CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Prince and Princess

“IT’S NOT ME,” Haeyoon insisted, voice simmering with exasperation. “I didn’t do it, end of story.”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun exchanged glances with Joonmyeon that bordered between worry and reservation.

As soon as lunch bell rang, Kyungsoo had dragged Haeyoon to the auditorium where the other two Guardians met them. They had been discussing the incident that happened in the two sophomores’ Chemistry class which Kyungsoo believed was the girl’s doing. Although they don’t actually know what kind of spirit or magic Haeyoon possesses, they are convinced that she was the one who made the beaker explode but she was having none of it. She adamantly denied their ‘accusation’ and insisted that she have no powers. 

Or so she thought.

“Haeyoonie,” Kyungsoo called in his ever calm voice as he tried to get the girl to look at him instead of the wall. “We’re the only sorcerer there and I’m certain that it wasn’t me so that leaves you.”

Haeyoon heaved a sigh as Kyungsoo’s serenity eased her annoyance a bit. She had been feeling so irritated since the start of the day, probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but as the day dragged on, she started feeling restless, too, and more peeved. She doesn’t know why but for the first time in her life, she felt like shutting everyone off. 

“Maybe I’m not a sorcerer, afterall,” she shrugged, tone apathetic and dismissive. She was itching to storm out of the room and to some place where she can be alone. She felt so weird inside but she can’t exactly pinpoint in what way and it’s bothering her so much. “Maybe you’re wrong, maybe dad’s wrong, and maybe we’re looking at this all in the wrong way.”

“Maybe she’s PMS-ing,” Baekhyun whispered to Kyungsoo. “She looks so irritated like a bear who had just gave birth to her cubs.”

“Shut up,” the other whispered back, his wide eyes still trained on Haeyoon’s frowning face.

“And how can you be so sure that I did it,” Haeyoon asked still not looking at any of them. “It’s an experiment, Kyungsoo. The chemicals we added in it must’ve made it explode.”

“But we didn’t add anything yet…” he trailed off in a small voice.

Dealing with a seemingly pissed Haeyoon made the Guardians feel like they were walking on tight rope, like they were cradling a bomb that could blow up anytime, like any wrong word or move can tick her off and it made them so…anxious. It must’ve been the unusual and unexplicable bond they had with her, making them react to her emotions.

“Are you alright, Haeyoon?” Joonmyeon treaded carefully, actually scared that everything they will say might rile the girl even more. “You seemed…off. Is there something bothering you?”

The girl went rigid at the question and her mind echoed it.

Is something bothering her?

Yes.

But she doesn’t know what. She can’t exactly explain the tingling feeling under her skin, the pricking sensation on her nape like thousand tiny needles, the urge of wanting to do something she doesn’t even know what, the disorienting distant buzzing in the back of her head. Her feelings and senses where all messed up and it’s making her feel crazy.

“I…I don’t know,” she uttered and looked straight at Joonmyeon for the first time that day.

His lips parted in astonishment when he saw her eyes. Gone were her warm caramel brown orbs, instead, a pair of icy blue irises that were speckled with enchanting gold that seemed to draw him in, disarming and rendering him in complete…submission. However, as soon as he blinked, they were gone, her brown eyes back, as if he just imagined them and were never there.

“I have to go,” she said and hopped off the stage. “I—I need to think. Don’t follow me.”

A few seconds after Haeyoon went out the door, the three Guardians were still unmoving, unknowingly and strangely left in a daze.

“Haeyoon?” Joonmyeon was the first to snap out of his trance. He looked at his brothers and waved a hand in front of them. “Baekhyun, D.O, where’s she?”

Baekhyun blinked and looked around him in confusion. “What—what happened?”

“I don’t know,” his brother shook his head. “She was just…gone.”

“And no one stopped her?” Kyungsoo looked as disoriented as his brothers.

“You could’ve stopped her,” a smooth male voice suddenly floated through the room, sending the three males into a defensive and alert stance, “But she did told—no, ordered you not to.”

“Who are you?” Baekhyun demanded as his guarded eyes roamed the place, trying to spot the possible threat. “Show yourself.”

A tall lithe figure stepped out of the shadows, jet-black hair falling over his sharp eyes. There was an unmistakable smirk on his familiar face as he said, “What kind of welcome committee is this, D.O?” He watched in amusement as the Guardians’ faces morphed into one of surprise and recognition, then their eyes reflected respect in an instant. “Aren’t you the one who sent me an invitation?”

“Myungsoo.”

