"Good morning, Miss you. Did you sleep well?" First thing in the morning, that was what came to my ears... Chen's bright and warm voice in the room as warm rays of sunlight filled the room and extended over my face from the butler drawing out the curtains.

"Hngh... Well..." was all I managed to get out before I had simply flipped over to bury my face into the massive fluffy pillow to escape from looking at his face. Even though I had freshened up a few minutes earlier and absently slipped into clothes that were laid out before I was even awake and miraculously fit me, I had still been sleepy. A sleep that had not come well as soon as I had gingerly lowered myself onto this bed in the middle of the night... The events of the previous night had led to my staying at Dres Van Manor.

A moment of complete silence passed before I had finally endeavored to even peek a narrowed eye around the room, feeling a bit more than awkward when I could see Chen standing next to the door. He had been so quiet that I was sure he had already left the room.

A soft chuckle of amusement escaped his lips as they curled up into a slight smile, "You need not to look like that..." Chen spoke in answer to my hesitation to answer him, "If there is anything at all that you need, please let me know and it shall be arranged."

"Do you not have hotels in Dres Van?" The question seemed just to fall out of my mouth as the three of us sat in the car, the silence and tension between Prince Sehun and myself tactile as a concrete wall. We hadn't looked at each other since his previous bitter words and I had been more than willing to go along with that. But as I could see out of the window that I sat next to, the formidable architecture of the Dres Van Manor was getting closer and closer... And I couldn't help but inquire about that to Chen.

He seemed more than willing to speak to me, a relief after I had been expecting him to follow his master's cold attitude towards me as the butler turned his head back towards me again, "Of course there are but..."

As soon as he spoke, a frown had creased onto my expression as I opened my mouth to speak out in protest, "Then I don't see why I cannot stay in one-"

Prince Sehun immediately cut me off as his head snapped towards my direction with slitted eyes and a sharp edge to his voice, "Why do you insist on doing something that will obviously cost money?" He looked so indignant, so resentful that I was even there that I couldn't help but just glare at him back, too annoyed at him to even continue trying to protest against the prince any more. And even though what I really wanted to say was that I wanted to get away from him, I expected him to say the same thing back.

I was screaming inwardly with furrowed brows and a grim slash of a mouth as Chen spoke up, a kind smile on his face to counter that of Prince Sehun's expression, "I shall arrange a room for you at the Manor. How about you come and stay there for the time being?"

At that, my head snapped up to send a brief glance over towards a rather displeased looking Prince Sehun as I quickly objected "But... Wouldn't that put even more of a burden on the royal family?"

Chen only smiled kindly at me once more as he confidently asserted, "Do not worry, I will wait on you myself to make sure you are well cared for. But I will not neglect my usual duties either."

And at those words, I found all I could do was nod and sigh quietly, closing my eyes and simply deflate. I had no more energy to even argue against the two of them, both equally stubborn in their own ways.

So here I am at the Manor...

Just then, I heard a knock at the door as I slowly dragged myself upright from the bed into a seated position, pursing my lips while trying to figure out an answer to Chen's statement. 

But I never got a chance to think for long before he had opened the door and Prince Chanyeol came strolling into the room, dressed in relatively 'normal' designer clothes and grinning from ear to ear as he always had every time he saw me. "Good morning. This has turned out to be a fine disaster for you, hasn't it?" Even though his words might have sounded uncaring, there was something about his kind smile that set me at ease and made me smile back at him.

"Couldn't have asked for anything worse to happen, Your Highness," I quietly replied back with the same type of joking thrown in there, thinking just how bitter my words really sounded to myself. 

At my words though, his expression seemed to darken and grow slightly more serious as Prince Chanyeol casually made his way over to plop down next to me on the bed and turn his gaze towards Chen instead, "Oh, there are worse things that could happen. There are some differences between Dres Van and the other kingdoms..."

Chen seemed to pick on what Prince Chanyeol meant quickly and nodded, clearing his throat before softly explaining, "That is why we have these laws. Then there's the problem with Nerwan Kingdom... We have built a wall around us that separates us from the rest of the 6 Kingdoms."

I was a bit confused at the moment by the introduction of so many countries shoved into my brain from last night, and one more was making it even more harder for me to think as I thought out loud with a puzzled expression on my face to Chen, "Nerwan...?"

Chen nodded his head as he continued on, "Yes. The Kingdoms of Dres Van and Nerwan were originally the same nation. But there was a civil war, and the country was divided in two, the eastern half becoming Nerwan Kingdom."

"Yes, and that's where Himmy lives," Prince Chanyeol brightly popped into the conversation, nodding ardently as he turned his smiling eyes and mouth back at me.

"Himmy?" It was obvious that I was becoming even more confused as I repeated the name, hardly even able now to put all the princes straight to their kingdoms except for the Kingdom and Prince I was subjugated under and the completely opposite one sitting there next to me.

