─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝Ocean, desert, the world. Everything is the same thing. Different name. I see ocean, I see desert, I see the world. Everything is the same thing. But with a different name. It's life again ❞ — RM, BTS, Sea

🌹

C H A P T E R   F O U R

"Thank you."

"Have you finished using the shower?" The raven-haired asks. Changmin's hand slams the stall's walls, stopping Youngjae. 

"Hurry up, I thought you were taking a quick one," the short boy says. The raven-haired stops walking, takes steps back, muddled. He was pretty sure he saw a pair of feet in the shower stalls.

Changmin and Youngjae argued over how to not let the wolf boy get caught in any misfortunate entanglements at the moment, and after ten seconds, the blonde figured the brunette was right about his strength. 

Now Youngjae holds Changmin in his arms bridal style, chest rising then falling. He never thought he would be here standing in the shower stalls all the while with the brunette clinging onto him, arms wrapped around his shoulder. It could be said the same for the author. Changmin takes in the firm outline of Youngjae's nose just above his pink lips along his flushed cheeks complimenting the cinnamon sprinkled eyes that are looking anywhere but at him, blonde hair pushed back and the little baby hair sticking to his forehead. 

His eyes fall to where a rose ink design laid drawn on his arm.

Youngjae has a rose tattoo? Why don't I remember this? 

It wouldn't hurt asking why he has that particular tattoo, would it? I should probably ask when the time is right.

In the music room, a gush of wind picks up the curtains and swims inside while the Moon crown prince sits on the piano's seat, lips downward, eyes boring into the white keyboard of the instrument he is supposed to learn but came to enjoy playing. 

Everyone knows Kevin for his divine piano playing skills, his euphoric smile, and a positive mindset.

Kevin was not always positive.

He wanted the people and his loved ones around him to be happy and if it meant for him to tuck his worries deep into a blanket full of emotions, erase that frown on his face, and be himself which is attentive, kind, and considerate then he wouldn't mind like his childhood friend whom he parted with a long time ago.

Sometimes Kevin wondered if Jacob had lost the brightness he once shined ever since they left one another for a reason he can't just bring his mind to understanding. What exactly was the reason for the sudden split? When Kevin thought about it hard, usually late nights during the weekends, he compared this split similar to Anna's and Elsa's from Disney's FROZEN.

And then Kevin would laugh because if their parting was similar to the royal siblings then he should not have to get worked up about it, knowing when the time was right they will meet again.

"Younghoon! This misunderstanding between you and Youngjae must resolve and you guys should reconcile soon, otherwise, things will get worse for Youngjae. I don't think this is such a big deal to make off and just so you know students are bullying Youngjae. He couldn't sleep last night. Yesterday at the swimming class, someone stole his towel and he got locked in the stall. If this continues, worse things can occur. Youngjae's drawing and notes for medicine were even ripped!" 

Kevin puts a hand on Younghoon's shoulder, frowns at the downcasted face of his best friend's, everything about him miserable, and everything about Youngjae miserable.

Kevin wanted to make things right again.

"Is there anything I don't know at this point? Youngjae even deceived me."

Younghoon's other friends grab ahold of Kevin and drag him out of the music room as the dark brunette yells, "I'm telling you! This silly misunderstanding must be resolved! Youngjae only wants to be friends with you, nothing else, I know so!"

Younghoon watches his best friend being dragged away and nods at his other friend, telling him to continue practicing piano. He looks to the right, hearing a knock at the door where two bodyguards stand and the Sun crown prince, eyes moving around the room, then back to the Moon prince, sauntering towards him, hands tucked in the pants pockets. 

Hyunjae then smiles, asking if Younghoon has a Syrian zither to which the young boy agrees.

AT THE CHEMISTRY lab there is nothing but silence swimming, only but the sound of Youngjae's heartbeat drumming in his ears as he outlines the dissection of a white rabbit, focused eyes shifting from the animal back to the notebook, hands steady, sweat crawling across his forehead, and then his center of attention breaks.

Youngjae whirls around, eyes wide, heart racing. The pencil rolls out of his hand touching the ground like the sound of water dripping from the tap and brings his hands to his chest from the shattering noise of glasses flying across the floor.

"I wonder how much these graduated cylinder and beaks cost?" a playful yet unfriendly voice cocks his head to the side, eyebrow raised.

"I don't care if you break them," those words are lies and the wolf-boy knows that very well.

Another graduated cylinder breaks, reverberating off the walls and rings in the students' ears.

"You might not care but you are going to think what to say to the principal," the same boy hitters, grabbing his other friend by the arm and leaves the lab. He was right. Youngjae was not sure how he would explain to the principal other than mentioning the truth, however, would he believe him? Would anyone believe him since his identity was revealed and the fact he hurt Younghoon?

