Jongin dreamt of being in a room full with colorful curtains draped around...

He walked around in confusion, trying to find his way out in the midst of the rainbow-colored curtains...

But then he saw him; a small, petite raven-haired man standing alone amongst the curtains; smiling with the familiar heart-shaped lips...

‘Kyungsoo!’ he had screamed as he run towards the other; but all that he can hear is a soft laugh as the other runs away and disappeared amongst the colorful curtains...

‘Catch me if you can, my King’ he heard the familiar low voice, accompanied by the familiar laugh as he pushed the curtains away...

It was a memorable thought; of chasing the petite man amongst the sea of colors, to which his only guide to the other is his senses...

A smile carved on his face when he finally catches a glimpse of the other; smiling happily as he hides himself behind the curtains, peeking shyly before he ran away again...

At last Jongin managed to catch his hand, and pulled him into his embrace; hugging him tightly as if the other will disappear into the thin air if he let him go...

‘I got you now, Kyungsoo...’ he said softly as he buried his face in the other’s hair, inhaling the sweet honey-like scent that emits from the other...

‘Take me away, my King...take me away and never let me go...’

‘Never again, Kyungsoo...never again I let you go out of my grasp...’

‘I promise to not let you go...’

**********

Jongin slowly opened his eyes; his sight blurred slightly. He blinked slowly, trying to focus his eyesight as he rose from his bed, only to realize that there are several golden needles pricking his arms and stomach. He looked around, confused; he barely remembered anything about being pricked. The last thing he remembered was Baekhyun nagging him about waking up, and everything else dimmed from his mind.

The curtain in his room has been closed, and judging from the non-existing light from outside of the window, Jongin wondered if it passed midnight already. How many hours had passed since his last encounter with Baekhyun? He remembered that he has to stamp the official invitations to the neighboring kingdoms that very day, and there’s a fitting session with the head sewing maid; hence Baekhyun had come to drag him out of the bed that day. If Baekhyun had come to him at the crack of dawn that morning and now it past midnight, he had probably slept for the whole day. No wonder his head hurts, he thought as he carefully rose from the bed and head outside; he needed some help to remove the golden needles because he was too scared to do it himself.

And off to the Royal Physician chamber he went, all while walking like a ghost with his arms straight to the front and body straight...

He can’t help it; there’s needles on his forearm that will prick further into him if he put his arms down, so he just straighten his arms to the front…

He was glad that it was very early in the morning, for there will be no maidens walking around and at most he would run into the soldiers on guard...

He almost stumbled into one of the soldiers who stood near the door, who looked at him as if he was an apparition from the other world. He was about to say something but the soldier paled and shaking and gone in the very next second, screaming at the top of his manly voice. Jongin can hear a loud fuss coming from somewhere, probably from the poor, scared soldier before a familiar brown mop peeked from the other end of the hallway.

And it took less than three seconds for the armor-wearing man to run all the way from the other end of the hallway to embrace him…

“MY PRINCE!!! YOU’RE ALIVE!!!”

Jongin would be pretty happy too to see Baekhyun so happy in the early morning, if it wasn’t for the needles that were pricking in deeper with the soldier’s every movement...

“Baek – Baekhyun...my body hurts so much from these needles, and you’ve done a pretty good job in burying them further into my skin...can you call the Royal Physician and ask him to remove...these infuriating needles?”

“Oh my God...I can’t believe that you’re still alive and kicking even though you’re practically dead yesterday. Come along; Zitao, former Captain and the Queen are in the royal chamber, and the Royal Physician is there too...”

“Why is the Royal Physician still up at this hour? In fact, why are you all still up at this hour? What are you guys doing at the royal chamber?”

Baekhyun said nothing as he excitedly pulled the confused Prince towards the royal chamber, where the Prince met with 4 pair of worried eyes...

The Queen was the first to approach him; her eyes widen before she promptly burst into tears, which confuses the Prince even more. “Oh, my Prince...I’m so glad that you’re finally up...I thought...we thought...” the Queen burst into more tears as she clung to the stunned Prince; making him flinched as the needles on his stomach stabbed deeper into him, but he held on well. It’s his mother anyway...and even though he’s confused right now, he hugged the Queen tightly; ignoring the stabbing pain on his stomach and arms.

“Umm...why are you crying right now, Mother? And why are you all still up at this time? I thought I have to wake the Royal Physician up to help me remove the needles, but he’s up at this weird hour...”

Just then the Queen realized that the Prince is still pricked by needles like a walking hedgehog; she gave a loud squeak before quickly releasing the Prince and asked the Royal Physician to tend to the Prince...

Yixing gave a soft snort of laugh before he pulled a chair and asked him to sit down while he prepared to remove all of his golden needles. The Royal Physician carefully removed the golden needles, one at a time; his eyes locked on the Prince’s face, watching for any sign of discomfort. He found none, and the Prince is needle-free in no time. Jongin casted a wary glance around; the people in the room are all sporting the same look, tired eyes and pale face. Baekhyun and Zitao looked like they were so tired to even keep themselves up; the Queen looked like she hasn’t slept for days; Yifan looked like he is being fuelled by coffee alone to keep himself up. “Now that I’m finally free from the needles, can somebody tell me what has happened?” Jongin said softly, eyes watching the changing expression of the people in front of him. The Queen stepped forward, throwing herself back into the Prince’s embrace.

“You were asleep for 5 days straight, my Prince...for unknown reason. The coronation should be held tomorrow, but without you in a perfect condition, we have decided to send an emergency notice to the allied kingdoms; so tonight former Captain Yifan will be dispatched to the Kingdom of Aqua, Royal Physician Yixing will be dispatched to the Kingdom of Terra, and both Captain and Second Captain of Stella Army will lead a group of soldiers to announce to our people that the coronation will not be held tomorrow...”

