WARNING: this does NOT end well

Word Count: 12, 676

∞

His feet stomped against the ground as he continued to push himself forward, one hand gripping the bun he had stolen. Shouts came from behind, and he ignored the burn in his chest, willing his legs to go faster. Just a few more metres and-

He slammed right into something -or someone-, bun flying out of his hands. Before he could register what was happening, arms grabbed him. He thrashed, but he was too weak from having no food for the past 3 days.

“You insolent brat! Do you know-” He looked up, the man he had bumped into was already standing up, hand held out to stop the person from saying anything more.

“Sorry.” He mumbled, head lowering. Judging by the man’s expensive silk robes, he was definitely of a high status, and he knew better than to offend such people. The shouts grew louder, and he sighed inwardly. At least he would get food in the prison cells.

“Who are you? Are you his master?” The man he had stolen from demanded.

“How dare you! Do you know-” The man that was -still- holding him was stopped once again by the male he had bumped into. “Do you have any business with this person?”

“He stole from me!” He could feel the gazes on him, his head bowing lower.

“I’ll pay for it.” The silk-robed man said, and he looked up in surprise, but his head was pushed back down quickly by the male that had a firm grip on him.

“He’s been stealing from me almost every week for the past few months!”

“Here.” He heard the gasp of surprise, but he couldn’t see what was happening. “Is that enough?”

“Y-yes! Thank you! He’s yours now.” Feet shuffled away, and the male’s gaze was back on him. He felt a hand slip under his chin, tilting it upwards as he met the male’s eyes. He lowered his gaze again, not used to the attention, especially from a noble.

“Bring him back.” The hand left his chin, strong hands hauling him to his feet. He stumbled a little, weak from the lack of food, but the two men holding him stabilised him as they pushed him forward lightly.

To his surprise, he was mounted onto a horse, one of the men climbing behind him. He stiffened when the horse trotted along, he had never ridden on one before. He glanced to the side, the expensive-clothed male was on his own horse beside the one he was on, gripping the reins. As if sensing his gaze, the male turned his head towards him, and he looked away immediately.

“Grip this. Hang on tight.” The male behind him pushed the reins of the horse into his hands, and he yelped slightly when he was jerked forward, the horse breaking into a run on the male’s command. He tightened his hold, eyes squeezing shut as the horses galloped through the streets.

He cracked an eye open when the horses slowed down to a trot, reeling in surprise as he took in the sights. He had never been to this part of the city, it was far too upscale for someone like him. He started to panic when he realised the direction the horses were going towards. The palace. He released the reins, body bending sideways and immediately wincing when his shoulder came into contact with the ground.

“HEY!” He pushed himself up, forcing his legs to move as he ran. Or tried to. Maybe it was the lack of food, or maybe it was the pain in his right arm, but he barely moved a few steps before he fell backwards, head hitting the ground and blacking out the next moment.

He winced as he came to, pain spreading from the back of his head and his right arm down to the rest of his body. He was on something soft, something softer than he had ever owned before, which meant that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. His eyes flew open, and he sat up, immediately regretting as the pain increased. He turned his head slightly, eyes darting around as he tried to figure out where he was. He was lying -now sitting- on a ginormous bed, filled with countless soft pillows, in an equally enormous room. Slowly, he placed his legs on the floor, holding onto the bed as he stood up. He wobbled slightly, still feeling dizzy, padding across the room soundlessly.

He cracked opened the door, peeking out. There was a young girl standing at the door, and she was staring right at him. He stumbled backwards, the door opening, the petite girl bowing at him. He bowed back awkwardly, no one had ever bowed to him before.

“The doctor said you shouldn’t get out of bed. I’ll get you some food, please go back to bed or I’ll be in trouble.” The girl took his hand, leading him gently to the bed. He frowned in confusion, looking down at her hand and belatedly realising that he wasn’t dressed in his own clothes -if he could even call it that-, but in silk clothes.

“I-” His voice came out barely a whisper, the girl smiling softly at him.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe here.” He nodded dumbly, climbing into bed and leaning onto the pillows. The girl had left and came back with a tray full of food, his eyes widening as he tried not to salivate at it all.

He picked up a spoon tentatively, glancing up at the girl, who nodded her head, gesturing for him to eat. He scooped up a dish -it looked like meat but he wasn’t sure- placing it into his mouth and gasping softly. It was nothing like he had ever tasted -most of the time they were leftovers anyways- and it tasted like heaven. He scooped something else, the girl watching him amusedly as he continued to have the same reaction at everything he tasted.

“Calm down, you’re going to choke.” He turned his head, mouth still full from whatever he had been stuffing into his mouth, cheeks puffed up with food. It was the male, and he was chuckling slightly. He looked away, chewing and swallowing everything in his mouth.

“Your-” The male held a hand up again, waving the girl away. The girl bowed, scurrying out of the room.

He glanced down at his food, the bed sinking slightly as the male sat a distance away. “What’s your name?”

“Sunggyu.” He mumbled.

“Surname?”

“Kim.”

“Your status?” Of course the male would ask, but wasn’t it obvious?

“Slave.” The male hummed, moving forward, closer to him. He tucked his legs in more, gripping the spoon tighter.

“Relax. I just want to know you, that’s all.”

“There’s nothing to know.” He said a little louder this time.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

His eyes went upwards, but his head remained in place. He nodded slowly, allowing the other to ask the questions he wanted.

“Why were you stealing?”

“I was kicked out from where I served, didn’t have any money with me.” He kept his replies simple.

“Don’t you have family?” He shook his head, choosing not to elaborate further.

“Well then, Sunggyu. Welcome to the palace. You’re welcome to stay.” He snapped his head up this time, eyes widening in surprise. “No wait, let me correct that. You’re not allowed to leave.”

“W-what?”

“Everything will be taken care of. Can you read and write?”

“A little.” He knew more than just a little, in fact, but a lowly person like him couldn’t admit it freely, they were always scorned for knowing how to.

“I’m hiring you, then.”

“I-I can’t do much.”

“I don’t take no for an answer.”

He bowed his head immediately. “Yes master.”

A finger pushed his chin upwards, and he was forced to meet the male’s eyes. “You’re not a slave anymore. Just call me sir, everyone around here does.”

“Yes sir.” The male beamed, removing his finger. A knock came from the door, and he recognised the person as the one who had ridden the horse with him.

“Uh, sir, they’re expecting you.”

“They can wait. Come, meet Sunggyu, he’ll be my personal secretary.” He gulped nervously, that title sounded important.

“But sir-”

“Sunggyu, meet Dongwoo. He’s my bodyguard, along with Hoya, the other guy you saw that day.” The male ignored the bodyguard’s words. Dongwoo sighed, and he bit his lip, but the next moment the male was smiling so brightly at him he couldn’t help but smile a little as well.

“You look better. How was the food? If it was not to your liking, I’ll get the chef to prepare anything you preferred.” He shook his head quickly at the bodyguard.

“It was good. Really good. Better than anything I’ve ever had.” Dongwoo looked pleased, nodding at his words, before turning back to the other male.

“Sir-”

“Alright, Dongwoo. You sound like my mother.” The male rolled his eyes, but smiled at Sunggyu. “If you need anything, Eunmi is at your service. I’ll be back to check on you later.” He nodded meekly, bowing when the two males their heels and walked out of the room.

He continued to eat, placing the tray onto the floor once he was done. He felt a lot better, but he was still tired and in pain, and sleep came quickly once he laid his head on the pillow.

∞

He opened his eyes slowly, sighing in content at the comfort of the bed. He had only slept on cold hard floors all his life, and the soft bed was beyond his expectations. He sat up, legs going to the floor but immediately retracting them in shock when his feet touched something soft. He glanced down, blinking as he saw who was sleeping on the floor. Wait, the floor!? 

He bent downwards, shaking the male slightly. “Sir, sir!” The male groaned, rolling onto his back.

