"I'm fine Eomma" I answered softly into the telephone. 

"You had me so worried Tae! You just disappeared...We thought you've been kidnapped! Until the Royal Guards came and told us that you've been hired as a baker."
My mother's frail voice filled my ears.

It's been only a couple of days since I arrived at the Royal Palace of Astra. Things have been okay...so far.

So far.

"Tae? Time's up..." Tiffany pointed at her watch and whispered. "No one should find out that I let you call your parents."

I nodded. "Eomma, I have to go. I'll call you later. Bye."

"Wait! Tae? Taeye-"

I disconnected the call and put the telephone down. A hand gently rubbed my back.

"How do you feel now?" Tiffany asked me comfortingly as she sat down next to me on the bed.

"Better." I contained the sob stuck in my throat. "But I still don't think I can do this."

Today Prince Kris was going to talk to all of us...personally. Rumor has it that he'd be eliminating a few Princesses at the end of the meeting.

I wasn't nervous about talking to him. It's always much easier to communicate when the other person doesn't know your true identity. I could be the real me. But, I was also pretending to be a Princess! One small mistake and I'd be ruining the status of a Princess.

Tiffany grinned. "Aw, Come on! He'd be an idiot if he wants to eliminate someone as beautiful as you!"

Beauty...Does beauty really matter?
Isn't it all about your wealth and position in the society?

I didn't know what to say to Tiffany. "I think it's okay to call Alice and Haru now. It's almost time for breakfast."

Alice and Haru rushed immediately into my room when Tiffany gave them the call. Alice began to brush my wild bed hair, while Haru found a dress for me. She picked a floral dress for me which was just a few inches above my knees and had a cute bow at the back.

It still felt strange. To wear such perfect dresses, to be presented in front of everyone like true royalty...a fantasy.

"How about laid-back style today?" Alice smiled at me in the mirror. "I'll just braid your hair."

I nodded. Alice delicately braided my long black hair and combed my fringes out. She placed the braid over my right shoulder. Haru somehow managed to change me into the dress during that time too.

Once they were done with me, Tiffany escorted me to the Lounge. It was a room built for the Royal family (and the Princesses, for the time being.) To relax and spend their leisure time.

We climbed down the stairs and then proceeded to the Lounge. When we were at the entrance, Tiffany let go of my hand.

"You're on your own from here." She smiled sadly. "I can't come with you today because you're meeting the Prince."

"I understand." I said."I can handle myself now." I grinned.

Tiffany gave me her eye-smile. "I'm counting on you! Don't mess up. Fighting!" She waved at me and then sashayed away from me.

I didn't step inside the Lounge until Tiffany was out of sight. And when I did, I saw that I was late. And that Prince Kris was already addressing the Princesses.

Before he could see me, I went right out again and pressed my back flat on the wall next to the door.

Really Tae? You're going to get eliminated for sure today.

I closed my eyes as I began to feel all panicky. I didn't know what to do.

"Aimee?"

Oh .

I winced as I opened one eye slowly. To my relief, it was not Kris but Prince Chanyeol. He was eyeing my curiously with his head tilted a little. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt rather than his usual suit. I'd have to admit, He looked cute.

"Aren't you supposed to be inside?"

I ran my tongue over my lips. "Uh, I...-"

"Ah!" He wagged his index finger at me. "You're late again, aren't you?" He grinned teasingly.

I blushed. 

How does he know that this isn't the first time I'm late?!
Oh wait. They're brothers.

"Don't worry I got this!" He linked our arms and just pulled me into the lounge without any warning.

It would have been nice if he just quietly walked along with me and then dealt with Kris but nope.
That ain't how Chanyeol works.

"HYUNG!" He yelled. "How dare you start this session without dear Princess Aimee!"

asdfghjkkl @#$%!
Talk about total humiliation...

The princesses, who were facing us, looked at us with gaping mouths and bulging eyes. Well, except my dear gang who had these wicked grins on their faces.

Prince Kris took a while to turn around and look at us. He looked so disinterested but at the same time it looked as though he was waiting for me to eventually show up.

