I Am With You

 

Chanyeol × Wang Eun

Hojoon × Baekhyun

 

 

The fallen flowers scattered by the season

Remains alone, lonely and sad

 

=

 

“What’s going on??”

 

Chanyeol immediately brings up his index finger against his lips, telling the petite man in front of him to lower his voice. After the man nods, Chanyeol throws a look at the window, feeling more alert than ever. Sooner or later they would have to leave the chamber, if they still have the will to stay alive.

 

He then feels the hand he had wrapped inside his fingers trembling. He immediately turns to the man in front of him. They are both on their knees on the ground.

 

“What,” Tenth Prince asks quietly, voice shaking, “what is happening??”

 

He forgot that this Prince gets scared easily.

 

“Your Highness may have to come with me.” Chanyeol says softly. “We are going to leave this residence.”

 

Outside the house, various voices of men roaring, dictating to seize Tenth Prince.

 

“I’m scared.” the Prince looks small and fragile, slumped on the ground. “I’m very scared, Yeol-ah.”

 

“Wang Eun,” Chanyeol calls Tenth Prince by his name, and that’s when the Prince looks up at him, “you are underestimating my existence next to you.”

 

Wang Eun frowns at him, tears welling up on the corners of his eyes. “At times like this you finally call me by my name.”

 

“It’s the perfect time.” Chanyeol winks. “Now, Your Highness, you may want to stand up and follow me. Your house has one secret passage at the very back, your Grandfather had told me.”

 

“Wait, what about my family?” Wang Eun asks desperately. “I can’t leave them alone.”

 

“I have been instructed by your Grandfather to bring you out of here first, Your Highness.” Chanyeol brings Wang Eun to stand up. He reaches out a hand at the Prince. “So shall we leave now? The guards are coming.”

 

Nodding helplessly, Wang Eun takes Chanyeol’s hand and follows him outside. The air is cold since it’s nearing winter, and Chanyeol drapes around Wang Eun the coat he had managed to snatch away from Wang Eun’s chamber. He then keeps Wang Eun’s frail hand in his, leading him through the forest behind the residence.

 

Now there’s just the two of them. Surviving this hell of a mess.

 

 

The sky without the stars is sad

Like the falling rain, it is crying

 

=

 

“Is this even a good decision? Hiding Tenth Prince inside Damiwon?”

 

“They are too focused to search for Tenth Prince out there.” Chanyeol says, cleaning up his sword. “Damiwon would be the last place they think about.”

 

Soondeok sighs. “I trust you, Brother.” she smiles. “After all, you have been Tenth Prince’s private guard as long as I can remember. You shall know the better for him.”

 

Chanyeol wishes he’s doing the better thing for Wang Eun as well.

 

Just as he finishes cleaning his sword, Wang Eun comes back from changing his clothes. The Prince replies the bow Soondeok gives and takes the seat next to him.

 

“Chanyeol,” Wang Eun calls, “you may explain to me now, about why everyone wants to seize me.”

 

For that, Chanyeol gulps down nervously.

 

“Your Highness, may I speak for my Brother?” Soondeok offers, and Wang Eun complies. “It’s King Jongjeong. He is framing your entire clan for treason.”

 

Wang Eun stares at Soondeok perplexedly. “Wang Yo hyung??”

 

“It’s not him.” Chanyeol whispers at Wang Eun. “It’s the greed that his Mother had planted inside him. It’s not all him.”

 

The reason Chanyeol hesitated to tell Wang Eun that his own brother wants him killed was this; the broken look on Wang Eun’s face as he realizes that in the end, it’s all about the throne. Even brothers would kill each other for the throne.

 

As if his Father’s death wasn’t enough for a misery.

 

“So what… what do I do now?” Wang Eun shakily asks. “I cannot hide forever from him.”

 

“Not forever, but you can for a while.” Chanyeol says. “You will survive at least three nights here. I will be preparing everything necessary. After that, we will go.”

 

“Where?”

 

Chanyeol looks into Wang Eun’s eyes. “Far away from Damiwon. Far away from Goryeo.”

 

He lets Wang Eun to process everything into his consideration. He patiently waits as Wang Eun looks over his laps, weighing things inside his mind.

 

After a while, Wang Eun looks up at him.

 

“Yes, then.” he whispers. “I’ll go with you. Wherever it is.”

 

Chanyeol smiles at Wang Eun. He’s going to keep his Prince alive, no matter what it takes.

