…………Chapter 4……….

The heavens smiled upon the King and his wife in the midst of winter…It was mid December, The afternoon of December 14^th to be exact.  Although very cold, it was not a dreary, gray, and gloomy bitter day. The sun shone brightly through the icicles hanging from the traditional sloped giwa (tiled roof) of the ancient palace. The Kingdom was blanketed in snow, peacefully muted from the thick layer of white; the silent palace grounds were simply breathtaking.  It was peaceful, beautiful, and clam, very calm. Or so it would seem at first glance…In contrast the inside of the warm palace was chaotic, and nerve wrecking: hanging in suspense….

In the halls of the Gyotaejeon (Queen’s quarters) The King and his men of the court were, outside her bedroom doors. Not one ounce or a hint of worry could be seen in his eyes. He was King after all and hid his emotions very well from the public eye.  He loved his Queen with all his heart and hoped she could make it since so many women of the time did not survive…As he paced back and forth “calmly” All the men could hear was her nurse talking calmly but yet loudly and the Queen gracefully and elegantly, through the pain, trying her best to act like a lady while handling her delicate situation. With beads of sweat upon her heated skin, the dignified Queen panted softly in between quick breaths before bearing down once more.  Moments later The King of the SHINee Dynasty heard the sound the Kingdom had been waiting for: The cry of the royal baby as it entered the world! The King let slip from his eye a tear of joy for his joyful heart overflowed with love and pride… 

…

The Midwife slid open the big wooden doors to the Queens room “Your highness” She bowed and stepped backwards letting the King rush in to his wife’s bedside.  She was holding the warm little buddle close to her chest with one arm and with her other hand she broke royal decorum and touched her husband affectionately, tangling her fingers into the King’s not caring who saw. The Queen smiled as her eyes welled with tears matching the King’s, she murmured sweetly “Husband, Heaven has blessed us with a son.”

The court erupted in loud cheers as they came through the room’s threshold to see the child; but the King was happily silent as he wiped at his watery eyes and pulled back the swaddling cloth from the newborns head to see his baby’s face. “He is beautiful, just like his mother.” The king also broke tradition for he kissed the baby’s head then his wife’s lips. The Queen’s female guard’s eyes widened at the sight of their tender affection, she instantly the balls of her feet not to witness and protected her Queen from the eyes of others by ushering all the men out of the doorframe immediately giving the royal couple their privacy; The royal officials were there to verify an heir was indeed born not see her royal highness’s tender skinship!

The king pulled away from the romantic kiss to exclaim joyfully to them as they filed out of the room “Tell the people of the land Crown Prince Lee Jinki is here!” He looked away from the door and chuckled happily as he leaned down to peck her lips once more not caring there were still eyes upon them.

The couple shared a loving giggle once again when they finally heard the door close.  He gently swiped the baby’s knuckles with his pinky. “Hello my little prince” The infant curled its tiny fist around his father’s fingers.

The Queen giggled cutely. “d’awww So, cute.”

“You’re the only other man who is allowed to make the Queen laugh like that.” He teased his son.

The queen looked down to her prince and kissed his forehead “Welcome to the SHINee World Lee Jinki.”

“We love you.” The King said sweetly before kissing the back of the newborn’s tiny chubby hand.

..…

The Queen fed her child but the King didn’t leave, he stayed with his new family until the baby was full on his first meal… He lay beside his wife holding his son’s hand.. or rather the prince still was holding his pinky and wouldn’t let go. The King was powerless against the baby so he rested his head on his wife’s shoulder as she fed him. Both parents stared happily into their sons eyes.  Eventually the child was finished drinking. The midwife came in to help the queen get clean and change her sheets. As she fixed the bed she glanced over to the King and Queen; they were playing with and cooing to Jinki as they changed his soiled royal bottom. The midwife never saw royalty clean anyone’s backside not even a baby’s;  it made her smile seeing how genuinely they cared for their prince tenderly with happy giggles and how the King was a devoted husband and father, he truly was a gentle man, a great King. They seemed like a regular family not just some royal blood getting an heir to keep the family name going.  With a smile still on the midwife’s face and pride in her loyal heart she saw they had everything under control so she stepped out of the room giving them privacy once more.

