To Be Free - Part II
To Be Free - Part II
He loved her hair. It was soft and elegant with very little help from any of the expensive products or oils that most women used to help their hair into that state. She had been born with it that way, and had done well tending it, which made it all the more a privilege to work with. The moment she had discovered that he was capable of doing it for her; she had dismissed her previous hair dresser and asked him instead.
Jinki hadn’t minded in the slightest. It was nice to be able to finally do something for his fiancé that he was skilled in, something that he knew he could do without a problem. He twisted a piece up and tucked it into the elaborate weave he was building on top of her head with half of her hair, aware of the eyes that were on him through the reflection in the mirror.
“You and Minho seem very close,” she commented lightly, and he had to smile. Of course she wouldn’t let the subject go, that very attitude and drive had been why his father had thought she would be a perfect match for him.
“We were,” he replied, knowing that he couldn’t lie to her, not that he wanted to.
“You two were slaves together. Was there something more there?” she pressed.
Jinki’s heart clenched at her words and his eyes dropped to her hair so she couldn’t read the emotion in them through the mirror. Clearly whatever he and Minho had been, they no longer were, if the way the other man was treating him was any indication. “We lived together and worked together for a very long time,” he told her finally.
“But there was more wasn’t there,” she pressed.
He couldn’t lie to her, but he couldn’t tell her an answer that he wasn’t really certain of anymore. “Seohyun, please,” he said finally, knowing that he sounded pathetic. He could feel her eyes on him through the mirror as he worked, but as requested, she said nothing more.
◦○●♥●○◦
“Please?” Onew batted his eyes rapidly at Minho, as if trying to weaken him by looking so cute.
“Okay, fine!” Minho sighed as Onew tugged on his wrist again, still begging him with his eyes to say more. “Onew, just give me a minute.” Minho sighed, tapping a stick against the wooden floorboards, making a steady beat. It was quiet, everyone else had gone to sleep, but they were still sitting outside under the moon. Minho breathed in the fresh air deeply, shutting his eyes as he tried to remember back to his childhood, a lump in his chest forming as he thought back.
“I remember walking down the street, holding my papa’s hand,” Minho kept his eyes shut, he didn’t want to embarrass himself and he knew if he opened his eyes Onew would see the tears threatening to form. “We were going to get a present for mama, a dress for a ball,” Minho swallowed, “it was winter, there was snow everywhere, and so pretty.” Minho opened one eye, feeling Onew squirm next to him, “And it was meant to be a surprise but then I saw mama coming towards us.” Minho paused, breathing in deeply as he remembered the way his mother had glanced at them in surprise.
“And?”
“And what,” Minho frowned, shifting to look directly at Onew, “that’s it,” he blinked seeing how disappointed Onew looked.
“That’s it? It’s not very exciting,” Onew commented with a shake of his head, “I thought you were going to tell me something more interesting. Like about that festival, I thought there were more exciting stories you could tell me.”
“It’s not a story,” Minho frowned wondering why Onew spent so much time listening in on their master’s children’s lessons and stories. He rolled his eyes, “its life,” he swallowed, feeling bitter as he remembered walking down that snowy street, it was only hours before his life had changed so drastically. “That, Onew, was the last memory I have of my parents.” Minho sniffed softly, turning away to hide his tears, “They left me outside in the snow for a second or two and that was too long.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Minho tried to shrug Onew away as he put his arms around his shoulders, but when Onew was determined he became strong. “I’m so sorry, Minho, I didn’t realize.” Minho tried to stay stiff, but his eyes were watering and it was impossible not to let Onew hug him tightly, pulling him into his arms. Minho hated letting his emotions show, or being so weak, but the memories made him feel so sad, he’d never see his birth mother or father again. Minho breathed in slowly, trying to think of something happy, something to take his mind off his parents.
“I didn’t tell you about the festival of lights did I?” Minho sniffed, wiping his eyes on Onew’s shirt, shyly looking up to see the older boy solemnly shake his head. Minho felt ashamed at his age to cry, but he felt better with the way Onew had not laughed at him but rather supported and comforted him. “Well we have it at the end of winter; the streets get decked in colorful lights that glow all day and night. And there is singing and dancing, and feasting.” Minho nodded his head, “it’s magical, the lights reflect colors onto the snow and make it rainbow colored and everyone is happy and laughs.”
“I wish I could see that,” Onew rested his head against Minho’s shoulder, “people smiling and laughing, being happy and free.” Onew breathed out softly, which made Minho glance down at the older boy, seeing the wistful expression across his face.
“I want to show it to you,” Minho whispered, “Onew, I want you to see it.” He wriggled and pulled Onew closer, glancing up at the soft glow of the moon. “We have to get out of here.” Minho’s voice dropped to a faint whisper, “We can’t stay here, and together we have to go.” Minho felt Onew shifting against him, he turned to see the older boy staring in surprise at him.
“But… we can’t.” Onew whispered, looking like a scared rabbit, “I mean no slaves escape and make it.”
“Onew, I want to be free again, I don’t want to spend my life here and as a slave.” Minho shook his head, reaching for Onew’s hand, “together we can do it.” He nodded his head firmly, “I know we can, if we stick together.” Minho felt determined as he glanced across at Onew, he couldn’t stay here, he couldn’t stay as a slave forever. It would break his heart if he remained like this, if he could never see his family again.
“It’s okay for you,” Onew sighed, “you’ve got your family there, mine is here.” He sounded so sad that Minho somehow felt guilty for a second, he wondered if he was being selfish talking about wanting to be free. “I was born a slave, I’ll die a slave.” Onew whispered, “I’ll help you escape, but I can’t leave my family here.” Minho gulped, hearing the raw emotion in Onew’s words and he reached for the older boy and hugged him tightly.
“Onew, you are my family,” Minho murmured, pulling back to glare at Onew, “you will not die a slave. I won’t escape without you. You promised,” He jabbed Onew in the chest, “to always stay with me, remember? It’ll only work if we do it together. Onew, you have to come with me, you have to escape with me, or I’ll stay here forever with you.”
“You promise?” Onew whispered sounding so shy and young, Minho smiled suddenly feeling like he was the one taking care of Onew, like he was older, even though it had always been the other way around. “Minho, I’m your family? Really?”
“Of course, you silly,” Minho grinned and pinched Onew’s cheek, “Mama and papa would love you. I know they would.” Minho nodded his head firmly, “So it’s decided, we’ll escape together.” Minho felt incredibly happy as Onew nodded his head and smiled brightly back at him, it felt as if their hearts were beating as one, they were in tune with each other.
◦○●♥●○◦
“Magnetism,” Kibum muttered as if quoting a text, “is the physical phenomenon in which two objects are undisputedly attracted to one another against anything that tries to separate them.”
“Hm?” replied the young woman he had been attempting to flatter out of information before he had become distracted.
He watched as Jinki sent a subtle glance towards Minho across the ballroom and not a moment after he had glanced back towards the people he had been speaking with, Minho glanced at him as well. Kibum smiled, turning his eyes back to the woman he had been speaking with, “Nothing dear, I was just reminded of magnetism, an irresistible attraction, when I laid my eyes on you.”
She giggled lightly at his words, “Well what was it you said you were curious about?”
Kibum smiled, he had her exactly where he wanted her now. As he spoke he glanced beyond her, and found Minho with his eyes. The young man was leaning against a wall engaged in conversation, but his eyes were staring across the room and fixed on Jinki. Magnetism.
◦○●♥●○◦
Onew struggled to lift the heavy basket up, grunting softly as he heaved it up onto the cart. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. It was so lonely working without Minho, he tried not to think about the other boy, but it was hard to forget the incident from the day before. How Minho had told him he didn’t need his help anymore, the total rejection made his chest ache. Onew breathed in deeply, avoiding looking over to where he could hear Minho’s loud laughter, it stung to hear him so happy.
Onew cursed softly, kicking his foot against the soil, of course he had to work in the fields again today. He had hoped for a reprieve that he’d be able to help in the Master’s children’s classroom, but instead he was stuck out in the baking hot sun listening to Minho’s laughter. Breathing in slowly, Onew absentmindedly noticed that he couldn’t hear Minho’s laugh anymore, he wondered what his brother was doing as he reached down to hoist the next basket up. Onew gritted his teeth together, steeling himself to lift it, grunting as he started to raise it up, but to his surprise it suddenly got lighter and he could see a pair of hands holding the basket. Onew glanced up, blinking when he saw Minho standing in front of him, helping him hold the basket up. Minho pulled it from Onew’s hands and easily placed it in the cart for him.
“Thank you.” Onew murmured, glancing across at Minho almost shyly, he couldn’t help but wonder when Minho had gotten so strong, that he was now helping him. How he had failed to notice the younger male changing, growing up and getting so muscular. Onew bowed his head down, before he turned to walk away, realizing Minho had been right. He had continued to treat him like a child even though he was actually stronger, Onew just hadn’t realized it.
“Onew, wait up!”
