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There was nothing more infuriating than dealing with Choi Beomgyu. His Royal Highness Choi Beomgyu, technically, but there wasn’t much reason for Soobin to call him that unless they were in the company of other courtiers. He was simultaneously Soobin’s best friend and mortal enemy.
That was a bit of an exaggeration, now that he thought about it. Maybe there were a couple things more infuriating than dealing with Beomgyu, like maybe a rat infestation. Or chlamydia.
“You have to have sex with other people in order to actually contract STIs, hyung,” Beomgyu said, flipping a pen between his fingers nonchalantly. “And I don’t think anyone can do that considering the size of the stick that’s already up your ass–“
Soobin hurled the scroll he was holding at Beomgyu as hard as he could. Beomgyu dodged easily, of course, already used to this sort of treatment after years of friendship. “You cannot talk like that, you are royalty!”
“It’s not like anyone’s listening,” Kai pointed out. He was lounging across the length of the couch in a very improper manner for a servant.
“I’m listening,” Soobin said, sinking to the floor in exasperation. “Your parents would kill me if they heard you talking like that.”
“My parents this, my parents that. Don’t advisors care about anything other than the opinions of the king and queen?”
“No,” Soobin responded, voice muffled by his knees. “That’s literally what I’m paid to do.”
Soobin heard Beomgyu get up from his seat near his desk and walk towards him. Soobin was curled up on his side and couldn’t see him, but he felt Beomgyu’s hand rubbing his back. “Don’t worry. You’ll get over that eventually.”
“Getting paid?”
“Getting paid to care about their opinions,” Beomgyu corrected. “Once I’m king, you’ll be paid to care about mine.”
“Death first,” Soobin begged. “Or exile. Please.”
He could hear the grin on Beomgyu’s face as he spoke. “I’m sure I can arrange for that.”
It wasn’t as cold as it usually was in the kingdom of Frost seeing as it was July, but Soobin was in his full court dress regardless. He was sort of sweating under the velvet jacket, and couldn’t wait until he could get back to his own room and take it off. First, though, he had to finish making the arrangements for Beomgyu’s trip to the Summer Kingdom in the south. There were talks of a union between their two kingdoms among the courtiers, and Beomgyu’s parents were sending him off to meet the prince under the guise of trade meetings. Soobin couldn’t tell him that, of course. Beomgyu absolutely detested the idea of marriage.
“I’ve cleared your schedule for the second week in August,” Soobin said from his spot on the ground. “The Summer Kingdom is already expecting you, so your lodgings are sorted, but I haven’t figured out travel yet. It’s a two-day journey, so–“
“Oh, I can’t go then,” Beomgyu interrupted.
Soobin sat up. “Why? I just said, I cleared your entire schedule.”
“It’s Kai’s birthday, duh,” Beomgyu replied, pointing to the man currently face-first flopped onto the couch. “I told him I’d take him somewhere fun. A beach, maybe?”
“Okay, so take him to the Summer Kingdom,” Soobin said. He could already feel a headache brewing under his hat.
“Nah. That’s not going to be any fun for him, I’ll be stuck in stupid meetings the entire time. I might take him to the Eastern shore. How’s that sound, Kai?”
Soobin heard a muffled noise of assent from the sofa. To him, it didn’t seem like Kai minded all that much where he spent his birthday. It sounded more like Beomgyu was trying to weasel his way out of his official duties, again. “The prince of the Summer Kingdom is already expecting you,” Soobin repeated testily. “I can’t exactly tell him no.”
“You go instead, then,” Beomgyu replied, shrugging. “Doubt he’ll know the difference. You’re way better at remembering all the stupid trade routes and suppliers anyway.”
“He’s expecting you.”
“I’m sure he’ll be perfectly satisfied with a string bean in a feathered cap,” Beomgyu said. “Tell you what, I’ll write him a letter. I’ve fallen terribly ill and won’t be able to make the journey, so I’m sending my closest advisor in my stead.”
“So you’re going to lie to him.”
Beomgyu let out a couple of pathetic little coughs. “It’s not a lie, see? I’m sick.”
Soobin flopped back onto his back and let out an exasperated groan so loud it bordered on a scream. He wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of palace nurses came running in, but at this point he’d probably need them. Beomgyu was going to cause him to die of a stress-induced heart attack at a very early age.
Once Soobin was holding a letter from Beomgyu that he’d already read over and counseled him through several times, he went towards the mail room. He’d have a courier send it out immediately and pray that Prince Yeonjun of the Summer Kingdom didn’t send back an outright rejection. On the way there, he felt someone smack him on the behind.
He yelped and turned around, but the passing stream of servants gave nothing away. Several of them were giving him odd looks, but no one was saying anything. He turned around suspiciously and continued on his way.
