“And that’s how we found Baekie here!”

 Night had settled around the lake’s shore as the moon and stars glistened over the water’s surface. The slight mist that hovered above the lake gave the entire scenery an almost ethereal feel, and the hundreds of fireflies dancing around in large swarms of luminous clouds made everything look as if it came straight out of a story book. Lu Han was sitting around the roaring campfire; half listening to Chanyeol’s account of Baekhyun’s rescue as he mostly absorbed himself in the beauty of the lake in front of him.

 This was the first time in what felt like forever that Lu Han could breathe easy; knowing that now all of his friends are safe and sound, by his side. Kyungsoo had perched himself on a branch that stuck out from the driftwood that Lu Han sat on; while Baekhyun, securely tucked in his lap, slumbered peacefully after being knocked out from whatever mischief he had found himself in the past two days. Lu Han was gently rubbing him on the back, absentmindedly as he found himself lost in the lull of Chanyeol’s deep voice and the spectacular light show he was witnessing.

 He didn’t want to think; he had been doing a lot of that within the past two days than he thought he would have ever done in his entire lifetime. He was beyond exhausted; emotionally, mentally, and physically, taking this moment to finally relax and take everything in without worrying about his friends or his future. All was now right in Lu Han’s world, and he would be damned if he didn’t enjoy his peace; knowing that from this moment forward, peace and security will be in scarce supply.

 The ever curious Kyungsoo on the other hand was none too shy when expressing his inquisitive nature.

 “So, let me get this straight; you just happened to be flying around the area when you noticed an extremely yappie puppy chase a squirrel up a tree?”

 “Yup! Pretty much!” Chanyeol replied with a nervous chuckle, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he felt uncomfortable from Kyungsoo’s penetrating gaze.

 “I find it hard to believe that by some miracle, the two most prominent heroes within these lands happened to chance upon a tiny puppy within this expansive forest.”

 “Well… You see…. Umm-“

 “First of all, for such a little thing, he sure has a really loud bark. Secondly, Chanyeol has extremely good eyesight. And lastly, he also has an enchanted amulet that not only tells us if ever that little runt is in danger but also where to find him.” Yifan quickly supplied, raising his head from its perch on his powerful forearms. Chanyeol, however, simply stared at him in shock, flapping his mouth as he desperately tried to come up with an excuse.

 “D-dude?!” Chanyeol finally shouted in indignation; which only caused an annoyed huff from Yifan who simply settled back into his lying position around the fire.

 Kai coughed out a snide chuckle, while Kyungsoo simply raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Lu Han on the other simply smiled bittersweetly as he continued to gaze out towards the lake. He was both pleased and saddened by Yifan’ sudden revelation; pleased that at least there was someone out there with better means who is looking out for their tiny friend; and saddened by the fact that it isn’t him.

 “Enchanted amulet, huh? Hmmm… Do tell us why you need an amulet that would basically track the pup’s every move?” It was Kai this time that piped in, poorly concealing the sarcastic chuckles that were escaping his snout.

 “I-it doesn’t track his every move! Just when, y-you know, his like in distress or l-lost or something…” Chanyeol said, bowing his head in shame as the redness from his cheeks had reached even the tips of his ears.

 “Oh… Then that must have been going off like crazy ever since you got it since Baekhyun always thinks he’s in distress when I’m around.” Kyungsoo replied unamused while continuously glaring at Chanyeol who seemed to crumble further into himself.

 “I-it’s not like that! I just… I… It’s for-UGH! Chanyeol yanked at his hair from the frustration of not being able to find the words to defend himself. Meanwhile, Yifan chuckled slightly behind him, finding his partner’s vocal constipation quite entertaining. The subtle rumbling of his body made the light that reflected off his scales from the fire to dance all over their little circle. Kai, on the other hand, was outright laughing at the dorkish display of one of the kingdom’s greatest heroes; rolling on to his back while his tongue lolled to one side of his open mouth.

 Lu Han tore his attention away from the pretty view of the lake to appreciate the care free moment his friends were now sharing. Given everything that has happened to him so far, he nearly forgot that he was just a kid; a kid that is supposed to enjoy life instead of be terrified by it. He had been so caught up with the dream of escaping his tower with his prince that he never really gave any thought on what would happen after.

 Thinking on it now, Lu Han realized that he didn’t know who or what he wanted to be after his life in the tower. He is through with the part of his life as the princess in waiting; right now, he would rather be Lu Han the kid, trying to find his place in the world while having fun doing it. He didn’t know yet what his new purpose would be but there was no point stressing about it now. If he worried about everything little thing that was beyond his control then his hair would turn prematurely gray.

 His purpose will come to him when it comes to him so for now, he will revel in the company of his friends. With that, Lu Han joined in the laughter; laughing with all his lungs could give as strong tremors rocked his entire body. He laughed just for the saw of being able to laugh; of being able to be young and carefree and to enjoy what life had to offer. The shaking got so bad that it woke up a slightly shocked Baekhyun; still groggy from his interrupted nap.

 “W-what’s going on?” Baekhyun’s voice was still thick with sleep as he looked around lazily at their little circle.

 “Oh nothing… Chanyeol was just telling us this very interesting story.” Lu Han replied, holding back his laughter into just small giggles.

 “Ah… That’s nice…” Baekhyun said in between a huge yawn, languidly flapping his snout as he settled once again in Lu Han’s lap. He then gradually drifted off once again if his even breathing and adorable whimpers were of any indication. Lu Han was soothing Baekhyun back into sleep by casually his fur. He was slightly mesmerized but the shifting color of Baekhyun’s fur as he slowly drifted away into dream land. His trance was only interrupted when Kyungsoo piped in again with more of his inquisition.

 “So, you guys just happened to have been flying by when your puppy pendant went off or do you have like a magic pair of bracelets that could see the future as well?”

 “Oh! Umm… Well you see about that; we are actually here because of a quest!”

 At this, Lu Han was suddenly at full attention, growing curious of what kind of mission would lead these two heroes to these parts of the woods. “A quest? Here? Weren’t you supposed to be in another kingdom, doing one?”

 “We were but it led us here…” This time, it was Yifan who provided the answers. “We were summoned by the neighboring kingdom to search for something and from the evidence that we had gathered it led us here.”

 “Oh okay! It looks like things are getting interesting.” Everyone was now at full attention; even Kyungsoo who dropped his sarcastic demeanor and went full blown detective mode in order to get to the bottom of this new mystery. “Tell us more, what made you think that this thing is here?”

