"are you sure we can trust jeonghan? he worked directly under the king, and suddenly he just decides to help us out to find yuri?" taehee knew that this is ridiculous, but based on her encounter so far with this man, or jeonghan, she felt that he's pretty trustable. jaemin, however, wasn't amused.

"what are you guys whispering about behind my back?" 

"nothing, just go on." jeonghan knew that they were probably talking about him. but this seemed to be the only way that he could gain their trust. sooner or later, all of them reached the garden where all the black flowers are planted.

"here we are." jaemin and taehee looked confused. jaemin is aware that his eyesight isn't so bad that he can't see any form of structures at the garden where the princess could be kept held. 

"not up here, but down here." jeonghan said as he pointed towards the bed of black flowers. again, both of them looked at each other with more confusion. he noticed this and immediately went near one of the statues by the bed of black flowers. the figure was holding a staff, looking extremely stiff, until jeonghan pulls down the staff like a lever.

taehee and jaemin thought that both of them were dreaming when the whole bed of black flowers started to rise slowly, revealing a staircase down a basement. renjun was right all along.

"let's go before they find us."

____________________________________________

"incredible, how did you do this?" yuri just shrugged. it is then she found out that she has the ability to heal. she was trying to look into mingyu's injury, but the injury heals on its own in front of her face. as much as yuri is glad that mingyu's wounds are mostly healed, she's more pleased that she had this ability. now, she doesn't need to worry so much about having not enough herbs to tend to anyone's wounds. however, she has yet to know to what extent she's able to close someone's injuries.

"wow, i feel stronger now that it healed." mingyu stood up and started jumping around like a kid, showing that he was healthy enough to walk around and guard properly.

"i felt that we owe you a lot..." wonwoo spoke. yuri held wonwoo's hand as a sign of assurance that she'll be fine and she believed that someone or some people will come and save her. and that, how could wonwoo and mingyu resist the princess' kindness even though they might have mistreated her beforehand. to add on to that, yuri even thank them just by accompanying her throughout the ordeal. 

"at least i have people to talk to."

they could tell how lonely the princess is in the castle, and wouldn't mind befriending anyone she's with. both wonwoo and mingyu had no idea why the princess had to be locked up by the king. she's practically the most innocent and kindest person that they ever met. hence why they decide to do this. somehow wonwoo and mingyu always have good telepathy with each other.

the princess was daydreaming and only got back to her senses when wonwoo opened the cell door.

"let's go, your highness." both mingyu and wonwoo offered their hands to the princess.

"but..."

"no buts, let's go." they grabbed yuri's hands and helped her stand up. yuri has yet to make sense into what the two guards are planning to do, but somehow she just trusts them and goes with their flow.

yuri realises how big, complicated and secured the place that she's being held. there were times that the three of them were almost caught by other guards that were patrolling around the area. it was like a maze; they had to take a few turns that yuri was amazed that both of them remembered the route pretty well, especially mingyu.

but in reality, since they are more nervous about being caught, their mind is in a mess, and mingyu especially wasn't really sure if they are even going the right way. it's just to avoid the innocent princess from panicking; he acted as though they are going the right direction.

"you alright, your highness?"

"yes, don't worry about me. we can do it, new friends!"

that made them, even more, energised to do their new duty; to help the princess escape. they did more twist and turns till they reach an area of which there are unusually more guards guarding a particular highly secured door. it seems like they are keeping a big secret behind those closed doors. 

"how are we going to go through this discreetly?" mingyu whispered.

"let's think this through properly, maybe we coul... your highness, where are you going?" yuri was so intrigued about what is behind those doors for some reason. like something in her heart tells her that someone is welcoming her behind that door. she kept wandering before wonwoo pulled her back to where they were hiding.

"your highness, are you alright?"

"y-yes. sorry about that. i followed my heart without thinking straight."

"what do you mean?"mingyu asked.

"i don't know... i think someone is calling out for me behind that door. but it's alright. it might've been just my imagina..."

"i mean, we could just go through them. it's pretty easy." the princess gave wonwoo a questioning look.

"well, what you don't know about us your highness, is that we are the top students in our martial arts school. and that's how they hired us to be the one guarding you in the cell."

"obviously, i didn't fight back the head guard because he's the head guard! so it might've seemed like we are weak, but actually, we are not." of course, the princess isn't convinced.

"alright, let us show you." both of them cracked their fingers and necks and was in a ready position, as though they are going for a race. 

"just like old times?"

