on him Seungmin feels gratified that you let him be the one by your side for all of these years.
It was the night before skills comp and you were feeling jittery to say the least. You found yourself in the reading room with a cup of tea. Tucked up into one of the chairs, staring at the pink daffodils.
Never dreamed that one day I’d be losing you.
In another life it would be us forever.
That’s what you wrote on the card you wrote to go with your blue marigold painting you sent to Jiseok for his wedding. You didn’t have the heart to attend in person. It would have been way too much, but still you knew you had to send him something to let him know that you would continue to love him.
“You really make me wonder if I did the right thing, you know?” You are taken aback when you hear your mother’s voice. You look up and see that she’s seated in the chair adjacent to yours. You never heard her come in.
“What are you talking about?” you asked.
“You and Jiseok.” She nodded at the daffodil painting that you had just lost yourself staring at. “I don’t know what fully happened that day, but I do know that you’ve never been the same since.” Her words make you think back on that fated day. The one you can never tell if it was horrid or heavenly. Confessing your love to one another should have been beautiful, but instead it was yours and Jiseok’s tragic downfall.
“I thought that once you and Seungmin married you would start to finally move on, but instead you never moved from right here.” Again she looks at the painting. “And every time I see you in front of this painting I start to think that I was wrong,” her voice cracked.
“Mother.” You reached out to her, placing one of your hands over her that sat on her lap. “Jiseok and I both had duties to our countries. We were the only heirs. It was impossible for us to be together. It wasn’t your fault. It was ours. We failed to keep our hearts' true desires under control and we’re paying the price for it.” You sucked in a breath that felt like glass cut through your lungs.
“She tried to persuade me, the former queen of Leenavia,” your mother discloses.
“What are you talking about?” you questioned.
“She came to me. I think it was two months after that skills comp. She came to me and she said that she could tell her son was in pain. That it wasn’t from his injury, it was his heart. She wanted to discuss with me about finding a way for you two to marry, because she could not stand seeing her son in such pain, but I-” She removed his hand from your hold, like she didn’t deserve your comfort. She avoids your eyes as well. “I told her that there was no way. That Thaethia had not gone through generations of arranged marriages for the sake of keeping the bloodline pure, just to throw it away because of a couple broken hearts. I assured her that all we needed to do was find spouses that were a good fit for either of you and then everything would right itself.”
You don’t know what to say. Could there have been a way for you Jiseok to be together? And did your mother crush it? Should you feel angry? Yell at her for thinking so little of your pain?
“Duty means doing the things in life you may regret.” Is what you find yourself saying.
“Pardon?” Your mother’s guilt filled eyes found yours.
“That’s something father told me a long time ago. Back when he took me out on my first hunt. I shot a sparrow. It wasn’t a great shot so the sparrow wasn’t fully dead when I picked it up. I saw the pain in its eyes and started bawling, saying that I would never shoot an animal ever again. That’s when father told me that duty means doing things in life we may regret. That as the royal family we have our duties that we owe the kingdom. Sometimes those duties will lead us to doing things we regret and those are the sacrifices we make for our kingdom,” you explained.
“Becoming queen was my duty. Letting Jiseok go was a sacrifice for my kingdom…even if I regret it.” You looked back at the pink daffodils with sorrowfilled eyes.
“If you love them, let them go free and if it’s meant to be, they’ll come back to thee.” Your mother placed a hand on your shoulder. Was she trying to give you hope? That somehow, some way there is a path you and Jiseok could walk down together.
“Mother, father, I am so excited!” Isla bounced for joy as the three of you were riding in the carriage on your way to Lisea for skills comp. Her excitement brought a smile onto your face. It reminded you of how much you used to enjoy skills comp.
“Do you know what you’re going to paint for the painting category?” Seungmin questioned.
“Mr. Leonard told me that mom used to always paint marigolds, so I was wondering if I should keep that tradition going?” Isla answered.
“You know I’m still unsure if that was ever really a tradition or I just knew I had no chance at beating Jungsu, so I might as well have painted the same thing every year,” you shared.
“But King Jiseok used to always paint daffodils and Gunil used to always paint hydrangeas, so wasn’t it a tradition for you three to all paint the same flowers?” Isla cocked her head to the side.
“Did Mr. Leonard tell you that too?” you chuckled.
“Yes, he was also feeling excited that skills comp is coming back, so he was telling us stories about it,” she chimes.
“I see,” you smiled. “Well you can paint whatever you like dear,” you tell her.
“Okay, but while we’re on the topic. I am kinda wondering something,” she starts.
“Yeah?” You looked at her to continue.
“I was a little surprised to find out that you always painted marigolds since your favorite painting is of daffodils, so why is that painting your favorite? I thought it was because daffodils are your favorite flower.” You stiffened in your seat at her question. Seungmin’s hand was quick to find yours, lacing your fingers together.
