Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Where do you think you are going without a jacket?” the firm voice of his mother made Baekhyun stop in his tracks before he could even touch the doorknob. He spun on his heels, whining dramatically at her.

“Mom! It’s almost summer! And I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Then why do I still have to dress you up like a doll, mister adult?” she called him ironically while forcing a light jacket on her son.

“That’s not fair! All my friends around this time of year start hanging out in short sleeves.”

“You can never, ” she stated even more seriously, almost threatening. But then her expression softened again when she tried to make Baekhyun wear a hat too. “And this year is different. It’s only going to get colder.”

“But if it’s going to be cold, then what about our strawberries? They need sunshine to be sweet.”

“It doesn’t matter, honey,” mama Byun sighed, fixing the messy black curls. Then she checked Baekhyun’s forearm hidden under two layers of long sleeves and breathed out with relief when she saw the bandage in the right place. She smiled too, but there was nothing happy about it. “Only your safety does.”

His mother often said that. Baekhyun wasn’t exactly sure why. He wasn’t aware of any danger near them. Actually, the Byuns led a pretty peaceful life. They lived in a village right next to the capital city where they had a family strawberry farm run for generations. It seemed like a perfect place, tranquil and spacious, free from the everyday chaos of the city. But at the same time, it was close enough to school, the market or the medic. They could even see the palace from afar.

Baekhyun was a bit careless, or more like a bit naïve and too emotionally invested, but he was responsible enough to gain some freedom from his parents as a kid. His parents had only one rule that had stayed unchanged for years — never let anyone see his soul mark. But not that fake tattoo that his mother tried to keep as realistic as she could. They meant the little flame that was always hidden underneath the tightly wrapped bandage and layers of long sleeves.

Mama Byun promised little Baekhyun that one day he would understand why she was doing this. Back then, the kid was too busy stealing strawberries from the farm and playing in the sandbox to care. But now, after Baekhyun finished school and became a young adult, as he watched his classmates or neighborhood friends slowly pairing up, he slowly realized that his mother wanted him to never meet his soulmate. And he couldn’t understand why it would make him happy.

The idea of soulmates was beautiful. Each pair was blessed with a unique mark that usually appeared during the teen years on a wrist. The mark was often meaningful, representing something special about the soulmates and their lives. It wasn’t rare for soulmates to be close before finding out, but even if they were strangers, fate always had a way for them to connect.

His parents were soulmates, a pretty good match. And together, they were one happy family. Growing up in such a full of affection environment, it was only natural that Baekhyun wished to continue spreading love further. One day in his own little family.

“Hell, it’s so cold!” Jongdae’s annoyed voice startled Baekhyun, snapping him out of his thoughts. Baekhyun blinked a few times and looked at his friend, who intensively tried to warm up his hands. Then he looked at his plate and realized that the content was gone.

“Where is my food?” he asked, confused. He realized that their plates had been swapped. “Did you just eat my food?”

“You haven’t been paying attention to the point you didn’t even notice I ate it, dumbass.” Jongdae rolled his eyes. “It was already cold anyway.”

“Maybe I wanted to eat it cold!”

“That’s the biggest lie. You hate everything that is cold.”

It was true, and Baekhyun knew that, so he could only stick his tongue out playfully.

Since it was still too cold for strawberries, Baekhyun was excused from working on the farm by his father. The childhood friends used this opportunity to meet up at their favorite rice soup place. Many people were now on their way or already having dinner, so the streets were busy and loud. Clients shouted out their orders at aunts running the taverns and slurped the food to show how much they enjoyed it while having heated discussions over various matters.

A regular day in the Fire Kingdom’s capital.

“Did you talk to your parents?” Jongdae picked up a conversation. Baekhyun shook his head. “When are you going to do that?” He asked again, and Baekhyun shrugged. “You said you would tell them.”

“I don’t know. They need help on the farm. And if it continues to be so cold, the harvest won’t be good. We might not have enough money,” he sighed.

The Byuns were an extraordinary family. It was Baekhyun’s great grandfather’s dream to run the strawberry farm, but no one knew he had to run away first. The great grandfather belonged to the yangban — the highest class that enjoyed many privileges and great power. In order to fulfill his dream, Baekhyun’s grandpa had to keep his status a secret. To this day, only the village’s magistrate, the family friend, knew about their complicated situation. Meanwhile, the Byuns had been living as the sangmin — the class of farmers, merchants and fishermen. A yangban family would lose their status if no one in three generations passed the state exam.

“Baek, this is really one in a million chance that a teacher from the Royal Academy noticed you.”

“Don’t remind me, I’m still embarrassed. I was literally washing my underwear in the river.” He hid his face in his hands.

“That’s the point! You do it so effortlessly. It’s high time some professional appreciated and helped you develop this talent.”

“I’m sure everyone at Royal Academy can do that. Don’t look at me like that,” Baekhyun snapped when Jongdae rolled his eyes. “I need to think realistically. I can’t be any better than students who have learned art since childhood from the best teachers. I will probably fail the very first exam.”

“You won’t know if you don’t try.”

Baekhyun sighed. His friend could be very persistent if he wanted. And he knew that Jongdae wanted what was the best for him. But life wasn’t so simple, unfortunately. Some dreams weren’t meant to come true.

Both turned their heads towards the noises coming from the street. They heard horses and then a knocking sound as if someone was pinning a new announcement to the local news board. The friends looked at each other confused. New announcements were always pinned Tuesday morning after the weekly audiences on Mondays. Unless it was very urgent.

The two boys paid for their meals and followed the crowd to see what was going on. Many people had already gathered, and it took a while until they could even get close enough to read anything. But the royal stamp was visible from afar. And judging from the confused looks and swears, the news wasn’t good.

“They are looking for the king’s soulmate?” Jongdae gasped. “But it’s almost always a royal from a different kingdom or someone from the yangban.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this monster was born without a soulmate,” a woman from the crowd said.

“I pity this poor soul. What a nightmare to live beside a monster till your last days.”

An older man on the other side spat on the ground. “This bastard deserves to die alone,” he said, and a wave of nods followed. The atmosphere was tense; more swear words and voices of disapproval echoed through the crowd. The situation was getting out of control.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jongdae suggested, turning around. He stopped in his tracks when he was his friend’s face. “Baek, are you all right? You suddenly look pale.”

The young man took a few steps back, almost tripping over his own feet. He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath. The people around him started paying attention to his odd behavior. Baekhyun felt even more intimidated by the prying eyes, whispers and questions.

No, he was not all right.

“I h-have to go,” he muttered to Jongdae and ran off, pushing away the crowd harshly. Baekhyun earned some ugly names and angry shouts directed at him; someone even tried to pick up a fight, but the boy was determined to get the hell out of there. Years of working on the farm improved his stamina significantly, even if he didn’t look so.

It was a bit insane to run the whole distance from the capital to the farm, but the adrenaline rushing in his veins forced his body to escape the danger, his legs to move, his voice to scream. Baekhyun wanted to scream at the top of his lungs; he was already choking on his tears, tearing apart the bandage on his hand that he suddenly hated so much. Where did this sudden outburst come from? Why was it so hard to control these emotions? Baekhyun was energetic, but he was patient too. And at that moment, he felt like he was about to explode any second.

But figuring out his feelings wasn’t as important as confronting his mother now. Baekhyun stormed into their house, startling the family members inside.

“Am I the king’s soulmate?” he just asked. His mother accidentally added twice the amount of gochujang she usually added to the soup. “If they couldn’t find the soulmate among the nobility, it means it’s a commoner. Is it me?”

His mother cleared her throat. “What are you saying, honey? The king’s soul mark—”

“Is a flame. Just like mine.”

“No, darling, you are wrong,” she smiled, walking up a few steps. Then she grabbed his right hand and lifted the sleeve. “This is your soul mark. A strawberry.”

“This is your lie!” Baekhyun snapped at his mother, surprising her. “The lie you created for me to live in for more than twenty years. And I’m so tired, mom, so tired of pretending.”

“I’m just trying to protect you,” her voice suddenly stopped sounding so soft. “I thought you would understand when you get older.”

“That you tried to take away my soulmate from me?! How can anyone understand! What if someone took away dad from you?”

“Byun Baekhyun, do you hear yourself? You’ve lived here your entire life. How can you compare anyone to this—”

“JUST STOP!” he screamed at the top of his lungs, taking his mother aback completely. She even took a step back from her unpredictable at the moment son. “Stop, stop, stop calling him that! None of you have ever seen him, but everyone is so quick to judge.”

“Because we are being realistic, not driven by emotions. I thought I have raised you better than defending someone who killed his parents.”

Baekhyun let out a quiet gasp, being the one who took a step back this time.

“If you go to him, you might as well stop calling yourself a Byun.”

His father finally spoke up in the background and mumbled something about overreacting. As always, he stepped up at the last possible moment, never leaving his comfort zone if he didn’t have to, never referring directly to his soulmate’s words. He always spoke in a general manner unless Baekhyun was the one crossing the line; then, he suddenly wasn’t afraid to react stronger. He wished at least Baekbeom had been here. His older brother always stood by his side.

Baekhyun didn’t register what his father was saying. His brain was still processing his mother’s words. He stared at her with wide-open eyes, shaking his head in disbelief as he moved backward. He felt the hard surface of the wooden door and turned around in one smooth movement, running away. His name being shouted reached his ears a few times, but he didn’t turn around this time.

He slowed down only when the calming sound of the river reached his ears. He leaned on the tree next to one side of the bridge just at the edge of the riverbed. Baekhyun closed his eyes, giving them the long-awaited rest, but they still hurt, being red and swollen. The deep breath filled his lungs with fresh air, but his chest still felt heavy. It was probably going to stay like this for a while. His mother’s words rang in his head.

The king’s parents were indeed dead. Was it because of him? If a baby inside their mom’s belly could have any influence on anything , then probably. Because the former queen did pass away during labor, and that day by day, she looked like she had one foot in the grave was a painful fact. Not only did the pregnancy exhaust her, but so did the stress before she could even get pregnant in the first place. The people of the Fire Kingdom loved their king and queen. Through wise reforms, the king guaranteed safety and stability, and the queen, so full of love and kindness, filled the people’s lives with comfort and happiness. It was a golden era for the Fire Kingdom, the historians agreed.

But the king only had one sister whose soulmate had passed away before she could have a chance to meet them, so the responsibility of prolonging their succession line was on him. Even though both were perfectly healthy, it took years for the queen to get pregnant. And it wasn’t even a happy end. The death of their precious queen enraged the people. The crown prince become the most hated person in the kingdom the moment he took his first breath, taking away his mother’s. And it became worse when the king, devastated by the loss, followed his soulmate right after.

A couple of days was enough for the people of the kingdom to stand under the palace’s gate and demand the crown prince’s head. A barely few days old baby was treated as the epitome of evil, bad luck or even the devil himself. The only reason the prince lived was the prime minister, who promised to keep the prince away and take care of the state affairs himself.

Nothing had been the same since that day. People blamed the prince for everything from losing a job to hitting the door with a toe. And because no one had ever seen him, they quickly gave him a face of a monster. The crown prince eventually had to become a king last year as only the royal blood could bear the fire element. Without one, the kingdom could freeze to death.

But it had already got significantly colder, and it seemed like another perfect reason to hate the current king. After all, he had only one job since the prime minister was still in charge, and he couldn’t do even that.

Baekhyun suddenly felt a pinch in his chest. Could it be so cold because they hadn’t found each other yet? He was the king’s other half, after all. Maybe—

“ Are you all right ?” a deep, oh so deep voice suddenly startled the boy as he was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. He spun on his heels, ready to jump away. Too bad for him, he was standing at the edge, and the ground magically disappeared under his feet. Baekhyun closed his eyes, anticipating the meeting with the freezing water of the river.

Instead, he felt a strong arm on his waist.

Maybe this day wasn’t exactly unfortunate. He was lucky that the stranger’s reflex was on point. And when the boy caught a glimpse of those big, ridiculously wide eyes hidden underneath a shadow of a hood, he was as frozen as if he had really fallen into the river.

