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“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home”
Goethe
When Minseok stopped working and reached his home for a break, the sun was at his peak and he could distinctly hear his tummy growling from hunger. He stopped outside by a small fountain to clean himself a little bit from soil, because after all his home was his temple and not a speck of dust was allowed inside. His cleanness was something he was very proud of.
While opening the door, he could already taste the flavor of tomatoes and bread on his tongue.
However, after just a step inside he had to stop: something was off.
There were mud footprints all over the floor and some clay could also be spotted all over the small room.
Minseok sighed. Those fucking racoons. Again.
He grabbed a pan that was closed to him, just to freeze after a few steps, as he realized how big the racoon was. Incredibly so. Probably it was a deformed one. He wondered if there were competition for the dimension of racoons, just like for fishes and pumpkins.
Minseok walked slowly, getting closer to the creature, which was rolled up on his bed (damn it, he had just washed the blankets). When he was so close that he could touch it, the racoon raised his head and a pair of incredibly human eyes stared back at Minseok.
Minseok screamed.
The creature screamed.
Minseok panicked.
With a loud dull sound Minseok hit the muddy thing on the head, knocking it down immediately.
It took a few moments for the farmer to gain back his self-control and calm enough to realize that he needed to plan what to do next. However, before even starting to think about a solution, he got lost observing the creature. Immediately, he realized how stupid he had been to think this could have been a racoon.
It was a young man. He looked around Minseok age and now he was snoring softly.
It was hard for Minseok not to fall into panic again at the thought that maybe he hurt the boy pretty badly; probably he did not have any ill intention, if he stayed long enough for Minseok to come back. Or maybe he was just the worst thief ever.
He froze, wondering about what to do next. He changed idea a thousand times in the span of a few minutes, while the terror at the bottom of his stomach kept growing along with the possibility of the intruder waking up. In the end he decided to leave him on the bed, but just to feel safer, he also tied his hands with a rope and ran outside to grab a pitchfork.
However, the person must had been very tired because he kept sleeping through the lunch break as if Minseok had sung him to sleep. With a sigh, the farmer realized that probably he was not going to make to the field in the afternoon, but at least it was not a very busy period.
When they guy opened his eyes, the sky was already turning orange. He tried to stretch, but when he realized he couldn’t move his hands, he tried to make himself even smaller and tried to curl up in the corner of the room.
“How did you find me? I still have money and allies, let me go and I’ll make you rich”
Minseok observed him, wondering if he really hit the boy with too much strength. He shook his head and handed to the dirty person a wet cloth that he got ready so the other could clean his face.
“How do you expect me to use it, if my hands are blocked” there was too much sarcasm in his voice, Minseok wasn’t sure he liked him. How was it possible that a few seconds ago he looked terribly scared and now he was already so arrogant?
Still he cautiously walked closed, ready to fight if the stranger tried to attack him.
In the end, the other stood still, as layers of mud got removed from his skin, letting his soft and beautiful features appearing. Minseok felt like his mother when he was a kid and she tried to remove some dirt from his face with a finger and some spit.
Once he was done, the cloth was ready to be thrown away and the guy was still dirty, but it was also very evident that he was beautiful and fierce. Probably he was a noble. It would totally make sense and it would explain his words. Riots where starting everywhere and Minseok heard that even the royal family had to run away.
Suddenly, a thought reached his mind. He stretched a hand under the mattress and grabbed a coin.
There was no doubt: the young man in front of him was the same young man represented on the money.
Prince Luhan was sitting on his bed.
Probably the prince had guessed his host’s thoughts because he turned with a smug on his face and moved so that his position was the same as the one on the coin.
“They never get my nose right” He sighed. Then he paused and his expression changed completely, “if you want to kill me, please be fast” He looked proud and arrogant.
Minseok shook his head slowly. “I’m a poor farmer. It doesn’t matter who has the power because I will always be a poor farmer. All I can complain about is the tithe, but apart from that, I don’t really care about politics” the next words that he said were a surprise also to himself.
“You can hide here” he heard as his lips moved without him wanting them to.
But of course, even if Minseok could hide in his home a runaway prince, he could not shelter a dirty one, so the first thing he did was forcing Luhan to take a bath.
They reached a spot in the forest where the river created a small natural cove. Minseok had brought with him the blanket to wash it and by his expression, he could see that Luhan didn’t totally believe that they weren’t going to clean up and that Minseok was not going to kill him and hide his body in the comforter.
However, when Minseok left the fabric on the grass and started to undress himself until he was completely naked, the circumspection on his face turned into obvious embarrassment.
“I’m sure you had people helping you washing and dressing” Minseok said, giggling, after having notice the other man’s reaction.
