“Chulsoo?”

 

“!” Soonyoung startles Wonwoo by his sudden outburst and pulls him by his cloak. “This is what I was talking about!”

 

“Oh no,” Myungho pulls on his hair. “It’s ma! Noona, ma’s awake!”

 

Her heartbeat quickens as she looks around. Several boxes are still continuously being passed over the wall, Jisoo gently placing them on the soft soil next to Seungcheol. She’s not surprised with his appearance, but rather he’s also quickening their pace and trying to climb the wall. Surprisingly, Jisoo’s stronger than him that he pulls him down to prevent him from jumping across.

 

“Get your hands off of me, you ! Either we’re all going to be screwed here or you’ll let me inform your ing guards!”

 

And while everyone is busy thinking of ways on how to finish everything under 10 seconds, Wonwoo suddenly pulls on her and Soonyoung. She tries breaking free as they pass by the woods—with much difficulty as the Prince’s cloak keeps on getting tangled with the branches.

 

She doesn’t even know why she’s running alongside them. From her periphery she sees Jeonghan marching his way toward her brothers and she’s suddenly scared.

 

What if this is one of their ploys and they’re actually going to take them away?

 

“Let me go!”

 

As they run pass houses the same time lights flicker open. Wooden doors squeak open and Wonwoo quickens their pace, grip on both persons tighter. Soonyoung is making sure his garments are in his hands to prevent more branches from snapping at them, while Chulsoo still tries to break free from his hold.

 

She couldn’t do anything more but let the darkness engulf the three of them with only their ragged breaths making the noise.

 

“Seungkwan, Myungho,” Jeonghan holds their heads, turning them around to face their house. “Can you try distracting your mother for us? We’ll be quick and then we’ll leave.”

 

“But—“

 

“Please!” He kneels in front of them. “I’m telling you now we’re all going to die if they see us. Not just that, the Quee—“

 

“Myungho?”

 

“Yoon Jeonghan!”

 

Myungho runs toward his mom as the Queen opens the territory doors with a set of keys in her hands. It’s not hard to decipher it was her who locked it from top to bottom, and now she’s exposing them to all the Exceptions who have awoken from their sleep and are staring down at them with glares.

 

Jeonghan grips on Seungkwan’s shoulder.

 

“Where’s your sister?”

 

“Huh? I s-saw her being pulled by Prince Won-Wonwoo.”

 

“Seungkwan!”

 

“Mom! Haha!” He runs toward her but not without a helpless glance at the Prince. Jeonghan fists on his cloak, turning around to stare at the Queen who has guards behind her. She’s smirking at him, and at the same time he can hear boots coming up to him from behind.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“That can dethrone you from the Kingdom, you see,” She laughs. It dies down instantly and points a finger at Jeonghan. “Get the prince out of here. I’ll finish his business.”

 

Chulsoo rubs on her wrist the second Wonwoo lets go. Soonyoung, the panicky helper, suggests he removes his excess garments and he does, folding them neatly on a fallen tree trunk.

 

“You should eat more, Your Highness!” He exclaims when he sees his inner garments clinging on his torso. “If the King sees you like this he’s going to punish me!”

 

“Uh, hello?” She rolls her eyes at them. “Why did you take me here with you? I can kill you right this instant!”

 

Wonwoo looks at her. He untucks his inner garments from his trousers, shaking his head and looks around. He doesn’t know where he is. It’s his first time going to the part of this woods.

 

Maybe he already lost his sense of direction.

 

“You brought your eye glasses with you?”

 

“I always do.” He wears them.

 

The moonlight shines down his face and Chulsoo uses that time to observe Wonwoo.

 

Everything about him looks sharp. From each strand of his hair down to his skin and bones and body, he gives off a mysterious vibe she only realized now. He takes a seat beside her out of all places, his bent legs higher but thinner than hers. He cracks his knuckles, showing his slender fingers to Chulsoo. When he sighs she shifts her eyes to his face. The nose is what gets her attention, then his cat-like eyes, lips, and sharp jawline.

 

She knew of his existence, but she didn’t know he was actually old enough before he made himself known to her people.

 

“You’re not very discreet with looking at me, are you?”

 

She scoffs, but the heat she feels crawling up her skin makes her stutter.

 

“I-I wasn’t trying to be secretive.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

“I think we should head back.” Soonyoung bites his nails. No other words were exchanged afterwards and they walk, fast paced, going back to the south. They didn’t manage to go farther and Wonwoo is beyond relieved.

 

“What is happening?”

 

They stop on their tracks.

 

A few meters ahead they hear shouting and see Jeonghan running back toward the walls. Wonwoo leaves the two behind, but Chulsoo doesn’t stay rooted on her spot.

 

“Hyung!” Wonwoo runs past people trying to pin him down to the ground. He sees the Queen to his right and he glares, bumping her shoulder when he walks past her. “Jeonghan!”

 

He looks so terrified when he whips his head around. His hands are already gripping the doors, ready to close them on everyone. When Wonwoo looks back he sees Soonyoung with his hands up behind his head trying to calm the Exceptions. Jisoo is standing close to the Queen secretly stepping in pace with her whenever she moves.

 

“Your Highness,” Mr. Choi takes his hand out. “You have to leave this place.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere!” He glares at Jeonghan and points. “Neither are you.”

 

“Wonwoo—“

 

“Yoon Jeonghan.”

 

Suddenly the older was more afraid of Wonwoo than he was before. He sighs, shaking Mr. Choi’s grip from his hand and goes out of his hiding.

 

“Fine.”

 

The commotion has died down and they’re all staring at each other, eyes as hard as ice, the Queen and her guards standing in front of the two groups, the Princes and the Exceptions.

 

“So after all these days this is your plan? You really know how to ridicule us, don’t you?”

 

Chulsoo gasps as Wonwoo unsheathes a soldier’s sword, pointing it at the Queen with a shaky hand. Her eyes widen at the Prince, Jeonghan and the rest are on full alert by now and holding on to their pockets.

 

She smiles.

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