A damp, soggy dress shirt thrown over his shoulders was all Luhan had left of the confusing Prince. He looked left and right, mind a boggling mess, and at last the pin dropped.

He had been ditched. And right before Sehun was going to kiss him, at that.

Luhan didn’t doubt that – no, he had seen the Prince lean forward with eyes closed, lips puckered ever so slightly. The question wasn’t whether Sehun meant to attempt to kiss him or not, but rather where in the world did he disappear to?

Yet hidden underneath all the calculations and theories, Luhan was hurt. For that brief moment led up to by their friendly bonding date, Luhan had fleeting thoughts that Sehun might have cared even just a tiny little bit for him. He actually felt close to the Prince as they walked around the city with snacks in their hands, talking about whatever came to mind at the time. It wasn’t a farm-boy and a Prince but two people choosing to spend their day with each other. He felt as if they were friends, like they were on the same level, and when they were standing in the illusion of romance, rain pitter-pattering in the background, he felt like they could have possibly been something more.

Luhan should have known better – in fact, he did know better, yet he still gave Sehun the chance. The Prince already had the gun in the first place, but Luhan was the one to hand over the ammo. And thus he could do nothing to prevent Sehun from taking aim and shooting right through his walls. Luhan had already known something like this would have happened. If Sehun wasn’t the one to initiate it, Luhan probably would have. It wasn’t like he was exposed to tall, broad-shouldered hunks every day and developed reliable immunity against them. Especially tall, broad-shouldered hunks that were princes and expressed an interest in Luhan. But unfortunately not only in Luhan, and that was where the problem lay. Nine other girls the Prince could choose from to marry and the rest would be kicked off royal property. Why would he pick Luhan over sweet, stunning girls like Luna? There was no chance Sehun would choose him - forget their crappy encounters before this date and Luhan’s dull appearance – he wasn’t even a goddamn female in the first place, no matter how ‘pretty’ people claimed he looked. Even if by chance the Prince was bi or surprisingly gay, that wouldn’t change the fact that to produce heirs, there needs to be a male and a female for it to work.  

Rubbing his eyes, Luhan debated whether or not to throw the dress shirt on the ground in a childish fit to relieve his frustration. He decided to keep it on after a loud sneeze followed by shivers. No use in having the expensive clothing on the ground at the expense of his own health.

Achoo!

Luhan sniffed and shook his head in defeat. Of course I’d catch a cold at a time like this. He grabbed a handful of the wig’s locks and yanked it off angrily, running his hands through his actual hair. But Luhan stopped once he heard something interesting, ears perking up hopefully.

To be more specific, he heard nothing. The rain had finally ended.

Letting out a breath of relief, Luhan gingerly stepped out from his shelter, hand out to check for any leftover drops. Pleasantly surprised, he retrieved his hand and hurried over to the nearest strangers to ask for directions. All Luhan received were strange looks – apparently, everyone knew where the Royal Castle was located – and vague gestures. Some just straight out ignored him.

He let out a huge sigh and stared up at the bleak, smeared sky. Even the clouds seemed to be mocking him today.

Luhan walked around a corner and stopped in his tracks. In the far-off distance, he can barely make out a faded outline of the Royal Castle. Sighing, the brunet slumped his shoulders and decided this was at least a start.

¤¤¤

Spinning the wig in one hand and humming a tune, Luhan kept on walking by the roadside. He remembered passing by this area this morning and was relieved that he was on the right track. Squinting, Luhan wondered why the Royal Castle seemed even farther away than before. Was he even getting any closer?

Beep!

Luhan quickly stuffed the wig into the dress shirt he was wearing and fought the urge to whirl around to watch the car drive by. Eyes straight ahead, act normal. Surprisingly, Luhan heard the car slow down and screech to a stop.

“Hey, Lu!” A very familiar voice called out.

Eyes wide open, Luhan froze. Slowly turning around, he saw two sparkling eyes peeking over the top of the rolled-down window.

“Oh, thank god,” Luhan whispered to himself in relief.

He quickly climbed into the car with a thanks as the driver, Baekhyun, laughed, “Why aren’t you wearing the wig?” The amusement quickly turned into horror. “Oh my god, what are you wearing?”