"I can't keep everyone else waiting for someone who just wants to stand out of the door, possibly waiting for someone to bring her inside and save her from embarrassment. But of course, you were the wrong choice, Little Brother." Kris raised an eyebrow at us. 

He.did.not.

"Hyung, you're so mean." Chanyeol pouted. "If you knew she was there, then you could have called her inside."

I watched Kris as his eyes slowly traveled down to our linked arms. I saw his mouth twitch.

"You're forgetting that I'm just like any other Princess here, Chanyeol." I took my arm out of his. I walked with whatever remaining pride I had and took an empty chair next to Seulgi.

"Alright..." Chanyeol sounded a little sad. "Anyway, good morning to all the possible sisters-in law! And goodbye too." He turned around and strolled out of the Lounge.

"You are epic." Seulgi whispered into my ear. 

I couldn't help but smile. "I know right."

Kris sighed heavily before continuing whatever speech he was giving to the other princesses.

"What did I miss?" I asked Seulgi.

"He's eliminating today." She answered. "He didn't say it directly, but it was a little too obvious."

Eliminate. Isn't that word a bit too harsh?

"Is that all?" I questioned.

"He did say that he's going to start courting us, by the end of this session." Seulgi paused. "I mean, whoever is left."

"As in, dating?"

"Exactly." Seulgi said.  

Before I could say anything else, Kris' loud voice interrupted.

"Now we will begin with the session." He announced. "Princess Winter?"

A beautiful girl with doe like eyes, emerged out. "Yes, your highness?"

"Follow me." He held his hand out politely and Princess Winter bashfully took it. Then he lead her to a small room to the right side of the Lounge. After they were inside, he closed the door.

I fell back on the chair and closed my eyes. "Why are we being interrogated here?"

"My views exactly." Seulgi said. "I feel like I'm a criminal who's being questioned."

"Criminal? We're already prisoners over here." I heard Ice say. "By the way, Ame, That was quite an entrance you made there."

"Can you not?" I groaned. "You should be jealous that I was with Chanyeol."

"Are you serious?" Ice gasped. "Just because he's better than Kris doesn't mean I'm going to go all ga-ga over him."

"It's not like he's going to bat an eye at you anyway." Minah chuckled. "From what I see, He Likes Aimee."

My eyes shot open. "I disagree!" 

But...

"Be careful, Ames." Jemma grabbed my hand. I don't know how her hand reached mine but it just did. "Don't mess with him."

"Who? Kris?" I asked her.

She nodded. "He looked really annoyed to see you with Prince Chanyeol." 

"Yeah right." Ice rolled her eyes. "He owns us all for the time being. He doesn't want to share his toys."

"Ice!" Jemma exclaimed. "Softly!"

"I am not his toy." I clenched my fists. But then I remembered that I'm not a Princess either.

Suddenly, The door of the tiny room opened and Princess Winter walked out. She had this smug look on her face.

"Princess Claire?!" Kris yelled from inside. 

Claire, who was sitting right in front of me, stumbled while getting up but balanced herself throughout.

Everyone began questioning Winter.

I waited till the news reached Ice. I hated being the part of the gossip queens.

"She said that she isn't allowed to disclose any details but that it went well." Ice reported. "According to her."

"So Kris might have other opinions." Minah said.

"Possibly." Ice said. "With that poker face of his, you can never guess what's going on inside his mind."

"I don't even know what to say to you guys so just..." Jemma rolled her eyes.

We giggled. It must be hard to be the only person sweet on Prince Kris. Among us, Of course. I'd been trying to ignore the evil glares from Princess Sarang since the time I entered the Lounge.

The door flew open once again and Princess Claire walked out. She looked pretty neutral.

"I'm a little concerned about this 'meeting'." I said. "What if he tries doing something inappropriate?"

I did not hear the next name being called.

"He probably wouldn't kiss any of us. But, There is a chance for some inappropriate touching." Seulgi pointed out.

"Or his hypnotizing stares." Ice added.

