From young, Himchan had always been fascinated by the fairytales in those books he find in the mansion's large library. He wondered if it's real that a true love's kiss would be enough to resurrect someone from death. He cried for the poor princess who had to run away from home after her stepmother chased her out and murdered the king. He wondered if the prince didn't come, would Rapunzel eventually become deranged in that tall lonely tower.

Fairytales are always so sad and miserable, they make Himchan let slip a tear but he still reads them because they always end well. He loved these stories his sister called childish and naive. He continued reading them even when the other boys laughed at him for being such a girl. He didn't care what other people said about him but those stories are there for a reason. They just don't understand the beauty in those tragic tales. But one day when Himchan was fourteen, his mother came along and sat beside him in one of her elegant white gowns and said, "Fairytales aren't real. The world is far from that."

He doubted but he never stopped believing. Himchan believed that all things come to a happy ending. Maybe those pessimists just haven't found theirs yet.

That year when Himchan turned eighteen, the prince was looking for a worthy girl to marry and the whole country was up in a chaotic cacophony of excitement. Himchan was a little dampened by the fact that the prince's call for a princess stole the limelight from his eighteenth birthday. However, when the streets started lighting up in colourful lamps and everywhere looked grand and joyous, Himchan felt that perhaps it wasn't so bad after all. He would just pretend that the country was celebrating for him.

All the young girls were flustered and anxious for the prince's meet. All of them were invited to the prince's palace for a ball where his highness would find the girl he likes and then they would get married. All of them wanted to be the princess because it was such a wonderful thing to do. And the prince is rumoured to be the most handsome, the most talented young man in the whole nation. Who wouldn't want to be with him?

Himchan giggled behind the door as he peeked at his sister get ready for the ball. She was always so fierce and rough in front of him but now she's all dolled up in a long dress, looking like a lady with her curled brown locks. Himchan chuckled out loud when his sister glared at him through the long mirror. He waved when she was going off into the grand carriage. Inside, he secretly wished that the prince would like his sister. Then they would get married and have a fairytale of their own. That would teach the people who said fairytales aren't real.

It must have been the birthday wish because Himchan's sister came home on cloud nine and told them the prince picked her as one of the potential fiances. Her face was tinted with a red blush as she told them about how she danced with the prince and how he looked like he stepped out from a perfect painting. She was almost squealing as she recounted her experience in the beautiful palace. She said the prince took her hand and told her she's the most special one amongst the rest. She mumbled when she told them about how he kissed her on the back of her hand. Himchan listened intently and smiled at the dreamy story. He was happy for his sister and he couldn't wait for a fairytale to unfold before his eyes.

A few more dates back and fro, Himchan was already getting ready to hear the wedding bells at his sister's wedding. He sat in the library, at his favourite corner again and flipped through the story of Cinderella, stopping at the pages where they described the most beautiful and joyous wedding. He imagined his sister to be as beautiful in the same wedding gown, hair donned with the most exquisite flowers. It would be perfect, he thought with a grin.

It seemed that fate has already decided when Himchan's sister came home one day and told their father that the prince wanted to come and visit them. Himchan and his mother both knew it was to confirm the wedding date. They exchanged a knowing smile. 

There were trumpets and magnificent steeds when the prince arrived. Everyone gathered around the large grand mansion to catch a glimpse of the handsome prince. They were not disappointed when his highness bowed in humble return and gave them a warm smile. The women all swooned at the charming face. Himchan waited alongside his family for the prince's arrival and he kept peeking at his sister whose face seemed to be getting redder and redder. He suppressed a giggle when the prince arrived in their grand hall and smiled at his blushing sister. 

The rumours were more true than Himchan thought they would be. The prince really did looked handsome. He had a charming smile with his full lips and gentle eyes. He was tall and broad shouldered and didn't put on airs. Himchan nods silently in approval until his mother elbowed him secretly under the dinner table. They had a meal together and eventually ended the day with his father agreeing to marry his daughter to the prince. All was well and all was joyful. Himchan jumped in bed that night, thinking about wonderful dreams with happy endings.

Himchan thought he had heard the sound of wedding bells and the choir singing when he saw his sister in that wedding gown the colour of fresh snow. He stood by the balcony that night and saw the large round moon, thinking how nice would it be if the story would end on such a beautiful night. He opened his favourite storybook at the balcony and smiled at the old creases. He would read this story over and over again and he would never get tired of it. The moonlight was guiding him deeper and deeper into the story until a sound frightened him.

