Episode eight:

With his eyes closed and his attention onto the scorching and hostile feeling overwhelming his whole being, Yunho was trying to accept the discordance in his vital breath. And the quietude of this place, surrounding by grasses and trees, as the soft breeze of the wind giving the smell of a late springtime which was going to an end, should help him to gain his calm. However, the turmoil inside his own self made him uneasy. The invisible force within him was not friendly as it tried to push him away, treating him as if he was a parasite into his own body.

And, the young man could not hold his patience anymore. He gave up as he let out a frustrating sigh and lost his sitting position.

"You're not going anywhere behaving like that." Yoochun said as he crouched next to Yunho, his palm on the other's shoulder showing his sympathy.

"It seems that my body is not mine anymore."

"You felt it. Good. As soon as you know it, and better you're going to make progress." The King of beggars nodded. "You pushed your essence to go against its natural flow for a long while. And now, that vital breath has started to dislocate itself from your own body, treating you, its vessel, like a parasite while it should be the perfect harmony between your internal force and your own existence. And in order to live in its own, it injures you every time you try to use it." Yoochun explained before biting onto the pear in his hand.

"How can I get my Ki in order again?"

"There's no turning back." The other young man said. "The only thing you can do is to cohabite with it if you cannot make it into submission. And if you're lucky enough, this default in your essence could be your strength."

Yunho let out a long sigh. "How can I make it as it was before?"

"Get it to acknowledge you. Tame it. By force."

The young ex-apprentice monk let out another breath of frustration as he ran his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. How could he make his Ki acknowledge him? As he knew, his vital breath wasn't a human being or an animal. He could not tame something he could not see or touch. He could not even imagine what a vital breath could be. Everything was a question of feeling. And Yunho was not clever enough to understand the meaning of all the subtlety of those words used by this Park Yoochun.

"You think too much."

"Don't play the friend who understand me." Yunho snapped. After 4 days of training with no result, his frustration was gnawing him by the inside. And what the other fellow guy had said was offending to his ears. As if that Park Yoochun was saying he was a good-for-nothing. "You know nothing about my person." He grunted.

"Sure dude! I know nothing about you. And as a stranger, I just do my deed by helping you. A poor fellow lad who was dumb enough to let others trick him until he get into this tragic situation." The King of beggars grinned.

"Leave me alone." The young man gritted through his teeth as he stood up from the ground. The nonchalant attitude coming from that fellow lad was irritating Yunho to no end. Before he could turn into someone he did not want to be, the ex-apprentice monk walked away from the other young man. And in his way, Yunho met his young wife who was beaming by joy at the sight of him. However, he ignored Jaejoong and his calls as he passed by the latter without any glances at the young boy.

The pretty boy frowned, feeling the anger and disarray emanating from his Yunho's whole being. But Jaejoong didn't waste his time in questions as he ran toward his Yunho, basket filled of meal, cooked by him, in his hands. "Yunho! Wait for me." He grabbed his husband by his wrist but the latter pried the child's hand away from touching him. And it hurt Jaejoong to be denied by the other with no explanation.

Before, the young boy would throw a tantrum and make sure that the offender would never walk away without scratches or bruises. But, the man in front of him was his husband. And his Yunho must have his own reasons to be in a fool mood.

"I want to be alone." The older boy said, frustrated, as he turned his back on his wife and ready to walk away from the latter.

"Yunho."

"Jaeha!" He said in a low voice as he stood still in his place, his back facing Jaejoong. "I really want to be alone. And your presence cannot make me feel better. Not now." He didn't want to sound annoying and cold. But, the state he was at this instant could only make him let out rash words which could only hurt the younger boy.

"What did I do-"

"Nothing." Yunho let out. "Your presence hurts a lot. Your kindness... your devotion... Everything of you makes me feel useless. I don't know what I did in my past life to have someone like you at my side in this time. But, every time I lay my eyes on you, I feel like the worst man in this world. I don't deserve you. You are better without me."

Jaejoong could only watch Yunho's retreating back disappearing from his sight. The young boy heaved a forlorn sigh as he was going to let Yunho having time for himself. And then, he his heels with rage as he knew who was the cause of his Yunho's distress.

"That nitwit King of beggars." He grunted under his chin. "I'm going to make you eat ."

The son of the white Yong hastened his steps toward the direction where he had left the two of them together with the aim of cooking something good for his Yunho, thinking that everything would be alright between them. But things did not go well. He should not trust that man. And when the beautiful child saw that inane Park Yoochun, Jaejoong grabbed a few stones from the earthy ground on his path, not the small ones, and threw the rocks one by one toward the young male who had all his attention to someone perching on the high tree in front of him.

