"So, you just ran away from home?" a boy with striking blue hair and a bruise shaped like a ball on his face asked Rina.

Rina averted her gaze, her heavy eyes descending to the lush greenery at her feet. "I have no one who cares for me... and right now is not the best time to return."

"I don't know what's going on, but if there's nowhere to return to, how about you come with me?" he proposed as if it were the simplest thing in the world, akin to taking a bite from a ripe king apple.

For a fleeting moment, Rina pondered the idea of accompanying this stranger, imagining herself embraced by his loving family, leaving behind the weight that suffocated her heart with every beat. But then she chuckled. The boy's sincerity and the absurdity of the situation overwhelmed her. Rina was, after all, a princess. She couldn't just run away with any random boy she encountered on the streets, no matter how enticing his offer sounded.

Perhaps it could work for a day or two, but it was only a matter of time before the missing princess would be discovered. Disaster would befall him and his family for supposedly "kidnapping" her. Even before that, he might be oblivious to the truth, but his family might recognize her or prove less welcoming. No matter the scenario, Rina knew there was only one path she could follow, and it led far away from him.

Her focus shifted back to him, sitting amidst the bags she had purchased. Many still clung to him like bracelets or necklaces, and a few smaller fruits had tumbled to the ground. A Rabcat, drawn by the sweet scent, pounced on the fruits, playfully batting them around with sharp claws while its adorable furry ears twitched, ever alert for rival scavengers.

Amidst this playful chaos, the boy who had posed the most naive question remained seated, unaware of the potential doom he had inadvertently invited upon himself and his household.

If only he knew... Rina laughed again, but this time it was a laughter tinged with pain. She couldn't allow him to share in the same anguish; this burden was one she had to bear alone.

"Thanks for the offer... but I can't."

"I thought so."

"You knew?"

"Yeah. Your eyes told me. Though you surely dread going back, it appears to me that you're determined. I don't know anything about your circumstances or what awaits you at home... but you don't strike me as someone who would give up easily. Running away from home already takes determination, and returning takes even more. You seem to have a plan."

Startled, Rina was left momentarily speechless. Had he seen through her so easily? Was she that transparent, or was he simply more perceptive than she had anticipated?

Then she reflected on the moment their eyes had met. Those deep brown eyes didn't belong to an ordinary teenager. Rina had encountered her fair share of cunning schemers within the palace. For her, locking eyes with someone was akin to glimpsing their innermost thoughts; eyes never lied, except perhaps those of a monster like Duke Damocles or someone of her father's stature—figures of great power. The urge to peer into those honey-colored eyes welled within her.

She began to lift her gaze, about to meet his eyes, when a distant voice disrupted the moment.

"Hey, you kids, come here for a second."

Approaching from a distance was a group of guards, alerted to the presence of a peculiar monk roaming the streets. Though they were preoccupied with searching for the missing princess, they couldn't ignore anything out of the ordinary. The leader of the group spoke with annoyance.

A shiver ran down Rina's spine. The voice seemed to permeate the air, sending tremors through her entire body. Her dark eyes widened, desperately trying to absorb the world's light to remain hidden. It was too early for her to be caught.

"No. No. No. They can't find me. Not yet!"

With a laugh, the boy spoke, "Then I guess it's time to run!"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Rina barely had time to comprehend what was happening before she felt a hand pulling her off the bench, and she found herself running with the boy, his distinctive blue hair now back in sight. With one hand in his grip and the other firmly securing her hood, she struggled to maintain her balance. But Rina had received training from a young age, adapting quickly to the situation and keeping up with his speed.

The two teenagers raced through the Central Garden, guards in close pursuit, shouting at them to stop their futile attempt to escape, or they would get their asses beaten. Yet all they received in response was the laughter of the blue-haired boy.

"Running from humans is actually quite fun," he remarked, darting between trees, and executing sharp turns behind those with thick trunks. He moved with the agility of a rabbit on the run, as if he had been trained for evasion.

"Stop laughing! You're only infuriating the guards!"

