Almost Killing the Prince | Minsung ✓

-XVI-

Jisung believed he and Minho have grown closer over the weeks they've spent together.

It's not anything groundbreaking. They aren't suddenly best friends or anything even close to the sort. Actually, they weren't friends either- at least Jisung was pretty sure they weren't.

Instead, it was the paltry things that grew between them.

Minho finally greeted Jisung in the early morning when they would wake up. Though he never smiled when he did. He would instead mumble a small sleepy "Good morning," before walking out to start his day in the fields. He would help Jisung with whatever work he hadn't finished if he was all done with his. He even let Jisung touch Soonie at an early ride out in the woods.

He also believed he's grown closer to the villagers, too. Yes, he tried to scurry off when he saw the two men that beat him up, hiding behind the nearest thing (most of the time Minho) until they've passed. Yes, the villagers still gave him wary glances, but at least they warmed up towards him. One of them even greeted Jisung which was at least groundbreaking.

He's grown to live as a peasant and even got better at working the fields. Really, he might be staying here with Minho if Changbin and others don't find them.

The peace was nice, and being away from the town wasn't stressful at all. The work was hard and living there wasn't ideal for anyone, but it was rewarding at some point and contenting for others.

Today though- Jisung believed that today was when his relationship with Minho would drastically improve.

Minho never took Jisung with him whenever he stole from the merchants. Jisung would want to go, and even asked Minho once or twice- but the latter would always reject him as if he was still too young and it was too dangerous for him. Then, Jisung would bring up his self-acclaimed mission to protect Minho, only for the older to scoff and shut the door at the younger's face. Either that or Minho just didn't want Jisung to go.

"How are you with a bow?" Minho questions, readying his horse beside Jisung.

"On the ground? Pretty good. On a horse? Not so much," Jisung frowns. Minho hands Jisung a bow before turning and strapping a quiver to his horse. Well- it's not that Jisung never learned... He just forgot how to do it.

"Don't lose it," Minho climbs Soonie, eyeing Jisung. "Or I will kill you."

"Uhm. I'll try not to," Jisung laughs with uncertainty, securing the bowstring across his torso before following suit and climbing his horse.

They rode out at around very early morning when the sun hadn't even peeked from the mountains and the night was still tempting everyone to sleep. None of the villagers were awake, save for a woman or two preparing breakfast for their families.

And they rode out quite far from the village, far enough that it was around noon when they stopped and waited on their horses behind some shrubbery and trees. It was the longest stretch of road from between any town, Jisung remembered. It was also the place where he and the other guards were ambushed by Minho and his friend.

Speaking of which- was dead because of Hyunjin. He wanted to ask him about that but it was difficult when Jisung was positive Minho would stab him if he brought it up.

"Thieving is very different from this, okay?" Minho starts, Jisung arching an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"Well- For one, I think thieving is harder since you try to get something without anyone noticing. Here we just chase down travelers and merchants- Think of it as hunting."