Baekhyun paced in front of the main gates with Chanyeol.

The two of them looked similarly pale faced and panic-strickened as they walked around, staring at the gate occasionally to see if Byul had returned. "Do you think the head of guards would capture her for sneaking away?" Baekhyun asked, horrified.

Chanyeol shook his head. "Nah. Byul's good friends with everyone. The head of guards would let her off."

Baekhyun nodded, slightly relieved. But when he looked up at the sky, the sun seemed to have moved a good bit and was almost setting. "But she's been gone for so long." Baekhyun muttered worriedly. "What if something happens?"

Chanyeol his lips, the same worry clouding his mind. "I don't know hyung." he murmured. "We just have to wait."

Baekhyun nodded, clenching his fists and taking deep breaths to cool himself down. He felt awful right then, as bad as the dirt under his feet. How could he have been so insensitive, so arrogant and bratty? He didn't want Byul to suffer because of him and had sworn to himself not to inflict unnecessary sufferings on others since the time Byul took the canings for him when he sneaked into the brothel.

But here he did it again. Unknowingly, being the insensitive freak he was, he caused Byul to suffer again. The knowledge that he wasn't able to protect her for the second time made it feel so much worse.

Even though she was his bodyguard and she was supposed to be protecting him, he didn't want it to be so. He felt that he had the responsibility for Byul's well-being at least, and wanted to do it right for her.

The sky started to get darked and the princes were still waiting. It was time for dinner and there were maids and court attendants here and there, looking for the two princes to ask them to dinner.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol hid behind the stables and pressed their fingers to their nose, trying hard not to breathe too deeply because of the stench. They felt hungry and sleepy from staring at the gate all day, but that didn't stop them from waiting.

Finally when they were almost dosing off to dream land, they heard a woman's voice calling out. "Chanyeol-gun~"

Both of them jumped from their hiding places and raced outside, eager to see Byul again. And instead they were greeted with the Princess Dahae. "Chanyeol-gun! There you are!" Dahae raced over to Chanyeol and beamed. She looked over at Baekhyun and barely registered his prescence. "Oh Jeonha you're here too. Where were you Chanyeol-gun? You left me in the gardens all of a sudden and I was looking for you all afternoon!"

Chaneyol wanted to smack his head on the wall. Really, Dahae now?

For the first time, Baekhyun didn't feel the pinch when he saw Dahae clinging onto Chanyeol like that. Usually, he would have wished so desperately that the guy Dahae was holding onto was him, but now he didn't have time to think about those things.

He strayed off and inched towards the main gates, frowning. Dahae's chattering and Chanyeol's replying grunts faded into the background as Baekhyun waited. He wringed his hands about impatiently, getting more and more worried and wondering why she wasn't back yet.

Just as he was thinking about whether to get the army to conduct a search party, the main gates opened and a figure limped into the yard. Byul looked pale and on the verge of fainting, and her face contorted in pain every time she took a step.

Baekhyun felt like he was a spawn of the devil when he saw her like that because of him.

He swallowed hard. "Han Eunbyul."

Byul snapped her head to look in his direction and looked surprised to see him waiting. "Oh Ddong-ha." she muttered. She held out a paper bag. "Here I have your pancakes." she smiled weakly.

Baekhyun bit his lip and walked over to her in large confident strides. He yanked her forward and threw the bag of pancakes over his head. Byul frowned at his actions. "Hey-"

But he shut her up by crashing her body to his and wrapping his arms around her so tightly that she could barely breathe. "Oh my gosh. I thought I'd die of waiting." he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Byul blinked, staring at the arms that were pressing against her. "Y-yah Ddong-ha.." she stumbled over her words nervously. "What got into you?" she poked him.

Baekhyun seemed to realize what he was doing and he tore away from her awkwardly. He cleared his throat and looked at her leg. He couldn't see anything with the robe covering her legs but from the wobbly stance, it seemed to be clearly painful.

Byul looked over his shoulder and saw Chanyeol and Dahae, with the girl trying to hammer a response out of the guy. Chanyeol hadn't seen her yet, still trying to get Dahae's hands off him.

"Oh there's Dahae gongju, shouldn't you go and-" Byul started, when suddenly Baekhyun turned around and took her hands, wrapping it around his neck. He bent down and took her legs, carrying her piggy back style. Byul's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" she hissed, looking around. "What if someone sees-"

"You can barely walk you toot." Baekhyun muttered. He strode away, not sparing Chanyeol and Dahae a glance. For tonight, he thought, he would repay his debts to Byul. "The least I can do is carry you back."

Byul bit her lip, uncomfortable. She wasn't used to being cared for, she wasn't used to be protected. She was the one doing those things to other people. "But I-"

"Just shut up."

"Damn." Baekhyun winced even though the wound wasn't on him.

