Archive of Our Own ^omega

Forbidden love was nothing more than a tale that children were told before bed, broadening their imaginations further. Tales princesses and the princes were never meant to love each other, already promised to another, fell in love and ran away together to love each other without all the objections of their families. 

It was nothing more than a fable. A story that left people wishing for such a passionate love. 

But it wasn’t just a tale, not just a story to tuck kids into bed with. 

Not for them. 

Their love wasn’t forbidden because they were already meant for someone else. They were never supposed to even meet, and to love one another was so far out of the question it was light years away. Unreachable in a physical sense and in every other way possible.

They came from two different worlds. One world had never known of the presence of this other world, but up there, they gazed down upon them, knowing of their existence but so terribly afraid of it all. 

All but one had been afraid. 

The world beneath them had intrigued her to no end. She watched through the parted clouds, gazing the beneath with wide eyes of how their feet clanged against the dusty earth, how they breathed in air thick with the scent of their world. They looked different, solid and full, whereas she was gleaming, fair and hovering. 

They had told her over and over that she must forget, knock the fascination out of herself. And they had warned her of the consequences that would occur if she gave into her wishes. 

She hadn’t listened. Instead, she grew more fascinated each passing day. She yearned to know what the kiss of the sunlight felt across her skin. Would she too change and look like them? Golden or pink, skin thick and their bodies connected to the earth. She craved it. The smell of the earth, the embrace of warmth instead of the endless coolness of her home in the sky. 

It was nighttime in her palace when she found a way down, despite everyone’s efforts to keep her from her own curiosity, she had persisted, enthralled by the earth below. 

In the silence, she fell down, crashing and burning like a blazing meteorite down, down and down to the place she had watched beneath her for her whole life. 

She sacrificed her body to descend down to earth. Gave up the glittering gleam her skin held, given up the freedom of her body, now tied down to earth itself. Now with warm-toned skin, feet firmly placed on the warm earth below. The scents of this place invaded her new senses, filling her with wonder and an inexplicable hunger gnawing in depths inside her. 

And there she had met him. 

He had been bound to earth since he was held safely in his mother’s womb, connected to the place he would one day walk on since conception. 

Earthlings they were, with no knowledge of the people above that sometimes pry down with curious, frightened glances.

He had never thought there was anything divine in this world until he had come across her, shining in the dim sunlight that peeked through the thick bamboo forest. Her smile was even brighter and the robes of opalescent white she wore made her seem like a princess of the skies itself.

He had fallen quick into the ethereal orbit of her. And she had been entranced by him since she first stared down at this world below when she was nothing more but a small child, craving adventure and the fullness of the earth. 

Her elders warned her of the consequences she would face, but she was young, foolish and naive. She had forgotten of such horrible consequences until they began to fall upon her, heavy and damaging to her being. 

For months, she forgot about where she had come from, the warnings that they tried to drill into her as a child. She had forgotten everything in favour of taking in everything this world has to offer. What the man that was by her side every moment since she blasted down to this place. 

With her growing love of this world, her love for him grew. Sometimes at night when she lay awake, she’d think of her home in the skies and she would try to remember the things her people spoke of, but somewhere in her mind, it got lost in all her wonder.

They had mixed, entangled with love and the result revealed itself mere weeks later inside her womb, throbbing with new life that her elders had never mentioned because it was so impossible, so forbidden. But she had done it. 

She recalled their warnings then. 

And not heeding their warnings had cost her life. 

Their son was born on a cold autumn morning, cloaked in a veil of soft early morning sunlight as he drew his first breath. With soft black hair like his father, eyes glinting like stars, his skin softer than anything she had ever touched in her life. She thought her heart could never love as hard as she loved his father, but she proved herself wrong. 

She cried for hours after his birth, realising this would be her end and her tiny son would grow up without her. 

Terror sunk into her moments later. She had held him close, warming her newborn son with her embrace as her body slowly failed. The babe had been born sickly, the skin around his lips blue and his tiny body helpless against the blood that flowed through his veins, his own life source poisoning him. 

She hadn’t listened to the elder’s warnings, she had ignored them and hoped and hoped that they would be wrong when she held onto her lover’s hand, feeling the pulse beneath his skin. 

She hadn’t thought her actions of rebellion would present in her tiny son. 

They were never meant to meet, never meant to love, and certainly, a child born of both worlds was never to be. 

Yet, there he was, content in his mother’s arms, sleepy with a full belly. 

They had created a child together, a reason why the elders had persisted so that she did not leave her palace in the stars. A sickly child that she feared would die too soon, would suffer the consequences of his parents’ desires. 

Her body failed her two days later. In the bathing of moonlight she had faded, but she hadn’t reached the stars, sacrificing her last chance for the tiny baby in her cooling embrace. 

She should have listened to the wiser, older people of the stars. They had wisdom, whereas she was a young girl full of glittering wonders of the earth below her hovering feet. 

The babe cries out, his wails echoing out across the mountain, carried in the wind. 

☾

The day was chilly when he had found the baby. 

He had been too late to save the mother, who embraced the child still, tiny fists at her hair. When he had pried him from her arms, he wailed loud enough to tell him his lungs were still strong and the cold had yet not got to him. 

In one of his balled up fists tucked close to his own chest there was a shining bracelet made of iridescent stones threaded along a thin golden chain. He tucked the bracelet inside his robes and then bundled the baby up in the spare cloth he had to collect and carry herbs back to his house and held him close to his own warmth.

He had never made it down the mountain as fast as he had that day; the wind had kissed at his cheeks, the baby’s cries settling into whimpers as he held him close, hoping the inside of his robes was enough warmth for the near freezing infant. 

In the village at the base of the mountain, he had found a mother of three children and begged her to feed the starving child. She had complied but then made him hurry along with the newborn as soon as he fell asleep, warm and full. 

He had never married, never found the time or the effort to go out and meet someone that made his heart race. 

He was more inclined to studying medicine, healing the town’s people and anyone who appeared at his step asking for treatment. It hadn’t taken him long at all before he realised the baby was sickly, something inflicting pain on him consistently. 

His father had fallen in love with the small baby as soon as he walked in the doors to their shared home. He was old and beginning to feel the effects of his age, but the tiny baby had brought him joy in his dampening life and the physician was hopeless to his elderly father’s happiness. 

The babe grew on him and he found himself not caring when he’d cry for his hold in the middle of the night, or when he longed for the warmth of his skin beneath him when his tiny body would spasm. 

The baby grew and each passing day, and he had to take a moment to watch his blubbering son. 

He shone so bright, eyes like faraway galaxies, skin glimmering in the sunlight. Otherworldly he was, and he watched, helpless, as he grew into a young man, surrounded with glimmering dust that followed him everywhere he went. 

Choi Beomgyu was not just of this world. 

☾

The earth thuds beneath his feet, dust flying up and entering his nostrils. 

“Get him!” The roaring of the bandits behind him doesn’t cause fear to fill his veins, but rather leaves him a mess of excitement and adrenaline. His feet bang across the dirt and he pushes himself to go faster, ignoring the beating of his heart that he knows he should slow down. 

He leaps onto a root, springs himself up on it and pushes. His body is embraced by the wind, but his feet don’t land to the ground like the thudding of the men behind him do. His feet hover over the ground, his body weightless as he leaps through the air, once, twice, thrice. 

His clothes rush by in the breeze, lighting and sweeping around him.

He has always seemed to float in the air, pulled to the gravitation of the sky rather than the ground, drawn to night rather than day. He hears the men shout behind him and they scurry away just as he begins to fall. He pushes his body to the side, crashing to the ground with a heave. 

Beomgyu looks up at the sky and breathes in greedy amounts of air and when he turns his head, to take in his whereabouts, he’s left staring with wonder shining in his eyes.

He doesn’t know this place, but he knows without a doubt he’s landed in one of the estates of a rich aristocrat. 

But it isn’t the grander house or gardens that leaves him sitting in the dirt as he catches his breath. 

A flurry of orange and yellow moves with the wind of someone’s movements. 

Movements as sharp as knives, but still with such fluidity. The sword in his hand is an extension of himself; the true beauty comes with how he moves, feet kicking up beneath him. He lands so gracefully, almost like how Beomgyu descends from the air when his feet hover over the earth. The strong lines of his body are softened by the bright robes he wears that shine like bright fires underneath the sunlight. 

His body angles and Beomgyu makes the slightest movement backwards when he looks at his profile. An elegant nose, dipping in a soft curve down to plush lips that are parted with soft breaths. Eyes like golden tree sap when they catch in the shining sun. 

He turns and Beomgyu stills. 

His eyes are as sharp as his movements, but Beomgyu cannot find it in him to move until the man narrows those amber eyes at him, his mouth curving into a grimace. 

“Who are you?” 

Beomgyu scrambles to his feet at the man’s words. His voice sounds like a song that Beomgyu's never heard before and he craves to hear it again, the smooth melody that exits his throat.

He finally gets ahold of his senses and scrambles for the bundle he was carrying. He leaps to his feet and before the man can move, he wills the air to carry him back up, jumping over the wall of the estate, back into the streets and runs.

☾

“Grandfather! Father!” Beomgyu tumbles into their residence, panting. 

“My boy!” His grandfather cheers, his head poking out of the door. “Minhyun! He’s returned!” 

He hobbles on out, a grin stretched far across his face. He bundles him up in his arms and Beomgyu whines out, shuffling out of his crushing hug. “You’re going to crush everything I’ve brought back!”

“You brat, I’ve been waiting all day for your return and this is what you say to your poor grandfather?” He scowls at Beomgyu but then laughs, tipping his head back as the sound rumbles out.

“Father,” Beomgyu's father scolds his grandfather lightly. “He is fragile, our boy.” Beomgyu pouts and nods his head at him and his grandfathe’’s face falls before he sighs. 

“What have you brought back this time?” Beomgyu smiles broadly and lets his father help him sit on the veranda of their house. “This!” He opens the bundle to show a new set of clothes and a sack of rice. 

“Where did you get the rice?” His grandfather asks as he takes the sack from him. “The lady at the gukbap tavern. She was very grateful that you saved her son the other day. She ran after me like a mad woman, I thought she was trying to kill me at first. Mildly horrifying, actually.” 

His grandfather laughs heartily and his father quietly slips his fingers against his pulse. “Did you rest after she caught you?” 



“She pulled me to her kitchen and feed me while I sat.” His father, pleased by his answer ruffles his hair. “Good,” he says, and chuckles at the glittering dust that falls around him. Beomgyu smiles at the sudden sprinkling of the shining dust around him.

“Did you steal the clothes?” His father narrows his eyes at him and Beomgyu giggles at him, which answers his question. “And of course you didn’t rest after that.” he grumbles underneath his breath. Beomgyu had rested for a brief moment, entranced by waves of orange silk.

“I’ll get you the medicine.” 

Beomgyu sighs and leans against his grandfather, his fingers playing with the shining beads threaded on his wrist. “I would like to be cured of this soon.” 

“I know,” his grandfather pats his side. “One day, my boy, one day.”

Beomgyu traces the silver vein up his arm, his eyes trailing up his arm where the silver has yet to claim him. 

His mind wanders, back to that flurry of fiery robes, smooth silk that moves like water across the man’s body lines, strong and sharp. Dark eyes that stared down at him, anger and intent to protect swimming in them. Beomgyu shifts in his spot and pulls on his grandfather’s hand. 

“Grandfather,” he says as he stands in front of him, hands on his hips. “Let’s dance together!” 

His grandfather’s face lights up at the invitation and he scrambles to his feet. 

“This grandfather of ours was quite the dancer back in the day! What a treat you have ahead of you!” Beomgyu can hear his father’s sigh from the doors to their home and his grandfather cackles loudly at his son’s response. 

“That is how I made your grandmother fall for me!” 

“Because there’s nothing else remotely desirable about you.” Beomgyu laughs at his father and takes the bowl of medication, pinching his nose as he pours it down his throat, drinking it as quickly as he can. 

They weren’t sure of a cure. Rather, his father admitted that he does not think the illness that takes over his body can be cured. He had tried to treat each symptom according to his medical knowledge, but none of it ever seemed to work. 

The only hope they had was to slow his heart and limit his exercise, but Beomgyu could not sit still for ten minutes unless one of his sickly spells was tolling on him. 

That has always been the hardest part of whatever dreaded illness has fallen upon him. Beomgyu would search for answers himself, but he’s always been left lost and staring up at the sky.

And on those nights where he stares up at the stars that shine so brightly in the night sky, he swears there’s something up there.

His grandfather grips his hand tightly and heaves him up to his feet. Beomgyu laughs carefree and as pure as the laughter he’d erupt with as a baby. 

“Grandfather, I should be the one pulling you up!” 

“Maybe if you grew some more muscles you could haul me up!” He slaps his gut for good measure and Beomgyu cackles back at him. His grandfather is a large man, rather rotund and on the taller side. 

Beomgyu was his opposite in every way, physically at least. They both shared this passion of life and fun that usually got them both into big messes if they weren’t careful. Minhyun had grown accustomed to cleaning up after the both of them and apologising for some of their more loud and annoying antics. They could be blood of blood; they were so similar, but their appearances were too different to even pass as distant relatives.

Beomgyu’s grandfather had been a giant in his prime and still stands tall, broad in the shoulders. Beomgyu comes up to his chin and is around the same height as his father. Whereas his father is fit and muscular from the labour he does each day, Beomgyu isn’t because of his illness, his limited ability to exert himself has resulted in him having a small muscle mass. Both his father and grandfather have a certain roughness to them, their features strong and sharp whereas Beomgyu was softer. His features more delicate and round.

He grips onto his grandfather’s hands and his feet pick up around him, trying to copy the movements of the man in fiery orange silk. His grandfather laughs with him and he copies his movements before he grabs his grandson and spins him around. 

Minhyun stares on from the front room of their small shared home, a fond smile stretching on his lips at the sight of his son and father prancing around the front garden, joy in their voices and a certain spring in their step. 

Beomgyu hovers off the ground, his feet leaving the earth below for a few seconds at a time before he gently falls back down, sparkling dust exploding in soft puffs around him. 

Minhyun stares at Beomgyu as he laughs at something his grandfather says and the sparkling particles around him flutter in response to his laughter. 

He’s something otherworldly. 

☾

Beomgyu has always been curious. 

When he was two, he had been absorbed watching his father cook and then the next moment, he had gotten too close to the fire and burnt himself. His father healed the wound within a few weeks and ultimately, Beomgyu had learnt his lesson that fires are hot. 

He enjoyed watching his father mix herbal medicines, go out into the woods in his grandfather’s arms and help pick more herbs for the pharmacist that was too busy keeping his shop together to search himself. He watched the ants crawling in lines carrying grains of rice he’d dropped the night prior, wondering just how they carried things so much bigger than them. 

So, naturally, Beomgyu’s curiosity about the man in orange silk has only grown overnight. 

In the early hours of the morning, when the sun just begins to lighten the sky and the earth below his feet in soft pinks and yellow, Beomgyu dresses himself quietly and creeps out of the house, careful to not wake his snoring grandfather next to him or his father that’s asleep near the door. 

Beomgyu winces as the door squeaks shut behind him. The moon is still falling when he takes a step off the threshold of the house and he stares up at the sky, admiring the glimmering moon and stars overhead. 

Something draws Beomgyu to the night sky. Whether it’s the odd shimmer that floats around him or something else he doesn’t quite understand, but when he stares at the stars, he swears they stare back. 

Beomgyu shakes the thought off and takes off, out of their front gate.

Their house is just located outside of the village, closer to the forest than it is to the rest of the village. His father preferred it that way. Away from the noise of others and prying eyes that gaze at his son for too long, and far enough to not be troubled day to day, but close enough for people to come for medical care. 

He skips down the forest path, watching as the shining dust around him brightens when it hits the light. His wrist is tender and with a soft sigh, he presses the pad of his thumb against his throbbing pulse. He shakes it off after a few minutes of pressure after the pain subsides. 

The village appears suddenly as the forest thins just as the sun has risen high in the sky, morning light now illuminating his features. 

His hair flicks around his face as he picks up his pace, running further into the village. 

By the time he arrives in the centre of the village, it’s bustling in the early morning. Merchants are opening up for the day and calling out for customers to look at what they have to offer today. 

His heart is beating fast in his chest after his run to the village and he presses a palm to his chest, stopping in the middle of the road, waiting for it to calm down. He heaves in a deep breath when he feels a small pang of pain in his chest.

As if his body is scolding him for getting his heart rate up, his wrist aches, spreading up his forearm. He hisses at the sudden pain and tries to ignore the sudden lightheaded feeling that hits him.

He stays still, watching people hurry around, going to shop to shop to run daily errands while he tries to calm his heart. His father would be scolding him harshly if he knew he had run, but it wouldn’t last for long. Beomgyu knows his father cares deeply for him and even though he is mad at him every time Beomgyu ignores his words, he is never mad at him for long. 

“Oh! Beomgyu!” He turns to the voice and sees the old woman beckoning him over to her tavern. The smell of flavourful broth penetrates his nose and he bounds over to the woman, beaming at her. 

“You must bring some food to that father of yours!” She tells him as she shoves a bundle into his arms. It’s heavy and warm in his arms and Beomgyu laughs heartily at her. “Got to keep that man healthy and strong! Now go and tell your grandfather that the pharmacist shed is getting low.” 

“Will do!” Beomgyu smiles widely at her and her ageing face shows adoration for him. She pats his shoulder and hurries him along. 

It wasn’t his plan to hurry home. He had come out searching for something—someone— else entirely, but Beomgyu is not one to waste a hot meal with his family. 

He takes a peek through the gap in the fabric and hums in happiness when he finds three pots of what he suspects to be the village grandmother’s famous gukbap. 

The next moment, his shoulder collides against someone and the bundle in his arms topples. 

The man he had walked into catches it and places it back in Beomgyu’s waiting arms. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, sir!” He looks up at the man and his smile fades slowly. 

Sharp brown eyes, a pair of shapely soft pink lips and this time, his robes the colour of the sky. 

The man from yesterday peers down at him. His brows mar together in thought and then realisation flashes across his face. Beomgyu grimaces and tries to smile up at him. 

“You,” he points an accusing finger at him, his lips pressing together in a thin line. 

Beomgyu chuckles nervously. “I… I should be going…”

“Why did you break into my property?” The man shoots the question at him. Beomgyu gapes at him. He recalls fluttering orange silk and the shining silver of his sword glinting in the sun. 