The long hours of labor, exhaustion was finally getting the best of The Queen, she yawned as she and her husband settled down on the clean bedding on the heated floor.

The king whispered softly “Rest my love. I’ll be here if Prince Jinki needs anything and the midwife is just right outside if I need help.”  The queen kissed her husband and nodded sleepily, already drifting into slumber. Cuddled with his son and his wife, holding his royal family in his protective arms as the three enjoyed their afternoon nap. And later when they had woken up, he was still there, the loving King stayed by her side all day catering to her and Jinki’s every need.

……

The infant grew into a sweet little boy but he started to feel lonely as he aged. He knew he didn’t have normal friends. He couldn’t just go out and make them, for Jinki was The Crown Prince of the SHINee Kingdom. He was almost always in his palace and only left the grounds for business with his father if needed.  The future leader learned really early in life everyone he knew treated him differently. His parents loved him dearly but could only be themselves in private. His father was very funny and joked with him but only behind closed doors. His mother was playful and loved skinship, if it was tickling him or hugging him no one ever really saw it. Well her personal maid saw it occasionally and a few from her inner circle of close trusted people. His “friends” were his female nannies when he was a toddler and maybe a toddler of a fellow aristocrat but as he got older he quickly understood he had to be a certain way all the time if anyone was around, even amongst “his own kind.” Royalty was different and had standards and traditions to follow especially the future leader of the Kingdom.  There weren’t that many children of nobility and other aristocrats around his age, and the ones that were, still treated him differently thus at the young age of 7 he learned the word “agenda” and they all seemed to have one. Lee Jinki just wanted to play and have a person he could trust and simply just talk to without judging him or someone furthering their own family’s name and wealth.

He would see servants talking casually and being friendly with one another but they would stop if they noticed him watching; they’d bow and get back to work. The child prince would sometimes watch them when they were not looking though. He would hide behind the doors just to listen and observe “those normal people.”… As a young boy he had snuck in to the kitchens after hearing laughter as he was passing by…He saw a younger boy call out to a friend “Hyung!” As they ran around two females, apparently their mothers were the cooks. No one ever called him hyung; no kids ever played with him like that, or chased after him or told him funny stories like they would do. He wanted that kind of carefree friendship. A few days later he asked one of the cooks sons to call him hyung and asked him to play with him but they almost had a heart attack and politely told him they couldn’t and the adults ushered him out of the kitchen for it was no place for the future King. He knew when he got older; people would only talk about politics with him or things of that nature and nothing else. Well unless they wanted to further their own status. They say you can have whatever you want when you’re royalty but they leave out the part where you have no “real” friends.  It wasn’t until Jinki met a certain young boy a few years later when he was 12 that that all would change….  A boy named Lee Taemin.

…….

Over the years servants grew accustomed to the prince’s friendliness though and were genuinely friendly in return; they’d chat with him nicely. The prince was very polite to every servant and subject of the Kingdom; he never abused his power just like his parents never did. Jinki, just like the King and Queen, was beloved by all; the whole kingdom loved the prince and knew he’d be a great leader one day.  Children around his age still never called him hyung though when he reached his teenage years but he understood and he also grew accustomed to that never happening which was okay because secretly he now had 4 friends that would, Minho, Kibum and Jonghyun and of course Lee Taemin…

