“Is Jonghyun doing well? He didn’t get into any trouble now, did he? Have you been treating him well? And the General?”

Minho chuckled in response to Kibum’s queries, “Sometimes I think you’re his mother and not his brother.”

Kibum scowled, “Just answer the question, Elias.”

“Yes,” Minho began, counting the responses on his fingers, “No. Yes and yes.”

Kibum relaxed but he glanced at Minho a bit worriedly, “And what about you? Have you been doing well?”

Minho understood what Kibum was asking about and grew silent, the cheer in his blue eyes fading as he swirled the drink in his jug nonchalantly.

“I don’t think it was right leaving him at the palace without a word.” Kibum sighed, “You were the very first person he met out here and it might have hurt pretty bad on seeing you vanish like that.”

“I was the very first person.” Minho smiled sadly, “That is the very reason I left him there.” He paused for a sip, before sighing heavily, “He’s simple-minded, unaware of so many things...emotions. He has barely stepped into the world, trying to figure it all out. We were most probably friends and it’s better he thinks that. If I hadn’t left him, I would’ve become greedy enough to taint his mind.” He sighed again, “I knew I’d do wrong by staying once I saw his parents welcome him. He’s got a good family out there, he’s a prince and I just moved out of his way to reduce his confusion. It’s better he stays there and it’s better I stay here.”

“I can understand you not wanting to force yourself upon the boy but yeah, the whole ‘he’s a prince, imma crook’ mentality is so nonsensical, Elias.”

Minho chuckled at Kibum’s words, “I’m not a crook, ‘kay?”

Kibum raised his brows, “Yeah. Right.”

Minho chugged down the rest of his drink in a hurry, “I forgot I had to be elsewhere.” And he was off, leaving Kibum sighing at his lonesome back.

“The Ryun brothers are in the Capitol. They’re after a merchant’s antiquities.” Minho reported, resting back in his seat, shifting the hat on his face while he crossed his legs on the table, “No name, but he’s the new one. His shop opens tomorrow and they were planning to have him go out of business even before he starts out.”

Jinki bit into his bread, nose scrunched up in thought, “Oh, him. He’s an important man. Seems like I’ll have to be on this one.” He pushed the rest of it into his mouth, chewing quickly while he tied his sword and grabbed a cloak. “By the way, where’s Jonghyun?”

“I told him you’ll most probably be on this one so he’s preparing a good seat for himself in town.”

“Damn.” Jinki mumbled, “He’s so ridiculous.”

“But you like him and all his ridiculousness.” Minho smirked, “Does Joon know? That his stoic brother, youngest General ever, fell for a little thug?”

“Choi Minho.” Jinki glared at his covered face, “One more word and I’ll drag you to the palace.”

Minho straightened up, catching his falling hat, chuckling, “Been a while since I heard that threat.” He sighed, getting up while putting his hat on, “Good luck.”

“Wait.”

“Give it to me next time, I have enough for now.”

“No.” Jinki sighed, “You seem out of it. Is that friend of yours the reason?”

Minho halted, a small smile on his face before he looked back to Jinki, “Am I that easy to read nowadays?”

Jinki nodded, “I heard...he’s the lost Sunhan Prince.”

Minho affirmed that with a smile, “Didn’t think he’d be a prince, right?” He sighed, “Oh, but he’d make a fine one if you think of it.”

“I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Seeing me like what?”

“Well…” Jinki began, running fingers through his hair, “Pretending to be fine.”

“I’m all good.”

“Really?”

Minho sighed, his expression dropping, “I thought I’d be.”

“You aren’t.” Jinki concluded, “How bad is it?”

“Bad enough to actually let myself be dragged by you.”

Jinki blinked at his words, mischief building up on his face as he thought, “Well, forget the gold. This time it’s scoop for scoop.”

Minho looked at Jinki with raised brows, “Scoop?”

“Yes. Just remember that I never do this and you should be absolutely grateful.” Jinki said, a small smirk on his face, “The King’s been going through strategies to end the cold war between Sunhan and Sunhim.”

Minho’s eyes widened.

Jinki walked past him, pulling the hood on, “My threat’s always open, think about it.”

His brush followed his mind involuntarily, his dark eyes having a dull glint as he painted and painted, his face, arms and robes stained with every color. His chamber walls were full of different sceneries he himself had painted, the canvases having the same in addition another, a man with golden brown hair and deep blue eyes.

Sometimes it were only the eyes he painted, sometimes it was his face when he slept, sometimes it was the handsome back while he rode, sometimes the smile with which he gazed at the stars.

“Taemin.” His mother, the Queen, interrupted his frantic , making him look to her with a smile. She smiled back, walking into his chamber, looking at every wall, every canvas in thought, her dark eyes, the same as his, carrying a matter she wished to discuss. When she had reached his side, she glanced at the canvas he had been busy in, smiling at a face hidden with a hat. “Who is he?”

“Minho.” Taemin replied softly, “He is the one who brought me here.”

She nodded, “See