Ten year old Wu Yifan raced through the castle, glancing behind him at his best friend Zhang Yixing who was lagging behind. “C’mon or he will catch us!”

“Fan, I don’t think I can…” Yixing gasped, breaths heaving out of him painfully, as he clutched at his sides that felt as if they were on fire.

“Oh come on!” Yifan snatched up his friend’s wrist and tugged him along roughly, furtively glancing behind him, amber eyes searching for the shadow of his language tutor.

Yixing stumbled, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. “Fan please…” he pleaded, trying to wrench his hand out of Yifan’s grip. His chest was hurting and the air felt like it was being out of his lungs. His knees buckled and he nearly fell again, only to be caught in his friend's arms.

Yifan dragged him behind a corner, still wheezing, just in time before the tutor stormed into the hallway.

“Wu Yifan!” The man yelled, looking for all the world as if he was about to explode.

Yifan giggled and covered his mouth as he slid onto the floor. Yixing took this opportunity to catch his breath, though it was hard with him curled halfway in his best friend’s lap.

For a while now, the sight of Yifan had been enough to steal the air from Yixing’s lungs. Yifan always made him feel funny every time he initiated contact by grabbing his wrist or waist. Yixing did not appreciate the feeling of breathlessness every time he saw his best friend, but he still pretended as if he was fine when inside, he was wondering if he should consult his father about this impending illness of his.

Yifan curled his hand around Yixing's wrist again, tugging him up to his feet just as he felt as if he could breathe again. “Run!” Yifan whispered, nudging him hard.

Yixing staggered before Yifan’s momentum caught him and they sprinted down the hallway, very aware of the boots thudding heavily behind them as they made their escape.

After tugging open the heavy door at the end of the hallway, the two of them tumbled out into the gardens. The grass was unbelievably soft beneath their bare feet when they slowed to catch their breaths, sure that the tutor would not think to search for them in the gardens.

“Come on little star, you’re it!” Yifan touched Yixing’s arm and broke away from him, darting across the garden like a swallow, amber eyes shining with mischief and delight.

Yixing let out a noise of frustration as he set off after his friend. He could never catch Yifan. No matter how hard he tried, Yifan was always just out of reach, both literally and figuratively, though the boy was still too young to know what the difference between their statuses meant. Yixing struck out across the luxurious lawn, determined to catch him this time. He barrelled after Yifan, who darted away from him easily and made a break for the garden maze. He slipped between two tall hedges and vanished from sight.

With his chest heaving and his sides burning again, Yixing cursed inwardly and swore that he would be more active, if only so that he could catch Yifan just one time. He doubled over at the entrance of the maze, clutching at his stomach, trying to get enough air into his lungs.

“Little star, have you given up yet?” Yifan’s teasing voice rose into the air.

Yixing bit back a pained gasp as he broke into a run, more determined than ever to make his friend pay. He chased Yifan all the way to the centre of the maze, tall green hedges flying past him as he tried to breathe past the burning in his lungs.

“Given up now XingXing?” Yifan sing songed as he danced just out of reach of Yixing’s outstretched fingers. “Oh Yifan, do stop teasing Yixing. He’s exhausted.” A soft, gentle voice came up from behind them and Yifan turned to see the gardener, also Yixing’s mother, walk into the center.

Yixing glared at him, stopping in his chase to bend over, clutching at his stomach again and wheezing painfully.

Yifan pouted. “It’s not my fault he likes books better than the outdoors.”

Liu Xing reached out to take her son into her arms. “You know he’s right, my star,” she said and smiled down at him.

Yixing wheezed, the air rushing into his lungs painfully cold. It was well known in the palace that Yixing had inherited both his father’s love of books and his mother’s passion for plants. For a child only at the tender age of nine, Yixing had read a remarkable amount of books. He spent most of his time devouring the books in the castle’s library or out in the gardens on his knees with his mother, that is, when he was not with Yifan. Yixing was like Yifan’s shadow. Wherever Yifan went, you were sure to find Yixing not far behind, tagging along like a little puppy, sometimes with a book in his hands.

