Gif not mine. Credits to owner.

"The King has arrived." 

Baekhyun rode on the carriage, looking at the people bow before him.

As he lifted his head up in the air, he took a glimpsed down admiring all the peasants that kneeled before him.

A smirk was placed on his lips, "Bow down to the king."

"Hold it right there!" 

As Baekhyun looked down, his carriage was slowly pushed, almost making him fall.

He held onto the bottom of the carriage, trying to keep his balance when he saw all the guards under him bow at his feet.

"Who dares to touch the carriage of the king?" One of his eunuch asked, looking down at the guards, "Who are you?"

"We do not deserve to talk to the king, please behead us immediately. We had done wrong." 

Baekhyun turned back in anger to see the girl running away, "Who is she? Catch her."

As his guards nodded and ran after her, Baekhyun looked at the guards that were pleading for forgivness, "Who is that girl?" 

"She is the daughter of a man who did not pay his debt." The guard bowed, "Please behead us."'

Baekhyun held up his hand, "Don't worry, I won't kill you."

"You are upmost gracious." The guard kept bowing. 

"Just bring me that girl when you're done." Baekhyun muttered, straightening his back, "Let's go back to the kingdom, Eunuch." 

The Eunuch bowed, "Yes, King Baekhyun."

As the carriage turned back, Baekhyun glared behind his back imagining the girl still there as he shook his head, "These peasants." 

`

"King Baekhyun."

"What is it?" Baekhyun asked, flipping the page of his book.

"We have found the girl from earlier." They said as a shadow outside the door was shown.

It was alright dark outside and his candles lit up his face gently, "Bring her in."

"Should we also bring Eunuch Lee inside just in case she does something?"

Baekhyun shook his head, "I'll deal with her. Just stay outside and if I call you, come inside armed." 

As it was quiet on the other side, Baekhyun slowly closed his book and put it down gently next to his bed side. He waited for the girl to come in when the door abruptly opened.

"Go in there." The guard pushed her down as she fell on the floor.

Her hands were tied down with a rope behind her back as she tried to get up.

Her hair was messy, covering up half of her face as she grunted.

"Get up." Baekhyun ordered.

She tried to sit up as she grunted more.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, looking up at the guard, "Help her up, untie her and then leave." 

The guard bowed, obeying his orders. He picked her up harshly and untied her. After that, the guard left, gently closing the door.

"Who are you?"

She looked up at him, one of her eyes facing straight at him, "~~~~~~."

"You dare look at the king through my eyes?" Baekhyun asked, standing up and looking down at her, "You peasant."

"And you call yourself a king?" Baekhyun narrowed his eyes, "Do you have a death wish? Do you know that I can kill you any minute?"

"Just how you guys like it, huh?" She asked.

Baekhyun walked over, pulling her up from her shirt, "Do you dare say that to my face?"

"All you kings and queens think they're so high up, bossing us around and ordering us what to do. A king should be able to feed his people and make world peace. What do you do? Sit around here, bossing others and letting us pay more taxes for people like us to go into debt and die. Have you ever thought about that?" 

Baekhyun glared into her eyes, "Who are you?"

He released her down harshly, letting a thud heard. She tried to sit up but couldn't. 

"What, why can't you say your words now? Are you too ashamed that you said this in front of the king?"

"King?" She laugehd, "What king? You've only been the king for two months and what have you done? Gave us food? Lowered the taxes? No, all you did was laugh at us when we die in the middle of the road, asking for food and asking for money while you waste it on stupid accessories to give to your es." 

Baekhyun kneeled down, pulling her face close to his, "You better watch it. Although I've only been the king for two months, I could kill you right here with my hands."

"Go ahead, I would rather die than be in a world ruled by you. I would like to be born again and live in a life without you. A king? You? I don't need that." 

Baekhyun stood up and walked towards his bed, he looked at where his sword was placed and took it out, seeing a long sharp blade.

He put it against her neck, "Are you scared?"

"No."

"You can take back everything you say and bow to me. Then, I will forgive you and let you go. Maybe I'll give you some food and some money for your debt your father didn't pay off." 

She looked up at him, "You think I'm just going to apologize and leave? I stood up for my rights, I'll die for it too."

Baekhyun grew irritated, "You want me to kill you?"