“Saint fire, I never meant to scare you!” the stranger said, pulling Baekhyun away from the edge. “Please, accept my apologies. I noticed you here alone, and you were standing so close… for a moment I was afraid you wanted to jump.”

“J-jump?!” Baekhyun finally blinked. He turned around again to take a look at the strong river current. His body shivered.

“You might think I am rude to interfere, but I had to react. Better safe than sorry.”

“You were sorry, though,” the smaller noticed. Smaller because another noticeable feature about the stranger was his extraordinary height; he towered Baekhyun completely. And the deep chuckle that followed right after. Probably deeper than the river next to them or the oceans which Baekhyun had read about in books.

“Right. But about scaring you, not intervening. In fact, I am glad I did. It looks like those pretty eyes did shed some tears,” he pointed out, handing over a small handkerchief.

Baekhyun let out a weird snort-like sound as he accepted the gift, turning around in embarrassment. He sniffed, looking up to try to get rid of the urge to cry again. He didn’t cry often, and there was nothing worse than someone watching him doing so.

“It’s getting late. Let me walk you home,” the stranger suggested, but Baekhyun immediately shook his head. He sat on the cold ground next to the tree again, curling up.

“I’m not going back there,” he stuttered.

“Then at least some aunt? Friend? You cannot possibly spend the night outside. It’s dangerous.”

But going to Jongdae was not an option. Not only were his and Jongdae’s mothers friends, but Jongdae too would immediately start questioning him about what happened. Making his friend worry was the last thing Baekhyun wanted right now.

“I hate being a burden.”

The stranger sighed, and that deep sound made Baekhyun shiver. He sat at a respectful distance, spreading his long legs, and stared at the moon's reflection in the water.

“I have heard spilling your guts to a stranger is a good idea since they have got a clear perspective,” he said. “And I happen to be a very good listener.”

Baekhyun sniffed, wiping his tears. He needed a while to calm down again, but his voice still betrayed him when he tried to speak.

“My mom doesn’t want me to meet my soulmate because she thinks he is a bad guy,” he summed up.

“Is he a bad guy?”

Baekhyun shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Then how does she know?”

“Rumors, actually. But if so many people believe in them so strongly, then there must be something about it, right? The rumors didn’t come out of nowhere.”

“Rumors can easily ruin someone’s life.”

“So do you think I should go to him? Find it out myself?” Baekhyun cheered up for a moment, happy that the stranger shared his opinion.

“But mothers…” he continued, “mothers are incredible. A good mother will do everything to protect the life she carried for nine months under her heart. I am certain she wants your happiness and safety.”

“She said I didn’t have to come back home,” Baekhyun remembered, lowering his head again to look at his fingers.

The stranger hummed. “Do you have siblings?” he asked. Baekhyun nodded. “See, you are not the only one facing a difficult decision. No decision is bad or good because life is not black and white in the first place. We choose what we think is the best, but sometimes the outcome is not what we expected at all. Whose fault is that? You cannot predict the future. We cannot change someone’s mind either, but we can decide what we do with it.”

Baekhyun crunched his nose. The stranger sounded wise, but his mind was too exhausted to process these words.

“What I am trying to say is that you might not know what the right decision is until you make it.”

“I’m scared,” Baekhyun admitted. “Because what if mom is right? What if he is bad? People will hate me, hate my family. My brother has just begun a new, happy life with his soulmate; I can’t just destroy it. But… why would fate bond me with someone who would make me unhappy?”

They finally looked at each other again. The hood and the shadow of the night did a good job at covering the stranger’s face. But Baekhyun could still see the cute dimple that popped up next to his lips curved into a smile.

“I think you have already made the decision a long time ago, puppy face,” he chuckled while seeing Baekhyun’s confused expression. “You just have to grow up to accepting it.”

“I made one for sure.” The smaller finally stood up from the cold ground. “I’m not going back home.”

And that was the first step to the series of big changes Baekhyun was planning. The stranger walked him all the way to the capital city’s gates. Maybe it wasn’t responsible to keep being alone with a man whose face he hadn’t completely seen, but the man had got a lot of time to hurt Baekhyun if he really wanted to do so. Why would he even save Baekhyun from falling into the river? Instead, Baekhyun trusted him and got a deep and wise conversation.

He stopped by their favorite rice soup tavern where the owner, aunt Hong, was still up and cleaning.

“Baekhyun, my dear child, what are you doing here so late? Your mother must be worried about you!”

“Let me help you, auntie,” he suggested, taking the dirty dishes from her.

Aunt Hong was once young too, so she let the kid stay over until the next day when his mother already knew where he had gone.

“Baekhyun, don’t be stubborn and come back home.” She followed him around the tavern while he was preparing the place.

“No, mom. Maybe it’s going to be better that way,” he sighed, setting up another pair of chopsticks and a spoon on one of the many tables. “I don’t want to work on the farm my entire life. In fact, I have been noticed by a teacher from the Royal Academy. This is the path I would like to follow now,” he finally confessed. “And I’m not angry at you or trying to be ungrateful. I know that you want to protect our family. But I want to be independent too.”

“Are you…” she whispered slowly, her eyes peeking at Baekhyun’s arm. He lifted the sleeve and showed her the bandage.

“I guess I will see how the situation develops.”

The woman nodded, and there was a moment of silence between them. Then, she suddenly closed her son in a tight hug. “You can always choose home, and we will be happy to welcome you back.”

Baekhyun bit his lip, swallowing the urge to agree. How easier would it be if he had followed his mother? Sleep in his own bed, work on the familiar farm, not risking any failure. But if he hadn’t left his comfort zone, Baekhyun didn’t know if he would be capable of doing it again.

Working at the tavern was hard. On the farm, he wasn’t under such time pressure. Every time he made a mistake, clients grew impatient. Though most people were kind to him since the Byun family was known as good and hard-working; his parents were respected in society. And everyone loved the strawberries, of course. They were still surprised to see Baekhyun there.

Aunt Hong agreed to hire Baekhyun for a room, a bowl of warm rice soup every day and some pocket money for now. At least one thing less to worry about.

Living in the capital city was different. In his village, most of his neighbors were other farmers or merchants. In the heart of the Fire Kingdom, people from all ranks met, and their different worlds collided on the streets during many daily life situations. It was especially easy to spot the yangban in the crowd. Ladies had their hair styled with rich pins, their complexion shone healthily, gentle make-up enhanced their beauty while men walked proudly with their heads up, overflowing with confidence. The most eye-catching were the beautiful clothes made of the best quality silk.

Baekhyun always felt a pinch of jealousy. One roll of silk was enough to pay for his entire education at Royal Academy. And each day at work ensured him that the gap between their statuses was huge and impossible to overcome.

Only the first day, he went to the market to buy the most necessary things like an extra hanbok and a new scarf since his clothes were at home. It was the first time he paid attention to the white cotton that the tops, jeogori, were made of when right beside were the prettiest jeogori he had ever seen. Baekhyun wished he could feel the silk against his skin at least once.

The other day, he was passing by a bookstall. They didn’t sell many books in the village since most people were illiterate. Baekhyun took it as a true occasion. He was ready to go through the collection when the owner noticed him and laughed.

“Nothing for you here, kid,” the old man mocked him and snapped the book from Baekhyun’s hands. “You will just make the cover dirty. Shoo.”

It was upsetting to be judged so easily. Baekhyun’s mother made sure both her sons could read, including some basic Chinese characters. But they couldn’t show off with this ability not to draw attention and raise suspicions. And it also wasn’t like his knowledge could compete with the real yangban who received the highest quality education, not to mention the king who had to study hard as a crown prince to meet the expectation of the officials and be able to rule wisely.

It made Baekhyun wonder. Would his soulmate accept a commoner like him? Would he mind that Baekhyun knew nothing about politics, economy, poetry? He couldn’t even talk about music yet. Only about strawberries.

Was it legal for them to be together? People didn’t like mixed couples, but they let it slide for the sake of bond. On the other hand, no couple had probably experienced such a huge gap. And Baekhyun’s insecurities were growing bigger day by day.

To add up to his problems, there was the gradually dropping temperature. When the citizens hoped to take off more layers of clothing soon, they actually had to take out winter clothes from the wardrobe again. The worst part was the water freezing in the well during the night. Baekhyun had to go all the way to the river to wash the dishes after the tavern was closed. Only a couple of days later, he noticed a man walking by the river with the familiar hood.

This time, Baekhyun immediately felt the warmth as soon as the stranger stood beside him. He crouched and helped Baekhyun with the dirty dishes no matter how many times the smaller said it was fine. He was already used to red, numb fingers.

“Mr. Hoodie, I made up with my mom,” Baekhyun informed, still focused on the chopsticks in his hands.

“I am delighted to hear that,” the stranger smiled. “What about your soulmate, then?”

“I think I should wait,” he sighed. The corners of his lips dropped, and he stopped washing to look at his hands instead. Baekhyun often heard compliments about his hands, but only he could feel how dry the skin was, the little scares that never healed, or how often his wrist hurt. “At first, I was happy to meet him as soon as possible. But the truth is, I am a nobody compared to my soulmate. I don’t want to bring him embarrassment.”

The stranger hummed, thinking of an answer. “I don’t know much about you, what more about your soulmate, but let me suggest something. Close your eyes,” he ordered, receiving a suspicious expression. He encouraged Baekhyun with a hand gesture. “Now, imagine that you meet.”

“But if don’t know how he looks like!”

“That’s perfect. Judging someone by their looks is often misleading. I assume his family has a higher rank than yours. Am I right?”

Baekhyun nodded. The gap between their families was terrifying. He squeezed the fabric of his scarf nervously.

“So now imagine that it is the other way around.”

Baekhyun snapped his eyes open, gasping loudly. How could he possibly do that?! A single thought about bearing the saint fire element was overwhelming! Not to mention that it was the biggest crime, offense, sin if the bearer was not the royal blood.

“It’s all right. It’s only a thought. Calm down,” he spoke softly. His voice did magic. “Let me get to the point. Think that your soulmate comes to you and says he is a nobody. That he is scared he is an embarrassment to you. What do you feel?” the stranger asked. “Close your eyes.”

Baekhyun did again as he was told and took a deep breath. “I would be sad.”

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. “The fate bonded us for a reason. Why would anything else matter?”

“Right.”

“But maybe only I think that way,” Baekhyun sighed, opening his eyes. “Because I’m not the yangban. What do you think, Mr. Hoodie?”

“I think it’s important what kind of person someone is. You seem like a good person, puppy.”

Baekhyun looked away shyly. How come this stranger’s words mattered so much to him?

“Anyway!” the boy cleared his throat. “We always talk about me. What are you doing here?”

“Well…” the taller hummed, fixing his hood.

“Wait!” Baekhyun suddenly interrupted him. “I do not wish to know if it is something illegal.”

“Why?” the man chuckled. “Do I look like trouble?”

“Of course! Only someone crazy goes out at night all covered. What happens if royal guards catch you?”

“Is that what you are worried about?” The stranger shook his head, visibly amused. “Not about being alone with that crazy stranger?”

“What are you saying so suddenly…” Baekhyun pouted, gathering all the dishes back into the basket. Then, he looked at the man again with a judging face this time. “Why would I be scared of someone who could have pushed me into the river but caught me instead? Do you want me to be scared?”

The stranger shook his head, chucking. “I need to think,” he admitted, “and this place is much better.”

Before Baekhyun had time to react, the man had already picked up the basket and started walking toward the gates. Baekhyun tried to snatch it back, but the stranger smoothly dodged him and continued to carry the basket. The smaller crossed his hands on his chest, pouting.

“But you should not be here alone after dark.”

“Why not?” Baekhyun snapped at him, still sulking. “You can, and I can’t? What rule is that? Do you own this river?!”

“The next person you meet might not be as nice as I am,” the stranger explained calmly.

Baekhyun looked down, kicking the small rock in his path. “Then you should always make sure that you are the first one I meet,” he mumbled. Then he immediately cringed at his own word, feeling the urge to slap his pink cheeks. Ah, where was his mouth filter? It felt like these words slipped out on their own.

