~Chapter 3~

Prince Suho was not a morning person but neither were the other princes. He was one of the few who was up the earliest even though it was almost 12 in the afternoon. He walks towards the dining room joined by Prince Xiumin and Prince Kyungsoo.

Suho was glad that he could start his morning off with just these two unlike if Prince Baekhyun and Prince Chen were awake he wouldn't start off in such a good mood. Prince Xiumin was always quiet and Prince Kyungsoo never really found it necessary to have small talk and would rather have his nose stuck in a book. 

When they entered the grand dining room, servants immediately attended to them. Three of the butlers bowed to to each of the prince's as they took a chair. 

Kyungsoo didn't even look up from his book when he told the servants what he wanted for breakfast. "I'll just take a bowl of grapes and half a slice of an orange. Also when I'm done, make sure I get an apple." 

"Coffee but iced please?" Xiumin said it quietly and cutely, the butler couldn't help but to show a little grin. Amongst the servants in Hiiro castle, Prince Xiumin was by far their favorite prince. 

As Suho was telling the butler what he wanted, the dining room doors opened. Luhan, Chen and Kris walked in. Kris was trying hard not to fall asleep on the dining table while Chen was stuck to Luhan's side begging him to tell him what happened to him yesterday.

"Come on Luhan! Why can't you tell me? You looked like you went through a lot when you got here."

"Ugh nothing happened Chen." Luhan was getting annoyed with Prince Chen constantly pestering him for the hundredth time about his injuries and haggard state. "How many times do I have to tell you I just went into the wrong direction. Now would you please let me eat in peace?" Usually no one would hesitate to bother Luhan again especially when he's in one of his usual morning moods. So Chen just drops it and pouts. 

"Geez alright Lu I'll stop. I was just curious cause when you came back you were smiling like an idiot even when your mother was lecturing you."

"Yeah Han I've never seen you like that before. What did you see? Something magical in those woods?" 

Luhan did wonder if he did see something close to magic when he was almost in danger. After he arrived at the palace everyone was worried sick about him but he just couldn't get it out of his head whether that girl he met in the woods was real or not. He concluded that there were no ghosts in the forests when he asked Suho about any legends of ghosts that roam around Noroi Falls but Suho was just as clueless.

Luhan wasn't going to give up. He could still remember the way she smiled at him and her warm gentle hands on his. One way or another he'll see her again maybe not in the woods but hopefully soon.

Meanwhile, Suho stopped eating and wondered where his parents and the other majesties were. He hadn't seen them ever since they rushed out of the party to talk about something urgent. It worried him what might be happening behind those closed doors but he would have to wait until his parents would tell him. Maybe tonight. 

"Alright let's get down to the real problem of today. What's our fun activity?" 

Of course Chen was the most energetic to do something today. Prince Suho was just planning to sleep off whatever hours he wasted from the party. "Well how about we take a look around Hiiro and see what's going on with the civilians."

"Hmmm a bit boring. Ah! How about we go on an exploration?" the other prince's weren't took excited or even listening to Chen's suggestion. "Oh come on fellas. It'll be fun. We can explore places never discovered, find or fight dangerous creatures. Maybe even find treasure."

"And where exactly do you suggest we go explore?" Kyungsoo eyebrows furrowed at Chen's stupid suggestion but Prince Chen already had the perfect place in mind. 

"Let's go to the woods Luhan went to yesterday." Luhan suddenly snapped out of his daydream when he heard his name.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Chen said he wants to go explore the woods you were in yesterday but I say it's too dangerous because you don't know what's really in Noroi falls."

"Do you want your mother to give you an earful when we get back Chen?" Prince Kyungsoo  tries to make him think about it but Chen wasn't so worried about future consequences and was settled on doing this now. 

"Nope I want to go. Come on guys won't it be fun?" Chen's insistent whining made prince Kyungsoo and prince Kris cringe. "I'm so bored and we never get to venture outside the walls of Hiiro. Plus it'll be a good way to train us on our survival skills." 

"When would we ever get ourselves stuck in the middle of the forest? The only person I see that happening to is you." Chen just sticks a piece of fruit into Kyungsoo's mouth to make him stop talking. Which he probably shouldn't have done.

"Come on Suho. Don't you want to see what's outside of these walls?" Suho did wonder at times what it was like to the suburban land outside of Hiiro's gates. He was always doing things inside the capital of Hiiro and never was curious to go look at what's outside the gates. He hated to admit it but he was starting to get curious too. 

