“How did... I mean… How?”

Taekwoon chuckled as he listened to the confused Jaehwan. He asked his chauffeur to sleep first in a hostel near Jaehwan’s place, so he drove instead of him.

“It’s twelve in the midnight for heaven’s sake,” Jaehwan muttered as he leaned on the passenger seat. He looked outside the window while cupping his forehead. “You could have waited until tomorrow morning.”

“We have no time,” Taekwoon said. “Besides, people will surely question me if I suddenly go missing tomorrow. My parents will also know about it.”

Jaehwan panicked when he realized that Taekwoon actually did not ask anyone’s permission and that he decided about going back to the North Kingdom alone. He was holding the assist grip on top of him. “How did you… escape?”

Taekwoon laughed and glanced at Jaehwan. “You made it like I was a prisoner who escaped the prison guards. I bribed them.”

“What?!” Jaehwan shouted. He then put his palm on his face. “Bribery should be forbidden!”

“I am joking,” Taekwoon said. “I actually didn’t ask any permission. All they knew was that I was fast asleep.”

“And how were you not caught?” Jaehwan asked. “Your bodyguards are fool enough to believe that you’re fast asleep?”

“I have connections,” Taekwoon replied.

Jaehwan hissed, “Just make sure that I won’t be doing the explaining once you get caught by paparazzi, especially because your visit to the South Kingdom is all over the news.”

Taekwoon glanced at Jaehwan. “Is it? I was not informed though. Maybe my father planned all this.”

“He’s still the king,” Jaehwan reminded Taekwoon. “So where are we going?”

“We’re practicing in the university,” Taekwoon replied, to Jaehwan’s surprise. Taekwoon realized that Jaehwan was surprised, so he continued to explain, “We only have two days left. If anything, I would like to buy your time until Saturday.”

“Forget the buying thing… but are you serious? You took me for a drive, at midnight, without anyone knowing, with me sneaking out from Hongbin, and with you escaping and driving for 5 hours here, to practice the song? We could have do some livestreaming or something!” Jaehwan gave a loud sigh. “Jung Taekwoon, you’re really something.”

“Wait,” Taekwoon glanced at Jaehwan again, then stared back at the road. “Did you just call me using my whole name?”

“I am sorry, Sire,” Jaehwan apologized because Taekwoon sounded serious. “I didn’t know you’d get offended-”

Taekwoon laughed. “No, I wasn’t offended. I was just… surprised… that it sounded nice. I feel like I am a normal person.”

“As you said,” Jaehwan paused and looked at Taekwoon, before continuing, “you’re just a normal person with a title. So please consider yourself as normal. Besides, befriended me. That means you’re just as capable as other normal people.”

Taekwoon didn’t speak. He just remained silent as they travelled until they reached the university gate. He went out of the car and opened the gate, and drove the car inside, then closed the gate again. He returned to the car and parked somewhere. Jaehwan just watched him. To be honest, he was all sleepy earlier, but because of sudden appearance of his friend, all his sleepiness was gone. He was still amazed at how dedicated Taekwoon was.

When Taekwoon signaled to Jaehwan that he already needed to alight the car, he nodded and went out. He followed Taekwoon who lead the way to their usual practice room. Good thing Taekwoon and Jaehwan didn’t encounter a roving guard or something or they’d be dead.

Jaehwan waited for Taekwoon to start as soon as they entered the room. Taekwoon sat on the piano and he also sat on an available chair a little away from where the piano was. Taekwoon just stared at the piano without lifting the fallboard.

Jaehwan just waited for him to start but Taekwoon didn’t. So he spoke, “U-Uhm… it’s already 1 in the morning…”

“I apologize, Jaehwan, for doing this all of a sudden. I apologize for disturbing your sleep, for my selfishness,” Taekwoon said. “To be honest, I wasn’t thinking that much when I decided to meet you. It just suddenly came to my mind to go back. Well, the chauffeur actually helped me to discern things, and,” he chuckled softly before he continued, “here I am.”

“Then why… why did you go back here?” Jaehwan asked, staring intently at Taekwoon waiting for his reply.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon murmured, then looked at Jaehwan, “maybe because I wanted to see you.”