“Just shut up and drive.” Luhan rolled his eyes, but still wrapped his arms around the dress shirt self-consciously.

Baekhyun hummed softly in response and smiled warmly. As the younger boy turned back to watch the road, Luhan took the time to observe his friend. Unbelievable warmth spread in his chest, and not because Baekhyun had the heater on. Baekhyun looked good. Eyeliner outlined his bright eyes attractively, his hair was styled casually with gel, and a confident aura enveloped him. His best friend had changed in the week or two they haven’t seen each other, but as Baekhyun turned to shoot him another cheeky grin, Luhan knew he was still the same annoying Baek he missed and loved.

Luhan faced the window and watched the scenery blur into streaks of bleak colours. He heard Baekhyun clear his throat from behind him and knew his friend wouldn’t ask what was going on or why he was walking by the roadside drenched wearing a designer shirt.

“The eyeliner’s working for you,” Luhan broke the silence with a wry smile.

“I know.” Baekhyun grinned proudly. “Seoul’s also working pretty well so far. I landed a singing gig at a bar downtown. I got a roommate too. His name’s Kim Jongdae and he’s pretty cool. But once he gets comfortable with you, you’ll end up being his next target for pranks.”

Luhan beamed at his friend, tracing happy faces on the window. He sincerely said, “You look happy.”

“I am. And, Lu, get this. I – I met someone.” Luhan spun his head so fast he heard a crack in his neck. What? He could make out a faint blush painting Baekhyun’s cheeks. He can’t be serious. “Before you freak out, I swear he’s a great person, okay? Hear me out. His name’s Yeol and he’s two years older than you. He was the first person I met here and he was the one who introduced me to Jongdae and got me the job and apartment. He’s absolutely wonderful and this sounds so cheesy but he’s like a Prince Charming -“

“How long have you known this guy for?” Luhan asked incredulously. He clenched his hands in his lap, trying not to blow his top off. “He could be putting up an act. You never know with those Prince types.”

“I’m sure! I think… I think he likes me, too. But even if he doesn’t, I’m fine with just being friends with him. I just want to be around him… He makes me happy, y’know? He understands me.” Baekhyun wasn’t smiling anymore but Luhan could still see the happy glow spilling from his face. He really wanted to be happy for Baekhyun but how could he encourage a sketchy relationship with this stranger? Doubts ran through his mind, meddling with thoughts about Prince Sehun. It was as if Baekhyun read his mind as he said quietly, “He’s not Prince Sehun, Lu. He’s different.”

“I – I know. Just. Be careful, okay?”

“Of course I will.” Baekhyun reached over to ruffle Luhan’s hair, to the latter’s shock.

“Both hands on the wheel, Baek!”

“Got it, got it.”

“Where are you taking me?” Luhan relaxed once he made sure Baek’s hands were firmly at ten and two.

“To a mirror so you’ll see the monstrosity I see.” Baek flinched when Luhan made a move to hit him. Rolling his eyes, Baek turned the car down into the underground parking lot of an apartment. “Don’t get your in a twist, Ji-eun. We’re here.”

A locked car and an elevator ride up to the fifteenth floor later, Baekhyun unlocked his door and pushed it open with flourish. “Welcome to my lair!”

Whistling, Luhan looked around at the cozy three-room apartment that looked like it came right out of an IKEA catalogue book. Taking off his sneakers, the older boy found himself being ushered in by a giddy Baekhyun. “The bathroom’s down that hall to your left and here-“ Out of nowhere, Baekhyun dumped a handful of clothes into Luhan’s unsuspecting arms. “-you can change into these.”

Luhan smiled gratefully up at his friend and wondered how one could change that much in just a couple days. Did I change, too? Baekhyun noticed Luhan’s hesitation and nudged his shoulder. “Anything else you need?”

“I – um…” Luhan stared down at the clothes he knew would fit him perfectly and then up at the modern furnishing surrounding him and made a decision. “Can I…?”