“That’s not true.” Yixing retorted as soon as he had gotten his breath back. “I spend a lot of time in the gardens.”

“Yeah, gardening. Not running or playing. Sometimes you’re such a bore Yixing.” Yifan rolled his eyes and plopped onto the soft grass, examining the flowers planted on the hedges in the center of the maze.

Ignoring the sting of Yifan’s words, Yixing settled himself down next to Yifan. The prince prodded at the flower carefully, mesmerised by the bright yellow colour. “What’s this flower called?” Yifan asked curiously.

“It’s a chrysanthemum. It symbolizes fidelity, optimism, joy and long life.” Yixing recited the words from memory. “It relieves sore throat, fever and can ease digestion.”

Liu Xing smiled. “Well done, Yixing.”

Yixing grinned up at his mother who patted his head before turning to clip at the flowers adorning the paragon sitting not far from where the two boys were lying on the grass.

“What are the two of you doing here anyway? Isn’t it nearly time for your archery lesson, Yifan?” Liu Xing winked at her son.

Yifan sat up. “We’d better go. Thanks for reminding me Xing jie.” Liu Xing always asked Yifan to call her jie despite the fact that she was Yixing’s mother.

Yixing groaned when Yifan dragged him to his feet. “Bye, Mama.” He called as he broke into a run after Yifan who had vanished again into the maze.

The two boys hurried to pull on boots in order not to be late. Yixing would not have minded even if they were. If there was one lesson in the world that Yixing could hate, archery would be the one. The arrow never obeyed his will and always flew in another direction whenever he tried. He could recite everything to do with archery written in the books but could never do it right. However, he did his best, because Yifan excelled at this class and would never miss it for the world. Captain Huang always praised Yifan for his form and precision while Yixing could barely hold the bow straight enough to shoot.

“Well, you guys are early.” Captain Huang greeted them with a smile, his eight year old son standing a little ways behind him. Yifan had met Zitao before and thought him to be adorable. Yixing was too busy gasping for air to return his greeting.

“Today, Yifan will be learning horseback archery," Captain Huang said, "while you, Yixing will pick up where you left off in the last lesson.”

Yifan cheered while Yixing looked at the ground sulkily. It was going to be a long lesson…

 

 

 “That was amazing, even though I missed nearly all the targets.” Yifan chattered happily as they headed in the direction of the dining hall where dinner awaited them.

Yixing shook his head miserably. “I’m hopeless. I can’t even hold the bow right.” He bit back tears of frustration, not wanting Yifan to think he was a cry baby. The lesson had been an absolute disaster with Captain Huang trying to correct his aim and technique and Zitao, who was a year younger than him, shooting perfect bullseyes next to him. Yixing hated not being able to do something right.

Yifan heard the catch in his friend's voice and turned to Yixing with concern in his eyes. “Are you alright?” He asked nervously. Yixing never cried, not even when he had broken his arm falling out of a tree when he was six.

Yixing swallowed hard. “I’m…I’m not feeling well. I don’t think I want dinner tonight.” He mumbled and drifted in the opposite direction of the dining hall.

Yifan turned away as well. If Yixing was not going for dinner, then he would not either. Dinner would be boring without Yixing to entertain him. “I’ll come with you.” He followed Yixing up to his chambers where the boy just left the door open and plopped face first onto his bed.

“I’m sorry about archery.” Yifan mumbled as he went to sit next to Yixing, his best friend straightening up to hug his knees to his chest. “I could help you if you want?” He offered weakly, feeling sorry that he had, although unknowingly, rubbed salt into the wound by talking about how much fun he had during his lesson.

Yixing looked up from his knees, face brightening. “Will you?”

“Yeah. We could do it after dinner. I’m sure I could persuade Nurse to let us stay out a bit later.”

Yixing snorted. “Good luck with that. We could do tomorrow afternoon? After history.”