“I didn’t break in!” He frowns at him, his voice heightening. 

The man raises a brow at him. “Really? Because I clearly remember a boy that looked suspiciously like you falling in my garden yesterday.” Beomgyu blinks at him. 

“I didn’t mean to fall into your home, I promise, sir.” 

The man narrows his eyes at him. “Are you trying to say it was an accident you climbed over my walls and fell into my home?” 

Beomgyu tucks one arm under the bundle and presses at his sternum where a flash of pain hits him. “Well,” he pauses. “Yes…” he knows it sounds like a stupid excuse that one would only use to try to get out of a situation, hoping that the one accusing them would be stupid enough to believe it, but Beomgyu had truly fallen in without knowing it belonged to a nobleman. 

He grimaces. 

“Ummm… maybe I should just go?” Beomgyu mumbles. 

The man breathes in heavily. “Shall I expect you to fall into my estate again?” His voice is almost teasing and Beomgyu’s eyes dart to his. Dark eyes meet his own black ones and he takes a step backwards. 

“You see, I was running from someone and I happened to—“

“I don’t think anything you can say is going to explain what happened.” the man cuts him off. He folds his arms across his chest and looks at Beomgyu expectingly. 

Beomgyu huffs and simmering particles release from his breath. The man frowns at him and his eyes flicker around Beomgyu, now noticing that shining dust surrounds him in a soft shroud. Beomgyu takes another step backwards and bows deeply. 

“I have to go,” he mumbles before he dashes off, not looking behind him to see if the man is following him. 

“You seemed very interested in my dance,” the man calls and Beomgyu feels his face flush as he turns to look at him again. The man cocks his head at him. “Then, instead of falling into my estate, why don’t you use the gate and come dance with me?”

Beomgyu’s mouth goes dry. 

“Are you inviting me to dance with you?” He squawks and the man laughs, his hands gesturing out by his sides before they settle back beside him. 

“I guess I am.” There’s a twinkle in his eye. “You intrigue me. Ask for Choi Yeonjun at the gate. I will come and teach you.” 

“But I’m… I’m not a nobleman…” Beomgyu whispers. “I’m just a village boy,” 

“Well, village boy, will you accept my offer?” 

Beomgyu bites on his bottom lip. He recalls the movements of his dance and he laughs softly to himself. “My name is Beomgyu,” he tells him with a soft smile. “I don’t know if I’ll be worth teaching but—”

“I will see you later then,” Yeonjun concludes. “Dusk?” Beomgyu nods softly. 

“Dusk,” he replies softly. “I’ll be going now,” hemutters, and Yeonjun waves his goodbye. 

His feet leave the earth as he runs for three breaths before he descends softly, hurrying off into the forest that conceals his house within. 

His heart beats furiously in his chest. 

How Yeonjun had just suddenly asked to dance with him is beyond Beomgyu, but he’s looking forward to it. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the dance he saw and he just can’t seem to copy it correctly from his own mind.

He had gone out in search of him, hoping to apologise and maybe see if he’d dance again. Beomgyu recalls how he moved his feet along the ground and he pauses, copying the movement before laughing at himself and humming. He slows down into a walk as soon as he’s in the forest and he hops along, allowing his body to be picked up in the air, his sparkling dust floating around him and dancing in the soft breeze.

He’s always thought that the shining substance that always surrounds him has its own mind, almost as if it’s alive too. Beomgyu knows he’s unlike everyone else. He’s never seen anyone that sparkles like he does or someone that can be suspended in the air at their own will. 

Beomgyu knows he’s not just human, but something else that doesn’t belong in this world. He’s sure that’s why he’s so ill. Maybe he was not meant for this world? 

His lips press together and he sighs out, suddenly saddened by that thought. 

He sees his house appear around the bend and he smiles when he sees his grandfather stretching in the garden. 

The old man’s face lights up when he sees him and he hurries out of their fenced off front garden to take the bundle from his arms. “My boy, your father almost collapsed this morning when we couldn’t find you.” His tone is scolding but his eyes shine with love for him. 

“I’m sorry grandfather,” Beomgyu smiles sheepishly. “I went to get us breakfast!” 

His grandfather laughs heartily and helps Beomgyu set up the breakfast on a round table underneath the plum tree hanging over their fence. 

Beomgyu’s father ruffles his hair when he sees him and passes him a bowl of medicine that he swallows in one gulp, cringing at the bitter taste coating his tongue. His grandfather lifts his spoon full of flavourful soup to his lips and Beomgyu laughs before he accepts it. His grandfather has always spoiled him. He sneaks in treats from the village behind his father’s back and dotes on him whenever possible. 

Beomgyu doesn’t dare talk about the dance lessons he’s been offered. His father would never let him go, worried about the strain on his heart, and his grandfather will definitely suspect he had been nitpicking again. And as fun-loving his grandfather is, he always stands behind his father when it comes to his unknown diagnosed medical condition. Beomgyu doesn’t want to deal with the both of them mad at the same time, even if he knows they won’t be mad for long. 

His father cleans up their breakfast while Beomgyu and his grandfather tidy up the garden, harvesting the few crops around the side of the house. Beomgyu chases away the birds as he laughs loudly, arms wildly thrashing above his head. He hears his father yell at him from the house and he smiles at him through the open door. 

“Oh! Grandfather, the pharmacist needs help restocking!” He turns to his grandfather who’s holding a particularly large cabbage in his arms. “Will you accompany me on my trip to the trail?” he asks, passing the cabbage to Beomgyu, who then passes it to his father. 

“Of course!” Beomgyu beams. 

“I need more ginger roots from the pharmacist, actually.” Minhyun comments. 

Beomgyu pouts at him. “The ginger burns when you put it in.” 

“But it helps,” his father says. “Your blood needs help circulating.” Beomgyu sighs and nods. 

☾

“Oh! Grandfather!” Beomgyu points to an abundance of herbs growing a few meters away. “Looks like we’ll be getting paid enough to buy more chickens!” His grandfather cheers and Beomgyu laughs giddily. Their chickens in the coop near their house are getting old and don’t lay as many eggs as they did a few seasons ago. 

Beomgyu rushes down the slope to the herbs and plucks them from the ground, putting them in the basket his grandfather carries on his back. 

“You know I can tell that you’re thinking about something,” his grandfather says gently, putting a warm hand on Beomgyu’s shoulder. 

Beomgyu looks up at him and smiles. “I just… I’ve been thinking about how different I am… and why I’m sick?” 

“Oh my boy,” his grandfather looks saddened by his words. “You are wonderful. We will find a way to make you better. Your father has never given up on his studies to figure out your illness.” Beomgyu smiles and hums. He presses his thumb to his wrist again and his grandfather notices. “Are you hurting?” 

“Oh?” Beomgyu removes his thumb and shakes his head. It’s been causing him discomfort throughout the day, but if he tells his grandfather he’ll make them go back and his father would make him sit or lay all day while he pokes needles near his silver vein. It makes Beomgyu quite queasy, honestly.

“No,” he says with a smile. “Come on, I bet we’ll be able to find ginseng somewhere around here!” Beomgyu distracts him easily. 

They continue until the sun begins to set and his grandfather is roaring with happiness at the large ginseng root he found. 

“And maybe not just chickens! We could buy a pig!” 

Beomgyu snorts at him. “A pig? Where would we put it? We should get a pot for the rice. It cracked the other day.”Hhis grandfather ponders on it for a while and agrees with Beomgyu. 

Climbing up the steep hill is usually a breeze for the both of them. His grandfather is a healthy man—he says it is all because his son is a fantastic physician and that he owes it to all his brews and acupuncture— and never has issues with movement. Beomgyu, howeve,, feels a sudden clenching in his chest as his heart rate picks up. 

He lets out a strangled gasp and his grandfather turns back to him just as he sinks to his knees, his wrist and forearm aching and stinging. 

“Beomgyu!” His grandfather grabs him by the arm and hauls him over his shoulder, almost routinely.

Beomgyu’s body goes limp, something that happens when his body decides to flare up and hot fiery pain fills him. It’s like his blood is boiling in his veins, fighting something inside of him. He feels like he can’t breathe and he can’t move, paralysed from the pain and some other symptom that overcomes him sometimes. 

He barely registers his grandfather running while talking to him, hoping he’s still awake. 

“Minhyun! Minhyun!” His grandfather yells. He throws the basket full of herbs somewhere as he slings Beomgyu down into his arms. 

The man storms out from their house, eyes wide when he looks at his son in his fathers arms. 

“Father, I don’t have any of his medication mix anymore,” Minhyun hisses out. “I was just about to go get more.” 

“I’ll go! I’ll go!” He stands, hurrying out the gate of their home. 

“Make sure to get them all!” He calls out after him as he drags Beomgyu into their home. 

A pained moan leaves Beomgyu’s lips and Minhyun strokes his forehead, placing a thicker acupuncture needle in his wrist where his silver vein is. His eyes are narrowed and he looks closer before he gasps and takes the needle out. 

“It’s spreading, isn’t it?” Beomgyu pants out before his eyes roll back and he slumps, unconscious. 

The silver vein is creeping up his arm, solidifying beneath his skin. 

☾

“What do you mean the price went up?!” 

Yeonjun sighs as he walks through the street. He had been expecting Beomgyu to show up for the dance lesson. He doesn’t know exactly why he asked the boy to join him in dancing but something about him attracts Yeonjun. The odd way shimmering dust float around him and when he lifted off the ground for just a little bit too long to be considered normal. 

He intrigues Yeonjun. 

He tries not to be too disappointed by the boy not showing up. It’s past dusk and soon it’ll be deep into the night. Most people have retired to their homes and most shops closed long ago. 

He sighs and kicks a rock under his foot. 

“I gathered all those herbs yet you won’t give me what we need!” The voice in the distance is growing angrier by the second and Yeonjun turns to see light coming from the pharmacist’s shop. 

“He might die! We need those!” 

Yeonjun frowns and wanders close to the shop. 

An old man is banging on the table where the pharmacist is sitting. “This is ridiculous! You know my boy!” Yeonjun clears his throat and the old man turns to him. His face is full of anguish and desperation and Yeonjun feels sorry for him. 

“I heard a commotion,” Yeonjun calls out as he stands tall at the entrance of the pharmacist. “Can I help?” 

“Well, sir, this man is refusing to give me medicine for my grandson that’s in critical health because he upped his prices and I don’t have money on me right now!” His chest heaves and Yeonjun sees tears blurred in his eyes. “Please,” he begs. “I cannot let my boy die. He is too precious.” 

Yeonjun reaches for his money pouch and throws it on the table. The pharmacist looks bored but his eyes spark when he sees the money pouch. “Give him the medicine.” Yeonjun speaks. He pushes the four bags towards the old man. 

He snatches them up in a hurry and promptly bows to Yeonjun, thanking him loudly. 

“Thank you, sir. I can only hope this will help Beomgyu.” Yeonjun frowns at the name but before he can ask, the old man is running off, faster than Yeonjun has seen any other elderly person move before. 

“Beomgyu?” he whispers to himself. 

“That is his grandson,” the pharmacist says as he stands beside Yeonjun outside of his shop. “The whole village knows who he is? You do not, sir?” 

“I am acquainted with him, I believe.” he answers. 

“Hmm… he is a sickly boy. They will never enclose what symptoms he shows but he takes medication daily and sometimes we don’t see him in the village for days.” 

“If you know him so well why would you deny him medication?” Yeonjun narrows his eyes at him. 

“A man must make money to tend to his family.”Hhe shrugs. “I cannot afford to not get paid.” 

“Take it all,” Yeonjun points to his pouch. “And don’t make them pay again.” The man’s eyebrows raise and he bows. 

“Thank you sir!” 

The pharmacist hurries off and Yeonjun grits his teeth, breathing heavily through his nose. “What a horrid man,” he hisses under his breath. 

☾

Beomgyu wakes in the warmth of the afternoon, his pulse weak beneath his skin and a simmer of pain tingling up his forearm. 

“You’re awake.” His father’s hand touches his forehead and brushes away his sweaty locks. 

“Good afternoon,” Beomgyu says weakly, a faint smile playing at his lips for his father. 

The older man smiles back at him and slips an arm beneath his shoulders, hoisting his body up into a sitting position. 

“I’ve been out for a while.” Beomgyu states and his father only hums softly in his throat in response. It’s a regular thing once he has a flare up. He’s missed hours and sometimes days at a time— once rare, although becoming increasingly worryingly common now. 

“It has been three nights since you first lost consciousness,” his father tells him softly. He is sure he looks sickly, his skin bland of its usual glow and the dust that sparkles around him, like tiny orbiting stars has dimmed to look like ashes that fall from the mountains when trees catch alight. 

Beomgyu’s eyes fall to the bowls of medicine his father is pushing towards him. 

His father looks tired. Heavy bags under his wise eyes and his stubble grown out which is uncommon for his father as he finds it uncomfortable. He wouldn’t have left Beomgyu’s side for the three nights, too worried to even take his eyes off his son’s form. 

Beomgyu’s heart pangs and he smiles softly at him. 

“Where is grandfather?” he asks, not noticing the bumbling presence of his cheerful grandfather. 

“The markets.” Minhyun tells him, stroking his head softly as he brings a bowl of medicine to Beomgyu’s mouth. He swallows it slowly in small gulps, being careful to not overwhelm himself after being unconscious for almost four days. 

“We have run out of many things and he was certain you’d wake up today and he wanted you to have a nice warm meal.” his father smiles fondly and Beomgyu can imagine his dear grandfather bantering with the shopkeepers and haggling for their best in stock. 

“Father…” Beomgyu whispers after he swallows the last of the bitter medicine he’s taken for the majority of his life. 

“Hmm?”

“Is dancing a strenuous activity?” He blinks up at his father and he sees his father’s face flash with relief at the glittering particles around Beomgyu that are glowing brighter after the medicine. 

“I guess it depends how much effort you put into it.” Minhyun shrugs. “Why?” He tilts his head at Beomgyu and he pauses, pursing his lips. 

“I was… just wondering, that's all.” 

His father narrows his eyes at him, seeing right through him. “Choi Beomgyu,” he warns in a scolding tone and the boy pouts. 

“Oh, let the poor boy live, Minhyun.” his grandfather interrupts suddenly. 

Beomgyu turns to see him standing with an armful of goods, frowning at his son. When he looks at Beomgyu however, he smiles broadly, his eyes shining. Beomgyu mimics his expression and he hears his father sigh beside him. 

“I can never win when you both gang up on me.” he groans. 

“It is just as well,” his grandfather tuts. “He is young. He needs these experiences of life!” Beomgyu nods eagerly at his father, putting his best pleading eyes on. His father may be a stoic man most times but there has never not been a time he hasn’t fallen victim to his puppy eyes. 

Minhyun groans dramatically and puts his head in his hands. Beomgyu cheers beside him, knowing he’s won this round. 

“Thank you father!” He throws himself at him and his father just sighs, but he hugs him back anyway. 

☾

Beomgyu feels horribly guilty for missing his first lesson with Yeonjun. He had been looking forward to it. He wants to know how to move like he did, so fluid and beautifully. 

So that’s how he finds himself in the markets early next morning, bouncing on his heels as he looks out for a certain man. 

He finds him surprisingly easily. Sitting by the gukbap inn where they had met last time. Beomgyu wanders over and shyly approaches him. 

“Hello.” Beomgyu whispers as he sits on the chair in front of the man. 

Yeonjun gazes up at him. “Hello.” 

It’s quite awkward but Beomgyu doesn’t quite know what to say. Apologise for almost dying again and missing their plans? Beomgyu inwardly cringes at that. 

“I hope you’re feeling better.” Yeonjun says first and Beomgyu cocks his head at him, slightly confused to how he knows he wasn’t well before. 

“Ah,” Yeonjun seems to read the look on his face quickly. “I bumped into your… grandfather, I presume? At the pharmacist’s.”

“Oh, I’m fine now! I was just a bit ill,” Beomgyu smiles at him, although his pulse beats harder in his body. The more people that knew of his incurable illness the more it causes unease inside of him. There is something inexplicably terrifying of having people know how his illness takes control of his body, how even the most talented doctor is stumped at his condition. 

He wants to live like others his age. Run around and have fun, not just sit on the sidelines as others live their lives around him. But he wants to live so he listens to the advice his father tells him (mostly, anyway) and tiptoes past his life, careful to not quicken his heartbeat past what he knows as his limit. 

“Would you like to go now instead?” Yeonjun speaks up just as Beomgyu was about to ask about when they’d be able to dance.

“Oh, yes!” 

Yeonjun hums under his breath and gestures for him to follow him. 

“Will I be able to use a sword?” Beomgyu jumps on his toes as they walk, buzzing with excitement.

It felt so unfair that such an illness afflicted Beomgyu. His boundless energy and love of life don’t go well with the sickness he scums to regularly. 

“Have you ever held a sword in your life?” Yeonjun questions, one brow raised. 

“Of course not! My family aren’t well off or soldiers,” Beomgyu tells him. “But I have held a shovel quite a few times,” he adds and Yeonjun’s brows knit together. 

“Because a shovel is like a sword,” Yeonjun mutters. 

“Well, one summer, a snake almost bit me and my father chopped it in half with the shovel.” Yeonjun blinks at him and just points to the entrance to his residence. 

“This time we’ll be taking the entryway.” Yeonjun tells him and Beomgyu barks out a laugh. 

“Some would argue that over the wall is an entry.”

“Ah, but not me.” 

Yeonjun raises a brow at him in a musing manner. “Come in, I’ve prepared the courtyard already.” 

Beomgyu scampers behind him, greeting the many attendants around the residence with a bright smile. They all greet him back, all with equally amused faces.

“Have you ever danced before?” Yeonjun asks as they reach the place Beomgyu had first seen Yeonjun, in the burning colours of silk and moving like rich honey while he crashed into the garden, almost eating dirt. 

Beomgyu blinks as Yeonjun turns back and locks their eyes together. “Ah… No… not really.” he whispers back and he can feel the tips of his ears heating up. He notices how Yeonjun’s eyes go to his hair and his eyes narrow the slightest bit. 

The particles that usually dance around him freely are dim today. He tries his best to control them when out in the village. He was already different enough and those little sparkling things only captured attention. Yeonjun must’ve noticed them now. 

Or he might think he’s just rolled around in dust. He wouldn’t put it past him to do that. 

“Well, we all start somewhere.” Yeonjun shrugs his shoulders and Beomgyu beams, laughing softly. 

