Tell Me A Story - [JJP Oneshot 1/3]
Originally written for the Def_pepi fic exchange at def_pepi ( here).
Also, I hate LJ and it's word limits >.>
Jinyoung drummed his fingers on the oaken surface of the table impatiently, earning a pointed glare from his father. It took all the self-control he possessed at the moment to pull back his sigh, though it was too late to prevent the eye-rolling. This only earned him another stern glance.
Jinyoung reluctantly pulled his hand back and shifted in his seat, heavy robes rustling as he moved. His lips were pursed slightly in indignation; the chancellor was still up front, eyes fixed on that long, long scroll he was reading from. It’s not like anyone would’ve noticed. Besides, he’d been sitting here for hours, breakfast had been ages ago and he was hungry. There were snacks on the table, but as per common court etiquette, no one touched them. Which was stupid, in Jinyoung’s opinion, because if no one was allowed to eat while another person was talking, why have them out in the first place? It was only taunting him, making him even hungrier than he already was.
But of course, for appearances.
And now Jinyoung had an unbearable itch on his right shoulder blade, but he couldn’t scratch that either because the old dude up front couldn’t pick up the pace. Even if he added just a bit more inflection to his voice, perhaps Jinyoung could focus on something other than the maddening urge to throw off his clothes and scratch, but of course the chancellor had to continue in his flat, monotone voice for seemingly all of eternity.
When the meeting was finally called to an end Jinyoung was practically vibrating with pent up energy, the last few minutes seeming to slow down even further before finally, finally the meeting was adjourned and everyone excused.
Jinyoung breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he exited the hall, ready to dart off to his room to change into something much less restricting than his official attire. He was already halfway down the corridor, walking as fast as he dared while still appearing to be “regal,” when a gravelling voice sounded from behind him.
“Jinyoung. A moment, if you would.”
Jinyoung froze.
Dammit.
He spun around slowly, being careful to school his expression into one of respect and deference.
“Yes, your majesty?”
Jinyoung had braced himself, but still almost winced at the severe expression on his father’s face.
“Very eager to leave, I see? Would it be alright if I took a few more minutes of your time?” The King raised an eyebrow, and although his words formed a question his tone left no room for negotiation.
“Of course, you majesty,” Jinyoung tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice, but couldn’t help but drag his feet a little as he followed his father back into the conference hall.
“Do you have any idea what I’d like to talk to you about, Jinyoung?”
Well, at least his father got straight to the point.
“My attitude,” Jinyoung replied resignedly.
“Ah, so it’s not a surprise.”
“But father,” Jinyoung couldn’t keep the whine out of his voice. “The meetings are much too long and much too boring. I’d pay attention if it was important information, you know I would, but he-”
“You don’t think the threat of a potential famine hitting our countryside is important?” his father’s voice was severe.
“Of course that’s important! But he kept going on and on and on and on…all he was doing was repeating the same information over and over! If we’re trying to solve problems, wouldn’t it be more efficient to get down to the point and figure out a solution?”
“Oh Jinyoung…” the King sighed, a hand coming up to rub at his brows. “We’ve been over this before. This is procedural, and it’s what puts everyone else at ease. I know you’re capable of negotiating and talking through the problems, but you can’t just do what you’re interested in and skip the rest. Your sisters have been too indulgent with you, taking care of everything you deem to be ‘boring’ for you. But you’re the one who’s going to be king some day, not them. That’s why I want you at all of these meetings from now on, understand? You need to start learning how to take care of the administrative duties as well.”
The King left no room for argument.
“Yes, father.”
The King smiled wryly at the sulkiness in his son’s tone. “In exchange, I will stop your lessons at the moment.”
Jinyoung’s eyes widened, mouth opening to protest but immediately thought better of it when his father raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“You seem unwilling? I thought you were always complaining about your lessons and homework?”
“No, no, that’s fine, thank you father,” Jinyoung said quickly, expression sheepish.
It was true; Jinyoung hated his lessons and complained them constantly. They were boring and tedious, and honestly half of the things he learned weren’t applicable to real life anyways. What he was going to miss, however, was his tutor Mark. He was a pretty soft-spoken guy and ridiculously kindhearted, but most importantly, he was Jinyoung’s primary source of entertainment these days. It was the middle of winter and much too cold outside, not that Jinyoung would ever be allowed off palace grounds on his own anyways. Mark was patient and always put up with Jinyoung’s antics, indulging him with whatever whim he could without getting the both of them in trouble.
So no, Jinyoung would really rather not cease his lessons, but he couldn’t exactly tell his father that, especially since all he did was complain about them on a regular basis.
He was finally excused, and this time, he no longer had the same energy in his steps as he walked down the halls, feet dragging against the cold marble instead.
~~
“Your Majesty, please, I need to get to work,” Bambam was nearly pleading at this point and Jinyoung huffed, crossing his arms.
“But then what am I supposed to do? I’m bored, Bam~” Jinyoung whined. He knew he was being childish, but he couldn’t help it! He was getting more and more antsy these days, tired of being cooped up inside the palace. He had meetings to attend to every day, of course, but those only took a few hours, depending on the day. And with no more Mark to bother, Jinyoung’s attention had turned towards the other palace servants.
Usually, Bambam was very welcoming of Jinyoung’s attention. He often was excused from his more unpleasant chores to keep the prince company, though these past few days have gotten to the point of being unbearable. Jinyoung was occupying so much of his time that he didn’t even have the time to complete even the most basic of his duties. And that was saying a lot, because Bambam absolutely adored the prince and would gladly sacrifice hours of his sleep for him.
Though truthfully, it would be quite accurate to say everyone loved Jinyoung. He had that ability to charm anyone with just a smile, and his kindness was renowned. While the King and Queen were respected for their fairness, they were still feared for their unyielding power in ruling.
