Eunhyuk Fanfic: Crowning the Dawn (Part Six)
Title: Crowning the Dawn (Part Six)
Authors: tremmy_chii ; fishiesftw
Pairing: Hyukhae / Haehyuk
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: We do not own anyone, anything, except for this fanfic. :3
Summary:
After Prince Eunhyuk hears the news about his father's remarriage, along with the crushing pressure of the throne, he flees from home only to face unexpected obstacles. To make matters worse, the prince even falls in love with a villager, who is much more than what he sees at first glance. All's fair in love and war, but two dishonest hearts are bound to greet pain.
Word Count: 2786
Romance, Fluff, Humor
Three days passed. The house was quiet-too quiet, and the silence was becoming unbearable. On second thought, Eunhyuk didn’t know if it was the silence that was hard to get through. He dealt with silences throughout the palace almost every day and he never complained. Why was it so difficult now? Eunhyuk sighed as he shifted position on his bed. He was beginning to conclude that not being able to interact with Donghae was the thing driving him crazy. Speaking of Donghae, the prince had also realized that the thought of the younger male would always make his heart flutter. Was that even normal? He then remembered a time of his childhood when he had curiously asked his father about his mother.
“Your mother was a beautiful woman, always caring for others more than herself,” King Dongyi smiled, staring down at his young son who sat by the riverside staring at his father with wide-open eyes. “I knew I loved her when I could never stop thinking about her.”
The prince began relating to his father’s words. For the last few days, Eunhyuk had not seen the brunette much, but that didn’t stop him from having thoughts of Donghae. He also realized that he always felt more comfortable when Donghae touched him, even if it was just a simple hold on his arm. He missed the presence of Donghae standing close to him and he longed to hear the other’s voice once more, for it was like a pretty tune to his ears.
He thought about it for another day before Eunhyuk finally identified the feeling inside him and accepted it. He had fallen in love and wasn’t stupid enough to deny it despite never being in an intimate relationship with anyone; plus, he had a feeling that Donghae felt the same way.
And that was when he decided to approach Donghae, after the younger had returned home from fishing and collecting wild berries. He found the other in the storage room of the house, shoving his black outfit (the one he had used in his robberies) into a cramped drawer. Donghae had not snuck out since the night of their argument, and now he was storing the clothes up. Satisfied with this, Eunhyuk leaned against the doorway staring at the other with an amused smile on his face; Donghae was now kicking the drawer in frustration.
“Would you like some assistance with that?” the older male chuckled, not waiting for an answer and approaching Donghae. He rearranged the items in the drawer and placed the outfit in there again. The drawer closed smoothly and he looked over at Donghae with the famous gummy smile on his face. Donghae stared at him for a few seconds with a confused expression before he shook it off and returned the smile.
“Thanks,” Donghae said, then quickly apologizing, seizing the chance. “And I’m sorry about the other night. I shouldn’t have said what I said…I didn’t mean it. You’re a wonderful person, Hyuk. I’m sorry for acting like that.”
Eunhyuk shook his head. “No, I should be the one apologizing. You’re correct, Donghae. I don’t know what your life is, for I’ve lived a complete opposite life.”
“And while we’re making up for this, I have something else to say,” Donghae suddenly seemed nervous in Eunhyuk’s eyes, but the older found it cute. “I think I might be in…uh…you know…that mushy feeling? Well, not the kind of mushy from not washing up in a while but…”
He continued to stutter uncontrollably, but Eunhyuk knew the words that were about to come. However, it seemed hard for Donghae to speak of such things without being completely red about it so he shushed the younger one up with a laugh.
“Relax,” Eunhyuk breathes, out of breath for Donghae; he smiles before practically jumping onto Donghae and wrapping his arms around him. “I feel the same way.”
Donghae could only sigh in contentment at Eunhyuk’s touch, which he had been deprived of for so long. He mentally wiped the imaginary sweat off and the nervous feeling inside of him disintegrated, because he knew this was not a one-sided love and of course because he did not have to go through the dreadful act of confessing. After a minute, Eunhyuk broke the hug and they stood in silence before Donghae spoke.