THERE WAS STILL half an hour left before lunch time ends but Haeyoon wasn’t hungry at all. She just wanted to go somewhere peaceful, somewhere quiet where she can sort her thoughts and feelings out. She felt so distressed, like how a pond would be when a stone was thrown on it, creating ripples after ripples of disturbances.

Outside, the summer sky began to turn a dull gray, an undeniable sign of a brewing storm. Distant grumble of thunder could be heard and it sounded like a warning that the day would become worse from the on.

A sigh escaped Haeyoon’s lips, ‘The weather’s sympathizing with me, huh.’

“It looks like it’s gonna rain,” one female student said to her companion as they walk down the hall and passed by Haeyoon.

“It’s odd, the weather man said that it’ll be sunny all day,” the other girl scowled. “I didn’t even bring my umbrella.”

“I know right, such a weird weather.”

‘And I’m just as weird as the weather,’ Haeyoon can’t help but thought.

The silence of the library offered some sense of tranquility to Haeyoon and she sighed for the umpteenth time that day. She went to the back of the library where very few students wander to and occupied a table beside the windows. For a while, her mind drifted away as the dreary clouds rolled by, the sky turning worse just like her mood.

“TOOK YOU LOOK enough,” Kyungsoo said, mirroring Myungsoo’s smirk. The two other Guardians were bewildered at the appearance of one of the Oraculum who escaped with them years ago.

“Well, we did some research first,” he shrugged, walking closer towards them now that they don’t look like they’re going to snap his head off anymore. “Guess what I’ve found out.”

“Wait, since when the two of you get in touch?” Joonmyeon butted in, shooting the male a curious glance.

“When Haeyoon was in the hospital,” the wide-eyed Guardian answered. “I sent him a message.”

“With a pigeon,” Myungsoo added in a voice laced with humor, “Very classic, indeed.”

“You said “We”, who are you with?” Baekhyun piped up in a hopeful voice, expecting to hear a name of one of his brothers that they haven’t found yet. “And what’d you find out?”

Slipping his hands in his jeans pockets, Myungsoo leaned against the stage. “I’m with Sehun,” he said and the Guardians faces lit up. “And I found out that you’re with the Princess—all this time.”

What he said surprised them but not to the point and way that it should have. It was as if Myungsoo merely confirmed their unspoken assumptions about Haeyoon’s identity and they realized that deep down in their consciousness, they knew it, felt it, all along.

“That explains the connection we had with her,” Joonmyeon muses and he was more certain than ever that he really did saw her eyes turn icy blue. It was the eyes of a true blooded Saperian and can only be inherited by the Ancient King’s descendant.

“And that connection will only grow stronger from now on,” Myungsoo told them.

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo had his thick eyebrows pinched together.

“The seal we put on her before we stepped in the human world to conceal her spirit and identity will start wearing off until she turns eighteen,” he explained, “Which is not too far from now, in fact, it’s only a matter of days and it’ll be dangerous for her.”

“It’s dangerous in more ways than one, Am I right?” Kyungsoo uttered, his eyes swimming in anxiety.

“Yes,” the tall male nodded solemnly, “Not only for her but can also be for the people around her. She will feel the changes and she won’t be able to control her powers at first. She’ll be restless, disoriented, confused and she would feel the need to let the excess energy out. She can let it out in any way and it would usually manifest in her emotions.”

“Like mood swings?” Joonmyeon blinked, curious, then exchanged glances with his three brothers.

“If you put it that way, then, yes,” Myungsoo nodded. “I’ve been observing her since yesterday and I can tell that it’s already starting.” He eyed them one by one. “You’ll be affected, too, if you’re near enough.”

“Won’t it be dangerous for the Prince, too?” Baekhyun said, the creases in his forehead deepening. “I mean, we have no idea where he is, how can we protect him?”

“Let’s just hope that they won’t be near each other before the Princess could even master her spirit and use her magic to its full potential,” Myungsoo had a grim expression on as he clasped his hands together. “He’ll be safer away from his sister. It would not be good for them to reunite if they’re both unprepared, it’ll make things easier for the Tainted Ones.”

“I think that’s the reason why we, Guardians, are created by the King,” Joonmyeon said, a bit offended that Myungsoo’s words, though wasn’t intentional, implies that they can’t protect the remaining Royal Bloods and even had to separate the siblings for their safety.

Sensing this, the male said, “You do know that if your masters don’t have their powers, you’re weak as they are, right?”

The three Guardians realized this and their faces turned bleak. Yes, they can use their powers but not to the fullest, unlike when King Zardus was still alive. They are aware of the decrease in their magic and that was because the Prince and Princess’ spirits were sealed. 

