It was hot, as summer hit land. He took the heat as a chance to take a stroll near the river. Lately, the mood has been a lot much stressful than usual, especially surrounding his dad. Korea used to be devided into tribes. Many wars and alliances later between the tribes, three main kingdoms emerged : Goguryeo in the north and Shilla and Baekje in the south. Things were becoming tense between the kingdoms, as each one of them was trying to reach supremacy, each striving for the throne. Not to forget the pressure applied by China, which just fueled the tension even more.

Saheun, a noble in the Shilla kingdom, knew that the situation is prone to get worst. He wasn't sure when, how and who will strike first. He had a bad feeling about the sudden hushed conversations, the silent looks and sighs exchanged between his parents. His older sister was no good help neither, as her behavior changed as well, regardless of his constant interrogations, she still succeeded in avoiding the subject. However not today, today he was going to make her spill it all.

 

"You need to tell me what's going on!" Saheun shouted at his sister.

"I don't understand what you are talki-"

"Do not DARE act stupid Misa! you better tell me now or I will snitch to dad that you are dating that one warlord and sneaking out to meet him" Saheun cocked an eyebrow up.

"Oh my god you would NOT dare, It's not like you are better than me!" Misa shouted back.

"I know, but you would not dare do it, you swore on your own soul, you do not want to gods to come get you" Saheun smirked, tapping his foot impatiently "So...?"

 

"Okay fine" Misa sighted, as she urged him to get close to her, scared someone is eavesdropping. " I am not supposed to tell anything, but I still feel like you deserve to know some things"

"Okay so what's wrong!" Saheun exasperated.

"The higher ones were not happy with the outcome of the fight between China and Goguryeo. The whole situation has been bothering my dad a lot, and apparently some drastic measures are being taken, measures that could either build a new futur for the kingdom or destroy it all" His noona whispered

"Drastic measures as in what? Also I did not know that we cared much about the chinese defeat, in what way does it affect us anyways?!" Misa's nerves were over the top, she wanted to talk, she wanted to snitch because she was not, for even a second, happy about what's going on, and especially what is likely to happen. It's not like her parents told her anything, however, she was able to get the overall image between the hushed conversations she spies on, and pulling her boyfriend's tongue. Knowing what's prone to happen, she was scared, she knew that her brother was, not only too rightful for his own good, but also extremely implusive. She could not be held responsible for a bad outcome "I can't say more just...just please avoid going out, avoid meeting people Saheun, if dad finds out, We are done for"

 

Saheun knew what she was implying for, but he couldn't for the love of God care. This is why he found himself near the river, after sneaking out. He was sitting in the field, enjoying the warm breeze while one of his most trusted soldiers waited a bit further away. He knew he was playing with fire, for a long while, however he couldn't stop, as the sound of the footsteps approached, his heart warming up as his met bright eyes and an even brighter smile. He felt at home, as arms engulfed him in the warmest hug, hair tickling his neck.

 

"Saheun.. I missed you so much"

"I did too Wooyeon" he smiled as he brushed the hair off Wooyeon's face.

"Your hair grew a lot longer since last time"

"Yeah it did, it's annoying though, quite pretty but annoying to deal with" Wooyeon laughed at as he ran his fingers into the other's hair.

"I thought that you weren't coming for a second"

"How could I not, when it's already difficult to meet. Lately things has been very weird and nobody is willing to spit it out" Wooyeon scratched his nape.

"Tell me about it, from my side, apparently the Chinese defeat is creating issues, even my sister is being secretive which says a lot"

"Hyung is nearly never home, and my training has been a lot harder than before" at that information, Saheun frowned.

"Training? But you are a noble Woo, even and I wish not, for there were to be war, you are not to endulge in it" Wooyeon avoided his gaze for a second before looking back at him. The look in his eyes worried Saheun greatly. Eventhough, their kingdoms were not necessarily on bad terms, that doesn't soothe his nerves. He didn't have enough power, his dad did, but the latter would never ever be supportive about his decisions, no matter what Saheun says or does. This is what pushed him to keep quiet about Wooyeon, regardless of that eating him away.

"I know, yet they are calling it security measures. Also, I am not fond of the pressure Hyung is enduring, I want to help him but he is not allowing me" Saheun was getting more and more troubled by the second, to say the least. Wooyeon was one of the most important people in his life, regardless of the fact that he is a noble from a different kingdom, Baekje. Even their main tribes weren't friends, honestly, not enemies but neither friends. He remembers the first time they met, when they were still around 10 years old. They were both too mature for their age, he smiles at that. He was brought back to the sound of tree branches breaking under the pressure of his frightened feet. He remembers that moment as if it was yesterday, his knuckles turning white as he tightly holds his mother's hand. They got lost in the forest, following an attack with only one soldier by their sides. He felt a sudden rush of unbearable fear but also adrenaline, as he was doing his best to protect his mother. After running for what felt like hours, they found a big rock buried between the trees so they decided to hide there for the moment. At one point, he could hear commanding shouts to find them nearing, sweat breaking and nerves wrecking his body, he hugged his mom tight, thinking "This is it, it's the end". He started planting kisses all over his mother's forehead, as she sobbed quietly, until suddenly, a loud crash came from the other siden across from their hidden place, which, thankfully pushed the enemies to change their distination. He felt the breath he didn't even know he was holding, breaking free as he finally was able to give a half genuine smile to his mom "We are saved for now we need to move fast mother" The soldier urging them to move as fast as they can. Just as he was to follow them, he heard a noise near him. Frozen in his place out of fear, he was still ready to fight whatever danger to emerge. However, he was not expecting to face a kid, looking to be around his age.

