A day back… in the Korean palace…

“The China ambassador is his way here, your majesty.” As if bad news is meant to come together in a package, followed by a series of unfortunate and humiliating events, the first piece is thrown at Yunho the moment the king entered the royal court.

Raising a hand to silence the speaking eunuch, the young emperor chose to make himself comfortable on his seat first, sipping at the tea.

“Has anyone of you found Junsu yet?” The king asked with a resigned tone. After a long night of thinking, he had arrived at the conclusion that his brother’s luck is just as bad as his. Knowing that he cannot deny Yuchun what he wants, Yunho is now desperate to find Junsu and give him a crash course on basic self-defence. In fact, he is already starting to toy with the idea of assigning Junsu to assassinate the shogun as well.

“We found his bundle… but no signs of him.” The head of patrol came forward to report his findings. Handing to Yunho, a messy pile of Junsu’s belongings, the king sulked as he flips through the items.

“Where does this little idiot think he is going after leaving his stuff behind?” Muttering to himself, Yunho stared at the pair of familiar looking shoes angrily. He was the one who chose that particular pair for his brother and it baffles him that Junsu would just disappear.

“We found tracks and if the information we got is correct, the prince is already headed or has arrived in Japan.” “According to the seaman, it was most likely the prince who traded his shoe and coat for a boat ride there.” The guard said finally and passes the platter holding the coat and shoe to the emperor. Yunho immediately leaps up, overturning the table. “WHAT?!” “FIND HIM!!” “HE MUSTN’T MEET THAT BASTARD WITHOUT ME AROUND!!”

Stomping out and headed to his room, the king quickly picked out whatever he needed for a short trip and threw it into his servant’s embrace. Then, charging over to his stables, the emperor mounted his horse and made his transport canter quickly. Mostly negative thoughts were running through his head and he has a bad feeling about what is going to happen.

“Your majesty!! What about the ambassador?!” Racing out after him from inside the court, the messengers tried to catch up with the king on foot, but all he got as dust kicked into his face by the royal stallion.

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POV from Yunho

This is stupid! This is crazy! To think I have gone to great lengths to prevent them from meeting and that little idiot decides to goes there himself?!

His going to Japan without anything on him is absurd! He would be a little lamb stepping into the wolf’s lair!! He won’t survive the meeting!! Or maybe he would physically… it’s just his innocence will be destroyed… if you get what I mean. I don’t have to elaborate…

Fine. Maybe not innocence in the literal sense. Let’s just say that he will not be able to protect himself against that monster and I am not going to be able to protect him once he wanders into that devil’s nest!

I must have been such a let-down to him. Promising him that everything will be alright yet never assuring him enough. He must have felt really torn when choosing if he wanted to run away too. My poor baby!

What more does that bastard want!? I am offering to give him more than he deserves! Way more! And this is how he reciprocates?! If I’d refused, he’d have to beg! What makes him so special anyways?! Who does he think he is!! And I repeat these sentences again for the umpteenth time. My life since I can only complain and do nothing.

And also, what the heck is the Chinese ambassador trying to achieve by coming here at such a disgusting timing?! Don’t tell me they are toying with the idea of making me part with my ancestor’s land too?! Idiots!! The bunch of them!! Am I such a loser?! Am I such a pushover?! Stupid greedy bastards!!

Let them wait! It will be best if they will behave and go back! TSK!! I have more important things to do besides entertaining them!

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Meanwhile…

“HEY!! LET ME GO!!” Pushing and writhing around, in the most unrefined manner, a small dirty tramp struggles with a group of well-dressed palace servants. Dressed neatly with their hair and whatnot nicely pulled to the back of their heads, even the palace maids looked more comely than the prince they are ordered to wash up.

As if determined to clean up a flea covered mutt, they remained gentle but assertive. Rolling up their sleeves, they quickly stripped the young lad in their stronghold down, untangling his hair as he thrashes around angrily. “The king! I just want to talk!! I will go home and bath myself later!!” Huffing and puffing, inhaling the foam on the surface of the scented bath water, no one paid heed to the fact that his protesting is putting him at risk of drowning.

Scrubbing him clean, revealing milky coloured skin, gleaming like a polished pearl, the poker faced maids finally smile. Running their fingers through the long brownish hair and having no problems whatsoever, that is the indication that the object is thoroughly cleaned. Transferring him into a tub filled with clean water and washing him down, the struggling young thing gives up at last, allowing them to rub down his back.

Wrapping himself in the thick cloth provided, the young lad ducks out of sight and behind the shades, shy about the fact that it will be a free show if he is careless. Fiddling around, he gasps when a couple of his antagonists pulls him out into the open space and squeezes the life out of him with a starched obi.

Twirling him round in circles, they started to doll him up like how he never had a mother to do so. He always wore whatever he wanted, never cared about his appearance, only paying attention to the comfort aspect. Wearing his fortunately smooth and soft hair the way he likes it, no one ever combed it for him either.

Rubbing off the powder every time the ladies smear a thick glob of it on his face, the servants eventually threw in the towel and splashed on a simple coat of red rouge, hoping the young one will eventually cooperate. However, as soon as they are done, he started it off and cringing at the bitter taste, not sensitive to the sudden silence that ensued. The shogun has entered and every palace worker in sight had naturally retreated back to their posts.

