halcyon || seungjin

04: Flower Boy

Changbin moves at impossibly fast speeds as he spars with Hyunjin, his wooden spear parrying with movements so quick that Hyunjin can barely see them happening with his own eyes. Felix sits off to the side and tries to cheer Hyunjin on since he's obviously less experienced, and every time he yells a "go Hyunjin!", Changbin retaliates with a "hey!".

By the time they're done with their session, Hyunjin is flopped on the ground with his chest heaving up and down, and Changbin tackles Felix, prodding and tickling him to make him pay for his betrayal. They're cute and they're good together, Hyunjin thinks. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't just a bit jealous of them. They seem so happy when they're with each other, or when they're talking about each other. Hyunjin is happy when he's with his friends, of course, but Changbin and Felix's happiness is different.

"Do you want brownies, Hyunjinnie? I still have extras," Felix asks breathlessly after he's escaped Changbin, offering a hand to Hyunjin as he peels himself off the ground.

Hyunjin gratefully takes Felix's hand , still out of breath. "Brownies sound great right now." The three walk to the kitchen, Felix and Changbin whispering something to each other and giggling as they trail behind Hyunjin.

"What is it this time?" Hyunjin asks with a raised eyebrow, curious of what they find so funny even though most of the time it's some random inside joke or cheesy pick up line.

"Oh nothing," Changbin waves a hand in the air as he very indiscreetly holds back his laughter. "Felix is just telling me about your new friend."

"New friend?" Hyunjin asks, completely confused and looking to Felix for an answer, but Felix only wiggles his eyebrows at him.

"You know, your little flower boy."

"The gardener?"

"The one you met under the light of the moon," Changbin begins to narrate in a lovey-dovey tone, clasping his hands together in front of him. "He was standing all alone in the garden as you stared down at him and-"

"Enough," Hyunjin shoves Changbin's shoulder. "I don't even know his name. We talked for like, two minutes and then he ran away. I think I scared him."

"Well, from his description of it, you were kind of stalking him." Felix says very matter of factly.

"He told you about it?" Hyunjin asks at a volume that is closer to that of a shout.

"Duh, we literally live across the hall from each other. We're basically BPFs."

"Best Palace Friends." Changbin interjects to explain before Hyunjin even gets a chance to ask.

"I was just sitting on my balcony like I always do. I honestly didn't notice he was there until he started singing."

"He was singing too? Poor guy. That's like when Binnie overhears me singing in the shower. Of course he felt embarrassed." Felix says, a tinge of red gracing his ears.

"He sounded really good though!" Hyunjin exasperatedly says. "I want to meet him. Can you maybe, I don't know, introduce me?"

"He's probably still a little spooked." Felix says. "He might have a heart attack if you show up at his door."

"Yeah," Changbin agrees, "it's probably a good idea to wait a few nights."

Hyunjin just nods, considering his options. He decides that Felix and Changbin are probably right- he should try to catch the mysterious gardener boy later rather than sooner, as to avoid causing him to become even more freaked out by Hyunjin's presence. When they make it to the kitchen, Felix realises he's running low on ingredients and leaves to go get some for his next batch of sweet treats, taking Changbin with him.

"So much for a personal guard," Hyunjin mutters to himself and realises he still hasn't gotten the gardener's name.

... ✦

Seungmin doesn't know how he's lucky enough to have his first shift when Jisung's post is in the courtyard, but he is eternally grateful to whatever higher power made it so. Even though he's technically supposed to be stationary and stand by the courtyard doors, Seungmin drags Jisung with him everywhere he goes for his entire work day.

They start by watering each and every single bed of flowers, while Jisung tells Seungmin the best dishes the palace offers, and which ones he should get when he goes for dinner that day. As Seungmin trims bushes and clips dead flowers, Jisung suggests they have a sleepover in Seungmin's big room, to which Seungmin is definitely in favour of. They talk about everything and nothing, about how Seungmin's parents are probably missing him already even though he's been gone for a day, how Jisung wants to go back to town and eat at restaurants with Seungmin at least once a month on his days off. It's comforting, Seungmin thinks, the familiarity Jisung brings when he's here. They're just two old friends talking in a new place.

Finally, as Seungmin cleans his tools for the day, he tells Jisung about his encounter with the prince the night before, and how terribly scarred he is from it.

"Trust me, I heard all about it." Jisung says.

"What? How?"

"Let's just say I heard it through the grapevine." His best friend shrugs, but Seungmin gives him a sceptical look, and Jisung sighs. "Chan and Changbin were talking about it during our lunch break. Don't ask me how they knew about it. Word gets around fast here, apparently."

"Well," Seungmin exhales sharply, "What should I do?"

"I think you should introduce yourself to him," Jisung shrugs nonchalantly, ignoring the dread in Seungmin's eyes. "Channie and Binnie tell me he's not so bad. And they spend almost every moment of the day with him!"

Seungmin doesn't say anything. He picks at the dirt stuck in his handheld shovel and tries to pry it out with a stubby fingernail. First Felix, and now Jisung seem to both think that he's worried over nothing. Is he? Seungmin doesn't think he's overreacting.

"And from what I've heard," Jisung continues, "the prince is intent on meeting you anyway."