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Okay, maybe it is a little petty running away from the castle after an argument with his father. Not that Junhui could change his past actions now that he’s out in the cold woods, instead of being covered in the comfort of his mattress and staring at the stack of books on his bedside table that he hadn’t had the time to finish yet.
He tugged his cloak tighter, the cold breeze of the winter biting the tip of his nose. Maybe he should’ve brought along his attendants as he dashed away, or maybe he should’ve stopped at the stables to bring a horse, but, oh, well, he hadn’t really planned what he’s gotten into. Junhui’s quite a fan of theatrics after all.
He huffed a breath, white mist forming and disappearing as he did, and continued to walk with no destination.
This wasn’t even mainly his fault.
This morning, he woke up feeling refreshed despite the lazy weather urging him to stay in the bed. He slipped out of his warm blankets, did his morning routine, and even managed to read a few chapters of the book he’d been interested in before he set out of his room. The cooks had also prepared him his favorite food as breakfast, and from that, he was certain that the day would be productive and that even his princely duties would not ruin it for him.
The moment that his parents had called for his presence right after he finished his meal, he realized things won’t be that way.
It’s not as if his parents were killing machine manipulative assholes or what, and if they were, he would’ve rebelled by now. However, at all the times that the king and queen had called for his specific presence alone, they were either talking him into attending boring balls in other kingdoms, someone’s getting married, or someone’s getting him killed. He sure does hope that the reason was neither of those.
As it turns out, it was a mixture of the choices minus the latter because his father had told him that one powerful kingdom in the northeast had recently proposed a long term alliance, and aside from their recent agreements, marriage between the heirs was suggested to even strengthen the newly formed bond.
It only took him a second to realize what his parents’ are referring to. Junhui’s eyes widened a fraction, his heart heavy on his chest as the cogs turning in his head, all thoughts leading to the conclusion that he was going to get married off to someone he’d never met.
“I don’t want to do it.” Junhui firmly states, catching his mother off-guard. And before they could say anything, he continued, “How is Jeonghan hyung, the actual successor to the throne got to marry the one he loves? How is Mingyu able to court Minghao so easily? Sure, Chan is too young to get married and I’m the one who’s logically the best choice, but don’t I have a say in this too?”
“Junhui, love.” His mother approaches him, gazing at him softly. “This is for you too. We wouldn’t have agreed if their prince wouldn’t be good for you.”
He took a sharp inhale as soon as she heard her voice, swallowing before he spoke. “Isn’t this unfair? You never said anything when my brothers rejected their choice of getting married away. Don’t I get the chance to fall in love too?”
His father didn’t seem to be affected by his words. “This isn’t some fairytale that you read on your books, Junhui. This is one of your duty as a prince,” his father states, his tone filled with conviction. “The chances of you falling in love with a commoner isn’t as important as you marrying into a kingdom this huge. They had already sent their heir to come and strengthen the agreement! Do you not realize the repercussions if you refuse?! ”
Junhui flinched as he heard his father’s words, his eyes widening in horror.
“Do you even hear your words?!” he hisses, causing the two to get taken aback. Rarely does he ever shout, and never once had he raised his voice to his parents, but Junhui hadn’t had the chance to contain his rage. “You are a king yet you have stooped so low, thinking lowly of your own people! I can’t believe you.” He lets out a bitter laugh, the poison of his words ill on his tongue. “Just because I’m your least favorite child doesn't mean you can dictate the way my life goes. I refuse to get married, and that’s how it goes.”
His parents were stunned after his outburst. His mother seemed guilty, as his father’s face showed a slow realization which was then quickly changed with a firm composture.
“I didn’t mean it that way, Junhui, you know that,” his father explains, but all Junhui could hear at that moment was his own fury. “This is also for your own good. You have to reconsider it.”
Junhui said nothing, pursing his lips as he burst out of the room. His face flushed with frustrations as he strode the long halls of the castle. He couldn’t think of any thoughts aside from his own frustration, or how he can’t voice out his thoughts as easily as he should, or how they broke out the news so easily that it's as if they expected him to agree to everything that they said. He does not want to get married!