“Stay for dinner. And then the night, so we can have a sleepover like we used to,” Baekhyun laughed cheerfully, all too glad to hang out with his best friend again. He shoved Luhan to the bathroom. “Now go take a shower before you catch a cold!”

“Thanks, Baek. Again.” Both of them knew it was more than a simple ‘thanks’ Luhan meant, and Baekhyun simply shook his head.

“Hurry up before I kick you out.”

¤¤¤

After a quick shower followed by a simple dinner, Luhan found himself laying on Baekhyun’s bed staring at the ceiling. The bed wasn’t big enough to fit both of them and Luhan didn’t want to sleep on Jongdae’s bed – Jongdae was taking a night shift – especially when he hadn’t even met the guy yet. So Baekhyun forcibly shoved Luhan onto his own bed and took to the floor with plush mattresses and silky covers, despite Luhan’s protests.

“I really like Seoul,” Baekhyun said aloud in the dark, knowing Luhan was awake. “Is it bad I don’t want to go back?”

Baekhyun had glued glow-in-the-dark stars all over the ceiling, glittering plastic orbs on a canvas of darkness. Luhan smiled softly. Everything was so Baekhyun here, and it automatically calmed Luhan down. “It’s weird, because all I want to do is get away from the Royal Castle.”

“Do you really not like it there?”

Luhan sighed and fluttered his eyes shut. “You know how much I hate lying. And every day I’m living the biggest lie ever. Even if someone liked me, they wouldn’t be liking the real me.”

“You have Luna, still,” Baekhyun mused. “But it sounds to me that you actually want a certain someone to like you.”

Luhan didn’t reply. Baekhyun knew he wouldn’t.

¤¤¤

Kyungsoo wiped his brow as he balanced a pile of dirty dishes in his arms and made his way over to the kitchen to get the dishwasher to do his job. They fired the last waiter for dropping two plates and so they were a few people short since all the others were busy taking care of the contestants.

Biting his lip, Kyungsoo quickly but carefully kept walking. He didn’t want to be fired. He couldn’t risk it.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll be right over.”

The chef froze. That voice. It couldn’t be. He was supposed to be on the other side of the Castle, looking over Prince Sehun.

But sure enough, as Kyungsoo rounded the corner, stomach filled with dread, he met eyes with the one person he was trying so hard to avoid. Quickly, Kyungsoo hid under his pile of dishes and kept his head down. He watched his own scuffed sneakers take steps towards the frozen polished pair of dress shoes.

“Kyung-“ Jongin caught himself in the middle of it and sighed. “Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo didn’t reply. He couldn’t.

“Kyungsoo. Do you…” Jongin switched towards a lighter tone. “Do you need some help with those?”

The unanswered question hung in the increasing distance between them and once Kyungsoo rounded the corner, he slumped against the wall and let out a huge breath. That’s progress, right?

It was progress, yet with Jongin it was always two steps forward and one step back. Kyungsoo couldn’t stop himself from peering around the corner at Jongin’s sagging shoulders. Why is he still there? He’s supposed to have left. It almost seemed as if Jongin wasn’t going to move at all, until a soaking wet Prince Sehun ran up and threw his arm around his butler.

“Jongin!” Prince Sehun laughed, despite his damp conditions. “Can you do something for me?”

“Why are you all wet?” Jongin stepped back and made a move to leave. “I’ll fetch you a towel.”

“No, no. Stay. I’m fine.” Prince Sehun let his smile slip. “Jongin, can you drive to this address-“ The Prince handed over a slip of paper. “-and pick up a friend of mine. You’ll recognize her once you see her.”

“Uh, sure, Your Highness.” Jongin bowed.

“You can drop the Highness, it’s just us two here.” Prince Sehun nudged Jongin with his shoulder, and Jongin gave him a half-smile. But as if he could feel Kyungsoo staring, Jongin turned around to face Kyungsoo’s direction, causing the chef to panic and whirl back behind the wall. In the process of the turn, the top plate on his pile slid off and crashed on the floor into tiny little pieces. The horrible sound echoed through the empty halls.

“Oh, no…” Kyungsoo stared in horror at what would become of his future now that he made a stupid mistake.

