"Far, Far Away but Close, Close to You" part IX
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): a whole lot of trouble... and so fluffy at one point I advise you to keep a bowl in hand unless you don't want to puddle on the floor
Word Count: 2,489 (altogether ~20,000)
Previous Chapters: part I / part II / part III / part IV / part V / part VI / part VII / part VIII
Author's Note: If you've seen the Disney movie "Snow White" too late to remember its OST I recommend you to listen to this song. It takes the experience to another level. :D
Just in time the conspiracy duo catches up to them, replacing Baekhyun-thoughts with conspiracy-thoughts in Jongdae’s head.
“Soo has seen an inn on the way. We should eat there.”
Since 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away does a pretty god job cutting Chanyeol dead (Soo huh?), Baekhyun responds.
“Lead the way.”
The village is quiet and busy; almost nobody looks up to watch three horses with four men ride through the main street, even if it is quite a strange thing.
And strange things don’t end here because the inn the princes and their guards enter is exactly the same size as The Two Moons was back before the forest… actually it looks exactly the same from inside too. And the man at the counter-
Kyungsoo’s eyes light up.
“Minseok hyung?”
The Minseok doppelganger chuckles.
“Almost. I’m Xiumin, his cousin.”
“No way.” Chanyeol muses. “You look exactly the same!”
“Well, genetics.”
Jongdae has no idea what Minseok Ver. 2. is talking about but the name plate above him says ‘Exodus’, not ‘The Two Moons’ and they’re in a village not next to a forest … It must be true. (Things to do when this journey ends 1) asking Teacher Suho about genetics… and Exodus. What the Heavens above is that.)
“I don’t buy that.” Baekhyun snorts and points a finger at the inn-keeper. “Even your voices are completely the same! What is this, witchcraft? … Wait, are you a witch?!”
“My prince, witches are female, the phrase you’re looking for is wiz-“
“I’m a prince you know!” 2nd Prince of Never, Never Land continues disregarding his knight’s help… or correction whatever. “And the giant over there is a relatively effective knight!”
And he even insults said knight.
“Hey!”
The inn-keeper’s face darkens. He looks generally harmless (just like Minseok) but when he narrows his eyes and his mouth pulls into a firm line Jongdae shuffles behind Kyungsoo’s back without thinking.
Nanny Wart looked the same when she was angry and then Prince Jongdae got spanked.
“I’m not a witch, thank you.”
“Then come up with a better explanation!”
Chaos is about to break out and it’s not only easy to know because Baekhyun is about to grab Xiumin’s nose if it’s real, Chanyeol doing his best holding his prince back, but because the people in the street stop and start to peek inside ready for some action.
Last time it was Prince Jongdae who saved the day but now shivering like a leaf (his heart going ring ding dong, not in a good way) hench- Supposed to Be Knight Do Kyungsoo steps forward and elegantly pulls out the sword from the sheath from Chanyeol’s side.
“One more word or move and somebody will be in lack of a limb.”
Prince Baekhyun and Xiumin, the inn keeper freeze in the middle of pulling on each other’s hair, the former’s leg stops kicking Chanyeol to let him go. Jongdae hasn’t been really active so no difference on his part but the few bystanders who came around also stiffen. A little kid - who was dragged in by his overly excited father - even starts to cry.
Now that’s what I call making an impact.
It’s all quiet for a second or two but then Chanyeol promptly drops his dear prince (Baekhyun lands on his butt with a yelp) and breaks into a clapping fit with a face of an avid fan.
“This was the best and scariest intervention I’ve seen in my twenty-one years of life! Who trained you? Is he busy? Does he need another prentice? Far, Far Away is nowhere as far as it sounds, especially not from Never, Never Land, I could totally jump over once or twice, I would gladly actually-“
Jongdae’s eyes flash.
“You take a step into my country and I-“
“I still I have a sword in my hand.” Kyungsoo reminds his travelling partners, even flinging around the weapon once. Impressive.
“Yeah and you should put it down!” Xiumin exclaims loudly then points at the wall. “We have a no weapon inside -policy here.”
One look and it turns out they indeed have so sword goes back to sheath, princes and commoners sit down to a table to talk. (And bystanders leave. Fun times have ended after all.)
“We sincerely apologize for our scandalous behavior.” Jongdae grabs the opportunity to show his authority.
“You didn’t do anything.” Xiumin’s cat-like eyes avert to the boy next to the prince. “He on the other hand…”
Baekhyun smiles apologetically.
“I, um, you know, heard too much of bedtime stories… I actually didn’t believe you’re a… you know what. Sorry?”
