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Human emotions are fickle, just like the memories they carry with them. One sip of soul-beguiling potion and all their past recollections will be written off their minds, along with previous affections and afflictions connected to those memories.
And with no memories, there are no lingering emotions, no more conflicting attachments to worry about, no more grudges to hold and keep.
It’s convenient to willingly wipe off events you wish you’d never known; many humans will scramble on their hands and knees for a chance to attain ignorance. It’s foolish, so very human-like, yet Taehyun can’t simply blame them. He acknowledges that there are many things better left forgotten.
Taehyun would’ve never guessed that he’ll have to be the one to feed the soul-beguiling potion to a human, neither did he foresee the weight that’ll accompany him for the rest of his days over his actions.
A prince from a neighboring land roused all troubles in Taehyun’s quiet life as a forest witch. He came crashing through the entrance of his cottage, seemingly blessed with unbelievable fortune and resiliency to survive every trap and enchantment scattered around the cottage’s premises.
With his left shoulder bleeding out, the prince manages a smile before collapsing in front of Taehyun. He will then find out, later on, once the prince is awake and cracking lighthearted jokes and giggles, that his name is Kai, the second prince from the kingdom of sinnan, chased by blood-coated assassins all the way from the borders of suwon to the very front of Taehyun’s humble abode.
So he’s not blessed with impressive luck then, Taehyun snorts, gingerly placing dried herbs on the prince’s wounds.
Taehyun’s neither fond nor distasteful of humans so he allows Kai to recuperate in his cottage for a week. In return, he receives a barrage of 'thank yous' and a blinding smile for his tolerance.
Taehyun doesn’t say anything then, but the heavy thuds of his heart speak for him.
Maybe he’s slightly enchanted by the human’s gentle smiles, the soft and kind tone he speaks with, and the warmth in his eyes that always seem to seep into Taehyun’s veins.
“You don’t look like a witch,” Kai says, not unkindly. He looks curious, fascinated, awed. “You look more like an angel to me.”
Kai has never been more wrong. It’s he who mirrors the image of an angel, not Taehyun, never Taehyun.
Maybe he’s more than slightly enchanted, but it matters not, because it’ll be all gone within a week.
But weeks extend to a day, and a day becomes another week, weeks transform into a month.
The prince claims he’s not well enough to depart, says he’s afraid the assassins are still hunting him down. Taehyun thinks he’s lying; he’s certainly capable enough to move his left arm while playing with Hobak, and he’s the least afraid to go out during late nights or early mornings to gather herbs and flowers for Taehyun’s potions.
He’s most definitely lying, but Taehyun lets it pass. He scoffs and agrees, that yes your wounds haven’t properly closed yet for you to leave without caution. Taehyun nods and tells him, yes it’s safer if you stay low for now, what about staying here for another week?
Pretending to lie to keep each other’s company longer. It’s pretty laughable, Taehyun thinks.
But is it really lying if both parties know the same truths?
At first, Taehyun dismisses his feelings as friendship. Kai is his first friend in his many years of isolation, it’s natural for his heart to beat so fast whenever the prince is within close proximity, it’s also normal for him to find his friend the most precious thing he’s ever seen.
What’s not normal is for Taehyun to have thoughts of carving a future with Kai. And Taehyun has read enough romantic tales, those that he has managed to collect from simply traversing the outskirt of towns without stumbling upon humans, to recognize that what’s causing his irregular heartbeat is more than excitement over getting a new friend.
It’s a gradual process, just like the patient step-by-step nurturing Taehyun showers his flowers and plants alike with. The seeds happen to be Kai’s gentle smiles, lively laughter, and sweet voice, while the water that helps it grow is the prince’s kind, yet quirky words. And just as warm as the sun that gives Taehyun’s flowers life so are the lingering touches Kai bestows him with.
Bloom with vibrance, the flowers grow and grow until it reaches the very lonely cracks of Taehyun’s heart, filling it with the saccharine fragrance of roses. So sickly sweet, so sickly addicting, that Taehyun can’t help but wonder if he’s being slowly poisoned to death.
Humans, they are not to be trusted. Those are the sharp reminders of every witch Taehyun has ever encountered in his hermit life. Humans can’t be trusted because they are greedy, envious, jealous, loathful. They’ll do just about anything to fulfill their starvation for power. Isn’t that why most witches and fays keep to themselves never once seeing a human with their own two eyes for the rest of their lives?
