Kyungsoo's mother...

Jongin tried to gulp down the lump in his throat.

He closed his eyes and tried to hold back his tears.

Prince Sehun took a audible deep breath, “I am sorry about this.”

Jongin nooded his head, he thought about Kyungsoo's sad face when they talked about his mother and felt so sad for him. Jongin felt all the courage and promting leave him. Deep in his mind, he heard his little sister's laugh.

“Are there any other specialists in the area of myocardial failure?”, Jongin asked in a hopeful voice.

“Yes, there are. Do Mi Yong sshi was a genius in this area, but there are other talented healer who know well about heart diseases.”

Jongin felt relieved, he let out a sigh and looked at the prince who was eying him with a concerned face. And Jongin knew why the young heir was concerened.

The border...

The crown prince caughed slightly and put on back his glasses. He shuffled to the book shelf next to his desk, where other rolls of paper were stored. With his back towards Jongin and without looking at him, he whispered, “We will find a solution.”

Jongin wanted to express his gratitude, wanted to say so many things to the young successor to the throne, but he knew that it wasn't necessary.

The prince was willing to help him, instead of punishing him.

The countries needed a highly intelligent and motivated royal who was aware of the fact that change was urgently necessary... in form of the young crown prince.

- - - - - - - -

Jongin was dragged back to the cells by two guards. In front of the entrance the guard to his left dismissed his workmate, “I will take care of him from now on, Tao. You may go.”

The other guard instantly let go of Jongin and bowed to his apparent superior.

Jongin was pulled roughly towards his cell, the guard had a strong grip on Jongin's arms, with his right hand he opened the door.

Before he could push the prisoner inside, Jongin stopped and looked directly into the guard's eyes who was staring angrily at him.

“Is Kyungsoo okay?”

The guard made an angered sound and tried to push Jongin inside.

“Please...”

The guard, Jongin heard Kyungsoo calling him Yixing, squinted his eyes in anger, “Don't worry about him. He has several people who are willing to help him.”

Jongin was roughly shoved inside and chained to the wall.

“Thank you.”, Jongin said when the guard turned his back on him, ready to leave the cell.

“You have no reason to thank me.”, he hissed.

“I know that you are helping him too.”

The guard snorted, “Don't press your luck, prisoner.”

With quick steps, Yixing left the dark cubicle and locked the door from outside.

Jongin leant his head on the wall and closed his eyes. Two persons appeared in front of his eyelids, just before he fell into a deep sleep.

- - - - - - -

Kyungsoo rested his head on his arms, hugging his knees. He got up when he heard how someone unlocked the door.

Chanyeol entered the room, a sad look on his face and a tray with food in his hands. He slowly put the tray on the table and gave Kyungsoo a little smile.

“How is he, Chanyeol? The prince didn't harm him, did he?”

Chanyeol sighed and shook his head, “In such a situation, you are worried about him?”

“Chanyeol... please tell me.”

“He is okay. You can consider yourself lucky, Kyungsoo. Although I am pretty sure that this isn't mere luck...”

Kyungsoo nodded and sat back down on his bed.

“Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me”, his friend answered, “thank the thaler that allowed me to switch places with Tao, who was actually ordered to bring you food. When the head maid hears about this, she will give me a good trashing.”

Kyungsoo gave him a sad smile.

“And thank the crown prince who is exeptionally merciful towards you and who seems to have a liking in you.”

Kyungsoo looked at his friend, “I am sorry... and thank you.”

Chanyeol sighed and turned around to leave the room.

“Ah... Baekhyun misses you a lot. Hang on there, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo felt lonely after Chanyeol left the room. He didn't touch the food. Instead he buried his head in his arms again and tried to hold back his tears.

- - - - -

The next day, Tao came to Kyungsoo's chamber to bring him food.

The guard looked stern and didn't utter a word. Instead he placed the tray with food and water on the little table besides Kyungsoo's bed and left with the other tray without saying a single word.

Kyungsoo sighed and slowly moved out of the bed to inspect the food. He didn't feel like eating, but he didn't eat the other day, so maybe he should force down some food. Kyungsoo picked up the bread and nipped on it, then he grabbed the cup to gulp down the food.

Under the cup, Kyungsoo found a little folded piece of paper. He placed down the cup and the piece of bread and opened the paper that appeared to be a letter.

I heard that my cute little cook is worried about me. Don't be, because I am okay. Chanyeol brings me food and he helps me so that I am able to write you this letter. I miss you, Kyungsoo. I hope that you are alright and that we can meet soon.

Jongin

Kyungsoo read the letter twice, then again. He closed his eyes and smiled while a single tear rolled down his face.