Jaehwan felt that his blood rushed to his cheeks when Taekwoon said that. For whatever reason, his heart stopped a bit the beat fast again. He was nervous, especially when he realized that they were looking at each other’s eyes, so he looked away. “What are you saying?” He asked without looking at Taekwoon. “I mean… in the middle of the night…”

“Because I really want to sing with you,” Taekwoon replied and Jaehwan’s expectation sunk. Well, he wasn’t really disappointed, but it seemed like he was waiting for other response. Other response, such as, ‘I was just trying to rebel’ or ‘I don’t like to be in the South Kingdom.’ Or maybe other response, but he could not think of any as of that moment. “And we cannot do that without real practice. Do you agree?”

Jaehwan awkwardly laughed, practically after recovering from sudden sinking. “Of course! So if I were you I would already play and practice.”

Taekwoon smiled and finally lifted the fallboard.

But before he could press the keys, Jaehwan intervened, “Is it okay to play something here? I mean... there might be a guard thinking that there is a person here.”

“Or that there is a ghost here,” Taekwoon joked, but realized that he might have triggered Jaehwan or anything, he apologized, “I’m sorry,” he said, looking at Jaehwan.

Jaehwan was also surprised that he wasn’t triggered or anything at all. “No, it’s okay.”

“It’s also okay to play the piano I guess,” Taekwoon said. After a while, he started playing. And singing his part. The arrangement was not yet polished, but they were so amazed that they seemed to have practiced singing the song before together. There was some kind of mistake, so they stopped. “Wow… not bad. We sound good together.”

Jaehwan smiled. “Yeah… but shall you do the arrangement first?”

Taekwoon’s eyebrows met, “Huh? Why me? Are you really going to entrust this to me?”

Jaehwan nodded and sat beside Taekwoon as he faced the piano. “You’re a good student, so I am entrusting the arrangements to you. But I shall also give some pointers. Is that okay?”

Taekwoon nodded as a reply and started playing again. He sang, and Jaehwan sang with him.

Three hours went on with them changing some arrangements but overall, it was finished. “We’re a bit close, but still far. Do you know what I mean?” Jaehwan asked. Then he played some keys, “I guess you have to do the bridge part like this,” he then pressed some keys.

Taekwoon listened. “I want you to sing the high note though,” he said as he pressed the keys near Jaehwan’s hand. “You shine in this part.” He pressed the keys again and that time, two of their fingers overlapped. Taekwoon almost removed his hand quickly to Jaehwan’s surprise. “A-Ah, let’s practice one last time before I go back?”

Jaehwan nodded and when Taekwoon played, they sang again. The last practice ended. “It’s already three in the morning. I should have slept here because early morning classes tomorrow.”

“No, I’m taking you home. Besides, this is my fault. Don’t worry, it’s free of charge,” Taekwoon said to Jaehwan who laughed back. “Uhm, why?”

“I just found it funny that you are learning to crack a joke,” Jaehwan said in reply. Taekwoon chuckled softly. “It’s a good sign.”

“Good sign of what?” Taekwoon asked.

“Good sign of improvement,” Jaehwan replied.

***

Jaehwan’s alarm clock rang. Unwilling to get up, Jaehwan snoozed the alarm and continued sleeping.

“Yah, Jaehwan, we have a class at seven in the morning!” Hongbin knocked on the door and opened it. Upon seeing Jaehwan still not waking up, he went towards his bed and shook him to wake him up. “Sire, our class is at seven in the morning… and it’s the professor who hates absentees and latecomers. Wake up. It’s already five-thirty!”

Jaehwan groaned in annoyance as he covered his head with a pillow that he randomly picked somewhere in his bed. He refused to wake up and instead, he turned his back to Hongbin.

Taekwoon took him home by three-thirty in the evening after practice. Because he was not able to sleep right after, Jaehwan took another thirty minutes of contemplating about things he didn’t actually have to think about. Not being able to sleep and lacking things to think about, he texted Taekwoon until he fell asleep while typing his reply to Taekwoon.

“Ten minutes more, Hongbin… please,” Jaehwan pleaded, still with his eyes closed.

Hongbin sighed in defeat. “Okay, but after ten minutes I’d go here again, wake you up and you’ll get ready. Is that understood?”

Jaehwan answered with a moan and went back to sleep while Hongbin went out of his room. Ten minutes passed quickly and Hongbin went inside his room again. Still unwilling to get up, he said, “I’ll skip today’s classes.”

“Jaehwan,” Hongbin continuously shook Jaehwan’s shoulder. “Are you sick or something? Shall I get you some breakfast?”

