"Far, Far Away but Close, Close to You" part X
Fandom: EXO
Title: Far, Far Away but Close, Close to You
Pairing(s): chinguline, major Baekhyun/Jongdae, minor Jongdae/Kyungsoo and Chanyeol/Kyungsoo (+ additional pairings in further chapters)
Genre: comedy, humor, prince!au, crack for occasional bad Kpop references
Length: Chaptered
Summary: Being a middle child sucks. Being a middle prince is even worse. Jongdae knows it well especially when his parents leave him with choices A) go and find your inner peace in a monastery and B) go and find your own fairytale. No wonder what he chooses but what follows is beyond everything Prince Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away has ever expected...
Disclaimer: I do not own EXO. Hell I would though. I love fairy tales and such even though I handle them in this story carelessly and a bit lame. The idea has just popped into my mind, any similarity with other works must be an accident.
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): unbearable fluffiness continues... otherwise nothing exciting happens, sorry for being boring. And I have nothing against Jongin.
Word Count: 2,396 (altogether ~20,000)
Previous Chapters: part I / part II / part III / part IV / part V / part VI / part VII / part VIII / part IX
Author's Note: Sorry for not updating for this long, I've been trying to save my semester and finish up the whole story. Now I have holidays, regular updates come, get ready for madness! /winks
„To my only son who brings me joy
Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far Far Away
Hi Dae-dae, it’s mom,
oh my sugar pie, it’s hard being away from our gracious land, Far Far Away, right? I know you’re a big boy who knows what he has to do and obediently follows his grateful, graceful and great parents but I don’t doubt you’re having a hard time all alone… oh, right, your little commoner friend accompanied you. Kyungseok? No, that was your almighty father’s horrible uncle… Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo, isn’t it? Ah I knew Kyungseok can’t be. Oops. (Tell him and say goodbye to your mini zoo…)
Speaking of. You better teach your cat with the ribbon around their neck behave when you come back with a princess on your side or else we’ll be less with a diligent caretaker in no time. That feline scratches once more Teacher Suho and he resigns. And don’t forget, if he goes, dear Nanny Wart- I mean Nanny Kim just lives a few streets down, she’s ready to come back anytime. We both know we can’t afford that now, don’t we? … Oh my. I swear on my mirror collection I’ve never seen a cat with the need of wearing a different ribbon every single day.
To talk about worthy and more pleasurable things, how is the journey going, sweetie? We’ve been waiting for your letter with pleading for an army ever since you’ve been gone. I assume you still haven’t reached the castle in which poor Princess Sunyoung is caged in. You haven’t, have you? … Aigoo my golden child, quicken your steps and bring your wife home early. King and Queen of Hot Hot Summer are hopefully awaiting their daughter’s arrive and eagerly planning your upcoming beautiful wedding.
Also don’t forget to reply to this lovely letter. You know mom needs to know when her little ice cream cake returns to Far Far Away… we’ve invited every important person we know and will cook so much food it shouldn’t go all to waste.
Yes, also because mom needs to hug his smart and soon-to-be husband Dae-dae proudly.
You can do it, just be brave and whine less!
With love, xoxo
your perfect mom, Queen of Far Far Away
P.S.: I’m serious, Jongdae. Be a good boy and whip your horse.”
♕
“To Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far Far Away
Dear Son,
I hope you read this before you read my Queen’s letter… Please keep in mind she wants the best for you. Even if she’s hard to understand most of the time. Believe me, I’ve slept in the same bed as her for twenty years. (Twenty something… Don’t tell her I don’t remember. You know how outraged my Queen is when I forget to wish her happy birthday first.)
How are you? You haven’t written so I assume Kyungsoo takes good care of you and you haven’t got lost or anything. Listen to him, please. I know you’re smart, Jongdae-a, but Kyungsoo has seen more than you. With his help I know you’ll return in one piece and with no emotional damage.
Far Far Away is fine. We could lower the taxes a bit so we get fewer visitors during a day and our citizens seem happier. You want proof? Yesterday I looked out the window and saw a paperboy humming while strolling down the street. He was humming. He was happy… He also reminded me of you. You tend to hum a lot, my son. It’s a bit strange and even stranger since you’re not aware of it but if it makes you happy, I’m happy too.
I anticipate seeing you soon.
Your father
(King of Far Far Away)”
♕
“To Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far Far Away
Hi Dae-dae,
how is my second favourite little brother doing? I’m pleasantly surprised you haven’t messaged us for this long. You’re too cold and your fingers can’t move? You forgot how to write? I don’t think there can be other explanation counted for you not writing. I mean let’s be honest, you’re a scaredy cat. You whine more than any girl I know. (And don’t forget, I know a lot of girls… unlike you haha.)
