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Chapter Text  正文

C H A P T E R  9:  F U L F I L L M E N T 
第九章：圆满

”I could have never predicted what you have done to me. The desire to have you— to be with you… it burned far too deep into my soul and left it scarred with your mark— etched so far into my being that no attempt to rid myself of it would work.”
我从未预料到你会对我造成这样的影响。渴望拥有你——与你相伴...这欲望深深灼伤了我的灵魂，留下你的印记——如此深刻地镌刻在我的存在里，任何试图抹去它的努力都徒劳无功。

아홉  九

A tense silence filled the space of the room heavily— so thick, that one could take a knife and cut through it with ease. The only sound that echoed were the tics and tocks of the grandfather clock that was pressed against the far wall, incredibly loud.
房间里弥漫着令人窒息的沉默，沉重得仿佛能用刀子轻易划开。唯有远处墙边那座老爷钟的滴答声格外刺耳，在寂静中不断回荡。

Wooyoung shifted uncomfortably under his father’s burning stare, fingers clenched tightly between each other and fiddling in a nervous fidget. San stands gracefully next to him, calm and collected with a small smile stretched across his lips— blissfully unaware of the clear judgment in Alpha Jung’s eyes.
友荣在父亲灼热的目光下不安地扭动身子，十指紧张地绞在一起不停摆弄。而身旁的伞却姿态优雅地站着，唇边挂着从容的微笑——全然未察觉郑阿尔法眼中明显的审视意味。

”The last time I had even mentioned the Crown Prince’s name to you, Wooyoung… you had shouted to the ends of the earth of your full venomous hatred on the very idea of such a union.”
上次我向你提起王储的名字时，友荣...你可是赌咒发誓说宁愿天崩地裂也绝不同意这门亲事。

San glances at him from the corner of his eye, an eyebrow raised. Wooyoung stubbornly avoids his looks, instead finding interest at the bookcase in the corner of the room. “Well, people do change their good opinions for the better at times father, do keep up.”
伞用余光瞥了他一眼，眉毛微微挑起。友荣倔强地躲开他的视线，假装对墙角书架产生了浓厚兴趣。"人总会改变主意的嘛父亲，偶尔也该学着接受新变化。"

His father snorts, tapping his fingers across his lips with displeasure. “Ah yes… climbing trees and rubbing bean paste on your leg in futile attempts to prevent your departure… to this. Will there ever come a day when you don’t amaze me?”
他父亲冷哼一声，手指不耐烦地轻敲着嘴唇。"呵...爬树、往腿上抹大酱就为了阻止你离家出走...现在倒好，搞出这种名堂。你这混账哪天能不让我大开眼界？"

”Not anytime soon.” Wooyoung shrugs and his father rubs his eyes with a loud sigh, tired.
"短期内不可能。" 禹英耸耸肩，他的父亲疲惫地揉着眼睛，重重叹了口气。

”You climbed a tree?” San whispers to him in amazement, and Wooyoung elbows his side with a scowl.
"你爬了棵树？" 珊惊讶地低声问他，禹英皱眉用手肘捅了捅他的侧腹。

”What do you expect of me, then? To give my approval?” His father intervenes the bickering pair and they instantly turn back to him, alert with alarm.
"那你们想让我怎么做？点头同意吗？" 父亲打断了这对拌嘴的人，他们立刻警觉地转回身来。

”Um… Yes.”  "嗯...好。"

”Why would I do that?”
“我干嘛要那么做？”

Wooyoung throws his arms up in outrage. “Oh father, will you stop this nonsense! You enjoy torturing me far too greatly, wouldn’t you agree!?”
宇英愤怒地扬起双臂。"父亲大人，您能不能别闹了！您就爱这样折磨我，是不是很过瘾啊！？"

”While that is quite true on any regular day, that is far from the reason behind this hesitancy.” His father states, dry.
"虽然平日里确实如此，但这绝非他此刻犹豫的原因。"父亲干巴巴地说道。

”Moon do tell then, the excuse for such stubbornness!?” Wooyoung snaps.
"那你说啊，这种固执到底有什么借口？！"宇呈厉声质问。

”Wooyoung…” San murmurs gently, calming him as he glances curiously at the Pack Alpha. “Alpha Jihoon, sir, I understand that this must be quite sudden—“
宇呈..." 珊轻声呢喃，安抚着他的情绪，同时好奇地看向狼群首领。"志勋大人，我理解这确实很突然——

”Forgive me, Prince San, however I do not know how you expect me to accept such a union when it has now come to my realization that you were the reason my son had spent the past two weeks a complete hollow shell of himself, barely speaking or eating… I do not know what had happened back in the palace, but I cannot in good conscience put him back into such destruction, regardless of who you are.” Alpha Jihoon snaps, anger clear in his eyes.
"恕我直言，珊王子。当我意识到正是您让我儿子过去两周形同行尸走肉，几乎不吃不喝...我不知道王宫里发生了什么，但无论您身份如何，我都不能昧着良心让他重蹈覆辙。"志勋首领眼中怒火灼灼，言辞锋利。

San froze, expression crumbling apart with hurt, and Wooyoung quickly grips his hand tight, stepping in front of the alpha protectively as his eyes flash golden with fury at such an accusation.
San 僵在原地，受伤的表情逐渐瓦解，Wooyoung 立刻紧紧握住他的手，挡在这位 alpha 身前保护着他，听到如此指控时他的眼眸因愤怒而泛起金光。

”You are quite right. You do not know what happened the past month in the Capital, father. Because had you known, you would not dare to speak such words. San has done nothing to receive such an icy judgment, and I do not care what place of concern or worry your denial comes from, because the blame for my state these past weeks is mine and mine alone to bear. He has loved and cared for me in ways that cannot even be put to words, and I cannot possibly stand to hear him be shamed for my mistakes any longer.” Wooyoung states firmly, face reddening in anger.
"您说得对。父亲，您确实不知道过去一个月王都发生了什么。因为如果您知道，就绝不敢说出这样的话。San 不该承受如此冰冷的评判，我也不在乎您的拒绝是出于关心还是担忧——因为过去几周我的状态完全是我个人该承担的责任。他用言语都无法形容的方式爱着我、照顾着我，我绝不能容忍他再为我的错误蒙受羞辱。"Wooyoung 坚定地说道，愤怒使得他脸颊发红。

His father doesn’t say anything for a long moment, eyes staring at Wooyoung with what could only be described as curiosity and amazement, but the omega doesn’t shift his determined gaze away. “Wow… You really are in love with him.”
他父亲久久不语，目光直勾勾盯着佑荣，那眼神里混杂着好奇与惊异。可这个 Omega 始终没有移开坚定的视线。"哇哦..."父亲终于轻叹出声，"你是真的爱上他了。"

Wooyoung blinks, a little confused by the statement because what the hell does requesting a marriage proposal imply to his father if not that he’s in love with San? A get out of home free card?
友荣眨了眨眼，对这个说法感到有些困惑——如果不代表他深爱着 San，向父亲请求求婚许可还能意味着什么？一张逃离家门的免罪金牌吗？

“I thought that was quite obvious when we first walked through the door of your office, father.” Wooyoung says, in disbelief.
"父亲，我以为我们踏进您办公室那一刻就已经很明显了。"友荣难以置信地说道。

His father gives him a pointed look. “Nothing is obvious with you, Jung Wooyoung.” He leans back into his chair with a soft sigh, the expression on his face blank, but the sorrow evident in his eyes that the omega immediately picks up on. ”You are serious about this?”
父亲意味深长地看了他一眼："郑友荣，你从来不会把任何事表现得明显。"他靠回椅背轻叹一声，面容平静，但眼中流露的哀伤被这位 Omega 敏锐地捕捉到了。"你是认真的？"

Wooyoung’s heart clenches at the sight, letting go of San’s hand and stepping around the desk to kneel in front of the Pack Alpha, grabbing his hand in both of his own and pressing it lovingly to his cheek. His father looks up from the floor to meet his gaze, a weak smile growing on his face.
这景象让友荣心头一紧。他松开 San 的手，绕过书桌跪在狼群首领面前，双手捧起父亲的手掌，深情地贴在自己脸颊上。父亲从地面抬起视线与他相触，脸上浮现出微弱的笑意。

”I am.” Wooyoung murmurs, voice soft and eyes honest. “Father… I have truly never been happier than I have been with San. It was my mistake that this realization came so late, but I was blinded by my own fears and shortcomings. I truly love him. So much so, that I do not know what to do with myself.”
"是我。"宇荣轻声呢喃，嗓音柔软，眼神真挚。"父亲...和山在一起的时光，确实是我此生最幸福的时刻。都怪我醒悟得太迟，被自己的恐惧与怯懦蒙蔽了双眼。我是真心爱他。爱到...不知该如何自处。"

His father runs his free hand through Wooyoung’s hair lovingly. “Then who am I to possibly prevent such joy?”
他父亲温柔地用空闲的手抚过宇荣的头发。“那我怎么能阻止这样的快乐呢？”

Wooyoung can feel the way the corners of his eyes prickle with tears of relief, the unease he’s felt from the very first moment they’d walked into the office diminishing from within him completely.
禹英感受到眼角因释然而泛起湿润，自踏入办公室那刻便盘踞心头的不安此刻彻底消散。

”Come here, Prince San.” His father calls, his free hand stretching out towards the younger alpha.
"过来，三王子。"他父亲唤道，空闲的那只手朝年轻的阿尔法伸去。

San falls to his knees beside Wooyoung, his hand easily finding the omega’s and curling his fingers around it with a loving squeeze. Wooyoung turns slightly to glance at him, taking in just how serious the alpha looks— his eyes alert and fully focusing all attention on the Pack Alpha.
San 跪倒在 Wooyoung 身旁，手指自然而然地寻到 omega 的手，温柔而有力地将其包裹在掌心。Wooyoung 微微侧首瞥向他，只见 alpha 神情前所未有的凝重——那双眼睛炯炯有神，全神贯注地紧盯着狼群首领。

Alpha Jung sets him with a deep burning stare. “I have always respected you with levels that match your father, Crown Prince. However, this is a matter of my son. My son who I cherish most in this life. Those people in the Palace… they are vicious and cruel. My soul cannot bear any sorrow that befalls upon him without being able to defend him from them. I need to know, completely, that you will be there. Through every step.”
荣阿尔法用灼热的目光紧盯着他。"我一直以与您父亲——皇太子殿下同等的敬意尊重您。但这事关我的儿子，我这辈子最珍视的孩子。宫里那些人...他们阴险又残忍。若不能护他周全，我的灵魂将无法承受他遭受的任何伤害。我必须完完全全地确认，您会守在他身边。每一步都要。"

”I always have.” San breathes, earnest. “And I always will. You have my word, Alpha Jung. I will stand by Wooyoung for the end of time— and no one will speak even a single ill word of him as long as I stand here. I promise you.”
“我一直如此。”San 认真地说道，呼吸微促。“未来也不会改变。我向你保证，Alpha Jung。我会永远站在 Wooyoung 身边——只要我还在，就没人能说他一句坏话。我发誓。”

His father sighs softly, reaching up with his free hand to gently run his fingers through San’s hair in a loving manner. “Then you have my blessings.”
他父亲轻叹一声，空着的那只手抬起来，温柔地抚过三儿的发丝，满含爱意。"那爸爸祝福你们。"

San meets Wooyoung’s gaze, eyes full to the brim with relief and pure happiness, his eyes crinkling into crescents with how wide the grin spreads across his face.
San 迎上 Wooyoung 的视线，眼中盈满如释重负的喜悦，笑靥绽开时眼尾弯成两道月牙。

Wooyoung can’t control his own smile, leaning in to press his face into San’s hair lovingly.
Wooyoung 止不住嘴角的笑意，倾身将脸庞亲昵地埋进 San 的发丝间。

I love you. He whispers the words in the depths of his own mind— wondering if he presses deep enough against the alpha, that he’ll be able to hear them.
我爱你。他在心底深处呢喃着这句话——想着如果自己再用力些贴近那个 alpha，对方或许就能听见。

It’s only when San nuzzles back against him that he realizes it doesn’t really matter if he could. Because he can feel it clear as day in the warmth of his exhale in his hair, and the softness of his skin against his own.
直到 San 用后脑勺蹭了蹭他的胸膛，他才意识到纠结这个毫无意义。发丝间温热的吐息，肌肤相贴时细腻的触感，所有情愫都在无声诉说。

I love you too.
我也爱你。

-

Yeonjun stares.  延俊直勾勾地盯着。

Wooyoung stares back, lips pursued.
宇英盯着他，嘴唇微微撅起。

Changbin looks between them both with a wide grin, the glint in his eyes slightly evil as he takes amusement in the tension emanating within the air surrounding them.
昌彬咧嘴笑着，目光在两人之间来回游移，眼中闪烁着几分恶作剧般的光芒，享受着他们之间那股几乎要凝结成实质的紧张氛围。

”Are we supposed to bow?” Felix asks, his eyes wide in slight alarm.
"我们要鞠躬吗？"Felix 睁大眼睛，略带惊慌地问道。

”That won’t be necessary.” San says happily, a smile spread across his face pleasantly— as if he’s completely, blissfully, unaware of the hesitant awkwardness everyone is feeling around someone of his status.
"不必多礼。"San 愉快地说道，脸上洋溢着笑容——仿佛他全然没有察觉到，面对他这样身份的人时周围人那种犹豫不决的尴尬氛围。

“There is no way in Moon’s good graces that you moped around here for weeks over this man, just for him to come and give you a kiss to suddenly flip your mood completely.” Yeonjun snarks, eyes filled with judgment.
“你该不会在月神面前装可怜，就为了等这男人来亲你一口，然后立马变脸吧？”延俊讥讽道，眼神里满是鄙夷。

”Yeonjun!” Wooyoung hisses, tackling the taller omega into the snow.
“延俊！”宇英低声喝道，一把将那个高个子的 Omega 扑进了雪地里。

”He’s not wrong.” Soobin comments innocently as he watches the pair roll around in the snow with an unamused look in his eyes.
"他说的没错。"秀彬一脸无辜地评论道，眼神冷淡地看着那对在雪地里打滚的人。

Wooyoung looks up from where he’s pinned the taller omega against the iced ground— pointing a finger towards him threateningly. “Do not even dare to start that with me, Soobin. I want to hear nothing from you two when you both bicker and makeup 20 times a day. You both have no right to judge.”
Wooyoung 从压制着高个 omega 的冰面上抬起头来——用威胁的手指直指对方。"Soobin，你最好别跟我来这套。你们俩一天能吵 20 次又和好 20 次，我可不想听你们任何一方说教。你们没资格评判别人。"

Yeonjun smacks a gentle hand onto Wooyoung’s cheek, pushing him down far enough for him to sit up with a slight scowl as he shakes the snow out of his hair. “I will judge as I please, thank you very much.” He sasses, his irritated eyes shifting from Wooyoung to a slightly bewildered San. “Did you know? He would sit on that bench down there for hours on end, moping around with that saddened pout he gets, as if he’d been abandoned on the street like a kicked puppy.”
延俊轻轻一巴掌拍在宇荣脸颊上，力道刚好把他推得向后仰去。宇荣皱着眉直起身，甩了甩头发上的雪。"我爱怎么评判就怎么评判，要你管。"他语气带刺，愠怒的目光从宇荣身上移向略显困惑的珊。"知道吗？这家伙能在那张长椅上坐好几个小时，摆出那副被遗弃小狗似的委屈表情，活像被人踹到街边的流浪狗。"

”How amusing,” San deadpans, eyes narrowing slightly at Wooyoung. “When it was I who was the one abandoned, hm?”
"真有意思，"San 面无表情地说，眼睛微微眯起盯着 Wooyoung。"当初被抛弃的到底是谁呢，嗯？"

Wooyoung feels his cheeks flame, glaring up at San slightly. “I thought we were past this now?”
宇荣感觉脸颊发烫，微微仰头瞪着山。"我以为我们已经翻篇了？"

San’s eyes soften, crouching down to wrap his arms around the omega’s waist and hoist him back up to his feet. Seemingly forgetting where they are and who they’re with— or more likely, he just does not care in the slightest of who watches— San leans in and nuzzles his face against Wooyoung’s neck, breathing in his scent deeply. “We are. I was just teasing you, sweetheart.”
San 的眼神柔和下来，他蹲下身环住那个 omega 的腰肢，将他重新扶起。似乎完全忘记了身处何地、周围有谁——或者说他根本毫不在意旁人的目光——San 倾身向前，将脸埋进 Wooyoung 的颈窝深深嗅着他的气息。"我们当然是一对。刚才只是在逗你玩呢，宝贝。"

“Moon’s sake— he truly is as infatuated as you were saying, Jun.” Changbin snorts, breaking the pair enough from the spell they’re in to have Wooyoung pushing away slightly with reddened ears.
"靠——他真是像你说的那样痴迷啊，Jun。"Changbin 嗤笑一声，瞬间打破了两人之间的魔咒，Wooyoung 耳尖泛红地微微退开。

Felix slaps the alpha beside him on the chest half heartedly, a slight nervous glitter in his eyes as he turns to the pair. “So, um… Will you be staying for the New Years festival, Crown Prince?”
菲利克斯心不在焉地拍了拍身旁 Alpha 的胸膛，转向那对璧人时，眼底闪烁着不易察觉的紧张。"那个...皇太子殿下今年会留下来过春节吗？" 他指尖无意识地揪住对方衣料，喉结随着吞咽轻微滚动。

Wooyoung turns back to look at San once more, curious for the answer as the Alpha offers a small smile, apologetic. “Unfortunately, I will be returning to the Capital in a few more days.”
宇荣再次回头看向山，眼中带着好奇，等待着他的回答。阿尔法露出一个略带歉意的微笑，轻声说道：“可惜，再过几天我就要回首都了。”

Wooyoung’s expression dims, head drooping slightly as a small frown spreads across his face. He hadn’t realized San was leaving so quickly, having only arrived today. He’s suddenly reminded of all the unanswered questions that they both must have for each other— ones that needed to be discussed thoroughly. The day had been such a whirlwind, that it completely slipped Wooyoung’s mind to even think of inquiring what brought upon San’s sudden arrival and announcement.
禹英的表情黯淡下来，微微低头时眉间泛起细小的褶皱。他根本没料到才刚到的 San 会这么快就要离开。那些彼此心照不宣的疑问突然涌上心头——那些本该彻夜长谈的未尽之言。整日兵荒马乱的相处，竟让他连追问对方突然现身又突然告别的缘由都忘了。

He’s broken out of his thoughts to gentle fingers running through his hair, looking up to see San’s soft gaze locked on his own. “What is the matter?”
他猛然从思绪中抽离，感受到温柔的手指正穿过自己的发丝。抬眼时，正对上 San 那柔软的目光。"怎么了？"

Wooyoung blinks, swallowing. “I… I was not aware you would be leaving so soon.”
宇荣眨了眨眼，喉结微动。"我...我不知道你会这么快就走。"

San stares back at him, eyes patient as he brushes a thumb across his iced cheek in a loving caress, smiling softly. He turns to the group who has slipped into their own loud ruckus of a conversation as he clears his throat loudly to grab their attention briefly. “It was lovely meeting you all, and I will surely make some time to come see everyone once more before I head out. However, I hope you all do not mind if I steal Wooyoung away for a bit to take a tour around?”
San 凝视着他，耐心地用拇指轻抚过对方冰凉的脸颊，温柔地笑着。他转向那群已经自顾自喧闹起来的人，清了清嗓子提高音量短暂吸引注意。"很高兴认识各位，离开前我一定会抽时间再来见大家。不过现在——"他指尖在 Wooyoung 后腰似有若无地划过，"能否先借走 Wooyoung 带他参观下？"

Yeonjun snorts as Changbin shakes his head. “Trust me, you can steal Wooyoung away for an eternity if you would like.”
延俊嗤笑一声，看着昌彬摇头晃脑的样子。"信我，你要想拐走宇荣，拐一辈子都行。"

