CHAPTER #12

DISCERNED.

‘A conflicted mind can create nothing, but chaos.’

Bora knew that; she even believed in it greatly, but still, she can’t just seem to bring her mind at peace. It was something that she found herself unable to do; especially when the reason of her conflict persisted to remain right there, around her- all the time. The chaos, the conflict that was raging in her mind was induced by a couple of things, but one of them evidently stood out.

That day when she had stepped outside Sehun’s room feeling like they were being watched, she has just merely labeled it as her paranoia even when deep down she knew that it was not. She knew that there was someone; perhaps a guard or a maid. It had scared her. The feeling that she had was not her mistrust. It was something legit.

She would have let go of it and let it all linger in the back of her mind like the creeps that she had met in the market, but the feeling of being watched continued to subsist. The thing that worried her more was the fact that she only felt it whenever she was around Sehun. It didn’t matter whether she was in his room, in the hallway or around his other companions; she always felt like there was an extra pair of eyes watching them. It was scary, to say the least.

She has tried her best to shake off the feeling; ignore it as a whole, tried to tell herself that it was none of her business, but there was a limit to what she could handle; particularly, because she knew that her sense of being aware of her surroundings was always trustworthy. Growing up doing something that the society usually frowned upon, Bora has developed a great sense of her bearings. She was exceptionally sensitive to being watched; most importantly if the intent behind the stare is bad. She always knew when someone was watching her. Jinwoo has tested her one that so many times. So if she felt like there was someone watching then she knew that there has to be someone watching; always in the shadows and quick enough to not be caught by her whenever she tried to confirm it. There was an imminent sense of danger that was robbing her of the listless sleep at night.

Of course, she hadn’t just kept it to herself. Three days after she was assigned to Sehun’s room, she has briefly addressed it to Sooyoung. They were in the garden having a casual walk (being assigned to the King’s room surprisingly meant that she was only tasked to the duties that involved that very particular room) when they have encountered Sehun along with his clique. It was the first time she had met them all and she couldn’t say that she didn’t have fun because she did – quite a lot actually. There were nine of them – including the King himself – and each of them has different personalities. They never ran out of topics to discuss or ways to have fun. Bora learned it very quickly that Jongin’s and Chanyeol’s (the two who were the real generals of the army, not the mistaken ones) along with a guy named Jongdae’s favorite way of having fun was making fun of the King. Surprisingly, Baekhyun seemed pretty tame in contrast to them.

As soon as they have seen her, they have proceeded to tease their friend saying that they can’t really believe that the King got his ‘royal ’ kicked by her. Bora can’t help, but feel smug and add a snarky remark of her own. Needless, to say the glare that she received from Sehun was very satisfying. It was in amidst of the playful and friendly banter between a very bitter Sehun and his smug friends did she felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing in attention. They were being watched; again! She had looked around to see if she could spot someone, but there was not even a single living person in the radius of her sight.

Later, when she was walking back to the castle with her best friend alone, she has tried to ask her whether she has felt the same. Sooyoung has given her a look which totally conveyed her skepticism over the matter before she has looked around and shrugged her shoulders.

“We were in the open garden, Bora. There are hundreds of maids and guards in the castle. It could be anyone.” Her friend has tried to console her with a smile before she has proceeded to walk ahead of her. Maybe, she was right. They were out in the open and it really could have been any guard or the maid; especially the maids since they all have this massive crush on the clique that she has just hung around with. Maybe it was really her paranoia.

The second time she brought it up to Baekhyun; who was for some reason allowed to hang around the Kitchen while Sooyoung was busy with her tasks. Her friend was not even in the Kitchen! Let’s say she was once again greatly satisfied to see the bright smile slipping off the Lord’s face when he has seen her instead of his…crush? Bora has been kind enough to point it out too at which Baekhyun has just narrowed his eyes at her. After being told that Sooyoung would be coming to the Kitchen soon, he has graciously decided to stay and make her life miserable. She was not satisfied by that arrangement at all and the Lord has been smug enough to point out that for her too.

They have spent the first few minutes throwing weak jabs at each other before lapsing into a comfortable silence which Bora hesitantly broke by asking Baekhyun whether he lately felt like there was someone watching him while he was around Sehun – which he was a lot. He must have felt it. He’s with the King all the time, but the Lord has just stared at her with a confused frown before shaking his head.

“He’s the King. I think people are watching him all the time,” He has tried to console her just like Sooyoung.

Even in the bedroom where no one is allowed?

She has meant to ask, but right at that moment Sooyoung came back and she has completely lost Baekhyun’s attention.

“Miss Bora,” Bora was sure she jumped at least a feet in the air when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder (she has been really lost in her thoughts). Letting out a small yelp, she turned around to face the culprit; who was currently looking at her with an amused and curious expression.

“Lord Byun,” She greeted him through gritted teeth before looking behind him to acknowledge Sehun, Jongdae, and Jongin; who seemed to be having a hard in controlling their laughter. She loathes them all.

“What’s with you? I have been trying to get your attention for the past two minutes,” Baekhyun inquired with a raised brow before tucking his hand behind his back.

“Maybe, I was trying to ignore you,” She gripped casually before giving the whole place a once-over. Sehun has been absent from the room today while she was cleaning. He was not the only thing absent though. The uncomfortable feeling that she was inflicted to throughout the week was absent too. It has further firmed her belief in the fact that it was the King who was being watched; not anyone else. Now that he was here; the feeling should return shortly too.

After cleaning, she has exited the room just in time to catch the sight of the sun slowly setting on the horizon. It was beautiful and made her feel calm so she stayed there for a while, but her peace didn’t last long when her haunting thoughts came back. She didn’t even realize that she had a company until Baekhyun shocked her out of it.

“I know that’s quite believable and Lord Byun is insufferable, still, I fancy that it was not the case.” It was Jongdae who spoke up this time. Bora pressed her lips in a thin line to stop herself from informing the other that he was just as insufferable as Baekhyun; if not more. The past few days in his and Baekhyun’s company together have been her living nightmare.

“You’re not funny at all, Lord Kim.” Baekhyun has scoffed instantly before throwing Jongdae an offended glare.

“That’s great, Byun. It was not supposed to be funny, to begin with.” Jongdae jabbed back with a kittenish smile.

“How can-” Baekhyun began once again, but she turned him out. Bora shook her head at their childish antics when Jongin joined them too before fixing her attention on Sehun; who was still standing in the back looking about just as done as she was feeling. That made her smile unconsciously. They had a lot more in common than she first thought.

As if he knew that she was watching him, Sehun suddenly shifted his gaze away from his bantering friends to meet her fond stare; which seemed to have confused him if the wondering, slight tilt to his head was to suggest something. Bora felt her eyes widening in surprise before the smile on her lips slowly wavered as she eventually realized that she was caught staring at him while smiling like an idiot. Clearing , she averted her gaze away from him and felt