In The Shadow of Asora

14. Windows of Fortune

"You don't seem to have many questions for me today."

Yeosang responded with a barely audible hum from where he hovered over his notebook. Now that Jongho knew he was sketching on the side, he noticed the man's thoughts stray and pencil move to draw any time. It amused him to a great deal. Today, however, Yeosang seemed more intrigued to sketch his outfit than interviewing Jongho. The mechanic didn't mind much. He just sat on his chair with crossed arms and legs as he let Yeosang do his work.

"It's not that I don't have questions. They get very specific by now, and I feel like most of the things I would ask you can't answer because you don't see the world from the eyes of an artist." Yeosang's wry smile wasn't meant to be mocking. Jongho knew that he couldn't describe Zey as Yeosang needed him to. He leaned comfortably against the pillow that Yeosang had handed him to support his back.

"Did you ever consider paying Zey a visit? With me here you have pretty good chances to get to and fro alive." Jongho picked at some dirt under his nails. He didn't know what had prompted him to the sudden proposal. Accompanying a prince anywhere was unlike the tasks he normally dared to take on. He was versed with this world enough to dodge its dangers, but Yeosang had no idea what expected him out there.

"A bad idea. While nobody would miss me here, I fear that Zey is not the safest place for me to go. It's horrible even for those who lived there all their lives."

Jongho rolled his head around where it tiredly rested against the back of the chair. Yeosang didn't mind him and continued drawing with a serene expression as Jongho sharply scrutinised him.

"Wouldn't Seonghwa miss you? And be worried that you run into trouble over at the other side?"

Yeosang had collected some strands of the long hair in the back of his head into a tiny little ponytail. It made him appear like the artist he was. In Jongho's opinion, he looked very soft and gentle in his dim room and with the pen held in his slender fingers like the most precious goods.

"I guess he would. But he has other things to do than check on me the whole time. He is a prince, after all." Yeosang's voice carried withdrawal as he dodged the topic once more. Quickly, he distracted himself before he started squirming under Jongho's eyes that bore into him. His shifting eyes evaded him.

"How would you say does the social justice system work within families in Zey? If you were to witness a sibling commit fraud against another sibling, how would you react? How harsh would it be?"

Jongho didn't release the pretty man from his stares as he thought about an answer. He and Yunho had never run into any troubles with each other since Yunho had been a person who gave too much rather than to exploit him. If any person would have an answer to this question, it was probably Mingi.

Yeosang listened to Jongho with utmost concentration, as he always did. Whenever he then lowered his eyes to his paper, his long lashes fluttered against his cheeks. Without ceasing, the tip of his pen danced over the paper and told his story.

Despite how often they had met until now, Yeosang had yet to tell Jongho the full plot of his book. For now, he only knew that a young boy came from a richer and highly esteemed surrounding into a grimy and unknown world. He ran into dangers there, and based on the notes that Jongho had skimmed when he had flicked through Yeosang's book last time, he also met a potential love interest. The notes on that matter had been short and relatively insecure. By the looks of them, Yeosang had quickly scribbled the ideas down without much confidence or input.

Jongho found himself curious. Yeosang didn't seem like a person with much knowledge in the field of love. If the assumption about his situation that Jongho and Mingi had concluded was true, then the probability that he had little to no experience was high. What kind of people would he like? Beautiful princesses, that his brother sometimes met from different countries? Or the orderly palace guards that treated him with respect and kindness?