Taehyun thinks differently. Not all humans are bad, or at least as bad as the other witches make them out to be. If he applies the same logic to their own kind, then it can be generalized that all witches are creatures of evil, amassing powers to someday destroy the world. After all, those are what humans think of them. But, that’s not correct. Humans aren’t purely power-hungry demons, and witches aren’t just sinister forces of the dark.
In fact, there can even be an angel living among humans.
“I found this injured little fella outside,” Kai pouts, cradling a tiny hummingbird in his hands. “Can we do something about him, Hyunie?”
“I’ll do what I can,” Taehyun answers, gingerly taking the little bird, ignoring the fondness overflowing from his heart.
It’s times like this that Taehyun has to stop and muse if Kai is really a prince from a not-so-faraway kingdom or an angel disguised in human skin, sent by heaven to torment Taehyun.
Or perhaps, Kai might be the devil all along.
It’s such a simple question, “What are some spells that you wish to try but can’t or won’t?” And it still got Taehyun going on a tangent about dark spellcraft, human limbs, bones, exotic otherwordly animals, and internal organs of humans and those animals alike.
Then the devil strikes.
“Lovely.” Kai smiles, bright and adoring. Taehyun stops speaking, blinks twice, and clears his throat.
“Talking about broken limbs and bones is lovely?” Taehyun laughs, bewildered and just the tiniest bit concerned. “You scare me sometimes.”
Then Kai opens his mouth to spill his next bout of wickedness, and Taehyun folds.
“No, I mean you’re lovely when you get all excited like this,” says the prince with no ounce of shame. “I find it adorable. You’re really adorable, Hyunie.”
Taehyun shuts his mouth close, his whole face turning red in an instant.
To be capable of uttering such embarrassing things with his full chest, and still having the most endearing smile plastered on his beautiful face…There’s no doubting it, Kai is positively evil, malicious to the core, and terrifyingly impossible to resist.
Taehyun falls to the devil’s clutches, willingly and helplessly.
Many moons pass, and the prince continues to remain in the witch’s abode. And when the prince’s celebration of birth came, he is joined not by his family and his friends, but by his witch companion.
It’s a ridiculous tale, Taehyun snorts to himself as he fixes the table filled with homemade sweets, and Kai’s many beloved dishes, as well as a pair of teacups. This is far from the grandeur celebration Kai will surely have in his palace. No, it’s not just that. Everything Taehyun has prepared is a far cry from the many delights the prince will receive back in his homeland where he should be having his birthday feast.
Gods, the king and queen must be worried sick searching for their son.
Many times Taehyun has called him out, asking if he’s fit to travel and return to his kingdom. And each time, Kai denies being capable, going as far as to claim that it’s still far too dangerous for him to leave the forest and that his parents will rather have him hide and be well-protected than risk going back to their castle while the assassins after his head are still on the loose.
It’s all a bunch of nonsense. Taehyun knows Kai’s been healthy for months now, well enough to travel back to his home. Taehyun knows well that the entire kingdom must be in pure chaos, twisting their backs and necks to locate their missing prince.
And what did foolish Taehyun do?
Accept Kai’s excuses, and allows his selfishness to take over.
But it’s okay, Taehyun already made a promise to himself. After today, after Kai’s birthday, he’ll finally let him go, whether Kai agrees or not.
Once today ends, Taehyun will return what was never his.
And so, they feasted, not on the food Taehyun crafted with all his heart and soul, but on each other’s laughter. No wine is atop the table, neither is it on the premise of Taehyun’s humble cottage, yet they find themselves drunk, hazy, warm, and dizzy from caught stolen glances.
“Thank you, Taehyun. I enjoyed my birthday the most today!” Kai giggles, the crumbs of the apple pie he ate sticking to the corner of his mouth. Taehyun laughs along and reaches across him with a napkin to wipe off the crumbs from Kai’s face.
“It is no problem at all, my dear friend.”
Kai smiles brighter at his words. Taehyun retracts his hand away but is surprised when he’s stopped by a grip around his wrist, gentle and secured, giving him enough freedom to wriggle away his hand from Kai’s hold if he wishes to do so.
Unsurprisingly, Taehyun does not want to.
“I’m glad to have met you.” Sincerity spills from the prince’s voice, and Taehyun finds himself speechless for a few seconds.
I should be the one saying that. You have given colors to my life like none other. Every day I am with you is another miracle. You’re a prince and I’m a witch, we should not have been friends, we could have not even met, and yet you are here, and I am here, we are woven in the same sky, in the same place, in the same time. Thank you for being my one and only friend.
