He just prayed that his prince charming would come soon as he didn’t believe that he could make it out of this hell hole alive.

 The usually quiet halls of SM High were now abuzz with the latest rumors and stories that were concocted from yesterday’s events. Long gone was the dullness that shrouded the prestigious institution as the students were subjected to the dreary routine of everyday academic life. Now there was a frantic fanfare that flared within the halls as the flames of intrigue and controversy were fanned; fussing friends filled each other in on their own conspiracies and theories regarding a pink princess, a frigid prince, and a devious wolf.

 Like a fairytale, each of them regaled one another with tales of woe and heroism as facts morphed into fiction with each story passed on between student to student. Little embellishments were added on every time the story was recounted as idle curiosities weren’t so easily satisfied with simple explanations and humble truths. All of this for the benefit of the young bard who provided the most “believable” version of the tale as people only subscribed to novellas that were fantastical and fictitious in nature. People wanted to hear a scandal and the person who could provide the most unbelievable and farfetched one was awarded popularity.

 It was high school, what could they do.

 “Did you hear?! Apparently our sweet, innocent Angel had been cheating on the ice king with the Kim Kai!” One young sophomore said to her classmates as she took out her books from her locker.

 “I heard that Kai and Sehun got into a fight in front of Lu Han because they both are into the guy; which caused little miss pink to faint from all the drama.” A freshman told with a snicker to his friend as they made their way down the hall towards their homeroom.

 “You know, I have it on good authority that the reason Lu Han dyed his hair pink was because Kai told him he liked the color! Then Sehun went ballistic after finding out so that’s why the two aren’t talking.” A senior discussed around a group of her hoobaes who were enraptured with her every word.

 It was a circus act, really, with every one trying to be the ring master to their own show. All of them wanted to be the first to know; all of them wanted to get involved as this has been the most fun they have had since the beginning of the year. Even though they weren’t the subjects of the story, they wanted to be the starlet of their own little world.

 The cacophony of voices stilled when they noticed the arrival of one of the leads who made his entrance. Like in a theater, the audience hushed as all eyes followed the lone figure that made his way towards the center stage. With his own spotlight, the actor began to make his way through the crowd as the sea of people parted to make way for the protagonist of their story; knowing their roles as observers to the play that was just about to begin.

 The pink hair bobbed slightly with every step its owner made; a glaring sign that the events that transpired yesterday was far from the dream people made it out to be. With a downward cast and clenched fists, the young thespian tried to ignore the blazing stares and curious looks that were tracking his every move. No one dared interfere with the princess as they were too afraid to delve into the fiction that now surrounded their schoolmate; they could only look on with poorly veiled hunger and anticipation as they eagerly awaited the continuation of their little high school saga.

 Luckily though, they didn’t have to wait that long.

 As Lu Han made the final bend towards his locker, he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw a familiar sight that stilled his heart and ceased his breathing. Beyond the knowing looks and curious glances of the bystanders and onlookers that populated the hall, Lu Han’s whole world narrowed down to a pair of piercing black eyes which made his knees weak and palms sweat. He wasn’t prepared for this meeting so soon, as he has yet to come to a decision to his current dilemma.

 He was stuck; standing in the middle of the hall like an ice statue, not knowing whether to move forward or run away. He knew he was attracting more unwanted attention than what he already had to deal with in his immobile state but he was so completely disarmed by this impromptu confrontation that the only thing he could do was gape at the gorgeous ice prince that was leaning gloriously next to his locker.

 He was spellbound for a second time as the seconds seemed to still and the only two people in the universe were just the two of them. He no longer cared for the stares and the hushed whispers; he no longer cared for the problems that may be; the only thing he cared for at this exact moment was the person staring back at him.

 The person that was now staring at him with a quirk to his brow and a shy smile on his face.

 It was only when Sehun mouthed what on earth was he doing did the mesmerized deer find his bearings and realize that he was still in a crowded hallway. As a slight pink dusted his cherub cheeks, Lu Han once again casted his eyes downward; knowing that he couldn’t hope to win against the intense feelings that coursed through his veins every time his and Sehun’s eyes meet. Just his presence alone made Lu Han’s heart race a mile a minute.

 Definitely screwed.

 Not yet prepared for their meeting, Lu Han attempted to stall for time as he opened his locker to retrieve his things; not wanting a repeat incident with the notorious Mrs. Kim. Fortunately for him, Sehun was on his right so he could easily block the godly visage of the freshman with the door of his locker. Everything was going fine until the usually stoic dancer finally managed to pipe up from his spot next to Lu Han.

 “Umm… S-so are you going just gonna ignoring me or…”

 Again, Lu Han was beyond prepared for this so when he heard his precious ice prince’s voice made his heart jolt in his chest. He ended up dropping his books which prompted both him and Sehun to crouch down and reach for them. Lu Han was fidgeting as he grabbed every book that Sehun missed and nearly got a heart attack when both of them reached for his Calculus book at the same time.

 When he felt his hand bump into the soft, warm, and nimble fingers of the younger, he felt an electric current run through his vein and straight to his heart. He immediately snapped back up as if he was scalded by boiling water and held his books tight to his chest as he feared his speeding heart could be heard by the unsuspecting freshman. Sehun managed to pick up the last book before standing up as well, handing them over to Lu Han with an apologetic look and a sheepish smile.

 “I-I’m sorry… I d-din’t mean to startle you… It’s j-just that…”

 Lu Han looked on with fondness as he saw Sehun struggling to communicate what he needed to say with the elder. He had the pleasure of seeing this uncertain Sehun yesterday so the novelty and the shock had worn off on him. He could now only regard him with poorly veiled affection and interest as the younger reminded him of his own struggles. His heart did another summersault in his chest when he saw Sehun glance over to the side with a faint blush on his cheeks as he twiddled with his fingers in obvious nervousness.

 Not wanting to be kept in suspense, Lu Han pooled all his courage to finally speak with the freshman and try to calm the nerves that must be eating him away.

