Archive of Our Own ^beta

Hyunjin remains still upon his bed and stares at the visible specks of dust making their way through his window. It’s a clear day outside - birds chirping in harmony, fluffy, white clouds drifting away in the blue sky, and the perfect temperature for crops to be thriving. Yet, his mind is anything but. 

He sighs deeply, shifting his aimless focus upon the ceiling. One would think that, as a Prince, Hyunjin would have better things to do. And sure, he does have lectures to attend; chores and duties to tend to. He is the Crown Prince after all - and unlike general opinion, he does have responsibilities that he must take care of, no matter what. However, right now, all he feels like doing is laying on his bed, staring at his ceiling, and brooding about how shitty his luck is. He hears footsteps coming from outside his door accompanied by a very characteristic mumbling. It doesn't take long for him to figure out who it is. The door slams open and Hyunjin, without shifting his gaze, greets emotionlessly, "Hello Minho-hyung."

Minho huffs. Shutting the door behind him, he sits down on the bed - right beside where Hyunjin is laying. Finally, he looks at him accusingly. 

"May I ask what you're doing here, Your Highness?" His tone is mocking, which is obvious to Hyunjin with the way he says "Your Highness". 

"Well. I'm lying. I don't wanna go outside."

"I hope you're aware of how potential candidates are being interviewed in the room right next to yours."

"Interviewed to see who is most fit for the role of a bodyguard . Yes. I happen to be informed of what's going on. Unfortunately."

Minho sighs. "Why are you sulking like this?"

"I'm not sulking!" Hyunjin exclaims, while he's very clearly sulking. He's great at lying like that. Minho stares.

"Yes, obviously. You're laying on your bed and staring up at your ceiling when you're supposed to be with your parents as they interview people for you. You're absolutely not sulking. My bad there."

And Minho flops down on his bed right beside him. The bed is big enough, huge actually, being a king-sized one. Yet, his cousin simply laying down next to him instead of lecturing him further pisses Hyunjin off even more. 

"Why are you laying down? I thought you're here to lecture me."

"So you agree you deserve to be lectured."

"No!"

A pause. Minho remains silent, as if he's waiting for Hyunjin to crack and start babbling away about why he's being like this. And of course, Hyunjin ends up doing the exact same thing.

"Listen - this, this bodyguard business. I don't like it."

Minho cocks an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I don't want a bodyguard! And nor do I need one. I'm just a little clumsy and it's only natural for me to trip a couple times while I'm outside. I'm not injured or anything for them to fret like this. You can't expect your children to never get hurt in their entire life, can you? I'm not even a little kid! I may not look like it, but I know how to take care of myself. And it's not like a bodyguard can help at all in that aspect. What're they gonna do, catch me while I fall or something?" 

Feeling a little breathless after venting like that, Hyunjin scoffs at the end. The mere notion of a bodyguard is so ridiculous to him, he can't help but confide in Minho. When he turns to look over at his cousin, all he sees is an amused expression. This riles him up even more. 

"Stop looking at me like that!" 

"I mean - how can I not? You're free entertainment, Hyunjin. Never change." 

"Shut up," Hyunjin whines. "Are my troubles mere entertainment to you? Do I look like a television channel?"

"Yeah, kinda! But listen, your parents wouldn't do this if they didn't have your best interests at heart, right? And I don't think this was brought on just because you tripped in the forest. Point is, I don't know why you hate this so much. Personally, I'd find it pretty cool if I had a buff dude around, ready to protect me whenever. Eh, Hyunie?" 

The nickname falls out of his lips naturally and Minho faces Hyunjin to grin at him. It's a shit-eating grin that immediately makes Hyunjin huff out a laugh. Sure, maybe he does get Minho's point. But that doesn't mean this entire business is now any more appealing to him. They spend a couple moments in comfortable silence, Hyunjin now sulking a little less due to the company of his cousin. He tentatively perks up and asks Minho, "Mom and Dad… They didn't ask you to come get me, did they?"

Almost as if he senses Hyunjin's nervousness, Minho shakes his head instantly and gives him a tired smile. "No. They thought it's fine if you're off doing whatever you want; they didn't wanna disturb you in case you were busy. But I knew you weren't attending your classes or doing anything important. So I guess I came here because I was wondering why you were brooding."

Hyunjin sighs for the umpteenth time that day. "I don't want a bodyguard. I already feel suffocated enough at times, as it is. Having another presence near me - an unknown one, at that - at all times? I don't know."

Minho pats his hand in sympathy. He's not a prince, he doesn't know or understand completely what Hyunjin means. He can roam about whenever, he can do what he wants, act how he likes; and most importantly, he doesn't have any expectations binding him. There's no pressure there that usually comes with being born into the royal bloodline. Hyunjin knows he can never truly understand how he feels. He still appreciates his presence. It’s reassuring to know that his cousin’s at least got his back, no matter what. The clock ticks by and Minho finally gets up, informing him of how he's got to go meet up with his friends today. Hyunjin feels a pang of envy - because again, he can go meet his friends outside whenever he wants - but he simply nods in response. The door clicks shut behind him.

The afternoon sun is at its peak, warm rays filtering through the blinds of Hyunjin's window. They fall on his duvet in a slanting manner. "Guess I'll just take a nap then," he mumbles to no one in particular.

It's a clear afternoon outside - the sun blindingly bright, birds residing in cool shade offered by the trees, and crickets chirping away merrily. Yet, as his head falls upon the cool pillow, Hyunjin's mind is anything but. 

He opens his bleary eyes in the evening, when a servant comes knocking at his door. Mumbling for him to come in, Hyunjin wills his body to get up and stretches like a lazy cat. He hadn't gotten a chance to catch a great nap like this one in what feels like forever. Mind still foggy, he barely registers what the servant says to him.

"The King wishes for your presence for dinner, Your Highness."

Hyunjin nods in a daze, only registering the words after the servant has already left. He whips his head towards the clock and sees that it's already seven. Dinner will be served in half an hour, then. He decides to freshen up and change out of his robes before attending dinner and sighs before getting up. His reflection in the ornate mirror in his bathroom makes him realize just how ghastly he looks (and just how great of a nap he's had). Long, blond hair tousled and tangled into knots, pillow imprints evident upon his cheeks, eyes crusty, and lips drier than the Sahara desert; Hyunjin nearly faints. He is The Prince . He isn't supposed to be looking like this ever. Horrified, he quickly hops into the shower after deciding that just "freshening up a little" will hardly be enough. The hot water loosens his muscles and the familiar vanilla scented body wash finally makes him regain a sense of self. He often complains to his best friend Seungmin about how he doesn't feel like himself if he doesn't have his vanilla scented body wash on him. Seungmin always rolls his eyes in response. Remembering that he can't spend too long in the shower like he usually does, he rushes to grab some decent clothes and ties his hair up in a little ponytail. It’s almost time by the time he’s dressed into fresh, ironed clothes; and so, Hyunjin reluctantly makes his way into the dining hall. 

When he reaches the hall, the servants are bustling about through the corridor, handling piles of plates and cutlery. Hyunjin doesn’t understand why his parents have to make everything so grand and dramatic. Just for once, he’d like to sit with his mom and dad around a little round table with no servants or staff around and enjoy a cozy evening tea with them. Instead, he just shakes his head to no one in particular and pushes the enormous door open. 

His parents have already seated themselves across each other on the huge dining table. They seem to be exchanging words in hushed tones, which cease immediately upon seeing their son enter. They beam at Hyunjin and he returns the smile, albeit a little wearily. He finally sits down on an empty seat and looks up to see their expectant smiles.