It happened several more times between the mail room and his chambers, but each time Soobin couldn’t figure out who it was. The palace was busy with people because it was nearing mealtime, so there was no way of telling. Already exhausted and sweating despite the fact that it was barely noon, he peeled off his jacket and tossed it over a chair. A piece of paper fluttered to the floor.
By royal order of Prince Beomgyu, smack my ass.
Holding the piece of paper, he remembered Beomgyu rubbing his back earlier under the guise of comforting him. That fucker. Soobin was sure that getting away with royal assassination was incredibly difficult, but he really was going to do it one of these days.
Beomgyu wasn’t even awake on the morning that Soobin was due to leave for a week. Soobin felt mildly put out by it, but tried not to show it. In all fairness, he’d had a busy day yesterday. The duke of some little town on the outskirts of the kingdom had gotten into a disagreement with a neighboring lord over land rights, and had insisted that someone from the royal family sort it out. He’d brought his daughter along as well, so Soobin was sure that it was it was a ploy to try to get her married off to the prince. Beomgyu had dealt with the issue without glancing in the girl’s direction a single time.
Kai was here, at least. He was fussing over the carriage, making sure that all of Soobin’s things had been arranged so that they wouldn’t fall if they hit a bump. It was a nice thought even if it wasn’t entirely necessary. Once he emerged and saw Soobin’s expression, he huffed.
“I’m going to get that lazy lump out of bed, just wait right here.”
“You shouldn’t talk about the crown prince like that, you know. People are listening.”
“Then people can listen when I scold him for missing your send-off, too. He’s your friend, he should be here.”
“Who should be here?”
Soobin and Kai both startled so badly that Soobin’s hat nearly fell off, and Kai got a face-full of feather. The other servants started to bow profusely at Beomgyu’s arrival. He was standing there smugly with his hands on his hips, still in his pajamas and slippers.
“Oh, good, you’re awake,” Soobin said, trying to retain a business-like manner despite the hilarious way that Beomgyu’s hair was sticking up at the back. “I’ve left you an agenda for the week, excepting the two days around Kai’s birthday. It’s sitting on the desk in your study, and don’t forget–“
Soobin lost track of what he was trying to say when Beomgyu jumped forward to throw his arms around his neck. It was most definitely inappropriate to hug royalty this way, but Soobin’s arms came up to his waist regardless. Beomgyu pulled away.
“Be safe, yeah? Try to have a little fun.”
“And you two don’t have too much fun,” Soobin warned. “I don’t want to have to clean up any PR scandals because you got too drunk and decided to run around a seaside village naked, or something.”
Kai gave him a stiff military salute. “Yes, sir. No running around villages naked.”
Soobin raised one eyebrow at Beomgyu, staring at him until he gave a disgruntled sigh. “Alright, we won’t get that drunk.”
“Good.” Soobin hugged Kai, too, and then got into the carriage. He could see them both waving as the carriage rumbled over the cobblestone courtyard and through the palace gates to the outside world.
The path through the capital city was relatively well-paved, so the ride was smooth. Soobin watched the city flash by through the window, people stopping to watch as he passed by. This wasn’t the royal carriage, but the insignia of the royal family on the door was still enough to let them know that someone important was coming through.
Well, not that important. Soobin was just the advisor to the crown prince, who wasn’t even king yet. Which was why he was getting sent on stupid trips to other kingdoms while Beomgyu got to shirk his duties and party with Kai instead. Soobin wasn’t much for partying, but he wasn’t a huge fan of sitting through meeting after meeting with stuck-up royals that he hadn’t met before, either.
They stopped just before leaving the city so that they could water the horses, but after that the paved roads gave way to dirt. There were ruts in the path from so many other carriages and wagons having traversed the same road, but it was still incredibly bumpy nonetheless. Soobin could feel himself starting to get sick. It had been a long time since he’d been in a carriage for so many hours at a time, and it was not going well. With his luck, he’d probably arrive at the Summer Kingdom’s palace and puke on the prince’s shoes.
He’d done some reading on the Summer Kingdom’s customs already, but he’d brought another book of accounts from previous advisors with him to read on the journey. The problem was that every time he looked down to read it his stomach started to turn, and he had to look out the window again. By the time it got dark and they stopped at an inn for the night, he’d already had to stop the carriage four times so that he could get out and walk around a little so as not to throw up. The driver was very polite about it, but Soobin could tell he was getting annoyed.
The innkeeper was a kind-looking older woman, and her two burly sons were quick to bring Soobin’s bags up to his room. Soobin looked at his own stringy arms in the mirror and winced. It had taken him a lot of huffing and puffing to get his bags down to the carriage that morning, at least until another servant had taken pity on him and offered to carry them. Soobin was entirely unimpressed by the person staring back at him in the mirror. What would the prince of the Summer Kingdom think when he saw him? That Soobin was another inconsequential courtier, probably. No one worth remembering. He was sort of wondering if he should just cancel the trip altogether.