“It’s true though, Hyuk. I commit those crimes to have a living…” Donghae explained, looking down at the floor as if he were ashamed. “But I won’t do it anymore. I’m going to get a job, no matter what it takes.”
Eunhyuk could only smile at Donghae’s new decision in life. “I’ll assist you on choosing your career.”
He took Donghae’s hand and led him into his own room where they sat on the floor and discussed possible jobs. Eunhyuk even had a makeshift notepad between them, jotting down this and that even though it was only the backside of multiple flyers. It was hard to find the right job for Donghae because the brunette did not have an education and was only street smart. Just when they were finally deciding between a craftsman’s apprentice and an assistant farmer, there was a knock on the door.
-
“Tell me, dear daughter of mine,” the nobleman’s servant said sweetly at his little girl. “Who did you see last night? Who wrapped this around your knee? Tell Father, so we can catch him. He’s a bad man.”
The girl could only tremble and shake her head no, refusing to reveal the identity of the man who was so extremely kind to her. Her eyes began to tear up when her father glared at her, but she had decided with determination that she wasn’t going to tell them who the man was.
“You fool,” her father stood up and tapped his foot. “Are you going to tell me or not?”
“N-No,” the daughter replied, clutching onto her teddy bear as if her life depended on it. “Stranger was nice to me! You can’t catch nice people.”
A slap was heard as the servant’s hand made contact with his daughter’s cheek. “Tell me, you little fool!” The father cried. “That mother of yours will be beheaded if you are adamant and stubborn about closing your mouth!”
She sobbed, facing buried in her hands as a belt slashed her skin. Not wanting anymore harm to herself or her mother’s, she hesitantly began to describe the man she had saw the previous night.
“Good girl,” her father grinned at her and kissed the crown of her hair as if nothing had happened, but she cried even harder.
-
“I’ll get it,” Donghae got up from his position on the ground and headed to his front door. It was getting late though and Donghae wondered why anyone would come visit him when no soul had ever stepped into his door other than himself and Eunhyuk. He opened the front door and was met with about five men heavily equipped, each with a small lantern for light. One wore a red cape over his metal shoulders, identifying himself the leader and most definitely a general for he wore Ulymphia’s royal badge on his heart.
“You must be Lee Donghae?” The general asked, sounding more like a statement though.
Donghae froze with only one word echoing in his head - crap.
“Get him,” the general lifted his head upwards and pulled out a scroll as four of his men barged through the door. Donghae dodged one’s attack and quickly slipped away from another’s grip but two struck his back and legs, making him fall to the ground as they hurriedly pinned his arms tightly to tie them down. Donghae tossed and thrashed his body, trying to make it as hard as possible for them to succeed; but one man cannot match four in armor.
“Lee Donghae is hereby charged by the royal court for his sinful crimes of thievery from Sir Sukjin and his wife Lady Younglim. He who performs burglary to a man of noble rank shall receive a punishment and a fine directly from the royal court. Lee Donghae is also indicted of many other similar crimes. Due to multiple occurrences, he shall be taken to the underground dungeon until the final decision has been approved of his execution.”
Donghae growled, but could not argue or deny the truth - the general was right, he had performed numerous crimes and in justice’s perspective, he deserved to be caught. His face was pushed down against the floor by a foot. He continued to struggle and kicked anything he could to try to make up for the limits placed on him by four men’s hold. He was pulled up by the neck ruthlessly once he was tied up. Donghae was shoved towards the door but instead he charged back and crashed into the dining table. The guards captured him again, harder and tighter. The general pulled his horse to sight, adjusting the saddle.
“Make haste, he is dangerous,” the general frowned. Donghae glared at him, arms bound and mouth gagged with a piece of cloth.
“Release him!”
