♡
" young man, get back here this instant! "
his mother's voice ran shrill in his ears, making him stop in his tracks. he dreadfully spun around, facing his mother with an unamused expression written on his face.

the all too familiar colours of the rooms no longer spoke of ocean, wave-kissed land and rock. they used to keep him alive with the kind of memories that kept him well anchored. but they no longer served their purpose. the once ethereal baby blue walls didn't stir anything in him.

Just the plain old, the same old.

" I haven't finished talking... "
the woman tutted, wagging her index finger disapprovingly. the other only dipped his head a little, just enough to satisfy his mother. his father sat next to her on the plush cushion love seat, both hands crossed, an expressionless look on his face.

his father raised a brow, expecting more from his son. " yes mother? " minho tried to force a smile, grinding his molars against each other as he tried to resist the urge to just walk out of the room. it must be just some kind of boring meeting that he had to attend since he was royalty.

the woman across him cleared her throat, catching a glimpse of her husband next to her before continuing. " your father and I were just thinking... that maybe we should hold a birthday party for you!"
the lady's voice was unusually cheery, unlike her usual monotonous way of speaking. she clasped her hands together while the man next to her feigned enthusiasm.

" um.. I never had one.. "
the young prince was quite taken a back for once in his life. he had never had his birthday celebrated or even remotely remembered. unlike most royalties before him, who has had banquets and celebrated for weeks straight. he wasn't very sure why.

but his parents said it was because he's special.

and they've decided to train him.

their special boy.

♡

" it's never too late to throw one is it? "
his mother's smile blossomed, looking at minho with eyes filled with expectancy. unsurely, the youngest nodded his head slowly, still in a daze.

his father coughed, straighten his tie before stating, " what kind of king would you be without any proper training? "

they both left the room, leaving minho with his own thoughts.

alone.

again.

♡

" are you comfortable? "
he adjusted the mini pillows, making sure his little mouse friends would have a good night's sleep. especially toby, who liked to toss and turn around in his sleep.

the mice squeaked in reply, nudging their heads against the human's soft yet slightly calloused palms, awaiting for their nightly head pats.

" you are so adorable! "
jisung practically cooed, patting their heads gently as requested. he watched their eyelids flutter close as they settled in for the night.

they're asleep now.

♡

jisung hummed softly as he descended from the stairs, careful not to trip over the baggy pant that reached his toes. he held onto the railing of the stairs shakily, trying his best not to fall on the steps.

" it's okay babies, go to sleep,i'll do them instead.."
jisung whispered to the birds that crowded around the dirty dishes, one of them trying to pick up the sponge with its beak whine the others tried to turn the tap on.

the songbirds collectively cocked their heads to the side and jisung could've sworn their concern was reflected in their eyes. he let them rest on his narrow shoulders, swaying from side to side before opening the window and letting his feathered friends return to their beds.

" oh! they left me some food! "
jisung exclaimed, tapping his sock clad feet against the ground softly, grateful that he was given food this time.

he pumped some soap from the dispenser after much struggle, slathering the dishes with ample of dish washing solution, cleaning every crook and cranny of the dishes with the sponge, making sure they were squeaky clean.

" all done! "
jisung exclaimed, congratulating himself for finishing the task. he tiptoed to the shabby wooden table, full of scratches and finger nail marks that were embedded onto the wooden material. his eyes sparkled when he saw today's dinner.

it was two peas and a kernel of corn. wow! his sisters must be in a really good mood. he only got to eat once in a while. the residue of gravy that was messily smudged around the plate seemed extremely appetizing in jisung's eyes. he lifted his thin finger shakily, dipping the digit on the sauce, bringing it up to his lips to have a taste. it was delicious!

