constellation
𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋
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Realistic or Modern ♡ masked - in character ♡
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constellation
𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋
nooraisin
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social
falling for you™
how could i forget how you painted all the stars in my sky...
.
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peachnim
fabulous *:･ﾟ✧
Alfaria. A country more than a thousand miles apart from his home, his land, his people, and... his love.
Na-Ra.
Although each step forward carried his weary body onward, further away from everything dear to him, Joo-Hwan's thoughts were occupied with only that woman's face. Her brilliant smile, glowing features, and raised brows when she revealed her plans. Her amber orbs melting his very form as they held his gaze, filled with a luster he had never seen before. How her cheeks radiated vivid pink at the very mention of that.
"Joo-Hwan," Na-Ra began, her voice raising in pitch as she fiddled with something on her finger. The man being addressed adjusted his wool coat with one hand, biting his lips in anticipation. Hidden behind his back was a bouquet of white and purple lilacs, arranged delicately with roses of a darker violet color.
The simple-seeming arrangement was, in actuality, the product of meticulous thought and consideration. When asked what the flowers represented, he planned to confess: "My devotion to you."
Lavender was the color of his heart the day he met Na-Ra. White was their innocence, the purity in which their bond grew. Violet was his enchantment at first sight.
In short, this bouquet was an expression of his first love.
He was fully prepared to reveal his feelings to her, now that he was an adult and getting ready to rule. Without hesitation, Joo-Hwan chose November 20th, the day he and Na-Ra met, to make this grand gesture. It was supposed to be perfect; that day was the day to confess everything, to reach her heart once and for all. The prince had been preparing for this day for ages, waiting for the perfect timing, and receiving daily encouragement from Kwang-Sik.
Yet, as he stared down at Na-Ra, his smile suddenly faltered. Something was on her left ring finger. Something that was chewing out and tearing his heart, slowly.... agonizingly...
An engagement ring.
In a split second, the man's gentle features fell, his lips parting in disbelief. A suffocating tightness coiled around his throat, preventing him from uttering anything intelligible. His wide eyes wavered between the ring and Na-Ra's bright expression.
It was a nightmare. It had to be.
However, even when Joo-Hwan grit his teeth, clenching the thorny stems of the roses until they pierced his palms, he would not wake up. She was waiting for him to answer, to congratulate her.
All with that knowing grin on her face. She was telling him to give up. To leave her alone.
She didn't want him. She never did. But, he would fall to his knees until the very end for her, wouldn't he? It was only expected of him to accept that she would be moving on... without a word of protest.
Na-Ra knew she had him wrapped around her finger. Yet, she was indifferent. And that was what hurt him the most.
Which was why, this time, he would not back down. Joo-Hwan was set on doing exactly the opposite what she wanted: to win her over. He made it clear the day she announced her engagement that he was not happy. That he liked her all this time, that he needed her the most right now.
Though he knew he would be ruining his gentlemanly image by trying to make her jealous, Joo-Hwan couldn't risk being tossed aside. He was the only man who knew Na-Ra through and through. He had always been there for her. And he would make her see that.
Joo-Hwan couldn't just let her go, after all this time waiting for her to reciprocate his feelings. Hence, when an opportunity (aka the banquet) arose, it seemed like a second chance from the heavens. A way to turn things around.
At first, he was totally against the idea. It had only been days after he was brutally rejected by Na-Ra, and all of a sudden, his parents demanded him to get engaged himself! Simply put, it was a double blow that he could not take.
This began to change days after the proposition was made. While the prince despised disloyalty, he realized that this may be just what he needed to get her falling for him, this time. Deluded by heartbreak, Joo-Hwan obeyed his parents' orders, and left for Alfaria in hopes of renewing himself.
Before he left, he gave Kwang-Sik the responsibility of breaking the news of his engagement to Na-Ra. (Before she figured out through the press, that is.) It would be better for them to have as little contact as possible, so that his resolve would not be shaken.
This was because, secretly, a part of him wasn't over her. Joo-Hwan wasn't ready to admit it, but he already wanted to pull the woman into his embrace, apologize for abandoning her and not attending her wedding ceremony... so, what was he to do if they crossed paths once more?
Finally, Joo-Hwan somehow found himself departing Beflaurus. His mother nagged him throughout the flight, refusing to let both him and his father out of her sight. Though his loud sisters had tagged along as well, it was a relief to hear that they would not be following him around the party (they intended to woo some princes of their own).
9:00 PM. It was time to make an appearance.
Resolute, the young prince stepped out of his limousine, but not before combing his tawny hair back with his fingers. The royal stylist had worked hard on his outfit today: his velvet black blazer was fitted perfectly, the sleek material exuding luxury. He wore a charcoal button down beneath the blazer, a lighter shade of black that matched his dress pants. His polished Oxfords were a glossy, inky black, and a silver watch added just the right touch. To top it off, Joo-Hwan's do for tonight was tousled and side-swept, bringing life into his look.
The mask, however, was the star of the show. Its design complemented the simplicity of his suit, while at the same time shielding the insecurities that his mother would be sure to pick out as the evening progressed.
By 10:00, everything was starting to blur. His cheeks ached from grinning, and his foot-taps increased with each minute. Joo-Hwan could not recall how many people had greeted him that night. How many questions he had received. But, he did know that he had done his part and replied to them all with equal politeness.
But, that wasn't the problem.
No matter how many glasses of sparkling water he had, the prince couldn't wash away the anxiety lodged in his throat. The clock was ticking, and someone in the ballroom was going to be revealed as his fiance.
A part of him felt sorry for whoever this was. That his heart could not be wholly theirs... not yet. The other half was guilty as hell. For a second, Joo-Hwan even considered running back to the love of his life.
As soon as King Gi-Yeol called for everyone's attention, Beflaurus's prince was convinced that no matter what he was feeling now, there was no turning back.
Na-Ra.
Although each step forward carried his weary body onward, further away from everything dear to him, Joo-Hwan's thoughts were occupied with only that woman's face. Her brilliant smile, glowing features, and raised brows when she revealed her plans. Her amber orbs melting his very form as they held his gaze, filled with a luster he had never seen before. How her cheeks radiated vivid pink at the very mention of that.
"Joo-Hwan," Na-Ra began, her voice raising in pitch as she fiddled with something on her finger. The man being addressed adjusted his wool coat with one hand, biting his lips in anticipation. Hidden behind his back was a bouquet of white and purple lilacs, arranged delicately with roses of a darker violet color.
The simple-seeming arrangement was, in actuality, the product of meticulous thought and consideration. When asked what the flowers represented, he planned to confess: "My devotion to you."
Lavender was the color of his heart the day he met Na-Ra. White was their innocence, the purity in which their bond grew. Violet was his enchantment at first sight.
In short, this bouquet was an expression of his first love.
He was fully prepared to reveal his feelings to her, now that he was an adult and getting ready to rule. Without hesitation, Joo-Hwan chose November 20th, the day he and Na-Ra met, to make this grand gesture. It was supposed to be perfect; that day was the day to confess everything, to reach her heart once and for all. The prince had been preparing for this day for ages, waiting for the perfect timing, and receiving daily encouragement from Kwang-Sik.
Yet, as he stared down at Na-Ra, his smile suddenly faltered. Something was on her left ring finger. Something that was chewing out and tearing his heart, slowly.... agonizingly...
"...I'm getting married!"
An engagement ring.
In a split second, the man's gentle features fell, his lips parting in disbelief. A suffocating tightness coiled around his throat, preventing him from uttering anything intelligible. His wide eyes wavered between the ring and Na-Ra's bright expression.
It was a nightmare. It had to be.
However, even when Joo-Hwan grit his teeth, clenching the thorny stems of the roses until they pierced his palms, he would not wake up. She was waiting for him to answer, to congratulate her.
All with that knowing grin on her face. She was telling him to give up. To leave her alone.
She didn't want him. She never did. But, he would fall to his knees until the very end for her, wouldn't he? It was only expected of him to accept that she would be moving on... without a word of protest.
