I must be getting lazy... splitting chapters into parts. Abusing the use of 'part'. Tehee ^.^

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Meanwhile… on the other side of the northern region, in the fortress…

“Sir Yunho? We weren’t expecting you!” A couple of guards at the door almost turned Yunho away since the advisor did not have his identification plaque on his horse. Without his armour, the man looked like a decent scholar, except a little more buffed one that is. They recognize his face.

“Sir, are you here to his majesty back to the capital?” The curious guard asked. Yunho nodded his head once; even though that really isn’t the reason he is there.

Yunho had decided to go back to the fortress after running around in circles for nearly a day. Also, he wanted to speak to Junsu. The advisor wishes to find out a little more about Jaejoong from the boy, since he is probably the only person who probably had enough contact with the healer, besides himself. Yunho knows he can’t go out and ask around in the market. He is desperate.

Thankful that Yoochun is still residing in the fort, the advisor made his way to Junsu’s room briskly. Pushing open the door slowly, the man saw Yoochun watching the closed curtains of Junsu’s bed while seated across the room. Yunho then closes the door before Yoochun notices him. Waiting patiently outside the room, the advisor heaved a sigh of relief when the king finally marched out of the room. Yunho does not have the time to entertain Yoochun, since finding Jaejoong is more urgent.

Not bothering to approach Yoochun to inquire about his reason for leaving the room, the advisor remained hidden within the shadows. After witnessing Yoochun’s back disappear down the long hallway, the man slipped into the room, closing the door behind him as he approaches the bed.

“I told you Minnie will take a while more so go take a walk! I can’t feed him properly with you staring down my back all the time.” Yunho is surprised to hear a tiny voice coming from within. Not because the voice is all sweet and melodious, but because this is the first time he heard Junsu speaking in full, to the presumed Yoochun, which is actually Yunho. He is pleasantly taken aback by the boy’s willingness to converse with the king.

“He left. I’m your Yunho hyung.” Yunho spoke with the same tone that Junsu will be familiar with, since he hadn’t spoken to the boy for a very long time, hoping the boy will not be too startled by his sudden appearance.

“OH! Yunho hyung! I thought you were him! Sorry!” Junsu is caught unaware, but not too alarmed. Holding baby Changmin lovingly, the boy wondered why Yunho would want to sit in with him instead of hang out with Yoochun while the king takes a stroll in the gardens.

As if able to read Junsu’s mind, the advisor assured Junsu. “I need to talk to you about something.” “Just a little something between us… no need to tell Chun.” The advisor inhaled deeply before hinting Junsu to keep their small talk confidential.

Junsu nodded, and Yunho smiled after seeing the faint silhouette’s head bobbling up and down cutely, through the translucent partition. “Thank you.” Yunho said and Junsu giggled adorably from inside.

“Junsu yah… do you still remember the hyung that helped you deliver the baby?”

“Yunho hyung! My baby has a name already! Changmin!” Junsu said excitedly, wanting to share this fact with Yunho, like a proud umma. The baby moved and opened his eyes upon hearing his own name, but continued feeding.

“Oh… how meaningful… Chun named him?” Yunho had a sad look in his eyes, but Junsu did not see it through the barrier between them, nodding happily again. No one knows how discouraged Yunho is inside when witnessing Yoochun’s perfect family forming at last. He wondered about the possibility of doing the same with Jaejoong, but the negativity of their situation saddens him.

“You mean the pretty hyung?” Junsu asked after hearing Yunho sigh. Junsu is concerned. “Yunho hyung! Are you alright? What happened?”

“It’s nothing… rough journey is all.” Yunho replied, not wanting Junsu to think too much. “You call him the pretty hyung?” Yunho chuckled after repeating the nickname Junsu gave Jaejoong. Junsu giggled again cheerily in response.

“He is like an angel! He saved me and Minnie.” “But I don’t know his name!” Junsu chirped like a little bird. Somehow, Yunho can feel himself becoming really relaxed when talking to the innocent boy. He can understand why Yoochun is fawning all over the boy. Junsu is too trusting, not even questioning his intentions of asking or why he is probing.

