Chapter Text
Epilogue
March. White flowers filled the sky.
Having finished the work related to this year's flower viewing festival, Felix took a sip of tea, looking up at the clear sky beyond the Forbidden City.
From the yard came the sound of children laughing. There was the sound of the maids shouting, "Second prince, first princess, please don't fight".
They were the twins Felix gave birth to. A pair of “dragon – phoenix” twins. This auspicious omen made Chan and the Empress Dowager very happy, declaring pardon for prisoners, a reward for palace people, and tax exemption for the whole country. Both children were a bit weak at first because of being twins but were now perfectly healthy.
"The two children are lovely and healthy; I am very glad." Sitting next to him, Jeongin smiled.
“Yes, everyone in the family is healthy, it is the best.” Felix chuckled. His eyes flashed with concern. "If Brother Minho had got married that year, he would have already had a child..."
After the last incident, Minho was exiled to the border. Chan was already forgiving with that light punishment. The Lee family was initially scared and worried, but Minho wrote a letter to them, very strongly saying that he wanted to have the opportunity to become a stronger person, capable of leading the family in the future.
Minho's engagement was of course annulled. He said he didn't want to make an omega wait for him. But only Felix knew, in the letters sent to him, after asking about his family members and informing Felix about his health, Minho always wrote a very short line: How is Hyunjin?
Felix barely responded. But he knew, Minho would understand this silence as the answer: Nothing special. Hyunjin is fine.
Thinking about this, Felix suddenly sighed. He hoped that one day the silent feelings in Minho's heart would disappear, like the small words that no one saw in those letters.
Perhaps misunderstanding that Felix was worrying about Minho, Jeongin quickly said: "In a few years, the court will consider the merits of the official, if Brother Minho performs his duty well, he can be moved to the capital earlier.”
Felix quietly nodded. He knew that the Lee clans were still valuable to Chan.
And maybe Chan still felt guilty about last year.
Changing the subject, Felix smiled and said: "And you, you should prepare for the wedding."
Jeongin blushed and looked away embarrassed. Felix was still smiling. His mother has visited the harem lately, urging Felix to find a suitable political marriage for Jeongin to strengthen the position of the Lee family. But Felix always found a way to refuse. He was waiting for Jeongin to find the one he truly loved.
"His Majesty has arrived."
A maid entered, bowing.
Today, Chan and Felix have to go to an event together.
Chan entered, smiled, and nodded to Felix. Felix smiled back. And the empress and emperor, holding hands, exited the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
Felix knew that there was no romantic love between himself and Chan.
There had not been, there never would be.
Between the two, it's just friendship, a good partnership, and perhaps a family relationship.
That was not too bad either. It was a common occurrence among noble houses. But Felix did not want Jeongin to have such a marriage.
Like Minho’s message before he left.
“Among the three of us, one must be able to marry for love.”
⃝
March. White flowers filled the sky.
In a small tea shop in the South, a customer teasingly said: "Hey, I heard that this shop has a very beautiful pastry chef, I wonder if he can come here to say hello?”
As soon as the joke was finished, a kitchen knife was stuck on the wooden table in front of him.
The pale-faced customer looked up and saw Jisung calmly saying, "Sorry, dear customer. I accidentally slipped my hand."
"What's wrong with you! You want to scare me!" The customer said aggressively.
Jisung did not flinch, raised his face, and said: "I am such a clumsy person. Especially when I hear someone talking nonsense. Do you believe that the next time I slip my hand, I will stick it in your head?"
The guest was about to argue back, but at another table, a few tall muscular people glanced at him, their eyes sharp as knives. He quickly paid and left.
The rumors were true. In this mountainous area, there was a small tea shop with very delicious tea and cakes, and there were also a few beauties. But if you said something improper, someone would come to "discipline" you.
“Dirty, stupid alpha.”
Jisung snorted and walked into the kitchen.
Behind the kitchen, Hyunjin looked up and smiled: "What's wrong, I heard some noise. Is Chan coming back soon?”
Bringing a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Hyunjin's forehead, looking into Hyunjin's clear eyes, Jisung sighed, and shook his head again: "You miss him all day… Today, there are no customers, go hang out with Bao Bao."
Hyunjin nodded, smiled brightly, then ran out of the kitchen, carrying a basket of pastries.
At the flower tree in the garden, Bao Bao was playing with a nanny. Seeing Hyunjin, the boy reached out to him, laughing. In his hand was a flower wreath.
Looking at them, Jisung felt his face relax a little.
They had been here for over a year.
