Chapter 2

[Summer 1461]

Today had to be the hottest day in the year so far but nothing beat the burning emotion Junsu had inside his heart. How could he not be drowned in jealousy? His dear older brother, who supposed to be his alone, had been busy playing his playmate almost all the time.

Junsu sat on garden bench as he saw Jaejoong, his brother, laughing happily while Yunho, the playmate chased him. They’re supposed to be playing hide and seek like Junsu wanted to but it ended up being chasing game, which Junsu didn’t like. So he decided to sit and look at the beautiful sunny sky.

Not that Junsu had been neglected but still, the thought of sharing his older brother with other made Junsu wanted to grow evil thorn on his head. Jung Yunho became the sole prey of his secret witty words and actions, behind Jaejoong’s back of course.

Junsu still remembered one night there was this heavy thunderstorm and like always, he rushed to his brother’s quarter and slipped inside the blanket. Only to discover Jaejoong was sharing his bed with Jung Yunho. Junsu almost threw his fish puppet into Yunho’s face but he managed to be civilized. Being angry and jealous nine years old younger brother wasn’t something he wanted to show his brother after all.

The most irritating thing was Yunho never got mad at him like Junsu wanted him to. He knew he was being childish and some of him hoped he could just get rid of Yunho. At least until one day, they’re playing together and Jaejoong slipped. That Jung Yunho managed to protect his brother from hitting his head on a rock, which could cause massive injury.

Junsu realized Jaejoong needed Yunho, at least for now. So Junsu tolerated and even though he didn’t want to admit it, he felt like he had another older brother. Yunho was fun to tease and Junsu couldn’t get enough.

“Junchan! Come on, join us,” Jaejoong called as Junsu woke up from his thought. He smiled and ran into his dear brother’s direction, only to tackle Yunho so Jaejoong could escape the chase.

[Winter 1466]

Junsu was terrified, especially after he accidently saw a bloody soldier came into his father’s, the emperor’s quarter. He knew it had to do with the war that had been going on. Junsu hated war and he couldn’t stand blood. He also hated the fact Yunho had to go to war, it saddened Jaejoong so much.

Running in panic, he was supposed to look for his brother in times like this, but he ended up on the other side of the palace. Junsu stopped in front of a room he never entered and sighed, he needed to calm down. That was when a weak voice startled him.

“… Is there anyone out there?”

Junsu swore he almost jumped and ran away again because the voice almost sounded like a ghost. After thinking for a while, he realized it sounded like a boy around his age. So he managed to keep his feet and decided to try opening the door. It was locked though and Junsu couldn’t make it budge.

“Please stop!...You can’t damage the door, or I’ll be punish,” the voice begged as Junsu stopped, he wondered if the person in the room was prisoner. But this wasn’t a room for prisoner, dungeon was.

“Who are you? Why are you locked in there?” Junsu dared to ask but he got no answer. He decided to wait and sit on the floor. He tried to call again but the one inside the room didn’t make any sound or probably ignored him.

Had enough, Junsu got up in haste as he bumped into someone behind him. Like today hadn’t enough, Junsu fell on his on the floor as he gave death glare to one who bumped to him. It was a boy, probably around his age too, wearing a court uniform. It was probably one of the scholars.

“Watch your back when you want to get up,” the scholar boy spoke, instead of apologizing. Junsu was seriously begun to lose his patient.

“You’re the one who bump to me! And don’t you know who I am?” Junsu asked.

“You’re Prince Junsu,” the scholar boy spoke,” but being a prince isn’t an excuse to blame other people of your wrong doing. It was your fault to suddenly get up and not seeing if there’s anyone around. I was simply walking on the right side of the hallway.”

“…Fine,” Junsu hated he couldn’t find the debate but he wouldn’t give up,” Since you know me so well, why don’t you introduce yourself, scholar boy?”

“…I’m not a scholar boy,” the boy frowned,” I’m Park Yoochun, the next in line of Park Family that has been advising the Emperor for generation. We’re by no other means are the Emperor’s right hand and by that, I will be your brother’s, the first prince’s political advisor once he gets his Emperor title.”

Junsu’s jaw dropped on the floor. He seriously lost counts how many times he had been left surprise today. First, it was the bloody view which almost made him puke. Then, an unknown voice inside the room that almost made his heart stopped. Now, he just met the one supposed-to-be his brother’s right hand one day and he just insulted him. Junsu couldn’t imagine more messed up situation than this.

“…Pff---I’m so sorry---But---You’re face---Pfffahahaha…” Yoochun’s laugh wasn’t a reaction Junsu expected. He didn’t even realize the funny face he made. Junsu finally realized someone had made fun of him in the first time of his life. Park Yoochun wasn’t someone ordinary, Junsu made a note to himself.

Later on, Junsu told everything that happened to his brother. Junsu realized Jaejoong almost flinched when he told him about the unknown voice. It was like Jaejoong knew who it was but didn’t want or couldn’t say anything more about it. So Junsu decided to not press the matter anymore.

[Spring 1469]

The war hadn’t end yet and it began to make Jaejoong lost his mind. Junsu didn’t like that, at all. He tried his best to entertain his brother and keep him calm but the situation in the palace began to lose control too. Their loving father changed; the wise emperor began to drift somewhere else as a blood hunger and angry one replaced him.

One night, Jaejoong was having heated discussion about the war with their father in their private quarter. Junsu was also present. Yet, their father didn’t want to listen to anyone else. He just wanted to kill the entire enemy.

“Hyung!!!” Junsu screamed in horror when their father struck Jaejoong down. No, their father never hit or hurt them before. This might not be their father anymore. It was like someone, or something was taking over their beloved father.

“…I’m okay,” Jaejoong wiped blood on his lips as he held Junsu with his trembling’s hand. Junsu hated himself that he couldn’t protect Jaejoong. Yunho was still on front line and Junsu was the only one beside Jaejoong now. Without any choice, they left their raging father and returned to Jaejoong’s quarter. Junsu could only hold his brother’s hand helplessly until Jaejoong cried himself to sleep. Then, Junsu went out to the terrace and sat looking at the moon.

“The emperor has changed,” a well-known voice spoke as Junsu felt another person sat next to him. Junsu could only nod. War indeed changed people. Even Junsu wasn’t the scared Junsu anymore. He learnt how to fight not so long ago so he could protect people he cared about if it was needed someday.

“Yoochun,” Junsu called the name,” When will the war end?”

“I don’t know, Junsu ah,” Yoochun answered,” All I can say is it will take at least another year…”

They sat in silence. Junsu was the one who broke the silence as he sighed and leaned on Yoochun’s shoulder. Yoochun was taller than Junsu and it made leaning on him comfortable enough. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm his mind.

“Junsu ah,” Yoochun’s voice woke him up,” How’s your training with Junho?”

Junsu knew what Yoochun wanted to do. Yoochun was trying to change the flow of the conversation to a lighter issue and Junsu liked that. Yoochun was actually the one who introduced Junsu to Junho.

“Junho hyung has been really good to me,” Junsu answered,” He’s really talented with martial arts and teaches me a lot of it since I can’t really handle sword or bow. He’s like an older brother in my other life if I have one.”

“You sure like to have many older brothers, huh? Jaejoong hyung and Yunho hyung haven’t spoiled you enough?” Yoochun asked as Junsu poked his shoulder. Yoochun knew he was the only one who could tease Junsu and Junsu would always let Yoochun did that for unknown reason. Leaning on each other, they could only wish the war would end soon and everything would return to normal. Yet, deeply inside their heart, they knew the war had changed things beyond reason.