18 Boulder

"No, I want you to be safe, Min," Yuna's voice trembled as she felt like it was already the two of them exchanging their last goodbyes with each other. For some reason, she wanted to see Rin one previous time.

"I know that you wanted to go back to your own world. Just do not worry about me and I will handle the rest."

And who was Yuna kidding? She did not want to part with Min like this too.

"Are the two of you just going to chit and chat there?" Prince Won's voice was loud enough for the people to know their existence that she Yuna was stopping herself from knocking that man out with her fist. "Let us go before the two of you are going get screwed!"

Yuna had no choice but to follow along with that narcissistic prince and believe in Min. As she paced herself just a few inches behind Min, Min looked at her with a surprised look at his face.

"Why are you sticking behind me like a glue?" Min asked as they continued to follow Prince Won's lead.

"You told that narcissistic prince that we are a couple," Yuna reasoned out while looking at the side to avoid meeting with his gaze. "Don't you think it's right for us to act like one?"

Min snorted. Hearing Yuna's reasons just made her sound cute to him. "Excuse me, young lady." He tried to lower his voice, "That drunk prince would not even notice that. He is too drunk for him to be able to think straight."

Yuna pouted, "Then why are the two of us following his lead? If this drunk prince would not even notice your lies?"

"Because we have to, if things go wrong, we might be able to use this nobleman to shield us," Min explained. It turned out that he was already painting a big picture in his mind and was more ready than Yuna thought he was. "And if things will go well, this prince might be able to lead us where the statue of the White Tiger was located."

Realizing Min's big drawing, Yuna nodded. "I see, so this prince is like a double edged source?"

Min did not even have to respond to Yuna and just looked straight ahead. The three of them went to a different side of the palace's gates where palace guards were not present.

Prince Won stood near from what seemed like a big boulder of stone between two to three feet tall. He proudly presented it as a big chunk of meat for them to eat.

"This is one of the secret passages that only a professional like me can access!" Prince Won said, his thick brows were raised as he was smiling from ear to ear. "The two of you should be honored to know this passage!"

"Yes, we are very much honored," Yuna acted like she was one hundred percent grateful to the prince, but deep insider her mind, she just wanted to get it over with. "Prince Won."

"You should be," The corner of Prince Won's lips curled up. "After all, the two of you could have been punished if not for me!" He continued, "Be thankful!"

"But, Prince Won," Yuna scratched her temples and became curious about something. "Aren't we in the same position?"

Prince Won raised his thick brows and crossed his arms, "What do you mean?"

"You sneaked out of the palace and I am quite sure that it is your curfew too,"

"So?"

"If the queen found out that you went out to drink alcohol and played with the courtesans," Yuna trailed off as she observed Prince Won's facial expression. "Don't you think that it will be the last time for you to be able to sneak out of the palace?"

Prince Won nodded, "You are right with that, young lady. The two of you might be beheaded as a punishment for not following the curfew but for me, it will be the last day for me to go to drink and play with all my heart!"

Yuna studied how Min bent down and moved the big boulder of rock and saw a small passage for a person to go.

Prince Won suddenly became serious; the groggy man they saw earlier disappeared as if he was already sober. "That is why I am helping you guys. The two of us won't be punished if we help each other, don't you think?"

Min, who was now staring at Yuna, hinted her to go inside it first. "Young lady, you should go first."

"Wait a minute," Raising both his hand and waved them dismissively, Prince Won spoke. "I am a prince. Don't you think I should be the first one to enter?"

Yuna and Min could not believe what this man was saying. It was clear that he was narcissistic, but no one could ever rival him at all. They just observed him approach the hole, crouch down, and went inside.

Min and Yuna exchanged glances, and Min just pursed his lips and nodded, urging Yuna to go, "Prince Won already succeeded in going in, so you should do the same."

"How about you, Min?"

"I am fine, young lady," Min answered and smiled. "You are my priority for this. Don't worry about me and just follow what I say."

Yuna crouched down, her skirt was on the ground, and she was so sure that she grabbed specks of dust and stones on it. Yuna was on all fours and crawled her way to the opposite side of the palace gates.

When Yuna crossed the palace gates, the first thing she saw was Prince Won on her side squatting down and looking at her. He tilted his head, and his chest brown eye color seemed like pretty, "You have succeeded crossing from the normal town to the palace."

Looking around the whole area, everything was dark. She could definitely not see everything clearly. Yuna stood up and dusted her top and skirt from all the speck of specks of dust and small stones she gathered.

It really was the palace. Everything looked traditional and beautiful. The moon did not even illuminate the whole area, but it was definitely pretty.

Yuna looked at Min, who was on the ground; his head up to his waist was the only thing she saw as he continued to crawl his way. When he finally succeeded, he stood up and spoke. "Where was Prince Won?"

As Yuna's head turned to the left and the right, she finally realized that Prince Won was already out of sight.

How can they navigate around the palace and know where the white tiger statue is if Prince Won won't guide both of them?