"I can't do this." Byul whispered brokenly, crying into her hands. "I really can't."

Chanyeol frowned as he looked at Byul while she poured her heart out, sobbing and breaking into pieces in front of his eyes. He never saw Byul looking so undone as she did right then, so insecure, so unsure.

"Byul." Chanyeol bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He never knew that people were so judgemental and narrow-minded. Was status so important? He was beginning to lose faith in humanity.

He could understand where she was coming from, why she was hesitating and considering. For someone who loved her family as much as Byul, having her family suffer was more of a torture rather than her suffering herself.

And from Byul's point of view, the whole thing was entirely her fault.

If Byul hadn't fallen in love with Baekhyun, she wouldn't have to be a princess. If Byul didn't have to be a princess, her family wouldn't have to move to the Palace. There wouldn't be so many controversies and insults directed in their face. Her family would be able to live their usual lives with not a care in the world.

And her family was suffering because of Byul's selfish need to achieve happiness. Because in Byul's world, her happiness came from Baekhyun and Mrs Han knew that. Which was why even with so many unspoken mistreatments, Mrs Han never brought anything up to Byul and Jaeho remained quiet, most probably under his mother's command.

Because they were trying to fit in, they were bearing all that for the sake of Byul's happiness.

It made Byul feel like the worst ever daughter in the world.

"I can't do this to my family, Chanyeol." Byul sobbed brokenly. "You should have seen how that Park Seongsaengnim Junior treated Jaeho like scum. Scum, Chanyeol. My brother is only eleven, he doesn't deserve this. He wasn't even treated so badly when he attended a public school."

Chanyeol sighed softly and shook his head. Those mindless people. Didn't they know that being born with royal blood wasn't that important? Look at his own father, his father had such an evil mind.

"Byul, those are a few people." Chanyeol tried reasoning. "It doesn't matter if the rest of the world doesn't think that way." he comforted. "If Baekhyun hyung scolds those people I'm sure they will change-"

"Change?" Byul laughed bitterly. "What makes you think they'll change?? If they are punished, they will most likely feel rage and unjust and the hate for us will build. When an opportunity arises, they will use that chance to insult my family because the hate is ever so strong."

Byul wiped at her tears forlornly. "Did you even suspect there was mistreatment? No way, right?" she snorted. "Those people never dared to do anything obvious when Ddong-ha and I were around, and they only showed their true colors when we aren't. Even if they don't say mean things directly in my family's faces, the sneers and discreet looks cast in my family's way is unacceptable. I cannot let my family endure that."

Chanyeol looked at Byul and furrowed his brows. "So what are you implying?" he questioned. "Are you considering of leaving?" his voice rose. "You can't, Byul. Baekhyun will go mad if you do. Like seriously mad, losing his insanity sort of mad." he warned urgently.

Byul looked away, wringing her fingers. "I don't know, Chanyeol. I really don't know."

Baekhyun paced around the place, frowning.

Byul was missing once again. He had been used to her sneaking away from her princess lessons to take a breather but her princess lessons weren't so tough now, were they? And not to mention how Byul had been avoiding his gaze for the past few days, looking dodgy and troubled.

When he questioned what was wrong with her, Byul usually murmured a feeble nothing or a stupid excuse. Baekhyun was sick and tired of her behavior and he wanted answers.

There was this nagging feeling in him that caused him to suspect the origin of her strange behavior: Chanyeol.

Could it really be due to his cousin? What if it was true? What if Byul was really falling in love with Chanyeol instead and what if her strange behavior was due to her guilt for her change of heart?

Baekhyun really didn't think he could bear it if she ever decided to fall for someone else, even if that person was Chanyeol. He needed her like how he needed air. Call him gay but he really couldn't live without her.

Baekhyun let out an anguished sigh and growled softly. Where the hell was Byul?

Sora looked over at Baekhyun, frowning in concern. Things were looking bad for the couple and Sora wasn't even doing anything to sabotage their relationship. Things were falling apart with just her initial push, and Sora didn't like it even though it must have pleased General Higashiyama.

She took a hesitant step towards the Crown Prince and touched his arm lightly. "Jeonha, would you please calm down?" she urged. "I'm sure Byul just went for a walk. It's not like she isn't capable of protecting herself anyway."

Baekhyun looked at her and Sora was surprised to see the fear in his eyes. His fear of losing Byul. "I'm not afraid of her getting attacked or anything. Hell, the girl even killed a tiger. I'm afraid of something else, something inside." he whispered, looking lost. "I'm afraid of her changing."

Sora realized that his insecurity had rooted from the moment she hinted him of the "relationship" between Byul and Chanyeol. Relationship? Hah.

Sora felt her heart sinking when she thought about Chanyeol. There could never be a relationship between Byul and Chanyeol, because Chanyeol liked her. And she really liked him back. If only...if only she wasn't Aimi Higashiyama. If only she was Im Sora for real.

The regret from not being able to be with the guy she loved tugged on Sora's heart, and as she looked at Baekhyun's melancholic expression, something striked in her. She couldn't let Baekhyun and Byul separate, she couldn't! They deserved each other, they deserved happiness.

"Jeonha, you really don't need to worry about Byul's changing heart-" Sora blurted.

"But don't you remember?" Baekhyun looked at her. "You were the one who hinted to me about Yeol and Byul's relationship at first. And I think after my observations, those might be very well true. What if Byul is really with Chanyeol and I'm still in the dark? I don't think I can bear that!"

"Jeonha," Sora grew exasperated. "The truth about my words the other time...I was actually lyin-"

"And did you see how strange Byul has been acting these days?" Baekhyun pointed out, pacing furiously again. "She doesn't even look me in the eye! Do you think that's guilt? She's definitely hiding something and maybe that something is Yeol."