And his father’s words.
Junhui grunted in frustration as he stopped by to his room, wore his outside boots, and grabbed the winter cloak sitting idly on the armchair. And the next thing he knew, he had already walked up front outside of the confines of the castle into the woods that surrounded it.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed or how far he had come, but when he felt his legs hurt with all the walking slash running away, his brain fog had sufficed and cooled off a little. And he realizes that he’d gone too far deep into the woods, and he isn’t quite sure where he was now.
Sighing about how his day turned out, he picked up a random twig in the snow and continued walking. He can’t consider going back because then, he would look as pathetic as he is. And Junhui isn’t a quitter, so he continued.
Not long after, a cold touch had bitten the tip of his nose, and he realizes that the clouds had turned into a darker shade of grey, the snow deciding to fall. He scrunches his nose, a pout forming on his lips.
He hates everything. Hates how his father talked like that. How his mother looked at him apologetically. Hated that he compared himself to his brothers whom he loves so much. Hated that he’s just a prince, who’s well, a prince. He doesn’t even know if he loves that title or what. He hates how he decided to run away randomly in the woods, and hates how now he’s lost and the snow is falling and he’s tired already.
Junhui wants to cry. Maybe this was partly his fault too.
He took a quick survey of his surroundings. White covered the floors of the forest, the trees lacking any leaves aside from the evergreens. He could hear some birds faintly chirping, but since the clouds had taken up the space in the sky, he can’t know in which direction he is heading or even facing. He sighs, all the regrets crashing to him.
Angry Junhui was the most unreliable Junhui, but right now, he’s frustrated Junhui, and well, he’s definitely frustrated because he wants to smack angry Junnie for running away when he could’ve just gone to Soonyoung’s house.
Moments after walking a few meters upon meters, it was as if gods had decided to shed guidance to him when he comes upon a half-frozen river. He nears the body of water excitedly recognizing it. He’s sure that if he follows its trail, he’d end up on the lake where it’s connected which is part of their territory. And from there, Junhui could make his way to Soonyoung’s house, and spend the night and hide there because he isn’t sure if he’s ready to face his parents after their unpleasant affair that morning.
Junhui hums a happy song, skipping with joy as he turned around and followed the stream. He started to recognize the tracks and decided to lower his guard, which isn’t certainly the best idea when he’s still in the middle of the frozen forest.
It was only after he heard a howl that he froze in his tracks.
“Fuck,” he mumbled, immediately scanning his surroundings, his hand gripping the stick he’s holding especially when he spots movement from the spot of the woods where he came from. He forgot to consider that he could run onto some wild animals, not that he’d remember that because his recent past self hadn’t considered anything at all, and specifically didn’t think about facing some wolves. Not that he can.
He swallowed, cold dreading to his body as he locked eyes with a feline, only meters away from him. And he could see a few more pairs of those eyes creeping in.
He backs away slowly, afraid of making any noise to provoke these creatures’ wrath. His legs are sore from walking and the only weapon he had was a frail twig he picked up somewhere, and he is very certain that he might be mauled out by the wolves any moment from now. That situation wasn’t very ideal.
The wolves moved carefully, eyes still locked on him. One of them growls. Junhui squeaks, startled, and then he starts to run.
Cold snow crashing against his face wasn’t a good feeling, nor did his legs want to give out any second from now, but he ran as if his life depended on it. And at that moment, as the wolves are trying to hunt him as their prey, his life certainly depended on it.
He muttered out a string of curses, something deemed inappropriate as a prince, but he couldn’t care as he panted, afraid of looking to his back and seeing that the pack had caught up to him.
But caused by his bad luck for the day, he trips over a stray rock, screaming as his body swayed to the side where the river lay, and Junhui falls over the cold water, the current and denseness of the freezing water bringing him down. He struggled to pull himself up, the water flooding his nose caused him to cough, the tears falling pathetically. He tried to scream, certain that he screamed, but at the moment he could only hear nothing but ringing in his ears.