☾

The lessons go… as expected. 

Beomgyu trips five times and dirt covers his clothes by the time Yeonjun ends the lesson. Beomgyu’s attention was more on Yeonjun and how he moved his body rather than copying him. He did try, but when his attention wavered he landed on the ground with a huff and a pant until Yeonjun appeared hovering over him, holding out a broad palm with a flat look on his face. 

The man isn’t very expression, Beomgyu finds through the lesson. He hasn’t really even smiled… or laughed, and Beomgyu finds something inside him that hurts because of that. Part of him also wants to be someone that can make him laugh. And Beomgyu doesn’t back down from challenges unless his father and grandfather persist. But, even then he usually didn’t listen. His father scolds him often about this.

The lessons continue. Every few days, Beomgyu bounds into the village, knocking on the entrance to Yeonjun’s home and a boy around his age with pretty brown eyes answers him every time, leading him to the courtyard. His name is Taehyun and Beomgyu quite likes the minimal time they spend together. 

Beomgyu watches as silk twirls and flows like running water and he tries his best to copy the moves. His feet lift off the earth and Yeonjun watches and as time goes on Yeonjun sits and watches as Beomgyu finally gets it and his feet sweep around the ground beneath him. 

☾

There’s something about the boy that draws Yeonjun to him. Perhaps it’s the twinkle in his eyes, the way his smile blooms across his face or the way Yeonjun swears he lifts off the ground, dancing while he floats, or the way he sparkles when he dances. 

Yeonjun isn’t so sure it’s just one of those things, but one thing he knows for sure is that he’s glad Beomgyu had fallen into his life. 

“I did it!” Beomgyu laughs loudly and Yeonjun fights the twitch of his lips. 

“You did,” he breathes out, his eyes taking in the glittering particles dancing all around him. As if he’s the moon and they’re the stars orbiting him, surrounding him in a mysterious shroud. 

There’s something about Choi Beomgyu. 

☾

“Grandfather! Like this! See!” Beomgyu shows him the moves he’s learnt while his father is busy making dinner, rolling his eyes at his enthusiasm but he’s smiling broadly at his son nevertheless. 

“You’ve made progress!” His grandfather cheers him on and Beomgyu beams. “Maybe Yeonjun will let me use the sword soon!”

Minhyun perks up at this. “I never said you could use a sword, Choi Beomgyu.” 

“But father…” he whines out, batting his eyelashes at him. 

“No,” he drawls out. 

“Whatever.” Beomgyu huffs as he sits on the ground near his father. 

“You’re lucky enough that this dancing has been gentle on your body,” his father starts up again and Beomgyu whines out, kicking his feet like a child. His father ignores him and continues on. “What if the sword just overdoes it, hmm? Your grandfather and I aren’t invited to these prestigious lessons of yours, so what would happen then?”

“They’re not prestigious,” Beomgyu scoffs. “I’m not even paying!” 

“You’re visiting a nobleman estate and dancing with him, Beomgyu.” his grandfather calls out with a laugh. 

“Fine!” He breathes out heavily. “No swords, I promise!” His father hums happily and laughs when Beomgyu cries out and pouts at him. 

☾

Beomgyu watches as Yeonjun moves the sword in his grasp, as smooth as his usual movements, as if it was a part of his body. Beomgyu’s kind of jealous, but he still watches on with admiration and cheers after Yeonjun stops. 

“It’s getting dark.” Yeonjun comments just as Beomgyu stands from his spot on the floor, dusting off his pants. 

“My father is probably fretting with my grandfather when I’ll be home.” Beomgyu snickers with a smile. The sides of Yeonjun’s mouth twitch and Beomgyu feels pride swell inside of him. 

“Should I come with you?” Yeonjun offers but Beomgyu shakes his head with a smile. 

“It’s okay! I know the way. It’s quite quick too,” he pats Yeonjun on the shoulder. “See you later! Thank you for today!” 

Yeonjun smiles as he turns and runs out of the courtyard. “Thank you.” Yeonjun whispers softly under his breath as he watches his retreating figure. 

He sighs when he can no longer see him, and then he turns on his heels, hands clasped behind his back as he begins to go to his room to read or write something before he has to eat and wash up before he settles down for the night. But a small glint in the dirt catches his eye and he bends down to pick up a bracelet. 

The chains linking it together are a bright gold. Gems are looped in around the bracelet, white at first glance but when Yeonjun looks closer he sees them shine as if liquid light is swirling around them in colours of gold, silver and the softest blue. 

He’s never seen anything like it before. He frowns as he thinks of who its owner is. Beomgyu doesn’t have the funds for it, but he’s the only other person that has been here. It’s odd, but Yeonjun is moving before he can think more about it. 

☾

Beomgyu memorised the route from Yeonjun’s home to his own within the first week of dancing with the older.  He’s quick on his feet, knowing the two men back home are probably ready to come searching for him and as overprotective and annoying as it is, Beomgyu is thankful that they care that much for him.

The moon is high in the sky as he finally makes it to the dirt path that leads up to the house in the forest. It shines, light bearing on him and Beomgyu momentarily stops, staring up at the sky. Something twinges in his chest and the silvery dust around him seems to double. The dust falls from his eyelashes, sprinkling onto his cheeks and when he lifts a hand out, it swarms around it, tickling his skin softly. 

Beomgyu hasn’t ever seen anyone else who has the same glittering friends, hasn’t heard of anyone else sparkling like he does. He shines at night, bright in the moonlight and he swears there’s something the’e that’s screaming clues at him but Beomgyu’s mind is blank. 

Subconsciously, his fingers loop around his wrist, going to grasp at the golden chain but when the cool metal doesn’t shock his fingertips, his heart skids and panic rises inside of him. 

That had been the only thing he had from his mother. He knew the story. His father climbed the mountain for herbs only to find him at his mothers cold side, the bracelet fisted in his hand as he cried out. It was the only thing he had from his mother— from his true heritage. He had worn it as a baby, a toddler, a child and up until now. He hasn’t ever parted from the bracelet in his life. 

Beomgyu wonders what happened to his mother. Why she had died when he was so new to the world. His father said she was a beautiful woman, eyes like his own and eyelashes long. He never said anything about shining particles, which was something that has stumped his family since they first appeared after a few days in his father and grandfather’s care. 

He turns on his heels, sure that the bracelet had either fallen off on his walk down the path. He had been rubbing it between his fingers on the walk to Yeonjun’s estate.

But when he turns he realises he’s not alone on the typically barren dirt path. 

Three men (men that he’s run from before after a… run in) are standing behind him, eyebrows raised and arms folded crossed broad chests. 

“Oh, good evening… gentlemen,” Beomgyu grits out, trying to not let his anxiety show. The man in the middle only sneers at him. “What the hell is going on?” He squints at him, eyeing the shimmering particles around him. Beomgyu sinks into himself, grimacing. 

“So it’s true,” one of the men comment with a chuckle. Beomgyu takes a step backwards, uneasy from the sudden appearance of the men. “You do shine.” 

“What even is it?” Another man pesters, eyes narrowing at him. 

Beomgyu smiles nervously. “I don’t know what you mean,” he’s playing dumb, hoping they’ll think it was just a trick of the light but the dammed sparkles won’t stop. They glitter in the moonlight and he drips in the odd substance. 

“Silver? Why steal when you have this?” Beomgyu gulps and this time he takes a large step back. The men notice his apprehension. “Ah, see boys? A freak.” he cocks his head towards him and just as a hand wraps around his wrist and pulls on him hard enough that he falls to his knees in front of the three older men, a voice calls out behind them. 

“I wouldn’t touch him if I were you.” 

Beomgyu breathes out when Yeonjun emerges and relief fills him when the man releases his hold on him. 

“My lord!” Taehyun calls out, rushing towards Yeonjun with a worried look. “Taehyun?” Yeonjun pauses and lets the younger male catch up with him. 

“Beomgyu!” He pants out, hands on his knees as he heaves in deep breaths as if he had run after him for a while. 

He’s at the edge of the town, almost at the path that Beomgyu takes to go to the alone house in the forest. 

“Beomgyu?” He questions the younger. 

Taehyun looks up at him, eyes wide and concern shining in his brown orbs. “The others,” he pants out. “They’ve been talking about him—that glowing…stuff! I overheard people in the town while I was getting vegetables from the vendor! These thugs know where he lives now.” 

Yeonjun raises a brow and clenches the bracelet tightly in his palm. The stones are cold against his skin and he swears they pulsate like they have a heartbeat of their own… like they’re alive. 

“What if they hurt him?” Taehyun whispers out.

The stones feel hot in his hand now, shocking him almost. He flinches, but only tightens his grip around the delicate bracelet. 

His feet move without much thought and he flies up the dirt path, his body gliding through the crisp air of the early night. 

The moon is full in the sky, shining bright and sending down bright beams of light to the earth below. Beomgyu seems to glow in this light, silvery and almost like the stones in the bracelet. 

“He’s a thief,” one of them sneers at Yeonjun. 

“If I recall correctly, you are the ones causing trouble around the village? The thugs messing around in the streets and stealing money to go gamble away?”

They narrow their eyes at Yeonjun and something akin to a growl escapes his mouth. Yeonjun raises a brow at him and brushes his hands down his silky robes, still clutching onto the bracelet. 

Beomgyu gets back up to his feet, his legs rather shaky. “Hey… I don't want any trouble. It’s late and my father will be looking for me if I’m—”Iit happens too fast. 

The biggest man in the middle turns, jaw clenched in anger and balls up a fist. Yeonjun watches, his eyes going wide as he watches him shift his weight and slam that fist into Beomgyu’s middle. 

Yeonjun hears how the breath is knocked out of his lungs as he flies over the ground, landing with a thud on the hard ground. 

He doesn’t move and when Yeonjun sees that odd shining dust fallen around him, terror fills him. It dances around him, like he’s the sun and they’re orbiting planets and to see Beomgyu and his beautiful oddity, lifeless around him,  fills Yeonjun with fear. 

The three men seem to think the same and they flee quickly as soon as Yeonjun breaks into a run towards him. 

“Beomgyu!” He calls out his name, shaking the boy for what feels like minutes. 

Yeonjun hopes and hopes and continues to shake him until Beomgyu takes in a heaving breath, his body racking. “Oh god.” Yeonjun falls back onto the balls of his feet and breathes out heavily, trying to calm his racing heart.

“What—” Beomgyu cuts himself off with a cough. “Are they gone?” 

Yeonjun breathes out heavily. “Yes,” he whispers. “They’ve gone.” Beomgyu flops back down on his back and sighs. 

“I found this,” Yeonjun breaks the soft silence of the night. Beomgyu peers up at him when he opens his palm to show the piece of jewellery. “Is it yours?”

Beomgyu’s eyes light up at the sight of the thin golden chain and those odd stones that gleam even brighter when it touches Beomgyu. Yeonjun watches as he clasps it back on and cradles his wrist to his chest. Whatever that bracelet was to Beomgyu, Yeonjun knows it meant a lot to him just by the way his eyes lit up. 

“Thank you, hyung,” he whispers out. He looks up at Yeonjun, watching for his reaction at the honorific. He gives him a small smile in return. 

“I take it you’ve seen those guys before?” Yeonjun asks him and Beomgyu crinkles up his nose.

“They’re notorious in the village,” he informs the elder. “Causing all sorts of problems to the people there… I just wanted to cause them some… inconvenience.”

“It seems like you cause them enough inconvenience for them to target you.” Yeonjun then looks down where that strange dust is stagnant. 

“I don’t know what it is either,” Beomgyu says after noticing where Yeonjun’s eyes linger. “It’s just… always around… but it’s never really done this before.”

There’s silence for a little bit. Only the ambient noises of wildlife scattering around can be heard. 

Beomgyu then suddenly grips onto Yeonjun’s wrist, sitting up. “My father.” he mutters out, worry shining in his eyes. 

Yeonjun nods in response and goes to tuck his hand underneath Beomgyu to help him to his feet but his fingers graze across that scattered dust, cold to the touch and it thrums against his skin. 

“What—” he asks but Beomgyu’s eyes are wide as a sudden drumming sounds in their ears. Beomgyu’s own fingers are coated in a thick layer of the shimmering substance. 

The noise sounds out, like a heart beating furiously until it suddenly comes to a halt and with a gasp from Beomgyu, that dust begins to shine, lifting off the ground and encasing his and Yeonjun’s body. 

Yeonjun hadn’t noticed they were still holding hands. 

Bright light bursts out and the ground feels like it’s falling beneath them. There’s a shrill scream and then there’s nothing. A blank canvas. A void. 

Then there is something. Shining spots in the dark black. Stars. 

They shine so brightly to the point Yeonjun almost has to squint. 

“Beomgyu?” He calls out and feels a tug on his hand. 

Beomgyu is next to him, legs tucked underneath him on a white podium. Pillars stretch up high, decorated with engraving of stars and moons, planets and a few figures dressed in draping cloth. 

The dust around him is bright, like each tiny particle is a fragment of a shining star. And that bracelet around his wrist is beaming with light, reflecting colourful light onto his face, highlighting his hair, his eyelashes and that dust.  

Yeonjun struggles to tear his eyes away from the sight of him, doused in light like a divine creature.

Yeonjun thinks the divines would be jealous of him. 

And out stretched before them is a grand palace, and a stone erected above the highest peak shines bright, the beams of light suddenly pointing to Beomgyu. 

Beomgyu sucks in a deep breath and clutches onto his wrist. 

“The stars,” he whispers quietly. His voice is soft, free of that boisterous energy and life Yeonjun is used to hearing. 

Something in his tone sounds terrified as if this is something he’d expected to happen but had hoped so dearly that it would never occur. 

Perhaps it just makes sense. The shining dust, the ethereal air around him, the realisation that Choi Beomgyu was something else entirely. A divine being of sorts, something not quite human… something more. 

And this city stretched before them? Yeonjun has to blink again to make sure his eyes aren’t deceiving him when he sees figures— silhouettes—suddenly appearing before them and Yeonjun startles with the sudden discovery that Beomgyu is perched on some type of pedestal, a temple perhaps and people are beginning to crowd around him. 

But they’re not quite human either. 

There’s some type of sheerness to their skin, a translucent gleam to them as if this wasn’t their real form but a husk of what they truly are

A figure appears out of nowhere in front of the pedestal Beomgyu is displayed upon. Flowing fabric covers her body and silver coloured hair is pinned around her head in elaborate twirls along the crown of her skull. She stares up at Beomgyu as if in disbelief. Yeonjun spots a glow coming from within her, a light in her abdomen. Frowning he looks around and finds all the people surrounding them with their own… shining core. 

The woman tilts her head as if she’s studying Beomgyu closely and then as if realisation slaps her across the face, her eyes widen. 

“My prince!”

Yeonjun might just faint.

“The prince has returned!” She cries out and Beomgyu whips his head around to find Yeonjun. He looks as if he might burst out into tears any second. He seems horrified and Yeonjun wants to run up to him, stand in front of him like some type of shield against… floating translucent people. 

“I’m not!” He cries out to him. “Please,” his voice is soft and the woman seems to understand the boy’s distress. 

“Oh, my prince,” her voice is floaty— like the rest of her— and she reaches out a hand to him. “You look just like your mother.” 

Yeonjun watches him freeze and then how his fingers instantly find the bracelet around his wrist. Yeonjun doesn’t know what happened to the boy’s mother. He knew the simple things, like how his father wasn’t his biological father but loved him more than the world. 

But there’s a soft spot inside Beomgyu that craves to know about his mother, Yeonjun knows this too.

He’s curious by nature, a little too loose lipped for his own good, but effortlessly loveable and innocent. But there’s something deeper, like he knows the world isn’t as good as he tries to make it out to be. Although he keeps up his sunny demeanour, he’s the darkness in the night, lighting up the world with gleaming light of silver and glowing white. The moon.

He shines when it gets dark and his perfect imperfections shine and the sun falls for him once again.

Yeonjun feels parched at the thought and with a sudden flare of heat to his ears, Yeonjun thinks he might just be the sun. 

Beomgyu’s a force that’s unknown. There’s a boy under his facade of innocence and sunshine. A boy that’s dark and fears the world. Fears something deeper. A boy who mourns and tries so hard to lock it out by shining. He was wonderful before in his false sunlight, but now he’s breathtaking in his glory. 

Glowing pale silver, a dancer of the stars. Prancing through the air with moves as fluid as the lunar waves. There’s stars in his eyes, full galaxies, a universe that evolves around him and him alone. 

A prince of the stars, a boy made of moonlight.

“My mother?” he asks in a soft voice.

The woman smiles softly at him, nodding gently. “You have her eyes… her aura… your lips are your fathers.” she says to him and Yeonjun knows Beomgyu’s mind is running ahead of him, racing. 

“I… I never met my mother.” he whispers sadly. 

“The briefest of moments,” the woman sounds mournful. “Come, child, I can help you,” 

Beomgyu straightens up at that and frowns down at her. “How can you possibly help me? And where even is this place?”

“That, I too would also like to know.” Yeonjun pipes up and the woman’s eyes float over to Yeonjun, only noticing him now. “A human!” She screeches and almost jumps out of her skin. “How have you made it up here?” 

“I was going to ask the same thing?!” Yeonjun shouts back. “Ask your prince over here!” 

“Excuse me I’m just as in the dark as you are!” Beomgyu seems scandalised and Yeonjun lifts a brow at him. 

“The kingdom in the stars,” the woman answers. “Your mother’s home and where she ruled.” She eyes Yeonjun warily as if he’s going to pull out a sword and go on a murderous rampage. But truthfully, Yeonjun is too scared of what she stands on. It looks like clouds and Yeonjun fears one wrong step is going to lead to him splattering on the earth below them.

Beomgyu blinks at her. “Oh.” he can only say. 

“You are sick, my prince, are you not?” 

Beomgyu narrows his eyes at her, stuck between being suspicious of her and putting all of his trust in her. 

Yeonjun slides closer to Beomgyu, not entirely trusting of the woman that stands below them. Beomgyu seems to relax at the proximity of him, a certain tenseness in his shoulders softening out.

“How do you know that?” He looks at her with a deep frown. Her shoulders sag at the knowledge as if she had expected a different answer or maybe hoped it would be different. 

“It is as expected, then,” she sighs and Beomgyu turns his head away to look at Yeonjun. He shrugs and shifts closer to him. 

