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yumkiwidelicious · 4 years

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every step that i ran to you

Beom-pal wasn’t quite sure what to make of his old friends once they returned to Hanyang. They were taking a much needed break from what the Second State Councilor fondly referred to as ‘Monster Hunting’ in order to visit the capitol and check on the young king. That they deigned to stop in and see him as well warmed Beom-pal’s heart more than he could describe without quite a few servings of drink.

Beom-pal counted himself lucky that enough time had passed that the three could enter the city virtually unrecognized. Many who had fought beside them were dead or moved on now. Seven years had obviously seen some differences among them; His Highness and Yeong-Shin Jein had facial hair now. However, some things remained devastatingly unchanged; Seo-bi was still beautiful as ever and still completely uninterested in Beom-pal as anything other than a beloved friend. Still, he was happy just to see her.

The four of them talked casually of all they had seen in their travels. Seo-bi was becoming a better and better physician the more exposure to new herbs and remedies she came across. Yeong-shin was their primary breadwinner, using his skill with a gun to hunt as well as impress noblemen out of their wealth all over the nation. The Crown Prince was as stoic and serious as ever, but he praised the others fondly and asked after his late best friend’s son with doting interest.

The absence of Mu-yeong around the table was a somber reminder of all they had lost in the plague. More than what could ever be returned, but not than what could be rebuilt. Beom-pal made a concentrated effort to speak of all the good that was happening in the palace these days. Mu-yeong’s wife was well looked after and had recovered from her harrowing experience while in labor. The council members still living from the plague spread the story Lee Chang had dictated so that all believed the former King and Queen had died honorably. The young king was healthy and well liked and curious and kind.

“He takes after you in that way, Your Highness,” Beom-pal chortled, stumbling to his feet on his way to grab another tankard of liquor. Behind him Seo-bi and Yeong-shin chuckled and teased the former king, but Lee Chang only waved them away, in better spirits now that he knew his kingdom was in good hands.

As Beom-pal prepared another tray of drinks and food, he wondered how long his friends would be able to stay. His Highness and Seo-bi had spoken rather seriously of a desolate village, ravaged by the plague, that they had found when Yeong-shin had been in Hanyang last. Someone was intentionally harvesting and selling the resurrection plant along the countryside to the devastation of its inhabitants. The person or people’s end was unclear, and the former magistrate knew that soon his companions would need to wander back out into the world to find answers and save all of Joseon.

He wished he could accompany them, if only to remain in their presence. It was not as if he’d be of any great help on the mission; even after seven years, Beom-pal knew he was no brave hero. If not for all three of the people sitting in the next room, he would have been dead several times over during the outbreak. Still, he wanted to go with them, even if the journey would be perilous, but he knew he could never abandon the young king. His Majesty was a lonely child and the relationship Beom-pal fostered with him was what he had to imagine the relationship between Lee Chang and Lord Ahn had been. No, he could not abandon his king.

Beom-pal nodded his head resolutely with this thought -he would not beg to tag along on their next big adventure- and moved to reenter the sitting room where he promptly dropped the entire tray of food and beverages he’d been carrying.

He had seen so many things at once.

Seo-bi had had food on her face. Just a smear of some sauce or another right in the corner of her mouth. Common courtesy would dictate one of the men she was with would inform her of this mess so she could excuse herself to tidy and then return perfect. Instead Beom-pal had watched as Yeong-shin reached over in blatant view of the Crown Prince and the gods and brushed the imperfection away with his thumb. He had been smiling and so had Seo-bi though the quirk of her lips and eyes spoke of fond irritation. The tiger hunter had only smiled more roguishly before sticking his thumb in his mouth to taste the food off her face.

Beo-pal had frozen in the doorway, none of them noticing his return.

The physician had promptly turned to her Crown Prince, playful pout marring her pretty face as she’d tugged on his sleeve. A punishable show of disrespect that Lee Chang had responded to with nothing more than a raised brow. In a voice lower and lazier than Beo-pal had ever heard him use, the young man asked his companion, “What, my flower?”

The tray had slipped from Beom-pal’s sweaty fingers-

“He’s teasing me,” Seo-bi had whined.