" do you want some too?"
lily the cat sauntered into the room, wrapping her tail protectively against jisung's bony ankles. the creature cautiously approached jisung's plate, a scorn look on her face when she realized the young boy must be starving again. she leapt away, leaving jisung to wonder what the cat might have been up to.

jisung felt lightheaded and nauseous, probably due to being terribly malnourished. the whole room was spinning, jisung could still hear her sister's spongy voice echoing in his ears, making his head throb.

jisung was clenching his hands into soft fists, wincing when he felt a sharp pain stab his abdomen, worse than usual. he clutched his stomach, tears starting to prick the corners of his eyes.

" hi lily.. what've you got there? "
his voice was getting weaker by the second, a few decibels above a whisper. the pain was on and off, almost making him double over when the pain got too much to handle. wordlessly, lily just advanced towards jisung, with unidentifiable items in its mouth.

the cat opened her mouth, dropping the two mysterious items onto the table, before plotting itself on jisung's stick thin thighs. lily peered up to look at jisung, meowing when he saw jisung's face light up.

" thank you lily! you're such a sweet kitty. "
jisung brought his hand up to rest in her fluffy fur, heart bursting with content and gratitude towards the cat. she had given jisung a fish that she was planning on eating and an unfamiliar looking letter..

jisung continued to thank the cat, while explaining to her that he wasn't a fan of eating raw fish, making the cat meow in annoyance.

" ahh.. don't be like that... "
jisung whined, a playful tone in his voice when he realized the feline was no longer petty. lily captured the fish between her teeth, nudging her head against jisung's hands before making her grand exit.

jisung lightly laughed at the cat, before shifting his attention back to the unusual looking letter. there was a stamp on the top right hand corner of the whitish-brown envelope, a cursive writing that spelled out " Royal Birthday Party ". jisung clasped a hand over his mouth, just in case he squealed a little too loudly.

he had never been invited to any birthday party before, let alone a royal one. his face lit up with joy as he fumbled with the envelope, dying to open it.

" you thought i couldn't hear your little squeals huh, jisung? "

a familiar icy cold voice rang in his ear drums, causing him to swallow dry as the alarms in his head started to go off.

" try again never. "
his older sister's voice caused the accustomed ache in his stomach to grow stronger. before he knew it, he felt a hand come into contact with his slightly sunken cheeks, making his head turn in the other direction.

unsatisfied, his sister loomed over the younger, delivering another set of harsh slaps to jisung, until the younger passed out from the impact.

he was out like a light.

♡

" thank you for coming. thank you, it's good to see you. "
the string of half-hearted thanks never ended, it was harder to keep up his act as more and more guests arrived. he thought birthday parties were supposed to be fun. he was clearly mistaken.

all he wished for was a miracle that might save him from this hell hole.

the entire room was filled with people minho hardly recognized, half of them being completely strangers.

there were so many people around him, so why did he feel lonely?

♡

" purple eyeshadow is sure to stand out.. "

" the one and only minho would fall for me today.. i'll make sure of it. "

jisung could hear his sisters' voices from their makeup room on the other level, wishing he had the luxury to put on makeup and feel pretty too.

he continued sweeping around the house, talking to his mice friends that always watched him clean up around the house with empathetic eyes.

" oops! you better pick that up. "
his eldest sister extended her index finger and purposefully tipped the vase over, causing it to shatter into a million pieces.

" yea, you better pick that up. "
his other sister parroted, a snobby look adorned on her face.

jisung was at a loss for words, snapping out of his trance when the twins started to clear their throat. jisung quickly got to his knees, collecting the glass shards in a hurry.

" and you better not dream of going to the party either. "
the eldest one stated, venom lacing her words while the other sibling just scoffed.

both of them wore a smug look on their faces, fluttering their eyelashes that were overly coated with mascara.

the glass shards were traced with red.

♡

jisung sighed, he couldn't lie, but he was feeling a little down in the dumps when he reality hit him hard. attending the royal party would only be a dream for him. however, he was determined not to let his disappointment affect his daily chores. his sisters would be displeased if they find out that the vegetables haven't been harvested.

the carrots, radishes and tomatoes greeted him, peeking out of the soil they rested in. the dizziness was back, making jisung almost trip over his own feet.the bunnies and cats eventually gathered, helping jisung with harvesting and the kind-hearted boy rewarded his animal pals with some of the vegetables, cutting them into smaller pieces for them to bite.

little did he know, someone was watching him.

