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If Changkyun was later asked if any of this was in his job description, he would say no. If he was asked before he had taken the job offer to work in the palace, next to the crown prince of the very kingdom he was born in no less; as to whether he would do anything to serve in the palace? He would say yes.

So he doesn’t know what he should be feeling at this moment, out here, on a fine afternoon, and sipping at tea in the palace garden. Don’t get him wrong, he’s not here—sitting in the garden, on a white fancy chair too small for his bottom— on his own volition, he’s just trying to do his job. 

The cup shakes slightly upon his lips at a laughter and he almost sputters out the hot liquid if only the crown prince wasn’t in the way, laughing delightfully at his little cousins’ attempt to feed their stuffed animals cakes.

“I am guessing Mr. Bunny here is quite full,” The prince pulls the cup away from Changkyun’s lips, wiping at his lips with a napkin almost apologetically. He then points at Mr. Bunny, the still unmoving stuffed bunny dressed in a tux, and boops its nose with a delicate finger. “He has had too many cakes!”

The little ones make a disappointing sound, and one of them takes her teddy bear into her lap.

“I think Mrs. Teddy is feeling full too, she’s excusing herself to go home, her kids are waiting.”

“Why of course,” The prince puts down the cup of tea he’s holding quickly. “It was such a pleasure to have you here, Mrs. Teddy, and you too, Princess Yoojung.”

He shakes hands with the teddy politely, and also with his little cousin.

And when she left, one of the boys pulled at the prince’s sleeve. “Can we go play horsey now, Minhyuk-hyung?” He asks exasperatedly, waiting the whole time they were having tea.

It makes Minhyuk turn to Changkyun immediately, with an instant— mischievous gleam in his eyes and Changkyun swears all the ideas in the prince’s mind are never good for him so he makes a dreadful expression in return as he shakes his head slightly.

Not another afternoon where he’d hurt his back. Not another afternoon where he becomes the horsey.

He’d spent all afternoon as Mr. Grumpy, who is apparently good friends with Mr. Bunny and Mrs. Teddy. And god, the levels he has to go to. He is known as the grumpy old man in their made up town already.

“I am so sorry, Hyeongjun,” Minhyuk turns to his cousin instead, “But I have to do preparations for the ball now. Maybe you can ask other hyungs to play with you?”

The boy pouts but leaves to run to any family member who’d agree to play with him. The palace is filled with the royal members after all. And based on the way people react to the little kid it seems like anyone would be happy to do what he wanted.

And the palace hasn’t been filled with so many of the royal families since the last annual ball. And while most of the family members have arrived for the event, the guests from other kingdoms are still taking their time.

Hence why Minhyuk excuses himself earlier than he would have from playing with the kids—in which they get very loud childish groans, his little cousins have always loved him—and he promised to spend more time with them next time. 

Right now he just has a very important guest to welcome.

“If you do not mind, I would like to check on my rose garden first,” Minhyuk tells Changkyun, already heading to the said garden.

“His Highness is approaching the rose garden,” Changkyun mutters into his earpiece as he brushes off the grass on his pants, the servants already cleaning up the picnic mess the kids have made behind them in the palace garden.

The gardeners working hard the whole day immediately went down their ladders and put down their shears at the mention of the prince’s arrival, and Minhyuk studies his roses in detail, taking a happy sniff at his roses that he cares for so much.

Changkyun heard the first rose bush for the special rose garden was planted upon the birth of the crown prince himself, to show what a beautiful birth it was to the King and Queen. He was a long awaited babe, the Queen had some complications regarding pregnancy before, but there he was, on a cold day, born red like roses. The heir to the throne.

The kingdom rejoiced at the birth of their crown prince. He’s loved by the people, admired too. So many suitors come to ask for his hand in marriage— and it’s a hot debate among the palace’s staff whether it’s the fact that he is the heir to the throne or if it’s his looks, but it still doesn’t change the fact that so many people are looking to impress the prince in any way just to have a chance to be with him.

Yet, Minhyuk turns them all down.

No one knows the real reason, albeit Minhyuk telling everyone he’d like to focus on his duty and being good at it, Changkyun knows they are lies. Even if Minhyuk is really living up to his words, upon a closer look things are not as simple as it seemed. Perhaps it's because Minhyuk laces his reason with truth in the first place, that was why people respected his wishes. He’s dedicated to his kingdom as all crown princes should be. It’s admirable considering his other personality traits that Changkyun wasn’t informed of beforehand.

Because when Changkyun was offered a job to be the crown princeguard— which is just an unnecessarily fancy way of saying personal royal bodyguard, he’d said yes with no hesitation. He’s been in the field for years already, and it was too good of an opportunity to let go of. The crown prince is one of the most important people in the kingdom and he’d die protecting him if he must.

He’s owed his kingdom at least that. He’d sworn it all when he was knighted by Minhyuk’s own parents too.

But the job description didn’t tell him that among all the good words the prince has rightfully acquired to his existence, he was also awfully mischievous, clumsy, and to be honest, to someone like Changkyun? Insufferable.

“Ouch!” Minhyuk gasps when the thorn on the rose has pricked him and he clutches at his hand in pain.

Changkyun sighs, he gets swept away from his thoughts for just one second and the prince has hurt himself like this.

“Your Highness,” he jogs as he approaches the prince, taking out his handkerchief and quickly wrapping it around the bleeding finger. “You should be more careful when handling the roses. How many times has this happened? For god’s sake.”

And he’s aware of the eyes on him and the words he just blurted out. The gardeners and servants outside look at him like he’s crazy, and yet he catches Minhyuk looking at him with a small, guilty smile.

They must be thinking Changkyun is out of his mind to be speaking that way to such a beautiful face like that, the crown prince. (And Changkyun would die before he openly admits that Minhyuk is beautiful too.)

“I forgot how thorny they are.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes and he swears someone lets out a scandalized gasp nearby. “Let’s get you inside and put a bandaid on that.”

“Okay,”

Changkyun leads the way with people bowing at the prince’s leaving, muttering into his earpiece. “The—” Goddamn “—Prince is on his way inside, please have a bandaid prepared, he’s hurt himself from the roses. Again.”

Minhyuk follows him happily inside, where the servants are ready to open the huge french doors for him. He skips to the chair in the room as Changkyun motions for the palace nurse to treat the small cut, and on his way the Prince hits his knee against the wooden armrest, quickly exclaiming in pain.

“I swear to god—” Changkyun mutters under his breath as he quickly walks to Minhyuk who’s clutching at his knee. “How many times do I have to tell you to look where you’re going?” He asks the prince exasperatedly, leading him to sit on the sofa.

Minhyuk chuckles, yet he never listens. “I was too excited I guess.”

Changkyun looks at him disapprovingly, and so do the maids at Changkyun. People talk about the way he treats the prince sometimes. But Changkyun finds himself running out of patience at how easily Minhyuk can hurt himself from stupid trivial stuff. He touches one book for a second and he gets a papercut. Hell, if Changkyun looks away for one second while they’re on the stairs he’d be rolling all the way down and breaking his back.

Changkyun doesn’t know how the previous bodyguard did it. 

It was Hyunwoo, the knight appointed to the King now. And he’d told Changkyun taking care of Minhyuk was easy, Minhyuk was kind and nice, but he left out the part where despite the absence of real threats, Minhyuk has a knack of turning himself into one. When he had come to Hyunwoo’s chamber with the anger from a betrayal where he wasn’t inform what an absolute menace the prince is, Hyunwoo just told him to leave the prince as he is, that’s the easiest way to handle him. Changkyun doesn’t understand.

And he’s told the prince to be more careful before. So many times. And he’s found the way to have the prince at least think about his thoughtless and clumsy actions is to nag at him. That earned him so many frowns from the palace staffs but the King and Queen gave him a smile once during a lunch—Minhyuk couldn’t cut through his food properly that the food somehow end up flying in the air and hitting him on the head, making him let out a distressed cry that alerted Changkyun— and Changkyun actually dreads how that means he must be doing something right.

“Oh, Changkyun,” Minhyuk suddenly grabs at his hand and holds it firmly while the nurse puts a bandaid on his finger. It’s one of those bandaids with colorful floral patterns. He hurt himself so much that even the staff know he likes his bandaids pretty. “I cannot believe today has come, finally.”

The obvious excitement has Minhyuk beaming the whole day. Week. No, month actually.

That’s a bad thing for Changkyun.

With the days leading up to the annual ball, that Minhyuk has taken as a responsibility to host once he’s come of age, he’d been nothing but an absolute danger to himself.

He’d hurt himself dancing in his room from pure excitement, when a particular letter from the other kingdom has arrived, officially accepting the invitation to the ball.

Everyone knows everyone’s coming. No one would miss the ball. Not even the people, they’d hold festivals and the kingdom would light up with all sorts of lights to celebrate the event.

But Minhyuk has waited for that one letter the whole month it took for it to be replied, and when he has gotten it Changkyun was pretty sure if he could explode and hurt himself, he would.

Minhyuk seems like the person who’d be able to do spontaneous combustion.

“I have waited this day for the whole year,” Minhyuk sighs fondly as they walk through the palace hall after, taking out a letter from his jacket. He pulls out the letter and smells it for the umpteenth time. He sighs dramatically again. “Oh, I cannot wait to see him. I cannot wait to see his face, and his smile, and his eyes, oh, his beautiful eyes!”

He grasps at Changkyun’s hand again— always a touchy person, always has a knack of ignoring the way Changkyun isn’t and always finding new ways to just be close to Changkyun as he presses himself against his bodyguard as if swooning.

“Oh, Changkyun, if you know this feeling, you would be so happy like I am too.”

Seeing as he gets no response from the bodyguard he pouts a little, placing an elbow on Changkyun’s shoulder. He pokes at the corner of Changkyun’s lips.

“You are always looking so grumpy, brighten up! It is a good day and only gonna get better!” He pulls it up and Changkyun rolls his head away.

He’s learned that despite his dislike of skinship or any physical display of affection because he’s an ice cold bodyguard who knows how to kill people with a pencil like that one ice cold assassin in that one movie, he can’t simply push Minhyuk away.

First, he’s the crown prince. Second, he’s Changkyun’s employer, in some way. Third, if Changkyun pushes him away— even a little— it might result in Minhyuk tripping in one form or another and he’d hurt himself again for the millionth time in a day. Everything has just come to the point where Changkyun has regretfully concluded His Royal Highness is just an absolute danger to himself.

So Changkyun endures the finger poking at his cheek.

“If you’d stop being clumsy, maybe I’d brighten up,” Changkyun sighs at the prince who does not even appear to be older than him judging from his behaviour alone. “How many bruises and cuts have you had all over your body from this week alone? Do you think the Starry Kingdom’s prince won’t be worried about that?”

“Oh, Changkyun!” Minhyuk slaps at his shoulder a little, yet blushing at the mention of the crown prince from the Starry Kingdom whose letter is still in Minhyuk’s hand. Changkyun’s never met him. But from how much importance he seems to hold in Minhyuk’s life—and heart— he’s actually become a viable reason to use when Changkyun needs to stop Minhyuk from doing rash things.

Your Highness? Do you think the Starry Kingdom’s prince would like finding out that you died from doing archery? That arrow’s the other way around.

Your Highness, the Starry Kingdom’s prince won’t like the fact that you died from an explosion even though there aren’t supposed to be any explosives in baking a cupcake. Please there are children here actually trying to learn baking!

And it works, to some degree.

“Funny how you would suggest he would see all these bruises on my body,” Minhyuk tells him suggestively at the same time completely ignoring the point that Changkyun has to let out a groan of displeasure. “What do you have there in your head, Changkyun?” He starts ruffling at Changkyun’s hair and Changkyun groans louder, pushing off his meddling hands.

Minhyuk just laughs, hopping alongside him. “Did you wash your hair, Kyunnie? It smells so good!” Easily distracted, he starts sniffing Changkyun’s hair, hopping around as they walk out the door held open.

Changkyun wants to scream but he’s working and he’s still on palace ground. So he resorts to just at least trying to make the prince calm down by pushing his hands away and off him gently (keyword: gently) yet as Minhyuk giggles in delight at his behaviour, he also manages to miss the steps he’s supposed to go down from and slips.

The servants waiting outside let out a cry as the prince slipped but Changkyun grabs him by the arm and quickly yanks him upright again with nothing much of a small groan because of the weight.

“I am fine!” Minhyuk tells the guards outside as they gawk at him. He fixes his own hair, still finding his balance and waving at them gracefully like the prince he is. “Perfectly fine!”

They all let out a very relieved sigh while Minhyuk laughs a royal laugh.

Changkyun doesn’t know what people would do if the prince was left alone all the time and managed to bring death to himself.

Which is why his job is very important to do.

He takes it very seriously since his job is essentially trying to keep the prince alive rather than just protecting him from harm— he’s way past that realization. And it’s a physically and mentally taxing thing to do that he finds himself daydreaming of the time he gets to get off work at night already, and to just finally be alone by himself, relaxing, having some calm silence to himself.

But right now he keeps himself as close as he could to Minhyuk unlike every other personal bodyguards, as they wait under the soft sun and Minhyuk can’t keep himself still.

He’s practically shaking with excitement when they see the black royal sedan making its way through the floral bushes lined pavement. It seems to glide almost smoothly to the palace’s entrance.

“Oh, he is here!” Minhyuk’s squealing as he clutches at Changkyun’s suit. “He is here, Changkyun!”

And while Changkyun has never met this prince before, he’s heard of him. A lot. From Minhyuk and also from Hyunwoo when he was questioned why Minhyuk was particularly excited for this prince’s arrival only and ignores other guests’ arrivals. It’s a clear case of favoritism.

“They’re really close,” Hyunwoo had said. “They’ve known each other since they were kids.”

Minhyuk fixes his dark red hair and pulls down at his suit himself as the car comes to a stop in front of the palace, and the guards rush to open the door and get the things from the trunk.

Changkyun also straightens himself up once he sees the foot stepping out of the shiny sedan, and two young men step out, dressed in sharp black suit.

And one man is tall, and good looking but the other man— Changkyun finds himself gawking at the very sight of him— has the softest, white skin he’s ever seen, and his black hair is slicked back, the cutting and curves of his suit jacket hugging his body just perfectly he can’t decide if it was the tailoring job or if it’s the man’s perfect body proportions because the man catches his eyes, cutting off his train of thoughts immediately and gives him a smile.

Oh, when he smiles his eyes disappear and Changkyun sees two deep dimples that he’d like to bury his face into.

“Jooheonnie!” Minhyuk almost shrieks, running down the marble steps that Changkyun’s violently yanked back into his work mode and has to follow urgently in case he trips again.

But Minhyuk recklessly throws himself into Jooheon’s arms, and Changkyun couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s happy expression as he easily catches and lifts Minhyuk in his arms, laughing in complete delight, his voice rich like honey.

God, Changkyun has never seen someone so handsome and god, maybe that man is god. That’s how to put it simply.

And he lets Minhyuk down gently as Minhyuk laughs happily at the reunion.

“Oh, how I have missed you!” Minhyuk tells him, hugging him tightly again but staying on the ground this time.

When he lets go, that’s when Jooheon catches Changkyun’s eyes again and Changkyun has to mentally tell himself to shut his mouth in the presence of such a composed, absolute unit of a man.

“Y-Your Highness,” Changkyun stammers— god damn it —and he tries his best not to be so starstruck by the man from the kingdom of Stars because despite the man’s eyes disappearing into two lovely slits, he thinks they’re just brimming with stars from the way they shine. So he resorts to not looking into them as he bows formally.

And then it’s suspiciously silent, as he lifts his head and finds everyone looking at him, including Minhyuk.

“This is Changkyun,” Minhyuk says slowly to the two guests, gesturing to his personal bodyguard. “And this is Jooheon…”

He gives Changkyun a shit eating grin and Changkyun swears he might learn spontaneous combustion himself.

“Prince Hyungwon’s personal bodyguard.”

Oh his fucking god, if Changkyun could steal Minhyuk’s talent to endanger himself and if Minhyuk’s talent would just rub off on him from his skinships he wishes he could find the quickest and easiest way to meet death right now just because of the red embarrassment that creeps up his cheeks.

“I am—I am very—I apologize for this!” And he’s stuttering, it’s so unlike him, he’s composed, he doesn’t say much like that one cold blooded assassin in that one movie, and he’s looking back and forth between the two guests.