Speaking of girls, Taeyeon noona made me promise to write… “Make sure to eat well, Jongdae-a and come back safe and sound. Your brother’s worrying so much over you our marriage is in danger” … Ha, what this woman speaks about for real. Don’t even believe for a second I’m worrying about you. And what’s with our marriage is in danger? She hasn’t told me about that… I guess I sleep outside tonight (again). (Make sure to tame your future wife well, kid.)
Anyway, I bet mom and dad have told everything you have to know (and didn’t want to know) already… so yeah, that’s it. Be happy I grabbed a pen and spent ten precious minutes of my life with writing to you.
Heads up, kid.
Kim Jonghyun, soon-to-be King of Far Far Away”
♕
“To my hyung, 2nd prince of far far away
Hi hyung I know you are pine. Therefour I do not worry. You take god care of animals so I know you can handle journey like this. Mom, dad and Jonghyun are worry without reason. You are brave hyung. Come back and make others beliebe 2.
Say hi to Kyungsoo Hyung in my Name! I miss him (and pitie him) lots.”
“Oh my, that’s one perfect example of bad grammar skills.”
Jongdae flips the long rolling paper upside down at lightning speed.
“Excuse me, 2nd Prince of Never Never Land but it’s a letter written for me, 2nd Prince of Far Far Away. It’s private.”
What is this prince thinking? Sure they went through a lot… together (khm) but there are certain boundaries and general rules needed to be followed. Like privacy! (Though he is right… Jongin’s handwriting and grammar is stuck on the level he was ten years ago.)
“Ya, come on!” Baekhyun grabs onto his arm with a chuckle. “You’ve already invaded my privacy, so much more than that on that matter. It’s just fair I do the same.”
Bringing up that unfortunate (but so unforgettable) moment yet again, Jongdae feels awkward yet again. Why does Baekhyun need to go back to the bathroom always? Jongdae doesn’t even remem- Oh we all know it’s a lie. Who would forget that sight…
“Let me kindly remind you, princes that we’re in the middle of taking our meal.” Chanyeol interrupts the argument and cuts off Jongdae’s changing thoughts at once. “Let’s not talk about peeping… just enjoy sheeping, get it?”
Damn.
It’s enough of a bad pun that even Kyungsoo stops chewing on his sheep. (Seriously Chanyeol.)
“Please stop.” Then turns to the persons in front of him. “Regardless his last sentence, Knight Chanyeol is right. Stop you too and cherish your food until Minseok- I mean Xiumin hyung kicks us out again.”
It’s pretty unlikable to happen (the inn-keeper seemed overjoyed for life with the amount of money he got from the noisy four) but both princes know Kyungsoo can kick them out anytime (gladly) instead so Jongdae rolls the long letter up and Baekhyun continues picking his food.
Wait, picking his food?
“I thought you’re starving to death.” Jongdae muses while he picks up a cucumber with his fork and pops it into his mouth to chew on it merrily.
Baekhyun’s eyes go wide and an uncomfortable shudder runs through his little (but pretty) body.
“I’m fine now.”
“But you still have at least half of the plate full. There’s some rice and cucumbers -“
“Please, don’t call them.”
Them?
Jongdae’s hand stops mid-air with a frown. Just who is this little but much more annoying prince is talking about?
“You mean…?”
“He means you don’t have to call Xiumin hyung.” Chanyeol raises his voice and brings Baekhyun’s plate to his side. “We don’t need more food, right? Right. Just eat. Continue. You’re full my prince, right? Right.”
Baekhyun hastily nods along and takes a large gulp of water. Jongdae would be mesmerized by how his Adam’s apple moves up and down but 1) that would be a really unnecessary and straight weird thing to do and 2) the situation is too suspicious to let it go with this.
Kyungsoo thinks the same.
“2nd Prince of Never Never Land, you fear cucumbers?”
The silence which follows is too damn long to be interpreted as nah even though it sounds unbelievable. Who in the Heavens above fears cucumbers? People are afraid of monsoon, Jongdae is afraid of Nanny Wart but there can’t be anybody who fears cucumbers. Cucumbers can’t take your rice field away or slap your behind when you can’t sit straight.
But the individual next to him looks positively shocked enough for Jongdae to think that there are people like that.
“They taste weird!” Baekhyun whines in his defence. “And smell awful when they’re cooked. They’re even two kinds of green… How could I eat them? Looking at them is hard enough.”
Jongdae would say he understand… if he would. But since he doesn’t, just continues eating with a hum.
Kyungsoo on the other hand breaks into a terrifyingly wide (and evil and mocking) grin.
“What a fearless person you are, majesty.”
