tags/genre: royalty au, angst, hurt/comfort, arranged marriage, strangers to lovers, love letters, tragic ending
word count: 5.4k words
synopsis: when you and hongjoong were expected to marry to unify your kingdoms, you made a pact to fulfill your duties as the crown prince and princess. somewhere along the way, your alliance becomes a bit more than political and it becomes an even greater weight to bear.
notes: implied 18+ content. HERE COMES ANOTHER SAD ONE
the moment you stared into his brown eyes beneath the shade of the courtyard’s wisteria trees, you should have known you were done for.
everything about him was amicable. he was poised, polite, well-mannered. the very definition of a crown prince if you’d ever seen one. on the contrary, you could say the same for yourself. the people’s princess, a beacon of light and laughter even between war-torn kingdoms. so, the very moment that your parents pledged you to one another, you imagined it was the most strategic match on paper that could have been formed.
the ceremony was short, fleeting. there was no time for niceties at a time when people were dying and villages along borders were being seized. your marriage wasn’t a celebration of undying unity or the triumphs of a love match. no, it was one of survival. the fact that you both recited your vows like clockwork with your only witnesses being the royal courts and your parents before the priest said that much.
you stand on one of the balconies looking out at the courtyards that evening, the wisteria trees swaying gently beneath the late summer breeze. even in the face of political turmoil, you vowed to yourself to find beauty in the smaller things in your time at your new home. the neighboring kingdom had a beautiful abundance of gardens and winding paths that traversed the landscape of the castle grounds and you imagined you’d find yourself lost amongst them for some sense of respite when the weight of your crown became too heavy.
“your highness,” he calls out to you and you peer over your shoulder into those brown eyes again. a small smile graces your face as you nod your head, reciting your name back to him.
“no need for the formalities. we are married now, after all.”
hongjoong approaches you carefully, hands clasped behind his back as he hums to himself and follows your gaze out into the gardens. he doesn’t say anything else for some time, the silence growing between you as you process what exactly you’d gotten yourselves into. his gaze flickers to your left hand, where you nervously spin the band of his grandmother’s ring around the base of your finger.
and then, he says, “you know, i got in trouble when i was younger for climbing the wisteria trees and hiding in them. it was the only way i could get out of etiquette lessons.”
you look over at him and can’t help but burst into a fit of laughter at the mental image, the sound pleasing hongjoong as you drop your hands. “somehow, i don’t find that hard to believe. i would have done the same.”
“did you also climb trees to run away from responsibilities?”
“not exactly,” you grin, grateful for hongjoong’s feeble attempt to ease your nerves. “there’s a strip of beach behind our castle grounds. i’d sneak through cracks in the back walls and hide there.”
“that sounds peaceful.”
“it was.”
suddenly, the weight returns. there’s no grand fanfare to celebrate that the crown prince was married. no feast, no dancing in the streets. your parents returned to your kingdom quickly, leaving you in the clutches of a castle you’d stepped foot in maybe once when you were younger. hongjoong’s father said no more than a muttered congratulations before being whisked away to the war room by his court. a new union with your kingdom meant you were both stronger for it when the rest of the continent beyond your northern borders was in shambles.
“i know we’re not exactly in love,” hongjoong says matter-of-factly, breaking the silence for a second time. you know he’s stating a fact, but it still creates a knot in your stomach. “but, i don’t resent you. we’re just—”
“—fulfilling our duties to our people,” you finish for him, a pitiful smile etched across your face. “i know.”
“we can keep it at that, if that makes you feel more comfortable.” he stares at you intently, so much so that you nearly feel as though you have to look away. “a necessary arrangement.”
you stare back at him for some time, your thoughts racing faster than you can manage. you couldn’t fathom the idea of falling in love with hongjoong. there was too much at risk, let alone the added weight of growing attached to him. surely, he would never see this as anything more than a political alliance, no matter how kind he was. it was only logical to agree.
“i think that’s best,” you nod, ignoring the way the words knot your stomach for a second time. “there’s so much at stake right now.”
“i’ve been told i’m not the best at romance, anyway,” he jests, a dramatic sigh slipping past his lips and earning a laugh from you in reply. your gaze returns to the gardens, to the setting sun behind the trees. you don’t notice that hongjoong hasn’t stopped looking at you, his hand lingering beside yours on the banister.
the weeks that follow are grueling. while most of the castle staff and nobles were kind to you as the crown prince’s now-wife, it was a short-lived fascination with the demands of keeping up with the ongoing war. nearly every day, there were reports of casualties along the border, of property seized and widespread panic growing. as much as you worked hard to learn of the kingdom’s customs and internal politics, you needed to maintain correspondence with your own court and the needs of your newfound people.
it became a labyrinth of roundtables, running between libraries and wordless dinners that were so quick you’d barely swallow down a meal before returning to hongjoong’s side in meetings.
“your highness,” an older nobleman says, “it’s incredibly unprofitable to relocate the people of the northern villages closer to the central towns.”
“and it will be unprofitable if we leave them there to die,” hongjoong replies, his tone steady and severe all at once. you stare at him from the corner of your eye, noticing the way his jaw ticked at the older gentleman’s words and the way that his gaze was firm.
“i might also add—” you start and the noblemen interjects.
“no need, your highness.”
“let her speak.”
hongjoong looks at you expectantly, his face unreadable as you clear your throat and face the rest of the court in the intimate war room. there’s clearly a lack of respect from the rest of them that you try to ignore as you continue.
“there’s also the option to use the roads on the western side of the kingdom that lead into ours,” you inform them. “it’s a bit of a longer route, but there’s a vast expanse of free land in our territory that can be used for temporary refuge. it can avoid interrupting any ongoing business in this kingdom and keep central roads clear for trade.”
the room remains silent and you’re unsure if they’re impressed, offended, or both.
“we’ll draft plans for her highness’ suggestion,” one of them finally says and you feel your shoulders nearly melt from how tightly you were tensed. hongjoong nods in approval once and you allow him to follow through with the rest of the meeting.
that night, you confine yourself to one of the libraries close to your chambers. it overlooks the gardens, offering you some semblance of peace as you write correspondence back to your own court to arrange for the refugees.
you’re pages deep, ink running low and your hand cramping from clutching the fountain pen when you hear someone clear their throat and jump.
“well, i didn’t mean to scare you,” hongjoong teases gently, his eyes traveling to the stacks of paper around you. “am i missing something?”
“oh,” you feel heat rise to your cheeks as you look down at the letters you’ve written. “i’ve just been working on correspondence with our court to arrange for the refugee agreement.”
“the court can work on that,” he replies, arching a brow. “there’s no need to overexert yourself.”
“sure, but it’s my land, after all.” you hold his gaze. “it’s my responsibility, whether the court likes it or not.”
hongjoong narrows his eyes at you, his lips parted as if he were contemplating another response. finally, he lets out a chuckle and raises his hands in surrender. “i understand. just don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.”
“i will,” you assure him. “why are you awake and wandering at this hour?”
“same as you,” he answers, settling into the chair across from you. “worrying, plotting.”
“worries will give you frown lines,” you poke at him. “terribly unbecoming.”
hongjoong laughs, the sound striking something within you that you quickly stifle as you raise your gaze to look at him. the candlelight illuminates his features, each of them appearing sharper than usual. his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, the top button unfastened and his hair falling from its usual sweep over his eyes. you throw yourself back into your writing and fight the urge to continue staring at him.
he doesn’t leave, just sits there quietly and watches as you put pen to paper. a yawn escapes you and he finally speaks, a mischievous glint in his eyes you hadn’t seen before.
“would you like to go for a walk?”
“this doesn’t really constitute a walk,” you call up at him as he scales the branches of the wisteria trees. lilac petals drift to the gravel beneath your feet as he grunts, finally making it to the edge of a particularly sturdy branch so he could peer out over the walls.
“did we not walk to get here?” he asks from above. there’s something refreshing in his expression, as if he weren’t just burdened with the responsibilities of serving an entire kingdom. right now, he just looked like a boy that liked to climb trees.
you bite down on your bottom lip, the thought crossing your mind for a split second before you hike up your skirts and scale the trunk after him. you’re more capable than you expected, finding your footing quickly and tiptoeing across the branches until you’re stood beside him. you peer through the sea of purple bathed in moonlight until you can see the expanse of the kingdom beyond the walls. faint specks of lanterns and chimney smoke float from the ground, up into the star-scattered skies.
“oh, this is beautiful,” you breathe, the floral scent engulfing you as you stare off into the distance. hongjoong swallows, propped against the trunk further into the expanse of the tree as he watches you admire his kingdom. a blissful sigh slips past your lips and you take a step back, about to turn to him when you misstep.
you flail at the loss of balance before hongjoong reaches to grab you by your wrist and pull you into his chest. the tree shakes, swaying to a stop when you realize you’re a breath’s distance away from him.
from your husband.
your eyes dart between his, your heart thundering in your chest when you realize he hadn’t let you go. his hands remained fixated on your waist, holding you sturdy until you clear your throat and heat rushes to your face.
“thank you,” you mutter as you tuck away a strand of hair.
“mm,” he replies, unsure of what to do with his hands until he shoves them into his pockets and takes the risk of meeting your eyes again. “well, casualties aside. if you ever need a moment to yourself, don’t hesitate to climb up here. although, if you misstep like that again, i might need to be here for it.”
“it was an accident!” you retort, shaking your head before you follow him down the trunk back onto the ground.
that was the first night in what felt like a lifetime that you’d slept soundly.
amidst coordinating war efforts, you and hongjoong were informed that there was a ball hosted in one of the neighboring territories that you were required to attend. the look you exchanged upon hearing the news said more than words. neither of you felt content at the idea of dressing lavishly, indulging in fine wines and dancing the night away when people were actively dying.
even then, it was still a strange responsibility you needed to fulfill.
the guards guide the pair of you into a carriage before filing into their own that flank either side of you. hongjoong doesn’t say much when you sit across from him, focused on the maps and charts he’d brought along to study during the journey. you follow along, quietly observing the routes he marked and notes he’d scribble into the margins.
“would you like to take a break?” you offer, finally getting him to look at you in what felt like hours. his eyes are bloodshot and his face sullen, hardly the picture of someone prepared to attend a ball and dress to the nines. not waiting for his response, you gingerly prick the documents from his hands and fold them neatly into squares that can be stowed away in his satchel. he glares at you in protest, too tired for words when you reach out and pat his hand.
“during a war isn’t the time to celebrate,” you say. although you mean the ball later that night, you both knew full well it could mean the same for your marriage. “but that’s hardly a reason to overwork yourself until you can’t think straight.”
“if i don’t, who will?” hongjoong rasps, allowing himself a moment to close his eyes and lean into the plush upholstery. the carriage rides over a dip in the road and you flinch, your knees brushing against his when he opens his eyes again. he looks less intense than usual. if anything, he looks more human than you’d ever seen him.
“we will figure it out together,” you assure him quietly, your hand still on his. “for now, we have something even more politically complex to figure out.” he stares at you in question until you crack a smile that he mirrors. “attending a ball with these other god-awful royals.”
the sun has already set by the time that the carriage slows to a stop in front of the hosting castle. lanterns line the cobblestone paths, the faint sound of fanfare and conversation floating through the air from an inner ballroom. the castle’s guards meet your own and hongjoong steps out first, offering his hand to you so that you could join him.
a handful of other nobles trickling in stop in their steps, their eyes wide and their whispers rising in volume at the sight of you. this was your first public appearance as a newly wedded couple, something that was sure to be topic of conversation for the night. hongjoong ignores them and keeps his eyes fixated on you, a small smile on his lips as you bow your head in thanks.
“shall we?” he asks as you curl your fingers around his arm. you nod, your head held high as you match his steps to follow the guards through the halls.
as expected, you’re instantly bombarded with well wishes and questions of your marriage to the coveted crown prince. he’s whisked away by other noblemen, dragged towards tables littered with half-empty whiskey bottles and crystal glasses while the women surround you in a corner of the dance floor.
“is he as charming as they say?”
“oh, what was the wedding like?”
“have you all spent much time together yet?”
you answer their questions halfheartedly, a rehearsed smile on your face as you suddenly find yourself pining for hongjoong’s comforting presence at your side. your gaze travels across the ballroom to where he was in a similar position, his own remorseful expression matching yours until they jolt him back into conversation.
“have you gotten a dowry from her parents yet?”
“has she been an absolute nag? when i tell you, my wife—”
“how is she in bed?”
hongjoong stiffens, the barrage of increasingly inappropriate questions making his blood boil until he finally downs the rest of his whiskey and excuses himself. he sifts through the crowd along the edges of the dance floor until he approaches you, the girls surrounding you becoming wide-eyed with awe when he outstretches a hand.
“if you ladies would excuse us,” he says, his eyes locked on yours. “i’d like to dance with my wife.”
you take his hand graciously, following him onto the dance floor as the band shifts into a slower waltz. his hand rests on the small of your back, the other holding yours at your side as you fall into a steady rhythm. you hadn’t ever danced together, but years of training on both of your accounts were enough to figure it out.
“thank you,” you say to him as he chuckles.
“no, thank you,” he answers. “the men were equally insufferable.”
little by little, you and hongjoong allow yourselves the privilege to enjoy the night. you join him for a glass of whiskey while the girls whisper about you at the lemonade table. he whisks you around the dance floor for three, four rounds without so much as a glance in their direction. your laugh grows louder and your cheeks hurt from smiling more than you’d expected.
the night finally comes to a close, whispering royals led by guards to various wings of the castle. you remain at hongjoong’s side, deep in conversation about one nobleman’s particularly tight trousers in a fit of laughter when you’re guided into a room and the towering oak doors are shut behind you.
the pair of you fall silent. you suddenly become all too aware of hongjoong standing beside you, the scent of his perfume and the way heat radiates from his skin.
at your own castle, you slept in separate rooms. separate beds. you hadn’t so much as consummated your own marriage with the onslaught of political responsibilities. it had been weeks and you weren’t entirely sure what hongjoong’s bed chambers even looked like.
yet, here you were, in a foreign land, standing beside one another in a room with one bed and not a wandering eye in sight.
“i can ask the guards to prepare another room,” hongjoong says quickly in a mumbling mess before you reach for his arm to stop him.
“it’s fine,” you say, not recognizing the sound of your own voice over your heartbeat thundering against your ribcage. he turns to you slowly, his eyes trailing over every inch of you that feels more exposed than you’d ever been.
he takes a step closer.
you feel your breath caught in your throat, your mind reeling with every warning that you should back away and prepare for bed. you feel your hand tremble against his arm and swallow, the taste of whiskey still on your tongue as you meet his eyes.
he takes another step closer.
hongjoong brings his hand to your face, brushing his thumb along your cheek tentatively. it’s a small gesture, but enough to earn a gasp from you as your eyes flutter shut. finally, finally he closes the distance between you when he presses his lips to yours.
the feeling that surges along your veins is inexplicable. he was your husband, but in name only. something about it felt scandalous, as if you were both shying away from your duties as the crown prince and his bride in a time when there was no room for romance. even then, you drape your arms over his shoulders to draw him in closer, the heat of his body pressed against yours.
“hongjoong,” you try to say, the last strain of logic in an attempt for you to stop yourselves. “we—”
“shh,” he hisses against your lips, the sound sending a shiver down your spine until he practically begs. “just this one night. we deserve one night.”
the final bit of restraint left within you snaps and you sink your nails into his shoulder blades as he lifts you to carry you to the bed. you fall back onto the sheets, hongjoong’s lips never leaving yours as he settles between your thighs.
for just one night, you free yourselves of your duty to your crowns. the war raging on at the border fades into the distance. no one was telling you that you had no room for feelings at a time like this.
not even yourselves.
the next morning, you awaken to hongjoong’s arm draped over your waist and your face buried in silk sheets. your skirts and corset were thrown haphazardly across the room, the same as his trousers and coats. his scent mingles with yours, sunlight pouring in through the tall windows as you finally sit up with a groan.
hongjoong stirs, his own eyes peeling open to look up at you with a blissful smile on his face. “good morning.”
“good morning,” you hum in reply, stretching your legs over the edge of the bed to prepare for your return back to the castle.
the pair of you are seated in the carriage once again, en route to your own territory when hongjoong breaks the silence unexpectedly.
“last night can’t happen again,” he says, his expression unreadable when you nearly unhinge your jaw in astonishment.
“pardon?”
“i—” he pauses, rubbing the back of his neck as he averts your gaze. “we can’t let ourselves get distracted when we return.”
you stare at him for a long time before you finally nod once. “of course.”
you don’t say another word for the rest of the journey.
there’s little time for your irritation to fester when you’re bombarded with noblemen running out to the carriage, their arms flailing as they yell over one another.
“what is happening?” hongjoong asks, his voice carrying over theirs until one finally speaks.
“the caravans headed down the western route were ambushed.” your blood runs cold as your eyes widen in shock. “their king discovered the diversion and sent his men away from the border and towards the refugees.”
“he’s just being barbaric,” you seethe, “there’s not even any monetary value in attacking refugees.”
hongjoong doesn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes darting between you and the noblemen before he finally turns his back to you. “prepare another carriage for my departure. please write to them that i will be visiting for a diplomatic discussion.”
“let me go with you,” you urge, surprised when hongjoong pulls away from your touch. he doesn’t say another word to you and hurries to prepare with the rest of the court, leaving you standing alone.
you’re not sure what the plan is for hongjoong to approach the rival kingdom. he hadn’t so much as spared a passing glance following your return to the castle. you were left to dinners alone while the king and crown prince focused on political strategy. the handmaids urged you to go for walks, take up hobbies in the drawing rooms or the gardens. all you could do was seethe and wonder what it would take for him to at least look at you again.
if not the way he did that night, at least just to acknowledge you.
the night before he leaves, you’re finally able to corner him in his bed chambers thanks to one of the guards that lets you through.
“what are you doing here?” he asks blankly, focused on packing his belongings for the journey.
“i’m your wife,” you snap, frustration evident in your voice as you storm across the room towards him. you don’t even appreciate the fact that you’re able to take in his bedroom for the first time. “we returned nearly a week ago and you won’t even speak to me.”
“i have more important things to address right now, do i not?” hongjoong glares at you over his shoulder, his eyes meeting yours for the first time since you were tangled beneath the sheets together.
“and am i not supposed to be included in these conversations?” you ask, taking a step closer. “am i not the queen-to-be? are these not also my people?”
“this isn’t a discussion,” hongjoong replies, “it’s a decision.”
“and you think you have the right to decide for us both?” the room is thick with tension, the pair of you glaring at one another. you see red as you run a hand over your face in frustration before heaving a sigh. “actually, go. do whatever you think is best. don’t bother involving me.”
“what are you so angry about?” he asks, his voice raised.
“i’m not.”
“yes, you are.”
“oh, i’m sorry.” you let out a dry, humorless laugh. “forgive me for thinking making love to me and then acting as though i don’t exist is concerning.”
“i did not make love to you,” hongjoong corrects you, his tone clipped. the way he looks at you practically drives a dagger through your chest.
“so what was that, then?” you’re close enough that you’re sure he can feel your breath on his lips. “touching me like that? telling me sweet nothings while you fucked me into the sheets?”
“it didn’t mean anything."
the way his words land shatters every bit of admiration you had for him. he wasn’t the boy who liked to climb trees anymore.
he was just the crown prince.
“i see.” your voice becomes eerily calm, enough for you to back away from him and bow your head in surrender. hongjoong stares at you, motionless and unreadable with his hands hovering at his sides. you don’t lift your eyes back to meet his gaze, focused on the floor beneath your feet. “apologies, your highness. i should go.”
hongjoong says your name, but it’s cut off by the way the doors slam behind you when you leave.
you watch the next morning when the carriages depart through the front gates from your balcony. you spent the night tossing and turning, fighting with yourself as to whether or not you should cave and return to hongjoong in an attempt to remedy the situation. pride got the better of you and kept you confined to your bed.
even after such a horrid argument, you feel your heart sink when the carriages disappear beneath the canopy of trees that lead into the rest of the kingdom. you hadn’t realized how desperately you craved his touch until he lay a finger on you. how badly you needed to hear the sound of his laugh until he had you spinning around the dance floor in stitches.
you’re left with little time for your own thoughts when the remaining members of the royal court summon you to coordinate efforts with your own kingdom. you quickly become engrossed in your work in order to stifle any last thoughts you had of hongjoong. you hear word from the other men that he hopes to negotiate a ceasefire, but it only spurs your anger further knowing you could have made a compelling argument of your own.
the carriages return—only this time, without hongjoong.
“he chose to stay behind with the men on the front lines,” the driver informs you. considering you hadn’t said a word, you’re sure your expressions gives away enough. “it seems as though the negotiations were unsuccessful.”
the anger in your chest quickly simmers in exchange for a gnawing anxiety that rattles against your ribcage. the thought of him becoming injured—or worse—was something that seemed so far removed that you hadn’t considered the possibility. then again, you should have known better with the way that he had an undying commitment to serving his people.
a part of you wants to write to him, to tell him you hadn’t meant to let him go on a sour note. a larger part of you wants to remain upset, to let it fester so you could feel something with his absence.
days turn to weeks, to nearly a month by the time that a letter is placed on your dressing table. you recognize the stationery immediately and feel your blood run cold at the sight.
to my wife.
i debated as to whether or not i should write this letter at all. i’ve since realized that it would be wholly unfair to you to not tell you the truth. that keeping you at arm’s length did more harm than good.
we made an agreement on our wedding night that we were to be nothing more than a political alliance. a necessary union for the good of our people, especially in the face of ongoing conflict. we agreed that there was no benefit to falling in love beyond what was required of as the future king and queen. the moment i looked at you between the wisteria branches, illuminated by the moonlight, i realized i had already failed.
not a day has gone by since meeting you that i’ve not felt madly in love with you. from the way you stand your ground in discussions with a court you were married into, to the way you look at me. the way you furrow your brows when you’re deep in thought (which, by the way, is terribly unbecoming).
i told you that the night we shared meant nothing. for that, i am sorry. i would never blame you if you chose to never forgive me. truthfully, it meant more than anything i’ve allowed myself to feel in a very long time. it was not a mistake, nor was it a distraction. you are none of those things. but, you understand better than anyone that allowing ourselves to feel is a luxury we cannot afford. not as the people responsible for ensuring our kingdom survives what is to come.
i do not know if convincing you to hate me is any more successful than risking love. i do not know if i will have the opportunity to convince you that i did not mean a single word i said to you before i left. i do know this much—i love you. more than you can imagine. more than i think i was even able to realize on my own.
i am aware of the risks associated with staying with our men on the border. the worry it must instill in you, the uncertainty as to whether or not i will even return to the castle. every day, the scent of smoke and gunpowder convinces me that there may not come a day—which is why i needed to tell you this while i still had the ability to do so.
i will never be able to say it enough times, but again—i apologize. for everything.
— hongjoong
you’re not sure exactly how much time has passed since you received hongjoong’s letter.
war continues raging on at the border. you hear word that he and the men are holding steady, that there seemed to be no end in sight with their resolve. his letter remains tucked beneath your sheets, folded over so many times that the edges were becoming frayed. you don’t write back. you attempted, drafting a response over and over until you convinced yourself that it was better to keep quiet. he had nothing to lose if he had no idea how you truly felt in return, which was exactly what this arrangement was intended to be in the first place. it was a difficult burden to bear, the weight of your own feelings coupled with your desperate attempt to protect the kingdom alongside the king. hongjoong was becoming distant, his scent no longer embedded in your mind and his touch a distant memory.
you wander from your bed chamber on a random night, following the trails down to the wisteria tree he’d first climbed with you. with a sigh, you trace a finger along the ridges in the bark, as if feeling them against your skin would tether you to the memory.
as the tears brim at your waterline and threaten to spill over, you succumb to the pressure of every emotion coursing through your body and collapse beneath the trees with a resigned sob. time passes, your tears dry and your breathing returns to a steady rhythm as you lean against the bark with a defeated sigh.
“i love you,” you say, your voice carrying in a whisper along the night air. somewhere beyond the castle walls, you hoped he would hear you.
you hoped that it wasn’t too late, even when you knew it was.
Summary: You don’t have a choice when you are forced to do the ritual to appease the dragon that has plagued your village for centuries. As long as one woman is offered once a generation, the dragon will leave the village alone. But when you are taken, you find out that not only is the dragon a beast that actively tries to kill you, but it is also a man that has taken an interest in you.
The moonlight dances on the waves as you search for a seaworthy boat. So far you’ve found nothing and you’re starting to worry. What if you don’t find anything that will float? Does that mean you’ll be stuck here? Or would you figure out how to make a boat yourself? You sigh and kick the sand at your feet.
You snuck out of your cave and made it all the way down to the beach without alerting the two men. They were sleeping peacefully when you passed by, and you don’t want them knowing what you are up to. Mingi seems fine with your plans of leaving, but Yunho has no idea what you are up to and you don’t know how he’ll react.
You scour each wreckage but find nothing and your anger grows like a growing storm. “How in the world am I supposed to get out of here?!” You toss a broken scrap of wood over your shoulder and push on.
You then decide to go deeper, trudging into the cold water to search some more. You manage to search into the crevices of the vertebrae that are away from the beach and finally, you find a somewhat floatable raft. The mast is snapped in half and it’s not very big, but it’ll do. You look around and find a rope on another wreckage and tie the little boat down so it won’t float away.
Making your way back up to your cave, your dress sticks to your legs uncomfortably. You shiver slightly from your bottom half being wet, but you push on, climbing the steep incline of the skull.
You enter the main cavern and spot both men sprawled out on the floor, their mouths slightly agape as they lightly snore and you smile at the sight. Yunho grumbles and shifts, lying on his side and you inch closer. You squat beside him and watch his sleeping face, wondering what he could be dreaming of. Courage, but mostly stupidity fills your senses and you inch your hand closer. You know that it’s a bad decision, but you have to know if it’s really true.
You lightly graze your fingers over his muscled arm feeling his soft and hot skin, but he immediately jerks, that red light forming in his chest. You don’t wait to find out if he’ll actually shift and take off running for your cave while you hear him groan and move about. The hard pattering of your footsteps as you run to your cave as well as the crashing from Yunho transforming into his dragon form are all you can hear, and you deeply regret touching him. You know it was incredibly stupid to touch him and you don’t exactly know why you did it, but now you are afraid his dragon form is going to find you.
A deep roar fills the caves and you sprint harder to your secluded cave. Once you make it, you throw yourself into your bed, not caring that your feet are dirty from the sand sticking to your feet and your wet dress. You curl up protectively around yourself and make yourself as small as possible as you listen to the sounds of the dragon flying about. It roars, and you know that it’s looking for you. You don’t exactly know why the dragons want you dead, and you hate not knowing the reason.
Lying awake, you stare at the honeycomb wall watching the black form fly by every so often. It circles close to your cave, no doubt smelling you and you are afraid it’ll find a way in.
“Y/N?” A deep voice from the entrance of the cave asks and you jump out of your skin. You sit up slightly and see that it’s just Mingi who has a concerned look on his face. “Are you alright?”
You clear your throat and try to make yourself look somewhat presentable and sit up fully, “Yeah. You can come in.”
He approaches you carefully, his eyes searching your body seeing if you are injured, “I’m going to kill him.”
Your brows furrow, “What? Why?”
“He said he wasn’t going to shift and look at him now.” He exhales hard and looks to the wall, seeing that the dragon passes by again. You feel extremely guilty and stupid, and you gnaw on the dead skin on your lower lip as you look to the floor. He sees the change in your demeanor and takes a step closer, putting his hands on his hips, “What is it?”
You nervously play with the fabric on your gown, “I might have touched him while he slept…”
He immediately frowns, deep lines forming between his brows, “You did what?”
“I don’t know- I was just curious so I just touched him.” You see the anger in his eyes, “I know it was so stupid, but I thought maybe I could test if it was really true and not something you guys control.”
There’s a hurt on his face and you shrink back, resting your body on the cold cave wall. He sighs and rubs the back of his neck, “I know you have no reason to trust us, hell, we probably don’t even deserve your trust- but please believe us when we say that we don’t want harm to come to you and that when it comes to you, we can’t control our dragons. There’s a reason why we didn’t want to do that ritual and we want nothing to do with it.” His brows are pulled together as he looks down at you, and you chew the inside of your cheek. You watch his muscles ripple in the moonlight as he takes a seat on one of the raised surfaces next to your bed. “Please don’t do anything stupid again, I don’t think my heart can take it.”
You chose to ignore the implications on what he just said and exhale long and hard, “I won’t do anything like that again, I promise.” He just nods and you cringe inwardly, “You must think I’m stupid…”
His eyes immediately find yours, “Absolutely not. On the contrary.”
You huff a disbelieving breath and move to wipe off the sand on your feet. He watches you curiously as you fuss over your now dirtied sheets, trying your best to wipe away the pesky sand as best as you can. Tomorrow you’ll have to wash this and hang it to dry and you’re already dreading doing it. He doesn’t say anything more, but it’s not uncomfortable. His presence is oddly comforting, especially after that idiotic thing you just did. With him here, you know that he’ll make sure you’re safe now that Yunho is in his dragon form.
You hear one last angered roar before the beast swoops down and enters the large cavern. Mingi stands to his feet, “You should be fine now, goodnight Y/N.”
He goes to leave but you suddenly feel panicked, “Don’t go-” There’s a shocked expression on his face and you’re quick to sputter out, “I mean, you don’t have to but I guess I’m just nervous about Yunho getting to me.”
A handsome smile curves his lips as he nods, “As you wish. I will stay at the front of the cave though,” His gaze softens ever so slightly, “Goodnight Y/N.”
You shift in your seat, “Goodnight Mingi.”
……..
The morning light is not a comfort as you carry down your bedding to the beach. The sun is already hot, and sweat beads down your forehead uncomfortably and the light is too bright for your aching head. You didn’t get enough sleep last night and now you are regretting it immensely.
As soon as you make it to the beach you flop the bedding onto the ground and sigh deeply. “Fuck.” You grumble and start to work.
You are halfway through washing a sheet when Yunho walks up, a shameful look on his face. He plays with his fingers, “I’m sorry for putting you in danger… Again…”
He sways back and forth slightly, as if to comfort himself and you get out of the water. You drop the sheets back down on the sand, not caring that you’re getting them dirty again, “No, I’m the one who should apologize.” You bite your lip and look away for a split second and then return your gaze to his, “I touched you last night.”
His brows shoot up immediately hearing that, “You- You did?”
“I mean, I just touched your arm but it still was extremely stupid of me.”
He smiles and rubs the back of his neck, laughing slightly “I don’t mean to laugh, but it’s relieving hearing that I didn’t accidentally do this.”
You shrug, “Don’t beat yourself up over it, I’m the one at fault.”
He glances down at the sheets splayed out and crinkles his brows, “Why are you doing this down here?”
“Huh?”
“The beach, why are you washing these down here when the pools are sufficient?” He points at the sheets with a loose hand, and you immediately feel dumb. How on earth are you making so many mistakes one right after another? You’re starting to worry that you’re losing your mind being here. Your shoulders slump, but before you can say anything Yunho picks up all of your bedding and heads off.
“You don’t have to!” You race after him.
He waves you off with his free hand, “Nonsense.”
You trail after him all the way up the winding path and into the caves. His pace is brisk, as if he’s trying to beat you there so he can do your chores for you. He doesn’t bother entertaining your statements that you’re capable of doing it on your own and that he doesn’t have to, he just keeps walking.
The smell of the fresh pools hits you and you race into the open room. He’s already dropping the sheets off and moving to collect soap berries into his big hand. He’s quick, his practiced movements plucking the berries off speedily and you kneel beside the pool to start wetting the sheets. As soon as he sees you, he frowns and sets the berries on the ground as he kneels beside you, “You are so stubborn.”
A huff of a laugh escapes you, “Me? You’re as stubborn as a mule.”
His toothy grin is handsome, “No, I’m a dragon. I’m far from being a measly mule.”
You shake your head amusingly and fall into a comfortable rhythm with him.
It doesn’t take long to wash all of your bedding with the help of Yunho. You take all of the sheets and drape them on large rocks to dry and eye the pools longingly. Sweat sticks to you uncomfortably and you long to bathe in the warm waters. He sees this, “Would you like me to leave?”
You glance at him, seeing that he’s equally as sweaty and chew on your lower lip, “I mean, you can bathe too.”
His eyes widen slightly, “Are you sure? I thought you didn’t like to be looked at?”
You feel hot and embarrassed that you even asked, “I didn’t say that’d we’d bathe together in the same pool.” He just smiles at you and cocks his head to the side as you grip the cloth of your gown in your hands at your sides. “Just not wanting to waste time.”
That smile doesn’t go away, “I won’t look.”
“Good.” You answer quickly but he doesn’t move. You give him a look and motion with your hand, “Turn around!”
He just chuckles and does as you say, facing the opposite wall towards the foliage. You hesitate for a moment longer seeing if he’s staying true to his word, but he doesn’t sneak glances over his shoulder and you relax. You take off your gown and fold it nicely next to the pool's edge as Yunho mindlessly plucks more berries to keep himself occupied.
The pool’s warmth feels heavenly as you wade to the center. You keep low, the water gently lapping at your jaw as you look over to Yunho. He’s still turned away, but his body language is almost tense. “You can come in now.” You say and he glances over his shoulder.
He smirks slightly and immediately unties his loincloth, the fabric dropping to the ground in an instant. Your eyes bulge seeing him in all his glory and you can’t help but look down. He looks proud, but you flip around in an instant, your cheeks burning, “Yunho!”
“I’m not shy, Y/N. Nudity isn’t something to be ashamed about.” His voice gets closer and then you hear water ripple as he gets in. A quick glance over your shoulder proves that he’s getting into the pool next to yours and you relax. You look over at the edge of the pool and see that he’s put more berries there for you and you softly smile.
You try not to look at him, but the way he lathers the berries into his hands and rubs his glistening skin is entrancing. He knows that you are sneaking glances, but he doesn’t seem to care at all, in a way it seems he’s enjoying your attention. He lathers the juice into his hair and you watch as it suds up. He scrubs for a long while and then dunks his whole body under the water. You take that as your cue to stop ogling him and wash yourself.
……..
She is so beautiful. That’s all Yunho can think about when you reach for more berries. Although he’s never seen a woman with his own two eyes, you are the picture of perfection. He has seen women in the memories of his dragon ancestors, but he doesn’t like to remember those moments. Seeing you so at peace doing a mundane task is so mesmerizing. He stays true to his word though, he doesn’t look at your body, just your face and your arms when you reach out of the water. He doesn’t want to upset you or break your already fragile trust.
You dunk yourself under the water and when you come back up you are facing him. There’s this look in your eyes that takes his breath away and you flush, looking down at the water. He just watches you and somehow finds himself at the edge of the pool, the only thing separating you from him is a rock wall that comes up to his ribs.
You inch closer as well until you meet him on the other side of the short wall. He puts his hands on the wall as you keep low in the water to cover yourself. A gentle smirk pulls at his lips, “You’re beautiful.”
Your eyes widen, the flush on your cheeks darkening, “You don’t mean that…”
He leans closer, his breath fanning your face, “Oh but I do, you’re the most beautiful woman. To be graced by your presence is a gift and I cherish each moment.”
The air between you two feels electric and hot. Then he realizes one more feeling he’s experiencing, an awareness he’s felt many times before, “It’s going to start soon.”
You frown, obviously confused, “What’s going to start?”
He looks up to the sky and smiles before looking at you. Just as he said, the skies crack and droplets of rain fall gently causing ripples on the surface of the pools. Your face beams into a smile and you seem to forget all about hiding yourself. You stand up slightly, the water cascading down your body and in between your breasts and he swallows thickly. You’re still covered, but the shape of you under the water has him feeling things he’s never felt before.
You return your gaze to him, “How did you?”
He shrugs, “Just felt it.”
You lean back into the water as you look up into the sky, “This is so beautiful.”
He just watches you, his features soft as his chest warms, “Very beautiful indeed.”
genre/warnings: PWP, dubcon ‼️, friends to ?, very freeform description of werewolf transformation don't come for my neck okay; rut, oral, sniffing, size kink, unprotected piv, knotting, creampie; HJ is not entirely conscious for the whole act; if that's not your thing please just skip this day, thank you <3
a/n: this is one of my favorite concepts ive ever written aaaahhhhh
2.2k words
You and your partner are forced to deal with the consequences of a werewolf hunt gone wrong.
Your blood runs cold when you hear Hongjoong scream in pain. The walls of an abandoned warehouse you both lured a werewolf into carry his voice around you. You pray to every entity you’re aware of as you rush to him, your right hand tightly gripping a gun with silver bullets in it.
Guilt clutches your stomach. It was your idea to try and catch a werewolf during a vulnerable period right before the full moon, but you weren’t sure you could pull it off alone so you roped Hongjoong into helping you. And now he’s hurt because of you.
You gasp as you catch up with them in one of the empty rooms. The werewolf is half-turned, which is somehow more eerie than its full form. It’s a weird amalgamation of human and beast features, and right now it has its very wolf-like teeth in Hongjoong’s neck.
“Let him go!” You yell and take aim.
The werewolf lets go with a snarl and sends you a death stare before lunging for the exit. You try to get him as best as you can, but he’s incredibly fast even in this state and your bullets hit the walls instead. Before you know it, the beast is out of the building and there’s no way for you to chase him.
So instead, you go for Hongjoong. You drop to your knees and try not to panic. From what you can see, the bite at least doesn't look fatal, but it’s still bleeding pretty badly.
“He fucking, he…” he’s in a frenzy trying to press his hand to the wound as best as he can. “He just came out of nowhere. I did everything like we planned and…”
You can tell that he’s trying to stay strong in your presence despite the overwhelming panic.
“Hongjoong, it’s okay, I believe you.” You pet his hair in an attempt to calm him. “Let’s go back and patch you up. We’ll get him another time.”
You manage to help him to your car and take both of you to the nearest safehouse reserved for hunters specifically in case of emergencies like this one.
You patch him up using what you have in your first aid kit, but you’ll have to contact other hunters in the morning to ask what you should do next. You doubt you’ll need their advice, though. Usually if the bite takes, the infected show signs pretty soon after. But after a few hours, Hongjoong is acting normally, save for the general exhaustion and trauma after being attacked. You leave him to rest in the bedroom.
For now… It’s time to take care of yourself.
You glance at him before leaving to the bathroom, which is adjacent to the bedroom. He’s resting on the bed, eyes closed, dark circles under his eyes. Exhausted, but peaceful. You just hope he makes it through the night.
You spin the shower handles to the very ends, hoping that the strong stream of water will help you clear your head, distract you from your troubling thoughts. You stand there until all you can hear is the water.
When you feel like your body is clean enough and your head is empty enough, you turn the water off, dry yourself and change into your sleep t-shirt and simple gray cotton underwear. You’re in the process of drying your hair with a towel when you step out of the bathroom.
The bed is empty.
You freeze.
The only source of light in the bedroom is the pale light of the full moon entering through the curtains. When your eyes adjust to the half-dark, you barely make out a figure crouching in the far corner. Your breath hitches. The gun is under your pillow. If you try, you could grab it before he does anything.
Slowly, you let out the breath you were holding, and then you hear a low growl come from the corner.
“H-hongjoong?” You’re not sure if he’ll understand you, but you have to try. It’s your friend, your hunting partner. The person with whom you saved so many people. The one who shares your devotion to making the world a better place, ridding it of evil. Just the thought of having to put a silver bullet through his heart makes tears spring to your eyes.
All you get in response is another low growl, then suddenly a whine, almost like it came from a puppy. The figure shifts in the corner, but otherwise makes no move towards you. Now might be your chance.
Except, you don’t make it to the gun. The second you make a move, he springs from his position and tackles you to the carpeted floor, looming over you as you lay on your back. Now, up close, you can see everything. His eyes, previously pleasantly brown, are now like two burning ambers. His hands on both sides of your head are now adorned with sharp claws. Another growl brings your attention to his mouth, and you watch his elongated tongue slide over sharp teeth that could tear you to shreds. The bite on his neck is healed completely.
“Please,” is the only thing you manage to whisper through coming tears.
His large frame covers you entirely. You see tears in his shirt where it couldn’t handle his newly large form. He leans down and brings his face near your neck. You whimper in fear, but instead of biting, he just sniffs you.
He moves lower, still sniffing you all over. You hope that maybe he’ll remember the scent of his friend, and you’ll be spared.
The panic starts up again when he passes your stomach and starts sniffing between your legs. He stops for a second like he’s caught off guard, but then starts again with a new vigor. He breathes in deeply, pushing his whole face into your crotch.
“Oh fuck, oh no,” you whisper as you grab the carpet beneath you.
He whines through short, repeated sniffs. Just when you think this couldn’t get weirder, you gasp loudly when you feel his large tongue lick you through the cotton of your panties.
“Hongjoong, stop,” you whisper, knowing it’s probably futile.
He keeps licking, dragging his long tongue over the heat between your legs until the fabric is drenched in saliva. His tongue presses against your clit a couple of times and sparks of pleasure shoot through your core making you clench your walls which feels absolutely wrong right now. But you can’t help the way your body reacts. You can’t help that you’re getting wetter by the second as he keeps stimulating you, intentionally or not. You’re not sure how much or if there even is any conscious intention behind his actions. Right now, he’s running purely on whatever instincts werewolves have.
His clawed hands come up to your hips and tear your underwear to shreds. Now, with no barrier, he moves to smell you again before continuing to lick up your arousal directly from the source. This is so fucking wrong. You want to push him away, but you’re scared of his possible reaction. All you can do is squirm and whine quietly as his warm tongue slides through your slick folds, the sound of it reverberating through the silent bedroom.
When you feel like you can’t take it anymore, he finally stops and slowly crawls up your body, and you see his face again. He’s panting, hot breath hitting your face, his amber eyes half lidded, hair a mess.
You glance down for a moment and that’s when you finally spot it. His pants are gone, probably ripped when his body grew during transformation. His large pointed cock, red at the tip and glistening with precum is bobbing between his legs. It’s obvious that it’s so hard it must be hurting him, with thick veins running all along. At the base of it, you see what you suppose is a knot…
“On God, this isn’t happening right now,” you whisper to yourself.
He leans down and licks your cheek almost gently, reverently. It’s a weird contrast to the danger his teeth and claws hold. He keeps pressing closer to your body, and both of you whine when the head of his cock accidentally rubs against your wet folds. With a little adjustment, he now intentionally moves his hips to rut against you. Your mind is short circuiting due to your feelings and sensations contradicting each other. You want to run, get away from here, but the way his hot and hardened length feels against your skin makes the heat in your stomach grow tenfold. You should do something, but you just can’t think of anything that could get you of out this situation. Guess the only way out is through.
Hongjoong keeps licking your face and rutting against you aimlessly, whining constantly. You don’t think he has the presence of mind to guide his cock inside of you. Great, maybe he’ll just get off like this and this will all be over. But no. Not with your luck.
His leaky tip catches on your entrance and he yips excitedly. Just the tip is already making you feel a considerable stretch, and you have to take a deep breath.
“Oh fuck”, the back of your head hits the floor and you shut your eyes tightly as he slowly moves his hips forward.
He keeps pushing, sobbing dumbly when his cock doesn't go in easily. Fuck, it stings. At some point it’s too much and you just can’t help the yelp you let out. To your surprise, he actually stops and when you look up, there’s something akin to worry on his face. Despite the situation, you're glad to see evidence that there’s still some awareness left in his mind.
Against better judgment, you shakily reach out a hand and caress his cheek.
“Hongjoong?” you try to reach the human part of him again, but he just looks at you confused, brows knit together, like he doesn't understand what he's doing or why.
His cock is half way inside of you and while he’s not moving you can feel it fucking pulsing with need. As if in response, your own walls squeeze him and he hisses and pushes forward again, driving his cock further into you. You choke on a moan as he fills you up completely. When he slowly draws back, you feel every ridge and vein of his cock dragging along your walls, leaving a weird vacuum-like feeling of emptiness behind. Pain and pleasure mix into something that has your head spinning. You no longer try to stay quiet, letting out whimpers and yelps as you hold onto the carpet.
The next time he pushes forward with more confidence and fluidity in his motion. It’s urgent, desperate and primal, the way he moves in and out with a single purpose in mind. The next time he slams back into you, he pushes a part of his knot inside as well. There’s just no way it’s going to fit. But of course he’s not thinking about that right now. Hongjoong just keeps moving faster and faster, driven by some foreign animalistic urge he’s infected with now.
It catches you by surprise when you cum around him. You weren’t paying attention, too busy being scared for your life, but your body felt everything. Your thighs tense up, the tingling feeling traveling from your core and through your whole body. The moan you let out is drowned by the absolutely obscene sounds of Hongjoong’s heavy breathing and his hips slapping against yours. He keeps moving and you whine with overstimulation. It’s too much, everything is too much.
You don’t get a chance for relief as he smashes into you for the last time and keeps pushing until his knot is inside of you, and it starts swelling. Your mouth hangs open around a silent moan as it stretches you to your absolute limit.
With a high whine that sounds just short of a howl, Hongjoong finally stills and unloads in you. It’s a lot and it’s so warm. He keeps cumming for almost an entire minute until you start thinking there’s no more space in your body for it. You’re stuffed so full you feel it in your fucking throat. Hongjoong lets out a low satisfied growl and lowers his body to lay on top of you, his breathing still labored.
You’re completely exhausted, mind nearly scrambled. Trying to come back to your senses is not easy while Hongjoong stays on top of you, nuzzling your neck and giving it little licks, his cum locked inside of you with his knot.
Not fully realizing what you’re doing, you reach your hands to stroke his back, listening as his breathing finally slows down. When you turn you head, you see the sun begin to peak through the curtains.
You watch the sunrise through the bedroom window as you feel his form grow smaller now that the night is over. Whines and growls are replaced by ragged human breathing. The knot deflates inside of you and you feel it all leak out of you. It’s gross but you just keep lying on your back and watching the sunrise, your hands still on his back.
When his breath hitches and he stills above you, you know his human conscience came back to him. He doesn’t dare to move or say anything, still laying on top of you and trying to comprehend what just happened, what he just did.
genre and warnings: fantasy, fluff, angst, violence warning
word count: ~17k
synopsis: prince seonghwa, the faerie prince of dark, has been having dreams about his own death by the hands of his friend, prince hongjoong of light, his only hope the girl with an incredibly familiar face appearing in those dreams telling him she'd go back in time to save him- the girl being yena, who's lived her life without memories of her childhood and a block in her mind, now out on a journey to get herself treated, where she'll encounter the princes and find her life changed.
masterlist
Water.
Water filled her lungs, and she couldn't breathe.
Her insides were on fire, and pain, raw pain, threatened to explode from inside of her as she thrashed her limbs around, anywhere, but it was no use. She tried to untie the ropes around her waist that were dragging her down because of the boulder tying her down.
Not fair, her last thoughts said. Not fair that she would die in this infinite ocean, with no one to mourn her.
She couldn't hold her breath any longer. So she let her arms and legs float, let herself float as she sunk deeper, her golden hair a halo above her head. She could see nothing in the darkness anyway, so she closed her eyes. This was the end.
She breathed.
And it was nothing compared to the little gulp she had accidentally downed earlier. This was real hell.
She didn't feel the weight disappear from her waist. Neither did she feel two arms wrap around her waist, where the shadow of the weight had been as she was dragged upwards.
She felt none of it.
The sky was a brilliant blue, clouds thick like a cotton candy spreading across the horizon. The two suns glowed brightly from behind the clouds; the orange one was brighter than the purple one today. The sea reflected diamonds on the surface- thanks to the magic of this planet- it lived up to its name, Diamond Sea.
The ship was bound west, sailing for weeks now. The passengers aboard were quite friendly with each other and very, very active. They could either be seen playing a variety of card games and board games across the ship, or busy hunting food from the sea and the sky. The various bows and arrows and harpoons lining the ship was evidence for that.
The sounds of laughter filled the air; little kids with their wings out- playing tag, screaming 'Catch me if you can!', their eyes full of mischief. With their untrained magic, they would play in this game with no rules; make one trip on one's own feet, make one momentarily blind, make one momentarily freeze and a variety of other dirty tricks. They would get yelled at by their parents, but not without a hidden smile of their own.
Cool breeze kissed Yena's face. She closed her eyes at the feeling of it. She could have sworn the air was smelling different now, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Her ash gold hair flew away from her face, framing it as she peered into the distance, spotting the shore just as someone shouted "LAND AHEAD".
As the crew started to prepare to land, a ghost of a smile grew on Yena's face. She was here. After travelling a long way from Fomalhaut, her home, she was finally here. And she was going to get the answers she had been so desperately searching for.
The patter of rain trickling through the trees nearly drowned out the sounds of the civilians as Yena walked through the streets of Altarf, letting herself explore. The scent of roast chicken and potatoes and something sweet filled the air, mixed with the scent she'd detected earlier- the smell of wet mud.
Yena had the map of the Kingdom of Cancer in her hand, but she didn't bother opening it as she walked through the streets that reminded her of her home. She felt the same warmth radiate from the people here like the people in Fomalhaut; but Fomalhaut was the land of free- no Prince ruled it. It belonged to the people. Yena thought the Prince here must be a very good ruler if the civilians were so nice.
As if on cue, her flow of thoughts was interrupted by an old woman waving at her; her greying hair were open and damp as she waved at Yena, saying, "Girl! You look like a visitor!"
Yena turned her neck to look behind her, just to make sure the woman was indeed talking to her, and then she smiled a bit, walking closer. The woman beckoned her to enter her shop, and Yena drew the curtain of chains apart as she entered. Some people were seated on the stools, drinking what looked like tea.
"Would you like to have some tea? It's on me," the woman said and Yena raised an eyebrow. The woman laughed once before she said, "That's my gift. You're from Fomalhaut, right? I can smell it on you. Plus the large bag gives you away."
Indeed, the large black bag hanging from her shoulders, making her slouch a bit did give her away.
Yena took a seat near the bar where the woman was brewing tea; meshing the plants in a bowl and boiling water with a click of her fingers. Magic. Very handy if she had that. Yena watched with a hint of wonder as she watched her pour the now finished mix in a cup and hand it to her.
With a thank you and a smile she prayed looked grateful, Yena took a sip. It was strong and tasted of lemon, but not bitter. The scent was stronger than the taste.
"What brings you to Altarf?" The woman asked, going back to brewing more tea.
"Wanted to explore a bit," Yena said, sipping, "Also, I heard the healers here are famous."
The woman raised an eyebrow at her, "You've got something that needs to be treated?"
"More like I want to learn," Yena countered. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.
"Well, the healers all reside in the castle. It's where they feel safe to work, plus the libraries in the castle are at their disposal. Old scrolls, books, etcetera. They wouldn't leave even if the Prince ordered them to!" She laughed, and Yena wasn't sure if that part was a lie.
"So how can one visit them?"
"Well," the woman set the spoon on the table, locking her eyes with Yena, "If you're extremely injured which the usual doctors here can't handle, you're recommended to the healers. Basically anything the doctors can't do anything about, the healers usually do. To pay a 'visit', you'll have to have a very good reason, dear, and bring it to the court first."
Yena slumped in her stool. No one had bothered to tell her about that part when she decided to travel all the way to another continent to meet the healers. And if the woman noticed, she didn't say anything else.
So much for being helpful, Yena thought.
"What is the Prince like?" Yena asked, out of sudden curiosity. She mentally cursed herself for not being able to stop the question from escaping her mouth.
The woman laughed, and Yena felt heat creep to her cheeks. This must be what every girl must be wondering here, and Yena felt embarrassed as the woman shared a grin with her. She sighed wistfully as she answered her question with another, "The question on the mouth of every visitor: What is the Prince like? Well, I ask, what do you think?"
Yena straightened, "I think- I think he must be very gracious if the people here are so warm."
The woman smiled. "You're clever to have noticed that. The Prince of Earth is not the kind of a faerie who shuts himself in the walls of his castle. The Prince rarely stays inside. He's always roaming around. A wandering soul, we call him. Disguises himself as a civilian and you won't know until he tells!"
Yena's mouth formed an O shape as she considered her statement. That was weird, she thought. Weren't Princes supposed to... do Prince duties?
The confusion must have been clear on her face. The woman continued, "He's not negligent. Not at all. He cares too much, that's what it is. Makes sure there is harmony and takes it upon himself to travel all the way from the outskirts of Altarf to the mountains of Arkesh to make sure nothing is amiss."
"He sounds... very humble." Not like what she had read in the books, of the Prince who could cleave the ground in two and bury the enemies under the soil. Prince of Earth as in the Prince of Soil. Not the planet Earth- though he could have easily ruled the Planet Earth alone.
"He is, and if you happen to be so lucky to cross paths with him, you'll know."
Oh, she wished she would. She wished she could meet Prince San of the Earth.
—---------------------------
After exploring some more of the streets of Altarf, Yena went to find an inn. Her mentor back at Fomalhaut had given her a good amount of money, but she wanted to spare every penny if she could. She wouldn't waste money on luxury.
Asking around in the market, she got the directions to an inn nearby, and now that she was standing in front of it, she considered if being such a miser was worth it after all. The place looked like it was going to fall apart any second. It didn't help that one of the wooden planks that had been hanging with the support of a single nail fell right in front of her that very moment.
One night, she thought. One night then I'm out.
Though the inn looked like quite a shamble, it wasn't that bad inside. The hall was filled with tables and the smell of fresh food and soup. There was quite a hustle inside and it felt homey.
Yena asked if there were any rooms, and the innkeeper said she was 'lucky' because there was only one left now. After a simple dinner of stew seated in the utmost corner alone, Yena picked her bags and went to her room.
The room was... okay. Only one night, she reminded herself. She aired the bedsheet and fell on the bed, not bothering to change as she welcomed sleep gladly.
If Yena would have looked around her room, she would have noticed the lack of curtains which resulted in a room full of light, and no amount of pillows on her head could help her go back to sleep. It didn't help that there were two suns. Yena always wondered what it was like on Planet Earth, to have one sun that disappeared during the night, and to have a moon that changed shapes everyday. Here, the suns lit the day and the night. Not very practical if she had to say.