It was too late now. The prince was expecting him, and so Soobin was going.
He fished his pajamas out of his bag and laid face-up on the bed, listening to the clinking of silverware and the chatter of other guests downstairs. He hadn’t been hungry when they arrived, so he hadn’t even bothered with dinner. If he was lucky, maybe he’d be able to keep his breakfast down in the morning.
It got warmer and warmer the further south they went. Soobin had already opened the windows in a bid to get some fresh air, but the heat was practically stifling even with the breeze coming in. He took off his jacket, cringing at the amount of sweat soaking his shirt. If he was lucky he might have time to change before he had to formally meet the prince. He’d tried to pack his most climate-appropriate clothing, but the elevation of the palace in Frost made it drastically cooler than it was here in the Summer Kingdom. Soobin simply didn’t have anything suited to this kind of weather. It wasn’t like he could get anything tailored on short notice, either. He resigned himself to sweating for the entire three-day visit.
They stopped yet again on the road towards the palace so that Soobin could stretch his legs. The constant nausea was wearing on him, and he had no doubt that he probably looked terrible. They were only a few hours from the palace, but he didn’t think that his condition was likely to improve much between now and then. When he caught sight of his reflection in a stagnant puddle on the side of the road, he cringed. The beads of sweat and green pallor to his skin was not a good look. Would Prince Yeonjun think he was coming down with a terrible disease?
The good news was that the sickness subsided by the time they made it to the Summer Kingdom’s capital. The roads were well-maintained here, too, which meant a much smoother ride. The bad news was that Soobin had hardly eaten a bite in two days, and it was getting to him. He felt faint from a combination of hunger and the heat. It wasn’t like they could stop anywhere and get something to eat. He and the prince had already agreed to have dinner together that evening, and it was nearing sunset. There was no time.
The carriage lurched to a halt. Soobin nearly threw up the little he had in his stomach, but managed to hold it down. They were at the gates of the Summer Palace. It was every bit as grand as the palace back home, but accented with gold and mother-of-pearl rather than silver and diamonds. Very fitting for a seaside kingdom, Soobin thought offhandedly.
They moved at a snail’s pace through the courtyard before finally stopping again. Soobin heard the carriage driver dismount from his seat, and stood up so that he would be ready to get out when the door opened. He immediately bumped his head on the roof and winced.
The door opened to show a vibrantly orange sky, the sun setting over the Summer Kingdom. Soobin managed to get out of the carriage without falling, and was greeted by a man who looked to be around his age. He was several inches shorter, dressed in silk, with wide eyes and a tall nose. He didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at Soobin unsettlingly with those gigantic eyes.
“H-hi,” Soobin said queasily. “I’m Choi Soobin, the envoy from the kingdom of Frost. I come in the crown prince’s stead.”
“Kang Taehyun,” the man said, giving Soobin a once-over. He bowed politely, and Soobin did the same. Taehyun tilted his head curiously.
“Aren’t you hot in all that velvet?”
“Dying,” Soobin admitted. “But I didn’t have much else to bring. Since the prince is– um, sick, I had to come on short notice.”
Taehyun nodded understandingly. “Well, I sincerely hope that he recovers quickly. In the meantime, please come in. You might feel slightly better away from the sun.”
Soobin followed Taehyun inside, feeling unsteady on his feet. The colorfully-tiled floors and sloping architecture of the Summer Palace was beautiful, but Soobin could hardly take it all in over the feeling of cotton in his head. Taehyun was leading him somewhere with expertise, not pausing once as they turned corner after corner. He waved or bowed to the people that passed. Soobin tried to do the same, but he felt woozy every time he stood up straight again.
“This is the throne room,” Taehyun announced, stopping in front of a door that looked almost identical to every other door that they’d passed. “You can wait for Prince Yeonjun here while I make sure that your quarters are adequately prepared. Can I get you anything else in the meantime?”
“N-no, I’m good,” Soobin said, trying to ignore the way his sweat-soaked shirt was clinging to his back.
“Alright,” Taehyun replied, giving him another disbelieving glance. “Dinner is at seven o’ clock. I’ll see you again then.”
Soobin nodded, not trusting himself to speak again. Taehyun turned another corner and was gone.
Nerves writhing in his stomach like snakes, Soobin turned the handle and went into the throne room. It was smaller than he was expecting it to be, but decorated exquisitely. The glass in the ceiling was colored and cut into the shape of angels, casting a shifting rainbow onto the floor as the setting sun crossed the sky. Soobin could only imagine how brilliant it would be in the daytime. He shifted around uncomfortably and waited for the prince’s entrance.