 Chanyeol and Yifan shared a knowing look before Yifan gave a slight nod for Chanyeol to continue with their story. “Ummm… Well based on the information they provided to us and after following its trail, we found that it led straight here to this forest. We’ve been searching for three days and so far we have only been able to isolate its location in a certain sector of the forest.”

 “Three days?! Wah! Someone must have really hidden this relic for you to not be able to find it within that time! I remember you guys retrieving the king’s sword within a day!”

 “Actually this isn’t some reli-“

 “CHANYEOL!” Chanyeol gave out a yelp as Yifan whacked him up on the head with his tail.

 “Well… What is it then?” It was Kai this time who asked, growing curious as well with the duo’s mysterious quest.

 “Umm… It’s less of an object and more of a person actually”

 “DUMBYEOL! WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!” Yifan now gave a small huff of smoke along with another whack of his tail, which now slightly irked Chanyeol.

 “WHAT?! I thought that I could tell them?”

 “THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU TELL THEM EVERYTHING!”

 “WELL! YOU SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT CLEARER NEXT TIME INSTEAD OF NEARLY CLEARING MY HEAD OFF WITH THAT BIG BUSH OF YOURS!”

 All three were still slightly stunned with Chanyeol’s accidental revelation as they couldn’t fathom what kind of person would be so important that they would need heroes from a neighboring kingdom to aide in the search. Kai was the first to recover from his stupor when he suddenly realized one of their own recent discoveries.

 “Wait! A person?! In this forest?! I knew that was another human’s scent I caught a whiff of!”

 It was Chanyeol’s and Yifan’s turn to go detective on the trio as they now started to grill the wolf for information about this mysterious person in the woods.

 “Hold up! You caught his scent?! Where?” Chanyeol exclaimed, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he approached the wolf with a frenzy.

 “Uh… J-just a little bit off to the west of here…” Kai was growing uncomfortable with the serious looks he was receiving from both the dragon and his rider. At this piece of information however, Yifan and Chanyeol once again gave each other a knowing look before slowly giving off deep, waited sighs.

 “I knew it!” Yifan slammed the ground with his tail, causing a slight tremor to wrack through the soft earth.

 “Knew what?!” Kyungsoo was now growing increasingly invested in this mystery, seeing as it is in his nature to find answers to puzzles that were thrown his way.

 With a look of dead seriousness, Yifan answered in a voice deeper than any grave. “That the trail would lead us to the Dark Wood.”

 A collective gasp rang out from the trio; not expecting that another human would be so foolish enough to venture into that part of the forest. Even Lu Han who spent his whole life locked away from the world had heard enough stories from Kyungsoo to know how dangerous the Dark Wood can be.

 The Dark Wood was basically the most dangerous part of the forest. With the rest of the forest, you only had to worry about your regular wood land predators; in the Dark Wood however, not only do you have to deal with more ferocious and terrifying beasts but you would also have to deal with creatures that were made from the darkest kinds of magic. It was the part of the forest that even the most seasoned of adventurers or the bravest of heroes would not dare to go.

 It was said that a mad sorcerer once made his home in that side of the forest; conducting evil experiments with dark magic. One day, he went too far and unleashed a maelstrom of dark carnal energy that infected the nearby area; transforming the once peaceful woodlands into a nightmarish hell-hole filled with dangers and terrors unknown. Only a few have dared to venture forth into the Dark Wood; none of them have come back to tell tales of the horrors that lie within.

 Going to the Dark Wood is a death sentence in their kingdom and Lu Han couldn’t fathom anyone, human or otherwise who would willingly go there. Whoever Yifan and Chanyeol were searching for must be either an extremely dangerous criminal or completely crazy if they would escape towards the Dark Wood alone. Most of the troubles that happened in their kingdom had some form of connection with that infernal part of the forest. Kyungsoo had also told him that the Dark Wood were filled with nasty monsters and evil witches; not to mention the dark magic that covered the entire area.

 “D-don’t tell me you’re going in there?!” Kai was the one who found his voice first; however, he could shake the slight squeak that came with addressing that terrifying place.

 “We have too…” Chanyeol replied with a tone of utmost resignation; as if they were solely coming to terms with their own execution.

 Now Lu Han knew how great the dynamic duo of Chanyeol and Yifan were; they have faced off against trolls, ogres, and armies of men before, but the Dark Wood was a different ball game. The dark energy alone would cause them major problems, knowing that even Yifan can’t even fly over that area since the magic of the wood messes up his own. He couldn’t help but feel terrified for his new friends since the Dark Wood was more dangerous than any peril that they have faced before.

 “T-THAT’S INSANE!!! WHO WOULD BE SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU WOULD RISK YOUR LIVES LIKE THAT?!” Lu Han shouted, almost bolting out of his seat. He kept rubbing the slumbering Baekhyun in order to calm himself.

 Yifan and Chanyeol once again gave each other a grim knowing look; a pleading glint shimmering out of Chanyeol’s eyes.

 “We should tell them Kris… It doesn’t matter now…”

 With an exasperated sigh, Yifan finally caved in after their little stare off. He swept his gaze over their little circle before finally resting them on the blazing camp fire between them. The light reflecting itself in the large green orbs of Yifan’s eyes, highlighting the despair that must be clawing inside of the large beast.

 In that moment, Lu Han didn’t see the great Kris, the majestic dragon of the East Kingdom; the ferocious hero whose bravery and wisdom was heralded in all the lands. In that moment, he saw Yifan, his new friend who also had fears and vulnerabilities, and was much afraid of the unknown as he does.

 With another defeated sigh, Yifan raised his gaze from the fire and met each of their stares once again before speaking.

 “Well… You see… We are actually looking for the crowned prince of the West kingdom.”

 Lu Han had been barely paying attention in their music composition class; his mind preoccupied with his new little operation of pumping Chanyeol of every piece of information he has on Oh Sehun. More specifically, he was looking for an opportunity to talk to Baekhyun about his plan without alerting Kyungsoo. It wasn't that he didn’t want to trust Kyungsoo with his plan; but knowing the obstinate brunette, he would never agree with his latest idea.

 Not to mention it involved his precious Yeolie.

 If Kyungsoo ever found out, Lu Han was pretty sure that he would demand his head on a silver platter. He had been darting glances over at Baekhyun all throughout class; trying to indicate with his eyes that he needed to speak with the boy, discretely. Usually, Baekhyun was quick to pick up on these things, since he is usually the instigator for these kinds of mischief. Today however, they were busy working on their midterm composition wherein Kyungsoo and Baekhyun were stuck in a heated debate about some lyrics to the song they had to submit;  so, sadly enough, his subtle glares had been mostly ignored by the latter. Thank god though their teacher gave them the whole period to work on their midterm project, giving Lu Han a significant amount of time to try and get the pup’s attention, inconspicuously.