"Hyunjin, dear, how was your day?" Mom inquires softly, as per norm. It's a little unspoken rule of theirs, to ask each other how their day has been, what they've been up to, and all that. Oftentimes his parents are either away or too busy to be constantly present in his life like others. Sure, Hyunjin's gotten used to feeling a little lonely like that by now. It's not like they can help it, and Hyunjin would rather smack himself than be an interference in their work. And so, since they can't cross paths in their daily lives as often as they'd like to, Hyunjin, The King and The Queen agreed to settle on this instead. If he's being honest, he appreciates it a lot more than he lets on. Them asking him that every time they dine together makes him feel just a tiny bit special, like they actually care about what goes on in his day. It's a nice feeling.

"Hmm," Hyunjin mulls over his answer a little, since he can't just tell them that he's spent his entire day in his bed. "I went to the library after today's lectures to… you know, study up on a couple subjects. And I lost track of time, I guess." 

It’s a safe enough lie, he decides, since his best friend Seungmin is the librarian anyway. If he trusts any of his friends to have his back in a situation like this, it’s him. Thankfully, his parents accept the lie with a nod of their heads, because it isn't anything out of the usual. Hyunjin loves their library dearly; it's a safe haven to him of sorts, an escape from his duties and responsibilities. Whenever things get a little too tough to deal with, he slips off to the library to just read - non-fiction, science, history - just about anything the room has to offer. It was actually how he'd made friends with Seungmin as well, since they both loved reading as little kids.

"And," he starts. "What about you guys?"

His parents exchange a look. Hyunjin's eyes narrow at that but he doesn't comment.

"Well," Dad begins. "You know how we interviewed a couple candidates today?" 

"For a bodyguard, yes."

"Yes, that. Well, we're happy to announce that we found a pretty good fellow! We were expecting you to be there as well, you know, so you could choose for yourself. But Minho told us you couldn't make it and we didn't want to bother you."

Sighing, Hyunjin tentatively breaches the topic. "Listen. Mom, Dad - I know you guys are doing this to look out for me, which I appreciate a lot. But I genuinely don't think I need a bodyguard right now. Don't you think it feels a little too unnecessary? I mean, I rarely ever get out of the palace. I've got a tight enough schedule as it is, and our palace is already so secure, isn't it? We've got tons of guards at every exit, so… I just feel like this is a tad bit extra, I guess."

"Hyunjinnie," Mom begins softly. "We understand why you must feel like this. And, contrary to what you might think, we are not doing this just because you tripped and injured yourself out in the forest the other day." Hyunjin blushes. He's suddenly reminded of his conversation with Minho. 

''It's just that- you've always been so prone to danger, Jinnie. Ever since you were a kid. But you're not a kid anymore. You're a boy of twenty now, and you'll be ready to take responsibility for the kingdom in no time at all. Your safety is a matter of real importance. And lately, our kingdom hasn't been the safest. We'll be out a lot more than usual, and it'll be just you along with a couple others in the palace. That... doesn't really put our hearts at ease. Princes your age should have a trusted bodyguard by their sides at all times, so we should've actually done this long ago.''

''-But we didn't,'' his dad pitches in. ''And we are sorry about that. Truly. So please don't say no, just this once. Of course, we are more than ready to get rid of him if you deem him incapable or something but... Please try to manage for our sake, if nothing else.'' 

Hyunjin feels like he's been put on the spot. There's no way he can say ''no'' after hearing all that, now can he?

"Fine. I- that's fine. I'm okay with that, then. I understand."

His parents beam. Mom murmurs a "thank you" with a soft smile on her face, and Hyunjin just nods back. They finish the rest of their food in amicable silence, and Hyunjin nibbles on his steak, wondering vaguely just what he's signed himself up for. 

He wakes the next morning after tossing and turning in his bed all night. The guilt of having complained about not wanting a bodyguard had nagged him enough to steal hours of sleep from him. He kept reminding himself all night that he’s supposed to be a Prince - one that makes rational decisions, one that is mentally and emotionally mature, one that doesn’t whine about stuff, and all that. He knows his parents try their best to understand his perspective as well, which just makes matters worse for him. Overall, he feels like a terrible son and a Prince for having been so against the idea. He can’t even begin to imagine just how many times he’s caused problems for his mom and dad like this. He’s supposed to be protecting a kingdom in the near future after all, isn’t he?

After giving himself a not-so-quick motivational pep talk, Hyunjin gets ready to meet the poor fellow that will have to stick with him at all times from then on. His heart is racing miles a minute - which is to be expected. He’s not the type to get socially awkward but he rarely ever gets the opportunity to leave the palace and meet new people, much less people who he’s expected to be friends with. 

Thing is, Hyunjin had overheard a couple servants talking to each other in hushed tones in the hallways. That’s when he’d gotten to know that this bodyguard is supposed to be the same age as he is. Apparently, the King and Queen also wished for them to get along well. Maybe they even secretly wished for Hyunjin to find a friend within him. Now, Hyunjin personally feels like that’s a bit of a stretch. Not many people manage to just casually become friends with the Crown Prince, after all. Hyunjin had been homeschooled and given everything he’d ever wanted on a silver platter since childhood. However, the one thing he’d wanted most were friends. That wasn’t something that could be bought with money and given to him as he wished, was it? 

This was actually why Hyunjin cherished Seungmin so much (even though he’d rather die than openly admit it to him). They’d bonded over books like Harry Potter in their childhood, and the bond was still intact as ever. The younger boy was the son of a librarian - a mere commoner, and “unfit to be close friends with the young master”, according to several onlookers. But Hyunjin had never once cared what people thought, ever since he was a kid. Submerged deep in thought, he doesn’t even notice running straight into someone. 

The person turns around in surprise and cocks an eyebrow. “Hyunjin?”

“Minnie!” the taller boy exclaims and flops his body right on top of his best friend, delighted at the coincidence of running into him just when he'd been thinking about it. 

“Oof,” Seungmin mumbles due to the impact. “Get off of me, you big oaf. Where were you all day yesterday? You didn’t even come by the library.”

Hyunjin sighs and clings by resting his chin on top of the boy’s shoulder, doing the opposite of what he’d been instructed to. “I was... Napping.”

“The entire day?” Hyunjin doesn’t need to see his expression to sense the incredulity in his words. 

“Fine,” he gives in and straightens up. “I was sulking. I didn’t want a bodyguard and I was annoyed about how I’ll have to put up with a total stranger at all times from now on and I didn’t think it was necessary at all.”

“Well, I put up with your annoying presence all the time. I think you’ll be just fine.”

All too used to his sarcastic jabs by now, Hyunjin doesn’t hesitate one bit before tagging along to wherever Seungmin starts heading. He bounces about like a dejected puppy, making sure to pout petulantly and give him his best puppy-eyes. Seungmin ignores him for a while. However, once Hyunjin’s perfect puppy-eyes get too much for him to bear (at least, that’s what he likes to think it is), he turns around and rolls his eyes. 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

Deflating like a balloon, Hyunjin avoids his eyes and mumbles to himself, “... Yes.”

“Then why aren’t you there right now?”

A pause.

“I’m… nervous.”

“For what?”

“I’m not used to meeting new people like this. I don’t think I’ve made a friend from outside the palace in forever. Plus, I’m apparently supposed to get along well with this guy…” Hyunjin mumbles the last part. Seungmin still catches it, though, because his eyebrows go up instantly. 

