"Well fuck. Lock the door next time, will you?" Yeosang said, rolling his eyes.

Seonghwa didn’t know how to react to his cousin’s reaction. Why was he so calm.

Hongjoong was about to pass out and he buried his face into the sheets.

"So anyway I came here to tell you that your mother wants to ask you something, I think it was about Aurora? Well, I don’t know really. But she said I should fetch you. Oh, and there’s going to be a ball the day after the race so you gotta find a date and then the day after the ball is the hunt."

Yeosang said what needed to be said and walked out the door and closed it behind him.

Everything was quiet but the door was suddenly thrown open dramatically once again.

"Oh and I forgot to mention that I don’t care if you’re fucking Hongjoong just don’t bring me into your mess if you’re caught. I have my own business to attend to," Yeosang announced, walking out the door again.

That left the two once again but this time a weight had been removed from their shoulders.

"I’ll go see what they want," Seonghwa said, getting up from the bed and placing a kiss on Hongjoongs lips before he left.

The bedroom door closed and Hongjoong let out a huge sigh. His hands flew to his face and he gently slapped his cheeks, giggling in glee.

The door opened again and luckily it was just Seonghwa but Hongjoong swore he would have a heart attack if it happened again.

"Still meet me later," the taller male said, walking away right after.

Hongjoong sprung up from the bed, rushing to deal with more boxes so he wouldn’t be late later on.

Luckily, both of them managed to escape within time in order to head to their meeting place.

It was nearing dark and Hongjoong arrived first. He stood in the shadows of the carriage so no one would see him as he waited for the taller male to arrive.

It was fully dark by the time the male had finally begun calming down and Hongjoong wondered how much longer it would take until the Lord would arrive.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, resting it against the side of the carriage and when he opened them, he nearly fainted.

A strangle like scream escaped the male’s throat and his knees went weak.

"Seonghwa!" Hongjoong cried, clutching the area of his heart. "Never do that again! I have nearly passed out THREE times today and all three, some way or another, involved you!"

"I’m sorry," Seonghwa laughed, pulling the male into his arms and pecking his nose. "Come on, I wanna do something with you."

Hongjoong allowed himself to be led by the taller male into a few trees that were nearby. It was eerily quiet and it would have been spooky if Hongjoong didn’t have the taller’s hand wrapped tightly around his. Seonghwa stopped shortly after in a clearing, turning to face the shorter.

"So, I don’t know how to do this so I’ll do my best," Seonghwa said, getting down on one knee.

Hongjoong was puzzled at the action. Why was the Lord going down on his knee?

"Kim Hongjoong, I haven’t known you for very long but I would like to ask you something. Here I promise to always protect you to the best of my abilities and provide for you. So now I ask, will you be my boyfriend?"

Hongjoong laughed. He couldn’t help it. He laughed loudly and although Seonghwa liked the sound, he was confused and wasn’t sure if he should feel hurt.

Hongjoong dropped down to his knee and engulfed Seonghwa in a big hug, burying his face in the older’s neck.

"Yes. I will be your boyfriend."

Seonghwa smiled, placing a kiss on the side of the younger’s head.

"Why were you laughing?"

"Because people normally go down on a knee when they’re getting married and your confession sounded like something you say at a wedding," Hongjoong laughed adorably, squishing Seonghwas cheeks in his hand.

Seonghwas mouth formed an "O" shape and he awkwardly chuckled.

"Well like I said, I didn’t know what to do so I winged it."

The two got comfortable on the ground, Hongjoong leaning on Seonghwas chest while he sat between the taller’s legs. Seonghwa shifted to lean against a tree and together they looked at the stars while Seonghwa's arms were tightly wrapped around the younger. 

Up until the early hours of the morning when the stars started disappearing and the sun started saying hello did they sneak back into the castle to sleep. 

Unfortunately, Hongjoong had to go to his own room he shared with Jongho and Seonghwa had to go back to his personal room.

Surprisingly, Jongho wasn’t in the room when he arrived so he simply changed into a clean set of clothes and went to sleep. Right as he was about to fully drift off, the door creaked open and the male heard Jongho whispering good night to someone before he entered and headed to his own bed.

Strange. Hongjoong thought the only people that Jongho knew on the trip were himself, Seonghwa and Yeosang. But then again, mayhaps the blacksmith knew someone else or met someone and went out for the night such as Seonghwa and himself had done.

Whatever the reason, at least Jongho was back safely.

The next morning when Hongjoong woke up, Jongho was still deep asleep and so he quietly gathered some of his things before going to take a shower and then go wake up Seonghwa. He felt giddy at the thought of being able to wake up his boyfriend and hoped the older wasn’t awake yet.

