Bound by Fate

Chapter 49: A Love Unveiled

Flashback - One and a Half Years Ago

Namjoon had always been a quiet, introspective boy. He was not one to chase after love, nor did he seek romantic companionship. While others around him dreamt of grand love stories and passionate romances, Namjoon stayed away. He dated a few girls here and there, but not out of his own desire. Rather, it was to avoid hurting their feelings. He was polite, kind, and respectful, never allowing the relationships to go too far.

Whenever he dated, he limited the intimacy to hugs and light touches, never kissing or going beyond that. His connections with these girls always ended the same way-a brief courtship followed by a gentle breakup. Namjoon would always give the same excuse: "I'm sorry, but I just don't think this is working out." The girls would be disappointed, but never heartbroken. After all, they'd never gotten close enough to him to truly fall in love.

But Namjoon? He never gave his heart away. He never thought he could.

Until that day.

It was a late afternoon when Namjoon first saw him. He had just finished a long hunt and was riding back to the palace when his eyes fell on a house nestled in the woods near the outskirts of the kingdom. There, sitting by the window, was a boy-no, a man, with beauty so radiant that it made Namjoon stop his horse in its tracks. The man had pale skin that glowed in the sunlight, dark, shimmering hair that fell softly over his forehead, and eyes that seemed to hold the universe in their depths. He was breathtaking.

Namjoon stared at him, unable to look away. The man wasn't doing anything special-just sitting there, reading a book or perhaps lost in thought-but to Namjoon, he seemed like the most fascinating person in the world. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and for the first time in his life, Namjoon found himself completely captivated by someone.

Who is he? Namjoon wondered.

Without realizing it, he had stayed there, watching, until the man finally got up from the window and disappeared inside the house. Namjoon blinked, as if waking from a trance, and quickly urged his horse forward, his mind racing. He had never felt anything like this before.

Days passed, but Namjoon couldn't get the image of the mysterious man out of his head. Every day, he found excuses to pass by that house again, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. And every day, he did.

From a distance, Namjoon would watch as the man went about his day-tending to the small garden outside the house, drawing water from the well, or simply sitting by the window again, lost in his thoughts. There was something about him that drew Namjoon in, something beyond physical beauty. It was as if the man radiated a kind of calm and quiet strength that Namjoon had never seen before.

And slowly, without even realizing it, Namjoon fell in love.

This was new, terrifying territory for him. Namjoon, who had always kept himself closed off, who had never once allowed his heart to be touched, was now completely, helplessly in love. And it wasn't with a girl-it was with a boy. A boy named Jin.

Jin had noticed Namjoon long before Namjoon ever realized it. At first, it was just a glance, a fleeting moment where he'd catch sight of Namjoon watching him from afar. But over time, Jin began to notice that the boy on the horse kept returning, always looking in his direction.

At first, Jin wasn't sure what to think of it. Why is he always here? What does he want? But as the days went by, and Namjoon kept coming back, Jin found himself looking forward to those moments. He didn't know who Namjoon was or why he kept coming, but there was something about him that intrigued Jin. He began to look out for Namjoon, stealing glances in his direction whenever he rode by.