The Prince's Star Boy ➳ Taegyu ✔

XI. When You're Famous

Date: November 25th

"I still can't believe you box dyed your hair," Kaneisyeon said, ruffling Taehyun's new brown hair. "It looks good though."

"The blonde was too extravagant for somebody as lame as me."

She rolled her eyes and sat next to him on the couch. "You're not lame. You're just... introverted and awkward. Nothing wrong with that. The kids are all asleep."

He nodded and leaned his head back on the back of the couch, closing his eyes from exhaustion.

"We got mail," Kaneisyeon continued, walking over to a table that had a stack of mail. "One of them has your name on it."

She threw it in his lap and he looked down at it, opening the envelope to find a note that read,

Dear Taehyun,

I'm sorry it took me a few days to help you. I've been really busy. And I'm sorry for acting like a jerk. You just tried to help me, and you tried to help Solitude. Thank you for caring so much. I understand you're also busy, so I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long on help. But for now, here's a check. It'll help a lot with food and other necessities.

Sincerely,
Prince Beomgyu

He sighed and folded the note, putting it back in the envelope and taking out the other paper in it.

"What did it say?" Kaneisyeon asked, jumping when Taehyun gasped loudly. "What is it?"

"It's a check... a very big one."

When she saw it, they both started nearly screaming and jumping around.

Taehyun was almost in shock. Like Beomgyu said, he was busy. So the fact that he took time out of his day to help Taehyun was really cool.

"I'm gonna go shopping. Why don't you go tell all the kids that Prince Beomgyu saved us?" She asked, putting her shoes on and running out the door before he could say a word.

Prince Beomgyu saved us.

Something about that didn't sit right with Taehyun.

Even though Beomgyu was literally there for them, he didn't like the thought that the older was saving or serving him.

They should be on the same level, right?

But even though it felt humiliating to him now that he thought about it, he went upstairs to tell all the kids anyway.

They deserved to know that it would be okay. They deserved to know that there was a little bit of hope, even if it came from Beomgyu instead of Taehyun.

A few days later, he got a phone call saying that people were coming to adopt three siblings from his home.

And the night before they were coming to get the kids, he went into their room to talk to them.

"Settle down," he said calmly, and the two girls and boy laid down in their beds. "You know what's happening tomorrow, right?"

"No," the younger girl, who was five years old, said.

"You guys... are getting adopted."

"What?" The oldest, a nine year old girl, asked.

"What do you mean?" The seven year old boy asked.

"It means..." he sighed and looked anywhere but their faces that would turn to heartbreak. "It means you guys won't be with me and Kaneisyeon anymore."

They all started questioning him, on the verge of tears from that horrific sentence.

"What do you mean? Y-you guys take care of us!" The boy cried.

"But... there are too many kids here for me and Kaneisyeon to take care of. The queen has found a new family for you. One where you'll be the center of attention. Spoiled rotten."

"We don't like being spoiled!" The older girl yelled, hopping off her bed and running over to jump on him and hug him tightly. "I like having your compassion!"

"I'm sorry. I'm too young and immature to take care of you guys."

They all started crying, hugging him like it was their last day together. But it was just their last night together. They would still see each other the next morning.

That night, Taehyun sung to them for about an hour to calm them down until the last one fell asleep.

And the next morning, the two younger ones were screaming and crying as they were carried out to a car.

But the older one just hugged Taehyun in the doorway.

"Don't forget us when you're famous, okay Taehyunnie?" She asked.

"I won't. Take care of your younger siblings for me, yeah?"

She nodded and quickly ran to the car, feeling a little better after Taehyun's pep talk.

"You okay?" Kaneisyeon asked when the car pulled away.

He shook his head. "No. No, I'm not."