Jaejoong entered the palace when he was seventeen years old, as a possible future partner to the crown prince. Normally, only women were considered for that but because of the prince’s preferences, it had been permitted and even demanded the presence of young good-looking boys of good families. After all the tests he had to go through, Jaejoong was the only boy that had remained among the three chosen ones with two other girls his age.

The first day in the palace, Jaejoong had been full of encountered feelings. First, he had to say good-bye to his parents for ever because even if he was chosen to marry the prince or not, he still had stay as his concubine. He had cried while leaving his parents but there was nothing he could do about it. You just don’t ignore the orders of the king.

Then there was the fear of the unknown if the prince didn’t chose him. He didn’t have any idea if the prince would choose him or any of the other girls, leaving him as a concubine. That was not good, because it was well-known that the concubines were forgotten by their husbands sooner or later and they didn’t have the option of marrying somebody else, so they ended up alone, confined to a room where they were attended like royalty but without anyone to share their lives with. Jaejoong was terrified of that possibility because he really hated being alone.

Yet, there was also the possibility of the prince choosing him, but Jaejoong didn’t know him, so he could be a horrible man with a terrible personality to whom Jae would have to give himself to every night. And still, he couldn’t refuse the ordered that the king had given, father of the man he was supposed to marry… or not.

As soon as he got to the palace with the other two chosen ones, the maids accompanied them to what would be their rooms. Apparently, the prince wasn’t going to be able to meet them until the weekend because he had some things to take care of. Because of that, they would spend a few days in the palace, being pampered. Jaejoong had been a nervous wreck the first night in the palace and had barely slept at all.

The next day, after enjoying a very elaborate and delicious breakfast, he had decided to take a stroll alone... or as alone as he could be with an army of several maids following him at a prudent distance. The previous day they had explained to him that there were some places that he was prohibited to visit and while he strolled, he had been careful not to break the rules. Then, while walking around in a beautiful garden with a lake in the middle, Jaejoong saw the prince for the very first time…

The pale boy knew perfectly well the rules of etiquette when you happen to meet a member of the royal family but his brain had simply disconnected and he couldn’t do anything but stand there, looking at the young man that couldn’t be that much older than him. His eyes were almond-shaped, his lips full; especially the lower one and he had a tiny mole above his mouth. He was tall and had broad shoulders. Jaejoong had never believed in love at first sight… until then.

Those amazing eyes found Jaejoong’s and all the blood ran so quickly to his face that he felt sort of dizzy. Then the prince looked as surprised as he had been when he saw him, like he was feeling the same way Jaejoong had. And then… something wonderful happened. The prince blushed and smiled at him. He smiled at Jaejoong like he was sincerely happy to see him. The sight had been so beautiful that all coherent thought had abandoned his mind, leaving behind only a single thought… perfect. The boy couldn’t do nothing but stand there like a fool until one of the maids got in the middle of his line of vision.

• Young master… I think is time for us to leave…
• But he… who is he? – Asked Jaejoong in a whisper, trying to catch a glimpse of the prince again.
• He is the prince Jung Yunho… the younger brother of the crown prince, Jung Sihan. He will be your brother in law…

Right then, Jaejoong knew what it felt like to be broken hearted.

---------------------0-------------------

The next days, Jaejoong wouldn’t stop seeing prince Yunho around. It looked like he was present in every single place he went to. When Jaejoong was eating with the other suitors, he had seen the prince peeping at him through the door and when he noticed Jaejoong’s eyes on him, he had smiled at him like the first day.

When Jaejoong was in the garden, playing with the maids and the suitors, the prince had chosen a spot underneath a tree a few meters away to read. Although, Jaejoong had caught him more times looking at him than reading his book. The same had happened when he was strolling through the breathtaking gardens.

And at nightfall, the prince would knock on his door and asked him if he wanted to walk a little with him. Technically it was prohibited, especially if they were alone, to walk together. Yet, the look of hope and shyness in the prince’s perfect almond-shaped eyes had made Jaejoong break the rules for the first time in his life.