Currently the prince is 19 and about to celebrate his Gwan Rye (coming of age) but long ago at the young age of 12 the prince met Jonghyun 6 months after he had met Taemin. Jonghyun was the last friend invited into his inner circle of close trusted friends that would last his lifetime. He met Jonghyun when his family came to the palace to work. Even though they were often at the palace with their fathers Minho and Kibum didn’t live there. Taemin lived in a neighboring village. Minho lived in the city surrounding the outside of the palace walls as well as Kibum but Kim Jonghyun lived on the palace grounds with his parents and his older sister. His family technically was not of nobility or high society, they ranked much lower on the scale;  Not learned in books but in pure talent…The Kim family were entertainers to the royal family. Performers living in the palace, always at the disposal of the King and Queen: available anytime they were summoned to show off their talents while the family ate and or hosted parties. His mother a singer and dancer, his father a gag man, better known as the King’s clown/ a royal jester if you will. Jonghyun was a good blend of both his parents; he could sing like an angel and make anyone laugh and his entire family could play traditional instruments as well. Naturally Jinki and he became fast friends after he gave the crown prince a cramp from laughing too hard one night……. Jonghyun being a little comedian called him hyung in jest and it stuck.

The prince had just finishing studying and was heading back to his room for a short nap in between his schedules when he heard someone sneeze then mumble “Stupid flowers.”

Jinki chuckled “Mr. Kim?” He turned the corner and found Jonghyun rubbing his nose.

“I mean no disrespect, Prince Jinki” he bowed “but I think the queen went a little overboard with all the flowers.”

The 12 year old prince laughed “allergies?”

The young performer sniffed cutely. “I think the pollen is trying to murder me.”

The prince smiled. “Sorry about that.”

The jokester teased “Don’t be...well, unless you are made of pollen then you should be ashamed of yourself, hyung-nim.”

Jinki laughed “How’d you know I was made of pollen? The flowers are my minions I sent them to kill you.”

Jonghyun gasped “I knew it!” They laughed loudly. That one brief encounter in the hall turned into other small talk moments when they crossed paths in the palace and that grew into even more humorous moments and soon they became friends despite the class difference. The over dramatic comedic tone of “hyung” he with became a genuine “hyung” over the years as Jinki treated him with respect and their friendship grew.  If anyone were to say anything about it they could chalk it up to the younger being a “comedian” and not a lack of respect. Jinki of course didn’t mind at all. Jonghyun had no hidden agenda to further himself (and he couldn’t and he wouldn’t even if he could) he was happy playing the fool and being a musician for a living. He took pride and honor in his life as a Royal Servant. The man from a simple background was also truly honored to become a friend of the prince and make him laugh for free.  Plus he soon found out the prince was pretty funny himself.

The prince became friends with one of his teacher’s sons a month after he met Taemin. Kibum, son of the famous scholar of languages, Mr. Kim.  Unlike some of the educated pretentious upper class, Kibum was humble like the prince but was blunt; respectful but brutally honest. Kibum took a liking to the prince rather quickly after a few interactions with him. He had thought he’d be a spoiled patronizing brat to be honest before he had ever met the prince. But he had a very pleasant first impression of the future king which made those thoughts vanish in an instant. Jinki also had reservations before he met the younger but just as quickly as Kibum Jinki knew the other was not “ up” to him or pretending to care about the same things as him. The first time he called the prince, hyung, he hadn’t even realized he had done it. He was rambling on about something and Jinki laughed and pointed it out to him. Kibum actually denied it but smirked when he understood the prince was not and would not be offended if he called him that again. Slowly over time he’d slip “hyung” in to conversation if no one was around: they found it amusing.  Kibum was highly intelligent: book smart and people smart. Jinki liked to study with him and have very long intellectual conversations with him. They had a lot in common and shared similar points of view on politics and a wide range of topics. Kibum was a sweet soul just like he. Over the years it appeared to the prince that Kibum seemed to know everything: every current event, political, social and even simple gossip. He would bring the prince word of palace information he might not have been aware of. Once Kibum knew of a squabble between cooks and Jinki took it upon himself to resolve the issue before it became a bigger problem. He didn’t have to, he was the prince, he could have asked some higher level servant to take care of it but he headed to the kitchen to make the peace and he did it without getting mad or banishing anyone from palace grounds. Which gained him even more respect: the prince wasn’t just talk: he actually cared.  Kibum knew he’d make an excellent King one day and would faithfully and gladly follow him. Kibum also ended up being his link to the outside world since he was always so busy with his schedules of studying and basically learning how to run a kingdom. Kibum filled him in on the latest news of the Kingdom no matter how minor.   Kibum was invaluable, an honest friend.  They were very similar in both being from distinguished affluent families and in their kindness and fairness; never looking down condescendingly on others “lower” than them.  Jinki knew they would make a great team once he took the throne….

