"Get up," the Emperor commanded.
Yunxi didn't. His cries echoed faintly in Han Ji's ears. Just reminder of the same similar cries from the same person but different situations
"I...I… can't do it," little Yunxi had once said.
"Get up," the crown prince ordered.
Yunxi had collapsed then too, breathing heavily. They had stopped at stairs. Yunxi didn't think he could climb the stairs too after all that distance they walked.
"I'm sorry… I...I'll wait here," Yunxi had said, hesitant.
"If you don't get up, I'm going to..." Han Ji had stopped mid-threat when he saw that small crying face.
He sighed, crouched down.
"Hop on."
Yunxi refused at first, which angered the prince. He grabbed the boy's collar, ready to slap him, but paused when he saw those trembling tears.
Instead, he carried him like a baby.
"Don't fight it. If I let you fall, you may break a bone, we're on stairs..you'll roll to your death," he threatened.
Little Yunxi instinctively tightened his hold around the prince's neck.
Han Ji remembered that day too well.
He looked down at Yunxi just like he had done years ago.
Even now, the boy cried like the child he once was.
"I can't take it anymore. Please… I'm tired and injured," Yunxi murmured through tears.
"P-please… hhic… I'm.."
Han Ji let out a quiet, fake laugh.
This was Yunxi.
His Yunxi. He knew how dramatic he could get just to get what he wanted.
And if he fell for the boy's tears like before, Yunxi would forever take him for granted.
He needed to be taught a lesson he would never forget.
Han Ji took the first step up the stairs.
Yunxi's hand stretched desperately toward his foot.
"Please…" he begged.
"I almost fell for it," the Emperor muttered before climbing the stairs again, pulling the strands of hair in his hand, harder this time.
Yunxi screamed.
Blood, already staining the roots of his hair, began to drip from the renewed pull.
He crawled, the pain growing sharper with each second.
And the more Han Ji thought of Yunxi with Nim Si, the crueler he became.
He climbed faster, making it nearly impossible for Yunxi to keep up on all fours.
Wherever Yunxi's knees touched the stone, a smear of blood remained.
He tried to stand, but his legs felt numb.
He forced himself again, only to collapse.
Han Ji finally let go.
He turned to look at the boy, who was crying helplessly.
The Emperor crouched slightly, thinking for a moment.
Far below, he noticed He Ju and Nim Si watching.
Han Ji tilted Yunxi's face up.
His nose and mouth were stained with blood, and his forehead had streaks of red coming from his hair. Sweat and tears mixed together, making it a messy sight.
He looked awful.
"Your boyfriends must be so mad and confused," the Emperor murmured.
Yunxi locked eyes with him, tears spilling endlessly.
"Please…" he begged again.
Han Ji simply stood and grabbed his hair once more.
"Ahh—hnngh… Ar Ji… please—"
The Emperor froze. That name...not again.
He shoved the boy forward.
His hand moved to Yunxi's throat, gripping tightly.
Yunxi coughed, choking, trying to gasp for air.
Han Ji's anger flared.
He slapped the boy across the face.
Then again.
And again.
He seized Yunxi's collar and struck him countless times.
"How dare you? Who gave you permission to call me that again? You are in no position to call me that again. How...dare..you....?!"
He finally stopped.
What was he doing?
What the hell was he doing? He had lost control over a mere name, although he had hated the way he felt whenever Yunxi..no..he hated the fact that the person who oncebcalled him that name, had turned into a person calling him by that same name now. It made him in away he dislike. But then again, that didn't give him the right to hurt his Yunxi.
Han Ji's mind felt numb.
Yunxi no longer moved.
Everyone stared at the Emperor in horror.
He had beaten the boy's face until it was unrecognizable.
Han Ji himself didn't know where the rage came from.
He was breaking, something inside him snapping without warning.
He looked up and saw Meiylin.
Her eyes were wide, her whole body trembling.
She said nothing. But she was hurt, Meiylin had heard of that name. She had heard of a beloved person who used to call the Emperor by the name, Ar Ji. She had once used it but Han ji had simply said,
"Don't call me that, it doesn't fit you." Meiylin always thought it was someone very important, someone close...his mother perhaps. She had thought when the late Empress died, maybe Han Ji hated the name too. But she had later released that wasn't the case. But then again she had let it go, when Han Ji's mother died and he went to the North, that name died, she never again had people talk about it....and so Meiylin's questions died along with it.
Now she could tell who was fit to call the Emperor by that name. Although he couldn't anymore like Han ji had said, but lucky for him, he once could atleast. And that was enought to break her, there were alot of people in the Emperor's life that weighed so much than her.
The Han Ji's gaze shifted to the eunuch, who hurried to escort Meiylin away.
Han Ji's eyes fell back on the unconscious Yunxi.
The boy's entire face was covered in blood.
Han Ji stood up and lifted him into his arms,
Just like back then.
Like a newborn baby.
As he turned, Yunxi's head dropped backward, his arms hanging lifelessly.
He wasn't moving, but he could see him breath. Enough to calm his heart.
Han Ji looked down at Yunxi's face, then to the rest below with cold eyes.
"Lock him up."he murmured and the soldiers stopped to meet Nim, he tried to struggle but with the injury he had. He was no much.
Han Ji climbed the remaining stairs and left.