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Jeon Wonwoo.
A name that Kim Mingyu had seen countless times.
The prince of the South Korean royal family who was third in line to the throne, behind his father and sister, Jeon Yewon. Mingyu had seen all the popularity charts and expert analyses, Jeon Wonwoo, who had always maintained a quiet and aloof persona, surprisingly ranked second in the overall support rate among the South Korean royal family. He was behind only Yewon, ranking even higher than the current monarch, his own grandfather.
This caused Mingyu to resent the prince just a bit. Surviving as an Asian in a western country like America wasn’t easy. While he tried his hardest to maintain his image just to barely get above a 50% approval rating, Wonwoo only needed to post a few photos of himself on Instagram from time to time to make girls all over South Korea fall head over heels for him.
However, this also made Jeon Wonwoo one of the main faces of the Korean royal family, so it was not surprising at all for Mingyu to see him in Paris this time.
————
As the young, handsome, son of the first Asian-American president of the United States, Mingyu naturally received an invitation to the 33rd Summer Olympics in 2024. He flew to Paris with his parents and younger sister Kim Yiseol to attend the opening ceremony and a dinner hosted by the French president at the Elysee Palace. It was at this dinner that Mingyu ran into Wonwoo.
"Greetings to His Royal Highness," Mingyu raised his wine glass and bowed to the prince.
"Kim Mingyu," Wonwoo's deep voice always made Kim Mingyu wonder how even this man's voice was so charming. And after all, he was a member of the Korean royal family, when Wonwoo said his name, it was not the awkward and stuttered pronunciation like the other monarchs, but perfectly smooth pronunciation in Korean.
"What do you want from me?" the prince asked.
"Can't one just come by and say hello?" Mingyu replied with a smile, "After all, we’re misfits here with all these heads of states. As one of the only ones, shouldn’t we be looking out for each other?"
Most present in the banquet hall were either monarchs or leaders of various nations, or in some cases, representatives sent by those leaders. There weren't many family members of heads of state like the two of them. It might be the truth, but Wonwoo could still hear the mocking tone of Mingyu’s words.
According to the American electoral system, Mingyu could run for president in a few years, after his mother stepped down. Judging by his current work in American politics, Mingyu may indeed be considering running for office after his mother leaves office. Wonwoo, on the other hand, with an older sister in power, would be a spare for the rest of his life. He would never be anything more than a pretty face of the Korean royal family, used as a distraction only when needed. Other times, he was simply some sort of a trophy prince. What could he even do when he grows old and no longer serves any purpose to the royal family?
"Where is Yiseol?" Wonwoo changed the subject.
"Yiseol? Over there."Mingyu pointed, "You call me my full name, yet when it comes to Yiseol, it’s just her first name? When did you become so familiar with my sister?"
"I think Miss Yiseol is much easier to get along with than her brother," Jeon Wonwoo's originally cold face finally cracked with the corners of his mouth slightly.
Mingyu only pouted and didn't refute what the other had said. He never got along with the Korean prince very well, and every time they appeared together in public, it was just a superficial image put up for the media.
In the next few days, Mingyu’s parents returned to the United States, leaving him and his sister in Paris to continue attending the Olympics. He spent his time visiting the dormitories of American athletes and was in the stands to watch the American team win medals in gymnastics.
But away from the prying eyes of the media, the Olympics were also a massive party for celebrities from around the world. Besides all the romance rumors (making the event truly deserving of the nickname "Love Island”), numerous celebrities and royals gathered in Paris to party. Mingyu alternated between watching sport events and attending these celebrity-hosted parties, returning to his hotel room almost every night in the wee hours, reeking of alcohol.
On the day of the closing ceremony, after all official Olympic activities concluded, Mingyu attended a large party hosted by a Greek prince at a villa he owned in France. The royals and nobles, who appeared to be ever so dashing and elegant to the public, were known to be the complete opposite in the presence of loud music and alcohol. When Mingyu arrived at the villa, people were already half-naked and grinding on each other on the dance floor. Some spectators were playing truth or dare, while couples exchanged tongues in the corner.