Jinyoung, on the other hand, was just adored. He was a ray of sunshine in the often gloomy and tense palace, always treating every servant kindly and with genuine concern. But Jinyoung was also no naive fool; the prince was sharp. Although he held a particular distaste for his lessons he was still incredibly smart, and had a way with diplomacy that was well beyond his years.
Case in point; a year ago, there had been a minor border dispute between two states under their rule. It hadn’t been a big deal, before an accidental killing escalated the issue into a full blown conflict on the verge of war. A group of high ranking diplomats had been deployed in an attempt to resolve the issue, and Jinyoung had tagged along as per the King’s orders to learn from first-hand experience.
What hadn’t been expected, was for Jinyoung to personally interject in the debate when things started to become particularly heated. His guards had been downright terrified, because the hostility in the room had started to border on violent and if a single hair on the prince’s royal head was harmed, the King would’ve skinned them alive. But with a few reasonable words and placating smile, somehow the anger was dissipated within minutes. Before they even knew what was happening Jinyoung had readily taken over leading negotiations, and within a few days, the matter had been peaceably resolved with no wounded prides on either side. This only strengthened the image of their beloved prince as not only someone kind, but awe-inspiringly capable.
But right now, after losing his umpteenth game of chess, Bambam was at his wits’ end.
“Oh please, Your Majesty, just let him go,” Yugyeom sighed as he entered the room, placing the plate of pastries Jinyoung had asked for minutes earlier on the table. “You’re just going to win the next game anyways, what’s the point?”
“Yah, watch your attitude, you lowly servant,” Jinyoung retorted, but they all knew he didn’t mean it. Besides, Yugyeom deserved it; he was the mouthiest servant Jinyoung ever had the fortune (or misfortune, really) to meet. “The point is I’m bored~~~” Jinyoung flopped onto his bed, legs kicking in the air in a very un-princely manner.
“Go bug someone else,” Yugyeom suggested with a somewhat subtle eye roll. “Unless Your Majesty enjoys Bambam being yelled at again for not finishing the windows…”
“Wait, you were scolded yesterday?” Jinyoung suddenly frowned, guilt turning his lips downwards as he sat back up to stare at Bambam questioningly.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Bambam was quick to deny, waving his hands in front of his face in the negative, but he’d always been a terrible liar.
“Sorry Bam,” Jinyoung apologized, looking sheepish. “You can go now if you really need to.”
Bambam looked relieved, if not a bit guilty.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll be back later, I promise!”
With a hasty bow he ducked out of the room, followed soon after by Yugyeom.
Before shutting the door, however, Yugyeom paused, looking back over his shoulder with a contemplative look on his face.
“Is there something else?” Jinyoung asked, catching his hesitance.
“If Your Majesty is tired of being cooped up, perhaps you could head to the stables, you might find some entertainment there,” Yugyeom said, a smirk threatening to form and his lips twitched as he fought to keep the smug look off his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty…”
“Wait, what’s in the stables?” Jinyoung called out, but the door had already clicked shut.
“That brat,” Jinyoung muttered, but nonetheless began pulling on his coat.
To the stables it was, then. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do anyways.
~~
In Jaebum’s defense, there really was no way he could’ve known that the wiry boy dressed in tunics much too fine for a place as dirty as the stables was the crown prince. Everyone in the palace dressed in ridiculously fine clothing, even the servants, and he’d figured the boy was just the brat son of some duke or nobleman looking for trouble.
Besides, he’d only been here for two months, and what opportunity did a lowly stable boy have to see the prince? If he ever went out riding, the Horse Master would be the one to prepare his horse, not Jaebum. Plus, Jaebum had always been under the impression that all members of the royal family were constantly under the careful watch of their guards. And this boy clearly was alone.
Therefore, Jaebum felt perfectly justified with the hot glare he’d leveled at said boy when he’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a cheerful “Hey!”
Jaebum jumped, almost dropping horse dung on his shoes.
“What!” Jaebum snapped, re-adjusting his grip on the shovel. These shoes were only three months old and he’d be damned if he got poop all over them now when he’d been so careful so far. Balance regained, Jaebum’s eyes narrowed as he took in the boy’s appearance. Wide eyes, a carefully trimmed fringe, and a square jaw softened by baby-ish cheeks composed a face all the ladies at court probably cooed over. Handsome, even, if not for the ridiculous expression it was currently contorted into.
It was almost comical the way the boy gaped at him, mouth so wide it could catch flies and then some. It was abundantly clear he was very unused to being spoken to in such a brusque way. Jaebum braced himself for the tantrum that was surely about to follow, because as civilized as he looked, his immaculate appearance also screamed spoiled-rich-brat. And Jaebum knew from experience that when entitled brats didn’t get their way, they threw tantrums until people got so fed up they did.
What Jaebum wasn’t expecting, however, was the completely unrelated question the boy shot back.
“Are you friends with Yugyeom?” was the sudden inquiry that followed, and now it was Jaebum’s turn to gape. The surprised look on the boy’s face had been replaced with one of fascination as stepped closer, and Jaebum had the very alarming urge to take a step backwards. “You talk the exact same way as him.”
“I do know Yugyeom,” Jaebum responded stiffly, his brow creased in confusion as he tried to make sense of the sudden connection, “but I’m not sure if I’d call him a friend. Why?”
“Hmm, being acquaintances must work too, then, because you two share the exact same disregard for deference to authority!” the boy laughed, his genuinely amused demeanor quite the contrast to his words as he advanced forward a few steps more.
“Don’t compare me to that brat,” Jaebum held his ground, hands gripping the shovel tightly to restrain himself from dumping it on the boy. God this was starting to get annoying. “And what authority is there to respect? Yours? Please,” Jaebum scoffed, and once again that astonished look lit up on the other boy’s face.
