The engagement party ended without a hitch. Soo Man had enough experience to know that the nobles would not say a word and the press could do very little when they were not allowed inside the official event. So the party faded, and the only thing left was cleaning up the mess that no one knew even happened.

Soo Man smiled to himself as waited in his office. The mess, so termed, was not really a mess as much as a calculated plan. And it went beautifully. Now he needed to start phase 2 and wrap the whole thing up.

The door swung open, bringing Soo Man out of his satisfied reflections. Chanyeol, Yixing, and Jong Dae entered. He noticed that the three younger men looked near wits end, which was exactly how he thought they would look.

“Gentlemen.” Soo Man merely nodded in greeting. The three men lined up in front of Soo Man, appearing like little boys ready to receive a punishment. “I am aware that you have been searching for the Prince’s Luhan and Minseok as well as the Princess Naeuen. You can call off the search, as we know where they are.”

Jong Dae’s face lit up “Where?”

Soo Man smiled, “Unfortunately I cannot say for now, but rest assured they are all well. They simply needed a night of rest. You shall see them in the morning.”

“I find it odd that Luhan – I mean Prince Luhan would leave without letting me know” Chanyeol was not so sure about Soo Man, especially given the fact Jong Dae seemed to not trust the man.

“Royalty, as I am sure you are aware, can do as they please as long as they pay attention to decorum. I know it may pain you, but it is a lesson worth learning – as servants of the royal family we are not their top priority and they are not beheld to us” Soo Man replied.

Chanyeol had a burning desire to punch the smirking Korean man in front of him, but he knew that would not exactly bode well for him. Something was not right here, and he did not know what to do. There was no way Luhan would just disappear, and there was certainly no way Nauen would. That shy girl never made a decision for herself, she was not the type to decide to “take a rest” during her engagement party.

Before Chanyeol could further ponder hitting Soo Man he felt Jong Dae’s hand on his arm, signaling that they should leave. It was a hurried goodbye before Yixing, Jong Dae, and Chanyeol were out of the office. As soon as they were far enough away they started to talk- something was really strange about the entire situation.

***

Nauen was wringing her hands again. The small room she had recently arrived in had become a more enclosed with the arrival of four other men. They were splayed lazily about, paying her little attention.

“Are you cold?”

The question made her jump. She looked next to her to see Taemin (she had confirmed his name, heck she had to after jumping on a motorcycle with him).

“Nnnno” She stuttered. He was very close, so close she could smell the faint scent of his cologne. She had breathed in enough of it while riding on the back of his bike to know it now.

Taemin smiled at her. It was a gummy, reassuring smile. She looked away. The chain of events that had driven her to this situation were fresh, painfully fresh in her mind. She remembered it clearly. She had been nervously navigating the party when she noticed that Minseok was gone. It was a few minutes after that she received the note – that Minseok wanted to see her. She had slipped out, biting her lip and hoping she was not making a mistake. But then again- if her fiancé called for her who was she to turn him down. Plus she really, really wanted to be alone with him at least once, to ask him what he thought of the entire situation.

It was a confusing walk towards where the note told her to go and when she got to the room she heard things, things she was not sure she should have heard. It was Luhan and Minseok and it made her head hurt trying to understand what they were doing. She felt tears swell, her emotions bursting forth before she could process the situation in her mind. Before she could open the door Taemin was there, grabbing onto her wrist, pulling her away.

“You need to come with me. Now.” He had begun to run, dragging her behind him. She had, much to her surprise, begun to follow him. He led her through the palace and before she knew it they were outside.

“Where are we going?” She asked breathlessly as he handed her a motorcycle helmet.

“I am supposed to kidnap you. Is that okay?”

She wanted to laugh then and there, but she was still too shocked to really give into the humor of the situation. Was someone asking her if it was okay if they kidnap her?

“Do you know what was happening in that room?” Taemin gave her a serious look. She didn’t really want to know. Really.

“Let’s go” Before she could consider how she felt or what it could have been or was not she left with Taemin. For some reason she felt like she could trust him. She wanted to go with him, no matter how crazy it was.

“I won’t hurt you” He said. She believed him.

***

Eun Ji was not happy. She was pacing and frantic and pissed off.

“What do you mean she is resting?!”

Yixing knew better than to argue with the fiery servant. He left Chanyeol to that. Yixing just looked at her, a staid expression.

“That is what the Korean advisor told us. There is not much we can do…” Chanyeol tried to explain once again but ended up having to shout as Eun Ji stomped off towards some undetermined destination.