“How do you know that? Did your parents tell you to befriend him or something?” 

“No, but I heard some servants talking about it the other day and honestly,” Hyunjin sighs. “I’m anxious. I hope it’ll be okay. I hope he’s a nice person.”

Seungmin takes a slight pause then meets Hyunjin right in the eyes. “I’m sure it will be. You’re a nice person, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t get along well with you. And if this Han Jisung isn’t nice to you, then I’ll break his bones. I don’t care if he’s supposed to be a bodyguard.”

Hyunjin whistles under his breath. “Minnie, I didn’t think you were the knight in shining armor type.”

The younger one turns around and flashes a grin. “I’ll be anything for you, my prince.”

They laugh and slap each other’s arms dumbly and Hyunjin feels some of the anxiety in his body dissolve a little. It's not often that Seungmin is so blatant with his protectiveness over the elder, so Hyunjin appreciates it a lot (since 90% of their conversations consist of them pulling each other's legs). He also doesn't miss his best friend casually throwing in the new bodyguard's name in there. 

Han Jisung, huh? Guess it's time to just suck it up and go check out just what this guy's made up of. 

The first time Hyunjin’s eyes land upon Han Jisung, he has a very unexpected and unprovoked thought. His brain shuts down immediately after very generously providing him with the thought, because, what the fuck? He wonders vaguely whether the universe is pranking him. You see, bodyguards are generally tall, big, buff, and intimidating jerks, aren’t they? They tower over everyone, and are always brooding, and are 100% the definition of a macho man. That’s what makes them a bodyguard. Or at least, that’s what Hyunjin thinks bodyguards are made up of.

The thing is, Han Jisung is none of those. From what Hyunjin can see, the dude is just a short, round-faced, doe-eyed, 20-year old guy - who just so happens to be wearing very edgy clothing. Clad in leather boots, black ripped jeans, and a super oversized white t-shirt, he looks about as terrifying as a tree squirrel wearing black eyeliner. The mental image itself is so hilarious to him that Hyunjin has to restrain himself from smirking out loud and do his best to maintain a poker face. Any semblance of nervousness has left his body by now, because who the heck can remain anxious around such an adorable guy? 

It’s exactly this thought he has that startles him way more than Han Jisung’s appearance did.

Throughout the entirety of the customary stuffy introductions, Hyunjin’s in a confused daze. Shrugging it off as mere curiosity, he barely pays attention to whatever is going on. Just what is it about this guy that has piqued his interest so much? Has he been so deprived of normal human interactions lately that his mind is latching on to the first opportunity he gets? Maybe it's because of the eccentric first impression Han Jisung had on him? Whatever it is, Hyunjin's too busy trying to figure it out in his head to care too much about the instructions their butler is babbling about. Once or twice, he peeks over at the shorter guy and notices that he's paying rapt attention to whatever is being said. Much unlike himself. Rolling his eyes internally he just decides on subtly examining him because he's honestly heard the same old instructions a thousand times before. 

He first notices that Han Jisung has very big, shiny eyes. They're startlingly expressive and round. Maybe Hyunjin's a tiny bit jealous of him for that, because he's been told that his own eyes often come off as intimidating. They flit around the enormous room occasionally, and end up settling on the butler. Hyunjin once accidentally catches his appraising eye, and looks away immediately, not wanting to be caught staring at him. He feels his observant gaze linger on him for a couple moments before flitting back to the butler. The entire exchange leaves his tummy feeling a little weird. 

The second thing he notices is his round, adorable face. It makes his entire demeanor seem like that of a giant, cuddly teddy bear - which doesn't help with the initial impression he's had of him. How's that guy supposed to be a bodyguard, of all things? Hyunjin doesn't get it. 

The third thing he notices are his buff arms. Quite easy to miss under the oversized white tee he's donned, but Hyunjin catches on easily enough. Damn, it's been a while since he's seen biceps and triceps like those. The blond suddenly discards any doubts he might've had about his capability as a bodyguard. They flex a little when Han crosses his arms, and that's when Hyunjin mentally notes to keep his eyes on the face. 

Turns out, that's a mistake as well. He next notices that his lips are naturally pouty and full. The very next second, he hits himself internally, because that sounds creepy as fuck. Since when did the Crown Prince walk around noticing the shape of people's lips? What's wrong with him? He's not allowed to dwell on it for too long though, as the butler's next words snap him out of his odd trance-like state. 

"Your Highness," he coughs, perhaps sensing that his mind is wandering somewhere else. "I'd prefer to do this myself but I've been told that you should show Mr. Han around the palace." 

Hyunjin has a sneaking suspicion that his parents have something to do with this, and it's not exactly like he's allowed to refuse. So he stares at him for a second before nodding slowly.

"Okay. I'll do that."

"That's settled, then." The butler looks more relieved than anything and nods one last time before bowing to him and taking their leave. The atmosphere is painfully awkward for a short second, with Hyunjin and Han Jisung simply standing in their places, expecting the other to say something. Only for a short second, though. Hyunjin's mind decides of its own accord that it just can't take it anymore, and he says something very un-princely. 

"No offense but, aren't you… a little too short to be a bodyguard?" 

It seems the former part of his question completely flies over his head, because Han Jisung makes a very offended face. He stares at him as if Hyunjin has personally insulted his grandma, and his narrowed eyes are so comically expressive that Hyunjin almost giggles. Almost.

"Excuse you, I am not short! I'm average-sized. It's not my fault you're a tree."

Now this, Hyunjin had not expected. He stays rooted on his spot, the unprovoked words taking a little too long for him to register properly. Had he just been called … a tree? Maybe it’s the ridiculity of the fact that Han Jisung had referred to him as an evergreen, maybe it isn’t, but the next words that he utters manage to reach a level of stupidity that he himself cannot fathom. 

“Are you sure that’s the diss you think it is? Trees are the reason we’re like, alive and breathing right now.”

Han Jisung tilts his head and stares at him for a short second. Then, he says, “Yeah. They’re also stupidly tall.”

It’s at this moment that Hyunjin realizes - they both sound like a pair of very intelligent five-year olds. He does not know what to feel about that. Is his future bodyguard really supposed to be speaking to him this way? Could he have possibly missed the fact that Hyunjin is the sole heir to the throne?

It seems that he stares incredulously at Han Jisung for a little too long because after a few moments, the shorter of them comments, “Are you going to show me around or do you need a little more time to process that you’re stupidly tall? I guess you’ve never been called that before, pretty boy .”

Hyunjin’s eye instantly twitches. I do not like being called stupidly tall or pretty and I certainly do not like Han Jisung, he decides then and there. Ignoring the jab in what he hopes is a dignified sort of silence, he rigidly speaks, "Fine. Follow me.

The pair trail across and throughout the palace corridors, and Hyunjin can practically sense the prickly animosity that’s started brewing between them. Not once does he bother considering that he might’ve been the one who started it - because, you know - he’s mature like that. Han Jisung is short anyways; what was the use in getting so worked up over a simple fact? Now fully convinced, he first leads the other into the palace kitchens, because that is usually where he finds his favorite person in the whole world. 

Completely ignoring Han Jisung’s existence, he calls out, “Lixie! Where are you?”

A fluffy blond mop of hair pops out through one of the doors. Hyunjin’s mouth automatically widens into a smile. 

“Hyunjin! Waah, it’s been so long since I saw you around! Where’ve you been, you busy boy?”

