“I’ve been trespassing into The Forbidden Woods ever since I was 15. I’ve been violating a death-penalty law for 3 years now, so yes, I lied to you about babysitting being my job. Bob knows and so does Lucas, and even Rick since he’s the one who taught me how to shoot. Oh, but what they don’t know, is that the Stargazers that are supposed to be banned from here actually live just on the other side of the Woods, in their own village. They have special abilities like telepathing and manipulating the wind – but do not fret, they do not eat infants. And another thing, Baekhyun? Is that I could hear them telepathing in my head, too, my father who might not even be my real father is a Stargazer which makes it possible that I am also one although I don’t have a mark, and you’re lying. Or, as I think what Sehun meant, is that what your uncle told you about the Fire isn’t true. He’s hiding something. Could you do me a favor and ask what it is he’s hiding? I would appreciate that a lot, thank you.”

  Andrea rolled her eyes, noting how ridiculous she sounded saying all that in her head. Of course I can’t tell him all that! She diverted her gaze to the prince beside her and sighed. The first sentence alone would be enough for him to throw me into the dungeon.

  “The more you sigh, the more wrinkles you would get.”

  Andrea blinked. “P-pardon?”

  Turning to face her and look straight at her under his hood, Baekhyun smiled. “You were sighing. You haven’t even seen the best part of this festival yet!”

  She loved the festival so far, to be honest. The village was live and warm, with the aroma of various kinds of drinks (“Try not to accept the free samples they offer; they’re usually a mixture of every liquid existing,”), bread and all kinds of pastries filling the air, people chatting, dancing and laughing, and there were even stunt shows of men swallowing swords or playing with fire. Andrea was enjoying herself; she really was. If it weren’t the event from the day before bothering her, she wouldn’t have felt the guilt when seeing the slight frown on Baekhyun’s face.

  He thought she wasn’t enjoying it, when she actually was.

  Andrea felt like she had somehow let the prince, who had bothered to show her around in disguise instead of enjoying luxuries in his castle, down. “I love this, Baek.” She tried to show him how honest she meant it the best she could. “It’s the first time I’ve been to a festival, and I’m… I’m astonished. Inside out.” Grabbing for his hand, she stopped Baekhyun from walking further and looked straight into his eyes. “Thank you for taking me here.”

  He was shocked at first when she took his hand, but after a few seconds of gazing into her brilliant violet eyes, he gently squeezed Andrea’s hand and smiled. “I am aware of that; I could see it from the way your face lit up as soon as you entered the village.” He laughed. “It’s just… something’s bothering you, is there not?”

  “I-I…”

  “No, no, it’s alright.” Baekhyun shook his head. “You don’t have to tell me since I have no right to interfere in another’s business.”

  “Baek – “

  “Besides, I can’t wait to show you the best part of this festival.”

  Andrea thought of the lights, the food, the beverages, the shows and beautiful accessories she had just feasted her eyes on. “How can there possibly be anything better than all this?”

  Baekhyun started walking again, unable to hold back his radiant smile. “Fireworks, of course!”

  Because they were still holding hands, Andrea had no choice but to pace up a little behind him. At least it was better than letting go of his hand. “Fireworks? The things that look like bursting lights in the evening sky?”

  “So you’ve seen them before?” Baekhyun asked without looking back.

  “… Yes, but only from a far distance. From my cottage.”

  “Very good.”

  Confused, Andrea asked, “Baek?”

  “Allow me to take you somewhere you can see how magnificent the fireworks are when being close-up.”

  “Close-up?” Excitement boiled in her. “Where?”

  He looked over his shoulder, letting her see the eagerness and excitement flashing in his eyes. “Somewhere… private.”

  “Private?”

  She could hear the smile in Baekhyun’s voice. “A place only the prince and the people he allows can go to.”

***

  Baekhyun hoisted himself up with one last grunt and turned to offer his hand. “Okay now hold – “

  To his extreme shock, with a silent thump, Andrea landed onto the balcony next to where he was standing, instead of looking up at him downstairs waiting to be pulled up.

  “How did you – “

  “The vines on the wall,” Andrea said, pointing, “were strong enough to climb.”

  Baekhyun looked stupefied.

  “So while I was hurling myself over the railing, you were effortlessly swinging from the vines?” He pouted. “Only Kai has done that before.”

  Andrea smiled a small smile. “I’m… talented?”

  “You really are different than other women, Andrea.”

  To stop herself from blushing under the prince’s intense stare, she asked, “So this is the private place?” She looked at the window before her. “His Imperial Highness’… bedroom balcony?”

  “Next time you should warn me if you climb again because I might look up… and you’re wearing a dress…”

  “Baekhyun!”

  Baekhyun laughed embarrassingly as Andrea’s face turned beet red. “Yes, this is where the view is best,” he cleared his throat, “to watch the fireworks display. They are not set from here, but they tend to fly right up to the sky above here and explode, and when they do that, it’s so…” Baekhyun glanced at the girl standing next to him with her hands on the railing, who was gazing into the sky with astonishment. “Beautiful.”

  He was glad it was dark. Perhaps a few hours until midnight, which meant the fireworks were meant to set off in merely minutes. Compared to the village, it was completely quiet here on the second floor, because, well, it was a part of the castle they were in. And as they looked down to the direction of the village, it seemed so faraway, a few rows of trees and a lake in between. Peaceful and almost secluded, just how Baekhyun liked it. Just how he liked everything.

