Ch. 2 Meeting

 

It had been weeks since he entered the Imperial Palace. Sungyeol was slowly adjusting, and made friends with one of the consorts. Ji Eun to be exact, however, they didn’t see each other often since Sungyeol had to stay in the West Pavillion. He didn’t know any other high rank consorts, nor had he seen anyone besides the palace maids and eunuch. He began to wonder if there was anyone that made it past 5th Rank with this Emperor.

 

The Sun shined brilliantly, but not so harshly that would make the day terrifyingly hot; It was perfect. The West Pavillion had a beautiful water garden. Stone pathways leveled above the lily pond forming bridges along the garden. Sungyeol often took walks there after finishing his studies. He didn’t allow the attendants to follow.

 

A few weeks back he had sent a letter to his parents and brothers notifying them on his well being and how well he had adjusted to life in the country. He was happy to know that the hawk Howon prepared came back with a letter as well. Sungyeol had rush to finish the day’s lesson just so he could finally read his family’s message while enjoying the beautiful breezy day in the garden.

He held the envelop close, his hands fumbles trying to pull out the contents. It seems like each member of his family took turn in writing him a message. Sungjong and his mother wrote the most. Sungyeol found himself reading and re-reading each line twice, not wanting to miss a single line. He felt strands of his hair being blown by the seemingly gentle breeze. The ornament that held his hair together rattled at the brushing winds. The breeze blew stronger, blowing the letter out of his hand. In shock Sungyeol ran after it, he struggles to move faster due to the weight of his royal garments. His eyes following the piece of parchment closely. Eventually the paper flops into a nearby bush. Sungyeol immediately made his way over to the large bush, while pulling up the hem of his robes with two hands; he nearly tripped over them earlier.

 

“Guards! After him!”

 

“Where did he go?”

 

“I think he went that way!”

 

Loud voices and shuffling feets rang through Sungyeol’s ears as he was in the midst of retrieving his family’s letter from the deep branches of the bush. By instincts the young consort ducked down and froze in place. Did he break the rules? Were they trying to catch him because he rushed in his studies to go out into the gardens? These thoughts filled his head. Sungyeol felt a cool hand slipping over his mouth stopping his loud outcry before it could escape his lips. Eyes wide he was met face to face with stranger beside him, without notice the stranger had hide himself next to Sungyeol behind the lush shrubbery. The boy around his age puts an index finger to his lips signaling Sungyeol to stay quiet

 

“Hurry hurry! After him! We can’t let him get away!” A palace captain ordered the palace guards, their voices muffled as they went farther and farther away. Sungyeol watches as the palace guards exited the water garden making their way towards the East Pavillions. Slowly he felt the other boy removing his hand from Sungyeol’s lips.

 

“YOU! WH_!!? EEMMHHHP!!! Eeemmhhpmh! ”  

 

“Shhh! Quiet I said!” The boy hushed placing his hands over Sungyeol’s mouth once more.

 

“Eeemmphhff….eemmmm mmmhh…” Sungyeol muffled under his grip.

 

Sungyeol finally calmed down and stopped struggling under the boy’s grasp. His eyes turned round from shock at the “palace intruder”. The other boy furrowed his eyebrows and placed a finger over his lips and cautiously removed his hand from Sungyeol’s mouth.

 

“Who...Who are you? Are you an assassin? Or, or a kidnapper? Are you kidnapping me for ransom?” Sungyeol mouth harshly.

 

“Hn, if I was an assassin don’t you think I would go for the Emperor, and no a small rank courtesan?...And I wouldn’t kidnapp you for ransom; no offense, but I don’t think they’ll give me a lot.” The boy finally spoke  his voice was deep, yet soft. He smirked at Sungyeol eyeing him up and down.

 

Sungyeol glared at the boy and huffed, “ I have you know I’m actually 3rd ranked, that’s not ‘small’.”

 

“Well it’s smaller than 1st Rank and 2nd Rank.” The boy shrugged casually getting up, dusted his hands, and pulling Sungyeol up as well. Sungyeol’s glare was still on him.

