❝i've been legal to walk around the castle, i know how things work here.❞ donghyuck mocked renjun's line as he continued walking to god knows where he is heading off to.

he was aware that he had lost renjun but he didn't care less. renjun agreed to sneak the night with him but now that meerkat is stopping him from doing so. donghyuck can't help but puff his cheeks at how renjun broke his promise.

❝please,❞ the pudu mumbled as he turned to his right and was greeted by a large wooden door leading to the kitchen, where he is limited to go to. ❝the eagles are probably asleep by now.❞

he had heard stories and has been warned by his mother, and also renjun, about eagles and how they are strict with guarding the kingdom. he had met once back then when he was young, an eagle came to the kitchen to get food and donghyuck honestly thought they were harmless. in fact, the eagle he saw looked like an angel and he guessed that the others looked like one too.

doghyuck didn't hesitate at all when he opened the wooden doors to the kitchen. it made a sound, a loud creaking one, but quickly went inside the kitchen before anyone sees him. he slowly closed the doors and and scanned the kitchen he has been at for all his life. one thing he could agree with renjun saying that the kingdom is creepy at night, the kitchen looked scary with the lights not turned on.

❝come on, it's still the same kitchen i grew up.❞ donghyuck reassured himself not to be scared as he went to find the switch which he suddenly forgot where it was. ❝i swore it was just right next to the door.❞

donghyuck squinted his eyes and tried to see if there was a switch at the other wooden door where leads to donghyuck's achievement for the night, the other side of the kingdom where he is not supposed to go to unless he had a role to do so.

he didn't know what the punishments were for passing there, which probably is the reason why he wasn't hesitating.

but before he could take another step, the wooden doors were opened all of the suddenly that made donghyuck stop his tracks. he had his eyes widened seeing the light from the other side get inside of the kitchen but soon disappeared when the doors were closed.

what caught donghyuck's attention more was the one getting inside the kitchen.

❝being royal sure is tiring.❞ a voice complained with a groan that fortunately snapped donghyuck from his thoughts and made the pudu hide before he was caught.

the lights were turned on and donghyuck first adjusted his eyesight before sitting down properly behind the kitchen island. his back was glued and eyes were still widened as his perked when he heard the voice now humming to a familiar tone.

he was curious as to who it was.

small peek, a glance, that's all donghyuck wanted to do just to satisfy himself. well, no one is stopping him. renjun is not there. no eagles have caught him yet.

a back of a man wearing a white shirt and some lion printed pajamas with some fluffy slippers was what donghyuck could see and his jaw already dropped.

it was a lion.

that's where he knew that he is in a dangerous situation. a pudu breathing the same air inside the kitchen with a royal, that wasn't what donghyuck had expected to happen ever. one sound then it'll surely cost him his own life.

he could see how masculine enough the lion is by its back, donghyuck was sure that it wouldn't take for the lion any guards. the lion could just take him alone and having the scenario in mind made donghyuck gulp.

not intending it to be that loud, the kitchen was coincidentally just quiet.

❝hm?❞ the lion looked up from the glass of water and turned around to see if anyone was there.

donghyuck covered his mouth and shut his eyes very tight as he snuggle his body close behind the kitchen island. if renjun was there with him, he'd already be recieving a scolding for being so loud at times like that.

donghyuck hoped that the lion that's with him inside the kitchen would just shrug the noise he heard and continue to leave out of the kitchen.

but the lion was also curious like him. ❝is anyone here?❞

the pudu knew it was the wrong time to be in awe by the lion's damn voice but he just can't help but fall unto that attractive voice. he almost gave himself in but he isn't that much of a stupid person.

❝i swear i heard someone gulping.❞ the lion had his brows furrowed but then shrugged, not putting too much attention to it. ❝probably just grandfather's spirit.❞

donghyuck's breathing hitched when he heard that. he was truly scared and was near to jumping out behind the kitchen island. there's a spirit inside the kitchen?

his thoughts about having ghosts inside the kitchen were cut off when he heard a glass being placed down the wooden table and the lion's footsteps echoing inside the kitchen, letting donghyuck guess that he was leaving. risking his life for his curiousity, donghyuck peeked once more and was in astonished seeing the breathtaking view of a familiar looking lion.

he swore he had seen him at some point in his life.

there's no doubt.

❝simba?❞

well, that came out too loud. donghyuck snapped back to his senses and went to quickly cover his mouth, hiding behind the kitchen island once more.

with the kitchen being so quiet as a library, there's no way the lion couldn't have heard the voice. the lion's ears perked and had his head turned so quickly that would surely worry anyone who could have seen that in thought of having his neck broken.

❝who is it?❞ the lion had his brows furrowed and followed where he had heard the voice, combining it along with sniffing the scent of the owner of the voice.

meanwhile, the pudu hiding as if his life depends on it (which actually does) was cursing millions of time at the mistake he made. he could hear the footsteps coming towards him and his breathing was getting uneven. he didn't know what to do and where to escape, that is if he can even escape.

"mark, where have you gone off to?"

a woman's voice was heard outside of the kitchen but was left unheard by donghyuck as he was busy praying for his life to be spared. then there's mark, groaning once he heard his mother's voice. he had no choice but to shrug of the fact that he heard a voice inside the kitchen and convinced himself once more that it was his grandfather's spirit. spooky, but he had gotten used to thinking that.

❝kitchen, mother!❞ the lion, named mark, shouted and turned his back once more and went straight out of the kitchen, not forgetting to turn off the switch and shutting the door tight. he didn't even spare a last glance inside the kitchen and left.

darkness once again covered the kitchen.

it took donghyuck a few more seconds before releasing the air he didn't even know that he has been keeping and exhaled the nervousness he has felt awhile ago.

he didn't know where he gathered the will to recover quickly to the situation but he quickly stood up and ran towards the door, wanting to follow the lion which he was hiding from. donghyuck was confident that he knew that lion but he didn't know why he wanted to suddenly follow him when he was hiding from him awhile ago.

but a hand just had to stop him from opening the wooden doors that leads to the other side of the kingdom.

perhaps, was it the lion's grandfather's spirit? spooky.

❝and where are you off to at night, little one?❞

or maybe not.

donghyuck slowly turned his body around and froze upon seeing those glaring eyes looking down at him, clearly not amused.

good news, it isn't the lion's grandfather's spirit. bad news, an eagle has caught him.

renjun sure is going to scold him real good for this. speaking of renjun, look who had just entered the kitchen with his ears fuming and smoke coming out from his nose. donghyuck could only give him one nervous smile, obviously not getting the mood up but at least he tried. not only that, a bunny was following from behind and that had caught the eagle's attention.

the meerkat groaned real loud. great, just great.

❝jeno, spare him.❞ renjun begged, eyes travelling from donghyuck to the eagle that's trapping the pudu.

the eagle smirked, leaving the pudu behind and had his arms crossed as he faced the meerkat.

❝what if i don't want to?❞

⚊ t b c ⚊