Na-Ra knew she had him wrapped around her finger. Yet, she was indifferent. And that was what hurt him the most.
Which was why, this time, he would not back down. Joo-Hwan was set on doing exactly the opposite what she wanted: to win her over. He made it clear the day she announced her engagement that he was not happy. That he liked her all this time, that he needed her the most right now.
Though he knew he would be ruining his gentlemanly image by trying to make her jealous, Joo-Hwan couldn't risk being tossed aside. He was the only man who knew Na-Ra through and through. He had always been there for her. And he would make her see that.
Joo-Hwan couldn't just let her go, after all this time waiting for her to reciprocate his feelings. Hence, when an opportunity (aka the banquet) arose, it seemed like a second chance from the heavens. A way to turn things around.
At first, he was totally against the idea. It had only been days after he was brutally rejected by Na-Ra, and all of a sudden, his parents demanded him to get engaged himself! Simply put, it was a double blow that he could not take.
This began to change days after the proposition was made. While the prince despised disloyalty, he realized that this may be just what he needed to get her falling for him, this time. Deluded by heartbreak, Joo-Hwan obeyed his parents' orders, and left for Alfaria in hopes of renewing himself.
Before he left, he gave Kwang-Sik the responsibility of breaking the news of his engagement to Na-Ra. (Before she figured out through the press, that is.) It would be better for them to have as little contact as possible, so that his resolve would not be shaken.
This was because, secretly, a part of him wasn't over her. Joo-Hwan wasn't ready to admit it, but he already wanted to pull the woman into his embrace, apologize for abandoning her and not attending her wedding ceremony... so, what was he to do if they crossed paths once more?
♔
Finally, Joo-Hwan somehow found himself departing Beflaurus. His mother nagged him throughout the flight, refusing to let both him and his father out of her sight. Though his loud sisters had tagged along as well, it was a relief to hear that they would not be following him around the party (they intended to woo some princes of their own).
9:00 PM. It was time to make an appearance.
Resolute, the young prince stepped out of his limousine, but not before combing his tawny hair back with his fingers. The royal stylist had worked hard on his outfit today: his velvet black blazer was fitted perfectly, the sleek material exuding luxury. He wore a charcoal button down beneath the blazer, a lighter shade of black that matched his dress pants. His polished Oxfords were a glossy, inky black, and a silver watch added just the right touch. To top it off, Joo-Hwan's do for tonight was tousled and side-swept, bringing life into his look.
The mask, however, was the star of the show. Its design complemented the simplicity of his suit, while at the same time shielding the insecurities that his mother would be sure to pick out as the evening progressed.
By 10:00, everything was starting to blur. His cheeks ached from grinning, and his foot-taps increased with each minute. Joo-Hwan could not recall how many people had greeted him that night. How many questions he had received. But, he did know that he had done his part and replied to them all with equal politeness.
But, that wasn't the problem.
No matter how many glasses of sparkling water he had, the prince couldn't wash away the anxiety lodged in his throat. The clock was ticking, and someone in the ballroom was going to be revealed as his fiance.
A part of him felt sorry for whoever this was. That his heart could not be wholly theirs... not yet. The other half was guilty as hell. For a second, Joo-Hwan even considered running back to the love of his life.
As soon as King Gi-Yeol called for everyone's attention, Beflaurus's prince was convinced that no matter what he was feeling now, there was no turning back.
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astraeaaa
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
there was no use denying what was to happen until the very last minute, so minseo had made sure to arrive in alfaria earlier in the morning. her two younger siblings would arrive closer to the time of the ball along with her parents, and the princess would get ready with the help of a few maids who accompanied her to alfaria. the female had also brought her dog, nabee, along. she spent the majority of the morning strolling along the golden beaches with her, soaking in the warmth of the sun and collecting a variety of seashells, something that was rare in the technology based country of wheso. though at first opposing such an idea, it had seemed that her parents softened and allowed her to enjoy the day.
her last day of freedom.
perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration. for one, it wasn't tonight that she would wed her chosen prince. no, the ball being held at the pyeong's palace was merely to announce the occasion, for the princesses and princes to find out their designated partners. and secondly, the prince she was to marry probably wouldn't restrict her freedom. after getting to know all of her fellow future monarchs at the twelve banquets she deemed the princes to all be rather lovely and attractive gentlemen. but still, the reality of it all was rather daunting. with no contact outside of these banquets she didn't truly know the princes. she might as well have been an object to be sold and married off for the benefit of a country she did not necessarily truly love, to a man she equally would not necessarily come to love.
but she still had to go along with it.
at last the time for the ball finally dawned upon her.
clad in a white, floor length ball gown and embellished with silver, minseo entered the pyeong's palace, her parents to one side and her siblings to the other. as usual her parents would wave and smile politely to those who greeted them, her siblings stared wide eyed at everyone in their outfits and at the decorations of the room. they reminded her of her younger self: awe struck whenever she went to a big event such at this, and oblivious to the actual purpose of them. in her opinion they were too young to find a suitor, but that didn't stop her parents from looking around at potential future partners, or from other aristocracy offering their own children as fiances. it made her a bit uncomfortable, seeing her precious siblings also being sold off like her. however they were able to hold their ground a lot of the time, particularly her sister who was a particularly headstrong little girl. it made the bright smile the princess bore on her face all the less fake seeing them ward off other obsequious children. if only she was brave enough to do the same.
she tried to spot the other princesses and princes who bore masks similar to hers, but among the sea of people it was hard to see anyone. masks were supposed to obscure your identity, but in this case they did the opposite and made it so you did nothing but attract attention. the constant flow of questions didn't bother minseo too much. she would answer them with as much honesty as she could, but would seize any opportunity to tear away from crowds of particularly nosy people with 'oh, someone is calling me, my apologies' or 'ah, i'm feeling a bit parched, please excuse me as i get a drink'. after a while she had downed probably one too many drinks, alcohol included amongst the selection.
her eyes wandered up to the top of the stairs, where the king of alfaria stood and was about to begin his speech. silence filled the room, as everyone else's attention landed on him, and no one dared to interrupt him.
"welcome everybody... to the annual ball. we are so glad to be holding it here in aflaria this year and just as glad that all of you have come to witness the announcement of the pairings."
that was what made everything finally hit her. with each word the harsh truth became more and more real.
"each prince and princess have chosen their partner."
'chosen'. that was one way to put it. they may have chosen the colour of their mask, but the one who bore the other was a complete mystery to them all. perhaps it was 'chosen'. chosen by the monarchs, but most certainly not by them.
"a reminder to them; these next couple months you will be spending here in the royal palace so you have the chance to get to know your betrothed before your wedding day..."
that was alright; she liked the atmosphere of alfaria and would be glad to devote the time to getting to know her future husband.
somehow minseo's mother had found her way beside her, and took her hand in hers, squeezing it tightly, as if to comfort her. for the first time in a while the princess appreciated her mother's presence, and she squeezed it back.
her last day of freedom.
perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration. for one, it wasn't tonight that she would wed her chosen prince. no, the ball being held at the pyeong's palace was merely to announce the occasion, for the princesses and princes to find out their designated partners. and secondly, the prince she was to marry probably wouldn't restrict her freedom. after getting to know all of her fellow future monarchs at the twelve banquets she deemed the princes to all be rather lovely and attractive gentlemen. but still, the reality of it all was rather daunting. with no contact outside of these banquets she didn't truly know the princes. she might as well have been an object to be sold and married off for the benefit of a country she did not necessarily truly love, to a man she equally would not necessarily come to love.
but she still had to go along with it.
at last the time for the ball finally dawned upon her.
clad in a white, floor length ball gown and embellished with silver, minseo entered the pyeong's palace, her parents to one side and her siblings to the other. as usual her parents would wave and smile politely to those who greeted them, her siblings stared wide eyed at everyone in their outfits and at the decorations of the room. they reminded her of her younger self: awe struck whenever she went to a big event such at this, and oblivious to the actual purpose of them. in her opinion they were too young to find a suitor, but that didn't stop her parents from looking around at potential future partners, or from other aristocracy offering their own children as fiances. it made her a bit uncomfortable, seeing her precious siblings also being sold off like her. however they were able to hold their ground a lot of the time, particularly her sister who was a particularly headstrong little girl. it made the bright smile the princess bore on her face all the less fake seeing them ward off other obsequious children. if only she was brave enough to do the same.
she tried to spot the other princesses and princes who bore masks similar to hers, but among the sea of people it was hard to see anyone. masks were supposed to obscure your identity, but in this case they did the opposite and made it so you did nothing but attract attention. the constant flow of questions didn't bother minseo too much. she would answer them with as much honesty as she could, but would seize any opportunity to tear away from crowds of particularly nosy people with 'oh, someone is calling me, my apologies' or 'ah, i'm feeling a bit parched, please excuse me as i get a drink'. after a while she had downed probably one too many drinks, alcohol included amongst the selection.
her eyes wandered up to the top of the stairs, where the king of alfaria stood and was about to begin his speech. silence filled the room, as everyone else's attention landed on him, and no one dared to interrupt him.
