"Huge profit! I love huge profit! Yeay!" Baekhyun exclaimed in happiness, quiet loud to be heard by other merchants.

He let out a greedy giggle while pressing his lips on a wad of money, kissing it lovingly. He plastered a happy grin on his face once again before finally slipped the money he had earned from today’s selling into his pocket.

Baekhyun stole a glance at the other merchants next to him, who threw him a cynically gaze. "They must be envy me so much. Look at their face, ha—ha—ha" Baekhyun thought. He just smirked cockily, ignoring them.

Actually he still wanted to trade for more, but it was getting late; a sign that he had to clean up his cart and get home.

Baekhyun forcefully stuffed all of his remaining merchandise into his backpack; foods, medicines, maps, portable armors and weapons, and many more, which amazingly his small backpack somehow could contain all of those things. How could he do that? Certainly a merchant’s secret.

With strength equal to ten horse power hidden on his skinny arms, Baekhyun lifted his backpack up. It was a miracle to see Baekhyun still could stand up straightly even after shouldering such a weight on his back as he walked away with a backpack that way bigger than his upper body. Not only once he found out people running away from terrifying of his appearance; they thought they saw a walking-backpack.

“No matter how small I am, their comments are still too much” Baekhyun frowned when he remembered their stupid confessions.

He walked heading to the suburbs, intending to leave the city where he had spent his five days in his life to trade. As he arrived at the said place, once more for the last time, he turned around to see the city that soon he would left.

“My business is over in this city, time to move on. Goodbye everyone! Thank you very much!”  Baekhyun exclaimed to nobody, stretching both of his hands out.

Silent.

Now people behind Baekhyun could see a backpack with a pair of legs and arms.

“Okay, I’ll go then” he sighed and turned around.

It felt rather sad when you found nobody greeting or waving you goodbye every time you coming or leaving. It simply means no one is glad of your presence or sad of your absence. Anyone would certainly feel lonely, but Baekhyun used to it; as long as his pocket full filled with money, everything would be okay. That’s what he always told to himself.

That’s Baekhyun.

A boy, who had been a nomadic merchant for long time ago, even he couldn’t tell since when he had started it. He come and goes from one to another place for trading his merchandise—

Alone.

This time, Baekhyun’s going to go to the South Empire, where according to the rumor it's a gold mine for merchant. Their people were greedy and royal. They would buy everything they thought it looked luxury and sophisticated.

Baekhyun’s grin grew wider, stretching from ear to ear at the thought of his typical merchandise, which its colour and appearance could be categorized as a luxury. But once you knew the inside—ha ha ha ha! It’s not slightly different with junk. Baekhyun was kind person actually, but when it came to money, he was pure devil.

As he looked up at the sky, he could see the colour of clouds above him was getting darker, which simply meant he had to find the closest place for spending his night; a quiet place for building a tent and sleeping.

Baekhyun nodded at the thought of a plan went through his mind. His dainty fingers somehow managed to pull out a yellowish old crumpled parchment and a compass from his over loaded backpack. After he had known his current position, Baekhyun decided to build his tent at Squamalbus forest.

The rumor said that the forest was dangerous; thousand spirits, million ghosts, hundred wild animals were inhabiting the forest, but being a stubborn boy he was, Baekhyun just shrugged in ignorance every time people warned him. After all he just stayed near the forest, not inside the forest. Did they think he was insane? He wasn’t stupid enough to give his own flesh for feeding whatever the creature lived there.

With a slightly blank mind and a stiff back muscle, Baekhyun made his way toward the forest, dragging his wobble legs down the street. The only thing he needed right now was a beautiful deep sleep.

***

“Joonmyun-ah! I told you to shift” Jongin laid his body, back to back with Joonmyun, on a mat that was actually only enough for one person. Narrow? Of course! With forced, Jongin had to share it with his companion. But being a selfish boy he was, Jongin's generosity only lasted for five minutes, and for the next minute, annoyingly, Jongin’s managed to push Joonmyun out of the mat.