“Wait. Do you not know who I am?” the boy asked incredulously, actually moving up into Jaebum’s person space as if to examine his expression, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Jaebum did take a step back this time, rolling his eyes. Entitled brats; always under the impression that they were so important that the whole world revolved around their identities and crises.
“How am I supposed to know?” Jaebum said carelessly. “Now if you wouldn’t mind, I have work to do.”
Now this time, Jaebum was sure the kid would lose it. And Jaebum would be glad, if that meant he’d stomp off and he could finally work in peace. If he got in trouble later he’d deal with it then; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d gotten scolded for “having an attitude.” At this point, it’d be worth it.
Instead, the boy laughed again, mirth evident as a spark of mischief danced in his eyes.
“Oh no, of course you wouldn’t know. My apologies for being pretentious.” There was no mocking tone to the boy’s words, but Jaebum couldn’t help but feel as if he was the butt of some unsaid joke. “And yes, sorry, please carry on with your work, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”
Jaebum didn’t move, only squinting suspiciously at the boy that now plopped down on a stack of hay. He swung his feet as he leaned back to prop his weight on his arms behind him, grinning all the while.
“What are you doing? I need to work, you know.” Jaebum was really starting to get irritated.
“Oh, I won’t get in your way, promise! I’ll just watch!” The boy continued to smile, eyes crinkling so that they disappeared.
Jaebum shifted, still uneasy.
“I don’t have time to talk to you or answer any of your questions,” he warned him bluntly.
“No worries~” The boy waved him off, the spark of mischief in his eyes burning even brighter than before. “I don’t mind doing all the talking!”
~~
By the time Jaebum had trudged back to his hut, he was so tired he only had the energy to take off his shoes before flopping down onto his bed, letting out a muffled groan into his sheets.
It was cold, though, and that was the only reason Jaebum found himself getting back up to start his fire, fingers numb as he fumbled with the tinder.
Most of the servants and various other people employed by the royal family lived together in the provided dorms, but in Jaebum’s case, the second he’d laid eyes on the dilapidated little hut on the semi-abandoned side of the orchards, his heart had been set on living there. Jaebum wasn’t exactly anti-social, per se, but he preferred to have his own space. Being able to distance himself from the drama of the palace was definitely an added bonus.
Another plus of the little hut was it really hadn’t been in that bad of shape, and its small size made it easy to maintain. Especially in the winter, the well-insulated walls trapped heat quickly and allowed the small space to warm up into a cozy home within minutes.
With the fire finally going Jaebum felt the feeling return to his fingers. Soon he was able to strip off his gloves and large outer coat, reaching for a blanket instead to wrap around his shoulders. Snagging his worn, leather-bound notebook from the mantle and the harmonica beside it, he settled down on the floor next to the hearth, his back against the wall.
It was sort of a ritual by now, a daily routine that hadn’t been broken since- well, since a long time. Most nights he’d alternate between crooning out trembling, minor-scaled melodies from the harmonica, and whenever the inspiration struck, scrawl out random lines of poetry in his notebook. You’d think he’d run out of things to write about at some point, but even if that was the case, it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
Yet this night, Jaebum just couldn’t focus. His thoughts were stuck on the strange events of that afternoon; he just couldn’t wrap his mind around it.
True to his word, the boy hadn’t required any help from Jaebum in keeping up his onesided conversation. It was hands down the strangest thing Jaebum had ever experienced; he went from admiring the horses to the stables to wondering about when it would snow and if the horses ever acted up to Yugyeom being the worst servant ever to whether or not this coming spring would yield lilacs as pretty as last year. Like, what even?
But never once did the boy bring up his name, his lineage, his status. It would’ve been refreshing, if not for the fact that Jaebum was working and he preferred to work in silence, thank you very much. It was a somewhat fascinating phenomenon for perhaps the first ten minutes, but when the boy showed no signs of leaving an hour later, it was as if Jaebum’s energy was being sapped from his body with every additional word uttered from the boy’s mouth.
Jaebum had no idea someone could talk for hours about absolute nonsense.
So yes, he was more drained than usual. But that wasn’t all; there was something still about the whole thing that bothered Jaebum, a little niggling at the back of his mind that told him he was missing something. Something incredibly important.
It wasn’t until he’d gone to bed, cocooned in his blankets, the fire almost out in a smoldering pile of ash and embers, that the pieces finally fell into place.
Yugyeom was his servant.
Yugyeom served the prince. Their one and only crown prince.
Im Jaebum had just blown off the crown prince of their kingdom, for an entire freaking afternoon.
God, he was going to get his head chopped off.
~~
Hm. Getting his head chopped off though…wouldn’t that be kinda poetic?
Jaebum couldn’t help but get out of his bed, braving the cold to light a candle and jot down a few gloriously gory inspired lines.
~~
On the other side of the palace, in a brightly lit room cast in gold and silver, another boy was caught up in his thoughts about the events that had taken place in the preceding hours of the day. Unlike the stable boy, however, this one appeared almost agitated, pacing up and down the room with his bottom lip caught between his teeth.
Jinyoung hadn’t gotten so worked up since… ever.
Worked up meaning excited, but also frustrated. He couldn’t remember the last time a person was unable to recognize him as the prince, and being treated as an equal and not as someone placed on a pedestal was so incredibly exciting. While Jinyoung did make the comparison to Yugyeom, there really was no contest. While Yugyeom had the tendency to be snarky and push boundaries because he knew Jinyoung didn’t mind, it was still always under very controlled limits. He never would’ve dared to ignore Jinyoung, much less for an entire afternoon.
And dang, talking was hard work! Jinyoung had been semi-joking at first, when he said he’d take care of all the talking. He’d been convinced that with some prodding, the stable boy would open up eventually, but who knew? He’d stayed as cold as a hunk of ice, completely ignoring Jinyoung’s existence except for a few well-timed eye rolls and exasperated glares given at regular intervals.
