The next week Soo decided to take a break and rethink everything. So many strange things were going on and all of them were swirling around Jongin. Soo couldn’t even recognize or identify his feelings about prince. First of all, the boy didn’t know if he’s falling for Jongin or not. What was happening inside his head didn’t cooperate with warm ocean in his heart. It’s just impossible for someone like Soo being in love with someone like Jongin. The future imperator and a boy from countryside without anything. It even sounded ridiculous. Secondly, besides Jongin’s status he had the bride. And Soo believed that he nothing close to Krystal when it comes down to beauty. Jongin chose her and that meant that he was at least interested in her. And at last, Jongin was a man. And Soo was a man. That’s why the boy feelings were even more confusing. Apparently Kyungsoo never was in a relationship simply because he didn’t have time. His family needed him and Soo couldn’t let himself even think about all of that. But also he knew for sure that man must not be in love with another man. It’s wrong. His parents told Kyungsoo so, but the thing was that the boy never felt attracted to women. To be more specific he wasn’t attracted to men either. So he didn’t even bother to figure it out. There weren’t reason for that. But now, when the prince appeared on the Soo’s path he needed to bring this theme up. He knew that his attraction was wrong, but he did feel something and the boy couldn’t deny it. Worst of all was that he had an idea that the prince maybe felt the same way. Their eye contacts never felt one-sided. Soo saw it. How Jongin look at him. No one ever looked at Soo like that. Jongin was creeping inside him and exploring the boy from head to toes. It felt like the prince could read every thought inside Soo’s mind. But it didn’t really mattered because it had also been stupid. Kyungsoo just came up with this. The prince was a little bit more condescending than others, that’s why Soo’s mind played joke on him.

After long hours spent on the bed the boy came to conclusion that he simply had to keep the distance between him and Jongin that requested by professional etiquette. Kyungsoo got up, setting himself on the thought: «It’s my job. Nothing more». 

As at most of the time, Soo went to the kitchen to met missis Min. He couldn’t help her anymore, but at least he could amuse old lady with conversations. At missis Min’s work place weren’t that many people as at the celebration day, but still be more that in a normal day. Missis met Soo with a bright smile:

- How are you doing, sweetie? I heard about the dinner. Are you ok?

She looked so caring and sympathetic that Kyungsoo unconsciously remembered about his mother. Missis Min always reminded her, but today reference felt much greater. Soo just came closer and hugged old lady.

-I’m honestly fine. That was a bad day, but it’s in the past.

-I hope you’re telling me the truth. Come on, the best way to get rid of bad thoughts is working.

-I can’t. The prince forbidden it.

Missis Min’s face expressed confusion.

- Just because of this little mistake? Oh, well, that’s the prince’s decision. And we’re not discussing royal family’s decisions in here. You can just stay with me. We’re preparing for another dinner.

That was Kyungsoo’s turn to be confused.

- Again? Why?

-Sweetie, in a two days our future empress’s family will arrive. And there are a lot of people in her family. 

And she started her routine. 

They spent together all day. Missis Min told Soo about celebration day. Imperator announced date of the wedding and it was in a next month. That meant huge preparations for everyone in the castle and outside it. Soo got a little bit upset, but old lady thought it was about celebration day.

When she finished all duties for today, she fed the boy and sent him back to his room. Even though Soo haven’t done any activities that day he felt mentally exhausted. He decided to go  straight to the bed.  But before he laid down his body he heard knocked on the door. Halfway  asleep Soo opened it and saw the short man who was kind of his attendant. The boy got scared. What if the prince wants to see him?

- The prince ordered you to make a pair of shoes for him. You have to finish it in a two days.

And then he left. Finally Soo had to actually do his work. This is what he was really waiting for. The boy had an ability to show the prince his professionalism.

Because there weren’t any specific requirements about what kind of shoes the prince wanted, Soo let his imagination go off. The boy spent long fifteen years in the shoe shop and he for sure knew how to do his job. Even though he started the same night as he got order Soo didn’t finish it before Krystal’s dinner. But no one was hurrying him up and the boy concluded that those shoes weren’t for the dinner. 

When the last piece of decoration was put on the new shoes, the day was about to finish. Sun long time ago hid behind the horizon and Soo thought it would be better to present his work tomorrow. «Jongin probably tired after dinner. I’m not going to bother him»

As always he put on his sleeping clothes and prepared to spend another restless night. When the boy was at the edge between reality and the world of dreams someone knocked on the door. Soo tried to pretend that he can’t hear anything but the person on the other side of the wall insisted on Kyungsoo appearance. For sure when the door was opened the boy saw the short old man. 

- Shoes. - he said it and turned around as always. « If I won’t follow him how soon he will notice it? »- Soo questioned it for a second, but decide that it is a bad idea. He grabbed shoes and came out of the room. Only then the boy remembered about his outfit, but it was too late. 

«I’m just give shoes and leave. Nothing else».

The old man left Soo right in front of chamber’s door. Two servants opened them for Kyungsoo and he entered.

The prince sat on his bed. He turned his head to Soo.

-Oh, Kyungsoo. You brought my shoes? I want to take a look at them. Can you put them on me?

-Yes, your majesty.

The boy got a little bit odd vibes from the prince. He was drunk. This is definitely not good.

Soo sat on the floor near the bed and took off Jongin sleepers. Gently he grabbed prince’s feet, put on shoe and did the same thing with another one. Jongin smiled.

-I like them. They are pretty. Thank you, Kyungsoo.

Expression of prince’s face melted the boy’s heart. How can a person be so beautiful though so cute? If Jongin right now decide to cut Soo’s throat  his last thought would be how sweet prince’s eyes are. 

For few another moments future imperator with this adorable face studied his new shoes and then moved his attention on Soo. The boy still was on the floor looking at Jongin. Prince lost his happy expression and his face become unreadable. That disappointed Soo. Why Jongin couldn’t look at him the same way as he looked at those damn shoes.

- Kyungsoo, if you continue to do that I will not able to restrain myself.

Little boy immediately turned his head, felling how flowers started blooming inside his stomach. That is so wrong. He had to leave.

Kyungsoo stand up and now their roles changed. This time Jongin looked at him from below. This was intimidating. The prince’s eyes explored Soo’s face, then slide lower and stayed somewhere at his neck.

- Your majesty, may I leave now? - Soo knew that prince’s gaze at him wasn’t a good sign.

Jongin didn’t answer, he just got up and came to Kyungsoo. There wasn’t almost any space between their bodies. The boy was shivering. At this time he really didn’t care about what is wrong and what is right. He wanted to fell Jongin.

- I won’t touch you, Kyungsoo, unless you let me do it.

The boy couldn’t say out loud that he give the prince his permission, so he just stood there waiting for Jongin to notice Soo’s desire. His eyes were begging for Jongin to make a move. But it didn’t happen. The prince needed words, but Kyungsoo didn’t have them. 

Jongin stepped back. He looked disappointed. At this point inner fire inside the boy reached the peak but there wasn’t any way to release it. He looked at the prince with his huge eyes without knowing what to do.

- You can go. - Jongin said it and returned back on his bed.