Baekhyun's P.O.V

Baekhyun stands dressed in his old fancy clothes as he stares at his hair that is dyed back to normal. He kind of misses his old look he had before, but he guesses that being natural is the best. But he doesn't like the clothes or the situation he's in.

“My prince, the dinner will be ready in 15 minutes, I think it's time to see your father.”
“I guess it is...”
“Cheer up my prince, you're back home and everything will be okay from now and on.”
“I don't know about that...”
“My prince, please don't look so sad.”
“Can we just go and skip this talk?”

The maid nods slowly as Baekhyun follows her out of the room. A couple of guards walks a bit behind them and watch over Baekhyun and the maid from afar. Baekhyun feels how a sigh escapes his mouth, he feels a little bit annoyed. He carefully glances over at the guards who pretend to look at a painting when he looks at them.

“I won't leave again...”
“They're just doing their job my prince. Your father just wants to make sure that no one else have figured out how to get in and out of the palace. That's all.”
“Yeah... I guess that's it...”

Baekhyun knows that his father actually ordered the guards to keep an eye on him and to not keep an eye on thieves or other strange people. But who cares? Baekhyun can't do anything about it anyway and there is no point to complain about it. After all, nothing will really change.

Baekhyun walks down the corridor with the maid until they arrive to a small meeting room. Inside sits Baekhyun's father, the king. Baekhyun takes a deep breath as the maid carefully knocks on the door before opening it.

“You majesty, the prince is here to talk with you.”
“Let him inside.”
“Yes sir. My prince.”

The maid lets Baekhyun step into the room before she leaves and closes the door behind him. The room is empty on people excepts for Baekhyun and his father who sits with his glasses slowly slipping down his nose. As fast he sees Baekhyun stand in front of the desk in his ordinary clothes and natural hair color, he actually smiles weakly and puts away his glasses.

“This is how you should look like. It's so much better than the stupid blonde hair and those stupid fake glasses.”
“Father, you wish to talk with me, right?”
“Yes, sit down.”

Baekhyun hesitates before he sits down as his father picks up a pen and plays with it in his hand for a while. Then he looks at Baekhyun who is focusing his eyes on his father the whole time.

“Have you thought about what you did and come to a conclusion about it?”
“Yes, I have.”
“And I hope you came to the conclusion that it was all foolishness and that you will forget about it all. I hope you will go back to your senses and start take your responsibility.”
“I said I have thought it over, but I never said that I came to that conclusion.”
“Baekhyun... Do not test my patience.”
“Then do not test mine.”

Baekhyun speaks with a steady voice. Of course he's scared to say against his father, it's actually really rude to raise your voice towards your parents and it's even ruder to say against them. But Baekhyun has hit a limit where he can't go on without at least opening his mouth in protest.

“Baekhyun... What did I tell you earlier when you came home?”
“I remembered clearly what you said, but do you remember what I have told you?”
“It depends on what you mean.”
“Then let me tell you something before you're going to start screaming at me.”
“Oh please, go ahead and make a fool of yourself with your foolishness.”
“Dad... I'm depressed.”

Baekhyun lets out the words as his father stares surprised at him. Baekhyun stares seriously back at him and waits for a couple of seconds before he continues to talk again.

“I get depressed in here. I don't feel well, I don't want to eat and I'm feeling sick. That's why I left. I left because I didn't feel well and when I lived a normal life, I felt happy. The depression disappeared, I smiled almost every day and the truth is, I was scared to come back home. I'm still scared. I'm scared that I won't be happy again. I love you and mother so much, it was really hard to leave you. But on the other hand, you refused to listen to me. You refused to see that I didn't feel well. All I ever wished for was a little freedom, to have real friends and to go to college or just be able to go out on a real date with someone. But you don't understand how closed in I have been. I was truly happy after I left this place. I had so many nice friends who didn't care where I came from or if I was poor or rich. They just wanted to be with me because we had fun. They took care of me, helped me and we had a lot of fun. I was truly happy. But when you called, I got terrified. I was scared to come back here, not because you would get mad at me, but because I know that I won't be happy again. If you call that foolishness, please go ahead and call me a fool. But everyone knows, even the maids knows, that I'm not happy here. I'm not asking you to let me go and let me be, but I'm asking you to consider my feelings and let me take care of my own life like everyone else.”
“What you're saying sounds weird to me. You have never looked sad, not even as a child. Your mother has said the same and to think that you have been depressed sounds ridiculous. A prince whom is depressed? Preposterous.”
“So you don't believe me then?”
“I don't believe that you, a prince who is known for his bright and cute smile, is depressed.”
“Haven't you ever heard of the expression; Wear your mask properly or else they will see? Maybe I faked it all until now?”
“I don't believe you Baekhyun and as your father, no, as your king, I demand you to stop this childish game. You're grownup now, you're not a child anymore. Take responsibility for your recklessness and get back to your senses before I get angry again.”
“But this is my senses! This is exactly what I have been holding back for years! I'm not asking you to let me go away from here and never come back! I'm asking you to consider my feelings for once!”
“See, you can't even have a proper conversation with me without screaming. Geez, I thought you might have matured a little bit after I scolded you, but...”
“Father! I demand that you listen to my words! I'm not the king, but I'm your damn son! Don't look at me as the prince, look at me as your son! Is this really the right thing to do?!”
“What? Do you really think that your so called friends will treat you the same now when they know your secret?”
“O-Of course they!”
“You look rather insecure about that if you ask me.”

Baekhyun feels how he falls silent. His father stares at him with his cold eyes. His father is pissed off, but he tries to act cool and almighty since he's supposed to be the king. Baekhyun looks away after a while, he can't stare at his father like this for much longer without showing his doubt to him. He knows that all his friends hates the crown prince, which is him. But they liked him as Baekhyun. They wouldn't hate him now after the truth is out, because they have gotten to know the real Baekhyun.

“They wouldn't do that... They wouldn't treat me differently! They would look at me and see Baekhyun, not the prince!”
“You say that now, but the moment you would meet them, you would realize how wrong you truly are. People in this world only cares about money and power Baekhyun, even I know that and I'm the king.”
“You're a powerless king... I mean, you don't have any control over the government or the military and you're just living here-”
“My job is to represent my country, South Korea, and meet other royals from other countries. My job is to symbolize the country we love and live in, but also to make sure that our bloodline doesn't die out or get switched.”
“Father... You're avoiding the topic we were talking about.”
“No Baekhyun, you're the one who doesn't see what I'm trying to tell you. Think about it carefully; do you really think that you will have a place in this wicked society after they find out about you being the prince?”

Baekhyun feels how he sighs as he starts to lose his patience. If Baekhyun explodes at his father again, then they will definitely not come to a conc