 “Baekhyun, for the last time, that line would go in our chorus; not in the first verse!”

 “But Soo-yah! Why not?! It so totally fits!” Baekhyun was now pouting cutely at Kyungsoo who, as usual, kept ignoring the puppy’s attempts at aegyo.

 “It so totally does not! So shut it! Now help me finish the first verse.”

 “I am helping! You’re the one who won’t listen to my suggestions!”

 “Well, think of better suggestions and stop being lazy!”

 “Me?! Lazy?! I am already the one working on the composition! So stop being a stuck up know it all and listen to me for once!” Baekhyun had exclaimed whilst abruptly standing up; his eyes were now burning with bloody murder as he glared at the unmoved Kyungsoo. Everyone had stared at their group after Baekhyun’s outburst before turning back to their own groups. Their class had become used to Kyungsoo and Baekhyun’s little arguments; even their teacher simply gave them a warning glance before turning back to his book.

 Lu Han on the other hand, was starting to grow anxious again; even though hardly anyone paid them any mind, he still felt uncomfortable with the two’s very loud debates. Luckily, he didn’t need to intercede this time around since Kyungsoo took the initiative to placate the raging pup. With a drawn out sigh, Kyungsoo put away the notebook he was writing on and met Baekhyun’s glare head on.

 “Alright, why don’t we be democratic about this? It’s obvious that you’re hell bent on keeping this line and I am pretty damn sure that I do not. Lu Han what about you?”

 Like a deer caught in between headlights, Lu Han was met with two pair of eyes; one with a defiant quirk to their brow, the other with an expectant gleam. On the one hand, he kind of agreed with Kyungsoo with regards to the line placement; on the other, he didn’t want to offend Baekhyun since he needed his help with Chanyeol. He was starting to flounder when an unexpected idea popped in his head.

 “I’m fine with either really, but why don't we ask Shim-seonsaengnim just to be sure?”

 All eyes then turned to Kyungsoo since he was usually their group’s spokesperson when speaking with people of higher authority. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kyungsoo gave an exasperated sigh before turning his attention back to Lu Han.

 “Aish! Can’t you just decide whether to put it in the first verse or the chorus?”

 “Yeah Lulu! I won’t mind if you chose Soo’s completely lame and horrible idea!” Baekhyun’s reassuring smile was completely lost behind the burning glare he was giving Lu Han; and, knowing Baekhyun, when he says he doesn’t mind, it really means that he does.

 “Seriously guys, I’m good with both so I think it’s best that we ask saem. I mean, he is the one who is gonna’ grade us anyways!” Lu Han said, giving each one of them his best “don’t-ask-me-cause-I-can’t-decide” look.

 With another defeated sigh, Kyungsoo stood up and begrudgingly went over to their teacher in order to settle their debate once and for all. Once Kyungsoo was far enough, Lu Han leaned over to Baekhyun to whisper in his ear.

 “Baek, I need a favor.”

 “What’s up, Lu?”

 Now that Lu Han was finally in the position to ask for Baekhyun’s help, he didn’t know how to proceed. Biting his bottom lip, Lu Han gave Baekhyun an unsure look before proceeding.

 “Well… Ummm… Remember Chanyeol mentioning that he is kinda close with Sehun?” Lu Han continued after Baekhyun nodded. “I kinda need help finding out what he knows.”

 “Lu Han…” Baekhyun squinted his eyes, giving the Chinese deer an incredulous look. “I don't think that is such a good idea.”

 “What? This will help with my future dates with Sehunie! It'll help with my confidence if I kinda know what to expect!”

 Puffing out his cheeks, Baekhyun was seriously considering Lu Han's favor. He noticed how the pink haired Chinese Man was nervously glancing over at Kyungsoo’s direction every now and then. “I’m assuming you don’t want Soo to know about this?”

 Lu Han bowed his head shyly while his cheeks turned a pinkish shade.

 “Ummm… Y-yeah, cause you know that Soo wouldn’t “approve” of this! Especially since we’ll be basically grilling Yeolie.” Lu Han said the last part with a sickening sweet tone, knowing how the tall elf could affect their usually stoic friend.

 “Hmmm… Tempting…” Baekhyun was rubbing his chin, contemplating; he was already running all of the possible scenarios they could run, mostly involving him torturing the giant. Baekhyun always had a sore spot for Chanyeol; he found his cheerful and “unnecessarily” optimistic attitude quite annoying, not to mention how close he is with his wonderful Kris. The opportunity to mess with the string bean was a huge motivational factor enough, but then again it would involve him actually interacting with the huge oaf when he just wanted to wipe his entire existence off the face of the universe.

 “Could you think fast cause I don’t think we have much t-time to work on these song lyrics! I mean gosh! Mid terms is already around the corner so we should really work twice as hard!” Lu Han said nervously, saving himself at the last minute as Kyungsoo finally returned from the front of the class.

 “Okay! So saem agreed that this particular line goes better in the first verse.” Kyungsoo gave Baekhyun a smug look which he immediately dropped once he noticed the slightly guilty and apprehensious expressions on both of his friends faces. With a quirk of his brow and a suspicious squint of his eyes, he glared at Baekhyun and Lu Han; already expecting that the two were up to no good.

 “Alright, I’ll bite… What are you two up to?”

 “N-nothing! I was just telling Lu Han here how we don’t have time to goof off anymore with this project since mid terms if just right around the corner!” Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo a huge smile with bright eyes that came off more as creepy rather than reassuring. Lu Han was just as bad if not worse; looking at everything except at Kyungsoo’s general direction whilst humming nonchalantly. He didn’t trust himself to lie as efficiently as Baekhyun so he would just follow his lead since he’s more convincing than him. Kyungsoo’s on the other hand, brow raised even higher (if that was even possible) at his friends suspicious behavior; not believing for one second the excuse that they were pulling on him.

 “First of all, you’ve been complaining all year how we’ve been working on this project a bit too early; mentioning multiple times how submission is still months away and that we should relax instead of being, quote-unquote ‘robotic animatrons whose sole purpose for existence is to kiss .” Kyungsoo now gave his full glare to Baekhyun who seemed to be unfazed by the whole situation. Meanwhile, Lu Han starting to curl into himself; mentally preparing for the emotional beat down Kyungsoo would surely dish out once he pieces together his plan.

