That's it! I need to go down for myself!" Joonyoung got up but got pulled back by Chanhee.
"Changmin and Younghoon aren't small children. They know what to do."
"Then why aren't they back yet!" Joonyoung cried out, grabbing his hair. Youngjae lowered down his hand carefully, afraid Joonyoung might just pull out his beautiful yellow locks.
"Maybe they just got held up a bit." Chanhee reassured him again. Joonyoung still looked unsettled, even resorting to biting his finger nails.
"Oh, they are here!" Youngjae shouted, pointing towards a panting Changmin and Younghoon. Youngjae beamed at Joonyoung but his face fell immediately when Joonyoung had a stern face on.
"Ji Changmin. Kim Younghoon." He said, putting his hands on his hips and looking at them coldly. Youngjae shifted near Chanhee. Angry Joonyoung was scary. Chanhee just observed the scene where his two friends got a scolding from their eldest.
"I can explain!" Changmin said, staying far away from Joonyoung. Younghoon nodded. Joonyoung didn't say anything so Changmin gulped and continued,
"We, um....that is....well...." Changmin stuttered so Younghoon took over.
"There were some men who wanted to talk with us." Joonyoung's face became concerned but Younghoon held up a hand, "It's not what you're thinking. We didn't do any extra flashy moves during the performance. Changmin didn't do his levitating trick this time, either."
"Then why?" Joonyoung tapped his foot impatiently.
"They said they just wanted to know us more. So, we talked a bit, drank a bit- "
"Wait, drank?"
"Just one cup!"
"But you drank anyways! I told you not to touch alcohol, especially Changmin!" Joonyoung gave a stern look at the boy.
"I only took a sip. It wasn't that bad." He said, heads down and eye peering up.
"Still! What if it was strong? What if you drank till you become drunk and- and..."
"But they didn't. So, I think you can relax now. Nothing happened. They made a few new acquaintances. Everything's fine." Chanhee put his hands on Joonyoung's shoulders to calm him down, "They are ok, you see?" Chanhee looked at him gently. Joonyoung took a breath in and calmed down.
"I'm sorry. I just- I'm just worried that it might happen again like-" Chanhee cut him off by putting up a finger to his mouth.
"That's the past. And it wasn't your fault." Chanhee said calmly. Joonyoung nodded.
"Ok, take a rest. You must be tired, running up here." Joonyoung said then went into his room.
"You heard him. Take a rest. Just don't pull something like this again." Chanhee said to the two and left as well.
Changmin and Younghoon looked at each other and went to their room together.
Youngjae who was watching the whole scene looked where Joonyoung went, then Chanhee, then at Changmin and Younghoon. What just happened?
Hyunjae was at the small pavilion in his residence. In front of the pavilion was a small pond filled with lotus leaves and a few goldfishes. There were some plants and flowers by it as well. But Hyunjae wasn't staring at them. He wasn't staring at the pond either. He was staring at nothing, lost in his thoughts. Currently, there were two things on his mind.
The first thing was what his eldest brother, Lee Sangyeon, had informed him when he got back. Sangyeon had called both him and Juyeon to his room. Hyunjae was a bit confused. Sangyeon didn't really interact with his brothers. He didn't even talk much with his real brother Juyeon so why would Hyunjae expect anything?
Hyunjae didn't know where his relationship with Sangyeon stood as Sangyeon didn't seem to care about Hyunjae and Hyunjae didn't care either. So, it came as a surprise that Sangyeon called for both of them.
"What's up?" Hyunjae had asked Juyeon before entering Sangyeon's room. Juyeon shook his head. If he was surprised as well, he didn't show it. Juyeon kept a poker face as usual. They entered the room together where Sangyeon was waiting for them at the table.
The two walked up to him. Sangyeon gestured for them to have a seat. Hyunjae and Juyeon looked at each other and took a seat.
"How have you been doing?" Sangyeon asked, taking a sip from his teacup. Hyunjae furrowed his brows.
"Fine." Juyeon replied shortly.
"Same. Nothing's new here." Hyunjae replied as well. Sangyeon nodded. He seemed to be thinking a lot.
"Look, what do you have to say to us. Spit it out. The momentum's about to kill me." Hyunjae said, crossing his arms. Sangyeon looked at him directly and Hyunjae uncrossed his arms. He's kinda scary, Hyunjae thought.
"What I'm about to say is confidential which means it is not to leave this room." Sangyeon sad, calmly. Hyunjae raised his brows in curiosity.
"What is it?" Juyeon asked. Hyunjae almost chuckled at the small hint of curiosity in his voice.
"First, promise me you will not tell it to anyone. Especially Father."
Hyunjae's eyes widened at that and Juyeon's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Brother, what are you planning?" Juyeon asked. Hyunjae had thought Sangyeon and their Father had a good relationship. Their Father had always praised Sangyeon for his achievements in martial arts and scholarly activities.
"Why are you telling us then?" Hyunjae asked. If it's something to keep from their Father, then it was something dangerous.
"Because," Sangyeon took a breath carefully, "Although we have lack of interactions, I know that you both have loyalty and goodness. And I want you to be part of it too."
"Part of what?"
