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Unfortunately, dinner is disappointing. Even though it was pretty and fashionable, Jisung's outfit was so tight that after half a dozen mouthfuls of shellfish rice, his stomach looked like it wanted to bust the buttons of his pants. Next week, he would have to ask his servants to make one size up.
Back in his bedroom, Seokjin was waiting to help him get dressed for the night but Jisung explained that he needed to stay with his clothes for a while longer. Nabi is the first to guess that Minho would visit him, as Jisung is always eager to take off those tight clothes.
"Would you like us to stay late today? There would be no problem," Seokjin asks, a little too hopeful.
After Minho's visit a few days earlier, Jisung decides that the best thing to do is to dismiss his servants as soon as possible. He couldn't stand having them staring at him until the prince showed up, let alone the knowing giggles between them.
"No, no. It's okay. If I eventually have any trouble getting the suit off later, I ring the bell," Jisung assures.
The three eventually depart and leave Jisung waiting for Minho. Nabi and Yumi were a bit reluctant with pouts on their lips for wanting to see interactions between the two, Seokjin with a knowing grin on his face that Jisung couldn't decipher.
The purple-haired boy didn't know how long the prince would take. 'After dinner' is very vague but he didn't want to start reading a book or painting a drawing to interrupt it just a few minutes later. So, Jisung ends up lying on the bed instead. He lets his mind wander, thinking mostly about Areum and the prince. The girl was of the same caste as him and they had gone to the same school together during their childhood, but despite that, the truth is that Jisung knew very little about her. Still, he trusted that her behavior towards Jisung was absolutely sincere. And then, he thinks of the girls and boys who were completely fake, who managed to keep a mask of sweetness and gentleness on their faces to capture what they craved. Would Minho know how to tell the difference?
His experience of romantic relationships seemed to be sparse. He was a real gentleman, no doubt about it, but when he got too close to a person, the prince didn't seem to know what to do. It was as if he knew how to deal with a lady or a gentleman, but not with a girlfriend or a boyfriend.
Jisung doesn't have time to brood much further on the matter. Minho's firm knocks on the door sound a few minutes later and the purple-haired boy doesn't even notice that he gets up from his bed and literally runs to open it.
The prince looks surprised to see just him. "Where are your servants?" Minho asks, sliding his eyes around the room.
"They're gone," Jisung says simply. "I always dismiss them when I come back from dinner."
"Every day?" The prince looks surprised, not least because his eyes slightly wider than usual fall back on Jisung.
"Yes. They deserve to rest and I'm perfectly capable of undressing myself."
Minho raises his eyebrows in surprise but ends up smirking lewdly, and only then does Jisung realize where the prince took his words. Jisung's cheeks flush and he looks away. He hadn't intended the words to sound that way.
"Bring your jacket. It's cold outside," Minho's smile then turns to gentle as he points with his chin to the lilac blazer that Jisung has taken off when he returned from dinner.
Both go down the hall. Jisung was still a little embarrassed by the moment that happened just now, and by this time, he also knew that Minho wasn't very good at starting a conversation. However, Jisung immediately entwined their arms. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he liked the fact that there was already a certain familiarity between them for these gestures to be so natural.
"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?"
"Hum... Do you want me to be honest or do you want me to lie?" Jisung asks, getting an intimidating glare from Minho in return. "No. I don't think we see that. You're here with your family. You have their company, you can see them every day, get their advice... And we all revolve around your schedules and duties. Everything in your life remains the same as ours changed overnight. What could you be possibly risking?"
The prince looks extremely shocked, were it not for his open mouth. "Jisung, I can have my family here, but imagine how embarrassing it is to have your parents watching your attempts to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend. And not just them but the entire country! And to make matters worse, I can't even have normal dates, like going to the movies or out to dinner," Minho explains, pulling up some strands of grass and having fun playing with them. "And as for everything revolving around my schedule, when I'm not with all of you, I'm organizing soldiers troops, creating laws, fine-tuning budgets, researching the rebels... And lately, I do all this alone while my father watches me tripping over my own stupidity because I don't have nearly as much experience and knowledge as he does. And then, when I inevitably do things differently than he would, my father steps in and corrects my mistakes."
