Baekhyun was busy taking a shower when Luhan and Kyungsoo were transferring pictures and voice recordings into their laptops in the living room.

“Wait do we need to do the transcription for the voice recording?” Kyungsoo asked as he tried to replay one of the files.

“Yup. We need to include it in the appendix,” Luhan said and tapped one of the pictures to test the quality.

The picture that he happened to tap was the picture of the Park family portrait.

“Not gonna lie, the princes were hot,” Luhan said causing Baekhyun who just enter the living room to snort at the remark. “Luhan, you said that to every single handsome looking tall guy.”

“But these three rights here are a masterpiece,” Luhan who can’t seem to tear his gaze from the picture said.

“You know a portrait IS a masterpiece right consider it required a professional touch of art,” Kyungsoo said leisurely while Luhan just ignores the remark while mumbling ‘I don’t need your art logic here’.

Baekhyun took out his notebook and started to type the information he gained on his laptop. The three of them fell in deep silence, only the sound of the keyboard and the clicking of the mouse can be heard from time to time.

Until...

 

“WAIT! WHAT? THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT.”

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo tear their gaze from their laptop to look at Luhan who had turned pale all of the sudden.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asked worriedly.

Luhan just pointed out at his laptop making Baekhyun and Kyungsoo stop with their work and went closer to Luhan, to see what had caused their friend to shriek.

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun stared at each other confusedly.

“Ummm, Lu. We already see this portrait for quite several times,” Kyungsoo stated warily.

“Yes, but look closely,” Luhan said and rolled his eyes when Kyungsoo and Baekhyun leaned their faces closer to the screen, completely covering his view.

“I mean not that close. Move, let me zoom it.”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun sat on each of Luhan’s side, sandwiching the deer boy who works professionally with his laptop.

“Look!” Luhan exclaimed.

 

Apparently, Luhan had zoomed in to Prince Sehun’s left hand where an oh so quite familiar ring can be seen on the youngest Prince of Oasis Palace ring finger.

“Lu, isn’t this...” Baekhyun started shakily.

Luhan nodded his head and showed the ring that he wore on his ring finger as well. “Yes. It looks like mine, but check this out,” Luhan zoomed out and then he moved to zoom in to Prince Chanyeol’s hand and Prince Jongin’s hand as well.

“Wha-,“ Kyungsoo was stunned and so does Baekhyun.

“How is this even possible?” Luhan asked.

“Are you saying that we could possibly be wearing the prince’s rings?” Baekhyun asked as he looked at his ring finger where he wore a ring that resembles a lot to Prince Chanyeol’s and Kyungsoo even took off his ring and placed it next to the picture to see the difference between his and Prince Jongin’s ring.

“We got this ring on the same day, right? Our parents give it to us,” Kyungsoo started off trying to sort out this mystery.

 

Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Luhan’s parents are best friends just like them. They knew each other even before the three of them were born. Unfortunately, Luhan’s parent needs to go back to China for a few years and Baekhyun’s parents went to stay in Bucheon whereas Kyungsoo’s parent stayed in Seoul. However, the distance didn’t stop them from contacting each other. They were excited when they found out that they will be having a baby in the same year.

7 years after Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Luhan were born they have reunited again and as a result, the three families moved nearby to each other so that their children can be friends with each other.

 

The story of the rings started when they were 10 years old when they were having dinner at Kyungsoo’s house. The three children were running around the house after eating and were called to the living room.

“Yes, we’re here!” Luhan smiled cheekily at the parents who were cooing at the cuteness.

“We have a gift for the three of you,” Baekhyun’s mom said as she took out a small purple velvet jewelry box.

Baekhyun’s eyes were glimmering in happiness upon seeing his favorite color.

Kyungsoo’s mom took out a green velvet box and Luhan’s mom took out a blue velvet box.

“Here take this,” Luhan’s mom urged the three curious kids to take the boxes from them.

“Let’s open it together,” Baekhyun who seems excited said and the two nodded in agreement.

“1” Luhan started.

“2” Kyungsoo continued.

“3” Baekhyun ended the countdown.

 

The three of them open it and gasped.

Inside their boxes were a silver shaped ring. Luhan’s ring had a wind symbol on it, Baekhyun’s ring had a symbol of phoenix whereas Kyungsoo’s ring had a shape of a triangle and a wheel in the middle of it indicating the power of teleportation.

“Mama, it’s so pretty,” Kyungsoo said and tried to wear the ring but it was too big for his tiny finger.

The elders laughed upon seeing how their kids were trying to wear the obviously loose ring.

“Well honey, then you need to wait until you grow up for you to wear it,” Kyungsoo’s mom ruffled his son’s soft lock.

The three friends groaned and just pouted at the thought that they had to wait longer for them to be able to wear it.

 

Finally, when they turned 16, the rings fit all of them. And they had been wearing the rings up until now.

 

“I’ll call mom and ask her if she knew anything about this,” Baekhyun said and took out his phone only to groan at it. “No reception.”

Luhan and Kyungsoo took out their phone and shook their head indicating that they also didn’t have any reception.

“Maybe this is just a coincidence? Maybe our parents wanted to pay tribute to the Park family by purchasing the rings? Maybe this is the knockout version and they just bought it with the intention because it’s pretty? It does make sense, right?” Kyungsoo tried to come up with logical reasons that might help them to forget about this mystery.

Baekhyun and Luhan kept mum because they were partially leaning more towards the possibility that the rings that they were wearing indeed were the same as the princes. Even Kyungsoo himself doubts his own words.

