Chapter Text
Gon knew he had to be improving. His chest didn’t hurt when he breathed, his head had stopped spinning, and he had even kept down the small portions of food he had eaten during the day.
He could sense it, too – something telling him that the time to go home was finally approaching, and he would be able to leave the hospital soon.
The people had to be growing anxious about his extended stay; he had been out of the public eye for too long. Although that could not be avoided, now that he was feeling better, it was time to send them a sign of hope. Even though he wasn’t fully recovered, as their king, Gon still felt the responsibility to uplift their spirits. But, to do so, he couldn't just show up to the public in his current state. To fulfill his duty, he had to act – and look – according to the expectations set by his position.
Upon realizing this, he sat up and turned towards the side of the bed. “Yeong-ah,” he called, “the clothes from the visit of the Prime Minister, did Lady Noh leave them here?”
Yeong rose and reached out to support Gon climbing out of bed. “No, but she left fresh clothes in case you needed them, Your Majesty. Why?”
“I’ll make an appearance by the window,” he said. “I need to show the people I’m doing better.”
A flicker of confusion and then hesitation crossed Yeong’s eyes, swiftly followed by a subtle furrow in his brow. Yeong was torn between his duty to the king and his concern for Gon’s well-being.
Even without words, Gon could read him too well and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Yeongie. I will accept your help and… it won’t be for long.”
“I understand, Your Majesty,” Yeong replied decisively. “What you need me to do?”
“Hand me the clothes and help me get to the washroom. I need to freshen up.”
Yeong acknowledged with a nod and pressed the button for assistance. Just as he had finished gathering the clothes, a nurse arrived. He handed them to Gon and then put a supportive arm around his waist, guiding him forward. In the background, the nurse discreetly sorted the medical equipment.
Gon readily accepted his help, and maybe even leaned in closer than necessary, focusing on Yeong instead of the path they were taking. It did not matter that the walk was short, Gon was going to make the most of this moment of closeness. It was a rare form of comfort for him, something he only shared with Yeong, and he was going to savour it.
They reached the washroom sooner than Gon would have liked. As the nurse arranged the equipment inside, Gon reluctantly released his grip on Yeong. “Thank you, Yeong-ah,” he murmured, not quite stepping away. “I’m fine from here.”
“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” Yeong asked, eyes fixed on him, waiting for a response.
Gon gave a nod. “I will be fine,” he said, and forced himself to take a step forward. “Just… don’t go too far.”
“I’ll be right outside,” Yeong reassured him.
Gon nodded and closed the door. Leaning against the counter, he steadied himself, taking a moment to inhale deeply. A warmth spread through his chest, and it had nothing to do with the physical labour of walking all the way to the washroom. All this time in the hospital, despite the discomfort of those surroundings, Yeong’s presence had never failed to make him feel content and safe. And Yeong was staying.
Things were definitely improving.
Gon stepped out of the washroom looking almost like himself. His face was still pale, and his body exhausted, but he had shaved, his hair was properly combed and he was wearing his usual confident smile. Most importantly, he had managed to stand steadily. Well, as long as he had some support from the doorway.
For a brief moment, Yeong’s eyes seemed to scan Gon’s appearance, taking in the efforts his king had made to present a semblance of normalcy. “You look better, Your Majesty.”
Gon nodded, and a small, thankful smile played on his lips. “Thank you, Yeong-ah. Well, it’s almost time to face the public.” The nurse again stepped in to fix the medical equipment and he turned to her. “Could you get the Royal Physician?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the nurse nodded, and quickly disappeared.
With Yeong’s assistance, Gon eased himself onto the sofa, a muted sigh betraying his weariness.
“Is something wrong, Your Majesty?”
“Ah... no,” Gon shook his head, dismissing Yeong's concern. “But I’ll need the Royal Physician around to take this off for a few minutes,” he gestured towards the cannula.
“Why are you going to take it off?” Yeong asked.
The confident smile faded from Gon’s face and he sighed. “Yeong-ah...”
“The people will understand that you need the High-flow Nasal Cannula to keep recovering, Your Majesty.”
Gon's face remained neutral, but his fingers gave away his restlessness by tapping on the armrest. He averted his gaze, momentarily avoiding Yeong's eyes. Then, he exhaled steadily and forced his fingers to become still.
“It will only worry them more.” Gon said, shaking his head again. “I can’t do that to them.”