The six of them stared at the dark silhouette in the back, the lantern too dim to make out anything and the new moon of no help. Donghae’s eyes widened in horror - he refused to involve Eunhyuk into the mess he created; Eunhyuk was innocent! He shouted at the figure but only desperate muffles came out.
The general squinted, “Who are you to dare defy us, the King’s men?”
“I have every right to do so, and the status to have you on your knees,” the strong voice called.
Taken aback and slightly offended, the general commanded his men: “Seize him! He has challenged the power of the law and belittled His Majesty’s honor!”
Two took action while the other two held Donghae and pushed him out the door. Donghae cried out, his pulse beating at its hardest as his heart clenched terribly at the thought of Eunhyuk being taken with him to the prison. Before the men could take Eunhyuk though, he revealed himself to the light. Everyone froze in their tracks with stunned faces while Donghae glances at each and every one of them confused.
“As the Prince and son of King Dongyi and Queen Yeonhee, you will abide by my words and you will do as I say. Let Donghae go.”
Donghae widened his eyes, throat dry and heart beating even faster. What? As the men fell to their knees at the presence of the kingdom’s prince, Donghae, too, also fell, eyes never leaving the prince’s. Eunhyuk stood with dominance and supremacy as he looked down at the men beneath him, his pendant as glowing evidence of his identity. For a second, Donghae stared at a strange man he didn’t know; the man was cold, strong, and daunting, reeking of royalty and charisma despite his worn out clothes. The Eunhyuk he knew was sweet and friendly despite his occasional biting remarks. The Eunhyuk he knew was beautiful.
“Your Highness…” the general bowed his head, “I deeply apologize for my inexcusable behavior - I will take my life to pay for me and my men’s awful manners.” He pulled out his sword.
“There is no need. You were only enforcing our kingdom’s laws. You are a righteous man,” Eunhyuk said.
Donghae also bowed his head, face solemn and calm enough to fool his trembling chest. Eunhyuk ignored the stinging feeling inside him; it was bound to happen and Donghae deserved to know after taking care of him for so long, even if he had not planned for everything to be discovered this way. One of the men rushed to untie Donghae and take the cloth out of his mouth, setting him free. Eunhyuk nodded at the deed.
“From now on, do not touch this man - he is my savior. Now leave,” Eunhyuk whispered the last two words, afraid of what he would think and miss if they were to stay too long and remind him of whom he really was. He walked over and held out his hand to help Donghae up, hurt when it was ignored. Donghae avoided his eyes and walked past him to his room, gently closing the door and leaving them in privacy.
“Leave,” Eunhyuk repeated, louder this time.
“Your Highness, you must come back!” The general pleaded. Shocked, Eunhyuk stayed to listen. “The kingdom - it is not the same without you.”
“What do you mean?” Eunhyuk panicked. “The kingdom should be fine without me…Father is young, he can still rule for another decade before choosing another heir!”
“Lady In Hye has gained control beyond His Majesty’s hands - we believe that bribes may have been given out secretly. The Crowning Ceremony that is in three days…Jong Seok has claimed it! His Majesty is in great sorrow over your loss; he refuses to eat and leaves everything to Lady In Hye, who has been recklessly spending the money reserved for the citizens for material things.”
Eunhyuk fumed; the wrenched woman was ruining the foundation of the country!
“We need you to return; the kingdom needs you to return, Crowned Prince! You must retrieve the throne before it lands into the hands of Sire Jong Seok!”
The prince tensed. Return? All this time he had thought that he had finally escaped his destiny of inheriting the throne and that he could live as a normal man…with Donghae. His eyes saddened at the thought but deep in his heart he also wished to return. He loved his mother and he loved his father even if they became more and more distant as he grew up. He missed everything - Hyemi, the girl who loyally served him and his first friend; he missed the garden, the monument of his mother, and the training with General Kangin.
Donghae…he loved Donghae.
“Your Highness…” the general begged.
