How My Brother And I Kidnapped An Assassin

15. We're all Hiding Something

"I'm going to repeat this one more time," Yuta said to Prince Jisung. "You're not going."

Jisung rolled his eyes at the guard. "I know what you said the first time," he said. "And I'm choosing to ignore it."

"You got to be- your highness." Yuta gave Jisung one of his fake, forced smiles that he often used around petty nobles who wanted to talk to the prince. "You don't want to risk your life while there are potential rebels causing treason and wanting to assassinate you and your family, do you?"

Jisung pouted, sitting down on the chair in his room at the inn. "It's not fair," he muttered. "I want to see him."

Yuta raised an eye, crossing his arms over his chest. "Excuse me, who's him?"

"Ch- no one," Jisung said, stopping himself. "It's no one important, hehe."

His bodyguard didn't say anything, turning around to face the mirror in the room, where he could see their reflections. "Is it the one who you gave tea?" he said. "The person who you mentioned to Prince Hendery when we saw him?"

Oh, sweet sprinkles, Jisung had forgotten about that incident. "Well," he started to explain. "You see- fuck it, yeah."

That surprised Yuta momentarily. The royal family was not supposed to be using foul language and they rarely used it, much less Jisung, the young prince.

After a short silence, Yuta spoke up again. "Do you like him?"

"No!" Jisung interjected, standing up again. "I don't like him, he's just- he's just an interesting fellow, I assume," he trailed off. "I don't fancy him in that way if that's what you're implying."

"I'm not implying anything, I'm just asking," Yuta corrected him. "I don't think you recall, your highness, but I've been your personal guard for some time now, and I know you don't see people regularly, so this is quite honestly the first time you're begging me to let you see someone."

"Which is why you should let me go on my own," Jisung pleaded again. "Like you said, my life is at risk, and I don't want you to be involved."

"You don't want to- your royal highness, that is my job," Yuta reminded him. "To save your life. Why would I not follow you somewhere dangerous? Which, again, you still shouldn't be making public appearances that often anyways. "

Jisung played with the sleeve of his shirt. "I just want to see him and get to know him a little," he mumbled.

Yuta sighed. "Look," he explained. "You're still the prince and I am to obey you, so at the end of the day, you can still ignore my suggestion-"

"Now you're just making me feel guilty," Jisung said.

Yuta squinted his eyes at the younger. "You're not happy with anything."

"Well, it's true."

"I- look," Yuta pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to take a deep breath. "If you hide two more daggers than usual we can go."

***

Yangyang grabbed a tiny dandelion that was on the floor. "Oh, no, this must have been ripped sometime ago," he said, clutching the tiny weed in his hand. "Poor little thing."

Prince Hendery, who was kneeling on the ground besides Yangyang, reached out his hand. "May I?" he asked.

Cupping the fragile weed with both hands, Yangyang handed into to Hendery's palm. "Be careful with it!" he warned the prince. "It's a delicate flower that deserves respect."