KangYuna jolted up from her unconsciousness and scanned around her room in panic, she wore her night clothes already; the blue silk button-down and shorts was soft against her fingertips. "What happened? Where is everyone?"

            She swung her legs over the bed and stood up. A sharp pain went straight through her head; it throbbed hard and fast. "Ahh…ah…" She grabbed her head, but she continued a fast pace toward the door. She swung the door open and stepped out with haste.

            "Princess," Min called out to her by the door. He stood there as guard to her bedroom. "You shouldn't be running around in your condition. Please head back inside."

            "Where is he?" KangYuna questioned the guard, almost angrily.

            "Who is he?"

            "Baekhyun, where is Baekhyun?" KangYuna growled. “Mark, tell me where he is.”

            "Baek...hyun... ah! You mean the wo-" his mouth was clamped shut by Johnny.

            "He's in the medical room," and with that KangYuna ran off, barefooted toward the room.

            KangYuna's head pounded with each step she took. She finally reached the medical room. She was about to open the door when she heard a familiar voice yelling. She pressed her ear up against the door for closer listen.

            "Don't you understand the code you were born under?" Jaehyun, sternly, asked him. "I knew it from the start and why haven't I cared to put any thought to it, of course, you would come running back!"

            "Yes, I do understand the code, but the kiss..."

            "You KISSED her??!!" Jaehyun yelled at the younger boy. "How long?"

            "Long enough," Baekhyun replied, which caused Jaehyun to pace back and forth.

            "This is no good at all." Jaehyun placed a hand against his forehead. “I can’t believe I let this go through. I sensed it along and yet, I believed it for someone else and not the princess. I should have protected the grounds better.”

            "What about you? You're one too," Baekhyun crossed his arms and smirked. "Aren't you going against the conduct? And for someone so expert in the code then you should know the consequences that will happen to KangYuna now."

            That really ticked Jaehyun off. "Is that a threat? Don’t you dare try to hold that against me? And you, boy, have no right to be nosy in my business and-"

            "Then why are you getting up into mine and KangYuna's?" Baekhyun shot back.

            "Why you- How dare you speak of the Princess without formality. Princess KangYuna is for me to look after and protect not you, a mutt! You have to leave and not return. Do you know why your family keeps moving? Because no one likes a monster," the door slammed opened.

            "How dare you talk to someone like that?" KangYuna yelled and stormed in.

            "Princess!" Both the men said at the same time. Baekhyun sat shirtless on top of the tall bed, a bandage wrapped around the lower part of his body. Jaehyun stood beside the bed, heating fuming off his body.

            "Who are you to be so disrespectful?" KangYuna poked hard at Jaehyun's chest. "You can't force him to leave either."

            "It's for your own good, Princess. It's against the royal conduct," Jaehyun explained to her keeping a calm stance.

            "Bull! There's no such thing in the royal conduct and I should know."

            "Princess, with a boy like him, you will never survive," Jaehyun firmly said. "He is a cursed boy! All he does is bring bad luck to wherever he goes."

            "Even more bull. Baekhyun is not a monster," KangYuna walked over to Baekhyun and grabbed his hand. "Leave." 

            "Prin-"

            "I said leave and that's an order, Head Palace Guard Jung Jaehyun." A spark of anger flashed in her eyes as she stared hard into Jaehyun’s eyes.

            "Head Palace Guard Jung Jaehyun will now take his leave," he bowed and left quietly.

            "Hey," she quietly spoke to Baekhyun, while trying to hold back her tears. She felt so sorry for bringing Baekhyun into this mess and upset at how Jaehyun was acting. It was like he was totally different person.

            "Hey, is your head okay?" He rubbed the back of her head and pulled her close into a hug. She stood perfectly, fitting in between the v of his legs as the bed was elevated high off the ground.

            She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her face into his bare chest. "I'm okay. What about you though, you got stabbed because of me."

