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Donghyuck doesn’t believe in many things.
He doesn’t believe that the castle walls should be that high especially when they were so close to the moors and there might be erosion taking place any time in the future that might wreck the entire structure. The engineers must’ve been out of their heads when they made it. He also doesn’t believe that a library with too many books should be enjoyed just by the scholars and keep other citizens from tasting the knowledge that sprung in abundance in these four walls.
He flipped to the next page, mindful of the whispering behind him as he adjusted his glasses to read over the text describing the history of the royal family. The royal archives weren’t accessible to many but Donghyuck doesn’t want to think about the semantics.
“There was once a kingdom,” he whispered under his breath, reading further “where a king was not as benevolent as he seemed and a queen who was fearful of shattering the illusion they’ve built of a just and fair government.”
Those weren’t the actual words written on the page, but Donghyuck does not want to sugarcoat the truth.
A hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt, shoving him backwards. He toppled off his chair with a thud, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet library. Donghyuck rubbed his back where it had hit the back of the chair with the impact and looked up to find two attendants with venomous looks on their faces. This wasn’t new.
“What can I help you with?” he muttered with a bit of sarcasm, composing himself as he stood up and patted his robes to get rid of the dirt. He flinched when one of the attendants shoved him back again, his feet quick enough to regain balance so he didn’t fall again.
The other attendant grabbed his collar and spat out “You better know your place here, especially when everyone knows you’re better off in the streets.”
Donghyuck shrugged “It wasn’t my decision to be here. If you want to talk big, why bother telling me this? I definitely don’t care.”
He didn’t care. He had grown accustomed to such warm welcome ever since the day he set foot into the gate with just a cloak and the last of his belongings after being dragged by a pushy old man in a well-made suit. The servants always pitied him enough to avert their eyes and take their gossip elsewhere while the attendants of the princes would give him a harder time. God knows why. This was getting stupid, and Donghyuck just wished to go back to his room.
The attendant huffed, shoving Donghyuck away again, muttering as he and his friend went out of the library. They can only intimidate him and try to do minimal damage lest they were found out. Attendants were so good at faking smiles when the princes came, treating Donghyuck in a condescending manner in an attempt to keep themselves seem civil. Any wounds of any sort on Donghyuck would still give them punishment as the princes see him still part of the (he shuddered at the thought) family.
Donghyuck picked himself up, grabbing the other books he needed to borrow for his studies for the day and made his way back to his room.
There was one more thing he didn’t believe, he mused as he settled on his study table with a quill in hand and ink steadily drying on a piece of parchment as he read over the manners and etiquette book. Why did he need to study this again? He knew well enough he wouldn’t be partaking in any royal banquets with the way people treated him in spite of what the princes said.
He didn’t believe he belonged here.
Even if the king made sure he wouldn’t be able to escape his fate by bringing him here. Here where it was more akin to a prison than a home.
He’s hanging upside down from a tree branch when he first meets him.
His robes are bunched around a sharp point of the branch, his other leg hanging uselessly while as he struggled to grab at the cloth and release himself. Blood is rushing to his head with every movement he makes, his back already hurting because he hit it on his fall. The sun is setting, bathing the garden in an orange light while most of the servants are getting ready for the dinner that the prince Taeyong had arranged for his guests.
No one would come even if he screamed and besides, it’s unbecoming to scream anyways. Donghyuck would rather die than call for help that won’t come, more especially because people will likely ridicule him for this.
He already has leaves in his hair and his robes are ripped. Can’t get any better than this, to be honest. The attendants once dumped his clothes in the river and he waddled in muck and moss to retrieve most of them. Then there was the incident where Donghyuck was deliberately thrown hot oil in the kitchen and it was good that it only managed to seep into his robes instead of burning him badly.
Still, his head is starting to spin. He bent forward, grabbing the bundled part and tugging at it to get it loose.
He doesn’t hear the approaching footsteps until he feels someone climb the tree and unravel his robes, slowly lowering him enough that he can balance himself on one foot. He landed on the ground with a small thud, breathing a sigh of relief and trying to get rid of the nausea that climbed up his chest from the vertigo.
Donghyuck’s rubbed his temples as the person who helped him jumped down the branch and walked closer. “Are you alright?”
“Everything’s spinning.”
The stranger, who’s merely a blurb of color in Donghyuck’s vision at the moment, chuckled as he helped him up with a hand around his waist and slinging his hand over their shoulder. “I suspect so. You seem to enjoy hanging around.”
Donghyuck hid his smile at the joke, covering his mouth with his free hand while he let the stranger guide him to sit down on one of the benches. “Glad I made it look like that.” He mumbled as he flexed his fingers to gain some feeling, feeling fingers carding through his hair.
His eyes weren’t expecting a pretty face, soft pink hair swept out of his face with lips tinted pink curved in a teasing smile. The male is tall, dressed in well-made robes that spoke of high status, high collared with his sleeves slit in the middle of his elbows with tattoos marking his wrist. Donghyuck couldn’t take his eyes off him. He looked foreign to this place, the circlet on his forehead made of gold and Donghyuck’s never seen him in the grounds before.
The male titled his head, placing a cool hand against Donghyuck’s heated skin. “You don’t seem to have hit your head on your fall. I’m glad that there’s nothing damaged.” Even his speech is formal, speaking with high breeding and an accent that Donghyuck noticed.
Status. Donghyuck belatedly realized he must not look him in the eyes. He ducked his head, gritting his teeth. This kindness is not real and once this person realized who he is, he will hate him too. He can’t hope. He can’t. “Thank you. But I need to return back inside. Thank you for your help.”
