Once breakfast was over, it was time to continue towards the neighbouring kingdom with the knowledge that by nightfall you would no longer be on your home soil. You walked along with a bounce in your step, animated after your conversation with Taeyong earlier in the morning. He often caught your gaze from up on the horse he rode due to his injury, shooting you small smiles until Jaehyun let out a heavy huff of air.

“Are you smitten with Y/N, hyung?”

“Should I hold her with disdain still?” he offered, grinning down at you. It made you giggle and Jaehyun looked between you both before he instinctively reached for your hand. It made Lucas erupt in cheer.

“Finally!”

“Were you truly blind to the two of them?” Ten asked incredulously, clucking his tongue at the youngest. “Honestly!”

“Even I knew,” Jane said with a smile giggle. You glanced up at Jaehyun to see the mixture of pride and shyness within his expression and wrapped your arms around his waist. He blinked rapidly but didn’t remove you from your position either, the pair of you walking along joined like that until it became difficult with the undulating ground. With a smile exchanged, you settled for simply holding one another’s hand again, feeling free to do so and receive no judgement from your friends.

It was rewarding to be in love and show it off.

However once you crossed the bridge later that evening that linked the two kingdoms together, you felt Jaehyun’s mood change. He gripped your hand tightly for some time and then let it go altogether on the outskirts of a township. You sighed but nodded gently at Taeyong, watching as Jaehyun retreated further into himself. You wouldn’t allow him to leave you entirely.

“Is there where you grew up?” you asked and he nodded softly. You looked ahead at the twinkling of the lights in the distance, smiling at how picturesque it appeared. “Will we stay at your home tonight?”

“It would be best to go to an inn,” he offered curtly and you smiled gently. Jaehyun wasn’t ready yet. Given you hadn’t planned to tell him of who you were for some time, you could understand the anxiety that came with it. He had even scolded you back when he realised who you were. It would no doubt be playing on his mind as he realised how close he was to admitting the truth.

You wondered how you should take the explanation. Should you allow him to tell you that he was a Prince and feign surprise? You knew too much already though and you weren’t very good at hiding things from him now. He may have even picked up on something brewing since you and Taeyong now were getting along like old friends. Would you just be better to tell him yourself? That you guessed it and remove that element of awkwardness? Would he appreciate that though? The further you internalised the problem, the deeper you were involved in your thoughts and you didn’t know you had been directed into the local bar and inn until you heard and smelt the now tell-tale signs. You blinked and looked around the establishment, it was a full house and most of the punters were merrily wrapping up their working week up with a pint of beer and some of the hearty food selections.

You smiled; you had come to enjoy bars now.

“Alright, this time Princess, no alcohol,” Lucas insisted and you pouted heavily but grabbed for your juice happily. Jaehyun quickly set upon his own beverage, downing most of it before others had even taken a sip. He groaned as the alcohol made its way into his system, and reached forward for the snacks on the table.

“Do you really need to go that intense already?” Taeyong chastised, watching intently as Jaehyun finished the drink and then got up to get another.

“He’ll need all that false confidence to face his family tomorrow, leave him be.”

Jane frowned at Ten’s statement and glanced at you, puzzled. You merely shrugged; it wasn’t yet your secret to share.

The night wore on and Ten and Jane retired before the rest of you, drinks still flowing around your table as the three men reminisced over their years on the road. Even though you weren’t directly a part of the memories, you felt welcomed in, asking questions during the many tales and laughing with them the further they got invested in sharing their experiences. You couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up your journey so far for them or yourself. At the beach, you had discovered your own sense of accomplishment for the first time in your life. You could tell their journey had many moments of such a feeling, and it encouraged you to be hopeful for further experiences now that you knew you could make it in the world. Sure, there was so much more to learn. Yet you had discovered a vast amount already in such a short space of time. It was the beginning of your continued thirst for more experiences. You wanted to look back in three year’s time like the three men were and be able to tell countless tales yourself.

As the night wore on into the early hours of the morning, you insisted that they stop drinking and go to bed since there was much to happen in the following day. Taeyong agreed and hauled Lucas to his feet, the youngest exclaiming another round would end the night well. All the same, he allowed himself to be dragged upstairs and you turned to Jaehyun to help him to his feet.