Jongdae thinks of the importance of the conversation and does not facepalm at the end.
“My prince usually behaves how princes do.” Chanyeol tries to make the situation better since it’s clear the inn keeper is not comforted with that babble. “He’s polite and caring, fair and-
Xiumin sighs loudly.
“Remind me why you’re here in the first place?”
Oh right.
“We’re on a long journey and would like to have a good meal before we carry on.” Kyungsoo explains. “We’ve thought your inn will be a perfect place for that.”
The inn keeper scoffs.
“You think I let you eat the meal I cook after you caused such a ruckus.”
“I’ve told you I didn’t mean it!” Baekhyun whines desperately then as his stomach growls loudly, breaks into a nice grin. “Please?”
Xiumin looks pretty reluctant but at the end leans closer above the table.
“Show me the money.”
* * *
“This is your fault.”
“I know.”
Jongdae is seriously fed up with Kyungsoo always reprimanding him but since he’s kind of right this time, he just lets his supposed-to-be-awesome-friend pour his disappointment on him and wonders on instead how his perfect prince life has got to the point where he has no money to pay for a meal for four.
Obviously it went wrong when they dashed through the forest. Yeah, it would have been a detour going around but at least they had money then… or it did when Sehun gave back the horses only and a note which Jongdae has just found in the backpocket of his pants and said “Gangs have to make living too. Sorry, Jongdae hyung.”
That light-fingered, smooth-talker thief.
“We’ll starve to death~” Baekhyun wails as the four of them reach the fountain in the middle of village and sat down to cry over their misery.
Chanyeol comforts his prince with a light pat on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, my prince. We’ll think of something.”
Kyungsoo suddenly stands up.
“I already have… Chanyeol, stay here and guard the royalty. I’ll go to the post office.”
Jongdae, who’s been playing with the lukewarm water in guilt ever since, becomes alert and jumps up to his feet too.
“You can’t write to Them.”
The last thing Kim Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away needs at the moment is letting his parents know how much he’s struggling. They would surely laugh to their hearts’ content and then order him to go home and get ready for wearing tunic and cowl… No, Prince Jongdae doesn’t need to feel any more miserable.
“You’ve made it clear we’ll letter them if need help, Jongdae.” Kyungsoo reminds him nonchalantly. “And now we obviously need help. I’ll be back quick.”
Jongdae slumps back into his seat with a defeated sigh as Kyungsoo rides away.
He’s never liked brown that much, Jongdae is more into vivid colors but he better get used to it because monasteries don’t keep up with fashion… also he better get used to taking order instead of giving them. And he has to say goodbye to Ribbon and his other cute little (or big and slightly dangerous) animals for good because he’ll be lucky if he can be on a leave once in two months.
His life is officially over.
“Don’t be sad.” Baekhyun slides next to him, sensing the unmistakable aura of “my-life-is-officially-over”. Chanyeol keeps looking around, pretending he’s not there. “Your henchman brings help, we’ll have a nice lunch and then we’ll go and watch the mayflies dance.”
Jongdae turns towards his right to face him.
Going home means separating from the sassy prince too.
The thought just makes Prince Jongdae turn even more melancholic.
Baekhyun slightly shrinks back seeing the hollow look in his eyes.
“Ya, stop looking like that. We won’t actually starve to death.”
Jongdae sighs and turns around to keep himself with the water of the fountain again.
But 2nd Prince of Never, Never Land is not the type to 1) give up without trying everything or 2) let his love friend fellow prince stay in the dark.
Both Knight Chanyeol and Prince Jongdae wince when light humming reaches their ears.
Baekhyun slowly stands up and starts strolling around while humming melodiously.
“Mmm mmm mmm~”
The other two exchange glances. It can’t be that hunger made Prince Baekhyun crazy, right? Sure skipping meals is bad but can’t cause such effects… can it?
Before any of them would do anything, Baekhyun comes back to the fountain and his humming dies down.
He kneels up to the edge of the fountain and looks up to Jongdae with a cheeky smile.
“Want to know a secret?”
Jongdae wants to say “are you alright” but since the other prince is looking at him intently, he nods automatically.
“Promise not to tell?”
Since he went with it last time… Jongdae promptly nods again.
He doesn’t mind that much when Baekhyun’s face glows seeing the reaction. In fact, 2nd Prince of Never, Never Land merges back to his feet and elegantly spinning around for a second stretches his arm towards the fountain with a ceremonial look:
“We are standing by a wishing well~”
Jongdae’s jaw inadvertently drops.
No way.