Everything that happened at that moment felt like a fever dream and Junhui can feel his consciousness slip away, the cold now a faraway feeling. His legs were tired, and he must’ve broken his ankle. He feels damp, dizzy, and so tired. He guesses that it was certain death that awaits him after this. He wishes he could at least die with his limbs intact.
Junhui closes his eyes.
When he opens them, not fully awake, he was pulled out of the water and sees a tousle of black hair and a handsome face. Were the gods trying to give him a peace offering before he dies?
Junhui dreams.
He could barely feel a hand pushing multiple times on his chest, but the cold air was just as numbing as the water. Still, he can’t shiver.
Junhui wants to sleep.
A hand pats his face gently, but they were cold too. Then, the pressure on his chest was back again, more insistent, but Junhui was too tired to move. He feels a hand on his jaw, on his nose, and a warm breath near his face.
Soft lips laid a top on Junhui’s, mouth pushing air into his lungs, and it was warm.
As if brought to life, his eyes widened, coughing out water out of his mouth. He’s in a daze, the clouds still in the sky but the snowing had stopped.
Without even realizing it, Junhui found himself staring dazedly at the person who was trying his best to save him, his own body seemingly damp but he showed no amount of signs that he was cold. The other then noticed him staring, and their eyes met.
He let a sigh out of relief, but when Junhui closed his eyes, the other moved to reach for his hand, rubbing his two own hands around it, a vain attempt on transferring heat with their situation. He then quickly pulled him up in a sitting position, covering him with a dry cloak from god knows where, and moved embraced him tightly.
Junhui only watched, his eyes heavy and his mind without any thoughts other than confusion. He let this person he doesn’t know to hug him comfortably despite the fact that his whole body throbbed in pain, yet felt so numb at the same time.
His head rested against his chest, and he could faintly hear the rapid thrumming of the other person’s heart.
“Your Highness! Wonwoo!”
Then, a series of sounds and shouts and the rush of footsteps neared them, but Junhui was too out of it that he didn’t understand much. He took a shivering breath, as the man adjusted Junhui’s head to rest on the collar of his neck, and he felt himself being pulled closer to the man’s embrace.
It was far from comfortable, but never did Junhui ever felt as safer as he let himself be into oblivion.
-
When Junhui opens his eyes, he first sees the familiar color of the wall in his room beside the tall bookshelf that is regularly being dusted by the helpers of the castle. The doors were closed shut, the windows were hidden with the curtains that were let down to fall, and Junhui was alone. In his room. And very much alive.
He tried to retrace back his memories, but it led him to an end wall, where in the last bits that he could remember was his fall into the freezing river. Jun could only shiver.
He pushed away from the weighted blanket and tried to stand, but a sharp pain in his ankle prevented him from, so he can only sit. Lost tears found their way to the edges of his eyes, but he wiped them before they could fall freely.
He feels stupid. This was basically the repercussions of his selfishness, and soon enough, he has to face his parents and get married to some random prince he had never met. His dreams of falling in love were swept away by the same river that almost drowned him.
“You’re awake,” a deep voice reverberated through the room, suddenly startling him.
He turned to see who it was, only to be greeted by an unfamiliar yet handsome person, holding a bouquet of baby breaths in his hands. He wore round glasses on his eyes, his black hair swept up neatly, and despite having seen a lot of pretty faces of royals before, this person could easily win from all of them.
Still, this was a stranger that Jun had never seen before.
He narrowed his eyes on him, sitting straight as he asked, “To whom have you gotten the permission to enter my quarters?” Jun mentally cheered on his luck that his voice didn’t crack from misuse, but that seemed ironic in his current injured situation.
The person didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped into the room methodologically, as if he had visited here multiple times. It was weird, because it is the first time that he had laid eyes on this handsome man, and surely, it should be the first time that this man entered his room because it is a rule in their castle that one could never enter his private quarters unless he knows him personally. That should be the case right now, but it was as if his tongue had gone numb that he could only observe him.