And what do you mean by 'humans'? What are you usually running from?

With no time to ponder, Rina leaped over some broken branches, following closely behind the boy. As she glanced up from the ground, she noticed something peculiar. From the numerous bags the boy still clung to, fruits continually fell, littering their path.

"Drop those bags! We'll never lose them if you keep dropping fruit! How can you even run like this?"

He turned his head to the side and winked. "We need to use everything to our advantage. Just trust me."

She did, even though she didn't fully understand why.

Either the guards had called for reinforcements, or the commotion had attracted the attention of other patrolling guards. As a result, there were now two guards closing in from the front and four more in pursuit from behind. It seemed they were about to be trapped from both sides.

Before Rina could warn her newfound companion, he spoke up, rubbing his reddened cheek. "You know, king apples are super tasty," he commented with a grin, "but they're also pretty damn hard."

Releasing Rina's hand but ensuring she kept up with his pace, he reached for the bags hanging all around his body. The bags swung wildly, scattering fruits like leaves in a storm. He soon had two king apples in his hand and, without hesitation, sprinted toward the approaching guards.

He seemed more like an irate fruit seller than a fleeing teenager, and he hurled the apples at the guards. While apples weren't typically considered weapons, these red fruits flew with such velocity that they left crimson streaks in the air.

Bang Bang

"Run faster, we're almost there," the boy urged Rina, who was still trying to process the rapid turn of events.

The king apples found their marks with alarming accuracy, striking the foreheads of the two guards. They crumpled to the ground, likely seeing stars after receiving such blows. But Rina had little time to dwell on the unconscious men, for the pursuing guards behind them were now shouting with fury.

"You damn kids! Run faster, because if I catch you, I swear I'll teach you a lesson and make your parents regret the day you were born!"

Rina noticed the boy's pace slowing down slightly. She wondered if he had been affected by the guard leader's threat. It was likely related to his father, and he probably didn't want to involve his family in this dangerous pursuit.

Biting her lower lip, Rina was consumed by guilt. It was her fault that he had gotten himself into trouble. She could feel how deeply he cared for his family, and the tension in her clenched fists seemed to radiate throughout her entire body. She needed to find a way to get him out of this predicament. Rina knew how to divert the guards' attention. He just had to leave her behind and escape.

"Look, you can jus – "

Her words were abruptly cut off by laughter so loud that she thought her eardrums might burst.

"HAHAHA... Please, I'd like to see you try. But you'd have to wait in line first. He's quite the sought-after guy, after all."

"Huh?"

Why was he laughing? Did he not care about his family? No, it was clear he did. He is just acting.

"You don't need to keep up with me, just leave me, don't involve your family. It is okay!"

"Don't worry. I am more afraid about your father. Wouldn't he be in trouble?"

Rina considered her father... King Urtemis, Lord of Sylphrena for over a century and one of the most formidable humans to have ever lived. Would he let himself be beaten up by a mere guard?

This time, it was Rina's turn to burst into laughter.

If that guard ever finds out who I am, he'll probably offer his tongue as an apology or take a dive into the nearest river.

The guard trailing behind them seethed with anger, producing only incoherent sounds and broken speech.

Yet, here were Rina and her newfound friend, laughing together as if they had just heard the funniest joke in the world. It was far from the scene of criminals fleeing the law; it was a strange and unexpected camaraderie amidst chaos.

Before long, a squad of guards was swirling around them, creating quite the spectacle in the garden. The entire area was now aware of the pursuit. A peculiar duo, consisting of a monk and a fruit merchant, had somehow managed to incite the guards' wrath.

Rumors began to circulate among the onlookers. Some claimed that the monk had asked for donations but was nothing more than a swindler, while others believed the merchant had been cheating his customers.

The intriguing part was that no one knew the connection between them, but that didn't stop people from speculating and conjuring up wild theories to fill the void. After all, the human mind was a masterful creator of narratives and explanations.

To the delight of the gathered onlookers and the chagrin of the pursuing guards, the frenetic chase soon came to an unexpected halt.