Onew turned, frowning to see Minho running towards him, he looked almost sorry which surprised him. He studied Minho’s face, as if he hadn’t seen him in months, not just days. Onew’s heart was pounding in his chest and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of this. He thought Minho wanted nothing to do with him anymore, and yet here he was talking to him again. It confused him so much, Onew breathed out heavily, wiping the sweat from his face as he squinted across at Minho.
“Onew, I’m sorry,” Minho mumbled, looking down shyly, and Onew stared slightly surprised, he hadn’t expected that. “I know you didn’t realize and I just got angry at you. You were only trying to help me,” Minho nodded his head, Onew could feel his pulse speeding up, he felt vaguely light headed again. “I didn’t mean my words, but it seems like you need my help now anyway.” Minho shrugged casually, making Onew feel odd, realizing that the tables had shifted between them. “How about we help each other out? It frustrated me so much when you’d insist you were fine but struggled lifting stuff alone.”
“Okay,” Onew sucked in a deep breath, tilting his face up and squinting slightly as he eyed the other boy, wondering what exactly this meant. “Okay, does this mean we’re still friends? That yo-you want to spend time with me?” Onew felt his cheeks heat up as he saw how Minho took his words, eyes widening as if it was obvious that was what he meant, and Onew felt stupid, but he just wanted clarification. Minho had been so angry, Onew had thought the younger wanted nothing at all to do with him.
“We’re not just friends,” Minho shook his head, leaning over to pick up a tool; “we’re brothers, the closest friends ever.” He looked across at Onew, flashing him a bright smile as he handed him the vegetable hoe. “Come on, I guess we need to get back?” Minho pouted slightly, as he saw the overseer hurrying over towards them, no doubt to tell them off for dawdling and slacking off.
They worked diligently and silently for about five minutes, before Onew started to look across at Minho, watching the skilled way he handled the hoe. Onew knew it was from working in the fields all those years, but it still impressed him to see how he handled the tool. Onew thought the tan was attractive too, and he almost regretted the fact that a lot of the time he wasn’t out in the sun helping Minho or the other guys, his skin was so pale, it almost made him feel ashamed.
“Hey Minho, will you tell me that story again?” Onew asked, biting his lip as they settled on the ground under the shade of the tree. “About that weird gift thing, you know?” Onew cocked his head to the side as studied Minho’s profile, hoping he knew what he meant. Minho had started to tell him about some strange tradition but they had been interrupted, and he had never heard the rest of it.
“Hm?” Minho’s forehead furrowed and he leaned on the hoe, frowning across at Onew, “Ohh, you mean how we give gifts to each other?” Onew nodded his head immediately, feeling curious, the idea of a giving a gift seemed absurd to him. “Well in the middle of summer,” Onew grinned sitting back and watching Minho shut his eyes as he got into the mode of storytelling, “we have this tradition of celebrating the sun’s light. And on the longest day we give each other things. They can be small, or large, it doesn’t really matter as long as they’re from the heart.”
“It’s a festival, and because of the heat, we do a lot of water activities. Like water wrestling, or swimming races, they were always so much fun!” Minho sighed, “Food was also important,” Minho nodded his head, shutting his eyes and Onew could see he missed the food, “We always have iced jellies, and flavored shaved ice, it’s all ice cold, refreshing and so delicious after wrestling or swimming,” Onew gulped, feeling hungry as Minho continued to talk, his voice filled with nostalgia making Onew feel sad that Minho might never experience it again. “I remember playing with my parent’s friend’s son, he was a bit younger than me, and we splashed around in the river all day. It was so much fun, I even forgot about the presents for my parents.” Minho opened his eyes and sheepishly looked over Onew, “But when it was the afternoon, I suddenly remembered.”
“It’s tradition to wrap them in yellow cloth, to symbolize the sun, and also the rebirth of the new night and day. We hold it on the longest day right,” Minho opened one eye to glance across at Onew who nodded his head, “We see the longest day as being the rebirth or reincarnation of the sun, it lights up the sky for so long because it’s just newly born,” Minho explained simply, and Onew nodded again to say he understood.
“So the presents are for us surviving in the world another year and being able to celebrate the sun’s ascension.” Onew blinked, and then nodded his head, he vaguely remembered hearing the master’s sons mentioning similar terms when he was tidying up their study. “Anyway so my parents gave me their presents first, which made me feel guilty - because usually I gave them theirs first.”
“But you really give presents to other people?” Onew asked, “And they give them to you?” Onew found it hard to imagine that, in all his life, his short seventeen years no one had ever given him a present. The idea both fascinated him and seemed mildly ridiculous. The idea of someone else giving you a present, he wanted to scoff at Minho, because it didn’t seem like it could really be real.
“Yes, we do.” Minho nodded his head, and Onew could see that he looked like he was struggling to remain patient, he had told Onew that many times before in the past. It just sounded so weird to Onew, that he couldn’t help himself from questioning it each time in case Minho was just teasing him. “Any way that time my older friend, Taesun helped me pick out a scarf for my mother, and I was so proud because it was the first time I was giving her something I had bought and not just something I drew or made for her.” Minho nodded his head proudly, “it was so light and airy, and the colors suited her. I can still see the way she had smiled down at me,” Minho turned to look at Onew, making the older boy feel peculiar as Minho studied his face intently, “she looked so beautiful and so happy.”
“And what did you get?” Onew asked softly, chewing on his lip as he studied Minho’s face carefully, and the way he leaned against the hoe, the end of it pressing into the soil.
“This,” Onew frowned as he watched Minho tap his chest, it didn’t make sense and he opened his mouth to protest but then he saw Minho reach into his shirt to pull out something from around his neck. “I got this.” Onew stared across at the dirty string around Minho’s neck, and at the stone pendant hanging at the end, he was surprised that Minho had worn it all these years.
“It’s pretty,” Onew nodded his head, reaching forward to touch it, his fingers brushing against Minho’s at the same time. The shape made little sense to him but Onew could tell it was significant to Minho, so he studied it for a few seconds, admiring the craftsmanship and how it looped around eternally. It had smaller loops at the top, twisting around three times to form a wider spiral at the bottom. Onew ran his fingers over its smoothness, it looked like metal but he knew it was stone, it was incredibly shiny and distracting. Onew slipped his hand away wondering what it meant to Minho before he stepped back and started to work again, assuming that Minho would either keep talking or continue working too.
“It’s for me to give to someone else,” Minho spoke softly, so that Onew stopped working to glance across at Minho carefully, there was something about his tone that sounded off. It sounded odd to Onew too, the fact that Minho had been given it, and then he was meant to pass it to someone else. “When I find the right person, I’ll give it to them along with my heart for them to keep for all time.” Minho nodded his head, “Although being here now, being a slave, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever find that special person.”
Onew nodded his head slowly, mulling the words over in his head, he finally understood. Onew squinted across at the taller boy, feeling sad for Minho, part of him wanted to reach across and hug the other boy, but he wasn’t sure if he’d like it. Onew breathed in deeply, reaching across to touch Minho’s shoulder lightly, staring intently at him and thinking ‘don’t worry Minho, you’ll find that person’. He smiled as Minho stared just as intently back at him, as if he could read his thoughts.
◦○●♥●○◦
If he hadn’t found such enjoyment in all of the balls and festivals that he had never before had the opportunity to attend, he would have found it annoying and a waste of his time to be doing so all of the time. He understood that most used them not only to celebrate, but to build business contacts as well, yet he wasn’t very skilled in that area yet. To top it off, it seemed that Minho attended everything now, when just a month ago he had been nowhere to be found.
It made his heart ache to see the man all the time and for them to be so close in proximity, yet Minho felt so closed off and unapproachable, so different from the person that he had been when they had been children. Jinki couldn’t imagine what could have happened to have made Minho the way he was now, but he felt that he needed to understand.
He waited until the party was in full swing, joining conversations only when prompted and keeping an eye on Minho the entire time. The moment the man was free, Jinki strode over and with confidence that he hoped would last, declared, “We need to talk.”
Jinki led the way through the room to one of the balconies overlooking the gardens that would offer them a measure of privacy. He was thankful that Minho had chosen to follow him. If he hadn’t, Jinki had no idea how he would have forced him. Minho was stronger and had much more practice at this kind of life then Jinki did, but he followed him without a word.
When they were in what little seclusion they would be able to find at a party of this magnitude, Jinki turned to face him. A million questions and statements run through his mind, but the one that made it to his mouth -- although something he had been wondering -- was not what he meant to ask. “How are you here?”
Minho gave him a look that looked more familiar on his features, as if that was an entirely ridiculous question, but he understood what Jinki meant. Not here as in the party, but here, as in alive and standing here. “I was rescued from the river and nursed back to health then I walked home.”
“But I thought-” Jinki began and Minho held up a hand.
“Look it doesn’t matter. You are getting married at the end of the year and at the end of the month I’m going away on business,” Minho told him.
Jinki could feel his heart pounding furiously behind his ribs. “When are you coming back?”
