THE PAST

Minjung came back to the room with a smile. "The Head Mistress agreed to let me off!" she squealed.

Sujin jumped for joy. She also had a part to play in convincing the Head Mistress that Minjung's Aunt wanted her back. She hugged her friend tightly.

"I'm going to miss you, Minjung ah." she whispered.

Minjung nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek. "Me too. You're my bestest best best friend." she smiled.

Sujin giggled, wiping away her tear. "You must stay happy as always Minjung. Send letters to me!"

"You too! Tell me when you and Minho are getting married!" Minjung teased. Sujin turned red. "Who said anything about marriage?" she muttered.

Minjung raised her brows. "Don't deny it. Minho likes you a lot and it's obvious. Stop playing hard to get and just tell him your feelings as well. You'll be happier when you're with the one you love."

Sujin grinned. "Just like you and Kibum huh?" she giggled. "Come on, I'll send you to the gates."

Minjung nodded and both of them made their way to the gates. Other maids were snickering when they saw Minjung leaving.

"Look at her! She must be so depressed that the Crown Prince has shown interest in Princess Sooyeon this few days that she wants to leave! She's so stupid, thinking that they have a chance together!"

"Aish those people!" Sujin growled, wanting to go up to them and shout her lungs out.

Minjung pulled her back. "Don't do anything rash that will spill the beans Sujin ah!" she hissed.

Sujin nodded and pulled back. "What they don't know is that the Crown Prince won't be around anymore from today." she giggled.

They reached the gate and Minjung showed the guards her pass and letter of approval. She waved to Sujin reluctantly. "I'll send you letters, I promise." she bit back a sob.

Sujin nodded. "Don't cry Minjung. Fighting!"

Minjung nodded. "Fighting!"

"Is everything ready?" Jonghyun asked in an urgent voice, looking round.

Kibum nodded and took his small baggage of a few clothes and as much money as they could gather. "Ready." he confirmed. "Come on let's go."

He prepared to go when he heard a faint sobbing. He turned around only to find their maknae prince sobbing softly. "Taemin ah." he softened.

Taemin pouted and ran towards Kibum, giving him a teddy bear hug. "Kibum hyung, I'll miss you!" he sniffled. "I'll miss you a lot even though sometimes you're mean and you nag a lot and you always don't share your nice snacks with me and you-"

"Yah!" Kibum chuckled. "Are you seriously going to continue with those insults?"

Taemin puffed his cheeks. "I'll miss you Kibum hyung." he wailed.

"I'll miss you too." Kibum softened and ruffled the maknae's hair. He looked up. "Well guys I'll be..."

"WE'LL MISS YOU TOO KIBUM!!!" Jinki, Jonghyun and Minho wailed in unison, burying Kibum in a manly group hug. Kibum chuckled softly, trying not to let a tear slip.

"I'll write, don't worry." Kibum assured. "Thank you so much guys, for the things you have done for me. I'll never forget you."

"WE TOO!" All of them sobbed.

Kibum chuckled. *My babo friends.*

"Quickly! Change into this!" Jinki chucked a guard uniform in Kibum's hands. "I bribed a guard with half my savings for this one."

"Thanks." Kibum nodded and darted to change.

He came out soon after, not as a prince, but as a lowly guard. Even though he was wearing such lowly clothes, he still looked pretty good and outstanding. Even if you didn't know he was a prince, your sight would stop on him if you glanced at a group of guards.

He was THAT good looking.

Jonghyun frowned. "Not good enough. You still look good Kibum!"

Kibum smirked. "Thanks?"

"No this won't do." Minho frowned. He grabbed a fistful of dirt and rubbed it in Kibum's face.

"Yah Choi Minho!" Kibum spluttered. "What are you doing!"

Minho grinned. "Besides the fact that I've always wanted to do this, you look more like a commoner now." he smirked playfully.

Kibum rolled his eyes. "If not for the fact that I'm going to miss you into bits, I'd have done the same to you."

Kibum grabbed his bags and walked out of the exact same gates Minjung had passed through two hours ago. They agreed not to leave together in case it was too obvious.

No one cast him a second look, assuming he was just a lowly guard. (Honestly the dirt helped a lot.)

He smiled to himself as he got out of the Palace. *Minjung Here I come!*

Just as he walked a few steps, someone tall blocked his path and Kibum looked up to find himself staring at his family member, his brother, his enemy.

"Hyung."