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Alberu is particularly fond of sending him flowers.
And Cale doesn’t know when, or how the blonde-haired man started thinking of this. Well, he wasn’t called a sly bastard for nothing, at least. It seemed like he had been planning on sending him gifts every week ever since they started dating. Or maybe it was before? Either way, Cale now finds himself face-to-face with dozens of flower bouquets every time he wakes up on Friday.
At first, he thought of it as a simple courting gift the other offered. No one would want to willingly give flowers— especially those who look as expensive as these— when there’s no occasion to celebrate, after all. Though they kept pouring in, every week, always at 1 PM. And every single time they came with a different type of flower.
Cale was not an expert in the botany field. Even before he got transmigrated to this world, he had never been the type of person to indulge in the meaning of plants. Regardless of his past, the bouquets Alberu sent him were beautiful. They were as colorful as paint dropped on a blank canvas, a mix of colors which brought joy whenever you see them from a glance. They were enough to be called artworks, handpicked personally by the crown prince himself.
In the beginning, the red-haired male questioned Alberu whenever a new package arrived. Though, he soon gave up when he realized the blonde-haired man chose to feign ignorance instead. So ever since then, Cale decided to receive them without further questioning. He had asked Raon to place an ever-lasting youth on the flowers— all so they wouldn’t wilt and die.
(“The one you gave me yesterday. Is there any special meaning to it?” He asked during one of their calls. Cale took a liking to it, though it wasn’t like there’s any which he didn’t like. It was a bouquet filled with a gradient of white and pink, eye-catching even from a distance.
There’s a smile on Alberu’s face. “It’s called Alstroemeria.” He answers, and Cale gives a hum.
“It’s pretty.” He remembered wanting to say a few words more than that. Something like a paragraph, which could actually tell how much he appreciates the gift. But alas, Cale— Kim Rok Soo had never grown up learning fancy words. He said what his heart meant, with only hope that the other conversation partner recognizes his full intent.
And Alberu does. Of course, he does.
The blonde’s smile grew wider by second. He somehow managed to reach the point where he’s beaming. (And so was the point where Cale electively decided to ignore the growing warmth in his chest, one filled with admiration and well, love.)
After a beat or two, Alberu finally answered him. “Alstroemeria is the symbolism for love.” Was what he said. And goddammit, he keeps pulling these moves that are undoubtedly dangerous for his own heart—
His face was stoic as always, but Cale couldn’t stop fondness from seeping out of his words. “I love you too.” If one were to see closely, it was obvious that reddish-brown eyes had been dyed with affection.
“I love you. Until the end. Always.” Came Alberu’s response before the call ended with a small click.
He lets butterflies fly freely in his stomach.)
Time passed, and inside a room of the black castle, there was a decently sized garden filled with flowers to the brim. It’s almost like a greenhouse of its own whenever you walk into it. The dewy fragrance that greets you could almost bring your lips to smile subconsciously. It was really colorful, somewhat fascinating how the crown prince managed to find all these blooms and each of their respective meanings.
It had been Cale’s favorite place to stay; A hand on his book, while the other cradled the three children. The sun setting, casting a golden halo on scarlet hair. The tranquility it offered, away from the looming dangers that await them in the world. Flowers rustling lightly when wind comes. It was perfect, blissful, even.
He needed to send gratitude to the prince. For the man to allow him and his family to lounge leisurely without a care in the world like this was a priceless thing.
And yet he doesn’t know many words to say thank you.
But he did one day. When he was finally free of the day’s work. Cale recalled walking into a familiar office, with an even more familiar blonde-haired man sitting on the desk. Golden strands were still neatly combed in place even after hours of work for the kingdom. Sky blue eyes were so focused on his work to the point where they didn’t notice his presence. Cale could go drunk on this, drunk on how ethereal the other looked. It reminded him of the flowers he received— beautiful and everlasting.
His lips were curved upwards as he strode to his favorite spot. He casually plopped on the sofa and began munching on cookies like it was his own house. Only then did Alberu realize he was there.
