Desperation (1/1)

Taemin sat in his room, counting down the minutes. Any second now, he knew the soldiers would come looking for him. There was no reason why they wouldn't. Jonghyun knew it had been him, and they probably discovered the knife. The theater would be the first place they would look for him.He decided that he would not challenge them. He had made a mistake - many mistakes - it was only right that he was made to answer for it.He didn't know what Jonghyun would do to him. He wondered if the choice was even up to the prince. There may have just been a blanket law that said anyone who even stepped too close to the prince with a knife would die.Taemin was preparing for that. Slowly, he was coming to peace with the fact that he might die. He had willingly given up one life, and now another one would be taken from him. He could bear it. At least he would no longer have to deal with the heartache."While I'm glad you're back, I don't understand why you didn't stay at the palace," Joonmyun commented casually, as he sat with him in the room. Minho was there as well, just as oblivious as his friend. Though they could sense something was obviously bothering him, they had no idea what that something was. They probably never would have guessed."All those amenities, servants at your beck and call, running water, comfortable beds...""It was probably too stuffy in there," Minho replied, though he didn't seem as carefree with his words as Joonmyun did. "You know what royalty is like. Imagine being surrounded by that every hour for the past seven days. I'd want to get out of there too." He turned back to Taemin and gave him an encouraging smile, trying to lighten his mood. The smile Taemin gave him in return was pitiful."I'd put up with those mannequins for a year, as long as I had access to the royal kitchens."As they were in the middle of their inconsequential conversation, the door to that small room opened without warning, and Kibum came rushing inside. The director was clearly upset, perhaps even frightened. He quickly shut the door and rested his back against it, as if to keep something or someone out. His grave attention immediately went to Taemin."The King's royal guards are inside my theater," he told them rather factually, "They're looking for you, Min."That was the first time Kibum had actually called him by that name, which told him how seriously he took the situation."For Minnie?" Joonmyun asked in disbelief.Minho looked to Taemin for explanation. His lack of shock must have betrayed his guilt."What did you do, Minnie?" Kibum asked softly, "I've run into the royal guard before, and I can tell when they mean business.""He didn't do anything! How could he?" Joonmyun replied, still reluctant to believe his friend was anything but an innocent child."Either way, I need to know. I can help him, but I need to know what I'm dealing with. What did you do? Did you steal something?"Taemin shook his head."Did you assault someone? Insult someone? What?""Where are the guards at now?" Minho asked, standing to his feet in order to better address Kibum."They're inside, by the front entrance. I just told him I'd look to see if Min was here, since I wasn't sure if he returned. They told me if I didn't bring him out, they'd have to search the theater for him."Taemin clasped his hands together and sighed. So that was it."Look, Minnie, I'm prepared to lie for you, but only so far. I can't risk my relations with the prince. One wrong move, and this theater is gone. Do you understand what I'm saying?"He nodded."What do you want me to do?"Slowly, he pulled himself to his feet and nodded to the director, letting him know he was ready to go. He was ready to face his punishment. But Minho grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping him."Tell them he's here, but he won't come out. They'll have to come get him," Minho said.Kibum narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Minho...""Just tell them. Please."He knew he was up to no good, just as Taemin knew he was up to no good, but he complied with his wishes anyway. With a disapproving shake of his head, he left the room to go face the soldiers.As soon as the door closed again, Minho turned Taemin around, forcing him to face him. "What did you do?" he asked him bluntly.Despite his shame, Taemin answered him as best he could. He pretended to hold a knife in his hand and jabbed the imaginary weapon at Minho's chest."You killed someone?" he asked, aghast."I tried," Taemin mouthed.Minho sighed, now more afraid than before. Even Joonmyun looked like he finally understood that Taemin was in some serious trouble. Neither of them even asked why he had done it, what his motivations were, or if he was even justified. Minho just opened the door and pulled him out of the room, rushing him down the empty hall."Come on," he urged, taking him further down into the basement, into the rooms of the theater that Taemin had never ventured before - places that he didn't even know existed. He wanted to ask where they were going, but Minho never