They walked together for hours that felt like just a few minutes. They talked about their families and their preferences. About their dreams and hopes. About everything and nothing at the same time. And Jaejoong could confirm the fact that he was deeply in love with the prince and his perfect, sweet smile.

When they walked back to Jaejoong’s room, the prince took his hand and caressed it for a few moments before he let a soft kiss in the back of it. Jaejoong smiled at him with all the happiness he was feeling and the prince smiled back at him. Yet, hours later, when Jaejoong realized that the very next day he would be tied to the prince’s brother for the rest of his life in a way or another, his heart broke again…

----------------------------0--------------------------

The morning Jaejoong met the crown prince, Jung Sihan, was sunny like a dream… a complete contrast with the young man’s feelings. He didn’t have anything against the crown prince, but Jaejoong was in love and it wasn’t exactly with him.

The presentation of the three candidates to partner of the prince was done in the presence of the crown prince, his father the king and his younger brother… prince Yunho. Jaejoong did what he was supposed to without really thinking about it. He didn’t want to be there and his eyes wouldn’t stop drifting towards prince Yunho who in exchange also seemed incapable of taking his off of him. They were so close and yet so far away from each other…

Nevertheless, while prince Sihan was talking with the three suitors, he couldn’t help to notice the exchange of looks between his little brother and Jaejoong. Even though Yunho tried to hide it when he realized his brother had noticed, it was already too late. Jaejoong was scared on prince Yunho’s sake and how his brother would react, but before he could do something to distract the man, the crown prince turned towards his father to talk to him.

• Father… Yunho is also of age to get married… Don’t you think so?
• Yes, you are right… I’ll send to look for a wife for him too.

Jaejoong chest felt heavy and he felt like crying until prince Sihan turned to look directly at him.

• I don’t think that will be necessary, father. I think that young Kim Jaejoong would be perfect for Yunho. They are of the same age and the young man comes from a very good family. He would be a good husband for my brother…

Jaejoong tried to hide the hope from his face because he didn’t want to be ill-mannered and end up making the crown prince angry, but it was really hard. Everything he wanted was being laid before his very eyes. He looked down, so that they wouldn’t notice that he was silently praying with all his might for a miracle to happen.

• But the boy was chosen for you, Sihan.
• Father, with two wives I’ll already have a hard time. I wouldn’t like to be a bad husband that doesn’t pay attention to his partners. So… what do you say?
• Very well. Yunho, Kim Jaejoong will be your husband now. Thank your brother for his generosity.

The smile in Jaejoong’s face couldn’t be controlled anymore. His cheeks hurt and he wanted to jump like a little kid… but he was so happy and in his world that he hadn’t notice the wicked expression on prince Sihan or the way prince Yunho’s face fell…

---------------------------0------------------------------

Weeks went by in which Jaejoong was walking on clouds. The flowers looked more beautiful, the food smelled more delicious and the clothes felt softer against his skin. Everything felt beautiful and perfect since he got to know that he was going to marry prince Yunho. He couldn’t wait…

A few days before, prince Sihan had married the woman that was going to be the queen and now there were a few days left until Jae’s weeding with Yunho. The clothes he would wear had already being brought and the decoration weren’t necessary because they would basically use what prince Sihan had used. There was no need to start from scratch all over again.

The only thing that made Jaejoong a little sad was that he hadn’t been able to see Yunho since the day they had declared them a couple. The pale boy assumed that the prince was busy but he really missed him. But he took console on the fact that once they were married; he was always going to be next to him.

---------------------------0-------------------------

The day of their weeding came and went and Jaejoong was taken to his room to wait for his prince. The ceremony had been beautiful and Yunho had looked so handsome in his ceremonial clothes. It had been hard for the boy to take his eyes off of his new husband. He couldn’t believe how lucky he had been at getting everything he wanted. He had never cared about being queen or anything like that… he just wanted to fell in love and be happy. And thankfully, that was exactly what he had gotten.

But while it got late and more and more lights were turned off and Yunho didn’t come to his room, a heavy dark cloud settled in his happy little world.