Luckily for him, Seonghwa was nicely wrapped in his sheets when he quietly entered the cool room. 

"So careless of him to not lock the door," Hongjoong muttered under his breath but secretly glad because how else would he be able to enter?

Hongjoong locked the door behind him in case anyone else would so happen to come and wake up the Lord and catch him inside the room.

He tiptoed to the side of the bed and stared at the male for a second before he lifted the sheet and slid under it. He nearly gasped out loud when he realized that Seonghwa didn’t wear a shirt to sleep but it was too late to just slide out now.

He squirmed closer and lifted the male’s arm, snuggling to his chest and lightly poking the sleeping male’s side.

"Wakey, wakey," Hongjoong whispered.

Seonghwa didn’t even stir and Hongjoong huffed, realizing his boyfriend was a deep sleeper.

Unfair. His boyfriend could deep sleep and he woke up to almost any sound. He had been surprised that the day prior he had slept soundly in the carriage considering majority of the time he would wake to the slightest shift in motion or noise.

He lay in Seonghwa's arms in silence, unsure what he was supposed to do now but decided the best he could do was try to sleep as well.

He kissed Seonghwa's nose and tried his best to fall asleep but he couldn’t. Seemed as if he’d just have to wait until his boyfriend woke up on his own.

"I wonder if I have to work in this place as well," Hongjoong asked himself, drawing little patterns on the male’s bare chest.

He was trying to talk to himself to keep him distracted from the Lord’s perfect body but he couldn’t help but let his eyes drift down to the male’s abdomen every so often.

He stopped drawing patterns and just let out a small huff, wishing Seonghwa would wake up. Why was his boyfriend so fucking beautiful even in sleep?

"Keep drawing patterns," Seonghwa's deep morning voice suddenly said.

Hongjoong jumped a bit and his eyes immediately looked at his boyfriend's face. 

"Morning sleepyhead," Hongjoong giggled, brushing the males morning hair back and away from his forehead.

"Morning. You were edging somnophilia just now,” the Equestrian joked.

Hongjoong grumbled in disagreement, gently swatting the male’s chest.

“What time is it?"

Hongjoong shrugged in response and didn’t make a move to check.

"Probably near ten," he finally replied after thinking of the possibility.

Seonghwa groaned and pulled his boyfriend flush against his chest, nuzzling the smaller’s nearly dry hair.

"I have to go stretch or something like that later. Yesterday my Mother insisted I do it when I went to find her and I have to take Yeosang horseback riding with me because if not he'll stay locked inside all day and my aunt doesn’t want him in here all day."

Hongjoong nodded in understanding and patted Seonghwa's cheek. 

"Well then shouldn’t you get up and get ready? I’ll be here all day and Ill wait for you."

Seonghwa nodded, pecking Hongjoong's forehead before getting up.

"I’ll get going and I’ll see you later, okay?" Hongjoong said, walking to the door with a little wave, leaving his boyfriend to do Lordy things.

"Hesus fuck he's adorable," Seonghwa said to himself once Hongjoong was gone. “I want to keep him in my arms all day, every day.”

He put on a giant white robe over his pair of trousers with a happy smile before going to take a shower then find his mother.

Upon entering the dining room, he was a bit stunned to see so many people in there, most seated quietly and staring at something, or more like someone, at the front of the room.

"No, Mother! I do NOT wanna gooooo!" Yeosang whined, grabbing the Duchess of Yeonsu's arm.

"We have already decided you will be accompanying Seonghwa so you will do as told not as you please."

"Well at least let the blacksmith come with because what if the fucking shoe falls off the stupid horse?"

"Language. And no, the blacksmith will not be going with you. The shoes are intact and so you will be fine."

Seonghwa wanted to die. How could he let anyone see he was related to that... whatever Yeosang identified as. Alien if you please.

Seonghwa walked to where his family sat with his head hung low, aware of all the stares he received.

"Ahh, there he is," The Duke of Sacheon said. "You have joined us in time for brunch."

Seonghwa wordlessly sat down only muttering a quiet morning.

"As I was complaining earlier, I don’t want to go with Seonghwa and I’m sure he doesn’t want to go with me either. Please!?"

Everyone ignored Yeosang's whines and began eating except for Seonghwa who hadn’t plated any food yet. Yeosang aggressively stabbed a piece of bacon and ate in silence, fuming and throwing glares at his cousin. 

