૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა
./づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ່࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊ࠢ࠘♡ chapter eighteen
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sangwoo
It’s only past lunch, but why would someone stalk me at this hour? I feel at ease knowing it’s still broad daylight, or I will panic and run away. At this time, running is not an option; I am walking in the park, which would be embarrassing. I don’t dare look back. I’m scared! What if it’s from the palace? Did Lady Jandi tell the king and queen that I knew where Yijeong was hiding all this time? Are they going after my head for not telling them!?
“How long do you plan on walking here? You already walked around the park!” The sudden appearance of the bodyguard, Jaeyoung, as if it were a mushroom out of nowhere, startled my entire body.
“Freaking stalker, don’t talk to me.”
“Then, are you willing to talk to me if I approach you appropriately?”
“Why would I?” I was about to run in the opposite direction, but this bastard dragged me along.
“What are you doing? This is kidnapping! I’m telling you, I will shout for help if you're not going to let go!”
“Go on; I don’t think next time that His Majesty catches you, you can’t be able to seek help.”
“Aish.” I can’t help but grit my teeth. I surrender. I have no right to fight with him. Instead, I should be thankful that he didn’t talk about me to Yijeong’s parents. I quietly let him drag me until we reached his car. Before I hopped inside, I glared at him. He just freaking smirked at me, which annoys me more.
“What do you need from me?”
“After Lady Jandi heard what happened to His Royal Highness, she plans to go to Thailand and talk to the Thai royal family.”
“Is she crazy?! What if His Majesty discovers this? All of us will be hanging in the palace!”
“I know; that’s why we need to go before her. We should be the ones who find His Royal Highness.”
“I’ll go, I will help. I'll do everything for Yijeong.”
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yijeong/kavin
“Woah, we’re so lucky.” As we walked through the woods, we saw a small village in the middle of the forest. However, this place was so quiet, or it was just because it was already night.
“Is there anyone here? We need your help!” However, the response was still quiet, just when I decided to enter the house near us.
“There’s no one here.” Prince Thyme also helped knock on other doors, but the people here had already left.
“This is weird; where are the people going?” The houses are also clean enough to stay in, so I assume the people here just left not long ago.
“Let’s not overthink it; I found some food in that house. Let’s stay on there for tonight.”
Every house here is just like the houses on the island we came to, made of nipa and bamboo. Some of the gardens here still have food crops, which bothers me. Why would they abandon their home? Perhaps there’s a wild animal here? Ghost?
“Ahh!” I didn’t realize I had already bumped into Thyme’s back.
“What are you thinking? Go get the food that hangs in the ceiling.” He was about to lighten the lamp with matches, but I immediately held his hand.
“Don’t light anything. They might notice us. Let’s just be careful.” However, I felt awkward when he glazed with our hands, so I immediately walked away and searched for the food he was discussing.
“H-Here, I found this bread and banana. This will be enough to fill our stomachs.” We just quietly eat our food on the floor with the help of a glimpse of light from the moonlight passing through bamboo walls. The bread tastes edible; meanwhile, the banana and some parts are overdue.
“What banana is this? The shape is kind of cute.”
“How come you don’t know kluai khai? It’s a common one here. What province are you from?” I caressed my neck as I thought of what to say. Wrong move, Yi!
“A-Ah! Of course, I know! I just forgot, okay?"
"So, which province are you from? How did you meet my brother?” Why does he suddenly become curious?
“I-I’m from…” What if I tell the province Ren hasn’t been through? I should answer the safest one, “I was born and raised in Bangkok. About how we met... we met in the bar.”
“So I was right."
“It’s not what you think, Your Highness. Ren was the one who helped me pass the entrance of the club since I was a minor back then. I don’t know if he was the crown prince, so don’t think anything about me befriending him because of his status.”
“Why are you even in a bar?” I almost choked on his question. It's a good thing the water is just around me.
“It’s quite personal, Your Highness; you know what? Let’s just sleep early so we can leave early in the morning, too.” However, my sudden standing up from the floor makes my pants bounce and bring out a shiny gem from the pocket. When I was about to get it, the other person grabbed it from the floor. He held it up to see it in the light, then smirked.
“You must be in the bar because of a heart problem.” I was stunned momentarily before I harshly grabbed the ring from him.
“Stop it, Jandi and I never had a problem before!” I quickly set up my bed and brushed off the dust.
“Woah, you two have been in a relationship since you were 15.” We’ve been engaged since birth, if you just know.
“So what?” I forcibly closed my eyes so that I could avoid his further questions. But Prince Thyme drops the pillow around my feet, which makes me check on him.
“What is your problem?” However, he didn’t answer me and just laid back in the corner while hugging the pillow. Is he mad about something?
I woke up because of the noisy sound outside, but the second prince was unbothered and was sleeping in the corner. I stood up to check where it came from, and to my surprise, it was the helicopter's noise.
“Prince Thyme! It was a helicopter! This might be our rescue! The palace has already tracked our location; they will help us now." Finally, I can go home!
“You’re right, it's landing near the seashore! Let’s hurry.” This will be the last time I run off from the palace. I learned my lesson now; I shouldn’t be immature. I will kneel to my parents after I get home; they might worry too much about me. I have been a bad child and irresponsible to my people.
Prince Thyme and I ran back to the path we were on yesterday. It’s not hard to go back because we just have to run straight, and we will reach the sea in no time. However, just a few meters from there, we heard a loud bang in the area. It gunshots! The second prince hid me behind his back.
“They might already encounter the men who detained us.”
“We should be careful— Thyme!” I unconsciously grasped his shoulder. It’s Konsam! His white sando is covered in blood; he was injured. He pointed his sharp weapon at us while wearing his crazy smile.
“What a lucky day! I didn’t know we hit birds; you both better come to me if you don’t want to be hurt!” He went insane! What’s he saying?
"Whoever is in the right mind will follow you." Prince Thyme went into his defensive mode.
“Your Highness, don’t be impulsive. Let’s just run off.”
“Shut it; I need to beat him before we go. This bastard gave us a hard time yesterday.”
“You talking as if you have no respect for anyone? Perhaps, you think he is a servant?”
“What are you talking about?” What is he saying? Why is he giving me goosebumps?
“That man is the—” My eyes widen when someone shoots his head in front of us.
“Long time, no see.” It's the pilot on the helicopter before! This time, he’s not alone. This man is the gunman who harmed Ren and me in the club! Right after, we saw another helicopter heading in our direction, and it was different from the earlier helicopter I saw.
“It's the royal helicopter; it has the royal symbols,” Thyme said. It means the helicopter we saw earlier is not the rescuers but the persons who are after me….
“What do you want?” I anxiously asked them, and they smirked.
“What else? Your existence is a nuisance. You should be dead.” Prince Thyme tightened his grip on my wrist.
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belated happy new year!
thank you for reading
(((o(*ﾟ∀ﾟ*)o)))