He waited and waited… but when the sun came out and there was still no trace of the prince, he couldn’t do anything but accept the fact that Yunho was not going to go to see him.

Every night for the rest of the week, Jaejoong waited for his husband to arrive, but that never happened. Yunho never went to see him. Not at night to be with him, not during the day to at least see him for a little while.

Finally, when his mind had created all kinds of hypothesis about what was happening, Jaejoong gathered his courage and went looking for his husband. Surely something was happening for his sweet and young prince to be unable to see him.

He looked for him everywhere, but he couldn’t find him in the end. A horrible fear settled on his chest and the poor boy didn’t know what to do with it. With slow steps full of sorrow, he started his way back to his room, when he heard masculine voices coming from one of the reunion rooms.

• And where is prince Yunho? – asked a voice
• Ahhh… my little brother? He left in a hurry to the battles at the borders… - answered prince Sihan’s voice.
• He was send there? – asked another voice.
• No, nobody sent him. He ask father for permission to go.
• But… didn’t he just get married? – asked the second voice.
• Yep… that is the reason why he wanted to go... – Said Sihan with a voice filled with amusement.

Jaejoong’s soul dropped to his feet with just that tone of voice and what he was saying.

• What do you mean majesty? – asked the first voice
• Well, you know how I like to put Yunho in his place, making him know who is the important prince in this palace… well, I did it again.
• What did you do, majesty? – Asked the second voice with an amused tone as well, while the first voice laughed.
• I noticed that Yunho wouldn’t stop looking at one of my suitors. The only boy among my options. Not that I blame him by the way, the kid is beautiful. Then I told father that I would give up my claim on the kid on Yunho’s favor…

There was a silence in the room during which Jaejoong held his breath.

• I don’t see how that is playing a prank on the prince, majesty…
• Simple, my dear friend, Yunho knows that everything in this palace belongs to me. The food, the clothes, the people, the throne, the crown and even the nation. Everything. And my whole life I took care of letting him see that he would only get whatever I decided to leave behind for him. Be it toys, servants or food. Now… his husband is also a leftover of mine… and it won’t stop burning him…

The laughs that followed the horrible words covered the sound the boy made when he fell to the floor when his legs couldn’t hold him up any longer.

• And that is not even the best part – continued the prince among the laughs he didn’t seem to be able to hold – I marry him to a man. He’ll never have the kids he said he wanted to have. He will never be able to compete with me for the throne. Like always, he’ll have to see me from the shadows.

While the laughs continued, tears started to pour from the eyes of the beautiful young man. His Yunho… his Yunho would not love him anymore because he had become the living, walking representation of the humiliations prince Sihan had made him go through his whole life. Jaejoong had been turned into the prince’s worst nightmare...

--------------------0-----------------------

The days went by without anything of mention… one after the other in complete loneliness and without news of his husband. Jaejoong ate only because his personal servant, Suhi, looked at him with the expression of sadness that reminded him of his mother. But the truth was that the boy, now turned prince, didn’t want to do anything but sleep. Sleep for hours in which he could dream of Yunho and his beautiful smile of perfect teeth.

------------------------0------------------------

Months went by before Yunho went back to the palace when the battle he had been in was finally over. By then a lot of things had happened. Sihan concubine had gotten pregnant and the crown prince had caught a sickness that barely let him get out of bed.

Jaejoong knew that he shouldn’t be happy about those kind of things, but he couldn’t help thinking that the awful man deserved what was happening to him. He was terrified of the kind of king he would become.

On the other hand, the king didn’t seem to be in good shape either. Every day he looked older and weaker.

But none of that matter to Jaejoong. He was interested only on the arrival of his husband and what he could do to make him realize that he really loved him and that he wasn’t Sihan’s leftover to him because his heart… his heart had always been Yunho’s. Since the very first day…

But Yunho avoided him at all times. He was always too busy to see him or too tired to visit him at night. There simply wasn’t space in his life for Jaejoong. And the young prince didn’t know what to do to make his husband see that he only needed to talk to him long enough to tell him three words. Just three, but the most important in the world to him… I love you.

