It’s never wrong to be hopeful.

 

There was another paper that fell down from Chulsoo’s pocket and if only grandma Lee didn’t point it out, she wouldn’t notice. It was just a sentence written on a white paper that sounded so foreign.

 

There’s nothing wrong with being hopeful, but in her perspective expecting something is the worst. There’s a misunderstanding in that.

 

As she helps in the library the events of the previous night and the letters are stuck in her head.

 

Wonwoo is in the kingdom’s library, scanning the books of Korean history with his fingers grazing each spine and page he can touch. Despite him staying and finding solace in that room the whole place has accumulated dust. Each time will he rub his fingers together or check his suit for any white particles but he likes how old everything is.

 

He approaches one aisle, the only one he never visited since a few years ago.

 

And it’s weird how he was never bothered by those books. They’re about war, the people’s different worldviews, but the aisles have been filled with books about the Exceptions since the separation happened.

 

“Wonwoo.”

 

The King stands a few distance away from the aisle, while the Prince looks over his shoulder as a sign he is listening.

 

“I’m aware that you and Jeonghan went. Midnight.”

 

Wonwoo hums. He takes a random book and opens it to a random page.

 

“You have to stop. It’s not possible.”

 

“Forgive my disrespectful behavior, Your Majesty.” He bows and exits his way out using the opposite side of the aisle.

 

 

 

 

 

When Chulsoo goes back south her people look happy. It’s been hours since the silent intervention and they all seem okay with it. Most of them are digging their hands in the baskets, trying on different accessories they find or having a taste of the food they have never tasted before. Some are reading the letters outloud, like a bedtime story for their children to finally fall asleep.

 

“Ma, don’t tell me we’re going to throw it out again!” Seungkwan yells from their window. Their mother is also doing the same thing like the others, crouched on their doorstep and cautiously picking up things from the basket. “Everyone’s eating or taking it inside their houses!”

 

“I know!” She yells back with a glare. Chulsoo takes the basket from her hands and goes inside their house, her siblings jumping up and down from excitement. Her father is leaning on the doorway in between the kitchen and their bedroom.

 

He doesn’t fit in their house with his very tall nature.

 

“Ma, there’s a letter again.”

 

“Can I read it?!”

 

“I’ll do it!”

 

“Let me! Ma, Myungho is—“

 

Their mother sighs and runs her hands down her face.

 

“You people are ing loud.”

 

It’s funny whenever she talks like that. Chulsoo knows how blunt her mother is and how her father accomplished loving that side of her. They’re like opposite poles, he being a calm and sensitive and loving person despite his looks that might kill, then there’s she openly glaring and sometimes insulting people on their faces.

 

She loves them too much that it’s causing her to feel nervous all of a sudden.

 

“Chulsoo?” Her father frowns. “Are you okay?”

 

She doesn’t know, so she only shakes her head and takes what Seungkwan shoves into her hands.

 

When the night becomes deep she settles lying in between Seungkwan and Myungho and letting them hug her. She puts her hands on their heads and closes her eyes.

 

However she opens them again when voices register in her ears.

 

“What are we doing here?” Soonyoung thrashes around. “If that big-eyed rebel sees me again and pins me to the ground, I hope I just die.”

 

Jisoo looks so defeated with him talking all the way outside the walls. He takes a handful of soil and throws it at him, letting the younger talk back then shout. Jisoo can secretly take a turn and go back to the kingdom without his partner noticing and be glad if Soonyoung doesn’t come back.

 

Of course the second Prince will kill him if he does that but he doesn’t hate Soonyoung. He’s like Jeonghan, they can’t stop talking and it’s irritating.

 

They freeze when a door creaks open and they see the same girl from last night staring at them.

 

“What are you doing here? Again?”

 

Chulsoo hisses.

 

“Um,” Jisoo gives her a small smile. “I know you said we should never come back but the princes are helping, so it means we shouldn’t stop and actually—“

 

“You don’t understand,” She sighs. “This is absurd, and you should know that. If you want your princes—“

 

Soonyoung points at the three of them. “Ourprinces, you’re one of us.”

 

She takes a deep breath.

 

“We want to, okay? We’re just... it’s hard.”

 

“Noona?”

 

“And I’m supposed to hate you but,”

 

“Oh no.” Soonyoung backs out. “Let’s just tell Wonwoo and Prince Jeonghan we failed them. There’s another person!”

 

“What are you doing?” Seungkwan rubs his eyes. “Why are you still awake?”

 

Chulsoo holds her brother’s shoulders and directs him back to their house.

 

“Seungkwan! You’re just sleepwalking, let’s go inside, okay?!”

 

“What—“ The eighteen-year-old shakes his head then goes into a staring contest with Soonyoung. “Um, hello?”

 

When he notices the baskets by their sides, his eyes widen slowly and he grips on Chulsoo’s arm. Any minute he’s going to scream and inform everybody what he’s seeing. He’s that kind of kid, he also talks a lot but with more volume.

 

“Seungkwan!”

 

“Oh my god! Noona! What the hell?! You!” He points a finger at them. “You’re behind all these?! We have to tell the captain!”

 

“Wait, what?!” Soonyoung slaps his finger down. “No! What are you saying?! We’re helping and you’re going to tell on us?!”

 

When Soonyoung panics he can’t stop whatever he started. Chulsoo is looking around and a nearby house’s lights flicker open. As her brother and the stranger bicker with each other, she tries to think of ways to not get caught. Jisoo is also slowly going to a state of panic and looks back at the gate.

 

Prince Jeonghan and Prince Wonwoo are actually staying behind.

 

“This is bad,” Jeonghan shakes his head. “There’s someone up. They have to go back.”

 

“Let’s go.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Wonwoo makes his way to the four.

 

“Give me that!”

 

“No!” Seungkwan pulls on Soonyoung’s hair.

 

“Did you just—“

 

“Shut up!” Chulsoo pushes both of them to the ground. Jisoo crouches down and they try to blend in the ground, as someone sta