castle runaway. ᵈᵒⁿᵍʰʸᵘᶜᵏ

THIRTY TWO

Monique's POV

"TOOTLES!!!!"

They exclaimed and ran towards Haechan like a herd of pigs that escaped from their fence. "Uh, guys, I'm with someone,"

Robin and the Merry Men stopped. Haechan pointed at me. "There." Their heads turned to me and I smiled. I waved a hand. "Uhm, hi."

The green man I have idolized all my life walked up to me and bowed. He cleared his throat and bowed. "Hello, my dear. I apologize for my and my men's behavior towards our friend Tootles,"

"It's Haechan." The tanned male spoke up while the Merry Men hugged him.

"Hush, kid," He flashed a grin and fell on a knee. "I am Robin Hood, and it is an honor to meet you, Lady..?" He raised a brow.

"Just call me Monique, sir." I piped politely. I should be the one kneeling in front of him. He smiled. "Monique. It is an honor to meet you," He stood up and went beside me. "Are you, perhaps, our Haechan's girlfriend?"

Haechan covered his face with a hand in disbelief. "Rob, Monique is just a friend." Someone strummed the guitar and they all started singing a stanza.

"Yes, oh, yes, it all starts that way,
When the feelings grow, don't leave it astray,
You keep your friends and brothers close,
But never a girl who's as pretty as a rose."

I smiled while Haechan groaned, his face getting red in embarrassment. "Oh, guys, you flatter me." I jokingly remarked. They laughed back in humor. Haechan pushed them out of the way and took my arm.

"Ohh~ he's doing a move over her." Who I'm guessing is Will Scarlet, chimed. Haechan rolled his eyes and pulled me away. "Come on. They'll keep on annoying me with you. Let's go." He was going to whistle when we heard a female voice.

"Robin? Little John? Where are you?" Robin turned around and a wide grin immediately appeared on his face. "My Marian, Haechan has come!"

I looked at the direction he was looking at and saw a beautiful lady I only used to see in books. She was wearing a maroon smock and she looked absolutely beautiful in real life.

Haechan glanced at me as I covered my mouth in shock. I just adore every character in the tale of Robin Hood (except for the Sheriff, of course).

Maid Marian took Robin's hand and he walked in front of me and Haechan. "My love, this is the boy I was talking about; Tootles. This is his friend, Monique." He introduced.

Haechan bowed while I did a courtesy. "Oh, my, don't be too formal, my dears," She turned to the male beside me. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Robin and the Merry Men have been talking non-stop of you," She chuckled heartily.

"I guess they missed me, huh?" The Merry Men answered 'yes' without any hesitation. Haechan face-palmed and Maid Marian motioned to me. "Monique, what a lovely name for a lovely lady. Does Haechan treat you well?"

I know what he meant but the guys took it differently. I nodded. "Yes, Maid Marian." She chuckled and took both of my hands. Oh my Lord, I'm touching her. "Call me Marian, dear."

I stared at her, maybe with sparkles in my eyes. "M-Marian," I glanced at Haechan casually being teased by the Merry Men. "He's a nice guy. To be honest, he treated me better than any person did to me. He is an angel in disguise." I said, smiling.

She patted the back of my hand. "I can tell," She turned her head to the boys. "Let's go back. I am sure all of you are starving." Marian smiled and softly pulled me away. "Come, Monique. The gentlemen will follow."

I gave her a nod and followed her to their house. I heard footsteps behind me and saw Haechan immediately catching up. "I thought you missed them?" I asked humorously as he walked beside me and Marian.

"They missed me, Monique."

"I was just with Maid Marian."

"It scares me if you're out of my reach, okay?"

The three of us halted into a stop after he said that. Marian gently let go of my hand and smiled. "I will prepare lunch and give you space." She whispered and walked away. I noticed the wooden house sitting behind the white fences with flowers displayed on the garden.

"Why did she leave?" Haechan asked while scratching his head, confused. "What did you mean by that?" I threw a question at him without answering his. "By what?"

"That it scares you that I'm out of your reach?" He grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "Monique, for the short time we have been together, you grew very dear to me. Not as a lover, but as a friend. You needed my help when you were on your worst and I see that I am slowly aiding your heart.

"I can already sense the independence in you, but it feels like you're still that fragile girl I have seen lying on my porch weakly," He sighed. "You became important to me, Monique. Elyas, sure, he is a friend, but you are someone I can talk to and have fun with. I never felt much more alive and happy." He removed his hand from my shoulders.

"I hope you don't feel trapped with me. I know you have been through hell." He finally finished. I walked closer to him and gave him a hug. "Oh, Haechan, how could I hate you?" I rubbed his back.

"I'm also scared that I'll return to what I was, Haechan. Yes, I was that hurt girl back then. But now, with your help, I'm moving on from my past. Though you haven't said it, I can see you're telling me to see the future and live the present. Besides, you are the reason why you sense the independence in me. It's because of you."

I felt Haechan hug me back. "If you are out of my reach, promise me you would be safe." He muttered. I nodded. "I will." I pulled away and he smiled. "Come on, we still got a lot to do today."

We walked towards Marian and Robin's house while making small talk. "Where are we headed next?" I asked excitedly. "Somewhere that's not visible in the naked eye." He said mysteriously and I got even more hyped.

"What transportation do we need to go there?" I put my hands behind my back, pouting. "I don't know. You'll see~." He teased and I folded my arms. "Hmph! Okay, fine. That must better be good."

He rolled his eyes in a sassy way. "Obviously." Haechan slightly opened the door between the fence and I strided in first. Beyond the pathway to Marian's house was the garden with beautiful and colorful flowers.

"Maid Marian is not just a gentle woman; she's also very creative. I'm sure she cleaned and designed the house after moving in with Robin." I looked at Haechan. "Was the house messy back then before Robin met Marian?"

"Very, especially that the Merry Men used to live with him. When Marian moved in after they got married, they lived behind the couple's house. The others built their own." I opened the door inside and a fresh smell of food brushed my nostrils.

"By the way, where are the others?" I asked Haechan while we got inside the house. "Probably stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor again." I just chuckled.

Haechan was right. The house was organized and neatly designed. "Girls may be boring, but they do keep things intact." I tapped Haechan's shoulder and walked to the kitchen where I found Maid Marian making lunch for all of us.

"My house was intact when you came inside." He said matter-of-factly. I just rolled my eyes and went beside Maid Marian. "Do you need some help?"

She chuckled. "You are our guest. You should stay in the living room and wait for lunch. Robin and the others would follow shortly."

Shortly came in too early. The door opened and came in the boys. Two of them, Will and Little John, approached Haechan. The three of them are only of the same age.

"Hey, Toot, she's not your girlfriend, right?" Will asked, pointing at me. Haechan shook his head. "Why? What are you—" John pulled me towards him and we walked away. "John's going to introduce himself to her and be her boyfriend, you know."

"Wait, what?"

I didn't hear Will's reply because John already pulled me to the living room.

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