Not Quite a Prince || Eric Sohn

~ 69 ~

Numb.

Was that what he was feeling? Juyeon wasn't even sure himself. His mind was in shock, and all he could hear were Dayeong's cries, echoing in his head.

A father. He was going to be a father.

But he didn't even have a moment to celebrate that fact, because guards were holding onto his arms, leading him away.

Silent tears streamed down his face as he kept his head down, watching the ground as he was led to who knew where.

He'd said he'd never leave her.

It was a promise he was currently breaking.

"Let me go," he said, his voice low. He stopped walking, pulling his arms out of the grasp of the other guards. He spun around, starting to run, but was tackled to the ground almost immediately. "Let me go!" he shouted, pushing himself off of the gravel pathway and coming face to face with Hyunjae.

"Hyunjae," he whispered, unable to stop himself from crying. "Please, help me." Hyunjae didn't say anything, and Juyeon already knew from reading his eyes that there was nothing he could do. He had to follow orders. He had to send him away. Wordlessly, Hyunjae reached forward, pulling Juyeon into his arms. Juyeon cried on his shoulder, sobs shaking his whole body. "Let me go," he begged, knowing it was hopeless. "I have to go back to her."

"I'm sorry," Hyunjae whispered, patting his head. It sounded like Hyunjae was close to tears too. "NCT Nation," Hyunjae whispered quickly, and so softly that Juyeon barely heard him. "The forest north of the main city. You know where it is. Find your way back soon. I'll try to visit," he said, hitting Juyeon lightly on the back before leading him towards a truck.

Juyeon repeated those words over and over again in his head, his mind mentally drawing a map for himself.

"You have to go in here," Hyunjae said, his voice emotionless as he opened the back of the truck. "So that you can't see where you're going. Please cooperate and go in by yourself, or else we'll have to use force."

Juyeon looked at Hyunjae, the two of them holding eye contact for a moment. He knew that Hyunjae had done everything he could by giving him that information. With that information, he'd find his way back to the Palace. Somehow, he would.

Because he wouldn't break his promise to her. He'd meant it when he said she was stuck with him forever.

"Tell her," he begged Hyunjae, his voice hoarse. "Tell her. Tell her I love her and I'll figure something out... I'll come back. Watch over her," he whispered, his voice breaking again as more tears welled up in his eyes. "Please."

Hyunjae nodded, his eyes holding a promise. They had been friends for a long time. Juyeon knew he could trust Hyunjae, to do as much that was in his power.

Juyeon swallowed, turning around and looking back at the Palace, half-hoping that Dayeong would come outside. Half-hoping that he might get one last glance at her before he had to go.

But he didn't, and after a moment he lifted himself into the back of the truck. The doors closed, leaving him in darkness.

And in that darkness, the tears continued to roll down his face as he thought back to all the happy memories he had with her, begging those memories to carry them through the pain.