castle runaway. ˡᵉᵉ ᵈᵒⁿᵍʰʸᵘᶜᵏ

TWENTY THREE

Monique's POV

"Golds, your honey cake."

"Aww, thank you, Haechan~."

Haechan sliced a piece, placed it on a small plate and slowly pushed it towards me. "Have some." He smiled. Baby Bear handed me a fork and I took a bite of the cake. My eyes shot towards him.

"It's so good. Props to you, Haechan." I raised a thumb and sliced a piece for Baby Bear. "Would you like some?" I asked. He nodded and smiled politely. "Yes, please."

I put the piece on a plate and pushed it in front of him. He munched on it while Haechan gave Mama Bear and Papa Bear some. The both of them are huge and Papa Bear's head almost reached the roof.

Haechan looked up at Papa Bear. "Does it still taste good?" The bear raised a thumb and smiled toothily. "Even better than before. You are a great cook, Toot."

"Just call me Haechan, Papa Bear," He insisted and took a bite of his own cake. "It's delicious because obviously I made it." Haechan said proudly. I could only agree.

"Where are you headed after lunch?" Goldilocks asked Haechan. She sounded like a normal girl now. "Town. Get some free food from shop keeper friends." Haechan replied and I didn't realize he was already done with his piece of cake.

I looked up and I met eyes with Haechan. He's been staring at me for minutes now. I raised a brow with a puffed cheek. "What?" I asked. He smiled and chugged down water from his mug. "I wasn't used to the way you look."

"You should. I'll be looking like this for the rest of my stay with you." I said and I felt Baby Bear's paw on my arm, detecting a jealous Goldilocks. I glanced up at the blonde girl and she was fuming again.

"Why wasn't I told that she's staying with you? If she didn't bring this up, you won't tell me?!" She shouted right in front of Haechan. "What's your position, my girlfriend? You aren't, right? She's just staying with me." Goldilocks flushed at the first question.

"Sorry," She immediately apologized and turned her back on Haechan to leave, but he grabbed her arm. "Look, I know you like me. But you know I can only love you back as a little sister, Goldie. You won't lose me just because Monique's here."

Goldilocks turned back to Haechan, teary-eyed. "Really?" He nodded. She suddenly gave him a bear hug. I looked at how cute they looked. Too bad Haechan only sees her as a family.

She pulled away. "But I still want you." Haechan laughed at her remark and patted her head softly. I finally finished eating up my honey cake. "Are we going to head now?" I asked Haechan.

He stood up. "Yes. Come on, Elyas will miss me more." He said and put the bag filled with Goldilocks' clothes over his shoulder. "Send my hugs to Elyas!" Baby Bear and Goldilocks said in unison.

"Sure do. See you guys sooner!" Haechan bid goodbye. I did too and hugged the small bear. "Thank you for the company," I looked at Goldilocks. "And for the clothes." She just smiled.. calmly.

Haechan and I headed to the door and walked back to the town's main road. People glanced at me and whispered. "Are they familiar with my face?" I asked Haechan, scared.

"No. Pretty girls like you are rare in Snow. There are only like nineteen pretty girls around here, including Goldilocks, but she only likes one attention and it's mine." I chuckled. She is Good after all.

"So, you said the shop keepers are your friends. Why?" I asked. "So I can get free food from them. And they know that I'm Tootles. Turns out I was everyone's favorite Lost Boy, second to Peter, if he was a lost boy. I don't know." He shrugged.

I chuckled and he suddenly went up a stall with fruits and vegetables. "Good morning to you, Clarisse!" My eyes shot wide open and I covered my mouth as I heard what he said.

A three-eyed girl popped out from the stall. I gasped. It was Sylvaine's sister. She was known as Three-Eyes but the book I got has her real name on it.

Her silver-ish brown hair was tied into a bun and her middle eye winked. "Toot! How are you?" Haechan giggled and grinned. "I'm fine. Oh, by the way," He suddenly dragged me beside him.

"Clarisse, this is Monique. Monique, Clarisse." I nodded. "I know her." I lowly whispered. Haechan turned his back on Three-Eyes and looked at me. "You know her?"

"Yes. She's Queen Sylvaine's sister, Queen of Golden Tree Kingdom. I think they moved here in Snow because the sister they once criticized became a queen." I replied abruptly and he looked back at Clarisse.

"Oh, uhm, can I get whatever I like now?" He laughed. Clarisse smiled. "Of course, only if I can call you 'Toot' or 'Tootles'." Haechan pouted and took an apple. "Alright, fine." He took another six, including a few veggies and fruits then gave them all to Clarisse.

"I think that would be all. Thanks, Ri!" She handed the basket to me and smiled before saying a welcome to Haechan. We waved goodbye and walked away.

"Next stop?" I teased. He smiled. "Pinocchio's. Does laundry services, dolls, meats and others. Quite popular back in the days for being a wooden boy."

"Wait, if he's a wooden boy, did he grow old?" Haechan nodded. "That's what magic does, Monique." He suddenly trudged to a huge store with 'Pinocchio's' on top of it.

Haechan went inside and I followed, basket of fruits and vegetables in hand. There were quite a lot of people inside and all of their heads turned to the door. Insecurity detected.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front, pairs of eyes following my move. I decided to look down and Haechan and I stopped in front of the counter.

Behind the counter was a bigger version of the Pinocchio I have read. I could barely contain my excitement. A famous book character was right in front of me (so was Goldilocks, Clarisse, the Bears and Haechan / Tootles).

"Well, well, boy," Pinocchio exclaimed as he saw Haechan. "Glad to see you again," He said but then his nose started to grow long. Haechan gave him a poker look and flicked the tip of his nose. "You're old, Pin, but you're always bad at lying."

The man groaned. "You got me, Haechan. I don't miss you that much, though." His nose went back to its original position. "Elyas is already guilty about eating your chickens, Pin." Haechan pouted.

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright," Pinocchio's gaze dropped to me. "Oh, you got yourself a girlfriend?" He raised an inked brow up and down. Haechan laughed. "Oh, no. I got acquainted with her. She's Monique."

Pinocchio grinned, showing no teeth (but it didn't look awkward, though). "I'm sure you two would fall in love with each other." Haechan and I laughed and shook our heads in disbelief.

The weird thing was..

His nose didn't grow long.

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