---------------------0-------------------------

When Suhi woke him up in the middle of the night, Jaejoong thought that his husband had finally decided to go visit him. He was wrong…

Prince Sihan had died a few minutes ago, succumbing to the sickness that had mistreated him for weeks. There had been nothing that the doctors could do for him and now the man had left behind two women and an unborn baby.

• Do you know what that means majesty? – Suhi had whispered – Prince Yunho will be king and you will be his queen…

But that couldn’t matter less to the young black-haired boy. He didn’t care about any of that. What he cared about was that maybe now he could have the chance to get close to his husband like he had wanted for so long. Maybe he could finally get rid of Sihan’s shadow between them. Now that everything belonged to his husband.

-----------------------------0-----------------------------

When the king died, merely two weeks had gone by since prince Sihan’s death. Apparently, the pain of losing his eldest son had worsened the fragile king’s health.

And just like that, in a matter of weeks, Yunho became the king and Jaejoong his queen. The coronation had been planned a few days after the burial of the two members of the royal family.

Jaejoong was dressed in the most amazing clothes, created especially for him by a tailor that had been assigned exclusively to him… his name was Yoochun. A talented young man, that saw things in a different way than the rest of the tailors.

Yunho was also dressed in clothes that showed the king he already was. During the ceremony, it had been almost impossible for Jaejoong to take his eyes off of his husband. He felt like it had been years since the last time he had seen him… yet he was just as attractive and perfect… but also as distant and cold…

Jaejoong tried to talk to him one more time when the ceremony had finished, but before he could say anything, the young king had called the maids to order them to Jaejoong to his new room.

• I’ll be very busy now so try not to bother me with unimportant things. You’ll also have lots of duties from now on. Let’s give our best.

And without another word he had turned around and left, not letting Jaejoong say the words he was still dying to say…

--------------------0---------------------

His life did change but not for the best. Even if he had responsibilities, they weren’t that many or that important. The truth was that maybe if he was a woman, things could have been different. Or maybe if only if wasn’t so evident that the king didn’t feel any affection towards him…

The fact that Jaejoong couldn’t give Yunho children made him completely useless in the eyes of the men of politics that surrounded his husband most of the day.

Yunho, on the other hand, was busy with work for most part of the day. He had not received the same education than his brother, so it was even harder for him to get used to being king. Jaejoong took care of sending the maids to his husband’s room with different types of food and medicine, but always asking them not to tell Yunho that he had sent them. He was afraid the king would reject the food if he got to know Jaejoong was sending it.

Weeks turned into months and Jaejoong had totally given up on talking to the king… more less telling him those words that he had kept for so long in his heart. He lived his life one day at a time and tried to be in the gardens by the time his husband walked by towards his room. Yet, he never stopped him or called his attention in any way… he just wanted to see him. At least… see him.

--------------------------0-------------------------

The day of his birthday came and went by… he didn’t accept the celebration because he had insisted on donating the money destined to his party to the local clinic. The complements towards his generosity had made him feel bad, because the truth was that he didn’t want the party, knowing that Yunho wouldn’t be there and that he probably didn’t even know that he had been born that day.

Most part of his days were spend all alone. The only one who visited him regularly was his tailor, Yoochun. The young man always came with a new creation for Jaejoong and he would stay for a few hours to chat with him. They both considered themselves as friends, but it was not right to say it out loud because Yoochun was very far down in the social status unlike him. And yet, everyone from his status thought of him as a bad joke.

Jaejoong had gotten to know that they’ve been pressuring Yunho to divorce him. They didn’t do it directly because that would be betrayal, but they wouldn’t stop telling the king rumors about Jaejoong and his family that they had surely made up. And he hadn’t gotten to know this from his husband’s lips but from the lips of the maids that were everyday with him and liked him.

