Chapter Eight – Boundless

Xiumin could be a pet, Ka’yen thought. The rabbit, even though he’s not really one, was quiet and obedient. He was still on his shoulder, occasionally looking left and right just to observe the change surroundings and atmosphere when he reached Ybarra. Going back to the castle wasn’t his first idea, however he wouldn’t dare to meet more of those rogue mages who could kill him in cold ice alone in the forest.

There was something different about the city today though. They were—excited? Many people were in the main square where a huge bonfire was, a lot of vendors surrounding the place with children and teenagers playing around.

He tried one of the most wanted foods there, it was a bread with hot chocolate filling. It was warm in his mouth, melting before it slid down his throat.

Ka’yen watched some maidens singing with a group of men who were playing string and wood instruments. They were holding tambourines, tapping them with the heels of their palms as they sang. It was beautiful… their voices were beautiful, the song was beautiful.

That was when they raised a flag of a phoenix.

They were waving them, full of glory and happiness.

He stared in awe when there were suddenly lights in the sky, beautiful explosives, all colourful but mostly red, orange and yellow. His neck ached as he craned it up to watch them, when a little boy bumped on his side and fell on his bum.

“Sorry! Oh my are you alright?” he asked and helped the kid get up. The boy dusted his pants and nodded with a giggle. “I’m alright mister!”

He thought he would take the opportunity to ask what was going on. “Kiddo what is this… feast about?”

The kid looked around and giggled, “It’s the king’s brother’s birthday today. This is a special day for the king so we are all celebrating it!”

“The king’s brother? He had one?” shocked, he asked.

The kid nodded, “Yes! His name was Baekhyun but they said he passed away long, long time ago. So during 6^th of Moonravel month, we celebrate his birthday.”

It’s quite heart-warming to know that they were doing this for a deceased person—when he, who had forgotten when his birthday was, has no one to celebrate it with him.

As he passed the bridge towards the castle, a loud wave of horn sounds almost made his ear bleed. He turned around when he heard one of the palace guards announced the arrival of the guests’ arrival.

Ka’yen expected a carriage, or at least group of stallions with soldiers of travellers on its back but what he saw dragged his heels back against the snow. His jaws dropped down when the dark brown wolf, large and majestic like Sehun together with another one, fur of light blonde with streaks of green walked inside.

There were two men sitting on each wolf’s back. The one had dark hair with golden eyes, and the other one has light blonde hair and green highlights, strikingly similar to the wolf he was riding. All he could do was to step aside and let them through. If their arrival was announced it also meant that they were important.

He bowed his head just as the wolves passed him by. He waited until they were a few feet away when he let out the breath he didn’t think he was holding.

“Yen! There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I thought something happened when I didn’t see you for breakfast.”

Ka’yen turned around and saw his friend Ravi running towards him, huffing. It made him smile to see that the younger was worried about him. However he chose to rather than show how he was touched though, “Well I thought I wasn’t needed anymore, since you and Leo had been so busy with each other.” He raised a brow with a smirk.

“What?”

Ka’yen laughed at how ridiculous Ravi looked like right now. “I’m just kidding!”

Ravi rolled his eyes on the elder, “Alright let’s get inside it’s freezing out here.”

With one last glance, Ka’yen turned his head to the right. The visitors were a few meters away from him, but they had stopped in the midway towards the castle. The dark haired boy was looking at him with wide eyes, gold and glassy. His heart shaped lips parted whether from shock or…disbelief he couldn’t determine.

Nevertheless, he left the front yard with Ravi who was already talking about the feast today in the castle.

The last time they visited Ybarra was a long time ago however nothing changed in the aspects of how loving and warm the people are despite of the deathly cold weather. Luhan had sent them a message that Chanyeol was awake and he was now in their custody. Of course, Kai wanted to see how their brother was and they immediately went off.

They met Yixing two days in their journey and they travelled together then. Against the hailstorm they wore nothing but thick animal pelts that they have sewn into coats.

And finally now that they have arrived, they could finally rest. Kyungsoo observed the people celebrates Baekhyun’s birthday, an annual festival that Luhan declared to honor his brother’s memory. It made him smile though. The large bonfire and the warmth it brought reminded him of his best friend.