⃝
That year, Chan announced to outsiders that Consort Hwang and the eldest prince had died from an illness. The news would surely make many people secretly happy. Finally, the spoiled concubine who enchanted the emperor was no more. But unbeknownst to them, a carriage quietly carried them away from the palace to this remote southern province. This is barren and resource-poor land. But at least it had a mild climate.
Jisung also insisted on following Hyunjin and Bao Bao. Chan did not answer, but then did not object. A decree was given out, saying that Noble Consort Han volunteered to leave the palace to pray for the Emperor and Empress Dowager at the national temple. Since Hyunjin couldn't take good care of himself and the prince, several servants also followed.
The land they were brought to… was the land Chan gave to Changbin.
Prince Changbin, the last brother of Chan, was ordered to come to this impoverished area as governor. Without an official summons, he could never enter the capital again.
Everyone in the court felt bad for Changbin and thought the prince must have done something to anger the Emperor. It was normal for Emperor’s brothers to be given land to rule, but such a small and poor area…
But Chan and Changbin both understood.
It was so that Changbin could look after Hyunjin.
Changbin, whom Hyunjin had always mistaken for Chan amid his delirium.
Chan arranged that so as not to frighten Hyunjin too much when he was moved to a completely strange place.
Before they left, Chan called Changbin into his study, and spoke in a low voice: "Seungmin said Hyunjin has suffered severe bodily harm... Impossible to… you know, being intimate.”
Chan's deep dark eyes made Changbin lower his head, replying, "I just want Consort Hwang... Hyunjin can live the rest of his days in peace. I have no other wishes or desires..."
The rest of his days.
Both of them nodded silently.
The scent of ambergris floating in the air.
Seungmin said Hyunjin did not have much time left.
"I know… that's why I made this decision," Chan said hoarsely. "I also want… Hyunjin to live the rest of his days in peace and happiness.”
Lifting his head, Changbin frowned slightly, sighing: "I believe… we both want that."
“I just want Hyunjin to be happy…”
Chan muttered…
…Then all of a sudden…
"No, I don't want that!"
Chan turned his head to look at his brother, suddenly shouted, his eyes flashing with confusion and pain.
“I don't want Hyunjin to forget me! I don't want him to be happy with anyone else! I don't want any alpha, or any other person to be able to see him, to love him, to hold him in their arms!"
After the outburst, Chan suddenly stopped, eyes bloodshot, panting.
Changbin still knelt on the ground: "But even so, His Majesty still decided to let Hyunjin go..."
…
“Your Majesty, your feelings for Consort Hwang… are genuine.”
With those last words of comfort, Changbin bowed his head again, bid Chan farewell, and left the study.
⃝
Then they came together to this place.
At first, they kept Hyunjin and Bao Bao in a secluded house. Perhaps due to the mild climate of the South, Hyunjin gradually got better. He was able to get up and made some snacks for Bao Bao. The boy had also gradually gotten used to this strange parent.
His mind was still the same, not better.
After a while, at Hyunjin's insistence, they opened this tea shop.
The food was made by a servant. Hyunjin only made a few pieces of cake every day. Changbin's bodyguards pretended to be customers or wanderers to protect them. At first, Jisung opposed this idea, but gradually, as Hyunjin's smile grew brighter, he had to accept that perhaps meeting other, normal people would be better for Hyunjin.
Jisung gradually saw the figure of a carefree teenager in a southern restaurant, who had made Chan and Changbin secretly fall in love with him.
His mind had returned to those innocent days.
Hyunjin forgot all the darkness.
Hyunjin was completely unaware of reality. He only lived in dreams.
A dream of an endless spring day, with Bao Bao by his side.
And there was also Chan… Chan, the gentlest person, always visited him from time to time, ran his hand through his hair, held Bao Bao, and kindly asked him questions. If possible, Hyunjin wanted Chan to always be with him. But Chan said that he had a lot of work, so he only stopped by occasionally…
Even so, Hyunjin is still very happy. Chan had to leave but would always come back. And Chan promised, when summer came, he would bring them to the sea...
His smile next to Bao Bao became brighter and brighter.
Like a white flower that blooms in mid-March sky, bright and fragile.
Like a piece of sunlight blowing in the wind.
Every time he looked at that smile, Jisung felt his eyes sting.
⃝
The sound of horse hooves could be heard in the distance.
Jisung turned his back and wrinkled his nose.
Changbin was back. Getting off the horse, Changbin handed the reins to his servant, entered the tea house, and nodded to Jisung.
On the other side of the garden, hearing the sound, Hyunjin also turned around. Recognizing Changbin, he immediately smiled and waved with Bao Bao.
A wind blew by. Flowers were scattered, like white rain. For a moment, their silhouettes were no longer visible.
Changbin blinked, smiled slightly, and stepped forward.
March. White flowers filled the sky.