A deviously dark glint passes through the Crown Prince’s eyes at those words as he tilts his head, and Wooyoung can already see that the Alpha is contemplating whether or not Changbin is aware of how that is the exact thing San plans on doing happily.
听到这番话，太子眼中闪过一抹阴鸷的暗芒。他微微偏头时，禹英浩已经从那 Alpha 的眼神里读出了盘算——他在揣测章彬是否知道，这恰恰是李三求之不得要做的美事。

“It was wonderful meeting you as well, Crown Prince San.” Felix bows, cheerful. “Hopefully, you will be able to stay for an extended period the next time you visit.”
“能遇见您也很荣幸，三皇子殿下。”费利克斯愉快地欠身行礼，发梢在烛火中漾开暖色涟漪，“希望您下次来访时，能多停留些时日呢。”

San beams, offering them a final bow before reaching over and curling his fingers between Wooyoung’s— gently pulling him away and towards the tree line where the sound of street life begins to quiet down.
San 露出灿烂的笑容，向他们最后鞠了一躬，随后伸手将手指滑入 Wooyoung 的指缝间——温柔地牵着他离开，朝树影婆娑的小径走去，街头的喧嚣声渐渐消散在身后。

Wooyoung stares at the back of his head, curious. “Did you really want a tour, or…?”
宇英盯着他的后脑勺，满眼好奇。"你是真想参观呢，还是...？"

San looks over his shoulder at him, amused. “Of course. However, I believe a conversation between you and I is in due order first, wouldn’t you agree?”
San 转过头，饶有兴味地斜睨着他。"当然。不过嘛..." 他故意拖长尾音，喉结随着低笑轻轻滚动，"我觉得咱俩得先好好'聊聊'——你说呢？" 指尖漫不经心地把玩着衬衫纽扣，布料摩擦声在突然升温的空气中格外清晰。

Wooyoung’s expression softens, squeezing San’s hand gently. “Yes.”
Wooyoung 的表情柔和下来，轻轻捏了捏 San 的手。"嗯。"

San’s smile widens to a large grin, eyes crinkling slightly. “Well, Lemon… I am sure I can entrust you to find a private place for us? Hidden corners seem to be your specialty.”
三的笑容逐渐扩大，眼角微微眯起。"柠檬啊...我相信你一定能给我们找个隐蔽的好地方吧？" 他压低声音，指腹无意识地摩挲着玻璃杯沿，"毕竟...寻找隐秘角落可是你的拿手好戏。"

Wooyoung feels his own grin starting to grow, jumping ahead to tug San along instead now. “You have no idea.”
宇荣感觉自己的嘴角开始不受控制地上扬，他快步向前拽着 San 往前走。"你根本想象不到。"

He takes them across the bridge, into the depths of the forest where the only sounds left are chirping birds, bustling wind, and the crunching of snow beneath their boots. San allows him to lead with silent trust, following easily as Wooyoung weaves them through the trees and over small hills until they come across a small passageway that stretches out and is barely covered with snow despite the heavy inches that surround it.
他带着他们穿过小桥，深入密林深处。耳边只剩下鸟鸣、呼啸的风声和靴子踩碎积雪的咯吱声。San 默许了对方的引领，任由 Wooyoung 带着他们在树丛间穿行，翻过几座小山丘，直到发现一条几乎没被积雪覆盖的狭窄小径——尽管周围早已是皑皑白雪。

Trees surround the edges of the passageway, packed tightly together in a way that has their leaves covering the top of the enclaved area like a canopy. Wooyoung directs San towards the long bench near the middle, the Alpha looking around in amazement. “It’s beautiful…”
通道两侧树木环绕，枝叶交错纠缠，在头顶交织成密不透光的穹顶。雨琦将伞引至长廊中央的长椅处，Alpha 环顾四周惊叹道："真美..."

Wooyoung spares him a slight glance, a small smile spreading across his face as he lightly brushes off what little snow was laid across the wood before sitting down and gently pulling San to join him. “I found this place when I was young. I made this bench myself that summer. It is rather peaceful, is it not?”
宇荣漫不经心地瞥了他一眼，嘴角勾起一抹浅笑。他随手拂去木凳上零星的积雪，坐下时顺势将 San 也轻轻拉到自己身旁。"小时候发现的这地方。那年夏天我自己做了这张长凳。"他指尖在斑驳的木纹上流连，声音混着呵出的白雾，"很安静，对吧？"

San turns to him, his smile so wide that Wooyoung can see how deeply his cheeks indent with dimples from it, his chest warm at the sight. “Anywhere with you is peaceful.”
三转向他，笑容灿烂得让宇英能看清他脸颊上深深的酒窝，这景象让宇英胸口发烫。"有你在的地方，哪里都安宁。"

Wooyoung snorts at that, flicking his head lightly. “Poet.”
宇英嗤笑一声，轻轻甩了甩头。"诗人呢。"

A humble silence fills the space between them then, the feel of it incredibly comforting. San plays with his fingers, gently running his thumb across the back of Wooyoung’s hand. “To be quite honest with you, I am not sure where to start.”
两人之间弥漫着一种微妙的静默，却意外地令人安心。山无意识地摩挲着对方的手指，拇指轻轻抚过宇荣的手背。"说实话..."他喉结动了动，声音里带着温热的迟疑，"我不知该从何说起。"

Wooyoung snorts softly, looking down with fond eyes at their entwined fingers. “Well… I do have a few questions about today, to begin with.”
宇荣轻哼一声，低头凝视着两人交缠的手指，眼底漾着温柔。“嗯...关于今天的事，我确实有几个问题想先问问。”

”I figured you would,” San admits. “What are they?”
"我就知道你会问，"桑承认道。"那是什么？"

Wooyoung hesitates for a moment, peeking a look up at the Alpha who stares back at him openly. “How… Those laws, how did you do it? There is no way in Moon’s good graces that the Court of Advisors would willingly allow such legislations to be put in place without a fight.”
宇英犹豫了一下，偷偷抬眼看向那个正毫不避讳盯着他的 Alpha。"怎么...那些法案，你是怎么做到的？在月神眷顾下，顾问院绝不可能毫无反抗就允许这样的立法通过。"

San laughs quietly, nuzzling against his hair slightly. “Of course that would be your first question.”
San 轻笑一声，微微蹭了蹭他的发丝。"果然你第一个问题就会问这个。"

Wooyoung nudged back against him playfully. “I’m serious.”
宇荣顽皮地往后蹭了蹭他。"我是认真的。"

“I said that the laws were being put in place, not that they were put in place without a fight.” San states, slightly sheepish. “Trust me, the uproar was a nightmare. However, they had no choice.”
"我说的是这些法律正在逐步落实，可没说它们没经过斗争就轻易通过了。"桑略显尴尬地解释道，"相信我，当时的反对声浪简直是一场噩梦。但他们别无选择。"

When Wooyoung sends him a confused glance, San continues. “The Voting Act was put in place to ensure in writing that Omegas were able to vote.”
当禹英投来困惑的目光时，San 继续说道。"《投票法案》的设立是为了以书面形式确保 Omega 们拥有投票权。"

”But they were never fully able to do so because of the violence.”
但由于暴力事件频发，他们始终未能完全实现这一目标。

San nods. “Right. The change for tighter and stricter protection was not one of the changes that was difficult to get the Court to agree to. If anything, they most likely felt that allowing enforcement to protect Omegan voters would make them look more benevolent to the demographic. It was easier to manipulate that idea into their heads than the others.”
San 点头道："没错。加强和收紧保护措施的变革，其实是法庭最容易通过的提案之一。他们很可能认为，允许执法部门保护 Omega 选民会让他们在这个群体中显得更加仁慈。相比其他提案，这个想法更容易被他们接受。"

Wooyoung shakes his head. “I still do not understand. Laws cannot be rewritten.”
禹英摇摇头。"我还是不明白。法律不能被改写。"

”But they can be added onto.” San clarifies, slightly smug in the way he grins with gleam. “Both the Voting Act and the Work Act— while big steps towards change— were simple in their conception. The broadness of just stating the allowance of Omegan work and voting allowed for discrimination and prejudice, simply because there was nothing in place to prevent it and enforce otherwise. The renewals do not change the laws— they simply add to the conditions. And because of that…”
但可以追加条款。"San 解释道，带着一丝得意的笑容。"《投票法案》和《劳动法案》虽然都是变革的重大进步，但它们的构想其实很简单。仅仅笼统地允许 Omega 工作和投票，反而为歧视和偏见留下了空间，因为根本没有配套措施来预防和制止这些行为。修订版并没有改变原有法律——只是追加了限制条件。正因如此...

”The Court could not go against it.” Wooyoung realizes, expression amazed.
“法庭也无法违抗。”禹英惊觉，表情震撼。

San’s eyes twinkle as they stare back at him, pride in his actions clear as day— and rightfully so, with him being able to do all this.
三的眼神闪烁着，直勾勾地回望着他，脸上写满了对自己所作所为的骄傲——他确实有资格这样，毕竟能做到这种程度。

”But… the Fair Elector’s Act? There’s… There’s no way they willingly allowed it to pass?”
“但是…《公平选举法案》？他们…他们怎么可能心甘情愿让它通过？”

”That one was a bit harder to get to fruition.” San admits. “Almost three fourths of the Court immediately voted against it when it was first mentioned. It took days before it was allowed to even be debated without incessant scream fests blocking any logical arguments for its passing.”
“那个提案可费了不少功夫才通过。”桑承认道，“刚提出来的时候，差不多四分之三的议会成员当场就投了反对票。整整吵了好几天，才终于能心平气和地讨论——之前那些没完没了的吼叫，根本让人没法理性分析提案的合理性。”

”How did you get it to pass, then? I thought… I thought Omegas and Betas were banned from running for positions in the Court of Advisors.”
"那你是怎么通过的？我还以为...以为欧米茄和贝塔是被禁止在顾问院竞选的。"

San raises an eyebrow. “Under whose jurisdiction?”
桑挑了挑眉。“谁的地盘？”

Wooyoung blinks, hesitant. “The Crown’s…?”
禹英眨了眨眼，迟疑道："王室的...？"

”And where among Ardendall’s legislature is that written?”
阿登德尔立法条文里哪条写了这个规定？

”I am not sure. It has always been tradition that Alphas run positions in the Palace.”
我不确定。但阿尔法担任宫廷要职历来是传统。

San snaps his fingers, staring straight at Wooyoung solemnly. “Exactly. Tradition. People followed it as law because it was treated as law for centuries. They had no reason to think otherwise because no one has questioned it before.”
山姆打了个响指，肃然直视禹英："正是。传统。人们将其奉为圭臬，只因数百年来它一直被视作律法。从无人质疑过，他们自然认为天经地义。"

The lightbulb flickers in Wooyoung’s head, eyes widening in realization. “Oh…”
禹英头顶的灯泡突然一亮，眼睛瞪得溜圆。"啊..."

”You are starting to get it, right? There is nothing— not a single sentence— in our books that state Alphas as the sole sub gender allowed to be in positions of power. Nothing in writing that says Omegas and Betas are not allowed to do the same.”
"你开始明白了吧？我们的典籍里没有一句话——一个字都没有——规定只有阿尔法才能掌权。没有任何明文说欧米伽和贝塔不能同样胜任。"

”You beat them to the punch.” Wooyoung laughs in disbelief, slightly starstruck by the man before him. “You put the law in writing to allow other sub genders in position within the Palace before they could catch on and do the opposite.”
"你抢先一步了。"宇英难以置信地笑着，眼前这个男人让他有些目眩神迷。"你赶在他们反应过来之前，就先把允许其他次级性别入宫任职的法令白纸黑字写下来了。"

”It was not for lack of trying.” San hums, smiling to himself slightly. “They were panicking— could see it clear as day on their faces. They tried rejecting it in majority vote multiple times, but father—“
并非没有尝试过。"San 轻哼一声，嘴角噙着若有若无的笑意，"他们当时惊慌失措——那种表情简直一目了然。他们多次试图以多数票否决，但父王——

”King Haneul vetoed it.” Wooyoung affirms, awed. “And they cannot go against it— not until the Crown is succeed and the successor reverses it, but—“
韩烈王行使了否决权。"Wooyoung 敬畏地确认道，"而他们无法违抗——除非王位更迭继任者撤销，但——

”I will not reverse it.” San laughs, almost maniacally. “And when it passes under my rule, it will be permanent.”
我绝不会撤销。"San 近乎狂放地大笑，"等这项法令在我的统治下通过，就将成为永久法典。

Wooyoung stares at him, amazed. “I do not recall you being this smart. What happened?”
Wooyoung 惊异地注视着他："我不记得你有这么聪明。发生什么了？"

San huffs, leaning dangerously close into his space that he can feel the warmth radiating off of him. “A snarky lemon scented omega broke my heart and left me bitter and vengeful against those who caused his departure.”
三冷哼一声，猛地逼近他，近到能感受到对方身上散发的体温。“一个刻薄又带着柠檬味的 omega 伤透了我的心，让我对那些导致他离开的人满怀怨恨。”

Wooyoung doesn’t find the joke to be funny or teasing the way San had intended it to be— his eyes casting downwards as something grim crosses his expression. San eases immediately at the sight of it, cupping the omega’s cheek gently to tilt his head up and meet his gaze.
宇荣并不觉得这个玩笑有什么好笑或戏谑的意味——他垂下眼帘，表情突然阴沉下来。看到这一幕，善立刻放软了态度，轻轻捧住这个 omega 的脸颊，托起他的下巴让他直视自己的眼睛。

”Hey…” He calls, voice soft and eyes knowing. “It’s just a joke, hm? You know that, right?”
"喂..."他轻声唤道，眼神里带着了然的笑意。"只是个玩笑而已，嗯？你懂的，对吧？"

Wooyoung hesitates slightly, nuzzling against the alpha’s palm as he nods meekly.
禹英豪略显犹豫，温顺地点头时还蹭了蹭阿尔法的手掌。

”Then what thoughts are running around in your mind every time I so much as mention it?” San pries, curious but patient.
"那么每次我提起这事时，你脑子里都在转什么念头？" 山耐心而好奇地追问。

Wooyoung sighs, his expression turning from hesitant to vulnerable. “San…”
禹英豪叹了口气，神情从犹豫转为脆弱。"山..."

”Hm?”  嗯？

”Why… Why did you come back?”
为什么...你为什么要回来？

San stares down at their joint fingers, silent for a long moment. “I have spent the entirety of my life so far, being forced and coerced to give up the things that I want for the supposed best interest of my people and the Crown. Before, I never seemed to feel any bitterness towards the cards that I was dealt with. The burden to do as I was expected outweighed any yearnings I had. It was the duty I was given, and I was fine to accept it and follow through— however…”
San 低头凝视着两人交缠的手指，长久地沉默着。"我这辈子都在被迫放弃自己想要的东西，为了所谓的人民和王室的利益。从前，我从未对自己被安排的命运感到不甘。履行职责的沉重，压过了我所有的渴望。那是我的使命，我甘心接受并履行——可是……"

He looks up, eyes meeting Wooyoung with a heavy glint that holds the omega still from where he sat. “You. I… I could have never predicted what you have done to me. The desire to have you— to be with you… it burned far too deep into my soul and left it scarred with your mark— etched so far into my being that no attempt to rid myself of it would work. When you had left, I was prepared to roam this world for the rest of my existence as a hollow shell— a ghost cursed to mundane tasks until the day I die. Doing so willingly and easily, so long as I knew that by my avoidance, you would be able to live a happy life. I had accepted that fate, for your joy with me gone outweighed any misery that your absence brought to me… But you weren’t happy, were you?”
他抬起头，目光与宇荣相撞，那沉甸甸的眼神让坐在原地的 Omega 动弹不得。"你。我...我从未预料到你会对我造成这样的影响。想要占有你——与你厮守的渴望...它在我灵魂深处灼烧出无法愈合的伤痕，你的印记已经深深刻进我的骨血里，任何试图抹去的努力都是徒劳。当你离开时，我已经准备好作为一具空壳游荡人间——一个被诅咒的幽灵，日复一日做着枯燥的差事直到死去。我心甘情愿且轻而易举地接受这种生活，只要我知道通过我的逃避，你能获得幸福。我接受了那样的命运，因为你在没有我的世界里获得的快乐，远胜过你缺席带给我的痛苦...但你并不快乐，对吗？"

Wooyoung reels back slightly at those words, his fingers slipping out of San’s grasp as he stares back at the alpha with a pained confusion. “How could you have possibly known? I… I was so cruel when I left.” Wooyoung’s voice breaks slightly, trying his hardest to stop it from trembling.
听到这些话，荣宰微微后退，手指从伞的掌心里滑落，他带着痛苦的困惑凝视着眼前的 alpha。"你怎么可能知道？我...我离开时那么残忍。"荣宰的声音微微哽咽，竭力抑制着颤抖。

“You were.” San admits, the heartbreak in his voice evident and the pain in his eyes clear. “I will not lie that it did not break me, because it had. I thought that you could not stand me after our fight— and I went back to your room only to realize you had left for home. I was sure you hated me… Until I read it.”
确实如此。"伞承认道，声音里的心碎显而易见，眼中的痛楚清晰可辨。"我不想撒谎说那没有击垮我，因为它确实做到了。我以为在我们争吵后你无法忍受我——等我回到你房间时，才发现你已经启程回家。我确信你恨我...直到我读到那封信。

Wooyoung’s brows furrowed, puzzled. “Read it? Read what?”
宇英眉头紧锁，一脸困惑。"读？读什么？"

San gives him a soft smile, reaching up and tucking his hair behind his ear, only for the bangs to flop back against his cheek. “Your letter.”
San 温柔地冲他笑了笑，伸手将他耳边的碎发别到耳后，可那缕刘海又顽皮地弹回他脸颊上。"你的信。"

Wooyoung blanks for a moment, before his breath hitches. The letter—
禹英怔了一瞬，呼吸突然凝滞。那封信——

“What is this?”  这是什么？

“Nothing important… not anymore. Do with it as you please.”
“不重要了……都无所谓了。随你处置吧。”

”Cho.” Wooyoung breathes, realization flooding his expression. She… had kept it? Had given it to San? 
"赵。" 禹英轻唤，恍然大悟的神情漫上他的面容。她...竟然留着它？还把它给了山？

Why?  为什么？

The petty part of him is somewhat offended by the act. After all the passive aggressive behavior and jabs she had thrown his way, to how she had practically ran him out of the Capital like a pup with its ears folded and tail tucked between its legs— she had the audacity to give up so quickly over the very thing she had clawed tooth and nail on to get. It almost makes him snort, while the other part of him— for whatever odd reason— feels some guilt and curiosity towards the omega’s actions. Because— why would she have any sympathy or empathy towards him once he was finally out of her way, when she had not an ounce of it throughout his stay in the Palace?
他内心那点小心思被这举动刺得有点不爽。想想她之前那些阴阳怪气的言行，还有她几乎把他像只夹着尾巴耷拉着耳朵的小狗一样赶出首都的架势——现在她居然为了当初拼死拼活争来的东西，就这么轻易放弃了？这简直让他想冷笑。可奇怪的是，另一部分情绪又让他对那个 omega 的行为产生了些许内疚和好奇。毕竟——当他在宫里时她连半点同情心都吝啬给予，现在他终于滚出她的视线了，她怎么反倒对他流露出这种情绪？

Strange.  奇怪。

”Wooyoung?” San calls, shaking his shoulder gently to wake the omega from his daydream. Wooyoung blinks the haze out of his eyes, shaking his head slightly before meeting San’s curious stare.
"宇荣？"San 轻声唤道，用手轻晃他的肩膀想将走神的 Omega 唤醒。宇荣眨了眨迷蒙的双眼，微微摇头后迎上 San 探究的目光。

Wooyoung stares back at him for a moment, before slowly reaching a hand up to cup the alpha’s cheek with careful fingers. San nuzzles back against his palm slightly, eyes squeezing shut and a small smile curling around the corner of his lips. “So you read it? All of it?”
佑宁凝视了他片刻，随后缓缓抬手，用指尖小心翼翼地捧住阿尔法的脸颊。三儿轻轻蹭了蹭他的掌心，眼睛微闭，嘴角扬起一抹浅笑。"所以你都看完了？全部？"

