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Finally, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

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Ever since Taemin entered the palace, he’s officially part of King Taein’s close confidantes and often meets up with King Taein and the other witty ones like Jonghyun to discuss about the rebel of the Lee and Choi.

“News have travelled that your hyung has left the residence.” Jonghyun told Taemin.

Jinki hyung? That’s unexpected. Taemin thought to himself. Then again, anything is possible as long as it is regarding Sooyeon noona. He concluded, knowing his hyung’s love for Sooyeon noona.

“So my appa probably cannot do anything now?” Taemin inquired.

“It’s definitely a great fall in their potential. Jinki’s a rare talent, too bad he’s on the wrong side.” King Taein commented. “Good thing is it’s no longer an urgent problem. However, always be on the lookout for updates.” King Taein reminded.

It was the sign that Taemin no longer needed to be actively involved in the state’s matters.

This noon, he returned back to Taem’s residence, thinking of spending time with Jinri but Jinri was not there.

Where could she be?

Jinri walked along the pavement, trying to find her way to the other side. Finally she reached a gated junction.

“No entry from this point onwards.” The guard commanded.

“Why?” Jinri questioned.

“There is no ‘why’.  No entry means, no entry.” The guard replied.

“Yah! Do you know who I am?” Jinri questioned.

“Sorry, I don’t need to know.” The guard replied.

“Yah! I’m Prince Lee’s daughter-in-law!” Jinri shouted at the guard, yet the guard remained unaffected.

“Yahhhhhh!” Jinri continued to shout, until people from miles away could hear her.

…

“Yahhhhhh!”

That was the voice he heard.

It has got to be Choi Jinri, Taemin thought to himself. No one else except for her would be yelling so openly in the palace’s premises. He chuckled and headed in the direction of the voice.

He saw her stamp her feet in displeasure and annoyance. Displeasure because the guard was not listening to her, and annoyance because she knew she could do nothing about it.

He laughed. Jinri turned back.

“Lee Taemin!” She exclaimed. OH . He must have guessed why I was here. Hmm let me think…

“Choi Jinri, my yeobo, why are you here?” Taemin wrapped his arms over her shoulders.

“Yahhh don’t call until so affectionate. I have a reputation to keep.” Jinri complained. “Oh, about this…about this…I HAVE A PIN THAT FELL OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE!” Jinri exclaimed, as if the idea just came into her head.

He tried to hide a laugh. Doesn’t she know how obvious it is that she’s lying?

“Hmm…it’s okay. We can always get another one.” Taemin replied with a smile.

“NO!” Of course not! She needs wants to get over to the other side. Taemin stared at her in puzzlement.

“Erhm…that pin was a gift from my omma. She would die if she knew that I had lost it.” Jinri explained. Whoops, was she a little exaggerating when she said her omma would die? Considering that that pin NEVER existed? Heck! Just hope that he would buy her story.

“She would die?” Taemin pretended to be shocked. “Oh no we must definitely get it back!” Taemin replied.

YES! IT’S WORKING! Jinri cheered silently.

“But…”

BUT?

Taemin hesitated for a moment.

“But what?” Jinri questioned in anxiety.

“But the guards will not let you pass. There’s still a way to get over to the other side though…” Taemin replied as if after a very long thought.

“Which is?” Jinri swore that Taemin’s slow speaking is driving her crazy. CAN’T YOU SPEAK FASTER FOR GOODNESS SAKE! She screamed to herself.

“You can try to dig your way across to the other side.”

IS HE KIDDING ME? Jinri thought to herself. WHAT KIND OF IDEA IS HE SERIOUSLY SUGGESTING?

“Are you kidding me?” Jinri plastered a smile across her face.

“No kidding.” And that reply was meant to be a joke itself. Taemin thought.

HE IS FOR REAL? Jinri thought to herself, not noticing the guards trying to hide their laughter.

Jinri ran off and minutes later, she reappeared with a shovel.

Taemin tried to hide his intense laughter. She thought that he had bought her story, when in reality is that SHE has bought HIS story.

“Lee Taemin, come and help me.” Jinri pouted when she saw that he has no intention to offer a pair of helping hands.

“Choi Jinri, you’re really digging the ground?” Taemin questioned.

“I don’t have a choice right? Since it’s the only way…” Jinri replied.

SHE REALLY BELIEVED ALL THE CRAP HE WAS TALKING ABOUT! Is she too innocent or she really wants to find Kai that badly?

Or is there really a PIN that she has to retrieve? That was the third possibility.

Yah Lee Taemin, are you getting influenced by her? That was obviously a lie! He reminded himself.

“MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!” Taemin burst out into laughter.

“Bwoh?” Jinri turned towards him in complete innocence.

“Choi Jinri... It was all a joke. You can’t dig a way across!” Taemin explained with laughs.

“Lee Taemin!” Jinri stood up in displeasure. She threw the soil that was on the shovel towards Taemin.

“Choi Jinri, what are you doing?” Taemin ran away from her as Jinri grabbed more soil in her hands and ran after him, aiming the soil at him.

Laughter filled the area as they were seen running around the palace grounds.

…

“Lee Taemin, stop running!” Jinri exclaimed from a far way back.

Taemin stopped in his tracks. He turned to find her panting from a distance away.

Actually…it’s pretty fun to make fun of her. He thought to himself. She would make a nice companion if she isn’t Queen obsessed.

“Let’s go back.” He shouted to her.

“I’m…too…tired!” Jinri shouted back to him. “You go back first.” She continued.

Taemin walked back towards her and smiled.

“It’s okay, we go back together.” He replied.

Oh my, oh my Choi Jinri is he going to piggyback you? That’s definitely such a sweet scene! You’re in luck Choi Jinri! Jinri screamed inside her head as Taemin appeared to bend down.

But then Taemin straightened his back again and reached out his hand towards her.

“I’ll help you back.” He suggested.

What? No piggyback when I’m already so tired? Jinri thought to herself. She pouted slightly.

“You don’t want? Fine, you go back on your own.” Taemin replied and was about to take back his hand when her hands clasped on tightly to his.

“Better than nothing,” She replied.

He took the lead as she slowly walked behind him.

“Ahhh!” Jinri exclaimed all of a sudden.

“Why?” Taemin questioned.

“What about the other side? Is there really no way to reach the other side?” She questioned.

Hmm…should I tell her the truth? Taemin thought to himself.

“Hello?” Jinri waved her other hand in front of his face. Taemin was still lost in his thoughts.

Jinri smiled slyly and slapped her hand on his face.

*Piak!*

That shook Taemin from his trail of thoughts.

“Choi Jinri!” He exclaimed in displeasure.

“I just wanted to wake you up!” She replied sounding upright.

Fine…Taemin thought to himself.

“I actually wanted to tell you how to reach the other side, but since you slapped my pretty face, I will not tell you.” He replied.

Ahhhh! Pabo Choi Jinri. Why did you have to slap his *cough* pretty *cough* face?

“Lee Taemin! Pretty please!” She performed aegyo in front of him.

He couldn’t deny that her aegyo was pretty irresistible. He smiled despite the fact that he was supposed to be ‘angry’ with her.

“You smiled! Come tell me how to reach the other side!” Jinri jumped in excitement as they continued their stride back to Taem’s Place.

“Later.” Taemin replied with a gentle smile.

She pouted.

He laughed upon seeing her pout.