Royal Temptations

Chapter 21

At this point in my life I'm working overnight shifts at my job and I'm not amused.

I'm actually in the middle of chapter 29 and forgot to post this oops. So here you go.

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Junmyeon's POV

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"You are, like, extra mopey today," Baekhyun commented. I shot him an annoyed look. When I asked him to accompany me to the airport, this wasn't what I was expecting. "I mean, you're usually kinda mopey, because that's just who you are but I love you anyway, but today you're extra down."

"Love you too," I droned sarcastically. He simply smiled his dimpled smile. I glanced back out the window of the limo. It was three days after Yixing's departure to China, and I still felt saddened by his lack of presence around the palace. Every morning since I awoke and immediately sought him out, only for reality to slap me in the face. He wasn't here anymore. He was in China.

"Is this about lover boy?" Baekhyun asked, completely nonplussed as usual. "Because I have a feeling it's about lover boy." This time, the look I shot him could have killed him, but as usual, the little shit was unaffected. "You really liked him," he continued, dropping the joking demeanor. "I've honestly never seen you act this way."

"Yeah, well, I really shouldn't be," I replied. "Besides, I have other things to worry about. I do have a country to run. A silly crush should be the last thing on my mind." Except it wasn't. It was all I fucking thought about. "Life's unfair. That's how it goes," I added when he seemed unconvinced. "Fairytale endings don't exist in real life Baek, no matter how much we may fantasize about them."

"You sure you aren't the hopeless romantic?" he asked with a straight face. I snorted at his lame attempt at a joke. "Though really, you're hopeless."

"Thanks for giving me the warm and fuzzies," I said with an eye roll. "Truly, you make me feel so loved. Why do I call you my best friend again?"

"Because you couldn't live without me," he replied in a sing-song voice. I just rolled my eyes again, but he was kind of right. I wouldn't know what to do without him. "Good luck in London," he added. "I wish I could go with you."

"Believe me, me too," I told him. We lapsed into silence after that, the only sound being the wind whipping by the limo. I glanced behind us, at the van full of guards. Mother and father insisted on some light security, even if I was king and had the final say in it. I settled back against my seat, closing my eyes. I heard Baekhyun chuckling softly beside me, and I couldn't help but smile. This man, he'd been through a lot with me already.

Growing up, I'd never really had someone I considered my best friend. I had plenty of friends, sure, but because of my position, and the fact we were always travelling and I was always learning, I never had a chance to make terribly close friends. I had Heechan, who'd been a constant presence in my life from a young age, and I had some other royalty's kids, but Baekhyun was the first person I could truly call my best friend. And I was very thankful for that. We may have gotten under each other's skin from time to time, but at the end of the day there was no one else I'd rather have at my side.

"What was it like?" Baekhyun suddenly piped up, shattering the delicate silence like glass. I opened an eye and glanced over to him. "Having Yixing around, I mean," he continued, ever the curious mind he was. "Because obviously you've been affected again, but this time it seems worse than the last."

"You mean my inability to feel any sort of attraction to any other person wasn't bad enough?" I asked. But Baekhyun simply stared, and I wondered briefly how hard I'd have to beat him over the head before anything got through that thick skull of his. "Honestly Baek it sucks," I continued. Because I trusted him, I often let him know how I felt. "Waking up on his final day here, after having him around a full week, it was heart breaking. It was like I was sixteen again, watching him walk away from me. But this time I know he's not coming back." He listened quietly, a rarity from him. "It still kind of feels like a little piece of myself went with him, but I also know there's nothing I can do. He's a taken man, and I was just the dumb fool that fell for him all over again."