Changmin arrives at the chemistry lab, his eyes catching Youngjae's cinnamon-sprinkled ones that are now glimmering almost blurry from the tears forming, contrasting the smile plastering across his face.

"Do you also believe I created this mess? I should probably leave school, right?" Youngjae wipes off a tear gingerly, "Last time, at the bathroom . . . thank you."

He's been targetted everywhere recently. I couldn't be there for him. Maybe Youngjae should leave school for good if it means he doesn't get hurt. I don't think you did that by any means.

Sighing, Changmin turns around to leave Youngjae.

Was I too cold-hearted? Maybe I shouldn't have left him alone.

He hisses at the sudden pain throbbing around his knee, sits down on the floor, and holds his knee. The same boys including Younghoon arrive at the lab, telling the principal what Youngjae has done, he sighs in disappointment as Youngjae tries to tell the truth but no one listens.

And that's when Changmin knows he should not have turned around and left and just stand there and watch, realizing why he feels pain in his knee is because Youngjae's knee has been injured, a big blotch of blood around the skin there, walking out of the lab with Kevin to the nurse room. 

Why didn't I take care of him?

"Classmate, Son, I heard classmate Kim Younghoon and you aren't on good terms lately. Kim Younghoon's uncle was my mentor. Younghoon and I have been friends since childhood, so I understand him. He for sure, not the type to give others a hard time," Sunwoo reasons, also wanting this misunderstanding to resolve. 

While Sunwoo took care of Youngjae's injury, Hyunjae was walking across the nurse room and heard the conversation, then asked to have a chat with Younghoon, however, the Moon prince argued over his question, lastly, they parted on bad terms.

CHANGMIN'S NOSE is scrunched up, arms folded across his chest, sinking into the chair, his mind somewhere else, somewhere at the far back below his brain, questioning himself.

Is he a bad guy with a cold heart?

"If this series of misfortunate events continue, as long as Kim Younghoon and Lee Hyunjae don't exchange wedding rings and get married, you will not able to leave this world. I forgot to tell you something, by the way, please don't get mad at me," Yoongi says in a small voice, lips tugging into a nervous smile, a hint of tease glimmering in his laughing eyes.

"What is this new information, may I inquire?" Changmin says in a stern voice, eyebrow raised, his attention fully on the chief police officer, not letting any information slip from his hands if it meant for the mission.

"Uhh. . . well you see, if you make one more wrong move that results in a wave of thundering emotions and whenever the plot goes wrong. . . .  you will also transform into a wolf, but like not the whole transformation. You'll just have the ears and tails," he smiles sheepishly and then his eyes shut the way cats close their eyes due to fear when the brunette stands up right away, hands coming for the chief officer but sighs, dropping back onto the chair.

"Why that is quite helpful of you kind sir." 

"Don't mention it."

. . .

YOUNGJAE WHISTLES TO the tune of Handclap, swiping the floor of the swimming pool's room, memories during the evening's ball playing in his head like a movie and for some odd reason he smiles, although, he did not like the boy. Changmin still saved him, and he is here to protect him. It was funny how that worked.

Changmin hides behind the large and tall plant, watching Youngjae swipe the floor, thinking of a way to flow the plot of his manga. He had this remarkable idea, and it will totally bring the plot back on track. He waits for Youngjae to disappear and when he does, the brunette sprints near the pool, using the soap grasped in his hand, he moves the soap across the floor, hoping that Younghoon would slip, fall into the pool and that the hero, Hyunjae would save him.

Except it did not work out that way like his plans on a normal basis. His eyes follow the three figures entering the swimming class's room and stops at the sight of the wolf-boy. Kevin is rather jolly seeing Youngjae here. He invites him to swim with the three, however, Younghoon denies this, and when he starts walking, he slips, and lands in the pool.

Kim Younghoon cannot swim.

Flabberghasted, Youngjae walks back, readies himself, and then sprints, and dives into the swimming pool. He brings an arm around Younghoon's shoulder and another around his waist to help him out of the water, then lays him down, asking him to throw the water out of his mouth to which he does and push the blonde away.

And then there is Younghoon who appeared, hearing voices shout sounding like an emergency.

"I didn't ask for your help!"

"This is just a misunderstanding, Youngjae saved you from drowning," Kevin explains.

"Is—Is everyone alright?" Hyunjae manages to say, shocked, approaching the group of boys.

"It's you again! What do you want with me?" Younghoon says, breathing hard, not happy to see Hyunjae like he normally would.

