Hi! ^.^

I have to apologise for not updating for so long! Here are 3 chapters to make up for whatever... Am not too sure if this update is good enough but I really hope it is!!

Please do forgive me if the story seems somehow disjointed! I haven't been writing for some time and the flow is kinda affected! >.< ; *bows* I will try to keep updates constant from now on... *prays hard*

Thank you for commenting and subscribing too!

Do stay and read!!

Sorry for being a drag too!!

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To: @Sylvia14. Hiya babe! If you are reading this, I just want to let you know that it was a pleasant surprise for me to see your message on the wall! You always disappear for extended periods too and I've missed you. *hugs* I hope you are not too beesee and good luck to your studies if you are still mugging!

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Meanwhile…

Back in Japan

“How did it go?” A deep voice asked as he waits for the messenger to speak up. With forehead still plastered to the matted surface below, the older man turned to look at the nearest person around him before turning back to stare at Yuchun’s feet once more.

“Your majesty, this humble one will not lie.” “Jejung sama suffered a fair amount of public humiliation.” “There was hostility, your majesty.”

Straightening up, the shogun dismissed everyone in the hall with a brief wave of his hand. Then, placing both palms on his knee joints as he sits cross legged, the man drew his katana from the sheath resting beside him and watched the flames from the lamp nearby dance on the deadlier side of his blade. Angry as he is, he does not reflect fury on his face.

Getting up promptly, the shogun headed off to the private training arena where he would practice. Swinging his weapon around with deadly force and dicing a dozen of those freshly replaced figurines made from dried grass, the man released whatever negative energy he possessed, reducing his ‘punching bags’ into a messed up pile of hay.

Stopping only when he is simmered down and able to think straight, the shogun proceeded to wash up.

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POV from Yoochun

I knew it will come to this and as much as I do not wish to care, I still do. Jejung is never the outspoken type to stand up for his rights. He won’t fight back even if his life is threatened. I have always reprimanded him for his weak character, but that weakness is the thing that will serve him well now, that ability to tolerate a hell lot of nonsense.

According to the messenger I sent with him as an , that bum had openly insulted my land’s culture and tradition. He stripped Jejung of the proper attire and paraded him half in those horrid looking rainbow coloured pieces of trash!

How can those cheap exaggerated fabric they produce ever par up to our pure white silk, embroidered to such fine perfection using real silver flakes?

Anyhow, that is not just a plain assault amounting to ual harassment on the prince of Japan. That man’s actions were screaming lack of respect for me and my people! However, even with that said, what was I expecting from him? From that uncouth, uneducated, distasteful brute with the lack of proper upbringing!

It will be my turn when he sends his equally low life brother over. I will ensure that the show gets even more entertaining. I am still undecided about whether I should stoop to his level, but I will be just as audacious that I can guarantee.

I didn’t witness his impertinence but he will be invited to watch how I oppress his dear sibling.

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Back in the Korea… at night.

Huddled up in a corner of the room is a small figure as he sits with both legs pressed against his chest in front of him, wrapped up by a blanket, as if concealed within a shell made of fabric.

“Junsu yah…” “Can’t you at least eat something?” The person’s brother is worried. Since the revelation of the terrible truth was revealed to him so abruptly, the younger one needed more time to reconcile with himself, the fact that he is involved in the trade off.

“I’m not hungry.” The person, Junsu, whined adorably, toppling over and burying his face into the silky surface of his bedding.

The door then slid open as his brother enters, cautiously, as he takes a few hesitant steps towards the mattress. “Junsu yah… just forget about what I said in the morning alright?”

Obviously wriggling uncomfortably under the massive clamp of weaved cotton, Yunho can’t exactly figure out Junsu’s reaction. “Hyung will make sure you don’t have to go over… so please just talk to me…” “Alright?” The king patted the ball lightly and what appears to be the head under the sheet twice.

“Hyung…” Just as Yunho is about to exit the room, Junsu had unravelled himself and approached the man on his own accord, for the first time in an entire day. “I don’t want to go there… I can’t speak their language…” Junsu brought up the practical issues that had been bugging him and that made Yunho even more vexed.

Desperate to get rid of Jejung, the king ended up housing the Japanese prince in the vacant north wing after lashing out at him in the morning. Refusing to head off home, Jejung ended up spending his day in solitary. Yunho wouldn’t go anywhere near him, choosing to keep him in the condition he arrived in, in hope that he can still demand Yuchun to take the latter back at a later date.

“I know. Hyung understands. Hyung will make sure he goes back and you stay alright?” Yunho sulked and sighed, reassuring Junsu again as the innocent being looks at him imploringly, eyes and tip of nose reddened, looking too damn cute.

“But but… Will Yunno get into trouble if I don’t go?” Junsu asked again barely audibly, sensing that Yunho is troubled despite his promises to keep him where he belongs. The king simply shook his head and issued his now equally troubled brother a gentle rub on the head. Junsu only got more concerned but does not bother the other any further.

Making his way back to where Jejung is kept, ‘on hold’, pending return, Yunho got down to packing whatever came with the Japanese prince in person. Stuffing the huge boxes of gifts, dowries, together with the younger person into the carriage waiting outside for them, the king remained expressionless throughout. Yunho then got on and gave instructions for departure.