“What do you mean?” Beomgyu asks her, slowly gaining more interest in the glowing woman. “You are not just one of us,” she says softly. “But you are also part human… you don’t have all the characteristics of our people and your human side… well, it can’t handle it.” 

Yeonjun watches as Beomgyu’s face falls and his heart aches softly in his chest at the downcast look. He squeezes his hand softly and Beomgyu gives him a rather pathetic one back. 

“My prince… perhaps we can fix it?”

Beomgyu frowns as he looks at her. The corners of his mouth are downturned as he looks at her wearily. “There is something that we should show you first, however…” she reaches out a hand, gesturing for them to come down from the podium. 

Yeonjun shoots Beomgyu a look but the supposed prince shrugs his shoulders softly, his eyes flickering between him and the woman who’s hand is still outstretched to them. 

“What is it?” Yeonjun clears his throat as he speaks to the woman. He’s also suspicious and Beomgyu looks like he’s close to breaking down into a fit of tears at any second so he decides to take one for the team. “What do you want to show us?”

Her jaw tenses as Yeonjun speaks and she gives him an untrusting look. Beomgyu notices and frowns, clutching tighter onto Yeonjun’s hands. 

“The prince needs to understand more about himself,” she says and Yeonjun’s eyebrow cocks at the vagueness. “It is important. Do you want to know more about yourself, my prince?”

Beomgyu’s eyes are wide as he looks at her. “I’m not a prince.” He shakes his head. The floating dust around him dances, glowing brighter than Yeonjun remembers it to be when they weren’t suspended in the clouds of all things. “I’m just… I’m a physician’s son… I can’t be a prince of the… stars?”

She gives him a sad look and Beomgyu gulps. “You know it is true,” she says. “You have always known you were not just a human.”

“But I never thought I was a star of all things! Or a prince for that matter! I was just a sick boy who tried his best!” His chest heaves as he sucks in deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. His grip on Yeonjun’s hand tightens and Yeonjun winces at the pressure building up in his fingers from it. He gives his hand a few gentle squeezes in response and Beomgyu slowly relaxes in his grasp.

“I can give you answers, my prince,” she says softly. “There are things we can show you to help you on your journey.”

“Journey?” His voice is weak as he stares down at her.

She gives him a nod. “But first we have to show you, so please, my prince, come down and I will take you to the palace so you can understand.”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” he whispers to Yeonjun. He feels the same way because what the hell? Yeonjun is still trying to process that touching Beomgyu had somehow sent them both up into the sky and now they’re above the clouds, huddled together on a podium of all things. 

“Breathe,” he says softly, giving his hand another squeeze. “Just keep breathing. Everything will be okay, I’m here with you.” 

Beomgyu inhales heavily and his exhale shudders out of him. Yeonjun gives his hand another gentle squeeze in response. “Okay,” he whispers quietly and then lifts his head to face the woman before them. “Okay,” he repeats, but this time it’s confident. 

He raises to his feet shakily and Yeonjun follows him. They both stare at the clouds that the woman is hovering over. Yeonjun truly does think one wrong step will have him plummeting down to the earth like a blazing comet. 

“It is safe,” she tells them both with a twinkle in her eye. “You can come down.”

“Are you certain?” Beomgyu asks hesitantly. He’s still clutching tightly onto Yeonjun’s hand. 

“I am,” she nods. “You’re not going to fall back down. This kingdom isn’t so easy to access or exit.” 

Yeonjun grimaces at that. 

“Oh,” is what Beomgyu says. “Well, then… Hyung, let’s go down.” Beomgyu makes the first move, his feet shuffling over the white marble beneath them to the edge of the podium that extends down into stairs. Yeonjun allows himself to be dragged by the younger because he is still not certain about the clouds and Beomgyu seems to be a little bit more accommodating to the thought that they’re in a kingdom in the stars. Yeonjun still thinks he’s dreaming. 

Yeonjun sucks in a deep breath as Beomgyu’s feet land on the clouds. He squeezes his eyes shut as he’s pulled down and he genuinely expects to just fall, but there’s nothing. It feels like he’s standing upon nothing, but he’s not falling. He cracks his eyes open to see his feet hovering above the clouds, suspended by some unknown force.

Beomgyu is staring at him with concern evident in his eyes as he cracks them open. “Hyung,” he whispers quietly. “We’re floating.” 

“You’re always floating.” Yeonjun tells him and Beomgyu smiles softly. He’s seen him during their dance lessons, always defying the natural laws of gravity when his feet carry him through the air longer than what should be possible. And the sprinkling of glittering dust that follows him shines brighter when his feet aren’t tethered to the earth. 

The woman begins to walk ahead of them and Beomgyu follows her, still dragging Yeonjun. His hand is warm and a comforting weight in his palm. The air around them feels thin, and each breath is cool when he breathes in. 

As they walk, they come across groups of the shining people and all of them that see them gasp and hurry away as if they’re scared of them. They don’t seem to pay much attention to Yeonjun, though. Their eyes are glued on Beomgyu as he walks past. 

They’re fearful of the prince who drips in stardust. (Because that has to be it. If he’s a prince of the stars, half-human and half-star, then that has to be what drips from him. It’s the only logical explanation Yeonjun can conjure up.) They’re weary of the stardust that collects in his eyelashes that dusts down his face every time he blinks and that weaves through his dark, unbound hair. Weary of the tiny stars that gravitate around him as if he’s the centre of the universe and the sheen of his bright honey skin that’s unlike their own silvery tones. Beomgyu’s both a child of the sun and a child of the moon and it terrifies them. 

He’s different from them and from the people that walk down below, their feet bound to the earth. But Yeonjun would not have him any other way.

Suddenly, a large building creeps up on them. 

It’s massive, spanning across the plains of the clouds and decorated with the same stones that are around Beomgyu’s thin wrist. The building is made of bright white stone that twinkles gently as if stars are embedded into its surface. Tall, carved pillars hold up the building, connecting to decorated architraves with carvings of star-like people dancing around. 

The stone is hard beneath his feet as they step up the first step that leads up to the grand building. A flood of relief crashes through him at the surface because even though he had hovered over the clouds, he was still terrified at the mere thought of how high up they are. 

The moment Beomgyu steps onto the stone, it lets out a burst of golden light and it illuminates his features. It turns the tips of his eyelashes golden and the stardust that drips from him sparkles like gold glinting in bright sunlight. 

Yeonjun feels his breath leave him because Beomgyu is gorgeous. 

He’s of two worlds and yet so different from the both of them. 

Beomgyu’s eyes widen at the sudden light bursting around him and the woman turns, her eyes shining as she takes in the prince before her. “The stars sung for your mother, too,” she whispers quietly. “And now they sing for you.” 

Yeonjun sees how his eyes dim at the mention of his mother and his thumb glides over the stones around his wrist. 

“This is the palace,” she says softly. “Where your mother lived, and where she would’ve ruled if she had stayed.” 

Beomgyu clutches onto Yeonjun’s hand tighter. 

“You can meet your family, my prince,” she whispers. “The family that has been aching to meet you.” 

She turns back around after giving him a fond smile and begins to walk into the palace that still gleams every time Beomgyu takes a step. 

They twist down halls and through archways, through a garden with shrubs bearing flowers and fruit that look like shining stars. The moonlight casts a silvery glow over everything and when they step back into the palace and into a large room held up by carved pillars and heavily decorated with those luminescent stones and gold.  

There are three chairs at the very back of the open room, all carved from the white stone and plated with gold. Navy coloured fabric is draped over the seats, a cushion from velvet underneath the two women that are sat on the chairs. 

They all look like the woman that had proclaimed Beomgyu as the prince of the stars, silvery and shining and their eyes widen at the sight of both Beomgyu and Yeonjun who look far from what they do. Sun kissed and their figures sharp and not blurred like them, with dirt clinging to the hems of their robes.

“Sister?” The one in the middle calls out, her eyes flickering over from Beomgyu to the woman that is now walking—hovering— towards the empty seat. 

“He has made it, dear sisters,” She tells them. “Our nephew has come home!” 

Beomgyu trembles and Yeonjun grips harder onto his hand that has grown sweaty to try to comfort him. 

“He looks just like her.” the woman in the middle croaks out. Beomgyu blinks at them, uncertain of how to greet his aunts and what to say. 

“I am Beomgyu,” he whispers out his introduction. “Choi Beomgyu…” 

“Choi Beomgyu,” One of them breathes out. “Look at us, dear child… you are so…”

Beomgyu winces, readying himself to be insulted by his newly discovered family. But it doesn’t come. 

“Divine,” she finishes and Yeonjun bites down on his lip, stealing a glance at the prince’s face. Yeonjun couldn’t agree more. 

Beomgyu still looks unsure and Yeonjun doesn’t blame him one bit. They had just been in the middle of the forest and had suddenly been thrown up into the clouds. He thinks their shock is justified. 

“You said you’d tell me more,” Beomgyu frowns at the woman now seated on one of the thrones. “You said you’ll give me answers for my journey? What journey are you even talking about?” 

“You are ill,” she says and Beomgyu’s eyes narrow again. “There is a way to make you better, nephew,” she continues and Yeonjun hears the tiny gasp from Beomgyu. 

“There is?” His eyes soften as he looks at the women that claim to be his aunts, and the one in the middle nods her head softly. 

“You are of both worlds, child,” she says and her eyes shine as she looks at him. “Your mother was our little sister, a princess of the stars and your father…” She looks around at her sisters. “You father is a human. A child of the earth. These sides were never meant to mix… we warned her many times but it was too late. You had been created and our dear sister was too deep in her love to see it.” 

Beomgyu’s lips are downturned at the mention of his mother. “She died because of me?” He whispers and his aunt shakes her head softly. 

“She lived because of you,” she tells him. “But her body was weakening from being away from her place in the stars and from mixing with a human.” Her eyes land on Yeonjun who is still holding onto Beomgyu’s hand tightly. Yeonjun’s lips are pressed together as he stares back. Her eyes are judging, clear with distrust, but she doesn’t say anything to him. 

“You were born without a star core,” his aunt on the left tells him. “Your human side is strong but so is your star side. They conflict with each other, Beomgyu. You cannot live without a star core for much longer.”

“Are you telling me I’m going to die?” He whispers out, his eyes widening. 

“No, child,” she hisses back, her eyes narrowing at him for even asking such a question. “That’s why we have been awaiting your arrival so we can lead you in the right direction. There is a star core out there for you, hidden somewhere on Earth and you need to find it, Beomgyu. Otherwise, your sides will continue to compete until it becomes fatal.” 

“So I could die?” That’s the only thing Beomgyu has got out of this whole conversation. That if he fails to find this star core it will lead to his demise. 

His aunt purses her lips. 

“We are going to help you,” she insists and stands from the throne. Her sisters follow her and flank her sides as they walk down the stairs. 

“We can show you things to help you, dearest nephew.” 

Beomgyu blinks at them and bites down onto his lip. “Like what?” He croaks out. 

His aunt in the middle smiles at him softly as they come to hover several steps away from the two. “Of your parents.” she tells him quietly. 

“Come.” She holds out a hand as a gesture to follow her. Beomgyu begins to walk after they’re a few paces away, leading the two of them further into the palace in the sky. 

“Hyung,” Beomgyu whispers out. He turns to face him, his eyes brimming with tears and he’s biting on his lips. “I’m scared,” he cries out weakly. “I’m really scared.” 

Yeonjun grasps out for his other hand and gives them both a squeeze. Instead of calming him down like Yeonjun had hoped it would, the younger bursts out into tears and drops his head as his shoulder shake with his sobs. 

“Hyung, I don’t know what’s going on and I’m so scared. Will we ever get to go home? I can’t be a prince…” He looks up at him, the whites of his eyes reddened and his nose is pink. Tears roll down his cheeks and his lips are shuddering as he tries to keep his cries down. The stardust that floats around him is suddenly much dimmer than it was before. Some of it mixes into his tears and turns them pearlescent as they run down his face.

“Beomgyu,” Yeonjun whispers and his hand slowly travels up his arm until they come to rest on his shoulders. “They said they’re going to help you, okay? They said that we’re going to have to find the star core on earth. That means we have to go back, right?” 

“But I might die, hyung,” he croaks out. He reaches up for his face and wipes his tears away with a sniffle. “I’m so scared.” 

“You’re not going to die,” Yeonjun states strongly. There’s a frown marring between his brows and Beomgyu’s shoulders curve in the slightest bit. “Because I’m going to help you find the core.” 

Beomgyu’s face softens out before it scrunches back up and his tears erupt again. But his stardust is brighter again and suddenly he’s throwing himself at Yeonjun, wrapping his arms around his waist and squeezing him tight. “Thank you,” he mutters out. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Yeonjun sees one of his aunts appear in the doorway, her eyes curious as she looks over them. A tiny smile paints across her mouth when Yeonjun locks eyes with her. 

“Now come one,” Yeonjun gives his back a pat and pulls away from the younger. “Let’s go see what they have to help us.” 

Beomgyu nods as he sniffles. He pulls at the front of his cotton robe and wipes his face with it. His cheeks are still red and his eyes are puffy, but he looks brighter again. Beomgyu wordlessly slips his hand back into Yeonjun’s, and begins to walk in the same direction his aunts had minutes prior. 

They don’t have to walk far to find them. Through a hallway and down a staircase, they find them standing around a fountain in the middle of an indoor garden. It’s bright inside, like thousands of tiny stars have illuminated the place and the light reflects gently off of Beomgyu’s own glittering stardust that hangs around him. 

“This was your mothers favourite place in the palace,” one of them says. “Because she could look down to her heart’s content at the people of the Earth, but it was still not enough for her,” she reaches out a hand and drags it across the surface of the water. It ripples and glitters from her touch and then suddenly there’s pictures painting across the water. 

Long stalks of bamboo stretch high from the ground in the misty haze of dusk. There’s a flash of silk, a blur of blue moving within the green stalks of bamboo. There’s no sound, but Beomgyu can almost feel the way his feet pound down onto the earth with each step he takes. 

Then there’s figures in black chasing after him, the metal of their swords glinting in the dimming sun and the overtaking moonlight. 

The man dressed in blue looks behind him and his eyes widen when he sees the group of assassins after him. But then there’s something white and gold gleaming gently and as he turns around, running faster to get away from the people attempting to attack him, he bumps right into it. 

The woman’s mouth opens and she holds onto him, keeping him upright. The man says something to her, his eyes wide and wild and without a second to waste, the woman holds onto his hand and begins to float off the ground, pulling him along. 

“That is where your parents met,” one of his aunts say. Her voice fills his ears but Beomgyu cannot turn away from the fountain that is playing pictures across its shimmering surface. 

The scene changes to a bustling marketplace in Hyangyang, where the woman is standing at a stall looking at the different hair pins the vendor is selling. Beomgyu’s eyes catch the glint of the stones on her wrist and he lets out a strangled noise, his thumb rubbing over the bracelet. 

His mother turns at something and standing before her is the same man from the bamboo forest. Though this time he is not running for his life. They share a smile and when the next picture is conjured across the water Beomgyu’s face falls and Yeonjun heaves in a deep breath. 

A royal red dragon robe is fitted across the man’s shoulders. Beomgyu’s mother is standing off to the side, a fondness in her eyes as she looks at Beomgyu’s father—the king of Joseon. 

“You are a prince of two worlds,” one of them whispers and Beomgyu takes a step back. Yeonjun places a hand on the small of Beomgyu’s back, steadying him. The younger looks at the silvery women with a blank look on his face before he’s suddenly frowning and his breath shudders out of him. 

“But… I can’t be a prince?” His eyes are flickering around the garden as he speaks and his hand is growing sweatier in Yeonjun’s grip. “Maybe I could accept that I’m a prince of the stars, but the King is my birth father? I’m just a village boy who lives with his father and grandfather. We’re not rich! I’m not royalty!”

“It must be a shock,” his aunt standing in the middle says softly. “We understand, Beomgyu. You have lived as a human for your whole life, but this is your heritage. You must accept this quickly, dear nephew before your time runs out.” 

Beomgyu lets out a choked noise and turns on his heels, his hair whipping around as he faces away from his aunts. Yeonjun’s hand slips from his grasp and he tugs on the front of his robes. 

Yeonjun presses his hand to Beomgyu’s shoulder and his fingers dip down to his neck softly. “Beomgyu,” he whispers. 

“This is a lot,” Beomgyu forces out and his hands fall back to his sides, shaking. “I thought I was going to be sick forever,” he whispers. “I always wished for something to save me from this… illness, but now it’s being presented to me, I just… I want to cry,” he says, looking over at Yeonjun. His eyes are glazed over with tears but they haven’t fallen yet. 

“You won’t be alone,” Yeonjun whispers back to him and he gives him a gentle smile. “I know this is a lot… because it’s a lot for me, too, but I already told you will be here with you, Beomgyu,” 

Beomgyu blinks and bites down on his lip. He gives him a nod and then releases his lip from his teeth and heaves in a deep breath. 

“Okay,” he breathes out again and reaches up to dry his eyes before he puts on a brave face and turns back to the foundation. His eyes narrow slightly as he looks at his aunts that are gazing between each other with worry evident across their faces. 

“Now,” Beomgyu clears his throat and straightens his shoulders. Yeonjun fights a smile beside him. “How do we find the core?”

☾

The descent back to Earth feels as if they’ve fallen off a steep cliff and crashed into icy waters below. 

Beomgyu is better off than Yeonjun, though. He goes flying as they tumble back down from the stars, but he’s back on his feet quickly, hovering off the ground for a few seconds before he wills himself back down. 

Yeonjun, however, feels as if a thousand needles have pricked his skin and he lays on his back, staring up at the blue sky, breathless because he’s had all the wind knocked out of his lungs. His vision is blurred at the edges and his stomach is churning with nausea. 

Beomgyu bounds over to him, kneeling down and presses a hand to Yeonjun’s shoulder, shaking him gently. 

Yeonjun lets out a groan and he makes a loud gasping noise as he is finally able to breathe again. Beomgyu’s eyes widen as Yeonjun rolls onto his side, heaving in air and wincing as pain flares in his head. He squeezes his eyes shut tightly and waits for it to disappear. 

“Hyung?” Beomgyu whispers and gives his shoulder another shake. “Are you okay?”

