Work Text:
It’s already late evening at his place. Sun just sank to the horizon, slowly changing the orange sky into a starry night. Tonight the wind isn’t that chilly as Cale Henituse, a retired and ex-commander of the Roan Kingdom Empire, strolling around the Henituse mansion in Rain city. Enjoying the rare occasion of a quiet night where he’s just by himself.
Right now, Choi Han is staying in the royal palace as he has some training duties there. While children averaging 12 years old are visiting Eruhaben’s place. The ancient golden dragon has promised them a night flight in his dragon form afterall.
.
.
.
“Human! Goldie gramps said you can join us too if you want!” Raon exclaimed eagerly as he ate the warm apple pie slices that Beacrox had served to the young dragon. Cale received a small frown from the chef and the maroon could guess what he was thinking.
“No thank you.” was his response. Quick and straight to the point.
Dragons are crazy… Me? Riding on Eruhaben-nim’s back? Good lord, is that a death wish?
As he walks through the balcony of one of the east wings, Cale decides to stop near the library. There are two guards next to each of the library doors and when both of them sights his presence, they immediately greet him.
“Young master Cale, good evening!” they chorus. Cale waves at them idly as he gestures at the door. The guards nod at the same time and open the door for him.
The library is still lit albeit slightly dimmer in day time. He hears some shuffling noises from his back and turns. The guards seem like they are debating to ask him something. They both flinch when Cale looks at them with frowns and arms crossed.
‘What do you want?’ is what his gesture says.
“Um- Young Master, what may bring you to the library this late?”
Cale raises one of his eyebrows. The guard quickly continues as he’s afraid to offend the young master.
“I’m afraid the librarian is unable to assist you as right now is not her work time...”
In the morning, Ron told him that there was a huge package from the Duke when Cale has asked him about the commotion that disturbed his morning nap.
(Yes, he naps after breakfast. Choi Han already gave him a good amount of scolding and the maroon only doozily nodded at him)
“I want to check the newly sent package.” Cale simply replies.
Both of the guards form “O” at his reply before nodding and excusing themselves.
Now that the guards are away, Cale takes his time strolling in the library. As he arrives at the second floor, the maroon spots a new thing in the middle of the reading area.
The package turns out to be a newly commissioned piano that is crafted under the request and supervision of the Duchess, Violan. It really shows how Violan’s influence is sculpted on the piano. Broken white instead of ebony, the sculpted tri legs and the engraved gold turtle on the fallboard. All of these details really match with her aesthetic.
Though this makes him question why the Duchess put a piano in the library instead somewhere else.
“Maybe it’s for decoration?” Cale tries to reason himself as he walks toward the piano. Leisurely he drags the chair and opens the lid, revealing brand new piano keys.
With languid fingers and curiosity, Cale presses three keys. Soft cheerful G major chords can be heard.
“Oh-”
It’s a real one. An actually working piano.
“But why in the library though…”
Before he realises, his fingers already dance across the keys, absentmindedly playing whatever notes that come from his memory. With soft sighs, Cale stops and puts his hands away from the keys. Closing his eyes, he lets his records play inside his mind.
In his previous life, especially at the apocalypse, music wasn’t a common occurrence. Everyone fought their lives and anything beside that wasn't their priority.
But to Kim Rok Soo, music was one of the remaining memories from his parents.
It wasn’t like anyone knew that he could sing, or he hated singing. It just there was only a little time for him to relax and without knowing, he already forgot about that.
Though one day, Rok Soo still remembers it clearly despite his Record ability isn’t awakened yet at that time. He remembers how the little kid they saved was fighting with nightmares. There were only him, Lee Soo Hyuk, Choi Jung Soo and the trembled kid in Jung Soo’s embrace.
The kid murmured in his sleep about his parents. Jung Soo who cradled him, petted him while tenderly shushing. Hoping that the nightmare will go away.
“Jung Soo.”
“Hm?” he replied tiredly.