“I will keep that in mind,” these words followed a deep chuckle.

Baekhyun was a little surprised, but he didn’t want to dwell on his embarrassing comment. He grunted. “Do you live in the capital?”

“I do,” the stranger confirmed after a long hum and head tilting gesture to indicate he was thinking about the answer.

“You should come to the tavern once. I work every day. I will ask the cook for a bigger portion of rice soup for you!”

“Thank you, pup. Maybe somewhere in the future.”

“Do you not know where it is? It’s okay, I only know where the tavern and the market are too. I can take you there, so you will know next time! I know the way from the main path perfectly. It’s very easy; I’m sure you can memorize it right away. We should—” Baekhyun stopped the blabbering when he realized that he didn’t hear the tapping noises of the dishes in the basket anymore. He turned around and spotted the taller standing under the tree. He titled his head, almost like puppies did when they were confused, and it caused a fit of laughter from the stranger. It was some pretty laugh if you asked Baekhyun.

“I will walk around for a little bit more,” the stranger explained, reaching out his hand with the basket. “You go. I will watch you until you reach the gates.”

Baekhyun nodded, grabbing the basket. “I guess I will see you?”

“Definitely, pup.”

***

The stranger kept his promise. Every night when Baekhyun had to wash the dishes in the cold river, the man kept him company. Even if they didn’t know their names, their conversations flew easily. Even if Baekhyun still didn’t know what his new friend looked like because of the hood he was always wearing, Mr. Hoodie listened to all stories from the farm and about strawberries and that mattered, not his looks.

Speaking about friends, Jongdae finally found out that Baekhyun had run away from home. He decided to announce that by storming inside the tavern and sharing his opinion on Baekhyun’s life decisions in a very obvious manner, summing it with an:

“Are you crazy, Byun?”

Baekhyun sighed. At least he managed to drag Jongdae to a secluded place where the clients didn’t have to listen to him.

“You wanted me to fight for my dreams. What’s your problem now?”

“But not run away from home!”

“If that’s the only option, then what to do? Do you think this is easy for me?”

“I don’t know, Baek.” His expression and voice finally softened. “It’s just unusual for your mom… well, she is the type to keep you at home at all costs, but she was always quite supportive.”

No, Jongdae didn’t know, and Baekhyun felt terrible about keeping the truth away from his best friend. Just like everyone else, Jongdae was convinced that Baekhyun’s soul mark was the fake strawberry and that the Byuns worked on the farm actually owned by their village’s magistrate since, as the sangmin, they couldn’t own land themselves. The situation was getting complicated, but he hoped he could keep Jongdae safe that way. Technically, they were breaking the law.

“I’m just worried. I know how important family is to you. Are you going to be okay?”

“I won’t know if I don’t try,” he reminded Jongdae of his own words. “Come on, take a seat. My only friend eats for free now.”

Jongdae immediately perked up at this delicious information, especially when a second later, his stomach announced that it was empty. Baekhyun snickered, pulling his friend out of the storage. Right away, they noticed that something was wrong — it was unusually silent even though the room was full of clients. Instead of exciting conversations, the customers were sitting with their heads down, whispering and nervously looking around.

Baekhyun followed their gazes and immediately understood the situation when he saw two royal guards sitting at one of the tables. It wasn’t uncommon to see them patrolling the capital city or eating in the taverns. Now that Baekhyun was working in one, he heard stories and rumors on daily basis. The most recent one was about the royal guards who picked random people on the streets and checked their soul marks. It raised the tension among the people.

“Can I take your order, sir?” Baekhyun asked the guards after gesturing to Jongdae to take an empty seat.

“You are new, but you are already slacking off,” one of the men commented.

“I am sorry for making you wait, sir. I am ready to help you now,” he managed to say calmly, but in reality, his hands were shaking like crazy behind his back.

“Three bowls of rice soup and two bottles of soju,” the other guard ordered. Baekhyun bowed politely and walked away to the kitchen.

One more guard joined them a bit later, and the tree only talked with each other, so the customers slowly relaxed again. It wasn’t that busy that day, so between serving the customers and wiping the tables from time to time, Baekhyun was able to sit and chat with Jongdae.

It was nice until the two bottles of soju that the guards ordered at first and the two more that they ordered later were emptied. Baekhyun sent his friend an anxious look when the drunk men called him to their table.

“Bring one more bottle, boy,” one guard stuttered.

“I’m afraid we have run out of soju, sir.”

The man hit the table with his fist, startling the poor boy. “How come?!”

“We have a delivery tomorrow morning.”

“I want it now! ” the man shouted as it was Baekhyun’s fault that they didn’t have the alcohol anymore.

“Relax,” the other man laughed, hiccupping. “You are from the Byuns, aren’t you? Why aren’t you on the farm, huh?”

“Right? Your brother got lucky, but you shouldn’t have high hopes.”

Baekhyun held a sigh. Calling it luck was a bit offensive, but it was true that his brother found a soulmate in a respected jungin family, and that raised his status on the social ladder. The jungin, or the middle people, were the upper-middle class, usually clerks but also royal servants or even consorts. They had some privileges but not as much as the yangban. The yangban usually used the jungin to oppress the sangmin.

Baekhyun’s family liked to call it a chance. Since their secret yangban status was going to expire with the next generation anyway, at least Baekbeom’s offspring could enjoy a more comfortable life.

“Or maybe he should?” the third guard suggested, and Baekhyun already didn’t like the look on his face.

He wanted to take a step back, but the closest sitting guard was already reaching out for him. The man caught his wrist strongly, yanking it at some weird angle while Baekhyun was trying to wiggle out. The guard almost ripped the sleeve of Baekhyun’s jeogori just to raise it and uncover his soul mark. He looked with disappointment at the strawberry, finally releasing Baekhyun’s hand when he had already created some bruises on it.

“What’s on his other hand, though?” the different guard said just when Baekhyun thought this hell was over. He looked at his other arm and noticed that the sleeve had folded while fighting with the man earlier, uncovering his bandage.

This time, he managed to dodge the rough grip though he was close to tripping over. He didn’t look back and ran out, getting lost in the crowd. It wasn’t the time to think about it, but the streets were really crowdy, and people were screaming, arguing, even fighting at some point.

What was going on?

Baekhyun looked back to see if he was being chased, but he couldn’t see the guards. They were probably too drunk, luckily for him. He slowed down to catch a breath and see what was happening. The crowd was the biggest around the news board, and Baekhyun attempted to get closer to read the new announcement that must have been pinned a while ago. He’d already got a headache from all these screams.

“ We have to find them and turn them in! ”

“ Right! ”

“ Are you crazy?! What if it’s someone from your family?! ”

“ So you’re saying your family is hiding something! ”

“We have to protect our children. We cannot give up so easily.”

“ That’s why we have to act quickly and give them the kid they want. They will leave us alone.”

“What if not? What if the palace wants more?”

“Imagine they take your grandchildren for this monster! ”

They continued the argument, and it was turning more serious second by second. It took one look at the announcement board to realize why the people were suddenly so angry.

MANDATORY SOUL MARK EXAMINATION

Each family member yet to be bonded shall undergo a soul mark examination by a special royal committee. The committee will begin visitations tomorrow morning. Absence will be punished.

A wave of cold sweats hit Baekhyun as if he wasn’t devastated enough. No, no— that wasn’t the plan! Why was it happening so quickly? Baekhyun just wanted to earn some money and enroll in Royal Academy before he would go to the king himself. Now, if he didn’t go home, his family would be punished. Or worse, the angry people would find him themselves, and he had no idea what would happen to him. They could go as far as killing him just to get rid of the king. They had wanted to kill a baby in the past, so what was there to stop them this time?

The sound of his name caught his attention even if he was nothing but distracted by the overwhelming, negative emotions. He turned around and saw Jongdae running. He looked to the side and saw the drunk guards chasing him. Jongdae tried to stop them by pushing them aside, and it was quite easy to knock them off when they were this drunk. But his friend was for sure getting in trouble for that.

Baekhyun wasn’t stupid to ignore Jongdae’s sacrifice and started running again. Especially since he was standing in the center in tears, taking almost everyone’s attention. He ran into the forest, not caring at the moment that he didn’t know this side of it at all, only that one from the side of his village. And it was getting dark. And cold. Baekhyun was wearing nothing but a hanbok and an apron. He didn’t have a map or matches. He couldn’t go back home.

He walked for a while, trying to calm down his breath and pounding heart. As adrenaline was wearing off, he started feeling the cold, the exhaustion and the bruises forming on his forearm.

Every time tweaks crushed, leaves rustled in the background, he got startled. He needed a shelter, maybe some cave, or he could climb a tree to make sure that predators couldn’t reach him.

Or maybe if he froze to death or got eaten alive that night, at least he wouldn’t be a problem anymore. His family would be safe, and people wouldn’t argue because of him. He hadn’t bonded with his soulmate yet, so maybe the king wouldn’t be so sad. Maybe if he was gone, it could be warm again.

Baekhyun wasn’t aware of how long he had been walking. He was probably deep in the mountains already, far from the city, but there was no way he could tell the real distance. That’s why it was even scarier when he saw a light from afar. It seemed like he wasn’t alone in the dark woods, but was it good or bad? Baekhyun didn’t want to find out, not when the guards could still be chasing him.

He sped up again. The light disappeared, but the sounds of steps were getting louder. Baekhyun was tired; his muscles felt heavy, his feet were sore, and he was shivering, but he used all the leftover energy to run. It was painful, his lungs begged for air, his body longed for rest, and his cold skin cried for warmth, but he kept running even if he was on the edge of collapsing.

Until a dark posture jumped in front of him and almost caused a heart attack.

“Hey, hey, it’s me,” the deep voice said calmly. Baekhyun could recognize it everywhere. He let the hooded man hold him when he burst into tears. “It’s all right, you are all right. Just listen to my voice, yes? Calm down, breathe. You are here, I am here, you are safe,” the man continued speaking, especially when he noticed how it worked on the boy almost immediately. “Saint fire, you are freezing. Let’s get you warm, pup.”

The man pulled him towards some big rock, securing him from falling all the way. Then, he used his cloak to cover the smaller and closed him in a hug. Baekhyun immediately felt a wave of warmth spreading over his numb body.

“Why are you h-here?”

“I am… not too sure. I had a feeling that I should be here,” he tried to explain. “I want to ask you that question.”

Baekhyun sniffed, forcing his face into the taller’s chest. The stranger (should he still be calling him that at this point?) smelled so nice, so comforting. Baekhyun almost melted when he felt fingertips scratching his scalp softly.

“Tell me,” the man repeated; his voice sounded still gentle and calm but somehow more authoritative, urging Baekhyun to do as he said. “You know you can trust me, right? Tell me who hurt you.”

“No one yet,” Baekhyun replied, voice hoarse. “Not yet. But I can’t go back. The guards— they will be looking for me. And the people. The people are angry. They are fighting because of me. And my family will be in danger. Ah… how are you so warm?” Baekhyun changed the topic when his skin was almost burning under the man’s touch.

But the stranger’s attention was obviously taken by something different as he wasn’t answering for a while and then suddenly stood up.

“Come on, you have to go home.”

“I can’t!” Baekhyun protested, fighting against the cold air that hit him again. “That wasn’t… it wasn’t the plan. I’m not ready. My mom will hate me again. And he… I’m so scared of his reaction.”

The boy yelped in surprise when he felt warm hands against his cheeks.

“Go back home. This is the only way I can protect you.”

“How do you want to protect me? You are just a random stranger! I don’t know your name, you don’t know my name. You can’t order me around like—“

“ Baekhyun, ” the man called him, and Baekhyun froze.

“H-how…?”

“I know more than you think. Now, allow me to take you home.” He reached out his hand. “Please.”