Those are not the words Taehyun has the bravery to say, so instead, he smiles and nods. “Me too.”
Once they finished eating, Taehyun takes Kai to a nearby small clearing in the forest where the moon and stars aren’t obscured by the tall trees that surrounds his cottage.
Glittering stars dot the clear dark sky and surround the bright crescent moon. The night sky is as magnificent as the last time Taehyun has the luck of seeing it.
It’s a shame the person sitting beside him on the soft pasture offers a greater beauty than the twinkling night sky, so much so that Taehyun can’t bear to tear his gaze away from the man next to him, bathing in the faint glow of the moon, looking more otherworldly than ever.
Like this, Kai is the perfected image of the prince that he is; absolutely breathtaking and marvelous.
Taehyun hears his own breath hitch the moment Kai meets his eyes.
“My injured arm is aching again,” Kai speaks so softly as if he’s afraid of breaking the feeble walls they’ve built together. In contrast, Taehyun sees the intensity in his eyes, the shine of the moonlight reflected on his eyes, stopping Taehyun’s entire world from spinning. “Can I stay here for another day?”
He can’t. Taehyun has made a promise to himself already. Kai needs to return home as early as now. He doesn’t belong here, doesn’t belong to be with a witch. He’s a prince and Taehyun is just one lonesome forest witch, there’s nothing left for him to do here.
But how can he say those words in the face of Kai’s burning affection? How can he tell his prince to leave when he’s baring all his heart to him with such simple words?
How can Taehyun ever find the courage to see him go when he knows what his heart yearns for the most?
“You’ve gotten rather comfortable living with a witch.” Taehyun laughs lightly, cradling the broken pieces of his own promise.
Kai’s face shines with joy. “That’s not a no.”
The day after Kai’s day of birth, he did not leave the forest, and that stays true indefinitely. Taehyun makes up to his own shattered conscience and promises one more, that this time, he’ll only let go of his prince once the time comes when he’ll finally take the choice to walk away from Taehyun’s cottage.
After that night, something shifted between them. There is no explicit expression of what they are or what they feel. Taehyun does not mind, in fact, it’s quite unnecessary for them anyway, because a single glimpse of their eyes and they can read one another like transparent glass.
From fleeting touches, they’ve grown braver with initiating hugs. There even comes a point where Taehyun allows Kai to sleep in the same bed as his, if it eventually becomes a habit, then that’s no one's business.
Then there are the brief kisses, on the cheeks, nose, forehead, hand, and…lips.
Kai tastes exactly the same way he smells, sweet and intoxicating, Taehyun refuses to believe he lived his life before without the prince’s surprise attacks of kisses and cuddles.
Like now, Taehyun’s tending to his flowers, and while he’s waiting for his watering pot to be filled by the sink, he feels a presence behind him followed by a pair of arms wrapping around his torso.
Kai nuzzles his face into the side of Taehyun’s neck and asks, “will you stay with me, Taehyun?”
A thing Taehyun has learned while living with the prince is that he’s never one to express his fondness through words. Unlike Taehyun who despite being alone for most of his life, is surprisingly affectionate with verbal cues, Kai, on the other hand, shows most of his feelings through both simple and intricate actions, such as helping Taehyun to gather herbs without hesitation or pulling him in for sudden hugs and butterfly kisses.
Therefore moments like these are scarce, making them more precious to Taehyun.
Taehyun drops the watering pot on the sink before turning around in Kai’s arms to face him. He brushes his lips lightly on Kai’s lips and whispers, “yes, I will.”
Kai giggles and pulls him closer.
Taehyun can’t remember the last time he felt lonely, or to be precise, he can’t remember the last time he didn’t know of loneliness. If Taehyun never met Kai, he’ll never know of loneliness. After all, Taehyun has remained alone for so many years that he’s forgotten how emptying the silence of his own home is.
With Kai, he’s learned not only the nuances of love, but also the different fronts of longing, and not to be left unsaid….the harrowing sense of impending dread.
Dread for the time he’ll have to eventually pull himself out of the bubble of false security he’s made together with his prince.
And that time came, far sooner than Taehyun was prepared for.
It’s just another usual morning, Kai volunteers to leave the cottage to look for the herbs Taehyun requires for one of his spells. Taehyun agrees quickly with a fond smile, confident with Kai’s knowledge of the many herbs he has told him countless times.
