They continued walking for several hours, Jong Woon didn’t let his pain and exhaustion turn into a burden for both of them, he swallowed the pain to himself and continued walking, using Ryeowook’s support more every once in a while. The prince, on his side, was doing his best to continue although he felt hungry, thirsty and tired, he wanted to go as far as he could before they think in resting.

It was when the night covered the woods completely that Jong Woon stopped and took a deep breath before looking back, hearing intently at every single sound that animals and nature made to make sure they weren’t being followed “I think they didn’t follow us.” He said with a soft smile.

“Good… I’ll look for a place to hide.” Ryeowook said, turning around and walking to a place with more trees and bushes around.

Jong Woon watched him go, feeling that pang of remorse and guilt stabbing his chest and stomach. He still couldn’t come to face Ryeowook directly, couldn’t find the words to apologise and say how stupid he was for supporting his father and not trying to save him when everything started to happen, of saying how much he hated himself for letting those idiots hurt him and treat him so badly. He simply couldn’t although he knew he was running out of time.

After some time, Ryeowook finished doing whatever he was doing and came back to find Jong Woon sitting down on a small rock while he massaged his leg softly “Does… Does it hurt too much?” He couldn’t stop himself from asking while he looked at him.

“A-A little, yes, but don’t worry about me, please” He pleaded, he couldn’t accept any more good things from him, didn’t feel right “How do you feel, Prince?”

“I’m… Fine.” He muttered, helping him to stand up and dragging him to the kind of bed he made on the floor “We should rest for a while and then continue.”

He sat down softly and thanked him with a small nod while he moved his leg so it wasn’t all bended and uncomfortable, glancing at Ryeowook that sat down in another similar bed a little bit away from where he was and was currently staring at the floor, completely lost in his own thoughts.

Looking up, he noticed they weren’t that far away from the castle and he knew that it needed to be now, he was completely running out of time and was completely sure that the moment he stepped inside those grounds, he was going to be captured.

“Prince…” He started, his voice barely stronger than a whisper “Can I talk to you?”

He noticed how Ryeowook tensed noticeably and how he broke the small branch he was using to draw on the dirt, he could tell how conflicted the other was feeling, almost like him.

“Sure, I listen.” He muttered, leaving his head down.

“I’m sorry, your majesty” He knew it wasn’t the best thing to start, but he just shook his head an continued “I know I was the one that needed to protect you, that I swear in front of your parents that I was even going to give my life for yours, I know… But I was so confused back then, my father filled my head with things related to my mother, saying she didn’t deserve to die and blaming the crown for it, it took me so long to realise how stupid it was.”

He stopped for a minute, waiting to see if Ryeowook had something to say, but the prince was hugging his knees without saying something or even looking up so he decided to continue.

“In that time I let them hurt you, let them treat you like if you were nothing, I can’t forgive me, I can’t believe I did this to you and I have spent all day and night regretting it. You had all the right to hate me, like I said I hate myself… I just want to tell you prince that you mean a lot to me and that I will accept the punishment I deserve, you won’t have to see me if that’s your wish… I-I will accept everything.” He didn’t realise he was crying until he stopped and felt a tear falling on his hand; ashamed, he looked away, feeling that at least he said what he needed to say and that he wasn’t going to die regretting he could have said something.

“W-Why you didn’t help me when I was calling you…” Ryeowook’s weak voice broke the silence that was left after Jong Woon’s words, making the later to look back at him, seeing Ryeowook’s body being shaken softly by quiet sobs.

“Prince…”

“I was so scared, confused, I was still half asleep when I heard voices and I was scared because I thought something bad was happening, but then I saw you a-and, and I felt better because I knew nothing bad could happen if you were there, protecting me” He said, now more than obvious that he was crying “But then your father attacked me, I couldn’t understand why and still I believed you were going to stop him, but you didn’t, you hurt me and did everything he told you to do…Why?”

“Like I told you, prince, I was really confused, I couldn’t understand what to do, how to react” He felt horrible for making him feel so bad, he had no right to make him cry, he didn’t deserve his tears, he was nothing “I’m not trying to cover what I did, but you know how much my mother meant to me and hearing him talking about her was too much for me and for a stupid minute I believed it was the right thing to do.”

Ryeowook didn’t say anything else, he continued hugging himself tightly while the soft sobs escaped his lips, his mind was a mess and he felt he was just about to explode.

“I’m sorry-“

“I feel something for you!” He suddenly yelled, lifting his teary face to look at Jong Woon who was looking at him with wide eyes “That night when I went to sleep knowing you were still outside made me feel so troubled, more than once I stopped myself from opening the door and tell you to come inside… As I started to think more about everything I realised what I felt for you, it wasn’t just the general feeling of gratefulness towards you, I- You have been with me since I was a baby and as we grow up I realised I… fell in love with you.”

Jong Woon couldn’t move, couldn’t think, coul