In the Middle of the Night [BANG CHAN FF] ✔️

40. In the middle of the night

A/N: It is advised that you listen to "In the middle of the night" BUT a violin cover by Joel Sunny (... and cry with me... on repeat!) while reading this chapter to capture the feeling :)
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"Hey, have you guys noticed?" Han asked, leaning in the carriage, and looking up at the clear night sky, "Ever since we started this journey, everyone addressed Yona as 'your Highness'... Why, if she quit being the princess?"

Hyunjin rolled his eyes at Han's question which, in the end, no one answered so Jisung silenced and let his head fall in disappointment.

Yona turned to the youngest who sat on her right, "Hey, Jeongin..." she smiled and he returned the gesture, "I'm sorry that we didn't go to your home, too."

The boy shrugged, followed by a scoff, "It doesn't matter... My brothers are a pain in the neck so you haven't missed anything," he smiled and Yona only nodded.

She remembered his blood-freezing serious facial expression when they were in the battle but didn't comment on it. Yona liked the soft and smiley Innie instead. She couldn't promise him that they'll visit his home after the rescue, as Hyunjin's words from the train lingered in her mind.

"Alright, we're here..." the old man stopped the carriage on the hill from which they saw a big black ship in the port, "I can't go down there so you have to---"

"Thanks, old man!" Changbin tapped the man's shoulder with a smile but came to his ear to whisper: "You're lucky that I didn't kill you for insulting the princess, you shit," he changed his serious expression to a smiling one again, ready to exit the carriage.

But Yona was faster. She jumped off before everyone, ignoring their calls, and ran down the hill, slipping on the grass a few times.

"Chris..." she said through her greeted teeth, repeating his name over and over.

As she got close, Yona saw guards taking a row of prisoners, all chained together, up the stairs and into the ship. In the very back, separated from the rest, she saw two guards holding the man by each arm.

"Chris!" Yona yelled and everyone turned to her. 

One guard that was leading the queue of prisoners came running to her, "Miss, you can't be here!" he yelled, spreading his arms and blocking her way.

"Chris!!!" Yona yelled again, already crying.

Five knights from the carriage finally caught up to her, panting.

"Let me go! Please!!!" Yona pleaded, trying to push through the guard.

"Yona..." Bang Chan watched the princess, gulping away his tears. His head fell and he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look at her and his old friends, not strong enough to take her loud cries. They were all here, just for him, but he felt discouraged, not wanting them to see him in this sorrowful state. Tears fell from his face the louder Yona cried and called out his name.

"She is the princess Yona," Felix told the guard, "Please let her through."

The guard looked at the younger man and then back at the princess, "I'm sorry, your Highness, but we are ordered by his Majesty, the king, to transport him to the prison island. There's nothing--- Hey!"

Yona used the chance while the guard was talking to slip away and run. The man tried to stop her but Changbin, Hyunjin, and Jeongin grabbed him, with Felix and Han blocking the way. She ran to the two guards who held Chan. The other prisoners already boarded the ship and there was no one at the port but them.

"Let that man go!" Yona panted but kept her ordering yet diplomatic tone.

"I am sorry, Your Highness, but we can't do that..." one of Chan's guards said. And while the two guards faced Yona, Bang Chan kept his head low, his back turned to her. Yona saw those slumped shoulders and closed her eyes, gulping once to keep herself from crying.