Baekhyun slanted a glance from the corner of his eye. He saw Byul playing with a piece of leaf as she sat by him, with him within her sight.

It has only been a little more than a day since she came as his bodyguard and Baekhyun was already suffocating.

He tried to run away several more times at night, but Byul caught him on all occasions and sent him back.

It was embarrassing, like a mother catching her child sneaking out to play.

Baekhyun went to sleep with an irritable mood, and for the first time in his life he didn't flirt with a single girl that day because Byul didn't let him.

The next day came quickly and Baekhyun blamed heaven for making tomorrow today so quickly. He was hoping to prolong his sleeping hours so that he didn't have to see Byul.

However when the sun just rose and there was barely light, Byul had barged into his quarters and demanded that he wake. Saying something like a future ruler shouldn't lay in bed and slack the morning off.

She gave him a stack of books which she had searched in the imperial library. Titles that the Queen had told her to make him read.

Baekhyun now realized why his mother was so ready to give him a ew pretty bodyguard. Because this bodyguard was the worst of the lot!

Baekhyun grumbled under his breath. He wanted to talk to someone to complain about her but Byul was always around him.

He got out of his seat and cleared his throat. Byul immediately discarded the leaf, her deer like large eyes looking at him alertly. "I want to see the EXO-K princes. I'm going to their quarters."

The glimmer of hope that she wouldn't follow vanished when Byul got out of her seat and followed behind him. Baekhyun scowled and looked back at her with immense dislike.

"Are you a stalker or something?" Baekhyun grumbled. "You don't need to follow me everywhere I go!"

Byul raised a brow at him. "In case you didn't know, Ddong-ha, that's exactly what bodyguards are supposed to do." she blew a raspberry.

Baekhyun muttered something under his breath and huffed, grabbing the ends of his robes and stalking off. Byul rolled her eyes and sauntered behind him, bored.

She passed by the other guards that were previously her classmates. They were practicing shooting in the field and looking like they were having so much fun.

Byul looked back at the stupid prince she was supposed to protect and couldn't help but sigh. What a disappointment.

Baekhyun arrived at Kai and Sehun's quarters and found that the other princes were also gathered there. They were just about to depart to Baekhyun's quarters for their daily  visit, and they were surprised to see the Crown Prince depart from his to come to theirs for the first time.

"Baekhyun-gun!" Suho blinked in surprise. "You're here!"

Baekhyun nodded and shot an irritated glance in Byul's direction. "Well you can stay outside to stand guard." he told her dismissively. "We need to have a men's talk and you're not invited."

Byul resisted the urge to roll her eyes in front of the other princes. "Neh Ddon..." she caught herself and glanced at the princes. "Neh Jeonha."

She walked out and closed the door behind her, leaning against it and waiting.

"What was that for?" D.O. asked curiously. "You don't usually act so coldly to your bodyguards."

"Oh yeah?" Baekhyun huffed and plopped himself on one of the wooden chairs. "Because none of the other bodyguards twisted my hand and bruised it just because I touched her shoulder." he retorted.

Kai's eyes lit up in interest while Chanyeol could only look at Baekhyun in utter amazement. "Seriously?" Kai grinned. "She did that?"

Baekhyun made a face. "Have a sense of pity, Kai-gun." he grumbled. "She's pretty alright. But she barely...no she completely ignored my advances!" he protested. "She refused my offer of jewels and pretty fabrics, and even called me Ddong-ha!"

"Ddong-ha?" the other five princes burst out in laughter and chuckled heartily.

"Ddong-ha?" Chanyeol smiled. "She's really something, calling the Crown Prince dung."

Sehun beamed brightly. "I think I like noona. She's cool!"

"Cool my foot!" Baekhyun spat, his discrimination against Byul growing deeper with every passing moment. Every time he thought about how they started off on the wrong note, he felt ridiculously angry.

"I never thought it was possible for me to dislike a girl," Baekhyun mumbled. "But I think I might really hate Han Eunbyul." he grumbled. "She's so irritating!"

The other EXO-K princes tried to defend Byul because they all liked her. Chanyeol just listened in and bit his lip in thought.

*You don't know how lucky you are to get her, hyung.* he thought to himself. He risked a glance to the door and saw Byul's silhouette.

A smile formed on his face. *Because this girl shines brighter than a star.*

"Bodyguard Han, the Queen would like to see you." one of the  court attendants told her.

Byul straightened. She had a fair idea why the Queen wanted to see her, but she didn't want to talk about it. She would usually lo e Todd's bed family's benefactor, but she didn't really feel like it this time.

She let out a sigh and looked back at the princes through the window. They were still talking enthusiastically and it wasn't difficult to deduce that t
Baekhyun was gossiping about her.

"Arraso. I'll go now." Byul nodded.

She left the princes and went straight to the pavilion where the Queen was waiting. The Queen had been admiring the lake and the lotus flowers that were growing beautifully.

"Yeowang." Byul bowed.

The Queen brightened at the sight of Byul and smiled. "Byul! You're here!" she beamed. "Come and sit!"

Byul looked at the chair and bit her lip. "I think not." she shook her head. "I have to return before the Ddong....I mean before Jeonha realizes I'm gone and decides to run off."

The Queen's lips quirks up in amusement. "You youngsters are so funny." she mused. "You and Baekhyun behave like you two were enemies since your past life time."

Byul pouted and drew circles on the floor with her leg. "Wouldn't be surprised if that were it." she muttered under her breath.

She looked up at the Queen. "So why did you call me here, Your majesty?"

The Queen smiled wistfully. "Can't I want to see you? I treat you like my daughter, Byul."

"I know." Byul immediately piped up. "And I'm thankful."

"Well, and maybe I wanted to see how you were surviving being Baekhyun's bodyguard. He's not that much of a pain right?" The Queen grinned hopefully.

Byul resisted the urge to stuck out her tongue. "Nothing much, except he tried to run away several times now." she grumbled. "And he's purely annoying, and-" Byul was on a roll now. "-he's so arrogant and irritating and I'd just be most relieved and gratefully you could just transfer me out of my post." Byul panted.

"I'm afraid not," the Queen sighed. "You're the only one that's suitable to be my son's bodyguard, Byul."

Byul blinked in surprise and looked at her in surprise. "Why?"

The Queen smiled a mysterious smile and looked back out at the lake.

"Because you're the second girl not to fall for his charms."

-----

PS I'm sooooo sorry for the confusion I posted the wrong chapter by mistake! This is the right one! enjoy!