Yongguk already knew what to expect with how the prince looked down on him.

They both walked down the long passages leading to his quarters. A guard followed closely behind. 

The prince was quiet all the way but the silence was in no way uncomfortable, Yongguk preferred the silence too.

When they had reached the quarter, the guard bowed and left them both alone. The room was large, even bigger than a regular sized house. The prince seated himself on a mahogany table that had two cushioned, tall chairs. They both remained quiet, avoiding eye contact.

However, as time passed, the silence grew more awkward and Yongguk's legs started aching with strain.

"You must be tired." It was a cold voice, so cold yet delicate, that it made Yongguk shiver at the thought of even answering in affirmitive. 

It was quiet again, his legs growing numb while the prince looked out of the window. He walked and sat directly opposite to the prince. He knew the consequences, of course, but since he's really an outsider he can pretend to have no knowledge, but to his surprise, the prince only turned to look at him, not an ounce of emotion on his face.

His eyes were narrow and the disinterested look made it more intimidating and sharp, but there was no actual threat in them.

A small smile creeped on Jongup's face, "I'm glad you sat without an order." Then just as if the smile never existed, the boy looked away with the same stoic look. 

"Do you want anything? Because, I need to go check if my family has arrived." Yongguk asked after a while and the prince turned to him with a dissatisfied look, his eye brows knitting slightly. 

"Who allowed your family to come here so early?" He asked with that icy but feathery voice of his. It was quiet yet dripped with menace.

The peasant's breath got stuck in his throat. He lowered his gaze and Youngjae's smiling face flashed before his eyes, no, he can't give up so easily.

"I requested your head of guards, mister Yoo. My mother is very ill and my sisters have drained their health taking care of her and starving themselves. I apologise if-"

"Do you think you're the only one who's suffering?" A smirk tugged at the corner of the prince's lips, the question more rhetoric than genuine. 

The peasant bit the inside of his lip, composing his mixed emotions of anger, shock, hatred and sadness. He looked straight into the prince's eyes and answered slowly, "Of course, not. There are many... many... families distraught and suffering... not just in my village but in this whole country.... It's all thanks to your royalty, my highness... Your luxury lifestyle built upon slavery and blood shed of thousands... no... millions... All of your generation... past and coming... is carrying a mountain of debt... of every person they are using and stealing their rights from... of every person they let die of thirst and hunger in cold blood..." He seethed, his heart pounding out his inner grudge for these... scum... He rarey spoke his mind but this was the reason why he preferred to remain quiet. He released his jaw as he sat back to watch Jongup utterly speechless, absolutely taken aback as his face turned into a shocked and embarrassed one, his cheeks and ears turning a dark shade of red as he looked away, his hands slowly moving under the table as his head drooped slightly.

Yongguk pushed back his chair and left the Prince's room. As he stepped down the stairs and had reached the kitchen, he instantly recognised his mother's voice, bursting in the room happily as he hugged her from behind. He took them behind the castle to the worker's quarters and showed her and his sisters their wonderful room with four beds aligned neatly, two drawers and one dresser... it was everything they needed. They had already eaten from the kitchen thanks to Youngjae. His sisters were going to work as maids or do other manual work but they weren't at all bothered by it so he didn't worry too much about it either as long as they could stay and be safe.

Seeing his family being happy and grateful, made Yongguk tear up a little as he felt like he really achieved what he wanted to for them. He went back to thank Youngjae for his kindness, promising to go for a drink with him someday. He wanted to thank Junhong too but when he couldn't find him, he went back to the prince's side.

When he went back to the prince's quarters, he was expecting the prince to tell his parents and have him taken out, or at least an earful for disrespecting the "royalty". However, upon entering, he was surprised to see the prince curled up under his covers. 

Is he already asleep? It's still mid-day! Yongguk thought, silently getting closer to the bed, he stopped when he heard soft, muffled sobs, too startled by the sound, his step fell heavily, creating a 'thump' sound which made the sobs under the covers stop completely. He watched the covers being pulled more tightly but Yongguk leaped forward and grabbed them, trying to pull them off.

"What are you doing!? Leave me alone!" The prince whined after a while of wrestling with the covers. 

"Fine! If you won't come out, I'll be coming in!" 

A gasp took place under the covers as the prince tried to block the entrance from his feet but was too late. 

Yongguk directly faced him as they both lay under the covers, the proximity being far from comfortable as their noses were almost touching, Jongup moved away a bit, "Leave me alone! Get out of my bed." He frustratingly said again and was about to face the other way but the other didn't let him, touching his face and turning it back at his, taking the prince by surprise. 

"Why were you crying?" Yongguk asked calmly, his voice is too deep and heavy, Jongup realised. It felt.... emotional.

"You don't need to know that! And I will scream if yo-" A hand as placed over his mouth before he could finish the sentence. 

