They say that love conquers all, but how could that be possible? 

Love isn’t tangible.  Love isn’t sentient.  Love is but a hymn playing in the backgrounds of our hearts telling us that there’s someone out there that’s worth sacrificing for, nothing less and nothing more.

If you asked Mark just months earlier he would’ve told you that romantic love wasn’t real, a made up emotion that people lied about ever truly feeling.  Love couldn’t conquer anything.

It was Jinyoung who convinced Mark otherwise.

Love made you do wild things, driving you to the edge of what you believe in and throwing away any notion of sanity. When they say love conquers all, Mark realized, it doesn’t mean that as long as you are in love things will always work out.  It meant that when you’re in love, no matter what the circumstances, you will to find a way to overcome anything.

Mark ran as quickly as he could through the crowd, pushing his way towards the front.

When the rope fell slack and came loose, Jinyoung fell freely and Mark threw himself to the ground to catch him in his arms, successfully cushioning his fall.

Jinyoung was in a daze, not realizing what had happened.  His eyes were squeezed shut as if he were scared to open them. “Jinyoung.”

Jinyoung’s body reacted to the sound of Mark’s voice, opening his eyes and staring into his helmet.  “What… what’s going on?”  Jinyoung’s eyes darted around and he realized where he was, his hands feeling the rope still around his neck. “I’m dead and you… ” 

Mark tipped his helmet off and finally he was able to see Jinyoung’s face clearly.  It felt like forever since he last saw him; he had almost forgotten what it was like to be this happy.  “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.  You’re alive.”

“Alive…? Are you not lying this time?  This isn’t heaven?”

“I promise there’s nothing that could make this moment any more real than it already is.”

Jinyoung looked up at him and smiled sincerely as tears fell from the sides of his eyes.  Mark was sure this scene alone was far greater than anything heaven had to offer.

“This is impossible!  Guards, what are you doing?  You insolent fools, kill them!  Kill them both immediately!”  King Park was flailing his arms around b with anger.  No matter how much he ordered none of the guards moved an inch.  “How could this happen?  Who let this happen?!”

The townspeople were shocked speechless, not understanding what was happening.  The prison guards held their weapons ready so that nobody would move.

“It wasn’t that hard; shouldn’t you guys use stronger rope for this kind of thing?  I loosened it enough so it would snap easily.”  Jackson spoke up bravely, pulling his helmet off and tossing it to the ground. 

“Why isn’t anyone doing anything?!  Capture them!  Do something!”  King Park was furious, stepping down from where he was standing himself.  “If nobody moves I’ll take matters into my own hands!”

Like clockwork all the prison guards turned their weapons towards him, outnumbering him and rendering him helpless.

“You guys are not allowed to point your weapon at me!  Lower your weapons; this is an order from your king!” 

“They’re not on your side.”  Mark could hear Jaebum’s voice dripping with venom and he yelled to the extent that his voice would let him.  He was leaning heavily against Youngjae, one leg in the air, trying to stand on his own.  “They were never on your side.”

“You, “King Park’s eyes widened as he caught sight of Jaebum “You should be locked up, rotting away beneath the castle.”

“If you never wanted to see me again then maybe you should’ve killed me when you had the chance, I mean, we all know that’s what you do when you want someone out of your way, right?” Jaebum was using the last ounce of strength left in his body to make sure he would be able to say what he needed to say.

“Kill him!  Kill him now!” King Park kept yelling, now frantic in his motions.

“You think after spending so much time locked up all alone with the guards we would’ve never spoken?  We know everything, all those words you spoke right to my face because you thought I would be dead before I could say anything,” Jaebum turned to the crowd to address them directly.  “This man has committed the highest crime known to our civilization, high treason.  He killed your former king with his own hands so that he could come to power by himself!”  Jaebum yelled so loudly Mark felt chills run up his spine as he spoke.

The people of the kingdom all had conflicting ideas when it came to many things regarding the kingdom, but if there was something that everyone shared it was pure allegiance to their former king.  He was the saviour of their kingdom, and everyone had been devastated when they found out about his sudden passing.  The only people who knew the truth were the guards who worked closely to the king, Queen Park, and Jaebum. 