Pretending to ignore him, the farmer started washing the blankets and once he was satisfied, he walked out of the water to hang it on a branch. As he walked towards a tree, he could feel the other’s eyes on his body, however, it was not a problem: he used to play in that same place as a kid with his friends and they were all naked, so it was not really an issue. He was also very aware that the everyday hard work had sculpted his boy very nicely.
He took a look at the prince and wondered if the guy had ever worked out in his life: he looked like a small wet chick, even if a very proud one who liked to pretend not to be helpless.
Minseok sighed, he was way too kind for his own good and in that moment, he knew he was going to help the prince get back on his feet, get stronger mentally and physically, until he could go on with his own life. He started by helping him washing away the mud.
However, the warm sensation that he felt disappeared almost immediately, as Luhan started screaming as he came closer to help him. And he didn’t stop while Minseok helped him undress because apparently, he had never done it before, and he didn’t know how a button worked nor he wanted to know, and the other man’s hands were too calloused. He kept screaming as he entered the water which apparently was too cold, and he wanted his bath-salt or some other stuff Minseok has never heard of.
By the end of the bath, the farmer has established that Luhan was one of the most annoying people ever (but not the most irritating one, he was friend with Baekhyun, after all). And he was also very lucky because he made so much noise that if any rioters was nearby Luhan would already been dead.
After they got back to the house, they ate a small dinner in silence and then went straight to bed, both too tired to even talk.
Minseok let Luhan sleep on the bed, but he created a cocoon made with hay that was very comfortable. He felt asleep immediately, without having the time to think about what happened.
The young farmer let Luhan sleep and rest in his bed for three whole days. Nor that he wanted to, but every time he tried to suggest that the prince could get up and get something done, he other let himself fall back on the blankets in a very dramatic way, saying that his whole body was sore because he had walked too much. The only reason why Minseok didn’t beat his ass off the house was because he had heard him screaming in his sleep, as his nights were plagued by nightmares of the possibility of his family dying.
However, he was still very good at bossing Minseok around. The farmer decided to think about the whole situation as a training to improve his patience.
The fifth day, the prince woke up long before the sun was up in the sky, thanks to a rooster screaming right next to him.
He opened his eyes, started, just to notice that Minseok was right next to the bed, holding the poor animal and giggling.
“Good morning, your highness!” He said cheerfully, “I’m sure that your muscles are better and also the best way to fight sadness is with hard work. Otherwise, Richard here and his friends can keep you company all day long. They are so friendly and noisy…”
Luhan face was stuck in an expression that mixed disgust and disbelief. With a loud grunt he got up and Minseok tried hard not to laugh at his disheveled bed hair.
And so, Luhan found himself in the middle of a field just a couple of hour later, wearing Minseok’s scratchy clothes and a hat that once belonged to the farmer’s mum.
He observed Minseok’s tilling the soil for a few minutes before deciding that it was not that hard and he was not going to experience any difficulties, after all he had the best teachers and the best coaches. He could already imagine himself working super-fast and doing everything so perfectly that even Minseok would have been astonished and speechless. He liked to humiliate peasants.
Except that ended up encountering tons of problems: the task required a lot of strength and to press down with all his weight to be more effective and the sun was burning and he was thirsty and he kept throwing soil on himself; he didn’t want to complain and look weak but everything hurt and this was hell on earth.
The only way for Luhan not to faint or hurt himself too much was by taking frequent breaks. He spent those precious moments observing Minseok and how graceful and effective his movements were. He felt his face turning red when he noticed that the other had to work on the land where Luhan had previously dug.
However, the farmer never commented on the prince’s clumsiness and while they were walking back home, he just said “I guess today task was too hard for a beginner, don’t worry tomorrow I’ll find something that fits you better”. Luhan felt his cheeks heating up at Minseok’s kindness. He was not sure he liked it (but deeply down he was happy that he didn’t have to ask for another task).
The next day chore really was easier, but unfortunately for Luhan it was still too troublesome. They just had to remove rocks and weeds from an uncultivated land, which Minseok just got the permit to sow.
It was difficult to remove the weeds’ roots and a lot of them had thorns and his hands’ skin broke so easily. He had never had to work this hard. He was sure that even fighting with all his castle’s guards wouldn’t have been so difficult.
The pile of his wastes was so small, and embarrassing compared to Minseok’s one. He started to think that the reason why he was born into royalty was that he was so useless at everything else and that was the only way for him to survive.
“Let me guess” Minseok told him later, when they were having dinner “You are good at academics”
It was so evident that he was mocking Luhan. The price’s pride had already been wounded by his failures and he was not going to deal with a peasant making fun of him.