“Kyungsoo?” He heard Jongin call out and Kyungsoo couldn’t move from his spot once Jongin and Prince Sehun both caught sight of him in the middle of the mess. “What happened?”

“I’m so sorry, Your Royal Highness.” Kyungsoo bowed, the remaining plates in a secure hold. How could he afford to pay off the price of that broken ceramic plate part of a one and only tea set? “I take full responsibility for this.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes burned and an uncomfortable amount of shame filled his stomach. Every second passing felt like torture. Of all people to see this happen, it just had to be the butler and his Prince.

Finally, Prince Sehun spoke. “Jongin, why are you still here? Do what I ordered you to.”

“But-“

“Leave.” Kyungsoo flinched at Prince Sehun’s commanding, harsh tone. “And as for you, come with me.”

Kyungsoo lifted his head at last and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He could feel Jongin staring at him, those eyes burning in his skin and tried to ignore it as he followed the Prince’s long, steady strides.

¤¤¤

Luhan awoke to the smell of coffee and soft chattering outside the room. Rubbing his eyes awake, he sleepily dragged his out of bed. His feet kicked something solid and before he knew what was happening, he found himself on his back, staring at the stars on the ceiling. Huh. I swore they were brighter last night.

“Ow!” He heard the lump underneath him yell. Baekhyun sat up and shoved Luhan off, both of them ending up in a tangled mess of blankets and limbs.

“What’s that noise?” A muffled, low voice rang through the thin walls. Baekhyun froze, a flash of recognition flickering through his features, before he dove into the mess of blankets, muttering something about giants and bedhead.

Another voice replied, this one sounding cheeky, “Oh, I think they’re awake now.” Right after, Luhan heard footsteps approach their room. He couldn’t do anything but stare up at the two boys flinging open the door.

The shorter boy entered first, smiling warmly at Luhan before reaching down to tug the blankets off him, revealing the cowering Baekhyun.

“Jongdae!” Baekhyun yelled, annoyed, before attempting to smooth down his incredibly messy hair.

“Baekhyun?” That low voice rung out again, and Luhan immediately zoned in on the towering, red-haired Prince standing by the doorway.

Luhan slowly stood up and Prince Chanyeol finally noticed who else was in the room. His eyes widened comically. Luhan took a few steps forward and the Prince took a few back. “You’re Yeol?” Luhan asked, an accusatory tone laced in his otherwise innocent question.

“Luhan?” Chanyeol replied with another question, shocked. “What are you doing here?”

“You two know each other?” Baekhyun asked curiously, standing up once he was satisfied with his hair condition.

Jongdae suddenly clapped his hands and declared loudly with a grin, “C’mon, Baek, breakfast’s ready. You’re hungry, right?”

“Wait-“ Luhan and Chanyeol didn’t get to hear the rest after Jongdae dragged Baekhyun out of the room and shut the door behind them.

Chanyeol’s eyes were wandering around the room, before settling on Luhan again. Stepping forward until they were only centimeters apart, Chanyeol whispered in his ear, “I know you’re not actually a girl, yet you’re still in the competition. What would possibly happen if I let it slip?”

Luhan glared up at the tall Prince – how come princes were always towering jerks? “Baekhyun loves me much more than he loves you. You don’t know what he’ll do if he knows you hurt me.”

“Oh, really?” The Prince scoffed, but Luhan called him out on his bluff. He opened his mouth to shout, and Chanyeol immediately covered his mouth. “Okay, okay, never mind. Don’t do that.”

Luhan narrowed his eyes and took a step back. “How did you know my real name?”

“I did some snooping around. It doesn’t matter anyway, the point is I know you’re not Ji-eun nor are you a girl. You’re her twin brother. I know all about you.” Chanyeol wiped his hand on his jeans, glancing at the shut door.

“So what are you gonna do now?”

“As long as you don’t tell Baek, I won’t spill.”

Luhan bit his lip. “I can’t lie to Baek.”

“You could have fooled me with how great a liar you are back at the Castle.” The Prince rolled his eyes. “But I’m sincere about this. I really don’t want to screw this up with Baek.”