My heart beat quickened at the thought of that. Suddenly, I didn't feel so confident anymore.

"Oh, for the love of God. Princess of Kaden do you intend on coming or not?!" 

Heh?

I turned towards the tiny room and saw Prince Kris glaring at me. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

"He called me?" I pointed at myself. I was caught totally unaware.

"Apparently...?" Seulgi whispered.

Kris rolled his eyes and walked towards me in two long strides.

"If you're done gossiping, then please be my guest." He looked at me with a stone-hard expression.

Immediately, I got up. And walked ahead of him to the room. Once we both were inside, he closed the door.

The room was quite small. Almost the same size as the rooms at my house. Though, bigger than that.

There was a table dividing two chairs on either side. The room was a shade of light blue, like the sky. A fan hung on the ceiling . I felt suffocated for some reason.

I sat down on the chair as elegantly as I could while Kris sat down on the other.

There was an awkward silence between us.

"Do you like it?" He asked me, out of the blue.

" what?" 

"Being helped by both the Princes of Astra." He said grimly. "As far as I know, you're the only Princess who has spoken to Chanyeol."

"I'm honored then-...Your Highness" I quickly added.

"Do you know that I could send you home for violation of rules?" He looked at me straight in the eye. "Specifically rule number one."

I thought for a while. "You couldn't possibly."

"Are you sure? Don't you think they'll listen to their Crown Prince's words rather than some foreign Princess' ?"

"It's not about the blame you put on me." I said quietly. "Your brother, Prince Chanyeol, would have his name tainted forever. For a crime he never committed."

"Is it necessary that I use his name?" He countered.

"Then you would be putting someone else's life at risk. I don't believe you would stoop so low just to get me out of this competition. However, If you really intend on sending me home, You don't actually need a reason for it."

Prince Kris examined me very carefully. I already had a victory smile in my mind.

I'd outwitted him.

"You're something different." He said. 

"I couldn't possibly disagree." I smirked. "Also, you're ruder than I expected."

His eyebrows twitched. "So it appears."

Are you jealous perhaps?

"I apologize." I immediately said. "I-I didn't mean to say that...But it was really embarrassing for me to be insulted in front of other Princesses."

Kris his lips. "I understand. You have your pride." 

His unwavering gaze made me feel a little cautious.

"Was this regal behavior was instilled in you or were you born with it?"

"My mother used to-" work at a palace. "Teach me a lot of values and one of them was to be straightforward."

His eyes lit up with amusement. "I see."

He wasn't convinced.
He was doubting.

But his questioned bothered me. When did I become so natural at behaving like royalty?
I mean, Tiffany did give me a few tips and Eomma did teach me values but...this kind of a natural instinct? Maybe it was the influence of being around royalty.

"I didn't want to be rude, Princess." His voice softened. "But you really need to work on punctuality."

"I know." I sighed. "I get caught up sometimes. Being a Princess is tough"

He smiled as though he knew something that I didn't.

"It sure must be." He smirked. "Which reminds me, I hope you haven't told anyone about me drinking in the garden."

I blinked as the memories of that specific night flowed into my mind. I had hoped to forget about that night.

"I was on the verge of forgetting about it." I replied. "But now you have brought it up..."

"Let this be our secret then." He winked at me.

Winked.

Oh.My.God.

"You are dismissed." He told me while getting up from his chair. I got up and walked away without another word.

***

After all the Princesses had finished speaking to Kris, we were sent for breakfast.
Not all of us though.

"Princess Claire, Princess Suzie and Princess Lucia. Please stay back, I would like to have a word with the three of you." Kris smiled at them while the others quietly retreated from the Lounge.

They were gone before Sunset.

"Wow. He actually sent them home." Seulgi commented when I told the girls that I had seen Princess Claire bawling out of her room with her Lady-in-waiting running behind her with the luggage.

"Look, I know that today's conversation with him was supposed to be confidential but boy, I have never met a person more boring than him." Minah stated while flipping through a magazine.