“I had people doing this for me” He replied, lifting his jaw and nose up and crossing his harms.
“I’m sure you had. Did they clean also your butt or are you able to at least that by yourself?” the farmer was giggling, not impressed at all.
“That…No!” Luhan’s face was as red as a tomato as he sputtered words, affronted.
Minseok looked at him for a few seconds before starting to laugh. His gummy was showing, and he was almost falling from the chair, as if that was something funnier that what it was. His laugh was so beautiful and full of life that Luhan found himself smiling and then laughing as well, even if initially he didn’t intend to.
No one had ever been so disrespectful to him in his whole life (of course, except of the rioters, but he didn’t want to think about them) and yet he was genuinely having a good time.
“The girls and women from the nearby village meet every day to cook and to weave clothes, or at least that’s what they say. They mostly gossip and drink wine. I’m sure you are good at those activities. I can ask my sister to bring you with her”
For a moment Luhan wondered if he could ask the other about his family, since he never talked about them, but then he decided to express his disappointment with the suggestion.
He definitely was not going to spend the day waiting for Minseok as if he was an old married lady.
He was a prince, for god sake! He was a valuable person!
“Maybe I can stay here and clean and cook or something…”
Minseok’s face darkened at the idea. “My house is spotless, and I have the sensation that it won’t be as clean, if I leave you here”
“Hey, I’m an adult and I saw the handmaidens cleaning my rooms!”
“You saw” Minseok was clearly not convinced at all. But then his expression softened, and he added “I guess it’s no use arguing with someone who always got what he wanted. You can stay here. But I want the greatest lunch and if you make a mess, you are going to regret it”
The light in Minseok’s eyes was not properly evil, but Luhan had the sensation that it was better if he watched his own steps.
The next day before leaving, Minseok explained accurately everything that Luhan could do to make himself handy. Luhan almost expect for the other to use a board to draw the instructions since the farmer was talking super slowly and repeating each concept twice, as if his interlocutor was a three-year-old distracted kid.
At least that day Minseok was going to help a friend picking up vegetables from his fields and therefore he was not coming back for lunch, so Luhan didn’t feel like the other was constantly breathing down his back.
So, the list of chores was pretty short, and nothing seemed complicated, but after the previous outcomes he was not going to underestimate them.
First thing was feeding the chicken. As he approached the animals, he started to feel anxious. What if they attacked him all together and they ruined his beautiful face?
He opened the small door in the fence and closed his eyes, expecting all the birds running towards him. After a few seconds when nothing happened, he took a look around and noticed that the animals were ignoring him. Excellent.
He started throwing fodder, aiming as far as possible and of course, all the birds run over to eat.
They didn’t look as scary as he thought they would be. They were actually interesting animals. He even dared to touch one. Only with the tip of his pinky and he run away right after, but nobody had to know that.
Perfect. For once Luhan was satisfied with his work.
Then he had to water the plants around the house. This second chore was not difficult as well, but by the time he was done, his back was killing him because he had to constantly fill a bucket and walk back and forth.
But after half an hour he was done.
He decided to take a small break under the sun, happy by how the day was going. When he had regained some energy, he decided to wash his hands because it was time to clean the house.
Minseok sure was a weird one. Luhan had to wear delicate elegant gloves just to make the bed. He wondered how much money the farmer had to save in order to buy them.
Cleaning a one room house was a chore a lot more daunting than what Luhan could had ever thought and he sweated in a way that was completely unexpected. When he was fulfilled with the result, he ate a light lunch and decided to take a nice deserved nap.
Probably Luhan was more tired than what he had anticipated because when he woke up, the sun had almost completed his daily route and also, he slept so deeply that even the clucks of chicken in the room didn’t bother him.
Wait.
Chickens.
There were chickens all over the room and they were making a mess.
Their legs were covered in mud and prints could be spotted everywhere, even on the walls. Luhan was almost expecting to find animals also on the ceiling.
He had little time before Minseok was done working and he knew that as soon as he arrived, the farmer was going to announce a death sentence.
He had to clean everything as soon as possible.
He grabbed the fodder and used it to attract the animals back in their fence. Then he proceeded to use all the cloth available to scrub every surface, but the mud was still wet and the fabric got too dirty too soon and after a few minutes they were unusable.
Luhan decided that it was the right time to have a panic attack.
He was sitting on the floor, covered in mud and wondering what to do, when he heard the door slowly creaking open.
Minseok’s figure appeared on the door frame. He was smiling but his eyes shone in a threatening way.
