"You made these?" I took a spoonful of my delectable soup, made by Yoochun'ssi. He chuckled. "Yup! If Jaejoong and Junsu are palace knights, I'm a cook there." he boasted. "Really!? Then you must be very lucky!" I grinned. He rubbed the back of his neck. "No, not really."

My shoulders deflated. "Why not?"

He started cleaning the dishes. "There are 3 Kingdoms here in Hamelin. In each Palace, there are like 10,000 Knights, 500 maids, 40 cooks and more. People wouldn't care how much you're worth unless you're royalty. You know, you're lucky you were drifted in Hamelin because our Kings and Queens are a family of good people. If you were found in another island then I don't know what will happen to you, and goodness, I won't even know you to save you." I kept my lips in a thin line. "Eh?"

"It is said, that the rulers will either light up the people's eyes with hope or burn it with hate according to how he or she controls them." he explained. I placed my chin on the wooden table and closed my eyes. "I see..." I guess I wasn't paying attention now since I've been working so much. "Anyway, it's also dangerous if you work at the Palace." he sighed. His statement made my head snap. "Is it?"

"Not sure if people working inside the palace are luckier than the ones outside 'cause knight may only die in battle while the rest die in many ways."

I shuddered at the thought. "You see, if you create one mistake inside the palace, you'd be beheaded... or worse." He sat on the other chair across from mine. "Then I'm glad I'm not working there."

"I think the only advantage of working there is earning money ten times more than what you earn outside with that girl." he smirked. "It's better than getting yourself killed, right?" I giggled. "I guess..." he reluctantly shrugged his shoulders. I closed my eyes, feeling his uneasiness. "What's wrong?" "Just..." he paused and I managed to take a peek at him. He was staring at me and I couldn't fully read his face. "...be careful when you work outside, alright?" he pleaded with a tiny smile. I closed my eyes again with a nod. "Yes sir."

 

 

It's been five minutes since that creepy-looking guy has been staring at our direction. I could sense Da Woon'ssi has been irritated with him. We haven't even started playing yet and if looks could kill, we would've been dead by now.

Da Woon'ssi got up and walked towards him. "Hello sir. Can we help you?" she asked nicely and that's where I notice he wasn't staring at the two of us, he was staring at me. "Who's that girl?" he asked monotonously. I gulped at his deep hoarse voice. What does he want with me?

"She works," Da Woon'ssi glanced at me, "with me." she ended. The man didn't seem to catch that response as he suddenly walked past her and approached me. He knelt down at my level, since I was seated at the short stairs, and stared right at me. "Are you okay, sir?" I stuttered.

Da Woon'ssi had that atrocious look on her face when she tapped his shoulder. "You can't have her." Wha-What? Okay, now I'm confused. What is she talking about but for some reason, I don't like it. "That's none of your business, kid." He stood up and faced her. "Cause you aren't a son of a Noble." he smirked as he grabbed my hand.

I panicked and tried to remove his grasp. Da Woon'ssi was chasing after me. My sight became blurry all of a sudden since the man was pulling me forcibly. Then my head collided onto something firm and chiseled and that was when I felt myself falling into darkness.

 

 

"You're bluffing!" The man retaliated. Da Woon'ssi was holding Roo'ssi, who kinda passed out after I ran into her.

"Am I? Or should I call my father to confirm it?" I crossed my arms to which he cowered. "You were an only child!" He stated and I was starting to get impatient. "She was already adopted a week ago!" I remarked and I think that made Roo'ssi woke up. "Da Woon'ssi..?"

Then I felt a hand pressure on my shoulder. "That's right. So unless I report to you what you have done to my daughter, you better not show your face again." Father threatened. The man's eyes were wide as saucers. "She's really...?" he glanced at her to which I sneered. "Oh my... um... as you can see... no I mean..uh..." he trembled in fear. "I'm really sorry!" he ran away like a chicken on loose. Father and I laughed at the sight.

"Did I miss something?" Roo'ssi approached us as she dusted off her clothes. Father shook his head and placed his other hand on her shoulder. "Nothing, daughter."

"Eh?" she squeaked.

 

 

"That's why I'm also afraid when you're working at the streets." Yoochun explained. "I got that but, I thought Hamelin is a good place?" she asked and frowned when he only shrugged his shoulders. "I also asked that to my Father but he didn't know as well. Those kinds of stuff are harsh, I know, but they're mandatory. We can't do anything about it. It's tradition." Her eyes became watery as she slumped on her bed. She was a type of girl who only cries silently.

"I wish I was royal." she muttered. "What?" he asked, confused and a bit bewildered. "I would extinguish that tradition and I would won't let the people, my people, suffer like that." she stated with confidence. Yoochun smiled her way. "Me too." He viewed the stars from the window. "Me too..."

 

 

The guard was startled at the person who patted his shoulder from behind. He faced the man and his eyes could not get any bigger. "Prince Jonghyun! Why are you dressed like that??" He ignored his question and walked past him with his huge golden cloak. "Don't tell mom and dad or I'll kill you." It was supposed to come out as a joke but that reminder made the guard tense. "Whe..Where you going..??" Jonghyun faced him. "Oh, especially Kibum." He tucked his hood so no one could notice a Prince lurking outside his castle.

"Marriage? Please... I can take care of the Kingdom myself, without a Queen. Let Kibum do it and I'll take the throne." he glared at everyone in his way, which made them avoid him. "Why do they have to come up with a rule with being unable to ascend the throne without a Queen." he grumbled. "If I..." he stumbled down a rock. "If I found out that even one ancient ruler was able to ascend the throne alone, there's no way Father would refuse my request." 

