Staying in the Palace all day wasn't too much of an interesting thing, which was why when the weather was fine and the animals were all active in the woods, the royals usually went hunting.

The EXO-K princes packed their things excitedly and got into their horses. The ones who couldn't stand riding the horses for prolonged periods of time sat in the sedan.

The thing about going to hunting was that the princes would bring a girl along with them. It was like a cat who hunted a rat and brought it back to it's owner. When the princes caught any large prized animal, it would make them really proud to show it off to the girl that mattered to them.

The EXO-K princes hadn't brought any girls along with them before since they hadn't found the girls that mattered to them. Sometimes the princes' cousins would tag along, or their sisters and whatnot, but none of the girls that went were love interests.

Even Baekhyun, who was renowned as the world's biggest player, hadn't brought any girls along with him because he knew just how important this place was.

This year's hunting trip saw two new additions to the group. Princess Dahae and Byul.

Baekhyun's girl would be Dahae and he made Chanyeol take Byul, saying how his bodyguard had to have a man too. Which was nonsense to his ears but Chanyeol believed every word of it. It seems love not only made people blind, but deaf as well. Hmm.

The day came when they were supposed to set off and the gang went off, their spirits high as they waved goodbye to the King and Queen who came to send them off. "Baekhyun's taking Dahae." the King muttered.

The Queen sighed. "Not a good choice huh?" she murmured. "I wonder how long it would take for his little crush to finally die down. It's taking such a long time." she shook her head. Despite their disappointment, they managed to plaster a cheerful smile on their faces and waved at the departing group.

Sehun, Kai, Suho and Dahae took the sedan while the others took horses. There were bows and arrows packed as well, swords and spears. The EXO-K princes had gone on these sort of hunting trips in the past but there had always only been one winner.

Park Chanyeol.

Gifted with martial arts skills, Chanyeol was naturally the one who could aim the best with an arrow and bow, fight most swiftly with a sword and fling a spear with the most strength. Baekhyun hadn't been bothered by it in the past, but this year he wanted to beat Chanyeol.

No hard feelings against his dongsaeng of course, but he wanted to show Dahae that whatever Chanyeol could do, he could too. Byul had tutored him shooting and stuff in the backyard for a few days and found him exceptionally obedient, much to her pleasure.

The gang travelled to the forest a few dozen miles away, taking a few hours.

"Why aren't we there yet?" Sehun huffed, fanning himself with a flower embroided fan and not bothered by the picture he caused. "It's soooooo hot in here."

"We're reaching the tent soon you toot." Kai muttered, frowning. He did a double take at his dongsaeng and nearly puked. "You're a man for goodness sake can you not use such a thing?" he snatched the fan away from Sehun and threw it out of the window.

It hit D.O. on the head and he howled in pain. "Yah Kai!" he whined, almost unsettling his horse.

Kai grinned playfully. "Oops~"

"Kai." Suho looked at Kai reprimandingly, sighing to himself. As the mother of the group, he wasn't there to hunt, really. He was there to make sure that his fellow princes wouldn't get into trouble and whatnot. Really tiring as the oldest and taking on the mother hen role.

Dahae looked out of the window and saw Chanyeol riding his brown stallion beside the sedan and sighed dreamily. *Chanyeol-gun is so good-looking.*

She glanced at the other window and saw Baekhyun riding his pure black stallion and Byul riding her white mare. Baekhyun too looked really handsome and sleek, but the image was kind of destroyed since he and Byul were bickering once again. It seemed the two didn't ever stop any where.

Dahae looked at Baekhyun and a smug smile came onto her face. *And there goes the Crown Prince who's besotted with me. And the vixen who wants to steal Chanyeol-gun from me. .* she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Dahae settled into her seat with a smile. Maybe she would just use Baekhyun's affections to her advantage after all. If Chanyeol saw her and Baekhyun getting on well, perhaps he would grow jealous. What a marvelous plan. And being courted by the crown prince was one great feeling as well.

Dahae squinted her eyes at her nails. *Oh well." she flicked her hair. *I am the most beautiful girl of the land after all.*

The gang arrived at the white tent at the boundary of the forest.