Rather than angry, Jinyoung was purely flummoxed. Was he really that unlikeable without his princely status?
But no, that wasn’t the case. Although he was strictly forbidden from leaving palace grounds without his entourage of guards, he had snuck out on his own a few times. He’d taken care to hide his identity, and even then the worst he’d experienced was casual indifference.
No. He wasn’t going to end things like this.
Park Jinyoung was a prince, and princes, especially crown princes, did not back down from challenges.
First task on the list: ask for cold stable boy’s name.
~~
The next day, Jinyoung appeared at the stables the exact same time as the day prior. This time, however, he was greeted with a bow and carefully lowered eyes.
He caught on immediately.
"So you found out..." The disappointment was audible in Jinyoung's voice, and Jaebum felt a sudden surge of annoyance. He held it in check, though.
"I apologize for my behavior yesterday, and even though ignorance is never a valid excuse, I just wish to say I truly did not know. I am sincerely sorry, and hope Your Majesty won't hold that against me."
Jinyoung raised an eyebrow at the apology, huffing slightly in indignation at the way Jaebum avoided direct eye contact.
"Come on, that's the longest sentence you've uttered in my presence, and it's not even sincere? I talked so much yesterday my throat was hoarse!"
Jaebum's initial instinct was to retort well no one asked you to talk so much, but once again successfully exercised restraint.
Instead, he gritted out, "What does Your Majesty want from me, then?"
Jinyoung looked slightly taken aback at Jaebum's bluntness, but immediately looked pleased afterwards. "That's more like it! Just be like how you were yesterday, no need to worry about me taking offense!"
Jaebum almost scoffed aloud. As if. The boy in front of him had the power to dish him a fate worse than death with a single word, he'd be a fool not to worry about his own well-being. Besides, there was no reason for Jinyoung to have hidden his identity except to make a fool of Jaebum. Who knew, he could’ve been baiting him to act out of line just to punish him afterwards.
Even though Jaebum didn’t really believe that was the case, it was still a possibility that peeved him.
Jinyoung could tell Jaebum was suspicious, and he sighed as he eased himself onto the same stack of hay as before.
"Just be natural!" he encouraged.
Jaebum stood there a few moments longer, weighing his options while the prince continued to stare at him with expectant eyes.
Screw it.
Jaebum shrugged, muttering you asked for it under his breath before turning his back on Jinyoung and grabbing his pitchfork.
For a good few minutes, the only sound was Jaebum spearing the hay with his pitchfork hay and dropping them into neat stacks for later use. He kept his back to Jinyoung the entire time, not sparing him a single glance as he worked.
What? Jinyoung did tell him to be natural, and working was exactly that.
Finally, after Jaebum had finished transferring his third stack of hay, Jinyoung had had enough.
"Hey, when I said be natural I didn't mean for you to ignore me completely!" There was a hint of a whine to the prince’s voice, and Jaebum turned around with a smug expression on his face.
"I am being natural. Is my performance unsatisfactory, Your Majesty?"
"Yes! No! I mean..." Jinyoung suddenly flushed, catching himself before he completely lost his composure. Jaebum, on the other hand, only began to look more and more pleased with himself.
"I don't even know your name yet!" Jinyoung finally managed to splutter out. "What kind of etiquette is this?”
Jaebum blinked.
“Im Jaebum, at your service,” he answered a beat later.
And now they were stuck in a sort of staring contest, eyes locked in silent communication. Jaebum knew he should avert his eyes, should look down, but somehow he couldn’t.
“Why do you dislike me so much?” Jinyoung finally broke the silence, dropping his question like a bomb. The explosion was silent, but Jaebum was immediately reeling in the aftermath.
“I-” Jaebum had been ready to deny that vehemently, but Jinyoung wasn’t done yet.
“Perhaps it’s both arrogant and ignorant of me to say this, given my status, but I’ve always thought of myself as rather charismatic. Besides a few diplomatic, um, let’s just say rivals,” Jaebum snorted at the euphemism, but Jinyoung carried on without pausing, “no one else has so blatantly expressed their contempt for me, including a few who, like you, knew nothing of my status.” The words should’ve been accusing but there was only a sort of fascination to Jinyoung’s tone. “And I am genuinely curious.”
Jaebum swallowed, mind scrambling as he tried to formulate an acceptable answer.
The truth was, Jaebum really didn't have anything against Jinyoung. The day before, he’d merely viewed him as an annoying brat with too much time on his hands. Jaebum was rather antisocial to begin with, and therefore had no interest in partaking in conversation with the boy. From an objective point of view, Jaebum had to admit the prince had probably come across as charming in a rather overbearing way, and most likely could’ve wheedled anyone else into decent conversation. Jaebum just had no interest.
As for today, well, Jaebum was just pissed off he’d been tricked. Okay, it was more of an omission than anything, since Jinyoung had never explicitly stated his identity, but Jaebum was still pissed off.
Grasping at straws, Jaebum finally began spitting out an answer.
“I don’t dislike you, Your Majesty, I promise you that,” Jaebum began. “I was just trying to work, and you were…”
“Being annoying?” Jinyoung filled in for him, and when Jaebum nodded stiffly, hoping his admission wouldn’t get him killed. Jinyoung only nodded thoughtfully, not looking the slightest bit offended. “And after you learned I’m the prince?
Jaebum sighed, resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be left alone until the prince got what he wanted.
“I was annoyed, and perhaps a little worried about yesterday,” Jaebum answered truthfully. “And I really don’t dislike you, I guess I’m just antisocial.”
Jinyoung nodded, brow furrowed and still deep in thought. Finally, he straightened, as if coming to some sort of a conclusion.
“Thank you for your honest answers, Jaebum. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll leave you to your work now.”
