As the days passed, it became more and more prevalent and apparent to the EXO-K princes that Baekhyun and Chanyeol were serious about Byul.

The affection glowing in each of ther eyes were hard to miss, and the way their face would light up whenever Byul was near was also highly distracting.

The EXO-K princes wondered when this three sided love triangle would finally have some sort of result. An answer. The great grand finale.

"Look at them." Kai shuddered as Chanyeol and Byul were sparring and Baekhyun was openly supporting Byul, something he never did.

"I feel sick." Kai rolled his eyes, gagging.

Suho chuckled proudly like the mother hen. "Both of them have grown." he mumbled to himself. "Chanyeol's been liking Byul for a longer time but I can't deny that Baekhyun's affections seem to create more spark with the girl involved."

"I can't take it anymore." D.O. complained. "They're not confessing! Why! I want to see who ends up with Byul!"

Though he said that, the other princes had a fair idea who Byul would choose. It was kind of apparent with the way she smiled when Baekhyun . Sure they still bickered, but sometimes the person that was able to get under your skin is just the one to your heart.

But the miraculous thing was that through this entire process, Byul had no idea what the hell was going on with the two princes. Sure they're acting weird, but she didn't really know the reason why they were so attentive to her or why Dahae didn't seem to be around anymore.

Her thoughts would follow along the line of, oh I wonder why they're acting so weird this days....OMO! New sword! Got to check it out!

And she would completely forget about the matter at hand, our dense Byul.

Until she remembered it, and she finally realized this was too much of a big thing to ignore and went to the other EXO-K princes for help.

"Hey." Byul whispered, shooting a glance back at the two princes who had finally tired out and were out in a nap. "Don't you think they re acting really weird these days?"

The EXO-K princes looked at each other with knowing smiles on their faces. "Oh yeah, they're weird alright." Kai nodded, rolling his eyes. "Weird asses."

"I don't know if it's just me, but it feels like they are competing for something." Byul scratched her head confusedly. "I don't know why hit I just get that vibe."

Sehun grinned. "You're right Byul noona. They ARE competing."

"Oh really?" Byul snorted. "How childish and futile. I mean, Chanyeol-gun would obviously win if it were a martial arts fight."

Suho tried hard not to laugh. Oh man, this girl had no idea whatsoever.

"And if it were an literature competition, Ddong-ha would win hands down." Byul continued. She looked at the princes earnestly. "In all honesty, I don't have any idea why they want to compete if the results are already so apparent."

The princes couldn't take it anymore and they all burst out in laughter, slapping their thighs in the process from the funny aspect of the whole thing. "Am I missing something out here?" Byul raised a brow.

"Yes. A whole chunk of it." Kai muttered.

"See the thing is, Byul." Suho looked at her. "They both want this erm...something a lot. And this is an arena that they've never compete against each other for something they want so badly. They have to compete."

"Really?" Byul asked. "What are they competing for?"

D.O. grinned. "You'll see, Byul. You'll see."

"Let's play hide and seek."

All eyes turned to Sehun as the princes snorted. "How old are you Hun?" Kai rolled his eyes. "Hide and seek? Really?"

Sehun pouted. "Why? I think it's fun!" he protested.

Byul laughed. "I don't mind honestly." she shrugged. "It's getting a little boring and the weather's fine."

Suho nodded. "Just don't let any of the maids know what we're doing. Man, I can't imagine if my parents know their son is still playing hide and seek in his twenties." he shuddered.

"Okay it's settled then!" D.O. beamed. "Let's play rock paper scissors to determine who's the catcher! Since the Palace is so big, let's have two."

All murmured their assent and they played rock paper scissors. The first person to lose was Chanyeol and he wished fervently that Byul would be the other one. He planned to confess today and if both of them were catchers, they'd have time alone.

Unfortunately for him, the other catcher turned out to be Baekhyun. The others squealed and ran away to hide while making the two princes found to hundred.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol looked at each other. Baekhyun noticed Chanyeol's ready and glowing expression and guessed what his dongsaeng was going to do. And perhaps that flower peeking from under Chanyeol's robe gave it away.

"You're confessing today." Baekhyun muttered, a comment rather than a question.

Chanyeol nodded, his cheeks pinking. "Yeah." he his lips nervously. "I hope I'll find Byul first."

