SUNOO | Crown ✓

four

D-1 TO HELL WEEK

After the previous night's events, Yeri couldn't help but wonder about the intriguing boy. It wasn't because she felt anything romantic about him but instead, was that she felt oddly connected to him. She does although, have to admit that the boy held charismatic and attractive features.

As she stared blankly at the Prince of China who sat opposite her, her mind couldn't help but wander towards the thought of the intriguing boy. It was the way he chose to give in to help her to his foul mouth that spoke forgettable threats—it made the princess question his persona.

"What's on your mind Yeri?" Zhong Chenle, the Prince of China, asked the princess in curiosity.

"Just him," Yeri bluntly responded, her brows creased as she wondered about the reason she was hung up over a stranger.

Scoffing in response, Chenle pouted at Yeri's lack of attention in him. Don't get him wrong though, he has no interest in Yeri whatsoever. In fact, his love story lay with a royal reject close to him but unfortunately, it was unrequited love.

"You weren't even listening to me!" Chenle grumbled, causing Yeri to snap out of her wandering thoughts about the boy.

"My bad Lele, I stopped listening at the part when you told me your lover joined some lame mafia-society with the name Apocalypse. Who the hell even came up with that?" Yeri commented forwardly, causing the prince to pout sadly.

"The person I love is always out of my reach. The only time he approaches me is when he needs money for his stupid mafia-related tasks," Chenle sighed sadly, only for Yeri to roll her eyes.

"He's an asshole. This is why we don't fall for royal rejects Lele! Park Jisung left the royal circle for a reason, don't try to bring back those who turned on us," Yeri said sternly, her eyes burning into Chenle's orbs in uttermost hatred.

"You're right Yeri," Chenle sighed in defeat as he slumped his body against his seat.

"Because of people like Park Jisung, we're left to rise higher in the royal hierarchy than intended," Yeri spat out bitterly.

There was nothing more Yeri hated than royalty. She absolutely loathed the way Jungwon had to replace someone else's position, that someone had run away from everything he was supposed to be responsible for. She hated how the royal circle made Jay and Jungwon fight for the crown; even if they didn't want it. They couldn't risk their friendship over some silly position yet, they had no choice.

Yeri didn't want this life. She didn't choose to be born as a princess and she certainly didn't choose to co-heir the throne. Life could've been easier for them if the royal rejects stayed.

Life could've been a breeze if the initial Prince of South Korea didn't disappear so soon.

→

APOCALYPSE GROUNDS

"Need I remind you that I have the power and authority to kick your ass back out on the streets again?!" Papa's voice boomed throughout before slapping Ni-ki across his face.

The 16 year old stood stunned as his head hung low, his hands trembling with fear at the implication of being homeless again. With his cheek stinging from the pain wreaked from Papa's anger, the young boy only wished for a family. Before Papa could strike his hand again, Kim Sunoo barged through the office doors with an expression showing evident annoyance.

"It wasn't his fucking fault bald man," Sunoo seethed out in anger before pushing the older man away from Ni-ki.

Sunoo glared down at Ni-ki before nudging his head towards the door, gesturing for the younger boy to leave the entire situation to him. Ni-ki only shook his head vigorously in response causing the shorter boy to pull him by the ear and out the door.

"Stop trying to save him again Sunoo-"

"Listen Pops, you touch Ni-ki that way again and I won't hesitate to shoot you. Secondly, I was the one who killed all the three men found dead this morning," Sunoo snarled, slamming the door behind before facing Papa.

Taking bold steps towards the older man, Sunoo couldn't help but feel pure and utter disgust towards Papa. As the raven-haired boy grew older, he realised how much of a creep and liar Papa was.

Yet, that man was the only one who gave him a home.

"In that case, you'll have to reap the consequences Sunoo! I keep reminding you to clean up after your sins," Papa nagged in an irritating way but Sunoo only waved him off.

Smirking sinisterly as he stood face-to-face with Papa, Sunoo only cooed sarcastically before dropping his smile. His hands twitching as he desperately tried to overcome his temptation to kill the man before him. Everything about Papa irked him yet he couldn't bring himself to kill him even if he wanted to.

"I'm 18 Pops, my existence is already sin enough. Touch any of my boys again and I'll gut you alive," Sunoo deadpanned, "sweetly" patting Papa's head before walking away from the old man.

"On one condition,"

Stopping in his tracks, Sunoo turned around once again to face Papa. His poker face disguising the fact he was anxious every time he was halted by Papa's conditions. It could either make or break him and so far, Sunoo was damaged enough.

"What is it?" Sunoo sighed out tiredly as he stared into the man's sinister eyes.

Chuckling at his favourite child, Papa crossed his arms before gesturing his hand towards one of the chairs. His eyes glinting with evil intent as he watched his "son" approach him. It was no surprise to Papa that Sunoo would do anything to protect his boys. However, the Four Horsemen were all puppets to him and Kim Sunoo was the hardest to control.

Bringing up Sunoo's past life as royalty was the 18 year old boy's Achilles Heel—it was time for Papa to play this card on Sunoo. Thinking he created another version of himself, Papa only created a monster far from how he visioned him to be.

"Abduct the soon-to-be Queen of South Korea and I'll finally grant you the freedom you've longed for,"