"What a poor girl. Her parents might have not taking care of her."

"Hey, you've got a nice face out there!"

"She could've been the most beautiful girl! But unfortunately, she's ruined."

"Yikes, she's probably a ."

Those were the gossips you had heard while people passed by. Most of them were teenagers and from the school you had been. You couldn't control your tears from flowing because of their hateful words. You wanted to slap their faces, yell at them, burn them, and if possible, kill them. 

But you couldn't, because you didn't have the pride anymore. You just wished that your blissful life in the palace with your father would come back. You didn't expect that these things were happening to you...

"Appa..." You began to weep and sobbed as people didn't seem to care. They just continued mocking at you.

"Geez, it's really great to have the prettiest girl in town to take care of isn't it? But people just envied me and dared to touch her... at any rate, I won't let that happen anymore. Mianhae." Taemin said with a loud voice so the people would hear.

He gave each of them a stern glare as he wrapped his arm on you. "Yah don't you dare look at her! I'll kill you!"

He pulled you out of that place with his hand still on your shoulder. You were driven by his words but you still couldn't stop yourself from crying and just clutched on him.

"Hey, there's a cheap sushi house out there. I bet you won't complain anymore..." He stated as you gradually nod your head.

He sat you on the chair and was about to order when you suddenly held his wrist. You couldn't explain your feelings but you didn't want him to go.

"Y-you're not leaving, right?" You asked with a shuddered voice and your head down, since you couldn't look at his face.

"Yah Baegseol ssi, I'm not your slave that you could just order around! I'm a free man who can do whatever I want!" 

You took your hand and just rest it on the table with your other hand. You were still crying that you couldn't raise your head up.

Taemin could still hear your sobs as his heart melted. "She must have been really hurt..."

"I'll just be next to the counter. You could see me and I won't leave." He said though it may not sound comforting. He then walked and ordered.

*****

He went back with a tray of meals on his hands. He gave you a plate of sushi as you immediately grabbed it and held your chopsticks. You didn't notice how you ate like a beggar since you needed to feed the butterflies inside your stomach.

"Tss, a princess can be a pauper in some ways huh..." He thought while enjoying his stare at you.

He heaved his plate toward you as you halted chewing and looked at him. 

"Are you... going to eat that?"

He smirked and responded, "No, you can have it."

You accepted it at instant, obviously giving up your pride.

"I can't believe I'm doing this shame! And I never thought that the commoner's food would be this delicious."

*****

After eating a lot, you distance yourself from Taemin since you were a bit embarassed of how you ate a while ago. So both of you just walked home without talking to each other.

"Taemin!" You called before he stepped in the room. "T--thank you..." 

He stepped backward and faced you. He gradually walked toward you while still looking at your nervous face. You gulped and sat on the couch as he placed his hands at the edges, cornering you.

Your eyes widened by his glare.

"Can you just forget Yoonho and choose me instead?"

Then out of the blue, the four arrived and the first one who entered was Minho. So basically, he was the first one to saw Taemin just an inch from your lips and more likely got a malicious idea.

"Yah what are you doing to my girlfriend?!" He freaked out...