{ chapter ten

Kyungsoo has never been close enough with his family to deduce what they’re thinking and feeling simply from their actions. But when he enters his father’s quarters and sees his morose expression – as well as Junmyeon waiting for him on a stool – he knows something’s up.

Fearful, he bows his head in respect as swims over to his brother, and with the permission of his father to seat himself, perches on the stool beside Junmyeon. He’s tense with fear, and his father’s gaze is sharp and cold – but his thoughts are unreadable, so Kyungsoo is left dreading the worst.

“Kyungsoo,” the King addresses firmly. Kyungsoo jolts, skittish, and Junmyeon lays a hand on his tail to reassure him.

“You are aware that your brother’s wedding and coronation is approaching in six months?” he continues. Despite his stiff and cold tone, Kyungsoo’s shoulders relax – of course, he wasn’t called because of Jongin. Nobody knows about Jongin. His secret is safe.

“Yes, Sir.”

Junmyeon has been bound to marriage with the princess of a separate Kingdom since birth. Now approaching twenty-two, his royal duties are fast advancing, and his wedding will proceed the day he is crowned the new King.

“Junmyeon’s betrothed, as you know, has a younger sibling.” The King paces the room casually, drifting between his tapestries with his hands clasped behind his back. “A messenger arrived early this morning to request a meeting between the second royal daughter and the second royal son.”

“A meeting?” Kyungsoo says weakly. The words settle on his tongue like bitter snowflakes, and he finally realises what’s happening.

“I believe it would be suitable to arrange an engagement in liaison with one involving Junmyeon and his fiancé. Your eighteenth birthday is approaching – you will soon need to think about finding a potential wife.”

Kyungsoo balls his fists and stares at the ground, breathing heavily, suppressing his anger. The worst thing he could do is anger his father, but he can’t help it – how inconsiderate his father is, to decide who he meets with, to not even contemplate that he may not be interested in females altogether…it makes him seethe. He understands the King’s assumptions of his uality – any other person would think the same thing – but what infuriates him is his prejudiced views against those who don’t conform.

“I understand, Sir,” Kyungsoo says softly.

“Excellent,” his father purrs. “I will arrange for the princesses to join us for lunch in three weeks. You will both behave respectably and politely, yes?”

“Yes, Sir,” Junmyeon and Kyungsoo chorus. Junmyeon Kyungsoo’s tail comfortingly, sensing his anxiety, and places a hand on his back to guide him out once they’re dismissed.

“Are you alright?” Junmyeon asks once they’re out of earshot. Kyungsoo nods, shrugging off his elder brother.

“Of course.”

“I know you don’t like meeting new people,” Junmyeon continues, “but I’ll help you through it. I promise, you’ll be okay.” His voice is compassionate and caring, but Kyungsoo’s skin prickles with frustration. He doesn’t care about meeting the princess. He cares about his father’s dismissal of his desires and happiness.

“Thanks,” Kyungsoo mutters, swimming off quickly to his quarters, wanting to be alone. He pushes past Jinki, who stands guard outside the entrance to his quarters, and collapses into his bed, crying.

All he can think about is Jongin. How he’ll never be with Jongin, he’ll never marry who he wants, he’ll be forced into marriage with a girl he doesn’t love and never see Jongin again.

Some people say being royalty is a blessing, but Kyungsoo has never felt so cursed in his life.

* * *

Jongin notices Kyungsoo looks particularly miserable when he swims down to their hideout. He places his hands on Kyungsoo’s shoulders and crouches down in front of him, and Kyungsoo looks up slowly from his curled up position on the ground.

“Hey,” he says softly. He brushes Kyungsoo’s hair away with one hand and smiles at him, but the smile that the prince returns is half-hearted and empty.

“What’s the matter?” he murmurs, expression faltering into a worried frown. “Did something happen?”

“No,” Kyungsoo lies. He rubs his neck and clears his throat, the pressure of Jongin’s unconvinced stare putting him on edge.

“You can talk to me, you know.”

Kyungsoo purses his lips and pushes up from the ground, shaking his head.

“Can we—leave?” he asks shakily. “Just…just from this area. Outside the rocks. Please?”

Jongin stands up and wraps an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist, nodding. “Of course. If you think we’ll be safe.”

“I don’t really care,” Kyungsoo sighs. He takes Jongin’s other hand and swings his tail hard to propel them out, and Jongin clings to him, allowing the prince to swim them out of their safety zone and into open waters. They’ve only done this once before, and even then it didn’t last for long.

He lets the prince take them away from the melange of rocks and swim them out in a direction Jongin has never explored before. The silence between them remains until they reach their destination.

Kyungsoo stops before a large stretch of colourful coral, in a valley between cliff faces where the water is cool and smaller fish thrive. He settles down on a shelf and motions for Jongin to sit beside him, smiling gently at how awestruck Jongin is.