The warmth, the joy, the smiles he gives to everyone just by his existence, his silly jokes with his snarky little mouth.

Kyungsoo was in his little world when he heard someone call out an unfamiliar name. Yes he doesn’t know who that Yen was, and he has no intention to know, but when someone spoke, his head whipped around so fast he thought his neck snapped.

He found a red head guy, the side profile of his face barely seen. He might be a two hundred years old gramps as Kai teases him, but his memory is still sharp as how young he looked. There’s no doubt that the voice—was strikingly similar to that person whom he was just thinking about.

It was so similar that it brought chills in his skin.

It felt like he was him.

Kyungsoo would’ve just shrug it off, because they were just similar, yes but it’s nothing to fuss about. With so many people living in the world no wonder it was possible. But the man decided to turn his head towards his direction, and all the air in his lungs was immediately out.

Impossible.

When the man left he was still left there, stunned and motionless. Yixing and Kai noticed it though, as they both stopped and the former broke the silence that thickened by the second.

“Kyungsoo… Are you alright?”

The said man blinked, much to Yixing’s surprise when he saw that lone tear from his round topaz eyes.

“Kyungsoo—“

He didn’t know why but he suddenly jumped from Kai’s back, running towards the direction of that man. He knew it was impossible—but he couldn’t hold back the wave of emotions that hit him when he saw the man’s face.

Ka’yen followed Ravi to the back entrance of the palace. The younger has just entered when he heard approaching footsteps from behind, accompanied by uneven pants. He didn’t expect that one who was riding the wolf’s back suddenly collided with him, with his arms tightly wrapping around him in a firm embrace.

It must have been the shock that muted him. Or maybe it was the warm tears that suddenly damped his coat. Or maybe it was the fact that the stranger was hugging him so tight. Nevertheless the stranger tightened his hold. Was it just him, or his clothes were getting damp?

“Baekhyun…”

Ravi didn’t know the man, but he didn’t also like it when someone takes advantage of Yen. Although younger, Ravi has been protective of Ka’yen and Leo. He was one of the reasons why no one really dared to lay their hands on them, despite of their exceptional beauty and pull to both genders.

“Who do you think you are—“ Ravi growled, pulling the man away from Ka’yen. The latter didn’t expect the stranger to have puffy and red eyes.

“Wha—Ravi… can you please give us a minute?” he asked the younger without taking his gaze away from the stranger.

“What?” The younger frowned, however with one knowing look from Ka’yen he shut his mouth and waited inside.

 Once they were alone, Ka’yen turned his attention back to the stranger. “What did you just call me?”

Kyungsoo wiped the tears with the back of his hand and took Ka’yen’s hand. “Baekhyun… You’re Baekhyun.” He said. “Don’t you remember me? I’m Kyungsoo I’m your friend!”

Kyungsoo—friend—Baekhyun—

Nothing made sense to Ka’yen. “N-no I am not. You’ve mistaken me from somebody else—I’m not Baekhyun… certainly I’m not your friend… I didn’t mean to be rude but it’s our first time meeting sir. So can you please…let my hand go?”

“What are you talking about? You can’t lie to me Baekhyun I know it’s you!”

“Kyungsoo!”

Both of them turned to the source of the voice, Ka’yen bowing his head at the sight of the approaching King.

Luhan met Yixing in the throne room with Suho and Kai, but he found Kyungsoo gone. The healer told him he ran off somewhere, looking like he had seen a ghost. After that he was already on his feet looking for the other. Seeing him with Ka’yen had his heart stop.

This can’t be good.

“I’m sorry Ka’yen, but Kyungsoo just find you similar to his friend. Kyungsoo let’s go inside we have much to discuss about.” When Luhan exchanged looks with Kyungsoo before the latter nodded and walked away, Ka’yen was left there squinting his eyes at the retreating figure of the two.

He might not be a noble or an aristocrat. But he wasn’t that uneducated to not know that he was being fooled by the king. He holds no education diploma, but it wouldn’t take a genius that whatever it was, the king was hiding something from him.

Something’s odd. Something’s wrong.

Ka’yen could feel it. And he will find out what it was.

a.n.

entitled boundless because i think it describe kyung's and baek's friendship?