"You!" Yoochun screamed as he turned toward the newcomer, grimacing at the pain he felt when one of the stone stabbed him on his back. "What are you doing?" He dodged a rock coming into his direction.

"What did you do to my Yunho?" Jaejoong howled as he threw this time the wicker basket toward the King of beggars, earning at the same time a loud and horrendous scream from above them. And he knew better that the cry did not come from their Creator.

"What are you doing?" Changmin jumped from the tree as he landed on the ground smoothly, looking with horror at all the meal spilled on the ground.

However, no one was paying attention to him. The son of the white Yong was walking dangerously toward the self-claimed King of beggars who was stepping back making a good distance between the furious child and him.

"What did you do to my Yunho?" Jaejoong repeated.

"Nothing!"

"Liar! If you did nothing why is he in a bad mood?!" The pretty boy stomped onto the older boy's foot.

"Argh! Can you be more civilized?" Yoochun hopped on his sane foot as he was nursing the other bruised one.

"You're the King of beggars. So, I stoop into your level." Jaejoong added as he glared at Yoochun. "What did you do to him?"

"Alright!" The other older boy said as he rose his hands in surrender. "I did nothing just saying the truth. He is a dumb lad to let himself trick into this critical situation."

"You!" The child boy punched the other man on his face with all his strength. And the poor King of beggars was under the impression that something, mostly his nose, had cracked at the blow as he screamed painfully with his hands pressed on his face. "Serve you right!" Jaejoong said with satisfaction. "Never call my Yunho dumb. He is a smart young man who is just to kind for his own good. I am here to make sure that no one is going to take advantage of him. Including you."

"My apology." Yoochun breathed out as he threw his head back, pinching his nostrils in order to prevent the blood to flood from his nose. "Why is he like that? Why did his Ki is in a mess?"

"There are things which must be kept unsaid. I am not wrong, Yoochun of the house of Park?" Jaejoong said, a smile painting on his luscious lips. However, a dangerous aura was emanating from the young boy, indicating that he was not in a mood to play with the King of beggars.

"You get the wrong person." Yoochun feigned ignorance. "Because I am a Park doesn't mean that I am from this kind of family. Mostly that Park from Silla."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm only a beggar."

"Of course." Jaejoong snickered, playing along with that stupid fellow. "As a mere beggar who knows some good skills, your only work is to improve my Yunho's Ki. So, make sure that next time you do not cross the line. Never call him stupid. Moron!" The child boy stressed his last word, then he turned to the fake monk who was saying a prayer for the food wastage. "I'm not going to cook for you if you let this thing happen again." And then, the son of the white Yong kicked Changmin on his shin and walked away from those men in order to find his husband who was surely indulging in his self-pity.

Changmin just let out a cuss as he nursed his shin. It wasn't the first time that child treated him badly. Kicking and punching were Jaejoong's specialty as tantrum was the second name of this beautiful child boy.

"Is he always so feisty?" Yoochun asked, looking at the blood on his hands.

"You're fortunate to know him now. His encounter with Yunho did wonder on him. Oh! I forgot! You did meet him a while ago."

"...did wonder on him?" The King of beggars shrieked. "Are you sure? I think he is more violent than the last time we met. Oooh... my nose." He touched carefully his nose with a grimace.

"Well..." The young monk nodded. "If we look at this side, everything relating to Yunho is an important matter to that child."

Since Jaejoong had left his home for this journey into the Korean peninsula, it was been a year that the boy was feeling alone. Changmin could only understand the attachment the son of the white Yong had developed toward that Yunho lad.

"You should say so. I would never say anything to hurt that fellow's feelings."

"Now, you know. Aaaah!" The young monk trailed off as he shook his head with his palms joining together. "Young and first love... it's beautiful and fearful at the same time." Changmin shivered with horror as he left the King of beggars behind him. "I should go take a stroll into the town nearby. Since Jaejoong threw our lunch, I need to sustain my growling stomach." He mumbled under his chin.

"Are you really a monk?" Yoochun asked as he followed the other man, palpating his nose gently. He breathed out with relief when he was sure and certain that his nose was not broken. However, he grimaced at the thought of having a bruise in the middle of his face. Not really esthetical.

"I am wearing a seungbok."

"It doesn't mean that you are a monk. People could falsify their identity."

"You're not wrong! Even you, you could forge your identity."

"I'm not-"

"Do not worry my child." The young monk cut the other off as he spoke with a serious and calm tone in his voice, his palms joining together and bowed his respect toward the other young man, making Yoochun grimace at the reverence. "You have your own reasons to hide your identity. And if I were you, Yoochun of the house of Park, keep denying the real you in front of me. As a people of the Silla Kingdom, moreover, a potential heir of the throne, you are a threat to my bocchan."

