"Far, Far Away but Close, Close to You" part XI

[too_kyute]

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): bad example of how to make up with your friend... still boring, I promise in the next one things finally kick off ;.;
Word Count: 2,375 (altogether ~20,000)
Previous Chapters: part I / part II / part III / part IV / part V / part VI / part VII / part VIII / part IX / part X
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



Jongdae for once gets fed up with Kyungsoo’s constant mean-comment-leaving combo and leaves the table to catch up to him.

“Ya, stop. I ate with that fork, you know it’s not dirty -“

“Just shut up.”

Shut what?

Both little travelers stop in the tracks. Jongdae stops because what the Heavens above did just his dutiful commoner and supposed to be awesome friend Kyungsoo tell him to shut up this can’t be happening he can’t give out orders and the tone he used -

Kyungsoo stops because he catches his prince in the middle of a mental breakdown from the corner of his eyes.

“Okay, that was harsh.”

“It was very harsh.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

“Khm.”

Xiumin merely clears his throat but it is enough of a sign to know one more harsh word and no money can take them back.

But it’s not like they in need of a warning.

“We’re arguing.” Jongdae mutters in awe.

“I know, right?”

Kyungsoo shows no emotion on his face (as per usual) but his stiffness tells his 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away that he’s surprised as well.

Suddenly everything goes so quiet, Jongdae shivers. Yeah, he left his vest at the table but still. They argued… and it’s totally normal. Kyungsoo looks at ease, like he’s not giving a flying fuck about what’s happening and even though Jongdae has noticed the wrongness of it all, it’s not like the situation is unfamiliar or so strange to him.

Now this is not normal.

“Everything’s okay?”

Chanyeol walks to them as carefully as if he was walking on a layer of eggs (which is very funny if we take into count how large the knight frame is but now it’s not the time for fun so let’s skip on that joke) and Baekhyun looks slightly uncomfortable behind him as well.

Well, it’s not like this situation has occurred first so why are they like this jeez… see? What the…

“No. It’s not okay.”

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows lift to his hairline.

“Huh?”

What huh, you mean what do you mean, my dear prince- No, not the right time for authority either, Prince Kim Jongdae. (It’ll be right later though. Commoner Do Kyungsoo can’t get away with that choice of words towards his prince.)

“We have to talk about this.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Like you have a choice.” Jongdae breaks into a mellifluous smile he has seen from his mother plenty of times (especially when he was getting scolded or when the King didn’t want to buy another mirror). “I’m renting a room, innkeeper-nim.”

Xiumin has thought he’s doing a pretty good job at disguising as air but hah he was wrong, he had to go over and talk to the troublemakers anyway.

“How can I help you?”

“I’d like to rent a room.”

(“What are you doing?”)

“One?”

“Let’s make it two.”

(“Ya, I’ve asked something.”)

“Here are the keys.”

“Thanks… Oh, one more thing. Are there separate bathrooms or -“

“Where do you think you are, in SM Town? Exodus is not a hotel. Common bathroom at the end of the floor.”

“2nd Prince of Far, Far Away, listen to me you idiot!”

Jongdae turns to his companion with a nonchalant face.

“I’ll start listening once you drop that tone and you’re willing to discuss this in friendly terms.”

“But -“

“No buts… We go up.”

Kyungsoo follows his prince to the first floor grumpily.

The pair from Never, Never Land follows along in lack of orders or anything else to do.

The situation is too tense to stay in quiet, especially if you’re a pacifist like Knight Park Chanyeol so no wonder the tallest of them all breaks the silence when they arrive to their rooms.

“So who’s rooming with whom?”

Baekhyun waits a millisecond to see if anyone calls their dibs then immediately attaches onto 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away’s arm.

“We’ll take the bigger one. Have a good afternoon, commoners!”

“I’m rooming with Knight Kyungsoo. You two can room together.”

2nd Prince of Never, Never Land looks up to his savior with a face which pretty much screams what the fuck.

“Um, Jongdae -“

“Kyungsoo and I have to talk. Please, understand.” Jongdae doesn’t understand why he’s apologizing but he does it anyway. “Look for us only if one of you saw a cockroach or forgot to bring toilet paper along.”

“Okay?”