The boy looked at the hand hesitantly for a few seconds. He was fighting with his own thoughts. Any option he was going to choose was risky. If he stayed here, he would freeze or starve unless he’d reach some village, but then his family would suffer. If he went back to the capital, the people would capture him sooner or later. If he went back home, he was going to the palace. Into the unknown.

Baekhyun sighed and gave his hand. It was again this unexplainable urge to trust the man in front of him and then everything was going to be all right.

They started walking. The man was leading him through the dark forest; it was almost like walking with his eyes closed, but his every step was firm, clearly aware of where to go. It made Baekhyun feel safe, walking so closely he could feel the warmth from the taller, and they were holding hands this entire time too.

“I’m sorry I cannot offer you my cloak.”

“It’s okay. I’m not cold anymore.”

The man grunted. “How was work today?” he asked like every time they met at the river. It kind of became their habit.

“Jongdae came to scold me. I bribed him with free food.”

He chuckled. “What did he say?”

“He was overdramatic as always. You missed your chance for a big portion, by the way. Since I’m not going back to work.”

“Are you upset?”

“You should be upset!” Baekhyun called him out. “You missed it.”

“But are you upset that you can’t work there anymore?”

Baekhyun shrugged. “I'm used to working. That’s what our class do since we are born. But it was always fun on the farm, and Aunt Hong was nice too. It does get exhausting, and I’m not going to lie— or never mind.”

“I would like to hear about it,” the man assured him.

“Well… none of this has even been my dream. I still want to sing. But now, I don’t know what is waiting for me there. It’s scary, honestly. I have no idea what to expect. But I should trust my soulmate, right?”

“You definitely should.”

The sound of the river was getting closer, and soon Baekhyun realized that he finally knew where they were. He found the way home easily, but that only made him anxious. The two stood in front of each other, the man towering over him as always, so Baekhyun had to look up.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He felt tears gathering again. “I should be excited, but I’m scared.”

“Baekhyun,” the stranger called out his name again, “Baek. You will be all right. I can promise you that. Your family will be all right. I will take care of everything, so don’t cry, pup.” He cupped the smaller’s face and wiped the tears. “Hey, don’t cry, please.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Baekhyun cried, placing his hands on the stranger’s warm ones. “I haven’t told you everything about strawberries yet.”

“You will. Sooner than you think. You won’t have enough time to miss me.”

“You are so weird,” Baekhyun chuckled. “I bet you are a spy. You know my name, you know my face, but I still don’t.”

“I will show you my face and tell you my name next time.”

“Really?”

“Really really. Now go inside and rest. You deserve it.”

Baekhyun sniffed one more time and nodded. Before turning around to enter the house, one last time he hugged the tall man.

“Thank you. For keeping me company when I was so lonely and for listening to me.”

The stranger hugged him back, but Baekhyun caught him shaking his head and chuckling. “You are one dramatic pup. Shoo.”

Baekhyun pouted when he was gently pushed away, and the man even opened the door for him. The house was silent, which was odd considering his mother was a chatterbox. He went further and saw his parents, Jongdae, his brother and even his soulmate sitting at the table. His brother’s soulmate was the first to notice him, then his brother immediately stood up and ran up to him.

“Baek! Where have you been?!” Baekbeom asked. “We were so worried about you! We couldn’t find you in the tavern, and then the situation in the capital got so chaotic… Are you all right? They didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun confirmed, hiding the bruise on his forearm.

“Go pack up,” his mother ordered, “you are leaving early morning.”

“Mom, please—” the eldest son tried to protest.

“It’s already decided. The magistrate has a family in the southern province. You will hide there, and we will say that your transport was attacked by smugglers, and you went missing.”

Baekhyun felt like being thrown off a giant cliff. Words got stuck in his throat for a moment. “So you really care more about your reputation than what I want,” he noticed, his voice on the edge of cracking.

” Baekhyun, ” she warned him. “You are a kid. You don’t know what you want.”

“But I’m old enough to decide about my life,” he talked back. “I came back home because I don’t want any consequences for you all. I will let them take me to the palace tomorrow.”

“How do you know that they are going to take you to the palace and not abandon you in some mountain?”

“What’s the difference for you?” he snapped back at his mother, sadness changing into irritation. “At least your rumor would be true.”

Mama Byun gasped, and her expression suddenly softened. She seemed more shocked than angry. “How dare you—”

“Mom, Baek, please,” Baekbeom sighed. “If it’s Baekhyun’s last day here, fighting is the last thing we should be doing.”

“Thank you all for worrying about me, but I would appreciate some rest now,” the youngest son announced after his brother eased the conflict between him and his mother. “Good night.”

It felt weird to see his room after a while. He lighted up a candle to see better. The bed was done and ready to sleep right away, clothes clean and folded, dust swept. His mother must have cleaned it. Baekhyun was confused by her behavior, truthfully. He wished she supported him and his decisions fully.

The knock on the door was followed by Jongdae entering right away. Surprisingly, instead of scolding, Baekhyun received a tight hug this time.

“I’m sorry,” Byun sniffed.

“Don’t be. Seeing your mother’s attitude, I can’t blame you for not telling me. But… are you sure about your decision, Baek? Aunt is still right; they might want to hurt you.”

“They said clearly that there would be punishments. I can’t have any of you suffer because of me,” he sighed. “Besides, someone I know told me it was the best option.”

“Someone you know? Who?”

“A friend, I guess.”

“Do you trust that friend?”

“I think so.” He nodded after a short pause. “Yeah, I do.”

 “Okay, then.” Jongdae forced himself further onto the bed. “You should get some sleep.”

“I should get some sleep that’s why you’re in my bed?” Baekhyun frowned.

“Where else would I sleep?” Jongdae asked like the answer was the most obvious thing.

Baekhyun snorted and shook his head. “Never mind.”

***

Baekhyun was so nervous that he thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but that was not true at all. It seemed that he was too exhausted, and he only woke up when his mother came with a tray of food. He sat up and rubbed his tired eye while yawning.

He thought his mother would leave the food and leave him alone, but she stayed and sat next to him.

“Son,” she started by taking a deep breath, “I’m not happy with your decision. Is there any chance you could still change your mind?”

“I wish you could understand me, mom,” he confessed. “I want to meet my soulmate. I feel that this is the right decision.”

“I wish you could understand me too. I only want to protect you and our family. But that is not going to happen, is it?”

Baekhyun shook his head.

“Right. But even if there is a misunderstanding between us, I don’t want you to think that it’s all easy for me. It’s not at all. I hate the thought that they could hurt you. Baby, please—“

“No, mom.” He teared up again. “Please stop. This is already hard enough, please don’t make it worse for me.”

Both turned their heads when they heard a soft knocking on the door. Baekbeom stepped in quietly.

“Baek, you should come out. Mom, give him some time too.”

The younger wiped his tears and nodded. Only then he noticed foreign voices coming from the outside. His hands were shaking the entire time while he was eating and dressing up in hurry. It was the first time he didn’t wear the bandage. It felt weird.

He stepped outside and immediately noticed a carriage and horses. Two men were standing in the middle, one much shorter, with a serious expression, the other much taller with a slight smile, but with a sword attached to a belt.

“Byun Baekhyun?” the shorter male asked, reaching out his hand.

Baekhyun nodded and took a few hesitant steps forward. He gave his hand to the stranger, and it was the first time someone other than his family saw his soul mark. He felt exposed when his biggest life secret saw the light of the day. The two looked at each other, and the taller smiled even brighter.

“We shall go,” the shorter one announced.

It was real. He was going to the palace. Only that momeny, it stopped feeling like the distant future. He noticed Jongdae from the corner of his eye, and his friend immediately teared up and ran up to hug him, and so did Baekbeom, his soulmate and finally the Byun parents.

“Let us know you are alive. We should come up with some code for a danger. And you have to send a letter at least once a day. Oh, and you are coming for holiday, understood?”

“Saint Fire, it’s not like he is migrating to another country,” again, the shorter male spoke. “Come on, there is no time to waste. You have to prepare to meet his highness.”

Biding the last goodbye, Baekhyun stepped into the carriage. It was a beautiful carriage, well-maintained and decorated; even the horses looked strong and healthy. The ride was smooth, but Baekhyun couldn’t quite enjoy it when he felt so intimidated. He tucked in the corner of the carriage, the opposite of the other guy. He looked just around Baekhyun’s age, and his clothing actually hinted that he must have been a royal servant.

“Please, stop looking like a kicked puppy. You are only going to the capital. No one is going to eat you there.”

Baekhyun perked up, especially at the familiar nickname.

“When we arrive, firstly, we are going to give you a bath and proper clothes. Then, you will meet his majesty in his chamber. You must not raise your head until he clearly allows you,” he instructed. “Then, you can have a meal together. A servant tastes it first to make sure it is not poisoned. Then—“

“P-p-poisoned?” Baekhyun stuttered, eyes going wide.

“Then, the king eats, then you.”

“Hyung, stop scaring the poor boy.” They heard a chuckle and a voice from the outside.

“I am not scaring anyone. I am only introducing him to the rules in the palace.”

“Can I…uh… have a question?”

“Go on. ”

“ Am I allowed to work?”

An honest laugh came from the outside while the royal servant looked at him shocked.

“This is a preposterous question. No, you must not work,” he said firmly. “After your bonding time, you will start taking classes. Education is important. You are going to be a prince, after all.”

‘I see.” Baekhyun saddened visibly.

That must have been surprising for the servant as he stopped bombarding him with rules. The rest of the ride remained silent. When the carriage stopped, it was a sign that they had arrived. Baekhyun stepped out after the servant, and the cold air hit his heated from nervousness cheeks. Two rows of court ladies were already waiting for them, slightly bowing, but they immediately started whispering when they peeked a look at the newcomer.

“Calm yourselves,” the servant scolded them, and the young ladies lowered their heads obediently again. He gestured at the elderly lady in the front. “Meet lady Go, the head of your court. She will be taking care of you in the palace.”

“Please, do rely on me from now on.” She bowed politely, and so did Baekhyun to the elder. The bows from everyone were intimidating. “We shall start with the preparations. Follow me, your highness.” The court lady wanted to walk away first, but Baekhyun’s reaction caused some confusion. Precisely, the fact that he didn’t move an inch.

“Byun?” the servant called him out.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he stammered. “You meant… me? B-but I’m not any highness.”

The shorter male rolled his eyes while the taller burst into laughter, and he quickly got smacked for it.

“Follow lady Go.”

Baekhyun swallowed the gulp in his throat and nodded. The more they walked, the more Baekhyun realized how huge the palace was, and how lost he felt there even if he was led by quite a few people. Anyone who passed by them stared and whispered; he was terrified when the court ladies insisted to help him bathe. Then, he felt like a doll when they dressed him up. But the silk felt so good against his skin, the fabric was comfortable on him, and he had never worn something so gorgeous. It felt so different from the cotton, plain hanbok he wore daily.

“Now, you are all ready to go.”

His heart was pounding harder the closer they got to the king’s quarters. The court ladies were allowed only to a certain place, and then the royal servant picked him up again.

“Saint Fire, stop shaking so much,” the servant pointed out as they walked down the corridor. “You will be fine. Only follow the rules.”

Baekhyun nodded without a word, playing with his sleeves. The sweet aroma of delicious food was already in the air, reminding Baekhyun that he had eaten only a little. But his stomach was probably too squeezed from stress, and anything he ate would find its way out again.

Standing in front of the door was like standing at the edge of a cliff. If you wanted to know what was at the bottom, hard ground or warm waters, there was no other choice but to jump and find out.

“We have arrived, your highness.”

Baekhyun followed the servant into the chamber, only staring at the floor. He heard steps and saw the black, shiny boots, but did not dare to look further. Even when his soulmate, the king, was inches away, the situation felt unreal. Baekhyun was convinced someone was going to call him a fool any second for believing such nonsense.

“You may leave now,” the deep voice reached him.

Baekhyun frowned, tilting his head slightly in confusion. Then, he shook his head. No, he must have misheard.

“Kyungsoo must be delighted to finally find someone who follows his rules,” the king chuckled after the door were closed.