"I'm just not used to see you being mean. . . . "

"Since when I was mean? Fine then, I, Kim Younghoon have become the evil witch and you and I should stay away from each other's matters, alright?"

Changmin is indeed shocked and honestly displeased with himself and hates the fact that the information Yoongi spoke of is in fact true because he feels something heavy and warm on his head, so he raises his hand, hoping to touch his head but instead, he grasped fluffy ears.

Ears.

Changmin whips his head over his shoulder, eyes round.

A tail.

He laughs nervously, rolls his eyes, and turns around to leave.

Oh wow, why am I not so so surprised? I hate my life and I hate this mission.

Changmin was called to the headmaster's office. He knows what would occur at the office and when he arrives he is not wrong. The headmaster asks what the author was trying to perform. Ashamed, he apologizes, reach for a hand, and shakes it at the flat smile on the headmaster's face.

"You're fired."

. . .

THE RESPECTIVE PROFESSOR who runs the nurse training program hands back the drawings and notes Youngjae. "I'm sorry but I cannot accept this resume and with these drawings and notes, I'm afraid you are not ready for the next step. Your test grades aren't that good either. If you want to be considered for the nurse training program, I recommend you brush up on your skills." Youngjae manages a small smile, takes his papers back, and leaves.  

He should have known.

"You not only separated the two crown princes but now they are on bad terms, and if they are, how are they going to get married any time soon? Must I remind you, if they do not marry, you cannot return back to the world? If Youngjae does not love and isn't loved in return either, you are hopeless. You are going to die at this point."

Yoongi finishes off, flipping through the manga. He sighs at Changmin who now lays in bed with a warm wet towel over his forehead, a thermometer clasped between his lips, a large blanket engulfing his body where his shoulders and chest are seen.

"94.2 degrees?"

"You're overthinking this, Youngjae just jumped into the pool."

Changmin turns the thermometer around. He laughs. "Oh, 24.9 degrees."

"I need your brain cells, Min Yoongi Genius. In case, you haven't known, I am sometimes very dumb or intelligent," Changmin almost pleads, sitting up straight, runs a hand through his tousled brown hair.

"You are the author, though. Should you not know what to do?"

"I don't know what to do!"

Silence.

If Seungah was here she would know what to do. Oh, right, you have the manga in your possession, use that to your ability, genius, author.

Changmin takes the manga from Yoongi and starts to flip through the pages, landing on the scene that just ended at the swimming pool. The brown in his eyes light up within the moment he comprehends Younghoon is looking for a personal assistant that will help him attend his duties and what he is in need of. 

That is where he finds himself: the royal castle's business's the waiting room. There are people ranging from students to adults, their heads swinging in the direction of a slender young boy, a cheeky smile sliding from ear to ear, and his cat-like eyes glowing.

"Thank you for taking interest in applying as the Sun crown pirnce's personal assistant in which you will help attend his duties and overall be there for him. Thank you for being patient with us and to those who have made it on time for the assessment to carry out congratulations. Now, let's allow the assessment to begin." Hyunjoon says in one breathe, all smiley. He saunters back to where Hyunjae is sitting, eyes concentrated on the people before him, and then gives the younger boy a small smile to proceed.

It begins rather quickly and ends shortly thereafter the required tasks are carried out: the pen exam, service, defense/resilience, lastly, the manners. Youngjae forgot to bring a pen while Changmin had. Service shouldn't be problematic but the poor wolf boy accidentally titled the teacup, almost pouring the hot sizzling drink onto the prince, Changmin blocked. 

Defense was something everyone needed in life. Youngjae apparently could not recover fast from getting hurt or participating in a difficult situation. Fighting too was not so so so pretty for the wolf boy as he was not attentive, his mind cooking up insults to fire at the brunette.

"Congratulations! You have succeeded in the requirements and tasks. You are officially the personal assistant of the Sun crown prince, Lee Hyunjae. Here is the book of important information over everything about our family's schedule you need to know." 

Hyunjoon proceeds to hand the booklet and Changmin takes it, joy washing over him this thrilling moment of defeating Youngjae to this silly game of winning the prince's heart.

"I'll start working tomorrow," Changmin walks away but stops turns on his heal and throws his best smile towards the royal knight, Hyunjoon, "No. I'll start working today!" Changmin says enthusiastically earning a satisfied grin from the knight. 

Youngjae mutters curse words under his breath and stomps his feet like a five-year-old before storming off. Changmin turns around seeing the blonde storm off and there's a satisfactory grin slipping across his face, dimples poking, eyes shining. 

Success! Changmin has his way with Youngjae. 