“Rest. Give him to me. I’ll hold him.”
“Nah no need, you need rest too Rok Soo-yah.”
Kim Rok Soo sighed, instead of persistent replies that both of his hyungs expected, they saw him moving closer to Choi Jung Soo. Carefully, Kim Rok Soo held the shaking hands. His warm palm met with cold small palms, Kim Rok Soo rubbed those palms with his thumb.
He didn’t realise the questioning and curious look his hyungs gave and what happened next shocked them.
Honey is for bees, silly bear
And besides there's jelly beans everywhere
It's not what it seems in the land of dreams
Don't worry your head, just go to sleep
Kim Rok Soo didn’t remember the next lyrics so he hummed instead. Soon enough, the kid on Choi Jung Soo’s arms slowly stopped shaking and his breaths were easened.
When he saw that, Kim Rok Soo sighed faintly. After that he withdrew from them to get back to his sleeping spot. But as he did that, he saw both of his hyungs jawdropped and stunned like a deer caught in a headlight.
“What?”
“Dongsaeng- you... you can sing?!” Lee Soo Hyuk loudly whispered, careful to not awaken the finally peaceful sleeping kid.
“Holy shit, are we in heaven right now? Because I swear that was so fucking beautiful”
Kim Rok Soo glared at Choi Jung Soo.
“But that’s the truth though?” he retorted back.
“Well so what if I could sing a little-”
“A little?! Ow- don’t smack me!” Jung Soo’s small shriek almost stirred the kid awake.
After rubbing the not really stinging arm, Choi Jung Soo grinned.
“Rok Soo-yah, how about you sing for us-”
“Good night.”
Kim Rok Soo didn’t see Choi Jung Soo’s pouting face but he definitely heard soft giggles from Lee Soo Hyuk before covering himself with a blanket.
Bitter smile, aching heart. The maroon opens his eyes as the record stops playing.
Until now the regret still lingers but before the spiralling hatred crawls, his mind abruptly recalls how Alberu kissed the back of his neck and soft kiss landed on his eyelids from Choi Han. Telling him that it’s okay and no, he didn’t fail his hyungs.
Strong arms caged him, washing the anxiety away.
Comforting him in a way that none else could.
Cale hufts before grins at the memory.
Adagio, the maroon starts to play some notes. Immerses in the atmosphere he’s in, Cale hums softly.
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing makes us feel alive
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
Times forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
Wait for me to come home
Cale doesn’t really remember the lyrics after that part so he hums at the rest of the song. Such a tranquil atmosphere he rarely has even after the Final War.
To have a private quiet moment only for himself.
To reminisce and bask under comfort.
And he absolutely will enjoy it to the utmost.
That’s what he thinks.
Unknown to him, a trio, hidden behind the bookshelves with a record on her hand, the guards and the librarian gape at their young master performance. They are mesmerised and cannot believe with their own eyes and ears that their young master has a hidden talent.
It starts with one of the guard's innocent suggestion and now three of them agreed to record this beautiful moment.
The Roan needs to know how talented their young master- no, their hero, The Silver Shield is.
The next day, Hans wakes Cale up for his late breakfast and to his surprise, his young master seems to be waking up easily as he takes the glass he offers to the maroon.
“Young master is in a good mood, it seems?” Hans notes as Cale places the mug back to his palm.
“Hm? Am I?”
“I mean usually young master will ignore me for an hour before waking up though.”
Cale throws a deadpan look to Hans. The orange haired butler hurriedly asks if he wants breakfast in the bed instead and Cale rolls his eyes as the response.
After seeing Hans exiting from his bedroom, Cale looks at the window before rolling to get to the other side of his bed. Cold feet touching the carpeted floor, Cale stands up. Pushing the golden curtains aside, as he opens the window, Cale can feel warm spring air gently embrace him.
‘Today is a good day’ he thinks.
In the royal palace, in Alberu’s room, the newly appointed Emperor can be found drowning in paper works.