And at that, the blond launches himself upon the taller boy, who stumbles backwards at the sudden weight. He laughs nevertheless, because that’s just the effect Felix has on his mood. He rests his chin upon Hyunjin’s shoulder, but only for a short second, as he detaches himself from him just as suddenly. The prince frowns. 

“Hey! Jinnie, who’s this?” 

“Oh. Right.” Mood instantly plummeting, he vaguely motions towards the short figure (who had been standing awkwardly at a corner all along) and says, “This is Han Jisung, my newly appointed bodyguard. Han Jisung, this is Felix my beloved, who also happens to be the head baker.”

The shorter blond laughs lightly and slaps Hyunjin’s arm before stepping forward to shake hands with the shorter guy. “Hi, Jisung! It’s nice to meet you. If you ever crave cookies or brownies, then feel free to pop by anytime.”

Han Jisung brightens (quite an unusual sight if Hyunjin says so himself, because he’s only seen him sulking so far) and reciprocates. “Can you make cheesecakes?” 

“Yeah! I love cheesecakes!”

“Me too! Don’t mind if I do pop by a couple times, then.”

Felix grins at that. “Of course. It’s what I’m here for!”

Somehow feeling a little ticked off at the fact that the pair bonded over cheesecake of all things, Hyunjin impatiently ushers Han Jisung out of the kitchens at an abnormally premature timing. Han’s eyebrows raise, but he doesn’t question it. Instead, when they’re out of earshot, the first thing he asks him is, “Are you two like, dating?” 

“H- huh? What? Where did this come from?” 

Han Jisung rolls his eyes. “Yeah, ‘cuz you totally didn’t call him your beloved. ” 

Hyunjin sighs. He looks up at the high ceiling, as if he wants to summon strength from the gods above. “It was a joke. We’re not dating. Never have, never will. He’s my friend.” 

“Mhm,” the shorter guy hums, and walks ahead of him. Hyunjin increases his pace. Maybe he's a little ticked off at how instantly Han had caught up to the remnants of his fading infatuation. So, he ends up sounding a little more defensive than he'd intended. “Listen, I might’ve had a tiny crush on him at some point, but it’s gone now. We’re just friends. And,” his eyes narrow into slits, “Why are you so interested, anyways?”

“Who says I’m interested?” Han Jisung scoffs, because obviously he does. “You guys did not seem like the regular pair of best friends at first, sue me for being curious.”

Hyunjin’s eyes narrow further. “Isn’t that the same thing as being interested?” 

Han Jisung conveniently ignores him and starts striding. Hyunjin may be many things, but he is not one to be outdone. He walks faster and overtakes him. His legs are longer anyways, so it doesn’t take much effort. If any servant finds the two of them power walking together weird, they don’t mention it (thankfully).

The next place they go to is the left wing, where the ballroom is situated. It’s become more of a dance practice room than anything, though. The moment Hyunjin steps in through the enormous doors, he’s not surprised to find Minho there, stretching his muscles after a vigorous dance routine. He is, however, surprised when Han Jisung lowly whistles next to him.

Turning slightly, he cocks an eyebrow and says, “What?”

“Nothing. Who’s that?”

“Minho-hyung.”

“Hyung? I didn’t know you had an elder brother.”

Hyunjin remains silent, not bothering to correct him by saying that he’s just a cousin. He actually doesn’t plan on bothering Minho while he’s in the midst of stretching and is just about to drag Han Jisung outside and leave, but that’s exactly when the elder notices the odd pair. Unfortunately, he waves obnoxiously and motions for them to come over. Han obliges a little too quickly for comfort.

“Hyunjin-ah! What’re you doing here? And who’s this cutie?” Minho looks delighted. Han Jisung flushes. Hyunjin’s face wrinkles with disgust. 

“This is Han Jisung. The bodyguard. Han Jisung, this is Lee Minho, my hyung.” Hyunjin proceeds with the introductions, albeit a little stiffly. The fact that Minho had decided to address the gremlin beside him as a “cutie” only served to send the alarms ringing off in his head. He peeked at the aforesaid gremlin, who had gone suspiciously red and starry-eyed at his cousin brother. Hyunjin felt like puking. 

“Hey! Han Jisung, huh?” Minho’s eyes sparkled good-naturedly. “You better take good care of our Hyunjinnie here. He’s a little clumsy, but I promise he’s a good guy.”

“Hey!”

Han just nods mutely. Hyunjin observes that he’d gone a little quiet, and finds himself surprised by it. He had not made him out to be the type of person who’d go silent around new people. Then, he realizes that he might’ve been judging his character a little too much based upon first impressions. Not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, (and surprising himself in the process), Hyunjin just rolls his eyes and excuses himself from Minho as discreetly as possible. 

“I’ve gotta show this gremlin around the palace, so you can tell him all the lies you want later on, hyung.” 

“Hmph. Says the tree ,” the shorter of the pair murmurs aside, and Hyunjin has to prevent his eye from twitching of its own accord. Minho just watches them with an amused look on his face. 

“Okay! See y'all later then," He grins, seeing them off with a funny expression on his face.

Hyunjin feels like his bones have grown heavier by the time they exit the ballroom. Deliberately not commenting on Han Jisung having gone starstruck at the sight of his elder brother, he sighs, having an inkling that he's got one long day ahead of him. 

The inkling turns out to be painfully accurate. Hyunjin discovers that he actually hasn't gotten a day to himself wherein he can just roam about the palace corridors as he pleases in a very long time, so he figures that the ordeal isn't that bad. If it weren't for the tiny (and talkative) nuisance tagging along with him everywhere, Hyunjin finds himself thinking that he might've actually enjoyed his day. 

After exiting the ballroom, the pair head towards the gardens and Hyunjin proudly shows off the daisies he's grown himself. Even Han admits that he's slightly impressed - solely because daisies are his favourite flower. They chat with the gardener, and the friendly old man hands them some of the fresh blooms. Flowers now tucked safely behind their ears, they wander about the corridors for a while, before coming across an ancient room with an enormous family portrait in it. It seems that the servants haven't cleaned the area properly either, because Hyunjin spots a couple cobwebs surrounding the wall. Han seems curious about it, but once Hyunjin admits that he has no idea what it's doing there, the two decide that nothing can be done about it and move on. By the time it's evening, they agree on making another detour to the kitchens, just for grabbing some tea and a couple (correction: several) scones. 

It's just when they're brushing off the spare crumbs from their clothes and making their way out of the kitchen doors that Han says, "Aren't you getting tired introducing me as Han Jisung to just about everyone here?"

"Han Jisung is… your name?" Hyunjin says witheringly. This provokes a customary eye roll by the former. 

"I just mean - I get that you're supposed to be an upright prince and all, but I'd rather you just call me Jisung. There's literally no need to be so stiff around me."

Hyunjin pauses in his tracks and considers it. It's not that he'd been doing so deliberately, it just sort of … happened? Now that he thinks about it, it makes no sense. Maybe he'd been subconsciously trying to put some sort of distance between them by constantly addressing him with his full name. Whatever it is, he finds that he doesn't necessarily mind calling him by his first name. And, while he's at it…

"Oh. Fine, then. Jisung it is. And you can call me Hyunjin."

"Wait, what?" The shorter of the pair looks genuinely surprised. "Really? I mean, aren't I supposed to address you as Your Highness or whatever?" 

Hyunjin wrinkles his nose. "I will punch you if you call me that." 

"Hey, I'm supposed to be the bodyguard here. I assure you that I can pack a better punch."

