𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇. enhypen

sixteen

When Sunoo caught Sunghoon strolling below, half of him was relieved. The other half wanted it to be Jihye who he had found.

Sunoo suspires in momentary repose, glad he didn't need to speak with Jihye's Father. Although it wasn't Jihye, he would have to settle for Sunghoon. And he might as well use the opportunity to give Sunghoon a heads up in case things were to go wrong.

Putting his pride aside, Sunoo ran down the stairs, nearly tumbling onto the ground from his inconsistent steps. "Sunghoon!" He called out, the North Prince jerking his head up as the loudness of Sunoo's voice startled him.

Surprise coloring his face, Sunghoon stumbles back slightly as the other boy settles in front of him, out of breath "Sunoo?" He greets in an unsure tone.

Sunoo takes in a ragged breath to control his pulsing heart and adrenaline. "Are you able to get into a room that's locked?" He asks.

With owlish blinks, Sunghoon hesitantly began to nod his head. "Yes..." He paused to lick his lips. "But why do you ask? Are you alright?" Sunghoon queries, examining Sunoo's body for any injuries but there were none. He looks up the stairs, expecting to see another figure chasing after him not too far behind by the manner Sunoo looked so agitated. They were alone.

Sunoo's lips thinned into a line, barely managing to squeeze his words out. "I might have dropped your handkerchief in a place it shouldn't be in."

This time Sunghoon doesn't blink at all. "...What?" Was the only word that came out of his mouth before Sunoo was dragging through the castle without further explanation. There wasn't much Sunghoon could do other than allow himself to be led, without a single clue where Sunoo was heading off with such urgency. In his mind he pondered where it could be. Though, he was not at all expecting Sunoo to take him in front of the King's study.

"You mean to tell me it's in there?" Sunghoon asks after Sunoo has stopped trudging and he's regained his ability to properly speak again.

Sunoo nods reluctantly.

"How did you even get in there in the first place?" More questions tumble past Sunghoon's lips, his eyes searching Sunoo's face skeptically.

Sunoo waited for a beat to pass before answering. "Through the door." He says, which creates even more questions in Sunghoon's mind.

Sunghoon stares at him, his eyes guarded, as if he's contemplating something. If Sunoo had gone through the door, then Sunghoon concludes that he must have allowed in willingly. "Did you actually speak with the King? I thought you said you weren't going to tell him about the rumor..."

Sunoo instantly shakes his head, his face scrunching at the accusation. "No, I didn't say anything about it. I didn't even speak with him at all." He motions for Sunghoon to stand by the window on the other side of the hall so they would look less shady and suspicious to any servants who vacated the area. "He already knew either way. Before we even found out." Sunoo says in a much more hushed tone.

"He did?" Sunghoon asks with a staggered gaze before staring out the window, taking in the fact that it still continued to pour rain with no sign of stopping any time soon.

Sunoo shifts from one foot to the other. "Yes, very awfully aware of that. But now, how do we get in there?" He kept gazing behind Sunghoon, as if the King would walk past at any second, but Sunoo was aware of how long those meetings with the Royal Council could last. With twenty members, it took quite some time for all of them to reach an agreement on anything, as they all had different opinions and judgement. At the most, they had another hour before the King returned.

"I can create a makeshift door that we can go in through-" Sunghoon stops explaining as he notices a pair of maids heading their way down the hall, both holding dusters in their hands. The girls stop their chatter once they spot Sunghoon and Sunoo, though they begin whispering to each other and Sunoo is painfully aware it was about Sunghoon only from their awestruck eyes. As they pass, Sunghoon graces them a small smile and they instantly swoon into a fit of giggles before scurrying off to continue their work. His smile drops as soon as they are both gone and out of site. He breathes out as if in relief before turning back to Sunoo and continuing. "It would be better if we entered through the room next to it than out in the corridor." Suggested Sunghoon, taking note of the other door next to the King's study.