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There stood Prince Myungsoo, who i had just seen only a moments ago.

"Oh..."

he smiled kindly. "excuse me, but are you the lady who was accompanying Prince Baekhyun earlier?" His tone of voice was much kinder than he was conversing with the other princes, i was taken aback slightly

"...yes" i said

"you seemed to be quite well acquainted with him, and i find myself curious as to where you are from."

"where i'm from....?"

"yes. Are you by chance of royal blood? Or perhaps the doughter of a nobleman?"

"oh, no... i'm just a normal student"

Prince Myungsoo's face hardened at my response "a student...?"

"yes. I am on an exchange to a university in SM. It was there i...."

"so you met prince Baekhyun out on the street somewhere.... And he invited you here?"

"yes..." I nodded, shrugging my shoulders.

Prince myungsoo sighed audibly. "i am sorry, but i do not see any merit in asking you to dance."

"huh?"

"i made a mistake.... Excuse me." He then left.

(a mistake ? Sure, i can't dance. But it's still a bit of shock to hear him say that...) I watched as prince myungsoo approached another lady.

"he doesn't change." I spun around to see prince Minho smiling at me.

"since you ate obviously free now, would you like to dance with me?" He didn't wair for an answer before leading me out onto the dance floor.

"w-wait..." Prince minho began to stop in the time to the lilting tune.

"i don't know how to dance!"

He smiled at my outbrust. "listen to the music"

 "what?"

"and look at me" I jumped at his whispered words, and looked up at his face

"thats right. Now you will be able to dance"

I followed prince minho's gentle lead as we began to dance I could feel tha jealois stares of those around us I started to lose my nerve, but prince minho smile kindly at me

"you need to keep your eyes on me"

"s-sorry..."

"you needn't apologize" he said

"thank you. Your highneess its very kind of you"

Prince minho's eyes crinkled "Are you comparing me to prince myungsoo?"

"huh...?" A strange look fell across prince minho's face "he is bound by his training as a prince of Infinite..."

"his training...?"

"maybe you're not aware, but being born royal means having to go trough special training from young Age, we have the same kind of thing where i am from..." He glanced over at prince myungsoo

"but i was never separated from my parents like they do in Infinite"

"so, prince myungsoo was separated from his parents...?" He smiled again at my question

"thats right. He has barely ever seen them, even when he was young, because of that, he doesn't know how to depend oh others, and only associates with us as a mayter oh course, while he waits in line for the throne"

"that's so sad..." Prince minho's eyes widened at my words.

"sad... I doubt he really understands the meanging of that word."

"what...?" Just then the song ended, and prince minho stopped dancing

"over already? I wanted to dance a bit longer..." He let go of my hand, and bowed elegantly

"until next time, my dear..."

I was watching he leave, when he suddenly turned back at me.

"dont tell prince myngsoo anything i told you, okay?"

My heart skipped a beat at his meaningful smile I felt someone else's eyes on me I looked around to see prince myungsoo starting at me.

(oh...)

But the next moment he had looked away, hi expression completely blank as he walked.

(he doesn't seem very friendly at all... Completely different than prince minho)

I though as i headed back to the aide of the hall, where i wouldn't be in anyone's way.

(i've had a lot of fun already. Maybe i should go home now...)

I was heading to the back corner of the hall, when i heard someone call out

"Excuse me, but am i right in assuming you to be miss Lee Ji Eun?"

"huh?" I turned around to see a rather handsome man addressing me.

"Yes, thats right."

"please allow me to introduce myself. My name is D.O, butler of lord Joon Myeon."

"lord Joon Myeon..."

(isn't he the patron of this castle...?)

"would you please consent to coming along with me?" he said

"why do you need me?" D.O smiled. "my lord Joon Myeon has expressed his wishes to meet you"

(why would he want to meet me...?)

"all right" I was utterly bewildered as i followed along behind D.O He led me to a meeting room.

There was an elderly man in the room (he's...) As we drew closer, i had the impression we had met somewhere before.

"i hadn't expected to see the girl who saved my life here at the party" he said The memory came back to me as he smiled

(oh...)

"you're the gentleman i met earlier...?" The man beamed at me.

"ahaha, so you remember me then?"