At this, Chen laughed quietly as he grinned back at Prince Chanyeol. "You must mean Prince Kim Himchan. While we do have a peace treaty with Nerwan... There are still tensions between our two Kingdoms," his face growing more grave as he said more quietly, "and there have also been rumors that Nerwan may strike against Dres Van."

This came as almost shocking news to me, considering that I had heard almost nothing of this back when I was still in high school, my eyes wide as I glanced between Prince Chanyeol and Chen, "So you mean... There would be the possibility of an armed conflict? Why does the rest of the world not know this?"

"Well, there is always that possibility," Prince Chanyeol answered with that same relaxing smile on his face, "... But the situation is nowhere near that bad yet which is why the news quickly faded out after both Dres Van and Nerwan seemed to quiet down. They are trying to maintain a friendly relationship at the moment."

I simply nodded to his reassuring words, a slight frown creased over my brow as I mulled in my own silence. A war, a chance for a conflict to happen... If that really were to happen, I couldn't imagine what the effects of that would be. For the last bunch of monarchies to start fighting among each other again would only prove the fact to the world that this kind of government couldn't exist any more.

Prince Chanyeol simply continued on in a more cheerful and upbeat tone to his voice, seemingly oblivious to my intense thoughts settling inside of me, "At the very least though, nothing is likely to happen... While I am visiting Dres Van."

"That makes sense," Chen agreed along with a returning smile on his face, glancing over at me while I gazed between the two of them. It had seemed as if talking to the both of them had calmed myself down, able to rid myself of that bad taste in my mouth from last night. And the fact that they were taking precautionary measures relieved me to no end, that they would mostly be able to handle themselves and avoid a messy and costly conflict between themselves for now.

After returning Chen with a nod, I instinctively looked at Prince Chanyeol while I thought, and he grinned at me as a soft chuckle escaped from his lips, "You are so cute with that look on your face... It makes me want to stay in Dres Van forever just so I can see it."

At this, the initial embarrassing shock quickly wore after I lifted an eyebrow at him and inquired curiously, remembering that he was a prince and probably had a full schedule with him at all times, "How long will Your Highness be staying?"

His expression seemed to falter a bit at my question as he bit at his lip before replying quietly, "I must go home today. I would love to stay here with you..." his expression growing even more forlorn as he continued, "but I have my public duties to attend to."

So it I only have a few hours left to spend with him, glancing up at the wall clock before gazing at him again. And then after he left... It would just be me with that brick wall of a prince to be a buttwipe even more than he was yesterday. Just great, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes as I muttered back a reply, "Ah, I see. But as for the potential war..."

At this, Prince Chanyeol seemed to regain his former good mood in less than a few seconds as he laughed quietly in the middle of my words and grinned at me, "That won't happen! If things were really that bad... Then Prince Sehun wouldn't have come to the party in the first place." The pat on the head he gave me immediately caught me off guard as I could only sit there feeling slightly indignant yet pleased that a prince was touching me with my mouth opened in protest as he continued on, "If you are that worried, I will send word to Himmy... I'll let him know there is a guest at the Manor so he should be mindful of that, okay?"

Chen seemed extremely pleased by what Prince Chanyeol had suggested and piped up eagerly with a wide smile, "That is a good idea. It would be a great comfort if Your Highness were to speak on our behalf." With both of them smiling at me like that, it was no wonder for me when I could feel my nerves easing up and feeling my mouth being pulled up into a smile at them.

"Alright then... Would I be permitted to contact my parents though? I'm living alone at the moment, and if they can't get through to me then..." The thought of my parents had immediately come to mind when I had woken up, but it was only now that my mind reminded me of the gravity of the situation, warning myself of the literal freak out my mother would have if I wasn't where she expected me to be. She was the one who had resisted the idea of me going to live as an exchange student in a country half way around the world...

Prince Chanyeol blinked at me with a mildly surprised expression, tilting his head to a side, "Oh, to your mom and dad?"

Urgh, is he treating me like a child? I was about to just then explain my situation with my family to him when the voice of the exact person I did not want to hear came slithering and snapping into the room at me. "Are you not of age yet?"

I didn't even have to look up to know that Prince Sehun had entered the room, making me sigh quietly and close my eyes for the moment. No, I wasn't going to react to his snide and cold words like I had snapped at him yesterday night...

Poor Chen on the other hand, who had been standing the closest to the door, sounded more than a bit jumpy and shocked at hearing the prince so near that he could only stutter out, "Y-Your Highness."

On the other hand, Prince Chanyeol simply beamed at him, seemingly unaffected at all as he chirped out cheerfully, "Good morning, Prince Sehun. You are looking wonderfully fierce this morning."

Prince Chanyeol had spoken this quite jokingly, only causing Prince Sehun to sigh and the whole intimidating factor he must have been trying to go for simply melt away from him as he growled back, "I was born looking fierce. Now you..."

"Yes?" I interrupted, feeling more than a bit baneful with how he had been doing the same thing to my words but also out of habit to immediately reply to others. But since when were on first name terms when all he had been calling me was 'woman' and 'commoner'?

