Our Palace

Chapter 6

                                                                    "I like you"

The vibrations of Yijeong's phone slowly wakes him up. "16 missed calls, 25 unread messages, 9 voicemails" is visible on the screen as he unlocks his phone. The younger yawns and scratches the back of his neck, not completely paying enough attention to all the notifications on the digital device in his hand. Anxiously reading what's on the screen more closely, he finally grasps the gravity of the situation... They had fallen asleep. Yijeong immediately checks the time on his phone, "8:47PM" is displayed. He turns to his side, finding their leader's arm placed tightly around his waist. "He looks so peaceful when he sleeps", the younger thinks to himself as his eyes wander to their leader's blushed and red cheeks. "Does he have a fever again?", Yijeong mumbles as he leans in closer to Kyungil's face, moving his hand up to his forehead. Suddenly, his hand is stopped by the other's hand, grabbing onto his wrist. "What are you doing?", Kyungil asks in a soft and sleepy voice. The voice that makes the younger melt. "Oh, you're awake? I..- I was just checking if your fever was back..your cheeks.. -- I'm sorry if I woke you up..", the younger responds with a shaky voice as he tries to retreat his hand from the other's face. "No, no it's ok. I've been awake for awhile actually... what about my cheeks?" .. "...oh nothing, it's nothing... they just looked a bit red and glowy" .. The leader grabs his hands and guides them up to his face again, cupping his own cheeks with the younger's hands. "Are they warm?", the leader ask while his eyes are focused on the other, attempting to make eye contact. Yijeong feels the leader's eyes on him and tries to avoid glancing at up at him by turning away his head.

** a few hours earlier, at the amusement park **

On their way back to the van, the leader suddenly stops, glancing over at the younger while nudging his tummy. "What is it, hyung? Why did you stop?", Yijeong asks in a soft and confused voice while glancing back at the other. "Come on, follow me", Kyungil says with a smile, holding the younger's hand tighter before starting to run. "Wait, hyung. Where are we going? The van is the other way..", Yijeong asks, as he's trying to catch his breath while running after Kyungil, hand in hand. "Forget about them, just follow me", the leader responds. The younger is feeling confused but decides to keep following their leader.

After running for a while, Kyungil finally stops in front of a big building. Exhausted from running and trying to catch his breath, the younger asks "A hotel? What are we doing here?" ... "Hyung?". Turning around to face the other, Kyungil just says "Come on, let's go in", grabbing Yijeong's hand again, leading him in through the entrance. "One room, please", Kyungil kindly asks the receptionist, while getting out his wallet. "With one or two beds, sir?" "One." "And how long will you be staying, sir?", "Just one night, thank you."

"What if anyone sees us here...together?", the younger asks while nudging Kyungil's shoulder, as he's quietly walking behind him. "No one will see us, trust me" .. "How can you be so sure?..This place isn't exactly private.." .. "Oh, so you want to go somewhere more private huh?", the leader says with a flirtatious smile on his lips. "No no, that's not what I meant, hyung.." ... "Since when did he get so flirty, I thought I was the teasing one..", Yijeong softly mumbles to himself in confusion.

"Here we are, this is our room", Kyungil says while opening the door, grabbing Yijeong's hand to lead him in. Before they can even get inside, Yijeong stops. "What's wrong?", the leader asks in worry. "Why are we here, really? What about the others? We just left without saying anything.." .... "Hyung..answer me, please.." ... "I will, Yijeong-iie...I will tell you everything but can you please just come in.."