 “Y-yes Sehunnie? W-what is it?”

 The fortunate princess nearly burst out in laughter when he noticed the wide-eyed look of shock that flashed on Sehun’s face before being replaced with a furious blush that painted his whole face red. He must not have been prepared for the pet name Lu Han used on him. Thankfully, Lu Han caught himself at the last minute, turning his boisterous guffaw into a shy giggle which only fueled the fire that must have been burning behind the younger’s cheeks.

 It was then that Lu Han was able to look at Sehun, as in really look at him for the first time and see the person behind the prince. Beyond the ice prince persona, beyond the usually cool swagger, beyond the air of complete indifference, Lu Han saw a side of Sehun that he was extremely familiar with. He saw how young Sehun really is at that moment and how similar they both can be. Right now Lu Han saw Sehun as if he was looking at a mirror; uncertain and unsure about what he is doing and quite shy when speaking with people he is not comfortable with yet.

 At that moment Lu Han’s heart went out to the freshman, wanting to assure him that it will be alright and that there is nothing to be afraid off. He knew how nerve wracking it could be when talking to people he doesn’t know; afraid if they’ll either like him or make fun of him. Most of the time the fear gets so bad that it just clogs his throat and turns him mute at the most embarrassing moments.

 Before he met Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, Lu Han decided to just keep his mouth shut seeing as he really couldn’t deal with other people; it was better to just keep quiet rather than embarrass himself for even trying. But when he made friends with the two, he found out that even though most of the time he would make a fool of himself, not trying was even worse. If he continued to keep his mouth shut and not talk with people, he would have never found great friends like Kyungsoo and Baekhyun.

 Lu Han realized that may be it was the same for Sehun; that his cold and stoic persona isn’t because he truly didn’t care for other people but because he was afraid, afraid of embarrassment, afraid of judgment, afraid of a world that was unforgiving and cruel. Although it was a bit different, Lu Han could see the same symptoms he had when they first moved here; the apprehension, the worry, and the complete uncertainty. He would have been blind if didn’t see the signs.

 With that thought, Lu Han silently vowed to be there for the freshman seeing as he had to go through a similar thing when he was younger. He had the support of his friends before that’s why he had manage to get through it but who did Sehun have, Lu Han wondered. Jongin? But Jongin had the tendency to be difficult and Lu Han wasn’t too sure of the status of their friendship as of this moment.

 It was then that Lu Han decided to put his feelings aside and be brave for the both of them since Sehun definitely needed a friend. So with an encouraging smile, Lu Han held unto Sehun’s trembling fingers as he made the younger look into his warm, assuring eyes.

 “What is it, Sehun?”

 The younger was completely shocked; if his wide blinking eyes and agape mouth was of any indication. Lu Han waited patiently for a response knowing how overwhelming it could be to find someone so warm and inviting. He only had to wait for a few seconds before he felt Sehun grasping his hand in return and regard him with a look of complete seriousness.

 “Uh-well hyung… Umm… I just wanted to-uhh… c-confirm that you received by t-text last night, and i-if… Uh… If… Ummm… You know… I-if you s-saved my n-number and… ummm… Stuff…”

 Lu Han would be lying if he didn’t admit that his heart was going haywire in his chest with their little skinship and with the adorably blush that was now dusting Sehun’s sheepish face. But Sehun didn’t need spazz-freak fan boy Lu Han right now; no, what he needed is his kind, gentle, self-assured hyung that could dispel all his nervousness and worries away. So with his famous angel smile that turned his eyes into little cresents, Lu Han fished out his phone with his other hand and showed the freshman the same text he sent.

 “Yup! Sure did!”

 At first Sehun perked up at seeing his text message still saved on his hyung’s phone, but after careful inspection at the name, he suddenly deflated in front of the witless deer.

 “Y-yeah… V-very funny with the name and all…”

 Not realizing his error, Lu Han was perplexed to see Sehun’s unexpected crestfallen expression. Although Sehun’s childish pout and furrowed brows was a sight that made Lu Han want to jump up and down in total glee, he was concerned with the younger’s abrupt change in behavior. That was until he checked his phone and saw the name he registered into his contacts.

 Yanking his hand from Sehun’s tight hold, Lu Han frantically tried to correct his mistake as he finally understood that he might have had offended the freshman by his innocent mistake. Unfortunately, his brain decided to stop functioning at this particular time as he could only punch in random buttons on his phone while he desperately tried to make the necessary changes.

 “OH MY GOSH! I’m so sorry! I didn’t-I didn’t mean anything by that really! I just thought it would fit you, you know! Not that I think that you’re a frigid “ice prince” or anything! It’s just that I’ve always thought you were like prince charming or something and people were calling you ice prince so it kinda stuck! I mean, ice prince sounds a lot better than prince charming don’t you think and it kinda sounds hot and ironic you know and-WHY DOES THIS ING PHONE NOT WORK?! SERIOUSLY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PIECE OF CRAP TECH-“

 “Wait! You think I’m prince charming?”

 Lu Han suddenly stopped screeching at his phone screen and looked up to see a wide eyed Sehun who regarded him with complete surprise. It finally dawned on him that he may have said things that he shouldn’t have said as his brain continued to irk him by taking the day off.

 “I-it’s not what you think! It’s just that I’ve read so many fairytales and you kinda reminded of a dashing prince coming in to save the pretty damsel! And-not because I have a crush on you or anything like that and-not saying that you’re not crush worthy at all! I mean you’re good looking, and hot, and so ing adorable so I wouldn’t I have a crush on you?! And-! J-just forget-just forget the last couple of minutes ever happened, okay?”

 The exasperated deer simply hung his head low as he couldn’t live with the embarrassment that he inevitably caused. He could feel the warm tingling in his cheeks and at the top of his ears which could only mean his whole face was now glowing a bright, noticeable red. Lu Han hoped that a gigantic meteor would strike him at this exact moment and end the self-inflicted agony he was in.