Mingyu gathered with a few friends he knew, glasses clinking together over the sound of their chatter. Only when his friends dissipated to dance or hook up with others did Mingyu walk around the villa alone.
It surprised him to see Jeon Wonwoo standing alone in a corner. Mingyu raised his eyebrows and walked towards him, "I didn't expect to see His Royal Highness here."
Wonwoo still had a stern face and barely spared a glance at Mingyu, "Why, can't I come?"
"Feels out of character for you," Mingyu shrugged, "Why are you just standing alone in the corner since you’re here?"
"Not really interested in doing much."
"Your Highness, there are countless cute guys and pretty girls here who want to get into your pants. I believe that you must know this." Kim Mingyu laughed and jokingly bumped Wonwoo's shoulder. "It's the last night after all, let loose a bit."
After saying that, Mingyu turned and walked towards the bar, he took the arm of a lady who had been staring at him.
When he saw Jeon Wonwoo again, he was sitting this time, chatting with a disheveled boy whom Kim Mingyu was not familiar with.
————
During their mom’s presidency, Mingyu and Yiseol hosted a New Year's party at the White House each New Year’s Eve. Young celebrities around the world, as well as children of national leaders and politicians and members of royal families, were all invited.
This was an all-night celebration in the name of New Year. Mingyu drank with the daughter of the Brazilian president. Danced with the rising female idol Alexandria, and made out with the son of his parents' secretary.
The whole event reached its climax as the time approached midnight. Everyone counted down together in the last ten seconds, erupting into cheers and shouts of "Happy New Year!" when golden confetti flooded the room.
Traditionally, everyone exchanged a kiss with their loved one at midnight, but Mingyu, without a partner, took turns exchanging a kiss with all the admirers surrounding him. In between kisses, he spotted Jeon Wonwoo across the room. The Korean prince, usually distant and serious, had completely lost his composure. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, the top few buttons unbuttoned. An arm was wrapped around his slim waist, belonging to the man next to him. The next moment, the man kissed the prince.
Mingyu recognized the man as the one Wonwoo sat with in Paris.
————
[Breaking News! Is the South Korean prince actually gay?]
[#Jeon Wonwoo# #gay#]
[Photos of JEON WONWOO kissing a MAN leaked]
American Times
South Korean Prince Jeon Wonwoo Suspected of Homosexual Tendencies?
(Image Source: The Washington Daily)
Jeon Wonwoo, currently third in line to the South Korean throne (after his father, the Crown Prince, and his sister, Jeon Yewon), was photographed kissing a man at a New Year's Eve party hosted by Kim Mingyu (FSOTUS) and Kim Yiseol (Kim Mingyu's younger sister and President Kim’s daughter) at the White House yesterday. The man has been identified as Sebastian Pesci, the second son of the Italian aristocratic Pesci family.
The Times has reached out to a spokesperson for the South Korean royal family for comments but has not received a response at the time of this publication.
……
By the time Mingyu saw the news, hours had gone by. Public outcry had already begun to take over social media platforms. He quickly went on his phone and found Wonwoo's official account. The latest post was still from four days ago, but the top comments were all from the past few hours. Mingyu clicked the translation button and saw thousands of Korean netizens throwing insults, calling Wonwoo a disgrace, with scarce expressions of support.
Over the next few days, the situation spiraled out of control. Even Mingyu and Yiseol were summoned by their parents for a conversation, who forbade any future New Year's parties. Mingyu, aware that the incident had strained relations between the United States and South Korea, only obediently agreed.
Six days, seven hours and thirty-two minutes after The Washington Daily first published the photos, the South Korean royal family finally issued a response.
[#Jeon Wonwoo steps down from Korean royal family#]
What followed was that all of Jeon Wonwoo’s official accounts were erased, and his photos in the official royal family accounts were also deleted, as if he had never existed.
It may seem overkill, but in South Korea, which was still homophobic and much more conservative than the west, what Wonwoo did could be compared to committing a heinous crime.
After that, Mingyu didn't see Wonwoo for a long time, as if he had disappeared from the planet completely without a trace.
