Promise- Minsung

Chapter Seventy One (Ending)

"We're leaving tomorrow," Minho reminded Yongbok as he continued to write long into the night. When he was finished with his letter he gathered a messenger hawk and sent him soaring into the night back to the Han Kingdom.

That night Minho slept restlessly. He was anxious for his plan to play out. If it didn't, then his plan would be doomed and the two kingdoms may forever view each other as enemies. The Han Kingdom still didn't like him very much as it was.

However, on the other side of the border, Jisung lay on his bed in the San Palace, listening to the breeze rush by the window. He sighed and turned over and stared at the empty space in his bed where Minho used to sleep next to him. His heart longed to write to Minho and beg him to come back as soon as possible, but he knew that it was better to not disturb his husband who was working hard to solidify peace between all kingdoms.

Outside, there were dark clouds that were beginning to fill the sky. It was the beginning of the rainy season, and sure enough within a few minutes, rain was falling from the sky and thumping against the roof of the palace, thunder clapping a few miles away.

Jisung relaxed under the sound of the light rain. He inhaled the fresh smell that rain always would bring. And yet, as bolts of lightning began to fill the sky, he heard a familiar cry.

"Oh boy..." he murmured as he swung his legs off the bed and out into the hall. It was not traditional for children to live close to their royal parents, but Jisung had refused to allow Hei-ran or Yeong to sleep far away from him on the other end of the palace. So it was a short walk to Yeong's room, where the small child was wailing in bed, sitting up as he stared out at the lightning strikes.

(AN: Okay, don't laugh at me people who live in more... exotic places, but I live in the Bay Area in California, and there was thunder and lightning just a while ago and I almost had a full on meltdown because of the thunder. Don't laugh at me, but it was scary! I know, I'm a Californian wimp. ;)

"Come here," Jisung whispered as Yeong climbed into his lap, wrapping his arms around Jisung's shoulders.

"Why is it so loud?" Yeong whimpered, hiding his face in Jisung's shoulder to try and block out the noise.

"You hear those yells from the sky?" Jisung whispered, picking Yeong up and walking over to the window. "Do not be afraid of them, okay? They are just the heavens chasing nightmares away!"

"The heavens? Where the dead people are?" Yeong stared up at his father with large eyes. "Is my grandfather up there?"

"Of course he is," Jisung brushed Yeong's soft hair out of his face and gave him a small smile. "Your grandfather will always look out for you, okay? Just think, whenever there is thunder and lightning, it's just your grandfather scaring the bad things away."

"O-okay..." Yeong turned away from the window. "Can I sleep with you tonight, Dad?"

"Alright, but just for now okay?" Jisung smiled as he carried Yeong down the hallway and back into his warm room, laying down on the bed with Yeong still clinging to his arm.

"DADDY!"

Jisung's head raised as he found Hei-ran's form standing in the doorway with wide eyes. "Did you see the lightning, Daddy?" she cried as she scampered over to Jisung's bed and sat across from the window, grinning as she stared outside. "It's so pretty!"

"Daddy says it's Grandfather chasing all the bad guys away," Yeong whispered, staring after his brave older sister. "Do you hear him, Noonim?"

"Of course I do!" Hei-ran gave her younger brother's head a rub before she leaned against the widow, letting the rain outside fall into her palm.