 While Lu Han was dealing with his own self-pity, Sehun rushed to retrieve his own phone from his pocket and show the lamenting deer his own embarrassing secret.

  “Well that’s a pity since our contacts would match if that was the case.”

 Hearing this, Lu Han decided to peer at the curious freshman only to be met with a phone screen that showed him something that made his breath stall in his throat. Right there, in Sehun’s contacts was his number, and above that he saw what could only be a figment of his overactive imagination.

 My Pink Princess.

 Lu Han was beyond happy; he was absolutely, outright manic when he saw that Sehun regarded him as his princess. He tried not to focus on the “My” part since he would surely collapse into a puddle of rainbows if he was allowed to process the full weight of the information. He tried to contain his bubbling mirth as best as he could since he didn’t want to further embarrass himself in front of his crush but he couldn’t stop the -eating grin that broke across his face.

 “So you like me, is that it?”

 The unassuming deer was totally unprepared for the question as he suddenly felt the floor come away beneath him. He wasn’t ready to answer that particular question from the younger yet; which is completely ironic since that’s the only thing he has kept saying to his friends for the past couple of months. As such, with a look of complete indignation only achieved when talking to one’s junior, Lu Han could only do the one thing he would expectedly do when caught in this situation.

 Deny.

 Deny despite the tell-tale blush and obvious stuttering that would indicate Lu Han’s deceit.

 “Y-yah! I d-didn’t-I didn’t say anything about liking you! D-don’t be s-so full of yourself!”

 “Again, another pity since I like you very, very, very much my wonderful pink princess.”

 Lu Han stopped breathing, Lu Han stopped thinking, Lu Han stopped believing that he was even awake because god damn it! In the real world, beautiful ice prince’s don’t just confess that they like you;in the real world, -ish douchebags don’t just suddenly turn into full-fledged knights sweeping pretty damsel’s off their feet; and in the real world, poor timid princesses don’t get earth-shattering, life-and-death decisions where they would have to choose between two of the most amazing guys. This isn’t the ing real world! This isn’t even the fairytale Lu Han thought that it would be!

 This was a ing Korean soap opera in the making!

 Maybe Lu Han died and gone up to some twisted version of heaven. Maybe the hair dye finally seeped into his brain and made him hallucinate everything that happened within the past two days. Maybe he was comatose somewhere and this is just some bizarre dream scape that his love-struck mind conjured up to pass the time. Whatever it was, Lu Han refused to believe that any of this was real to begin with.

 He didn’t care if he looked like some bumbling idiot with bulging eyes and a flapping mouth while Sehun looked at him with a look of mixed amusement and concern. He didn’t care whether or not several bystanders overheard their little exchange and were now off to tell their friends about today’s latest revelations. He didn’t care if suddenly the world stopped spinning and ground just suddenly crumbled under his feet because right now he wasn’t in the real world. Right now he was in Lu Han La La world where everything didn’t make sense and all that he knew had been complete turned upside down.

 He didn’t even react when the school bell rang for the first time indicating that everyone had only five minutes to make their way towards their respective classes.

 “Oh shoot, well I guess that’s all the time we have for now. Remember your promise, hyung! I expect to see you later at lunch since I want to get to know my pretty princess better.”

 Sehun gave Lu Han a wolfish grin before gaining the courage to swoop down and give the petrified deer a quick peck on the lips. And like Sleeping Beauty receiving the kiss of life, Lu Han suddenly awoke from whatever spell he was cast under as he felt soft, full lips smacking his own.

 “I assure you, my dear adorable Lulu, there’s more where that came from.” Sehun said with a sly wink as he bounded off towards his own class as he left a gaping Lu Han in his wake.

 As the poor deer’s mind finally caught up with the shocking events that transpired this morning; he felt both unprecedented joy and unbounded fury. He felt pure bliss in not only knowing that Sehun liked him, but also liked him enough to award Lu Han with his first ever kiss. It was beyond Lu Han’s wildest day dreams and it made him want to drop on the floor and have a seizure-like spazz-fit that would surely throw the Richter scale off its rocker

 But he was also pissed; pissed at having felt like he got cheated somehow because here he was willing to give his heart to someone he thought was in the same boat as him when suddenly that same prick decided to do a complete one-eighty on him and become this arrogant douchebag who goes out and steal poor innocent princesses’ first kiss. It was barbaric! Where was the adorable, uncertain, little freshman that stuttered when he talked to his elder?! And where the hell did this freaking imp of a man come from?!

 The helpless deer wasn’t sure if he liked this new side to Sehun. He had been so hung up on this image of a pure, innocent ice prince that Sehun’s recent cheeky display managed to throw all of that out of whack. Although if Lu Han was being honest with himself, he had to admit that this devilish side to Sehun had turned him on; how Sehun kept implying the fact that he was his sent a sweet shiver down Lu Han’s spine. Regardless though, in light of recent events, Lu Han had to reflect on his current feelings for Sehun since apparently there were more sides to the freshman, like Jongin.

 Lu Han suddenly remembered his jie-jie’s advise the night before when she said that how could he really decide between two guys when he hardly knew them at all. Well he hardly knows any of them now, that’s for sure! He thought that Jongin was this smart-aleck who cared only for his good looks and hot bod but then he showed Lu Han yesterday how much of a kind, caring, and genuine man he can truly be! He thought the Sehun was this debonair, dashing, and all around good guy who was misunderstood for being shy all the time but now he finds out that Sehun could also be this tactless brat who thought he could get away with ually assaulting his elder (not that Lu Han was complaining)!

 Honestly, what is the world coming to?!

 As Lu Han slammed his locker with more force than necessary, he decided to take his sister’s advice as he needs to get to know both of them in order to make the right decision.

 As for now he had to watch out for Sehun since the little imp already staked a claim on Lu Han and expressed his feelings for the elder. He has to keep the ice prince at a distance while he tries to uncover more layers behind the intriguing freshman since he doesn’t want to hurt Sehun if he decides otherwise.