"Ok fine we can go explore those woods."

Prince Chen had never looked happy; he has. "But we can't go today. Noroi Falls is a dangerous part of the woods. We will need to go into town for some supplies first."

"Like what?" Chen asked.

"Well you need-"

"A silver pan flute." Luhan blurted it out by accident while everyone at the table turned and looked at him.

"Um That's right a silver pan flute. It's supposed to ward off any dangerous creatures that lurk those woods. Luhan how did you know about that?"

"Uh I read it somewhere in a book last night. I wanted to be prepared next time if I ever end up in those woods again." Luhan sighed in relief when they believed him. 

"Well it's settled. We'll go to the capital to shop for some supplies and then head over there tomorrow. I'll go write down what we need and since it's still a bit early, the others should be up by now-" then the other prince's came in with their messy bedhair, droopy eyes and growling stomachs. 

"Ah just on time gentleman. We were planning our itinerary for today and we are going shopping before we venture into the cursed woods tomorrow!"Chen excitedly said.

"Did you just say it's cursed?" Chanyeol and Tao were the sacredy cats whenever it came with the supernatural. You could tell from how shaky their voices were to know how they were against the idea of going into the woods. 

"Come on, you two are such scaredy cats when it comes to dark and spooky things. As a matter of fact, this'll help you toughen up in the face of danger." 

"Oh no there is no way I am going into those woods. Looking at how Luhan came out of there is enough explanation for me." 

"Tao you're always such a sacredy cat. I don't hear the other's complaining." 

"That's because the other's are half awake." Chen turns around and sees Kai continuosuly yawning, Sehun finding Luhan's shoulder as a pillow, Lay didn't even make it to the dining table, as Baekhyun had dark eye bags under his eyes and tried to stay awake by chugging the whole cup of his coffee.

"They'll be fine but we are going cause I got permission by Suho. Now who's excited?!" all them replied with monotone groans disappointing Chen.  

He scoffs at how he was the only sane one this morning. "Wow your energy this morning is just sad. Well at least Xiumin is ok. Come on Xiumin we'll get ready first." he drags the eldest as he quietly follows Chen who rushed them both out the dining room to get ready first.

"Does he always have to do something? Honestly shopping and sightseeing is such a waste of time." 

"Lighten up Kyungsoo. I think it'll be fun." Kyungsoo didn't even look up from his book when Kris answered him. Until Kris grabs his shoulder and shakes him back and forth to get him to look away from his book. "If you're interested, I heard there's a new wizard shop that just opened in the capital and they said they have all kinds of astronomical inventions that might interest you."

Kyungsoo's ears perked up at the idea of going to a new Wizard shop but he didn't want to make a big deal out of it so he finally was covinced to go too. 

After Kai got some food into his stomach, he finally put his own opinion on the activity today. "Well if we are to go shopping, I might as well buy some new polish for my swords. They've been getting a bit dull from all my sword practices."

"I wonder if they'll have a magic bookstore." Lay wondered out loud.

"Lay there's a library in the castle." Sehun tiredly muttered while his head was still on his shoulder. 

"Hey Suho, do you have a favorite shop in the capital?" Prince Suho immediately chokes on his tea and tries to compose himself while he got some peculiar looks from a couple of the prince's. 

Obviously you would know Prince Suho's favorite shop in the capital but the sudden question and the immediate image of Hanako popped into his head caused him to malfunction in drinking his own tea.  

"Are you alright Suho?" Baekhyun asks him after he finally calmed down.

"Peachy...."Suho weakly croaked out but he definitely wasn't calm yet.

"Maybe we should get ready so Suho won't keep choking on his tea." Kris chuckled wondering what got Suho so flustered. 

"This is going to be fun. I hope to see a lot of exciting things in the capital." Lay cheered while Suho's lips thinned thinking that's probably what he'll have to worry about.

SUNNY MANOR

Today, all the kids in Sunny Manor were busy doing chores around the manor. The older kids were assigned to do bigger chores like sweeping and washing the floors of the main hallway. Usagi, was one of the oldest and childish kids in the manor. She was just happily dancing with her broom singing a tune from a well known waltz. 

Most people who would look at her think it was cute how she was singing and smiling while doing her chores. Unless you're Akira and Fuuto who has lived with Usagi