A week after the prince had met Taemin he had his first encounter with Minho who was the son of General Choi. With General Choi as his teacher, the crown prince spent a few hours a day learning the art of defense. He would practice archery, martial arts, and swordsmanship. Swordsmanship he practiced the most with Minho. 

Minho, just like his father, was very loyal to Jinki’s family. He was not intimidated by Jinki’s status. Minho was friendly not because he wanted to further his status; he couldn’t anyway even if he wanted to. Minho would be a solider for the crown one day and was honored to do so. Minho, was a true friend that genuinely liked and cared for Prince Jinki. Spending many hours day in and day out together, they naturally became close. One day after Jinki knocked him down to his feet a little too harshly and jabbed him in his side sharply with his wooden practice sword, Jinki apologized deeply asking him if he had hurt him. General Choi applauded the prince on his skill but Jinki felt horrible. Jinki whispered to his opponent. “I didn’t mean to be so rough. Did I hurt you?” Minho smiled and rubbed his side and huffed. “It’s okay, hyung. I’ll live.” The prince’s eyes widened as he was happily surprised to hear him address him informally. The only other person to call him that at the time was Taemin, who had done it the week before…Minho stood up quickly and bowed “I’m sorry, your highness.”  Jinki shook his head and patted his shoulder. “Don’t be.  It’s alright.” Minho relaxed and his smile returned. Minho always treated him with proper respect but was also friendly.

What started out as a lonely 12 year old prince making friends, turned out to be him unknowingly building his inner circle of trusted allies that would last a lifetime... Their bond, that trust would be essential…… Jinki decided when he was in his mid-teens that once he was King he would appoint Kibum as his advisor and Minho would inevitably become his personal guard when they become officially adults. And with Jonghyun’s humor he could easily lighten a stressful intense mood if need be with political guests in the future once Jinki took the throne. He cherished his friendships with the three boys. It meant a lot to him but there was someone that meant the most above all else, his first friend he ever met… Taemin…

.............................

In the throne room an 8 year old boy clung to his daddy’s leg hiding his face as he and his Father entered the throne hall. He sighed and nibbled his lip as his father greeted The Crown and their son. The boy lifted his head to see how big the room was; his first view of the throne room besides the tiled floor he kept shyly staring at while he hid was the elaborate intricate details above him in the beautifully decorative painted wood of the colorful ceiling. In the center of the ceiling in a big square that was carved into the colorful wooden structure and in the center of the square were two golden dragons: the dragon representing the King. The bashful boy took a quiet breath as he felt so small and a bit scared in the intimidating royal hall; he tightened his grip on his father’s pant leg… “Bow to the King and the Royal Family please.” The boy’s father whispered trying to pry the child from behind his leg.  Jinki had seen this man before but he had never brought his son before. Slowly the timid boy peeked out from behind his father’s thigh. The second thing he saw in the colorful palace was The Crown Prince sitting next to his flawless parents on their thrones in front of the royal mural. The prince was smiling and wiggled his fingers in a little “hello” gesture to the younger boy. The boy smiled and looked down with blush painting his entire face bright pink. The queen whispered to her son “aw, so cute.”  The shy boy took a deep breath and finally made his way from behind his father to standing next to him. “Hello, I’m Lee Taemin” he meekly introduced himself as he bowed respectfully. When the boy looked back up, the prince was still smiling at him, making him blush again and blink a few times nervously before staring at the tiled floor again shyly.