“I’m not.”
With those words his heart felt like it stopped. He didn’t know what to say in response to that. It wasn’t fair to scream that Minho couldn’t leave him again, they had promised. He wasn’t a child to throw a fit, but how he wanted to do so. Minho said nothing further and simply turned back to the party. Jinki watched him go, feeling helpless to stop him.
“Jinki,” Seohyun’s voice called gently, she emerged from the shadows where he supposed she had heard most or all of the conversation and he found he really couldn’t be angry with her. Her hand slipped under his elbow and the other lay on his arm. “Put your other hand on your temple and close your eyes,” she murmured. Jinki, unable to do anything else, did as she told him.
He felt the gentle nudge of her hands and knew that she was guiding him from the balcony back into the ballroom with slow even steps. They paused only for a moment, during which he heard her say, “Terrible pain. I’m taking him to his room.”
To which a man’s voice replied, “Such a caring fiancé you are,” and they were on their way again. Jinki was incredibly grateful that this particular party had been in his own large home, and perhaps that was why he had found the courage to approach Minho in the first place. Regardless of whatever else it meant, at least being in his own home, meant that he could retire to his rooms at his choice. It would be seen as rude, but Seohyun had devised a reason that he was certain his parents would accept.
“You can open your eyes,” she said softly. When he did so, he noticed they were in the private hall for the family quarters that guests were not allowed into. He opened his door for her, guiding her into his sitting room that was attached to his bedroom before shutting it again.
“Thank you,” he told her, gratitude filling his voice.
She simply nodded and pulled away from him, moving to a chair where she sunk down and began working to undo her shoes. “I was ready to get away from that tedious party anyway,” she said. “My feet are killing me.”
Jinki smiled fondly at her, and knelt, carefully undoing the delicate series of straps and buckles that held the shoes to her feet. Once removed, he took one of her feet in his hands and began to rub at the sole. It was work that he had done so long ago, but the skills came back to him quickly. “Mm you’re good at that,” she said with a sigh.
He worked in silence for a moment, trying to focus on her instead of the thoughts and feelings rolling around in his mind about Minho. He didn’t know when she had become something to distract him from the other man, but perhaps that was what she had been all along.
“Jinki,” she said softly drawing his attention up and he realized she had been watching him. “You and Minho clearly mean a lot to each other. What happened that made things what they are?”
He thought of telling her some made up story or nothing at all, but a stupid woman she was not. She would get to the bottom of it eventually if she wanted to and he was certain she would rather hear it from him. When Jinki took a deep breath and opened his mouth, the words that came out were the truth.
◦○●♥●○◦
Minho ran across the field, ignoring the way the slave master called out to him to stop. At that point in time he didn’t care if he was going to be punished again for running off in the middle of work - he had to find Onew. Minho breathed in deeply when he finally spotted Onew, down by the river, shirtless, and any other time Minho would have grinned or whistled at him, but there were more urgent matters to attend to..
“Hey,” Minho panted softly, “hey,” he said again louder when Onew failed to hear him. “Have you heard yet?” Minho walked down the riverbank, hands on his hips lightly as he approached the older boy. Minho felt sick as he saw the confusion across Onew’s face, “You haven’t.” Minho bit his lip, it hadn’t been that long since Onew’s mother had died and now he had more bad news to deliver.
“What is it?” Onew straightened up, he reached for Minho’s wrist, fingers loosely wrapping around it, “Minho, you’re starting to worry me? Are you being sold?” Onew asked biting down into his lip, and Minho felt sick, he shook his head quickly, wondering why Onew had suggested that. “Tell me, please? Whatever it is, we’ll find some way to work things out.” Onew whispered, and Minho felt a conflicting mixture of queasiness and happiness as Onew shifted his fingers and held onto Minho’s hand lightly. The sunlight shone down on the river made Minho wish this wasn’t happening right then. He wanted to sit and hold Onew’s hand and admire the scenery, listen to the rustle of the leaves not stress about what would happen to them in the future.
“It’s not me,” Minho murmured squeezing Onew’s hand tightly, “It’s you, you’re being sold.” he watched Onew’s face go pale, his expression mimicking how Minho felt, “Remember that dinner, when those other people came over? And you served the guests?” Minho squeezed Onew’s hand tighter, feeling his heart pounding rapidly in his chest, he could see that Onew looked unwell; his face was pale and sweaty. “And that one man kept talking about you, well it’s that master.”
“Oh,” Onew gulped, sucking in a large breath of air, Minho couldn’t bear it so he quickly pulled Onew into his arms hugging him tightly. Minho hated this, he hated to see Onew stuck here as a slave, he deserved so much more. It frustrated Minho how they were dependent on a master, they were not animals, they deserved to be allowed to make their own choices.
“Onew, we have to escape.” Minho whispered directly into Onew’s ear, “I can’t stand losing you, I can’t stand this. Together we will do it.” Onew shifted in his arms as if to escape from his embrace, but Minho just held him tight, knowing that Onew would protest. That was the worst part for Minho, how Onew didn’t even think he deserved to be free, it broke Minho’s heart and he knew the longer they stayed the more freedom and escape would slip from their thoughts. “And that master you’re being sold to, he’s one of the worst. He’s incredibly harsh and tough on his slaves you can’t go there.”
“Hey!”
Minho groaned and pulled back from Onew, glaring up to where Seungho stood with his hands on his hips. The interruption was the last thing he needed, he had to convince Onew, he couldn’t stand to see him oppressed anymore.
“The overseer is looking for you, Minho, you just ran off.” Seungho sneered slightly, and Minho struggled to control himself, he wanted to punch his lights out. “You better hurry back or he’ll whip you.” He added with a smug grin, “So stop molesting Onew, and get back to work.” Seungho snapped his fingers together; it took all of Minho’s restraint not to wipe the smirk off his face.
“Onew,” Minho sighed and nodded his head pulling back from the older boy, but he squeezed his hand one last time, “Onew, we can and we will do it.” Minho smiled and nodded his head, he hated leaving Onew but he had no choice. Quickly he made his way back to the shed where he was meant to be working, but his mind was in turmoil, trying to think about how they would escape and worrying about Onew.
◦○●♥●○◦
Long ago Minho had learned that a great way to empty his mind was through physical training. Although his real training in any sort of discipline hadn’t begun until he had returned home, as a slave, he had watched the guards in his master’s house and copied their motions, using the workout as a way to forget what he was if only for a moment. He wasn’t surprised that it did the same thing for him now, the more difficult series of motions taking enough concentration that he couldn’t even begin to think of Onew or the look of hurt on his face when he had told him he would be leaving and not returning. What would it matter anyway? Onew had his new fiancé to keep him happy.
He executed a particularly difficult series of kicks and punches that ended with a flashy backwards spinning kick designed to intimidate more than anything else, and landed on the floor panting lightly. The moment he was still his mind began turning things over again and he snarled at himself before crossing to the weapons rack in long strides. He picked up a practice sword and began running through the forms he had been taught, focusing on counting off the repetitions.
Minho finished the set he was on, aware that there were eyes on him, but not worried enough about it to stop in the middle. When completed, he rose from his crouched position, chest heaving, and turned to face the door. He couldn’t say that he was entirely surprised to see Onew’s fiancé standing there.
Her eyes drifted over his body once, but not in a way that most women would if they were presented with his shirtless form. They lingered on the place right above his heart where he knew the scar still marred his skin, but she didn’t ask, so he said nothing about it. He waited for her eyes to rise again, and when they did, they were full of determination.
“What are you and Jinki to one another?” she asked boldly and it took him a moment to remember that Jinki was the name Onew went by here in this kingdom.
“Nothing,” he answered truthfully. “We are nothing to each other.”
Unbothered by his answer, she simply changed the question. “What did you used to be to each other?”
Minho regarded her for a moment. She was a strong woman, in both will and mind, and he knew there was little chance he could lie to her and get away with it. At the same time he could never tell her the truth. This was the life that Onew had made for himself, the life he had found in freedom, and no matter how much he disliked it, Minho could never do anything to ruin it.
She watched him for a moment longer and he wasn’t certain if she was waiting for an answer or divining one herself, but after a moment she turned to leave without saying anything else. As she walked from the room, her hand reached into a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress and withdrew something. She reached out to the small table by the door and set something there, then walked through it without looking back.
He waited until he was certain she was gone before moving forward to investigate what she had left. Of all the things he had been expecting, it wasn’t what he found. There on the table with the leather cord coiled, was the stone pendent that had once been his but was no longer. With a numb mind he reached forward and closed his fingers around the cold stone.
◦○●♥●○◦
Onew shivered slightly, still panting as Minho cradled him lightly in his arms. Onew couldn’t think, his brain was a clouded rainbow fog, images slipping in and out of focus in his head as Minho’s fingers slid along his stomach, wiping the sticky mess away. Onew shivered and wriggled closer, he never wanted to move from where they lay on the ground, under a tree at the edge of a field. The sky was starting to lighten, the sky changing from black to dusky grey, with hints of peach and orange. Onew breathed in deeply, smiling as Minho’s slender fingers rested against his stomach. Onew didn’t think it could be more perfect, the sound of the water trickling past in the nearby stream was so relaxing it made him want to stay there longer.