“For God’s sake! It’s not me who refuse to shift. It’s you!!” Joonmyun jolted and quickly sat up. “Aish—Joonmyun—breathe—breathe!” he muttered and frowned, rubbing his chest for calming down his resentment as he found his body's already on the grass.

Luckily, Joonmyun was too tired to protest, or Jongin would've received the longest speech ever in history from him. Sleepily, Joonmyun stood up, took off his robe and put it on the ground next to Jongin, and laid his body onto it. In no time, he passed out.

It wasn’t like they had no intention to build a tent, but their incapacity to keep the tent standing firmly on the ground forced them to sleep under the starry sky; the tent that they’re trying to build for the umpteenth times collapsed, convincing them even more that they had zero experience in wild life surviving.

Uncomfortable, that’s all Jongin could say. He's relentlessly rolling his body over the mat for more comfortable sleeping position, but in the end he realized that his effort was useless as the entire surface of the mat was equally hard.

Being a crown Prince he was, he didn't use to sleep on the ground. During this time, he spent his night on a soft comfy bed complete with two maids fanning him on his right and left. Never once in his life, even in his dream, he ended up sleeping repose the ground even with no pillow.

Finding himself insomnia, Jongin turned around to face Joonmyun. He slipped both of his hand under his cheek as a pillow. Jongin blinked slowly, staring at his guardian, who was already sleeping. People in West Empire mostly had tan skin, considering they lived in a dessert. But, it’s so much different with Joonmyun.

“Have anybody ever told you how handsome you are? Telling you that your skin is so smooth as a silk and as white as milk?” Jongin barely whispered. His eyes traced down Joonmyun’s face, secretly envying his appearance; his eyes, his pointed nose, his angelic smile. In fact, Jongin envied everything in him, in a good way; his attitude, his kindness, his caring, his smartness, everything.

“How could there’s a man that so kind and gentle like you, huh? Even in your sleep, you’re smiling, silly” Jongin smirked at the sight.

He remembered how closed their relationship since they’re young. When Jongin was five years old, he thought that guardian and brother had the same meaning, and he was so sad when his father told him that he was a sole heir, which meant Joonmyun had no blood relation to him. When he was six, Jongin told his father that he would marry Joonmyun someday so he could be by his side forever. But to his dissapointment, his father said that a crown Prince had to marry at least a nobleman and not an ordinary like Joonmyun was.

As he grown up, his brain could understand what a brother was and what a guardian was, but in his heart Joonmyun’s his brother, and he always would be.  

After a good one minute deeply staring at him, Jongin finally blinked and still found his guardian’s sleeping. His slightly opening mouth and his vauge snoring somehow looked entertaining for Jongin. Judging from how soundly he slept, Jongin knew that Joonmyun might be so tired; tired of being chased by palace guards and tired of him as well.

It’s not like he wanted to make his High Priest's life become miserable for his spoiled nature. Jongin definitely loved him, and Joonmyun knew that; Jongin just liked to make fun with him. He liked when Joonmyun’s always-smiling face fuming from his annoying attitude, and he himself couldn’t tell why Joonmyun’s still so gullible.

But, the Prince promised to himself, this would be the last time he forced his will to Joonmyun. Only this time he wanted to get his biggest obssession in his life, one thing that a Crown Prince never had.

Freedom  

"I'm sorry Joonmyun-ah" Jongin unintentionally mumbled while looking at his guardian's peacefully face. “Please don’t hate me” He mumbled again, no hint of spoiled tone in his voice this time.

“No—I don’t” Joonmyun replied quietly as he opened his eyes, ruining the mood.

“Y-YAH! You haven’t slept the whole time?” Jongin yelled and quickly sat down, hiding his slightly blushed cheek after realizing those stupid sentences he had just said.

“I’m tired, but I can’t sleep” Joonmyun replied with a yawn.

“Huh? I swear I heard your snoring” Jongin scoffed.