“Little bird you’re allowing me to perch on you instead now?” he asked with a lazy grin and you chuckled lightly as he slumped against you. There was nothing about his position on you that seemed to match the dainty term he had used and you heaved in a deep breath as you determinedly faced the stairs. It wasn’t impossible but you struggled to haul him up the stairs all the same, Jaehyun stumbling into you on the landing. It made you both smack into the wall behind you and he looked down at you, an intoxicating expression filling his warm eyes. You thanked him for being as drunk as he was or else you knew you would have fallen deeper into such a gaze. Shaking your head, you dodged his messy attempt to press his lips to yours.

“Come on, it’s bedtime, not kissing time.”

“Can’t we kiss the night away?” he pleaded with a whine and you shook your head firmly.

“You’re not alert enough for such thoughts, Jaehyun. You’ll regret it in the morning.”

“I can sober up!” he enthused, pushing back from you and holding his hand up as if it would help his concentration to prove to you that the alcohol was no longer flowing through his veins. You placed your own hands on your hips and gave him a bemused smile as he fumbled around on the landing until he let out a giggle. “Okay, maybe not.”

“Bed it is,” you concluded and headed along the hallway, remembering Taeyong giving you the room number he was sharing with Jaehyun. Your room with Jane was before theirs and you stopped to check the number on your key to make sure you had the right one for when you returned.

Stealing it from your hand, Jaehyun started to chant about it being his room, unlocking it hastily and moving across the room, his hands upon the bottom of his shirt.

“No, you mustn’t!” you cried in a heavy whisper, worrying about waking up Jane with his ruckus. You rushed after him. “Jane…”

You blinked when you found the room vacant apart from you both and gasped when you realised where Jane could be. Your cheeks filled with colour and you spun around, trying to deal with the notions within your mind. And then you remembered your own predicament, turning back to face Jaehyun who was now shirtless and kicking off his boots. Snapping your eyes to the ceiling after taking a long look at his well-defined back and shoulders, you sighed impatiently.

“Jaehyun this isn’t your room, you need to put your clothes back on!”

“It isn’t?” he asked and then turned around. You cursed your gaze for instinctively following his movement, soaking in his torso before you moved your eyes back to the ceiling. He chuckled. “What are you doing in my room, Y/N?”

“This is my room,” you countered and he shook his head, approaching you slowly. You backed up as he advanced on you, biting your bottom lip so hard that you were worried your teeth would pierce through it. He smirked before he reached forward, your eyes clamping shut until you realised he had merely closed the door behind you and not touched you at all. When you reopened your eyes, Jaehyun had retreated across the room and climbed into the bed. You groaned. There was only one bed in this room and whilst you had no issues with sharing with Jane, it seemed unfathomable to do so with a man.

Even the one you loved.

“Get up, Jaehyun,” you instructed and he shook his head childishly before nestling into the bedding further. “I need to sleep!”

“Then sleep.”

“How can I?” you asked heavily, now standing beside him in hopes he would get up. With a swift motion, his hand yanked you down and over him, your body nestling into the empty space of the bed beside him. He smiled at your shocked expression and turned to face you, wrapping an arm over you so you couldn’t change the effort he was rather proud of.

You were certain you wouldn’t last out the night with how fast your heart was now beating.

The weight of Jaehyun’s decision finally dawned on him but he didn’t move his arm. Instead, his expression grew sincere and he gently brushed the hair away from your face. You weren’t sure what to expect but the gesture did nothing to calm you down.

“I need to tell you something important.”

You blinked and cursed yourself and your imagination for running off with you again. Composing yourself, you looked up at him again. “You do?”

“Tomorrow,” he murmured, closing his eyes. He drew you in closer to his chest and you had to admit you felt warm within his arms, sleep tugging at you softly. “I’ll tell you then.”

“And tonight?” you asked slowly, Jaehyun opening his eyes to stare at you. He shifted to kiss your forehead and then settled back down.