"Go ahead. That's what you do to everyone anyways. Why don't you just do it and end it? I'm sure you don't want to see my face anymore anyways." 

"Fine." Baekhyun held the sword up into the air, aiming for her neck when he stopped.

Her eyes were closed and she was shivering. Although she was prideful, she was scared. 

Baekhyun knew he never killed anyone and was never wanting to, even though it wasn't him who did most of the killing. He dropped the sword, making a clang on the floor.

She flinched and looked up at Baekhyun, "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"I found a better way to hurt you." 

"What is it?" She asked when he leaned closer to her face.

"I'm going to make you mine." 

She looked at him with a scoff, "Yours?" 

"I'm a king, I get what I want, you know?" He said, pulling her hair towards him, "You do what I want and I'll set you free. What do you say? If you follow everything I do and say, I'll let you go and give you what you want. I'll maybe lower the taxes and end world hunger, how does that feel?"

"What if I say I don't want to?"

He smiled, "Well, it doesn't matter. I'm the king anyways, I get what I want." 

`

"King Baekhyun, she is ready."

"Let her in."

Baekhyun closed his book and looked at the door which slowly opened.

A foot stepped in with a beautiful maroon shoe with yellow flowers.

As he scanned his eyes up, he saw an elegant red dress that outlined her body perfectly. The flower was orange and the colors blended well.

Looking up at her face, it was with natural makeup and her hair was cut and neatly braided in the back. Her hair came down to her back and a small butterfly pin was placed under to keep it in together.

Her face was white and powdered and she looked like a different person from last night.

"Close the door." 

When the maids closed the door, she stood awkwardly in front of him.

"Come closer." 

She gently stepped closer when Baekhyun ordered closer.

As she stopped halfway towards him, Baekhyun grunted, "Come closer."

"This is the closest I can go." 

Baekhyun stood up angirly, walking up to her and pulling her body towards him, "If I say closer, you come closer." He whispered.

She pulled her face away from his, trying to regain her focus, "What do you want and why am I wearing this?" 

He his lips, "I needed someone to play with."

She narrowed her eyes, "You can always ask your es for that, don't ask that from me." She said, taking a step back.

"Why not? I said you have to do everything I want, I am the king."

"You and your king excuses." She rolled her eyes, "I'm not doing that."

"That's too bad. King's orders."

As he brushed her cheeks with the palm of his hands, he grabbed her neck and pulled her down.

He was on top of her as she looked up at him.

"Don't tell me you never had a boyfriend?" He asked, slowly untying the ribbon on her chest.

"What if I said I didn't?" She asked, a little stuttering.

"Well, I guess this will be your first time." He whispered in her ear.

His fingers gently untied the ribbon as he leaned his lips towards the left side of her neck.

He felt her shiver under him as he opened his eyes.

Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lips. Her arms were curled into a fist and she couldn't stop shaking. His hot breath touched the skin of her neck and it turned into goosebumps.

He was about to unwrap herself from the beautiful dress when he felt her breath catch and shake more.

Baekhyun stopped trying and stood up, "Get out."

She opened her eyes gently, looking up at him.

"I said, get out. I don't want to see you." Baekhyun said, walking back to hsi bed, turning his back towards her, "Get out, now."

She hurridly stood up and ran out the door, closing the door behind her.

He held onto his forehead and sighed, "What is going on with me?" 

He looked back to where she was to see the butterfly pin on the floor. He walked over and picked it up. He examined it and sighed, "What am I doing?" 

He dropped it gently on his table as he walked back and forth throughout the night.

`

"King Baekhyun." Everyone bowed as he walked across the courtyard, smelling in the fresh air of nature. 

"What would you like for breakfast today?" One of the maid asked, looking down at the floor, daring not to make eye contact.

"I was thinking of warm bean sprout soup with white rice. Is that okay?" He asked when the maid nodded.

Baekhyun had his arms behind his back, walking slowly across when he stopped by the bridge.

In front of him was the girl. Her eyes were closed and she was enhaling the nature in the air.

She looked down at the lake under the bridge and crouched down, touching the lotus flower that was floating ontop of the lake. As she picked it up, she smelled it and smiled to herself, putting it back down.

"Shall I tell her to stop?" The eunuch asked.

"Hey! King--"

"Sh, don't disrupt her." Baekhyun hushed him, "Let her smell that." 