He didn’t have to wait long. Prince Yeonjun was wearing fitted trousers and a dark red shirt, all silk. The crown on his head was gold as well, laden with jewels that shone with the same rainbow colors as the skylight overhead. He was stunningly handsome. Soobin swallowed. His lips were plush, cheekbones sculpted as though he had been carved from marble. Soobin was feeling ill again.
“Prince Yeonjun,” Soobin greeted, bowing deeply. “My name is Choi Soobin. Prince Beomgyu of the kingdom of Frost sends his regards and his deepest apologies that he was unable to be here today.”
“Not to worry,” Prince Yeonjun said, sweeping across the room so that he was standing directly in front of Soobin. He looked up at him through his lashes, thick and dark, surrounding bright, fox-like eyes. There was some sort of sweet, rich smell wafting from him. “Tell Prince Beomgyu that I wish him the best, and I am glad to make your acquaintance, Soobin.”
Prince Yeonjun reached down to lift Soobin’s hand. Soobin was watching it all happen in slow motion, head spinning. Prince Yeonjun’s lips touched the back of his hand.
Soobin passed out.
When he woke up, he was staring at an entirely unfamiliar ceiling. He was laying on something incredibly soft, fingers running over satin sheets as he sat up. Immediately, his head started pounding. He groaned.
“Not too fast, there,” a smooth voice said. “You gave me quite the scare, fainting right into my arms like that.”
Soobin whipped around. Prince Yeonjun was standing by the window, the early morning light making his black hair shine. He wasn’t wearing his crown– just a loose silk blouse and shorts.
“Where am I?” Soobin mumbled. “What happened?”
“Well, you came to the Summer Kingdom in a full suit of velvet,” Prince Yeonjun said. “The doctor said dehydration, and I heard word from your carriage driver that you were experiencing terrible motion sickness on your trip here. Have you eaten?”
“No,” Soobin answered truthfully. “But you– is this…?”
Yeonjun smiled. “My room, yes. The doctor wanted you to stay in the hospital wing to keep an eye on you, but I assured him you’d be much more comfortable here.”
Soobin squeaked in mortification, shooting off the bed and bowing several times in quick succession. “Sir, I’m so sorry to have imposed on you like this, I really didn’t mean–“
“It’s fine,” Prince Yeonjun said, stepping forward to catch Soobin’s elbows when he swayed on his feet. “I think the first order of business should be breakfast. I’ll have Taehyun bring you something up, he’s been very worried about you.”
“Ah, I really shouldn’t– I mean, this is your room. I can go back to the guest quarters…”
“Don’t be silly,” Prince Yeonjun said warmly. “You’re perfectly welcome to eat here. In fact, I haven’t had anything yet this morning, either. We can eat together. In the meantime, we should decide what you’ll wear while you’re here. That velvet suit certainly won’t work.”
Soobin looked down. He was just in his underclothes at the moment, standing in front of the crown prince in his white button-down and undershorts. He was so mortified that he thought he might pass out again. Prince Yeonjun didn’t seem to notice, though. He stuck his head out the door to talk to someone, presumably Taehyun, and then went to his wardrobe and started to shuffle things around inside. He was humming to himself, a tune that was unfamiliar to Soobin.
“Sir, would you like me to help you?” Soobin asked hesitantly. Yeonjun turned his head with a smile, eyes folding into a pleasant crescent shape.
“No, no. You’re a guest here. Sit, I’ll find you something. You’re a little taller than me, but I think these shorts should work. The sleeves on this shirt might be too short, but we can roll them up and no one will ever know…”
Still embarrassed but loathe to disobey the direct orders of any royal that wasn’t Beomgyu, Soobin perched himself on one of the chairs near the window. It appeared that they were fairly high up, and Soobin could see a vast expanse of ocean outside. Birds called out to each other in a squawking chorus. The morning wasn’t too hot yet, the breeze refreshing as it wound its way through the open window.
“Here!” Prince Yeonjun said proudly, holding up a pair of shorts and a dark green silk shirt. There were slits running up the sides near the waist, which would expose a lot more skin than Soobin ever did at home. He took the clothing from the prince and bowed profusely.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll just– go change?”
“Bathroom is that way,” the prince said, pointing. “And you can just call me Yeonjun. We’re not that formal around here, you know.”
“But sir!”
“No, no. Yeonjun is fine, I promise. Now shoo, go change. I’m sweating just looking at you.”
Soobin allowed himself to be ushered into the bathroom. It was much grander than his own back home, but about as luxurious as Beomgyu’s. The tub in the corner of the room looked like it would be able to fit five people, and the mirror was so big that Soobin could see his entire body at once despite being quite tall. He peeled off his sweaty shirt and undershorts, putting on the clothes the prince had given him. Once he was dressed, he examined himself in the mirror.