The true prince smiles at him amusedly, tall and princely in his suit. His smile speaks of a person who’s set to take the throne when it comes to it but also hints at somekind of childish fascination at what’s happening before him while Jooheon, oh Jooheon with his stature that could kill someone at a glance— wait no that’s not what Changkyun meant—he does seem like he could kill someone now that he thinks about it, compared to the lean prince next to him, and there’s a fucking earpiece in his ear too, just like Changkyun, while the prince only adorns a dangling, small, shiny earring of a star, because he’s the actual goddamn prince of the goddamn Kingdom of Stars—

“All is fine,” Hyungwon laughs as if to dissipate the panic building in Changkyun, and compared to Minhyuk who also has his formal, princely laugh, his comes off more naturally. “It is not everyday that this happens, so it was amusing.”

Changkyun can’t look at him in his embarrassment. So he bows and mutters, “Your Highness.”

The prince takes his eyes off him then, only to rest his gaze on Minhyuk who stands before him with a soft smile. And this time Changkyun peeks at the way his expression falls from an amused royalty to a softened young man who’s standing before all that he adores.

“Hello, Minhyuk, it has been a while,” He tells the other prince, lowering his head a little. “You have not changed since the last time I saw you, always rivaling the radiant, golden sun, I see. Thank you for welcoming us personally like this.”

Minhyuk lets out a shy chuckle, which is unlike him as he lowers his head too, just rubbing the sole of his designer dress shoe on the ground as he clasps his hands behind his back shyly. “Hello, Hyungwon. It is my pleasure.”

Hyungwon laughs a little, looking absolutely charmed by Minhyuk for some reason, and the two bodyguards just watch them as they exchange shy glances like smitten little boys.

“Do you—” Minhyuk starts, humming a little thoughtfully with a rosy blush on his cheeks. “—want to check out my rose garden?”

Hyungwon blinks as if in surprise, colors rising to his cheek too but he just grins widely for the prince to see when he lifts his head. “I am afraid that is too soon. It has been a very long flight, I would love to rest in my chamber first, if that is fine with you?”

Minhyuk’s blush darkens. “Of course. I will show you the chamber prepared for you, as usual.”

Hyungwon nods, and gestures into the palace.

They walk through the hallway, and Hyungwon’s leaning closer to Minhyuk who visibly shies away a little as they talk, which is unlike him.

“When are your parents coming?” He asks Hyungwon.

“They will come one night before the ball, they got caught up with their duties.”

“I see.”

Changkyun watches the two talking between themselves, before Jooheon clears his throat beside him to gain his attention. And his dimple stays, Changkyun sees, even when he’s not smiling as widely as he had been outside. Fascinating.

What a wonder how such adorable dimples can be on the face of a man who seems like he’s built to break hearts.

“I just wanted to tell you,” Jooheon starts. “That was a huge ego boost, what happened. So thank you.”

Changkyun scoffs in his mock dismissive way, but doesn’t stop himself from being nice. “You’re welcome.”

Jooheon chuckles, looking at the palace with familiarity as they make their way up.

Hyungwon offers his hand for Minhyuk as they ascend the staircase, and Minhyuk takes it. It’s royal courtesy.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Hyungwon asks in a low voice, worried when he sees the bandaid on Minhyuk's finger.

"It was the roses, but it is no big deal," Minhyuk tries to answer nonchalantly but the Starry Prince tuts gently at him, placing his other hand on Minhyuk's.

"I know the roses can be too beautiful to handle, but you still must be wary of their thorns," he tells Minhyuk. "Trust me on this, I know that feeling best."

Minhyuk's cheeks turn red at that, averting Hyungwon's eyes, coughing as if to stop himself from squealing. The other prince merely looks at him with a wide smile.

Jooheon speaks again. “You must be the new guy, since usually I’d be with Hyunwoo when these two are reunited for the annual ball.”

Changkyun nods, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Yeah, it is my first time to be attending this ball too.”

“Well, isn’t that nice?” Jooheon smiles at him. “It is a very beautiful event, I think. You would love it.”

Haha, more so if you’re there too, Changkyun finds himself thinking and he mentally stops twirling his hair with a finger and slaps himself, he is still on the job for god’s sake. The image of the two of them dancing in the ball shouldn’t even be there in his mind. But he hates how it’s still there despite the fact that he is aware it shouldn’t be.

“Sounds like school prom, to be honest.”

“Well, people dance and everything, so I guess you could say that,” Jooheon tells him. “But we will be keeping watch, because we’ll be on the job, remember?”

Changkyun lets out the fakest laugh he can manage even Minhyuk glances back confusedly.

For a second there it actually felt like prom season in school to be honest. He should stop being like this, that’s a man he just met for the first time.

“Here is your chamber,” Minhyuk gestures to the bedroom in the palace and the servants file in to put the taller prince’s things inside. The maids inside are taking care of the bed.

“Thank you, Minhyuk,” Hyungwon smiles down at Minhyuk. “I shall be seeing you at dinner, then?”

Minhyuk nods, with a small happy purse of his lips.

Hyungwon gestures for Jooheon to come inside with him, and the door is closed.

Changkyun doesn’t realize he’s staring at the closed door, unmoving, when Minhyuk yelps because he ran into the vase in the hallway.

“Watch where you’re going!” And he’s so tired of this, he can’t even daydream about a certain cute bodyguard without the prince putting himself in danger. “Your Highness!”

Dinner has never been so amusing.

While Minhyuk’s big family and the guests have gathered in the giant dining room with the huge golden chandelier hanging above everyone’s head, Changkyun can see even from his post outside the enormous French door that Minhyuk’s just stealing glances at Hyungwon at the other end of the table.

The Starry Prince has to act like he doesn’t see it.

But when Hyungwon does give him a smile in return, Minhyuk just giggles to himself behind his napkin, other people completely unaware of what is going on.

And then it’s Minhyuk’s turn to pretend he doesn’t see Hyungwon staring at him.

“There are a lot of stars tonight,” Jooheon suddenly says, looking up at the sky. “Just like back home.”

There is Hyunwoo’s voice in his earpiece, announcing to all the staff the King has excused himself from the table.

Changkyun clears his throat slightly, standing still next to the other bodyguard. “Well, we share the same sky.”

Jooheon laughs slightly. “That was dumb of me, you’re right.” He shifts on the balls of his feet. Servants and maids pass them by with desserts and drinks for the royalties dining inside. “Hey, did you know, the position of the stars can determine your fate?”

Changkyun blinks, checking on Minhyuk who’s blushing at the table because he spilled his drink. The maids got it. “I didn’t know that.”

“Have you ever been to our kingdom?”

“No.”

“Well, we have this huge belief in the stars. Our ancestors are star readers, and some of the more knowledgeable ones read them to see into the future. Or for example, on the day when you were born, they can look into the stars that night and read you too.”

Changkyun doesn’t say anything to that. He’s known the Starry kingdom and their relationship with the night sky, and being the man born on the soil of blooming roses, the celestials just sound like a distant world entirely.

They turn silent for a brief moment, and Changkyun’s mulling over the knowledge. Wondering if the stars tonight will tell if there is anything happening between them.

Jooheon turns his head towards him, expecting a response.

“Anyway, you were supposed to ask me if I learned how to read the stars.”

Changkyun blinks, turning to him. “What?”

“I’ll take that question.” Jooheon musters a serious expression as he pulls at his tie slightly. “I’ll try reading the stars tonight.” He squints up at the sky as Changkyun just scrutinizes his focusing expression. “Hm, the sky’s pretty dark tonight, don’t you think? I can barely see them.”

Jooheon’s eyebrows furrow in focus, his lips curling mischievously under the moonlight and the golden chandelier shine from the inside. And his dimple shows as he looks into Changkyun’s eyes instead.

“Ah, as expected, the stars are clearer in your eyes.”

Changkyun stares back at him, leaning closer. “I don’t understand.” Didn’t Jooheon just say there were a lot of stars in the sky tonight?

It has Jooheon just blinking at him for a very long second, jaw hanging open and looking comical.

“I meant—I meant there are stars in your eyes—get it? Cause—”

“Oh!” Changkyun nods quickly, the colors rising to his cheek as he can’t quite process what Jooheon has done and has to explain to him like he’s some kind of an idiot and he knows he is. “So you never learned how to read the stars?”

Jooheon blinks at him again before letting out a very nice sounding laugh. “No, I mean we have the choice if we want to, but it’s an ancient practice, and I’m not—well, I don’t do very well with the books.”

“You seem to be doing well with hearts.”

“What?”

Changkyun wants to run away if it wasn’t for his stupid bodyguard job and post.

But Jooheon laughs again, getting it, his eyes disappearing again and he’s so endearing, his dimples are so deep and his laughter echoes like a good child who’s grown into a fine ass man.

“That’s smart.”

Changkyun shrugs, averting his eyes. “Not as smart as you are. I didn’t even get that thing you were—the one about the stars—”

“In your eyes? Yeah, well, it’s fine.” Jooheon waves a hand, assuring him it’s really fine and he likes the nonchalance air Jooheon seems to exude. Like he goes around telling people they have stars in their eyes every day. Changkyun hopes not. But at the same time he doesn’t know why the very idea is still quite adorable.

Suddenly Hyunwoo speaks into his earpiece, announcing the dinner has ended, and for personal bodyguards to be alert.

“You should come, you know,” Jooheon tells Changkyun suddenly. “Our kingdom is different from here, but I think you’d enjoy a visit.”

“Not before His Highness Minhyuk jumps at the chance.”

“Well, you’ll certainly be seeing me if His Highness gets to visit Prince Hyungwon some time.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

They move to their respective princes, and Minhyuk’s busy saying goodnight to his little cousins, and talking to the other elders about his preparations for the ball, about how it’s going to be beautiful and they can expect to have a splendid time as usual.

Once he’s done, most of the family members have left, and Changkyun watches as Minhyuk could only wave at Hyungwon from afar as the Starry Prince takes his leave with Jooheon.

“That was quite the lovely dinner, do you not think so, Changkyun?” Minhyuk muses as they walk down the palace hallway that leads to Minhyuk’s chamber.

Changkyun mutters into his earpiece telling other guards the prince is well on his way to retreat into his chamber for the night before returning to the conversation with the prince.

“You were stealing looks at Prince Hyungwon all the time.”

Minhyuk eyes widen at him like he’s caught red handed, but he also knows he was obvious. “Oh, but Changkyun, did you see him? He is so dreamy.” He leans into Changkyun, wrapping his arms around the younger’s arm and resting his head on Changkyun’s shoulder as he sighs. Changkyun’s thinking Jooheon is quite dreamy too. “Before dinner he told me that there are many stars coming out in the sky tonight just to watch the roses bloom. Do you know what he means by that? Who the roses are?”

“Please, don’t tell me,” Changkyun groans as they enter Minhyuk’s bedroom.

“It is me! An absolutely charming thing to say to another, is it not?” Minhyuk happily bounces his way to his bed, sitting on it with hearts in his eyes. “I mean the roses are blooming in this season, but for him to—”

“Yeah, yeah, I think I got that, Your Highness,” Changkyun tells him, checking every corner and the balcony for any possible threats just in case. It’s part of the protocol. He finds none except for the prince pulling at the giant bow tie around his neck and almost choking himself in return, wheezing in his struggle.

He sighs, decides to literally take the matter into his hands instead of calling a maid to help because that’d be such a hassle for something as simple as a bow tie.

The silk comes off easily from his fingers and Minhyuk smiles up at him happily.

“You seem pretty endeared by Hyungwon’s bodyguard. Jooheon.”

Changkyun blinks, and fakes a dismissive laugh, but Minhyuk narrows his eyes at the other with a mischievous purse of his lips. His cunningly sharp eyes leave no room for Changkyun to hide it seems.

Minhyuk pats the space next to him on the bed and Changkyun obeys, sitting next to him. He sighs when Minhyuk moves to wrap his arms around him, pulling him to lie on the bed together and humming thoughtfully.

“He is a very handsome boy.”

Changkyun doesn’t answer, he just blinks up at the decorated ceiling, wondering when he can get off work.

“And he is extremely cute, I get that.” Minhyuk goes on, running his fingers through Changkyun’s hair and holding on to him tighter.

The first time Minhyuk ever did it Changkyun tried to make him let go, but he’s learned that Minhyuk is like a grade A glue. He doesn’t come off easily, he’ll attach himself to Changkyun for the whole day if it means he’ll get Changkyun to understand to just let him be when he’s affectionate like this. It’s usually on the good days, like today, and the days when Hyungwon’s letter would arrive with his blue wax sealing the fragrant envelope, stamped with stars.

(Changkyun also learned not to sneakily read the letters over Minhyuk’s shoulder just because he is bored because he did it once and wished he could learn skills to unread something and wash his eyes with bleach.)

Minhyuk would squeal and giggle whenever he reads them, and likes to write his replies on the bed at night, legs swinging in the air— always with Changkyun in his company to squeeze and sometimes bite at as he thinks of clever things he can tell the Starry Prince.

‘The sun shines on the roses terrifically during the day, but misses terribly among the stars at night, ’ he has written one time, after asking Changkyun over and over again if that made sense, if Hyungwon would understand how much he misses his dear Hyungwon. Questioning it even after he’s sealed his envelope with his red wax, pressed into a rose.

Said that his poetic sense might not be on par with the Starry Prince, but he just wants to reciprocate the beautiful words he’s received all the time.

And Changkyun would be tasked to send in the letter, sealed in another envelope with a fake name because the princes keep their correspondences private.

“I can tell Jooheon how nice you are,” Minhyuk suddenly offers as if they had mutually agreed Minhyuk was to play the wingman.

“What?” Changkyun quickly gets up, Minhyuk’s arms slipping off him. “I don’t need that.”

Minhyuk thinks for a moment, sitting up too. “I shall tell him how cool you are then.”

Changkyun nods slowly. “Yeah that sounds better.”

Minhyuk grins, excited. “For what it is worth, I think he likes you too.”

“I don’t like him! That’s gross!” Changkyun retorts and quickly gets off the bed. “Your Highness, you need to sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

Minhyuk almost slams himself back on to the bed, happy and grinning ear to ear. He stretches his long arms on the bed freely, already looking forward to another day in the palace filled with so many royals. “Yeah, and it is going to be a great day.”

While he would usually lament the thought of being left alone to sleep, he’s surprisingly eager to sleep and start the new day tomorrow. Changkyun smiles at his excitement. He wonders how Prince Hyungwon is doing himself, somewhere in the huge palace.

“Rest well, Your Highness.”

Minhyuk yawns out, “Can I ask for extra blankets? It is quite cold,” and waves him out of the room.

Changkyun closes the door and makes sure everything is in place before finally loosening up his shoulders, sighing in relief. 

That’s him finally off his job for the day, as he tells the maids the prince needs extra blankets and then reports to those on duty for the night into his earpiece that he’s done for the day, and then turning it off, pocketing his earpiece into the pocket of his jacket suit.

His room is far away from Minhyuk's chamber, and he walks the familiar halls that are quiet in the night even with some guards on standby. And while the palace wing where he stays at takes quite a walk from there, he has always enjoyed it. It helps clear his mind off the prince’s daily chaos, and prepares him to indulge in his aloneness.

The night on palace ground is always perfect, and quiet for him to do so. It’s his favorite time of the day. 

No hustle bustle of the servants, no royals demanding this and that. Just a quiet palace where the King and Queen lie in slumber on another peaceful day.

Changkyun decides to take the route outside just because the weather is good that night, just to look up at the stars up in the sky and reminds himself of the sweet voice that told him the stars are clearer in his eyes.

He chuckles to himself— couldn’t help it. It was stupid. And very sweet too. Which is stupid.

So he kicks at a pebble, determined to up his game tomorrow if he ever sees the handsome man in black suit— that absolute unit of a man Jooheon.

He checks the perimeter while he’s out there; there aren’t that many guards nearby, and most of the royals must be sleeping already. He can’t wait to just go back to his room, and wash up, change into his comfiest— wait a minute —

It takes a double take but Changkyun has perfect vision and knows his eyes aren’t fooling him because one of the windows is open.

At the prince’s wing.

And out comes tumbling in the air, a long string of blankets tied together.

Changkyun can’t quite believe his eyes as he runs to the building, stepping on the grass but then halting as he finds someone in the shadows on ground level, looking up at the window.