"Sorry!"

"You frightened me..."

Himchan's voice became softer when he realised he shouldn't be speaking so casually to the prince. He bowed his head and his lips, silently closing the book behind his back.

"What are you reading?" The prince asked, his voice low and deep as he took a step into the moonlight. Himchan couldn't help but return the charming smile.

"Nothing." He said. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of his future brother-in-law.

The prince smiled and stepped closer to the railing beside Himchan, gazing up at the night sky. Himchan turned to look up at the dust of stars as well and the both of them share a moment of silence in comfort. He must have went too deep into his daydream because the prince slid the book from under his hands and read the title out loud. Himchan blushed at the childish words and pursed his lips as the prince made another one his wide smiles as he flipped through the book.

"You like this story?"

Himchan tried to look away but he can't deny the love he had for the fairytale.

"I love it."

The prince chuckled at his straightforward reply and continued glancing through the pages. "I like it too." He said. And Himchan felt something bloom inside him when he heard those gentle words. He smiled happily and took in the genuine smile on the prince's lips as those calming eyes roam across the cursive texts and painted pictures. He never thought another person would share the same joy in these 'naive' stories as him.

"And they lived happily ever after."

The prince closed the book and smiled at Himchan who returned it meekly.

"Do you like reading these too?...Your highness?"

The prince chuckled softly and traced his fingers across the hard cover. "I've always been fascinated by these fairytales since young."

Himchan's eyes widened in hopeful happiness. Finally, someone who was the same as him.

"But I stopped reading them once the duties started taking over."

Himchan saw the faint trace of sadness in the prince's eyes and he returned it with a smile.

"All the other boys mock me for reading fairytales. But I never stopped reading them."

The prince grinned wide and Himchan felt his smile spread as well. He wanted to say so much more but he didn't want to sound too childish or too abrupt.

"Show me your other books. I'm intrigued."

Himchan felt his mouth drop agape at the prince's words but what followed on was the surge of excitement and glee inside him. He turned around and went in search of his other precious books.

It was like a dream. It felt like a meeting under the moonlight with his muse he finally found after so many years of solitary admiration of these stories people call naive and immature. What would they think if the great prince of the country loved these stories too? What if they knew that the prince read them every night with a smile on his lips? Himchan had hoped that the wedding bells would ring soon so he could see his sister walk down the aisle like Cinderella but when the prince chuckled with him at the tale of the princess and the frog, he wished that the wedding bells would ring later so he could spend more nights flipping through his childhood pasttime with his new found company. He loved how the prince liked to read out loud in different voices and he laughed at the faces the prince made as he imitated the characters in the books. He had never been so happy until then. He feared the sense of loss when the prince had to return to the palace with his sister and that would be when the visits and sleepovers would end and he'd have to try to read these books alone.

One night when the prince appeared at the balcony again in his white clothes, looking like he belonged to Snow White, Himchan was sitting on the marble floor flipping through a tattered old book they've never read together before.

"Your highness... When are you leaving?"

The prince gazed down at the forlorn expression on Himchan's face and sat down beside the younger boy on the marble floor. The other people would've gotten anxious if his highness were to sit down on the floor like that but Himchan didn't care and the prince liked that about him. He smiled and took the book from Himchan's hand.

"In a week's time. And I'm not leaving. I'm going back to the palace. I can still come back and see you."

Himchan smiled faintly and sighed.

"Himchan. Don't call me 'your highness' when we're alone. My name is Yongguk."

Himchan peered up curiously and the prince smiled encouragingly.

"Yong...guk."

"Yes, Himchan?"

Himchan smiled wide back at Yongguk.

His sister's wedding was going to be the grandest of all and Himchan was thrilled when he heard about the glass shoes the King was going to give his sister as a wedding gift. It's just like Cinderella. And his sister would walk down the aisle in the glass shoes of happiness. He couldn't wait to see the glass shoes. He peeped into the large room where they adjusted and checked his sister's wedding dress. She looked like a princess in the white gown. Himchan was staring in awe until another person came into sight. His sister looked down shyly before gazing up at her future husband dressed in white. Himchan thought Yongguk walked out of a fairytale. He was a fairytale. He was the prince and he looked charming. Himchan stared in silence as the tailors surrounded the couple. He suddenly couldn't find the smile on his face anymore.