Chanyeol, Yixing, and Jong Dae had discussed the situation and had come to the same conclusion, it was fruitless to do anything at this time of night. Soo Man said the Princes’ would be there in the morning, they trusted him as much as that. Because if he was wrong he would have an international incident on his hands- a missing Chinese Prince and Princess was not something to be taken lightly.

Eun Ji could care less for Chanyeol’s explanations (or lack thereof), she knew exactly where she had to go. It was bull that the “Korean advisor” would tell them Princess Nauen was resting and they should just sit back and relax. Not going to happen she repeated in her mind. As she stormed and huffed her way towards where the Palace Officials held office she clenched her fists. She would give them a piece of her mind, she would-

“I like you”

Eun Ji stopped in her tracks.

“A lot”

She whirled around to face the direction where the words came from. It was dark but she could make out a figure, a man, standing at the far end of the small courtyard she was presently stomping through.

“What did you say?” She shouted.

The figure stepped forward, enough for his face to become clear.

Eun Ji gasped loudly. She was always a loud person so it made sense that her expressions were more than silent gestures.

“I..um…like you?” Joon Myun smiled. He was blushing furiously. The few drinks he had at the engagement party had helped him feel emboldened. Now that he was facing her he was less sure.

“Then where in the hell is Princess Nauen?” Eun Ji shouted.

“Um…..” Joon Myun looked confused. Maybe confessing boldly was not a good idea. “I don’t know?”

Worst response ever. He wanted to punch himself.

***

The growing light of the dawn made the room look otherworldly. The emerging sunlight painted the room in greys and blues, revealing the two sleeping forms slowly. He stood and watched them for a while, perhaps because of personal nostalgia. He hardly remembered what it felt like to sleep next to the person he loved.

They looked so peaceful. Luhan’s arm was splayed over Minseok, spooning him closer, protectively resting at his waist. Luhan’s face was nuzzled into the back of Minseok’s neck. Their legs were intertwined as they slept, Luhan’s thigh over Minseok’s, their feet touching. It was apparent how much they needed to be near each other, their positions said it all. They were both lightly snoring, looking like two little boys without a care in the world.

It would be a shame to shatter it all, he thought, but it was what he had to do for himself and for the one he loved. It was what had to be done and he was never one to shirk responsibility.

Minseok shifted slightly, as he did so his scarred wrist became visible.

It was the scar, the man thought. He had nearly forgotten about the scar. It was a deep cut, he meant it to be. He remembered how it felt, how much pain the boy had been in when he had grabbed Luhan’s hand, brought it to Minseok’s wrist and slashed. The blood had begun to spurt, and the boy had looked utterly hopeless and shocked as he fell to the floor. It was the greatest violence he had ever inflicted to that point. Cutting him like that. But he didn’t remember, so it was violence that was well worth it.

Now or never.

“Wake up boys” He said it loud enough, at least he thought it was loud enough.

Neither of them moved.

It was now or never.

***

Six Hours Ago

“What do you want the truth to be?”

Luhan was not ready for a question like that. He had cornered Soo Man with questions of his own, he was not ready to explain himself.

“What do you mean- I want the truth to be the truth” He knew it now- Soo Man had something to do with the missing memories.

Soo Man had walked with Luhan to a small antechamber in another part of the palace, as far away from the engagement party as possible. It was a room that Soo Man chose for a purpose.

“Don’t we all? Should we step inside?” Soo Man beckoned for Luhan to follow him into the small out-of-use royal apartment beyond the antechamber. Luhan followed reluctantly.

As soon as they were in the apartment Soo Man spoke “There is a truth you may not want to know. A truth that will make Minseok hate you forever. Are you sure you want to know?”

Luhan swallowed. He had to remain calm. What was this?

“I just want to know.” He had to know.

Soo Man smiled. It was a soulless smile, his eyes were empty.

“Nine years ago you did something to Minseok. Something that almost killed him.”

“What are you taking about?” Luhan’s breathing seemed to stop. Time seemed to stop. He held his breath, waiting for a response.

“Here is what you want.” Soo Man produced a packet of photos from his pocket. “If you want the truth you are a fool.”

Luhan eyed the packet.

“Maybe I am a fool.”

“What about your cousin?”

“What about my cousin?” Luhan was alarmed.

“What will she think? No…what will happen to Minseok? Can you live with him hating you…again?”

Soo Man stepped towards Luhan and placed a hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Luhan, you haven’t changed. So full of emotions and passion.” Soo Man grabbed Luhan’s clenched fist, pushing the packet of pictures into his grasp.

Luhan felt sick. He had lived nine years full of hatred, only to find out Minseok didn’t hate him back. And for some reason that fact had become a bright and shining beacon in the last few days. It had carried him, healed him, even if they could not remember. It was what made him wake up in this place and go on. Was the truth too painful- was Minseok right when he said they should only look forward?