Well, not right now at least. He’s now taking a small evening break.
Suddenly, he can hear door knocking in a specific pattern that Alberu can immediately recognise.
“Hello Aunt, perfect timing. Do you want a cup of-” the blond cuts himself as he raises his eyebrows at his aunt… excitement?
“Alberu come here come here!” The disguised dark elf sits down on his sofa while motioning him to get closer and pats the seat next to her
Carefully with two cups of freshly brewed tea, Alberu slides her cups to her before placing his own. He then sits next to her, slightly tilting his head sideways.
“Aunt? What’s wrong?”
“Oh dear cousin, you have to see this!”
Alberu watches his aunt pulling out a small record device and as she presses the start button, his jaw drops.
Today’s training ends earlier than the usual schedule, Choi Han notes. With many royal guard trainees lying on the ground exhaustedly, the jetblack swiftly swings his wooden sword as he ends the training session.
“Go wash yourself and tomorrow we will start at 6.”
“Yes Instructor-nim…” the trainees chime tiredly.
None of them understand how Choi Han, for the past 2 weeks of training, doesn’t look tired at the end of the day.
‘Swordmaster is really a league of its own’
‘As expected of the Emperor’s instructor’
When Choi Han leaves the battle ground, he tilts his head at the murmurs he gets while walking back to his bedroom in the royal palace. Although Choi Han can hear their murmurs, he doesn’t really understand the meaning since it’s mostly only quiet squeals and “oh my god you guys have seen it right?”
He is greeted with his personal butler (not that he really needs one, but Alberu insists anyway). Choi Han greets back at him and drops his gloves at the basket that the butler carries. The man then pushes open his bedroom and prepares his clothes right away.
Choi Han doesn’t really pay attention to that and goes to the bathroom.
Tomorrow night he will head back to the Rain city since there isn’t any training in the day after tomorrow, also he misses Cale-nim too.
So with fresh clothes and slightly damp hair, Choi Han let himself be led by his butler to the dining room.
Alberu sits in contemplation as he recalls the evening event.
When his aunt pressed that start button, he was greeted by the dim scenery of the library, and then in the middle it was a maroon sat on a white stool, playing the piano while singing beautifully.
To say that Alberu is enthralled by the sight is definitely an understatement. Albeit the shaky record, Cale's voice was recorded clearly. The young master's breathtaking voice, accompanied with his remarkable piano skill, Alberu dares to say that Cale looks like an angel.
With his mind still occupied by the thought of Cale’s singing, the emperor doesn’t notice the jetblack arrival.
“Your Highness?”
Alberu snaps out instantly. His hand reaches out of habit as Choi Han leans down to place a soft kiss on the lip. Alberu can feel small droplets of water dripping from the back of Choi Han’s neck. As they pull away, the blond sees a small smile from the youthful looking man.
“Are today’s affairs that bad?” Choi Han asks.
“Mm… not really.” Alberu watches Choi Han take a seat across from him.
“Then why the long face?” Choi Han looks at his love while the serveurs serve his food and his drink.
Alberu doesn’t answer him right away and waits until the serveurs finish their job before dismissing them. They begin to eat together in silence.
After finishing their main courses, Choi Han slices his melon jelly as he glances at Alberu. The jetblack notices there’s something that seems to ridicule him.
“Oh by the way, I plan to go back to Cale-nim’s…”
“Say Choi Han, about Cale-”
Both of them blink in surprise.
“What about Cale-nim, Your Highness?”
Alberu massages his temples as he asks.
“Do you know if Cale can sing?”
“No… I don’t-”
“I see, not even you know.”
“Your Highness?”
“Choi Han, do you mind if you sleep in my room tonight?”
The swordmaster stops eating and pushing aside his desert as he folds his arm on the table.
“What is happening Alberu?”
Now, both of the jetblack and the blond are sitting in the king sized bed. Alberu leans at Choi Han’s well-built chest while the older man places his head on the blond’s shoulder, curiously looks over at the recording device he’s holding.
