adorn

chapter 7

yedam's body got shivery as the night wind stirred it a little. he was wearing only his velvety pyjama, the creamy colour prettily melting into the toffee shade of his skin. the clothing was quite covering but still didn't hinder the lowered temperature from causing goosebumps on the boy's hands.

he was staring into space, the black, endless night sky. the surroundings all sunk in milky, eerie light of the full moon which was a drastic opposition to the sun's warm and welcoming one. yedam preferred waking up to the sun rays painted on the walls of his room than getting a farewell from a monstrous, intimidating ocean of whitewashing.

normally he would be sleeping soundly at this late hour but he couldn't sleep a wink. his thoughts kept on badgering him to talk to doyoung. as he was replaying the younger's hesitant smile, wandering, lost eyes, and uneasy crackle from before he couldn't but groan helplessly. the mysterious cherish marks on his shirt were even more of ignition. the answer was in front of him, it was as clear as the sky on a summer day still the middle prince was afraid to reach for it.

because if he did, doyoung would stop being his familiar and well-known younger brother. he would stop being a childish, a little infantile boy whom he loved and saw nothing but innocence and pristine nature within. could his baby brother who laughed like birds chirped, smiled like daisies on the meadow, and ran after him like a duckling curious to explore the world around, let someone take away all of this? did he want to be dragged into a new, different environment?

he fumed with anger when his memories depicted a vivid sight of haruto, his absolutely breath-taking appearance in which this one detail protruded so much now as it had never before. the cherry colour on his lips. could he be the one who showed doyoung that there is something more one can adore than flowers and lime lawns?

another gush of wind was like a warning. "if you don't get back now, I will make you sick". yedam crossed his arms, trying to warm himself a little, and upon sensing that his body's temperature decreased, he decided not to prolong his mind monologue anymore, returning to his chamber. he did go inside but left the balcony door left ajar. it might be that he will need to go back again to order his thoughts and cool them down again.

but the boy had no idea that he had been watched by a certain pair of hazel eyes.

it took jihoon quite a long while to invade the palace's premises. he couldn't run and his walk was more like a trailing his own legs, so as he leaned over the white, brick fence for support, the sky had turned black. although it was in favour of his plan. he could just act in the shadow, hidden from the unwanted eye-witnesses.

nevertheless, before he decided to begin, looking up to briefly examine the astounding construction, his eyes spotted a human shape standing behind the railings of the balcony.

"the prince?"

a fleeting thought appears. honestly, the boy never got himself interested in the monarchy. they had the king, and a descendant, so the worries that one day they will wake up in an interregnum didn't give people from the country sleepless nights. how many sons does the king have? only one? two? jihoon didn't know, the matter up till now trivial to him.

he strained to see the figure a little better but the distance was too wide, and the mere light of the moon certainly didn't work as a lantern. they have been looking right at each other. the one was unaware of the stranger's existence, the other couldn't even tell whether the boy was a part of the royal family or not.

"who are you little boy, hm?"

the question was kindly put which quite contrasted with the intention of why it had been put in the first place. if this boy turned out to be the prince, then he would be his target. but if he had no connections with the throne, then jihoon wouldn't lay a finger on him. he didn't come here to harm or hurt the guiltless. he just wanted to have a decent life again, and this way seemed the quickest to regain it with the king's money in return for his descendant.

as soon as the vague figure retreated inside, jihoon's eyes saw the scope to make it into the palace. the boy left the balcony door slightly open. it was like the perfect coincidence or a cue sent by fate. it was now or never.

despite his current state, his body complied with his orders and he leaped over the fence not so effortlessly but agilely. with some hisses and muted, exasperated words he made it behind one of the broad columns. some steps echoed nearby, and if he had hesitated he would already have been captured by two armored men who were on their shift this night. the boy's heart clashed against his chest. not even once in his life had he thought that he would become a beggar, but he did. not even once had he had the thought that he would become a thief, but it happened too. at this moment he was turning himself into a kidnapper, and the realization soaked his body with cold sweat.

"I shouldn't be doing this. why am I doing this anyway?" the heart voiced its concerns.

"money. you need money to eat, to keep yourself alive." his mind stroked back.

"there are other ways to earn them."

"this one is the easiest."

"but he has to hurt someone."

"this someone will be just a tool, no need to harm him. he will only quaver a little and then will be given back to his father's loving arms. why chicken out when he had made it this far?"

jihoon groaned almost inaudibly, remaining mindful of the guards wandering within some meters. he had to stop this agonizing state and decide whether to go further or back, he couldn't waste any more seconds.

he followed his sanity this time. if he had given to his feelings it would prove how weak and naive he had become. this world was cruel, and the prince even if pampered till this day had to get accustomed to the fact that in this life he won't be able to sleep peacefully because of the pureblood flowing through his veins.

after confirming that he was left alone and no sound could be heard in the proximity, he rushed towards the balcony situated above the bottom floor. in the dimly lit night, it was more sophisticated to come up with the idea of how to climb the flat wall, but then a misshapen brick has never looked so beautiful before.

"so glad nothing can be perfect, even the palace's bricks."

the building element was fastened hard to the whole construction. jihoon put his leg on the top of it for support, then raised himself high enough for his right hand to grasp a bottom part of the railing. straining himself to the point all of his veins arose and showed their edges, the boy did it.

breathing heavily, so loud that his thoughts got stunned, he fell on his knees. at least he was now safer, hidden inside the square with three walls currently presenting a dreamlike refuge. still, he couldn't let himself loll for too long.

counting to three, he crawled into the room. uninvited, as an intruder with bad intentions, as a predator making its way to the serenely asleep deer, unaware of the imminent danger.

// ✧ //