We were sitting in the Grand Library. The other Princesses were in the Lounge. The last rays of the setting sun made the sky blush pink outside.
I sighed and put my book down.

"I think he knows that I'm not interested in him." Ice grinned. "I'm surprised he didn't send me home! Well, I would have liked that."

"How was your conversation with him, Jem?" I asked Jemma. She had been quietly reading her book all this time. Her face perked up when she heard me.

"It was nice..." Her cheeks splotched pink. "He's so polite! and he even started an initiated a conversation with me. I don't see the reason why you all are complaining."

"Are you serious?" Seulgi scoffed. "I'm 100% sure he must have asked you your likes and dislikes first and then started a conversation about something that you like."

Jemima opened to say something but Ice cut her off.

"That's what he's been asking everyone." She said. "You're no special, Jemma."

Everyone?

"Wait," I said. "So he asked all of you about your likes and dislikes?"

"He asked me about my background." Seulgi said.

"He asked me about my family ties with other countries." Minah didn't look up from her magazine.

"He asked me if I was forced into this contest." Ice grinned. "But I didn't answer him, of course."

Why didn't Kris ask me about my likes and dislikes?

"Why Ame?" Jemma interrupted my train of thought. "Did he not ask you the same things?"

"I-I-" I stammered. "W-well, He asked me if I liked always needing a Prince to me...a-and that I need to work on my punctuality."

Half-truths

"I'm wondering how you're still among us." Ice joked playfully.

"Believe me," I said. "I'm wondering too."

"He likes you, Ames." Minah stated again. "He would have sent you home, if not."

From the corner of my eye I saw Jemma's jaw twitch.

"You said the same thing about Chanyeol." I put my head on the table.

"Well, Both of them like you." Minah said. "My sixth sense tells me so, Ame."

"Ooo~ " Seulgi nudged me with her elbow. "Someone has so many admirers!"

I rolled my eyes. "Next you'll be telling me that Officer Zhang likes me."

Officer Zhang was the head of the Military army of Astra. He often did war planning with King Aiden and Prince Kris.

"Well, I did see him staring at you for a few moments last night after dinner." Ice chuckled.

"Ugh." I got up from my place. "I'm going to get fresh air."

"Don't get lost!" Minah called me from behind. 

"Yeah yeah." I rolled my eyes and walked deeper into the library. There were aisles and aisles of books all around me. I wanted to pick up a good book but I also wanted to know what was at the end of the ginormous library.

Suddenly, I heard a faint melody coming from the my right side. Music. Someone was playing a Violin nearby.

I sauntered to the right side of the library. The music became louder till I was in front of a chamber with the door slightly ajar. I peeked in. 

It was a tiny chamber filled with the last of the golden sunlight. There was a grand piano next the the glass walls. At the center of the room stood Kris Wu, playing a violin so gracefully. The sunlight falling on his face gave him an angelic sort of glow. Heavenly.

He stopped after a while and put his violin back into its case.

"You're really good, Your Highness." I blurted. "Play it again."

I was already standing inside the room. Completely mesmerized by his playing.

He turned around and smirked at me. "Oh hello, Princess. Always at the wrong place."

"Oh. I'll leave if you want-"

"Stay."

His tone of voice made it sound like an order.

"I was a lonely anyway since Chanyeol has a meeting with the ambassadors of Zion." He said. 

"Prince Chanyeol...Does he play the piano?" I asked Kris.

"Yes." Kris answered. "And he's very good at it."

"I'd always wanted to learn how to play the Piano." I said dreamily. "But my-" family couldn't afford it. "Mother was keen on teaching me how to knit."

"Really?" Kris raised his eyebrow. "According to my report, you know how to play the flute."

I gulped.

Oh .

"But I'm horrible at it." I said quickly. "You'd lose your hearing if you hear me play."

Kris smiled. "I wouldn't want that to happen." 

Unknowingly, I had walked over to Kris. He was arranging some music sheets on a stand.

"Could you play that again?" I asked him. "That piece?" 

"I would love to." He looked at me. "But you see, I'm preoccupied with some other work."