It was the old man i had seel looking so pained out on the street in seoul. He was looking much healthier as he stood there, smiling at me.

"yes. Are you feeling beter now?" His smile brightened.

"thanks to you , my dear" I smiled back automatically, when realization hit me.

(didn't zain just say that he's.... Lord Joon Myeon!?)

I studied the old man carefully

"i'm sorry, but are you truly lord Joon Myeon?" The old man laughed in amusement

"i am indeed... Although i would prefer it if you were to call me Suho"

He laughed mischievously, leaving me rather confused

(he really is lord Joon Myeon!?)

 

D.O bowed deeply as we made our way out into the corridor

"i request that you keep lord Joon Myeon's health trouble in seul a secret" he said

"yes , of course"

"from now on if you ever need anything, please let me know"

"what do you mean?"

"you have done us a huge service in saving lord Joon Myeon's life... we hope we can be of service to you in return."

I felt a little embarrassed

"all i did was rub his back for a bit... I wouldn't go so far as to say i saved his life. So you don't need to feel obligated towards me, and please give my thanks to lord Joon Myeon" I bowed to D.O and started to walk away, when i heared a voice from mearby.

"so you were just pretending to be a commoner, you must be quite the difficult woman to deal with."

I turned to see prince myungsoo leaning against the wall.

"uh..."

"there is no way lord Joon Myeong would call a commoner to have an audience with him."

(his seeing me is a bit of a special case, but zain has ask me to keep whay happened a secret so...)

"oh... Se-, i mean lord wu fan is an old acquaintance..." Prince myungsoo's eyes lit up as i spoke

"oh..." He stared hard at me "are you lord Joon Myeong's granddaughter?"

"what...? No!"

"well i don't expect you can tell me, if it hasn't byeen announcex publically"

"that would explain why he called you back here in secret"

(what is he talking about!? if i stay here, he's just going to keep getting thr wrong idea...)

"e-excuse me!" I started to leave, but he followed behind me.

"l was hoping yo speak with you a little longer"

(speak about whay though...?)

I tried to get away by heading back towards the party hall.

(oh... Now he's got the idea that i'm lord Joong Myeon's granddoughter stuck in his had... ...but i couldn't exactly tell him about lord Joon Myeong being ill.)

I glances around the hall, and my eyes met with prince minho's

(oh...)

"hey, what's the matter?" He came smiling up to me, and i was a little confused as to how i should explain.

"well..." Just then, a man i had never met before shouted out.

"i found her your highness! There she is over there!"

(w-who's he?)

I saw prince Myungsoo in the distance, heading towards us

"what's going on? why is Sungyeol here too...? Did something happen with prince myungsoo?"

(sungyeol...?) The man called Sungyeol turned to me with a smile

"please forgive me. My name is Sungyeol, i'm a butler of his highness, prince myungsoo. i am pleased to inform you that... ...his highness has invited you to come and visit our kingdom."

Prince minho's eyes opened wide in surprise

(he's inviteing me to go to Infinite...?)

"he's actually inviting a woman to Infinite Manor?"

(what...?)

I turned to look at him, and he looked back with a puzzled expression on his face.

"he has a reputation for disliking women... i could understand it if you were from a well know family, but..."

Just after he finished whispering those words to me, prince myungsoo came before us.

"miss Ji Eun, please allow me to apolagize for my rudeness earlier... allow me to express my apologize with an invitation to visit us in Infinite. i hope you will accept."

He only then seemed to notice Prince minho's presence

"oh, prince minho. I didn't see you there"

"i'm sure you didn'y... But, this is a strange step for you... i wouldn't have expected you to invite a girl like miss ji eun to visit" Prince myungsoo's expression wavered slightly

"r-really? All i want is for people from other kingdoms to know more about Infinite..."

His words were forced, but prince minho seemed to accept this reason as he nodded

"i see... Well it couldn't hurt once in while" He placed a hand to mt back as he spoke

"i shall come along as a representative of Shawol."

"what do you mean by that?" prince myungsoo ask supricely

"just as it sounds... i shall accompany her to Infinite as well"

(does that mean i'm actually going to Infinite... With Prince minho?)

My thoughts were in turmoil, but prince minho was smiling amusedly

"is there some reason that i shouldn't go?"

