“It’s fine with me, Jaehwan. Don’t worry,” Hongbin told Jaehwan the night before the trip. Jaehwan was really worried but Hongbin assured him that he’d be alright. “Besides, you’ll only be gone for almost 24 hours from tomorrow evening until Saturday afternoon. I can take care of myself,” Hongbin then sneezed. “Aish, this is so sad. I won’t be able to go with you.”

“Don’t worry. The Prince will also go. He said that I’m his friend now,” Jaehwan informed Hongbin. Hongbin’s face turned dark when Jaehwan mentioned the prince. Jaehwan noticed it. “Oh yeah. He said sorry for insulting you, Hongbin. He said that he would not see everyone inferiorly. He said that he would recognize the people who are better than him.”

“I still don’t trust that man,” Hongbin looked away. “I don’t like him.”

“Binnie,” Jaehwan knelt and held Hongbin’s hand as he smiled at his best friend who was shocked at that action. “Isn’t it good that I gain another friend?”

Hongbin looked at Jaehwan intently. “It is not good. I want you to only look at me.”

Jaehwan chuckled. “Such a possessive best friend.  Just be happy for me. Besides, I will be able to know the prince better, if he’s match with my sister.”

Hongbin sighed and held Jaehwan’s hand back. “Alright, Prince Ken. I am going to trust you on this one. But be careful always. You’ll be going to your kingdom and you can’t be recognized. Got it?”

Jaehwan grinned widely. “Thank you Hongbin! It’s been almost eleven years! Who would recognize me?”

***

Jaehwan waved at the prince who discreetly waved back. Their classes were already finished and they would go to the South Kingdom by bus at six in the evening. Jaehwan went beside the prince. “Your bodyguards are not with you?”

“Well actually, I didn’t want them to go with me but,” Prince Leo paused and turned to the two bodyguards who were standing by a black car. “My mother said that I needed to be protected at all cost. My father didn’t really want me to go unless I had some bodyguards with me so I just let them.”

Jaehwan chuckled. Prince Leo heard it.

“Why?” The prince asked.

“If I am not mistaken, you’re a black belter. Why do you need a bodyguard?” Jaehwan asked back. “I find it silly because you learned Taekwondo but you still have bodyguards. What’s the point, right?”

“I am learning to sing even if I have a good voice, what’s the point, right?” Prince Leo used the same logic and tone that caught Jaehwan off guard. “I am just joking. Well, there are paparazzi everywhere. And I can’t hurt them all myself. They all need to be warned so my bodyguards are doing that for me.”

“Everyone, please enter the bus now,” said their professor who lead everyone inside. Jaehwan went first then Prince Leo. Jaehwan went to the seat near the window and the prince sat beside him.

“You will not see anything actually, Jaehwan,” Prince Leo said.

“Do you want us to exchange seats?” Jaehwan asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Prince Leo told him and put his wireless earphones on to listen to some music. While browsing a song from music gadget, he stumbled upon a song which made him remember Yunji again. It was the same song that he wanted initially to sing it to her when he would propose to her. However, the accident happened and of course, that dream him singing it to her would not happen anymore.

The bus started moving and the prince continued staring at the screen, not clicking any song. His mind was particularly wandering around reminiscing the times when he and Yunji were still a happy couple. But the pain was not that strong anymore. He thought it was a good sign for him to completely move on and live life with his future wife.

Although he hadn’t seen his future clearly as how he pictured himself with Yunji years ago, he was trying to think of the ways to at least envision things by getting to know his fiancé more and to try falling in love with her the way he loved Yunji if not more.

Almost two months had passed already. Only ten months to go before they would finally became a wedded couple yet he was still conflicted about his feelings. Princess Amanda was a great woman, and she could certainly understand his feelings and even his frustrations in life. He had developed slight feelings for her since they started dating and getting to know each other but it was still unclear to him if he would learn to love her or not.

He knew that even though his feelings would develop or not, he would still marry her. It was his obligation. But then, he would try hard to marry her not out of obligation but at least marry her because she was a wonderful woman and that at least he liked her.

“You’ve been staring for quite a time at the screen, Sire,” Jaehwan noticed, which made the prince go back to his reality. “Oh, it’s a love song! I didn’t know you were quite into romantic songs!”

The prince knew that Jaehwan’s voice was a bit loud so he looked everywhere if people were looking at them. Fortunately for him, people were silent and some were sleeping. “This song was what I wanted to sing for that person.”

“Oh, that person,” Jaehwan emphasized the word ‘that’ to refer to the same person that he thought the prince was referring to. “If there will be a chance to sing it again, would you do it?” Jaehwan’s voice was finally soft, almost a whisper that Prince Leo wasn’t able to hear them.

Prince Leo removed his wireless earphones and asked Jaehwan to repeat it again.

Jaehwan just smiled and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Sire. You don’t need to answer that.”

***

They reached the South Kingdom at ten in the evening. They went directly to the guest house where they would be staying.

“Where will your body guards sleep?” Jaehwan asked as soon as they alighted the bus.

