𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 | hyunho

three

Hyunjin was woken up by sunlight falling on his face.

He checked the time, it was already 6:26 AM and he needed to get ready by 7 AM. The royal guards would be coming to pick him and his belongings up for his stay at the palace.

When he was finally all done and ready to go, he heard the sound of a carriage coming from the road. He couldn't believe his own eyes. He was going to travel in a royal carriage? It was a dream for him.

'His majesty is too kind,' he thought.

He helped in carrying his luggage to the carriage and then sat inside, still not able to calm down his excitement.

The carriage started moving and he looked outside the window, taking in the beauty of the passing scenery. 

After two hours and forty-five minutes, the carriage haulted in front of the royal palace.

Hyunjin got down the carriage and went to help the guards in carrying his stuff when a voice spoke up.

"Greetings, Master Hwang. I'm Prince Lee's courtier, Bang Chan."

"Oh umm. Greetings to you too!" Hyunjin nervously greeted back.

"Haha. I hope the journey wasn't tiring." Chan said.

"The journey was not tiring at all!" He responded.

"Here, let me show you your room. You'll stay and work in there."

Chan lead Hyunjin up the grand stairs and turned left to open a large door leading to a magnificent room. Hyunjin just stood at the door, still trying to process reality.

"You should freshen up now. If you need anything, my room is at the right of the staircase. If I am not in my room, you can leave a message with the servants. Good day!" Chan left.

Hyunjin went to the washroom to freshen up, as Chan suggested.

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Hyunjin had just come out of the washroom when he heard a knock on the door.

"God. I'm coming wait a second– ugh!"

"Ow.." He was still rubbing his little finger while opening the door.

He finally looked up to see...
"Prince Lee?!"

Minho just stared at him for a moment until he looked away and walked into the room, sitting on the sofa.

For context,  Hyunjin was going to grab some clothes from his bag after the shower so he had come out of the bathroom with only a towel on. He heard the knock and thought it would be a royal servant or maid saying that the prince called him or something, he never thought his highness would himself come over. 

'God. So embarrasing.' He thought as he slipped on his clothes, coming out of the bathroom.

"Are you done?" Minho looked up when he heard the bathroom door open.

"Yes, sir. I apologise for the-"

"You can start with the portrait." Minho cut Hyunjin's words of apology off.

"Right now?!" Hyunjin asked a bit shocked.

"Is there a problem?" Minho raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, no. Not at all." Hyunjin ran to get the canvas, paintbrushes, paint tubes and colour palette.

He sat on a chair, opposite to the sofa on which Minho was sitting on, and placed the canvas in front of himself. He squeezed the paint from the tube to the palette dipped his brush and started taking in the prince's features, carefully sketching them on the white canvas.

The room went silent. Only the sounds made by the paintbrush, on being stroked on the canvas, was heard if you listened attentively. The wall clock's ticking was heard too. Well, those were the only sounds.

Minho, being the quiet person he is, just sat there. But it looked like his mind wasn't in the room, he had spaced out. I wonder what he is thinking about.
Hyunjin, on the other hand, was completely immersed in his art. The only things he could see now was the prince's perfectly sculpted face, his own talented, slender fingers which held the paintbrush and the canvas which was now containing some faint colours which were the lookalike of the beauty sitting on the sofa.

After a whole one and a half hour later, Hyunjin finally spoke up.
"Your Highness, may I take a break?" His legs had gone numb and he needed to go to the washroom.

"Sure. You don't need to ask." Minho replied.

"Thank you, your highness."
He walked away a bit before turning back.
"Umm.. I took the proportions."

"What do you mean?" Minho was confused.

"Uh, I meant that if you want you can leave because I have made the base sketch and I have your face in memory now." He explained.

"Oh. Okay, I'll take my leave then. Do it well." Minho said, standing up from the sofa.

"Of course! I will try my best for your highness." 

Hyunjin saw the prince walk out from the door and sighed in relief. He needed time to get used to seeing a royal member everyday, especially the prince. He had never seen the prince in person before due to his village being far from the palace but he had heard of him. The gossips weren't rumors after all. He is even more good-looking than what he had expected. Good for him though, he loves drawing pretty people.

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