Today we are called upon to celebrate the 22nd year of prince Na Jaemin.
"Okay, everything's fine. You just need to give a small speech thanking everyone and then the party will start and then you can make more small talk with people from Petramus and Aellan and-- HAAAAA, how am I gonna do this?!" Jaemin grips the vanity table, staring at himself. God he looks like a mess. Not physically, absolutely not. They made sure to fluff his hair just enough to suit Soladium royalty, a kind of effortless carefree look that makes him look like he just rolled out of bed and looked that good. There's some light sparkling around his eyes, a symbol of sun rays. A bit on the nose if you asked him but of course it's somewhat of a given, when you're a prince of a solar kingdom.
Somewhere else, in Starfall Hollow's main ballroom, are the masses of guests Jaemin will have to somehow navigate. It's not something he hasn't done, but that was in the limits of his own realm, with mostly citizens of his own kingdom and a few honored foreign guests. In Starfall Hollow, the scale is much bigger. Of course it is, with how many realms have chosen to join the summit this year. And somehow his birthday just had to fall in the middle of it.
Sighing, Jaemin leans forward to the point where he's almost touching the mirror with his forehead. He doesn't, since it'd smudge the mirror and he's not trying to be mean to the cleaning staff. Servants? It's confusing since there's both old and new blending together here.
"Jaem?" Even without looking, Jaemin definitely knows who that voice belongs to. But still he turns with a smile tugging involuntarily on his lips. "Jaem it's almost time."
"Yeah, yeah okay." Jaemin clears his throat and smooths out his fancy coat, finishing with a light tug to his shirt. He grins and bows slightly, eyes never leaving Jeno's. "How do I look? Like a prince?" There's no point in hiding anything from Jeno, and yet Jaemin still hopes that he doesn't sound as nervous as he feels.
Jeno, to his credit, just scoffs and strides forward until he's less than an arm's length away from his best friend. "Sure, and I look like Yoo Jaesuk. C'mon Jaem, chin up, shoulders back, puff our your chest a little." Jeno's hands come up and push Jaemin's shoulders back just as he says, and by force of habit Jaemin's head comes up. He and Jeno have been similar heights for a long time, though there was that period when Jaemin shot up like a tree and Jeno was a little stockier. They're still kind of like that, even if Jaemin is only 0.2cm taller. He snickers at the thought and Jeno narrows his eyes at that. "Shut up, I know what you're thinking." The older boy snorts again, hands now coming over to straighten out Jaemin's collar. "Jeez, twenty two years and you still mess up your collar every time."
"But of course! Why else do I keep you around," Jaemin quips back. The look Jeno levels him with would be nothing short of lethal, if not for the fondness in his eyes. Jeno has always done this for him, has always been able to get Jaemin to relax with just a short conversation. Maybe it's the atmosphere of the day, where they're going to be celebrating Prince Na Jaemin of Soladium, but Jaemin suddenly finds that he wishes he could just spend the day with Jeno, running around like they're kids, without responsibility. But well, that's just something you give up as you get older he supposes. Really, he should probably just be grateful that they're not pushing for him to get married already or something.
"Jaem." He blinks and tilts his head. Jeno's holding a small box, about the width of his palm. It's wrapped up in blue paper and a silver ribbon, tied into a pretty bow. "I wanted to give this to you before but the noona doing your hair chased me out saying I'd mess up her energy or something."
Jaemin snickers, hand extended to receive the gift. “It’s those bad vibes yknow.” Jeno just rolls his eyes though he laughs right along anyways as he drops the box into Jaemin’s hand.
They’ve known each other for so long that they don’t always need to say please, thank you, you’re welcome. But still after Jaemin unties the ribbon and tears the paper off, unboxing a beautiful delicate gold chain necklace with a sun charm (of which Jeno has the matching silver moon likely tucked under his shirt), he says “Thank you Jeno-yah.” Jeno of course is about to shrug it off, or say it’s not a big deal but it is. It’s a big deal. It’s not just Jaemin’s 22nd birthday, not just because he’s a prince, but because it’s his 22nd year with Jeno. Jaemin has been blessed with twenty two years with his best friend. He can’t imagine what means more than that, especially in moments like this.
Jeno, like always, always, picks up on what he doesn’t say and instead ruffles Jaemin’s hair with a laugh and takes the necklace from his hand. “I’ll help you put it on.”
Jaemin pout, shaking his hair out. “Jeez, these are the bad vibes noona was talking about!” Jeno just laughs and ruffles Jaemin’s hair again after he clasps the necklace.
“Don’t worry Jaem, you’ll still have your man swooning after you anyways.” Jeno checks his own appearance in the mirror, brushing his bangs to the side while Jaemin sputters, red creeping up his neck. A knock at the door interrupts them both.
“Your highnesses, it’s time.”
The nerves come back full force, almost choking him with how they crowd his throat. He’s really going to have to represent Soladium properly, he can’t do anything to mess up their reputation, but what if he does mess up? What if he says the wrong thing or makes a gesture that isn’t correct or—
“C’mon Jaemin.” And again, like always, it’s Jeno’s voice breaking him out of his thoughts. He’s at the door, eyes crinkled in a proud smile, hand extended out to help Jaemin like he always does. “You’re gonna be great.”
Well, if Jeno believes it then Jaemin does too.
