oops? another one.
i was bored 🤷‍♀️

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        ZHONG CHENLE。

"sheesh, it's so lonely without jisung." i mumble as i walk through the silent hallways of the palace. taeyong-hyung practically made me run all around to find the others and tell them we have some things to discuss with minseok-hyung. "where could jungwoo-hyung and doyoung-hyung be." i sigh and kept walking.

passing through different halls, i happened to bump into joshua. "hyung!" i call out for him. he stops and turns around, once realizing it was me, he immediately ran towards me, bowing upon reaching me. "your highness."

i shake my head, "hyung! i told you not to call me that." i whine and slap his arm playfully.

joshua chuckles, "i'm sorry, but i have to, especially if there are others around." he says, gesturing towards the other maids who were cleaning up the hallway.

"anyways, have you seen doyoung-hyung and jungwoo-hyung?" i tilt my head.

he hums, "i think so."

"really?" my eyes light up with hope since they were the only one missing. everyone was already there, but them.

he nods and points to a direction, "i think they went to lady haewon's grave."

i furrow my brows, "they went to visit their mother, too."

"i'll go now, thanks shua-hyung!" i wave him goodbye and quickly ran towards the direction to the memorial.

"prince chenle! no running in the palace!" i could hear him faintly shout while i laugh as i quickened my pace.

soon, i headed outside, the guards bowing upon seeing me. i bowed back and made my way towards the memorial. "here to visit again, prince chenle?" wonwoo asked as he stood by the entrance of the memorial.

i nodded, "is jungwoo-hyung and doyoung-hyung in there?" i ask.

he nods, "yes, your brother's are inside." he says with a small smile.

"thanks, hyung!" i say before walking inside. wonwoo-hyung is like joshua-hyung, they are our palace guards, or butlers. they'd accompany us when they have to, or when we want to be accompanied. they are nice and we treat each other like brothers as well.

when i entered the memorial, i instantly looked for them the memorial was quite big, although some people who are new to the palace could get confused since the memorial almost looks like a garden.

i took the path that lead to lady haewon's grave, or jisung's mother's grave. there, i saw doyoung and jungwoo seated on one of the benches as they stare at her picture.

i cleared my throat loudly, causing them to crane their heads towards my direction, looking a bit shock to see me. "chenle?" doyoung mutters.

"hyung," i started, "taeyong-hyung wants everyone of us back at the study hall, minseok-hyung has some important things to tell us."

jungwoo stands up, "is that so?"

i nod and watch doyoung also stand up. the two walked to their mom's grave, bidding their goodbye before walking towards me.

we all made our way back into the palace, being guided by wonwoo that is. "you may be dismissed." doyoung tells wonwoo. the palace guard bows and leaves us alone in the hallway. the three of us started to walk in silence, and honestly, about the silence, i hated it.

i scrunch my nose, sighing a bit as we walk. jungwoo suddenly slings an arm around my shoulder, causing me to give him a perplexed look. "is everything alright, lele?" jungwoo questions me, a worried look plastered on his face.

i nod, "of course, hyung."

"doesn't seem like it." jungwoo chuckles while i frown, "i am fine, hyung. i promise."

"sure you are, lele. just remember, i'm here, okay?" jungwoo ruffles my hair, his arm still around my shoulder.

"chenle," doyoung calls out.

i lifted both of my brows, "yes, hyung?"

"about what jisung said—"

"—don't." i cut him off immediately.

doyoung seemed to be taken aback at what i said as i heard him scoff lightly, "what was that about?" completely ignoring what i just said.

i sigh and shake my head, "it's nothing, hyung."

"it certainly is nothing." doyoung mumbles.

jungwoo hissed at doyoung's words, "let the kid off, do."

doyoung frowns, "i can't just let them rebel!"

"they're teens, it's what they do." jungwoo rolls his eyes.

i chuckle at their bantering, "look, hyung, i can't tell you, i won't betray jisung."

"you're lucky we're here." doyoung utters and open's the door to the study room.

"what took you so long?" ten questions as soon as we sat down.

"i had to run around the palace to find them, it's tiring." i whine and leaned my back onto the chair's backrest.

"i understand." ten nods and adjusts his rounded spectacles.

i snap my head to the front as minseok-hyung tapped his stick onto the whiteboard. he clears his throat, looking down at his clipboard. "the queen arranged you all a gathering." he says.

i knit my brows in confusion, averting my gaze onto mark, "what gathering?"

mark shrugs, "i don't know, chenle."

seems like nobody knows what this so-called gather mother planned. the others also whispered around, eventually creating noise which annoyed minseok-hyung. "listen, settle down!" he loudly says, making the whole room quiet afterwards.

"okay," he begins, "this gathering is going to happen the day before the grand ball."

