Present
-Jisung, there are just flowers. Grow up already! Changbin yelled holding a huge pair of scissors in his hand.
-Hyung, please! Don't do this! Look at them ! There are beautiful.
What were they fighting over?
Roses. Yeah, I know. Weird reason to argue over.
Changbin was the gatekeeper hired by Miss Lee and his problem was that on the huge gate have grown roses. He wanted to cut them all, but Jisung came in time to stop him.
-Why would Miss Lee hire a gardener if she wanted to get rid of the flowers?
-To take care of the flowers in the garden. Flowers shouldn't be on this gate.
They were fighting over that pair of scissors like two kids over the last toy when Minho came to separate them.
-Here! Ask The boss's son if I should cut or not the flowers.
Minho, however, wasn't even a bit interested in their argument. He came with one thing in his mind.
-You! he pointed with his index finger to Changbin.
In his eyes was pure anger.
Changbin stepped back holding his hands in air in surrender.
-Sir?
-You told mom about my first encounter with the gardener. You snake!
-She asked me. What was I supposed to tell her?
-Nothing! Use your brain for God's sake! Next time to talk, I myself fire you and throw your things in the street. Understood?
-Damn, you're even more hysterical in the morning, Jisung blurted out. At least I know you're a bitch with every of your servants. And you made me feel special, Jisung mimicked as he was whipping his tears with his sleeve.
Minho turned around to face him and tried his best not to tell or punch the younger in the face.
-Why are you doing here? Isn't part of your job to spend your day in the garden? he asked with his jaw clenched.
-It's also my job to take care of those roses, Jisung replied pointing up.
Minho's eyes took a quick glance of the problem, then he burst into laughter.
-Changbin!
-Sir?
-Cut them all! I don't wanna see a petal left. But leave the thorns. I like them.
Minho enjoyed seeing Jisung's expression. The boy was red of fury, but he knew he couldn't repost. So he chocked in frustration and left Minho's satisfied gaze.
The next morning, Minho woke up because of the sunlight coming through his window.
He squinted bothered by the powerful light and turned around to go to sleep again until he realised... He had curtains in his room lat night.
He jumped out of bed and saw his curtains all cut in a messy way. He looked out the window and saw Jisung waving at him with a smirk.
-What did you do, moron? he yelled after opening the window.
-The curtains had flower print. And since you don't like flowers, I got rid of them. But don't worry! I kept a part for them.
-Oh, now you did it! he said running to the door.
It took a second for Jisung to realise what was happening.
Minho started chasing him around the house. It was quite a funny scene for the boy, cause Minho was still wearing his pijama and he was bare footed.
-Come here!
The did some rounds until Jisung slipped and fell in a hole he dug that morning. Minho wasn't smarter as he fell over him.
Miss Lee found them two minutes later, all dirty. After a good laughter, she took the hose and splashed with water on them to clean all the dirt.
-It's all your fault, Minho mumbled trying to stay still, but the pressure of the water was pushing him backwards.
-I could say the same, Jisung replied.
-Thanks to you I don't have curtains in my room anymore.
-Take a bucket and put it on your head. You already know you look stunning with it, Jisung said sticking his tongue out in a childish way.
Suddenly the pressure of the water hit Jisung. The latter lost his balance for a second and almost fell, but Minho grabbed him by the waist, making the younger put his hands on Minho's chest.
They looked at each other stunned. Minho furrowed his eyebrows, then looked down to noticed how his hands were perfectly cupping Jisung's waist.
-You're so tiny, he commented finally realising Jisung was shorter and skinner than him.
-No shit, Sherlock! Are you blind or something? Jisung spat back as a defence mechanism.
He didn't like talking about his body measurements. He knew he looked like a girl. His waist could fit anywhere. He didn't need a reminder of that. Certainly not from his enemy.
-You sure have a big mouth for such small body, Minho took his hands off the boy.
800 years ago...
The prince and Minho were taking a walk in the Royal garden. While Jisung seemed captivated by each flower he saw, Minho didn't share the enthusiasm.
-Do you like flowers, soldier?
-I can't really say that, Minho rubbed his nape. I guess I don't have an eye for beauty.
-You have a different perspective of the world. I understand that. Here! he said showing him a rose.
Minho took it in his hand and rolled it between his index and thumb.
-What do you see when you look at it?
-Blood. I'm not a fan of the colour red.
Jisung took the rose and replaced it with a white rose.
-What about now? Nice and clean.
Minho refrained himself from saying anything, knowing no matter how he tried, he could never understand the passion for flowers.
-Am I boring to you? Jisung suddenly asked making the Knight shiver.
-No, your Highness. We are just too different.
-Let me guess...
Jisung stepped closer to Minho, not breaking the eye contact for nothing in the world.
-You see me as the precious prince that can't take care of himself. Raised with everything he needed and incapable of ruling. I know everyone sees me as a frail being and everyone is counting on me to marry a strong king, so they can be assured I won't rule on my own. I am aware and I won't protest. I have nothing to prove to them. But I don't want to appear like that in your eyes, he added taking out Minho's sword from the sheath.
He swung it in the air and stuck it in a tree under Minho's shocked eyes.
-It's not sharpened enough. Such a shame. Even though you came home, you should always be on guard.
Minho took out the sword from the tree, looking at the blunt blade.
-I didn't know you could fight, your Highness, Minho's mouth corners curled into a smile.
Finally something they had in common. Jisung saw that smile and enjoyed every second of it. Such a pleasant memory to keep. The mighty soldier smiling.
-You want a match? Jisung asked watching Minho's eyes shining.
-The two of us?
-Yes. Maybe they will make me 1st Commander after I defeat you.
-Not to brag, your Highness, but I won a match with sir Changbin.
-And I won one with my father.
Minho loved a good challenge and the opportunity to duel with the King's son was once in a lifetime.
-Let's make it less boring, Jisung emphased the last word. If I win, you will have to plant 20 roses in my garden and you will take me to your mother's house to live with you for a week.
-And if I win? Minho got bold talking to the Prince.
-What do you want?
-Land for my mother.
-Very well. Jisung reached his hand towards Minho, waiting for him to accept the challenge.
Minho looked at the hand and realised. The prince was human like him. It wasn't anything special about him. The rank didn't change anything. Jisung was as normal as a human can be.
Minho took Jisung's wrist in his hand and the latter did the same. The locked eyes for a second, Minho smiling once again.
While the red rose symbolises enduring and passionate love, the white rose symbolises innocence and young love. You should never start with the red rose. Young love grows in time and white becomes red.