“We just fell from the stars, Beomgyu,” Yeonjun heaves out, locking their eyes together. Beomgyu is covered in dirt, his robes turned a muddy brown from the tumble he took. Yeonjun doesn’t look any better, though. There’s mud stuck in clumps in his hair that had fallen from its topknot and it hangs heavy around his face. The silk robes that had previously been the colour of flames is damp with dark mud and it’s ripped in a few places from the mess of twigs covering the ground. 

“We did,” Beomgyu nods his head and falls back onto his bottom, his head coming to rest in his hands. “We were in the stars… I’m a star…” Yeonjun had thought Beomgyu had already previously processed all this information, but he looks close to tears again. 

Yeonjun takes a look around and realises they’re in the exact same spot they were when they somehow got shot up into the sky. 

“I have to find my father,” Beomgyu then says and Yeonjun’s eyes widen. “He’s the only one that can help us now! But, oh my god, hyung! He’s the king! What do we do?” The younger wails out and Yeonjun winces as he forces himself to sit up. 

“We’ll… we’ll think of something, I’m sure of it. But let’s get cleaned up first.” 

Beomgyu breathes out heavily and slowly stands and offers a hand to Yeonjun. He gladly takes it, and Beomgyu is gentle when he helps him off the ground. Yeonjun is surprised he hadn’t broken every single bone in his body on the way down and that standing doesn’t cause him any pain. 

“I want to see my father,” Beomgyu whispers out and Yeonjun sighs. 

“We will, just be patient. I said we’ll figure things out—” 

“Not the king,” Beomgyu corrects. “My father and my grandfather. The ones who raised me. God, they’re probably worried sick!” 

The younger turns and runs off in a hurry, his feet lifting off from the ground in his rush. He flies over the ground and Yeonjun lets out a loud groan before he runs after him. 

Beomgyu crashes through the open gate, calling out to the two men inside. Within seconds the doors to the little house are pushed open and reveals two older men gaping at Beomgyu in the yard. Yeonjun makes his way through the gate and pauses, suddenly feeling like he’s intruding. 

“Beomgyu!” The oldest man hollers, his arms outstretched as he rushes to gather the boy in his arms. “Where have you been? Your father and I have been terribly worried!” 

“Grandfather…” Beomgyu whispers. His father pats him on the back when his grandfather finally frees him. “I met my aunts…” he tells them. 

Both of them gape at him in unison. “And I found out who my blood father is…” He looks at his father wearily at that. “And I found out why I’m sick and how to make myself better,” 

His father looks like he’s going to pass out any second. “What?” He whispers and Beomgyu turns back to Yeonjun, his eyes flashing with help me. 

Yeonjun clears his throat and steps forwards after trying to smooth down his wild hair. Beomgyu’s guardians look at him with slight concern. 

“Umm… we have just come back from the stars,” he says and Beomgyu nods his head, coming to stand by Yeonjun as he speaks. “Beomgyu is… he is a prince of both worlds,” he tells them and the old man lets out a choked noise. 

“My mother was a princess of the stars!” Beomgyu says hurriedly. “And my father is… he’s the King, father…” 

His father bites onto his lip. “But you said you found a way to get better? What is it?” 

Beomgyu blinks and takes a big breath. “I’m missing a star core,” he tells him. “The part of me that is a star is hurting my human side or something like that. They conflict! So… my aunts,” he gulps. “They said I have to find it before it’s too late…” His fathers eyes are sad as he finishes speaking, but he looks hopeful at the same time. 

“A star core?” he mutters and Yeonjun nods. 

“Where can you find such a thing?” Beomgyu’s grandfather asks, blinking wildly at them. 

“That’s the thing…” Beomgyu murmurs. “We don’t know… but my aunts think my blood father might know… the King,” he trails off and looks at his father expectingly. 

“Beomgyu, my son, I cannot get you an appointment with the King… I am not entitled to such things…”

“Yeonjun hyung said he will figure something out!” Beomgyu replies determinedly. Yeonjun looks at him with wide eyes. “I said we’d figure something out! The both of us!” He hisses quietly and Beomgyu grimaces at him. 

“The two of you?” His father raises an eyebrow. 

Beomgyu gives him a smile. “Yeonjun hyung is going to find my star core with me.” He replies and his stardust bounces around happily. “We’re a team,” 

His father hums quietly and looks at Yeonjun wearily. “You must make sure he doesn’t exert himself too much,” he tells him. Beomgyu sighs at his fathers fretting behaviour but Yeonjun nods along dutifully. 

“How long will it take?” Beomgyu’s grandfather speaks up and Beomgyu shrugs his shoulders in return. “I’m not sure… a few weeks at most.”

“If you ever need our help,” his grandfather smiles and ruffles his messy hair. “Come fetch us right away.” 

“Of course,” Beomgyu beams at him. “Thank you.” 

Yeonjun hums and bows his head at the two men. “I will take care of him.” he promises. 

☾

Yeonjun decides that the best course of action is to go back to his estate and get cleaned up, so they won’t look like they’ve just wrestled around in a mud pit when they attempt to make a meeting with the king. 

Beomgyu wanders out of the room he was thrown into to get cleaned up and Yeonjun feels the tips of his ears heat at the sight of him. 

He wears a hanbok made from pale lilac silk—one of Yeonjun’s own that he doesn’t wear often—and his stardust hovers around him in a cloud, clinging to the fabric and making it seem like tiny stars are embroidered into the fabric. His hair is unbound like it typically is, but it’s not as messy and it has been cleaned from all the mud and dirt it had collected. 

He truly looks like a prince of the stars and Yeonjun feels like the sun yet again. 

He clears his throat as Beomgyu locks eyes with him and smiles. “I’ve never worn silk before! It feels so nice,” he sighs out, his fingers rubbing against the fabric. The sleeves are a little bit too long and the shoulder seems hang further down than they were designed to be—but this hanbok had been made for Yeonjun’s broader figure, not Beomgyu. 

“You are a prince,” Yeonjun says and he realises then that Beomgyu technically is royalty even though his own father mightn’t even know of his existence. “You should wear it more.,” 

“Hyung, you know I couldn’t afford this. Even if I am a prince…” 

Yeonjun purses his lips and holds out a hand. “Should we get going?”

Beomgyu gazes at his hand before nodding and he slowly slips his hand into Yeonjun’s wider palm. “What is the plan of action?” He asks and Yeonjun sighs before shrugging his shoulders. 

“I don’t really have one,” he admits. “I’m just hoping for the best,” 

“I didn’t know you were such an optimist,” Beomgyu teases and Yeonjun rolls his eyes. 

“At least I’m not a pessimist, then. What if I said that you’d have to figure it all out on your own because I didn’t have any hope in myself?” 

“Now you’re just letting your pride get in the way,” Beomgyu hits his shoulder playfully. “But I don’t know… I think I might’ve been still up in the stars if you hadn’t offered to help me. Crying away with my aunts not knowing what to do…” 

Yeonjun fights the fond smile that threatens to overtake his face, but he fails to hide it. He lets out a soft chuckle and Beomgyu laughs back at him. 

“But really, thank you hyung.” His stardust hums brighter around him for a few seconds and Yeonjun watches, mesmerised by the way it gathers in his eyelashes and when it blinks how it tumbles down his face like a soft sprinkling of glitter. 

“I’m really thankful that you’re coming along with me.” He smiles widely at Yeonjun whose cheeks dust over with pink. 

“I couldn’t let you do it all by yourself now, could I?” Beomgyu flashes him another smile and Yeonjun’s heart picks up in his chest. 

He wonders how he hadn’t known he was a prince of the stars when he is so divine. He carries himself with grace he doesn’t even know he has. He is not tethered to the earth like Yeonjun is. Where his feet sink into the ground and gravity controls him down, Beomgyu is pulled above, like he has his own gravitational force that is hidden in the clouds. 

Mere hours ago, this had been proven but Yeonjun is enthralled by the way he floats. The way he is pulled towards the sky, and how he glows. 

Beomgyu is skybound. 

His grip on his hand is a comforting weight and he doesn’t drop it even as they arrive at the front of the palace. 

“So,” Beomgyu leans closer to Yeonjun and frowns. “What are we going to say to get in?” 

Yeonjun clears his throat and shuffles away from him subtly. He leads him up the gates where several guards are stationed outside. They all look at them both as they near and the spears they each hold are suddenly looking a bit too sharp for Beomgyu. 

“I am here to meet with my father,” Yeonjun announces boldly. The guards, however, do not blink at his statement. 

“Do you have an identification tag?” One of them drawls out and Yeonjun’s face lights up as he digs the wooden tag out of the inside of his robe where it was tucked inside. 

The guard gazes at it and hums, moving aside to let him in. 

“Who is your father?” Beomgyu questions as they scurry through the gate.

Yeonjun sighs as he pockets the wooden tag again. “The minister of Finance,” he tells him with his lips pressed together. “We’re not here to see him, though. Come on.” He squeezes his hand and they wander into the palace. 

“Hyung, how are we going to meet with the king? We can’t just barge in,” Beomgyu hisses as Yeonjun pulls him along. 

“I,” Yeonjun’s cheeks burn and he bites onto his lip nervously. “I know that there’s a performance happening today for the king,” he whispers and Beomgyu frowns at him. 

“A what? How is that going to help me?” 

“You can… sneak in…” 

“Hyung!” Beomgyu slaps his shoulder, his eyes widening at the mention of breaking into a performance. “I can’t do that!” He hisses and Yeonjun lets out a puff of air. 

“Well, we don’t have many options, Beomgyu!” He whispers back and Beomgyu narrows his eyes at him, slipping his hand out of his hold. 

“What will you have me do, then?” 

“I taught you how to dance,” Yeonjun mutters. The stardust around Beomgyu is bright and drips freely from him. He places a hand on Beomgyu’s shoulder and gestures to the shimmering cloud around him. “Oh,” he whispers. “Sorry,” he forces most of it away, but he can’t get rid of the shimmering dust on his cheeks and the dust that clings in his hair and on the lilac silk of his hanbok. 

“There’s a dance troupe coming… and well, you mightn’t like this, but they’re from a gisaeng house…”

“Oh my god,” Beomgyu blinks at him. “I’m going to dress up as a gisaeng?!” He whisper-yells at him and Yeonjun tugs his bottom lip between his teeth again. 

“Do you have a better idea?” He challenges and Beomgyu raises a brow. 

“I never said it was a bad idea,” he comments and Yeonjun stares at him, blinking. “Do you think I’ll look pretty? Is it such a good idea… what if I get offered a job?” Beomgyu’s tone is light and joking, but Yeonjun feels heat pool in his gut at the thought of him dancing and pouring drinks for old, rich men.

“You’ll be pretty,” he breathes out without much thought. “But you can’t get a job, we’re looking for the star core, okay?” 

“Hyung, relax I was joking.” He pats Yeonjun on the shoulder, a faint smile playing across his petal pink mouth. “But thank you,” his own cheeks are flushed with the softest shade of pink. “For saying I’m pretty,” 

Yeonjun almost chokes on the air. 

“Where do we go to start this master plan of ours?” Beomgyu nudges him and Yeonjun blinks before straightening his posture and gestures for him to follow him. 

The sound of women talking amongst each other grows louder as they walk towards a building off to the side of a large courtyard. They creep around the back and Yeonjun gestures to the back door. Beomgyu looks at him with wide eyes and grimaces, shaking his head but Yeonjun nudges him towards it. 

“You’ll be fine,” he whispers. “I’ll make a distraction and take one of them away so you get a costume, they should do a rehearsal so please, try to learn it as best as you can,” 

“Hyung—” Beomgyu begins to cry out but Yeonjun flies away on his heels, leaving him crouched behind the back of the building. 

There’s a sudden crash and a rumble of voi,es, and Beomgyu is torn between listening to Yeonjun or flying his own way out of his mess. He bites on his lip and hurries to the door. 

When he slides inside there’s no one inside. The front door is open and he can see several people outside. Beomgyu dashes for one of the neat piles of clothes littered around the place and clutches it tightly to his chest before hiding behind one of the many paper screens in the room. 

He takes off his outer robes with ease and has to take off his upper under robes because the cut of the costume differs to the line of them. The costume is a shade of midnight blue with white tulle sewn above the silk to make it look like a cloudy night sky. His stardust sprinkles over it and turns it to a painting of a starry night instead. 

The sleeves are a little bit too short, but other than that, the costume fits well. 

As soon as he has tied the breast string in a little bow at the front, the room is filled again. 

Beomgyu keeps his distance but listens to their gossip as they get ready. He spots a few of them practicing, so he stands and copies them subtly, trying to burn the dance into his mind so he doesn’t make a complete fool out of himself soon. 

He had only barely just learnt how to dance and he’s been thrown into a dance group that are about to perform in front of the king. 

It sinks in then that Beomgyu is about to dance in front of his blood father dressed as a gisaeng dancer. Talk about first impressions. 

The women are too caught up in their own conversations and swapping behind the paper screens to even notice him, but Beomgyu still feels like he’s sticking out like a sore thumb. They seem confident and calm and Beomgyu is exactly not that at this point in time. 

The day’s events still wear him down and his pulse hums wearily beneath his skin. His fist aches, the pain that had once started at the base of his arm is now stretching upwards, solidifying like silver and it twinges with pain.

He presses his fingers to his forearm where the pain is most concentrated and sighs when the pressure relieves some of the pain. His heart is fast in his chest from anxiety and he wills himself to take in deep breaths. 

The dance isn’t unlike what Yeonjun has been teaching him, but it involves much more twirling and spinning on his feet. Beomgyu practices quietly in the corner of the room, watching each girl that breaks out into routine to try to engrave it into his brain. 

And eventually when one of the women calls for the rehearsal, he finally puts the dance together in his mind and breathes out. 

It’s easy enough and no one has even noticed that he is not actually a part of their team. Which, really, is kind of slack on their part, because Beomgyu is sure he’s obvious.

But no one questions him even when they’re told to get ready and are led to a different courtyard with a circular podium centred in the middle for them to dance upon. 

Beomgyu stares ahead and sees the King perched on a lacquered chair, his face blank as he looks down at the courtyard below him. He tears his eyes away when his heart begins to pick back up and slams his fingers back down onto his forearm as he gets into position. 

From within the crowd that is sitting below the King, Beomgyu sees a figure dressed in two shades of green—Yeonjun. He’s smiling fondly at him and he gives him a reassuring nod when their eyes lock together. 

Beomgyu briefly wonders what he had done to the girl he has swapped places with, but the music starts before he can ponder about it too much longer. 

The moment Beomgyu begins to dance, blending in with the women that prance around the stage, his feet lift from the ground and he hovers as he dances. The soles of his feet pick up, but they don’t fall back down until he has to bend his knees and reach his hands up to the sky.

And up on the podium above him the king sits straighter in his seat, his eyes shining with mirth as he locks his gaze on one figure twirling around the stage. 

His stardust bursts from him, glittering in the midday sun and he shines. There’s a golden sheen to him now, the underlying silver that typically glows from him is now warm and tinted like thick honey. Yeonjun who’s watching him feels his breath leave him. 

It’s like he’s been kissed by the sun, enveloped in the golden rays of light that it casts down onto earth. The stars seem to float around him, glittering, gleaming at their moon. Stars on his cheeks and sparkles escaping from his parted lips as he bends his body delicately to the whimsical tune of the music. 

He can see the twinkle in his eyes from where he stands as the dance finally comes to an end. Yeonjun feels like all the air has been knocked out of him again. His pulse is quickening under his skin and his cheeks are heating up at the realisation that is already gone for the prince of the stars. 

But he does not mind one bit. Not at all. 

Beomgyu flashes Yeonjun a bright smile before his eyes take a peek at the king who is still staring at him with a newfound intensity. 

Someone tugs on his shoulder and pulls him away and the prince fumbles, his feet lifting him in the air when he almost falls as he’s pulled along by another dancer. He shoots Yeonjun a pitiful look, because he was supposed to somehow catch the King’s attention so he could talk to him, but he’s dragged back to the dressing room without a chance to even call up to the king. 

“You danced well,” Someone says to him and Beomgyu meets their gaze and gulps. The girl cocks her head at him and frowns. “You don’t look familiar…” she whispers and just as that alerts the other women’s attention to him, Yeonjun crashes through the door.

Beomgyu deflates in relief when he sees him and he hurries forth to him, shuffling through the crowd of dancers. 

“Thank you, ladies!” Yeonjun’s calls, bowing to them quickly before he wraps his hand around Beomgyu’s wrist and pulls him out of the dressing room. 

“Hyung!” Beomgyu hisses out, his eyes wide. “How are we going to meet the King now?”

“Don’t worry, Beomie,” Yeonjun rushes out as the pulls him around a corner that leads into a garden. “I saw him go this way looking rather frantic,. If we can find him, I’m sure he’ll talk to you,” 

“He was staring at me,” Beomgyu adds as Yeonjun pulls him around a corner. There’s a pond off to the left and butterflies are darting around the blooming lotus flowers. There’s a pleasant scent in the air of fragrant flowers. 

And then there’s a flash of red silk and gold storming down the path. 

The King’s eyes are wide and frenzied as he looks over at Beomgyu. 

He clutches tight onto Yeonjun’s hand and winces at the sudden burst of pain that overwhelms his forearm. He presses his fingers against his arm again and winces when it flares up. Yeonjun notices and gazes at him worriedly. 

“Beomgyu, what’s wrong?” He asks, turning towards him and ignoring the king that is particularly running towards them at this point. 

“My arm,” he manages to get out. His breathing feels like a chore and with a gasp he clings onto Yeonjun. He knows these signs, but he’s never had them without his father or grandfather present. Panic overwhelms him at the thought of spiralling down without his father or grandfather to hold him and look after him. 

Yeonjun seems to understand the gravity of the situation quite well. His eyes flicker to the King and back to the prince that is growing weaker as the seconds tick by. Yeonjun tries to keep him upright as his weight slumps further down onto him. 

The King breaks out into a run and his attendants squawk behind him as he rushes forwards. Yeonjun grabs onto the prince’s waist, his hands fisting at the fabric of the skirts he’s still wearing and holds him close as his breathing becomes weak. 

His stardust is dimming and it falls around him until the glow of it is almost gone. Yeonjun feels himself panic. His body begins to shake in his hold, a bone deep tremble that overwhelms the prince of the stars. Yeonjun clutches tighter onto him. 

The King appears a few steps away from them, his eyes wide with fear as he looks at Beomgyu. 