Still smiling, he said “I told you to check multiple times if you closed the chickens’ fence after feeding them and I also told you that the plants didn’t need that much water, but look…” he paused and giggled. Luhan was becoming more and more scared every minute “My yard has turned into a swamp and my house turned into a hen-house”
The farmed sat down at the table and Luhan started worrying about him having a heart attack since he was still smiling creepily.
“At least, I can have a nice dinner before making you clean this mess”
Fuck. Luhan had completely forgot about that.
“Well…” he stuttered “Actually I did not cook anything”
Without commenting the lack of food, Minseok got up and walked towards Luhan. The prince squeezed his eyes and tried to make himself invisible. Even if he knew that Minseok was not a violent person, he expected a slap or even worse, but the other just patted his head and said “Then, let’s go”
After the short sentence, Minseok turned and left the house, looking back just to check if Luhan was following him.
Minseok walked silently in the red light of the evening, as the price trailed behind him. They passed through the fields and then a small forest and at every step, Luhan felt more and more anxious. What if they were reaching some hidden place where Minseok could kill him without anyone hearing? The betrayal! He would have never thought that he was going to die that way nor that Minseok could do anything so malicious. As they kept moving and the trees slowly started to decrease, he could take a breath of relief. At least until he noticed that they had almost reached a small village. Luhan was scared, so scared that he didn’t even had the courage to try to run away. He had run for so long that it was time for him to surrender to his destiny. He was going to face it head-on.
So, the other’s plan was to sell him as slave or maybe to hand him over the rioters.
Luhan felt his nose itching and his eyes watering as he realized that the only nice person he had found outside of the castle was going to abandon him.
They stopped in front of a shady door and the prince knew that it was his last chance: he kneeled on the ground, grabbing Minseok’s pants
“Please, don’t give me to the rioters or anyone else. I can leave immediately, and you’ll never heard about me again”
After a few moments of silence, Luhan realize that the other was not going to reply, so he lifted his head to try to understand his thoughts by his expression.
The other was blinking, as if he had not understood what the prince had just said.
“What are you talking about? I’m going to get drunk, trying to forget the mess in my house. You just have to stay sober and listen to me rambling”
Luhan blinked as well. “Wait… that’s all?” A single tear was still sliding down his cheeks.
“My friends always say that I speak too much if I have a few drinks, so they rarely bear with me”
Now Minseok was pouting in such a cute way that Luhan could imagine his father scowling at the thought that a man could be so adorable. However, Luhan didn’t agree with the old king at all, nor did his heart that skipped a beat as he couldn’t take his eyes off the other’s face.
The farmer helped Luhan up and they entered.
The inside of the pub was not fishy at all: a lot of people were having dinner and the smell of food filled the air. Even if the floor needed to be sweep and the tables needed a nice clean from food stains, it still was one of the coziest places Luhan had ever been into and he immediately decided that he loved it.
They ordered some food and Minseok didn’t waste time asking for a giant beer.
The farmer was well-built, but he still had a small frame and Luhan was seriously amazed by how much he had to drink before starting to be a little drunk.
However, Minseok had not lied: his drunk self loved speaking. At the beginning Luhan tried to follow the various topic, but soon it was clear that it was a challenge impossible to win. So, he just let the other spill his thoughts out as he observed him and nodded from time to time.
By the end of the night, Luhan was sure of two things: first, Minseok was the most adorable creature ever and secondly, he was going to kick his friends’ asses for not taking him out enough. He couldn’t even understand how they thought Minseok could bother them. Even if the other could not stop talking, just admiring his beautiful face and expressions was a great source of entertainment.
Luhan was even happy that he was sober because he got to take the other home and to hold his arm not to let him fall, as they walked under the moon.
The next day Minseok didn’t get up until noon and Luhan spent his morning reading an old book and admiring his host. A sleepy Minseok was even cuter than a tipsy Minseok.
He couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of how pissed the farmer was going to be with himself once he found out he missed the whole morning.
Except that when he finally opened his eyes and stretched himself as if he was kitten, Minseok was as bright as the sun and announced that he was going to enjoy the rest of his day off.
Luhan was even happier with this outcome that he would have been seeing a pissed Minseok.
They spent the rest of the day resting and chatting as if they were childhood friends.
Luhan could get used to this.
Before going to bed, Minseok announced that he was going to teach Luhan how to survive and all the little things that could be useful while living alone.
The prince looked forward to starting the lessons.
---
The next week passed way too quickly. Luhan felt at the same time, as if he had just arrived in the small farm but also like he had never lived another kind of life ever.
