Promise- Minsung

Chapter Forty Seven

Jisung fell back into his bed squeezing his eyes shut. "He can't be dead. If he were dead then he would have shown up by now. The Black Masks would have bragged that they killed him."

"That's true," Minho mumbled as he turned on his side. "They would have. But how do we know someone didn't take him and are holding him hostage or something like that?"

"Don't say that. Maybe he just..." Jisung sighed. "I don't know. Decided to take a vacation."

"What?" Minho turned to face him with a frown. "If he did, he would have taken Yongbok with him. You know how much he loved Yongbok. I feel like he would have said something to Yongbok if he were planning on leaving like that..."

"Let's just go to bed," Jisung turned over and motioned for Minho to cuddle him from behind.

"Is that an order, my King?"

"Of course. Everything I say is an order," Jisung muttered as he fell into Minho's embrace.

Minho placed a soft kiss on Jisung's neck before snuggling into his shoulders. "Good night."

"Night," Jisung, embraced in warmth, fell into an easy sleep, his worries about his friends slipping away for a few hours.

Of course, Yongbok hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since Changbin disappeared and tonight was no different. He sat awake, staring into space in front of him.

Bang Chan and Min-hyung stood outside his room at a late hour whispering to each other.

"He didn't eat all day," Chan muttered under his breath. "And he hasn't slept at all."

"You don't think Changbin would just leave him like that? He cares too much for him, don't you think?" he scratched his head. "Until we find Changbin my cousin won't get any sleep or food. We have to find him as soon as possible."

"You do know," Chan murmured. "That we might now find him alive."

"I'm aware," Min-hyung looked Chan over. "But I believe that if Yongbok at least knows that he didn't leave him on purpose like this, it will ease his mind."

"But, Your Highness," Chan titled his head and leaned against the wall with an uneasy expression. "What if he did?"

"Then he and I will have words when we next meet," Min-hyung nodded to Chan before he walked away back towards his own room.

Chan watched the prince go before glancing towards the door to Yongbok's room.

It would be an uneasy night for everyone.

~oOo~

The next morning when the sun was just over the horizon, Prince Minho walked out of his room fully clothed holding Yeong in his arms as the small child slept on his chest.

"Isn't it beautiful outside today?" he whispered as the breeze washed over his face. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, basking in the sunlight.

The birds chirping in the air gave the false sense of protection and peace that Minho so wanted to believe his life was made of right now.

He had debated many times whether to move his family over the mountains to the Lee Kingdom or not. It appeared like the assassins were only targeting the Eastern Kingdom. Perhaps the Western Kingdom would be safer.

But Minho knew that Jisung would never leave his people here alone without a king. He would rather die.

Minho looked down at the small prince in his arms. "Yeong... when you're older, I'll take you to my home," he said softly, his face tickled by the short, soft hairs on Yeong's head. "I'll show you a peaceful world where he can live without being afraid."