adorn

chapter 9

yedam was watching the other eating, scratch that, devouring the food he had fetched him. before leaving the room he provided a wooden pot which he filled with water to its brims. he had his own bathroom, which was available only for him. the doors to enter it was located in his room.

"I am sorry it's cold. I couldn't heat it because it's middle of the night and-"

he bit his tongue a second before he uttered "I don't know how to, servants do it for me."

"I don't care as long as I can wash up, I look and feel terrible. besides, trust me or not, nothing is as cold as the water in the han river."

jihoon gladly took the vessel into his hands. it originally belonged to yedam, it had to be polished so that no splinters could bother the prince's fragile, soft skin. yedam took his leave in order to go to the palace's pantry, whereas jihoon rinsed his hands, face, torso, legs.

the prince took some preserved pots, mostly soft or food easy to digest. if jihoon really hadn't eaten for days, his stomach should be slowly start being accustomed to being fed again. fattening dishes or meals were left out.

he returned to the room with apricot jam and a spoon in one hand, white bread, and water in the other. jihoon was done washing himself up, the pot was placed in a remote corner now and the boy was sitting down on yedam's bed.

as they made eye contact, a smile emerged on jihoon's face. yedam couldn't contain the friendly gesture too. he handed the things he had had in his grasp to the other, warning not to eat "too viciously" and munch "carefully" but not long after the starving man nodded, he stuffed almost the whole loaf of bread into his mouth.

the silence enchanted both of them. jihoon was busy finishing his desired meal meanwhile yedam inadvertently let his thoughts engage his full consciousness.

he really liked the boy who came in seek of help to him. he had never met anyone like him – straight-forward, maybe slightly brash, captivating, different. so many things were different about him, and yedam could easily enumerate them.

he didn't bow as they first looked at each other, he called him by his name, not by the role he had as the king's second son, he wasn't afraid to maintain eye contact, moreover, he was bold enough to initiate it. he dared not to listen to his advice, he dared to ask for food, water.

in yedam, he saw another living person, not a deity. in yedam, he saw kindness, humanity, sympathy and reached out for it. yedam himself didn't know he was in possession of so many vary feelings – the other attracted him, repulsed at times, then brought closer again, just to prove that the prince had so little knowledge about life even if he was born past twenty years ago.

was the water in the han river he had to wash in so cold? was the sand he had to walk on so burning? was the food so difficult to get if one had no money? was he strained to death at times when he worked endlessly on the field?

yedam's eyes adjusted on the others' hands. he stopped eating, making two of them empty, placing the spoon carefully on the nightstand. it was made out of sheer silver.

"take it."

jihoon gazed at him, troubled.

"take what?"

"the spoon." yedam tilted his head. "they won't notice if one goes missing."

in "they" he excluded himself. he won't mention that he is part of this whole luxury. if he did, jihoon would act like everybody else. all of the traits that beckoned yedam to the enormous extent would vanish, rendering jihoon obedient, unnatural with the false manners of grace he hasn't had for he had never been taught any of the etiquettes. and yedam didn't blame him for it.

"I can't."

"you have to. take it, sell, and eat something again tomorrow."

"but..."

"or take it to be obliged to return it to me the night tomorrow."

a look of contentment came across jihoon's face. the idea of coming here again was much to his liking.

"would you like me to come again?"

"if you have nothing better to do, yes."

"I want you to stay with me and not go at all" was the addition he never unfurled.

then a hand glided through the silky sheet, finding the other one in between it, interlocking their fingers. yedam looked down, his hand completely engulfed in the other's bigger palm. he cherished the weight and he liked how the other played gently with his ring.

"I will come then. I would do it even if you didn't ask, and even if you didn't let me in next time. if it was necessary I would stay outside like a loyal puppy, waiting for its owner to open the door."

yedam's cheeks got rosy and he was glad his chamber was dimly lit, with only one, honey candle occupying the same place from the time he lighted it till now.

jihoon interlocked his free hand with the other's left one, for it seemed lonely to him. yedam's heart was melting helplessly just like the wax, slowly spilling on the nightstand, unable to fight the overwhelming heat of the flame which was yet to lighten bigger and brighter. 

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