————
"Here, a belated happy birthday gift." Yiseol said as she threw a bouquet of flowers into Mingyu's arms, "Found it in the mail room."
"Who's this from?" Kim Mingyu searched through the bouquet and found the card hidden inside, “‘From: Alexandria. Wishing my dearest Mingyu a happy birthday!' Who is she calling her dearest?"
"She's been pursuing you for so long, and you never even rejected her properly." Yiseol was boredly scrolling through her phone beside him, "Didn't you let her keep pestering you at your birthday party last night?"
"Mingyu! Yiseol! We're leaving!" the secretary general called for the siblings and appeared to hurry them out the door.
It was their parents' idea to boost their public support, to make the siblings appear more approachable. To do so, the plan was to participate in more regular civilian activities like cultural festivals. So here they were, on their way to New York City to attend the Easter parade and the Cherry Blossom Festival.
The first thing Mingyu did when he arrived in New York was to visit the studio of Christopher Belmont, a luxury designer he had scheduled with, to try on outfits custom-made for the Easter parade.
It wasn't Mingyu’s first time interacting with Christopher. He designed many of his and his sister’s outfits for public appearances, and in the process, Mingyu became acquainted with him. While trying on his pieces, Mingyu exchanged jokes with Christopher, chatting while he stood and let the designer make adjustments to his clothes.
"By the way, Chris, I heard you found a new assistant? How is it? A hot chick or a cute guy?" Kim Mingyu joked.
Christopher laughed, "A super cute guy, I’ll introduce him to you. He's Korean too."
Mingyu lowered his voice to ask, "How far has it progressed?"
"It's only the second week, we can't scare the handsome boy too fast now, can we?" Christopher patted Kim Mingyu's arm, "Keep your arms up."
Three hours later, both siblings' outfits were altered and finished. As they were leaving, Mingyu waved goodbye to Christopher before heading out with Yiseol. He was walking behind Yiseol when he saw someone heading to come into the studio and held the door open for them.
It was an Asian man with dark purple hair and glasses who whispered "thank you" as he walked through the door.
Mingyu was surprised when he heard the familiar voice. He immediately turned and caught up with the man. He grabbed his arm to make him turn around so he could get a proper look at him. The man was wearing a Christopher Belmont Studio employee badge and was wearing a white shirt and jeans. He looked at Mingyu in surprise.
"Jeon Wonwoo?"
————
mingoo: Chris, does what you said before still count?
chrisB: what did I say?
mingoo: introduce your new assistance to me? the cute one?
chrisB: no way, gyu, you want to steal him before i even get a taste?
mingoo: you were the one who suggested it
chrisB: fine
chrisB: only because of our friendship
chrisB: you owe me one though
[chrisB sent you w.jeon's contact]
Mingyu looked at the contact sent by Christopher, William Jeon, and clicked to send a friend request.
[mingoo sent you a friend request]
Long time no see, Your Highness.
————
When Mingyu asked Jeon Wonwoo to meet, he was completely unsure as to whether or not Wonwoo would comply. After all, they hadn't seen each other for two years. And the last time they saw each other was when…the scandal happened.
Mingyu was surprised when Wonwoo agreed, and even though he had originally been scheduled to go to a cherry blossom festival party with Yiseol, he decided to skip it in favour of meeting up with Wonwoo at a cafe in downtown Manhattan.
Or maybe he should be referred to as William Jeon now?
As the clock on the wall slowly ticked past the agreed-upon 8 p.m., Mingyu almost thought Jeon Won-woo wouldn't show up. But at 8:06, Wonwoo strided into the cafe. He still had purple hair, this time wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
"Jeon Wonwoo."
"Kim Mingyu," Jeon Wonwoo said as he sat down across from Kim Mingyu. "Sorry, Mr. Belmont suddenly had a new order, so I was late from working on that."
"It's fine," Mingyu smiled, "I didn't expect to see you here."
"You sent me this location."
"I meant I didn't expect to see you in America."
"In my current state? I’m lucky I don’t get attacked if I walk around the streets of Seoul like this." Jeon Wonwoo shrugged, "My family arranged for me to come to New York, so I agreed and decided to experience life as a commoner."