With the other’s gaze on him, he still remained composed, laid-back as if he hadn’t noticed the faint delight shimmering in between blue eyes. “Hyung, if you keep it up you’re going to end up with a burglar in your office sooner or later.” He exclaimed, which received a truly non-royalty-like chuckle. “How come you didn’t notice me coming in anyways?”
The crown prince didn’t answer. Instead, he stood up from his seat, slender fingers expertly reorganizing the papers which were strewn on the desk. Dozens of documents were soon stacked into one neat pile. After that’s done, the blonde walked towards where he was, taking a seat right next to him.
They sat face-to-face. A little bit too close for Cale’s personal comfort. Badump, badump. His heartbeat quicker than usual, which somehow managed to remind him how he felt the day they first kissed, hand-in-hand while the sun was preparing to sleep, his heart beating far too quickly than how it usually does—
Alberu leaned forward. “I can take down burglars by myself, thank you very much.”
Oh, how much did Cale feel the rising urge to punch him right in the face. Affectionately.
Reddish-brown met blue. The crown prince was dangerously close to his face. ‘He’s enjoying this,’ Cale thinks. There’s not a single doubt about it. He enjoyed teasing him, to do small, meaningful acts just to lure out a reaction from him. It wasn’t like Cale is an emotionless person, no, it’s far from it actually. He expresses himself in form of act, he smiles when he needs to, he gives presents as appreciation when he wants to. Beneath the stoic-looking facade he puts on, Cale has a tender heart, contrary to what he thinks.
And Alberu always manages to dive past that facade of him, straight to where his heart lies. Just like the situation now.
“Right.” Cale finally answers. Eventually the other pulls away. A small part of his mind misses the warmth they shared from that short period of time.
His lover leaned against the other edge of the sofa’s arm. “So, why did you come here?” Though it wasn’t long until he stood up again and walked to where the pantry is. The prince’s own private pantry for himself. “I really hadn’t expected your visit, maybe it was because of work.. These days more things have to be done because of the White Star causing a ruckus around the continent.” A laugh. “I’m sorry I didn’t prepare anything in advance.”
The red-haired man’s brows furrowed at this. There he went again, giving and not receiving. Doesn’t he know the number of gifts he’s given is more than enough by now?
“No, I'm just here to say thank you."
Alberu stopped in his tracks. The smell of tea lingered in the air around them. The soothing scent is most likely from his lover's favorite brand. Seconds passed before the blonde continued making tea in silence, probably thinking about what Cale said earlier. There's the awfully infuriating (and endearing,) grin on the other's lips, one that compliments his glib-tongue rather too well. When he finishes, two exquisitely made teacups are placed on the coffee table in front of them.
Alberu sat back next to where Cale is. “There’s no need for a thank you between us.” There’s a hand placed on top of his own, and before he could express his disagreements, the crown prince added again, “It’s a hobby of mine— I’ve been interested in gardening since I was a kid, I loved listening all about the stories that plants hold. It was just fortunate for me to meet you. I wanted to share something I enjoy with someone I truly love.”
Reddish-brown eyes ever so slightly widened, yet not small enough to go unnoticed. Scarlet red imitating his hair color reached his ears, dusting them in a blush which was impossible to hide. Cale coughed into his hand. “Still, either way, I still have to give you my appreciation.” Hundreds of flowers resting underneath the sun flashed in his mind. The garden that’s laced with happiness. “The ones you’ve given me have been absolutely wonderful and if you don’t wish to accept my gratitude then I.. I want to buy you some in return.”
“After we bring down the White Star then?”
“After we bring him to the ground.” Cale agrees. “I’ll buy you flowers in return.”
Alberu entwined their fingers together, and soon enough, he felt lips closing on his own. It was quick, fleeting, more akin to a peck. "I'll be looking forward to it. My dongsaeng is really thoughtful." The other hummed, and now it was Cale's turn to pull the blonde in and invite him into a kiss. He tastes like honey, he absentmindedly thinks.