gave him the chance. He just ushered him along, with Joonmyun following behind them. One thing was certain though: he wasn't taking him to the guards.The end of their run eventually saw them outside. Minho took them out one of the many back exits, which opened up into the alley behind the theater. It was dark and empty out there, but Taemin could tell there was a straight path out of that street, far from the theater and far from the guards. Now that they stood out there, Taemin finally understood what was happening. Minho wanted him to run.He shook his head violently and tried to go back into the theater, but Minho held his grip on his wrist, refusing to let him. "This alley will lead you straight out of the district. If you start now, you can be long gone before they even know you're missing. Just go.""No!" he wanted to scream."You need to go!" Minho told him sternly, "If you stay, those men will kill you. It's what they do. It's all the royal family ever does to people who cross them. Trust me, you need to go."But he didn't want to. He didn't want to run away into the unknown, to hide in a place without his friends, or his family, or even a prince to love. Dying was almost less frightening."Please," Minho begged him. Even in the darkness, he could tell the man was on the point of tears. He didn't want to lose him, not to death. And that was the only reason Taemin listened. It was for his sake. Not for his own. His friends cared for him, and he didn't want to hurt them. Not the way he had hurt his sisters, the last time he had made a decision without considering the consequences.Joonmyun took his shoulders and gently urged him away from the theater. "He's right. You need to go."Taemin looked between the two of them, suddenly overwhelmed with their love for him. If only he had put more of his focus on them, instead of on a prince who didn't have the heart for him. Maybe then, things wouldn't have turned out so painful. He pulled the two of them against him in an awkward embrace, silently thanking them for everything they had done, and saying a rushed prayer to whichever deity watched over him, that he or she would take care of them. He then pulled away, and they let him go. He backed away slowly, before forcing himself to detach from them. He turned and did as they told him, running as fast and as far as he could.  Only a week ago he had run out by himself and nearly been killed, but in the moment of panic and hope, Jonghyun didn't consider that. He didn't consider that he was putting his life at risk again by suddenly leaving the palace on his steed, with only a few of his more prepared guards trailing after him. They had no idea why he left so suddenly, only that they should follow. So they followed him from the palace gates, through the crowded streets of the city, to that magnificent theater.The guards that had been sent there before had already caused a scene. There weren't many of them, but their presence was enough to get the attention of the theater workers and the people who lived in the immediate area. A small curious crowd had gathered, but the moment they saw the prince riding up on his horse, with several more soldiers behind him, they dispersed. He heard their angry murmurs and their exclamations of surprise, but he ignored it all. In a rush, he unmounted his horse and handed the reins to the one guard who remained stationed outside the main entrance. Without asking him for an update on the situation, he went straight into the theater to find out for himself.The rest of his men were inside, along with Kibum and several other of the workers. He could tell the situation was tense, but they all fell silent when they noticed he was there."Your highness," his men greeted him. The workers at the theater merely bowed their heads in respect."Where is he?" Jonghyun demanded of Kibum, grabbing the director by the shoulders, startling him. "Where is Taemin? Is he here?""...Taemin?" Kibum asked, confused."Minnie! Water Boy! Where is he?"He could tell his distress had confused them. The director looked like he didn't know how to answer him. "He was here, but he's gone now.""Gone where?""I don't know. I swear, your highness, I don't know."Jonghyun turned his attention to the other two men who were there, the ones he knew were close with Taemin. They both looked tense, and just as baffled as Kibum. It was as if they expected Jonghyun to charge in there, angry and seeking justice. Instead, he was desperate, and dare he admit it, terrified. Terrified that he had lost his friend all over again."Where is he?" he asked Minho, commanding his full attention, "Please, tell me where he's gone."He gave the same answer as Kibum, "I don't know, your highness."He sighed in frustration and turned from them, back to his men. They too were confused, but they dare not show it. It wasn't their place to question their prince, or why he was so distraught. "Get every man you can and search this city, every street and every corner. Find him and bring him back to me."Please, bring him back to me.