What Minseok taught him were just very simple chores (probably he was scared of the possible outcomes), but by Friday, Luhan had learned how to wash his clothes, how make an easy meal, and also how to make tea, because apparently also his way of making tea was wrong and Minseok refused to drink that greyish beverage.
The prince was a good student, but the fear of making a mess kept blocking him. He didn’t want to show Minseok how clumsy and hopeless he was never again. He had always thought about himself as a powerful and vigorous nobleman and that was the imagine he wanted to keep. He didn’t like the idea of working at all, but he liked even less to be thought as an incompetent.
The only task that took a toll on him was waxing the floor. He and Minseok worked together side by side, but Luhan kept sliding and wood splinters hurt his hands too many times for his own taste. Not to talk about the wax. He really hated it. It was brownish, sticky and smelly. Everything he hated. He could imagine the people who lived in the palace laughing at the mere thought of him doing something similar.
That evening, Luhan couldn’t take it anymore: even cutting the bread was more difficult than usual and everything was just too much, so suddenly, he started crying.
Between the sobbing he tried to let his heart out about how he didn’t even know if a single person from his family was still alive and how hard it was to run away and hide, fear never leaving him.
Minseok walked closer to him and hugged the other, until the sobbing became less strong and then stopped completely. He didn’t let Luhan go, even when they both fell asleep.
On Friday evening, the farmer handed Luhan some nice clean clothes. They were more expensive than the usual ones, and Luhan was even more curious as he saw that Minseok also changed himself into a better outfit.
Since by Luhan’s expression it was evident that the prince had no idea about what they were going to do that night, he simply said “It’s Friday, so night pub!” he accompanied these words with a small joyful dance that made Luhan coo over the cuteness.
“My friends are also going to be there tonight! Last week, they were moving Baekhyun’s hive. Usually I help them, but of course this time I choose to stay with you”
Luhan didn’t know if he should be happy because Minseok had chosen him or if he had to be nervous (and also a little wary) because he was going to meet the people his new friend had talked about so many times. In the end, all his feelings mixed up creating a giant cloud of anxiety that monopolized all his senses.
This time the pub was more crowded than the previous week and incredibly noisier. The source of that mess was a small table, with people around Luhan’s age and the prince knew immediately that those were Minseok’s friends. They welcomed warmly, introducing themselves and listening with attention to Luhan’s words about who he was and how he ended up staying at the farm. The prince had to admit that he didn’t feel nice to talk about his escape to so many people, but if Minseok trusted them, he could trust them as well. It was a big change for someone like him, grown up watching his own back constantly.
It didn’t take long before a small guy named Baekhyun monopolized the conversation, and Luhan was actually grateful to him: the parties he was used to attend were never that chaotic, the only sounds in the room being soft music and whispers and he knew it was going to take time before he could feel relaxed in such a new environment. It was surreal for how long he had lived a life so different from the ones of the people on which he was supposed to rule. Despite everything, he was glad he got to taste a normal life.
The guy who sat on his right was a sweetheart, he was called Joonmyun and it was evident that he was trying hard to make the newcomer feel comfortable, by chatting and offering him food and smiles. The one that was in front of Luhan was one of a kind: his expression seemed a little harsh, but he was actually tranquil and nice to talk to (he was very interested in what Luhan used to eat at the castle). He also had a nice smile who remembered Luhan of a heart and had the power to make Luhan feel calmer.
The hours passed quickly and soon the prince realized why Minseok spoke about these people with so much affection: they all cared about each other a lot and it was impossible not to have a good time with them.
The only bothersome aspect of the gathering was a guy who sat at the opposite side of the table, quite far from Luhan and yet, the prince spotted him looking at him many times. While talking to the others he looked friendly and outgoing, but when he observed Luhan, his eyes darkened, and his expression changed into a harsher one. At some point, Joonmyun noticed the stares they were exchanging.
“Don’t mind Jongdae, he’s always very protective of Minseok and he’s still deciding if he can trust you.” He whispered and then added with a giggle “They also used to date”
Luhan didn’t know what to do with that information. It was none of his business and yet it made him feel uneasy.
After too many beers and too many reprimands for Baekhyun screams, they decided to call it a night.
While everyone was saying their goodbyes, Jongdae cornered him “I’m keeping an eye on you. Don’t think that I didn’t notice how you look at Minseok”
He didn’t even wait for Luhan to replied that he had already left, walking away in the night, leaving the prince utterly bewildered.
He had no idea about what the other was talking about, but he had the feeling that those words were going to torment him for a while.
As expected, that short sentence kept pestering Luhan, as he tried to understand what the other was implying. He started to consider more elaborate theories and suddenly he had almost forgot the words which had started all the musing.