“W-wha…?” Sunggyu mentally slapped himself for thinking about how cute it was that the other was so confused. He realised he was staring at the male, who was staring back, flushing slightly and averting his eyes. “I must have fell asleep when I came to check on you. Bad idea, my arm is completely numb.”

“Why were you on the floor, sir?”

“I sat down, thinking you might wake up feeling hungry. I dismissed Eunmi, so there should be someone to watch you.”

“You shouldn’t have.” He said quietly, biting his lower lip. He had slept on the soft bed, while his master -sir- had slept on the cold floor. He stood up when the male sat up, head bowing.

“I never told you my name.” He stopped himself from looking up as the male stood up.

“There isn’t a need to.” It was true, masters never talked much to their slaves except for ordering them around, much less tell them their names.

“Woohyun.” He bit his tongue, reciting the name in his head, thinking about how the name fitted the person standing in front of him so perfectly. He didn’t know why his master was telling him his name, but it was nice to not be treated like a slave for once. “You can look up, you know. I told you, you’re not a slave anymore.”

He tilted his head upwards slightly, but his eyes still casted downwards out of habit. “I’m used to it, sir.”

“Get used to looking up then.” Woohyun pushed his chin upwards, and he tried not to look away. “How old are you?” The finger left his chin, and his head dropped back down almost immediately.

“20, sir.” He mumbled.

“Sunggyu, look up.” He couldn’t help but snap his head upwards at the authoritative tone. The male smiled. “That’s better. You’re 20? You definitely look younger.” He flushed, head almost bending down again but Woohyun stopped him. “Look up, please. I don’t like it when you look down.” He forced himself to meet Woohyun’s eyes, finding -in surprise- a pleading look. He nodded meekly, a smile gracing Woohyun’s face. The door opened then, and he quickly bent his head down again.

“Sir, there you are.” He recognised the voice as Dongwoo’s.

“Yes yes, I’m coming. I swear you are exactly like my mother.” He pursed his lips, trying not to break out into a smile at the exasperated tone. “Are you laughing at me?” He bit his cheek, shaking his head rapidly. “Leave.” He frowned in confusion, looking up to see Woohyun facing Dongwoo, and another male - Hoya, he assumed.

“We’ll be outside.” Both males bowed, stalking out of the room.

Woohyun stepped closer to him, and he stiffened, a hand grabbing his as if knowing he would move backwards. “Smile more.” Woohyun raised his other hand, and he flinched instinctively. “You’re beautiful when you smile.” A thumb brushed his reddened cheeks, so light he could barely feel it. He tried not to think about how warm the touch felt, tried not to think about how fast his heart was beating. He wasn’t meeting Woohyun’s eyes, he didn’t dare to. Woohyun stepped back, smiling softly at him. “You’re free to walk around. Eunmi’s good company.”

“Yes sir.” He bowed as the other left the room, hand going to his erratic heart. He took in deep breaths, the door opening to reveal Eunmi -the young girl from yesterday- smiling brightly at him.

“Let’s go! His Ma- ah, I mean, sir said I could take you on a tour.” He cocked his head, wanting to ask what she had wanted to call Woohyun at first, but was distracted by the girl pulling his arm and dragging him out of the room.

“I’m Lee Eunmi! I’m 15 this year, you’re older right?” He nodded. “Can I call you oppa? Ah, maybe not. Hi-” He glanced at the girl. “Sir said you’re his personal secretary now. But he’s always telling me that I’m too polite, so maybe I should just call you oppa!”

“Is that important?”

“Being polite? Ah no, it’s just uh- a habit!”

“I mean, being a personal secretary.”

“Of course! You’re an important person now.” He bit his lip, not knowing what to make of the situation. “Don’t worry! You can learn. Sir’s very patient, I was picked up from the streets and he taught me everything.”

“Does he do that often? Bringing slaves back.”

“No, we’re the only two.” He blinked. “Ah, I heard from Hoya-oppa. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” He shook his hands in front of him, Eunmi smiling widely.

He soon found out that Eunmi had lived here ever since she was 7, and Woohyun taught her how to read and write. She was taught how to do the chores by the chambermaids, how to cook by the chefs, and how to defend herself by the guards. She was now Woohyun’s personal helper -he had disliked the name maid- and there was a team of personels that belonged solely to Woohyun. There was her, the two bodyguards, Dongwoo and Hoya, then there was the smart-tongued chef called Sungjong that Eunmi had brought him to meet in the kitchen, the handsome advisor, Myungsoo and the lanky equerry named Sungyeol (Eunmi’s words, not his). And now there was him, the personal secretary.

“Who is he?” He asked, when they left the kitchen after meeting Sungjong. He was surprised to learn that the chef was the same age as Eunmi, that boy cooked like he had years of experience.

“You mean Sir? He’s someone important.” He frowned, that didn’t answer his question. “You’ll know soon enough.” Eunmi had a mischievous smile on her face, as if she knew some secret he didn’t. Eunmi kept talking, not minding that he only replied in short answers as she led him around the palace and introduced him to the different wings.

He took in everything, wondering how he was going to find his way around. They were walking round the gardens, Eunmi stopping to admire the flowers. “That plant has always only produced one single flower at a time.” He followed her gaze, eyes landing on a shrub, a sole flower standing tall right in the middle. “It’s lonely, like him.” Eunmi smiled sadly, and he had a hunch who she was talking about.

“Who?” He still asked, curiousity getting the better of him.

“The King.” He blinked, he had thought she was talking about Woohyun.

“Have you met him?” He had almost forgotten that he was in the palace.

“I have.” He didn’t know much about the King -he only knew his surname-, he was too busy trying to survive, knowing about the King wouldn’t help much.

“Is he kind?” He didn’t know why he was asking, but he had that little hope in his heart, that maybe the King would be kind enough to demolish the slave system.

“He is. He has always been, and people sometimes take advantage of that.” Eunmi sounded like she knew the King very well, but that was unlikely and -probably- impossible. He kept quiet, Eunmi smiling at him before walking on. He followed, the other babbling on about something else, as he tried to keep up with the conversation. He was utterly exhausted by the time Eunmi had decided it was a good enough tour, he had never spoken this much to anyone before. And he had done it with his head up, not bowed low as it always used to be.

“I had fun, I’m sorry if I talked too much. I was just excited to have someone new. Everyone here grew up in the palace, except for me. It’s just- kind of lonely, don’t you think?” Eunmi looked up at him with wide eyes, and he smiled.

“You won’t be anymore. Thank you for showing me around.”

“Anytime, oppa!” Eunmi beamed.

“I see you two have been getting along.” He whirled around, seeing Woohyun standing at the start of the corridor, smiling at them. The two bodyguards were behind him, but there was someone new beside him. He bit his tongue, the male beside Woohyun was handsome, very handsome. He bowed awkwardly, the whole group walking towards the two of them.

“Myungsoo, Sunggyu. Sunggyu, Myungsoo.” Woohyun gestured between him and the handsome stranger -advisor.

“Nice to meet you.” Myungsoo smiled, and Sunggyu was speechless at how the other looked even more handsome than before.

“S-same.” He bowed again, no wonder Eunmi had called him the handsome advisor. He averted his eyes, feeling inferior immediately. He had never viewed himself as good-looking, he was never given that privilege to indulge in his looks. But under the stare of a handsome boy in front of him, he felt worse.

“Let’s have dinner together. Sungjong prepared a feast for your arrival.”

“I-” He glanced at Eunmi, who looked like she was getting excited at the thought of dinner alone.

“I don’t take no for an answer.”

“Yes sir.” He mumbled, letting Eunmi pull him along.

To say he felt awkward at the dinner would be of an understatement. Sungyeol, the equerry, had also joined them at the dining table. The group had talked like they had known each other for a long time -which they had- and though questions were directed towards him occasionally, he felt out of place as he heard the whole group laugh at something he didn’t understand.

