“That little ,“ Kibum hissed. He whipped the leash around his hand into a tight loop and doubled back across the broken cobbled path.

The hedge, however, when he got behind it after a good two minutes of brisk power-walking in a rather unforgiving Katherine Hooker blazer, didn’t just not show any sign of Gabanna. It didn’t have a backside to it at all.

Instead, its gnarled old roots were firmly wedged into the cracks and crevices of the equally ancient stone wall that made up part of the border of the estate.

Put simply, if Gabbana was on the other side of the hedge….she was now wandering the city outside the palace grounds.

In the interest of efficiency, and the knowledge that Gabbana simply wasn’t the smartest pup in the litter, let alone the kennels, Kibum decided that pausing and donning some kind of disguise was simply not possible.

Besides, no one would ever expect him to be hiding in plain sight.

***

Kibum flipped his jacket lapels forward, messed up his sleekly combed back hair, and kicked a stray decorative rock idly down the drive. Convinced of his own disguise, he then ducked onto the main avenue and hurried after a departing tour group.

“Lovely, wasn’t it?” An elderly lady said to him as he insinuated himself into the group. She had a practical looking umbrella under one arm and an enormous blue upholstered bag under the other. Kibum wondered how many crown princes she could stow in there.

“Tremendous,” he agreed as the approached the guard’s gates. “Although the lower gardens could use a little work, in my opinion.”

The lady giggled. “Oh, you young things,” she said, nudging him hard enough with the umbrella handle that he scuffed the very edge of his Oxfords on the curb.

“Ouch,” Kibum said, politely, through gritted teeth.

“Afternoon, ladies,” the guard signing the group out called loudly. The ladies all lifted handkerchiefs, umbrellas, and thermoses to wave him farewell, and Kibum ducked his head a little.

Of course Minho had to be on door duty today, instead of marching around the palace perimeter and threatening people with his juxtaposition or silly hat and extremely serious and real gun.

“-and…gentleman…” Kibum heard Minho add in his bewildered voice, but he was out the door and into the throng before he could discover whether Minho had actually recognised him.

Having at least seemingly escaped the royal guard, Kibum trotted down the street, barely able to contain the urge to gawk from side to side as he walked. The paved street was almost as bad as the cobbling in the lower gardens, and there were people absolutely everywhere, strapped into heels higher than he’d seen at the yearly ball, strutting as if they were barefoot on their own clover-soft lawns.

There were cafes on every corner - sometimes two in a row, and carts wherever there weren’t. Interspaced between these were either enormous clothing boutiques that had more in common with warehouses, and pokey shops jam-packed with his own bloody coat of arms! A few stores even displayed merchandise with his /face/ printed on it! The nerve of them, using paparazzi photographs.

Kibum couldn’t imagine a dog like Gabbana could still be in such a chaotic place without having it in an uproar. He walked on, picking his way around the potholes in the shared street space. Thank god it was still high summer, and the city was warm and as dry as a bone, even as twilight fell.

***

With no sign of obnoxious corgis in the tourist square before the place, Key set about cautiously circling around the stone walls until he spotted the telltale raggedy climbing rose peeking just above the walls, and the barely noticeable scratchings of a rabbit hole directly beneath.

He his fashionable heel and faced the city. If he was a stupid corgi, which direction would he run in?

Not exactly spoiled for choice, Kibum settled on directly ahead, where the relentless convenience stores gave way to a quiet street of tall, shuttered houses. A once popular quarter that had fallen out of favour with the aristocracy, Kibum supposed.

The houses loomed a little in the lessening light, and though the road was quite straight and visible, Kibum felt his neck prickling before he was halfway down it.

It wasn’t until he passed a tarnished brass gate set into a stone wall that he spotted his elusive watchers perched above like jackdaws.

He passed them in silence, but heard them leaping to the path a few moments later.

“You’re a bit fancy for round here, aren’t you?”  One of the youths said, sidling up to Kibum.

He said nothing, but increased the speed of his strides a little. Another boy appeared on Kibum’s left, a cigarette pinched between his lips. He grinned at Kibum, and they both kept even pace with him.

“Going somewhere?” the first boy asked.

“I can get you somewhere nice and fast,” the second boy said around the cigarette. Ash dropped down his white sleeveless shirt as the cigarette bobbed.

“Fancy rich boy, aren’t ya?” the first boy said again.

Kibum stared straight ahead, lips pursed, resisting the urge to antagonise the two by rolling his eyes.

There was a green break in the shops coming up ahead, somewhere Gabbana would love, and hopefully somewhere these youths found to be anathema.

Kibum took his chance and pelted across the park, ducking under some low lying branches, flailing (not that he would ever admit it) through a little bit of light brush, and power walking smartly past a duck pond lined with smug couples.