He stood up and turned his back, eager to forget this stranger and hideaway in the library until the dinner is done. Donghyuck never liked eating with everyone mostly because he wasn’t allowed by the servants especially when important people were invited. It wasn’t right for him to be there. He was nobody.
A tug on his wrist stopped him, whipping his head to find the stranger giving him an awkward smile. “I hope it isn’t much trouble but…can you help me find where the dining room is?” He rubbed the nape of his neck “I’m lost.”
He shouldn’t. He knows he shouldn’t. But there’s desperation in the person’s voice and Donghyuck doesn’t want to deny anyone help.
He sighed. “Alright. Follow me, um?”
The stranger gave a slight nod, following and walking next to him. He doesn’t seem fazed when Donghyuck flinched at the action, more invested in speaking again. “I haven’t properly introduced myself. My name is Dong Sicheng. I can’t express my gratitude for helping me.”
Donghyuck nodded back, nervously smiling before he straightened his posture. “It’s the least I can do after you helped me down that tree.”
“I’m perplexed how you ended there. Did you by chance climb and snagged your robe?”
He shook his head “I wish. But it isn’t an issue now. I’m just glad I got out of there with my head. It’s not the first time or the last and it would be best if I just avoided the gardens.”
Sicheng nudged his chin, humming thoughtfully. He reached to pluck a leaf out of Donghyuck’s hair, laughing at the offended look on his face. “It would be a waste to avoid anything for one reason. You can’t deny the sights because of someone else’s opinion.”
“You think it’s easy?” Donghyuck walked up the stairs, holding on the rails as Sicheng stared out the windows where the sun has vanished and the orange has bled into the indigos and blues of the night, ethereal and mystical.
Sicheng’s smile doesn’t waver. “It’s all in perspective. Besides-“ he perked up, seemingly familiar with the area and grabbed Donghyuck’s wrist, “why would you still be here if you didn’t wish to stay?”
His words echoed in his mind for a few seconds, letting the elder drag him to the dining hall where the servants have arranged the plates and have begun seating the guests. It’s not any different from the dinners any other day, the tablecloth a deep burgundy that’s paired with white napkins folded in rose patterns.
Donghyuck spotted the princes at the end of the table, speaking amongst themselves with worried faces. Their attendants seemed frazzled as well and the guests are whispering amongst themselves. No one has yet to notice their presence even as Sicheng held his grip on Donghyuck’s wrist while he walked quietly, closer to where the princes were.
Wait.
“What on earth are you doing?” Donghyuck hissed, pulling back from his grip and not even succeeding as Sicheng gave him a puzzled look “You can’t just waltz to the princes casually. Especially with me.”
Sicheng quirked a brow at his panic, confused. “It’s fine. Don’t fret. I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Donghyuck deadpanned.
The servants turned to him, gasping and then an attendant noticed their surprise. He glared at Donghyuck before speaking to one of the princes. “It appears your guest has made his way back, your majesty.”
Donghyuck hasn’t come face to face with the princes in a while. He always avoided them whenever it wasn’t necessary to interact, isolating himself so much, the servants jump whenever they saw him walk by during the day. The princes aren’t bad but they have always been people Donghyuck doesn’t want to speak to, with all the animosity that surrounded him and these two were already questioning whether to accept him or not. But seeing them makes him wonder whether they actually still remember the kid their father took in.
Lee Taeyong turned to where the attendant is pointing. He’s carrying the same aura his father did, calm and regal even when his eyes are speaking a different story. There’s not much that Donghyuck knows about him other than how he’s began to take his father’s place in diplomatic talks, well-versed in words and known to be a very skilled warrior in battle by his trainers. A king-to-be needed to learn to protect his own self, independence bred into Taeyong’s mindset that he made decisions in the palace. It’s hard to see him out of his royal duties and hard to understand why the tension in his shoulders seemed to melt when he found Sicheng in the crowd.
Mark is Taeyong’s brother and he never rests. Donghyuck wished he was exaggerating but during his walks in the middle of the night, he would still spy Mark reading scrolls about politics and reciting the words in another language. He’s always been a hard worker especially when he decided to study in a prestigious academy under his brother’s wishes and was in up to par to Taeyong’s skill in the battlefield. Mark knew how to plan, so wise beyond his years that battle tactics are crafted from his advice. There were people who wanted him to gain the throne instead. But Mark never seemed to have an interest in usurping his brother, invested in foreign affairs that he doesn’t even have time for leisure.
Donghyuck caught Mark’s stare, bowing his head as the latter smiled at him politely. They were in good terms. At the very least, Donghyuck can say they could be friends if it weren’t for the gap between them that made it difficult to talk to him for more than an hour. Mark was too busy and Donghyuck doesn’t really want to deal with his attendants who seem to have a love-hate relationship with him. But he was a nice person from the small interactions he had with him.
Sicheng turned to Donghyuck and gave him a thumbs up before letting go of him to bow down to Taeyong, smile present on his face, “Your majesty.”
Taeyong’s exasperated face was fun to watch, uncharacteristic as he placed his hands on Sicheng’s shoulders and lowering his head. “You seriously enjoy giving me a heart attack. You can’t just wander around and not tell anyone! It could be dangerous.” He sighed, looking over to the side where Donghyuck is standing awkwardly. He seemed surprised before turning to Sicheng for answers.
Sicheng clapped his hands. “Meet my new friend. He helped me back there when the hallways just looked too similar. Your castle is too much it’s too easy to get lost.” He gestured for Donghyuck to come closer. “Will you tell me your name?”
