The Court was in full progress. Suho sat on his throne and surveyed the proceedings with a happy smile. Life was good. They had completed their 5^th campaign successfully, the demon’s have been pushed back once more and most of all, he was in love. Kris was his most favoured general. They have known each other since childhood and over the years through spilt blood and near death moments they have become shadows of each other. Maybe, just maybe he could try to take it a little bit further with his best friend. With thought of the tall general, Suho asked for more wine while the revelries continued.

Well into the peak of the party, Suho was impatiently waiting for the man of his heart to arrive but there was no site of the man. Just as he stood up to personally search for his friend, there were loud cheers and the crowd parted to reveal Kris, only Kris had his arm around a lovely lady. She was almost ethereal and she looked like a goddess who had floated down from heaven. Something cold settled inside Suho.

“My lord Suho, I seek your blessings.”

The cold in his heart froze to thick ice that choked Suho so much that he could merely nod.

“This is Yuna, the love of my life. I seek your blessing in marrying her.”

Of all the generals, Suho and Yifan were the only ones skilled enough to be a king. And Suho was chosen because he was level headed and he had an extraordinary level of selfcontrol that made it impossible for any impulsive decisions in leadership. And never before had that skill been tested so much. Even while his heart bled, Suho put on his most charming smile and teased Yifan.

“You should have told me before. I wouldn’t have been possessive about my best general then.”

The court laughed at the joke and Yifan blushed.

Suho got off the throne and elegantly descended down the stairs in a cloud of lilac silk. Despite being a head shorter that Yifan, he pulled him into a tight hug and congratulated him whole heartedly.

“I want you to tell me that you are happy Yifan, not as my general but as your friend.” Suho’s voice cracked.

Yifan pulled away from the shorter so that he can look at his friend.

“Myeonie, I am happy, so happy here and now with the two people I care the most.”

“Then I am happy too.” Suho whispered.

“Myeonie, you are crying.”

“I am so happy Yifan, we have come such a long way, survived so many wars, I can’t help but get emotional. Besides, as the king, don’t I have the right to cry.”

Yifan moved before him and hid Suho’s face in another hug.

“Oh Suho, I wish I had told you the good news in private. Wipe your eyes on my jacket my friend, a king shouldn’t cry even in happiness.”

Then with a wave of his trembling hand hidden behind long sleeves, Suho signalled the start of fresh celebrations.

The night had long bled into the early morning of the next day and at last, Suho had stumbled into his own private chamber. Finally in just his pants, Suho reached into a draw and pulled out a tiny hour glass. He stared at it for a few seconds before he turned it upside down and placed it on the table.

Five minutes, the sand would run out in five minutes. And for five minutes, it won’t be Suho sitting on the bed. It would be Joonmyun, a lonely man who had lost his last chance at love. Folding in on himself, Suho allowed his heart to break, he buried his face in the pillow and screamed his hurt into the dark while his hands clutched at the blue silk sheets on his bed. Something had died in him and he wanted to escape.

The faint sound of a sword being drawn out of its scabbard made him lift his tear stained face. There in the reflection of the mirror, he saw a majestic demon aiming a sword towards his neck. Their eyes met in the reflection and the demon smirked.

“The name is Kai, I bear the gift of your death. State your name and claim it.”

Suho was not afraid. He had met death so many times in the face that by then he felt like he was meeting an eccentric old friend. He didn’t want to fight either. Truly, at that moment, he desired nothing more than relief from all the pain. Taking a deep breath, He bent his head in surrender and whispered “Joonmyun”

  The faint rustle of the sand running out in the hour glass came to an abrupt end.