"welcome everybody... to the annual ball. we are so glad to be holding it here in aflaria this year and just as glad that all of you have come to witness the announcement of the pairings."
that was what made everything finally hit her. with each word the harsh truth became more and more real.
"each prince and princess have chosen their partner."
'chosen'. that was one way to put it. they may have chosen the colour of their mask, but the one who bore the other was a complete mystery to them all. perhaps it was 'chosen'. chosen by the monarchs, but most certainly not by them.
"a reminder to them; these next couple months you will be spending here in the royal palace so you have the chance to get to know your betrothed before your wedding day..."
that was alright; she liked the atmosphere of alfaria and would be glad to devote the time to getting to know her future husband.
somehow minseo's mother had found her way beside her, and took her hand in hers, squeezing it tightly, as if to comfort her. for the first time in a while the princess appreciated her mother's presence, and she squeezed it back.
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JenniPerson
I love Kookies
It has been a stressful month for Ji-woo, to say the least. He has been working non-stop in order to quickly finish off the current drama he was starring in. He was also shooting the last scenes of his new movie. Barely taking any time to rest, he wanted to get everything done before he left for Alfaria. He knew he had to stay a few months in the country in order to get to know his bride to be, before their wedding, so he endured sleepless nights to finish his current projects. This way he can relax and focus all of his attention on the princess he was going to wed. Ji-woo couldn't bring himself to brush everything to the side, and make his projects wait for him to return. It was unfair to his co-stars, to the crew, and to the fans. Ji-woo finished shooting the last of his scenes in the early afternoon, and without a moment's rest, he was whisked away by his father's driver back to his family home to get ready for the ball.
Ji-woo found himself back in his old room, sitting in a chair in the corner, and watching his personal stylist argue with the stylist his father hired. The two were debating on what he should wear to the ball that night. To absorbed in their own arguments, they haven't even asked Ji-woo's opinion on the matter yet, and he was glad that they didn't. If he got in the middle now, it wouldn't end pretty. He decided to let the two women duke it out, and let his mind wander through memory lane. Although it's only been two years since he moved out, it felt like it has been years since he's stepped foot in his old home. His old room felt nostalgic and looked exactly like how he left it, minus the empty closet and the barren shelves where his knick knacks used to be stored.
When the two ladies finally came to a consensus on his outfit for the evening, Ji-woo started to doze off in his chair. They awakened him with a tap on his shoulder and pulled him up by his arms. They laid his outfit on his bed for him, and left him alone so that he could change. To add on, they left quite slowly to catch a glimpse of his toned upper body as he took off his sweater. Noticing this he yelled at them to leave with a pout on his face, refusing to take off his pants until they left the room completely. Ji-woo let out a small laugh, swearing he heard them click their tongues as they closed the door shut.
After being fully dressed, he looked himself in the mirror. The nice clothes fit well around his body. The two stylists came back into the room, and were very satisfied with their work. Now that the perfect suit was picked, Ji-woo and his family could finally set off for Alfaria. This was just a fitting before the real thing. They wanted to make sure they had everything ready, before they left.
As soon as their flight landed, Ji-woo and the rest of his family went off to get ready for the ball. The only time he actually had to rest up was on the plane, and even then, he couldn’t get much sleep. That’s because his cousin, Tae-joon, kept trying to mess with him. He constantly took pictures of his sleeping face, and even tried to draw on his face with a marker. Despite being the same age, Tae-joon was much more immature than Ji-woo. Although it was obvious Ji-woo was tired as hell, his Tae-joon still kept him awake, whining about keeping him entertained during the flight.
Ji-woo wished he could have gone sightseeing a little bit, but he was quickly rushed out of the airport, and into another vehicle. His father insisted that there was no time to look around. They had start getting ready for the ball now, or else they’ll be late. His father continued to lecture about the proper etiquette a prince must act towards a princess. It was probably the thousandth time he’s told that speech, and Ji-woo just couldn’t care enough to listen to it again. He just zoned out, letting his father drag on and on about some advice that he wasn’t going to use anyway.
What felt like years, was just mere hours of preparation for the ball. Ji-woo was sitting in the back seat of the nice black vehicle with his brother Jae-bin. Both looking more like princes, than they were a few hours ago. Each wearing their own masks. Their hair smooth and styled perfectly. Because of Jae-bin’s refusal to speak to his older brother, there was only silence in the vehicle. Only the sound of the car moving, and the light music coming from the radio could be heard. Now was the perfect time for Ji-woo get some sleep. It was quiet, and no one was bothering him to be entertaining like a certain cousin of his was doing on the plane. “Jae-bin, wake me up when we get there” Ji-woo heard no response from his brother, so he called his name over and over. “Okay, I heard you! Hyung, just shut up and sleep.” Jae-bin finally says out of frustration and sending a glare his brother’s way. Satisfied, Ji-woo closed his eyes with a smile and leaned back into his seat, carefully trying not to ruin his hair.
It was around ten minutes past 9:00 when they arrived. Doing as he promised, Jae-bin nudged his brother to wake him up. Ji-woo woke up just in time as the driver opened the door for the two brothers to get out of. He quickly checked his face for any signs of drool, not wanting the paparazzi take pictures of him in such a state. Ji-woo was the first to get out of the vehicle and immediately he was bombarded by the flashing of cameras, and the questions of reporters. He was surprised that they were to recognize him underneath the mask he wore, but he still smiled towards the cameras, even though the flashing lights was almost blinding. He wore black slacks with a matching black button up. The only contrast in color was his navy blue blazer and the grey overcoat that hanged on his shoulders. Personally, Ji-woo thought the coat was a little overboard, but the stylists practically forced it on him.
He answered some questions as he walked on the red carpet, his family not so far behind him. Like his manager told him, Ji-woo didn’t really answer any questions that were about his upcoming marriage. He strictly answered questions that were only about his upcoming movie. He still felt a little tired, but the smile on his face never wavered. Finally making it to the entrance to the palace, the large doors were pushed open revealing the grand ballroom. It was indeed a large and luxurious celebration. Ji-woo enjoyed the calm and happy atmosphere, drowning himself in the classical music that played in the background. Almost instantly, he was surrounded by other nobles. Some stated themselves as fans and even asked for autographs, while others simply asked about his thoughts on his upcoming marriage. His step mother was quick to interject with Jae-bin, and his father trailing not too far behind them. Letting the attention fall on them, she gave Ji-woo an opening to escape, and he took it.
Ji-woo decides to go get himself a drink, not surprised to run into Tae-joon leaning on one of the walls with a drink in his hand. He was just scanning the crowd, then a smile lit up his face as he saw Ji-woo walking over towards him. The two have been together since they were kids. They were mostly comrades in crime, and other than the maturity level, they had similar personalities. Neither of them felt like they belonged in such an extravagant and fancy ball such as this one, which is why they had drifted over towards the outer edge of the room, instead of the center. Tae-joon has been dragged to more fancy parties than Ji-woo has, but the feeling of belonging never goes away. They preferred the parties they went to back home. It was more casual and all that mattered was having fun with their friends.