The eunuch looked at Baekhyun, "But King--"

"Just leave her." He said, walking back towards his room.

`

"Did you call?"

He looked up from his book to see her standing in front of him.

"Yes." He said, closing the book and putting it to the side, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"You said you haven't had a boyfriend before, right?" 

She looked at him confused, "Yes."

"Well, I'm feeling a little nice today. Why don't we go outside tomorrow?" 

"Outside?" She asked, holding tightly onto her ribbon, "What for?"

"Well, I want to go outside for a while. I haven't been after I met you so I want to go around freely, looking for items and having fun, but I don't want to go alone. Want to go with me?"

"You have your workers." She said.

"Yes, but I want to go with someone who won't boss me around and tell me what not to do. I want to see how peasants like you live." He smiled, "And I want you to experience what it's  like to have a boyfriend." 

"What?" 

"I'm just being nice." He said, "What do you say?" 

She looked down, not being able to answer, "Well--"

"That's too bad. Like I said, you have no choice." 

`

"This is going to make you covered?"

He had on a top black hat that tied under his chin. His clothes were as a noble, having it light blue with it long and covering most of his body with white pants and white shoes.

"Yes. I've done this before. Anyways, people don't really know how I look like since they've only seen the shade in front of my face." 

Before continuing, he held onto her arm, "Let's go."

`

"What do you want? This? This?" He asked, looking at random accessories where people were selling.

"I don't need any of them."

"You sure do, look at what you're wearing, it's hideous." He said, putting random silk in front of her, "Pink looks good on you."

"Here, take this and spend it on anything you want." He smiled, handing her over coins.

"This?" She looked up when he smiled.

"Yeah."

As he turned around to find more silk for her, he looked at different colors before turning around.

"What do you think about this?" 

When he turned to face her, he saw her sitting with little kids who were dirty.

The kids were smiling when she handed them pieces of bread.

"If you need more, come back, okay?" She said, waving goodbye.

When she looked back, she saw many others in line asking for bread.

She gladly took a piece and gave each of them equal amounts. Not for them but for their families as well.

Baekhyun stood there staring at her when she didn't seem to notice him.

A smile was placed on his lips when he walked away.

`

"Do you have more bread?"

"I ran out, sorry." She mumbled when a crowd of saddness was seen.

"Did someone order bread?" 

When she turned around, she saw Baekhyun holding baskets full of bread, "More for everyone! Who needs them?"

As he handed each of them bread, she looked at him, "What are you doing?"

"You said you wanted to end world hunger, right?" He asked, taking a glimpse at her, "Let's say we're just getting started."

A smile was gently placed on her lips as she handed out the bread with him.

"As a king, I should be doing something." He said, when he handed more over, "And you should smile often, you look pretty cute." 

With that, he walked away from her, handing the ones who were crippled as well.

`

"Are you reading The Book of Proverbs?" 

Baekhyun looked up to see her leaning over on the book, "I love that book."

"Do you know this book? Have you read it?"

"Yes, I've read it with my father a few times." She smiled, looking up at him, "It's good, isn't it?"

"It's strange." He started off, "Not a lot of peasants know how to read. Especially girls."

She smiled, "My father was good at reading and he taught me with some of his books." 

"Your father must've been very smart." Baekhyun said.

"My father was the best man ever. He was smart, nice, and knew everything about the world. He's very motivating and is a great person to look up to. He's my role model."

Baekhyun glanced at her, "What's your motto then? From one of the proverbs I mean."

"Even monkeys fall from trees." 

Baekhyun closed the book, "What does that mean?" 

"It means that not everyone is perfect." She shrugged, "Even the smartest most powerful person in the world will make mistakes. Nothing can change from that. No one is perfect." 

Baekhyun nodded, "That's great."

"Yeah, it sure is." She looked down and fixed her ribbon, "No one can be perfect, not even you."

Baekhyun looked at her, "You think so?"

"Yeah. I mean, I know your heart is good and you want to help others, but you can't. Just keep trying, although you can't be perfect, it's okay." 

Baekhyun stared at her, who just looked away from his gaze and stared at the book, "Thanks."

She looked up at him and tilted her head with slightly opened, "Sure. Anytime."

"Come here."

She looked at him and slowly walked closer, "What is it?" 