Mingyu nodded at his words. It occurred to him that this was the first time the two of them had ever sat together and had a serious conversation. Although they had practically grown up together since Mingyu’s parents became politicians, their exchanges were always jabs and mockery.
"I agreed to meet you here out of courtesy. In the future, I’d prefer for the two of us to not remain in contact." Wonwoo interrupted Mingyu's thoughts.
Mingyu frowned, “Why?”
"I am no longer a member of the royal family. What's the point of you contacting me?" Wonwoo replied, “What use am I to you? There isn’t even a point for you to mock me anymore. I am simply an average civilian in this vast country.”
“Then can you get a new job? I can help you find one, just tell me which industry you want to work in—”
"What's wrong? Isn't Mr. Belmont a good friend of yours?"
"He's a pervert. Do you know that he's constantly planning on sleeping with you?”
"I know,” Jeon Wonwoo blinked like it was obvious, "He looks at me like a perfectly cooked piece of meat. I’d be blind to not see it.”
Mingyu was rendered speechless, "You don't mind?"
Wonwoo shrugged, “Of course I mind. But after being a public figure my whole life, at least being ogled at by only one person is better than a whole crowd everywhere I go."
"If you asked me to meet just to convince me to quit my job, thanks for your concern. But no thanks,” Wonwoo stood from his seat, “I’ll be taking my leave.”
He picked up his bag and left the cafe without waiting for Mingyu to answer.
However, Mingyu did not plan on listening to Wonwoo’s words. Instead, for the next while, Wonwoo was bombarded with messages from the son of the president every day.
For example:
mingoo: good afternoon!
mingoo: did you have lunch yet?
Maybe it was due to his upbringing and all those lessons on etiquette, but Wonwoo never left Mingyu on read or delivered. Instead, he responded with very few words.
w.jeon: Yes.
mingoo: What did you have?
w.jeon: Gamjatang.
mingoo: woah
mingoo: Is it good?
w.jeon: Yes.
Or:
mingoo: how's work at Chris’ going?
w.jeon: Not bad.
mingoo: I didn’t expect you to be working in the fashion industry
w.jeon: At least I was exposed to it already back in the royal family.
And, six months later:
mingoo: how’s Chris himself?
w.jeon: He’s quite nice to me.
How could he not be nice? Mingyu knew his friend well. Christopher was a fuckboy, attracted to all that were good looking. Wonwoo was downright gorgeous, there was no way his boss wasn’t interested in him.
mingoo: you should stay away from him
mingoo: his character is a bit…notorious
w.jeon: They say birds of a feather flock together.
w.jeon: And you are a friend of Mr. Belmont. If he truly is how the rumours say he is, which is what you seem to be implying, what does that say about yourself?
w.jeon: It’s better not to interfere with my life too much, Kim Mingyu.
w.jeon: What is it to you who I interact with?
Mingyu felt a little embarrassed when he saw Wonwoo's messages. The other was right, why was he even caring so much?
For some reason, Mingyu felt highly uncomfortable at the thought of Christopher flirting with Jeon Wonwoo in New York City, hundreds of kilometers away from where Mingyu was in Washington D.C..
mingoo: sorry
After hitting send, he threw his phone onto the coffee table and flopped onto the couch, reflecting on his thoughts.
It seemed as if at some point over the years, Mingyu had long gotten used to Jeon Wonwoo’s existence in his life. Perhaps it was the magazines he saw as a child, showering the Korean prince with compliments on his appearance. Or the first time they met when Mingyu’s parents took him and his sister to Korea for Jeon Yewon's royal wedding. Seeing the prince in real life only made Mingyu understand why all the news outlets in the world seemed to sing him praises. Or perhaps it was when he teased the prince in the shadows of countless banquets where they were the only Korean faces. Or the jealousy he had felt after seeing Sebastian making out with Wonwoo at that New Year's party.