Onew opened one eye when he felt Minho cup his cheek, he reached across to touch Minho’s cheek lightly. Onew’s body ached, but it felt good in a strange way, he smiled shyly, when he felt Minho glancing down at his body. Large, round eyes boldly staring at him, but instead of making him feel shy, it made Onew feel proud. It was nothing new, they had seen each other naked countless times before, but this was different. Onew felt different, everything felt new, his limbs felt lighter and he was filled with energy.
“Minho,” Onew whispered leaning forward and pressing kisses down Minho’s firm chest, fingers splayed out across his stomach. Onew knew they had to move - the sky was lightening and soon people would be getting up, but Onew never wanted to move, he never wanted Minho’s legs to move from where they were tangled against his. Onew wanted to lie there with Minho, he was so perfect in his eyes, he wanted to love his firm muscular body and just smother him in kisses. The way Minho had filled him, Onew thought he had died and left this world. Minho made him float and lose sight of everything but the vibrant color that danced in his mind and Minho. Through the haze of pleasure there had only been Minho, gorgeous Minho.
“Onew,” Minho whispered in reply, knowing what the older meant, “not yet,” he murmured before he leaned across and kissed Onew softly across the lips. Onew swallowed deeply as Minho’s hand pressed against his hip, stroking the bone lightly, the touch making him feel light headed again. Onew was wondering how he would get through the day, when every time he looked at Minho he felt as light as a leaf, as if he would blow away on the wind and he couldn’t stop smiling.
“Hmm, Minho, but we have to,” Onew shuddered as Minho traced his index finger across his stomach, the tip of his finger dancing across the sensitive muscles of his body, lighting up the nerves in his skin. Onew’s eyes widened as Minho sucked on his finger softly, before touching Onew’s stomach again. “Minho,” Onew shifted feeling embarrassed as Minho licked his finger clean before he grinned down at Onew whose face was rapidly turning red. “Don’t that’s…” He trailed off as Minho shifted, leaning down to smother his stomach in kisses.
“What, dirty?” Minho playfully looked up, “You’re not dirty,” Minho shook his head solemnly, fingers splayed across Onew’s body. “It’s not dirty to want to taste you.” Onew wriggled, feeling mortified as Minho said that, and to make it worse the younger boy kept grinning at him, as if he enjoyed making him feel embarrassed. To distract him, Onew reached for the stone object hanging around Minho’s neck, it had touched his chest when they were making love, the stone warm to the touch.
“Onew, here, have it.”
Onew glanced up in surprise when he realized Minho was giving him his necklace - the same one he had worn since he was five. Onew’s eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head feeling guilty, he had only touched it to distract himself from Minho, not that it worked. But he wasn’t hinting that Minho should give it to him, not when he knew how special and meaningful it was.
“I can’t,” Onew protested as Minho placed it around his neck, “It’s yours, you need to give it to someone you love, someone important and special to you. I’m just a slave - you can’t give me that.” Onew gripped the necklace, trying to slide it off but Minho kissed down the side of his face, lips tenderly kissing along his earlobe. “Minho,” Onew protested weakly, “Minho,” he repeated as Minho smothered him with kisses. Minho’s lips making Onew’s mind spin again, making him delirious and dizzy with love, he whimpered when Minho stopped.
“I can,” Minho replied, “And I will.” Onew frowned pulling back from Minho to protest again but Minho got in first, “Onew, don’t you see, you are that special person, you are the most important person to me. I love you,” Minho spoke softly, but Onew felt something flutter in his chest, as if a secret part of him had just come alive. He looked down at the stone, the way it spiraled around in never ending loops, symbolizing eternity; he swallowed and just nodded his head. “Do you really think I’d have made love with anyone?” Minho cocked his head to the side.
“I love you too,” Onew leaned forward to kiss Minho across the lips, “But only if you’re sure, I wasn’t playing with it so you’d give it to me.” Onew explained, he hated for Minho to think he was trying to manipulate him, he loved Minho with all his heart but the last thing he wanted to do was force him to do anything he didn’t want.
“I know,” Minho grinned, “I’ve wanted to give it to you for the longest time,” Minho reached for Onew’s hand, “I was just waiting for the right time and this felt like it.” Onew swallowed, licking his lips before he leaned in to brush his lips against Minho’s again, letting his eyes glide shut as their lips moved together sweetly.
◦○●♥●○◦
He was making a complete mess of things, yet he really couldn’t bother himself to care at the moment as he dumped the contents of yet another drawer onto his bed. Thirty minutes had allowed him enough time to shift virtually all of the contents in his room and shift them back again, and now his motions had taken on an edge of frantic desperation. He could hear the maids whispering as they peeked in on him, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care, he had to find it.
“You didn’t tell me you were redecorating,” came Seohyun’s voice from the doorway and he looked up at her, trying to curb the desperate look on his face.
“Have you seen it?” he asked frantically.
“Seen what?” she returned, gathering her skirts into her hands and lifting them so she could pick her way through the items strewn across the floor.
“The necklace I always wear. The one that has a pendent that looks like a piece of stone curled around itself with a small loop at the end?” he asked trying to keep himself somewhat calm.
“I didn’t know that it was that important to you,” she said sounding surprised.
“It is. Someone gave it to me a long time ago. Have you seen it?” It wasn’t in the contents of the drawer he had just dumped so he stuffed everything that he could back into it to make room for him to dump another.
“You should look for it with someone that is dear to you,” she told him.
His head snapped up towards her and his eyed narrowed. As much as he cared for her, this was not the time to be playing games with him. “Seohyun?” he asked.
“I don’t have it,” she told him smiling gently. It took him a moment but as he watched her watch him, he realized he knew. There was only one other person in the world she could have been talking about, the one who gave him the necklace in the first place.
◦○●♥●○◦
Minho yawned sleepily, struggling to stay awake as their mother came into the room, he smiled up at her when she leaned down and rubbed his head softly. Onew’s mother always made him feel so safe and protected, like nothing bad would ever happen when she was around. Minho breathed out softly as she sat down between the two of them, putting her arms around them and pulling them in close. Minho felt so relaxed, it felt so comforting to sit like that, it made him feel loved.
“Boys,” Minho sat up straighter hearing her tone, turning to look at his mother, taking in the way she looked down at him happily, her beautiful eyes watching them both, “I know this won’t mean much to you now, but it’s important.” Minho tilted his head to one side, wondering what his mother was going to say - was she going to ask him not to steal Onew’s share of food? Or stop trying to help Onew with his chores since he was told he was more of a hindrance than help. Minho stopped thinking when he saw the sweet smile across her face, it was so similar to Onew’s and filled Minho with such warmth and happiness, his mother and brother were the most beautiful people ever, Minho only hoped he would take after them too.
“Both of you are sweet caring boys, and when you find that special person, you have to hold onto them don’t ever let them go.” Minho frowned, scrunching up his face slightly, his Mama had told him something similar when she gave him the necklace. “Love is hard to come by, and when you find that person you will know it, so don’t let them out of your sight.” She nodded her head slowly, turning to look seriously at Onew, and then at Minho.
“Okay,” Minho whispered, echoing Onew’s reply. Unconsciously he reached for the necklace around his neck, fingers wrapping around the stone pendant and he held onto it tightly. Minho didn’t understand why he was being told this - but it was an echo of his Mama’s words and so he took them to heart even if they made little sense to him. Minho glanced up at his mother, holding the pendant tight in his grasp and then he looked over to see that Onew also looked confused by what their mother had said.
◦○●♥●○◦
He had never really gotten used to the luxury of riding in a moving vehicle. For most of his life he had been force to walk to whatever destination he had been told to go, or simply stay behind, but now he suddenly was able to not only go wherever he chose, but be taken there as well. Even after five years, it was one of the things he had not gotten used to.
Jinki watched the kingdom pass by outside the window and he wondered if he was crazy for where he was choosing to go. Seohyun had all but kicked him out the door, nearly ordering him to go, and he could hardly figure out what she wanted to accomplish with this. Although he hadn’t told her what he and Minho had been to each other, he hardly doubted that she knew. If she hadn’t worked it out by now then she wasn’t the woman he thought her to be.
He was nervous, he realized; nervous to meet Minho’s parents, who he had heard so much about when they had been children, in a more intimate manner; nervous to see the place that Minho called home. But mostly, he realized, he was nervous to see Minho, to have to face him again. He still hadn’t gotten a satisfactory story out of the man, or been able to tell his own, and he swore that if it was the last thing he did, he wouldn’t leave without being certain that happened.
His hand lifted to find the pendent that always hung from his neck, a motion of comfort, but his fingers found nothing. Instead his fingers curled into a fist where his pendent would have been as he stared out the window, thinking only of the man who had given it to him.
