The night is deep and the moon is blazing through the dark of the night, the firefly quietly trying to find it's way to the lost home, while the cicada sings to keep it company until it reaches its destination, in the night where a lot of events were taking a place, a boy was just sleeping soundly and peacefully in his room.
The boy was so deep in sleep that he did not even hear the door of his room opening, the stranger looked at the surroundings for a moment and then diverted his attention back to the youth, sleeping on the mattress with a string of saliva on his cheek.
The stranger shrouded in the black, quietly took a few steps and crouched in front of the boy, this sleeping person was not it his dream, The person that was more beautiful then the shining moon and the moonflower, really worthy of being the General's only weakness, the stranger smiled softly and touched the boy's belly, smoothly rubbing the little belly, the stranger got a bit greedy and slowly put his lips on the boy's.
The boy at first felt a strange thing touching him but now with the touching feeling, there was a feeling of being suffocated, being deeply suffocated by someone's burning love, the boy slowly opened his eyes and saw a strange man kissing him passionately, he in panic pushed the man away and screamed.
"Help, there is someone in my room".. Hyuk screamed as he took a few steps back from the mysterious man, but the man instead of backing away came closer to him.
"Argggh, someone please help me", Hyuk said at the verge of tears.
"Moon , calm down, it's me, it's me, your general", the man in black said as he came a little closer to Hyuk.
"Ge.. General?" Hyuk asked suspiciously at the man.
"Hmm, it's me, I am in disguise right now", the General explained and signed Hyuk to come closer, Hyuk carefully came towards the man and looked at his face keenly for a moment before throwing himself in the General's arms.
"You scared me, what are you doing here at this time, looking like that", Hyuk asked pouting as the familiar warmth wrapped around him.
"I came to take you with me". The General answered as he gave some clothes to Hyuk.
"Where are you taking me?",Hyuk asked looking at the clothes.
"We are going to see chilseok festival in Tanzin" he said as he started undressing Hyuk.
"Okay, wait outside, I will change myself", he said jerking off the General's hand.
"Why should I wait outside, I have already seen everything, let me help you", the General stated going back to undressing.
"Please, I am shy", Hyuk said pouting embarrassed as he tightly held his clothes together.
"Okay, fine but be fast, okay", the General said and went out of the room.
After a few moments, Hyuk came out of the room in a beautiful moon white Hanbok, looking like a young master from a very wealthy family, the General looked at him admiringly and stated.
"You look beautiful moon, let's go now or we will get late", he said and looked at the Eunuch, who was standing there looking at the couple.
"Take care of everything while I am away"
"Yes, my Lord", the eunuch said bowing in head as he saw the couple mount the horse and leave, with a trail of dust behind them.
....
It was now afternoon, the sun was soaring high in the sky , the General was now walking while Hyuk was still on the horse, they had just entered the Tanzin market and were just looking around when Hyuk softly nudged the General.
"I want to come down now", Hyuk said looking at him enthusiastically.
"Okay", the General responded and helped Hyuk down by softly taking him into his arms and helped him stand.
Hyuk looked at him smiling and was about to run to the market when the General grabbed his arm.
"Hyuk, what are you doing, look at the crowd, you will get lost if you run like that". The General said as he ran after the boy.
"Fine, fine, let's go there", Hyuk said pointing to the jewelry shop.
The General nodded and started walking slowly and elegantly with his horse, while Hyuk was just running out front excitedly.
Hyuk was running from one shop to other happily looking at the things that were being sold, while the General looked at him smiling and followed him gently everywhere while being alert of his surroundings.
After half an hour or so Hyuk finally stopped at a shop and started looking at the bracelets there.
"How is it?", he asked the General who was standing behind him.
"It's good", he answered adoringly.
"Then, what about this", Hyuk asked again trying a different one.
"This is better", The General answered.
"Then, what about this?", he asked again.
"This is beautiful". The General answered again.
"Then, which one should I buy?",Hyuk asked confused.
