♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

A petite seven year old sits in the garden. Her silky black hair only reaches the middle of her back, and she can't wait to grow it longer.

A boy walks towards her, and he's older by a year. He smiles widely when he stops in front of her, and reaches out a hand.

"Do you want to play?" He asks.

The girl looks up at him and nods, smiling. She takes his hand and stands up, and they both run.

An older boy watches them, hiding behind a tree. Must be great, he thinks, to have the courage to ask a beautiful girl to play with you. He's amazed at his younger brother's socializing skills.

He watches the girl run and laugh, her long hair flying behind her, her innocent giggles filling the place.

♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

"Yisun seems like a nice girl," The older brother says.

"She is!" Eight year old Seokjin replies. "She's cute and fun."

"Can you... " Namjoon gulps. "Can you introduce me to her?"

"Sure!" Seokjin cheers. "You can come and play with us next time!"

♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

A five year old runs through the palace, his little feet hurriedly following each other. He makes his way to his mother, stumbling once he reaches.

The mother smiles and holds him up. "What is it, baby?"

"Mum, can you play with me?" He asks, his eyebrows raised and his small hands intertwined infront of him.

She chuckles. "I would love to, but I'm busy right now. Why don't you go and play with your brothers?"

The boy pouts. "They don't want me to play with them."

"Of course they do," She says, waving him off, "Now go and play with them."

The boy nods anyway and runs to his next destination, his brother's room. He stands on the edge of his toes to turn the doorknob, then pushes the door and runs inside.

"I want to play with you!" He says, running over to the other two.

"We're not playing, Tae." Seokjin rolls his eyes sassily. "We're reading."

"You can read with us," Namjoon smiles.

"I want to read!"

Seokjin sighs. "You can't read."

"I can!"

"Then read this."

Taehyung runs over, looking at the book. He points at the letters. "O, N, C, E."

"What does that say?" Seokjin asks.

"Apple!" Taehyung says.

Namjoon laughs, and Seokjin face-palms.

"Go and learn how to read first." Seokjin teases.

Taehyung puts his hands on his hips. "I SAID I CAN READ!"

"Taehyung, no yelling." Namjoon warns.

The younger boys glares and runs out, running back to his mother. He approaches her and cries, and she picks him up, humming a lullaby.

♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

Taehyung hums a lullaby at the age of seven, and Seokjin, three years older, sits at a desk, writing something on a piece of paper.

"Do you want to play?" The younger asks.

"Not today," Seokjin says nonchalantly.

Taehyung frowns. "Why not?"

"I have plans."

"What will you do?"

"After I'm done," He starts, "It'll be time for one of my classes, and I have to meet my professor. After that, I'll read with Namjoon, then we'll meet Yisun tonight."

"After that?" Taehyung asks.

"I'll be tired and I'll sleep."

"What about me?" Taehyung asks.

"What about you?" Seokjin looks up at his brother, who just stares blankly.

"Nothing," He says, and leaves the room, humming a song.

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"I'll be the best king in the world!" Seokjin says.

"I will be!" Namjoon replies.

The King chuckles. "Yes, you will be. I have faith in both of you. You might be even better kings than me!"

"No way!" Namjoon gasps.

"I will be a better king," Seokjin says, a playful smile on his face.

"What about Taehyung?" Namjoon asks.

"He'll be a horrible king!" Seokjin says, "He eats grass"

"Don't say that about your brother," The King says, "He'll be as good as you."

The two little princes leave, and stays the King and Queen.

"I'm worried about Taehyung," He says, "He's... "

"A little foolish, I know." The Queen nods. "He might not be as wise as his brothers, but he has a good heart."

"Only a good heart isn't enough." The King shakes his head. "I know what it takes. Taehyung... I don't want him to take the throne."

The Queen turns her head to him. "How can you differentiate between your sons like that? They all deserve the throne."

The King shakes his head again. "They all have the right to inherit the throne, but they don't all deserve it."

And little Taehyung stands afar, hidden, but he can clearly hear their words, and a tear escapes his eye.

♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

It's the second prince's, Seokjin, sixteenth birthday party.

Yisun searches for him, and stops when she finds him talking with boys his age, and she overhears.

"That Choi Yisun, though." One of the boys chuckle. "She pretends to belong to the Royal Family, she's daughter of Baron and Baroness for God's sake."

The boys laugh, and Seokjin gives a weak smile.

"What, Seokjin? No way you're friends with that girl."

"Huh?" Seokjin looks at them and gulps. "Umm... no."

"Right, a prince like you should never be friends with someone like her."

Yisun's heart aches and she walks away, her eyes teary. She isn't mad they make fun of her, she's mad her best friend doesn't stand up for her and denies their long friendship.

She walks out to the garden and stumbles over a rock. She curses and rubs her dirty hands, her tears blurring her vision.

A hand is stretched out to her. She looks up, her tears now on her cheeks.

Namjoon smiles at her, his dimples showing.

♤♡◇♧♧◇♡♤

"I'm sorry," She whispers.

Yisun is a grown woman now, and in front of her stands a man, a few years older.

"Namjoon," She starts, "Thank you so much, for having the courage to do so, but I can't... "

"You can't love me back," He says, slowly nodding, a sad smile on his face.

"It's not you." She shakes her head. "Please don't think of it that way. I just... I can't see you as anything more than a friend. I'm very sorry, Namjoon, Iㅡ"

"It's alright," He cuts her off, "I can't force feelings on someone. I hope you find a man you'll love, who will love you as much as I do."

"Or even more, if possible," He chuckles.

"I feel better now," He adds, "That I told you how I feel."

She smiles, and he smiles back, crumbling the letter in his left hand, behind his back, with her name scribbled on it.

To My Love, Choi Yisun

And the very next day, news are announced to the whole kingdom.

Prince Namjoon of Korea, first heir to the throne, is dead.