~

'Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess called—‘

'A princess?'

'What? No. She wasn't called a princess she was—'

'But why a princess?'

Jaejoong looked up from the book in his lap at the little mischievous girl practically bouncing in the bed, her wide eyes glistening with excitement.

'Is there something wrong with being a princess?'

'Noo,’ she dragged the ‘o’ while shaking her head energetically, the dark locks falling around her round face, 'but I want there to be a Prince.'

'Fine,' Jaejoong sighed, turning his attention back to the book.

'Once upon a time there lived a handsome—'

'—beautiful.'

'...beautiful Prince called—'

'Jaejoongie!'

'Now what?' he looked up again, his smile forced this time. He was approximately ten words into the story and his patience was already wearing thin.

'The beautiful Prince was called Jaejoongie!' she giggled, drawing the covers up to her chin.

'Ah. Of course he was,' Jaejoong muttered, realizing that there was no way he could keep this story in the margins of the book. With a sigh he closed it, taking off his glasses that he had foolishly hoped would be of any use, and prepared himself for a long evening.

○○○

The handsome, that is, the beautiful Prince Jaejoongie lived in a great kingdom with seven beautiful princesses who were all his sisters. The emperor of the land was old but fair and the empress was still beautiful in her mature age. They both ruled the people kindly and they loved all of their children.

One day the Prince rode out in the crisp morning air and looked at his men with pride, his short—’

-Long!

His long hair the color of the rising Sun.

-What is the color of the rising Sun?
-I don't know. Yellow?
-Ewww. No.
-Red?
-Ok. Red is pretty.

The Prince was known to be the bravest soldier among all of his men for he had fought many battles and won many dangerous wars in his quest of gaining new lands.

-No!
-No?
-I don't like fighting.
-But he was a prince. He had to fight.
-No.
-But-
-He should marry.
-Marry?
-Marry!
-But-
-Marry, uncle Jae!
-Fine.

The Prince looked over the horde of beautiful women in the Grande hall, each of them hoping to attract his attention. His mother had organized a ball for she wanted her son to take a wife. The Prince, however, only wanted to marry someone he loved a lot. As none of the girls he had met that evening had captured his heart so he was sulking.

Then suddenly his eye caught a beautiful princess who had just entered the ballroom.

-Prince.
-Excuse me?
-It was a Prince.
-Sunshine, where do you even get these ideas?
-Mommy told me that it's ok for two princes to love each other just like it's ok for two princesses to marry.
-I will need to have a word with your mommy then.
-No, uncle Jae you won't. And it was a Prince. I should know.
-For the love of- fine.

The Prince was surprised at the beauty of the Prince who had just entered as he was a dainty-

-He was tall and really strong and very manly!

A tall, strong and manly Prince. Prince Jaejoong-

-Blushed!

...blushed and averted his eyes, unable to stop his heart from frolicking in his chest. The man was so handsome he wanted to ask him for a dance but he didn't know how to. He didn't even know his name!

'Who is he?' Prince Jaejoong asked his mother who looked over at the newcomer and shook her head in disapproval, her face now pulled in a scowl.

'That's the Prince from the neighboring kingdom' she said 'but he's so rude. We sent him many letters but he didn't accept any of the marriage proposals from your sisters'

'Then what is he doing here?' The Prince wondered, his eyes falling upon the handsome man once again.

'I don't know. Probably looking for a fight'

-No. No fighting, uncle Jae. I told you I don't like it. Prince Yunho was looking for a bride!
-Prince Yunho? Where did Yunho come from all of sudden?
-But who else could that tall and handsome Prince be?
-Right. I obviously should have known that. Of course it was Yunho.

'He's looking for a bride' his mother answered and Prince Jaejoong felt sad. Why would he look for a bride if he had rejected the proposals his sisters had sent? Didn't he like his family?

But once the music started and people filled the dance floor, Jaejoong forgot all about his worries and ate and laughed together with his friends, oblivious of the danger lurking upon the kingdom.

-But-
-Shhhh. Who is telling the story here? There needs to be some kind of conflict, right?
-No!

When the clock twelve suddenly there was a loud bang and red smoke filled the room. When it cleared in the middle of the room stood the evilest from all witches.

-Changmin

... Aaand he said in his screeching high voice 'for you have ignored me, the greatest of the great witches, and not invited me to this ball, I will curse your people and your families and the entire kingdom!' And he laughed and cackled until a lightning crackled outside, shining upon the frightened faces of the guests.

Hearing that, Prince Jaejoong drew out his—

-Hello kitty!

—sword? And attacked the evil witch. He fought bravely as everyone's lives depended on it and-

-He lost.
-What? How can he lose? He's the brave Prince who needs to protect his kingdom and everyone he loves!
-He lost.

Unfortunately the witch was stronger, his curse hitting the Prince in the chest and he fell on the ground, motionless.