But the country, he thought. How could he selfishly let his emotions take the better part of him when everyone in the country depended on his rule and wished for him to lead them to peace and prosperity? In the rule of Jong Seok, he would only make the poor even poorer and the rich even richer, placing high taxes on the citizens while letting the nobles evade them. Even worse, there could be war! Throughout the two years of living with that sick fool, Jong Seok was aggressive and was short-tempered. He was haughty and would offend many, destroying all foreign ties. Eunhyuk closed his eyes.
He loved Donghae, yes. But he loved the country more.
“…Bring me a fine horse and provisions tomorrow. I want to…say goodbye. We leave at dawn.”
The men bowed and left to carry on their secret mission; Eunhyuk could only be glad that they were not on Jong Seok’s side of the dispute. He sighed, feeling the strength leaving his legs the later the night became as his own words sank deep into him. He was going to return. He was going to return to the place where he had lived eighteen years of his life. There was going to be no more uncomfortable beds to sleep on, no leftover food and simple dishes, no more time to waste on sleep and play. Instead, hundreds of servants would wake up two hours earlier than he did to prepare for his awakening and when he did so, Hyemi would pull the sheets off of him and urge him to quickly wash up with pure water. She would dress him and give him his schedule then quickly leave for him to work for the whole day, only coming back at night to tidy up for the millionth time. Eunhyuk breathed in - that was where he belonged, unlike this shack where he was certain that Donghae now held bitter feelings about him.
The prince closed the front door and walked towards his room only to stop midway as he stood in front of Donghae’s. Eunhyuk bit his lip, fingertips sliding down the old wood and reaching the handle. He gently twisted the handle to a small degree and swiftly bounced back as if he had touched fire; he had not expected the door to be unlocked. He mustered up the courage to place his hand on the door again, wanting to just knock it down and pour out his feelings towards Donghae and the whole situation, but that would mean not respecting the younger.
“Good night,” Eunhyuk cringed at his echoing voice.
Donghae simply covered his ears, already have heard too much from the thin walls. He rolled to the side and faced the wall, pretending he never cried about never being able to be together.
Authors: tremmy_chii ; fishiesftw
Pairing: Hyukhae / Haehyuk
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: We do not own anyone, anything, except for this fanfic. :3
Summary:
After Prince Eunhyuk hears the news about his father's remarriage, along with the crushing pressure of the throne, he flees from home only to face unexpected obstacles. To make matters worse, the prince even falls in love with a villager, who is much more than what he sees at first glance. All's fair in love and war, but two dishonest hearts are bound to greet pain.
Word Count: 2786
Romance, Fluff, Humor
Three days passed. The house was quiet-too quiet, and the silence was becoming unbearable. On second thought, Eunhyuk didn’t know if it was the silence that was hard to get through. He dealt with silences throughout the palace almost every day and he never complained. Why was it so difficult now? Eunhyuk sighed as he shifted position on his bed. He was beginning to conclude that not being able to interact with Donghae was the thing driving him crazy. Speaking of Donghae, the prince had also realized that the thought of the younger male would always make his heart flutter. Was that even normal? He then remembered a time of his childhood when he had curiously asked his father about his mother.
“Your mother was a beautiful woman, always caring for others more than herself,” King Dongyi smiled, staring down at his young son who sat by the riverside staring at his father with wide-open eyes. “I knew I loved her when I could never stop thinking about her.”
The prince began relating to his father’s words. For the last few days, Eunhyuk had not seen the brunette much, but that didn’t stop him from having thoughts of Donghae. He also realized that he always felt more comfortable when Donghae touched him, even if it was just a simple hold on his arm. He missed the presence of Donghae standing close to him and he longed to hear the other’s voice once more, for it was like a pretty tune to his ears.
He thought about it for another day before Eunhyuk finally identified the feeling inside him and accepted it. He had fallen in love and wasn’t stupid enough to deny it despite never being in an intimate relationship with anyone; plus, he had a feeling that Donghae felt the same way.