“Those Tainted Ones are mysteriously getting stronger,” he continued, “The fact that they can cross the borders to the human realm was a proof and if they find the  Princess, without her powers, you won’t stand a chance against them—we won’t stand a chance against them.”

“How will we find the Prince?” Joonmyeon asked. “We won’t be able to sense him because of the Marked Seal unlike…Haeyoon.”

Saying Haeyoon’s name while knowing that she was, indeed, the lost Princess was still a bit foreign to his lips but he’ll get use to it. His heart flipped at the thought of her and he can’t wait to see her beautiful face again.

Myungsoo looked at him, “The Princess will be able to feel him and know his exact whereabouts once she got her full magic back and we’ll know it’s him because of the Marked Seal symbol I put on his right chest.”

“What will happen if they met even before her eighteenth birthday?” Kyungsoo questioned with apprehension, making Myungsoo turn to him.

“Then we’ll have to take them both into safety as soon as we can,” he told them in a no-nonsense manner. “We’ll also have to find your other brothers quickly because we would surely need all the help there is to keep the Tainted Ones from them.” He paused and sighed, “I just hope that Youngmi was able to keep the Prince away from his sister and do her job as his host.”

HAEYOON STRAINED HER ears when she heard a familiar male voice pierce the silence of the library. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop on his hushed conversation with a female voice but curiosity got the best of her. From where she sat, she glanced at the shelf behind her that separated her from the owners of the voices.

“Just give me some more time,” the male said and Haeyoon recognized it as Lee Jungseuk, Shinhye’s boyfriend. She got even more curious and stealthily walked closer the shelf.

“But you’re talking too long,” the female’s whiny high-pitched irritating voice clearly didn’t belong to her friend. “Just dump her already; she’s not even that pretty.”

Her jaw went slack at what she heard. Who’s this girl Jungseuk was talking to? Are they talking about Shinhye?

“I’m just looking for the right time,” Jungseuk replied. “It’s hard considering how clingy she is.” Haeyoon peeked at them from behind the rows of books just in time to see them kissing.

She clamped at to prevent the string of colorful profanities from slipping. A sudden rush of anger spiked through her and it didn’t help her already very bad mood. She was gritting her teeth behind her palm and she glared daggers at the back of the jerk’s head.

How could they do this to Shinhye? Haeyoon knew how much her friend loved the guy and she would be truly broken hearted once she discovers this and that’s a sight that Haeyoon would be hurt to see. She was fuming on behalf of her friend and she was disgusted as the couple kept on making out, still oblivious to her presence and the way she boring holes through their skull. She was itching to push the books from her side towards them so it’ll fall on their heads and probably knock them dead.

There were just exactly five people in the library; the librarian, Haeyoon, a student wearing thick-rimmed glasses, Jungseuk and the girl. And no one among them noticed when the shelves around them started shaking lightly, all except for the shelf where the couple was leaning. No one really noticed as the books teetered on the edge, threatening to fall off of their resting place.

There was a sudden tug at Haeyoon’s consciousness and she froze in her spot. Her skin prickled, hands trembled, and her heart hammered in her chest. It’s the feeling one get when their instinct is telling them that something wrong will happen or is happening and, strangely, only one name popped in her mind.

Jungkook.

And even more strangely, she knew it wasn’t just her gut because she was certain that there was really something bad happening to him. 

She can just…feel it.

As if it had mind of its own, her feet moved on their own accord and brought her out of the library and she never had the chance to see how the books fell down on the floor with loud thuds, scaring the wits out of the people left behind, especially Jungseuk and his girl.

IT WAS JUST THE first day of his being a freshman highschool and Jungkook already attracted many unwanted attention. He had never been so scared and he desperately wish for Haeyoon to just appear in front of him, hug him in her soft comforting arms, and take him away.

“You dare talk to my girlfriend, huh, kid?” a tall senior snarled at the trembling Jungkook as he grabbed onto his collar, glaring menacingly at the poor boy.

Jungkook’s wide innocent eyes shook in fear and his heart stuttered. He had no idea what the male was talking about but he did remember a couple of girls walking up to him on his way to the cafeteria to meet Yoongi and the rest of the guys. One of the girls talked to him and she was pretty but not as pretty as Haeyoon. She asked Jungkook for his name and other things about him and when she was satisfied with the information she got, she left with her friends. He was about to proceed to their meeting place but a group of five bulky seniors blocked his way and dragged him all the way up to the rooftop. They shoved him unceremoniously down to the rough pavement and he scratched his palms in the process. 

