Pre-chapter announcement - This story will be going into irregular updates until further notice (so I can focus on Horizon and I didn't expect the change in my job to take up so much of my time.) I hope that you all will understand <3 Don't worry, this story isn't going away! :) Just no schedule!

Wooyoung is being led down to the great room of the castle by his guards, Yeosang close by his side still adjusting parts of his suit and fixing his hair as they walk.

"Today is the day, Prince Wooyoung," Yeosang says with a hopeful smile.

Wooyoung nods, unable to stop the erratic thumping of his heartbeat as they get closer and closer to the great room. He knows that inside will be all the suitors his mother and father chose for him, and with that, he knows there will be a few bad apples that his mother chose specifically.

"Can't you see my joy-ridden face?" Wooyoung says with a faux smile, but he quickly lets it fall back to his neutral expression.

Yeosang shakes his head, "Let's try to think positively, my prince. You can at least look forward to... the special dinner that Mingi planned for tonight," He says, referring to Wooyoung actually going to meet San tonight, but with all the guards around, he chooses his words carefully.

Wooyoung shows a genuine smile on his face as they now enter the great room, his mind full of San and where they could possibly be going this evening.

"Ah, he's finally arrived," King Hongjoong exclaims with a happy tone, the Queen behind him with a sinister expression on her face that she masks with the copious amounts of accessories and makeup adorning her hair and face.

"It's about time," Queen Siyeon hums, going up to Wooyoung, "I think you'll enjoy the ones we have chosen for you, right, darling" She asks, turning her head back towards her husband at the end of her question.

Wooyoung sees his father nod and his attention drifts to the six suitors standing all together, staring back at him.

Wooyoung examines all six of them, seeing an even split of three women and three men. He's happy that they had tried to make it a fair competition for his hand, but Wooyoung's known he's always noticed men much more than he's ever noticed women, so he takes in the men's appearances a bit more closely.

He first observes a man about his height with chocolate brown hair that lays covering his forehead completely, but his face looks kind. His stature looks well-defined with his fabric of his suit tugging slightly around his biceps, showing how toned he must be beneath it all. His eyes fall onto the man's hands, and he knows that he must work hard, as they're calloused.

Wooyoung's eyes trail over to see a man slightly shorter than him with a similar haircut as the first, but his hair is as black as the night sky. He has this intimidating aura about him and his resting state looks to be a frown, noticing how his lips curve downward. His stature looks built, but his suit is quite a bit looser, so he cannot distinguish much of his body features aside from when his eyes venture to his legs, seeing that he has thicker thighs than the normal man.

He feels pretentious judging these men as they're all standing right there, but he wants to know what kind of person he will be talking to. The way a person looks and carries themselves can tell a lot about their personality, he's found.

Finally, he's come to the last man, him being much taller than the previous two. His coltish stature makes sense as to why his suit looks to fit perfectly, but the legs ride up just enough to see the start of his black socks. His face reveals him to be nervous, his eyes constantly shifting back and forth as if he doesn't know how much eye contact he's allowed to make.

"Hello, Prince Wooyoung, my name is Choi Jongho," The first boy that Wooyoung observed steps up and bows to him, which Wooyoung returns.

The second boy introduced himself as Seo Changbin, and the third boy as Son Seongjun. The only one out of the women that seemed to care enough to be there was Hwang Yeji. The other two were less than memorable, and Wooyoung had immediately taken them, and the tall and lanky boy out of the running.

"We're going to have the Prince take a few minutes alone with each of you to get to know your personalities."

Wooyoung goes to sit in a separate room that he was told to be in, and the suitors would be brought in one at a time.

He felt nervous, but who wouldn't be when your future spouse was one of three people he was about to talk to. Wooyoung knew he had to pick one of them, but his heart would always belong to San, no matter his choosing.

Wooyoung relaxes back in his seat, his mind being taken away by thoughts of seeing San later that night. His mind starts to enter more interesting territory when he imagines the feeling of San's lips on his own, knowing that they would slot together perfectly.

"Excuse me, Prince?"

Wooyoung quickly looks up and sees a shorter man enter the room and sit down across from him.

"I hear that we finally have some alone time together?" The man says, and Wooyoung remembers that this man's name was Seo Changbin. He looks at Wooyoung with a smirk crossing his lips, "You look mighty handsome in that suit of yours, I must say."

"Ah, thank you," Wooyoung says, but he's not given a lot of time to say much else since Changbin takes hold of the conversation immediately.