Donghyuck kept his head down but he raised it enough to give Taeyong a questioning look. He doesn’t know what to do in this situation, especially with the way everyone is already staring at them. Sicheng’s treading on thin ice for this stunt and Donghyuck preferred being stuck on a tree than this humiliation.
Taeyong, to his surprise, gave a small smile to Sicheng. “This is Lee Donghyuck…” he trailed off, unsure if he should disclose it and Donghyuck couldn’t stop his mouth.
“His half-brother.”
Sicheng’s eyes widened a fraction, hand coming up to nudge his own chin and Donghyuck had enough of the pitying look on Taeyong’s face. He bowed again. “If you’ll excuse me.”
He doesn’t look back as Sicheng didn’t remove his gaze on him until he rounded the corner.
Donghyuck doesn’t look up from his book when he heard the door opening. The library is for everyone and he is safely hidden in between the shelves where no one can bother him. It could those attendants again or perhaps the scholar who frequents the library to catalogue the books. He flipped another page, invested in the retelling of the war that brought the nations together and then hears footsteps approaching where he is.
He sighed with contempt, already imagining the kind of bullshit the attendants would be sprouting about him and decided he should at least finish the paragraph where the neighboring country gained power when their allies decided to give their aid. Donghyuck ignored the rustling of fabric as they approached, not lifting his gaze from the page. He doesn’t expect his book to be taken away.
“Hey, if you ruin that-“ he swallowed the rest of his words, staring up at Sicheng who is reading over what Donghyuck was looking at before. He’s dressed lighter today, just a billowy white shirt and trousers His hair is swept out of his face as his circlet glinted in the light. Donghyuck blinked. He looked so soft.
Sicheng closed the book gently, giving it back with a small smile. “History has always been messy, hasn’t it?” he quipped, moving out the way when Donghyuck stood up with the book held to his chest.
“Good day, sir.”
“Just Sicheng. There’s no need to be so formal.”
“Impossible.” Donghyuck emphasized. “I’m already in hot water with the attendants by being here and since you’re a guest of the princes, being friendly with you will only give me trouble.” They were a pack of rats, after all. Wanting to gain favors from the royal family and hiding their ugly attitudes behind good training. He will never get tired of their stupidity.
Sicheng remained unfazed and followed Donghyuck to where he tucked the book back into the shelf. The silence was back again as Sicheng stared at him with these sparkles in his eyes, something that probably was because Donghyuck was seeing things from the lack of breakfast. It was bad timing that his stomach growled loudly.
Sicheng stifled his laughter at Donghyuck’s annoyed expression, crossing his arms. “I assume you haven’t come down to the dining room because of the people there?” No answer but Sicheng can see Dongyuck’s lips press in a thin line “Taeyong and Mark have finished breakfast already so their attendants probably went off with them already.”
Donghyuck scoffed “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m just not hungry.” Another traitorous growl from his stomach and he can feel his ears turning read.
“You want to go eat?” Sicheng offered.
“You already ate breakfast with the princes.” Donghyuck muttered underneath his breath, turning his head. He doesn’t understand why he is still speaking to him. Why wasn’t he afraid of what could happen if he kept talking to Donghyuck? He doesn’t gain anything from him if that was what his motive was. It’s not unheard of, to gain favors by pretending to be friends with the princes and extracting as much information as they can. It’s strange that someone would succeed when it’s already hard enough to talk to them when they didn’t have time to entertain people. Sicheng could be a noble, a high-ranking person’s son perhaps but he also is clueless to the rules and etiquette of the castle. Everyone treated Taeyong and Mark as untouchable, so close but too far to reach. It’s the act they put and everyone eats it up to ensure they can get the status they wanted.
Who is Dong Sicheng, really?
“Come now.” He softly said, reaching out to grasp the sleeve of Donghyuck’s shirt. “A second breakfast doesn’t really matter to me either.”
“It’s your funeral if you continue talking to me.”
Sicheng’s smile never wavered. “I look forward to it.”
Donghyuck only grimaced at his enthusiasm but he let himself be led into the kitchen where Sicheng asked the cook to whip up some bacon and eggs with some fried rice. When he asked why he acted like he owned the place, Sicheng shrugged and said, “There’s nothing like a warm breakfast to get you feeling better.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?” A plate is served to him on a small table with Sicheng across him with his own plate while the scent of the bacon and the fragrant spices in the rice is only intensifying his hunger. He dug in without a thought, relishing the burst of flavor on his tongue before wincing at the burn.
Sicheng ate quietly, peeking at Donghyuck once in a while and chuckling at how he stuck out his tongue to alleviate the pain. It doesn’t help that Donghyuck would forget his manners and try to throw his fork at Sicheng when he offered to feed him. A joke that Sicheng seemed to not want to give up for while.
Donghyuck finished eating, setting down his fork and wiping his mouth. It’s been awhile since he ate with someone. It didn’t help that Sicheng would only speak when he saw Donghyuck looking at him, searching for reasons behind his eyes. The talks aren’t that bad. Disconcerting at best though not unwanted. Eating alone has been quite lonely these days-
His thoughts are cut short when a pastry is shoved into his mouth, making him choke. He hacked violently, thumping a fist to his chest while he swallowed the bite he got before he spat out the remainder back on the plate. Sicheng sheepishly grinned, moving back in shock.
“Distracted?”
Donghyuck rolled his eyes at him and finished the pastry. He could get used to this…even if it was just wishful thinking.
