“What the hell were you thinking, disguising yourself and sneaking out like that and getting into trouble?! You could've been killed!”

Iseul heard an unfamiliar female voice scoldingly whisper-shout at someone.

“I couldn't walk away when she was about to be kidnapped, could I? I don't think you would've been very proud of your dear cousin then,” a very familiar voice calmly answered.

“Well, no, that's true, but... ahh, your parents will not be happy about this. The first girl you ever show an interest in and she's... nowhere near royalty,” the female voice spoke again.

“Yeah, I know, but still- wait, she moved her finger! I think...” the familiar male voice exclaimed.

Iseul couldn't open her eyes, so she resulted to trying to move the rest of her body. She knew she was not paralysed because her toes and fingers moved ever so slightly.

“Get a glass of water, there should be a cup and a pitcher on my desk,” the female ordered. Iseul was able to make her eyelids open bit by bit although it felt like it took forever. Her mind felt fuzzy and it desperately wanted to shut down all over again, but she fiercely fought to gain- and keep- consciousness.

When she could finally see something, it took a couple of minutes for her eyes to focus.

“Are you all right?” the unfamiliar woman asked.

“I- I think so,” Iseul slowly answered. “Where am I?” she asked. The woman frowned and looked over her shoulder.

“You're at the palace, safe and sound,” the familiar male voice said. Iseul slowly turned her head to look at him. The man was her friend Hyunjae, yet he was somehow completely different. She continued inspecting him as he approached her with a cup of water and handed it to her. He took it back in a split second and was about to help her sit up when Iseul yelped and managed to grab the covers and lift them up to her chin.

'Where are my clothes?' she thought while frantically, as fast as she could manage, and fuzzily, scanning the room with her eyes.

Kyuhyun snickered. “You missing something?” he devilishly taunted.

“Cl- clothes,” Iseul stammered awkwardly.

“Being washed and well taken care of,” he laughed. “You're well covered by that nightgown, no worries,” he said. The woman glanced at him and hit his shoulder, “you are enjoying this far too much Kyu,” she said, making Kyuhyun giggle.

“K- Kyu? Iseul asked with an extremely puzzled look on her face.

“Wait, she doesn't know that you're- ” the woman glanced at Iseul, obviously choosing her words carefully, “-aish, you need to tell her you know.”

“Yeah... uh...” Kyuhyun looked at Iseul with a very ashamed expression, “um, I haven't been completely honest with you... Um, I, uh, I'm, uh- “ he bit his lip before continuing. “My name isn't Hyunjae, it's Kyuhyun... As in Prince Kyuhyun... “ He stared into Iseuls eyes, hope shining from his own mixed with ... fear?

Iseul blinked once. Twice. Three times. She struggled to sit up, “Oh, uh, I have to go and uh-“

The woman gently pushed her back down on the bed but just as soon as she let Iseul go she slowly sat up again.

“-apples, have to go-”

she was pushed down,

“-babies need apples, job-”

Kyuhyun was now giggling but trying his best to conceal it. Iseul sat up,

“-really need to go, find a job,”

she was pushed down, the woman was obviously very amused by this,

“-getting old, need to-”

Kyuhyun had given up on concealing his laugher and was laughing out loud and the woman was grinning madly.

“Evie, should I call a doctor?” Kyuhyun managed to say, despite his laughter.

“No, I'll take are of this, you stop laughing please,” Evie said while still grinning madly.

Kyuhyun turned around and tried his best to think of sad things. Evie grabbed Iseul's shoulders and told her to look into her eyes. While Evie held eyecontact with Iseul she repeatedly told her to breathe and focus. Iseul eventually calmed down and stopped trying to run away. She didn't return to her normal happy self though, nor the fuzzy state she'd been in before. She just stared into space quietly. She didn't object when Kyuhyun helped her sit up and drink some water.

***

Siwon trudged back and forth inside his office in his group's hideout. He was NOT happy. He wanted that girl and he wanted her NOW! It had obviously been a stupid idea to send the rookies out to get her, even though there had been some dude that saved her. He'd make sure she wouldn't get away next time...

***

Kyuhyun was reading a book in his chambers. Well, he didn't exactly do much reading, he did more of something like staring at the pages in the book while his mind was busy thinking. He couldn't deny that he was worried about Iseul's reaction to his being royal and all. Despite how comical it was. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. He could only hope that Evie would manage persuading Iseul that his status didn't matter, that they could continue being friends like nothing had happened. But... When Kyuhyun thought of Iseul he didn't exactly want to be her friend. He wanted to be something more...