And before Jaebum could even bow or ask to escort the prince out, he’d popped up and strolled out of the stables all on his own.
Part 2
Also, I hate LJ and it's word limits >.>
Jinyoung drummed his fingers on the oaken surface of the table impatiently, earning a pointed glare from his father. It took all the self-control he possessed at the moment to pull back his sigh, though it was too late to prevent the eye-rolling. This only earned him another stern glance.
Jinyoung reluctantly pulled his hand back and shifted in his seat, heavy robes rustling as he moved. His lips were pursed slightly in indignation; the chancellor was still up front, eyes fixed on that long, long scroll he was reading from. It’s not like anyone would’ve noticed. Besides, he’d been sitting here for hours, breakfast had been ages ago and he was hungry. There were snacks on the table, but as per common court etiquette, no one touched them. Which was stupid, in Jinyoung’s opinion, because if no one was allowed to eat while another person was talking, why have them out in the first place? It was only taunting him, making him even hungrier than he already was.
But of course, for appearances.
And now Jinyoung had an unbearable itch on his right shoulder blade, but he couldn’t scratch that either because the old dude up front couldn’t pick up the pace. Even if he added just a bit more inflection to his voice, perhaps Jinyoung could focus on something other than the maddening urge to throw off his clothes and scratch, but of course the chancellor had to continue in his flat, monotone voice for seemingly all of eternity.
When the meeting was finally called to an end Jinyoung was practically vibrating with pent up energy, the last few minutes seeming to slow down even further before finally, finally the meeting was adjourned and everyone excused.
Jinyoung breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he exited the hall, ready to dart off to his room to change into something much less restricting than his official attire. He was already halfway down the corridor, walking as fast as he dared while still appearing to be “regal,” when a gravelling voice sounded from behind him.
“Jinyoung. A moment, if you would.”
Jinyoung froze.
Dammit.
He spun around slowly, being careful to school his expression into one of respect and deference.
“Yes, your majesty?”
Jinyoung had braced himself, but still almost winced at the severe expression on his father’s face.
“Very eager to leave, I see? Would it be alright if I took a few more minutes of your time?” The King raised an eyebrow, and although his words formed a question his tone left no room for negotiation.
“Of course, you majesty,” Jinyoung tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice, but couldn’t help but drag his feet a little as he followed his father back into the conference hall.
“Do you have any idea what I’d like to talk to you about, Jinyoung?”
Well, at least his father got straight to the point.
“My attitude,” Jinyoung replied resignedly.
“Ah, so it’s not a surprise.”
“But father,” Jinyoung couldn’t keep the whine out of his voice. “The meetings are much too long and much too boring. I’d pay attention if it was important information, you know I would, but he-”
“You don’t think the threat of a potential famine hitting our countryside is important?” his father’s voice was severe.
“Of course that’s important! But he kept going on and on and on and on…all he was doing was repeating the same information over and over! If we’re trying to solve problems, wouldn’t it be more efficient to get down to the point and figure out a solution?”
“Oh Jinyoung…” the King sighed, a hand coming up to rub at his brows. “We’ve been over this before. This is procedural, and it’s what puts everyone else at ease. I know you’re capable of negotiating and talking through the problems, but you can’t just do what you’re interested in and skip the rest. Your sisters have been too indulgent with you, taking care of everything you deem to be ‘boring’ for you. But you’re the one who’s going to be king some day, not them. That’s why I want you at all of these meetings from now on, understand? You need to start learning how to take care of the administrative duties as well.”
The King left no room for argument.
“Yes, father.”
The King smiled wryly at the sulkiness in his son’s tone. “In exchange, I will stop your lessons at the moment.”
Jinyoung’s eyes widened, mouth opening to protest but immediately thought better of it when his father raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“You seem unwilling? I thought you were always complaining about your lessons and homework?”
“No, no, that’s fine, thank you father,” Jinyoung said quickly, expression sheepish.
It was true; Jinyoung hated his lessons and complained them constantly. They were boring and tedious, and honestly half of the things he learned weren’t applicable to real life anyways. What he was going to miss, however, was his tutor Mark. He was a pretty soft-spoken guy and ridiculously kindhearted, but most importantly, he was Jinyoung’s primary source of entertainment these days. It was the middle of winter and much too cold outside, not that Jinyoung would ever be allowed off palace grounds on his own anyways. Mark was patient and always put up with Jinyoung’s antics, indulging him with whatever whim he could without getting the both of them in trouble.
So no, Jinyoung would really rather not cease his lessons, but he couldn’t exactly tell his father that, especially since all he did was complain about them on a regular basis.
He was finally excused, and this time, he no longer had the same energy in his steps as he walked down the halls, feet dragging against the cold marble instead.
~~
“Your Majesty, please, I need to get to work,” Bambam was nearly pleading at this point and Jinyoung huffed, crossing his arms.
“But then what am I supposed to do? I’m bored, Bam~” Jinyoung whined. He knew he was being childish, but he couldn’t help it! He was getting more and more antsy these days, tired of being cooped up inside the palace. He had meetings to attend to every day, of course, but those only took a few hours, depending on the day. And with no more Mark to bother, Jinyoung’s attention had turned towards the other palace servants.
Usually, Bambam was very welcoming of Jinyoung’s attention. He often was excused from his more unpleasant chores to keep the prince company, though these past few days have gotten to the point of being unbearable. Jinyoung was occupying so much of his time that he didn’t even have the time to complete even the most basic of his duties. And that was saying a lot, because Bambam absolutely adored the prince and would gladly sacrifice hours of his sleep for him.
Though truthfully, it would be quite accurate to say everyone loved Jinyoung. He had that ability to charm anyone with just a smile, and his kindness was renowned. While the King and Queen were respected for their fairness, they were still feared for their unyielding power in ruling.
