Four Years Later (as in four years after Wooyoung and Chansung met)

"Baby bro, come back here! Give me that paper!" Nichkhun heard his brother's voice echoing through the ridiculously long second floor hallway of the palace's west wing. He was walking as fast as he could, almost running, and yet the nearest exit felt like an eternity away. In his hand was a piece of paper, supposedly a letter for the Royal family in Monaco, a request to betrothe Nickhun with Monaco's second princess. It was a way to create an international pact between the European countries and Thailand. And Nichkhun, by chance, was of the age to marry.

"No way." He yelled back, and this only seemed to enrage Nichan even more. He dashed forward in long strides, and soon, the proximity between them became closer.

"Nichkhun Buck Horjevkul, if you dare to disobey me, you will have to answer to mum and dad yourself."

"I don't want to get married! Why can't you marry her?" Nichkhun shouted back, without looking at his brother.

"I'm already engaged to marry the Spanish princess."

"Take two for pleasure then." He heard his brother groan loudly.

Both boys were obviously running now, and the exit was finally within sight, but before Nichkhun could reach it, Yanin suddenly appeared out of nowhere, causing Nichkhun to stumble into her. His younger sister squealed girlishly as both fell into a heap on the floor. Nichan finally caught up with his little brother, leaned forward and grabbed the paper away from Nichkhun's hand while the younger guy struggled to free himself from his younger sister.

"Ugh, Yanin, why did you have to appear now of all time?" Nichkhun groaned, frustrated.

"Why did YOU have to run across the hallways, do tell?" Yanin glared back, taking Nichan's hand to hoist herself up to her feet.

"Yanin, I need to thank you on this one. If you didn't appear suddenly, His Royal Pain-in-the- over here would have burned this letter. It's difficult to get dad's signature."

Yanin blew her stranded front bangs away. "Oh...so I see." She grinned, looking very cynical. "You know there's no way out of this, bro." She said, in a sympathetic tone. "If the King wishes for your marriage, you're basically married, but without the official ring."

"She'll hate me." Nichkhun remarked, trying to slip out from all these marriage frenzy. It was exhausting for him, because though it was nice to know that you're royal, it becomes a real pain when people started stalking you, using you, and worse of all, deciding your life for you. He wanted a normal life, but he knew it was too late to ask for one.

"Royals don't usually hate people. They either like someone or forced to like someone. It's the darkside of being royal. You can't choose who you want to be from the day you were born." Nichan stated, eyeing his brother warily.

Nickhun looked down at his feet. Well, technically, it wasn't his feet, but a pair of leather shoes imported from Italy two years back. All the expensive things in the world...afordable, but not his own life.

Yanin suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder and beckoned him to enter the drawing room. It was time for a little break. Nichkhun, however, refused to take any more breaks. He wanted to do something for himself, to have control over his life for once. Slapping Yanin's hand away, he bowed to his siblings and dragged his feet back to his room.

"What about dinner?" Yanin called out.

"Leave him be, baby sis. He'll get through this himself. I did." Nichan walked off the opposite way, back to his study room. It was time to post the letter.

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Dinner can my , Nichkhun thought. He knew it wasn't fair for him to lash out on his siblings. They were in the same boat. When he got back to his room, he threw himself down on the bed and banged his fist against the soft mattress. It didn't hurt. It never hurt. He already knew what sort of character he was, the kind who waited for a miracle to happen or at least for it to be served on a silver platter and brought to him. He never bothered to seek out what he wanted.

Like right then, when he wanted to numb his emotions, he knew a little pain would help, but at the same time, he didn't want to cause pain to himself. It was all very conflicting.

"I'm already 21 and I'm still a wuss." He remarked quietly. "I can't do anything myself. Always needed someone to bring me the things I want. No wonder I can't have a say in my own life." He sighed heavily, hugging his pillow. "I never disobey someone. I'm always striving to be perfect. At the end of it, I'm still not perfect. I'm such a loser.....can't even stand up for myself...." The self-reflect moment was slowly drifting him to sleep. "I don't know what I need to do....no book to help me....where to go...I can't rebel...rebel?"