"Like what?"

"Taking Princess Clover for a walk in the garden." He said, grabbing his coat that had been thrown over a chair.

My heart sank. I remembered Seulgi's words.

Courting.
Clover is his first choice?

I tried not to stress on the small voice at the back of my head saying, Why not me?
Why wasn't I his first choice?

"Tell her I said hi." I said bluntly. 

Kris chuckled and shrugged on his coat. "Not so enthusiastic about it, are you?"

"Should I be?"

"Of course not." He answered pushing the small of my back gently, leading me out of the room. "You're a rival."

His touch sent shivers down my spine.

"I guess I am." I said.

"On the positive side, you're the first person who knows that I play the violin." He smiled.

It was then that I concluded that Prince Kris is nothing but layers of secrets.

***

"You still haven't heard from Aimee?" I asked Tiffany curiously as she walked about my room.

Dinner was just over. Alice and Haru changed me into my nightgown and then I dismissed them.

"Nope. Nothing at all." Tiffany sounded concerned. "But I'm pretty sure she's okay. They must have solved the problem together."

"They?" I asked.

"King Julian, Queen Midori and Aimee herself." Tiffany informed me. "The royal family of Kaden."

"I'm pretty sure she'll be back soon." I said. Even though I didn't want her to.
And It wasn't about the food.

"I think I'll be sleeping now." I told Tiffany. She wished me goodnight and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I slumped across my bed and closed my eyes. It hadn't even been five minutes and I heard a knock on my door.

I didn't respond.

The knocking came again. I was forced to get up from my bed and open the door.

"I'm really tired Tiff-" I choked on my words when Prince Kris literally stumbled on to me.

I could smell hard liquor on him. 

"Y-your Highness?!-" He cupped my mouth and closed the door behind him. I felt a wave of panic.

Suddenly, I heard guards outside. 

"Where did he go?" One guard said
"I don't know! I saw him stumbling down here."
"But these are the Princesses' rooms! He wouldn't come here. You've been hallucinating, Leroy."
"B-but!"
"Let's go back now."

The sound of the fading footsteps made Kris less tense than before. He removed his hand from my mouth.

"What are you doing here?!" I whisper-yelled at him.
He rolled his eyes. "His majesty wanted to lock me up in my room." He slurred

"What? King Aiden wanted to lock you up?" I asked him.

"Mmmm." He went and fell onto my bed. "He doesn't like it when I drink."

"But Your Highness, I'm afraid you cannot sleep here." I pointed out.

"Shut the hell up." He snapped. "This is my house. All these rooms belong to me."

Secret #1 : Drinking problem.

"Of course." I said. "I'm going to call Chanyeol." 

Before I could even turn the handle of the door, Kris was pulling me back. Our proximity made me really nervous and tingly. 

"Why is it that you call me 'Your Highness' but you call Chanyeol 'Chanyeol'?" He whispered into my ear. "I told you to call me Kris from the first day."

I wondered if he could hear my quickening heartbeat. "Let go of me, Kris."

His hands tightened around my wrists. "What if I don't want to?"

"You're disrespecting me, Prince Kris."

"What's there to disrespect when-"

Kris was cut off by the opening of the door.

It was Chanyeol. "I knew you'd be here, Hyung." 

"Oh god." Kris pressed me closer to him. "Go away Chanyeol."

Chanyeol sighed and peeled Kris off of my body. He looked apologetic all the while whereas Kris just cursed him. Chanyeol put Kris' arm over his shoulder and dragged his slumped body out of my room.

"Sorry Princess Aimee." Chanyeol chuckled nervously. "He's a little tipsy right now."

"It's okay." I said. "Put him to sleep."

"I will." Chanyeol flashed a goofy smile. "Goodnight Ames."

"Goodnight, Chanyeol." I smiled back and then closed the door.

I did not sleep well that night.

~


A/N: 
Hello everyone~ I am back T.T
I need to update my other stories too 
Sorry for such a late update!
I hope this chapter was good enough :)

Xoxo, Dani