Groaning, she woke up, her muscles sore from the position she had slept through the night. After washing her face with cold water, she changed into a tunic and shirt, all black, with a black cloak and picked her bags. She was going to travel south, where the Prince lived.
Yena casted a glance at the map. The Kingdom of Cancer was divided by the River Al Ard that flowed through the 3 kingdoms; right now she was in Altarf, very close to the border to the Kingdom of Libra. The Prince lived in the North, near Arkesh. Her destination was the castle, so she was going to travel all the way there.
After grabbing bread from the same marketplace from yesterday, and a few fruits for the journey, she hitched a ride from a travelling merchant. She had quite a few miles to go, so instead of making small talk, she just lied across the cart and watched the sky. The merchant had done some sort of magic on the horse which allowed them to speed up more.
Yena put her own hands in the sky, staring at them. Her power rumbled in response. She shut her hands in a fist, sighing. She needed to find answers- quick.
She knew her power wasn't ordinary. She wasn't even sure what exactly her power was, and how much she had. The words of her mentor, Eun Young, ran in her mind:
You are not ordinary. Don't ever think that you would be normal.
Her own mentor wasn't exactly normal- she was a shapeshifter, which was uncommon among the Fae, and her favourite form was a cheetah- which was quite handy as it scared off unwanted visitors and added to her swagger. Yena sometimes wished she was a shapeshifter too. All she wanted was to blend in. To be normal.
She thought about that time when she was barely 8 and had disappeared- into space. The folds between the dimensions. She had only stayed there for a few minutes, but days had passed in this world, and when she came back, the shared house she used to live in out-casted her because they believed she had run off. According to them, it wasn't possible that she could have this power. Such power was quite rare.
Eun Young had found her when she was crying in front of a lake near her shared house. When she realised that Yena was not crying because she was sad but because she was angry, something clicked between them. Her anger had triggered quite a surge of power, and Eun Young believed such power shouldn't be left unchecked. So she took her in- her, and various other faeries with a knack for uncommon magic.
Yena was about to doze off, carried in the current of her thoughts when their ride suddenly halted. She opened one eye, bending her neck to look at the merchant to ask what was wrong- but he was looking ahead.
Ahead at the group of men- all wearing masks, and armed to the teeth. Bandits? Assassins? She didn't have time to think- they might as well be robbers. Before they could reach her, Yena grabbed her bags and ran.
—---------------------------
Prince Seonghwa of the Dark never thought he would hate the dark one day.
It was like hating a part of himself- like hating his own self, more like.
He was panting as he woke up from the nightmare he had seen, if you could even call it that. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and let his eyes adjust to the dark, his hand frantically searching for a candle and match as he lit it, trying to steady his breathing.
What he had seen... he shut his eyes as he relived the dream again.
Hongjoong.
Seonghwa kneeling in front of Hongjoong in his throne room, Hongjoong with a sword pointed at him, his eyes merciless.
Seonghwa knew it. Knew that it was not his Hongjoong, the person who cared for him so much. He would never do that.
He mentally cursed himself for even thinking that there was a possibility that Hongjoong would ever look at him like that. But the dream he had had...
He'd seen himself lying on the bed, dead, with the Princes putting blue flowers around his body looking at him with a sad look in their eyes, and there was someone else there...
A girl. She looked familiar... he didn't remember her face but she had blonde hair. She had said something:
"When the time comes, tell me what to do. Tell me to go back in time for you. Tell me to save you."
Seonghwa shook his head. It was just a nightmare.
It had to be.
Seonghwa got up, running a hand through his hair repeatedly, making it set back as he pushed back the curtains and opened the glass door to the balcony, breathing in the cool air that tickled his bare arms.
His mind was scratching at something- like he was at the brink of a realisation, but wasn't totally there yet. Annoyed because he didn't feel right, he turned back to drink from his bottle before going back to the balcony, seating himself on the chair and staring at the starry sky.
At that moment, he felt... lonely. He wished he could go to one of his friends and tell them about this dream. He wished he could just... talk to someone and get it out.
It felt strange- this overwhelming feeling of doom he couldn't wash away.
—---------------------------
(I own this map btw. If you’re clueless like I was when I thought of this map, the Kingdoms in red are basically Ateez members’ star signs. Since Seonghwa and Yunho both are Aries, they share the kingdom. Hamal and Sheratan are one of the stars in the Aries constellation, so they’re like states. As for Castor and Pollux- Gemini is the star of twins, so it is divided into two as well. So basically, star sign = kingdom, stars in their constellation = states/cities, birthstones = their designated seas. River Noor- Noor means light, and that Kingdom belongs to the Prince of Light. River Al Ard- River of Earth. It runs through the Kingdom of Earth, Nature and Air.
This was the planet Mirinae (Mirinae is Korean for the Milky Way, don’t judge me) designed by me.
Yena ran.
Ran as the group of men shouted, throwing a dagger that whooshed past her cheekbone- cutting some strands of hair in the process. Her heart sank dangerously into her stomach.
She heard the merchant screaming 'ROBBERS!' and knew it was just her rotten luck to have encountered robbers, of all things, during her travels. Just her luck. Yena dared to look behind- she was a fast runner but not when she was wearing a bag plus carrying one. Two of them were right behind her.
To hell with it, Yena thought as she willed her magic, visualising a portal. As soon as the world in front of her cleaved into two, she jumped in, feeling the familiar tingling sensation all over her body. Yena closed her eyes and shut the portal, opening it to where the merchant had been standing.
She heard him gasp and before he could scream, Yena put a hand on his mouth, shaking her head. His eyes were wide. Yena picked a gold coin from her pocket and shoved it in his hand before running off in the opposite direction, deciding she'd open one more portal and jump just a few feet ahead. She didn't want to drain all her energy.
But when she was done, she instantly regretted it. She was panting. A curse escaped her mouth as she realised she had left the bag of fruits on the cart.
At least you saved your belongings, she told herself. Shaking her head in annoyance, she trudged deeper into the forest, hoping to find some food, something quick to get a boost of energy. She emptied the water flask as she walked. One more thing to worry about.
Yena halted and closed her eyes, making use of her fae senses. Her energy had drained quite a bit because of using her magic, so she willed herself to listen, to feel. She could hear the sound of flowing water. It had to be the River Al Ard.
After travelling a few metres and collecting apples she had come across- and eating quite a few- she came upon the river, sighing in relief as she went to wash her hands and her face and drink. She marvelled at how cool the water was despite the warm weather. She filled her flask next, taking out the other one as well. She was just putting them back in the bag when she heard a voice:
"Lost?"
Yena whipped with such force that her neck cramped, making her wince. She looked at the man in front of him.
Much of his face was hidden by the hood, and his body was hidden by the cloak too, but he was quite a few inches taller than her. He had sharp eyes and a sharper smirk.
"I'm fine, thank you. I'll be on my way," Yena said, slinging the bag on her shoulder and starting to walk away from him. Not again, she thought.
"Where are you travelling to?" The man asked, joining her despite the annoyance written on her face.
"To the main city," Yena answered. No harm in telling that.
"Oh. Me too."
Scratch that.
"If you would please, I'd go on my own." Yena took a few steps forward.
"Do you even know the way?" The man asked, peeking at her. Yena groaned.
"I'll just follow the river and hitch a ride-"
"Oh please, it would take you weeks. I can get you in days."
Yena halted. "Who are you and what do you want? I clearly said I don't want to go with you."
"Well," the man said, pulling off his hood. "I just figured you'd like some help. I know I'd like some company."
Yena internally gasped at the sight of him- everything about him radiated warmth- his brown shabby hair that was ash at the ends near his neck, his sharp features, even his fox-like eyes. He smiled, as if to further confuse her. There was a different sort of air to him. She didn't know what it was, but-
Power.
Yena decided to ignore the voice in her head and shook her head, as if that would make a difference. "Last time I got help we got halted by some robbers."
"That's your bad luck then. I- The people of this kingdom aren't all that bad. Come on. One bad experience? Don't let it ruin your judgement." He scanned her, and Yena felt the sudden need to look away. "You're not from this continent, are you?"
Yena nodded. The same voice in her mind told her she could trust him. To some extent, she decided. Just for as long as they travel.
"Alright, I'll give you company, and you take me to the shortest route that leads to the main city. Deal?"
The man smiled. "Deal."
—---------------------------
They spent the first few miles treading through the forest in silence and following the sound of the river. The man said he had a place close by where they could stay since it was already getting dark and it was unwise to travel during the night because of the creatures that prowled through the forest.
Yena was tired- she had to admit. The fruits she had eaten weren't enough- she needed a proper meal. Using her magic drained her in abnormal ways. Eun Young had said it might have something to do with the block in her mind.
And then there was that matter. The block in her mind. To block what exactly, was the real question. Her memories? Her powers? Whatever it had been, the block was becoming a hindrance. Even the most competent healers in Fomalhaut had given up on trying to break through it, and for good reasons. It was absolutely painful for her. Not less than physical torture.
Yena jerked when she felt fingers touch her hand, and looked down to see the man offering to take her bag for her- he must have noticed how weary she looked. Yena narrowed her eyes at him and he scoffed.
"How do I know you're not a thief or something worse?"
"Do I look like one?" He smiled, showing off his dimples. It was Yena's turn to scoff. "Come on. Why are you being so paranoid?"
Yena handed him the bag. He nodded once and took it. "I don't even know your name."
"You can call me Seokmin," he answered, and Yena began to laugh. "What?"
"That's not your real name," Yena shook her head, her suspicions confirmed when he began to smile. "You can call me Eun Young then."
Seokmin- if that was even his name- raised his eyebrows at her. "Okay, you can call me Seokmin but it's actually my friend's name. Whose name did you use?"
"My mentor," Yena smiled. "So you're not gonna tell me your real name?"
"Uh," Seokmin hesitated. "I might if I trust you enough."
Yena's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Don't tell me you're some sort of a noble or whatever and you can't tell me your name for security reasons."
"Something like that," Seokmin muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "Why won't you tell me your name?"
"Because you won't," Yena answered. "You're from here?"
"Yeah, I live around the main city."
"Isn't that where the actual nobility lives? So you are some sort of a noble after all!"
Seokmin smiled. "Where are you from?"
"Fomalhaut."
"Fomalhaut? The land of the free!" Seokmin wowed. "What's it like there?"
"Well," Yena began, "It lives up to its name. There's no prince to rule it, but the people still live in harmony since it's such a small piece of land. Everyone knows everyone. It's a good place to live."
Seokmin was watching the smile grow on her face as she talked about her home, but he thought there was something sad about her smile. "What brought you all the way to Altarf?"
"I need to meet the healers. There's some sort of a block on my mind, probably a memory block. I need to get it checked."
Something flashed in Seokmin's eyes and Yena didn't miss it. She raised her brow but he just shook his head. "I wonder who planted it there. Must have been someone with unique powers."
Yena narrowed her eyes. He had a point- this sort of magic, something that could change the natural flow of a mind- it had to be a very unique power. "You ever heard of someone with that power?"
"Not really. The last one who had it died. You do know your history, don't you?"
"I do," Yena said, straightening, "The first generation- General Lee. If he would have survived when the Fae left the Earth, he would have had a continent here. Probably Fomalhaut, or more."
"Correct," Seokmin said, "His power had many names. The power of mind, memory, etcetera etcetera. We haven't heard of such power since. I guess it died with him."
"Yeah," Yena mumbled, "I did know someone back in Fomalhaut, but he only had the power to change the current perception. Like, if he was here right now, he could make you look like a fox in my eyes."
Seokmin halted suddenly, and Yena turned to look at him. "What?"
"Do you- why a fox?"
Yena let out a short laugh and continued to walk. "It's because you look like one. A fox, or maybe a cat. Hasn't anybody ever told you that?"
Seokmin just pursed his lips and asked, "Do you have powers then? If you had a mentor you must have had some."
"Oh, just this and that," Yena said, praying to whatever force was above that he wouldn't ask more. "What's yours?"
"This and that," he answered, and they shared a look, smiling. It looked like they both had secrets they wanted to keep.
After walking a few more miles in silence, they finally reached the source of light they had been seeing from a distance away. Yena sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "A lone house in the middle of the forest? Not weird at all. Not suspicious at all."
"Stop being a coward and come," Seokmin said, clearly tired too. Yena thought even if he wanted to kill her, he was probably too tired to do so, so she followed him. To her surprise, he knocked on the door.
"You never told me someone lived here," Yena frowned.
"Why? You thought I lived here in the middle of nowhere?" Seokmin asked and Yena just shrugged.
An old lady opened the door, her face shifting to a wide smile as she welcomed Seokmin with wide arms and he hugged her, calling her grandma. "Seung Cheol! So good to see you!"
Yena did a double take. Seung Cheol?
Seokmin broke the hug, looking at Yena with an embarrassed expression that clearly told her that Seung Cheol wasn't his real name as well. Who the hell was he? Seokmin/Seung Cheol motioned for her to come inside and she did, despite herself, greeting the old lady with a handshake. "This is... Min Young."
"Eun Young," Yena corrected, and Seokmin/Seung Cheol got awarded by a slap to his arm by the old lady, who was looking at them quite amused. "Who's your guest?"
"Just someone I met on the way," he answered. "We're both going to the main city, so we decided to travel together. If you don't mind, can we spend the night here?"
"Anything for you, Seung Cheol," the lady smiled, motioning them to enter the living room. It looked like she lived alone. Only two sofas were in the living room, set near the fireplace which cackled lightly. There was a table for four on the other side of the room.
Seokmin/ Seung Cheol motioned for them to take the sofas, about to bring the chair, but the old lady huffed, scolding him for being too kind, and said that both of them could take the sofa while she set up food, and she disappeared in the kitchen.
They placed their bags in a corner and Yena carefully picked whatever the lady had been knitting (looked like a cap) from the sofa and placed it on the table before sitting and facing him.
"So, Seung Cheol. Who's this lady?"
He was trying hard not to laugh and it was just annoying Yena at this point. "You can keep calling me Seokmin. Or whatever you prefer. Just don't call me Seokmin in front of her, please."
"I can do that," Yena nodded, smirking.
"Please?" He insisted and she threw her hands in the air, sitting back.
"Okay. Where are we and who is she?"
"I travel a lot, so I met her just like this a few years ago. I was travelling through the night and had no place to stay. She found me searching for food nearby and offered to let me stay. That's all."
Yena wanted to say that that didn't feel like all. It seemed like he had too many secrets. So she just nodded.
They watched her set the table, scolding them even more when they offered to help, saying that she had nothing to do anyway and she didn't look like she could pass out at any moment. They sat for dinner, which was beef and rice. Upon tasting, Yena almost groaned in delight. She hadn't had anything so tasty in weeks now.
"You like it?" Grandma asked, smiling at her, and Yena nodded.
"I've been travelling for a week now- I was on a ship from Fomalhaut. I haven't had a home-cooked meal in quite a while. Thank you."
They both smiled at her, and Seokmin put some more beef on her plate when she ran out. She nodded in thanks.
"So how did you two meet?" Yena asked, satisfied when Seokmin kicked her foot from under the table. She felt a mischievous smile grow on her face.
"He saved my life, this boy," Grandma said, and Yena looked with wide eyes at Seokmin who was now very interested in his empty plate. "I was searching for food around the house, and a group of rogue faeries decided they'd like to play with me. I mean, I'm an old soul. What good would that have been?"
"So what did he do?" Yena asked, and Seokmin groaned out loud this time.
"Oh, he's one hell of a fighter, I have to say. Moves faster than light. He had them out in seconds- there were 6 of them, one with the power of fire. Not a scratch on Seung Cheol!"
"Wow," Yena was surprised, and despite herself, gulped as she looked at Seokmin, who was rolling his eyes. "That's... awesome."
Seokmin felt himself smile, internally slapping himself. He stared at her, figuring out ways he could get her to spill something as well. As if on cue, the woman asked Yena what brought her to Altarf.
Her eyes involuntarily went to Seokmin, who was smirking. She knew that if she made up an excuse, he would spill the real story, so she internally sighed and answered, "I wanted to meet the healers here."
"Oh, can I ask what for?"
"She has a block in her mind," Seokmin answered, and the woman slapped his hand, muttering 'manners', making Yena smile in victory. She turned to her, and Yena nodded.
"That is the reason, actually. Some sort of a block in my mind. I wanted to get it inspected."
"Oh," the woman smiled, "Lucky for you, I used to be a healer back in my days. Do you mind if I inspect it? I haven't heard of a block before."
Yena's mouth fell open, and she looked at Seokmin, who was shrugging.
She was going to kill him.
—---------------------------
"Lucky for you, I used to be a healer back in my days. Do you mind if I inspect it? I haven't heard of a block before."
Seokmin watched betrayal flash in her eyes and knew that a line had been crossed, and he instantly regretted it. It wasn't his intention to corner her like this- the woman being a healer was a big, unlucky coincidence.
"Uh. I guess you could, though you won't find anything. Most of the healers at Fomalhaut tried and gave up," Yena gulped, "It's quite a complicated one."
"I have the magic of finding the root of the injury or ailment. So I won't try to heal you, no. Not my place to do so. I could just go in your mind and try to see how deep it goes. I used to work for the Generals back in my days."
It seemed like this was news to both Yena and Seokmin, because they both gasped. "You never told me!" Seokmin shook his head.
"And what if I had?" The woman challenged. Seokmin just pouted.
"Alright. Do be careful," Yena said, and the woman brought her hand to touch her forehead, Yena shutting her eyes.
The woman let magic flow from her fingertips to reach inside her mind, and Seokmin watched as gold tendrils flowed inside her. Yena looked calm, her eyes shut, but her frown grew deeper with every minute that passed. She winced, and Seokmin was about to stop the woman when both of them screamed, making Seokmin almost use his magic to draw them apart. They both gasped, falling apart, and opened their eyes, staring at each other.
"That," the woman was smiling in defeat, "that's one hell of a magic done on you, girl."
"What did you see?" Yena asked, and the woman sighed, "Only how deep it went. It's wrapped in your early memories. And then it's wrapped through the magic you possess. I must say, you have quite a good amount of magic there."
Yena's eyes went to Seokmin who was already staring at her with curiosity. The woman said, "Your magic, it's unique. What exactly is it? Can I make a guess?"
"Go ahead," Yena muttered, thinking how she should have just been rude and rejected her offer to look into her mind. But she was desperate for more information, and this was a lesson to not be too greedy.
"Something related to... I don't know how to put it. Dimensions?"
"Close," Yena muttered, "I actually don't know what it is, to be honest. Like you said, my magic is being inhibited by the block. My mentor helped me train with whatever I had. That's it."
Seokmin was impressed. He'd never heard of someone who possessed magic that could manipulate the dimensions. And if it was just a bit of her power, what did that mean?
Who was she?
"I can recommend you to the healers in the main city, in fact, they might be able to get you to the healers in the Prince's castle. The High Healers, we call them."
A flash of hope crossed Yena's eyes, and she bowed in gratitude. It seemed like some good did come out of the whole day. She watched as the woman scribbled something on a page, folding it in an envelope and writing her own name- Ah Young, and the name of the healer, Jia. Yena put the envelope in her bag, thanking her once again.
They were shown to their rooms, on the upper floor, where thankfully there were two separate rooms. One was already set for Seokmin, because he came often. The other was a spare room, but at least it was good. Maintained.
Seokmin brought their bags, and handed Yena's to her. She was about to shut the door when he said her name. Yena looked at him.
"Why did you allow her to look into your mind if you knew it was going to cause you pain?"
Yena sighed, "First, I didn't want to sound rude and decline her offer. And second, it was worth it, in the end. At least now I got my way to the healers."
Seokmin shook his head, "You didn't want to sound rude? Really?"
Yena shrugged, asking him what was wrong. He just laughed and went to his room, amazed at how kind she could be.
—---------------------------
Yena was woken up by a knock on her door. She groaned and asked what the matter was.
"It's dawn. We should go." Seokmin said, and Yena just groaned in annoyance. Seokmin hesitated before opening the door, peeking in, relieved to see she was covered. "We should leave now if we want a ride. I'm sure you don't feel like walking today-"
Yena threw a pillow and he shut the door before it could hit him. He opened again, throwing the pillow at her, "Come on, I'm making breakfast. I don't want to wake grandma up."
"Okay," Yena finally opened her eyes to see him already gone. Groaning for the umpteenth time, she washed up quickly, tied her hair in a braid and changed into a blue shirt and pants, wearing her black long boots, taking her cloak and the rest of her stuff downstairs, smelling eggs and beef in the air.
Seokmin was setting the table, clad in all black. He cast her a glance as she dumped her stuff and sat down, drinking water. He took a seat himself and they ate breakfast which was leftovers from last night and eggs and cheese.
Yena yawned unceremoniously, glad that Seokmin wasn't looking. After eating their breakfast in silence, they left the house, Seokmin stopping to lock the door with his magic. Yena wowed.
"You could easily be a thief with that magic."
"I could," he admitted, "But where would the fun in that be?" And he smiled so dangerously that for a moment, Yena wondered just what he did. And she did ask what he did for a living.
"I work in the main city," he said, "Court affairs, you could say."
"Another lie," Yena laughed, "Don't bother answering if you're gonna end up lying! Just say that you won't answer, that's way better. Would spare you from thinking too," she winked.
Seokmin shrugged, and they walked a few miles, listening to the sound of the morning birds before a carriage came riding, and he motioned her to wait while he asked if they could get a ride. Once he did, they sat inside glad that there would be no more walking for a while.
Seokmin fished out an apple from the bag of fruits they had been carrying, offering her one which she declined. He bit into his, looking out of the window. Yena shifted, thinking if she should break the silence but then deciding against it.
She didn't realise when she fell asleep, but it felt like it had only been minutes as Seokmin shook her awake. She rubbed her eyes, realising it was already dark.
Seokmin helped her out of the carriage, paying the man and they watched the carriage go until it disappeared.
"Now what?" Yena asked, looking around. There seemed to be no sign of living. She felt a sudden pang of fear, swallowing it down. "Where exactly are we?"
"Two days away from the main city," Seokmin said, satisfied when he saw her expressions of disbelief. "Told you we'd be quick."
"Thank you, but why did we stop in the middle of nowhere?"
"Well," Seokmin picked the bags, motioning her to follow, "I didn't want to go to the inns. We'll be camping."
"Camping? Why didn't you want to go?"
"Let's just say a lot of people know me, dear. I don't really want them to know I'm here."
"Wow," Yena sighed. "Is it time you tell me who exactly you are, and why do you avoid people?"
"Nope," he simply answered, leading her deeper into the forest and setting their bags down. He took the tent out and began to set it. Yena watched him do so, saying she could help but she didn't know how, and he told her that it was okay, that he was an expert at this. Indeed, he was done in a few minutes.
"And of course you only have one tent," Yena muttered. He laughed, embarrassed.
"I'll take the first watch, you can sleep first."
"That's very kind of you and I'll accept that offer. Honestly what would I even do during my watch? It's not like I know how to fight."
"Just wake me up if you see anything amiss. Go sleep," he said.
"No, but I'll take the first watch. I slept quite a lot in the carriage."
"I did too," he admitted. "And I'm not sleepy."
"I'm not either," Yena countered.
"Fine," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "Let's eat first."
They sat inside the tent, and he fished out lunch boxes. He told her that grandma had packed food for them the night before, setting it on the kitchen counter. It was always like this, he told her- he usually left early in the morning so she would give him food for travel.
They made a small fire, and he put the food in a steel dish, heating it up. Yena was impressed because he seemed to have everything with him. After eating in silence, they watched the purple sun glow, the stars bright in the sky.
"Isn't it crazy?" Yena wondered out loud, "The purple sun glows. The orange sun shines. Only the orange sun spreads light in the day. Why does it glow in the night? Why not shine in the night too."
"That's because the orange sun is the sun of light, and the purple sun is the sun of dark."
Yena looked at him, surprised, "Really?"
"They don't tell you that, do they? The Prince of Light, Hongjoong, and the Prince of Dark, Seonghwa. They're older than the rest of the Princes, so they each have a sun. The orange sun makes for the day, and the purple sun makes for the night. The purple sun fills the sky with darkness."
"Wow, that makes sense," Yena admitted, "It makes sense for the Prince of Light and the Prince of Dark to have suns. Though the Prince of Dark should have had a moon, like on planet Earth, don't you think?"
"Our planet Mirinae does not have a moon like the one on Earth. Instead, we call the purple sun moon."
We? She wondered who he meant by that, but she only nodded so that he wouldn't suddenly become aware.
"I like the purple sun," she said, "It's beautiful."
Seokmin smiled, nodding. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Yena cleared her throat. "I'll sleep now. Wake me up when you're tired."
—---------------------------
Seokmin had burnt out the fire as soon as she went inside the tent, staring at the night sky as he lay down. He couldn't help but feel that there was some sort of familiarity to Eun Young- or whatever her real name was. It wasn't her outward appearance- though he did have to admit her grey eyes and blonde hair reminded him of a certain prince, and the attitude didn't help either. But it was her power, the aura that reminded him of something. What, he didn't know.
But her power spoke to him in a way that was all too familiar. And he wasn't sure what to think of that.
Hours passed as he thought about her, about her power, about his life, about this kingdom. When he felt like he couldn't take it anymore, he went inside the tent to change shifts.
She was sleeping rather peacefully, her blonde hair all over her face. He pushed the strands aside, smiling as he realised she didn't even stir. He yawned, lying down, telling himself he'd shut his eyes just for a few seconds then wake her up.
He fell asleep.
—---------------------------
Yena winced as she shifted, her side stiff from sleeping, the blanket stuck somewhere as she tried to pull it. It was cold and her feet were numb.
She pulled the blanket again, but it didn't budge. She turned, almost screaming as she saw Seokmin sleeping next to her, rolled up like a cat, the blanket fisted in his hands.
Yena huffed in disbelief. It looked like it was already day, and he must have fallen asleep when he came to wake her up. She laughed a little, putting the rest of the blanket on him, ruffling his hair, pleased to find how smooth it was. She couldn't help it. He really did look like a cat.
She wore her boots and went out, stretching, and taking the flasks with her to fill her bottle from the stream that was close by. She washed her face and cleaned up a little while she was at it. After putting the flasks back, she decided she would look for food. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd find something other than those damned apples that she was tired of eating.
She made sure the tent was in sight as she walked further. Turned out she was lucky. She found a cherry tree, and she rubbed her hands in delight as she began to pick the cherries, popping two in her mouth as she continued to fill her pouch. When she was done, she decided to fill Seokmin's pouch too, and she turned to go back, stopping dead in her tracks.
The forest was... dead silent. No morning birds, not a sound. Only her breath.
Someone was near.
She slowly took a step, then another, then another, keeping her eyes on the tent but keeping her ears open.
She heard it then- the footsteps. But they were not coming for her.
They were for Seokmin.
—---------------------------
They were here for Seokmin.
And they hadn't noticed her.
She put a hand to her mouth as she noticed their swords were out, and they were very close to the tent where Seokmin was sleeping like the dead.
Yena didn't hesitate as she ran for them, opening a portal and ending up right behind one of them, snatching his sword, leaving him unarmed. The man shouted- they were all masked, only their eyes were visible. He whirled, and Yena swung the sword, slashing his chest and he shouted in pain. She took that moment of confusion to run, opening another portal and exiting in front of the other man, slashing him across the chest too. She went for the last man next, but he was prepared, and he deflected her attack, the impact of it making her skull rattle. She dodged one attack, blocked another but failed at blocking the next, resulting in a cut on her forearm. She shouted in pain, and before he could do something, she heard Seokmin shout "DUCK!".
Yena ducked, and the dagger hit his shoulder, and Yena attacked, his sword falling to the ground. She picked it, and dared a glance at the assassin who was about to attack her with that very dagger.
Yena whirled, opening a portal and jumping in front of San, scaring him as she almost fell in his arms. He grabbed her, taking one of the swords from her, and they stood back to back as the men came, this time with daggers of their own.
"Kill them," Seokmin muttered, "They won't let you get out alive."
"I don't think I can, I have never-"
"It's them or you," his voice was steel as he charged at the two men in front of him, and Yena ran, opening another portal and ending up behind that man, driving the sword in his shoulder.
The man howled in pain, and she looked at Seokmin, who was indeed, faster than the light. He looked like he was managing just fine- but Yena saw movement in the corner of her eye, and she ran towards Seokmin, who was already done with the two men. He was coming for her now too, inspecting the wound on her arm. Yena shook it back, saying, "There are more. I'm gonna portal you to them, then take the bags and portal us away, understand?"
He looked confused for a second but nodded, and she willed the remaining energy to her hands, opening a portal right as the men were in her sight. She grabbed Seokmin by the arm and entered the portal, exiting behind the two men. She didn't wait as she ran for the tent. She would keep the remaining energy for the last portal. She slung her bag on one shoulder, Seokmin's bag on her other, took the remaining two in her hand, and shouted at Seokmin. He was done, and she noticed all the men being held down by the roots of Earth. She didn't have time to think of it, because she heard more men approach, and as soon as Seokmin was near, she grabbed his hand, putting the last reserves of her energy in it as she made the longest jump.
As soon as they exited, she looked around, and looked at Seokmin, and everything went black as she hit the ground.
Seokmin shook her, but she was pale and sweaty, and he realised she must have used her energy quite a lot. He looked around, and the tent and the men were no longer in sight. Sighing in relief, he fished out a piece of cloth from his bag, tying it on the wound on her arm, and stood to think what he would do next.
There was no one in sight. So he took the chance and let out a call- the call that two deer answered. He rubbed their heads, and slung two of the lighter bags on their back, wearing one on his shoulders, and putting one on Yena's shoulder, who was still unconscious. He picked her up in his arms, surprised that she was light despite the extra weight on her, and started walking, the deer following him.
After walking a few miles where a town was near, he stopped, thanking the deer and laid down the unconscious girl on the grass, stretching and deciding to rest a bit. He emptied the water flask and looked at the pouch in her cloak that looked full. He was pleased to see the cherries in it. He began eating, making sure to leave some for her too. He was also tired of those damned apples.
After about half an hour, when it was almost dusk, he gave up, spraying water on Yena to wake her up and she jolted up in surprise. She looked at him, then at her arm, realising it had not been a crazy dream.
"So," he said, "How are you?"
"How am I?" She muttered, shaking her head as she emptied her flask of water and popped a few cherries in her mouth, "Very hungry. No talking until proper food."
"There's a town near, let's go." He helped her up, putting on his cloak and the hood over his head. "Follow me."
She followed him, complaining only about how she had to walk again, wondering how they had gotten so far. She decided to do the questioning after food.
It was dark by the time they reached a hotel and an inn in an alley, and Seokmin told her to stay quiet while he did the talking. She nodded, saying she was too tired to do that anyway. They went inside, and Yena was pleased to see it looked expensive.
"I'm not paying," she muttered. Seokmin ignored her, and they went to the counter. The middle-aged man at the counter asked for identification, and Seokmin drew his cloak back a little, and Yena watched as the man gasped a little in recognition, and bowed slightly. Yena's brows furrowed in confusion. Why would he bow? What kind of a noble he was? She shrugged, assuming people must bow to the nobility here. There were no such concepts in Fomalhaut. Everyone was of equal status there.
The man led them to a table, and served them food almost immediately; soup and roast chicken, with vegetables- and quite a good amount of it. Yena dug in, drinking the soup quickly so she could eat the chicken. She sighed in relief when she felt her energy come back gradually. Seokmin kept on passing her his vegetables, and Yena didn't mind.
"So," Seokmin finally said, "feeling better?"
"Oh yes, definitely," Yena said, finally slowing down as they ate the chicken.
"What was that magic?" Seokmin asked almost nonchalantly.
"What was your magic? You literally held them by the roots-"
"Keep your voice down," Seokmin warned, and she muttered sorry.
"An answer for an answer. No lies," Yena promised. Seokmin nodded.
"I fell asleep when I came to wake you up. I was waiting for the right moment to come out of the tent and attack them, but you- you almost gave me a heart attack. You appeared out of nowhere, attacking them. What is your magic?"
"Dimensions, portals. It was opening up a portal, which is basically a fold in the dimension, and we jumped ahead."
"That's very, very uncommon. In fact, this is the first I heard of it, and I've seen a lot. Who are you?"
"Who are you?" Yena countered. "Why did that man bow to you? Why did the assassins come for you? I thought it was my rotten luck, but it was like they knew you were in the tent. And don't give me that frown, mister. Spill."
Seokmin sighed, "Okay, I might be some sort of an important person here. People come for my neck every now and then. Can't exactly tell my identity, it is supposed to be a secret. I'll tell you when the time is right."
Yena frowned, sitting back in her chair as she chewed angrily.
"I promise I will, okay?" Seokmin said. Yena looked at him, and upon seeing the honesty in his eyes, she nodded. "Now you tell me. Who are you?"
"I don't know," Yena admitted.
"What?" Seokmin looked confused.
"It's the truth. I have no memories before the age of 6. It was like someone wiped my mind clean- I only remembered my name. Yena. I don't even remember my surname, if I even had one. Or parents, if I had."
"Yena," Seokmin said, testing her name. It felt right. "So what happened next?"
"I was found in front of the orphanage- we call it a shared house. So I lived there, and when I was 8, I accidently got lost in the folds between the dimensions. It was only a few minutes for me, but about a week passed here, and when I appeared out of nowhere, the kids freaked out. I was bullied, I was an out-cast, and one day Eun Young, my mentor, found me. She's a shapeshifter- which is quite rare, you probably know. She helped me control my powers, and trained me on opening and closing the portals. She used to help a lot of kids like me, who had more power than usual or a different sort of power.
"One day, she took me to this man with the power to look into the mind- read minds, basically. She wanted to know about the extent of my power, but then we found out about the block in my mind- that was a year ago. Since then, we've been to various healers, and they all tried, but it usually ends up bad. Like you saw back at grandma's house, except worse for both me and whoever tries that. So they said I should go to the kingdoms, explore and find a healer who could actually help me. That's my story."
Seokmin had been listening attentively, and it did seem as unfiltered as possible. He nodded, letting the knowledge sink in, and Yena said, "Tell me about your power."
"It's the power of... plants. Soil," he said, looking at her. She folded her arms.
"Like the Prince of Earth?"
"He isn't the only one with Earth powers, you know. He just has it more- and with a wider range. Mine are... limited."
"Why does it feel like you're hiding something?" Yena asked, but didn't bother to hear his answer, "So how did you carry me and 4 bags all the way here?"
Seokmin pursed his lips, "I didn't carry you. The carriage did. I got us a ride."
Yena casted a sideways look, shaking her head. "You really don't know how to lie, Seokmin."
He smiled, making her laugh a bit as he scratched his head, "I suck at it, don't I?"
"Big time," she said, "Anyways, I would ditch you but since you looked after me and didn't ditch me yet, I guess I'll stick with you until we reach our destination."
"Glad you think so," he mumbled, pouting. They got up, and the man bit his lip nervously as he handed the keys to Seokmin.
"I'm sorry, Your- Sir, we only have one room. We could arrange a mattress," he was almost panicking.
"That's okay, please do, thank you." Seokmin grabbed her arm and led her upstairs before she could ask the man how it was okay. "We need to stay in one room because that group of assassins is good at tracking, and if they do track us here, I don't want you to die because of me."
"Alright, I get it," Yena said, glad that he had asked for a mattress because the room had a single bed. They dumped their stuff in the corner and he said she could wash up first.
And Yena was glad to do so. The water was warm and she took her dear time as she soaked in the tub, almost falling asleep. By the time she had changed into a dress and got out, the mattress was already set.
"I can sleep on the mattress-"
"Oh please. I will," Seokmin waved a hand in dismissal, saying he was going to wash up now. He was quick, and he had changed into a white shirt and trouser, and Yena admired his proportions.
He was drying his hair with his towel, when he noticed that Yena had taken off the bandage from her arm. It was an ugly gash that ran a few inches down her forearm. It must have been stinging.
"I don't have a salve," Seokmin said, "But I do have an affinity for healing small wounds, if you would let me."
Yena looked up at him, the purple glow from the window accentuating her features and making her ash hair glow a bit. "You could have done that earlier."
"I wouldn't have done it without your permission," Seokmin said, "Scoot."
Yena did, and Seokmin sat down near her on the mattress, looking at her for permission before he grabbed her arm, inspecting the wound. "It could leave a scar."
"That's okay," Yena said, and Seokmin drew a hand above the wound, gold tendrils that glowed so brightly they looked white flowed from his fingers, patching up her skin, and Yena watched in wonder as the wound disappeared, leaving only a faint line.
"Wow... you have quite a knack for magic."
Seokmin's eyes fell to where he was holding her arm, and he glanced at the faint bracelet-like scar on her wrist, and before Yena could hide her other hand, he noticed the twin scar there too.
"Are those-"
"I don't remember," Yena's voice told him that either she really did not, or she did not feel like telling him. Or both.
Seokmin just shrugged and patted her head before getting up, threw his towel on the chair and came back to make her stand up and led her to the bed. "I can't let a lady sleep on the floor while I sleep on the bed."
"How very noble of you," Yena made a face at him. "I somehow can't get the image out of my mind when you were curled up like a cat and snatched the blanket from me. How very noble."
Seokmin laughed out loud, "Did I now?"
"That's actually what woke me up," Yena admitted, getting in the bed and throwing the covers on her. "Good night. And please draw the curtains- I don't want to wake up because of the sun."
—---------------------------
"Prince, I'm here to report to you about the situation in Bharani."
"Okay, have a seat," Prince Seonghwa motioned at the seat in front of his desk in the study. The Prince's Right Hand took his seat, and briefed him about the rebel movement in the mountains of Bharani. Seonghwa wasn't listening much, so he just nodded as he went on and asked him to handle the situation with delicacy. They really did not want to give the rebels more excuses to keep going.
"Prince," he began, cautiously, "I've heard rumours about the 9th Prince being alive."
Seonghwa turned to look at him, "Jinki, that's nonsense, you know that. The Prince was buried in front of me. The people can keep wondering if he's alive."
Seonghwa could have sworn he heard Jinki sigh in relief. "Does it bother you?"
"No- I believe you. It's just... I wanted to hear it from you, see that there's really no possibility of him being alive," Jinki admitted.
"I can understand why people think the 9th Prince is alive," Seonghwa admitted, to Jinki's surprise. "He passed away as a baby. People think we're hiding him, or suspect foul play. They didn't see our parents grieve for him like he was one of their own."
"You can't blame them for being hopeful, I guess," Jinki ran a hand through his dark red hair, "Like with... the lost twin."
"Isn't it ironic how they think about these two situations oppositely? They like to believe the lost twin is dead, while the Prince is alive."
"But... it's been about two decades already," Jinki shifted in his seat. "Anyone would assume that."
Seonghwa looked at his Right Hand, "The twin... is very much alive. Yeosang would feel it his own twin died. We're still searching."
Jinki smiled pitifully at the Prince, "I hope so." He got up, taking his reports with him, "Have a good night, Prince."
Seonghwa watched Jinki leave the study and he sighed. It looked like the people were still grieving about the lost twin and now they had decided to grieve about the dead prince too.
Outside, Jinki shut the door to the Prince's chamber, a smirk creeping on his face. Prince Seonghwa really did think the 9th Prince was dead.
Good for him, he thought, good for all of them.
—---------------------------
They woke up the next day a bit later than dawn, and Seokmin said they should hurry up before people started flooding the streets. Why he didn't want to get noticed, she still had no idea why. He must hold an important official position if that was the case.
But he was so... young. He looked her age. She only knew her birth year, so when they were on the way to the forest after breakfast and checking out, she asked him.
"1999, In July," he answered, and she made an 'O'.
"I don't remember what my age is exactly. One of the healers managed to see my birth year in my memories and said it was 1999. Not sure about that either."
"Oh," he smiled, "You could be older than me!"
Yena shrugged, making an impressed face as she said, "Would that give me some sort of authority over you?"
"Not really," he laughed, "You look younger though. Hard to tell."
"So are we gonna walk today again?"
"Oh no," Seokmin grinned. "We're taking horses."
He took her to a stable in the forest, greeting the man, who again bowed slightly. The man led him to a beautiful black mare, and she watched as Seokmin patted the horse, rubbing her chin. The mare looked like it recognized him, the way she so readily let him pat and rub her. After letting her feed, Seokmin thanked the man for looking after her and set the saddle on her, seating himself up on it smoothly.
"Will she be okay?" Yena asked, and he nodded, assuring her that she was a very strong one and could carry double of what they would make. So he helped her get up, seating her in front of him, insisting that he did not want her to get stabbed by some other assassin in the back.
"And when he attacks from the front, then what?" Yena countered, and he assured her it won't happen and told her to stop whining. He wore both their bags, and Yena put the other bags in front of her. Seokmin's arms went around her, bracing her as he held the reins and the horse ran with a speed that blew the breath away from Yena.
"What is this thing!" Yena shouted. She heard Seokmin laugh from behind her.
"A little magic done on this horse so she can run as if there's no weight on her. She won't get tired for quite a while now."
And so the horse ran through the forest, full speed ahead. Yena watched the scene as they went by, Seokmin's arms on the reins the entire time as a protective brace for her. She had last ridden a horse when she was 10. It felt great to ride again.
They only stopped to relieve themselves and to eat. They travelled throughout the day, and when night time came, Seokmin led the horse to another stable, the owner once again recognizing Seokmin.
They went to an inn nearby, where they had a meal of roast beef, and Seokmin told her all about Altarf, Arkesh and the main city in Altarf, how it was full of people and kids roaming around in the day, and in the night, lanterns glowed throughout the streets, the marketplace still lively. The way his face lit up when he talked about this kingdom told her he loved it very much.
He told her Arkesh was more like countryside to the modern Altarf, and the people there were the reason this kingdom was thriving. They made sure the kingdom had enough food, they cultivated and raised cattle there. The scenery, he told her, was breathtaking.
"Why are there so many assassins and robbers though? Is that normal here?"
"It's normal in every continent. No matter how hard one works, they'll always have enemies. The 8 Princes, they have a lot of enemies, but thankfully the number of people who're satisfied with them is much greater."
"I've heard good things about Prince San," Yena said, and Seokmin rested his face on his hand, his elbow on the table as he raised his eyebrows, "When I landed here, I was going through the markets. There was a lady there who offered me tea, and told me that Prince San was very powerful but also very humble. She said that he was a wandering soul so he travelled a lot to make sure there's harmony across the land."
"He sounds nice," Seokmin muttered, and Yena furrowed her brows.
"What do you think?"
"About what?"
"About Prince San. Come on, tell me stories. I want to hear what the Princes are like. I've never even seen one!"
Seokmin felt the sudden urge to roll his eyes. But he smiled. "The Princes are very close to each other. They're like brothers. Plus, you know how two and two are cousins; the Choi and the Jeong. Choi San and Choi Jongho are cousins, Jeong Yunho and Jeong Wooyoung are cousins. They're all like family though."
"Do they meet often?"
"It's easier when you're sharing a continent, I guess," Seokmin said, "But thrice a year, the Princes meet in one of the Kingdoms. This year they're meeting in Antares- Prince Hongjoong's Kingdom."
"Oh... Is it known to everyone where they meet?" Yena wondered, and Seokmin realised he had made a mistake.
"Oh, don't tell anyone if you can help it. It's usually kept within the court."
Yena narrowed her eyes at him, but then she remembered he did say something about being a member of the court or something, so she let it slide. "Okay, I won't. So tell me what they are like. If you're in the court, you must have met them."
"Well, Prince San is like you said. Prince Jongho of Nature is probably the strongest of us- of the Princes when it comes to physical strength, even though he is the youngest. Prince Wooyoung of the Air is very, very friendly, but you don't want to make him angry. Prince Mingi of the Fire is actually very funny, despite the name. You'd think he'd be hot-headed, but surprisingly he's not. He's actually a scaredy cat, him and Prince Wooyoung- don't tell anyone," he winked and Yena laughed, motioning him to continue.
"Prince Yeosang of the Spirit, he's the most savage. He- you don't want to annoy him. He'll make a sweet face and pass a savage comment that would stay with you."
"I guess he dims your spirit..." Yena muttered and Seokmin shook his head, laughing. "Isn't he the one with the lost sibling?"
"Yes, he's the one," Seokmin looked sad at the mention of it, and Yena wondered why. He looked at her, "He's lively and all, but the people in the 8 kingdoms know that he still searches for his lost sibling. It's like a part of him is missing."
"Yeah, I can't imagine the pain. It's like I can relate, since I don't know if I even have parents. I don't remember them at all, and you'd think it wouldn't matter but some days, I wonder what it would have been like. It makes me very depressed."
"Yeah, I can understand," Seokmin said. "Anyways, Prince Yunho is like Prince Mingi, except he's one lucky bastard- I mean person, and he gets away with anything. He's quite mischievous. Then there's the elder two; Prince Hongjoong of Light, and Prince Seonghwa of Dark. You'd think they'd be opposites, but they're the closest."
"Oh... Opposites do attract, I guess," Yena said, and Seokmin muttered 'something like that'.
"They're very, very powerful. And their kingdoms- you should visit them someday. They live up to their names. But they're very nice, actually. Responsible, Caring. They care for the younger Princes a lot."
"Isn't there any rivalry between the Princes? Like, I don't know. Politics?"
"I told you, they're like family. Nothing can drive them apart."
It was with the confidence he said that a wave of suspicion crossed Yena's heart, but she dismissed it. It was impossible. She was unlucky, but not that unlucky.
Or was she?
Seokmin suddenly realised they were still sitting in the dining hall, even when their food had been finished. He led her upstairs, telling her it was their last night together, and that he was sorry that they had to share a room because of the threat on his head. She assured him it was okay.
This time, they did have two separate beds, so after washing up, they lay in bed, not being able to sleep.
If Seokmin was honest with himself, he felt a connection with her. He couldn't quite put a finger on what it was, but it was like that of a long lost friend. He wanted to tell her about himself, about his true identity. He really wanted to. But he couldn't risk it; not before they were in his home.
The castle.
He heard Yena shift and he cast a glance at her. She was staring at him. "Can't sleep."
"Same," Seokmin admitted, turning to face her, "Tell me something about yourself."
Yena suddenly felt conscious, but she dismissed it as she thought about it. "I don't have many good memories."
"You can tell me the bad ones too, if you want to."
Yena felt the sudden urge to hug him. "Well, I guess there is a good memory. Eun Young, we called her Cheetah, because her favourite animal form was a cheetah. Plus, she really did look like one, just like you look like a fox." Seokmin let out a laugh, covering his face as he did, which Yena thought was cute. "She used to train kids. There was me, there was Eun Byeol who could travel in her dreams- she could visit us in our dreams, make up a whole world in it and play with us, but it always left her drained.
"There was this one time when she decided that us kids- we were 5- we would visualise Antares- we really dreamed of going there one day- and roam around. So it was us, but she involuntarily let Cheetah in too. And Cheetah kept following us, making sure nothing happened, until we had a little fight because she said she was tired but three of us insisted that we go further. I knew all too well how draining it could be, so I was fighting for Eun Byeol, and I threatened to portal them into reality. Cheetah decided to scare us a little. She jumped between us and shifted to human form, giving us each a slap so we'd learn. We woke up crying, but when we did wake up, she hugged us all, and we spent the night laughing."
Seokmin laughed at how she was smiling widely as she recalled the event, "That sounds like a nightmare."
"It was! But it was fun," Yena said, her smile growing sad. "When I disappeared in the dimension, after I came back, everyone got scared. It was because of me always threatening to portal them. I never had the strength to even portal myself back then. But they got scared because they realised I really could do it then. They stopped talking to me all of a sudden."
"It happens," Seokmin said, "When you have too much power, some look at it with wonder while others look at it with envy. Both are scared in the end."
"I guess you are right," Yena sighed. "It scares me too, knowing this isn't it. That there's more, and it's threatening to come out. I'm afraid I won't be able to help it when it does."
"I won't let that happen," Seokmin promised, and she looked at him in surprise. "You have that letter, right? I'll take you there tomorrow, get you inspected. If they say they can't do anything about it, I'll take you to the castle right away. The High Healers must be able to do so."
"You will? I mean, can you?"
"Trust me, I can," Seokmin smirked a little, and Yena made an impressed face.
"I'll have your word on it then. Your turn. Tell me something about you- something you won't have to lie about."
She saw guilt flash in his eyes but then he sighed, saying, "Well, my favourite colour is purple."
Yena snorted, making Seokmin look at her with confusion. "You really like keeping secrets, huh? Come on, give me a happy memory."
"Alright, alright," Seokmin shifted. "When I was a kid, I got lost in the forest with my friend, Woo. We both are from noble families, you could say, so you can imagine how worried everyone got when we didn't return that day. We never paid attention in class so we didn't know how to make fire. But somehow, I succeeded in making it. Woo, he had an affinity for wind. He insisted on blowing on the fire to make it bigger, but it ended up burning a good few metres of forest, right in front of us. That's how our family found us. You can imagine what happened next- much like your story."
Yena was laughing, "He blew on the fire! Didn't he know how to use his power?"
"I guess he never paid attention in that class either," Seokmin laughed.
"Is he still alive?" Yena joked.
"Very," Seokmin muttered, laughing.
The next morning, they got back on the horse, and Seokmin told her it would take half a day to get to the address that Ah Young had given them. It was right at the outskirts of the main city. Throughout the ride, Yena watched in awe as the city grew larger and larger. It was all shades of brown, green and red, and felt quite like the drawings of the planet Earth.
"The people here, in memory of planet Earth, recreated some from their memory," Seokmin told her, and she could see it.
Seokmin pointed at a white building that stood out in the browns and reds. It was the healer's place where Jia must be dwelling.
They got off the horse, and Seokmin took out the apples from their bag, putting them in front of her so she could eat. While the horse ate, Yena looked at the building with her hands on her hips.
"So. We're here."
"We are," Seokmin smiled. "Let's go inside."
Yena knocked, and a few moments later, a young girl opened the door, glancing at them. Yena showed her the letter and the girl said she was Jia's daughter, letting them in. She told them she knew Ah Young when she had lived here a few years ago.
After seating them in the living room, the girl, barely 12 with long flowing black hair, went to call her mother.
Jia came, clad in a white dress, her dark hair framing her beautiful face. Yena bowed in greeting, and Seokmin finally drew his hood off. Yena didn't see the shock on her face, but she heard rustling, and she looked at the mother and daughter bowing as the mother greeted-
She was bowing at Seokmin.
"Your Highness."
—---------------------------
"Your Highness."
Yena looked from the mother and daughter to Seokmin, and then back.
Your Highness?
Seokmin- whoever he was- shrugged at her as he asked them to please rise because this was not a formal meeting. He briefed them about Yena, but Jia insisted that it looked like they had travelled, and she could not let the Prince go without a meal- or at least a cup of tea. He agreed on the latter, thanking her for her hospitality, and she apologised before disappearing into the kitchen.
Yena, who had watched his personality shift as he talked- that aura of power exuding from him, had fallen on the sofa as the whole trip flashed past her eyes.
The roots of Earth. The speed she had never seen in a normal faerie. That power she had felt from him. Everyone bowing-
She supposed anyone would want to hide their identity if they were well-known. It made sense if he was a high-ranking official- but there was nothing about him that screamed Prince when she was with him, except maybe his power.
Or maybe that look he gave when anyone met eyes with him.
Or maybe that time when he talked about the Princes like he personally knew them.
Goodness gracious.
Seokmin- or whoever he was, watched her with amusement in her eyes as she held her head in her hands. She finally looked up, turning to find something to throw at him, but then realising he was a Prince and the way she had been acting, she should have been beheaded a 100 times now.
"So. The cat's out of the bag."
"Your Highness?" Yena scoffed, getting up and pacing, "I knew it. I knew I was unlucky, but this? Wow."
"You think meeting me was unlucky?" Hurt flashed in his eyes, but Yena waved her hand at him
"Not that,” Yena shook her head. “It's not you, please don't think that. It's my luck, how it plays with me. If you were in my shoes, you'd see."
"Oh," he sighed in relief.
"All the signs, I should have made the connection. I think I did, unconsciously, but I dismissed it, thinking it was too unlikely. Me, a nobody from Fomalhaut, meeting a Prince? No way. Which Prince are you again?"
"San," he muttered.
"Prince San? Oh my god," Yena shook her head in disbelief, "No wonder you couldn't tell me who you were. I suppose you've had your reasons, but now that I know, I can't believe it-"
San grabbed her by her shoulders as she turned, her eyes going a bit wide. She took that time to scan him again- those sharp eyes but the warm orbs, the colour of Earth itself. His hair the colour of soil, the freckles on his face, neck. God, she should have known.
"Nothing changes between us just because I'm a Prince, okay? That's why I didn't tell you when I could have. I didn't want you to... fall back. To draw away from me, just because I was a Prince."
Yena looked him in the eyes, realising what he meant. She nodded slowly. "Won't you behead me for not calling you 'Your Highness' every time you come in my sight?"
San paused for a moment before bursting into laughter, realising she was joking. Yena laughed a little too, his hands leaving her to cover his face as he laughed.
"I mean, I can't exactly go on calling you San now, can I?" Yena pouted. "You should have given me a heads-up though. I probably looked like a fish when Jia called you 'Your Highness'."
"You did," he admitted, grinning, and Yena started to slap his arm- but halted mid-air. San made a face and she did hit him then.
"Please- just act like you did before. We princes are not like what you have heard. There's no formality between friends."
"Oh, am I your friend now?" Yena raised her brow.
"Aren't you?" San smiled, and she smiled back, Jia clearing her throat as she set tea on the table- accompanied with cookies, scones and cake. Yena almost cried as she beheld the sweets. She had a crazy sweet tooth.
They sat for tea, Prince San insisting that Jia call her San too while they conversed. Jia hesitated first but with how warm San was, she obliged.
Yena told her everything as briefly as she could, including how Ah Young had come to check her and later recommend her to Jia.
"Ah Young trained me, she must have told you," Jia said, smiling as they nodded. "I had a knack for healing and she told me I would surpass her. Where she finds the root, I find the nature of the ailment or the injury. When we're done, I'll check you."
They made small talk, mostly talking with her daughter April, who told them how she used to watch Prince San ride his horse through the roof of this building. San smiled at her, ruffling her hair, and her eyes shone with pride. Yena felt like she could cry.
