Minho was lost. Totally and definitely lost. Taemin was a boy. The girl he loved was a boy. In a way, he was relieved but above all, he didn't understand.

"Are you shocked ?" Taemin asked with worry in his voice.

It was the first time the Prince heard her... him... talk without his mask and he thought his voice was wonderful. Before he knew Taemin was a boy, he had thought his voice didn't sound feminine because of the mask and even if it was true that his voice had sounded weird because of it, he understood now that it was mostly because he wasn't a girl at all.

"Y... Yes, a bit..." he said. "Not in a wrong way, though. But... Taemin, I don't understand... The dress, the mask... And you have s !"

The boy blushed and took Minho's hand, before putting it on his chest.

"No." he said.

Now, Minho was as red as a Taemin: he had never thought he would touch... Wait. Why had it become flat under his palm ?

"This is just cloth, Minho." the younger boy told him.

The Prince's hand slowly came back at his side and he said:

"Why... Why do you dress yourself like a girl ? Why do you hide your gender ?"

Taemin looked down and whispered:

"If I had the choice, I would be myself. It isn't my own decision."

"Your father ?" Minho asked.

Why did this man always seem to be the one who broke Taemin ? What had his son ever done to him ?

The younger nodded.

"Why ?"

Taemin turned his back on him and said on a low tone:

"Isn't it obvious ? I'm a failure, Minho..."

He had already heard that. The first day they had met in the garden, he had said he didn't want Minho to think of him as a failure.

"You aren't." he said, taking a step towards the boy.

He hesitated to wrap his arms around Taemin's waist to show him that he was there, that he could count on him, trust him and talk to him. He had just confessed but the boy hadn't given any answer to him... Could he consider his revelation about his gender as an answer or not ? He wasn't sure and he didn't want to go too far by hugging him, so his hands remained still.

"How can you say you are a failure, Taemin ?" he whispered. "How did your father even plant that idea in your mind ?"

Taemin suddenly faced him and Minho could see tears in his eyes.

"Look at me !" he said. "I look like a girl !"

"What ? No !" the Prince exclaimed.

He cupped Taemin's face with his hand and his fingers gently brushed against his cheeks.

"I know how men are, Taemin." he said calmly. "I see you. I see you as a man. And I see you're the most beautiful boy I've ever seen."

Despite the darkness, he could see how Taemin's cheeks became red. He had often wondered what he looked like when he was embarrassed... The way he blushed was cute.

"You... You're talking nonsense." the younger said. "I'm not beautiful. I... I am a shame for my family, for my father and..."

Minho didn't hesitate anymore: he hugged Taemin tightly, wrapping his arms around his waist, feeling the other's body shaking against his own.

"Don't say that." he whispered in his ear. "Please, don't."

It broke his heart to hear that Taemin really believed what he had been told he was. How it was even possible for someone to say that was beyond his comprehension.

"Why don't you tell me how everything began ?" Minho said. "I want to know how you ended up wearing that mask."

"There's nothing much to say..." Taemin answered, breaking free of the Prince's hug in order to talk more easily. "But I'll tell you."

***

Taemin was running in the garden, his nurse following him as fast as her dress allowed her to do. She knew why the four-year-old boy was running like that and she smiled.

The little Prince really loved his father, didn't he ?

The man had left the mansion some hours ago with his friends, to hunt ground-game in the woods and now, he was back. He was in the yard with his friends and their mounts, caressing their necks.

"Daddy !" Taemin screamed when he saw his father, running to him.

The man smiled and took his son in his arms, hugging him.

"What a cute girl !" one of his friends said, running his hand through Taemin's half-long hair.

The little boy pouted and his father seemed to be embarrassed.

"Taemin is a boy." he said, slowly settling his son on the ground.

"Taemin ? Oh, I'm sorry, I thought... I thought he was Sulli..."

The boy crossed his arms on his chest and said proudly:

"Sulli is my little sister, she's two years old and she's really pretty."

The man smiled and was about to answer when Sulmyong suddenly said to his son:

"Taemin, go to your nurse and play in the garden. Daddy is with his friends, you don't want to disturb us, do you ?"

The child shook his head and smiled, then he his heels and went to his nurse, not noticing the disappointed glance his father sent him.

***

Taemin was six when his uncle died. Strangely, he wasn't as sad as he should be. Why ? Well, first, he didn't really understand what dying meant. Secondly, the man hadn't been that nice to him the last time they had met.

That time, his parents had decided they would pay the King a visit, so Sulmyong would be able to see his brother and the two children would see the castle for the first time, since they lived in the country-side.