Prince Sehun however, seemed to be completely unaffected by my attempted revenge and simply restated his question in that same flat and sharp tone as he dusted off invisible particles on his stylishly put together 'casual' outfit, "Are you underage?"

By this point, my eyes were narrowed on the prince and I could feel myself tense up while both Prince Chanyeol and Chen were darting their eyes with worry back and forth between Prince Sehun and myself. Let them, I told myself. I could feel something vile about to burst from that prince's mouth as I answered back stoically, "No, not at all. Why?"

Seemed like my predictions were right, as Prince Sehun took in a deep breath and spat out, "Then isn't it about time you stopped crying for your mommy and daddy? You shouldn't need to call them about everything!" An eyeroll now as he muttered in a quieter voice, "There's honestly no hope for a common woman who acts like a child."

"What is so childish about calling worried parents?!" I nearly shouted back at him, rising from the bed before Prince Chanyeol gently reached out a hand to place on my shoulder for me to continue sitting on the bed. I complied, not because I wanted to, but because as I glanced at him, the look on his face was that of a serious warning that needed no words to be explained.

While for Prince Sehun, a severe storm had now gathered over his brow as he retorted in an even raised volume, "If you continue to rely on them and can't stand on your own two feet, then you're no more than a child!"

At the moment, I couldn't even begin to wrap my mind around what was going on with that guy. Contacting my parents has nothing to do with being independent! Yet there he was, lecturing at me like he was my parent instead. I wouldn't stand for such nonsense, and if we were truly alone... Then I would even fear for Prince Sehun's flawless face later. Instead, I tried to keep myself together and logical as I hissed at him, "If I don't contact them, they will only become even more worried! I think a person who would allow that is the childish one!"

He simply snorted, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest and inclining his head even more, "They won't worry after just one week."

He just really wasn't getting the point at all, hard-headed and miserably pigheaded as he was, making me now disregard what Prince Chanyeol had just motioned me to do by quickly hopping off the bed and planting both of my feet on the ground to glare at Prince Sehun, "A normal parent would!"

Suddenly, it seemed as if what I had just thrown at him, the first things I had thought of, made Prince Sehun's expression waver slightly as he broke his gaze away from me and muttered lowly, "A normal parent..."

Just then, I remembered what I had been told at the party. Prince Sehun being separated from his parents at a young age... That was enough to send a sour taste into my mouth from the regret that began to wiggle its way into my heart, stunning any sharp replies from escaping from my throat as I glanced away from him too...

Just then, Prince Chanyeol entered into the conversation quietly, standing up and quietly making his way to stand on the sideline space between the two of us as his eyes flickered between both of us, "Parental issues aside, when there is trouble, don't you have have a duty to contact someone? She is doing her duty by contacting them, that is all."

Prince Sehun seemed to grudgingly accept this explanation as his usual icy expression reappeared and he nodded curtly, still narrowing his eyes at me, "I see... So it isn't a lack of independence then. Although you should show more respect when you speak to me. I am the crown prince of this kingdom!"

Well, seemed like someone didn't take long to be their stubborn and distasteful self again. But I did realize the rules then and suppressing the urge to roll my eyes again, I simply muttered out, "I'm sorry, Your Highness," even giving a little bow to emphasize my point. If he didn't accept that then... I didn't know how much more I could handle him. 

But before I could even raise my head up, there seemed to be a hand patting my hair again. A bit surprised at this, I raised my head suddenly, only to have a slight grin appear on my face with Prince Chanyeol's beaming at me with approval. Then he turned his eyes towards Prince Sehun and his face contorted to make a pair of absolutely childishly adorable pair of lips and narrowed eyes, "You must watch your tone as well, Prince Sehun..." A finger started to waggle accusingly in what seemed to be a cute manner to me as he continued on in an imitation of Prince Sehun's voice, "People will start to doubt your capacity as a man."

While I quickly hid my face behind Prince Chanyeol's back to slap my hand over my mouth in order to muffle the nearly hysterical laughter now shaking my body, Prince Sehun grew red and seemed to choke on whatever he meant to say next. It was my first seeing the stony prince so flustered like this, but it seemed normal to everyone else in the room by the way they simply only smiled before Prince Sehun had coughed to recompose himself and looked over to Chen.

"Chen! Bring that thing to me," he barked out at the surprised butler, directing his irritation towards the innocent Chen who was taken back slightly.

"What? What thing?" Chen could only repeat as he seemed to be lost for a moment as Prince Sehun glared at him... Before in a breath and having his mouth turn into a small 'o' in comprehension. "Oh! Right!" he hurriedly replied before bowing his head deeply and calmly speaking in the correct and polite manner, "Understood. I shall bring it right away."

Prince Chanyeol and I could only watch Prince Sehun sigh as we saw Chen quickly rush out the room. "Honestly, it's like he's in his own little world. He's always going to be useless," Prince Sehun's words seem to cut right into the air as soon as the quiet click of the butler's footsteps fade away.

