THE CRIMSON DROPS\ JONGSANG

11: THE LOVE OF SOMEONE UNKNOWN

Yeosang felt himself wanting the soft mattress more when he sat by Hongjoong's side. He was recovering bit by bit due to the innumerable amount of medicines and herbs he was being fed. They worked on him very well. His pale and lifeless features were gone now and he seemed more lively. His dried lips and skin were kept in a gentle and tender care.

A smile crept on Yeosang's face unknowingly when he faced his brother who looked back at him with half closed lids. It showed he was still a bit sick and tired. His long and black hair was held up in a messy ponytail which was pressed beneath his body, some dark strands covering his forehead and side of his face. Eye bags were still visible but no bruises were to be seen. They all had healed.

Yeosang flashed a smile, his eyes shining like multiple stars in the night sky. Hongjoong gave a small smile back, his lips disappearing in a thin line when he pressed them. The small bruise on the side of his lips had healed as well as Hongjoong stretched his lips, Yeosang just hopes it does not hurt him. However, Hongjoong looks better so there is nothing to worry about.

The recovery is slow and steady but as long as he is healing, it's a relief. Those eyes that shine like a moon were dull now, and looked as if it would shut down any moment. Hongjoong is the only joyous and bright person in this palace that is full of mulish and egotistic people. Whole place seems so dull and tedious when Hongjoong's presence is lacking.

He is indeed full of responsibilities of politics and war matters but he also never forgot his main responsibility as a brother and a son. Hongjoong used to visit Yeosang every night and ask him about his day, telling about his own. He would always complain about how tiresome his day was and how drained out he is. Yeosang would laugh about it while covering his mouth so only his eyes would sparkle like twinkling stars.

Hongjoong would bonk him on his head with a boisterous laugh but soon end up in a long sigh. Once, The crown prince ended up sleeping on Yeosang's mattress while commenting about how cozy and comfortable his pillows looked. He also said that he is just going to try it out and Yeosang is allowed to wake him up as he rubbed his eyes and curled up like a small kitten.

Yeosang obviously did not wake his brother up and covered him up with covers, snuggling up on Hongjoong's back like a baby bird. He knew this moment was rare and did not want to ruin it crying for his bed like a child would do for his toy. Hongjoong didn't take much space anyway, so Yeosang didn't have a problem sleeping with him.

"My prince, Crown prince, is in a healing phase. As you see, those bruises are gone now. May I ask, how are you? You were not good and fainted, you must have eaten the medicines?" Yeosang felt attacked with so many questions when the door opened and the doctor entered. The prince smiled awkwardly, but he had to handle so many questions.

"Yes, I am well. I have taken the medicine." Yeosang knew that the other man was disappointed at the lack of words but he smiled eventually before coming up to check on Hongjoong who turned to look at him with concerned eyebrows but

It did not show much because of his face not allowing him much expression.

It was not even that of a hassle, Hongjoong would have probably handled it like nothing. Yeosang is just not used to conversations, when he almost cried because Jongho asked him something. He did not but did want to answer at the same time. He wanted to share with Jongho how much he feels bad and hurt when Youjin does that, he wanted to cry about it. How much he would have felt light hearted after doing so.

Yeosang sat at the corner of the bed with his fingers curled up into each other out of awkwardness. Hongjoong's sharp gaze was like a needle on Yeosang but he chose to ignore it. The moment was until a gasp left the doctor's mouth which made Yeosang look at him immediately. It took a second for Yeosang to realize Hongjoong's wide open eyes that looked right above the prince and he was not looking at him the whole time.

Those eyes were almost lifeless and his pupils were still as if someone designed Hongjoong. Hot tears sprung onto Yeosang's eyes before the doctor spoke up again. His words brought relief to Yeosang but the way Hongjoong stared somewhere with wide eyes, those eyes which were barely opening a little while ago.

"Prince is alive but his muscles are paralyzed. I do not know how this happened, it was unexpected to me."

Yeosang shifted his teary eyes to the man speaking and back at Hongjoong before rushing to close his eyes by sliding his hands gently over it. Sweat bids formed on his forehead as he stood up to back off slowly. His footsteps shaky as he backwalked to the door, by now the tears were descending down his cheeks to drop on the carpeted floor. Opening the door, he closed it immediately, resting his back on it.

A low whimper sounded near Yeosang as he flinched to look beside him. Seonghwa stared at him with frightened eyes which were red and filled with crystal like tears as he tried his best to wipe them off. At Seonghwa's haste movements, Yeosang reached his hands out to grab the bodyguard's. Seonghwa froze like a snowman when he was stopped from his fast hands wiping his tears that almost hurt him.

"He will be alright, Seonghwa, he will be alright. He says he is alive but paralyzed. I am not mistaken." Yeosang nodded in question as his eyes begged for Seonghwa to confirm his words and add that he is going to be okay also that Hongjoong is just sleeping.

Seonghwa pulled his hands away gently and nodded in agreement. Fresh tears running down his cheeks over the dried ones and over the lines of the liquid which was wiped out in the middle. This time Seonghwa looked down and bowed as he kneeled down.

At the exact moment, the door opened and revealed the doctor who looked rushed and he stared at their positions. "If you could please, inform the others." He startled Seonghwa with his words, to which the bodyguard's shoulders stiffened and he stood straight with eyes that looked down and bangs covering his forehead and casting over his cheekbones.

He straightly walked away without sparing another glance even inside the room where Hongjoong laid unmoving.

_

Yeosang closed the door to his room and sighed heavily, trying to stop his tears. But they did not. He slid down idly to sit on the floor, pinning his knees to his chest to let the tears out freely. This feeling ached him and pained him more than anything else.

Hongjoong's wide and almost lifeless eyes and face was horrifying to look at. It hurted him how he had failed to save his brother and actually fathom what had happened. Hongjoong had been there with him in every situation, from helping him through alone and dark nights to staying awake when Yeosang would have fever. It all happened when they were little and fresh teens.

Hongjoong had always been strong in front of him, no matter what the situation would be. He was unbreakable and unstoppable, but seeing him broken and weak like this was never a choice. As all of this happened so suddenly, he was just so alright a moment ago and now he can't even move and give expressions. Yeosang would have loved to see his brother smile.

His heart broke as he cried harder, every inch of his body and mind shattering into tiny pieces. His brother is the one who he loves the most in this selfish place, Hongjoong was the future of Asmin and its people. Most of them relied on him, finding him a way from where they could escape the rude happening of the king. Even on certain events, many people called out for the crown Prince as they would say that they can't wait till' the end of the year.

Yeosang also was bewildered with excitement but there was also a reason to not be. His marriage. It had been planned already, on the day Hongjoong will be announced as a king, Yeosang would get married at the same time. Get married to Youjin. Staring at his engagement ring, he thought of taking it off his finger but then his fiance would ask for an explanation.

Life was not easy, at least, not for Yeosang.

"Would you tell me, why have you been crying so hard?"