Jongin’s eyes widen in alarm; he merely thought that he was asleep for at most a day, but it has been 5 days passing by...

And he was about to pass his own coronation ceremony without him knowing...

No wonder they all looked so pale and tired; all of Stella Royal Family members must have been worried sick when he passed out all of the sudden, and sleep for 5 days straight...

“I...I don’t think that is necessary, Mother...I – I think I’m fine now, and we can continue with the coronation...”

“But – but my Prince...what will happen if you suddenly collapse again? Especially during the coronation ceremony...”

“But it’ll raise a terror amongst our people and the allied kingdoms. I’m fine now; in fact, I don’t even know why I am collapsed in the first place...and besides Mother, you and the others looked like you’re about to faint more than me. Please rest assure, Mother; I’m really fine now...”

“Prince...”

“If you’re so worried about me, then how about leaving me in the Royal Physician’s care tonight? If I’m not fully fit for tomorrow’s ceremony, then I will personally send the invitation to both Aqua and Terra the first thing in the morning tomorrow...”

Sensing that it is no use to argue with the determined Prince, the Queen said nothing as she released the Prince; but her worried glance tells the Prince that she is not entirely convinced by his words. Well, he would be too if she suddenly fainted and sleep for 5 straight days...

But he has to be strong; his people have been waiting for the longest time for his coronation...

And who knows if he can meet him again in the ceremony?

‘Catch me if you can, my King...’

He’ll definitely catch the white Angel, and keep him by his side forever...

After sending everyone safely to their respective rooms, Jongin returned to his room; where the Royal Physician is waiting for him. Unlike the others who looked like they were on the verge of passing out, Yixing looked exactly the same as always. Jongin didn’t know whether he is getting enough sleep unlike the others or he just has random burst of energy; Yixing is a queer person to begin with, anyway. The Royal Physician is reading a small book in his hand as the Prince entered the room, and he gave the Prince a soft smile of acknowledgement as the Prince stood in front of him.

“My apologize for dragging you here at this odd hour, Sir Yixing; I really need to be in perfect health tomorrow, or the ceremony is off...”

“It is fine, my Prince, or I shall need to call you my King starting from tomorrow...it is my duty to keep my Prince out of harm; I blamed my incompetence that caused you to collapse and not waking up. Thank Heaven for blessing us with your presence again; or I shall personally went to the torture chamber to end my ineptitude life...”

“Please don’t say things like that, Sir Yixing. I...I don’t even know what’s wrong with me...I felt awful that morning, yes...but not to the extent of collapsing and not waking up. Tell me, Sir Yixing; what has happened in this 5 days? I was about to ask the Queen myself, but I was afraid that Her Majesty is not feeling very well herself...”

Yixing smiled; he calmly rose from his seat and asked for the Prince to sit down at his previous spot, to which the Prince obliged...

“A lot of things had happened in these 5 days, but please rest assure my Prince; nothing very terrible happened during these 5 days. The formal invitation to both allied kingdoms of Terra and Aqua has been sent; they both have replied, which means that the Royal Family from the allied kingdoms will make an appearance on the important ceremony. The King’s Suit, which has been passed down through generation has been altered just slightly to cater to Your Highness’s height; but final alteration needs to be done tomorrow before the ceremony. The news of Your Highness falling sick is not yet announced to the people of Stella, for it would cause unwanted attention before the coronation; so the Queen decided to hold it until the very last minute...”

Jongin took a deep breath as Yixing slowly inserted a tiny gold needle on the back of his hand; his mind flown somewhere else...

He should be thinking about the crisis he is in right now; about his unconsciousness and the coronation ceremony that will be held in a very short time...

But his mind kept wandering to his dream; of colorful curtains and that certain someone who hides behind the curtains with a heart-shaped smile...

“Is there something bothering you, my Prince?”

“Eh?”

Jongin was brought back to the reality with Yixing’s soft voice; the latter smiled as he pulled out the needle he inserted into Jongin’s skin just now...

“Did someone call you from the Land of Dream, my Prince?”

“The...Land of...Dream?”

“There is a tale that the late Queen of Terra; the mother of the current King and all the Princes; usually told us about. The late Queen of Terra is actually the Princess of Aqua; the younger sister of the late King of Aqua and the aunt of the current King, and this tale supposed to come from the Kingdom of Aqua. It is said that when a Prince is born on a full blue moon, he will be blessed with the power of the blue moon, and become the Pillar of Aqua; bearing the power to control the Land of Dream. Have Your Highness read about the last battle of the Kingdom of Aqua against the Kingdom of Luce that happened more than 500 years ago? It’s been said that the Pillar of Aqua is present in the battle, and lead the Kingdom of Aqua to victory by summoning an unknown eidolon. Even though the Kingdom of Aqua is well known for their summoning power, the unknown eidolon is 100 times more powerful than the normal eidolon, and it crushes the enemy using several tidal waves. It’s been said that the eidolon is actually the King of Sea himself, the Leviathan. Leviathan actually resides in the Land of Dream, and will only speak to the human who have the access to the Land of Dream. And that’s why I asked you if someone called you from the Land of Dream...”

The Land of Dream...

“Interesting story, Sir Yixing...and to answer your question, it’s between yes and no I guess. I...have a nice dream before I woke up just now...”

Yixing gave him a soft smile as he slowly packed his needles into an oak box he usually carried around...

“Maybe that is the reason why your ‘chi’ is overwhelming with ‘yang’, my Prince. If I can c