soonyoung stared into the darkness of the wooden cart he was in. every few seconds, a bump on the road would make him sway reminding him that he was going back home. back to reinwa.
most people would be happy if they were finally on their way home after several months of living elsewhere but soonyoung was not. because jihoon wasn't beside him. being left in dark dark, the prince couldn't help but think back to a few hours before everything went south.
things were flowing so nicely. images of jihoon laughing and smiling appeared in his head. they looked so real, so close yet in reality jihoon was far from arms reach away. the happy images were quickly replaced by frozen emotionless looks when dongyun revealed everything.
maybe if he struggled a little more he would've been able to free himself and hug jihoon one last time before he left. but then again, would jihoon still want a hug from him?
soonyoung couldn't help but reach down and rub his tattoo. i guess that was bound to happen sooner or later. a bitter laugh fell from his mouth. i deserve it, i shouldn't have hid something like this from jihoon for so long.
it was funny how when he wanted to leave nytis in the beginning he never did but at the moment he wanted to stay the most, he gets kicked out. the universe likes fucking with people like that.
the chains on his arm knocked together as he ran his hand through his hair. "oh?" soonyoung carefully pulled something off his head. he felt it gently, letting out a little chuckle when realizing what it was. "the little flower still managed to hang on."
although he couldn't see it, soonyoung slowly twirled the wilted flower between his fingers for the rest of the ride back home.
"nytis. nytis!" soonyoung sat on a couch across from his parents listening silently to their lecturing. "your mother and i allowed you to go search for a potential bride and where do you go? nytis." his father fumed. "and what else? you enter illegally! son, are you stupid?!"
"it was an accident." soonyoung said quietly, wishing that jisoo was in the room with him. when soonyoung arrived at the castle with chains on his wrists in the wee hours of the morning, his half sleep parents were surprised. no, surprised was an understatement. they thought they were still dreaming.
after much convincing that the guards weren't lying about soonyoung sneaking into nytis, his father begrudgingly paid the fine. his mother was overjoyed that he was finally back but there was no celebration because as soon as the guards left, soonyoung received a harsh slap on the face from his father.
"youngie, why would you do that?" yoonsun asked, she wasn't enraged like shiwoo but disappointment was clear in her voice.
"i told you, it was an accident, ok? i got drunk and i then i just woke up in nytis. i wasn't even planning-
"getting drunk? your job was to search for a bride and then bring her back not fool around!" shiwoo roared. "and now let me guess what you did in the last few months while you were in nytis. fool around, get drunk. am i right?"
"no, i didn't." soonyoung said, tapping his finger on his thigh to control himself.
"well clearly you haven't found anyone because the only thing you came back with was chains."
"i found someone." the boy blurted out. it's true, i found someone but does that someone still want me? no, just want me? soonyoung corrected his thoughts once remembering he never got jihoon's answer to his confession. "i found someone. i just., couldn't bring them back with me. at least not yet."
shiwoo laughed coldly. "we've given you enough time to play around, son. but i hope you remember the rules to the agreement you made with us. you must bring the person back with you once you return, if you don't then your mother and i can choose who you'll marry and you'll marry them without complaint."
soonyoung's words stuck in his throat, "w-wait. you haven't even seen the person i found! i- that's not fair! i have someone i love i just couldn't bring them back! give me more time to bring them back!"
"that's not what you agreed to, son." his father stared at him harshly.
standing up, soonyoung matched his gaze, "you can't do this, give me more time."
yoonsun quickly stood up pulling her husband back. "i think that's enough for now, dear. soonyoung's had a long night, let's continue the conversation later once he gets a chance to rest."
soonyoung let out a breath and walked out of the room, ignoring the yells of his father. closing the door, soonyoung was greeted by a familiar face standing by the door. "eavesdropping jisoo?" he said tiredly to the man standing by the door. if there was one person he was happy to see that would be his dear friend jisoo.
"of course not." jisoo's soft melodious voice said, "that would be unprofessional." he looked at soonyoung's cheek, which was now bruising and has a little cut from a ring his father was wearing. "let's gets you patched up."
"can we do that tomorrow?" the prince sighed with no energy at all. "just let me sleep today. i'm tired."
jisoo looked at the drained boy. he had never seen soonyoung look so exhausted before. he finally nodded. "then would you like any food? tea? milk?"soonyoung shook his head.
"not today, jisoo."
the servant nodded again and accompanied soonyoung to his room. "soonyoung..." he said, before shutting the prince's door, "i'm glad you're back."
the boy only gave his friend a tight smile. "thanks jisoo."
but i'm not.
