Starfall. |Lee Know

Nine.

"Save my ass!" Changbin pleaded. "Just once, please." He did a doggy face with a pout while looking at Dabin.

"Changbin," She sighed and shook her head, getting off her bed. "First, I'm in detention. I still have one month ahead of me till I'm free to leave the palace. Second, even if I'm free to leave, I was never, never, allowed to attend any official event like this to replace you in it!"

"I will talk to Mother." Changbin stepped closer and held her two hands. "She will definitely say yes. There's no other option. Woobin is in the new recruits' training. Eunbin is dealing with a lot nowadays with her husband and two kids. Rubin, I don't even know where the hell she is but she's out of the whole kingdom. I need to attend an urgent meeting on Hyunbin's side because he fell ill out of nowhere. And of course, Mother or the current Queen are no choice. It's not a big of an event or a very royal one for them to attend."

Dabin shook her head. "I don't know what to do there! I don't know what the event is!"

"It's a culture center opening. But the system, training curriculums, libraries, and some of the teachers are from our side, so we have to show up for support." He squeezed her hands. "It's just for press, a couple of photos and a few words in a conference after and that's it."

"What would I say?" She whined.

"I'll make Seungmin prepare a few words for you. It's not a big deal, believe me." He blinked at her. "Do you remember Felix? You met him at Chris's Royal Ball two months ago."

"The Lee cousin?"

"Yes, that's him. He'll wait for you there. Once you arrive, he'll escort you, and when the event ends, he'll accompany you back to the plane. So, don't worry. You won't be alone there. He's my trusted one just like Seungmin is."

"When is that event?" She pouted.

"In three hours." He smiled sheepishly.

"What?" She screamed and pulled her hands out of his hit. "How- what! Are you out of your mind? I don't have time to get ready! And the Lee Kingdom is not that close."

"All solved. Our private plane will take you. The staff will come to help you get ready. I even called Rubin's stylist and she recommended a few attires that are on the way now. As you get ready, Seungmin will be preparing the speech and I will be convincing Mother of your case. See, you just have to get ready."

Letting out a forceful breath, she looked at him with firing eyes. "I hate you."

"You love me." He smirked and stepped closer to pull her in his arms so warmly. Changbin rested her head on his chest. "I promise it will be okay. I wish I was there with you so I could walk you around and let you see that land and have fun. But next time, I promise I will be there with you." He pulled away to cup her cheeks. "But for now, I'll let Felix tour you a little and show you as much as he could on that one-day tight schedule. And whenever you are ready to come back, the plane will be waiting for you and I'll come to escort you myself once you land. Hmm?"

"Okay." She nodded lightly.

With that, Changbin planted a peck on her forehead, ruffled her hair, and ran outside the room. Dabin breathed in, nearly inhaling all the air she could to calm herself.

She wasn't used to public events at all. The few she attended were all in her kingdom and she wasn't in the spotlight of it. She was at the back, listening to one of her family making a speech and representing their kingdom. Now she needs to be the one delivering a speech and representing her people. She wasn't sure if that would be acceptable, especially after the last event she attended, which was the ball two months before, that left her under question since then.

Her train of questions didn't take her far as a knock followed by the door opening brought her to a stop. Help came to get her ready. Different attires were prepared. The Royal Stylists and Artists came to dress her up and style her hair and makeup. For more than an hour, she was being dolled up with much professionalism and care. Somewhere along getting ready, a paper arrived from Seungmin with simple words that she had to memorize for her speech. Once she was done, she was escorted to where Changbin was waiting for her in front of the palace's main entrance with a blacked-out car to take her to the private plane.

Changbin, who was in his formal suit for his upcoming meeting, lifted his head up to look at his sister who was getting down the stairs. He smiled once his eyes fell on her. She looked beautiful in that off-white dress. The dress fitted her perfectly, falling to just above her knees, with long sleeves and silver threads decorating the collar, the cuffs, and the very end of it at her knees. A simple silver belt decorated her waist, accentuating the small circumference of it. Her heels came in a matte silver color, matching her purse.

Her hair was brimmed and lifted up in a royal bun. Her tiara decorated her head, matching her favorite star-shaped earrings that Changbin got for her on her eighteenth birthday. She looked all mature, but still, the innocence and purity of the little girl that Changbin raised were there.

"You look very beautiful, my little girl." Changbin said and leaned to plant a kiss on her cheek.

Dabin gave him a nervous smile. "I'm afraid I'll screw things all over again."

"You won't." He patted her back to straighten it up. "You will do great and I believe in you. Have fun while you are there and call me if there's anything urgent and you'll find me in a blink. I won't put my phone on silent just in case, okay?" Dabin nodded at him. "Look at you going to represent our kingdom," He paused to wipe the imaginary tears as he faked crying. "Who's the man who raised you so well?"

Dabin rolled her eyes but relaxed at her brother's joke. "Seo Changbin." She yelled his name playfully.

"That's my girl." He pinched her cheek. Changbin stepped away and opened the car door for her. "Safe trip, Your Highness." He winked at her.

Dabin smiled and hopped in. The door was closed, the car pulled away and she watched her brother wave at her before he ran in the opposite direction to get into the car taking him to his meeting.

Dabin placed a hand on her chest. She was going to be there on her own. No one from her side or kingdom. No brother. No advisor.

In a few hours, she would be in the Lee Kingdom for the first time.