There’s no mistaking that tall, lanky silhouette. Changkyun huffs from behind a bush.

What do they think they’re even doing?

Oh, he doesn’t give a shit, he’d berate Minhyuk for compromising his own security for simply allowing Hyungwon to climb up into his room at night tomorrow because he’s really tired— but the moment he sees Minhyuk climbing out the window he knows his job hasn’t ended for the day as he grits his teeth, exasperated, and walks out of his hiding with heavy steps.

Minhyuk giggles as he climbs down the makeshift rope, and Hyungwon—oh that stupid Starry Prince—is encouraging him, and Changkyun reminds himself to warn that prince of how dangerous of an activity this is, especially unsupervised by any staffs who are supposed to keep them safe. Well, logically they wouldn’t be doing this if they were supervised in the first place but damn it can’t Changkyun have a normal, not clumsy prince to look after?

The ropes loosen a little from whatever Minhyuk has tied it to in the room, and he almost shrieks when he drops a few inches, still dangling midair. Changkyun jumps on the balls of his feet to get to him.

“Your High—”

And Minhyuk falls, predictably, the makeshift rope not strong enough as one of the knots came undone, but Hyungwon breaks the fall by catching him from the ground and it sends the two princes tumbling and rolling on the ground, laughing into each other to keep quiet.

“Your Highness,” Changkyun calls out almost angrily, like an angry old man and ignoring the fact that he’s spoiling such a movie perfect scene as he stares down at the two royalties lying on the grass, just fuming at them.

Minhyuk and Hyungwon see him coming, still wrapped around each other and looking surprised that they were busted but why would they be? That was a stupid plan that was bound to fail, Changkyun’s thinking.

“Changkyun, I can explain,” Minhyuk explains from on top of Hyungwon, grass in his hair. But gets distracted again as he laughs a little when Hyungwon untangles them from one another, cheeks rosy as he unstradles the other prince on the grass. “You see, we were just—” He pauses for a moment to find his explanation, but could only come up with, “—you know, sneaking out .”

In other circumstances the royal bodyguard would have appreciated the brevity of the explanation but Changkyun just sighs miserably at the answer, taking out his earpiece to put it on again before Minhyuk immediately jumps to his feet in lightning speed, snatches it and tosses it out of sight.

“Your Highness!” Changkyun hisses, his earpiece lost and he doesn’t know how he can even begin to search it in the vast garden. That small little thing. “I swear to god, I will call Hyunw—”

Minhyuk covers his mouth with his grass and dirt smeared hands and starts pleading, “Come on, that is no fun!” He then sighs exasperatedly. “Tell you what, just act like you did not see this whole thing, and leave us two?”

Changkyun shakes his head frantically to have him remove his hand off his mouth. There’s a taste of grass and dirt on his tongue and he’s feeling betrayed that Minhyuk thinks he would just walk away like this. “I can’t do that!” He hisses and Minhyuk shushes him desperately to keep his voice low while Hyungwon's watch them bantering silently. “Your safety is my responsibility.”

“We understand that,” Hyungwon then butts in, walking to Minhyuk and he has grass jutting out of his now disheveled hair too. Changkyun can’t even imagine how he had taken Minhyuk’s weight from the fall. “So come with us then.”

“What? Where are you guys even going?”

“Just to check out the rose garden,” Minhyuk pouts, crossing his arms childishly.

Changkyun stares at Minhyuk, and he knows Minhyuk would rather him leave them be for the night, unlike all the other nights where he would absolutely hate the idea of being alone.

This is revenge for always wrestling him back onto the bed for a cuddle he never even wanted, Changkyun thinks.

“Fine. I’ll come.”

Minhyuk groans in disappointment, while Hyungwon just smiles at him, quickly getting the blankets that have dropped on the ground into his arm. Changkyun glares at the Starry Prince, just because he agrees to come with them doesn't mean he approves of him encouraging the Rosy Prince like this.

“Let us be on our way then.” Taking a deep breath to ease the exhilaration from earlier, Hyungwon puts out a hand for Minhyuk to take, and Minhyuk takes it, but not without a tongue stuck out at Changkyun for following them closely to the rose garden. Changkyun returns it.

That alone time he’s been looking forward to will come later than usual tonight, apparently, as he just watches quietly how Hyungwon takes out a handkerchief to wipe Minhyuk’s hands clean. Minhyuk returns the favor under the moon and roses archways, the celestial and terrestrial witnesses to the royalties breaking curfew rules.

Surprisingly, while all the other flower buds are closed at night, the roses buds are all still blooming under the stars, like bearing witness to the royals sneaking out at night all by themselves while the other flowers sleep unknowingly.

“You should have worn something more comfortable,” Changkyun hears Hyungwon reprimanding his prince. 

“No time to change.” Minhyuk pouts at him under the twinkling stars, two hands holding onto Hyungwon’s arm. “I just could not wait a second more to see you.”

Hyungwon sighs in clear adoration and understanding. “It would have been easier and safer to climb down.”

Changkyun scoffs mentally, the Starry Prince is one to talk about safety when he was the one who encouraged Minhyuk to sneak out at night without his own bodyguard.

The Rosy Prince hums thoughtfully, and contradictory to Changkyun’s expectations, nods in agreement. “You are right.”

Who is this guy? Why is he easily agreeing to do something good for his own safety?! Changkyun’s brain screams as they make their way closer into the center of the garden.

To Changkyun’s surprise, Jooheon is waiting among the tall rose bushes, with a basket, lantern, and a book.

He blinks like he couldn’t quite believe it when he sees Changkyun too.

“What are you doing here?” Changkyun blurts out.

“I’m here for the princes, they were gonna check out the rose garden—why are you here?”

“Did they ask you to be here?” Changkyun asks incredulously while the two princes watch them amusedly.

Jooheon blinks, lowers his voice in the night. “Well, yea,” he shrugs, a little confused. “I was gonna be on the lookout.”

Changkyun looks at Minhyuk in betrayal.

“Oh come on, Changkyun, you know you would not have allowed this!” Minhyuk stomps on his feet. “And it is not Jooheon’s first time either, so it shall be okay! Everything is fine, you can go to your room now.”

“I can’t believe this,” Changkyun mutters under a deep seething breath. Minhyuk’s really making him look uncool in front of Jooheon. “I’ll be on the lookout too.” He decides.

“What?” Minhyuk seems confused that Changkyun’s not making him go back to his room. But Changkyun’s not crazy and stupid, he knows what it feels like to want to spend time with someone you really like.

If he gets to be on guard with Jooheon while the two princes will be doing whatever they are up to, then why not?

“Well, thank you, Jooheon, Changkyun,” Hyungwon murmurs, taking the things from Jooheon’s hands. “We appreciate you keeping us safe.”

Jooheon nods with a pat on the prince’s shoulder while Changkyun just shrugs.

They make their way deeper into the rose garden maze, and in the middle, where a small fountain is surrounded by the tall rose bushes, it feels like a whole other world.

Changkyun never knew how different it feels to be in the center of the Crown Prince’s beloved rose garden at night, and somehow it feels like he finally understands why the prince cherishes this garden so much and especially over all the gardens they have on the palace ground. It feels cut off from the giant palace always looming over them. It’s quieter somehow, the roses whisper nothing, a good keeper of all the secrets that are unleashed in their company.

Hyungwon lays the blankets on the ground, and brings the lantern and basket with him. He pats a space for Minhyuk, who gladly sits next to him as they take things out from the basket. A bottle of wine, and some cheese.

They start chatting away as they sit under the stars, with Hyungwon pointing at the sky every now and then when he has Minhyuk leaning on his shoulder.

Jooheon sees them settling down and walks away, being on guard at the back of some bush. “Gotta offer them some privacy,” he tells Changkyun, who then follows. He can’t quite see the princes from here anymore, and it’s not like he can speak into his earpiece to have other guards be on the lookout too.

But he trusts Jooheon, standing next to him, who’s done this before apparently.

“It must have come as a surprise,” Jooheon starts speaking. “Must have freaked you out that the prince was sneaking out without supervision.”

Changkyun scoffs. “Yeah.”

“Hyunwoo would usually just retreat to his own bedroom, you know,” Jooheon tells him. “Said that he’d like to leave the kids, they hardly ever get some time alone just the two of them— In case you didn’t know and just wanted to… rest for the day.”

“I know that,” Changkyun frowns a little. Feeling a little guilty now that he was frustrated at Minhyuk for leaving him out of this. The prince was right, he wouldn’t let him go out like this, unsupervised and in the dark. It’s dangerous. If anything happens his job is jeopardized.

“Prince Hyungwon’s got him.”

Changkyun glances at Jooheon a little doubtfully.

“I know how Prince Minhyuk is, he’s clumsy, and he gets into silly troubles, doesn’t he?” He chuckles at the thought of the prince’s risky antics, the prince he doesn’t serve every day. It’s easy for him to laugh because the prince he’s serving is calm, composed, looks like he stays way out of trouble. “I served him before.”

“What?”

“He visited us a few years ago for a formal duty. So Prince Hyungwon put me in charge of him, said that he’d only trust me to take care of His Highness and show him around. So I did.”

“Then you know how he is.”

“Yeah, an imminent danger to himself, isn’t he?”

Changkyun sighs.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but there’s a trick I’ve learnt to keep him safe.”

Changkyun turns to him, interested. If it means he can stop freaking out if anyone would think he let the bruises and cuts be on the prince’s skin, then he would do it.

“Let him latch onto you.”

That wasn’t what Changkyun was thinking.

“He’s touchy feely, and he likes being affectionate. Let him do that, it’s the easiest way to keep him safe. Keeps him from running around and into things too.” Jooheon shrugs. “It’s a plus for me too, I like him. He’s warm and kind, and I’m not about to refuse any physical affection. Did you know he has the best hugs that come with lullabies?”

“No.”

“Well now you know.”

Changkyun can hear Hyungwon and Minhyuk laughing, they’re talking excitedly about something. Probably catching up. Minhyuk told him he can’t tell Hyungwon everything he wants to on letters anyway. Some things are reserved for when they are actually together.

And turns out it’s during nights like this, where they sneak out—not for the first time apparently—and share a glass of wine, where they can tell each other things that aren’t meant to just be written in inks on fragrant papers that Minhyuk sprays with his cologne just so Hyungwon would know and receive his scent.

He smells like roses, to be honest. Changkyun has come to be very accustomed to it. Unfortunately.

He checks at his watch, and peeks over the bush when some time has passed, and the princes are lying down on the blanket, close to each other.

Hyungwon’s reading something from the book in his hand.

Jooheon’s shoulder bumps against Changkyun’s.

“What do you usually do at this time of the night?” Jooheon asks, seemingly attempting at a conversation just to keep both of them busy.

Changkyun shrugs. “I rest,” He mutters begrudgingly, before sighing a little. “It’s the only time I get to be alone.”

“You rest better by yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not like that,” Jooheon tells him. “After Prince Hyungwon retreats into his chamber, it would always feel a little too quiet. I guess I get used to having a company, it’s a huge part of the job anyway. But it doesn’t help that the prince likes to be left alone most of the time too. It’s like the tiredness just catches up when I’m alone.”

Changkyun hums. Sounds like Minhyuk.

“Jooheon,” Hyungwon calls.

And Jooheon quickly walks to the prince, Changkyun trailing after him.

The lantern is dimmer now, and Minhyuk’s asleep on Hyungwon’s arm.

Hyungwon looks up at Changkyun with huge starry eyes, asking for a favor. “It appears he has fallen asleep to my reading,” he says it with a small smile, as if embarrassed of that fact. “Would you mind taking him back to his room?”

Changkyun nods, and Jooheon helps lifting Minhyuk off Hyungwon’s numb arm. Changkyun pulls Minhyuk’s arms around himself, and heaves him off the ground on his back. The prince is quite light, head nodding off his shoulder so he shrugs it back in place.

“Must be tired from all the hosting today,” Hyungwon chuckles a little, staring at Minhyuk fondly. He adjusts his numb arm, groaning slightly but the smile is stuck on his face. Been there ever since he’s caught Minhyuk in the air, Changkyun realizes. And he catches Changkyun’s eyes, startling the other a little, “I would carry him, but it appears I have hurt my back.”

It’s Jooheon who laughs, packing their things up, including the poetry book Hyungwon has read for Minhyuk that Changkyun knows has put the prince to sleep within seconds.

“Might need to have that checked,” Jooheon tells his prince and Hyungwon waves a hand, shaking his head.

“No need, I shall sleep it away.”

“As you always do.”

Hyungwon just eyes his bodyguard with a look, and then they make their way out of the rose garden. Minhyuk’s head almost lolls off Changkyun’s shoulder and he shrugs it back into place again. He sleeps soundly on Changkyun’s back, breathing gentle and peaceful.

Once they arrive at the palace, they stop where it’s dark, where Hyungwon gets to say goodbye.

“Goodnight my dearest, I will be here tomorrow too, like how the stars stay despite the day sky,” Hyungwon murmurs, bending down a little to brush at Minhyuk’s hair.

And Changkyun thinks he blushes a little at the proximity, when Hyungwon comes closer and kisses Minhyuk on the top of his head.

“Thank you, Changkyun, please send him back safely,” Hyungwon takes a step back almost hesitantly, his eyes still on the sleeping prince.

Changkyun swallows a lump in his throat, nodding. He doesn’t know why his heart lurches at the words and actions coming from the Starry Prince.

Jooheon, as if he notices the strange feeling flooding up Changkyun’s chest just laughs a little, offering Changkyun a smile.

Changkyun just nods at the prince instead, turning around to get into the palace wing through the back door, where there are less guards. They don’t question the prince on his back though, since he’s assigned as the personal bodyguard anyway.

He can’t imagine how Jooheon and Hyungwon was going to send Minhyuk back if Changkyun wasn’t there.

And he gently lays the prince on the bed, tucking him in tiredly.

And Minhyuk’s eyes flutter open just slightly, and from his rather mellow expression Changkyun knows he’s just finding out he’s back in his chamber.

So Changkyun doesn’t stop himself— even when it’s uncharacteristically strange for him— from putting a hand on Minhyuk’s shoulder and patting it softly.

“His Highness says goodnight,” he tells the prince. Thinking of how there was a strange wrenching feeling around his heart when Hyungwon had bid the prince goodnight earlier. “And that—”

“He will be here tomorrow too,” Minhyuk whispers in a raspy voice with heavy hooded eyes, a fond smile blooming across his cheek, dreamy, sleepy. “That the stars stay during the day.”

Changkyun nods, blinking.

Minhyuk closes his eyes. “It was not a dream after all, that is nice.”

“Yeah.”

And Minhyuk goes back to sleep with a smile on his face, while Changkyun turns off the lights, and finally, makes his way to being alone for the night.

Changkyun meets Jooheon first thing in the morning, when they gather in the security room where Hyunwoo is briefing every security personnel about the day. On the table in the center of the room, lies a screen showing the palace’s floor plans. He points at some corners, some possible blindspots for those manning the security cameras.

The additional personnel from all the other guests that had come makes for a longer briefing in the morning.

They listen quietly, even when Changkyun naturally stands next to Jooheon.

When everyone is adjourned, Changkyun walks to Hyunwoo. Jooheon is still looking at the floor plans.

“Where are your princes?” Hyunwoo asks the two of them.

“Still sleeping,” They both answer and finally meet eyes for the day.

Jooheon grins as a greeting. It feels different to see him since they both are keeping a secret from last night.

“I need a new earpiece,” he tells Hyunwoo almost meekly.

Hyunwoo raises an eyebrow at him. “What happened?”

Changkyun sighs. He hopes Hyunwoo doesn’t get mad. “I kinda dropped it in the garden, and have no way of looking for it.”

Jooheon just looks at Changkyun.

And Hyunwoo laughs. “I’ll get the servants to look for it,” he mutters good heartedly, walking to the equipment cupboard that only he has access to and taking out a new earpiece for Changkyun.

Changkyun fits it into his ear. It doesn’t feel like the old one. “Thanks, hyung.”

Hyunwoo just nods at him knowingly. “You busted the prince for sneaking out, didn’t you?”

“How’d you know?” Changkyun manages to laugh.

Hyunwoo shrugs. “I know every movement in the palace, Changkyun.”

Changkyun blinks in surprise at the older, and glances at Jooheon who hardly seems surprised at all.

