Precious ◈ | Seongjoong/Yungi ✓

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End ◈ Part 1

Why can't he be happy with the people he loves?

Why must she take it away from him every time?

Mingi swallows thickly at the sight before him. The throne room is soaked in blood, dead bodies of pirates and soldiers all around. Even his own hands are tinted red. His gray eyes tremble. He can barely bear the weight of the cutlass in his fist.

Several feet away is his favorite person in the whole world. Several feet away is the wretched woman who gave birth to him. Several feet away they are face to face in a heated confrontation.

Several feet away...

...Is too far in the short amount of time Mingi has to reach them before something terrible happens.

Nevertheless, he makes a break for it. He trips over the bodies littering the expensive floor, slamming his chin and surely developing a bloody bruise; it matches the rest of his scarred body. Scrambling to his feet, he overhears the Tyrant Queen's voice.

"It's all your fault. You corrupted my son. I won't let you get away again!"

Yunho shakes his head defiantly. "No, you did this. You destroyed your family and drove him away. It's your fault."

Still stumbling, the prince feels tears pool in his red-rimmed eyes. A silver glint catches his attention from where he is, and it's gone just as fast. That's all he needs to see, though. "Yunho, get away from her!"

His boyfriend ignores his desperate call. Whether he realizes he's in danger or not, Yunho stands his ground before Queen Hajung. It doesn't matter what happens to him anyway. He told Mingi once before, and the thought of it bothered the younger tremendously.

He thought Yunho had grown out of that.

The Queen huffs, a crazed smirk on her lips. "You do realize who has the upper hand here, right? Are you going to stand there doing nothing?"

"He wouldn't want me to hurt you," Yunho says, "because that's the kind of person he is. Mingi is too kind for this world, and I would gladly die if that's what it takes for him to be safe once and for all."

Mingi shakes his head, mumbling, "No..."

His mother shows her hand, and Mingi reaches them just a second too late. Eyes wider than should be humanly possible, he watches the dagger twist sadistically into his swordsman's chest. Yunho's brown eyes go dark. The color washes from his face.

"Die, then," Hajung mutters.

And Mingi's eyes snap open. Covered in thick sweat, the prince stares at the ceiling of his shared bedroom with Yunho. His chest heaves with a faint ache. For some reason, that feels more like a premonition than a simple nightmare.

Turning his head, a small panic erupts within him once he notices nobody next to him nor in the other bed. Mingi falls out of bed without a care. He checks the bathroom first, but there's no one there either. Not bothering to change out of his pajamas, he rushes out of the room.

When the workshop is just as empty, the prince goes for the next most likely place. The door flies open, and in the corner of the weapon maintenance room stands Yunho practicing his dual wielding—the clear quartz necklace swings from his neck in his rapid movements. Mingi sniffles and wipes his tears just as his boyfriend spots him.

"Mingi?"

Yunho carefully sets his swords to the side just as Mingi shuffles over and drops his head onto the former's shoulder. His shirt is pulled taut by the prince's fingers.