The azalea that blooms at night | Taegyu

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ɴɪɴᴇ

ꕤ⊹ꮺ✧ ​ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ'ꜱ ᴅᴇꜱᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢ​ ✧ꮺ⊹ꕤ

Melancholy. Taehyun felt sad and pensive ever since he had woken up, the word "eternity" was stuck in his head, repeating like a mantra for days.

The word itself has such a beautiful meaning with a nice ring to its pronunciation. Certain, strong and absolutely alluring; eternity.

That's it, if it was without context.

When Taehyun first learnt about this particular vocabulary, he had thought how wonderful the meaning is. He imagined love being eternal, a quiet promise between two committed lovers. He imagined peace being eternal, the world harmonious til its end. He imagined friendships being eternal, irreplaceable and a loyal act.

Now, the word just made him feel horrible and sad. He imagined life being eternal, never diminishing and always existing. How lonely must it be, for someone who is immortal. How torturous must it be, for someone who has to watch people around them leave while they stayed behind. How unfair must it be, for someone who has to witness life and death while wishing they could experience something similar. A gruesome and depressing concept. That was what "eternity" meant to Taehyun now.

Beomgyu was nowhere to be seen. He had yet to visit the prince for days. Kai visited, and as much as Taehyun loved him as a friend, he couldn't possibly replace the magician's presence. His absence made the prince realised something. Taehyun didn't understand why his presence could affect him so much. So much so that he felt sick. Sick as in his heart felt stuffy, heavy and swollen with unexplained emotion of dreadful longing. He felt homesick. But this was his home, and he had never left Invis. Apart from the time when he had ventured into a portal. So why was he feeling homesick? And how did he know this was homesickness? What did "home" mean to him?

Drawing lazy circles on the sandy soil with a small twig, the prince stared at his shoes, bored. He wondered what his family was up to, and if any of his older siblings would visit him any time soon. 

Sighing, he got off the ground before dusting his clothes and going back indoors to clean himself properly. 

"Taehyun!" 

The prince turned around to find his second brother, Suho, waving enthusiastically at him from the entrance. 

"Brother?" Taehyun made his way to his brother, feeling confused but happy that one of his siblings actually came to visit him, "is it alright for you to be here at this time?"

"I thought you wanted to see one of us" Suho frowned, "are you not happy that I'm here? What is it that my little brother wants?"

"I am happy" Taehyun reassured with a grin and went in for a hug. His second brother gave the best hugs, they always felt so warm and comforting, and perhaps it was because Suho was the most gentle and caring out of all siblings. 

"I've missed you... how are you? And Yeonjun and Yunseo brother? And Sejeong sister?" Taehyun asked as they walked into the quiet palace. 

"We're fine and safe. Yeonjun has been busy with his duties as the crown prince... there has been an arising issue among the council about public safety. Yunseo had just decided to go to the royal academy in the city to study next week. And Sejeong is participating in council matters along with Yeonjun.... and I'm here to visit you!" 

Taehyun mirrored his brother's smile, equally elated to see his second brother. 

"So what's the problem about public safety?" the fourth prince asked sweetly, hoping that Suho would let him into the matter.