royal trend ° hyunho

twenty-two

Sunday, 24.07.2022

minho was still parking the car when hyunjin climbed into the passenger seat. he raised an eyebrow as he watched the prince run his hand across the door handle and the dashboard.

noticing, hyunjin clarified: "i've never been in such a car before. what brand is it?"

"good, old homemade kia," minho said and took the key out of the ignition. then he locked eyes with hyunjin again. "i'm supporting the domestic production like a proper citizen," he added with a wink.

hyunjin snorted. "yeah, a proper citizen, sure. like you didn't just exceed the speed limit by sixty miles."

"only fifty," minho countered, sprawling in his seat, "and that's not how you should be thanking me for saving you from starpatch."

hyunjin's eyes bulged. "paparazzi were after me? how do they– how do you know– did you follow me?"

"chill, i didn't," minho interrupted casually. "i still have no idea who you are if that's what you're worried about. i found you at a bus stop. the paparazzi was after me."

hyunjin relaxed with a relieved sigh.

his relief was short-lived, though, as the more pressing problem dawned on him: he had escaped from a formal dinner without any supervision – and was in a car with a hot guy who had a scandalous reputation, but that was a different story. everyone at the embassy was probably going crazy.

he felt the pockets of his pants for his phone only to remember that he had left it in his car as per mr. song's instructions that appearing at a formal dinner with a phone was impolite. the prince cursed internally. that's where etiquette brought you – nowhere.

he snapped his head in minho's direction. "i have to go back."

"why the rush?" said minho, who had been observing him with an amused expression as if he knew what was going through his head.

"i–" hyunjin faltered. this would have been much easier to explain if he could just tell that he was a prince. minho probably wouldn't care anyways.

"is sam a nickname?" minho asked out of nowhere in the meantime.

"no, my name is samuel." hyunjin tried to sound as convincing as he could, hoping that minho would not make the connection between the foreign name and its korean equivalent.

"samuel," minho tested it on his tongue. "that's a king's name." he smiled. "are you a king?"

hyunjin laughed. "not yet."

"great to know. i can't stand the royals."

the prince stared in surprise at minho's grimace of disgust. lesson learned, he noted in his head. seungmin was apparently right that it was safer for him to keep quiet about his identity.

it was rare for someone to dislike the royal family, which was known for being adored by its subjects. why did minho sound so hostile?

hyunjin brushed the thoughts off. it did not matter what minho thought anyways. by the time he found out who hyunjin was, hyunjin would have had to cut all communication with him anyways. it was about having fun now – no strings attached.

"what's on your mind?" minho asked. his black eyes pierced hyunjin.

the prince forced a smile. "nothing really, except that i'll be in trouble when i go back."

"don't go back then. i know a nice place nearby – great food and all," minho offered. he put the key back into the ignition and started the car.

hyunjin straightened in his seat. "what are you doing? minho!"

minho was manoeuvring his kia out of the parking lot. "you're so tense in real life. relax." he put his hand on hyunjin's shoulder and squeezed gently. "i'll return you later, i promise."

"but i have to go back. everyone's looking for me," hyunjin protested weakly.

minho shrugged nonchalantly. "their problem. you're safe with me."

the way in which he said that, combined with how sexily relaxed he looked holding the wheel with his right hand while the left hung out of the window, sealed the deal for hyunjin. a thought that he would love to have one of minho's hands on his thigh crossed his mind. he bit his lower lip painfully to chase it away. "okay, let's go," he said and buckled the seatbelt with twice the necessary force.

minho smirked. "that's how i like you."

he was about to take a turn when his phone rang.

"aish, who is it now?" he snatched it out of the beverage holder. "what's up?" he said to the person on the other side in a cooler voice than the one he used with hyunjin.

soon his face darkened.

"the hell? what do you mean sell it?" he glanced at hyunjin, who was watching him with undisguised curiosity. "hold on there. i'm coming."

he ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket. then he ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"what happened?" hyunjin asked hesitantly.

a/n:

they'll be a cool couple