After thanking her for her hospitality and the amazing tea, they went to sit in the living room. Jia asked if she wanted to keep sitting or lie down, and she said she was okay with whatever she recommended.
"Can I have a bucket though?" Yena asked suddenly, and Jia looked at her in confusion. "I might throw up."
San's eyes went wide at her revelation. "Should we have had tea after the session then?"
"I'll try to keep it in- I couldn't resist eating first," Yena admitted, making them laugh. April fetched a bucket, placing it near the sofa, next to her legs. Yena told Jia that she was ready, and shut her eyes as Jia placed her hand across her forehead.
Jia let her power stretch like a part of her own mind, like a third hand, as it went in her mind, and she saw it through her magic- a black thread woven with her power of blue colour, going down and down until she reached the pit- where her first memories should have been, except the pit was pitch black. A block to her early memories, that threaded through her magic. Unbelievable.
Jia dared to touch the black thread, and she felt an electric shock, making both of them jerk. She held Yena's hand with her free one, muttering that she was going to try again. She did, the both of them trembling as she examined the black thread- power, raw power that held her magic back, her own magic that was growing the more it was contained.
Yena felt her mind turn to jelly, not feeling the blood run down her nose. San got up abruptly, but Jia said 'NO' with a force that made him sit back. She was the healer- she probably knew what she was doing, but he couldn't help but feel his heart ache at the sight of Yena- blood coating her mouth, April wiping it before it dripped down, Yena's free hand in a very tight fist.
San went to her slowly, putting a hand on her fisted one, letting his power flow to her hand in hopes of easing her pain, and he sighed in relief as she let her fist loose.
Jia now held the thread with her magic and realised she could do nothing against the darkness. Only when she let her power flare in her mind brightly did the black thread fall back- as if scared of that light.
A scream grew in Yena's mouth, and she cried out in absolute pain, tears flowing down her shut eyes. Jia drew back abruptly, gasping. It felt like she had been kicked out, and not by the black power. By Yena herself.
Jia gasped as she opened her eyes, coughing violently. April ran to fetch them water and she drank some, looking at Yena, who was still trembling, her eyes shut.
San let his power flow through her, passing his energy to her, and she finally opened her eyes which were bloodshot now. She took quick breaths, leaning forward as if she was going to throw up. San rubbed her back, holding her hair back, and Yena let April wipe her face as she shivered.
After a few moments, she nodded that she was okay, taking a fresh kerchief and wiping her nose and mouth. She drank a glass of water, finally telling them she felt fine.
"Girl," Jia whistled and Yena laughed a bit, telling her that Ah Young had called her that in the same tone when she had inspected her.
"Your power- it's growing more because it's being contained. It's like the black thread- the block- it's unintentionally speeding it up. It was meant to contain it, but it must have grown weak against your power. Your power- it's bright blue. So it's like this," Jia grabbed a pen and paper and drew a coil. "This is your power, the blue. And this," she drew a third line that weaved with the two, "This is the foreign power."
"Oh," Yena said, "It sure feels like it too."
Jia nodded, drawing a black box at the bottom. "This is how it's covering your memories."
Yena nodded, understanding.
"What manner of power is it exactly?" San asked.
Jia replied, "I've never seen powers like these- both hers, and the foreign power. No normal faerie can possess such power, I'm telling you."
Yena looked at San for help, but he just stared at her. "So the nature of that foreign power?"
"It's dark, it's black, I'd say it reminds me of the Prince of Dark except he can't plant his powers in the mind. His power has a grey to it, but this is just pitch black. But what’s weird is that when I flare my power like a light, the black thread cowered back and Yena's blue pushed me out."
"What does that mean?"
"It means," Jia smiled, "That her power is trying to fight the black thread too. This was defence- her power kicked me out before the black thread could hold me."
San wowed, looking at Yena proudly. Jia smiled at the sight, "The black thread is scared of light. Keep that in mind," She looked pointedly at San, and he nodded, as if an understanding passed between them. Yena didn't bother asking.
"For now, take her to the High Healers. If the ones here can't do anything, try the Libra's, then the Sagittarius'. Take her to Scorpio if you can. If anyone can, it'll be the Healers of the Light."
"We're bound to go there in two months anyway, the Princes," San admitted, "I'll take her to the High Healers here first then. We have time, and we'll try all the High Healers of this continent."
"You better," Jia warned, "before her power decided to fight against the black thread itself. She won't be able to take it if that happens."
Yena frowned. She really wanted to meet the bastard who planted this block in her, and make him suffer slowly-
"Thank you, Jia. You have a place with my High Healers, if you ever wish to join."
"I appreciate the gesture, Prince, but I like it here," Jia said, smiling at her daughter, and he shook hands with her as they said their goodbyes and went out.
It was already evening, the orange sun dimming. The purple sun- the ‘moon’- glowed brighter. Yena sniffed at the air.
"What are you doing?" San asked.
"Altarf- it smells like wet mud. Like Earth. That's what it was!"
San smiled, nodding. "The soil- a staple of Earth. It's a wonder how the geography of this planet resembles that of planet Earth so much."
Yena nodded. They walked to the horse, and San asked if she was okay.
"I am. I felt your power back then- saw it in my mind. It's brown and red."
"It is," San smiled, helping her up the horse. "You saw it?"
"I did, which is strange. I've never seen someone else's. I guess it's a Prince thing?"
San laughed, adjusting the bags, then drawing Yena's hair back, curling it and putting Yena's hood on her head. She looked back in surprise. "It's your turn to hide your identity if you don't want everyone to ask you weird questions tomorrow."
"What about you?"
"It's my home- I don't need to hide here."
Yena shrugged, and San pulled the reins, the mare marching forward. Indeed, it looked like people even recognized the horse as they all bowed whenever San passed them. San just kept greeting them, telling them to rise. From the looks on the faeries' faces, it looked like they adored their Prince.
Especially the girls- who tried their best to get a peek at Yena. She just drew her hood further down her face, feeling San laugh behind her.
Yena didn't bother hiding when she sighted the castle though- it was nothing like the books and the drawings. It was straight out magnificent and huge. Teal windows decorated the castle, the orange hue in the red bricks of the castle contrasting well with it.
The guards were all clad in uniform the colour of the soil- Earth brown. They saluted first and as soon as San saluted back, they bowed before opening the gates, and Yena sucked in her breath as she beheld the beautiful vast gardens with numerous fountains.
"San," she whispered, "It's incredible."
"Thank you," he said, getting off and helping Yena down. A guard ran to them, taking their bags, calling another to help him with the bags. A third one took the horse away.
San told her his father had designed the castle down to the details and the decoration. The colours had been her mother's idea. He sounded like a proud son when he talked about them. Yena knew they would be proud too if they had been alive to see their son- a humble ruler.
They walked to the entrance of the castle, the wide black doors opening, and a young handsome man stood, taller than San, with deep red hair, clad in a different uniform- black. He bowed, muttering 'Your Highness' and when he rose, he ran to San in a flash and held him in a chokehold, San shouting, the guards laughing, and Yena looked at the scene with her mouth hanging open.
"That's for leaving without telling me!" He let go of San, hugging him. San patted his back, muttering an insincere apology. He looked at Yena and then at San in question.
"This is Yena, who has a long story to tell. Yena, this... is Seokmin."
—---------------------------
Yena scoffed. "This is Seokmin!"
Seokmin- the real Seokmin- looked confused for a moment before he slapped San's arm.
"Have you been going around using my name again! I thought you used Seungcheol's!"
"I use yours too, and Mingyu's, and Jeonghan's-"
"You're insufferable," he tsk-ed at her, bowing at Yena. "I am, unfortunately, Prince San's Right Hand man."
Yena grinned, curtsying back. "I am Yena of Fomalhaut."
"Let's share our stories in the dining hall- call Seungcheol and Seungkwan too."
And so, they went to the Prince's personal dining hall where Seungcheol and Seungkwan were already seated, wearing glasses at the tip of their noses as they went through some documents.
"How many times have I told you this is not your study?" San put his hands on his hips as he shook his head.
The pair bowed their heads, saying, "It might as well be. At least we get food while it's hot."
"Good to see you too," San scoffed, sitting at the head of the table and ordering them to clear the table. Seungkwan- the one with the chubby cheeks- muttered that they would have done so without his doting. Seungcheol laughed, showing his gummy smile which Yena thought was adorable.
San motioned Yena to sit at the seat on his left corner and she did, Seokmin taking the seat next to her. San introduced 'Yena of Fomalhaut' and briefed them on his trip and their encounter, how they met, her encounter with the healers and so on.
Yena learned that the pair handled court affairs, and San told her they would take her to the healers whenever she was ready. After a generous meal with a variety of chicken, beef and lamb, San asked Seokmin to show her to her room, telling her he would be busy tonight. 'Princely duties', he called it. Yena thanked him before following Seokmin.
Seokmin gave her the guide to the castle as they went- they were in the Prince's chamber right now which included the personal dining hall, the two studies- one personal and one for Seungcheol and Seungkwan, and two rooms- one for San himself, and the other for Seokmin- who was his personal bodyguard too, though he said San could manage better on his own. He was just there for the sake of it.
Down the hall were the rooms for the Prince's special guests and Yena found to her surprise that she would be in one of them now.
"Shouldn't I be in the normal ones?" Yena asked and Seokmin waved a hand in dismissal.
"You're his friend now, aren't you? We'll spoil you, rest assured," he laughed and opened the door to her room, handing her the key. After making sure she had everything she needed and her bags had already been placed in the room, he bade her goodnight, telling her to expect one of the female court members in the morning who would help her with whatever she needed. Yena wasn't sure she even needed anything, but she thanked him anyway, shutting the door.
The room was quite large, a queen size bed with a canopy accompanied by side tables, a kaleidoscopic pattern on the window which created shadows on the wall as the purple light glowed, a dressing in one corner with a large mirror, a study in the other corner with a lamp.
Yena opened the door to the bathing chamber, pleased to see it had a walk-in closet as well. The chamber itself was the largest bathing chamber she had ever seen, with a huge tub that could easily fit two. Yena decided it was time for a long, warm therapeutic bath.
After washing in the orange-blossom scented toiletries, Yena changed into her nightgown. Drying her hair while looking down from the window at the gardens below, where guards seemed to be changing shifts now, Yena wondered if she was finally where she was meant to be.
A voice in her mind told her that it was just the beginning. It didn't help that she felt nauseous every time she thought about it.
Tomorrow. Everything will change tomorrow. She would be one day closer to knowing just who she was.
—---------------------------
Yena was woken by a knock on the door, and she rubbed her eyes as she heard the door open, a small voice saying, "Miss!"
Yena looked at the girl who entered- she had to be about 3 years older than her. She was very beautiful with long red wavy hair that framed her face, glowing more because of her maroon dress that Yena had seen the ladies of this castle wear. She shut the door, smiling.
"Seokmin told me to find you here. I'm assigned to take care of you. My name is Sana."
"Hi, Sana, I'm Yena," she turned, pulling the blankets over her, "Can I sleep five more minutes?"
"If you want to, though, I must tell you the Prince will be awaiting you at breakfast."
"Oh?" Yena opened an eye, and Sana laughed- she seemed very friendly, which made Yena smile internally too.
"I'll prepare your dress, you can have your five minutes," she said, smiling as she went to check the wardrobe, which Yena had set before she slept last night. Yena decided she would just wake up.
"Are you from Fomalhaut?" Sana asked, and Yena nodded, wondering how she had guessed. "My mother was from Fomalhaut, I was born and raised there for a few years before I came here."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear I have someone who I can talk to about home," Yena smiled at her, asking, "Do you miss home?"
"Well," Sana selected a navy blue gown with silver embroidery, setting it on the bed. "Altarf is my home now. I like it here very much."
"That's nice to hear," Yena nodded, telling her she'd be back. After freshening up, Yena let Sana do her hair; twisting and turning to half-tie her hair, her pointy ears sticking out. She insisted on doing a little makeup on her, just a 'whiff of shimmer and blush' since it was her first official day in the castle and everyone would be looking forward to seeing the new guest. Yena got a bit anxious but Sana assured her that it would just be Prince San's court members and the healers.
She also added a little colour to her lips, a peach shade that made her face look... fresh, for once. Yena thanked Sana for helping her and Sana told her they could go shopping for more clothes whenever she wanted. She told her that the Kingdom of Cancer was known for its fashion, second only to the Kingdom of Scorpio. Yena was impressed, and promised her that they would go as soon as she had the time.
After dressing, Sana accompanied her to the Prince's dining hall, and Yena memorised the directions. The two guards stationed at the entrance of the dining hall opened the wooden doors and Yena let out a gasp as she beheld the sight.
The dining hall was full of colours- she hadn't noticed the dome with the kaleidoscopic pattern last night- it seemed to be a staple of this castle. Shades of blue, teal, orange and purple adorned the hall.
Sana bowed to the Prince and took her leave, and Yena walked to where the Prince and his Right Hand were sitting. Seokmin greeted her with a bow, and Yena curtsied to them both.
"Look at you," San commented, "What a sight."
"Look at you!" Yena countered, and San grinned. He was wearing a red jacket embroidered with gold over a white shirt, his hair shining. Seokmin was grinning and motioned Yena to take a seat, which she did. "This outfit makes you look more like a Prince."
"Don't tell me we are gonna get all formal now," San smirked.
"Oh please. If I ever forget how you snatched my blanket curled like a cat, maybe then-"
"How long are you gonna hold that over me?!" San shook his head, and Yena laughed. Breakfast was brought at the table, a variety of fruits and cookies to go with juices and tea among other things.
Yena filled her plate with the strawberries and chocolate cookies, and filled her glass with what looked like orange juice. She looked at San and Seokmin, who were arguing about which cookies were better, and she cleared her throat.
"Your court, Prince San, seems very informal and friendly," she said.
"That's San for you," he tsk-ed. "Just what stories have you been hearing about us that you still can't believe?"
"Well," Yena put her fork down, beginning to narrate, "Prince San of Earth, who could cleave the ground into two and bury his enemies in it-"
Seokmin snorted, but San looked interested, urging her to carry on. So Yena did, amused at the expressions he was making. "Prince Jongho of Nature, who could strangle you with the very plants you grow, Prince Wooyoung of Air who could suffocate you with the very air you breathe-"
"That's a creative one," Seokmin commented, grinning, and Yena met eyes with him as she continued.
"Prince Mingi of Fire, would of course burn you alive, Prince Yeosang of Spirit who could extract the soul from you while you were alive-"
"No he can't," San said, laughing, and Yena glared at him. "Carry on."
"Prince Seonghwa of Darkness who could make you blind in the daylight, and Prince Hongjoong of Light, who could burn your eyes from the light."
San began applauding and Yena finally laughed. "You have to admit they're creative. I personally really like Prince Seonghwa and Prince Wooyoung's."
"I liked mine- could bury his enemies alive. I should try that sometime," he nodded slowly, a devilish grin spreading on his face as Yena's eyes went wide. He laughed it off. "Well, let's hope war does not come any time in my life. I don't want to make these theories practical."
"Have you ever done something like this?" Yena asked, and he shook his head.
"We have received training such that we would be ready for war if the time comes. Of course, there's peace now, but you never know, and you should always be prepared. Our parents made sure we learned well."
Their parents- all dead now. They had spent all their energies to make this planet habitable, and had passed away one by one, as if they couldn't bear to be apart from each other. They never became kings, but they might as well have been, for their children were Princes.
"It's weird how all of you are Princes, by the way. I would have expected one Princess at least," Yena commented.
"It's hard to bear a child if you're a faerie, as you already know. Harder to have a daughter than a son, which is why daughters are a blessing. Hard to have more than one. And hardest but luckiest if you had twins. The most rare if you had fraternal twins."
By the look on San's face, Yena knew he was thinking about Yeosang and his lost twin sibling. Suddenly curious, Yena asked, "Was Prince Yeosang's twin a boy or a girl? I've never heard about the gender, and people always assume it's a son since it's very rare to have fraternal twins."
"We don't know, actually," San admitted, and Yena looked at Seokmin, who nodded, adding, "Prince Yeosang and his twin were born on Earth, and it looked like someone held a grudge against their family. The twin was kidnapped when they shifted here, which was a few months after their birth. All the faeries of that generation who were powerful enough expended their powers on making this planet habitable, sacrificing their lives for our generation. So the gender of the twin, then known, became a lost secret."
"That's... sad. Who could have held such a grudge?"
"Who knows? Anyways, Yeosang obviously knows, but he didn't tell anyone because he couldn't risk the possibility of an impostor. He says there is something he can use to identify the twin sibling if the twin ever shows up, so we left it at that. Hongjoong and Seonghwa remember the twin, but they're keeping their mouths shut too."
"Why not tell the other Princes? Aren't you like family?"
"With the right power, information can be extracted out of our minds. The less we know, the better."
"But what if the twin comes up as an enemy? And disrupts the peace of this world with some sort of a twisted excuse for revenge?"
"Do you read a lot of stories?" San asked, and Yena bit her lip in guilt. "Your imagination is applaudable."
"I might have, but I have a point, don't I, Seokmin?" Yena asked and Seokmin nodded. "If the twin sibling is alive, anything could happen."
"Then there's the matter of 'if' the twin is alive. Yeosang insists that there is a missing thread to his power that will connect once he joins his magic with his twin. He says if the twin was dead, he would feel it."
Yena thought about the black thread on her own magic, wondering if Prince Yeosang's magic would be something like hers minus the black thread. She had never peeked into her own mind to know what it looked like, but she knew how it felt.
As if a part of her was missing and something had forced their place instead.
—---------------------------
"Cheetah!"
Eun Young- also known as Cheetah, turned at the familiar voice. She looked at the guest in disbelief, scanning him- he had grown since the last time she saw him. "Seoho! What are you doing here!"
Seoho came to greet his friend with a hug and Cheetah ruffled his hair, "How much you've grown! You were just a kid last I saw you!"
"Time does that to you," Seoho smiled. "How's everyone back at your place?"
"Everyone's fine, let me serve you some tea," Cheetah said, and Seoho followed her to the kitchen.
"Your house looks empty, where is everyone? Where's Yena?"
"The kids have gone shopping," Cheetah said, pouring hot water in the cup. "Yena... she's travelling."
"Travelling?" Seoho frowned. "Where to?"
"Altarf," Cheetah said, handing him the tea.
"Wow," Seoho said, a bit disappointed, "I looked forward to meeting her. She always wanted to travel outside Fomalhaut. What made her finally leave?"
"She did, yes, but this time it's more like she had to," Cheetah sighed, "Poor kid. She has some sort of a block in her mind. It's keeping her from doing magic properly. It might be why she can't remember anything from her childhood. I suggested she go to Altarf first- I heard the healers there are good."
Seoho felt like a bucket of cold had washed over him, "That's... sad. Did she... remember anything from her past then?"
"Nothing, so far," Cheetah said, "It'll take a while for that to happen."
"Poor Yena," Seoho shook his head, "If I had known, I could have helped her. I live in Hamal now, you know. The healers there are also very good."
"Oh, really? Good for you," Cheetah smiled, "I guess Yena will come back as a new person now, don't you think?"
"Probably, yes," Seoho said, sipping from his cup.
Altarf. Prince San's Kingdom.
Seoho did not hear what Cheetah said next. He was too lost in his thoughts.
—---------------------------
After breakfast, San told her he would first take her to the healers before he got busy again, so she could come and go to the healers whenever she pleased, as he had some affairs to look after, which meant he won't be seeing her everyday now.
He introduced her to Minghao- a tall man with red long hair and narrow eyes, and Mingyu- an even taller man with black hair, who were Captain and Vice Captain of the guards respectively. Minghao would be with San as his personal bodyguard, and Mingyu would accompany Yena.
Yena insisted that she didn't need a bodyguard for herself, but San insisted that he would be a guide too, which was a necessity. Yena pouted, making Mingyu smile, and finally agreed when San bribed her with a promised tour of the finest bakery in Altarf whenever he was free.
"Mingyu, take her to the High Healers, and send my greetings to Jihyo," San turned to Yena and continued, "Lady Jihyo is the Head Healer there. Everyone, including Sana, are healers among their other jobs. You'll be in the best hands."
"Thank you," Yena bowed in thanks, and San bowed back as he waved bye and went with Minghao. "So," Yena turned to Mingyu, "Shall we?"
Mingyu nodded, making her memorise the way as they went in case Mingyu was ever absent, which, he assured her, would not happen. Yena promised him that she would try just because it sounded like a challenge, and Mingyu bet 5 gold coins on it.
They went to a separate chamber, meant entirely for healers and scholars, and Mingyu asked the guard to announce their arrival. The guard opened the doors, and they entered, Yena momentarily blinded by all the white and gold in the hall.
After blinking twice, her eyes adjusted, and she saw some women, spotting Sana as well, who were sitting in a circle with thick books and scrolls lying around them, absorbed in whatever they were studying. A woman with a brilliant shade of light pink and round eyes approached with a wide smile, greeting Mingyu first and then curtsying at Yena who curtsied back.
"I'm Head Healer Jihyo," she introduced herself, pointing to the ladies in the back, "Those busy bodies are all my disciples. Come on, let's have tea while we talk."
"Yena, tell the guard when you're free and he'll fetch me," Mingyu said, bowing to Jihyo for leave.
"Won't you stay for tea?" Jihyo asked, and Mingyu shook his head.
"Some other time. I have to meet Jihoon and Wonwoo. See you later," he said, dashing off before he could be stopped again, and Jihyo just laughed.
"Those are his friends, in the scholar department right next to ours. He always makes time to meet them whenever he comes here with someone else," Jihyo took her to the girls, clapping once to get their attention. Sana introduced Yena and she greeted them.
They made her sit with them while Mina, a shy girl with blonde hair, went to get tea. They had been researching mind magic and blocks, the little they had heard from Prince San through a letter. They told her there wasn't much about the magic of mind blocks, to Yena's and everyone else's disappointment.
As soon as Mina came back, they all sat, introducing themselves. There was Nayeon, Momo, Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu and Dahyun. Yena realised that only Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were around her age. Upon asking, she told them she didn't remember her birth month, and so she launched into her story, explaining the nature of her magic first, then what she had learned from the two healers in Altarf.
They asked her questions to get a clearer view of the situation, and Yena didn't hold back or hide anything as she answered. She was more surprised than them that even they had never heard of anyone with such magic as her and the one that hindered her powers.
"The last I heard of such magic," Jihyo said, "Was something like that of General Kang's. He had the magic of the spirit, passed to Prince Yeosang, and the magic of manipulating time, probably passed to the lost twin. Your dimension magic is the closest thing I've heard since. I'm sure there are others with similar magic, but I haven't heard of it yet."
"And the last I heard of mind manipulating magic was General Lee," Nayeon looked and sounded grave.
"General Lee? As in the one who didn't make it?" Yena asked, and she nodded.
"His magic," Jeongyeon began, "was that of illusions. So what we heard about the one in your mind must be something similar to it."
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Dahyun muttered, biting her lip. No one said anything for a few seconds as they stared at Yena, thinking, while she squirmed.
Sana threw her hands in the air as she came to sit with her, rubbing her shoulders. "Relax. We'll take it slow, and figure it out soon."
Yena muttered thanks, but she had to admit she felt nervous. Jihyo asked her if she was ready, and she nodded, lying down on one of the beds. Mina sat near her, holding her hand, explaining she possessed soothing magic, which would help dim the nausea and the side effects of Jihyo entering her mind.
Yena closed her eyes, and felt something warm enter her mind- it felt like an embrace. Jihyo had a hand on her forehead, her eyes shut as she let her magic in.
Once she entered her mind, she saw what she had pictured when Yena had told her about Jia's inspection- two blue coils with a black one woven through them, filling the core. Jihyo experimented touching the blue threads first. They responded well- and the surge of power she felt from them almost made her draw back. A gasp escaped her though.
She took a deep breath, daring to touch the black thread next, and it recoiled first before attacking her magic, almost suffocating her, and Jihyo gasped again, this time almost a scream as she opened her eyes and gagged.
Tzuyu immediately went to her, putting a hand on her heart as she willed her healing magic to calm her down. Yena, who didn't have much side effects this time thanks to Mina, wiped her sweat as she helped her sit.
Jihyo sat down finally, feeling better. She explained what had happened, and said now that she knew what she was up against, she would have to do a little research and practice on how to defend and attack it before she tried anything.
They all spent an hour showing Yena what they had discovered in the books, and she went through them to see if anything would rock her memories, but to no avail.
"I do have an idea," Chaeyoung said, "Why don't we start with the core?"
"Won't that be too risky?" Momo asked, but the others were considering.
"You know how they say to take out the root first. If we can succeed in recovering her memories, we would be left with the thread around her power only, which we might not be able to unravel anyway."
Yena looked disappointed to hear that, but then Sana said, "We could start there, yes. We can work on the thread later. Let's start with the core."
The rest agreed, and Sana asked the guard to call Mingyu. She was free to go now. After thanking them, she left with Mingyu, who told her he had been in the library.
"Can you please take me to the library? I don't want to be bored in my room," Yena insisted, and Mingyu agreed, taking her back to where he had come from. She met Wonwoo- black hair and glasses, and Jihoon, her height, with a friendly smile.
"If this giant bothers you, you're free to complain to the Prince," Wonwoo said, making Yena laugh as Mingyu held him in a chokehold.
Yena explored the endless shelves and picked some books on the history of faeries, more on the history of magic, expecting the books here to tell a different story than the ones she had read back in Fomalhaut.
And indeed, she was right. As she lay in her bed with various books sprawled across the bed, she absorbed whatever information she could, trying to make sense of everything.
A knock on the door alerted her, and she straightened a bit, but when she saw that it was San, she relaxed.
"I heard you skipped lunch AND dinner, so I brought you something," he said, motioning to someone outside. It was Seokmin, saying that San abused his power by making him carry food trays, but San only dismissed him with a wave, saying he never objected.
Yena apologised and thanked for the trouble, glad to see roast chicken. Her stomach was rumbling.
Seokmin took leave, shutting the door and San asked her about her day, and the mess after she had eaten- rather quickly. She was a fast eater, and did not like talking while she ate.
"Same old thing, but now the healers know what to expect. They said they were going to work on getting my memories back first, which could help isolate the thread so they could work on it later."
"That makes sense," San said, as he arranged the books, looking at their covers.
"Mingyu took me to the library and I got my hands on these. The history your books tell is different from what mine told."
"You can expect that," San sighed. "Much of it is made up, and if you go through all such books in each kingdom, you'll find hundreds of variations of one event. Don't trust them too much."
"I read about the Darklings," Yena said, "I've only heard stories about them. The books say they are fae, in a sense?"
"They are," San nodded. "But the powers they use are of a dark nature. Where our powers derive from the elements of this universe, some use it for good and some use it for bad. The ones who used it for bad, their powers started... rotting, in a sense, making their power itself and their nature inherently evil."
"Yeah," Yena sighed. "And it said that one of the reasons us faeries left Earth is because of the darklings?"
"Earth is meant for humans, if I have to say," San said, "Look at us. We're doing fine here too, aren't we? Humans can't survive elsewhere. Two decades ago, faeries and darklings dwelled on Earth, and humans would get caught up in our feuds. So we came upon a treaty- to leave Earth, and dwell on different planets. Simple."
"And wise," Yena added. "So they have a planet of their own now too, huh, where they live... peacefully?"
"Probably," San said, shifting in his chair. "Unless someone thinks war is a nice idea."
"I also read about the power of elements. What I did find interesting was General Lee and his powers. Jihyo said they were similar to the block in my mind."
"Well, General Lee had passed away before you were born, and his son had died a few months after his birth, so no one else inherited his power. How such magic exists without General Lee's bloodline escapes me."
"Unless," Yena said cautiously, "the son did not die."
San stared at her for a few seconds. "That's impossible."
"Are you sure? Is there anyone alive who can confirm that it was indeed General Lee's son who had died?"
"There is not, and we do not need anyone to confirm it. Our parents did. Everyone knows it. You should stop thinking so much, Yena."
Yena only shook her head. "It's as similar as you not knowing much about Prince Yeosang's twin. You have to admit, things could turn out to be something you could never expect."
"I know that you're different, Yena, but it makes no sense. Let's suppose you do have these dimensional powers, you had powerful parents who hid their magic from the other faeries, probably. Who would cast a block on your mind, and why?" San shifted. "Someone who knew you, possibly knew your parents, and knew what you'd be capable of."
Yena was speechless. She had never looked at things from this point of view. "That means..."
"That means that there is a possibility that the two things you are looking for are one."
Could one of her parents have planted this block on her mind and abandoned her for some reason? It wasn't impossible.
San didn't miss the hurt that crossed her face when she thought of the possibility, and he drew closer, rubbing her back to comfort her. "The truth, the memories that you get back might be very painful, Yena. I'd suggest you leave it as it is, but now we know that you can't, because your powers could hurt you. So stay strong, and brace yourself. It's going to be painful, but you have people to lean on now."
Yena smiled at his words. "The Prince of Earth is a very warm person indeed."
San laughed, patting her head. "The Prince of Earth can't help it."
Yena took a deep breath, facing San. "You're right. It's a road I must go on now. It'll help knowing I have you... that I can lean on you now. Thank you for that."
"Having said that, I think you should get some physical training as well. Mingyu will do that for you. You should be able to defend yourself properly. If someone wants your powers and memory to be hidden, they won't like it when they hear about your progress. You might be in danger."
"You have a point," Yena admitted, "I'll do that. All of this is suddenly reminding me of Cheetah."
"How so?" San asked.
"She was very strict with our daily lessons," Yena explained, smiling, "She never let us skip- and when we would get tired and drained, she'd give us sweets- or anything we liked."
"She sounds like a nice person."
"She is," Yena nodded, "She helped everyone with their magic. She really is a great person."
"As for your magic," San smirked, "I'll see to it personally."
"What in the worlds are you thinking?" Yena narrowed her eyes, and his smirk grew wider.
"Oh, I have plans for you."
—---------------------------
Yena soon learnt what San had meant when he had said that he would personally be overseeing her magical training- he woke her up an hour before dawn, and Yena yelled at him to let her be, throwing a pillow at him which he caught.
"I won't be in the main city for the next two days, so I want to give you some basic training before I go."
"Can't it wait?" Yena groaned, burying her face in the pillow. San laughed, threatening to snatch her blanket from her and threatening that if she wasn't out in 5 minutes he would do something worse than that.
Yena willed herself to get up and washed her face, almost crying out of frustration- she had spent quite some time last night reading, which didn't help the situation.
After donning a cloak over her clothes, she stepped out of her room where San was pacing. He stopped when he saw her and laughed at the sight of her- hair a mess and dark circles under her sleepy eyes. Yena was tempted to make a rude gesture, but stopped only because she was too tired to think of the consequences if someone else saw her.
San took her to the gardens, keeping an arm on her back to stop her from falling asleep while walking because it certainly looked like she was going to pass out. After walking a few minutes, they reached his private gardens which were much like the others except with a variety of flowers arranged in different patterns lining the boundary, and a big tree in the middle with wooden benches underneath.
"You can wreck these gardens however you like," San put his hands in his pockets, "They will return to their normal state when we leave."
"That's handy," Yena commented and gladly took the water bottle from him which he had been carrying, drinking a few sips before waiting for his instructions.
"I'm gonna sit back first and watch you open a portal and exit it. Then I'm gonna go with you."
"Alright," Yena said, deciding the sooner she was done with it, the more sleep she would get when she went back. So she did as he asked; opened a portal and exited it a few steps away.
San watched carefully this time- he hadn't had the opportunity to notice much when they had been in the middle of that attack earlier. He watched her use her hands to guide herself as she cleaved open the dimension, and stepped in it, exiting a moment later.
Her magic- it was the same colour as Yeosang's, a bright blue that almost looked white. He supposed every magic wielder with abilities similar to Yena or Yeosang had that colour, much like how the other fairies with minor Earth magic also had the same coloured magic as San's- brown and red.
San went to her and she opened another portal, taking his hand as she guided them inside the void- it was utterly dark there, and exiting a few steps ahead. San felt a tingling sensation all over his body and he slightly shivered.
"You need to have the best control of your current magic if you want to survive when your contained magic is finally let loose."
"Now how do I do that?" Yena asked.
San took a few seconds thinking, then answered, "First, the hand motions need to go. You should be able to open a portal with just a thought."
"Isn't that impossible-"
"It isn't. I used to have to touch some part of the Earth to perform magic. Now I just have to think," San told her.
"But," Yena began, "You're a Prince. You have more magic than any of us-"
"Trust me, the amount of magic I saw in you was enough that you could easily be one too," San said, and Yena did a double-take.
"Really?"
"Yes. The problem is, it's too wild. And it might not be this much- it could only be because of the block, and there's a possibility that once the block disappears, your magic causes an outburst and then shrinks back to its original quantity. But right now, you have to master the current good amount you have."
"Oh," Yena nodded. It made sense. "What next?"
"Next," San said, "You should be able to use portals without getting tired so quickly. It's because you summon too much energy when you open it- you don't need it. You should stop being scared of your power, Yena."
There it was. The reason Yena was always bad at this- the reason she was only able to use her power a few times.
She was afraid.
"It's not gonna change in one day, you know," Yena said. San nodded.
"I know, which is why you're gonna come here every morning, whether I'm here or not, and work on it. I'll guide you whenever I can."
Yena agreed, and San shared some tips with her about how she could use her powers without having to use her hands. The trick, he said, was to imagine using the hands. Or visualise phantom hands.
Yena tried for about 40 minutes, but she gave up, sighing in defeat. San told her it was okay, and that she had done well. After escorting her back to her room, San told her to be careful.
"Don't overdo it, and do not hurt yourself. Knowing your limit is also a part of controlling your magic better."
"Can I ask you something?" Yena said, turning when they were inside her room. San nodded, and she continued "Why help me at all? You could have just handed me over to Jia, or maybe just brought me here then left me to figure things out on my own. Why help me at all?"
San stared at her for a few seconds, thinking of how to word it. Yena raised her brows
"Your power, Yena. It spoke to me in a way that seems too familiar, and I don't know why. I felt it that day we first met. It's like my power recognized you."
"That... makes no sense."
"Think about it," San said, "If my power recognised you, it means you and I must have crossed paths some time in our life."
"Oh," Yena wondered about the possibilities. "Can I say your memory sucks then? At least I have the excuse of not having my earlier memories. I've been living in Fomalhaut since I remember. And you've never been to Fomalhaut, have you?"
"No," San said, stepping closer, a grave look in his eyes, "That means... you might not be from Fomalhaut at all."
Yena sighed. "I wish there was a shortcut to all this. I wish my memories would just come back, because it feels like my whole life is going to change once it happens." Yena groaned in defeat, and San patted her shoulder, telling her to stay patient. Yena pouted and he kissed her head, making her flush in surprise.
"I have to go now. Take care of yourself while I'm gone, will you?" He said, and when he was about to exit, he turned. "Also, there's another simple reason I'm helping you. It's because you're my friend, Yena."
"You softie," Yena laughed, and San left with a smile on his face.
—---------------------------
After catching up on her sleep, Yena asked Sana if she was free and if they were up for the offer she had given her earlier- to go shopping. Sana agreed, and they wore their cloaks, Yena making sure she carried enough money in her pouch.
Yena had to admit that she was excited to explore more of the main city- she had loved whatever she had seen of it that time when San and her had arrived in the city after meeting Jia. She really wanted to walk in the streets, explore the markets, feel what it was like to be a citizen of Altarf.
They took a carriage from the castle, Mingyu accompanying them despite them insisting he didn't need to, saying he didn't want Prince San to 'eat his head off' if he learned that the two ladies went outside without the bodyguard assigned to them. So they caved in on the condition that he would try to be more of a friend than a shadow of a bodyguard looming over their heads.
And he did; Mingyu was rather friendly and funny. Upon asking, he told them he had always lived in Altarf, in the main city itself, and his father was still one of the scholars in the castle. His mother worked in the kitchen, and he told them they loved their jobs very much so he practically grew up in the castle and used to play with the Prince when he was little.
It was almost dawn when they arrived at the entrance to the main market of the city, and the people had begun to light up the lanterns. Yena picked up her cloak as she jumped from the carriage, looking around in wonder.
Faeries with wings were in the air, lighting the lanterns on long poles. Yena sometimes wished she had wings too- they looked beautiful apart from the obvious convenience it provided. The voices of the shopkeepers advertising their products were mingled with the instrumentals playing- it sounded like it was near.
"There's a band that plays everyday from dawn till midnight," Mingyu said, noticing how her attention was on the music, "I can take you there after you're done shopping."
"Oh yes, and there are food stalls nearby, you must try the local delicacies!" Sana grinned, motioning at them to follow her. They occasionally stopped to buy something along the way- a satchel for Yena, a weapons belt for Mingyu, and perfume for Sana.
Yena was reminded of home, not because the aesthetics of the market reminded her of the market back in Fomalhaut, but it was the feeling of itself- being with people she could call her friends, and just admiring the stuff and shopping. It had been years since she'd roamed around without a worry and the fact that nobody knew her made it better.
About an hour and a half later, they went to the food section. Yena grabbed a table and Sana and Mingyu went to buy a variety of different foods, saying they would eat together so she could taste everything. Meanwhile, Yena enjoyed watching the band play a variety of instruments, their magic making everything more melodious and made the music reach everyone's ear, whether they were near or far.
While Yena was swaying lightly with her hands on the table, she felt a shadow loom over her. Thinking it was Mingyu, she turned, and gasped in surprise.
It was Seoho, from the orphanage in Fomalhaut where she had lived before leaving with Eun Young. And this was a big coincidence.
"...Seoho?" Yena got up and he smiled a little, patting her shoulder as a greeting. He had always been kind to her- even when she had left, he had visited often. They were not very close but she could call him a good friend.
"How have you been, Yena?" He asked, scanning her.
"I've been well, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was running an errand for my boss. What brings you to the continent? I don't remember you ever talking about Altarf." Seoho peeked behind her, taking in his surroundings. She seemed to be alone for now.
"Just travelling, a break from home," Yena said, not feeling the need to tell him the real reason. "Are you still not gonna tell me who this boss is?"
Seoho laughed, shaking his head, "You've always been so curious. One day, Yena. One day."
"Not fair," Yena pouted. "I was here with my friends- do you wanna join? We were just going to have dinner."
"Ah, I wish I could, but I have to get going. My own companion expects me back any second now. See you again? If we're lucky," he smiled, not waiting to hear her reply, and brought his hand up to flick her forehead, but Yena dodged, laughing when she saw the gloomy expression on his face.
"Finally! You missed!" Yena did a little dance, and Seoho laughed, embarrassed, and then he waved and ran away.
It had been their thing- he always flicked her forehead whenever they met, and Yena always tried to dodge, but failed. This time, she had a short-lived victory.
"Bye!" Yena called and he turned to wave again as he disappeared in the crowd. Mingyu appeared from behind her with two trays full of food. He spotted a mahogany head that Yena was looking at.
"That looked like Jinki..." he wondered out loud, looking at Yena.
"Oh, that was Seoho, a friend from Fomalhaut," Yena grabbed one tray, setting it on the table.
"Really? He looked a lot like someone I know- here comes Sana," Mingyu made space for her two trays of food, which included a good amount of desserts too.
"It was so hard to choose what to skip!" Sana laughed in defeat, huffing as she took a seat. "I just got what looked better."
"That's a lot already, I hope you two have a big appetite," Yena's pained expressions made them laugh, and they dug in, savouring each bite.
Sana stopped mid-air, looking behind her. "Am I the only one who felt something dark creep up on me?"
Mingyu stared at her, shrugging. Yena shook her head too. Sana shrugged, pushing it aside as she dug in. She couldn't help but feel a familiar remnant of power around her.
genre: fantasy au, soulmate au, fluff, angst, suggestive
synopsis: 8 Faerie Princes rule over the planet Mirinae, their lives disrupted when Prince Seonghwa of Dark starts dreaming of getting killed by Prince Hongjoong of Light, saved by an oddly familiar face, who he believes to be the lost Kang twin. Meanwhile, Yena finds herself on a journey across continents in hopes of getting her memories back and finding the true extent of her powers, encountering Prince San on the way and finding friends and love along the journey, a love that survives the darkest of powers and multiple timelines.
series lore
I own this map btw. The Kingdoms in red are basically Ateez members’ star signs. Since Seonghwa and Yunho both are Aries, they share the kingdom. Hamal and Sheratan are one of the stars in the Aries constellation, so they’re like states. As for Castor and Pollux- Gemini is the star of twins, so it is divided into two as well. So basically, star sign = kingdom, stars in their constellation = states/cities, birthstones = their designated seas. River Noor- Noor means light, and that Kingdom belongs to the Prince of Light. River Al Ard- River of Earth. It runs through the Kingdom of Earth, Nature and Air. This was the planet Mirinae (Mirinae is Korean for the Milky Way, don’t judge me) designed by me.
choi san is one of the best figure skaters in korea and is often referred to as a prodigy because of his skill. however, at the age of twenty, a skating accident left him to retire from the sport early. the news shook the entire figure skating world and you remember how shocked you were to hear the news. you had always admired san for not only his skill but with also how graceful and handsome he was when in the rink.
six years after his retirement, you are becoming one of the best skaters in your country but without a proper and stable coach no one was taking you seriously. so you decide what any sane person does and you go to korea to hunt down san and beg him to be your coach. reluctantly he agrees, but it isn't without work. san is brutal with his training and telling you to quit at every second, but you don't and you continue to push both yourself and him to the edge.
the long training nights are painful, but eventually you and san grow closer and closer. and you hope that maybe through all this, san can find his passion for the sport he had to give up all those years ago.
⇄ ◀ 𓊕 ▶ ↻ playing "castle" by halsey ▶︎•၊၊||၊|။|||| | 𝄞 ♪
“I may have been born to wear a crown, but I was never truly royal until I loved you.”
← chapter's masterlist ૮ • ﻌ - ა next chapter →
ateez masterlist ✶⋆.˚
➳ genre : royalty au, romance
➳ word count : 2.2k
➳ pairing : prince! yunho x princess! reader
• author's note : well haii guys :3 this is the first part that y'all are waiting for! enjoy and let me know if there is something you would like in the future parts! and yeah sorry these are really small parts but I'll try to post tomorrow for the second chapter lol
The palace gardens were a sea of golden light, the sun casting its last soft rays over the cobbled paths and endless rows of blooming roses. You were only a child then, your hand small and trembling slightly as you followed your mother through the maze of courtiers and foreign dignitaries gathered for the annual Royal Summit.
You hated these events. the endless smiles, the careful words. You only wished to hide in the library or race your horse across the meadows.
But today was different.
Today, you would meet him.
You didn't notice him at first. tall for his age, with unruly brown hair and a stubborn glint in his eyes. He stood beside the King and Queen of Edenora, polite but visibly bored, his gaze wandering until it landed on you.
And stayed.
He watched you curiously, like you were something he had never seen before something... precious.
His name was Jeong Yunho. Crown Prince of Edenora. And one day, you would be his.
Not that you knew it yet.
You tugged at the stiff sleeves of your gown, uncomfortable. Your mother gave you a subtle nudge, whispering, "Smile, darling. They're important."
You obeyed, plastering on your best courtly smile. the one you'd practiced a hundred times before the mirror.
But Yunho surprised you. He didn't bow stiffly like the others.
Instead, he stepped forward, hesitated, and offered you something small in his hand.
A silver hairpin. Shaped like a tiny crescent moon.
"I thought it would suit you," he said shyly, cheeks tinting red.
You stared at it, at him, then back at the gift. No one had ever given you something just because they thought you would like it. Especially not a boy. Especially not a prince.
Without thinking, you took it.
"Thank you," you whispered.
Yunho beamed at you, a smile so bright it chased away the heavy air of the palace, just for a moment.
A ripple of laughter and murmured approval spread through the gathering.
Your parents smiled. His parents smiled.
A seed was planted that day.
Later that evening, you overheard your parents talking in hushed voices behind a thick door.
"They're a good match," your father said. "If we formalize the arrangement now, it secures peace for generations."
"She's too young to understand," your mother fretted.
"She'll grow to love him."
You pressed your back against the door, heart hammering.
Love him? You barely knew him.
It felt like your future had been snatched from your hands before you even knew how to hold it.
[Yunho's POV]
He watched you from the balcony as you slipped away from the celebration, your silver hairpin catching the last rays of the sun.
He clutched the matching pin he had kept for himself. a simple, foolish thing. A secret pair.
"One day," he whispered to the night, "I'll wait for her. Until she wants me, not because she must... but because she chooses me."
At ten years old, Yunho made a vow no one heard.
A vow he would keep, even if it broke him.
Years passed.
The memory faded for you. tucked away under lessons, responsibilities, and new suitors.
But for Yunho, it stayed sharp as a blade.
Each year, he sent small gifts through official envoys. A book of poetry. A rare flower. A fine cloak.
Always unsigned, always discreet.
You never knew they came from him.
And he never told you.
He waited.
He waited while you grew, while you fought against the life chosen for you, while you dreamed of love stories where you chose your own ending.
Yunho waited with a patient, aching hope that maybe, just maybe, when you looked at him one day, you would see not the prince you were forced to marry... but the boy who once gave you a silver moon.
〰️ summary; finding a yeouiju in the forest brings terrors unlike you've ever seen– in the shape of a water god
〰️ warnings under cut
content; use of explicit language, mythology (not completely accurate), smut, mate mentions, injuries, Blood, Strong Language, cursing, dehydration, anxiety, age gap, double penetration, marking
-
You brush off your sleeve, glaring at the tree that prickled the fabric. You stretch your shirt slightly, seeing the small, dime-sized hole it left. Your friend insisted that this material was high quality, the best of the best. But from that small hole from a branch, you wonder if he only thought this because he saw it in one of those buy-it-or-you’ll-lose-the-discount commercials. You roll your eyes, giving the branch another pointed look before continuing your climb.
You love the outdoors. The soft breeze that flows through the air, the sounds of the animals and insects speaking to one another. Sometimes you'd see a deer dash through the thick brush, too quick for you to admire its beauty. The fresh air that you adore; better than the city, filled with noises of angry people and an odd odor that never seemed to fade. You breathe in and out slowly, sweat coating your forehead.
Your former coworkers always wondered why you loved being in the mountains by yourself, instead of in the office with everyone else, slaving over a desktop and complaining about the cheap coffee. But what can you say? Maybe listening to them whine about the broken air-conditioner for what had to be the hundredth time finally struck a nerve. And who wouldn't want to be outdoors? The sounds of nature are all you listened to. And nothing could be better than that.
After about an hour of hiking, you spot a coursing river. You raise a brow. A river? This high? You stumble along the rocks and sit by its side, watching as the clear water flows over the rocks and misses easily, disappearing down the steel tilt of the mountain. You reach down, letting the clear water roll along your skin, a small dent in the ever flowing current.
It feels almost oddly lukewarm, a bit like a hot spring. It's strange. You glance up, the sun beaming down on your surroundings. Could it be that? Your eyes move over to the opposite side of the river, a glowing light catching your eye.
You glance at the river, large rocks making a strangely perfect path across the water. You debate in your head whether to ignore the shiny object in the distance, or take the risk to cross the water. It doesn't even look too deep if you slipped. You bite your lip, before deciding. You toss your bag over your shoulder tightly before taking the first step on to the rocks. Your hiking boots aren't cheap, but they're made for tougher terrain so you assume that they would work easily on this surface.
You slowly cross, making sure you're fully stable before moving on to the next one. It's a lengthy process, hands trembling as you finally toss yourself into the small pile of leaves on the bank of the river, cushioning your fall. After taking a few seconds to breathe, you dust off your clothes and look at the object you couldn't help but feel drawn to. You crouch town, pushing the grass away.
It looks almost like a large pearl, a bit dusty and covered in grime. But as you wipe it away with your fingers, the shine peaks through, its outer layer egg white. You pick it up, surprised at how lightweight it is. It has to be less than two pounds, but with its size you'd assume it would be much heavier. Nothing scratched your interest on what it is, and the only person that comes to mind is your old office buddy.
Wooyoung. Wooyoung would know what this is.
You opened your bag, lightly pushing it between your belongings before standing up. The sun's beginning to set, and you'd rather not be out here, not when you're not the best hiker. You glance at the spot once more, before walking back the way you came.
-
You walk through your door, tossing your bag into the mud room and kicking your shoes off. You send little kisses to your fish before walking into the kitchen, pouring water into the pot and placing it on the stove.
"Oh shit the Pearl," You run back, looking through your bag and seeing it shine at you. You wash it off in the kitchen, then place it next to the window by your door. It glows softly in the low sunlight. You stare at it for a bit, before dialing your person.
He picks up after only one ring.
"It's almost 6pm so it's not late enough for a booty call," is the first thing he says. He's sitting in his office, knickknacks piled on shelves behind him.
Jung Wooyoung. The bravest man alive, at least in your book. When you were an intern at your editing company, he was one of your superiors. Compared to everyone else he was much more mellow, not caring much about deadlines and always encouraging the people underneath him to take their time with assignments. It didn't bring much favor to him whenever all the departments had meetings, but he always had excellent reviews from the authors. And that made the management hate Wooyoung just as much as they loved him.
Once you were transferred to Wooyoung's department, a soft hello and a tasty coffee made you both best friends. You were inseparable; assignments were given to you and he always stayed by your side to joke about his team or to laugh at the typos some authors did. Every moment spent with him was amazing, and if you were honest with yourself, you did have a little crush on him. At least until he told you that he didn't really imagine himself with someone. That he loved artifacts and stories more than people. It’s more of a fondness now than anything else.
But that day. The day that Jung Wooyoung poured coffee on your department manager. The day that Jung Wooyoung leaped out of your office, high speed and was followed by what had to be dozens of security guards. The day that Jung Wooyoung decided to quit editing and to be a historian, searching for artifacts and educating people when necessary.
And damn he is good at it. You know how smart he is, but never in your life did you think he'd open his own shop in the city and be one of your wealthiest friends within a span of years. Him leaving your office is probably the reason why you wanted to work at home. He's bold enough to go for his dreams, and you felt that too.
"I'm not calling you for a booty call, idiot," You snort, and he laughs. "What's up? How's it going?"
"Ah, you know the usual. Rich men walking in with their trophy wives and wanting to buy one of my babies for way less than it's valued. And then the wives pout and he puts out some extra cash to buy it," he frowns as he looks at his papers. "Did I tell you how much I hate millionaires? All they do is take money and sleep with it."
"Aren't you a millionaire?" You say through a soft smile.
He nods. "My point exactly."
He grabs something off the shelf behind him, before showing it to you. "Hyung came into my shop the other day and said he found this letter from the twelfth century. It's a love letter," Wooyoung traces the words delicately. "It's a bit cheesy, I think you'd like it."
"Yunho really came into your shop to give you a letter? How much did you give him for it?"
Wooyoung sighs. "Nothing. All he wanted was a date."
"That's cute," You laugh, and Wooyoung rolls his eyes.
"It would be, if I didn't say yes."
You blink. Yes? He said yes? You try to keep your face as straight as possible, his eyes moving to the camera. You don't notice the longing in them, they want to hear you protest and say that no, you don't think that going on that date is okay. But all you do is smile, and nod.
"I think you deserve a date, Woo. You've been cooped up in that shop for so long, time to explore the outside world," You move your face closer to the screen. "And from what I can see, you probably haven't showered in days."
"Ah, you're not my Mom," He sighs. "Why did you want to call me anyway? Just to make fun of me?"
You bring your phone with you, flipping the camera to the back one. Your stone sits in the same spot, no longer glowing like before. Wooyoung leans closer to the screen as you align the camera.
"I was hiking and found this thing in the underbrush. I wiped it off a bit 'cause it was dirty but I have no clue what it is?" You say the last bit as a question.
Wooyoung stares at it, his head cocked to the side slightly. He pouts a bit, and you hold back your aww's, knowing he loves being called cute a bit too much. He'd probably go on about it for a week.
"Is it heavy?"
"Nope," You reply. "Can't be more than a few pounds, give or take."
"What kind of color is it? I know it's white, but is it more pink-white or a yellow-white?"
You move the camera out of the way, squinting your eyes at it. "Probably more yellow-white? A bit darker than an egg."
"I can't really tell from this camera to be honest. It can't be a pearl, because it's too big. Almost like the size of a fist. And it isn't heavy either. Would you mind if I came over to your house tomorrow? I'll probably see it better that way."
You flip the camera back to your face. "Will I ever say no to a visit from my favorite person in this universe?" You say, "And I can finally give you your nasty underwear that's been here for way too long. I'm tired of staring at them in my drawer."
"Are they... in your underwear drawer?"
You glare at the screen. "How old are you again, dirty old man? I'm hanging up, see you at twelve!"
He opens his mouth but you've already ended the call, tossing your phone on the counter. You wince as it slides all the way off, the loud drop echoing around your small home. You glance over to make sure it's safe, before walking around it, throwing yourself dramatically on the couch and letting out a sigh.
Your eyes travel back to the strange orb-like thing, sitting next to the window. Whatever it is, you know it's only a reason to not work on the next editing of your client's story. You love the story, actually. Filled with more sci-fi elements than you could think of. You're sure that she's going to become the next James something one day. But goodness, the angst. You needed breaks in between or else you'd be sobbing over a bowl of ice cream, questioning your life choices and wondering if you'd ever find someone that loved you as much.
You push those thoughts away, running your fingers through your hair slowly. Tomorrow's a long day.
-
A knock on the door makes you put your coffee to the side, eyes flicking to the window next to your door. Wooyoung stands there, waving his arms frantically. You grin at him, hopping off the stool and opening the door. He immediately walks in without even saying a good morning. At least he kicks his shoes to the side, walking around the small hallways until his eyes land on the sphere next to your window.
He leans forward, poking it lightly with his finger. "This is the strangest thing I've ever seen," he mumbles, rubbing it with his thumb. "Where did you find this again?"
"Next to the river in the mountains about an hour out from here. I thought I was an egg from an ostrich or something-” He gives you a deadpanned look at that comment- “But it doesn’t sound like anything is inside. It’s not hollow, which is weird because if not-”
“Then this thing would have to weigh at least ten pounds,” Wooyoung murmurs. “Do you mind if I pick it up?”