“Anyway, you ever learned in history classes about the brother who tried to kill his own brother, the now King’s grandfather during his time?” Hyunwoo suddenly asks, straightening his suit and waiting for Changkyun to nod. When he did, Hyunwoo goes on, “Well, his grandchildren are arriving today, so I would advise you to be alert of them.”

Changkyun lets out a chuckle. “Okay?” He mutters almost questioningly because he’s always alert. Come on, Hyunwoo should know that.

“How’s it been serving His Majesty himself?” Jooheon asks Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo immediately smiles, the promotion to serve the King directly was an honor for him, Changkyun remembers when he told him that.

“I’ll be honest, it’s easier than looking after Prince Minhyuk,” he glances at Changkyun as if he’s sorry and Changkyun just shakes his head, he doesn’t mind it. “But it’s also more boring.”

“All the King does is work, should have figured.” Jooheon states for him, and Hyunwoo nods as an agreement.

“Speaking of serving the King, I have to go now, I think he’s finished breakfast with the Queen,” Hyunwoo buttons his suit up and turns on his earpiece with a pat on his ear. “Good luck with your princes.”

Minhyuk has lunch with his cousins and other guests who have arrived early for the ball, keeping up with the arriving people while they eat outside under the sun. The weather is nice and even Minhyuk seems like he’s having a good time talking about the coming ball.

The others leave as time goes by, and then it’s just Minhyuk, Hyungwon and his closer relatives.

“I wonder how many suitors are invited to the ball this year,” Hoseok, Minhyuk’s cousin who’s closer to his age starts speaking at the table, taking a sip of his drink. Changkyun remembers Hyunwoo’s words earlier that day, what the very man’s grandfather had attempted on their King decades ago.

It also makes it hard for Changkyun to tear his eyes from the man’s muscly arms, all exposed with bulging veins down his rolled up sleeves. Now that’s some royal muscles, Changkyun’s thinking.

Minhyuk has lifted his gaze from his food to his cousin, looking quite surprised by the sudden topic.

Changkyun notices even Hyungwon has stopped chewing, yet he just stares at his own food.

“It might be a little rude to keep rejecting the invited suitors every year, isn’t it?” Hoseok’s husband sitting next to him, Kihyun, speaks up too, looking at the prince who’s unable to meet his eyes, looking down at his food again just so he doesn’t have to look at the two of them.

“Coming all the way here, in hopes of marrying none other than the crown prince,” Hoseok sighs, shaking his head slightly. “Only to return with their hearts broken. Oh, how sad.”

He makes a rather patronizing sad face, with the shimmering eyes and pouty lips and all.

Minhyuk then shakes his head, blinking and then putting a smile on his face, he tells Hoseok, “Why it was their choice to come, I was not the one inviting them over every year. Their hope is simply not my responsibility.”

Kihyun laughs behind his napkin. “Oh, we understand. It was just that the King and Queen don’t seem to be giving up any time soon.”

If everyone else was paying attention to the conversation before, they are trying not to now. With the mention of the King and Queen, everyone else just seems to bow their heads down, deciding that their food became more interesting than anything else.

“Prince Hyungwon,” Kihyun suddenly turns to the other prince at the table. “What do you think of this annual ritual of proposing to the crown prince?”

Hyungwon clears his throat, still focusing on his food as if the conversation doesn’t interest him that much. “I think,” He glances at Minhyuk, his expression complex. “If the prince does not find it in his heart to marry any of the suitors, then, what else can they do?”

Hoseok laughs like Hyungwon has just made a joke. “Oh, Your Starry Highness!” He shakes a finger. “Don’t act like you have no idea what’s going on .”

“Hoseok,” Minhyuk interrupts. “Is this really what you are more happy to talk about? How about we talk about how your husband embarrassed himself at the ball last year? That was funny right, people laughed.”

Kihyun scoffs dismissively, but the color that rises on his cheeks betray his actions. “Why, Minhyuk, we were just getting to that part where we tell you we fully support your choice should you have chosen your betrothed already.” He places a hand on his chest, as if he’s hurt that Minhyuk takes their conversation as an offence.

And it’s funny how other people at the table are minding their own business casually and naturally, as if this happens everyday.

“I appreciate that, thanks, Kihyun,” Minhyuk smiles at him, but his smile is menacing. “But I cannot simply give up the throne, can I? Cannot let certain ill-intentioned husbands take over and reign with evil can I?”

Hoseok laughs like he actually finds it funny, but then he shrugs. “If the crown prince refuses to step down, then I guess, a little surprise in their food wouldn’t hurt. Before we know it, there might not even be another ball, maybe just a death anniversary to cry over.” He takes Kihyun’s hand on the table, pouting. “We’ll be sad on our thrones.”

Shaking but only because of his actions of cutting his food fervently, Minhyuk glares at Hoseok who stares back as if there was an unspoken staring match that has started. And he stuffs his food into his mouth, chewing loudly at the table like he was dared to do so. Like it was a Russian roulette but only with poisoned food.

They sit still, while Hoseok takes a sip of his drink slowly, never taking his eyes off the crown prince and not even blinking.

And for some reason, Minhyuk’s food that he’s cutting up without even looking at flies and hits him on the eye, and he yelps at the table, dropping his cutleries loudly that Changkyun is immediately alert to rush to his side before he realizes it’s another one of Minhyuk’s clumsy antics.

“Oh well, that works too,” Kihyun shrugs, happy while Minhyuk clutches at his one eye at the table, moaning sadly at his little accident.

Changkyun cranes his neck to look at Jooheon who’s standing a little far away from him. And Jooheon senses his eyes, looking at him and immediately smiling knowingly.

Is this allowed? Changkyun mouths to him, gesturing to the royals having lunch.

Jooheon shakes his head, telling him not to worry about it like it happens every day. Like two men hadn’t just threatened the crown prince’s life for the throne.

Hyungwon on the other hand clenches on his napkin and excuses himself from the table, only veggies left on his plate.

Minhyuk has prepared lots of activities to entertain the guests in the palace, and that particular afternoon, he has invited them to have a game of archery.

“I am really good at this, you know, I think I will win against everyone,” Minhyuk’s telling Changkyun as he’s putting on his gloves, squinting under the gentle sun as the other guests get ready.

Some of them are already practicing, some cheer at the arrows hitting the mark. Maids and servants are busy serving them tea and biscuits, holding up parasols and keeping the rowdy kids away from the firing range. It’s a hard job but they have to do it if they don’t want anyone getting hurt.

“Last time you did archery you managed to almost hit yourself with the arrow,” Changkyun mutters, “that you fired.”

Minhyuk laughs good heartedly. “Well, all is well.” He picks up his bow and arrow, aiming at particularly nothing while Changkyun moves out of his way, yet getting ready for anything that might happen. Minhyuk just smiles, pointing them down as he walks to his place, and it only takes a second for him to aim and shoot.

Bull’s eye.

The royals watching give him a loud applause and cheer as he bows at them gracefully.

“Hey,” Jooheon comes standing next to Changkyun who’s growing worried the more arrows Minhyuk takes into his hands, excited to show off his skills again.

“Where is Prince Hyungwon?” Changkyun asks, never letting his eyes off Minhyuk who hits himself on the head with the bow when he accidentally loses grip on the string.

People laugh at his show and he laughs along with them.

“He’s right there,” Jooheon points to Hyungwon who’s lying on the grass under a parasol, reading a book. He looks like he’s not watching the game going on, but Changkyun doesn’t fail to see how he’s watching Minhyuk when it’s his turn. “Like I told you before, he likes to be left alone, and he can read books for hours, so I don’t really have much to do except keep watch.”

Changkyun hums, “Must be so nice to be left alone most of the time.”

Jooheon doesn’t say anything and it would have been an awkward silence if it wasn’t for the crowd around them.

People are cheering for one another and more arrows are shot. Minhyuk looks like he’s truly enjoying himself, even managing to receive a small thumb up from Hyungwon.

Kihyun is pretty good at archery too, catching up to Minhyuk’s score while Hoseok whispers guidance to him, tips and adjusts his arms for him.

“Should I not be concerned that the two are a threat to the prince?” Changkyun asks Jooheon.

“Oh, yeah, you should be,” Jooheon blinks out of his own thoughts and answers so nonchalantly that Changkyun almost snaps his neck broken looking at him in shock. “They’re not subtle about it too. That’s why Hyunwoo wants you to be alert.”

“Why wasn’t this explained to me?” Changkyun asks.

“Oh, you know how it is,” Jooheon blows air through his closed lips, waving a hand dismissively. “Cousins try to steal the throne, poison the food and everything, it’s the usual thing, it’s no surprise. You just gotta be more alert when they’re in the presence of the prince.”

Changkyun still doesn’t get why this isn’t emphasized more. Minhyuk is already a hazard to himself, he can’t possibly be exposed to more life threatening things. That’s just death looming over him every millisecond of the day.

“It’s the royals,” Jooheon laughs, as if reading Changkyun’s astonished mind. “they don’t live the same way as we do.”

The younger bodyguard sighs.

The game ends with a tie, and Kihyun bows at the others who applaud, while Minhyuk glowers from his spot.

The royals are already leaving, the sky is going to darken soon, and the tea and biscuits are being cleaned up.

“Hey, I’ll see you tonight?” Jooheon suddenly asks Changkyun, already turning to go to Hyungwon.

It takes Changkyun a second to answer, before he understands that it means Hyungwon and Minhyuk are probably sneaking out again tonight. “Yeah, sure.”

Jooheon grins, waving goodbye coolly and then walking away that Changkyun’s left chuckling to himself as he waves too, giddy at the thought of seeing Jooheon again at night. For some reason, as much as it is an adventure for the princes, it feels like it’s one for them too.

The rule breaking bodyguards.

Spending time under the twinkling stars, among the fragrant roses.

He’s still smiling when he turns to get to Minhyuk, who’s bending down to pick up an arrow just in time when another arrow flies past him so fast Changkyun could have blinked and missed it.

Thankfully it didn’t hit Minhyuk, who just straightens up again, clueless.

Changkyun catches Kihyun’s eyes from across the field, and Kihyun lifts a hand to his lips, mouthing a very unapologetic oops , his bow tight in his other hand.

The bodyguard just gawks at him, while Hoseok comes to his husband’s side, smirking. He just gives Changkyun a cold look, wrapping an arm around Kihyun’s shoulders to turn him away. They give their bows to the maids, and leave nonchalantly, as if their murder attempt on the crown prince didn’t have a witness.

“Your Highness,” Changkyun grabs at Minhyuk’s arm urgently, taking him away from the clearing. He scans the perimeter for anymore threats, but Kihyun and Hoseok had already left the scene. “We have to move inside, it’s safer there.”

“Slow down, Changkyun,” Minhyuk’s confused, pulling his arm away from Changkyun’s hand, trying to catch up with the bodyguard.

The maids and servants cleaning up eye him warily as he tugs at the prince’s arm again. He then lets go, a bit embarrassed to be seen treating the prince like that and deciding that Minhyuk can walk fine by himself.

Jooheon and Hyungwon are making their way inside too in the distance. And Hyungwon turns his head just in time to catch Minhyuk’s eyes, who waves at him shyly.

He waves back, disappearing through the huge doors.

Minhyuk giggles at the small interaction, hooking his hair behind his hair and rather unsurprisingly trips on his own foot, falling face first on the ground.

“Ow,” Minhyuk cries out, lying flat on the ground.

“Should have known you can’t even walk fine by yourself,” Changkyun mutters under his breath, as he grabs Minhyuk’s hand. The degree to which Minhyuk puts himself in danger and hurt himself is palpable. Let alone the additional existence of the two husbands trying to murder him for the throne.

Minhyuk doesn’t even lift himself, and Changkyun pulls at his weight again by the hand.

“Changkyun, will you just carry me back inside?” Minhyuk pouts, putting out both of his arms from the ground.

Remembering Jooheon’s words— let him latch on to you —he admits it would be the easiest way to keep Minhyuk safe so he squats down, and pulls Minhyuk onto his back again.

And it’s like the night before, Minhyuk is light, his arms tight around Changkyun while he stares up at the darkening sky.

Minhyuk hums something as they walk towards the palace that’s lighting up almost golden, glowing. And Minhyuk sighs a little, like he’s sad, which is such a contrast to how he usually is.

“What a day,” Minhyuk murmurs.

“What a day,” Changkyun repeats.

“Have you ever heard the story of the heavenly beings? The weaver and the cow herder?” Jooheon asks under the stars.

He’s brought himself and Changkyun bottle of beer each. They’re technically off work, he has said, so a drink wouldn’t hurt. And Changkyun, despite being worried at first, convinces himself a drink would be nice. He doesn’t have to be here, but here he is anyway, might as well enjoy the beer Jooheon has happily brought for him while the princes drink wine on the grass again.

“How does it go again?” Changkyun asks, picking at the grass. He’d asked Jooheon if he’d like to sit down. The princes seem like they might take a while judging from how spirited the conversation about what happened at lunch on their way into the rose garden was.

Jerks! Minhyuk has exclaimed too loudly that Hyungwon has laughed, pulling him into his chest to make him lower his voice. Changkyun thinks he’s heard some fancy royal curse words sputtering out of Minhyuk’s muffled mouth.

“Well, they met.”

“Oh, and they fell in love with each other,” Changkyun continues for Jooheon. He blows air through his lips. He’s heard it all before. People meet. And they fall in love. “It’s cliché.”

Jooheon chuckles at Changkyun’s tone that’s a little too dispirited. A little too flat and dark. He doesn’t question it. “Anyway, it was forbidden, the dad didn’t like it.”

Changkyun hums, stopping himself from pulling at the grass any more in case he leaves a bald patch. The gardener’s going to notice, he thinks.

“But the weaver’s dad also didn’t like his child sad, I think, so despite them banished to the opposite sides of the heaven’s river, they were allowed to meet once a year.”

Changkyun blinks, looks at Jooheon under the moonlight.

It’s quiet there, Jooheon has pulled him farther away than where they had stood the night before. Offer the princes more privacy , Jooheon had told him, and while Changkyun’s wary, Jooheon convinces him Hyungwon won’t let anything happen to Minhyuk. And he can hear really well, he’d pick up on any suspicious sounds.

Meanwhile, the only suspicious sound Changkyun can hear is Minhyuk’s distant giggle and Hyungwon who’s shushing him. Hyungwon seems to be failing at it because Changkyun can hear his muffled laughter too.

For the first time, he really doesn’t want to know what Minhyuk is up to.

Jooheon didn’t comment on it so maybe it isn’t suspicious.

“So, on the night when the stars are the brightest, they say that’s when they meet,” Jooheon points up at the sky. “People all over the earth would pray the heaven and earth doesn’t rain just so they would meet. And magpies would form bridges that they could cross to see each other every year.”

“Why were they banished again?” Changkyun asks almost absentmindedly as if just to keep the conversation going, drinking his beer. He never really pays attention to the details of those legendary love stories. They don’t make sense sometimes.

“When they fell in love they abandoned their duties,” Jooheon answers as a matter of factly, and then, Changkyun feels Jooheon staring at him. He doesn’t say anything for the longest time, but then Jooheon sighs. “Good question, Changkyun, I’m telling you this story because whenever I see the princes together they just remind me of it. Why you ask? First, it’s because they only meet each other once a year, and because they’re both crown princes who are set to inherit their own particular thrones, they’re basically forbidden love.”

Changkyun scoffs at the way he just acts like Changkyun’s not interested in the story.

“You don’t really ask questions, do you?” Jooheon then sighs. “When I found out about this secret rendezvous, I was bombarding the two of them with questions.”

“You know our job isn’t really to ask questions.”

Jooheon shrugs. “It’s just a wonder, how they got through all the years barely seeing each other, and when they could, it’s only in secret because they just don’t want to betray the crowns somehow.”

“It’s understandable,” Changkyun voices out his thoughts. “Prince Minhyuk takes his duties seriously.”

“As does Prince Hyungwon,” Jooheon nudges him a little. “But I think we both know it takes a toll on them knowing they can only inherit the throne separately.”

And Changkyun knows the burden it sets on Minhyuk. That the letter coming from the other kingdom turned into the only thing that’s keeping him going. That makes him smile brightly, genuinely at the end of the day as he muses over what to write back to Hyungwon. Where he sprays his cologne and seals it with red, rose wax and has Changkyun discreetly send away.

He never pondered much on it though, perhaps it’s just that he’s only served the prince for a short time, but listening to Jooheon talk about it, when he’s served the prince for years— there is some sort of realization settling in him.