 “Secondly, you? Not goof off? Really? We all know you’re definition of work involves someone else doing your manicure. The only real effort you seem to be able to exert is putting on your eyeliner every morning. So don’t think that I’ll swallow that bull excuse you’re trying to shove down my th-”  

 “OKAY! Okay! Take a chill pill, man…” Baekhyun said, raising his arms in defeat. “The truth is…”

 Baekhyun was glancing over at Lu Han who was staring back, pleading with his eyes to not rat him out. “The truth is…”

 Lu Han’s eyes were now bulging from their sockets as he forcefully bit down on his lip. He was silently praying that Satansoo’s wrath would be swift and merciful, and that he wouldn’t feel that much pain once the terrifying brunette went full nuclear on him. He was about to save his own skin when Baekhyun threw him a rather sly wink. Turning his whole attention back to Kyungsoo, Baekhyun gave out a long, drawn out sigh while bowing his head in complete shame. His eyes were slightly glistening with moisture as he gave a small pout while staring down at the floor.

 “D-don’t laugh but I’ve been thinking about getting pink hair just like Lulu…” Baekhyun said sheepishly; complete with a slight blush painting his cheeks. He suddenly snapped his head back up when Kyungsoo suddenly burst into boisterous laughter; garnering the attention of the whole class with his guffaws. He finally calmed down when he noticed the reproachful glare their teacher was giving him; slightly bowing to the entire class in apology.

 Baekhyun on the other hand was livid; bolting upright, he gave Kyungsoo his best Diva Baek glare which was softened by the redness on his cheeks that was now more prominent.

 “Y-yah! I said don’t laugh! I-it’s not funny! And I’ll have you know that pink looks really good on me!”

 “I would normally say that that would be a bad idea but this is something I got to see!” Kyungsoo was still trying to control his chuckles as he continued to look at the angry pup with complete amusement. “Why the sudden change though? Don’t you usually wait for like at least a month before you decide to change your hair again? I mean, not that I am a fan of that fire truck on top of your head but what gives?”

 Lu Han was in complete shock; he knew Baekhyun was good at lying but he didn’t realize that he was this good. If he hadn’t been the one talking to Baekhyun about his little plan, he would totally have believed that Baekhyun’s new pink hair was the big secret they were trying to hide from Kyungsoo. He had to really hand it to Baekhyun; when he gives a performance, he goes all out. He was both impressed and apprehensious at Baekhyun ability to not only pull a story out of a hat, but also make it completely believable.

 It made him wonder though if this wasn’t the first time Baekhyun pulled something like this on them.

 “Hana, the grayish-slash-baby pink hair style is all the rage with the most popular idols nowadays!” Baekhyun said smugly, counting off with his fingers the reasons why him getting pink hair is the best idea ever. “Dul, pink will not only highlight my soft yet angular features but will also make my pristine alabaster complexion shine! Set, with the attention Lu Han is getting with his new hair, might as well join in the band wagon and get some love from the people! And net, Lu Han will be treating me an entire month for lunch if I do this for him!”

 Lu Han nearly fell out of his chair on the last part.

 “I did?!” He exclaimed, mouth left slightly agape as he couldn’t believe what he was hearing from the smug pup. Baekhyun turned his steely gaze over towards the surprised deer, smirking slightly at Lu Han’s dumbfounded expression.

 “Yeah! Cause you know, when friends ask favors from each other they usually pay that friend back…” Baekhyun gave Lu Han another discrete wink which the obtuse deer got after some time.

 “O-oh! Y-yeah! I did!” Lu Han said rather cheerily, finally understanding that Baekhyun was agreeing to his idea. “Baekhyunnie is gonna make me feel more comfortable with my pink hair!”

 “By dying his own hair pink?!” Kyungsoo cleared his throat after squeaking on the last part; fidgeting uncomfortably as he shifted his gaze between the two of them.

 “Yeah! Why not? I’ve dealt with worse…” Baekhyun said with a coy grin, noticing Kyungsoo’s sudden apprehension to the idea. “Feeling left out are we, Soo? You know, paisley pink could really bring out your eyes...”

 “N-no thank you! If you brought out my eyes anymore then they would literally be out of their sockets! Besides, you idiots can go ahead and make yourselves look more like idiots. It’s bad enough that I’ll have to deal with Princess Bubblegum and Elle Woods for god knows how long!” Kyungsoo gave a frustrated sigh at the prospect of being associated with Pink and Pinker; knowing that one way or the other, he’ll be pressured to follow his friends’ insane trend.

 “Wait, Elle who?” Both Baekhyun and Lu Han said in unison; not really familiar with foreign sounding name.

 “She’s this ditzy yet some-what smart blonde who becomes a lawyer and has an obsession wi-you know what, never mind. It’s some American film. You guys won’t understand.” Baekhyun and Lu Han were not as familiar to Western films as Kyungsoo so the reference was completely lost on them.

 “Okay… Well! Since we’re all doing outrageous hair colors, we should really dye your hair! I mean it doesn’t have to be pink, Soo!” Baekhyun excitedly said, already fawning over the prospect of making over his best friend while at the same time torturing him; It is a win-win scenario in his book.

 “Hell no! Like I said, you guys go ahead and be morons! I’d rather keep my sanity as well as my perfectly natural and sensible brown hair, thank you very much!” Kyungsoo was now defensively clutching at his hair which Baekhyun was now eyeing hungrily.

 “But Soo~ That’s no fun! Look! We need to support our dear Lulu here and you're just being your normal killjoy self again!”         

 “Yah! I am a supportive friend; I’m just not the ‘condoning-stupidity-with-even-more-stupidity’ kind of friend! And if being a kill joy makes me keep my hair the way it is, then call me Captain Buzz Kill for all I care!”

 “But Soo-yah~”

 “End of discussion, Baekhyun! I am and will never dye my hair!”

 “Wanna’ bet?” Baekhyun was wiggling his eyebrows, coyly smirking at a completely frazzled Kyungsoo; he was now yanking his hair, seemingly trying to hide as much of it from the salivating pup in front of him. Lu Han on the other hand was starting to tune out their conversation as he started to formulate how Baekhyun and him could pull off getting the information they needed from Chanyeol. He honestly didn’t think he would get this far and having Baekhyun’s help made his plan a little bit more real. He didn’t even know where to begin; he hardly had any classes with the tall second year and in the ones that he did, Kyungsoo is there. His brows were now furiously scrunching from the amount of thinking he was doing; which did not go unnoticed by an extremely perceptive redhead.

 Lu Han was seriously considering kidnapping the poor boy when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Glancing over at his friends who were still arguing over Kyungsoo’s “maybe” makeover then to his teacher who was still engrossed in his book, he took his phone out only to be surprised to see that it was from Baekhyun. Checking over at his friends again, it was only then that he noticed Baekhyun was holding his phone in his hand while trying to convince Kyungsoo with his aegyo; much to the latter’s chagrin.