San’s eyes open to peer back towards him, glittering with adoration. “I did.” He affirms, voice nothing but loving.
三儿睁开眼回望着他，眸中闪烁着爱意。"看完了。"他柔声确认道，嗓音里浸满温柔。

Wooyoung shuffles in close to him, his other hand reaching up until he’s holding San's face gently— forehead pressing against his in a tender manner as he looks back with devotion.
禹英缓缓贴近他，另一只手抬起轻轻捧住山的面庞——额头温柔相抵，他回望的眼神里盛满虔诚。

”It was never meant to be an excuse for my actions.” Wooyoung whispers, slightly sorrowed. “I know I have hurt you deeply—“
这从来都不是为我行为开脱的借口。" 禹英低声说道，声音里带着些许哀伤。"我知道我深深伤害了你——

”Wooyoung—“  “宇英——”

”San, please. I let my own fears cloud my senses. I was so afraid of getting hurt— so worried about building these walls around my heart, that I had not even realized the stones I was throwing below were hitting you so violently in the process. I-I… I try so hard to act strong and r-resilient, but I… I-I’m not. I—“ His voice breaks off, eyes squeezing shut.
“三，求你了。是我被自己的恐惧蒙蔽了双眼。我太害怕受伤了——只顾着在心上筑起高墙，却没意识到往下扔的石头把你砸得这么狠。我…我…我拼命装得坚强又刀枪不入，但其实…我…我根本…”他的声音突然哽住，眼皮颤抖着紧紧闭上。

San wraps his arms around Wooyoung’s waist, pulling him in tight against his chest as he shakes his head softly. “I know. You don’t need to explain yourself. I know. There is no need to be strong when you’re with me. Not anymore, Wooyoung. Let me take care of you.”
San 双手环住 Wooyoung 的腰肢，将他紧紧搂进怀里，轻轻摇头时发丝扫过对方泛红的耳尖。"我知道。你不用解释。"他喉结滚动着将人往自己灼热的胸膛按得更深，"在我面前不必逞强了 Wooyoung...现在开始，交给我来照顾你。"

Wooyoung nuzzles against the scent gland on San’s neck, breathing in sweetened chocolate and sea salt— his senses muting until all he can focus on is the warmth of the Prince’s skin or the steady fast beat of his heart against his chest. “It won’t be easy for us, San.”
宇荣将鼻尖抵在圣的颈间腺体上，嗅着甜巧克力与海盐交织的气息——他的感官逐渐钝化，只剩下王子肌肤的温热与胸腔里愈发急促的心跳声。"我们这条路不好走呢，圣。"

San presses a soft kiss against the top of his head, humming. “No, it won’t. But I have you, and you have me. And that is all we will ever need.”
San 轻轻吻了吻他的发顶，低声呢喃道："不会的。但你有我，我有你。这就够了。"

Wooyoung raises his head, a small smile on his face and stars glittering in his eyes. “For a lifetime?”
佑荣抬起头，脸上挂着浅浅的微笑，眼中闪烁着星光。"一辈子吗？"

San can’t contain his own grin as he leans down, gently capturing Wooyoung’s lips in a soft kiss.
San 再也抑制不住笑意，俯身轻轻吻住佑荣的唇。

”And the next infinite to come.”
“而下一个无限即将到来。”

-

If returning home from the Capital was a painful wallow of self despair, then watching San leave back for the Palace the next day was nearly excruciating as every fiber in his very being screamed to not let him leave.
如果从首都归家是一段痛苦的自暴自弃，那么第二天看着三返回王宫时，他体内每一根神经都在尖叫着不要放他走，这简直令人痛不欲生。

They already had an extensive goodbye behind the house that neither of them wanted to end— the mark of it left bearing on Wooyoung’s left collarbone with a reddened bruise.
两人在屋后缠绵了许久，谁都不愿结束这场告别——此刻佑荣左侧锁骨上还留着一块泛红的淤痕，无声诉说着方才的激烈。

It was that lack of control that had led Wooyoung to observe from the window of his bedroom rather than down on the street alongside the rest of his family— out of fear that he would embarrass himself by breaking down into tears and begging San to stay. And he knows better of San’s lack of restraint when it comes to him, that one tear from Wooyoung would be enough for him to fold immediately.
正是这份失控感，让禹英选择躲在卧室窗边窥视，而非像家人一样站在街边送行——他害怕自己会当场崩溃，哭着哀求山留下。他太清楚山对他的毫无抵抗力，只要自己掉一滴泪，对方绝对会立刻心软妥协。

So Wooyoung is left to stare grimly from indoors as San bids a final goodbye to everyone before climbing up onto Byeol. His eyes flicker up to Wooyoung’s, slightly pained when he takes in the omega’s despaired expression, before he offers a reassuring smile— lips parting to mouth a few silent words that has him squinting for a brief moment. Until Wooyoung lets out a snort.
于是，禹英只能阴沉着脸站在屋内，目送着 San 与众人一一告别后跨上 Byeol 马背。当 San 瞥见 Omega 绝望的神情时，他的眼神微微颤动，流露出一丝痛楚，随即挤出一个安抚性的微笑——双唇轻启，无声地说了几个字，惹得禹英眯起眼睛愣怔片刻。直到禹英突然嗤笑出声。

Stay away from vines and trolleys.
远离藤蔓和手推车。

Then the omega watches as the Prince turns and trudges off deep into the woods— not moving an inch until the silhouette of the alpha disappears.
那 Omega 目送着王子转身，拖着沉重的步伐深入密林——直到 Alpha 的身影彻底消失在视线中，他才终于挪动脚步。

The next two weeks go by painfully long. Wooyoung spends them like a saddened puppy left out in the rain as he hums disinterested responses to Yeonjun’s blabbering, or stares gloomily into the distance as Changbin scolds him for not paying attention.
接下来的两周漫长到令人煎熬。宇荣活像只被雨淋湿的丧家犬，对连俊的喋喋不休敷衍地哼哼几声，又或是当昌彬责备他心不在焉时，眼神阴郁地望向远方发呆。

The New Year’s Festival at the Jung Pack passes on, and Chaewon’s Moon Dance continues to be gossiped among the masses as one of the best that the Pack has seen in recent years. Wooyoung joins his friends back at Chan’s hut after the events, and everyone praises the eldest Alpha’s finished canopy adorned with flowers to the stars as they light candles for the lantern ritual.
郑氏家族的新年庆典仍在继续，车媛的月下之舞被众人津津乐道，堪称近年来族中最惊艳的表演。活动结束后，宇英回到陈的小屋与伙伴们相聚。当众人为灯笼仪式点燃蜡烛时，那位年长的阿尔法用鲜花装点至星辰的华盖引得满堂喝彩。

Wooyoung releases his own lantern to fly into the air, the flickering candle light bright against the shining rays of the moon behind it. As he watches it move further up into the glittering night sky, growing smaller and smaller in the distance, his only wish is to be able to end this agonizing wait of being apart from San as quickly as possible.
友圣放飞了自己的天灯，烛火在身后皎洁月光的映衬下闪烁生辉。他凝望着那盏灯渐行渐远，在璀璨夜空中化作越来越小的光点，心中唯一的祈愿就是能尽快结束这场与山分离的煎熬等待。

It’s only a few days after, that the Moon answers his prayers with Sakura upon their doorstep, a scroll strapped to her back with an official royal seal printed onto it.
仅仅数日后，月亮便以樱子造访的方式回应了他的祈祷——少女背着的卷轴上赫然印着王室御玺。

The carriage is packed to the brim the day after their summon to the Capital, and while Kyungmin stays behind to handle the Pack responsibilities, his parents will be heading out with him to talk about the arrangements and fine details formally. As he tosses his satchel into the carriage, Wooyoung turns for a final goodbye only to be pulled into a tight squeeze of a hug from Yeonjun, the grip warm and comforting around him. “Don’t forget to send us the wedding invites when the time comes.”
接到王都诏令的次日，马车便被塞得满满当当。庆民留下处理狼族事务，而父母将随他同往正式商谈婚仪细则。当友圣将行囊抛进车厢转身作别时，却被延俊拽入一个温暖有力的拥抱。"到时候可别忘了给我们寄喜帖啊。"

Wooyoung squeezes him back even tighter, burying his face into the taller omega’s neck. “Promise you will be there— all of you.”
宇荣将他搂得更紧，把脸埋进高个子 Omega 的颈窝里。"答应我你们都会在——所有人。"

Yeonjun’s lips press gently against the side of his head, loving. “We would not miss it for even the end of this world.”
延俊的唇温柔地印在他太阳穴上，带着无尽爱意。"就算世界末日来临，我们也绝不会错过。"

As he enters and sits down, he watches from the back window of the carriage as the sight of his friends and the pack fade into the distance and arrays of trees replace them. Despite the terrain being far more suitable for travel and the lack of stops being made from the first time he had departed— the journey still feels far longer than it had last time.
他走进车厢坐下，透过马车后窗望着朋友们和狼群的身影逐渐远去，最终被连绵的树影取代。虽然这次的路况比初次启程时更适合行进，途中也没有停歇——可这段旅程却莫名比上次更显漫长。

Much of it is spent with him doodling away at his sketchbook in anxious excitement or staring impatiently out the window. His parents run through a tirade on how he should act and what he shouldn’t do— going over with him and making sure he understands just how much criticism and negativity he was likely to meet from practically everyone besides the royal family due to this union. He allows them to rant and explain— already well aware of just how much antagonizing awaited him.
大部分时间里，他都在焦虑又兴奋地涂鸦着素描本，或是焦躁不安地望向窗外。父母喋喋不休地训诫他该如何行事、哪些禁忌绝不能触碰——反复强调着要他明白，除了王室成员外，这场联姻将让他遭受来自几乎所有人的非议与恶意。他任由父母训话解释，心里早就清楚等待自己的会是怎样的敌意。

Wooyoung can barely contain the excitement bubbling within him when they break through the dense forest and into the outskirts of the Captial, taking in the sights of the comforting town. Flowers and lanterns from the New Years Festival still decorated the buildings and street stalls, making the area even more beautiful than he had last remembered it being.
当穿越茂密森林抵达王城郊外时，望着这座令人安心的城镇景象，禹英几乎按捺不住内心翻涌的兴奋。新年庆典的鲜花与灯笼仍装点着建筑物和街边摊位，让这片区域比他记忆中更加美不胜收。

They reach Palace grounds shortly after that, passing through the gates and towards the main entrance where hundreds of guards are posted. Wooyoung soon realizes why when they exit the carriage and the sight of King Haneul greets them.
此后不久他们便抵达王宫领地，穿过大门走向由数百名卫兵把守的主入口。当众人步下马车与韩厥国王迎面相遇时，禹英立刻明白了戒备森严的原因。

Wooyoung immediately follows his parents as they bow low in greeting. “My King, it has been far too long since we last met.” His father states, staying bent over until King Haneul comes down the steps and pulls him into a tight hug, laughing slightly. “It feels like it’s been ages, Jihoon!”
宇英立刻随着父母深深鞠躬行礼。"陛下，久疏问候了。"父亲保持着躬身姿势，直到韩凛王走下台阶，大笑着将他紧紧拥入怀中。"真是恍如隔世啊，志勋！"

Wooyoung straightens, barely able to blink at the sight of them before he’s also being pulled into a warm embrace. “Wooyoung!” Queen Hyejin exclaims, pulling back to look him over with sparkling eyes, beaming. “My, it’s only been a month since you parted but I have missed you dearly! I must say, I was quite upset that you could not spare a proper goodbye to us before you had left, but I shall let it slide this once since you are back!” She coos, running a loving hand through his hair.
禹英直起身子，几乎来不及眨眼就被拉入一个温暖的怀抱。"禹英啊！"惠珍王后欢叫着，稍稍退后打量他，眼眸闪亮、笑容灿烂，"天哪，虽然分别才一个月，但我实在太想你了！说实话，你上次不告而别让我很伤心，不过看在你回来的份上，这次就原谅你啦！"她柔声说着，充满爱意地抚过他的发丝。

Wooyoung turns slightly red upon hearing her mention the overdramatic way that he had left the Palace, the embarrassment growing within him.
听到王后提及自己当初离开王宫时夸张的方式，禹英的脸微微泛红，内心涌起一阵窘迫。

”I apologize if any of Wooyoung’s actions from his stay here had caused problems for His Majesty and Her Highness.” His mother smiles, head bowing slightly.
"如果宇荣在这里的所作所为给陛下和殿下带来了困扰，我深表歉意。"他的母亲微微低头，嘴角挂着浅笑。

Queen Hyejin giggles, moving over to pull her into a hug as well. “Nonsense, Areum! He was an absolute delight! You both have raised him to be so incredibly bright and capable.”
惠真王后咯咯笑着，也走过去拥抱她。"胡说，雅琳！他简直是个开心果！你们把他培养得如此聪慧能干。"

Wooyoung’s cheeks heat up even further, about to sheepishly retort his thanks, only to be interrupted by the doors opening.
禹英的脸颊烧得更红了，正想腼腆地道谢，却被突然开启的殿门打断了话头。

His eyes filter across the stone steps and to the entrance, immediately locking on the gaze he has been desperately awaiting to meet for the past two weeks. All the air in his lungs escapes him, and he feels his entire body warm up in the slight cold temperatures as San stares back at him, gaze filled with what could only be described as relief. Wooyoung drinks in the sight of him in his uniform, heart squeezing when his eyes catch the shiny wolf pin upon his sash.
他的目光掠过石阶望向入口，立刻锁定了那双过去两周朝思暮想的眼眸。当山回望他时，他感到肺里所有空气都消失了，微寒天气中整个身体却暖了起来——那目光里盈满的，只能被称作如释重负。禹英贪婪地注视着他身着制服的模样，当视线落在那条绶带上闪闪发光的狼形徽章时，心脏猛地揪紧了。

San almost runs down the steps towards them, eyes not once leaving Wooyoung’s as he approaches the omega, lurching forward as if he’s about to yank Wooyoung into his embrace— only to be stopped immediately by a firm grip on his arm.
San 几乎是跌跌撞撞冲下台阶，灼热视线始终紧锁 Wooyoung 的脸。他踉跄着扑向那个 omega，手臂肌肉绷紧仿佛下一秒就要将人粗暴拽进怀里——却被一记铁钳般的手掌猛地扣住了手腕。

”Hold on. That’s far too bold right now,” King Haneul murmurs under his breath, a smile still present but eyes displaying a hidden seriousness. “Things still need to be discussed. We are out in public and there are eyes watching.” He whispers to his son, releasing the grip on his arm. 
“等等，现在这样太冒失了。”韩烈陛下低声呢喃，嘴角仍挂着笑意，眼神却透出隐晦的凝重。“有些事还需要商议。这可是在众目睽睽之下。”他松开攥着儿子胳膊的手，吐息掠过对方耳垂时带起一阵衣料摩挲声。

San glances at his father, lips pursed and eyes displaying his clear annoyance, but Wooyoung soon understands what the King is talking about when he peeks a look at the others standing near the entrance and see venomous stares burning full of hatred glaring back at where they stood.
San 瞥了他父亲一眼，双唇紧抿，眼神里明明白白写着不爽。但当 Wooyoung 顺着国王的视线偷瞄向入口处那群人时，立刻明白了——那些毒蛇般的目光正裹挟着恨意，灼烧般钉在他们站立的位置。

Controlling himself, San moves to greet his parents first with a deep bow. “Alpha and Omega Jung, it is an honor.”
善宇强自克制，率先向父母深深鞠躬行礼。"荣氏阿尔法与欧米茄，荣幸之至。"

His father bows his head slightly with a wide smile. “Crown Prince.”
父亲微微颔首，笑容舒展。"皇太子殿下。"

San grins, eyes shifting over to where Wooyoung was stood once again, eyes intense and filled with an undeniable want. “Wooyoung.” He breathes out, stepping towards him despite the King’s warnings.
San 咧嘴一笑，目光再次灼热地投向 Wooyoung 站立的方向，眼中翻涌着无法掩饰的渴望。"Wooyoung。"他轻唤着，无视国王的警告向前迈步。

Wooyoung stares back, trying his hardest to control the emotions swirling deep within him as he bows his head. “Crown Prince…”
Wooyoung 低头行礼，竭力压制着内心翻腾的情绪："太子殿下..."

San doesn’t pull him into his embrace, despite the obvious fact of how that is exactly what both of them desired. Instead, he gently grabs Wooyoung’s hand and brings it up as he bends down— soft lips pressing firmly against the skin on the back of it as he looks up to meet his gaze with fiery eyes burning deeply. “I am blessed to be within your presence once again.” He murmurs against the skin of his hand, the warmth of it sending goosebumps up Wooyoung’s arms.
尽管两人都心知肚明彼此渴望着拥抱，San 却没有将他揽入怀中。他只是轻柔地执起 Wooyoung 的手，俯身在那手背落下坚定一吻。抬眸时，那双燃烧着炽焰的眼睛直直望进对方眼底："能再次与你相见，是上天恩赐。"温热的吐息拂过手背肌肤，激起 Wooyoung 手臂一阵战栗的酥麻。

Wooyoung’s cheeks warm at the act, unable to rip his gaze away from the Alpha who straightens back to a stand. His senses are so filled with San that he almost doesn’t notice the air around them growing tense as the Advisors’ glares intensify.
这个举动让佑雄双颊发烫，目光无法从那个重新挺直腰板的阿尔法身上移开。他的感官完全被善宇占据，以至于几乎没注意到周遭逐渐紧绷的氛围——顾问们投来的视线愈发锐利。

While the Queen looks at them with excitement, the King simply throws San an unimpressed stare briefly due to the defiance, before turning back to his parents with a bright smile. “Shall we head inside? I believe we have much to discuss, yes?”
王后眼中闪烁着兴奋的光芒，而国王则因这份违逆短暂地投来冷淡一瞥，随即又对善宇父母绽开明朗笑容："我们进去详谈如何？想必有许多要事相商。"

-

Wooyoung falls back against the bed with an exhausted groan, stretching out his back slightly as he stares up at the intricate gold detailings along the ceiling of the bedroom he was escorted to. He had just finished unpacking his suitcase into the closet, and the exhaustion from the travel was finally starting to hit him.
禹英疲惫地呻吟着倒回床上，微微伸展背部，目光凝视着卧室天花板上繁复的金色纹饰——这是他被引领入住的房间。刚把行李箱里的衣物整理进衣柜，旅途的疲惫终于开始席卷全身。

They had sat within King Choi’s office for nearly an hour discussing and confirming that both Wooyoung and San were in agreement about the plans of marriage, and that both sides of the family were in agreement of the union between the two. That was the first ten minutes of the conversation, and the rest delved into the King and Queen wanting to be sure that Wooyoung was aware of how much his life was about to change, and how the weight of his responsibilities would grow drastically.
他们在崔国王的办公室里坐了将近一小时，先是确认禹英和山都同意这桩婚事，双方家族也认可这段联姻——这部分谈话只用了前十分钟。余下时间全用在国王与王后反复确认禹英是否明白：他的人生即将天翻地覆，肩上的责任将呈几何级数增长。

The conversation had been a tiring one, but one that Wooyoung was well aware to be a necessity. He had a feeling both the Queen and King had little knowledge about everything that had transpired between Wooyoung and San, but most definitely had some brief idea of what happened. It was likely they wanted to be sure Wooyoung knew what accepting this meant, and that it went directly to the few fears he still had lingering as a result— ones that they reassured were things that he would grow to overcome with time.
这场对话令人疲惫，但禹英祐深知其必要性。他隐约感觉到王后与国王并不完全清楚自己和山之间发生的一切，但肯定知晓些蛛丝马迹。王室夫妇多半是想确认——当禹英祐接受这份邀约时，是否明白其中意味着什么。那些因此滋生的、至今仍盘踞在他心底的恐惧，正如对方所言：终将随着时间被碾碎成尘。