The guards hated the king and wanted to rebel, but Jaebum was smarter than that.  He told them that they should keep quiet for now and wait until the moment was right.  Earn his trust only to let him fall when it mattered.  When Jaebum told them everything they devised a plan; a plan to put an end to King Park’s reign of terror once and for all. 

The crowd started getting restless; the information lay out in the open.  Everyone was either lost or furious.

“If you still need more convincing that I’m telling the truth, just take a look at me!  Every broken bone, every scar, every cut was caused by him!  I am living proof of the evil lurking in his heart!” 

Jinyoung and Mark completely forgotten, the crowd was in an uproar.  They started chanting “Down with King Park!”  For the first time, Mark saw complete dread behind King Park’s eyes. 

“Don’t say it please, I absolutely hate when people call me that.”  Jinyoung was sitting in the palace, mulling over the sudden responsibilities that had fallen into his lap.  Mark was prodding the top of his head, trying to get him to calm down.

Due to the arrest of both of his parents the day before, the kingdom was left in shambles, no rulers and the western kingdom still pushing forward with the war, despite King Park being removed from the throne.

Jinyoung had been put in charge of the kingdom, for now, trying to fix everything his father messed up as the oldest heir to the throne.  The former king’s family had been contacted and agreed to succeed the throne as soon as the kingdom was at peace again.

“We have to stop this but you can’t really go taking back war declarations so easily.  I invited the ruler of the western kingdom to have a discussion about the war situation but I have no idea if I’ll be able to convince her to drop the declaration.  She’s downstairs.”

Jaebum was lying somewhere in a doctor's bed trying his best to recover.  He was lucky that although the scars would never go away, his broken bones would heal and he would be able to walk again.  Youngjae stayed by his side.

“Her?”  Mark asked, knowing his knowledge of the kingdom rulers was rusty.

Bambam, Yugyeom, Sooyoung, and Jackson stayed with Mark and Jinyoung, trying their best to help him sort out things as well.  It was Bambam’s idea to invite the queen of the western kingdom directly there even though Jinyoung had been uncertain it was the right thing to do.  “The queen of the western kingdom; Queen Bhuwakul, I heard she’s pretty intense.  If we have to go into war I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Everyone looked worried but Bambam looked at Yugyeom with resolve before speaking up.  “I’ve learned a thing or two about facing your own demons these past days, and I think I can help bring peace back to the kingdom.”

“Bambam?”  Jinyoung looked at Mark only to see he was just as confused as he was.

Bambam walked down the stairs before anyone could ask him what was going on.  “Hey, wait!”  Jinyoung jogged after him and the rest followed closely behind.

Downstairs Queen Bhuwakul of the western kingdom stood tall, her dress adorned magnificently.  Her face stern until she caught a glimpse of Bambam’s face.  “Kunpimook?”

Mark watched in silence as the queen suddenly had tears in her eyes. 

“Kunpimook?  Is that really you?”

“Mom… I’m sorry.”

Mark faltered before he could stop himself.  “Mom?!  That means Bambam-“

“Is a prince of the western kingdom?  That’s correct.”  Yugyeom answered for him.

“But, that means you…”  Mark was trying to put together the pieces in his mind.  How could he have not known?  What did Bambam say about himself again?  His mind was drawing a blank.

“I’m not a prince if that’s what you were wondering.  I’m just a lowly stable worker that happened to fall in love with someone way out of their league,” Yugyeom continued.  “We were frightened of reality; we knew that nobody would accept us.  That’s why we ran away.”

Mark was stunned silent.  This whole time he had been so scared of his situation when something so similar had happened to the two of them.  Their kindness made so much more sense now.  They knew exactly what they were feeling the entire time.

“Don’t apologize!  Oh!  Just come here!”  The queen pulled Bambam into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“You’re not upset?”  Bambam asked.