“Do you think I have a shot at any of the ladies here?” Tae-joon asked staring at a group of well-dress girls huddled together. Ji-woo followed his cousin’s eyes and scoffed.
“This ball was not made for you to get women’s phone numbers. Besides, aren’t you dating Hae-ri?” It was Tae-joon’s turn to scoff.
“She doesn’t have to know. It’s not like I plan to date these girls. I’m just going to play a little, while I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m not going to kiss any of them.” he responded, while crossing his arms.
“You’re an enemy to all women, you know that?” Ji-woo says with a shocked expression.
“Thanks, I try my best” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Has his dear cousin gone crazy? Has the fame finally got to his head? It took him about a minute to figure out Tae-joon was just trying to mess with him. Well, he thought maybe he should test out that theory and give Tae-joon a little taste of his own medicine. Ji-woo took the phone out of the pocket of his pants, unlocking it, started typing a message, and then hitting ‘send’. Tae-joon couldn’t help but be curious, so he asked him who he was texting.
“Hae-ri, I just told her what you just said to me” Ji-woo simply says, and it took every fiber of his being not to smile. Tae-joon resisted the urge to scream to the heavens in surprise, not wanting to make a scene in front of so many people.
“Are you crazy?! She’s going to kill me! I was just joking!” Tae-joon exclaims, but not so loud to attract any unwanted attention. He gripped onto Ji-woo’s arms, shaking him back and forth. So strongly, Ji-woo started to get a little dizzy. The tight grip on his arms starting to feel painful.
“Let go of me! I didn’t send anything to her, check your phone you idiot” he says, rubbing his arms to relieve the slight pain from his cousins grip, as Tae-joon let’s go to check his phone. There was a notification on the screen. It read that he got a message from Ji-woo, and all it said was just Ji-woo repeatedly calling him an idiot. This was the message Ji-woo was typing minutes earlier, and the boy let out a sigh of relief. Tae-joon looked up to glare at his cousin’s grinning face. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”
“Thanks, I try my best” Ji-woo repeated Tae-joon’s exact words from before, and he erupted quiet laughter, satisfied with what he did. Maybe now, Tae-joon wouldn’t joke around with his relationship for the rest of the week.
During the rest of the night, the two stayed against the wall. They watched the other guests interact with each other, and talked about the most random of topics. A few women approached the two handsome men. Not denying any form of conversation, the two gladly interacted with them, and soon they were surrounded by other notables their age, men and women alike. As the music dulled, the group turned to to listen intently to King Gi-yeol’s announcement. It was time. Ji-woo was finally going to find out his chosen partner. The woman he was probably going to spend the rest of his life with. The woman he was determined not to betray, even if he does fall in love with someone else. It didn’t matter to him which princess he was going to marry. After meeting them at the twelve banquets, he really had no preference. He was okay with marrying any one of them, but he did feel some of them would be a little bit more difficult to handle than others.
Ji-woo found himself back in his old room, sitting in a chair in the corner, and watching his personal stylist argue with the stylist his father hired. The two were debating on what he should wear to the ball that night. To absorbed in their own arguments, they haven't even asked Ji-woo's opinion on the matter yet, and he was glad that they didn't. If he got in the middle now, it wouldn't end pretty. He decided to let the two women duke it out, and let his mind wander through memory lane. Although it's only been two years since he moved out, it felt like it has been years since he's stepped foot in his old home. His old room felt nostalgic and looked exactly like how he left it, minus the empty closet and the barren shelves where his knick knacks used to be stored.
When the two ladies finally came to a consensus on his outfit for the evening, Ji-woo started to doze off in his chair. They awakened him with a tap on his shoulder and pulled him up by his arms. They laid his outfit on his bed for him, and left him alone so that he could change. To add on, they left quite slowly to catch a glimpse of his toned upper body as he took off his sweater. Noticing this he yelled at them to leave with a pout on his face, refusing to take off his pants until they left the room completely. Ji-woo let out a small laugh, swearing he heard them click their tongues as they closed the door shut.
After being fully dressed, he looked himself in the mirror. The nice clothes fit well around his body. The two stylists came back into the room, and were very satisfied with their work. Now that the perfect suit was picked, Ji-woo and his family could finally set off for Alfaria. This was just a fitting before the real thing. They wanted to make sure they had everything ready, before they left.
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As soon as their flight landed, Ji-woo and the rest of his family went off to get ready for the ball. The only time he actually had to rest up was on the plane, and even then, he couldn’t get much sleep. That’s because his cousin, Tae-joon, kept trying to mess with him. He constantly took pictures of his sleeping face, and even tried to draw on his face with a marker. Despite being the same age, Tae-joon was much more immature than Ji-woo. Although it was obvious Ji-woo was tired as hell, his Tae-joon still kept him awake, whining about keeping him entertained during the flight.
Ji-woo wished he could have gone sightseeing a little bit, but he was quickly rushed out of the airport, and into another vehicle. His father insisted that there was no time to look around. They had start getting ready for the ball now, or else they’ll be late. His father continued to lecture about the proper etiquette a prince must act towards a princess. It was probably the thousandth time he’s told that speech, and Ji-woo just couldn’t care enough to listen to it again. He just zoned out, letting his father drag on and on about some advice that he wasn’t going to use anyway.
What felt like years, was just mere hours of preparation for the ball. Ji-woo was sitting in the back seat of the nice black vehicle with his brother Jae-bin. Both looking more like princes, than they were a few hours ago. Each wearing their own masks. Their hair smooth and styled perfectly. Because of Jae-bin’s refusal to speak to his older brother, there was only silence in the vehicle. Only the sound of the car moving, and the light music coming from the radio could be heard. Now was the perfect time for Ji-woo get some sleep. It was quiet, and no one was bothering him to be entertaining like a certain cousin of his was doing on the plane. “Jae-bin, wake me up when we get there” Ji-woo heard no response from his brother, so he called his name over and over. “Okay, I heard you! Hyung, just shut up and sleep.” Jae-bin finally says out of frustration and sending a glare his brother’s way. Satisfied, Ji-woo closed his eyes with a smile and leaned back into his seat, carefully trying not to ruin his hair.
It was around ten minutes past 9:00 when they arrived. Doing as he promised, Jae-bin nudged his brother to wake him up. Ji-woo woke up just in time as the driver opened the door for the two brothers to get out of. He quickly checked his face for any signs of drool, not wanting the paparazzi take pictures of him in such a state. Ji-woo was the first to get out of the vehicle and immediately he was bombarded by the flashing of cameras, and the questions of reporters. He was surprised that they were to recognize him underneath the mask he wore, but he still smiled towards the cameras, even though the flashing lights was almost blinding. He wore black slacks with a matching black button up. The only contrast in color was his navy blue blazer and the grey overcoat that hanged on his shoulders. Personally, Ji-woo thought the coat was a little overboard, but the stylists practically forced it on him.
He answered some questions as he walked on the red carpet, his family not so far behind him. Like his manager told him, Ji-woo didn’t really answer any questions that were about his upcoming marriage. He strictly answered questions that were only about his upcoming movie. He still felt a little tired, but the smile on his face never wavered. Finally making it to the entrance to the palace, the large doors were pushed open revealing the grand ballroom. It was indeed a large and luxurious celebration. Ji-woo enjoyed the calm and happy atmosphere, drowning himself in the classical music that played in the background. Almost instantly, he was surrounded by other nobles. Some stated themselves as fans and even asked for autographs, while others simply asked about his thoughts on his upcoming marriage. His step mother was quick to interject with Jae-bin, and his father trailing not too far behind them. Letting the attention fall on them, she gave Ji-woo an opening to escape, and he took it.
Ji-woo decides to go get himself a drink, not surprised to run into Tae-joon leaning on one of the walls with a drink in his hand. He was just scanning the crowd, then a smile lit up his face as he saw Ji-woo walking over towards him. The two have been together since they were kids. They were mostly comrades in crime, and other than the maturity level, they had similar personalities. Neither of them felt like they belonged in such an extravagant and fancy ball such as this one, which is why they had drifted over towards the outer edge of the room, instead of the center. Tae-joon has been dragged to more fancy parties than Ji-woo has, but the feeling of belonging never goes away. They preferred the parties they went to back home. It was more casual and all that mattered was having fun with their friends.