♡
  to say he was tired, was an understatement. even the songbirds chirped to their friends, worried for jisung. the boy's complexion was even paler than usual, his hands were trembling and he even struggled to lift the cup to his lips.

" are you jisungie by any chance? "
a motherly voice could be heard, making jisung visibly relax. it had been a while since he was talked nicely to.

after recovering from the initial shock he felt, he quickly spun around, only to be met with a kind looking woman who wore a royal purple colored cape, and she held a wand with a star on top of it. her smile was so warm and it brought jisung a lot of comfort.

" oh! yes i am jisung. where's my manners.. silly me.. would you like something to drink? "
jisung scrambled to his feet, trying to ignore the blossoming pain that spread all over his body. he bowed apologetically to the woman, flashing her a small smile sheepishly.

the lady only shook her head, chuckling at the younger. " don't be mistaken, dear boy. im your fairy godmother. im here to grant your wish! "
she smiled, twirling her magic wand to further prove her point. jisung rubbed his eyes, he could hardly believe what he was hearing.. let alone seeing.

" i don't really have any wishes.. "
jisung glanced down at his sock covered feet bashfully, messaging his temples to relief the pressure. his fairy god mother only shook her head, smiling adoringly at the younger before twirling her wand around five times. almost immediately, jisung no longer felt sick. it was like whatever type of pain he was in previously was elevated, making him beam brightly at the magical woman.

jisung waddled over to the lady he grew to love in a matter of minutes, enveloping her in a bone crushing hug. " how can i ever thank you? " jisung's eyes were already watering, feeling absolutely touched by his fairy godmother.

" you can repay me by going to the royal party, my dear. "

before jisung could even say anything, she spun her wand and said something under her breath. before you knew it, jisung looked like a princess. he had a small white ribbon that was attached to his fluffy hair, candy floss flavored lip gloss that made his lips glisten. he was wearing a flowy white dress with a matching vanilla white ribbon at the back, accentuating his tiny waist. he wore lacy socks that ended right above his blush coated knees.

" this is too much... "
jisung kept looking down, twirling around in his new outfit, relishing in the way the cloth feels light and gentle on his skin. the animals gathered in the room, the birds seating on the windowsill and the other animals hanging around. they were visibly in awe of jisung, especially the trio of mice who looked extremely proud of jisung. they flashed a knowing wink to his fairy godmother, exchanging subtle glances.

the songbirds continued to sing.

" im afraid i don't have enough energy to make you shoes, honey... sorry.. im old and all.. "
she apologized, an unknown feeling starting to sour in her chest as she wondered if she had disappointed the boy.

jisung took her calloused hands into his own, clasping them together with his. " the dress is long enough to cover my feet, no one will have to know hehe.thank you so much for your help fairy godmother! i'll cook breakfast for you tomorrow. "
jisung stated, making her smile.

" of course, I can't wait to eat breakfast with you. "

" don't forget dear, you have to be back before 12! "
♡
" you won't be back before 12 anyways... "

♡
jisung whimpered softly when he felt something sharp poke the sole of his sock covered feet, patting the spot before venturing into the castle.

" im here for the.. party? "
jisung's voice was coated with uncertainty, legs threatening to give out when he was met with the harsh and intense glares from the guards. he was regretting his choice just a tiny bit, flashing them a meek smile.

" okay pretty boy, enjoy yourself. "
they nodded their head, one of them tipping their hat in jisung's direction. the smaller's cheeks became rosy pink, his heart was swelling with happiness. he didn't get called pretty very often.

he looked around, the rich interiors were overwhelming for someone like him who wasn't used to such posh surroundings. his dress flowed nicely as he walked with some elegance towards the table where any delicious and mouth-watering foods and dishes were situated at.

