Baekhyun tapped his chin as he thought about what Dahae had said.

"She's like a vixen and it's obvious she's out to seduce Chanyeol-gun!"

Baekhyun shook his head. He wasn't doubting that Byul was seducing Chanyeol, but the fact that had slipped his mind because Byul was such a tomboy and independent that he tended to forget she was a girl.

That's right, Han Eunbyul was a freaking girl. The first girl that he had seen Chanyeol interacting with.

He would have noticed it earlier if he wasn't so fired up about bickering with Byul and all, but now wasn't too late. To be honest Baekhyun had never seen Chanyeol talk to any of the other girls in the palace. Be they princesses, gisaengs, court ladies or maids, Chanyeol never seemed to exchange anything more than a polite conversation.

His mind trailed to Chanyeol the previous day.

He seemed at ease with Byul, not afraid to laugh and voice out his thoughts, and he certainly seemed to get along with her pretty well. Was it because Byul was so much like a guy that Chanyeol treated her like one? Or was it because he felt something more than platonic?

Baekhyun was determined to find out.

The next day when they met up with the EXO-K princes, Baekhyun observed Chanyeol and Byul from the corner. The gang had chosen to go for a short gallop just outside the Palace, and Dahae wasn't invited since she couldn't stand horses. Heh.

Besides D.O., who absolutely loved horses and reared a few of his own, Chanyeol and Byul were the other two who seemed to ride horses so comfortably, it seemed as though they were walking on their own. The ones that were good with their stallions rode in front while the others followed behind.

Baekhyun was stuck with the other dongsaengs as they chattered noisily, with his only hyung Suho trying to hush them. Baekhyun wanted to whack both Sehun and Kai on the head since they wouldn't stop talking, and creating distraction for his very subtle detective work on Chanyeol's love life.

"Waah~ Look at the eagles!" Sehun pointed above at the sky. "They look so majestic and everything!"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Haven't you seen one before?" he snorted. "If we were all birds I think you'd be a hummingbird. Small and weak and humming all the time, just like that mouth of yours that doesn't stop talking."

"Hey!" Sehun pouted angrily and jerked his leg accidentally. His stallion moved forward suddenly and he struggled with the reins, only just managing to stop his horse. He panted, slightly put out.

"Kai, don't be rude to your dongsaeng." The motherly Suho chided. "Look, he almost got into an accident."

Kai made a face. "That's because hummingbirds don't ride horses." he cleverly retorted.

"Hyung!" Sehun pouted, huffing and puffing. Baekhyun shook his head and rolled his eyes. They were being so noisy all the time he couldn't hear what Chanyeol and Byul were talking about in front. Even D.O. didn't seem to be able to join into the conversation since the two closed everyone else out of it.

"Hush you guys." Baekhyun hissed. "I want to ask you guys something."

The three other princes looked at Baekhyun curiously. "What is it?" Suho blinked.

"Well, as Yeol's hyung and all," Baekhyun clarified. "I wanted to ask if you think Yeol has shown interest in any girl yet. I mean, I'm just curious." he looked at them.

Sehun tapped his chin. "Hmm? Girls?" he asked cutely. "How do you act when you like a girl?" he asked innocently. "Is it like how hyung acts in front of Dahae gongju?"

Baekhyun made a face. "Weeeeelll, something like that."

"I don't think so." Sehun scratched his head. "Cause I don't see Chanyeol hyung going around following girls like a puppy." he blurted.

Irritation flashed in Baekhyun's eyes but he couldn't blame Sehun. Sehun only said what he felt and thought and there was no stopping him.

Kai thought for a bit. "Well, Chanyeol hyung hasn't interacted with girl pretty much all along." he commented. "He doesn't seem interested in them like you do, hyung." he smirked slightly.

He looked in front where Byul and Chanyeol were talking. "If there's one girl Chanyeol can get along with, it's Byul noona."

Baekhyun's face brightened. Just what he wanted to ask about. "Do you think....there might be a possibility that Yeol likes Han Eunbyul?" he asked interested.

Suho shot him a look. "Why do you look so sinister when you ask that?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'm just interested in my dongsaeng's love life can't I be?" Baekhyun retorted. He grinned and made his stallion trot closer to theirs. "So? What do you think?"

Suho's expression was unreadable but it seemed like he knew something the others didn't. Baekhyun waited impatiently but he didn't dare make a sound, knowing that Suho's personality would lead him giving some hints in the end.

True enough, Suho finally opened his mouth. He looked at Baekhyun slyly and grinned. "I can't say it for myself, you'll have to see it." Suho shrugged. "All I can tell you is that Chanyeol doesn't eat lunch with us anymore. He goes off somewhere himself and only comes back either."