He bit his lip, placing his spoon down, Eunmi looking at him with a concerned look.

“Oppa, what’s wrong?” Eunmi asked, the attention all on him at once. He shrunk back, not used to the scrutiny, pushing his chair back and standing up.

“I-I’ll excuse myself.” He bowed awkwardly, running out of the dining hall immediately.

“Sunggyu! Sunggyu-ah!” He turned a corner, feet moving faster. He knew who was calling him, but he couldn’t face him, couldn’t answer any questions, not now.

He slipped into his room, banging it shut and locking the door quickly. The handle jiggled, and he stepped back tentatively, still eyeing the door. Loud knocks came immediately after, and he sighed in relief, knowing the other couldn’t get in.

“Sunggyu! What’s wrong? Was it something we said?” He shook his head, but then remembered that the male couldn’t see him. “Sunggyu, please talk to me!”

“Sir, let me.” It was Eunmi. “You should retire back to your quarters first.” He heard her say.

“But-” Woohyun tried to argue, but it was silent again. He pressed his ear to the door, hearing a sigh and footsteps that grew softer after each second.

“Oppa, he’s gone.” He sagged in relief against the door. “Sit down on the floor, I’ll sit here with you, on the other side.” He sank down to the floor, surprising even himself.

“You felt out of place, didn’t you?” Maybe that was why, Eunmi understood him. “I feel that way too, sometimes.” Eunmi was like him, picked off the streets, suddenly thrown in the middle of a group of people with high statuses. “But his intentions are good, Sir, I mean. They’ve always included me, and that’s what they tried to do today with you, too.” He sighed, reaching up to unlock the door and inched forward slightly. The door cracked open, Eunmi slipping in and locking the door back. He looked at her in confusion, as Eunmi joined him, both of them leaning against the door.

“He’ll be back later. You don’t have to open the door if you don’t want to.”

“Will I get in trouble?” He had done something he would never have dared to do before, running away from his master and even locking the door.

“Don’t worry. He’s different, he’s not like others.” Eunmi reassured him, as if she had read his thoughts.

He smiled, nodding slowly. “Thank you, Eunmi.”

“You can tell me anything, anytime, oppa. We’re the same, you know?” He nodded again, Eunmi still smiling despite her words. “Sir always tells me I’m not a slave anymore, and you’re not too. We’re not one anymore. We’re even more important than the other boys.” Eunmi nudged him, a playful smile on her face.

“We are?” He asked in disbelief.

“Of course! Without me, he won’t have clean clothes to wear! Or a clean bed to sleep on! Without you, he won’t- What are you doing exactly?”

He laughed, the first in a very long time. “I’m not sure either.” He grinned sheepishly, Eunmi giggling. He relaxed, leaning fully against the door, smiling as the girl rambled on about how important she was to Woohyun, and how he would be too. He didn’t know if he would be, but maybe, just maybe, he would be able to fit in like how Eunmi fitted in.

∞

Woohyun had apologised about the dinner afterwards, insisting it was his fault even though Sunggyu had tried to deny it. He had never had a master as good as Woohyun, the other always iterated that he wasn’t a slave anymore, and it made him feel better about himself.

Sunggyu settled in quickly, he found himself getting closer to the smart-mouthed chef, Sungjong and the witty bodyguard, Hoya. It was an irony, considering that he didn’t talk much but preferred to hang out with the ones who had sarcasm rolling out of their mouths. He realised Dongwoo had never-ending energy and smiles, which was quite tiring for him at times, Sungyeol didn’t make sense to him sometimes, and he didn’t see Myungsoo much to interact with him. He had asked Eunmi about it, and she said that the advisor was always busy with finding out the problems of the country and solving them with the King, so he was naturally not around most of the time. He was getting more curious about the King, the rest had accidentally let it slipped that they all knew him personally, and he wondered why he didn’t. But it wasn’t in his place to say anything, and so he didn’t.

For the past week since he had arrived in the palace, he had been reading up on the history of the country, memorising the facts and deciphering literature texts. He was secretly glad at how pleased Woohyun seemed to be at his progress, the other had been very surprised to see that Sunggyu could recite everything he was asked to memorise.

“Sunggyu-ah, could you organise this for me?” He looked up from his book, a stack of papers placed in front of him.

“Yes sir, what am I supposed to look out for?”

“These are complaints, if you think it’s important, then put it on the right, if not, it goes to the left.” Woohyun gestured with his hands.

He frowned. “How do I know if it’s important or not?”

“Serious problems are usually about corruption or famine. The minor ones would be about small fights that broke out between two people, something like that.”

“I’ll try. I’m not sure if I’ll be doing it right, though.”

“Don’t worry, I trust you.” He nodded, Woohyun smiling at him before returning to his desk.

His eyes skimmed through the first document, gasping in surprise. “S-sir, this is addressed to the King.”

“Uh, yeah! He’ll go through it later.”

“Oh, I see. You’ve never told me your post in the palace.”

“Ah, I-I’m uh-” Woohyun was interrupted by the door opening, and the other seemed to sag in relief.

“Sir, we need to discuss important matters.” Myungsoo was at the door, eyes going to him before landing on Woohyun.

The other stood up immediately. “Right! Help me with that, please, Sunggyu. I’ll be back.” He nodded, flipping through the stack of papers.

He had just finished when the door opened, Eunmi standing at the door. “Sir said he’ll be late, he told us to go for dinner first. Are you done, oppa?”

“Ne, let’s go.” He placed the two separate stacks of papers on Woohyun’s desk before following Eunmi out. “Eunmi-ah.” The girl hummed, skipping along the corridor. “What’s Sir’s post in the palace?”

The girl stopped abruptly, Sunggyu barely avoiding slamming into her. “He’s someone important!”

He frowned. “I know that, what’s his actual position?”

“It’s not for me to tell you, he should tell you himself. Sorry, oppa.” He nodded understandingly, ruffling Eunmi’s hair affectionately. The girl smiled apologetically at him, pulling him to the dining hall. It was only four of them today, just Sungjong, Sungyeol, Eunmi and him. He ate as the other three bickered, laughing when Eunmi threw her fork and spoon at the other two boys in exasperation. He left early to pick up his next book from the library, before returning to his bedroom. Sitting up on his bed, he started to read his book, and was about a quarter through when a knock sounded on his door. He called for the person to enter, eyes never leaving his book.

“New book again?” He nodded, recognising the voice, not looking up. “I saw the documents, you did a good job.”

His head snapped up. “Really?”

Woohyun nodded, and he folded his legs to let him sit on the bed. “I told you, I trust you. You’re doing great.” The other smiled, and he returned it meekly, blushing slightly.

“You’re so cute when you blush.” He stilled completely, and from Woohyun’s reaction, the other had said it without thinking. He bit his lip, glancing down at his opened book. Woohyun’s hand reached out for his face, and he flinched backwards, away from the touch. But the hand never faltered, cupping his cheek gently and pushing his head upwards. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?” Woohyun whispered, and he could feel the heat rising up his cheeks even more. He couldn’t say anything, but Woohyun was waiting for his answer, so he shook his head slightly.

“You are. Ever since the first time I saw you, you’ve always been beautiful.” Woohyun leaned forward, going onto his knees, and he tried to move backwards, but he was already against the bed’s headboard.

He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt hot breath against his face, stiffening when soft lips pressed against his. His hands went to Woohyun’s chest, trying to push him away, but the warmth of the kiss was distracting him. It was making him weak, his heart feeling like it was going to explode any second. He curled his fingers, gripping Woohyun’s silk clothes, who was moving his lips slowly. He didn’t know what to make of the situation, he had never kissed before, much less been kissed by someone. Woohyun seemed to realise, wrapping one hand around his nape and tilting his head gently to the side. He tried not to think about the fact that their lips felt like they fitted perfectly together, how right it felt even though it was wrong.