“The coral is so beautiful,” Jongin exhales in wonderment. “How did you know about this?”

“I found it once when I fled the palace,” Kyungsoo explains. The twinkle in his downcast eyes has returned, and escaping the rocks seems to have lifted a weight from his shoulders. He extends a hand and points to vibrantly coloured anemone, fluttering gently between the corals and rocks.

“These are my favourite,” Kyungsoo says, “the fronds are beautiful. They look like little tentacles, don’t you think?”

Jongin smiles and twines his fingers with Kyungsoo’s pointing ones, resting them on his knees and edging closer towards him. Comfortable silence settles between them, until Jongin finally speaks up again to softly ask if Kyungsoo is okay.

“What do you mean?”

Jongin exhales, hesitant. “Why did you want to leave so badly?” he tries again. “You seemed so upset when I first came down to see you. And it’s not like you to feel uncomfortable in our usual spot.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t seem eager to answer. He rubs his empty hand on the rock below him and picks at the bits of shell cemented within it, struggling to form a reasonable and comprehensive response. When he looks up in defeat and meets eyes with Jongin, his walls finally crumble and the tears spring to his eyes again.

“Father…discussed my betrothal this morning.”

Jongin tilts his head. “Betrothal?”

“Marriage.”

Jongin feels his heart freeze in his chest, and his breath hitches as the words settle within him. Kyungsoo looks away, rubbing away tears with the heel of his hand.

“But, Kyungsoo, you’re only seventeen,” Jongin says, in disbelief.

“It doesn’t matter, since I don’t have to marry now,” Kyungsoo sniffles. “But I still have to find a suitable spouse before my eighteenth birthday.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m royalty,” Kyungsoo spits, the words b with loathing, “that’s why.”

Jongin’s heart aches at the thought of Kyungsoo being wed to another, but he senses Kyungsoo’s need for comfort and embraces him, wrapping his arms around his helpless frame and pulling him close. Kyungsoo’s shoulders tremble as sobs burst from his lips, and Jongin fights to hold back his own, despising the pain the King has brought upon his prince.

“I’m so sorry, Kyungsoo,” Jongin says feebly, unknowing of what else to say. He runs his hands up and down Kyungsoo’s back and whispers empty condolences into his ear, powerless.

“I hate my father,” Kyungsoo chokes, “I don’t want to—I don’t want to marry her, I don’t want to live like this…”

“I’ll always be here for you,” Jongin whispers, pressing a kiss against Kyungsoo’s temple. “Even if we can’t be together. I’m not going to leave you.”

Kyungsoo is limp in Jongin’s arms and feels pathetic, but he lets himself cry, he lets Jongin comfort him in his pitiful state. Jongin is so warm and so tender-hearted, caring for him despite his own pain, and Kyungsoo is bitterly aware of how perfect he’d be as a suitor, if it weren’t for their dire circumstances.

“I love you,” Kyungsoo whispers, his lips brushing against Jongin’s neck. “I love you, Jongin.”

Jongin cradles Kyungsoo’s chin in his hand and kisses him firmly to silence his crying. Kyungsoo’s fingernails burrow into his skin as he clings, and Jongin winces in pain, but doesn’t comment in fear of upsetting the prince more than necessary.

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” he whimpers once he pulls away and meets Jongin’s sad eyes. “I want to live on the Surface. I want legs like yours. I want to run and breathe air and see the Sun, I just—I just want to be free…”

“You shouldn’t be saying that out here.”

A gasp rips at Kyungsoo’s throat and Jongin dives to pull the prince into his chest, protecting his face from view. He looks behind him, dread pooling in his stomach, but once he sees who the foreign voice belongs to he breathes a sigh of relief – albeit a shocked one, but a relieved one nonetheless.

“Taemin, you scared the out of me,” he growls, releasing Kyungsoo and rubbing his waist to reassure him they’re safe. “Don’t sneak up on us like that.”

“What if somebody else came past and heard that?” Taemin responds, swimming forward and situating himself before the two. “Anybody could have seen you. You could have both been killed.”

Kyungsoo stares into Taemin’s disapproving glare, tense and frightened despite Jongin’s reassuring embrace. Taemin’s eyes flicker between them both, and he softens once he sees how protective Jongin is over the prince. Immediately, he knows what Jongin said was true – he can tell the boy really is in love with Kyungsoo.

“I’m sorry for startling you,” he says gently, “but you’re in danger here. I couldn’t just leave you be.” Taemin addresses both of them when he speaks, but Jongin can tell his gaze is heavier on him, and he bites his lip and looks at Kyungsoo to avoid his stare.

“He won’t tell anyone,” Jongin whispers, “you can relax. It’s okay.”

Kyungsoo feels comforted seeing the genuine trust for the Mer boy in Jongin’s eyes, and he glances as the commoner, intimidated. His arms are crossed and his tawny hair drifts around his shoulders – he looks familiar, but the prince can’t pinpoint where he’s seen him before.