 

“Hmpt! If you’re not an Assassin why were you running from those guards?” Sungyeol retorted, “You’re a palace thief aren’t you? ”

 

“Hahaha, you sure have a big imagination to match that pretty head of yours pretty consort. Just because I was running from the guards you assume I’m some kind of criminal. Hah. Let’s just say I work in this palace.” The boy said proudly with a smug smile.

 

Sungyeol narrowed his eyes at the handsome, but annoying boy. He figured by the way this boy acted it didn’t seem like he was an assassin, nor did he seem to be a kidnapper; with that thought in mind Sungyeol felt it was ok to ignore this cocky boy and take his leave.

 

“Hey! Wait, what is your name?” The boy called out. Sungyeol ignored him and walked further away.

 

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” The boy called out.

 

The informal attitude from the boy struck a nerve within Sungyeol, it wasn’t as if he was arrogant, or was he at all proud to be one of the higher ranked consort, since he didn’t even know how he scored so well, but he is indeed the 3rd ranked consort, and this boy; whoever he was had been rude to him from the beginning.

 

“It’s 3rd Rank Consort to you! Whoever you are, know that you are lucky I don’t punish you for your rudeness to a consort of the King.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry your highness, please forgive me.” The boy smirked playfully giving Sungyeol a courteous bow; the dimples on his cheeks becoming more evident.

 

“Hmpt, whatever.” Sungyeol huffed, face turning red, and stalking away from the boy.

 

“Well aren’t you forgetting something?” The boy called out again, catching Sungyeol’s attention.

 

“What?!” Sungyeol yelled back in annoyance, the boy held out a familiar envelope. “My letter!”

“Well that sure got your attention. Hmm whats in it?” The boy questioned playfully, pulling the letter back and attempting to take a look.

 

“Hey thats mine! Give it back.” Sungyeol yelled out again now attempting to fight the boy for it.

 

“Not until I know you name, 3rd Rank Consort.” The title rolled in his tongue playfully.

 

“Lee Consort.” Sungyeol replied shortly his cheeks puffying out in annoyance at the other boy. The other boy still didn’t hand him back his family’s letter.

 

“I know you’re Lee Consort, since there was only one person who moved up to 3rd Rank this year’s selection, what I mean is, _what’s your full name? What would your friends call you.” The boy stated.

 

Sungyeol was silent for a few seconds, contemplating on why he doesn’t just call the guards, but for some reason felt a bit concern for this boy, and didn’t want to hand him over to the guards. The boy seemed harmless anyways, and it doesn’t look like he’s a bad person, just really annoying thats all.

 

“...Sungyeol...Lee Sungyeol. That’s my name.” Sungyeol stated. He had forgotten how lonely he felt for the past weeks being the the palace, and it was sort of a nice feeling to say his name out loud to someone, and the possibly have them address him by his name like back at home; when he was with his brothers, and noble cousins.

 

“Hmmm Lee Sungyeol...that’s a pretty name. Ok, Lee Sungyeolie, here is your letter!” The boy smiled happily handing him back his letter.

 

“Thank you.” Sungyeol bowed to him politely; even though he doesn’t know who the boy was, he was more grateful the boy decided to hand him back his family letter. The taller turned leaving the other boy standing alone on the water garden’s path.

 

“Wait, wait up!” The boy trailed behind him, “You didn’t even ask for my name.”

 

“Hmpt why should I?” Sungyeol scoffed, “ You scared me to death and stole my letter, why should I ask for your name?”

 

“Hmm because it’s the polite thing to do, and I did give you your precious letter back.” The boy said.  

 

“Ok fine. What is you name?” Sungyeol asked flatly eyes looking back unamused at the boy.

 

“My name! Ah My name is Myung_...myung.” The boy stop mid sentence. He struck Sungyeol as a very odd individual; for one the boy or rather Myungmyung was the one who wanted to tell Sungyeol his name, but when Sungyeol actually ask for his name the boy frozed up. Sungyeol figured the boy must have something to hide since he was running from the guards earlier, but he was also just as lonely as Sungyeol and perhaps needed a friend, thats why he was keeping Sungyeol for so long.

 

“Well it’s nice to meet you Myungmyung.” Sungyeol stated again, “I guess I’ll get going now, since it’s almost time for my music lessons. I hope you won’t be running into anymore troubles in the future.”

