"Seokjin, I'd like to ask you a question."

Namjoon sat at his desk with his index finger resting casually on his chin, eyes fixated on the rippled pattern of the wooden table in front of him, seemingly deep in thought. A defiant strand of hair laid to rest over his forehead, apart from the rest of the dark locks that appeared to flow into the topknot hidden by his golden maple leaf crown.

"Yes, Your Ma-- ...Namjoon?"

Smiling at the sound of his name, Namjoon pivoted towards Seokjin in his seat, looking down at his billowing, layered red robes. His bare feet grazed the cold wood floor, dangling slightly from the chair.

"Please, be honest with me. Your answer will not affect our friendship at all."

Upon hearing that, Seokjin tensed a bit. In all truth, he believed it would indeed affect their friendship if he said something Namjoon didn't want to hear.

He must be looking for a certain answer if he has to say that before asking.

"Yes, Namjoon. Ask me anything you'd like," he said, hiding his anxiety as best as he could.

Looking down in his lap, Namjoon intertwined his hands that lay on the desk. "Even now, I'm almost ashamed to ask this..."

"Please, Namjoon."

Seokjin braced himself, preparing for the worst.

"Seokjin...is it wrong to love a man?"

The quiet hallway was marked with glowing lanterns, shining red and golden, casting light upon the dark floor. The newly sworn in general made soft footsteps on the ground, strolling through the hallway as his feet made sweet sounds of gentle drumming on the floor. Aware of more footsteps approaching even when no one had come in sight, he turned around and stood in wait for someone's call.

"A message for you, General Park," that someone said, bowing towards the soldier and handing him a rolled up piece of papyrus tied with a red bow. Thanking him, the young man leaned over to read the letter underneath one of the lights that hung over him.

"Sura," he said to himself, smiling as he read the close to perfect penmanship that dotted the paper. Sighing in longing for the woman he loved, General Park blushed as Sura confessed love for him time and time again in the letter. Finishing it, he folded it gently and placed it in the folds of his robe for safekeeping, making his way back to his room. He had a reply to write.

After all, he couldn't keep his lover waiting.

Seokjin almost fell out of his chair.

"W-Wrong?" he said, swallowing his saliva the wrong way. Choking on his words, he looked away from a concerned Namjoon.

"Seokjin, are you okay?" he said, getting up to tend to Seokjin. Holding up a hand, Seokjin signaled him to stay where he was. Coughing it out, Seokjin eventually stopped and breathed normally.

"I'm alright, Namjoon. That question took me by surprise."

"I suppose it would," he said, sitting down in his seat again.

"Namjoon..."

By the gods, if loving a man is wrong, I don't wish to be right.

"I don't believe it is wrong. As long as one's heart is capable of love, he may love whoever he pleases," Seokjin said, anticipating Namjoon's reaction. His closeness to, and any chance of being with Namjoon hung in the balance.

Seeing a smile, Seokjin's heart and breathing relaxed in relief.

"Well said, Seokjin-ah," Namjoon said, standing again. "I believe so as well."

Looking up at Namjoon, Seokjin felt a confession roll out of his throat and onto the tip of his tongue. He wanted to tell Namjoon how he truly felt about him, knock down every wall, cross every boundary, spill every cup of tea and do what he should've done seven days ago.

"Namjoon, do you love a man?" he asked, wary of how his words were said.

Blushing a bit, Namjoon looked down at the table. "I will not lie to you, Seokjin. I do indeed love a man."

Just kiss me right here, right now.

"So do I, Your Majesty," Seokjin said, letting his words wisp into thin air.

A smile slowly graced Namjoon's face. He slowly walked towards Seokjin, closing the distance between them. He calmly stopped before Seokjin, holding his hands out and cupping the noble's face with them. He almost felt the blood rushing into Seokjin's cheeks, earning a small chuckle from him.

"Who is the lucky man? He must be blessed by the gods themselves to have your affection," Namjoon whispered, leaning down towards Seokjin. Their foreheads touched, almost completely sealing the gap between them.

Seokjin couldn't believe it. He truly couldn't believe it. His king, his ruler, his lover, his life and soul, loved him. He felt like crying pure tears of joy and bouncing off the walls and screaming from the mountaintops all at the same time.

"Say the word and I'm yours, Seokjin-ah."

Seokjin didn't want to say anything. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to embrace him. He wanted to tell him how much he loved him. He wanted to love him for eternity.

He wanted to kill the person knocking at the door.