How much this ball means to Minhyuk and Hyungwon. And also how much their royal blood means to them too.

“Ah, the royals, complicated life,” Jooheon sighs, chugging at his beer.

“We’d see each other only once a year too, right?” Changkyun suddenly asks.

It earns him a rather surprised look from Jooheon, who blinks at him for a second before he laughs.

“I guess, unless you visit our kingdom,” Jooheon tells him.

“His Highness doesn’t really do outside visitations,” Changkyun chuckles, almost disappointedly.

Jooheon hums, thinking. “You can come on your days off, right?”

“What for?”

“I don’t know I’m just saying it’s a possibility.”

Changkyun then shrugs, finishing his beer and almost spits it out again, “Oh, you mean like to see you?”

Jooheon nods amusedly.

“That sounds nice. I don’t know if I’ll ever have days off though.”

“Just thinking about it turns you even more worried for His Highness Minhyuk?”

It’s hard to deny so Changkyun just stays silent as he nods. It was also because of the fact that Jooheon admitted that he wants to see Changkyun again, more than once a year.

Friends do that, right?

“I didn’t fall asleep this time!” Minhyuk comes running to the two bodyguards who are immediately up on their feet upon his arrival. His hair is jutting out everywhere and he quickly combs over it and then fixes his royal pajamas— he kept his promise to Hyungwon— a little wobbly on his legs. “So I can walk back just fine!”

He seems too happy about that lone fact that Changkyun just stares at him almost confusedly. Somehow there’s a red rose tucked behind the prince’s ear. Hyungwon has one too, mysteriously.

“Let us go, Changkyun!”

And they part ways at the rose garden, Hyungwon giving Minhyuk a chaste kiss on the lips as they say their goodnights and there’s that strange pulling feel in Changkyun’s chest again when he sees it.

Or maybe it’s that prince hanging on his arm as they get back into the palace.

“I have so much to do tomorrow, but I do not think I can even sleep tonight,” Minhyuk sighs. “Glad we checked out the rose garden tonight because Hyungwon’s parents are arriving tomorrow and that is going to be stressful and tiring.”

Changkyun doesn’t want to ask why because, “Wait, does checking out the rose garden mean what I think it means ?” He stops in his tracks while Minhyuk just smiles at him with rosy cheeks, in a daze. “You know what, forget I asked.”

Minhyuk giggled. “I will answer that question for you Changkyun—”

“Argh! No!” Changkyun yells, dragging Minhyuk quickly to his bedroom and practically shove-tucking the prince into bed before the prince could tell him what he doesn’t want to hear. “This is like that one conversation with my parents again!”

A lot of the other royal guests have arrived today. The palace is packed with royalties for only this time of the year, and Changkyun has never seen so many people regally dressed in one place at once. His eyes can’t keep up with the dazzling appearances of royal smiles and stylish hairs. The royals sure have it good.

Yet nothing beats a simple black suit, and slicked back black hair paired with milky white dimples; that are all on Jooheon.

Jooheon smiles at him from across the room, and Changkyun realizes he’s caught staring. He just smiles a silly one at Jooheon in return, couldn’t help it.

He berates himself mentally about it while the royals are having lunch in the grand dining room.

He’s standing near Minhyuk, who sits near his parents who are calmly keeping up conversations with the other Kings and Queens at the table. The crown princes are also seated near each other, and Hyungwon only smiles softly at Minhyuk at the table as they eat.

He sees Hoseok making a neck slicing gesture at Minhyuk who just shakes his head, ignoring it completely. Kihyun just tucks a napkin into his husband’s collar so he wouldn’t stain his satin blouse.   

“Minhyuk,” one of the Kings called for the Rosy Kingdom’s crown prince, smiling goodnaturedly. “One of my sons has finished their studies recently, so I took the liberty to have him come over for the ball too.”

Minhyuk sips at his drink, and manages a smile for the King. “Why, that is splendid to know! And all royal families are invited after all.”

“He will be arriving later today,” the Queen tells Minhyuk. “We just thought we would tell you in advance, so you would not miss a dance with him at the ball.”

Minhyuk’s smile stiffens just a little at the statement, realizing the intention behind the conversation. “Sure,” he responds through gritted teeth, a rare display of discomfort and rather displeasure that it kind of scares Changkyun.

“You would love Seokjin,” Minhyuk’s mother quips in. “He is very well educated, and well mannered too. I met him once on a visit and he showed me around. A very fine prince, he is!”

She laughs with whatshisname’s mother, like they share an inside joke that apparently only Minhyuk doesn’t know.

Some other people jump into the conversation about their princes and princesses, some mention other worthy people they know, all with the hope of Minhyuk having a dance with them so it would open doors for calculated romance and to their desired destination; marriage.

Minhyuk politely agrees with them, responding accordingly— diplomatically and even Changkyun can see it’s taking a toll on him to subtly reject all those not so subtle proposals in civil manner and at the same time trying so hard to keep the fact that he’s utterly in love with the crown prince sitting a few seats away at the table a secret, while Hoseok and Kihyun watch interestedly at it all unfolding while eating their food like popcorns— even butting into the conversation to encourage Minhyuk to go on a date with one of the other kingdom’s knight.

It’s funny how Changkyun feels like he’s good at his job, that is to protect Minhyuk from getting hurt, but right now he only feels like a failure. How does one protect feelings from hurting?

And it’s rather upsetting to knowing eyes, that are like Jooheon and Changkyun’s, as Hyungwon just keeps himself poised as if he hears nothing and Minhyuk is acting like he is hearing everything with the way he agrees to so many dances with people just to shut them up.

Changkyun really considered the job of an emotional bodyguard but then Hyungwon throws his napkin on the table.

“Minhyuk is clearly uncomfortable in this conversation,” Hyungwon says, his voice louder than the chatter in the dining room that the voices all died down simultaneously at the sudden announcement. “It would only be polite to consider how he feels about this bombardment of suitors. Marriage is not something decided so easily after all.”

The silence that followed is palpable, even the staff available are looking awkward as the Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses all stare at Hyungwon like he doesn’t belong there.

“Oh, you’re one to talk when you have been rejecting your suitors too,” Kihyun breaks the silence almost too excitedly. Like he’s been craving for this exact situation. “But yes, surely marriage isn’t decided as easily as you and Minhyuk decided years ago?”

The chatter rises again, with people asking each other what Kihyun meant and others who keep those asking filled in on what had happened before.

“What was it?” Kihyun drinks his wine, as if contemplating when everyone who knows better just knows that he has the words right on the tip of his tongue. “Didn’t you two hastily decide to get married before? What happened to that?”

Minhyuk and Hyungwon’s parents are turning red in the face at the mention of it. While the other royalties are gawking or looking disappointed.

“That has nothing to do with what I said,” Hyungwon glares at Kihyun and Kihyun merely smirks at him.

“Why, the Starry Prince just wants to marry Minhyuk himself!” Hoseok announces almost too gleefully. “So, do it, Your Highness. Leave your throne and marry him. Or Minhyuk—” he turns to Minhyuk with daring eyes. “—leave your throne and marry him.”

People gasp like a good soap drama and Changkyun just couldn’t believe he’s not watching television right now.

Hyungwon couldn’t find anything to say, while Minhyuk lowers his head almost in shame at the table.

“Fuck this .” Hyungwon pushes himself up on to his feet and storms out of the room with the whole world’s rulers watching him. Jooheon runs after him discreetly, muttering into his earpiece.

“Starry prince,” Changkyun hears his voice in his ear, calm and professional despite the worry on his face. “Leaving the dining room, all eyes on the cousins.”

Everyone just seems frozen in place except for Kihyun and Hoseok who smiles at each other in congratulations for creating the most awkward atmosphere during lunch. The King and Queen apologizes to everyone at the table, and Minhyuk keeps silent throughout the meal, even when the chatter rises again.

“Mother! Father!” Minhyuk pleads, following his parents stomping their way into the King’s study.

Changkyun struggles to keep up while trying to keep his distance too. Hyunwoo is already at the study’s door, pushing it open for the royals to pass through.

Changkyun stands next to Hyunwoo by the door once Hyunwoo closes it behind them.

“It is not what you think,” Minhyuk tells his parents desperately while the King takes a seat at his desk and pinches the bridge of his nose, his age catching up to him in a split second.

The huge window behind him brightens the room, ironically looking over the huge maze of a rose garden outside. Changkyun wonders if the secret is out already.

“What is exactly what we think?” his mother retorts, standing by the King and glaring at her son. “Are you and the Starry Prince seeing each other again? Is that it? You would risk the throne again just for him?”

“No, mother, that is not it,” Minhyuk says earnestly.

“Then what was that at lunch, Minhyuk?” The King asks, voice shaky due to anger. “You have embarrassed the entire kingdom at that table! I am disappointed in you for letting this happen again.”

“Minhyuk,” the Queen sighs, closing her eyes briefly at the sight of Minhyuk’s eyes filling with tears. “You are not fifteen anymore. That one time you suddenly announced that you were getting married to Hyungwon was a mistake. You have a throne to look after. You have your people to look after too. You know how that one announcement has caused such a stir in the palace it took a very long time for it to die down, you do remember that?”

Minhyuk swallows a lump in his throat. “Yes, I remember. It was a mistake. I was young, it was just some silly teenage phase.” And he sounded so hurt to have said that, to say that the very prince he meets every other night in the rose garden is a mistake, that Changkyun checks in on Hyunwoo who’s also listening to the conversation in the room.

Hyunwoo is stoic in the middle of it all, expressionless as he just stands there.

Changkyun has that weird feeling again in his heart.

“And the Starry Kingdom must be displeased with what happened, just like years ago,” the Queen takes a seat on one of the chairs in the room. “Their absence from the balls have already affected so much of our diplomatic relationship, we simply cannot let the same thing happen again. It affected so many things.” She turns to the King at this.

And the King nods grimly, looking up at Minhyuk like it was all Minhyuk’s to decide.

Minhyuk stands straight like the crown prince he is in the middle of the room. “Me and Hyungwon,” he mutters, and he thinks forlornly for a long second, and Changkyun’s heartbeat actually picks up its pace in anticipation as to what he was about to say, yet he only recollects himself as he continues, “we are just good friends. We have known each other since we were children after all. And he was just looking out for me back then during lunch. As a friend .”

The King and Queen look at him approvingly.

“What happened, happened,” the Queen says then. “Now all we can do is apologize.”

“I will apologize to the Starry King and Queen personally.” Minhyuk bows at his parents. “And I am deeply sorry, mother, father.”

“You are forgiven,” the Queen murmurs softly.

And Minhyuk looks at his parents looking at him with adoration. The responsible crown prince he is, so devoted to his duty to take care of the kingdom and its people that marriage is just something he cannot consider. They are proud of how he has turned out and it shows, and maybe it’s the disappointment that could come so easily through that obviously fragile proudness that scares Minhyuk so much he smiled at his parents assuringly.

You cannot risk breaking a glass that you have worked so hard to patch up.

“I will take my leave.”

His parents nod at him, and dismiss him as they turn to each other to discuss other things. They still seem distressed and anxious over what had transpired.

Minhyuk rushes out of the room, Changkyun trailing after him.

Strangely, in contrast to the way Minhyuk had seemed in the King’s study—sad, upset, and scared— right now with the strides in his heavy steps, he is furious .

“Tell Jooheon I need to see Hyungwon,” Minhyuk tells Changkyun firmly. “Now.”

Hyungwon, Minhyuk, and their bodyguards are all in the same room. One of the palace’s reading rooms. The bookshelves that stretch across walls and up from the floor to the ceilings are filled with old, ancient looking books and they just seem to loom over the occupants of the room, as if any moment something will burst and everything will topple over them.

It has been silent for the longest time, as Hyungwon sits on a chair with his head hanging, and Minhyuk towers over him, arms crossed and foot tapping the floor impatiently. He’s chewing on his nails, like he has a lot to say but also not knowing how to say it.

Jooheon looks at Changkyun, and gives him a look that almost, relievingly playfully says yikes. It’s the only thing that can make Changkyun smile, at least a little.

Because on their way there, the anger blinded Minhyuk and made him run into several pillars and decorations in the palace that even Changkyun was overwhelmed.

“You know, back at that table,” Minhyuk starts with a small sigh. “That was not really a wise thing to do.”

“I know,” Hyungwon replies in a low voice, just looking down at the floor. “I should not have done that.”

“Yeah, you should not have.” Minhyuk drops his hands and groans. “But Hyungwon you done it now and god, do you know what could have happened?”

“I could not stand all those people making you feel uncomfortable!” Hyungwon retorts, finally lifting his head and he has desperate eyes as he looks up at the crown prince. “It was utter misery to just sit there and see it happening before my eyes!”

“I know!” Minhyuk throws his hands into the air. “But my parents were there. Yours too. That was an extremely thoughtless and reckless thing to do!”

Hyungwon buries his face into his hands, groaning out, “It is tiring to see you go through this every year.”

Minhyuk stares at him, and his expression softens, he feels bad for his anger. “Well, I have explained to my parents that you were just looking out for me as a friend. And that it was nothing like the day I insisted we get married and they seemed to be fine with that. But even so, I just think that it is best now if we just…” he sighs, looking defeated. “Stay far away from each other in the meantime. God knows the people will be watching us. Especially during the ball.”

“What?” Hyungwon looks up again at him, elbows on his knees. He’s looking shocked. “So no dance?”

“No dance,” Minhyuk murmurs.

“Well, fuck!” Hyungwon stomps his feet on the floor, biting his lips to prevent himself from yelling more cuss words which would be terribly unprincely of him.

“I just— I cannot do it again, Hyungwon,” Minhyuk crumbles onto a chair and he curls in on himself once the tears pool in his eyes. “If they see anything suspicious who is gonna stop them from taking you away again?” 

Minhyuk weeps into his hands, the tears so easily released at that single thought and Hyungwon rubs at his temple.

“I cannot— those years not seeing you were hell, I despise the very thought of living through it again.” Minhyuk tells him earnestly.

“Minhyuk,” Hyungwon calls out softly, getting off his chair and kneeling in front of Minhyuk. “Oh, Minhyuk, I am so sorry.” He whispers, clasping his hands on Minhyuk’s knee. “I will not do it again. I promise.”

Minhyuk keeps on sobbing out loud, and Hyungwon just looks up at him with sorrowful eyes. And he raises a hand to remove one of Minhyuk’s, wiping the tears away from the rosy cheeks with his bare fingers. 

“Hey, hey, it is going to be fine,” Hyungwon murmurs to him, mustering a small, princely smile for the prince. “If we are not going to dance this year, then that is fine. It is just a dance. To hell with it, I am just glad I am seeing you this year and next year too.”

Hyungwon reaches into his suit to produce a handkerchief and hands it to Minhyuk.

Minhyuk smiles sadly, sniffling behind the handkerchief and blowing into it. He takes Hyungwon’s hand on his knee. “Just seeing you is enough,” he tells himself in a low voice, and the Starry prince nods at him gently.

And Changkyun feels a strange feeling of emptiness inside himself at what he just witnessed.

Minhyuk’s preoccupied with the ball preparation for the rest of the day, subdued and quieter than usual. There was a lot to discuss with the palace staff as the ball was to be held the day after. He has also met with Hyungwon’s parents and apologized, but Changkyun could still see they weren’t so sure they could keep their guard down regarding their son’s relationship that could endanger the throne he was to inherit.

The last thing they have to do for the day was to check on the tuxedo Minhyuk was going to wear on the day of ball. And it’s beautifully tailored as all his other suits are, a very subdued pink that it’s almost white, and embroidered with almost translucent, satiny threads making up the pattern of roses on the fabric that shimmer softly under the lights.

Minhyuk would no doubt look beautiful in the tailored tuxedo, yet he isn’t as excited as he would usually be at a new outfit for an important event. Merely looked through it and dismissed the tailor to end his day.

And when they get into Minhyuk’s chamber at the end of the night, Changkyun proceeds with the nightly protocol of checking every nook and corner for possible threat while Minhyuk changes into his sleeping clothes.

Minhyuk merely lies down in bed, somber, and Changkyun’s confused as how easily Minhyuk has gotten into bed compared to other nights.

So he asks carefully, “Your Highness, no checking out the rose garden tonight?” And he even manages a small chuckle to lighten the atmosphere.