            "Ayy, don't worry about me Princess I'll heal quickly. It is you who is more important than a country boy like me," his chest rumbled and tickled KangYuna's face which caused her to giggle.

            "Country boy?" KangYuna lifted her head from his chest.

            "That's not important either," he brought KangYuna back down. "Look, Kang-"

            "You're not going to leave, right?"

            "Kang-"

            "You can't! Please don't listen to what Jaehyun says," KangYuna sniffled and cried into his chest. "I don’t want to be alone. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

            "And nothing will. But you won't like it when you figure out who I really am," Baekhyun muttered. "Like he said, what if I am cursed..."

"What? Who you really are?" KangYuna rubbed the back of Baekhyun's hand with her thumb. "I don’t have a care in the world about who you are and if you are cursed, or whatever because we can always find a way to reverse it.”

            "I just don't want to hurt you," Baekhyun petted KangYuna's head.

            "You're not a monster; you're a human being." Baekhyun bit his lip. "I will make this work, you watch," KangYuna said, firmly and wrapped her arms around Baekhyun's neck. "I don't care who you are, Baekhyun. I trust you."

            "You heard what he said," Baekhyun rubbed KangYuna's back in small circles and held her closely to him, afraid to let go.

            "I know and this is why this is our own little secret," she whispered in his ear.

            Baekhyun stiffed at her smooth voiced, but then smirked. "We shall meet out in the clearing at midnight?”

            KangYuna giggled hearing his husky voice into her ear. "Deal."

            They pulled back and stared into each other’s eyes. They leaned down into each other as their lips met in the center, but they immediately leaned back when the door creaked open.

            "Princess?" The doctor poked her head in.

            KangYuna cleared and turned around. "Yes?"

            "Some men are here for that him," the doctor pointed at Baekhyun.

            KangYuna helped Baekhyun put on his shirt and down from the bed and walked out to the royal ballroom.

            "Kang, you have don’t have any shoes on," Baekhyun whispered.

            "The palace is clean so it's okay," she said as she grunted trying to keep Baekhyun from falling.

            "After a ball, I don't think so," Baekhyun stopped moving and removed his dress shoes with his feet. "Put them on."

            KangYuna did as she was told. His shoes were a bigger than hers but, at least, she could still walk in them. The tickle in KangYuna's throat came back making KangYuna cough again.

            "Are you okay? Are you getting sick?" Baekhyun asked and placed a hand on her forehead.

            KangYuna shook her head, shaking off his hand too. "I'm okay, just a tickle."

            They went around a corner and there they saw four men standing in front of the empty row of thrones as NCT stood in front of them to watch their every move.

            "Chanyeol?" Baekhyun called out as they neared the group of boys. Of course, Baekhyun would notice his close friend who was a giant compared to all the other boys and his red hair really stood out.

            "Baekhyun..." he took a step forward, but a Yuta stopped him by putting a hand to the large boy's chest.

            "The princess is present, please refrain your close distance with her," he explained and Chanyeol took a step back into his original spot.

            "This relationship will not go on and I will have you all swear on the royal conduct that you will not say a single word to anyone as you are alive or dead," Jaehyun spoke to Baekhyun’s friends.

            "Jaehyun, you have no ri-"

            "Princess, I have every right to do this as your Head Guard, I am to follow all rules on the conduct that will protect you and the kingdom," Jaehyun said.

            Taeyong and Doyoung grabbed Baekhyun roughly away from KangYuna's grip and pushed him towards Suho who caught his friend in time before he tumbled to the floor. Baekhyun slightly grunted from the pain coming from his side.

            "Hey, be more gentle-" she stepped toward Baekhyun, but the Taeil and Mark blocked her off.

            "This for your safety, Princess," Mark spoke.

            "The queen and king will be arriving tomorrow evening," Taeil announced. "I think its best you prepare for their arrival."

            "Just wait and see all of you. There will be nothing you can do to stop me," KangYuna pointed a finger at all the NCT men and hastily walked up to her room.

