𝑅𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 - 𝑆𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑗𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑔

My King

People quickly move out of the way as their young King suddenly steps down from his throne, trying not to fall on his cloak as he rushes down the stairs.

His servants look at him with round, confused eyes, but they're not allowed to question Seonghwa; the only thing they can do is blink and go back to the tasks they were doing, leaving their
King running around holding his heavy clothes like a princess.

Seonghwa finally reaches the bottom of the endless stairs and embroidered carpets, out of breath, cheeks flushed and eyes shining. His gaze roams the reception hall in search of a certain someone, but he's hard to spot amidst all the staff bustling about for tonight's ball.

He's not surprised to find this person standing like a plant in front of a huge painting, one of Seonghwa's favorites, strangely colorful for being royal, but no one has the right to question the King's taste.

If the King likes this painting, then it'll stay here.

He hops closer to the small figure he'd been looking for, hands knotted behind his back, a smile already devouring his round cheeks.

"Hongjoong. You came."

He exhales, and his fingers find their way around the younger's waist, slipping under his wispy blouse, kissing the soft, bare skin with his fingertips.

"Of course I came, this ball is organized for you, I'd cross mountains and oceans if I had to."

For a moment, they allow themselves to be dazzled, to be in love, to smile, to look at each other without embarrassment, as if they weren't surrounded by dozens of servants and guards.

Seonghwa smiles with all his teeth when he suddenly drags Hongjoong into his quarters, and the latter doesn't even complain, he simply follows Seonghwa with a shy smile and pink ears.

Although he knows these corridors by heart, he lets himself be guided by his King, who's determined to reach his suite in record time.

He runs almost like a child, his impatient, hurried steps seeming almost innocent.

The guards and servants who watch over and clean the corridors are no longer even surprised, they just watch the two young men go by, some with a little smile, others totally indifferent.

Everyone here probably knows about their romance, but no one has ever mentioned it.

It's against the rules of this country, but who are they to tell the King about the rules?

The one time someone broached the subject, Seonghwa's answer was crystal clear: "The next person who questions Hongjoong's place in my life will have to come before the throne, in front of me, and look me in the eye when they say it."

He's known as a merciful king, who abolished the death sentence and other tortures, who never raises his voice to his servants, offering them more comfort and food than they could even dream of, but his one look can freeze someone in place for weeks.

In this castle, no one can stand the look on Seonghwa's face, let alone if he's disappointed or worse, angry.

☆

"My King."

Hongjoong's back hits the wood and gold of the door, and he finds himself cut off from the air, totally and utterly speechless at the view Seonghwa offers him.

It's not so often that the King is in his royal clothes with Hongjoong; he's rarely on duty when the younger man appears, but Hongjoong doesn't mind.

The way Seonghwa's gold epaulets sit on his cape is magical, the metal clashing with the diamonds and rubies of the jacket leaving a music-box-like melody filling the air.