"Do you hear him coming?" Hyukjae whispers.

Donghae shakes his head. Hyukjae breathes in relief. He's carrying Eunji. Pacing slowly around her room. A hand is patting her back. Whenever Hyukjae turns... Donghae sees Eunji's face. She's blinking heavily. Clearly sleepy.

Yoona's chewing her lip. Her eyes follow Hyukjae too. She must be worried as well. Sungmin gets a bit loud. A bit too stressed. About where Hyukjae is. Where he isn't. Whether he's late. Dressed as he should be. Or not.

Hyukjae's not. He will very soon be late. Sungmin will come looking for him. Probably angry. He might wake Eunji up.

So Donghae's feeling some of it too. The stress. Eunji needs to be in her crib. Hyukjae needs to be out of here. Before Sungmin comes. Because Eunji will cry if she wakes. She's very attached to Hyukjae. She wouldn't want him to leave. She's fussy when tired.

Hyukjae does his best. To follow all orders here. He tries not to give any of them a hard time. But a small spark of defiance sometimes appears... regarding Eunji. So he might choose to stay. For his niece. Even if he'll be late for the King.

Yoona gets up. Approaches Hyukjae.

"Your highness," she says. "Let me take her now. You must be tired."

"Oh, no, I'm not. It's okay."

Hyukjae gently moves away. Continues pacing. Hums quietly. Eunji's eyes are half closed now.

Donghae hears it. The quick stomps of Sungmin's shoes.

"Your highness, he's three minutes away."

Hyukjae pauses. Stares at him pleadingly.

"Hyukjae, sir, I cannot leave you," Donghae reminds.

"I'll go stall him," Yoona says.

"Oh my god you're the best I love you," Hyukjae whispers after her. He then sways in spot. A little hurried. He Eunji's back. He sings softly. "Go to sleep, baby... go to sleep... Hyukjae has to see your dada... and have dinner... it's gonna be so awkward and I'm so nervous... but I'll try not to stuff my face... because that's not cool here..."

----

Yoona luckily stops Sungmin. From storming in. Hyukjae quietly slips out after Donghae. Finds Sungmin glaring at him.

"You are late!" Sungmin hisses.

"I knoww I'm sorry but it's Eunjii and I can't just leave Eunji--"

"After me!" Sungmin marches off.

Hyukjae thanks Yoona again. Shuffles behind Sungmin. Donghae gives him an encouraging smile.

----

He has wanted to talk to Hyukjae. Always. About... all of this. But Donghae has to remember his place. He's a special agent. Bodyguard. He serves the King. Hyukjae's now a prince. He will end up as the King's husband.

At some point.

"Do they not make you depressed?"

Donghae's heard Sungmin come. He didn't acknowledge him. But Sungmin likes to chat. When he's not stressed.

"I didn't really care much at first, you know," Sungmin goes on. Quiet. "His majesty's decisions. He can do what he wants if he thinks it'll help him deal with his loss, or... make him happier. But he requests too many bottles of liquor a week and I swear he goes to bed crying. It's sad because Hyukjae's... not a bad guy. Now, neither of them are happy and it's... yeah. That's so depressing."

Donghae doesn't comment. He keeps his eyes on Hyukjae. Who's at the long dinner table with Siwon. Just the two of them.

The lights around give both a glow. Siwon still dresses in mostly black. There are splashes of colour though. Recently. He has a red tie tonight. Hyukjae's in a light blue shirt. His dangling earrings glitter prettily.

Hyukjae's wardrobe's always decided for him. Yesung dresses him for any public appearances. Ryeowook does hair and makeup. Hyukjae has too many to impress. And continue to impress. Ever since the King decided to make him a prince. Sungmin helps Hyukjae choose clothes for meetings within the castle. Stops him from walking around in lounge wear. Or pajamas.

Not that Hyukjae would. Unless he knows the castle's empty. He just likes to joke around. Donghae understands why. Hyukjae's constantly anxious here. Stressed. He can tell when the staff are too. So he tries to lighten everyone up.

But he never tries... with Siwon. Maybe he can't.

Hyukjae's sitting across from Siwon now. All the way on the other end of the table. His head's mostly down. He's eating slowly. Unlike when he's with Eunji. Or with... Donghae. Or by himself. Those times... he eats like a chipmunk.

Siwon and Hyukjae are not speaking much. Hyukjae said he's always been awkward. He's never known how to interact with Siwon. Even before all of this. When his sister was alive. When Siwon was his brother-in-law.

"But he's the King!" Hyukjae had