 

 

Flowers bloom and wither, just like my heart

Send me away through the wind

 

=

 

The first morning goes well for the both of them. Until noon Chanyeol keeps up with his duty as Goryeo soldier while Wang Eun stays inside Soondeok’s chamber, doing anything that can amuse him. By evening, Chanyeol comes back to the chamber with food and lots of books for his Prince to read. Wang Eun throws a book at Chanyeol, cursing at his private guard for purposely mocking his distaste in knowledge books Chanyeol had brought. Chanyeol laughs in satisfaction. At least Wang Eun is not mourning anymore.

 

“Your birthday will be in a few nights.” Wang Eun claims.

 

Chanyeol blinks at him. “I forgot.”

 

“I would’ve asked you what you want for a present, but you know the poor luck I’m in.”

 

“Wang Eun,” Chanyeol laughs, “when did you ever bring me a useful present? I’d rather not have another slingshot.”

 

When Wang Eun doesn’t laugh with him, Chanyeol’s stomach churns as he stares at Wang Eun who is also staring back at him in such unreadable look. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to offend Your Highness – “

 

“Park Chanyeol?”

 

“Y-yes, Your Highness?”

 

Wang Eun’s lips bloom into a smile. “Promise me you will always address me by my name? I really like it.”

 

Chanyeol nods in relief.

 

And as what he always did for ten years, he holds the flutter of his heart as he dwells deeper into Wang Eun’s smile.

 

The second morning goes much similar. Chanyeol is out with his soldier duty, Wang Eun is being accompanied by Soondeok who had agreed to do cloth folding with him. They make various shapes, from boats to flowers.

 

“That is very adorable.” Soondeok comments at the rabbit on Wang Eun’s hand.

 

Wang Eun smiles fondly at the image of a certain person in his mind. “This is a gift for pine tree.”

 

Soondeok laughs. “My Brother will like it for sure.”

 

However, the calmness doesn’t last long. By night, Chanyeol barges into the chamber with sword in his hand.

 

“I am sorry. It seems like we have to leave sooner.”

 

Wang Eun has never felt so ready. He takes the hand Chanyeol had offered to him.

 

“I’m with you.” he says.

 

“No,” Chanyeol whispers, “I am with you."

 

 

When the first snow falls, my wish will come true

I believe in that, an earnest wish

 

=

 

It took them a day to find a safe place to rest on.

 

Wang Eun, who feels tired with all of the chaos, rests his head against Chanyeol’s chest, sitting between Chanyeol’s legs as his guard had insisted to cover him in every way because the air keeps getting colder. He snuggles more into Chanyeol’s arms, and he can almost hear Chanyeol’s rapid heartbeat.

 

“Have I ever told you,” Wang Eun whispers, “how lucky I have been in my life to have you?”

 

Chanyeol hates how the words sounded like an early farewell.

 

“If only,” Wang Eun murmurs, “if only we had lived calmly like this, it would’ve been great for sure.”

 

In a spur of moment, Chanyeol kisses the top of Wang Eun’s head.

 

The Prince gasps, looking up at Chanyeol who looks terribly nervous. The silence is killing Chanyeol slowly.

 

“Forgi – “

 

Wang Eun’s lips meet with Chanyeol’s in a soft, daring, experimental kiss. They stay like that for the longest moment, until Wang Eun retracts back.

 

“If only you did that two years ago,” Wang Eun softly says as he grins, “I wouldn’t have been so confused with myself for so long.”

 

Chanyeol grins back before he captures Wang Eun’s lips in a more passionate kiss, his hands bringing the Prince closer to him while Wang Eun’s hands grab his shoulder for support. Apparently there are things he could’ve done, and he isn’t going to let another chance slip away.

 

It took them less than a minute to show each other that their feelings have been reciprocated.

 

It took them one night to make each other feel the love they have through intimate touches and sweet whispers.

 

And it took the Goryeo soldiers two days to finally find the both of them and drag them back to Damiwon.

 

It took Chanyeol several punches and kicks until his body betrays him in his fight against the soldiers to take Wang Eun back.

 

It took another day for them to finally arrive at the palace.

 

It took all of Chanyeol’s energy to wake up and find that Wang Eun is already on the ground, an arrow hanging on his right arm, eyes full of disappointment and resentment towards King Jongjeong.