Part III
He loved her hair. It was soft and elegant with very little help from any of the expensive products or oils that most women used to help their hair into that state. She had been born with it that way, and had done well tending it, which made it all the more a privilege to work with. The moment she had discovered that he was capable of doing it for her; she had dismissed her previous hair dresser and asked him instead.
Jinki hadn’t minded in the slightest. It was nice to be able to finally do something for his fiancé that he was skilled in, something that he knew he could do without a problem. He twisted a piece up and tucked it into the elaborate weave he was building on top of her head with half of her hair, aware of the eyes that were on him through the reflection in the mirror.
“You and Minho seem very close,” she commented lightly, and he had to smile. Of course she wouldn’t let the subject go, that very attitude and drive had been why his father had thought she would be a perfect match for him.
“We were,” he replied, knowing that he couldn’t lie to her, not that he wanted to.
“You two were slaves together. Was there something more there?” she pressed.
Jinki’s heart clenched at her words and his eyes dropped to her hair so she couldn’t read the emotion in them through the mirror. Clearly whatever he and Minho had been, they no longer were, if the way the other man was treating him was any indication. “We lived together and worked together for a very long time,” he told her finally.
“But there was more wasn’t there,” she pressed.
He couldn’t lie to her, but he couldn’t tell her an answer that he wasn’t really certain of anymore. “Seohyun, please,” he said finally, knowing that he sounded pathetic. He could feel her eyes on him through the mirror as he worked, but as requested, she said nothing more.
◦○●♥●○◦
“Please?” Onew batted his eyes rapidly at Minho, as if trying to weaken him by looking so cute.
“Okay, fine!” Minho sighed as Onew tugged on his wrist again, still begging him with his eyes to say more. “Onew, just give me a minute.” Minho sighed, tapping a stick against the wooden floorboards, making a steady beat. It was quiet, everyone else had gone to sleep, but they were still sitting outside under the moon. Minho breathed in the fresh air deeply, shutting his eyes as he tried to remember back to his childhood, a lump in his chest forming as he thought back.
“I remember walking down the street, holding my papa’s hand,” Minho kept his eyes shut, he didn’t want to embarrass himself and he knew if he opened his eyes Onew would see the tears threatening to form. “We were going to get a present for mama, a dress for a ball,” Minho swallowed, “it was winter, there was snow everywhere, and so pretty.” Minho opened one eye, feeling Onew squirm next to him, “And it was meant to be a surprise but then I saw mama coming towards us.” Minho paused, breathing in deeply as he remembered the way his mother had glanced at them in surprise.
“And?”
“And what,” Minho frowned, shifting to look directly at Onew, “that’s it,” he blinked seeing how disappointed Onew looked.
“That’s it? It’s not very exciting,” Onew commented with a shake of his head, “I thought you were going to tell me something more interesting. Like about that festival, I thought there were more exciting stories you could tell me.”
“It’s not a story,” Minho frowned wondering why Onew spent so much time listening in on their master’s children’s lessons and stories. He rolled his eyes, “its life,” he swallowed, feeling bitter as he remembered walking down that snowy street, it was only hours before his life had changed so drastically. “That, Onew, was the last memory I have of my parents.” Minho sniffed softly, turning away to hide his tears, “They left me outside in the snow for a second or two and that was too long.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Minho tried to shrug Onew away as he put his arms around his shoulders, but when Onew was determined he became strong. “I’m so sorry, Minho, I didn’t realize.” Minho tried to stay stiff, but his eyes were watering and it was impossible not to let Onew hug him tightly, pulling him into his arms. Minho hated letting his emotions show, or being so weak, but the memories made him feel so sad, he’d never see his birth mother or father again. Minho breathed in slowly, trying to think of something happy, something to take his mind off his parents.
“I didn’t tell you about the festival of lights did I?” Minho sniffed, wiping his eyes on Onew’s shirt, shyly looking up to see the older boy solemnly shake his head. Minho felt ashamed at his age to cry, but he felt better with the way Onew had not laughed at him but rather supported and comforted him. “Well we have it at the end of winter; the streets get decked in colorful lights that glow all day and night. And there is singing and dancing, and feasting.” Minho nodded his head, “it’s magical, the lights reflect colors onto the snow and make it rainbow colored and everyone is happy and laughs.”
“I wish I could see that,” Onew rested his head against Minho’s shoulder, “people smiling and laughing, being happy and free.” Onew breathed out softly, which made Minho glance down at the older boy, seeing the wistful expression across his face.
“I want to show it to you,” Minho whispered, “Onew, I want you to see it.” He wriggled and pulled Onew closer, glancing up at the soft glow of the moon. “We have to get out of here.” Minho’s voice dropped to a faint whisper, “We can’t stay here, and together we have to go.” Minho felt Onew shifting against him, he turned to see the older boy staring in surprise at him.
“But… we can’t.” Onew whispered, looking like a scared rabbit, “I mean no slaves escape and make it.”
“Onew, I want to be free again, I don’t want to spend my life here and as a slave.” Minho shook his head, reaching for Onew’s hand, “together we can do it.” He nodded his head firmly, “I know we can, if we stick together.” Minho felt determined as he glanced across at Onew, he couldn’t stay here, he couldn’t stay as a slave forever. It would break his heart if he remained like this, if he could never see his family again.
“It’s okay for you,” Onew sighed, “you’ve got your family there, mine is here.” He sounded so sad that Minho somehow felt guilty for a second, he wondered if he was being selfish talking about wanting to be free. “I was born a slave, I’ll die a slave.” Onew whispered, “I’ll help you escape, but I can’t leave my family here.” Minho gulped, hearing the raw emotion in Onew’s words and he reached for the older boy and hugged him tightly.
“Onew, you are my family,” Minho murmured, pulling back to glare at Onew, “you will not die a slave. I won’t escape without you. You promised,” He jabbed Onew in the chest, “to always stay with me, remember? It’ll only work if we do it together. Onew, you have to come with me, you have to escape with me, or I’ll stay here forever with you.”
“You promise?” Onew whispered sounding so shy and young, Minho smiled suddenly feeling like he was the one taking care of Onew, like he was older, even though it had always been the other way around. “Minho, I’m your family? Really?”
“Of course, you silly,” Minho grinned and pinched Onew’s cheek, “Mama and papa would love you. I know they would.” Minho nodded his head firmly, “So it’s decided, we’ll escape together.” Minho felt incredibly happy as Onew nodded his head and smiled brightly back at him, it felt as if their hearts were beating as one, they were in tune with each other.
◦○●♥●○◦
“Magnetism,” Kibum muttered as if quoting a text, “is the physical phenomenon in which two objects are undisputedly attracted to one another against anything that tries to separate them.”
“Hm?” replied the young woman he had been attempting to flatter out of information before he had become distracted.
He watched as Jinki sent a subtle glance towards Minho across the ballroom and not a moment after he had glanced back towards the people he had been speaking with, Minho glanced at him as well. Kibum smiled, turning his eyes back to the woman he had been speaking with, “Nothing dear, I was just reminded of magnetism, an irresistible attraction, when I laid my eyes on you.”
She giggled lightly at his words, “Well what was it you said you were curious about?”
Kibum smiled, he had her exactly where he wanted her now. As he spoke he glanced beyond her, and found Minho with his eyes. The young man was leaning against a wall engaged in conversation, but his eyes were staring across the room and fixed on Jinki. Magnetism.
◦○●♥●○◦
Onew struggled to lift the heavy basket up, grunting softly as he heaved it up onto the cart. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. It was so lonely working without Minho, he tried not to think about the other boy, but it was hard to forget the incident from the day before. How Minho had told him he didn’t need his help anymore, the total rejection made his chest ache. Onew breathed in deeply, avoiding looking over to where he could hear Minho’s loud laughter, it stung to hear him so happy.
Onew cursed softly, kicking his foot against the soil, of course he had to work in the fields again today. He had hoped for a reprieve that he’d be able to help in the Master’s children’s classroom, but instead he was stuck out in the baking hot sun listening to Minho’s laughter. Breathing in slowly, Onew absentmindedly noticed that he couldn’t hear Minho’s laugh anymore, he wondered what his brother was doing as he reached down to hoist the next basket up. Onew gritted his teeth together, steeling himself to lift it, grunting as he started to raise it up, but to his surprise it suddenly got lighter and he could see a pair of hands holding the basket. Onew glanced up, blinking when he saw Minho standing in front of him, helping him hold the basket up. Minho pulled it from Onew’s hands and easily placed it in the cart for him.
“Thank you.” Onew murmured, glancing across at Minho almost shyly, he couldn’t help but wonder when Minho had gotten so strong, that he was now helping him. How he had failed to notice the younger male changing, growing up and getting so muscular. Onew bowed his head down, before he turned to walk away, realizing Minho had been right. He had continued to treat him like a child even though he was actually stronger, Onew just hadn’t realized it.
“Onew, wait up!”