            "Remove the boys from the palace," Jaehyun waved his hand and the boys were roughly escorted out of the palace gates.

*****

            KangYuna dashed towards the woods to the clearing. The time had to be 24:10 by the time she reached the said meeting area and as promised he was there waiting.

            "Baekhyun," KangYuna whispered and ran through the snow to jump into Baekhyun's arms.

            "Hey there again Princess," he greeted hugging KangYuna back.

            "You can call me by my real name," she spoke, quietly.

            "I think I prefer calling you my princess instead," Baekhyun smiled as he cradled her in his arms.

            “You must still be in pain,” KangYuna said, sadly and gently rubbed the area where he was stabbed.

            “I’m actually much better after seeing you again,” he whispered in her ear. KangYuna released herself from Baekhyun’s hold and stood in front of him.

            “How are you still so warm when I’m freezing?” Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders and opened up the side of his cloak and let KangYuna inside. They began walking and went on to search for an area to sit that wasn’t covered in snow.

            "Why do I feel like I’ve known you for so much longer than the months we have seen each other for?” KangYuna muttered under her breath. She was quiet but Baekhyun was sharp to pick up on it.

            “What?” He looked over at KangYuna.

            They found an up-rooted root that was arched and high enough off the ground to sit comfortably on. Baekhyun wiped away the snow and offered KangYuna to sit first.

            “I, myself, barely have any royal friends and let alone had any personal conversation or relationship with a citizen of my own land and yet, you make me feel different." She said, swinging her legs. "And why do I feel so entranced and pulled by you..."

            Baekhyun bit his lip but knowing it's not his entire fault, he laughed. "Maybe it's just me."

            'It's actually you who's pulling me...'  Baekhyun widened his smile. "But whatever it is, I like this feeling."

            KangYuna stopped swinging her feet and turned to face Baekhyun as he leaned down closing the space between the two. She also leaned forward, anticipating the moment their lips came together.

 

            “I worry that you’re going to get ill after being out here in the cold,” Baekhyun said walking her back to the Palace. He noticed that she had been coughing here and there during their time together tonight.

            “I don’t think I will. I had someone to keep me warm,” KangYuna smiled. They stopped walking further as KangYuna had to leave on her own. “Will I see you again?”

            “It’s hard to tell, KangYuna,” Baekhyun sighed. “I’ll send you a sign when I can, but as of right now, keep strong and talk to your parents.”

            “I’m scared to. I’m not sure how they are going to react,” she said. “They’ve been gone for months and now I’m seeing someone that they haven’t met before. They’re definitely going to freak out.”

            “Just have faith and you never know what will happen if you don’t try.”

            “But I do know my parents…”

            “I promise it will be okay and if not, then it will be up to you. I will be always waiting for you as patiently as I can and if I have to… then I’ll let you go.”

            “Don’t say stuff like-,” KangYuna coughed a couple times. “That.”

            “See? Are you sure you’re not getting sick?” Baekhyun placed a hot hand against KangYuna’s forehead.

            “I’m not, Baek,” she removed Baekhyun’s hand from her forehead.

            “Hurry and go inside, please,” Baekhyun leaned down and kissed her cheek. KangYuna also placed a quick kiss to his cheek before running off to her room.

            “Oh, Princess,” the doctor stood up from the desk away from her medical files. KangYuna peeked and saw one that had Baekhyun’s name and a few x-rays of bones that didn’t look so human-like. The doctor stepped over in front of KangYuna. “Jaehyun has come up to the room yet, so maybe you should hurry and change before he does.”

            The doctor quickly packed the documents as KangYuna changed into her nighttime clothes. “I don’t want him to check up on me and if you see him, make sure to tell him so.”

            And Jaehyun never did come to visit the Princess that night. The palace was out of order and now the wait comes for the King and Queen to arrive in hopes things will be normal again.

 

++++++++++++++++++++

UH-OH The Queen and King are going to be involved in this now....... DUN DUN DUUUUUUUNNN is going down