Almost Killing the Prince | Minsung ✓

-XXXVIII-

Lee Taeyong was the son of his father and a concubine. He was nice, soft-spoken, shy, and barely even stepped foot in the palace. His mother wanted him far away from nobility, and for years he didn't even remember his heritage. He struggled to speak and connect with the nobility, his country accent prominent whenever he opened his mouth. But he always made an effort to speak like a nobleman- which he was, one way or another.

He had the looks of a prince, and the smarts too. He was hard-working even if he lived in... Wherever he lived in for all these years. Now he was back- well, the king dragged him back. And really, this was maybe the second time Yongbok has ever seen him.

He stood tall, with dark red royal garments he seemed unsure of and arched an eyebrow at. With his tanned and defined face, sharp jaw, and dark gentle eyes, he was taller than Yongbok, and even with his benign stare, Yongbok couldn't help but feel intimidated in his presence. Maybe it was because he was the youngest prince, or maybe because he was a stranger before Yongbok.

Nevertheless, he clearly had the 'kingly' intimidation, and giving him another once over, Yongbok hides his fishing rod behind himself.

"How are you, Yongbok?" He smiles with a bow, his eyes avoiding the fishing pole as a small sign of respect. He was as equally awkward with the prince as Yongbok was with him. They were half-brothers, but the fact that Yongbok knew shit about the other made him feel inferior to the older.

"I'm well, you?" Yongbok smiled, feeling his stomach twist into itself. This prince just bowed to him. While it was commonplace for another prince to do so to a crown prince, it still felt weird to Yongbok. And Seungmin's whining about him smelling like fish crossed his mind momentarily. Why did he insist on fishing today? If someone glanced at them from afar, they'd think Yongbok was the peasant with the edges of his hanbok drenched in water, dirt smudged at his jaw.

Other than Minho- though he's been gone for years- there had never been another prince than Yongbok in the palace. While it felt nice to have someone with the same status, another brother, he couldn't help but distance himself. And not because of Taeyong, no. Yongbok would gladly become his friend. He seemed nice enough, and it was a little easier to talk to him than, per se, the scholars or the eunuchs.

"I'm fine as well. Last time I saw you, you were so little," he laughs lightly but his bright demeanor immediately fell as he clears his throat, bowing again as he clenched his fist. "I know I'm very late but I'm sorry about what happened to your older brother. I heard about his death while I was away. I couldn't come back to the palace until now."

"There's no need to apologize. It was just a sad accident," Yongbok coughs out, covering his mouth with a fist. Why did his father bring in his half-brother? He doesn't have any qualms with Taeyong himself. However, it was unnerving to see a new prince- who had no interest in the throne whatsoever- suddenly come waltzing into the palace.

Yongbok remembered the first time he saw Taeyong. Minho was still living in the palace then, albeit not much longer.

It rained that day, dark and gloomy, no matter how many times Yongbok asked the rain to go away so he and his brother could play some games.

While he moped around the overhangs of the buildings, he notices a pair walking through the rain with an umbrella, rushing towards the stables to the north. Yongbok got a glimpse of the child clinging to his mother, making eye contact with him before they galloped away.

Yongbok didn't know who he was, and neither did Minho when he asked (or maybe he did know, and was one of the many secrets his brother had kept from him). And glancing back, Yongbok suspected their sudden leave necessary after the rising tension and secrets that occupied the palace.