Staring blankly at the window, Sehun cursed himself over and over again, how could he be so stupid, what was wrong with him? What had gotten into him? Why did he say those things? Why did Kyungsoo bothered him? For Angel sake the poor lad had died. He stood up and began pacing, thinking over and over what to do. He didn't want to lose Kai's friendship, he was falling in love with Kai and that made him acted like a child. Kai had said hurtful things to him but Sehun had started it, it wasn't Kai's fault that he was falling for the dwarf, it wasn't his fault that Sehun couldn't get what he wanted from him. Kai had been kind, very kind and had offered his friendship without second thoughts. Sehun should not let anything come in the way of said friendship, he should bury his rapidly growing feelings in the depth of his heart and pretend he never felt those things. He should apologise to Kai and continue being friends. Being friends with Kai was better than nothing, better than quarrelling. Pausing for a moment, Sehun looked up when Jungkook walked in. Now that Jungkook was here, Sehun realized he hadn't seen the other for quite a while. Jungkook bowed deeply before he straightened up and smiled at Sehun. Sehun didn't know why he did what he did next as he strode forward and threw himself into Jungkook's broad chest. A startled sound escaped Jungkook's  lips, before he brought his arms to wrap them around Sehun. "I am here now" Jungkook said and began to rub Sehun's back in a soothing way without uttering another word. And Sehun was grateful, he was grateful Jungkook didn't ask him, he was grateful Jungkook just held him because it wasn't every day he got to hug his knights, despite how close he was with them. Jungkook squeezed his middle and Sehun buried his face into the crook of his neck. It felt nice, it felt nice to hold his friend and be held in return.  They didn't hear him, nor see him but Kai entered into the room only to stop dead In tracks and placed a hand over his aching chest before he hastily turned around and left. After a while Sehun pulled back and looked up to Jungkook's face, who was still smiling and there was a genuine happiness in his Knight's eyes. "What?" Sehun asked when he couldn't bring himself to keep staring at Jungkook's face as he sheepishly lowered his head. "Just really happy to get a hug from you, I can't remember the last time we did that." Sehun nodded. "Three years ago? When I told you about my uality." Jungkook reached up and brushed the hair of Sehun's face. "That's an awfully long time." He looked up again, and Sehun almost felt overwhelmed from the look Jungkook was giving him. "So where have you been?" He decided to ask. "Jimin invited me to his house and wouldn't let me leave, saying you don't need me right now, Chanyeol and Jennie were there to keep you safe." "Oh" Sehun grinned. "Glad to know you're becoming fast friends with Jimin." Jungkook nodded. "Taemin was there too, the three of us had a good time sharing stories and games." "Glad to hear that." Sehun said and he meant it, he had seen the way Jimin had looked at Jungkook and Sehun hoped something more than friendship would bloom between his two friends. "So want to talk about it?" Jungkook asked after a moment. Sehun took a deep breath and shook his head. "No" he said and Jungkook didn't push, he only smiled and nodded before he changed the subject. "How's Blink? I haven't seen her in an eon" Jungkook exaggerated, eyes darting towards Blink's trunk. "Sleeping" Sehun said, and he could hear the fondness in his own voice. "By the Angel! Does she do something other than sleep?" Sehun laughed softly. "I guess not"  "She's going to become fat." "I want her to become fat" "But maybe her boyfriend wouldn't want that." Jungkook said like it was the most sensible thing to say. This time Sehun laughed hard, he forgot how humorously Jungkook could be, when they're being just two friends, not a knight and a prince. After catching his breath, Sehun placed a hand over his chest and gasped dramatically, as though Jungkook had talked about his teenage daughter seeing a boy. "No, he'll have to love her the way she is or else I won't approve of their love." Jungkook laughed too and it was nice to hear it. He moved to Blink's trunk and bent on his knees before turning to face Sehun. "Let's ask her how she feels about that." He opened the trunk and Blink opened her eyes lazily blinking up at Jungkook before she made a happy sound and leaped into his lap almost knocking him down. "I've missed you too" Jungkook said, dropping a kiss to Blink's head and Sehun couldn't stop smiling. "By the Angel, you're