Taemin was with his sister in a room of the castle and they were playing together when the King had entered the room. He had glanced at them and had furrowed his brows after seeing that the little boy was playing with his sister's dolls.

"Why are you playing with that ?" he had asked.

"Sulli doesn't want to play alone." Taemin had answered with a smile.

"But... Doesn't it bother you to play with girl's toys ?"

The child had shaken his head, innocently wondering why he should be bothered by that: toys were toys, why did it matter if he played with his sister's ? And why did his uncle seem to be mad at him ?

"You already look like a girl !" the man had shouted. "You shouldn't play with that... Or do you really want to be mistaken as a girl ?! Look at you, Taemin !"

The little boy had stared at his uncle with teary eyes, while Sulli had begun to cry, even if she wasn't the one her uncle was mad at. The children had never been talked to with such a harsh tone before and none of them understood what Taemin had done wrong.

"Why can't I play with dolls ? Dolls are fun..." he had bravely said.

His uncle had gotten really pissed by his answer and had yelled at him.

"You're talking nonsense ! You're a shame for our family, for the country ! Who would want a feminine boy like you to be the King of a country like ours ?"

Feminine.

It wasn't the first time someone said that Taemin was feminine or effeminate. And even if he was only six, he could tell there was a hint of contempt, sometimes a hint of disgust, in those guys' tone.

Even his beloved father had begun to eye him with glaring eyes. It hurt.

It hurt to be treated like that without even knowing why everyone seemed to be disappointed at him. But being hurt didn't keep the others from still treating him in a wrong way.

So, he hadn't been that taken aback when his father had introduced him as a girl when he had ascended the throne. Had he been hurt ? Yes.

And it had become worse as he had grown up.

Taemin had been forced to wear dresses and to tie his hair in bun.

When he was eight, he had been forced to wear masks, so nobody would notice that his feminine features had a hint of masculinity. If someone did, it would be a shame for the King Sulmyong. Having a feminine son was a shame.

Taemin had tried to fight against his father's decision. He had taken his mask off and had told his father he wanted to be himself, that he didn't care about others' opinions.

It had been the first time his father had beaten him. Also the first time he had been thankful to wear a mask: at least, his bruises had been hidden easily.

His friend Jinki had tried to bring the King to his senses, thinking maybe he would listen to him, since he had known his father for years and had always been on good terms with him.

But no. The King had been final.

He had slowly broken Taemin by saying harsh words to him, decrying his beauty or his qualities, making sure he would never access the throne. Sulmyong would rather like the future King to be born in an other country than giving the throne to his failed son.

Yes, he considered Taemin as a failure.

He had even thought maybe Taemin wasn't his son, that his wife had cheated on him. In a way, he would have been relieved to know that: at least, he wasn't the one who had begotten that boy, that boy who would be held in derision if he only tried to aim a sword.

Who would follow a boy like him as a King ? Who would trust that frail boy in order to fight against enemies ? Which foreign King would think of Taemin as a brave and worth King ? Which foreign King wouldn't consider him as a girl, a girl they would love to sleep with ?

***

More than ten years later, Taemin had given up on fighting. He was sad and tired. Tired to pretend, tired to be alone, even if the few friends he had were still supporting him. But it wasn't enough.

He was craving for love. Craving for acknowledgement and acceptance. Craving for freedom, for the possibility to be who he was, who he wanted to be. Craving to live.

And his wish had been granted when he had met Minho.

That handsome man who had wanted him to stay in the dinning-room, who had smiled at him, who hadn't judged him. That kind-hearted man who loved him, who thought he was beautiful, who hugged him, even after seeing his face.

***

Taemin was now looking down, avoiding Minho's gaze. He was afraid that Minho would change his mind after hearing the reason why his father didn't like him. What if the Prince realized he was really a failure ?

"Taemin..." Minho whispered.

That was it. Now, the Prince would leave him because all he felt was disgust. And he would be right to feel that way.

"Look at me." Minho gently said.

Taemin slowly looked up and saw the caring smile on the Prince's lips.

"Don't think you're a failure." he said. "This isn't your fault if your father couldn't see how beautiful you are, how... incredibly worthy of love you are. How... Taemin. You mean everything to me. Believe me."

Taemin bit his lower lip. Yes, he wanted to believe it, believe in those words that were everything he had always wanted to hear.

"I want to." he said. "But it's hard, Minho... I heard so many harsh words addressed to me..."

The Prince gently put his finger on Taemin's plump lips, hushing him.

"You should learn to only believe the words of those who love you."

Minho became silent for some seconds, looking at the tears that ran down Taemin's cheeks. He added:

"If someone failed, it's not you but the King. He failed as a father, because he wanted to be considered as a great man instead of taking care of his son. He had to accept you as you are but he didn't. And for that, he will always be responsible. He's a proud man who can't stand someone a bit different. You're not like him. You're better than him. You're amazing."