"Well, you wouldn't be much of a bodyguard if you went around punching your client now, would you?" 

They bicker all the way back up, and Hyunjin realizes in some sort of dim fashion that any semblance of tension between them has left just in the couple of hours they spent together. It was nothing fancy, just him showing this new guy around the palace - the one place he knew best ever since childhood - and walk, and talk, and bicker and laugh. He had fun today. Despite the initial friction between them, Hyunjin understands that Jisung isn’t a bad guy. He’s actually pretty sweet to the people he likes (Hyunjin clearly not being one of them. Yet), super perceptive and observant, definitely best friend material, and kind of shy around people like Minho-hyung, who he finds attractive (which explains why he wasn’t the least bit shy when he first met Hyunjin). All in all, Hyunjin doesn’t know what to think of him one bit. He intends to introduce him to Seungmin as well, but by the time they’re back up, it’s already getting dark. So, he just leads Jisung straight to his room - which is, unsurprisingly, right in front of Hyunjin’s. 

Jisung’s eyebrows go up when his eyes land on the door and he comments, “Uh, what’s with the nameplate?”

Feeling inexplicably embarrassed, Hyunjin stammers. “My parents, they- uhm, they tend to go a little overboard when it comes to stuff, so. Don’t- just ignore that. I mean. Uh yeah, ignore that.”

Jisung rolls his eyes, murmuring something like, “Rich people,” under his breath. Hyunjin doesn’t miss the amused smile that he desperately tries to hide as he goes into the room, though. He hates that his tummy suddenly decides to bust out a horde of butterflies fluttering about in it, and he hates that his face suddenly feels like it’s caught fire. Not because he’s embarrassed due to his parents putting up a nameplate, not because of Jisung’s jab towards him for being rich; but because the shorter boy’s mouth curves upwards and endearingly forms a heart shape when he smiles. 

The next few weeks are busy for Hyunjin. He’s almost always either bustling about through the palace corridors, attending lectures and listening to his tutor drone on about history, practicing archery, or dance, or fencing, or deeply submerged in some thick paperback in the library. Jisung accompanies him about 90% of the time, as is expected from his job, and Hyunjin hates to admit that he’s slowly but surely getting used to his constant presence. It’s almost been a month since he’s been hired, after all. He doesn’t do much, just standing by silently most of the time; because it’s not like an enemy is going to spring up on Hyunjin from behind a flower vase or something. It’s when they’re in the library, however, that he is loudest. Seems pretty paradoxical, but that’s just what Han Jisung is. A walking, talking, (and infuriating) paradox.

As much as it annoys Hyunjin, pretty much everyone in the palace seems to have warmed up to Jisung in no time at all. Felix readily bakes for him whenever he wants, and christens him as lovingly his “super swag September twin”, since their birthdays are on consecutive days of the month (earning an exclamation of how good he is at alliterations from aforesaid twin). Obviously it pisses Hyunjin off - he’s supposed to be Felix’s favourite here, hello! 

What pisses him off more is that Minho jokingly (hopefully) flirts with Jisung at every chance he gets. Jisung has the audacity to blush. Every. Fucking. Time. Hyunjin has to restrain a nerve in his head from popping every time he’s around those two, because let’s be real, no one likes to see their elder brother and their new bodyguard be all starry-eyed towards each other.

Even the person he had the most faith in to be on his side ends up betraying him this time around. It may sound a tad bit dramatic, but trust me, it stung Hyunjin when Seungmin told him that his new bodyguard really isn’t as terrible as he makes him out to be, and that he should maybe try harder to get along with him. Which goes back to why Jisung is always the loudest in libraries. Yes, it’s because he’s getting along just peachy with Seungmin and feels the need to babble away about nothing in particular just when Hyunjin starts getting enraptured by a book. If he’s being honest, Hyunjin’s been in complete denial with himself about this fact because there’s no way he’s ready to accept that his new bodyguard gets along better with his best friend than with him. 

Other than all of that, Hyunjin is still not sure what he thinks of Jisung. Does he like him? Does he dislike him? Is he neutral towards him? And what does Jisung think of Hyunjin? Maybe he does hate him a little, because everyone except Hyunjin seems to be getting along with him just fine. And what’s with his hot-and-cold attitude towards him? 

Seungmin coughs, jerking him out of his jumbled train of thoughts. Hyunjin starts a little, at which his best friend looks like he may laugh out loud. 

“Are you sure your mind is on your book, Jinnie?” He whispers. “I don’t think you’ve ever looked this constipated while reading a novel about Greek mythology.”

“Uhm. Yeah, I’m good,” he mumbles lamely, then flares up at his choice of words. “Hey, I don’t look constipated!”

“Shhh,” Seungmin shushes him, bringing his index finger up to his lips. Hyunjin wants to complain about how he never does that when Jisung is being loud in the library. And there, once again his mind strays to Jisung. He hates how it keeps happening so much recently, because his brain always ends up finding a way to relate everything with his new bodyguard. Even though Jisung isn’t here right now (he’s decided to make a detour to the kitchens to meet up with Felix, since the library is too “boring” for his exquisite tastes) Hyunjin finds himself subconsciously thinking about how Jisung would probably to his best to disturb him while he’s reading; stuff like being loud on purpose, making conversation with Seungmin, or wandering about the aisles to piss him off even more. 

The blond sighs. He finds that he’s read the same goddamn like about eight times already. Why isn’t he able to concentrate today? Seungmin looks concerned, but just as he opens his mouth to inquire Hyunjin about his distracted state of mind, the door bangs open obnoxiously. 

Now, Hyunjin knows full well that it’s a pet peeve of Seungmin’s. He also knows full well that there is only one person in the palace who prances about purposely pushing Seungmin’s buttons. Sighing again, he speaks without even taking his eyes off of his book (deliberately ignoring his younger friend - whose eye has started twitching at an alarming rate).

“Please be a little more quiet next time, hyung.” 

Minho grins. “Okay, Jinnie. Hey, Seungminnie! Long time no see, how’ve you been?”

Seungmin looks like he’d rather swallow bricks than make conversation with him. Nevertheless, he smiles stiffly, eyes transfixed upon a wall. 

“Minho-hyung,” he drawls with fake enthusiasm, the grin plastered upon his lips making him look like he’s in pain. “I’m doing amazing. Just peachy. Thank you for asking.”

“Perfect. Won’t you ask me how I’m doing, love?”

Hyunjin feels a part of him wither and die from within upon hearing his brother call his best friend “love”. Judging by the face Seungmin makes, he has an inkling that they’re pretty much on the same wavelength. However, he knows better than to interrupt whatever the fuck was going on between them, so he wisely remains silent. He directs his head back to his book. 

“Okay,” Seungmin breathes out. Then, he smiles sweetly. “How are you doing, my dearest Minho-hyung?”

“Simply lovely - now that you’ve asked,” the elder replies, delighted at their wholly sarcastic and satire exchange. Hyunjin does not get it one bit. Then again, he doesn’t get a lot of things. He decides to simply overlook whatever had taken place in the past five minutes. 

“What are you doing here?” he deadpans, settling on the safer option instead.

Rolling his eyes, Minho seats himself down on a chair right next to Seungmin's. He next utters the words that fully convince Hyunjin that his brother is some sort of harbinger of bad news or something. There's no way he can't be. 

"Your parents are gonna be hosting a ball next month."

Hyunjin pales. "You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding."