really getting fat" he mused and Blink only acknowledge that by wiggling her tail. "She–" Sehun began but was cut off by a knock on the door. His eyes snapped at the door before he turned to look at Jungkook. "Put her back." He mouthed and Jungkook hastily did as told. When Sehun was sure Blink was secured, he motioned for Jungkook to answer the door as he straightened his tunic, adjusted his posture to look like the prince he was. But when the opened he realized he didn't need to do that. Because Soojung came dashing towards him with a shriek. "Uncle Sehun!" She jumped once, twice before throwing her little body onto him. Sehun caught her, and lifted her off the ground to kiss her cheek. "Hello to you too." "I wanted to come see you but my mommas wouldn't let me, saying I had to pass my training and when I did passed they still wouldn't let me come saying you needed some time alone with uncle Kai, because you're still newly Weds. Why would you want some time alone with uncle Kai?" She asked, peering into his face. Sehun felt his cheeks heating up, he looked away to hide his face from Soojung's never ending questions and that was when he realized Soojung's guards were standing stiffly at the door, they all bowed when Sehun locked eyes with a few of them and Sehun inclined his head in acknowledgement . "Do you know there will be a party tonight?" She said cheerfully, then pouted before she add. "But mommas says I won't stay long because i have to go to bed early and something about the time not being appropriate for kids" Sehun resisted the urge to coo, instead he smiled and reached to brush a few strands of her silky hair out of her face. "your mommas are right." "But I want to dance and wish grandma happy birthday." "And you'll have enough time to do that." He promised, because he knew her mothers would allow her such liberty. She reached to touch her hair and once again she pouted. And this time Sehun actually cooed at how cute she was."Grandma usually braid my hair but she's busy and my mommas won't do it for me, they asked my maid to do it but I don't want her to, do you know how to braid uncle Sehun?" "You want me to braid your hair?" She nodded instantly. "Yes, i want you to." Sehun felt his heart growing at same time shrinking when he thought of his sister, how he used to sit her down and braid her hair. He shook the thought and grinned at Soojung. "I would love that." "Perfect!" She leaned to kiss his cheek. "Come on then" and she turned to look around the room, her eyes landed on Jungkook and she gave him a small wave of her hand. "Oh, you're uncle Jimin's boyfriend aren't you?" Sehun could see Jungkook's cheeks turned red, he ducked his head to hide it. "Your highness!" He greeted before lifting his head to look at at Soojung. "No I am not" "But he said you were" she said wiggling in Sehun's arm. Sehun got the hint and carefully place her on the floor.  "He did?" Jungkook asked and his already big eyes widened. Soojung nodded. "I heard uncle Jimin telling uncle Kai you two spent the night together very intimately." "Oh forgive me your highness, I uhm–" Jungkook made a gesture towards the door, as he did his best to avoid Sehun's eyes. "Have to go get ready for the event." Soojung just nodded and Sehun watched with amusement as Jungkook hastily walked out. He let out a small laugh at the realization that Jungkook hadn't been with Jimin out of friendship, he had been with the other doing things normal friends wouldn't. Shaking his head to himself, Sehun led Soojung to the bed, he sat down bringing her into his lap, carefully turning her to face the other side. She handed out a comb Sehun didn't know she had with her, he didn't comment on it and instead commenced with the task at hand. Soojung was entertaining him with stories about her friends and family while he braided her hair. Her hair was so soft than he anticipated it would be. As he sat there waving his fingers in the silky smooth hair, a feeling of nostalgic washed over him. He remembered the last time he had braided his sister's hair, when they had sat in his tent, Joo-hyun telling him about her feelings for Seulgi. A small smile curved his lips, he wondered if his sister had taken his advice and talked to Seulgi or if she was still bottling it up. She didn't say anything about it in her short letters, she had only focused on wanting to get Sehun out of Enchancia. "Uncle Sehun, do you know grandfather had braided my hair a few times?" Soojung's voice revived him from his thoughts. He blinked when he realized she had twisted to face him, a beaming smile on her face. "Oh he did?" He asked, he couldn't imagine someone like Heechul sitting and braiding Soojung's hair. She nodded and turned away to let him finish. "When I asked grandmother to do it, he'll offer to do it for me when he isn't sitting on his throne." She giggled. "That was very nice of him." She hummed. "Are you done?"  