 

"Who are you?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, I..um I"

"You what?" Saheun took a step forward. The kid looked away.

"I saw you from afar, hiding and I thought that you were probably hiding from the soldiers, I was hiding too and I was scared to be found by them so I threw a rock from the other side so to be able to run away"

"Rock? Wait you mean that you are the one who fooled them?!" The kid glanced behind him for a second, looking nervous as hell as he nodded.

"Yes, I did, I hope that you are not some bad guys"

"What no! I should actually thank you" Saheun smiled as he held the kid's hand. "You saved us thank you so much!"

The kid, tried to smile back, just for his face to fall when someone screamed behind him "SAHEUN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

 

He turned back to find his mother petrified, the soldier already running towards them. He felt the boy yanking his hand away, as he tried to leap further away from them, Saheun didn't know what took over him, until he found himself hugging the kid.

" HYUNG STOP, he caused me no harm, he was just trying to help"

His mother gave him a doubtful glance as she breathed "help?"

"Yes mother, he saved us by distracting the enemies"Saheun knew that both his mother and the soldier weren't happy with the situation, though the tenseness of their shoulders slumped away.

"Your highness, we need to go before someone finds us" Saheun shook his head.

 

"can you please give me a minute, I want to thank him properly" 

The kid, still in his arms, stared up slightly at him. He took a step back, held the boy's hands in his and bowed "Thank you so much for your help, I am Saheun-shi, if it weren't for you, we could've met our ends"

"I I was just trying to save myself"

"Regardless, it was such a brave and noble thing to do, I have to thank you, can I do something for you to return the favor?"

The boy stuttered "N no, I just need to go, people shall be worried"

"No! But.."

"Please! I need to go, I will get in trouble!" The boy breathed out, looking worried.

 

"Listen, I want to give back, even a little, I always learned to give back when getting help, this was dangerous, I don't know where you come from, but" Saheun insisted, as he got closer to the boy's ear "Meet me near the Namhan river tomorrow morning"

The boy worried his bottom lip between his teeth, as he looked down "uhm, the Namham river is too far away, how about the Nakdong river?"

"It's a little far but it's okay" Saheun smiled brightly.

"What's your name?"

"Wooyeon, I need to go" he stepped back as he started walking the other direction.

"Goodbye! Wooyeon-shi"

"Goodbye! Sanheun-shi"

 

The next day, Saheun couldn't believe himself when he saw Wooyeon coming, not alone though, with an older man walking behind him, Wooyeon's older brother, Soocheol. He later learned how Saheun and Wooyeon crossed paths, and why Soocheol follows his younger brother everywhere now. Wooyeon loved wondering around the forest, and he went a bit further than usual, getting lost and leaving the Baekje lands. Saheun proudly exclaimed how Wooyeon was intelligent and courageous and how he saved him. Soocheol was not happy, nevertheless, he couldn't not admit that he saw a change in his younger brother. Soocheol did not understand the sudden interest Wooyeon felt towards this kid he was talking about. That day he went missing, after he found his path back home, after a lot of scolding, his brother started begging him to let him go meet the other kid. Seeing his eyes sparkling for the first time ever since their dad's death, he could not say no. After the first few times he went to meet the kid, he finally let him start going alone. He knew he should be worried, worried that the kid was from Shilla, but his emotions took the best of him as he saw his brother coming back home every single time, happier and brighter than ever. Their meetings continued for 13 years, sometimes frequent and sometimes going as far as months, yet they always came, carving messages in trees and rocks for the other to find, if ever an inconvenience came. Saheun couldn't comprehend his sudden attachement to Wooyeon, he felt that he was a part of his family, a part of himself. He only heard of such similar thing from an older psychic that everyone thought was crazy in the villages.

"Everyone have a soulmate assigned for it, some are destined to meet, some are not. If you are one of the lucky ones, once you find your soulmate, you shall be complete and nobody, even the power of gods and beyond, can break that bond, not even death" She smiles softly as she caressed Saheun's cheeks "And you, my dear, is one special soul"

Saheun can only now understand what she meant, he now, 23 years old, wishes to snore, yet he finds himself believing in what she says. Seeing that what he was feeling was something stronger, way stronger than what he can handle. What puzzled him is that this was meant to be felt for a woman, and not to your best friend, who is supposed to be an enemy. He could not comprehend what he was feeling. He just knew that Wooyeon completed him. He could not imagine a present or a futur without him, he could not imagine a life without him, Saheun without Wooyeon. So when war was announced, his first thought was Wooyeon before anything else.