Chapter 36: Epilogue

The years that followed would seem trivial to many reading this story, but to Baekhyun and Chanyeol, the memories to be made would shine the brightest.

Chanyeol remained the emperor of the country, his popular regime unslighted by his marriage to his right-hand man. There were titters throughout the people about the heir to the throne once Chanyeol retires, but although Chanyeol never gave an official statement on the matter, he reassured his people not to worry and that he would never leave the country without a ruler.

“Every Shakespearean play must have a restoration of order, am I correct?” He had said in his speech to the people, smiling at the roar of cheers and applause from the crowd.

The wedding had been a simple ceremony in the chapel with a few close family and friends. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were both dressed in white, and for the first time in their lives, white symbolized not a metaphorical prison but a very concrete forever.

True to Chanyeol’s words, Chen, the bard, played Pomp and Circumstance at their wedding, and after they had exchanged vows and kisses, Chanyeol leaned his forehead against Baekhyun’s and whispered, “Graduation, remember?”

Baekhyun laughed. Perhaps sometimes, soulmates do stay.

With Baekhyun’s help, Chanyeol brought the country to a golden era never seen before. In history books, this time would be known as the Era of Fire, a title that lived up to the emperor who blazed a shining path for the future of his country.

History books also touched upon the love story between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, the emperor and his knight, the crown prince and his praetor. They even mentioned the pair’s close friends. Jongin, who became prime minister of the country, would later marry Kyungsoo, who remained a great general and led his army to victory after victory. After Kyungsoo’s service ended, he returned to Chanyeol’s court and served as the emperor’s close advisor. Late in their years, Jongin and Kyungsoo would move to the seaside village Baekhyun grew up in, welcoming the semi-annually visits from their friends and enjoying the quiet life much more than the tumultuous palace lifestyle.

Luhan was given permission to resign as Sehun’s personal attendant just a few years after Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s marriage. He accepted and resigned, though he refused the offer to dukedom. He planned to live a common life, but again and again, Sehun knocked on his door of his two-story condo, always on one knee with a single rose in hand. One would think Sehun hadn’t matured at all throughout the years, but the tender look he gave Luhan was unmissed by his brothers and friends. Luhan once again returned to the palace, and though he had no official title, he was treated with respect and kindness. The pair never married, but they lived the rest of their lives happily in the crevices of the palace they grew up in.

Jieun returned from America after completing her degree in both Political Science and Biology. Much to the majority’s surprise, she showed a knack for leadership and made decisions with a clear, rational mind and served as an important advisor to Chanyeol. She married the prince of a neighboring country after he had crashlanded his plane in her private ranch on the edges of South Korea. “Henry has always been a little weird,” she would always say fondly.

Forty years into Chanyeol’s reign, he decided to resign. His decision was met with a huge uproar—the people rallying in tears to keep the emperor who had propelled them into fortune. Chanyeol’s decision, however, was definite. Since he and Baekhyun never had any children, he named Jieun's daughter, Suji, as his heir. In the future, though Chanyeol would not see it, she would prove to be a great leader, like her mother and her uncle.

The last few decades of Chanyeol’s life were spent shielded from the public’s eyes. He lived happily with Baekhyun, traveling to countries abroad. When they became too old to travel, they settled in a small village in Sweden, writing ocassionally to their friends but ultimately enjoying each other’s company. When he passed away, Suji brought him and Baekhyun back to South Korea, and he was buried with the utmost honor a man could receive.

Baekhyun joined Kyungsoo and Jongin in his hometown, where he would spend the rest of his life—which would not be too long for he could never survive too long without Chanyeol—filling in the pages of the diary Chanyeol had left him so many years ago. Each entry was dated and began with a Dear Chanyeol scrawled clearly, despite the fading handwriting.

His favorite entry would be:

Dear Chanyeol,

Today, I went to the pier and listened to the cry of the waves. They seemed to be crying for you. The sky was clear and blue, and I remembered your presence by my side. Sometimes I wake up in the morning to warm sheets and I think for a second that perhaps you are here again.

Sometimes, I see phantom pieces of you by my side. Perhaps, soon, I will be together with you again.

Love,
Baekhyun

End.

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A/N: That concludes Best Friends with Royalty. Thank you so much to those who stood by me as I struggled to write chapter after chapter. This story was begun end of my freshman year in high school, and ends now, the end of my senior year. I wrote it throughout high school and I believe it shows the growth of my own writing style. I don't know if I will continue to write, but I do know that I love writing, I love reading, and though I did not make any friends, I love the fanfiction community. I enjoyed the time I spent writing this story, and it's all thanks to every single one of my subscribers.

Thank you so much.