A few days into the week, he decided that he had enough of that. He was going to pay a visit to Jongdae, understand what he meant the previous night and maybe also kick his ass, if he felt like it.
He marched to the village and with a sweet smile he stopped by the usual pub to ask the innkeeper where he could find Jongdae since he had something to give him. Once obtained the information, he started walking again, more determined than ever.
He reached the other’s man farm in a few minutes and wandered around the house, until he spotted Jongdae working in a small vineyard.
“Hey, you!” Luhan screamed. The farmer raised his head, but when he noticed who had just talked, he rolled his eyes and restarted working head down immediately. Luhan had never faced such disrespect in his whole life. He wished he still owned the boots with pure gold tips to tell Jongdae what he thought about him even better.
With the voice that he used was he was still heir to the throne and had to order people around, Luhan came closer and spoke again “I demand to know what you meant the other night”.
Without losing his composure, the other replied “I just meant that I don’t trust you at all and that Minseok is getting way too much attached to you, so when you’ll unavoidably break his heart, I’ll truck you down and make you pay for it. You look at him as if he was a new toy and I don’t like it.”
“I’m not going anywhere, as long as Minseok wants me here. And I’m sure as hell I won’t make him suffer” he replied with a too high-pitched voice.
“Really?” Jongdae now sounded too ironic according to Luhan’s liking. “And what are you going to do? Sit around and eat all of his food for the rest of his life?”
The shade! Luhan’s voice got even sharper.
“I’m going to become the best farmer of this village and I’ll help him with all my energy and strength”
Jongdae snorted “I really want to see it. Who’s going to teach you? I’m pretty sure Minseok already gave up. I don’t have time to even finish all the work I have to do, and I’m pretty sure everyone else is in the same situation as me”
“I can learn by helping you” Luhan couldn’t believe what he said. But a part of him really meant it, he wanted to show this obnoxious farmer and to all the village that he was not just a spoiled kid and that he really cared for his host.
“I really want to see this” Jongdae snorted and then realized that he had just accept Luhan as apprentice.
The two men look each other in the eyes, slightly panicking, wondering how they could work together without killing each other.
From that day on, as soon as Minseok left the house, Luhan did his chores as quickly as possible, just to run to Jongdae’s and learn how to run a farm.
Of course, the other man was a strict teacher and the prince was sure that he left the hardest and more weary tasks to him. During the couple of hours that they spent together daily, Luhan had to bite off his tongue countless times and it was so evident that the farmer enjoyed it very much.
Their lessons became a constant bickering from the very first minute they saw each other. Despite this, even if neither of them wanted to admit it, they got a lot done and they generally worked good together.
Everyday Jongdae did something that a year before would have been considered high treason, but Luhan had to admit he liked to take his own revenge, instead of just screaming for his guards. Their favorite hobby was hiding bees and other stinging insects where they were sure the other was going to get hurt. It was harmful for both of them, but also very satisfying. Despite everything, they were bonding, even if in some twisted way. Soon the farmer even started to assign the prince more difficult task.
Jongdae even allowed him to use some of his grape to produce his very own vine and he was looking forward to drink it with Minseok. Jongdae said that it was just because he was sure it was going to taste like vinegar and he wanted to have a good laugh, looking at Luhan and Minseok trying to drink that poison. However, Luhan didn’t care and spent way too much time imagining how proud his host was going to be, once he found out how hard he worked.
Every night Luhan came home tired but also more satisfying than ever. While he had dinner with Minseok his muscles were aching and it was hard to keep his eyelids open, however seeing the other was still the highlight of his day and he loved every second of it.
However, soon Luhan started to notice that the atmosphere in the house was changing. The air was a lot tenser and Minseok seemed constantly annoyed with him, as he was trying to step away from the other. Luhan tried to ignore it, wondering if it was only in his mind, but the anxiety at the bottom of his stomach never left him alone. While living in the castle, no one was allowed to touch Luhan and now the young man was making up for it with Minseok every time he could, so when the other started to avoided being touched by him, it hurt as much as full rejection.
The farmer also started coming home later and later every day and the chores he assigned to Luhan were constantly fewer.
Suddenly, Luhan couldn’t even remember the last time he saw his cute little gummy smile.
One evening he decided to face the situation.
“Minseok, we need to talk” damn it, was it too harsh? Luhan immediately regretted speaking out.
“Yeah, I know” The reply was muttered and Minseok didn’t even raise his stare from the dinner.
Luhan was ready to talk again, but the other was faster.
“Don’t worry, I knew this day was coming. It was nice having you here, but I understand that you have to leave. I assume that you already took care of everything” Now Minseok was looking at him and his expression was so sad that Luhan was almost eager to hug him and pamper him until Minseok realized how stupid that idea was.