On the other side of the park was a street lined with small, clean, grey houses, and considerably less loutish youths.  Kibum paused at the curb for breath and checked behind him, in a breath of relief to find the coast clear.

Faintly, he heard a bark in the near distance.

He perked up, pushing his fringe back into its slicked back arrangement. It had to be Gabbana. If it wasn’t…Kibum wasn’t sure what he would do. He crossed the road, determined, and headed down the closest alleyway that lead in the direction of the barking.

There were rubbish bins aplenty, which had to be a good sign. Less encouraging were the joyful yelps and barks of a happy dog. It was clearly someone else’s pet.

Kibum walked on morosely past countless grey brick walls and muddy green gates, peering into tiny yards crammed with nothing but more rubbish and wilting weeds.

The last yard had a man in it, about twenty-five, wearing an awful mustard yellow t-shirt. He was enthusiastically patting a fat, stupid looking corgi puppy on its ample rump.

“That’s my good girl!” The man said to Gabbana, smiling so hard that his grin encompassed his entire face.

Key’s eyes narrowed, thinking only of the last two commoners he’d met on his adventure.

“You’ve stolen my dog!” he shouted, unlatching the gate and marching into the yard to reclaim his pet.

The dog thief leapt back about a foot, clearly startled. “I’m - I’m sorry?” he said, hands raised in appeasement. “I was just looking after her, I swear. I wasn’t going to keep her!”

Kibum ignored him, instead picking Gabbana up, suppressing a silent groan at her weight. She certainly seemed fine, although who knew how much rubbish she’d managed to ingest as she’d crossed the city. Gabbana’s tail thumped against Kibum’s chest as he held her close, eyes closed for a moment as the afternoon’s panic slipped off of his shoulders.

“Well, she’s obviously glad to see you again,” the stranger said cheerily.

Kibum flushed slightly. The man really had just been looking after Gabbana. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Thank you,” he said imperiously. “Gabbana and I appreciate your help.”

That was probably enough. They could leave now without guilty consciences.

“You’re welcome,” the man said, still smiling. “I’m Jinki. Gabbana is a cute name for her.”

Kibum nodded. “Obviously. Her mother’s name is Dolce,” he replied mindlessly, as if this was some kind of socialites’ picnic.

Jinki just smiled some more.“You should come in and rest before you take her home,” he said.

Kibum nodded for some idiotic reason.

“What’s your name?” Jinki said, holding open the battered screen door to his home.

“…Key,” Kibum said after a moment of hesitation.

Jinki looked at him with squinted eyes for a moment, as if trying to remember something, but his brow smoothed soon enough, and he gestured for him to walk into the house ahead of him, head almost dipping to an acceptable level for a bow.

“Well. Please come in…y…-er. Um. Key.”

Kibum let out a silent sigh of relief, and then immediately froze as he stepped into the house. It was tiny. Even the gardeners composting shed at the palace was bigger than this little hovel. This kitchen clearly hadn’t been redecorated since at least the early 1990s. He hoped they wouldn’t die here.

Jinki shut the door. “You can put her down now,” he said kindly, gesturing at the grey vinyl flooring.

“I think not,” Kibum said, grimacing at his surroundings. Gabbana would probably dig a hole through the plasterboard and make another run for it at the first opportunity. God knew how Jinki had managed to keep her contained in his lax security yard for more than an hour.

Jinki frowned but said nothing, instead leading them into another tiny room with the drapes tightly closed, and carpeted floors as bland as the kitchen. There was another youth sprawled on the carpet in sweatpants and a zipped up hooded jacket, squinting at a flat screen television that had to be barely 40 inches across.

“This is Taemin, my neighbour,” Jinki said loudly over the screech of wheels and sirens in the game.

Taemin looked up briefly, his face surprisingly soft and pretty under a curtain of pitch black hair. He stared for a moment, finger hovering over the controller in his left hand. Then he snorted to himself quietly. “So, is this the irresponsible dog owner?” he said pointedly, turning back to his game.

Kibum bristled, hoisting Gabbana higher against his chest, pretending that he wasn’t struggling with one of Gabbana’s vicious little legs digging right into his gut.

Jinki laughed nervously and of all things - patted Kibum’s elbow. “Don’t listen. He’s sulking because his mum always asks me to watch him when she steps out to the shops.”

Kibum frowned again and let Jinki steer him into sitting delicately on the edge of a tired sofa. “But he’s about fourteen, isn’t he?”

“Baby-faced sixteen,” Jinki whispered.

“I’M SIXTEEN,” Taemin bellowed concurrently from his spot on the floor.

“I know,” Jinki said, placating. “And I’m not really watching you, am I? I was outside with the puppy all afternoon.”

Taemin fell quiet, steering his animated car around the virtual city a little more calmly.

“I helped with the puppy, too,” he said after a moment.

“You did,” Jinki agreed quickly.