Just like him, Choi Han’s jaw drops as Alberu presses the start button.
As the record finishes playing, Choi Han removes himself to face Alberu with amazement .
“He sounds…”
“Angelic, right?”
Nodding at his response, Alberu somehow can see puppy ears popping from his love’s hair.
“But Your Highness-”
“Alberu.”
“But Alberu, why does this concern you in the dining room?”
“I got this recording device from my aunt.” Alberu replies swiftly.
The jetblack pupils widen at the realisation and before he panics, Alberu holds his hand instantly. The Cale both of them know is a private person and the shaky, very amateur-ish recording is also an instant give away for Choi Han.
“Calm down, Choi Han. I just got this in the evening and tomorrow, I will ask the mage brigade to-”
“And let this spread even further? A recording of Cale-nim without Cale-nim’s consent?!”
“Then what can we do right now, Choi Han?”
“I-”
To be honest, he also doesn’t know because it’s still unknown to them how far the recording has spread. He also cannot blindly accuse nor gather anyone with the record in this late of time.
The two sit in silence.
That night, none of them can sleep peacefully.
Unlike yesterday, Cale wakes up earlier and he plans to slack even longer. Although Cale wakes in cold sweats, he plans to ignore the stupid prenemotion he received from his dream. In his dream, everyone chants at him as the Hero of the Continent. Although the Final Battle ended a few years ago, apparently everybody cannot forget about it and keep praising him for his quote-unquote sacrifice.
The young master grumpily answers at the doorknock. Hans greets him with a very cheerful face that annoys the shit out of him.
“Young master, the Duke and the Duchess ask if perhaps young master Cale is keen on having breakfast together?”
Inclining his head slightly, Cale thinks it’s been a while for him to have breakfast together with his family.
“Sure.”
As he walks to the dining room, Cale out of nowhere gets a deja vu from his stupid dream. Ignoring the awe stares from his maids and butlers, Cale enters the room leisurely.
Despite the empty seat on the Duke’s right, across the Duchess seat, the seat for the first born- the successor for the Henituse, Cale always chooses the farthest seat from them.
“Good morning.” he greets them. As always, he is the latest to arrive at the family breakfast.
“Huft...huft… why does it feel like today Instructor-nim trains us more viciously than before?” a trainee complains to her friend in their rest time.
“Maybe he’s in a bad mood?”
“That’s not professional, you know. And we all know that Instructor-nim isn’t.” Another trainee chimes in.
“Shit, you are right.”
“Oh by the way, have you guys seen that record-”
“What record?”
Everyone jolts as they notice Choi Han’s sudden appearance behind them. The jetblack doesn’t look into them. Instead he fixes his gloves and swings his sword idly. The trainees notice faint black smoke coming up and slowly wrapping the wooden sword. Everyone stands in fright and nervousness.
“What record?” the swordmaster asks once more and stares coldly at them.
“A-about the Commander-nim singing…”
Loud cracks, ground rumbling. All of sudden everyone shrieks in fright as Choi Han stabs (yes stabs) his wooden sword to the training ground. Leaving huge cracks that anyone nears jumps back at reflex.
“Where did you get the record?”
“Huh, pardon?”
Deruth clears his throat quietly before repeating what he just said.
“You have a very good voice. I never know that you can sing.”
Cale drops his spoon carelessly, creating loud clink noises. Disbelief paints on his face instantly. Everyone inside the dining room shocks at his dreaded expression, as if they don’t expect this kind of response from him.
“How…”
Loud footsteps coming from the cold looking Emperor’s Instructor as he strides to the hallway. Everyone in the palace quivers in fright mixed with pity when they see black auras surrounding him. The pity is for the some trainees behind the Instructor as they follow him in nervousness.
When Choi Han arrives at Alberu’s room, the guards' greeting halt abruptly. Ignoring their jolt, Choi Han kicks the door open that makes everyone near him startle in surprise.
