Starfall. |Lee Know

Fifteen.

Dabin knew better.

She knew the meaning of being seen entering the Private Palace of a single prince, at night, with no family member, advisor, assistant, or even a servant. If that gets leaked somehow, they would be accused of being scandalous. Although it was very common for the public, they might even be thought of as a lovely romantic couple, it was considered a shameful act for the royals. And she was a royal. A forgotten princess but still she held the weight of her family's name and position.

She didn't need any controversial actions that might put her in a tight spot with her family who were already disputing her for nothing. Now, she was giving them a reason.

Although she had to panic, she found herself amused at how clueless was the prince ahead of her. With his apron and tiara, and hands holding a raw piece of meat with a mix of different sauces dripping from it, it was really comical.

At first, she was confused whether he was really clueless, stupid, or a sly fox with incredible acting talent. But she settled on the first option. If he was anything bad for her, the others wouldn't let her go with him when they obviously knew where exactly they were heading. If he was anything bad, Changbin wouldn't let her feet step on his land to begin with.

He wasn't bad, but he was bad for her heart which was beating fast from the look he was giving her. She wanted nothing but to laugh out loud and squish his cheeks which started to redden as his eyes widened.

He was FINALLY getting it.

With a dramatic gasp, he dropped the meat to the counter, splashing sauce and oil on the sleeves of his white dress shirt and his sculptured face.

"I'm very sorry." He uttered. "I'm terribly sorry. I apologize for my indecent and inconsiderate actions. I-I.." He panicked. "I will immediately escort you to your plane and... I will send an official apology to your kingdom. I will take whatever punishment they decide and I-"

"You should calm down first," Dabin said, trying to stop his ranting. "It's okay. It's not, actually, but I mean what's done is done." She gave him a broken smile. "I don't think my family will be interested in where I am and what I am doing as long as it doesn't affect their image."

"W-What do you mean?" He stuttered.

"I mean I'm a forgotten princess, Your Royal Highness. Look at me! I was sent here on my own. No escort, servant, or even a single guard with me. Just a plane waiting for me to take me back home. I didn't receive a single text or call, except for Changbin asking me if everything was okay. Other than that, nothing. I doubt if they will even notice if I don't go home." She scoffed. "I don't have a private palace, but I'm placed in the farthest wing of the palace, where their eyes will never find me."

Minho's mortified face softened. He calmed down as he looked at her broken smile while talking about her family. They were so similar. Not welcomed by their own family and not cared for. She was as forgotten and left out as him. She was another ugly duckling.

"But you have Changbin, right?" Minho asked. "He's true. He's not putting an act of caring. Right?"

Dabin's smile brightened. "He's my everything. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have made it that far." Dabin's face turned playful. "He's the only one you should worry about if he gets to know this current situation."

Minho chuckled. "He's got one of a kind of a fist."

"Oh! You fought before?" She smiled and leaned over the counter.

Minho seemed to relax. Although he made a very unkind mistake towards her, that princess sounded like a very understanding person. It was okay as long as her family didn't know of that situation, just like how his family wouldn't care as long as there was no harm. With a deep breath, Minho resumed his work with the meat. "Of course, we did! We trained together for years."

"You don't look like a fighter." Dabin shrugged.

Minho looked at her with one cocked eyebrow. "Do I look like a weakling to you too?"

Dabin shook her head. She looked him up and down for assessment, even if that was inappropriate. But that body and weakling shouldn't be in the same sentence. "You look anything but a weakling. But you look like the type who would avoid fights."

"I do avoid them most of the time. But when it's inevitable, I fight with my all." Minho paused to grab a spice dispenser before looking at Dabin. "Do you like spicy food?" He said, shaking the red chilies dispenser.

"I love spicy food." She smiled and allowed Minho to pour as much spice as he wanted. While he was doing so, Dabin's eyes fell on the sauce spots on his face. They were irritating her since they splattered on his skin. Dabin's hands were itching to reach out for him and wipe that spot off.

While he was busy with his steak, Dabin started walking away, rounding the counter to where he was standing. Her echoing heel clacks pulled his attention from the meat to her. He looked at her with a clueless face as she came closer to him and stood right by his right side, a few centimeters separating them.

She pulled a napkin from the box on the counter and turned to Minho. "May I?" She lifted her hand up to his face.

Flinching, he took some time to comprehend what she meant. He looked down on her with his wide ogling eyes and then finally snapped out. "Uh, umm. Yes. Please."

Minho lowered his face to her level. Ever so softly, Dabin started dapping the napkin on his skin, wiping off the sauce and cleaning his white smooth skin. She was busy with her task while he was busy examining her face closely.

How could she be that beautiful?

He caught himself chuckling, startling the girl who thought she had done something wrong or inappropriate. She stopped wiping his face and looked up at him.

"What?" She questioned.

"Nothing. I was just thinking it's a blessing that you don't look like your dear brother." He chuckled softly.

"And what's wrong with my Changbin?" She squinted her eyes at him.

Minho shook his head while giggling lightly. It was the first giggle he had let out since the beginning of this day. "He's just fine as he is. But a female version of him would've been a disaster."

"Haven't you seen Princess Rubin before?" Dabin questioned cause Rubin was just the female version of Changbin. And from what she knew, Rubin was familiar with Changbin's group of friends since she took a few classes with them as a kid. She was two years older than Changbin, almost Christopher's age, and since Minho was in between, he sure met her multiple times.

"Who's that?" Minho questioned.

Dabin let out an airy scoff. That prince was literally out of the world. "That's my older sister who attended a few classes with you and the rest of your group." She stepped slightly back and discarded the napkin. "Haven't you seen her before?"

"I don't remember." He shrugged. "I guess she's not that impactful."

"Pardon you!" Dabin let out a fake gasp. "She's so impactful."

Minho turned around and gave his attention back to the meat. "I guess she's not the type that catches my eyes, then." He said calmly.

Dabin felt a rush of courage she had no idea from where she did get it to ask her next question. "What type catches your eyes then, Your Royal Highness?"

Minho gave Dabin a side-eye look before looking at his precious steak again, keeping the straight face of his. "Blue."

He uttered and Dabin felt her blood freeze.