"You have to answer me. I'm your guard from now on. I need to know or else you'll get me fired for not understanding you." Yongguk emphasised and smirked when Jongup's eyes widened in shock, cute.. he thought, the prince wasn't at all what he acted like. 

"Ugh! I hate this..." Jongup grumbled again, he exhaled as he told his guard, "Y-You were mean to me! No one has ever been mean to me!"

Yongguk lifted his hand away.... and slapped the prince, not hard but hard enough to make a sound. 

Jongup completely taken aback now, resorted to screaming but his mouth was again shut with the other's hand and his face was brought much closer. 

"It's humiliating, isn't it?" His voice is so deep, why does it sound so heavy? Pressing on my chest... I'll... I think I'll cry... Jongup thought as tears started welling up, he tried his best to blink them away but to no avail. 

"You say I'm mean, but didn't you think for a second how your words were hurting others? I wasn't being mean to you, the truth just hurt your pride." As soon as Yongguk finished there were tears wetting the prince's pillow. Jongup didn't even try to fight because it was the truth... But he felt so happy within... When was the last time he felt an emotion such as this? His heart was beating again and he could feel it. He felt alive. Were they tears of happiness or sorrow? He couldn't tell anymore. 

The hand was lifted from his mouth and then he felt the other pulling him closer until his head was on his chest. 

Yongguk pat his head and held the boy closely, "You don't need to cry so much... Everyone does mistakes and the treatment you get could get into your head, but it isn't your fault..."

"S-stop petting me! I'm not a kid and I'm okay now!" Jongup pulled away the covers and stepped out.  He turned to Yongguk with those sharp eyes of his despite the wetnesss on his cheeks and the red rims around his eyes, "This isn't a servants bed would you please get off."

Yongguk hopped off and bowed, "I apologise." 

The next day, the prince's guard was given a schedule.

"What is this?" He asked and Junhong smiled, "It's the prince's routine of what he will do today!" 

"Routine... Does he choose it?" Yongguk asked, puzzled. 

"No... His parents and the governers help with it..." Junhong answered quietly. 

"Ah, Junhong." Yongguk held the other's hand and smiled widely, "Thank you so much for pushing me that day. It was all thanks to you that I'm here now." He hugged the tall latter. 

As Yongguk waved and left, Junhong tried to comprehend what just happened, his cheeks a rosy red. That was the first time someone showed him gratitude so genuinely. He had a small smile on his face as he carried on with his day.

When the prince was done with his breakfast, he went to the castle's garden and strolled around the river with his guard following close behind. 

"It's 9 AM which means it's time for your calculus class, sir." 

Yongguk thought he imagined it, but did the prince just visibly flinch?

Nonetheless, he started walking back to the castle in hurried steps. 

The prince's guard inspected the prince from afar whose eyes had taken a lifeless form. He could tell the boy hated this subject. 

The next class was ethics and the eyes remained the same. 

The class after that... the same. 

The day went on like this with lunch or snack breaks in between and then back to classes. 

Yongguk was glad to be able to be in the same room because he loved getting knowledge on just anything. It was his dream to study, but the prince's attitude towards it disappointed him. 

By the end of the day though, there were piano rehearsals. 

Yongguk watched as Jongup's eyes lit up and a small smile appeared on his face again, he watched as the boys fingers worked on the keys while the teacher swayed his hands around holding a musical note in one hand and a stick in another. The tune was soothing and made the prince's guard relax and close his eyes. 

When the teacher left the room to let Jongup practice alone, the guard gave a half smile of appreciation and to his amazement, the latter gave a full smile, crescent eyes, bunny teeth and all. It made Yongguk's face heat up and look away, flustered, How is he so adorable!? The piano started playing again and this time the prince's eyes were closed as he played a completely different tune to what his teacher taught him, it was a sad yet uplifting music, he could feel the other's energy flowing through the keys and blowing into the air, it was... connecting him? He didn't know how to explain it but he felt like he was living the tune. He liked it very much.

The teacher entered back and Yongguk was yet again left in awe at how quick the prince changed the tune to the exact same music from before.

As night fall came and the prince slept with two night guards in front of his room and Yongguk laid with his family, he couldn't help but wonder about the prince's true self. The smile didn't leave his head and everytime he thought about it he would dig his face into his pillow, smiling ear to ear. It was just the first day and he was already like this! He needs to have more composure! He kept thinking and soon realised... He even slapped and... held the prince to his chest. At that moment he didn't think much of it but why! Why is he just now thinking of how soft his cheeks were or how silky his hair were!? Or how warm he was when close to him.

Yongguk rubbed his face in annoyance. This isn't his place to feel like this or be like this. He rubbed his eyes and turned to his side to sleep. 

Yes... I won't waste my time on these feelings anymore.