The crown prince only smiles softly at him from the bed. “No,” he simply says almost in a whisper.

Changkyun stares at him almost— strangely— disappointedly, not knowing what to say. “You’re not going to sneak out through the window again, aren’t you?”

“No.” Minhyuk shakes his head and yawns.

Changkyun then lets his shoulders sag, not knowing what to do now that Minhyuk’s perfectly safe in bed. It’s such a rare, almost non-existent situation to have Minhyuk so compliant and not putting himself in danger that Changkyun’s left fumbling with the very way he had always hoped Minhyuk would act. “Okay, then, goodnight Your Highness.”

He walks to the door, already opening it when Minhyuk calls his name out softly.

He cranes his neck, wondering what now, now that Minhyuk is not making himself susceptible to any visible harm.

“Would you…” Minhyuk hums, as if thinking if it is the right thing to say, and that’s rare. “Would you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

And Changkyun’s at the door, one foot outside already and normally he would tell Minhyuk that is nonsense; what he’s asking of his supposed professional, stoic bodyguard. Yet tonight, he nods and closes the door again, walks to the bed on his own accord.

He lies down next to Minhyuk willingly this time, and Minhyuk pulls him into his arms, just holding onto him tightly, and hiding his face into Changkyun’s hair that he for some reason loves to smell so much.

Yet the prince himself smells like roses, and Changkyun’s wondering had circumstances been different, would Minhyuk be lying down in his garden of roses tonight, and laughing under the starry night sky?

He pats on Minhyuk’s back to send him to sleep, and Minhyuk descends into the realm of sleep so easily this time, that untangling himself from the lanky arms was easy for Changkyun.

Changkyun realizes there are more guards in the prince’s wing tonight, but tries not to pay it any mind as he takes his usual outside route to go back to his own room.

It’s when he turns off his comm and pockets it that he hears a familiar voice calling his name.

It’s Jooheon. He’s running, catching up to him in the chilly night outside.

“Off for the day?” Jooheon asks, a little breathless and stunning that Changkyun merely looks away and nods. “Are you going back to your room?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s pretty early,” Jooheon says almost excitedly. “The princes went to sleep early tonight, didn’t they?”

Changkyun sighs. Why is it that when he finally gets what he would call an easy day it also comes with such a heavy heart?

“I’d love to check out your room,” Jooheon then says, craning his neck as he walks ahead to turn and face Changkyun.

Changkyun doesn’t fail to notice how he expertly walks backward, which is amazing considering he also spins around once to keep from running into a lamppost, just waiting for Changkyun’s response.

Yet Changkyun merely shrugs, and Jooheon follows him into the other wing of the palace, where most of the staff resides. It’s different from the palace halls Jooheon has walked through as a guest that are mostly decorated brightly and golden lights sparkling all around.

He whistles in the darker hallway, looking around curiously with his hands in his pockets.

“It’s so different here,” he comments, smiling at Changkyun with his dimples showing.

“I guess,” Changkyun just murmurs— thinking about how he likes this wing better than the ones where the royals reside because it’s more peaceful and calming and just ordinary but he doesn’t say it out loud— and Jooheon blinks. “My room’s right here.”

He unlocks the door to his room and Jooheon follows him inside.

“Cool place,” Jooheon nods to himself as Changkyun turns on the lights at his desk where his computer is at. Rather comfortably, Jooheon looks around in the silence that ensues.

Looking through Changkyun’s shelf of random things he does not know where to store, Jooheon takes a bottle of nail polish into his hand and looks at it for a long second before catching Changkyun’s eyes.

“Yours?”

“Yeah.”

“Black. That’s really cool,” Jooheon chuckles, almost fondly and Changkyun has to take a seat on his bed as he stares at the way the desk light gives Jooheon an almost otherworldly glow, the tips of his black hair turning golden from the light. “You’re not wearing it though.” He points out to Changkyun’s hands.

“It’s been a while,” Changkyun mutters to himself, looking down at his nails, naked and bare. He remembers the first time Minhyuk saw him wearing them. “Goth boy, His Highness would call me.”

Jooheon actually laughs at that, walking to Changkyun and sitting down cross legged on the floor. He looks up, in his professional dark suit and with raised eyebrows he asks, “May I?”

With no words, Changkyun just places his hands on his knees, and Jooheon uncaps the bottle swiftly, his expert hands that no doubt wield knives and guns just like Changkyun’s working so delicately with the dipped little brush shining in black.

“I have never done this before,” Jooheon tells him abashedly, painting Changkyun’s middle finger. “So I’m sorry if it’s bad.”

Changkyun looks down at the crown of Jooheon’s head as Jooheon looks at his nails closely, blowing on the polish with gentle little blows.

“I have never done it before either,” he mutters to Jooheon and Jooheon looks up, beaming, smiling. “Have someone paint my nails, I mean.”

“Hard to believe I got the honor.”

Changkyun hums, his nails cold with the nail polish drying.

Jooheon finishes in silence then, putting the cap back on and then leaning back to stare at Changkyun. Changkyun doesn’t know what one would say in a situation like this, he’d thank Jooheon maybe, but it was Jooheon who asked to paint his nails in the first place.

And yet Jooheon finds the words to say in the situation anyway.

“I think I’ll head back to my room now,” he says, his expression unfathomable as he just gets up with a grunt, placing the nail polish back where he got it. “Good night, Changkyun.”

He doesn’t give Changkyun the chance to respond as he just waves with a smile, closing the door on his leaving right away.

And Changkyun looks down at his nails, and even in the dim lighting he could see they were bumpy and uneven.

Minhyuk’s focused and serious as he makes the last touches for the ball that will commence tonight. 

The royal guests are all outside in the meantime, with the King and Queen doing activities they have prepared to keep them preoccupied. Changkyun thinks he overheard them saying today is a game of croquet. And he is so glad he’s not out there having to watch over such a boring game. He’d rather be indoors, even if it means he constantly has to pull Minhyuk away from pillars and incoming staff balancing tall towers of ceramic plates in their hands.

If people didn’t know better they would think the bodyguard is already stealing a dance with the crown prince in the ballroom.

“Your Highness, I think you should take a seat, relax, have a cup of tea before continuing with your duties,” one of the older maids tells Minhyuk and Minhyuk nods with a hand rubbing his forehead tiredly.

She orders the others to bring the prince a cup of tea while Minhyuk walks out of the enormous ballroom, decorated for the night with many flowers— red roses all over in fancy vases, and golden drapes over the high ceilings that will no doubt sparkle marvelously around the chandeliers during the night.  

“Beautiful, is it not?” Minhyuk asks Changkyun, smiling a little for the first time that day.

Changkyun looks back into the ballroom, where everything is just so pretty and sparkly, the palace staff running here and there with the preparation, the anticipation high and potent in the air.

“Yeah, you did a really great job, Your Highness,” Changkyun tells Minhyuk and Minhyuk chuckles proudly.

“Ah, well, it is no work fit just for anyone,” He says playfully, walking through the hall and almost running into a rushing staff with glasswares that Changkyun pulls him and he’s spinning. “Oh! Phew, that was close!” He gasps, the staff apologizing profusely to him but he just waves them away with a smile.

“I hope to god there’ll be no accidents tonight,” Changkyun sighs, already dreading the night of the ball as Minhyuk wraps himself around his arm. He lets him, remembering that it’s better to have the prince be his usual clingy self if it means it keeps him out of harm’s way.

They were almost at the sunroom where the prince would always have his tea when they found Jooheon roaming the hall alone. While Changkyun hastens his steps to get into the room quickly for no other reason that he doesn’t really feel like seeing Jooheon— which he can’t even begin to explain to himself why, but Minhyuk halts and squeezes at Changkyun’s arm to point out the bodyguard. 

“Jooheon!” Minhyuk waves at the bodyguard, beaming instantly. “What are you doing all alone?”

Jooheon bows at the prince, and he has that usual dimpled smile that he casts to the prince. “The Starry Prince has requested to be left alone to stay in bed all day so for today I am out of work.”

“Oh,” Minhyuk merely answers.

“The croquet game is very boring.”

“It is.”

Jooheon catches Changkyun’s eyes then, and Changkyun nods at him. He doesn’t know why it only made Jooheon blink, so he looks away.

“What are you doing now?” Minhyuk asks.

“Oh, I’ve got some errands to do…” Jooheon says, glancing at Changkyun as if he should understand what he means by his emphasis on the word errands.

“Do you want to join us for tea?” When Jooheon shakes his head politely Minhyuk goes on. “Well, Changkyun can help you with those errands.”

“What?” Changkyun blinks as if just out of trance, and staring at Minhyuk, almost looking betrayed. 

And he doesn’t know why he feels even more betrayed when he sees the almost hopeful look on Jooheon’s face.

“I shall just be having my tea meanwhile…” Minhyuk slyly pulls his arms away from Changkyun and completely out of character, Changkyun holds onto him tightly instead, Minhyuk’s eyes widening at the unexpected response.

“I’m sorry, I can’t leave my post, His Highness is very accident prone.”

“Oh, it is just tea, Changkyun!”

“It’s okay,” Jooheon says for Changkyun instead, the same dimpled smile still plastered on his face as he bows. “Enjoy your tea time, Your Highness.”

The prince blinks confusedly between the two bodyguards and almost yelps when Changkyun drags him into the sunroom.

“What was that, Changkyun?” Minhyuk asks exasperatedly, looking back as the door closes, but Jooheon has already left.

“It’s nothing,” Changkyun mutters dismissively, sitting the prince down on the cushioned chair in the room. 

There are cakes and tea already served on the table next to the confused Minhyuk. 

“Did something happen between you and Jooheon?” Minhyuk asks, already picking up his cup of tea, pinky raised as he drinks.

Changkyun averts the prince’s eyes on him. “Nothing.” And he is not lying. Nothing happened.

Minhyuk then turns silent, putting down his cup on the table again. “I am fine, Changkyun.” He tells the bodyguard, and Changkyun peeks at him from the side of his eyes. “It is perfectly fine to leave me alone.”

Changkyun doesn’t answer.

Minhyuk then hums, thinking. The room is bright with the huge french doors. They look out into the green field and blue skies. There’s a distant sound of cheering, the croquet game must be turning exciting outside. Which isn’t much, to be honest.

“I think Jooheon likes you,” Minhyuk whispers like it’s not an important information, hands busy playing with the hem of his frilly sleeves. “And you like him too, do you not?”

“No,” Changkyun simply retorts.

Minhyuk then smiles slyly. “Are you actually turning shy because you like him?”

“What? No!” Changkyun responds more heatedly now, the blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Oh, you are absolutely easy to read!” The prince giggles behind his hands.

Changkyun’s face is turning really red at the prince’s mischievous stare on him, biting at his lips to stop himself from denying it which would make it seem more obvious.

Minhyuk excitedly scoots over to one side in his seat, patting the space next to him. Knowing it’s an order he has to obey if he doesn’t want to be pulled forcefully into the seat with limbs around him, Changkyun takes a seat next to the prince.

Minhyuk wraps his arms around Changkyun anyway, bringing the younger to lean back in their seats and brushing at his hair. “Is Changkyunnie actually embarrassed to talk about this?”

“No!” Changkyun retorts but noticing the pattern in his response he then sighs out a small, “okay, yes .”

Minhyuk grins, arms tightening around the bodyguard in the now cramped chair. “What is wrong?”

Changkyun looks down at his hands, at his black painted nails, messy and uneven. It’s such a bad nail job, but there’s a weird feeling bubbling up his chest when he remembers how Jooheon did it in his dimly lit room.

“It will never work,” he finds himself whispering. 

Minhyuk hums, resting his chin on Changkyun’s shoulder.

“And it’s just a silly crush anyway—”

“It is not just a silly crush—”

“How do you know that?”

Changkyun looks at the prince and the prince is very close to him, staring at him with rather questioning eyes. God, the prince is very radiant up close, how is he even real?

The royal privilege of grooming, Changkyun thinks.

“You will not know,” Minhyuk then whispers earnestly. “Unless you do something about it.”

Changkyun groans, that’s the hardest part, “How do you even do something about it?”

Minhyuk shrugs, smiling.

“Whatever, forget about it, he’s going to leave soon anyway and I won’t see him for a year.”

And it’s then that Minhyuk frowns, and Changkyun realizes he’s said something wrong. But Minhyuk only takes a deep breath, his hold loosening around Changkyun that Changkyun feels regretful and wishes he would still hold onto him as tightly as he always would.

“That is exactly why you have to do something about it.” Minhyuk murmurs thoughtfully, taking Changkyun’s hand and seeing the black painted nails. He smiles slightly at the sight, brushing his fingers against the uneven surface of the nails. “When else are you going to do it if not now?”

Changkyun feels sorry, with the thought that the rose garden in the night was no more after what happened, and not knowing when those nights will ever come back must be awful to Minhyuk. He has no parents who would take Jooheon away just at the thought of them liking each other. He doesn’t have to send letters secretly to someone, and he could even take days off and maybe, go see Jooheon in the other kingdom whenever he wants.

So why is he scared?

“It’s scary, not knowing what’s coming,” he tells Minhyuk then, with the thought of Hyungwon on his knees, wiping away Minhyuk’s tears because he was so sorry he had jeopardized their already fragile, precious relationship that they keep in secret. That strange feeling he gets when Hyungwon came close and kissed Minhyuk while Minhyuk was sleeping on his back was just him realizing how strong the emotions the princes hold for one another, and how much it must hurt to be hiding that from the world, to hold it at bay for a year, and probably for the rest of their lives.

People have made it far too easy to believe that true romance can't be achieved these days, Changkyun thinks. Which is why he would roll his eyes at the legend of the weaver and the cow herder, thinks it is too ridiculous for two lovers holding onto a reunion in the stars that comes only once a year.

Whether the story is true or not, it doesn't matter, Changkyun has seen Minhyuk and Hyungwon together in the rose garden. It was a real life testament of true romance.

And if love could hurt that much, then Changkyun thinks he’s unprepared for it all. While he doesn’t know what the future holds, if he and Jooheon would even ever be a thing because they just met, the prospect of what comes after admitting his feelings to another person is terrifying. 

To carry those big, heavy emotions inside him sounds impossible. He’s only ever good at being the stoic, cold blooded bodyguard he wishes he was after all. 

He can’t do what Hyungwon and Minhyuk do.

And it sounds extremely cowardly of him, to be that scared of feelings . When the princes had been nothing but fearless all these years, baring their yearning on fragrant papers and laying their hearts on the line for only a few nights in a year, in the rose garden hidden away from the rest of the world.

They have so much to risk compared to Changkyun— Changkyun has absolutely nothing to lose when it comes to this, but for some reason that scares Changkyun even more.

“Ugh, it’s just a stupid crush, like I tell you,” Changkyun sighs. “I’d rather do nothing about it, it’s just making me overthink, and I’m trying to do my job here.”

Minhyuk smiles at him almost knowingly. “It is worth being scared sometimes, Changkyun.” He picks up a small cake from the table and feeds it to Changkyun, who accepts the sweet, creamy delight into his mouth rather absentmindedly. The treat is a soft and comforting taste on his tongue. “It is what helps you remember some things are worth it. If you were never scared I would put myself in harm’s way every second of the day then I would not be safe and alive here right now, is that not right? You know your job of protecting me was worth it, that is why you do it.”

Changkyun blinks, scandalously looking at the prince with his mouth full of more cakes that Minhyuk feeds to him happily. And the always seemingly ditzy, silly prince he had to take care in case of self-crafted accidents has never seemed so wise in the eyes of the always worried bodyguard.

“What?” Minhyuk raises his eyebrows at him curiously, never letting off his stare on Changkyun in his confusion and picking up his cup again.

“Your Highness!”

And then there is just hot tea spilled on their laps and Minhyuk screaming with his arms flailing, hitting Changkyun in the face with the cup in his hand.

“Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!”

The burning feeling lingers on Changkyun’s thighs. He’s had the Prince change and freshen up, since the ball was going to commence soon, and he’s changed into a new black suit but the burn lingers.

Trust Minhyuk to turn an innocent, harmless tea time into life threatening chaos.

In the prince’s panic they had knocked over the table with the cakes and the hot pot of tea and all, and Minhyuk almost slipped on a piece of cake in effort to step away from the mess.