Yifan nodded enthusiastically and reached over to pull Yixing into a hug. “Feel better, Little Star.” He murmured into the crook of Yixing’s neck.

Yixing squealed when the warmth of Yifan’s breath tickled his neck. “Eeee get away!” He shoved Yifan so hard that the poor boy nearly tumbled off the bed.

Yifan grabbed a hold of the sheets to stop himself from falling, looking hurt.

“I’m sorry. It’s just… my neck. It’s really really sensitive.” Yixing apologised, reaching out with open arms.

Yifan wrapped himself back around Yixing and hugged him, careful to avoid his neck this time.

“And I’m not little.” Yixing pouted as they separated.

“Yes you are. You’re so small.” Yifan grinned fondly at his best friend and plopped his head into Yixing’s lap. “Now I want dinner.”

 

The night ended with the Nurse hunting down the crown prince, and the pair getting a scolding for not being present in the dining hall when Duke Kim had arrived with his son eager to greet them. Besides, Yifan reasoned, Joonmyun always knew where to find them. They always spent the time after dinner in the library because Yixing wanted to read and would try to persuade Yifan into reading a book as well.

“Why did you two not come to greet us?” Joonmyun asked as he plopped into an armchair next to the fireplace in the library. Across him, Yixing had his nose buried in a book about the magical rebellion, and Yifan was rolling around on the carpeted floor, occasionally prodding at Yixing’s toes which were hanging off the floor above him.

“Yifan did not want to face the formalities,” Yixing answered without looking up from his book.

Joonmyun frowned at Yifan who was now reaching up to poke at his toes instead. “You’re the crown prince, Yifan. You need to be more polite to guests.” Joonmyun had always been a stickler for rules and also more formal. Yixing was as well but then he always listened to Yifan first.

“It’s boring. Besides, Xing, don’t act like you have not been dying to get here to read that book of yours that you are now ignoring me for.”

Yixing shot Yifan a look over the top of his massive book and kicked out his feet when Yifan tried tickling his toes again.

Joonmyun sighed and reached for the book that Yixing had lent him after countless days of begging. “You are both hopeless.”

Yixing pouted but let the words fly over his head in favour of absorbing the information from the book.

Yifan groaned and stretched. “I’m bored. Little star, sing me a song.”

Yixing sighed.

Nobody notices me, hidden in my own little corner.

Waiting for the torture to be over with no one to care for me.

The starlight shines so bright on me, the shadows so lonely and indifferent.

My life alone, leaving scars and loneliness.

The tears in my eyes soaking into my pillow listening to you talking…

 

“Why’d you stop?” Joonmyun exclaimed, outraged.

Yifan simply sighed and covered his eyes with his arm. “He cannot find the words to continue.”

Yixing glared at the text in his book. He had started the song on the little harpsichord that had been gifted to him and wrote it one night when all seemed so dark and lonely but the words to the song stopped flowing, so he stopped writing.

“That’s sad. It is a beautiful song, Yixing.” Joonmyun nodded approvingly in Yixing’s direction and Yixing flashed him a brilliant smile.

“Sing me another, little star.”

“You are very demanding, Your Highness.” Yixing kicked out just as Yifan reached up to tickle his toes again.

Yifan sat up, indignant. “Don’t call me that!”

Yixing smiled soothingly and began another song.

Innocent like a child who knows nothing, reborn into that beautiful moment.

Blinking so quickly because I fear that this may be a dream.

I stand before you now, in love and craving for your attention.

I only wish to walk with you, the both of us, with our footsteps in sync.

 

When the wind I’ve been riding lands upon your world, the white wind curls gently around you.

You ask me where I came from and I smile, saying that it’s a secret.

As long as it is always you and me walking together, heaven is wherever we will go.

 

“Did you write that one as well?” Joonmyun sighed in contentment as the last notes of the song faded away into silence.

Yixing nodded and closed his book, looking down at Yifan who was curled at the feet of his armchair, eyes half closed and nearly asleep. He smiled fondly and slid off the chair, setting his book down. “Come on now, silly Dragon. It’s time for bed.”

