RE-UPDATED (READ END OF CHAPTER)

While the two main leads of our story were immersed in their own feelings for each other, let's not forget how our dear happy virus was doing.

Two words summed up the situation for him: LIFE .

Not only did he suspect his very own hyung whom he thought was in love with Dahae seemed to be changing his feelings and falling for the very girl he had liked since the first moment, he too found out that the respectable family he came from wasn't all that respectable.

Chanyeol could never understand how his father wanted the throne for him. He was better at fighting and all, but ruling a country wasn't all muscle and violence. Baekhyun was the one with the brains and the foresight that was neccessary in governing a country. Chanyeol had always been contented with the tiny role he played.

And he didn't understand how it affected their family if they weren't the ones ruling anyway. They were still royalty. They were still rich and enjoyed luxurious life. Why the hell did his father want the throne for him anyway? Unsatisfied dreams?

When Chanyeol brought it up to his father again, he got a scolding instead. "How many times must I tell you, Chan?" Lord Park frowned, obviously pissed with his son's unwillingness with the whole plan. "The throne is ours. It's supposed to be yours. I'm just getting it back for you."

"But I don't want it!" Chanyeol protested.

"It isn't about wanting it or not, Chan." Lord Park snapped. "It's the fact that it's yours. Baekhyun and my cousin right now are just taking the throne temporarily. The throne had always been ours and will always be. We must get it back. It's for our family's glory."

Chanyeol shook his head. "But I don't get it Abeoji. We are family. All of us. The King, Baekhyun...we are all related so what's the big deal about them ruling?"

"It's not the same." Lord Park growled. "You are never going to understand the pride that comes, Chan. Who would remember the King's relative when the King is standing in front of them? If you want to be a royalty, you have to be the most important." he insisted.

He sighed and looked at his son. "I know this goes against your values, but if you think through it carefully, it's not. It's perfectly righteous of us to get what was ours." he defended. "Come back another day when you've thought it through."

Chanyeol sighed and trudged away. "But I've thought it through. And it still seems like a stupid idea." he muttered to himself.

Chanyeol kicked at the grass and looked up at the sky sadly. Why must his family be wrapped up in such controversies? Why must they concern themselves with fame and wealth? Was that even important in the face of love and health?

Chanyeol shook his head to clear his thoughts and went over to Baekhyun's where the other EXO-K princes were gathered. Perhaps hearing Sehun and Kai's lively banter and being in close proximity with Byul would cheer him up.

It didn't.

Not Byul's presence though, Chanyeol had this awareness of where Byul was exactly in a room and his Byul radar would never be turned off even if he wanted to. It was the torture of having to laugh and smile at the jokes when he couldn't even find the humor in them with his awful mood.

"And then you know what Kai hyung did?" Sehun howled in laughter. "He was gaping like a goldfish at the maid Minhee and ran off as fast as possible, tripping over a tree branch and falling flat on his face, jumped up, dusted his robe, and continued running." he laughed. "All that without a backward glance!!"

The EXO-K princes laughed loudly while Kai's face was darker than black. He shot Sehun a dangerous glare which the maknae missed. And thank goodness too, with that intensity of the glare, our dear cutesy maknae would have been killed on the spot. More effective than Death Note I might say.

"Oh my Kai-gun." Suho panted as he tried to calm his laughter. "Are you just THAT inexperienced in love? It's just a love confession from a maid. I thought we princes get that all the time."

Kai grumbled under his breath and cursed Sehun again. WHY DID HE HAVE TO TELL THE OTHERS???

"Yeah." D.O. nodded, wiping away a tear. "I remember the other time when this Gisaeng sauntered up to you as she was dancing in this graceful but somewhat provocative manner and all of us were red in the face as she winked at you. You just blinked at her and walked away, looking for something to eat." he recalled.

Baekhyun nodded at the memory while Byul giggled. "Yeah. Thought you were so cool then. What happened to you now huh?" he laughed.

Kai scowled. "Aish! I was just... you know.... shockedandnervousanddidn'tknowwhattodo." he muttered quickly. Byul grinned at Kai and wriggled her brows teasingly. "I think I know why you were exceptionally nervous, Kai-gun. Perhaps.....you like this Minhee maid too?" she teased.

The two red spots on Kai's cheeks proved her right. "OH MAI GAWD HYUNG!" Sehun gasped. "You have a heart to like someone?"