"Yeah, I wish I was. For some reason, they seem to think that it's ideal for a boy your age to be seeing people. So, they've gone ahead and invited a shit-ton of entitled princes while they're at it. Even that one guy who you seemed to despise."

Unable to resist a groan at that, Hyunjin sags in his chair. Seungmin reaches across the table between them and pats his hand sympathetically. Minho remains silent, cat-like eyes migrating from his brother to his brother's best friend. And that's when Jisung comes in, albeit a little more quietly than Minho had. He whistles. 

"Damn, what's up? Why do you guys look like a bunch of dudes at a funeral?"

Minho speaks up at that, perhaps sensing that Hyunjin is not going to entertain his bodyguard with an answer. "The King and Queen are hosting a ball next month, and you've gotta put up with this depressed little fish throughout it all, Jisungie," he says, because of course he does. Leave it to Minho to provide words of comfort to the bodyguard before the little brother. Despite the slight annoyance pricking him at that, Hyunjin doesn't retort. Even at being called a depressed little fish. That's how bad it is. 

Jisung then asks, "Why? What's so bad with a ball? I thought they're supposed to be all grand and fancy."

"That's exactly why they suck," Hyunjin finally speaks. "Because they're grand and fancy. Also this time, my parents have deemed it correct to find an appropriate suitor for me. So there's that as well.''

“Ah,” Jisung mutters, and sits down on the only empty seat left. “No wonder you’re depressed then.”

Before they’re allowed to ponder on the matter any further, Minho gets up with a loud screech of his chair (making Seungmin wince) and claps his hands. “Well, there’s nothing much that can be done about it now so ya’ll better haul your lazy asses quick. There’s way too much work and way too little time. Except you, Seungminnie. You are to sit your cute little ass here and read whatever it is you’re reading,” and he sends a wink towards the younger virgo’s direction, who smiles once again in pain. “Now c’mon, chop chop!”

Hyunjin doesn’t even have time to gag at his brother talking about Seungmin’s ass like that. What the fuck is going on between those two anyways? He’s not allowed to fret over it for too long, as Minho weirdly ushers him out into the corridors along with a confused Jisung. They exchange looks, and the blond already feels a huge wave of exhaustion hit him at the thought of pulling through the coming few weeks.

The month passes by with servants busily buzzing about everywhere, trying their best to adorn the bare walls with some form of decoration or the other. Hyunjin, as per usual, minds his own business. He tries to focus on things he enjoys doing - like dance, or archery, or baking with Felix - but to no avail. The thought of a ball - an enormous social gathering full of douchebag princes, and bitchy princesses, and entitled royalty all around already makes him feel so suffocated. Jisung seems concerned, but he never mentions anything about the blond prince acting so fidgety. 

In what seems like no time at all, Hyunjin is nervously staring down his reflection clad in an overly expensive rose-gold tuxedo. It matches his makeup for the day, which gives his already handsome face a shimmery and ethereal look. The reflection in the mirror looks just about prepared - a hard and far stretch from what Hyunjin feels at the moment. Taking in a shaky breath, he unwillingly steps out of his room, to be thrown a casual greeting from his bodyguard. 

Jisung, contrary to the prince, is dressed simple for the day - in an all-black suit. His hair is slicked back, and his round eyes today seem sharper than usual, accentuated to near-perfection by black eyeshadow. Hyujin’s never seen him like this before. Grudgingly, he admits to himself that Jisung looks quite nice. He wouldn’t dream of saying it out loud, though. 

The pair make their way to the ballroom and Jisung fills the short trip there with mindless chatter, while Hyunjin is subdued. His brain doesn’t even bother admiring the intricate decorations surrounding him - or how the palace seemed to be completely transformed simply in the span of a few weeks. It wanders towards his bodyguard being chattier than usual instead. Perhaps, Hyunjin wonders to himself … the younger is doing so to distract him from his nerves? While it may actually be very far from reality, the thought comforts him much more than he lets on. Taking a deep breath, he furtively glances at Jisung (who almost seems to nod back at him in a reassuring manner) before turning the corner and stepping into the humongous ballroom. 

Hyunjin does a far better job at not collapsing right on the spot than he’d given himself credit for. His head spins at the blinding lights, and the never-ending ceiling, and the amount of people swarming around - dancing, chatting, eating, drinking. He feels himself slightly stumble backwards due to the instant overwhelmingness of it all, but then a warm and firm hand is suddenly resting on his back - steadying him, reminding him that he’s not alone. Jisung’s touch is reassuring, and this time Hyunjin knows he’s not imagining it. He breathes out shakily and mutters, “Thanks.”

Jisung just nods. Hyunjin straightens up, and is only given a span of about three seconds before a couple hundred eyes land on him, and whispers start floating about. Soon enough, the blond is whisked away to make conversation with The Prince-of-this, and The Duchess-of-that, and God knows who else. 

He survives. Despite the utter wreck that he is on the inside, his fake confident gait and charming smile successfully fools everyone. Well, just about everyone. Jisung seems like he almost senses how frazzled the blond actually is. Hyunjin knows he does - mainly because his bodyguard’s warm hand rests upon the small of his back throughout it all. 

However, it's when he spots him while casually chatting to his friend, Yeji, that Hyunjin truly decides he's had enough. The last thing he wants is to lead the poor guy on by failing to say no to him or something, and end up stuck in a pinch. Before Changbin, the prince of a nearby kingdom (also the guy who Hyunjin can never seem to get rid of) is able to ask him to dance with him or something along those lines, the blond rushes to find his bodyguard and gasps, breathless, "Jisung! Dance with me."

In hindsight, it sounds more of an order than a request - which makes Hyunjin realize, no wonder the poor guy looks so panicked. Jisung's eyes widen to the size of gold coins and he splutters about. "Wh- what? Dance? Me? With you? Hello, I'm your bodyguard! Did you drink something suspicious or what, dude, what the fuck?" 

"No, you dumbass," the prince punctuates the insult with a roll of his eyes. "I mean," he pauses, understanding that he'll need to be a little nicer if he wishes to win a favour from the shorter. "I'm kind of going through something right now, so I'd appreciate it if you just, you know, went along with it. Just for a little while, I promise. Please don't say no."

"This was… nowhere mentioned in my job description."

"Okay, listen. See that guy over there? Short dude, undercut, looks kind of intimidating?" Hyunjin motions towards Changbin with his eyes, which Jisung thankfully seems to understand. 

"Yeah, what about him?" 

"He's been. Well. Let's say he kind of likes me and hasn't been off my back every time we've met over the past couple months?" 

"Oh, wow. Okay. I see where this is going."

"And he's sweet and all but he just won't catch the hint! And oh fuck, I accidentally caught his eye and he's approaching us as we speak, Jisung please say yes just this once - you're supposed to protect me and all, right? It's okay if you don't know how to dance, I'll guide you!" 

"Gosh, fine! I'm coming, just - if I step on your toes, then I don't wanna hear a word about it." 

Jisung glares and pokes the taller's chest with his finger. Immensely relieved, Hyunjin doesn't even think twice before pulling his bodyguard towards him by the waist. The shorter man looks alarmed, and his expressive eyes give away just how surprised he is before his mouth pops open. If he's being honest, Hyunjin is surprised himself. Never once did he expect himself to practically beg his bodyguard to dance with him. But by now, he's gotten too tired to care about it too much. And it's just Jisung, after all, isn't it? 