Nevertheless, Suhi wouldn’t stop reminding him with a big smile, that the maids had said that the king would shut them up every time they mention something related to rumors against Jaejoong or any mention of divorce. But Jaejoong didn’t fool himself thinking the king was doing it for some kind of secret love towards him… the king, his Yunho, had lost the love he used to feel for him the moment his brother had given to him like a piece of used clothes. To Yunho, Jae was nothing more than a bad memory that wouldn’t leave him alone…

-----------------------0---------------------

The day Jaejoong got to know about his mother’s death was also the day the king was going to take a second wife. Because the king didn’t want to wait and he wanted to marry quickly, Jaejoong couldn’t ask for permission to go out. As a queen and the first husband of the king, he had to go the weeding to welcome the new wife of the ruler.

With his heart in his throat and his hand in Suhi’s firm grip, Jaejoong sat down to witness Yunho’s weeding with his new wife, Minyu. The young woman was beautiful and from a very important family.

The ceremony went like a blur before the boy’s eyes, who was present in body but not in soul. He came back to his senses when Yunho got close to him holding his new wife’s hand. It was a tradition that the second wife should be presented to the first one to receive his approval… not that it was needed.

Suhi cleared and Jaejoong did his best to smile kindly.

• Welcome, Minyu. I, king Jung Yunho’s first spouse, find you acceptable for him and I hope you accept this… this present… this present… as a token of my sincerity… and welcome – said Jaejoong while his maids gave her maids a gorgeous dress that Yoochun had made on his request.

Minyu smiled at Jaejoong but it was a smile that didn’t reached her eyes.

• Thank you, majesty. You are very generous. I hope we get along…

While the girl was taken by the maids towards her new bedroom to wait for Yunho’s arrival, for the first time since they had gotten married, Jaejoong didn’t try to talk to the king. The young man was out of energy to be rejected once again. He couldn’t handle it that day, maybe the worst day of his short life…

When he had turned around to leave, Yunho’s voice calling his name had stopped him. The black-haired turned around to look at his husband, who was dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing the day that he had married him, that was frowning at him. For some moments the king didn’t do anything but look at him or rather, inspect him with his eyes. It was like he was noticing the signs of Jaejoong’s mood in every detail on his face, his body language… or not…

• Why are you dressed like that? You are queen of this nation and today is my weeding day. Don’t you have jewels? And what are those colors?

Jaejoong had been so heartbroken by his mother’s loss and by the ceremony that he had put on dark clothes and hadn’t even bothered with any type of accessory. He didn’t even let Suhi put a little bit of make up on him to enhance his beauty. The young man looked like he felt… sad and desolated.

Suhi had stepped forward to explain the situation to the king, but Jaejoong had blocked her with an arm. The woman looked at him and stepped back. Jaejoong proceeded to bow before his husband for a little while before he straightened.

• I apologize, majesty. I’m not feeling very well today… could you please excuse me if I don’t go to the banquet?
• Do whatever you have to… - had answered the young king after a pause that had seemed eternal to Jaejoong.

After bowing one more time before his husband, Jaejoong turned around and started his way back to his room at a slow pace. If the king didn’t go with him, Jaejoong couldn’t leave the palace, so visiting his mother’s grave was out of question. Yunho would never go with him… he had a wife to go to.

While the boy walked away, with his eyes full of tears, he couldn’t feel his husband staring at him.

----------------------------------0------------------------------

Yunho went to Minyu’s room that night. It was the first thing he got to know that long, horrible night…

Yunho went to Minyu’s room every night after that day.

-------------------------0-----------------------------

Another birthday went by and Jaejoong donated all the money for his party once again. As long as he was concerned, there was absolutely nothing to celebrate.

Yet Suhi and Yoochun were determined to give him gifts. Yoochun had made him a flawless set of pants and shirt in his favorite color, black. And Suhi had given him a silver necklace with a cameo that had a portrait of his parents.

• I thought you might like it… I asked your father for the portrait when I went out on my free day… he sends you these. They are letters that your mother wrote for you…

Jaejoong broke all protocol and hugged the woman firmly. She was probably the only one that actually cared about him in that big, lonely place.

----------------------0---------------------

Yoochun went back to see him later in the day of Jaejoong’s birthday with a cape and an idea. He wanted to take Jae to his mother’s grave. Jaejoong got all nervous and had refused to do such a thing, but Yoochun and Suhi had insisted. They both assured him that nobody would know about it. When Jae finally accepted, Yoochun covered him with the cape and Suhi and him guided him towards the servants exit towards the streets he hadn’t step a foot on in years.

