Diamante | SVT

LII

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Minghao sits with his knees folded to his chest, tucking his head in, rocking himself slightly.

Junhui situates himself near him, but with enough space not to jostle the younger in his shell-shocked state.

When they were commanded out of the throne room, the omega bolted out of the way and sprinted to the stairs in a speed they never think he could possess. Junhui taught of letting him be, given what had happened to their mother, he was certain his betrothed wanted to be left alone, but Wonwoo pushed him lightly on the shoulder, mumbling a 'please, follow him.', and he couldn't help but ran after.

Minghao must be runner his past self since he had a hard time deciphering where he could have possibly went to, surely not their chambers, but with the heavy thumping of his shoes on the tile, he found himself opening an old wooden door with a red paint forming a large x sign on it. It was ajar, and he can hear harsh panting inside.

Knocking on the door, he expected the reply of 'leave me alone.', his voice sounding so small and pitiful, he can feel the tugging on his chest painfully. His sassy and strong personality crumbling into a child. Junhui did the opposite of what he's told and went inside. It looked like an old storage room, guessing with number of boxes stocked on the side, cob webs hanging on the low ceiling, and dust can be seen flying around, but what caught his attention was the large broken mirror on the end of the room, placed on the center.

Minghao wasn't crying anymore, his heart and head hurts but no tears are coming no matter how much he shuts his eyes, the memory repeating on his mind. The Queen, his mother, found dead in the throne room. He wanted to scream that moment, but no sound came out, only choked sobs and whimpers.
He can hear rustling on the floor, no doubt his betrothed, who probably wants to ask him if he's okay and maybe, try talking to him out of the misery he feels, but no amount of soothing words can reduce what he feels.

"Why are you still here?" He was aware his tone came out colder than expected, but he can't deal with anyone's presence at the moment, it makes him feel suffocated.

"Am I not allowed to be here?" Junhui retorts, for once, he can hear no sarcasm in his words.

"I want to be alone, Prince Junhui."

Junhui slides nearer to him, and the other visibly recoils, sinking further in his place. "No, I don't want to leave you alone."

Minghao's breath hitched, almost glancing up at him but remained rooted, lowering his hands to his side. "Why?"

"Because I know what it feels like to be alone and I don't what that to happen to you."

Swallowing the lump on his throat, he shakes his head at him, "I'm used to it."

Junhui let's out a humorless laugh, staring up at the ceiling with glazed eyes, "I guess we're the same then."

Another wave of silence washed over them, Junhui waits for the younger to pull out of his hiding, seeing as he so many times try to pull his head up but catches himself. He needs time, after all.

They say, only time can heal.

In Junhui's case, he doesn't believe it does. Time only prolongs his agony and heart ache. He never healed from the pain, everyday he wakes up and it all comes crashing to him, no matter how hard he wills for it to go away, spent his time lavishly with no worries, surround himself with people he can easily wrap his finger around, flirt with one to the next but at the end of the day, he was alone and time just passed by. With so much time given to him, he wonders why are their people with only so little? Why can't they all have the time equally given, so they will be able to spend it wisely and no rush? Why does time have to be a bitch and take the people he loved so much instead. Junhui may not need it before, but with his betrothed he might. Time will heal him, it will let them learn and it will let them love.

Minghao pulls his face away and sees the other looking at him, eyes swirling with patience and understanding. He feels even more suffocated, but not in a bad way that he wants to run.

"Everything will be okay, Prince Minghao."

The omega doesn't say anything, his eyes roam around until he spots the mirror, his sadness doubling at it.

"I used to dance."

Junhui looks at the mirror, then back at him, he doesn't know if it was just a random thought but he didn't interrupt as Minghao stands and walks until he was in front of it. "This room is where I do it and this mirror was my witness and audience."

Fingers delicately touched the broken mirror, preening at his messy appearance, "I always escape my classes with the scholars so I can go dancing. I spent hours in this room, just me alone, watching myself move in the mirror. I loved it more than anything."

Junhui moves to where he's standing, eyes on the cracks on the mirror, some of its pieces missing. "What happened to the mirror?"

"One day, Mother found out, one of the scholars might have spilled why I'm not attending. She had every room in the castle searched for me. I was in the middle of my dancing, totally unaware of my surroundings when she barged in, furious." Minghao pulls his hand away, eyes getting filled with tears, so he wiped it before they can fall. He doesn't want to show weakness to the other prince.

"S-she didn't hesitate to destroy the mirror, when I begged her not to. She commanded for this room to be locked down and for guards to secure the room so I wouldn't come back here."

Junhui puts his arms around the younger, the younger flinched but didn't step away, "I'm sorry to hear that. The queen shouldn't have done that. Dancing was your passion, she should have known–"

"She's not that kind of Mother, Prince Junhui."

The alpha stared at his eyes through the mirror, their was an underlying hate in his brown irises. He tightens his hold on the other.

"Don't say such things–"

"She banned me from dancing, telling me that a prince is not suppose to waste time for nonsense. I should focus on my studies instead. I had no other choice but to follow her, she was my mother, after all."

"I-i didn't know she–"

"There's a lot you don't know, Prince."

Minghao pulls away from his hold, walking towards the door, "Let's go. I don't want to remember the bad memories anymore. I, at least, want to think of the good things about my mother even there are so few."

With that, he leaves the alpha in the room, staring at his retreating figure, then back at mirror. Maybe it will take forever for the younger to heal and fix himself.