It was wrong. His eyes flew open, pushing Woohyun away with more force this time, the other stumbling back. “I-I’m s-sorry.” He bowed, head hung low.

“Sunggyu, I-”

“Please go. Please.” He whispered, hoping Woohyun would understand. The bed moved, and he stayed in the same position, the door closing shut after a few seconds. He pulled his knees to his chest, sobbing slightly. He wasn’t sure why he was crying, but he had done something that was wrong, so extremely wrong, even if Woohyun was the one that had initiated it.

∞

Sunggyu knew Woohyun was annoyed that he was bowing his head again, but he couldn’t help it. He wasn’t able to meet the other’s eyes, not without remembering what had happened a few days ago in his room. He kept telling himself it was wrong, because even though he didn’t know what Woohyun’s actual position was, he was definitely a noble, and slaves were not allowed to touch nobles or their masters, let alone kiss them. He kept his head low, only answering Woohyun’s questions when necessary. He also avoided Eunmi and the rest, he was sure he would spill the beans under slight pressure, and he was scared he would be punished if he confessed. Or worse, made to leave the palace for having physical interactions with a noble. He retreated back to his room immediately after his work was done, burying himself in his books.

A knock sounded on his door when he was preparing to sleep. “Sunggyu, are you sleeping?” He stilled, recognising the voice. He bit his lip, he knew he could act like he was, but he also knew he couldn’t avoid him forever. If he was lucky, Woohyun would be looking for him for some other matter.

He walked towards the door, opening it slightly, head bowed. “No, sir. Is there anything you need?”

Woohyun looked apprehensive. “I- Can I come in? I just want to talk, Sunggyu-ah.” He bit his tongue, nodding slightly, moving backwards to let Woohyun into the room.

They stood in silence for a while, Sunggyu battling his own thoughts, wondering if he should start the conversation. But he didn’t need to fight himself for long, because Woohyun broke the silence.

“I just wanted to apologise, for that day. I’m sorry, it’s not your fault at all.” He opened his mouth, but the other quickly cut him off. “No, don’t argue please. It was my fault, I shouldn’t have done what I did. If you want to, you can forget about it, I just want things to be back to how it was, Sunggyu-ah.” He snapped his head up, a little surprised.

“I-I was just shocked.” He hoped he wasn’t blushing, the scene was playing in his mind again. How could he even forget his first kiss?

“I know and I’m sorry. Can we return back to before?” Woohyun was almost pleading him, which wasn’t supposed to be the case. Woohyun was his master, and masters always ordered their slaves around, certainly not beg.

His heart softened, Woohyun was definitely someone he had never imagined he would ever meet. “I-I just need some time.”

“As long as you need, Sunggyu.” He nodded slowly, looking up to see Woohyun smiling at him. He couldn’t help but to return it, the other had an effect on him that even he didn’t understand. Woohyun left then, and he went to bed, almost sighing in relief that he could be comfortable with the male again. The heat rose to his cheeks again as he recalled the memory, pulling the covers above him and burying his embarrassed face into the pillow. If he wanted to be absolutely at ease, he would have to forget about it, but it seemed impossible, seeing as to how he was craving for more. It was wrong, undeniably wrong, but he couldn’t deny that it felt good when- He groaned slightly, willing his mind to stop thinking about the kiss, closing his eyes to force himself to sleep.

He squinted, the sun shining right in his face when he woke up. He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes, washing up and dressing himself. Opening the door, he jumped slightly, Woohyun was leaning on the wall opposite his door with a huge grin on his lips.

“Are you ready?” He cocked his head to the side, frowning in confusion. “Let’s go!” Woohyun didn’t bother explaining, immediately grabbing his hand and tugging him along.

“Where are we going, sir?” He asked, as he tried to keep up with the other.

“You’ll see.” The male didn’t bother turning back, still gripping his hand tightly as if fearing he might run away.

And Sunggyu would have, as he stood hesitantly, staring at the animal in front of him. He bit his lip, shaking his head in rejection.

“I don’t take no for an answer.” Woohyun grinned, moving to stand behind him and placing two hands on his hips. He stiffened immediately, the other pushing him forward slightly. “Come on, it’ll be fun, I promise.”

“I’m not sure about this, sir.” The male ignored his protests, and he yelped slightly when he was lifted off the ground easily.

“Why are you still so light? You should eat more.” Woohyun chided, Sungyeol grabbing his right foot and hooking it into the stirrup. Woohyun pushed him upwards, the equerry pushing his other leg over the horse. He sat on the horse, wobbling slightly, panicking when the animal shifted on its hind legs, feeling as if he was going to fall. Arms went round his waist, stabilising him, and he glanced behind, realising belatedly that Woohyun had mounted the horse as well. The other was sitting extremely close, chest pressed against his back, grinning slightly at him.

“Grab here.” Woohyun brought Sunggyu’s hands to the reins, covering his hands with his own. Woohyun’s hold tightened, his fingers curling over the rope. “We’ll go slow first. Kick your right leg onto his side lightly.” He lifted his right leg, bringing it back down onto the horse’s side, frowning when it didn’t move. “Maybe a bit harder.” He followed, screaming in shock when the horse broke into a full gallop. Behind him, Woohyun was laughing, his whole body leaning backwards when the other pulled against the reins.

The horse reared, skidding to a stop, and he gasped, thinking he would fly off, but Woohyun secured him by wrapping an arm around his waist. “That worked too.” He could hear the amusement in the other’s voice, blushing furiously in embarrassment. “Try again, you’ll get the hang of it soon.” He kicked lighter this time, squeezing his eyes shut and bracing himself, just in case. He heaved a sigh of relief when the horse started trotting slowly, Woohyun chuckling slightly at his reaction.

“If you kick him again, he’ll either canter or gallop, depending on how hard you kick. Do you want to try?” He nodded, Woohyun humming for him to go ahead. He lifted his leg, trying to mimic his kick previously, grinning slightly when the horse obeyed. “You’re really a fast learner.” He blushed again at the compliment, Woohyun pulling the reins slightly. The horse returned back to a trot, and he stiffened when the other leaned forward even more, chin almost touching his shoulder.

“See, if you pull lightly, he’ll slow down. If you tug hard, he’ll stop completely.” Woohyun showed him once, and he imitated the actions. He got the hang of controlling the horse after a few tries, getting more excited as time passed. “Shall we go for a ride?” He nodded eagerly, Woohyun chuckling. “Hang tight.” He felt Woohyun kick onto the horse’s side, fingers pressing down onto his as they held onto the reins, the horse galloping through the fields. He grinned, feeling the wind on his face, glancing to his side to see a smile on the other’s lips, eyes closed. Woohyun’s face was so close that he could almost kiss him, and he quickly turned away, feeling his cheeks heat up. He pushed the thoughts away, focusing on the front again. Woohyun kicked onto the side again, the horse speeding up even more. He closed his eyes this time, body straightening up slightly to feel the wind more.

His eyes flew open, panicking slightly when Woohyun’s hands left his. “Relax! You’ll be fine!” He gripped the reins tighter, biting his tongue when the other’s arms wrapped around his waist. Woohyun dropped his chin onto his shoulder, and he stilled. “Relax, Sunggyu.” He forced himself to ignore the fact that Woohyun was so close to him, and this time, he commanded the horse to go even faster. The other reached out, tugging the right side of the reins slightly, the horse following and turning to the right. They went round the fields again and again, Woohyun controlling the directions occasionally.

“Sir!” He turned his head to the side, Hoya was on his own horse, chasing theirs. “You have a meeting, Sir!” Woohyun waved his hand dismissively, taking over the reins and turning away from the guard.

“Sir, we should stop!” He shouted, hoping the other would hear him. Even if Woohyun had, he was ignoring him. He clasped his hands over the other’s boldly, tugging harshly on the reins like Woohyun had taught him. The horse neighed, raising its body on its hind legs, coming to a complete stop. He removed his hands immediately, turning behind to look at Woohyun, almost laughing at the pout Woohyun had on his lips. “Sir, you should go for your meeting.”