“Do you think I have a shot at any of the ladies here?” Tae-joon asked staring at a group of well-dress girls huddled together. Ji-woo followed his cousin’s eyes and scoffed.
“This ball was not made for you to get women’s phone numbers. Besides, aren’t you dating Hae-ri?” It was Tae-joon’s turn to scoff.
“She doesn’t have to know. It’s not like I plan to date these girls. I’m just going to play a little, while I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m not going to kiss any of them.” he responded, while crossing his arms.
“You’re an enemy to all women, you know that?” Ji-woo says with a shocked expression.
“Thanks, I try my best” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Has his dear cousin gone crazy? Has the fame finally got to his head? It took him about a minute to figure out Tae-joon was just trying to mess with him. Well, he thought maybe he should test out that theory and give Tae-joon a little taste of his own medicine. Ji-woo took the phone out of the pocket of his pants, unlocking it, started typing a message, and then hitting ‘send’. Tae-joon couldn’t help but be curious, so he asked him who he was texting.
“Hae-ri, I just told her what you just said to me” Ji-woo simply says, and it took every fiber of his being not to smile. Tae-joon resisted the urge to scream to the heavens in surprise, not wanting to make a scene in front of so many people.
“Are you crazy?! She’s going to kill me! I was just joking!” Tae-joon exclaims, but not so loud to attract any unwanted attention. He gripped onto Ji-woo’s arms, shaking him back and forth. So strongly, Ji-woo started to get a little dizzy. The tight grip on his arms starting to feel painful.
“Let go of me! I didn’t send anything to her, check your phone you idiot” he says, rubbing his arms to relieve the slight pain from his cousins grip, as Tae-joon let’s go to check his phone. There was a notification on the screen. It read that he got a message from Ji-woo, and all it said was just Ji-woo repeatedly calling him an idiot. This was the message Ji-woo was typing minutes earlier, and the boy let out a sigh of relief. Tae-joon looked up to glare at his cousin’s grinning face. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”
“Thanks, I try my best” Ji-woo repeated Tae-joon’s exact words from before, and he erupted quiet laughter, satisfied with what he did. Maybe now, Tae-joon wouldn’t joke around with his relationship for the rest of the week.
During the rest of the night, the two stayed against the wall. They watched the other guests interact with each other, and talked about the most random of topics. A few women approached the two handsome men. Not denying any form of conversation, the two gladly interacted with them, and soon they were surrounded by other notables their age, men and women alike. As the music dulled, the group turned to to listen intently to King Gi-yeol’s announcement. It was time. Ji-woo was finally going to find out his chosen partner. The woman he was probably going to spend the rest of his life with. The woman he was determined not to betray, even if he does fall in love with someone else. It didn’t matter to him which princess he was going to marry. After meeting them at the twelve banquets, he really had no preference. He was okay with marrying any one of them, but he did feel some of them would be a little bit more difficult to handle than others.
vcnilla
dolce
YEO HUI-JUN
location: pyeong's castle; alfaria interactions: none. mentions: none.
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code © vcnilla
constellation
𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋
nooraisin
- - - - - -
peachnim
fabulous *:･ﾟ✧
Before the crowd stood King Gi-Yeol, in all his glory, and a golden envelope in his hands. Brows furrowed, the prince felt presences near him, and sure enough, he found his sisters by his side. Si-Yeon, the older of the two, had one hand on her hip, pretending to be uninterested. However, the very fact that she was beside him in a time that would change his life forever was enough to show him that she cared. On his right, Ji-Na tiptoed to see over the crowd, her arm linked around Joo-Hwan's. She was just as loud as Si-Yeon, but definitely more openly affectionate.
Bracing himself, Joo-Hwan returned to staring at Alfaria's king. His parents watched from their seats, his mother's beam unwavering. His father, on the other hand, wore a nervous expression. It wasn't every day that a father had to send off his only ally in the family off to another's house. With Joo-Hwan gone, he would be at the fate of his martinet of a wife and demanding daughters.
Joo-Hwan felt his breath hitch. Before he knew it, his pulse quickened, his lips parting in suspense. Everything around him blurred, and the only the only thing he could focus on was the envelope.
In that very envelope lay the name of the princess who was fated to be his wife. The woman whose heart she should not give to him. Because, how would he give his love to her, when another filled his thoughts?
Images of Na-Ra flashed in his mind. Her soothing smile, her warm presence... they were not present to comfort him, now. This was a new chapter in his life. Whether this marriage meant getting revenge or getting his woman back, however, Joo-Hwan was unsure.
With mixed emotions, Beflaurus's prince waited for the king's next words, a hand on his clenched jaw. King Gi-Yeol began listing the pairings, each syllable making the hairs on his neck stand. It was only the second sentence into the listing, and Joo-Hwan was called out to. At the sound of his name, he swallowed, and his sister clutched onto him as if it was life or death.
Yeong-Hee. Memories of the ill-mannered, abrasive princess flashed through his mind. From the get-go, Joo-Hwan had been unable to crack through her cold demeanor without the risk of getting a dirty look. He had given up trying to befriend her, but remained civil throughout their regular banquets.
It only took a few words to describe her: rude, intimidating, and loud.
The exact opposite of Na-Ra.
Feeling a sinking feeling settle in his stomach, Joo-Hwan fixed the golden mask on his face, and scanned the hall for his partner. He didn't know who he was expecting to share the rest of his life with, but it certainly wasn't Yeong-Hee.
All eyes seemed to be upon him when he gently removed his sister's hand, and turned to the now parted crowd. With graceful steps, the man entered the dance floor. His gaze traveled to land upon a much smaller figure, her hands stuffed into her pockets with nonchalance.
Im Yeong-Hee.
Joo-Hwan studied her for a moment, his eyes lighting up with unexplainable curiosity. It seemed as if the crowd around them was simply a backdrop, and even the other royals were nonexistent as he peered at Yeong-Hee. Even through the glittering mask, her hickory orbs pierced through his own. She was clad in a suit, which should not have surprised him as much as it did now. Her posture exuded indifference, in contrast to the various array of emotions Joo-Hwan was undergoing. Nevertheless, the prince stepped closer, taking a deep breath as he did so.
So, of all people... you're the one...
He broke into his classic, 'Prince Charming' smile, relaxing his shoulders a bit. "Good evening, princess," Joo-Hwan took her adorned hand boldly, knowing well that his parents and the elite were watching his every move. Still smiling, the man brought Yeong-Hee's hand closer, and bent slightly to kiss it.
Bracing himself, Joo-Hwan returned to staring at Alfaria's king. His parents watched from their seats, his mother's beam unwavering. His father, on the other hand, wore a nervous expression. It wasn't every day that a father had to send off his only ally in the family off to another's house. With Joo-Hwan gone, he would be at the fate of his martinet of a wife and demanding daughters.
"Now... for the announcement you have ALL been waiting for."
Joo-Hwan felt his breath hitch. Before he knew it, his pulse quickened, his lips parting in suspense. Everything around him blurred, and the only the only thing he could focus on was the envelope.
In that very envelope lay the name of the princess who was fated to be his wife. The woman whose heart she should not give to him. Because, how would he give his love to her, when another filled his thoughts?
Images of Na-Ra flashed in his mind. Her soothing smile, her warm presence... they were not present to comfort him, now. This was a new chapter in his life. Whether this marriage meant getting revenge or getting his woman back, however, Joo-Hwan was unsure.
With mixed emotions, Beflaurus's prince waited for the king's next words, a hand on his clenched jaw. King Gi-Yeol began listing the pairings, each syllable making the hairs on his neck stand. It was only the second sentence into the listing, and Joo-Hwan was called out to. At the sound of his name, he swallowed, and his sister clutched onto him as if it was life or death.