-Is he dead?
-Do you want him to be dead?
-...maybe

The Prince moved no more, his face white as sheets, his lips turning blue. To the horror of everyone standing around the Prince was dead.

-No! Prince Jaejoong can't die!

Or maybe he was pretending. The Prince had all the signs of being dead but he was very much alive, he was just cursed. But the people around him didn't know that so they were scared.

The witch laughed evilly and looked around, cursing everyone in the room, turning them into cold stone statutes.

-Except for Yunho.

Yes, except for Prince Yunho who was hiding behind a table. When the witch had done his evil deeds, he disappeared in thin air, only the smell of ashes left behind him.

Prince Yunho crawled out of his hide, horrified at the sight that greeted him. Everyone around him had been turned to stone and only the young Prince was left lying dead in the middle of the room. He hurried to him, shaking the Prince by shoulders to see if he really was dead.

-And then he kissed him?
-Why would he kiss him?
-Because Prince Jaejoong was soooo beautiful!
-But you know it's not nice to kiss people who are not aware of it?
-No?
-Well, it's not nice. You shouldn't do that.
-But Prince Yunho kissed him, right? Please please please, uncle Jae. Prince Jaejoong liked Yunho so even if he's sleeping it's ok. Please, uncle!
-Oh alright.

Prince Yunho leaned down to kiss Jaejoong as he was taken by the man's beauty and when he did so the other opened his eyes, the curse now broken. Then Jaejoong hit Yunho really hard.

'Why would you kiss someone who hasn't given you permission?' he yelled angrily, 'don't you know it's not nice?'

Yunho's eyes grew wide and he apologized for his behavior as he hadn't known it bad. In his kingdom it was a common practice to wake up people with kisses.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I will never do something like that again.'

'Yes,' Prince Jaejoong nodded 'ask for permission next time'

Now that Yunho had realized his mistake, he wanted to know why is wasn't nice to kiss people when they were sleeping.

-I get it, uncle Jae.
-I'm just telling you the truth.
-No, you're lecturing.
-I never lecture.
-Mommy says you do. I don't even go to school yet. Just tell me the story.

'Go read a book' Prince Jaejoong answered and looked around. He was shocked to see what had happened to everyone he loved and swore to take revenge on the witch.

-Isn't revenge bad?
-But he was angry.
-Being angry is not good.
-Well, he had his reasons.
-What a stupid Prince.
-Hey!

The Prince then calmed down and remembered that being angry is not good. Instead he decided he had to find a way how to turn back everyone without hurting anyone in return.

'I know a powerful wizard who lives in my kingdom' Prince Yunho said, helping the other up 'we can go and ask him for advice'

Grateful, Prince Jaejoong smiled, deciding that although Yunho had acted mean by turning down his sisters' offers he was a really kind person.

'Thank you for your help,' he said and went to look for his broken hello kitty sword. He swore not to use it again and next time solve his problems with mind, not force.

And so the two princes hurried on their journey to the neighboring kingdom where the wise wizard lived. The lands there were lush and beautiful as the emperor and the empress of the kingdom were also very kind.

As they were riding, Prince Jaejoong felt curious and asked why had Prince Yunho rejected all the offers from his sisters.

'Your sisters are very lovely,' the Prince answered' but I only want to marry someone I love a lot.'

Hearing that Prince Jaejoong forgave Prince Yunho everything because he felt exactly the same.

-Are they in love now?
-They just met, they cannot be in love.
-Right. That's what Elsa said.
-Elsa who?

When they finally arrived at the wizard's castle, they were very tired and it was getting late. Prince Yunho knocked on the door, calling out the wizard's name. The door opened.

'Who dares to enter my castle?' a loud voice asked once they went inside, making the two princes shiver.

'It's the Prince of this kingdom,' Yunho called out to show that he wasn't afraid.

A lightning struck in the middle of the room and suddenly the wizard appeared. He was—

-Uncle Yoochun.
-Yeah, why not.

The kind of chubby wizard was nonetheless good looking.

'And who are you?' he asked as he noticed Jaejoong standing bravely beside Yunho.

'My name is Kim Jaejoong,' the Prince answered, 'and I have come to ask you a favor'

He was a bit afraid but the thought of his loved ones helped him to overcome his fears. The wizard looked the Prince up and down and nodded as he saw that he was an honorable man with a kind heart and strong determination. He was a man who would do whatever it took for his family to be safe.

-Booooring

But because the wizard was kind of a , he didn't care for any of that and said, 'I will grant you a wish only if you do something in return for me.’

-Hehehe, uncle Jae, you said .
-No, I didn't. I said duck. Quack quack.

'Bring me a pearl out of the depths of the ocean,' the wizard said, ignoring the pleas that the Prince made, 'and only then will I grant you your wish'

And with that, he disappeared.

Unhappy, Jaejoong said goodbyes to his neighbor who felt very sorry that he couldn't do anything more for the Prince. Jaejoong thanked him and left as he needed to find the ocean he had never seen before.

