The ticking of the clock was getting on his nerves more than anything.

Why is it moving so painfully slow? 

"I honestly cannot believe that I listened to that drivel for two hours. As if I would ever be interested in their dreary lives."

Charming.

The Duchess of Winfeld took a sip of their afternoon tea, and Jinki had never despised being a prince more so in that moment. It was enraging to think that he was actually duty-bound to sit here and listen to an adequate-looking girl talk about her charity work in such a vile manner.

"At least there were a lot of people there. The photographs will really build my public persona. That's the only good thing to come of these things, don't you agree?"

"Photographs are always helpful," Jinki replies unenthusiastically. 

"Oh, Your Highness, photographs are everything. Image is important. Do you really think Princess Diana really cared about those people she visited in the hospitals? Of course not," she says, her shrill laugh filling the palace walls.

Kill me now.

His thoughts are interrupted by the opening of the heavy. wooden doors. A quite good-looking man dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit steps through and bows. He is tall and has a strong frame, ready to protect if necessary. His large doe eyes made him able to keep an eye out at all times. He was reliable, kind, loyal,  thoughtful... The perfect companion for the prince.

"Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness, but the caravan has arrived to fetch the Duchess and take her back to Winfeld."

"Thank you, Minho." The prince turns his attention back to his previous conversation. "Well, it's been... Interesting. Shall we?" Jinki quickly stands up and offers his hand to his reviled guest. She smiles sweetly, the complete opposite of her rotten personality, and eagerly takes the Prince's arm. He escorts her to the door amidst a slew of royal workers looking on. 

She curtsies her goodbyes and gets in the convoy to leave. 

Minho stands by the Prince as he dutifully waits for the cars to be out of sight before going back inside.

"And?" 

"I would rather poke my own eye out and eat it. Raw."

"Oh, dear."

"She said Princess Diana was faking being charitable in order to take good pictures."

"I shall arrange for another meeting with a more suitable match," Minho says as he gestures for the Prince to return indoors. 

They walk through the palace to a flurry of curtsies and bows. The grand foyer was always a sight to see. Its two winding staircases that lead down to the pristine marble floors was always picture-perfect. Massive windows fill the entrance way with natural light, which can be shielded by heavy, expensive velvet curtains. The high ceilings created an echo when the Prince's italian leather shoes clicked against the floors. And larger than life portraits of the prince and his family adorned the walls. He had always enjoyed walking through here, but today seemed a little more crowded than usual.

"Why are there so many people today, Minho?"

"It's the holidays, Your Highness. The Queen has insisted on decorating the palace early this year." 

Jinki looks around to realize that all around him, people are hanging wreaths, tinsel and holly. That familiar  warm feeling comes over him. He had always loved Christmas. But the yultide season also meant one thing: his birthday was drawing near.

"Until when do I have to keep seeing these 'suitable matches', Minho?"

"Until you choose one to wed, Your Majesty. You must pick one on your birthday this year, it is only customary."

All his life, he had waited to turn thirty. Since he was young, his father had told him that thirty would be an exciting time where he could fulfill his duties as the Crown Prince of Thornon. Now that it was just around the corner, he was suddenly skeptical that it could be as great as everyone had hyped it up to be. 

"Minho, what if I don't want to go on any more of these 'meetings' anymore?"

"What would you do to find your future partner, Your Highness?"

Everyone seems to think that his life needed to revolve around finding a partner. And though this is his duty, the prince strongly disagrees. He knows that his time is better spent elsewhere. There was more to life than settling down. 

"I don't know... But I do want more time to myself. After my thirtieth, things will be more hectic for me, you know that. My father will expect me to be more involved in matters of state and foreign policy. I just hate to know that I'm wasting precious time with awful people, instead of doing the things that I love."

"What did Your Highness have in mind? Perhaps I could arrange something for you?"

"You're a big help, Minho, and I honestly wouldn't know what I would do without you... But I think we've had enough arranging for now," he says with a warm smile.

"Of course," Minho says, embarrassed. 

"I think I'll head up to my room... I need to destress after that last date."

"Was it really that bad?"

"She thought Eritrea was a disease," Jinki says. The two shared a hearty laugh.

"I'll take a leave to tend to my other duties, then. Your Highness," he says with a bow.

"Thank you, Minho," he says, turning to walk back to that staircase.

He moves carefully around the different people putting up the decorations and is in awe of the grandeur of it all. He sees it every year since he was little--dozens of Christmas trees in every room, tinsel wrapped around the banister of the staircase, ornaments hanging from the ceiling--but he still gets amazed. There was something quite cozy about this time of year. It made him think about the important things in life. 