When he got to his mother’s grave, Jae cried and talked to the woman while caressing the grass that covered the last place of rest of the woman that had given him life. The place where she had been buried was breathtaking. From the hill you could see a landscape of trees and mountains. And while he sat there, Jaejoong thought that it was a very good place to rest.

---------------------------------0-------------------------------

• Have you ever had a dream, Yoochun? – Asked Jae one afternoon in which the man had come to see him with another perfect outfit.

After putting it on, they had sat down at a bench under a tree and stayed there for a while in complete silence.

• Yes, majesty. Everybody has dreams.
• What is your dream, Yoochun?
• Well… I’ll like to see more of the world…

Jaejoong nodded with his eyes lost in the horizon.

• I dreamed of meeting the person that would make me feel complete and it came true. Then I dreamed with marrying that person and been always with him and it also came true. Then I dreamed with him loving me as much as love him… but I guess I dreamed too much.

Yoochun stared at the impossibly gorgeous man and had to held back the urge to hold his hand. He would literally be condemned to death for touching the one that was married to the king…

• Maybe, majesty, you need a new dream…

A sad smiled spread on the porcelain face.

• But I just keep dreaming about the same thing… even though I know it won’t come true.

And while the young man sighed, gripping tightly the cameo that he never took off, he failed to notice the presence of his husband, who had stopped by the entrance of the garden, where he could clearly see him seating there with Yoochun.

---------------------------------0----------------------------------

The next thing Jaejoong got to know was that Yunho had started to bed the maids. Apparently, the young king was frustrated because Minyu wouldn’t get pregnant even after all the time he had spent with her. Because of that, the king had given up and started to spend time with other women… and considering that all the maids in the palace were thought to be the king’s women…

The black-haired had tried to ignore the whole thing as much as he could, until it had happened with one of his personal maids. Suhi had been furious and had taken the woman aside to reprimand her when Jaejoong found them. With a soft smile on his face, Jaejoong had asked the young woman to go back to work to the kitchens.

• I have too many maids already… you can go back to the kitchen.

When the woman had left, Jaejoong turned to Suhi.

• If it happens again… I don’t want to know. ¿Ok?

--------------------------------0--------------------------------

When Jaejoong had been called before the king, the first thing that crossed his mind was that the young king had finally decided to get rid of him. To be honest, it had taken him awhile…

The moment he entered the room, Jaejoong crossed paths with Minyu that was on her way out and had smirked plastered to her face. That made him felt a heavy weight in the pit of his stomach.

As soon as Jaejoong was standing in the middle of the room, Yunho looked up and just stared at him in silence for a while. Jaejoong didn’t say a word not did he tried to make the king talk, he just waited. He had become very good in the art of waiting…

• One of Minyu’s maids saw you getting out of the palace with Park Yoochun and Suhi… is that true?

Jaejoong couldn’t do anything but gape at the king like a fish out of water. He had never been good at lying and he didn’t know what to do to save both his only friends.

• Then it’s true… you dared to leave the palace! You do know that I can kill those two for what they helped you to do!

Jaejoong fell on his knees before the king and looked at him with begging eyes.

• Please… please… I just wanted… my mother’s grave… I wanted to see it… just once…
• You know you can’t go out… you know you can’t abandon the palace… do you have any idea the amount of times in a day I have to hear complains about you? Do you have any idea of the amount of times they ask me to get rid of you? And then you go and do this… what am I supposed to do? If you cannot fulfill your duties as queen, then at least don’t cause me any more trouble…

Jaejoong lowered his eyes, feeling completely empty. Alone and empty.

• Yoochun… Suhi… please… - Murmured the boy without getting up.

The king grinded his teeth while he sat down once again with a huff.

• I’ll let Suhi keep on serving you… but you won’t see Yoochun again. I’ll send him as a tailor to China.