-and shattered onto the floor.

They all jumped as food and wine and dish shards flew in all directions. There was a rush of bodies to clean up the mess before anything was permanently ruined, but the Second State Councilor had merely stood there in shock as his friends moved all around him. He was trying and failing to categorize what he had just witnessed with his own two eyes. The scene was broken now, shattered along with the dishes, but he had seen it.

He had seen Yeong-shin and Seo-bi flirting.

That was all it could be, but then…

He had heard the Crown Prince call Seo-bi ‘flower’. An obvious term of endearment and an intimate one at that given their behavior once alone, but that just couldn’t be.

It was forbidden and what was more it just didn’t make sense.

The fact that Seo-bi traveling alone in the company of two unmarried men was scandalous was a given, Beom-pal knew that and staunchly ignored such givens all the time. It mattered little. One of the men she was with was the Crown Prince and rightful heir to the throne of Joseon and as such was bound by his title and duty to uphold a strict moral code. Yeong-shin was free of such burdens and Beom-pal had playfully called him a man of ill-repute several times, but this was just unprecedented.

If Seo-bi and Yeong-shin had begun a romantic relationship while in their travels that was their business. It was shameful and unheard of, but their business none the less and Beom-pal couldn’t judge because Seo-bi had been correct all those years ago when she’d assumed he had gonorrhea and he hadn’t come by it innocently. He would never think less of his friends for being tempted, but what about the Crown Prince?

Lee Chang clearly had feelings for Seo-bi as well and Beom-pal hated to think that Yeong-shin was flaunting their situation. Or maybe it was the other way around? Maybe Seo-bi was secretly involved with the prince and Yeong-shin was the one left pining and unfulfilled. Either way, someone had to be hurting here besides Beom-pal.

“Beom-pal, what is it?” Seo-bi was examining his eyes closely, thin fingers already grasping down around his wrist to check his pulse. He had frozen out of nowhere and dropped a whole platter after all. “Are you alright?”

“Ah!”

“My prince!” The physician and the councilor both looked over. Lee Chang had cut his hand on a bit of glass from the liquor and Yeong-shin was there. Blood dripped to the floor in steady drops and the tiger hunter was crouched on his knees besides the other man, cradling his arm gently. “Is it serious?”

“No,” the former king assured, placing his good hand on the juncture between Yeong-shin’s neck and shoulder. He caressed the skin there subtly. “Just a scratch.”

Or maybe…

“Ah, ah, a-ha!” Beom-pal pointed and shouted and backed away from Seo-bi as a wave of clarity washed over him like a bucket of cold river water. The other three looked at him concernedly. “It’s all of you! You’re all together!”

“What are you talking about?” Yeong-shin grouched, rising to his feet but not releasing his grip on Lee Chang as Seo-bi came over to assess the wound. “You’re drunk.”

“No, no, no, don’t try to hide it!” the councilor insisted, voice raised in his panic. He continued to point accusingly. “You’re all together! Romantically!”

A hush fell over the room so smothering that Beom-pal was sure he would start to choke. There was still clutter all over the floor from his shocking accident, but it went ignored as the three people across the room just stared at him as if not sure what to do next. Seo-bi looked frightened, Yeong-shin looked angry, and the Crown Prince just looked tired. The silence between them was deafening until Seo-bi finally seemed to come alive again and stepped forward into no-man’s land. She gave Beom-pal her back as she quickly bowed to the other two men.

“I will speak with him,” she informed before turning and grabbing Beom-pal around his wrist once more.

He was powerless to resist as she pulled him from the room and from the vacant home they had agreed to meet in. So many homes were still vacant after the plague. She hurried them out into the street, empty now as night had fallen, not even letting them slip their sandals back on. She didn’t release him until they were in the middle of the dirt road, practically flinging his arm away as she rounded on him, eyes bright.

Even after seven years, Beom-pal knew he was no brave hero. He was a tremendous coward, keenly aware of his own cowardice, and as such held a deep respect and admiration for people who were brave. Seo-bi was without a doubt the bravest person he knew and so it pained him, in a completely different way than her continued rejection, to see her look so terrified.

