war-ridden | 최연준

16 | remember me?

[ 🪑 ]

Two weeks had passed. Akari would come and go from Yeonjun's bedroom, the guards wouldn't even stop her. They assumed that Yeonjun's health was failing and it would be evil of them to forbid her to see her lover. Plus, word has travelled across the kingdoms that the kings were continuing to make amends, sharing tea amongst each other. Even if things hadn't been fully resolved, they were taking steps towards it.

But Yeonjun's failing health and Akari's unhappiness shouldn't have been the cost. There didn't have to be anything sacrificed for the kings to realize that something had been wrong.

[ 🪑 ]

"You can't force us!" Taehyun screamed at the king from Chihu. "Your Royal Highness, I will not marry a girl whom I do not love." Taehyun lied, yet was convincing. "I will find somebody one day, and so will she. But you are in no rush to bid farewell to your empire. She does not have to be the new queen, and I will not be the new king, your Royal Highness." He sighed, as if this were his fifth time pleading. "I sincerely wish for you to end this wedding, as both of us would be nothing but unhappy in his relationship. You only want the best for your daughter, I fear I cannot grant her that." Taehyun bowed before the king, before walking out the room.

"Kang Taehyun." The king called, halting the boy's footsteps. He ran a hand through his long beard. "Are you sure this is what you truly want?"

Taehyun stood for a bit, his head nodding lightly. "I want nothing more than to put an end to this forced marriage."

Although Akari may be delighted, Taehyun continued to wipe the tears from the ends of his eyes. At least, she would be happy.

[ 🪑 ]

"Princess!" Heejoon screamed from the gates as Akari was about to walk into their kingdom. "He's awoken."

Akari had never run as fast as she did that day. The room had been empty, the silence interrupted by the creaking stairs that she climbed to the boy's bedroom.

"Yeonjun." She muttered under her breath as the door closed, only room for the two of them. A sigh escaped her mouth as she watched the boy's eyes still closed.

maybe it was too good to be true.

She placed the plastic bag of food that she had brought for Yeonjun on the ground. She travelled an hour away to pick him up his favorite breads. At one of their dates a year ago, the two had gone out of town via the carriage and into the village, visiting many shops and small bakeries. Akari smiled, noticing how Yeonjun's favorite bakery was still in business, picking him up a few of his favorites that she remembered.

She looked at the boy, removing a couple of stray hairs from his forehead bandage. A glimmer of light came through her eyes as she watched the boy's eyes flutter. They closed and opened, repeating his cycle a few times until fully opening.

From the look in his eyes, Akari could tell he was unsure where he was. He tried to look all around before realizing it was his bedroom. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth before he saw the various signs of illness and treatment surrounding him.

"W-what's going on?" He muttered, looking at the girl next to him.

"Yeonjun." The girl sobbed, throwing herself onto the boy. Tears from her eyes seeped through his white blouse. She clutched onto the boy as if he would disappear at any given moment. "I thought you'd never wake up."