Lean

XI

WARNING: Explicit content ahead

BEOMGYU

The days following his first kiss with Kang Taehyun don't provide much relief to the internal turmoil he was feeling. After news of his father's army's formation spread around the camp, the Kang's forces were split in half to meet his father's other army. Shortly after, Taehyun's half of the army was on the move. In the past few days, they traveled and made camp, a much smaller one this time due to the split of forces. Tomorrow, the Kangs would meet his father's army once again on the battlefield.

Beomgyu hardly gets to see, let alone talk to Taehyun. He checks in on him a few times, but their conversations last less than a minute long and his bannermen are present. Their impending conversation hangs heavy on his mind, leaving him feeling conflicted and uncertain. How was he going to explain kissing the person who was supposed to be his enemy? If his father knew what happened between the two of them, he'd probably disown him.

Beomgyu doesn't know how to make sense of the kiss. His developing feelings for Taehyun took over at that moment. Taehyun was right when he told him that they weren't enemies. They were connected on so many levels, from bonding over their highborn status and family expectations to their mutual respect for one another. Beomgyu could look past their family ties to rival houses in pursuit of his feelings for Taehyun. Others wouldn't see it that way.

To try to escape the guilty thoughts of falling in love with Kang Taehyun, Beomgyu finds relief in the woods surrounding camp where he can practice archery. Two bannermen surround him this time and they watch as he knocks each arrow and releases them, the sudden impact of the arrows hitting the tree bark following.

When he was growing up, archery was his form of therapy. If he was angry at his father for his strict beliefs on how Beomgyu should act, he would escape to the archery fields and shoot numerous arrows until his arms were tired and he felt satisfied. Nothing had changed about archery now; it still resembled a safe haven for him and gave him a feeling of adrenaline.

As he practices, he can feel the same relief washing over him. There was a lot on his mind, especially when it came to his relationship with Kang Taehyun. Luckily, each knock of his arrow diminished his thoughts until he was only concerned with aiming straight at his tree target in the distance.

He doesn't know how long he practices with the two bannermen watching him closely before he overhears a conversation from behind him. He slowly lowers his bow, the arrow falling loosely from the string. Beomgyu glances behind him, noticing that Taehyun had stepped into the woods and was talking to the bannermen. He watches curiously and after a few moments of discussion, the bannermen take one last look at him before walking back toward camp.

Beomgyu's breath hitches in his throat as Taehyun steps toward him once the bannermen are out of sight. He wasn't donned in his steel armor like he usually was, instead donning a dark blue tunic and a pair of black leather trousers. Taehyun was also unarmed, the familiar sword belt not wrapped around his waist. It was strange to see him like this, he almost looked like a child and not the strategic commander and leader of one of the main five kingdoms in Mirage.

"Beomgyu," Taehyun greets him when they're just inches apart. His voice drops lower as he continues, "I'm sorry we haven't had time to talk. The past few days have been filled with travel and planning. I wanted to see you, but the circumstances wouldn't allow it."

Beomgyu nods in understanding. He was worried about Taehyun's reaction now that he had more time to contemplate their kiss just a few nights ago. Luckily, it seemed like he enjoyed it as much as Beomgyu did.