Baekhyun gasped quietly. If his mind was playing a trick on him, this was the worst timing. Because he was sure he could recognize that deep baritone everywhere. Especially that chuckle.

“Now, why don’t you look up and check? Pup ,” the king suggested, gently placing his fingers under Baekhyun’s chin.

Baekhyun took a deep breath and looked up. He saw a beautiful face, big, almond-shaped eyes, red, fluffy hair that was always hidden under the hood, a sharp jawline and that cute dimple. The same towering height, the same long legs, strong arms, buff chest. The same warmth. His soulmate had been right in front of him for the past few weeks.

“You k-knew?” He took a step back. “This whole time you have known?”

“No, no. I only figured it out yesterday.” The taller remained at the safe distance that Baekhyun wanted to keep. “It was quite obvious in the end, won’t you agree? Like puzzles.”

“I don’t… I don’t know.” Baekhyun shook his head. “I told you so many things about me, but I have never shared my name. You suddenly knew it when you randomly found me in the forest and now… If this is a sick joke or… or… or—” the smaller stammered upon the terrible thought that showed up in his mind.

“Please, sweetheart, hear me out,” the king asked, not moving an inch. But he did move his hand to uncover his forearm and the little flame underneath the sleeve.

Baekhyun put a hand on his hidden soul mark instinctively. They were indeed identical.

“I told you that a feeling had brought me to the forest that day. An unexplainable force. And that day when we met at the river… could it not be clearer that fate must have brought us together? And it pulled us every day to the same place, pulled us closer and made us comfortable. Is it not wonderful? We’d had the connection before we knew, sweet pup,” he finished talking with a beautiful, wide smile.

The smaller stared at him, giving a thought to the king’s words. There was some truth to it. People always said that everything your soulmate said was exactly what you wanted to hear, that your interests suddenly became your soulmate’s, that you longed for your soulmate every time you were apart, and fate would do everything to bring you together. People said it was as natural as the changing seasons, as the moon phases, as a rainbow after a stormy day.

Why did this description sound so familiar?

“How do you know my name?” he repeated the question.

“You must have met Jongin. The tall boy with a grin on his face?”

Baekhyun nodded.

“Since I cannot move around freely, I need a different way to know… things. Jongin there is my eyes and ears.”

“So you decided to stalk me?”

“No, Saint Fire,” the king sighed. He didn’t look mad. He was worried. “The opposite. I promised I would protect you. It was my way to keep the promise. And I would love to continue fulfilling that duty of mine. I would love to… love you. If only you give me a chance,” he smiled again, slowly reaching out his hand. His eyes were full of fondness and hope while he was waiting for an answer.

He felt great relief when the smaller finally ran into his arms, into warmth, into safety, sobbing, but by no means were those tears of sadness but rather a release of all these overflowing emotions that had been gathering for the past few weeks.

“And my name is Chanyeol.”

“Chanyeol…” His head shot up, and he looked at the man with glistering eyes. “Am I even allowed to say that name? I mean you… you are… and I… and this all…” He eyed the king from head to toes, his red, silk robe with an embroidered dragon which was worn exclusively by the royalty; then he looked around the chamber, a place out of everyone’s reach.

Yet, he was there, in the palace, in the arms of the king, the most infamous man in the whole kingdom. It quite tasted like a forbidden fruit.

“Of course, you may call me by name.” Chanyeol wiped the tears off gently. “I would be nothing but disappointed if you decide to put distance between us. Now, let us celebrate this special moment by sharing our first meal together, shall we?”

When his stress was relieved, Baekhyun could finally enjoy the food. His soulmate even mentioned that he had ordered not to bring the cucumber side dish and that little detail and the fact that Chanyeol remembered it was heartwarming. Chanyeol was really talkative when he could talk. He said he would sneak out after dark whenever he was tired of the four walls. He avoided wandering in the capital not to raise any suspicions, and he avoided direct contact with people because, even though no one knew what he looked like, the red hair would betray him right away.

Baekhyun thought the red hair looked absolutely gorgeous on his soulmate. In fact, everything about his soulmate was stunning. He also learned that the king had many interests. He loved music and poetry, but he also enjoyed horse riding, archery and swordsmanship training with Jongin.

“You are nothing like the people say,” Baekhyun noticed, observing how Chanyeol suddenly became shy.

“Well, thank you.” He lowered his gaze. “It means a lot to me. My entire life I have lived with that fear… if everyone hates me, so does my soulmate, right? Do they feel disgusted, angry that it’s me who they are bonded with? I have always felt so guilty, so sorry—” He paused when a slim finger was placed on his lips.

“Now, stop with this nonsense. I already know that I wouldn’t exchange you for anyone else,” he admitted easily and grinned playfully. “You are stuck with me now!”

The king smiled. He took Baekhyun’s pretty hand and brought it to his lips again to kiss it. “Am I strong enough to handle your adorable face?”

“You will have to try, your highness. You have no other choice.”

Chanyeol didn’t look disappointed at all. “Let me show you the places where you are free to roam around,” he suggested when they were done eating. The taller stood up and offered his hand to Baekhyun, and he didn’t let it go after picking up the smaller. Chanyeol’s hand was big and warm. Everything about Chanyeol was warm and… yeah .

“Where are you going?” Kyungsoo, who was standing right outside the room, asked straightforwardly.

“Look at him speaking to the king. And you nag everyone about rules?”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. “Just tell me if you are planning to get into trouble.”

“What do you mean? I am only showing my palace to my soulmate.” Chanyeol suddenly pulled the smaller by his waist. Baekhyun held a surprised yelp, but he couldn’t stop his cheeks from turning pink.

Kyungsoo only sighed, murmuring something about a headache under his breath. It wasn’t like he could stop Chanyeol once the king had something on his mind. Chanyeol could be really stubborn.

“Are we doing something bad?” Baekhyun asked, looking up. Chanyeol shook his head.

“Don’t mind him. Let’s go.” The taller pulled him gently. “Let me show you the library first. I spend most of my time here. You are free to come and read any book you would like.”

“That’s very considerate of you, but… I can read, but my skills are definitely not enough for a royal library.”

“That will change soon, my dear prince. We have to ensure your strong position if you want to stand by my side. And that includes your education.”

Baekhyun let go of Chanyeol’s hand and walked up to the shelves. Some of them were bending under the weight of books. He grabbed one of them, the Great Learning , right under were the Analects and the Doctrine of the Mean… all the important books.

“Ah, not to worry about these, pup.” The king grabbed the books and put them away. “These are for the crown prince. They still give me a headache when I think about them…”

“Will I have a teacher?”

“Of course, you should have a teacher. Someone who will motivate you…” He took a step forward while Baekhyun felt the shelf behind his back. Chanyeol rested one arm on one side of Baekhyun’s head and touched Baekhyun’s cheek with the other. “And reward you when you do well?”

Baekhyun shook his head like a clueless puppy. “Aren’t all teachers like that…” He wanted to step to the side, but Chanyeol was quicker, slamming his hand against the shelf. Baekhyun looked at the king, holding a gasp. He was trapped, and his soulmate’s face was only a few inches away, and his big eyes were piercing Baekhyun’s soul.

“I will be very angry if your teacher is like that.” Chanyeol’s warm breath touched Baekhyun’s skin. “Unless it’s me. Because I am planning to get extra creative with my teaching methods, baby.”

Baekhyun just stared speechlessly. His heart was going crazy. Since when was Chanyeol so brave? When they talked at the riverside, Chanyeol’s words were always rational and wise. But now it looked like he was playing his own game. A game of making Byun Baekhyun fluttered. And he was winning.

“What’s wrong with you…” Baekhyun whined, leaning over to rest his forehead against the taller’s wide chest. He heard a chuckle above his head and strong arms hugging him.

“Now, now. Let’s go outside. Fresh air will be good for you.”

They took a relaxed walk around the palace. It was enormous, and it was only naejeon , the Inner Court with living quarters and gardens for leisure for the royals. Chanyeol showed him the training field and shared a couple of stories from his training with Jongin. Then, Chanyeol led the way to the artificial lake. This time of year, flowers should be blooming, and trees should be green. But it was too cold. The blossoms would freeze and die.

There was a small island on the lake with a gazebo and a decorative vessel used as a fireplace. It looked like a comfortable place for a rest or to study. It must be beautiful in summer too when the warm breeze tickled their skin. Baekhyun imagined having a meal here.

“This is where I train my powers. They had to rebuilt it once after I accidently set it on fire,” he chuckled, recalling the memory.

“Train?”

“Of course. Having no control over such a powerful talent is dangerous.”

“C-can I…” Baekhyun wanted to ask, but he bit his tongue. Was he allowed to even think about it? Such a sacred power, owned by a great person, and he was only a mere mortal.

“Would you like to see?” Chanyeol suggested, sensing his hesitation. The king seemed delighted that his soulmate showed interest in his ability. He held Baekhyun’s hands. “You are my prince, my lover. There is hardly anything you cannot do. Name it, and I will fulfill your wish. You wish to show you a trick?” He looked to the side, and the wood in the fireplace was set on fire. “There you go.”

Baekhyun gasped. He observed the flames devouring the wood, listening to the cracking. It was hypnotizing. “That’s magic.”

“Yes, it is, baby,” Chanyeol chuckled, placing a hand on Baekhyun’s arm. Chanyeol sought touch all the time. Baekhyun didn’t mind. Chanyeol’s warm touch brought him comfort. He made a gesture with his other hand, and a single flame appeared above it. The king held his soulmate’s hand and clasped them together. It looked like Baekhyun was the one controlling the flame.

“Is it how you were born?”

“No. Claiming the power is quite a complicated process. It requires lots of preparations, a strong body and even stronger mind. But I have to admit it, it’s a very fascinating ability,” he smirked. The flame then changed into different shapes: a star, a cherry blossom, a heart.

“Cool!”

“Eh?”

“Cool is the word!”

Chanyeol smiled. “Cool. All right, pup, I will remember.” The flame disappeared. “Let’s keep walking. I want to introduce you to someone.”

Baekhyun got a bit nervous when he noticed that they were walking away from the king’s quarters. The people always said that the prime minister shall keep the king away, and only that way they would let him live. He was about to stop the king when Jongin suddenly jumped in out of nowhere.

“Hyungnim, where are you going again?” the royal guard whined, pouting. Baekhyun was a bit surprised by how both Jongin and Kyungsoo were close to the king; their attitude and the manner they spoke in were very comfortable.

“Don’t worry, Jongin. We are not leaving naejon. At least not now,” he whispered to Baekhyun and winked.

“Are you visiting your aunt? Sneaking out only works when you are alone!”

“Sneaking out?!” Baekhyun gasped, glaring at Chanyeol.

‘You should tell me! I will go and let her highness’ residence know.”

“Right. The poor souls should be given some time to hide from the scary me,” he snorted. He acted cool, but he was only pretending. The king was a good actor. Baekhyun only knew because of the power of their bond. Chanyeol didn’t deserve the mistreatment and the hate. It hurt him. And it hurt Baekhyun to see his soulmate this way.

“Chanyeol…”

“I usually sneak out to save time,” he interrupted. “He is right. It is not very convenient to do with you. And we have a good excuse for an official meeting. My aunt cannot wait to see you.”

“But… How can I… a princess…?”

“You may not worry,” Chanyeol chuckled. “My aunt is lovely. She is the one who raised me. She has been my teacher, my advisor, my guardian angel since my first breath. I had no one but her for a long time.”

“What about Jongin and Kyungsoo? I noticed that you three are very comfortable with each other. Considering that even the yangban can be beheaded if they are not careful with their words… That’s the law, isn’t it?”

“They are my only friends. In this kingdom, only the two of them have never seen me as bad luck. And my aunt, of course. Since she knows the truth.”

“Three,” Baekhyun corrected him.

“Three.” Chanyeol gifted him a bright smile. Baekhyun was good at making him smile. “Why would I follow the law that might take my dearest friends away from me? They are the reason I have not gone crazy yet. I hope they will forever trust me and rely on me in the future when I have enough power to express my gratitude for all these years.”

