Youngjae was taken aback by the sudden response of the older. He didn't believe just yet, I mean, to Youngjae, love is ridiculous.

"What? Love? This is not a joke Mark, I mean seriously." Youngjae laughed bitterly. 

"No, I'm serious." Mark looked up to meet his eyes with the younger. "There is no more powerful than love in this world. Love is..easy to find but hard to feel."

no way. Not love. This is ing ridiculous.

Youngjae remained silent. A few seconds later, he laughed once again. "This must be a joke. I came all the way here to just find out that I must fall in-love? Nah uh."

The older looked at his eyes, seeking for an answer. "Why is it so hard for you to realize that you have to fall in-love?"

The younger chuckled, as if he heard that question a tons of times. "Because I don't believe in love."

"What?" Mark's eyes and heart softened. "Don't say that. Everybody believes in love."

"Well, not me. Love is just..unfair. I was surrounded by hatred and rebellion. No one loved me." He sat still. "Well, if Paris inspires you to be noble and courageous but in real life love is just an all-purpose excuse of selfish behavior."

"Love is selfless. Love is not selfish unless you only love yourself. Everybody loved me--"

"Exactly! We are in contrast, Mark. We have different opinions. Everybody loved you but no one loved me. Why can't you just accept that?"

"I want you to believe again. Or else..you'll die."

"You know what, I don't care if I die! No one will even care for me when I do." Youngjae stood up, had enough of the conversation they both had, and walked out of the castle.

Yet.

Mark immediately held Youngjae's wrist, tightening his grip. But with the same soft face the Prince had. "No, stay. Stay with me."

Youngjae felt the strong grip of the Prince. "Why? Why don't you hate me? Like what everybody does to me. I disagreed all of your words yet you still want me to stay? Are you crazy?!"

"But I want you to stay. I want to help you even though you don't want me to." Mark's voice remained calm and collected.

"I am a delinquent. And you're a kind prince. Shouldn't you run away from me? Shouldn't you arrest me for disrespecting Your Highness?"

Mark pulled the younger's wrist, drawing him closer. He placed his left hand on Youngjae's back, and embraced him warmly.

"I don't care. Please...stay."

Youngjae immediately felt the Prince's warmth and sincerity. He couldn't believe that the Prince would remaim calm, soft, and collected until up to this point. 

"W-what a-are you doing?" Youngjae said, trying to break free of the hug. But the Prince's grip was too strong for the younger to handle.

"Just please stay..I'll help you." The Prince's tone was somehow pleading. Okay, he was really pleading for the younger to stay.

Honestly, Youngjae did want to live. For him to beat the out of Jackson after. But the major thing is, he needed to fall in-love. It was the consequence of his actions.

Mark kept hugging Youngjae, refusing to let him go. 

"Can I just take a moment to realize that I have to fall in-love in order for me to ing live? I mean, that ing witch gave me this ing spell for what?" Youngjae blurted out. "I just want to live and not love. But in order for me to live, I have to love. I don't know where to start Mark."

Before Mark could react, a lady with a little boy in tow arrived and held out her hand, made it numb, and snapped her fingers. Which led Youngjae unconscious, lying on the floor.

Before Mark couldn't react again, the lady and the little boy bowed down. "Your Highness. I am sorry to interrupt you and your talk with our lad but I would like to talk to you."

"Who are you?"

The lady smirked.

"I am the one who helped Youngjae at the first place. And at the same time, the one who casted the spell on him. Call me Hye Soo, Your Highness."

~~

Mark and Hye Soo were in the king's quarters, which is now the Prince's. Closed most of the lights off, locked the door shut and secured, closed the window shut.

"---So Your Highness. Youngjae needs you unknowingly. He may have a strong reputation and personality but his heart doesn't lie. You need to help him."

Mark glared at her. "So I'm just an escape route for some reason?"

She shook her head. "No, no. You need to help him realize. It's up to him if he will make a move or just wait for the next two days before he dies."

"I want to help him. The first time I laid eyes on him, there was something weird. It's very unusual but I feel like I'm desperate to help him so he can't die."

"Is that all?" Hye Soo smiled.

Mark sighed. "I like him."

"I knew you would spill the beans. But the love must be mutual. Not one-sided. Just make him realize. Make him decide. If this doesn't turn out good, he'll vanish into thin air basically. At exactly midnight in two days."

"But.."

"What is it, Your Highness?"

Mark said sadly. "He doesn't like me. He obviously wanted to get out. Then he'll treat me as an escape route. I don't want that, Hye Soo."

Hye Soo smiled warmly at the Prince. "It's still up to you, Your Highness. Be natural. You are a warm-hearted prince for God's sake!"

"O-okay."

"Why did you even like someone that is a contrast of you?" She asked as she stood up, strenched her clothes, and opened the door to leave the room.

Mark didn't answer. He stood up and followed her lead outside and walked at the hallways of the castle, to a certain room where the still unconscious Youngjae is at.

They opened the door and saw Youngjae lying on the bed, as if he was sleeping. The two went closer.

Hye Soo looked at Mark sternly. "Remember what we talked about, Your Highness."

She held out her hand once more, and immediately snapped her fingers.

After five seconds, Youngjae woke up. And immediately furrowed his eyebrows.

"Where the am I?"

Mark pursed his lips, and kept quiet. Why? He was nervous. Why? He has no idea.

"You're at the castle. You lost consciousness before," Hye Soo said. 

"Why are you here? I thought you were outside the kingdom." Youngjae asked. 

"Well..I managed to snuck my way," Hye Soo replied. "Bambam is at the dining area, eating."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"For about an hour."

The two kept exchanging questions and answers while Mark is just standing like a fool. 

This mission wasn't turning out to be good and time is running out.

***

The next day, Hye Soo and Bambam left the castle and the two men were the only ones left. Mark wanted to help Youngjae on his mission.

"Are you