Except that usualness, the sense of domestic familiarity whenever Kai returns home with a basket of herbs in his hands and a loud, “I’m home!” is gone.
When Kai opens the door to the cottage, Taehyun immediately notices the worry written all over his face.
It’s then that Kai explains what he has seen near the border of the forest. Ten royal guards from his home kingdom are left cold and lifeless on the ground, wounds all over their bodies from what seems to be an assault from a coordinated attack by their enemies, the very people who nearly put an end to the prince’s life months ago.
Kai briefly explains the situation of sinnan with the neighboring kingdom; a conflict that has already reached its boiling point, overspilling and creating malice and destruction everywhere it can reach. This leads him to finally admit both to himself and to Taehyun that the guards he found must’ve been sent out to search for him, but ultimately fell into the hands of their foes.
Humans and their love for causing unnecessary bloodshed, Taehyun sighs.
Mortal feuds don’t interest him, but he knows that this is more than a senseless squabble in the prince’s eyes. Taehyun understands the dim look on Kai’s face and its implications.
Kai wishes to fight for his homeland, side by side with his parents, his sisters, and his people.
There is no space left for Taehyun to doubt and wonder what is right for him to do.
Later that night, after a warm dinner with the prince. Taehyun sits next to him in the backyard of the cottage. Kai’s eyes are glued on the lanterns surrounding them until Taehyun rests his head on his shoulder, tearing him away from the trance he has fallen into.
“You should head back to where you came,” Taehyun says, tracing shapes on Kai’s arms with his finger.
Kai takes his fidgeting hand and intertwines their fingers together. “If I go there, will you return with me?”
Taehyun smiles softly, not letting any trace of grief taint his face.
“The forest is where I live,” he answers quietly, “It is also where I shall remain.”
There’s a beat of silence. Taehyun squeezes Kai’s hand, and the prince returns the gesture.
“Then, can you promise me that I’ll be able to return to you?” Kai asks, voice merely above a whisper.
Taehyun cannot break a word of promise to another as a witch, lest karma hits him on the back with an axe. In return, he simply smiles and nods.
Even if he knows that the moment Kai decides to leave the forest, he’ll never find his way back in, Taehyun still smiles and nods, like the liar that he is.
The following morning, Taehyun helps Kai with packing the necessities he’ll need on his way back to his kingdom. The travel distance from the forest to the center town of sinnan isn’t outrageously long. At most, it will take Kai three days to reach it by foot. Still, Taehyun insists on having Kai carry with him almost all of the available medicinal herbs and rations in Taehyun’s cottage. It’s better to be always prepared for the worst.
After a bit of lightheaded bickering, Taehyun makes a quick trip to the kitchen before returning to Kai waiting on the porch.
“Drink this,” Taehyun hands him a warm cup of tea. “It’ll help you energize. You’ll need it for traveling.”
Kai eyes the cup for a second, before meeting Taehyun’s gaze. He slowly takes the cup while asking, “you’re really not coming with me?”
“I’m sorry, Kai.” Taehyun lowers his head, unable to keep lying in front of the prince’s clear honest eyes. “Don’t worry, you will see me again soon enough.”
“Okay.” Kai smiles, eyes crinkling with fondness. After that, he gulps down the tea with no drop of hesitation or doubt on his face.
Fool. Both Taehyun and Kai are fools. Kai is a fool for believing and trusting a witch. And Taehyun is a fool for loving a prince.
It’s part of the promise Taehyun has made to himself, that once Kai learns to let go of the temporary blissful world they’ve been sucked into, once the prince wishes to return home, then Taehyun will release him. Taehyun will return him to his family, with no memories of the witch who lurks in the forest, with no affection for the one he calls his friend, partner, lover.
Kai will return to his kingdom as a blank slate.
Taehyun knows it’s the right thing to do. A witch and a prince are never meant to be with each other, what Taehyun and Kai had was something built from pure coincidence. Taehyun will not delude himself into thinking that it’s fate’s working. Fate has never been fond of him.
If Kai comes home with his memories of the time he spent with Taehyun in the forest, it’ll only cause more trouble for them. Kai will have to spend the rest of his life apart from Taehyun, he might even attempt a rash action just to enter the forest again and reunite with him. But even if he did meet Taehyun again, then what comes next? Kai is a prince, he can’t live his whole life stuck in an isolated cottage. And Taehyun is a witch, he will never think about leaving the forest he dearly watches over.
