Part Eleven

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Before Junhee incident

"So you're really the Byun Baekhyun, huh" 

Kyungsoo leans against the bed board, looking at the older man. He and Baekhyun are inside the room with the window popped opened. He was the one who opened the window without waiting for the owner to say anything. Baekhyun didn't say anything but only gave him a look. It's so dark in here was what Kyungsoo said to the man before he sighed and let the younger man. 

Baekhyun started telling him everything he had told Junhee; about his past, his family, his life. Kyungsoo didn't interrupt, he stayed quietly and listened. When the older man had finished, he sighed and leaned on the headboard. 

"Yes, yes I am" Baekhyun answered his statement. 

"You're a prince" Kyungsoo remarked and watches how Baekhyun shaking his head. "I don't feel like one. I don't feel like a prince anymore. Honestly, I would prefer living in the village, like you and Junhee. Life in the palace was not so fun either, they're strict and there's a lot of rules" 

The younger man shrugs, "Well, I don't have a comment on that. I've never been to the palace nor even see any high royals apart from the crown prince. Me and Junhee saw him unintentionally few years ago at a bookstore" 

The other man merely hums

"How's your relationship with Byun Daehyun? Did no one visits you since you're here?"  

Baekhyun purses his lips, "No one had successfully reached until this parts actually. Daehyun did met me a long time ago but it was when I came out from the forest because everytime he tried getting here, he got lost" he told the younger boy. "This part of the forest is enchanted, it tend to make people lost if you don't know where you are going. People are rare around here because the forest won't let it. The magic needs to be preserved. If the forest is so easy to explore, then they might hurt the forest and risk the lives of all the creatures living in this parts" he said and with his words, Kyungsoo makes a face. His mind suddenly brings him back to when his compass went malfunction. Was it because of the forest? He wanted to test it out but his lost his satchel. His things are in there. 

"Can I request you something" 

Kyungsoo snaps out from his thoughts when the man addressed him. He raises his eyebrows curiously, "What is that?" 

"Please keep Junhee safe here when the others come" Baekhyun said to him. He remains quiet, not knowing what to say. The older man sighs, closing his eyes with a frown as he continues, "I want to keep her safe, Kyungsoo. We don't know yet how many they will come but if they come for me, it won't be a simple encounter. If they know I have the pearl, that I am the pearl, then I can't guarantee I can control myself. A fight will happen" he told him and Kyungsoo can detect the pain in his voice. "I don't want Junhee to see me so please keep her away from me when it happens" Baekhyun finally opens his eyes and looks at Kyungsoo in the eyes. "Will you do that?" 

The latter replies back with a long gaze before he nods his head, "I will" he respond and earns a smile from Baekhyun. A sad and grateful smile. 

"Thank you" 

He hums, before he has a thought appear inside his head. "I will keep her safe but I have to remind you that this is Junhee we're talking about" he decides to voice out this topic. "She's stubborn and she....she likes you. If she knows you're going into war, she won't stay back" 

"Then don't tell her"

"I don't think it would be that simple"

"It is. Kyungsoo, you saw what I've became earlier. I c-couldn't control myself when your friends came. I was not myself. I d-don't want Junhee to see me when I turned into that man. I don't want to h-hurt her...please..." 

Kyungsoo stares, he remembers how it was earlier. When his friends were fighting Baekhyun. He remembers the power, the aura and the look the older man had. He keeps watching Baekhyun, thinking, before he sighs and nods again. "I'll keep her in the house" he told him, then he adds, "but I have to ask" 

The man looks at him questionably

"If there really is a fight, what are you going to do...are you really going to kill them all?" 

Baekhyun could only stare back. That is a question he wish he wouldn't have to answer.

"I don't know, Kyungsoo...I don't know..."

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Jongdae and Joon had arrived back at the village and the first thing the latter did was hollering to the people about the man that attacked them in the forest. Shouting to people to get their attention. 

"We met the creature! He's in the forest! We know where he is!" He yelled with big panicked eyes to the folks. Their blood and wounds on display for them to witness. His shouts were received well by the village men. The one that had the same intention as Jongdae and Joon. Some hollered back with enthusiasm, to get rid of the creature in the forest.  