“No, no, no” Luhan fanatically replied. He got up and moved around the table to grab the other’s shoulders.
“Unless you want me to leave, I’m not going anywhere! I just want to know if I made you angry or if something else is bothering you”
“But you’re the one who spent so much time somewhere else. Many times, I got back home, and you were not here, I just assumed that you were getting ready to leave. I was scared you weren’t even going to tell me”
“I was always at Jongdae’s trying to learn this farm thing! I want to be useful and work by your side. I don’t want to make a mess again” Luhan added, pouting.
“But Jongdae hates you…” Minseok still looked suspicious.
“And I hate him. Well, let’s just say we don’t get along easily. But we’re doing this for you. I’m even making some wine to drink with you”
On Minseok’s cheeks some tears were moving down slowly and Luhan dried them with his fingers.
Minseok was beautiful even while crying, he thought. He had never expected the other being so soft, after seeing how hard he worked all day long and how he never let any problem have the best of him.
Luhan was still smiling gently, when Minseok’s arms embraced him, moving the two of them closer. He wasn’t expecting the lips that he felt on top of his, but he had to admit that they were even better than in his dreams. He wanted to spend the rest of his life kissing Minseok.
When they finally moved apart, Luhan was already aching to kiss the other again and tried to move forward. Except that he could not, because Minseok took a step back and with all his forces, he punched Luhan straight in the guts.
“If you ever make me so worried once again, I’ll feed you to the pigs”
Luhan thought that Minseok was cute even while threatening him.
(and he knew that Minseok was definitely capable of going along with his plan.)
If a year before someone had said Luhan that he was going to be chased away from his castle, alone without his family and that he was going to end up living and working in a farm, he wouldn’t have believe it; and yet here he was. And he was happy.
After their first kiss, the affection between the two men had grown each day. They spent all day working side to side and all their free time cuddling or doing various activities together. Sometimes Luhan visited Jongdae for a little extra help (and also because he liked to annoy him) and sometimes Minseok spent an evening alone with his friends; but apart from that they lived a nice cozy life and they enjoyed it a lot.
One little habit that Luhan had picked up was admiring the sunset. It was just another normal day and after working in the fields all afternoon, the prince was enjoying is ritual. Suddenly a bird appeared in the sky. It was diving right into Luhan and the man covered his head with his arms to protect himself from the impact. Luckily the bird was not that big, it was just a small pigeon, all white with just a few spots on his muzzle.
“Brianna!” Luhan exclaimed, as he recognized the pigeon.
Minseok leaned out the door, to see who Brianna was. When he realized his beloved was talking to a bird, he rolled his eyes. He was getting accustomed to the other weird self. Probably he had a very weird childhood, being a prince.
Immediately, Luhan saw that the bird was carrying a message, so he untied it and started to read eagerly.
He wasn’t done yet that he had already bursted in the house.
“Minseok!” he literally screamed “this used to be my personal carrier pigeon and she has a letter from my family! They are alive” He exclaimed, as he came closer to the other to hug him with all his strength.
“That’s great!” Minseok replied, kissing his cheeks and hugging him back.
They both took a step back to keep reading. Both scrolled over the words, their smiles slowly faded. They were still happy, but Luhan’s family wanted him to reach them in the near kingdom. And that meant leaving Minseok behind.
Luhan immediately looked at his beloved and spoke “Don’t worry, I won’t go. I’m just happy and satisfied, knowing that they are fine”
They both stared into each other eyes, but their smiles were not as cheerful as they were a few moments before.
The arrival of the letter was just a small parenthesis in their life and they kept going on with their little domestic dream.
However sometimes, before falling asleep, Luhan found himself wondering if he it was the right choice, by staying with Minseok. Maybe the two of them could reach his family together. Maybe his family could move closer to them. Maybe they could regain the throne back and put everything back at his original state. Thousands plans with zero probability of success kept flowing into his mind and he knew that Minseok could sense that something was wrong. Every moment they spent together had a different flavor from before, it was as if it was not going to last and they were trying to make the most out of it, while ignoring that the end was coming.
However, never once Luhan thought about leaving Minseok behind. Not even when he dreamed of his mum, not even when he could physically hear his younger sisters laughs echoing in his ears.
He was trying very hard to move on, but sometimes he was not sure he was able to do it.
One day he woke up to a Minseok already dressed for the day. The table was full of food and a small package was next to the door.
Minseok didn’t even have to explain for Luhan to understand what he had planned.
“No, I’m not leaving you” Luhan voice was wobbling.