“That painting is her favorite because someone very special gifted it to her,” he answered with ease.
“Oh, so you like it because of who gave it to you, not necessarily because of what the painting is of,” Isla concluded.
“What a smart girl I have,” Seungmin raved and affectionately rubbed his daughter's head.
“Ooh, we’re close!” Isla cheered when she saw the Lisea castel coming into sight. You took a breath as you watched the castel get closer and closer. Seungmin gave your hand a reassuring squeeze and gave you a look, asking with his eyes if you were ok? You gave him a small nod and rested your head on his shoulder for a few moments of peace before you had to walk out into the oncoming tempest.
The carriage comes to a halt at the front of Lisea’s castel. Isla practically jumps out of the carriage as soon as the door is open. Meanwhile you and Seungmin take your time. Seungmin gets out first and extends his hand to help you out. You wrap your fingers around his palm, mindfully ducking your head as you exit the carriage, stepping onto the stone paved ground. Even when both of your feet found their place on the ground, Seungmin kept holding onto your hand as you walked up to the castle doors.
“Queen y/n, King Seungmin,” Jungsu pauses his greeting briefly to bend down slightly. “Princess Isla, glad to see you all here,” he finished, standing up straight again. The three of you exchange your greetings back.
Before you can start any other conversation the sound of the castle doors opening interrupts. For the first time in nearly a decade you and Jiseok are in the same room again. Your eyes lock with one another’s. Like they were drawn to each other like magnets. Your heart pounds inside of your chest. Dormant embers of your heart’s true desire, sparking back to life. You want to run over to him. You want to wrap your arms around him. Knowing that is the only way to soothe your ever broken heart.
“Hajun!”
“Isla!”
Your kids shouted each other’s name with such happiness as they ran to meet one another. You can’t help but see yourself and Jiseok in them. It’s exactly how the two of you used to greet one another when you were younger. Your eyes casted back over to Jiseok and you can tell he’s thinking the same thing as you watched the sad smile pull across his lips.
“The painting part of skills comp will take place in half an hour in the great room,” Jungsu stepped in. “Feel free to walk around until then.”
“Hajun, let go find Sujin and Jinsu,” Isla tugged Hajun along, leaving the group of adults together.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Jiseok..and Hajun. He loves the honeysuckle lemon tarts you make.” Queen Seonghye approached you. You almost feel bad because of how kindly she’s looking at you.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” you forced a smile.
“Isla always talks about your butter cookies. She says that they’re the best. That something must be different about Leenavian butter.” Seungmin smoothly joined the conversation, wrapping his arm around your waist in a comforting manner. His thumb stroked up and down your side, in an effort to ground you.
Envy fills Jiseok’s body before he can do anything about it. It’s the same envy he felt when he heard the news of yours and Seungmin’s marriage. He doesn’t carry any disdain towards Seungmin though. If he can’t be the one by your side he’s glad that Seungmin is, but he really despises the fact that he’s not the one by your side.
But maybe he still is the one inside your heart. His eyes caught sight of the ring on your finger. He recognizes it instantly. It’s the one he proposed to you with, despite knowing that you two could never be.
“There are refreshments and snacks in the great room,” Jungsu says after observing how you all interacted. “I’m sure you guys are tired from your long journeys.”
“Time is up, please set your brushes aside young royals,” Mr Leonard, announced as the last specs of sand slipped through the hour glass. The castle staff came and took the paintings, moving them to where they would be displayed and judged.
Right before the paintings were about to be shown, Prince Hajun pulled on Mr. Leonard’s sleeve, motioning for him to bend down. He whispered something in his ear.
“Yes, alright, I see.” Mr. Leonard nodded at Hajun. Mr Leonard straightened up and cleared his throat, ready to announce the paintings.
“First up, Princess Jinsu, she painted a lily pad waterscape. Second, Princess Sujin, who painted a cherry blossom tree. Third, we have Prince Hajun & Princess Isla who have painted a joint painting of a flowerfield adorned with daffodils and marigolds.”
Your breath gets caught in your throat as you stare at the pink daffodils sprawled across the canvasses alongside the blue marigolds.
“If you love them, let them go free and if it’s meant to be, they’ll come back to thee.”
You looked across the great room at Jiseok. He was already looking at you.
You didn’t even hear them announce that Hajun’s and Isla’s joint painting had won.
“Mother, we won! It’s Theathia’s first win in the painting category too, right? At least for the first time in a very long time.” Your daughter’s arms wrapped around you in a celebratory hug, pulling your gaze away from Jiseok. You bent down and picked her up in your arms.
“Yes, it is,” you smiled at her. “I’m proud of you.”