….....

Later the Queen and Prince departed, leaving the King and Magistrate Lee to discuss business… Jinki had gone back to his room to study and in the midst of reading he heard someone talking. He placed down his book and walked to the door and slid it open to see the young boy walking the halls looking at a vase on an antique table in the hallway.  Jinki smiled and walked out of his room to greet the boy. “Is that a poem you are reciting?”

He startled Taemin half to death; he quickly bowed “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you, your highness.”

“You didn’t. I like it; can you tell me your poem?”

Taemin nibbled his bottom lip for a moment trying to remember it before he proceeded. Jinki smiled as he listened to the shy boy mumble a pretty poem. “Thank you Taemin that was very nice. So, um is your mother with The Queen?”

The child meekly answered “Yes”

“Want to read with me in my room?”

“I’m I allowed to go in your private room?”

“Well, technically you’re not even allowed down this corridor of the palace.” The prince smiled.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He bowed again and nervously replied while batting his lashes anxiously “I got lost.”

Jinki chuckled. “It’s ok we aren’t going to kill you or something because you got lost. So, Taemin, our fathers are discussing important things, our mothers as well.” The crown prince smiled a toothy smile “Let’s have our own meeting. Follow me please.”

Jinki walked back into his room as the nervous little boy followed. Jinki sat on the floor behind his little writing table. Taemin stood in front of him not sure what to do in his presences.

The Prince gestured to the floor “Sit please.”

They awkwardly sat there for a few moments. Taemin was beyond nervous; he was fiddling with the hem of his hanbok and glanced around the expensive room. A table or two with pretty ancient vases displayed on them placed against the wall near the window, and a pretty decorative chest near the tables. Looking anywhere but the cute royal boy’s eyes, he noticed the colorful ceiling in this room was similar to the throne hall. He returned his gaze to his fiddling fingers after seeing the walls behind the prince had paintings carved into them, behind those walls hid the prince’s bed; Jinki smiled at him thinking he was looking at him thus Taemin lowered his eyes to his own sleeve in his lap where his fingers were worrying the fabric. Jinki tried to break the ice “Um ok. Sooo, Let’s see here. Let’s play like we are in our own meeting. So tell me what is happening in your district Mr. Lee?”

 “I don’t know. But my father is telling your Father this. I mean the King.” Taemin mumbled nervously.

“Taemin no, no, not like taxes and law and stuff I mean like what do kids do for fun? Please talk freely with me.”

Nibbling the inside of his cheek, he thought for a moment “Oh, I know.” His eyes lit up once he knew what to say “They play on the swings. We play tag and chase one another around. We climb trees. I skip stones in the pond behind my house.” The boy lowered his eyes disappointed as he continued, wishing he could play more.. “But I don’t always play as much as the other children since I study a lot. I will follow in my father’s footsteps and be in charge of our village.”

Jinki smiled “Me too!”

Taemin’s smile returned and sheepishly asked “So you know what it’s like to be in doors and study all the time?”

“Yes. And you have to be an example for others.” Jinki smiled brighter noticing Taemin was similar to him.

“Yes! And I’m only 8!  I just want to be like the other kids.. And like do other kids want to be your friend because who your father is?”

“Agioo yes! Or worse, they aren’t my friend because of that. I am the son of the King so trust me I know how you feel.”

“I know what you mean.” Taemin beamed. The rest of their “meeting” went smoothly. They talked about all the different things they study, the schedules that rule their lifestyle to finally regular things, like their hobbies and they even played a game Taemin taught him. The whole time Taemin would refer to him as Prince or you’re highness but if he didn’t want to play something he’d tell him. He would not just go along with it because he was the prince like others have done and Jinki liked that. They would then decide together what they should play next.  

