The wind blew softly, gently sweeping Min Jun's hair and causing the trees to sway gracefully, as if dancing to a silent melody. Fallen leaves scattered across the ground, signaling the end of autumn.
A signal by mother nature that winter would soon arrive.
From his vantage point, Min Jun could see the entire kingdom. The Emerald Dragon palace stood majestically in the center of the largest compound.
People often asked, why The Emerald Dragon?
Atop the main palace were two golden dragons facing each other, adorned with thousands of emerald stones, exclusively for the king. That's how the palace got its name.
Min Jun glanced at the Red Ruby house, situated at the kingdom's edge, nearly at the border. Unlike The Emerald Dragon, The Red Ruby got its name from its red rooftops, resembling the color of rubies. Nothing fancy, just ordinary.
But, some said, simple things often stand out among the fanciest jewels. Though initially, there seemed nothing special about the Red Ruby, from where Min Jun stood, it was the first building he recognized.
Perhaps the color brought out the best in it.
The sky was now a blend of orange, pink, and purple as the sun prepared to set and the moon began to emerge. From a distance, Min Jun watched the sun slowly descend between the mountains.
Now the moon was taking over the sky, shining so brightly it could almost blind those who stared at it.
He didn't know why, but it seemed the moon was standing too close. It floated toward him.
Is it real? For real? He kept asking himself. Slowly, he reached out for the moon. It felt near yet far.
Once his fingertips touched the glowing beam, he felt like he was flying. Surrounded by thousands of stars, the constellation of his zodiac shone like a bright diamond.
It kept glowing, illuminating the entire universe with its brightness.
That's when he shut his eyes against the blinding light.
***
The first thing he did after opening his eyes was gasp for air. As he had likely been unconscious for a long time, the air trapped inside him caused a hard cough.
"Daegun!" a man hastily approached him. Min Jun tried to rise, but the sting from his abdomen forced him to lie back down.
"Where am I?" he asked. The man blinked, looking at him with worry.
"You're at my house, daegun..."
"Who are you?"
"You don't remember me?" the man asked. Min Jun shook his head faintly, unsure if he didn't remember the man or if his blurry vision was to blame.
"I'm Asura, the one who brought the news about the bandits, daegun jaga..." The reply triggered Min Jun's memory of the incident.
"Oh... yes... Bandits... We were attacked by bandits... Last night..."
"Daegun, you've been unconscious for three days," the man said.
"What?!" Min Jun almost jumped from the bed. He thought he had blacked out only last night. Who knew days had passed so quickly!
"Be careful, daegun. You're still recovering..."
"My house... My stewards... My guards..."
"They're all in good hands. Don't worry..."
"How do you know?"
"Gisa Ahn has taken over the house management temporarily. You lost two guards, and their funerals have been arranged. But you can't go home yet, daegun. You're too weak to move," the man tried to calm him.
"Gisa Ahn... You met him?" Min Jun's eyes were filled with desperation when he heard the name.
"He's the one who saved you, daegun. He brought you here," said the man.
"Where is he?"
"He..."
As the man struggled to come up with an excuse for Uk's whereabouts, the door slowly opened, revealing someone standing outside.
"Min Jun daegun..."
Min Jun turned his head and saw the figure calling him. His eyes filled with tears upon recognizing the person.
"Hyung-nim...."
Uk ran toward Min Jun, looking scared and worried. He grabbed the prince's hand and held it tightly. Both stared deeply into each other's eyes, filled with tears and deep emotion.
"I'll leave you two to catch up..." the man excused himself from the room, feeling the overwhelming atmosphere will make him feel awkward if he stayed.
Uk squinted while staring at Min Jun, who flashed a weak smile back.
"Why did you fight?" asked Uk.
"Did you want me dead?" Min Jun replied sarcastically.
"You could have stay hidden, daegun..."
"I'm a prince. They would have killed me anyway..."
"Not if you hid yourself..."
"I'm not a coward. Besides, I fought bravely for my life. Did you proud of me, hyung-nim?" Min Jun's question made Uk burst into tears.
"You're a prince, not a hero. What if you had died?" Uk countered.
"Would you cry for me if I died?"
Uk was taken aback. He softly caressed Min Jun's hair, staring at him with tears in his eyes.
"I guess, I've already answered that question, Min Jun daegun..." Uk murmured. The prince's face lit up with a radiant smile.
Finally, the longing feeling came to an end.
***
"Be careful... You're still recovering, daegun..." Uk reminded Min Jun as they descended the steep stairs. They held hands, but Uk remained cautious about Min Jun's condition.
"I'm tired..." Min Jun whined, pouting like a baby.
"Who said he felt bored stuck in a room all day, huh?" Uk smirked. Min Jun swatted him with a sassy gaze.
"What I meant was..." Min Jun took a seat on a boulder at the end of the stairs. "I don't want to be alone. I need company!"
Uk shook his head, letting a faint laugh escape. He placed a thick blanket on Min Jun's shoulders to keep him warm.
"I'll let Asura know you need company. He'll send a steward..."
"I don't want a steward!" Min Jun grunted in frustration.
"You surely are demanding, daegun..." Uk kept his eyes on Min Jun, admiring his cute act.
"Of course! Though I'm just a second prince, I'm still a royalty!"
Seeing Min Jun's sassy attitude, Uk couldn't hide his laughter. He chuckled, and Min Jun slowly joined in.
"I like the current you, hyung-nim..."
Min Jun's sudden remark made Uk's laughter faded from his face. Looking at the changes in his reaction, Min Jun waved for Uk to sit next to him. The older man complied, taking a seat beside the prince on the boulder.
Min Jun grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around Uk, sharing its warmth.
"What I meant by company... I meant, I want you by my side. No one else, but you," Min Jun whispered softly. Uk looked down, his face turning red.
This prince is really good at flirting! Uk thought.
"I'm just a bodyguard, daegun..."
"Let me rephrase... You're not just a bodyguard. You're MY bodyguard," Min Jun emphasized.
Uk glanced at the prince. When he decided to leave the Red Ruby, another reason was to distance himself from Min Jun after their one-night stand. But, gradually, while apart, he realized he missed Min Jun and cared deeply for him. Days turned into weeks, he found himself longing for the prince. Each night, Uk's thoughts were consumed by memories of Min Jun, his smile, his laughter, and even his stubbornness. He missed everything about him.
Uk's heart ached with the realization that his feelings for Min Jun were genuine and deep. The fear of losing Min Jun felt like a dagger in his chest, and watching him almost bleed to death in the forest had awakened a protective instinct he couldn't ignore. He understood now that he couldn't live without the prince, not even from a distance.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, daegun..."
"I don't want to hear that. It doesn't matter anymore. I can take care of myself. What matters most is you must stay by my side forever. Understand?" Min Jun poked Uk's chest. Uk nodded, intertwining his finger with Min Jun's.
"One more thing, hyung-nim..."
"Yes?" Uk asked innocently.
"Please stay like this even when we get back home. I like you this way," Min Jun coaxed. Uk stared at the prince for a moment before nodding.
Min Jun grinned widely, resting his head on Uk's shoulder, enjoying the night sky filled with stars.
How nice it would be if there were a shooting star! I feel like making a wish right now!
Min Jun sheepishly laugh by himself.