 Jongin on the other hand is a different problem entirely; not only does he need to keep his feelings for the dancer on the down low for now but he also needs to discern the other’s feelings for him as well. It doesn’t help that Jongin is a close friend of Kyungsoo, knowing that the wide-eyed brunette would not take the fact that his crushing on the devilish man too lightly.

 Speaking of which, he also needs to talk with Kyungsoo and Baekhyun as soon as possible with his little plan, realizing that he won’t be able to pull this off without their help. He just needs to find a work around when it comes to his little dilemma with Jongin since he knows his friends will explode if they find out Jongin is his alternative.

 Right now he needs time to formulate his plan since he can’t approach the two without anything to present. Most likely, Lu Han decided, that he will speak with his two best friends regarding the matter during lunch since that will give him the excuse not to speak with both Jongin and Sehun during his free time. Hopefully his friends will be on board with his latest adventure as he really does need their help.

 With a heavy sigh, Lu Han made his way towards his homeroom class; once again dreading the day ahead. Lu Han’s work was cut out for him as he needed to find a solution fast since his little dilemma has grown exponentially in the span of a few minutes (and classes haven’t even started yet). It seems like his problems have been piling up ever since he decided to dye his stupid hair pink. Like a double edged talisman, his pink hair has brought him both exceedingly good and bad karma within two days alone. He honestly doesn’t know what to think of that anymore since his recent change gave him all that he has ever asked for and more.

 Me and my stupid wishes!

 Lu Han thought as he neared his homeroom class. If he ever makes out of this one alive, he vows to never make stupid wishes and just be content with what he has now because this is just too much stress for a seventeen year old to handle. Despite that though, he couldn’t help but vainly pray that this day would just go by quickly; knowing full well that it was just about to start.

 Fortunately for Lu Han, the rest of his morning had been pretty uneventful so far. When he arrived at Mrs. Kim homeroom, he was surprised at the unnaturally motherly treatment he received from the usually mean old bat. He was totally expecting her to start shouting at him again for not going to the principal’s office like she asked after his previous homeroom debacle but shockingly enough she went out of her way to make sure Lu Han was comfortable enough in her class; even going as far as making sure that Lu Han had a window sit just in case the young deer felt stuffy or crowded and needed some air.

 He was totally confused by the special treatment he was getting especially since no one messed with Mrs. Kim designated sitting arrangement as it would mean certain death. But here she was, his very own version of an evil queen, bending over backwards just to appease the delicate princess and his fragile sensibilities. He could only chalk this up to the fact that Mrs. Kim was probably trying to avoid a law suit since she had indirectly caused Lu Han’s “incident” in the hall.

 Funny how suddenly everything was working out for him now.

 Another thing that was currently working out for him was the fact that his two best friends had been suspiciously quite all throughout his first two classes. He could understand homeroom since they got separated since he was moved but during their second period? It was home-economics and they were grouped together for crying out loud! How could they not talk to him? Besides the unavoidable passing of ingredients and questions regarding whether or not he was doing the right thing, Lu Han pretty much hadn’t heard a peep from his usually noisy best friends; not even their signature bickering could be overheard.

 He was especially shocked when he noticed Baekhyun adding way too much flour into the dry ingredients of their cupcakes by accident. The frightened deer expected the emergence of Satansoo due to the puppy’s little mistake but Kyungsoo merely shrugged it off and scooped out the excess flour without so much as a scolding. Again Lu Han had to pinch himself just to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming and that this was really happening; since never in his dizziest day dreams did he ever believe that there would come a day when the two would finally get along and manage to maintain the impromptu peace surrounding their little group.

 Yup, and just like that everything was going perfectly well for the little deer.

 Maybe too well…

 Considering the bizarre morning he has had, Lu Han was on a constant look out for the other shoes to drop; expecting some kind of apocalyptic event to wipe out the enjoyable tranquility that has currently nestled itself in his little world. In fact, Lu Han was becoming a bit paranoid as he kept anticipating that something or someone would come along and mess everything up for him because this was not how life worked; Lu Han does not get to enjoy what appears to be a perfect day without paying a certain price.

 During third period their class got to enjoy some down time in the library which pretty much meant that they could do whatever the hell they want just as long as they keep it down. Apparently the teachers were having a staff meeting or something so their English teacher decided to turn it into a “research” day. While everyone was off into their own little discussions and chats, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, and Lu Han decided to stay in a quiet corner of the library secluded by high shelves that housed Heisenberg to Hemmingway.

 Since this was mostly an arts school, SM High did not have the best library there was. Their budget was mostly focused on their arts facilities and student amenities which meant that their repository of scientific and cultural knowledge was a bit lacking. Although the furniture was opulent and accommodating - nice high wooden chairs upholstered with velvety soft felt cushions surrounding highly ornate wooden tables with fancy desk lamps adorning each at every interval - their collection could use some serious work.

 Mostly opting to have a more accessible digital library than updating their papered one, SM High’s library only consisted of standard textbooks, classical pieces, and some post-modern new-age teen novels that had no business being in a library to begin with. Kyungsoo had raised his concern multiple times to the administration regarding the obvious absence of substance within their collection but every time he was met with stalwart opposition from the higher ups; stating that since this is an art school, funding would be focused on their art programs and not on some useless book when they could very well have a digital copy for cheaper. One of the admins even went as far as saying that if he liked reading so much then he should have attended a damn science school or something.

 Kyungsoo was incensed by such a statement so he took it upon himself to rectify the situation; infusing the shabby old library with books from his own collection back at home which, if Kyungsoo was perfectly honest, is light years away from this halfway house for the barely literate. That is why the wide-eyed boy managed to get in goods with the old lady who served as their librarian since they both shared a love for reading. That is also why he was awarded with such privileges as having his own little corner in the library hidden away from all the fuss of normal student activity.

 And that’s where they were located at the moment; chilling on some exceedingly comfortable bean bag chairs which Kyungsoo brought himself to his little paradise as they were snuggly tucked away from everyone else in their little oasis guarded by rows and rows of books. Only the three of them knew the location of their secret hangout since this place is extremely special to Kyungsoo. He could spend hours without end in this place, reading one book after another without anyone ever bothering him.