“I’d rather not.” Woohyun pouted even more, and all he wanted to do was to kiss those lips.

“SIR! You can’t always do this!” Dongwoo was on his own horse now, trotting up to beside them. Woohyun groaned in exasperation, burying his face onto Sunggyu’s back. He chuckled slightly, despite his heart almost exploding from the mere physical interaction.

“Fine fine!” Woohyun grabbed the reins again, grinning mischievously. “I’ll go if Sunggyu races me back to the stables and win.” He gaped, Dongwoo sighing in response. He glanced between Woohyun and the direction that the stables were in, he could barely make the shape out. How was he even supposed to ride back all by himself, let alone win Woohyun, who probably had years of experience?

“B-but s-sir! I just learnt how to ride the horse!” He protested, but the other was already climbing off the horse. He looked around nervously, Woohyun climbing onto Dongwoo’s horse.

“I’ll give you a headstart, and this horse is carrying two people now, so yours will be able to go faster.” Woohyun grinned at him.

“I-”

“Hoya!” The other interrupted him. “We’re racing! Sunggyu will get a 3 second head start!” He barely had time to register what was happening, Hoya was already counting down. He kicked, hard, the horse galloping off immediately. He counted 3 seconds in his head, hearing the sounds of hooves hitting the ground coming from behind his horse. He kicked again, willing the horse to run faster. Glancing to the side, Woohyun’s horse was right beside him, grinning at him. His eyes moved downwards, feeling a sour feeling shoot up from his stomach to his throat when he saw Dongwoo’s arms wrapped around Woohyun’s. Biting his lip, he drove his foot into the horse’s side again, the other horse slowly disappearing from his line of sight. Looking back in front, he yelped, pulling onto the reins abruptly. He was almost thrown off when the horse halted, heaving in relief as he managed to steady himself. The horse had almost ran right into the fence, and he could hear the amused laughter behind him, the clacking of hooves on the ground growing louder. He had been riding towards the wrong direction, and he dropped his face onto the horse’s back, groaning in embarrassment.

“You learn quickly, but you forgot the most important thing.” He didn’t bother lifting his head, he knew Woohyun was just right beside him, and was teasing him. “Keep your eyes in front, Sunggyu-ah.” The other chuckled, and he turned away, groaning again. “Here.” A hand came into his sight, and he shifted his eyes, seeing Woohyun standing on the ground, looking up at him. “Come on, I have to go for a meeting.” The other beckoned again, and he grabbed the hand tentatively. “Keep one hand on the horse, lift your other leg over to this side.” He followed, dropping his body downwards as he tried to find ground. An arm s around his waist, lifting him away from the horse and placing him gently on the ground. He turned his head slightly, heart skipping a beat when he met big brown eyes staring back at him.

Woohyun released him, stepping back and smiling. “I’ll see you at dinner?” He nodded, bowing slightly when the other turned away.

“Did you have fun?” He jumped slightly, Sungyeol had creeped up on him without any sound.

“I did. Thanks for letting me try.”

“Sir insisted you learn, you’ll probably be following him out soon.”

“Out? Out where?” Sungyeol shrugged in response, gesturing him to follow.

“Anywhere that he needs to go.” He followed the other back into the palace, frowning in confusion. Everyone was always so secretive about anything surrounding Woohyun, and he felt like he knew everything and nothing about the other all at the same time. But he couldn’t doubt Woohyun, it would be immoral of him to do so after he had saved him and provided him with more than anything he could ever ask for. He ignored the thoughts, opting to focus on his work instead.

∞

He panted, leaning onto the sword, one hand gripping it tightly.

“Again.” He groaned, but wrapped his other hand around the hilt, heaving when he lifted it. The sword was heavy, and Hoya wasn’t letting him go until he could disarm the bodyguard. Woohyun was practicing with Dongwoo a distance away, and he could hear the clanging of metal as they dueled. He had no idea why Woohyun was so insistent that he learnt how to protect himself, he was just a personal secretary, and he could be easily disposed of, regardless of whether he could fight or not. He straightened his body, legs moving apart slightly like Hoya had taught him. Bringing his sword down, the bodyguard easily deflected it, and he grunted as he tried to attack again. Hoya blocked him again, but used too much strength –or he was too tired-, because the sword went flying out of his hands, landing onto the ground with a loud crash. He blinked, Hoya cocking an eyebrow, and he sunk down onto the floor, whining slightly.

“No more! I’m tired!”

“We barely just started, Sunggyu.” Hoya reminded him, and he huffed, crossing his arms in defiance. He would very much prefer to ride a horse, or read a book than handle a sword. Hoya sighed, calling for Woohyun. The male stopped his duel with Dongwoo, padding over, amused smile on his face. Woohyun bent down in front of him, and he turned his head away, slightly embarrassed that he had thrown a temper.

“Maybe we should start with something smaller.” Woohyun turned to Dongwoo, who produced a dagger. “Here.” He took it apprehensively, immediately noting the difference in weight. Woohyun gestured for him to stand up, and he did as told.

“You two go practice on your own.” The male waved the two guards away, who nodded and left him with Woohyun. “Grip it, but not too tightly, make sure you’re comfortable with it in your hand. Think of it as an extension of your arm.” He tried, nodding when he felt comfortable. “Watch me closely.” Woohyun stood in front of him, and before he could even blink, the dagger was knocked from his hand, Woohyun pointing the blade at him. He blinked in surprise, Woohyun grinning. “You try. Hit my wrist as hard as you can with both hands, if I loosen my grip, you can grab the knife. If not, you’re dead.” He stilled, Woohyun chuckling. “I’m kidding, but it could happen in real life. So, you should learn.”

“Yes, sir.” He reached out hesitantly, Woohyun nodding at him to continue. He bit his lip, hitting Woohyun’s hand lightly.

Woohyun laughed. “Sunggyu, you’re not going to hurt even an ant with that.”

“But, I can’t hit you!” He protested.

“Yes, you can.” He pursed his lips, wincing when he hit Woohyun harder. “Come on, I’m not going to break my wrist.” Woohyun prodded again. He did it again and again, but Woohyun didn’t seem to be feeling anything. “You’re still not hitting hard enough, what’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “I can’t hit you, sir.” Woohyun sighed.

“If someone is attacking you with a knife, would you care if he was a noble or not?” He shook his head again, stumbling backwards when Woohyun suddenly moved forward, the knife aimed straight at his gut.

“S-sir!” Woohyun didn’t reply, moving even closer to him. His eyes widened when the other his hand out, knife almost touching him. He defended himself by reflex, clamping around Woohyun’s wrist like he was taught to, the knife dropping to the ground. Woohyun looked down at the knife, then back up to him, bursting out in laughter. He frowned in confusion, not understanding what was so funny.

“Sunggyu-ah, you’re supposed to snatch the knife from me. Not let it drop to the floor.” He flushed, he had forgotten about that. “But good start, let’s try again. Hopefully this time I don’t need to attack you for real. I almost thought I really have to stab you.”

His jaw dropped. “S-sir! You were really going to stab me?”

Woohyun chuckled. “If you hit hard enough, I won’t.” He pouted slightly, Woohyun was teasing him again. The other seemed to be getting some sort of joy from always teasing him. “Try again.”

He practiced with Woohyun, slowly getting better at snatching the dagger away. When the other deemed that he was good enough, they moved on to teaching him how to attack with it. Working with the dagger was easier, it was lighter and Sunggyu wasn’t panting just by lifting it alone. Woohyun was patient with him, always letting him catch his breath when he needed, unlike Hoya who was relentless in making him practice over and over again. He was watching Woohyun demonstrate a move, suddenly hyper-aware of the sight of the other glistening with sweat, muscles moving along with his actions. His heart spiked, he wasn’t sure why he didn’t notice before, but the other was in shape, tremendously so. He bit his tongue, trying to focus on the moves instead of the male, Woohyun stopping and staring at him curiously.

