Chanyeol woke up with a comfortable feeling with him. He knew Baekhyun was still in the castle and chose to stay. For years, Chanyeol wanted to have someone like him–fun, cute, thoughtful, loving, attractive..

Attractive?

Nah. Maybe he was just drowsy after waking up. Stretching his arms and legs, he sat up with a smile and an immediate feeling to jump out of bed, do morning hygiene and to zoom for the next room that was Baekhyun's.

Unexpectedly, it seems that Baekhyun got there first. There was a sudden knock on his door and the eager feeling, he swung the door open.

"Hey Baek, I just got up but hey, good mo-"

Red A-line gown, black gauntlets and a ruby-infested chest. It was his sister. No Baekhyun.

"-ahh! Noona!" exclaimed Chanyeol, bowing ninety degrees, then went stammering, "I did not called for yo-I mean, I wasn't expecting yo-well, I was about to say good morning to you, Your Highness."

The Princess stared at him weirdly, "What bake?" she rolled her eyes. With an increasing speed, she nagged, "Anyway, you didn't show up to eomma and appa yesterday. That was our first day and you didn't even attended the orientation. The servants told me that you were at the stadium the whole day. Honestly, I just covered you up to them by saying you had a meeting with Kai to prevent any suspicions. In exchange, you must tell me the truth or else, I'll reveal to eomma and appa that you were still dating with that Sehun guy!" she ended with a strong poke of the chest.

"Hey!" Chanyeol yelped, bringing a hand to his chest, "We are not dating if you had suspected us before!" frowning at his sister.

Yoora snapped back, "Then why are you at the stadium? A servant spotted you with a guy. Isn't that your dating place-"

"-no!" Chanyeol raised his hands in defense, "No one's dating around here and I was with no one yesterday." he replied sharply.

"So, what do you think of the servant? He's lying? Oh come on, Yeol. You're not telling me something and it-"

The sentence sounded familiar to him. Chanyeol looked at his sister straight in the eye, "I'm not lying." he told her in a serious tone.

"Then what happened to you yesterday?" Yoora questioned, arms crossing in the chest.

Chanyeol sighed and broke the gaze, as if it was true, "I suffered from hypothermia. I was in the stadium to be alone and to have privacy while I was gaining warmth again, alright?" he answered.

His sister's face transformed to a furious on to a face full of concern, like what she saw from her mother's, she reached out a hand to his forehead and neck. She asked worriedly, "How did it happened?"

"Maybe I didn't carry the daily training, I felt very drained after the coronation." Chanyeol massaged his temples with his right hand like it really hurt, "Actually, I still don't feel well-"

"-I'll go tell eomma and appa-"

Yoora was about to go but Chanyeol stopped her.

"Why not?" she asked, pouting.

"Just leave it to me, noona. I don't want to bother them. They're too busy." Chanyeol reasoned.

"Okay." she nodded and walked back at him, "Just tell me if you feel better, we have a meeting at the Earth Kingdom at afternoon." she claimed.

Chanyeol bowed his head, "Yes, I will." he obediently said.

"Good bye for now." the Princess smiled and did an eye-smile before she completely left.

He pushed the door close, his cheek leaning in the wood. Chanyeol sighed in relief, that was a lot of excuses made. He was about to return to bed when he heard another knock.

It must be Baekhyun.

Chanyeol opened the door less excitedly than the first. Exactly finding out that was his sister. Face-palming inside his head, he smiled wryly at her.

"By the way, I was knocking on the next door hours ago and found out that it was locked?" she asked, eyebrow raised in confusion.

Next door. It was Baekhyun's. Oh my, he thought, he felt like he grew pale after that question. He said another excuse, "I was doing some stuff there because it would be messy here if I did."

Yoora showed a face of disbelief, "Don't you remember that it would be my room?" she asked in as-matter-of-fact tone. She sighed, "I must be moving there right? However, my cabinet collapsed, that's why I planned on moving today. Didn't I tell you that?"

Chanyeol had his mouth open, stuttering between words while his sister just stared at him, "A-Ah. Sorry. W-Well, I'll..uhh. Just. Fix it as soon as possible? Yes. I will." he smiled shyly.

Yoora giggled, jumping to pinch his cheek, "You're so sweet." with a sisterly peck on it, "Thanks Yeol." smiling widely at him before skipping away.

He really loves his sister though she was more skillful in nagging than his mother.

Chanyeol waited for her to have completely went down the stairs. He went out of his room and had a minute in staring at the hallway. Oh god, he has too much to do, and he's going to leave Baekhyun. He was making an imaginary schedule when a tap on a shoulder startled him, again.

