08/20/12

Hey! It's been a while... Sorry about that! I was having trouble getting used to the heavier workload for the second round of summer school. But I'm getting better at managing my time now! And here's a chapter for you lovely readers!

A filler chapter, but expect some action in the upcoming chapters!

            While setting up for the daily journey, Nichkhun walked up to Taecyeon, who was already saddling his camel.

            “Not even going to bother asking, huh?” Taecyeon said after Nichkhun had been standing there for a few minutes.

            “You already know what I’m going to ask,” Nichkhun replied.

            Taecyeon sighed and turned to face Nichkhun. “I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you that we are intentionally trying to strike up rumors. And don’t worry; I won’t do anything to her.

            “Besides,” Taecyeon’s eyes went out of focus. “I’m waiting for my soulmate to come to me.”

            At the last sentence, Nichkhun cringed.

            Taecyeon’s eyes focused again. “You and your queen, always having snide comments! Can’t a guy daydream about a girl?!”

            Nichkhun laughed. “You can’t tell me anything else, like what you’re trying to prevent?”

            Taecyeon shrugged. “No, but as always—”

            “It’s for your own good,” Nichkhun recited. He had heard this line too many times. Even so, Taecyeon was rarely wrong.

                                    ::::

            The next breakfast, Hyuna arrived early as usual. But unlike the usual, Hyunseung was not sitting next to her. Instead, Taecyeon had arrived earlier. This never happened before, even when Hyunseung was “late.” This time, Hyunseung was considered extremely late to Hyuna, and she was restless. Thoughts, of all the possible reasons why Hyunseung was not in the dining hall, flitted across her mind.

            She mentally shook herself. Stop worrying, Hyuna! It won’t do you any good.

            Trying to take her mind off Hyunseung, she turned to Taecyeon. Besides, it was time to confront him about Victoria and the rumors.

            “Taecyeon, what are you planning?” Hyuna asked.

            “What do you mean?” Taecyeon feigned innocence.

          Hyuna sighed. “I know that you’re trying to keep Victoria and Nichkhun apart, but to this extent?”

            Taecyeon’s eyes widened. “Oh hey, Hyunseung!”

            Hyuna whipped around her seat. Hyunseung was heading toward the seat next to Taecyeon. Not his usual seat next to me, Hyuna thought. She was confused. What’s happening?

            “Hyuna was just confronting me about the rumors flying around,” Taecyeon filled Hyunseung in. “Right, Hyuna?”

            “What?” Hyuna’s mind was completely blank. She could only focus on the lack of emotion in Hyunseung’s face.

            “You know, the rumors about me and Victoria?” Taecyeon could barely keep back his smile.

            “Oh!” Her mind snapped back to reality. “Yeah! Victoria even went to sleep in my room again two nights ago!

            “That’s not a bad thing,” Taecyeon prompted.

            “What do you mean it’s not a bad thing!” Hyuna raised her voice. “It’s really bad!”

            “Unless,” Taecyeon’s eyes twinkled.

            “Unless…” Hyuna’s eyes widened and her girly mode kicked in. “She came to my room because they couldn’t get away from each other. They must have been kissing, and then the kissing turned too passionate, and they struggled to stop~~”

            Silence.

            “What, am I wrong?” Hyuna asked the two guys who were looking uncomfortable.

            “Saying it out loud makes it lose its magic,” Taecyeon replied simply.

            “That couldn’t have happened, right?” Hyunseung asked Taecyeon.

            Suddenly, Advisor Rasfin appeared behind them. “What couldn’t have happened?”

            “Oh! Nothing!” Taecyeon quickly said. He didn’t want Hyuna and Hyunseung to reveal anything. “It just seemed like the king and queen might have recently had a fight.”

            The advisor sighed. “You know, Taecyeon, whatever you’re doing with Victoria, you need to stop it. The rumors flying around are unbearable.”

            “My apologies, Advisor Rasfin,” Taecyeon bowed his head. “But please bear with the rumors for a bit longer.”

            Advisor Rasfin sighed again. “If Nichkhun didn’t trust you so much…”

            “I have known him for my entire life, advisor,” Nichkhun had walked in to the dining hall a few moments ago. “And he’s never been wrong about anything. Well, except for the times when he was too arrogant, but that was when we were very young.”

            The advisor nodded and walked to his seat across the table. Nichkhun went and sat next to Hyunseung.

            Taecyeon mouthed to Hyuna, ‘Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.’

            Hyuna looked away, worried.