He felt himself flush. This would be considered an incredibly indecent outfit back home, considering just how much of his waist was showing through the slits in the silk shirt. He rolled up the sleeves as Yeonjun instructed, feeling incredibly self-conscious. Was he really supposed to have meetings with the prince dressed like this?
To be fair, the prince had already seen him in his undershorts. It pretty much didn’t get worse than that. Holding his arms close to his sides so that the slits weren’t quite so apparent, he fluffed his hair a little and then exited the bathroom.
“Oh! Wow, that color is lovely on you,” Yeonjun exclaimed, seated in front of a table opposite another chair. There was a full breakfast spread laid on top. Soobin was practically drooling looking at it; it had been way too long since he’d last eaten anything.
“Thank you, sir,” Soobin said, bowing with his arms pinned awkwardly to his sides. He sat as quickly as possible. It was oddly breezy under his shirt right now, and he wasn’t sure that he would ever get used to the feeling. Yeonjun gave him another appreciative once–over.
“None of that sir stuff, I’m not even your prince. Just treat me as you would a friend.”
Soobin goggled at him. “You’re royalty.”
“Indeed I am,” Yeonjun sighed. “Bit of a bummer, if you ask me. Everyone around here acts like I’m going to order them to be executed at any second. Well, everyone except Taehyun. Sometimes I wish he would treat me a little more nicely, he’s absolutely brutal when it comes to critiques.”
“Ah.” Soobin shifted in his seat. “That’s– that’s Prince Beomgyu for me, I guess.”
“Are you close?” Yeonjun asked, starting on his breakfast. Soobin took that as permission to do the same, picking up his fork.
“I guess you could say that,” Soobin answered. “I’ve been with him since he was ten years old. My parents were also advisors to the royal family before they passed.”
“Mmm. I’m sorry to hear that,” Yeonjun said, cutting into some sort of pastry with his knife.
“It’s alright. I’ve had time to get past it.”
Yeonjun nodded. His cheeks were stuffed full of food like a squirrel, and Soobin tried not to stare. It wasn’t particularly royal behavior, but Soobin supposed that they were in Yeonjun’s private quarters. He was allowed to be comfortable here. The food was incredibly delicious, and Soobin had to stop himself from wolfing it down like an animal. He hadn’t realized exactly how hungry he was until he started eating.
They finished breakfast before Taehyun came in with a stack of papers for Yeonjun to read. He set them on a desk in the corner of the room and left without a word, and Yeonjun groaned. “Not again.”
“Hmm?” Soobin said. “Is that to do with the trade agreement that the king and queen of Frost have proposed?”
“No, no,” Yeonjun answered, waving his hand. “Just a bunch of small-town officials who think they’re all that, and want fifty decrees passed by the royal family every day. I have to read all of them and sign no, basically. It happens almost every morning.”
“I could help you with that,” Soobin offered. “Prince Beomgyu has similar duties back home that I help him with regularly.”
Yeonjun shook his head quickly. “You’re a visitor, a guest. I’m certainly not going to make you work while you’re here.”
“Aren’t we supposed to be discussing trade agreements, anyway?”
Yeonjun barked out a short laugh. “I’m pretty sure my parents were trying to get me married off to Prince Beomgyu, so the trade stuff is all bullshit. He’s not here, so you might as well relax.”
Ah. So Yeonjun had recognized the ruse for what it was, too, and Soobin’s visit was pointless. He should have asked to reschedule the meeting instead of coming here himself. At least that way the two princes would be able to meet, and there was a chance that Beomgyu would head into marriage without several long, arduous temper tantrums about it first.
A small chance. A very, very small chance. But it was better than no chance at all.
Yeonjun went to his desk to get started on the papers, and despite his earlier refusal Soobin brought a chair over from the breakfast table to sit beside him. He began to read over the proposals, summarizing them in short sentences in the margins and then handing them off to Yeonjun. They were sitting so closer together that their shoulders were brushing, and Soobin was hyper-aware of the way his shirt was exposing his waist right now. He shivered despite the heat.
They got done fairly quickly, and Yeonjun stretched and sighed with relief. Soobin could smell whatever that perfume was, and it brought a blush to his cheeks with the memory of how he’d fainted yesterday. It was better than puking, but really not by much. If Yeonjun and Beomgyu really did get married, Soobin would have to live with that mortification for the rest of his life. He was certain that Beomgyu would never let him live it down.