And that was when he decided to approach Donghae, after the younger had returned home from fishing and collecting wild berries. He found the other in the storage room of the house, shoving his black outfit (the one he had used in his robberies) into a cramped drawer. Donghae had not snuck out since the night of their argument, and now he was storing the clothes up. Satisfied with this, Eunhyuk leaned against the doorway staring at the other with an amused smile on his face; Donghae was now kicking the drawer in frustration.
“Would you like some assistance with that?” the older male chuckled, not waiting for an answer and approaching Donghae. He rearranged the items in the drawer and placed the outfit in there again. The drawer closed smoothly and he looked over at Donghae with the famous gummy smile on his face. Donghae stared at him for a few seconds with a confused expression before he shook it off and returned the smile.
“Thanks,” Donghae said, then quickly apologizing, seizing the chance. “And I’m sorry about the other night. I shouldn’t have said what I said…I didn’t mean it. You’re a wonderful person, Hyuk. I’m sorry for acting like that.”
Eunhyuk shook his head. “No, I should be the one apologizing. You’re correct, Donghae. I don’t know what your life is, for I’ve lived a complete opposite life.”
“And while we’re making up for this, I have something else to say,” Donghae suddenly seemed nervous in Eunhyuk’s eyes, but the older found it cute. “I think I might be in…uh…you know…that mushy feeling? Well, not the kind of mushy from not washing up in a while but…”
He continued to stutter uncontrollably, but Eunhyuk knew the words that were about to come. However, it seemed hard for Donghae to speak of such things without being completely red about it so he shushed the younger one up with a laugh.
“Relax,” Eunhyuk breathes, out of breath for Donghae; he smiles before practically jumping onto Donghae and wrapping his arms around him. “I feel the same way.”
Donghae could only sigh in contentment at Eunhyuk’s touch, which he had been deprived of for so long. He mentally wiped the imaginary sweat off and the nervous feeling inside of him disintegrated, because he knew this was not a one-sided love and of course because he did not have to go through the dreadful act of confessing. After a minute, Eunhyuk broke the hug and they stood in silence before Donghae spoke.
“It’s true though, Hyuk. I commit those crimes to have a living…” Donghae explained, looking down at the floor as if he were ashamed. “But I won’t do it anymore. I’m going to get a job, no matter what it takes.”
Eunhyuk could only smile at Donghae’s new decision in life. “I’ll assist you on choosing your career.”
He took Donghae’s hand and led him into his own room where they sat on the floor and discussed possible jobs. Eunhyuk even had a makeshift notepad between them, jotting down this and that even though it was only the backside of multiple flyers. It was hard to find the right job for Donghae because the brunette did not have an education and was only street smart. Just when they were finally deciding between a craftsman’s apprentice and an assistant farmer, there was a knock on the door.
-
“Tell me, dear daughter of mine,” the nobleman’s servant said sweetly at his little girl. “Who did you see last night? Who wrapped this around your knee? Tell Father, so we can catch him. He’s a bad man.”
The girl could only tremble and shake her head no, refusing to reveal the identity of the man who was so extremely kind to her. Her eyes began to tear up when her father glared at her, but she had decided with determination that she wasn’t going to tell them who the man was.
“You fool,” her father stood up and tapped his foot. “Are you going to tell me or not?”
“N-No,” the daughter replied, clutching onto her teddy bear as if her life depended on it. “Stranger was nice to me! You can’t catch nice people.”
A slap was heard as the servant’s hand made contact with his daughter’s cheek. “Tell me, you little fool!” The father cried. “That mother of yours will be beheaded if you are adamant and stubborn about closing your mouth!”
She sobbed, facing buried in her hands as a belt slashed her skin. Not wanting anymore harm to herself or her mother’s, she hesitantly began to describe the man she had saw the previous night.
“Good girl,” her father grinned at her and kissed the crown of her hair as if nothing had happened, but she cried even harder.
