A week had passed after the Literature project. Thankfully, everyone did a really good job that their Literature teacher all gave them high marks. And even though Rose Quartz enjoyed reading novels, everyone agreed that it should be done according to one's pace and not because of a time limit. So, after those stressful, albeit still enjoyable, weeks, Rose Quartz hoped to take a break from major school requirements.
"Good afternoon, class," Mr. Park entered the classroom.
"Good afternoon, sir," Rose Quartz greeted.
"It's our Vampirology period, sir. What brings you to our classroom?" Chungha asked.
"I come here bringing some good news," Mr. Park answered.
"What? What could it be?" the class murmured.
"First is that you won't be having your Vampirology class today. That means you are free to go after this announcement," Mr. Park announced, earning cheers from the whole class.
"The other thing that I want to announce is that" — Mr. Park paused for dramatic effect — "our section is going on a field trip."
As soon as those words left Mr. Park's mouth and were processed by everyone's mind, the class erupted in a musical number singing about summer and how it was the time to have a vacation and taking a break from school work. Unfortunately, Mr. Park was not able to stop the class. It was like they were acting on a fixed script. Mr. Park was also confused on how everyone seemed to know the lyrics. The singing did not stop until the song reached the end.
"Woah. We sound like the second installment of a musical original movie from a major diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate about six teenagers from different stereotypical groups navigating through high school," Mark commented as everyone was confused how the musical number came to be.
"Thank you for that intermission number class. Now, can I explain about the field trip?" Mr. Park stood up.
"Sorry, sir."
"Okay, the field trip will be in Quelpart Island. It will be this Friday morning until Saturday night. We will be returning home by Sunday morning."
"Finally, a break from school work! It's like the heavens have heard our prayers," Soonyoung said excitedly.
"Well, the heavens did hear your prayers but maybe, so did your father," Mr. Park mentioned.
"Our father?" Jun spoke out.
"Yes. King Sungsoo arranged a field trip for only one section — our section. He already told the faculty about it and promised to have everything prepared." Mr. Park revealed. "It's an all-expense paid trip courtesy of the King."
"Huh? I wonder why father did this," Wonwoo mumbled.
"So, that would be all for the announcement. Class dismissed."
With the dismissal by Mr. Park, the thirteen friends huddled around to make plans for the rest of the afternoon. After much discussion and agreement to skip club, all of them decided to hang out in the restaurant where the non-Paragons like to hang out. And yes, the restaurant staffed was honored, shocked and nervous all-together when the royalties stepped inside their building.
"Oh, wow. I did not know this place existed," Seokmin looked around the interior of the restaurant as they sat down on a table slightly secluded from the rest.
"We just accidentally found this place too. But since they served good food and it is near from the university, it became our favorite hang-out place," Seungkwan explained.
So, the thirteen friends sat around the makeshift long table made by combining six table from the restaurant. The improvised table could sit six on each of its long sides and one on its short sides. Everyone sat on the side except for Seungcheol who was forced into the "leader" seat. As expected, the soulmate stuck with one another. Jeonghan and Joshua, as the next eldest, took the seat near Seungcheol while Soonyoung, Jihoon, Seokmin and Chan sat with each other on the other end of the table.
"So, we knew that Minghao was saved by Junhui from the Barbarian attack when they discovered that they were soulmates," Jeonghan started as soon as the food arrived. "But how did Seungkwan and Vernon happen?"
"Well..." Vernon blushed when all the attention went to him and his soulmate.
"It was Vernonie who lied," Seungkwan claimed.
"Oh, really? Now this is something I haven't heard before," Soonyoung commented.
"So, as you know, Vernonie invited me over to the palace for the Literature project," Seungkwan narrated. "So, after we watched Harry Potter twice, I blacked out. The next thing I knew, something was caressing my cheek while I am sleeping."
"Eh? Bold move, bro," Jun teased.
"When I opened my eyes, I saw Vernonie staring at me. Curious, I asked him if he was the one touching my cheeks. He answered 'no' and that was when the magic happened," Seungkwan ended the story. Vernon's cheeks and ears were red at this point.
"Okay, please, stop it now, Kwannie. It's getting embarrassing for my part," Vernon took Seungkwan's hand and kissed it.
More teasing followed after Vernon and Seungkwan's story. Meanwhile, Soonyoung noticed that Jihoon was silent so he turned around to take a look at him and what he saw was probably the cutest thing Soonyoung could ever see in his life. Jihoon was leisurely drinking his beverage with a straw.
"He looked so much like an adorable elementary kid right now. He is so cute," Soonyoung thought.
Jihoon noticed Soonyoung staring at him, "What are you looking at?"
"I was just appreciating the tiny chili pepper who looks totally adorable drinking with a straw," Soonyoung casually said with a smile before turning his head back to the center of the group conversation.
Meanwhile, Jihoon got flustered by the sudden — and rare — compliment from Soonyoung. It bothered his mind greatly. He even thought that Soonyoung looked cute while smiling.
"What am I thinking?" Jihoon mentally slapped himself.
After the hang-out, the thirteen friends went home separately. While riding home in their limousine, the Princes were contemplating as to why their father would sponsor a field trip for their section. They sensed that something was going on and they need to ask their father about it.
Dinner finally came and the Princes came gathered around the table faster than anticipated. While the meal was ongoing, Seungcheol managed to speak up.
"By the way, father, we heard you sponsor a field trip for our section over the weekend. Why did you do that?"
"It was a reward for you," the King spoke in a weird tone.
"Reward? For what?" Vernon inquired.
"Well, you seemed to be very busy for the last few weeks. So, I decided to give you a reward."
"Father, your voice sounds unstable. Are you hiding something?" Jun was becoming suspicious.
The King broke out in cold sweat when all of the Princes looked at him with suspicion, "Okay fine. It's because I was feeling guilty that I will be leaving over the weekend to, once again, attend the Arcanus Alliance meeting in Hallyu Kingdom."
"Oh, yeah, right. I remember it has been decades since their second set rulers retired," Seungcheol recalled. "They were the ones who initiated the annual magical convention. Too bad we haven't attended the very first meeting and they retired shortly after the second meeting happened. I really wanted to meet them. It's said that they were the best and most powerful rulers of Hallyu."
"Same here," the King seconded. "I only met them once when we decided to join the alliance during the second Arcanus Alliance meeting."
"So going back to the topic, do you really have to organize a field trip?" Wonwoo questioned.
"By the way, I'll let you in on a secret. The university may have announced it as a field trip but it's not really a field trip, you see. It's just a free mid-academic year vacation for your section," the King confessed.
"But why?"
"I just want to celebrate Jun, Wonwoo and Vernon finding their soulmates," the King giggled with delight.
"WHAT?" Jun, Wonwoo and Vernon gasped.
The Princes could only shake their heads in defeat. What their father wants, their father gets.
"Don't worry. I already organized everything. The accommodation, the food, and even the room arrangements are all taken care of," the King reassured.
"Even the room arrangements?" the princes voiced out their concerns.
"You could thank me later. The arrangements are based on what the three defense forces' reports told me about," the king cryptically whispered while wiggling his eyebrows.
"Haa..." — the six princes sighed — "this is going to be a long weekend."