“Of course I’m upset, but only for the fact that you worried me so much.  Do you know how long I looked for you?  I knew about everything, but I didn’t realize you would go so far as to leave me.”

Bambam pushed her away for a moment.  “Wait, you knew about...”

“Yugyeom?  I knew.”  She answered calmly and Mark saw Yugyeom’s jaw drop next to him.

“You were okay with it?!”  Bambam was so embarrassed his cheeks were redder than a ripe tomato.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that I was okay with it, but you’re my son and whatever you do I can’t help but love and support you.  If this is the life you want to live and it’s what makes you happy, then who am I to oppose you?”

That when Bambam cried, he really cried,  Mark and Jinyoung just stared in silence, quietly wishing their parents treated them with even a fraction of love Bambam’s mom had for her son.  “I was so scared, I’m so sorry.”

“But, what are you doing here?”

Bambam wiped away his tears and pulled himself together.  He went and grabbed Jinyoung by the arm and pulled him in front of the queen.  “This is Prince Park, or I guess King Park under the current circumstances.  I know you came to discuss war, but this kingdom no longer wants to fight.  Former King Park has been arrested and we want to bring peace to the kingdom again.  Jinyoung is my friend and all of us would appreciate if you withdraw any and all acclamations you have against the northern kingdom.” 

“You, “Queen Bhuwakul eyed him up and down.  “You are King Park’s son?  The one who was supposed to marry my daughter?”

Mark had almost forgotten about that.  This has all started because Jinyoung didn’t go through with the marriage.  “That is correct.”  Jinyoung answered truthfully.

“Are you able to be engaged at this time?”  Mark instinctively put his arm around Jinyoung and pulled him closer defensively.  He didn’t want to hear about this nonsense again.

“Mom, I’m telling you now he’s an awful match for my sister, horrible really, I promise the kingdom will find someone else for her to marry.  There’s no reason to pursue this matter any further.  I will find somebody myself if I have to.”  Bambam pleaded.

The Queen didn’t seem too convinced, but he saw the way Mark had his arm around Jinyoung and the wheels seemed to click in place.  “I see, very well then.  Kunpimook, you must find a prince that is willing to be married before the month is up and I will sign any document that will let us stay at peace with this kingdom.  I don’t condone bloodshed for no good reason.  The one I was angry at is longer in power; I can rest easy knowing I won’t be bothered by him anymore.”

Mark let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and Jinyoung was trying not to smile but he couldn’t hold back.  “Thank you so much, I will no longer be in power when we are at peace but I hope our relations will always stay well.”

“Alright, if that’s all I’ll be leaving,” She turned around and her guards stood to walk her out.  “Kunpimook, I do hope you’ll join me.  The kingdom misses you.”

Bambam looked at Yugyeom worriedly. 

“And yes, you can bring Yugyeom with you.  I’d like to meet him as well.”

Yugyeom and Bambam took one last look at everyone before saying their goodbyes and following behind the queen. 

 “King Park is gone, war crisis evaded, all that’s left to deal with...”  Jinyoung thought aloud.

“The kingdom of Jinhae,” Sooyoung popped up next to him with a huge grin on her face.  “Now that our parents are likely to be executed in the coming days and the former king’s family will regain control that leaves us back in power of Jinhae.”

“That leaves us in charge, just the two of us?”

“More like just you.  You’re the proper heir to the throne, from this moment on you are officially crowned King Park Jinyoung, ruler of Jinhae!”  Sooyoung smiled like she was celebrating but Jinyoung wasn’t exactly happy.  “Is something wrong?”

Mark was sure he was thinking the same thing as Jinyoung.

“Listen, now that the entire kingdom knows about my… circumstances, there are still a lot of people who will hate me for who I am, or even want me dead.  On top of that, I don’t want to be a royal.  I have never been happy living a royal lifestyle. Yes, we are rich and get treated well but there’s so much more to life!”

Sooyoung listened carefully, she had already known he had been opposed to the royal lifestyle bit it was still weird to hear someone turn down being a king.

