As the sun hung lazily in the sky, lingering over the both of them for what felt to be hours, stepping across the paths of the garden, neither one of them even muttering a word as they began walking through the hedge maze that the gardeners worked so hard to keep accessible and navigable. Tall walls of greenery soon surrounded the both of them, Wonwoo hanging a safe distance from the prince to keep his heart from bursting out of his chest, hands tucked politely in his pockets, inky locks hanging in his face trying to deflect the sun for the sake of his eyesight. Jisoo was strides ahead, looking up, still practically staring at the sun, soaking in the warmth that was trying to burrow it's way under his skin.

Looping and turning in the maze, they stumbled upon a gazebo that was nested into the majestic shrubs that had begun to grow over the detailed columns of the monument. Jisoo scuffed his feet against the ground as he approached it, taking a seat on the top step that led inside the gazebo.

"Wonwoo?"

The servant's gaze snapped up, looking at the prince, awaiting his order.

"Would you mind massaging my shoulders?" The prince asked, with an apologetic laugh. Even if it was a preposterous request, he figured that it might ease some of the tension that was growing in his back, feeling more and more like he was carrying hundred pound weights on each shoulder.

Wonwoo nodded, and walked up the steps of the gazebo, sitting behind the prince, legs crossed as his thumbs got to work, trying to rub the knots in Jisoo's shoulders away, almost shocked at how tense the poor thing was. Though, it wasn't incredibly shocking, considering how many meetings, and conferences he was forced to attend, sometimes Wonwoo would walk in his room to wake the prince up, and he'd be sitting there, wide awake, dark circles under his eyes accompanied by a weak smile.

"Do you ever think about the future?" The prince asked, his words just loud enough for Wonwoo to actually hear him, whispered like there was anyone else around to hear them.

"I think everyone does, sir." He replied, hands leaving wrinkles in the shirt he was wearing in the sake of trying to work out the tension resting in the prince's shoulders.

"What do you think about?"

"Lots of things, and somehow nothing at all. I think about my family a lot, and I worry about you."

Wonwoo's reply to the question was enough to get the prince to grab the hands on his shoulders, and lean back, head pressed against the servant's chest, staring up at him. Blinking his mahogany eyes, Jisoo's nose had wrinkled up enough to properly convey his confusion. It took split second thinking on the pauper's part, but he had to say something to keep from accidentally throwing up on the prince with the feeling of nervousness metastasizing in his gut.

"What about you, sir? What do you see in your future?"

Humming quietly, the prince took to waving their hands around, thinking over what he actually did see in the future at this point, everything was on the line for him. His family, his kingdom, his happiness, he was backed into a corner that he couldn't see himself getting out of unscathed, no matter what option he chose, if he did get married, if he became king, something was always at stake. But the only thing that had been a clear vision through the sleepless nights, and the long days ahead, was the vision the each morning he'd be woken up by the same signature knock that came every morning, without fail.

"You." The answer was enough to make the prince's attendant nearly choke on his spit, brows furrowed as he tried to fight the hot feeling bubbling in his cheeks.

"We spend every day together, Wonwoo, I can't really imagine a life without you in it…"

As soon as the last word left him, Jisoo was hit with the realization that he was actually cared about, and in some odd way, he cared more about Wonwoo than he might've wanted to admit. Maybe it was possible that the kiss between them this morning wasn't random, or unwarranted at all, rather Jisoo just trying to get some sort of reaction out of the icy male. Today he'd heard more sentiment and expression out of Wonwoo than he'd heard in the years that he'd worked for the king, and it was weird, and shocking, but it felt good, finally being able to see some kind of emotion on his face.

"I suppose I feel the same, sir."

Jisoo heaved out a sigh, acting on the same odd instinct that he had earlier, letting go of Wonwoo's hands to let his own rest at the servant's pale cheeks, poking his chin up just enough so that their lips met once more. While Jisoo would've liked to relish the moment, Wonwoo had backed away, cheeks stained beet red as he looked at the prince, a certain sort of pain hidden in his eyes.

"Please don't. Not after this morning, sir." Despite the obvious upset hanging in his words, Wonwoo was still stuck in his rule-abiding, overly-proper ways. The servant looked down between his legs, pawing at his eyes, Jisoo turning around to look at him, scratching his head. Maybe saying that he didn't feel anything wasn't a good plan of action, but even worse, Wonwoo was upset, and he had no idea what he could say or do to try to dig himself out of this hole.

A/N: I HEARD Y'ALL LIKE ANGST.