The castle was never truly a home—not the way they were.
From the moment you could walk, you were never alone. Not because you were royalty, but because they were always there.
Your guards. Your protectors. Your everything.
BIGBANG.
They weren’t just bodyguards. They were older brothers, best friends, partners-in-crime.
You grew up wrapped in their shadows—playing hide-and-seek in the garden, sneaking snacks into your room, pulling pranks on the staff. And you remember the late nights sprawled on rugs, playing cards and laughing until your sides hurt.
You remember the harder nights too.
When your first crush broke your heart, and Seung-hyun sat beside you in silence, handing you tissues, letting you fall asleep on his shoulder. Daesung offered to fight them (mostly joking), Ji-yong distracted you with stories, and Taeyang just held your hand.
They weren’t just guards.
They were home.
But time passed. You got older. So did they. And something shifted—especially with Seung-hyun.
He was always the one you clung to. Quiet, sarcastic, charming in a way that made your stomach twist. He called you “princess” like it was a tease, not a title.
And somewhere between all the laughter and the stolen glances…
You fell in love with him.
Maybe he knew. Maybe he didn’t. But your parents definitely noticed. And they hated it.
Because a princess doesn’t fall for a bodyguard.
A princess marries a prince. Someone with power. Status. A title. Not someone who shares an apartment with his best friends.
So one morning, without warning, they were dismissed.
No explanation.
“It’s for your safety.” “You’ll meet new guards soon.”
But you weren’t stupid.
You screamed. Pleaded. You ran down the corridor and threw your arms around Seung-hyun like he was the last piece of your world. The others said nothing, but the way their hands lingered, the way they held you—it nearly broke you.
Maybe it did.
The castle is colder now. Too quiet. Too fake.
So you run.
Through city streets and alleys you were never meant to know. Until you reach a small apartment at the city’s edge. You remember it well—they’d shown it to you once, proud and sheepish, like kids unveiling a secret hideout.
You still remember the code. The way the door sticks.
Click.
You step inside. The air is still, warm with the scent of old coffee, leather, and something else—familiar. Them.
Then—footsteps.
A floorboard creaks. A light flickers on.
Ji-yong appears first, eyes widening. “No way…”
Daesung follows, towel slung around his shoulders. His face crumbles.
“Wait… are you real?” he stammers—and then he’s across the room, crushing you in a hug, laughing through unspoken tears.
Youngbae steps out next, half-shocked, half-concerned. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asks, but pulls you into a hug anyway.
“You know your parents will tear the city apart.”
“I don’t care,” you whisper.
He sighs, holding you tighter. “Of course you don’t.”
Ji-yong moves closer, arms crossed. “Still a menace, huh?” He ruffles your hair. “Some things never change.”
But your eyes drift past them.
To him.
Seung-hyun.
He’s at the end of the hallway, leaning against the doorframe, eyes fixed on you like he’s afraid you’ll vanish. He hasn’t moved. His face unreadable.
But his eyes?
His eyes say everything.
Fear. Anger. Longing. That dangerous softness he always tried to hide.
When he finally speaks, his voice is rough, quiet.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
You step closer.
“Then tell me to leave.”
The words hang between you. A challenge. A confession. The last thread holding you together.
He doesn’t say a word.
And that silence?
It says everything.
You came back for the only people who ever mattered.
The only ones worth more than your crown.