“Really? Oh—maybe I was fallen asleep for a while” He admitted, much to Jongin’s relief. In fact he heard everything. “Anyway—I remember about the men we met this afternoon. I’m a bit worried” Joonmyun quickly changed the subject.         

“Why?”

“I think I know where they’re coming from. The man that argued with you, I suppose he’s a prodigy swordsman, judging from his braveness. And you know what? I saw a blue saphire embbeded in his sword” Joonmyun explained.

“Do you mean they’re coming from East?” Jongin guessed and narrowed his eyes to Joonmyun. The older nodded slowly.

“Judging by their clothing and how they’re talking, I’m pretty sure they’re noblemen, and that’s make me worried” Joonmyun continued. Jongin could see a hint of worry all over his face.

“Hmm—why?” Jongin asked innocently.

“Didn’t you look at their hair?”

“Yeah—nice haircut, nice color, smooth” Jongin looked above recalling for their appearance before babbling cluelessly.

“No, not that—I mean, oh my, really you should read more history books” Joonmyun closed his eyes and pinched his nose bridge from frustration. “They’re in short hair, Jongin-sshi. There’s no nobleman has short hair in East Empire” Joonmyun gave him more clues, hoping his Prince could make a smart guess.

“Joonmyun-ah, what are you trying to imply? Tell me the point, will you?” Jongin scratched his hair.

“Noblemen from East with short hair in the middle of market? They’re in disguise, Jongin-sshi! Don’t you suspect they’re up to something?”

“Honestly—no”

“Yaa, Jongin, sshi! How could you say that? You’re a future King, you should aware on every issue related to your enemy. Who knows they’re planning something to assault us?”

“Yeah—yeah, whatever” Jongin muttered and rolled his eyes, bored every time Joonmyun giving him a long lecture. Joonmyun just smiled at his little Prince attitude. The night was getting late and that time had been past Jongin's bed time. Softly, the guardian pushed Jongin by the shoulder, laying him down to his mat and he pulled the blanket up to cover up his Prince body.

“Go to sleep, Jongin-sshi. We have to wake up early tomorrow” Joonmyun smiled as he Jongin's soft hair. He could see Jongin smiling a little before closing his eyes.

“Goodnight, Joonmyun-ah" The spoiled prince mumbled. Seeing his Prince already sleep, now Joonmyun could have some rest too.

Silent.

“Joonmyun-ah?” Jongin’s deep voice cracked the silence.

“Hmm—”

It took a while for Jongin to continue.

“You know what?”

“What?” The guardian replied in slur.

“I’m so hungry right now! Get me some food, will you?” Jongin smiled innocently while batting his eyelids.

“WHAT?!” Joonmyun half-yelled, quickly sat down and turned to him, freezing and staring at Jongin as if he had just said he had eaten five mountain lions. 

"Where the sweet boy who said ‘I’m sory’ had gone? Didn't he satisfy enough after taking over the mat for himself? How dare he tell me that he’s hungry?" Joonmyun thought. As much as he wanted to spill out his real mind, he preferred to say other words which sounded more polite.

“J-Jongin-sshi, if I am not mistaken, you have eaten half of my sweet potatoes” He forced a smile with half of his eye twitching. Hopefully the younger could understand that it’s been late at night. He could see Jongin frowned at his words while rubbing his six-packs abs—but one-pack abs would be more relevant since his stomach overloaded.

Jongin was silenced for a moment, pouting and sticking out his lower lip.

“BUT I’M STILL HUNGRYY!!” Stubbornly, Jongin yelled, kicking his legs like a cry baby. Joonmyun slapped his forehead in desperation.

“Okay! Fine! Joonmyun—breath—breath—inhale, exhale” Joonmyun mumbled incoherently to himself while massaging his temples. “Come on, let’s find a merchant. Hopefully we’re lucky enough” Joonmyun said, frowning yet obeying. Meanwhile, Jongin had a victorious smirk on his face. 