Sehun finished the last touch and patted her shoulder. "Yes your highness." She hopped down his lap and trotted to where the reflector was. Looking at herself in the mirror, Soojung jumped with an excited sound. "It's really beautiful." She twisted from left to right. "I love it." Suddenly Sehun's arms were full with a happy girl who wouldn't stop gushing about her hair. "Thank you so much."  "Your highness!" One of Soojung's guards said with a deep bow. "It is time to go" She pouted, then nodded and kissed Sehun's cheek before hopping down and  jogged towards the exit. She turned to wave at Sehun with another thanks before walking out. Letting out a breath, Sehun stood up with the intend to get ready for the celebration.
*** The party was just like the previous one Sehun had attended, the only difference here was that it was taking place in the courtyard. His eyes traveled around, were automatically drawn to Kai across the room who was sat beside his father. Damn, it had to be that short limbs. Even among the heavy decorations of the Enchancians that surrounded him, Kai stood out like a fleck of blood on fresh snow. To his right the qeeen, Taeyeon, Taehyung, Sooyeon, Soojung and Junmyeon were all seated on the dais set for the Royals. Swallowing around a lump, Sehun made his way over, he greeted the king and queen first, wishing her a many happy returns of the day before he moved to sit on the chair he believed to be set for him next to Kai's. Kai stiffened and turned to face Sehun. "Can I have a word?" He asked but Sehun's attention was elsewhere. Sehun looked around and his eyes landed on Junmyeon who had a grim expression on his face. He glowered when his eyes met with Sehun's and Sehun quickly looked away and focused on Soojung who was holding her long braid, muttering something to her mother and pointing towards Sehun. Taeyeon smiled at him with slight bow of her head and Sehun smiled back. The king picked up his fork and was about to take a bite of his food but Taehyung, who was sitting next to the queen quickly placed a hand on his father's and shook his head. Heechul grumbled something under his breath before pushing his plate to the side and picked up Taehyung's. He glanced at his youngest son and Taehyung gave a curt nod before Heechul began to eat. Taehyung's took the King's plate and started to eat it as well. Sehun wondered why they exchanged plates but he didn't voice it out as he continued to stare at Heechul. Heechul's eyes met Sehun's making Sehun to squirm in his seat. Heechul raised an eyebrow. "Are you the one that poisoned my food prince Sehun?" He asked in amusement. Sehun's eyes widened, the king's food had been poisoned? By the Angel! Why wasn't anyone doing anything? And the way Heechul sounded so casual about it like this wasn't the first time it had happened and if Heechul's food had been poisoned why was Taehyung eating said food with a smile on his face as though he was having his favorite meal? Then his brain finally caught up with what Heechul had implied, Sehun instantly shook his eyes becoming even wider. "No I would never." His eyes flickered to Taehyung and he wanted to stop him– to ask why. "Taehyung– why is he–" Heechul actually laughed, he laughed staring at Sehun with a look he had never seen on the king's face, as though he was only messing with Sehun. "Of course I know you wouldn't dare, you do not have the balls prince Sehun. This is again someone close to me, that's why I have my precious son to detect any poison. And the good thing is he is immune to it, only Taehyung could eat poisonous foods and would remain as healthy as he had been." He reached to Taehyung's hand and Sehun let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "The thing is, someone wants my throne and would do anything to get it." Sehun watched Junmyeon flinched but he wasn't sure if anyone had noticed. He wanted to ask, wanted to say something about such treachery, but Sehun bit down on his lips to stop himself. "But I am too stubborn to die so easily." Heechul added before he focused on his food once again as if the conversation never happened. "Can I have a word please?" Kai repeated and Sehun snapped his attention back to the dwarf suddenly realizing he hadn't responded but his mind was still swirling around the fact that the king had been poisoned and nothing was done about it.