Sehun and Luhan sit there in uninterrupted silence, fingers intertwined and Luhan’s blonde head resting on Sehun’s shoulder. They stared into the distance, Sehun unintentionally starting to the smooth locks of hair by the prince’s ear. He steals a few intimate glances at his master’s delicate frame, and he observes how the gold and silk of his silken robes hugged his petite waist perfectly, rising and falling over the soft curves of his body as he breathed deeply. Sehun knew what he was doing was wrong;  if anyone caught him even brushing past Luhan, he knew they would have his head. But yet here they were, cuddling like lovers under the shade of the tree, watching the golden sun rise up from the clouds. Sehun wanted to laugh at the situation he was in, it was so crazy, ridiculous was an understatement. He had to remember who he really was, a lowly guard and his only duty, was to protect the prince.

 

He slowly moves his thigh out from under Luhan’s head and the deer-boy sits up, eyes widening larger than usual as he shot Sehun a look of confusion, thin eyebrows falling to their sides.

 

“Your Majesty…I apologize…”

 

Sehun starts, getting to his knees in front of the older male and his two hands forming a sign of respect.

 

“Hunnie…? What are you doing…?”

 

Sehun bites his lip and warns himself that he wasn't allowed to say more to his master, even though he knew it wasn't to Luhan’s liking.

 

“Excuse me my lord…”

 

Sehun backs up and retreats to his post by the garden gate, feeling his heart muscles clench in his chest. As much as he hated seeing his beloved Luhan unhappy, he knew that duty came before anything. He sometimes wondered why the gods were so cruel, what had he done so bad in his past lives that he deserved such a cruel fate? The love of his life he could never touch or be with was near him everyday, acting intimate near him all the time, not because he was mean and enjoyed others in pain, it was because he was too innocent had had yet to be exposed to the horrible reality of their relationship. But then again he had been locked up in the palace his whole life without barely experiencing the cruelty of life, so Sehun couldn't really expect much anyways. As he walks towards the ivory white gate, he hears a shuffling in the bushes and Sehun’s ears prick. The strict training he had gone through to become a guard had made him super sensitive to sound and enhanced all his senses, even giving him a 6^th . He slowly made a turn-around and examined the surroundings around his young master, eyes keenly scanning the perimeter of the garden. Luhan opens his mouth to speak but Sehun brings a finger to his own lips, signaling for him to remain silent. Sehun figured he was not yet in view and whoever was I the garden was sent out to hurt Luhan; most likely an assassin so he wanted Luhan to act as natural as possible. The doe-eyed boy shudders and his dry lips, he was afraid, easily observed from his shaking frame. But he knew Sehun would protect him, and he trusted the younger with his life.

 

Sehun crouched down low and crab-walked in a small rut under a chrysanthemum bush. He could faintly hear the breathing of the intruder and his heartbeats vibrating in the ground. Whoever this was, it was definitely a skilled stalker as Sehun could not  pick up his exact location, even with his supernatural senses. With his hand on his sword, Sehun locks on his target that was in the tree above. He shuffles around the base of the tree, placing a dagger in-between the vice grip of his teeth. Keeping a keen eye on his Luhan, Sehun clambers up the trunk like a spider, legs propelling himself forward as stealthily as a cat. He crawls along a branch and from between the filtering leaves of the tree sees a small built frame sitting on the edge of the wooden appendage hovering right above the prince. Calmly and quietly, he sneaks up behind the figure and locks his arm around its neck, earning a loud gasp from the assassin as he puts him at knife-point. Sehun places the tip of the cool blade against his neck and whispers threateningly as the small boy struggles in his arms and stretches his neck away from the metal blade.

 

“Don’t you dare, move…a muscle…”

 

The sunlight casted shadows across the small boy’s face, highlighting the innocent turn of his lips as he pants and smiles mockingly, black hair framing his cheeks

 

“Its too late…Master Wu has come to claim his rightful throne….all shall fall beneath the rule of the Dragon lord…”

 

Sehun grits his teeth in anger at the sound of the enemy’s name and throws the boy down the tree, the body landing with a loud thump on the solid, grass covered carpet and groan of pain. Luhan jumps in fright at the sight of the boy lying crumpled on the floor, his knife sliding to the side of the prince’s sandals. As Sehun leaps down from the tree lightly, Luhan reaches down to pick up the shiny, metal dagger, running his finger across the blade. His brow furrows as he lifts it up and scrutinizes the words intricately carved out at the sides, ‘ 无声的头鹰 ‘ (Silent owl). The boy on the floor struggles as Luhan touches his knife and lets out a small, unintelligible whimper, lips moving but words not forming. Sehun ties up his hands and feet and knocks him out with a blow to the head. He looks up at his prince,  fixated once again on his master’s well-being. He rushes forward and Luhan hides the knife beneath his long sleeves, eyes darting away nervously from the unconscious body on the floor. Sehun notices his discomfort and speaks up,

 

“I’m so sorry Your highness, are you hurt?…I have failed to ensure no harm comes near you…Forgive me..”

 

Sehun bows deeply when Luhan remains unresponsive and waits for Luhan to allow him to rise. He bites his lip and mentally scolds himself for not paying closer attention to his surroundings because he was thinking of Luhan, allowing the assassin to enter. What if he didn't manage to get him that time? What if the boy was able to get close enough to Luhan and strike? Sehun shuns away the horrible images of Luhan struggling with a knife in the back of his head and the young assassin on his body, pinning him to the ground with a horrible grin. No, he would never, could never let that happen to his Master Luhan…he would never forgive himself.

 

“You may rise Sehun….Yo—you are forgiven…I’m just a little shaken….tha—that's all….”