The exhaustion must’ve shown across his face by the end of it, because they had all decided to put a halt to the rest of the discussion for the day— promising that they could get into details about wedding plans and dates further along the road. It was obvious that they did not want to stress him, but that they also were slightly rushed for the union to go through as quickly as his mentality would allow. Wooyoung wondered if the advisors were to blame for that urgency— that the royal family were just hoping to make the wedding go as smoothly as possible, and found this to be the best way to achieve that.
他脸上的疲惫显然已经藏不住了，众人见状便决定暂停当天的讨论——承诺婚礼细节和日期可以日后再议。他们明显不想给他压力，却又暗自希望这场联姻能在他心理承受范围内尽快完成。禹英不禁怀疑这种紧迫感是否源于那些顾问——王室或许只希望婚礼顺利进行，而他们认为速战速决才是上策。

Wooyoung couldn’t lie to himself that the realization of how fast everything seemed to be moving along wasn’t bringing him some anxiety. He knows it’s hypocritical of him— with how impatient he was to get here. He’s not having second thoughts or anything like that, but he hates how he doesn’t seem to have even a moment to just breathe, realizing very quickly that this would soon become his new normal.
宇英无法欺骗自己，意识到一切进展得如此之快确实让他感到些许焦虑。他明白自己很虚伪——毕竟他曾经那么迫不及待地想要走到这一步。他并没有后悔或诸如此类的想法，但他讨厌自己似乎连喘口气的片刻都没有，很快意识到这将成为他的新常态。

He just hoped that he would grow accustomed to it quickly.
他只希望自己能尽快适应这一切。

A soft knock on his door interrupts his thoughts, and he rises from the bed with a huff, navigating towards it. They’d put him in a new room different from the one he was in before. This one was in San's wing of the castle— a requirement that everyone was incredibly strict about due to the nature of how he was now in a transitional phase of titles. Apparently he was now more susceptible to danger, and would need to take precautions he would not have otherwise thought about before.
一阵轻柔的敲门声打断了他的思绪。他不耐烦地哼了一声，从床上起身朝门口走去。他们给他换了新房间，和之前那间不同。这间位于城堡的三翼——由于他正处于头衔过渡期，所有人都对这个安排异常严格。显然他现在更容易遭遇危险，必须采取些以前根本不会考虑的防范措施。

He pulls the door open, looking up and blinking in surprise when he sees San staring back at him. “Oh.”
他猛地拉开门，抬头时正对上 San 直勾勾盯着他的目光，不由一愣，眨了眨眼。“...哦。”

While he and his parents were directed to their rooms, the King had requested San stay to discuss in private when he saw the way his son jumped at the opportunity to go with the omega. Wooyoung was sure it was to scold him for not listening back in the front courtyard earlier, and didn’t expect to see San at all for the rest of the day.
当他和父母被引向各自的房间时，国王注意到儿子迫不及待想跟那个 omega 同行的模样，特意要求 San 留下密谈。Wooyoung 确信这是要训斥他先前在前院违抗命令的事，压根没指望今天还能再见到 San。

As San slips past his stunned form and into the room, he can now see that wasn’t true.
当 San 从他惊愕的身旁溜过，闪进房间时，他这才发现事实并非如此。

Breaking out of his stupor, he closes the door quickly, beginning to turn around. “San—“
猛然回过神来，他迅速关上门，转身欲走。"三——"

As soon as the sound of the door clicking shut is heard, San is descending upon him— cutting his words short with soft lips against his own, hands cupping his cheeks tightly.
门锁咔哒合上的瞬间，三已经欺身压来——用柔软的唇瓣截断了他的话语，双手紧紧捧住他的脸颊。

Wooyoung lets out a small gasp at the sudden act, wind rushing around him as San pushes him backwards quickly until he’s pressed flat against the door aggressively. Wooyoung’s heart jumps to his throat, eyes squeezing shut as he kisses back just as harshly— warmth spreading across his entire body as he grips at the lapels of San’s uniform.
这突如其来的举动让宇颢轻喘一声，三将他猛地向后推去时带起的风掠过耳际，直到他的后背重重撞上门板。宇颢的心脏跳到了嗓子眼，闭眼回吻的力度同样凶狠——他攥着三制服翻领的指节发白，滚烫的暖意却流窜至全身。

San presses against him even further, a hand slipping down to gently curl around the side of his throat, fingers curling against the ends of his hair slightly while he bites down gently on his bottom lip.
San 更加用力地贴了上去，一只手滑落下来轻轻环住他的颈侧，指尖若有似无地缠绕着他发尾的碎发，同时用牙齿轻轻咬住自己的下唇。

Wooyoung turns his head away slightly, gasping for breath as his cheeks burn and the gold begins to seep into his irises. “W-Wait,” he whines weakly, hands shaking slightly. “I can’t breathe.”
禹英微微偏过头，脸颊发烫喘息着，金色光芒开始渗入他的虹膜。"等、等等..."他虚弱地呜咽着，双手微微颤抖，"我喘不过气了。"

San’s own breathing has become a bit erratic, red speckles within his hazy eyes clouded with evident want as he looks down at Wooyoung with an almost desperate need. “I have not been able to breathe for weeks in your absence.” San whispers, leaning down to nuzzle against the side of his neck until Wooyoung tilts his head to give him access— pressing open mouthed kisses against the length of his warm skin to the point that Wooyoung trembles against him. “Moon, I missed you so dearly. I have become desperate for you— that is how much your being has corrupted my mind.”
山自己的呼吸也变得紊乱，朦胧眼眸中泛着红色斑点，充满赤裸渴望地低头凝视着禹英，眼神近乎绝望。"你不在的这几周，我早就无法呼吸了。"山低声呢喃，俯身蹭着他的颈侧，直到禹英仰头任他采撷——滚烫的唇沿着温热的肌肤烙下一连串湿吻，惹得怀中人阵阵战栗。"我的月亮，我如此思念你。对你渴望到发狂——你的存在就是这样侵蚀了我的神智。"

When he feels the slight graze of the Alpha’s canines against his scent gland, he pushes back enough that San pulls away from him with evident disappointment. “Moon’s sake, you are insatiable.”
当阿尔法的犬齿轻轻擦过他的信息素腺体时，他向后躲了躲，迫使对方带着明显的不甘退开。"月亮在上，你真是贪得无厌。"

San runs a thumb across his now puffy bottom lip, eyes sparkling. “For you, evidently.”
三用拇指轻抚着自己那已经微微肿起的下唇，眼里闪着光。"显然是为了你。"

”I thought you were banned from coming here for the moment?” Wooyoung asks, sliding his hands down to curl around the Alpha’s waist.
"我以为你暂时被禁止来这儿了？"宇英低声问道，双手滑下，环住了那个 Alpha 的腰际。

San’s brows furrow with slight confusion, head titling. “Banned? Why?”
San 困惑地微微皱眉，歪着头问道："被禁止？为什么？"

”I just figured his Majesty wanted us to keep relations limited until the public was aware of the union.” He admits, sheepish. “Were you not being scolded for being too touchy?”
我只是以为陛下希望我们在公众知晓联姻前保持距离。"他不好意思地承认道，"难道你不是因为太过亲昵而受责备吗？

San snorts, nuzzling into the side of his hair and breathing in his scent deeply. “Of course not. We were discussing my duties and responsibilities to you that were expected after the marriage, actually. Father does not care about us being together. In public, it’s just…”
San 轻哼一声，将脸埋进他的发间深深嗅闻着气息："当然不是。实际上我们讨论的是婚后我对你应尽的职责和义务。父亲根本不在意我们在一起这件事。只是在公开场合，就......"

”The advisors.” Wooyoung states, tone understanding and sympathetic.
“顾问们啊。”宇英说道，语气里带着理解与同情。

”The advisors.” San agrees, voice soft as he runs his fingers gently across his cheek. “It… It’s not forever. They just have a lot of traditions and omens that they complain about us not following through with. Really, they just love to complain about anything to the Moon and back. Do not mind them.”
那些顾问们。"San 轻声附和，指尖温柔地抚过自己的脸颊，"这...不会永远这样的。他们只是有太多关于传统和预兆的条条框框，总抱怨我们不遵守。说真的，他们连月亮圆缺都能挑出毛病来。别把他们的话放在心上。

Wooyoung turns to press his lips against San's ear lovingly. “Do not fret. I can play the good little omega act for them. If anything, I think you are the problem.”
Wooyoung 转头亲昵地将嘴唇贴在 San 耳畔："别担心。我可以为他们扮演乖巧的小 Omega。要我说，你才是那个问题所在。"

San pulls back slightly to pout at him, offended. “It is you. How could anyone possibly expect me to resist?”
San 略带委屈地后撤，撅嘴抗议："明明是你。谁能指望我抵抗得了呢？"

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “Pup.”
Wooyoung 翻了个白眼："小狗崽子。"

San lifts him easily with a wide grin and sparkling eyes, laughing when Wooyoung yelps as he carries them over to the sofa. “Your pup.”
San 轻松地将他一把抱起，嘴角咧开灿烂的笑容，眼睛闪闪发亮。当 Wooyoung 被他抱着走向沙发时发出惊叫，San 不禁笑出声来。"你的小狗。"

San falls back against the cushions, pulling Wooyoung to lay across him with a firm grip as he scents against his neck— milky chocolate swirling into sweetened citrus. “I love you.”
San 向后倒在靠垫上，用力将 Wooyoung 拽到自己身上，同时将脸埋进他的颈窝深深嗅闻——奶香巧克力与甜柑橘的气息交织缠绕。"我爱你。"

Wooyoung goes completely pliant against him, purring slightly. “I know,” he murmurs, warm. “I love you too.”
禹英温顺地依偎在他怀里，发出小猫般的轻哼。"我知道，"他暖声低语，"我也爱你。"

”It feels an injustice to not confess to your ears once every hour, at the very least.” San hums, finally letting himself lick slightly at the glands in the omega’s neck adoringly. “I hope you know it is taking everything within me to contain myself at the moment.”
"不每小时向你倾诉一次，我都觉得是种亏欠。"三低声呢喃着，终于忍不住虔诚地轻舔 Omega 颈间的腺体，"你要知道，我现在用尽了全部自制力才没把你拆吃入腹。"

”I-I think you need to reevaluate if you believe this to be containing yourself.” Wooyoung whimpers when San bites down gently at his scent gland.
"我-我觉得你需要重新考虑下，是否真以为这样就能控制住自己。"当 San 轻轻咬上他的信息素腺体时，Wooyoung 呜咽着说道。

The prince has the audacity to laugh upon hearing those words, the sound almost maniacal. “You poor clueless thing, Lemon. If you had even the slightest idea of what I desire to do to you right now, you would take back those words with ease.”
王子听到这话竟放肆大笑起来，笑声近乎癫狂。"可怜的小傻瓜，柠檬。要是你知道我现在多想对你为所欲为，你肯定会立刻收回这些话。"

Wooyoung scowls, reaching up and pushing San’s face away from his neck. “Your boldness has no possible filter.”
宇荣皱起眉头，抬手将山的脸从自己颈间推开。"你这人怎么这么没分寸。"他低声抱怨，指尖还残留着对方灼热的呼吸。

Before San can attack his neck once more, Wooyoung slides down his body enough to nuzzle into the alpha’s firm chest, humming with content at the warmth.
在 San 再次袭击他的脖颈之前，Wooyoung 沿着他的身体滑下来，将脸埋进 alpha 结实的胸膛，满足地哼着声享受这份温暖。

San pets his hair gently, his other arm curling completely around the omega’s waist to pull him in tighter. “Tired?”
San 轻轻抚摸着他的头发，另一只手臂完全环住 omega 的腰际，将他搂得更紧。"累了吗？"

”I could barely sleep throughout the entire journey here.” Wooyoung mumbles, shutting his eyes with a small yawn. “You were not the only one who was desperately waiting for weeks.”
"这一路上我几乎没合过眼。"宇英低声嘟囔着，打了个小哈欠闭上眼睛。"你可不是唯一一个眼巴巴盼了好几周的人。"

San laughs quietly at that, bending over to press a loving kiss to the top of Wooyoung’s head. “Of course not.”
San 轻笑一声，俯身在他头顶落下一个宠溺的吻。"怎么会呢。"

”I apologize that we cannot talk more.” Wooyoung slurs out slightly, the comforting warmth of the alpha starting to lull him into a deep sleep.
"抱歉...没法继续聊了..."禹英含糊地嘟囔着，阿尔法身上那股令人安心的暖意正渐渐将他拖入深沉的梦乡。

”We have a lifetime.” San whispers, his own eyes fluttering shut as he nuzzles against the top of Wooyoung’s hair. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.”
“我们有一辈子呢。”San 轻声呢喃，闭眼蹭了蹭 Wooyoung 的发顶，“睡吧，宝贝。”

So Wooyoung does.  所以宇英照做了。

-

“Um… Hello.”  “嗯…你好。”

The room simply stares at him, expressions varying from amused, to annoyed, to downright furious. Wooyoung would run out of the place, if not for the reassuringly firm hand against his lower back keeping him in place— San standing close next to him in an almost protective manner.
房间里的目光齐刷刷刺向他，有人憋着笑，有人满脸不耐，还有人直接怒目而视。要不是后腰上那只手稳稳抵着，宇英早就夺门而逃——此刻散正紧贴他身侧站着，姿态近乎守护。

”I am not quite sure if I should be surprised by this or not.” Yunho snorts, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Though I must say, your methods of bidding your farewells are done in terribly poor taste.”
"我该不该感到惊讶呢？"允浩轻哼一声，嘴角勾起一抹顽劣的笑意，"不过不得不说，你告别的方式还真是恶趣味啊。"

Wooyoung grimaces at that, opening his mouth to reply, only to be stopped before he could even start.
禹英皱着脸正要开口反驳，话还没出口就被打断了。

”You sure do have quite a lot of nerve, Jung Wooyoung.” Yeosang hissed, standing up almost menacingly from the table he was sat at as Jongho gently wraps a hand around the omega’s wrist, as if to ground him.
"你胆子可真不小啊，郑禹英。"吕尚几乎是威胁性地从座位上站起来，同时钟浩轻轻握住这个 Omega 的手腕，仿佛要稳住他的情绪。

”You told me you would be easy on him, Yeosang.” San warns, grip on Wooyoung tightening slightly.
"你答应过我会对他温柔点的，Yeosang。"San 警告道，抓着 Wooyoung 的手略微收紧。

”Yes, I did. However, I then saw his irritating face and remembered how truly idiotic he is. Now my patience has disappeared completely.” Yeosang retorts, glaring at the pair.
"是啊，我是说过。可一看到他那张欠揍的脸，就想起他有多蠢。现在我的耐心彻底耗尽了。"Yeosang 瞪着那两人反唇相讥。

”Hey!” Wooyoung protests, offended.
“喂！”宇英不满地抗议道。

Yeosang points an almost threatening finger at him, unamused. “Shut it. You should be thanking the Moon that you are even able to speak right now after that lousy excuse of a letter you left at my door! The nerve of you to not even face me before you ran like a coward.”
柳尚用近乎威胁的手指指着他，一脸不悦。"闭嘴。就凭你留在我门口那封烂借口般的信，你现在还能说话就该感谢月亮了！你居然有脸像个懦夫一样逃跑，连面对我都不敢。"

Wooyoung’s cheeks flame, a scowl growing on his face. “You would have tried to convince me to stay!”
宇荣双颊发烫，脸上浮现怒容。"你肯定会想方设法劝我留下！"

”And it would have worked!” Yeosang snaps back. “Lest we would have avoided this dramatic stupidity and endless moping!”
“本来能成功的！”Yeosang 厉声反驳。“不然我们哪用遭这破罪，看你们一个个要死要活的德性！”

”Moon’s sake— Yeosang, I have been verbally lashed about this very thing by everyone a thousand times already. I am sorry, okay?” Wooyoung whines, crossing the path towards the other Omega who simply presses a hand against his face to push him away from his attempt of a hug.
"看在月亮的份上——Yeosang，这件事我已经被所有人骂过一千遍了。对不起，行了吧？"Wooyoung 哀嚎着，穿过小路走向另一个 Omega，对方只是用手抵住他的脸，把他试图拥抱的动作推开。

“Get away, pest. You were not here to deal with San’s melodramatic stares into the distance and miserable attitude!”
走开，烦人精。你当时又不在场，不用应付 San 那戏剧性的远眺和要死不活的态度！

”Hey—“  “喂——”

”More than that, you treated our friendship like dust on a bookshelf. I had thought that you and I were closer than a half assed apology and a measly three sentence goodbye on paper before you disappeared with intent to never see or speak to me again. Clearly, I was wrong in that regard.”
不仅如此，你还把我们的友谊当作书架上的灰尘。我原以为你我之间的关系，远不止你消失前写在纸上那敷衍的道歉和短短三句告别——那时你就打定主意再不见我、再不与我交谈。显然，在这件事上是我错了。

Wooyoung falters at that, wincing. He should’ve expected this. It’s not like he believed Yeosang would welcome him in with open arms so quickly after what he had done, but he can’t help from feeling both warmed and pained to see just how much his actions the other omega had taken to heart. They bickered nonstop, but this friendship was just as precious to Yeosang as it was to him, and he can feel the bubbling disgust within himself for not even considering that at all before doing what he did.
禹英听到这话踉跄了一下，痛苦地皱起脸。他早该料到会这样。他当然不认为梁彰会在他做出那种事后这么快就张开双臂欢迎他，但看到这位 omega 同伴如此在意自己的所作所为，他心中既涌起暖意又感到刺痛。他们虽然争吵不休，但这份友谊对梁彰而言和他自己一样珍贵。此刻他内心翻涌着自我厌恶——当初做出那个决定时，他竟完全没有考虑到这点。

Despite what everyone tried to reassure him of, he could see clear as day that he was far more selfish than they faulted him for.
尽管大家都试图安慰他，但他心里明镜似的——自己远比他们指责的还要自私百倍。

”I’m sorry.” Wooyoung whispers, gently taking Yeosang’s hand into his own. “I… You were right. About everything. I was too blinded by fear to accept the possibility— or even consider— that what you were telling me was nothing more than the truth, despite how much I denied it. To be quite honest with you, I do not… I am not someone who people befriend or find joy being in company with often. It makes it hard for me to distinguish real relationships, and makes me want to push others away. It’s no excuse for how I have treated any of you, truly. Especially since you all have accepted and welcomed me so warmly. I just… I thought it would be better off for everyone if I was erased completely. But I was wrong. Incredibly wrong. And I know it is far from a justification, I just hope you all can forgive me.”
对不起。" 禹英低声说着，轻轻将旼尚的手握入掌心。"我...你说得对。关于一切。恐惧蒙蔽了我的双眼，让我拒绝接受——甚至不愿考虑——你告诉我的就是真相，无论我如何否认。老实说，我...我不是那种会让人想要结交或乐于相伴的人。这让我难以分辨真情假意，总想把别人推开。这不能成为我对待你们任何人的借口，真的。尤其是你们如此热情地接纳了我。我只是...以为如果我彻底消失对大家都好。但我错了。大错特错。我知道这远不能成为理由，只希望你们能原谅我。

The room is silent for a moment that feels far too long— and the shame he feels deep in his soul is far too great for him to be able to lift his gaze from the floor. He can feel the lump growing in his throat from the burning stares on him, but the anxiety of it all fades when he feels arms wrap around him lovingly, a tall form plastering across his back.
房间里沉寂的片刻漫长得令人窒息——灵魂深处翻涌的羞愧让他始终无法从地板上抬起视线。他能感觉到那些灼热目光带来的喉间哽咽，但当温暖的臂膀从背后环抱住他，高挑的身躯紧贴上来时，所有焦虑都烟消云散了。