Wrong. Turns out, Just Jisung effectively manages to make him feel a whole lot jittery than when he'd been trying to avoid Changbin. He doesn't recollect any other time that he's been such a nervous wreck. And for god's sake, Hyunjin doesn't even know why. All he knows is that the moment the lilting music turns slow, and the moment he pulls Jisung closer, hand clasped around his unbelievably tiny waist and eyes looking right into his wide, chocolate-brown ones, his heart feels like it wants to jump right out of his throat. It almost feels as if the atmosphere around them has gotten magical. Since when did Jisung start looking so… good? And since when did he start making Hyunjin feel all sorts of things in the pits of his abdomen? Needless to say, the moment that seemed to be suspended in air is kind of broken when Jisung steps on his toes and makes him wince in pain. Still, the fluttery feeling lingers.

For the longest amount of time, the odd duo stumble about and sway weirdly to the tune. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Jisung seems to find the entire situation so hilarious that he bursts out in a fit of giggles. Hyunjin glares at him for approximately five seconds, before himself cracking at the ridiculity of it all. Not to mention how Jisung's laughter is just so goddamn contagious. While the blond is trying to regain his breath, the shorter one points out, "Hey, look at loverboy."

Confused for a moment, Hyunjin asks, "Loverboy who?" 

Jisung rolls his eyes. "The Changbin dude, obviously. Who else looks like a loverboy to you here?" 

"Oh," the blond murmurs, because if he's being honest, he'd forgotten all about the reason he'd forced his bodyguard to dance with him in the first place. "God, don't call him loverboy."

"Just look at him!" 

Hyunjin peeks over the shorter's shoulder and finds that Changbin is sitting alone on a stool, sipping on something. Just the next moment however, a newcomer sits beside him and strikes up conversation, which he actively engages in. Hyunjin sighs. 

"I feel kinda bad but… I'm just glad I didn't have to reject him outright. I probably wouldn't be able to refuse at all, though."

A pause follows. 

"You're too…" Jisung starts and trails off.

"Too what?" 

"Too... kind. Yeah, that's the word. You know you shouldn't feel guilty for not liking him back, right?" 

"I know that! And I don't feel guilty, I just… have a hard time saying no."

"You shouldn't," Jisung says firmly, then goes silent. Hyunjin is unable to hide his surprise at that. They sway about a little more, ignoring the whispers floating around them, until Hyunjin has an idea. 

"Hey," he whispers, and lets go of Jisung's waist, only to clasp his wrist instead. "Come with me."

"What? Where?" 

"Anywhere else. I just wanna get out of here," he replies. Jisung doesn't bother asking more, and simply obliges to the blond tugging him along and out of the huge ballroom doors. The magnitude of the whispers only increases, because no matter how discreet he tries to be, Hyunjin is the prince after all. There will always be eyes on him and it’s a fact of life that he’s learnt to get used to. So, instead of getting unsettled by it, Hyunjin simply decides not to care. It seems that this shift in his attitude pleases Jisung, because the blond is ready to bet anything that he smiles the tiniest bit while being dragged outside. Hyunjin wills his heart to stop beating so loudly, lest the shorter one might hear it. As soon as they reach a safe distance away from the ballroom, the pair slows down. The prince lets go of his bodyguard’s hand, and can’t help but notice the sudden absence of warmth right after doing so. 

“... So? Where to now?” 

Hyunjin steps back and sags against the wall. His bones suddenly feel a lot heavier and chest a lot lighter. Breathing out shakily, he replies, “I dunno. D’you have someplace in mind?” 

“Hmm,” Jisung ponders. His eyes take in the sight of the prince, who, for some strange reason, feels like he’s under a spotlight of sorts. Hyunjin looks away. “Fine, then. I wanna go to the kitchens.” 

“The kitchens? Why?” 

Jisung simply grins. “I crave cheesecake.”

“Damn, there’s so much food here.”

Hyunjin rolls his eyes and hoists himself atop the large centre countertop. “Obviously. You’re in the royal kitchens right now. What else did you expect to find, diamonds?”

At that, Jisung’s round face emerges from the refrigerator, solely to attack the prince with a withering look as a response to the dry sarcasm. Hyunjin swings his long legs and nibbles on some chocolate that’s kept nearby. Personally, he’s never found a guy sniffing around for some cheesecake more amusing. As if to prove the thought, his bodyguard trips a little on the way to the next refrigerator, making Hyunjin chortle loudly. He comments, only to infuriate him more on purpose, “You’re such a klutz.” 

“Oh, shut up. As if you’re any better,” Jisung shoots right back. Hyunjin smiles widely, thoroughly enjoying riling the virgo up. Finished with his chocolate, he licks off some of it that had melted on his fingertips, and Jisung finally finds the cheesecake he’d been so terribly craving. 

“Aha! There you are, my beloved,” he sighs, eyes awfully sparkly. The prince has to suppress a smile that threatens to spill out of his lips at the adorable sight. Jisung catches it nevertheless though, and he probably misinterprets it as an evil one, because his eyes narrow as he threatens, “You’re not getting any. Don’t look at me like that.”

Hyunjin puts his hands up, laughing. “Jeez, I don’t want your cheesecake. Don’t worry - she’s all yours.”

“Hmpf. Much better.”

The blond watches fondly as Jisung stuffs his mouth the delicacy, cheeks puffing up and eyes closing in contentment. And it’s so peaceful at that moment, just the two of them goofing off together - away from the pretentiously suffocating crowd - that Hyunjin instantly feels grateful for having gotten away from there. He tips his head back against the wall and smiles up at the ceiling wistfully. How had Jisung managed to turn what he thought was going to be one heck of an exhausting night into one heck of a really nice one? And since when had they started getting along so well, to the point that they now genuinely enjoy being in each other’s company? It seemed to have happened gradually over the past months, and so unnoticeably that Hyunjin realizes it with complete clarity just now. Point is - they’re pretty much just sitting there, Hyunjin swaying his legs upon the countertop, and Jisung happily wolfing down his dessert, when the prince hears hushed footsteps approaching them.

It’s relatively quiet outside, since a maximum of the palace’s population is occupied with the ball - which is why it’s easier for him to hear the footsteps clearly. Hyunjin tenses and whips his head towards his bodyguard - who’s frozen with a forkful of cheesecake brought up to his mouth. 

“Fuck,” Hyunjin hisses, and grabbing Jisung’s wrist once again, tugs him towards the back door. Jisung, deeply saddened to be parted from his beloved, looks at the prince with eyes of a puppy whose tail has been stomped on. But the blond does not budge. 

“Dude, do you wanna get caught? We’re supposed to be at the ball right now, not off stealing food and stuffing our mouths in the kitchen!” 

Sighing, Jisung gazes at his cake one last time before muttering, “Fine. I’m coming.” 

They exit through the door in the back and out of a corridor that Hyunjin knows all too well. His heart thumps loudly at the prospect of someone finding him and Jisung goofing off doing god-knows-what. What would they even look like from an outsider’s point of view? Hyunjin isn’t sure whether he wants to know. Yet, he doesn’t let go of his grip on his bodyguard’s wrist. Approaching a dead end in one of the shiftier-looking rooms, he spots a fairly large closet and instantly knows what he has to do. He whips his head towards Jisung - who understands what the blond is thinking about without any words being exchanged. He slowly shakes his head no with wide eyes. 

“Hyunjin,” he whispers slowly. “No.”

“Jisung,” the blond whispers back. “Yes. You know there’s absolutely no way out left now.”