“You never told me why you were invited here.” Donghyuck speaks up beside the petunias, gathering three and cutting them by the stalks to add to the basket of other flowers. The garden is peaceful this early morning, the dew gathering on the leaves glistening at the rising sun and Donghyuck felt content as he knelt on the grass to gather more flowers for his room. It added color to the otherwise drab place and it was therapeutic doing this every morning.
It’s the first time however that he’s brought someone else here. Sicheng perked up from the flowers he’s holding, weaving the stalks in a strange pattern that Donghyuck couldn’t see from this angle. He’s still in his night clothes only with a fluffy robe over it, a scandalous sight for anyone else but Sicheng’s too lazy to change clothes when he rather sleep. It’s a Sunday and Sicheng’s days where he wasn’t summoned by Taeyong or the council meant he could sleep in. How his body clock managed to wake up at 4 in the morning at a normal day to do his exercise routine and sleep through lunch at another is strange. “Would it make a difference, really?”
“Stop avoiding the question. I mean, it wouldn’t now but at least give me a warning so that I’d be able to avoid the rumors about me ruining you.” He regrets the words that came out of his mouth at Sicheng’s spiteful glare. It’s not a pity party. It’s just how Donghyuck’s accepted the cycle of his life to occur. But Sicheng doesn’t care about it and he would always look offended that Donghyuck would think of himself as such.
“And what about you? You’re still someone that deserves respect, title or not.”
“I do have a title-“
Sicheng hisses. “Being called a bastard is not a title.”
Donghyuck pipes down, chest clenching as he moved to pluck the wild roses and mindful of the thorns even with his gloves on. His silence is taken as offense and Sicheng sighed from behind him, not wanting to face him. He held a pink rose between his palms, remembering how they were called Juliet roses by his mother and without much of a thought, reached it out to Sicheng.
“That’s how people are here. I’m nothing to them and that doesn’t matter to me. So just stop being my knight or whatever.” He mumbles with his face heating up, ears probably red at this point. Sicheng takes it gingerly with his hand, face softening from the earlier outburst before standing up to kneel beside Donghyuck.
Sicheng’s face is close. He’s a strange fellow who valued his personal space, evident in how he’d talk about one of Mark’s tutors who would try to hug Sicheng every time he saw him and pinching his cheek every so often. Sicheng would be hiding in Donghyuck’s nook in the library to avoid some attendants who wanted to dress him for dinner because he was a grown man who could dress himself. But Sicheng’s been really comfortable with Donghyuck as of late, grabbing his elbow to show him this painting he came across or holding his hand to guide him through the winding corridors. He’s stuck to him like a fungus but it’s not really…unwanted.
“I’m not.”
Donghyuck furrows his brows, halfway from putting the rest of the roses in the basket. “What?”
“Trying to be your knight, as you say.” Sicheng hums, the rose Donghyuck given to him now part of whatever he was making. He slips the stalks into a braid and tightening it, satisfied before he placed it atop Donghyuck’s head.
It doesn’t register at first what he’s doing but the soft aroma of the flowers engulf Donghyuck then the light pressure against his forehead that could only be petals and the sweet smile Sicheng makes when he saw his stunned expression. Donghyuck should stop staring at his lips to avoid the jumpstart in his pulse and the breathlessness that came after. Sicheng’s smiles are reserved, often forced but Donghyuck yearns for moments like this, his cheeks squishy from how much his grin is overtaking his face.
He touched the ring around his head. A flower crown, from the looks of it. Donghyuck doesn’t know whether to be flattered or embarrassed. He does a high-pitched sound and hid his face. “You’re just messing with me at this point.”
Sicheng feigned ignorance. “Not likely.” He chuckles, patting Donghyuck’s hair “I’m not trying to defend your honor but I am your friend. As your friend, I refuse to let anyone make you feel less than you truly are.”
He continued “You’re part of this family whether people want to or not and it’s not their decision whether you stay or not. It’s yours and from what I see, they’re trying their damn hardest to send you away by making you feel like you’re worth nothing. You’re worth so much, Donghyuck. You’re not to be blamed for their insecurity.”
Friend. Donghyuck’s never thought that they were until now, blinking in shock before he touched his chest to discern the warmth wasn’t just a figment of his imagination. He can’t control the smile from invading his face but he does look down in his shyness. He’s never had a friend to this extent. He’s never had anyone by his side to tell him these things. “I know that!” he barks, trying to stop his voice from stuttering “You don’t have to tell me that because I know why they’re doing it. They see someone they can bully and find me who didn’t even want to stay here in the first place. I just-“ he places his clenched fist to his quivering mouth, anger hot in his veins “I didn’t ask for this.”
But he stays because he liked his half-brothers, even if they didn’t know it. He liked it when Mark would keep giving him his old books in secret despite the tutors’ protests that he didn’t need to learn, how Taeyong would drop by his room once in a while when he thought Donghyuck didn’t see and drop some clothes and necessities that were held back from him by the attendants. It sounds far-fetched and he does wish it was a trick of his mind. They did that when Donghyuck was still new to the castle, the backlash was vicious between the advisor and the council about what it would entail to bring back the son of one of the king’s affairs into the family. But Taeyong stopped them with a steady voice saying it was the late king’s will and it’s stated in law no one is to defy it. Perhaps deep down, he wants to be closer to them without their attendants staging a coup to get rid of him for treason.
He doesn’t like being lonely.