“Be my guest,” you say, gesturing to it. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. Just don’t make too much of a mess, yeah? We both know how you get around new things.” A literal mind boner, you think, walking back into the kitchen.
You listen to him play around with it, mumbling his thoughts to himself as you sip your coffee. After about twenty-ish minutes, he runs back into the kitchen, flopping himself on the stool across from you.
“You have to take me to where you found it!” He says, giddy in his chair. You purse your lips, shaking your head.
“I don’t think I want to go back there,” You mumble, taking another sip. “It’s a bit of a ways away. And my legs are sore from yesterday. Plus, I barely edited today and it’s due in two weeks.” You complain, and he scoffs.
“You told me about this thing, and you don’t even want to show me where you got it from? How could you?” He pouts, hand over his chest as he glares at you.
“Wooyoung, you don’t even have hiking-”
“All of it is in the car. I always come prepared,” He says, and winks. “In any situation.”
“You’re disgusting,,” You tease, and he laughs. “Alright, we can do it. But for crying out loud, if you scream at a bee we’re going to turn right around and come back. I’m serious, Woo.”
He frowns. “I am not scared of bees, y/n.”
You raise a brow. “We’ll see.”
-
“Fuck, did you see that?”
“It was a fly, Woo, a fly.”
He laughs nervously, “Ah, I was just testing you.”
You two climb slowly, Wooyoung not far behind you. He jumped a bit at various things, but oddly didn’t at snakes mating. Instead he watched, until you called him a creep and he walked away. You’re almost at the spot where you found it, the sound of running water and the smell seeping into your nose. You glance back at him to make sure he’s close behind, before pushing past some leaves and overgrown plants to reveal the beautiful river.
It’s a bit drier now, but it seems to glow slightly when you enter, as if to give you a soft Welcome. You stand there for a moment, hands resting on your chest as you admire the water. It’s clear enough to see the bottom, various species of sea life swimming through, oblivious to this outside world. Wooyoung finally makes it next to you, breathing heavily.
He opens his mouth to complain, but his eyes widen at the scenery, looking at you. You smile softly at your surroundings, lost in your own thoughts. He doesn’t dare interrupt; he loves seeing you like this the most. You take a couple more moments to breathe in the fresh air before turning to him.
“You see those stepping stones in the middle?” He nods. “That’s what I used to get across. It was close to the bank of the river, hiding a bit in the mud.”
“Interesting,” he begins walking to the stepping stones, and you follow close behind. Just because he knows about these artifacts doesn’t mean he knows nature; he spends more time in his office than the sun.
"Be careful-" You utter, watching as his shoes slip slightly on the pebbles. He looks back at you. His purse is tight around his waist, hair pulled into a small bun on the top of his head. He sticks his tongue at you.
"Real mature," You mumble, and he laughs. You don't notice how close his left foot is to the water, his grip on the rocks slipping. He looks back at you in panic before falling back into the water.
"Wooyoung!" You yell, reaching out and grabbing him by a strap on his travel bag.
He lurks forward, and you reach onto one of the big stones. The rock digs into your fingers and you curse to yourself, grinding your teeth as you try to hold onto him and yourself. But the river...
It has other ideas.
The current picks up immediately, flinging you back from the rocks you desperately held onto. Wooyoung struggles to grab something, anything in his grasp, but the branches are too far away from him. You turn around, your head bobbing up and down from the depths as you try to think of a way to get out. But your feet don't even touch the bottom, and you feel the panic begin to rise in your chest.
"Fuck, I'm sorry y/n, I wish that there was someway we could get out of this-!"
You turn your head, spotting a stump not too far from where you two are. With all the strength you can muster, you yank him through the water. You wrap your arm around the stump, Wooyoung holding on tight as well. You both catch a breath, before he begins to laugh.
Your anger subsides, and you giggle with him as well. "Fuck you! We could've died!" You yell, splashing water at him.
He chuckles slowly as the two of you make your way back to dry land. "You didn't tell me how slippery it was. I could've died!" He jokes.
"Keep talking like that and I'll throw you back in there, idiot." You grumble.
The two of you finally make it to shore, breathing heavily. He flops on his back,chest rising and falling. You lay next to him, your hair slapping against your cheek. You two don't say anything for a moment, heart still pumping at the rise of adrenaline. You glance back at the log, watching as it detached itself from its spot and continued down the river, falling over the incline and from your sight. It was a miracle; it suddenly appeared as you turned your head. You were sure the both of you were done for; but you suppose that that's how life works.
Wooyoung leans up, picking leaves off his clothing. He looks at you, "Hey. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying close enough attention-"
You wave him off. "As long as we're alive, you don't have to say sorry. Now, if we both fell and I had to walk with your sorry ass to the gates of Hell, we would've had some issues."
"Hell?" He frowns. "I'm too good for that."
"You saying that brought you a little bit closer to burning for eternity."
You two continue to tease one another as you walk back down the mountain, the small orb of yours still tucked safely in your bag. Through the laughs and pushes, you notice Wooyoung wince. You look down, a slash on his left forearm, bleeding profusely. After much protest from him, once you get down the mountain you insist on bringing him to the hospital. Even though he whines for a bit, you call Yunho; the one person you can count on to bring him there in one piece.
He picks up after the first ring.
"Papa's pizzeria, delivery or pickup?" Yunho asks, and you sigh, rubbing your forehead. These two idiots are plucked from the same tree.
"Woo is hurt and I need you to take him to the hospital," You hear him stumble over something in the background, and your frown deepens. Maybe you'll just bring him yourself? You already have to deal with enough as it is, and if you're being honest with yourself, delaying your editing for another day won't do much to your workload. You'd still procrastinate until the last second.
"How hurt? Did he get his finger stuck in the garbage disposal again?" You hear him fumble with something, "I told him to stop sticking things down there, and here we are."
"I think he'll tell you the story once you get there, since he won't let me bring him," You glance back at pouting Woo, "I think he's a bit embarrassed," You whisper.
"I'm right here!" He complains, and you snort.
"I'll be there in ten minutes, make sure he elevates his finger and stays away from the sink. I'll wait in the car-" Yunho stops in the middle of his talk. “Wait. Please tell me he didn’t try that butt thing again.”
You’re quiet for a moment. Wooyoung takes the phone out of your hand, and you stare at him, a brow raised. He turns away from you, but you can still see the blush that brushes his cheeks.
“Stop saying stupid things and get here already before I bleed out and die, okay?” He ends the call, turning to you. “Some things are better left unsaid.”
-
Yunho stands across from Wooyoung, clicking his tongue as he examines the abrasion on his arm. "What did you do, fall off a cliff?" He scolds, and Wooyoung looks at you, a grin cracking his face.
"If you weren't so busy saving lives, I wouldn't have done this to get your attention," Wooyoung says with confidence and a wink, not noticing how red the tips of Yunho's ears get.
"Let's go to the hospital before this thing gets infected." His eyes flick to yours. "Are you okay being alone? Unless you want to come with us."
"Nah, I'm good. I have to finish up some work before leaving. Woo, please let Yun take you and don't try to convince him otherwise," You glare at Wooyoung, rubbing warm water on your cut. Yunho notices the slight winces you do, and glances in the sink.
He frowns. "I'm a doctor, and you're asking for me to ignore your hand. Sometimes, I wonder if Wooyoung's the idiot."
"Hey!" You protest, and he takes your hand out of the sink, examining it closely.
"It's only a surface wound, nothing too big. Just clean it and put a bit of antibiotic on it and change it every six hours. Let it breathe a little before replacing the band-aid and you'll be fine." He says, smiling at you.
Jeong Yunho. Before meeting Wooyoung, Yunho has been your friend for several years; probably since you were small kids, running around the playground. You were close, perhaps a little too close. Your other friends always insisted that you two should date, because you were compatible, but god, you know too much about him to even give it a second thought. He's pretty, you'd give him that. But if you could barely stand Wooyoung's jokes; Yun's were on another level. He couldn't stand five minutes without saying something stupid.
And you love him, you do. But if you had to stand that for more than a day you're sure you'd go mad. Handling one of them is enough to give you a slight headache. But two? Absolutely not. You'd rather fall down that mountain.
"Thank you Yun," You say and he nods quickly, turning back to Wooyoung.
"Time to get your ass to the hospital. I would help you myself, but technically I'm not allowed to since I haven't seen your chart," he says, and Wooyoung only rolls his eyes. He glances at your bag quickly.
"Hey, I'll look more into that orb thing okay? Don't miss my call or else, y/n," he points a finger at you, before following Yunho out to the car. You wave them off, a coffee in hand. Once they drive far enough away, you close the door behind you.
You dig through your bag, placing the orb back in its spot by the window. You think back to the river, a frown on your lips as you stroke the sphere. It still had plenty of water in it, but not enough, you think. You wish silently that it goes back to its original shape, worry about your features. Global warming is a bitch.
You let go of the ball, placing your cup in the dishwasher and stretching your arms. You're exhausted from everything that's happened today, but you still have to edit that angst, sobbing-over-your-popcorn story. So you puff out your chest, taking one last look at the shiny orb shining softly before walking into your dungeon.
-
Wooyoung is fine, he just had a few bruises and they stitched up his abrasion on his arm. Yunho told you the whole story, from Wooyoung's loud screaming to the nurse frantically looking at him and asking if he needed to be sedated. And even with Yunho there, Wooyoung almost stopped the circulation of blood in his arm from how tight he was holding onto him. You can only imagine how dramatic he was; Wooyoung is all bark and no bite.
You flick off a stray leaf from your arm. Some would say you're out of your mind for coming out there without even a week passing since you two almost killed yourselves crossing the river. You know Yunho would have a fit, locking you inside your home and not letting you see the light of day for a month minimum. But you consider yourself a bit fearless, so what's so bad about climbing the mountain again? Seeing the pretty water and having a picnic next to the river?
You finally make it to the spot. A rush of calm flows over you as you set up your spot, lightly flapping your blanket over the forest floor and taking out your small snacks. You sit next to the water as you sip your tea. There's so much more water now, completely different from a couple of days ago. A bit of it splashes against the sides of the bank, some falling over you like a mist. You hum softly, taking a bite of your sandwich.
Your eyes flick over to the other side of the river, and you stop what you're doing. A small cabin is there; it's dark wood almost masking itself against the foliage behind it. You raise your eyebrows in confusion. That couldn't have always been there; there was no way you and Wooyoung would miss it. You tuck the rest of your food away, standing up.
Vines creep along the sides of the small home, flowers decorate the bottom of the windows. It looks a bit old but well kept, signs of someone living there clearly seen. A small part of you is curious, fingers itching to see what's inside. But you shake your head. There could be someone in there right now, and you could be invading their space. You glance down at the blanket.
You could be on someone's property right now.
You crouch down, folding up your blanket as quickly as you can. A creak makes you stop what you're doing, eyes moving back across the river. A man locks the door behind him, staring down at the river. His eyes move along the bank, confusion in his gaze. You look back down, packing away your things. No need to attract more attention to yourself. You shove it in your bag, looking back across the water.
The man's eyes are frozen on yours, an unnaturally bright blue, almost as translucent as the water below you. You don't move, his eyebrows furrowing as he stares at you. You feel a strange feeling roll over you, your skin prickling and your hairs standing straight up. Whatever this man... thing is, you know he's not friendly. He takes a step forward, and your body moves into overdrive. You throw your bag onto your back, running through the forest.
You try your best to leap over the rocks and fallen sticks in your way, desperate to get away from him. You hear the stomping of his feet behind you, your heart beating in your ear blocking out most sounds. Your feet catch onto a piece of bark sticking out of a stump, and you stumble before falling onto your back. You hear his steps getting closer and closer, and you try standing up, but curse, staring at your leg. A deep gash covers your calf, and you try your best to hold back your tears.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
His voice is right behind you, and you tense up, quickly turning your head around to face him. He stands above you, arms crossed. His blue eyes narrow, pupils similar to a snake's. He cocks his head to the side, glancing quickly at your leg before flicking back to your face.
“Why are you here?”
You open your mouth, before closing it. This man could be a serial killer, ready to kill you at the slightest mistake in your words. You’re sure that he knows what you’re thinking from the inquisitive look in his eyes. He’s waiting for you to lie, he’s waiting for you to make something up.
“I was having a picnic. Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t know this was someone’s property–"
“You shouldn’t be able to see me.” He says plainly. “How can you see me? Have you visited a witch? Are you dying?” He presses you for answers, taking a step closer. “Tell me now, Human.”
This whole situation is getting weirder by the second, so you shake your head, trying to drag yourself away from him. He grabs onto your arm, glaring at you. The bright blue pierces through you, and you quickly realize that they aren’t contacts or a stylistic choice. His eyes are really that color.
“Answer me.”
“Let go of me first, creep.”
He glances at your leg again, before letting go of your arm. You lift yourself onto the stump that tripped you up, breathing heavily. The blood leaks out of your leg slowly. You feel yourself getting lightheaded, and you rub your eyes.
“Listen, I don’t have time for this. If you want to report me to the police or something, can you just do it already? I don’t think I’ll last much longer.”
“Are you feeling faint?” He asks, crouching down to touch your leg. You wince as he brushes your cut. “You can’t leave the mountain like this.”
“Of course I can’t, idiot-”
“But I cannot help you. I need to know where Yeouiju is first. I can sense it on you.” He says, pulling back.
You huff in irritation. “I don’t know what a Yeouiju is! Can’t you just help me?”
“Yeouiju has gone missing ever since you appeared, Human. It rested in the soil next to the river. It has gone missing ever since you traveled across the waters.” His eyes move to your bag, before looking at you. He knows it’s in there, but he hasn’t said a word. “If it is not in my hands, terrible things could happen.”
You open your bag, taking it out. “I didn’t realize it wasn’t yours, I’m sorry.” You give it to his open hands, and he sucks in a shaky breath as it touches his skin. You see the stone glow slightly, before he places it in his pocket.
“You made a wish.” He says softly, “And you didn’t use it for yourself.”
It seems like he’s waiting for you to respond with something, but you keep your thoughts to yourself. He stares at you, frustrated. He shakes his head slowly, lifting you up and pressing you against his chest. You yelp, wrapping your arms around his head. His skin is cold, your hands shivering against it. He walks through the forest with ease, barely rocking you. You come to the river, and he glances down at you.
“Close your eyes, human.”
You hold them tight, and he walks. You’re not sure how he gets over the water so easily, but you open your eyes as he opens the door to his cabin. He places you down on his sofa, telling you to stay put as he disappears into another room. His home is cozy, a fireplace in the corner crackling, filling the silence. Everything looks handmade; from the chairs at his table to the clock on the door to the cabinets lining the walls. He has candles in every corner of the room, flickering softly. And the floor is… moist. You're sure every surface of the wood is wet.
You notice that he doesn’t have electricity anywhere in the house, a wood burning stove in the living room and it looks like the kitchen doesn’t even have running water. You try moving your leg but pain strikes up your calf, and you let out a low groan, biting your lip. Here you are, in a stranger’s home without anyone knowing. You curse yourself for leaving your phone at home, even though it’s no use; there’s no signal out here.
-
Yeosang stands in the opposite room, staring down at Yeouiju. He doesn’t quite understand how you were able to see and wield the orb; it could only be held by wise ones, and ones of pure heart. He hasn’t seen a human hold it in ages; it always sat outside, a stray passerby oblivious to its presence. And yet, you hold it without even knowing its power, using your wish to refuel the river’s waters.
He frowns, placing Yeouiju back on his shelf. Many humans who were able to see it in all its glory used their wishes on selfish things; riches, glory, full health for themselves, immortality. But you, you used yours to help a river. Once you took it from its holy spot, he felt the pain of it being gone from his presence in his chest, a hole ripped out cleanly.
He rubs his chest, but it feels different ever since he touched the stone. He knows that something is off, something the other gods didn't tell him about. He runs his fingers through his hair, glancing back at the stone before walking out.
-
"I told you to stay still." He says as he walks back in.
You finally take in his appearance. He's wearing old clothes, loosely fitting to his form. White shirt and cargo pants, though his shoes are oddly clean. He kicks them to the side, staring at you. His hair is blond, overgrown and covering a bit of his eyes. He walks to you, holding a small, leather bag in his hand. He sits on the floor next to you, digging through his bag. You see him take out small clothes, he sniffs it once before looking down at your leg. He frowns, glancing up at you.
"It was foolish of you to run. You could have hurt yourself more than this," he takes out small tweezers. "Close your eyes if looking at me doing this is uncomfortable."
Before he begins, you move your leg away. He sighs, dropping his arms.
"What's the issue?" He asks, already exasperated. "This will be finished quickly if you cooperate."
"How do I know you're not going to poison me or something? Or is this your evil plot to lure me into your home and keep me as your pet? Huh?"
He stares at you. He pulls your leg close to him, holding it tightly. He blows on your leg softly, and you feel it grow numb at his breath, and you widen your eyes.
Okay, at this point you can only come to one conclusion. This must be some weird dream of yours. Though it is a first, seeing someone like him. You try to calm your heart as he leans forward, slowly picking out small pebbles and other debris. The silence is comforting, but your curiosity is lingering as you look at him. There's something off about him, from his eyes to his calm demeanor to his strange home in the mountains. And there's more to it, but you just can't figure it out. His eyes flick up at yours, emotionless.
"Are you going to stare at me the whole time, or ask your questions?" He asks softly. "I will not tell you my name, and I will not tell you why I have a home in the mountains, or about Yeouiju. But you may ask about other things, and I'll decide if I want to answer."
So the things you want to know, he's not going to say. He digs into your skin as you try pulling away, but his grip is so strong and steady that it doesn't even faze him. His pupils widen as he focuses on cleaning your wound.
"Why don't you have electricity?" You ask softly.
"Why have man-made things when you can live off the Earth? She has given us everything that we need, there is no use for electrical appliances. I have candles, and I have wood. I live near a river. Nothing more is needed." He says simply. "I am going to cleanse your wound, please tell me if the pain is too great."
He slowly dabs the cloth on your skin, watching your face for any signs of discomfort. Not finding any, he turns back to your cut.
"Why did you decide to help me? To bring me to your home?"
He stops cleaning for a moment, and you wonder if you asked too much. He closes his eyes for a moment before speaking.
"The River told me that you were pure, the waters flowing through the mountain whispered to me, and I only listened. There is nothing more to that." He takes out his butterfly stitches, looking at you. "Close your eyes, it will hurt less."
"No, I'm fine—"
"Close your eyes, I don't have time to argue with you about this. Just, close your eyes."
You glare at him but shut your eyes, putting your hand over them. He huffs, then begins to take care of your wound. You could barely feel his touch, the light brushes against your skin still cold. You wonder if it's because he doesn't have heat, but the fireplace should suffice, right? And it's almost the end of Winter; Spring is right around the corner. Wait, why are you worrying about a man who lives in the woods? He's probably been here for years and knows how to live without assistance from you. You aren't his friend; why are you even thinking about it?
Your eyes flick open, moving to the stone necklace resting against his chest. Carved into each stone are symbols you don't quite recognize, a light blue peeking out from the strokes. He grunts, and your eyes move back up to his. He frowns, looking down at your leg.
"You need to rest before leaving; it will be too hard to hike back down the mountains with a wound like this," he stands. "I'll give you some of the stew I made earlier since you didn't finish your lunch." He doesn't ask if you want any, walking back to the kitchen.
He looks back at you sitting next to the fireplace, hand reaching out to feel the waves of heat flowing off of it. Your hair has leaves sticking out of it, some falling to the floor without much notice from you. He leans on the counter, running his fingers through his own.
They will not approve of him having a Human in his home; he knows that. He can only imagine what his brothers might do if they stepped into here, fresh off a trip to see Mother. Eyes moving to the Human in the room, bringing less hospitality with their stares than him. Perhaps San will accept you, but it is a reach. Even though he’s the brother with the most light-hearted mind, he's furious when he needs to be.
He reaches over, taking out a wooden bowl from his cabinet and opening the lid to the stew. Steam moistens his face as he places chunks of meat and potatoes into your bowl. He looks at you again, and this time, you're staring out the window. You rock your not-injured leg, too deep in your thoughts to notice his stare. He places his hand in the water, breathing slowly.
He almost drops the bowl at the sudden onslaught of emotions. He closes his eyes, teeth grinding as his heart swells in his chest, a ringing in his ears and his hand shaking. He's not able to produce sweat, he knows that, but he feels it fall from his cheek. His eyes dilate, looking at you. The word keeps on chanting over and over in his head, and he tries his best to suppress it. Because it cannot be. You are an ordinary Human, it is impossible-
Mate.
"Hey, are you alright?"
You turn to him, and jump. He's trembling; tears falling down his cheeks and sweating more than you've ever seen. You stand, limping slightly.
A small breeze drifts through the window, and he tries to hold his breath. But the creature in him takes control, awakening. The sweet smell of your pheromones brush his nostrils, tickling his nerves. He closes his eyes again, struggling to tell you to stop moving. If the counter wasn't between you and him ...
"Don't move." He says, voice rumbling.
You immediately stop, as his eyes burn into yours. They're completely black as they look at you, the pretty, crystal blue gone. You see as he clenches the counter with his hand, as if he's struggling to keep himself from jumping over it.
Mate. Mate with her, she is yours.
The same words continue in his head over and over, becoming too much to bear.
"Leave, now." He says.
You look outside, the sunset almost turning into the starry night sky. But if you're honest, you'd rather deal with the woods than the strange man in front of you, whose eyes move to every flick of your muscles, neck strained. You grab your bag quickly, limping out the door. Before you leave, you turn back.
"Uh, thanks. For helping me. And I'm sorry I stole your stone."
You shut the door, quickly hobbling across the river, ignoring the loud crashing sounds behind you. You don't know what's up with him, but you don’t want to know. Not really. God, Wooyoung and Yunho would laugh if you told them about this, about meeting a strange guy in the woods and going into his home. Well, scold you first, before bursting into laughter. Telling you that you hit your head a bit too hard on the ground, that you should've gone to the hospital along with Woo. That you have a concussion.
You shake your head at your silly thoughts, your flashlight guiding you back home.
-
You shut the door behind you, taking stuttered breaths. You toss your phone to the side, running your fingers through your hair. Leaves catch onto your nails, and you grunt, tossing them in the small bin next to your door. Whatever the fuck just happened, you wish you can just push it out of your mind, toss it to the side and pretend that today is just another ordinary day.
You throw yourself onto your couch, a nightly routine. A shot of pain goes up your leg, and you hiss, looking back down at it. He bandaged it up pretty well, neatly cleaning off your wound and leaving only the aligned butterfly bandages behind. You run your fingers along the side of it, humming to yourself softly. Was he high? His face was so red, but it just looked like he smelled something terrible.
You reach for your remote, turning on National Geographic. MythBusters is on, talking about the loch ness monster and dragons. You raise your brow, relaxing into the cushions. As he begins his trip to some Forest in China, you hear the familiar beep of your phone. You glance at the caller ID, and see Wooyoung's kissy face. Is he already fine and dandy? You were sure that he caught something with that deep gash. You answer, balancing it between your ear and neck.
"What's up-"
"Where is the stone? y/n, tell me that you don't have the stone anymore," he says through rushed breaths. It sounds like he's run a marathon, gasping through your phone. You lean away slightly.
"Your voice is muffled Woo. Move away from your mic," You complain. "But yes, the stone is back where it's supposed to be. Out of my hands. Deep in the mountains, never to be seen again."
"Thank God. I was researching about it and it talked about it having omnipotence power, and it belong to the ancient dragons-"
You hear a soft knock on your door, and you lean over your couch, looking through the side window next to your door. You see a figure standing there, completely still. Wooyoung continues to yap about the end of the world and something about serpents as you groan, standing and stretching. The banging gets louder, and you sigh.
"What? Who are you?" You yell.
"y/n?" Wooyoung says, "When did you go to the mountains? Did you go alone?"
"Woo, shh. There's someone at the door-"
"Who's at the door, y/n?" You hear the nervousness in his voice. "Fuck, can you just answer me already? I'm about to piss myself."
You walk to the door, but stop, staring at the small window. You can recognize that frame from anywhere. Large body almost blocking the whole window, blue eyes shining through the glass. Your hand shakes, barely listening to Wooyoung's rants into your phone.
"y/n, tell me who the fuck–"
"What did you say, Woo? About the stone and the dragon?" You say softly, your eyes never leaving his.
"Well, it's not a well known story, but sometimes there's a four-toed, Korean dragon that carries a stone called Yeouiju, carried either in its mouth or claws. This is all legend, but it says that whoever is worthy of it and carries the stone, will have the blessing of the gods. Something about the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will. Almost like a wish fulfilling stone, y/n. And it also mentions something about if dragons lose their hold of the stone and is found in the hands of another, they are destined."
"Destined?" You say breathlessly. The door begins to shake, a smile slowly forming on the man's face. You hear a small mhm from Wooyoung as he continues.
"Yup. Whoever is able to hold the stone, is destined to be with one another. Like mates, I guess."
The door begins to rattle after Wooyoung finishes. You take a step back from the door, eyes wide.
"I don't know what that stone that you found was and I know you don't believe in things like this, so please just drop the skepticism for a bit and listen to me. Don't go back for that stone, y/n. It's better to just pretend that it doesn't exist, and live your life without it. I'd rather you not go up the mountains either."
The door groans under his weight, small cracks slowly forming. You move into your kitchen, looking at your phone.
"Wooyoung," You say softly.
"Yes, what's up?" You don't respond after a moment, and he begins to panic. "y/n? You never told me who's at your door? What's wrong?"
"Do you really believe in this whole dragon thing? Because if you do, I'm ninety-fucking-percent sure he's right outside my door," You say. Wooyoung doesn't say anything for a moment, before a chuckle erupts through the phone.
"Don't shit me right now, y/n. Wait..." he trails off, before speaking again. "What happened when you dropped off the stone? y/n, this isn't funny, I'm being serious."
The banging gets louder. You wince each time, putting your phone on speaker, your hands shaking too much to hold it.
"I met a guy in the woods, Woo. His house was weird, he didn't have electricity and his eyes looked like some type of lizard's... And I ran back home, Woo. He told me to leave, and I did. But right now, the man I found in the woods is outside the front door, and he wants to come in."
You hear crashing through the line, and things thrown all over the place.
"y/n, do not open that fucking door. y/n, go hide somewhere, in your room or something–"
"Why won't you let me in?"
His voice echoes in your home, and your eyes flick back to the door, seeing him staring right at you, even through the tempered glass.
Nothing will happen, don’t you want to see me? I won’t hurt you. Just listen to me, okay? Open the door, and everything will be fine.
The cracks in the wood grow, and you feel your heart beating in your ear. The dark wood is slowly coming apart, and Wooyoung is too far to come and save you. You're on your own.
"I'm on my way, y/n, please go hide somewhere, don't open that door! I'm not going to hang up the phone, okay? I'll be on the line with you," he says, and you hear him zipping up his coat. It takes him over an hour to get there every time, and even with him speeding he could only knock off about twenty minutes. And that's if he doesn't run into city traffic.
Your phone beeps, blinking and showing you your low battery.
1%.
Who are you talking to? Is that your mate?
His voice drips with jealousy, and you're sure if you stay on the line any longer–
"Woo, I'll have to hang up now, but I'll make sure to call you back, alright? My phone is running out of charge." You say, hearing the curses fall from his lips.
"Don't you hang up on me!"
You click the end call button, keep your eye on the door as you plug it into your charger in your kitchen. The thumping slows down a bit, and you hear a soft knock on the wood.
I'm sorry for making you walk down the mountain alone, but I was with you the whole time. I didn't let you out of my sight.
That was the feeling that itched your skin, making you turn back every couple of seconds. He was protecting you– no. No, he was chasingyou.
Why don't you let me in, y/n? I want to check up on you, make sure everything is okay.
You shake your head, though you're not sure if he could see that gesture. You're too scared to speak to him, to say a word that'll show your weakness. Show how desperately your body wanted you to fling that door open. You don't know what's gotten into you, but the pull, the urge to see him is slowly overcoming your rational thoughts.
Are you feeling okay, y/n?
You love the way your name rolls off his tongue, familiar and yet, not. He slowly pushes his body against the door, waiting for you to say something to him.
I know you want to speak to me, please. Just say something so that I know you're okay.
You wrap your fingers around the edge of the counter, keeping your eyes to the floor.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," You whisper. You're not sure if he hears you, until a low moan falls from his lips, his jiggling of the door handle increasing by the second.
You sound like you need my help. I can hear it in your voice, you need me, don't you? You feel that, you feel that feeling rolling over you? I can smell you from here, y/n. I know you want me. I know you want me to make love to you, don't you?
You fall into your stool, wrapping your arms around your body, legs tight together.
Want me to fill you up with my cum, have you shaking with how good I pump into you? Biting into your neck, sucking marks into your skin. I bet you'll like that, right?
You try to control your breaths, but a low moan falls from your lips, and you hear him fall to the ground. The TV is too low to hide the sound of him unzipping his pants. Too low to cover his loud moans as he rubs himself just outside your door. You can only imagine the sweat dripping down his forehead, head thrown back and eyes tight as he fucks himself into his hand.
Fuck, I'm here, y/n. Just open those legs for me, hm? Don't you want me to smell you? To suck your clit, to make you cum? Just open them. Do it for me, now.
His voice turns aggressive at the end, and you don't move. You know what will happen if you do. And you're not sure if you'd want to stop yourself from throwing that door open, taking him without a second thought.
You're mine, you know that right? Since you grabbed my stone, we're destined for one another. No mortal will make you feel like I do. I can hear you panting, you know. I can see you, sitting there. Struggling to listen to me, trying your best to keep yourself in that chair.
I know you're thinking about me fucking you. Opening the door and shoving you against the wall, shoving my cock into you without a second thought.
He stops moving for a second, standing up. He begins hitting the door, the brute force breaking off one of the hinges. You need to hide now. You look from the floor to the glass, and between the foggy texture, you see something peeking through. Are those… wings?
His eyes meet yours, and his name rumbles in your mind. It isn't from his mouth, you just feel it being given to you.
Yeosang.
You get up from your chair, not thinking about the repercussions of your actions. Not thinking about how he can smell you. He grunts loudly, slamming himself against the door harder. You run into your bedroom on the opposite side of the house.
Your eyes move all over, before they rest on your closet. It's such a typical place to hide, but you have no other choice. Then your eyes move to your bathroom, but you shake your head. No, that'll be the first place he'll check. You quietly open your closed door, shutting it behind you with a slight click.
You hear your door being kicked in, and you flinch, cursing at yourself for not checking your phone charge before running in here. You hear his soft footsteps as he walks around your home, your breaths hushed.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says softly, voice echoing throughout the empty hallways.
You say nothing, not daring to even move an inch. The door squeaks open, and you press your hands over your mouth, eyes watering. Your hands shake as you hear his slow breaths. You know he doesn’t want to hurt you, deep down you know that. But the fear of the unknown, the fear that he’s actually here to damn you for taking his Yeouiju, makes you think otherwise.
“Why didn’t you open the door?” He asks, stopping in front of the closet. His finger scratches the wood, and you hold in your sobs. “Aren’t we meant to be together?”
The door flings open, and you scream, covering your face. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to steal the stone, please!”
Hands pull you up, and you yell, trying your best to fight against him.
“y/n! Y/n! Hey, listen to me! I’m not him, I’m Woo! Hey, hey,” He says, and you open your eyes, looking at the soft brown eyes of your best friend. “Hey, calm down. Just breathe, alright? I’m here, no one’s going to hurt you.”
He pulls you into his arms, trying his best to calm down the shakes that just won’t stop vibrating through your body. You cry against his shoulder, clutching so hard against him you’re sure you’ll leave bruises.
“Don’t you ever fucking hang up on me, alright? Don’t you ever do that to me again.” He says sternly, and you feel his tears drip onto your neck. “Fuck, you scared the shit out of me, I thought… I thought-”
He doesn’t say it, but you know. A small knock makes you jump, and Wooyoung holds you tight, standing in front of you and turning to the door. Yunho stands there sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.
“I know you said to stay in the car, but it’s so dark out there and the loud music could do only so much, ya know?” He glances behind Wooyoung, meeting your eyes.
“So I heard you caught the eye of a dragon?”
-
Wooyoung stands in the kitchen, flipping an omelet. His eyes stare at you through the window, watching you swing yourself softly on the swing. Yunho stands next to him, balancing on one leg. His eyes follow his gaze, and he sighs.
“You haven’t taken your eyes off of her for days, Woo. She’s fine.”
Wooyoung looks down at the pan, shaking his head. “She says she’s fine, but I know she’s not, hyung. She pretends, you know that. She always says that she’s okay, but then I hear her crying in her room, telling us that it’s just an emotional movie. Every time she goes into the bathroom alone, she locks the door and takes less than two minutes in and out. She’s anxious; and she’s trying to hide it from us.”
Yunho nods slowly. “So, this dragon thing, it’s real?”
Wooyoung knows he doesn’t want to believe it. Believe that just up those mountains, a creature lays in wait, waiting for Yunho and him to leave so he can see y/n again.
“It’s as real as sliced bread,” Wooyoung murmurs. “I can’t believe it myself; but what else do you think broke in the door like that? And it was from the outside. No human or animals around here could do that much damage. And I’m sure that an elephant didn’t travel over here to knock down her door.”
“So, what do we do?” Yunho replies. “Do we bring her back to our apartment?”
Wooyoung elbows him, ignoring the smirk on his face. “I haven’t told her about that yet, idiot.”
“Better now than never,” Yunho shrugs. “But I’m being serious. We know she hates the city, but if she’s too afraid to stay alone, well, if we’re too afraid to let her, then we should bring it up.”
Wooyoung grumbles. You already have so much on your plate; dealing with the head editor at your job, this dragon nonsense. Bringing up his new relationship with your childhood friend would probably bring more stress to your life. Wooyoung frowns as he stares at his egg, taking a small bite.
“Fine, we’ll bring it up. But let me tell her first, okay? I think it’s better for her to hear it from me.”
Yunho shrugs. “Doesn’t matter to me. I think she’ll be happy you finally have some dick in your life.” Yunho narrowly misses Wooyoung’s spatula, laughing as he chases him around the house, the stove of course, safely turned off.
-
“This is not possible. A wise one never mates with a mortal, a Human of all the possibilities,” Seonghwa says through clenched teeth, staring in disgust at his younger brother. “What have you done?”
“Do not scold him so much, Seonghwa. He must have made some sort of mistake, I cannot see Yeosang’s mate being a Human. It is impossible.” Jongho says, defending his brother. “He is the wisest of us all, don’t be so harsh.”
“Or perhaps he would like for this to happen,” San says, eyes on his brother. Yeosang says nothing, listening to their complaints. “He has always followed what Mother says, but at some point, we all rebel. This may be his time.”
“You all are being harsh,'' Mingi mumbles, staring at the blood on the couch. It smells like Human, the stench not too bad on his nostrils, since he has been infatuated with one before. He looks at Yeosang’s tired eyes. “I trust Yeosang with my whole life. Let him explain himself first, please.”
“Fine,” Seonghwa murmurs. He glares at Yeosang. “Explain, now.”
Yeosang keeps his eyes on the floor, exhaustion not the only thing taking a toll on his body. He hears his inner dragon desperately wanting to leave his home, and run to yours, completing the mating ritual. A chain attached to his legs, made with the toughest metals that Earth can provide. It wraps around his kitchen counter; keeping him in his place.
He stares at the chain for a moment, before sighing, pushing his long locks away from his face.
"The dragon told me, this was not my choice and never will be. I just helped her in the forest, tended to her wound. And then when I was about to feed her, I felt the pain in his chest. The overwhelming feeling of the beast trying to claw himself out and mate with her. My dragon is never wrong, even in this Human form. This is why I have myself chained up. Even now, it wants to shred the four of you apart to get to her. And your insults are only fueling the anger in my chest."
He looks at them, and Mingi tries his best to hold in his shock. Scratches cover his face from his claws, slowly healing. Dried blood stains his cheeks but he couldn't even begin to notice. He sees the tightness in his brother's jeans, the reigned in anger that keeps him from leaping at the rest.
Because he has felt this way before.
"Hyung," Mingi mumbles softly. "We all know what happened when my lover was a Human. I am afraid. Afraid that the same would happen to you and y/n. I don't think... I don't believe we should allow you to see her again, or vice versa. It is for the best."
A low growl rumbles in his chest, and the others stare at him, ready for an attack at any given moment. But Yeosang closes his eyes, calming himself.
"We are ancient ones; there is no reason we should even be able to have mates," San mumbles, rubbing his forehead. His red hair is striking compared to the rest of them; but he is a fire dragon. It is expected for him to look this way. "Why did Mother insist?"
"She wanted us to have a chance at a normal Human experience. Ever since she gave us this," Seonghwa gestures to his body in disgust, "Human form, she has wanted us to assimilate into everyday society. But Yeosang has kept to himself, as well as the rest of us." Seonghwa looks to Yeosang, white hair covering his light pupils, almost translucent. He wears his brown human contacts when necessary; but he prefers to let his eyes breathe.
"You should have left that Human to die. It is the natural order. I know that you are... slightly leaning to caring for them, but they are not like us. And you seemed to have forgotten that.
"I couldn't leave," Yeosang explains. "She had Yeouiju. I couldn't leave without retrieving it. Without it, our rivers will dry. Even if I am in control of the rain and river, that doesn't mean that I can stop it from drying out. Finding out I'm to mate with y/n, that was just a mistake."
Mingi shakes his head, brown hair and eyes more normal than the rest of them. Besides the reptile slits as pupils, nothing else was out of the ordinary. At least, from what the normal Human could see.
"I don't approve, Yeosang."
"I heard you the first time," he grumbles. "But this is not our only issue."
Seonghwa tenses up, and San speaks. "What is it now?"
"I am not the only one that has a Human mate."
They all exchange looks, knowing exactly who he speaks of.
"What will we do about that? He hasn't been careful, but mother will approve. She will stop us if we ever interfere. She would scowl us."
"Make sure that he does no harm to the Human. Even though most of you despise the creatures, they are Mother's creations. Seeing them harmed only disturbs her rest. And we are the guardians. Yunho will stay in line." Yeosang is confident in his resolve. Yunho is the one that has spent the most time with the lesser beings. He knows how to be like a Human.
-
Yunho pouts as he stands at the door, Wooyoung next to him. You lean against the wall, rolling your eyes at the behavior. You're fine, and they continue to insist that you go with them. But from the lingering gazes Yunho gives his ass and the smirks Wooyoung sends his way, you've had enough. And you love them, you do. But the constant laughing at higher volumes than necessary and the toilet seat being up, you've had it. The only reason why you haven't kicked them out earlier is because they were worried out of their minds. But you're okay now.
For now.
"y/n, please eat more. You're stuck in that room all day and never come out. I'm serious," He adds, seeing the look on your face. "I bought vitamins and left them in your room. And if you need more—"
"Ah, Woo! She'll be fine, she is an adult not a child," Yunho complains. "And I've been standing here for ten minutes as you showed her around her own house and told her where her own things are. The new idol show is going to start soon, let's just go." Yunho pulls at Wooyoung, kicking him outside. He gives you an apologetic look.
"Call us if you need us. We're here for you, you know that, right?" He says softly. "I don't want you to be hurt, especially by this strange man. Call me if he appears. Do not hesitate, y/n."
You see the plea in his eyes, desperate for you to listen to his words. You nod, and he pulls you into a quick hug, squeezing you tightly before kissing your forehead and stumbling after Wooyoung. You wave to them as they go, your heart clenching. You know that you should have gone with them. If he wanted you this bad, he knows. He'll be waiting for you to be alone, and you're not sure if the feeling in your chest is anxiety or excitement.
-
You frown as you submit your edit of the chapter, shutting off your computer. You let out a long, breathy sigh, throwing yourself back in your chair. The wheels give it’s last sad effort and you yelp, falling back to the floor. The drop echoes around the house as you groan, small whimpers falling from your lips. You hear a loud bang, and you barely glance up, Wooyoung’s probably forgotten his underwear that he still didn’t take back. Hands reach and lift you from the floor with ease, and you laugh slowly.
“Don’t make fun of me I know I’m an idiot, Woo,” You say, reaching down to pick up your fallen chair.
Hands reach for it instead, and a cold shiver rolls up your spine. His hands are too big to be your best friends’. Your eyes follow his arms, meeting the light blue that you’ve tried to erase from your head. His hair is pulled back from his face, resting in a low bun. He looks at your shocked expression, and slides your chair under your desk. You take a step back once he moves forward, and he stops.
“I-”
“Why are you in my house? How did you get into my house? Why are you in my room? Get out!” You yell, eyes flicking to the phone text to your computer. He follows your gaze, shaking his head.
“Calling more Humans to assist you won’t make me go away. And I heard the sound, and I came as quickly as I could. Are you alright? You hit the floor pretty hard.”
As quick as he could? Was he waiting outside your door? You know that the hike from his home to yours is at least an hour, and that’s if you don’t stop to take a break. He takes in your confused expression, waiting for you to object, for you to scream and run away from him. You wear your thoughts on your face, your eyebrows furrowed and your bottom lip between your teeth. Your hair looks like you’ve ran your fingers through it over and over, and you’re wearing your sleepwear, loose on your frame.
His dragon rumbles inside of him, and he closes his eyes for a moment, too quick for you to think it’s more than just a blink. He opens them again, keeping his gaze with yours.
“Are you stalking me?” You ask, “Are you waiting outside my hours, waiting for the opportunity to pounce on me?” You know you sound crazy, but he’s crazy! He’s the one that broke your door, which led to Yunho standing there in confusion as he tried to fix it.
“No, I told you that I came-”
“Yea, you came when you heard the sound. But you had to be close, it’s not possible.”
“Are you sure it’s not possible? You know that I am not a Human,” he says simply. “Just accept it, and then you’ll understand that I can find you anywhere and be there within moments.”
He sits on the bed, and you hear something drag. You glance down, seeing chains wrapped around his ankles. He doesn’t explain why he has them, just stares at you.
“Please leave my house.” You say softly. “I don’t want you here, Yeosang.”
That shatters the expressionless look on his face. His mouth forms a small o, eyebrows tight in concentration. “You know my name. I haven’t told you my name, but you know. How do you know?” He stands this time, eyes flicking between yours. The pupils narrow into slits, blue darkening.
“I heard it. When you were outside my door, I heard your name whispered into my ear.”
He nods slowly. “So this is not a lie. It’s true, you are my mate, y/n.” He takes your figure in. “I cannot believe you’re my mate, a Human.” He says that last word with a bit of revulsion in his speech, almost hissing as it comes out. “I couldn’t … I didn’t think it was possible to mate with a Human. I didn’t think that Mingi was telling the truth, but you are here.” He reaches out, but moves his hand back quickly when you flinch. “I will not hurt you. You know that.”
“I don’t know that, Yeosang! I don’t know you, I have no clue who the fuck you are, and you continue to just barge into my home, thinking it’s yours. Saying that I’m your mate, but I’m not. I don’t even know your last name, I don’t know anything but the fact that you live in a small house in the middle of the forest and you’re horny as Hell!”
He snorts at that. “I’m not sexually aroused all the time. It’s just when I’m in the presence of my mate. My dragon inside of me wants to have children, that’s its goal. But when I’m alone, I’m fine. I don’t have the desire.” He looks at you, “I didn’t want this either. To be your mate. That’s why I live in the forest alone, away from Humans. I would rather be away from all of you, isolated and live on my own. But unfortunately, you decided to come into my forest and take Yeouiju. If you just left it alone, none of this would have happened.”
You stay silent at that. He sighs, tugging at a small hair that fell out of his bun. You notice that his fingers are lined with silver rings, each one has a strange symbol. Just like the necklace that rests on his neck. You look away, trying your best to comprehend whatever the Hell is going on right now.
He’s right; you’re not scared of him. Your chest leaped when he appeared, but a wave of calm fell over you once you realized it was him. Despite everything, you feel safe. With a man who claims he’s a big, bad dragon that lives in the woods. With a man who claims that he’s your mate. With a man that almost made you drop to your knees just a week or so ago because he told you to. You consider yourself an independent woman. Not listening to the begging of some man to shove his dick in you. And yet, you’ve been drooling over that night, wonder what would’ve happened if you opened the door…
“Stop.” He says, clenching his jaw.
“What? I didn’t even say anything!” You say, your face warming by the second. Oh God, you’re making a face, aren’t you? The fuck me face? How more embarrassing can this get?
“You didn’t need to, I can smell you. If you continue I won’t be able to stop myself.” He says simply. Your body shivers, and he growls.
“I said stop.”
“I am! I am, can you just go?” You open the door, gesturing out. “And never come back?”
He looks out into the hallway, closing his eyes for a moment. He opens them again, a tired look in his face. “If I leave, I will be back unfortunately. Even now, my dragon wants me to stay. To set up my nest here because your home is filled with the scent of you, and those other men,” He wrinkles his nose. “I thought that I could speak to you, about more than just mates. About why I am like this, and about my dragon that I mentioned and you don’t seem that fazed that I keep on saying it.”
Wooyoung. Jung Wooyoung, this guy was right! Your nerdy best friend is right! You look at Yeosang, frowning. He doesn’t even look like a dragon, did he adapt as the years passed? Changing his form to walk among you humans easily?
"My friend, he's really into this stuff. He researches old objects and keeps many. A kind of Indiana Jones if you really think about it.”
Yeosang stares at you blankly and you can only sigh, your reference meaningless to his ears.
You rub your face, turning around and walking into the kitchen. He follows behind, a bit slow on his part. You start the coffee maker, before turning back to him. His eyes are empty, not even a peek into what he’s thinking. But you notice how they flick all over your kitchen, taking in the environment with caution.
"What are dragons?" You ask, staying a bit away from him. The counter is the only thing separating you, but he doesn't make any motions to get closer to you, and you're glad. "Are they giant lizards?"
Yeosang scoffs at that. "We are not giant lizards. We are..." He trails off. "The best description would be a mix between a lizard and a serpent. We are cold-blooded, and we mate for offspring in the early Spring."
You tense up at that, knowing that Spring just began.
"Is that why you picked me as your mate? Because it's early Spring?"
He shakes his head slowly. "No. Mother, when she created us we were supposed to guard our realms. Make sure the balance of the Earth always stays the same. But she noticed how lonely we were. You see, I don't often see my brothers. Since I am in charge of Earth's water, I have stayed alone on that mountain for millennia. No human has ever had the ability to see me or my cottage, because it is hidden from their eyes. But you," He looks at you. "You have changed everything. And a part of me is afraid of this. I've never wanted a mate, because..."
He looks down at his hands. "I have seen my brother care for a Human. And watch him die in his arms, unable to do anything. He wasn't his mate, but he cared for him like so. Mingi didn't deserve to get his heart broken like that, so I swore that I would never do the same. I would never interact with a Human, I will stay away."
"But your eyes met mine from across the river. At that moment, I knew that you were different. And you happened to be the one mother chose for me. A Human who would die in a few decades, only a few hours for a creature like me."
He told you the harsh truth. He doesn't want you, and it's not like you want him. You barely know him. But the feeling of rejection swirls in your chest, the burning sensation of knowing that you're unwanted making you want to vomit.
"Then why are you here? Is this supposed to make me feel better? Make me want to throw myself into your arms and thank your Mother that she made us mates? I don't know you, Yeosang. And I don't think I want to. Not after you basically called me a waste of time."
He winces at that. "I didn't mean to–"
His eyes turn to the open doorway, narrowing. He moves in front of you, blocking your view. You try to push him out of the way, but he glances back, glaring at you. You stay silent then, hiding behind his wide stature.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, emotion lost in his voice.
The new person laughs, and it's like magic to your ears. Not as pleasant and mouth watering as Yeosang, but pretty damn close.
"Ah, do you want to hide her from us now? We just wanted to take a peek at your mate."
"Leave." He says simply. "I told you to not involve yourselves in this, it'll only overwhelm her–"
"Overwhelm me? Why do you keep on treating me like a fucking kid?" You peek your head out from around him, and he sighs, letting you stand in front of him without much protest.
A man stands there, arms crossed as he tilts his head and takes in your figure. His eyes roam over your body, teeth biting his lower lip. His eyes rest of yours, filled with something you can't figure out. You wouldn't have noticed anything strange about him, but his eyes are a lighter brown.
"Yeosang didn't say you were a beautiful Human," his voice is smooth, slithering into your ear as he speaks. He takes a step forward, "Perhaps you'd want me instead?"
"Cut it out," The man standing behind him mumbles. His hair is a dark red, eyes matching the same. His eyes flick over you quickly, frowning. "She knows how easily you fell in love with a Human, and yet, she continues to do this to us." He tsks, looking away. "How despicable."
"San, Mother makes decisions for a reason. We must be grateful, she is the one who made us into who we are," The slick talker rebuttals. He looks back at you, nodding his head once. "Nice to meet you, I'm Mingi. The one with the bad temper is San. Seonghwa isn't here, he decided to go back to his Home."
Mingi looks at Yeosang, a small pout on his lips. "Don't hide your playthings from us anymore—"
A low rumble echoes around the room, stomping Mingi in his speech. You feel Yeosang move closer to you, almost inches away from pressing his back against yours.
"Watch what you say," he says.
San sighs. "He's already bonded, there's no use. If we remove her, it will only tear him apart."
Remove? Remove? Were they going to—
Yeosang feels your heartbeat race and he stands in front of you, wrapping an arm around you protectively. His skin is cold but it's comforting, his grip strong as he holds you to his side.
"I won't repeat myself, San. Remember your place. Both of you leave her home, now."
Mingi's face drops. "I'm sorry," he tilted his head to you. "To both of you. Please be well."
San sniffs, eyebrows furrowed. "Doesn't it smell like–" Mingi slaps his hand against San's lips, a nervous laughter erupting from him.
"Haha! Time to go, San. I'll see you back home, Yeosang. And it was nice meeting you, y/n. I hope to see you again soon."
Mingi pushes a resistant San out of your home, shutting the door loudly behind them as they leave. Your hand brushes lightly against Yeosang's arm, and he slowly lowers his chest, heart beat steadying to a normal pace.
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't expect them to show up here so quickly." He confesses, turning back to look at you. "And I understand if you don't want to be my mate. I'll just stay away."
You feel your body reject the idea. Tears spring to your eyes, your hands begin to shake, and your breaths kick up in speed. You shake your head, not wanting to meet his eyes."No. No, I mean... We can be friends, Yeosang. I don't want you to disappear. Not until I've given you a chance."
His somber expression fades as he takes in your words. "You don't have to do that to make me feel content. I'm okay with being away."
"Are you? Are you okay with not seeing me?"
His eyes move to the floor at that. He doesn't say anything, but as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. You nod slowly.
"Okay, then we can be friends. Just... when you come to my house, maybe knock before barging in? And don't break my door anymore please, it took Yunho way too long to fix it."
You see the disgusted look on his face, but before you can question it it fades away. He moves his head in agreement, slightly tilting it to you.
"I'm fine with that. When you are inviting people into your home, do you trust them? There are many who say they are something when they are not. You should be wary of that."
"No one that's come into this house is someone that I don't trust. At least, not until today."
"Are you sure?"
"Don't you trust my judgment?" You ask through clenched teeth. If he's referring to you not letting your best friends into your home, you'd shut it down immediately. They're the only people that you love and trust in this world. Not even him, your destined mate, can get in between that.
He sighs, mumbling words in a language you don't understand. He takes off his necklace, rolling the stones between his fingers for a moment. "You've kept your eyes on this for a while, so before I go I should tell you what this is. "When we were first created, all of us were given a token of Mother's love and protection. She gave me this necklace and the silver on my fingers. The symbols are something that your Human mind won't quite comprehend. But essentially, it protects you from danger and deep woes. Since... Since I worry for you, I would like it if you kept this with you."
You stare at it in his hands, his fingers brushing lightly over the stones.
"I can't take that—"
"I am a dragon, y/n. I do not need protection like this. And I have my rings, if you are worried about that. Please, this will make me feel better about leaving you alone without my protection."
Before he was complaining about having to be your mate, but now he's basically confessing his love for you. You nod, barely, and he takes a step forward, slowly dropping it on your neck. You think that some feeling will go over you, but there's nothing but the smell of him that surrounds you. He stares at the necklace on your neck, letting out a breath of relief.
"Please don't take it off unless I'm with you. Now that you're my mate, it makes you a target for beings that are too terrifying to name. Beings that lurk in the forest."
He hears your heartbeat pick up at that, and curses himself for scaring you.
"They won't come to you, I've already placed protection around your home. Nothing within a twenty mile radius will come to you unless I perish. And I am older than the stars."
You laugh, and his chest whines at the sound. He closes his eyes, trying his best to remember the beautiful symphony. His eyes move to how yours crinkle at the corners, how your nose scrunches up and your cheeks lift.
"I cannot believe the universe decided to make my mate a dragon that constantly reminds me that he's older than dirt. And people said Twilight was bad."
He listens to you mumble on and on about how unfair the world is and something about sliced bread. You look at him, and your eyes still. A small smile graces his lips, and it's one of the most ethereal things you've ever seen. You feel your cheeks warm at your thoughts. Watching him stand there, your doubts go away for just a moment.
"I'll see you soon, right?" He asks.
"Yes. Yes you will, Yeosang."
-
Wooyoung walks around your home, eyes flicking over everything. You watch him with mild curiosity, waiting for him to complain about the dishes not being done or something so minuscule that not even your dragon— Yeosang, would be able to notice.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He questions, worried. That's why you love him. Despite his annoying habits and a bit of overbearing behavior, he cares about you. He cares about you so much, and thinking about it almost makes you cry.
"I'm okay, Woo."
He takes a step closer, doubt in his eyes. "Are you sure? You don't need anything?"
"No, I'm fine Woo. All I need is you and Yunho, and I'm good. Answer my calls and whine for all I care, but I'm good. No more walking around here like a zombie, no more jumping at the slightest sounds. I'm good."
He runs his fingers through his hair.
"Fine, but stay away from that forest. I'll buy you one of those treadmills that makes you think you're walking in nature."
You chuckle, and he grins at how he finally got you to laugh. Your eyes move over to Yunho, your smile slipping slightly.
