“You do remember what you promised me.” My father waited beside the black car but my legs were extremely slow as I made my way over.

“No complaining and, or any sort of whining,” I repeated his exact words from a few days ago. 

“Good.” He smiled contently at my agreeable words.

I could only sigh. Well, we’re entering the seasons of never-ending banquets and all I could think about is that means it will be less time with my roses and most importantly, with Yongguk.

“Princess.”

Speaking of whom.

I was about to slide into the car after my father opened the door when Yongguk called out to me. He marched over and bowed before he voiced his worries. It was always worries with him. 

“Excuse my manners but I don’t understand why I’m staying back.” 

“Right.” About that…I have spoken to my father beforehand about this matter. “You need to rest so, you’re not coming along.” Yongguk’s injuries were more serious this time around and even though the confrontation was the other day, his body hadn’t completely recovered. 

“But, I don’t need any rest,” Yongguk is fast to disagree with anything I have to say about his health. Again, no surprise there.

“Red, there is no need for your presence.” My father stepped in as he kindly smiled at Yongguk. “Bronze and Steel will be with us.”

Yongguk shifted his eyes from my father towards me and I sent him a smile. “See? No worries.” 

“But, Princess –“

“I know,” I softly cut him off. Yongguk just absolutely hated the idea of him just sitting around and doing nothing. But, I didn’t like it any better than he did. “I wouldn’t want anything more than to have you come.” Just thinking about being apart from Yongguk made me lonely. “But, those wounds need to heal.” My wants were not important and I couldn’t be selfish.

We end just looking at each other, him looking at me with clear displeasure before I turn away and slide into the car. 

“It’s best for you to stay back and watch the castle along with Stealth, Chief, and Hero after what has happened,” my father continued. “So, you’re not exactly doing nothing.”

“Yes, King.” Yongguk takes a moment before bowing. 

And so, this is how I am spending the whole weekend without my precious companion. The thought is even more saddening especially when I am returning to Yoggu.

***

It was no surprise that we arrived in Yoggu in the later hours. Knowing that the trip was long, my father purposefully planned for us to arrive a whole day earlier. At least I had time to mentally prepare myself. 

We set up for the night in one of the nearby royal hotels and with my mind fill with all sorts of thoughts – about Yongguk, the mysterious intruder, and for tomorrow, I expect sleep wouldn’t come to me easily tonight. And, so I sit up in the bed, the only light that light up the dark room is the translucent moonlight streaming in through the large window. I didn’t know what it is that I feel. I just know it's bad. My body is full with restlessness and I didn’t know what to do. Because, there is nothing I can do.

I know this feeling would come to visit me again.

It's this feeling of helplessness. I have started to become too familiar with it and it isn’t a good thing. 

I want to be of use, I want to be able to do something, to actually make a difference but the incident with the intruder the other day have only further convinced me that maybe I can’t. I'm not physically strong and my voice and words can’t be heard. So, what is there left for me to do? 

As I am lost in my thoughts, the view of the beautiful blazing sun rising, greets me. 

At least, there is one good thing about having a sleepless night.

***

“You can sit here all day and I wouldn’t be able to tell you anything.” Daehyun is still held against his will in the hospital bed. His wounds are fully healed yet they refuse to let him leave. “I want to go.” He has been saying this for the past two days, when is someone going to listen to him?

Yongguk knows Daehyun is the answer to many of his questions but he didn’t know how. “You’re involved somehow.”

“Well, if I am, please enlighten me,” Daehyun snapped at him. “Because I sure as hell don’t know what I have to do with anything.”

“What were you doing in the woods that day when I found you?” Yongguk didn’t know what to do other than to start back at the beginning.

Daehyun sighs at the meaning of the question. “I’ve told you then I didn’t know, and I’ll tell you the same thing again.”

When he gets no response back from Yongguk he continues. He decides that if maybe he could provide some answers, he could finally be on his way.

“I didn’t have any memory at that moment you found me and also about what I was doing the two days before then.”

Yongguk straighten up at the new information. “You have no idea what happened to you in the span of those three days?” How does someone black out for that long?

Daehyun shakes his head. “I’ve thought about it for the longest time and I only gain a huge pain in my head from all the useless thinking.” So, he gave up. “So, can I go? I really can’t give you anything else.”

Yongguk only grows more confused and he blinks back from his chaotic thoughts. “You want to leave?”

“Didn’t I just say that?” Daehyun irritably replied.

“You want to be out there where those Werewolves are?” Yongguk is quick to remind him. He wasn’t able to capture them and he's sure they are still lurking around the castle’s premises. “They’re definitely here for you.”

The Werewolf allows those words to register in his mind. “Don’t pretend to be kind to me.”

“I’m not,” Yongguk is quick to reply. “I could care less about you but there’s one person that would worry to death about you.” And the image of the Princess came to Yongguk’s mind.

“Your Princess? Or should I say ‘owner’?” Daehyun chuckled. “She has you somehow brainwashed, is that what it is?”

Yongguk wasn’t at all amused with Daehyun’s words and remained stoic.

“How could you so blindly follow a human?” He just couldn’t understand. He knew who was the stronger race but why was everything the opposite? 

“You wouldn’t understand,” Yongguk only offers those words. 

“Yeah, I don’t understand this world much,” Daehyun agreed readily. “But, did you expect me to understand a world that was put together by humans?” Everything - from the law to society, everything was shaped by humans. “And, you agree with all of this?”

“None of that matters to me.” Because to Yongguk, only one thing matters. 

His answer had Daehyun scoffing with disbelief. “Then, what exactly matters to you?”

Princess Haewon.

That is the only thing – no, person that matters to him. Everything else is just irrelevant in Yongguk’s mind. 

Daehyun waited for an answer but he knew by the silence that Yongguk gave him, he wasn’t going to get one. So, he clicked his tongue and leaned back against the wire headboard of the bed. “Whatever.” 

Yongguk is too far gone to listen to whatever Daehyun wants to say at this point. 

***

Nothing ever changes. 

You would expect things would be a little different after the years that go by, but it doesn’t. It was always the same scenery, the same people.

They never change.

And, I hated that. 

I was always witnessing the same sights and the same behavior. It was utterly disappointing. But, maybe there is one change. The decorations are much darker as I look at the deep hue of purple and black drapes that decorate the ballroom. The hall has a gothic style to it and it isn’t a surprise since we were in Yoggu after all.

“What’s with the frown?” 

I look up to see Youngjae. It was about time I had some company. 

“That’s my resting face. I’m afraid I can’t do anything about it.” I gave him a small smile.

Youngjae chuckled. “I know a way to fix that.” As the gentle music of the orchestra began, he held his arm out to me. “Can I have this dance?” 

I looked at him, shocked. “Oh no, I don’t dance.” I was always on the side, observing. I never took part. 

“I don’t accept generic excuses,” he replies before grabbing my hand and placing it on his arm.

Without much choice in the matter, Youngjae pulls me onto the