Taemin looked at him with an intense gaze; his eyes were shining with tears and gratitude, but also with love. The Prince could see it.

"Thank you, Minho..."

"Don't thank me." he answered. "I love you. That's all."

This time, Taemin smiled. It was a real smile, a bright one, one that made Minho's heart flutter with happiness.

The Prince suddenly but gently cupped Taemin's face again and stared at him, silently asking him if he could...

The younger boy slightly opened his lips and this answer was enough for Minho.

Their lips slowly met and both felt butterflies in their stomachs as they melted into the kiss. Minho wrapped one of his arms around Taemin's waist and brought him closer to his body, deepening the kiss at the same time. The younger threw his arms around the Prince's neck and he moaned when he felt Minho's tongue sliding in his mouth.

Taemin lost it. He had never ever felt so much love in one simple gesture and the kiss they were sharing was something so new for him that he totally lost control of himself.

His hands twitched in Minho's soft hair as he slowly stepped back, soon falling backwards on the couch with the Prince hovering over him, still kissing him passionately, only breaking apart to take short breathings.

He moaned as he felt Minho's body on him, his chest raising at the same pace than his respiration's, his fingers caressing his sides through his clothes.

Suddenly, Minho broke the kiss and Taemin looked at him in disbelief.

"Why did you stop ?" he asked, pouting.

The Prince pecked his soft lips and answered with a smile:

"Because I won't be able to stop anymore if we keep on like that."

Minho had never made love before but he knew he wouldn't be able to refrain from doing it if the younger boy kept on like that.

Taemin blushed when he understood what his words meant but he whispered:

"What if I don't want you to stop ?"

"Don't tempt me, Taemin." Minho said, his fingers drawing imaginary curls on the younger boy's cheeks. "I don't want to rush things. I don't want you to think I said I love you just because I want your body."

Taemin smiled and brought Minho closer to him, until he could hide his red face into the crook of the Prince's neck.

"I'm glad to hear that." he whispered in his ear. "Because... To say the truth... I'm not ready for that... But I didn't want to disappoint you and if you wanted it..."

"I'll wait for you." Minho cut him off. "I'll wait for you until you are ready. It doesn't matter how long I have to wait for you. So don't feel forced to do something you don't want to."

Taemin smiled and mumbled into the Prince's neck:

"Thank you, Minho."

"Anything for you, Taemin."

They became silent and remained still, listening to the other one's heartbeat, until Taemin slowly said:

"You should go again to the ballroom. They will wonder where you are..."

"And you ?"

"Me ?" the boy chuckled. "It's not like they will miss me."

"I will." Minho answered on a serious tone.

"Of course. You aren't like them. You're special."

"That's because I love you. You make me special."

Taemin blushed a bit and stammered:

"You... You're so cheesy !"

"That's how you love me, right ?"

Minho almost hit himself when he realized what he had said. Taemin hadn't answered to his feelings yet and he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. If he wasn't ready to tell him, he was fine with it, because he knew Taemin felt the same way. If he didn't, their kiss wouldn't have been that great.

He heard Taemin mumbling something but he didn't get it.

"What did you say ?" he asked.

"I said I love you !" the younger boy quickly repeated, almost shouting it, staring at him with an intense and shy gaze at the same time.

Minho smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Are you sure you don't want to come back to the ballroom with me ?"

"I am." he answered, running his hand through the Prince's hair.

"As you want." Minho said, slowly standing up. "Goodnight, then. I'll try to come tomorrow."

Taemin nodded and stood up as well, walking him to the door. They shared a last kiss before Minho finally headed back for the castle, grinning like a fool. He felt truly happy tonight.

His happy smile didn't even drop when he saw Sulli in a corridor nearby the ballroom.

"Where have you been ?" she asked, a bit angry.

"I went out for a breath of air, it's so warm inside !"

"You're right." she said with a smile, her features immediately softening. "I guess it feels good to stay outside for a while."

"Yeah." he answered, entering the ballroom again.

She didn't even know how good it had felt to be outside with her brother, kissing him and holding him in his arms. She would never know it felt better than anything, especially better than staying with her...

So, here you are ! You know the truth, Minho knows the truth and everybody is happy (well, almost everybody, hehehe~)

I hope you aren't disappointed now that you know the reason why Taemin dresses himself like a girl and wears a mask...

Everything was clear in my mind but writing it was quite hard, so if you have questions, if you think I didn't explain it properly, comment about it :)

Thanks to you all for your support, for reading, commenting and subscribing !