Dusk And Dawn ✔️

Part 6 :- To 'Have' and To 'Hold'

Past

YiJun opens his eyes to find Xian standing by the window; it's almost dawn. YiJun loves to look at Xian during this time. When the first rays of the morning sun hits his face, he looks beautiful, almost like an elven creature. Xian glows, and YiJun loves it.

Xian turns and smiles at YiJun, before running towards him and throwing himself on top of the older boy, "Good morning, Jun."

YiJun smiles and holds the younger boy close, "Xian, do you remember what I told you yesterday?"

Xian nods, his face buried in YiJun's neck, "Kissing is not allowed, and no one must know that my wound has healed." He pauses and looks at the older boy before continuing, "But hugging is allowed, and I can hug you as much as I want." He breaks the embrace and asks in a timid tone, "Jun, are you going to tell mom that I kissed you?"

Jun knows that Xi Xi might get upset, but he had decided that she needed to know, "Mn. I promise, aunty will not be upset with you."

"No, if mother has to be upset with someone, it should be me. No one should be upset with My Jun. I will tell mom that it was all my fault."

YiJun's heart fills with affection at the love and loyalty Xian always shown towards him. He smiles and gives Xian a brief hug before going to meet the king.

When he enters the king's chamber, he is surprised to find Xi Xi waiting for him.

She stands and bows, "Prince YiJun, I hope you are feeling better today. I hope Xian didn't bother you much."

YiJun returns the bow before walking towards her, and embracing her, "Sorry, aunty Xi Xi, I should never have behaved so coldly with you."

Xi Xi holds him away and looks at both YiJun and Xian, who is standing next to the prince without meeting her eyes. She purses her lips and turns to the King, "King, if it's ok with you, I would like to talk to YiJun and Xian in private. It is regarding the position of confidant that you want to bestow upon Xian."

The King knows better than to refuse the lady, "As you wish." He agrees, and the three make their way towards YiJun's room, but before Xian can enter, Xi Xi stops him, "Xian, I need to talk to Jun alone for a moment."

Xian nods and stands outside; Xi Xi and YiJun go inside and close the door.

Without wasting any time, Xi Xi gets to the point, "Did you touch him?" Her usual calmness is gone.

YiJun decides to start from the very beginning, "Yesterday at the beach, he cut his finger on a shell, I got worried and sucked his finger..." YiJun pauses, his ears turn red, "I... I don't... something happened to me... I felt powerless against my desire to hold Xian...I held him and..." YiJun pauses, tips of his ears turn red.

Xi Xi tries to keep a stable voice, but YiJun knows she is furious, "YiJun, tell me you didn't take him!"

"Aunty! No. I never...I just licked his wound and it... it healed... and then he kissed me." YiJun pauses and blurts out the next words as fast as his mouth allows, "Then I kissed him, but it was brie. I know it was wrong. I told him that we can't do that and that he was too young and that hugging was alright since we have always held each other. I promise I was on my way to tell you all of this, and that is why I had come to my father's chamber. I didn't want to hide anything from you. I can never do anything to hurt Xian or you. Please, believe me." Then he lets out a breath.

Xi Xi visibly calms down, "How long have you had feelings for him?"

YiJun had not expected this question. 'How did she know?' YiJun wonders, before telling the truth, "Since the night of my fourteenth birthday."