Jinki stops in front of a portrait of his mother and father at the top of the staircase. He'd seen many a royal portrait from different countries in his lifetime, but there really was something different about his parents. It was painted during the early years of their marriage, before Jinki was born. His father didn't merely stand behind his mother, he held her shoulder tenderly as he did. His mother's smile was warm and inviting, like she was the happiest she had ever been at that moment.  It didn't look so stiff. It was almost as if you could feel the love between them. The young prince wonders if he could ever find a love like that for himself.

He walks the corridors to his room and enters, exhausted from the past couple of days. A slew of women had come and gone, all courtesy of Minho's impeccable skill of keeping to a precise schedule. All of them were pretty, and all of them seemed eager to impress him. But no one ever did. He longed for a connection of the heart, and not someone to merely keep him company. Jinki had always thought that love would be there for him when he was ready to find it. It was a rude awakening to find out that it was as elusive as everyone said it was.

He crashes on his bed, staring at the canopy above his bed frame.

Enough about that.

He thinks about what he wants to do with his life instead. Living his life as a prince meant that he had lived a sheltered life. There were so many things that he had missed out on growing up, even things as simple getting the time to play with other children. His childhood was filled with lessons: riding, golf, piano, language... It made him the well-rounded person that he is today, but he is completely devoid of any "normal" life experiences.

As he grew, his attention was turned to more important things like education and philanthropy, which was very dear to his heart. He realized that his life of privilege had given him the unique platform to be able to make a difference for most people... But as time went on... He was starting to get a bit... Bored. 

This year would be a turning point in his royal life but he felt like he was losing control. Everyone wanted him to be something that he either wasn't or didn't want to be, and he felt that he couldn't keep up. What he wouldn't give for just one day to be himself. But how?

*****

"Hello...? Earth to Taemin... Peppermint Mocha? Ring a bell?"

"Oh.Yeah... Sorry," he says, scrambling to steam the milk.

It was a slow day at the cafe and this was one of the few orders that came in that afternoon. Taemin had gotten so used to having the luxury to daydream that he had almost forgotten how to move fast when a customer did arrive. Kibum was not happy about it.

"We're not gonna get a lot of tips with your slow . I want to get that new coat I saw in the store the other day. I'd look great in it, don't you think? TAEMIN! You're going to burn the milk!" The older man looks like he was going to tear his hair out from frustration. 

"Coat, yeah. It'll look good on you," he says, carrying on to prepare the other components of the drink.

"What is with you lately? You've been spacing out more than usual," Kibum asks.

"It's nothing, I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Like... Do you ever wonder if this is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Our lives... Don't you want there to be something more? Something more exciting?"

"Well, I am excited to get that new coat."

"No, Kibum hyung... Something greater than that. Don't you find our lives to be a bit... Boring?"

"The only thing boring me right now is you, Taemin. Is this a quarter-life crisis? Don't get all sulky on me. I'm never going to want to hang out with you like this, I'm telling you right now," the older man says, rolling his eyes.

"Compassion much?" Taemin says, giggling at his friend's bluntness. "It was just a thought. How could I ever get sulky with you around?"

"That's right. My existence shines like the brightest star in the night sky, so don't taint me with that negative energy right now." His hands flick around to shoo away imaginary pieces of negative energy floating in the air. That yoga class he was taking was teaching him some weird things.

"You're lucky I like you, otherwise I would find you so annoying," Taemin says.

"Me? When you poke me with a wooden stirrer every five minutes and tried to stick my hand in a boiling hot pot of fresh brew? You're lucky I still talk to you."

"You deserve it for calling me a brat."

"You are a brat. Stop bothering me," he says, putting the drink on the tray with a slice of cake and slipping out from behind the counter to deliver it to a waiting customer.

Taemin is free to daydream again, even for a while. The snow outside makes him long for something... Or maybe it was the fact that they had decorated the store in holiday cheer today. He had spent the early hours of his morning on a ladder attaching tinsel, because Kibum was "allergic" to them. He knew for a fact that he just didn't want to get any ladder dust on his new pair of jeans, but Taemin didn't really mind being up there anyway. It reminded him of decorating with his family.

It that he didn't get enough money together to go home for Christmas this year. He had always hated having to spend the holidays alone, and this year was especially y since he had missed all of them so much--even Taesun. Taemin had hoped that going home would kill his feelings of boredom and make him excited again about the city life, but he had to abandon that plan now. That's what he gets for devoting his life to being a barrista.

He decides to turn on the small television they had behind the counter and chances upon the afternoon update.

"In other news, the Palace's preparations are underway for Crown Prince Jinki's thirtieth birthday. He is expected to reveal the selection of his royal partner. Who will the lucky person be?"

Taemin sighs. 

I wonder what it would be to live life as a prince... It can't be as boring as this, that's for sure.

He glances at Kibum flirting with the guy who delivers their supplies... Again. 

At least someone's happy, even if I'm not.