"The pleasure is all mine," Changbin winks and crosses his legs, "Do you enjoy cooking?"

Wooyoung is surprised by the man's forwardness, and at first, he's unsure of what to think about it, "I do, actually. That's the final lesson that I'm finishing up."

"You should cook me something sometime," Changbin chuckles and leans on his elbow on the table to lessen the distance between him and Wooyoung.

Wooyoung laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, "We'll have to see. I wouldn't want to give you food poisoning."

"I thought you said you were good at cooking, my Prince?"

"I enjoy cooking... Good, however, is... Up for interpretation," Wooyoung smiles playfully, remembering the time when he actually did give Mingi food poisoning. He's sure he's gotten much better, though. Maybe he could cook something for San one day, Wooyoung thinks, the smile not leaving his face.

Changbin chuckles once again, a hidden smirk still behind his innocent sounding laughter, "I'd love to... interpret it," he says, but is interrupted by the last standing woman in the group, Hwang Yeji.

"Your time's up, shorty," Yeji snickers, walking over to the table with a sway in her hips.

Changbin narrows his eyes at the pretty young woman, standing up, but looking back at Wooyoung with a more friendly face, "I hope to see you soon, my Prince," he hums, leaning down and placing a kiss to the top of Wooyoung's hand.

"What a schmoozer," Yeji says, sitting down where Changbin was once sitting, "Don't tell me you were actually considering that con?"

Wooyoung is surprised by Yeji's strong personality upon first meeting, "I don't believe I'll make any solid decisions today, or the next day, for that matter-" He mumbles the last part and it causes Yeji to giggle.

"I'm glad to hear that, Prince. So, what do you like to do? You know, since we're supposed to get to know each other and all," Yeji leans back in the chair and crosses her legs.

"I like to learn," Wooyoung starts, "And to read... And now that I'm saying out loud what I like, I'm realizing I sound quite boring."

Yeji rubs her thumb under her chin, "Not at all. What do you like to read?"

"Romance."

"Ah, you're one of those," Yeji smiles, "I know that you said you wouldn't make a decision today, but you've already made some. There's already only three of us left and deep down, you likely already know which one of us you're going to choose. Just like the authors of romance already know who will end up with who, right?"

Wooyoung nods, listening intently to what Yeji is saying to him.

"I'm willing to bet you haven't even met with the one you're going to choose," she winks, "There's reason for each person you picked, my Prince. Even if you don't know it consciously," she hums, looking around the room a bit before letting her eyes fall back onto Wooyoung, "I didn't mean to get so philosophical on you, but I'm someone that likes to observe people and their actions, you see... And that man before me seemed- hmm, how should I put this? Shady."

"You know, my Lady, you do have a lot to say about others, but tell me about yourself more. You like to observe, so why is that?" Wooyoung wonders, having never met someone as open to smear others so easily.

"The kingdom isn't as cushy and plush as you might perceive it from this castle, Prince Wooyoung. There's a lot of deceit and malevolence around here, and especially secrets. Many people know how to put on a front, but you need to learn how to see past that and understand who they really are. You said you like to learn, so I know you'll be able to figure out what I'm trying to get you to see."

Wooyoung nods slowly, his brain processing all of this information as she spouts it.

"Learning and reading are what you like, so you must learn how to read," Yeji finishes, interlocking her fingers on her crossed legs.

Wooyoung is about to say more, but the last boy enters the room with them.

Choi Jongho, if he remembers correctly.

"Well, I guess my time is up," Yeji stands, "Just think about what I said, my Prince," she smiles towards him and gives him a small wave as she exits, happy with her work well done.

Wooyoung finds himself looking over Jongho more critically after the conversation he just had with Lady Yeji, "It's nice to finally meet you one-on-one, Lord Jongho."

Jongho smiles brightly, his upper lip curling up a bit further to expose his gums and it makes him look more childish, "Yes, my Prince, it's nice to meet you like this. I remember briefly seeing you at the Spring Festivals, but this is much nicer."

Wooyoung nods with a smile, happy that someone of similar age was thrown into the mix for him. He sees how stiff his posture looks and realizes that he must be feeling nervous, "You can relax, I'm no one scary."

"I beg to differ, my Prince. You could order to have my head at any moment, and it would happen," Jongho jokes, trying his best to lighten the mood for himself.

"You know, all day I've been called by my title, and I've always disliked it... Please, just Wooyoung is fine. I won't 'have your head' as you would say, for it, either."