“Seo-bi-”

“Will you report us?” she bit out, not crying, but eyes suspiciously wet. Beom-pal put a hand to his chest, honestly hurt by the question.

“I would never-”

“You’ve done it before.”

The words cut like a knife between his ribs and he staggered back. They didn’t talk, ever, about some of the horrible things they each had to do to survive all those years ago. That Yeon-shin had brought the plague in by forcing cannibalism. That Lee Chang had very nearly killed an innocent infant. That Seo-bi had defected, albeit unknowingly, with Mu-yeong. That Beom-pal had, several times, switched his loyalties and betrayed his friends to stay alive. Such things were too painful and could tear their foundation apart at a time when they needed to be strong. That Seo-bi would throw Beom-pal’s cowardice in his face now only proved how dire their situation truly was.

He fell to his knees before her.

“Seo-bi…” He bowed his head over the dirt. “I have always cared for you and always will. You saved my life seven years ago and I swore I would repay you for what you did. Until all the hair on my head turns white, I will keep your secret!”

The night air grew quiet then and Beom-pal remained kowtowing in the dirt until a pair of slim fingers slipped down to touch the bottom of his chin. Seo-bi pushed his head up until they could look into each other’s eyes clearly. She had lowered herself to her knees as well. Her eyes were dry now.

“Thank you, my friend.”

When they returned inside the room was cleaned and Yeong-shin was pulling his fingers through Lee Chang’s hair. Beom-pal blushed, feeling like he shouldn’t be witnessing such an intimate display as Seo-bi called their attention away from each other. The two men looked sceptical when the physician assured them they could trust the former magistrate, but she made it clear the matter was closed for discussion. She took the tiger hunter’s place and began fixing the Crown Prince’s bun herself, complaining openly and good naturedly about how she was the only one amongst them that could keep them looking decent.

Beom-pal did not approach the situation, still standing in the doorway when Yeong-shin came to his side. The two assessed each other with guarded eyes before merely standing side by side and watching the other two. Of the three, Beom-pal had probably grown closest to Yeong-shin throughout the years and he couldn’t deny that the young man had never mentioned their arrangement in his visits hurt.

“Are you angry?” The question was asked in a way that let Beom-pal know the other man would understand this emotion if it were present, but would do nothing to quell it.

“No,” he insisted, shaking his head lightly as he looked across the room at Seo-bi. She was beautiful there, wrapping a tight tie around the Crown Prince’s hair after she smoothed all the stray strands off his neck. He was jealous; he wanted her to touch him like that, but she never would. “No, just…”

Take care of her.

He couldn’t say it.

He cared deeply for Seo-bi. He loved her. And Yeong-shin was his best friend and Lee Chang was his true king. He cared for all of them, but he couldn’t speak desires into their situation. It was not his dictate and make demands of. However, when he turned to look at the tiger hunter, he knew his wishes were understood and the young man merely nodded, clapping a hand firmly on Beom-pal’s slumped shoulders.

“We will.”

When they left the next day, they stood far enough apart to be decent and each smiled genuinely at Beom-pal. Seo-bi even deigned to kiss his cheek ever so lightly after they said their goodbyes. Yeong-shin and Lee Chang were waiting for her a little ways up the road, all their worldly possessions carried on their backs. The physician lingered a moment longer, not knowing when they may lay eyes on each other again. Beom-pal was making a rather manly effort not to cry.

“Be careful,” he murmured, not wanting to say too much more lest he lose all dignity. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Thank you,” the woman intoned, eyes bright as she bowed to him once more. He was a very important official after all. “You’re very brave.”

She departed, safe between the shoulders of two great men, and Beom-pal was left behind. He had no idea when he would see his friends again; what the world would be like when they could finally return. He hoped it could be a place where they could live however they pleased so that the magic that had sparked between them on their journey would not need to be snuffed out. Beom-pal returned to the palace and to his king, a secret heavy on his shoulders, but eased with the fact that the woman he loved believed him to be brave.

#kingdom 2019 #seo-bi #yeong-shin #beom pal #prince lee chang #throuple #ot3

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