This story has honestly exceeded all of my expectations and then some. Most of the time, I just write because my friend wants to see something specific that doesn't seem to exist, so I do my best to make it exist. To believe this all started from a photo.

I'm not quite done with chapter 32 yet but I feel like you've waited enough for this.

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Junmyeon's POV

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It had been a few weeks since my first meeting with Hyeja, and to be honest I was still just as confused about my feelings now as I was then. The only difference now was the fact I'd gotten to know her a lot better. Amongst my busy schedule, I planned time a couple days a week to spend good quality time with her. As I suspected, she was a bit on the wild side, but that by no means diminished her charm.

She lived a life in her father's shadow as his oldest daughter. He'd been grooming her since she could walk on everything she'd ever need to know about keeping up with his empire. At the beginning, she was on board. She liked what he did. But as time passed, she began to despise the line of work, and wanted some kind of escape. Any kind. She'd tried talking directly to him, but that failed time and time again. He wasn't having it. She was the oldest. She had to fill his shoes some day.

"This is nice," she said as she settled beside me on the towels. I glanced up to her with a smile, leaning back on my hands, feeling them sink into the soft sand. God the last time I'd been to the beach was years ago. And today was a good reminder of why that was a bad idea. Cold water, soft sand, cool sea breeze... Let's just say I could feel a lot of stress melting away. "And you're sure no one is going to bother us?" she asked. "It's not like you easily blend into a crowd."

"No one will bother us," I assured her. "My family owns this stretch of beach. We have for generations. We're free to do whatever we want here." I gazed around. "I haven't been here since I was a preteen," I told her. "There was just never any time for this sort of thing. But I didn't know how much I missed it until today."

"I totally understand being busy," she commented. "Father keeps me plenty busy these days. The only reason I've been able to see you so frequently is because of the fact you're king. Otherwise I'm sure he wouldn't allow it at all."

"Such a shame too," I said. "A lot of people are missing out on meeting a wonderful girl." She blushed, a rarity from her, and ducked her head. "Seriously though, you're very lovely," I complimented. "And if your father is so strict with you that he can't see that, it's his loss, not yours."

"Ah, you praise me too much," she mumbled. "But thank you." The strangest part of this whole ordeal was that I meant every word of it. I did genuinely find her to be a lovely girl. I wasn't sure what it was about her exactly, but I was drawn to her like a bee to honey. "Also, a beach date," she added. "How cliche."

"Just because it's cliche doesn't mean it doesn't work," I told her. "Though to be fair, I also set us up a reservation at Jungsik's for tonight. Eight pm. That's why I asked you to bring something formal today as well."

"Ooo, look at you Mr. Fancy pants," she said. But the wide grin on her face told me she was excited about it. "You've been so good to me the last few weeks," she continued without missing a beat. "Private beaches, fancy restaurants, home cooked meals, it's all been so much. Thank you. You don't have to go to this much trouble you know."

"Oh hush," I scolded. "Any guy would be crazy not to treat your lavishly. Only the very best for you." What was I saying? This didn't sound like me at all. What about Yixing? What about the only love of my life? "Shall we pack up and head back to the palace to get ready?" I asked her, avoiding facing my feelings for now.

"Sure," she said. We rose as one, folding the towels and packing away anything extra we'd brought into a large beach bag. I twined my fingers with hers as we began the trek back to the limo. My phone rang somewhere at the bottom of the bag. I glanced down with a sigh, letting go of her hand and rifling through the bag. "Who is it?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, it's just Yixing," I said, ignoring the call and throwing my phone back in the bag. "I'll talk to him later." Yes, she knew about him. It would be impossible to hide him entirely. Especially when my pajamas of choice were still sleep pants and his shirt, so well worn now that the picture on the front was nearly gone.

"If you're sure," was all she said. I took her hand in mine again. I would have to remember to call Yixing back later. Right now, I had a date to impress.

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Yixing's POV

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"Love you too," I droned sarcastically when the phone rang a few times and I was sent to voicemail. "And thanks for ignoring my call for the FIFTH DAY ON A ROW!" I heavily debated slamming my phone against the wall. After all, it wasn't like money was an issue. I could easily replace it. But I decided against it. Throwing kindergarten level tantrums wouldn't help. "Gah what's got him so busy he can't answer my calls?" I asked to no one in particular. I sighed. I'd been craving talking to him for days now. I wanted to hear his voice so bad.

"Dude." I didn't even look up when Tao burst through my doors. Not like telling him off for it ever did any good anyway. "You'll never believe what was just sent to the shop." Now my curiosity was piqued in a big way. Any time Tao mentioned his father's "shop" he was talking about the press. Tao's fingers flew across his iPad screen. "I almost couldn't believe it when I saw it," he rambled. "I thought maybe someone photo shopped some of these. But we had them tested and they're real." He shoved the iPad at me. It took a moment to process what I was seeing.

"It's Junmyeon," I said, more than a little confused. "But who's that with him?" Tao shrugged just as my phone rang. "What is it Luhan?" I asked without even looking at who was calling. I knew his ringtone.