“Did you know that some people say there’s more land across the waters?  Different places, different people, I think it would nice to travel the world, go on adventures, be free, just anything but being locked up in that castle and having to abide by the rules set in place.  I’m absolutely sick of it.”

Sooyoung nodded her head accepting the facts.  “I’m assuming Mark feels the same way?”

“Of course, I’d love to travel, especially with Jinyoung by my side.”

Sooyoung sighed.  “I’ll never understand you, what’s going to happen to the kingdom of Jinhae then?  It’s already a mess back home.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ve realized there is one last heir to the throne, and I don’t know about you, but I think ‘Queen Park Sooyoung’ rolls off the tongue rather nicely.”  Jinyoung chuckled at the way Sooyoung was suddenly beaming, overjoyed with the situation.

“Queen?  Me?  That seems like a wonderful solution!”  She went in and gave Jinyoung a tight hug.  “Seriously, you’re the best brother a girl could ask for, don’t forget that, alright?”

“You’re the best sister a guy could ask for, you really made me have faith that not everyone in this family in completely awful.”

Sooyoung pulled away and looked at Mark.  “Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid, alright?  I can’t afford to lose any more family.” 

“Of course, thanks, Sooyoung,” Mark had to give her a hug as well since he loved her like his own sister at this point.  “For everything.”

“So you’re a queen, does this make me king?”  Mark didn’t even know where Sungjae had popped out from.

“Think again, I’m the queen.  No matter what happens your permanent title is going to be my servant.”  Sooyoung said ruthlessly.

“What, how is that fair?”  Sungjae poked her cheeks and acted cutely but Sooyoung was unaffected.

“I’m the Queen of Jinhae and I’m the only ruler they need!  That’s the final decision, no complaining, or maybe I’ll consider my relationship status altogether.”

Sungjae paled at the thought.  “Oh!  Your majesty, yes of course!  I’ll obey your every command!”  Sungjae dropped to his knees and Sooyoung laughed at him.

“Stop, that’s weird!”  Sungjae got back and pulled her into a hug.  Mark and Jinyoung realized their conversation was over and decided to leave.

“With that, just about everything is taken care of.”  Jinyoung said as he pulled Mark close. 

“I think there’s just one more thing I have to take care of actually.”  Mark looked adoringly at Jinyoung, unable to hold back the grin creeping across his face.

“Oh, what could that be?”  The words barely had time to leave Jinyoung’s lips before Mark pulled him in for a searing kiss.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”  Mark said when they finally separated, both of them out of breath.

“Don’t stop then,” Jinyoung pulled him back in so that he could feel Jinyoung’s breath against his damp lips as he spoke.  “We have all the time in the world.”

“Love you, so much.”  Mark mumbled against Jinyoung’s lips.

“Love you too.”  Jinyoung replied.

When their lips joined again Mark was certain they were going to stay like this for a very long time.

…

“Uh- should I leave now?”  Jinyoung pushed himself off Mark when he heard Jackson’s voice.

“Jackson?  How long have you-“

“I was actually standing here the whole time, I wanted to join in celebrating and stuff too but I mean if you two would like to be alone…”

Mark groaned as he put a hand on his face.  Typical Jackson.

“Okay, I got the message, we can talk tomorrow!  I’ll go visit Jaebum or something…”  Jackson didn’t need to be told; he left willingly, finally leaving them alone.

Jinyoung couldn’t help but laugh at how distraught Mark was. 

“You’re really leaving the western kingdom for good?”  Jinyoung watched as Yugyeom held his hand and helped him on the boat.  “I thought everything was okay.”

“Everything is fine, my mom is okay with me and Yugyeom’s relationship but I know if I stay it’s only going to bring a bad reputation to our kingdom.  Not everyone accepts me, and if I stay there could be people who oppose us for that reason alone.  I love my family a lot, but if it’s for the good of our kingdom I can leave knowing that there’s always someone back home who cares about me.”  Bambam admitted.

“So you two are going to travel?  I would’ve thought you would go back to your nice house in the forest.”  Jinyoung said as he and Mark followed behind boarding the boat.