"like old times." they smirked and did a low high five before rushing towards the unsuspecting guards. and what they said were true.

within seconds, almost half of them are wiped out and dropped to the ground. she trusts that they didn't injure the guards that much and only make them unconscious temporarily. her eyes were sparkling with amusement with the cool sight she sees from the two new friends of hers. when it finally ended, she unconsciously clapped for them and showed them thumbs up. just to make sure, mingyu find a nearby rope and tie all of them together to make sure that at least they have time to escape when the guards wake up. yuri found a bundle of keys in one of the guard's pocket and proceed to unlock the door.

or doors.

"that explains the number of keys in this bundle." exclaimed wonwoo. the two friends (or maybe twins since they have such great telepathy and chemistry) gave the honour to the princess to open the doors but of course they each went in front and behind the princess in case anyone wants to attack them. so far, behind the door is just another door. eventually, they got to the last key, means it's the last door. 

yuri felt nervous. she doesn't know what's behind this door, but she definitely needs to open it. the look of encouragement from wonwoo and mingyu helped her ease her nervousness as she slowly turned the key in the keyhole and pushed the door wide open.

not that much really. it's a dark lit room, only the candles at the corners of the room illuminate it. and also the bed in the middle of the room, that's pretty unusual. out of curiosity, all of them went closer, and the details near the bed become more apparent. 

someone's on the bed, surrounded with more of these black flowers.

a man.

a familiar-looking man.

"no way," exclaimed mingyu. as he said that, the princess moved on its own towards the bed. wonwoo wouldn't be able to stop her. is wide open in disbelief. as she further approaches the bed, the condition of the man on the bed becomes more apparent. skinny, pale, almost lifeless and unrecognisable.

"f-father, what happened to you?"

____________________________________________

"trust me, we are not lost." they are lost. 

jeonghan only went to the basement twice. including now. jeonghan, you are making yourself look more like a clown. he thought and mentally facepalmed himself.

jeonghan's acting seemed to be working because both jaemin and taehee didn't even question anything and kept walking behind him. jaemin's mind is too occupied on finding the princess. his mind filled with what is her condition, whether she was beaten up by the guards or being bullied by other prisoners if there are even any. if there's a single scratch on her, he swears, he's going to beat up that person so badly. he doesn't care. taehee, as much as she is worried about yuri, she believes the princess is strong and independent. so she's just following jeonghan from behind, hopefully bumping into yuri.

taehee and jaemin were also too cautious about what could've appeared and jump behind them. jeonghan was busy leading them at the front. but jeonghan's footsteps seemed to have gone slower and halted. the other two didn't notice this that all three of them bumped to each other and fell to the ground. it seems like the only one who's injured is jaemin since he groaned so hard from the pain because taehee felt that there's a cushion below her.

"you alright?" jeonghan's back was actually in more pain, but his mind shifted to the fact that taehee is currently on top of him.

"umm, yeah, sorry." taehee quickly get off of him and stood up, brushing off the dirt on her clothing. she could feel her cheeks getting warm for no reason. jaemin helped jeonghan up who was lying flat on the ground.

"sorry about that."

"it's alright. my fault for stopping so suddenly." jaemin's eyes shifted to the sight behind jeonghan. 

a few, no, too many guards are tied up together and are all unconscious. nearby, was a door, opened ajar. 

"god, what happened here?" taehee realised it late too. she then felt warmth on her right hand. jaemin was holding onto her's and jeonghan's hand, dragging them towards the door.

"this sounds crazy, but let's check it out."

____________________________________________

his mouth was so dry and dehydrated. he's so skinny that his bone structures could be seen. his hair, turning more grey than it's supposed to. he was trying to call her name, but no voice could be heard. yuri could only sit by the bed and cry, holding on to her father's cold hands.

"who did this to you?! and why?!"

the bedridden king wanted to reassure the princess that he is alright and that he's glad yuri grown to be the most beautiful and lovely person she is. didn't know where the energy came from, but he managed to move his hand, even when it's shaking, to pat the princess' head. this made the princess sobbing even more. however, he has yet to have the energy to talk. 

it's been years.

wonwoo and mingyu could only look at the reunion from far. it was still not absorbed into their mind as to why there is two of the king of the emerald. something complicated must have happened before becoming the castle's guards. both of them let the princess and the king have a conversation as they watch from a distance.

their guts are telling them someone or some people are by the doors.

sword swings.

"state your names and your occupation." the brown-haired man spoke.

"who are you to ask that?" wonwoo replied. the blond, long-haired man stood right by the other man, ensuring that the only female in their group was behind him.

"i'm the diam-, just a normal guard. whatever okay. why are you here?"

footsteps could be heard slowly getting louder and louder nearer to them.

"jaemin?" all of their eyes shifted to the source of the voice.

"is that really you? and taehee, you are here too!" the slightly puffy-faced princess walked closer to them.

