He Walks Alone in the Moonlight [COMPLETED]

AND THE SKIN WILL GROW BACK

The morning of departure came just like any other. The same pale sun, the same dishes for breakfast. Munyeong hovered around Jihyun, trying and failing to get him to eat. He could do little more than stare at the dishes before him, his stomach churning as anxiety thrummed in his bones. He'd worn his fingertips raw with constant picking, and darkness bruised his under eyes from lack of sleep.

"Shoes or a hat. Shoes or a hat," he murmured.

"What did you say?" Munyeong glanced at him curiously, pausing from where she finally decided to clear the table. Jihyun didn't answer, rising to pace about his room. Since when did he start to feel like this was his room? Munyeong could only watch him with sympathy. "I'll pack your last bag. You wanted to take these books with you, right?" She reached for the untitled Byulranic texts, and Jihyun dove to intercept her. She pulled back, startled at his abruptness.

"I will pack these myself," he whispered, clutching the books to his chest.

"Jihyun... do you-" a gentle knock at the door ended Munyeong's questioning.

"Jihyun? Are you ready? It's about time for us to leave," Minjoo's voice remained hopeful as he slid open the door. He and Munyeong locked eyes, exchanging worried expressions as Jihyun shoved the books into a bag.

"I-I am ready," he stammered, gripping the straps of the bag tightly as he joined Minjoo on the steps. He looked back at Munyeong, whose large eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Thank you for taking care of me all this time," he bowed to her, swallowing past the tension in his throat.

"I-I will see you again?" Her send off sounded more like a question, one that Jihyun did not answer as he and Minjoo descended the steps and crossed the courtyard, entering the overgrown maze surrounding Horangi palace.

"Are you still undecided?" Minjoo kept his tone neutral, as if he were asking about the weather.

"Yes. No. I don't know," Jihyun rushed, tripping over a tree root. Minjoo grabbed his elbow, pulling him up.

"He will expect an answer when we meet up. I know you cannot understand it, but telling him you are undecided at this point will cause him great pain."

"I know." The prince's feelings were what kept Jihyun up at night. If he could only consider his own feelings, if he could be selfish, his decision would be much easier. But it wasn't just him who would be affected by this choice. He knew that much. Last night, someone had slipped a letter under his door. He recognized the princess' elegant script immediately.

If this letter finds you before your decision has been made,

consider this addition to my brother's lacking poem.

The bird, the man, and the son

Have in common but one.

The thing which they lost

Are you willing to be the thing my brother has lost?

The palace gates came into view all too quickly, and Jihyun's feet refused to move as he locked eyes with the prince. In that moment, he remembered the first lesson physician Raejoon ever taught him.

"A physician's role is to help our patient's pain end. Once we do that, the healing is easy, because the body forgets pain to make life bearable again."

Jihyun felt like a part of him was forgetting, forgetting the pain as his skin grew back. Harder than before, but shinier and new.

"Tell me, Jihyun. What is your decision?"