And Sicheng with his hands stained with morning dew and pollen is only making him reconsider what he should be doing with his life here. Sicheng who holds him suddenly, close to his chest that he can hear his heartbeat and is mindful to not let the flower crown be crushed, speaks “You’re the flower prince, alright? I decree it.”
Donghyuck might not be aware that his eyes are watering and he stubbornly rolled his eyes despite how much they sting from the onslaught of joy inside him. “You’re really something else.”
“Oh, hello, Donghyuck. Have you had breakfast yet?” Someone he assumes as an attendant asked him as he made his way to the garden, eager to start the day without any kind of fight with them. He blinked, unsure if he’s hearing right before almost dropping his basket because did they just ask him if he wants to have breakfast.
“Are you talking to— Of course, there’s no other Donghyuck here.” He mumbled to himself, hand to his chin and one foot ready to bolt away if this was another one of their schemes to humiliate him. Instead of the glare he’s so used to, the attendant smiled at him. Donghyuck must have slept too late last night (curse Sicheng for making him drink that exotic beverage he called coffee with nothing but pure grounded coffee beans. He can still taste the bitter granules on his tongue even now) but he forced a half-smile. Except it probably came out a grimace because he’s just too confused.
“Uh, I was going to the…” if he gave away his hiding spots, it’d be the end of him “... market.” He raised the basket, trying to prove a point.
The attendant shrugged, not really caring now and just says. “His lordship Sicheng wishes for you to join them if you could.”
Of course he would but that wasn’t the problem. “Why are you telling me this?”
The attendant blinked in surprise before clearing his throat. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, maybe with all your gossips and sabotage your other friends seem to have in store for me, your head’s not in the right place.” Donghyuck doesn’t hold it back, not when he’s trying to formulate a plan to get away from this awkward situation without an outburst. He promised himself he was going to be nice but he wasn’t going to be a doormat about it.
The attendant’s face looked pensive before he shrugged. “Do you not realize how you entertain his lord lately and what kind of influence he has over everyone he meets?”
Donghyuck understood what he meant. He knew all too well how charming Sicheng was without even lifting a hand, shining beyond the background that you’d be delighted to take a second glance and maybe come close to speak with him. He has that effect with people with how good he is at negotiations and sweet-talking. A natural trait only enhanced with how he carried himself with grace. “That’s not enough reason to be nice to me now, is it? That would be too easy.”
“Of course. But while my other colleagues are hatching a plan to embarrass you during dinner later on, I prefer to see why he would actively speak about you during meetings with his majesty. He did ask me to keep watch of you for him.”
“Wait, what?”
There’s a twinkle in the attendant’s eyes, smile a little too strange for Donghyuck to decipher before he once again shrugs, this time with his whole body. There’s a glint of silver around his neck and last Donghyuck recalled, an attendant wasn’t allowed to wear jewelry.
“Take care, Donghyuck. I’ll tell Sicheng you will join him later for his second breakfast.” He waved at him with a flourish and Donghyuck’s standing there questioning who on earth that person was.
Sicheng meets him in the garden in the afternoon, face flushed and looking out of breath as he ran over to where he’s watering the lilies. The elder stopped a few steps away, catching his breath with his hands on his knees before wiping away the line of sweat down the side of his jaw. Donghyuck didn’t stare during these events unfolding and probably overwatered his plants. He quirks a brow at his rush before tilting his head “You alright there?”
“You didn’t eat breakfast with us.”
“I ate breakfast with you afterwards, didn’t I? Did you forget how you shoved cheese and fruit down my throat because you thought the scrambled eggs weren’t filling enough?” he jokes, snickering when Sicheng rolls his eyes at him.
“I sent Lucas after you so that you could join us but he said you weren’t up to it. Are you still afraid?”
Donghyuck purses his lips, thinking back to what Lucas said about dinner later. He isn’t afraid anymore they might do something to him but he’s worried about Sicheng for some reason. What if something happens to him instead and they blame Donghyuck? It would be a nightmare when the world goes against them.
Wait, what? He shook his head, his thoughts already weird from how Sicheng held his hand on his way to the garden after they ate with worry in his eyes. They stood in silence for a while with Sicheng rubbing softly against his wrist with his thumb before he let go with a smile. It was enough to fluster him that he ran over a bush twice. “Why were you making him look after me? Isn’t he an attendant assigned to you by Taeyong?”
Sicheng shakes his head, sitting down on a bench fanning himself with his hand “He’s an old friend of mine. He came with me here upon request because he wanted to see the culture here. But I think it’s because he wants to meet Mark, his hero.” He chuckles at whatever he was thinking before he turned his attention back to Donghyuck “Do you want to go to town with me tomorrow?”
The watering pot almost slipped from his grasp. Donghyuck narrowed his eyes, keeping his gaze on the empty patch beside his flowers and tried to calm his breathing. He hasn’t gone out since the day he was brought into the castle. The citizens weren’t exactly kind to him and his mother back when he was younger and they shoved their condescending views of how his mother was raising her son on her own without a man t provide for them. Bunch of pricks, the lot of them and Donghyuck was glad that he didn’t have to mingle with them even if the current living arrangement wasn’t any different.
He can’t forget how they almost desecrated his mother’s grave, calling her names and beating Donghyuck when he tried to stop them.
That was the day that the king came, flowers in hand and a furious look on his face at the townsfolk. They were sent to prison, never to be heard of again and it only made their hatred for Donghyuck grow. He doesn’t want to relive those memories anymore, not when he’s content with his life now. It was fine. He was fine.
But Sicheng’s looking at him expectantly with his lips in a pout and Donghyuck can’t stop the grin on his own “Sure. I’ll just change – woah!”