They all sat silently in the semi-darkness a little longer, strangely hypnotised by Taemin’s skill at the car game. He was especially adept at evading the police cars, a talent which was slightly unnerving to Kibum.

After at least twenty minutes of deeply illegal high speed shenanigans that Kibum had to admit had his eyes glued to the screen, Kibum finally rose from his seat. He strained to heft a snoozing Gabbana to rest with her fluffy chin on the shoulder of his now decidedly doggy jacket.

“Thank you very much for having me,” he said with as much self possession as he could muster whilst cradling a fat corgi in a stranger’s darkened living room. “I should be starting back now. Wouldn’t want to miss Gabbana’s dinner.”

Jinki sprung up at once. “You could stay for dinner-” he started, before pausing and looking down to find Taemin staring up at him incredulously.

“I mean..sure? Your parents are probably expecting you back?” Jinki backtracked awkwardly.

Kibum suppressed a roll of his eyes. Dinner for him would be in the stifling kitchens with the dogs and their doormat of a handler, Jonghyun, or alone in the echoing dining hall with about seven trembling footmen lurking in the shadows, each clutching a decanter or a long meat fork.

He hoisted Gabbana a little higher and shifted meaningfully in the direction of the kitchen they’d come through. Jinki leapt up and preceded him through the door, practically sprinting to get the screen door for him.

“Um,” Jinki said awkwardly, peering out into his little concrete yard. “It’s getting dark. Maybe you should call someone to take you home?”

Kibum suppressed a shudder at the thought of the modern day equivalent of the cavalry that would be coming for him if he let slip that he’d left the grounds alone. “Trust me; that’s a terrible idea.”

“Sorry, y- Key,” Jinki said stiltedly. “Er, do you know the way? Home, that is?”

“Of course I do,” Kibum sniffed.

He’d just go back the way he’d come. Maybe skip the park he’d run through in the daylight. Remember to avoid the rough street he’d met those youths on. Perhaps enquire at a police box like a tourist. Did police boxes exist in real life?

Gabbana snorted in her sleep, wriggling almost out of Kibum’s hold for an instant. Kibum grabbed for her fat little hindquarters only to find Jinki had gotten there first. He blinked at Jinki for a moment, their hands both cupping the bottom half of a dog, and then Jinki’s surprised eyes creased up and his face broke into a grin under the porch light.

He made sure Kibum had the dog securely in his arms again before holding up a finger for a moment and darting back indoors.

Kibum huffed, but waited as he’d been indicated. Commoners’ manners. Really.

Jinki was back in a matter of seconds, followed by Taemin, who was and sighing at being pulled away from his game.

“I’m going to walk you home,” Jinki announced, sitting down on the doorstep and pulling on some battered running shoes.

“Are you what!” Kibum scoffed. “Who will look after your babysitting charge?”

Taemin scowled at him anew. “I’ve changed my mind,” he said to Jinki, “I can’t be left alone. /Key/ will just have to wander home and get mugged all on his lonesome.”

Jinki laughed and got up, dusting off his knees. “You’re sixteen, and your mum will be back with your dinner in forty minutes.”

“Hmm,” Taemin said, sounding unconvinced.

“You really shouldn’t bother yourself,” Kibum reiterated, although it was getting rather dark, and Gabbana sleeping was somehow even harder to carry than Gabbana awake and kicking viciously.

“I’m coming,” Jinki insisted, holding his hands out for Gabbana.

Kibum swung away. “I’m fine.”

“She’s too heavy for you to carry!” Jinki insisted before he seemed to realise what he’d said.

“Are you implying that I’m too weak to carry a /corgi/?” Kibum said tightly, eyebrows raised practically to his brushed back hairline.

“I mean,” Jinki back-pedalled furiously, “she’s big for a puppy. She’d be too heavy for either of us.”

“Yeah, it’s too bad Jinki spends all that time in his garage with his weights for nothing,” Taemin said.

Jinki shot him a glare that was nothing like the mild mannered babysitter Kibum had come to think of him as.

“I’ve got an idea,” Taemin said, ignoring Jinki’s look. He got up and disappeared into the house.

Kibum began to despair of commoners’ manners. Could no one even spare the courtesy of excusing themselves properly?

At least Taemin was quick about his rudeness. He reappeared in the gloom of the kitchen, pausing to flick the switch on the wall, illuminating…a baby carriage.

It was quite a nice one, Kibum had to admit. Probably because it was at least thirty years old, absolutely unwieldy, and completely appealed to Kibum’s impractical taste in home furnishings.

“That’s mine,” Jinki said, confusedly, before glancing at his present company and blushing slightly. “I mean - when I was a baby! It’s my mum’s, obviously.”

“Baby Jinki’s carriage,” Taemin taunted him, as he wheeled the carriage to the door. “Help me lift it.”