"Jeonha!" Sora sighed. "I don't know why Byul is acting like that but I'm sure that something she's troubled with is definitely not-"

"I'm just really afraid of losing her you know." Baekhyun admitted all of a sudden. Sora kept shut, looking at his sudden fearful expression. "I can't lose her, I'll go mad. And the worst thing is that if she decides to leave, I'm not sure if I'll try to get her back. Because I love her so much, I'll let her go if that's what she wants."

Baekhyun groaned into his hands. "I'm screwed."

Sora softened and touched his arm lightly. "Jeonha," she whispered. "I really think there is no cause to worry because I have no doubt that Byul loves..." she faltered when Byul and Chanyeol came into sight, the prince sending Byul back to Baekhyun's quarters.

Her eyes connected with Chanyeol's and his gaze immediately changed, softening and staring back at her with utter tenderness. How could he still look like that after she rejected him like that? Wasn't he supposed to be angry and mad at her, maybe even influencing Baekhyun to fire her from her position?

Sora forgot what she wanted to say and she stared back at Chanyeol, her heart skipping a beat.

Byul stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing on Sora's hand which was on Baekhyun's arm and her stomach gave a lurch. The fears came back, on top of her current discomfort and regret.

Baekhyun looked up when Sora stopped talking and his eyes widened at Chanyeol by Byul's side. What? So the two were together?

"Thanks for sending me back, Chanyeol." Byul whispered in a small voice. "I'll see you later during lunch."

"Yeah." Chanyeol took a step back, not really listening. His attention was on Sora and he couldn't really focus on anything else. "Sora, can you come with me for a moment? I want to talk to you."

Sora fidgeted but dared not turn him down in front of Baekhyun and Byul. She nodded once and followed him out of the room, her eyes downcast. Chanyeol looked back at Byul once and wished her courage and strength, before wishing himself the same.

"Come. We have to talk." he tugged on Sora's wrist and led her away.

-----

Byul and Baekhyun faced each other wordlessly, none of them making a move to go anywhere.

Byul was staring at the spot on Baekhyun's arm where Sora had been touching previously, and she remembered the bracelet Baekhyun had supposedly given Sora. Jealousy churned and she swallowed, cursing herself.

Baekhyun's fists were clenched behind him, aware of how Byul had ditched him once again for Chanyeol. Chanyeol, the guy who had loved Byul enough to go against his friends and the law. If he thought about it, Chanyeol was a better match for Byul through and through.

They had the same interests in fighting and if she became Chanyeol's wife, no one would complain about her boyish behavior because Chanyeol's prince position didn't demand that much from his wife. To be completely honest, it was Chanyeol who had fallen in love with Byul first and it was he who had befriended her while Baekhyun was busy pranking her.

Insecurity. Doubts. Hesitation.

Baekhyun finally raised his gaze to meet Byul's. "Why were you at Chanyeol's again?" he whispered, dangerously soft.

Byul looked away immediately. "I just needed someone to talk to." she murmured. "It's nothing much."

Baekhyun eyed her and knew at once that she was hiding something. "What is it that you have to talk to him and not me?" Baekhyun took a step towards her and demanded, growling. "What is it that you're hiding from me all this time that you don't even dare meet my eyes? What is it?"

Byul swallowed and shot her gaze up to him. He noticed. He really noticed.

"It's nothing." Byul murmrued. "It's just some stupid things, I don't want to bother you with it."

"Bother?" Baekhyun's voice rose. "So now your excuse is not wanting to bother me? Han Eunbyul, couldn't you make more of an effort with your excuses if you don't want to tell me that you just like spending time with Yeol and not me? Why can't you tell me that?"

Byul's eyes widened and she gaped at him. "You're saying that I like spending time with Chanyeol instead of you? What kind of barbaric nonsense is that?" she snapped. "Are you implying that I'm cheating on you behind your back?" she stabbed her finger against his chest.

"Well? Are you?" Baekhyun spat back, growling. "If you are, you could just tell me face to face instead of giving crappy excuses you know!"

"Excuses!" Byul gaped. "What about you then? When are you going to tell me that you're getting tired of me and you're falling in love with someone else? Someone better like Sora? Huh? When are you going to tell me that?"

Baekhyun's eyes widened in surprise at her suggestion but then furrowed soon after. "Do you want me to fall in love wtih someone else so that you can be with Yeol without guilt? Is that it?"

"What the hell?" Byul cursed, shoving him. "How can you say that?"

Baekhyun caught her wrists and glared. "Well, then tell me why you look like someone the soul out of your body these past few days and why you always look for Yeol? Tell me!" he growled. "You like him don't you? That's why you look so damn unhappy when you're with me!"

"YES I AM!" Byul screamed.

Baekhyun stumbled back, momentarily shocked at her outburst. "I am unhappy, Byun Baekhyun." Byul hissed. "In fact, the unhappiness only started after the wedding plans have started and my future as your wife seems to be a certain fact. Do you know how much unhappiness it has brought me? I'm suffering, Baekhyun. I'm being torn into bits!"

Torn into bits, Baekhyun winced. Is that what she called being engaged with him?

"If you're so unhappy, why don't you just leave?" Baekhyun roared. "No one is stopping you! Just leave and you'll be out of this mess!"

And that was where she was supposed to say no, she couldn't bear to. No, she was suffering but she still loved him. No, she couldn't bear to leave him.

But she didn't.

"Alright, then!" Byul spat back. "Fine! I'll leave this bloody palace, and return to my formerly VERY HAPPY commoner life!"

With that, she spun on her heel and left his quarters.

And left his life.