“What do you remember about him besides him being pretty?” Yunho tried his luck again, cooking up an excuse in his mind, in case Junsu asks.

“I don’t remember much… but he knows me before I even told him my name. He seems to know many things that I never even told him before…” Junsu frowned as he recalled how Jaejoong would sooth him on his forehead, calling his name so affectionately, always looking at him as though they have met before somewhere.

“I also find him a little familiar… like I have seen him somewhere before. It’s weird isn’t it?” Junsu continued… being the chatty person he is.

Yunho’s brain cells started to work wonders, analyzing and linking the snippets of information together. There are however, still much left to be discovered. “Familiar?” Yunho asked. “Have you considered familial relations? Distant relative perhaps?” Yunho thought aloud, directing the questions at Junsu.

“Eh? I’ve never thought of him that way… hmmm… if he is relative, then hyungie would probably know him too. The pretty hyung did mention something about bringing me to find my hyungie. I don’t know if I was dreaming when he told me that.” Junsu answered Yunho’s questions.

“Your hyungie?” Yunho repeated and Junsu nodded, still deep in thoughts.

“Yunho hyung! Do you know where the pretty hyung is? Is he alright?” Junsu suddenly remembered that he still owes Jaejoong a favour for saving his life. The boy is a little slow. “Maybe he is with my hyungie now… I want to thank him.” Junsu thought aloud. Yunho smiled.

“You think he might be with your hyungie?” Yunho asked. Junsu shrugged.

“I don’t know…” “It’s just a gut feeling… the pretty hyung seemed to know where hyungie is… so I thought…” Junsu’s voice trailed off, recollecting what Jaejoong told him. About what happened when Junsu was still a toddler, and how Jaejoong would play games with him and Junho when they were much younger. However, since Junsu was slipping in and out of consciousness, with the baby still stuck inside, Jaejoong’s droning sounded like a lullaby, or a story. It does seem a little bit less surreal now that he is seriously considering the speech.

“I can’t tell if they were real since I was still… hang on.” Junsu was about to finish his sentence when baby Changmin is done. Hurriedly patting the baby on his back, Junsu busied himself with helping the baby expel the air from his tiny digestive tract, adjusting his top again after he was happy with Changmin’s continuous belching and well fed smile.

“I think...” Junsu continued from where he left off, but could not finish his sentence in time, as Yoochun returns, with a bouquet in his hands, behaving like a gleeful idiot. Yunho was caught off guard as well, as he jumps a little with the king’s noisy entrance.

Even though Junsu hadn’t said much, he did reveal enough to Yunho for the man to picture the likely scenario behind Jaejoong’s existence and what he does.

“Omo! Yun? What are you doing here?” Yoochun asked, blinking and frozen on the spot.

“I was looking for you, but you weren’t around.” Yunho replied coolly, glancing sideways at the boy as he emerges from behind the parted curtains, hoping Junsu would play along with him. Junsu was busy swaddling Changmin and tucking him in, but he got Yunho’s hints. “Yunho hyung couldn’t find you, so he was waiting here.” Junsu added quickly.

“Since when did you arrive? Didn’t you cancel your trip here? I just met your assistant this morning.” Yoochun questioned again, staring blankly at his friend. He is a little slow, like Junsu.

“I decided to come anyway. Check on how you are doing.” Yunho did not sound like himself, and though Yoochun not the most sensitive, he can sense the man’s despondence. Instead of continuing to act like a brat that he usually would, the king nodded and smiled, patting his friend on the back comfortingly. Yunho is not surprised. Yoochun is always good for moments like this, when he is feeling down.

“We will be leaving after lunch today… you go get some rest. Want to join us?” Yoochun said as he watched Yunho leaving the room quietly. Yunho just shook his head. The king is starting to get curious as to why Yunho did not drag him aside for a drink or two; since he assumed depressed looking Yunho will need a confidant. However, his attention is drawn back to his queen as the boy falls off the bed after tripping over his own clothes.