That stupid, silly, sugarplum prince thinks he can outsmart him and have ever so strategies enchanting the one and only god-creation, Lee Hyunjae. Oh, no, Youngjae is so wrong. 

Changmin is smart for once.

It is evening and the sun drowns beneath the majestic white clouds, a beautiful color of orange and pink painting the horizon as the last sunlight yawns, closes's it's bright eyes, and falls under the horizon, hoping, humans shall sleep soon. 

Lee Hyunjae signs the papers he has been asked. He sighs at more documents piling up, having no choice but to accept them from the other knights. 

"You're still working? Why don't you take a break, your royal highness? Here, these flowers are for you. Your fans brought them and they are lovely, refreshing too!" Changmin emphasizes the last words, wafting the sweet smell of red roses. He notices the papers that are sprawled on the prince's desk, pen in hand, eyes solely burning the white papers, tension obviously on his shoulders.

"I'll be done in ten minutes—" and if he could say one more thing it is replaced with the younger boy's small hands planted on his shoulders, fingers gripping there not too softly and not too firmly, eyes glaring into his dark honey ones.

"Let's go for a walk, Hyunjae."

And so the crown prince and the author walk together in silence heading for the elevator that opens, startling Hyunjae. He takes steps back after making eye contact with the other prince, looks at Changmin who has an amusing smile playing on his lips. 

Changmin pushes Hyunjae into the elevator and presses the button that will take them to the last floor and he waves to them. Pulling out the enchanted pen, his gaze drifts to the rectangular elevator's block.

He feels like a naughty kid who stole candy from the convenience shop.

The elevator begins to drop. Panicked, Younghoon hurries over. He grabs a fistful of Hyunjae's shirt and stands close as possible, heart racing, eyes shut, releasing short breathes, and gasps when he is pulled into the prince's warm chest, an arm coming around his back. 

"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay, we're not going to die. Don't be scared, I'm here, I'll keep you safe and get us out of here. Just promise me not to worry, okay?" 

Hyunjae tightens his grasp around Younghoon and brushes a comforting hand down his back, occasionally going back up, and unintentionally weaves through his brown locks.

His mother would run her hand through his hair to calm him down. Maybe that's why Hyunjae found himself doing the same with his fiance. 

Changmin is giggling and spinning around with the bouquet of roses grasped in his hands as he mimics a familiar idiom of love but freezes when he sees Youngjae standing, arms resting over another, frowning, eyes throwing daggers, his back against the castle's walls.

"Why do you keep hopping in my holes that I'm either trying to take care of? Making my life miserable than it already is?" Youngjae asks slowly walking towards Changmin.

"It's not like that," Changmin says, watching Youngjae's every movement.

"I really thought you were here to protect me, help me, be there for me. Worry about me, care about me, be a good friend, or even guide me in the darkest times. Why did you ruin my chances to work with Lee Hyunaje? Did you know that this ruins my chances of paying my little sister's medical expenses? My school expenses, my family's living expenses!" Youngjae says all this in one breath. He lifts his leg and his feet lands on the wall, blocking Changmin from escaping, and then his hand so the brunette does not leave him. 

Changmin does not know what to say as his back is against a royal knight's statue. His eyes fall to the bouquet of roses. His eyes drag themselves back up, hands pushing the bouquet to Youngjae's chest and quickly shouts, "It's because I like you! I'm—I'm in love with you!" 

Changmin grabs Youngjae by the arm and turns around, pinning the wolf-boy against the statue.

"I don't want any harm or pain to reach you. I don't like it when you're amiable with another guy or girl, so that's why I'm holding you back from getting close to Lee Hyunjae and matched him with Kim Younghoon. I like you." 

He brings a hand to Youngjae's cheek, caressing the skin there. Youngjae does not believe the boy but with all the memories of him with the brunette, he starts to understand why he's following him around and not just a creepy stalker or guardian angel. 

Changmin leans just so their lips are inches from touching. He smirks when Youngjae lets out a whimper. Youngjae pushes the smirking boy and runs away, flustered.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A U T H O R ' S  N O T E

dedicated to beingalfisha for rooting for me and hyping me up recently when I write my stories. Thank you for being a ball of sunshine and that mood booster, we all need a lovely person like you sweetheart

Sorry, not sorry about the cliffhanger 

It's just I had to, you know? 

But I am sorry for making you guys wait again. It takes me time to write and especially the fact I still am trying to get my schedule together that is why it takes longer 😴

As always, thank you for reading and giving this story a chance! 💖💖

I'll see you guys next week with this story and this weekend, please do remember to have your popcorn ready because BRIDAL MASK WOOHOO IS NEARING THE END 

CH # 4 unedited