Into The Mirror

Chapter 11

"Seungsik hyung!" Subin pretty much launched himself at the older, who had only just set foot into the palace, Chan trailing closely behind him.

"Am I not as important to you?" Chan asked, feigning offence. Subin looked at him over Seungsik's shoulder with a smile that could make anyone forgive him.

"Of course you are!" He hugged Chan after letting go of the bear hug he had wrapped Seungsik in.

Although Subin was sad that he wouldn't have as much freedom to leave the palace now that Seungsik was back, he was happy to see them both, and to have someone else to talk to. He did have Seungwoo, Byungchan and Hanse, but it was different talking to them compared to talking to Seungsik - he just seemed to have a different approach to giving advice and 'dealing' with the younger. He wanted to tell the older about Sejun and everything that had happened in the week he had been gone, like he usually did when he had been away.

"I missed both of you equally."

"Did they treat you that badly?" Seungsik joked, but his face turned serious when Subin looked at him sadly. "They didn't, did they?"

Subin's expression changed quickly, showing he was joking as both Seungsik and Chan breathed sighs of relief.

"I was about to go and interrogate Seungwoo about what had happened!"

By then Chan had already left for his room, leaving the two brothers to talk as they walked to Seungsik's room together.

~~~

As soon as they reached the eldest prince's room, Seungsik turned to Subin with a serious expression, which shocked him slightly.

"Aren't you going to update me on everything that has happened in the time I was gone? Like usual?" Seungsik questioned, sensing the younger wanted to tell him something.

Subin proceeded to tell his brother about everything that had happened in the few days before he had met Sejun, including Byungchan nearly falling into a bush in the gardens because he had gotten distracted by a bird. Well, Subin knew it was because he had seen Seungwoo in the distance training with his shirt off, but he wasn't going to tell anyone that - he was happy to have something he could use against Byungchan if he so happened to need something from him.

"Something else happened too." Subin trailed off. He wasn't sure if he should tell him or not, but he thought it would probably be best to.

"I may have gone into the town again-"

"Subin! I told you not to! You could have gotten hurt, or worse!" Seungsik seemed to worry the most out of everyone, Subin assumed that everyone else worried because they knew that Seungsik would be on their case if they didn't. Of course everyone did worry and care about him, but he still thought that.

"I know, I know. Everyone has already said that." Seungsik gave him a disapproving look.

Subin told him the rest of his 'story', including what had happened the night before, but excluding most of the details of what they talked about, and also any of his personal opinions about the assassin. He looked over at his brother, who was stood in the middle of his room staring at him, waiting for his reaction as he leaned on the door frame.

"Firstly, what in God's name were you thinking? Secondly, you're damn lucky you're still alive! Subin he is an assassin, and a very good one at that!" He began pacing the room. "Thirdly, how are you not traumatised?"

Subin went to open his mouth and speak but closed it again when he realised what he was going to say, and how it would give everything away to Seungsik, which he of course noticed.

"You like him." He narrowed his eyes at his brother, like he was looking for any signs that he may be right, pointing at him to add emphasis.

"No!" He cleared his throat, realising how fake that had sounded. "No. He is good company, nothing more."

"Is he at least good-looking?"

"Hyung!" He chuckled at the younger's reaction, his face falling back to a serious expression soon after.

"You need to stay away from him."

Subin wasn't expecting to hear that after what he had just said.

"No."

"I'm not asking. I'm telling you, Subin."

"And I'm saying no." He resisted the urge to stomp his foot like a grumpy child. "I won't. You haven't even met him."

"Subin!"

"He is the only person who doesn't constantly treat me like a child." 

Seungsik opened his mouth to protest, but Subin cut him off, pointing his finger at him in an accusing manner.

"I just want to have a friend of my own, not someone who is also friends with you or Byungchan, or someone that I've been forced to become friends with because mother has told me to. I don't want to be stuck in this place that forces me to be above everyone else, I didn't ask to be a prince, and I certainly didn't ask to be the youngest!"

And with that, Subin took off down the corridor, away from Seungsik's room, leaving Seungsik in a state of shock over what had just happened. 

~~~

I'm sorry it is a short chapter, but we have finally met Seungsik and Chan! I know Chan isn't in it much, and I apologise about that, but his character is more of a background character - he mainly supports Seungsik's character.

What do you think of their characters? Opinions on Seungsik? 

I feel bad for making him like this but it just works so well in this storyline!

Have a good day/night 💛