“I’m not sick, I’m just too sleepy,” Jaehwan explained. After a few minutes, he decided to get up because he remembered that he was already late once in that professor’s class and he was denied of recitation. “Okay, I’ll get up.”

Jaehwan dragged himself and went to the bathroom. He showered really quickly, enough to wake himself temporarily, then he dressed up quickly.

“Hongbin, you don’t have to wait for me,” Jaehwan said while dressing up. “You’ll be late too.”

“I’ll be fine,” Hongbin assured. “I’ll be right outside. Don’t forget to turn off everything.”

Jaehwan hummed as an answer and did so, then exited the apartment. The two guys ran together until they reached the bus stop. When they were waiting for their bus, Jaehwan panted heavily, trying to catch his breath.

Hongbin did so too, but while doing so, he asked Jaehwan, “Why are you so sleepy? Why did you sleep so late? Did you study for your exam?”

Jaehwan tried to stand straight after successfully getting enough of oxygen that he needed. “A-Ah… yeah,” he lied and looked away. Then he looked at Hongbin. “I was so tired yesterday evening, so I slept until twelve in the midnight but then I woke up, and I decided to study again.”

“You’re really pushing it so hard,” Hongbin said. “I’ll be cheering you on. And maybe I shall stay up with you later so that I can keep you company.”

“A-Ah, no, don’t worry!” Jaehwan told Hongbin and tapped his shoulder. “I don’t think I will stay up late later because I’m so sleepy.”

“Still, if you decide to, then, I would be happy to keep you some company,” Hongbin smiled widely. Jaehwan smiled awkwardly and stared at Hongbin when he looked at the bus coming.

I’m sorry Hongbin for lying to you, Jaehwan thought. He was startled when Hongbin returned his gaze to him and told him that the bus was already there. Jaehwan nodded and smiled widely as he entered the bus before Hongbin.

***

“Sire, we’re here,” The chauffeur woke Taekwoon up. Taekwoon slowly opened his eyes and looked around, and found out that they were already in front of the palace door. He saw his bodyguards surrounding the car and also the Princess Amanda who was behind everyone. “I guess they’re waiting. Your parents actually called you, then they called me.”

Taekwoon sighed. It looked like he was in big trouble. “What did you say?”

“Well, I said that you went to the Han River for your early morning walk, completely disguised. They were really angry, Sire, especially your father, because all of a sudden, you went missing,” the chauffeur explained. “But I guess, they calmed themselves knowing where you were.”

“I’m doomed, am I not?” Taekwoon asked then he got out of the car. Princess Amanda went to him and worriedly looked at him. “I’m sorry for not telling anyone. I just want to breathe some air here without being surrounded by the bodyguards.”

“We were worried about you. Your parents and my parents were,” Princess Amanda said. “We wanted to call the authorities to find you but because your parents told us that you’re just jogging, they let it go, and they did not want anyone to know that you were missing. And they were so angry that they wanted to fire your bodyguards.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be escaping my duties,” he joked, but Princess Amanda didn’t laugh. “I made you worried, didn’t I?”

Princess Amanda gulped and nodded. “So, please do not you dare make any jokes with me now. I am upset.”

“I apologize, Princess,” Taekwoon said and held her shoulder then pulled her to an embrace. Princess Amanda was surprised at the gesture. When Taekwoon let go, he looked at his bodyguards. “Forgive me, everyone. I will explain this to my parents. It’s my fault, and I won’t let you get fired,” he then turned to Princess Amanda who was still shocked. “Let’s go, Princess.” He offered his hand and Princess Amanda gladly accepted it.

“I’ll forgive you, but please do not do it again,” she said and walked with him inside the palace.

I am sorry, but I don’t think I can promise that, Taekwoon thought as he entered the palace.

After a long apology and explanation to his future-in-laws who were really upset about what happened, he entered his room and lay down for a while. He was sleepy but although it was uncomfortable in the car, he still managed to sleep at least four hours after Jaehwan finally stopped texting him.

Speaking of Jaehwan, he forgot that their conversation about their plans on Saturday actually got cut for whatever reason, Jaehwan stopped responding.

He must have fallen asleep, he thought and smiled a bit then he got his phone to see if there were messages. There were a lot coming from his mother, Princess Amanda, and head bodyguard, as well as missed calls from the same people, but nothing came from Jaehwan. Did he actually get up?

He decided to send a text.

Good morning. Are you attending a class now?

