It was supposed to be a simple and ordinary day for Park Minhyuk, a regular school day since it is Monday, also he’s still a kid, well due to his age, he shouldn’t be handling or understanding all of these problems. He doesn’t want to miss his own childhood or growing up phase just to be buried by all of the burden and a heavy weight of what your parents are expecting you to be.

Minhyuk’s parent are the King and Queen of England he has an older brother named Cha Eunwoo, who is already a crowned prince. And that set up the bar high for their family. Eunwoo is like a package deal, he got everything you need from him. Smart, Handsome, Good Leadership, and a Good Listener and a Problem Solver. He is what every country needs. So Minhyuk didn’t even bother to make himself close to what or how Eunwoo is. He is just what he is, a simple guy. You can’t get to his level not unless you are a doppleganger, a secret twin of Eunwoo or maybe make yourself pleasable to other with matching High Intelligence throughout everything very plausible but also impossible to be one.

As Minhyuk tries to be a normal citizen even though he know to himself that he can’t be one when he’s living inside of a palace where king and queen lives. For a reason that he wants to be secretive towards media as he doesn’t want to be displayed for the netizens of their country, like he ask for his parents and also his brother to never, ever mention him whenever there is an event or happenings inside the palace that needed the presence of media. 

He never goes out of his room whenever there are media inside the palace. He barely ask for the maids to do things for him, although Eunwoo is the same. They both do things on their own and not treat the maids as under or degrade them as a person. They both study well, they both have good manners as well. But what seperates them is their personalities.

Minhyuk is a kind of a Cool, Chic, Cold Guy meanwhile Eunwoo is a Warm, Elegant and Approachable kind of guy. That most of the female in their country gushing over him. He can’t blame anyone for that though. They are blessed with a Golden Blood line so that would be the very reason where they got their good looks.

As Minhyuk gets older by days and months, he gets bored easily in the palace since he can’t make friends outside of their gate to conquer his introvertness(?), he can’t even go to school, like a physical one where he can attend classes and have an actual person to be classmates with. He’s here inside his own room with his own Teacher teaching him, a homeschool. Which also great for cause he barely speak to anyone. But when the homeschooling is done and gets loads work of homeworks he doesn’t have anyone to help him. His Mother is busy, same with his Dad. As for Eunwoo, he tried but they can’t even get a full 10 minute time for Eunwoo to tutor him for his homeworks cause they always knock and look for him for the family meeting. Minhyuk is also involved with the family meeting but refues to join because he isn’t interested on being a prince. As this was not the life before he grow up.

•——————•

“Park Minhyuk.” Somebody calls from the door with soft knocks on it. 

“Why? Eunwoo hyung?” He doesn’t even bother to look at the door cause nobody knocks on his door and calls his full name other than his brother himself. Eunwoo enters his room as he was greeted by the back of Minhyuk.

“Nothing, just to see how you are doing with your studies. How are you by the way?” Eunwoo makes his way to where Minhyuk is as he sees that he’s trying to do his homework all on his own.

“Good, bored. Got always nothing to do in here after I finished everything my teacher gave.” Minhyuk sighed, making it very obvious to Eunwoo that he’s feeling suffocated by the environment of their family. Eunwoo sat down on the desk beside him and put his hands on his pockets with the very same exasperated sigh.

“We can’t do anything with it, Minhyuk-ah. This will be our life until we get old and die. We can’t do what other kids can do.” 

“Why can’t we? Why can’t they just give us freedom since we’re still young and not adult enough to face these problems of this Nation. Why can’t they let me go out when I am not even a prince?” Minhyuk asked so quickly that he really wants to know why he’s like being caged up in this big place. It is suffocating him.

“You know the answer to that. We are the sons of the King and Queen. So sooner or later it would be your time to be crowned as a prince. They are just preparing you for the Coronation that’s why they don’t let you go out of the palace. It’s a dangerous place out there. You don’t know what would happen to you if you get out of that gate. You might get kidnapped and ask so much money from our family just to for the to free you, or they might beat you up until you are unconscious. There are many things that can happen to us. Even we are trained very well for our own safety still, we will be the biggest target of what kidnappers.” Eunwoo stated as he roam around Minhyuk’s room and trying to find something interesting.