 Turning slightly to the side he discretely read the message; not wanting to gather the attention of either his friends or their teacher. 

 From: Baekkie

 Don’t worry your pretty little head about the whole Chanyeol thing, I’ll take care of that. You just focus on your prince charmings, OK! ;) Now help me convince Soo that maroon would really look great on him!

 Lu Han immediately snapped his head towards the whining pup who met his gaze with another sly wink. He checked the message again before smiling brightly to himself; feeling better knowing that his friends have his back no matter how insane or unreasonable his requests or actions may be, sometimes. Knowing Baekhyun is on the Chanyeol case, he was surer now that his little adventure of finding true love would work out in the end. Chuckling a little to himself, he tucked away his phone before joining Baekhyun in their little tug of war for the future of Kyungsoo’s hair.

 “Nice score Lu-ge!”

 It was another typical football practice for Lu Han; the sun was shining bright, the wind was blowing nicely, and he never felt more alive than in this moment. Lu Han really loved football; it relaxed him and made him feel accomplished. Not to mention he was extremely good at the sport much to everyone’s surprise considering his shy demeanor and effeminate features. Nothing really satisfied Lu Han more than the feel of running around the field with a ball at his feet and the satisfactory swoosh of another goal; well nothing except for maybe singing and performing.

 He was clearly in his element.

 He wore their team’s number ten jersey, an honor seeing as he is their team’s number one striker. With his lithe build and slightly shorter stature, he could zip pass any enemy defense and fly through the field in no time flat. He is surprisingly agile for someone who never had any other athletic experience prior to joining the soccer team. The way he could handle and dribble a ball was phenomenal; easily breaking away from an enemy jumble and pass the ball under the most extreme of pressures. And the way he could zone and shoot the ball with the accuracy of a sniper was just other worldly.  

 He was even awarded as the team MVP last year after shooting that last minute winning goal during the national finals. He remembered how afterwards their captain, at that time, and Minho had approached him and asked whether he wanted to be the team captain next year. He humbly stepped down though, knowing that the position of captain was better suited to Minho because of his great leadership skills. He may have been great at soccer but he knew he lacked the confidence off the field to become a good leader. To be honest, he enjoyed playing the game too much to be bothered with anything else, such as leading and motivating the team.

 Just like on the stage, the shy and timid Lu Han ceased to exist; what people see is a strong and confident Lu Han who could take down any challenge that faced his way. People loved seeing him on the field, and he absolutely adored being in one. It also helped having a bestfriend that is as passionate and in love with the sport as he does who not only complimented him on the field but also challenged him every day to improve his game.

 “Thanks Minnie!”

 Kim Minseok or Xiumin as he would usually call him. Their team’s adorable baozi whose cute and cuddly cheeks and somewhat childish persona was a complete turnaround from the serious and stern goalie that he portrayed on the field. With laser focus that tracked the ball wherever it is on the field with a sort of hawk like intensity, he rarely missed a ball. Unlike Lu Han’s slighter build, Minseok is a beast; a built man with the face of a cherub, he could block a ball going at sixty miles per hour and barely move an inch. If Lu Han is their sniper, then Minseok is their wall.

 An unstoppable force and an immovable object, Lu Han and Xiumin are one power duo to be reckoned with. Despite being freshmens when they initially joined, both boys had already proven themselves to their peers and superior as a formidable tandem that could hardly be beaten. It is exactly their partnership that made them into superior players; Minseok had the years of training and technical know how while Lu Han had natural talent. Together they had challenged each other and pushed one another to go further than any of them had gone before.

 It is said that if there was anyone who could beat Lu Han and Minseok, it would be each other. Only Lu Han knew Minseok’s blind spots and could manage to exploit the cracks in his usually unbreakable defense. Likewise, Minseok is also the only person who knows Lu Han’s weakness, managing to block many of his usually unstoppable strikes. The two had become an unbeatable formula that many have looked on with both envy and respect; not to mention their adorable bromance had most people fawning over the duo. They even had their own fan base dedicated to see them get together; calling themselves the LuMin Forever fun club. Sadly, much too their disappointment, they only had brotherly love for one another.

 Speaking of which Lu Han could hear their extremely loud (and extremely annoying) cheers at the stands.

 “LU HAN-SSI! YOU’RE SO DAEBAK!”

 “MINSEOK-OPPA! SARANGHAEYO!”

 “OMMONA! OMMONA! OMMONA! HANNIE-OPPA IS LOOKING THIS WAY!”

 Peering at the gathered crowd, Lu Han could make out a handful of fangirls sitting in the bleachers. They went even more nuts once they noticed the Chinese football player look over their way; raising their fan banners and crying out in frenzied glee. Minseok noticed them too and was giving them the full fan service by giving them his eye smile whilst making hand hearts. Lu Han on the other hand is still his shy timid self and could only give them a weak wave while he bowed his head, trying to conceal the obvious blush that was now marking his cheeks. Again, like polar opposites, Minseok reveled in the attention he received while Lu Han ran away from it.

 “OMMONA! LOOK HOW GYEOPDA OUR XIAO LU IS!”

 “AIGOO! THE PINK HAIRED PRINCE IS NEOMU YEPPEO!”

 Lu Han blushed even more furiously as he focused his gaze on the ground, willing a giant hole to open up and swallow him whole. With his recent hair style, his admirers had started to call him the Pink-haired Prince and went nuts at the image of him dashing through the field with his soft and silky hair blowing in the wind. His team mates on the other hand were awfully quiet about his recent change; only acknowledging Lu Han’s new hair with curious glances directed at his head. It must have been Minho’s doing considering that he knew some of them were gossip mongers themselves and must have been itching to get the details behind Lu Han’s new do. Lu Han is still thankful though that no one, not even his coach who only gave him an appreciative nod, mentioned his pink hair.

 “LU HAN!”

 Speaking of the devil, Lu Han jumped at his name being called followed by the sound of a shrill whistle. The whistle nearly blew out his eardrums as he turned towards the source of the noise, only to wish the hole would open up sooner after seeing his seemingly annoyed coach bear down on him.

 “Lu Han! Are you deaf?! I said to take a break! You’ll have enough time later to impress your adoring fans later! Or do you want me to make you run laps around the field while the rest of the team takes theirs?!”

 “N-no, Coach!”

 Lu Han’s face was now as red as a tomato after being humiliated like that by none other than his coach. Now everyone’s attention was on him, making him freeze up once again from all the eyes that are trained on him. His legs were beginning to shake as he felt extremely exposed in front of a crowd on the open field; if there was any perfect time for the hole to finally show up, it would be now. Seeing the terrified state his best player is in, his coach gave a defeated sigh before placing a comforting hand on his shoulders.