He briefly wonders if the person was a new helper while he watched him place the bouquet that he held on the bedside table and reached for the vase containing withered flowers, then replaced the water and the flowers with the fresh ones.
But when he took notice of his clothes, he realized that it was nothing that a mere servant would wear. No discrimination intended.
Junhui knew of fancy clothes and accessories as he is a prince, and it is one of his duty to learn those things, especially when it is a possible topic when having to meet other royalties. This person in his room wore one, a simple design at that, but Jun could easily take note of how much that could possibly cost. He almost feels dizzy.
It certainly didn’t help that his clothes hugged his figure in the right places.
Jun’s eyebrows furrowed as he spoke, “I didn’t permit you to enter my room.”
He shrugged. “You didn’t forbid me to enter neither.”
The person sat on the armrest of the sofa that faced Junhui, whose eyes were drawn to the person’s prominent chest. This doesn’t go unnoticed as the man grinned, and said, “Like what you see, your highness?”
His cheeks heated up with being caught but decided to pretend as if nothing happened.
“Are you a new attendant?” Junhui asked. “Could you prepare me a bath, then? I feel very unsightly.”
His comment seemed to cause a shock, the person looked at him as if he had told an incredulous word, but his expression eventually morphed into an amusement. The handsome man chuckled, “Your bed head sure looks adorable, Your Highness. I do not mind seeing your cute face every morning for the years to come.”
“Junnie! You’re finally awake!”
Before Jun had the chance to process anything, Soonyoung had swiftly entered his room with no mind to their surroundings, wrapping him in a tight hug. His friend started to sob like a child, burying his face in Junhui’s neck.
“I thought you were gonna die! Do you know how long you were asleep?! Junnie ah, don’t scare me like that again!” Soonyoung whined, tears wetting the collar of Jun’s shirt.
“There there,” Junhui patted his friend's back, attempting to calm him down. Instead of stopping, Soonyoung wrapped his hug tighter and started to obnoxiously plant small kisses on Jun’s neck making him giggle.
Just as he was about to make Soonyoung stop, the handsome man suddenly cleared his throat which caught both of their attention.
“Your highness, is this person your lover?”
Soonyoung's eyes widened when he realized his presence, quickly releasing his hold from Jun’s body.
Noticing the sudden change in his friend’s demeanor, Jun concluded that this person might be much more influential than he assumed. However, they are in Junhui’s territory. He raised an eyebrow in his direction, sitting back up with carefully practiced grace.
He cleared his throat, tilting his head slightly as if to assert dominance. “And who gave you the right to question me and my relationship—”
“No! We’re not lovers!” Soonyoung squeaked, putting his hand over Jun’s mouth, causing him to stumble slightly. “We’re just best friends! Nothing more! He’s all yours!”
Junhui pushes away Soonyoung’s hand with a questioning glare, “What are you saying?!”
Soonyoung turned to him with comically wide eyes and whispered frantically, “Junnie! Be nice!”
“Why the hell should I? I literally just woke up. I almost died! I have the rights to be annoyed at the world,” he grumbled, rubbing the side of his forehead as he felt an impending headache.
“Understandable, but this person is your betrothed! Your soon-to-be husband! The heir of that huge kingdom!” he gestured wildly.
The person in question crossed his arms as he watched them exchange panicked words. “Please do not talk as if I’m not here,” he commented, still sitting idly as if he owned the place. It ticked something within Junhui. Perhaps, it was annoyance.
Junhui rolled his eyes, grumbling, “I did not ask you to be here.”
A moment of silence passes, and Junhui thought if his comment was too harsh, then decided that his reaction was just as valid especially if he just woke up and see the reason why he ran away and almost went to his deathbed.
He gives his friend a smile as fake as the plant in his brother’s bedroom, then says, “Soonyoungie, can you please leave us alone for a bit?”
Soonyoung looked alarmed, but he had no choice but to follow. Before he leaves, he makes a mood to embrace Jun, then whispered weakly, “Please don’t do anything rash.”
