He was even more shocked when Kyuhyun handed a plain white envelop with his name on it. Mino’s face paled with worry when the content was a picture of Taehyun and himself just before he left for Japan.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Did you do a run on all the people around Taehyun? I got a feeling that it may be someone close to him” Mino asked worriedly still looking at the picture in his hand.

 “We did a run on them and they all came back clean. Agent Yunho and his team are on top of it. There has been no breach to our cyber security as well.” Kyuhyun answered.

Mino looked at the picture that he was still holding. He still remembered hounding the younger guy endlessly for a picture until he gave in with an exasperated sigh.  Mino recalled how proud he was when the picture came out really good. Taehyun was smiling happily with showing his cute little eye smile while Mino was leaning his head on the younger’s shoulder with his eyes closed and was smiling like an idiot.

It still remained as his favourite picture of them that always moved with him even when he changed his phone.

If only things were that simple and uncomplicated, Mino sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~

“I am going to be leaving for Japan. The least you should do is take a picture together, with me.” Mino whined while poking Taehyun’s shoulder playfully.

“Stop whining, you are 16 not 12 anymore.” Taehyun muttered but could not help but sighed when he turned towards Mino and saw the cute little pout on his face.

“Fine, give me the damn phone.” Immediately, the pout was no more and in place was a radiant smile that Taehyun could not help but let out a small laugh.

“Let’s make that promise come true when I get back.” Mino said as he review the photo, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

“Mino, we were kids when you made that promise. We are older now.”

“But it does not mean I was not serious when I promised that we will be together for real when we get older.”

Taehyun looked at the guy busy saving the picture into their respective phones and smiling to himself, etching that image of Mino at one of Taehyun’s favourite spots in the palace into his memory.