Wanting to protest initially, Jejung cannot stop Yunho from doing whatever he wanted. Hands gripping tightly onto Yuchun’s dagger, the younger one simply sat in silence, waiting, and eventually finding his own eyes fixated on the almost visible throbs beside the king’s y Adam’s apple. He can’t actually see any movements there, but is trying to make himself imagine the exact spot where he might hit before Yuchun meets Yunho again.

The shogun will not be pleased to see the other emperor, so as reluctant as he might be, Jejung knows his time is up. Or rather, Yunho’s time is up. The assassin can no longer procrastinate. This is a sudden turn of events that even Yuchun hadn’t anticipated either.

Hesitant about killing the Korean emperor, Jejung is now forced to make a choice. He can either bump off the king on the way, or just go with the flow, which he is very tempted to do since he might really get to go home. Yuchun never gave Jejung a dateline either, hence the reluctance. Jejung is unable to decide if the timing is right, but his rationalisation is all messed up and he only knows he needs to get rid of the man beside him whenever he has the chance to.

With the torches from outside extinguished, Yunho and Jejung is left in the dark, seated side by side. No one spoke as the night drags on slowly. The group of traveller will only reach by boat the next evening so Jejung tells himself that he has time. Yunho knows the risk he is putting himself in by travelling all the way to the enemies land with only a few dozens of his finest soldiers, but he is willing to brave anything for Junsu. What he does not know is the imminent danger he is in, just being beside his bride.

Boarding the boat after a long ride in the carriage, Jejung felt his heart sink as they have finally reached the waters, where he will have his last chance to complete his mission. Ironically, to add on to his dismal, Yunho is slumbering while sitting slouched, totally unsuspecting as he sleeps without snoring. Back against the side of the unsheltered but huge boat, the king even allowed his own escorts to get some rest, leaving his vulnerable body parts and internal organs exposed to Jejung with minimal protection.

Inching a little closer to Yunho while the boat rocks on gently with the calm waves of the blackened sea, glistening occasionally with the weak glow of the moonlight, Jejung in one deep breath and leant in quietly. Fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt of Yuchun’s short blade, the lovely being, though highly strung, did not tremble.

“I’m sorry.” Jejung whispered words that were instantly carried off with the wind, drowned out by the loud fluttering of the boat’s mast with the sea breeze’s passing. He is fully prepared to sin.

Nevertheless, a few long minutes later, Jejung found himself still in the same position, with dagger’s blade still a full inch away from Yunho’s throat. Hurriedly repositioning his weapon, Jejung raised it and was about to plunge it into Yunho’s chest when he found his elbows locked at an irritating ninety degrees, literally stuck.

Sulking irritatedly, the prince repeated the same swinging motion a dozen times, but neither the tip nor the blade would touch Yunho.

“BONK!” A loud knock as well as jerk of the vessel drew everyone on board back from dream land immediately. With face just inches away from Yunho, Jejung leapt up and pretended to be checking out the source of the sound, thankful that Yunho hadn’t opened his eyes yet though he was stirring. Sliding the weapon back beneath his obi swiftly as he is wearing the Kimono he had brought with him, Jejung squinted a little and gasped upon realisation that they have arrived.

“ALL ON BOARD! WE HAVE ARRIVED!! YOUR MAJESTY!! WE HAVE ARRIVED!!”

Panicking, Jejung quickly sagged down back onto his spot on the boat and watched quietly as the sailors and soldiers alike hop off the harbour, dragging their tired feet along. Placing his hands on the pericardial region, Jejung found himself actually shivering as his heart beats painfully against his ribs.

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POV from Jejung

This isn’t right! Whatever is happening is deviating from the initial plan!

“You will know when the time is ripe.” I asked oniisama about the dateline for accomplishing the mission and those were the only words he left me with just seconds before my departure… and I honestly do not have an inkling about what he meant by that. I just assumed that the time is now…

Anyhow, I thought I had a long night to do what is needed, but I never expected us to arrive so soon.

The journey when I was on my way to that foreign land was unbearable lengthy… and so I thought...

I barely had enough time to stretch my legs this time and we are already here. I should probably stop blaming time… since I had more than enough chances to kill him. I just couldn’t. There was no way I could get my muscles to cooperate!!

Oniisama is going to be SO mad at me… right? Mad at me for being weak, incompetent… but I’m not out to prove anything, so technically speaking, it doesn’t matter if I fail or succeed right? My thoughts are so conflicted right now.

What is going to happen if they meet up? What will oniisama do?

Do we really have to murder this man at the first place? He seems like a nice person even though he was bullying me all the way through yesterday and the day before. I am even more confused by him!! I think he has personality issues.

The way he cares so much for his younger brother reminds me of what my own would never do for me. But I still appreciate having oniisama as my brother. I don’t hold any hard feelings even though I feel abandoned and used sometimes. I did never expect my brother to speak up for me either… or to even hope that he will dote on my like how this man dotes on his…

I guess my nurture has made me, in a way, less optimistic. I do not hope for more… even though it will be to die for if oniisama would actually behold my presence with a tiny bit of affection.

I admire the squealing child-like person from earlier on…

I want to be like him too. I want someone to love me like that too. I also want someone who will be willing to act a little more concerned about me, even if it’s just an act!

I guess I am really just lonely after all and that is making me delusional. I need to snap out of this and enter reality.

Will oniisama take me back? Can I know the reason why my brother had decided to send me over at the first place? I am trying to convince myself that he has his own rationale… that its for the sake of our people’s livelihoods…

TBC

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