In Taehyun’s mind, it can never work out. They can never be together indefinitely. Better Kai forget him than continue longing for something they can never have.
That is why once Kai loses consciousness from drinking the soul-beguiling potion, Taehyun refuses to waste time and quickly organizes the prince’s belongings before casting the transportation spell that he prepared last night on Kai.
And as simple as that, Kai disappears from his cottage, safely moved to the town center where the locals will quickly recognize him and hopefully help him collect his bearings.
Silence returns in the cottage. In the days that come, Taehyun copes by means of deception, forcing himself to believe that this is how everything is supposed to be. Taehyun lies as he tends to his flowers, telling them how much he missed the quietness of his home, and how comfortable he feels without the human around him.
Ultimately, Taehyun fails to mouth any more lies, and he fell sick; ill with longing and regret.
Taehyun can tell himself over and over again that he only did what he was meant to do, the right thing to do for both him and the prince, But Taehyun can never truly escape the thoughts of the underlying reasons behind his action.
There is cowardice in his heart, a sickness he allowed to fester within him. In reality, Taehyun wasn’t only concerned about the outcome supposing that Kai retains his memories. No, Taehyun is also deathly afraid of heartbreak, of the thoughts circling his mind, clawing at the back of his throat, tearing the edges of his heart.
What if Kai forgets about him while still retaining the memories of the time they spent together? What if his prince finds another that can make him forget about Taehyun? A person stronger than the effect of the soul-beguiling potion.
What if Kai loses his love for the witch he has left behind deep in the forest?
Therefore, Taehyun thought that it is right for him to rather make Kai forget about him, than have Kai willingly lose his memories of their bond.
One thing he forgot to take into account is the feebleness of his heart. After all, no matter what terrible outcome happens, Taehyun will still end up with a shattered heart.
Taehyun is gravely in love with Kai, it’s his poison and antidote.
If the potion somehow fails, and Kai continues to remember him, it will matter not. Taehyun doesn’t doubt Kai won’t wish to see him ever again once he learns of his betrayal. So, even if Kai remembers him, the outcome will stay the same, the potion still serves its purpose, and there will be a wedge separating them for a lifetime.
Taehyun can only sneer at his foolishness for letting go of the only person he loves and loved him back in return. But he can never be selfish, Taehyun will never force ruinous destiny on them. Above all else, he values Kai’s happiness and safety the most, and those are things Taehyun can’t promise to provide for eternity.
As time ticks away, Taehyun begins to accept the consequences of his actions. His heart will be missing a large chunk of it for as long as he lives, but at least he can keep his peace of mind.
He has always been alone in life, and for the rest of his days, that statement shall hold honest.
As long as he remembers his prince and the smiles and laughter they shared in his tiny cottage, their love will not vanish. Even if Kai meets someone in his life that he can call his one and only, at least the memories of the love they had for each other will remain true in Taehyun’s heart and mind.
The leaves are swift, changing colors each passing season, rhythmic with the rapid transformation of the mortal plane Taehyun lives on. Four seasons in one year, then one becomes two, and then three, four, five, six.
Six years have passed and the only thing that has yet to change is Taehyun’s love for a prince he has long parted with. Though time has numbed more of the pain he felt upon letting go of Kai, some nights he is still visited by his own whispers of regrets of what could have been if the prince had never drunk the soul-beguiling potion.
Some days, Taehyun daydreams of the impossible scenarios where Kai returns back to him, still full of smiles and love for him. And some mornings, Taehyun can’t help but think of fate. The soul-beguiling potion’s effects will never wear off, that is unless it’s up against fate itself. If fate dictates that the soul of a person is tied to another, then not even the absence of memories can nullify their bond. One way or another, they will keep finding their way back to each other.
Taehyun can’t help but fantasize about this, alas, those fantasies will remain as fantasies. If fate has set its eyes on them, then he would be back in Kai’s arms again. But six years have passed, and the probability of it being true is close to zero.
Isn’t it hilarious that never and forever are so similar yet different?
Taehyun never asked for forever with Kai. Perhaps he should’ve, perhaps then he wouldn’t be alone here in his quaint dusty cottage, nurturing his rows of purple hyacinths the way he tends to the cracks of his heart. The difference is that his flowers are blooming prettily, colorfully, but his heart has no more room for growth, too bleak from fear, too weak from pain.