Yeonjun scrambles to his knees and tucks Beomgyu to his chest, holding him tight against him as he spasms. “It’s okay, Beomie,” he whispers to him. Beomgyu is shuddering in his hold and he lets out tiny cries as his body trembles. Yeonjun searches for the spot on his arm where Beomgyu had pressed his fingers against and shoves his palm against it, hoping to relieve him of some of the pain that’s burning through him. 

The king drops to his knees and a cold hand brushes over Beomgyu’s forehead, brushing hair out of his face. Beomgyu looks up at him before releasing another cry. Yeonjun applies more pressure to his arm and the trembling of his body begins to weaken and he sucks in deeper breaths. 

Yeonjun heaves out his own deep breath when his breathing evens out and his body is only trembling the slightest bit. He doesn’t remove his hand from his arm. 

“My King,” Yeonjun greets a bit late, but the man doesn’t even spare him a glance. He eyes Beomgyu with glassy orbs and his own hands are shaking. 

“You look just like your mother, dear child,” He whispers out. 

Beomgyu’s lips part and the tiniest puff of stardust mixes with his warm breath. It’s brighter again and it begins to collect in his eyelashes again, dripping down his face in soft tumbles as he blinks at the king. 

“You know?” He mutters back to the king. His voice is weak and his vision is blurry as if he’s opened his eyes underwater. 

“I have always wondered about you,” he says gently but the words don’t quite make it to Beomgyu’s ears before he loses consciousness. 

☾

The first thing that Beomgyu feels when he wakes up is the warm weight of blankets over him. Then it’s the sound of his own breathing mixing with others. 

When he finally peels his eyelids open he finds Yeonjun sitting beside him, his hand still tucked in his own. It sends a flash of warmth down him and he squeezes his broader palm weakly, alerting him that he’s awake. 

“Beomgyu,” he breathes out, full of relief. Beomgyu tries to sit up and Yeonjun’s hand leaves his own to help him up. His hands linger on his back until he shuffles quietly to wrap an arm around his waist to keep him up. 

Beomgyu then locks eyes with the King again. 

The room is grand, he realises. The bed he’s in is propped up from the floor on a wooden frame and there's a soft mattress beneath nim. An embroidered silk quilt covers his lower body. The room is heavily decorated with expensive looking things like golden trinkets and lacquered wooden furniture. 

His eyes widen as he looks back at the king. He bows his head to the best of his abilities and he blinks at him in shock.

“This is my chambers,” the king says softly and Beomgyu’s eyes almost bulge from his head. 

“What?” he squawks out. Yeonjun’s fingers grip harder at around his waist. 

“You fainted, my child,” he tells him and Beomgyu lets out a shaky breath. 

Beomgyu flinches in shock when the king lets out a choked out cry. He hurries his head into his hands and sobs. Beomgyu shoots a worried look towards Yeonjun. 

“I had thought you both were dead,” he chokes out. “I thought I had lost both of you.” He lifts his head to stare at Beomgyu’s face again. “My child… you are so much of your mother. The moment I saw you I knew you were my child.” His eyes gaze over at the stardust that’s hovering around Beomgyu and his eyes shine with mirth as he watches it gravitate around him.

Beomgyu swallows and his mouth parts but he closes it again, frowning. 

“I cannot believe you are here… in front of me after so long,” the King continues. 

“Your Majesty,” Beomgyu speaks and the king’s eyebrows furrow sadly at him. “We… we are here to discuss something important,” 

The King sits up straighter and peers at them both. Yeonjun gives Beomgyu a comforting squeeze when he hears his breath shudder quietly. 

“You can ask me anything,” he replies. “You are my beloved child, Beomgyu,” he sends a smile to Yeonjun and Beomgyu can only assume that Yeonjun has filled him in on the little details. 

The pain erupts in his arm again and he hisses out, clutching at his arm and gritting his teeth together. He lifts the midnight blue sleeve and bites onto his lip when he sees that the silvery vein has traveled even higher up his arm. He lets out a breathy sigh and drops the sleeve and turns back to his blood father. 

“I… I am from both worlds,” he gulps and the king smiles fondly. 

“Of course you are, star prince,” he whispers back. “Born of the stars and the earth,” 

“Right.” Beomgyu nods softly. “But I am sick because of it… I am missing something to help filter my star side… I met my aunts and they said that you may be the only one to know where my mother has hidden the star core I need to survive,” 

The king blinks at him and then lets out a sigh. “You are ill…” 

“If we can find it in time I’ll be all better,” Beomgyu tells him quietly. “But we need to find it soon,” he whispers. “I know it’s a lot to ask, because you’re the King! And you’re a busy man trying to look after this country, but you are our only hope… please… I want to live,” 

“Of course I will help you,” the king announces boldly. “You are my son. Blood of my blood and blood of my lover.” 

“But… who will look after Joseon while you are gone?” Beomgyu asks softly. 

The King smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “My Queen is more than capable. How long do you suppose this adventure will take?” 

Beomgyu blinks at him. “Are you confident you can find it?” Beomgyu whispers and the king smiles fondly, though it holds a twinge of sadness. 

“There are a few places that come to mind,” he tells him. 

“Then however long it takes to reach those places,” he replies. “Once we have it everything will be okay… and then somehow I’ll have a star core and be healthy.” 

“Of course.” His blood father gazes at him, his eyes filled with an overwhelming amount of affection. 

“But do you love her?” Beomgyu then asks and his brows furrow. 

“My son?” 

“Your queen, I mean,” he shuffles in Yeonjun’s hold, feeling more strength fill him as time goes on. “Do you love her?” 

The King gazes at his hands and sighs before he looks back at his son who is looking at him with furrowed brows. 

“I respect her,” he replies with a nod of his head. “I will never be able to love another like I did your mother, such love is so rare.” He looks at him and Yeonjun sitting together. “But I am fond of her and grateful that she is my queen.” 

“That is good, then,” Beomgyu whispers with a nod of his head. 

“But, where have you been all these years? I have searched for you… a little daughter or son that looks like my lover and that held the stars in their eyes… but you are coated in stars, my son.” 

Beomgyu sends him a weak smile. “My father found me,” he whispers. “On a mountain… with my mother. I have lived with him and my grandfather ever since I was a baby.”

“I shall be indebted to them for the rest of my days,” the King replies. “I have failed as a father,” 

Beomgyu falls quiet. 

“Maybe we should take Beomgyu back to his father so he can look at him…” Yeonjun suggests with a small smile. “I think it would be best, Your Majesty.”

☾

The King changes into much more casual robes that do not give his status away as King as soon as anyone looks at him before they leave. 

Beomgyu is still dressed in the dancer’s costume, but he doesn’t care because there’s a whole lot more going on his head that is concerning him, more than wearing the hanbok. 

A set of guards are trailing after them as Yeonjun and Beomgyu lead the King to his home which both Beomgyu and Yeonjun are glad about because of their previous run in last night that had somehow led them to the start of this journey. 

But the path is quiet today and no bandits pop out and attack them this time. 

Yeonjun talks quietly to Beomgyu who answers back softly as the King trails behind them, his hands behind his back as he walks and gazes at his son as they walk. 

Beomgyu’s grandfather is outside when they near and he calls out for his son who comes rushing out to meet them again. 

“Father,” Beomgyu greets him quietly and smiles at his grandfather. “This is… uh, the King… and my blood father.” He gestures to the man behind them and the king bows deeply at the two men who gasp in response at the King's behaviour. 

“Thank you,” he breathes out. “Thank you for taking such good care of my son. I will never be able to repay you both.”

“Oh no! No!” His grandfather cries. “He is a precious boy to me! We do not need anything in return, King!” 

The King bows again and both Beomgyu’s father and grandfather tell him not to, but the King bows deeper. Beomgyu watches the three men that seem to be stuck in an endless loop of thanking each other with Yeonjun right by his side.  

“We should probably stop them,” Yeonjun comments, his tone heavy with amusement. “Shouldn’t we?”

“Probably,” Beomgyu agrees with a fond sigh. 

“Father,” he calls out and both the king and Minhyun turn to him. His mouth twitches and he offers a kind smile to the both of them. “I think it would be best for a check up before we all go…” he says. “And maybe a nice meal,” he says as he looks over at his grandfather who jumps up as soon as the words leave his mouth. 

“Are you feeling unwell?” His father grabs onto his arm and lifts the sleeve with a raised brow. “And where did you get this?” He rolls his eyes at him. 

“In the palace,” Beomgyu giggles. “From the dancing group.” His father gives him a pointed look and sighs. He rolls the sleeve up and he frowns when he spots the clear difference of the silver vein. 

“Beomgyu…” he whispers out, his eyes flicking to his son's face. Beomgyu gives him a small smile and takes his arm back, rolls down the sleeve and rests it by his side. 

“We will find the star core soon,” he mutters. “Then we won’t have to worry. I promise,” 

Minhyun’s lips purse and he doesn’t look totally convinced or reassured by his words. 

“I will get you your medicines,” he says and walks away into their home. 

Yeonjun’s hand appears on his back, warm and steady. “He’s worried,” he tells Beomgyu quietly. 

“I know…” Beomgyu sighs loudly and turns to face him. “I’m worried too,” he admits. “What if we can’t find it? What happens then?” 

Yeonjun’s eyes harden and he reaches out to hold Beomgyu by his shoulders. “We will find it. Not if. When.”

“Okay, what happens when we’re too late?” 

“Beomgyu,” Yeonjun chides warningly. “We will find it in time,” 

Beomgyu’s eyes fall to the ground and when he looks back up at him, he doesn’t look convinced. 

☾

Even after the medicines and a hearty meal made by his grandfather, Beomgyu still feels weak. 

His body feels heavy and even when he takes off the layers of the dancer’s costume and puts on the lilac robe Yeonjun had retrieved as the king was changing before, he still feels weighed down. 

He doesn’t tell anyone because they might make him sit down and not allow him to come, and Beomgyu is not about to let that happen because this journey is time-sensitive and his body is reminding him of that already. 

Instead of waiting out the rest of the afternoon and night, they set off as soon as they’ve finished eating. 

Beomgyu is struggling to get out of his grandfather’s embrace when Yeonjun comes to retrieve the bundle filled with rice balls for their journey. 

Yeonjun places a hand on Beomgyu’s shoulder and his grandfather finally lets him go, saying his goodbyes. He claimed he was too old for the journey and even though he is still healthy and strong, they thought it would be best if he stayed home. 

His touch is warm and the moment Beomgyu turns to look at him his stardust gleams and pulses around him. Yeonjun blinks a few times in surprise at the spectacle and then lets out a little chuckle. 

“Are you happy to see me?” He teases Beomgyu’s face flushes, his cheeks a soft pink. 

“I guess I am,” he answers back and Yeonjun’s heart sings happily in his chest. He can’t help the smile that erupts across his face at the look on Beomgyu’s face. 

“Are you ready to go?” 

Beomgyu heaves out a deep breath and nods. “I’m ready,” 

The first place on the King’s list to look around is the bamboo forest. 

Where he had first met Beomgyu’s mother after fleeing the markets where a conspiracy group had tried to take his life. He had survived only because he had bumped into her and she had flown them away in a nearby cave—a story he tells Beomgyu quietly as they head towards the place he had seen in the fountain up in the stars. 

It’s a fair walk from Beomgyu’s home in the mountain, but they arrive just before dusk falls. 

It looks exactly how it had in the fountain, misty and with tall stalks of green bamboo shooting up into the sky. 

The guards the King had ordered to follow them are stretched out around them, shielding them as they walk through the forest and towards where the King remembers the cave to be.  

The sun sets and they’re still searching around the forest for the cave and when the moon is high in the sky, shining down upon Beomgyu and lighting up his stardust—they finally come across the cave. 

The King yelps as he recognises it and scurries into it. “Beomgyu!” He calls out to his son. “What is it supposed to look like?” 

Beomgyu’s face falls as he turns to Yeonjun who’s biting down on his lip at the question just thrown at them. 

“I… We don’t know,” he calls out. His aunts hadn’t told him specifically what it looked like but he recalls the bright looking core inside them. “I think it will be bright and shaped like a ball!”

Yeonjun frowns and lets go of his grip on Beomgyu’s hand and slips into the cave with the king to have a look around. Beomgyu’s father stands next to him, knowing that only the two of them will fit in the enclosed space. 

“You two have gotten close,” his father comments, peering down at him with a glint in his eyes. Beomgyu’s cheeks flare up again and he frowns. 

“We have been in each other’s company for a while now,” he tells him stubbornly. His father sighs and gives him a knowing look. 

“Are we going to pretend that every time you look at him the stardust goes crazy?” 

“I think so,” Beomgyu chides back. 

One look at Yeonjun and his pulse picks up, one touch and his skin pricks at the feeling of his warmth and it bleeds through his skin and lights his heart on fire. 

But it scares him. 

Yeonjun and the King emerge from the cave looking dejected and worn. 

“There’s nothing here,” the King announces, his disappointment clearly written across his face.  “I’m sorry, Beomgyu,” he whispers out an apology. 

“It’s okay,” Yeonjun speaks for him. “We’ll just check the next place and the next place after that. The night is still young, we can still make progress even in the dark.” 

He drapes an arm over Beomgyu’s shoulders and smiles. “We won’t give up so easily,” 

“No,” Beomgyu agrees with a little smile. “I don’t think we will.” 

Because he feels the exhaustion seeping into his bones and the pain in his arm is beginning to twinge again. They do not have the luxury of time and rest. 

So he walks with them. They walk and climb and jump up rocks until his head spins and he knocks into Yeonjun’s back when he’s focusing on trying to keep conscious. His father grabs him from behind before he can topple over and sits him down quickly. 

“You should’ve said something!” He hisses at him and pulls a flask of water out for him to sip at. “You need to rest, this is too much on your heart!” 

“We need to move,” Beomgyu moans out and accepts the water. Yeonjun crouches by his side and brushes his hair from his face while the king is calling for the guards to come closer to get ready for the night. 

“A little rest will be okay, Beomie,” Yeonjun whispers. “Listen to your body,”

“My body needs the star core!” He cries out and tries to get back to his feet but his father pushes him back down. 

“Yes,” he agrees. “But you need to rest. Yeonjun is right, a little rest will be okay. We will continue as soon as the sun begins to show in the sky. Now eat and drink and get some sleep.” He passes them both a single rice ball and tells them to share the water before going to offer food to the King. 

“You’re pouting,” Yeonjun comments as he takes the flask from Beomgyu to take a sip. 

“Because I’m upset!” he huffs out and Yeonjun barks out a soft laugh. 

“I told you everything will be okay,” Yeonjun presses the rice ball in his hand to Beomgyu’s lips. “Eat,” he says, and Beomgyu opens his mouth and takes a small bite. 

“I don’t know…” Beomgyu whispers out quietly. 

“Hmm?” Yeonjun tilts his head at him and smiles softly, a reassuring look that makes Beomgyu want to tell him everything. 

He supposes he probably should. 

“You make my heart beat fast,” Beomgyu admits slowly, and Yeonjun's heart thumps in his chest. Those sparkles flow endlessly from him and Yeonjun wants to reach out and catch that stardust from his cheeks and pocket it in his heart. 

“What would you say if I said you make my heart beat wildly, too?” 



“I’d say that we’d make quite a tragic love story,” Beomgyu mutters as he looks into his eyes. 

Yeonjun swallow. “What?” He cocks his head because he had been expecting maybe a confession, something lovely, not something so vague. 

“I’d say fuck it over and over again, because I will not let my destiny, whatever that bullshit is, come between my feelings for you,” 

It feels like flames are burning at Yeonjun's nerve endings and setting them alight. 

Beomgyu outstretches his left hand and Yeonjun's eyes fall to that shimmering silver vein once more. 

“That,” Beomgyu begins. “Is killing me,” he says it so casually, too casually and Yeonjun's thumping heart skids to a halt and his stomach drops. 

“You know I’m sick,” Beomgyu continues on. Yeonjun reaches out, his hot skin cooling against Beomgyu's skin. His thumb trails over the silver line underneath his skin. “I do… but…”



“My other side, the non-human part.”



“The star blood,” Yeonjun speaks for him. Beomgyu hums and smiles gently. Yeonjun's heart squeezes. How could he smile so beautifully after admitting that his ethereal time on this earth is limited? 

“It’s… potent, strong. The power that it holds is killing my human side off…” 



“But you’re only half human,” Yeonjun tries. He looks up at Beomgyu and his gaze softens at the tears welling in his eyes. One gently rolls down his cheek and Yeonjun reaches out blindly, his finger dipping against the warm tear and Yeonjun's breath catches when his stardust mixes in it and runs down his face.

“Half,” Beomgyu agrees. “But my heart is human,” Slowly he moves Yeonjun's hand that rests on his arm to his heart that thumps under his skin. “And this,” he lifts his arm. “That power I yield is killing my human side off. Every beat of my heart it travels further, and one day this silver vein? That’ll be my heart.” 

Yeonjun's mouth goes dry because realisation slaps him so harshly that he would have whiplash if it had physically hit him.

“I’m killing you,” Yeonjun murmurs out. More tears fall from Beomgyu's eyes. 

Beomgyu doesn’t say anything and that’s enough of an answer for Yeonjun. 

“Then, what do I do?” 

“Nothing,” Beomgyu answers him. Yeonjun feels his own tears fall.

“I won’t let this kill me,” Beomgyu then says after a sniff. Yeonjun leans in closer to him, a hand grasping at his hip. “If this is my fate, why was I born? Was I born just to die?” He shakes his head and tears splash further down his face.  “I will not let this kill me. We will find this star core before my heart turns to star matter. I will not let you watch as I die falling in love with you,” 

Yeonjun bites down on his lip and when he elicits a sob, Beomgyu pulls him close, allowing him to sob into his shoulder. 

“Instead, I will live and find this star core so we can be happy together,” Beomgyu whispers through his tears. 

Yeonjun lifts his head from his shoulder and looks at him. His eyes are overflowing with tears but his stardust is so bright around him. 

“We will find it,” He whispers and he reaches out, his hands reach around and grab him gently by his neck and he leans in. 

His lips are soft beneath Yeonjun’s, wet with tears and through the saltiness of the liquid, Yeonjun thinks he tastes like sunshine. 

Beomgyu is a moon dancer, child of the stars. He drips moonlight from his fingertips, his eyelashes hold the glitters of stardust and his lips taste like sunshine, like he’s been kissed by the sun. He’s the darkness in the night, lighting up the world with gleaming lights of silver and glowing white. He shines when it gets dark and his perfect imperfections shine and the sun falls for him once again.