-
“I’ll get it,” Donghae got up from his position on the ground and headed to his front door. It was getting late though and Donghae wondered why anyone would come visit him when no soul had ever stepped into his door other than himself and Eunhyuk. He opened the front door and was met with about five men heavily equipped, each with a small lantern for light. One wore a red cape over his metal shoulders, identifying himself the leader and most definitely a general for he wore Ulymphia’s royal badge on his heart.
“You must be Lee Donghae?” The general asked, sounding more like a statement though.
Donghae froze with only one word echoing in his head - crap.
“Get him,” the general lifted his head upwards and pulled out a scroll as four of his men barged through the door. Donghae dodged one’s attack and quickly slipped away from another’s grip but two struck his back and legs, making him fall to the ground as they hurriedly pinned his arms tightly to tie them down. Donghae tossed and thrashed his body, trying to make it as hard as possible for them to succeed; but one man cannot match four in armor.
“Lee Donghae is hereby charged by the royal court for his sinful crimes of thievery from Sir Sukjin and his wife Lady Younglim. He who performs burglary to a man of noble rank shall receive a punishment and a fine directly from the royal court. Lee Donghae is also indicted of many other similar crimes. Due to multiple occurrences, he shall be taken to the underground dungeon until the final decision has been approved of his execution.”
Donghae growled, but could not argue or deny the truth - the general was right, he had performed numerous crimes and in justice’s perspective, he deserved to be caught. His face was pushed down against the floor by a foot. He continued to struggle and kicked anything he could to try to make up for the limits placed on him by four men’s hold. He was pulled up by the neck ruthlessly once he was tied up. Donghae was shoved towards the door but instead he charged back and crashed into the dining table. The guards captured him again, harder and tighter. The general pulled his horse to sight, adjusting the saddle.
“Make haste, he is dangerous,” the general frowned. Donghae glared at him, arms bound and mouth gagged with a piece of cloth.
“Release him!”
The six of them stared at the dark silhouette in the back, the lantern too dim to make out anything and the new moon of no help. Donghae’s eyes widened in horror - he refused to involve Eunhyuk into the mess he created; Eunhyuk was innocent! He shouted at the figure but only desperate muffles came out.
The general squinted, “Who are you to dare defy us, the King’s men?”
“I have every right to do so, and the status to have you on your knees,” the strong voice called.
Taken aback and slightly offended, the general commanded his men: “Seize him! He has challenged the power of the law and belittled His Majesty’s honor!”
Two took action while the other two held Donghae and pushed him out the door. Donghae cried out, his pulse beating at its hardest as his heart clenched terribly at the thought of Eunhyuk being taken with him to the prison. Before the men could take Eunhyuk though, he revealed himself to the light. Everyone froze in their tracks with stunned faces while Donghae glances at each and every one of them confused.
“As the Prince and son of King Dongyi and Queen Yeonhee, you will abide by my words and you will do as I say. Let Donghae go.”
Donghae widened his eyes, throat dry and heart beating even faster. What? As the men fell to their knees at the presence of the kingdom’s prince, Donghae, too, also fell, eyes never leaving the prince’s. Eunhyuk stood with dominance and supremacy as he looked down at the men beneath him, his pendant as glowing evidence of his identity. For a second, Donghae stared at a strange man he didn’t know; the man was cold, strong, and daunting, reeking of royalty and charisma despite his worn out clothes. The Eunhyuk he knew was sweet and friendly despite his occasional biting remarks. The Eunhyuk he knew was beautiful.
“Your Highness…” the general bowed his head, “I deeply apologize for my inexcusable behavior - I will take my life to pay for me and my men’s awful manners.” He pulled out his sword.
“There is no need. You were only enforcing our kingdom’s laws. You are a righteous man,” Eunhyuk said.
Donghae also bowed his head, face solemn and calm enough to fool his trembling chest. Eunhyuk ignored the stinging feeling inside him; it was bound to happen and Donghae deserved to know after taking care of him for so long, even if he had not planned for everything to be discovered this way. One of the men rushed to untie Donghae and take the cloth out of his mouth, setting him free. Eunhyuk nodded at the deed.