Jinyoung, on the other hand, was just adored. He was a ray of sunshine in the often gloomy and tense palace, always treating every servant kindly and with genuine concern. But Jinyoung was also no naive fool; the prince was sharp. Although he held a particular distaste for his lessons he was still incredibly smart, and had a way with diplomacy that was well beyond his years.
Case in point; a year ago, there had been a minor border dispute between two states under their rule. It hadn’t been a big deal, before an accidental killing escalated the issue into a full blown conflict on the verge of war. A group of high ranking diplomats had been deployed in an attempt to resolve the issue, and Jinyoung had tagged along as per the King’s orders to learn from first-hand experience.
What hadn’t been expected, was for Jinyoung to personally interject in the debate when things started to become particularly heated. His guards had been downright terrified, because the hostility in the room had started to border on violent and if a single hair on the prince’s royal head was harmed, the King would’ve skinned them alive. But with a few reasonable words and placating smile, somehow the anger was dissipated within minutes. Before they even knew what was happening Jinyoung had readily taken over leading negotiations, and within a few days, the matter had been peaceably resolved with no wounded prides on either side. This only strengthened the image of their beloved prince as not only someone kind, but awe-inspiringly capable.
But right now, after losing his umpteenth game of chess, Bambam was at his wits’ end.
“Oh please, Your Majesty, just let him go,” Yugyeom sighed as he entered the room, placing the plate of pastries Jinyoung had asked for minutes earlier on the table. “You’re just going to win the next game anyways, what’s the point?”
“Yah, watch your attitude, you lowly servant,” Jinyoung retorted, but they all knew he didn’t mean it. Besides, Yugyeom deserved it; he was the mouthiest servant Jinyoung ever had the fortune (or misfortune, really) to meet. “The point is I’m bored~~~” Jinyoung flopped onto his bed, legs kicking in the air in a very un-princely manner.
“Go bug someone else,” Yugyeom suggested with a somewhat subtle eye roll. “Unless Your Majesty enjoys Bambam being yelled at again for not finishing the windows…”
“Wait, you were scolded yesterday?” Jinyoung suddenly frowned, guilt turning his lips downwards as he sat back up to stare at Bambam questioningly.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Bambam was quick to deny, waving his hands in front of his face in the negative, but he’d always been a terrible liar.
“Sorry Bam,” Jinyoung apologized, looking sheepish. “You can go now if you really need to.”
Bambam looked relieved, if not a bit guilty.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll be back later, I promise!”
With a hasty bow he ducked out of the room, followed soon after by Yugyeom.
Before shutting the door, however, Yugyeom paused, looking back over his shoulder with a contemplative look on his face.
“Is there something else?” Jinyoung asked, catching his hesitance.
“If Your Majesty is tired of being cooped up, perhaps you could head to the stables, you might find some entertainment there,” Yugyeom said, a smirk threatening to form and his lips twitched as he fought to keep the smug look off his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty…”
“Wait, what’s in the stables?” Jinyoung called out, but the door had already clicked shut.
“That brat,” Jinyoung muttered, but nonetheless began pulling on his coat.
To the stables it was, then. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do anyways.
~~
In Jaebum’s defense, there really was no way he could’ve known that the wiry boy dressed in tunics much too fine for a place as dirty as the stables was the crown prince. Everyone in the palace dressed in ridiculously fine clothing, even the servants, and he’d figured the boy was just the brat son of some duke or nobleman looking for trouble.
Besides, he’d only been here for two months, and what opportunity did a lowly stable boy have to see the prince? If he ever went out riding, the Horse Master would be the one to prepare his horse, not Jaebum. Plus, Jaebum had always been under the impression that all members of the royal family were constantly under the careful watch of their guards. And this boy clearly was alone.
Therefore, Jaebum felt perfectly justified with the hot glare he’d leveled at said boy when he’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a cheerful “Hey!”
Jaebum jumped, almost dropping horse dung on his shoes.
“What!” Jaebum snapped, re-adjusting his grip on the shovel. These shoes were only three months old and he’d be damned if he got poop all over them now when he’d been so careful so far. Balance regained, Jaebum’s eyes narrowed as he took in the boy’s appearance. Wide eyes, a carefully trimmed fringe, and a square jaw softened by baby-ish cheeks composed a face all the ladies at court probably cooed over. Handsome, even, if not for the ridiculous expression it was currently contorted into.
It was almost comical the way the boy gaped at him, mouth so wide it could catch flies and then some. It was abundantly clear he was very unused to being spoken to in such a brusque way. Jaebum braced himself for the tantrum that was surely about to follow, because as civilized as he looked, his immaculate appearance also screamed spoiled-rich-brat. And Jaebum knew from experience that when entitled brats didn’t get their way, they threw tantrums until people got so fed up they did.
What Jaebum wasn’t expecting, however, was the completely unrelated question the boy shot back.
“Are you friends with Yugyeom?” was the sudden inquiry that followed, and now it was Jaebum’s turn to gape. The surprised look on the boy’s face had been replaced with one of fascination as stepped closer, and Jaebum had the very alarming urge to take a step backwards. “You talk the exact same way as him.”
“I do know Yugyeom,” Jaebum responded stiffly, his brow creased in confusion as he tried to make sense of the sudden connection, “but I’m not sure if I’d call him a friend. Why?”
“Hmm, being acquaintances must work too, then, because you two share the exact same disregard for deference to authority!” the boy laughed, his genuinely amused demeanor quite the contrast to his words as he advanced forward a few steps more.
“Don’t compare me to that brat,” Jaebum held his ground, hands gripping the shovel tightly to restrain himself from dumping it on the boy. God this was starting to get annoying. “And what authority is there to respect? Yours? Please,” Jaebum scoffed, and once again that astonished look lit up on the other boy’s face.