The last thought made him chuckle slightly. "That would never happen....I can't run away. I'm a wuss....I can't....no, I can't....but I can......."

He could. Seriously, he really could. It didn't take a genius to run away. The palace guards were strict, but only to outsiders. They wouldn't think twice about those who are already inside. Since the whole building was fit to store a hundred family inside, he doubted there would be a high chance of him meeting any one of his family members. The staffs would recognize him, but at the same time, they wouldn't bother about him. Mr. Perfect was too perfect to pay close attention to.

Perfect. Excited at the thought of running away, he quickly packed a small bag of his personal belongings. Toothbrush, face wash, three casual shirts, leather jacket, two boxers, one shorts, a pair of sunglasses, socks, and....shaving cream. Oh, not to forget his favorite shaver. Comb (of course). And his Rolex watch. He donned a casual white collared shirt and a pair of black Levi jeans. Instead of his usual Italian shoe collection, sneakers seemed more practicable at the moment. After combing his hair back and making sure pillow-Nichkhun was soundly asleep under the thick sheets, he quietly crept out of his room and made his way to the east wing servant exit.

Luckily, no one bumped into him along the way. Even more fortunately, the servants didn't bother about their blond-haired royal prince. He managed to sneak out the back door, and moved stealthily along the palace's fountain garden towards a rusty back gate he found when he was young. The lock was latched tightly, but Nichkhun didn't want this to stop him. He found a foothold and stepped on it to climb over the gate. He was out in a blink, just in time before a guard passed by with a torchlight to check on the garden. He kept very still against the outer walls of the palace and heard the guard said, "All clear," in Thai. And then the sound of footsteps fading away signalled Nichkhun that the guard had left. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked ahead at the empty road before him. 

"I'm outside the palace..." He said with widened eyes, exhaling the words. It was too good to be true. "I'm free."

Unfortunately for the Thai prince, he had no idea where to go next.

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His first idea was to walk on until he eventually reaches the city, but the palace was placed far away from the bustling city of Bangkok. It took an hour's ride by car, so it would proabably take a century by foot. Nichkhun checked his watch for the gazillion time that night. He had only been walking for thirty minutes but his legs were sore already.

Great. So much for running away. He wondered how much longer he would have to walk. Should I go back? When will they realize I was gone? A lot of questions were running through his mind, but none had answers. He figured he should walk another ten more minutes and see what happens then.

What happened was that a car passed by, saw Nichkhun, decided that he pitied the boy and offered to give the blond-haired boy a ride. Unbeknownst to the driver, Nichkhun was actually a prince, but there was no way the Thai prince would be revealing his royal bloodline, not when he just started running away.

"Hey, need a ride?" The man asked. A young man, probably around his twenties, with slick black hair and a long face. Nichkhun gave him a smile and said, "Yes please."

"Get in then. Where are you off to?"

"Bangkok."

"Hey, me too. I'm Kim Minjun. Sorry, my Thai is not that good."

"Can you speak English then?"

They switched to English after that and the journey became more bearable. Nichkhun learned that Minjun was there on business, but he would be returning to Korea soon. He also learned that Minjun was older than him and in Korea, age mattered. The Thai prince listened intently as Minjun revealed more and more about Korean culture. It was fascinating. He should have paid close attention in Geography class before.

"What are you planning to do in Bangkok, Khun?" Minjun asked. It was a name Nickhun had introduced himself as, but he did not mention his origins.

"I guess I will be traveling around like a tourist, discovering things I couldn't see when I was young. I led a sheltered life before."

"Would you travel overseas?"

Nichkhun thought about it. "Maybe....I would definitely choose Korea first. It sounds intriguing."

"Like hell you should!" Minjun suddenly exclaimed excitedly. "It's like the best place in the world. All the food and the people...I'm proud to be Korean."