That includes Alberu himself. The Emperor places his teacup back and rises from his seat. He frowns worriedly while opening his arms, which the jetblack accepts instantly. Before Alberu can ask anything, Choi Han tells him.
“I destroyed your training ground, sorry.”
“Uh.. uhuh…”
“That recording already spreads amongst the trainees.”
“What-”
“Someone apparently broadcasted it yesterday in the town square.”
“Huh?!”
"I already destroyed the devices.”
Alberu pinches his eyebrows and sighs. He pats Choi Han’s back as he replies.
“I’ll deal with it, go back to Henituse.”
Hearing the words, Choi Han releases his hug immediately as he exits the room. Leaving Alberu tiredly crosses his arms at the trainees that followed Choi Han here. He sits on his sofa, back leaning to the backrest.
“Do not leave any details.” he simply commands and they hurriedly nodding as the response.
Cale tries to continue his breakfast but his shaking hand makes him having difficulties to pick up his silverware. When Deruth tells him he knows from a recording, Cale knows he fucked up.
“I... I need to cool my head.” The maroon abruptly stands up.
Don’t look for me.
“Please excuse me.”
Cale doesn’t look back to his family’s reaction as his mind is too occupied by the fact that someone has recorded him, without his knowledge, and spreads it to the public. He also doesn’t realise that he has been running through the hall to his bedroom when he bumps at the alarmed Hans.
“Don’t fucking enters my room.”
And then a loud slam.
Spiraling fright crawling into his mind and Cale closes all the open windows and the curtains. Hurriedly grabbing his blanket, the maroon dives into his bed and feigns ignorance as he slowly enters the dreamland.
.
.
.
When he opens his eyes from a long dream, Cale sees a pair of onyx smiles at him tenderly. Calloused fingers tuck some red strands behind his ears. The maroon that clearly still in dream haze, stirs closer to the jetblack to steal a kiss. But somehow he can’t get closer since a pair of terra-cotta arms slings around his stomach, hugging him closely.
Cale realises shortly that three of them are tangled without any pieces of clothing. Blush creeps from his cheek as his brain tries to process what is happening.
The jetblack giggles at his liege’s confusion as he lands a kiss to his mouth, which the maroon reciprocates immediately. Now that Choi Han pulls away for him to get his oxygen supplies back, the ebony steals that chance to give him another deep kiss.
“Morning Cale-nim.”
“Morning Cale.”
Cale sleepily rubs his eyes before lazily smiling at his beloveds.
“Morning… Gosh, how long have I been sleeping?” Cale yawn stops midway since Alberu lands another kiss to the maroon.
“Enough for you to recover and rest your body Cale-nim.” Choi Han dutifully replies while planting some light kisses on his neck.
Slowly, the maroon detangles himself from these two clingy morning octopi as he sits up and stretches his body. Prominent body lines with slight protruding scapulas become a spectacle for Alberu and Choi Han. The latter playfully traces at Cale’s spine.
“Ack- stop! It tickles!” Cale turns around to lightly smack at Choi Han, to which the jetblack jokingly replies “Ouch ouch!”
Now looking around, Cale notices something different from his room- wait no, this is his room, but in Super Rock villa. Cale frowns since he recalls the last time he fell asleep, he was in the Henituse mansion.
Was it only a dream?
“What’s with the long face, dongsaeng?” Alberu tenderly pulls Cale down to lay with them. Cale feels Choi Han spoons at his side, resting his head on Cale’s shoulder while Alberu propping his head with his arm to take a better look at Cale.
“I think I just had a very realistic dream…”
“About?”
Cale looks at the curious cedar eyes and glances away. His hand idly pets Choi Han’s hair and the jetblack happily hums at the touch.
“...It’s not important anyway.”
Alberu smirks as he softly kisses his forehead.
.
.
.
“If you say so Cale. Don’t worry about anything.”