Yeonjun is certain now that he is the sun and Beomgyu is the moon. 

Beomgyu grips onto the green silk of his robes and presses his body impossibly closer to him. He slings a leg over Yeonjun’s thigh and shifts up to sit on him. Yeonjun’s hands fall to hold him by his waist, his touch tender and warm and comforting. Beomgyu sinks into Yeonjun’s warmth, his hands running over his shoulders. 

“Beomgyu,” Yeonjun whispers out as he pulls away. A string of saliva connects their lips together and it glints in the moonlight that Beomgyu is reflecting off of him. The younger hums, his eyes slowly opening to look at him. 

“Dance with me?” His voice is breathless as he asks. Beomgyu’s eyes light up and a smile blooms across his face. 

“Of course,” he whispers and gets to his feet. His legs only shake a little bit but as soon as Yeonjun is up, he’s gripping at his waist, beaming. 

Yeonjun grabs onto his hands once Beomgyu finds his own feet and then gently twirls him around. A laugh bubbles out of Beomgyu who then jumps around him playfully. “Dance with me, hyung,” he whispers. 

“That was fast,” Beomgyu’s father comments as he takes a bite of the rice ball. The King is watching them closely beside him, his eyebrows raised as he watches his son kick his shoes off his feet. The pink soles of his feet lift off from the ground and his robes fly up around him as he floats above the ground, his centre of gravity hovering somewhere between the two worlds. 

“Them falling in love,” he adds through a mouthful of food. “And Beomgyu telling him,” 

“They are good for each other,” the King comments and from the sound of their son's twinkling laugh mixed in with Yeonjun’s, he has to agree. 

☾

Beomgyu’s head is fuzzy when he wakes up in the morning. 

Yeonjun shakes his shoulder gently and when he opens his eyes he sees the sky coloured in hues of soft pinks and violets. The early morning light is clear and free from its golden hue, but he still shines in the faint light. 

His arm aches when he sits up and he rubs at it, wincing when pain shoots through him. Yeonjun crouches beside him and rolls his sleeve up, checking that it hadn’t gotten worse overnight. 

“Are you in pain?” He frowns softly as he runs his fingers across Beomgyu’s honey-hued skin. The silver vein glints under his skin, stretching up to his inner elbow. It’s higher than it had been yesterday by several centimetres. Yeonjun gulps and presses the pad of his thumb across his skin, feeling the hardened vein beneath his fingertip. 

“A little bit,” Beomgyu admits quietly. He tugs his arm back from Yeonjun’s grasp and slides the white sleeve back down, hiding his vein from Yeonjun’s watchful gaze. “But it’s okay. It’s not too painful right now.”

Yeonjun looks at him wearily and his mouth opens but Beomgyu stands quickly and puts on a smile. “I’m fine,” he exaggerates in a drawl. Yeonjun’s eyebrows raise at him and he gives him an odd look, clearly not believing the act he’s putting on. 

“Hyung,” Beomgyu breathes out, his shoulders falling at the look on Yeonjun’s face. “We don’t have a choice but to keep going. I will be okay… it still has quite far to go until I’m in real danger.” 

He doesn’t know how much of that is true himself because in the last few days his vein has crept further up his arm than it has in years. It’s scary how it’s a constant reminder that if they don’t find the star core soon, Beomgyu will turn into star matter. 

The downward twitch of Yeonjun’s lips tell Beomgyu he’s thinking the same thing as him, but he doesn’t argue with him. Mostly because they simply do not have the time for such things.

Beomgyu turns to see both his fathers standing together gazing over at them with a certain fondness evident in their gaze. 

The King gives him a soft smile. “Your father and I have discussed together and have decided we should go to the mountain where you were found,” the king says. There’s a lingering sadness in his eyes as he speaks and Beomgyu feels his heart sink at the look.

It’s a place Beomgyu has never returned to. The place where he had been born and where his mother had given up her life for him. 

Yeonjun’s hand slips into his own and squeezes his palm gently. He offers a smile to both his fathers before he nods in agreement. 

“We cannot let a moment waste,” he breathes out. “Let’s get moving.”

It scares Beomgyu how different he feels. Not even two weeks ago he had enough energy to bounce around—even though he wasn’t supposed to—and the rapid decline in his energy concerns him. 

Each step he takes makes his pulse pick up and his arm aches. Yeonjun stays right beside him as they hike up the mountain, his hand still clutched in his own. 

Beomgyu’s breathing is heavier than Yeonjun’s, and every few minutes he has to stop and take a deep heave. His head is fuzzy and his body feels so heavy. 

“Beomgyu?” Yeonjun calls out after he stops and closes his eyes, gasping in air. His fathers turn back to the two behind them and hurry over. Yeonjun holds him by his shoulders, keeping him steady as he tries to breathe. 

When he opens his eyes, the world feels like it's spinning around him and crashing against him with the force of a king tide. 

He clutches onto Yeonjun’s forearms, his brows furrowing as a hot pang of pain erupts in his head. 

“I don’t feel good,” he whispers out, his voice weak and shaky. 

“Water,” his father presses the flask to his mouth and Beomgyu takes it greedily, gulping down the chilled water. It’s cold in his throat and it eases the sudden burning that has afflicted his whole body. 

“He’s burning up,” Yeonjun mutters out, his eyes wide as he watches Beomgyu struggle to keep himself upright. 

A hand plasters over his forehead and there’s a hiss from his father. 

“We’re running out of time,” the King blurts out. “We can’t stay here and watch him! We have to move.”

Beomgyu’s feet shuffle beneath him, a sorry attempt at a step but before he can brush his feet over the earth, Yeonjun’s back is suddenly pressed against his chest, their hearts aligned. 

“Help him get on.” He hears him hiss out. 

Then there are hands gripping around his waist as he’s lifted up and then pressed against Yeonjun again.

“Are you sure? I can carry him—“

“You have to lead the way,” Yeonjun replies quickly. “I can carry him fine.”

Beomgyu’s hands weakly fist at the collar of Yeonjun’s green hanbok as the elder slips his arms around his knees and wraps them around his waist. 

The rest of the conversation is drowned out in Boemgyu’s ears and when Yeonjun begins to walk, the vibrations of his feet hitting the ground rock him into a sleep. 

☾

Beomgyu does not wake up to them holding the star core in his face. 

Instead, he awakes when there's a sudden loud clang vibrating through the air around them. He startles when Yeonjun flinches and his grip tightens around his legs to the point it’s almost painful. 

His eyelashes flutter as he struggles to open his heavy eyelids, trying to lodge his surroundings. 

They’re still hiking up the mountain by the look of the landscape around them. The trees and shrubbery is thick and dense, but the incline is high and gives it away that they haven’t hit the peak of the mountain where Beomgyu was found as a newborn. 

“What was that?” Yeonjun whispers out. His body is tensed beneath Beomgyu’s limp weight in anticipation. 

It sounds out again, a sharp ting of metal scraping against metal and Boemgyu shudders at the unpleasant noise that fills the thin air around them. Yeonjun tenses again and hisses when he realises that it’s the sound of swords clanging together. 

The guards that are spread around them are slowly closing in, their swords raised and ready to use. 

The four of them huddle together in the circle of guards. 

Beomgyu is suddenly much more awake than he’s been since the morning and slowly slips himself off of Yeonjun’s back. He slips his hand into Yeonjun’s and clutches on it tightly. 

“What’s going on?” He questions weakly. His body still feels like it’s been lit on fire and the pulsing pain is still pounding away at him. But he stands tall in alert, anxious to what is going on around them.

“The King is here!” A gruff voice calls out, sharp and angry. Beomgyu squeezes Yeonjun’s hand and steps closer to him.

And then a group dressed in dark fabrics jump out of nowhere, their own swords raised and coming straight towards them. 

Beomgyu sucks in a deep breath and stumbles when he takes a step backwards. Yeonjun catches him and tugs him close, his eyes flashing as he looks at the older men. 

“What do we do?” He hisses out. His fingers dig into the flesh of Beomgyu’s waist and keeps him flush against his side. 

“This is my fault,” the King hurries out, his eyes wide in alarm. “I should’ve been more discreet about leaving the palace!” 

“This isn’t a time for reminiscing!” Yeonjun barks out. “We need to find the star core. We can’t be held up here!” 

“I know that!” The King shouts back.

The guards around them begin to engage in the fight with the ambushes. The sound of swords clanging together makes Beomgyu’s hair stand up. 

“So make a plan with us!” He yells back. 

“You go with Beomgyu,” Minhyun answers instead. His eyes are large as his gaze flickers all around them. “If it’s the King they want, they’ll follow him. I’ll stay with him and you go up that mountain with him and find the star core! Do you understand? You cannot fail this!” He gazes at Beomgyu who is several shades paler than his usual honey glow and worry swims in his dark eyes. 

Yeonjun slings one of Beomgyu’s hanging arms around his shoulders and clutches onto his hand, keeping his arm in place. His hold around his waist tightens impossibly further as he nods his response. 

“I’ll find it,” he says with determination. “I won’t fail him.” 

“Go!” The King roars as a man in black forces his way in, his sword raised high. 

“Look for a cave filled with moonlight! That’s where I found him!” Minhyun shouts over his shoulder.

“Pick your feet up for me,” Yeonjun pats his side in a rush. “Please.” 

Beomgyu blinks and forces what little strength he has left to hover off of the ground and as soon as the soles of his feet aren’t connected to the earth, Yeonjun bolts through the crowd and up the incline of the mountain. 

Yeonjun’s feet bang heavily down upon the earth and each time the shockwaves travel up to Beomgyu’s body he has to grip tighter onto the green silk Yeonjun is wearing. 

The crashing of swords upon each other begin to drown out as Yeonjun runs away from the chaos erupting, but Beomgyu can still hear the callings to protect the king and the sound of grunts and screams. 

But Yeonjun doesn’t stop. He runs and runs, pulling Beomgyu’s limp body with him. 

His breathing is ragged and his face is pink from exertion, but he doesn’t stop. He runs even after there is nothing but the noise of bird song and his panting and the tiny pained whimpers Beomgyu manages out.

He does stop when he spots a cave. The sun is still sitting in the sky, dipping towards the horizon to make way for the moon to beam down her light, so he can’t quite see if this is the cave that Beomgyu’s father meant. But god, he hopes it is because Beomgyu is weak in his arms, limp and his skin is burning to the touch. 

Yeonjun collapses, tumbling into the cave with Beomgyu tucked safely between his arms. 

The fall isn’t hard enough to hurt, but it’s jarring enough to make Beomgyu cry out. Yeonjun heaves in deep breaths as he releases him from his hold and Beomgyu lays there, his limbs weak and his pulse thundering in his ears. 

Yeonjun lurches in his spot and rushes to sit up. His eyes are wide as he looks at Beomgyu sprawled out on the ground of the cave, his stardust dimly lit and scattered around him. His skin is pale and the usual bright honey tone of his skin has paled to a grey silver. Each breath he takes takes too much effort and the stardust has stopped dancing around him. 

“Beomgyu!” Yeonjun grips him by his shoulders and gives him a shake. He responds with a groan and a flutter of his eyelids. 

The twinkle that he’s always held in his eyes are nothing more than dying embers, nothing like the galaxies that they held before. 

Panic flares in Yeonjun, like molten lava in his veins. He rushes to tug his sleeve up and a strangled cry escapes his lips when he sees the silver vein creeping up to his bicep, slowly but steadily gaining closer and closer to Beomgyu’s heart. 

“Yeonjun hyung,” Beomgyu calls out weakly. His eyes dart to him, his breathing heavy as he tries to calm his panic down. “I’m cold.” He whimpers. 

But his skin feels like fire to the touch, a simmering thats working up to a furious boil. The fever that is burning through him is making him sweat and his hair sticks to his face in dark strands as he gasps for air. 

His lips are chapped and turning blue at the corners of his mouth. Yeonjun fumbles for his hand, his forefingers pressing to his pulse. 

It’s light and rapid, like rocks skimming over the surface of a deep lake. 

Yeonjun bites down on his lip to keep his cry in. It’s happened all too fast. 

He rips his outer robe off and bundles it around Beomgyu who shivers, a deep shudder that shakes his body. The stardust doesn’t react around him like it did days ago. 

Beomgyu is falling quickly, like a stone sinking beneath the gentle lunar waves of a lake after being thrown across its surface. He’s drowning in his own body, his blood fighting within himself with nowhere to go. 

The sun is beginning to fall in the sky and the sky burns a bright orange. 

Yeonjun’s hands are shaking as he slips Beomgyu’s head onto his lap, so he balls them up and places them on Beomgyu’s stomach, feeling his chest heave with the effort of his breathing. He can feel his body heat seeping through the layers of fabric placed over him. 

He knows he needs to move and look for the star core before he dies in his arms, but he doesn’t even know if he’s in the right place. Beomgyu needs someone right now to tell him everything is going to be okay and look after him. 

“The star core…” Beomgyu whispers out. “We need to find it, hyung.”

“I know, I know,” Yeonjun rushes out. He reaches up with a trembling hand to swipe his damp hair out of his eyes. “Will you be okay?”

“If I get the star core…” Beomgyu answers back weakly. “I can hold on longer… I can do it.”

“Of course you can,” Yeonjun whimpers out. His bottom lip tugs between his teeth and he sniffs, trying to keep his tears in. “I will find it for you.” He promises as he blinks his tears back. 

He shifts Beomgyu gently out of his lap and fiddles with the green outer robe around him before he trudges to his feet.

“Hyung?” Beomgyu whispers out. His eyes have fluttered shut again and his brows are knitted together in pain. 

“Yeah?” Yeonjun croaks out. He wipes away the tears that have escaped down his face with his white sleeve. 

“I love you.” 

His voice is quiet and it trails off as he loses consciousness again. Yeonjun’s heart is beating wildly in his chest in both fondness and fear. 

He cannot lose Beomgyu. Not now when they’ve barely had enough time to soak up the feelings they have for one another. Not now when Beomgyu has said he loves him. 

Yeonjun lets out a sob as he scrambles around to search through every nook and cranny in the small cave. 

There's a thick layer of fallen leaves from the surrounding deciduous trees that cover the ground of the cave and Yeonjun digs wildly through them, scooping big armfuls and throwing them to the side in his frantic search for the star core. He can hear Beomgyu’s wheezes as he throws piles away. His hands graze over the rocky floor and when he swipes his hands too fast through the littering of dried leaves and twigs, his palms cut open. 

It doesn’t stop him. Dirt fills the wounds appearing on his hands, stinging and burning, but it doesn’t stop him. 

The sun has fallen further, the sky beginning to darken and blending down into softer pinks and oranges, but the moonlight has yet to fill the cave. Yeonjun peers up at the sky and spots the moon high in the abyss above them—full and bright already. 

He hisses out and tears his gaze away to Beomgyu’s limp figure. 

He bites his lip as he thinks through the possibilities of leaving now to find a different cave that hopefully holds the star core within it or he can continue his search and potentially find it here. Either way it’ll take time away—precious time that Beomgyu no longer has. 

He looks back up at the sky. The stars are beginning to poke through, bright.

It’s mocking, Yeonjun decides. 

Beomgyu’s stardust is grey and scattered around him, not hovering and glittering around him like it used to—like it’s supposed to. But the stars high in the sky are as bright as ever, a testimony to the world up above.  

Yeonjun lets out a pained huff as he rises to his feet and stumbles over to Beomgyu. 

The cave is too small and the moonlight that is now lighting the world outside of the cave is not beaming into the rocky outlet like it’s supposed to from Beomgyu’s fathers description.

Yeonjun decides to take a chance. 

Beomgyu is a deadweight in his arms when he bundles him up. His body is far too hot and Yeonjun’s skin pricks up and begins to sweat where he’s pressed against him. 

His hands are stinging, but he clings onto Beomgyu tightly, his blood soaks into the lilac silk he wears before it finally stops from the amount of pressure building between his palms. 

The mountain is rough and hard to traverse and even more so in the fading light. Yeonjun heaves Beomgyu over one of his shoulders, clinging to his middle as he twists through the trees and low shrubs that litter his pathway. 

He keeps on the rocky paths, hoping that it will open up to another cave that’s filled with moonlight. 

The sky is a deep navy now, the same colour that Beomgyu had worn as he pranced around the palace and glittered with life. The moon shines down bright silver light and Yeonjun frantically tries to follow where it is the brightest along the rocky track. 

There’s a sudden drop off and Yeonjun skids to a halt at the edge of the cliff face. He takes several steps back from the edge and readjusts Beomgyu in his hold so that he’s better balanced. Beomgyu’s head lolls between his shoulder and the crook of his elbow as he slings an arm underneath his knees and holds him close to his chest. 

He can see a large rock jutting out from underneath the cliff, a long and thick piece of stone that shines in the moonlight. 

His eyes widen when he realises it has the shape of a large cave. 

The cliff softens at the edges, blending down into a decline in the mountain that carves into the rocky surface below. Yeonjun can clearly see the bright moonlight flooding the cave from where he stands.

So, he grips hard onto Beomgyu and carefully creeps down the steep pathway, making sure to watch where he puts his feet until he lands on the stone. 

The cave stretches far back into the mountain and isn’t covered in leafy matter to make the search harder. 

As soon as Yeonjun steps towards the cave, it begins to rain. 

Big, fat drops of rain spit down at them and pelts against Yeonjun’s back and across Beomgyu’s pale face. When he looks down at him the skin around his lips is white, the corners of his usually petal plush mouth stained with a blue tint and his heart booms in his chest in alarm. 

Yeonjun hurries into the cave and settles Beomgyu on the ground, away from the entrance of the cave so he won’t get wet by the rain that’s pelting down from the sky and from the puddles that are forming. Beomgyu only lets out a quiet whimper when Yeonjun’s touch disappears from around him and the coolness of the rocky surface beneath him seeps through the layers he’s wearing. 

His breathing is weak, quieter than it had been in the last cave and Yeonjun chokes on his tears when he rips open the tie at the front of Beomgyu’s robes and pulls out his left arm and exposes his chest where his heart is beating weakly under his skin. 

The silver vein has crept up to his shoulder, thick and gleaming under the thin layer of skin covering it. 

“Beomgyu, please wake up.” Yeonjun gives him a shake as he sobs out. “Please, please wake up. I love you too.” 

Beomgyu’s eyelids flutter weakly and he lets out a soft sound, a tiny smile plays across his lips. “Hyung,” he manages out weakly. “I am so glad I fell into your garden.” 