Together, Joonmyun and Yixing managed to wrestle Yifan into bed and retired to their own chambers for the night.

 

 

 As Yifan grew older, he started to wonder what things were like outside the safety of the castle walls. He asked once, when he turned sixteen, to be permitted to go outside, just into the marketplace to explore, but his parents were so strongly against it that he never dared to ask again. It was unfair, he thought, that Yixing could travel so freely in and out of the castle and he had to be caged like a bird with its flight feathers clipped.

Yixing took pity on him and often brought him treats from the marketplace as well as interesting texts. Those treats quenched his hunger for the outside for a while though not for long and he began to devise plans to escape the walls that were starting to become suffocating. Yixing discouraged these ideas as did Joonmyun whenever he caught wind of those plans.

Yifan didn't give up. He was determined to see the world outside, see everything that he hadn't seen yet at whatever cost. And so, one day, he managed to rope Zitao into helping him escape.

“Where do you think you are going, Your Highness?”

Damn it. His hands froze around the rope he had been planning on throwing over the wall. He hated that goddamned title and had no idea why Yixing insisted on using it the moment he'd turned eighteen. His childhood best friend stood at the base of the wall, arms folded and lips pressed tightly together in disapproval.

Yixing’s growing up had surprised Yifan the most. The chubby boy who spent all his time with books and practically worshipped him disappeared with all his baby fat and tendency to follow along with Yifan’s reckless plans. Yixing had grown up lean and incredibly beautiful with his dark soulful eyes and curly light-brown hair that flopped into his eyes. Yixing had a tendency to push it away with his slender fingers calloused from harp playing.

“Nowhere.” Yifan grinned sheepishly down at Yixing who still remained a head shorter than him.

Yixing raised an eyebrow. “In that case, you would not mind if I escorted you to your next lesson would you, Your Highness? I’ve heard stories that you have been skipping Henry’s history lessons along with Kyungsoo’s language lessons?” Yixing also had been appointed to be his advisor and happened to be his literature tutor.

Yifan sighed internally and stared longingly over the top of the wall.

“Your Highness?” Yixing’s melodious voice floated into his dreams of being free and dashed them to shreds.

Yifan turned away from the wall and towards his best friend who looked adorable in the white shirt and white pants he had decided to wear.

“Shall we be off?” Yixing cocked his head and Yifan could only swallow his protests and follow quietly along to his language lesson with Kyungsoo.

 

-

 

“Wu Yifan!” Yixing stormed into Yifan’s chambers where he had been hiding out in order to escape from having to attend Henry’s history lesson. “Where is that idiot?” Yixing muttered to himself as he slammed the doors shut behind him.

Yifan covered his mouth and tried to shrink smaller into the closet. Why oh why did they have to send Yixing? He mourned as he squashed himself deeper into the closet. Yixing was the best at hide and seek when they were little and could sniff him out like a dog. He whimpered softly at the thought of Yixing finding him because the advisor could be incredibly ruthless when it came to his lessons.

The prince held his breath when he heard footsteps passing by his closet. The footsteps paused and Yifan’s heart nearly stopped but he heaved a sigh of relief when they continued on and grew fainter. He had barely just blown out a sigh of relief when the closet door was yanked open, a shaft of light hitting him in the eye and then he was aware of a burning hot pain on his ear.

“Ow ow ow!” Yifan yelped as Yixing wrenched him to his feet by the ear.

“Why were you not in history?” Yixing asked very calmly.

The prince whimpered and grasped at his ear. “Let go and I’ll answer you.”

Yixing’s eyes narrowed and he twisted his hand, making Yifan howl in pain.

“I’m sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!” Yifan practically sobbed.

Yixing released him, grabbing him by the collar instead. “Lucky for you, you didn’t miss much because Henry is about to have a replacement class for you, aren’t you lucky Your Highness?”

The prince cowered as he was dragged out of his room and towards the classrooms by an irate advisor.