Jaejoong looked at the king with eyes full of pain and was about to complained but he stopped. Yoochun wanted to meet the world. That was the man’s dream and now he would be able to… and he wasn’t going to be harmed. That was a good thing.

• Yes, majesty.
• Don’t you ever do something like that again, Jaejoong. I’m tired of hearing about you…

The boy got up from the floor and bowed again. When he turned around to leave, he stopped and looked at the king.

• Are you really… not going to hurt Yoochun?
• Do you care that much about that tailor? It’s there something else I should know? – Asked the king with his eyes full of fire.

Jaejoong didn’t know what was that the king was asking, but he shook his head anyways to calm him down.

• He is… a good friend…

Yunho stared at Jaejoong for entire minutes before he grunted with annoyance.

• I hope so… and no, nothing will happen to him.

Jaejoong thanked the king and turned around once again to leave when the king called his name. When he turned around, the king simply stared at him without a word. Just staring at him intensively… examining his face carefully.

• Try to go unnoticed…

--------------------------0---------------------------

After the talk with the king and seeing Minyu’s expression while he was entering the room, Jaejoong took a decision. He just couldn’t keep on living like that. He couldn’t handle any of it anymore… his heart just couldn’t take it.

Jaejoong sent one of his maids to the market and when she came back with what he asked, he called Suhi to his room. Giving the jar to the woman with a poker face, Jaejoong talked in serious tone.

• You’ll put this in the food every day. Just a little bit and you’ll make sure that nobody sees you.
• Majesty… I can’t…
• I’m not asking you if you can or not. It’s an order. With or without prestige, I still have the power to at least give these kinds of orders.
• Yes, majesty.

-----------------------------0------------------------------

Months later, Jaejoong was reading a letter from Yoochun. Apparently the man had founded a girl in China and he was seriously in love. Jaejoong felt really happy for him.

Yunho had managed to get one of the maids pregnant and Jaejoong had found Minyu slapping the woman, screaming at her saying that she was nobody and she should have never done such a thing.

As soon as Jaejoong had gotten there, Minyu had stopped and turn around to look at Jaejoong with insolence. Jaejoong nodded slightly towards Suhi, who went towards Minyu and started to give her back the slaps she had given to the poor maid.

Jaejoong was still the queen and the first spouse of the king, with or without the king’s attention, it didn’t diminish his power over any other wife that Yunho could take. And Minyu wasn’t anyone to hit the woman that carried the king’s son inside her. While Minyu screamed in anger at the slaps she was receiving from Suhi, nobody moved to help her. Even if he wasn’t respected, the maids knew that Jaejoong still had that power and they wouldn’t mingle to try to help the king’s second wife.

After the punishment Suhi gave to Minyu in Jaejoong’s name, because he was not going to lowered himself to that level, the pale boy got near the pregnant woman to ask her how she was feeling. The maid answered in whimpers that she was fine, but Jaejoong insisted on taking her personally to the infirmary to check that nothing bad had happened.

--------------------------0----------------------------

Jaejoong was called before the king the very next day and on very unstable feet, the young man presented himself in front of his husband.

• Minyu says that you got her slapped. What did I asked you, Jaejoong? Minyu is the daughter of one of my ministers and you can’t treat her like that, how dare you…
• Minyu… slapped the maid that is pregnant with your child, majesty.

The most absolute silence followed the boy’s declaration. Jaejoong was finding it really hard to stay on his feet for a lot longer, but he made his best effort to stay put.

• What?
• The doctors examined her… she is okay and so… is the baby…

The boy took a big gulp of air and wobbled a little on his feet.

• Jaejoong…
• You should… get the girl under protection… she… is very important now… maybe Suhi should take care of her…

The king couldn’t do anything but look at Jaejoong for some time.

• Suhi is yours…
• Suhi… doesn’t belong to me… and I have too many maids… Suhi can take care of your son… majesty.

The king got up from the throne and got near his husband to make him look at him by grabbing his chin.