And oh, it was just a mess, the maids had to come in and help Changkyun get the prince out of the room safely while he was crying out about the hot scalding tea he had spilled all over himself and dripping all over his pants, and Changkyun has to hold in a painful sob that he thinks is uncharacteristic of him to let out from a burning crotch.

Anyway, the ball has commenced, all the royals are dressed up and looking their best in the ballroom while the best musicians are providing some soft background music that they can chatter in.

Changkyun has been keeping an eye on Minhyuk from a safe distance as Minhyuk holds rather empty conversation with every guest in the room like a good host he is, yet avoiding the Starry prince. 

It’s almost painful to watch Hyungwon stand on the other side of the ballroom, glancing at Minhyuk every now and then with obvious yearning in his eyes. He sips at his drink silently as he stares miserably into the distance, dressed in a rather shimmering blue suit that’s so dark it looks like the night sky.

Changkyun sees Jooheon, who stands far off at a corner in the ballroom and keeping watch over his prince too.

It’s dreadful really, even Changkyun feels tired from watching Minhyuk mustering the widest smile for every guests, but maybe it’s also because Minhyuk stands still most of the time so he’s not putting himself in any kind of danger and that’s not what Changkyun is used to.

“Why hello, Minhyuk,” Hoseok comes approaching the crown prince with his husband by his side. “Such a lovely ball you are holding this year, I’d actually say it is nicer than last year’s.”

Minhyuk’s smile instantly disappears at the appearance of his evil cousin, sighing, “Well, it is the experience I have gathered throughout the years.”

“Sounds like you’ve had enough of it all,” Kihyun grins at the Crown Prince. “Maybe we should put a stop to this?”

“Over my dead body,” Minhyuk laughs good naturedly and it sounds the most natural compared to the laughs he’d given the older royals he’d interacted with tonight.

“Of course!” Hoseok answers instead with delight and Minhyuk’s laughter dies down immediately, looking tired of the conversation while Kihyun takes his turn to laugh behind a hand. 

Changkyun who has been watching them carefully tries to step in before anyone pulls out a knife because it looks like someone might pull out a knife, like the situation calls for it, but the music’s volume suddenly heightens, and the King and Queen have called for the commencement of the dance.

Kihyun grabs at Hoseok’s hand. “Darling, it’s time for a dance!”

Easily distracted, and with a soft gaze on his husband, Hoseok nods at him. “Let’s go then.”

Before they leave, Kihyun looks over his shoulder to scrunch his nose at Minhyuk. “The best part of the ball isn’t it? You get to dance with whomever you like. I might just steal a dance with the Starry Prince!”

And he winks, leaving Minhyuk with the most displeased expression on his face as the people in the ball started to pair up under the sound of the music and dancing in the middle of the huge ballroom.

“God, it is one of those rare times when they actually get on my nerves,” Minhyuk mutters under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he turns to Changkyun.

Changkyun gives him a sorry look, it’s the most he could muster to the pouting prince.

“Changkyun, can I ask you for a favor?” Minhyuk sighs then, straightening his shoulders, back to his princely posture and confidence. “We are pretty close right?”

That doesn’t sound good, but Changkyun shrugs, “Whatever. What is it?”

“If one of the suitors steals me for a dance, just steal me back, please?”

Before Changkyun can even say sure because he knows Minhyuk is in no position to say no to any of his guests, there’s a hand that taps on Minhyuk’s shoulder, making the prince turn around.

There’s a broad shouldered, tall prince standing before Minhyuk, wearing a soft beige suit lined with fine golden threads that shimmer under the lighting of the ballroom.

“May I have this dance, Prince Minhyuk?”

Minhyuk stares at the man, not recognizing the man with dark, slanted eyebrows and side swept black hair. If one doesn’t know they’re indoors one might think it is windy there. And the confusion is so obvious on Minhyuk’s face that the prince chuckles softly behind his fist to seem polite.

“I apologize, I had not even introduced myself to you. Prince Seokjin, of the Southern Isles, or you might know us better as the Windy Kingdom.”

Minhyuk looks up at him almost in wonder, “So that is why your hair looks like it’s swept to the side by the wind.”

The prince laughs at the unexpected response, and Changkyun swears it makes Minhyuk blush, but he isn’t sure if it’s due to the glare from the Starry Prince he now realizes is watching while dancing with a young princess or if Minhyuk is actually embarrassed.

“Well, may I have this dance then?” Seokjin asks, offering a delicate hand. “You might find my dancing skills to feel like we are treading on the wind.” He makes a gesture with a hand in the air that was all theatrics but the Rosy Prince does not seem as amused as he had hoped.

“Uh,” Minhyuk’s hesitant, but he takes Seokjin’s hand anyway.

And the Windy Prince swiftly leads him to the dance floor, Minhyuk looking over his shoulder desperately at Changkyun just mouthing ‘take me away, pretty please’.

So Changkyun gives it a minute or two— doesn’t respond even when Minhyuk starts stepping on to the prince’s feet and having the prince laughing politely at the accidents just to cover the pain on his face— just to make the dance long enough for Minhyuk to still seem polite and appropriately stolen away.

Hyungwon’s dancing with another prince now, older, and even from where Changkyun stands he can see Hyungwon glaring daggers at the man dancing with his Rosy Prince.

So Changkyun decides to step in, expertly striding through the dancing crowd and then gently pulling at Minhyuk’s arm.

And Minhyuk seems and sounds so relieved when he finds it to be Changkyun, commenting for the Windy Prince to hear clearly, “Oh, it would be lovely to dance with you, alright, Changkyun, my closest friend and bodyguard.”

And Seokjin just seems surprised that his partner is stolen away so easily as Minhyuk slips away from him, quickly waltzing away with Changkyun. A perfect crime.

“You took too long,” Minhyuk complains to Changkyun once they’re dancing together on the floor, hands on the bodyguard’s shoulders.

“Sorry I was being considerate of whether you’d appear polite or rude, Your Highness,” Changkyun rolls his eyes, sarcastic. “You were already making it obvious you dreaded the dance with the prince, have mercy on him. He’s trying really hard to impress you.”

Minhyuk just sighs, averting his stare to look over at Hyungwon who’s dancing with a queen who’s chatting with him happily while they dance. When Hyungwon catches his eyes Minhyuk looks away again, hiding himself closer to Changkyun as if burned.

“This sucks so much,” Minhyuk whispers to Changkyun under the sound of violins, and it’s easy to see how disappointed he is the ball has turned out in a way where he can’t even dance with the person he truly wants to dance with. “Usually this would be a game with Hyungwon.”

At the mention of Hyungwon’s name, he smiles slightly as he looks at Changkyun in the eyes, and when people say the eyes are the windows to the soul, Changkyun believes those people right there and then, because he can clearly hear the eyes speak that Minhyuk just really wants to dance with Hyungwon.

He holds Minhyuk tighter.

“We would count how many times he can successfully intercept a dance,” Minhyuk then tells Changkyun, biting his lip at the thought of such memories. “It would leave the suitors so confused, because Hyungwon’s gotten so good at it sometimes they do not even notice their dance partners have changed. Our record was nine consecutive times.”

Changkyun smiles at the memory that makes Minhyuk smile, “Well, that’s—”

“Enough dancing with the crown prince,” someone says, smoothly taking Changkyun away before Changkyun could even process what’s going on and finds himself smushed in the arms of a strong prince, Hoseok. Hoseok smiles down at him, white, pearly teeth showing. “Hello,” he says. “May I say, you look very cute up close.”

“What?” Changkyun blurts out incredulously and blinking repeatedly in confusion when he receives a boop on his nose. It has him malfunctioning for a second there.

He tries to turn around in Hoseok’s strong hold and finds Kihyun already dancing with Minhyuk. Kihyun smiles sweetly at Changkyun.

“Just wanted to steal him for a while, don’t worry, I’ll keep him safe,” he tells Changkyun before disappearing in the crowd with one last flash of Minhyuk’s exasperated expression once the music is heightening in volume and pace, as if recognizing what’s going on that people just start dancing quicker, more intensely.

“We like to play this game at the ball, Kihyun and I,” Hoseok suddenly tells Changkyun, his arms still tight around the bodyguard that Changkyun feels like he can’t breathe. “Count how many times we can ruin Minhyuk and Hyungwon’s dance. It is really fun, but too bad it seems that we are unable to play it this year.”

“Your Highness, I’m on duty—”

“Changkyun,” Hoseok tuts, calling his name so softly yet sternly that Changkyun’s almost forced to listen to him. “Do you know why Kihyun and I don’t have our own personal bodyguards?”

“I don’t know?” And truthfully who cares, Changkyun’s thinking.

Hoseok chuckles, the sound coming deep from his chest that Changkyun can feel it. “Two reasons. Because no one’s trying to kill us.” And even with his kind looking smile and gentle voice, it’s eerie and threatening Changkyun wonders how someone can look the opposite of what they really mean. “And, because I’m really strong.”

Before Changkyun could find out what he means by that, he’s swept away again, this time by a firm hand that manages to free him from the scary prince just in time in their dancing steps and have him breathing again under the golden lights.

And the arms are gentle around him. But they feel sturdy, and stable to hold on to.

“Jooheon?” Changkyun blinks repeatedly once he’s realized it’s Jooheon. It’s almost crazy how relief just washes all over him now that he’s with someone he knows is safe.

Jooheon grins, all dimples. “Crisis averted. Prince Hoseok can be scary, doesn’t he?”

Thinking about the way Hoseok has booped his nose and called him cute, Changkyun scowls at how easily dazed he was by the prince’s juxtaposition that he’s left forgotten all his skills as a trained bodyguard. He noted himself that just because an extremely handsome prince calls him cute it is no reason to get flustered because they may be murderous and evil and Changkyun please you’re better than that ! 

“I know how disorienting things can be,” Jooheon speaks to Changkyun closely as they dance, Changkyun trying not to look at Jooheon and his impossibly good skin in the proximity and instead looking up at the giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling yet the sparkles of the crystals is making him dizzier. “We play this game every year, me and Hyunwoo back in the days, count how many times we can steal the princes away from other people and give them back to each other.”

“Why are you all playing games? ” Changkyun speaks out exasperatedly.

“Why are you bodyguards dancing?” Hyunwoo’s amused voice comes on in their comms.

Jooheon ignores it all altogether. “Listen, Changkyun.”

“Yeah?” Changkyun raises his eyebrows.

“Oh, I get it,” Hyunwoo suddenly speaks again. “You guys are playing that game. That’s fine, I’ll leave you guys to it. Just don’t lose focus on any possible threats, kids.”

“I need you to steal Prince Minhyuk again,” Jooheon tells Changkyun, and they look over to see Minhyuk has been handed over to a queen, the queen Changkyun remembers to be Seokjin’s mother. And the old woman then twirls Minhyuk right back to her unsuspecting son. He seems glad to be dancing with Minhyuk again though. Even if Minhyuk’s stepping on his toes again, looking wobbly and dizzy on his feet from all the twirling.

Changkyun can almost hear the queen’s voice saying, I’m playing a game for my son—

“Ah, good old days of playing games.” Hyunwoo’s suddenly heard reminiscing in their comms, sighing fondly.

Changkyun shakes his head, he is awfully distracted by all these silly shenanigans. “Why do you want me to do that? I mean, I would do it, Minhyuk asked me for the same favor.”

“Listen, just keep dancing with him until the end. The music will end soon. And there will be a short speech from the King and Queen, and I want you to take that chance where everyone else is focused on one thing to take Minhyuk out of this ballroom, do you understand?”

Blinking to process the information quicker, Changkyun nods. “And then?”

Jooheon smiles softly at him, he actually looks like he’s enjoying the dance despite the whole chaos that had built up until then. “Take him to the rose garden.”

“Oka—” Changkyun’s spinning again, and this time he lands in the arms of the lanky Starry Prince, who smiles at him amusedly.

“Not a bad dancer, you are,” Hyungwon tells him, his hands polite on Changkyun’s waist to keep him steady.

“I’d rather be fighting,” Changkyun finds himself saying because now he’s just dizzy from all the dancing and partners and spinning. “A nosebleed from a punch would be better than this.”

Hyungwon laughs good heartedly. “Changkyun, listen, it might be a lot to ask from you, but would you be so kindhearted to take my dear Minhyuk away from that prince? Something about that man and his mother just irks me.”

Changkyun looks over to see Minhyuk still with Seokjin, apologizing profusely for the now ruined shoes that he has stepped on many times.

“Sure thing, Your Highness,” Changkyun sighs.  

“Thank you,” Hyungwon says, relieved but still a little solemn. “You are a bright moon in the darkness of the night sky.”

He then looks down at their feet, expression quickly turning sorrowful. His forlorn, downcasted eyes make Changkyun feel bad again with that strange feeling building up in his chest and he gets why people cheer for the royals in fairy tales now.

“Save those kinds of words for the Rosy Prince, Your Highness,” Changkyun tells Hyungwon.

Hyungwon appreciates that, smiling. “Alright now, if you would follow my steps.”

“Oh, what?” Changkyun looks down at their feet and struggles to follow Hyungwon’s quickening steps.

And then suddenly Hyungwon’s hand is raised and Changkyun’s twirling across the dance floor— realizing this is the royal battlefield— only to bump into a person, effectively replacing their position.

“Changkyunnie!” He finds Minhyuk catching him before he could hurt himself from falling onto his face, a first time in the history of him working for the prince where their position is the other way around. “Oh god, I am so glad you came back.”

Minhyuk holds onto Changkyun tightly and Changkyun groans out.

“I’m gonna throw up,” he tells Minhyuk but Minhyuk doesn’t let go.

“Good, then at least it would be on me and we can be excused from the ball.”

Thinking of what kind of treason would that be coming from Changkyun— who really does not have a good reputation of how he treats the prince sometimes— Changkyun swallows back the vomit so he won’t puke on the Crown Prince he’s supposed to be serving, and also because that would be really gross. And embarrassing.

To their relief— especially Changkyun’s— the music slows down, and finally stops. The people applaud in the room, thanking each other for the dance.

Minhyuk, looking relieved to have ended the dance with someone he’s familiar with and with no ulterior motive, bows a curtsy gracefully for Changkyun to thank him for the dance. Changkyun bows too, before taking the prince’s hand.

Changkyun pulls Minhyuk to the side of the room, while the Queen gives a speech, as Jooheon has told him. She’s thanking the guests for coming again just like every year, she thanks her son for the work he’s put into the ball, and Minhyuk tiredly waves at the crowd clapping their hands for him.

“Let’s go out,” Changkyun tells Minhyuk then, once the attention has focused on the Queen talking again.

“What? Wait, I am unable to find Hyungwon anywhere…”

“Just follow me,” Changkyun mutters, holding Minhyuk’s hand tightly and quickly leading the prince out of the ballroom, through the tall, opened doors that lead into the night. They’re on the terrace, where it’s less noisy compared to the inside.

“Changkyun, where are we going?” Minhyuk asks. “I cannot leave the ball, Hyungwon will be worried if he cannot see me anywhere.”

They walk down the steps, Minhyuk struggling to keep up behind Changkyun, and despite not knowing what Jooheon has in store, Changkyun finds himself fully trusting Jooheon to do exactly as he asks of Changkyun. In fact, his heart races in excitement as he guides the confused crown prince through the gardens, the sound of people cheering and music getting farther away from them, the ballroom now only a golden glow in the distance as they get to the rose garden.

Minhyuk turns silent under the roses archways, even Changkyun slows down as they get through the maze of rose bushes and the night sky is full of stars.

There’s Jooheon waiting at the end of the bushes, leading to the center of the garden and the way he beams when he sees Changkyun makes Changkyun’s heart skip a beat. He looks so happy and excited that Changkyun has brought the crown prince with him, and when they step further into the center of the garden, they find the fountain has been turned on. The steady sound of the water splashing and flowing, accompanied by the fairy lights decorated all over the bushes has Minhyuk gasping as he lets go of Changkyun’s hand.

“What is this?” Minhyuk asks more to himself, hands over his mouth as he realizes Hyungwon’s waiting for him at the fountain, standing tall in his suit that resembles the nights sky.

“We figured if you can’t dance with Prince Hyungwon at the ball, then both of you can share a dance in the rose garden instead,” Jooheon tells Minhyuk who only glances at him in disbelief and teary eyes.

“Oh,” Minhyuk sighs then, realizing what all of this is, and then running to take the hand that Hyungwon offers him.

He takes it, grabs it and just thrusts himself into Hyungwon’s arms as he cries out in glee.