Ever since they've arrived, he's been off. He was all smiles until his eyes flicked over your figure, moving from your necklace to your home. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and sat on the couch, saying nothing else. Wooyoung didn't notice the change in his attitude, too worried about you. But whatever upset him, you just hoped it wasn't you. He didn't even laugh at any of your cheesy jokes or crack one of his own. Does he think that you're lying about how okay you are? Does he know that you're hiding something without saying it?
You've been on edge the whole time because of him, waiting for him to finally snap and say what he has to say. But he's kept his lips shut, staring ominously into the muted TV.
"Alright well Yun and I have a date later, but just text us if you need anything, alright? We're just a phone call away!" He hugs you quickly before pulling on Yun's shoulder. He stands, and you almost scream as his eyes meet yours.
They're completely black, filled with nothing. But he blinks and it's gone, as if you just imagined it. Yunho breaks out into a smile, different from his quiet behavior only moments ago.
"Take care of yourself, alright? Don't get into any trouble." He says the last word with a bit of anger, and you nod, letting the both of them walk out. As they shut the door behind them, you lean on the counter, eyes unfocused.
No. It was just a trick of the eye. It's not possible for him to have black pupils. You push away your silly thoughts, trying to think coherently. He's been your best friend ever since you were a child. Whatever you think you saw, it isn't true. You keep on telling yourself this, scrubbing the plates with much more vigor.
-
"Tell me more about Humans. Do you have lifelong mates, are there people you are destined for?" Yeosang asks as he watches you type on the computer.
You sigh, "No. Well, it's not like our bond. People sometimes choose someone to spend the rest of their lives with, and it's not fate or destiny. They go through problems, some may have multiple people they love. It just depends on how their life goes, ya know?"
You don't hear anything from him, and you continue to concentrate on the words in front of you. He seems to get the picture, moving away from you and walking around your room. You don't see him stop on your drawer, don't hear him opening the top one because of your immense concentration on your work.
Yeosang brushes his fingers on the fabrics, obviously your undergarments. His hands reach deeper, something solid touching the tips of his fingers. He pulls it out slowly, a large pink cock standing in front of him. He feels his face flush as he stares at it. Do Humans... pleasure themselves this way? He pokes it, a faint smell of your pheromones coating the outside. He quickly drops it into your drawer, slamming it with such might that you jump in your seat, turning around to look at him.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Pink cheeks and red ears greet you back, and your eyes move to the drawers behind him. You think about what you have in there, panic immediately reaching your eyes.
"Just... Don't look at people's stuff, alright? And haven't you lived for several millenniums? The first thing that you should've learned was privacy!" You hiss, and he nods, bowing quickly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you pleasure yourselves—"
"Stop! Stop, please don't make this more embarrassing than it already is."
He nods, and you turn back to your desk. Your eyes can't seem to concentrate on the task, and you throw your head to the desk in frustration. Yeosang moves back over to you, concern about his features.
"Why do you do things that upset you?" He asks softly. "Isn't it better to do more calming activities? I have seen you stressed since I've arrived, and that will only decrease your lifespan."
You can't help but pout, "I love my job. I just hate when I can't figure out how to edit something with better words. And I need money, Yeosang. Nothing comes easily in life."
He shrugs at that. "I live in the mountains with what nature provides. The only use of money to me is a way to start my fire. But I do see how focused Humans are on it. It's a major reason why you all suffer so greatly. You should look back to your ancestors and see that the simple life is best. But barely any of you know how to start a simple fire without the use of your tools."
He glances at your computer, hands crossed against his chest. "You stared at that for so long, you don't even realize that three hours have gone by." He glances at the time on your clock. "Would you like me to make something for you?"
You frown. "You don't even know how to work the oven, why would I let you near my kitchen?"
His lips lift up into a smirk, showing the ever elusive dimples in his cheeks. "I'll bring you to my home. Something is already cooking."
You think about the last time you were there, his eyes locked on yours as he struggled to hold himself together. Hands digging into his kitchen counter as you basically ran out, your leg straining in pain as you made your way down the mountain. You were terrified at the time; a bit of you still is, even if he's your mate.
"I won't hurt you," he says softly. "I can feel the change in your temperature, and hear the way your heart beat changes. I can't read your thoughts, but from this I know enough. I won't hurt you," he repeats. "That was my dragon out of control. It's never experienced a scent like yours before, but I've controlled it. And it won't dare to hurt you, it wants to only protect."
He rubs his forehead. "This... All of this is complicated. There's so much to explain to you, but I'm not sure if you'd like to hear it." His words are coming out in soft whispers, unexpected from such a vocal being like him. But he's nervous, hands shaking slightly as he pulls on his hair. You've grown to notice that it's a nervous habit of his.
"Let's go to your home," you say, and he visibly brightens up at your words. "And I don't think you'll do anything to hurt me. I trust you."
You trust him. His lips twitch, wanting to curve into a smile. But he's so scared of frightening you away that he only nods, not noticing your shoulders drop a bit at his dry reaction.
"We should leave soon, then. Before it gets dark out."
-
You still make him nervous when you're with him. The smell of you stuck in the air, whiffing around his small home. He keeps quiet though, checking and tasting his soup frequently. He's not sure what you like; salty or sweet, spicy or mild. It makes him panic a little, hoping that he satisfies you.
You sit in the living area, eyes on the fireplace flickering. His eyes trail along your exposed skin, landing on the junction between your neck and shoulders. He's been wanting to mark you as his since he's found out, but easing you into this is what's best. You don't know anything about him, and tying you to him that way will only break you two apart. Resulting in him being more broken than he already is.
It's hard, he wants to tell you everything, from his birth to now. Everything that he knows about dragons, wanting to see your eyes shine with curiosity at his words. But he holds himself in, not wanting to overstep. You're loud and blunt, you'll tell him when he's doing something wrong. He tastes the stew once more, nodding in satisfaction.
"You know," he looks at you, and you're turned back, smiling at him. "You don't have to make the stew perfect. As long as it's edible, I couldn't care less about the flavor."
"I just finished." He grabs a wooden bowl, thinking back to how only a couple of weeks ago, you were with him. Same scenario, but this time your leg is fine. The healing water, or cleaning liquid, that he poured over it, helped. He still hasn't told you about the small trick that he did, but that's for another time.
He takes two bowls and spoons, and walks over to you, trying his best to not trip. He's clumsy, he knows that. He passes the bowl to you and you thank him. He sits across from you, watching as you take the first bite into his mouth. You say nothing for a moment, face and body motionless.
"Is it too salty? I can add more water—"
"Yeosang, if you told me you were such a good cook I'd ask you to cook for me all the time!" You say, your face bright. "What the fuck! This is some Gordon Ramsay, some Bobby Flay type shit! It's amazing!"
He sighs in relief, sipping his slowly. "I'm glad you like it, y/n."
Your smile twitches. Your name falls off his lips easily, making your whole body shiver.
"You never said my name." You say softly. "To be honest, I thought you didn't know it. But you finally said it, so we're getting somewhere, right?" You say, and he nods.
"Yes."
You hold the hot chocolate in your hand, sitting closer to the fire. It has to be past midnight, your soft whispers echoing around the room. You two have talked about everything; from your rocky relationship with your family to your friends. He talked about his family life as well, and how much he loves the forest.
"What kind of dragon are you?"
"I control agriculture and water. That's why I keep my home so close to it, I can feel everything. I could even feel when you and your friend fell in. The water is connected to me in such a way that if I concentrate on it, I can feel the sea life that lives in its depths. And when the forest breathes, I do. Everything is connected," he puts his hand on the ground, closing his eyes.
"Can't you feel it?"
His smile grows on his face, and you stare in awe. He's showing you his true self; the sharpness of his canines and the beautiful lift of his cheeks. Eyes closed into small crescents and skin glowing with the flickering of the fire. You've never seen him so relaxed, free of woes and anxiety. It's a beautiful sight.
"Do you feel it, y/n?" This time his eyes are open, resting on yours. It's not a lust filled gaze, not emotionless. It's filled with... something you didn't expect to see.
Care.
"Yes, I can." You say, the double meaning behind your words apparent. He smiles softly, looking to the floor.
"It's not proper for you to stay at a dragon's home, but I cannot let you go back down the mountain at this time of night. Not that you won't be with me, which you will, but there's too much danger when it's the night. I would prefer it if you stayed here." He scratches the back of his head. "Ah, but I only have one bed. I can sleep on the couch while you rest there."
You place your cup on the stump coffee table, shaking your head quickly. "I can't just take over your bed."
"I'm not letting you stay in the living area, y/n." He says, not leaving room for protest. "There's spare clothing in my room, and there's running water as well. Please, take as long as you'd like. I'll wait for you to finish."
You purse your lips, and he raises his eyebrow, waiting for you to challenge him. But you're too exhausted to give a hint of your usual sass so you nod, standing up.
"My room is the last door to the right. And the bathing area is right across from it." He says, grabbing your cup and walking into the kitchen. You watch him for a moment before following where he tells you to go.
You push the door open to his room slowly, peeking inside. You aren’t sure what you expected; but this isn’t what you think a bachelor pad would look like. His room has shelves of books everywhere, some in languages you can’t even pinpoint. The earthy smell of Yeosang swirls around the room, and you take it in, the scent comforting. Scattered papers lay across his desk, but you ignore all of them, walking to his closet and peeking inside. It’s lined with mostly dark colors, so you grab whatever pops in front of your face before closing it quickly. A small thought dawns on you.
You don’t have any underwear.
Your eyes flick to the drawer in the corner, but you shake your head. Nope. Even if he’s your mate, he’s still a complete stranger and going through a stranger’s things is a no-no. You quickly walk out, shutting the door behind you. Going commando is a thing, and you’ll embrace it! You glance into the living area before going into the bathroom, locking the door behind you.
-
Yeosang sits on his couch, running his fingers through his hair. He can hear the scolding of his brothers in his head right now, telling him that this is a bad idea, being alone with you. Telling him that he should have rejected you long ago; that his presence in your life will only make it harder for him to resist you. Because technically, you aren’t his. Not until his marks cover you.
A small knock on his door makes him tense up. He’s been so lost in his thoughts he didn’t hear the pitter patter of his elder brother coming to see him. He walks in without a care, glancing around the open space before staring at Yeosang. He hasn’t dropped his glamor, eyes still the solid human brown. He frowns at Yeosang, closing the door behind him.
“Why have you brought her here again? Didn’t the others tell you how dangerous it is? You might hurt her, or worse. I thought you out of everyone would understand the risk.”
“I thought you would understand, since your partner right now is a Human. You’ve been around her for longer than myself and haven’t hurt her. Saying that I will is hypocritical.”
Yunho rolls his eyes. “You haven’t spent time with Humans in centuries. You find them revolting, you actively avoid their presence. And yet with y/n, you seem to do the complete opposite of what you usually do. Is this really because of Mother?”
Yeosang nods, but stops himself. “No. This is not only because of her. Yunho, I care about y/n. I do. She is different, much more different than the Humans I am used to. I don’t want to see her gone, not yet.” He mumbles. He can’t help but yearn for you, even when you’re still showering, oblivious to the conversation the two of them are having. “And you shouldn’t be here, anyway. You haven’t told her who you are, it’ll upset her when she finds out.”
“And I never was going to tell her, Yeosang. But, you messed everything up,” He growls in frustration. “All of the glamor I put on them, all of the backstory that I’ve made up so that she believes that we grew up with one another, you ruined it.”
“Just tell her!” Yeosang hisses. “y/n can take it. As well as Wooyoung.”
Yunho growls at the mention of his lover’s name, but that doesn’t stop him from continuing.
“She trusts you, and maybe her trust will sway a little, but in the end the two of you have been best friends since she was a child. You’ve spent more time with her than me, she won’t push you away.”
“You don’t know that,” Yunho confesses. “I care about y/n, more than you can ever know. I’ve had no problem with Humans since the beginning. I’ve seen the good nature in them, I’ve seen the destructive nature in them. I have seen them rejoice at their best and fall at their worst. y/n is a pure soul, and there are already very few. But with you… her soul will be tainted. And I don’t want that for her.”
“Mother wouldn’t make her my mate if it would have destroyed her soul.”
“I would agree if Mother wasn’t too occupied with other worlds to focus on ours. She doesn’t just have us as sons, Yeosang. Why do you think we rarely see here within a millennia? We aren’t her favorites, we are one of the first ones she’s created and abandoned. She won’t care about who she made our mates, or the outcome of it. She only cares about her most respected sons, the ones who can control whole planets on their own, not just elements.”
Yunho looks outside for a moment. “She couldn’t even think of one for me. She made me in charge of darkness. All I do is make the moon rise. You hold Earth’s waters in your hands. Mingi holds sunlight at his fingertips, Seonghwa controls the air we breathe and San controls fire. And I, darkness.” He looks at Yeosang, face solemn. “I am telling you this because y/n is more important to me than many things in this world. And I don’t want to be the one to console Wooyoung when you can no longer control the dragon within you, and hurt her in some way. And this isn’t me being a pessimist, this is me being realistic. Face it Yeosang, you aren’t capable of taking care of y/n the way you want to. You don’t even know what cell phones are.”
He sighs, pushing stray hairs from his face. “Just think about this more, alright? Don’t make a decision based on what Mother says, make it based on what’s in your head and heart. More so your head, because your heart only has that dragon controlling it.” He grumbles, taking one last look at the bathroom that you’re in before stepping out.
Yeosang watches him go, biting his lip, his arms still crossed against his chest. “Nice to see you after a few centuries too, Yunho.” He utters.
-
You wrap yourself in Yeosang’s blankets, the smell of him wrapping around you. You could hear Wooyoung and Yunho right now, screaming at you for even stepping outside your house without letting them know. Woo will probably combust from so much anger, Yun having to pick up the pieces from the floor. You puff, letting out a stressed breath. This is a bad idea. This is a really fucking, shitty ass bottom of the bottle, terrible idea.
Even though it’s almost 3am, you can’t even fall asleep. Your eyes won’t dare to shut no matter how much you squeeze them together. You’re not sure if it’s from nervousness or if you’re waiting for Yeosang to knock on your door and say something. You let out a low groan, pushing your blankets off of you and staring at the ceiling.
A mirror stares back at you, and you yelp, on the verge of screeching at your bed head staring back at you. What in the living hell? Why does he have a mirror? Does he watch himself sleep?? Is it a kinky thing? You gasp, staring at the sheets underneath you. Has he? On these sheets? You throw yourself out of the bed, paranoia running through your bones.
What the hell is going on with you? You’re pretty sure you’ve slept completely fine on Wooyoung’s sheets, even though he was known as the sex freak throughout your time as his coworker before he flipped his shit. You rub your face, small whimpers falling from your lips. All you want to do is sleep and yet here’s your mind, throwing water at you and saying no way.
A small knock on your door makes you jump, eyes flicking to the small crack.
“It’s Yeosang. Do you mind if I come in?” he asks softly, and you nod, before realizing that he can’t see you.
“Yes,” you mumble.
He pushes the door open slowly, looking at the bed. His shining eyes move to you curled up on the floor, curiosity in his gaze. But he doesn’t ask, sitting in the chair several feet away from you.
“I couldn’t sleep,” he admits. “I usually don’t have much of an issue on most nights, but my eyes don’t want to close.”
You laugh, a breathy one barely escaping your lips. “Probably because I’m here,” You say, looking away from his gaze, not wanting to see him nod in agreement. “I can still leave, you know. I have a flashlight on my phone and walking down won’t be too bad…”
He snorts. “I’m not letting you walk alone at this time, and I can’t sleep because… Because now that you’re here, my dragon, no, I want to rest next to you.” You don’t lift your head, and he wonders if he offended you in any way, so he quickly cleans up his words. “Being on the couch is fine, I have no issues with that. I can sleep anywhere. But with you here, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep without you being close to me.” He admits, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, but I think being honest is best. You… can kick me out any time, I won’t be offended.”
You’re not, not at all. Instead, you feel your chest flutter with the possibility of Yeosang holding you close, his head resting on top of yours, your back against his chest as he presses his lips to your temple and you both fall asleep.
“I want you.” You say simply.
You don’t see the way his face turns pink at your words, ears burning red. You quickly realize what you’ve said, and you backpedal quickly.
“I mean! Haha, I was saying that I want to sleep with you, in the same bed. Like, because we’re tired, not the other,” You throw your head back in frustration. “This is so embarrassing.”
He laughs, and you enjoy the sound. “No, I get what you mean. I want to do that. We should do that.”
You stand up, crawling back underneath the covers. Yeosang follows your lead, lifting up the covers and sliding underneath. Your warmth compared to his cool skin gives you a different feeling. You stare at the ceiling, eyes on him. He met yours, a small smile on his lips.
“You can’t fall asleep with your eyes open,” he says simply, and you snort, turning your back to him. He laughs, and you feel him slide, his back to you as well.
You stay like that for a few minutes, and you know what you want. You’re an adult, all you have to say is-
“Do you mind if I hold you?” he whispers, his body turning to you. A small yes escapes you, and he doesn’t hesitate, pulling you against him.
His chest rests against your back, rising and lifting slowly. Your feet press against his legs, and he basks in their warmth. He wraps his arms around your waist, face in your hair. He takes this moment to breathe you in, your smell surrounding him. His skin is several degrees colder than yours, and the dragon in him tries its best to pull you as close as possible, without hurting you.
Your eyes flutter close, comfort quicker than before. Yeosang mumbles a soft goodnight into your ear, and you whisper it back. Your trip to sleep land is quick.
-
The sun shining through the windows wakes you up in the morning. You squint, trying your best to blink away the night. It feels like weights are trying to keep your eyes closed, but you know it's probably midday, already too long to stay in bed. Your boss is probably endlessly calling you about your assignment for the week. You stretch your arms slowly, palms hitting a solid body. You almost scream, until you think back to last night.
You roll over. Yeosang is still fast asleep, his chest rumbling every time he exhales. His hair is a mess, covering most of his face. You reach out to push it away from his face, but you stop yourself, dropping your arm. He pulls you closer, and you yelp softly, your chest pressed against his. His eyes slowly open, looking down at yours.
"Good morning," You say softly.
He says nothing for a moment, eyes flicking between yours. He blinks slowly, breaths slow. His hands are pressing against your bare back, and you feel something, some thing hard against your stomach. He nuzzles his nose against your forehead, sniffing softly.
You push your hands against his chest, and he tenses up. "Time to go back, yes?"
He quickly lets go, leaning up in bed. He looks at you, glancing down at you wearing his clothes, face darkening. "I need to use the bathroom." He stands quickly walking out and not ever looking back.
You glance down, seeing your nipples perked, on display for the world to see. Now you feel your face warm as you look around the room for your bra. You usually sleep with the bare minimum on, so you're glad he didn't barge in when you were getting dressed. Wearing the same underwear twice in a row is gross, and going commando once in a while couldn't hurt. But you're in his home, wearing his clothes. You slap yourself, grabbing your bra from your dirty clothes pile and quickly putting it on before he walks back in.
You think back to last night, his cool hands wrapped around your waist, soothing in the early morning. If this happened a couple of weeks ago you'd freak, demand that he bring you back home and you'd never see him again. But you like the way he feels, hands oddly soft for a man his size. Pressed lightly against your bare stomach, never traveling lower. Lips pressed against your neck, tongue—
Your hand flicks up to your neck, and you quickly look in the ceiling mirror. Nothing's there, and you sigh in relief. And a bit of disappointment, but you'd rather deal with those feelings by yourself later.
"The bathroom is ready," Yeosang says, not daring to step in the room. I've left a fresh pair of clothing. I don't grow, so everything is my size. And I've realized that..." His face is completely red now. "I don't have any new underwear to give you, since I don't wear any. I'm sorry about that."
You try to keep your eyes on his, not daring to flick down. No, you're being good. Definitely not imagining what he looks like with those pants off. Nope, not at all. Yeosang sniffs, and backs away slightly.
"I'll be in the living room. You can come whenever you're ready, and then we can go back to your home."
He walks away, leaving the door wide open. You scratch your head, grabbing your things and bolting to the bathroom, not daring to even take a glance into the living area.
-
His fingers are gripping his thigh so tight, hard enough to tear. He tries to keep his thoughts empty, but all he can think of is holding you in his arms, his dragon so close to your neck, so close to making you his. Yunho is right; he isn't ready for this. He isn't ready for you, and he's not sure if he'll ever be. You're so delicate, so alive and warm and Human, the complete opposite of him. He's cold, his heart pumps blood but it's useless, he can't die. You're a Human, and he's a dragon.
And nothing will change that.
But he can't stop thinking of how your body curves into his, how you're the perfect size for him to wrap around. How he loves how soft you are under his touch, how you smell. Why are you so enticing, so beautiful and fragile? Yeosang looks at the floor, straining his dragon. He's barely holding himself back. He can't do this anymore. He can't see you anymore, not like this. Not even as friends.
He doesn't want to say it out loud, but after today, he won't be coming back to you. He'll move his home away, in another forest far enough away that you wouldn't look. But close enough that if you're in danger, he'd be able to get there at a moment's notice.
Don't. His dragon whispers to him. This decision will only hurt more. It will hurt us being away from her.
He shakes off the voice, keeping his thoughts rational. No, nothing can change his mind. Nothing.
You walk into the living room, seeing Yeosang stare off into the forest outside. He looks back at you, his eyes a darker brown. Different from the beautiful blue you're used to looking into.
"Yeosang, your eyes—"
He nods. "In case we stumble into Humans hiking. It's better to make myself look like them, so that I don't have to deal with the aftermath. Are you ready to go?" He doesn't seem fazed by you wearing his clothing, eyes calmer than you've ever seen them. You nod, and he walks outside, you follow close behind.
He says nothing to you, despite your long talks from only hours ago. Yeosang keeps several feet ahead of you, ears probably listening to your every movement. You’re not sure what happened over the course of these few hours, but you can’t help but feel worried. Did you do something to bother him? Did it bother him that you accepted his offer so easily? Did you offend him when you were talking last night?
You stumble over a rock, and Yeosang doesn’t bother to glance back. “Be careful of your footing,” He says.
"Did I do something?" You ask after about a half hour of walking. He shakes his head, but doesn't give you a verbal response. Your irritation rises as he keeps his back to you, not even bothering to acknowledge you with a look.
"Is it because you think I'm easy or something? Or did I offend you with something I said last night?"
He shakes his head again, and you stop in your spot. No. You're not going to do this wordless answering anymore. Yeosang sighs, staring straight forward.
"The sun won't be in the sky all day, y/n. It's best to move quickly so that you're safe in your home."
"I won't move until you look at me and tell me what's wrong so we can fix this."
He looks back at you, his lips tight. His eyes are cold, the beautiful warmth from mere hours ago gone from his face. It's like you're a stranger, nothing to him. He pushes a stray strand, tucking it behind his ear.
"It's nothing."
"It's something, or you won't be treating me like shit."
"If you stopped acting so entitled, then maybe you won't feel that way." He hisses, the blue slightly breaking between the brown contacts.
"Excuse me? Me, entitled? You're the one that brought me to your house, kicked me out and then banged on my door, humping it like a dog in heat. And then you barged into my home unannounced, basically on your knees to be my friend. And then you say that I'm your mate. And you're telling me that I'm entitled? When all I've done is accept you when I’ve wanted to push you away. I even believed that you’re a dragon! I didn't even question it!"
You're sick of it, sick of this hot and cold, this warmth and bittersweetness. You just want him to accept you as you are, and not push you away. You just want him to tell you what's wrong.
He stares at you. "All of you Humans are the same. Valuing your lives above everyone else's. Not admitting your mistakes, blaming it on everyone except yourself. You are the one who grabbed Yeouiju from the ground. You are the one who took it away. You started this all, and yet you continue to blame it on me."
The anger emits from your body as you stare at him blaming this all on you. Fuck him, fuck all of this! You storm past him, too tired to give a rat's ass about what he has to say. He grabs your arm, stopping you.
"Didn't you want to know why I'm annoyed?" He asks, and you push him away. He resists, and you struggle against his grip.
"You know what, Dragon? I don't give a fuck why you're mad. Because I've done absolutely nothing but accept you as you are, I've cared for you and all I get back is anger and you continuing to push me away after you open up. I'm tired, I'm tired of playing these games with you. I've never hated someone as much as I do you." You pull again, and this time, you stumble back.
But he doesn't reach for you, letting you fall to the ground. You struggle to your feet, ignoring the dirt that sticks to your clothes. No, his clothes. Yeosang opens his mouth, but you hold one finger up.
"Yeosang, I thought this was going to be something, you know? I thought you were going to accept me being a Human and you being a Dragon. I thought we were going to learn about one another and one day... One day ..."
He knows what you want to say. He desperately waits for the word to fall from your lips, but you shake your head again.
"Don't follow me. I can make it back on my own without your help."
You continue down the mountain, cursing at yourself for believing that he'd never hurt you, that he cares about you. You hope that you can forget what he told you last night, his silent plea for you to care for him completely vanishes from your mind. Your tears stain your cheek as you walk down, but you don't dare to wipe them.
Yeosang's eyes follow your figure, until you completely disappear from your view. He can adjust his sight to watch you go back home, but it'll only be more painful for him. He clenches his fingers, claws digging into the flesh. This is the best way. You, hating him and thinking that he no longer cares for you. It's the only way to keep you safe, he thinks. It's the only way that he can assure you won't come looking for him.
He takes a deep breath, before turning back and walking back home.
-
Wooyoung sees how slow you walk around your kitchen, the bright you he's used to gone. He's not sure what's happened in the past few days, but he doesn't pressure you to say it. You're still writing and editing, so it's nothing with your job. Yunho, even with his endless jokes, doesn't crack a smile on your face. You only nod although, downing your fifth coffee of the day.
"I'm worried about her," Wooyoung says. "She's not herself. y/n always gets into slumps, but nothing this severe. She won't even push us away and never rejects our invitations to stay over. She hates when we're here longer than necessary, Yun." Wooyoung says softly, ear listening to the clicking of you typing on your computer. You keep your headphones in usually, but he wants to make sure you're not listening.
"She even leaves the house, and she never leaves the house. I mean, I've never seen her cupboard so full of crap. It's like she's here, but not. Not really."
"I know." Yunho replies, eyes on your door. Wooyoung can't see, but he can. He can see as your fingers shakes as you type, eyes unfocused. It's you desperately trying to hold on to what you have left, and he knows it's his fault. He frowns softly.
This isn't how it is supposed to be. You're supposed to welcome Yeosang being out of your life, free of the danger that is him. But it seems to only take a toll on you. And there's only one person he can ask about what to do.
Mother.
"Woo, want to stay here for a bit? I'm going to buy us some dinner and I'll be back."
Wooyoung nods at his words, biting his lip in nervousness. Yunho pecks it quickly before standing up, walking out the door. He parks the car a ways away from the property, before closing his eyes. He looks up at the stars, finally locating the one he wants to talk to.
"Hi Mother. I have an issue I need to solve. It's Yeosang, and his mate."
-
Two days go by. Then a week. Then a month. You hike up the mountain, eyes desperately looking for a glimpse of him. But the other side of the river is empty, Yeosang's cottage long gone. You fall to the grass, sobs rocking through you. You don't even feel him with you, our chest void of Yeosang. You never thought that not seeing him would make you feel this way. Like the world ended.
But you tried to move on. You let Yunho and Wooyoung over to your house often, their hilarious behavior letting out small smiles from you. Even if they're a bit strained. Wooyoung noticed the change of behavior in you. He tried to interrogate you about it, but what could you say? It's not like you were in a relationship with him; no, he is, was, just a friend of yours. And even saying that is a stretch. But how can you explain that you feel like your heart is shattered into dozens of pieces, unable to glue back together?
So all you tell him is that you're fine. That it must be the change of seasons, that's all. And he believes you, at least for now. And Yunho, you know that he can see through your facade. He can see how broken you are, although he doesn't say it. But he's over at your home more often than Wooyoung is, cooking for you and reminding you to leave your house often. And you're glad to have someone like him so close to you, someone who's been with you your whole life and won't disappear on a whim.
-
Yeosang sits on his couch, so interested in his sewing that he hasn't noticed all of his brothers arriving in his room, staring at him. Even for an immortal, they have to nourish themselves. Yeosang feeds on sunlight but he hasn't left his home in so long. His cheeks are beginning to look hollow, his eyes losing the steady light that always shined brightly. The tanned dragon is slowly turning gray.
"You can't keep on doing this, it's draining you." Mingi says, tapping him. "I've never seen an immortal close to death, but you look like it. You're losing your shine, Yeosang. Your hair is falling out. You need to go outside."
Yeosang shakes his head. "I don't need to control water and plants from outside. All I have to do is flick my wrist, and they'll be fine."
"Stop acting like a child, it's like you've lost someone," Seonghwa grumbles, and he sees him stop in his sewing for a moment, before continuing. "Wait, when was the last time you've seen y/n?"
"It doesn't matter."
They all exchange looks, before their eyes land on Yunho. Yunho says nothing, staring at his younger brother. He's never seen Yeosang so frail, so weak. He rubs his face. This isn't what he wants. He wants you to be safe, he wants Yeosang to learn how to interact with Humans before becoming your mate. But hiding out in this cottage? Not saying anything to anyone for months at a time?
"What did you say to him?" San shakes his head. "Even we didn't interfere with how he and y/n interacted. You should know better than to involve yourself with mates. You know what happens if they're separated for too long."
"She's not my mate," Yeosang says softly. His voice is a bit scratchy from not talking for so long. "We didn't complete the marking. She is still free to live her life. To be unrestricted."
"That's not how it works, Yeo," Yunho finally says. "That's how our species mates, yes. But you both, you are soulmates. Lost in their creation, and split in two. And when you met, they finally lived in harmony. But when you separate them like this, it will only slowly kill you. You have to stay with your other soul." He looks at Yeosang, reaching out and stopping his hand from moving.
"I said those things about you out of anger. Your soul won't hurt her, it's destined to protect her. To protect her soul. Yes, you have to beware of your dragon, for he is fearsome. But that is all you have to worry about. y/n is yours, you two are meant to be."
"That's why, when San and I finally visited y/n, we knew. We saw how entwined your souls were, and we vowed to never try to separate you two. Seonghwa did as well, but it seems like Yunho didn't get the message," Mingi glares at the eldest. "But you have to go back to her. Her soul is yours, and yours is hers. Please just fix this."
Yeosang scoffs, pushing his hand away. He runs his fingers through his overgrown locks, hair in serious need for a wash. He thinks back to how he cut the ties with you, left you walking down the mountain alone, not even daring to look back. You're better off without him now.
"Mother told me." Yunho says, seeing the resistance in Yeosang's face. "She told me what happens when you're separated from your mate and reject them."
Seonghwa shakes his head. "This is why you shouldn't have involved yourself, Yun. Mind your business next time, like the rest of us."
"There's no use arguing about it," Mingi says softly. "Yeosang will make his decision, and that's it. We will respect it and move on. But let's give him some time alone." He looks at how pained his brother looks, and hates that they were a primary cause of it. "I'll see you in a bit, yes?" He pats Yeosang's shoulder, walking out.
San says nothing, following close behind. Seonghwa already disappeared into thin air, a bit ironic since he controls it. Yunho is the last one left.
"Go." Yeosang says simply. "I'll figure this out, but you need to leave. I know you wanted what was best for both of us, but you made a mistake, and now we have to suffer because of it."
Yeosang looked at him, the blue faded. "Give me some time."
Yunho nods. "If it makes it better, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to get this far." He turns, walking out the cottage and closing the door behind him.
Yeosang slowly puts his materials away, thoughts consumed with you. You standing on the other side of the river, sobs reaching him as he watched you, too terrified to tell you that he never left. That he just hid his home from you. That despite Yunho's warnings he couldn't bear to leave you alone, not without being close enough to feel your presence.
He grabs his dirty plates off his small wooden table, tossing them into the sink so roughly a few break from impact. He leans over the small sink, staring down at the shards decorating the bottom. He's rejected the idea of you for so long, he doesn't know what it means to finally accept you for who you are. If he's true to himself, he has pushed you away even before Yunho told him to. He didn't like the idea of you and expressed it vehemently to you whenever he was given the chance. Now, his dragon is finally content in his chest, accepting you fully.
He closes his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. Now all he has to do is see if you're willing to love him back.
-
You bang your fist on your keyboard, groaning. All of that progress, all of the hard work and dedication you put into editing is gone. Washed down the drain of the internet, never to be seen again. The document somehow deleted since the last time you looked at it, only the first draft sitting on your desktop. You're too exhausted to even complain about it, needing coffee more than anything else.
But you don't have coffee. You rub your neck, hands landing on the rock necklace that graces your throat. You touch it softly, before reaching back and taking it off, tossing it in a small drawer in your desk. You don't need it, you don't need him. But you don't have the heart to throw it away. You glare at the drawer one last time, before grabbing your bag, leaving him behind.
-
Yeosang washes his hair quickly, the hot water not enough to scrub away his regrets. He steps out of the shower, glancing at himself in the mirror. He looks exhausted, eyes void of emotion and cheeks a bit sickly. He touches his facial hair, growing a small beard from not shaving. He eyes the razor in the corner of the sink.
Should he trim it? Perhaps you'll like the beard on his face, different from the dragon you're used to. He grabs it, and the scissors, trimming it low enough to leave a shadow, but not all the way down. He already trimmed his hair in the shower, still long enough to tuck it back into a bun if he wanted to. He brushes it back, before he feels the fingers throb.
He stares down at them, seeing the glow rise. You took off the necklace. His heart drops, mood immediately anxious. Did you not listen to him? You needed to keep it on when he's not around you, he won't be able to protect you all the time—
He grabs his sweats, not bothering to dry himself off completely. You couldn't have gone that far.
-
You stare at the prices of vegetables, frowning. Did they increase them somehow? You haven't shopped by yourself in forever, but were they always this expensive? You glare at the outside of the pepper, rubbing it slightly. It's too shiny for your liking, probably filled with nasty pesticides and other gross things to make them look this way. You groan, throwing it back into the pile. You should have stolen some from Yeo— your friend's herb garden. Or maybe one day investing on your own. You have the acres, all you need to do is use them.
You grab the most natural looking one that doesn't have brown spots, and toss it into your basket. You don't notice the frantic look of a man who's just walked into the grocery store, eyes searching for only you.
You excuse yourself around a elderly couple, smiling at the woman as she scolds her husband for picking the item that's three cents more. It warms your heart to see older couples; thinking of what brought them together and how they're still together. Did they meet when they were in high school? Maybe in the middle of school dance? Or did they meet in college, eyes meeting one another across the library? Maybe reuniting after years of not being with one another, too scared to tell the other how they feel? Your mind runs through these scenarios, until your eyes land on a man not too far away from you.
If you didn't recognize the giant coat he loves to wear, you would have dismissed him. But the pumping of your heart in your ears, the dryness of your throat as your eyes land on him. He's talking to an employee of the store, eyes the cold brown you hate. He turns around, stopping in his words, and looks to you. You clutch your basket between your fingers, not daring to move as he nods at the employee once, before walking over to you. He's not that tall, you've seen taller, but he walks with purpose, head held high.
You snap out of your daze, placing your basket to the side and excusing yourself as you navigate through the people, walking out the door. No, he can't just show up again. Not after pushing you away with a stupid explanation, leaving you to deal with whatever is between you on your own. Your hand fumbles with the keys in your pocket as you jog to your car, chest rising and falling quickly.
You click the unlock button, glancing back and forth before crossing the street. You don't see the cyclist pedaling quickly, staring at his phone instead of what's in front of him. Before he gets too close, a hand yanks you forward.You shriek, falling forward into his chest. The man in the bike yells a quick apology before pedaling away, seeing the glare of Yeosang, seeping through the contacts he wears. You pull back away from him, dusting off your clothing before opening the door of your car.
Yeosang pushes on it, closing it back.You groan, rubbing your face in frustration.
"Why did you take off your necklace?" He demands, the first words to come out of his mouth since he left you.
Is that what this is about? A stupid rock necklace? "What? Did you want it back or something? I can give it back to you, just leave me alone."
He shakes his head in frustration. "No, y/n. It's not just a decorative item. It protects you when I'm not around. That is why I gave it to you. You cannot just throw it to the side."
You huff. "I don't need your protection. If I did, you wouldn't have left. You would have stayed, but you didn't. Please just let me go home, I don't need this right now. I want to be alone."
"Can you listen to me for five minutes? I can explain why I left if you'd just listen to me. Please." He tries to catch your gaze but you avoid his eyes.
No. You won't be pulled into this sob story of his again. You don't care about the balance of the world or his problems anymore. You've moved on. Just like he wanted you to. You pull on the door again, but he doesn't move his hand.
"You're not asking, are you?"
"I'm sorry," is all he says. "I just, I really need you to listen. We don't have to do it out here, we can go to your home—"
Absolutely the fuck not. Even him standing here is making you feel things you'd rather not. Being in your small home, his scent swirling around? You'd probably go more feral than you already are.
"Follow me," You press the lock on your car, marching over to a small bench. You sit down, gesturing for him to follow. He kept his distance, sitting as far away as he could. He looks at you, waiting. Waiting for your eyes to meet his, but you stare ahead, lips in a straight line. You're giving him little pull, but he accepts it. He hurt you, and still is. Even this small communication between you is more than he deserves.
"You already know about the mates thing and about me being a dragon."
A woman walks but raises her eyebrow and pulls her child closer, pace increasing.
"I didn't want to leave you. I didn't tell you, but one of my brothers came to see me the night you stayed at my home. He was concerned about my acceptance of you being a Human, and empathized that I hated Humans so much that it wouldn't work. That I'm not around them enough to be able to even comprehend how to care for one. That I will hurt you like one of the others did. And I was scared."
You play with the skin next to your fingernails, biting your lip. You never would've guessed that the big, bad dragon could be scared. You glance at him from the corner of your eye, and he's still looking at you. Gaze steady. Eyes sure.
"That's why I let you go. Made you believe that I wanted you gone, even though I wanted you to stay, I wanted to be there for you as much as I could. But I couldn't risk your life just for my pleasure of seeing you. I didn't want to do that. So I hide away from you. I saw you, when you walked back up the mountain. Crying when you saw my cottage gone." He looks down, feeling his eyes grow watery. He wipes it away, continuing. "I desperately wanted to run to you and say that I'd never leave you. But that would only lead down a bad path. At least, that's what I thought until recently."
"He told me that mates are more than that. That he made a mistake. My brother, Mingi, found his long ago even though he killed them by accident. He hasn't been the same since, and we weren't sure why. We thought it was grief, but it's so much more than that."
His eyes flick back and forth. "I don't know if this term is correct, but he phrased it as 'soulmates'. Two souls so entwined that whenever they separate for too long, or a rejection, they slowly die."
You finally turn to him. You see the fading of his beautiful hair, a slight beard covering his face. He reaches up, taking out his contacts. He looks at you, and you hold back your gasp. The beautiful blue you're used to seeing is faded, as if he's aged centuries in only a few months. You reach out, rubbing away a tear that falls without thinking. You pull back quickly, blinking quickly.
"I'm dying. And you're dying too, but it's not as obvious." His eyes flick around your face; from the deep bags underneath your eyes to the lifeless hair that you have pulled back from your face. You laugh dryly, shaking your head.
"Being tired doesn't mean I'm dying."
You say those words, but you believe him. Besides the last time you saw him, he's never lied to you. You feel the exhaustion sticking to your bones. But right when your eyes met his in that parking lot, things immediately felt lighter. The fluorescent lights in the shabby supermarket didn't burn as much. You were literally stuck in place as he walked up to you.
"I'm sorry." He says again. "I'm sorry for doing this to you, for pushing you away when I wanted you next to me. I can't stop thinking about you." He admits. "And I know you won't welcome me into your arms quickly, but I hope that we can start again, from the beginning."
You want to. You want to pretend that you don't want to do it desperately, but you do. You miss him, you miss the smile that he shows you, you miss the slight pout he makes when he's in deep thought, the slight widening of his eyes as he speaks about something he loves. You can't stop thinking about him, either. You nod.
"Okay, but no more secrets."
He closes his eyes. "What if the secret isn't mine to tell?"
You turn to him sharply. "There's something else? Yeosang, what the fuck? Are you a God or something now?"
He stares at you for a long minute, before throwing back his head in laughter. "I didn't tell you this, but Humans long ago used to pray to my brothers and I, giving sacrifices and holding ceremonies in our honor." He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "I couldn't ever understand why. We were prevented from interfering, but why sacrifice to someone you cannot see or feel? And why do you think that we will accept that? It's a strange behavior." He cocks his head for a moment, shaking his head.
"You're avoiding my question," you narrow your eyes. "What's the secret?"
He purses his lips. "It would be best if you bring your friends Wooyoung and Yunho over to your home so that we may discuss it together. It's impossible for me to tell on my own."
"You need my friends to tell your secret?" You question, and he nods.
"It will be best if they are there, yes."
"And why does it need to be in my house? Can't we go somewhere in public?"
He sighs. "I have already been given strange looks as people heard my words walking by. I am supposed to keep my presence a mystery, and not show myself. But I am already out here in public, this only makes matters more dire."
You chuckle. This silly dragon. "No one would believe your words. I'll invite them, but I still need to go shopping." You stand, and he follows your movements. "Are you coming?"
He nods quickly.
-
He follows close behind you as you grab the basket you left, thankfully still in the same spot as before. You look around the aisles, nose wrinkling as his scent fills your nose. You’re still a bit annoyed with him, angry if you really think about it, so him being so close and copying your every movement slightly irritates you. You turn back, and he looks down at you.
“Have you forgotten what you wanted to get?” He asks, and you shake your head.
“No. But do you have to stand so close? It’s not like I’m going to go anywhere,” You walk forward, the stomping of his feet echoing around the small store. If he’s any louder he’d break the tiles, you think.
Your eyes look for the sign for coffee, but before you could walk down, Yeosang brushes past you, eyes focused ahead. He picks up a small container and points it to you. A dragon covers the front of the box, one of the popular name brands you’re used to seeing. You see the slight pout grace his lips as he points at it.
“Dragons don’t look like this, why do Humans depict it this way?”
You shrug, “Probably because of how friendly it looks? No one wants a terrifying dragon on the outside of a box. Most things are made to look approachable, not scary.”
“But we don’t breathe fire, well, none of us but San,” He puts it on the shelf. “Humans long ago wouldn’t dare do such a thing. They cherished our presence, and would never defame us this way.”
He goes on and on about the treatment of dragons as you look through the varieties of coffee, hopefully finding the one you enjoy the most. Yeosang grabs something else, and before you could scold him for it, he hands you your favorite brand.
You raise your brows in surprise.“How’s you know?”
“Because it smells like you,” he says simply, grabbing another. “And I like how it smells on you. How many do you want?” He holds another in his hand, and you shake him away.
“Only two. Coffee isn’t that good for you, you know. And I love the caffeine, so I can’t get decaf,” you say, walking down the next aisle.
His eyes roam around the store in wonder, quickly tagging behind you whenever your smell fades. You wince whenever he bumps into a display or shelf, but admire him when he helps an older man pick something off a shelf. He complains about despising Humans constantly, but all you see is a clumsy, gentle man not so carefully guiding his way through the store with a slight smile on his face. Whatever his other brother said to him, you can’t believe it. No one that hated people this much could walk around you all with such a calm demeanor. He’s been hiding that he cares for so long, and you decide to ask him about that another time.
You put your items on the conveyor belt, Yeosang watching as the cashier slowly scans your items. He gives Yeosang an odd look but says nothing, telling you your total.
“I didn’t see you bring anything to trade,” he whispers. God, when was the last time he’s left the house? You pass the cashier the money as Yeosang stares in confusion as the currency is exchanged. You reach to grab the bags but Yeosang takes it from you, walking out the store.
“Paper? You give him paper in exchange for all of those goods? Is this how society is now?”
“When was the last time you got some fresh air besides today?” You ask him, and he thinks deeply.
“The last time I left was when people exchanged goods for goods. A cloth for a few tomatoes. Things like that.”
He hasn’t been outside in hundreds of years.
“How do you have all of those things in your house then? A shower, clothes, dishes?”
“My brothers bring me most things since they know how I feel about the Human world. And I make many on my own. Water freely runs through my shower because I control it. I don’t need the modern plumbing that you have in your home. As I told you before, there’s no reason for me to go outside since I can grow my own plants easily.”
“So water just appears out of thin air?” You can’t believe it.
He laughs as you open the door to your car, placing the bags on your backseat. He glances around the neighborhood, before holding up his hand. You feel a slight breeze as he points to his hand, slowly twirling his fingers. A small tornado appears in his hand, but instead of wind it’s a whirlpool, droplets of water spinning quickly. He watches as you stare at it in amazement. You reach your finger to poke it, and he stops, the water dripping into his hand, back into its normal state. He blows on it and it disappears into the air, as if he just didn’t make it come to him.
“All air has a bit of water in it. Since Seonghwa controls the air, he’s always frustrated when I do things like that, but yes. Water out of thin air.”
You grin widely. “You’re really amazing, you know that?”
A blush immediately covers his face, and you laugh. Your phone vibrates in your pocket, and you glance down, seeing the caller ID.
“Hey-”
“Why are you calling me to your house? And you said it’s an emergency? Why don’t you call the police and why are you being so vague?” Wooyoung spitfires the questions one after another, “I swear to the fucking hills, if you went into that forest again I’ll literally bury you myself. Eight feet under.”
You roll your eyes at him, knowing he can’t see it. “Can you relax for two seconds, please? So, do you remember that Dragon egg thing that we found in the forest?“
“We found? You mean you found, and irresponsibly brought into your home, not knowing anything about it and me finding out that it’s basically a mating egg-”
Yeosang pulls the cell phone away from you, placing it next to his ear. “Listen, Wooyoung, right?”
“Who in the living fuck-”
“We don’t have time for your antics. Listen to what y/n has to say, and come to her home. And as a clarification, it is not a dragon egg or a mating egg. It is Yeouiju, and it stays in my possession.” He hands the phone back to you, a triumphant look in his eyes.
You put the phone back to your ear, “Hey.”
There’s silence for a moment. “That’s the dragon, isn’t it?” He asks softly. “What the Hell have you gotten yourself into, y/n?”
“Just bring Yunho with you and come to my house in a few hours, alright? I’ll give you food and everything.”
“Alright,” You almost hit the end call button, but Wooyoung shrieks before you can. “Are you okay? I know he can probably hear me, but are you safe?”
You glance at Yeosang, and he’s staring off into the street, but you know he’s listening. The way his ear twitches when he hears himself being mentioned is proof enough. ”He won’t hurt me, I’m okay. See you later.” You hang up, unlocking the door to your car.
You gesture for Yeosang to enter, and he struggles for a moment, before finally swinging the door too wide and jumping inside. He slams it rather hard and you wince. He looks at you apologetically.
“It would be easier for me to bring the both of us back to your home,” He says, rubbing his neck. “That’s what wings are for.”
You gasp a bit too loudly, and he looks at you in concern. “So that night, I was right! You do have wings-! Wait, no, let’s deal with this later.” You turn on your car, glancing both ways before looking at Yeosang. He watches you, his head cocked.
“Put on your seat belt.” You say.
“What’s a seat belt?” You point to yours, and he looks behind him, seeing it resting inside the interior. He glances at you once more before yanking on it.
You hear a loud crack, and pray to the heavens that he didn’t break it. You peek over, seeing a large, gaping hole where the seat belt used to be. Your poor car, the only one that you’ve had since high school. Your baby. And he broke her.
He looks at you quickly, “Ah! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’ll fix it!” He reaches out to touch it, but you grab his hand, stopping him.
“No, no. It’s fine, just pretend that you have a seat belt and don’t jump out of the window. You’ll be fine. My car will be fine.”
You take one more look at the hole, a pained clench to your heart.
-
You finally get home after the long and quiet ride, Yeosang's eyes rarely leaving your face as you drive. You never felt more unsafe in this small car of yours, his hair brushing against the ceiling of your car, your hands sweaty against the wheel. He smiled whenever you made a snide comment at a terrible driver, glaring at them as you passed by.
"I've never seen you so furious. This is worse than when you're stuck at your computer." He mumbles, rubbing between your eyebrows. Your eyes flutter at his touch as he tries to rub away the frown lines. "There's much more things to worry about in life than incompetent carriages."
"Like," he leans forward, a smirk on his lips as you lean away, "A dragon in yours."
"Yea, yea. But from the time that I've met you to now, you're not as scary as before."
The smirk drops from his lips. He thinks for a moment, moving back. His eyes flick to you, before looking away.
"Did I scare you back then? I didn't realize how much of an impact it would have had on you, but I'm deeply sorry. That's not me; I won't ever do that again. Not when I'm clear-headed." He looks at you, a strained smile cracking his cool facade. "I won't hurt you."
"I already know that, Yeo. At least, physically." You get out of the car before he could ask more questions, already putting behind the months without talking to him. You're still a bit pissed about it, yes, but your mother always taught you that it's better for you to move on. No need to dwell on the bad things in your life.
Yeosang helps you carry the bags into your home, watching as you walk around the kitchen and put things away. Your phone vibrates, and you see that Wooyoung messaged you about being about fifteen or so minutes away. You run your fingers through your hair, looking up at Yeosang. He sits on the stool, staring at his hands.
"Is it that bad?" You ask softly. "That you need to bring my friends?"
His eyes look at you pitifully. "I wish I could explain it to you myself, but it's too close to home. It wouldn't be right for me to explain this story without them being here. They both... Need to be present in order for you to believe that it's true. Especially Wooyoung." He rubs his chin, the scratching of his hairs echoing around the kitchen.
You aren't one to care whether or not a man has a beard, but your eyes keep on trailing back to the nine o'clock shadow covering his cheeks, to the new piercings that cover his ear. Whatever happened these past few months; you know he's gotten more attractive. Even the aura around him seems more sure of himself, the fearful mate gone. Your eyes move to his lips, unconsciously licking your own.
"y/n?"
You snap out of it, eyes back on his. He looks at you in amusement, a playful look in his eyes. You clear your throat, and he points to the door.
"I believe your friends are here."
You nod, quickly walking over and throwing open the door. Wooyoung looks at you, hair a mess and a wary look in his eyes. Standing a couple of feet away from him is Yunho, the grin always stuck on his face. He looks as sharp as usual, probably just coming back from the hospital. Wooyoung walks in, Yunho squeezing your shoulder as he walks by, completely different from the cold shoulder he's been giving you for days.
Wooyoung looks at Yeosang sitting in the kitchen and freezes in his steps for a moment. Yeosang stands, holding out his hand to Wooyoung. Your friend takes it, his body trembling slightly.
"Pleasure to meet you," Yeosang rumbles. "I've heard a lot about you."
"And I've heard nothing about you," Wooyoung murmurs, glancing at you in silent anger. Yunho takes a step into the kitchen, eyes on Yeosang.
You notice the air tense up once they look at one another. The Yunho that greeted you at the door is gone, replaced with a solemn him. He nods at Yeosang, arms crossed against his chest. You shut the door behind you, walking and standing next to Wooyoung. You feel the anxiety emitting off of him and you rub his fingers slowly, trying to calm him down.
They continue to look at each other in silent thought, as if they're communicating without speaking. Yeosang seems to grow in frustration as he looks at Yunho, and you knock on the table, trying to get their attention.
"What the hell is going on?" You ask, glancing between the two. "Do you know each other?" Wooyoung scoffs, and you look at him. "What?"
“It'll be hard for brothers not to know each other, right?" Wooyoung murmurs.
Brothers.
You look at Yeosang. He takes in a breath, looking down in shame. You look over at Yunho and he seems to be more relaxed, leaning against the counter as he looks at you. Too relaxed, as if Wooyoung didn't just tell you this groundbreaking fucking news.
Your head pounds as you take it in, seeing the obvious tension between the brothers. Brothers. They're brothers. Yeosang is a dragon, so that means ...
"You're a dragon," you say softly, eyes watering as you look at Yunho. He drops the careless act, taking a step to you. Wooyoung pulls you close to him, ignoring the low rumble of Yeosang's chest as he presses himself against you.
It's not possible. You've grown up with one another, you spent your whole life next to Yun. He can't be.
"Don't do that," Wooyoung says. "Don't try that everything's okay bullshit. You've lied to her, you lied to the both of us. So drop the cocky attitude and say it like it is."
Yunho touches the edge of the counter, the island separating you and Wooyoung from the brothers. Humans from dragons.
"It's true. I didn't think I'd ever have to tell you this, but I am like Yeosang. I am a dragon." He closes his eyes, before opening them.
A dark abyss stares back at you, completely different from the bright blue you love to see. His is empty, just an endless void. He turns to Yeosang, before looking back at you.
"I didn't want to lie—"
"Just stop with the excuses and tell the story, Yunho. We don't have all night for your nonsense. We've heard enough of that for a millennia," Yeosang interrupts. "Say it."
"Watch your tone," Yunho growls, and you feel the room shake slightly at his rise in tone. Yeosang doesn't flinch though, an exasperated sigh falling from his lips. Yun looks back and you and Wooyoung.
"When you were young, I found you alone in your home. Your parents abandoned you when you were only five earth years old. Left you behind in that shack. At the time, I was very wary of taking care of you. I thought about bringing you to a local shelter. So, disguised as a Human, I flew to a nearby one. I dropped you off on the steps, but before I could let you go, you called me by my name. My true name."
He smiles. "I couldn't have fathomed that a Human child would even be able to know that. And then, I looked at the shelter I was to leave you at, and I couldn't. So I raised you as my own. I was your mother and father, putting up a mask so that you'd never know. I was your friend as well, taking care of you every moment that I could. I didn't want you to have a bad life; so I raised you in a small town with people you'd know. Once you grew and left home, I didn't have to pretend to be your parents anymore. I kept the thought in your head that you recently saw them, so you wouldn't be tempted to go back."
"You... you manipulated me." You say. "You made me think I had parents, that I had this life when I was always alone."
Yunho shakes his head. "No, you had me. We had each other. You were never alone, y/n."
All through elementary, high school and college, he's been your only friend. At least, until you met Wooyoung. You've been friends with someone that's lied to you for your whole life. Your head is throbbing terribly, and you rub it slowly, trying your best to calm yourself down before you faint or have a breakdown.
"Are you alright?" Yeosang asks, and you look at him. Your eyes are bright red, your body trembling. He stands up, walking around the corner to you.
