Royal Temptations

Bonus Chapter 8

Kinda just read through this again and wanted to write something else. Not sure what yet, but hey, that's how we roll in this house.

Current jams: Not By the Moon by Got7 and Gravity by Ong Seong Wu, with some Oh My God by (G)-idle thrown in (the English version mostly because quite literally oh my god)

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Junmyeon's POV

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I wiped my palms on my jeans, feeling them sticky with sweat. I closed my eyes briefly and opened them again, catching Heechan's eye across the room. He cocked his head to the side, and I made a vague gesture I hoped he could interpret because I sure couldn't. He just shook his head and fixed his gaze back on his laptop. I chewed my pen cap as I skimmed my notes, feeling heat rise to my cheeks when I saw a familiar name scribbled many times. I flipped to a new page.

"Junmyeon?" I glanced up as mother rapped her knuckles against the doorframe. I beckoned her in, setting the notebook aside. "Whatcha working on?" she asked me. I shrugged, not entirely sure myself. I'd kind of mindlessly worked for awhile there, my brain going on autopilot. "Your first anniversary is coming up," she reminded me gently, causing me to flair red.

"I know," I answered, feeling a fond sort of smile gracing my features. It felt crazy and unreal some days. That a year ago my life would have turned out so much different than it was right now. That I'd been out and actually proud, not only to my family, but to my people. It felt freeing, and wonderful, and just...so, so right. "What should I even do?" I asked. She pulled a chair up in front of my desk, settling comfortably into it. "Like, I want to do something for him, but is it too cheesy? Should we even be celebrating something as simple as a year together?"

"What do you think?" Mother asked instead. What did I think? I thought I wanted to spend every waking moment for the rest of my life celebrating the wonderful man I had. That chose me in the end. That would always choose me. I supposed that was all the answer I needed. "Don't go over the top," mother added, leaning across the desk and ruffling my hair. "You know he's a simple soul."

"He is," I agreed. "He certainly is." It was one of many, many reasons I loved him. Though if it ever tried marking them all down, I feared the list would stretch the globe. I should have known at sixteen years old how important Yixing would actually be to me. But I'd been in denial so long. Now all I wanted was to shout from the palace roof how much I loved him. How in love with him I was. And I was no longer afraid of who knew it. Yixing was mine. He was well and truly mine, and would be for the rest of my life. It was something I never dared let myself believe. I couldn't get my hopes up just to dash them in the end.

"You'll figure it out." Mither interrupted my train of thought. I blinked at her, being pulled up from deep within. "You're a smart man. I have faith in you." I inclined my head. "Besides," she added, a smile overcoming her features as well. I briefly wondered if we ever looked alike when we smiled. "As long as it comes from you, he's going to love it. Because he loves you." I felt warmed by her words. And reassured. Yes. It did not matter if it was big or flashy or fancy. Yixing would love it either way because we loved each other. "I'm so happy Jun."

"Why?" I inquired, lacing my fingers together and leaning my elbows against the desk, resting my chin on top of them. Another smile from mother as she rose from her place.

"Because you're happy," she said simply. Tears stung the backs of my eyes as I laughed lowly, shaking my head. "It's all I've ever wanted for you. As long as you grew up healthy and happy, I can feel like I've succeeded as a parent. But for so long your happiness seemed imaginary, but I had no idea how to help. But now..." She swiped a hand under her eyes, and with a start I realized she was crying. I quickly vacated my chair and circled around the table, wrapping her in a hug.