“We debated going back, but we thought this was an opportunity we shouldn’t skip out on.  As long as you two are here we feel safe.”  Bambam looked lovingly at Yugyeom.  “Besides, I never actually liked your gross plant soup anyways.”

Yugyeom’s face immediately fell.  “What?!  I thought our relationship was built on trust and honesty but this entire time I’ve been deceived!”  Yugyeom pointed his finger right in his face.  “Liar!”

“Yeah yeah okay, you’ll get over it in ten minutes.  You love me too much to stay angry at me.”  Bambam replied condescendingly.

Yugyeom tried to say something back but he realized Bambam was right and decided to drop it, only crossing his arms and pouting in response.

“Do you want me to carry you, Jaebum?”  Jackson offered his arms out to Jaebum, who was hopping on one foot aboard the boat.

“No, I’m perfectly fine.”  Jaebum replied, even though he was clearly not.

“At least use your crutches properly!  What are you doing, hopping on one foot and flailing one crutch around is not how you’re going to heal.  Why are you coming anyways?  You should stay back here.”  Jackson held on to the Jaebum’s arm and Youngjae walked behind him so he wouldn’t fall over.

“I have no reason to stay in the kingdom anymore, there’s nothing left for me here.  Besides, Youngjae thought travelling might be fun too, and he’s not going without me.”  Jaebum stated proudly and Youngjae ducked his head down knowing this was partially his fault.

“I’m sorry, I told him he should stay home and heal properly but he refused.”  Youngjae admitted.

The three of them boarded the boat behind Mark and Jinyoung.  “I really hope you two finally solidified this ‘sort of’ relationship thing you have going on, or else I might just have to take Youngjae for myself.”  Jackson side-hugged Youngjae and Jaebum glared at him.

“He doesn’t want you.”  Jaebum sneered.

“Is that so?  You left us alone for so long Jaebum, I can’t say that no relationship developed between us during that time… isn’t that right Youngjae?”  Jackson winked at him and Youngjae decided to play along.

“Oh!  Jackson was so comforting when you left me all alone, It’s only natural something developed between us!”  Youngjae leaned into Jackson side and smiled cheekily at him.

Jaebum stabbed his crutch right into Jackson’s stomach and watched him keel over in pain.  “Back off.”

“Ahh, sorry Jackson!”  Youngjae moved and attached himself to Jaebum.  “Jaebum is mine now.”

Jaebum looked flustered at Youngjae’s sudden confession; the tips of his ears reddening as he couldn’t even look over at him.

“Isn’t that right, Jaebum?”  Youngjae leaned his face in closer which only made Jaebum more embarrassed, but once he saw how cutely Youngjae was eyeing him he smiled softly.

“Of course, I’m yours.”  Jaebum whispered as their faces were so close they touched noses and just looked at each other blissfully.

“Ahhh!  Heart attack!”  Jackson clutched his chest and fell over at the sight, Mark and Jinyoung burst out laughing from where they were watching from behind.

“Mark,” Jinyoung intertwined his fingers with Mark’s as he pulled him over to the side of the boat, staring into the ocean far beyond them.  “What do you think is out there?”

“I’m not sure.”  Mark rested his hand on his chin as he leaned over the railing.

“Do you think there are different places and people out there, communities of people who believe in completely different things?”  Jinyoung mused.

“That would be cool, that’s why we’re going out there right?  To find out?”  Mark gave Jinyoung’s hand a little squeeze and Jinyoung rested his head against his shoulder.

“I guess… it feels so weird leaving the kingdom behind, though.  All that we’ve been through, it’s finally over.”

“This isn’t the end.”

Jinyoung looked over at Mark, who was staring wistfully into the open waters.  “Oh?”

When Mark fell in love with Jinyoung it felt like he was drowning, buried deep beneath the waters but enjoying every moment of it cautiously.  Now, he felt himself rising to the surface, able to love without the weight of the world constantly holding him down.  He finally reached the surface, breathing in the crisp ocean air for the first time.  He was finally free.