You don't bother complaining as he pulls you out of Wooyoung's arms, turning on the faucet and pressing his wet fingers to your forehead. You feel a slightly burst of heat before it gets cool, crawling across your forehead and soothing your throbbing headache.
Yunho looks at you in concern, knowing that if he gets closer to you, it'll only get worse. Yeosang bends over as he stares at you, waiting for you to tell him you're okay. You nod slowly, and he stares at you for a moment more before sitting back down in his spot.
"I'm sorry," Yunho says. "At the time, I didn't know how essential it was for Humans to be in contact with other humans, and for you to have someone other than me. I wanted you to have a good life, but it seems like I made it worse." You see the guilt ridden in his features.
"Everyday I wanted to tell you what I am. But, I couldn't. Humans shouldn't know about our existence. But since you are Yeosang's mate, and Wooyoung is my..." His eyes flick to Wooyoung, before he looks back at you. "We thought it would be best to tell you. I just wasn't sure when, until Wooyoung called me. I told him before this, that's why he's not that shocked to hear my words."
Yunho rubs his head, "And I am the one who insisted that Yeosang never see you. That you two should separate and never reunite. I thought it would be best, but as we've found out, I'm wrong."
Your head is spinning. Too much information thrown at you all at once. All of their eyes on you as you take it in, waiting for a response. But all you could do is nod and shake your head, that being painful enough. You know that Yeosang could smell and feel how you're doing, especially from the frustrated look in his eyes.
"This conversation is done," Yeosang says, turning to his brother. "y/n needs some time to think this over. Come back if she wants you to, but it's a lot of information for her to deal with. I know you wanted immediate action, but give her some time."
If you could jump over the counter and kiss him all over you would. But all you could do is give him a smile.
"Okay. Okay." Yunho looks at Wooyoung. "Would you like me to go home on my own?"
Wooyoung grips his keys in his hand, looking over at you. He presses his lips to your forehead, squeezing your hand slightly before turning to him.
"Let's go. We'll talk more about this on our way back. y/n?"
You look at Wooyoung, and you see the exhaustion in his eyes. It's hit him, not as dramatically and life changing as you, but still. He doesn't look like his happy go lucky self, bags under his eyes and hair wild on his head. You wish you could hug him and tell him it'll be okay, but you fear that if you open your mouth you'd just scream and cry. So you nod at him.
"I love you, you know that right?" He cocks his head. "And I'll kick his ass if you want me to." He glances over at Yeosang. "Call me or text me when you can."
He kisses your forehead once more before pushing past Yunho, who gives you one last sorrowful look before following after him. They close the door behind them, leaving you and Yeosang in silence.
Yeosang says nothing, the silence ringing in your ears. You feel the breakdown slowly build as you stand there, hands quickly rubbing against one another. The image of your mother is slowly disappearing, her wise words slowly morphing into Yunho's, his voice replacing hers. You never really thought about it, but your parents are a blur. You don't have pictures with them, your graduation pictures are selfies with Yun. Your whole life is a lie, no matter how you look at it.
Your breaths quicken, head throbbing. You hear Yeosang saying something, but your head spins, too overwhelmed to answer. You clutch the counter in front of you, eyes flicking back and forth.
“y/n!"
His voice rumbles around you and you look at him. He holds his face between your hands, rubbing your cheek lightly.
"Take slow breaths, in and out," His hand places yours on his chest, holding it there. "Follow the rise and fall of my chest, and do the same thing. In and out."
Your lips tremble as you try to follow his instructions. He feels your heart slowly go back to normal as he rubs your cheek. Your eyes are closed as he watches you for any signs of you beginning to faint. But you're listening attentively, despite your life crashing before you. You open them. He smiles at you, dropping his hands from your cheeks, the cool feeling gone. You're a bit better now, and you smile at him.
"Will it be okay?"
You ask with your eyes, willing him to understand. He holds out his arms, and you don't hesitate; falling into his embrace easily. His body surrounds you as you sob into his chest, his hands rubbing your back lightly. Your fingers dig into his back, a normal human would hiss at the grip but it doesn't bother him in the slightest. His lips are pressed into your hair as you shake in his arms. There's no words that could take the hurt and betrayal that you feel away, no matter how hard he thinks. He wants you to be okay, he wants to see the smile gracing your face again. So he says the only words he can.
"I'm here for you, y/n. I'm not leaving you. Not again."
-
You sit on the bench, staring at your laptop that rests on your lap. Yeosang insists that you get some fresh air, the air in your house too stale. You didn't want to; your home is so cozy and you can just open the windows. You used to love the outdoors, you spent most of your childhood outside. But after the revelation that Yunho dropped on you a few weeks ago, you didn't want it anymore. You know that all he wanted was for you to have a good life, but the way he manipulated you; you're not sure if you can forgive such an act. You close the computer, tossing it to the grass softly and stretching your body. You close your eyes as the sun beams down on you, the soft breeze comforting. You touch the necklace that rests on your neck again, wishing that Yeosang is here to enjoy the day with you.
After that night, he stayed true to his promise. You couldn't stay in your home, too familiar and too many traces of Yunho around you. So Yeosang brought you back to his, carefully taking care of you and letting you sleep on his bed alone. You missed the comfort of his cool body against your own, but he respected you, even when you whined for him to stay next to you. He didn't mind sleeping in the living room alone, although you noticed how he kept close to the fireplace.
As you stayed with him, you noticed a lot about him. He constantly wore layers, even in the summer sun. After prying a bit, he told you that the snake side of him craved warmth since he's cold-blooded. That's why his dragon wanted to stay close to you so often. That's why he always stuck close to you wherever you went. He craved warmth, soft rumbles in his chest each time you brushed against him or stood close enough.
You knew you were overstaying your welcome at his home, even though he insisted that you were not a stranger. That everything he owns is yours. Despite his intense flattery (you're sure you could heat up the whole country with how embarrassed you were), you decided to go back home.
The first step over the threshold threw you back to the terrible night. But you pushed past the negative feelings and cleaned. It took three full days, but you cleaned your whole home from top to bottom, a bit of a fresh start for you. Yeosang drops by often now, giving you the fresh vegetables he grew and not leaving for hours. He kept his promise, telling you that you're his friend, never bringing up the fact that you're both mates.
But you could feel it.
The stares he'd give you when you're freshly out of the shower, skin clean and covered in nothing but the scent of you. His eyes on you whenever you laughed at something he said, or when you snorted at a silly TV show. The tension between the two of you as you sat at your table and ate, feet only inches apart. Hands a brush away from one another. Napkins dabbing lips and licks dragging across skin. His hands would clench the table, eyes closed as he controlled his instincts, his emotions. You thought the need that you feel whenever he's with you was just a you thing, but after spending some time with each other, it's mutual. But you're scared. You know so much about him now, and you're scared that someday you'll lose him. That all of this is just a fantasy and you'll wake up alone. So you two do this dance every time you're with one another, pretending that you don't want one another when you do.
The breeze makes you open your eyes, and glance at your home. A few more hours until Wooyoung drops by.
You were never mad at him. He's the only friend you trust now; his honesty never swaying. You love Wooyoung, you do. After meeting Yeosang, and Wooyoung being in a relationship, your romantic feelings faded. You still consider him the most important person in your eyes. He's told you that he's still friends with Yunho, constantly nudging you to speak to your long time friend, or should you say parent?
You want to. Sit down and chat, tell him how hurt you still are but that you're ready to forgive. But you're not brave enough yet. Not ready to hear him speak with you. But you miss how his laughter filled the place, brightening up your day in the simplest of ways. You want to forgive him immediately, but a part of you is a bit pessimistic. Why should he be forgiven so easily? He broke your heart, shattering it. But he saved you from a life of sadness and struggle. He took you under his wing without a second thought, and raised you as his own. He was, is, your best friend. He’s been there for you whenever a boy or girl broke your heart, whenever you failed a test.
You sat on the edge of your bed, staring at your phone. The words that she sent you, a simple “I’m sorry we didn’t work out” stuck in your mind. A small knock on the door distracted you, and you turned, seeing your best friend, Yunho standing there. He held your favorite ice cream in his hands, along with your go-to movies. He tilted his head as he watched the tears fall down your cheeks, a small pout on his lips.
“Well, you can’t just spend all day crying about it,” He said simply. “Time to wash that sadness away with this!” He holds it up, rocking on his heels in excitement. “I have every installment of Harry Potter there is, and I even brought a little Dumbledore plush for you.” He threw the DVDs in front of the TV, holding up a small bearded man. He wiggled his eyebrows, and you laughed for the first time in hours.
“You’re an idiot,” You grumbled, and he pulled your bean bags chairs in front of the small TV, dragging you as well. He kissed your forehead before plopping on the chairs, turning it on.
“But I’m your idiot.”
You take a deep breath, opening your eyes again. You hear a soft knock, and turn to your home, seeing Yeosang standing inside. He nods at you, a small smile on his lips. You lean up from your spot as he slides the door open, holding a small bag in his hand. Despite his average frame, he bumps his head into your low hanging flags, glaring at it before walking over to you.
“I apologize for not coming earlier, but I have to warn you-”
The door slides open again, and you look past him, seeing the bright red hair of his brother, San. His red eyes brighten as they look at yours, an excited wave sent your way.
After Yeosang and you mended your bond, the rest of the brothers (excluding Yunho) visited you frequently. You are quite surprised that San seems the most eager to learn more about you, stopping by your house several times a week. Yeosang discouraged him often, wrinkling his nose whenever he smelled his scent in your home, but he did like that you got along well. His brothers are his core, and it only pleased him that you and San were so well acquainted.
“y/n!” He screams, and you wince at his loud voice, rivaling even Wooyoung’s. He runs up to you, pulling you off the bench and into his arms. He always smells like a campfire, probably because his essence is entirely made from flames. He pulls back, ruffling your hair. “How is our favorite human doing?”
“Stop speaking to her like she’s an animal,” Yeosang mumbles, his voice immediately tired. “And I told you not to come out until I tell her.”
“I want to be here when you tell her.” San cocks his head, bottom lip purposely poking out as far as possible. “Yunho is leaving soon, we don’t have all day.”
Yeosang slaps his forehead. “I told you I would tell her-”
“Yunho is leaving?” You interrupt, body rigged. “But he’s lived here forever. Why would he go? Where is he going?”
Yeosang runs his fingers through his hair. “He doesn’t need to leave, but he feels that he’s bringing you and Wooyoung too much grief. He thought it would be best if he separated from this town, and left without saying so. I told him that it would only hurt you more if he left without a word, but he insists. I’m here to bring you to his home, and convince him to stay, because the rest of us couldn’t.”
You blink quickly. “Why… why? Who said I wanted him to stay?”
Yeosang raises a brow. He felt the lie before it even graced your lips, your heart beating faster and your hands fidgeting. San clears his throat. “We don’t have time for your silly human denials, Yunho is minutes from leaving.”
You push down the sour feeling that rises in your chest. He’s right, he’s right. You need to act like an adult and face your fear of seeing him again. You nod, and Yeosang wraps his arm around your waist. You yelp as he presses you against his chest.
“Hey, what are you-!”
“We have to fly there, we don’t have time to drive,” He looks down at you, your faces inches apart. “Do you trust me?”
“…Yes.”
“Then close your eyes.”
You shut them quickly.
Your body floats for a brief moment, heart jumping in your chest as you clutch your tightest onto Yeosang’s shirt. Your hair slaps against your face, cheeks sucked in and nose flaring. The burst of air is so quick, you don’t even get the chance to scream. Yeosang’s arms let you go, and you open your eyes.
You stand in front of Yunho’s apartment. Yeosang brushes your hair away from your face, eyes on yours. His blue flicks between yours, making sure you’re okay.
“Do you feel alright?” He asks, and you nod quickly.
San falls onto the ground seconds later, dirt flying everywhere. Yeosang leans back up, slight annoyance on his features. You love when they interact with one another; since Yeosang is older, he always scowls San whenever he gets the chance. San, despite his cold demeanor from before, is playful and full of life, eyes always sparkling at the newest discoveries.
You pat down your clothes, and run up to Yunho’s door. You don’t bother knocking, swinging it open. He always keeps it unlocked, explaining to you before that he’s not scared of someone robbing him. You always called him crazy, at least, until you realized why he isn’t scared.
Boxes are stacked up around his home. You push past them, looking around for him. Your eyes move to his figure sitting on the couch, head in his hands. He moves them away, looking back at you. You’re still not used to the endless black that looks at you, and he sighs, tugging on his roots.
“Yeosang brought you, didn’t he?” He asks softly. “I didn’t want you to know about this. You were fine without me being here since you found him. You don’t need me anymore.”
“Shut the fuck up for two minutes, Yun,” you move next to him, and he doesn’t flinch as you sit only a foot away. Your eyes scan him. His black eyes look at you, waiting for you to tell him how much you hate him, and that you’re happy he’s leaving.
But you pull his body into yours, wrapping your arms tightly around his waist. He feels the tears fall from your eyes, but he doesn’t dare hug you back. He’s afraid that you’ll only push him away. You hold him for a few more moments, before pulling back, wiping your soggy lids.
“I’ve been thinking about what to say to you for so long, how to tell you how much I hated-” his body stiffened at that word- “that you pretended for so long. That you lied to me my whole life, and it took for Yeosang to appear for you to say that everything was a lie. But you know, I didn’t stop thinking about how much you helped me when I was younger.”
You watch as his face stares at yours. Yunho that’s your best friend, your brother, and your family.
“You taught me how to brush on my own. You taught me how to deal with heartbreak in the best and worst ways, you mourned with me when one of my friends passed in college. You taught me that kissing a boy doesn’t mean you’re pregnant, and you taught me right from wrong. God, I hated my parents at some points, and you even came in as my best friend and helped me see that sometimes, parents make mistakes and that no one is perfect. And it was all you. You, you made me into the person that I am today, and I can’t hate you for that.”
His hand trembles when you place yours on the top, squeezing his fingers.
“I cried for so many days when I found out. I cursed at you so much that I didn’t realize that you saved me. You took me out of that house when I was abandoned by the people who created me. You could have left me to die, but you didn’t. Yunho, you saved my life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for that.”
You reach up, rubbing the tears that fall from his cheeks. “I don’t care about you being a Dragon, I don’t care that your eyes are black or that your laugh makes me want to scream sometimes.”
He cracks a grin, and your heart warms.
“I just don’t want you to leave thinking that I haven’t forgiven you when I already did. All you wanted was to protect me from danger, and I can’t blame you for that. Like you told me, everyone makes mistakes. We just have to accept, move on and grow.”
He leans forward, pressing his forehead against yours. The same thing that your parents, no, he did when you were a child. “You say that I saved you, but you saved me.” He says softly. “And I will never regret taking care of you. No matter how much you screamed and cried as I changed your diaper, no matter how much I struggled with teaching you the Human way of things. No matter how much I wanted to give up, seeing your face the next day only brought me joy, and I’ll never regret that, Pumpkin.”
You giggle softly at the nickname, “Thank you, Mr. Adult.”
“Well, I guess I can’t leave my kid behind, huh?” He teases, pulling back. You groan, throwing yourself back onto the couch.
“No Dad jokes Yun, I swear to god-”
“Ain’t no God here but me, bay-bee,” He snorts, and you only cover your face with a pillow, a loud scream drowning out his jokes for just a moment.
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize it,” You say. “You literally talk like ‘dad’. The jokes, the mannerisms, I can’t believe I didn’t think about it twice.”
Yunho rolls his eyes. “Why would anyone think that your best friend and your parents are the same person?”
Before you can comment, San bursts through the door, holding a couple of bottles of champagne. Yeosang and Wooyoung drag behind him, both annoyed. You can only giggle at his antics, and he wiggles his brows, yelling about how he loves Human alcohol.
Wooyoung comes next to you, squeezing your shoulder. “Did you make up? Because he’s been whining about you for about a month and I could only take so much.”
“But I thought you didn’t know he was leaving-” You look at Yeosang, and he whistles, waltzing into the kitchen. You glare as he goes, knowing you’re going to have a talk with him later.
-
You rub your eyes, yawning softly as you stand in the kitchen. Yeosang is supposed to be gone for the next few days, helping a small village somewhere continents away to replenish their water supply. He told you countless times that he can do it from the coziness of his home, but you insisted that he actually leave his cabin, and your immediate vicinity for once to explore the outside world. That being said, you walk around in one of his shirts he’s left behind and your underwear, comfortably hidden underneath the fabric. You’ve been a bit cautious around him recently, realizing that you both feel the same attraction for one another. But you know how his dragon gets whenever it gets a whiff of your scent, so you stay layered whenever he’s near.
He’s been a bit strange lately, walking around you in circles every once in a while, eyes on yours as he waits for you to say something. But you immediately called him weird and pushed him away, a sigh falling from his lips as he ignored you for the rest of that day. He always sniffed you from your side as well, rubbing his arm against you for a moment before continuing on in a conversation. You weren’t exactly sure what he would be doing, and you’re a bit anxious to ask. Yeosang is an open book, but you can tell when some things bother him, how he shuts down. Especially at the mention of his Mother, who he never speaks about, and if he does, very vaguely.
You sip your coffee, sitting on the edge of your kitchen stool and flicking through the channels on the TV that rests on your counter. Gordon Ramsay pops up on your screen, and you turn it up, giggling at how he ridicules someone for not knowing how to boil an egg. You hear the creak of your door, and glance over, expecting to see Wooyoung or Yunho.
But Yeosang walks around the corner, eyes a bit tired. He looks at you, a small smile on his lips. You jump up, running over to him and throwing yourself into his arms. He laughs as you wrap them around his neck, his face tucked into yours. He breathes in deeply, missing how you smell. His body grows stiff as you pull away, hopping over to the microwave to heat up your coffee.
You walk over to the stove, pouting at the little amount of apples you have left crisping. “Sorry Yeo, I didn’t think you’d show up until the middle of the week. Do you want some bananas? I have a couple left-”
Your eyes flick to him. The sparkly eyes that you’re used to seeing are dark, the deepest blue you’ve ever seen them. His eyes are focused on your legs, trailing up and ending where his shirt began. You tremble at his gaze and he closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath. His hand grabs the counter next to him, biting his lip as he tries to keep himself together.
“Yeo, are you alright?”
His pupils are blown once they look back at you, trembling each time you take a soft step towards him.
“Don’t move, y/n. Please.” He asks desperately. “Why are you wearing that? Why do you smell different?”
You feel the chill of his skin as you stand only a few feet away from him. You think back to the first time he looked like this, eyes focused on yours. This time, there’s nothing separating the two of you; only his pure resilience and your poor judgment. You think back to what you could have done to make him this way, and your heart drops. You haven’t taken your birth control in a while. Wooyoung told you that he’ll drop it off, but he never did, and it slipped your mind. His chest rises and falls quickly as he waits for you to say something.
“I… I forgot to take my birth control,” You say, and his chest rumbles at your words. You feel your core clench, and he whines, turning away.
“I can’t, I can’t do this,” he mumbles. “y/n, I need you to stand right there and don’t move, or else I’ll-”
“You’ll what?” You ask softly, pulling down your shirt. He only flicks his head back quickly.
“I’ll fuck you into that counter,” he says simply. You know that he’s trying his best to remain in control, but you see the strain on his neck, the white of his knuckles as he keeps himself steady. “Do you want me to do that, y/n?”
His voice flips, hands slowly moving off of the marble. His eyes are blazed as he keeps them trained on you, flicking to whenever you take a step back or move your arm.
“Answer me.”
You try to hear through the deep tone of his voice but your head is throbbing. He has no idea how much you’ve wanted this, wanted him to claim you as his mate. You thought his odd behaviors were only reasons to push you away, his hands rarely gracing your skin.
He stalks toward you, hands dragging against the counter as he watches you play with him, avoiding his steps and doing the opposite of his movements.“I have but so much patience, y/n.”
“I want you to fuck me,” You whisper, and he visibly trembles at your words, quickly walking around the counter. You know he loves the game, so you run quickly into the living room.
Yeosang follows close behind with ease, twirling you around and pressing your chest against his. You feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest, his breaths frantic with need.
“y/n, if we start, there’s no going back,” You hear the sweet voice of Yeosang speak through the lust cloud of the dragon. “Mating is a lifelong commitment. It can be treated with uneasiness. Once you say yes,” his hands brushes against your cheek. “I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
You never thought that you’d like him, let alone love him. His hard exterior is the toughest you’ve had to break through, but inside is the man that you love. The dragon that you love.You reach up, running your hands along his cheek. He leans into your warmth against his cool skin, waiting for your answer with thin patience. You can feel his growing arousal resting against your stomach as you whisper the words he wants to hear.
“I love you, Yeo. I want this, I want you.”
You pull away and he lets you, watching you as you fall back onto the pull out couch, the bed already made. The switch is almost immediate. Soft, smiling Yeo is gone.
He leans over you, pressing his lips to yours immediately. He bites your lower lip, begging to enter you. You don’t protest, letting his tongue explore you. He doesn’t let up, as if he’s searching for something within you. He sucks on your tongue for a moment before moving away.
He grabs your legs, spreading you wide. He presses himself against you, and you ground as he licks a strip up the cloth underwear, before ripping it off easily. He doesn’t waste time; pressing his face into your wet cunt as you tremble at his touch. Three fingers push into you immediately with little prep, and you yelp.
His eyes flick to yours in concern, but seeing you nod, he pushes in and out quickly. His plump lips wrap around your slick as your cunt sucks in his fingers with little resistance. The sounds of your moans echo around the room as he eagerly growls into you, fingers hitting your g-spot with ease. As if he’s done this dozens of times. He grinds himself into the couch, ears perking up as you encourage him to go faster with his strokes. You arch your back as you feel him slip four fingers into you, five, your high slowly reaching its peak. You almost fall over, until Yeosang pulls out quickly. He pulls off his shirt, your eyes scanning over his body.
His skin is covered with what looks like scales, brightly colored blues tracing his chest. He always wears long sleeves, so you never noticed how from elbow up, his arm is decorated with tattoos, some in writings you can’t quite understand. He doesn’t give you much time to dwell on it; ripping off his pants.
His cock springs out onto his belly, and you groan at the size, until you see something else underneath. Another cock, the equal size, sits underneath the first, light blue, dripping with precum. His eyes scan yours, waiting for you to reject him and push him away.
“You’re beautiful,” You say, smiling up at him.
His face reflects his smile as he leans down, pressing his lips lightly against yours. His cocks twitch against your cunt and he groans, licking the curve between your shoulder and neck lightly.
“This isn’t like Humans,” He says, rocking his cocks between your folds slowly. You try your best to concentrate on his voice, feeling the ridges of him brush lightly against your clit. “When I’m about to cum, I’ll bite your neck, y/n. I won’t let go until I’m finished.” He curses, looking between your bodies to see his cocks rub slowly. “I need to know you’re okay with me putting both of them in you. I can put in one if you want, we can stop if you want to-”
“Just do it, Yeosang. I want to feel all of you, I want you to fuck me until I can’t speak, mark my neck and make me yours-”
He presses his tips into you, and you tremble, your first orgasm immediately hitting you, your cunt tightening against him as you moan. He lets you come down from your high, before continuing his slow descent into you. He presses his lips against yours, trying his best to distract you from the stretch your pussy is getting. He tightens his eyes, shoving himself into you in one even stroke.
Your cunt is so tight against his cocks, that he can’t even move for a moment, you hold on him too tight. His balls rest against the outside of your lips, and you’re amazed at how much can fit inside your, the feeling of him completely taking over all of your senses. You know he wants to go as slow as he can, but he can only control himself for so long.
“Ease up, y/n,” He mumbles softly, rubbing your arm softly. You wrap your arms around him, feeling the smoothness of his scales underneath your fingertips. You let go for a moment and he lets out a breath he’s holding, slowly dragging his cock out of you. His eyes look back down, seeing your arousal coating his two cocks.
Your hands reach down, pushing him against you again. He chuckles lowly, pressing a kiss to your temple.
“Can’t wait to fuck you like a real dragon would.”
Before you could respond, he sinks back into you quickly. Your soft moans fall off your lips as he moves in and out of you, the rolling of his hips hitting yours with ease. He runs his tongue along your sweaty neck, hips not stuttering once. You can feel how much he’s pacing himself, the clench of his brows and the strained veins in his neck.
“Go faster,” You encourage, and he shakes his head.
“I don’t want to go faster, I can hurt you.”
“Yeosang if you don’t fuck me, we’re not doing this again.” It’s a lie. It’s an utter, total lie, but he believes it.
He leans up, grabbing both of your legs and placing them on his shoulders. His pace quickens, hips becoming bolder as he collides with your flesh, the squelching sounds echoing in your living room. Yeosang couldn’t care less about how loud he’s being, groaning as he sees you in front of him, your top half still covered and your bottom filled with him.
“All of this, just for me. No one can ever have you, see you like this,” He whispers. “Look at your stomach, I can see my cocks moving in and out of you.” He grunts, strokes relentless. “You’ll look so beautiful filled with my cum, smelling only like me.”
“Yeo,” You struggle through your gasps, and he smirks as drool falls down your cheeks, your eyes moist and head thrown back. “P-Please don’t stop. Fill me up baby.”
His snarl makes your body tremble. He presses his lips to your leg, pace quickening. You hear the strain of your couch under this much movement, hoping that it doesn’t break.
His muscles strain, veins popping out on his arm as he revels in the feeling of your cunt around him. His hips seem to only go faster and faster, cocks easily moving in and out of you. The slap of his skin against yours only fills your mind, his moans music to your ears. You feel how hard his tips hit the inside of you, watch as your belly moves in and out as his cocks swell inside of you. If you weren’t so filled with the thought of him, you’d be terrified that he’d rip you apart with how fast he’s going.
He keeps up the merciless pace with ease, mouth open as he pants, eyes not leaving yours. The slapping of his balls against your lips are music to your ears, and you feel the rise of your arousal coming once again. It’s much quicker this time. He seems to sense it without your words, dropping your legs and pressing himself into you.
“Cum for me,” He says. He grips your hips as he slams into you, his pumping pace making you see stars. His teeth brush against your throat, and you scream as you reach your high. “I love you.”
He sinks his teeth into you, his hips sputtering as he claims you as his. You scream through the pain and the pleasure of him inside you. Your climax hits you so hard, legs wrapping around him as he pumps into you. His hips sputter, his balls slapping against you a few more times until he hits you hard once more. You feel the warmth of his cum hit your walls, filling you up. His cold body wraps around you as he runs his tongue along the wound, slowly closing it up.
Only your quick breaths fill the room as Yeosang pulls you on top of him, your sweaty bodies pressed against one another. He doesn’t slip out, letting his cocks rest inside you as his fingers trace your back.
“Two cocks? Scales?” You say into the silence, and he laughs, pressing his lips against your forehead. “You could have warned me about that, you know.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” He says softly. “I didn’t expect for this to happen right when I got home.”
“Home?” You say, lifting your head and looking at him. You see the deep blush coat his cheeks, the cheeks that you love. You laugh, pressing your lips against his chest. “You’re my home.”
Pairing: military strategist!Mingi x royal physician!reader
AU: historical au (Joseon era)
Summary: Mingi had spent countless years searching for the angel who saved his life when he was on the verge of death. He believed god was on his side when she finally reappeared before him, but she was now so near yet so far, so unobtainable. No longer just a young medical trainee, she had become an esteemed royal physician—a woman working within the palace walls. And what did that mean? It meant she now belonged to His Majesty.
A/N: Credits to @sundaybossanova for contributing the main idea of Mingi's spinoff. I might have changed most of the proposed plot, but the MC's identity as a physician and how the two first meet remains Sunny's idea.
Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist | Part 1
"Ooh, guess who's here again," your colleague remarked, nodding toward the entrance of the royal medical hall where a certain tall, handsome military strategist strode in for what felt like the thousandth time this week. You sighed, refusing to look up from your book. "Please tell me it's not him."
She gulped, watching him approach. "Hate to break it to you, but it is your not-so-secret admirer, General Officer Song."
"Good afternoon, ladies. I, uh… I'm here today because—" his familiar deep voice rang out as he paused at a respectful distance.
Clearing your throat, you finally closed your book and turned to face him with a courteous smile, finishing his sentence for him, "Good afternoon to you too, Officer Song. Let me guess, you're here because you got hurt during training again?"
Instead of the usual sheepish nod, he shook his head and nervously fiddled with his fingers. "No, actually… I came to ask if… i-if you would like to accompany me to the royal banquet celebrating Joseon's unity with Ruhon tonight, Royal Physician Ahn?"
You froze at his question, and your colleague mirrored your reaction. The two of you exchanged bewildered glances, trying to process the fact that this fool was openly pursuing you, a woman working in the palace, someone who belonged to the King.
Does he realise what he's doing?
You're probably wondering why I'm posting this on a Wednesday (depending on where you are) but it's a public holiday here today in Malaysia, so surprise!! It's finally Princess Mingi's turn! The way y'all thought his spinoff would be the first and here he is HAHA
In case you're confused and are not sure what I mean by MC belonging to the King, please read ✨this✨
As always, I'll do my best to get the first part out as soon as I can! Let me know your thoughts on the concept! <3
Pairing: royal secretary!San x female scholar!reader
AU: historical au (Joseon era)
Word Count: 10.7k 🤡
Summary: San prided himself on his knack for building easy connections with women, viewing himself as a trusted ally for the opposite gender. Thanks to his deep bonds with his mother and sister, he possessed keen insights into the female mindset. Never did he imagine facing the ire of a woman, until he encountered a resolute female scholar with a strong dislike towards men.
A/N: I'd recommend listening to Laufey's Valentine while reading this, the song is quite perfect for this spinoff.
Part 1 | Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist
"Now, tell me, why were you crying?" you inquired, halting at the doorway of your house, careful to shield your mother from the conversation. You understood that she would only blame herself if she knew he was upset, despite none of it being her fault. Deep down, you knew she carried the burden of not being able to protect her children, always feeling like an inadequate mother.
Siwoo shook his head, "It's nothing, noona. I just... I was just overwhelmed with all the schoolwork on my first day. But don't worry about me, I feel much better after letting it all out," he reassured, attempting to alleviate your concerns. Yet, you couldn't fully accept his explanation. While a part of you ached to think he might have been bullied by his classmates, as you had feared, another part of you swelled with pride at his resilience.
That's my boy.
"Is that so? Well, come on then, dinner might be ready," you responded, and he brightened at the mention of food. "Dinner sounds good, I'm starving! Mother, we're home!" he called out excitedly, darting into your modest abode almost immediately.
"How was school, Siwoo?" your mother asked, her fingers smoothing down his unruly hair as he dug into his meal with gusto. Siwoo grinned and nodded. "It was okay! Master Lee looked after me really well, just like noona said he would!" Your mother smiled warmly and wiped a stray bit of food from his cheek. "That's good to hear."
You couldn't help but smile at their exchange, though you sensed Siwoo's words were meant to reassure your mother more than convey his true feelings. While Master Lee might have looked after him in their presence, you knew all too well the dynamics of school life and the possibility of bullying when no adults were around. Unfortunately, he would have to learn to navigate those challenges, just as you had.
Finishing your meal, you tousled your brother's hair. "So, what did that man from earlier say to you?" Your mother raised a curious eyebrow. "Man? What man?" Siwoo perked up. "Oh, that kind hyung-nim! He was just making sure I was okay."
You scoffed. "Kind? You don't even know him. People can seem nice but have hidden motives. Don't trust too easily, or he might want something from you." Turning to your mother, you elaborated, "It's His Majesty's royal secretary. We had an unpleasant encounter at the palace. I had hoped never to see him again, but somehow he was at Siwoo's school when I went to pick him up. How many coincidences can there be? I'm certain he's up to something. So, you," you directed a stern look at your brother. "Don't entertain him if he shows up again, okay?"
Siwoo nodded reluctantly, his expression turning sullen. Your mother shook her head. "Or perhaps he's genuinely nice...? He's an important figure, after all. You shouldn't make an enemy out of him, dear. I worry for you." You offered her a reassuring smile. "I'll handle it, mother. Don't worry about me."
Later that night, as you lay in bed, the soft breathing of your brother beside you with a comforting rhythm, you couldn't help but feel a pang of bittersweet emotion. Siwoo, once the tiny bundle you cradled in your arms, had grown so quickly before your eyes. Memories of his infancy flooded your mind, the moments when you'd rocked him to sleep and comforted his tears.
Now, here he was, trying to shield his own emotions from you, not wanting to burden you with his struggles. Your heart swelled with both pride and a tinge of sadness as you gently stroked his head, leaning in to plant a tender kiss on his forehead. How you wished he could remain your precious little brother forever, sheltered from life's harsh realities.
Yet, another part of you longed for him to mature, to become the pillar of strength this family needed. You yearned for the day when he would stand beside you as a protector, capable of shouldering the burdens that weighed heavily on your shoulders.
"Sweet dreams, little one," you whispered softly, your voice barely a whisper in the darkness. With a sigh, you closed your eyes, letting the tranquillity of the night envelop you as you drifted into slumber, your dreams filled with hopes for the future.
The next day unfolded much like the one before, with the familiar routine of dropping Siwoo off at school. Kneeling beside him, you tenderly adjusted his hanbok and smoothed down his hair, your actions a comforting ritual between siblings.
"Well, I have no new advice for you today, except to stay strong and not let the words of others affect you. Remember, they're just words, and you can choose not to let them bother you," you imparted, noticing the flicker of surprise in his eyes, as if he had been caught keeping secrets from you. With a warm smile, you gently pinched his cheeks to alleviate any worries he might have.
"Now, go on and get in there. And no causing trouble!" you teased, prompting a playful protest from Siwoo as he swatted your hands away and stuck out his tongue. "Bye, noona! See you later!" he called out cheerfully as he headed off to join his classmates.
As you watched him go, a soft smile lingered on your lips, filled with both pride and a touch of wistfulness.
He'll be fine; we've been over this.
You proceeded towards your educational institution to resume your own studies, putting aside worries about your brother for the moment. As you arrived at the entrance, you took a deep breath to ready yourself before entering, clutching your books tightly to your chest.
"Well, well, look who decided to grace us with her presence. Miss Smarty Pants finally showed up. Heard she even resorted to borrowing books from the royal library," Namgil, the scholar with the wealthiest father and your longtime tormentor, remarked as he annoyingly strolled alongside you, trailed by his group of cronies. One of them chimed in with a smirk, "Poor thing can't even afford her own books. Maybe if she catches the eye of some high-ranking officials in the palace, she won't need to study so hard at all."
Maintaining a neutral expression, you continued walking towards the foyer, where you could begin your studies undisturbed with the presence of teachers. Despite the taunting remarks being a regular occurrence during your journey from the outside to the inside of the institution, you had grown accustomed to them.
Reaching the foyer, you pivoted to face the group with a wide, sarcastic grin. "Well, boys, have you had your fill? If we're done wasting precious time trying to bring others down to boost our own fragile egos, maybe we should focus on our studies. After all, if we want to avoid squandering dear old daddy's money, we'll need to graduate. Time's ticking, gentlemen. Are we going to remain stuck in this childish behaviour forever?"
The satisfaction was palpable as you flashed a victorious smile and turned to stride into the foyer, leaving them no room for a rebuttal as a teacher emerged to greet the group. They hastily composed themselves, offering respectful bows and pretending as though nothing had happened.
Fools, you thought to yourself. This was precisely why you harboured such disdain for men. They were simplistic creatures, falling into one of two categories. The first, like Namgil and his cronies, were openly mean-spirited, condescending, and misogynistic. The second, exemplified by Royal Secretary Choi, was the cunning, duplicitous types who sought to earn your trust through false kindness before exploiting you. In the end, they were all cut from the same cloth.
At the end of the session, following a quiz intended to assess everyone's preparedness for the final examination, you unsurprisingly emerged as the top scorer once again. The teacher's announcement was met with the usual mixture of reactions, but your attention was drawn to his subsequent remarks.
"Miss Moon, once again, you've secured the top spot. Namgil, while second place may seem like an achievement, you should feel nothing but shame. All of you should. It's unacceptable to be outperformed by a woman. Study harder; I expect to see a different outcome in the next quiz."
You shook your head in disbelief at the teacher's words, seething inwardly at his ingrained bias. The implication that a woman should not surpass men in intellect spoke volumes about his archaic mentality. You were tired of being spoken about as if you weren't in the room, tired of the inherent sexism that permeated every aspect of your academic life. Graduation couldn't come soon enough; you were determined to prove these narrow-minded individuals wrong.
I'll show you morons.
"Oh boy, I know that look," Haneul remarked, shaking her head with a disapproving sigh as San emerged from his room the next day. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, his usual enthusiasm and determination shone through. She suspected her discouraging words from the previous evening had backfired, knowing her brother was just an optimistic idiot like that.
He scoffed, "What do you know? Go home already, noona. Your husband might start to worry if you keep visiting so often."
With a smirk, she lightly whacked him on the head. "I'm leaving today, don't you worry. But don't say I didn't warn you when whatever silly plan you might have ends up falling through. You men just love learning things the hard way, don't you? Let her be, Sannie."
"Yeah, yeah. Safe travels. I'll catch you later."
Haneul rolled her eyes in defeat. "Fine, fine. Send me away like I'm a nuisance. You should learn something from little Siwoo."
Turning back with a sarcastic grin, the royal secretary teased, "If you say so... love you, noona!" and blew her exaggerated kisses, earning a mockingly disgusted reaction. "Yuck! Save that for your future wife, gross!" she exclaimed, pretending to gag.
San strode through the palace corridors with newfound determination, his mind buzzing with plans and possibilities. He greeted the palace staff with a bright smile and a confident demeanour, earning curious glances from those he passed.
As he approached the royal study, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Today was the day he would begin executing his plan, the day he would show Scholar Moon that he was different from the rest, that he was sincere in his intentions.
Entering the king's presence, San found himself greeted with the warm smile of His Majesty. The elderly man's eyes twinkled with amusement as he observed his secretary's energy.
"You seem quite cheerful today, Royal Secretary Choi. Anything exciting happening in your life?" the king inquired with a chuckle as their daily meeting concluded.
San's grin widened, his heart racing with anticipation. "I suppose so, Your Majesty. I won't say more until I see positive results," he replied cryptically, unknowingly leaving the king to interpret his words as he wished. Little did the fool know, his vague response led His Majesty to believe he was referring to romantic pursuits.
The king's face lit up. "Oh, I can't wait to hear the good news. Best of luck, my boy. That's all for today. Carry on with your tasks," he said with a playful wink, dismissing San with a clap of his hands.
Secretary Choi bowed deeply, feeling grateful. "Thank you, Your Majesty!" he exclaimed before leaving the royal study, his mind already buzzing with plans to win over the female scholar.
He made his way through the library, exchanging nods with a few scholars absorbed in their studies. As he searched the aisles, hope waned with each passing moment. Nearly ready to give up, he reluctantly admitted to himself that you might not be there today. With a resigned sigh, he turned to leave.
But as he moved to exit, a flash of movement caught his eye. Turning back, he was stunned to see you tucked away in a quiet corner, fast asleep amidst a pile of borrowed books. A wave of tenderness washed over him at the sight of your peaceful form, and he approached you with silent steps, not wanting to disturb your rest.
He couldn't resist the urge to approach and observe you, struck by how serene and angelic you appeared in your slumber, a stark contrast to your usual tough and guarded demeanour. Seeing the sunlight streaming in from the nearby window and casting a glare on your face, he settled into the seat opposite you. With a gentle touch, he lifted his hand to shield you from the brightness, intent on preserving your peaceful rest.
Looking down at you like this, perhaps it was his innate sense of chivalry, but it stirred an intense urge to protect you, to help shoulder some of the burdens you must be carrying on those delicate shoulders of yours. He couldn't shake the feeling of admiration mingled with empathy as he watched you, lost in tranquil slumber amidst the chaos of the world around you. With a soft sigh, he longed to offer you more than just protection from the sun's glare, yearning to provide solace and support in any way possible.
As he watched you stir, letting out a small groan before readjusting your head and settling back into sleep, he felt a slight panic. However, his worry melted away when he realised you were merely shifting in your slumber. A soft sigh escaped him, accompanied by a gentle smile and a flutter in his heart at how endearing you looked.
Gosh, she looks adorable.
Resting his head on his palm, he continued to observe, noting the subtle signs of exhaustion etched across your beautiful face. Unlike other girls or women who likely had access to luxurious skincare products or ample rest to maintain their beauty, it was evident that any resources you had were dedicated to supporting your family and pursuing your studies. His gaze drifted to your hands, noticing the dry skin, blunt nails and paper cuts, evidence of both physical labour and tireless studying.
Gazing at you, his mind wandered to the challenges and hardships you must have faced throughout your childhood, shaping you into the resilient and guarded person you are today. He pondered on the beliefs you held about men, likely influenced by your past experiences. Working in the palace, San was all too familiar with the despicable behaviour of some men, having witnessed their deceit and manipulation firsthand. He understood, perhaps more than most, your strong aversion and distrust of men.
Yet, in his heart, he believed that you hadn't met men like him and his friends—men of integrity and genuine kindness. Determined to prove to you that good men existed, he resolved to show you through his actions. He was determined to be the exception, to demonstrate that not all men were as duplicitous as those you had encountered before. And in that moment, as he watched over you, he silently vowed to be the beacon of goodness and sincerity that you deserved.
Lost in his contemplations, he was jolted back to reality when he felt your hand push his away. Startled, he blinked, realising that the sun he had been shielding you from was now obscured by clouds. Your voice, sharp and incredulous, pierced through his thoughts.
"What in the world do you think you're doing, Royal Secretary Choi?" you demanded, your tone laced with annoyance and curiosity.
Flustered and caught off guard by your abrupt interruption, San quickly cleared his throat and straightened in his seat, feeling the weight of your scrutiny upon him. He could only imagine how his actions must have appeared from your perspective: waking up to find an uninvited man seated across from you, hand raised in an attempt to shield you from the absent sun.
"I-I can explain," he stammered, scrambling to find the right words to justify his actions. "I was just trying to—"
But before he could finish his sentence, you cut him off with a sarcastic smile, your words dripping with disdain.
"Let me guess," you said, your tone biting. "You just wanted to help? I thought I made myself very clear yesterday, but it seems I might not have. In case you missed the point, I'll repeat it again: I don't need your help. Thank you very much."
With that, you gathered all the books in your arms and swiftly exited, leaving him feeling chastised and uncertain of how to proceed.
As he sat frozen in his seat, watching your retreating figure, the royal secretary couldn't help but admire your firm resolve. Instead of feeling discouraged by your rejection, he found himself respecting you even more for it. Your unwavering stance showed him that you weren't one to let someone into your life easily, and in a world where men could be deceitful and manipulative, that was a reassuring trait. He couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for you, even as he remained seated in the library, contemplating his next move.
Making your way out of the palace, your heart still raced from the encounter in the library as you clutched the stack of borrowed books close to your chest. Unbeknownst to Secretary Choi, you had been awake for some time, waiting to see what he would do, ready to catch him red-handed if he attempted anything untoward.
To your unpleasant surprise, you found that the glaring sun that had once been on your face was gone. Peeking through your lashes, you observed San going to great lengths to shield you from the brightness, even though he must have assumed you were still asleep. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes about his character.
Even with his apparent kindness, you couldn't bring yourself to believe that he had done it without any ulterior motives. There had to be something he wanted from you; you were sure of it. You refused to let your guard down, you remained determined to stay wary of his intentions.
Despite your hopes that San would quit his efforts after the incident in the library, he proved to be annoyingly persistent. However, to your surprise, he no longer offered unsolicited help, seemingly aware that you had not asked for it. Instead, he chose a different approach to get closer to you.
Every day as you entered the palace, he greeted you with a bright smile and a friendly "good morning." You found his amiable demeanour irritating because it made it challenging for you to be rude to him when he was simply being a nice and sociable person. With no choice but to reciprocate his greetings, you returned them with a forced smile of your own, not wanting to appear impolite in front of other palace staff.
Today was no different, much to your dismay. Despite your multiple attempts to arrive either earlier or later than your usual time, he always seemed to be there. Deep down, you wanted to bluntly ask him if he had nothing better to do. Shouldn't a royal secretary be busy? Why was he always lingering around?
Approaching the entrance and spotting him, you couldn't help but slap a hand on your forehead in frustration. You tried to turn away, but he called out to you before you could make your escape.
"Scholar Moon! I see you're here early today. Good morning!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
You cursed under your breath and reluctantly turned back to feign a smile, bowing respectfully. "Indeed, I am... Good morning, Royal Secretary Choi," you replied through gritted teeth.
He beamed at you and gestured for you to join him. "Come, let us head in together!"
Letting out a sigh of disbelief, you put on your best fake smile and complied, knowing it wouldn't be in your best interest to be rude to someone of such high importance in front of other people. Damn it, you couldn't wait for the day to be over already.
Walking beside him, you sought a moment of tranquillity, but as expected, he initiated an unwanted conversation like always.
"How's Siwoo adjusting to school?" he asked, his tone overly chipper.
Suppressing the urge to roll your eyes, you briefly squeezed them shut before replying, "He's doing well. Thank you for asking."
His smile widened at your response. "That's great! I just hope he's feeling better than the last time I saw him. Poor boy was so upset."
You sighed, cutting him off before he could continue. "Yes, but he'll live—"
Before you could finish, a group of rushing court ladies surged around the corner. "Out of the way! Concubine Eom Heebin is giving birth!" Amidst the commotion, you were shoved aside, but a firm pair of arms caught you, guiding you to safety—San's arms.
You landed against his chest with a huff, and he peered down at you with wide eyes. "Careful there, watch your step! You alright?" His words lacked their usual formality, driven purely by instinct.
San gulped audibly, his gaze lingering on your features as if trying to memorise every detail. He marvelled at how beautiful you looked up close, relishing the sensation of holding you tightly against him. It felt strangely satisfying to shield you from danger, to have you vulnerable in his arms. There was an inexplicable desire within him to be the only one who knew how it felt to hold you like this.
Meanwhile, you felt a conflicting array of emotions swirling within you as you found yourself in his embrace. Despite your best efforts to maintain your dislike for him, you couldn't deny the unexpected sense of safety and comfort you felt in his arms. It unsettled you, this lack of disgust, and you hated how nice it felt, how it threatened to unravel the walls you had carefully constructed around your heart.
Realising your proximity, you blinked rapidly and pushed yourself away. "Y-yes, I'm fine. Thank you..." For once, you meant it.
Days passed, and you found yourself in a state of inner conflict whenever you were around him. Previously, you had to force yourself to maintain politeness and hide your disdain for him, but now, it was becoming increasingly difficult to be unpleasant.
You despised this newfound feeling of guilt he stirred within you, as if he was silently reproaching you for your past behaviour. Moreover, he continued to prove himself to be just as kind as everyone claimed, further complicating your emotions.
Hate brewed within you—not for the royal secretary as a person, but for the way he was challenging your beliefs about all men being alike. He made you start to doubt the certainties you once held dear, and you resented him for it. Most of all, you detested how he was making it difficult for you to maintain your animosity towards him.
Regardless of the swirling new emotions within you, one thing remained constant: your determination to avoid him at all costs. You were sick and tired of the conflicting feelings he stirred within you, and you knew that indulging in them would only serve as a distraction from your studies.
You needed to maintain your focus and drive, especially now when your responsibilities weighed heavily on your shoulders. The last thing you needed was to be sidetracked by unnecessary emotions brought about by a man, of all things.
But of course, life seemed determined to defy your efforts. Despite your best attempts to avoid him, it felt like he was everywhere you turned. With each passing day, you found yourself encountering him more frequently, almost as if he were purposely crossing your path.
The realisation was hard to swallow: you were seeing him more often than your own mother and younger brother combined. It was infuriating to admit, but no matter how hard you tried to evade him, he seemed to find a way to appear wherever you were.
As you finished up your studies and prepared to leave the palace, a sense of relief washed over you. Today had been the first in what felt like an eternity without a sighting of Royal Secretary Choi. Hope flickered in your heart as you packed up your belongings, eager to leave the palace behind and reunite with your little brother.
But just as you approached the main entrance, the sky darkened ominously. Thunder rumbled, and lightning streaked across the sky before a torrential downpour engulfed the area. "No, no, no, not now! Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" you muttered under your breath, feeling frustration bubbling up inside you.
With no umbrella to shield you from the rain, you hurried to seek refuge under the closest shelter you could find: the awning of a nearby building. The sudden change in weather dashed your hopes of a smooth departure, leaving you stranded and drenched.
The thought of Siwoo waiting for you added to your unease. You cursed your lack of preparation, knowing that he would now have to endure more time with his bullies. It was another setback in a day that had promised to be free of Choi San's presence.
Yep, I'm convinced god hates me.
While you sheltered under the awning, your gaze remained fixed on the entrance, torn between the desire to run out into the rain to your brother and the realisation that falling sick was not an option. Too many people depended on you—your mother, your brother, and all the women in need of your assistance. You couldn't afford to be unwell, not with so many responsibilities resting on your shoulders.
Lost in your thoughts, you failed to notice a figure approaching from behind until the raindrops abruptly ceased falling around you. Looking up, you were met with the sight of an umbrella being held over your head. Startled, you turned to see San standing beside you, concern etched on his features.
"Are you alright, my lady? Please allow me to escort you to your destination," he said, his voice gentle and sincere.
The royal secretary's surprise was evident when he realised it was you, causing him to stumble over his words in an attempt to explain himself. "O-oh! It's you, Scholar Moon! I swear I didn't realise it was you, I thought you were a palace staff or someone else! I mean, I wasn't trying to offer help when you didn't want it, or maybe I was..."
He paused, then continued, "But I promise, I'm not making any assumptions! I can leave if you want me to... I'll leave the umbrella with you, of course, because obviously little Siwoo is waiting for you. Sorry, I don't mean to ramble... I just— here you go." Without waiting for your response, he thrust the umbrella into your hand and hurried off into the rain, leaving you standing frozen in bewilderment, trying to comprehend the unexpected encounter.
As you stood there, still holding the umbrella he had left behind, you couldn't shake off the words he had said. They lingered in your mind, his voice echoing gently, making you question your own feelings. For the first time, you understood why women might find him charming. Despite your resolve to dislike him, you couldn't deny his physical attractiveness and his gentlemanly nature.
But as you thought about it further, a new emotion crept in—an unsettling realisation that his kindness wasn't reserved for you alone. He would be just as sincere and helpful to anyone in need. Suddenly, a twinge of jealousy stirred within you. Why did it bother you that he treated others with kindness? Why did you feel upset that you weren't the only one receiving his attention? What was wrong with you?
Confusion clouded your thoughts as you grappled with these unfamiliar feelings. You couldn't understand why it mattered to you whether he was nice to everyone or not. But the fact that it did matter left you feeling even more bewildered. What were these emotions, and why the hell were they stirring within you now?
Lord, I must be out of my damn mind.
In the days that followed, your annoyance with San returned, but this time it was for a new reason—one you stubbornly refused to acknowledge. Despite your efforts to keep your distance and maintain your walls around him, you found it increasingly difficult to do so. His presence seemed to linger in your mind, his gentle demeanour and persistent kindness chipping away at your defences.
Meanwhile, the royal secretary remained hopeful after his recent encounters with you. He noticed the subtle changes in your behaviour—the once sarcastic smiles and curt words slowly giving way to genuine attempts to interact with him. He knew your pride was likely the barrier keeping you from fully opening up to him, but he was determined to break through it.
Perhaps it was the sense of accomplishment he felt, but he found himself increasingly consumed by thoughts of you and the challenge of breaking down your barriers to earn your trust. Each day, he eagerly anticipated going to work, knowing he might catch a glimpse of your beautiful face. Lately, he noticed it revealing more than just anger and disdain—it showed hints of other emotions too. He longed to witness them all, to be the first and perhaps the only one to see them. He felt a swell of pride, both in himself and in your progress, even if you were unaware of it.
"You like her, don't you?" San's gaze snapped up to meet his mother's, his chewing momentarily halted as he raised a questioning brow. "What are you talking about, eomma?"
She grinned, gesturing towards the additional lunch box he had instructed the servants to prepare for work that day. "Oh, you mean Scholar Moon? I mean, yeah, I guess I do...? I like everyone," he responded with a cheerful beam. However, her expression shifted to one of knowingness as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That's not what I mean, you silly boy. You have feelings for her, don't you?"
He choked on his food in surprise at her assertion. "Huh? Wh-what makes you say that? You know about my mission to prove her prejudice wrong, that's all there is to it. I don't feel any differently about her than I do about any other lady."
With a knowing smirk, the elderly woman caused him to wince. It was the same sarcastic expression his sister always wore before delivering a harsh truth. "Oh yes, because you make a point to greet every female palace staff member every morning, ask about all their family members, never stop talking about them, and ensure to pack extra lunch for them all just like you do for Scholar Moon, isn't that right?"
As his mother's words settled in, a sudden revelation struck San like a bolt of lightning. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a truth that had been hidden from him until now. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when it had begun—perhaps it had lurked beneath the surface from the start, waiting for the right moment to surface.
He had been so preoccupied with proving to you that he was different, so focused on challenging your prejudices, that he hadn't stopped to consider his own feelings. What had started as a mission might have morphed into something more. The concern and care he felt for you went beyond mere kindness; it was a genuine desire to protect and support you.
Reflecting on the moments when you had occupied his thoughts—the incident in the library, the near-accident with the court ladies—he realised that his feelings ran deeper than he had admitted to himself. Even as he grappled with the conflict between wanting to take care of you and respecting your independence, he couldn't ignore the truth any longer. Choi San was a man with a lot of love to give, and he wasn't shy or ashamed to admit that he had developed feelings for you—feelings that transcended friendship or admiration. It was a realisation that both surprised and invigorated him, filling him with anticipation for what the future might hold.
But he wasn't stupid; he understood that acknowledging his feelings didn't equate to knowing yours or if you could ever reciprocate them. Despite this, he chose to find contentment in this understanding. He wouldn't expect anything from you in return. Your happiness would suffice to make him happy, even if it meant remaining mere acquaintances.
With this resolve, he bid his parents farewell before heading to work, his heart fluttering at the prospect of seeing you once more.
