Minho was seated on the edge of the bed, staring out the window as the sun rose slowly, his hands clasped as he thought over what had happened the night before. At first he had tried to convince himself that it was a dream, after all, he had ever heard of anyone being visited by a soul within a dream. Yet he doubted that he was creative enough to think up something like that on his own. But to train Jinki? Was that possible? The boy was too soft, too sweet and much too nice, there was no possible way that the male could be a leader much less a king. He was amazed by horse’s for god’s sake, there was no way he’d be able to take over a kingdom. To face enemies and make decisions that would affect thousands of people.

The man scowled, shaking his head as he felt the bed shift, a small yawn coming from the other as he woke. “Minho?” Jinki called out, eyes cracking open as he focused on the man sitting across from him, reaching out to tug on his shirt gently. “You’re already up?” he asked, voice thick with sleep, barely above a whisper, which had a small smile curling onto Minho’s lips.

“I just woke,” he said quietly before laying back against the bed and turning to gaze down at the other who stretched carefully, his back arching off of the bed, eyes closing tightly as he groaned, muscles loosening. “Did you sleep well?” Minho asked, tugging the blankets back over Jinki’s body, causing the man to laugh quietly before curling up on his side, looking up at Minho before sighing happily and nodding.

“I did, I had a nice dream too, a weird one, but still nice,” he responded as he rubbed his eyes, taking a moment to fully wake. Eyes fluttering to the window over Minho’s shoulder as he blinked a few times. Silently wondering what time it was, as he no longer had the luxury of a bedside clock or a cellphone. He hated not knowing what time it was, though he was sure they had a way to tell, he just didn’t feel like figuring it out just yet.

“What was your dream about?” Minho asked, brushing aside a lock of hair, enjoying the feeling of peace that had descended upon them, not wanting to think of what he had to do that day, or what his plans would be if he could even change them so quickly.

“I was king,” Jinki mumbled absently, looking back to Minho’s face, “And you were my guard, it was very blurry though, so I don’t remember much.” he finished, a quiet laugh escaping him as he sat up and slid out of bed, stretching out his legs before wrinkling his nose in distaste at the tense feeling, “What time is it?” He asked, glancing back at Minho who had taken the chance to lay back down on the bed, his hand resting on his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling.

“Morning,” he stated simply before forcing himself up and walking to the dresser to pick up clothes for himself, planning on bringing Jinki down to the Prince’s items, figuring it would be best for the man to pick out his own clothes. It wasn’t as though they wouldn’t fit him.

Within the next moment Minho had the outfit he wanted to wear and was beside Jinki, nudging him towards the door. “Don’t turn around,” he said before stripping as fast as he could and sliding on the new outfit, trying his hardest not to trip when his feet began tangled up within his pants, though that proved much harder and he let out a few curses. Eventually he was dressed, a few snickers having escaped Jinki, which Minho didn’t appreciate, no matter how cute it was.

“Come on,” he mumbled, reaching up to pull Jinki up before tossing an arm around his shoulders, guiding the man towards the basement, the workers in the kitchen every morning, meaning there was no need to hide Jinki’s face. Which was good considering he felt the need to stop at each painting and examine it in detail, something that annoyed Minho to no end. Not that he voiced it, after all it gave him some time to think and admire the other.

It had to be possible to train Jinki, though it was unlikely that it would go over well when Jinki was approached with the idea. How was he even supposed to explain it? He wouldn’t mention his original plan, of course, he would lie and say that Onew’s plan had been the only one. No need to place a sense of distrust and fear within the other, it would ruin everything.

“Where are we going?” Jinki finally asked as they descended the stairs into the basement, his hand snapping forward to grab Minho’s shirt, not liking the darkness they were walking towards.

Minho sighed, reaching back to pry Jinki’s hand from his shirt, holding it in his own, keeping his grip gentle. “Just trust me,” he mumbled as they continued down the stairs, Jinki pressing close to the man as the light began to disappear. It seemed as though years had passed before they reached the bottom, Jinki stumbling forward as he took an extra step, crashing into Minho’s back which made the taller man laugh. “Wait here a moment,” he whispered. Jinki’s eyes widening as Minho let go of his hands and walked away, leaving him in the dark alone, eyes barely able to adjust, only able to make out the walls beside him that extended forward into nothing. His bottom lip was between his teeth, glancing back and forth as he waited for Minho, letting out a loud curse when a light suddenly appeared before him as Minho lit a lantern, his cheeks flushing bright red as Minho chuckled. The man’s free hand reaching out to take Jinki’s into his own once again, “Come on, I won’t let anything get you.” He whispered, walking further down the hall before entering the room to the right.

It was silent aside from the sound of their steps and the occasional gasp from Jinki when he brushed against something he didn’t quite see, causing Minho to remove his hand from Jinki’s to instead rest it on the small of the males back as he closed the door behind them. “Sit here,” he urged, easing Jinki down into a chair before lighting the many lanterns that lined the walls. Jinki blinking a few times, finally able to see, though his eyes locked on the iron design that stood before him on what seemed to be a family crest, reaching out to trace it before looking to see what else was in the room, surprised at what he saw.

The room was full, books, jewelry, weapons and clothing crammed into every possible corner, a spare bed frame of sorts placed by the back, the bottom seeming to have been dipped in gold. It was amazing. “Do you like what you see?” Minho asked quietly, smiling as Jinki nodded eagerly, “Great, just pick some clothes and get changed, I’ll turn around.” he said, doing as he said as he focused on the portrait of the prince, a frown forming as he did so.