He pulled her closer to her as he gently kissed her forehead.

She jerked back in surprise, "What was that for?" She stuttered a little.

"Can't you stay here longer?"

She didn't say a word.

"I will give your family everything, just stay here with me." He continued, "With you by my side, I feel like I'm the real king. I've been doing good deeds with you and I have been learning so many things from you, when you should be learning from me. Stay here, with me."

She looked away, "You're the king, you can do anything if you want, you don't need me."

Baekyun looked at the floor, "Yeah. I am the king, I can do anything if I put my mind to it." He faced her, "But I want you by my side because I want you."

She looked at him, opening, "I can't."

"I want you." He whispered, pulling her closer into his embrace, "With you, we can do anything. We can stop world hunger and we can decrease taxes to the poor. Please." 

She released herself when his fingers gently touched the soft skin of her cheeks.

"Please stay with me."

Before she could say a word, Baekhyun's lips gently touched hers as a tear slipped down her cheek.

With this, he knew for a fact that they would be together forever. 

`

"Bring her out!"

Baekhyun woke up and looked outside to see lights hovering over him.

As he walked out, his eyes widened, "Father?"

"Where is the girl?" He asked. The guards and the eunuch looked at Baekhyun with sad eyes.

"What do you need her for?"

"Do you know what kind of girl she is?" The king asked, narrowing his eyes, "She is the daughter of Kim Ho-Seok." 

Baekhyun's eyes widened, not being able to move. His eyes kept wandering off to other places, trying hard to stop him from thinking, "What?"

"You have the daughter of Kim Ho-Seok at your house." The king narrowed his eyes, bring her out.

As cries were heard from the other room, Baekhyun's head jerked up to see her being pulled away from the room.

"Don't touch her!" Baekhyun yelled.

The guards stopped and looked over at the head king.

"Take her."

"I am the king of Joseon!" Baekhyun yelled, "He is the late king. I am the king! I command you not to touch her!" He yelled. 

"Take her away." The king announced.

"King, King!" She yelled, looking back at him. Baekhyun walked forward when the guards stopped him with their swords.

"Please, stay back."

"I am the king of Joseon!" Baekhyun yelled, watching her leave, "Let me leave."

The guards looked down in apologetic faces, "I am sorry. We deserve to be beheaded."

"Do you not know who Kim Ho-Seok is? Have you forgotten?" The King asked, "He is the one that betrayed us all. The one that we thought could trust but stole our belongings! He is the one that stole our ancestor's books and went into hiding. Do you know how that is?" 

Baekhyun closed his eyes.

"My father was good at reading and he taught me with some of his books." 

"Your father must've been very smart." Baekhyun said.

"My father was the best man ever. He was smart, nice, and knew everything about the world. He's very motivating and is a great person to look up to. He's my role model."

Baekhyun opened his eyes after he remembered what she told him the other night. 

"She is a crimminal." 

Baekhyun tried to hide the sounds of her voice crying across the village as he looked away.

As he walked inside, he slammed the door shut, looking at the book of proverbs on his desk.

He grabbed it and threw it on the floor, screaming in agony.

He threw all the swords on the floor and crouched down, feeling the anger fill in through his body and pour down through his eyes.

He stopped and stayed there the whole night.

`

"Let us go to the prison."

"King Baekhyun." The eunuch refused, "We can't. The Former King said--"

Baekhyun lifelessly looked at him, "I call myself the king, yet I can't do anything."

The eunuch looked down.

"I am the King of Joseon. I am the one in charge of my people, I am the one people should look up to. Yet," He looked at him, "I can do nothing and become powerless." 

"King Baekhyun--"

"I am the King." He replied, "I need to be the role model of my people." He whispered, "Yet, I am powerless." 

Baekhyun walked back to his room and closed the door.

`

Her head was gently leaning on the bars of the prison. 

"Eunuch." She whispered when she saw a familiar figure standing in fornt of her.

"You are doing well?" 

"I could be better." She smiled, "How is King Baekhyun?"

"He is unable to come out." He said in worry, "He's worried about you."

She looked at him, "I know, I'm sorry."

The eunuch gave her a smile, "Everything will be alright." He assured her.

She nodded when she looked inside her skirt.

As she ripped off a piece of her cloth, she began to write something down.