Later that afternoon, San strolled around the area where you often spent your lunch breaks. Spotting you in the secluded pavilion near the royal library, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Instead of your usual packed lunch, you were nibbling on a meagre steamed bun. Approaching you with a grin, he greeted you.
"Good afternoon, Scholar Moon. I see you're having lunch as well," he greeted, and you nodded quickly, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed about your modest meal. Just as you were about to ask him what he wanted, he revealed the bag of lunchboxes he had been hiding behind his back.
"That's wonderful then. My family estate kitchen staff seemed to have made an extra set of lunch, and I was just wondering if maybe you would like to have it," he offered. You raised a sceptical eyebrow. "An extra set? That seems highly unlikely to happen."
He tried to maintain his composure despite being caught in a fib. "Fine. If you're not interested in it, I'm sure there are other palace staff who would enjoy it," he said, turning to leave. Panic surged within you as he started to walk away. "W-wait! I'll take it... please," you pleaded, reaching out to grasp his arm. With a satisfied nod, he settled down beside you.
That's what I thought.
As you opened the meticulously prepared lunchbox, a look of awe graced your features. The royal secretary chuckled at your adorable expression. He observed as you hesitated for a moment, glancing at him as if seeking approval before starting to eat. With a nod of encouragement, he joined in.
Little did you know, he had overheard some court ladies discussing the struggles faced by a female scholar, which could only be you, as you were the only one known. They recounted your struggles to afford essentials at home due to your brother's school fees and your own lack of income, all because of your dedication to your studies.
As you both began to eat, you didn't notice San biting his lip to hold back his laughter. Your eyes had widened and sparkled with innocent amazement at the flavours, a look he had never seen before. The sight made his heart flutter, confirming his feelings for you. He wanted to protect that innocence forever and be the only one to witness this endearing sight. He could easily picture spending time with you like this for life, and he knew he wouldn’t complain.
When you looked up and caught him staring, he quickly returned his gaze to his food. You blushed and checked your lips for any stray rice, wondering why he had been looking at you like that. Like a creep.
How annoying.
Relieved that there was nothing on your face, you continued eating. However, you furrowed your brows as you noticed the secretary picking at his food from the corner of your eye. Unable to contain your curiosity, you turned to see him pushing aside all the greens in his container. Raising an eyebrow, you asked, "Saving the best for last?"
He chortled, "Like hell I am."
Realising what was going on, you scoffed, "Seriously? The great Royal Secretary Choi doesn't eat his vegetables? Even my brother eats his. You should be ashamed of yourself."
He sputtered, clearly embarrassed, and you snickered at how flustered he appeared over your teasing. Glaring at you, he retorted, "Is that any way to talk to the kind samaritan who just treated you to lunch?"
You shrugged. "I'll treat anyone who doesn't eat their veggies the same way, with discrimination. If you won't eat them, give them here, you big baby."
He pouted, about to hand them over until you added, "Siwoo's going to be so disappointed when he hears about this. He looks up to you and thinks of you as his role model, you know." You gasped, realising you had revealed something you hadn't meant to share, but all your regret dissolved when you saw his reaction to your words.
San's jaw dropped, and he quickly snatched the greens back, stuffing his face with them. "There, I finished them. You happy now?!"
You couldn't help but burst into laughter. In moments like this, you wondered how wonderful it would be if all men were like him. You admired how his eyes crinkled as he joined in your laughter. He could be so annoyingly cute and likeable. Gosh, you hated it. You hated how warm he was making you feel, hated how good it felt.
As the two of you calmed down from your giggles, the smiles remained on your faces. You finished the last of your food, neatly wrapped the lunchbox back up in his bag, and handed it to him. "Thank you, Royal Secretary Choi," you said, your voice sincere.
His heart skipped a beat at your genuine gratitude. With a nod of acknowledgement, he reached out to take the bag from you. Both your breaths hitched when your fingertips brushed against each other. The unexpected contact sent a small, electric jolt through you both, causing you to momentarily lock eyes.
San's eyes softened, filled with an emotion you couldn't quite place. The world seemed to pause, and for a fleeting moment, the two of you were the only ones that existed. You could feel your pulse quickening, the warmth of his touch lingering on your skin.
"You're welcome," he finally replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He took the bag, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary before pulling away.
You quickly looked down, trying to steady your racing heart. "I should get back to my studies," you said, standing up and smoothing out your clothes.
"Of course," he replied, standing up as well. "Take care, Scholar Moon."
With a final nod, you turned and walked away, feeling his gaze linger on your back. A small smile tugged at your lips as you wondered what it would be like if moments like these with him became a regular part of your life. You found your own thoughts baffling, as no man had ever made you feel such emotions before.
Could he possibly... be the only exception?
No, he could not.
You should have known better. Should have recognised the trouble he brought along despite his constant insistence on helping. Initially, you felt grateful for his frequent gestures, like bringing you lunch and accompanying you to pick up your brother from school during the rainy season, the three of you huddled under his umbrella—a sight that warmed your mother's heart.
For a while, it felt like being on Cloud 9. But in hindsight, you must have lost your mind to let him get so involved in your life. It seemed foolish to rely on him so much, to let him become so close to you and your family.
And inevitably, there were consequences.
You reached your breaking point when the bullying at your educational institution intensified. Rumours about you and the royal secretary spending time together spread like wildfire among your fellow scholars, leading to endless torment.
As you tried to leave the institution, hoping to find solace at home after enduring what felt like hours of torment, Namgil and his cronies blocked your path, their mocking laughter echoing around you like a cacophony of cruelty.
"Leaving so soon, Miss Smarty Pants? Off to see your beloved Royal Secretary Choi, I presume?" he jeered, his voice dripping with malice. "Who would've thought your success was all thanks to him? Must have made quite the deal to get him to treat you so well. Bet you're not so innocent anymore, huh?"
His words cut through you like knives, causing your steps to falter as you froze in place, the implications of his cruel insinuations hitting you like a ton of bricks. "Should've known," Namgil continued, his tone laced with venom. "All you women are good for is spreading your legs."
You felt a wave of humiliation wash over you, a burning rage rising up within you as you struggled to hold back tears. They had no idea what you had been through, the sacrifices you had made to get to where you were. But at that moment, all you could do was stand there, feeling utterly defenceless against their relentless cruelty.
Meanwhile, San couldn't shake off his growing concern for you. He hadn't caught sight of you all day, and his inquiries around the palace yielded no sightings of you either. The court ladies confirmed that you hadn't visited the palace at all, which only deepened his worry. You had never missed a day before, and the thought of you being sick or in trouble made his heart sink.
Leaving work that day, the extra lunch he had prepared for you still in his hands, he hurried over to your brother's school in hopes of finding you there. However, his heart sank further when he only found Siwoo waiting by the entrance as usual. The child's face lit up when he spotted the royal secretary.
"Hyung-nim! Did my noona send you here to pick me up today?" Siwoo asked eagerly. The royal secretary shook his head, his concern evident in his expression.
"No, Siwoo-yah. She hasn't been to the palace either. Do you know where her institution is?" San inquired. Your brother's expression turned worried, but he nodded.
"Yes, I do! Let's go find her!" Siwoo suggested, but San gently shook his head.
"No can do, you tell me where and I'll go. Your mother will worry if neither of you are home," San explained. The child reluctantly agreed, but not without making a request.
"Okay, but promise me you'll bring her back," Siwoo pleaded. The secretary gave him a reassuring smile and pinky promised him.
"Don't worry, I will."
As San approached your institution, relief washed over him when he spotted your familiar figure not too far from the main entrance. However, his relief quickly turned to concern when he noticed you weren't alone. Surrounding you were a group of male scholars, their expressions and body language indicating that the conversation was far from pleasant. His heart twisted uncomfortably at the sight of your wet eyes and defeated look. Were you being bullied?
With clenched fists, he stepped closer, his brows narrowing in anger as he overheard snippets of the conversation. It was clear that the group was making disparaging remarks about you. His blood boiled when he heard the leader of the gang suggesting that you had been selling your body in exchange for your success. How dare they?
These bastards.
While San understood that your previous encounters with men must have been unpleasant for you to harbour such a strong dislike for them, witnessing you being treated in such a manner was a first for him. It was no wonder you hated them so much; who could blame you? But he was here now, and he was determined to change that.
He stalked over, his towering and intimidating presence startling the scholars. "Are my ears deceiving me, or did I truly just hear such vile words coming from a scholar?" he demanded, his voice icy and authoritative. "Watch your words because rest assured, your headmaster will hear about this. Not only were you being misogynistic, but how dare you insinuate such despicable things about Scholar Moon? This woman has more integrity than all of you combined. She doesn't need any man's backing—not even mine—to get where she is today. She is fully capable of achieving that on her own, and I think you know that, given how your insecurity and jealousy are blatantly showing through your nasty actions."
The scholars' faces turned pale, their bravado evaporating in the face of the royal secretary's fury. He stepped closer, his fists clenched, ready to defend you from any further insults. The leader of the gang opened his mouth to retort but quickly thought better of it, swallowing his words and casting a nervous glance at his friends.
"L-let's go, guys," Namgil stuttered, bowing before scrambling away. They weren't stupid. This was His Majesty's royal secretary, and if he reported them to the king, they would face dire consequences. There was nothing to gain from angering him.
San turned his gaze to you, his eyes softening. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, his voice a stark contrast to the harsh tone he had just used.
Instead of a grateful nod like he had expected, you met him with a darkened expression. Taking deep breaths, you tried to hold back your tears and calm yourself down. When you remained silent, glaring at him, he sighed. "Was that too much? I—I'm sorry, I know you can defend yourself, but I just—"
You cut him off, speaking in a low voice, "This is all your fault, Choi San."
He froze, his heart clenching painfully at the last words he expected to hear from you. You continued, harshly wiping away stray tears with your sleeves, "If only you'd just leave me alone like I asked from the beginning… I've been bullied all my life, but the usual nonsense I could endure. Not once—never—had anyone ever implied something like that," you whispered the last part. "And it's all because of you. Haven't you done enough? If you truly want to help me, then please—god—please, just leave me alone."
With that, you walked out of the institution, leaving him reeling in shock and hurt at your words. This was not how he had imagined things would turn out.
San finally realised that maybe his sister had been right. If distancing himself would make you happier, he’d do it, even if it meant suffering from being away from you. From that day onwards, he would make sure to keep his distance, honouring your wish.
You went to your younger brother’s school that evening and were surprised to hear that he had already been picked up. Panicking, you rushed home and were relieved to see Siwoo safely at the entrance, waiting with your worried mother. He clung tightly to you as you stroked his hair.
"Who brought you home?" you asked softly.
He sniffled, "Sannie hyung-nim… he promised he’d bring you home, but he lied. You came home alone."
You sighed, holding the child closer as guilt slowly crept into your heart. "He didn’t lie, Siwoo-yah. He did come to me, but I was the one who left him."
Your mother watched you with concern, her eyes reflecting relief and confusion. She reached out, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. "What happened, dear?"
You hesitated, the weight of the day's events pressing down on you. "I— I just... he won't bother us again, mother. I made sure of that."
Siwoo looked up at you, his eyes wide with innocence and confusion. "But why, noona? He was so nice to us."
Tears threatened to spill from your eyes as you hugged your brother tighter. "It will protect us. It will make things easier."
You were aware that you were trying to convince yourself more than anyone else. But you would rather die than admit it. You were Scholar Moon, the first female scholar in Joseon, and you didn't need a man to survive. You never did, and you never would. Choi San was merely a hindrance, but he was now in the past. Things would finally return to normal. You would excel in your exams and fulfil your dreams. Everything would be fine.
Or would it really?
Days following that proved much harder than anticipated. The royal secretary had indeed left you alone, as you'd requested. While you should have been glad, a part of you felt irritated by his obedience. You resented that he hadn't fought harder, but you knew you had no one to blame but yourself. You felt difficult to deal with. Surely, a man as good as Choi San deserved someone better than you. He had gone above and beyond to help you for the past few months, yet all you gave him in return were harsh words you... likely didn't mean at all.
Wait, what even are these thoughts? None of that should matter; it's all in the past. You needed to focus on your studies.
With a massage of your temples, you attempted to reread the same sentence you had been struggling with for the past hour. However, endless thoughts of that stupid man kept resurfacing, haunting you and weighing heavy on your heart with an unpleasant feeling you wished would disappear. God, did you hate him. Why was he so annoying even when he wasn't around?
You hated how he consumed your thoughts.
Everywhere you turned in the palace, he lingered in your mind. Each time you picked up your brother, he intruded into your thoughts, and even passing by your educational institution's entrance reminded you of him. What was wrong with you? What had he done to you? You were fine before meeting him, and you would be fine now. You kept repeating this to yourself, but all resolve crumbled when you saw him approaching one morning in the palace. It was the first time seeing him since that day—the day you'd uttered those cruel words to him.
You froze, clutching your books tightly to your chest, bracing yourself for whatever words or actions he might deliver. However, your heart sank when he simply passed by with a respectful nod. Why did that sting so much? You had brought this upon yourself. The urge to chase after him was overwhelming, and you squeezed your eyes shut to suppress the longing.
Pull yourself together, this is for the best.
You didn't need him.
Or did you?
Why does it hurt so much?
The atmosphere between you and the royal secretary had shifted, turning awkward and strained. Everyone in the palace could sense the change, the tension that now defined your interactions—or rather, the lack thereof. The once easy camaraderie had vanished, replaced by uncomfortable silences and fleeting, cautious glances. It wasn't long before word reached Namgil, who seized the opportunity to make your life even more miserable. The bullying intensified, but you endured it all, determined to pass your final exam without incident.
Time flew by, even as you suffered.
You buried yourself in your studies, hoping to push him out of your mind. Every page you turned, every line you read, was an attempt to forget the way he made you feel. The palace corridors, once filled with the warmth of his ever-comforting presence, now echoed with your lonely footsteps and the quiet rustle of your books.
Days turned into weeks, and before you knew it, your final examination was approaching. The weight of the upcoming test pressed down on you, but it was a welcome distraction from the pain in your heart. You could still see him in the palace, still catch glimpses of his familiar figure in the distance, but the gap between you felt insurmountable.
On the eve of your exam, you found yourself in the palace library, surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls. The dim light of the lantern cast long shadows across the room, mirroring the shadows in your heart. You took a deep breath, trying to calm your racing thoughts.
Then, without warning, the door creaked open, and there he was. San, standing in the doorway, looking just as conflicted as you felt. Your heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, neither of you moved.
"Scholar Moon," he finally said, his voice low and hesitant. "I heard your final exam is tomorrow. I wanted to wish you luck."
You nodded, trying to keep your voice steady. "Thank you, Royal Secretary Choi."
He took a step closer, his eyes searching yours. "I know you asked me to leave you alone, but I just want you to know that I believe in you. You are more than capable of achieving your dreams."
Tears threatened to well up in your eyes, but you blinked them away. "I appreciate that," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, it seemed like he might say more, but then he simply nodded and turned to leave. As the door closed behind him, you felt a pang of regret. You had to fight everything in you to resist running after him, holding onto him, telling him how much you regretted everything, how wrong you had been, how much you… missed him.
No, stop it.
You took a deep breath and returned to your books, knowing that tomorrow's exam was the key to your future. You had to stay focused. You had to succeed, even if it meant pushing aside the feelings you couldn't quite shake.
The next morning, your mother smoothed your robes as you prepared to leave for the palace where the final examination would take place. Her hands were gentle, but the pride in her eyes was unmistakable.
"This is it," she whispered, a soft smile on her face. "All your hard work will pay off today. You will finally be someone in this land. The first female scholar-official in Joseon."
You nodded, taking a deep breath to steady your nerves. Today was the day you had worked so tirelessly for. Today, you would prove yourself.
"You look beautiful, noona!" Siwoo cheered, his excitement contagious.
You smiled down at your little brother, ruffling his hair. "Thank you, Siwoo-yah. I'll make you proud."
As you stepped outside, the morning sun casting a golden hue over the palace grounds, you felt a surge of determination. You wouldn't have time to think about a certain annoying man who had been invading your thoughts more than you cared to admit. You wouldn't let the memory of Choi San torment you more than Namgil and his friends ever could.
With each step towards the examination hall, you reminded yourself of your goals. You were Scholar Moon, the first female scholar in Joseon. You were about to make history.
As you entered the courtyard, the confident bounce in your step reflected the culmination of years of hard work and determination. You were oblivious to the devious grins Namgil and a few other scholars exchanged as their gazes followed your figure.
"There she is," Namgil sneered, nodding toward the bridge above the large pond that everyone would later cross to reach the examination hall. A wicked idea formed in his mind. "Remind me, boys. It would be impossible for someone with drenched clothes to participate in the final examination, is that correct?"
They snickered, immediately understanding his implication. "Yes, I think that is right."
You moved through the crowd, nodding to a few familiar faces, your mind already focused on the examination ahead. You had no idea that behind you, Namgil and his cronies were plotting to ruin everything you had worked all your life for.
As the time approached for the scholars to cross the bridge and enter the hall, you took a deep breath, steeling yourself for the challenge ahead. This was your moment, and nothing would stand in your way.
Or so you thought.
As you stepped onto the bridge, Namgil and his cronies moved into position. With a quick, coordinated push, you were sent plummeting into the pond below. The cold water enveloped you, and panic set in immediately. You flailed, trying to keep your head above water, but it was futile. "H-help! Please!"
Laughter erupted from above. Namgil and his friends stood at the edge of the bridge, their mocking laughter ringing in your ears.
"Oops! Looks like Scholar Moon won't be making history today," Namgil taunted, his voice dripping with malice.
"I... c-can't swim..."
Everyone froze, the courtyard falling silent as your bully's laughter ceased. The realisation hit them like a ton of bricks: the pond was much deeper than they had anticipated, and you couldn't swim. Your desperate cries for help echoed in the sudden stillness, turning their malicious prank into a potential tragedy.
Panic spread among the scholars as they realised what they had done. What began as sabotage could now be seen as attempted murder, and their futures hung in the balance. Namgil's face drained of colour as he watched you struggle, knowing full well the consequences of their actions.
Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for them, San happened to be dropping by to observe the examination. His heart plummeted at the sight before him. Without a second thought, he pushed through the panicked crowd of useless men and plunged into the pond, desperate to save you.
His strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you up from the depths. He swam with determined strokes, bringing you to the safety of the pond's edge. As he hoisted you onto solid ground, he checked for signs of life, his own breath coming in ragged gasps from the effort and fear.
You coughed and sputtered, expelling water from your lungs as you gasped for air. San's relieved expression melted into one of fierce protectiveness and anger. He turned to face the group of terrified scholars, his eyes blazing with fury.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded, his voice a low growl. "Do you have any idea what you almost did?"
Namgil and his friends could only stammer incoherent excuses, their earlier bravado replaced by sheer terror. The royal secretary's intervention had saved you, but it had also sealed their fate.
A few examiners rushed out just in time to witness the chaos, their expressions darkening at the sight of the guilty, terrified faces of Namgil and his cronies. Realising the gravity of their actions, the bullies pleaded for mercy as they were escorted away to face the consequences.
The royal secretary turned toward you, gently brushing aside the damp strands of hair that clung to your face, his touch tender. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, his concern evident in his expression.
Your lips quivered at the tenderness in his voice and the worry etched on his face. He was the first and only man to care so deeply for you, and you couldn't fathom how you had repeatedly pushed him away. But now, tired of denying your feelings, you couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in your eyes. With a broken sob, you shook your head. "No… I'm not," you whimpered, wrapping your arms around his neck and burying your face in his shoulder.
He hesitated for a moment, startled by your sudden embrace, before returning it, enveloping you in his arms. "What's wrong? Tell me," he murmured, his voice laced with concern.
You sobbed harder, weakly hitting him. "It's you… y-you're so annoying, you know that? I hate it so much… hate that I love you."
He pulled back, wide-eyed, holding your shoulders at arm's length as he gazed into your tear-filled eyes. "Wh-what did you say…? This isn't a dream, is it?"
Through your tears, you chuckled at his reaction. "I finally muster the courage to confess to you, and that's your response?"
His smile broke through, the one you adored so much, the one where his eyes disappeared into slits, bringing warmth and comfort no matter how hard things got. Pulling you back into his arms, he stroked the back of your head. "I love you too..."
"How's your first day as a Scholar-Official, Moon?" inquired the royal secretary as you grinned at him. "It's going well, Royal Secretary Choi. Thank you for asking."
After he assisted you in petitioning His Majesty for another chance at your final examination, arguing that you were merely a victim of foul play, you were granted the opportunity. As anticipated, you passed with flying colours, ranking at the top of the batch. Finally, you held the prestigious title of scholar-official.
However, that wasn't the only change in your life. Choi San openly courted you, much to the king's approval, solidifying your status as a formidable power couple.
Leaning down to plant a kiss on your forehead, he smiled, "I'll see you after work."
You blushed and gently pushed him away. "Not here, please. But yes, I'll see you later."
As you left the palace after your day's work, you spotted a familiar face. Smiling, you greeted her, but your steps faltered when she bowed respectfully.
"Hi there. I remember you," you said, trying to recall where you had met her before.
She grinned knowingly. "Yes, it's good to see you again, Scholar-Official Moon. I suppose you believe my words about the royal secretary now, don't you? After all, you and he are the talk of the palace."
Your cheeks flushed, recalling that she had been the court lady to disclose San's identity during your initial encounter. You nodded awkwardly, trying to recover from your embarrassment.
She chuckled softly. "Well then, don't let me keep you. Royal Secretary Choi is waiting for you by the entrance."
Your heart soared at the sight of San standing by the entrance, just as the court lady had claimed. He was waiting for you, and the realisation filled you with an indescribable warmth. This wasn't just any man; this was your man. Yours alone. The sight of him, tall, handsome, kind, and caring, reaffirmed your feelings.
Without a second thought, you ran over, calling out, "Sannie!" He turned towards you, his face lighting up with that beam that never failed to make your heart race. His arms opened wide, and you leapt into them, feeling a rush of joy at being in his embrace.
"I missed you, honey," he whispered, his voice filled with affection.
You pressed your lips against his, relishing the moment as his response came swiftly, his kiss soft and reassuring. Pulling back slightly, a smile played on your lips, your heart dancing with joy. "I missed you too, my big baby," you teased.
"Come on, remember you wanted to learn more about my past?" you said, chuckling at the pout on his face as you pulled away.
He nodded eagerly, and you took his hand, leading him towards a place you hadn't visited in a long time.
"So, this was the root of your hatred for men…" he murmured, his gaze fixed on your father's grave as you stood beside him. You had just finished recounting everything that had transpired, from the beginning of your existence to the hardships you endured to reach where you are today.
"Yes, but you showed me that not all men are the same," you replied softly, your voice tinged with gratitude.
He gently squeezed your hands, turning to face you with a serious expression. "And I won't stop showing you. I promise I'll be different from your father and every other man you've encountered. I'll protect you and your family as if they were my own. I'll strive to be the best husband to you and father to our future child. You'll never have to suffer alone again. I'm here for you," he whispered, his forehead resting against yours.
You chuckled softly through your tears, nodding in response. "That's amusing… I don't recall agreeing to be your wife just yet. What are you talking about, Choi San?"
He let out a playful whine, "Hey! You—wait... you said 'yet' though, so that means... you will eventually, right?" he asked hopefully.
Teasingly, you stuck your tongue out at him before turning and running away. But deep down, you knew that no matter how far you went, he would always be there to catch you.
Of course, you idiot.
Holy crap, I was gone for like 2 weeks and I return to 1.85k+ followers?! ASDFGHJKL thank you all so much😭
Anyway, I hope this was decent, y'all... I swear, I didn't plan for this part to be so freaking long HAHA but I just felt like it would take quite a bit for her hatred to turn into love hehe I hope the ending didn't feel rushed or anything :3
As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! ❤️
Summary: Dedicating his life to his work, Yunho had never bothered to entertain the idea of settling down. Despite encountering many charming women throughout his career, none had sparked his desire for companionship. But everything shifted when he met a certain herbalist whose medicinal knowledge seemed to surpass even his own. What began as mere intrigue might have gradually developed into affection.
A/N: As stated in the title, this is a spinoff. If you have yet to check out the main story, it's probably better to read that before starting this.
Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist | Part 2
"Are you still here, sunshine? It's way past closing time. Come on now, let's head home soon. Your mother will be worried if we take too long," your father called out from the backdoor of his apothecary, where you were diligently working in the backyard farm responsible for growing and harvesting all the herbs he required to make his medicines.
You sighed, gazing at the new batch of seeds you had just planted and still needed to water, "Uhh... you go on without me first, father. I'll join you as soon as I'm finished with this latest batch of ginseng."
The elderly man shook his head in resignation, "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. Be prepared for an earful from the lioness at home if you're late for dinner."
Chortling, you playfully stuck your tongue out at him, "Worry about yourself first! I'll tell mother dearest you called her a lioness," you waved him off as he sputtered in disbelief, panicking and giving you all the reasons you shouldn't say such a thing. But you only shook your head, finding your old dad incredibly adorable. That's why you couldn't resist teasing him every chance you got.
"Go home, father. I was just teasing you, geez," you reassured with a cheeky grin, watching as he huffed and grabbed his bag, "I'm going then. Hurry up, sunshine. And be careful on your way home."
"I will. You be careful too. I'll see you in a bit," you said, quickly returning your attention to your work. It was only then that you realised your stomach was beginning to growl with hunger at the thought of your mother's cooking. With no time to waste, you hastily completed the remaining tasks.
After finishing up, a contented sigh escaped you as you dusted off your hands and admired the fruits of your labour. Despite years of repetition, you couldn't imagine ever growing tired of this routine. Your father's apothecary had been a fixture long before your birth. Your mother had been one of his loyal customers, initially seeking medicine for her ailing father. However, as time passed, her visits seemed motivated by more than just medicinal needs.
It didn't take long for them to realise their love for each other, and they soon married. In the early days, your mother continued to assist your father with herb growing and harvesting, even after your arrival. Growing up, you spent your childhood amidst the sights and smells of the apothecary, playing and observing as your parents toiled away.
As you matured, your curiosity blossomed into genuine interest, prompting you to actively participate in and learn about herbalism. With your mother's growing age and declining health, she was eventually advised to retire and stay home, leaving you to take over her responsibilities in the apothecary. However, unlike her, you insisted on handling the planting of herbs alone, sparing your elderly father from further strain. Instead, he managed the less physically demanding tasks such as medicine-making and store management.
Locking up the apothecary doors, you began your trek home, you observed the families and couples passing you with a small smile on your face. While you couldn't exactly relate to most people, having spent most, if not all, of your time in the back of your father's store growing up, you couldn't be any happier than you are now.
You had no desire to venture out, make new acquaintances, or seek friendships. Your simple life brought you contentment, and you cherished the strong bond you shared with your parents. Grateful for the absence of hardship and discontent, you had no yearning for wealth or extravagance. Engaging in what you loved, even if it meant remaining within the confines of the apothecary indefinitely, filled you with immense satisfaction. You were perfectly content staying right where you were, surrounded by the familiar warmth of your family and the comforting aroma of herbs.
I could do this forever.
"I'm home!" you called out cheerfully as you stepped into your humble abode. It was a decent-sized house with all the essentials, providing everything your family needed. Despite the success of the apothecary and its financial stability, your parents saw no reason to move to a larger residence. Attachment and sentimental value outweighed any desire for more space.
Everything in your home remained in excellent condition, thanks to your mother's meticulous care, and that was all that mattered. As soon as you entered, she cooed and rushed over to envelop you in a warm hug, "Oh, my dearest little sunshine is home!"
You grinned at your father, who rolled his eyes in mock jealousy. Unlike you, he had returned home only to be lectured for allowing you to walk home alone instead of waiting for you. It was almost ironic how he had warned you about being scolded, only for the roles to be reversed.
It didn't take long before a smile spread across his features; your father was one of the sweetest men you'd ever known. But you hadn't met many people, given that most of your time was spent in the back of his shop. Even then, one thing was certain: he was good to you and even better to your mother.
You had never witnessed him raise his voice, regardless of how upset he might be. He always remained patient, letting his wife do all the yelling. And at the end of the day, he would go to great lengths to make her smile again, ensuring she never went to bed angry. If you were to find a husband, you'd want someone like your father.
Fortunately, you inherited his cheerful personality when you were born. You were truly a bundle of joy since entering this world, earning the nickname 'sunshine' from your parents. No matter how bleak their days became, your bright presence would always illuminate everything. You couldn't recall ever having a particularly bad day, and you hoped things would stay that way forever.
As you settled into your seat at the dining table, your bowl was instantly filled to the brim with your favourite dishes. Your mother chimed in, "Eat up, sunshine. You need to replenish all that energy you've lost from working so hard." The aroma tantalised your senses, and you couldn't help but salivate, "Thank you for the food, mother!" you exclaimed, immediately digging in, feeling famished to the point where you felt like you could devour an entire cow.
"Woah, woah, slow down. They're all yours, silly girl," your father cautioned, shaking his head at your unladylike eating habits, "I'm telling you, no guy will be attracted to you if you eat like that in public."
You pouted, retorting, "If he truly loves me, he'll accept me for who I am." Your mother gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, "While that's true, I'm starting to worry that you might never attract anyone at all, since you're always at home or hiding in the back of the store," she confessed, setting down her chopsticks, "I've been feeling slightly better lately. Maybe I could return to the store occasionally, and you could finally go out and meet some boys—"
Shaking your head, you cut her off, "Nice try, mother, but that's not happening. Be good and stay home if you don't want me and father to worry. Besides, I don't need a man to complete me. I'm content as it is. All I need is the two of you by my side."
Unbeknownst to you, your parents harboured fears about exactly that. They knew they wouldn't be around forever, and once they were gone, who would take care of you? The thought of leaving their precious little girl behind all alone in this world filled them with dread.
The elderly man pondered for a moment, unwilling to let go of the topic so easily, "How about you come and help in the store once in a while? That way, you'd still have the chance to interact with some of the customers, and who knows, you might meet someone the same way your mother and I met each other."
You giggled, watching as they exchanged affectionate glances, their hands intertwining on the table, "That's cute, but no thank you, father. The farm isn't going to tend to itself, and before you offer, I refuse to let you perform such hard labour. Your body can't handle it; please don't make me worry. I'll be just fine, I promise."
You're fine, sunshine, but we're not.
Your parents sighed, disappointed by your refusal. At this stage, they could only hope for some miracle to happen, allowing you to meet a kind man who would care for you when they no longer could.
But maybe that miracle wasn't as distant as they thought. Maybe there was no need for your parents to be so concerned. Maybe things were about to change very soon. Perhaps your parents had prayed earnestly enough, and perhaps the heavens had finally chosen to answer those prayers.
"Tell me what you need, and I'll assist you," Jongho offered as soon as the physician finished briefing the head maid on all the tasks she would now have to handle, especially with Lady Park's pregnancy encountering difficulties and depending on him. With a shake of his head, Yunho smiled at the assistant, "It's fine, I've got it covered. Eunsook knows what to do while I'm away. Now if you'll excuse me, I should probably head to the apothecary for some herbs."
As the doctor made his way to the apothecary where he sourced medicines and herbs for his clinic, his mind raced with plans on which herbs would best suit the case at hand. It had been some time since he last treated a pregnant woman or dealt with pregnancy-related issues like this, and he couldn't deny feeling a bit rusty in this area. If only he had foreseen this, he might have brushed up on his studies, but the urgency of the situation caught him off guard.
He could still recall how urgently he had been summoned. Jongho had barged into his clinic, leaving him with no choice but to close up immediately. He wondered if he should have anticipated the pregnancy, especially given the general's desire for alone time with his wife. Perhaps he had been foolish not to prepare beforehand; he should have seen this coming. But there was no time to chastise himself over it now. His focus needed to be on ensuring Seonghwa's baby safely reached the three-month mark.
"Ah, finally, we're here," he murmured to himself as soon as the familiar store with the sign 'Ryu's Apothecary' came into view.
Without hesitation, he entered the establishment he knew like the back of his hand. This was the only place he trusted for all his medicines and herbs; he had known the owner for years. Mr. Ryu truly was one of the kindest apothecaries, never overcharging him and sometimes even offering discounts and deals for his loyalty. Just when Yunho thought they were close enough for him to know everything about the elderly man, today seemed to prove otherwise.
Perhaps he didn't know nearly enough.
"Mr. Ryu, I'm afraid I'll need all your raspberry and peppermint leaf supply for the day. Lady Park hasn't been doing too well in the early stages of her pregnancy," the physician announced upon entering the apothecary where he regularly obtained his medicines and herbs, his eyes busily scanning around for anything else that could be useful.
"Is that so? You might want to consider our latest batch of Codonopsis root imported directly from China just a week ago. It's highly effective in boosting vital energy and reducing fatigue during pregnancy."
Yunho's head shot up in surprise.
First of all, why hadn't he thought of that before? More importantly, the feminine voice addressing him sounded nothing like the elderly man who usually managed the store. He turned to find a young woman behind the counter, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"O-oh, um... hello there. I didn't realise Mr. Ryu had such a young wife," he blurted out before cursing himself, feeling embarrassed for making such a hasty assumption.
Your face immediately twisted in disgust, "Goodness gracious, you're severely mistaken! I'm his daughter!"
Way to go, you complete idiot!
The physician immediately bowed, overwhelmed with embarrassment as he offered his apology, "I-I apologise, Miss Ryu! I don't know what made me say that. It's just that I'm used to seeing only your father here. Seeing someone else caught me off guard."
Blinking rapidly, he hoped he wasn't visibly blushing. He had known the elderly man for so long and hadn't the slightest clue he even had a daughter, and such a pretty one too. Making such a mistake on their first meeting was unbelievable to him. He rarely found himself flustered and struggled to maintain his usually composed demeanour.
Good lord, did he really just say that?
You could only sigh; this was precisely why you didn't want to be out here in the store. It was only your first time in your father's place, and this was the first thing that happened. Off to a bad start already, you wouldn't be surprised if this trend continued with some of the other customers later on. It felt like your father had jinxed it at dinner that evening; shortly after, your mother fell sick, leaving him no choice but to stay home and care for her. In the meantime, you were left with no option but to manage the store.
Determined to put the incident behind you, you shook your head, reassuring the physician, "It's fine, sir. My father has to stay home due to an emergency, but fear not, he should be back in a few days to man the store as usual. So, would you be interested in those Codonopsis roots? I could pack some for you as well."
"Y-yes, please. Thank you for the recommendation, Miss Ryu; I really appreciate it," he said, stepping over sheepishly towards the counter.
"No problem, sir," you responded politely, busy packing the raspberry and peppermint leaf he had requested along with some of the Chinese herbs you had suggested.
You calling him 'sir' only reminded him that you still didn't know his name. For the first time in forever, not knowing what to do with his hands, he intertwined them behind his back and cleared his throat, "Uhh... my name is Jung Yunho, by the way. I'm the—"
"Oh, so it's you!" you cut him off, nodding in recognition with raised brows, "I know you; I've heard plenty about you from my father. I know you're the great General Park's family doctor," you continued with a shrug, "But of course, I should've figured that out when you mentioned a certain Lady Park's pregnancy. Huh, it's good to know they're having a baby soon. And before I go off on a tangent, more importantly, you're known to be one of the best physicians in town."
With a light chuckle, he shook his head modestly, "Well, I'm clearly not the best if I couldn't even think to use Codonopsis root."
Furrowing your brows slightly, you countered, "I don't see how that has anything to do with your abilities. That's because you're a physician, not a herbalist. Experts like me are here for that. While we may know which herbs are best used to treat what, herbalists obviously cannot diagnose patients. See, that's our difference and why we coexist to help one another."
Listening to you speak, Yunho felt thoroughly impressed. He couldn't deny that he had always believed he was the smartest person in the room, given his medical expertise and role as the famous general's personal doctor. People often revered him for being at the top of his field. At some point, he had almost convinced himself that there was nobody who could teach him anything new.
But your words made him reconsider.
He hadn't expected to meet someone who could humble him and make him realise he still had much to learn. Especially not a young woman like you, the daughter of an apothecary, a herbalist.
"In that case, Miss Ryu, what else would you recommend for an unstable early pregnancy? You see, the general's wife suffered from severe malnutrition throughout her childhood, and her body is now lacking enough nutrients for both her and her baby," he asked, deciding to set aside his pride and seek help. Seonghwa was relying on him, and he couldn't risk anything happening to Lady Park or the baby.
Finishing up the last of his orders, you hummed in thought, "Actually, there is another medicine that could help. It's a well-known Chinese herb my father has sold to some customers facing similar problems," you explained as you retrieved a box of medicine from the cabinet behind you. Opening it revealed a brown block of medicine he had never seen before, "This one also arrived not too long ago from China. It's called Colla Corii Asini, and it nourishes the kidney while preventing miscarriage. Perhaps this is what Lady Park needs."
"Thank you so much, that sounds perfect," he breathed out in relief, finally feeling a glimmer of hope. You shook your head with a small smile to indicate 'no worries.' As he prepared to make his payment, he asked, "Um, I was just wondering... why haven't I seen you before? I mean, you're Mr. Ryu's daughter and—"
You shrugged, "I'm in charge of growing and harvesting all the herbs we sell, so I'm usually on the farm at the back of the store."
"Ohh... so, you are the genius behind all these herbs," he nodded slowly in wonder, standing there after completing his payment, hands full with the herbs you'd packed for him. Intrigued by your knowledge, he mustered the courage to ask, "I know I'm probably asking too much, but... w-would it be okay for me to come over frequently and learn more about herbs from you? You know, to improve as a medical practitioner."
You shrugged again, "Sure, suit yourself."
Yes, she said yes!
Deep down, he didn't want this to be his first and last time seeing you. He rationalised it, telling himself you were simply an intriguing person. He hadn't encountered anyone as passionate about healing and herbs, someone who possessed more knowledge than he did. He was just eager to learn more.
That had to be the only reason.
It had to be.
"Has the mistress been feeling any better?" the physician inquired eagerly, anxiously awaiting Eunsook's response. He had returned to the general's estate a few days after administering the first batch of the medicine you had recommended.
Beaming, the head maid exclaimed, "Oh, those medications worked like magic! The fatigue and morning sickness improved immensely just a day after she started taking the medicine. You're amazing, Physician Jung! I knew we could count on you!"
It wasn't me at all, it was all her.
"That's good to know, Eunsook! I couldn't have done it without the help of a very talented herbalist. Well then, I'll be back in another few days with more of those herbs," he said eagerly, already looking forward to returning to the apothecary to share the news with you.
The elderly woman bowed, "Of course! And please extend our thanks to this kind herbalist friend of yours, we definitely could use more experts like him around—"
"Her. She's a female herbalist, and you're right, we do need more talents like Miss Ryu around," Yunho quickly corrected.
Blinking rapidly, Eunsook nodded with a slightly knowing smile, "Oh, my apologies. I shouldn't have assumed her gender, but yes, please offer Miss Ryu our sincere gratitude."
"Don't worry, I will."
As he approached the apothecary, his heart seemed to quicken at the thought of seeing you again, though he couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why. Perhaps he was simply eager to make a new friend who shared his passion for medicine. Besides, he couldn't deny his admiration for your extensive knowledge of herbs, despite your young age. You seemed to surpass even some of the more experienced practitioners in his field.
Truthfully, he genuinely desired to learn more about herbs from you. The prospect of befriending you held great potential for him; he envisioned you as a valuable ally who could aid in his continuous growth as a physician. Together, with his medical expertise and your herbal knowledge, you could make a formidable team, contributing significantly to society together.
"Oh, Physician Jung! How can I help you today?" Mr. Ryu, your father, greeted him upon his entrance. For once, the doctor seemed rather flustered as he approached the counter, "Oh, uhh... I'm not here for medicine today. I came to see your daughter. Please don't take this the wrong way!" he hurriedly added, "She said I could come to learn more about herbs from her, so I—"
Your father's eyes widened in excitement as Yunho rambled on. While he didn't like the fact that his wife had to fall sick for him to finally be away from the store, it must have been a blessing in disguise because now his daughter had finally met someone, and not just anyone, but the amazing Physician Jung. Oh, he would be able to die happy if this was to be his future son-in-law.
With a little snicker, the elderly man nodded, "Ah, I see you've met my little sunshine while I was away. No need to explain yourself, I believe you. Now if you'll come with me, she's just at the back of the store."
"Here, just head straight ahead, and you should find her somewhere within the plantations," your father said, nodding his head down the hallway leading to the back of the store, "I'd take you there myself, but I don't think I should leave the store unattended."
"I've got it, Mr. Ryu, thank you."
As he walked down the hallway as instructed by Mr. Ryu, the physician wondered how the elderly man would have reacted if he knew Yunho had mistaken his dear daughter for his wife during their first meeting. That would surely ruin the image of perfection he had consistently been upholding.
But why would that matter?
The apothecary would continue to value him as a customer. Why was he suddenly concerned about how your father would view him? The direction of his own thoughts was beginning to baffle him.
Before he could become lost in his thoughts, he reached the farm and was struck by its beauty and meticulous upkeep. His admiration for you swelled, knowing that it was your work that had created such a splendid place. Ryu's Apothecary was known for its top-notch herbs and medicine, and now he understood why. His respect for you grew immensely, realising that you were the mastermind behind it all. After taking in the full view of the farm, he finally spotted you.
Is that what a fairy looks like?
The moment he spotted you amidst the herbs you were planting, he felt as if his breath had been stolen away. He already thought you were pretty before, but now, seeing you in your white and blue hanbok among the lush greenery, passionately engaged in your work, you looked even more enchanting to him.
"Ah, Physician Jung, you're here!" you exclaimed, pulling him out of his reverie with a wave of your hand, "Hurry over, I'm about to harvest this batch of Sophora roots. There's probably some valuable information here for you to learn from this."
"Right away, Miss Ryu!" he replied eagerly, rushing over to join you.
Without delay, you plunged into your work while explaining the herb to him, "This, right here, is the Sophora flavescens, native to China and Japan. Its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties make it useful in treating conditions such as damaged livers, jaundice, eczema, ulcers, and more. I know it looks nothing like the completed product you're used to seeing, but that's because it requires several seasons of drying after harvesting before it's ready for use."
While he knew he should focus on the herbs, he found it difficult to tear his gaze away from your face. The subtle furrow of your brows and the delicate bite of your lips when you weren't speaking—adorable. Wait, did he really just think that? He'd never had such thoughts before. Sure, he'd treated plenty of beautiful ladies throughout his career, but this occurrence was a first.
"Interestingly, this plant can grow up to 5 to 7 feet tall. Even taller than you, isn't it quite amazing?" you remarked, noticing his lack of response. Frowning, you turned to him and sighed when you realised he wasn't paying attention. With a gentle nudge on his shoulder, you snapped him out of his trance.
"O-oh, sorry, you were saying?" he muttered, embarrassed to be caught zoning out.
"I... never mind. Could you please fetch the root puller from that tool rack?" you requested, opting to delegate rather than have him kneel in the dirt beside you. Perhaps he was starting to regret coming here, realising it wasn't his cup of tea. Not that you minded; he could leave if he wanted to. After all, he was the one who asked to be here. The least he could do was listen.
"Absolutely!" he responded, heading toward the tool rack to retrieve what you asked for.
Making his way toward the tool rack, he chastised himself for leaving such a poor impression. It was only your first session together, yet he was struggling to stay focused. Gosh, you must be judging him so hard right now, and he couldn't even blame you. You were kind enough to share your knowledge of herbs at his request, and here he was, lost in daydreams instead of paying attention. Determined to redeem himself, he resolved to be more useful.
Pull yourself together, Jung Yunho.
However, the doctor was so absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to notice the patch of ground still damp from your earlier watering. You did a double-take when you saw him unknowingly heading towards the wet path instead of taking the drier route.
"Wait, Physician Jung! You'll slip and fall if you go that way!" Your words of warning went unheeded, and you sprang up from your position on the ground in alarm, "Yunho! Yah, Jung Yunho!" In a panic, you dashed toward him, your eyes widening as he stepped onto the wet soil just as you reached out to grab his arm and redirect him.
But it was too late.
"You bloody idiot!" Your shout echoed across the farm as he let out a yelp, his arms instinctively encircling you as he toppled backwards, shielding you from the fall as he landed on the wet ground.
Your breath caught as you landed on his chest, faces mere inches apart, hearts racing. Huh, how have you not realised how good-looking he actually is? Wait, what? Before either of you could react, your father's voice rang out from the entrance, "Oh dear, what's with all the shouting, sunshine? Is everything alright—"
"F-father, I can explain..."
The apothecary blinked at the unexpected sight before him: his daughter atop the handsome and intelligent Physician Jung. God must have heard his prayers. With a grin, he chuckled, "Well, well! Seems like everything's more than alright! I won't intrude any further. Back to work for me!"
"N-no, Mr. Ryu! It's not like that at all!"
With a gulp, he turned to face you again, only to find you glaring down at him, "Let me go," you muttered, and he immediately loosened his grip, "O-oh, my bad." He moved to sit up as soon as you were off him, only to smile sheepishly up at you when he felt the back of his outfit completely soaked. Not only did he fail to help you with anything, but he was now causing you more trouble.
Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you raised a fist threateningly towards him, "I'll get you some new clothes to change into. Stay here and don't move, or else..."
"Y-yes, ma'am."
« Preview of Part 2 »
"Oh, my poor Yunho. I can't believe that happened," Lady Park cooed, trying to suppress her laughter as she comforted the flustered physician after completing her weekly check-up. He was really beginning to regret his decision to confide in her.
"I shouldn't have told you about it, ugh. And to think you'd be the only one not to tease me," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and turning away from her.
Lady Park softened, "I'm not teasing you, silly. You're always so serious and uptight, it's just refreshing to see you like this for once. Besides, there's nothing wrong with having feelings for someone, especially at your age. You should really consider settling down."
He scoffed, a blush creeping up his cheeks, "What? That's funny, I-I didn't say anything about liking anyone, my lady."
"You don't have to. It's written all over your handsome face," she smiled knowingly, "Hwa has that same look often, so I think I'd know better than you, Physician Jung."
Perhaps she had a point; he still couldn't shake the memory of that incident from his mind. The sensation of holding you close lingered, strangely comforting. He started to grasp why couples found solace in such intimacy. Maybe the idea of settling down, and having someone to come home to after a long day wouldn't be so bad. Maybe—
"What are you two talking about? Didn't the check-up end ages ago?" the general's voice jolted him back to the present.
"Nothing at all, my lord," he stammered, caught off guard.
Seonghwa arched an eyebrow sceptically, "You really expect me to believe you'd spent an hour talking about nothing with my wife? So, what were you doing together then?"
"Oh my god, nothing! We just talked, okay?"
"Right, now fill me in. Suit yourself if you don't want to. My wife will tell me everything eventually; just so you know, we don't keep secrets from each other."
Slapping a palm against his forehead, the physician wished he'd kept his mouth shut, "Alright, but promise not to tell anyone. If Hongjoong catches wind of this, I'll never hear the end of it."
"Deal."
Holy sheeeet, thank you all so much for 1.7k followers! I was sleep-deprived asf while proofreading lmao I hope this one was decent HAHA I promise the next part will be more interesting!
As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3
Tag list (1/9): Tumblr is a bitch and won't let me mention more than 5 users in a single sentence, so now my tag list looks like a complete joke🤡
Summary: Dedicating his life to his work, Yunho had never bothered to entertain the idea of settling down. Despite encountering many charming women throughout his career, none had sparked his desire for companionship. But everything shifted when he met a certain herbalist whose medicinal knowledge seemed to surpass even his own. What began as mere intrigue might have gradually developed into affection.
A/N: Special thanks to the sweet @sundaybossanova for coming up with the main concept of Yunho's spinoff.
Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist | Part 1
"Mr. Ryu, I'm afraid I'll need all your raspberry and peppermint leaf supply for the day. Lady Park hasn't been doing too well in the early stages of her pregnancy," the physician announced upon entering the apothecary where he regularly obtained his medicines and herbs, his eyes busily scanning around for anything else that could be useful.
"Is that so? You might want to consider our latest batch of Codonopsis root imported directly from China just a week ago. It's highly effective in boosting vital energy and reducing fatigue during pregnancy."
Yunho's head shot up in surprise.
First of all, why hadn't he thought of that before? More importantly, the feminine voice addressing him sounded nothing like the elderly man who usually managed the store. He turned to find a young woman behind the counter, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"O-oh, um... hello there. I didn't realise Mr. Ryu had such a young wife," he blurted out before cursing himself, feeling embarrassed for making such a hasty assumption.
Your face immediately twisted in disgust, "Goodness gracious, you're severely mistaken! I'm his daughter!"
Way to go, you complete idiot!
This is probably gonna be the least angsty one out of all the spinoffs hehe but y'all know how I am, the climax might get a little exciting🙈 As always, I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the concept!
Tag list (1/8): Tumblr is a bitch and won't let me mention more than 5 users in a single sentence, so now my tag list looks like a complete joke🤡
Synopsis ~ Gifted with the curse of immortality, you are the northern princess that each kingdom desires to grasp. You hide within the northern army as an infamous general, fighting for your kingdom's treasure with ease... until a soldier from the east kingdom, whom you can never overpower, discovers your identity. The water is warm, but his lips are warmer, and you suddenly never want to return home. Even if you give your greatest enemy your sacred gift, you wish to stay in his enchanting hold.
Pairing ~ enemy!seonghwa x enemy!princess!reader
Word count ~ 5.3k
Genre / warnings ~ historical-ish, fantasy, romance, EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT, enemies-to-lovers, violence, war, blood, suffering, reader has white hair for plot, kissing, outdoor / semi-public sex, underwater play (?), the cave makes his soft noises really loud, he tries to gain control but he's a mess, unprotected sex, they almost get caught, oral sex (female receiving), hand job (hardly), he cums on his own, he cums untouched once, they're very mean (´‸`), desperate sex, just read it
MINORS DO NOT INTERACT ! ! !
a/n ~ please enjoy! mwa ᯓᡣ𐭩
You fight for your kingdom. You fight for its treasure which thousands have fallen to protect. You fight for your precious life, and that is why you are regarded with the highest rank and greatest respect.
Because you fight for the kingdom’s treasure.
Because you are the kingdom’s treasure.
Your men don’t know you’re the princess that they are meant to die for. Your enemies don’t know you are not the general they desire to kill with every fiber of their being and dignity as a soldier.
It is your greatest amusement, watching your enemies fall at your feet with such hatred in their glare at the one thing they desire so greatly.
You are the princess of the northern kingdom. Your skin is cold as frostbite, but warm blood streams healthily throughout their vessels. Your hair is white as the snow leopard which hides deep within your icy soul. You are a beauty, and you have the one thing all men wish to obtain. Immortality.
Although that term is very misleading, it is more or less true. You are gifted with everlasting youth and health until you die by a sword to your frozen heart. You have the ability to give any one being your gift.
Your northern kingdom wishes to let you live as any princess would until you pass peacefully. They believe immortality should not be brought upon any man or woman. Again, they do not realize it isn’t quite immortality. Nonetheless, the four kingdoms are at constant war, fighting to obtain the princess or protect the princess from the wrong hands.
“Where are your men?”
You don’t turn your head, your eyes focused on pulling your warm gloves over your bruised hands. You recognize his voice, the man whom you happen to come across at least once a week in battle. He’s a general from the east, dressed in complete black from his long, bunned hair to his horse.
“I’m on vacation today,” you say softly, leaning back on your hands as you peek over at him. “Didn’t you hear? The princess died. Fight’s over.”
He huffs a laugh, smiling as he glances over at the entrance to the cave you’re resting in, sitting atop your beautiful white horse.
“Your men are missing as well,” you point out, eyeing the entrance. There’s no commotion or presence. He’s alone.
“I came here to rest,” he says.
“I doubt that,” you sigh. “Did you follow me here? Think I’d undress? Per-”
“I think it’s time one of us dies,” he interrupts. “Men are falling at our sides and yet here we stand unharmed. We must fall alone for the sake of what will come of this war.”
You tilt your head. How virtuous. “And what if you fall?”
“So be it,” he answers confidently. “But I will not.”
“I don’t think you understand why I’m so good at what I do, Park Seonghwa,” you whisper. Your tiny voice echoes throughout the cave, and your footsteps bounce from the walls as you dismount your horse.
He comes down to your level, his boots clacking softly against the wet rock. He towers over you, but he doesn’t look so intimidating off of his stallion. He reaches out and taps your helmet curiously.
“Is it this?” he asks. “You hiding something under there?”
You smile softly. “Let’s fight to the death,” you say. “Then we’ll find out.”
Seonghwa overpowers you with his pure strength, but you have an immaculate technique to counter. He’s good with his sword, but he’s so predictable. It’d almost be boring if not for his constantly trying to run at you and put you down. What kind of strategy is that? It’s pathetic. I guess he’s trying to use your weakness, but, really, let’s be serious.
But brute strength and better technique do balance out a little more than you’d like. It’s been hours of back-and-forth jabs and deep slices, and you’re both bleeding puddles onto the rocky cave ground. You’re panting, bent over as you clutch your trembling arm. You’ve lost your sword at this point, your fist curled tight as if you could deal a punch on this man while you weren’t about to pass out.
Seonghwa isn’t much better, but he’s standing tall, his sword snapped in two at his feet. He’s dripping streams of blood from his limbs, but he puffs his chest out in a laugh. He takes a trembling step forward, his expression remaining calm despite the tremors of his limbs. He reaches out slowly, and you can’t find it in you to stop him.
As your helmet crashes to the floor, the metal clanking and echoing aggressively until it rolls to a stop, your hair falls into its natural place, covering your face from his faltering gaze. His fingers gently touch a strand, slowly following it to its tip without disturbing its soft delicacy.
“You understand now?” you choke out, trying to hide your fear. Seeing what you desire most practically in your hands could drive a man mad. Fuck technique, he could take you right now, and you won’t be able to stop him. It’ll all be over.
“I understand,” he says quietly. You lift your head in choppy, trembling movements. “Your kingdom does not understand your gift’s beauty, so they have thrown you to the one place where you can die.”
You clench your jaw. He’s hardly holding your hair between his fingers with any determination, but it feels like a tight leash. You can’t back away. “You don’t understand, then,” you say.