Jisung opens his mouth to interrupt, wanting to assure the prince that he is anything but stupid and incompetent, desiring to comfort his insecurities.
However, Minho's speech seems far from over and he continues, "And while I'm trying to accomplish all these tasks, you," he interrupts himself clearing his throat. "All of you, I mean, can't get out of my head. I feel simultaneously excited and terrified with all this."
Honestly, Jisung had never seen the prince gesturing so much, waving his hands in the air and frantically running them through his now-crown-free hair. To say that the purple-haired boy was surprised was an understatement.
"And you still think my life hasn't changed a bit? What chance do you think I have of finding my soulmate in this group? I'll be lucky if I can find someone willing to put up with me for the rest of our lives! What if I've already sent that person home because I'm counting on feeling some kind of spark I didn't feel? What if I pick someone and that person ends up leaving me at the first sign of trouble? What if I don't even find anyone? What do I do then, Jisung?"
His speech started full of frustration and passion, but in the end, Minho's questions were no longer rhetorical. He really wanted to know. It's like he needed to know. Jisung quickly sees the heart of the matter. What would Minho do if there was no one there who was even close to being someone he could love? But that didn't even seem to be Minho's biggest concern. No. He seemed to be more distressed and worried that no one would love him. That was enough for Jisung to approach the prince and pull him into an awkward hug because of the way they're sitting, but he hopes it's comforting, nonetheless.
"Minho. You know I'm always honest with you, don't you?" Jisung asks when his arms are no longer around the prince's neck. Their faces are very close and their eyes don't move a single millisecond apart. The prince nods subtly. "Then believe me when I say that I truly think you will find your soulmate here."
"Do you really think that?" His voice fills with hope at Jisung's prediction. The struggle between fear and wanting to believe was visible in his eyes.
In an unconscious gesture, Jisung brings his hand up to the prince's brown strands of hair, pushing it away from his forehead to allow Jisung to lose himself in those eyes so flashy, so captivating, so kind, so beautiful.
Up close, Jisung sure that the man in front of him was blessed by the gods when he was born as the most beautiful creature in Euphoréa. No, in the whole world. A man with authoritarian and perfect features for a prince, but also with a glimpse of a simple young man, kind, sweet and so, so eager to be happy and loved. With his flaws and vulnerabilities, which, honestly, make Minho even more beautiful to anyone who dares to see him beyond the crown.
"I don't have any doubts," Jisung mutters. Minho seems to feel comforted by that simple touch, and when he doesn't show any discomfort, Jisung continues to slide his fingers through the brown cloud that adorns his head. Interestingly, repeating the same gesture that Minho had done to him on the first night of the Selection. In the same place, above the same stars, in the company of the same flowers. "If your life is so turned upside down, as you say, don't expect the right person for you to make you feel your feet are firmly stuck on the ground. It's not supposed to be that way. On the contrary. Your soulmate will make you feel as if you're constantly flying, like your toes are subtly touching the cuteness of the clouds. Your soulmate will make your life take a turn of one hundred and eighty degrees but, at the same time, will make you feel that everything is in place. So, just wait for them. In my experience, true love is usually the most inconvenient," Jisung grins, happy to see the prince also with a sincere and grateful smile on his lips.
Minho also seems happy to hear these words, which Jisung uttered as sincerely as possible because, honestly, he didn't just say them to make the prince feel better. He genuinely believes in them. And if he could help Minho find his true love, Jisung would do everything in his power to make it happen.
The trance finally dissipates and Jisung slowly removes his hand from the prince's face and hair, looking quickly around. As he does that, he adds, "I hope you and Areum get along. Maybe she's that person. She's really sweet and who knows..."
Minho grimaces. "She seems to be, indeed."
"Hum, you don't look very confident. Isn't being sweet, good?" Jisung inquires, arching an eyebrow in question.
"No, no. It's good, yes," Minho replies dryly.
Jisung gazes around again, not quite sure how to continue the conversation.
"What are you looking for?" The prince questions then, suddenly.
"Huh?"
"Your eyes don't stay still. I know you're listening to me but you seem to be looking for something. Or someone, I don't know."