Luhan stared searchingly in Chanyeol’s eyes, looking for a sign of doubt, a sign of dishonesty. Finally, he let out a sigh and shrugged. “If Baekhyun asks me straight out whether or not you’re the Prince, I’ll tell him the truth. That’s the most you can hope for.”

“Fine.” Chanyeol’s shoulders sagged in relief, and Luhan caught a glimpse of the Prince behind his façade. The dark rings under his tired eyes stood out against pale skin. Gesturing towards the door, Chanyeol gave Luhan a half-smile. “Want a ride back to the Castle?”

“No thanks.” Luhan hesitantly smiled back. “I’d rather arrive as late as possible.”

“Can’t blame you.” The Prince shrugged and exited. Luhan followed soon after.

Luhan said his goodbyes to his friend and his strange roommate, who just observed the entire scene with glittering, curious eyes. He rode the elevator down and watched as Chanyeol got into his sleek black Porsche before driving off. Luhan could have sworn there were sparkles surrounding Yeol.

¤¤¤

Luhan wondered just when he was going to get to the Castle at this rate, as he wandered past the same store for the third time. Of course he’d get lost. Muttering under his breath, Luhan stared down at his gritty Converse. “At least it’s not raining.”

¤¤¤

It was raining.

Luhan gave up on finding his way back and just stood annoyed underneath the shelter of a bus stop. He zipped up his grey hoodie and pulled the hood up. It was to the point where Luhan debated whether or not to just head back to Baek’s place and ditch the entire competition. That was what he was going to do in the end, anyway.

Beep!

Luhan peeked up through his bangs and watched a car drive up to the bus stop. The window rolled down to show a grinning Jongin in his trademark suit.

“Hey, get in. I’ll give you a ride.”

¤¤¤

“You have his dress shirt.”

Luhan had his head against the passenger seat’s car window, letting the cool glass dissolve his thoughts. He didn’t know how Jongin figured that out, given that both his wig and Sehun’s shirt were hidden in the bag in his arms. “Yeah.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, we were at a café and then we left because a lot of people recognized Prince Sehun. Then, we went window-shopping and stopped at this claw machine and it started raining. And…” Luhan stopped himself before he could give anything away. “Then he left.” Luhan shook his head. “Anyway. How did you find me?”

“Well, yesterday, Sehun told me to pick you up but when I got there, you disappeared. Then this morning, Chanyeol called and I just drove around the general area until I found you.” Jongin was tapping his fingers on the wheel and had one hand propped against the window to support his head.

“Sehun called you?” Luhan tried not to let his emotions bleed into his words. “Why – why did he leave?”

Jongin shot him another one of those looks, and said, “I honestly don’t know. He called me up and sounded really upset for some reason. But didn’t you see him leave? Sehun may be skinny, but he’s way too tall to hide that quickly.”

Luhan laughed a little to hide his flush. “He was really quiet. Whatever. It’s fine.”

Jongin chuckled and glanced at Luhan. “I assume you’re pretty pissed at him. But try to forgive Sehun, he’s going through a lot right now.” Jongin paused, a thought striking him, and reached into his pocket. He took out a stuffed deer and tossed it over to Luhan, who caught it in surprise. “By the way, he also said to give this to you. Something about you owing him thirty dollars now? He said you’d know what he meant.”

After that, Luhan couldn’t speak. He stared at the deer plushie in his hands the entire way back. Just what was Sehun doing? Luhan swore he was being played like a yo-yo, Sehun bringing him so close, tricking him into believing that there was something, some spark between them, then dropping him back into reality. Luhan gritted his teeth and squeezed the deer. He wasn’t going to fall for it again.

But he couldn’t stop his fingers from the deer gently.

It’s softer than I imagined.

¤¤¤

When they arrived back at the Castle and Luhan had his wig back on again, three guards surrounding two girls with suitcases greeted them.

“Ah, there goes another two,” Jongin said casually. Luhan didn’t say anything and watched as one of the girls burst into tears while the other sat down and refused to leave. A flood of second-hand embarrassment mixed with pity rushed through him once he recognized the two girls.

“Hey.” Luhan approached them gingerly, afraid they might explode at him.