He startles, looks up with wide eyes over his shoulder to see Mingi staring back down at him, soft smile of understanding across his face. “Do not fret, Wooyoung. Of course I forgive you. It might have taken you some time to understand, and you may have lashed out at times— but you still came around.”
他惊得猛然抬头，越过肩膀看见敏琪正俯视着自己，脸上挂着善解人意的温柔笑容。"别担心，宇荣。我当然原谅你。或许你需要些时间才能明白，期间可能也爆发过几次——但最终你还是想通了。"

Another pair of arms wrap around both him and Mingi, and Wooyoung sees Yunho grinning widely as he rocks them back and forth slightly. “I am just glad to see you back! San was a mess and everyone was so snappy because of it. We only wanted you to be happy, and if this is what it took for you to realize it then I could not possibly have it within me to be upset with you.”
又一双手臂同时环抱住他和敏琪，宇荣看见润浩灿烂地笑着轻轻摇晃他们。"真高兴你回来了！山当时都快崩溃了，大家也都因此变得暴躁。我们只希望你幸福，如果必须经历这些才能让你明白，那我怎么可能忍心责怪你呢。"

A hand lands gently on the top of his head, running through his hair softly. “It was quite the rash decision on your part to leave so suddenly.” Seonghwa admits, slightly amused but eyes still filled with nothing less than complete understanding. “But I can understand why. I am just happy to see you reach this conclusion on your own, even if it took some time for you to come to it. You may not see it yet, but you are exactly what Ardendall needs now.”
一只手掌轻轻落在他发顶，温柔地梳理着他的发丝。"你突然离开确实太冲动了。"星和承认道，语气带着些许好笑，但眼神里满是理解。"但我明白原因。我很欣慰你能自己想通这个道理，即便花了些时间。或许你现在还没意识到，但如今的阿尔登多尔最需要的就是你这样的人。"

Wooyoung stares up at him, a familiar prickle in his eyes starting to form. He’s never felt… so accepted and loved. To have so many people that believe in him— to have trust in him… He never thought this level of care would ever be waiting for him outside of the small circle of people he had closed himself in with.
友荣仰望着他，熟悉的刺痛感开始在眼眶蔓延。他从未感受过...如此被接纳与珍视的滋味。有这么多人相信他——对他怀有信任...他从未想过在自己封闭的小圈子之外，竟会有人对他倾注这般关怀。

Yeosang’s snort is what breaks his gaze away from Seonghwa and towards the blonde. The annoyance and defiance is still written all across his expression, but he takes in the sight of Wooyoung’s helpless eyes— the way that the younger omega’s lips trembled and the guilted shame in his gaze and finds his resolve begin to break.
让他的视线从星化身上移开、转向那位金发青年的，是永尚那声轻嗤。尽管恼怒与倔强仍明明白白写在永尚脸上，但当他看到友荣那双无助的眼睛——年轻 omega 颤抖的唇瓣和目光中愧疚的羞惭时，他感到自己的决心正开始动摇。

Yeosang lets out a small groan, arms opening slightly. Wooyoung stares back at him, hesitant. “I am not standing like this all day. Get over here.”
吕尚微微呻吟着，稍稍张开双臂。禹炫犹豫地回望着他。"我可不想整天保持这个姿势。过来。"

Wooyoung can’t stop the tears that burst out from his eyes then, heart warmed as he pulls away from the others and collapses into Yeosang, hugging him tightly as he buries his face into his shoulder. “I-I’m so sorry, Yeosang—“ He cries out, voice heavy and tears soaking into the other man’s shirt.
禹炫的泪水瞬间夺眶而出，他挣脱其他人的怀抱，跌跌撞撞扑进吕尚怀里，将脸深深埋入对方肩头紧紧相拥。"对...对不起，吕尚——"他哭喊着，声音哽咽，泪水浸透了对方的衬衫。

“You baby.” Yeosang huffs, grip tightening on him despite the snark. “Stop crying. I had already forgiven you before you walked onto Palace grounds. I just like pulling your leg.”
你这爱哭鬼。"吕尚轻哼一声，虽然嘴上嫌弃却将他搂得更紧。"别哭了。在你踏进王宫前我就原谅你了。我只是喜欢逗你玩。

Wooyoung only buries his face in deeper against the blonde’s neck, relieved. Out of everyone in the Palace that Wooyoung has met, he thinks that Yeosang was probably the one that he felt he did the most wrong by— with the exception of San. Despite what the omega was saying, Wooyoung knew he hurt Yeosang badly. Even if he has been forgiven, he knows deep within himself that he will spend a lifetime repenting for this pain he has caused.
禹炫只是更深地将脸埋进金发男子的颈窝，如释重负。在王宫遇见的所有人里，他觉得自己最对不起的除了山就是吕尚。尽管这个 Omega 说着原谅的话，禹炫明白自己确实深深伤害了他。即使获得宽恕，他心底清楚自己将用一生来弥补造成的伤害。

”I would say I forgive you too, but I honestly do not know a single thing about you other than the fact that you are incredibly dramatic.” A new voice cuts in and Wooyoung pulls back slightly with wet eyes to see Jongho casually leaning back in his chair without a care in the world.
"我也想说我原谅你了，但说实话除了知道你特别爱演之外，我对你一无所知。"一个陌生的声音突然插进来，泪眼朦胧的宇桢微微后退，看见钟浩正漫不经心地靠在椅背上，一副事不关己的模样。

”My name is Jongho, by the way. Heard lots of things about you.” Jongho grins, eyes sparkling. Wooyoung snorts. “Yes, I know you. We met at Seonghwa’s engagement ball.”
对了，我叫钟浩。久仰大名。"钟浩咧嘴一笑，眼睛亮晶晶的。宇桢嗤之以鼻："是啊我认识你，我们在星和的订婚舞会上见过。

Jongho’s brows raise, surprised. “We did?”
钟浩惊讶地挑起眉毛："有这回事？"

”It was brief.” Yeosang rolls his eyes. “I do not expect you to remember anything past the food we had that night.”
就打了个照面。"润浩翻了个白眼，"那晚你光顾着吃东西，指望你能记住什么。

A mischievous glint passes through Jongho’s eyes as he reaches over to teasingly caress fingers along the omega’s waist. “I can think of a few other things.” Yeosang’s face burns a bright red at those words, slapping the alpha’s hand away quickly.
荣浩眼中闪过一丝顽皮的光芒，他伸手戏谑地抚过这位 omega 的腰际。"我还能想到些别的玩法。" 这句话让旼尚的脸瞬间涨得通红，他迅速拍开了 alpha 的手。

”For the love of the Moon, can you not.” Hongjoong finally speaks up with a loud groan from where he’s been sitting on the other side of the table, mostly quiet and observing the entirety of the exchange among everyone.
"看在月亮的份上，你们能不能消停点。" 洪钟终于从餐桌另一端出声，伴随着一声响亮的叹息。他大部分时间都安静地坐着，观察着众人之间的整个互动过程。

”You are saying that as if you and Seonghwa did not have your own fun that night.” Yunho laughs maniacally, leaning against the table.
"你说得好像你和星和那晚没玩尽兴似的。" 允浩狂笑着靠在桌边。

Hongjoong’s ears burn, scowling. “Quiet. Besides all that, I am glad to see you two have worked this all out.” His eyes turn to Wooyoung, slight curiosity burning in them. “Honestly, I did not think I would ever see San so obsessed with someone, but here we are. Granted, I am a little disheartened I do not know you well, but considering the fact that we will be having a lot more one on one together, that should be rectified soon enough.”
洪钟的耳根发烫，皱眉道："闭嘴。撇开这些不谈，我很高兴看到你们俩解决了问题。" 他的目光转向宇植，眼中燃起些许好奇："老实说，我没想到会看到山对某人如此痴迷，但事实就摆在眼前。虽然我对你还不够了解有点遗憾，不过考虑到我们今后会有更多独处时间，这个问题应该很快就能解决。"

”One on one?” Wooyoung repeats, bewildered.
"一对一？" 禹英重复道，一脸困惑。

Hongjoong nods, a lazy grin spreading across his cheeks. “You are soon to be Queen. I am quite sure that King Haneul and Queen Hyein have gone over the expectations of your learning.”
洪钟点点头，懒洋洋的笑容在脸颊上蔓延。"你即将成为女王。我很确定韩乙国王和惠仁王后已经向你交代过学习要求了。"

Wooyoyng’s head almost throbs as he thinks back to that exhausting conversation, grimacing slightly. “Briefly.”
禹英回想起那场令人精疲力尽的谈话，太阳穴突突作痛，微微皱眉。"简单提过。"

Hongjoong hums. “In part of that is learning self defense, as required by all members of the Royal family. I will be the one teaching you that.”
洪钟轻哼一声。"其中部分内容就是学习自卫术，这是王室成员都必须掌握的。而我将会是你的教练。"

Wooyoung stares at him wide eyed, stunned. “I get to use a sword!?”
Wooyoung 瞪大眼睛盯着他，满脸震惊。"我能用剑！？"

Hongjoong winces. “Well— not to start with, but we will get there eventually.”
Hongjoong 皱了皱眉。"呃——一开始不行，但最终会让你学的。"

Wooyoung jumps excitedly in Yeosang’s arms, a wide grin overtaking his face. “How exciting!”
友荣在旼炫怀里兴奋地跳着，脸上绽放出灿烂的笑容。"太棒了！"

”I would not trust you with a sword.” Seonghwa snorts and Wooyoung scowls at those words, narrowing his eyes on the other omega. “Mind your business, Park Seonghwa! You are just jealous. I get to learn swordsmanship and the closest you get to a sword is a kitchen knife.”
我才不会把剑交给你。"星华嗤之以鼻，友荣闻言皱起眉头，眯起眼睛盯着这个 Omega。"管好你自己吧，朴星华！你就是嫉妒。我能学剑术，而你最接近剑的东西就是菜刀。

Yunho latches himself onto Wooyoung’s back, grinning widely and eyes glittering in amusement. “Ha! Hongjoong’s paranoid protectiveness has already taught Seonghwa to wield a sword. He’s rather skilled at it, I must say.”
润浩从背后搂住友荣，咧嘴笑得开怀，眼里闪着戏谑的光芒。"哈！弘俊那 paranoid 的保护欲早就教会星华用剑了。不得不说，他剑术相当不错。"

Seonghwa’s smug expression is enough to sour Wooyoung’s mood as he rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Just because you decided to say that, I promise to be a better swordsman than you.”
星华得意的表情让友荣翻着白眼败了兴致。"随便吧。就冲你这句话，我发誓一定要成为比你更厉害的剑客。"

”Must you always make everything so forced in hostility like this!?”
你就非得把每件事都搞得这么剑拔弩张吗？！

”With you, of course.”
对你当然要这样。

His ears pick up on a familiar quiet laugh from across the room that no one else seems to pick up on— and he can’t hear whatever Seonghwa’s annoyed reply is to his words, because Wooyoung’s eyes zero in on San. Suddenly, all other sound completely drowns out and he can’t bring himself to even care to focus on whatever the others are bickering about as he takes in the sight of the alpha.
他的耳朵捕捉到房间另一端传来一声熟悉的轻笑——其他人都没注意到的轻笑。至于成华对他这句话恼火的回应，他根本听不进去，因为宇盛的视线突然牢牢锁定了山。霎时间所有声音都消失了，他甚至无法分心去听其他人争吵的内容，全部注意力都被那个阿尔法男性夺走。

San is leaning against the doorway, head tilted against it and arms crossed as he drinks in the sight of the omega. There’s a soft smile on his face, and his eyes are filled with so much glittering adoration as he watches Wooyoung with the others. Wooyoung almost feels like all air is sucked out of his lungs as he stares back, watching in awe, because—
山正斜倚在门框上，脑袋歪靠着门框，双臂交叠，目光贪婪地吞噬着这个欧米茄男性。他脸上挂着温柔的微笑，注视着宇盛和其他人互动时，眼中闪烁着浓得化不开的爱意。宇盛回望时几乎感到窒息，只能怔怔地望着，因为——

San is staring at him with such deep and tender adoration, that it seemed if Wooyoung would ask the alpha to bring him the moon and stars, he would fight until his very last breath to bring him the entirety of the night sky.
San 凝视他的眼神如此深邃温柔，满溢着爱慕之情，仿佛只要 Wooyoung 开口要月亮星辰，这位 alpha 就会拼尽最后一口气为他摘下整片夜空。

It feels almost natural, then— when he gently pulls away from Yunho’s grasp and walks carelessly over to the other, eyes never once leaving that patiently loving gaze looking back at him and sucking him in like some unbreakable gravitational pull. He falls into place against San’s form, pressing into him and burying his face into the alpha’s neck— sweetening chocolate and sea salt surrounding him in almost as caring of a grip as the arms that wrap around him immediately.
于是接下来的动作几乎顺理成章——他轻轻挣脱 Yunho 的怀抱，漫不经心地走向那个人，视线始终未曾离开那双回望他的、充满耐心爱意的眼眸，那目光如同不可抗拒的引力将他吞噬。他跌进 San 的怀抱，紧贴着对方，将脸埋入 alpha 的颈窝——甜美的巧克力与海盐气息立刻包裹住他，那环绕着他的臂弯与这香气同样温柔。

”I love you.” Wooyoung breathes out, almost feeling the way San's pulse jumps against his own at those words— the other man laughing softly as he buries his face into the top of his hair. “I love you too. So much so, that I do not know what to do with myself because of it.”
我爱你。"Wooyoung 轻语，几乎能感受到 San 听到这句话时颈动脉的悸动。对方将脸埋进他发间轻笑："我也爱你。爱到不知该如何自处。

Wooyoung presses a soft kiss against San’s neck, nuzzling into the skin there as the feeling of being at peace settles into him fully.
Wooyoung 在 San 颈间落下一个轻吻，依恋地蹭着那片肌肤，全然沉浸在这份安宁祥和的感受中。

He’s exactly where he needs to be.
他正身处应许之地。

-

Wooyoung’s exhausted.  宇荣累坏了。

Honestly, he knew that it would be. It’s only the third day but he’s already been overloaded with so much of things to do and Palace tutoring along with conversations lasting hours with the King and Queen that he collapses against the bed at the end of the day completely drained.
说实话他早有预料。虽然才第三天，但堆积如山的事务、宫廷礼仪课程，以及与国王王后长达数小时的谈话，已让他每天结束时都像被抽干力气般瘫倒在床。

It’s almost funny, because the overwhelmingness of it all was still with everyone’s attempt to ease him into things, so he doesn’t even want to think about what it is going to be like when it hits him full force.
这几乎有些可笑，因为众人明明都在尽力帮他适应，这种铺天盖地的压力却依然如影随形——他根本不敢想象当所有压力真正袭来时会是什么情形。

He did expect it, but he thought that he’d be able to handle it all a lot more energetically than he had been thus far. All he could hope for was that he would get used to the motions of his new hectic life schedule as soon as possible, and maybe that would ease the stress of it all, even if only the slightest bit. It felt like he had no time for anything else, and seeing any of his friends— or even San for that matter— for anything more than 30 minutes at a time was impossible now.
他确实预料到了这种情况，但本以为能比现在更精力充沛地应对一切。此刻他唯一的期盼就是尽快适应这忙碌新生活的节奏，或许这样能稍微缓解些压力，哪怕只有一点点。他感觉自己根本抽不出时间做其他事，现在想和朋友们——甚至包括 San 在内——每次见面超过三十分钟都成了奢望。

The only shining light of it all was that he knew it wasn’t going to be like this forever. It was the rush of the approaching coronation and wedding, along with the necessary training he needed to go through that was resulting in this frantic back and forth of schedules.
唯一的光明在于他知道这种状态不会永远持续。加冕礼与婚礼迫在眉睫，再加上必须完成的训练课程，才导致行程如此疯狂地连轴转。

It was during one of these particularly bad schedules that Wooyoung feels it all begin to be a bit too much for him. In his defense, he’s completely blindsided when he walks into one of the parlor rooms to begin a lesson with Queen Hyejin after hours of studying with one of his tutors, only to find himself surrounded by more than enough court of advisors to bring alarm.
就在某个特别糟糕的日程里，宇镇终于感到不堪重负。平心而论，当他结束数小时的家庭教师课程，走进会客厅准备与惠珍王后上课时，完全没料到会撞见足以引发警报的满屋子顾问——这实在不能怪他措手不及。

”Hello, Jung Wooyoung.” Advisor Kim smiles menacingly, gaze icy as he stares that the omega frozen by the door.
"你好，郑友荣。"金顾问露出阴森的笑容，冰冷的目光盯着僵在门口的 Omega。

Wooyoung wants to scream, eyes narrowing at the old man. “Advisor Kim.” His eyes filter around to see others that are giving him a similar dirty stare, although he has no idea what any of their names are, anyway. “I am supposed to be having a meeting with the Queen—“
友荣想尖叫，眯起眼睛瞪着这个老头。"金顾问。"他环顾四周，发现其他人也投来同样嫌恶的目光，虽然他根本不知道这些人叫什么。"我本该正在与女王会面——"

”That has been canceled for the day as she has other matters to attend to.” Advisor Kim cuts him off, leaning back in the chair he’s sat at before motioning to one of the sofas in front of him. “Please. Take a seat. I believe we have much to discuss. We were hoping to have this conversation with you sooner, but it seems that you are a hard man to reach, Jung Wooyoung.”
今日的会面取消了，她另有要事处理。"金顾问打断他，向后靠在他所坐的椅子上，同时示意面前的长沙发。"请坐。我想我们有很多事情需要详谈。本希望能早些与你进行这番谈话，但看来要联系上你可不容易啊，郑宇荣。

Inside, Wooyoung seethes at the almost patronizing act and display of words, but he bites it down to instead offer a fake smile as he approaches and sits. “Well, that is my charm.”
宇荣内心对这种近乎居高临下的做派和言辞暗恼不已，但他强压怒火，反而挂着假笑走近落座。"这个嘛，正是我的魅力所在。"

”Charm.” Advisor Kim deadpans. “How are you adjusting here?”
魅力。"金顾问面无表情地重复道。"在这里还适应吗？

Wooyoung curls a hand around his own arm, protective. “Quite well. The work is a bit tiring but rewarding in its own merit. I have been learning quite a bit.”
宇荣环抱住自己的手臂，带着防卫姿态。"相当好。工作虽有些辛苦，但自有其价值。我确实学到了不少东西。"

Advisor Kim’s eyes glint slightly as he takes him in. “I see. I must say, I did not expect to ever see you here in this position. It did not ever strike me as something that someone of your… upbringing would find to be a pleasant life.”
金顾问打量着他，眼中闪过一丝精光。"原来如此。不得不说，我从未想过会看见你坐在这个位置。以你的...出身背景，这种生活实在不像是会令你愉悦的选择。"

Wooyoung almost laughs at those words, leaning back in his seat with a raised eyebrow and slight amused smile. “Neither did I. But I suppose people do change as they grow.”
禹英闻言几乎笑出声来，他向后靠在椅背上，挑眉露出玩味的笑容。"我也没想过。不过人总是会变的。"

“Of course.” Advisor Kim responds, eyes narrowing. A tense silence passes through, then— heavy in the air. “Shall we drop pleasantries? Or would you like to continue this little farce of unwanted politeness?”
当然。"金顾问眯起眼睛回应道。凝重的沉默在空气中蔓延。"要省去客套话吗？还是您想继续这场虚伪的礼貌表演？

Wooyoung tilts his head, feigning innocence into his expression. “I do not understand what you could possibly mean by that, Advisor Kim.”
禹英偏头，佯装天真地眨着眼。"我不明白您这话是什么意思，金顾问。"

”Cut the harmless act, kid.” One of the other advisors hissed, the hatred burning so deep in his eyes that Wooyoung feels as if the man is one second away from completely snapping and jumping across the couch to attack him. “Fucking vixen.”
少装无辜了，小子。"另一位顾问咬牙切齿道，眼中的憎恶如此深刻，让友荣觉得这人下一秒就会彻底爆发，越过沙发来攻击他。"该死的狐狸精。

”Oh, that’s the first I have heard of that one.” Wooyoung gasps, hand covering his mouth dramatically. “I quite like it, actually.”
哦，这说法我倒第一次听说。"友荣夸张地倒吸一口气，戏剧化地用手捂住嘴。"其实我还挺喜欢的。

The advisor takes a dangerous step forward, only to be stopped by Advisor Kim’s hand on his arm warningly. “Now, now… Let’s not get too hot headed here. Besides, we are simply having a conversation.”
那位顾问危险地向前迈了一步，却被金顾问警告性地按住了手臂。"好了好了...大家别太冲动。再说了，我们只是在谈话而已。"

Wooyoung stares at him, unimpressed. “Really? The mood in the room is rather suffocating— to the point of being almost threatening…”
友荣面无表情地盯着他。"真的吗？这房间里的气氛简直令人窒息——都快到威胁的程度了..."