Yeonjun took him to the beach. As soon as they’d eaten lunch, Yeonjun led him straight down the palace steps to the pristine beach that lay just beyond the gates. Soobin could count on one hand the number of times he’d even seen the beach, much less felt the sand beneath his feet. The prince flopped straight onto the sun-warmed sand and squinted up at Soobin.
“You ever been to the beach?”
“A couple of times,” Soobin answered. “Not many.”
“Can you swim?”
Soobin shook his head. “Beomgyu pushed me into the river once when we were young, and I almost drowned. I think it’s the one time he’s actually gotten in trouble for anything in his life.”
Yeonjun hummed. “I could teach you.”
Soobin laughed. “The crown prince of the Summer Kingdom teaching me to swim?”
Yeonjun shrugged, standing up again and brushing the sand off the back of his pants. “Sure, why not?”
He took Soobin by the wrist and led him towards the water. Soobin’s skin burned where their hands made contact, a flush creeping down his neck that he tried to blame on the heat. Yeonjun pulled him in until the water licked the hem of his shorts, at which point Soobin started to get nervous. Yeonjun smiled at him reassuringly.
“I’ve got you, okay? I’ve been in the ocean all my life. Just relax, if you panic you’ll drown.”
“That’s not very comforting,” Soobin said, trying to sound braver than he felt. The water was up to his chest now, lifting him slightly with each swell of the waves.
“Deep breaths,” Yeonjun instructed. “I’m still holding onto you, yeah? You’re not going to drift away. Just try to float on your back. Turn over like this.”
Soobin did as Yeonjun said, but the waves kept splashing water over his face. He spluttered, spitting saltwater out of his mouth and grimacing. The sound of Yeonjun’s laugh made his heart jump in a weird way.
“Try again. You’ve almost got it.”
Soobin turned over again. The sky was wide and blue, completely cloudless. Soobin blinked. Yeonjun was holding his hand properly now, their fingers wound together. The water had soaked his hair, slicking it back from his face, and he was smiling down at Soobin. Yet again, Soobin was struck by how unfairly handsome he was.
“You’re doing well, Soobin. Want to try paddling now?”
The water was still shallow enough that Yeonjun could stand, and he stayed close as he taught Soobin to paddle on his front. Soobin was sure that he looked stupid like this, barely able to keep his head above water, but Yeonjun’s expression was nothing but pleased. Once Soobin was all tired out, they went back up to the shore. He was sure that Yeonjun’s beautiful clothes would be ruined by the water, but Yeonjun didn’t seem to mind. He was laughing as he recounted the time that Taehyun had been scared by Yeonjun when they were younger when he’d pretended to be a shark.
“Oh,” Yeonjun said, pausing to bend down. He picked something out of the sand– a seashell, fan-shaped with beautiful pink and orange stripes. “Here, Soobin. For you.”
Soobin was definitely blushing now. Why was the crown prince giving him gifts? If anything, Soobin should have been the one to bring presents from his home kingdom. He took it and put it in his pocket. Yeonjun still hadn’t let go of his hand.
When they got to the palace, Taehyun was waiting. He didn’t seem surprised by the fact that Yeonjun was soaked from head to toe and dripping on the expensive decorative tiles, but he did raise an eyebrow at Soobin.
“Glad to see that you finished your official duties early today,” he said to Yeonjun. “Did you enjoy the beach?”
Soobin jumped a little, surprised to be addressed. “Oh! Yes, it was great. You guys have a really lovely kingdom, and the palace is gorgeous.”
“Good,” Taehyun said, tone unreadable. “I’ve laid out a fresh change of clothes for you in the guest suite. Yeonjun hyung, yours are in your room. Your parents want to see you for dinner.”
Soobin bowed formally to Yeonjun like he was supposed to, and followed Taehyun to the guest suites. He hadn’t been in here since his arrival, but all of his bags were here. There was another set of semi-translucent silk clothes on the bed.
“I see you’ve taken to wearing the prince’s clothing,” Taehyun commented. “You’ve earned his favor quickly.”
“I– no! I mean, well, I didn’t mean to,” Soobin replied, flustered. “He’s really nice, he’s been so welcoming, and he just gave me his clothes this morning. I didn’t know what to do! It’s not like I could refuse, you know? He’s royalty, and I’m just… me.”
Taehyun softened. “He really doesn’t think that way, you know. He’s very laid-back. He prefers it when you treat him just like anybody else.”
“I know, but…” Soobin chewed his lip nervously. “Is this really proper? I mean, the whole goal of this visit was so that the prince could get married.”
Taehyun smiled. There was a dimple in his cheek that Soobin hadn’t noticed before. “Well, that might still happen. You never know.”
He left without another word. Cryptic, Soobin thought. Very cryptic. He supposed that it was true; there was still a decent chance that Beomgyu and Yeonjun would get married. They were close in age, and Soobin thought that they would be a good match for each other. Yeonjun’s pleasant steadiness might even out some of Beomgyu’s rambunctious energy. For some reason, the more Soobin thought about it the more he felt sick.
