A few days passed before the king again returned to receive his next lesson. Jongin, during this time, had a lot of time to consider how to help the king understand love and its complexities. His Majesty looked almost grey from lack of sleep. He knew he should not have, but Jongin couldn't help but pity the poor man.  

"Today we will talk of his Majesty's late family."

The king clearly taken aback was quick to cross his arms in a defensive stance.

"I will do no such thing."

"His Majesty needs to understand that love is more than simple physical attraction. There are a lot of different kinds of love. But the first love you encounter is your family, your parents."

"You must be insane."

"If his Majesty wants to learn, he needs to listen."

"Not if that which leaves your mouth is preposterous."

Jongin took a deep calming breath in the fear of starting yet another yelling contest between the king and himself.

"Our parents. Are the ones who teach us about love. They care for their child, kiss it goodnight and smother them in affection. I am certain your parents were the same."

At this the king stood up, anger evident in his eyes and lips pressed firmly into a fine line.

"Not all parents are like that. Not all parents love their children and you best shut your mouth before a noose will be the only thing to smother you ever again."

"Why do you keep denying that your parents loved you?!"

Jongin copied the actions of the king and rose to his feet almost turning over his chair in the process.

"Why do you keep insisting they did?! You were not here! You did not know them!"

"I need not have known them to understand their feelings! This is basic instincts. Whether his Majesty wants to admit it or not he was once loved by his family and I should be very mistaken if you did not love them too! You. are scared! A child so afraid of getting hurt that you had to invent a law forbidding anyone else to love as well!"

Jongin was very clear about addressing the king directly in the hope of getting a different kind of response.

"Love! Is but a disease! With no cure! I did what I had to do for my people! You. You ought to be grateful!"       

"I lost my parents because of your ridiculous law! There is nothing to feel grateful for!"

"How is it my fault you parents chose love over their own lives?!"

"Oh you cynical awful being! One does not simply choose to fall in love as you may think people do! It does not work like that! People fall in love not because they want to. People fall in love because whether they like it or not there is a person for whom they care for more than themselves. And that. Is love!"

The king fell silent. Jongin was still angry but the curious expression his king displayed soon dispelled his anger. 

"M-my apologies, your highness. I was out of... Are you?"

Tears were falling from the young king's eyes. The boy slowly reached up to touch the strange event. Studying his moist fingers, the king looked to Jongin.

"Am I... Broken?"

"His Majesty is sad."

"Sad. I do not understand."

"When one feels overwhelmed with emotion tears can occur. One cries when one feels angry, happy, if something hurts but most commonly when one feels sad."

"I do not like it. Make it stop. Make it stop!"

Jongin swallowed as he took a tentative step towards the trembling king.

"When... As a child whenever I felt sad my parents would... Hug me... Like this."

Cautious arms found their way around the king pulling him forward until their chests touched. At the gesture the king was startled and pulled away but Jongin was stronger.

"R-Relax. His Majesty will feel much better if he relaxes a little."

Moments passed with Jongin gently embracing the king. Somehow his heart was racing from the intimate action but the king seemed almost stone as he became heavier in his arms.

"Does his Majesty feel better?"

A slight snoring was the king's only response. Stifling a small chuckle, Jongin, without thinking, lifted the king and carried him to the bed. Suho having seen this removed the duvet for Jongin to put him down onto the soft bedding.

"I cannot believe it. The king... Is sleeping. You. Got him to sleep."

Suho looked with disbelief at Jongin who paid him no mind.
There was something inexplicable about the king which Jongin much to his dismay found tremendously beguiling.

Kyungsoo dreamed of a face. A face much like his own. Pale skin, eyes of amber and crimson lips.

'Mother?'     

His reflection smiled at him and affectionately caressed his cheek.

'Time to wake, my child. Time to play in the sun.'    

 Kyungsoo opened his eyes. Something was most certainly out of the ordinary. Warm colours coated his slack body in pleasant orange and what he imagined cosy felt like. The bedding seemed much more comfortable than it ever had before. Slowly he reached a hand up to remove the sleep in his eyes. He recognised the room as Jongin's but not before spotting before mentioned curled up on the floor and using his arm for a pillow.

"Still sleeping on the floor I see?"

The boy started to stir, the hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. The first smile ever since arriving at the castle. If Kyungsoo did not know better he would say he had missed that smile. But he did know better and so he shook it off.  

"If his Majesty failed to notice, someone else is currently residing in my bed."

With difficulty most likely caused by the cold stone floor, the boy got to his feet to stand by the bed.

"Did his Majesty sleep well?"

Kyungsoo was at a loss for words. He had actually slept? Faint images clouded his mind as he recalled his dream and the day before. His eyes had exuded a salty fluid.  Jongin had called the liquid... sad. It had been scary at first but when his entire body had started to react to the sad it had suddenly become ten times as scary. Sad... Was that a disease too? Only, it seemed to have a special cure.

"Hug."

A look of surprise replaced the boy's soft smile and his cheeks turned a slight red.

"Are you feeling alright? You look feverish."

Kyungsoo moved to sit on his knees, eyes reaching above Jongin's head. With no hesitation, Kyungsoo placed his hands upon broad shoulders and lightly pressed his lips against Jongin's bronze forehead.

"What... What is his Majesty doing?"

"Something... From a dream."

"Your Majesty?"

"I dreamed of my mother. A long forgotten memory."

Kyungsoo released Jongin from his grasp while studying the boy's face.

"I fell sick one day... and my mother, the queen, placed her lips on my skin to see if I had a fever. Your skin is burning. I will see to have Suho bring you a wet cloth and a bowl of soup."

Moving past the stunned boy, Kyungsoo left Jongin's chambers with a curious sensation in his chest.