 Both Lu Han and Baekhyun knew how sacred this place is for Kyungsoo. They wouldn’t dare break the brunette’s trust since not only would they incur the wrath of Satansoo but they also know that by doing so would deeply wound their friend. This place, their place, is a holy place, a safe place, a place where one could talk about their fears and secrets to the two people that really mattered.

 And it is in such a place that Lu Han thought that he finally had enough; he needed to come clean once and for all to the two most important people in his life lest he go mad waiting for the inevitable guillotine to finally drop. He decided to face the music now rather than later in a space that he knows is safe.

 “Guys, I need to tell you something.” Lu Han said with so much conviction that he shocked even himself. He didn’t know where his sudden surge of courage was coming from; maybe it was from the shared space that housed some of their best memories together, Lu Han thought but couldn’t be too sure.

 Not sitting up from his current perch in the chair that was swallowing him whole, Lu Han peered over towards his left to see if his friends had heard him. The deer could see Kyungsoo casually reclining on his chair as he engrossed himself in a novel Lu Han wasn’t all that familiar with. Baekhyun on the other hand had snuggled deeper into the chair, perfectly oblivious to the world around him as he welcomed the cushy embrace of the bean bag around him.

 Lu Han was about to speak up again, seeing as he didn’t manage to get their attention at all, when Kyungsoo’s side eye glance cut him off.

 “Go ahead, we’re listening.”

 Unsure whether to proceed or not since Kyungsoo went back to his book while Baekhyun looked like he was on the verge of a catnap, Lu Han thought to hell with it and decided to get what has been bugging him off his chest.

 “Well I have a problem you see. Sehun confessed to me a while ago and-“

 Lu Han suddenly got cut off again when he heard the harsh slamming of a book. Looking back up at his friends, he saw Kyungsoo carefully putting down the novella he was reading next to him on the floor while Baekhyun snapped his eyes open and slowly rose from his position with a form of cat-like grace. Both pairs of eyes regarded the suddenly curious deer with such rehearsed precision that Lu Han couldn’t help feel that they somehow prepared for this exact moment. Stunned by their obviously scripted behavior, Lu Han didn’t notice the expectant yet cautious glint in his friends’ eyes.

 “And…” Kyungsoo supplied, physically backing away as Lu Han noted how the brunette was slowly folding unto himself as if afraid that the princess would suddenly explode from his own revelation.

 “And I think I might also be in love with someone else.”

 The silence that followed was nerve wracking for the Chinese deer as he met the stoic faces of his friends. He was expecting it; the yelling, the harsh reprimanding, the judgments that would surely follow. What he didn’t expect though was the laughter; the obscenely loud laughter that came from both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. He kind of was expecting such a reaction from Baekhyun but Kyungsoo?! Do Kyungsoo?! The man whose idea of a joke involved two subatomic particles walking into a bar?!

 He didn’t know how to react given the obvious mirth that was now rocking his friends’ bodies violently. He could only watch with slight concern and astonishment as he waited for them to finish with their giggle fits. It was Kyungsoo who regained composure first and regarded Lu Han with both mild amusement and overwhelming affection.

 “Oh my gosh, Lu Han! That’s so funny; I wasn’t expecting you to come up with something that hilarious! But seriously though, let us have it. I’m sure you’re dying to tell us how it all went with your perfect prince charming.”

 “Yeah, Lulu! If you’re worried about scaring us off with the names of your future grandchildren, don’t be. I already have mine with Kris so it’s not something new. By the way, I got dibs on best man at your wedding!”

 Okay, this was definitely not what Lu Han was expecting when he decided to finally tell his best friends about his current problem.

 “W-what?!”

 “Oh don’t play dumb with us, Hannie~ we already know about your little early morning rendezvous with Sehun.” Baekhyun said with a sly wink as he gave Kyungsoo a knowing look.

 “That’s right Lu Han! The boy even talked to us about his err… courtship with you, saying that we’ll see more of him in the near future.”

 Lu Han wanted to curse the little brat to hell and back but knew he couldn’t because damn! He works fast, and the shy deer was slightly endeared by Sehun’s obvious respect to his friends; going as far as actually talking to them about courting him. But before that he needed to sort out his feelings for the boy and Jongin, and for that he needed the help of his two friends who, unfortunately, now did not believe in a single word he said.

 “Umm… Guys, I’m serious… I think I might be in love with two guys.”

 Baekhyun once again cracked up at Lu Han’s insistence while Kyungsoo merely gave a slightly amused chuckle before looking over at Lu Han with a serious expression.

 “Lu Han, it was only funny the first time round… Don’t tell me Sehun’s confession finally messed with your brain and now you’re starting to believe those nasty rumors?”

 It was Baekhyun’s turn to suddenly go serious as he remembered those horrible rumors that have been circulating around the school campus ever since yesterday.

 “If it’s bothering you, Lulu, we could always make it so that no one would ever talk about you, ever again. Why, with my Byun powers and Satansoo on your side, no one would dare speak a bad thing about you for as long as you’re in this school!”

 “That’s hardly any of my concern right now! Guys~~ I’m not joking when I said that I think I might like Sehun and… s-some other guy.”

Lu Han mentally patted himself on the back as he almost let Jongin’s name slip. While, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo on the other hand noted the deathly serious expression etched on their friend’s face and finally understood the gravity of his words. With eyes bulging and mouths agape, both of them couldn’t believe what they were hearing from their usually conservative friend. It’s not that they thought that loving two people at the same time was wrong or anything like that but to have it come from their meek and timid princess was definitely something new.

 “Well, I’ll be damned; it seems like our little Jigglypuff is finally evolving. Not only is he taking his crush-slash-obsession’s confession so lightly but apparently he has two crushes-slash-obsessions. I don’t know whether to be proud or refer you to a therapist.”