Jun smiled at him instead of replying and watched how his friend leave the room reluctantly.
When he turned his attention back to the other person, his future husband apparently, there was a frown on his handsome face, his mouth almost a pout if he had made an effort to protrude it more.
“Are you all that affectionate to your friends?” he asked as if he actually cares. Now that Jun had an idea of who he was, the pettiness inside him awoke.
Junhui ignored his question. “Can I have a glass of water?”
He paused and stared at him for a moment, as if thinking if he was serious, but he still stood to get one. He gave the glass to Jun, whose hands trembled weakly that he almost poured the liquid to himself, but he caught it before it happened. It made him wonder about how long he had been on his bed, but that wasn’t his first priority at the moment.
“Don’t push yourself too much today. Your body’s probably still adjusting from your injuries,” he said, watching Jun drink with both hands holding the glass. His voice was deep, like if those deep voices that the books he reads always describe existed in real life, it would sound like this person’s voice. He naturally reached for the glass when Jun finished. “I’ll ask to healers to change the gauze on your ankle when I leave.”
Junhui wipes his mouth and looks at his eyes.
“I don’t want to marry you,” he says out of the blue.
The man was silent for a moment, then asked, “Why?”
“I don’t even know your name,” Junhui pursed his lips, “Do you even know my name? I don’t even know if you like cats. Why would I marry a stranger who probably doesn’t even know what my favorite color is?”
Jun was a hopeful romantic. He grew up with stories of his parents meeting at an unofficial without knowing their rankings, them hitting it off and being friends, and eventually falling in love, flourishing into a marriage that made him and his siblings. It was a love story of a century, one that will surpass history as his precedent ancestors weren’t as lucky. Jun doesn’t yearn for a loveless marriage. He wants one of his own, just like his parents, just like his siblings—
“My name’s Jeon Wonwoo,” he says, cutting off Junhui’s thoughts. “I love cats, and there are many that live and are cared for back at home. I don’t know what your favorite color is right now, but I’m willing to learn things about you if you’d let me.”
Jun blinked at him, continuing to talk. “I don’t love you. I don’t want to marry someone that I don’t love. I don’t want to be miserable.”
Wonwoo hesitated, then replied, “Is that why you ran away to the forest?”
Junhui stilled, a shame creeping up to him. “How did you know that?” he asked, but then he realized that his parents must’ve told him. It was unpleasant.
Wonwoo stood and neared him. Jun watched how he kneeled with one knee on the space in front of him, and gingerly reached for his hand. It was warm.
“I cannot undo the binds of our engagement and I do not wish to, but I respect your thoughts and your words,” Wonwoo says, looking up at him with a hopeful look. Somehow, Jun’s heart skips a beat with the softness of his gaze, especially when Wonwoo gives him a smile. “If you would let me prove myself to your highness, I’ll be more than honored to do so.”
Junhui wetted his lips, and he sees Wonwoo’s eyes follow the movement. “And how do you wish to do that?”
Wonwoo squeezed his hand gently, and proceeded to explain, “My court and I would stay here in your kingdom for a few weeks, and if you’d let me court you upon the days that are left, I’d take the chance to prove that I am worthy of your love and the marriage that was planned.”
He gazed at his sincere-looking expression and their hands connected with each other, and Junhui sighs when he thinks about the reason why Wonwoo had gone to such an extent of action. “I know your intentions. You’re just doing this because you want this marriage to continue.”
“No, that is not the main reason,” Wonwoo says, causing Jun’s curiosity to ride high. He reaches for Junhui’s face and tucked the stray strand behind his ears, “I have my reasons.”
The straightforwardness of his actions surprised Junhui, but he managed to keep a straight face.
He hummed, slightly amused with the turnout of their conversation. “Do I ever get the chance to know those reasons?”
“Maybe.” Wonwoo smiled at him, caressing his cheeks. Junhui thinks that the gesture wasn’t entirely unwelcome. “Wouldn’t you want to know?”
Junhui believes that agreeing with him was a bad idea.
But he does it anyway.