He carried Byul back to his quarters and summoned the Imperial Physician. The Physician was a little put off that the important him was summoned to treat a lowly bodyguard but Baekhyun paid him little heed.

When the physician made Byul roll her robe up to her knees, Baekhyun swallowed. The white cloth that was used to tie her wound up was thoroughly soaked in blood. When the physician took the cloth away, there was a large gaping wound that seemed to be much worse than what Chanyeol described to him.

Even the Physician winced. "You didn't take good care of it didn't you?" he chided. "The infection's really serious." he shook his head.

Baekhyun wanted to knock Byul on the head. Didn't the girl have some sense to take care of herself? The Physician cleaned the wound and Baekhyun offered his hand unexpectedly for Byul to hold on to. Her grip nearly broke his hand off as she gritted her teeth while the Physician worked his way up her leg.

Despite the pain, Baekhyun couldn't help but admire how strong Byul was. She didn't even let out a cry or a sob even though it must hurt a lot. The only thing she did was attempt to break his arm which he wasn't very grateful for.

"It's done." the Physician told her, after applying some herbs on her wound too cool the flaming flesh."Change the bandage twice everyday." he reminded. "Don't let your wound touch water just yet. It's important not to let it get any more infected."

"How about herbs? Doesn't it need herbs?" Baekhyun asked.

The Physician looked a little stumped. "Uhm yes...but I thought since she's-" Baekhyun cut in before waiting for him to finish talking. "Okay. Then get her ten packets of herbs. She'll need them."

"Ten?" the physician yelped. "But Jeonha if you knew how expensive-"

"Okay you're dismissed." Baekhyun waved his hands. The Imperial Physician looked at Baekhyun for a bit, looking reluctant, but bowed and went away. Byul looked at Baekhyun and bit her lip. "You didn't need to do that. It'll heal by itself someday."

"Maybe." Baekhyun nodded. "And maybe your whole leg will rot and I'll have a bodyguard with only one leg." he rolled his eyes sarcastically. "That's fantastic isn't it?"

Byul made a face, somewhat relieved that he was using sarcasm on her and talking to her again. Baekhyun sighed and sat down beside her. He stared at the floor, not knowing how to go about saying the things he wanted to say.

"Han Eunbyul..." Baekhyun took a deep breath. "I...I'm really sorry for all these." he looked at her sincerely. "I heard it all from Chanyeol. You didn't mean to insult me and you were trying to comfort me. I should have known you would use that sort of sarcasm to go about doing it since that's the only way we can communicate and I'm sorry I misunderstood."

He played with his fingers. "I admit I wasn't too angry with you to have kept giving you the cold shoulder till now. The reason why I was mean to you was because I was venting my frustration on my failed romance on you. And for that, I apologize." he stared into her eyes. "I can't believe I didn't even notice you were hurt even though you're around me all the time. I'm sorry for my behavior, Han Eunbyul."

Byul looked at him, touched. "Ddong-ha..."

"Yah." Baekhyun snapped out of it, grinning. "Don't you fall in love with me just because I'm being nice okay? And don't you forget how the Crown Prince is apologizing to you right now when he never did before."

Byul laughed and punched his arm lightly. "Arraso conceited prince."

The two of them fell into companionable silence, thinking about the things that happened the past few days. Byul couldn't help but ask the question that had been bugging her for a long time. "But if you like Dahae Gongju so much, why were you flirting with all the girls before she came back?"

Baekhyun shrugged. "Before Dahae went, I jokingly suggested that I marry her someday." he told her. "Dahae's response was not one I expected. She said she would never marry a boy. She wanted a man and Chanyeol was more of a man than I was. I was devastated when I heard that. She said she would never marry a guy who did nothing but follow behind her all day."

Byul looked at him, wondering how Dahae could say those things.

"She thought she didn't want a guy who's not a challenge." Baekhyun shrugged. "A guy who's so easily available for her." he muttered. "So I thought I'd build up my flirty character and break hearts here and there to prove that I'm man enough to charm the other girls. And when she sees me with someone else, she may be jealous enough to come to me."

"But it isn't working?" Byul whispered.

Baekhyun looked at her sadly and shook his head. "Nope it isn't. That's why I don't even bother keeping that front up any longer." he muttered. "It seems no matter what I do she isn't going to like me."

"Ddong-ha..." Byul looked at him sympathatically. Baekhyun pushed her forehead playfully and grinned. "And if you dare pity me I'll marry you off to Eunhyuk." he threatened.

Byul's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

Baekhyun tapped his chin. "Hmm I don't know. He seems like a nice guard and caring to you..."

"He's just a brother!" Byul hissed. "Don't you dare do anything like that!"

"Try me then."

"Yah Ddong-ha!!"

...

And they were back to normal again.