 

Sehun raises his head and sees the knife glinting beneath Luhan’s coat sleeve. He straightens his back and swiftly removes the knife,

 

“Your majesty, I am not allowed to let you touch such dangerous items, please excuse me…”

 

The younger explains and ignores the prince as he reaches out to protest. Sehun fondly examines the blade and sees the words, “Silent owl….could it be?”

 

Sehun thinks out loud. He swallows and turns the body of the boy over and he almost chokes on the breath he takes, a face so familiar he’d thought had disappeared along with all his memories was right there greeting him here in the present.

 

“Kyungsoo….”

 

Sehun mutters under his breath, eyes widened as he tried to fully take in the sight of his childhood friend. He had grown much taller and his hair was darker now but his child-like features remained unchanged. His long eyelashes and unruly hair were still in fair condition, his smooth milky skin was still flawless and porcelain. The familiar feeling of nostalgia rose up from the back of his throat like a thick and sickly bile,  those memories of his childhood with Kyungsoo came surging back from the recesses of his mind.

 

“Sehun! Yah! Sehunnie, stop it!” Kyungsoo shouts with annoyance and fear and hides behind a wooden crate. Sehun giggles at his friend’s cries, wooden sword in hand as he creeps around the quiet market place.

 

“I’m gunna get you Kyunnie! You better run cause you can’t hide~”

 

Sehun chimes as he sees a black figure run along the empty space behind him. He spins around, letting out a war cry, and holds the tip of the blade towards what he thinks is Kyungsoo but he sees nothing there. In the dark of the night, a lone wolf howls and a cool wind begins to blow, sweeping up the dead leaves of autumn from beneath Sehun’s feet. A chill runs up the young child’s spine and he shudders, suddenly feeling afraid. He calls out softly, suddenly changing his mind about the game of hide and seek.

 

“Kyungsoo…? Hey lets go home, come’on…”

 

No response.

 

“Kyungsoo?”

 

Sehun calls out louder, hands wringing as a newspaper blows past his frame. The silence killed him, his heart beating a thousand times per second, beating against his ribcage till it hurt. Kyungsoo wasn't responding, even I a game of hide-and-seek he was usually naïve enough to come out of his hiding place and let Sehun catch him. But now…

 

“Kyungsoo, the game is over, not funny…Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo?!”

 

Luhan sees his bodyguard in a daze and he places a hand on his shoulder, whispering gently,

 

“Sehunnie…Sehun are you alright?”

 

Sehun tenses up at the touch, feeling warmth travel from the point of contact up the length of his spine. He shakes the thought off and gets up, glad that Luhan had shaken him back into reality. He sees the look of concern on Luhan’s face and he smiles slightly, reassuringly.

 

“It’s nothing my lord, thank yo—“

 

“Who is that Sehun?” Luhan interrupts, thin finger pointing towards the now trembling figure.

 

“He—he’s nobody your highness…shall we head in for the day?” Sehun says, stuttering as he glances back quickly at Kyungsoo who had now managed to sit up with his head dipped low.

 

“What’s wrong Sehun-ssi…don't you remember me?”

 

the boy throws his head up, eyes glinting beneath his thick fringe of messy black bangs as he fires a look of pain and hatred at Luhan. Sehun resists the urge to spin around and look, but he knew he had to maintain his composure; after all, he was the kingdoms’ finest bodyguard and protector of prince Luhan, some self control was what came as a price of the high and mighty position.

Kyungsoo senses the awkward tension in the air and continues on relentlessly,

 

“It’s me…your little Kyunnie~”

 

“Why—why Kyungsoo?”

 

Sehun cuts as his voice cracks, heart puckering with bittersweet emotions. He was glad to see his friend alive and well…but he was on the other side, the enemy…

 

The boy smirks and leans back, stating bluntly,

 

“you left me Sehun, even when the came and took me away…you didn't even come back…but guess what, they all took better care of me than you would ever…and now as a faithful and grateful servant I shall serve my rightful master just as you serve yours….Wu Yifan, The dragon lord….”

 

Sehun tries hard not to let his emotions get the better of him as Luhan shoots quizzical looks in his direction.

 

“And now, your beloved master, the one who i see has taken quite the liking to you, shall die…under the hand of min—“

 

Kyungsoo didn't get to finish his sentence before Sehun kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him doubling over towards the roots of the large tree. Sehun draws his blade and points it at the owl’s pale neck, hand shaking and causing light to shimmer across the surface of the shining sword at the boy's words. had he seen....everything?

 

“Shut up! I mean it…I will kill you! Don't you dare; a little insolent stripling talk about Prince Luhan like that…”

 

Sehun tries to say threateningly but his voice cracks. Kyungsoo responds with a tsk and scoffs,

 

“Oh yea? Come on…I dare you….But of course, you would bare to hurt your little Kyunnie, now would you Sehun? Or have you already  given your love to someone else...?”

Sehun tries his best to take deeper breathes, breath more slowly as anguish began to eat away at the strong walls he built around his heart. Frustration caused tears to prick his eyes as he wasn't sure if he could do it. Cuz maybe Kyungsoo was right…What if he really didn't dare, what if he was just too afraid?

 

“…..Heh…guess I was right, and now I will live to see the both of you lover boys suffer and die…For my master has arrived…”

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: YAH! sorry update took so long...kinda lost my inspiraton for a few days...also thinking about doing a backstory for Kyungsoo and Sehun, like maybe just a short cjapter? IDk what do u guys think? :P UPVOTE SUBCRIBE AND COMMENT ure ideas and opinions on how the story line is, i LOVE READING ALL YOUR COMMENTS XD. Thank u subbers for all ure support and new updates wil come soon!!! KTHKSBYE :D

~Mistressofmanga