After a few minutes, she looked at him and folded it into small pieces.

"Please, give this to him."

The eunuch looked at her, "Give it to him yourself."

"No, please. It's my last favor." She whispered, when she heard the guards, "Please, go! Hurry!" 

The eunuch ran out of the prison, gently escaping from the guards. 

"Come out."

She struggled to get up as the guards dragged her outisde of the prison when she was pushed into a chair.

"You are the daughter of Kim Ho-Seok, the stealer."

"I am the daughter of Kim Ho-Seok, but he is not a stealer."

"How can you be so sure?" The guard asked from the top, "You are his daughter, you can always lie for him."

"I know my father the best and I know he isn't a stealer! If anything, you guys should be thankful you had a worker like him!" She yelled, when one of the guards hit her on the head.

"Shut up."

She looked up, feeling a little dizzy, "My father is a role model, he would never do such a--"

"I said, shut up."

Her eyes started to narrow as she looked up at them, "You guys disgust me. Thinking you guys are the rulers, the motivationers, the role models of us people. You guys think you guys are all that, but you're not. I promise you though, this King will make a difference. King Baekhyun will--"

Another hit was on her head when she started coughing up blood, "You'll see. King Baekhyun will be the best king of Joseon and you guys will all be put into jail, where you guys belong. He will find out that my father isn't the stealer and that--"

"That's it."

As the guard took out his sword, she closed her eyes.

She said what she had to and that was enough for her. Although he couldn't see King Baekhyun one more time, she was proud she made a difference in him somehow.

As a tear slipped down her lips she whispered, "I love you."

`

As Baekhyun walked back and forth, the eunuch ran over.

"Did you see her? How is she?"

The eunuch sadly handed over the cloth she had written on, "She wanted me to give you this."

Baekhyun looked over, slowly taking the cloth from his hands. The eunuch closed his eyes before walking away, closing the door.

Baekhyun opened the cloth gently, seeing her neat writing on.

"King Baekhyun,

You have changed over the time I have been here.

Thinking you were one of the worst kings Joseon would ever have, I'm sorry I have doubted you.

After living with you after your stupid deals, I've come to see that you are a king with a good and big heart. 

A heart that can be melted and warmed after seeing so many people worshiping at your feet.

Although I have been there to change you, you have changed me as well.

As someone who was never approved by anyone else becaues of being the only girl that can read and write, you still took me in and accepted me for who I am. I got to know you more and that made me happy.

I never got to be happy with other people, yet, you loved me for who I am and you did so much than anyone else.

I know that when you read this letter, I'll be gone.

I have died for my rights like I have told you on the first day we have ever met. 

I died for everything I wanted for and I know that even after I die, I will still watch over you.

Although I told you that I didn't want to see you during my second life, I would like to.

If this was really fate, I would like to see you in my next life, where we will be able to love like normal people.

I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you, but in the next life, I will.

Please... be careful.

Please be a king that everyone would worship over.

Please stay safe and do what your hearts wants. 

I love you. Please don't forget me. "

Baekhyun crumbled the cloth and threw it on the floor.

His tears began to burn down his cheeks again as the cloth was gently opened to the words of, "I love you."

He covered his face with his hands and cried the whole night.

`

"King Baekhyun!"

Baekhyun handed over the breads to the homeless as everyone praised his name.

"Please, take more." Baekhyun insisted, when he saw a little boy struggling to read a certain word.

"What is it?" Baekhyun asked when the boy cried, "I can't seem to read, it's so hard!" 

Baekhyun smiled, "Let me tell you some advice," He continued, "Even monkeys fall from trees."

The boy looked up, "What does that mean?"

"It means that no one is perfect. Just keep trying and just do your best, that's the only thing you can do." 

The boy smiled and struggled, yet, didn't give up.

Baekhyun looked up and smiled as he saw the people around him, prasing him and eating the food he gave out and reading the books he donated.

"You have done well, King Baekhyun." The eunuch smiled when Baekhyun nodded.

He looked up at the sky, "Someone told me that I should do what my heart wants." 

He looked back at the eunuch, "It's nice to see them smile. It's pretty cute." 

The eunuch nodded and handed out the bread and books to everyone.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, feeling the light breeze on his face, "Thank you. I won't forget you." He whispered.

"I love you."