"as the queen told me, she requested this so that you boy's have an opportunity to talk with the princesses that are coming for the grand ball," he continues.

"not just princesses, but lady's form wealthy families as well." he adds.

i heard a groan which came from my left side, i look left and saw donghyuck with an annoyed expression. "what for?" he asks.

minseok-hyung sighs, "i know you all don't like getting paired or arranged, but must you remember that you are princes and must you find a suitable partner. it is so that the bloodline will continue."

i roll my eyes at his statement, burrying my face onto the palm of my hands.

"they have eighteen children with royal blood, we can rule without a girl." renjun says.

"i agree." jeno chuckles, playing with the stress ball on his hand.

"yes, prince renjun— i know there are plenty of you— but that doesn't give you an excuse to not marry, at some point one of you has to marry and continue the royal bloodline."

"do we need to get married to a royal?" i look up from my hands, looking at jaemin who just asked the question.

"not exactly, but a lady coming from a wealthy family is indeed acceptable." minseok-hyung replies making jaemin scoff.

"how about a village girl?" jaemin tilts his head.

we all snapped out heads towards him. i look at taeyong and youngho, they don't seem one bit happy with his question.

mark, who sat beside him, narrowed his eyes at jaemin.

"what?" jaemin turns to us, "it's just a question." he shrugs and twirls the pen in between his fingers.

taeyong sighs, "okay, how about a village girl?" taeyong repeats jaemin's question, looking at minseok.

minseok-hyung rubbed his nape, pursing his lips a bit, "i'm quite not sure, but i've never heard of anything about a royal and a commoner before."

taeyong chuckles dryly, giving jaemin a look, "got your answer?" jaemin nods before looking a way, i could tell he's also annoyed.

"anyways," minseok cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention, "i, including your other tutors, will be helping you with communicatio—"

"we can talk." youngho cuts him off.

minseok scrunches his nose, "that's not what i meant."

he sighs, rubbing his temple before speaking, "the queen thought it's best that you boys will have a communication practice, since it has been a few years since you... well... last talked to a girl."

"not exactly." i murmur under my breath.

"that's just false." taeil chuckles. "we have conferences, wherein we are required to talk."

"and that includes girls." mark added.

"we talk when we want to, hyung." lucas says.

"agreed." sicheng nods. "we choose who we want to talk to."

"it's just that, you boys are quite... cold? i suppose, to the girl's you are introduced to at the past few conferences." minseok utters.

taeyong chuckles dryly, "of course, why shouldn't we? they are nothing but selfless beings, all they want from us is money, they don't accept us for who we are, instead they see us as snobby princes, not as a person."

i gulped nervously, i obviously knew where this is going. but, knowing taeyong, he wouldn't dare get mad at minseok.

"i get why you're acting all cold, but not all girl's are the same." minseok sighs.

honestly, minseok-hyung is right, based on my observations, and the girl i met a few days ago. not every girl is the same. taeyong and the others told us things that could make us hate a girl, although some of us just agreed but never really intended to hate on a girl. sure, we acted cold, but they don't deserve to get treated like that.

youngho places a hand over taeyong's shoulder, trying to calm him down. ten looks up at minseok, gesturing his hand, "just continue, hyung."

minseok presses his lips into a thin line, "as i was saying," he turns to the whiteboard, flipping it to reveal the other side which had a planner written all over in black marker.

"these are your schedules, and the princesses and ladies that will be attending the gathering. the queen chose each of them, to suit each and every one of you." minseok points out, using his stick to point out the details and such.

minseok was about to speak up when someone loudly knocked onto the wooden door. the door opens and reveals one of the butlers, he bows, "dinner is ready at the dining hall." he says before stepping back and leaving.

"we'll continue this after dinner." minseok says, fixing his things.

we all stood up and made our way to the dining hall. while walking, some of us were busy talking to each, however i noticed that one of us was quiet. although he was always quiet, he would usually still speak to the older ones.

i fiddles my fingers and stopped walking, waiting for everyone to pass by me. "hyung, are you okay?" i question him, walking beside him.

he hums in response, "just, stressed, i guess." he mutters.

"taeyong-hyung, i know you're not okay." i say, patting his back.

taeyong glances at me, "i'm just angry at myself. because of me, because of us, we're all messed up. i should be the one fixing us, but i can't."

"because you're too broken yourself." i softly say.

"let someone else fix you then," i nudged him, "maybe it's time to let go, hyung."

he lifted his head up to make eye contact with me, his eyes told me that he's sad and frustrated. he grunts and looks away, "nonsense."

i sigh and roll my eyes, "it's for the best, but take your time, do it your pace." i shrug and walk faster.

"just remember, you're not alone in this, hyung." i tell him before catching up with sicheng.

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