Kai whacked his dongsaeng's head. "Aish. I'm going for a walk." he stalked out of the room, his face still red with embarrassment. Quite cute actually, how the ice prince can be shy. HEHE.

Byul giggled to herself, thinking how cute it was. If only the prince she loved could love her back like how Kai returned Minhee's feelings. She sighed turning to look at Baekhyun when Chanyeol, who had been sitting behind the Crown Prince, caught her eye.

He was staring blankly into space, his face pale with worry. Byul frowned as she noticed how Chanyeol had been odd ever since she and Baekhyun returned from their Capital City adventure date. His smiles were forced, laughs were fake. Something was bothering him.

As her very first friend she made in the Palace, Byul couldn't help but worry for Chanyeol. She decided to help him the best she could.

-----

Byul waited for Chanyeol as they met for lunch. The lunch thing had been going on for ages and it felt like a habit to meet each other to talk while eating. Some of the times, their meetings were interrupted when there were other big events in the Palace, or like the other time when Byul had cynaide poisoning. But for the rest of the times, they still met.

Chanyeol smiled softly as he plopped himself beside her with his bento. "You're early today." he commented, his voice unusually soft.

Byul looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Yeah. Because I wanted to talk to you Chanyeol-gun." she murmured. She watched as Chanyeol's eyes flickered to her face hesitantly and confusion surfaced. "What did you want to talk about?"

Byul her lips, biting her bottom lip. "You know we are friends right?" she asked. "Even though I'm a bodyguard and you're a prince but I've always seen you as a friend and not my superior. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't. That's great." Chanyeol nodded, a little disappointed at the friend title.

"You've helped me a lot while I'm in the Palace Chanyeol," Byul looked at him in the eye. "And I appreciate that. Which is why you shouldn't have any qualms about asking me for help either."

Chanyeol looked stumped. "I'm here, Chanyeol-gun, if you need someone to talk to." Byul offered a heart warming smile.

Chanyeol softened. His heart was beating wildly and he yearned to pull her into his arms. Instead, he chucked them together awkwardly as he crossed his arms.

"It's nothing much. Just some disagreements between my father and I." Chanyeol briefly explained.

"Oh." Byul nodded in understanding. "Well, I can't give much advice on that but if you need someone to hear you out you can find me, okay?" she smiled.

Chanyeol nodded with a grateful smile. *How can I not fall for someone like this?*

-----

When Byul returned to Baekhyun's quarters later than usual, she found the Crown Prince pacing around the front door with his brows furrowed.

"Hey, what are you doing Ddong-" Byul started, when Baekhyun suddenly brightened and threw her a hug.

"You're back!" he beamed brightly. Byul blinked, heat rushing to her cheeks as his arms were still clung around her in that deliciously comfortable manner.

"Uhm yeah." Byul shifted further from him awkwardly, not trusting her rapidly beating heart on not giving her feelings away. "What was that about?" she raised a brow.

Baekhyun rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "You were late from lunch break." he explained. "And I didn't know what happened to you, and I got worried. I was considering the different possibilities of things I could do like getting the soldiers out and having a search party to find you."

Byul blinked. And blinked again.

"Wait. You're serious?" Byul choked. "But...I was just late for a few moments..."

"Yeah but I was worried okay?" Baekhyun grumbled. He shot her a look. "Why were you late anyways?"

Byul shrugged. "Haven't you realized Chanyeol-gun looked a little down? I just talked to him for a bit." she explained.

"Oh." Baekhyun's face fell. He had completely forgotten that Byul usually met Chanyeol for lunch. He had been too focused on Dahae that he forgot his dongsaeng might really be in love with this bodyguard of his.

"You were with Chanyeol." Baekhyun responded with a deadpanned voice. "So have you been having lunch with Yeol all these time?"

Byul nodded. "Yeah, anything the matter?"

Baekhyun struggled to keep calm and think logically but failed. "From today onwards, you'll have breakfast and dinner with me." he announced. "And if you dare be late from lunch, I'll...."

Byul raised her brows.

"I'll move into the servants lodging with you!" Baekhyun harrumphed and stalked back into the house.

Byul stared and scratched her head. *Huh?*

-----

I'm not too sure what is happening right now haha but a moderator contacted me and asked me to endorse a blog. I think it means spreading it around and I'm given this link so you guys check it out?

Apparently there's going to be an AFF awards this year and I think it's official. A mod contacted me and told me that so....it's most likely official? Haha sorry if I sound a little sceptical.

So here it is:

AFF AWARDS 2012