My chest tightened in irritation again as I caught his whispered words, jaw locking together and teeth gritting against each other as I could only indignantly repeat the words that he just said in my mind. Useless? Chen works his hardest to even bear with this aggravating monster of a being and he calls him useless?!

Before I even had a chance to verbally slap some sense back into Prince Sehun again, Prince Chanyeol's soft voice resonated around the room as he shot a meaningful glance over at me and then fixed his gaze on the other male, "He's brilliant, and seems to care for you most of all."

At this, Prince Sehun frowned once more as we could clearly see his jaw stiffen up before he said in an even icier tone than usual, "What would you know?"

Prince Chanyeol merely laughed as a knowingly mischievous grin appeared on his bright expression, tilting his head slightly to a side and lifting an eyebrow at the other prince, "I think you would know Chen's true nature better than myself, Prince Sehun."

Another surprising moment happening this morning; Prince Sehun simply bit his bottom lip and looked away without even another word. While I could only gawk at this shocking sight of Prince Sehun having nothing to say for once, it was evident to everyone that an uncomfortable silence settled around the room as Prince Chanyeol and I exchanged similar looks of puzzlement... Before being broken by the sound of hurried footsteps growing louder, the same sound that had walked away recently.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Chen announced himself in a nearly breathless voice as he came flying into the room with an armful of papers.

Prince Sehun grinned eagerly as soon as he saw them, smugly explaining as Chen placed the stack carefully on the table, "Departure papers. Here we have everything you need to fill out before being able to leave the Kingdom."

I was absolutely flabbergasted and terrified at the same time, my eyes practically bugging out as I eyed the formidable load of papers. It could have as many papers in it to fill a dictionary! I could only cry out, my voice holding all the shock as I turned my wide eyes towards Prince Sehun, "I have to fill out all of these?!"

"Yes. You want to leave as soon as possible, right? Then get these filled out," Prince Sehun simply spoke coldly and without emotions in his flat tone, positively seeing a small smirk curl around his perfectly shaped lips while he coolly eyed back.

Meanwhile, Prince Chanyeol was scratching his head in thought with a wistful look on his face as he turned towards me. What he said shocked me even more, especially with how gentle his words were, "Dear me... Would you rather become my bride instead?"

Now I must have looked as livid and red as an angry bird thanks to what Prince Sehun had been doing to me, only able to sputter out at Prince Chanyeol in absolute turmoil and confusion, "W-What?!"

"That way, you could leave easily, as a member of the royal family," Prince Chanyeol explained brightly as normal, talking about it as normally as one would comment about the weather. And even though I understood the logic of what he said, my mind certainly was not taking it seriously at all. Absolutely not, and I certainly was not going to agree to marry Prince Chanyeol... Joke or not. I just couldn't even with how sweet and friendly he might be to me...

Prince Sehun seemed to have the same reaction to Prince Chanyeol's words as he blurted out in surprise with a horrified expression clouding his face, eyes widened, "What are you thinking?! She's a commoner! You can't possibly want..."

"I'm kidding! Really, Hunnie... You shouldn't take everything so seriously," Prince Chanyeol quickly grinned, chuckling quietly with his eyes continuing to dart back to me where I was still so wound up that I couldn't talk, "Oh. But I don't really have a problem with marrying a commoner."

That seemed to be the breaking point for Prince Sehun to start yelling at Prince Chanyeol as he clenched his teeth and in a deep breath, eyes narrowing into slits before... Chen immediately strode in between them. The butler's normally already pure sounding voice now turned even more powerful as he solidly stated, "That is enough. Please. If you would consent to stopping this conversation here, Prince Chanyeol." He then turned his eyes towards the clock on the wall and motioned his head at it, "I am sure you must be leaving soon, and we do not wish to get in the way of your public duties."

Prince Chanyeol turned his attention sharply to the clock up on the wall as well, the look on his face turning crestfallen as he could only sigh quietly and then towards me to speak in a soft voice, "Oh, yes... I'm sorry, my dear you, I must go now. But!" Immediately, he pulled out his cell phone and with his usual grin returning, "If you have any problems, let me know. Here's my number."

To that, I could only blink briefly before finding my voice again and nodded, returning an reply as I reached for my phone, "Oh, alright. Thank you, Prince Chanyeol."

Prince Sehun only watched our exchange... With an odd look in his face. It could only be explained as a mixture of puzzlement and surprise, sprinkled in with a taste of grudging awe as he muttered lowly, "You are a curious person, Prince Chanyeol, exchanging phone numbers with a commoner."

By then, we were done inputting the other's numbers into our phones and I was all ready to whirl around and throw a reply into his face. What is it with him and commoners?! But Prince Chanyeol probably knew me well enough by then to pat my head again with that meaningful smile on his face once more as he said brightly, "See you later. Don't get into too much trouble without me!"

As a response, I could only exhale silently and relax my tense body, pulling up a small smile to his approval and keep myself turned non-responsive to Prince Sehun as I bowed deeply, "Thank you, Your Highness. I promise I won't." I understood that there was no need to keep snarling back at Prince Sehun but... He was just so aggravating at times...