 It was Baekhyun who first recovered as he slowly gave a round of applause to his usually mousy friend. Kyungsoo on the other hand was still processing the information over in his head until, with a gasp; he finally managed to put two and two together.

  “W-wait! So does that mean t-that the other guy – the one everyone is talking about is… JONGIN!”

 “HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS?! YOU’VE GOT THE HOTS FOR THE KIM KAI?! ARE YOU ING NUTS?!”

 Lu Han had to clamp his hands over both his friends’ mouths as they were on the verge of hysterics; the frustrated deer knew that the librarian loves Kyungsoo but he doubted that she would condone yelling in her library from anyone.

 “N-no… I-it’s not J-jongin; i-it’s someone else!”

 Kyungsoo suddenly yanked Lu Han’s hand off of his mouth in a deadly vice grip; reminding the scared deer that he is up against the strongest man in school. With a tomblike stare, Kyungsoo regarded Lu Han with so much scrutiny as he could smell the deceit wafting over from the helpless princess.

 “Don’t you dare lie to me, Lu Han! I can very well tell when you’re lying to me or not! Now tell me, are you in love with that devil, Kim Jongin?!”

 Lu Han tried to avert his gaze away from the intimidating Satansoo but his overwhelming scrutiny and iron like grip was slowly eating away at his defenses. He didn’t know how much he had until he… Finally... Broke...

 “ALRIGHT! OKAY! IT’S JONGIN! IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN JONGIN!”

 With his admission, Lu Han felt his hand being released from the strangle hold of Satansoo. Trying to regain the feeling in his left extremity, Lu Han failed to notice that progressively shocked and concerned expression slowly marring both his friends’ faces.

 “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS! HOW?! WHEN?!”

 Kyungsoo demanded as he violently shook the deer by the shoulders. His eyes bulged with a frenzied anticipation that greatly unnerved Lu Han since this is so uncharacteristically Kyungsoo.

 “J-just yesterday! For the love of God Kyungsoo, get a grip! You’re in a ing library!”

 “I DON’T ING CARE IF WE’RE IN THE FREAKING ST. PETER’S BASILICA! HOW THE DID THIS HAPPEN?”

 Kyungsoo swearing was never a good sign, so with a force Lu Han didn’t know he was capable of, he pried Kyungsoo’s hands off of him and tried to calm the latter with a steely gaze and reassuring hands on the brunette’s shoulders.

 “Calm the down, Soo! It’s not like I planned for this to happen for God’s sake! It just did! Now would you just relax, we don’t want to get kicked out of the library and lose our special place, now don’t we?”

 The wide-eyed boy sudden realized how unbecoming his behavior had been considering that he had proclaimed himself as the most sensible one in the group. So with a deep calming breath, he tried to calm the tumultuous thoughts that threatened to take over his sanity and organized his questions so that he may get the answers he has been looking for.

 “Alright, sugar pop. Start from the beginning and don’t you dare skimp on the details!”

 Lu Han really didn’t want to explain how his feelings with Jongin began since he didn’t want to dwell too much on the subject. However, the death glare Kyungsoo was giving him told him that the brunette was not taking no for an answer. He looked over at Baekhyun to see if he could get some back up but he saw the surprised yet expectant eyes of the puppy and knew he was in this one alone. Casting his eyes down on the floor, he recounted his tale of Jongin’s heroism starting with the chance meeting that led to this mess.

 “Well, it all started when Jongin brought me to the nurse’s office yesterday morning. You see, I didn’t really actually faint that time. Some… thing bad happened around that time and Jongin just happened to be there when I was a totally wreck. I was crying so bad Soo, that you wouldn’t believe and Jongin… Well, Jongin managed to find a way to calm me down. I don’t know what exactly he did but I just felt so safe and cared for in his arms that I managed to forget all the that I had to deal with until that point and fell asleep. To be honest that was the best sleep I had in years. I felt so warm and secure that all of the weight on my shoulders just magically disappeared.”

 Lu Han sheepishly smiled at the memory; the strong arms wrapping themselves securely around the traumatized princess as if those arms alone were keeping him together in one piece. Not to mention Jongin’s soft caramel eyes that made Lu Han want to turn into a gooey puddle right then and there. He really didn’t understand what was going on at that moment since everything happened so fast, but he remembered how safe Jongin made him feel.

 “Anyways, after I was brought to the clinic I didn’t actually remember much of what happened before my nap. It wasn’t however when I went to the nurse’s office again, after lunch, that I saw Jongin again and that’s when… it happened…”

 The nostalgic deer had to take a pause when he felt the warm tingling sensation under his cheeks. The memory alone made Lu Han’s heart race and palms sweat as he remembers the exact moment he might have fallen in love with the sun-kissed dancer. Kyungsoo was growing impatient however as he was not satisfied with the princess’ vague answer.

 “What the do you mean ‘it happened’?!”

 “It happened, you know! Your eyes might then you feel all these emotions coursing through like you don’t really know what’s going on; as if you’re in a sudden free fall but you’re not afraid cause you know someone out there is gonna catch you! That feeling; the feeling of falling in love!”

  “I’m sorry Lu Han but that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. So you just happened to look at Jongin then had a sudden bout of vertigo?! Hey, I get nauseated when I look at that narcissistic brat but you don’t hear me declaring my undying love!”

 Lu Han was irritated with Kyungsoo’s reaction with all this; how dare he belittle the deer’s feelings like that! Considering Kyungsoo has read more romance novels than textbooks, Lu Han expected that Kyungsoo would be more empathetic with his situation. Not only that but to also put down Jongin like that even though they are supposed to be “close” friends was annoying.

 “I know what I felt that day, Do Kyungsoo, and I won’t let you or anyone else tell me otherwise! And how could you say such things about Jongin since you’re childhood friends! I’ll have you know that during my time with Jongin, he has been nothing but a gentleman!”