Onew turned, frowning to see Minho running towards him, he looked almost sorry which surprised him. He studied Minho’s face, as if he hadn’t seen him in months, not just days. Onew’s heart was pounding in his chest and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of this. He thought Minho wanted nothing to do with him anymore, and yet here he was talking to him again. It confused him so much, Onew breathed out heavily, wiping the sweat from his face as he squinted across at Minho.
“Onew, I’m sorry,” Minho mumbled, looking down shyly, and Onew stared slightly surprised, he hadn’t expected that. “I know you didn’t realize and I just got angry at you. You were only trying to help me,” Minho nodded his head, Onew could feel his pulse speeding up, he felt vaguely light headed again. “I didn’t mean my words, but it seems like you need my help now anyway.” Minho shrugged casually, making Onew feel odd, realizing that the tables had shifted between them. “How about we help each other out? It frustrated me so much when you’d insist you were fine but struggled lifting stuff alone.”
“Okay,” Onew sucked in a deep breath, tilting his face up and squinting slightly as he eyed the other boy, wondering what exactly this meant. “Okay, does this mean we’re still friends? That yo-you want to spend time with me?” Onew felt his cheeks heat up as he saw how Minho took his words, eyes widening as if it was obvious that was what he meant, and Onew felt stupid, but he just wanted clarification. Minho had been so angry, Onew had thought the younger wanted nothing at all to do with him.
“We’re not just friends,” Minho shook his head, leaning over to pick up a tool; “we’re brothers, the closest friends ever.” He looked across at Onew, flashing him a bright smile as he handed him the vegetable hoe. “Come on, I guess we need to get back?” Minho pouted slightly, as he saw the overseer hurrying over towards them, no doubt to tell them off for dawdling and slacking off.
They worked diligently and silently for about five minutes, before Onew started to look across at Minho, watching the skilled way he handled the hoe. Onew knew it was from working in the fields all those years, but it still impressed him to see how he handled the tool. Onew thought the tan was attractive too, and he almost regretted the fact that a lot of the time he wasn’t out in the sun helping Minho or the other guys, his skin was so pale, it almost made him feel ashamed.
“Hey Minho, will you tell me that story again?” Onew asked, biting his lip as they settled on the ground under the shade of the tree. “About that weird gift thing, you know?” Onew cocked his head to the side as studied Minho’s profile, hoping he knew what he meant. Minho had started to tell him about some strange tradition but they had been interrupted, and he had never heard the rest of it.
“Hm?” Minho’s forehead furrowed and he leaned on the hoe, frowning across at Onew, “Ohh, you mean how we give gifts to each other?” Onew nodded his head immediately, feeling curious, the idea of a giving a gift seemed absurd to him. “Well in the middle of summer,” Onew grinned sitting back and watching Minho shut his eyes as he got into the mode of storytelling, “we have this tradition of celebrating the sun’s light. And on the longest day we give each other things. They can be small, or large, it doesn’t really matter as long as they’re from the heart.”
“It’s a festival, and because of the heat, we do a lot of water activities. Like water wrestling, or swimming races, they were always so much fun!” Minho sighed, “Food was also important,” Minho nodded his head, shutting his eyes and Onew could see he missed the food, “We always have iced jellies, and flavored shaved ice, it’s all ice cold, refreshing and so delicious after wrestling or swimming,” Onew gulped, feeling hungry as Minho continued to talk, his voice filled with nostalgia making Onew feel sad that Minho might never experience it again. “I remember playing with my parent’s friend’s son, he was a bit younger than me, and we splashed around in the river all day. It was so much fun, I even forgot about the presents for my parents.” Minho opened his eyes and sheepishly looked over Onew, “But when it was the afternoon, I suddenly remembered.”
“It’s tradition to wrap them in yellow cloth, to symbolize the sun, and also the rebirth of the new night and day. We hold it on the longest day right,” Minho opened one eye to glance across at Onew who nodded his head, “We see the longest day as being the rebirth or reincarnation of the sun, it lights up the sky for so long because it’s just newly born,” Minho explained simply, and Onew nodded again to say he understood.
“So the presents are for us surviving in the world another year and being able to celebrate the sun’s ascension.” Onew blinked, and then nodded his head, he vaguely remembered hearing the master’s sons mentioning similar terms when he was tidying up their study. “Anyway so my parents gave me their presents first, which made me feel guilty - because usually I gave them theirs first.”
“But you really give presents to other people?” Onew asked, “And they give them to you?” Onew found it hard to imagine that, in all his life, his short seventeen years no one had ever given him a present. The idea both fascinated him and seemed mildly ridiculous. The idea of someone else giving you a present, he wanted to scoff at Minho, because it didn’t seem like it could really be real.
“Yes, we do.” Minho nodded his head, and Onew could see that he looked like he was struggling to remain patient, he had told Onew that many times before in the past. It just sounded so weird to Onew, that he couldn’t help himself from questioning it each time in case Minho was just teasing him. “Any way that time my older friend, Taesun helped me pick out a scarf for my mother, and I was so proud because it was the first time I was giving her something I had bought and not just something I drew or made for her.” Minho nodded his head proudly, “it was so light and airy, and the colors suited her. I can still see the way she had smiled down at me,” Minho turned to look at Onew, making the older boy feel peculiar as Minho studied his face intently, “she looked so beautiful and so happy.”
“And what did you get?” Onew asked softly, chewing on his lip as he studied Minho’s face carefully, and the way he leaned against the hoe, the end of it pressing into the soil.
“This,” Onew frowned as he watched Minho tap his chest, it didn’t make sense and he opened his mouth to protest but then he saw Minho reach into his shirt to pull out something from around his neck. “I got this.” Onew stared across at the dirty string around Minho’s neck, and at the stone pendant hanging at the end, he was surprised that Minho had worn it all these years.
“It’s pretty,” Onew nodded his head, reaching forward to touch it, his fingers brushing against Minho’s at the same time. The shape made little sense to him but Onew could tell it was significant to Minho, so he studied it for a few seconds, admiring the craftsmanship and how it looped around eternally. It had smaller loops at the top, twisting around three times to form a wider spiral at the bottom. Onew ran his fingers over its smoothness, it looked like metal but he knew it was stone, it was incredibly shiny and distracting. Onew slipped his hand away wondering what it meant to Minho before he stepped back and started to work again, assuming that Minho would either keep talking or continue working too.
“It’s for me to give to someone else,” Minho spoke softly, so that Onew stopped working to glance across at Minho carefully, there was something about his tone that sounded off. It sounded odd to Onew too, the fact that Minho had been given it, and then he was meant to pass it to someone else. “When I find the right person, I’ll give it to them along with my heart for them to keep for all time.” Minho nodded his head, “Although being here now, being a slave, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever find that special person.”
Onew nodded his head slowly, mulling the words over in his head, he finally understood. Onew squinted across at the taller boy, feeling sad for Minho, part of him wanted to reach across and hug the other boy, but he wasn’t sure if he’d like it. Onew breathed in deeply, reaching across to touch Minho’s shoulder lightly, staring intently at him and thinking ‘don’t worry Minho, you’ll find that person’. He smiled as Minho stared just as intently back at him, as if he could read his thoughts.
◦○●♥●○◦
If he hadn’t found such enjoyment in all of the balls and festivals that he had never before had the opportunity to attend, he would have found it annoying and a waste of his time to be doing so all of the time. He understood that most used them not only to celebrate, but to build business contacts as well, yet he wasn’t very skilled in that area yet. To top it off, it seemed that Minho attended everything now, when just a month ago he had been nowhere to be found.
It made his heart ache to see the man all the time and for them to be so close in proximity, yet Minho felt so closed off and unapproachable, so different from the person that he had been when they had been children. Jinki couldn’t imagine what could have happened to have made Minho the way he was now, but he felt that he needed to understand.
He waited until the party was in full swing, joining conversations only when prompted and keeping an eye on Minho the entire time. The moment the man was free, Jinki strode over and with confidence that he hoped would last, declared, “We need to talk.”
Jinki led the way through the room to one of the balconies overlooking the gardens that would offer them a measure of privacy. He was thankful that Minho had chosen to follow him. If he hadn’t, Jinki had no idea how he would have forced him. Minho was stronger and had much more practice at this kind of life then Jinki did, but he followed him without a word.
When they were in what little seclusion they would be able to find at a party of this magnitude, Jinki turned to face him. A million questions and statements run through his mind, but the one that made it to his mouth -- although something he had been wondering -- was not what he meant to ask. “How are you here?”
Minho gave him a look that looked more familiar on his features, as if that was an entirely ridiculous question, but he understood what Jinki meant. Not here as in the party, but here, as in alive and standing here. “I was rescued from the river and nursed back to health then I walked home.”
“But I thought-” Jinki began and Minho held up a hand.
“Look it doesn’t matter. You are getting married at the end of the year and at the end of the month I’m going away on business,” Minho told him.
Jinki could feel his heart pounding furiously behind his ribs. “When are you coming back?”
“I’m not.”