“If you’re here to rub it in our faces that we lost, don’t even try,” Suzy responded, arms circled around her knees as she glared up at him.

“I’m not, don’t worry.” Luhan crouched down next to her. “What happened?”

Suzy continued giving him that nasty look, which Luhan honestly thought looked more like a pout on her pretty, young features. The other girl managed to pull herself together long enough to cry out, “I ranked last on all the tests, so I got bumped out!”

“Oh,” Luhan sighed sympathetically. He wanted to say he would trade places with her in a heartbeat, but that didn’t seem like the thing she wanted to hear.

Making a move to go back in, Suzy finally spoke up just as he passed them. “How did your date go?”

Judging from the tone of her voice, she already made her assumptions. Dohee’s sobbing subsided so she could hear their conversation.

Luhan didn’t bother looking back. “It didn’t meet nor fail my standards.”

“Yeah, because you don’t have any,” scoffed Suzy. Dohee elbowed her, causing Suzy to turn on her. “What? It’s not like I’m saying anything that other people aren’t thinking.”

Dohee shook her head, and directed her next words to Luhan. “I’m really sorry. She’s always like this, and it’s obviously going to get her into trouble. Miss Bom got mad when Suzy pointed out her plastic surgery and so she got kicked out.”

Luhan nodded. He wanted to sympathize with Suzy, but he doubted she’d have lasted even if she didn’t piss Miss Bom off. Not just anyone was princess material, especially not anyone with that mouth. But it wasn’t like he fit the cookie-cutter mold any better, of course.

Just because they had pretty faces didn’t mean they were fit to be royalty. As Luhan followed Jongin into the Castle, he remembered how from Day One, he could tell Prince Sehun was the Prince the second he walked into the room. It was in the way he carried himself, with endless grace and elegance and how he took his time before speaking to make sure he got all his ideas across. This was something that had to be born with or taught over a lifetime - definitely not over the course of a few weeks.

They were completely different from the start.

¤¤¤​

Jongin had ushered Luhan to his room, all the while talking about Baekhyun and Luhan’s village and it all felt very comfortable. Except for a brief moment when Luhan took off his shirt to change, causing Jongin to make a weird sound.

“Jongin?” Luhan asked with concern. “You alright?”

“Yeah, just.” Jongin faked a cough. “Just a little cough, that’s all.”

“Okay.” Luhan nodded, all the while pulling finally pulling on a shirt, to Jongin’s relief. “I really don’t think I can do this anymore. Why isn’t the Prince kicking me out yet?”

“I guess he likes you.” Jongin shrugged stiffly. He didn’t know why saying those words bothered him so much. Was he jealous? Even if he was, was it because of Sehun? Or Luhan? Jongin shook his head to clear the weird thoughts. “But I don’t think you should get too used to pretending or else things will get messier in the end if you get caught. Is there anyone you trust here?”

“Um…” Luhan couldn’t mention Prince Chanyeol knowing, but other than him and Luna, there wasn’t anyone else he talked much to. “Oh, yeah! Kyungsoo, the chef.”

Luhan was too busy climbing into his bed to notice Jongin freezing at the mention of Kyungsoo. Coughing, Jongin suggested gently, “Maybe you can try breaking it to Kyungie – Kyungsoo. You know, to see his reaction. It’ll be better if you can tell him yourself.”

“Maybe,” Luhan responded tiredly and pulled the covers over himself. “I’m gonna rest for a while. Thanks, Jongin.”

“No problem, Lu.”

Luhan briefly registered something being placed beside his pillow. Once the door clicked shut, Luhan opened his eyes to find a little deer plushie staring him in the face.

A/N:

i'm so sorry for being so late OTL  wow i'm apologizing like every chapter. JUST. SCHOOL IS VERY HARD RIGHT NOW AND LIFE IS CRAZY. and lu left, to top things off.  so i needed a break from this fic and my laptop went through another batch of glitches BUT i am getting a new one soon so hopefully that means faster updates.

also, this honestly wasn't where i expected the chapter to end so sorry for the lack of hunhan i will make up for it next chap~ ^^