“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests for an audience with you.”

The King responded with a short ‘let him in’ to his personal assistant before pressing the end button on his desktop phone. In a split second, the doors of his room burst open; revealing the ravishing Crown Prince in his full prince suit.

The King was surprised to see his son in the red suit, with silver buttons buttoned up nicely up till the space where the bottom of his neck and collarbones intercepts. The silver embellishments on his right perfectly complemented the golden phoenix on the left; and judging from what he wore, the King could bet that Luhan didn’t come as his son, but as a Prince.

“Hello Crown Prince,” The King began, beaming proudly and knowingly when Luhan gave a soft giggle. “How may I assist you today?”

The Crown Prince’s smile was almost instantaneously wiped off. He spared a few seconds to collect his words before blurting them out in one breath, “I believe we need to make haste with the mission— I don’t think there’s much time left.”

The King was taken aback at what his son requested of him, “But Shixun is not ready!”

“She can continue her training on the ship.”

~”~

Shixun wasn’t surprised that the door was unlocked, she bet that nobody ever comes in here anymore. They never got visitors because, Kris and Tia were the only children her grandparents had. And Tia never really stayed in one place, they were always moving then because it felt as if the entire world was hot on her niece’s trail.

The brunette pushed the door opened, emitting a creaking sound when the door was fully ajar. The place was almost like how she left it a few months ago.

Daintily, she placed her right food in forwards and looked around; until her eyes stopped at where the hallway carpet was; and where her aunt had lost her life. The girl went up to the spot and went down on own knee. Her fingers grazed upon the spot where there were still blotches of faded red; it was already impossible to clean the blood stains now that it’s been so long.

Out of the blue, the duo heard clanking from upstairs and Kai instantaneously whipped his head to the floor above.

“Did anyone else live here with you?”

Shixun frowned and shook her head as she stood on her feet. Without hesitating, Kai reached out for his gun from beneath his grey hoodie and reached out for Shixun’s wrist.

“Stay close.” He murmured, wary that there might be others around the vicinity. It would be too risky to ask her to stay alone downstairs. He gave one assuring look to the younger behind him, before he made way up the stairs; with his fingers curled tightly around her hand.

When they reached the second floor, the same sound was heard, only this time it was louder.

Kai neared the second room on their right, where the door was slightly ajar and where the sounds heard were getting more and more audible. He felt a slight squeeze on his hand, making him turn around briefly and grin in reassurance again.

He was about to push the door when it suddenly was pulled open by the other party inside. Without reluctance, Kai instantly drew his gun to the perpetrator; emitting a loud yell from—

“Victoria?”

Shixun breathed in disbelief, bringing her hand up so that Kai would stand down. She gently pushed his chest backwards and stood in front to face the lady.

The woman gasped in surprise, vivid tears sprung into her eyes as she brought her palms up to cup Shixun’s cheeks.

“Xun-ah… You’re, alive.”

Kai heaved out heavily, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding as he witnessed the two pulling each other into an embrace. He silently left the area and allowed the two to catch up as he waited downstairs.

The last he saw before descending, was that Shixun was already in a crying mess.

.

.

.

.

.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone to come by really.” Victoria apologised as she set down warm tea for Shixun and her guest.

Kai nodded as a gesture of thanks, taking and sipping slowly from the warm liquid.

“I heard you’re here to look after my cousin,” Victoria started once Kai has placed the cup back on the saucer. “Thank you for bringing her out of her misery.”

The man didn’t know how to respond, his eyes only managed to bring themselves to look at Shixun’s hazel ones.

“This is Victoria, Kai.” Shixun introduced her cousin to the Head of the Resistance. “She’s my aunt Tia’s only daughter.”

Kai then learnt from there that Victoria had been studying overseas because Tia didn’t want her daughter’s studies to be affected if she were to study within the Kingdom. Though the girl was reluctant to leave, after much persuasion from both her cousin and aunt; Victoria left in the end even with a heavy heart.

She only rece in a while, especially during the festive seasons; or when her school had a long summer break.

“I came back because the neighbours said they heard a gunshot one day,” she started, plastering a sad smile on her face. “And ever since then, they never saw you nor mom leave the house so— they knew something terrible must’ve happened.”

“So, when they saw that the door wasn’t locked and that my mom was—” Victoria heaved a deep breath and shut her eyes for a moment, it was unfortunate she couldn’t be by her mother’s side. “And you weren’t even in the house, they instantly called me.”

Shixun was about to apologise again when Victoria stopped her, “Enough. It wasn’t your fault, I’m just glad you’re going to live a better life now.”

The brunette nodded, profusely thanking her cousin for the help that their family has given them. “I promised I’ll request for the King to allow you to continue your studies.” She let out her pinkie finger, to which Victoria intertwined hers with, knowing th