“You are a good person, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun sniffed. He could feel how upset his soulmate was. It made his heart ache. He reached out his hand to touch Chanyeol’s warm cheek. “You are good. Never let anyone make you think it’s different.”

Chanyeol nodded, taking Baekhyun’s hand. He looked at it and kissed it again. “You have got such beautiful hands, you know? So delicate. I always worried when you had to sink them in the river’s cold waters. But no, they are still beautiful. I shall always worship them.”

Baekhyun suddenly sulked, yanking his hand away. “You’re a sweet lie.”

“Excuse me?”

“How come you are so good with words! Did you train with Jongin? With Kyungsoo? Or with someone else ?”

Chanyeol burst into laughter. “Kyungsoo would curse me if I tried to complement his hands.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Baekhyun scolded him. In fact, he just wanted to change the topic and make Chanyeol think about something else. Meanwhile, Jongin came to lead them to the princess’ residence.

“Don’t misunderstand, baby. I read a lot, of course I am good with words.”

“I don’t think the Great Learning is a flirting tutorial.” Baekhyun crossed his arms on his chest, refusing to hold hands with his soulmate. The king instinctively crossed his hands behind his back. He looked really handsome.

“Impossible. You are just teasing me, admit it.”

“I don’t know, you tell me?”

Chanyeol let out an indignant snort. “Preposterous. Jongin, tell my soulmate that I am naturally born with this charisma.”

“Actually… You always made me replay scenes from these funny books that you stole from the court ladies.”

Chanyeol hissed at the boy, chasing him a few steps forward. “Oho! Accusing the king of stealing?!

“But you did!” Jongin yelled back, running away.

“I only borrowed them! I always gave them back,” Chanyeol sulked. Then, his expression changed as he raised his chin proudly. “I cannot even recall any funny books. I only study meaningful books. Do you think the Great Learning is funny?!”

Baekhyun chuckled. Everyone knew the court ladies’ favorite genre was romance. You could always spot a court lady buying one or two such books at the bookstalls. Baekhyun thought it was sweet. He only wanted to tease his soulmate a little, but he learned something interesting. Chanyeol definitely had nothing to be ashamed of.

They finally arrived at the princess’ residence. Baekhyun was getting nervous. He reached out for Chanyeol’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“My, my, are you that stressed, sweetheart? Not to worry, you will see in a second that there is absolutely no reason.”

“Do we have to go on my first day? I don’t know any palace rules.”

Chanyeol didn’t answer, just pulled the smaller towards the princess’ chamber. That place was empty and quiet as all servants left before the king. Jongin opened the door for them. Baekhyun’s first thought was to lower his hand in front of the princess.

“Aunt,” the king spoke first. “It’s good to see you. Have you eaten today?”

“I have, Yeollie, thank you,” she spoke softly. Her voice was like a gentle melody. “And here beside you…?”

Baekhyun felt a gentle hand on his chin that urged him to look up. The princess was smiling at him. She had the same dimple as Chanyeol. Must be the great Park Dynasty genes. But she had already got a few wrinkles too.

“P-princess Sanmi, it is an honor to meet you.” He bowed deeply again. Chanyeol pulled him up.

“Aigoo, Saint Fire. He is as beautiful as a doll. What’s your name, child?”

“Byun Baekhyun, your highness.”

“Byun, Byun… the Byuns from the strawberry farm?”

Baekhyun gasped in shock. “Y-yes! How…?”

“Of course, I know. Come a little closer.” She gestured to him. The boy looked at the king first and received a nod. Then, he sat next to the princess. “The strawberries from your farm are always the most delicious.”

“Thank you… My parents put a lot of care into our strawberries. But I think the key is the very sunny spot.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Yes! The more sunshine they receive, the sweeter they are. It’s also important to pick them up in the right time. If we start too early or too late, they aren’t as good. But then the way of storing them is important too… ah, I’m blabbering again,” he covered his mouth in embarrassment. Both Parks laughed.

“I think you are just like the strawberries that you grow. Sweet and pink.”

“That’s an incredibly accurate comparison, aunt,” Chanyeol pointed out. “Though, I like to think that he resembles a puppy.”

“I’m sitting right here…” Baekhyun mumbled shyly.

“Baekhyun.” She held the boy’s shaking hands. “I am glad Chanyeol has finally found you. He needs someone he can rely on and trust unconditionally. Of course, he has me. However… no one can replace your soulmate. It’s a different kind of love. Won’t you agree with me?”

“D-definitely, your highness.”

“Stop scaring him, aunt. Or he will never want to visit you again. Poor thing was shaking all the way here.”

“That is not true!” he fought back and hissed at Chanyeol. “Hey, stop putting me in the bad light.”

“Don’t worry,” the princess laughed. “You look like a good child. Chanyeol was a little devil when he was a prince, sneaking out and breaking the rules all the time. Such a stubborn child.” They both ignored the king’s offended face and attempts to protest. “What am I saying. He is still stubborn. Come to me sometimes, and I will tell you one or two stories.”

Baekhyun nodded eagerly. He giggled when he saw Chanyeol sulking with his arms crossed.

“Stop plotting against me. Do you know that betrayal is the worst crime?”

“But…” Baekhyun ignored Chanyeol. He knew the king was only teasing. But his expression turned serious. “Why the people still believe that Chanyeol is bad? That’s clearly not true.”

The Parks looked at each other. This question had to come eventually. It was genuine. Baekhyun was confused. Why couldn’t Chanyeol disregard the rumors and rule the kingdom as he should?

They were all startled when the door opened, and an elderly, gray-haired, dressed in an official robe man stormed in. He looked around, and his eyes locked with Baekhyun’s. His cold gaze sent shivers down Baekhyun’s spine.

“So he is indeed a commoner,” that was the first thing the man said with slight disgust. “The king’s soulmate is a mere peasant.”

The brunette lowered his head in shame. What else could he expect from a yangban? Anyone who didn’t belong to a respected, wealthy family was inferior to them.

“How dare you disturb my aunt in her residence and offend my soulmate in front of me?” Chanyeol growled, blocking the man’s way. “His name is Baekhyun, and I don’t think his social rank matters. In fact, you should keep your opinions to yourself, prime minister.”

“You are getting braver day by day. I must warn you, your highness, ” he spelled that mockingly, “not to cross the line, or you will regret it.”

Chanyeol clenched his fist. “You will regret it if you keep bothering us during this private family meeting.”

“You have your soulmate now, so I expect the weather to improve soon. Otherwise, it might be necessary to reconsider my offer.”

“I can assure you it certainly will not be needed.”

“We will see. I will visit you to discuss the progress. Or the lack of it.”

“What offer?” Baekhyun interrupted.

The prime minister smirked. It was disgusting. “Of course, the king’s soulmate must not be of rank lower than a yangban. It’s a disgrace. But the king claims that his power weakens because he has not bonded yet. If it turns out to be false, then the king should at least take a yangban as his consort. My daughter would be a perfect match.”

Baekhyun thought he was being stabbed in the chest, the sharp blade piercing right through his heart. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m a yangban too,” he spat out. “I’m a yangban too, so stop trying to part me and my soulmate.”

“What is this nonsense? It’s a crime to—”

“He is telling the truth,” Chanyeol interrupted. “His great grandfather was the minister of agriculture. He is the third generation, so he is still a yangban. You can ask Jongin if you wish. He will show you the proof.”

The prime minister was deeply shocked. Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol surprised too.

“You heard him. Don’t try to separate us anymore,” Chanyeol growled at the man. The tension increased, the air thickened and the temperature rose. The atmosphere was unbearable.

 “This is my last warning, ungrateful kid,” the prime minister snapped back and finally left.

Baekhyun wanted to ask, but then he remembered. Eyes and ears. He had a different question. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I don’t care. If I am aware or not, if you are a yangban or not, it doesn’t matter. And let’s not talk about it anymore. It’s getting annoying.”

“It annoys you ? I am the one who doesn’t know anything,” Baekhyun snorted. “Is this true? About the weather?”

” Partly. My power does weaken the longer we are apart, and it causes the temperature to go down. I could use more energy to fix it, but I don’t want to.”

Baekhyun stared blankly at his soulmate. “Do you know that the cold has already caused damage? A great hunger is coming.”

“I am well aware. However, it was the only way that old prick would let me look for you.”

 “If the harvest isn’t enough, my family won’t have money to buy food or firewood for the next winter. And it’s not only us.”

“It’s a high price, but I have no other choice. I’m willing to pay. It has to happen one day, or it will only get worse. Isn’t it already bad, Baekhyun? The situation in the kingdom. I can only change it with your help.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let me start from the beginning,” he sighed, sitting down. The atmosphere was heavy again. “My mother didn’t pass away because of me. I didn’t kill her. She was cursed.”

Baekhyun’s eyes doubled their size.

“They did have trouble trying for a baby,” princess Sanmi continued for him. “Queen Youngmi wished to perform a special blessing rite. She looked for the right person for months and was very strict with the selection process. I still have no idea how he did it… Instead of the chosen priest, a witch performed the rite.”

“He?”

“That bastard prime minister, obviously,” Chanyeol cursed. He was scary when he was angry.

“But if you know that he is guilty, why is he still walking around freely as nothing happened?”

“I accidently spotted her when she was changing her appearance back while talking with the prime minister. I am the only witness to their conversation which is the only evidence. He noticed me and threatened to kill me if I reveal anything. It was already too late for the queen, but at least he had me, my poor nephew,” she shed a tear even though it’d happened years ago. The memories were still vivid.

Baekhyun was already crying. It was a painful story for everyone in that room.

“I watched my sister-in-law weakening day by day. She looked like a mere shadow. It was heartbreaking even more since I couldn’t help. The queen already knew that something was wrong. She asked me to promise her to take care of a baby that hadn’t been born yet. Isn’t that devastating? A few months later, it was only the two of us left. We only had each other, me and a defenseless newborn. I did my best raising him, but it’s a great loss that he couldn’t experience his parents’ love. Yeol,” she suddenly spoke to the king, “you know that your parents love you so much?”

“I know, auntie.” His eyes were wet too. “You tell me that all the time.”

“I am deeply sorry for all your family has been through, but… what do you need me for? I can only offer my emotional support, that’s all.”

“I think I might know where that witch is. If I bring her here and make her confess, I will have evidence against the prime minister. I will regain trust and a good reputation. I will be able to sit on the throne.” He looked at Baekhyun with worry. “I have never snuck out for more than a couple of hours. They will notice if I’m gone for longer. But during the bonding period, no one will bother us.”

Baekhyun stared at his soulmate. He was battling his thoughts. The bonding period was the most important for a fresh couple. The quality of their bond depended on it a lot. They should spend time together, share engaged conversations, relax and show affection. If they didn’t do it, they might grow apart later.

On the other hand, Chanyeol wanted to take revenge and what was rightfully his. He was born to rule, born to lead. His father was a great king, and it was only natural that Chanyeol wanted to prove he wasn’t any less. The kingdom needed help too. The prime minister had done enough damage.

“We don’t have much time. It’s only a week, starting from today.”

Baekhyun ignored his soulmate and looked at the princess instead. “If you excuse me, your highness, I would like to take some rest.”

“Baek—”

The princess interrupted her worried nephew. “Go, child.”

The brunette bowed to the princess and left, not sparing a glance at Chanyeol. He was conflicted. He needed some time alone to think. Chanyeol asked for a lot. He wanted to put their entire relationship at risk. It was only their first day as a couple, but he was asked to sacrifice what he had been waiting his entire life for.

Baekhyun felt like a fool. All these sweet words and promises for what? Chanyeol only needed him to reach his goal. Chanyeol only needed a cover. He admitted he valued the crown over their bond. What was Baekhyun thinking? It was as simple as that. If he protested, they both would end up unhappy. Maybe Chanyeol would even hate him. If he agreed, at least Chanyeol had a chance to be happy.

His legs led him to the gazebo on the island. He liked this place the most. There was still fire sparkling in the vessel. Baekhyun wanted to use it to warm up a bit. He must have been too distracted to notice the protruding tree root this time and tripped over it. He instinctively leaned over the closest thing which happened to be the vessel heated by the flames.