Hyungwon chuckles with his arms full, “I was as surprised as you are.”

Minhyuk looks over his shoulder at the two bodyguards watching over them, “You two planned this?”

Changkyun blinks, and was about to tell him that he doesn’t have a hand in this when Jooheon speaks up instead, “Yeah, so dance to your hearts’ content, Your Highness. Don’t worry about the ball for now, Hyunwoo-hyung’s got that covered.”

The two princes stare at the two, and then at each other before they break out into a laugh.

And they waste no time before they start leaning into each other, dancing to the distant sound of music coming from the ballroom far away.

“I didn’t even know you were preparing for this,” Changkyun mutters to Jooheon as they stand on duty even when hidden in the rose garden. 

“Just take the credit, Prince Minhyuk wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

Changkyun looks at Jooheon by his side, and Jooheon, with eyes that sparkle in the night winks and smiles at him.

“Was this your errand the whole day?” Changkyun asks.

Jooheon scoffs, “Yeah, I had to get the lights and everything, look at how pretty I have decorated the garden.”

Jooheon’s decoration is just fairy lights that seemed to be hung randomly on the branches of the roses and the fountain, but Changkyun has to admit even that bare minimum effort, coupled with the two princes dancing and holding on to each other surrounded by roses— unable to hide how happy they are at the moment, that it is truly beautiful there.

So beautiful that he realizes Jooheon really did all that. He looks at the way Hyungwon and Minhyuk look into each other’s eyes as they whisper probably sweet nothings to each other, and maybe there is even more of those poetic things Hyungwon would tell Minhyuk, and this is all Jooheon. All his doing.

“Look,” Jooheon suddenly sighs a little. “About the other night, I’m sorry.”

“What?” Changkyun blinks, tearing his eyes off the dancing princes to look at Jooheon.

Jooheon’s looking down at the grass, frowning slightly and it’s rather disheartening to see a frown on such a fine face. “You told me how you like to be alone at nights, and I just kinda barged into your alone time. That was kinda inconsiderate—”

“No!” Changkyun retorts. “Not at all, it’s not that.”

The other bodyguard tilts his head in confusion. “What do you mean it’s not that…? I figured you were solemn and rather quiet that night because you just wanted to get rid of me and be alone.”

The way Changkyun’s heart sinks at the thought of Jooheon misconstruing that one night into him trying to get rid of him is just dreadful. Changkyun doesn’t know how Jooheon could even come to that conclusion because he surely can’t.

“No, no,” Changkyun shakes his head. “It was just— It was just kind of a bad day.” He sighs, remembering the unfamiliar solemn expression on Minhyuk’s face that day. “I just didn’t like how upset Prince Minhyuk has been the whole day after the lunch incident… and I guess it really got to me.”

“You were concerned for the prince, weren’t you?” Jooheon asks, the comprehension washing over his face and it actually brought a smile on the corner of his lips slightly.

Changkyun cowers away a little at the way Jooheon is looking at him as if in a new light other than the fairy lights. “Y-yeah. He was really sad.”

Jooheon chuckles. “You’re really a good friend to the prince.”

Scoffing, Changkyun pushes his hands into the pockets of his pants, “Not to the extent of planning for a private ball for the princes.”

“Well,” Jooheon elongates his word, tilting his head the other way thoughtfully, looking over at the princes. “I feel the same way. Prince Hyungwon is a good friend of mine, and when he gets upset I don’t like it too.”

Changkyun watches as Minhyuk looks up at Hyungwon and starts panicking when he realizes Hyungwon has tears streaming down his eyes.

“Oh god, Hyungwon, do not cry! ”

“Hey,” Changkyun calls at Jooheon while Minhyuk starts crying too.

“Now I am crying too, Hyungwon look what you have done!”

“You know that legend you told me about?” He looks at Jooheon who raises his eyebrows at him. “We’re like the magpies in that story, aren’t we?”

Jooheon thinks for a second, humming, and then nods. “We are.” He laughs. “When you say it like that, it makes sense.”

And looking at the way Hyungwon’s wiping away Minhyuk’s tears as Minhyuk is sobbing his heart out, apologizing for what has happened and already dreading to leave Minhyuk for another year, Changkyun realizes that is what he wants. 

He would build bridges in heavens every year if the princes can be with each other, because he wants to be in love too. He wants to cry his heart out like Minhyuk does, and have someone wipe away his tears too. He wants to hold someone the way Hyungwon holds Minhyuk to appease the crying too.

For himself, he wants to make love possible too, and he does not want to hold back for what’s worth it, so he leans towards Jooheon and presses his lips against the dimple he has been so charmed by since day one.

And Jooheon’s eyes widen in surprise, sparkling like the stars of the kingdom he comes from.

Would the stars tell them that they were going to be here and share this special moment with each other in the rose garden?

Changkyun doesn’t know, he doesn’t read stars, and Jooheon doesn't too. So he just smiles at Jooheon without anymore words, watching the way Jooheon turns red even in the night, both of them averting each others’ eyes by looking over the princes again in the heat of the moment just because it’s fondly embarrassing.

And this moment, in the rose garden where the two princes finally kiss under the stars, they would be the only ones who know of it.

Jooheon and Changkyun both gasp in astonishment when the kiss turns hot and heavy, quickly turning around with their hands at either side of their eyes, and sharing an awkward laugh.

And that little kiss Changkyun gave Jooheon in his moment of rare bravery in the name of feelings, was one kiss where the bodyguards would be the only ones to know too.

“I’ll be back next year,” Hyungwon tells Minhyuk outside of the palace.

The black sedan shines under the sun, waiting for the prince. His bodyguard stands by his side, smiling at Changkyun.

“Send me a letter as soon as possible,” Minhyuk whispers to him.

Hyungwon nods without hesitation.

Changkyun’s surprised at the way Minhyuk is handling this calmly. He’s composed, standing there at the entrance of the palace that will be his someday, standing tall before the Starry Prince as if he was just saying goodbye to just another one of the guests.

Just last night it was Changkyun who had to carry the sad prince on his back who’s so sad that Hyungwon’s leaving already he can barely walk. It was as if all those usual energy he would have bouncing in and out of danger was spent on the feelings of dreading Hyungwon’s absence again.

“I will miss you like the stars miss the rose behind the passing clouds,” Hyungwon murmurs to Minhyuk, who nods, keeping his lips hust tight in order to keep the tears at bay. “And the clouds will pass.”

“It shall pass,” Minhyuk nods again, barely getting his words out and then he offers a hand.

The Starry Prince takes it, and they share a formal handshake out in the open before they finally let go of each other.

“Take care, Minhyuk,” Hyungwon takes a step forward and quickly plants a chaste kiss on Minhyuk’s lips and Minhyuk almost jumps, a hand flying to his lips in surprise.

Hyungwon just grins at him, already walking back to the car.

Minhyuk and even Changkyun look around almost frantically just to make sure no one saw that, and no one did. Hence why Hyungwon is waving goodbye with a light heart.

“Hey.” Jooheon suddenly steals Changkyun’s attention as Minhyuk waves goodbye to Hyungwon in return. “Unlike you, my prince is easy to leave alone, so I can take days off easily.”

Changkyun blinks in confusion, but before he can say anything Jooheon merely pats him on the shoulder.

“I’ll see you again someday,” Jooheon smiles at him, before getting into the car with Hyungwon.

And Changkyun stares at that dimpled smile until the very last second before the door is closed and he’s left staring at his reflection on the shiny, black sedan leaving before him.

He straightens himself again, and looks at the prince who is gazing into the distance where the car is leaving.

“Shall we, Your Highness?” He asks, gesturing into the palace when the car is finally out of sight.

But Minhyuk merely blinks, looking down in his hand and there’s a small folded paper in his palm. Hyungwon must have handed it to him secretly earlier.

Changkyun watches curiously as Minhyuk unfolds it, reading over the sentence with a small frown.

“It is not the rose you are reaching for, if you do not get pricked by its thorns in the process.”

Minhyuk smiles a little, and looks over at Changkyun who gestures into the palace again.

And he nods, before leading the way back inside. Where he spends time in his study, because the ball has ended, there are no more preparations being done. No more royals to entertain with some dull games. 

It will be another year before it returns, the dancing, the games they play and the threats for murder.

The rose garden in the night, the words of longing laced with poetries and reading the stars in the night sky.

And with the way Minhyuk fights his closing eyes over the long document he’s reading, Changkyun knows he’s already counting down the days.

Because Changkyun is doing it too.

Changkyun’s back in his room and alone. He turns on the lights at his desk and sits on the bed as he loosens his tie, a sign of the day’s completion when the knot is undone.

Now that’s another day of work, Changkyun’s thinking, putting his tie away and listening to the silence in his room. 

The desk light casts the same yellowish glow in the room as any other night, except that one night that Changkyun still remembers clearly where it’s golden against the black hair slicked back and dimpled smile.

Changkyun walks to the shelf in his room, looking at the glass bottle of black nail polish standing there, gleaming in the dim light. He takes it into his hand, and the black liquid inside sparkles like the night sky filled with stars.

Somehow he wonders what Minhyuk is thinking in his own bedroom. He had been easy to handle, went to bed with not much complaint and Changkyun had been glad that he wasn’t wrestled to stay in bed or anything of the like. Minhyuk had merely requested him to pull the blankets on him, warmly tucked in bed as he wished his bodyguard a goodnight.

Something clicks in him. And he sighs loudly in his own room, because how could he not have noticed it earlier.

He pockets the small bottle in his hand, hurrying out of his room and out into the less decorated hallways to the ones that are painted white and golden, with tall pillars and high tapestries, and filled with old portrait paintings.

His muffled steps on the regal carpet leads him to none other than the crown prince’s bedroom.

The door opens with a soft click, and the hallway lights flood into the room to reveal to Changkyun the prince turning to the opened door, still awake.

“Your Highness,” he sighs, closing the door behind him once he’s inside and turning the lights on just to be greeted with Minhyuk’s scrunching face, snot and ugly tears streaming down his face.

“Changkyun!” He wails miserably from the bed, sitting up.

And Changkyun receives the weeping prince into his arms once he's on the bed, groaning from the tightening arms around him in return as Minhyuk bawls into his shoulder, his whole body shaking.

“There there,” Changkyun sighs with a hand combing through the prince’s hair. 

He should have known this was going to happen when Minhyuk was so easy to put to bed and when he was waving goodbye at the Starry prince so easily.

And look at him now, crying his heart out for Hyungwon like he could do it for years, and feeling so inconsolable as he shakes in Changkyun’s arms.

So Changkyun looks out the window as he keeps on holding onto the crown prince, and sighs at the sight of the night sky outside.

Changkyun wakes up with his own suit draped over his torso because the prince hogged the blanket all night, and is right there next to him, snoring softly with the blanket bunched up in his two hands that closed into tight fists.

Changkyun doesn’t know what he is so tense for in his sleep, but gets up and draws the curtains anyway. 

When the maids come in he places a finger on his lips, whispers to them to send breakfast into the room.

He wakes the prince up with a gentle hand on the shoulder.

“Can I have my breakfast sent over here?” Minhyuk yawns, stretching his arms over his shoulders with messy bed hair. “I am not in the mood to do anything today.”

“I figured so, Your Highness.” Changkyun gestures to the servant rolling in his breakfast into the room.

Minhyuk smiles at him, still sleepy as he pushes the blanket off him to sit by the window where his breakfast is being served. Changkyun opens the window to let the sound of morning in; chirping birds, the staff watering the blossoming flowers in the garden and the soft morning breeze.

“Come sit down, have breakfast with me,” Minhyuk tells him, picking up a butter knife to smear strawberry jam on his toast.

Changkyun doesn’t know why or how it happened— he has stopped questioning it a long time ago— but the knife flies out of the window and Minhyuk gawks out the window in disbelief.

Thankfully the staff know the usual protocol, and there are extra butter knives on the table, so Changkyun takes it with a sigh, snatches the toast off Minhyuk’s hand too.

Minhyuk watches him spreading the sweet jam on the toast, chin on his palms. “I slept really well last night.”

Changkyun puts the toast on the prince’s plate, looks at the soft smile on the royalty’s face.

“All thanks to you.” Minhyuk averts his stare to focus on his breakfast instead. He picks up a raspberry served on the table and offers it to Changkyun.

Knowing better to go with whatever the prince is asking of him, he accepts the offering into his mouth.

It’s sweet on his tongue and Minhyuk looks pleased.

They eat breakfast in silence, and after, Changkyun puts his comm into his ear, turning it on to report to work for the day while Minhyuk rolls in bed, groaning in boredom already.

Changkyun picks up the blanket by its edge just in time to stop the prince from rolling off the bed and hurting himself as he reports to Hyunwoo that he’s with the prince already.

Albeit Changkyun’s sudden visit into the prince’s room last night went unreported, Hyunwoo merely chuckles knowingly and tells him to take it easy with the prince, the King and the Queen are taking the day easy too.

“Changkyun,” Minhyuk calls, his head upside down from where it hangs on the bed. “I am bored already.”

“I figured,” Changkyun says, sitting cross legged on the floor and Minhyuk tilts his head upside down confusedly.

He takes the prince’s hand and Minhyuk turns onto his stomach as he curiously watches Changkyun fishing something out of his pocket.

“Ah, goth boy,” Minhyuk murmurs knowingly once he sees the bottle of black nail polish in his hand. “Are you going to paint my nails black?”

“Yeah,” Changkyun answers, focused on dipping the brush and then painting the neatly manicured nails. “I find it relaxing, and distracting.”

Minhyuk hums, watching the bodyguard working fondly.

“Jooheon seemed really happy yesterday,” Minhyuk starts speaking, giving Changkyun a mischievous grin that Changkyun rolls his eyes at. “Did something happen?” The reaction merely egged the prince on, excitedly swinging and slamming his legs on the bed. “Tell me! Tell me! Tell me, please!”

Changkyun scoffs, tightening his fingers around Minhyuk’s hand to keep it still. “Nothing happened.”

“Then what was that ‘I’ll see you again someday’?” Minhyuk’s attempt to impersonate Jooheon is pathetic to Changkyun because it came nothing close to the charisma the real man has and exudes that Changkyun laughs.

He shakes his head. He doesn’t kiss and tell, no matter how the prince begs him.

And Minhyuk sulks childishly at him, pouting with pretense silence, even when Changkyun has painted all nails black.

He shows his matching ones to Minhyuk, the nails Jooheon has painted, so messy and uneven compared to the neatly painted ones on Minhyuk’s hands.

Minhyuk stares at them in awe. “We are both goth boys now.”

Changkyun nods dismissively, before leaning back on both hands, staring at the prince. “Your Highness, I’m wondering.”

“What is it?” Minhyuk asks, sitting up on the bed.

“Will you always be okay with it?” Changkyun blinks slowly at him, scrutinizing the prince before him. “That to inherit the throne you will never truly be with Prince Hyungwon? Is His Highness okay with it too?”

Minhyuk sighs thoughtfully. “Well, Changkyun,” he tuts, shaking his head as if disappointed in Changkyun for not knowing better. “It is what we both have to do to bear our crowns.”

That’s a little upsetting to think about, Changkyun’s realizing. That in the future that very prince in front of him would sit on his throne as king alone, pushing away suitors every year, and he might have to spin and spin in the ballroom, playing a game just to dance with the one and only. Only able to share short fleeting moments together once a year.

Such star-crossed lovers, navigating around mazes like the rose garden just to share long awaited secrets under the night sky.

“When I am King,” Minhyuk mimics the gesture of putting on his crown. “That is when I shall be able to do what I want. The same goes for when Hyungwon is King.”

And the smile on Minhyuk’s face is so mischievous, so cunning, that the way he looks down at his nails just seems like he could see that future already reflected on his shiny nails. Like the sparkles of the nail polish are little stars and he's reading them to see into the future. And that he’s already touching it.

“When we are Kings no one would dare to go against us.”

And Changkyun looks up at the crown prince sitting on the bed, blowing on his painted nails carefully, always patiently biding his time apparently, and Changkyun realizes just how bright the prince actually is and is just in awe of this person he is serving every day of his life.

Changkyun should have known the very crown prince of the Kingdom of Roses would have a rosy outlook too.

With a laugh of disbelief, Changkyun realizes just how much he genuinely admires the crown prince.

Well, right before Minhyuk falls on his face trying to get off the bed.