The seashell that Yeonjun had given him fell out of his pocket when he took off his shorts. Examining it closely, he smoothed his thumb over the ridges. It was as beautiful as the prince that had given it to him.
Sighing to himself, Soobin tucked the shell into one of his bags. It was just that, and nothing more. A gift between friends. Yeonjun’s smile hovering over him as he floated on his back flashed before his eyes. He blinked it away and put his shirt on. It smelled like Yeonjun, too, like that sweet and rich scent that seemed to follow him everywhere he went.
Soobin curled up on the bed until Taehyun called him for dinner.
The next morning, Soobin found another set of clothes waiting on top of his luggage. The shirt had a v-neck so deep that he felt the urge to cover his chest even though he was alone in his room. At least the shorts were long enough that they reached his knees.
He opened the door and found Yeonjun standing directly outside, slapping a hand over his mouth to keep the shocked swear from escaping. Yeonjun immediately burst into laughter, eyes curving into half-moons. Soobin couldn’t stop himself from staring. Yeonjun was handsome. He was allowed to look even though couldn’t have.
“I was hoping you’d have breakfast with me,” Yeonjun said cheerfully, once the giggles had subsided. “I asked Taehyun to bring a tray to my room already.”
Soobin tilted his head. “Of course, if that’s what you want. Do you not have any work this morning?”
“I always do, I just don’t want to do it.”
Soobin chuckled and followed Yeonjun back down the hall. A few servants passed, clearly curious but trying not to be obvious about it. Soobin shrank back a little.
“You look great in that shirt, by the way,” Yeonjun commented. “The color looks much better on you than it does on me.”
Soobin immediately covered his chest, suddenly remembering how exposed he was. “The– the champagne is lovely, but don’t you think it’s a bit– much?”
“Much?” Yeonjun repeated, sounding confused. “If anything, I feel like you could do with less. You have a beautiful figure, you should show it off more.”
Soobin’s mouth snapped shut. He was sure that his face was red enough to warrant concern, but Yeonjun didn’t say anything about it. He was humming again, that song that Soobin didn’t know. It sounded whimsical and light in his voice.
“Can I ask you something?” Soobin said hesitantly.
“Yes, of course you can.”
“Are these– your personal clothes?” Soobin could still feel the blood in his face.
“Yes. I thought they would fit you the best,” Yeonjun replied. “Taehyun is much shorter than you.”
The casual way he said it made Soobin’s brain feel like mush. Was it really so normal here for royalty to share their clothing with strangers? Beomgyu didn’t care much for the standard conventions of the court, but even then it was hard for Soobin to picture him doing something like this. He found himself wishing that he’d had more time to study the culture of the Summer Kingdom before coming.
Yeonjun opened the door to his bedroom, nodding to the guards standing on either side. There was indeed a breakfast spread waiting for them, similar to the day before. Soobin also spotted another towering pile of papers on the desk in the corner.
Yeonjun sat immediately and picked up his fork, cramming down almost an entire piece of toast in one bite. Soobin started to eat as well, albeit in much smaller bites. Yeonjun tried to say something, but Soobin couldn’t understand him around the piece of toast. Yeonjun swallowed.
“You’re going home tomorrow?”
“Yes, around midday,” Soobin replied. “We don’t want to lose too much daylight, but obviously since I– uhh, you know, fainted on the first night, I figured you might want me to stay a little longer to iron out any agreements before I go.”
Yeonjun waved his fork. “You can stay as long as you want. If it was up to me and not Prince Beomgyu, I’d keep you.”
Soobin didn’t know how to respond to that, so he decided to concentrate on eating one of the little round fruits that had been piled in a bowl. He didn’t know what they were called, but they were incredibly sweet and crisp in his mouth. He tried to stab one with his fork.
It flew across the table, hitting Yeonjun in the chest and dropping down into his lap. Yeonjun made a funny little noise in his surprise, and Soobin gasped. He stood up out of his chair, bringing a napkin with him and starting to dab at the prince’s shirt.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that at all–“
Yeonjun held up the piece of fruit. Soobin paused, confused. Yeonjun held it up more insistently, and very slowly Soobin opened his mouth.
Yeonjun popped the fruit inside, face immediately splitting into a grin at Soobin’s embarrassment. He was careful to chew and swallow before saying anything. “Sir, I really am sorry for–“
“Hyung,” Yeonjun interrupted. “Yeonjun hyung. Are you ready? Say it after me. Yeonjun hyung.”