It came to light less than half a year after the scandal that Sebastian Pesci himself had been the one who arranged for their photos to be leaked to the Washington Post. Of course, the openly queer noble walked away from the scandal unscathed, leaving only Wonwoo’s previous life in ruins. Mingyu impulsively wanted to fly to Milan and throw a punch at Sebastian the second he saw the news.
Although, the next time he saw Sebastian at a party, he did end up “accidentally” knocking him into a swimming pool.
As the son of the president, Kim Mingyu had always been treated like the sun by those his age, everyone else merely planets revolving around him. Only Jeon Wonwoo seemed completely unaffected by his warmth, like a cold red dwarf star, far away in the galaxy, unbothered by the happenings of Mingyu’s solar system.
His phone suddenly buzzed with a notification, and Mingyu immediately sat up to see the screen light up with another message from Wonwoo.
w.jeon: By the way, I left Mr. Belmont’s studio a couple of months ago.
————
"Long time no see, Your Highness."
The same words, but this time spoken with Mingyu’s voice instead of a text.
Another December 31st, another New Year’s Eve spent with Wonwoo. This time, it wasn't at the White House, but rather in Times Square, where thousands of people gathered to celebrate the new year. Although New Yorkers are known for only minding their own business, both Mingyu and Wonwoo wore black masks and dark jackets to blend in with the crowd.
Wonwoo was holding a cup of hot cocoa, his pale hands clasping it to keep warm, "Kim Mingyu."
The cause of their meeting was an impulsive text, sent by Mingyu.
mingoo: are you free tonight? i’ll meet you at Times Square
Even more impulsively, Mingyu hopped on the plane to New York without waiting for a reply. He spent the plane ride stressing over the possibility of Wonwoo not even being free and he was just wasting his time. Fortunately, as soon as he landed and turned off airplane mode, a response from Wonwoo was lying in his notifications.
w.jeon: Ok.
So at 11:50p.m. on the last day of the year, Kim Mingyu and Jeon Wonwoo met in Times Square.
"How are you? Did you miss me?" Mingyu asked with a smile.
"Why should I miss you when you harass me with messages every day?" Wonwoo smiled back.
In the loud and busy Times Square, their calm and quietness seemed out of place, but no one paid them any attention.
"You know, when I was forced to leave the royal family, I wanted to start fresh here in New York. Almost no one knew who I was, so I could completely put aside the life I was born into and instead enjoy and experience a life I could create for myself," Wonwoo said, "So when you got in touch, I was reluctant. Because you belong to the world of my past, a world I've long cut ties to."
"Yet I still responded, because even in the past, you distinguished yourself from everyone else."
"You never tried to get on my good side just because I'm a prince. Instead, you confronted me, anytime, anywhere." Jeon Wonwoo continued with a smile in his eyes, “You have always dared to speak the truth in a world where no one did, even though you always tried to keep up your playboy facade.”
"And thanks for that Sebastian pool incident," this time he actually laughed, "That helped me relieve some of my anger towards him."
“He deserved it for what he did to you,” Mingyu said, "After you're gone, there was no one I could tease at banquets anymore."
Jeon Wonwoo just shook his head fondly and took a few sips of his hot cocoa in silence. As the time got closer to midnight, the two turned to look at the stage where the countdown had begun.
"Five!" Wonwoo finished his hot cocoa.
"Four!" Mingyu plucked the styrofoam cup out of his hands and tossed it in the trash.
"Three!" Mingyu pulled off his mask.
"Two!" Wonwoo also slowly took off his mask, folding it neatly before tucking it into his pocket.
"One!" Mingyu’s hand went to cup Wonwoo’s face.
"Happy New Year!"
As the square descended into a frenzy, Mingyu pressed his lips to Wonwoo’s.
Because it didn’t matter if Wonwoo was a faraway star, or if he didn’t belong to Mingyu’s solar system. They were all only tiny beings compared to the vastness of the universe, going along with their life, making their way around the galaxy. All it mattered was that now they were here, together, at Times Square at midnight, exchanging holiday greetings that conveyed all their unspoken feelings.
"Happy New Year, Jeon Wonwoo."
"Happy New Year, Kim Mingyu."
Happy New Year.
I love you.