I'll be waiting for you | Nomin

Chapter 15

"I think I need to head back home." Jeno said to Taeyong who was still treating Jaemin's back thoroughly. Taeyong looked up and nodded to Jeno.

"He's safe with us, don't worry." Taeyong reassured him when he saw Jeno's worried expression. "Now go home before your parents do something horrible to you too." Jeno slightly smiled and took a quick bow to the older.

"Thank you for helping us, Taeyong." Now that Jeno knew that Jaemin felt better, he didn't really see why he should wait more before talking to his parents about this matter.

"Don't mention it, now go home young prince." Taeyong gestured to Jisung to apply the ointment to Jaemin's back, Jisung took the jar from his hand and did so. Taeyong escorted Jeno to the door and bid him goodbye.

As Jeno walked on the graveled path on his way home, his mind wandered off to Jaemin. He couldn't help but worry about his friend.

He couldn't believe his parents actually had the guts to punish an innocent boy. Jaemin was so pure and loveable. He knew his parents were cruel, but he had never thought they would do something like this.

With his mind preoccupied, he didn't even realize he was standing in front of the wooden drawbridge. When he entered the entree hall, he spotted his parents in their 'living room', it was basically a big cold room with their thrones in it. There was no decoration whatsoever, that's why Jeno preferred staying in his room rather than here.

"Jeno, come here, will you?" His mother's voice echoed around the room and the halls which were connected to it. The tone of his mother on its own, was enough to make Jeno shiver. He walked over to where his mom sat, there he kneeled down on one knee.

"Why did you interrupt?" His mother was always cold and straight to the point. Jeno knew exactly what she was talking about. He contemplated if he should lie to her or not.

"What are you talking about... mother?" Wrong choice.

"As if you don't know, you stopped the process, that boy deserved it!" His mother scolded with her usual loud and stern voice. Jeno then stood up, his mother didn't deserve his respect.

"He didn't!" Jeno raised his voice too, which he didn't very often. "He is just an innocent cityboy, you don't know him!"

"Oh Jeno, you're so naive. I assume you know him? If you do then tell me, what is his favorite creature? Favorite dish?" His mother tested. Jeno thought back to every conversation he had with Jaemin, they had talked about everything and nothing, he thought he knew Jaemin so well. But now he realized his mother was right, he knew nothing.

Jeno didn't answer, simply because he didn't know what to answer. His lips stayed sealed together. Then a bursting laugh erupter from the queen's lips.

"You know what Jeno, do what you want. Do whatever your teeny tiny heart desires, you'll be king in a few months. We tried to prepare you for it, but you were too stubborn. You danced with those bums, waifs and strays. Then you decided to befriend a peasant." The queen said, Jeno was so tired of his mother treating her very own people like a piece of garbage.

"But do whatever you want, the kingdom will be yours and yours only, don't come crawling back to us when you finally realize you can't handle it on your own." As she said so, she got up from her seat and walked over to her son. She put her index finger under his chin and lifted his head to look him in the eyes. Only to let his eyes fall back to the ground afterwards.

Jeno thought of what he should do. He knew Jaemin wasn't completely innocent, but he didn't want him to be enslaved. He was still a sweet boy, he just had struggles with whatever it was that possessed Jaemin. He then came up with an idea. He could just train him. He could train him into controlling himself.