you're so golden! || minsung ||

13♕

"So... It seems that there was a selected who yelled at you?" Jisung is the first to start a conversation, squeezing the prince's forearm to get his attention.

He chuckles. "Is it a lie?"

Jisung rolls his eyes. "I wouldn't say I yelled. In fact, we were surrounded by cameras and people at the time. I tried to whisper as low as possible and be assertive at the same time."

Minho continues to laugh. "And you did. I was intimidated, I admit it."

"You seemed sadder and more worried about begging me to stay though. Please, Jisung. Stay! What would my life be without you? Without my new best friend? Stay! I need you!" Jisung teases by speaking in the lowest possible voice, in an attempt to provoke the prince by imitating him.

"Oh for God's sake," Minho bows his head, clearly embarrassed despite the wide smile that forms on his lips. "Stop! My voice isn't like that either!"

Jisung is so focused on their teasing argument and the giggles that escape from Minho's throat that he doesn't hear the whispers until three selected are practically ahead of them. Yoon Mi-suk, Choi Sohui and, of course, Seo Yejun walk past them towards their bedrooms.

"Good night," Minho greets, bowing his head slightly.

It would be stupid to imagine that no one would see Jisung and the prince together. The purple-haired boy's face turns red, though he doesn't quite know why.

The selected respond with bows and follow their path. Curious, Jisung turns his head to watch them as he and Minho make their way to the stairs. Of course, the three of them were looking at them already. Mi-suk and Sohui seemed curious, the two girls from caste Three and Four respectively, exchanging murmurs with each other. In a few minutes they would have told everyone else about the encounter, and the next day, Jisung would no doubt be bombarded with questions. As for Yejun, his eyes were furiously boring into Jisung's skull. He was sure the Three considered this a personal offense.

Jisung ignores them, turning to face forward again and saying the first thing that comes to his mind. "I told you that the selected who were frightened by the attack would end up staying." He didn't know exactly who had asked to leave, but there were rumors that Choi Sohui was one of them. Her fainting was clue enough.

"You can't imagine what a relief it was," the prince sounds sincere.

"I thought that might somehow help," Jisung is equally honest, stating his opinion. "I mean, it must be tricky having to pick someone out of so many selected. Wouldn't it be easier if circumstances eliminated a few?"

Minho shrugs, looking like he's seriously considering the matter. Finally, he replies, "Maybe. But that's not what I felt, I assure you," his voice sounded somewhat hurt. "Good night, Jackson. Good night, Changbin," he greets the guards who don't even hesitate to open the doors to the garden. The other guard was new, at least to Jisung's eyes, but surprisingly, Changbin was still at his usual post. Jisung wonders how many hours this man works a day so that he is always on the lookout whenever the purple-haired boy crosses him.

"I don't get it," Jisung mutters. Minho takes him to a spot in the grass (the place of their first meeting), and although there are dozens of benches all along the vast expanse of the garden, they decide to sit there, under the starry sky. Jisung sits facing the palace lights while the prince rests facing the other way so that they are facing each other. It's easier to talk like that, too.

The prince seems to hesitate a bit to explain himself, but then he takes a deep breath and admits, "Maybe I was being too cocky, thinking I deserved to have people risking for me. Not that I wish this on anyone!" He hurries to clarify. "That's not what I mean." His eyes drop to the grass under his feet. "It's just... I don't know. Don't you guys see everything I'm risking?"