Isla was soon guided away to get changed into her archery clothes. Meanwhile you made your way into one of the many halls of the castle to take a bit of a breather before heading outside to the shooting range. You leaned against the wall, letting your head fall back against the cool, hard surface.You took a breath and blew it out, bringing your hand up to your chest, pressing it against your aching heart.
You haven’t even spoken to him. Could you even manage speaking to him? You don’t think that you could. Not without losing your composure at least. You would definitely crack.
“Queen y/n there you are. I was looking for you. Isla has gotten hurt.” A member of the castle staff came up to notify you.
“What?” Your eyes widened with concern.
“It’s a minor injury, a simple scrape, but she wishes to see her mother. She’s in the infirmary getting it treated.” The castle staff leads you to the infirmary.
“Isla, what happened? Does it hurt-” You entered the infirmary in a haste, but you’re met with an empty room. You looked around the empty infirmary, gaze landing on the empty bed. Images of when Jiseok was injured flash through your mind. You looked down at your hands remembering how they were coated in his blood.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
You remembered the kiss you two shared. You remember holding his hand till the last possible second. You remember refusing to say goodbye, but rather “See you soon.”
“Hajun!” Jiseok came flying into the infirmary. Only to discover that it only contained you.
“Y/n.”
“Jiseok.”
It felt like the world stood still. Then Jiseok moves, practically throwing his entire body at you. He wraps you up in his arms, surrounding you with his embrace.
“I missed you so much,” he cried. Holding you so tight like he was terrified you would disappear if he let go. You couldn’t contain the tears that slipped through your eyes as you hugged him back, wrapping your arms around his waist and pulling him impossibly closer to you.
“I missed you too.” You’re not sure how long the two of you stood their embracing. What you do know is that your heart finally stopped hurting. It may only last for a few moments. For however long you and Jiseok are able to hide away in your fantasy of being together. Your heart isn’t aching in pain, but rather burning with the warmth of comfort.
Jiseok pulled away from the hug to cup your face in his hands instead, tenderly wiping your tears away. “You look as beautiful as ever.” You chuckled, bringing your hands up to cups his face, fingers brushing away the remnants of his tears. “You look pretty good too, handsome.” Jiseok grabs your left hand.
“You still wear it.” He ran his thumb over the ring on your finger. “Mine actually goes with it.” He held up his left hand, displaying the band that surrounds his ring finger. It does match the band of your wedding ring perfectly.
“I love you Jiseok. I’m still in love with you,” you revealed to him.
Jiseok smiled, “I love you too y/n. I told you, my love for you will never stop.”
“But-” Tears glossed over your eyes. You thought about the painting Hajun and Isla painted of the pink daffodils and blue marigolds together and how that was impossible for you and Jiseok.
“Don’t think about that.” He cupped your face once more, his thumb brushing the tears away from your waterline. “Let’s just be us for as long as we can.” He moves one of his hands to hold the side of your neck and leans his forehead against yours.
For a few moments all you two do is breathe each other in. Soaking in the presence of one another that you so desperately missed and yearned for in the past ten years you’ve spent apart.
“Can I kiss you?” His breath ghosts across your face and his fingers grip a bit tighter around the back of your neck.
“Like you asked the first time?” you remarked with a light chuckle. A chuckle vibrated through Jiseok’s chest as well he thought back on your twos first kiss. He lifted his forehead from yours.
“Things were a bit different back then.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear.
“Yeah, they were.” Your right hand slid down his chest, pressing your palm against the fabric that lied over his heart. “But our hearts are the same.”
It’s true those embers of love that sparked through yours and Jiseok’s hearts never burnt out. Despite every strong winds that tried to blow them out, they stayed. Perhaps forced to be dormant, but still there much there, simply waiting for when they could burn again.
“I stood in front of that marigold painting every day, imagining a life where it was just us. Somewhere we were free to be together,” he tells you.
“I did the same. Anytime I would look at those daffodils, I would imagine a life where we were together,” you told him.
“It could be possible,” Jiseok claims. You doubt it instantly.
“How? You’re King of Leenavia. I’m Queen of Thaethia. We’re married to other people. We have kids. We don’t work Jiseok, as much as it pains us.” You dropped your head, feeling your heart clench with the painful reality of you and Jiseok. Jiseok raised your head back up, cradling your face in his hands.
“We’re not heirs anymore. In fact we now have heirs to pass the throne onto,” he says.
“Hajun and Isla are far to young Jiseok,” you reminded.
“For now, yes, but we’ve already waited ten years. Won’t you love me in another ten?” He asked, looking you in your eyes.
“Jiseok, I will always love you,” you declared. Your hands traveled upwards, holding right below his jaw.
“I will always love you too, so once Isla and Hajun take over the throne we can go find that marigold and daffodil field. It can just be us forever,” he proposed.