"Oh Baekhyun!" Chanyeol exclaimed.

Baekhyun looked like he was the one who got shocked. With mouth open before, "Did I shocked you again? I'm sorry." he wore a small smile.

Chanyeol found his smile comforting, he chuckled back at him.

"By the way Yeol, was that your mother?" Baekhyun asked, head tilted cutely in confusion.

Chanyeol laughed, "She's just my sister. She's really a skilled nagger, that's why." he answered.

Hey. What? Did he heard? He caught Baekhyun, "So you were eavesdropping?" Chanyeol looked down at the silent man.

Baekhyun laughed at the question, gesturing a no. He denied, "I wasn't. I was talking about the knock."

"Oh." Chanyeol laughed also, "I'm sorry."

Chanyeol remembered what did his sister said. He looked at Baekhyun's mask that was still worn on him. Chanyeol held Baekhyun's arms.

"Listen to me." looking into his eyes through the mask, "At afternoon, I'll be leaving the castle with my parents. At night, my sister is going to move at your-"

"But I don't wanna go home! I like it here!" he whined childishly with a pout in the end.

Chanyeol was glad and was somehow flattered. He didn't break the gaze, but had a tiny smile hiding, "But where will you go?" he concerned.

"I'll go with you." Baekhyun said so simply, like he had been saying this always, he smiled.

.*.

He was used to this.

Baekhyun was used to follow around without being seen by the public. Once a week, he was been hiding behind Kyungsoo under his invisibility mask to have a chance to explore the world. Kyungsoo was strictly telling him not to stray away from him or they'll end up having petty quarrels back at the Ice Kingdom.

Baekhyun remembered Kyungsoo again, the Earth Kingdom arc reminded him of the memories they made there. He remembered the first time he visited there and the last time he did. He snapped out of his thoughts when Chanyeol looked for him.

"Baekhyun." he whispered, looking inside the carriage.

Chanyeol preferred to go there by his own. After half an hour, the carriage went back to fetch Chanyeol and secretly, him. Now, they were inside the royal carriage. Baekhyun was sitting across Chanyeol.

Baekhyun showed himself, "Why?" he was also whispering.

"Is it okay with you if you'll just follow me? With you, hidden?" Chanyeol asked.

Baekhyun nodded, "Yes. I've been doing that for years." he declared diligently.

Baekhyun felt like Chanyeol spent the minutes applying empathy as he grew silent until they arrived at the castle.

The carriage's door opened as Baekhyun hid under his magical mask and trailed behind Chanyeol. Chanyeol marched up the palace like a very disciplined prince, fine in each step and in a confident posture.

The doors opened as Chanyeol stepped in. There were a flock of white birds that scattered in the air and found their places at the plants that filled the corners of the hall. They were constantly chirping a melody that was a music to his ears. Baekhyun missed that scenery and couldn't help but to smile at it.

Chanyeol walked straight in the aisle, lines of servants bowing at him, he stopped in front of those Land Royalties. His parents were sitting at the side of the aisle with his sister. All eyes on him. Baekhyun's body froze as he saw Kyungsoo at the left side of the biggest throne. Chanyeol knelt a knee down and made a respectful bow.

"Prince Chanyeol of the Fire Kingdom." he claimed.

Chanyeol remained at his position. The Earth King nodded, "It's nice to have you here. Take your seat." he motiond a hand to where the other sat.

Chanyeol made one last bow after standing up and proceeded to his seat beside his sister.

Baekhyun felt his airways restricting. Kyungsoo was there. He was here. There was a moment of silence. His sweat was dropping to his coat. He wanted to talk to Kyungsoo. To apologize and everything.

"I'm aware that the Ice Kingdom is still active for attacks." the Earth King started.

They sat there grim and grave. Baekhyun thought that it wasn't right to be there, eavesdropping secretly. So, he thought of going to the Earth Garden to spend time there. Also, to think of what to do about Kyungsoo and Chanyeol.

As Baekhyun travels his way to the garden, he noticed the changes made in the walls of the castle. He felt watched. There were emerald jewels shaped like four petaled flowers in line at the middle of the walls that looked new to him. In his curiosity, he approached one of those flowers, he bent over to observe it.

It reflected his face.

Baekhyun quickly moved back and looked around the hallway that was filled with those jewels throughout the middle of the walls. Would Kyungsoo be watching him? Baekhyun suddenly felt hot. He could himself shaking. Guilt was finally chasing him and telling him, why did he ran away and never showed up to Kyungsoo while what he just did was to show him the world. He was nervous. He doesn't know what would his body do in reaction upon seeing Kyungsoo.