Advisor Kim’s head tilts, eyes glinting. “Now, what could we possibly have to gain from threatening you, Jung Wooyoung?”
金顾问歪着头，眼中闪过精光。"我们威胁你郑友荣能有什么好处呢？"

The man is so incredibly calculating, that he can see where Cho got her convincing skills from almost immediately. “I am not sure, either. Would seem to be rather idiotic to threaten a future Queen.”
这人算计得如此滴水不漏，钟鹤立刻明白了他那位得力助手的说服力从何而来。"我也不确定。威胁未来的王后似乎相当愚蠢。"

He can see that he’s struck a nerve with that one, watching with satisfaction as the advisor’s jaw clenches slightly in a silent seethe. “Future Queen… not a position that I would think fits you, hm?”
他满意地看到这句话戳中了对方痛处——顾问的下颌因无声的愤怒而微微绷紧。"未来的王后...我可不觉得这个身份适合你，嗯？"

”It is quite wonderful then, how that decision is not yours to make.”
真有意思，这个决定权可不在你手里。

”It should not be yours, either.” Advisor Kim finally cracks, voice hard. “I thought you would have been smarter to not give in to the Crown Prince’s wishes after you had first chosen to leave, but I can see now that is not the case.”
这也不该属于你。"金顾问终于绷不住了，声音冷硬。"我以为你当初选择离开后，会明智地不向太子的意愿屈服，但现在看来并非如此。

Wooyoung’s fingers curl into fists upon hearing that, trying his best to keep his expression neutral. He feels like a mouse backed into a corner by a flock of snapping crows— waiting for even the slightest chance to nip at him. He can feel his cool starting to waver— pulse increasing and heart thumping against his chest wildly.
听闻此言，禹英的手指蜷缩成拳，竭力维持着面无表情。他感觉自己像只被聒噪鸦群逼入死角的老鼠——它们正等着最细微的破绽来啄咬他。他能感觉到冷静正在瓦解——脉搏加速，心脏在胸腔里疯狂撞击。

”I would appreciate it if you would not drag along with unnecessary suspense and just say as you wish so we can move along.” Wooyoung says, cold.
"若您能免去这些不必要的故弄玄虚，直言相告以便我们继续，我将不胜感激。"禹英冷然道。

”I want you to be careful.” Advisor Kim stares him down, the disdain so evident in his gaze. “You have shaken quite a bit here at the Palace with your presence— much that should not have been messed around with at all.”
我要你谨言慎行。"金顾问逼视着他，目光中的轻蔑昭然若揭。"你的出现已经让王宫动荡不安——许多本不该被搅乱的事都受到了影响。

”By whose standard?” Wooyoung retorts. “Yours?”
以谁的标准？" 禹英反唇相讥。"你的吗？

”The standard of what this nation was founded upon.” Advisor Kim snaps, furious at Wooyoung’s defiance.
"以这个国家立国之本的标准。"金顾问厉声喝道，对禹英的忤逆怒不可遏。

Wooyoung leans in close, gaze almost dangerous as he tilts his head at the advisor with icy eyes of his own. “Your nation’s standards are outdated. Along with other things that are outdated in this Palace. And outdated things must be replaced. Do not fret, Advisor Kim. Soon enough, all things that do not belong here will be removed… and I will be sure to make sure you have a front row seat to watch.” He offers a fake smile once again. “As thanks, of course. For all that you have done for the… good of Ardendall.”
禹英倾身逼近，歪头用冰刃般的目光直视顾问，眼神危险得近乎可怖。"贵国的标准早已过时。这座宫殿里过时的可不止这些。而过时的东西...就该被替换。"他再度露出虚伪的笑容，"别担心，金顾问。很快所有不合时宜的东西都会被清除...我定会为您预留前排观礼席。当然，这是为了感谢您为阿尔登德尔...做出的贡献。"

Advisor Kim’s eyes are bleeding venom, and his expression has darkened completely as he leans in towards the omega as well. “Then I hope you know what else is included in that list of things that do not belong here. I hope you have prepared yourself for what is to come, Jung Wooyoung. The road ahead of you is hellish, and I pray that you understand the things that you… lack in.”
金顾问眼中毒液翻涌，面色彻底阴沉下来，同样向这个 Omega 逼近："那我希望你知道这份'不合时宜'的清单上还包含什么。郑禹英，希望你已为即将到来的风暴做好准备。你面前是条地狱之路，但愿你能认清自己...欠缺的东西。"

Leave me alone.  别管我。

Wooyoung’s grip on himself tightens, the advisor’s growing grin like a sinister nightmare engraving itself into his mind.
Wooyoung 的拳头越攥越紧，顾问脸上逐渐扩大的狞笑如同噩梦般深深刻进他的脑海。

“After all, it is hard to imagine a pitiful artist from a small underdeveloped pack could have any idea how to rule over a nation. One can only hope that your shortcomings do not negatively impact the Crown Prince.”
毕竟，很难想象一个来自落后小族群的可怜艺术家会懂得如何治理国家。只希望你的无能不会连累到王储殿下。

Stop it.  住手。

Advisor Kim drinks in the sight of his trembling form with sick satisfaction. “But I think you and I are both in agreement on that, hm?”
金顾问病态地欣赏着他颤抖的身躯，露出令人不适的满足笑容。"但我想你我都对此心知肚明，嗯？"

”No.” Wooyoung grits out, coming to a stand on slightly shaky legs. “Forgive me, but I believe this conversation is over. I must go.”
不。"禹英咬牙切齿地说，双腿微颤地站起身来。"恕我失礼，我认为谈话该结束了。我必须走了。

”Of course.” Advisor Kim smiles. “Do take time to think about our little chat later, yes? I believe it will do you some good.”
当然。"金顾问微笑道。"之后不妨好好回味我们的小小谈话？我相信这对你有好处。

Wooyoung doesn’t answer as he strides past the others who stare at him with burning gazes, opening the door.
禹英没有回答，他大步穿过那些用灼热目光注视着他的人群，推门离去。

”Until next time, Jung Wooyoung.”
下次见，郑友荣。

It slams shut behind him.
门在他身后重重关上。

Wooyoung hunches over, grasping at his chest as he tries to breathe in— panic settling deep within his bones. The skin across his entire body is completely crawling, making him want to scratch at it until the feeling dissipates from within him. Their stares are still printed behind his eyelids like lasers with the intent to leave scars and it has him whimpering.
友荣蜷缩着身子，双手紧抓胸口试图呼吸——深入骨髓的恐慌攫住了他。全身皮肤都像有虫子在爬，让他恨不得抓挠到这种感觉从体内消散为止。那些目光仍如激光般烙在他眼皮内侧，仿佛要留下永久疤痕，令他发出呜咽。

A guard must take notice of his state, approaching hesitantly. “Sir, are you alright?”
一名警卫注意到他的异状，迟疑地走近。"先生，您还好吗？"

Wooyoung nods, unable to respond with words as he pushes away from the door with trembling hands. He needs to get out of here.
友荣点点头，颤抖的双手从门框上收回，发不出任何声音。他必须离开这里。

He waves off the guard’s concern, instead turning on shaky feet and rushing down the hall. There’s a ringing in his ears that’s starting to pound against his now heavy head and his world is becoming blurry from the sheen of tears starting to cover his eyes. His heart is racing so heavily against his ribs that he feels as if it’s seconds away from pounding straight out of his chest and falling to the floor in a bloody heap.
他摆摆手示意守卫不必担心，随即踉跄转身冲向走廊。耳中嗡鸣声开始撞击他沉重的头颅，逐渐漫上眼眶的泪水让世界变得模糊。心脏在肋骨间剧烈跳动，仿佛下一秒就要冲破胸腔，化作一滩血淋淋的肉块砸落在地。

He needs to get out.
他必须离开。

He needs to leave.  他必须走。

He needs—  他必须——

A hand wraps around his wrist, startling him from his thoughts as he’s dragged out of the hall and into a hidden corner behind one of the grand pillars. He almost fights against the sudden act, until he sees a familiar wide grin framed with indented dimples and gleaming eyes crinkling around the edges looking around to make sure no one has seen them.
一只突然攥住他手腕的手将他拽出大厅，拖到某根巨柱后的隐蔽角落，惊散了他的思绪。他几乎要反抗这突如其来的举动，直到看见那个熟悉的灿烂笑容——凹陷的酒窝，眼尾笑出的细纹，以及正环顾四周确认无人发现他们的亮晶晶眼睛。

San.

The tears stream freely down his face then, the feeling and sound of drowning flooding out of him completely as the relief hits him fully like a train head on.
泪水此刻终于决堤而下，那种溺水般的窒息感随着如列车迎面撞来的巨大解脱感彻底从他体内奔涌而出。

”I saw you racing down the hall and had to run to catch up to you.” San giggles, looking behind him to make sure there are no stray eyes on them. “What are you rushing so fast for—“ San stops abruptly, smile fading completely to stunned silence when he turns back to the omega only to see him crying.
"我看见你在走廊狂奔，不得不跑着追上来。"San 轻笑着，回头确认没有旁人注意他们。"你跑这么快是——"San 的声音戛然而止，当他转回身看见 omega 泪流满面的瞬间，笑容完全凝固成震惊的沉默。

”W-Wooyoung!?” San is immediately pressing in close against him, worried. “What is the matter?”
呜...Wooyoung！？"San 立刻紧张地贴近他，"发生什么事了？

Wooyoung only shakes his head, lowering it only for San to grasp his cheeks gently and lift it back up. “Hey, no— look at me. What happened?” San asks, eyes frantically scanning his face in unease.
友荣只是摇摇头，低垂着头直到被山轻轻捧起脸颊。"嘿，别这样——看着我。发生什么了？"山问道，目光不安地在他脸上急切搜寻。

Wooyoung opens his mouth, trying to speak but finding himself gasping for breath, blinking the wetness in his eyes and trying to will the tears away. San looks pained to see him like this, shushing him gently. “Shh… It’s okay. Just breathe with me, yes? Breathe… that’s it, just focus on me. It is just you and I here. No one else. Just you and me.” San presses his forehead against the omega’s, hand softly wrapping around the side of his neck in loving care. He brings Wooyoung’s own hand up to press against the alpha’s chest to feel his steady heartbeat, trying to match it with his own erratic one. Wooyoung can feel himself starting to calm as chocolate fills his senses, breathing in shakily alone with San's own controlled breaths.
友荣张了张嘴想说话，却发现自己喘不过气来，他眨着湿润的眼睛努力抑制泪水。山看着他这副模样露出痛心的表情，轻声安抚道："嘘…没事的。跟着我呼吸好吗？吸气…对，就这样只看着我。这里只有你和我。没有别人。只有你和我。"山将额头抵在欧米伽的额头上，手掌温柔环住他颈侧。他牵引友荣的手按在自己胸膛感受平稳心跳，试图让对方紊乱的心跳与之同步。当巧克力的气息充盈感官，友荣颤抖的呼吸逐渐与山沉稳的吐纳同频，他感觉自己开始平静下来。

San stares at him deeply, concerned. Wooyoung blinks back at him, so tired as he shuts his eyes upon feeling the prince raise a hand to softly wipe away the wetness on his reddened cheeks. “Are you alright?”
San 深深凝视着他，眼中满是担忧。Wooyoung 疲惫地眨着眼，当感受到王子抬手轻轻拭去他泛红脸颊上的泪痕时，他闭上了眼睛。"你还好吗？"

”Yes.” Wooyoung whispers, the panic gone and leaving behind only exhaustion. San walks him back carefully until his back is pressed against the pillar, hand curling around the back of his neck and gently pulling him into the crook of his neck. Wooyoung immediately latches onto the scent gland there— nuzzling against it and finally feeling his heart calm down completely.
"嗯。"Wooyoung 轻声应道，恐慌褪去后只余疲惫。San 小心搀着他后退，直到他的背抵上石柱，手掌覆上他的后颈轻轻一带，将他揽入自己颈窝。Wooyoung 立刻贴住那里的信息素腺体——蹭着那片肌肤，终于感到心跳彻底平静下来。

San holds him tightly, a soothing hand running through his hair as he hums. “What happened?”
San 紧紧抱着他，哼着歌用安抚的手梳理他的发丝。"发生什么了？"

”I-… I went to go see your mother, but—“ Wooyoung begins in a weak voice until he stops, hesitant. He doesn’t want San to lose it if he tells him the things that the advisors had said to him, and he knows— he knows exactly how furious the Prince would become if he had heard any of it.
"我...我去见了你母亲，但是——"Wooyoung 虚弱地开口又顿住，犹豫不决。他不想让 San 失控，如果说出那些顾问对他说过的话——他太清楚了，王子听到这些会有多么暴怒。

San picks up on his uncertainty almost immediately, grip on the back of his neck tightening sligtly in warning. “Hey— no, none of that. No more hiding things. What happened?”
伞几乎瞬间察觉他的迟疑，警告般稍稍收紧了掌心的力道。“听着——不行，别这样。别再瞒着我。到底怎么了？”

Wooyoung sighs softly, collapsing even more against the alpha. “It was not Queen Hyejin in the room, but a few members of the court.”
禹英轻轻叹息，更加瘫软地倚靠在那位 alpha 身上。"房间里不是惠珍王后，而是几位朝臣。"

He feels how San grows rigid upon hearing those words, beginning to pull away only to be stopped by Wooyoung clutching onto him desperately. “Please— do not go to them. Do not go anywhere, San.”
他感觉到听到这句话时 San 瞬间绷紧了身体，正要抽身离开却被禹英拼命拽住。"求你了——别去找他们。哪儿都别去，San。"

San’s scent is starting to turn bitter and burned, and Wooyoung can almost feel the anger radiating off him in waves. “Those disgusting— what did they say!? I need to—“
San 的信息素开始变得苦涩焦灼，禹英几乎能感受到他周身翻涌的怒意。"那些恶心的——他们说了什么！？我必须——"

”No!” Wooyoung cries out when he feels San start to pull away once more, gripping onto the other man tightly. “I do not need you to go to them and say anything. I just need you to hold me.” He whispers, voice breaking slightly.
"不要！"当 San 再次试图挣脱时，禹英哭喊着紧紧抓住对方。"我不需要你去找他们对质。我只需要你抱着我。"他轻声呢喃，嗓音微微发颤。

San’s arms are immediately around him once again, holding him in tight. “Okay.” He murmurs, eyes dark as he glares at the pillar behind Wooyoung. “I have you. They are just miserable individuals who can feel the power that they have held for generations starting to slip out of their grasp. That is the only reason they lash out.”
San 的双臂立刻再次环抱住他，将他紧紧搂在怀中。"没事的。"他低声说道，目光阴沉地瞪着 Wooyoung 身后的石柱。"有我在。那些不过是可悲的家伙，他们感觉到世代掌控的权力正从指缝间溜走，所以才狗急跳墙。"

”I know.” Wooyoung squeezes San even tighter. “It’s just… It has been a long day.”
“我知道。”宇荣把山搂得更紧了。“只是……今天实在太漫长了。”

San doesn’t answer, simply holding him even tighter. Wooyoung frowns at his silence, pulling back slightly to reach up and cup the alpha’s face gently. “Hey…” Wooyoung can see the storming fury behind the Prince’s stare, leaning up and capturing the other’s lips softly.
San 没有回答，只是将他搂得更紧。Wooyoung 对这份沉默皱起眉头，微微后仰伸手捧住 alpha 的脸庞。"喂..."他能从王子的眼神中看到翻腾的怒意，便踮起脚轻柔地含住对方的唇瓣。

San melts into him almost immediately— pressing Wooyoung even further against the pillar as he tilts his head and deepens the kiss, his lips pressing so harshly against the omega’, as if attempting to burn the mark of his own on them. Wooyoung pulls back slightly, gasping. “Relax.” He whispers against San’s lips, kissing him sweetly.
San 几乎瞬间就沉溺其中——将 Wooyoung 更用力地抵在石柱上，偏头加深这个吻，唇瓣近乎粗暴地碾过 omega 的软唇，仿佛要烙下属于自己的印记。Wooyoung 轻喘着微微退开。"放松点。"他贴着 San 的唇瓣呢喃，落下蜜糖般的轻吻。

San whines, biting down on Wooyoung’s bottom lip before pulling back to nuzzle against his neck. “I do not think you understand how I would quite literally burn this place to the ground for you.”
San 不满地哼了一声，轻咬住 Wooyoung 的下唇，随后退开蹭了蹭他的脖颈。"你根本不明白我究竟能为你把这里烧成什么样。"

Wooyoung rolls his eyes at his words. “Believe me, I know very well. Why do you think I am trying so hard to calm you down right now? I am fine. Do not be so angry.”
Wooyoung 对他的话翻了个白眼。"相信我，我清楚得很。不然你以为我现在为什么这么努力安抚你？我没事，别这么生气。"

San looks up at him, eyes almost wild. “Then let me.”
San 抬眼看他，眸中翻涌着近乎狂乱的情绪。"那就让我来。"

Wooyoung is almost confused by his demand, mind blanking for a moment before he flushes a bright red. “The marks, San…”
Wooyoung 被这要求弄得有些困惑，愣怔片刻后突然涨红了脸。"那些痕迹，San..."

”I do not care who sees them.” San almost snarls, staring at Wooyoung with desperate eyes. “Please— I am losing my mind.”
我不在乎被谁看见。" 尚几乎是从牙缝里挤出这句话，用绝望的眼神盯着宇荣。"求你了——我快疯了。

Wooyoung knows— he knows he shouldn’t, especially after what King Haneul had sternly told them both. But San is looking at him with those fiery eyes of his and Wooyoung can only hold his own resolve for so long— after all, he’s just as much weak to the alpha as the alpha was to him.
宇荣心里明白——他清楚自己不该这么做，尤其是在韩厥国王严厉警告过他们之后。但尚那双炽热的眼睛直直望过来，宇荣的坚持根本维持不了多久——毕竟，他对这个阿尔法的抵抗力，就和对方对他一样薄弱。

So he tilts his head, and lets San descend.
于是他微微偏头，让 San 滑落下来。

-

“Moon have mercy.”  月亮女神开恩啊。

Wooyoung scowls, cheeks burning a bright red as Yeosang and Yunho stare at him.
在吕尚和润浩的注视下，禹英阴沉着脸，双颊烧得通红。

”Stop gawking at them!” Wooyoung snaps, slapping both hands around his neck. Yunho bursts out laughing while Yeosang narrows his eyes on him. “I do not know what you expect me to say when you come to my door asking for makeup, looking as if you have been mauled by a bear.”
别傻盯着他们看！" 禹英呵斥道，双手猛地掐住自己的脖子。润浩爆发出大笑，而吕尚则眯起眼睛盯着他。"我真不知道你指望我说什么——你顶着这副被熊啃过的模样来我门口讨要化妆品。

”He went a little overboard.” Wooyoung whines, lowering his hands in shame to once again expose the littered red bruises along the length of his neck.
"他有点过头了。"禹英委屈地抱怨着，羞愧地放下双手，再次暴露出颈间斑驳的红痕。

”It is not an uncommon act among mates, no need to be so embarrassed.” Yunho muses, clearly entertained by Wooyoung’s discomfort. “Although, quite bold for unmated pairs, if I am to be honest with you…”
伴侣之间这种行为很常见，不必如此难为情。"允浩若有所思地说，显然被禹英的窘态逗乐了，"不过说真的...对于尚未结契的伴侣而言，确实挺大胆的。

”Leave me alone!” Wooyoung almost howls, slumping in the chair as Yeosang approaches with the foundation. “Just try and cover them as much as possible. I do not want any more unwanted stares than what I have already been receiving.”
别管我啦！"禹英几乎要哀嚎出来，当吕尚拿着粉底液走近时，他整个人瘫在椅子上，"尽量遮住就好。我已经受够那些不必要的目光了。

Yeosang snorts, smirk so clear across his face and yet he chooses to stay silent on the matter and instead get to work covering up the marks. Wooyoung stares up at the ceiling for a long moment, listening to Yunho’s unfocused humming in the turning pages of the book he’s reading as the brush swipes across his skin so gently it’s almost ticklish.
吕尚轻哼一声，脸上挂着再明显不过的戏谑笑容，却选择对此事保持沉默，转而开始着手遮盖那些痕迹。禹英仰头盯着天花板发了好一会儿呆，听着允浩阅读时书页翻动间心不在焉的哼唱声，化妆刷轻抚过皮肤的触感温柔得几乎发痒。

”Hey, Yeosang…”  喂，耀燮...