 

“I’ll see you 3rd Rank Consort Lee Sungyeolie” Myungmyung called out.

 

“It’s 3rd Rank Consort Lee Sungyeol!” Sungyeol corrected.

 

“Sungyeolie!” Myungmyung ignored Sungyeol’s statement, waved and continue to smile. “ I’ll see you soon, Sungyeolie.”

 

“I hope you’ll never run into someone troublesome like you!” Sungyeol stuck out his tongue and walked back towards the direction of his residence. From the distance Myungmyung smiled in amusement as he watched Sungyeol walk away.

 

The following day Sungyeol was back at the water garden once more, it was his daily routine afterall; to take a walk around there after studies. The weather was even nicer today, and all the koi fish decided to come up to the surface. They have gotten use to him by now since his figure constantly lingers around the water lily pond under the walk ways. Today he decided to ask the attendants for some fish food, so he could occupy his free afternoon by feeding the kois.

 

“Whaaa how pretty!” A familiar deep voice calls out distracting Sungyeol from his activities.

 

“Ah I see you’ve finished your eunuch duties.” Sungyeol stated, with a hint of mischief in his voice.

 

“I am NOT a eunuch!”

 

“Hehe, well you seem to wander around here so carefree now, and you did say you work for the palace, plus the guards were chasing you the other day, so I assumed you were running away from your duties.Plus your name is Myungmyung, thats totally a eunuch name.” Sungyeol remarked with an evil smirk on his face.

 

“Well I’m not a eunuch! I have you know I’m quite important around here.” Myungmyung, “ Top secret stuff, I just can’t talk about it.”

 

“Hmm really?” Sungyeol smiled amusingly. “Are you a Prince then? Maybe a cousin of the Emperor? Or a Duke’s son?”

 

“You can say that.” Myung smiled smugly. “Anyways, aren’t you bored of feeding the Kois all the time. Come one I know a prefect place were we can hang out.”

 

“How do you know I feed the Kois all the time? I’ve only done that today.”

 

“Nope! I’ve seen you here everyday for weeks, if you’re not feeding the Kois then you’re reading some letter, so come one I’m helping you out here.” Myung grab hold of Sungyeol’s hand pulling him away from the bridge railing.

 

“Wa...wait...where are you taking me?” Sungyeol called out his feet dragging behind him as he was pulled away by the other boy.

 

“Just watch. It’s a good place.” Myung said his breath runs hastily from dragging Sungyeol behind him. “ It’s only very very nice at night! Come on!”

 

Myung took Sungyeol to an amazing place. It was a hill top of the far West Part of the Palace that overlooks pass the iron and stone walls of the palace looking into the city. Sunset had reached the sky as Sungyeol and Myung made way there.

 

“You see that? Thats the Capital City, and right now people there are slowing coming out of their homes readying for the night.” Myung explained.  

 

As he describe the scene, while the sunsets, Sungyeol saw the picture unfold before him as silhouettes of houses and buildings light up in the distance like stars. Street lanterns went up one by one signally the opening of the night markets, and bustling city below.

 

“It’s really beautiful…” Sungyeol said admiringly at the scene before him.

 

“Yes it is.This is one of my secret place. This place reminds me that our people here live in peace.” Myung saids contently, “This is the place the late Emperor worked so hard to build up.”

 

“Hmm, is that so?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then was he a good man?”

 

“Of course.”

“Well, then I hope our Emperor can be like the Late Emperor and bring peace everywhere and all across the land, not just here.” Sungyeol words were softly spoken.

 

“I hope so too.” There was a small moment of silence between them as the two watches the lights of the city go on, turning the dark horizon into a sea of lights. Myung stared at Sungyeol’s profile as the young consort stare on ahead at the scenic view. The reflection of the moon fell onto Sungyeol’s face and Myung couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Sungyeol really is. Sungyeol wasn’t just beautiful, he was radiant under the light of the moon.

 

“I’ll take you here again if you like, perhaps tomorrow?”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Of course. We’re friends aren’t we?” Myung smiled softly.

“Sure Myung, friends.”