“How can you say that it is dangerous outside those gates? Have you ever been outside of the gate? How come you know so many things that would plausibly happen outside?” Minhyuk asked with curiousity and suspicion to the other guy.

“N-nope. Never in my life. I’ve been here in the palace ever since I was born. Same as you. I just heard it from the guards and the maids talk about things outside.” No it’s not. Eunwoo hopes he doesn’t notice his voice being repeated at some point with the sudden question. Minhyuk is staring at him with kind of intense stares that he’s known for, for what the other maids or drivers always named him. Laser eyes.

“Am I getting crowned? Why? I refuse to be crowned. I don’t want it. Can’t they just find other person to be the next prince other than me?” Eunwoo is so glad that Minhyuk didn’t catch his little word stumble and just moved on, but onto another harder situation.

“We can’t do that. We are the only children, sons to be specific, we are the only ones with the royal blood, we are the heir of our parents and with that we would be the perfect fit to be a prince, no one else and when we get old enough will be crowned as the King.” Eunwoo asked seriously as he explains everything to his younger brother, waiting for a response but got nothing at all. “You don’t like don’t you?”

“I have no interest of being a prince in the very first place. Why would I still need to be crowned? People of this country barely know me.” Minhyuk explains as he goes back and work on his papers

“Because you refuse to come out everytime media are here. That would be a great timing for them to know you.” Eunwoo sighs and pats Minhyuk at the back as a sign of cheering him up. “Try to accept it slowly, you don’t need to be in a hurry. But we can’t get away to this. Remember, your older brother is always here for you. Just find me or look for me. Okay?” Ending with a reassurance to the younger.

Minhyuk feels like Eunwoo is the best person he ever had in his life. He takes care of him, looks after him. While he, himself is stressed with things around the palace and keeping the demure, innocent and clean image of the royal family.

He just nods and hums in response as Eunwoo squeeze his shoulders a bit before bidding him a ‘See you later at dinner’. When he’s out of his room, Minhyuk stares at the window where he can’t even see anything other than their monstrous garden.

“Just one day, I hope I can see what is beyond that gate and how people really are, other than what is being telecasted in the News.” He mumbles to himself and back to his homework.

•——————•

“Eunwoo! Where’s your brother?” His mother demands, with less authority that made himself bit unusual, since their mom is not this laid back when it comes to Minhyuk.

“He’s at his room. Doing his paperworks, he just finished his tutoring for this day, mother.” He complied and their mother just nods and continue to talk to their other relatively grand duke and grand duchess. They are currently in a family agenda and seriously talking about the coronation of Minhyuk. He just stays silent and doesn’t add or say something about it. He want to express what was Minhyuk was feeling about this coronation and him becoming the 2nd Prince after him. But he can’t open his mouth when everyone is talking and talking he can’t find the right timing to talk.

“Your Majesty, when do you plan for Minhyuk’s coronation?” The grand duchess addresses the royalty and looked upon Eunwoo too. He doesn’t know what to answer that, his mom beats him.

“As fast as we can prepare things.” His mother stated clamly and looked into his Older Son or their 1st Prince. “Have you talked to your brother yet? About this coronation? Prepare him because both me and you father is getting old, so we must pass the hierarchy into both of you as soon as possible” 

“I-I haven’t talked to him about that yet. He’s busy studying that he often ignores me.” He lied.

“Oh really? Then leave it to me, I’ll talk to him later. Just focus on your duties later on. Okay, Eunwoo?”

“No, I can talk to him.” His mother stays silent, doubting. But he trust his son so much and let him do his duties as the older one for the younger ones. But didn’t expect to hear somewhat familiar voice behind them.

“No need to tell me Eunwoo hyung.” He forcely smiles at him and sat down beside the older with a very distinct look silently asking why is he there. Minhyuk just smiles flatly.

