‘Baekhyun! Baekhyun, what’s going on?!’

It took Chanyeol almost an hour but he finally found him. His cheeks red from the wind whistling through the forest, his hands tugged underneath his armpits, protected from the cold. With his silhouette hidden away from view, Baekhyun was crouching underneath a tree. Luckily, he didn’t run off too far away.

‘Baekhyun!’ Chanyeol finally got to him and knelt to assess the damage. It was cold, but nothing a cup of hot beverage could not fix. No. It was the sheer fear in his companion’s eyes that told Chanyeol the potential break down was more of a psychological nature. ‘Are you all right?’ He took out his phone to let the others know where they were. Luhan was boarding on hysterical at that point.

‘What has happened to you? Baekhyun!’ He couldn’t help but shake the younger a little, utterly frustrated. Baekhyun was still not moving, just staring into space. It was only then when Chanyeol realised that he was angry. Angry at himself for almost losing Baekhyun, whom he was supposed to take care of. Angry at the remote possibility of not seeing him again. His heart felt so much relief it actually hurt.

‘Baekhyun, please talk to me. Did something happen to you?’ He tried to grab the other’s hand and coax some kind of reaction. ‘Baekhyun. Please, please, tell me you’re ok. What has happened? Baek-‘

Chanyeol was completely taken aback by what happened next. Baekhyun leapt into his arms, hugging him with all his might, with the sense of complete helplessness. Chanyeol smelled nice, like he did yesterday morning, and all Baekhyun could think of was that he never wanted to let go of him, let go of all of this. But the crazy little adventure he was part of just an hour ago seemed like another life altogether now. His own, so very real life had just stuck its ugly head through the little crack connecting both.

It was a surprise but he was no displeased. In a selfish way, Chanyeol was glad that he found Baekhyun first. He reciprocated the hug, hoping it was at least a little comforting, since the younger still seemed distressed. Chanyeol was now sure that there was something more behind all of this, something that he was determined to discover, despite the reluctance with which Baekhyun was sharing. He claimed to be a tourist on holiday, but to Chanyeol, he seemed more like a home runaway case. The one thing he couldn’t understand was how Baekhyun ended up in Romania, of all places.

‘Is he ok?’ The next thing Chanyeol registered was Luhan crawling next to him, rubbing Baekhyun’s back comfortingly. Minseok and Yifan arrived minutes later.

‘Can you tell me what it was all about? I mean, today?’

The two of them were lying in their tent, squished side to side due to the lack of space. Chanyeol had to ask, no matter what. Baekhyun hadn’t given them any clear answer and his friends instructed him not to probe any deeper into the matter. But strangely, it was not his curiosity that pushed Chanyeol to do it but rather, his concern for Baekhyun. He could still see that what happened was tormenting the younger.

Baekhyun didn’t bother to pretend that he didn’t know what the other was hinting at. He replied in a voice no louder than a murmur, his serious aura a clear indication that the clingy, curious thing was gone and the other Baekhyun, the one who seemed to have never smiled, appeared yet again.

‘I am sorry, I really cannot tell you.’

‘I am afraid that I don’t understand. Please help me understand, so I can help you. I think you are in deep trouble, running away from something. Are you a criminal, Baekhyun?’

It literally broke his heart to ask this sort of question because his younger companion didn’t seem capable of hurting a fly. Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he frantically shook his head, thus ruining the whole manly aura that Chanyeol was falling hard for, without even realising it himself.

‘I am just…. I am a person who for now does not want to be found. But I swear I did not do anything wrong.’ He fell back on his pillow, comforted by Chanyeol’s accepting nod. His face once again turned into resignation. ‘I… I am in constant conflict with my parents, have been since I can remember. It is really complicated. I have duties I must take over, responsibilities that I have come to hate. I did not choose them for myself but they are much bigger than me. It is never about me and will never be. My father always tells me that I must sacrifice myself for the greater good but this sacrifice, however necessary, will make me miserable for life. I came here to… I didn’t even know why I came here. What I know is that I need this time to think, even though there is probably nothing to think about. So I treat it as my first and last opportunity to escape from reality.’ He sighed. He was probably scaring the hell out of Chanyeol, because what he just said sounded nothing like the Baekhyun that the group befriended. ‘I don’t expect you to understand.’

‘I do, actually. I do.’ It was Chanyeol’s turn to sigh. ‘I had also had responsibilities at home that I chose to run away from. Only I never returned.’

‘Did your father not bring you home?’