“Eat, henchman. I order you.”
“You can’t order me around. I’m not your -“
“Eat, ‘Soo.”
Hearing Jongdae’s silent but strict voice, the little knight(-to-be) begrudgingly does.
Lunch could continue as it should but Jongdae can’t take his eyes off his fellow prince’s fallen face. He should do something. After all not long ago, Baekhyun made a fool out of himself in the main street of Small Mountains just to make him feel better. (Yeah, that’s the only reason. It has to do nothing with the fact Jongdae doesn’t like seeing Baekhyun down… or being anything but happy for that matter.)
He can do this.
“Chanyeol.”
The knight snaps his head up from the pile of cucumbers on his plate.
“Yes, Prince Jongdae?”
“Please, give me your prince’s plate.”
Baekhyun (and secretly Kyungsoo too) watches with confused eyes as Chanyeol reluctantly passes the dish to Jongdae.
Once it arrives, Jongdae takes a deep breath and picks up his fork determinedly.
Now I think it’s the perfect time to make it clear, Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away hates eating more than he wants.
It can’t be blamed on anyone else but Nanny Wart. (No wonder why Jongdae mentions him always regarding to something bad… She’s responsible like 99% of Jongdae’s problems.) When little Jongdae was so full he could barely take a breath, the old woman still went “Gulp down this too, smiley princey, it’s rude to leave something on your plate”. And little Jongdae could scream bloody murder at her, he still had to eat everything because then “nanny tells mommy and mommy scolds you bad”.
Okay, it’s not fair always making Nanny Wart Lucifer. Jongdae basically eats as much as a bird and gets stomachache from portion normal people would eat up without problems but still, forcing kids is not good. She even refilled his plate, the witch.
“What are you about to do?”
Baekhyun’s little voice wakes 2nd Prince of Far Far Away up from bitter childhood memories.
This question is easy.
“I’m about to eat cucumbers for you.”
“Why?”
Now this one is hard.
“I… Payback. For earlier.” Thinking it’s enough as an explanation; Jongdae picks up a piece of vegetable and devours it.
Kyungsoo gapes. (Chanyeol is smirking under his non-existing moustache like a creep but nobody notices it.)
Baekhyun looks bewildered and… amazed at the same time.
“Whoa.” He mutters and leans closer to his fellow prince’s chewing face. “You’re indeed amazing.”
Indeed Amazing Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far Far Away is too busy not to choke on cucumber to tell him off so just lets him be close and praise him. (It’s not that hard.)
When he finally wins the fight and the piece lands in his stomach, Jongdae reaches for another one and has time (and air) to speak so he does.
“Thanks.”
(It actually feels good.)
By the half of the evil green vegetables (as mentioned by the one and only 2nd Prince of Never, Never Land), Baekhyun can’t remain staring and fishing the fork from between Jongdae’s fingers, picks up a piece by himself.
Jongdae follows the movement uneasy. Baekhyun won’t eat it just because he does too, right? He can be amazing but not that much.
He’s right.
Because Baekhyun offers the bite to him with a wide smile.
“Say ah~”
The action could remind Jongdae easily of Nanny Wart again (except that she usually added “whiney princey” after that) but no, Jongdae just feels too hot suddenly. Nonetheless he accepts it.
That just makes Baekhyun even happier. He immediately reaches for another one.
At the other side of the table, the conversation down below happens:
“Look at that.”
“They’re sitting in front of us, I can’t help but look.”
“They’re so cute.”
“Cute my ass.”
“Well, I can say for sure that body part of yours is also cute but you have to agree, our lovebird princes are cute as hell too.”
“… did you just acknowledged you checked out my behind, Knight Chanyeol?”
“Let’s just watch.”
“Chanyeol.”
“Look, your prince has eaten up everything!”
“…”
Indeed, now Baekhyun’s plate is empty, not even one grain of rice managed to escape from Baekhyun’s hand and Jongdae’s mouth.
The latter drinks some water as a finishing touch. If this happened back in the palace in Far Far Away, he would have got every wish of him granted already… But it’s not like Baekhyun’s next sentence isn’t worth the sacrifice.
“I think I don’t hate cucumbers that much… when you eat them, they look good.”
That’s one heck of a weird compliment (can that sentence above considered as a compliment at all?) but when Baekhyun even takes the fork into his mouth and grins around it, all of Jongdae’s doubt melts away and becomes replaced with mushy feelings (That fork was in my mouth a second ago, jeez, it means… it means…!!!) he shouldn’t acknowledge.
Fortunately his awesome friend is there to break the moment.
“I’ll tell Xiumin hyung to clean that fork thoroughly.”
Chanyeol watches his friend(?) leave with a sigh.