 “Look, son… Are you sure you’re okay? I heard what happened yesterday and if you still need some time to, you know, get it together then I and the team would understand you taking a br-”

 “NO COACH! I ASSURE YOU, I’M FINE!” Lu Han nearly shouted, wincing at the volume of his voice. Taking a calming breath, he tried again with a calmer and more reassuring tone. “Seriously coach! I’m fine! I even have the approval of Im-seonsaengnim to go to training today!”

 “Are you sure? Cause the start of the season is only a couple of months away and we need you to be on your A game by then…”

 “Yes Coach! Positive!” Lu Han had said with an overly excited nod.

 “Well then! If that’s the case then hurry your to the benches and take a breather before I give you a punishment that would make you reconsider my offer!” His coach giving him a gentle pat on the back; his threat defeated by the warm smile he gave his star player. “Alright! Fifteen minutes guys!”

 With another piercing shrill of the whistle, Lu Han scurried over to the sidelines to catch up with his teammates and finally breathe. He was still a little shaken but at least he felt his dignity was kind of intact. He was halfway to the benches when he saw Minseok jogging over his way with a water bottle in hand; stopping in his tracks as he waited for his friend to reach him.

 “Yah, Lulu! Are you okay?” Minseok’s brows were scrunched in concern as he gave the water bottle to Lu Han. With a sheepish smile, the Chinese deer wordlessly accepted the bottle from Minseok, mouthing a thank you and nodding to Minseok’s question. “I-I’m fine, Minnie. Really, I am!”

 “You don’t look fine… What’s wrong?” Minseok noticed the slight blush that dusted Lu Han’s cheeks when he heard the fan girls swoon over their little exchange. He gave the little crowd a dirty look before turning back to Lu Han with a soft expression. “Is it these bozos? I’ll tell them to back off if they’re making you uncomfortable.”

 Glancing over at the fan girls that were going into a frenzy, Lu Han was seriously tempted by Minseok’s offer, knowing how distracting the noise can be sometimes; but no, this was a regular everyday occurrence that he needed to get used to. It shouldn’t be enough that he feels confident on the field or on the stage; if he ever hopes to sort out his feelings for Jongin and Sehun, he needs to be more decisive and take-charge. He can’t hide in his shell forever.

 “No, it’s fine Minnie. I’m used to it anyways. It’s just that, a lot of stuff has been going on recently  and honestly, I’m still in the process of figuring everything out.

 If Lu Han thought his words of reassurance would somewhat alleviate Minseok’s fears then he was dead wrong. If anything, the concerned furrow that was marking Minseok’s brows only deepened and the slight pout that graced his lips just got more prominent.

 “Yeah, I noticed. I mean the rumors, what happened yesterday, and the pink hair… Honestly Lulu, I don’t know what’s happening to you anymore! It’s like I don’t know you anymore!” Minseok’s lips began to quiver before he bowed his head slightly to cover the fact that he was almost in tears. But Lu Han still managed to see the slight moisture that was starting to accumulate in his eyes and it broke his heart to pieces. He hadn’t realized that he was hurting his best friend with his craziness; he felt horrible for being such an awful friend.

 “Minnie… I’m still the same old Lu Han! The same old shy and sensitive Xiao Lu you met over a year ago! I just have pink hair and have fainting spells!” Lu Han cringed at that last part; he hadn’t meant to say it but unfortunately it came out without his knowledge. He tried to recover by giving Minseok his best eye smile but fell immediately when he heard sniffing come from his best friend.

 “Y-you used to tell me everything, but now it f-feels like you’re keeping secrets from me…” Minseok said between sniffles; which completely disintegrated Lu Han’s heart to ashes. Nibbling on his lip, he considered whether telling his best friend or not about his insane scheme to find the love of his life. On the one hand, he wanted to keep Minseok out the whole debacle since, most likely, things would get messy. On the other, he was hurting him deeply by keeping him in the dark like this. He knew Minseok felt uncomfortable when he gets crazy about his love life; who wouldn’t be after all the idiotic stunts he pulled in the past. But then again, by not telling him, he would inevitably be lying to him which only hurt him more. Lu Han was stuck between a rock and a hard place and the fan girls losing their minds over their little emotional interaction wasn’t helping.

 Oh, it!

 With an exasperated sigh he finally gave in and hugged the living daylights out of his little Minnie.

 “I’m sorry Minnie! It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you what was happening in my life; it’s just that everything is happening so fast and that I never found the time to tell you!” Lu Han once again cringed at how lame his excuse sounded to his ears and was nearly in tears himself when he felt the dampness on his shoulder where Minseok’s head was resting while hugging him tightly in return.

 “L-look! I’m really sorry if I left you out, or kept you in the dark! It wasn’t my intention to do so and I am so, so sorry that I hurt you! I promise you that I’ll tell you everything just, please, don’t cry. Cause’ when you cry I-I’ll cry then you’ll cry harder and then…” Lu Han had to take some calming breaths; already feeling the sting behind his eyes and the moisture that was slowly threatening to fall. Thankfully, he could hear and feel Minseok gaining control over his tears as he squeezed Lu Han rather tightly; an indication that his apology was accepted.

 “Yah, you love birds! Stop causing a scene in the middle of the field and get over here! Coach is giving us the stink eye so hurry!” Minho shouted to the two currently wrapped around each other; causing a very flustered Lu Han to blush like crazy and Minseok to chuckle in his spot on Lu Han’s shoulder.

 “Sorry for embarrassing you like that, Lu-ge…” Minseok said, slowly raising his head to meet Lu Han’s wide eyed gaze. His eyes were a little red and a few errant sniffles escaped here and there but, if his bright, rectangular smile was any indication then he is finally back to being his plain old, happy-go-lucky, Xiuminie. With a shy smile, Lu Han let one of his arms to drop by his side, leaving the other to rest around Minseok’s waist; with Minseok doing the same.

 “Come on… Let’s go before Coach makes us both run laps around the field.” Minseok laughed at Lu Han’s comment while the deer steered both of them towards the rest of their team who were giving them knowing looks. At this, Lu Han immediately dropped the arm that was still resting on Minseok’s waist while Minseok kept his. In fact, if Lu Han didn’t know any better, he felt Minseok’s grip tighten. Minho met them once they reached the team, giving both of them a concerned look.