‘No, actually. He called me only once, saying how disappointed he was with my life choices. It didn’t matter that I made a name for myself and worked for a big company where I was appreciated and quickly headed for promotion. All that mattered was me straying from the path that he had chosen for me and abandoning the family company that he had spent years building. I have lost his favour, I’m afraid. My brother took over the company and I am not welcome in the house anymore.’

‘My brother… is really young. And my responsibilities are not the kind that I can just run away from, no matter how much I want to. Not without my father’s blessing, anyway.’ Baekhyun added. He sounded so bitter, not at all like a person his age should. It was a voice of desperation.

‘So what are you going to do?’

‘I will forget about it until the end of the trip. Then I will head home and apologise to my father. My father… is the person that I love the most. He keeps hurting me and my family but I love him. I also know that he has no choice but to act this way. Neither of us truly knows how to handle our lives without losing sight of what is important. He is losing himself in his work and we are drifting apart because he has became a person that I never want to be, yet I may soon become. And it’s scary.’

The two of them lied in silence, each taking in what they just talked about.

‘Maybe you should fight for your happiness. You only have one life, after all. Your father will finally come around. Like I hope mine will.’

‘There is more at stake than just my father’s anger but thank you for your words.’ Baekhyun smiled, but quickly became serious again. ‘And I think you should talk with your father, too. No matter what. Even if he won’t listen, you should say what you want to say at least once.’

‘Maybe I will.’ Chanyeol agreed despite himself. He didn’t really know what he wanted anymore.

Another day passed and the group headed further west, purposely driving through smaller towns and villages. None of them wanted to encounter big crowds, not at all keen on reliving the previous experience.

If Chanyeol and Baekhyun had taken liking to each other before, now they were inseparable. Chanyeol felt that the strange circumstance they shared, the secret that wasn’t even revealed to him, bounded them closer together. Baekhyun didn’t oppose and didn’t even hide how pleased he was with the other’s company; Chanyeol figured that he didn’t even know how to. That night they spoke more of their lives, like friends and things they liked, and even though Baekhyun never directly addressed his predicament, Chanyeol felt he had learnt a lot about the younger. It was all weird in a way, but then again, it had been so long since he last dated of his own free will, or even took interest in somebody, that he didn’t mind. One way or another, there was nothing ordinary about Byun Baekhyun.

When Minseok suggested a short venture into the city of Timisoara, Baekhyun somehow knew this was going to be his last day as a tourist in Romania and also his last day holding hands with Park Chanyeol. He just knew. After the stunt in the mountains, he could sense his guards getting closer, just like he could sense them approaching from across the palace every time he tried to hide from yet another tiresome dinner or party when he was younger. No doubt they had sent Yixing to track him down. He was the only person who could understand Baekhyun’s reasoning and was always able to locate him. It was such a shame that he worked in the palace, because were the circumstances different, Baekhyun would find a great friend in a person like his personal bodyguard. But he was yet another employee who could be trusted only to some extent – although understanding, he could never go against the wishes of the king.

Sitting at the main square and eating junk food that he had come to love so much and that Luhan refused to even look at, he observed his new friends who enjoyed the sun on the other side of the fountain. They had no idea how much they had managed to change his life. In such a short time, they had become his family. And Chanyeol had become his whole life.

Back in Korea, he had never been the one to cry or lament over anything, he would hide sometimes or tried to run away, but at the end of the day, he always held his head up high and took all of his father’s harsh words the only way he knew how: with silent dignity of an aristocrat. However, this time around he had come to realise that the loss of these people would be something worthy of showing weakness and shading his tears over.

That’s why, when he turned around and his personal guard came into view, standing not too far away, he was prepared. They regarded each other for a minute, Baekhyun with what he hoped was his usual poker face, and Yixing with what looked like an apology in his eyes. He knew better than to approach the prince.

The former stood up from the bench that he was seated at.

‘Guys, I will go and buy ice cream. I’m still hungry.’ All of them immediately turned around.

‘I will go with you.’ Minseok offered. ‘We don’t want you to get lost.’

‘It’s fine, it will only take a minute. I will be alright.’ He cut off another protest.

‘Let him be, he can handle himself. Just don’t disappear on us again.’ Yifan said it lightly, almost like a joke, but his face said otherwise. When Baekhyun looked at him, he realised the truth. Yifan knew, perhaps had known all along. Baekhyun wasn’t so good at covering up his tracks, after all. He composed himself and nodded in thanks.

