Curled Horns

19. Mixed Signals

Spending an entire day without Yunho had become a foreign concept to Mingi. Even in his emotional dilemma, he wanted to be near the other man and listen to his little jokes and kind words. From the very moment that he woke up and didn't get to greet Yunho with breakfast, Mingi was restless.

His utmost worry was about Yunho's wellbeing. Even with a hunting troupe, Mingi didn't trust the abilities of that pixie murderer. He had proven to be unexpectedly challenging already, and Yunho was an excellent goal to pursue. Knowing him in jeopardy outside scared Mingi.

Secondarily, he also still tried to figure out his emotional attachment to the prince. Even if he had no confidence about the outcome, Mingi didn't need to deny himself of the attraction towards Yunho. Attraction, that had always been there, but that had sprouted on the man's compliments, his touches, and the attention he dedicated towards Mingi.

After a good night of sleep, Mingi was convinced by now that Yunho hadn't meant to lead him on just to ditch him later. He had no reason to. If anything, Yunho had been the same gentleman as he was to every person he met, and Mingi had read his signals wrong.

But as Mingi trudged down the stairs to eat breakfast by himself, he wasn't sure of that either. Everything he had heard about the prior servant before him, Yunho's relationship to San and the way he kept a polite distance from other people painted a different picture than him bathing with Mingi, lying in the hay with him, and feeding him on the royal table.

On one side, Mingi felt like the centre of Yunho's affection. On the other side, he knew that this assumption was incredibly arrogant.

Mingi shuffled into the main dining hall with a grim expression etched permanently onto his face. He wished Seonghwa were nearby to ask him for guidance. Maybe instead, Mingi could search for a romance novel in the library later to see what he might have been missing.

This time, too, Mingi found a place with Jongho and his group that was by now familiar to him. Their enthusiastic calls for him to come over alleviated his glum mood. He sat down happily, getting received with shoulder pats and appreciation for joining them.

"You didn't join the prince on his hunt?" Mingi asked into the general round after the first bite. Jongho shook his head.

"He took the elite soldiers, and only a few, so there wouldn't be too many people. Guess we will have a lazy day in." He poked a piece of potato onto his knife and ate it. "Are you enjoying your free time, too?"

Mingi glanced at his plate. He had been eating without tasting much, too distracted by his thoughts. Now that he paid more attention, he noticed the potato dish tasted similar to the one he had tried with Yunho on the royal dining table. Once more, his remorse hit him.

"I'm trying, but I find it peculiar not to attend to my duties all of a sudden. My whole daily schedule depends on the prince."

The guards snickered at him, all understanding it too well. They suggested he joined them today at sparring training to get a fresh outlook on the bleak routine. Mingi just tried to explain that he would get sliced up like a piece of ham by the lot of them when another pair of shoes neared their table. They halted behind the bench Mingi perched on. Jongho greeted the newcomer with a big smile.

"Good morning, everyone! Still space for another person?"

Mingi froze in the middle of his sentence when he heard Yeosang's voice. Thankfully, his mess up didn't get noticed since everybody scooted over a bit so Yeosang could sit next to Jongho. Right opposite of Mingi.

In his desperation to understand Yunho, Mingi had not prepared to meet Yeosang again. He considered the man a friend, but he doubted he could ask him about his predicament caused by him and Yunho. He had been sneaking, after all.