Sicheng ran over to him, arm around his shoulders to give his hair a good ruffle. “Don’t look so gloomy. It’ll be quick, I promise.”
Donghyuck’s arm around Sicheng’s waist is the only response he gets.
He doesn’t go to dinner but Donghyuck almost gets a heart attack when an attendant knocks on his door to give him some food. It’s one of those who gossiped behind his back before and they knew it, flushing at his confused face and apologizing for their bad behavior before leaving the tray on Donghyuck’s table. They bowed before they went away, something that definitely was out of the ordinary.
Oh, well. The mashed potatoes with gravy and the steak were delicious so he forgot about the encounter.
Donghyuck has to keep a hand around Sicheng’s wrist to keep him from wandering around and bothering the townsfolk. While the cloak does hide Sicheng’s face, it also made him stand out from the simple clothing the townsfolk were wearing. It was probably a present because Sicheng would make a face as he ripped some of the tassels that kept flying to his face. The vendors didn’t care what they were doing as long as they brought their goods, their voices loudly proclaiming their prices and kept on urging people to buy them. Sicheng wanders in front of a table every now and then but thanks to Donghyuck acting as his impulse control, he didn’t buy the jade encrusted box that the vendor said housed a demon that gave good luck or the extravagantly decorated bowl hat that was too heavy to be worn.
“It was a steal, Donghyuck.” Sicheng pouted.
He rolled his eyes. There was no way anyone would think Sicheng as anything but raised in a palace. He’s too- He scanned him from head to toe as they walked past the fountain where people are throwing coins. Sicheng stopped, taking out a gold coin and holding it between his hands as he clenched his eyes shut like it would affect his wish coming true.
The cloak slipped off his head in their running around, hair messed up from the wind and sticking to his forehead in wisps. He’s been chewing on his lips as he contemplated where they would go next, a spot of blood he dabbed away before still there on his lower lip. His circlet that he’s never seen him take off in the palace even when he was asleep was replaced with a braided headband with a small jewel dangling right at the middle of his forehead. If it was fashion back where he was from then Donghyuck really should teach him the fashion here because some girls who are lounging by the fountain are blushing and talking amongst themselves while pointing at him.
Sicheng let out a sigh before he threw his coin, landing it right at the highest point of the fountain. He turned to Donghyuck, his smile bright and he seized him by the shoulder as he pointed at it. “Did you see that? That was cool!”
Donghyuck can’t help but pinch his cheeks and tease. “You’re too easy to please, my god. Your wish will come true for sure.”
“I hope it will. It wasn’t for me after all.” He replied with a cheeky grin of his own and then rushing to the place that he wanted to visit in the first place.
It’s a jewelry store, one of the finest in town. Donghyuck wondered why Sicheng needed to go here when he has more jewelry he hasn’t even touched back in his room, only wearing a few rings and that circlet he’s so fond of while diamond and pearl necklaces are left in their box to collect dust. He quietly followed him inside, tailing him as he leaned on the display with his lips pursed in contemplation. He’d signal the shopkeeper every once in a while, asking about the quality and the customizability of them.
“Oh, if it isn’t Donghyuck. Did they finally get you to come out of the palace?” A pleasantly familiar voice came from the back, the sight of a younger black-haired boy coming out as he made a beeline to hug Donghyuck. “I missed you!”
“Nana!” Donghyuck gasped, hugging him in return before grasping him by the shoulders “Wow, you haven’t changed a day. Have you finally asked that Jeno guy to bring you to the flower festival?” he teased, devious smirk present when Nana-Jaemin-wiggled his brows.
Jaemin was someone who gave him the flower seeds when he came to the palace to deliver the flower arrangements for banquets and special occasions, chancing upon him cutting the leaves off of the trees to shape them into squares. Donghyuck wasn’t proud of how he threw the shears at him by instinct but Jaemin threw a flower pot at him that hit him on the chest so they were even. But he was someone that Donghyuck considered an okay acquaintance, even friend even if he was too busy to visit lately.
“Of course I did the asking out but it’s me, Jeno and Renjun who went together and it was the best,” Jaemin sighed, wistfully remembering that moment before he elbowed Donghyuck and tilted his head to where Sicheng was looking at them in curiosity “Your rose, I’ll assume?”
“No, no, nope, not really, no.” He prolonged the last no, gritting his teeth in embarrassment as he shot Sicheng an apologetic look that the latter only furrowed his brows at.
Of course Jaemin would assume. He’s always been the kind to tease Donghyuck that he’d be so attached to his flowers he’ll call his significant other a rose. He wouldn’t…out loud. Besides, Sicheng was just his friend. Just someone who was close to his heart and that makes him question the butterflies threatening to escape his throat.
“That’s a lot of no from you when your face is red. Oh, Donghyuck, my poor soul.”
“Oh, Jaemin, I will punch you in the throat.”
Sicheng is approaching them with a tentative look, eyes moving from Donghyuck to Jaemin and he only stopped when the shopkeeper called for him to get his purchase. He turned back at them, sighing before he went to get the paper bag between his arms and returning to them. “Is everything alright?”
Jaemin waved at him, eye twitching when Donghyuck discreetly kicked him on the shin “Has Donghyuck ever mentioned to you that you’d look good with flowers in your hair?” he said, sending a wink that ended with Donghyuck kicking him again.
“Not really,” Sicheng tapped a finger on his chin “But he lets me put flower crowns on him so I’d be a little biased when I say he’s the one who looks good with them.”