Baekhyun led the way to the other corner of the square, feeling Yixing following him not too far away. They had sent only one person - they knew there was no need for more. There might have been the whole Romanian police looking for him but only Yixing could bring him home. And Baekhyun was not going to run once caught. It was a matter of pride, even if his heart was bleeding.

He stopped at the entrance to a shaded narrow street, waiting. He was not disappointed. Yixing appeared and immediately bowed.

‘Your Highness.’ He said. And added. ‘I am very sorry.’

Baekhyun only nodded, steadying his breath and finding his royal persona once again. He had been laughing and crying so freely for the past week that he needed to make sure that he could keep up his façade in front of the members of the court again.

‘I need one more night.’

‘Your Highness…’ Yixing said hesitantly, but Baekhyun cut him off immediately.

‘I need a couple more hours. That’s all I’m asking for. You can make a reservation for tomorrow’s flight and let the king and the queen know that we are coming. I will be waiting for you at dawn. I think you already know where to find me. You have my word that I will come.’

He regarded Yixing with authority, looking for any signs of defiance but there were none. A royal promise was final. Yixing bowed again in acknowledgement. They looked at each other again.

‘Tell my father that I will come, even if it breaks me.’ Yixing bowed once again.

‘You are awfully cheerful tonight.’ Minseok observed, grinning.

They were seated in the small garden adorning the hotel that they were staying in. Strangely, they didn’t feel like drinking but opted for a quiet evening instead. Baekhyun amused everyone with the photos he had taken during their trip. Barely 7 days passed since he had been almost run over by Park Chanyeol and now this man had become his first real love. Only 6 days since he met the rest of this crazy bunch and it was breaking his heart, thinking that he would probably never see them again. Under other circumstances, he would say that if fate allowed, they would meet in the future. But fate was never on his side. All that would be left were these photographs, to remind him that it was not just a dream.

‘I have really enjoyed myself during this trip. Thank you for taking me along.’

‘Our pleasure, dear.’ Luhan smiled, still occupied with the pictures that he was now transferring onto his own computer.

‘Hey, it’s not over yet. There is still a whole day tomorrow, during which we will sure drive each other crazy. The way back is always the worst.’ Minseok laughed. Baekhyun smiled sadly. Nobody replied.

‘We should probably go to sleep earlier tonight. We have a long day ahead of us.’ One of them suggested after a while of silence and only then did they realise that they were indeed getting tired.

‘Minseok-hyung, Luhan-hyung.’ Baekhyun stopped them at the entrance. Both turned around.

‘I am really thankful for everything. I can’t even express it in words.’ He dropped his gaze to the floor to prevent the tears from escaping. He had never received so much selfless kindness from anyone.

‘But what are you say-‘

‘Please, let me. You let a stranger into your house, took him along for the trip and offered your friendship without expecting anything in return. You have no idea how rare it is nowadays. Luhan-hyung, thank you for letting me use your clothes. Minseok-hyung, I have really learnt a lot from you. I hope you will continue to take care of each other because what you have is worth fighting for.’

‘It sounds like a goodbye.’ Luhan said quietly.

‘I just… wanted to say it out loud now, because there may not be time later.’ He hesitated, before adding. ‘And please take care of Chanyeol as well. He seems cool-headed but I think he relies a lot on the three of you. He has became somebody special for me.’

‘We know, Baekhyun-ah. And we will.’

He enveloped both of them in a fierce hug and they finally said their good nights. He also stopped by Yifan’s room.

‘I was waiting for you. I’m glad you didn’t run away without saying good bye.’ The older admitted. There was no need to pretend that Baekhyun didn’t know what the other was talking about They just hugged for a minute, with Yifan ruffling the other’s hair.

‘Please take care of yourself and keep an eye on Chanyeol for me. He deserves so much better than this.’ Baekhyun said somewhat bitterly, thinking about his situation and how he would have to abandon the man.

‘I’m pretty sure that he cannot do any better.’ Yifan reassured. For the first time in his life, he didn’t have a snarky comment to go with it. ‘You take care of yourself, kid. When it’s hard, remember there is a hyung that always believes in you and will never hesitate to kick your if you do wrong.’ They  chuckled breathlessly. ‘You have my email. Write to me if… when you can.’

Baekhyun dragged his feet to the room that he shared with Chanyeol. There was only one thing left to do.

‘Ah, you’re back. Where did you go?’ Chanyeol had already managed to change into something more comfortable to sleep in. Baekhyun didn’t respond but just approached him. His heart was beating so fast. Chanyeol, somewhat surprised, faced him, frowning.

