Hyungwon watches on with only slight disinterest as the decrepit man across from him presses a crooked finger to the group of play pieces on the map before him.

“We’ve had another retaliation from our neighbors to the north, Your Highness,” he states, pushing some blue pieces towards the mass. “They suffered heavy injury. I say we should strike back while they’re still in retreat to keep them from attempting this again.” Hyungwon’s brows furrow, staring at how the pieces symbolizing the forces of his army are now over the line and in the other kingdom’s territory.

“No,” he replies simply, sweeping the pieces back into his land with an elegant swipe of his hand. “If we follow, we’d only be trespassing into their homes and making them even less tolerable of our close posting. Just recuperate our men where they are and reinforce the stability of the outpost.” The dignitary purses his thin lips together, clearly not liking the idea. Hyungwon glances at him, having to physically tilt his head downward to meet his gaze.

He sees it in the man’s eyes. The question of “Why should I listen to this kid just because he was born above me? Why should I throw away all these plans to a spoiled brat who won’t even hear me out? I spent the entire night and morning on this argument, and he’s not even going to hear me out???” There’s the typical wavering, the single, fleeting thought of rebelling against the crown and taking control so he can do whatever he wants.

But, then it’s gone, and the dignitary only steps away from the table with a respectful bow. Hyungwon gives him a gracious smile, pretending to not notice the same thing he sees at least fifty times a day, and raises his hand to the right for a drink. A glass appears in his hand, and he glances over for the most fleeting of moments to give his manservant a grateful smile, allowing the weariness to show in his big doe eyes.

Kihyun gives a slight bow in return, an encouraging smile on his features before he backs away from the fray.

Hyungwon returns his attention to the task at hand, pressing his thick lips to the rim and gulping down the water as regally as possible.

“Do you think I was right?” Hyungwon asks, tapping the end of his pen against the woodgrain table at which he’s sitting. Countless documents are laid out before him, things he has to sign off on and approve of before they can be put into effect. Kihyun’s currently putting away the stack of freshly-laundered shirts he’d brought up with the prince’s lunch, having to stretch up on his tiptoes to reach the top of the armoire.

Hyungwon watches, unblinking, and thinks it endearing. Though, he doesn’t say that, or even let the pleased smile stretch across his face at watching the brunet.

“Of course, My Lord,” Kihyun replies without hesitation. He settles back on the soles of his feet, closes the doors gently without making a sound, before turning to face the heir to the throne. “It would’ve been foolish to go after those men after we’d already defeated them. For all we knew, there could’ve been reinforcements waiting out in the woods. It could have all been a trap, and following them would have meant we fell for it. You did the right thing in keeping the men where they are.”

Hyungwon hums at this, nodding as he glances back down at the papers he’s currently pouring over. He reaches over the silver plate with his free hand, plucking a grape off the stem with his fingertips and tossing it between his teeth. He bursts through the skin with his canines, enjoying the cool juice that flows down his throat.

“I don’t know if the king would agree…”

“His Majesty would applaud your prudence, I have no doubt.” Kihyun says it proudly, his hands clasped tightly before him. “I’m sure when that council member writes to him to complain, he’ll write back saying just that.” Hyungwon snorts at this, dropping his pen to clap his palms together once in amusement. Leave it to Kihyun to call out a high-ranking court official like that, without hesitation.

That bluntness is just one of many things Hyungwon enjoys about having Kihyun around.

“Thank you, Kihyun,” Hyungwon says, picking his pen back up. “You can go now. I’ll ring if I need anything.” Kihyun gives a short nod, a steep bow, and turns on his heel to leave. Hyungwon’s eyes don’t leave him until after he disappears into the hall.

The prince sighs, slumping into his chair as his smile falls with the departure of the one person who he’ll always trust over all others.

Kihyun goes on to his chambers, nodding to fellow servants he passes in the halls and bowing to anyone else. Once he reaches his own little haven, the only place in the entire kingdom he can call his own, he allows his posture to fall, his smile to waver, and he slumps over to the cot with a bogged-down expression. The bags under his eyes feel twenty times heavier, and he shuts them against the glaring sunlight pouring over his face from the overhead window.

He figures he’s got about two hours to himself before Hyungwon will need something again, so he has enough time for a small nap. At least, he hopes. He turns on his side, the unyielding cot beneath him a welcome source of support. When he was a child and first came to the city, he’d thought the cot unbearable. Now, after sixteen years, it’s become his best friend.

Well, perhaps not his only best friend, but the only best friend he could say such sentiments aloud to.

His mind drifts back to the prince he’d left alone, the prince he’d come to serve only by accident. When he thinks of those days now, those days of innocence before he’d been pulled into this world as a lowly peasant boy just in from the farm… Well, they feel like a lifetime ago.