" you're a pretty one, aren't you? "

" sorry, what? "
jisung turned around, his cheeks stuffed with the mini cheesecake he was in the middle of eating. some bits of the dessert were evident at the corner of his lips, a few bits of sugar stained his already sweet lips.

his eyes immediately widened and he lightly coughed, freezing on the spot. he was met with the most stunning person he had ever laid his eyes on.

how could someone be this attractive?

his voice was sweet, he looked sweet too. looks like jisung was in luck today.

" messy boy.. "
the stunning man commented, using his thumb to wipe away the crumbs of cheesecake on the corner smaller's pink lips. he held out his other hand, wanting to show jisung around the castle. the boy certainly didn't look like he was part of some rich royal family like he was. the boy was different.

a good type of different.

jisung could only cock his head to the side, brows furrowed as he stared intently at minho's palm, wondering what he was supposed to do in this scenario he was in.

" would you like to take a look around, pretty? "
minho nudged his hand against jisung, not completely holding his hand unless the younger was comfortable with it. jisung but the inside of his cheeks and shakily raised his hand, slipping them into minho's.

the too walked, crouching down a little as they hid behind the table, away from the prying eyes of minho's parents. soon, after a few sneaky walks down the stairs, they reached the garden.

when jisung's feet touched the soft grass, flowers started to blossom. roses were red and alluring moonflowers greeted them. it was such a pretty sight , along with lavenders that stood tall and proud, a few other flora swaying gently with the night breeze.

" wow.. you must be so full of love."
minho complimented, relishing in the way jisung's lips curved into a heart shaped smile.

he was used to this, but jisung made it different. he made it feel so real.

♡

" may i sit on the swings, pretty please? "
jisung rocked back and forth, pointing at the swing set excitedly. although a part of him felt extremely guilty for requesting to ride on the swings. he wasn't used to asking for anything at all.

minho blinked slowly, as if he was snapping out a temporary trance. he could sense the uneasiness in jisung's voice, which sounded more high pitched and unsure.

" of course you can sweetie. "
minho held onto jisung's bony wrists, letting him settle down on the creamy white swing. he felt his heartstrings constricting when he noticed that the young boy was less skin and more bones. had he not been eating enough?

no. he shouldn't be asking this. he shouldn't be concerned for anyone but himself. he couldn't possibly let all the training from his parents go to waste just because of the smaller.

he just couldn't.

if he did, he wouldn't be their special boy anymore.

♡

just like that, minho started to push jisung back and forth, and the ground beneath his feet was gone. he felt as if he was flying, a smile creeping onto his face as loud giggles escape his parted lips. it was as if he was on cloud 9, feeling nothing but jubilant.

jisung's legs rocked to and fro, making minho chuckle when his little feet peeked out from the seam of his dress. he was too cute to be true. minho pushed the boy even higher, making the younger squeal, he swore he almost did a flip in the air.

" your turn!"
jisung got off the swing, insisting that minho had his turn to. it wasn't fair if he was the only one who got to enjoy himself.

minho knew he shouldn't. he really shouldn't. but his heart wanted what it wanted. there was no use. as much as he tried to turn down the offer, he was easily swayed by the younger's innocuous eyes that closely resembled a fawn's.

he couldn't stop himself from smiling when he noticed how happy the younger was. practically beaming from ear to ear. his smile was so bright it could light up the dark.

he shouldn't have done it.

even if it was inevitable.

♡

" he's gone all soft... "
" we have to do it. "
" right now? "
" this is the only way for him to be safe and strong! we only want the best for him. "
" if you say so. "

♡

out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his parents eyeing him, giving him a forced smile when he looked in their direction.

he knew what was coming.

♡

" pretty baby, are you hungry? "
minho asked, making jisung flush from the sudden pet name, pupils blown out so wide they resembled saucers. he started choking on the air, gasping softly for breath as he tried his best to not get so easily overwhelmed.

jisung's gaze was trained onto the grass, as if a bunny or songbirds would come save him from embarrassment.

" sure! but you can't just say that.. i could've died! "
jisung whined, following behind minho just like a lost puppy would.

♡

" you