‘I love you, Park Chanyeol. I am in love with you.’

‘Baekhyun-ah…’ The taller man’s eyes widened, completely taken aback.

‘We met barely seven days ago and I know it must sound crazy. It is crazy. But you know what? The fact that I ended up here is also crazy, and so is life. Life always surprises you when you least expect it. You can live all your life, not really knowing what love is. And then, you can also fall in love with a stranger within days. It’s been such a short time but I have never been more sure of anything. I love you.’ Baekhyun was now blabbering desperately. ‘I just need to tell you, before all of this finishes, before it passes like a dream, I need you to know that there is a person who loves you and will always be thinking about you-‘

Chanyeol silenced him with a kiss. Baekhyun didn’t need any other confirmation of his love being requited. They parted after a minute of two, out of breath, forehead against forehead.

‘Please, make love to me tonight. I want to remember this, I want to be with you tonight.’

‘This sounds like-‘

‘Chanyeol, just… please. Please. Let me feel that you love me too.’ Baekhyun whispered. Chanyeol, still slightly confused, gathered the younger closer in his arms.

‘I do.’ And they kissed again.

Baekhyun didn’t sleep after what happened between the two of them, how could he? When exhaustion came over Chanyeol, Baekhyun was still awake, drinking in the sight of his now lover. He got out of bed and wrote the letter he had meant to write for days. He hated lying but he couldn’t say anything while there were together. He felt that he owed Chanyeol at least that cowardly explanation.

He spent the rest of the night simply looking at the one he had to leave behind. If at all, now it would be a good time to cry but he didn’t want to. He couldn’t. At 5 in the morning he again left the bed and got dressed in one of Chanyeol’s shirts that he intended to keep. He left Luhan’s clothes on a chair in a neat pile. He considered leaving his Korean money for the laundry, but dismissed it. Luhan could take it the wrong way and Baekhyun didn’t want to insult the new-found friendship.

He left the letter on the pillow next to the sleeping Chanyeol and kissed him one last time. He took his messenger bag and quietly closed the door behind him. When he left the motel, Yixing was already standing next to an expensive looking car adorned with small Korean flags. He must have requested it from the embassy, along with the driver and two other bodyguards that Baekhyun didn’t recognise. All bowed respectfully.

‘I’m sorry but I must request that you give up your cell phone, Your Highness.’ Baekhyun just nodded. He was prepared for that. He had memorised all the numbers and emails, repeating them like a mantra, erasing any evidence of his friends. He didn’t want his parents to know. It would only get the young Koreans in trouble.

He handed it over and looked at the car.

‘Baekhyun?’ Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he quickly turned around at the voice that he least expected to hear. Chanyeol was standing there, a frown marring his features and Baekhyun’s unopened letter in his hand. ‘What is going on?’ He looked at the car.

‘Chanyeol, I…’ The younger quickly approached the newcomer. Yixing moved behind him.

‘Your Highness, we will be late for your flight.’

‘Your Highness? Baekhyun, what is going on?’ Chanyeol was now getting angry at being the only one left out. He had awoken to the sound of the door closing and realised that Baekhyun wasn’t there.

‘I am so sorry. I never meant for this to happen.’ This is not how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to go away and not look back. Not have the image of Chanyeol, utterly confused and feeling betrayed. A single tear fell.

‘This? What do you mean? What is this letter?’ He stretched out his hand, but Baekhyun put the letter back in Chanyeol’s hand, placing both over Chanyeol’s heart.

‘I don’t have the time to explain now. Please, give me the benefit of the doubt and at least read it. And please know that everything I said last night was true. I meant every word and I will forever remember you. I am so glad that we met, I couldn’t have asked for more.’

‘What are you saying? And where are you going..?’ Chanyeol regarded the flagged car again, his suspicions arising. ‘Are you.. the crown prince? Don’t tell me that you are that Prince Baekhyun.’

‘I am really sorry. I am so sorry.’ He didn’t dare do anything more, but kiss the back of Chanyeol’s hand, which was still holding the letter. ‘Please, read it. I beg you.’

Then he turned around and without another glance, entered the car. As he was driving away, he couldn’t help but look back one more time. Chanyeol was still standing there, shouting something at the car. At the desperate look in the other’s eyes, Baekhyun lowered his own.

Adjusting his seat belt, for the first time in his life, the Crown Prince Baekhyun of South Korea shed hot tears of longing and agony.