He traveled days and nights and he was heated by the sun and soaked by the rain but the thoughts that he had to save his family and everyone in his kingdom helped him to overcome all the hardships.

Finally after many many days he arrived at a wast place of water, all blue and sparkling. He looked at the clear surface and deep deep below he saw a large, shining pearl.

But how to get it? He wondered as he could not breath underneath the water. He tried swimming but had to come up too soon for air. He sat and thought for hours before he decided to sleep on the shore in hopes that maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

During the night he was woken up by laughter and songs not too far away. When he looked he saw several beautiful beings with long wavy hair and fair skin dancing on the shore. Those were mermaids and mermen who wore their scales during the days to swim and threw them off during the nights to dance.

-Was uncle Junsu one of them?
-Of course.

The Prince sneaked to where the fair beings were dancing and stole one of the scales away, hiding carefully. He hoped that he could wear them to dive after the pearl in the morning.

When the first rays of sun appeared at the horizon, the merfolk stopped their games and got dressed. One after another they went back into the ocean until only the merman whose scales Jaejoong had stolen was left. Realizing that his scales were gone, the merman broke down crying. He loved the ocean so much and couldn't bear the thought of losing it.

Feeling pity on the creature, Jaejoong came out from where he was hiding and handed the scales back to him.

The boy squealed in happiness, his voice even higher than Changmin's, and he put the scales back on quickly, dipping into the water after his friends. Feeling sad Prince Jaejoong sat on the shore and wondered what to do now. He needed the pearl but he didn't want to hurt anyone to get it.

He sat there and thought about his loving parents, his beautiful sisters and their cute daughters and, not knowing what to do next, he started to cry.

-Wuss.
-Men can cry.
-But Prince Jaejoong was a wuss.
-Where do you even learn these words.

He cried manly tears for hours upon hours when suddenly the merman he had given the scales back to appeared over the surface and asked him what's wrong.

Prince Jaejoong wiped his face and told the merman his story about the ball and the evil witch and how he missed his entire family. The merman listened carefully before he said, 'You did steal my scales away but you realized it being wrong and gave them back, therefore, I will help you this one time,' and with that he dipped deep into the water and when he reappeared there was a pearl even bigger and more beautiful in his hands than the one the Prince had seen.

'You should always ask for help honestly. Be brave and don't try to lie or cheat as for the people who will help you when you ask are the people who truly love you.'

Having said that, the merman left the pearl with the Prince who thanked him a million times.

-I'm sleepy, uncle. When will Prince Jaejoong marry Prince Yunho?
-Do they have to marry?
-Yes.
-Is that all you care about?
-Yes.

So the Prince went back to the wizard and the wizard undid the curse and everyone in the castle turned back to normal.

-Yay!

Prince Jaejoong told his mother how brave Prince Yunho had been and how he had helped him. Hearing that, his mother decided that they should be friends with the neighboring kingdom again and organized another ball where this time she invited everyone, even the wizard, the merman and the evil witch.

That's when Prince Jaejoong met Prince Yunho again.

Remembering what the merman had told him, prince Jaejoong bravely asked Prince Yunho for a dance and he agreed. They danced all night long, looked each other in the eyes dreamily, and then they dated for a year because that's what all the good princes do before they get married. Once they got married they promised to never leave each other again and lived happily ever after. The end.

○○○

Jaejoong smiled as he looked at the peacefully sleeping face of his niece and got up silently. He sneaked out of the room and closed the door with a click, making his way downstairs where Yunho was watching TV. Without saying anything he curled beside him, lying his head on the man's chest.

'What took you so long?' Yunho wondered and leaned in to kiss his lover's lips, caressing the soft hair before returning his attention back to the program. He didn't mind looking after Jaejoong's cute niece but it was getting late and he wanted some of his lover's attention as well.

'I think she suspects us,’ Jaejoong replied as he mindlessly drew circles on Yunho's shirt, 'are we really that obvious?'

'Can birds fly?'

'What?'

'That means the answer is yes, Jae. We're obvious.'

Yunho rolled his eyes at how naive the other man could sometimes be.

'She's young, not stupid. Of course she can tell. Who can't?'

In response Jaejoong bit his lip, his brows furrowed.

'Do you think that's a good thing?'

'Huh? Why wouldn't it be?'

'I don't know, are we a bad influence?'

Yunho only laughed at that and tackled Jaejoong down, pressing his back into the mattress and attacking his neck with his mouth.

'Now this is what I call bad influence,' he sneered when Jaejoong let out a load moan at the sudden mistreatment of his skin.

'Yeah sure, whatever Yunny,’ the man groaned and pulled his lover down for a kiss, 'but just so you know we're a married fairytale couple now.'


End
 

a/n: The image of Junsu dancing tarantallegra on the shore is now forever imprinted on my mind. That is all.