 Hearing Lu Han’s indignation was like a splash of cold water for Kyungsoo; realizing that he may have been unnecessarily harsh when he regarded the dancer. He very well knew how much of a gentleman the boy could be since they basically grew up together; he also knew how endearing and affectionate Jongin could be when it came to his close friends. It wasn’t fair to both Lu Han and Jongin for him to deride them like that.

 Guilt started to wash all over Kyungsoo as he realized how irrational he is being. He tried to apologize but the words died on his lips as the guilt continued to consume him from the inside out. With a downward cast, he bit his bottom lip as he tried to once again control the thoughts and emotions that seemed to have run off on their own. Right now, he didn’t trust himself to speak knowing he was all over the place; thankfully, Baekhyun chose this exact moment to raise something that has been bothering him for a while now.

 “Wait! What about Sehun? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen out of love with him already?!”

 At Baekhyun’s prodding, Lu Han shifted his attention from his apologetic friend to the curious puppy. He wasn’t really expecting that question as he hasn’t even thought about it himself. Have I? Lu Han thought as he reflected over this morning’s events; he knew he still felt strongly about the freshman but in light of recent discoveries he wasn’t all that sure.

 He realized that he really didn’t know that much about Sehun beyond what he has already observed and from what he saw a while ago, he has yet to learn more. Even Jongin is mystery since he only found this new side to him recently. He was sure that he had feelings for both boys but is it actually love when he hardly know any of them?

 His jie-jie’s advice started to make more and more sense now that Lu Han thought about it.

 “I’m not all that sure really; Sehun isn’t exactly the guy that I thought he is but I do still have feelings for him, strong ones. That’s actually what I kinda want to talk to you guys about and ask for your help, in the first place. I realized that I kinda don’t really know both Jongin and Sehun all that much so I want to find out more before I decide who I should date; just as friends though since I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

 “Are you sure about that? You know these kind of things don’t really work out that well and in the end someone does get hurt.”

 Lu Han was surprised when Kyungsoo suddenly piped up in front him. Looking over he could see this look of dead serious conviction and slight melancholy waft over his face as if he was slowing accepting something in his head. He was further surprised when he heard Baekhyun agreeing with the stubborn boy.

 “He’s right, Lulu. Especially now that Sehun confessed to you; the boy would be expecting something every time you hang out together. He’ll start treating it as a date for all we know and there’s nothing you could do about it. Like what Soo said, someone will get hurt.”

 The poor deer was at his rope’s end; he knew his friends had a point since most likely someone will get hurt in the process, but he honestly didn’t know what to do at this point. He liked both of them a lot and if things remained the same he knows that it would be impossible for him to choose. In the end he’ll end up both hurting them and himself if he doesn’t do something about his fickle heart.

 “What am I supposed to do then?”

 Kyungsoo could see the torn expression marking Lu Han’s face; seeing how conflicted the sensitive deer is to the entire ordeal. The brunette knew that his friend doesn’t have the heart to hurt anyone so he was totally at a lost on what to do. He decided right then to put all of his jumbled up feelings aside and just be the friend he promised the other to be.

 “Alright. Alright, Lulu, I understand, and considering everything that might be the best thing to do at the moment.”

 Lu Han was beyond shocked to hear that from the wide-eyed boy; he wasn’t really counting on Kyungsoo to support his little plan after knowing that the other party involved would be Jongin. But looking up at the warm smile and soft gaze of the latter, he knew that Kyungsoo had his back on this one hundred percent.

 “You can’t be serious, Soo! This is nuts!”

 “Well, coming from you pup, it most probably is. But Lu Han needs us right now and as his best friends we have to be there for him, no matter what.”

 The excited deer lunged at his friend after hearing that. Lu Han was completely grateful that he has such great friends that would stick by him no matter how difficult or crazy he could get. He vowed that someday he would repay Kyungsoo for his understanding as he continued to tackle the latter and shower him with his thanks.

 “Easy there, Bambi… I’m not saying I like this idea but since it’s the only option we have right now, I guess we’ll have to stick with it. Baekhyun?”

 At the mention of his name, the red haired pup approached the embracing couple as he thought about their proposition while rubbing his chin.

 “Hmm… As I’ve said this whole idea of yours is crazier than Deadpool on crack but what the heck! It sounds interesting and I’m hella bored!”

 It was Baekhyun’s turn to attack the two as he pounced on both Lu Han and Kyungsoo causing them to fall on the carpeted floor. The brunette started to struggle when his two friends started to shower his face with smooches.

 “OKAY! ALRIGHT! JEEZ! GET OFF ME!”

 Not wanting to offend the wide-eyed boy, both Lu Han and Baekhyun immediately snapped up from their perch and dragged and squishy Kyungsoo up with them.

 “Alright, now if we are doing this, we need to set up some ground rules; for one thing you said that you would just like to get to know them as friends so you have to explain to them clearly that for now you are just that, friends. Also, make sure that if you are hanging out with them, you are in a public place so that we have witnesses. Lastly, no intimacy what so ever; this includes kissing, holding hands, and any unnecessary skinship, got it!”

 “Got it!” Both Lu Han and Baekhyun piped in, saluting at their team leader who merely gave them a roll of his eyes.

 “Anyways, let’s talk about this over lunch since we need more time to formulate a proper game plan.”

 “Oh my gosh! This is so exciting! We’re like operatives in some highly classified mission to save the world! Let’s call it, operation Man Hunt!”

 “Seriously Baek that has got to be the worst name you’ve come up with.”

 “Well whatever! We’re calling it operation Man Hunt and that’s final! I don’t see you coming up with any good operation names!”

 Lu Han merely giggled, seeing as his friends were back to their usual bickering. It was during these moments that he thanked whoever out there was watching him for bringing two amazing people in his life. He wouldn’t know where he would be if it wasn’t for the arguing couple in front of him right now.

 So in that secluded spot in a quiet corner of the library, three friends made another precious memory as a plan to find a certain pink princess’ real prince charming was formed. With a Satansoo and a Byun on his side, Lu Han knew that at that moment, everything would indeed work out for the better.

