“Eomoni, what did you just say right now?” Taecyeon rushed in after hearing their conversation.

“Taecyeon ah…”

“Your highness…” Yuri quickly stood up and bowed.

“What do you mean, mother? Tiffany is missing?!”

“Taecyeon ah… her… her… school called… and they said... she hasn’t come in over a week.” Her mother stood up and walked to Taecyeon, falling at his feet. He picked her up and carried her over to the seat and sat her down. He pulled his phone out and dialed his secretary.

“Secretary Yoo, get a plane ready for me. Wipe out the rest of my schedule for the next three days or however long. I’ll tell you the reason later. Just do as I’ve said. Please, ahjussi…” his voice went from rough to soft.

“Yes, your highness.” Taecyeon hung the phone up and then quickly called in Khun. “Eomoni… tell me everything.” Taecyeon took a seat across from her and Khun stood next to Yuri, looking at her. She stared at him and from her eyes; she was saying the princess is missing.

“The… her school called me and said she wasn’t in school nor has she been during the week. So, I sent a couple of the Royal Guards to America and they went to her… home and saw the personal guards’ unconscious, but your dongsaeng wasn’t home.” She wiped her tears, Taecyeon looked at his mother, got up and sat next to her and gave her a loving hug.

“Khun, we’re going to the States. Get ready.” Khun looked at him and then back to Yuri; she nodded for him to hurry.

“Neh, Jeonha.” He bowed and left the room.

Two hours later, the King, Nichkhun and four other guards boarded the personal plane and flew to the States.

“Your highness, when we arrive, the other guards that have already gone there will you to the pension and the rest of us will go to the princess’ home.” Khun told the king.

“Anniyo. I’m coming with you.” He was stubborn.

“Jeonha… it’ll be dangerous if you come with us…” Khun tried to change his mind

“Khun, you’re my closest friend… you understand me best. You won’t change my mind, once I’ve made it.” Taecyeon said.

“Jeonha…Arasso. Just stay close.”

“Khun, come on. I know how to take care of myself too.” Taecyeon smirked and the two laughed.

The 14 hour ride went by fast as they talked about their plan and talked about their childhood till the adulthood.

“The king will be coming with us too.” Nichkhun announced to the guards when they landed in New York.

“Junsu, are the princess’ guards okay?” the king asked.

“Neh. All five are injured”

“Arasso. Let’s go to the hospital first.” They led Taecyeon to the hospital.

“Jeonha…” the four guards tried to stand up.

“Just stay as you are.” He commanded, and they listened.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“I was standing guard outside the house, and her friends came to the house because they were doing a study session together. Jay was standing guard at the gates, Chansung was on the inside, making sure everything went okay, and then we had Dong Joon in the security room and Hyung Sik was by the pond around the back yard.” Wooyoung briefed on their positions during the attack.

“What happened after that?” Nichkhun asked.

“Well, they were all studying for quite a long time, so the princess told me to tell the chef to make dinner for her and her 3 friends. I came back and two of her friends were gone and she and her other friend were just talking. So I went to go look for them and they were both in the bathroom. I walked back out and headed to the security room and saw Dong Joon lying on the floor; so that was when I realized something wasn’t going right. I went back to check on the princess, but she wasn’t there and her friends were unconscious. I went to the back and saw Hyung Sik and Wooyoung chasing after three men and so I called Jay hyung and it was a pursuit from that point on.” Chansung explained his part.

“We ran after them and fought them, but they managed to put us down…” Jay explained.

“Miahne, jeonha… we don’t deserve to be part of the Royal Guard.” Hyung Sik tried to get out of the bed, but fell over. Junsu quickly ran to his side and picked him up.

“No. You tried to save my sister. We’ll find her. Don’t worry.” Taecyeon smiled assuringly.

After the five guards were discharged, they went to Tiffany’s house and did a thorough search.

“Khun, call the school and get them to give me the list of students.” Taecyeon said, although he knew it was going to be a large amount, but it couldn’t have been that much. After all, she went to an art school for dancing and singing.

“Yeh.” He called the school and then had two of his men to go pick up the papers.

“Jeonha! There’s a call for you.” Chansung picked the house phone up.

“Answer it.”

“They want to speak to you.”

“Hand it over.”

“Hello? Who is this?” Taecyeon said in English.

“So you’re the great king of South Korea… huh?” a deep voice spoke on the line.

“What do you want with my sister?” his voice was rough.

“Pay a ransom of a million by tonight.” He said.

“Where?”

“Come alone to Madison Square at midnight.” And then he hung up.

“Hello?!” Taecyeon yelled in the phone.

“While you were talking, we traced the line down and it was a payphone by the school.” Khun said.

“Arasso.”

“What did they want?” Junsu asked worriedly. It was unusual for him to ask about a situation.

“Hyung…”

“A ransom of a million.”

“Are you going to give it to them?”

“Junsu hyung…”

“Why are you asking so many questions?” Taecyeon looked at Junsu in suspicion.

“It’s nature… I have to know the situation too…” he said; but in truth, he was worried. Very worried.

Soon enough, midnight came and Taecyeon was prepared with the million and he drove himself to Madison Square and waited. He looked around and saw his guards positioned around in the Square as they were supposed to. Just then, a man came and sat down next to him and said, “Follow me.”

Taecyeon followed the man and the two got in a car and drove, leaving his guards at the Square. He dug in his jacket pocket and in his right hand; he pulled out the small device and stuck it to the seat on the side.

“Let’s go!” Khun said to his ear piece and all the guards ran to the cars and drove after the car with the king. Soon enough, they pulled up to a harbor and walked to a vacant building by the woods and pushed Taecyeon in.

“Oppa!!” Tiffany yelled as soon as she saw him.

“Tiffany!” He ran to Tiffany, who was in tears and was scared.

“Don’t cry. They’re coming.” He said quickly in Korean in a barely audible whisper.

The door broke open and the Royal Guards came running in, fighting everyone. Taecyeon untied Tiffany from the chair and he pushed her behind him and quickly got in a stance to protect himself and his sister.

“Oppa!” she yelled, closing her eyes as she saw the gunman pointing the gun towards Taecyeon.

“Jeonha!!!” Nichkhun ran but was too late. The gunman shot at Taecyeon and then both fell over as the gunman was tackled by Chansung and Hyung Sik. Tiffany looked at her brother and the man next to him.

Junsu.