While Taehyun is out here, stuck in his mundane routine of looking over the forest, he wonders, how is the prince doing in his current life. Did they win the war? Is he safe and surrounded by all the people he loves? Has he finally found the right princess or a prince he’s bound to wed and cherish for a lifetime? Those are the many questions Taehyun will never have an answer to.
No matter the circumstances, as long as he can picture his prince glowing with love and happiness, Taehyun is content. The knowledge that he got to meet Kai and spend time with him is enough for Taehyun.
Once again, Taehyun is satisfied with living his quiet life as a forest witch.
Until one ordinary day, his life shifted for the third time.
A person came crashing through the entrance of his cottage, seemingly blessed with unbelievable fortune and resiliency to survive every trap and enchantment scattered around the cottage’s premises.
Taehyun is doused by the sense of familiarity. He rushes to the front of his door and is instantly greeted with the sight of a very familiar person.
Not just any person, it’s a prince. His prince.
The moment their gaze met, a sharp recognition appears in Kai’s eyes.
How did he reach this place? There’s no way he remembers. It’s just impossible. Taehyun can still fix this. He just has to pretend that he doesn’t know the prince, turn him away, and lead him back to the outside of the forest.
But it’s too late, longing rules over Taehyun, his heart nearly beating out of his body as his heart betrays his mind, eyes quickly taking in the appearance of the prince he lost six years ago.
There are small scratches on his cheeks, and wounds trailing his left arm. He also seems to have grown taller and broader. The most noticeable anomaly is the purple burn mark on the side of his neck, its shape resembling the outline of a crescent moon that has Taehyun gasping and trembling.
It’s….a mark left after a ritual to cleanse a witch’s enchantments and spells, and to reverse the effects of a potion. The ritual process is usually excruciating and can even lead to death with one mishap. But that’s impossible! How could he know he’s under the effect of a potion if he doesn’t remember Taehyun in the first place-
“I found you.”
Kai’s smile still carries the same kindness he has charmed Taehyun with years ago. And his voice…it echoes fondness Taehyun is dearly familiar with.
Taehyun needs to leave, to run away from the prince he’s been longing for, but both his heart and body betray his rationality, forcing him to stay frozen in his spot, with the exception of his trembling hands.
This can’t be happening, right? This must be a dream, Taehyun needs to get himself together and wake up from his sleep.
Then it happens, as quickly as a falling star, Taehyun feels arms pulling him closer, pressing his smaller frame against the warm body of the prince.
“I found you, so please don’t hide from me again,” Kai whispers, hand cupping the back of his head while he buries his face in Taehyun’s neck. “I spent years not remembering your name and your face, but all those years, I’ve been longing for you, I’ve been yearning for a person who doesn’t exist in my memories.”
Taehyun can’t utter a single word, can’t move a single limb. Every thought of fleeing and turning his back to Kai starts to perish one by one as his withered heart slowly blooms back to life.
This is everything he’s ever wanted; the scenarios in his daydreams, the images in his fantasies, the answer to his heart’s cries of doubts. Taehyun can’t know for sure if this is the work of fate, or something stronger. Maybe it’s all Kai’s doing, his prince, an unmovable force against the current of destiny. Taehyun’s one and only has finally returned to him, of his own volition, powered by his longing, by the love he has forgotten but never lost.
Fear persists to remain in Taehyun’s heart, but how can that overpower the longing he feels for his prince?
Kai pulls away from him only to pin him down with a gaze that only belongs to Taehyun. “Will you let me stay with you, Taehyun?”
Those are the same question he asked him years ago, and just like that time, Taehyun can't find the will to refuse. How can he ever say no when his heart is already chanting a chorus of yes?
He’s afraid if he loses Kai one more time, he will truly break this time.
So Taehyun did the most logical thing for him to do. He tilts his head up and places a soft lingering kiss on Kai’s lips sealing a promise both to himself and to his prince. “Yes. Please stay with me.”
Taehyun has never asked for forever, but he forgot that Kai has promised him a lifetime of happiness, another lifetime of bliss, and a third one of tranquility. And after three lifetimes, he’ll promise another one, two, and three. One lifetime after the other, Kai swears to keep loving him.
Taehyun never asked, but Kai promises him anyway.
Kai grins, bright and so full of life. Taehyun’s chest is flooded with warmth and love.
“Hyunie, I’m home.” Kai giggles, taking Taehyun’s hand into his own before bringing it close to his lips and gently kissing his knuckles.
“Welcome home, Kai.” Taehyun smiles with adoration.
Perhaps Taehyun can still spend three lifetimes and more with his prince.