 What could possibly go wrong?

 “He’s been at it for hours, should we do something?”

 Kyungsoo and Kai had been watching over there little princess who had been balling his eyes out for quiet sometime. They honestly didn’t know what they should do at this time seeing as the whole ordeal must have been quite traumatic for the sensitive deer. They hoped that by waiting it out, Lu Han would finally snap out of it and start talking to them but so far nothing has changed. The only thing that has changed was that Lu Han’s wailing has managed to dial down to a quiet sobbing indicated by the muffled sniffling from the princess.

 Kyungsoo was about to approach the young deer when suddenly the princess rose from his perch and stood up on shaky legs. Growing concerned for their friend’s state, they slowly approached the deer who had his back facing towards them. Lu Han on the other hand finally came to a decision as he faced forward looking at the unending forest and their journey ahead.

 “I’ve decided.”

 At that, both Kyungsoo and Kai stopped dead in their tracks as they waited for the princess to continue.

 “You’re right; it was stupid of me to believe that the world was all butterflies and rainbows. I should have known what was waiting for me before climbing out of that stupid tower and I’m sorry if I wasn’t man enough to take it.”

 “Lulu, I-“

 “And it was stupid of me to keep expecting some prince to come in and sweep me off my feet when I’m so obviously weak and pathetic. I mean what kind of prince would want such a pitiful princess like me, anyways?”

  “Princess, you’re not-“

 “But, you know what? I’m sick and tired of waiting. I’m sick and tired of being helpless. I’m sick and tired of just being the damsel in distress waiting for my prince charming to come and rescue me. Cause it! I’m not some useless princess that would just pine away like that! I want to do something good with my life and not waste my time waiting for someone who will never come.”

 Lu Han clenched his fists as he felt the tears starting to well again in his eyes, but he will not let them fall this time. He will be stronger, better, and more independent so that when his prince does come, he’ll be ready. He won’t be afraid to ride off with him into the sunset knowing that he can stand on his own two feet.

 “I’ll earn my prince. I’ll show him that I’m not just some good for nothing princess who’ll just follow him anywhere. I’ll prove to him that I am worth something, that I am just as strong as he is. So yeah, I’ve decided to accept your law; I’ve decided to fight and keep myself alive while we escape this god forsaken forest. I’ll prove to the entire world that it can’t beat me down and that I can make it out on my own. I’m not in a fairytale anymore. I’m in the real world and I’m ing ready.”

 With the end of his speech, Lu Han started to make his way forward; he could feel the brambles and the bushes digging into his skin as he continued walking but he didn’t care. He would take the pain for now because he knows it’s only temporary; because he knows that each cut and each bruise will make him stronger.

 He looked ahead with a raised chin and steely conviction in his eyes as he faced the journey ahead with a promise that Lu Han will be the strong, independent man he knows he can become. A man who can take charge of his life and make his own happily ever after come true.

A/N:

Annyeong chingus!

So here you have it the, fourth chapter (I can't believe I'm four chapters in already, wow)! Again, I hope you enjoy this chapter since I had a great time writing it. I want to take note that in the fairytale sequence I sorta kinda related it to women empowerment since it's been a pet advocacy of mine. I kinda want to emphasize to my readers that you don't need a prince charming to find your happily ever after, you just need to have faith in yourself to find it on your own. Also, Thank you very much for my new subbies who subscribed and took the time to write my little word vomits (seriously their word vomit guys since I don't even know more than half of the things I write here). AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPVOTES CAUSE ! I FEEL SO VALIDATED AS AN AUTHOR. I don't want to be like "upvote for me please if you like the story" cause it goes without saying. I'm happy enough knowing that there are people who actually read and like my story so that's good enough for me.

Anyways, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ANYMORE! I came in writing this with a plan and a storyline in mind but suddenly in the middle of writing it; my hands take over and apparently they have a different idea on how the story should go! Honestly, most of the parts here just happened while I was writing it and I don't even know where they came from (like for example Sehun's confession cause that was most definitely not planned til like near the end, but c'est la vie)! But again, the ending is still fixed no matter what since I need the ending to go a certain way (I've already provided subtle hints in the previous chapters and the foreword to foreshadow how the ending will go). Trust me though, the ending will come as a complete shocker so I hope you guys will stay tune til the end.

Speaking of staying tuned in; I'M SO SORRY IF I'VE BEEN UPDATING SLOWLY! I've been swamped with work so I'm having a tough time finding the free time to write. I'll keep my promise though that I'll update every week but I just need to ask for your patience since I'm no longer which part of the week I'll be able to update! Especially around the second week of April since I'll most likely be extremely busy butI'll still be updating, don't you worry!

For those who partook in my little game last time, I thank you so much for indulging me. Anyways for those who arewondering it's Jongdae/Chen! Some of you may have guessed Jonghyun (because of the "dinosaur" comment) but sadly no (Jonghyun is too sweet for that T_T). Don't worry though, Jonghyun is there somewhere, along with the rest of the SM family. As for Jongdae however, he will be making an appearance later on in this fic since he will play (and has played) an important role in this fic so yeah, you haven't since the last of Bully-dae!

Now before I end this extremely long A/N (sorry about that), let's play another game shall we? Okay, I'm definitely sure what chapter I'm gonna write next, the events might change from what I have currently in my head to when I actually write it down but what is sure though is the appearance of not one EXO member, but two! Yes that's right, in the next chapter I'll be introducing and have interact with our trio, two EXO members. Now please comment down below who you think will be the next two EXO members I will be writing in the story. For those who will get it correctly will be awarded with an answer to one of their questions regarding this fic. For the clues: (A) they're quite close in the fic so they'll come as a pair; and (B) at least one of them has been mentioned in almost all of the chapters and foreword so far (I believe they weren't mentioned in at least one chapter). So yeah! I hope you guys once again indulge me in my craziness and play my game. :3

With that being said, I hope you enjoys this chapter and leave a comment down below (I'M DESPERATE)!

Ciao~