Succumb to win

That's a favorite proverb that Joonmyun believed in, and he better found another proverb that sounded more frightening, like if you seek for peace, prepare for war, or something creepy like that, as most of time Joonmyun found himself defeated by Jongin. But once again, rather than die in exasperation fighting with a childish Jongin, he preferred to obey whatever his Prince desire. 

(Recent score: Jongin 105 Joonmyun 6)

***

Kyungsoo stole a glance at his friend, who for the past two hours had been sitting down facing the fireplace motionless, examining the map in a blank stare. Worrying Yixing would be possessed, Kyungsoo decided to speak to him.

“Yixing—” A deep voice’s coming from Kyungsoo’s mouth. Yixing just let out a big sigh once he heard his name’s called by his guardian.

“Hmm—” He hummed as a reply, absorbing himself examining his map—not examining actually, he’s more like staring the map. He even didn’t bother to turn toward Kyungsoo.

“What are you thinking?” Kyungsoo asked and it need a long time for Yixing to answer it.

“Nothing really” Yixing replied a bit flat than usual, eyes still gluing on the map.

In fact, Yixing’s brain was fully occupied: 80% of his brain’s thinking of how attracting the cute red hair man was, 10% was calculating for his probability to meet the red hair man again, and the remaining 10% was questioning who the lucky man with dark skin was. Never once in his life, he had seen a gorgeous smile like that, and the fact that he making friend with a y-face guardian didn’t help anything.

“Really?” Kyungsoo raised his tone, obviously not believing him. “So what makes my best friend read the map upside down for two hour, huh?” He smirked mischievously and knocked his finger on Yixing’s temple.

“Uh? What?!” Kyungsoo’s words snapped Yixing back to his sense.

“You’re thinking about men we met this afternoon, right?” Kyungsoo made a guess and he could see Yixing gasped at his question, grogily folding the map which somehow was being difficult to fold. All of sudden, wind blew that trouble map right to fireplace, burning it out. Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes at his friend clumsiness.  

“Don’t bother to reply, I know the answer already” Yixing already opened his mouth, wanting to make his word, but Kyungsoo cut him by poiting him his index finger, “And skip your explanation about how attracting they are, because you won’t like them anymore once I told you where they’re coming from” Kyungsoo said.

“What do you mean?” Yixing tilted his head, interested with the topic. He shifted his seat closer to his guardian.

“Do you remember the dark skin boy?” Yixing nodded at the other’s question. “I saw that brat’s sword, and there’s a red ruby emmbedded in its handle” he continued.

“D-do you mean they’re coming from the West?”

“Yeah—and judging by their clothing and the way they talked, I suppose they’re noblemen” Kyungsso explained, but Yixing just looked at him with his innocent eyes; obviously he didn’t get the point. Kyungoo sighed in defeat; Yixing might be so lost in his own mind until completely lost his good logic.

“Look, we’re almost at the South Empire right now and we met noblemen from West here, in the middle of market, for crying out loud! They never go this far. They’re introvert people. Unless they’re putting up something, they wouldn’t trespass their territory” Kyungsoo smartly explained. As a Prince guardian’s he was, he always aware by his surrounding.   

“Yeah—you right anyway” Yixing sighed at the fact.  He knew Kyungsoo had the point. Its Yixing himself that hated the people from the West, and like karma, he found himself spellbound to a good-looking stranger from his enemy Kingdom.

“So the conclusion is: don’t you ever try to develop any feeling toward our enemy! I won’t approve it” Kyungsoo said bluntly.

“Hello? You’re not my parents”

“I’m your guardian and I assigned to protect you. You can’t get too close with them”

“But they—”

“Even though they’re looking damn good, you can’t!” Kyungsoo said as if he could read the other’s mind.

“But I—”

“Even though you’re not a crown Prince, you can’t!

“How could you read my mind?”

“Trust me I know you better than yourself, Xing. So, instead of thinking that red hair man, you better follow me. We need to get a new map” Kyungsoo flatly said before standing up. “I hope we’re lucky enough to meet a merchant in this late.”   

***