"Junmyeon is giving a public address," he hurriedly explained. "It's being broadcast all over the globe for some reason. But you need to see this." I looked around wildly for my remote, snatching it up and turning on the TV opposite my bed.

"...And I'm sure some of you have already seen this, thanks to our...lovely... paparazzi." He glared to something off camera. "But I wanted to make it official, so there's no more speculation." A girl joined him at his podium. "This is Kim Hyeja. I'm sure many of you know her father, Kim Sangwoo. And as of today, my girlfriend."

"A girlfriend?" I asked in disbelief, gazing at the screen as Junmyeon leaned over and pecked her cheek as the crowd went absolutely nuts. Tao glanced sideways at me, eyes wide. "Must explain why he's been ignoring me then." I turned the TV off.

"I was in the staff longue and happened to look up and see him," Luhan explained, the noise in the background fading as he must've left. "I had no idea that was what was going on." A pause. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I lied. "It's not like I ever had a claim on him or anything. Good for him. I'm happy." If I was so happy for him, then why did it feel like I was trying to swallow a small rock? "It's good, really, because then he won't be hung up on me anymore."

"I suppose so," Luhan replied. "Well, if you need to talk, you know where to find me." I nodded even though he couldn't see me. Luhan hung up. I held the phone away from my head, debating the pros and cons of hurling it off my balcony. Just as decided against it my phone rang again.

"Did you see?" Ying Yue asked as soon as I answered. "I didn't even know he was seeing someone. But oh she's so pretty. Good for him."

"What is this, hot gossip hour?" I questioned to no one. "Yes I saw. Everyone on the planet saw. I didn't know he was seeing someone either." In fact, it kind of pissed me off. Clearly this happened after the last time I'd stayed there and we'd kept in good contact again. He didn't mention it once. "But it is good for him. It's about time he found someone to help him run the country."

"You say you're happy," Ying Yue replied. "But there's an edge to your voice. Are you sure you're happy?" I sighed. No. No, I wasn't happy. Not at all. But it wasn't like there was anything I could do about it. I'd picked my fate; it was cruel to ask him to wait around for something he'd never get. "I have a question Xing. Do you...like Junmyeon?"

"Of course I like Junmyeon," I replied, my heart rate accelerating at an alarming pace. "He's a great friend." A pause on the other end of the line.

"Not what I meant and you know it," was all she said. I grew quiet, and I guess my silence was all the answer she needed. "Why did you never tell me?" she asked. "I don't want to be the cause of your unhappiness."

"Darling, no," I scolded gently. "I never told you anything because it's an unimportant matter. Whatever silly feelings I thought I had are long gone." Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. "Besides, he's my past; you're my present and my future."

"You really are hopelessly romantic aren't you," she replied. "Well I just called to see if you'd caught that. Father said we're expecting guests soon. I'd better get going. See you later Xing."

"Take care darling. I'll call you back later." And both of us hung up. I turned my attention to Tao, who'd been completely silent through this whole thing. "What do you think of all of this?" I asked him.

"It's a good thing?" Though the way he said it made it sound more like a question than it should have been. "From what you've told me it appeared the last time you were face to face with him he was still hung up on you, right? Wouldn't it be a good thing if he is finally managing to move on?" Curse Tao for having a logical point for once.

"Yeah yeah," I mumbled, sinking down onto my bed. "I guess..." I paused, trying to collect my thoughts. The bed dipped slightly as Tao sat beside me. "I dunno. Maybe I liked the fact he was still so stuck on me. It meant he cared. Now it doesn't seem like either."

"That's not true," Tao protested without any way of proving it. "As I said, from what you told me, you were like his favorite person to ever walk the earth. I doubt he'd stop caring for you out of the blue." A slight pause. "What's your favorite memory of him?"

"Just lying down together at night," I answered truthfully. "That's my favorite part. Because no one was busy. Because no one cared. And every night I stayed there, we were together. I'd grown so used to having him there that for a few days afterwards when I'd wake up I'd expect to see him there. But he never was. And I miss it."

"Miss it?" Tao asked, keen hearing not missing a thing. "Don't you mean missed it?"

"Kinda," I replied. "I still kinda miss it some days. Just having someone close. Just having him close." I sighed. "But as I said that's in the past. I have a country to think about. And as much as I may have wanted it at one point, Junmyeon isn't a part of it's future."

"That's tragic," Tao said. "Out of everyone in the world you fall in love with the, then, prince of Korea. You should sell that as a drama plot some day. It would make a killing."

"Yes, let me profit off my heartbreak," I said with an eye roll. "Honestly Tao does your brain ever slow down, even for a second?" He shook his head. "Didn't think so. That's alright. I wouldn't change you."

"Thanks. Hey, did we still want to go to the carnival?" he asked. "Because if so we'd better get going." I laughed and shook my head. Leave it to him to switch topics so quickly. But I was kind of grateful. Because I feared if I continued to talk about Junmyeon like that, I'd long for something I could no longer have.

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It's hot out. Oooo I should get the Jimin fan my friend got me for my birthday. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!