“They said that they would be on standby so they’ll stay inside the car,” Prince Leo answered and went inside the guest house. Jaehwan followed him. They were asked to assemble at the lobby for them to get the keys to their rooms.

“Okay, female students have to stay at the right side of the guest house and male students have to stay at the left side. All women please follow Ms. Han so that you can get your keys from her. Gentlemen, follow me please,” said their professor.

Jaehwan, Prince Leo and the rest followed their professor.

“Sire, I have the largest room reserved for you. Here is the key to the room,” he said and gave the key to the prince. Prince Leo looked at Jaehwan and at the rest. “What’s the problem, Sire?”

“I can stay with someone else. I don’t need a solo bedroom for me,” Prince Leo told the professor and looked at Jaehwan. “I can stay with Jaehwan.”

Jaehwan almost immediately looked back at the prince who was surprised that the latter wanted to share a room with him.

“But Sire, Jaehwan was already assigned to share a bedroom with Junhee,” the professor informed the prince who just nodded. “Jaehwan, here is your key.”

Jaehwan received the key and turned to Prince Leo. “Prince’s perks. You must own it, Sire,” Jaehwan said and walked towards Junhee, his roommate. “Hello, it seems that we’ll be sharing a room. I am Jaehwan by the way.”

“Kim Junhee,” the guy stretched his hand to Jaehwan and Jaehwan gladly shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

Prince Leo watched Jaehwan as he and Junhee went to their assigned room. He sighed and went to his room that happened to be beside Jaehwan’s room.

“It seems that our room is just beside each other,” Jaehwan grinned at Prince Leo and opened the room. It was quite big for two people. There were two beds, one cabinet, a television and one bathroom. “Wow, we have our own bathroom.”

“I’ll be taking a shower first, is it okay?” Junhee said.

“Okay,” Jaehwan smiled and waited for Junhee to enter the bathroom. He put his bag inside the cabinet and took his slippers out from the bag. He decided to visit the prince’s room. He knocked and found the door unlocked when he twisted the knob. “Prince Leo?”

“Yes?” the prince turned to Jaehwan. “What’s up?”

“I just want to check your room out. Woah, it’s big! It even has its own balcony!” Jaehwan said as he toured the room. He then went to the balcony and breathed fresh air. “Wow! It’s nice to be a prince, isn’t it?”

Prince Leo went to the balcony and stood beside Jaehwan. “Yes, in a way. But still, you have the whole nation looking at everything that you do. People, well, they love you. But there are still negative things that they will focus on. Sometimes it’s suffocating me, but what can I do? I am born as a prince and no one can change that.”

“Probably,” Jaehwan turned to Prince Leo. “But apart from being a prince, you still have a choice to live your life. It is a title that you may possess for the rest of your life or before you become a king, but it is also a privilege to do the things that inspire people.”

The prince stared at Jaehwan for a good amount of time. “You know, Jaehwan, I have a feeling that you’re really a smart person despite of your efforts to annoy me.”

“I am not exerting efforts to annoy you, Your Highness! It just comes out naturally,” Jaehwan laughed. Prince Leo laughed as well. “It’s my first time hearing you laugh, Sire.”

The prince knew that he blushed at that comment because of embarrassment.

He realized that in such a short period of time, his conversations with Jaehwan became less serious and less annoying. Also, it was like he could comfortably start and end a conversation with him already.

“Stop calling me formally, Jaehwan. I am started to get annoyed again,” Prince Leo told Jaehwan. “Because you’re a friend now, please call me Taek-”

Jaehwan’s phone rang. “It’s Hongbin. I’ll answer it first,” Jaehwan informed Prince Leo who looked away. “How are you Binnie? Are you still sick? Did you take your medicine?” Jaehwan paused to listen to the other line. “Yah, why didn’t you? Wear thick clothes, okay? Yah! I’ll be mad! Okay then. See you tomorrow.” Jaehwan ended the call and turned to Prince Leo again. “What were you saying?”

Prince Leo shook his head. “Nothing. I’ll go to sleep now. You might want to leave.”

“Why the sudden change of mood?” Jaehwan asked. “Alright then.” Jaehwan left the balcony and walked towards the door. He turned to the prince and smiled. “Goodnight, Taekwoon.” He opened the door and closed it after him.

Prince Leo felt that his face flushed again when he heard his name. The way Jaehwan said it was refreshing. “Goodnight, Jaehwan.”

***

“Young master! Young master! Run!”

Jaehwan didn’t know what to do but he knew that he needed to run wherever, just away from everyone.

He could only see fire everywhere. He had no idea why he was there. He couldn’t even see the blurred faces of the people who were asking for his help. But he couldn’t do anything.

“You need to die!” someone shouted at him. No matter how good he was at running, the man who grabbed him was faster. He tried to escape, and he tried to recognize the face of his abductor, but he couldn’t break free. He saw the man pulling out a knife from his pocket. Jaehwan screamed as the man tried to stab him.

***

Jaehwan panted as he woke up in t