♦◊♦

Today is Wu Yifan’s coronation.

The people of the Wu Kingdom are excited, pacing around, preparing foods and other things. The maids and servants are also part of those busy people. Even the King himself is busy – busy lecturing his second son.

“I am telling you, behave.” He says, watching Yifan walk around his royal office, one hand on his hair and the other on his hips. Yifan could care less about his image now.

He is nervous. Yifan bites his lip and his father sighs before saying, “Stop pacing around, you’ll ruin your robes!” At that, Yifan stops and looks at his father agitatedly.

 “Father, I don’t think I can do this.”

“Silence, my son! Don’t even think that way. Keep that out of your mind and do this.” His father stands up and places his wrinkled hands on Yifan’s shoulders, and smiles. Yifan rarely sees his father smile.

And maybe – just maybe, he can handle this if his father keeps on smiling that way to him.

“Ah, my son. I’m so happy to have you. To be really honest, I trust everything to you. So I hope you won’t fail me.” And really, it takes just that for Yifan to calm down and nod. He’s got his father’s trust. He can’t fail him now.

He tells himself he can do this. He can be a good king as his father. He can do his duties well.

And so he goes and does the tradition - and the Wu Kingdom finally has a new king.

♦◊♦

The only thing his father didn’t tell him before his coronation was that he was going to start his King duties immediately.

Just after the coronation, his father had pulled him back to his office and discussed all the responsibilities of a King, including the businesses he had to do outside the Kingdom. Yifan could only nod numbly at that.

And as expected from him, he does his responsibilities, only going to his – and Jongdae’s room late at night to get an hour of sleep or two. Their shared room has two beds now, because Jongdae said that – no matter how much Yifan (awkwardly) insisted that it was fine. Well, maybe Jongdae felt the awkwardness too, but if he did, he didn’t show it.

However, even at night, he can’t sleep – no matter how much he wills his body to. His eyes absentmindedly keep on darting on Jongdae’s bed, on Jongdae’s form that is under his blankets, breathing even. He wants his eyes to close during these nights, but they don’t and he has nothing to do but watch Jongdae sleep.

Why is he being like this?

Luckily, he and Jongdae get along well now. And yes, they already talk to each other about anything. About themselves, their hobbies, yet Yifan wants to learn more. But then seriously, he has to stop thinking like that.

♦◊♦

It has been half a year since Yifan has been king. He does his job well, as expected from him. People look up to him, bowing everytime he passes by the market or anywhere else (which makes Yifan a little bit happy because this has been the time he is able to go out an venture their kingdom), and his father is proud of him, as if he never knows this and his father doesn’t always tell him this.

He attends their troop meetings, goes to other kingdoms for some sort of alliance and whatnot, does a lot of things a king does and between all that, he talks to Jongdae.

Talking to Jongdae – Yifan thinks – is a natural occurrence to him now. It’s normal for the young king to go to their room every night to talk about anything they can think of. Sometimes they talk about how Yifan’s day has been, sometimes about the kingdom, and sometimes they talk about childish things; which makes their conversation much more fun and interesting.

But then everything about Jongdae is fun and interesting, and no – Yifan is not saying that out loud, is he?

One particular morning has Yifan out with his troops, going to Jongdae’s kingdom. He asked the blind boy if he wanted to go with him. Jongdae said he would love to, but Yifan’s father asked him to stay to talk about something. So Yifan had no choice but to let him stay. Yifan wonders how much Jongdae misses home, and that is one thing he has never asked him whenever they have time to talk.

Maybe he always forgets it, or maybe he doesn’t want Jongdae to, anymore. No, wait – what?

The Kim Kingdom’s gates open to let them in, and the people bow their heads down to acknowledge the King of the Wu Kingdom and they lead them towards the castle.

The maids and guards bow down to Yifan and his line of guards as he walks in the hallway, muttering a 'good morning' every time he passes them. As he passes by the last servant, the others go back to do their jobs.

The castle is - elegant - in a way. There are carvings in the walls and ceilings that makes the castle look more medieval yet beautiful. The paintings he has passed by, though a blur in his vision, still has their own way of catching one's attention. The elegant colors make the castle look alive, but not quite. There's still something missing.
 

"Ah, good morning, King Yifan." He is greeted by an soft old voice, and he looks at who's talking and sees the old King Kim, Jongdae's father. Yifan smiles and bows to the older King. "Come in, come in!" the old man says, and Yifan follows, leaving his guards lining up neatly beside the door as they wait for their King.

"So, I take it you came here to continue your father's business?" King Kim asks, and Yifan hums and nods in response. "That is good. That is really good! You know, I really admire you. You follow your father's steps so well."

"Thank you."

King Kim offers him a seat and he bows in thanks. But as he sits down on the chair, he can't help but look around the room and just plainly admire it. The room is big, with a large mahogany table carved with wonderful designs. The walls have streaks of gold in them, and the chandelier hanging from the ceiling has a nice design. The velvet curtains are drawn, letting the sun rays inside and showing the nice view of the people from the kingdom, doing their jobs. His eyes keep on scanning around the room until they land on a particular picture frame on the mahogany table.

King Kim notices Yifan looking at it, and says "It's my family. Go on take a look." And Yifan takes it as a signal to go hold it and take a better look at it.

There are three people in the picture, all wearing royal robes and smiling happily. King Kim is noticeable and oh, and is that Jongdae?

Who's the girl in the picture though?

"She's Jongdae's sister." King Kim says, and Yifan looks at him, slightly surprised.

Jongdae - he has a sister?

"She's supposed to be the one you're marrying, you know." The old man says as he watches Yifan look at the woman in the picture a little longer. She still looks young, with brown wavy hair and a smile that is really like Jongdae's. Yifan is still surprised because, why?

"Why? -"

"She had an affair with a commoner, and she didn't come out of her room when I told her to stop seeing the man. The next day, she wasn't in her room. She ran away. Eloped with the man. During that time I agreed to your dad's offer of letting our children marry, but she was already gone, and Jongdae, well, Jongdae was the one left. So I had to."

Jongdae was the only one left, so he had to.

YO. /gets bricked yet again/

So sorry for the super late update like REALLY REALLY HUHUHUHUHUHU

Been busy, but you know that already.

Also I wanted to thank you for still subscribing to this even tho i didn't write so much so yeah here's a chappie for you.

oooh i don't know how to end this.

okay ciao! tell me what you think too! comments and subscriptions are always welcome.

kbye love u guys :)