“From now on, do not touch this man - he is my savior. Now leave,” Eunhyuk whispered the last two words, afraid of what he would think and miss if they were to stay too long and remind him of whom he really was. He walked over and held out his hand to help Donghae up, hurt when it was ignored. Donghae avoided his eyes and walked past him to his room, gently closing the door and leaving them in privacy.
“Leave,” Eunhyuk repeated, louder this time.
“Your Highness, you must come back!” The general pleaded. Shocked, Eunhyuk stayed to listen. “The kingdom - it is not the same without you.”
“What do you mean?” Eunhyuk panicked. “The kingdom should be fine without me…Father is young, he can still rule for another decade before choosing another heir!”
“Lady In Hye has gained control beyond His Majesty’s hands - we believe that bribes may have been given out secretly. The Crowning Ceremony that is in three days…Jong Seok has claimed it! His Majesty is in great sorrow over your loss; he refuses to eat and leaves everything to Lady In Hye, who has been recklessly spending the money reserved for the citizens for material things.”
Eunhyuk fumed; the wrenched woman was ruining the foundation of the country!
“We need you to return; the kingdom needs you to return, Crowned Prince! You must retrieve the throne before it lands into the hands of Sire Jong Seok!”
The prince tensed. Return? All this time he had thought that he had finally escaped his destiny of inheriting the throne and that he could live as a normal man…with Donghae. His eyes saddened at the thought but deep in his heart he also wished to return. He loved his mother and he loved his father even if they became more and more distant as he grew up. He missed everything - Hyemi, the girl who loyally served him and his first friend; he missed the garden, the monument of his mother, and the training with General Kangin.
Donghae…he loved Donghae.
“Your Highness…” the general begged.
But the country, he thought. How could he selfishly let his emotions take the better part of him when everyone in the country depended on his rule and wished for him to lead them to peace and prosperity? In the rule of Jong Seok, he would only make the poor even poorer and the rich even richer, placing high taxes on the citizens while letting the nobles evade them. Even worse, there could be war! Throughout the two years of living with that sick fool, Jong Seok was aggressive and was short-tempered. He was haughty and would offend many, destroying all foreign ties. Eunhyuk closed his eyes.
He loved Donghae, yes. But he loved the country more.
“…Bring me a fine horse and provisions tomorrow. I want to…say goodbye. We leave at dawn.”
The men bowed and left to carry on their secret mission; Eunhyuk could only be glad that they were not on Jong Seok’s side of the dispute. He sighed, feeling the strength leaving his legs the later the night became as his own words sank deep into him. He was going to return. He was going to return to the place where he had lived eighteen years of his life. There was going to be no more uncomfortable beds to sleep on, no leftover food and simple dishes, no more time to waste on sleep and play. Instead, hundreds of servants would wake up two hours earlier than he did to prepare for his awakening and when he did so, Hyemi would pull the sheets off of him and urge him to quickly wash up with pure water. She would dress him and give him his schedule then quickly leave for him to work for the whole day, only coming back at night to tidy up for the millionth time. Eunhyuk breathed in - that was where he belonged, unlike this shack where he was certain that Donghae now held bitter feelings about him.
The prince closed the front door and walked towards his room only to stop midway as he stood in front of Donghae’s. Eunhyuk bit his lip, fingertips sliding down the old wood and reaching the handle. He gently twisted the handle to a small degree and swiftly bounced back as if he had touched fire; he had not expected the door to be unlocked. He mustered up the courage to place his hand on the door again, wanting to just knock it down and pour out his feelings towards Donghae and the whole situation, but that would mean not respecting the younger.
“Good night,” Eunhyuk cringed at his echoing voice.
Donghae simply covered his ears, already have heard too much from the thin walls. He rolled to the side and faced the wall, pretending he never cried about never being able to be together.