✓ the hooded princess • kim seungmin

t h i r t y o n e

He wanted this to be perfect as a make up for all those years he had done wrong.

Suho let go of Soobin's hand to run in the field. The field where Soobin met his old friend for the first time in nine years. He did not bother warning Suho to be careful. At the moment, he only worried about how she would react if she sees a little boy with them. Would she be okay with it?

The male laid down a picnic blanket and arranged the deserts. He carefully put the jug of juice on the uneven surface before ending up leaning the jug on the basket. He took out three small plates and settled down while watching over his brother who was running around catching dandelions.

Soon, he heard the familiar horse stomping approaching. From afar, he could see a white horse cantered to him with a girl in an off-white dress, waving. The smile on Soobin's face grew wide as he waved back.

"It's the princess!" Suho gasped before running to hide behind his brother. His small fists clutched on Soobin's shirt while peeking his head out to see the princess getting down from Winter. "Hyung, what is the princess doing here?" he whispered.

"She's a friend." he pat Suho's head with a fond smile. He then looked back to the newcomer who had her hair styled in waterfall braid, letting them fall on her back with a tiara decorated her head. It was the first time him seeing her wearing a tiara – not even Seungmin had seen it since she wore it on occasional event, like the time she went to the village with Felix. The dress she wore reached only at the ankles and there was a small split at the side end, revealing her white pants underneath. It looked like an evening dress but with all covering her skin except the head area.

Eunkyung looked breathtaking.

A huge smile adorned her beautiful facial features. The girl lightly bowed her head to Soobin which he replied with a small laughter and did the same. Then she tilted her head to see the small boy hiding behind him.

"Hello, little boy."

Suho felt so little when the princess was speaking to her. He wanted to hide but Soobin encouraged him to go forward, and so he did. He approached her in a shy manner and handed out a dandelion he picked awhile ago. "This is for you."

She giggled. "What's your name?"

"Suho. Choi Suho. I'm hyung's little brother!" he exclaimed while pointing at Soobin. "Are you really friends with my brother?"

Eunkyung nodded as she took the dandelion, "We are old friends. We met around nine years ago."

The boy replies with his mouth forming an O shape, shocked at the newly founded information. "I wasn't born yet. Is that why Soobin hyung never told me about this? Why did he keep you as a secret?"

"Suho–"

The princess laughed at the question while Soobin sighed. He pulled the boy to sit. "I'm sorry for that."

"It's alright," she grinned, "He's just a little boy, anyway."

The male awkwardly rubbed his nape. "You look pretty, anyway."

"I get that a lot."

"Oh, wow."

Eunkyung chuckled, "Just joking. Thank you, I'm flustered," she joked while putting a hand on her chest, "And you look good as well, like usual."

"Ah... thanks." he could have sworn his ears turned red at the compliment.

"Hyung, why are you making the princess standing for so long?" Suho interrupted as he stood up and gestured his arm to lead Eunkyung to the picnic blanket. "This way, Your highness."