without love | markhyuck

six

"j-jeno."

minhyung stumbled a bit when donghyuck pushed him away, the smug smile still lingered on his face. turning his gaze toward jeno who had an unexplanable expression, minhyung approached him.

"let's talk," minhyung said to jeno and left the room.

donghyuck blinked his eyes as jeno still stared at him. he could feel the air around them was thick. "the crown prince just finished giving me a tour around the palace," donghyuck muttered. he couldn't help but the guiltiness crawled up his skin when he saw the puzzled look the latter had as if he was being betrayed.

"i see," jeno replied simply. he had no idea what they were doing but the image he had seen was fresh in his head, and he let that picture explained everything.

"jeno what you see earlier is a misunderstanding.." donghyuck said softly as he fiddled with his fingers.

jeno cocked his head to the side and smiled, "what misunderstanding? it's okay, soon both of you will get married. you can do whatever you want with him. i'm sorry for disturbing what the two of you might have had earlier. now if you excuse me, your future husband is waiting for me."

donghyuck felt his heart pricked when jeno emphasized the word 'future husband'. "w-wait jeno!" donghyuck bit his lip in order not to cry as jeno stepped out of the room, leaving him behind.

the clear liquid was poured into two ceramic cups. minhyung put aside the bottle with a huff, and swallowed the alcohol in one shot. "so, what's going on?"

"the same clan from before sends its people to make illegal trading at the border. but i haven't been informed yet when it will take place. i still need to receive updates from our subordinates and we just have to stand by," jeno pulled the cup toward him, and let it stayed there.

minhyung smashed his cup down on the table as he clenched his jaws, "those bastards don't know who they're dealing with. next time, i'm going to cut their leader's head and send it to their king then they'll know, who's the powerful one here."

"your highness, we're not supposed to initiate a war," jeno warned.

"you don't tell me what to do," minhyung clicked his tongue. "plus, this is going to be my nation one day."

jeno sighed as he listened to the latter. somehow, his thoughts wandered to something else. his mouth itched to ask what had happened earlier outside the study room. he was curious how they ended up that way, unpleasant sight for him to witness.

"uhm, what were you doing with donghyuck when i'm not around?" jeno couldn't help but ask.

minhyung chuckled as gulped down another amount of the liquid. he knew where this conversation would lead to. "the king wanted me to give him a tour."

jeno nodded his head, staring at the wooden table in front of him. minhyung put down his cup and placed his chin in his palm, looking at the troubled face jeno had. "why?"

"i-it's nothing," jeno stammered. picking up the cup, he drank the alcohol in one go, hissing at the burning sensation that went through his throat.

minhyung frowned seeing that. jeno disliked drinking and minhyung knew, if this happened, jeno was clearly upset and mad. "i'm sorry for what you had seen earlier."