”What do you want?”
你想干什么？

Wooyoung scowls at his unenthusiastic response, eyes narrowing. “I have a question.”
禹英皱起眉头，对他冷淡的回应感到不满，眼睛眯成一条缝。"我有个问题。"

”Depending on how idiotic of a question it is, I may have an answer.”
这取决于你问的问题有多蠢，我或许能回答。

“Must you be so antagonistic towards me!?” Wooyoung bellows, enraged.
"你就非得这么针对我吗！？"禹英愤怒地吼道。

”Just ask your question.” Yeosang huffs, putting down the brush to grab the container of powder and a small puff to set the foundation placed.
"有话直说。" 旼析轻哼一声，放下刷子拿起散粉盒和小粉扑开始定妆。

Wooyoung is quiet for a short moment, before he speaks up once again. “That day we went out into town, Seonghwa and I had a conversation about the way life was here in the Palace as an omega of high social status. Of course, with Hongjoong’s father being such a high court advisor that is loved by many, and the likelihood that Hongjoong himself is to follow in those footsteps once San is crowned, I have grown to understand how difficult it has been for Seonghwa. It is not easy, to live in such simplicity and suddenly be thrown into a lifestyle so foreign from the one we are brought up from. I would not be surprised if he still feels the effects of it even today.”
友荣沉默片刻，再度开口："那天我和星和进城时，聊起了高门贵 O 在宫中的生存之道。毕竟洪钟的父亲是深受爱戴的朝廷重臣，而等山登基后洪钟多半也要继承父业——我渐渐能理解星和这些年有多不容易。从简朴生活突然坠入全然陌生的富贵场，任谁都会难以适应。就算他现在仍受其困扰，我也毫不意外。"

“Seonghwa… He has had it incredibly tough in recent years.” Yeosang sighs softly, lips pursing in seriousness. “Anyone who marries into this lifestyle without living through it prior to the fact will always find it a struggle to adjust. Quite honestly, I do not believe it to be possible to ingrain one’s self completely into it— no matter how hard they try. And he had tried incredibly hard to be what they expected from him.”
成华...他这些年过得实在太艰难了。" 柳尚轻声叹息，严肃地抿起嘴唇。"任何人在婚前没有经历过这种生活就嫁进来，都会发现很难适应。说实话，我认为无论多努力都不可能完全融入——而他已经竭尽全力去成为他们期望的样子。

Wooyoung frowns, blinking. “That… That is what I wanted to ask you. Because for Seonghwa, he has the makings of being exactly what is perceived as a proper omega, but his line of blood and upbringing is what they say taints him from being fit for the position he is in. I feel as if I am in the complete opposite situation. However whenever I even entertain the idea of trying to calm the flames of tension, I simply cannot bring myself to lower my beliefs and thoughts to pacify their desires. I do not know if that is a fault on my part that will only create more issues, and I feel so lost.”
宇灿皱眉，眨了眨眼。"这...这正是我想问你的。因为成华虽然具备传统意义上完美 Omega 的所有特质，但他的血统和成长背景却成了他们口中'玷污他地位'的污点。而我的处境似乎完全相反。可每当我试图平息紧张局势时，就是无法违背自己的信念去迎合他们的期待。我不知道这是否是我的过错，只会让情况更糟，我感到很迷茫。"

Yunho, who had closed his book and was listening intently to the pair from where he was sat at the sofa, sits up with a raised brow. “Why would you change yourself just to make them feel better?”
允浩原本靠在沙发上合起书本，正专注听着两人对话。此刻他直起身子，眉头微挑："为什么要为了让他们好受就改变自己？"

Wooyoung shakes his head. “No, not to make them feel better, just… to ease the tension. I feel like my presence here has caused a silent storm to brew on the brink of thundering. I… I do not want San to be put in a position where his authority is questioned because of whatever bullshit lies they make up of him because of me. And San, he…”
禹奭摇了摇头。"不，不是为了让他们好受些，只是...想缓和下紧张气氛。我觉得自己的存在就像在酝酿一场即将爆发的无声风暴。我...我不想让 San 因为那些因我而起的无稽之谈，陷入权威被质疑的境地。而 San 他..."

”Can’t control himself.” Yunho finishes for him, eyes full of understanding. “You aren’t wrong in that sentiment. He cannot stand even the slightest glance of disdain towards your direction. He loses his mind at the very inkling of it.”
会失控。"允浩替他说完，眼中满是了然。"你这么想没错。他连别人朝你投来一丝轻蔑的眼神都忍不了，稍有点苗头就会发疯。

Wooyoung’s ears burn red at that, biting his lip. “I feel as if I need to do more. I just… I do not understand how you do it.” Wooyoung turns to Yeosang then, expression slightly desperate. “Jongho is San's cousin, likely the one next in line if— Moon forbid— anything were to happen. But you seem to have no pressure from them whatsoever. Or if you do, I simply cannot understand how you are managing it so well.”
禹奭耳尖顿时烧得通红，咬着嘴唇道："我觉得自己应该做得更多。只是...我实在不明白你是怎么做到的。"他突然转向旼尚，神情带着几分急切。"钟浩是 San 的表弟，如果——月神保佑别发生——真有什么意外，他很可能就是下任继承人。但你看起来完全没受到他们的压力。就算有，我也无法理解你怎么能处理得这么好。"

Yeosang lets out a long sigh, sitting down the puff and container to take a seat in front of Wooyoung with a slight sympathetic look in his eyes. “Just like your situation differs from Seonghwa’s, my situation is quite a ways different from both of yours as well. My marriage to Jongho was a union of convenience.”
容仙长叹一声，放下蓬松靠垫和食盒，在宇晟对面坐下时眼中带着几分怜悯。"就像你和星华的情况不同，我的处境也与你们俩大相径庭。我和钟浩的婚姻只是权宜之计。"

Wooyoung’s mouth drops at that. There was no way. The way that the pair were constantly stuck to each other, the looks of adoration passed between them, and the teasing words whispered so lovingly—
宇晟闻言张大了嘴。这怎么可能？那对璧人明明形影不离，眼波流转间尽是爱慕，耳鬓厮磨时情话绵绵——

“You are telling me, that your relationship was arranged!?”
你是说...你们的结合是政治联姻！？

Yeosang huffs, ears turning slightly red. “It may not seem that way looking at us now, but yes. We did not court each other the way that the rest of you had. But besides that point, what I am trying to tell you is that there is no point in trying to compare yourself to Seonghwa or me— to anyone, for that matter. I believe you are misconstruing your expectations here. It is not your job to ease tensions or to change yourself to fill in whatever role you believe needs to be filled. You are to be wed to San, to be his mate. And as the mate of a King, your job is to the best interest of your people. Not the best interest of the crown, despite what others may try to convince you of otherwise.”
耀祥轻哼一声，耳尖微微泛红。"虽然现在看起来不像那么回事...但确实如此。我们当初的相处方式与你们不同。"他喉结滚动两下，指尖无意识摩挲着衣袖金线，"重点在于，你根本不需要拿自己与成华或我作比较——与任何人比较都是徒劳。" 他忽然倾身向前，檀香气息混着体温笼罩过来："你搞错重点了。缓解紧张局势、改变自我去填补所谓空缺角色——这些从来都不是你的义务。"羊绒披帛随着动作滑落，露出锁骨处若隐若现的咬痕，"你要嫁的是三，成为他的伴侣。作为王后，你只需对子民负责——"指尖突然掐住对方下巴，"而非王权利益。不管那些老东西给你灌输了什么鬼话。"

Wooyoung stares at him for a long moment, fiddling with his fingers. “I see. I guess I just… have been feeling a bit out of place.”
禹英盯着他看了许久，手指不安地搅动着。"我明白了。可能只是...最近总觉得格格不入。"

”I would expect as much.” Yeosang reassured, a gentle hand landing on top of his own and squeezing comfortingly. “I will not lie to you that this role is an easy one, because it is anything but. However, you do not give yourself enough credit, Wooyoung. I do not believe I have never seen anyone more strong willed and capable of such weight than you. Even if it may not have been a weight that you originally planned to carry in life, it is one that I know will come to you naturally. You are such a natural born leader, and maybe you do not see that yet, but that self assurance will come to you over time.”
我早料到了。"椰桑安抚道，温柔的手掌覆上他的手背轻轻捏了捏。"我不想骗你说这个角色很轻松，事实恰恰相反。但禹英啊，你太低估自己了。我从未见过比你意志更坚定、更能肩负重任的人。即便这并非你原定的人生轨迹，但我知道你终将游刃有余。你天生就是领袖的料，或许现在还没意识到，但那份从容迟早会属于你。

Wooyoung feels so deeply wanted by those words, soft smile growing on his face. “No matter how much you nag me, it is so obvious how fond of me you are.”
这番话语让禹英真切感受到被珍视的温暖，嘴角不自觉扬起柔和的弧度。"不管你怎么唠叨我，喜欢我的心思都写在脸上了。"

Yeosang snickers, flicking his forehead as he stands and starts clearing the table. “Believe as you wish. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
椰桑轻笑着站起身收拾餐桌，顺手弹了下他的额头。"随你怎么想。能让你睡个好觉就行。"

Yunho giggles as he meets Wooyoung’s eyes, gaze sparkling with amusement. “He is a horrible liar.”
允浩与宇呈目光相遇时轻笑出声，眼中闪烁着愉悦的光芒。"他撒谎的技术烂透了。"

Wooyoung snorts. “Evidently.”
宇呈嗤笑一声。"显而易见。"

-

“Hongjoong?” Wooyoung calls out, looking around with furrowed brows at the sight of the open training ground that’s completely empty. A few days have passed since his encounter with the advisors, and he’s only just now been able to find time within both his and the older alpha’s schedules to be able to meet up for his very first lesson.
"洪钟？"宇呈皱眉环顾四周，望着空无一人的开阔训练场喊道。自从与顾问们会面后已过去数日，他好不容易才在自己和那位年长 alpha 的日程中协调出时间，来参加这第一堂训练课。

Out of all the so-called classes that he had been assigned since arriving at the Castle, he has quite truly been looking the most forward to this one. Self defense was never something he even considered as a necessary skill he needed growing up in his pack. They were a secluded, relatively small pack compared to others within the country, and rarely ever did problems occur that would result in violence— if any at all.
自从来到城堡后，在所有被安排的所谓课程中，他确实最期待这一节。在原先的族群成长时，自卫术甚至从未被他视为必备技能。那是个与国内其他族群相比相对封闭的小型群体，几乎从未发生过需要诉诸暴力的冲突——即便有也是极少数。

Despite that fact, he finds himself excited to learn. Swordsmanship was an artful skill form on its own merit, and he had always felt awed upon watching the way that others so swiftly and easily wielded them. He has never even held a sword before, but he knows that Hongjoong intends to ease him into it. Considering his own clumsiness, that would probably be for the best.
尽管如此，他仍对学习剑术感到兴奋。剑术本身就是一门精妙的技艺，每当看到他人行云流水般挥剑时，他总会心生敬畏。虽然从未碰过真剑，但他知道洪总会循序渐进地教导自己。考虑到自己笨手笨脚，这或许是最好的安排。

He’s startled from his aimless thoughts, however, when he feels himself being grabbed from behind.
正当思绪漫游时，后背突然被人抓住的触感将他猛然惊醒。

Wooyoung jumps with a loud yell at the feeling of hands grabbing onto his waist, heart jumping to his throat as he turns with wide eyes only to meet a familiar gaze that scrunches with his grin.
腰间突如其来的触碰让禹英惊跳起来，伴随着一声大叫。他瞪圆眼睛转身时，心脏几乎要蹦出喉咙，却对上了一双因笑容而弯起的熟悉眼眸。

“San!” Wooyoung feels relief settle into his bones where fright once was, only to then feel annoyance as he smacks the alpha in the chest. “Moon’s sake! Why would you frighten me like that!?”
伞哥！"恐惧瞬间化为安心渗入骨髓，但紧接着恼怒涌上心头，禹英捶了下对方的胸膛，"月神在上！你干嘛这样吓我！？

“Forgive me,” San giggles, his hands moving to run around his stomach and pull him into a tight hug, bending down to press a soft kiss to his temple. “You looked absolutely adorable for a moment, I just want to squeeze you.”
原谅我，"San 咯咯笑着，双手环住他的腰腹将他拉进一个紧紧的拥抱，俯身在他太阳穴上落下一个轻柔的吻。"你刚才看起来可爱极了，我简直想把你揉进怀里。

Wooyoung snorts, relaxing back against his hold. “What are you doing here? You had meetings all day, did you not?”
Wooyoung 轻哼一声，放松地靠在他怀中。"你怎么来了？不是整天都有会议要开吗？"

San hums against the side of his hair, breathing his scent in deeply. “Yes, but I wanted to make some time to come help you today.”
San 将脸埋在他发间轻哼，深深嗅着他的气息。"是啊，但今天我想抽空来帮你。"

Wooyoung turns to him with a look of confusion that the alpha picks up on immediately, grinning widely at him. “I will be teaching you your first lesson today!”
友荣转过头，脸上困惑的表情立刻被阿尔法捕捉到，对方冲他咧嘴一笑。"今天由我来给你上第一课！"

Wooyoung reels back slightly at that, surprised. It’s only then that he lets his eyes trail over San that he notices the other man is dressed in the same fencing jacket that he was wearing. “But… What about Hongjoong—?”
听到这话，友荣微微后仰，显得很惊讶。直到这时他才注意到，眼前这个男人穿着和他一样的击剑外套。"但是...洪准怎么办——？"

”The rest of your lessons will be through him, yes.” San reassures, nuzzling against his ear slightly. “He’s far more skilled at this than I, but I wanted to see you today. You are always so busy with lessons that you tire by the end of the day.”
之后的课程确实都由他来教。"山轻声安抚，鼻尖轻轻蹭了蹭他的耳廓。"他在这方面的造诣比我深得多，但今天我想见你。你整天忙着上课，到晚上总是累坏了。

Wooyoung looks at him, wary. “You will teach me?”
友荣警惕地看着他："你要教我？"

San pouts at his lack of enthusiasm at the revelation. “Hey, I may not be the best but I am still rather good at it! It pains me to see you question my skill.”
San 对他的冷淡反应撅起了嘴。"喂，我可能不是最厉害的，但水平也相当不错！看你质疑我的技术真让人伤心。"

Wooyoung gives him an unimpressed stare. “It is not that I question your skill, it is that I question your ability to remain neutral in your teaching methods.”
Wooyoung 给了他一个不以为然的眼神。"我不是质疑你的技术，是怀疑你教学时能否保持中立。"

San narrows his eyes, looking almost offended as he walks over towards where the fencing foils sat on the rack, grabbing two. “I can be neutral! Despite what you may believe, I am a rather strict teacher.”
San 眯起眼睛，看起来几乎被冒犯了。他走向摆放着击剑花剑的架子，抓起两把。"我能保持中立！不管你信不信，我可是个相当严格的老师。"

Wooyoung takes the foil that San holds out to him, snorting. “As you say… I hope you live up to your words of remaining unbiased.”
Wooyoung 接过 San 递来的花剑，嗤笑一声。"如你所说...希望你言行一致保持公正。"

”I am not biased towards you.” San argues, pausing when he sees Wooyoung’s unconvinced expression. “Okay, perhaps occasionally biased— but for this instance I will remain impartial. Let’s start off small. I want you to just get used to the idea of moving around and the general motions of use.”
我对你没有偏心。"San 辩解道，看到 Wooyoung 不以为然的表情时顿了顿，"好吧，或许偶尔有点偏心——但这次我会保持公正。我们先从基础开始，你要先习惯移动的感觉和基本动作要领。

Wooyoung waves the foil back and forth, amazed. “When do I get to use the real one?”
Wooyoung 来回挥舞着练习剑，满脸新奇："什么时候能用真剑？"

San laughs loudly, eyes warm as he looks back at the omega. “Not anytime soon. You will ease into it with Hongjoong. I just want to introduce you to it. Now, let’s go through proper stance and form.”
San 放声大笑，望向 omega 的眼神温暖："还早着呢。你得先跟着 Hongjoong 慢慢适应。今天只是让你认识下基本概念。现在，我们来学习标准站姿和动作。"

Despite Wooyoung’s teasing, he soon comes to find that San was not lying about being strict. It’s clear that he takes teaching incredibly serious, correcting Wooyoung with firm words and patient but tough corrections. He’s not sure how long they spend just on the basic martial arts of body movement, something that Wooyoung had not even considered when imagining sword fighting.
尽管 Wooyoung 不断插科打诨，但很快发现 San 说严格教学并非虚言。这位 alpha 教师显然极其认真，用坚定的指令和耐心而严格的纠正来指导他。光是基础身法训练就持续了不知多久——这完全超出了 Wooyoung 对剑术练习的想象。

However, no matter how professional San is throughout it all, it’s so obvious to Wooyoung that the alpha cannot contain himself from some teasing remarks or extra touchy hands as he looks at Wooyoung with mischief so evident in his eyes. They bicker back and forth because of it until San yields to Wooyoung’s whining and falls back into his instructions.
然而无论 San 表现得多么专业，在 Wooyoung 眼里都显而易见——这个 alpha 根本按捺不住逗弄的心思，要么说些调笑的话，要么就借机多碰几下，那双眼睛里闪烁的顽劣光芒根本藏不住。为此两人总要斗嘴好一阵，直到 San 败给 Wooyoung 的哼哼唧唧，才重新摆出指导者的姿态。

”I am tired of this.” Wooyoung complains from where he’s been going through the motions of hand movements with the foil for the past twenty minutes. “Come on— We have been going over the same movements for the past hour! When do we get to some real sparring!?”
我受够了。"Wooyoung 抱怨道，过去二十分钟他一直在重复练习花剑的手部动作。"拜托——同样的动作我们练了整整一小时！什么时候才能来场真正的对决啊？

San raises a brow at him, his own foil lowering slightly. “Spar? How amusing that you think you are anywhere near the level to even attempt such a thing.”
San 挑眉看他，手中的花剑微微垂下。"对决？你居然觉得自己够格尝试这个，真是可爱。"

Wooyoung glares at him, scowling. “Hey! I am way faster than you are, might I remind you. I could probably take you on even as a beginner.”
Wooyoung 怒视着他，眉头紧锁。"喂！容我提醒，我的速度可比你快多了。就算我是新手也能把你打趴下。"

San steps towards him, lips curling up to an entertained smirk. “Oh? Is that a challenge or simply an overconfident statement on your part?”
San 向他迈近一步，嘴角勾起玩味的笑容。"哦？这是挑战，还是你过度自信的宣言？"

”I do not make statements of confidence if I am not sure of myself.” Wooyoung retorts, tapping against San’s chest with the tip of his foil. “I bet that I could tap you out first.”
若没有把握，我从不妄下断言。"Wooyoung 用花剑尖端轻点 San 的胸口反驳道，"我赌我能先击中你。

