The Black Prince & The White Prince

White Tears

After lunch, Minhyun was dragging Baekho by arm to the shower. Although the other whined all the way there, he still did what Minhyun asked him to. Wipe his body and wear a new change of clothes, one more suited for horse riding. Minhyun did the same but in a different cubicle and quickly too so Baekho wouldn't have the chance to peek at him, not that the other even had such thoughts since he was busy making sure he came out as spotless as possible.

Baekho slicked his hair up so they wouldn't poke his eyes when he started getting sweaty. He was glad the outfit this time was more of his style and less formal compared to the other two. A simple white shirt and pants. He noticed Minhyun already waiting for him with a similar black outfit.

"You look.... normal," Minhyun said, turning away so he wouldn't catch himself staring. Baekho raised a brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked while walking beside Minhyun although the other started pacing himself faster as they left the bathroom. 

"I mean what I said. You look normal," he repeated himself although Baekho wasn't really satisfied with his respond. He didn't push Minhyun any further though since he realised trying to get things out of Minhyun forcefully wasn't a good idea. He thought for awhile and grinned.

"I think you look great," Baekho said and attempted to slide his arm around Minhyun again who reflexively grabbed his arm. Minhyun's eyes seemed to tremble with something Baekho couldn't quite fathom and his cheeks were slowly turning pink.

"You.... don't try to act all chummy with me," Minhyun snapped and let go of Baekho's arm, making sure he didn't try to do it again. Baekho didn't like how Minhyun always tried to distant himself even when they do get to have a normal sounding conversation. It made him even more irritated at the other.

"But why not? I'm just trying to get along with you. Be friends, maybe. Not this... weird... relation thing we have going on which even you can't put into words. I'm not your prisoner but I'm not your toy either. What exactly am I to you?" Baekho asked, sighing in exasperation. Minhyun stopped walking and turned Baekho.

"I thought I made it clear yesterday what would have happened to you if I actually do what I meant to from the beginning?" Minhyun asked, reminding Baekho of yesterday's incident.

"That..." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "So... am I really just.... a toy? Just someone you brought here to... to keep you entertained?" He wanted so badly for that to be false, he wasn't sure why. Maybe he just rather be on normal terms with Minhyun. Minhyun flinched a little when he noticed Baekho's eyes turning slightly teary.

"Wh... why are you crying?" Minhyun asked in a softer tone. Baekho looked confused and reached up to his eyes.

"Oh... I didn't... I'm not." He wiped the tears away, trying to keep a strong face on. Minhyun sighed and pulled him close, actually hugging him. Baekho was shocked but didn't refuse the hug. Everything was just so confusing to him and so different from whatever he was used to.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel this way. And I wasn't lying either when I said I don't know what I'm going to do with you.... To be honest, I brought you here on impulse. It's really out of my character to do something like this but I don't think I can just let you go back to your kingdom either. I don't... I don't really know anymore," Minhyun said honestly, trying to decipher his own emotions as well.

"Then... can't we be friends?" Baekho asked, unintentionally giving Minhyun a squeeze. Minhyun frowned a little. He found the idea to be baffling honestly.

"But... I don't know," Minhyun said softly, his voice trailing off.

"I can forgive you for whatever you have done to me so far... I think. I mean, a collar and having to take a shower isn't that bad yet," Baekho replied, trying to convince himself that it would be fine. It can be fine.

"But I don't want to be friends," Minhyun finally said after some thought. He could tell the way Baekho made him feel wasn't really connected to the term friends. He moved back to look Baekho in the eyes. The other just seemed more pitiful upon hearing Minhyun's words.

"Am I that horrible of a person that you don't want to consider even being friends?" Baekho asked in a shaky voice.

"No. No. That's not it. When I look at you, I don't feel what I usually feel when I'm with Ren. When I touch you... I'm not... I feel like a different person. I don't quite understand it myself but you're not... I can't see you as just a friend." This was giving Minhyun a headche as he tried to clarify his feelings. He never had to try this hard before to actually get a point across. He usually knew what to say and be upfront about it. Baekho couldn't quite understand what was going on either.

"So.... it's not that you don't want to be my friend?"

"Yes..."

"Then... what else could we be?"

"I... that... I don't know?"

"You know you're not making any sense, right?"

"I know." Minhyun rubbed his temples out of habit and thought about it. Baekho just stared at the other in deep thought before he looked up again. He took Baekho's arm and pulled him to a more secluded area of the palace, away from the guards and maids. "Okay. Tell me how you feel when I do this."

It took Baekho by surprise for sure when Minhyun leaned closer, pushing him so his back touched the wall. He put a hand up against the wall, quite literally trapping Baekho in the space they were in. Baekho gulped, unsure where this was going. Minhyun didn't stop coming closer though until their lips were only inches apart. Both of them could feel their heartbeats pounding faster, wondering if the other could hear it.

"Are you... seriously going to kiss me?" Baekho asked, still unsure what to think except being uncomfortable at their close proximity. Minhyun clenched his fist and thought about it before just cursing in his mind and put his lips against Baekho's.