Through misted over eyes, a trembling lip soon to follow, Sojin hates that she can’t keep it all together.
If it had been any other person, shedding a tear and revealing her true feelings would be far from the actions she’d take. It takes a lot more to hurt her than empty words, ones chosen in hopes of cutting through a rock hard resolve and stubborn will, yet he can do just that with a simple phrase. One she would never have thought him to say, to her no less, and her heart begins to shred. Sojin had not seen this coming, but from the depths of her sorrow, she knows he isn’t being as truthful as he wills himself to be.
She simply stands there, arms dangling at her sides as she urges her tears to stay in place. She won’t shed tears over something that just couldn’t be real, wasn’t the truth she was living and the lie he was trying to hide behind.
He couldn’t hide, she wouldn’t let him.
“I wish I could hate you,” he says, words low in his chest, as if the very action of them being spoken was a painful thing.
She can feel the tremors radiating off of him from her spot, rooted firmly right before him. Her hand moves on impulse, invading the space she knew was only reserved for her, fingertips alive with gentle touches as they rest upon his discolored cheek. Her thumb works in small patterns, as if to erase the last few seconds of their lives and return to the strong glances and warm embraces.
“Mikhail, you don’t mean that,” She strains, words strong but voice barely there.
“Sojin, I…”
“You don’t. I know you don’t,” her eyes come to life then, a new feeling swirling in the depths of her being as she moves even closer. She’s caught it from him, eyes to intense with thoughts and frustrations she couldn’t possibly fathom without his agreement, and it come right back to that one little word: love. Sojin is in love with the man standing before her, and he feels the same. “If you did, you wouldn’t be here…”
Their foreheads come together, as they have so many times in the past, and Sojin feels at home. No other place had ever made her feel this safe, the way his arms did, wrapped around her so securely she felt he’d never let her leave his side again. She’d prefer it that way.
“Can’t I ever be right?” She hears faintly, but she doesn’t respond. She can feel her face being held gently, his fingers caressing her cheeks in such a delicate manor, it almost seems like he thinks she’ll break with any extra pressure. Her eyes are still glossed over, but the small grin that plays at her lips is unmistakable.
Even as its hidden within the comforts of his own lips, the feelings bubbling in her chest will never leave.
Light’s adorn the castle’s exterior, everything light in the ominous orange tinged under glow of fire, mixed with the lulling beams reflected off the moon. The party is at it’s peak, with guests from all over the nation present for this splendid night of worry free times, where so many could forget the troubled lives they lead in the haze of grand dresses and exquisite food.
Yet, her mind is in a far off place, away from the crowd of drunk officials and the swooning women they heard. It’s all too much, the party, the crowds, the music— she can’t stay another moment. Not with the thought of war still ever present, not with violence and famine and death all just around the corner for any poor soul who happens to make the wrong move. She feels her spirits lowering even more, the thought of loved ones being hurt.
She hates it, hates how small she feels.
Her mind is like a chest, locking up and hiding away anything with a will to slip out, and maybe that’s why she doesn’t hear him approach at first, steps soft and presence gentle. Even in war, there had to be some level of peace, otherwise members of the the Suryan Court and Royal line would not be in attendance.
“Prince Daehyun,” She’s quick to recover, a seemingly regular smile placed on her lips, but she knows he can tell by her eyes.
He’s the same as she is, in a sense. He doesn’t want this fighting, this violence, this death— he wants it all to end.
He breaks the silence between them, a simple question she has no reason to refuse. “Wanna dance?”
Sojin stares for a moment, mind in wonder how he can mask his feelings and thoughts so well, a true master of the trade. At least, to her he is. She can hear the music from their spot on the empty balcony, and it’s soothing. Lulling almost, and as she takes his outstretched arm, she figures her worries can be tended to another night.
“No flower or scenery can compare to your beauty.”
prompt list - “no flower or scenery can compare to your beauty.”
[ Duur; 1475 ]
It’s an action that never fails to leave a smile lingering on her lips, so vibrant with natural rosy pinks, hues matching her cheeks as her eyes are squeezed shut tightly. She’s crying, but for all of the right reasons. He’s at it again, the nonsense and shenanigans he’d play on days when lessons and etiquette were not needed.
On days like these, they were allowed to be children.
Duur was full of life back in these days, where Sojin was just a small girl of 7, twirling around in her endless seas of dress and love and laughter, her heart expanding with every new edition to the family her mother and father would bring. She was happy, and so were her siblings, prancing around the royal garden in a frenzy of springs flower petals and cool breezes.
“Sakai, can you do it again?” She pleads, eye rounded to mimic that of a puppies, one she knew she could get away with. He may have been younger, only 6, but she knew how to work around him and his silly antics. “Please?” She adds just the highest of pitches to her words, gently clinging to the younger, but tallers, arm.
Her hair, loose from it’s confines long ago, is littered with rose petals, and she can practically see the wheels spinning in his mind.
“No flower or scenery can compare to your beauty,” He says, words almost monotone, but betrayed by the boyish grin spreading across his face. She’s ecstatic, her cheeks burning red even brighter as she lets out a laugh. She can hear the faint, childish giggles of Kyungsoo and Naeun, playing with themselves near an old boulder.
Her laugh had died down, and she’s pulling him off to the next thing, the next game they can enjoy, but she whispers playfully. “This is why you’re my favorite brother.”