They continued talking until the car finally arrived at the bustling night market in Bangkok. Minjun dropped Nichkhun in front of the police station where he worked temporarily and told the Thai prince to get some rest at a nearby hotel. "I'm staying there too. The rates are good. And the place is clean. Just walk along this path and you'll see it."

Nichkhun thanked him and began walking on his own pace. The hotel was indeed cheap and clean. He asked for a room and paid for the night. Tomorrow would the start of a new day, and this time, he vowed to make it his own.

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The day dawned close, and soon the sun was up. Nichkhun woke up with a fresh start and took a long hot shower. He wondered if it would be okay to roam around Bangkok without being recognized. The sight that welcomed him outside, however, was the last thing he wanted to see. Guards from the palace were crowding the streets, looking for him. He lowered his cap and donned his sunglasses. A passing cab was stopped and he got into it in a flash.

"The airport." He ordered. The driver simply nodded his head and drove off, oblivious to his passenger's identity.

Nichkhun swore under his breath. So much for sightseeing his own country. It was time to leave it for a while. If his family found him now, there would never be a second chance of escape. In an hour's time, the airport drew nearer in sight. Nichkhun paid the driver and made his way to the main counter. He could only depend on the physical cash in his wallet now. If he used the credit cards, the whole world could track him down.

"Korea." He told the person behind the counter. She checked the flights and told him that a plane would be taking off to Korea in two hours. There was one seat left. "I'll take it."

There was two hours to spare. It was time for brunch.

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6 Hours Ahead - Present Time

Nichkhun is now standing in the middle of a busy airport. All the signposts around him are written in Korean. He silents mutters a quick appreciation to his Language tutor. At the very least, he could speak basic Korean and understand basic letters. He asks the information counter for a cab and is directed to a cab stop outside the airport.

"Where can I bring you?" The driver asks when Nichkhun gets in.

"Uh...Seoul." He says carefully, praying he got it right.

"Seoul? Alright then." Seconds later, Nichkhun is on his way to Seoul, the capital city of Korea. He will think about what he will do next when he arrives.

About half an hour later, he finally reaches his destination. The driver drops him in front of a famous mall, because Nickhun's not sure about the place. After paying the driver, he gets out from the cab and takes a big turn around to awe at the sight of the busy street. A few buildings there stretches high up into the sky, the peak almost covered by passing clouds. Citizens and tourists are happily enjoying their weekend out on a shopping spree or just for a stroll. Nichkhun notices that most of them are carrying bags of newly bought items. He averts his attention to the uniquely designed silverish building in front of him and gawks at it.

It's huge! And shoppers are either storming in or out. He decides to check inside. Once inside, he slowly drags his feet towards a couple of benches in the middle of the ground floor, but his eyes are scanning the various stores and restaurants around him. It's so different than the usual places he shopped at. Those places usually had no people. Just workers.

Without realizing it, he bumps into someone, causing the other to drop his ice cream. "Aish..." The guy says. "My ice cream is gone for sure. Watch where you're going."

Their eyes meet when the guy looks up and Nichkhun could have sworn he felt his heart skip a beat for a moment there. The boy standing in front of him is just so beautiful, breathe-taking, painstakingly beautiful, with wavy black hair, a small cute face, thin lips, sharp nose and a pair of big black orbs. "Ah...I'm sorry." He bows his head, managing an apologetic smile. But his attention does not waver from the boy's face. They're almost the same height, but Nichkhun knows he's a few inches taller than the boy.

"It's okay. Oh gosh, there's ice cream on your shirt. Sorry about that. I guess it's partly my fault."

Nichkhun looks down at his shirt. Sure enough, the stain of chocolate-flavoured ice cream is there, totally visible to the eye. "Ah...well, it's fine. Just a shirt."

"Well, it's not fine for me. I feel bad. Come on, I know a laundry shop around here. Let me pay for it." He grabs Nichkhun's arms and starts dragging the Thai with him. Bags of shopping items are hanged along both his arm, but the guy shows no sign of exhaustion. Nichkhun wants to help carry a few bags for him, but he does not know how to ask.