With the response that he wanted, Prince Chanyeol simply chuckled quietly again before waving himself out of the room as I straightened up. I couldn't help but feel of unease creep up on me as I watched him go... Now that I didn't have another person on equal footing as Prince Sehun to help me fight. Observing quietly the entire time, Chen then spoke to me with a kind smile and soft tone to his voice, as if to put my current restlessness at rest, "Now Miss you. Is it alright to leave you with filling out these papers?"

"I want you gone as well, so get to it," Prince Sehun cut through my formulating response that I was about to give to Chen with an expression that could only be explained as absolute boredom, making my eyes widen in indignation once more at him. 

"What?! Okay Chen, but seriously...?!" I choked on my words as the anger threatened to boil over the top, mouth more or less in a snarl at Prince Sehun and body tensed up to at least do something to that man...

Chen merely sighed next to me as his eyes turned downcast at his feet, murmuring quietly, "Your Highness shouldn't speak to her like that..."

A quiet snort escaping from him, Prince Sehun automatically turned his back to us and faced the open hallway as he coldly ordered, "I'll leave everything else to you, Chen. Got it?"

"Your will is my command, Master," Chen stated softly with a bitter smile on his sharply built face as he gave a deep, demonstrative bow. Without another word, Prince Sehun briskly left the room... Both of us holding our breaths instinctively until we could not hear another receding footstep in the hallway. Then once we were absolutely sure the coast was clear and Prince Sehun was completely gone somewhere, Chen gave me a shy smile as he attempted to apologize in the best manners possible, "My apologies, Miss you. His Highness doesn't really mean anything by it, he's just..."

Just listening to him speak awkwardly as he was doing was enough to feel my anger ebbing away. A slight smile was presented to him as I shook my head, stretching slightly as I reassured him, "It's fine, Chen. I know none of this is your fault." I know that my problem is with Prince Sehun. And I may as well get these super paper loads over and done with.. So I can leave here and never have to speak with him again. And he would be as equally happy never to even look at myself, to never have to concern himself with us 'commoners' and 'women'.

And with that thought, I took the paperwork in hand as I quietly nodded to Chen if he wished to leave, staring and sighing down at the massive pile of papers that was my greatest obstacle right now and my key to freedom later...

Mm... Mnn... My surroundings had gone completely dark. Groaning quietly to myself, I raised my head from the desk I had been using as a pillow... Only realize I must have fallen asleep in the middle of filling out my paperwork as soon as I saw the condensed walls of text in front of my eyes.

Oh, no wonder I fell asleep... This was a terrible nostalgia to come back to my last few high school years of essays after assessments... And I had remembered feeling tired when the sun was starting to just dip over the horizon. Now it was completely dark outside, absolutely no moon at all.

Sighing quietly to myself, I blinked a few times to clear my head and reluctantly focus again on the documents I had been sleeping on. There were a lot of paper to fill out, more than I had ever done before for one single purpose. But what made it even worse was that it also had to written in the Dresvanese language, a completely different language system than what I was used to. I had been generously provided with a computer and dictionary for looking the words up with... But it was still taking me more time than I would like. As Prince Sehun had said, the faster I got done with this, the less I had to deal with him and vice versa.

Another heavy sigh escaped from me as I rested my forehead on the documents, be my bad luck mentally before... I noticed the weight of something draped across my back. Upon straightening up again and turning my head around to look at my back, I found the object to be a thick and soft blanket resting on my shoulders.

I could only wonder if Chen had covered me with this... Chuckling quietly at that thought as my heart, and I turned my attention to the paperwork once more with a renewed vigor around me.

It's already morning and I'm still nowhere near finishing. At this rate, it will take me over a week to get this done... Something that I would rather avoid. But I couldn't get through as fast as I had been so sure I would. Even now, the 'out' pile were just a measly few compared to the literal mountain of 'in' papers I still had to do...

But I had been told that breakfast was ready by one of the maids in the Manor and that my presence was absolutely required. Why? I had no idea, but I had welcomed the invitation gladly for a distraction and was heading to the dining hall as I yawned and stretched myself out.

With my eyes half-opened only for the whole time I lurched and shambled my way towards where I had been told the dining room was, it didn't come as a surprise for me to suddenly find myself nearly getting a face full of... Someone's chest I rounded a corner. It was... Prince Sehun, of all people, staring down at me with an unreadable expression as I could only stare back up at him.

"Uh... Good morning," I automatically greeted him before going into reverse slightly to put some distance between us as my gaze diverted somewhere else. No way did I want any more awkward moments with him, and I especially did not want to be any closer than a few feet when I was cranky as I was without food.

A moment of complete silence filled between us as all Prince Sehun did was stare. And then he finally spoke, his low voice reaching my ears just as a finger reached to point at the soft skin beneath my eyes, "Couldn't you sleep?" At that motion, I jumped a little back even more and shielded away from him, attempting to hide the dark shadows I probably sported underneath them as what looked to be a slight smile curled onto his lips. "Missing your parents so much you couldn't sleep?"