San looks down at the foil against his chest, dark eyes shifting back up to him with hidden promises. “Your cockiness is incredibly endearing for me, oddly enough. Alright.” He turns swiftly over to the rack and grabs a pair of fencing masks, handing one over to Wooyoung before slipping his own on over top of his head— twirling the foil in his hand with ease as he cracks his neck.
San 低头看了眼抵在胸前的剑尖，幽深眼眸再度抬起时暗含深意。"说来奇怪，你这股傲气让我觉得特别可爱。行啊。"他利落地转身从架子上取下两顶击剑面罩，将其中一顶递给 Wooyoung 后，把自己的面罩往头上一套——手中花剑灵巧地转了个圈，同时活动了下脖颈。

Wooyoung follows suit with his own over his head as San turns to him. “First to tap wins.”
当 San 转身面对他时，Wooyoung 也戴好了面罩。"先击中者胜。"

”Do not be all soft on me.” Wooyoung complains as he grips onto the handle, raising the foil. “That is not how it works in the real world, Choi San. You will do your own teachings an injustice!”
别对我手下留情。" 禹英握紧剑柄举起花剑抱怨道，"现实世界可不是这样的，崔伞。你这样会辜负你自己的教导！

San laughs quietly to himself, raising his own foil and gently tapping it against Wooyoung’s. “As you wish. Do not eat your words after.”
伞低笑着举起自己的花剑，轻轻碰了碰禹英的剑尖。"如你所愿。到时候可别反悔。"

Then San is stepping forward, testing a soft hit to the side that Wooyoung blocks— backing away from. He can feel San‘s piercing stare through their masks. “Cute.” The alpha coos, and Wooyoung scowls at that— sending a quick pierce towards the prince’s shoulder that he also blocks swiftly.
接着伞向前踏步，试探性地朝侧面轻刺一记，被禹英格挡后顺势后退。即使隔着面罩，他也能感受到伞灼人的目光。"真可爱。"阿尔法轻声调笑，禹英闻言皱眉——迅速朝王子肩膀刺去的一剑同样被对方敏捷挡下。

They circle around each other like that for a long while, both sending warning strikes through the air, but it’s obvious that despite San’s words, it’s clear the alpha is most definitely taking it a little easy on him. Wooyoung almost wants to complain about it, if it wasn’t for the fact that he was struggling to keep up as he’s backed towards a corner even with the alpha’s half assed attempts. And he was far too stubborn and petty to admit that out loud.
两人就这样周旋良久，剑锋在空中频频试探。但显然尽管嘴上那么说，这位阿尔法确实在放水。若不是被这半吊子的攻势逼到角落已难以招架，禹英几乎要再次抗议。而他骨子里的倔强与傲气，决不允许自己亲口承认这点。

So instead, he goes back to his typical ways— taking a quick opportunity to grab a nearby basket of towels and throw it at a startled San’s chest to give himself enough of a chance to escape and regain the control that he was very quickly beginning to lose.
于是他又恢复了惯常作风——趁机抓起附近一篮毛巾砸向猝不及防的 San 胸口，为自己赢得足够逃脱的时机，重新夺回正迅速失控的局面。

“I did not peg you as a cheater, Lemon.” San let out a breathy laugh as he watched Wooyoung dash quickly behind a nearby pillar— tossing the basket aside and following immediately after him.
"没想到你是个作弊高手啊，Lemon。"San 望着迅速躲到石柱后的 Wooyoung 轻笑出声，随手甩开篮子紧追不舍。

“Hardly cheating. I am simply utilizing my resources to the fullest—“ Wooyoung snarks, only to be cut off with a squeak as San’s foil comes slamming down towards him from the side, giving him a mere few seconds to throw his own up in defense as they clash. He stares wide eyed through the black mesh fabric of his mask as San’s lean figure comes into view, head tilted in what Wooyoung knows is a teasing smile despite being unable to see his face.
"这叫合理利用资源——"Wooyoung 正贫嘴，突然被侧面袭来的剑锋吓得尖叫。两柄花剑相撞的瞬间，他透过黑色面罩网纱瞪大眼睛，看见 San 精瘦的身影倾身压来。虽然看不见表情，但那歪头的姿态分明带着 Wooyoung 熟悉的戏谑笑意。

“H-Hey! Go a little easy, this is my first time!” Wooyoung stammers as San presses his foil a little harder against the omega’s, taking a slow step towards him. “Oh?” San almost purrs, his voice mischievous. “What happened to not being too soft, because— that is not how it would be in real life, Choi San.” He mocks, slowly reaching up towards Wooyoung’s mask but the other uses the moment of his distraction to slip away quickly. 
“喂、喂！轻点啊，我可是第一次！”友荣结结巴巴地说，当傘将剑身更用力地压向这个 omega 的武器时，正缓缓向他逼近。“哦？”傘几乎是用气音发出轻笑，声线里带着顽劣，“刚才谁说不能太温柔的——因为‘现实里可不会这样，崔傘’？”他模仿着对方的语气，手慢慢伸向友荣的面罩，却被对方趁其不备迅速闪开。

San is immediately after him— like a cat chasing after a mouse and Wooyoung wastes no time to weave through the first layer of curtains he sees, throwing them back in the alpha’s face who stumbles in his step, grabbing onto the fluttering fabric. “Really?”
傘立刻追了上去——像只追捕老鼠的猫。友荣毫不迟疑地钻进眼前第一层帷幔，把布料甩在 alpha 脸上，让踉跄的王子抓住飘舞的绸缎直瞪眼。“认真的？”

“Really!” Wooyoung retorts back, and before San can try to grab onto him, he circles around another curtain, wrapping it around the now fumbling alpha who huffs. He’s already onto the next row of curtains by the time the Prince is able to detangle himself.
“超认真！”友荣边回嘴边绕到另一幅帷幔后，将绸缎缠住手忙脚乱的 alpha，听着对方发出恼怒的鼻息。等王子好不容易挣脱时，他已经溜到下一排帷幕丛中了。

Wooyoung moves to circle around the pillar, planning to trick the alpha into following him once more so he can tangle him again, but his heart jumps when he runs around it and straight into San— who seemed to have catched onto what he was doing, both of them tripping around while grabbing onto the now tangled fabric of the curtain to keep upright as Wooyoung stumbles into his chest.
禹英绕着柱子移动，打算再次诱使那位 alpha 追上来好缠住对方，但当他绕过柱子时心脏猛地一跳——竟直直撞进了早已识破他意图的 San 怀里。两人踉跄着抓住纠缠成一团的窗帘布料保持平衡，禹英跌跌撞撞栽进对方胸膛。

Wooyoung quickly looks up, panting. San is already staring down at him, and Wooyoung can feel that gaze even through their masks, his heart skipping a beat when San reaches up and slowly nudges the mask off his head, revealing his now flushed face and messy hair. He can see the way that San’s breath hitches when he removes the mask from the omega’s face, swiftly yanking his own off and tossing them both to the floor.
禹英急促喘息着抬头。San 正低头凝视他，即使隔着面具也能感受到那道目光。当 alpha 抬手缓缓推落他头上的面具时，禹英心跳漏了一拍——露出他此刻泛红的脸颊与凌乱发丝。他看见 San 为 omega 摘下面具时呼吸一滞，对方迅速扯掉自己的面具，将两者都抛到地上。

Wooyoung’s lips part, eyes trailing over the Prince’s sweat soaked dark strands that were flat against his forehead and falling into his eyes that stared back feverishly at him, ablaze. Wooyoung’s eyes follow a single drop of sweat that trailed from the alpha’s temple and slithered down his neck before disappearing into the neckline of his fencing jacket.
禹英微微张唇，目光流连于王子被汗水浸透的乌黑额发，那些湿漉漉的发丝紧贴前额，垂落进那双正炽热凝视他的眼眸。他的视线追随着一滴汗珠从 alpha 太阳穴滑落，蜿蜒过脖颈，最终消失在击剑外套的领口处。

His scent spikes, sweetening.
他的信息素骤然浓烈，甜香四溢。

San picks up on it immediately, a deep and quiet grumble beginning low in his throat that causes Wooyoung’s eyes to snap up in alarm— and he almost melts right then and there. San’s eyes are burning a bright red, and the white curtains that enclose them make him look almost heavenly with the way the sun shines down on the fabric. The alpha in front of him is breathing heavily, fiery eyes brimming with a desperate need as he steps even closer to him until Wooyoung has no choice but to stumble backwards.
San 立刻察觉到了异样，喉间发出低沉而压抑的咆哮声，惊得 Wooyoung 猛地抬眼——他几乎当场就要瘫软下去。San 的双眼燃烧着炽烈的红，阳光透过白色窗帘洒落时，那织物衬得他恍若神祇。面前的 Alpha 呼吸粗重，灼热目光中翻涌着迫切的渴望，步步紧逼直到 Wooyoung 踉跄着后退。

San’s face doesn’t falter for a second, pressing impossibly close until he’s got Wooyoung pinned firmly against the pillar behind him, a hand reaching up and cupping his chin gently to tilt his face up.
San 的面容纹丝未动，以不容抗拒的姿态逼近，将 Wooyoung 牢牢抵在身后石柱上，一手轻抬托住他的下颌。

Wooyoung can smell San more clearly now through the fog of his own hazed mind, and the darkened aroma of coffee and sweetened caramel causes a purr to rumble out from deep in his chest. San’s scent deepens even further upon hearing him, eyes pleased as he bends down, brushing their noses gently against one another.
透过混沌的意识迷雾，Wooyoung 此刻能更清晰地嗅到 San 的气息，那深沉的咖啡与焦糖甜香让他胸膛深处溢出满足的呼噜声。听到这声响，San 的信息素愈发浓烈，他愉悦地俯身，鼻尖亲昵地蹭过对方的鼻梁。

“Pretty.” San breathes, his lips barely brushing over Wooyoung’s before a loud cough is heard from behind him.
"真美。"San 的气息拂过 Wooyoung 唇畔，话音未落便被身后响亮的咳嗽声打断。

San stops at the abrupt interruption, eyes hardening with pure annoyance as he pulls back from the now flustered omega— looking over his shoulder to see Jongho through the curtains, standing with his back towards the pair.
San 因这突如其来的打断骤然停住，眼中闪过纯粹的恼怒。他从此刻慌乱不已的 omega 身上退开，转头透过帘幕看见背对他们的 Jongho。

“What?” San says calmly, trying not to snarl the word out through a clenched jaw.
"什么？"San 从紧咬的牙关中挤出平静的疑问，竭力抑制住咆哮的冲动。

“Uh… T-The Yoon Pack meeting is about to start, your immediate presence is required.” Jongho says quickly, his ears burning red. “Also Seonghwa is looking for Wooyoung.”
那个...尹氏家族的会议马上开始，请您立刻出席。"Jongho 语速飞快，耳尖烧得通红，"还有 Seonghwa 前辈在找 Wooyoung。

San purses his lips, about to open his mouth when he feels a poke deep in his stomach, looking down to see a foil tip pressed against him. He looks up to see Wooyoung grinning evilly back at him, face still flushed but eyes twinkling. “I win.”
San 抿起嘴唇正要开口，突然感到腹部被尖锐物抵住。低头看见银色包装尖端正顶着自己，抬眼对上 Wooyoung 泛着潮红却闪烁狡黠的笑脸。"我赢了。"

San snorts, curling a hand around the back of the omega’s neck and pulling him in gently, swooping down and capturing his lips in a harsh kiss. Wooyoung whines softly, kissing back with the same urgent need as San bites down on his bottom lip, pulling back and moving down his neck to suck gently against his scent gland. Wooyoung whimpers, eyes flashing golden.
San 轻哼一声，手掌扣住 omega 的后颈将他温柔拉近，俯身狠狠攫住他的双唇。Wooyoung 发出细弱呜咽，在 San 咬住他下唇时以同样急切的渴望回吻着。当 alpha 退开转而吮吸他颈间腺体时，omega 眼瞳泛起鎏金色，喉间溢出破碎的泣音。

“San.” Jongho stresses, sounding almost pained.
"San。"钟浩加重语气喊道，声音几乎带着痛楚。

San growls low in his throat, pulling back with a frustrated look. “I am coming in a bit.” His gaze warms when they land on Wooyoung’s once again. “I will be sure to reward you later for your unjustful victory, then. For now, I must leave.” With a final gentle kiss against his lips, San slips out from the curtains giving Jongho a dirty look.
San 喉咙里发出低沉的咆哮，带着挫败的表情退开。"我待会儿再来。"当他的目光再次落在宇荣身上时，眼神变得温柔。"那么，我稍后一定会为你不公正的胜利好好'奖励'你。现在我得走了。"最后在宇荣唇上落下一个轻柔的吻，San 掀开帘子离开时狠狠瞪了钟浩一眼。

Jongho simply raises his hands in defense. “Do not blame me.”
钟浩只是举起双手作防御状。"别怪我。"

Wooyoung watches them leave, and it’s only after they disappear from behind the doors that he allows him to collapse against the floor, cheeks red and muscles aching— but contentment flooding deep within him.
禹英豪目送他们离去，直到那扇门彻底隔绝了身影，才放任自己瘫坐在地。双颊绯红，肌肉酸疼——但内心深处却涌动着餍足的暖流。

He wonders, then— if it’s embarrassing on his part for him to already be missing the alpha.
他不禁思忖——自己这么快就开始想念那个 alpha，是不是显得很没出息。

-

“Try this one.” Seonghwa holds the fork out to him, concentrated.
"尝尝这个。"星和专注地将叉子递向他。

Wooyoung takes the bite of cake easily with a contemplative hum, the sugary frosting and sweet sponge filling his mouth. “It’s good.”
禹英豪若有所思地轻哼着，轻松咬下一口蛋糕，甜腻的糖霜和松软的蛋糕体充盈口腔。"很好吃。"

Seonghwa huffs. “That is exactly the same thing you said for the other three flavors that I showed you!”
成华哼了一声。“你对我给你看的其他三种口味也是这么说的！”

Wooyoung scowls, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms, outraged. “It’s cake! What do you want me to say!? Delectable delicious sweetness, I adore the taste?”
宇荣皱着眉头，双臂交叉靠在椅背上，满脸不爽地嘟囔："不就是块蛋糕吗！还要我说什么！？'美味可口的甜蜜滋味，我爱死这味道了'？"

Seonghwa shakes his head, disappointed but not surprised as he takes the plate over to the sink. “Should have called Mingi instead.”
星华摇摇头，虽然失望但并不意外，端着盘子走向水槽。"真该叫明基来的。"

Wooyoung pouts, leaning forward until his upper body is sprawled across the table. He rests the side of his head against his arms, staring at Seonghwa’s back intently as the older omega works to package the remaining slices. “I do not believe you called me here just to taste cake, did you?”
禹英撅起嘴，上半身向前倾伏在桌面上。他将脑袋枕在手臂上，目不转睛地盯着正在打包剩余蛋糕的年长 omega 的背影。"我不信你叫我来就为了尝蛋糕吧？"

“Good to know you are not a complete fool.” Seonghwa mutters under his breath and Wooyoung snorts at those words, bemused. “Let’s not change subjects, now. What information do you wish to interrogate out of me?”
还好你不算太蠢。"星华低声嘟囔，禹英闻言嗤笑一声，觉得有趣。"别转移话题了。你想从我这儿套出什么情报？

Seonghwa glances at him from over his shoulder upon hearing those words, slightly hesitant. “It is not an interrogation. San… was a bit worried. He briefly mentioned that you had a run in with some of the advisors a few days ago.”
听到这话，星华侧身瞥了他一眼，略显迟疑。"不是审问。只是...山有些担心。他简单提过你前几天和几位顾问起了冲突。"

Wooyoung falters, looking down at the table with a small frown.
禹英豪犹豫了一下，微微皱眉低头看着桌面。

“He did not make me come here to talk to you about it. I wanted to seek you out on my own after he mentioned that you would not talk to him about what exactly had happened.” Seonghwa reassures, wiping his hands clean with a hand towel before leaning back against the counter.
"不是他让我来和你谈这件事的。只是听他说你不愿详谈当时情况后，我自己想来找你聊聊。"星和安抚道，用手巾擦干净双手后靠在了料理台边。

Wooyoung’s lips pursed, looking away. “I just did not find worth in even discussing it, to be quite honest with you. My reaction was a bit… excessive, so I can see why he would worry. But truly, I do not care about it anymore.”
禹英豪抿着嘴唇移开视线。"老实说，我觉得这事根本不值得讨论。我当时反应确实...有点过激，所以理解他为什么担心。但现在我真的不在乎了。"

”It would still do some benefit for you to vent, I think.” Seonghwa suggests, eyes patient.
"但把情绪发泄出来对你总归有好处。"星和耐心地建议道。

Wooyoung shrugs. “There is not much to say. I got cornered by them and they not so subtly threatened me with how miserable they could make me, and how much they disapprove of my presence here. I expected all this, though. I already knew how vehemently they did not wish for me to mate with San.”
禹英耸耸肩。"没什么好说的。我被他们堵住了，他们毫不掩饰地威胁我，说能让我过得有多惨，还说我在这里有多不受欢迎。不过这些都在我预料之中。我早就知道他们有多反对我和山结为伴侣。"

”Something they said bothered you, however.” Seonghwa says, words spoken in a gentle tone. “Otherwise you would not have reacted the way you did, yes?”
但他们说的话还是让你难受了。"星和轻声说道，"否则你不会是那种反应，对吧？

“After all, it is hard to imagine a pitiful artist from a small underdeveloped pack could have any idea how to rule over a nation. One can only hope that your shortcomings do not negatively impact the Crown Prince.”
毕竟，很难想象一个来自落后小族群的可怜艺术家会懂得如何治理国家。只希望你的无能不会连累到王储殿下。

Wooyoung stays silent for a long moment, picking at his sleeve carefully. “Hey, Seonghwa… Did you mean it?”
禹英沉默良久，手指无意识地摩挲着袖口。"那个...星和...你是认真的吗？"

”Mean what?”  认真什么？

“When you said that I am what Ardendall needs.” Wooyoung asks, quiet. “Did you mean it?”
“你说我就是阿尔登德尔需要的那个人。” 禹英轻声问道，“这话当真吗？”

Seonghwa watches him carefully, head tilting but eyes filing with understanding. “Of course. If anyone is going to bring a change that will last in this nation… Wooyoung, I already know you will be the reason. Believe me, I know this is scary for you. How fast things are moving, and how suddenly everything has changed. There is no doubt within my conscience about you. I just worry that you may get into your own head and overthink things without reason.”
星和凝视着他，微微偏头但眼中盈满理解。“当然。如果说有谁能给这个国家带来持久的变革...禹英，我早已认定那个人就是你。相信我，我明白这对你来说很可怕——局势变化如此之快，一切都在瞬息间天翻地覆。但我的良知对你没有丝毫怀疑。我只担心你会钻进牛角尖，无端地过度思虑。”

“I won’t.”  “我才不要。”

”How are you so sure?”
你怎么能这么确定？

“It won’t be easy for us, San.”
这对我们来说不会容易的，San。

Wooyoung stares out the window, watching as a bird perched on the wooden sill goes soaring up into the sky. For the first time in his life, he feels as if he can finally relate to that feeling of freedom.
Wooyoung 凝视着窗外，看着一只栖息在木窗台上的鸟儿振翅飞向天空。有生以来第一次，他觉得自己终于能体会到那种自由的感觉。

“No, it won’t. But I have you, and you have me. And that is all we will ever need.”
是的，不会容易。但我有你，你也有我。这就是我们所需的一切。

”I won’t.” He promises, eyes soft and small smile of fulfillment spreading across his face as he shuts his eyes, at rest.
"我不会的。"他承诺道，双眼温柔地闭着，脸上浮现出满足的淡淡微笑，安详地沉入梦乡。

”As long as I have San… I am sure of everything.”
只要有 San 在身边...我对一切都充满信心。