Jongdae suddenly felt out of place as he watched Joon and the others scheming. Even when they got healed by a healer, Joon was still talking about the cloak man to his friends and more words that he don't understant. Joon's family were angry to see the damages his son got, especially his father. The man had talked to the chief about herding the people to capture the man who did to his son. As much as Jongdae wants to capture the man, his worry grew. People are shouting, ordering here and there. He even saw them gather blades, axes and swords. It was chaos. 

"Jongdae!" 

He turned around when his name being called, seeing Sehun and his other friends coming to him. He didn't respond, merely staring at them blankly. 

"What is happening? What's going on?" Chanyeol asked him, eyes wide after seeing some man holding long blades. "Why they're bringing weapons?" 

"Yah Jongdae, wake up!" Sehun shakes his shoulders when the man kept being silent. That seemed to snap Jongdae out of his mind. His eyes panicking and worrying. Seeing his expression, the others grew worry. "Hey, what's wrong? You said you're following Kyungsoo. Where is he?" 

"H-He...The cloak man took him. That man took Kyungsoo too" He finally spilled it out and eyes start to water when he remembered what happened earlier in the forest. How he failed to save his friend. "I-I'm sorry guys I c-could't save him. I couldn't save Junhee and now Kyungsoo got t-taken away too...I-I'm sorry..." 

"Shh" Jongin was the one who went over to hug the man. "It's ok, it's not your fault" He patted the man's back, giving comfort and reassuring him. "It's not your fault. You know that man's strong. We all know that"

"Jongin's right" Chanyeol joined in, he holds Jongdae's shoulder. "We all know he's powerful. It's a death wish that you guys went by yourselves" 

Jongdae shut his eyes and Jongin kept his back to calm him down. "So, what is going on here?"

"Are they going to the forest?" Sehun wondered out as he looked around at the men grouping in town right now. 

Jongdae nodded and opened his eyes. "Joon will lead them. We found another way to get into the forest and he said he saw where the man went to when he disappeared. Joon is gathering people to capture the man" 

"That's great then!" Sehun's eyes widen in excitement. "We can get Kyungsoo and Junhee back too"  

Jongdae didn't reply but he nodded

Chanyeol saw his sad expression and he reassured his friend again. "We going to get them back, Dae. Don't be sad, it wasn't your fault" 

Sehun nodded before he too moved to Jongdae and reached over to ruffle his hair. "Besides, I'm sure we're gonna get him this time. He's only a one person while we are many. The odds may be with us this time" 

Everyone else look around each other, wondering about it all together. Sehun blinked at their doubtful expression before he added, "Hopefully" 

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"Is this how you knew about her powers?" Kyungsoo asked Baekhyun from the side as he watch the man placed Junhee on the bed in her room. The latter pulls up the covers up her body up till her chin, letting her sleep warmly with the covers. The older man raises his head when he heard the question. The younger man holding up a book in his hand and he guessed it must be the book about the rose. "Half of this is latin though" Kyungsoo adds when he sees the nod Baekhyun gave him. 

"I can read latin" 

"Really?" 

"I learned it when I was 7" 

Kyungsoo whistle, impressed. "Damn, you royals are really advance than us. Must be great living there, you have access to everything" 

The man purses his lips, "It's sounds nice but it's not easy. We may have access to money but there is more than that that we have to handle. People in there are quick to judge and if I'm being honest, after I came here and be by myself, I finally felt free. No one to judge on what we do" 

"Living as a royal is a pain in the I see" 

Baekhyun smirks amusingly at the comment. "Yeah it was. You can say I was jealous of the people in the villages. I still do. You have a lot of freedom. Father kept me hidden in the palace so I wasn't able to go out and explore the villages we have in the Kingdom" he told him and earns a nod from the younger one.

"Have you ever been in a relationship before?" Asked Kyungsoo. "Any princesses you've been with?" 

Baekhyun chuckles and shakes his head. "No, I haven't. There is no girls around my age in the palace and certainly no princesses"

"You never met a princess?" 

"No"

"So, Junhee is the first girl you met?" 

Baekhyun hums, glancing down to Junhee who is sleeping soundly on the bed. "She is the first girl who ever wants to be close to me" he said. "I did met a couple of girls in the past but when they saw how weird my eyes and skin was, they left. It was a long time ago too when I was your age, maybe younger than you are right now" 

"So, you've never been in love?" 

