"I'll beat you one day..." Taemin panted as he collapsed on his back, facing up at the stars as he laid on a clear, grassy patch of the forest.

"In your dreams!" Minho laughed and landed next to him, throwing his sword aside. He promised the Prince a lesson in swordfighting later on in the day, and they were so caught up in the activity that they had lost track of time and ended up continuing their lesson until after the sun came down.

"It's too dark to see anything...I'll get a lantern." Minho said and stood up to get one when Taemin stopped him.

"There's no need. Stargazing is best when there are no other lights around!"

"Are you sure you won't get scared of the dark?" Minho teased, poking at the Prince's cheek.

The teen pouted and slapped his hand away. "I won't!"

Minho chuckled and laid back down next to him, enjoying the star kissed sky as well as each other's company.

"The view here is so nice!" Taemin sighed contently.  "Much better than looking from the palace balcony. You can only see a couple of stars there because there are too many lights around..." 

Minho hummed in response as the younger continued to watch the still sky, and though it was dark Minho knew Taemin well enough to know that he was grinning like a child.

"Not that matters much to me...but doesn't it get tiring all of the time? Training to become king?" Minho asked suddenly, plucking at the blades of dry grass next to his arm.

Taemin shrugged. "Sometimes it can be a pain, not because there's so much work to do, but because when I have free time I don't have a lot of people to spend it with. There's really only my sister and my servants."

Minho frowned. "Sounds lonely..."

"It is." Taemin sighed heavily, still staring into the depths of the night sky. "But honestly I can hardly wait until I become king. Not for the title or for the wealth, but so that I can finally make good use of myself and raise a strong kingdom."

Minho nodded in understanding and turned his attention back to the stars, shifting a bit closer to Taemin's side out of impulse.

"Hyung, do you think we'll see a shooting star tonight?"

"If we're lucky. Why? Were you hoping to make a wish?" he asked, glancing over at the younger.

"Yes..."

"What is it?"

"You're going to laugh at me." Taemin pouted and his side so he was facing away from Minho.

"I won't! I swear." Minho promised and nudged the Prince's shoulder.

Taemin hesitantly turned around and raised his arm up, tracing the outline of the bright, full moon that rested above their heads. "I'd wish that fate would bring me to who I was meant to be with." he whispered softly. "I requested to have that masquerade ball because I was growing impatient with fate and just wanted for love to come to me already...but I guess my plan sort of backfired on me since now I'm here instead of walking down the aisle." he let out a soft laugh.

Minho scoffed. "You really believe in that kind of stuff?"

He nodded. "Of course! You don't?"

"I'm more of a realist than a romanticist." he huffed and rested his head on his hands.

Moments later, a bright streak of light shone across the dark sky, then disappeared in an instant before the couple's eyes.

"Fate must be on your side then." Minho chuckled and sat up, lighting the candle on the lantern sitting next to them figuring that they should go back to the cottage after Taemin settles on a wish.

Taemin grinned widely in excitement and shut his eyes, bringing his knees to his chest as he worded together his wish so it sounded perfect once he would recite it in his mind. I wish that fate would bring me true love...so that I won't have to feel alone anymore.

Taemin's eyes shot open once he finished stating his desire, his pupils meeting the dim light that shone from the lantern. He grinned in satisfaction then glanced over at Minho once, only to look back at him again, as if... a force pulled him to meet the other's eyes. He felt as if he were staring at the man for the longest time, though in reality is was only for a couple of seconds. Minho's large eyes glistened from the twinkling lights above, and the effect was almost...mesmerising to Taemin. He acknowledged the thief's handsome features before, but now it's as if he were looking at him for the first time; his flawless skin, his cocky grin, his well defined nose, and his gorgeous, plump lips. Taemin wondered how soft they would feel if he were to possibly press his against--

"Did you make your wish?"

The Prince finally blinked, snapping himself out of his trance and nodded subconciously, looking up at the man as he stood up.

"Ready to go back then?" he asked and offered Taemin a hand to pull him off the ground.

Again, he kept silent and took the man's hand, blushing as he was up on his feet. Lucky for him, it was too dark to see and it was unnoticeable to Minho.

"Something wrong?" the thief raised a brow as he eyed the dazed prince.

"I-it's nothing...just feeling a bit tired that's all." Taemin offered a small smile and began walking towards the cabin.

"Uh, Taemin?"

"Huh?"

"Home is that way." Minho chortled and pointed the opposite direction of where the Prince was headed.

"O-oh right! I knew that." he mentally scolded himself for acting like such a fool. What's wrong with me?

"Here, I'll lead the way." Minho chuckled and took Taemin's sweaty palm in his, pulling him through the foliage and back to the trail.

Taemin immediately felt the heat rising up from his feet to his face as he gripped the thief's hand, his heart racing with every step they took.

Fate sure likes to mess with me...

~~~~~~~~~~

"Such a good girl, Kidae." Taemin grinned widely as he brushed back the horse's long, chestnut mane. The Prince was more than happy to take care of the thoroughbred again, as long as he was away from Minho. He could hardly sleep last night because his mind was so clouded with thoughts regarding his....uality, perhaps? He wasn't too sure. Why did he react so strangely when he got too close to Minho? Fate wouldn't pair him up with another man, would it?  Though...that was what he thought the first night they met.

Taemin huffed in annoyance and pouted as he leaned against Kidae's back, frustrated with that thought lingering in his head.

He looked up when the faint sound of gallop