Baekhyun is nowhere okay with this but Jongdae looks so serious (even intimidating despite of his size and cute features, whoa) he can’t help but agree to whatever he says.

When Prince Jongdae and Knight Kyungsoo disappear into the room and the lock clicks after them with a sound of breaking glass in the middle of a sad, lonely night, Baekhyun feels his heart scatter to pieces.

He turns to his companion with puppy eyes and a heavy chest and asks breathlessly:

“What did I do wrong?”

Chanyeol’s face reflects the same distraction and desperation but something else glows in his deep eyes too.

“There’s no need to overdramatize, my prince. Let’s just take a nap and see if the sky’s cleared out or not then.”

Baekhyun stands up from his kneeling position with a groan.

“You don’t understand my pain.”

“Yes. Because what you feel is not pain in the first place.” Chanyeol chuckles and pats Baekhyun’s back. “Come on, lover boy.”

2nd Prince of Never, Never Land is left gaping at the corridor as his knight enters their room.

“What do you mean by l-lover boy? Ya, Park Chanyeol, I demand an explanation now!”

- - -

Jongdae doesn’t remember a time when he felt awkward being in the same place as his dear friend, Do Kyungsoo but damn, does he feel so awkward right now.

No words, no movements. Just the two of them sitting on different sides of the double bed (Why a double bed though, is this an inn for newlyweds or something? Xiumin, you’re way of getting revenge is so miserable) with their backs to each other...

What happened?

It’s a question which has started to disturb Prince Kim Jongdae since long. They’ve started this journey as good friends with undying trust and respect… and ended up arguing with each other, distrusting each other and such.

Is this a dream?
No, the bed is too creaky for that.

Is this reality?
It can’t be. Come on.

“As comfortable as I looked until now, I don’t like arguing with you.”

“I know. You look ridiculous when you do and you always lose anyway.”

Ouch.
(True though.)

“Are you that mad at me?”

Kyungsoo eyes him only from the corner of his eyes.

“It depends on what you mean by mad.”

“I mean you feel anger when I do something, such anger which makes you hate me a bit and wonder why the hell you decided to come along, you should just go home and leave me doing my stupid things -“

“Jongdae, stop. If that’s your definition of mad then no, I’m not mad at you.”

…

“Then why are we always arguing?”

“Because even though we’re supposed to march towards the same goal, we have different view of things and our opinions clash.”

Whoa, so logical… and convoluted.

“What?”

Kyungsoo sighs out loud before dragging his (little) body next to his prince’s. Jongdae immediately starts to scoot over to make some space between them but Kyungsoo grabs his wrist before he could escape.

“Are you afraid of me hurting you or something? I don’t think I’ve ever punched you before.”

“You’re right, you haven’t… but it doesn’t mean it’s too late to start.”

Jongdae thinks what he has said is very serious but Kyungsoo smiles at his words still.

“Oh my prince. We’re ridiculous, aren’t we?”

“A prince can’t be ridiculous… but I think I know what you mean this time. We’re arguing for nothing, right?”

“It’s not ‘nothing’ but yes, we should stop… so let’s stop.”

“Okay.”

That went well, Jongdae thinks overjoyed. No accusations, no reproach or need for explanation -

“But we should sort out our disagreement first.”

Here we go.

“Is it necessary? I mean, we’re finally on good terms again, ‘Soo. Let’s just forget about the troublesome past and concentrate on the joy of being so close -“

“Jongdae, please.”

2nd Prince of Far, Far Away wiggles uncomfortably in his spot but Kyungsoo has a face of you-can’t-say-no-to-that-first-punch-might-really-come.

“Alright. You start.”

“It’d be better if you start.”

Oh boy.

“Where do I start…” Jongdae murmurs and thinks hard. “I think I was more or less only angry with you because you don’t seem to approve anything I do.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“’Soo, please. I’m trying to get away with this conversation to stop this awkwardness, help your prince out!”

Kyungsoo sighs again.

“Okay. I admit I’m a bit strict with you.”

“A bit?”

“Don’t interrupt me, please… I’m strict with you and judge you but only because you matter to me. I’ve been your friend since the day you were born -“

“I’m pretty sure we met on my 1st birthday.”

“Jongdae, please.”