Hours had passed and it was time for Taemin to leave. The Queen and the boy’s mother entered the room to retrieve Taemin. Jinki walked Taemin to the door and before he left, Jinki bravely asked quietly for his ears only “Taemin, may I ask you a favor?” The boy nodded yes. “Will you call me hyung? Think of me as a friend? A real friend? You cannot say it in public for obvious reasons but if you would treat me normal when it’s just us I would appreciate it.  It would mean a lot to me. And always be honest with me even when we grow up and we meet for real like our fathers?”

With a happy friendly smile Taemin didn’t even question it; having bonded all day he fully accepted “Neh, hyung.”

And for the first time in his 12 years he heard the name he longed to hear. Jinki wanted to jump for joy but that wouldn’t be princely and their parents were watching from the other end of the room so instead he smiled as Taemin bowed politely. Jinki whispered “Meeting adjourned” making the younger giggle as he walked away. 

........

As the months passed Taemin would always come with his father to the palace and as the Magistrate met the King the boy met with the Prince. Sometimes Taemin’s family would stay for long periods of time, a weekend, a week or weeks. They studied together sometimes, played together, and trusted each other, understood one another in a way no one else could or ever would. Months turned to years and as those years developed so did the budding feelings of young love…. 
…….

In their early teens there were shy tender glances at one another before looking away with pink cheeks and a heart rate much faster and bellies full of butterflies.  They both knew the other felt the same but it was always unspoken between the teenagers. They weren’t sure when they started liking the other more than friends but there was one day they both remember. It was the day they were playing and Taemin jumped out from behind the bookcase and startled the Crown Prince. Jinki tickled him in a playful revenge. They wound up on the floor laughing and tickling each other. They had played like this before and had even ended up in this position when they were younger but this time it was different. When they felt their hearts and adolescent bodies responding to the other in a whole new way; the laughter ended in a soft trickle into a peaceful silence... In an instant they were no longer little boys… Taemin was still lying on top of him as they caught their breath; they were tenderly gazing into the others eyes admiring the others handsomeness. Who knows how long they had been staring into the others soul with the younger laying on top of the prince but their breathing had evened out and maybe it was that silence that brought them back to the real world for they blushed and sat up smiling at one another.

That moment made them closer, from that day on Taemin loved to rest his head on Jinki’s shoulder when no one was around and vice versa. They had never held hands though, even though they both wanted to. Partially unsure if it would be proper and appropriate for them to do so with their status and part bashfulness…Sometimes their fingers would brush against the others accidently when they grabbed the same object but they would giggle and Taemin would shyly bat his eyes and look away to hide his blushing face; Jinki would smile and sneak a peek at those beautiful rose colored blushing cheeks but would quickly look away if Taemin started to notice him staring.   They’d giggle again and smile cutely.  Jinki, being brave, made the first move one beautiful spring day in their mid-teens…

Taemin would read in the courtyard near the tallest pagoda on the grounds sometimes when he came to visit. The Prince would join him if he was free and sit right next to him. And knowing Jinki, he made the time to spend with the younger male. One bright sunny afternoon at the beginning of spring the younger was reading poetry with the prince at his side under the shade of a tree near the pagoda. The younger held his book with one hand and his other hand would always be upon his lap. But on this bright day shortly after Taemin had opened his book and placed his hand on his own thigh he soon found the warm hand of the Crown Prince resting on top of his as they sat side by side reading in the courtyard. Looking up from his poems Taemin softly smiled at the Prince. Jinki returned the warm shy smile. The prince never voiced the words “I love you” but Taemin read the silent confession in his handsomely sweet brown eyes and tenderly swiped his thumb over the back of Jinki’s hand voicelessly expressing his confession as well before resting his head on the future King’s shoulder; they continued their peaceful afternoon of  reading with fingers  discreetly intertwined.....

This Chapter is titled Birth cuz, 1 Jinki was born and 2. the birth/start of jink's friendships and of course the birth of OnTae's love

The pic at the top of the chapter is  the ceiling of the Throne Room.