Eunhyuk did not get any sleep last night. He was busy committing the list of people Donghae provided into his memory and drawing routes that when he looked up, it was sunrise. It’s not that they had a lot of hours to sleep anyway, but time has a way of making him think that he has enough. He looks to his surroundings, observing the sleeping members. He has spent almost half of his life with these people, ever since he was arrested for the first time. He had committed his first act of thievery then, something he can never forget.

He gets up, and brushes the dirt from his pants. They don’t have a house, just a blanket over rope tied to trees in the forest; a sorry excuse for a tent, but this is home. He stokes the dwindling flames of their makeshift fireplace, and he starts to make breakfast. While the stew is cooking, he takes inventory of their stolen items.

Shindong wakes up first, smelling food. He looks at the boiling water, and starts to add ingredients in, then he helps Eunhyuk with the new load. Eunhyuk looks at the youngest members and drapes his blanket over them. It’s been a chilly morning.

“We should start bringing these to Onew’s place,” Shindong suggests. “We can’t keep all of these here. Plus, we need to pick up more supplies and the new list of people who needs new things.”

Eunhyuk nods. He starts to pack their new load on their cart. It has a wobbly wheel, and they should probably replace it, but for some sentimental reasons, they cannot exchange it with another. Plus, it’s still reliable and can be pushed quickly. The others are starting to wake, and Eunhyuk takes out some bread and hands them to each member.

Yesung eyes him carefully. “Did you get some sleep?”

Eunhyuk shakes his head. “Did you? You still look like you’ve been awake for days?”

Yesung glowers at him. Eunhyuk laughs diabolically.

“Yah! Shut up!” Sungmin snaps and he turns to his side, trying to sleep some more.

After breakfast, they decided to stop their performances in the city streets. They know that there would be bounties out for them soon, but Eunhyuk, Shindong and Sungmin will still prepare to head out to deliver their new load to Onew’s pawn shop. Eunhyuk also need to try out the new route he planned. While they lug their cart forward, Eunhyuk explains every detail to Sungmin. They get to the main road, and they start to get surrounded by merchants and workers heading to the center of the town.

They trudge on in silence, ignoring the rising sun on the back of their necks. They continue on, into the heart of the king’s capital. They arrive into a street, and they spot two handsome males enjoying breakfast together.

One of them, the one who had a scar on his eyebrow stood up. “What is all this?” He asks, his eyes going over the items that the three revealed.

“You shouldn’t ask,” Eunhyuk says with a mischievous.

“Yah,” Key snaps.

A tall man with big eyes opens the doors with a dramatic push. “Hello!” He greets cheerfully. “Onew hyung is inside, still sleeping! I will assist you today!” He announces confidently.

Key rolled his eyes. “It’s too early in the morning for this,” he mutters. He sits down with Jonghyun and resumes their breakfast.

Minho skips over and helps them lug their items inside the house. He does this with such efficiency that the three men just stood there and watched him.

Shindong sends Eunhyuk and Sungmin into their merry way so they can get a head start on studying the houses of the officials they are planning to steal from. The two blends in with the crowd, sometimes slipping their hands into some unknowing noble’s bulging pocket.

Suddenly, a commotion breaks out. No one stops by to watch, but the two felt compelled to. They watch as a muscular man lifts a stringy kid up, and throws him to the ground. Eunhyuk bristles. At one point, that kid was him.

The kid had dirt on his face, and his clothes are in disarray. The burly man starts to kick the kid, and he starts to cry out in pain. Eunhyuk realizes that he was starting to step forward when Sungmin grabbed his arm.

“Stop that!” Eunhyuk hears a familiar voice. He finds his face immediately. A carriage is lowered to the ground, and Donghae steps out in all his glory.

Everyone nearby got to their knees and averted their gazes. They recognize the royal seal on the carriage.

Donghae glares at the man beating up the child and orders him to walk away if he still values his life. He turns to the crowd, his eyes full of fire. “What are you all doing? Carry on!” He barks.

The people scurried all over the place, and Donghae kneels down, examining the kid. He helps him up, and gives him some money and wrapped box. “It’s food. Bring it to your family. If it’s not enough, I’ll inform someone to help you out.”

The kid stared at him gratefully. Donghae offers a kind smile. “Be careful, okay?”

Donghae watches the kid limp away, feeling worried for him. Eunhyuk approaches Donghae and stands beside him. The guards near Donghae shifts their weight uneasily.

“You didn’t even ask for his name,” Eunhyuk comments.

Donghae almost jumps three feet when he sees Eunhyuk beside him. “What are you doing here?”

“You should know, you’re the one who gave me a list,” Eunhyuk replies. “And by the way, Sungmin hyung, a friend of mine went to keep him safe.”

Donghae glances at the people waiting for him. “I need to go. I have somewhere to be.”

Eunhyuk’s face falls a little. “Of course. A prince is always busy.” He bows his head.

Donghae laughs sadly. “I wish.” He wants Eunhyuk to know his thoughts. He wants to voice it out, but there are people watching his every move.

Eunhyuk watches him get back to his carriage. The men around him lifts it up and goes the opposite direction. He starts to wonder if they could really come together to help this forsaken kingdom.

We’ll see, prince. I’d like to meet you again. Eunhyuk thinks. Then, he walks the other direction, planning to resume his original agenda.