"Prince Song, Joo-hwan of Beflaurus has been paired up with Princess Im, Yeong-hee of Graile."
Yeong-Hee. Memories of the ill-mannered, abrasive princess flashed through his mind. From the get-go, Joo-Hwan had been unable to crack through her cold demeanor without the risk of getting a dirty look. He had given up trying to befriend her, but remained civil throughout their regular banquets.
It only took a few words to describe her: rude, intimidating, and loud.
The exact opposite of Na-Ra.
Feeling a sinking feeling settle in his stomach, Joo-Hwan fixed the golden mask on his face, and scanned the hall for his partner. He didn't know who he was expecting to share the rest of his life with, but it certainly wasn't Yeong-Hee.
All eyes seemed to be upon him when he gently removed his sister's hand, and turned to the now parted crowd. With graceful steps, the man entered the dance floor. His gaze traveled to land upon a much smaller figure, her hands stuffed into her pockets with nonchalance.
Im Yeong-Hee.
Joo-Hwan studied her for a moment, his eyes lighting up with unexplainable curiosity. It seemed as if the crowd around them was simply a backdrop, and even the other royals were nonexistent as he peered at Yeong-Hee. Even through the glittering mask, her hickory orbs pierced through his own. She was clad in a suit, which should not have surprised him as much as it did now. Her posture exuded indifference, in contrast to the various array of emotions Joo-Hwan was undergoing. Nevertheless, the prince stepped closer, taking a deep breath as he did so.
So, of all people... you're the one...
He broke into his classic, 'Prince Charming' smile, relaxing his shoulders a bit. "Good evening, princess," Joo-Hwan took her adorned hand boldly, knowing well that his parents and the elite were watching his every move. Still smiling, the man brought Yeong-Hee's hand closer, and bent slightly to kiss it.
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Yunn
云
lee, wooshin
social
falling for you™
how could i forget how you painted all the stars in my sky...
.
vcnilla
dolce
YEO HUI-JUN
code © vcnilla
JenniPerson
I love Kookies
As King Gi-yeul was making his announcment, Ji-woo felt like a nervous wreck, wondering who was going to be his future wife. Despite the butterflies in his stomach, he tried to at least look calm to the ones around him. Not wanting to reveal how nervous he actually was. He hanged onto the kings every word, waiting patiently for the pairings to be revealed and listening carefully for his name. He was paying so much attention on the king, that he almost jumped when Tae-joon tapped him on the shoulder. Ji-woo turned towards his cousin and a look of disappointment graced his face. The expression of his feelings still clear underneath the silver mask. While the other guests, including himself, were giving all of their attention to King Gi-yeul, here was his cousin staring into the screen of his phone. “Dude, you should look at your fansite. All your fans are going crazy about this marriage. It’s hilarious.” Tae-joon whispers holding his phone up for Ji-woo to see.
“Seriously? You’re being all kinds of rude today. Would it kill you to pay a little attention to the king's announcements?” Ji-woo scolds, gently pushing the phone away from his face. With a pout, Tae-joon brings his phone back to his side, but still not tearing his eyes away from the screen. He was still scrolling to read the comments on Ji-woo’s fansite. Ji-woo was amazed at the fact that everyone was wrapped up in the announcing of the pairings that they didn’t care to reprimand his cousin at all. Scanning the room, he found his family sitting in one of the corners of the room, also staring intently at King Gi-yeul like everyone else. It was not a surprise that his younger brother looked absolutely bored. Jae-bin has never been too keen on being apart of his older brother’s life, but he was forced to attend the ball by his mother.
Ji-woo was glad his family hadn’t decided to stand next to him as the announcements were made. As rude as Tae-joon was being, he was still better than having Ji-woo’s parents giving him last minute pointers on how to dance. He felt less pressure with them being so far away from him. It wasn’t like he needed their support either. Ji-woo was fine by himself, although he secretly wished it wasn’t Taejoon standing next to him right now.
Turning his attention back on King Gi-yeol, Ji-woo watches the man opening the gold envelope that determined his future. He started wondering who his partner was going to be. Cycling through his memories of the princess’ he met at the banquets. He tried to remember what they all were like, but it didn’t really matter because they all could have been putting up a front. Who knows what they could really be like once the peering eyes of their families weren’t watching them. Plus, it’s been two years. People could change in that small amount of time. He changed in those two years. Ji-woo cringed thinking about his past self at the banquets, remembering how much he talked about Hyung-min back then.
“Prince Kang, Ji-woo of Zesna has been paired up with Princess Song, Min-seo of Wheso.”
Hearing his name being announced by the king, it stopped Ji-woo from wallowing in his self-pity. From what he could remember, Min-seo seemed like a nice girl. At the banquets, she tried to get to know the other first-born royalties just like he did. She was talkative enough, but still had similar characteristics a princess should have, as his step-mother once told him. He thought his marriage with her wouldn’t be too bad. At most, he thought it might be a little fun to have her as a wife. There was no telling what she could be like behind closed doors, but to Ji-woo, she seemed to be a free spirit like him, and that’s what he liked the most about her. This marriage was going to be interesting for him to say the least.
Seeing the waves of guests clear the dance floor, giving enough room for the pairs to dance together. This was his queue to go find his future wife. He adjusted his mask slightly and took the grey coat off his shoulders. Throwing the soft piece of clothing at Tae-joon, who caught it instinctively. “Hold my coat for me” Ji-woo says looking over at his annoyed cousin.
“I’m not your servant. I have better things to do than to hold your coat” Tae-joon responds, but still making no movements to hand back the coat. Letting the grey fabric hang neatly on his arm.
“Oh really? Like what? It’s not like you’re going to be dancing with anyone. Hae-ri’s got you too whipped for you to even think of trying anything” Having nothing to respond to that remark, Tae-joon just remains quiet and returned to his phone, as Ji-woo walked away triumphantly. A grin never left his face, happy to have bested his cousin once again. His eyes scanned the room once again, but this time looking specifically for his bride to be. The crowd of guests moved for him as he walked around trying to find Min-seo amongst them.
It only took him less than a minute to find her. The woman he was going to marry. The woman he was going to be with for better or for worse, until death do they part. She was wearing a beautiful white floor-length ball gown that contrasted with the dark colors of his own attire. The silver embellishments of the dress matching their silver masks. She took his breath away for just a moment. Not wanting to be caught staring at the girl, he quickly regained his composure and walked over to Min-seo, everyone around him watching his every move. It was only for a moment, but he recognized the feeling he had. It was strange because he thought he would never find another woman who could make him feel like Jang-mi did. However, he shrugged the feeling off as he finally approached the girl dressed in white. Ji-woo thought it was funny how they were both wearing colors that very much represented themselves. Their clothes clashed in color. It was like night and day. Dark versus light. Her innocent heart clashing with the darkness of his own.
Ji-woo notices the older woman grasping Min-seo’s hand. Assuming she was the girl's mother, he decided he might as well try to win points off his future mother-in-law. His father told him many times to act politely and be a complete gentleman, but everything his father told him to do was just not his style. Don’t get him wrong, he treats women kindly and respectfully, but just not in a way a typical prince should, or at least just not in the way his father told him to do. He turned to face what he assumed was Min-seo’s mother. “It’s nice to meet you your highness. You’re as beautiful as your daughter” he says and smiled one of his perfect work smiles. He probably seemed like a suck-up, but is it so wrong to want to get along with your future in-laws? In the corner of his eye, he could see Tae-joon in the front of the crowd. Knowing that his cousin could see him, Tae-joon pretends to gag indicating how gross he thought Ji-woo’s corny lines were. Ji-woo fought the urge to glare at his rude relative, his smile never wavering. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to steal your daughter away from you for this first dance” he finally continues.