I reacted automatically to his words, uncaring about the fact that they could have been... Joking? My expression had deepened and a curled up pout of my lips glared at him as my voice rose naturally, "No! I was actually trying to get that paperwork done as soon as possible!"

Completely nonplused, he turned away from me and simply sighed, reverting back to his normal behavior and stony expression with a quiet grumble, "Are you always this loud in the morning?"

I was once again, feeling that now familiar feeling of indignation rising in me as I simply straightened up even more. He was the one asking me! My mouth opened once again to protest, "Wh-"

"Come," Prince Sehun suddenly stated. One word, a sharp command that confused me for a moment as all I could do was stare at him.

My mouth opened once more to bark at him, "What do you-"

And in perfect Prince Sehun fashion, he immediately seized on the opportunity to interrupt me as his back was presented to me, "Just keep quiet and come with me."

What could I do now besides follow his orders? I was hungry, he was probably as well... So I simply sighed as I stared at him from behind for a moment before his commanding glance was thrown back at me. With another heavy sigh slipping out from me, my feet shuffled after him, heading towards the dining hall as I could only think dully to myself, 'At least Chen is nice...'

This is awkward... But then again, just being near Prince Sehun alone was a level of awkwardness that I never had to experience before meeting him. I was alone in the dining hall with Prince Sehun. No Chen this time to placate anything that might happen between us... Which I hoped we wouldn't need his presence. From what the butler had told me previously, the prince had been the only one present at meals who actually ate... It appeared that the part about him living separate to his parents was indeed true.

My eyes couldn't help but begin wandered around the room, in search for the smiling butler... And it seemed as Prince Sehun actually picked up on this as he coolly stated as his utensils were picked up in the perfect princely fashion, "Chen has gone out for a while. He should be back soon though, was there something you needed?"

"Oh, no. Sorry," I simply replied, mentally sighing quietly to myself as I gazed down at the elegantly arranged and delicious looking food in front of me. Just looking at it was making my mouth water crazily and even though I would have liked to wait for Chen... I had nothing better to do with Prince Sehun seated across the table that could seat more than 20 from me than to simply start eating the food. As expected from the royal cook, it was rich and the quality exceeded my very expectations... Another reminder just how different Prince Sehun and my worlds really were. 

Trying to look as proper as possible and be acting as 'lady-like' as would be expected in the Manor, I couldn't help but steal a glance over at Prince Sehun... Who was reading a newspaper as he ate. Completely focused on it with his eyes narrowed at the words as they darted from right to left, again and again as his hand automatically delicately placed food in his mouth. 

Would he mind if I actually tried to talk to him? Maybe Prince Sehun didn't notice it or want to, but the atmosphere was more than awkward for me at the moment. And even though I was just straining at the bit to get away from him, it wouldn't hurt to at least try and act like decent human beings towards each other, right? Gathering up my courage to speak to him, I said quietly, "This tastes delicious. The chef is really good."

He responded without looking up from his newspaper or even opening his mouth, "Mm."

Well, at least he didn't snap at me like before. Maybe he was one of those people who were placated by food? Encouraged by his response, I spoke again, presenting a question this time, "Are meals always like this?"

"Mm."

Hm, so another question for him now, "Isn't it quiet sitting in here by yourself?"

"Mm." The entire time, not even once did Prince Sehun's eyes didn't leave the newspaper as he simply noncommittally grunted at me.

Now I was getting slightly irritated again. If he didn't even bother to listen to someone in front of him... No wonder why his social skills with other people so badly. So I tried once more, "Are you listening to me?"

Again, no words. But this time, at least another sound than his one note grunt, "Hm... Mm."

I could only stare at him incredulously before I repeated my question in a different form, "You're not listening, are you?"

"Mm."

Huh. So he really isn't listening to me... As I stared at his flawless face, a mischievous feeling arose in me as I couldn't help but grin slightly before asking, "Chen really is the best butler in the world, right?"

"Mm."

"Your Highness loves commoners, yes?"

"Mm."

"And Prince Chanyeol is a better man than you."

"Mm."

Slowly, my cackling feeling of amusement started to fade away as I continued on with the onslaught of questions that completely contradicted what he had stubbornly stated before, his repeated answer of "Mm" completely out the fun. I might as well be talking to a brick wall for all I could be doing. Not to mention that I had even finished by breakfast while he was still continuing to mechanically put food to his mouth. Gritting my teeth, I found myself yelling at him, "Hey!"

Finally, finally he did something, lifting his eyes from his newspaper with a highly irritated expression pulling his eyebrows together and narrowing his eyes as he coldly asked, "What is it?"

The nerve of this guy... I returned the same look on my face as I hissed out pointedly, crossing my arms across my chest and sitting back, "It's not very good manners to be sitting there reading a newspaper at the breakfast table, Prince Sehun."