“I will be waiting then.” Taehyun murmured softly just loud enough for the guy beside him to hear.

~~~~~~~~~~

Taehyun noticed the black car with the black tinted windows trying to be inconspicuous but failing rather miserably. He stopped in his tracks when Mino finally stepped out looking pretty fine in a 3-piece suit.

“They want to meet you today.” Mino announced without so much as a hello.

Taehyun silently thanked his lucky stars for having enough sense of not changing out of his clothes during his performance recording today as he nodded and got in the car with Mino.

“Everyone is going to be there?” Taehyun ask silently cutting through the tension that was palpable as they made the way to their destination.

“Yes, Father, Mother and Jiyong hyung are excited to meet you today even Taeyeon noona too. They decided to let Jiyong take over the title as Crown Prince. They will make that official soon.”

“I am excited to meet Jiyong hyung today. How is Taeyeon noona like? Will they be ready?” Taehyun asked referring the new Crown Prince and his fiancée.

“No one will ever be ready for the position; even Siwon hyung was really scared. I am sure Jiyong hyung will make a good king. Taeyeon noona is really calm and composed but she could assert herself despite her small stature. She reminds me of you really. They fit surprisingly well together.”

Mino added with a smile. One of the very few ones he shown since they met. Taehyun never realized how much he missed seeing the old Mino that he always remembered. He was glad that the old Mino was buried somewhere deep within this new Mino sitting beside him.

“I think I am going to get along well with noona then.”

“Just try not to get too friendly with them. Don’t get their hopes up. You know what just leave all the talking to me.” Mino stated before he turned to get out of the car.

Suddenly, Taehyun did not want to go through with this meeting and he hated that the new and strange Mino was back again. Sighing, he followed the guy into the lobby. He could feel that guy beside him got more and more tensed as they rode the elevator up to the top level.

Mino could not help but observe the younger guy out of the corner of his eyes. He looked good today since he came from his performance recording. Taehyun was dressed in a grey micro checkered shirt with a black tie and pants, he looked really smart, elegant and giving off the aristocratic vibe.

His slightly longish hair was parted slightly to the left side and a pair of mini diamond stud earrings, he looked really good. Maybe it was the way that his liner was slightly smoked out and not a hard line defining his eyes that really suited him. Mino could so see why he was the visual of the group with female fans screaming after him. He looked absolutely flawless.

Mino gave an awkward cough and stepped out when it seemed that the younger guy has caught on to his ogling. Leaving a confused Taehyun trailing behind him, he caught the way Mino stared at him and his senses could not help but to be hyper aware of his presence since they were cooped up in the small confined space but the way he slipped back to his hard façade again was starting to frustrate him quite a bit.

Entering the room, Taehyun was immediately engulfed in a hug by an excited Jiyong.

“Taehyun-ah, hyung missed you!”  Patting Taehyun’s head affectionately, making him smile happily.

“I missed you too hyung.” Earning a laugh from his brother, ever since their oldest brother died, Jiyong hyung hardly smiled, Mino was glad that the younger was able to lift up his brother’s spirits.

Mino felt the usual pangs of jealousy whenever he saw his hyung and Taehyun. They got along really well and were very close. They seemed to always understand each other without saying much while he was like a little klutz around the younger guy. It was like his body and mind decided to be clumsy whenever Taehyun was around.

“You must be Nam Taehyun. I am Kim Taeyeon, Jiyong’s fiancée. I have heard so much about you. Just call me Taeyeon noona.” A shorter girl appeared behind his hyung, offering her hand for a handshake.

“I hoped it was only the good things you heard about me, Taeyeon noona.” Taehyun joked as the three of them walking in happily into the main sitting room of the suite with his brother and future sister-in-law flanking the younger guy on each side.

The main sitting room was adorned with heavy furniture everywhere done in dark wood with wine-coloured seat covers. Place into it, like a painting, sat the Queen, an elegant and regal women by the table. Her elegant brows rose slightly at the sight of the young people filling into the room. Behind her, the King stood by the fireplace, a dignified, broad-shouldered man with friendly eyes.

“Taehyun-ah, finally after so long, come sit next to me.” The Queen greeted Taehyun with a look of pure glee, patting the seat beside her.

“Your Majesty.” Bowing low to the Queen and then again to the King, who smiled warmly, “Your Majesty.”

“Tell us how have you been?” The Queen asked, gently patting his hand.

“Well...” Taehyun trailed off looking embarrassed suddenly.

“There is no need to be modest really. Graduated with strong grades, got accepted into a well known agency and debuted this year with a bang, Winner is the up and coming rookie group in the music industry.” Jiyong supplied, looking really proud.

“We always knew you will never give us any trouble, unlike someone we know.” The King commented, looking pointedly at Mino who sitting by the window, arms crossed over his chest with a blank expression on his face.

“Well, since Siwon… you know….” The King trailed off looking slightly overwhelmed with the sadness.

“Well, since he has passed away. We all need each of you to step up to your roles, especially Jiyong since you are the Crown Prince. Mino just got back from Japan and you have not seen Taehyun for a long time so you both need to spend time together, get re-acquainted.” The King announced when he got his composure back.

“What?!” Mino barked by his spot by the window.

“You need integrate yourself back again. You have lived abroad for so long now.” The Queen deadpanned.

“I still have school, he has his own schedule.”

“Don’t worry; we will take care of Taehyun’s schedule. Integration for you is necessary even though you are not the Crown Prince but you are still a Prince. Nevertheless, you need to keep up with things so we will send you both to Jeju Island to reconnect with your roots.” The Queen continued with a wave of her hand as she dismissed the last remark.

Mino looked at Taehyun only to catch his eyes and his expression. He sat there suddenly it dawned to him how small, very fragile, hurt and confused the younger guy looked. He could not help but noticed the flush that was slowly appearing on Taehyun’s cheeks.

Later on when Mino paced angrily in his own room, Jiyong came to see him hoping to make him understand.

“If you want to be angry, be angry at our parents or the person who killed Siwon hyung and not Taehyun.”

“What make you think I am angry with him?” Mino asked as he whipped his head to stare at his brother.  

“From the way you have been throwing your anger around, I am not surprised if Taehyun thinks you are angry at him.”

“I don’t think that he is…”

“Look Mino, I love you but Taehyun is an old friend, likes you a lot and has not seen you for a long time so when you both are at Jeju, I want you to promise me that you will be nice.”

“Fine.” Mino sighed.

“And about Jinhwan.”

“Don’t start.”

“Fine, I won’t. But still, be nice.”

The presence of Taehyun was cutting Mino into pieces, Jiyong knew. A little bit of the small boy who had always adored Taehyun was still living somewhere in his heart. That boy is really worried and scared right know. Never once had Jiyong seen Mino cried, not even once.

Jiyong knew by watching Mino that eventually the world would come crashing down on his younger brother for better or it could be for worse. He knew how Siwon’s death affected him and now with Taehyun’s return, it must be chaotic.

Picking up the phone when he was in his room, “Yes, I need to speak with Agent Seunghyun. It is urgent.”

“Wow, you are really doing this then?” Taeyeon asked as she saw him hanging up the phone.

“I think I need to go get the popcorn.” She muttered excitedly as she clapped her hands.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hihi, back with an update... I got lazy over the weekend... so here is chapter 3.. Let me know what you think. Love to know your thoughts...