Hiya~

It's been a long time since I updated this. >////< I hope it's still valid.

Please do stay and read! *bows*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

POV from Yunho

The plan was to test my… spouse’s reflexes. I need to know how fast he is in order to reaffirm my suspicion. All my assumptions are all based on a gut feeling… that I got by catching a mere glimpse of his response back then with that incident.

I can’t convince myself that he is innocent and a polar opposite of that monster he has for a brother. I can’t tell if his soft front is just an act to cover up an equally bloodcurdling personality but I know I need to act fast. No amount of security is enough when you have that kind of a monster living with you. God knows he might be more callous and bloodthirsty.

There is also a deduction that he might be here for a purpose… but since we have this pact going on for years. I can only wish upon a star that one of that monster’s feudal lords murders him… if that is ever going to happen. No one is supposed to assassinate anyone and that had been the silent rule passed on from generations to generations. However, we can never be too sure of anything.

This is also the reason keeping me up all night. But I still doubt that the monster would break the truce and plan something as brazen as to assassinate me. After all, I am considered a benefactor and we have a tie going on. My Junsu is with him… and if that is not considered good enough a disadvantage for me, then there is nothing else more detrimental. I believe he wouldn’t kill me for fun, joy or laughter since keeping Junsu hostage is way more entertaining than just ending me and turning the entire south side of the world upside down.

He is a smart man, good at weighing consequences, and he probably makes better mathematical calculations than everyone else. I trust that… BUT, we can never be too sure. I still need to have a rough gauge of what that abomination he sent me is capable of.

Well… maybe abomination is not a nice word to use. How about a black sheep? He might be a spy, though technically speaking… he does not have any contact with his brother as long as I am aware. He is actually kind of like my hostage as well and his safety will ensure Junsu’s.

I didn’t intend to kill him or anything... Just a small dart will not leave scars. No poison used! The blades are also sterilised so the chances of him dying is lessened. I hope. He will believe that someone hates on him enough to kill him. Since most of my people can’t tolerate his kind after what his brother did to us.

Anyhow, I am around. If all else fails, at least I can ensure that he stays alive. How troublesome. Surely he would leave me some loopholes and Yuchun did better be waiting for my confrontation. My Junsu is finally coming home!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Watching Jejung crashing out of the door, injured and looking absolutely shell shocked, Yunho is equally stunned. Simply gawking as the other rolls a few metres clumsily after tripping over his overly long garment, Yunho’s subordinate had to give him the signal to pull him back to his senses.

The ‘assassins’ trying to ‘slay’ Jejung had already reached the Japanese prince but Yunho is still stuck to the ground he is standing on. Pathetic cries for help and the messy scene was far from what the emperor had anticipated and he can’t help but blink dumbly.

Acting fast, the royal escorts had to step in to ‘fend off’ their own man, posing as disgruntled citizens who cannot accept Jejung’s presence. Jejung keep his act and even shuddered as violently as he could, just to be sure that Yunho sees it. The Japanese prince is nowhere near as terrified as he appears, but he tells himself that it is all an act. He isn’t enjoying himself when lying to Yunho, but duty calls for it.

Waiting for Yunho to appear, Jejung knew long ago that the king is hidden behind the pillars in the shadow. Weeping pitifully as the royal guards fuss over him, Jejung finally breathes a sigh of relief when his spouse finally ‘arrives’, stepping out from the shadows. Though looking far from pleased, Yunho seem convinced that Jejung is just a helpless damsel in distress.

The Japanese prince secretly hoped that Yunho would feel bad for plotting to hurt him at the first place, but quickly dismissed that thought. Wanting to seek the littlest bit of pity or affection from Yunho meant he was beyond redemption. Jejung is a smart person who knows his place. He did be thankful that Yunho even bothered be stay somewhere nearby to ensure that he does not end up murdered.

Ironically, Yunho’s guilt filled and anxious gestures actually sparked the tiniest bit of liking in Jejung, for the kind emperor. As contradictory as it may appear, Jejung felt like he had never had more concern shown to him in his twenty over years’ worth of a lifetime compared to this one occasion.