He seemed completely unconcerned by my disapproval as he went back to reading, shrugging as he simply replied nonchalantly, "It's not against the rules. I don't read like this out in public or when there are other people around."

First off, rules? What was with him and rules, him and hating against 'commoners'? And second of all, 'people'? What, was I not a human being, a person, considered to be part of people? All of these thoughts swirled in my mind as I cautiously repeated, "Other people...?"

"Oh, you don't count. Sorry," Prince Sehun bluntly said, the apology easily seen to mean nothing as all he did was glance up at me before returning to that damn newspaper.

It took me a moment to even be able to process what he had said and then another second for me to actually force myself to understand that he actually meant was he said. So what I had bitterly thought in my mind was actually true. "I... Don't count?!" I could only stamp out indignantly before Chen's words came to mind again and I forced myself to calm down, take a deep breath and then with a steady glare at Prince Sehun, say in a polite and neutral tone, "I don't mean to be rude, Your Highness, but while I think rules are important... I believe a person's feelings are even more important."

"A person's feelings?" Not what I had wanted from Prince Sehun, but at least now he had his full attention on me with an elegant eyebrow cocked up and a questioning look in his eyes.

Nodding stiffly to him, the bubbling anger beneath the surface was suppressed even more as I continued on in a steady voice that even surprised myself, "Yes. I think it is important to be able to put yourself in another person's position and imagine how they must be feeling. What your actions do to them."

Prince Sehun laughed as if what I had said was a joke to him, ruffling the pages of the newspaper a bit as he brought it up and casually replied, "What's the point of doing that? It's not something I need to do when I become King."

I couldn't believe what I just heard from him. There's no point? What, did Prince Sehun live under a rock instead of training to become a prince actually? The way he thought was just... Astounding to me as my mouth opened and closed several times before I could even regain my voice again, "I'm not going to even talk about the social implications of being a leader, a King in your case. The point now is... Wouldn't it be better to enjoy your meal, since we are here having it? That way, even your food will-"

"I don't understand what you are talking about. It is more efficient use of my time if I read the newspaper while eating," Prince Sehun simply spat at me while his eyes stared coldly at me, "That way, I have more time for work and study. Why should I take time out of my day just to savor a meal?"

This was so sad. So sad that Prince Sehun could even believe these sorts of things, so committed to his duty that he couldn't even enjoy the simple things in life. Even though it didn't damper the annoyance I seemed to always have with him all the time, at least now there was another layer to my view on him besides just simple irritation. While deep in thought, I found myself staring at him, and almost immediately, he raised his eyebrows at me as he asked, "What? Did I say something strange?"

Then the idea that perhaps the prince training that he had went through really did affect him to not be a normal person and turn him into this cold bastard popped in my mind as Prince Sehun gave me no opportunity to speak, his eyes narrowed into slivers, "You look like you pity me. Don't. Sorry, but I see no reason why a commoner should pity me."

To this, I controlled myself again even the urge to snap at him and simply sighed quietly, keeping my mouth shut as I continued to simply gaze at him with impassive eyes. If he really was that way, so stubborn in his mindset that he was to be 'better' than everyone who wanted to help him, then I told myself that I would let him. Watch him as he crashed and burned in the fires of his own bullheaded stubbornness.  But I could only just make out the words he suddenly whispered next as his eyes turned downcast, "My life has always been like this..." 

I blinked at him immediately then, snapping back into focus as I could scarcely believe what he had just said. Shocking even as I caught a glimpse of the sadness in his eyes... Though his face went completely blank as soon as he noticed me, twitching back as if he didn't even know what he was saying then.

Before I could even have the opportunity to say or even think any more of what he had whispered, the sound of brisk footsteps turned both of our attentions towards the door where the relief of seeing and hearing Chen's cheerful voice echo through the room,"I have returned, Your Highness."

"You took your time," was all Prince Sehun icily said as his gaze hardened at the butler.

Chen could only bob his head quickly as he attempted to explained him, "Yes... I had trouble finding-"

Chen's words were cut short as Prince Sehun stood up, the sound of his chair scrapping against the floor drowning any other words before he immediately stated, "I have work to do. I'll leave the rest to you."

"Understood," Chen recovered himself as he bowed deeply, Prince Sehun sweeping past him without even another look or word back at me. Good riddance. The door was quickly shut behind him and once he was gone, so was the oppressive atmosphere that I had been suffering in ever since I set foot in the dining hall. Immediately, Chen turned a soft smile towards me as he quietly said, "His Highness must have been worried about you to have stayed in here this long."

I couldn't help but snort quietly at those words, shaking my head as I returned his smile with words that flowed so much more easier than before, "What? No, His Highness was eating his own breakfast... And being his usual 'cool' self."

Chen simply tilted his head slightly, furrowing his expression as he slowly replied back, "But His Highness doesn't like to waste time... So he wouldn't usually be in here for long."