The older man gives him a look. "You're asking so many questions about this"

Kyungsoo gives him a look of his own too. "Of course I want to know. You've kissed my best friend. You've hugged her and I don't want to know whether you two have touched each other or not. I asked because I don't want Junhee to make a mistake. You and her only met for a week. You still cannot be trusted, no matter how much she likes you" 

With those words, they both stare at each other. Both of them trying to read the other and none back away. It is a moment later when Baekhyun purses his lips and sits down next to Junhee. "I am serious with her. I've never felt this way before, other than my mother" he said and reaches out to brush her hair away from her face. She moves but does not wake up. "She doesn't treat me differently, she cares and showed me kindness no matter how much I tried to push her away"  

Kyungsoo remains quiet at the side

"Junhee was the first to move. She got close to me when I want nothing more but her light" Baekhyun continues, having a softer look on him as he stares at the sleeping girl. "She had a lot of questions, she was annoying but adorable. I couldn't shake her off. When she constantly got into my personal space, I couldn't resist. I fell...I fell hard for her" 

There is a moment of silent afterwards with Baekhyun look at Junhee with the softest and gentlest look he has. Then he hears a sigh from Kyungsoo. When he turns to look at the man, Kyungsoo gives his nod to Junhee. His expression turns softer. A tad bit. 

"You can stay with her. I'll be outside and use the couch. I'm beat after that saber chased me" He said and before he turns around Baekhyun calls for him. 

"Kyungsoo"

"Hmm?" 

"Do you love her?" 

That question seems to surprise the younger man. "Why do you ask?" 

"Because I want to continue being with her" Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo looks at him and Junhee and back to Baekhyun. "Yes, yes I do love her" Baekhyun blinks, some feelings start to brew inside him but then Kyungsoo continues. "I love her as my little sister, no more than that. As a brother, I want the best for her and word of advice Baekhyun" 

Baekhyun blinks

"Don't make her cry and don't leave her" 

Baekhyun continues to stare at him

"She lost her parents and I don't want her to lose anymore people in her life" Kyungsoo once again gives him a hard look. "I know your condition. Though I hope I'm not making a mistake in letting you be with her. If she's heartbroken, then I don't know what else to do than find you in the grave and bring you back to life just for me to kill you myself" he told him and he swear he notice the older man swallowing. He raises his eyebrows before he shrugs like he hadn't just said something like that. He claps his hand lightly, giving him a smile. The first smile he ever give to Baekhyun. "Well then, I will leave you two and go to sleep. Wake me up if there's anything" he said with those last words before he goes outside and closes door, leaving Baekhyun inside the room with Junhee. The man feels goosebumps crawling on his skin. 

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"Hey" Junhee moves her head, groggily opening her eyes to adapt herself to the dark again. She sees the outline body of Baekhyun laying on the bed next to her. The man is on his side as he watches her sleep. The more her eyes focus, the more she sees him clearly. "Aren't you a gentleman watching me sleep, you creep" She said with lighthearted tone. She adds a chuckle right after and earns herself a smile from the man. She turns to her side, facing him. "I didn't think I'd fell asleep" she sighs as she remembers the incident earlier. She then shakes her head to focus back on him. "What were you doing while I sleep?" 

"I learned a new thing today" 

She raises her eyebrows, "Oh and what is it?" 

"Your friend is scary" 

Her eyes widen before bursting out laughing. "Kyungsoo? What did he do?" 

"He...he warns me about being with you" Baekhyun told her and before she could reply he adds more. "But I know he means well. He's protective of you, I understand" 

"Did he warn you to not hug me too?" She wondered and the man looks confusedly at her before she continues with, "Because you're supposed to hug me like this" She said while wiggling herself closer to him and raises up his arm for her to slide under his arm. Her arm wraps around to hug him. She can feel the tension of his muscle before he relaxes and pushes her closer to him. She sighs in bliss at the contact. "You should hug me like this when I was sleeping"

"You were sleeping, I don't want to disturb you"

"You won't. You're warm so I might snuggle with you" 

He chuckles breathily and lands her a kiss on the top of her head. "My body is malfunctioning because of you" 

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously, moving her head backwards to see his face. He dips down his head to see her. 

"You're making me warm. I don't know how you do it but I'm turning warmer the longer I'm with you" 

"That's a good thing right?" 

He smiles, "Of course. I didn't know I could be...hot again. I've adapted to being cold skinned for years. I'