Watching Yunho lumber unwillingly to his side through the slightly parted long ebony silky curtains on his scalp, Jejung edged away instinctively, suddenly aware that he is wearing nothing but his inner coat. The younger one cannot approve of the level of transparency of the fabric that he is provided as pyjamas.

Yunho hesitated slightly before squatting down beside him. Stiffly reaching a hand over to ‘check’ on Jejung, the emperor felt his heart wrench when the younger one flinches. Jejung quickly places a hand on the flesh wound to draw Yunho’s attention back to the fact that he is injured. After all, the emperor’s eyes are already starting to wander down all the wrong places.

Summoning all the bodily aches and pain, and channelling them to his big doe eyes, Jejung lifted his lowered head at last to meet up with Yunho. The couple finally interacts for more than a few mere seconds. Yunho can feel years of training to harden himself against bewitching beauties thrown right out of the demolished window behind him. Yunho’s heart pounded. Once. Twice. Thereof.

“Are you… alright?” Yunho asked dumbly, a hand still on Jejung’s shoulder. The younger one nodded, head bobbling up and down.

“You are not hurt…” The emperor stated equally dumbly and Jejung wanted to giggle. Biting his lips as he wonders about what he should do next, the Japanese prince allowed Yunho to take the lead first.

Surveying the mess for a bedroom, the emperor pondered about Jejung’s lodging issues and cursed at his subordinate’s carelessness. “You… I will get you another place to stay.” Yunho spoke, nasally voice breaking cutely in the process. “Wound. Dressing. You will need to see the physician first…” Yunho stated like a robot and Jejung nodded slightly.

Pretending to be all weak and unable to stand, all bashfulness is pushed to the back of his mind and Jejung even leaned on Yunho gingerly. Neither spoke as the emperor allows bodily contact for the first time. Jejung quickly decided that this is the closest he will ever get to Yunho, which is true considering that the emperor’s paranoia had provided him with a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal.

Jejung felt fragile and fits well into Yunho’s palms and the man had never held anyone so delicate. The fine porcelain feel of Jejung’s velvety skin and slim shoulders worked to the younger one’s advantage. Yunho can feel himself softening towards the person he is holding on to. Jejung even smiled gratefully and the emperor couldn’t stop his heart from pounding incessantly.

“The wound is deep but nothing will happen once it’s closed up.” The physician had arrived shortly to tend to Jejung while Yunho sits at the far end of the room, watching the older man work while reporting his every move to the patient king. Yunho would also sneak peeks at Jejung’s flawless skin for signs of what he would consider a warrior’s scar and spotted none. The previous shogun had taken great pains to ensure that no wounds on his children would leave scars and his hard work paid off.

“All done.” Bowing deeply to Jejung while the other swiftly pulls his lowered pyjamas up again, the physician skilfully kept his kit and turned away. No one is allowed to peek at the queen while they change after all.

“Wait.” A loud thunderous voice stopped everyone and even Jejung is a little stunned. The quiet Yunho has spoken at last.

Standing up, the emperor makes his way to the door and takes over the new set of outfit from the servants. Then, making his way over to the Japanese prince, he draped it over a wooden stand and cleared his throat. “That one’s soiled. Change out.”

“Yes.” Jejung whispered in Japanese. Then, jumping at the chance with Yunho still nearby, he immediately allows the top to fall, sliding off his svelte shoulders and dropping to the ground with a swish. Yunho is momentarily stunned as he witnesses Jejung strip like nobody’s business through the painfully wide gap between the bamboo blinds. Right in front of his very eyes, there is a goddess present and he had to spins away in a huff before Jejung sheds anymore layers. He does not notice the barely visible trembling of Jejung’s willowy shoulders.

Hearing Yunho and seeing the king’s drastic reaction, Jejung is deeply embarrassed by his own shameless actions. Yet he understands what Yuchun was insinuating. He knows what he is capable of since experiencing many indecent advances in the past had taught him the lesson of how irresistible he can be. None of the ambassadors he met in the past could resist him. Why would Yunho?