“You have guts and you’re just a freshman,” one of the other boys piped up with a nasty smirk.

The boy holding Jungkook shook him so hard that the first three buttons of his shirt flew away. “You want my girl, prettyboy?!”

“Show him who’s the alpha, dude,” another guy spoke up, clapping the other on his shoulder.

A sly grin formed on the senior’s face before lifting his large fist, aiming it at Jungkook’s pale face. The freshman squeezed his eyes shut, his palms sweating and shaking as he waited for the impending impact…that never came.

HAEYOON FOUND HERSELF at the windy rooftop and was just in time to see someone aiming a punch at Jungkook’s face. Five large boys had their backs on her and she didn’t hesitate to throw her shoe at the one holding Jungkook. She should’ve felt tired from all the running she did but she just panted a bit and didn’t even break into sweat. Maybe it was because of the adrenaline rush or so she thought.

“What the—,” the boy whirled abruptly, fist awkwardly hanging in the air, when he felt something hit the back of his head. It hurt and he was ready to strangle the person who did it but he wasn’t expecting to see a girl. “Min Haeyoon?”

The other four boys immediately recognized her as Min Yoongi’s--The Min Yoongi--sister and they had half a mind to run away. They won’t dream of messing with his little sister, lest they’ll anger him. However, their leader seemed to be out of his mind when he threw Jungkook against the ground, abandoning the frightened boy to face Haeyoon.

“Oh, hi there pretty princess,” he smirked deviously as he closed the distance between him and the girl. He tried to be intimidating as possible but Haeyoon didn’t even flinch at his looming figure. He reached a hand towards her face but froze mid-air. His eyes were bewildered as they locked with her furious ones and his insides suddenly twisted in the most excruciating way possible. His mouth won’t open on his command and he can’t move a single muscle, he wanted to scream as the pain worsened but he can’t do anything. 

The next seconds was hell for the boy but Haeyoon wasn’t even aware of his sufferings; all she knew was that she was angry at him and she wanted to somehow…teach him that he just can’t touch Jungkook like that. The senior could’ve died if she didn’t get distracted by a hand that made its way on her shoulder. The moment she tore her gaze away from him, he ungracefully dropped to the ground, shocking Haeyoon and making her gasp loudly.

“Oh my god!” she took a surprised step back, confusion clouding her eyes, and collided with a warm and firm body.

“Go now,” the person behind her said in a cool smooth voice, but there was a promised threat behind it, both of his hands now resting on her shoulders.

The four boys scrambled out of the rooftop while dragging their unconscious leader with them. As soon as they where gone, Haeyoon twirled and was greeted with a very striking features of a young looking man. He had fair skin, slender pretty lips and his coffee colored hair was being toyed by the wind. 

“Who are you?” she asked him and she had to make her voice louder as thunder rumbled across the sky.

“I’m one of your Guardians,” he respectfully went down on one knee, like a faithful and loyal servant, “Your Highness.”

“Y-your Highness?” Haeyoon staggered back and away from the boy when he straightened up. “What’re you talking about? Who are you?”

“I’m Sehun, my Princess,” he said.

She shook her head at him. “You must be mistaken.” She walked towards Jungkook and helped him on his feet. “You okay?” she asked the boy and she was overwhelmed by the amount of relief she felt the moment she felt him against her own body. Some of the tension in her muscles seemed to ebb away the moment she knew that he was fine. Jungkook felt exactly the same and his fear instantly vanished the moment he saw her face. He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together as if it’s the most natural thing to do.

No one noticed it but the thunder had calmed down and the gray clouds began to roll away.

“You’re Highness,” Haeyoon heard a new voice spoke in a mixture of awe and trepidation. She looked up and saw Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon looking at her as if it’s the first time they had seen her. Beside them was another tall man with black hair and good looking features; he was looking at them with disbelieving eyes, particularly at Jungkook.

The other Guadians were confused at Myungsoo’s behavior but then they saw the black mark on Jungkook’s right chest that was revealed through his ruined and disheveled shirt.

A Marked Seal.

As if on instinct, they all went down on one knee, bowing next to their royalties in utter reverence.

They had found their lost Prince and Princess.

Author's Note:

Hi! Hope you liked my update. Two more Guardians to go and we’re up, up and away with more twists and happenings. LOL!

Is the story’s development too slow or something? Please, don’t hesitate to tell me. Your feedbacks can help me improve the story more. ^_^

Let me hear you, guys! 

PS. Please bear with the typos. Sorry!