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Once upon a time in a faraway world there were two kingdoms. These kingdoms were very vast and different, but despite their large size and diverse ways, their palaces laid side by side, only a forest separating them.
Through these woods ran the two young princes of both these kingdoms, as different as their lands but as close as brothers. Everyday they would escape the reaches of their servants and guards to climb trees, collect frogs, and chase bunnies together through the large forest.
But one day, young prince Changmin ran to meet prince Yunho just a little too far to the south and fell into the grasps of an evil witch who prowled the forest.
With a snarl she picked up the young boy and glared him in the eyes, “How dare you enter my area?” she yelled at him, “I should kill you! Use those gorgeous little eyes of yours in a potion and feed the rest of you to my cat.”
Changmin began to sob, “Please, please, please, Madame! I was only looking for my friend! That’s all I was doing! Please let me go, pretty lady!”
The witch laughed, shrill and sharp, “Flattery will get you no where with me, little imp! But your friend you say? Wouldn’t it be bad if you never got to see him again?” she cackled once more before dropping the boy and waving her wand.
A small, duckling-like creature replaced the young prince, and she scooped him up in her arms, “Now, how about we send you to another kingdom, far, far away from home and your little friend,” with another wave of her wand, Changmin vanished.
Moments later the second young prince, Yunho, ran straight into her clutches.
Yunho, being slightly older and therefore more experienced than Changmin, recognized what she was immediately, and he could smell the scent of her dark magic lingering in the air, “Where’s Changmin?” he demanded, “I heard him come this way. What did you do with him?” he cursed how high his voice still was and wished he could be more threatening.
The witch let out another one of her piercing laughs, “So you’re the friend he mentioned? Aren’t you a cutie?” she took out her wand once more, “Well then, what should we do with you?”
Yunho’s eyes grew wide in fear, and he began to walk away, but not before she could wave her wand and Yunho was turned into a small, fluffy kitten.
“It would be too generous to send you two to the same place, so you’ll go even farther,” she waved her wand again and Yunho vanished just like Changmin.
When the two princes did not return that night, both kingdoms sent out large search parties to find them, but they came up empty handed. The witch watched in amusement as they searched the forest and neighboring kingdoms for months, asking for two young boys.
A year after their disappearance an oracle ventured to see the two kingdoms. A prophecy had been made about two princes from neighboring kingdoms. It read that they would meet and fall in love. But if they failed to meet by the time they were both 30 then a 100 year drought would sweep both their nations.
Now with even more to drive them, the two kingdoms teamed up in search for their princes. After 10 years of searches they finally came into contact with the witch, who had turned good after meeting and falling in love with a beautiful princess who had loved her in return.
The witch agreed to help them, but could only tell them that she had turned one into a peacock and the other into a kitten and the general area where she had hidden them.
With this new knowledge prince Yunho was found in four years, chasing mice at a small palace in a northern kingdom. In the next year, in time for their 24th and 26th birthdays, Changmin was discovered living freely on a large farm in a southern kingdom.
The night after Changmin returned was set up for them to meet.
Yunho rushed excitedly around his rooms while his family and servants fussed over what he would wear to meet Changmin. Yunho told them all he would be fine in anything, Changmin was beautiful enough for the both of them, and his sister had laughed, asking him how he could say that when he hadn’t seen him for 16 years. Yunho had grinned and told her he just knew.
Meanwhile, Changmin was staring at himself in the mirror, a distraught look capturing his face.
His parents glanced from to each other, worry prominent in their wide eyes.
“Changmin, darling, what’s wrong?” his mother asked, approaching him with extreme caution and grace,
“How am I supposed to court someone when I look so ugly?” Changmin asked, voice whimpering with promised tears.
“No, no, no, Minnie!” his mother said to him as she took a lock of his shoulder-length hair and pressed it against a high cheek bone, “look at your hair! Your hair is beautiful! Feel how soft and silky it is! And your robe! Your gorgeous silk robe, surely all of this is better than a back full of feathers.”
Changmin studied himself in the mirror once more before shaking his head, “I hate the color gold.”
His mother jumped up excitedly, “Alright! That’s okay!” she squealed, “We can get you a different one for tomorrow! A much prettier one, one that’s not gold.”
Changmin nodded and let his parents leave as he laid down to sleep for the night.
Both palaces were bursting with excitement the next night as they got the two princes ready. The meeting would happen at the Jung palace it was decided, and only Prince Changmin and his family were allowed to come.
The two Shim princesses happily escorted Changmin into the large dining hall where their meeting would take place, the King and Queen trailing close behind. They had found a flamboyant purple robe for Changmin to wear, it was the only color they had that Changmin deemed acceptable.
Yunho was dressed much more simply in a blue tunic and leather leggings, the dress of their culture rather than the much more flimsy robes the Shim kingdom preferred. His color had been decided partly by him and partly by his mother who claimed he was as passionate and rowdy as the ocean, but also had the strong, calming presence it held.
Changmin’s eyes went wide the moment he saw Yunho, and Yunho’s expression mimicked his.
They were led next to each other before their families joined each other to watch their reactions and hope they had fulfilled the prophecy.
Changmin fluffed his hair and stood tall in his presence. Yunho stared at him in confusion for a bit before blinking his eyes slowly. Changmin’s hands stilled in his hair, and his mouth formed into a slight pout. Yunho sensed his sadness and went over to him. He wrapped his hands around his arms and rubbed their cheeks together, gentle and soft.
Their families stared on in confusion at their actions, and their eyes went wide when Yunho licked Changmin’s cheek.
Changmin giggled at this, and Yunho looked proudly to his family. His shoulders slumped when he saw his family’s disgust and disappointment, but then his gaze fell on Changmin’s two sisters who were tapping their lips and puckering them slightly.
Yunho grinned in realization before pressing his lips against Changmin’s. The moment their lips touched Yunho felt something burn inside him and he pressed closer to Changmin. Changmin mirrored his moves until they were as close as can be. Yunho wrapped his arms tightly around him and Changmin curled into his hold.
Their families looked on proudly until they noticed their closeness was beginning to make them rut against each other. The kings quickly covered the three princesses eyes and they abandoned the dining hall immediately.
Up above, lounging on the rafters, the princess and witch giggled and stood watch for a bit longer before vanishing with a quick flick of the witch’s wand, giving the two princes some privacy.