As soon as they finished eating, Yeosang got up and furiously marched outside, putting on his dressage gloves as he walked before getting his horse and climbing it. Seonghwa appeared shortly after and before he could even climb on his riding horse, Yeosang took off, leaving his cousin behind.

"OI! YEOSANG!" Seonghwa hollered, quickly getting on the horse and urging it to run. 

He wasn’t on Aurora so he couldn’t go as fast but since his cousin had no experience in horses, he never did get too far.

"KANG YEOSANG!"

"FUCK OFF SEONGHWA! YOU RUINED MY DAY BY NOT REFUSING!"

"AND HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO REFUSE?! YOU ALWAYS WHINE THAT DAMN MUCH!"

The two finally brought the horses to a trot and Yeosang sat on his one frowning. Seonghwa just glared at his cousin and examined the surroundings.

He spotted a little brook in a valley and led the horse to the area, Yeosang reluctantly following behind.

The two got off their horses and sat on a log. It was quiet, Yeosang frowning and Seonghwa thinking of the race that would be taking place the next day. 

There were different sections to compete in and Seonghwa was planning on doing one competition per day but the main one was the grand race where all the Equestrians would compete for number one rider and fastest horse. 

Seonghwa felt giddiness enter him and happiness engulf him once he remembered Hongjoong would witness such an iconic moment and was only distracted by his cousin who aggressively threw a rock into the water.

"What’s wrong with you?" Seonghwa asked a bit too harshly.

"Absolutely NOTHING. Just the fact that you seem to be so happy and I’m sure not all of it is because of the race and also because of Hongjoong. So why can’t I be happy as well, hmm? Why do you always seem to have such an enjoyable life? All everyone knows me for is whining and arguing so why can’t I be with the person I like?"

Seonghwa didn’t know what to say. How was he supposed to answer that? 

He just stared at his cousin who had his face turned the other way until he heard a sniffle.

"Sang-ie?"

"Don’t call me that. You sound like the person I like."

Seonghwa scooted closer to his cousin and pulled him into a hug, running his hand through his cousin’s hair and allowing him to cry as hard as he wanted.

"You wanna tell me about this person?" Seonghwa gently asked, hoping that that would comfort his cousin.

"I would rant all day about them if I could."

Seonghwa laughed and urged the younger Lord to speak.

"So first of all, they have the softest black hair EVER and the nicest smile. The most angelic singing voice you could ever hear and their hands are quick and capable of doing a lot of things, like working. Strong in mind and strong in physical form. A little younger than me, adorable, knowledgeable in things you didn’t expect them to know. Good at comforting, the warmest hugs. Your hugs suck. But you wanna know one of the best parts?" Yeosang asked, rubbing his nose on the sleeve of Seonghwa's coat tail.

"Tell me."

"Packs a nine at the least."

Seonghwa nearly choked on his spit and he violently coughed.

"Oh shit. I didn’t expect that."

Yeosang let out a small giggle and smiled at the memory of the person he like most.

"Wanna tell me who it is?"

"No. You gotta figure that out. But it shouldn’t be hard. I mean, he’s the only other person I know here."

Seonghwa began trying to figure out who else there was that Yeosang could be seeing but found none. He stared dumbly at his cousin who just sighed.

"You can’t be serious, right? I mea-"

Seonghwa let out a gasp and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"No way!"

"Yes way."

"Choi Jongho?"

"Took you long enough. I was supposed to escape on a date with him later but you fucking ruined it and here we are."

"Once again, how was I supposed to fucking know?"

"Whatever."

The two remained in silence and Seonghwa suddenly gasped again once he remembered some things from the past.

"So you’re telling me all those times you disappeared were to go see him? And that one time you had a bruise on your hand was from then as well? And the time you eagerly visited with Hoongjoong and I were to see him?" Seonghwa asked, his eyes widening comically.

"Yeah, yeah, and yeah."

“How about that one time all those horseshoes didn’t fit?”

“My doing, don’t ask how I did it.”

Seonghwa let out a low whistle and faced the stream, the information processing until he let out another dramatic gasp.

"For fucks sake stop gasping. You’ll eventually swallow me if you gasp hard enough."

Seonghwa ignored his cousin and faced him with large eyes.

"What is it?" Yeosang asked, starting to get annoyed.

"So that means you guys have fucked, right?! So that’s why you were limping so bad?! And not because of a protruding rod, right?!"

Yeosang turned red and slapped his cousin on the arm harshly.

"Shut the fuck up. Yeah, we fucked and what about it?"

"Absolutely nothing. Let’s go back so you’ll be there in time for your date."

The comment seemed to make Yeosang excited and he stood up dashing to his horse and climbing on even before Seonghwa reached his one.