Soobin was silent. Yeonjun was staring up at him expectantly, ignoring the way that Soobin was repeatedly opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. He was looking up at Soobin through his lashes again, blinking in a way that was so alluring it made Soobin’s heart beat double-time. He opened his mouth again.
“Yeon–Yeonjun…”
“Hyung,” Yeonjun said encouragingly. “You can do it.”
“Yeonjun hyung…” Soobin covered his face with his hands. It all felt like too much. Here he was, just some inconsequential advisor to a prince from a faraway kingdom, wearing the clothes and being hand-fed fruit by a prince. This was the sort of stuff that Kai read about in the books he kept under his bed that he pretended he didn’t have. Now Soobin was being expected to address said prince like they were close? Friends, even? They’d met two days ago, and Soobin’s spectacular first impression had been fainting into his arms like a blushing maiden. He couldn’t believe that Yeonjun hadn’t promptly sent him back to Frost in shame.
Soobin managed to finish his breakfast without further incident, and they worked side-by-side to get through the pile of papers on Yeonjun’s desk. He then tried to discuss at least a few of the agenda items the king and queen had sent him with, but Yeonjun kept distracting him by asking questions about his job back home or the things he liked to do in his free time. Contrary to when they were discussing business, Yeonjun seemed entirely focused as Soobin described skating on the frozen river during the winter. He’d never skated, apparently. Soobin made a mental note to teach him if he ever came to Frost.
His stomach dropped. If Yeonjun came to Frost, it would be as Beomgyu’s fiancé. He didn’t know why that made him feel like he might throw up his breakfast, but he tried to ignore it as they worked their way through another item on the agenda. Yeonjun was looking at Soobin’s mouth the entire time he talked. Soobin’s notes were written with such shaky hands that they were barely legible.
The next morning came sooner than Soobin wanted it to. Even though he was in a foreign nation and loved his home more than anything, the idea of leaving felt like some sort of letdown. Yeonjun was giving him a tour of the palace grounds in the sparse few hours before he left, but Soobin was hardly listening. If Yeonjun didn’t get married to Beomgyu, Soobin would never see him again. The shell in his pocket felt like it weighed a ton.
He hardly had anything to pack up, seeing as most of his things had stayed in his luggage. He’d made sure that the clothes Yeonjun had given him to wear had gotten to the laundry, and as he wandered around the guest quarters there wasn’t much else to do. He might as well start carrying his things out to the carriage. With his arm strength, it might take him the rest of the morning.
Taehyun was waiting right outside to help carry his bags. Soobin swore, not bothering to hold it in this time, and Taehyun chortled. He took the trunk Soobin was struggling to heft out of the doorway and carried it easily outside. They chatted a little as they went, but mostly Soobin was distracted. He was looking for Yeonjun.
That was silly, he told himself. Yeonjun had already spent his morning giving Soobin a castle tour, and he was a busy prince. There was no reason for him to waste time seeing Soobin off. Soobin was just lucky that the prince had been willing to spend time with him at all.
He’d finally gotten his things packed away into the carriage when he heard running footsteps. Yeonjun’s silk sleeves were blowing in the breeze behind him, delicate as butterfly wings, and his cheeks were flushed with warmth. He stopped directly in front of Soobin, grabbing his wrists.
“Do you think I’d be a good husband?”
Soobin was so shocked that it took him a moment to respond. “I think you’d be a great match for Prince Beomgyu. I think that you two would look good together. He’s a little much sometimes, but he’s funny and a good friend to me–“
“No,” Yeonjun interrupted. “Do you think I’d be a good husband?”
Soobin remembered Yeonjun pulling clothes out of his own wardrobe for Soobin to wear, teaching him to swim, feeding him fruit from his own hands. He let out a breath.
“Yeah. I do.”
“Okay,” Yeonjun said, looking determined. “I’ll see you soon, Soobin.”
“You will?” Soobin looked over his beautiful face, imagining him in his best clothes, getting married to Beomgyu. Yeonjun nodded. It hurt more than Soobin thought it should.
Yeonjun helped Soobin into the carriage, graciously holding his hand so that he wouldn’t trip. Then, he dipped his head to press his lips to Soobin’s knuckles. Soobin was just grateful he didn’t faint this time.
The carriage door closed, and Soobin felt the seat lurch beneath him as they set off. He opened the window to let the fresh air come in.
“Soobin!”
He stuck his head out of the window. Yeonjun was running, chasing after the carriage, waving. “Soobin, promise you’ll wait for me!”
Soobin could do nothing but nod. He waved back, watching as Yeonjun’s figure shrunk further and further into the distance. He flopped back into his seat, resigned to another two days of suffering.
Pulling the pink-and-orange seashell out of his pocket, he closed and eyes and made a wish. Even if it would never come true, there was nothing wrong with hoping. He would see Yeonjun again.