Yun Ki shared an integral relationship with his Mother.

She was all he saw when he'd learnt to crawl or babble or walk.

She held his hands, tight in hers, as she nursed two babies, full time.

She called Yun Ki her 'Little Prince', tapping his chin to have him close his mouth, that'd stay agape otherwise.

He loved the way she marvelled over his Ash Grey tresses, combing them out in the Sun as he stepped out of his bath, droplets glistening down his hair.

She'd sing him to sleep and mimicked the voices of characters from Folklores, that made the 5 year old him giggle, smothered against his Mother's chest.

He'd even like to believe that he was much closer to his Mother than he was to his Father, considering how he'd sideline Yun Ki whenever Seokmin stood before him.

"Future King of Baekmin!" His Father would chime, patting Seokmin Hyun on his back whenever he hit the bull's eye at Archery or won against a trained opponent in swordsmanship.

Yun Ki and Yong Sun sat in the shed for hours, watching his brother train perfectly.

Yong Sun voiced out his envy to Seokmin.

He was a lot more vocal about it.

Holding Yun Ki by the shoulder and mumbling into his ear.

"Hyung's shoulders are rather wide..I wish I could have a body as well built as his by the time I'm older.." he'd say innocently, at first.

Then, as their own training started, he'd tell Yun Ki how Seokmin Hyung's stance was off.

He'd practice the same move of attack, again and again.

Yun Ki never had his eyes on the throne.

The seat always belonged to his loving Hyung.

Yun Ki liked to believe that he was his Hyung's number one fan, running after him after he had finished watching him fight a man double his size and bow down to him respectfully, forgetting the fact that he'd crushed his body in the arena, minutes ago.

He was incredibly humble, Seokmin.

He even returned the love for Yun Ki.

He'd cradle him in his manly arms, messing the hair that sat atop his head, all grey and shiny.

"The Little Prince is rather handsome, isn't he?" He'd say affectionately, tickling Yun Ki and watching him grow pink.

His hyung was his idol.

He'd aspired to be a man half as good as him and life would bless upon him bounties of happiness.

Such was his nobility.

Yong Sun would absolutely despise the cutesy encounters he'd have to watch, with Seokmin scooping Yun Ki's frail 10 year old body as though it weighed nothing.

He was even bitter of his own Mother as she had a softer spot for Yun Ki, being the maknae he was.

Yong Sun tried to stand up in his Father's eyes.

He acted like the ideal child, when his inner self was burning in jealousy for his younger brother, who was affectionately crowned a Prince.

And, what was he?

Stuck as the middle child, loved never enough by just about anyone.

"Eomma!" He'd scream, running his hand along a broken glass, drawing blood through his soft skin.

His mother would rush right in, tending to the cut and he'd blame it on Yun Ki.

"Y-Yun Ki broke the window by hurling a rock at it whsilt playing, Eomma.." He'd bring in some fake crocodile tears into his narrowed eyes, watching his Mother dab a wet fabric over his hand.

"Who told you to run your hand over the glass, Yong Sun-ah?" She'd scold instead as Yun Ki stared from the entrance of the door, chewing down on his hemp doll.

He'd run towards his brother.

"Hyung!" He'd voice out, wrapping his arms around his elder brother by 7 minutes.

Yun Ki was affectionate, bore no hatred for Yong Sun and yet he loathed I'm with every ounce of life in him as Yun Ki was favoured.

Despite sharing the same face and superior features than him.

His nose was sharp, it was auspicious.

His hair were glistening black and healthy.

And yet, his mother loved his younger brother more than him.

Was it because weakness drew attention? Yong Sun often wondered.

He'd commit acts that demanded and seemed attention and approval from the only female figure in his life, his Eomma.

Yun Ki and Yong Sun were congenial through the first decade of their lives, they had fights, of course.

They were brothers and yet, things took a bitter turn post their 10th birthday, once they'd been sent to the outskirts to train.

Yong Sun made friends, he led a team of conspirators who looked down upon Yun Ki and called him out for his peculiar appearance.

Possessing ash grey hair meant that you were an elderly stuck in the body of an infant.

He'd be teased and called names and all through it, he'd look at his elder Hyung, eyes pleading for help and he'd look right through him, as though Yun Ki was made of glass.

As though he wasn't a human and just an ugly monster.

Yun Ki didn't break, he just succumbed to social pressure.

He succumbed to the needs of being liked and feeling wanted, by the ones whom he could address informally and look into their eyes, directly and yet, he felt like an outcast.

Yong Sun fed Yun Ki with preposterous theories.

"Yah, they think you were a curse handed over to Eomma and Appa because they had committed a sin.." He'd say.

The boys at the camp would often make bets as to how long Yun Ki could survive.

"He'd live to be 30, at the most!" One would say, pulling out a strand from his hair.

Yun Ki would crouch on the ground, eating his lunch behind the tents, where dirty utensils would be discarded, trying to stay out of public eye.

His self confidence had shattered and the by who wore a smile on his sleeves had now only started glooming.

He'd run into Seokmin Hyung's arms every vacation, crying into his chest and explaining to him how he'd be made to feel like he wasn't worth considering a human.

His eldest brother, being the man with abundant wisdom and a heart full of Gold would sing him songs and pat his back, caressing the strands he'd grown to hate.

"Wait until you grow older and have girls fawning over you!" He'd convince, kissing his red cheeks.

Yun Ki would sleep in his brother's protective embrace, shielded from words or curses his Twin hurled in his direction.

What he hadn't imagined was how he'd be made to chop down this shield, all by force, guided by his manipulative Twin, Min Yong Sun.