“Wait. Do you not know who I am?” the boy asked incredulously, actually moving up into Jaebum’s person space as if to examine his expression, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Jaebum did take a step back this time, rolling his eyes. Entitled brats; always under the impression that they were so important that the whole world revolved around their identities and crises.
“How am I supposed to know?” Jaebum said carelessly. “Now if you wouldn’t mind, I have work to do.”
Now this time, Jaebum was sure the kid would lose it. And Jaebum would be glad, if that meant he’d stomp off and he could finally work in peace. If he got in trouble later he’d deal with it then; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d gotten scolded for “having an attitude.” At this point, it’d be worth it.
Instead, the boy laughed again, mirth evident as a spark of mischief danced in his eyes.
“Oh no, of course you wouldn’t know. My apologies for being pretentious.” There was no mocking tone to the boy’s words, but Jaebum couldn’t help but feel as if he was the butt of some unsaid joke. “And yes, sorry, please carry on with your work, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”
Jaebum didn’t move, only squinting suspiciously at the boy that now plopped down on a stack of hay. He swung his feet as he leaned back to prop his weight on his arms behind him, grinning all the while.
“What are you doing? I need to work, you know.” Jaebum was really starting to get irritated.
“Oh, I won’t get in your way, promise! I’ll just watch!” The boy continued to smile, eyes crinkling so that they disappeared.
Jaebum shifted, still uneasy.
“I don’t have time to talk to you or answer any of your questions,” he warned him bluntly.
“No worries~” The boy waved him off, the spark of mischief in his eyes burning even brighter than before. “I don’t mind doing all the talking!”
~~
By the time Jaebum had trudged back to his hut, he was so tired he only had the energy to take off his shoes before flopping down onto his bed, letting out a muffled groan into his sheets.
It was cold, though, and that was the only reason Jaebum found himself getting back up to start his fire, fingers numb as he fumbled with the tinder.
Most of the servants and various other people employed by the royal family lived together in the provided dorms, but in Jaebum’s case, the second he’d laid eyes on the dilapidated little hut on the semi-abandoned side of the orchards, his heart had been set on living there. Jaebum wasn’t exactly anti-social, per se, but he preferred to have his own space. Being able to distance himself from the drama of the palace was definitely an added bonus.
Another plus of the little hut was it really hadn’t been in that bad of shape, and its small size made it easy to maintain. Especially in the winter, the well-insulated walls trapped heat quickly and allowed the small space to warm up into a cozy home within minutes.
With the fire finally going Jaebum felt the feeling return to his fingers. Soon he was able to strip off his gloves and large outer coat, reaching for a blanket instead to wrap around his shoulders. Snagging his worn, leather-bound notebook from the mantle and the harmonica beside it, he settled down on the floor next to the hearth, his back against the wall.
It was sort of a ritual by now, a daily routine that hadn’t been broken since- well, since a long time. Most nights he’d alternate between crooning out trembling, minor-scaled melodies from the harmonica, and whenever the inspiration struck, scrawl out random lines of poetry in his notebook. You’d think he’d run out of things to write about at some point, but even if that was the case, it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
Yet this night, Jaebum just couldn’t focus. His thoughts were stuck on the strange events of that afternoon; he just couldn’t wrap his mind around it.
True to his word, the boy hadn’t required any help from Jaebum in keeping up his onesided conversation. It was hands down the strangest thing Jaebum had ever experienced; he went from admiring the horses to the stables to wondering about when it would snow and if the horses ever acted up to Yugyeom being the worst servant ever to whether or not this coming spring would yield lilacs as pretty as last year. Like, what even?
But never once did the boy bring up his name, his lineage, his status. It would’ve been refreshing, if not for the fact that Jaebum was working and he preferred to work in silence, thank you very much. It was a somewhat fascinating phenomenon for perhaps the first ten minutes, but when the boy showed no signs of leaving an hour later, it was as if Jaebum’s energy was being sapped from his body with every additional word uttered from the boy’s mouth.
Jaebum had no idea someone could talk for hours about absolute nonsense.
So yes, he was more drained than usual. But that wasn’t all; there was something still about the whole thing that bothered Jaebum, a little niggling at the back of his mind that told him he was missing something. Something incredibly important.
It wasn’t until he’d gone to bed, cocooned in his blankets, the fire almost out in a smoldering pile of ash and embers, that the pieces finally fell into place.
Yugyeom was his servant.
Yugyeom served the prince. Their one and only crown prince.
Im Jaebum had just blown off the crown prince of their kingdom, for an entire freaking afternoon.
God, he was going to get his head chopped off.
~~
Hm. Getting his head chopped off though…wouldn’t that be kinda poetic?
Jaebum couldn’t help but get out of his bed, braving the cold to light a candle and jot down a few gloriously gory inspired lines.
~~
On the other side of the palace, in a brightly lit room cast in gold and silver, another boy was caught up in his thoughts about the events that had taken place in the preceding hours of the day. Unlike the stable boy, however, this one appeared almost agitated, pacing up and down the room with his bottom lip caught between his teeth.
Jinyoung hadn’t gotten so worked up since… ever.
Worked up meaning excited, but also frustrated. He couldn’t remember the last time a person was unable to recognize him as the prince, and being treated as an equal and not as someone placed on a pedestal was so incredibly exciting. While Jinyoung did make the comparison to Yugyeom, there really was no contest. While Yugyeom had the tendency to be snarky and push boundaries because he knew Jinyoung didn’t mind, it was still always under very controlled limits. He never would’ve dared to ignore Jinyoung, much less for an entire afternoon.
And dang, talking was hard work! Jinyoung had been semi-joking at first, when he said he’d take care of all the talking. He’d been convinced that with some prodding, the stable boy would open up eventually, but who knew? He’d stayed as cold as a hunk of ice, completely ignoring Jinyoung’s existence except for a few well-timed eye rolls and exasperated glares given at regular intervals.