"If you like them, Buy everything", the General said looking at Hyuk.
"No, I just want to buy one, so help me choose", Hyuk asked again, holding different bracelets in front of the General.
"I don't know, they all look good as long as you are the one wearing them"..
"How can a servant help the young master choose".. The shopkeeper intervened to which Hyuk looked at him fearfully.
"What do you mean?", Hyuk asked terrified.
"Is not this handsome man your servant", the shopkeeper asked.
"Yes, yes, I am young master's servant", the General said before Hyuk could open his mouth.
Hyuk was confused and looked back at the bracelets trying to find the one he liked the most, when the shopkeeper asked again.
"You don't look like you are from here, may I ask the young master where he is from?"
"We are from the imperial city", the General answered again.
"Really, then have you ever seen the General, I heard he is very scary and is very ugly, no one can look him in the eye".
Hyuk slowly looked at the General and then back at the shopkeeper.
"I have seen General a few times in personal, he is a very handsome man and he is not as cruel as the people make him to be, he is the protector of the country and very brave", Hyuk answered this time.
"Looks like your family is very close to the General, then can the young master please tell me if the new rumour is true or not?", the Shopkeeper asked again.
The General and Hyuk shared a look and Hyuk asked.
"What new rumour".
The shopkeeper looked around to see if there is anyone and then came close to Hyuk and whispered in a low voice.
"I heard that the General brought a beautiful boy from the war this time, and keeps him locked in a cage like animals and.... And does unspeakable things with him at night".
As soon as Hyuk heard the shopkeeper's words, he got angry and grabbed his collar and screamed.
"What, how dare you say that, do you know you could be killed for spreading such a nonsense rumour".
The General put his hand on Hyuk's arm and put some money there and grabbed a bracelet,
"Young master, let's go", he said and walked away.
"Hey, Hey wait", the shopkeeper yelled but the two walked away fast without looking back.
"Why didn't you cut his tongue for spewing such nonsense", Hyuk asked huffing in anger.
"It's okay moon, these kind of rumours always keep doing rounds in the market", he said holding Hyuk's hand to calm him down.
"But , this is the most absurd rumour, do i look like a boy who is been caged and treated like an animal, and i am not even beautiful, I am handsome", Hyuk huffed again.
"Okay, okay, you are not beautiful, you are very handsome, let's not spoil our mood, it's evening already, the time to light the lanterns". The General said amused by how cute Hyuk looked right now.
"Fine", Hyuk said and the both went towards the shop where the lanterns were being sold and bought a beautiful lantern, the two wrote their wishes on either side of the lantern and lightened it, sharing a look while smiling they turned to the sky again and looked at the never ending illuminated night.
After half an hour, Hyuk looked at the General and said ,
"I am very tired now, I want to sleep".
"Hmm, let's go", the General said and helped him get on the horse and started walking towards sone place.
"Where are we going, the inns are that way", Hyuk said looking at the General.
"Hmm, I know but we are not going there", he said and continued walking to a desolate place.
"Where are we going then?", Hyuk asked.
"A place that is beautiful", the General replied and after walking for sometime they arrived at a vast field full of grass, he looked at Hyuk smiling and helped him come down from the horse.
"Why are we here?", Hyuk asked looking at the General.
"Look there", the General said pointing towards the vast sky, the moon was bright and the stars were shining like a bottle of glitter scattered on the sky, the lightened lanterns, dancing with each other while competing which one could reach the sky, everything looked like a dream, Hyuk looked at the General and smiled.
"Indeed very charming", he said with a shyness and proudness on his face.
The General lay down on the grass and said.
"Let's spend the night here", he said with a smile on his face.
Hyuk looked at him with a weird expression on his face, to which the General said.
"It's okay, you are safe with me and lying on the grass is not that bad".
Hyuk smiled and lay down his head on the General's arm and replied.
"I was just fascinated for a moment, as long as you are with me, I can even live in hell", he said as he hugged him tightly.