“Can it really be that simple?” You were so sure that there was no possible future where you and Jiseok end up together. Even entertaining the idea that you two can be together in this reality scared you.
“Does waiting another ten years sound simple?” he rhetorically asked. Because, no, enduring another ten years without each other will be just as painful as the previous ten. Your hearts won’t stop aching for the comfort only each other can bring. It will be living another ten years without your best friend. The one your heart desires most.
“No, but if there really is us standing hand in hand at the end of it. Then it’s more than worth it,” you tell him with a pained smile.
“So, see you in ten years?” Tears glossed over his eyes as they did yours.
“See you soon.” You and Jiseok would never say goodbye to one another.
“See you soon.”
10 Years Later
“Gunil had it right all along. This is way better than royal life.” You and Jiseok were outside of the cottage the two of you lived in together.
“Any place where we can be together is the best place to be.” He wraps his arms around you from behind and rests his head over your shoulder looking out at the flower field that isn't far from your cottage. It was full of daffodils and marigolds and looked suspiciously like the painting your kids painted.
“I love you.” You turned your head to look back at him.
“I love you too, always.” He leaned in to connect your lips together. And your heart has never felt lighter, happier, warm, loved.
I’m thinking it’s set a good amount of time in the future they all have kids. It focuses around starting up skills comp again which means Jiseok and y/n will be inevitably reunited.
Will they finally get their happy ending or is their love story doomed to be nothing but tragic?
I saw an Instagram reel this morning of a boyfriend sitting down at a table next to his girlfriend, grabbing the arm of her chair, and pulling her chair into his and like… y’all if that ain’t Seungmin I don’t know what is. Keeping you close at dinner in a subtle way, maybe placing his hand on your knee? Leaning in close… mmm yeah that’s Seungmin energy
Boyfriend! Seungmin who is actually so clingy when it comes to you.
He can’t fall asleep without you in his arms. “No, baby where are you going?” his arm locked more firmly around your middle, pulling you closer against his chest.
Whenever the two of you are out his arm is basically your belt. His arm is always casually wrapped around your waist, keeping you close to him. On the rare occasion that it isn’t his hand is definitely holding yours.
He adores peppering you in kisses. From the tips of your fingers to the top of your head. He lives to press tender, delicate kisses across your skin.
At the end of the day all he wants to do is melt into your arms. In your embrace is easily Seungmin’s favorite place to be. He loves nothing more than the feeling of your arms circling around his body. If you play with his hair/gently scratch your nails against his scalp he thinks he’s in heaven.
He would spray your perfume in his clothes, so that he could smell you throughout the day when he was unable to be with you.
Has a stuffed animal named after you, so on nights that you’re apart he can hold it and pretend that it’s you.
Never fails to rush home after work, so that he can finally be with you. Always greets you with the tightest hug, murmuring about how he missed you while pressing the most devastating sweet kiss to your lips.
Can get teased for acting like a lovesick puppy around you, but he doesn’t even care. Because he's simply so deeply, irrevocably in love with you that he just always wants to be close to you. To cherish you like you deserve.
hii saw you replying to another emoji anon and just wanna say sorry for not saying anything abt your recent update.. i haven't been opening tumblr a lot cuz i mainly read your works and got a little sad when you took a break but you deserve the rest yk.anyways love your writings❤
-☁ anon
Hii ☁ anon, glad to hear from you :)
It's ok about not saying anything. The main reason I made that post is because I've been cleaning up my blog and I saw my anon list in my pinned post. I was thinking about editing out the anons that are no longer here, but I feel a little conflicted about doing so. A part of me it like if they aren't around then there's no point in having them listed as an emoji anon, but another part of me feels sad about removing them from the list. So I still don't know if I'm going to do it, but I very well might.
Sorry to make you sad with my break :( I remember when I used to post everyday way back in the beginning days of my blog, but recently I just haven't felt like writing. I've been more active on my side blog @twinklingstar1ights It's mainly short stuff, but if you want to read more of my writing I suggest checking out over there :) It just feels easier to post over there right now.
Truthfully I am just into other hobbies these days. I crochet and I've been getting into sewing. (I wanna get good enough to potentially sell my own clothes one day. My skills need a lot of refining and practice, but it's actually been a while since I felt a passion like this. I even named my sewing machine 😂)
However at the same time I do miss being active on here. That might just be me reminiscing the past though. Because like I said I used to be so active on here, so to not be feels kinda weird.
Anyway this has gotten quite long winded, but thank you for understanding. This break and rest has been really good for me. I feel happier these days <3 I hope that you've been well these days too. Thank you for loving my writing that truly does mean I lot to me. Thank you for letting me know you're still here. Much love to you ☁ anon <33
