Morning came—
But not the kind Joon-Woo was used to.
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't in the royal chamber.
He was in—
His old room.
Joon-Woo slowly sat up, his heartbeat quickening.
The familiar walls.
The simple desk.
The soft morning light slipping through the window.
Everything was exactly the same as before.
"…What?"
His voice came out faint.
For a long moment, he simply stared, unable to understand.
A strange unease crept into his chest.
Like something important was slipping away.
I'm forgetting something…
But no matter how hard he tried—
He couldn't remember what.
Joon-Woo rubbed his forehead and exhaled slowly.
"Maybe… I'm just overthinking."
He got out of bed, moving almost on instinct, following a routine he hadn't lived in what felt like forever.
He got dressed.
Prepared to leave.
University.
The word felt distant—like something that no longer belonged to him.
As he stepped out of his room, something caught his attention.
A poster.
Pinned to the wall.
Joon-Woo stopped.
It was a fantasy movie poster.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
On it stood a prince dressed in black, his presence cold yet powerful.
Sharp features.
Blue eyes.
Strangely familiar.
Joon-Woo stared at it, his chest tightening.
"…I know him."
But—
From where?
Before he could understand, his gaze shifted.
A mirror stood nearby.
Joon-Woo looked at it.
At his reflection—
And froze.
That wasn't him.
Inside the mirror—
A small white fox stared back.
White fur.
Glowing purple eyes.
Beautiful.
Unreal.
Joon-Woo's breath caught.
"…What is this?"
The world around him began to feel unstable.
Like something was breaking apart.
Then—
A sudden sound.
A loud horn.
Before he could react—
Everything turned white.
---
Impact.
---
Joon-Woo's eyes snapped open.
His breath came out sharp and uneven.
"…Hah—!"
He sat up suddenly.
This time—
He was back.
The royal chamber.
The soft bed beneath him.
The quiet stillness of the palace.
Joon-Woo quickly looked down at himself.
Human form.
"…A dream?"
His heart was still racing.
Then—
Memories flooded back.
Yesterday.
Leon.
Being carried through the palace.
Sleeping beside him.
Everything.
Joon-Woo exhaled slowly.
"…Right."
It was real.
All of it.
Even so, the strange feeling from the dream lingered.
As if it meant something—
Something he didn't yet understand.
Slowly, Joon-Woo turned his head.
And then—
He saw him.
Leon.
Still asleep beside him.
For a moment—
Joon-Woo simply stared.
Soft morning light fell across Leon's face, tracing the sharp lines of his features. His long lashes rested quietly against his skin, his breathing slow and steady.
Without his usual cold expression—
He looked different.
Softer.
More human.
Joon-Woo's gaze drifted unconsciously.
From his face…
To his lips…
Then back again.
He's… really handsome…
The thought came without warning.
Joon-Woo blinked and quickly looked away.
But his heart didn't calm.
Instead, it beat faster.
A strange warmth spread through his chest.
What is this feeling…?
He didn't understand it.
Didn't want to.
And yet—
His eyes moved back again.
Quietly.
Carefully.
As if afraid of being caught.
Leon shifted slightly in his sleep.
Joon-Woo froze.
For a moment, he thought he would wake up.
But Leon didn't.
Joon-Woo let out a small breath of relief.
Then—
Without realizing it—
He moved just a little closer.
Not enough to be obvious.
Just enough to feel the warmth between them.
The silence felt different now.
Not heavy.
Not awkward.
Just… calm.
Joon-Woo lowered his gaze.
"…You really are dangerous," he whispered.
But he wasn't talking about strength.
Just then—
Leon's eyes slowly opened.
Clear blue.
And very close.
Joon-Woo froze.
Their faces were only inches apart.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Leon's gaze sharpened slightly, still clouded with sleep.
"…Joon—?"
Startled, Leon tried to sit up—
But Joon-Woo was too close.
Their foreheads brushed.
And then—
Their lips met.
It was brief.
Soft.
Accidental.
But enough.
Both of them froze completely.
Joon-Woo's eyes widened, his breath catching instantly.
Leon went still, his mind blank.
Time seemed to stop.
Then—
They pulled apart at the same time.
Joon-Woo quickly moved back, his face flushing red.
Leon's composure shattered for a moment.
Shock.
Confusion.
Something deeper.
"…I—"
For once, he couldn't finish.
Joon-Woo looked away, unable to meet his eyes, his heartbeat uncontrollable.
"That was…"
He stopped.
No words came.
The silence became unbearable.
Leon suddenly turned away.
"…Forget it."
His voice was lower than usual.
Without another word, he stood up quickly—
Almost too quickly—
And walked straight into the bathroom.
The door shut behind him.
---
Joon-Woo sat frozen on the bed.
His fingers slowly rose to touch his lips.
His mind was blank.
What just happened…?
His heartbeat refused to calm.
Fast.
Uneven.
Loud.
---
Inside the bathroom—
Leon stood still, staring at his reflection.
His usual calm expression was gone.
He looked… shaken.
Slowly, he lifted a hand to his lips.
"…This is ridiculous."
But even to himself—
It didn't sound convincing.
The composed prince was gone.
Replaced by something unfamiliar.
Something he couldn't control.
Leon closed his eyes briefly.
His thoughts were in chaos.
For the first time—
He didn't know what to do.
---
Back in the room—
Joon-Woo still hadn't moved.
The quiet morning no longer felt peaceful.
It had changed.
Something between them had shifted.
Something dangerous.
Something neither of them had expected.