Chanyeol chuckles from the side as Baekhyun continues:
“Make a wish into the well / that’s all you had to do… And If you here it echoing / your wish will soon come true~”
Jongdae knows what is about to happen but still watches dazedly as Baekhyun hovers over the fountain with a determined look.
“I’m wishing~”
Baekhyun’s eyes are glowing, his cheeks are lightly pink, his mouth is curled into a breathtaking smile and his voice… low but melodious. It could meld perfectly with Jongdae’s higher-pitched, smooth tone.
Since only silence follows, the singing prince glances at the other, urging him to continue by repeating his words:
“I’m wishing~”
Jongdae wakes up from his mesmerized state and after a big gulp, follows along.
“I’m wishing~”
Baekhyun chuckles and hovers over the fountain again, pretending he’s listening to it.
“For the one I love … to find me~”
(“To find me~”)
“Today~”
(“Today~”)
Jongdae doesn’t even think about it anymore, just lets their voices respond to each other.
“I’m hoping~”
(“I’m hoping~”
“… and I’m dreaming of / The nice things~”
(“The nice things~”)
“He’ll say~”
(“He’ll say~”)
Baekhyun sings effortlessly and happily and when he notices Jongdae finds pleasure in it too, his smile grows even bigger.
By the “ah-ah-ah-ah-ah~” part comes up (no need to think of dirty things), Jongdae has long forgotten his worry or where he is, he only sees Baekhyun singing to him, hears the harmony their voice create.
2nd Prince of Never, Never Land is turned away from the water as the last chorus arrives, his attention fully on Jongdae, eyes twinkling with something the latter tries hard to identify.
“I’m wishing (I’m wishing) for the one I love / To find me (To find me) / Today…”
“TODAAY~”
Chanyeol’s loud outburst make the princes snap out of their eye contact.
It’s also the time they realize that people are clapping around them and that they’re practically being showered with money.
“Thank you for listening to us!” Chanyeol welcomes their earnings with a grateful smile and quick hands collecting what he can.
Jongdae faintly hears a woman murmuring “poor children they must be kicked out from home” when the crowd dissolves but doesn’t let the information going around in his head, he just watches with widened eyes the large amount of money they’ve got.
Back in Far, Far Away he hasn’t even seen money for a long time. He had everything he wanted - food, animals, clothes and teddy bears - without paying for them since it was either his parents or his current caretaker who spent on it. He also hasn’t had to do anything for them… he just spoke and got. He didn’t have to work for anything. Life has been this simple and easy.
And Jongdae has been perfectly fine with it. Their parents has worked hard for that money, dealt with the people of Far, Far Away and raised their son to do the same when the day comes… but if he had known earning money by yourself feels so great, he would have done something ages ago.
“Whoa.”
“Indeed.” Baekhyun agrees, rolling a few coins between his fingers. “Do you feel better?”
Jongdae gazes up to his face surprised.
“You’ve did this for me?”
“Well if I have known people start throwing their money at us, I would have started singing earlier but… yeah. Sadness doesn’t look good on you. You should always smile… or sing. Both things suit you.”
Heart, don’t give up, Jongdae panics as his heartbeat accelerates. Why do such words affect him so much?
“You… you sing well too.” He answers when he finds his voice and thinking words can’t be enough, puts a gentle hand on Baekhyun’s. “I think we sound good together.”
Baekhyun flinches at the touch but then the blush across his cheekbones deepens and his fingers find Jongdae’s to give them a light squeeze.
“I-I think so too.”
“What the Heavens above happened?!” Kyungsoo arrives back just in time (to break the moment) to see since he was gone, the fountain has became paved with coins.
“You missed the whole thing!” Chanyeol delivers the news with a grin. “Our princes sang a song and this village must be really fond of singing because they gathered around to listen and when the performance ended- it was like money was falling from the sky!”
Kyungsoo immediately looks at his prince.
Jongdae purposely avoids his eyes as his hand gently slips from Baekhyun’s hold and he clears his throat.
“Could you report my parents I failed being a prince?”
“I… couldn’t. They were faster.”
Huh?
“What are you-“
Before Jongdae could answer, a bunch of paper rolls land in his lap, successfully knocking him off of the fountain’s edge and straight into the water.
Meanwhile Jongdae is screaming for his life and Baekhyun is trying to pull him out somehow (but ends up slipping inside too), Chanyeol turns to the knight in training with narrowed eyes.
“’Soo.”
“What? At least they get cleaned.”
“Or they get cold.”
Kyungsoo scoffs and marches back to his horse.
“Either is fine with me.”