Taura arrived at Kyung Jin’s house just as the sun was setting. She bounded up the steps seeing Suho and Kris talking on the porch. Both turned at the sound of her loud footsteps, expecting Sehun. “Taura!”

            There voices had a slight hint of shock but she didn’t seem to notice. Taura hugged Suho and Kris, out of breath, “I had a feeling you guys would be here.”

            “Where else would we be?” Kris pulled from his embrace with Taura when she half led the two back inside the house. She slipped off her shoes, still holding onto Suho’s and Kris’s arms. Suho laughed staring at the girl as if she was a young excited child.

            “Guys, look who came to visit!” Suho yelled out and a stampede of footsteps came from all directions. Chen, Baekhyun, and Tao came running down the stairs, Lay and Luhan came from the kitchen while Xiu Min ran in from the living room. With the formalities of the palace gone, everyone greeted the girl with high spirits. Tao lifted her up and twirled her around while Xiu Min and Luhan pinched her cheeks, Baekhyun and Chen merely ruffled her hair before pulling her into a hug.

            “It’s nice of you to come see us peasants, your highness.” Baekhyun whispered to her bowing his head playfully. Taura rolled her eyes, pushing his shoulder. “I think of the little people first always.”

            She patted his head, mocking his short height amongst the group, before pinching his cheek. Just then, Kyung Jin came from the kitchen wiping dry his hands on a cloth that he slung across his shoulder. She smiled widely seeing the old man and broke through the group of guys to greet him. He met her halfway and brought her into his arms, like a father would his daughter. Taura, in turn, wrapped her arms around him and breathed in the tobacco smell mixed with mint that stained his shirt.

           “Hello, princess. How are you doing?” He patted her back before pulling away to get a good look of her face.

            “I’m doing okay.” She sighed staring down at their feet. Wiggling her toes, she smiled before looking up at the old man. Kyung Jin could only smile back, knowing that was the only answer he was going to get.

            “Alright, now that you’re here, why don’t you all just wait in the living room, hm? Dinner’s almost ready.” Kyung Jin headed towards the kitchen while Lay and Luhan followed after him. The rest went into the living room where Taura settled onto the couch with Baekhyun and Tao on either side of her while everyone else sat in the adjacent chairs or on the floor in front of her.

            She hugged the pillow on her lap when Suho asked, “So? How is everything? How’s life with the prince?”

            Taura shook her head staring down at her hands as she played with the ends o