“Oh really?” Donghyuck wished he can glare at Jaemin enough that he’ll shut his big mouth. But Sicheng nodded, hand cradling his cheek.
Not much was said after that, Donghyuck deciding that enough was enough and led Sicheng back outside the shop, raising a fist at Jaemin with the promise to beat him to a pulp next time. The younger boy merely sent a smile so saccharine sweet it made Donghyuck irritated. It wasn’t a big deal. He doesn’t want to get his hopes up when it’s clear that Sicheng is here for diplomatic purposes.
It struck him in the middle of the night the first few times he spied Sicheng having breakfast with his brothers or when he’d find Taeyong close to Sicheng during the day talking quietly about court matters. Even Mark who opted to not dally most of the time, speaking only when needed, would be in the kitchen sneaking food while pinching Sicheng’s cheek. Donghyuck hated how his chest would tighten when the idea that maybe Sicheng isn’t just a visitor as they told him he was. He has a companion with him (Lucas who would bother Donghyuck when Sicheng was too busy to make time for him), dressed in robes that fit royalty and carried himself with a grace that only suited a prince. He’s not here to visit. He’s here to make connections with the princes.
It doesn’t settle the dread in his heart that Sicheng could marry one of his brothers.
“What’s wrong?” They weaved through the crowd, Donghyuck lagging behind with his face down. The villagers are whispering now, staring at him as they began to realize who he was. Sicheng did too, glaring at them before he grabbed Donghyuck by the wrist and added, close to his ear “Don’t fret, I’m here. These people know no shame in staring at someone who still holds worth over them.” He raised his voice with the last words, the people scampering away with embarrassment on their faces.
He held his wrist even as they were back in the palace, Sicheng fuming about how disrespectful the people were and leaving Donghyuck with Lucas to find Taeyong. Probably to complain so it seemed and Donghyuck is ashamed of it.
“I can take care of myself.” He muttered to himself.
Lucas let out a booming laugh “We all know you can but he’s trying to ease you into that idea.”
“What idea?”
“That people should stop treating you like shit.” Lucas said, unabashed and Donghyuck grimaced at him.
“What are you to him?” It came out his mouth too late to bring back and Lucas has the nerve to smirk at him.
“What is it to you?” He teased, eyes filled with mirth and he elbowed him just like how Jaemin did before. Was he transparent or is everyone just messing with him? Lucas shrugged, smirk still present before he left.
Donghyuck doesn’t know what to answer him but his heart thundered in his chest when Sicheng came back to hug him, telling him that he was sorry for ruining their trip. He kept babbling about not taking his feelings into consideration and that he has told Taeyong about the prejudice still present to Donghyuck. He doesn’t stop apologizing even when Donghyuck tried to get him to calm down.
“Take this, please. I know it was selfish of me to bring you there but I wanted to make sure it fit you. Too bad that you were too busy talking with your friend.” Sicheng said, handing him the parcel he brought from the jewelry store.
Donghyuck eyed it suspiciously, making a noise of confusion as he untied the ribbon and opened it. What he is greeted with made him almost drop it if it weren’t for Sicheng holding his hands without realizing. “I can’t accept this.”
“You won’t, I presume.”
“I can’t .” Donghyuck mumbled, giving Sicheng a glare.
“I can’t take it back so you just have to take it.” Sicheng said without missing a beat, taking the circlet that matched his favorite one except it was shaped with flowers, a ruby shining in the middle of them. Donghyuck is frozen because he didn’t want to offend Sicheng by high-tailing out of there but the moment that Sicheng has secured the damn thing on him, he is protesting.
“Why are you giving … this is … Sicheng, why?” His mind is a mess.
Sicheng smiled at him, pressing a chaste kiss on his cheek before walking away.
Donghyuck doesn’t manage to sleep at night, the questions infiltrating his thoughts befuddling him even more.
“You realize what this means?” Donghyuck almost screamed at Mark, the latter tilting his head as he paused his reading.
For the first time, Donghyuck is at ease with hanging out with him without his attendants plotting against him but Mark’s blank face is still unnerving. He’s good at masking his emotions and right now, Donghyuck is having none of it. He barely managed to get out of bed without falling off it when there are two attendants bringing him breakfast and asking him if they should prepare a bath. They gave him apologies too, earnest in mending their ways and giving Donghyuck the proper treatment he deserved.
He screamed into his pillow for a good minute before actually getting ready. Then he screamed for another when an attendant fixed his hair to put on the circlet he forced himself to forget on his forehead. Their smiles were honestly sickening, congratulations bursting out their mouths.
Donghyuck hated it.
Mark rose a brow at his fuming form “Congratulations,” he said in amusement. “You’re freaking out.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be telling me about bad decisions and not to be impressed because someone shows kindness to me?”
“Clearly.”
He wants to punch him but he’s not trying to rectify the sudden good graces he’s been blessed with for some reason. Mark treated him like a little brother sometimes, other times a friend he would make fun of because he doesn’t have much of a luxury making any. “I’m serious. I don’t wish to break some treaty between our kingdom with his country. I can persuade him to choose you or Taeyong.”
This earned him a smack on the arm, Mark looking displeased at the suggestion. “And disrespect his choices? Since when were you cruel, Donghyuck?”
“Well, what about what I want?” he shrieked, hand on his chest as he stomped one foot down. His face is aflame at the thought that maybe he is overreacting, inferiority complex getting the best of him to accept this. But Sicheng is…Sicheng is kind, gifted with sharp wit and a no-nonsense outlook who has always made Donghyuck happier than he’s been in years. He doesn’t want to regret choosing him. He doesn’t want to break the bond they shared.