Wooyoung just wanted to feel normal amongst all of the abnormality that is this situation he's in. Of course, it's not so abnormal for the majority of people of his age or status, but for him? It's exceptionally uncomfortable. He knows that the only way he's made it this far today was the promising thoughts of seeing San.

It's almost time, Wooyoung thinks to himself. Just a bit longer.

Jongho's eyes noticeably widen at Wooyoung's request, "Are you positive?"

Wooyoung returns his question in a single nod.

"Act as if I'm one of your friends back home," Wooyoung suggests.

Jongho laughs, "No, no, I could never do that. You would surely have my head for that," he insists.

Wooyoung can't help but chuckle and shake his head, "What did I say about that?"

Jongho takes a breath and nods, "Right. Well, are you having a good day, Prin- Wooyoung?"

"I would say it's been well, but it's going to be even better tonight," Wooyoung answers honestly, hoping that his sincere reply will open up the boy a bit.

Jongho does ease, letting himself relax back into the chair, "Really? Why is that?"

"I'm going out," Wooyoung smiles happily as he thinks about San, "But what about you? Are you having a good day?"

"It's been quite exhausting, if I'm honest... We've been travelling all day since I live a while away, but we're staying in the city while we're here. I'm not looking forward to the trip back though," Jongho hums.

"I can't remember the last time I travelled so far, but I'm sure your back is not feeling up to par. Am I right?" Wooyoung asks, worried about the long journey Jongho had taken to be here today.

Jongho nods and sighs, "Naturally," he groans as he tries to crack his back with the chair he's sitting in, "There's this one knot that I cannot get out for the life of me, Wooyoung."

Wooyoung smiles, happy to see him actually treating him like one of his friends, "I could send my physician to you. I'm sure he could help out your back a lot, he's a miracle worker with ailments of the body."

"Really? You would do that?" Jongho asks excitedly, sitting up more in his seat.

"Of course."

A turning of the doorknob puts a halt to their conversation as the door is opened by King Hongjoong and Queen Siyeon, his father coming over to the two boys first, with his mother in tow.

"I'm afraid that this is all the time we have for today, Lord Jongho. We, especially my son, hope to see you back in the castle soon. Thank you for coming today," King Hongjoong announces and bids Jongho goodbye, seeing him out, while Queen Siyeon stays behind for a few moments to give Wooyoung one of her sinister smirks.

Later that night, Wooyoung is laying under his covers still fully dressed, awaiting for his guard to do his final check-in with him before he 'goes to sleep' for the night.

He put on a flowy white dress shirt and sleek grey slacks before getting into bed, feeling a little nervous about his choice in shirt because of how it hangs on him. It allows for his collarbones to breathe and puts his neck on show. Wooyoung hasn't missed the way San's eyes especially notice any exposed skin of his, and it always sets his heart ablaze. As well as... Other parts of him, but he shouldn't be thinking about those salacious thoughts that invade his mind so late into the night.

He hears his bedroom door slowly up, revealing his night guard in lesser armor than the normal day guards - presumably to be more comfortable standing outside his room all night.

"Are you all settled for the night, Prince?" The night guard asks and Wooyoung replies in a subtle nod.

"Yes, thank you. I hope you're well for the rest of the evening," Wooyoung says, a soft smile on his face towards the guard after he wishes him a good night.

The guard checks around the room a bit before leaving, but as soon as the bedroom door clicks shut, Wooyoung uncovers himself and slips out of his warm bed. He tiptoes carefully over to the hidden door, looking back out his window to judge how high the moon is in the sky.

San should be there already, Wooyoung thinks as he enters the hidden door and starts making his way out of the castle. When he opens the door to the outside, a cool breeze gusts into him, blowing his hair back and the hair on his body instantly stands up.

"Woo, you look so handsome," San's voice echoes through the night, breaking the silence of the night that surrounds them.

Wooyoung looks up at San with doe eyes and the way the moonlight shines onto his face makes his cheeks heat up, "As do you," Wooyoung replies, the breath coming from his mouth visible in the air.

"Let's go," San smiles, taking Wooyoung's hand in his own as he leads him off into the night, and Wooyoung follows him, trusting him fully. The thrill of where San will take him makes his heart race, but, of course, that's not the only reason his heart is pounding like it is...

Wooyoung's mind glows with this hazy dreamlike view of the back of San while they walk and he focuses on the feeling of San's hand in his own, knowing that this is something he would want to feel for the rest of his life if he could.

End of Chapter Ten