• You are really pale, Jaejoong. Go to get check with the doctor…
• I’ve always been pale… majesty.
• I gave you an order.
• Yes, majesty. If you would excuse me…

And with another bow, the boy walked away. The king’s eyes never let him go but Jaejoong couldn’t feel the king anymore…

-------------------------0---------------------------

Jaejoong didn’t go to see the doctor. There was no need. That afternoon, before dawn, Jaejoong called Suhi to his room.

• I’ll like to put on the clothes Yoochun made for me. The ones that have… red decorations…
• Yes, majesty – murmured Suhi in a soft voice.
• I will also like if you could… fix up my face a little …
• Of course, majesty.

The woman helped him get dressed and then she took care of putting a little bit of color on his cheeks and lips. The woman was an artist that made him look completely natural. When she put the mirror in front of him, it almost looked like he was seventeen again…

• I want you to take me to the lake… please…

Very carefully and at a slow pace, Suhi took him to the garden with the lake and helped him sit down in stone bench. Jaejoong couldn’t help but lean on the woman, who held him up by holding him from the waist and of one hand. Suhi’s eyes were full of tears without spill but she kept firm next to him.

• You’ll take care of the baby’s mother now…
• Yes, majesty.
• Do you think… Yoochun is okay?
• I’m sure he is, majesty.
• Suhi… I’ve never thanked you… for everything you do for me… thank you…

The woman couldn’t answer that time while she was trying to prevent her tears from falling.

• You know… I need you to do one more thing for me…
• Whatever you need, majesty.
• My mother… she loved lilacs… put some for her, please.
• Of course, majesty.
• And I… I really love lilacs too… give me some too, yes?
• I’ll do that, majesty…

After that, they both just sat there, looking at the wind moving the tree’s leafs and the lake’s water reflecting it all.

Jaejoong eyes felt heavy but then he caught a glimpse of something. The king… Yunho… he had appeared in the entrance of the garden with Minyu next to him. Maybe he was dreaming, maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but Yunho actually looked at him in the eyes. And looking into those perfect almond-shaped eyes, Jaejoong remembered the day they had met and the days after that. The days when Yunho smiled at him… the days in which Yunho pronounced his name sweetly… and even with reverence. The days in which Jaejoong had been happy. The days when they weren’t king and queen nor anything like that… just two boys getting to know each other while strolling through the gardens under the moonlight.

Jaejoong smiled a little at the memories without taking his eyes off of those gorgeous eyes, right before he coughed violently. He covered his mouth and when he lowered his hand, he saw blood on it. Oh… his time had finally come.

Yunho’s eyes widened with terror and Jaejoong saw him running towards him, crossing the bridge like it was in slow motion. But he lost sight of him when he couldn’t hold his body on the bench anymore. Almost immediately he felt Suhi moving to put his head on her lap and then Yunho was there.

His face was contorted in worry while he took him from Suhi to get him against his chest. With a tenderness that he had not felt in a while, Jaejoong felt his husband’s hands moving his hair from his face.

• Jaejoong… Jaejoong… what is happening? – then he looked up at the maids that had come with him – CALL THE DOCTOR! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Jaejoong lifted a hand with a lot of effort to guide it towards his husband’s face, but he didn’t make it. When his hand started to fall again, Yunho took it and placed it against his cheek.

• Everything is fine… you are going to be fine… I’m right here…
• Yun… ho…
• You are going to be fine… you’ll see… they already went to look for the doctor…

Jaejoong wasn’t really getting anything that was being said to him. He was simply very happy for being able to touch Yunho’s face. That was something he had dreamed with doing for a very long time… so much time.

• Yun… ho… I… I… - another cough interrupted what he was trying to say and more blood tainted the gorgeous clothes Yoochun had made for him.

Yunho got desperate and tried to clean as best as he could the blood of his lips while he screamed at the maids again to bring the doctor.

• I… lo…ve…

But before he could finish what he wanted to say since a very long time ago, his body gave up the fight and his eyes stopped seeing, his ears wouldn’t hear anymore and his heart wouldn’t beat. Jaejoong didn’t exist anymore and he wasn’t a constant problem to Yunho anymore.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment please and tell me what you think or if you saw the movie!