“Do you want to stop? Your face is red, is it the heat?” His eyes widened, shaking his head furiously, thanking the sun silently for covering his blush. “I think that’s enough for today. Go drink some water, you look really flushed.” He bit the inside of his cheek, nodding slightly as he followed the other back into the palace. Hoya trained him in the dagger from then on, and he would occasionally spar with either bodyguard. He had improved quite a bit, and if he was lucky, he would sometimes win Dongwoo, but Hoya was another story. He would also train his sword skills occasionally if he was in the mood, Woohyun never forced him, but he made sure he trained with Dongwoo, the other bodyguard was utterly sadistic when it came to training.

∞

Sunggyu thought Woohyun had already given him everything the moment he had been brought to the palace, dressed him in clothes that were probably worth more than his life, and gave him food that could never compare to anything else. But apparently, Woohyun still felt that it wasn’t enough.

“Eunmi-ah, slow down!” He huffed, trying to keep up with the girl who was dragging him down the streets. It was rare that they could wander outside the palace, and Sunggyu wanted to take in the sights, but Eunmi had other plans.

“Come on! They’re waiting!” Eunmi tugged him even harder.

“Who?” He cocked his head. Luckily for him, he had long legs compared to the petite girl, who was taking small little steps compared to his wide strides.

“Secret!” Eunmi grinned, sparing Sunggyu a glance before focusing in front again.

He frowned, having no choice but to follow her. He wasn’t familiar with this town, which was the nearest to the palace, he had lived further away from the city all his life. He blinked, recognising the familiar back of the male standing in what seemed like a blacksmith shop. It was funny, because though Woohyun blended right in amongst others who were dressed in similar silk robes, the male still stood out so brightly to him. There was some sort of aura surrounding Woohyun, he commanded respect and authority that made him so distinctive.

“Sir!” Eunmi called, the male turning towards them, his whole face lighting up when he caught sight of them.

“Sunggyu-ah, come here.” Woohyun waved him over, Eunmi stepping aside to let him through. “Pick one.” The male gestured to several drawings of daggers.

“Are you making a new dagger, sir?” He asked, as he eyed the sketches. Some had a longer blade, and each one had a unique hilt.

“Which one do you like best?” Woohyun ignored his question, and he paused.

“You should be the one to pick it, sir.” But his eyes landed on a particular sketch, it wasn’t too fancy like others, just a simple blade with a black hilt and golden quillon. There were no patterns on the hilt, and the quillon was short and straight, instead of curved like Hoya’s or complicated like Dongwoo’s. It was plain, but it attracted him, like as if it was calling for him.

“Do you like that one?” He tore his eyes away, seeing Woohyun grin at him.

He nodded. “But you should still pick your own, sir.”

“I did.” Woohyun answered simply, before picking up the paper that held the sketch of the dagger that Sunggyu had his eyes on. “This one.”

“Sir, that’s the one I like!” He protested, as a man -the blacksmith, he assumed- bowed to the two of them, taking the sketch from Woohyun.

“Yeah. Why?” Woohyun asked innocently.

“You should pick your own.” He mumbled, pouting slightly. He had been mentally counting how many months of work would allow him to get a dagger like that during all the trainings he had done with Howon, and his jaw had dropped when the bodyguard informed him of the price to buy a customised dagger. He sighed slightly, he had a rough idea what he wanted his dagger to look like, but now that Woohyun had picked the one that was the closest to his imagination, he would have to rethink it. He had plenty of time to do so, considering the price, but he still felt a little disappointed that he couldn’t own his first dream dagger.

“Oppa!” Eunmi’s excited voice brought him back to reality. “Do you want to go explore?”

His eyes lit up immediately. “Can we?” He turned to Woohyun, who chuckled slightly before nodding. “Let’s go!” He announced, grabbing Eunmi’s hand.

“Don’t lose track of time! Come back here in an hour!” Woohyun shouted, and he waved his agreement, not bothering to turn back as he dragged Eunmi along. Turns out, Eunmi had a bag full of coins that she had coaxed Hoya to give her while at the blacksmith. He grinned, ruffling Eunmi’s hair, the girl was the only one who could soften the bodyguard’s toughness. He was sure he would have gotten an unamused stare if he tried.

They bought some food, Sunggyu mentally noting to get some for Woohyun and the bodyguards later. They walked as they ate, Eunmi pulling him to every stall possible to look at everything. He laughed when Eunmi wore a ridiculous hat, and complimented when she tried a clip on her hair, which she ended up buying even though it was slightly costly - it was Howon’s money after all. They headed back, stopping to get food, Eunmi rattling off all the things that Woohyun didn’t like to eat. He made sure to remember it all, a personal secretary needed to know the likes and dislikes of the person he was serving, after all.

By the time they reached the blacksmith’s, Woohyun seemed prepared to leave. Sunggyu couldn’t see where the new dagger was, wondering if he should ask to see it. Before he could though, Howon complained loudly about the amount of money they had spent. Eunmi giggled and gave him a kiss on the cheek as thanks which had the bodyguard stumbling backwards and stuttering in shock, Dongwoo and Woohyun barking with laughter as he tried to control his own.

Woohyun didn’t give him a chance to ask, pushing him towards the horse that was now in front of the store. He mounted, eyes widening in surprise when Woohyun climbed on as well.

“Sir, what about Eunmi?” He asked, he had thought he would send the girl back to the palace.

“Howon.” Woohyun answered simply, smirking slightly. He smiled amusedly, stilling in shock when the other’s arms wrapped around his waist. The horse took off immediately when Woohyun kicked the side, not giving him the chance to protest about the physical interaction. He supposed it looked normal to others, but his heart was pounding so hard against his ribcage that his bones might actually break. He gripped the reins tighter, trying to ignore the fact that Woohyun was now resting his chin on his shoulder, face centimetres away from his.

It brought back the memory of how he had first learnt how to ride a horse the same way, Woohyun leaning onto him and guiding him patiently. The other had always been patient when it comes to him, and, come to think of it, had never gotten angry at him. In fact, Sunggyu had never seen Woohyun lose his temper, but he supposed it was because he had never seen Woohyun at the meetings the other had to attend so often. He was always in the office, the library, or his bedroom, and those were also the only places he had seen Woohyun. It was weird, but Sunggyu wasn’t one to question anything that did not involve him.

The horse reared, cutting his thoughts, Woohyun immediately jumping off and offering a hand to him. He grabbed it, bowing his head in thanks when he dropped to the ground, an arm around his waist to stabilise him. Woohyun seemed to linger the touch, and he glanced backwards questioningly, but the other released him before he could meet Woohyun’s eyes.

“Can I come to your room? I have something to pass you.”

“Yes, sir.” He answered immediately, thinking it was probably some documents the other wanted him to go through, Woohyun leading the way.

Sunggyu entered first, Woohyun pausing outside slightly, before following him, hands hidden behind his back. He settled himself on his bed, the other sitting across him, hands still behind him.

“What did you want to give me, Sir?” Woohyun grinned slightly, hands moving to his front slowly. He frowned at first, body bending slightly to see what the other was hiding, eyes widening in shock when he saw what Woohyun pushed towards him.

“S-sir, why are you giving me this?” He asked, not wanting to take it.

“I made it for you, Howon told me you were good at it, so I just thought you should get one.” He bit his tongue, feeling the lump in his throat, his eyes watering slightly.

 “I-I can’t accept this, sir! It must have cost a lot!” He shook his head adamantly.

“I don’t take no for an answer.” He met Woohyun’s eyes, who was grinning, and his tears were threatening to fall. Woohyun’s face fell, panicking as he reached forward for his hand. “Why? You don’t like it anymore? You can choose another if you-” Woohyun halted as he crushed him into a hug, sobbing slightly. He might get into trouble for touching a noble, but none of that mattered, not right now.