The tent was used by royals for centuries to rest in between their hunting trips. The ladies would rest there while their princes went into the forest to hunt. Dahae went into the large tent first to rest from the travelling and the others followed in.

"So who do you think will win this time?" Suho chuckled, buckling his bag of arrows behind his back.

"Need you even ask?" D.O. rolled his eyes. "I may be the best on the horses but Chanyeol-hyung always caught the most animals within the shortest time. He's a tiger."

Chanyeol smiled silently, not adding any comments.

Baekhyun pouted. "Don't be cocky too quickly Yeol." he looked at Chanyeol warningly. "This year I'll try my best and I'll beat you!" he grinned.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Since when didn't you try your best and still lost, Baekhyun hyung?" he muttered.

Byul chuckled. She believed in Baekhyun, seeing how he put in all his effort for this. She knew that he was doing all these for Dahae and couldn't say she understood his intentions and reasons. But she knew he was serious about it and hoped he would do well.

"Well ladies, wait here while we come back victorious." Sehun thumped his chest. "We will make you proud."

Kai's face contorted in disgust and the rest of the hyungs laughed madly. "Where did you get that, Sehun?" Suho howled in laughter, wiping tears.

Sehun pouted. "Why? One of the noona court attendants told me that it'd be cool to say that." he whined. "Wasn't it cool?"

The hyungs burst out in laughter and Sehun's face fell. He seemed to be genuinely sad that his line didn't work to his expectations. Byul patted the maknae's head. "It's cool to me Sehun-gun. Don't be sad."

Sehun brightened at her words and beamed. "Gomawo noona! For you, I'll catch a lion!" he boasted.

Dahae leaned over. "It's cool to me too Sehun-gun." she added, wanting to join in.

Sehun ignored her and turned away. "I'll catch a tiger for you too Byul noona!" he continued, as if not hearing what Dahae had said. Dahae scowled, cursing under her breath.

The princes got ready on their horses and waved back at the two ladies. Dahae looked over at Chanyeol to make sure he was looking. She walked over to him and passed him, moving on to Baekhyun.

She felt his surprise and smirked. "Good luck Jeonha. I hope you win today." she smiled gently.

Baekhyun's grin was so wide it nearly ripped his face into half. "I will, Dahae." he nodded. "For you."

Byul looked at Chanyeol and put up her thumbs. "I guess I should be supporting you then, since I'm your companion by some weird logic of Ddong-ha's." she shrugged. "Good luck Chanyeol-gun."

Chanyeol pinked. "Neh. I will." he nodded.

Byul smiled and let her eyes trail to Baekhyun. She snuck closer to the crown prince and whispered. "Remember not to hold your bow too tightly and don't press it too near your face either, you'll hurt your eyes when you shoot, and remember-"

"I know." Baekhyun looked at her, amused. "You've been telling me that so many times."

Byul blew a raspberry. "Not my fault you have so many flaws in shooting." she harrumphed. "You better not die in the forest you. I don't want to lose my job."

Baekhyun nudged her forehead like he always did. "I'm not going to die so easily Han Eunbyul. I haven't eaten the dessert you made yet." he muttered. "Can't believe I actually missed the chance to taste Han Eunbyul's cooking."

"Once lost you're never going to get the chance again." Byul teased. They smiled for a bit and Byul nodded. "Do your best Ddong-ha. Don't embarrass your teacher." she pointed to herself.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and sent his stallion galloping. "Don't get too cocky Han Eunbyul!" he shouted. Byul chuckled and waved, the other princes waved back as well.

Dahae waited till they were out of sight and hurried back into the tent. "Freaking hot day." she cursed under her breath and went inside.

Byul looked at her and bit her lip. Dahae was so beautiful, that was a fact that was not to be debated. But for Baekhyun to spend so much effort to gain her heart and get nothing in return, it's a waste.

Byul sighed. *I don't know why but I don't think Dahae gongju's worthy of Baekhyun's affections.*

She caught what she thought and shook her head. "Aish Han Eunbyul you're talking nonsense."