"Part of a new era."
"New what? Ok, I'm out." Hyunjae stood up but Juyeon held his hand. He gave a slight pleading look and Hyunjae sighed, sitting back down.
"Continue." He grumbled.
"I received a proposal to become a part of Hwarang. And I intend to invite you two as well."
"Hwarang? What's that?"
"An elite warrior group formed personally by His Majesty."
Oh, Hyunjae thought, an elite warrior group formed personally by His what!?
"Ah, Hyungnim! I didn't know you liked to joke around." Hyunjae laughed dryly then shut up seeing Sangyeon's serious face.
"Why are you choosing us?" Juyeon asked in the midst.
"I have seen your capabilities. Juyeon, you have excellent swords skills and martial arts abilities. And Hyunjae, although you fool around with girls and your little friends, you are capable of controlling your fighting skills and horse-riding skills."
"That's it?" Hyunjae leaned back his chair, "What makes you think we'll accept to being Hwarangs?" Sangyeon continued staring at Hyunjae and this time, Hyunjae didn't back down either. Everyone knows that their Father is against the Emperor. It's an open secret. So why was Sangyeon doing this? Under the roof of the enemy.
"The three values that His Majesty decided upon creating Hwarang are self-defense capabilities, self-confidence, and self-control. I trust that both of you possess those assets." Sangyeon looked at the two carefully.
"Too bad, I don't have self-control. You clearly haven't seen me drunk at Red Rose."
"I have, and it is disgusting."
"Then that's it."
Hyunjae stood up completely this time and already turned around to leave but stopped when,
"But I have also seen your empathy and I believe that you just decided not to control yourself rather than losing control." Sangyeon said. Hyunjae smirked at himself and left.
Sangyeon then turned to Juyeon who had his head turned towards Hyunjae who had just left.
"And what about you?" Sangyeon asked.
"I can give you a few days to consider my proposal." He said when Juyeon didn't reply. Juyeon nodded, then got up and left.
Hyunjae sighed and proceeded to scratch his head hard.
"I never asked for anything. Just a simple life, is that so hard?" He voiced out loud, staring up at the night sky. It always calmed him down. Then his thoughts strayed to the second thing on his mind. The handkerchief.
Although he wanted to bring it with him, he had no choice but to leave it with Sunwoo. Sunwoo looked at him strangely when Hyunjae asked about the man who had left it. So Hyunjae didn't press any further. Could it be the same boy, now a man, who he had met by the stream 10 years ago? Then did his eyes play tricks that day or did he actually have pink hair?
He scoffed at himself. Of course, the pink hair was an illusion. He was a kid at that time and knew he always had wild imaginations. But then he couldn't explain why he remembered the boy after all these years. Why did he want to see him again? Curiosity?
"Why are you mumbling to yourself? You look crazy." Hyunjae looked to his right to find Juyeon also standing and staring up the sky. He grinned.
"Oh, I've always been out of my mind. You just knew?" He teased and laughed when Juyeon looked at him scandalised.
"So, what are you gonna do?" Juyeon asked. Hyunjae hummed.
"I don't know. It's just so sudden. Sangyeon, His Majesty, Hwarang,...handkerchief." Hyunjae said the last word quietly.
"Sangyeon hyung is right, you know."
"Huh?"
"You just choose not to have control," Juyeon looked at Hyunjae, "when you completely know everything and know you have the upper hand, you still choose to pretend not be in control. I don't understand why but you are like that."
"I am?" Hyunjae cocked his eyebrow at Juyeon, amused. Juyeon nodded, then bowed his head.
"Good night, hyung."
"Good night." Hyunjae waved at Juyeon's leaving figure., then lowered his hand slowly. He smiled to himself.
Sunwoo stared at the handkerchief in his hands. His face kept resurfacing in his head, that 'Chanhee' person. He did notice his unusual beauty at first glance. Just that he decided not to admire openly like Hyungseo. Somehow, he looked forward to the possible painting session where he would see him again.
"Chanhee hyung?" Youngjae called from his bed. Chanhee stayed silent.
"I know you're still awake."
"...."
"I'll start calling you 'oppa' agai-"
"What."
Youngjae grinned at Chanhee's annoyed expression when he turned to his side.
"What happened today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Today, when Joonyoung hyung said something about happening again." Youngjae observed as Chanhee fell silent.
"Before you came, there was someone else with us." Youngjae listened intently, "He was the same age as you maybe just a few years apart. He had blue hair, dark like the night sky. We...we lost him."
"Lost him? How?"
"I don't know. We just lost him. We don't know if he's alive or anything. But if he was alive, He would be 1.....39 years old, I think."
Youngjae nodded at what Chanhee just told him.
"And I'm guessing Joonyoung hyung blames himself?" Chanhee nodded.
"He was with him last. So, he felt guilty."
"He just became lost? Like that? That's strange."
Chanhee thought for a while. It was indeed strange but he just disappeared.
"Sleep now if you got no more questions." Chanhee covered himself with his blanket again.
"Actuall-"
"Even if you got more questions, shut up."
Youngjae grumbled and hugged his blanket. He, soon, fell asleep but Chanhee couldn't.