Daylight dawned upon them, oozing through the open windows like ribbons, and coloring the whole room in a shade of orange. The crown prince, his boyfriend, somehow manages to look even more breathtaking. Like a painting, or a sculpture that breathed life. And unbeknownst to him, Alberu thought the same way as well— he thought about how pretty Cale is. How the sun reflected upon his hair, creating speckles of diamond-shaped molten gold. How faint shadows are formed under his long eyelashes, and the way Cale allows him to see a side of him that no one will ever get to see. It stirred up something in the prince’s heart, the feeling of absolute love .
"I am thoughtful. Thank you hyung." The red-haired man laughed into the kiss.
There wasn’t a need for an ‘I love you’ to be said out loud. They didn’t need to hear it to know.
Cale was a man true to his words. He never backs down on a promise he made, which is mostly the reason why he usually thinks twice when making a vow, or something similar to it. Once, he had promised to give his lover a bouquet of flowers as a symbol of thanks and that’s exactly what he’s going to do for today.
He walked down the streets filled with the bustling of people. From the enthusiastic shouts from merchants to the laughter of kids playing together on a sunny day made their way to his ears. It was a nice sight to behold. It’s always nice to see humanity slowly regaining its confidence after a war. After peace has been achieved. The fight with the White Star wasn’t exactly long, it was more taxing on the people’s mentality instead. Who wouldn’t feel the slightest bit afraid over the chance of losing your home, or losing someone you cherish?
But those days are over now, the White Star has lost his throne, banished far away from this place. Or more like the man is dead and won’t be coming back. In return, Cale was going to get the slacker life he wished so dearly ever since the beginning. All that’s left for him to do is to get the gift for his one and only boyfriend.
“Ah, welcome, welcome mister!” The florist greeted him. It was a great thing he chose by asking Raon to put camouflage magic on him, there wouldn’t be any need to attract eyes to his way. The young lady brightly grinned. “What can I do for you today? We have flowers from Roan all the way to the ones from Paerun!”
Cale greeted her back before bending down to whisper in her ears.
The florist’s eyes twinkled, her feet already moving to another place. “I see, I see! You must really love your partner, right kind sir?” Her deft fingers quickly wrapped up the gift neatly. When she’s done, she handed the bouquet to him. “Hahah, here you go. Thank you for your generous money!”
He nodded in return.
In his hands were flowers splashed with light pink. Each stem was small in size, only when they’re grouped together are you able to see how nice they looked. The bouquet itself was wrapped in white silk. The high-quality material was soft to the touch, they complimented the flowers rather too well. There’s a faint smile glazing his face as he stared at the bouquet in hand. Satisfied with himself, Cale decided to go back to his room (which was lent by the royal family,) to rest.
An event is going to happen later in the evening, just right in between the sun setting and the moon rising. He’d planned on giving this gift after it ends, preferably after people have dispersed.
Cale went back to take a nap. The three children wordlessly agreed to sleep alongside him as well.
When he woke up, the young master was instantly introduced to a set of clothing by Ron. It was supposedly the outfit he’s going to be using for later. The way the smooth fabric was held by his hand felt foreign, understandable knowing how it’s a new pair of clothing tailored specifically for this event. Reddish-brown colored eyes stared at it a little too long, the black outfit reminded him of that day where he stood in front of Choi Jung Soo and Lee Soo Hyuk’s unmoving bodies. A symbol of grievance.
Cale had solemnly vowed to himself not to repeat the feeling of losing someone close to him again ever since that incident that happened back on Earth. He tried to save every life he met. He tried. But fate is but an unpredictable thing, it was nearly funny in a sense how Cale lost yet another person he’d grown attached to.
There was never an event in the first place.
He only wanted to deceive himself that it’s a simple, boring banquet he used to avoid in the past. There’s a vague feeling of self-loathing gnawing away his heart, a part of Cale hated himself for the fact he couldn’t protect the one he loved. The one who he opened up again to after years of being closed off.
The war ended. The White Star was no more.
But Alberu Crossman was lost in the battle as well.
Cale was the last one to arrive at the event— the funeral.
It’s something he did on purpose, so he wouldn’t have to deal with people greeting and sending him their condolences. He’d received too many of them in life. Their wishes mean a lot, but at the same time, it means nothing. Like a flurry of words that tangled together to make an empty sentence.