“The people care for you, Your Majesty,” Yeong argued, his voice gentle yet firm. “They would rather see that you are recovering than risk you pushing yourself too hard.”
Hearing his concern, Gon’s gaze softened, and he gave him a faint smile. “Ah, Yeongie... I won’t be pushing myself too hard, I promise. I even called the Royal Physician here to watch over me.”
Yeong nodded. “Good,” he said. “And you will keep the High-flow Nasal Cannula if he tells you to, Your Majesty?”
Gon’s gaze lingered on Yeong for a moment, his eyes searching for understanding. “It will be just a few minutes, Yeong-ah.”
“Will you keep it if the Royal Physician says that you must?” Yeong insisted.
“The throne demands certain things, Unbreakable Sword,” Gon’s voice carried a tense undertone.
Their eyes met, and the regal mask Gon had worn since leaving the bathroom slipped away. Lines etched his forehead, and his shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly, bearing the weight of both the crown and his recent illness. It was as if he had felt these burdens at last, allowed them to press down on him and made the conscious decision not to hide from Yeong.
Yeong paused thoughtfully before taking a seat right beside Gon, without having to ask. He raised his hand, his fingers hovering inches away from Gon’s shoulder, only to retract it when Gon stiffened.
Gon’s resistance to accept that touch wasn’t a rejection, but rather a measured response to keep his feelings at bay. Accepting comfort in that manner would unravel the carefully composed facade he was about to present to the public. No, he couldn’t afford that, not just yet.
But he could reach out and take Yeong’s hand in his. Could have Yeong by his side. He closed his eyes, pressing his lips together and swallowing. Yeong offered a gentle squeeze to his hand, providing comfort and reassurance. Gon nodded.
“If that’s the case, I’ll do it another day.” Gon said, voice barely a whisper. Then he opened his eyes and stared at their hands. “I am not allowed to jeopardize my health, Yeongie. I have to do as the Royal Physician says.”
Yeong nodded, clearly understanding the weight of those words, and glanced towards the door. “The Royal Physician will be very glad to hear you intend to follow his instructions, Your Majesty.”
Gon looked up just in time to see the Royal Physician arriving.
And, as quickly as the mask had slipped out, Gon forced it back in place. His shoulders straightened with a practised ease, gaze returning to one of unwavering strength and assurance. The lines on his forehead were erased when he smirked wickedly at Yeong, anticipation gleaming in his eyes. In a hushed whisper, he teased, “Ready, Yeong-ah?”
“What for?” Yeong asked warily.
“You’ll see.” He winked at the perplexed Yeong and turned to the Royal Physician. “I’ll need this off for a few minutes,” he pointed at the oxygen cannula. “You may monitor me in the meantime, but I need to know how long can you give me?”
The sudden request clearly took aback the Royal Physician, and he only responded after he collected his thoughts for a few seconds. “It will depend on your oxygen levels, Your Majesty. Probably... ten minutes. No more than fifteen.”
Gon smiled at him. “That should be enough.”
“Here, Your Majesty,” the Royal Physician offered a pulse oximeter and waited until Gon extended his hand to clip it on the tip of his finger.
Gon glanced down to the monitor as it read his oxygen levels and nodded in satisfaction. The Royal Physician began to remove the High-flow Nasal Cannula by lifting the nasal prongs from Gon’s nostrils. Adjusting to the change in airflow, Gon deliberately drew in a breath. It felt different – it required some effort.
“Your Majesty has been relying on oxygen support for a quite some time. Simply inhale and exhale normally,” the Royal Physician instructed as he diligently monitored the oximeter.
Gon looked at him, a hint of unease in his eyes.
Perceiving his apprehension, the Royal Physician calmly reassured, “We can reconnect at any time, Your Majesty.”
Gon consciously took a few more breaths and then allowed himself to relax. His breathing found its natural pace. The oximeter emitted a beep, signalling normal oxygen levels, which prompted the Royal Physician to pull away the remaining tubing.
“Alright, Your Majesty? Just let me know when you need the cannula back.”
Gon breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he was now free from any obstructions. He was ready.
“Yeong-ah,” he extended his arm. “I will have your help now.”
Yeong willingly took his hand and helped Gon to slowly stand up. An invisible force seemed to carry Gon towards the window, and he moved without a single wobble.
When they were almost there, he let go of Yeong’s hand. “Pull up the blinds.”