“Sir, I understand that your safety is your own responsibility, and I have no power to control the choices you make regarding yourself. But Jongin is my friend, and he doesn’t understand how seriously risky this is,” Taemin scolds, now directing his lecture at Kyungsoo. “I know how much he cares about you, but clearly you aren’t caring for him back by threatening his life.”

Kyungsoo’s lip trembles, and he balls his fists defiantly.

“You have no authority to speak to me like that, commoner,” Kyungsoo retorts waveringly, failing to appear assertive. Taemin’s nostrils flare, clearly maddened.

“And what are you going to do about it?” Taemin retaliates, “tell your father?”

“Don’t speak to him like that,” Jongin snarls, pushing himself up to face Taemin. Kyungsoo calls him back uncertainly, but Jongin doesn’t back down.

“I’m doing this for your sake, not mine,” Taemin says. “Your life is more important than—”

“—temporary infatuation,” Jongin finishes angrily. “I heard you the first time, Taemin, and I’ve told you that it’s not just infatuation, and it’s not temporary. But you wouldn’t know, because the man you love doesn’t love you back.”

Taemin is completely thrown at Jongin’s insensitive comment, and he trembles in rage once he drinks the insult in.

“You bastard,” Taemin hisses – how could Jongin possibly use his weakness against him?

Jongin finally snaps. He lunges forward and shoves Taemin, driving the breath out of him, and Kyungsoo quickly gets up to intervene.

“Jongin, stop,” he orders, seizing his wrist and pulling him back. A winded Taemin holds his chest and wheezes to regain his breath, and he finally looks up from under his eyelashes to glower at Jongin once he can breathe again.

“I’m trying to protect you,” he whispers, “and this is how you thank me?”

“It’s hard enough as it is, okay?” Jongin barks. “I don’t need you making it worse for us.”

“I don’t want to see you get hurt!”

“Then leave, and you won’t have to!” Jongin shouts. “Just go, Taemin!”

“Jongin, that’s enough,” Kyungsoo pleads, tugging on his arm to silence him – but it’s too late. The words have already been said, Taemin has already been wounded.

“Fine,” Taemin whispers. He massages the reddened mark on his chest from Jongin’s blow and looks between the prince and his friend one last time, before swimming past them back into the open waters. Jongin watches him leave, and he’s awash with regret the moment he disappears.

“He’s going to tell my father,” Kyungsoo chokes suddenly. “Jongin…he—”

“He won’t tell anyone.”

Jongin turns, shaking away the toxic thoughts, and winds his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist, pulling him close. Kyungsoo’s eyes are red and moist again, and he rests his forehead on Jongin’s chest to hide his tears. He knows what Jongin’s friend said was right – he’s not protecting Jongin at all. He’s putting both of their lives at stake, all for his own selfish desires to be loved.

“I’m sorry, Jongin,” he apologises shakily. “I—I don’t want you to lose your friend because of me.”

“Stop apologising,” Jongin murmurs. “It’s not your fault.”

He Kyungsoo’s back for a few minutes, relaying his confrontation with Taemin in his head – it pains him, a lot. He loves Taemin, and he realises his friend was only trying to help, but his emotions had overwhelmed him in the heat of the moment and caused him to fire back so harshly.

It distresses Jongin to ponder on it, so he clears his thoughts by leaning down to nudge Kyungsoo’s head up and connect their lips tenderly – even his agonised conscience isn’t strong enough to overpower how hard his heart pounds for Kyungsoo’s soft lips.

“I promise we’ll get through this,” Jongin mumbles soothingly. Kyungsoo nods, rubbing his eyes to rid them of tears, and they finally break away.

“I should go home,” Jongin says. Kyungsoo nods again, backing away, too choked up to reply.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo whispers.

Jongin stares at the prince for a moment longer, and grabs him to kiss him firmly on the lips one last time before he swims away – back to the Surface he doesn’t want to return to, the Surface to which Kyungsoo wishes he belonged.

* * *

The sun has barely risen when Jongin seats himself at the rock shelves, the crisp dawn air chill on his skin. He grits his teeth as the breeze blows the frigid air through his t-shirt, but his shivering doesn’t discourage him. He can’t afford to miss Taemin coming to the Surface – if he comes at all.

The hours tick by slowly. Jongin watches the sun move from the horizon up into the sky, but the sunshine does little to warm the coldness in his heart.

When morning turns to noon as the numbers on Jongin’s phone flicker by, he finds himself dozing off, curled up in a sun-drenched crevice in the rocks. His eyelids battle against his will to stay awake, but eventually the gentle lapping of waves and hum of the salty sea breeze lulls him into slumber.

Jongin wakes to an orange sky and flossy pink clouds, his towel draped over his shoulders to shield him from the cool air of settling dusk.

He’s sure he wasn’t wearing it before.

✏ [ a/n ] ding dong i updated :^)

word count: 2657