Rather than angry, Jinyoung was purely flummoxed. Was he really that unlikeable without his princely status?
But no, that wasn’t the case. Although he was strictly forbidden from leaving palace grounds without his entourage of guards, he had snuck out on his own a few times. He’d taken care to hide his identity, and even then the worst he’d experienced was casual indifference.
No. He wasn’t going to end things like this.
Park Jinyoung was a prince, and princes, especially crown princes, did not back down from challenges.
First task on the list: ask for cold stable boy’s name.
~~
The next day, Jinyoung appeared at the stables the exact same time as the day prior. This time, however, he was greeted with a bow and carefully lowered eyes.
He caught on immediately.
"So you found out..." The disappointment was audible in Jinyoung's voice, and Jaebum felt a sudden surge of annoyance. He held it in check, though.
"I apologize for my behavior yesterday, and even though ignorance is never a valid excuse, I just wish to say I truly did not know. I am sincerely sorry, and hope Your Majesty won't hold that against me."
Jinyoung raised an eyebrow at the apology, huffing slightly in indignation at the way Jaebum avoided direct eye contact.
"Come on, that's the longest sentence you've uttered in my presence, and it's not even sincere? I talked so much yesterday my throat was hoarse!"
Jaebum's initial instinct was to retort well no one asked you to talk so much, but once again successfully exercised restraint.
Instead, he gritted out, "What does Your Majesty want from me, then?"
Jinyoung looked slightly taken aback at Jaebum's bluntness, but immediately looked pleased afterwards. "That's more like it! Just be like how you were yesterday, no need to worry about me taking offense!"
Jaebum almost scoffed aloud. As if. The boy in front of him had the power to dish him a fate worse than death with a single word, he'd be a fool not to worry about his own well-being. Besides, there was no reason for Jinyoung to have hidden his identity except to make a fool of Jaebum. Who knew, he could’ve been baiting him to act out of line just to punish him afterwards.
Even though Jaebum didn’t really believe that was the case, it was still a possibility that peeved him.
Jinyoung could tell Jaebum was suspicious, and he sighed as he eased himself onto the same stack of hay as before.
"Just be natural!" he encouraged.
Jaebum stood there a few moments longer, weighing his options while the prince continued to stare at him with expectant eyes.
Screw it.
Jaebum shrugged, muttering you asked for it under his breath before turning his back on Jinyoung and grabbing his pitchfork.
For a good few minutes, the only sound was Jaebum spearing the hay with his pitchfork hay and dropping them into neat stacks for later use. He kept his back to Jinyoung the entire time, not sparing him a single glance as he worked.
What? Jinyoung did tell him to be natural, and working was exactly that.
Finally, after Jaebum had finished transferring his third stack of hay, Jinyoung had had enough.
"Hey, when I said be natural I didn't mean for you to ignore me completely!" There was a hint of a whine to the prince’s voice, and Jaebum turned around with a smug expression on his face.
"I am being natural. Is my performance unsatisfactory, Your Majesty?"
"Yes! No! I mean..." Jinyoung suddenly flushed, catching himself before he completely lost his composure. Jaebum, on the other hand, only began to look more and more pleased with himself.
"I don't even know your name yet!" Jinyoung finally managed to splutter out. "What kind of etiquette is this?”
Jaebum blinked.
“Im Jaebum, at your service,” he answered a beat later.
And now they were stuck in a sort of staring contest, eyes locked in silent communication. Jaebum knew he should avert his eyes, should look down, but somehow he couldn’t.
“Why do you dislike me so much?” Jinyoung finally broke the silence, dropping his question like a bomb. The explosion was silent, but Jaebum was immediately reeling in the aftermath.
“I-” Jaebum had been ready to deny that vehemently, but Jinyoung wasn’t done yet.
“Perhaps it’s both arrogant and ignorant of me to say this, given my status, but I’ve always thought of myself as rather charismatic. Besides a few diplomatic, um, let’s just say rivals,” Jaebum snorted at the euphemism, but Jinyoung carried on without pausing, “no one else has so blatantly expressed their contempt for me, including a few who, like you, knew nothing of my status.” The words should’ve been accusing but there was only a sort of fascination to Jinyoung’s tone. “And I am genuinely curious.”
Jaebum swallowed, mind scrambling as he tried to formulate an acceptable answer.
The truth was, Jaebum really didn't have anything against Jinyoung. The day before, he’d merely viewed him as an annoying brat with too much time on his hands. Jaebum was rather antisocial to begin with, and therefore had no interest in partaking in conversation with the boy. From an objective point of view, Jaebum had to admit the prince had probably come across as charming in a rather overbearing way, and most likely could’ve wheedled anyone else into decent conversation. Jaebum just had no interest.
As for today, well, Jaebum was just pissed off he’d been tricked. Okay, it was more of an omission than anything, since Jinyoung had never explicitly stated his identity, but Jaebum was still pissed off.
Grasping at straws, Jaebum finally began spitting out an answer.
“I don’t dislike you, Your Majesty, I promise you that,” Jaebum began. “I was just trying to work, and you were…”
“Being annoying?” Jinyoung filled in for him, and when Jaebum nodded stiffly, hoping his admission wouldn’t get him killed. Jinyoung only nodded thoughtfully, not looking the slightest bit offended. “And after you learned I’m the prince?
Jaebum sighed, resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be left alone until the prince got what he wanted.
“I was annoyed, and perhaps a little worried about yesterday,” Jaebum answered truthfully. “And I really don’t dislike you, I guess I’m just antisocial.”
Jinyoung nodded, brow furrowed and still deep in thought. Finally, he straightened, as if coming to some sort of a conclusion.
“Thank you for your honest answers, Jaebum. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll leave you to your work now.”
And before Jaebum could even bow or ask to escort the prince out, he’d popped up and strolled out of the stables all on his own.
Part 2