The late afternoon sun lit up the room, flooding it with its warmth and light. Gon allowed his eyes to get used to the brightness before he breathed in, slowly, and took the last steps forward.
The window overlooked the street from the second floor – and from the news, Gon already knew what had been expecting him. The crowd that constantly changed, thinning overnight, but growing on weekends, early morning and late afternoon, when commuters stopped by the hospital to leave their well-wishes. Almost three weeks into his ordeal, and they were still there.
Already knowing what was expecting him didn’t stop Gon from feeling touched when he saw how many people cared and supported him. He took a deep breath and, not completely raising his arm, waved towards them. The crowd erupted into a cheer, the noise so loud it reverberated through the glass. Tears pricked his eyes and a huge smile lit up his face.
He could feel the emotion in the air and had to pause, closing his eyes for a brief second. Then, remembering one of the few expressions he had learned in Corean Sign Language, he told them “thank you”.
The gesture made the crowd cheer even louder, and everyone clapped or waved in return. It moved Gon beyond words, but he still managed to keep his feelings contained by looking away from the window, to his side, towards where Yeong was standing. Gon smiled at him, and held up his hand to Yeong, silently urging him to step forward.
For a second, everything was muted around them as Yeong processed the unspoken request. Gon wasn’t just acknowledging the crowd; he was inviting Yeong to do the same. Inviting Yeong to share his connection with the people. Gon wanted to show them that Yeong had been by his side, not just as his bodyguard but as...
“Yeongie...” Gon called softly.
Yeong drew in a shuddering breath and stepped cautiously into view, maintaining a respectful distance from His Majesty. The crowd reacted just as enthusiastically as before, cheering and clapping. Perhaps even louder than they had when it was just Gon. Seemingly on impulse, Yeong bowed deeply in reply to the people’s appreciation and, then, just like that...
Yeong smiled.
The sight pushed Gon over the edge, a wave of emotion washing over him.
It was too much.
Impossible to hold in.
The first tear slipped down his cheek, and he took a few steps back, disappearing from the view of the crowd.
“Your Majesty?” Yeong quietly called out, concerned.
They couldn’t afford that; the people should not know. Gon waved his hand dismissively and spoke in a rush: “Don’t look worried or they’ll worry. I’m okay.”
Yeong’s eyes remained on him, but he gave a curt nod and went back to showing his stoic facade. “What is it, then?”
“Just... overwhelmed.” Gon sat in the nearby chair, glanced up and tried to force his tears to stop.
He saw Yeong smiling softly in response, and had to press his fist to the chest, hoping that it would steady the flood of feelings spilling over.
“Aish!” Gon let out a loud exhale, fixed his gaze on the floor and straightened his shoulders, a conscious effort to assert control over himself.
“Let me take a picture,” Yeong said abruptly.
Gon’s eyes flickered up in surprise at Yeong’s sudden idea. “What?”
“You want to reassure them? Let me take a picture. I won’t post it if you don’t like it.”
Gon couldn’t help but crack a smile at the proposal. He paused for a second and then nodded to signal his agreement.
With a professional demeanour, Yeong took out his phone and snapped a couple of pictures from different angles. Quickly sifting through them, he and picked one to show to Gon. “How about this one?”, he asked while typing something on the screen.
Gon stared at the picture before letting out an exhale and nodding again. It was... an excellent picture. It focused on him and not on their setting. The light and the angle had captured the emotion without making Gon’s face look like the total mess it felt. Yeong had even added a caption to it, Gon’s own words explaining it: ‘I’m okay. Just... overwhelmed.’
After Yeong published it and put the phone away, Gon stood up and stepped into view again, getting much closer to him and throwing an arm around his shoulders. Since they were in public, he didn’t dare to do what he really wanted to do, which was to kiss Yeong’s temple, but he lowered his forehead there and closed his eyes for a moment. “Thank you, Yeongie.”
Yeong hummed in acknowledgement, but did not move. He just waited until Gon stepped back, smiled and waved to the crowd one last time, and disappeared from view again. Understanding that the public act was over, Yeong gave a final wave and closed the blinds.
Turning around, Yeong found Gon standing right in front of him.
Gon’s arms slipped around Yeong’s shoulders. In his eyes, something spoke of gratitude, of happiness, and of relief with a spark of hope.
Yeong’s expression softened. His lips curled at the corners – a hint of a smile that played on the edge of disbelief.
Without a word, Gon leaned forward and kissed him.