He turned towards Min-seo, and held his hand out to her. “So, would you like to dance with me?” he asked her. The typical princely thing to do would be to take the princess’ hand and kiss the top of it, but Ji-woo wasn’t a typical prince. He waited for her to take his hand instead, and asked her if she wanted to dance with him. Although she was kind of forced to dance with him anyway, or risk the scrutiny of the other guests, but Ji-woo wanted it to be her choice. He didn’t care if she straightforwardly told him she didn’t want to. He just thought it might make her feel better about the situation if it seemed like she had some sort of freedom in the matter.
tags;
astraeaaa
“Seriously? You’re being all kinds of rude today. Would it kill you to pay a little attention to the king's announcements?” Ji-woo scolds, gently pushing the phone away from his face. With a pout, Tae-joon brings his phone back to his side, but still not tearing his eyes away from the screen. He was still scrolling to read the comments on Ji-woo’s fansite. Ji-woo was amazed at the fact that everyone was wrapped up in the announcing of the pairings that they didn’t care to reprimand his cousin at all. Scanning the room, he found his family sitting in one of the corners of the room, also staring intently at King Gi-yeul like everyone else. It was not a surprise that his younger brother looked absolutely bored. Jae-bin has never been too keen on being apart of his older brother’s life, but he was forced to attend the ball by his mother.
Ji-woo was glad his family hadn’t decided to stand next to him as the announcements were made. As rude as Tae-joon was being, he was still better than having Ji-woo’s parents giving him last minute pointers on how to dance. He felt less pressure with them being so far away from him. It wasn’t like he needed their support either. Ji-woo was fine by himself, although he secretly wished it wasn’t Taejoon standing next to him right now.
Turning his attention back on King Gi-yeol, Ji-woo watches the man opening the gold envelope that determined his future. He started wondering who his partner was going to be. Cycling through his memories of the princess’ he met at the banquets. He tried to remember what they all were like, but it didn’t really matter because they all could have been putting up a front. Who knows what they could really be like once the peering eyes of their families weren’t watching them. Plus, it’s been two years. People could change in that small amount of time. He changed in those two years. Ji-woo cringed thinking about his past self at the banquets, remembering how much he talked about Hyung-min back then.
“Prince Kang, Ji-woo of Zesna has been paired up with Princess Song, Min-seo of Wheso.”
Hearing his name being announced by the king, it stopped Ji-woo from wallowing in his self-pity. From what he could remember, Min-seo seemed like a nice girl. At the banquets, she tried to get to know the other first-born royalties just like he did. She was talkative enough, but still had similar characteristics a princess should have, as his step-mother once told him. He thought his marriage with her wouldn’t be too bad. At most, he thought it might be a little fun to have her as a wife. There was no telling what she could be like behind closed doors, but to Ji-woo, she seemed to be a free spirit like him, and that’s what he liked the most about her. This marriage was going to be interesting for him to say the least.
Seeing the waves of guests clear the dance floor, giving enough room for the pairs to dance together. This was his queue to go find his future wife. He adjusted his mask slightly and took the grey coat off his shoulders. Throwing the soft piece of clothing at Tae-joon, who caught it instinctively. “Hold my coat for me” Ji-woo says looking over at his annoyed cousin.
“I’m not your servant. I have better things to do than to hold your coat” Tae-joon responds, but still making no movements to hand back the coat. Letting the grey fabric hang neatly on his arm.
“Oh really? Like what? It’s not like you’re going to be dancing with anyone. Hae-ri’s got you too whipped for you to even think of trying anything” Having nothing to respond to that remark, Tae-joon just remains quiet and returned to his phone, as Ji-woo walked away triumphantly. A grin never left his face, happy to have bested his cousin once again. His eyes scanned the room once again, but this time looking specifically for his bride to be. The crowd of guests moved for him as he walked around trying to find Min-seo amongst them.
It only took him less than a minute to find her. The woman he was going to marry. The woman he was going to be with for better or for worse, until death do they part. She was wearing a beautiful white floor-length ball gown that contrasted with the dark colors of his own attire. The silver embellishments of the dress matching their silver masks. She took his breath away for just a moment. Not wanting to be caught staring at the girl, he quickly regained his composure and walked over to Min-seo, everyone around him watching his every move. It was only for a moment, but he recognized the feeling he had. It was strange because he thought he would never find another woman who could make him feel like Jang-mi did. However, he shrugged the feeling off as he finally approached the girl dressed in white. Ji-woo thought it was funny how they were both wearing colors that very much represented themselves. Their clothes clashed in color. It was like night and day. Dark versus light. Her innocent heart clashing with the darkness of his own.
Ji-woo notices the older woman grasping Min-seo’s hand. Assuming she was the girl's mother, he decided he might as well try to win points off his future mother-in-law. His father told him many times to act politely and be a complete gentleman, but everything his father told him to do was just not his style. Don’t get him wrong, he treats women kindly and respectfully, but just not in a way a typical prince should, or at least just not in the way his father told him to do. He turned to face what he assumed was Min-seo’s mother. “It’s nice to meet you your highness. You’re as beautiful as your daughter” he says and smiled one of his perfect work smiles. He probably seemed like a suck-up, but is it so wrong to want to get along with your future in-laws? In the corner of his eye, he could see Tae-joon in the front of the crowd. Knowing that his cousin could see him, Tae-joon pretends to gag indicating how gross he thought Ji-woo’s corny lines were. Ji-woo fought the urge to glare at his rude relative, his smile never wavering. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to steal your daughter away from you for this first dance” he finally continues.
He turned towards Min-seo, and held his hand out to her. “So, would you like to dance with me?” he asked her. The typical princely thing to do would be to take the princess’ hand and kiss the top of it, but Ji-woo wasn’t a typical prince. He waited for her to take his hand instead, and asked her if she wanted to dance with him. Although she was kind of forced to dance with him anyway, or risk the scrutiny of the other guests, but Ji-woo wanted it to be her choice. He didn’t care if she straightforwardly told him she didn’t want to. He just thought it might make her feel better about the situation if it seemed like she had some sort of freedom in the matter.
tags;
astraeaaa
constellation
𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋
nooraisin
- - - - - -
astraeaaa
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
finally, the moment the entire kingdom had been waiting for. the girl felt as though her heart was about to burst, eyes squeezed shut as she listened carefully to the pairings.
"prince kang, ji-woo of zesna has been paired up with princess song, min-seo of wheso."
jiwoo. minseo searched her mind for any recollection of the prince at the twelve banquets two years ago. she recalled a talkative prince who she got along with, but then again, she found all of the princes to be amiable. that's when she remembered hyungmin. she had always suspected an affection held for the name mentioned so many times, feelings that ran deeper than was revealed. but did that mean it was still going on to this day? if so it must be incredibly awkward to be automatically betrothed to one, but have a secret relationship with another at the same time. there was no doubt in her mind that this was the case for more than one of the princes and princesses here, but if she were to be married to this man and rule in the future with him, she didn't want to be only married to them for show. minseo wanted to search for a kindle of a flame, for even the smallest spark of love that the two of them could share for the years to come.
wow, how time passed by so quickly. she almost forgot how the banquets took place two years ago, and a lot could happen to a person in two years. not that much had changed with herself, but she really didn't know what jiwoo was like now, did she? she was no stranger to all of the dramas he was in, a fan of his acting abilities, but since when did actors truly reveal all of their feelings on camera. it seemed quite weird to be have your fiance be a world famous actor and prince to the country filled with talent. wheso often provided them with the latest and greatest technology when it came to things like cameras for shooting films and sound sets for musical acts, which seemed almost fitting for the two of them here. him, the main lead. her, the support.
that's what she wanted to be, despite all of her displays of not caring too much about wheso and her duties as a princess. she couldn't be a disappointment to her country, but more importantly, she couldn't be a disappointment to herself by not caring for it. if this marriage were to bring peace to the nations then she would gladly go through with it in a heartbeat.
a voice soon snapped her out of her reverie. minseo turned her head to face the source of the voice, who's compliment to her mother did not quite reach the ears of the princess as she gazed at the man standing in front of her. prince jiwoo. her optics first met with his own as she stared into his deep dark eyes that peered through the silver mask adorning his face. the mask that matched hers, that showed to everyone how they were to join as one.
with her mother quickly loosening her grip and thanking the prince for such flattering words, the queen stepped backwards and ushered her to take his hand. a space had swiftly cleared around the two of them as the audience watched and whispered amongst each other of their views on these matches. out of the corner of her eye she could even see her two siblings standing nearby and watching in awe like the little nerds they were. "of course," minseo replied, a smile gracing her features as she gently placed her own hand on jiwoo's outstretched one.
for a moment as they strode towards the centre of the ballroom with the other princes and princesses she felt slightly nervous about this dance. she felt vulnerable as all eyes would be directed towards them, and spontaneous dancing was not exactly her thing. though the white satin heels she wore lent her some height, jiwoo still towered over her at over six feet, and she wasn't sure when she last practised with someone so tall. taking in a few deep breathes minseo kept her gaze on jiwoo, chewing on the inside of her cheeks in anticipation for the music to begin and the dance to start.