“Tonight I’m too drunk to do anything but hold you like this. Let me have this one last night with you.”

“One last night?” you repeated, frowning at his wording. But the rhythm of his breathing only allowed your dreams to rush forward and capture you quickly, sleep invading you before you could truly question any of this.

“Your Highness!” a voice hissed and you heard groaning, your own mood now heavy from being disturbed from such a blissful slumber.

Before you could reply though, someone else did. “I told you not to call me that.”

“But-”

You opened your eyes as Jaehyun shook his head adamantly into the pillow. “It’s been three years. I’ve only been back home for a night, don’t shackle me with that term so soon, hyung.”

You blinked, glancing over at Jane’s shocked expression and then waited for Jaehyun to realise his mistake. When he didn’t shift, you poked his bare chest and he shifted away from you with a groan. “I said…”

The gasp that fell from his lips made you giggle in reaction and Jane darted her focus between you both incredulously. She whined. “I don’t know what to address first.”

“Shall we discuss your whereabouts last night?” you asked, feeling rather amused for first thing in the morning. Jaehyun was now sitting up and clasping his head whilst groaning and you instinctively reached to rub his back in comfort. Jane eyed your action avidly. “Jane?”

“Huh?” she said distantly and then snapped out of it. “You know, I think I heard Ten calling for me just now. I’ll go. Perhaps Jaehyun needs to find some water as much as he needs a shirt.”

“I’ll see to it!” you called after her, Jaehyun finally peeking out from behind a hand to stare at you.

“How much of that did you hear?”

You pursed your lips in thought before you smirked. “How much of it do you want me to have heard?”

“You know?” he guessed and you nodded. “You, you really know?”

“Yes, I know you’re a Prince.”

“Did-”

“I figured it out on my own,” you admitted with an encouraging smile, and Jaehyun nodded softly. “Does my knowing bother you?”

“Well, it helps me actually. I was worried about how to tell you,” he admitted and you patted his back gently. Jaehyun glanced at your touch upon his skin and seemed to grow shy. He covered his body for a moment before fishing his shirt up from the ground and placed it on. “I uh, I’m sorry for last night.”

“You were adamant I sleep against you, was that for future practice?” you asked, feeling as if you had been possessed by a minx overnight. You were enjoying watching everyone squirm today. Last night it had been you frightened by your predicament, but after sleeping you felt as if you had overcome such worries. Waking up in Jaehyun’s arms had given you something to look forward to – you wanted to do this every day for the rest of your life.

Jaehyun watched you for a moment and then smiled. “I like this side to you.”

“You do?” Jaehyun nodded. “Why?”

“Because you’re being yourself. You’re not hiding who you want to be. It’s very alluring.”

“Is it time for breakfast?” you asked with a cough, leaping out of the bed as Jaehyun chuckled. You were only equipped to go so far right now. Getting up, Jaehyun approached you as you used the mirror to smooth down your hair, his arms wrapping around you from behind as he gazed at you through the reflection.

“Can you lend me your strength today?”

You smiled and nodded once. “Are you worried?”

“I missed them, I really did. But I don’t want to rule this kingdom when my brother wants to as well.”

“You know, I might be able to help you with that,” you offered, turning around in his embrace and smiling up at him. Jaehyun examined you for a moment and then let his mouth fall ajar in realisation.

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

“Well, I figured I could very well get down on one knee and ask that much of you, but you may wish to do that yourself. Besides, can you imagine the outcry if my Father ever found out?”

He grinned. “You’ve only known me such a short time though.”

“And I slept in your arms during that time,” you retorted, poking him again lightly. You pouted up at him. “Will you take responsibility?”

“Is that how your kingdom works?”

“You also kissed me, multiple times. I’m certain that would seal the deal in my Father’s eyes. How dare I do such a thing and not follow it through?”

“You’re certain about this?” Jaehyun asked more gently, the humour of your conversation easing. “You really want this?”

“Don’t you?”

“No one has ever made me this reckless before,” he said with a smile, leaning in closer. He brushed your hair away from your face. “Marrying you would be a dream.”

“No, it can be a reality, if you want it.”