 

 

"Excuse me!" someone called out. My eyes widened and I turned to the person calling me after tucking in my hood. "You misunderstood. You don't know me." I declared and she stopped at her tracks. Sorry lady but you can't follow me. I guess I found out that she was a girl because of her voice. Then she suddenly snickered, to which I found offensive. "Are you sure? I didn't even ask yet." she started walking towards me that made me do the opposite. I couldn't help but peek under my hood to see who she is.

The moment I saw her face, I was a bit surprised at the unfamiliar girl right in front of me and I'm not saying that she's attractive, I've met many princesses much more prettier than her. It's just that, I've never seen her before. I happen to be one of the Princes who would want to know every people in Hamelin, especially girls.

"But.. you called me.." I stammered and I realized my hood wasn't covering my face anymore. "Well, that's better. I wasn't really sure if you were a girl or a boy since half of your face was covered." she adjusted my hood a bit. If she's new, then she doesn't know that I'm... "I called you because you dropped something." she held out the key to the secret place. "O-Oh... it fell?" I took it from her hand. "Yeah. It's a good thing it shone brightly or else I wouldn't be able to catch it." she grinned. I stayed silent and because of that, I think she felt awkward. It's not my fault this girl doesn't know a Prince is right in front of her and even if she doesn't know me, isn't obvious already after I pulled out my hood for her.

"I better get going." she waved at me as she walked right past me. Wait, she's going to the same direction? I tried to follow her while I looked at my map. That's odd, it's like she's going to the secret...

 

 

"Oh! You..! Are you stalking me?!" she supported herself to the door when I startled her. "Wait... you live here?" I asked. "Uh... something like that." she nodded slowly. What does that supposed to mean? "Why?" she asked as she opened the door. She really lives here... out in the middle of nowhere?

"You wanna... come inside?" she offered. I snapped out of my thoughts and bowed before going inside. "Ah, thanks..."

The place looks shabby, cramped, murky, like it's about to fall apart. How is she able to live in this place of a junk? "I know you think it's small and filthy but it's all I have and for some reason, it feels like home." she smiled. Seriously? It's like I can't set my foot here for more than 10 seconds if this wasn't the place I was looking for. I continued to stare at her like she created a crime and I think it offended her when I saw her frown a bit. I just realized how I'm bad at talking to commoners, even with girls.

"So, is there something I can help you with?" her voice changed a bit. "Oh sorry, uh... just don't mind me..." I told her as I roamed around the place, finding that particular lever. "Huh? Okay...?" she nodded unsurely as she sat on her bed. "Um, please don't stare at me." I requested her.

"Why would I do that?" she asked.  Did she just say what I think she just said? I faced her and my heart stopped when I saw her strumming a guitar. "You... you know how to play that instrument?" I asked her curiously with interest as I approached her. "Yeah, I work as a street musician together with my friend. This is actually her guitar, not mine." she started tuning it.

As a Prince, we weren't allowed to do such jobs. I was always fond of listening to music and so I always wonder if I could make one but since I'm royalty, I couldn't. "So if you were on the streets then, you're a peasant?" I sort of stated than I questioned, a bit shocked.

She stopped strumming and looked at the ground. "No." she simply answered. "No? So... what are you?" I sat beside her. "I'm a daughter of a noble, Park Chi Soo." she told me. I thought for a moment then I remembered his son who works at his palace, Park Yoochun. "Wait, he only has a son... since when did he have a daughter?" Her eyes avoided mine and for some reason, this girl just sparks up my curiosity: A mysterious unfamiliar girl, who lives in the middle of nowhere, and is a daughter of a noble. How is that believable?

"You've been ogling at the guitar for a while, would you like to try it?" she held out the guitar to me. M-Me..? That would be nice but... "No thanks... I don't know how to play it." I refused her offer politely. She pouted as she retreated it. "Really? That's a downer..." I scoffed. "Why is that?" She sighed before looking at me.

"What's your name?" she asked. "Jong...J..Jo...Jong...Jongsu.." I stuttered when I tried to think of a name. "Okay... Jongsu'ssi, I'm not a fortune teller but let me see your eyes." she requested. I raised my eyebrows."Okay..." I positioned myself so she can face me properly and I couldn't help but look away. "I can't concentrate if you keep rolling your eyes like that." she chuckled. I groaned. "Alright alright."

We stared at each other. What is she doing anyway? This is making me nervous. "I was right..." she smiled from ear to ear and for the first time, I smiled genuinely. "What?" "Believe me or not, your eyes long for music. If something's troubling inside your mind, music is the answer." she smiled. Music? But I don't know...

"Do you know... how to play other kinds of instrument?" she tilted her head. I chuckled. "I can only listen to music. I never knew how to make one, I'm not even allowed." 

"I see..." she nodded in blue. My shoulders deflated when I noticed that the sun is setting from the window. "It's getting late." I stood up. She yawned. "Is that why I'm getting sleepy..." I faced her. For some reason, I didn't want to leave her. I know the guards will eventually find me if I was gone long enough but I...

"If you want to learn music, I don't mind if you come by..." she landed her head a bit hard on her pillow when she fell asleep. I wasn't able to catch her but because I reached out to her, I ended up touching her face. I wanted to withdrew my hand but something stopped me. "Who are you?"