King of hearts • d.sc

6

"Pfft no you weren't." He smirked knowingly. She wanted to at least try it first.

"So how's life in the real world going?" Asked Seori. Haneul had felt guilty when she decided to basically run away from it all, knowing she was going to leave behind two people she loved dearly, but they were the ones who supported her dreams, and pushed her onto doing it. She makes sure to have dinner with them a few times a year to make sure she doesn't loose contact with them, as they are the only things from this world she really wanted to keep.

"Pretty good actually, I have a job at a bubble tea store." Haneul bragged, the twin's faces lighting up.

"Like an actual job?! Like one you had to apply for?" Seori gasped.

"You have a store job!? That sounds like so much fun!" Sungbin exclaimed, making Haneul laugh at their amazement.

"Haha yep, I love it." She said. "Like I get to see different people everyday, make drinks for them, and my boss literally lets me do whatever I want." She explained to her friends.

"Do I need to make a booking if I would like to visit." Seori asked.

"Uh wha-no just come by anytime you feel like it." Haneul said. "You can just walk into the store and order it."

"Wow did you hear that Seori? It's like a normal store." Sungbin chimed.

"It literally is just a normal boba store." Haneul blurted.

"We will come and see you one day then." Seori smiled, looking excited to visit the store. She knows as a fact that these two order coffee at cafes, knowing exactly how they work, making her wonder why they had that reactions. "What is boba exactly?" Seori asked, the question that literally answered her question.

"It's a drink with tapioca pearls at the bottom. Think of the store as more of a cafe that sells a specific type of drink." Haneul explained. Her friends nodding along. Sungbin resulted in simply searching it up, showing it to Seori who seemed amazed by the product. Haneul however was more amazed that they hadn't tried it before. As the conversation settled down, Haneul looked around the room, spotting people she didn't want to see, but also spotting some that she did.

"Oh! Isn't that Chenle? I haven't seen him in so long!" Haneul said gesturing to the boy with brown hair that was surrounded by a pool of girls. "Let's go say hi." She suggested as the trio made their way to Chenle's table, shooing away some of the girls in the process.

"Haneul?!" Chenle stood up from his seat, surprised by her sudden appearance. "I haven't seen you in like...almost two years!"

"You've grown so much it literally makes no sense." She said, realising that she now has to look up at him. "And damn it's like you're a celebrity or something now." Referring to the group of girls with their phones up at him. Chenle, Sungbin and Seori paused, looking at her in disbelief.

"That was a joke right?" Seori asked, as Haneul looked at her in confusion.

"Haneul, I'm literally a kpop idol." Chenle informs like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wow calm down I've been living under a rock for the past two and a half years." Haneul defended, putting her hands up, shocked at how much could happen while she was away.

"You're and idiot." Sungbin commented, slapping a hand on his forehead.

"I've been an idol since...even before we met!" Chenle revealed, making Haneul feel like her entire life is a lie, though it seemed to make sense as she's always known he he was popular, just not for being an idol.

"Oh...sorry" She said in realisation. "That's kinda funny. I had no idea." She laughed awkwardly.

"But hey at least you liked me for my personality." Chenle shrugged, not seeming to care that much.

"Dude you need to quit getting all the ladies, spare some for the rest of us." Sungbin looked over at the girls who ogled at Chenle dreamily.

"I have a feeling they'll end up drooling over that music show host anyways." Seori pointed out, lifting her chin up to where the people have gathered, surrounding a very good looking man wearing a slick black suit.

"Who is that?" Haneul had her mouth open, jaw dropping over the stunning man. She had never seen him at these events before, and by the looks of it, she doubts anyone else has either.

"Jaehyun!" Chenle yelled across the sea of voices. Despite his voice being dorwned out in the crowd, his friend still managed to notice, trying to weave his way politely through the crowd. There was a girl beside him who followed him the whole way through, a face that was no doubt familiar to Haneul. "Oh Jaein's here too!" Chenle exclaimed, looking at the girl.

"Hey--" Jaehyun started, before a girl cut him off, asking him for a selfie. He politely accepted, posing for the camera, and just like that, many other people had their phones out, flooding him with the same question.

"Damn sucks to be him." Jaein scoffed, before turning to the group. "Hey Chenle!" She greeted, earning a wave from the younger boy. "And Haneul! I didn't think I'd see you here!" She turned to Haneul, beaming a genuine smile, showing that she is happy to see her again.

"Same here." Haneul laughed.

"You guys know each other?!" Chenle blurted, looking between the two.

"it's a long story." Haneul waved him off, turning back to Jaein. "Why are you here by the way?"

"Ah my dad gets invited to these once in a while but Mr Gushiken found out that my brother and I are idols so he insisted that we come." She sighed, pointing at Jaehyun who was still entertaining the needs of his fans. "I mean if you're here I guess it won't be too boring right?" She said, looking at Haneul for reassurance. Hanuel shook her head, letting out a deflated laugh.

"Nah it's going to be boring no matter what." She stated. As if on que the lights began to dim, signaling everyone to go back to their seats. Haneul wished Jaein luck before making her way to the front of the room, sitting beside Jingwen at their VIP table. She leaned back into the chair, already finding everything painfully boring.

"Sit up." Her father ordered, making her bounce up immediately, back straitening. Haneul looked down at the table cloth, her mind trying to process the memories from her childhood that the phrase had brought up. The many things she tried to forget, the life she wanted to erase. She shouldn't have come, but she wanted to avoid everything that had happened after she ignored her fathers orders. She needed to keep everyone she loved safe.
She drowned out every word the female speaker was saying. Feeling her stomach lurch with regret and discomfort. Looking at the bold VIP sign on the table, she had just remembered, she had a place on top of a hierarchy. This world wouldn't simply let her go again once she came back. She was a queen being used as a pawn in a game that will never end. There for the gain of others without acknowledgement.
Haneul watched as Mr Gushiken walked onto the stage, her eyes falling on the table he had been sitting at, the one across from hers where they met with the last person she wanted to see. Beginning to sweat as she noticed the black eyes that had been staring into her, the smirk plastered on his face. The face of pure evil. On the opposing team he is a knight, one who is seen as a king, a knight that would do whatever it takes to take her away.

just a little insight into haneul's life.

hope you guys are having a good day :)