Almost Killing the Prince | Minsung ✓

-XXXVII-

It wasn't until later that week that they readied to leave.

Jisung's fever never left completely, but it subsided enough for him to be able to walk and think clearly without the pain of coughing jabbing at his side. His shoulder wound healed tremendously too (especially after Minho's constant nagging), and Minho's ribs didn't hurt as much when he took deep breaths.

Of course, they had no way to pay back the doctor. And since Jisung couldn't steal- much more stand, it was up to Minho to pay back the doctor.

Now, Hyunjin protested at first (being the obnoxious guard he is), and while he did, Jisung and Minho cracked a plan to distract Hyunjin as Minho ran about town and tried to steal a necklace or two and sell it off.

Jisung asked Hyunjin to help him bathe, and the older rejected right away with a red face and a threat to hit Jisung's head. The younger persisted and made up some bullshit excuse that he was too frail to bathe himself, so it'd be better to wash all the sickness away with the help of the Goguryeo guard. Unless Hyunjin wanted Jisung to fall sick again. The guard ended up agreeing, and he already made way to fill a tub with water to help Jisung out of his clothes.

All the while, Minho walked around town, glancing toward the little population of noblewomen or noblemen the town hosted. After Jisung's quick lesson about thievery way back when, he now avoided sizeable houses, and flinched every time he saw a dog padding along (they just gave him dreadful memories).

Fate must've forgiven him, Minho guessed, as he managed to steal a necklace- only to be found right after. Maybe fate changed her mind easily. Really, he had respect for Jisung for pulling off this stunt, maybe almost every day. And he had to run and hide before the woman could beat the hell out of him with an umbrella.

Either way, he sold the thing and ran back to the doctor to pay him off.

When Jisung and a red-faced Hyunjin walked out of one of the rooms, Minho nods at the thief with a thin smile at his success. He felt pride bubble in him, especially when the younger clapped silently with a bright smile.

Though before Hyunjin could walk out of the room, Minho sees someone peek out of the corner of the building, narrowing his eyes at someone dark haired, a hand on a sword hilt, ready to strike.

"Hyunjin!" Minho yelled out, Hyunjin almost running into a sword that stuck out if the younger hadn't stumbled back, falling to the wood floor with a loud crash and an embarrassing yelp.

Minho runs over, stepping in front of Jisung. Neither of them had swords, or anything to protect themselves, really. The first thing he was looking for was a way to escape, if an assassin had come to kill them or if Silla guards found them in Goguryeo.

But no, assassins wouldn't be so upfront about it. Silla guards wouldn't dare follow them into Goguryeo unless absolutely needed-

A young man fell to his knees from the corner, wearing all black and his hands scratching the porch wood. He kept his eyes down, and his head bowed to Minho, messy, frizzled ebony hair splaying over his narrow eyes.

Two figures stepped out from the corner, a pale man with curly hair holding the sword that almost killed Hyunjin and a shorter, dark-haired man with narrow eyes and a bamboo hat on either side of the bowing stranger.

"Chan? Changbin?" Minho sputtered out, his eyes widening at the Baekje guards- he didn't think the two would catch up to them this fast. He thought that maybe they'd take another week or so. Well- then again, he and Hyunjin didn't stray too far from the two. "What are you doing here?"

"Minho," Jisung taps at the older's shoulder, gesturing to the man on the floor that Changbin nudged with his foot. "That's the assassin that tried to kill you. In the forest and the guard in the town."