“Princess.”
Your leg shoots up to his face, and he grabs your calf, a deep scowl running over his soft features. He pushes your leg away, but you push harder until he slams into the ground. He grips your hair, pulling you with him with a harsh tug, and you immediately slam your hands into his throat, sitting your knees on the deep slashes on his arms. You dig your broken fingers into his neck, his eyes wide and arms useless. He grits his teeth, desperate to breathe as he squirms under you. His eyes never leave yours, his pupils contracted to thin slits of livid warning. As you eye the shards of his sword, preparing to end this once and for all, you hear a roar of footsteps coming from outside the cave.
You grunt, throwing yourself away from him and sprinting further into the cave. You hear him cough and gasp, stumbling pathetically behind you as you escape into the darkness.
You’ve been hiding behind a waterfall for hours. It’s cold, your clothes soaked in blood and mist from the splash of the water. You’re far from the cave, having found a small hole to escape from. You’re hidden carefully where no one should find you.
And you don’t know what to do.
You’re cold and hungry. You’re too cautious to go out to find food. You’re too injured to move much anyway. You’ve wrapped up your cuts with strips of fabric from your clothes, but that’s all you can do. Your satchel is back with your horse. You think you should call for help. But… What if Seonghwa was right? Your kingdom had always expressed their hatred for your gift. You had wanted to be a soldier since you were young, but… normally kingdoms don’t let their princesses go to war, do they?
You sigh, resting your head against the damp rock behind you. “I don’t know,” you mumble, gazing out through the gentle stream of water at the entrance to the cave.
You hardly hear the gentle rustling of the flowers beside the pond, but you quickly scoot yourself deeper into the darkness when you see two black boots appear. It’s Seonghwa.
“Are you kidding me?” you say through tightly gritted teeth.
He’s standing there, but he doesn’t look like he sees you. He looks calm, eyes gazing at the soft ripples of the water. His hair rests gently against his neck, wavy and thick, almost reaching his shoulders. He runs his rough fingers through the top, ruffling it lightly. He won’t see you. He’s off guard now. He’s alone.
You sit up slightly. He’s alone, off guard. You should kill him. You look around with your eyes without making any sudden movement. There’s hardly anything around you. No loose rocks or sticks. It’s all just… You spot a sharp rock from you. He’ll definitely see you. There’s no way you can reach it without him seeing you. Anyway, there’s no way you could muster the strength to crawl over there. You’re involuntarily limp. You should just pray he leaves. Don’t get into a fight.
But you eye him and start to panic when you spot him dipping his bare feet in the water, his shirt gone, and his hands working at the strings of his pants. How did he get undressed so quickly?? Is he seriously going to bathe in the middle of his enemy’s land??
He pauses, though, and you nearly breathe a sigh of relief, your shoulders releasing their tension slowly. His muscles and scars flex as he turns slightly, his head tilting back into a small roll, stretching his stiff neck. He looks tired, his lips parted softly, eyes closed gently. He’s certainly doing better than you, but you definitely made him too weak to fight for a while. He lets out a soft sigh, and your ears perk up at the sound, the slight vocalization of his low voice rumbling gently through his chest.
“Princess…”
Your ears fall, your expression blank. You don’t breathe, don’t think.
“Let me treat your wounds,” he says, tilting his head forward as he eyes the stream of water protecting you from his view. Or perhaps not.
But you remain still. Why would you go out? Even if it’s petty, you won’t give up. Even if it’s useless, you shouldn’t just hand yourself over.
“Or will you watch me undress and bathe like a pervert?” he asks, and it gains him a scurry of trembling legs against the slippery cave floor.
You’re not just giving yourself to him… He’s going to heal you, and then you’ll run away. You won’t fight him. You won’t let him take you. You’ll run far…
You can hardly climb down onto the soft grass, and you land harshly on your hands. Your arms fail to prop you up, so your face lies against the fluff of the damp green. He’s slow and cool as he walks over to you, kneeling beside you. He doesn’t touch you or say anything. He gazes at you for a second, your white locks stained by the puddles of your blood. Your bandages have done nothing to stop your bleeding.
His fingers graze your hair before he lifts your head slightly. You groan, your head pounding as he lays it atop a soft fabric.
“Just lay here,” he says quietly. “I will take care of your wounds.”
His touch is so delicate. As much as you want to push him away, you want to pull him closer and have him caress your poor body like this forever. As much as you want to run away, you want to sink into the grass and fall asleep to his gentle breaths.
Your eyes open drowsily, hardly able to roll back into place, as you’re surrounded by warm, gentle water. The lake envelops your stinging limbs, and it numbs the feeling that you’re so used to. It should enhance the pain, and yet you feel weightless, skinless, boundless, yet still calm and sleepy.
“I used an ointment from the east,” he says below his breath, so quietly. “It’s very efficient,” he takes a soft breath, “and it’s lovely.” His voice is beside your ear, and you know his body is touching yours in familiar, intimate ways. But his voice is enchanting, lulling you to a hazy clarity of calm. “Are you hungry, princess?” he asks.
One of his arms wraps around your waist, which is bare, as his skin directly slides along yours. Your cushion is his lap, but that is clothed as it should be. As he reaches for a basket along the grass beside the water, his chest leans further against your back. You gaze down with a warm, slow breath. Your chest is covered. He’s a kind monster at least.
“Here,” he says, holding a container of fresh water up for you to take. Your hands tremble but can hardly move. Your head tilts to the side in a weak frustration. Your head is so fuzzy. It doesn’t hurt any longer, but you can’t seem to take control of any of your movements. Perhaps you’ve lost far too much blood. “Princess,” he whispers, and you hum in weak acknowledgment. With a sigh, he brings the container to your lips, but you can hardly form any shape with them, and the water flows quickly to the pond beneath the target. He takes it away with a soft grumble. Then, he brings it to his own lips, takes a small sip, and his other hand lifts your chin gently.
His lips barely touch yours, just slightly to open your wide enough for the water to pass through. When he leans away, his fingers close your jaw, and you swallow weakly, your brows knitted together in relief as your horrible thirst is finally starting to be quenched.
He takes another sip and repeats, his head tilting slightly in something you would hardly call a kiss. But as you swallow, the sharp pain in your throat begging for more, your useless fingers claw gently at his side, and he pauses in his tracks, his eyes searching for what’s wrong. You can’t speak. You need more. He needs to hurry.
Your head trembles as you lift it slightly. “M-more,” you mumble. You should just drink it yourself. Fuck, you need more.
He hurries to take another sip, and you meet him in the middle, smashing your lips against his. His body lifts a little as you push forward. You swallow the water quickly, and he tries to go away, but he’s going too fucking slow. Your lips move desperately against his, your throat burning with need.
“P-Princess,” he gasps, turning his head away quickly. He grabs the container and takes a larger sip, bringing it back, and you’re on top of him before he can turn completely. Your wounds are healing fast with this lovely ointment, and your hands can finally move as you grab the back of his neck and pull his lips down onto yours. There’s more this time, and you swallow hard, pushing your tongue into his mouth to find whatever you can before he has to leave again. “There’s-” he gasps, “no- more-”
Your fingers slide through his damp hair, soft and thick against your rough hands. He’s curled over you, your back arched as you pull him desperately closer. Fuck, you’re hardly even thirsty anymore. His taste, his gasps, his vulnerability, and his kindness. You need more. As your fingers slide through his hair, he groans softly. It probably feels good. Someone like him has never felt such love, such care and affection. You want to give it to him so bad. You should repay him for his kindness.
You break away, panting and flushed. His eyes are hooded, his lips puffy as he leans toward you. His cheeks are a light pink, hair disheveled. What a beautiful sight.
Your lips find his jaw, feeling it clench as you trail soft pecks down to his neck. His skin is soft here, untouched. You nibble lightly on the skin and listen to his gentle shiver as you give kitten licks to ease the sting. You graze your teeth against him as you open wider, teasing the skin as you press lightly down. His hands slide across your thighs, squeezing them as he lifts his chin a little more, giving you more access.
Thumping footsteps make both of you jump, and a deep, obnoxious voice calls out, “Seonghwa!” He pushes your head harshly under the surface, and everything else is muffled for you. His hands quickly gather your hair and hold your strands tightly so they won’t float everywhere.
You open your eyes slowly, listening intently to the voices above. Seonghwa is looking behind him, speaking, but you can’t make anything out. You won’t die or anything, but, if you run out of air, you’ll pass out. You really don’t want to deal with that right now.
Pressing your lips together tightly, you lower your eyes to his body to occupy your mind while you wait. Fuck, his bare, hard chest and defined stomach sitting right in front of you... He should really thank you for this body. Fuck, he’s beautiful. Really, it’s because of you he’s had to train so hard.
His… oh…? You raise a brow as your eyes land on his crotch. He’s wearing black briefs, his thighs thick and hard, but not harder than his cock. The bulge is big and hard to miss, straining against the fabric. It doesn’t leave much of anything to the imagination. The tip is outlined, the shape of him defined in detail just for you. How is he so worked up from a few innocent kisses?
You glance up, and he’s taking his sweet time talking to those men. You’re going to run out of air soon, but this fucker doesn’t care, does he? He thinks because you’re immortal you can just sit under water like it’s nothing.
You huff, a small bubble of air floating to the surface, and you grab his cock. He jumps, his hand tightening around your hair and pulling lightly in warning. But you don’t let go. He’ll get them out of here, or his dick is gonna fall off.
It’s heavy in your hand, though still covered by the fabric. You wonder how thick it’d feel out of the water, just resting in your hand. You wonder how he’d sound if you gripped it hard and stroked him until he came with a pathetic whine. You swallowed hard, feeling it pulse in your grip.
Feeling newly frustrated, you look up, and he’s still talking. What the fuck is there to even say? You grit your teeth and grab the band of his briefs, pulling them down until his cock slowly comes out, floating to hit against his stomach. He pulls more harshly on your hair, and you groan. It doesn’t hurt underwater. Everything feels numb and weightless. It just tickles a little. Maybe it’s because you’re losing air, and your head is feeling foggy, but you want to push him further. You want him to hurry, but you also want to torture him just a bit.
You wrap your hand around him, your fingers almost able to touch but not quite. He’s so hard, twitching in your hold and shivering as you slowly glide your hand up to the tip. You watch his stomach tense up at every subtle movement. He sinks a bit further into the water as your thumb brushes over the slit. He’s throbbing at this point. Maybe being watched is getting him off. Maybe he likes the thrill of possibly getting caught.
You stroke him slowly, feeling every vein and unique shape, mesmerized by how his entire body shudders when you do something he likes. Fuck, you want to hear him. He’s so stern and confident, but, look at him, he’s trembling just for you.
You stroke him a little faster, your air running thin quicker and quicker and time moves fast. He grabs your wrist, and suddenly, you’re lifted from the water.
You gasp for air, coughing and taking long, deep breaths. He pats your back as you grasp his shoulders, wiping at your eyes as you try to see again. Fuck, your head hurts. That was close. You really thought you would pass out there.
“Fuck, Seo-” He grabs your body and lifts you over his shoulder. Your upper body hands against his back as he holds you there by your thighs. Your wet hair dangles into the water, floating along the surface like a spider’s web. “What are you-!”
He grabs the waistband of your pants and pulls them down, discarding them somewhere, and suddenly your ass feels very fucking cold. You squeak pathetically as his hand digs into your flesh, his fingers slipping slightly into the wetness of your core.
“Since you seem to like games like this, we should keep playing, right?” he practically growls. You feel a thick finger slowly slide through your slick, and you shiver. It slips through your soaked lips and teases your hole before moving away completely. “Who knows who might come and see us, princess?” he says, his voice low and thick with anger.
You try to spout something back, but he slams two fingers into your hole, and a long, pathetic moan is all you can utter. Your legs try to spread wider, but they can’t move, and it makes everything so tight. Fuck, he’s ramming his fingers against your walls, and you tremble, your moans airy as you struggle to breathe and absorb the pleasure at the same time.
“Someone could be watching right now,” he says. “Maybe it’s your men. They’ll watch their great general cum on their enemy’s fingers.”
His teeth graze your side before biting down on your flesh. You whimper, his every word and- No, no, what the fuck are you doing? You let him have his way as soon as he gave you something good. You groan as you reach into the water and search until you find his cock. You grab it tightly, and his pace falters.
“Princess,” he warns, but both of you stop as soon as you hear a slight rustling in the woods.
Your body is slammed into the water, and he follows right behind this time. He urges you to swim toward the waterfall, and you get there before him, pulling him to the surface quickly, and his hand wraps around your mouth as you go to say something.
“I swear I saw her come this way!” a young man shouts. “Look! She must have been here!” He must be pointing to Seonghwa’s bag, which was beside the river.
Seonghwa is pressed against you, your back to the rock path which you had been resting on before he found you. The cave is dark and silent as you both listen intently.
“She’s most certainly been captured,” a deep, nasty voice declares. You know that voice all too fucking well, and your eyes grow wide. The king. “Follow the river to the northern kingdom. It is where she must be!”
There are too many footsteps to count as his army does as they’re told. Everything goes silent again, and you release the breath you didn’t realize you’ve been holding. You should have called out for them, but it hardly even crossed your mind. Why?
Turning back to Seonghwa here, you don’t even care about going home.
Neither of you even question it. You don’t care.
He lifts you onto the rock and spreads your legs, your hips right against the edge. His warm breath fans over your thighs as he gazes into your eyes. Your cheeks are so hot despite the cool air against your wet skin, and you lean back onto your hands with a soft sigh. You watch as his gaze fixes on your pussy, a low groan tingling your ears.
One of your hands comes to his head, your fingers tangling in his hair as he kisses your inner thigh softly. His lips press against your slick, and you whimper, biting your lip as his brows lift at the taste of you. His eyes roll to a close, his tongue licking a thick strip from your hole to your clit, and you tremble, your ears twitching as the wet sounds of him against you are enhanced by the cave walls.
His hands grip your thighs as he sighs, his lips moving like a kiss against your pussy, his tongue flicking your clit and tasting your sweet slick desperately.
“Fuck ngh~” you whine, your hips grinding against his tongue. “S-Seonghwa, Seonghwa~” Your words are airy and slurred, your eyes shaking as they roll to the back of your head with every suck and lick against your clit. His breathing is getting heavier, and you notice the lack of one of his hands on you. “Seonghwa, Seonghwa, sstop, I’ll h-hellp yoou,” you mumble, pushing his head away, but he doesn’t move. His lips move faster, his tongue burying deep in your hole, and your back falls to the rock, your legs trembling as he fucks your soaked hole with his tongue. “Hhwa, Seonghwa mm~ Hwa, llet me, pleease,” you beg, feeling his rhythm pick up, the heat and pleasure building quickly. “No, no,” you whine, a tear slipping down your burning cheek. “I’m gonna cum, fuck, Seonghwa.” You grind your pussy against his lips as your body trembles in pure ecstasy. You let out a desperate moan as he flicks his tongue over your clit, riding out your orgasm until you’re limp, shaking under him.
“Good girl,” he mumbles, leaving a peck on you as he backs away.
“Shut the fuck up,” you growl, grabbing his hair. You sit up, closing your legs with a huff. “Fuck me. Right now.” His eyes grow a little wide, and you quirk a brow. “What’s wrong? Did you already cum?” He doesn’t answer, and you tug on his hair harder. “All on your own?” You laugh in disbelief. “Get out of the water.”
He climbs onto the rock, and you push him onto his back, straddling his lap. Suddenly he’s so quiet. Suddenly his dick isn’t a hard, throbbing mess. You scoff, gripping him and pressing your pussy against him. He groans, his brows furrowed as you grind slowly.
“That wasn’t very nice of you, Seonghwa,” you spit, humming softly at the little bits of pleasure your clit gets. “Especially toward a princess.” You feel him growing harder in your grip, and you smile. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
He’s silent, his soft breaths the only answer.
“Of course, not,” you say. “Cumming all on your own. I didn’t even get to see your pretty face.” You reach out and push back the little hairs covering his eyes. You grab his chin harshly and pull him toward you. You smash your lips against his, grinding your hips harder as you feel him grow stiff. He whimpers against your mouth, his hands grabbing your hips and trying to still you, so you drop him with a huff. He groans as his head hits the floor, but before he can recover, you're lining his dick up to your hole.
“P-Princess,” he whimpers, his eyes rolling back as you sink onto his thick cock. Your lips puff out as you stifle a moan, his tip rubbing just the right spot, so deep inside you. You place your hands on his chest, your head hanging as you get used to the stretch.
“Y/n,” you whisper, afraid your voice will fail you if you try to speak. “Say my name,” you whine, “please, say my name, fuck ngh~”
His cock twitches as he suppresses the need to thrust into your tight, soaked hole. “Y/n,” he gasps as you lift your hips slowly and drop back down. “Y/n, y/n, princess, do that again, fuck~”
As you lift your hips again and slam them back down, you collapse onto his chest with a soft cry. You let your hips do the work, your mouth devouring his as you fuck yourself on his cock. His hands grip your hips, pushing you down faster when you lift up. He wants to melt into you, this feeling making his entire body shudder with pleasure. His cock rubs against your walls and hits you just right, and you’re literally drooling into his mouth as you moan his name.
“Y/n, Y/n! Y/n, baby, you’re so tight,” he moans. “Are you gonna cream on my cock for me, princess? Come on, I know you’re close.” He plants his feet and grabs your hips, thrusting up into your pussy as you slam down. He picks up the pace and your head falls to his chest, your body limp as he fucks you desperately. “Come on,” he begs. “I’m gonna cum~” He hiccups. “Together, baby, come on, please~” He bites your shoulder as he tries to stop his moans, but his voice only gets louder as his thick, warm cum fills your pussy. Your eyes roll back as you feel him stuff you full, but it’s just not enough to make you cum. You can’t see his beautiful face.
So you lift off of his cock, his cum spilling out of you quickly, and you straddle his head, sitting your pussy against his lips. You watch his hazy eyes spill soft tears as he laps at you, drinking his own cum and your sweet slick. It doesn’t take much as he fucks you on his tired tongue, your pussy grinding on him at your own pace, for you to cum, whimpering and gasping as your body shakes with bliss. You watch him tremble as his cock spurts again, his face contorting beautifully just like you’d wanted to see.
You sit beside him and admire his beauty, completely limp on the rocky floor. He’s wet with tears and cum, and his stomach is messy with his release.
You lean down and lick from his stomach to his soft cock, cleaning his cum off of his body. He shivers gently until you’re done, and you lay beside him.
Your clothes have all dried, the sun warm against your skin as you both lay in the grass. There’s a comfortable yet questioning silence in the air. What now?
“I don’t think I want to go home,” you say, gazing at the thin clouds and gentle sway of the trees.
Your answer is obvious. You want to live freely. But you know there’s no possibility of that ever happening. You know, whether you go home, where you’re resented for your gift, or go with Seonghwa, where you are desired for your gift, you will never be free.
“You were right. What you said when we had our duel.” He quirks a brow. “They sent me out to die.”
“Shall we just kill the northern king, then?”
You whip your head toward him, his smile teasing as he gazes at you.
“You’re joking,” you sigh, turning away.
“I’m not.” He sits up with a small grunt. “Let’s take over the northern kingdom.”
“Hell no,” you spit, propping yourself up on your hands. “Seonghwa, you're an eastern general. I’m not starting shit with you.”
“So what do you want?”
He looks at you silently. There isn’t a word in his eyes, and it forces you to think. What the fuck have you been doing your whole life besides killing to protect your fucking immortal gift? And the northern king refuses to use it. He wants you and your gift dead, but… what do you want?
“I want the fighting to stop,” you say. “I want men to stop dying for their greed.”
“What do you want, princess?” he asks again. “Forget your gift. What do you want?”
You glance down at your clothes, dirty and old. A man’s clothes which you never really wanted to wear. The thrill of the battlefield is what keeps you moving, but you’ve always desired what could’ve been without your immortality.
“Shall we?” you mumble, gazing up at Seonghwa. “Shall we just kill him?”
a/n ~ thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you thoughttt~ ू(ʚ̴̶̷́ .̠ ʚ̴̶̷̥̀ ू)
Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.
Part 11 | Fic Masterlist | Part 13
Prince Yeosang.
The fourth son born to the King and Queen of Joseon, was among the most widely recognised princes in the nation, though not for reasons one might consider positive. Unlike his numerous brothers and sisters, he adamantly resisted marriage despite reaching a suitable age.
But of course, his singledom was not the main reason for the constant chatter about him. The real cause for the heightened attention was the prominent birthmark beside his left eye.
In Joseon, beauty held immense significance, particularly for members of the royal family, who were deemed superior and held to higher standards than the commoners. Consequently, the prince's distinctive mark marked him as an anomaly within the royal lineage.
Throughout his life, Yeosang had been accustomed to the constant scrutiny that came with being perceived as a defect. From what he understood, even his own parents had reacted with alarm upon witnessing the sizable red birthmark on the side of his face when he was born. In reality, the mark didn't diminish his attractiveness, but societal taboos surrounding such markings led people to overlook his overall appeal and fixate solely on the spot.
As a result, he rejected all marriage proposals, having observed the disdainful glances directed at him by potential candidates. The thought of being wedded to someone who did not genuinely appreciate him was unappealing. Besides, he loathed the constant parade of pampered girls presented to him annually.
He would prefer to remain alone for the rest of his life than be tied down to any of those brats. Having always believed that no one could ever empathise with the pain of having such a mark on their face, he was more than astonished to discover you proudly displaying your scar. What's more, you stood in stark contrast to any of the snobbish noblewomen he had met.
It was when he was evading his many princely obligations meant to prepare him for the throne, despite being fourth in line, that he unexpectedly came across you, the beautiful stranger, while seeking a brief escape in the garden. For the first time in a long while, his heart quickened as he approached you, fearing he might lose sight of your enchanting presence.
"Allow me to express our deepest respect, Your Highness. This is Lady Park, the esteemed wife of General Park. Mistress, may I present to you Prince Yeosang." As if sensing his intentions, the servant standing beside you quickly clarified your identity.
However, if she thought this revelation would dissuade the fourth prince, she was sorely mistaken as Yeosang only smiled wider. So, you were the famous Miss Jang, currently the talk of the town. Knowing that you were here only to discuss wedding arrangements, he deduced that you and the general were not yet properly wedded.
That meant not all hope was lost for him.
Your eyes widened at Eunsook's words, the realisation sinking in that you were in the presence of a prince. Without wasting another second, you performed the formal bow you had practised countless times with the head maid before visiting the palace. Greeting the prince respectfully, you maintained the poise and grace befitting your status as the general's wife, "It is my greatest honour to be in your presence, Your Highness. Forgive this humble subject for failing to recognise you."
Up close, Yeosang's admiration for you only intensified. The genuine respect you demonstrated meant more to him than you would ever know. The prince had rarely been shown sincerity, and he knew then that he was right about your purity. Unlike any other noblewoman, you didn't eye him with even the slightest hint of disgust.
She's the one.
"Please rise, Miss Jang. It is quite alright; no harm is done. If anything, it feels very refreshing not to be recognised in an instant." He extended a hand to assist you, gently lifting you from your bow. Your eyes widened in wonder, and you offered him a grateful smile, not recalling Eunsook mentioning this part of the greeting.
Meanwhile, the head maid was in a state of panic, realising that the prince seemed interested in you. He had disregarded your title as Lady Park and had taken the opportunity to be close to you. Seonghwa would not be pleased if he found out.
"I'll be honest, I have yet to meet anyone who adores flowers as much as I do. It's almost as if fate brought us together." Yeosang said, chuckling as he took in your eyes sparkling with sincere enthusiasm. You seemed innocently happy just to make a new friend.
How precious.
"Would you care to take a stroll with me, my lady? I know of a perfect spot with a view that surpasses even this one."
Eunsook's stomach sank as you agreed to his invitation. It wasn't that she blamed you for being unfaithful to her master; she knew you were simply too clueless to see through the prince's intentions. Her concern was for the potential aftermath of the situation – what would happen if the general were to learn about Yeosang's interest in you and your willingness to spend time with him.
In another part of the palace at the War and Strategy Department building, the atmosphere was the furthest thing from peaceful as the words spoken by His Majesty weighed heavily on your husband's heart, "I'm so sorry, my boy. It seems your wedding will have to wait. Relations with the neighbouring nation, Ruhon, have not been very good lately. I fear war is inevitable this time, and... we need you."
Seonghwa sank into one of the chairs, his eyes blinking rapidly as he absorbed the weight of the words just spoken, "War...? H-how serious is the situation? And why haven't I been informed about the strained relations with Ruhon?"
San, taking a seat beside him, sighed and responded, "We've been attempting peace negotiations with them for months, but an agreement seems elusive. They've been making unreasonable demands. We didn't want to burden you with any of this at first, we wanted you to focus on your new marriage. But the situation has escalated, and it appears we're left with no choice but to prepare for the worst."
The King continued with a heavy heart, "Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we haven't been able to reach an agreement with Ruhon regarding their latest demands. They are now threatening to settle matters through force. We must start preparing and strategising immediately; their attack could come at any time."
The implications of the impending conflict raced through your husband's mind, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. The realisation that he would have to lead the army into battle overshadowed the joy of his recent marriage. Just when he thought things were finally looking up for the two of you, the looming threat of war cast a dark shadow over your lives.
He pressed a hand against his head, eyes shut tight, muttering, "I could be gone for months or even years..."
"I'm sorry, Seonghwa-yah. I know this is not what you expected, especially right after your marriage. I wish we didn't have to ruin your plans like this." The King apologised with a solemn expression.
With a shake of his head, the general replied, "No, Your Majesty, I understand the gravity of the situation. My duty lies in protecting this nation. I promise I won't let anything jeopardise its safety, even if it means altering my personal plans."
Nodding, the ruler pursed his lips appreciatively, "We thank you for your dedication, General Park. We'll need you to lead our forces and devise a strategy to repel the impending threat from Ruhon."
"I'll do everything in my power to safeguard our country, my King. You have my word." Seonghwa knew that safeguarding his nation also meant keeping his own wife safe. As much as he hated it, there was no time to dwell on the disappointment of the changed plans; he needed to get to work immediately.
Transitioning into his professional demeanour, he interlocked his hands as he met the gaze of the ruler of Joseon, "When is my deployment to the war zone scheduled?"
His Majesty sighed deeply before answering him, "You have a few days to spend with your wife; the troops are still establishing the base as we speak. You can head over when it's ready. General Officer Song has also been notified and will be there to start strategising in detail with you by then."
Following the finalisation of the main details, the meeting came to a close. As the general prepared to leave, the King stopped him once more. Before he could offer yet another apology, Seonghwa intervened, "You don't owe me any apology, Your Majesty. None of this is your fault; you've done your best to protect your people. Now it's my turn to perform my duty. I... I only have one thing to ask of you while I'm gone..."
The ruler nodded, aware of the request that would follow, "I ask that you watch over my wife for me and make sure she's well protected until my return," His Majesty agreed, a hand squeezing your husband's shoulder, "Of course, my boy. You don't even have to ask."
As your husband headed towards the cherry blossom garden to find you, the unexpected sight of you with the fourth prince caught him off guard. Suppressing a sigh, he shook his head, preventing another wave of irrational jealousy from taking over. He reminded himself that, as San had assured him, you were his. Perhaps, he reasoned, you were simply making new friends.
Moreover, he recalled Prince Yeosang's firm stance on not settling down. Seonghwa reassured himself that there should be nothing more to this than platonic bonding.
Catching sight of her master approaching, Eunsook's panic began to seize her. Mentally preparing herself for the incoming wrath, she knew he wouldn't be pleased to see you spending time with another man. Turning back to you, she hoped to catch your attention, intending to warn you of his presence. However, you were too engrossed in your conversation with the prince, discussing your favourite flowers.
"I think my favourite might be the lotus flower, but that's probably because my husband has dedicated an entire pond full of it to me." The general's heart swelled with affection at your words, confirming that his trust in you was well-placed.
That's my girl.
Before the prince could respond and tell you that he could give you so much more, Seonghwa had finally arrived behind you.
"You're here, master," The head maid greeted, but he waved her off and bowed at Yeosang, "Yes, I'm here now. Thank you for keeping my wife company while I was busy, Your Highness. If there is nothing else, we will be taking our leave now."
Brightening up at your husband's presence, you stepped over to him, and he instinctively circled an arm around your back. Despite the enjoyable time with your new friend, the instant comfort of being with Seonghwa made you feel at home again. The fourth prince's eye twitched at the interaction, but he did his best to maintain a smile on his handsome face.
The elderly woman was genuinely surprised; she blinked as she tried to comprehend her master's calm demeanour. It was unexpected, especially considering how unhappy he had been when you were around Yunho and San. But she found relief in not witnessing him explode or resort to his usual passive-aggressive self.
"Ahh yes, General Park, off to make arrangements for your upcoming wedding ceremony, I presume?" The prince's tone carried a hint of smugness, almost as if he were privy to some knowledge.
Your husband's expression dimmed at the reminder; there would be no wedding plans for some time. Mustering a cordial smile, he bowed lightly, "Something along those lines, Your Highness." He had no intention of breaking the news to you in this manner, and he certainly didn't feel obligated to provide Yeosang with any explanations, so a little fabrication wouldn't hurt.
As if on cue, a few palace servants finally caught up to the prince, out of breath, "There you are, Your Highness! Please don't make our jobs any more difficult than they already are. Will you return to the library with us? The royal tutor is still waiting for you." Yeosang sighed and reluctantly turned to bid you goodbye.
"Very well then. It was nice talking to you, Miss Jang. I hope to see you again. And you, General Park." You and Seonghwa bowed politely as he left the garden with the poor servants trailing miserably behind.
The general did his best to brush aside the prince's borderline irritating behaviour, particularly the way he insisted on addressing you as Miss Jang despite your change in marital status. In the grand scheme of things, such trivialities held no importance now. Chances were slim that you would ever meet Prince Yeosang again, given the impending war and the duties that awaited your husband.
With a deep breath, he focused on the immediate task at hand – spending precious moments with you before he had to leave for the war. Gently tucking a strand of stray hair behind your ear, he offered a warm smile, "Come, my love. Let's make our way home."
Furrowing your brows in confusion, you questioned, "We're heading home already? Aren't we supposed to meet His and Her Majesty?" The head maid shared your astonishment; she was equally puzzled.
Seonghwa let out a small sigh and nodded, "Yes, there's been a change of plans. I'll explain on our way home."
As you walked back to the waiting carriage, your husband's mind raced with thoughts of how to break the news to you. You had only just overcome a traumatising ordeal and were finally getting your happily ever after. The daunting task of telling you that he would have to leave for war for an indefinite amount of time loomed over him. He wondered about your possible reactions and couldn't shake the uncertainty of whether he would return.
Despite being the great General Park, he couldn't escape the reality that, at the end of the day, he was still human.
Settling down into the vehicle, you noticed your husband staring anxiously out the window, lost in thought. Placing a hand over his, you softly called out, "Seonghwa," When he turned to meet your concerned gaze, you inquired, "What is it? What was the emergency meeting about?" He grasped your hands, squeezing them, as he prepared himself to share the news with you.
"I... I'm so sorry, my love, but our wedding ceremony will have to be postponed... indefinitely," As disappointing as that was, you wanted to know the actual reason, so you nodded and waited for him to continue, "That's because... there is an incoming war."
He didn't need to elaborate for you to grasp the situation immediately. Naturally, it meant he would have to go and fight. As the most promising general in all of Joseon, the King's most trusted warrior, if it wasn't him going off to fight, then who else? Your heart clenched uncomfortably at the revelation, but you understood it was only part of his job, so you smiled reassuringly at him, "Oh... I-I understand, Seonghwa. Wh-when are you leaving then?"
Raising his brows in surprise, it took him a minute to react, "W-wait, are you not upset with any of this? I will be leaving you, and it could be for months or even years... and you're okay with it?"
You sighed shakily, the smile now dropping.
"Of course, I'm not okay with it... If only it were possible, I would like to keep you all to myself, but it's your job to defend the nation. You're General Park, and I'm so proud of you for that. You've won so many battles; I'm certain this will be another easy victory for you. As your wife, I will do my duty to safeguard our home until your return."
Just as he believed his love for you couldn't deepen further, your words proved him wrong. He felt incredibly fortunate to have such an understanding wife. He should have known better; he didn't know why he expected you to throw a tantrum. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close and pushing your head into the crook of his neck, "You're right; I'm an idiot. I hope you know you're not making it any easier for me to leave you."
Despite the tears welling up in your eyes, you chuckled, trying to maintain a positive outlook amid the looming dread. Inside, you were trembling, and letting him go was the last thing you wanted. Yet, you had to face your reality, "You haven't answered me, Seonghwa. When are you leaving?"
He squeezed his eyes shut, tightening his hold around you before whispering, "In a few days, my love. A few days."
« Preview of Part 13 »
"Your Majesty, the fourth prince requests an audience with you." The Queen arched an eyebrow, surprised that her most rebellious son would willingly seek to meet her. She had anticipated him doing everything in his power to avoid her due to her constant nagging for him to settle down.
"Hm, does he now? Allow him to enter."
With a deep bow, the eunuch complied, "Yes, Your Majesty, as you wish," before exiting the Queen's chambers to fetch her son.
"The fourth prince, Your Majesty," Yeosang made a grand entrance with a half-hearted bow and greeting, "It's been a while, Mother."
Her Majesty snorted in disbelief, but it no longer surprised her. He had always been the most disobedient among all of her children. She tried to be understanding, acknowledging that his life hadn't been as easy as his other siblings due to the birthmark on his face. This understanding explained her leniency with his attitude.
"What a surprise, Yeosang. To what do I owe the pleasure, my son? If this is regarding more funds or approval for another one of your expeditions out of the palace, you can forget it. I don't want to hear it unless you're telling me you wish to get married—"
With a smirk, the prince crossed his arms over his chest, "That's exactly what I am here for, Mother. I came to tell you I have changed my mind and would agree to get married, on one condition."
The Queen immediately straightened in her seat, wondering if she had heard him wrong, "Y-you're willing to get married?" He nodded, and she widened her eyes, "Name it; what is your condition?"
"It has to be the eldest Miss Jang promised to General Park Seonghwa. It's her or nothing, Mother."
Y'all, my new and final semester of uni starts next week. Here's a heads-up; updates are probably not going to be as frequent, but I will do my best! Also, I apologise if this part felt like a filler chapter HAHA gotta let the drama build up slowly.
As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3
Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.
Part 8 | Fic Masterlist | Part 10
Standing in front of the door to your former prison, all your insecurities came rushing back. Suddenly, your newfound identity seemed to evaporate, leaving you feeling like nothing more than a shell of your past self.
"What's wrong, my dear? Why do you keep staring at this storeroom, hm? You know you can tell me anything." Seonghwa asked in a gentle voice, sensing that you were far from okay. He cupped your cheek tenderly, urging you to meet his gaze.
Jongho and Eunsook stood anxiously behind you, waiting for you to reveal the truth to the general. Only then could they finally bring your family to justice for their misdeeds. The weight of everyone's expectations rested on your shoulders.
Please, mistress, just say it, and we will handle the rest.
No matter how hard your husband tried to capture your attention, all you could see was beyond his shoulder, where your family glowered at you. All the determination you had to confront your family diminished, and you were reminded of your true self.
Just a worthless, insignificant piece.
You felt undeserving of Seonghwa's love, too ashamed to confess that this pitiful excuse for a room was where you had spent your entire caged childhood. Would he still want you as his wife if he discovered the truth?
"Come on, my dear. Talk to me, please." The general leaned in, attempting to dominate your field of vision. He didn't like how you kept glancing nervously back at your family as if still afraid of what they could do to you.
Your husband's heart shattered as he gazed once more into your vacant, hopeless eyes. It felt as if he could never truly connect with you. Once again, he found himself lost, unable to reach you. It became clear that your biggest obstacle wasn't trusting him; it was trusting yourself. Despite all his efforts, your insecurities persisted.
Bringing you back to this place seemed like a colossal mistake, undoing all the progress you had made. The words Hongjoong had spoken to you were now pushed to the recesses of your mind, overshadowed by your demons.
Seonghwa's stomach sank when you averted your gaze, blinking your wet eyes with a shake of your head, "Nothing, it's nothing. I... I'm sorry, I don't know why I kept looking here; it's just an old storeroom, as you can see." Your family collectively sighed in relief, narrowly avoiding exposure. For once, they felt slightly thankful to you for not ratting them out.
Of course, it couldn't have been this easy.
Despite the internal frustration, the general flashed a reassuring smile down at you. His plan had crumbled, and you didn't speak up as he had hoped. The head maid and assistant couldn't conceal their disappointment at the missed opportunity.
Casting a glance at his assistant to silently acknowledge the failure of the plan, he squeezed your trembling hand, "It's alright, nothing to be sorry about. Well, if that is all, perhaps we can begin discussing the wedding arrangements then."
Minister Jang immediately brightened, "Of course, let us get on with it. I'm sure we have much to discuss."
With a subtle shake of his head, Jongho signalled to the private investigator that the plan wasn't unfolding as expected. Noticing the exchanged glances, your father raised an eyebrow, "Wooyoung, do you and the general's assistant know each other?"
Both froze momentarily, cursing inwardly at their lack of caution. The fake servant beamed innocently at the minister, "Oh yes, master! I thought he looked familiar; turns out we were from the same village!"
The assistant nodded along quickly with a wide smile, "Yes, what a small world."
Fortunately, the fabricated story seemed convincing, and your father nodded without suspicion, "Huh, what are the odds? Just don't let me catch you slacking off. If you want to catch up, do it after work."
Wooyoung grinned quickly, "Yes, master!" before bowing deeply. Glancing at the general for approval, he was relieved to see Seonghwa nodding lightly, silently expressing 'good job'. His heart raced, still finding it surreal that he was looking at his role model up close and being acknowledged.
Resettling into the main hall, your husband couldn't hide his concern for you. He maintained a firm grip on your hand, a constant reminder of his presence and an attempt to provide comfort despite your lack of reaction to anything. Eunsook, noting your distress, made a point to stay close behind you, silently assuring you of her support.
"Alright then, where should we begin?" Minister Jang clapped his hands together, eager to get it all over with as soon as possible.
Seated opposite you, your three sisters were still seething, their attention fixed on the general's unwavering touch on you. Refusing to concede defeat, they were determined to fight for Seonghwa, unwilling to witness you marrying their dream man in a grand wedding ceremony. He was too good for you.
She doesn't deserve him.
Before the two men could delve into any details, Jinhee, tired of her sisters always being a step ahead, seized the opportunity to speak up, "General Park, I believe I would make a better wife than unnie ever could. I urge you to change your mind and consider choosing me."
Jinah and Jinjoo scowled, feeling a sense of betrayal as they hadn't anticipated the sudden spiritedness from their middle sister. She had always been the calmest among the three. It appeared that the allure of the general was potent enough to pit them against each other for the first time.
The minister smacked a hand on his face in disbelief, growing tired of his stepdaughter's obnoxious behaviour. Just as he opened his mouth to reprimand her, the other two chimed in loudly, "No, I'd make a better wife!" before glaring at each other.
Pressing a kiss onto your knuckles to rile them up, your husband stared at the girls with an amused grin, "Really? Do you think you'd make a better wife? Why don't you each tell me why you think so? I'll consider it."
It was apparent that the general was merely toying with them, but the three were oblivious and engaged in a heated debate among themselves, striving to convince Seonghwa that each of them would make the ideal wife for him.
Meanwhile, you silently accepted your fate, believing that your husband was present to entertain the idea of replacing you with one of your stepsisters. If that's what he desired, who were you to object? You considered yourself fortunate to have been sent to him, and now that he had seen your sisters, perhaps he sought someone better than your useless self.
The general burst into a fit of vicious laughter, singling out the middle sister who promptly straightened up, "You," he pointed, "it seems like you have the most convincing argument. I suppose that makes you the most suitable for me, doesn't it?"
Jinhee vigorously nodded, "Yes, my lord!"
With a sly smile, he continued, "Very well, I'll consider marrying you, but on one condition that your father must agree to," Her eyes widened in excitement while her sisters clenched their fists in frustration, dissatisfied with her being chosen, "Anything! Just name it, and you shall have it!"
"If Minister Jang agrees to retire from his position and let me take over, then I guess I'll think about it."
Your father heaved a deep sigh, frowning at the foolish girl in irritation, "That's enough, Jinhee. Are you even hearing yourself? None of that will ever happen. I'm sure the general is only joking around."
Her stubbornness prevailed as she continued to press, "Father, this is for my happiness! If you loved me, you would agree to that!"
Even her own mother, finally sober enough, shook her head disapprovingly, "Stop it, Jinhee. Do you know what it would mean for the rest of us if your father were to retire?"
Having enjoyed the comedic display, Seonghwa chuckled darkly, "Your father's right; I was only playing with you. After all, I couldn't possibly marry you, even if he had agreed to that condition."
"Why is that?!" She questioned, still determined to have him for herself. She hated the sight of him cradling your hand; it should be her beside him. She had gotten so close to having him earlier that she refused to let the opportunity slip away so quickly.
For some reason, the minister couldn't shake off the ominous feeling he was getting from your husband's smugness. Something wasn't right; this felt oddly like a trap.
In a mock-innocent voice, the general answered, "Isn't it simple? Because you're not even Minister Jang's legitimate daughter; you do realise you're merely his stepdaughter, right?"
Your father and stepmother's eyes immediately widened, knowing exactly where this was going. Before they could do anything to stop it, Jinhee yelled out, "But I am father's real daughter!"
Gotcha, bitch.
Jongho and Eunsook did their best to suppress the growing grins on their faces, relieved that at least their master's plan B seemed to have worked out. During the assistant's time away from the estate, working with Wooyoung, they had managed to confirm the general's suspicions about the three being Minister Jang's actual daughters.
This revelation itself was enough to bring him down, as the three were born when your mother was still alive. And if they were, in fact, his, that would mean he had been disloyal to his wife and had fathered bastard children outside. This was more than enough to tarnish his reputation for good.
Rising abruptly from his seat, the minister cleared his throat loudly, "General Park, please don't take her words seriously. Clearly, she only said that out of desperation. The girl is still young and doesn't know when to stop; do not mind her. Come, let us take our discussion somewhere else."
"Save it, minister. If she isn't your daughter, where would she have gotten the confidence to voice that out loud? Don't make me laugh." Seonghwa retorted coldly.
Finally, you lifted your head to stare at the old man upon hearing the revelation. Could it be true? You didn't know if it was supposed to make you feel any better, but you used to question why your father had treated you so badly when you were his only real daughter. Now, it would make more sense, at least.
Scoffing, Minister Jang clenched his fists, "I would advise you to be careful with your words, general. After all, it wouldn't be too wise of you to slander your father-in-law and superior so carelessly like that. What would His Majesty think of you being unfilial and disrespectful to me?"
If your father thought that threat could save him, he was wrong; it seemed he was only digging himself a deeper grave.
The general peered amusingly at him through his lashes, "You know, it's really funny you should say that. Would it still be considered slander if I had evidence to back up my claims? Oh, minister, you should not have brought the King into this. He was already so disappointed in you when he learned of the truth about you and your dirty deeds throughout the years."
"Wh-what do you mean by that?" The minister stammered, visibly trembling in his spot, and his family could only sit back with terror in their eyes, not knowing what your husband had uncovered.
"Minister Jang, did you really think the King had allowed me to come here just to make wedding arrangements with you? I'd rather burn in hell than have you host my wedding, especially after what you had done to my wife in all the years she had been under your care. I'm only here for your confession, under His Majesty's orders."
A series of gasps rang across the hall as your stepmother and stepsisters froze in their seats, the realisation finally hitting them that they had been under scrutiny this whole time. It became apparent since the minister's suspicious behaviour at the assembly.
Little did everyone know that Seonghwa's investigative work had been funded by the King himself the entire time. The two had shared a deep conversation after the assembly; what initially started off as idle chatter regarding the general's new wife transitioned into a serious discussion as your husband revealed what he discovered about the minister thanks to your arrival.
Your eyes widened at Seonghwa's words, wondering if he had known all along about what had happened to you. Feeling your gaze on him, he turned to face you with a soft smile, "I told you I'd protect you."
Feeling your heart flutter and eyes tearing up with tears of relief, you finally squeezed his hand back, "Thank you, Seonghwa."
Cutting your moment short, your father shook his head in denial, "You're lying. Nice try, General Park. I'm not falling for your trick. If you were telling the truth, why would His Majesty have bothered to send you here when he could have just arrested me?"
Turning back to face the old man, your husband smirked, "Now, where would all the fun be in that? Of course, I didn't expect you to admit everything to me so easily. It was fun watching all of you panic in front of the so-called storeroom earlier. I hope you enjoyed the temporary relief, courtesy of my lovely wife. Someone, bring the minister a chair before we start recounting all the interesting things he's done so far."
Jongho was more than happy to help, "Yes, sir!" He promptly moved a chair to the centre of the hall where the minister stood before returning to his position behind his master.
Your stepmother and stepsisters remained glued to their seats, hearts filled with dread. Jinhee regretted her every action immediately, not that it made much difference. They were already doomed from the moment they delivered you to him.
"Will you not sit, Minister Jang?" Seonghwa teased, and when the old man glared at him, he shrugged, unbothered, "Suit yourself. Let us begin then."
The general stretched a waiting hand in his assistant's direction and waited as the younger man fished a few documents out from his pockets, "Here you go, sir."
"Alright, let's see, where should we start?"
With a devilish grin, your husband flipped through the pages, addressing the minister, "So, were you denying that these three are your biological daughters? Not to worry, I have just the thing to prove it. See, we have their birth certificates and the fake ones you forged right here. You bribed your physician quite a bit for these, huh? Well, it seems the amount you paid was not nearly enough since he spilt everything to us so easily."
The minister's wife pointed a shaky finger at the papers in Seonghwa's hands, "Th-that's not possible. How did you get your hands on those documents?"
"Ah, so you admit these are yours?" The general raised a brow, "I get it; it's hard not to when the only copies to exist were found in your private quarters, hm? I'll have precious Wooyoung to thank for these. Come here, boy. You should be so proud of yourself."
"Thank you, my lord! I'll work harder!"
In front of the minister and his family, the mole finally unveiled himself. All five of them could only gape at the new employee who had recently joined the estate. They praised him for his work and even thought of him as a hard worker. Suddenly, it all made sense why he always seemed too eager to help around. He had been snooping around for the enemy all along.
Your father pointed accusingly at the fake staff member of his estate, "Y-you traitor—"
"How can he be a traitor when he was never on your side to begin with? Let's not change the subject, alright? Now, let us conclude the number of crimes you've committed here; first, you've cheated on your wife and had not only one but three illegitimate children outside of your home. I must say, minister, you're setting a horrible example for the married men in all of Joseon." Seonghwa shook his head in disapproval.
"Next, you've bribed your physician to silence him and then get him to further commit the crime of forging official documents for you. I guess this could have been understandable if it had been a silly little commoner not knowing any better, but my goodness, you are our nation's Minister of Military Affairs! What would the people think of us if they knew their leaders were this unethical?"
"And the worst of it all, you kept my wife caged in that pathetic excuse of a room all her life. You all had a hand in her suffering and abused her endlessly, all for your own entertainment. And what had she done that was so wrong to deserve any of that? Just because she was born from the wife you did not choose and love?" The general spat, feeling his heart ache and anger rise.
It was your turn to rub a thumb softly over his skin to remind him that you were fine now; you were loved and cared for, all because of him. He tightened his hold on your hand, vowing to get you justice.
"Can any of you even call yourselves human?" He growled, glaring at your family. Your stepsisters trembled, avoiding his death stare, feeling like complete idiots, especially after their stupid little innocent act earlier. Why did they even believe for a second that they could have fooled him?
With a deep breath, Seonghwa put on a sarcastic smile, "And with all of that, it should be enough for you to be stripped of your title and for your entire family to be demoted from a noble house to commoners."
The old man's knees went weak, and he ended up plopping into the chair Jongho had placed behind him. Clenching his fists, he shook his head again, "No, you can't do this to us. You can't do this to me. I've dedicated my life to this job and this country. I have contributed so much—"
Smirking, the general cut him off, "Why? Are you unsatisfied with this conclusion? I expected no less from you, you ungrateful bastard. Fine, I guess we'll have no choice but to dive deeper and talk about your most severe crime then."
There's... more?
Furrowing your brows, you wondered what other horrible things your father could have possibly done. Everything that your husband had already listed seemed like a lot to you.
Your stepmother gasped loudly, clutching onto her chest as she took in the general's wicked grin, "He knows..."
Jinah frowned, grabbing her mother's arm in confusion, "What is it? What does he know? What else has father done?" The other two sisters stared at their parents, who looked scared for their lives.
"Yes, I do know, Lady Jang. Did you really think the two of you could keep your dirty little secret hidden forever? As if adultery and illegal document forgery weren't bad enough, you were both audacious enough to commit murder against an innocent person."
Minister Jang and his wife shared a horrified glance, realising that the veil of secrecy they had meticulously woven was now unravelling before them. The colour drained from their faces, and beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.
The mistress of the Jang estate stammered in fear, "N-no, that's not true! You're making baseless accusations, General Park. We haven't committed any murder!"
The general remained unfazed, a cold stare fixed upon them, "Really? You haven't? Then tell me, why do the two of you seem so afraid? You weren't trembling with fear when you poisoned the first Lady Jang to death, and you certainly weren't afraid when you robbed my wife of her mother."
Staring at your father and stepmother in horror, a wave of disbelief crashed over you. The revelation hit like a tidal wave, leaving you stunned and paralysed. The people you thought were simply cruel for torturing you all your life had now revealed a more sinister truth – they were the reason you never knew your own mother.
The shock and betrayal etched across your face, your eyes locked onto theirs as the weight of their sins settled in. It wasn't just about the abuse and mistreatment; they had orchestrated a tragedy that deprived you of the one person who could have brought warmth and love into your life.
"And what evidence do you have to prove that?" The minister finally mustered the courage to challenge the accusations, still putting up a fight. His three daughters, nearly as shocked as you were by the revelation, couldn't fathom that their parents might have actually taken someone's life.
Seonghwa remained unyielding, maintaining his cold gaze, "Not to worry, I have it all right here." He gestured to the documents Wooyoung held, revealing a series of letters exchanged between the couple all those years ago detailing the best way to end someone's life and make it look like a natural death, as though they had succumbed to an ordinary illness.
"Isn't it an uncanny coincidence that the physician confessed to the first Lady Jang dying from mandrake poisoning, and simultaneously, there is an abundance of mandrake planted in your garden? Alongside these incriminating letters, everything aligns seamlessly. There's nothing you can say to undermine this evidence, minister. Would you care to explain your actions now?"
Minister Jang's face contorted with defiance and anger. He took a deep breath before finally admitting, "Fine, it's true. I did it; I killed that woman. But you have to understand; the first Lady Jang ruined my life. I never wanted to marry her in the first place. It was a political arrangement forced upon me to please her influential family. They held more power than I did at the time."
His eyes darted around, gauging the reactions of those present, especially his daughters, "I clawed my way up, working tirelessly to reach my position as Minister of Military Affairs. I didn't need her family anymore. So, I did her a favour – I ended her unhappy marriage and made room for the person I truly loved."
He looked at his current wife with a twisted sense of affection, completely ignoring the horrified expressions around him, "I had to make a choice for my own happiness. No one understands the sacrifices I've made for this family and for the sake of my love. It was the only way."
"If you hated my mother so much, why did you bother having me then?" You finally croaked, voice breaking as you choked back tears. Seonghwa pulled you close to him, never wanting you to go through any more pain alone.
Your father let out a scoff of displeasure, "I never wanted you. You were just another duty to please your mother's family. When she died, I refused to let any of them near you out of spite. You were a constant reminder of her, a spitting image that angered me every time I looked at you. That's why I hated you so much."
His admission hung heavily in the air, each word cutting through the silence like a knife. Your eyes, filled with sorrow, met his cold, callous gaze. Your husband tightened his hold on you, offering silent comfort as the painful truth unravelled.
"And there we have it, the confession His Majesty wanted. Royal Secretary Choi, did you manage to get all of that?" The general called out with a smirk.
To the minister's horror, the King's closest and most trusted aide emerged from the entrance, flanked by a team of royal guards, "I sure did, General Park. You've done well; we'll take it from here. His Majesty shall decide the Jang family's final sentencing."
« Preview of Part 10 »
As Eunsook followed her master's orders to assist you out of the hall and to the waiting carriage at once, your husband stayed behind to express gratitude to the dedicated private investigator.
"You've worked hard, Wooyoung. I assure you we will compensate you for your excellent performance. You didn't have to help us this far, but you did, and I appreciate it."
The younger man enthusiastically bowed, "It's my pleasure, sir! I'm a huge fan of yours; I think people don't appreciate you enough for defending our country! Those who think you are heartless are clearly mistaken. If only they'd seen you today. You are a wonderful husband, my lord. It's reassuring to know Lady Park has you."
Clearing his throat, the general looked away and fought the faint blush dusting his cheeks, "I'm glad you think so. I can only hope she thinks the same."
Wooyoung grinned, "I'm sure she does, my lord. I've seen how Lady Park looks at you; I can tell you mean a lot to her too," Seeing Jongho approaching to escort his master out, the informant bowed one final time, "It was an honour working for you, sir. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need my services again!"
Seonghwa nodded appreciatively, "I'll keep that in mind."
Just as he turned to leave, the royal secretary came up to him, "Before you go, General Park, His Majesty wishes to meet you and Lady Park soon to discuss your actual wedding arrangements."
Nodding lightly, the general replied, "Got it, I'll see you then."
"Oh, and one last thing; I know you've both been through a lot, but the worst is over. I wish you and your wife happiness."
"Thank you, San."
Y'all I'm not even gonna lie, this part literally gave me a whole ass headache LMFAO I hope this felt satisfying enough! Of course, we still don't know what consequences the evil family are about to suffer muahaha😈
Also, the second mood board depicting the general's estate is out! Go take a look if you haven't already!
As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3
I imagine general park with this high bun IOMT hairstyle in official assembly and at work but then when he's at his estate he goes the casual low bun and let's his hair flow 😩