“About the coronation. I would be honored to be the next crowned prince next to Eunwoo Hyung.” He pauses, their mother is having that 1000 watt smile on her. “But Mother, I don’t want it. I refuse to be the next crowned prince.” Everyone in the room gasps, including the guards but not too loud. Eunwoo looked at him in disbelief

“Are you out of your mind? Are you hearing yourself?” Their mother voice full of disbelief as what is happening right now. Same expression as his brother, didn’t expect to drop the bomb this early when they are just planning for the big day.

“Yes, I am hearing myself and what you heard is real. I don’t want it. I just want to live like a normal citizen. I don’t want this privilage above other people.” Minhyuk explains “I want to have a simple normal life. I want to graduate without being homeschooled. I want to gain friends on my own. I have to explore the world and know myself more. Not this. Not this where I feel like I am jailed for lifetime and have to pretend just for the sake of the reputation of our family. I love you Mom and Dad but this is not what the life I want to remember or to live with.”

Eunwoo and Minhyuk’s mother is silent and storms out of the room. Meanwhile, their father seems to understand where Minhyuk is coming for. Ever since he was a kid he’s afraid of people. He can’t even greet their relatives without Eunwoo’s help or his father’s help. His father has this look that full of fondness. ‘He’s growing up now.’ Is what he thought of. Not everyone has the same dream or future. He’s glad that somewhat Minhyuk starts to see things on different light. 

“I get you Minhyuk. Don’t just mind your Mother for what she just said to you.” Their father said and he look at the other people inside the room silently asking to leave them 3 alone to talk as this matters really get so serious. “We can promise the life you want. But you can’t run away from the duties of being a son of a Royal Blood Line. You still need to be crowned.”

“Dad. I don’t want it. Can’t you just find someone as thoughtful, smart and handsome or maybe pretty if you want a princess. It’s just I can’t see myself as someone same league as Eunwoo hyung.” Minhyuk reasoned out lowkey pleading not to pursue the coronation.

“We already found someone. Long time ago. Someone who is smart as Eunwoo, handsome as him and very thoughtful, sometimes a dork but very conservative person. And that is you, Park Minhyuk. You’re same league as your Eunwoo hyung.” Minhyuk whines loud enough as this is not the answer he was looking for. “Don’t worry Eunwoo will help you as you still get used to it. And I will promise you, I’ll give you the life you want. Live freely, converse with other people like a normal citizen without the privilage of being recognised as a son of a King and Queen.” Eunwoo agreed with everything his dad says about Minhyuk and how he will help him throughout his journey, but didn’t know if he was serious about the condition. You will be crowned it will be televised and how can he not be recognised by people.

“Really Father? I am just a dumb person who doesn’t know some things in the world how am I even smart?”

“That is because you are judging yourself in your perspective” His father says,

“Yes and I see you as smart as me as I always see you do well in your homeschool and your grades are excellent. You’re doing great, Minhyuk. Believe me and Father.” Eunwoo added their father nods for adding support to Minhyuk and gives him strength that he can do well.

Minhyuk just deflates in his seat with a short huff. Eunwoo assures him by placing his hands on the nearest shoulder and pats him lightly, responding with a linear thin line smile to both of them as he don’t know what lies beyond tomorrow because of the outburts of their Mother. He sighs again but this time with heaviness of it. 

“I can’t belive this. Why am I even being considering him in the first place?” The Queen stated in disbelief as she is fuming but not really it’s just getting on her nerves.

“Your majesty, remember that being happy and considerate to your younger son may change his mind. Kindness is a simple act yet can change people lives for the better.”

“Still, he should know that to himself. He’s our son. He will be seating on that throne when he’s older. He got the country on his hands yet he doesn’t want that.” Queen reasoned out.

“I know, but he looks like he is really not into being a prince. He’s not even looking forward to it.”

“Then I will make him a prince whether he like it or not. To continue our family tree.” The grand duchess is quite worried about what is the Queen plans to do to Minhyuk.

•——————•