 

“N-no – “

 

 

If you know my longing heart,

Please come back to me

 

=

 

Chanyeol immediately brings up his limbs, wanting to reach out to Wang Eun, but the soldiers at his sides are preventing him with their swords.

 

“Hyung-nim,” Wang Eun shouts, “must you really do this??”

 

The King frowns at his own brother. “Of course. In order to protect the kingdom, any act of treason must be perished.”

 

Wang Eun chokes up in distress. “Hyung-nim, if you let us go,”

 

A soldier behind Wang Eun is lifting up his sword.

 

“we will never set foot on Damiwon again!”

 

Chanyeol breaks through and immediately runs towards Wang Eun.

 

The sword pierces through Chanyeol’s chest.

 

Wang Eun gasps in horror as Chanyeol falls behind him.

 

Slowly, all senses in Chanyeol’s body cease to work, except his sight and hearing. He watches as Wang Eun tends him, saying that he can’t leave yet. He sees Fourth Prince coming to the rescue. He sees him fighting away the soldier that are advancing towards them. He sees an arrow stabs through Wang Eun’s abdomen, and Fourth Prince immediately tends to him, looking terribly worried.

 

“Hyung,” he barely hears Wang Eun struggles to say, “about the gift that only you can give,”

 

He watches Wang Eun looking back at him. And in that moment, both of them know; Chanyeol doesn’t have much time left.

 

“That person… is my person,” he sees Wang Eun’s tears fall, “I can’t leave him alone.”

 

‘Fool,’ Chanyeol wants to shout, ‘forget me and live, you fool.’

 

Wang Eun keeps begging at Fourth Prince, who is also crying with his brother.

 

Tears well up on Chanyeol’s eyes, they fall to the ground beneath him. ‘Fool, I’ve protected you for years, only for you to do this to me?’

 

He can’t even whisper Wang Eun’s name as Fourth Prince’s sword pierces through Wang Eun’s chest.

 

‘Fool. Now I have to take care of you in Heaven as well.’

 

Wang Eun falls right in front of him, smiling brokenly at him. But all he can do is to fight the urge to close his eyes as he notices something.

 

The first snow falls. It’s his birthday.

 

Wang Eun closes his eyes, and he follows. In the end, Chanyeol will always follow whatever his Prince does, wherever his Prince goes.

 

 

“Yes, tell them Hoo Joon will be there in the morning. Relax, hyung.” Joon laughs over the phone.

 

After listening to his manager nagging at him, he ends the call with a sigh. He has to start filming new drama tomorrow, and he is supposed to be already on the shooting location tonight. But his birthday is in less than fifteen minutes, and he doesn’t feel like spending it somewhere far. So here he is, at a 24 hour café, sitting all by himself, a cup of his favorite latte resting warm on the table.

 

His eyes wander over the window. The night view is always beautiful to him. He was casually looking at the people passing by outside the café when he notices white dots floating down. He blinks as he hears his phone rings.

 

The first snow falls. It’s his birthday.

 

He grins for a moment before he checks his phone. An awkward message from his manager, a chat notification full of emoticons from his mother. He was about to reply to them when something from his peripheral vision catches his attention. He looks up at the table in front of him.

 

A white, rabbit shaped origami is already resting next to his cup of latte.

 

“Hoi, my dearest,” he then realizes a person is already sitting at the seat across the table, facing him, “have you been waiting for me?”

 

In front of him, Byun Baekhyun smiles mischievously.

 

“Is that your line in the script?” Joon snorts.

 

“Catchy, right?” Baekhyun giggles. “Happy Birthday, Yeol-ah.” he says earnestly, addressing Joon by his name in the upcoming drama. It will be about the story of Wang Eun, the tenth son of King Taejo of Goryeo and his loyal private guard, Park Chanyeol. He will be Park Chanyeol, while Baekhyun will be Wang Eun. He had hesitated to accept the role, but when he found out his fiancee will be his partner in the drama, he immediately said yes.

 

Joon smiles fondly. “Thank you, Eun-ah.”

 

When the first snow falls, my wish will come true

I believe in that, an earnest wish

If you know my longing heart,

Please come back to me

 

 

‘Hoi, my dearest, have you been waiting for me?’

 

‘Yes, my Prince. Shall we go together?’

 

‘Of course, pine tree. I’m with you.’

 

‘No. I am with you.’

 

 

[A/N]

As I said, Scarlet Heart traumatized me.