He stood in front of a cold gravestone. Under the rising moon, he saw the way the memorial shone with a faint silver light. And there was no one around them as if they’re back on their weekly dates with only the two of them, where not a single being would dare to disturb. Today was the last date they’ll be having.
Carefully, the red-haired man placed the bouquet of flowers on top of the gravestone. There was an empty spot in the middle of the tomb, seemingly left by others for him. The light pink bouquet mixed well with others surrounding it.
“..Hyung.” Cale’s voice was low, yet it could be heard throughout the place nonetheless. “I didn’t lie when I said I wanted to return your gifts. To be fair, you already know how I’m a person who keeps my word. You must’ve been waiting haven't you?”
(The hideous-looking lion dragon made a move again, trying to attack the crown prince and Eruhaben who were trying to attack the monster. From afar, Cale saw how they skillfully dodged the incoming attacks coming towards him. There’s no need for him to worry, for they were holding on better than he ever could. Cale felt like he could breathe a sigh of relief and turn to work on other parts of his plan, and that’s when he felt a shrill coming down his spine. Something was wrong. Terribly so.
The red-haired man decided that it wouldn’t hurt for him to go closer to where the fight is. He reached a distance where a video communication device was no longer needed.
Bright golden sparks of dust glimmered in the air, lighting his vision until he had to squint. There were gunshots as well, courtesy of Taerang. Nothing seemed wrong, yet the feeling in his heart did not ease in the slightest. It was similar to what he felt back on that day on Earth, where the black sky engulfed them and rain fell, when the smell of rustic blood met his nose. He frowned as bitter memories made their way into his mind. Cale opted to slap himself internally and to focus on the undergoing battle.
Things happened safely, though just as he wanted to continue preparing, a loud, ear-deafening scream echoed throughout the air.
For the first time, the lion dragon had screeched.
And things went downhill from there.
Alberu and Eruhaben did not pay the scream any mind, since Cale already told them about it in the beginning. But what they weren’t expecting, however, was the sudden incoming attack from the ground. The red-haired man quickly turned his head towards where it came from. It had been the White Star, in the form of his father.
The man grinned and disappeared from the spot. Confusion ended up embedded in his mind, why did he break off his disguise to shoot an attack? But Cale couldn’t think about it any longer when he saw a lone figure falling to the ground. The man’s body is pierced by a long sword of fire.
Sand was forcibly shoved down his throat as he watched the scene.
Alberu fell—
—and the sun fell alongside him.)
Cale was silent. The cold night breeze slightly prickled his skin, but it was nothing compared to the icy feeling in his chest. Even now, tears did not slide down on pale cheeks. Reddish-brown eyes stared ahead; unwavering and still. From afar, it was unknown what he’s thinking about— everything about him seemed to be a puzzle. A puzzle that only one person can arrange, the same person who left the world days ago.
He thought for a while before talking. “After you’re gone, your brother succeeded to the throne and began ruling. He isn't as talented as you, but he’s doing a great job. The kingdom is flourishing under his control, and you would’ve been proud of him as well. For the dark elves, they’ve been fully accepted into the community. They should have great lives from now on.”
A thin smile was carved on his lips, although it wasn’t enough to conceal the slight tinge of sadness in his chest. “I gave you carnation flowers. I researched about it, you know, since I wanted to find a type of flower that suits you the best.” A pause. “Pink carnations are the symbol of love and grief.”
Nothing interrupted them except for the rustling of leaves against the wind, a gentle reminder that the world still moves forward despite everything. Time never stays in the same spot, and Kim Rok Soo does so as well. Because he had a future to work with, to bring a smile on everyone’s faces, and because he knows that Alberu wouldn’t want to see him stuck on his death for far too long. Staying in the past isn’t something he does, but he holds memories close to his heart. Precious ones, the ones which he would never forget, even if an eternity has passed.
“Hyung, I’m sorry.”
He remembered a certain phrase from back then.
“And I love you. Until the end. Always.”
The crown prince, his friend, his hyung, his lover.
He was gone.
There was a locket dangling around his neck. No one needs to ask to know that the picture of a very familiar-looking person is placed inside it.