Prince myunsoo frowned as he gave a soft sigh.

"all right , you should come as well"

"b-but i..." Prince myungsoo's smile was unnervingly kind.

"i am ashamed of myself as a prince to have been rude to a lady from another kingdom... please allow me to make it up to you."

"th-that's..."

(its really hard to say no when he put its like that...)

In the end, i found myself travelling together with prince minho...

 

On the way to visit Infinite kingdom.

"um... Are you sure this is all right?" i was sitting in a limousine used by the royal family of Infinite.

I had spoken to Myungsoo as the car started to move, and he smiled back at me.

"of course" his smile was so obviously fake that i fell silent.

(i get the impression prince myungsoo isn't being very honest...)

Sungyeol was next to speak.

"no trouble at all. Please relax and think of this as a vacation"

Just then, i heard the sound of a bell ringing.

(that's...)

Jan turned to prince myungsoo

"your Highness, i believe that was the midnight bell."

Prince myungsoo nodded

"yes, it is"

"is it all right for Miss Ji Eun to have arrived before midnight?"

I become puzzled

(is there a problem with me arriving now...?)

Sungyeol saw my look and explained

"when entering Infinite, all immigration paperwork must be completed before midnight on the day of arrival... To not do so is considered a criminal offens"

"isn't that a problem then...?"

Prince myungsoo was calm as he looked at me

"it won't be an issue. She is lord Joon Myeon's granddaughter after all"

(is he being serious!?)

I was stunned and Sungyeol's voice echoed through the car

"really!?" He sighed relief

"please excuse my rudeness. In that case everything will be fine" Sungyeol spoke with a smile

"i wouldn't have brought her along at the time of night otherwise"

"of course not. My apologies, and according to the law changes that came into effect last week... a member of the general public cannot enter the kingdom after 10pm." prince Myungsoo

"oh, really...?" Sungyeou reply

"e-excuse me..." I heard the anxiety in my own voice as i spoke, and Sungyeol flashed me a reassuring smile.

"it is different fot those of royal blood or are associated with the sacred grounds... so this la will not pose a problem for yourself of prince Myungsoo."  Sungyeol looked towards the car behind us.

i looked behind as well. Behind Prince Minho's car i saw a large gate being closed.

(uh...)

The gate was on the border to Infinite, and we were noe inside it.

"but... i am not lord Joon Myeon's granddaughter. i'm not someone associated with the sacred grouds either!"

Prince Myungsoo frowned.

"What do you mean!? you said you werw his granddaughter, right?"

"i never said that!"

i spoke bluntly, and Prince Myungsoo scowled at me.

"you didn't deny it either!"

(that's... he decided that for himself!)

i looked straight back at  him.

"don't blame me for a mistake you made!"

Prince Myungsoo raised his eyebrows.

"don't blame you? i don't recall you telling me it was a mistake! Did you think you would see how far pretending to be lord Joon Myeon's granddoughter would get you?"

(what a cruel thing to say...)

Sungyeol seemed to pick up ono how i was feeling, and cut in.

"Please stop. What do you propose we do about her, your highness?"

Prince Myungsoo sighed visibly at sungyeol's question.

"She will need to reside within Infinite for a while."

(huh...?)

"what do you mean?"

Prince Myungsoo responded to mt question without felling.

"you have just entered the kingdom illegally."

"wwhat...?" i lost the ability to speak as Prince Myungsoo continued to assail me with his words.

"ypu will need to apply for special dispensation before you ca leave the kingdom again."

"would i be able to do that tomorrow...?"

Prince Myungsoo frowned.

"it's not that easy. it will take at least a weel to ten days to get this sorted out."

(what...?)

"so..."

"so, as of this moment, you are unable to leave this kingdom."

"wha...!?"

(how did this happen!?)

i felt a sharp pain in my chest as Prince Myungsoo mad a sour face at me.

"there's no point in making a fuss about it now. we have enough trouble to deal with."

he sighed deeply as he stared out at the window.

(first i am being forced to come... and now i can't leave!? I should have said something earlier...)

a feeling regret washed over me as i looked towards prince Myungsoo's profile.

TBC

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huft....

finished chapter 2

hope you guys enjoy it...

 

and...

 

comment please!