Yeaaaahhh. It is the last. I'll cry at the end. T_T

ஐ〰ฺ･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･

He felt the ground beneath him shaking. Then he heard the same loud booming sound which seemed like thunder. Everything around him is pitch black. He couldn't see anything so he kept his eyes shut closed. He held on at the walls beside him, as the ground continues to shake. 

So this is it. This is finally it.

With one final boom, Jinyoung felt like he's been out from one place and brought onto another. The shaking stopped, just as he expected. His eyes, tried to readjust at the darkness, a different kind of darkness surrounding him. 

He brought his hands up, to guide him as he walked up front. His hands touched the wooden door, and it's metal handle. In a second, he was able to open it, and step out of the cabin. He immediately recognized where he's at, seeing the tall trees surrounding the place. He looked around, familiarizing himself with the place he had left quite some time ago; the place which he thought he would never see again; the place which he thought he could never return to.

"Your highness!"

Jinyoung saw as the palace's royal guards ran towards him, swords at hand, ready to fight whoever they thought had taken the crown prince away. Their faces showed relief as soon as they saw that the crown prince is alive and well. 

Before he could even speak, he saw a familiar face, dressed in black hanbok, while holding out his sword. Those squinty eyes widened in surprise and he saw how relief has washed through the older's face when their eyes met. But soon enough, those brows furrowed and formed a straight line. "Where have you gone this time?" 

Ju Won asked, with a sharp hiss. He's mad alright, he didn't even bother addressing him properly as your highness like the other royal guards. Jinyoung could almost laugh at his question. He's seriously asking him where he has gone? Would he believe him if he says he slipped through time? He thinks not.

"I am fine, my friend. Thank you for your concern." 

But his bestfriend didn't lose his scowl. "When will you grow up and stop playing around like this? Do you know how worried we were when you suddenly vanished? Do you know how worried I was? I almost-"

He didn't let him finish. Instead, Jinyoung wrapped his arms around the older, pulling him close for a warm hug. He missed him. He missed Ju Won. He burried his face on the older's neck, as he tightened the hug. "I'm sorry if I made you worry." He said sincerely.

But when he pulled back, Ju Won still has this frown. This difficult guy, really.

"That wouldn't change anything-"

"Don't even start talking to me about change. Believe me when I say, I have witnessed a lot of it." Ju Won wasn't able to react and had his mouth open in midsentence. "So just shut your mouth up and be glad that finally I am back."

Closing his mouth, Ju Won kept his face impassive. "This will be the last time, your highness." The older said in emphasis. 

Smiling widely, Jinyoung just threw his arm around Ju Won's shoulder. "Could you loosen up a bit? You're too stiff." He started to walk, dragging the older with him. "Just hang in there, my friend. You will be cool too in your next life. And who knows? You might just be married."

And as expected, Ju Won didn't get what he is trying to say. The two of them just walked their way back to Donggung. 

The next morning, Jinyoung finds it odd that he needs to readjust himself in living back in his old life... his own life.

He couldn't deny the fact that he missed the loud sound of alarm from his phone, forcing him to wake up though he really wants to stay on the older's bed. When he took a bath and washed himself, he could only think back of how good it felt when he lies in the older's bathtub, enjoying the long relaxing bath. When it was time for breakfast, Jinyoung came to think back of how he used to frequently eat fried kimchi during mornings. He even asked the cooks what will be served for lunch, because Jinyoung surely missed Jackson's best dishes.

"Eunuch Choi wouldn't be able to meet with you for your daily session early this afternoon, your highness." Eunuch Sung told him, when he was about to leave Donggung to head out for his usual walk.

"Why? What happened?" He asked. He surely wants to see Eunuch Choi later.

"He went to Gongju, to meet with the district's scholars, your highness." 

He nodded. "Then, there'll be no session later this afternoon?" Jinyoung asked to which the Eunuch shook his head. He watched as the eunuch called on someone, coming from outside the palace. 