It was too late when Baekhyun realized what he had done. He jumped away, falling eventually. He was expecting a burning pain and a deep wound.

But nothing like that happened. Baekhyun took a closer look at his hand, investigating his arm. He blinked a few times, deeply confused. He guessed he was lucky.

Baekhyun wanted to remain there till the fire died out, but the sun hid under the horizon a long time ago, and the flame still danced gracefully in the fireplace. His muscles were numb, and he was hungry. Baekhyun decided to finally go back.

He saw Kyungsoo and Jongin whispering in the corridor. They stopped when they noticed him. Kyungsoo sent him a glare.

“I will bring dinner,” he informed. He stopped right after passing by Baekhyun and took a few steps back to face the king’s soulmate. “You are soulmates. Stop thinking that your feelings are only yours.”

Baekhyun sighed. He was tired. He stepped inside the chamber where Chanyeol was lying on the bed. The king was staring at the ceiling and playing with a small flame like with a ball. He looked towards the sound of the door opening and immediately jumped on straight legs.

“Baekhyun! Where have you been, pup? I was so worried.” He ran up to the smaller and gasped quietly when he held Baekhyun’s hands. “Saint Fire, you are freezing. Let me warm you up.”

Chanyeol pulled the smaller further and placed him on the warm bed, wrapping the blanket and his own arms around him. Baekhyun immediately felt heat spreading in his numb muscles. He closed his eyes for a second, getting lost in the comfort of his soulmate’s presence. He was going to miss that, miss him. They ate in silence. Chanyeol wanted to feed him, but Baekhyun quickly disregarded that idea.

“Why are you so silent?” the red-haired male sighed. “That’s unlikely of you.”

“Since when do you know what’s unlikely of me,” Baekhyun mumbled. He felt so helpless. He felt like a ticking bomb about to explode after one bad move. “Why do you have to leave me?”

“I’m not leaving you, sweetheart. I will be back very soon.”

“I want to know why,” Baekhyun had to whisper, afraid that his voice might crack any moment. “Why is it more important than our bond? I might lose you forever. How can I let you go? Give me a reason, Chanyeol.”

“That’s why I was sorry earlier,” he sighed. “I’m sorry it’s you. You are such a good pup. You are everything I needed in my soulmate. You don’t deserve what I have to put you through. But I have to. Because if I don’t do it, all of you are in danger.” The king clenched his fist. The candles sparked. “He dares to threaten me, that bastard. He keeps threatening me that he will hurt the only four people that care about me if I do anything he doesn’t like. I would blame myself till my last breath. I will take every chance to protect you even if it means suffering first.”

Baekhyun looked at the candles because looking at Chanyeol was too painful. But the candles worked like a mirror. The flame moved anxiously just like their master.

“The only way I can be sure you are safe is to get rid of him and claim the crown for real this time. Do you understand now, love?” He wished Baekhyun had looked at him. “I also wish to spend that time with you. I wish to give you the celebration that you deserve. Normally, there would be a feast, music, dance and games for days. I would give you a new present every day. We would go on a trip to a beautiful place where no one would disturb us.”

“I don’t need any of that,” Baekhyun sniffed, curling up. He was surprised when the taller held his chin and even more when he saw a smirk on the king’s face. What was happening in Chanyeol’s head?

“Are you sure? Because I have already come up with quite a few ways to make it up to you.” Their faces were only a few inches apart. “Baekhyun, I think these few days apart don’t matter. We can only grow stronger. Do you know why? Because I already love you.”

“What do you know,” Baekhyun scoffed. He was convinced Chanyeol was only saying that to make him feel better. He didn’t expect to be pushed on the bed with hands pinned above his head. His eyes doubled their size, and his cheeks turned strawberry red.

“You don’t trust my words, that’s all right,” the taller’s deep voice rumbled. His warm finger touched Baekhyun’s soft lips, nibbling the bottom lip. “I should prove it with my actions.”

Chanyeol waited a moment just to be sure. He wanted to give his lover enough time to stop him. But when he didn’t notice any sign of protest, he captured Baekhyun’s lips in a kiss. It was gentle and innocent at first when Chanyeol was still waiting for a reaction. Just a simple, unrushed peck until he got a response. That was all he needed to move on.

The red-haired male wasn’t any better than his soulmate. They were both inexperienced, and it was their first kiss. Chanyeol simply followed what he had read in the funny books. And he liked the characters who took initiative the most.

Baekhyun didn’t seem to mind, simply giving in to the braver and braver touches. Chanyeol was rubbing his blushed cheek and fixing the angle a bit to ensure the most comfortable position. Chanyeol increased the pace steadily to make it easier to follow, but Baekhyun made it sloppy instead. Chanyeol didn’t mind. To him, it was perfect.

The smaller eventually gasped for air. To give him a short break to take a breath, Chanyeol didn’t go for his lips again but down Baekhyun’s neck. He smirked when Baekhyun raised his chin on his own, giving the taller a better access. He took the little whines as a good sign.

“Are you feeling good, baby?” he whispered against the hickey he had just created. Marking Baekhyun’s unblemished, perfect skin became his new challenge. “Do you still think I would let you go because we didn’t spend a few days together now? And what would you do? Seek comfort in someone else’s arms?”

“No— hnng, y-yeol…”

“You are mine, Baekhyun. You must not think it’s different. It is an order.”

The smaller could only nod. His mouth was too busy releasing melodic cries to form coherent words. Baekhyun had a beautiful voice. Chanyeol was greedy. He wanted more. He took Baekhyun’s hand on top of his and grabbed the knot of the smaller’s hanbok. He pulled it in a very slow and precise movement in case there was any resistance, any sign that he should stop.

He didn’t feel any, but he saw the boy covering his flushed face. What an adorable pup.

“Hey,” Chanyeol called out for his attention.

 Baekhyun peeked through his fingers and saw the handsome face smiling at him. His power wasn’t the only hot thing about the man. Baekhyun was shy to admit that he liked their size difference. He liked Chanyeol on top of him. The messy white robe uncovered some part of the taller’s wide chest, and the strong arms flexed under his weight.

“We don’t have to do anything. We can cuddle too.”

Baekhyun frowned deeply. First Chanyeol knocked the breath out of him and now he wanted to cuddle? How preposterous. The smaller tangled his legs around Chanyeol’s waist and flipped them over. He was sitting on top of Chanyeol now.

“Kiss me,” he ordered. “Love me for all the days you will be gone.”

Chanyeol didn’t need a second invitation.

***

The place had many secret exits, and Chanyeol knew them all. He had years to discover and explore each forgotten corridor. Sneaking out from the palace was not only escaping the depressing four walls but the harsh reality too, freeing his conflicted mind for at least a moment. This time was different. Chanyeol was never that scared of being caught, never that worried to leave. He had his treasure waiting for him, a motivation to return safely.

Baekhyun stared blankly at the ceiling. With Chanyeol gone, it was cold again. Baekhyun hated the cold. The king’s quarters felt lonely. But the worst part was that he had no idea what was happening to Chanyeol. Was Chanyeol safe? Did he get hurt? Was he coming back?

Baekhyun wished Jongdae could visit and support him through that tough time. But the bonding time was only for the couple, so any guests would be suspicious. He didn’t even know if guests were allowed. He hadn’t talked about that with Chanyeol yet.

But he talked a lot with Kyungsoo and Jongin. About the life in the palace, the situation in the palace, the situation in the kingdom, their childhood and the things that Chanyeol would never share with him, from embarrassing incidents to sorrowful struggles. Baekhyun was amazed at how strong Chanyeol’s personality was. If he were Chanyeol, he wouldn’t be able to go through half of what his soulmate had been through. The constant false accusations, guilt-tripping and being aware that every single person hated you for no reason would be devastating for anyone’s mental health.

Baekhyun’s heart was aching, but he felt proud. He was glad he was there for Chanyeol now.

Stressful days were passing too slowly. Baekhyun spent most of the time in the library since it was the closest building to the quarters. He couldn’t risk visiting the gardens where someone could spot him. But he actually discovered something interesting in the library that occupied his mind. Chanyeol’s notes were all over the place. Many, many chaotic thoughts turned into thorough reform plans about fixing the situation caused by the greedy, uncontrolled politicians.

The farm boy knew nothing about legislating, but he knew that Chanyeol had put a lot of effort into creating these ideas. The king was going to be busy.

Baekhyun was leaving the library, just walking slowly with his mind overwhelmed with loud thoughts, when he suddenly stumbled upon someone. He tripped, landing on his butt painfully. As Baekhyun raised his head, he saw a pretty silk skirt. At first, he thought it belonged to Chanyeol’s aunt, but he knew it wasn’t the case when he heard that person speaking.

“Interesting,” she scoffed.

“ How dare you! ” Kyungsoo yelled from behind, running to help Baekhyun get up. “Entering his majesty’s quarters—”

“I don’t see the king, though,” she pointed out with a smirk. “How disappointing your bonding time must be if you aren’t with your soulmate.”

“That is none of your concern,” the royal servant snapped back, pulling the king’s mate with him. They walked past the young woman, ignoring her.

“I believe it is. One word from my dad, and I will be the one by the king’s side. Unless… he isn’t there?” She crossed her hands on her chest.

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks, clenching both fists. He released Baekhyun’s hand and turned around to grab the yangban’s arm instead. Ignoring the protests, he dragged her all the way to naejon’s gate.

“Never come back,” the short male growled, slamming the gate’s heavy door.

Baekhyun didn’t have to ask. It was easy to guess that it was the wannabe queen. He sighed. Why did he have to compete with anyone at all? Chanyeol was his soulmate. They were a perfect match in the heavens.

Shortly after that incident, Baekhyun was in the chamber that time when he heard some strange noises from the outside. Voices were getting louder until he heard the alarming sound of steel against steel. The door opened without warning, royal guards stormed in, and the prime minister ordered them to drag Baekhyun out. The brunette didn’t have time to react or the strength to successfully wiggle out.

Both Jongin, badly beaten up, and Kyungsoo had already been caught and dragged along. They still tried to fight back until one of the guards slid the sharp sword into Jongin’s arm. The youngest hissed in pain; blood dripped from the deep wound, soaking his clothes in wine red color. Kyungsoo’s angry threats changed into miserable cries over his hurt soulmate. Baekhyun teared up a long time ago, but he stayed silent not to worsen their situation.

Baekhyun couldn’t believe their plan was ruined just like that. There was nothing. Chanyeol had been gone for four days; there were no signs of him coming back. Even Chanyeol’s scent was fading away from the bedding, so Baekhyun had to steal Chanyeol’s cloak to find some comfort. It was the last thing that held him from going insane. But that was rather ruined now anyway.

The guards dragged them to the royal investigation office, where they pushed Baekhyun into one of the cells. The cells were crowded. The law had become very strict since Chanyeol’s parents passed away. It had actually become ridiculously stupid, but questioning it was a crime too. The people were too starved and exhausted to even notice that another person was dumped there. It was nothing unusual.

The floor was cold, covered with blood and all kinds of human fluids that Baekhyun didn’t want to think about. He watched his new friends being taken away for the investigation. Everyone knew what always happened during it. They had many ways to get the information they wanted, and all of them involved pain unless you told them what they wanted to hear. The truth didn’t matter.

Baekhyun didn’t know how much time had passed, and he didn’t know if he should feel relief or anger when they brought half-conscious Kyungsoo and Jongin. He couldn’t even take care of the younger boys because he was dragged out again. They pulled him to a yard with two chairs; one of them had Chanyeol’s aunt tied to it. Her clothes were ripped, and her body was covered in cuts, but at least she was responsive.

“Baekhyun!” she called out the moment she saw him. “Let him stay out of it. Baekhyun doesn’t know anything yet.”

“I warned him many times clearly,” the prime minister spoke while watching Baekhyun being tied to the chair. “I told him he was crossing the line. All he had to do was stay hidden like all these years. Now he has to face the consequences.”