"Oh, please. Not now." Baekhyun whispered to himself, eyebrows arched up together showing his uneasiness.

He ran away.

Baekhyun's head was full of questions right now. What was happening to him? Back then, he wanted to run back home and leave that sweet giant alone. But why was he staying? What's wrong? He's so freaking confused. He wasn't thinking about this when Chanyeol's around. What's with him? Really.

While running towards the Earth Garden, he bumped at someone coming from the opposite. The man yelped. Baekhyun covered his mouth with his hands tight, staying firm as possible. No visibility powers please, Baekhyun pleaded in his mind.

However, there was no feeling of plastic sheets being lifted off from him. No poof of spells. No reaction. Baekhyun looked up to the man, knowing that it was Chanyeol.

Chanyeol was looking into space with horror and a streak of confusion.

Baekhyun just wanted to show up and laugh at his appearance. He wanted to see more of that reaction.

.*.

Chanyeol's mind was racing of ridiculous questions of what might had hurt him lately. Now, standing still and staring into space, he felt dumb and somehow irritated because he couldn't find Baekhyun anywhere and there was this unknown bump coming out from somewhere.

He forgot to give Baekhyun a sign that he was looking for him. Like a whistle, snap of a finger or even a tap of his foot. Chanyeol sighed internally.

He chose to ignore it. But no one would be ignoring something that has just poked his side.

"Hey!" Chanyeol exclaimed, frowning.

And another one on his opposite side.

"HEY!" He shouted angrily, his voice echoing through the vacant hallway.

Chanyeol scrutinized the place and every block he found empty just built his rage up.

"Whoever you are, it's not funny." Chanyeol remarked firmly with a pause in every word, deep resonant voice gave menace and creep. Scary enough to make someone dead nervous.

In a blink of an eye, a light gust of a wind, a loud painful bump on the floor, he was pinned there by the attacker. Chanyeol could swear he's going to use his power to bring this ambusher down, not when he was suddenly being squeezed by the attacker at his ticklish part–his abdomen. Both hands were firm and quick, Chanyeol bursted out laughing and jerking on the ground spasmodically.

"FUC-NO! HAHAHA! NO! STOP-HAHAHA!"

He was tickled until he grew tired and was panting terribly due to that weird moment.

At the time he got back to his senses, Chanyeol took a handful grab in the air. He was shocked to hold an arm–or whatever it seemed to be. He exerted some force to flip the attacker for it to be behind him. Chanyeol was flabbergasted by the attack the other made by (maybe) kicking his arm away.

That kick made him stare into the jewels lined in the wall. Chanyeol's heart was full of indignation and he seemed to breathe fire because of that who jumped on him. However, seeing the tiny man's figure on the jewels made him feel relived. Being in mixed emotions, he doesn't know what to feel in seeing Baekhyun's shape in there.

Maybe he would just go with the flow.

Chanyeol, with a wicked grin, turned to Baekhyun who was outside his invisibility.

"Baaaeekhyun.." he groaned long as he jumped to chase him.

Baekhyun screamed and was laughing while running, "Forgive me Yeol!"

Chanyeol was reaching out his hand to grab Baekhyun's coat but he was too fast. Also, he kept on laughing internally but itching to get revenge. "Never!" he laughed loud.

The pursuit led them to the Earth Garden. They were running through bushes, grasses and flowers. Laughter mixed with the calming rush of water from the waterfall and the euphonious music of the birds. Ran until they were doused with a sweet summer scent.

Chanyeol groaned, "I give up!" lying down on the ground, laughing again.

"You can't catch me!" Baekhyun ran beside him, stopped and dropped to laugh together with Chanyeol.

Both were calmed after few teases and the relaxing scene of the garden engulfed them 'til they were silenced.

Baekhyun rose up and walked above the bridge, stepped at where Chanyeol stood at the first.

Chanyeol knew what will happen next. He sat up, propping on his elbow for a better view. Baekhyun smiled at him. He was overwhelmed by light of the sunset glowing on his face. Chanyeol smiled back at him.

"I.. I think I owe you something." Baekhyun said nervously, he leaned over the parapet, knuckles below his chin.

Chanyeol braced himself for doing something weird before Baekhyun took a deep breath, stood relaxed and placed two of his fingers on his nose bridge.

Baekhyun lifted his mask up for the first time.

***

Started: January 6, 2017

Finished: March 28, 2017

A/N: I'm baaacckk~ *cries in joy* I'll be focusing on this fic this summer vacation. ;) It's my third year anniversary here in AFF. And HAPPY SEHUN DAAAAYY EVERYONE!! <3

Yeo_Na