With those words his heart felt like it stopped. He didn’t know what to say in response to that. It wasn’t fair to scream that Minho couldn’t leave him again, they had promised. He wasn’t a child to throw a fit, but how he wanted to do so. Minho said nothing further and simply turned back to the party. Jinki watched him go, feeling helpless to stop him.
“Jinki,” Seohyun’s voice called gently, she emerged from the shadows where he supposed she had heard most or all of the conversation and he found he really couldn’t be angry with her. Her hand slipped under his elbow and the other lay on his arm. “Put your other hand on your temple and close your eyes,” she murmured. Jinki, unable to do anything else, did as she told him.
He felt the gentle nudge of her hands and knew that she was guiding him from the balcony back into the ballroom with slow even steps. They paused only for a moment, during which he heard her say, “Terrible pain. I’m taking him to his room.”
To which a man’s voice replied, “Such a caring fiancé you are,” and they were on their way again. Jinki was incredibly grateful that this particular party had been in his own large home, and perhaps that was why he had found the courage to approach Minho in the first place. Regardless of whatever else it meant, at least being in his own home, meant that he could retire to his rooms at his choice. It would be seen as rude, but Seohyun had devised a reason that he was certain his parents would accept.
“You can open your eyes,” she said softly. When he did so, he noticed they were in the private hall for the family quarters that guests were not allowed into. He opened his door for her, guiding her into his sitting room that was attached to his bedroom before shutting it again.
“Thank you,” he told her, gratitude filling his voice.
She simply nodded and pulled away from him, moving to a chair where she sunk down and began working to undo her shoes. “I was ready to get away from that tedious party anyway,” she said. “My feet are killing me.”
Jinki smiled fondly at her, and knelt, carefully undoing the delicate series of straps and buckles that held the shoes to her feet. Once removed, he took one of her feet in his hands and began to rub at the sole. It was work that he had done so long ago, but the skills came back to him quickly. “Mm you’re good at that,” she said with a sigh.
He worked in silence for a moment, trying to focus on her instead of the thoughts and feelings rolling around in his mind about Minho. He didn’t know when she had become something to distract him from the other man, but perhaps that was what she had been all along.
“Jinki,” she said softly drawing his attention up and he realized she had been watching him. “You and Minho clearly mean a lot to each other. What happened that made things what they are?”
He thought of telling her some made up story or nothing at all, but a stupid woman she was not. She would get to the bottom of it eventually if she wanted to and he was certain she would rather hear it from him. When Jinki took a deep breath and opened his mouth, the words that came out were the truth.
◦○●♥●○◦
Minho ran across the field, ignoring the way the slave master called out to him to stop. At that point in time he didn’t care if he was going to be punished again for running off in the middle of work - he had to find Onew. Minho breathed in deeply when he finally spotted Onew, down by the river, shirtless, and any other time Minho would have grinned or whistled at him, but there were more urgent matters to attend to..
“Hey,” Minho panted softly, “hey,” he said again louder when Onew failed to hear him. “Have you heard yet?” Minho walked down the riverbank, hands on his hips lightly as he approached the older boy. Minho felt sick as he saw the confusion across Onew’s face, “You haven’t.” Minho bit his lip, it hadn’t been that long since Onew’s mother had died and now he had more bad news to deliver.
“What is it?” Onew straightened up, he reached for Minho’s wrist, fingers loosely wrapping around it, “Minho, you’re starting to worry me? Are you being sold?” Onew asked biting down into his lip, and Minho felt sick, he shook his head quickly, wondering why Onew had suggested that. “Tell me, please? Whatever it is, we’ll find some way to work things out.” Onew whispered, and Minho felt a conflicting mixture of queasiness and happiness as Onew shifted his fingers and held onto Minho’s hand lightly. The sunlight shone down on the river made Minho wish this wasn’t happening right then. He wanted to sit and hold Onew’s hand and admire the scenery, listen to the rustle of the leaves not stress about what would happen to them in the future.
“It’s not me,” Minho murmured squeezing Onew’s hand tightly, “It’s you, you’re being sold.” he watched Onew’s face go pale, his expression mimicking how Minho felt, “Remember that dinner, when those other people came over? And you served the guests?” Minho squeezed Onew’s hand tighter, feeling his heart pounding rapidly in his chest, he could see that Onew looked unwell; his face was pale and sweaty. “And that one man kept talking about you, well it’s that master.”
“Oh,” Onew gulped, sucking in a large breath of air, Minho couldn’t bear it so he quickly pulled Onew into his arms hugging him tightly. Minho hated this, he hated to see Onew stuck here as a slave, he deserved so much more. It frustrated Minho how they were dependent on a master, they were not animals, they deserved to be allowed to make their own choices.
“Onew, we have to escape.” Minho whispered directly into Onew’s ear, “I can’t stand losing you, I can’t stand this. Together we will do it.” Onew shifted in his arms as if to escape from his embrace, but Minho just held him tight, knowing that Onew would protest. That was the worst part for Minho, how Onew didn’t even think he deserved to be free, it broke Minho’s heart and he knew the longer they stayed the more freedom and escape would slip from their thoughts. “And that master you’re being sold to, he’s one of the worst. He’s incredibly harsh and tough on his slaves you can’t go there.”
“Hey!”
Minho groaned and pulled back from Onew, glaring up to where Seungho stood with his hands on his hips. The interruption was the last thing he needed, he had to convince Onew, he couldn’t stand to see him oppressed anymore.
“The overseer is looking for you, Minho, you just ran off.” Seungho sneered slightly, and Minho struggled to control himself, he wanted to punch his lights out. “You better hurry back or he’ll whip you.” He added with a smug grin, “So stop molesting Onew, and get back to work.” Seungho snapped his fingers together; it took all of Minho’s restraint not to wipe the smirk off his face.
“Onew,” Minho sighed and nodded his head pulling back from the older boy, but he squeezed his hand one last time, “Onew, we can and we will do it.” Minho smiled and nodded his head, he hated leaving Onew but he had no choice. Quickly he made his way back to the shed where he was meant to be working, but his mind was in turmoil, trying to think about how they would escape and worrying about Onew.
◦○●♥●○◦
Long ago Minho had learned that a great way to empty his mind was through physical training. Although his real training in any sort of discipline hadn’t begun until he had returned home, as a slave, he had watched the guards in his master’s house and copied their motions, using the workout as a way to forget what he was if only for a moment. He wasn’t surprised that it did the same thing for him now, the more difficult series of motions taking enough concentration that he couldn’t even begin to think of Onew or the look of hurt on his face when he had told him he would be leaving and not returning. What would it matter anyway? Onew had his new fiancé to keep him happy.
He executed a particularly difficult series of kicks and punches that ended with a flashy backwards spinning kick designed to intimidate more than anything else, and landed on the floor panting lightly. The moment he was still his mind began turning things over again and he snarled at himself before crossing to the weapons rack in long strides. He picked up a practice sword and began running through the forms he had been taught, focusing on counting off the repetitions.
Minho finished the set he was on, aware that there were eyes on him, but not worried enough about it to stop in the middle. When completed, he rose from his crouched position, chest heaving, and turned to face the door. He couldn’t say that he was entirely surprised to see Onew’s fiancé standing there.
Her eyes drifted over his body once, but not in a way that most women would if they were presented with his shirtless form. They lingered on the place right above his heart where he knew the scar still marred his skin, but she didn’t ask, so he said nothing about it. He waited for her eyes to rise again, and when they did, they were full of determination.
“What are you and Jinki to one another?” she asked boldly and it took him a moment to remember that Jinki was the name Onew went by here in this kingdom.
“Nothing,” he answered truthfully. “We are nothing to each other.”
Unbothered by his answer, she simply changed the question. “What did you used to be to each other?”
Minho regarded her for a moment. She was a strong woman, in both will and mind, and he knew there was little chance he could lie to her and get away with it. At the same time he could never tell her the truth. This was the life that Onew had made for himself, the life he had found in freedom, and no matter how much he disliked it, Minho could never do anything to ruin it.
She watched him for a moment longer and he wasn’t certain if she was waiting for an answer or divining one herself, but after a moment she turned to leave without saying anything else. As she walked from the room, her hand reached into a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress and withdrew something. She reached out to the small table by the door and set something there, then walked through it without looking back.
He waited until he was certain she was gone before moving forward to investigate what she had left. Of all the things he had been expecting, it wasn’t what he found. There on the table with the leather cord coiled, was the stone pendent that had once been his but was no longer. With a numb mind he reached forward and closed his fingers around the cold stone.
◦○●♥●○◦
Onew shivered slightly, still panting as Minho cradled him lightly in his arms. Onew couldn’t think, his brain was a clouded rainbow fog, images slipping in and out of focus in his head as Minho’s fingers slid along his stomach, wiping the sticky mess away. Onew shivered and wriggled closer, he never wanted to move from where they lay on the ground, under a tree at the edge of a field. The sky was starting to lighten, the sky changing from black to dusky grey, with hints of peach and orange. Onew breathed in deeply, smiling as Minho’s slender fingers rested against his stomach. Onew didn’t think it could be more perfect, the sound of the water trickling past in the nearby stream was so relaxing it made him want to stay there longer.
