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"Jungwon." I said, placing another piece of cake into my mouth.

"Yes?" He asked, contently watching me continue to eat the cake with a small smile and glittering eyes, his chin resting on his hand.

"Simp." A low voice discreetly said while coughing. I laughed and turned to the owner of the voice- Riki, who was now looking in another direction with a sly smile on his face before his face was slammed with a pillow delivered from Jungwon.

The eight of us were in a garden in a garden of the Kim Palace, courtesy of Sunoo. The second I informed him of the end of Jungwon and I's feud, he insisted to throw a small tea party to celebrate it. Sure, the princes were all incredibly busy. But who could say no to Sunoo?

So, that's how we all ended up dressed up with pastries and sparkling cider in front of us.

"Is there a particular reason why you've been staring at me for the past half hour?" I asked with a mischievous smile. The boy only offered a sheepish smile as the rest of the princes snickered at my remark, continuing onto their own conversations.

"I've just been thinking." He answered.

"About what?"

"About how your birthday is in two days. You know, I've been thinking about how to throw the biggest celebration for you in the safest way." He said, tapping the pointer finger of the hand he was resting on his cheek, eyes indeed deep in thought.

"Oh my gosh, did you just say Yumin's birthday is in two days?" Heeseung gasped.

The other boys joined in on the gasping, breaking into heavy chatter.

"Why didn't you tell us, Yumin?"

"My baby is growing up."

"How old are you gonna be again? Wait, how old am I again?"

"Too old to be asking that question."

I laughed at everyone's commentary. They all peered at me with sparkling eyes. "To be fair," I said in between small laughs. "I didn't even know my birthday was in-" I paused, finally realizing something. However, I quickly tried to hide my hesitation. "two days."

But of course, Jungwon was quick to notice. "What's wrong?" He asked, worry clouding his eyes.

I gave him a reassuring smile, taking another bite out of the cake. "It's nothing."

Sunoo tsked, shaking his finger at me. "Ah-ah-ah. You should no better than any of us that 'nothing' is never actually nothing. Do I need to teach you girl code?"

I half-heartedly laughed at his joke. On the inside, my mind was racing again.

Two days. My birthday was in two days.

The note that I received from Yumin yesterday told me to meet her at midnight in two days. That meant that she wanted to meet me the hour that transitioned into my birthday.

But, wasn't the entire point of me complaining about Jungwon and I's fight because I felt like I needed to tell him about the note? This single fact made me exhale and set my fork down.

"I received a note yesterday." I said in a low voice.

Immediately sensing the shift of tone in my voice, the seven boys gave me their full attention with cunning sharpness in their eyes that accented their regal heritage.

I continued. "I believe it was from Yunseo, the girl in the assassination video."

While the others inhaled sharply, Jungwon's grip on his fork tightened, his knuckles turning white. "What did that note say?" He asked with a grim expression, voice tense.

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