Fishing. Jisung's never fished before, much more touch a fishing rod. Yet here he was, treading behind Minho and holding all of their necessities for fishing. With two fishing rods tucked under one arm and a basket in the other, he really tried to walk slower than he usually would, dreading to go with the older. Though he could never really stay far from Minho, taking precautions to protect him.
See, what if Silla guards finally find them? Or imagine if a wolf suddenly courses toward them- what would happen then? Surely, Minho would be done for. Though Jisung reminded himself he promised to protect the older, much to his sarcasm and denial- and for that Jisung kept himself from straying too far.
Though that did not excuse Minho shoving all of their fishing needs to Jisung.
Either way, they were walking further and further from the village, walking toward the nearest river in the pasture, and for a second, Jisung ran up to Minho, glancing back toward the direction they came from.
Jisung opens his mouth to ask, but Minho turns to him, letting out a huff of a laugh.
"For a second, I thought you died back there," he hums, Jisung knitting his eyebrows together. "Walk faster, will you? It'll rain soon."
"Why are we going so far?" He questions, pointing back toward the village. "Shouldn't we go... back?"
"That pond isn't great for fishing," Minho shrugs, gesturing to the river ahead. "Over there. That's where I usually go."
"But- I... I don't know how to fish-"
"I'll teach you then," Minho takes a fishing rod from Jisung, nodding before running off toward the creek. Jisung runs after him, screeching to a halt as to keep from running into Minho and send them both toppling into the water. "It's quite easy, actually."
"Right- right," Jisung huffs as he took a seat next to Minho by the riverbank, glancing into the water. He's seen Yongbok fish before and he's pretty sure the young prince could do it with his eyes closed. How hard could it be?
Settling his sword scabbard onto the grass, Jisung leans closer to Minho as the older picks out bait from a small pouch he brought with him.
"Just attach it to the hook and-" Minho tilts the fishing rod behind his shoulder before casting the line into the water, glancing to the younger beside him with a nod and a smile.
"Uh- okay..." Minho was a weird individual to Jisung. This bandit, this king- he was so fierce and stern whenever he held a sword. When Jisung first met him he fought like a feral tiger, starved and roaring at any nearby prey to eat.
But by the river, he looked so calm and bright- a contrast to the clouds rolling about. While Minho intrigued Jisung, he worried more about the weather for later. It looked like a calm sprinkle, but by the minute, the clouds seemed to grow angrier. Even so, he did as Minho said, casting the line into the creek and looking expectantly at the older. But Minho only nodded to him, leaning back onto his palms and shutting his eyes.
Jisung thought he could describe the bandit in one word. Though it seemed harder that he thought as he spent more time with him. Minho was exciting, unpredictable- he understood and followed the laws to surviving and that made him as fierce as he was. He was caring to the people he knew, merciless to the ones he didn't. And even when he was bound or ready to die, he still fought.
Jisung considered that being exiled from Baekje by his family would shatter him, but it instead strengthened him into what he was- what he is now.
And while Jisung understood this all from observing the older, he still couldn't pinpoint what he was. Not just his identity but his life, his purpose.
Maybe that was the reason he protected Minho. Because the older captivated him so much- made him so curious about him that it provided a goal to him. He finally received a small torch to help him find a fresh path from what he was going down previously.
"Stop staring at me," Minho sighs, Jisung perking up with eyes wide before snapping towards the river once more. "I get you want to ask questions- you do that a lot."
"Do I?" Jisung bit his tongue, screwing his eyes shut and shaking his head at his idiocy. "-That was a question."
"Questions can get you killed." Minho nods, laughing and gesturing to Jisung. "But go ahead... Ask a question, I'll let you."
"Do you- Do you miss your brother?"
Minho shrugs, staring at the water. He almost seemed unsure- but Jisung wouldn't see him as any other person if he turned down the question or said "No." The last he's seen of Yongbok was 12 years ago. He's neither heard of nor from him and the sudden news of him would certainly misguide his feelings. Jisung wouldn't judge him for replying with a harsh answer.
"Sometimes. Usually, when I fish, I think about Yongbok."
"So you've been thinking of him recently?"
"Of course- especially with you around."
"So why won't you go back to Baekje just for him?"
"Because he's lived long enough to know that he doesn't need me. I mean- what you were told about me was probably the opposite of what you see now, right? Yongbok would see the complete opposite of what he expected his brother to be. And honestly? I'm fine with not returning. I mean, what do I have to lose by staying here? I've lost interest in the throne. I'm not the crown prince anymore. I'm just- Lee Minho."
"What happened anyway?" Jisung clears his throat, Minho yanking back his fishing rod. A fish flew from the river, Minho smiling wide as he places their potential dinner into the basket between the two of them. "Back then."
"Be a little more specific than that-" Minho snorts, replacing the bait on the hook before casting it out into the water again. "A lot of things happened back then."
"I mean- what caused you to be exiled?"
"Hm- Pass."
"What?"
"I don't think we're on that level yet," Minho turns to Jisung, the younger tilting his head lightly. "For all I know you might be a spy."
Jisung's frown deepens, furrowing his eyebrows and scratching his head. He knew the older was teasing him, but he couldn't help the small, very minuscule offense he took to that. "A spy? I promise I'm not a spy though."
"Hm, maybe I'll tell you. Someday, but not today," he laughs, Jisung shaking his head before nodding. The younger yelps, yanking his fishing rod when something almost pulled it from his hands. Pulling the fish from the water, Minho whistles at it, nodding with eyebrows shooting up. "Next question."
"Well-" Jisung places the floundering fish into the basket, he turns to Minho, settling the fishing rod beside his sword scabbard. "If you're really thinking of never returning... What would you say to Yongbok? If that were your last words to him?"
Minho hesitates, blinking. He parts his lips to say something but pauses, observing the calm river, tracing the lines on the water the fishing pole cast out. The first droplets of rain fell on the water and Jisung glanced up at the light shower. "I would say, Yongbok. I'm sorry Hyeong doesn't want to return to you. Honestly..." Minho hangs his head, sighing and shrugging. "There were days that I wished you were born after I had left, so you wouldn't hurt so much, so you wouldn't remember me. And really, why do you have to be so persistent? You just had to send Han Jisung, didn't you?"
Jisung snorts, shaking his head as Minho smiles at him.
"Okay, let me ask a question about you," Minho pulls the fishing rod from the water, catching a small fish but placing it into the basket anyway, turning to the thief. "You're so mysterious. You say you come from Silla, but you dodge the question. What did you start out as?"
"Uh- Pass?"
"Not for you," Minho brightens, Jisung's eyes widening. "I'm older. And you still consider me to be the prince- and don't get me started about the display you had the other day!" Minho exclaims. "Clearly, killing someone made you think of something horrible."
"Well- Uhm..." Jisung scratches his head, pulling his hair. "In Silla... I was born there with my sister. Instead of studying, I was so interested in sword fighting, I-"
The two perk up at low grumbling, glancing up at the sky. The two weren't bothered by the light rain, but it grew heavier, coating the two in water.
"Shit... We should've brought the horses," Minho sighs, jumping to his feet. He grabs the basket, gesturing to the younger. "Hurry, we need to go back."
Grabbing his fishing rod and scabbard, Jisung follows the older back toward the village, trying to catch up to the bandit who had already run up ahead.
Before they were caught in the nearing storm.