…

“Let’s just call it a night and continue with this tomorrow. We can also ask Junmyeon for more details,” Luhan suggested and Kyungsoo, as well as Baekhyun, agreed to it.

 

They packed up their stuff and went upstairs. Ever since they arrived, they never had the chance to see the upper part of the castle where according to Junmyeon the floor where the room of the princes was located. They had been spending most of their time touring the lower part of the castle.

The lower part of the castle covers up the ground floor until the third floor and the upper part covers up the fourth floor until the sixth floor. The princes’ room was on the fourth floor whereas their parents’ room or the master bedroom was on the fifth floor while the meeting room and leisure room were on the sixth floor.

Junmyeon said that they could use the prince’s bedroom and they were thrill especially Luhan because he was ecstatic to become a prince for a week in which Kyungsoo and Baekhyun just respond with their infamous eye roll.

 

With their luggage in tow, the three of them climbed the stairs and took a few pauses before they finally reach the fourth floor.

“Remind me to pack lightly in the future,” Baekhyun panted once they reach the last step.

Luhan and Kyungsoo were also having trouble catching their breath. The three of them were leaning against the rail while looking around the hallway.

Indeed, the first thing that they saw was the vibrant colored doors.

“Hey guys, look. The doors match our favorite colors,” Baekhyun exclaimed excitedly and his eyes were set on the purple-colored door.

“Not trying to be a killjoy but don’t you think it will be safer for us to share one room?” Luhan said hesitantly and gulped when he heard the sound of an owl hooting.

“Why, are you scared?” Kyungsoo asked teasingly and slowly crept his hand on Luhan’s lower back causing the deer like a boy to hiss at Kyungsoo.

“Aren’t you the one who’s excited to be a prince for the whole week,” Baekhyun imitated Luhan’s previous statement.

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun laughed at that and Luhan just glared at them.

“Just for tonight, I promise that we’ll sleep separately tomorrow,” Luhan whined.

“Fine, let’s go now,” Baekhyun agreed as he thought that they still need to get use to the castle and staying with each other will be more convenient for them.

“I say we’ll sleep here,” Baekhyun quickly stated then stood in front of the purple door, urging his two friends to follow him. Seeing how happy Baekhyun was, Luhan and Kyungsoo just let him be.

Feeling excited, Baekhyun turned the doorknob and entered the room first. Unfortunately, before Luhan and Kyungsoo could enter the room, the door suddenly slammed close.

“BAEKHYUN!” Luhan banged the door and tried to open the door but it was locked.

Baekhyun who was trapped inside the room was also trying to open the door but sadly it was a fruitless attempt.

“Luhan, Kyungsoo, can you hear me?” Baekhyun tried to communicate with his friends who were still trying to unlock the door.

“Yes, we can hear you. Are you okay? Is there something inside?” Kyungsoo asked voiced lace with concern.

“Yes, I’m fine. Why don’t you try to look at the other room while I try to figure something out,” Baekhyun said trying his best to assure his friends that he’s fine.

“Okay, Baek. We’ll come back,” Luhan said.

Luhan and Kyungsoo took a cautious step as they went to stand in front of the green door.  Slowly, Luhan turned the doorknob but it was stuck.

“Soo, I can’t open it.”

Kyungsoo then move forward and tried to open it. And surprisingly, the door was open with ease causing Luhan to gawk in surprise.

“What should we do now? Are you going in?” Luhan asked.

“Wait here,” Kyungsoo ran to the blue door and turn the doorknob but he can’t open it. “Lu, try and open this one.”

Luhan quickly made his way towards Kyungsoo and followed the boy’s word. Luhan opened the door swiftly and it was Kyungsoo’s turn to be surprised. Without saying another word, Kyungsoo pulled Luhan with him and went back to Baekhyun. He then knocked on the door, surprising Baekhyun who was looking through the lock hole.

Kyungsoo told Baekhyun what happened and Baekhyun just replied to them with a gasped.

“So, what are you suggesting now? Obviously, I can’t go out,” Baekhyun said as he leaned against the door.

“Baek, have you look around the room?” Kyungsoo asked and Baekhyun answered with a simple ‘no’.

“This might sound dangerous, but we need to go inside the room,” Kyungsoo started seriously.

“Are you crazy? What if we’re trapped in here forever?” Luhan said completely opposing Kyungsoo’s idea.

“But try and think carefully. Why did the door only open to a specific person? There must be something. Right now, we need to throw away the idea of being rational. We need to go inside because that’s the only way we will find out what is going on. If we were to be trap here, Junmyeon will come by tomorrow because he said that he wanted to show us the marketplace nearby. He will realize that we’re not here and probably he will try to reach out for help,” Kyungsoo said as convincing as he could.

“Ughhh, I hate it when you’re right,” Luhan groaned.

“I agree with Kyungsoo. We should try to look around the princes’ room, hopefully, we will find something,” Baekhun said from the inside.

“Okay, let’s hope we’ll see each other soon,” Luhan gave up and decided to agree with the idea.

Kyungsoo and Luhan stood in front of their respective doors and look at each other.

“Oh, wait,” Luhan said as he ruffled his tote bag and took out a blank piece of A4 paper and a black Sharpie marker.

He scribbled something and showed it to Kyungsoo.

IF YOU FOUND THIS PAPER. WE ARE STILL TRAP INSIDE. PLEASE HELP US!

“Really, Lu?”

“Well, we need to be safe,” Luhan said as he taped the paper on the door.

“Are you ready?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Don’t ask,” Luhan replied and open the blue door nervously. 

Kyungsoo soon followed as he opened the inviting green door and enter the room with 1001 questions playing in his head.