Yoochun said nothing for a moment. Then he asked suddenly with a serious tone, "...Who is Jaejoong?"

Changmin lifted his index finger to his lips and whispered with a teasing smile, "...a secret."

The young monk let out a soft laugh as he resumed his walk. He remained silence while Yoochun was still trying to worm any kind of information about the young Jaejoong out of this strange monk, forgotten his pain and his bruise nose.

Yunho was not proud of his behavior. He felt remorseful at the way he talked to Jaejoong. He did not mean to be rude toward his young wife. But, he felt so low when he stood next to the young boy. Jaejoong was well-educated, and his knowledge was wider than his young age could give off. And him, he was not even comparable with a mere peasant.

He was nothing and had nothing. Even his name Jung was a surname the young and beautiful boy had chosen for him. The latter said it was based on his personality. In Jaejoong's eyes he was a honest young man with moral. That fellow but lovely child thought so high of him. And Yunho could not even offer him the good life the boy deserved with a man like him who was unlettered. He was more a shame than someone to be proud of.

But his wife thought otherwise.

The ex-apprentice monk heaved a sigh and set his eyes on a stall filled with beautiful accessories made by wood at his right. In his haste to get away from Jaejoong, Yunho had left the beggars' retreat and its surroundings unconsciously to the small town nearby, the one they were thinking to make a stopover for a night or two before going to Kimhae for the flowers festival. Now, he was standing in a market avenue with those stalls and shops, selling everything from vegetables to meat passing by clothes and fabrics with carefree passersby laughing, arguing and bargaining with the owner of those stalls for a better price.

Yunho's eyes fell on a comb with floral carving. The object would be perfect for his beautiful wife. Yunho took the accessory in his hands with a smile, not really paying attention to the seller who was trying to convince him to buy the comb in his hands. And if the young man wasn't satisfied with the comb, he had other accessories which could please his companion of life.

"Are you going to buy it?"

He turned his eyes toward the effeminate man who was always with the King of beggars. Jaejoong did tell him to stay on his guards when facing this man. With his effeminate traits and his weak appearance, the man named Heechul who seemed to be older than Yunho, was not what his image gave off. If his companion of fortune was able to master the skill to heal a disorder Ki, so this man was even more skilled than that Park Yoochun.

"I would like to buy it. But, our finance is not wide."

"I would like to help you. But, I don't have a fortune with me." Heechul showed him the few chôns he had on his wooden bowl, result of his begging from the day.

Yunho said nothing and set the comb in its place before walking away from the stall with the beggar following him quietly.

"But with this I can offer us some rice wine. Not the best wine but something to drink the hard day away. Want some?"

The ex-apprentice nodded as he followed the other man into a small inn. Yunho did not have things to do, only sulking at being insulted by that self-claimed King of beggars and feeling guilty at being a bastard toward Jaejoong. Nursing his bruised pride and self-pity with liquor sounded good, even if he never knew what kind of taste could have rice wine on his taste buds.

And once they settled down on a table in a small inn, Heechul asked for a small jar of wine, the cheap one, and some side dishes to accompany their drinking.

"I thought you did not have money."

"I can offer us some simple dishes to accompany the rice wine." The effeminate man said quietly. "And drinking liquor alone can damage our stomach."

"For a beggar you know a lot."

"Don't look down on us. Before being a beggar, all of us had a life and family. We were like all the people around here."

"My apology. I didn't want to be rude."

"It's alright." Heechul nodded and poured some wine into the wooden cups the waiter had settled on their table with the side dish made off of fried vegetables. "Here!" He tended a cup to the other man. "You seem not into the mood. I can predict that fellow Yoochun wasn't nice with you."

"Nice?!" Yunho snorted as he took the cup of rice wine in his hand. "Your self-claimed King is an annoying bastard." He grunted.

"Did he push the right button?" Heechul laughed softly.

"It's not funny."

"I'm sorry." The man nodded. "Go ahead!" He gestured to Yunho to drink the liquor with no hesitation.

Yunho looked at the effeminate man for a while and drank the wine in one go. He coughed at the scorching feeling wrapping around his throat. The taste was not bad or good. However, the warm feeling in his stomach reminded him of his own vital breath. But, there was a slight difference. At first the feeling was strong, like a hostile presence inside him. And soon, the feeling began to soothe his entire body more than assaulting it. The feeling was addicting.

"Are you alright?" Heechul asked the poor young man who seemed not to be used to drink liquor.

"I'm... al-alright." Yunho said between two coughs, trying to maintain his composure facing the other man who seemed to mock him with that vicious smile ghosting on his lips.

"You seem not use to alcohol."

"I w