Minseok smile was as warm as always, but his eyes were sad. “This is not your place. You have to” his voice was soft but imperative and, in that moment, Luhan realized that he really was going to leave.
Luhan got up and reached his lover. They kissed as their tears mingled together.
They ate in silence and then Luhan left, without turning back and without saying goodbye, because he was not sure he was even able to reach the village before running back, because he was not sure he was going to live long enough to come back for Minseok or if life had a different plan for him, and they were not going to see each other ever again.
--
Jongdae’s house was almost completely dark, except for the moon light and a small lamp. He couldn’t sleep because every time he closed his eyes, Minseok sad face appeared into his mind. His friend kept telling that he was fine, that he was the one telling Luhan to go; but Jongdae thought that they were all excuses. If Luhan really cared as much as he said, he would have stayed. Jongdae knew that he would have.
Everyone from their group decided to visit Minseok as frequently as possible, to cheer him up, but apparently Baekhyun had become so insistent that Minseok snapped and now no one could come over unless invited. This made Jongdae suffer even more, he could totally picture Minseok in his small one room home, crying softly and just to pretend to be fine in front of everyone.
So Jongdae was sharpening his favorite knife at 1am.
Probably Luhan was not coming back without bodyguards or something similar, if he ever came back, but he preferred to be prepared.
Even if he knew that in the end, he was going to keep calm, even if ever had the possibility to get back at Luhan, just because Minseok eyes were not only filled with sadness, but also with love.
--
After Luhan left, Minseok’s life returned to what it used to be before he found the prince sleeping on his bed. Soon, everything that happened started feeling like a dream and he would have believed that it never happened if it was not for the constant pain in his chest, reminding him of what he had lost.
Despite this, he did not regret letting Luhan go. It was the right thing to do.
However, sometimes he couldn’t help but thinking that after doing always the right thing in his life, this time he could have been a little selfish and keep his lover with him forever.
He tried to move on, he really did. He even went out a couple of time with the cute girl from the bakery, but her smile was not like Luhan’s, her jokes were not like Luhan’s and so in the end it called it quit. It was not fair for both of them.
So, in the end, he decided to just go on with his life, hoping that one day he would wake up to an healed heart.
It was weird how big a one-room house could feel, however every time he came back from work, Minseok felt as if he was alone in an abandoned palace. A very modest one, but still way too big for one person alone.
He could sense that he was on the edge of a dark and lonely mental state.
He gave himself two months to mourn over his broken heart and being the precise man that he was, the morning of the first day of the third month he woke up determined to be happy again.
When Luhan left, he didn’t take with him the possibility for Minseok to love someone else, but the farmer was well aware that even if eventually he would fall for someone else, it was going to be a feeling completely different from the one that tied him to the prince.
While waiting for someone to fall for, he decided to invest his love with cats.
Soon his house was full of animals and Minseok’s friends looked at him weirdly when he announced that he was going to enlarge his home, just so his nine cats could have their own room.
The farmer didn’t care if the other thought he was going crazy, he had decided to take up the role of the weirdo of the village who lives with too many animals at the edge of the forest. After all the jester position was already occupied by Baekhyun and the one of the fool by Chanyeol, so he felt entitled to choose whatever available rural village cliché he wanted.
Minseok’s life proceeded placidly and even if every day was similar to the previous one, it was not a problem since he had decided to try to be as happy as he could observing the little things that appeared in front of him all the time.
It was a Wednesday evening and the air was chill thanks to the autumn approaching, but Minseok still liked to sit outside. That particular day was the one scheduled for his lovely Duchess beauty treatment. He had brushed her soft fur and now he was very concentrated, trying to braid it and add ribbons whenever he managed too. The poor cat was not very happy and as soon as she could, she jumped off her owner to run away. Too bad that Minseok was a very determined person and was not going to give up.
Their race across the whole yard was followed with attention by all the other animals and the farmer was sure that internally they were all laughing at him.
Minseok was panting and his right hip was already hurting and yet he kept running, even if he knew that the chances of him reaching his cat was basically zero.
However, at one point something standing in the middle of his way made him stop.
The first thing that came into his eyesight was a pair of shoes, which he didn’t recognize.
Slowly he lifted his head and the person that filled his dream was right in front of him.
Luhan had managed to catch Duchess and the little toady was now in his arms, being getting petted and very much satisfied.
Minseok didn’t know what to say, so he just stood there, observing the other until Luhan finally spoke, smiling softly.
“I see that something has changed around here. We’ll have even more work to do, I suppose. But it doesn’t matter since now I’m finally home”
And Minseok couldn’t help but thinking that only now that they were together he really felt at home.