Carrying on with life in his own world, the young lad reaches for the pot of tea nearby, wanting to remove the terrible taste from his mouth, but the restrictive layers are hindering his movements. Sulking loudly, the latter hurriedly tugs at the ribbon on the sash and loosens it, yelping when the two heavy outermost layers part like a thick curtain, exposing his inner wear.

Fumbling with the almost hardened silk again but failing to get the two flaps to seal up like how the maids did, the younger one rolled on his a little to escape the low table before standing up for a bigger work space. Bumping right into the shogun’s chest as soon as he straightens up his back, the young one reversed dramatically and fell over the low tea table, bringing the teapots and cups with him.

Gasping when Yuchun’s expression changes from poker to amused, the lad crawls beneath the Kotatsu to shy away from the man’s hawk like eyes. He is terrified by the black orbs as well as how exposed he is.

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POV from Yuchun

Interesting. The prince comes in a form of bag and bones, similar stature as Jejung. A midget. Isn’t he fed well? Considering his social status.

Big brownish eyes, pretty, a nose, mop of dark brownish hair, small body with some visible curves and of course, the rear end. He makes a good lady in my opinion. His lips are full and pink… and he would stick out his tongue ever so often and that is… adorable. He isn’t your typically local-looking creature… if you get what I mean.

Fair but his skin isn’t unhealthily translucently pale like Jejung. He has this glow that is almost similar to that of the sun. Very lively, full of vibe and gives people the idea that he isn’t the most well-bred… I say that after seeing how he would fidget awkwardly even when seated. Such a big baby in my opinion. So much so that I wonder how much of the politics or even the real world he is exposed to.

Terrible manners though I must say. He doesn’t know to greet someone more superior than him, and he most definitely does not know that he shouldn’t be playing around with his apparels, not acknowledging my presence. Only I get to take his clothes off for him, and him stripping himself comes off as wanton. I will bet that he probably knows nothing about flirtatious teasing of sorts anyway.

To think he would come in search of me before I start searching for him. I wonder if he as dumb as he appears. I would reckon that he knows at least a little of whatever is going on.

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“WAIT!! I want to talk to you!!” Seeing Yuchun turn to leave with a disapproving look on his stern face, mirthless, Junsu immediately crawls out from his hiding place. Plucking up all the little courage he has left, the young latter decides that he will speak to the shogun, half or not. There are more important things to do besides feeling shy.

However, the shogun will not be told what to do. Sliding the heavy wooden door open with one swift motion, he looks at Junsu from the corner of his eyes and closed it. Junsu isn’t one to give up either. Pulling himself and his dangling garment together, he runs after and struggles with the frame made of teak, heaving it open with all his might.

“WAIT!!” Gathering the kimono, which has already slid off his slender thin shoulders, the young prince sprinted and ended up tripping on the obi he was dragging behind him. Falling flat on his face and cursing at the annoying piece of sash which to him, is almost the length of his intestines, Junsu started to kick up a fuss. No one has ever ignored him so incessantly and he is starting to feel rebellious.

“YAH!!” “STUPID AHJUSSI!!” Grabbing the dragonfly pin in his hair and hurling it at Yuchun’s broad back, Junsu finally got the shogun to stop. Then, scrambling to his feet, Junsu holds Yuchun’s dark stare with his own feral one and half crawled half stumbled over.

“SMACK!” A loud slap resonates off the silent mahogany walls and the ‘slapped’ is stunned. Widening his tear drop shaped eyes and parting his exquisite pink lips, the person gawked at his assailant.

“SMACK!” The person issued him one more on the other cheek and Junsu lost it. No one has ever hit him before and he is not taking it lying down. Pouncing on the person and pulling at his nicely made bun at the crown, Junsu scratched the person all over the neck and face, trying to gorge the person’s eyes out.

“YOU!!” “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THE SHOGUN WITH SUCH DISRESPECT!!” The person, his attacker and also the attacked, being much bigger, easily peeled Junsu off and drew his sword.

“Enough.” Countering the person’s blade with his own just as it is about to go through the young prince’s abdomen, the shogun finally reacts. Then, allowing his blade to slide back into the sheath before Junsu can blink again, Yuchun glared at the fallen one as he sits rooted the floor.

“I will enjoy teaching you some manners.” Narrowing his eyes, the shogun then squats down and stabs the dragonfly hairpin back into Junsu’s thick locks, above the ear. Reaching down and caressing the young lad’s satiny skin at the face, trailing down to his nape, Yuchun faced Junsu squarely, lips merely inches apart.

Still panting slightly after his attempt to disfigure and blind the royal who slapped and almost killed him subsequently, Junsu swallowed dryly. Forcing himself to narrow his eyes, he then inches forward gingerly until their noses are almost touching before breathing into Yuchun’s lips. “I refuse to take lessons from someone who is as bad mannered as you.” Though his heart is at the verge of bursting, he put up a fierce front, prying Yuchun’s fingers off stubbornly.