After walking for about ten minutes, they enter a small shop just behind the mall. The boy asks Nichkhun to take off his shirt. He wastes no time to do as he was told, and as he takes his shirt off, he notices the slight blush on the boy's face.

"Is something wrong?" Nichkhun asks.

"No." The boy answers, shaking his head violently and then looking away to the lady at the counter. He takes the shirt that Nichkhun hands him and passes it over to the lady.

"No bleach. Just soap."

The lady takes the shirt and disappears somewhere to the back. Nichkhun and the boy found a place to seat after that, and that is when the Thai finally learns of the boy's name.

"Sorry. I forgot to introduce myself under all that frenzy. My name is Jang Wooyoung. But you can call me Wooyoung. Or Woo. Either way is fine. What about you?"

Nichkhun lets out a friendly smile. I guess it's okay for me to reveal my real name here. "My name is Nichkhun. Nickhun Buck Horjevkul." He feels a wave of relief when Wooyoung simply gapes at his long name, not because he knows that Nichkhun is a royal.

"You're not from around here?! I thought so. You did look foreign." Wooyoung says excitedly. He leans in closer to look at Nichkhun's face. "Yeah, definitely not Korean. Are you here alone?"

"Yes." Nichkhun replies. "I've just arrived."

"I see...well, where are you staying?"

Nichkhun blinks his eyes twice, not sure what to answer to that. "Uh....I don't know."

"You don't know? You forgot your hotel?"

"No. I didn't check in at any hotels."

"What? Then....where are you going to stay?"

"Uh...I guess I'll know later." Nichkhun says. Wooyoung frowns at this. "You should have planned your trip properly."

"I didn't have time to plan. Let's just say the situation is too urgent for any plannings." The Thai mutters, not quite lying.

"Oh."

"Anyway, once I get my shirt back, I would probably walk around a little."

"Ok, up to you then. It's your life." This remark from Wooyoung puts a smile on Nichkhun's face, causing Wooyoung to blush slightly at the sight of it. No, stupid me. Why am I blushing? He's a goddamn GUY! But omigosh, fangirling over here, he's gorgeous!

"Excuse me, your shirt is done." The lady suddenly interrupts them. Nichkhun walks over to the counter and abruptly pulls out his wallet, much to Wooyoung's surprise. Wooyoung rushes over to the counter to stop him, but when he sees the way Nichkhun stares at his own wallet, Wooyoung couldn't help but laugh. The notes inside are all in Thai currency. Nichkhun has apparently exchange just enough cash to last him through the flight and cab. But not for the laundry.

"I...I need to change this. Do you accept Thai baht?" He asks the lady. She simply raises an eyebrow at him. "Do you have money?"

"I do, but it's not Korean."

Wooyoung chuckles at the comment and pushes Nichkhun aside gently. "I will pay for him. 3000 won?"

"Yes."

"So expensive." Despite this, he still pays the 3000 won. And then he drags Nichkhun out of the shop once the Thai has put on the newly-washed shirt. "You know what, I don't think I can trust you to live in Korea by yourself. You looked like you came here with no knowledge or preparations whatsoever about the Korean way of life. I have an extra room at my apartment. You can sleep there if you want."

"I will be eternally grateful for that." Nichkhun says, bowing his head low. In Thailand, he learned that as a royal, if you are grateful for something, no matter what the age, you should bow to the other. When Nichkhun looks up, however, Wooyoung seems uneasy. "What is the matter?"

"Just wondering...how old are you?"

"I'm 21 this year."

"Ah...I'm 20. So that makes you my hyung." Wooyoung bows at Nichkhun. "Well, shall we get going, Khun hyung?"

Nichkhun nods his head ecstaticly and follows behind Wooyoung. They take the cab back to Wooyoung's flat, where Wooyoung claims he is living alone.

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Oh, this is long~ anyway, enjoy you guys. Two updates for today. Promises of more updates tomorrow linger in the air.