“Uh… follow the servants to your new room after you are done changing.” Yunho sounded apathetic so Jejung knew he had to try a little harder. Luckily for him, the emperor spoke in Korean.

“Eh?” Stopping Yunho in his tracks with a single airy exclamation, the emperor found his feet stuck to the ground. All ears to Jejung’s almost-conversation. “I don’t…” Jejung spoke softly in Japanese and Yunho cursed himself under his breath.

Deciding if he should repeat himself since he really does not wish to start another conversation with Jejung, he relented. “Uh… follow the servants… they will lead you to your new chamber.” He spoke in broken Japanese, cursing himself under his breath once more for the sudden deterioration in memory.

“I…” Racing out from behind the blinds still terribly under dressed, Jejung held the king by his thick wrist. This move stunned Yunho into turning around. There, fidgeting around as he bites his lips ever so sultrily, Yunho is hopelessly enthralled by what he saw. An imploring yet ever so docile Jejung calls out to him in all the worse possible ways. ‘I’m afraid.’ ‘I don’t want to be alone’. The Japanese prince is obviously telling him that he fears a repeated attack, and Yunho is perturbed by his ability to understand despite the other not verbalising his fears.

Jejung happens to be a master of facial expressions since he never conveys his messages to Yuchun through talks or quarrels. His displeasures were usually only displayed on the face.

“… I will heighten the security around your new room.” Yunho muttered dumbly, quickly spinning around to leave.

“It’s alright your majesty… I will make do with your plans. No need to trouble you men.” Jejung whispered almost dejectedly and Yunho’s heart surged again. Stupid heart. So penetrable, by just a soft timid tone.

Jejung has a point. The palace guards are always ready to be mobilised, but in a bid to better prepare them for emergencies such as sudden attacks from the enemy in the middle of the night, Yunho had reduced his patrols around the palace. They needed rest to be in optimal conditions to fight when Yuchun or whoever decides on a sneak attack, and so that was how Yunho rationalised.

“Mobilise those on duty then.” Yunho responded flatly but Jejung is not about to let his only chance slip away. Yunho is so near yet so far. He does not plan to murder the man right away, but he needs to get close enough to ensure success.

“Your majesty… your humble servant is feeling better now. Please do not interrupt the guards’ workflow for my sake.” Quickly ducking out from the emperor’s sight, Jejung darts over to the servants, all ready to follow them. Everyone is now confused and waiting for the emperor’s final answer. Only Jejung is fervently praying that the new room will be half the distance to the royal chambers compared to the previous one.

“Give him the empty room adjacent to mine.” Yunho sounded rather constipated, reluctant to have Jejung’s presence in the room meant for the empress, Yunho’s affianced wife. Nevertheless, he cannot deny the Japanese prince of his rightful title since Jejung IS the empress.

Already aware of and feeling terrible because Jejung is injured thanks to his silly plan. In addition, what would Yuchun or anyone else think and say if they were to find out Jejung’s previous residential arrangement. Yuchun can get really y and Yunho is not looking forward to that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

POV from Jejung

It’s too late to turn back now. I am getting closer to completing the mission then I ever will be and my senses are all tingling. I am scared. Really really scared… and not to mention lonely since I am in this alone.

This opportunity presented itself rather quickly and I wasn’t the least bit prepared to be honest. Well… I had weeks to prepare myself mentally but am still chickening out right now. Silly me.

We will probably share the same death date. Is that the reason for my fears? I do not wish to die young… but it is better this way since I can never live with the fact that I actually murdered someone.

I might fail since he is the king and a smart man at that. Is it the fear of failing Oniisama? No one should know that oniisama is the one who orchestrated the murder of the emperor of Korea, but I don’t think it will matter much since he is still the most feared man in all of these plains. My concerns should really be on whether I succeed. Yet I don’t want to succeed and do not care.