Kibum stepped back and let them heave it over the threshold alone. He was plenty strong, thank you, but there wasn’t any point in sweating needlessly at this rate.

“Why are we even…?” Jinki asked Taemin, once they’d gotten the carriage into the yard. It was Taemin’s turn to first look at Jinki incredulously, then turn to Kibum as if to commiserate with him over this man’s idiocy.

“You put the dog in it.” Taemin said flatly. He went to Kibum and took Gabbana from him carefully before depositing her inside the carriage.

Gabbana let out a little huff and promptly curled up on the pink and white pillows and bedding, auburn fur prettily framed by the lacy lining.

“My mum is going to kill me,” Jinki said faintly. Then he peered into the carriage and smiled. “Don’t you think she’d look sweet with a bonnet on?”

“She’s a corgi,” Kibum said, just a little bit proud of his dog. “She doesn’t need extra frippery to be pretty.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Cinderella,” Taemin said, wrestling the carriage out into the alleyway for them. “Get moving before you turn into a pumpkin or something.”

Kibum narrowed his eyes at Taemin, and took the carriage handle. This kid…

Jinki guided the carriage around in the opposite direction to how he’d arrived earlier, and they walked along to the end of the alley.

“Stay inside, and if my mum gets back, tell her I’m walking a friend home,” Jinki called out.

Taemin nodded, devious eyes fixed on Kibum. He lifted his hand delicately, and…waved it just so. Upright, twisting carelessly from side to side.

Kibum glared and returned the royal wave as politeness dictated. “‘Good night, Taemin,” he said, tightly.

“Good night, sire,” Taemin sang out quietly, not quite loud enough to echo between the houses.

***

Jinki was relentlessly cheerful, it seemed. Even walking down a dark street in a t-shirt as the wind came up and the temperature seemed to plummet, Jinki trotted alongside the carriage, alternating between cooing over Gabbana’s rumbling snores, and telling Kibum all about the time Taemin’s mum had taken his game away from him to punish him for truancy.

“He’s a nationally ranked player, you see, so he gets a little carried away,” Jinki explained, grinning at Kibum. “I mean, he’s obsessed, obviously.”

“He’s nationally what?” Kibum shook his head and stopped at the curb to wait for Jinki to grab the other end of the carriage and ease it onto the street with him. “That game is considered a /sport/?”

Jinki shrugged. “He has a drawerful of prize money and a big trophy that says it is.”

“Absolutely ridiculous.” Kibum said in conclusion.

“It is,” Jinki allowed. “But I suppose it takes all kinds.”

Kibum turned his head, questioning. “All kinds?”

“To make up a kingdom,” Jinki elaborated, gesturing around them widely. “You haven’t heard that phrase before?”

“No,” Kibum said, brow furrowing momentarily. “I like it, though.”

Jinki just nodded, and nudged the carriage right for Kibum at their next intersection.

“How did you know where to go?” Kibum said slowly, as their surroundings began to become more familiar. They were entering the tourist square outside the main palace entrance. It was different under the streetlights, but it was no less fascinating. The cafes had closed, and now every second doorway seemed to be a restaurant. How could they be back already? It seemed like they’d only walked for a matter of minutes.

Jinki shrugged, a smile playing around his lips. They walked right up to the palace, stopping just before the closed guard station.

“I guess I should be going, your highness.” Jinki said, shyly.

Kibum swung around, open mouthed, about to interrogate him further as to exactly how long he’d known who he was, but-

Jinki had been so close - and - he’d turned as well - and - well, Kibum supposed they were kissing now. It was nice, if a little forward.

Jinki pulled back swiftly, eyes wide. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I only meant to get your cheek, really.”

Kibum couldn’t hide his own grin. “Thank you,” he said, pulling his moistened lower lip into his mouth absentmindedly.

Jinki watched his lips, seemingly hypnotised. “Really, it’s just I saw that in a movie once, with a prince, and I thought - um,  I don’t know what I thought…”

“It was nice,” Kibum insisted.

Jinki stopped talking and just blushed slightly under the street light. “Good night, sire,” he said finally.

Gabbana rolled over heavily, bumping the carriage forward just one pace, triggering the proximity buzzers, and suddenly the gates opened, and lights began to snap on from the other end of the avenue. Kibum could see Minho’s tall lithe form literally sprinting down the path towards him. He was definitely about going to get the dressing down of his life.  Somehow, he didn’t mind.

Kibum turned to say his goodbyes, but Jinki had already melted away into the night, leaving nothing but an old baby carriage behind him.

“Your highness,” Minho panted, doubled over when he finally reached the gates. “Are you alright? You’d better be alright, because I’m going to kill you as soon as I catch my breath.” He in another lungful of air.

“I’m completely fine, and so is Gabbana,” Kibum said, waving him away absently.

“But tomorrow I need you to comb the city and find my Cinderella.”