To this, I could only blink at first before nodding slowly in comprehension. Even if it made sense for him to manage time so effectively, it didn't make sense why he would even want to stay here any longer than he had to. But as I continued to gaze at Chen with his warm expression comforting me as the afternoon sun would, I suddenly recalled the blanket I had woken up with during the night and opened my mouth to speak, "Oh, Chen... Thank you for placing that blanket over me during the night."

Chen's eyes only widened at my words as a look of surprise was stamped on his face, "Blanket...?"

I nodded to his question as I quickly explained the situation I had found myself in last night, "Yes... Someone covered me with a blanket last night... Wasn't it you?" 

"No, it wasn't me..." he mumbled quietly, but then seemed to realize something as he spoke, judging from the ways his eyes seemed to light up knowingly, the smile returning to his face as he kept whatever had crossed his mind to himself. Instead, he diverted the topic to the bag he had been carrying by holding it out to me, "Oh yes... Here," his smile only seeming to get even bigger as I took the bag, "It is a cell phone that will allow you to contact your own, or any other kingdom without any charge, whatsoever. It even has the best data plan out there currently."

On opening the bag, my eyes was probably as wide as saucers as I could only pull out the phone... The newest and most technologically capable one that everyone was raving about currently while I could only dream of having it before. And now I actually had it for myself. My breath was nearly lost as I whispered out breathlessly, "Is this... What you went to buy?" Then I shook myself mentally, the little part of my mind scolding me for accepting such an extravagant offer since I was technically freeloading off of the royal family currently as I held the bag back out to him, "No... I'm really sorry but I can't accept this, Chen. But thank you anyways for getting it for me."

Chen seemed a little hesitant as the expression on his face fell slightly and he quietly responded, ""It is His Highness that you should be apologizing and thanking..."

I could not believe what Chen was trying to indirectly say. Not at first at least, being that I idiotically repeated His Highness' name back at the butler, "Prince Sehun?"

"Yes. His Highness was the one who ordered that this cell phone be made ready for you immediately. So I would contemplate on actually trying to return it to him, Miss you," Chen immediately said, nodding slightly at me as I could only continue to stare at him and bring Prince Sehun's face into mind while my mind attempted to work what this all meant...

He had stayed with me in the dining room until Chen had come back so I wouldn't be alone. And arranged for Chen to get me one of the best cell phones out there currently I could use to contact people in other countries. And... Was it possible that he was the one who gave me that blanket...?

Prince Sehun's eyes were always so cold, and he seemed not to care for anything, nevertheless a 'commoner' like myself. Yet his actions didn't quite match his outward appearance...

That night...

As I was continuing with my paperwork, my mind kept wandering back to thinking about Prince Sehun and the enigma that seemed to surround him. But for all I could think of, I just couldn't figure it out. I did want to say thank you to him at least too... But of course he wasn't there at dinner. Only Chen, though I couldn't say that I preferred having Prince Sehun glare at us as we joked like old friends the entire time.

And while I was deep within my thought, I didn't even notice that my pen had suddenly ran out of ink and nothing came out until I finally blinked at the indented section that had absolutely nothing written in it even though I had just wrote my name on it. Sighing quietly to himself, the pen was thrown away into the trash can as I stood up to stretch and look up at the clock.

It was much later than I had thought, almost midnight as I thought that I had to go find Chen for a new pen. It was a good thing that he had given me his number so I could just send him a text... But as I attempted to turn on my old phone, it was out of batteries. And the new one didn't have Chen's number saved on it yet. Damn it, I should have asked for a charger earlier on.

Now slightly troubled, I wasn't just going to give up right now and sit useless in my room. And from what I heard before, there wasn't any rules about heading into the halls at night... Which was exactly I did as I peeked out and then attempted to tiptoe through the halls, trying to make as little sound as possible. I just hoped I could find a servant or maid somewhere along here... The Manor seeming to have adopted a spooky and eerie feeling in its expansive halls.

As I continued to creep along and let my imagination run wild with thinking that ghosts were going to screw with me any moment, I suddenly noticed an open door into one of the rooms, warm light spilling out into the dimly lit hallway. I was just about to pass it, thinking that it was no matter of mine if someone else was awake at this time when... I heard a dull and heavy thud inside of it.

Eyes widening in surprise, I couldn't help but allow my curiosity to hurry myself towards the door and hiding past the main body of the door, cautiously peek inside to blink several times in order to get used to the light. It seemed to be some kind of elaborately and exquisitely decorated office... Even more lavishly and stylishly designed than what I would expect a CEO's office to look like.

I immediately assumed that it must be Prince Sehun's office. It wouldn't make sense for the King's office to be here, considering that I had never even seen them in this particular wing of the Manor... Though it doesn't look like there is anyone here as I could only wonder what made that sound and allow myself to peek my head in even further...

To catch the sight of Prince Sehun sprawled out and collapsed on the ground.

"What?!" Without any hesitation, I immediately pushed open the door and ran into the room, to see him on the floor by the sofa. "Your Highness?!" I yelled at him, disregarding all rules of conduct as I shook him by the shoulders, my eyes wide as I gazed down upon him.

He was completely unresponsive to my voice.