Baekhyun blinked, surprised. Didn't the princes eat together, always?

"Where does he go?" Baekhyun probed, dying of curiosity.

Suho grinned. "If you want to know, stalk him yourself. I'm not sharing my findings."

"Damn that Suho hyung." Baekhyun swatted another fly. "He just wanted me to suffer in the bushes like him huh?" he muttered under his breath. Baekhyun had snuck off to Chanyeol's quarters just before lunch. He convinced Byul to take an early lunch and she had gone off too.

He waited outside Chanyeol's residence, hiding behind a large pot of plant. The day was furiously hot and there were summer flies flying around everywhere, irritating him. And it wasn't helping that he was wearing one of his better robes that day, which also meant thicker. He was certain he'd die of heatstroke if Chanyeol didn't come out any time soon.

"Yeol. If you care about your hyung, come out right now and let's get the stalking started." Baekhyun muttered to himself, fanning madly.

As though Chanyeol heard his wishes, the door opened right then and Chanyeol stepped out of them. He closed it gently and walked off, carrying a large bento in his hands, wrapped in a silk handkerchief. Baekhyun grinned, rubbing his palms together like some sinister mastermind. *Let's see where you're off to Yeol.*

Chanyeol walked all the way across the Palace to one of the quieter gardens in the corner. Royals don't usually visit this one since it's kind of out of the way, and when you've got Palaces as big as this, going from one corner to the other would make it quite a journey.

Baekhyun hid behind trees and pillars as he followed Chanyeol.

They arrived at the garden and Baekhyun took in the sight for a bit. He hadn't come to this garden for sometime and it looked even more magnificent than he remembered. He must remember to ask the King to give the gardener a wage raise.

"Byul!"

Chanyeol's voice made Baekhyun snap out of his thoughts. His eyes widened as Chanyeol walked over to Byul who was sitting on a large rock with a bowl of rice and kimchi in her hands. His smile was bright and brilliant, looking completely blissful while Byul waved back. "Hey."

Baekhyun's mind whirled. He didn't notice how familiar Chanyeol and Byul were with each other, more than Byul with any of the other princes. Could it be because she spent more time with Chanyeol than the others?

"You're early today." Chanyeol noted, settling down beside her and unravelling the silk handkerchief that held his bento. "I'm normally earlier than you."

Byul grinned. "Ddong-ha wanted an early lunch today." she shrugged. "Wonder why. He ate his breakfast later this morning." she muttered. "Being stupid must take up a lot of energy huh?"

Baekhyun frowned. *Yah Han Eunbyul, I'm not stupid!*

"At least I've got good dishes today." Chanyeol announced, opening his bento. Byul's eyes widened at the array of goodies inside. "Look I made the cooks prepare spicy eggplants today."

Your favorite. The words hung in the air as Chanyeol looked over at her drooling, but Byul didn't notice. Baekhyun did.

"Here. Have some more." Chanyeol scooped the dishes onto Byul's tiny bowl generously. "I can't finish them."

"You shouldn't even have asked the cooks to make so much if you can't finish." Byul chided. "I'm always clearing up after you."

Chanyeol gave a sheepish smile. "Thanks then." he watched her eat the spicy eggplants, knowing that she loved them. "How is it?"

"Heaven." Byul groaned appreciatively. "The cooks in the Palace are sure different." she smiled. She looked over at his bento and noticed that he had transferred all his spicy eggplants over to her bowl. "Omo. You've left nothing for yourself! Here, have some." she scooped half her spicy eggplants back to his bento.

Chanyeol shifted uncomfortably. "Uhm, you can have them all since you like them so much."

"Yeah cause it's delicious!" Byul smiled. "So you should try it too! Come on, don't let the cooks' effort go to waste!" she beamed.

Chanyeol picked up his chopsticks uncertainly. He picked up one piece of eggplant and gulped at the sight of it. He looked over at her and saw her watching intently, urging him to swallow.

Chanyeol opened his mouth and stuffed the eggplant in, gulping it down before even tasting it. "Is it good?" Byul asked cheerfully.

Chanyeol nodded. "Hmm."

---

Baekhyun watched the scene in interest. "This is something." he muttered. "Chanyeol doesn't even like eggplants. He'd throw a fit if the cooks prepared it in his dish. I can't imagine he'd actually pretend he wanted to eat them for Han Eunbyul."

His eyes narrowed on the two as a plan formed in his mind. *This is going better than I imagined.*