“W-why? I-I’m n-nothing but a s-slave.” His breath hitched, and he couldn’t finish his thoughts, but Woohyun understood what he was saying, as always.

“Kim Sunggyu!” Woohyun chided lightly, knocking the back of his head with his fist. “How many times have I told you that you are no longer a slave? You’re my secretary, my equerry, my bodyguard and my helper. It is only fair you get your own dagger, and you can pick out your own horse at the same time.” He shook his head, pulling away from Woohyun, immediately missing the warmth.

“I-I can’t. This is more than enough. Everything you’ve given me is more than I had ever imagined.”

“Sunggyu-ah, you’ve lived almost your whole life as a slave. If there is something I could give you to make up for that, I would, but I can’t. This is my way of saying sorry. I’m bribing you, can’t you see?” Woohyun chuckled, and his tears were back again, even though the other tried to joke.

“It’s not even your fault.” He wiped at his eyes, feeling a little embarrassed at how he was crying at the mere words of the other.

“Please just let me take care of you.” Woohyun was almost whispering, and he could hear the sincerity, the pleading, and the apprehension, that Sunggyu might reject it.

He nodded slightly, cracking a smile. “I don’t know how to thank you, sir. And uh, I’m sorry, for uh, hugging you like that. I was a little overwhelmed.” He bit his lip, flushing slightly. He gasped when Woohyun pulled him into another hug, freezing in place.

“No, thank you.” His arms hovered above Woohyun for a few seconds, before he pressed his palms against the other’s back hesitantly. “You made me see things I didn’t before, you have no idea how much you’ve helped me.” He frowned slightly, he had no idea what Woohyun was talking about. Woohyun pulled away abruptly, settling himself back onto the bed, smiling at him.

“We’ll pick your horse another day, get some rest.” He nodded, Woohyun giving him another signature grin before leaving. He picked up the dagger, drawing it out of its scabbard, spotting a phrase engraved over it. He ran a finger across, wondering what it meant. He smiled when it finally dawned on him that this dagger was really his, and Woohyun had surprised him with it. He fell backwards onto his pillow, placing the dagger on the bedside table, staring at it with a small smile until he fell asleep.

∞

“Sunggyu, can you pass me that stack of papers?”

“Yes sir.” He picked the stack up, walking over to Woohyun’s desk, the latter’s face buried in more papers. “Here you go, sir.” He was about to set the papers onto the desk, but Woohyun’s hand wrapped around his. He tried to pull away, but the grip tightened, Woohyun still not looking up from his documents. “S-sir.” He stammered, Woohyun looking up in surprise.

“Oh, sorry.” The hand left his, and he set the papers down onto the desk, trying not to blush and hoping the other wouldn’t notice. It didn’t seem like Woohyun did, he had immediately returned back to writing something on the stack in front of him. He moved back to his own desk, glancing at the male. He wasn’t sure if he was thinking too much, but Woohyun was touching him a lot more than before, but it usually seemed like an accident, like a while ago. He would blush every single time without fail, and if Woohyun noticed, he hadn’t said anything at all. He had also not forgotten about the kiss at all, or any other time Woohyun was close to him, sometimes lying awake in bed at night, repeating the scenes in his head, feeling his heart skip a beat when he thought about the other. He wasn’t sure if this was what attraction felt like, he hadn’t felt anything like this before. Even if it was, it was wrong, Woohyun was his master, and a slave -the other had reprimanded him when he mentioned that, but it was a habit he couldn’t kick- couldn’t be attracted to his master.

“Sunggyu.” He blinked, Woohyun was standing in front of his table. “I’m done, leave that for tomorrow. Let’s go.” Woohyun grabbed his hand, not giving him a chance to say no, pulling him along.

“S-sir.” He called, wriggling his hand away.

“Oh, sorry. I was distracted.” There it was, again. Woohyun always played it off whenever he touched him, either saying he was distracted or he hadn’t noticed.

“You’ve been distracted lately.” He was treading on thin ice, but Woohyun didn’t seem to mind.

“I’ve been having a lot on my mind.” He hummed, not daring to ask more. “Have you liked anyone before?” He paused his steps, Woohyun turning back to look at him.

He moved again, catching up to the other. “No, I’m not sure what it feels like.”

“You’ll think about that person a lot, I guess. You’ll lay awake at night thinking about the person, your heart starts beating faster when the person approaches you, or gets close to you.” He bit the inside of his cheek, that sounded a lot like how he’s been feeling with the male right beside him. “I’ve been feeling that recently. I can’t stop thinking about the person.”

“Who?” He bit his tongue, he hadn’t wanted to ask that, even if he wanted to know the answer. Or maybe he didn’t want to know it, as a glimmer of hope that it would be him started to bubble. And then that crashing feeling as he realised it would never be him.

Woohyun looked at him in surprise. “You won’t avoid me again? After knowing who it is.”

“W-why would I?” He stuttered, suddenly feeling nervous. Woohyun closed the distance between them, forcing him to back up against the wall.

“Cause it’s you.” Woohyun whispered, Sunggyu averting his gaze. “I don’t want to scare you away, Sunggyu-ah. But I can’t stop thinking about you. If you don’t feel the same way, if you don’t feel anything that I just said, then please tell me and we’ll forget about it all.”

“I-I-” He bit his lower lip. He knew, somewhere along the way, he had started feeling things he shouldn't be feeling for the other.

“Please. Tell me you don’t feel anything.” Woohyun’s voice was pleading, and he couldn’t find it in his heart to lie, no matter how wrong it felt.

“I-I do.” Lips crashed against his the moment he said it, hands cupping his cheeks. He tilted his head, like Woohyun had taught him how to the first time they kissed, lips moving on their own this time. Woohyun smiled against the kiss, and he was sure he was blushing so badly that he looked like a tomato.

Woohyun pulled away gently, gazing into his eyes. “You’re so cute when you blush.” He bit his lip, looking away, Woohyun chuckling at his reaction. “Let’s go, the others are waiting.” He was dragged along by the hand again, Woohyun letting him go when they reached the dining hall, as they sat across each other at the table. He ate in silence, listening to the conversations around him, glancing at Woohyun occasionally. After the dinner, Woohyun had walked away with Myungsoo, and he returned to his bedroom, feeling a little overwhelmed at everything that had happened, including a little bout of jealousy that Woohyun had left with the advisor without saying a word to him. He groaned, muffling his voice with a pillow, he wasn’t supposed to feel this way at all. He was just a slave, he could envy others, but he had no rights to be jealous. He didn’t have the privilege to enjoy the things others had, and that included Woohyun.

He must have fell asleep, because the cracking of a whip startled him awake. He shivered in fear, recognising the cold grey room, a burly man standing over him. He wasn’t supposed to be here, had it all been just a dream? “P-please.” He begged, feeling tears well in his eyes. He cried out when the whip landed on his side, and then another on his back when he fell forward in pain. He clenched his fists, screaming in pain when the whip hit the same spot over and over again.

“Sunggyu, Sunggyu!” Someone was shaking him, and he choked, eyes opening, sweat dripping down his forehead. “Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?” He turned to his side to face the other, nodding. Woohyun was sitting on his bed, concern plastered all over his face.

“Eunmi heard you screaming and called me.” Woohyun brushed his hair away from his face.

“I-I’m okay.”

“Do you want me to stay?” Woohyun asked softly.

“C-can you?” Woohyun nodded, smiling slightly and settling himself down onto his bed.

“Come here.” The other opened up his arms, and he leaned forward hesitantly. He wasn’t sure if he could do this, but Woohyun didn’t seem to care, pulling him into his chest. He could hear the thumping of the other’s heart, as Woohyun rested his chin on top of his head, his hair. “Sleep, Sunggyu. I’ll be here.” He nodded as much as he could, eyes closing, listening to the steady beats of Woohyun’s heart.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already daylight. He was still wrapped in Woohyun’s arms, head tilting upwards to look at him. The male was still sleeping, and he admired the handsome face of the other. Woohyun had always been handsome, but now that he was so close, the features looked even more perfect than they had been.