Mark saw his hesitation and put down his book, placing his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders to placate him. He’s shaking, he realized and squeezed his shoulders. “Do you really not want Sicheng by your side? Do you really want to deny yourself of this by being stubborn, Hyuckie?” he said tenderly with a sigh. “Sicheng will not push you if you reject him but please don’t lead him on by saying no when you want to say yes. It’ll hurt him too much. Especially with how he loves you.”
Donghyuck shrugged his hold off, mouth pressed into a thin line “But-”
Mark rolled his eyes. “You can be selfish for once and I assure you I will give you my blessings. I want you to be happy. We’re brothers, remember?”
There’s a stinging in Donghyuck’s eyes that he chalked up to dust but he hugged Mark for the first time and buried his face on his shoulder, whispering. “Thank you.”
Sicheng is in his garden, holding a makeshift bouquet of roses and violets held together by a ribbon, sniffing the blooms with a pensive look on his face. He’s back to the attire Donghyuck first met him in, tattoos on full display that snaked around his wrists and ended looped around his middle fingers. It’s an intricate design of curves, melding with a spot of blues and reds creating patterns of flowers and structures. His circlet gleamed, catching the sunlight that made Donghyuck blink and touch the one he wore with a soft smile.
“Hey.” he called out, startling him and Sicheng whipped his head to where he was standing.
Sicheng gave him a tight smile, hiding his flowers a little too late behind his back. “I was going to ask Lucas to find you but it looks like you’ve found me instead.” he chuckled.
“He was the one who told me where you were,” Donghyuck recalled how the taller boy almost tripped upon seeing the circlet but then patted him in the back with a congratulations before him off “Sicheng, I don’t want to assume but-”
Sicheng’s eyebrows rose.
“Do you understand what you’re asking of me?” It’s his heart thudding in his ears, his throat strangely dry at the thoughts that run amock in his head. Donghyuck’s feelings doesn’t change his paranoia that this might just crash and burn.
He doesn’t say anything else, waiting for Sicheng to speak and he closed his eyes. What would be worse, he wonders. Sicheng playing a cruel joke or him believing it’s anything than what it is.
“I’m not asking you to marry me.” Sicheng said jokingly.
This broke his heart. Donghyuck is frozen stiff. Upon seeing this, Sicheng’s gaze softened and he gave him the flowers he held. “Not yet at least.”
“Excuse me?” Donghyuck sputtered, the sudden surge of hope replacing the hurt he felt too much to process. Could it be Sicheng mistook the gesture because he wasn’t from here? “Giving a handmade circlet is a-”
“A proposal, I know as much.”
“If you know then why are you-” Donghyuck can’t help the frustrated groan escape him, rubbing his hands on his temples to ease the upcoming headache. It irritated him more when Sicheng laughed, nudging the flowers onto the younger boy’s hands.
“Taeyong told me that it wouldn’t be right to ask you to marry me right now when you still have lessons and etiquette to catch up to.”
“He what?”
Sicheng muffled his laugh with his hand, moving closer to him “Donghyuck, I will court you before I marry you. This,” he touched the circlet, affection at the edges of his smile “This was to ask you if you returned my affections for you. And I assume...they are?”
His hand drifted to Donghyuck’s cheek, a warm weight that made the latter stare up at him through his lashes. Sicheng stared at him, pushing his bangs away to admire the silver circlet complimenting Donghyuck’s skin and it’s intimate. Cradling his face and leaning closer, he whispered. “I like you. And if you tell me to stop and leave you alone, I will.”
Donghyuck rolled his eyes, blush betraying him because he’s breathless from being this close to him. He doesn’t think twice, grabbing his collar to tug him closer and when he thought he could kiss him, Sicheng evaded it and hugged him, lips grazing his cheek instead.
“Are you being serious?” Donghyuck fumed but wrapped his arm around him. He buried his face on his collar, lavender filling his senses while he berated himself for being too hasty. God, he probably looked too eager.
“Stop. I can hear you thinking badly about yourself again.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“I was raised to be a gentleman.”
Donghyuck punched him lightly on the chest. He’s happy, so happy that his cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling too much and the disappointment vanished. “What do we do now?”
Sicheng then frowned, taking his hands to interlock their fingers. “I stay here for another month but I need to go back home to deliver reports. I would like you to accompany me, if you are willing.”
“What are you? The prince or something? I’m pretty sure I just ruined some alliance.”
This time, Sicheng howled in laughter and almost bowled over. He let go of Donghyuck’s one hand to clutch his stomach “Of course you would be that dramatic. You’re the only prince here between us. Oh, Donghyuck, you silly boy.”
Donghyuck squawked in protest. “Taeyong’s too picky with people and Mark’s been a little wary so seeing them friendly with you, what was I supposed to think? Not to mention, since you came, everyone’s been nicer to me. How did you even manage?”
Sicheng winked. “I’ve been told I’m a natural charmer.” When it seemed he wasn’t being taken seriously, he shrugged. “It’s my job to be fair. And why wouldn’t I be friends with Mark? We have the same classes.”
Donghyuck gave him a look.
“I’m the royal advisor in training for the neighboring kingdom. Did you think the academy just accepted royalty?”
Donghyuck breathed out a sigh of relief "Thank god I'm not breaking some sort of treaty between our kingdoms."
"You're strengthening it." Sicheng said, kissing the inside of Donghyuck's wrist gently as the younger flushed.