"Is it your birthday sometime soon?" Eric asked Dayeong, tossing her a dry towel as they exited the pool, going to sit near Juyeon and Chanmi. They would be close enough for Juyeon and Chanmi to hear their conversation and chime in if they could. He wished once again that they could just all sit and talk comfortably, but they couldn't. "There aren't any records that show your actual birthdate, but everyone is certain it's this month." 

"It is this month," she said, sitting on one of the lounge chairs and putting on sunglasses. "It's today, actually." 

"Today?" Eric said. He'd been about to sit down too but jumped right back up when she said that. "Why didn't you say anything?" 

She smiled, leaning back on her chair. "I don't like to make a fuss," she said simply. 

"Yeah... but we could still do something," Eric protested. "Something small. I should go tell the chefs to prepare a cake-" 

Dayeong laughed, shaking her head at him. "Really, don't bother," she insisted. "I'm fine without cake-" 

"But I'm not," Eric interrupted. "So we're having cake. Come on... there has to be something you want," he said, going to sit beside her. 

She looked at him, then at Juyeon and Chanmi, her eyes becoming thoughtful. "There is something," she muttered. "But I would need to ask your parents. And I-" 

"Let's go!" Eric said, grabbing her arm and pulling her up. She pulled her hand away and when he looked at her, he realized that her face had paled, and she looked nervous. "Or... we don't have to... are you okay?" 

"Here," Juyeon said, stepping forward and handing her a bottle of water. 

"I'm alright," she said, taking a sip of water and handing the bottle back to Juyeon. "Just nervous to ask your parents, that's all," she said, laughing and shaking her head at herself. "Let's go?" she asked, linking her arm with Eric's as they began to walk. 

They'd settled into this comfortable relationship. Eric didn't want to say anything, because he didn't know if she felt the same, but he was starting to think of her as his best friend. To their Kingdoms, it looked like they were in love. But really, he just felt so comfortable around her. She understood what it was like to be in his position and was equally frustrated about it. She was easy to be around and though he hadn't yet mustered the courage to tell her that he was dating Chanmi, he got the feeling that she'd be cheering them on. In the same sense, he was curious about who she had a crush on because he wanted to help set them up. 

They walked into the Palace and through the hallways until they reached his parent's office, and he knocked. 

"Who is it?" his dad called. 

"Eric and Dayeong!" he called back. 

"Come in." 

Chanmi and Juyeon opened the doors for them, and Eric and Dayeong walked inside, arm in arm. When the King and Queen looked up to see them, giant smiles appeared on their faces. Of course, they were happy. They looked like a picture-perfect couple. 

If only they knew. 

"What can we do for you?" his father asked. 

"It's Dayeong's birthday today, and she has a request..." Eric said, stepping back to let her take it away. 

Dayeong stepped forward, dropping into a graceful curtsy in front of his parents. "Eric offered to throw me a big party, but I declined that offer," she started, her voice going into Princess mode. He smiled to himself, thinking about the number of times he'd had to do that the past few months. It felt like he was always putting on a show for everyone else, and watching her felt like seeing a mirror image of himself. 

"If I may, I would like to do something smaller, and much more casual," she said. "A no rules and no cameras day," she said, finally raising her head to look at the King and Queen. "Since I've grown up so sheltered, Eric is the first friend I've had, besides my brother and my guards. Although I haven't become friends with guards Juyeon and Chanmi," she said, lying effortlessly, "I feel safe and comfortable around them. It is my wish that the four of us be allowed to have the day to spend naturally as if we were a group of friends. A day with no rules and no cameras," she said again, looking hopefully at the King and Queen. "Is it possible for that to be arranged?" 

His parents were silent for a minute and Eric saw Dayeong move her hands behind her back. He noticed her hands were in fists, her knuckles turning white. 

"That's a very easy request," his father said after a moment. "Of course, that can be arranged. But are you sure you wouldn't like anything else?" 

"Cake!" Eric blurted out. "At the end of the day, we should all hang out in my room and have cake. Deal?" he said, looking around. Chanmi and Juyeon's faces were expressionless, of course, but Dayeong smiled at his words. 

The Queen laughed, nodding in agreement. "Alright, you kids go and have a fun day. You'll need some guards other than Chanmi and Juyeon to follow you though... Can you arrange that?" she said, looking at Chanmi, who nodded. "And as for no pictures, that's alright, on one condition. At the end of the day you guys, Eric and Dayeong I mean, have to get dressed in formal clothes and take a birthday photoshoot together. Okay? We'll prepare something nice, and send it out to the press. Is that alright?" she asked, though it wasn't really a question. She was the Queen, and what she said was basically an order. 

Dayeong curtsied again. "Thank you, Your Majesty." 

They said their goodbyes and left the room. 

"Dayeong, you're actually the best," Eric said as soon as they were in the hallway. "That was the best idea ever." 

She laughed, her formal Princess composure leaving here and there she was... just normal Dayeong again. 

"You're going to hurt yourself like that," Juyeon said gently, gesturing to Dayeong's hands, which were still balled in fists. 

"Oh, right," she said, slowly opening her fists. "I'm fine, don't worry. Now, do you have bathing suits?" she asked, looking at Chanmi and Juyeon expectantly. "Let's go back to the pool, and this time you guys can swim too!"