“Me too,” Yeonjun cries out, his own breath shuddering as he tries to feed air into his lungs. His heart is clenching tightly in his chest and his stomach is flipping inside of him in fear. 

“You have to hold on, okay Beomie? Just a little bit longer. Hyung will make it all better when I find the star core.” His fingers brush across Beomgyu’s cheek and it’s so hot it feels like his fingertips have been licked by flames. 

Beomgyu responds with a barely noticeable nod. 

Yeonjun jumps to his feet and wipes the tears clogging his vision as he scans the cave for anything that looks remotely strange. 

The moonlight is bright and shines against the rocky walls and he uses that to his advantage as he hurries around the space. There are holes in the walls, some barely bigger than his fist and others large enough to fit a sizable object. Yeonjun checks those first and cries out in anguish when the only thing he finds is old birds nests inside. 

Each time he looks over at Beomgyu he looks worse. The sweat on his brow runs down his face and his breathing is slow and shallow. The silver vein catches in the bright moonlight and glimmers and it’s tantalising in its beauty. It gleams and shines like pure silver that nobles would pay a great sum of money for, but it is reaching into the walls of Beomgyu’s heart, killing him slowly and painfully. 

Yeonjun bashes his fist against the cave wall in desperation and fury as he cries out. The skin covering his knuckles crack open and blood seeps down his fingers, down his palms that are littered with dirtied cuts. His blood smears across the surface of the rock and it glitters in the pale light. 

A flash of lightning lights up the dark sky and a thunder strikes a few seconds after, a loud booming sound as if the stars are screaming at him to hurry and save their prince. Yeonjun wants to scream back and curse them out for not giving them enough time to save Beomgyu. 

The rain hits the ground harder and the violent noise of it falling fills his ears and covers up the sound of Beomgyu’s faint breathing. 

He takes a look at his hand that is throbbing, but his eyes catch a sudden glimmer on the rock smeared with his blood. 

He whips his head around to look at Beomgyu and his eyes widen at the ribbon of stardust that’s floating towards him and hovering around the cave wall. It’s bright again, like it should be when it gravitates around Beomgyu. 

Yeonjun lets out a loud gasp and runs to the entrance of the cave. The rain soaks him within seconds, but he doesn’t care or pay attention to the chill it brings when his inner robe sticks to his skin. 

The rain has made everything slippery and he almost falls several times as he pulls a large rock from the ground. A trail of angry ants erupt from where he picked up the rock, but he takes it into his arms anyway.

The rock is heavy in his arms and it digs into the wounds sprinkled on his palms and he clenches his jaw in response. He passes by Beomgyu; with his eyes still closed and the glittering vein crawling closer and closer to his heart. 

Yeonjun rushes forwards, his feet picking up and he hauls the rock in his arms at the spot where the flurry of stardust is circling his blood. 

The rock crashes to the ground as lightning hits again and thunder booms in his ears. He picks up the rock again and has another go. The wall chips and turns a chalky white where the two rocks had collided. He goes again and again until thunder roars down and the wall cracks open. 

The small hole in the rock reveals a golden hued light and the stardust flares up around it, shining like it had when Beomgyu was kneeling on the podium in the stars. 

Yeonjun sobs out and his fingers press against the crack. He uses the rock one more time and the wall around the golden light crumbles to the ground and his feet barely misses the tumbling rocks that come crashing down.

Cradled between rocks and a swirl of bright stardust sits the star core in all its glory. 

It looks like the beads that Beomgyu wears on his wrist, though larger and yellow-hued instead of the blue tones. It’s like golden gold is swimming around in the sphere, shining as bright as the silvery moonlight painting the earth. 

Yeonjun reaches out with two hands and cups the star core in between his abused palms. 

It’s warm and heavy in his hands as he pulls it from its bed of rock and stardust. He cradles it to his chest protectively before he turns on his feet, ready to run to Beomgyu and somehow give it to him. 

But when he turns there’s a man dressed in black hovering over Beomgyu. 

He recognises him from the darkness of his clothing and the dark veil he wears over the lower half of his face. He’s a man from the band off assassins that had attacked them earlier.

Yeonjun looks down at the star core in his hands and back to the man who is pulling his sword out. 

He drops the star core. 

It crashes down upon the rock and bounces against the hard surface. It rolls around before stopping in a small ditch in the ground outside of the cave. 

And Yeonjun launches himself at the man. 

They tumble over Beomgyu’s body and land in a muddy puddle. Yeonjun grips the hilt of the sword that is held in the assassin’s tight grip and forces it down with all of the strength he can muster. 

Rain pommels down upon him and drips down into his eyes, clouding his vision. 

“Who are you!?” He roars out above the sound of the rain. The man responds in a grunt and thrusts his hips up, throwing Yeonjun off of him. 

He clambers back to his feet and dodges the swing of his sword that’s aimed at him by barely an inch. 

Just as he raises the sword again and Yeonjun pivots out of the way, stumbling and crashing right next to where the star core lays, there’s a loud roar and suddenly the king is sliding down the path to the cave, his own sword raised high. Minhyun follows closely behind him with a bunch of the guards. 

Yeonjun scurries onto his hands and knees and scoops the abandoned star core into his hands. The water beading around the outside of the star core mixes in with the drying blood on his hands and creates a reddish sheen around the glowing orb.

His eyes lift to Beomgyu laying alone in the cave. He can hear the struggles of the three men from behind him, but he doesn’t turn back to them to see if they need help. 

Because from here Yeonjun can see the silver spreading rapidly into Beomgyu’s chest.

When he drags himself over to him and he places the golden orb on his chest, his fingers brush over his bare chest where the silver is solidifying beneath his skin. And instead of his fingers meeting with skin that’s burning like fire, he’s met with skin that’s as cold as ice. 

“Beomgyu!” Yeonjun’s hands cup his face, slapping against his cheeks in an attempt to wake him up. But Beomgyu doesn’t flinch. 

“Beomgyu!” He calls out his name again, his hands slipping down to shoulders and shaking him. “Please wake up, please, please!”

There’s a scream from behind him and then heavy footfall before the King and Minhyun collapse next to him around Beomgyu’s frail form. 

Yeonjun looks at them with teary eyes and his brows furrowed. 

His hands push down on the star core sitting on his chest and Yeonjun lets out a distraught cry when nothing happens. 

He turns his head to the sky and all the glittering stars staring down at them and he screams. 

They twinkle brighter as if they’re screaming back at him, telling him to save their prince. 

Yeonjun falls back and clutches his head in his hands as he sobs out. 

He tries to think why it’s not working. They had said the moment the star core came in contact with him it would accept him and absorb into him. Yeonjun grips the golden ball again and moves it down to Beomgyu’s abdomen, hoping it’ll work. 

It doesn’t and Yeonjun lets out another cry when all it does is hum softly.

“Yeonjun…” Minhyun whispers out. His voice trembles and it’s hard to hear over the rain, but it catches Yeonjun’s attention. 

“What do we have to do?”

Yeonjun stares at him as he shivers from the cold that’s seeping into his bones. He wants to scream that he doesn’t know and that the stars—Beomgyu’s aunts— had wronged them by not giving them clear enough directions. 

Beomgyu’s breathing is weak and shallow, nothing more than tiny pants that are faltering away. 

Beomgyu is fading. Quickly. 

“I… I don’t know!” He croaks out. 

His brows furrow as he tries to think of ways that could work. 

Lightning and thunder booms down again and Yeonjun reaches out for the star core and Beomgyu’s hands. 

If maybe he did it himself perhaps it would work?

The moment Yeonjun cups Beomgyu’s hands around the glowing orb, his breathing stops. 

Yeonjun’s eyes widen and he’s about to scream out again when a hand wraps around his bicep and pulls him away from Beomgyu, hard. 

His knees scrape across the rocks but not even seconds later after his back is turned away from Beomgyu, a burst of bright, blinding light fills the mountain top. 

There’s a choking gasp from behind him and Yeonjun twirls around to see Beomgyu’s body glowing and lifting up from the surface. His stardust is swarming around him, brighter than it’s ever been—Yeonjun has to squint to look at him. 

And Yeonjun takes in a sharp intake of breath when he remembers what had happened last time his stardust shone so brightly.

He leaps across the rocks and just barely clutches onto his hand before the world falls out from beneath them again. 

☾

Exhaustion weighs down on Yeonjun heavily as soon as he opens his eyes. 

They’re on the podium again, surrounded by bright stars and several people staring up at them. He lifts his head to see Beomgyu collapsed on the white stone, but his chest is moving with each steady breath he’s taking in. 

Instead of the pale white his skin had been mere moments before, it’s glowing again like honey glinting in the sunshine. A breath of relief passes through Yeonjun’s lips at the sight of him. 

The core had taken, somehow and miraculously just as he had just stopped breathing. 

Yeonjun shuffles over to him and gently picks up his arm that’s still hanging out of the wet sleeve. Yeonjun is shivering as he runs his fingers along the unmarred honey skin, void of a silvery vein that had been there moments before. 

“Beomgyu!” 

Yeonjun whips his head around to see Beomgyu’s three aunts flying over to them, their eyes wide as they stare at their nephew’s unmoving figure.

“He’s okay!” Yeonjun shouts out to them and he sees the moment relief washes over their faces. 

He tucks Beomgyu’s arm into the sleeve and pulls him into his arms and shakily gets to his feet. 

“You found the star core…” one of his aunts gasp as he begins to walk down the steps of the podium. 

“Barely.” Yeonjun grunts out. 

“We must take you both back to the palace,” she then rushes out. “Come on, we must look him over!”

Yeonjun holds him in his shaking arms as he’s led back up to the shimmering palace in the sky. 

The stone sings at Beomgyu’s presence again and lights up around wherever Yeonjun puts his feet. The stardust around Beomgyu is hovering around him quietly and beginning to build up in his lashes again. Yeonjun’s heartbeat begins to finally come down from its high at the sight of him.

Beomgyu’s aunts fly through the halls, opening doors gilded with gold before they finally stop in a large room with a four poster canopy bed covered in light coloured satin sheets. 

Yeonjun stumbles over to the bed and gently places Beomgyu on the bed. He smoothes out his wet hair from his forehead and when he takes a step backwards from the bed, he tumbles to the ground, his vision going dark. 

☾

When Yeonjun wakes up there’s a warm weight by his side. 

He cracks open his eyes and finds Beomgyu curled up by his side, his eyelashes brushing the tops of his cheeks as he sleeps soundly. 

They’re under the covers of the bed and propped up by a mountain of soft pillows. Yeonjun’s hands are bandaged and now he only realises the pain in his hands and knees. He stretches quietly and then looks back down at Beomgyu to see him awake and staring at him with big eyes. 

“Hyung,” he whispers out quietly. His bottom lip trembles and he catches it between his teeth. “How did you get yourself hurt… you’re such an idiot.” He sniffles and clutches onto the pale yellow silk robe Yeonjun is now wearing. 

Yeonjun cracks a smile and slings an arm around Beomgyu’s shoulders and pulls him closer to him. “You saved me, hyung.” He weeps against his shoulder. Yeonjun hums and pats Beomgyu’s back softly. 

“Of course I did. I told you I would.”

Beomgyu barks out a soft laugh. 

“I love you,” he whispers against his skin. His breath is warm and it sends a spike of heat through Yeonjun’s gut. 

His heart picks up in his chest, but this time it’s not in fear, but with budding love for the prince of the stars tucked by his side. 

“I love you too,” he croaks back out. Yeonjun reaches to cup his face between his bandaged hands and he laughs softly at Beomgyu’s teary eyes. 

“Do you feel much better?” Yeonjun asks him. Beomgyu sniffs and nods, blinking away his tears. Yeonjun smiles fondly at him. “That’s good.” He whispers as his thumb caresses Beomgyu’s cheek.

Beomgyu’s hands come to rest at his shoulders, his fingers clutching at the soft material Yeonjun is wearing as he pulls himself closer to Yeonjun’s warmth. The blankets shift and fall around him, exposing his legs when he pulls himself up and shifts himself to sit in Yeonjun’s lap. One of Yeonjun’s hands fall from his face to hold him at his hip. 

Beomgyu leans in and presses their lips together. The stardust around him hums happily and pulses with light as Yeonjun kisses him back. He fights a smile at the obvious joy Beomgyu is feeling by kissing him. 

Beomgyu’s lips are warm against Yeonjun’s. 

If Yeonjun is the sun and Beomgyu is the moon then he is the one that gives Beomgyu his bright moonlight. He feeds him the rays of his sunlight and allows him to glow so brightly in the dark of the night, but he will never ask for anything in return. To see him gleam and glow so ethereally is enough for him. 

Beomgyu lets out a soft sigh when their lips separate. “My aunts are waiting,” he says quietly. He rests his forehead against Yeonjun’s and smiles gently. 

“They have been fretting over us all morning.” 

Yeonjun lets out a snort and hums. “Your poor fathers are probably worried sick,” Yeonjun tells him as Beomgyu slides off of his lap. His bare feet touch the ground below that softly hums with blue light under him. 

He raises a brow at him as he adjusts the pale pink robe around him. 

“You floated,” Yeonjun continues. “When you accepted the star core and your stardust did that thing again—how it started glowing, so I ran to you and got shot up here with you.” 

Beomgyu’s eyes gleam at him and he can’t hide his smile. “Thank you,” he tells him and offers him a hand to help him out of the bed. 

The floor is cold beneath his bare feet and there aren’t any slippers for him to put on—probably because the star people float and don’t touch the ground. Even Beomgyu lifts up from the ground as soon as Yeonjun’s hand is in his and he’s up. 

The corridors are quiet as they travel through. Beomgyu holds his hand gently in his palm and brushes his thumb over his bandaged fingers with his thumb. Yeonjun flashes him a smile and helps Beomgyu crack open the door to the throne room where they can hear Beomgyu’s aunts talking amongst themselves. 

Beomgyu pokes his head in and drags Yeonjun in after him. 

“Aunties,” he whispers and waves at them quietly. “We feel much better now.”

Beomgyu’s oldest aunt—the one seated in the throne in the middle—slumps in her seat in relief while his aunt on the left flies off of her chair towards them both. 

“Oh, let me look at you, dear nephew.” She pats her hands around his shoulders and up to his cheeks before she deems him healthy and steps back with a loud sigh. 

“You both have done well.” She praises them. “You are not so bad for a human, I suppose.” She cocks her head at Yeonjun who grimaces at her in response. 

“How did you like the room? Is it to your liking? We can always alter it if it is not to your tastes!” 

“Dear sister, do not overwhelm our nephew,” her older sister scolds as she wanders over. “She means well.”

“Oh, but isn’t it wonderful? We have our nephew here now!” She smiles widely. Beomgyu’s third aunt stares at him from behind her sister. 

“I… I have to go home, though? I cannot stay here…” Beomgyu whispers and his aunts blink at him. 

“Well, of course,” his oldest aunt smiles fondly. “But you must come visit us, alright?” 

Beomgyu’s eyes light up and he nods. He might be a prince of the stars, but he is still a child of the earth. 

“You will be able to master calling up to the stars now,” his aunt tells him. “Now that you have the star core you can do many things you couldn’t before.” 

Beomgyu blinks at her and lets out a soft laugh. “Whenever you wish to come see us, pull that power up inside you and think of the stars. We will always welcome you with open arms, dearest nephew.” 

“Are you sure you do not want to stay longer?” His aunt on the left asks and her sister behind her elbows her in the ribs. 

“My fathers will be very worried. Yeonjun hyung told me what happened… I have to make sure they are all okay, too.”

His aunts smile at him and his eldest aunt hums softly. 

“You are a good son.” She whispers. “Your mother would be so proud of you.” 

Beomgyu gives her a weak smile. “I will come back one day for you to tell me stories about her.” He promises and his aunts laugh at him, their fondness evident. 

“Safe travels, dear nephew.” She turns to look at Yeonjun. “You are also invited whenever you like. You are the one that saved him after all.” 

Yeonjun wraps his arm around Beomgyu’s shoulders and nods. “Thank you,” he whispers. 

And when she sends them down again, this time Beomgyu floats down gracefully with Yeonjun clutched safely within his arms. 

☾

Beomgyu cheers loudly when he spots Yeonjun in the courtyard. 

“Hyung!” He waves at him and bounds down the stairs leading down from his shared residence with his father and grandfather. 

After returning from the stars, his blood father had moved them into the palace. Beomgyu had thought his father would stay back at their mountain cabin, but instead he had dutifully followed him. 

His title had been elevated to prince of the nation and his arrival in the palace had been celebrated with a large banquet and dances that he had joined in on. 

Yeonjun is dressed like fire again, his silk robes an array of bright orange and a soft hue of yellow. 

Beomgyu’s stardust erupts around him as he stands in front of Yeonjun, a big smile plastered over his face. His hanbok is a soft blue and lilac, a contrast to Yeonjun’s robes of fire. 

“I have missed you.” Beomgyu whispers has he reaches out for a hug. 

Yeonjun takes him into his arms and laughs loudly. “I saw you yesterday.” 

“But that was yesterday!” Beomgyu whines loudly. “I miss waking up with you.” He tells him and Yeonjun’s eyebrow arches at him as he pulls away from the hug. 

“You love me so much.” Yeonjun says in a teasing tone but Beomgyu frowns. 

“Yes I do.” He folds his arms over his chest and huffs at him. 

Yeonjun bursts out with a bubble of laughter and Beomgyu’s facade shatters instantly. He laughs along with him until their stomachs hurt. 

A soft breeze brushes past and the envelope that Yeonjun is clutching in one hand flutters in the wind. Beomgyu peeks behind Yeonjun’s back at the noise of the crinkling paper and Yeonjun laughs again. 

He pulls the red envelope out from behind his back and presents it to Beomgyu with a beaming smile. 

Beomgyu accepts it with two hands, a soft frown marring between his brows. “Hyung?” He asks. “What is this?” He slides open the long envelope and slips out the letter. 

He unfolds it and his eyes scan over the dark stokes of ink, his eyes widening. He looks up at Yeonjun with tears in his eyes. 

“So?” Yeonjun asks, his smile stretching across his lips. “What will you say, my moon? Will you accept my marriage proposal?” 

Beomgyu bursts out into tears and crashes against Yeonjun, trapping him in a tight hug. 

“Of course!” He cries out before he crashes their lips together. 

And two things are for certain; the sun will always fall for the moon, and Yeonjun will always fall for Beomgyu.