  “Why didn’t you go through the front door?”

  Baekhyun blinked. “Pardon?”

  “The entrance of the castle.” Andrea turned to smile at him but secretly gasped when she noticed how close he was. “You could have just – “

  “Oh, no,” Baekhyun shook his head. “My uncle doesn’t even know I snuck out, and he never would allow me to bring a guest in, especially…” he gulped, “one of the opposite gender.”

  Another blush crept up Andrea’s cheeks. “O-oh.”

  “Besides, it’s thrilling, I must say.” The prince smiled. “Climbing like thieves onto your own balcony from the outside.”

  “Forgive me, your highness, but you don’t sound thrilled at all.”

  Baekhyun laughed, but to Andrea it sounded like a choked sob. “And to be absolute honest, milady, I am truly not.”

  She didn’t want to ask. She didn’t want to see the pain that would always show up in his eyes when somebody did ask him, but Baekhyun left Andrea no choice by saying, “Go ahead, ask me. I know you’re curious, Andrea. I know you want to ask why I’m letting myself be restricted by my own uncle although I can do anything just because I’m this realm’s almighty prince.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to.” She ignored the raise of his eyebrows. “I just… don’t want to.”

  Baekhyun replied anyways. “He is the closest thing I have to a father left, Andrea.” He stared straight into the night a velvet dark. “He has raised me for seven years, taught me how to stand up after every fall, how to keep moving after every cry, and how to become a man during the time I grieved over the loss of my father. So I owe him for that. And as much as I consider the regulations of forbidding me to go out sometimes or needing to require his permission before going out with Kai absolute nonsense… I owe him. He is also my family. On top of all that, I cannot disobey orders because he is still the king.”

  “Why?’ Andrea stared at how beautiful the moonlight made Baekhyun’s face shine with a silver silhouette. “Why aren’t you king yet?”

  He frowned. “This is a question to which I do not have the answer, and I seek it, too. Eighteen is the most suitable age for coronation as Kai says, but His Majesty wants me to be coronated when I turn 19. He’s told the relatives that it’s because I am still grieving over my father, but that’s not the matter. I… I’ve stopped mourning and sobering for years.”

  “So you think your uncle is hiding something?” Andrea stiffened. “He has… secrets?”

  “No.” Baekhyun shook his head. “I don't think he is holding secrets but… he’s just not telling me yet. Because he thinks I am still too young to accept the knowledge awaiting for me.”

  I doubt that, Andrea thought. I think he’s hiding things; though I haven’t asked Sehun what he thinks he’s hiding yet.

  As she nibbled on her lower lip in deep thought, she didn’t notice Baekhyun staring at her. She didn’t notice the mixture of emotions on his face: guilt, apology, sadness… and the hand reaching toward her, until she felt it on hers.

  She jumped at the sudden contact of skin. “Andrea.”

  “B-Baek?” The beating of her heart accelerated.

  “I am the prince, so I am going to be blunt.”

  “T-that hardly makes sense.”

  He smiled, but Andrea saw the pain in it. “To be honest, there is a reason behind the festival today.” He took something out of his pocket. “And before you know what it is, I want you to have this.”

  Andea gasped when Baekhyun unfolded his other hand. “Baekhyun!” She widened her eyes. “Is that…?”

  “The bangle you were eyeing at the festival.” He smiled. “I bought it for you.”

  “But – “ Andrea was flattered. The prince bought a bangle, decorated with rings and rings of flowers, just for her?! “I can’t – “

  “Yes you can, and you will accept my gift.” Before she could protest, Baekhyun took her left wrist and put the bangle around it. “No taking it off; that’s an order.”

  Andrea examined the accessory on her wrist, amazed by how beautiful it shone under the pearl-white moonlight. “But why – “

  “Consider it something that can remind you of me every time you spare it a glance.” Baekhyun took a step forward, eating up the space left between the two of them. “You are a very charming person, Andrea. Different, mysterious, alluring, with those enchanting violet eyes of yours…” he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and lowered his voice into a whisper. Though it made no difference to Andrea, because his voice was still as loud to her as the thumping of her heartbeat. “I want you to know that I understand now.”

  “U-understand?” Andrea’s breath hitched in .

  “These feelings I have for you,” Baekhyun replied, his face getting closer and closer to Andrea’s –

  And then somewhere near them, the cackling sound of fireworks exploding erupted.

  But of course, that didn’t stop Baekhyun from leaning forward and giving Andrea the kiss he had dreamt of so many times during countless nights…

  On her lips.

[A/N] /calmly walks away from the computer and into the bathroom/

O M G SCREAMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

OHKAI. OHKAI. /takes deep breaths/ Ohkai so - OMG SCREAMSSSSSSSSSSS - the next chap will still have a few scenes of... you know... OMG I CAN'T SAY THE K WORD OR I WOULD HYPERVENTILATE AGAIN. But yeah you guys know what I mean... right?

SO the next few chapters, esp Chapter Thirteen, are like ultimate filler chaps. Where stuff get explained and answers will start appearing. Hehe hope ya'll liked this chapter :P <3<3 /whispers did anyone die/ /whispers if you survived today you might not survive the next update LOL JK/