King of China

Plans

"Please accept my deepest apologies, my Prince"

Ga Yi was so relieved to see Youngjae that it took him a second to realize Prince Youngjae was actually kneeling before him.

"Please stand up" he asked.
"I've hurt your trust and cause you troubles" added Youngjae, still kneeling. "My Father would die of shame if he knew what happened last night."

Ga Yi took a step forward and delicately helped Youngjae getting up.

"You should never feel the need to kneel before me" said Ga Yi. "I understand why you left."

Youngaje quickly whipped the single tear that had dared roll down his cheek.

"You do?" he asked.

Silence spread in Prince Ga Yi's private study.
The two Princes were alone, and well, Ga Yi was still holding Youngjae's arm.

"Of course. You didn't want to marry me, so you tried to escape" said Ga Yi. "Who would want to marry someone they don't love?"

Youngjae frowned at that last sentence, which Ga Yi wasn't expecting.

"That's not the reason I left" whispered Youngjae.

This time, Ga Yi was the one frowning.

"I left because.." started Youngjae before stopping.

He took a deep breath before finally planting his eyes into Ga Yi's.

"Because I do love you" he said.

Ga Yi couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"However I despise this life so much.. I thought that coming all the way here would give me the chance I needed to escape all of this" he added.
"I don't understand" whispered Ga Yi.

Their faces were very very close to each other at this point.
The first lights of the day were piercing the sky and blessing the study room with a golden halo that highlighted Youngjae's beauty.

Ga Yi didn't want to talk anymore. Not right now.
He just wanted to stay like that, his hand grasping Youngjae's arm, their faces just a few centimeters away.
He had thought he had lost Youngjae tonight.

He didn't even care about the consequences the Prince's disappearance would have caused, he just regretted not having spent more time with him.

But right now, Prince Youngjae was there.

In front of him.

Ga Yi didn't care anymore.

He slowly approached his face to Youngjae's, so close that he could feel the electricity connecting them. 

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered.

As only reply, Youngjae pressed his lips against Ga Yi's. The latter let go of his arm and passed his hand on Youngjae's back, pressing the latter against his body.

Ga Yi had kissed in his life. He had kissed a lot.

But this was brand new.

He couldn't explain how, but this kiss was a game changer. Youngjae was clinging onto him, drinking all of him, and humming as Ga Yi kissed him.
It didn't take long for them to open their mouths a little bit more, allowing their tongues to taste each other.

Ga Yi didn't understand, but he loved it.

~

"Are you sure that is what you want?" asked Youngjae.

Ga Yi nodded.

"I've never wanted to be King" he said. "But I have no choice. If I can spare you this burden, I'll do everything in my power to" he said.
"What if you cane with me?" asked Youngjae.

Ga Yi looked at him.
That's all he wanted.

Leave the Palace, work and live a simple life with the person he had chosen.

"I can't leave Minghao" he said in a low voice. "I can't knowingly give him all this weight."

Youngjae nodded. Ga Yi could see how disappointed he was, however he understood.

"Let's sign this treaty then" concluded Youngjae.

~

The whole court was present to witness the alliance to be formed between China and Korea.

Prince Youngaje and Prince Ga Yi signed the official document twice, and as soon as it was done, an emissary left the Palace to bring one of the documents to Korea's court.

Then, they announced that their wedding would take place by the end of the week, which, as expected, left the court overwhelmed with good news.

Ga Yi smiled at Youngjae. The first part of the plan had gone well. Now it had to keep going this way.

After the ceremony and the banquet, Ga Yi officially invited Prince Youngjae to go meet his first General, so that he could gather all the information he needed.

What no one knew was that the two Princes had planned to fake Youngjae's death on the way.
That way, Youngjae would be able to escape and start a new life as a commoner, leaving everything he hated about his life, his title and his responsibilities behind and finally being himself.

Ga Yi would come back and become King without Youngjae. He hated it, but at least, this way Youngjae would be free, and that was enough consolation for him.

Ga Yi sighed.

He was happy he could free Youngjae, and that he could protect Minghao by becoming King.
He just hated how lonely that made him.