Jisung realizes that Minho is right. Throughout his speech, the purple-haired boy's gaze swept everything around. The garden, the windows and even the towers on the walls at the back of the palace. He's getting paranoid.
"Sorry. You're right. It's just... I think I was looking for people,
cameras..." Jisung apologizes, looking out into the night instead.
"We're alone, you can breathe. There are only the two guards at the foot of the door and I trust them a lot," Minho subtly points with his chin at the pair of solitary figures illuminated by the lights from inside the palace. The prince is right. No one had followed them and although the windows were all lit up, there was no one there either. Jisung had already noticed this as he went through everything, but it was comforting to have a confirmation.
Jisung feels his posture relax a little.
"You don't like to be watched, do you?" Minho asks gently.
"Not really. I'd rather go unnoticed. That's what I'm used to, you know?" He watches the gentle gliding of flowers to the sound and rhythm of the wind, avoiding looking at the prince.
"I know you won't like to hear this but you'll have to get used to it. When you leave..." Minho stops, swallowing. "Everyone's eyes will remain on you for the rest of your life. My mother still talks to many of the women she met during her own Selection. They are all considered important. Even today."
"Oh, wow. Good. Perfect!" Jisung moans. "One more thing I can't wait for when I go home," he says wryly.
The expression on Minho's face was apologetic but Jisung has to gaze away. He is being reminded, once again, of when this competition ends, how his idea of "normal" would never be the same again. And that didn't seem fair. Even so, Jisung holds back. What was also not fair was to blame Minho. Honestly, the prince also ended up being a victim in the middle of it all. Jisung had noticed it with the prince's speech just now.
Jisung sighs and looks back at him. The prince's expression was determined as if he had thought hard about the words he was going to utter next.
"Jisung, I wanted to thank you." When the purple-haired boy looks at him enquiringly, not understanding why Minho is thanking him, the prince continues, "It's just... Well, I can see that you really don't like being here at all. You don't like the rules, the competition, the attention, the clothes and the... Oh no, you actually like the food," he teases, stealing a goofy smile from Jisung. "I also know that you miss home, your family and your work a lot... But, even so, you're still here. You're still here and you help me every day with your advice and sincere words, with your friendship. Thank you. Seriously. Thank you."
Unexpectedly, Minho's words took Jisung by surprise, and not only the emotion and sincerity of the moment, but also the fact that he misses his parents and sisters immensely, causes some tears to flow from his eyes and soak his cheeks.
"Oh, no. Jisung. Why are you crying?" Minho asks worriedly, raising and lowering his hands from his lap as if hesitating as to what to do. "Is this a good time for me to pat you on the back?"
Recalling Jisung's advice from the other day makes the purple-haired boy beam. "Honestly, I'm more of a hugging guy."
Even hesitantly, Minho approaches and wraps his arms around Jisung's waist, pulling him into another hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to be sad."
"Don't worry. It's just that... I miss my family so much, that's true. But to be honest..." He sniffles, muttering the words against Minho's neck. He really smelled like a prince, even though Jisung can't describe how he idealized that smell. Maybe woody and masculine, with a mixture of rosemary and mint. "I'm starting to enjoy being here. I don't think I'll ever get used to the spotlight and all the rules but... But you, Minho, you make this a little more bearable and worth it."
Jisung feels exhausted after that long day of tight suits, the first live of Official News, dinner, and the intense conversations between him and the prince. However, it's nice to feel Minho hugging him simply and stroking his hair from time to time. After all, the prince didn't seem to be as lost in comforting gestures as he said.
Minho patiently waits until Jisung's breathing calms and then pulls back to stare him in the eye. "You can't imagine how happy I am to hear that, Jisung. And I promise to keep you here until the last possible moment, until you tell me you want to return home. Until then, I'll make sure to show you how grateful and happy I am because we're friends."
Jisung nods, circling the prince's neck with his arms again. The prince hugs him without hesitation this time, and Jisung leans his head against the crook of Minho's neck, breathing back in the scent he begins to identify as calm and comfort.
And so, Jisung settles in what was perhaps the last place he had ever thought to find sincere solace.
#happy2024