- - - - - -

The sound of the heavy door being unlocked, jolted Jongin out of his sleep. Blinking towards the incoming light, he saw a rather small and lean figure, resembling Kyungsoo's bodily frame.

Jongin felt a glint of hope, but then the figure drew closer, revealing a young man with small lips and squinted eyes.

Jongin shifted his position on the floor and observed the unknown man with attention.

A tray with food was placed in front of him, while the man didn't utter a word. Jongin thought that the stranger would leave the cell, but he took a seat on the cold floor instead and glared at Jongin.

A few seconds passed, then Jongin heard the man sighing, while the accusing glare remained,

“You should eat something, prisoner. Kyungsoo will punch me if he hears that I starved you.”

Jongin blinked, “You are a friend of Kyungsoo?”

The young man snorted, “Yes, I am. We are best friends since childhood and this is the exact reason why I won't let you take him away from me.”

The man avoided Jongin's eyes, when he saw realisation in them, “You like him, don't you?”

The man huffed, “You don't have to know that. You just have to know that he is very special to me and that I won't let anyone harm him.”

Yixing knocked on the door, “Baekhyun, have you finished?”, in a hushed voice.

Baekhyun stood up and was ready to leave, then he turned back to Jongin with tears in his eyes, “I will tell you something. I always thought that it was enough for me to observe him from afar, although I was right next to him. I always thought it was enough for me to wish for his well being, even though I could contribute just a little to that.” He paused for a few seconds, to collect himself.

“To answer your question: yes, I like him, I always did. But I always knew that I would never be more to him than his best friend. I restrained myself for all these years, then you appeared. First I wanted to step back, like I always did, but then you changed everything!

I won't harm you in any way. It hurts me, but you are important to Kyungsoo. Anyway...”

Baekhyun wiped away the tears, “This time I won't give up on him.”

Jongin took a deep breath and stood up to Baekhyun's eye level.

“I am thanking you for your sincerity and your loyality, Baekhyun. I just can vaguely guess what you have gone through. But I am sincere too and I won't give up as well.”

Baekhyun squinted his eyes again, then he abrubtly turned around and knocked on the door, so that Yixing let him out of the cell. So that Jongin was all alone by himself again.

- - - - - -

Kyungsoo didn't exactly know how many days passed. He slept almost the whole time, just waking up when food was brought to him, that he rarely touched.First he counted the days, but he soon lost interest in that.

When he didn't sleep, Kyungsoo tried to distract himself with reading his late mother's letters and looking at the portrait of her, with Kyungsoo and his brother. Kyungsoo could contact his brother just through letters, after he moved to another city in the north last year, learning to be a healer, just like their mother.

Kyungsoo lay on the floor, with the last letter of his mother in his one hand, and Jongin's letter in his other.

- - - -

A soft hand shook Kyungsoo up of his sleep. Kyungsoo blinked, it was in the middle of the night, but he immediately recognized the figure who was crouching next to him.

“Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun shushed him and pulled his arm, helping Kyungsoo to get on his feet.

“What are you doing, here?”, he asked his friend in a hushed voice, while he was pulled towards the door.

“I will get you out of here.”

Kyungsoo stopped his friend, “What? What happened?”

Baekhyun closed the door after peering outside and considering the situation safe.

“The people are talking, Kyungsoo. Rumours went around, about you being an ally with the prisoner who is a spy.”

Kyungsoo could hear the worry and the anger in Baekhyun's voice.

“These stupid people demand your punishment.”

Kyungsoo sighed and eased Baekhyun's grip on his arm.

“I knew that something like that would happen. But I won't run away, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun's eyes widened in astonishment, “Why not? Chanyeol and Yixing are waiting outside, we will help you to escape.”

When Kyungsoo shook his head, Baekhyun leant his forehead on his shoulder, whispering, “I will go with you. Let me go with you, Kyungsoo, we can go wherever you want.”

“You have all your family here, Baekhyun. All of your friends.”

“I don't care...”

Kyungsoo softly touched Baekhyun's neck, bringing him to face him.

What he saw, was unexpected and heart breaking. His best friend was crying.

“Baekhyun...”

Baekhyun huddled against Kyungsoo's neck again, sobbing quietly.

Kyungsoo let him, while softly caressing his back.

A few minutes passed, until Baekhyun spoke again.

“You know that I love you, Soo?”

Kyungsoo took a deep breath in relief, “I know. And I love you too, Baek.”

Baekhyun shifted in his position, he touched Kyungsoo's neck with his right hand, his own face just a few centimeters away from Kyungsoo's.

Kyungsoo was too shocked to realise how Baekhyun leant forward and closed the distance between them, to press his lips against Kyungsoo's.

- - - - - 

two more chapters to come, I hope you all like the story so far ^-^

please comment as much as you can, I really appreciate feedback *throws kisses*