 “Yah, Lu-sunbaenim! Are you guys like dating or something?” Lu Han blushed furiously once again after hearing one of the newbies shout over the rest of the team. Peeking over at Minseok, Lu Han was surprised to see that even Minseok was blushing over the rather personal question; retracting his own hand from its perch around his waist as if scalded by boiling water. The next thing he heard was a loud smack when a rather sullen looking brunette whacked his blonde teammate on the head.

 “Thanks, Yuta!” Minho said, giving an appreciative nod over his shoulders before turning his attention back to the duo in front of him. “Sorry about that. He’s kinda new; good kid, better on the field but kinda loud.”  

 “Why?! What’d I say?!” The new kid said whilst rubbing the back of his head, slightly scowling at his companion who had a pleased smirk on his face.

 “Shut it, Hansol!” The blonde visibly jumped at their captain’s authoritative tone who was pinching the bridge of his nose, controlling his own urge to whack some sense into the impertinent blonde’s head. “Aish! Freshmen nowadays! Anyways, are you two alright?” Minseok gave a cheery nod while Lu Han on the other hand, gave a long, drawn out sigh.

 “Ugh! Why does everyone keep asking me that question?! Like seriously!” Minseok gaped at Lu Han’s sudden outburst while Minseok simply raised his eyebrows. Lu Han blushed a bright red before bowing his head apologetically after realizing he just threw a rather childish tantrum in front of his captain.

 Seriously! Where is that hole?! I’ve been needing it for like the past fifteen minutes!

 “Well, it’s nice to know you’re doing alright Lu-ssi.” Minho gave Lu Han a rather sarcastic smirk which only made the flustered deer bow his head even lower.

 “I-I’m sorry sunbaenim but it’s just been a really long day.” Lu Han raised his curiously head when he heard Minho’s rather amused chuckle. “Yeah I heard! Apparently you received another love confession this morning?”

 Lu Han grew red once more after hearing Minho’s remark, growing even more flustered after seeing Minseok’s scandalized expression. Flailing his arms spastically, Lu Han desperately tried to form words with his mouth but was only successful in muttering incomprehensible syllables. “Relax Luhannie! I was just trying to lighten up the mood! You looked like you were about to spontaneously combust at any time!”

 “Y-yah! Hyung-ah! Th-that wasn’t nice!” Lu Han began slapping Minho’s impressive biceps who only laughed harder, accepting each blow like a champ. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t help it! But seriously though, did you accept the little ice king’s proposal?”

 If anyone could die because of excessive blushing, Lu Han seriously hoped it was him. Lu Han was again at a lost for words; flapping his mouth like a fish out of water and desperately trying to make coherent sentences. Realizing he wouldn’t get anywhere on his own, he turned to his best friend for assistance but knew he wouldn’t get some seeing Minseok burning a hole in the ground with his glare while pouting adorably, puffing out his cheeks.

 Fortunately for him, their coach’s whistle saved him from answering Minho’s question and, hopefully, from any further humiliation. Minho immediately snapped up in attention and went into his captain mode. “Alright guys! Back to the field!” He said, giving a stern look around the entire team as they all headed back towards their position on the field.

 “Don’t think that saves you from answering, Luhannie!” Minho shouted over his shoulders, chuckling while heading out towards his position near the periphery of the field.

 “I’ll see you on the field, Lu.” Minseok began heading out as well without waiting for Lu Han who could only stare in disbelief that his best friend suddenly left him behind. “Ugh! What is wrong with people today?!” Lu Han said to himself while stomping his foot on the ground, throwing another childish tantrum for his own benefit.

 “LU HAN!”

 “COMING!” Lu Han shouted rather loudly as he began to make his own way near the opposite goal, taking his position as they were about to start another practice game. Scanning his teammates scattered throughout the field, Lu Han tried to get his head in the game; breathing in the fresh grass smell whilst tapping the tips of his cleats on the soft ground beneath.

 He was almost in full game mode when he noticed Minho in his wing-back position waving rather excitedly over towards the stands. Shifting his attention from his teammates towards the seats, the first thing he noticed was a rather lithe figure waving back to Minho. After squinting for a bit, he finally recognized that the figure was actually Taemin.

 Hmmm… What’s Taemin-ssi doing here? Don’t they have dance prac-

 Lu Han’s thoughts were interrupted once he noticed that Taemin was not alone; there behind him were two equally slender and extremely gorgeous figures. He didn’t need to squint to know who they are; if his sudden breakout into cold sweat along with his galloping heart weren’t enough of an indication then the rather loud and frenzied screaming of his fan club was.

 “OMMONA! IT’S KAI-SSI!”

 “OPPAS I LOVE YOU!”

 “SEHUN-AH! SARANGHAEYO!”

 !

 Lu Han completely missed the whistle indicating the start of the game, freezing in his spot; he was too focused on the two dancers who looked like they were searching the field for something, or someone. Neither did he notice his coach yelling at him to move when he met both of their gazes head on from his position on the field; he could even make out both boys smiling warmly at him upon recognition. And he most definitely was not paying attention to the warning yells of his teammates when the duo gave rather excited waves towards his direction. Finally realizing that all the shouting was directed at him, he turned his attention back towards the field, only to be met with a football right smack in his face before everything went black.

 “THE CROWNED PRINCE!”

 Everyone gaped at Yifan’s revelation; they expected that it would be a rather nasty rouge with some valuable artifact from the neighboring kingdom, not the freaking heir to the throne. Lu Han couldn’t believe it though; he had been right all this time. Finally, all this time, a prince is within arms reach of the Chinese princess only to be in a place well beyond his reach; the Dark Wood. Only Lu Han would have this kind of luck.

 “B-BUT HOW?! WHY IS THE CROWNED PRINCE OF THE WEST KINGDOM HERE IN OUR LANDS?!” Kyungsoo was in near hysterics over this piece of information; trying to make sense why their rival kingdom’s prince was not only in their kingdom but was in the freaking Dark Wood.

 “That’s what we came here to find out… Apparently, the prince just went AWOL on them one day and no one seems to know why!” It was Chanyeol this time who answered, replying rather grimly to Kyungsoo’s query. “We tracked his movements here from our contacts and so far the only thing we know is that he was desperately searching for something whenever witness saw him.”

 “We finally pinpointed his location here in the woods when an innkeeper said he ventured within; but, after searching high and low, we couldn’t find him anywhere except for that one part of the forest.” He continued, nervously shifting his gaze between the three of them.

 “BUT HOW CAN YOU BE SURE HE IS IN THE DARK WOOD?! I MEAN HE COULD HAVE JUST LEFT THE FOREST ENTIRELY FOR ALL WE KNOW!”

