Take me home | Seongjoong

Drifting

The small boat rocked gently on the waves as it drifted away from the burning shore, the orange glow of the flames casting long shadows across the water. Seonghwa sat at the bow, his hand gripping the edge of the boat, his eyes fixed on the distant inferno. The fire was already consuming what was left of the palace, and with it, the life he had once known.

Hongjoong sat beside him, leaning weakly against the side of the boat, still recovering from his time in the dungeon. His presence, though frail, was the only thing anchoring Seonghwa to reality. Every so often, Seonghwa's hand would drift over to Hongjoong's, their fingers brushing together in a silent reassurance that they were both still here—both alive.

The silence between them was thick, the weight of the last few days pressing down like an unbearable load. But eventually, Seonghwa couldn't keep it in any longer. He needed to speak, needed to release the torrent of emotions that had been building inside him since he thought Hongjoong was gone.

"I thought you were dead," Seonghwa whispered, his voice cracking as the first tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, but it was no use—more followed, spilling over in a slow, steady stream. "I really thought you were gone."

Hongjoong reached over, his fingers brushing gently against Seonghwa's face as he wiped away the tears, his touch soft despite the weakness in his hands. "I'm here," he murmured. "I'm here."

Seonghwa let out a shaky breath, his shoulders trembling as the weight of everything began to crash down on him. "When I saw that body," he continued, his voice hoarse, "I thought... I thought it was you. I thought I'd lost you forever. I thought... I thought I was going to die too, just from the pain of it."

Hongjoong's hand remained on his cheek, a steadying force as Seonghwa poured out his heart. "But you didn't," Hongjoong said softly, his voice a quiet comfort. "You didn't lose me."

Seonghwa nodded, his throat tight as more tears slipped down his face. He could barely breathe through the grief that still clawed at his chest, the horror of thinking he had lost Hongjoong forever. "I—I burned it all down," he stammered. "The palace, the King—everything. I couldn't... I couldn't just let him win. Not after everything he's done."

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips despite the gravity of the situation. "You set that fire... for me?"

Seonghwa let out a weak laugh, though it was laced with exhaustion. "I guess I did."

Hongjoong chuckled softly, his fingers still brushing away the last of Seonghwa's tears. "You killed the King and burned down the castle because you thought I was dead. I'm... flattered."

Seonghwa snorted, the absurdity of it hitting him all at once. The adrenaline had kept him going, kept him focused on what needed to be done. But now, as they drifted away from the shore, the reality of what he had done was beginning to sink in. "I killed the King," Seonghwa repeated, his voice hollow. "I set the entire castle on fire."

Hongjoong's gaze softened as he looked at Seonghwa, his smile fading as the weight of Seonghwa's actions settled over them both. "And now what?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Seonghwa sighed, his hands gripping the edge of the boat as he stared out at the horizon. "I made a deal with Minho," he explained, his voice slow, as if he were still piecing it together in his own mind. "He's going to gather the surviving nobles and advisors. I convinced him to push for an election—a democracy like in the old books about Ancient Greece. The idea of an elected leader, of the people choosing who rules, rather than just... bloodlines."

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow. "Do you think they'll go for it?"

Seonghwa shook his head, his expression grim. "I doubt it. The nobles won't give up power easily. Minho might have some influence, but I don't think he truly believes it'll work either. Most likely, the King's siblings, his nephews, his distant relatives—they'll all start fighting for the throne. It'll be chaos for years, a cycle of betrayals, backstabbing, and battles for power."