After his uncomfortable bath, zitao laid himself in the bed, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, though his body was exhausted his mind was not, it was remembering and reliving moment by moment all the extraordinary dramatic event of the day.

Good or bad.

it had been without a shadow of doubt the most extraordinary at the same time horrible twelve hours of his life, scared though he had undoubtedly been at times, however he promised to himself to never-ever do it again, once is enough.

zitao put up a silent prayer of thanks that, for the moment at least his ordeal was over with other people around him, others things to think of, perhaps this pain in his heart would ease off a little, that he somehow endure the evening and tomorrow he will be going home.

Home, the more zitao thought about it, the more enthusiastic he become, he can’t wait to go home, to see his people, the kingdom, twelve hours seems to be a long time for zitao for being away from them, breathing in and out, zitao can feel how he slowly relax a little just by thinking about the kingdom, slowly he closes his eyes, allowing the sleep to take over him.



completely oblivious about a person standing outside his door.

Yifan felt pathetic, lately he can’t understand himself anymore, he can’t think straight, his mind was on one person, and one person only, prince zitao, at first his mysterious appearance that just bother yifan, but after their encounter at the garden, about how he accidentally touch the younger hand, was making yifan go insane, his hand, prince zitao hand, the monster hand, was so soft, so beautifully soft that give yifan an unknown spark inside.

There was something about prince zitao that disturbed him deeply and he could not quite analyse what it was.

Knowing that prince zitao will be gone tomorrow, yifan suddenly feel a little bit on panic, just little.

and this was the stupid reason why his standing at the youngers door, he was ready to turn the doorknob, to let himself in but then he stop himself from doing it and ask himself “what am i doing.?” What yifan in mind was to sneak into prince zitao room and remove its mask if the prince was sleeping, however if the prince is still awake then he will forcefully remove it by himself, and maybe that word, is what yifan make himself stop from what he's about to do. Forcefully, that very word felt so wrong to yifan, never had he felt so wrong before, even him killing someone in the battle field knowing that the person he just killed have a family at home, waiting, though yifan did not care, after all he was a heartless person, who would do everything he can to get anything he want, and this?, this small thing, feels like so much to him, like it’s a big crime, a crime that will never be paid if it was done,

Sighing in defeat, yifan turn to make his leave, he can’t do this.

Inside the room, zitao did eventually sleep, it turned out a tranquil and satisfying sleep, scattered with a fragment of dream like flower petals, so when he awoke next morning, he awoke with a start, as if nothing had happen to him last night, zitao jumped from the bed, alight with a sudden optimism, suddenly impatience to be home, anticipating the thrill of seeing the goblin people, the Guangdong kingdom, his home.

as he finishes himself in dressing, zitao practically skip out to the room, to find his parent, and when he sees them just outside the castle, talking to some guards, sanding near their carriage, he smile to himself, maybe they’re also are excited as him about going home?, zitao hope so, zitao look around as he go near to where is parent is, people seems to be very busy, running here and there with mixed of worried and scared expression, as though they had lost something.

Then he look straight back at his parent, who's still talking to some guard, he frowned, joonmyun is nowhere near his parent, suddenly zitao felt a stab of disappointment, though he could not pinpoint the cause, maybe his already inside the carriage, zitao told himself.

“Mom” zitao called out when his already behind his parent, the way they stop talking and freeze did not go unnoticed be zitao.

King Zhoumi and queen victoria look at each other, then turn around to face their son.

“Son” queen victoria said with a smile, though zitao can tell it was force.

“Something wrong?” zitao ask.

queen victoria look at her husband, as if asking for confirmation, and when king zhoumi nod, the queen look back at her son, and told him, ”yeah zitao, there is quite a problem, you see the kingdom was attacked last night by rebels, and this morning some highness's have gone missing, it was said that the rebels have them.” Queen victoria said slowly, as though afraid to spit something,

“oh” zitao gasp in surprised, “how do they know it was the rebels though.” he ask.

zitao pressed his fist against his mount

“it was approved be some royal guards that was guarding last night, they were found unconscious this morning, and when they wake up they immediately report what happened, some things was also found the garden, like rope and handkerchief who was believe owned by prince luhan of Tianjin, and-“ queen victoria suddenly stop.

“and,? Oh! Does joonmyun know about this?”

“zitao, son, listen,” this time king zhoumi step in and speak.

“Yes? Zitao ask in worry tone, he bit his lip, something was wrong.

“you see it was not only rope and handkerchief that had been found, they also found a journal in the garden,”

zitao peered up to his father, squinting, then his eyes go round in disbelief, when he realize with a sick feeling to where this conversation was leading.

“where’s joonmyun father?” zitao ask impatience, he walk pass to his parent and open the carriage door, hoping to see the elder there, but it was empty.

zitao is not stupid nor a kid to allow his parent to elaborate what happen, Joonmyun is with them, he was gone missing, just the thought of that gave zitao a lot of panic, he needed confirmation, he knows how the elder love to bring journal wherever he goes, but that does not mean the journal that had found in the garden was from joonmyun, right?

He turned around to face his parents, whose looking at him worriedly, “where’s the journal?” zitao demanded, raising his hand, impatient to see the journal to himself.

King zhoumi slowly reach from his pocket, revealing a small journal with a color blue.

zitao stare in disbelieve at the journal, he reach out to touch it, it was without a doubt from joonmyun.

“How-why?,” He ask suddenly can’t make himself to speak.

“zitao, please calm down