Flustered, the boy quickly got up and straightened his clothes, blushing a little because of his clumsiness. “Junsu.” The boy was about to exit after Yunho when Yoochun caught him by the arm and shoved the bouquet into his face.

“I picked one of every kind. You can bring them back home… as remembrance. I will bring you back whenever you wish.” Yoochun said rather coyly, encircling Junsu nervously as he paces around, pretending to look away.

“Thank you. I… like it very much.” Junsu replied as per required, not daring to say anything mean or hurtful, lest the man goes crazy.

“You don’t like it?” The overly paranoid Yoochun frowned as he observed Junsu’s face closely. He can tell that Junsu is lying. There isn’t any ‘appreciative glow’ on the boy’s face even though he claims he liked the gift a lot.

“I like it! REALLY!” Junsu insisted and pulls the bouquet into an embrace, bringing the ticklish petals close to his nose to get a whiff, twitching his nose as the nasty pollens invade his nasal passages. Junsu is allergic to pollens. The sneezing fit that followed is not a pretty sight, and Yoochun made a note to himself that Junsu probably likes stuff like insects and animals a lot more than flowers. He is correct. The boy is playful by nature.

“We are departing today… I don’t want you to be unhappy, but we have to leave. I can’t have your brother sneaking into our room every night. I will allow you to write letters to him though.” Junsu is well aware that the day will come when he has to leave for the main palace again. He is not unwilling or anything. He just feels a certain longing to stay in where he belongs.

“But I don’t know where hyung is… how do I write to him?” Junsu mumbled as he slumps down on his bed, hugging his legs close to his chest. Yoochun got onto his knees and placed both his palms on the boy’s face as he tries to hide it, cupping the two rosy cheeks as they fit perfectly. Yoochun took the moment to savor the smooth supple feel as they warm up under his touch. “I will have my man find him. Your letters will reach him for sure.” Yoochun said, willing Junsu to cheer up. “You can tell him to visit you in the main palace if he wants.”

Junsu’s eyes lit up immediately as they returned Yoochun’s gaze, mesmerizing the king as he remained knelt. Smiling toothily, the boy hopped off the bed energetically and raced to the study while Yoochun eyes follow him, grinning stupidly. He loves it when Junsu behaves so endearingly.

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At dusk… back in Junho’s hideout…

While the sullen faced general sharpens his weapon together with his comrades, seated in front of a fireplace, a knock could be heard echoing from a distance, from the main gates. Alarmed, the group pushed themselves up from the ground and got into defense position, holding their swords in front of them. No one ‘visits’ so late.

“Junho!! I have a letter for you!!” A familiar low voice called out to the man as he leans against the wall, right beside the main gate. Reaching over unlock the metal latch holding the two heavy bamboo doors together, Junho peeped out and spotted the person he was anticipating to see. His informant.

“Junho! A messenger came to me with this! I came here as soon as I could!” The limping man hurriedly pushed the parchment to the man, signaling him to read it. “It’s a letter from Junsu!! Your brother!!” The man is obviously outdated since Junho is already having his men prepare to invade the fortress at night, to kidnap his brother. The letter contained great news.

The letter reads: 'Hyungie! He says I can write to you, so I am writing this letter. I will be going back to the capital after I am done writing this, you can come and visit me as and when you want. He says that I can see you whenever I miss you. I already miss you, so please contact me again.’

With a few men sticking their faces into Junho’s as he tries to decipher the overly big and cramped up syllabus on the letter, he could feel a tug at the side of his mouth. Receiving this letter is akin to hitting the jackpot.

If Yoochun and Junsu is journeying back home, the number of escorts will surely be limited, and much lesser in comparison to when they are in the fortress. Junho just needs to beat the number accompanying them. With a of luck, fewer men will be sacrificed in order to get rid of Yoochun. He is excitable and over the moon.

“Hurry!! Get into your armours boys!! We are getting some action tonight!!” The general whooped loudly, earning battle cries and cheers from the roaring crowd.

“PARK YOOCHUN’S HEAD IS MINE!! NO MERCY!! YOU GUYS WITH ME?!”

“NO MERCY!! DOWN WITH THE KING!!”

TBC

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