Onew opened one eye when he felt Minho cup his cheek, he reached across to touch Minho’s cheek lightly. Onew’s body ached, but it felt good in a strange way, he smiled shyly, when he felt Minho glancing down at his body. Large, round eyes boldly staring at him, but instead of making him feel shy, it made Onew feel proud. It was nothing new, they had seen each other naked countless times before, but this was different. Onew felt different, everything felt new, his limbs felt lighter and he was filled with energy.
“Minho,” Onew whispered leaning forward and pressing kisses down Minho’s firm chest, fingers splayed out across his stomach. Onew knew they had to move - the sky was lightening and soon people would be getting up, but Onew never wanted to move, he never wanted Minho’s legs to move from where they were tangled against his. Onew wanted to lie there with Minho, he was so perfect in his eyes, he wanted to love his firm muscular body and just smother him in kisses. The way Minho had filled him, Onew thought he had died and left this world. Minho made him float and lose sight of everything but the vibrant color that danced in his mind and Minho. Through the haze of pleasure there had only been Minho, gorgeous Minho.
“Onew,” Minho whispered in reply, knowing what the older meant, “not yet,” he murmured before he leaned across and kissed Onew softly across the lips. Onew swallowed deeply as Minho’s hand pressed against his hip, stroking the bone lightly, the touch making him feel light headed again. Onew was wondering how he would get through the day, when every time he looked at Minho he felt as light as a leaf, as if he would blow away on the wind and he couldn’t stop smiling.
“Hmm, Minho, but we have to,” Onew shuddered as Minho traced his index finger across his stomach, the tip of his finger dancing across the sensitive muscles of his body, lighting up the nerves in his skin. Onew’s eyes widened as Minho sucked on his finger softly, before touching Onew’s stomach again. “Minho,” Onew shifted feeling embarrassed as Minho licked his finger clean before he grinned down at Onew whose face was rapidly turning red. “Don’t that’s…” He trailed off as Minho shifted, leaning down to smother his stomach in kisses.
“What, dirty?” Minho playfully looked up, “You’re not dirty,” Minho shook his head solemnly, fingers splayed across Onew’s body. “It’s not dirty to want to taste you.” Onew wriggled, feeling mortified as Minho said that, and to make it worse the younger boy kept grinning at him, as if he enjoyed making him feel embarrassed. To distract him, Onew reached for the stone object hanging around Minho’s neck, it had touched his chest when they were making love, the stone warm to the touch.
“Onew, here, have it.”
Onew glanced up in surprise when he realized Minho was giving him his necklace - the same one he had worn since he was five. Onew’s eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head feeling guilty, he had only touched it to distract himself from Minho, not that it worked. But he wasn’t hinting that Minho should give it to him, not when he knew how special and meaningful it was.
“I can’t,” Onew protested as Minho placed it around his neck, “It’s yours, you need to give it to someone you love, someone important and special to you. I’m just a slave - you can’t give me that.” Onew gripped the necklace, trying to slide it off but Minho kissed down the side of his face, lips tenderly kissing along his earlobe. “Minho,” Onew protested weakly, “Minho,” he repeated as Minho smothered him with kisses. Minho’s lips making Onew’s mind spin again, making him delirious and dizzy with love, he whimpered when Minho stopped.
“I can,” Minho replied, “And I will.” Onew frowned pulling back from Minho to protest again but Minho got in first, “Onew, don’t you see, you are that special person, you are the most important person to me. I love you,” Minho spoke softly, but Onew felt something flutter in his chest, as if a secret part of him had just come alive. He looked down at the stone, the way it spiraled around in never ending loops, symbolizing eternity; he swallowed and just nodded his head. “Do you really think I’d have made love with anyone?” Minho cocked his head to the side.
“I love you too,” Onew leaned forward to kiss Minho across the lips, “But only if you’re sure, I wasn’t playing with it so you’d give it to me.” Onew explained, he hated for Minho to think he was trying to manipulate him, he loved Minho with all his heart but the last thing he wanted to do was force him to do anything he didn’t want.
“I know,” Minho grinned, “I’ve wanted to give it to you for the longest time,” Minho reached for Onew’s hand, “I was just waiting for the right time and this felt like it.” Onew swallowed, licking his lips before he leaned in to brush his lips against Minho’s again, letting his eyes glide shut as their lips moved together sweetly.
◦○●♥●○◦
He was making a complete mess of things, yet he really couldn’t bother himself to care at the moment as he dumped the contents of yet another drawer onto his bed. Thirty minutes had allowed him enough time to shift virtually all of the contents in his room and shift them back again, and now his motions had taken on an edge of frantic desperation. He could hear the maids whispering as they peeked in on him, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care, he had to find it.
“You didn’t tell me you were redecorating,” came Seohyun’s voice from the doorway and he looked up at her, trying to curb the desperate look on his face.
“Have you seen it?” he asked frantically.
“Seen what?” she returned, gathering her skirts into her hands and lifting them so she could pick her way through the items strewn across the floor.
“The necklace I always wear. The one that has a pendent that looks like a piece of stone curled around itself with a small loop at the end?” he asked trying to keep himself somewhat calm.
“I didn’t know that it was that important to you,” she said sounding surprised.
“It is. Someone gave it to me a long time ago. Have you seen it?” It wasn’t in the contents of the drawer he had just dumped so he stuffed everything that he could back into it to make room for him to dump another.
“You should look for it with someone that is dear to you,” she told him.
His head snapped up towards her and his eyed narrowed. As much as he cared for her, this was not the time to be playing games with him. “Seohyun?” he asked.
“I don’t have it,” she told him smiling gently. It took him a moment but as he watched her watch him, he realized he knew. There was only one other person in the world she could have been talking about, the one who gave him the necklace in the first place.
◦○●♥●○◦
Minho yawned sleepily, struggling to stay awake as their mother came into the room, he smiled up at her when she leaned down and rubbed his head softly. Onew’s mother always made him feel so safe and protected, like nothing bad would ever happen when she was around. Minho breathed out softly as she sat down between the two of them, putting her arms around them and pulling them in close. Minho felt so relaxed, it felt so comforting to sit like that, it made him feel loved.
“Boys,” Minho sat up straighter hearing her tone, turning to look at his mother, taking in the way she looked down at him happily, her beautiful eyes watching them both, “I know this won’t mean much to you now, but it’s important.” Minho tilted his head to one side, wondering what his mother was going to say - was she going to ask him not to steal Onew’s share of food? Or stop trying to help Onew with his chores since he was told he was more of a hindrance than help. Minho stopped thinking when he saw the sweet smile across her face, it was so similar to Onew’s and filled Minho with such warmth and happiness, his mother and brother were the most beautiful people ever, Minho only hoped he would take after them too.
“Both of you are sweet caring boys, and when you find that special person, you have to hold onto them don’t ever let them go.” Minho frowned, scrunching up his face slightly, his Mama had told him something similar when she gave him the necklace. “Love is hard to come by, and when you find that person you will know it, so don’t let them out of your sight.” She nodded her head slowly, turning to look seriously at Onew, and then at Minho.
“Okay,” Minho whispered, echoing Onew’s reply. Unconsciously he reached for the necklace around his neck, fingers wrapping around the stone pendant and he held onto it tightly. Minho didn’t understand why he was being told this - but it was an echo of his Mama’s words and so he took them to heart even if they made little sense to him. Minho glanced up at his mother, holding the pendant tight in his grasp and then he looked over to see that Onew also looked confused by what their mother had said.
◦○●♥●○◦
He had never really gotten used to the luxury of riding in a moving vehicle. For most of his life he had been force to walk to whatever destination he had been told to go, or simply stay behind, but now he suddenly was able to not only go wherever he chose, but be taken there as well. Even after five years, it was one of the things he had not gotten used to.
Jinki watched the kingdom pass by outside the window and he wondered if he was crazy for where he was choosing to go. Seohyun had all but kicked him out the door, nearly ordering him to go, and he could hardly figure out what she wanted to accomplish with this. Although he hadn’t told her what he and Minho had been to each other, he hardly doubted that she knew. If she hadn’t worked it out by now then she wasn’t the woman he thought her to be.
He was nervous, he realized; nervous to meet Minho’s parents, who he had heard so much about when they had been children, in a more intimate manner; nervous to see the place that Minho called home. But mostly, he realized, he was nervous to see Minho, to have to face him again. He still hadn’t gotten a satisfactory story out of the man, or been able to tell his own, and he swore that if it was the last thing he did, he wouldn’t leave without being certain that happened.
His hand lifted to find the pendent that always hung from his neck, a motion of comfort, but his fingers found nothing. Instead his fingers curled into a fist where his pendent would have been as he stared out the window, thinking only of the man who had given it to him.
Part III