CHAPTER 73
The silence after their embrace was soft and fragile, like glass that might crack with the wrong word. Sihyun slowly pulled back, just enough to look at Yuhyun's face.
"Yuhyun…"
he whispered, hesitating.
"Did I… do the right thing?"
Yuhyun blinked, then sighed, his expression sobering. He held Sihyun's gaze, gentle and honest.
"It would've been nice… if Vanyul had just let go of the past. If he chose to live, to stay with you, and be free. But he didn't. He was too stubborn—too consumed by revenge."
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Sihyun's damp forehead.
"You did what you had to, Sihyun. You protected people. You didn't follow his path. That's what matters."
Sihyun gave a small, broken smile.
"That's because I had you."
Yuhyun opened his mouth, startled, but Sihyun had already leaned closer. His hands moved over Yuhyun's arms, his shoulders, his sides—checking him like a healer would a patient.
Yuhyun squirmed.
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for injuries,"
Sihyun said simply.
"Bruises. Broken ribs. Anything."
"I'm fine,"
Yuhyun said, flinching a little.
"Stop touching me like that—it tickles!"
Sihyun ignored the protest, lightly prodding his brother's side again.
"Let me be the big brother for once,"
he said with a soft smirk.
"You're always looking after me. Just… let me do this."
Yuhyun sighed and slumped back a little, resigned.
"Fine. But I'm telling you—if I laugh, it's your fault."
Sihyun chuckled softly, the sound easing some of the tension in the room. As he continued his careful check, the morning light spilled in through the window, catching the faint shine in both their eyes. The storm was over, but the bond between them had only grown stronger.
Sihyun suddenly gasped, sitting upright.
"The prince—!"
Yuhyun blinked at him.
"What is it?"
"I didn't heal him,"
Sihyun said in a rush, panicked.
"His broken bones—I forgot—"
Before Yuhyun could respond, a calm voice entered the room.
"You don't need to worry about that."
Both Sihyun and Yuhyun snapped their heads toward the doorway, startled. Prince Muwon stood there with a soft smile, arms relaxed behind his back.
"Your Highness!"
Yuhyun quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply.
"Forgive us, we didn't notice you enter."
He turned to Sihyun with a nudge.
"Come on. At least pay your respect, even if it's the last thing you do."
Sihyun groaned quietly under his breath, clearly hating the idea. But after a moment, he sighed and rose to his feet. His bow was slow, reluctant, and filled with every ounce of his pride resisting the gesture.
Muwon chuckled lightly at the display.
"You haven't changed one bit."
He stepped further into the room.
"Are you both doing okay?"
Yuhyun answered immediately, his tone bright and sincere.
"Yes, Your Highness. We're both fine."
Muwon's gaze lingered on Sihyun, reading the tired shadows beneath his eyes, the faint glow that still seemed to flicker within. His smile turned a little softer, almost private.
"I came to see how you were doing,"
he said, eyes on Sihyun.
"And to tell you... the king would like to thank you personally, when you're ready."
Sihyun said nothing at first, but the way his lips pressed together showed he heard him. Yuhyun looked between them, feeling the tension in the air and wisely choosing not to interrupt.
Sihyun slowly stepped closer to Muwon, his eyes fixed on the prince's face. The room fell silent for a heartbeat before he finally spoke up, his voice quiet but firm.
"Before that… Are you really okay?"
Muwon gave a small smile.
"You should be worrying about yourself first."
But Sihyun ignored him completely, his gaze already drifting down, scanning Muwon's body with narrowed eyes.
"Well, let's see…"
Without warning, Sihyun pressed a firm hand against Muwon's injured arm—right on the break. Muwon let out a soft groan of pain, biting back a stronger reaction.
"Sihyun!"
Yuhyun exclaimed, stepping forward quickly.
Sihyun turned his head slightly and said flatly,
"Calm down, I'm healing him."
He looked back at Muwon, his expression unreadable.
"You're lucky to have me around."
And then—he said it.
"kiss me."
The room froze. Yuhyun blinked, lips parted in pure disbelief.
"W-what?"
Muwon stared at Sihyun in stunned silence. The memory of that final kiss with Vanyul—the trap, the betrayal, the way magic had bloomed beneath the surface like rot—lingered heavily in his mind.
He didn't move.
Sihyun tilted his head, arching a brow.
"What? Afraid I'll kill you too?"
There was a teasing edge to his voice, but his eyes held something deeper—sadness, exhaustion, and perhaps even fear that Muwon no longer trusted him.
Yuhyun took a small step back, watching the two quietly, unsure if this was a joke, a test, or something else entirely.
After a tense moment of silence, Muwon finally reached out, his hand gently curling around Sihyun's waist. He pulled him close and leaned in, kissing him—hesitation still lingering, but overridden by something deeper. Trust. Affection. A quiet longing.
Sihyun's eyes widened briefly before fluttering shut. His fingers curled softly into Muwon's robe as he kissed him back, heart fluttering with quiet relief.
After a few lingering seconds, Sihyun pulled away slightly, a small smile curving his lips.
"Don't thank me,"
he murmured.
Muwon blinked, suddenly aware that the dull, throbbing ache in his arm and shoulder was gone. He moved instinctively—and for the first time in days, felt no pain.
"…I can move,"
he said in surprise, flexing his arm.
Yuhyun chuckled softly from the side.
"How do you always do that?"
Sihyun straightened up smugly.
"That's because I finally started acting smart."
Yuhyun raised a brow, a crooked grin forming.
"Thank goodness you finally realized you weren't smart before."
Sihyun slowly turned to give him a deadly glare.
Before he could clap back, Muwon pulled him into a tight, earnest hug, arms wrapping around Sihyun's shoulders. Sihyun stilled briefly—then patted Muwon gently on the back, resting his chin on his shoulder.
Yuhyun watched the two of them quietly, a gentle smile creeping across his face. Relief swelled in his chest. The palace, the people, his brother—they were okay.
And after everything… that was enough.