“Tell me what happened” Luhan’s voice was low and raw. He clenched the pictures, staring into the older man’s eyes, his rage building.

Soo Man looked away and then spoke-

“You slit his wrist. Why do you think you can’t remember? You blocked it out. You chose to forget the time you tried to kill him.”

Luhan felt like the world was spinning. How could he trust Soo Man?

“No. I would-“

It was then that Soo Man took out another picture. It was then that Luhan saw it, saw a knife and Minseok starring back at him. Nine years ago. Blood. There was so much blood.

“You did it the day before you were supposed to leave for China, after an official photo shoot. Do you see- you tried to kill him?” Soo Man feigned emotions he did not feel. He tried, because that was what was required in this situation. If Luhan listened like he should, than the entire plan would be perfect. “Thank god we were watching or you would have killed him. The photographer was taking a proof shot and….we assumed you were trying to kill him first, then yourself.”

Luhan felt the tears, the ugly and thick feeling in his throat. He thought he would throw up.

There was too much blood in the unfocused picture. He had a knife. Minseok was holding his wrist, blood oozing down his arm, onto the floor. Minseok’s face was contorted into an expression of shock and betrayal. Luhan’s expression was blank, unreadable as he grasped the knife. Oh god, was it true?

“You are a fool. Take these, they are reality now. As they should have been all along. ” Soo Man pushed the packet into Luhan’s hand with more force, “I am trying to help you.”

Luhan was lost. Could he have done something like that? To Minseok? Was that the bubbling feeling of betrayal and hatred that drove him to feel nothing?

Soo Man waited for a moment, watching Luhan digest it all. Then he patted Luhan on the shoulder and left quietly.

The minutes ticked by. Luhan gripped the packet and sunk to the floor. The tears kept coming but he did not sob. He cried, silently.

The last nine years had been a flurry of things. Drink, women, men, sometimes drugs. He had chased a feeling of peace that he could never find. He chased a vision of waking up, happy. He had chased trying to understand why confusion, rage, and hopelessness drove him forward every day of his miserable life. He had raced after a memory of Minseok and his love. He had never chased after blood and a scar and the reality that he could have done that. It had almost severed his hand for Christ’s sake.

After some time Luhan looked down at the packet. He began to look at the photos. Minseok, Luhan. They were happy in some pictures, serious in others. They were kissing. A hug here and there. In one they were making peace sings and grinning ear to ear. In another Luhan looked at a smiling Minseok, the love in his face clear. It was a reality that was far better than that which Soo Man had shown him in that one solitary, bloody, violent picture. Yet he could remember neither.

It was a long time before Minseok came into the room. By that time Luhan had stopped crying and decided which truth he wanted to share, which truth he wanted to bury. When he threw the packet towards Minseok he made that choice, he could not accept what had happened nine years ago. He would accept what he wanted to believe was true.

***

Minseok heard someone calling him, shaking him. He groaned. What was it?

As his eyes focused to the lowlight his memory reminded him – he was with Luhan. He squinted and looked, Luhan was sitting up beside him, shaking him awake.

“What?” He asked, rubbing his eyes.

Luhan nudged him.

“Good morning Prince Minseok.”

Minseok recognized the voice. He sat up quickly, wobbling slightly in his tired state. It was Soo Man.

“I have a few things that we need to discuss. I hope you do not mind?” Soo Man asked, his voice calm and steady.

Luhan had woken up only a minute before. And with his entry into the waking world he felt sheer dread. Before him was the man that knew too much.

“What are you doing here?!” Minseok asked with alarm. Minseok had come to his senses, taking in the situation fully. He was half (well practically if you did not count the boxers he had slipped back on), lying with Luhan. What in the hell was his Father’s advisor doing there?!

“I am here to talk about your wedding.” Soo Man smiled, “It seems that we have some things we need to discuss, given your current situation.”

Minseok felt himself turn red. Felt the entire weight of Soo Man’s words as the advisor motioned towards the room. In truth he motioned towards where Luhan and Minseok sat, where they sat in their obvious guilt. A person would have to be blind to not understand what the two of them had been doing that night.

“You bastard”

Minseok thought he heard Luhan whisper it. Minseok would have said the same thing if his head had not been swimming. He had been caught. He, a person who had dedicated himself to indifference and decorum and order, had been found out. His moment of passion, his moment of recklessness and love had been found out. He wanted to disappear. He unconsciously rubbed the scar on his wrist. It seemed his world was about to fall apart.