Mingyi's mention of a caged bird struck Ming'er hard. He couldn't help but picture a poor little bird trapped in a cage against its will, robbed off its freedom just like that.
Ming'er knows just how much of an affinity Mingyi has with birds. His older brother had always loved them, even before his impendiment, admiring them from afar and marvelling at the way that they took flight and sang with the wind.
Ming'er still remembers how the Emperor had proposed that he got the Imperial Guards to catch a few birds for Mingyi and take them back to the Imperial Palace, back when his older brother was still in their father's favor.
Alas, Mingyi declined their father's offer and stopped the Imperial Guards as they started to move into action even before hearing his answer.
"Why don't you want to take a few of them back?" the Emperor had asked his first son with the raise of an eyebrow, puzzled as to why Mingyi wouldn't take up the opportunity when he could. "You could hear their beautiful singing anytime and anywhere, all day, if you were to take them back."
"As beautiful as their singing may still sound even in cages," Mingyi had replied with his signature calming voice and smile, "I know they wouldn't be happy deep down inside."
Ming'er, who'd been standing at the side throughout this entire dialogue since he'd so happen to tag along with them, was in silent awe of his older brother's selflessness and consideration.
Ming'er had always been impressed by Mingyi's wisdom and maturity, which seemed to be innate in him ever since he was just a child.
Mingyi had always been understanding and thoughtful, so much so that there was a ridiculous and absurd rumor amongst the commoners about him actually being an old man, a sage trapped in a child's body at one point in time.
That was just how much Mingyi used to be loved, just how popular he'd been.
However, everything changed when Mingyi contracted the mysterious illness which rendered him crippled. His legs couldn't work like they used to before.
They were cruelly taken away from him without any warning, just like how a captured bird would have its wings clipped before being sentenced to the rest of its life in a cage.
Mingyi wasn't exaggerating when he compared himself to a caged bird. After all, that was pretty much what he was now, especially considering what he used to be.
Mingyi was the last person who deserved to be struck with such an impendiment. Yet, the world, being the brutal and unfair place that it is, robbed his potential and future away from him just like that.
Ming'er keeps quiet and doesn't say anything in response to Mingyi's words. Even though his older brother had told him not to, Ming'er couldn't help but feel awful about what he'd just uttered.
/How could I be so insensitive and inconsiderate towards my big brother...?/
Ming'er couldn't imagine just how spoilt and entitled that he must've sounded to Mingyi. While he was only going to be confined for the coming week, his older brother was being confined and restricted ever since the day his mysetrious illness got the best of him.
While Ming'er was only have to put up with his circumstances for the rest of the week, Mingyi was pretty much going to stay this way for the rest of his life.
"I...I'm sorry, Big Brother," Ming'er apologizes again even though Mingyi had already said that he didn't need to, "I was insensitive and inconsiderate towards your feelings. It was selfish of me to say that."
"Little Brother," Mingyi reassures again in that ever soothing voice of his as he squeezes his younger brother's shoulder slightly, "It's alright, really. Like I said, you get used to it."
"For me," Mingyi adds, "At least."
"But for you," Mingyi chuckles as ruffles his younger brother's hair, "Well, you're a force not to be reckoned with."
Ming'er feels a warmth surging up his heart at his older brother's kind and encouraging words. He'd always doted on and been supportive of him.
Ming'er had always felt loved and inspired by his older brother, even after he was struck by his mysterious illness.
"What happened last night," Mingyi sucks in a sharp breath as he says this.
Mingyi clenches his slightly trembling fist. He shudders as he appears to be visibly shaken by what had happened the night before. Or, to be more precise, what could've come out from it.
"Well, it's just the first of the many obstacles that you'll face on the road ahead," Mingyi continues as soon as he wills himself to simmer down, "There's no doubt that you'll encounter more of them throughout your reign."
"Big Brother," Ming'er says half-indignantly and half-hesitantly. Even though he knows that it was an unspoken fact that he was going to inherit the throne instead of Mingyi, Ming'er hates it when his older brother indirectly talks himself down like that.
Nevertheless, Ming'er remains convicted in his sentiment. "You're the one who's next in line to the throne," he protests, wanting to refute the unspoken fact that'd been hanging in the air for quite a while now, "You're literally the Crown Prince, for crying out loud."
"Ming'er," Mingyi says in the same tone that he'd used to address his younger brother, "We both know who's the real heir here."
Mingyi's right. As much as he didn't want to face reality, Ming'er does know who it actually is.
After all, it's obvious, from the day that the Emperor started to direct the favouritism and preferential treatment that he'd previously showered Mingyi with to Ming'er.
"You're going to be a great Emperor," Mingyi suddenly says, effectively breaking the silence hanging in the air. "You're strong and capable, you always have been. I believe in you."
"Big Brother..." Even though he was eighteen years old and not a kid anymore, Ming'er couldn't help but feel the urge to tear up at his older brother's kind and supportive words.
Ming'er felt like a child all over again, being doted on and comforted by his only older brother.
Ming'er couldn't help but be reminded of the time his younger self had climbed up a tree even though Mingyi had warned him not to.
Ming'er had blatantly went against Mingyi's warning and climbed up the tree, even turning back to cheekily pull a face to provoke his older brother as he did so.
However, karma soon came to bite Ming'er in the ass when he lost his grip on the tree. Before he knew it, he found himself falling, and falling, down onto the ground.
Ming'er had landed roughly on his right ankle, which twisted weirdly as soon as it hit the ground.
The pain was so bad that Ming'er couldn't even move his right leg. He couldn't do anything but start wailing and howling at just how painful the feeling was.
Instead of reprimanding Ming'er and telling him that it served him right, Mingyi immediately went over to his younger brother and calmed him down with his soothing voice.
As soon as Ming'er had simmered down, Mingyi scooped his younger brother up into his arms, positioned him on his back such that he was piggybacking him, before getting up to go back to the palace.
Not once did Mingyi panic during his handling of his younger brother's twisted ankle. He remained calm and composed throughout, so much so that even the hysterical Ming'er calmed down upon seeing his older brother so calm.
There was just something reassuring and comforting about Mingyi's presence. He always seemed to exude a calming aura that tells you, "don't worry, everything is going to be alright".
The piggyback ride back to the Imperial Palace throughout the forest was so calming and relaxing that Ming'er gradually forgot about the pain throbbing in his right ankle.
Instead, he found himself looking through Mingyi's eyes, admiring the beautiful and harmonious chirps of birds, the sound of the leaves of the trees rustling in the wind, and the sound of the nearby waterfall and river trailing down the land.
It was Ming'er who'd gotten into trouble instead of Mingyi when they got back to the Imperial Palace.
While the Emperor admonished Ming'er for ignoring and going against his older brother's warning and saying that he should've known better, he didn't accuse Mingyi of anything, like neglecting his duty as an older brother or failing to keep a close eye on Ming'er or anything like that.
Then again, Mingyi had still been in the favor of the Emperor at that point in time. Ming'er was sure that should the same thing happen in the present day, as unfair as it was, his older brother would be the one getting the scolding instead of him.
"Big Brother," Ming'er finally says. His voice slightly shaky because he's just so overwhelmed by the endless kindness and support that his older brother had always showered him with.
Ming'er had wondered if Mingyi had ever been jealous or resentful towards him, of the fact that he'd pretty much stolen the right to the throne from him, even though he didn't ask for it. However, Mingyi displayed or expressed nothing of that sort. He'd always been kind and supportive towards him.
/I'm so lucky to have a big brother like him./
Ming'er smiles at Mingyi as he places his hand on his older brother's hand.
"Thank you for always believing in me."