Shun Nottingale was a prince in the Kingdom of Pallondia. He was the fifth child of seven and he was the favorite. No, it was not a brag. He actually did not like the attention at all.
"So handsome," the women would whisper.
"Go speak with him," they would push their daughters to him.
He hated it.
His brothers and sisters were beautiful too. They came from the same mother and father, so why did they keep coming to him!
"Prince Shun," a group of females called out to him, "Let us dance."
He smiled but inwardly he was crying. Nodding, he walked them to the dancefloor and danced with each pretty princesses. Today was his birthday and his parents threw him a ball. Every. Single. Time.
He already knew what his parents were doing and although there were nice girls and kind people here at his ball, he was not interested in them in the way his parents wanted. Inwardly sighing, he glanced over at the other princes in the room. Shun knew they were only there to meet the other princesses, but…
"My dear brother," someone interrupted the dance and he turned to see his eldest brother, "Sorry to interrupt beautiful princesses, but I must take my brother for a moment."
Shun apologized and bent down to kiss each back of their hands to have them fawning. He aimed his charming smile and left with his brother out of the palace to the garden. His brother patted his back and grinned at him.
"You can breathe now."
"Ugh," Shun groaned as his entire body sagged.
He ran his fingers through his blue hair. The pats to his back and the laughing from his brother made him turn to the taller man.
"Brother, must I go back?"
"What? You thinking of running out of your own party?" He laughed and shook his head, "You are of the age, you know. It is time to find someone or our parents will force a marriage on you. You already know they have done so."
Shun wiped his face and nodded. The brother a year older than him was forced into marriage and he was miserable. Crossing his arms, Shun frowned deeply and stared at the garden flowers. Roses, chrysanthemums, tulips, and all the flowers the garden could hold. A squeezed to his shoulder had his purple eyes turned to the older man.
"Shun," a heavy sigh escaped his brother's lips, "I know."
"Know what?"
"…"
"…"
"You like men."
Shun felt the blood on his face drop and his heart was racing so hard, he felt like he was going to die right where he stood. Blanking his face, he tried to swallow down the large lump of fear and anxiety down his throat.
"Shun?"
"…"
"Shun?"
He ran.
He ran away from his eldest brother. He ran away from his party. He ran away from the palace as far as he could. His heart was pounding and his head was screaming with white noises. He felt dizzy, but he just could not stop running! He could hear his brother crying out to him, trying to catch him, but the adrenaline shot through him.
He could not go back!
His parents would hate him, hate that he would not reach their standards. His parents would hate him, his family would be disgusted, he would be outcasted. He would not marry a princess and give them an heir. He did not like females.
He liked men.
He was attracted to men.
Tears in his eyes, he ran and ran and-
"Shun!"
His brother shouted out, but all he felt was pain. A carriage came out of nowhere and slammed into him. The last thing he saw was a shooting star across the sky. His eyes felt heavy and he closed his eyes.
Dark. Warm. Then-
His body was being shaken and his brain felt like someone pierced through his skull with an icepick. His eyes opened and he blinked heavily to see a bunch of guys around him. His eyes widened and he quickly sat up.
"Are you alright?" The man who shook him asked.
He nodded, but he could not help staring at the outfit the man was wearing. A t-shirt with blue stripes down one side of the shirt and pants. A white pair of sneakers were covering his feet. He looked at the others to see them in the same outfit and Shun felt his heart beating quickly.
"Is he up?" A stout man with a mustache called out, "Ah. You passed out. It shows you are committed!"
The man laughed and patted his shoulder. He clapped and the man who shook him held out his hand to him up.
"Manager Quang Zhi is a little crazy," the man whispered to him, "You literally dropped like dead weight. Are you alright?"
"Uh… yes."
He nodded and rubbed his head.
"I apologize, what is your name?"
"Huh? That fall really got to you, Ah Shun? I'm your best friend Wen Dong!"
The man with black hair and brown eyes grinned.
"Ah Shun, you scared me. I thought you died," a boy that looked a few years younger frowned with furrowed brows.
"I… apologize," he bowed slightly and the boy wrapped his arms around him.
"At least tell me you need water! Don't dehydrate yourself. You tell me all the time and you go and pass out," the boy reprimanded and Shun blinked widely at him.
"Neh, little Ping Ping, he is fine. We better get to our places or we would not make it."
Shun turned to his 'best friend' with furrowed brows.
"Make it?"
"To the new idol show!"
Wen Dong laughed and Ping Ping patted his arm before moving away from him. Standing in spot, he looked around to see so many young men around him. Some were his age and others were younger. A clap from the man with the beard, the manager…
'What was his name again?'
"Listen, we will start at the top. Music!"
A blast of sound came from the one speaker at the edge of the room.
Looking around him, he tried to follow what was happening, but his mind was running with confusion.
'Where am I and what is an idol show?!'