"you know them, princess?"

"yes, so all of you should put your swords away, that's so unnecessary." all of them put away their swords except one. 

"jaemin, are you alright?" the princess said as she approaches closer to the diamond prince, who looks like he's going to burst into tears. she held jaemin's hand that's holding onto the sword and helped him put away the sword. the now brown-haired prince could only stand there, eyes following every action the princess was doing. he's thinking about too many things.

how are you, yuri?

did anyone hurt you in any way?

why do you still look beautiful despite the things that happened?

i need to tell you how worried i am.

how are you still making me fall for you even more?

"jaemin, are you alright? i-" before she could even complete the sentence, yuri was pulled for a hug by jaemin. she could feel his face digging into her shoulder, as though trying to hide his face. yuri tried to pull away just to see how he's feeling.

"jae-jaemin, hey, are y-" 

"don't move, let's just stay like this for a bit." yuri knows that how many times she will try to pull away, he will insist on staying in that position. so she just hugged him back, and assure him that she's alright.

taehee saw that as a sign for them to leave both of them alone, so she lightly pushed the other three men away and walked towards the bed.

"so tell me, who is that on the be-, oh." from the features of the man on the bed, now taehee realises why she's looking pretty puffy. everyone bows to the king, lying on the bed. all of them could see a slight smile forming from the king. taehee knows it is wrong to think of it this way at this time, but she's happy that the king is at least alive.

"so, now what do we do?" mingyu exclaimed.

____________________________________________

she could feel her shoulders getting wetter. 

"jaemin, i'm here. you can talk to me." she said as she pats his back. she could feel jaemin loosening the hug, attempting to look at her but failed. so many times he was told that it wasn't his fault that the princess was kidnapped, yet he's still upset with himself for losing her out of his sight. he was being too worried for the naive princess, and yet, she is unharmed and being strong as always. he should be the one saving the princess, but why is he the one being rescued by her?

"come, let me wipe those tears." despite all of that, she still could joke around. wiping his tears, jaemin managed to gain all of his courage to look into her eyes. 

"yuri,"

"yes?"

"thank you."

"hmm?"

"for being alive." time stops as they look into each other's eyes — longing for each other's presence.

"sorry to spoil the moment both of you, but we really need to leave, now." taehee broke the silence between them. wonwoo volunteered to carry the lifeless king on his back. mingyu and jeonghan watched behind wonwoo just in case he lost his balance. jaemin wanted more time with her, but he knows that this isn't the right time.

"you're right. let's go." all of them ran towards the exit. jaemin made sure that he's holding on to the princess' hand and would never let it go. he felt more stronger as the princess held his hand tighter than she ever did.

lucky for them, jeonghan remembered the way back to the entrance. after a few turns, they finally reached there. however, jeonghan noticed from far that the bed of black flowers is opened widely. not only that, he could see shadows from outside moving towards the basement.

damn it.

"everyone, hide over there." jeonghan whispered and guided them to another direction. the rest understood what he meant and hid somewhere away from the entrance. jeonghan peeked from one of the pillars, and watched as the other king - his father and other few guards walked into the basement, just as he guessed. he let all of them walked ahead before whispering to the rest.

"all of you leave when they reached the end of the hallway."

"what about you?" jaemin trusts him more now and wanted him to follow them back to the base. jeonghan had been quiet all these while because he's guilty about the things that happened to both the princess and the real king. all the things he did for his father was causing these people to suffer for no reason. he wants to admit his wrongdoings but now is not the right time. for now, he needs to save them from his evil father.

"i'm going to distract him."

"no, you are coming with us." taehee insisted and even tugging his sleeve.

"I promise that i'll be fine." he reassures them, especially taehee, holding on to taehee's hand while trying to let her loosen her grip on his sleeve.

"wait for my hand signal before leaving the basement." everyone nodded. jeonghan was preparing to walk towards the fake king, but jaemin hold on to jeonghan's shoulder.

"hey, when you are done, meet us at-"

"no, don't. don't let me know. just in case he finds out from my memories."

"alright. just don't die."

"noted. now, get ready." jeonghan let out one last breath before standing up and walking towards his father.

"your highness!" the guards and the "king" looked behind as jeonghan ran towards them.

"what's going on, jeonghan?" jeonghan makes sure all of their attention is towards him, so he stood at the end of the hallway, away from the sight of the rest.

"nothing, your highness. may I walk with you around the basement?" he then signalled the rest to go with his hand gesture. jaemin saw this and immediately dragged everyone out quickly out of the basement. being the last one to leave, he mouthed to jeonghan, "thank you."

I pray that all of you will reach your hiding place safely.

​