nytis
soonyoung quickly found out that things in the alleyway weren't exactly peaceful. for the entirety of the morning, soonyoung kept on trying to ask someone to explain the full story of what had happened but all he got were small snippets that he tried to piece together in his mind.
and as much as everyone needed to work together, it was clear that some people weren't very fond of others. it was quite obvious chan still disliked him. the boy didn't speak a single word to soonyoung and the only times he acknowledged soonyoung's existence was whenever he shot him a deadly glare.
"it'll pass," seungcheol told him, flashing a tight lipped smile. seungcheol didn't like him much either but at least he tried not to show it.
aside from chan and seungcheol, there were much larger problems between minghao and junhui. the guard always seemed like he wanted to say something to minghao, while minghao would always ignore him (or kick him/sock him in the stomach and then ignore him).
"where's the idiot," minghao asked soonyoung with a hint of irritation in his voice. he had just come back from the market with gold (he probably stole) and food (which he probably also stole).
"with kitae- "
suddenly, someone came over from behind soonyoung and patted him on the back. "welcome back haohao, did you get the plants?" junhui leaned over soonyoung's shoulder and eyed the cloth pouches hanging from minghao's waist.
"don't call me that," the killer snapped back, tossing the bags to junhui's open hands. minghao brushed past the two and stalked off. the guard let out a little sigh as soon as the other disappeared.
"ugh.. that was horrible."
standing beside junhui awkwardly, soonyoung looked at the pouches in the man's hands. "what are those for?" he questioned curiously.
junhui shook off any disappointment on his face from just a second ago and grinned, "these? just a few different herbs i wanted to experiment with." he pulled out a strange looking root with a bright orange inside. "who knows, maybe i'll even find something for seungcheol."
soonyoung's mouth dropped into a "o". "for seungcheol? you can cure seungcheol's legs?!" junhui grimaced and slapped his hand over the prince's mouth.
"i'm just experimenting. he's already got medication but i want to try and make something more effective. i might not be able to so don't go getting peoples' hopes up." the guard crossed his arms over his chest and let out a small chuckle, "but i really hope i do.. especially before three days is up.." the man paused and looked at soonyoung's confused face. "oh no ones told you? dongyun's birthday is in three days. that's when we plan to strike."
"birthday?"
junhui nodded, "he holds this stupid party each year on his birthday and it's one of those rare "everyone's invited!" parties. i figured that day would be our best chance to snatch back jihoon while at the same time giving the throne back to its rightful owner. i thought if i created this magical medication, jihoon might forgive me faster."
soonyoung creased his forehead, "wait.. you guys decided on a plan?" the prince's mind drifted back to the ragtag team of commoners, royals and odd ones that didn't fit in anywhere. it was hard to imagine a group of people who just met could create a solid plan.
the man laughed, "surprising, yeah? to be completely honest with you, i lost count how many arguments we got into... and how many times minghao got fed up with me and ended up kicking me in the stomach. painful memories..." junhui rubbed his stomach. "sure we disagree a lot, but we've all got one collective goal and that's getting back jihoon and putting kitae back on the throne."
he sighed, "the kid's probably having the worst time of his life right now. but just a few more day and then he'll be out." junhui stared down determinedly, "for sure this time. no matter what happens. everyone's going to get their long deserved happy ending."
jihoon gazed out the window. there was nothing interesting about watching people walk around the streets but at least he wasn't constantly reminded that he was stuck in a castle for potentially the rest of his life.
there were multiple times in his life where he had dreamt of living in a nice home, with comfortable beds and not having to constantly worry about food. it was the one thing that he wished he could give chan and seungcheol.
and now jihoon was truly living that dream, well, at least he should be. he should be glad that he was living in a nice place with lots of food and his own giant fluffy bed yet he couldn't enjoy any of it.
all of the food was revolting, he couldn't stand putting on any of the beautifully tailored clothing and as easy as it should be falling asleep on a bed as soft as the one he had, jihoon barely got a wink of sleep each night.
the boy was overwhelmed with guilt. the entire burning of the bakery could have been avoided, if only he had decided to stay in the dungeons and just accepted whatever punishment was going to come. yes, the dungeons were horrible but junhui's company didn't make it half as bad.
speaking of junhui.. he wasn't mad at the guard. jihoon knew that he didn't have a choice, if anything, jihoon was say he felt bad for putting him through everything. in his short few days at the castle, he hadn't the man around which sparked a little joy in him.
perhaps he ran away... at least someone can achieve their dreams.
jihoon blinked his eyes and looked around the spacious room which was apparently now his. he rarely left it, only going out when dongyun insisted. nowadays, all the man talked about was his birthday which confirms jihoon's theories about how the man does absolutely no work.
now (unwillingly) spending more time with him, jihoon realized just how annoying the man truly was. everything from stuck up personality to his behaviour. dongyun even tried back hugging him once while he was rummaging around in the kitchen scaring the crap out of jihoon leading him to smack dongyun in the face repeatedly with a cake pan.
it was hard to believe how kitae could be related to dongyun.
"why aren't you happy here?" dongyun frowned as he hurried after jihoon who was speed walking back to his room, "i bet you've never eaten food this good and slept in a bed as comfortable as the one in your room. i can give you anything you want."
jihoon turned around and flipped him the bird before slamming the door in dongyun's face. "you know exactly goddamn why." the boy muttered to himself, sliding to the ground, back flush against the door.
closing his eyes, the boy propped his head on his knees. he knows this feeling all too well. the feeling of hopelessness. it was something soonyoung managed to chase away but where was soonyoung now?
jihoon could see himself fumbling to grab a hold of the last few strands of hope he had been living on until now. he doesn't want to fall, doesn't want to let go. but jihoon is exhausted, he's too tired. it's only a matter of time before he completely lets go.