Jongdae shuts up for a second finally and lets his henchman finish.

“So I was saying we’ve been friends for a long time and you and your well-being matters to me. I don’t want you to suffer because of bad decisions, reckless acts or mindless words. I pay attention to you and try to protect you like this. Believe me I don’t enjoy reprimanding you that much… Okay, I enjoy a bit because you tend to be authoritative and too proud but that’s also just my way of showing affection. Please, don’t think, not even for a second that I dislike you. I’m sorry if you have thought of that already.”

Jongdae feels a tiny piece of his heart wrench. Kyungsoo sounds so regretful yet kind… and honest. They’re not the type to keep secrets from each other (except for that time when Jongdae borrowed Kyungsoo’s wooden sword, accidentally broke it and when his friend looked for it, pretended he hasn’t even known before that people are actually capable of making swords out of wood) but Prince Kim Jongdae is sure this is the first time they’re brutally honest with each other, telling what’s on their mind for real.

This level of bonding feels so nice he could squeeze the shit out of Kyungsoo if he wouldn’t punch him for real afterwards.

“I forgive you. I was the stupid one for interpreting you like that but since you’ve said sorry… Anyway, I promise I’ll think of you better from now and never forget you’re my friend.”

“Thank you.”

Squeezing is a no-no but Jongdae goes for a light side hug smugly. What shows on Kyungsoo’s face as a reaction is not delight but Jongdae doesn’t get tossed away so mission success.

“Cool… Now I’ll go and take a bath, I feel so dusty and itchy.”

“You’re not going anywhere before my turn.”

Jongdae obediently sits back.

“I said I got angry with you because I care for you but I haven’t told what I think is wrong with your decisions.” Kyungsoo looks into his prince’s eyes anxiously. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to complete the journey, my prince.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do I really need to explain that?”

Yeah?

“Well, sadly I can’t read your thoughts so yes, please do.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. He’s murmuring something under his nose too which hauntingly sounds like “you’re more oblivious than I thought and that’s an accomplishment”.

“Ever since we’ve crossed paths with Prince Byun Baekhyun and Knight Park Chanyeol, we haven’t gotten anywhere.”

Jongdae still doesn’t understand where his friend is getting at so shots confused eyes at him to keep going.

“We’re going towards Princess Sunyoung’s castle on the North but I don’t think you want to rescue her… or more like you’re willing to rescue her out of duty and in fear of getting disowned but you’re not willing to marry her at all.”

Now that was more forward and clean.

Jongdae takes his time with responding because… it’s embarrassing but he completely forgot about this journey will end up with him getting married. It hasn’t been long since they’ve left home (maybe a week) and his memory is usually great but this time it feels like it’s the first time he hears that.

And he can’t help but agree with Kyungsoo because no, he really doesn’t want to get married to Princess Sunyoung, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away realizes. They don’t know each other, heck, Princess Sunyoung probably doesn’t even know he exists but… no.

Why though?

“Don’t say you’ve come clear just now.”

Jongdae ignores Kyungsoo and says instead:

“What makes you think that? I mean… why do you think I don’t want to get married? Why do I look like I don’t want this journey to end?”

“I haven’t said that.”

Oops, slip of tongue.

“As far as I know from my observations, I think you’ve found someone else.” Kyungsoo averts his eyes. Damn, does he really have to describe this? “I’m not sure if you want to marry… them or not but you favor… them quite a lot.”

“And?”

Jongdae is still oblivious as hell of where Kyungsoo is going with this and restrains himself to throw all of his whiny why-s at him until his henchman spills everything.

“And what?”

“I don’t get you at all, ‘Soo.”

Kyungsoo leans down on the bed with a desperate breath of air. What has his life become?

Jongdae leans down next to him, waiting for the rest.

“What I mean is that because of that person you’re going to face problems, my prince. Your parents will flip, Princess Sunyoung’s parents will flip, your life is going to change… and I’m not sure if this is what you need.” Kyungsoo turns his head towards his friend. “Tell me, Dae, how much do you like Prince Baekhyun?”

Dae freezes and words to speak are none. He’s lying like a piece of dead meat on the bed of the inn Exodus in Small Mountains and in the midst of the jumble of his thoughts realization hits him like tons of bricks.

“HUH?”