Villain kids

20

Mark: "Alright, Donghyuck... here's your custom dark purple helmet—for safety, of course. Your royal carriage awaits."

The prince's tone was light and teasing, and it earned a small laugh from the purple-haired boy as his eyes landed on the sleek, light blue scooter.

Hyuck: "Thank you, Prince..."
Mark: "Please. Call me Mark. I'm the same as everyone else here—just a kid trying to do the right thing."

The humility in his voice caught Donghyuck off guard. He blinked.

Hyuck: "I mean... I have called you Mark before, but that was just... you know, in a jokey way. It still feels wrong somehow. Like I’m supposed to say 'prince' or even 'your majesty'..."

Mark: "I’m not a king yet. And honestly? Nearly everyone here’s some kind of royal. If we keep up with the titles, we’ll never get anything done."
He smiled gently.
Mark: "We’re just people. Friends, I hope."

Hyuck (muttering): "Not all..."

Mark turned slightly on the scooter, catching the words before they could vanish.

Mark: "What do you mean? 'Not all'? What happened?"

Hyuck: "Nothing. Forget it."
Mark: "Nope. You're gonna tell me."

Donghyuck huffed, defeated.
Hyuck: "Lucas. Yesterday, after the game. While I was waiting for you, he came over and said I don’t belong here. That someone like me shouldn’t even try to fit in."

Mark froze for a heartbeat. The words stung—and not just because they were cruel. Because they betrayed everything Auradon was supposed to stand for. His parents’ dream. His dream.

Mark: "I’m sorry he said that. Truly. He had no right—and I will speak to him. No one deserves to be made to feel like an outsider, especially not here."

Sitting behind Mark on the scooter, Hyuck could feel the sincerity radiating from him. He hadn't expected that. Not from a prince. Not from anyone.

It warmed something cold in him.

If he’d confronted Lucas, it would've been yelling and threats and maybe even a punch. But Mark? He handled it with grace and quiet fire. Donghyuck felt... safe. And for once, he didn’t feel ashamed of that.

Hyuck: "Thank you... Mark. I mean it."
He could feel the smile stretch across the prince’s face, even without seeing it.

They slowed as the scooter crested a hill and came to a gentle stop. Mark pulled off his helmet, ruffling his hair with a dramatic shake. Donghyuck followed suit, fingers brushing through lavender locks.

Hyuck: "Where are we?"
His voice dropped to a reverent whisper.

Before him lay a dream. A small cliff formed from giant rock clusters, like a playground sculpted by the gods. Off to the left, the sun was dipping low, bleeding orange and gold into the clouds, purple streaks swirling like Hyuck’s own hair. Below, a soft hill sloped into a pond framed by wooden benches and swaying trees.

Mark: "You can only get here by vehicle or flying. That’s what makes it special—it stays hidden. Peaceful. But this isn't even the best part. Come on. There’s something else I want you to see."

He started walking toward the edge of the cliff. Hyuck turned his head—and froze.

A bridge.

Long, high, and definitely not up to code. It swayed gently in the breeze, stretching across a chasm to a dense, enchanted-looking forest on the other side.

Hyuck: "Nope. Absolutely not. I’m not going there!"
He dashed back toward the scooter like it was a shield.

Mark turned around, half-chuckling.
Mark: "Donghyuck... are you scared of heights?"

Hyuck: "Scared? Pfft. No. I'm scared of things that look like they were made to kill me in cinematic slow motion."

The prince grinned, walking back over to him with zero judgment.
Mark: "Don’t worry, Mister Maleficent Junior. I’ll hold your hand if you want. Besides, this is a magical kingdom—you literally can’t die from bridge-related tragedy."

Hyuck blinked, stunned. Did the prince just make fun of him?

...He liked it.

Hyuck (playfully dramatic): "I’d like that, yeah. Or I might faint. You never know."

Without hesitation, Mark took his hand. It was warm. Steady. And somehow, way more intense than Hyuck expected. They stood there for a second too long. The moment buzzed between them like static before they both quickly looked away and started walking.

Hand in hand, they stepped onto the bridge—the wind catching their clothes, the forest ahead glowing with soft green light.

It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

And for the first time in a long time, Donghyuck felt like he might actually belong in one.