It seemed like Baekhyun wasn’t fully aware of his situation until a man with a whip stood in front of him. Baekhyun’s eyes focused on the torture device, and he was suddenly paralyzed. Were they really going to hit him with that? It must hurt a lot… Baekhyun guessed that didn’t matter anymore. If Chanyeol was gone, he didn’t have a reason to exist anymore.

“Where is your soulmate?”

“I don’t k-know,” Baekhyun stuttered. Well, it was the truth. He had no idea where exactly Chanyeol had gone. But the truth wasn’t what the prime minister wanted to hear. The whip whistled in the air, startling the brunette, who closed his eyes tightly.

“I will give you one more chance. Where is Chanyeol?”

“I don’t know! Ow—”

The whip slid all the way from his left collarbone to his right hip. Baekhyun was so deep in shock, so high on adrenaline that he didn’t even feel anything at first. Only a moment later, after he saw the wound and the blood, the itching started, and it quickly changed to a stingy, unbearable pain.

“Let him go!” the princess ordered, but the minister didn’t bother. “I will tell you everything, just let him go.”

“N-no…” Baekhyun cried. The salty tears landed on the wound and caused even more damage.

The prime minister walked up to him and leaned over slightly to be on the same level. “See? You do know. The faster you tell me, the faster we stop. Now, what is his plan?”

Baekhyun was never this kind of person to disrespect anyone. But at this very moment, spitting in the old man’s face seemed like the best and only option. So he did. The man snorted maniacally, wiping it off his face.

“You are going to regret it,” he growled, turning around to grab a rod from the fireplace. The tip was an angry red color, showing how hot the steel was. Baekhyun’s eyes focused on it, but no amount of panicking, screaming and protesting would stop the prime minister from approaching him. “Now that I think of it… If you get burnt, it’s almost like your soulmate hurts you, isn’t it?”

 “Chanyeol would never hurt me. But if he comes back, you will regret it.”

“Shut up!” the man snapped back and aimed the rod at Baekhyun’s cheek.

The boy closed his eyes tightly. Chanyeol’s aunt was screaming in the back. The hot tip touched Baekhyun’s skin, but he felt nothing but a soft tingling. He released a soft gasp, opening his eyes. The prime minister was staring in awe. He tried burning Baekhyun’s chest and thigh, but the effect was the same. The old man was angry. He suddenly grabbed a sword from the guard next to him.

“Say goodbye.”

The blade flashed at him, and so did Baekhyun’s entire life. He closed his eyes, hoping it would be quick. At least he was going to find out about the afterlife. A bit quickly, but… maybe he could see Chanyeol.

He wished he could see Chanyeol one more time before the minister would swing the sword in his direction.

“ Arrest him! ” a firm order followed a loud slam and many footsteps. 

Baekhyun was too scared to open his eyes. He was scared he was only imagining things. He was scared his mind was only playing a trick on him. Because he would recognize that voice everywhere. But he longed for it so much that maybe it was his imagination fulfilling his last wish.

“ What— Impossible. What are you doing?! ”

“ It’s over. You will take responsibility for your crimes.”

“ No, no… let me go! I will kill you ,” his voice and yelps were fading away as he was being dragged. “ You’re going to regret it! ”

“ Get this traitor off my sight. ”

Baekhyun was startled when he felt a gentle touch. He felt tingling on the skin of his wrists, and suddenly he could move both hands.

“ Baekhyun, I’m here. Open your eyes ,” a deep but soft voice encouraged him.

The brunette shook his head, refusing to find out whether it was real. What if it wasn’t? What if he opened his eyes and he wouldn’t see Chanyeol? What if Chanyeol wasn’t real? He was scared the last thing he would see would be the sword that would take his life away from him.

Maybe it already did, but it was so quick he didn’t even notice. Was it the afterlife? Did it mean Chanyeol was there too?

“ You are safe, pup. I got you .” The strong arms embraced him in a warm and gentle hug.

Baekhyun’s breath hitched at the familiar nickname. He opened his eyes and saw the messy red hair. He sniffed the comforting scent that he missed so much. “Chanyeol… is that really you?” He leaned back to see the taller’s face.

“It’s really me, love. Forgive me I’m late.” Chanyeol looked exhausted; he even sounded exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes, his lip was bleeding, and his cheek had a cut. “You are safe now.”

“Chanyeol, don’t leave me again,” the smaller begged. It might have sounded pathetic, but he could beg on his knees if that meant his soulmate would never leave him again. He barely survived the first, hopefully the last, time.

“I won’t, baby. I will always be with you.”

“P-promise?”

“I promise.”

Two years later.

The loud and long round of applause was rewarding. The nervousness was gone, and it was pure excitement left. Baekhyun was proud of himself. This performance required months of preparation and hard work, but his dream was finally coming true.

The prince chirped happily when his soulmate approached him on the backstage. He ran into the king’s arms, latching on his neck while tiptoeing. His classmates bowed and intended to evacuate quickly, but Chanyeol gestured to them not to mind them and continue changing.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Of course, how could I miss your first performance?”

“Did you like it?”

“I already knew you would be great. You are the most hard-working student at Royal Academy. The teachers always compliment you.”

“I need to work hard because I joined the latest. And I’m always scared the teachers say that because I’m a prince, and they want to be nice,” he pouted.

Chanyeol shook his head firmly. “You are a born singer, pup. Finally, more people know that.”

Baekhyun nodded, smiling shyly. “I’m happy I got this chance. Thank you.” He landed a soft peck on Chanyeol’s lips.

“You are welcome, baby. If you are done, let’s chat outside,” he suggested when he saw that the other performers rightfully felt uncomfortable with the king’s presence.

Baekhyun nodded, taking a step back. They held hands instead.

“I have got one thing on my mind.”

“What is it?”

“Now that the state affairs have improved, I am not as busy as I used to be two years ago. And it’s your birthday in a few days.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The first day we met at the palace, I told you I wanted to celebrate our bond properly. Maybe it’s not the most suitable time for a feast as we still struggle with food, but I can’t see why we shouldn’t allow a short trip.”

Baekhyun suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at the taller slightly shocked. He had to raise his head high whenever he wanted to look Chanyeol in the eyes.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course,” the king frowned. “We could use one of the royal residences. Do you… not like it?”

“Silly, I have waited two years for it!” Baekhyun exploded with happiness. “Finally, our honeymoon.”

They left one day before Baekhyun’s birthday, so they could celebrate it properly and not in an uncomfortable carriage. The journey took a few hours, but it was worth every second. The royal residence was situated on a high cliff, giving a beautiful view of the Han River and the blooming forest.

It was already dark when they arrived, but the next day, Baekhyun was woken up by gentle fingers rubbing his scalp and the sweet aroma of a fresh seaweed soup.

“Happy birthday, love,” Chanyeol whispered, leaning over for a kiss. “Come and eat.”

“Is this made by you?”

“What do you think?” the king smirked.

“As expected, my talented soulmate.” He ate a spoonful of the soup and hummed happily, showing thumbs up. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, pup. Do you wish to see your gift now?”

“Gift? I thought this trip is a gift!”

“It’s not. It’s a bonding time gift. This is your birthday gift,” Chanyeol explained while giving the smaller a rolled paper sheet with a decorative ribbon.

“You really didn’t have to.”

“Well, it was indeed quite challenging to come up with a gift for you. You are a prince; you can have anything. But then I spent a lot of time wondering what is the most precious in your eyes… I hope you like it.”

Baekhyun unrolled the paper sheet, and the first thing he noticed was the royal stamp and then Chanyeol’s own handwriting.

“A deed?” Baekhyun frowned.

“I know that your parents can never admit that the strawberry farm is truly theirs since that would be breaking the law. With this deed, no one will dare to question them.”

Baekhyun teared up, looking once more at the fancy handwriting. He traced the royal stamp with his fingertips. It was incredible how much power a piece of paper with some ink held if it was filled by the right person.

“Thank you,” the prince whispered, afraid that his voice might crack.

“If you are really thankful, you should go and give it to your parents yourself. And talk with your mom.”

Baekhyun sighed first. He finally nodded. “I guess I should.”

Chanyeol smiled with relief.

Later that day, they decided to go on a picnic. Almost at the edge of the cliff, there was a huge cherry tree. They placed a blanket and a basket with snacks, mostly chewy rice cakes. The sound of the river filled the background, and birds sang for them until the sun hid under the horizon. The wood in the fireplace cracked, keeping Baekhyun warm and providing light for Chanyeol, who was busy reading and explaining a poem to the prince.

It took him some time to notice how deeply Baekhyun was staring at him like he was a painting, like he was the art and not the poem the king was reading.

“What’s on your mind?” Chanyeol asked.

“You, I guess.”

“Oh is that so?” The king seemed intrigued. “Or is that an excuse for not listening to your teacher?”

Baekhyun chuckled. He reached out his hand to rub Chanyeol’s chin as if he were a cat. “Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if you had arrived five seconds late that day.”

“Why are you thinking about it?” the red-haired male pouted. “It makes us both sad.”

Baekhyun shrugged. A lot of things could have gone wrong two years ago. Chanyeol told him the story from his perspective when they recovered. He found the witch’s hut in the mountains. The witch admitted that she had been tricked by the evil prime minister too, and she had gone to the queen to confess, but it was impossible to reverse the curse. The witch could only promise that the baby was safe. She revealed that Chanyeol’s mother had left a letter with a royal stamp where she had explained everything. The queen promised the witch safety if she kept the letter and helped punish the evil minister when the right time came.

It was almost like the queen knew that Chanyeol would show up one day, seeking the truth.

With a letter with a royal stamp and the queen's handwriting, Chanyeol was able to prove the prime minister’s guilt to the royal investigation office and the government officials and make sure that everyone would believe him, including the people.

“You were my prince charming. You even had a white horse like in a fairy tale.”

“I’m not a prince, I’m the king. You are my prince,” Chanyeol pointed out the obvious, leaning down for a kiss. “Prince Park Baekhyun.”

“Right,” Baekhyun chuckled. He changed his position on the blanket and tapped the space beside him. Chanyeol lay down, so Baekhyun could snuggle to his chest and warm up even more.

They looked at the sky. The moon was shining brightly. They shared the same moon phase on their birthdays.

“Pup,” Chanyeol called him out after a while. Baekhyun could feel the vibrations from Chanyeol’s chest. “I wouldn’t do it up till now without you.”

“I barely do anything.”

“No. You are here for me always. And even before we met, thinking about you gave me strength.”

Baekhyun didn’t answer. He only smiled. He sighed when the big and warm hand moved from his waist to his chest and traced the wide scar. Baekhyun hated it at first, knowing that it would stay with him forever. But Chanyeol didn’t give him a single chance to feel insecure about it, cherishing it with kisses every time they were intimate. Having your soulmate close helped a lot with the recovery process. It was the power of bond.

Chanyeol also explained to him why he didn’t even have a scar after the evil minister had tried to burn his skin. The king said that his power could never harm his soulmate. Apparently, Baekhyun earned a lifetime of fire resistance. Quite cool if you ask him.

“A shooting star!” Baekhyun shouted and pointed at the sky.

“You’re lucky, I missed it. What’s your wish?”

“I can’t tell you!”

“Come on, tell me,” Chanyeol demanded.

“No! If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“Whatever,” the taller sulked. “I know what you wished for anyway.”

“What do you mean?!”

“Isn’t that the point of being soulmates?”

This time Baekhyun sulked, crossing his arms on his cheeks. Chanyeol chuckled, switching their position, so he was on top now, kissing the pouty lips.

The point of being soulmates… There could be many. Unconditional love and support, sharing the same interests, never-ending conversations but also a comfortable silence. Bond meant sharing happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment, victories and defeats. Soulmates meant appreciating your partner, catching them when they fall, curing them when they are sick and being aware of their needs.

Baekhyun was a simple boy from a strawberry farm who never doubted his soulmate, so fate rewarded him. His life changed into a fairy tale, so he could wish for only one thing for them.

To live happily ever after.