He froze in shock when Woohyun leaned forward, pressing a kiss onto his lips. “Good morning.” He blushed, Woohyun grinning slightly. “Did you have any more nightmares?” He shook his head, pressing his face against the other’s chest. “That’s good.”

“Oppa-” The door slammed open, and he tried to push Woohyun away, but the other had a strong grip around him. “U-uh… I guess you’re alright now, I’ll see you later then!” He turned his head, staring in mortification as the door closed.

“S-sir! Why didn’t you let me go?”

“What for? They’ll know sooner or later.”

“It could have been later!”

“Sooner’s better.” He groaned, burying his head back onto Woohyun’s chest in embarrassment. Woohyun chuckled, kissing the top of his head. “You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.”

“I’m not!” He protested, Woohyun laughing in response.

“Are you arguing back now?”

“Sorry, sir.” He mumbled, Woohyun pulling away, hands going to his cheeks.

“No, don’t be. I like you like that.” He flushed, Woohyun leaning forward to kiss him. “Let’s go, there’s work to be done.”

“Yes sir.” He pulled away, going to his cupboard to grab some clean clothes.

“I’ll see you in the office, Sunggyu-ah.” Woohyun called, and he nodded, the former stepping out of the room.

After he had washed up, he opened the door, almost stepping back in shock when he saw Eunmi standing right there.

“Oppa, are you okay? I heard you screaming last night, and I didn’t know what to do so I called Sir.”

He closed the door behind him, ruffling her hair. “I’m okay, Eunmi-ah. I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

“It’s okay, oppa! I’m glad you’re okay.” Eunmi wrapped herself around his arm, and he chuckled slightly. The girl had been clinging to him a lot these few days, and he liked it. He felt like an older brother protecting his little sister and Eunmi also treated him like one.

They walked in a comfortable silence, Sunggyu going towards the office and Eunmi following beside him.

“Oppa.” He turned to her, Eunmi had stopped walking. “Do you like him a lot?”

“Sir?” She nodded. “I guess? I’m not very certain, I don’t really know how it feels like.”

Eunmi hummed, before beaming up at him. “Do you feel comfortable with him?” He nodded. “When he touches you, do you feel uncomfortable?” He shook his head. “Do you feel happy when you’re with him?” He nodded again.

Eunmi gestured for him to come closer, and he leaned forward. “I think you like him, a lot.” She whispered, and he flushed, trying to move backwards. But Eunmi pulled him even closer. “And judging by the look I can see on his face right now, he likes you, a lot, too.” His eyes widened, pulling away quickly and turning to see Woohyun standing behind them, an unreadable expression on his face.

“What are you two doing?” He bit his lip, Woohyun sounded angry.

“I was just asking oppa if he would like dinner with me later, alone.” He gaped, Woohyun cocking an eyebrow.

“I’ll see you later, handsome oppa!” Eunmi winked at him, sticking her tongue out at Woohyun and running away.

“That wasn’t what she said!” He protested, Woohyun ignoring him and walking into the office. “Sir! I swear!” He followed behind, closing the door. But Woohyun still ignored him, settling himself down at his desk.

“Then what did she say?” Woohyun stared at him, and he blushed as he remembered Eunmi’s words.

“I-” He couldn’t say it, and Woohyun’s expression darkened.

“You’re flirting with someone else in front of me?”

“W-what? N-no! I-I-” He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t even know what flirting was like.

“I was just playing around, Sunggyu-ah.” Woohyun chuckled. He blinked, opening and closing his mouth like an idiot. He felt himself pout, he was being played, and here he was, thinking that Woohyun was really angry. “You look even cuter when you pout.” He flushed, lips immediately going back to normal, turning away to sit at his desk. Woohyun chuckled even more, as he buried himself in his papers, trying to will away his blush.

They busied themselves with whatever that needed to be done, Woohyun occasionally leaving the office when someone called for him. They fell into the same pattern everyday, Woohyun would stay beside him as he fell asleep, hoping to not get any more nightmares. They would wake up in the morning in each other’s arms, wash up in their respective bedrooms and meet at the office to complete their work. The rest had soon found out about them -Woohyun was always found in Sunggyu’s quarters and not his own-, but they hadn’t objected or changed his opinion of him, even occasionally teasing Woohyun about how he was so smitten with Sunggyu. Everything was good, and Sunggyu couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have bumped into Woohyun that very day, which had led to all these. Woohyun had never failed to constantly remind him that he was no longer a slave, and was on equal standing with everyone else in the group, maybe a little bit higher because Woohyun let him get away with anything, while he was sometimes strict towards the others. But as time passed, there was this nagging feeling in his heart, as he couldn’t help but feel that Woohyun was hiding something from him. He didn’t know what it was, but he had never imagined it to be of something serious, and he was wrong. So utterly wrong.

Woohyun was away for some important errand, and he had left the palace this morning, but Sunggyu was already missing him terribly. He was just about to head back to his bedroom after making a trip to the library to get some books when he heard someone call out.

“Hey!” He turned, seeing a man run towards him, gripping something in his hand. “Y-you’re-” The man halted in front of him, panting hard. “Y-you’re Kim Sunggyu, personal secretary, right?” He nodded, and a document was pushed into his hand immediately. “This needs to go to His Majesty.”

“His Majesty? But I’m not serving the King, I’m just a personal secretary for Sir Woohyun.”

“Sir- What? What are you talking about? You’re Kim Sunggyu, the man that was brought back to the palace a few months ago, right?” He nodded slowly, frowning in confusion. “You’re the personal secretary of the King! What do you mean you’re not serving His Majesty?”

He blinked, trying to piece the puzzle together, heart constricting at the realisation. “W-what’s the King’s full name?” He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

The man looked around hurriedly, before leaning closer to him. “We’re not allowed to say his full name, but it’s King Nam Woohyun.” The man whispered into his ear, his heart sinking all the way down to his gut. “I have to go now, make sure you get it to His Majesty! It’s urgent!” The man ran off, leaving him standing there in shock.

He sank down to the floor at the weight of it all. He had been hugging, kissing, sharing a bed with the- He choked at the thought of it, taking in deep breaths. He, a lowly slave, had been doing all that with the King. King Nam Woohyun. He recited that name over and over again in his mind. No wonder Woohyun had never told him his position, no wonder Woohyun had never told him his surname, no wonder he had been organising all those documents for the King, because His Majesty had been sitting lying right next to him. How could he be so blind, how could he have never realised it when it was so obvious? This was wrong, this was all so wrong. He had done something so grave, and he would be lucky if he was even going to be alive after all that had happened. He stood up slowly, feeling so numb despite everything, making his way to his room. He had already made his decision, he just needed to wait.

∞

He cracked open the door, peeking out, letting a small sigh of relief. Gripping the doorknob tighter, he closed the door slowly and quietly. The corridor was dark, save for a single light that illuminated it softly. He padded down the hallway, pausing at the entryway, waiting to see if there was anyone. The lack of shoes made it easier for him to sneak out quickly, creeping past the sleeping guard at the gates. He slipped out, breaking into a full run the moment he was sure he was out of sight. When he deemed the distance enough, he finally stopped, turning to look at the majestic palace. He tried not to let the tears fall, but it was futile, and he forced himself to walk away. He knew running wouldn’t get him anywhere, but there was a chance the other wouldn’t bother with him. He was nothing but a slave, after all. And he was the King.

∞

A/N: Unfortunately, I will be on hiatus indefinitely. Work has been piling up and because I am almost done with my uni studies, I really want to focus on getting it done well. I promise I'll be back, but I'm marking this as complete so that it's easier for people to find something to read. Thank you for reading all my stories, see you guys soon! ^^