“Dude - why are you that scared of being caught anyway?” the shorter groans in despair. “What’s the worst that could happen? You’re the literal prince - you can get away with anything!”

“Fine, then. Worst that could happen to me is I’ll get lectured by my parents. Worst that could happen to you ? You might get fired. That’s it, nothing to worry about.”

Shrugging, Hyunjin turns around, knowing full well that Jisung will catch the bait. Jisung catches the bait. He grips the prince’s wrist with a panicky look on his face and exclaims, exasperated, “Jesus, fine! Don’t scare me like that. Get in the goddamn closet.”

And at that, he shoves the taller into the closet, simultaneously looking out for whoever the footsteps belonged to. Hyunjin thinks he spots cobwebs in there, which makes him recoil in fear. But Jisung doesn’t take any of that. Maybe Hyunjin’s threat had worked a little too well on him. Anyways, the shorter one follows soon after, shutting the door as quietly as he can. Now, this is exactly when the problem comes in. The closet turns out to be smaller than either of them had anticipated, which, well, makes it quite a tight fit. The pair are basically flushed against either. Jisung either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care. Hyunjin on the other hand, can’t think of anything else at the moment. 

He should probably care about whoever is out there a little more. Probably. But then Jisung decides it’s a good idea to rest his palm on Hyunjin’s chest and the prince’s mind goes completely blank. Fuck. Calm down, Hyunjin. He can hear your heartbeat! Stop beating so loudly!

Needless to say, Hyunjin’s heart does not stop beating loudly. His eyes look anywhere but at Jisung, which isn’t a lot. They’re cramped in a tiny, old closet; sneaking away from where they’re actually supposed to be, and hiding from whoever it is that is so close to discovering them like this. When he phrases it like that, Hyunjin realizes their situation sounds quite … compromising. This dangerous thought does not help his heart currently racing miles a minute. Jisung’s warm breath fans against his collarbone. Hyunjin panics a little more. 

“Is it just me or… are the noises getting louder?”

This comment somehow manages to snap Hyunjin out of his embarrassing trance. He flushes involuntarily. Straining his ears, he finds that Jisung is right. The footsteps have now increased into some sort of thudding. This confuses him thoroughly. The pair can do nothing but wait, tensed, inside the storage closet until realization finally hits the blond. Those are voices he recognizes a little too well. And do they seem to be… moaning? 

Hyunjin’s eyes widen to the size of tennis balls and by then, Jisung catches up as well. There’s a drastic difference between their reactions. While the prince pales, wishing for the earth below him to swallow him whole, Jisung’s face shines of mirth as he goes red under the pressure of not being able to laugh out loud. 

“Shut up,” Hyunjin hisses, his face contorting in pain. “There is nothing funny about this, Han Jisung. If you laugh, I will personally sneak into your room and strangle you in your sleep.”

“Okay,” Jisung wheezes out. “I won’t laugh. Please don’t kill me. Oh, God,” he gasps out and slaps his palm upon his mouth as the moaning outside gets louder. “That’s… That’s-”

“Don’t say it. Please. Don’t say it.”

“That’s Minho-hyung and Seungminnie. Oh my God.”

Hyunjin closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath in, but then Seungmin gasps out his elder brother’s name in a manner that the blond wishes he never hears again in his life. Hyunjin breathes out slowly. He tries to block out any noises that might be coming from outside from his brain. It doesn’t really work. 

The next few minutes that they spend trapped in the closet are painful for Hyunjin, to say the least. His best friend and elder brother are making out right outside the closet doors; and his bodyguard is flushed close to him, hand still resting upon his chest, and face still contorted red with immense mirth. For the first time in his life, the prince is utterly and absolutely stupefied. Thankfully, the noises outside seem to subside after a while, and the footsteps get more and more faint. Hyunjin releases a sigh of relief that he didn’t even know he’d been holding in while Jisung finally bursts into laughter. The prince watches with an exhausted look on his face as his bodyguard tries catching his breath. Finally, he speaks. 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know about them at all. I mean, c’mon. Even I guessed that something’s going on between them, and it’s only been a couple months since I’ve been here.”

Hyunjin sighs. "I kinda knew, I guess. I mean - they're so obvious that it's pretty hard to ignore. I just didn't wanna assume."

"Thank God. I'd think you're the dumbest person on earth if you said you were oblivious to it all."

Hyunjin ignores him. "Now what? D'you think they're still outside? How long will we stay here?"

"I… don't know. It'd be safer to stay for a few more minutes, I think. I'd rather not bump into them on the way back and find myself in an awkward encounter."

"Fuck, man . How do I even face them tomorrow? Gosh, it's going to be so embarrassing!"

Hyunjin tips his head back and groans in despair. Is it just his imagination, or does Jisung's gaze seem to linger on his throat? Being trapped into this closet with his bodyguard, of all people, is surely driving him a little insane. There is no other explanation to why he's feeling like this. It's definitely his imagination that causes him to feel a sort of intense electricity crackle in the air. Absolutely. 100%. 

Not knowing what the fuck he's supposed to do, Hyunjin ends up avoiding Jisung's eyes for a solid two minutes. Eventually, though, his eyes end up gravitating towards the shorter's, anyways. It's almost like they're out of his control. Making eye contact with him at the moment feels like the worst decision he's ever made in his life. Because he sees something so intense in Jisung's wide, pupil-blown, brown eyes that he involuntarily leans closer to him. And they're suddenly so close, their faces mere centimeters from each other; and Jisung's eyelids flutter shut - were his lashes always this pretty? - and Hyunjin's mind feels foggier than it ever has. After what feels like an eternity, or maybe it feels more like a nanosecond - their lips meet. Jisung's lips really are so soft, just as Hyunjin had suspected back when they first met. They move in sync with the blond's, who feels like he's having his first ever kiss all over again. By now, his heart is thumping so loud and clear that he's sure the shorter can feel it right underneath his palm. He doesn't necessarily mind that. Snaking his arm around Jisung's waist, he pulls him even closer so that their bodies are fully flush against each other. Jisung's hands wind around his shoulders, and come to rest on his back, and to Hyunjin, nothing else matters at that moment. Far too soon, they break apart. 

It comes rushing to Hyunjin - the realization - and it hits him like a truck. Mind going blank yet again, he blurts out, "I think I like you."

Jisung's eyes widen with an emotion Hyunjin can't pinpoint. Then, he huffs out a laugh, and says, "Jesus. I sure hope so. I'd strangle you with my bare hands if you were leading me on."

It takes Hyunjin a little too long to understand the implications of that sentence. Once it registers into his still foggy mind, he stutters, "Oh- I... Oh. Leading you on? So you don't like Minho-hyung."

"Minho-hyung?  Why would you- do you really think I'd be busting a lung by laughing so hard on finding Minho-hyung and Seungmin making out if I liked him?"

"Oh," Hyunjin states dumbly. "Oh. Yeah. Right, that makes sense."

"You're one slow guy," Jisung murmurs fondly, a smile taking over his lips.

It's all too much all at once, and Hyunjin's brain is racing due the sensory overload. But at the same time, he craves more, he needs more. He doesn't know what this means or what's next, he doesn't know what they're going to be like the next day or the next month. But he doesn't care. Right now, in this moment, Jisung is the moment. Heart beating faster than it ever has in his ribcage, Hyunjin laughs breathily and mutters, "I know. Kiss me again."

Jisung giggles and smiles his heart-shaped smile and replies with a term that Hyunjin's never been happier to be addressed as.

"Yes, Your Highness!"