He waited but there was no reply. He sighed and threw his phone on the bed.

There were some knocks on the door so he asked the person knocking to come in. “Sire, your parents would like to speak with you through a video call. Please follow me.”

Taekwoon sighed. He knew he would be in trouble again.

***

“He is extremely boring,” Jaehwan ranted as they were on their way to the university’s garden. Hongbin invited him to eat his lunch there like a picnic, and Jaehwan loved the idea so that he could catch some nap. “The only reason that people stay awake during his lectures is because he kept on saying ‘okay’ and the students only wanted to count how many times he says the word.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have slept on his class,” Hongbin said. He sat on the trimmed grass under a tree, enough to shade them from some sunlight. “You were called and asked to recite his poem then you didn’t answer so he noticed that you were sleeping.”

Jaehwan laughed and sat beside Hongbin. “Poems are boring.”

“But it isn’t as boring as you are saying,” Hongbin defended and gave Jaehwan the food that they bought from the cafeteria. “His poems were good.”

“I can’t believe you said that,” Jaehwan laughed. “But I deserved the punishment though. But it was so middle school.” Jaehwan took a piece of apple and ate it. “Can you believe that he asked me to stand outside the room and surrender my phone to him? Ugh, I hate him.”

“You’d just text to distract yourself, that was why he took it from you,” Hongbin said and opened his lunch. “You know Jaehwan, I’ve been thinking to get a degree in literature but… I don’t want to be completely apart from you.”

Jaehwan took some rice from Hongbin then some meat from his lunch box. “You know, you’ve been clinging to me too much. You need to explore the world outside our world. Look at everyone.” Jaehwan pointed at some random students either walking or sitting around the area. “You can always be friends with them. You don’t need to serve me for the rest of my life-”

“If I can, then I would,” Hongbin said in a deep tone, enough for Jaehwan to feel chills in his spine. He looked at Hongbin and his stare was dead serious. “Jaehwan, I don’t want them. I just want you.”

Jaehwan blinked as he felt that his heart was beating so fast. Why am I nervous? His eyes… Jaehwan thought as he looked at Hongbin’s eyes. The shining eyes that he used to see whenever he would talk to him was gone. To be honest, he had goosebumps but he tried to look at him still. “I understand. I think we promise to each other that we’d be together forever.”

Hongbin’s expression brightened and his eyes shone bright again. “I am honored to serve you forever, Jaehwan.” Jaehwan somehow calmed down and smiled back at his best friend.

After a few minutes, Jaehwan took his phone out and read some messages. He saw his draft message to Taekwoon but he decided not to send it anymore but just let it like that. Then he read an unread message coming from him. It was sent at eight in the morning. When he was about to text back, Hongbin called his attention.

“Why don’t you just sleep first? Our class is at two in the afternoon. You can sleep for another hour,” Hongbin told Jaehwan who liked the idea. “You can sleep here. I’d let you use my thigh as your pillow.”

Jaehwan nodded and put his phone beside him. He put his head on Hongbin’s thigh and closed his eyes. It was not so long after when he started sleeping, thanks to the wind that was blowing gently.

Hongbin bowed and looked at sleeping Jaehwan, gently caressing his forehead to let him sleep more. “Sleep well, my Jaehwan.”

He then noticed his phone that vibrated because of a text. Hongbin took it and opened the phone. He almost tightened his grasp when he saw Jaehwan and Taekwoon’s shared messages.

I’ll pick you up at twelve again later. I might be able to leave earlier because I had separate dinners with the council and Princess Amanda.

Sure. But can we actually finish the rehearsal earlier? I don’t want surprises anymore.

Sorry Jaehwan. It was so sudden, I wasn’t really prepared. Can we just practice in the car later?

Okay, so that we do not have to leave. I’ll bring the sample music.

It’s fine with me. Anyway, you need to sleep now.

I can’t really sleep. It’s your fault. It was Jaehwan’s draft message to Taekwoon but it remained unsent. Hongbin read another message of Taekwoon greeting Jaehwan a good morning. And another message from Taekwoon.

I don’t think I can text after this anymore. I’d be busy until the dinner so I’d just remind you that I’d be waiting later at twelve midnight, downstairs. You recognize the car, right? I’ll wait, Jaehwan. See you.

Hongbin pursed his lips and deleted the message. I won’t let you see Jaehwan later, Hongbin thought and snapped a photo of Jaehwan