Since that meeting; Autumn has not seen or heard from the prince, and she felt liberated. Days passed and Autumn spent her time improving her knowledge, unaware that a seed of change had been planted. It wasn’t until the day where she was walking down one of the halls towards the library when she saw Jade storming towards her in a flurry of fabric and rage. She comes to a stop right before Autumn blocking her path.

“Are you happy now?”

“Well, my answer will differ depending on what you are referring to.” Autumn replies with the brightest smile she could muster.

“I’m being cast out because of you! We all are!”

“‘We’ being who?”

Jade rolls her eyes, “Any person who was trying court Prince Taecyeon. I’ll ask you again; are you happy now?”

“Not really actually.”

“You can’t be serious.” She groans, “People like you will probably never understand.” She says as she storms off; disappearing just as fast as she appeared.

Autumn rolls her eyes as she hears a soft sound of footsteps. “I know you are there.”

Taecyeon opens the door and beckon her to come into the room to where he was standing.

“I just wanted to know how you would react; and I have got to say it didn’t disappoint.”

“Why did you send them away? Are you bored of them or is it just your twisted logic.”

“I will prove it to you…” He says as he walks to the window and turns around to face Autumn. “I won’t stop you from loving him, but I will do all in my power to change your mind.”

Autumn laughs at his arrogance, “Why the change of heart?”

“I find you entertaining; some may say that I love you.”

Autumn burst into laughter; but this time sincere laughter. “You don’t love me! You are just in love with the idea that there is something you can’t have.”

A short silence follows as Autumn proceeds to leave the room. As the door clicks closed behind her, an anger fueled growl is followed by the sound of wood crack, glass breaking and pride breaking.

Autumn sat out in one of the gardens, Blaze enjoying the sunshine next to her and Hurricane standing a little way behind Autumn. It has been a while since they went out to the garden. A week has passed since then.

“He seems pretty serious.” Blaze says as he sees one of the maids walking towards them with three boxes stacked on top of each other.

“I bet it’s something that is probably worth a lot in gold, but had little heart in it.’ Autumn replies as she takes the boxes from the maid. A short note is attached with it.

• I hope you find this to your liking; most girls have loved this designer’s work. T

She opens each box, the largest containing an elaborate neck piece shining with an array of precious stones, the smaller boxes containing matching earrings and bracelet.

Blaze whistles loudly when he sees the jewelry.

“I guess no one can quite compare to a prince.” Blaze laughs bitterly. “I guess there is no hope for me to begin with.”

Blaze not the only one thinking that. Hurricane could only look on, it was impossible for either one of them to even come close to providing a life style that a prince could provide. All Hurricane could do was press his lips tightly together, swallowing any feeling’s he had. Feeling Hurricane’s gaze on her Autumn snapped shut all the box and hiding them from Hurricane’s view.

That night Hurricane brought Autumn back to her room, walking next to her until he stopped by the threshold the separated his room form hers.

“We should stop this… Whatever you call what it is we have between us.” His words come out in a soft whisper.

An indescribable pain rips though Autumn’s heart. “What ‘thing’ are you talking about?  You don’t actually care about me. You are being forced to look after me only because it’s your job.”

“You know it’s not like that.”

Autumn’s breathe hitches as she looks up into Hurricane’s eyes.

“Prove it.”

Hurricane freezes, “How?” comes out as a barely audible whisper.

“Kiss me.”

Hurricane stops, a storm swirling in his eyes. “I am not allowed to.”

Autumn smiles sadly, ‘And you said it’s not like that?”

Hurricane looks away running his hand through his hair.

Autumn turns and walks to her bed, hiding the tears that had began to fall. The one person she had ever felt this feeling with before… Before she had a chance to realize it… Was blown away in a gust of circumstances. But they were circumstances that Autumn was willing to twist in her favor.

“Hurricane?”

“Yes Miss Autumn.”

“You have to do everything I ask, am I correct?”

“Yes Miss Autumn, if it is within my capability.”

“Kiss me.”

Hurricane froze once again, at a loss; stuck in an internal fight with himself.
‘“Hurricane?”

He walked towards her over the threshold that separated them and stood in front of her taking her downcast face in his hands gently as if scared of being burned by the flame. His fingers brush away the tear on her cheek as he leans down and lifts her face upwards. He was so close she could smell his scent, a little like rain on a windy day, Autumn closes her eyes as she feels his breath on her lips; She could feel his warmth he was so close, and then it was gone as she pushes him away.

“You’re only doing this because I asked you to; in the end it is just your job to complete an order,”

Hurricane stays silent, Autumn takes one look at his expressionless face and sits onto her bed and tears threaten to flow once again, seeing this Hurricane stretched out his hand unable to watch her in pain. Autumn summons all the strength she has left to stop the tears as she avoids Hurricanes worried eyes.

“Just go.”

Hurricane hesitates before turning around and walking away with heavy steps, “I’ll be in the other room.”

“No. Just go to where the other guards sleep.” She says as she lays down turning away from the door, “I don’t want to see you.”

Hurricane spins around, stunned, but eventually leaves, “Good night Miss Autumn.”

The next morning Autumn is surprised to find a new person as her guard. She musters a weak smile but says nothing. As much as she would like to pretend that nothing changes, everyone around her clearly noticed.

“Where is the usual one?” The prince asked.

“Excuse me?”

“Your guard, Where is the usual one? That expressionless one that follows you around all the time.”

“I don’t know...”

And that was the truth, there was not even a ghost of his presence; Autumn thought it would have lessened the pain, but instead it seems to aggravate it, was this how strong their bond was? Autumn was desperate for someone to confide in; she couldn’t confide in the person she trusted the most; she didn’t want to hurt him more than she already did. The person she wanted to talk to the most was so far away. Her brother would know what to do; he always did.

“I have a request.” She says suddenly.

‘What is it?” Taecyeon asks, wanting to prove to her that he cared.

“I want to go home.”