And when the man stood in front of him, Jinyoung could only smile upon recognizing that bright smile of his. The younger bowed at him. "Your highness." Jinyoung bowed too. "Eunuch Choi, my grandfather told me take his job for the day and meet with your highness for the daily session. I am Youngmin."

"Nice meeting you, Youngmin." He bowed at the smiling younger and tapped his back. Jinyoung is happy to see him again, to see Youngjae again. Just then he remembered who should be seeing the younger. Turning to Eunuch Sung, he instructed the older. "Please tell Ju Won that he needs to go with me when I have my session here with Youngmin. Alright?"

Eunuch Sung nodded, and Jinyoung just smiled back at Youngmin.

He proceeded to have his usual morning walk along the sea side. His royal guards are walking behind, keeping a generous distance for him to have his peace. Jinyoung sat on the huge rock, and gazed over the horizon.

"Will you promise me to always keep on looking at that horizon?"

"Well sure, but. . . . . it will always be better looking at it when I'm with you."

He can't help but recall his last exchange of words with him. . . . his love. . . . his Yi En. . . . . his Mark.

His mind goes back to that night, which he spent with him. How Mark kept him close, wrapped inside his arms while they were laying on the bed after they just made each other feel the love they have for one another. He asked for it to happen, before he finally leaves Mark. Before Mark forgets him.

"It's a difficult decision you must make, your highness. If you decide to leave and go back to Hanseong, that means you decide to let yourself be forgotten by everyone whom you have met here. It's like you haven't met them, and they haven't met you. It would be as if, you never did come here. It would be as if, you, didn't happen."

It is what Eunuch Choi has told him, when he told him about his decision... when he asked him about going back. 

Looking up, towards the horizon... Jinyoung spoke.

"Are you well?" He asked. "I hope you are taking care of yourself well. You probably don't know I just left... because you don't even know that I've been there, with you. That you loved me, and that I love you..." Jinyoung sniffed and held his tears back. "Which is better. I don't think you'll ever forgive me for leaving you... you'll only hate me for not keeping my promise of staying there, with you." But he failed. Slowly, his tears fell, one by one. "So this is better. I'll be the only one to keep these memories. I'll be the only one who will hurt by missing you... and I... I miss you." His voice broke. "And I will keep on missing you, and loving you."

Jinyoung wiped his tears and stared at the horizon again. This line, which shows him the impossible... two things, greatly apart from each other, meeting and touching each other.

"And as long as horizon exists... then we will still be together. You, my prince.... and I, your Yi En."

"You're too beautiful, just to frown."

Jinyoung heard someone from behind him, speak. And the voice sounded too familiar. When he turned around, he could only smile upon recognizing those big round eyes. 

"I'm sorry if I spoke without introducing myself first, your highness." The man, now with dark brown hair bowed to him. "I am Wang Jia Er, from the province of Pyeongan."

Jackson... He almost voiced out. Good thing he didn't. Jinyoung just bowed at him and smiled. "Pleasure to meet you."

He cannot wait to see how life with Jackson is going to be. But maybe he should get himself used to calling the older as Wang Jia Er. He'll be weirded out if he calls him Jackson, for sure. And he doesn't want that. 

Just then, Ju Won came in running. "His highness asks for you." He said after bowing to the one beside him. "Ohn Min-Jun has visited once again."

Jinyoung stood up and smoothed up his clothes. Ohn Min-Jun... He has been expecting him. And he has prepared just enough. Jinyoung knows what to do.

**********

Seoul, November 2019

"What's a guy, earning a seven digit salary, doing not having a single edible food inside his fridge, huh Tuan???!!"

Mark just loosened his tie a bit before plopping himself down on the couch, putting his feet up on top of the coffeetable. "Just call on Gyeom or Bam, and ask them to bring food, since the chef that you are, owning five restaurants across Seoul, didn't even bother to bring any of his special dishes." He called out and purposedly shouted the last part so that the chinese could hear him from the kitchen.

Jackson never forgets to about his salary, ever since he was promoted as the managing director in Ventures. Since he told them the good news, the guy didn't shut up about it, that's he's starting to regret his decision of befriending him. 

Shaking his head, he just focused on his phone as he che