He was scared to tell him, but he wanted to get it off his chest, and hell, there was no way Jinki could deny that he looked exactly like the previous prince. Even the way they smiled was the same, the way their eyes curved and their face lit up, a sight Minho had been blessed with many times.

“Done,” Jinki chirped, Minho turning and sighing at the sight he was greeted with, Jinki wearing a white shirt that seemed to float, tucked into the black pants that hugged his hips, nearly the spitting image of the man Minho had seen in his dream. “Do you like it?” Jinki asked, laughing as he made his way to Minho who seemed unable to react. “Hello?” He asked with a laugh as he tapped Minho’s cheeks which turned a bright red.

“Yeah! Yeah, I do,” he said before grabbing Jinki’s shoulders as the male tried to see the painting beside Minho, stopping the man as he cleared his throat. “I ah, I have to talk to you though.”

Jinki raised a brow, eager to explore more of the castle and to get out of the dusty old room that reminded him of the attic back home and he wanted to think of anything else. He had been doing his best to keep his attention elsewhere. “What do you need to talk about?” He asked, fixing the shirt idly.

“Please just, sit down?” Minho requested as he gestured to the chair, clearing his throat and reaching up to rub the nape of his neck.

The serious atmosphere seemed to drop out of nowhere and weighed on both men, especially Jinki as he sat down and crossed his ankles to keep his legs from bouncing anxiously. “So-?” He pushed, watching as Minho shifted his weight from foot to foot, his emotions written across his face. Nervousness, regret and even fear, all of which had a knot forming in Jinki’s stomach.

“So… you have to bear with me, alright? Because this is could to sound crazy,” Minho breathed out, Jinki laughing quietly at the words.

“More crazy than the fact that I walked through a mirror yesterday?” He asked, “What could be crazier than that?” He asked, the words comforting Minho slightly. What had happened between them had to be seen as impossible in Jinki’s eyes, there was no way what he was going to say would seem any crazier than everything else already did.

“That’s true, I should get to the point then,” he whispered as he pressed his hands together, “Honestly, the reason why I began talking to you was that I- in a way, need you.” He said, hoping it was an adequate beginning, though Jinki just seemed more confused than he had been before. “Most of what I told you about me, about my home, it’s a lie, I mean, I am a prince and this world was one everything I told you it was but-” he groaned, unable to put the words together as he put his had in his hands. He was scared of what would happen when Jinki heard about everything Minho’s father had done. Would he blame Minho as well? Would he be mad that Minho hadn’t told him, it was possible, Minho would have been angry if their roles were reversed.

“Minho,” Jinki called out, reaching forward to place a hand on his back, obviously concerned as he moved to sit beside Minho. “Just tell me if you want to, if not then it’s okay, I won’t die if I don’t know,” he whispered, trying his best to put the other male at ease.

Minho shook his head, “No, you have to understand Jinki, each of us,” he in a deep breath, “We have a mirrored self in the opposite world, there is another me in your world, just walking around, though he may go by a different name, may live far from you and may never come across you,” he said, words coming faster, spilling from his mouth as he tried to rid himself of them before he began to overthink. “And you had a version here Jinki, everyone loved him and he was amazing, he was a prince, holding the crown that I do not and he’s dead,” Minho said, breath hitching, “He is dead, body probably burned without a funeral and I took his place Jinki because my father killed him, killed him and his family in cold blood and I brought you here to replace him, so we can get rid of my dad, please,” he finished, tears stinging his eyes as he in a harsh breath, gripping his pants as he tried to calm down. Mind spinning with all the reactions Jinki could give him.

“So,” Jinki breathed after a moment, staring down at his feet. “This isn’t a joke? I mean, I can see another me, but not as a prince, no version of me could be a prince.” He whispered, shaking his head and standing up, Minho leaping to his feet as well, a forced laugh escaping him.

“Out of everything I said that’s what you think the lie would be?” He asked, leaning forward as he placed a hand on Jinki’s shoulder, squeezing gently, “Please, I know it’s insane and I shouldn’t have laid this all on you at once but we need you Jinki, I need you, to take over. To be the prince the people deserve.” He pleaded, shaking slightly as he pulled Jinki in for a hug.

“Take over?” Jinki asked, voice higher than usual as he slowly hugged back. It was unreal and Jinki was suddenly convinced that everything around him was nothing more than an extended dream, and he wanted to wake up. He didn’t want to be lost in the world anymore, he wanted his sickness back, his useless legs and cold mother. Yet he was standing in the corner of a cramped room in the arms of a prince who was pleading for him to help, a dazzling man who had seemed as strong as a brick wall just moments ago. There was no way that this was reality, it was impossible.

“Minho,” he breathed, stepping back while keeping his arms wrapped around the taller male, just wanting to look into his eyes, “Even if the other me was a prince I’m not, I can’t be,” he whispered, “I’m stupid, clumsy, sick, I can barely even make a friend how do you expect me to take over a kingdom? Wouldn’t I need to be strong? To inspire the people? To protect them?”

Minho’s fingers tightened around Jinki’s shirt as Minho shook his head, “I’d teach you everything you need to know Jinki, please, you said you didn’t want to go back home! You’d be saving yourself from sickness and pain, saving this world and it’s people from me and my dad,” he pleaded, “Please, you have to save someone here, even if it’s for yourself.”