*I hope I find her first* Baekhyun thought. He looked at Chanyeol. "The person who finds her first gets to confess first." he bargained.

"Deal." Chanyeol shook Baekhyun's hand. The two had a look of understands of pass between them. They hoped to be the one who would find Byul first. They hoped it was their confession Byul would accept.

"Hundred seconds, I think it's coming up to it." Baekhyun murmured with a smirk.

Chanyeol nodded. They walked out of the quarters and went off in different directions. As soon as they turned the wall and they couldn't see each other, they made a mad rush around the palace to find Byul.

Chanyeol bolted for the usual garden that he met Byul for lunch first, l lei g that she liked that piece of garden the best. He searched behind bushes and even looked on trees but she just wasn't there.

He slumped, disappointed, before rushing off madly to find her again. He passed by the Great Hall where there were other maids and servants gathered and they all looked at him weirdly, wondering why he was running.

Chanyeol slowed to a walk and pretended to be admiring the gardens. He sent them a charming  smile and as soon as he was out of their sight, ran like a mad cow.

He caught a sleeve poking out from behind one of the pillars and stilled. *Byul?*

He rushed to the pillar and pulled the person from behind the wall with a bright smile. "Caught you!"

"Awww hyung!!" Sehun pouted at Chanyeol cutely. "It hasn't even been five minutes!"

Chanyeol's face fell. "Oh it's you." he immediately ignored Sehun and ran off.

That wasn't who he wanted to find.

-----

Baekhyun never ran so fast in his life. Sure he knew that being the first to confess didn't mean anything, but if, just if Byul chose Chanyeol over him, at least he could get his moment with her before it all ended.

He was panting as he ran to the far end of the Palace, looking high and low. He didn't even pretend to hide from the maids that he was finding Byul, even asking some of them if they found her.

When some brave ones asked why Byul wasn't with him, hide and seek was his answer. At this point, it didn't seem important to keep his pride if he couldn't get the girl he loved.

Byul was nowhere to be found and Baekhyun even glanced at all rooftops, wondering if she might just be hiding up there with her martial arts skills.

A place slipped into his mind. The garden she usually met with Chanyeol for lunch. He seldom went there, only once in recent memory when he stalked Chanyeol the other time and found that he had been meeting Byul for lunch.

With that hope in his mind, he ran for the garden in a mad frenzy. He nearly missed the entrance to the garden and he made an immediate U-turn back.

With his speed and rush, it wasn't a surprise that he sprained his ankle as he ran. He toppled over onto the ground, cursing words that wasn't even meant to be known by royalty.

"Han Eunbyul, where are you?" He muttered under his breath. He leaned against the wall as used it to propel himself up. He wobbled, unable to stand on his left ankle.

Which was how he ended up hopping on his right leg into the garden. His eyes scrutinized the garden carefully. There didn't seem to be anyone around.

He was just about to go when a breeze blew in his direction, bringing along a familiar peach smell. He immediately became twice more alert as before.

That smell, the soap Byul used. He had gotten so used to her peach fragrant when she was near.

The smell came from behind a corner, shielded by the tree. Baekhyun just had that gut feeling that Byul was there.

In a hurry to reach her, Baekhyun forgot he was hurt on his left ankle and stepped on it.

It hurt like hell and he immediately collapsed on the floor, his leg giving way to his body weight. "Crap!" Baekhyun growled in pain, the pain now intense.

Before he could even blink, a blur of light blue and purple whirled from behind that suspicious tree and hurled itself at him. Byul reached his side, worried as she witnessed his second fall.

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped when she saw the swell. "One fall and it became like that?"

Baekhyun swallowed as he looked at her. "Two." he whispered.

Byul's eyes widened. She pushed the robe up and tried massaging his ankle. "Two falls? Are you insane?" she chided worriedly. "It's just hide and seek, Ddong-ha. And you fall twice and you're still going. Are you out of your mind?"

Baekhyun gazed at her face as she fussed, and saw the worry reflected in her eyes. The pure shock and concern for him that made him feel warm all over.

At that instant, he held this particularly peculiar hope that perhaps Byul might just like him back. Just a bit.

And with this tiny hope embedded in the depths of his heart, Baekhyun tugged Byul onto his lap, his eyes on hers, his heart pounding.

Before he even knew what he was doing, his lips were on hers.