 “W-well… The innkeeper was pretty sure that the prince headed inside the forest. According to the reports, he had been muttering to himself that he was close to what he is looking for and multiple witnesses saw him enter the woods.” Chanyeol flinched at Kyungsoo’s frenzied glare, which was immensely more terrifying given the owl’s bulging eyes. “Besides, you’re wolf friend here just confirmed it! So far no other human other than your Lu Han has been reported to have gone in the woods…”

 This time, it was Kai who cringed when Kyungsoo’s hungry eyes bore down on him. “What?! My nose never lies! I’m sure there is another human here somewhere out in the west! And besides, you saw the horse tracks left behind, right?!”

 Shifting his wide-eyed stare between Kai and Chanyeol, Kyungsoo finally gave out an exasperated screech as he clawed out the branch he had been resting on. “Now why would a prince willing venture into the Dark Wood without any escorts?! And without even notifying our King?! That’s almost a declaration of war!”

 “Hell if he knew! But if the reports are a hundred percent accurate, then that must be one hell of a bobble for him to up and leave the safety of their kingdom without so much as a warning or notice! So far their king has reported nothing valuable had been stolen so we’re really drawing blanks here! The best that we can do is to retrieve the little brat and make sure he comes back in once piece…”

 “Easier said than done…” Kai said, sneering rather darkly.

 “THIS IS NUTS! ABSOLUTELY, NUTS!” Kyungsoo was now fluttering his wings quite erratically, obviously growing frustrated on how this conversation was going. “AND WHAT ABOUT YOU TWO?! WILL YOU BOTH MAKE IT BACK IN ONE PIECE?!”

 Looking at each other dejectedly, both Yifan and Chanyeol could give only a dismal sigh knowing there was really no good answer for that one. It was Yifan this time who saved Chanyeol from saying what needed to be said.

 “We have too… It’s our job!”

 “THAT’S BULL! WHAT YOU’RE DOING IS NOT YOUR JOB! WHAT YOU’RE GONNA DO IS PLAIN OLD SUICIDE!”

 “WELL THAT’S WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR DIDN’T WE?! NOT BACKING DOWN FROM ANY THREAT IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK AT HAND!” Yifan was roaring now, deflating Kyungsoo of his tirade as the desperation in Yifan’s voice permeated through their campgrounds. “IF WE DON’T THEN IT MEANS ALL OUT WAR BETWEEN THE TWO KINGDOMS!”

 Everyone fell short over that piece of information, with Kyungsoo being the first to once again ask the burning question in their heads. “Full out war! What the heck do you mean?!”

 “It means that our original task was supposed to be peace keeping envoys… The king of the West kingdom was under the impression that we kidnapped his son; threatening to wage war with our kingdom if we don’t produce him soon…” Yifan gave a soul weary sigh, obvious tired from stressing out over the whole situation.

 “Well that ! So it means either face certain death in the Dark Wood, searching for some kid who most probably is dead in a ditch somewhere or be among the millions slaughtered in the coming war if we don’t bring the brat back?!” Kai was unfazed with Kyungsoo death glare for his insensitive comment. Yifan on the other hand, found it in himself to darkly chuckle at Kai’s choice of words.

 “Pretty much! Yes… So now you understand the gravity of our mission and why we wanted it to keep it on the down low.” Yifan pointedly said to the loud mouth Chanyeol. “Such news would only cause widespread fear and panic! Also we’d rather risk our lives trying to prevent a war rather than do nothing to stop it…”

 While the rest of them continued to argue about the futility of their little quest; Lu Han could notice the fear that was present in all of them. He could see that no matter how confident Yifan and Chanyeol appeared on the outside, the terror that came with their task shone brightly in of their eyes. He could hear the nervous quiver in Kyungsoo’s voice as he tried to desperately argue that there was another way to avoid the inevitable war without the two having to unnecessarily sacrifice their lives in the Dark Wood. And he could feel the slight shaking in Kai’s feet as he tried to casually brush off the topic as some ill-humored joke; mentioning how most of them would be unaffected by such a conflict seeing as they were in the middle of nowhere. But all of them knew that in an all out war, none of them were safe; the forest was the boundary between the two kingdoms, meaning that it would be the first place to go when all hell broke loose. They are terrified, having been caught between two impossible situations with no solution in sight.

 Lu Han would be crushed if the forest was lost in the conflict between the two. Sure, he wanted nothing more to escape this place, but this has been his home for nearly all his life; not to mention it is also the home of the creatures that he held closest to him. Also, if Lu Han thought he wouldn’t survive in the middle of the forest, then he was definitely sure that he wouldn’t last ten seconds in the middle of a war. Neither would his friends.

 Now the old Lu Han would have simply cowered and hide; retreating back to his tower whilst patiently waiting out the war that would wage beneath. But the new Lu Han is braver than that; he’d be damned if he would just allow the slaughter of innocents and the decimation of his and his friends home if there was anything he could do about it. No, if there was something he could do about it, then he’d do it! If he was to die, he’d rather do it to help prevent the war instead of hiding like a coward, waiting for his death to come.

 So, with courage he never knew he had, Lu Han gazed from one figure to another before finally speaking up.

 “I’ll go with you!”

 At this everyone stopped their little arguments, only to give Lu Han a shocked, curious look.

 “Excuse me?!” Kyungsoo was the one who first recovered, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.

 “You heard me! I said I’ll go with you into the Dark Wood to search for the prince!” And Lu Han never felt more sure about his decision than anything else in his entire life; even after the clearing roared loudly against his little declaration.

A/N:

Jwaesonghamnida! OTL

I knew I said I'll go back to update on a weekly basis but unfortunately life got in the way again (problems at work, extremely long story but basically I'm in between jobs now. Ha! Go figure...). Any who, to make up for it, I have been working one Chapters 7, 8, and 9 simultaneously and some far who have here Chapter 7, with Chapter 8 nearly finished and 9 nearly done. So you will expect either a double update or consecutive update within the next couple of days. Hopefully that will make up my failure as an author. T_T

I hope you guys do enjoy this chapter, and do please leave me a comment once in a while to let me know you guys haven't given up on me... Ugh! MIANHE! T_T

PS. I made a slight change with my previous chapters and the following chapters; from now on, the fairytale sequence will be in purple to you know, separate it from the main plot line. It's just minor but just thought I'd give you guys a heads up.

PPS. How do you guys feel about the DBSK and NCT cameos? I'm still kinda iffy about putting NCT be here but if ever I do keep them in, only selected members would be present in this fic. Minho would be more like a featuring character since he plays a vital role in Luhan's life in this fic. While I just love writing Im Yoona's character; she's fun to write! :3