JenniPerson
"prince kang, ji-woo of zesna has been paired up with princess song, min-seo of wheso."
jiwoo. minseo searched her mind for any recollection of the prince at the twelve banquets two years ago. she recalled a talkative prince who she got along with, but then again, she found all of the princes to be amiable. that's when she remembered hyungmin. she had always suspected an affection held for the name mentioned so many times, feelings that ran deeper than was revealed. but did that mean it was still going on to this day? if so it must be incredibly awkward to be automatically betrothed to one, but have a secret relationship with another at the same time. there was no doubt in her mind that this was the case for more than one of the princes and princesses here, but if she were to be married to this man and rule in the future with him, she didn't want to be only married to them for show. minseo wanted to search for a kindle of a flame, for even the smallest spark of love that the two of them could share for the years to come.
wow, how time passed by so quickly. she almost forgot how the banquets took place two years ago, and a lot could happen to a person in two years. not that much had changed with herself, but she really didn't know what jiwoo was like now, did she? she was no stranger to all of the dramas he was in, a fan of his acting abilities, but since when did actors truly reveal all of their feelings on camera. it seemed quite weird to be have your fiance be a world famous actor and prince to the country filled with talent. wheso often provided them with the latest and greatest technology when it came to things like cameras for shooting films and sound sets for musical acts, which seemed almost fitting for the two of them here. him, the main lead. her, the support.
that's what she wanted to be, despite all of her displays of not caring too much about wheso and her duties as a princess. she couldn't be a disappointment to her country, but more importantly, she couldn't be a disappointment to herself by not caring for it. if this marriage were to bring peace to the nations then she would gladly go through with it in a heartbeat.
a voice soon snapped her out of her reverie. minseo turned her head to face the source of the voice, who's compliment to her mother did not quite reach the ears of the princess as she gazed at the man standing in front of her. prince jiwoo. her optics first met with his own as she stared into his deep dark eyes that peered through the silver mask adorning his face. the mask that matched hers, that showed to everyone how they were to join as one.
with her mother quickly loosening her grip and thanking the prince for such flattering words, the queen stepped backwards and ushered her to take his hand. a space had swiftly cleared around the two of them as the audience watched and whispered amongst each other of their views on these matches. out of the corner of her eye she could even see her two siblings standing nearby and watching in awe like the little nerds they were. "of course," minseo replied, a smile gracing her features as she gently placed her own hand on jiwoo's outstretched one.
for a moment as they strode towards the centre of the ballroom with the other princes and princesses she felt slightly nervous about this dance. she felt vulnerable as all eyes would be directed towards them, and spontaneous dancing was not exactly her thing. though the white satin heels she wore lent her some height, jiwoo still towered over her at over six feet, and she wasn't sure when she last practised with someone so tall. taking in a few deep breathes minseo kept her gaze on jiwoo, chewing on the inside of her cheeks in anticipation for the music to begin and the dance to start.
JenniPerson
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peachnim
fabulous *:･ﾟ✧
He wasn't sure what to expect when it came to Yeong-Hee. And, when the woman poked his cheek and opened her mouth to speak, Joo-Hwan realized she would continue to surprise him.
His eyes widened as Graile's princess pushed his head back, then pulled him onto the dance floor. She was certainly used to having her way, wasn't she?
Something told him that they were going to have a hard time compromising. This was extremely apparent when the woman glared up at him, directing him as if he was the princess.
Lips parting, the man stared down at Yeong-Hee in equal astonishment and amusement. He blinked twice, thrice. After finally realizing what situation he was in, the prince found himself cracking. With raised brows, Joo-Hwan snorted, his suppressed laughter bringing genuine warmth into his features... for the first time in a long time.
It didn't take long for him to break into actual laughter. An image of his disapproving mother flashed in his mind, and the prince quickly cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, your highness—would that be better?—but I think you're jumping to conclusions here." Joo-Hwan began, taking her hand to pull her close and placing the other on her waist. With entertainment glittering in his umber orbs, the prince tilted his head as he examined his much tinier dance partner.
"While you may know me to be 'gentleman', I'm actually very..." Joo-Hwan hesitated, remembering certain things he would rather forget. Instead of spilling everything just yet, he decided to say something else entirely. "...Well, I guess you could say I don't enjoy being bossed around. I'd much rather be a prince for the night..."
As they danced, the man continued, "You can understand that, right?" He held his breath, trying hard not to break his gaze as her dark orbs sent chills into his body.
"Pff. Don't call me princess, you haven't earned that from me yet."
His eyes widened as Graile's princess pushed his head back, then pulled him onto the dance floor. She was certainly used to having her way, wasn't she?
Something told him that they were going to have a hard time compromising. This was extremely apparent when the woman glared up at him, directing him as if he was the princess.
Lips parting, the man stared down at Yeong-Hee in equal astonishment and amusement. He blinked twice, thrice. After finally realizing what situation he was in, the prince found himself cracking. With raised brows, Joo-Hwan snorted, his suppressed laughter bringing genuine warmth into his features... for the first time in a long time.
It didn't take long for him to break into actual laughter. An image of his disapproving mother flashed in his mind, and the prince quickly cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, your highness—would that be better?—but I think you're jumping to conclusions here." Joo-Hwan began, taking her hand to pull her close and placing the other on her waist. With entertainment glittering in his umber orbs, the prince tilted his head as he examined his much tinier dance partner.
"While you may know me to be 'gentleman', I'm actually very..." Joo-Hwan hesitated, remembering certain things he would rather forget. Instead of spilling everything just yet, he decided to say something else entirely. "...Well, I guess you could say I don't enjoy being bossed around. I'd much rather be a prince for the night..."
As they danced, the man continued, "You can understand that, right?" He held his breath, trying hard not to break his gaze as her dark orbs sent chills into his body.
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JenniPerson
I love Kookies
Ji-woo smiled as Min-seo took his hand. Leading them both to the dance floor, people stepped aside for them as they walked past. He could hear the low whispers of the other guests, but unfortunately not catching what they were saying. Frankly, he didn’t even want to know what they were murmuring about anyway. He just kept a smile on his face, and used his thumb to rub her hand reassuringly as they walked to the center of the room. He could see the nervousness in her eyes. It almost matched his own.
He has only recently learned how to ballroom dance, in preparation for this ball, and it made him nervous to show off this learned skill. Ji-woo was afraid he would mess up and bring shame on his family, and most of all he didn’t want to embarrass the princess in front of so many powerful figures. He may not care too much about his own image, but maybe Min-seo cared about hers? He didn’t want her to be laughed at and looked down upon because of his mistakes.
Ji-woo notices the girl take a few breathes, possibly to calm herself down. This was when he noticed how much he actually towered over the girl. He knew she was in heels, but even those shoes could help with the large height difference. Deciding to try to give the girl some kind of comfort, he grabs the other girls free hand, and using his thumbs to gently rub on the skin. He bends down slightly to try and close the height difference, without causing too much pain on his legs.
“If it helps, I’m also nervous about this dance. I only learned how to ballroom dance like a few weeks ago. I shouldn’t have procrastinated like that.” he sighs, honestly regretting not learning how to dance long before that. He had many opportunities throughout his life to learn, but he has always stalled for time. Making excuses about his work as an actor and academic responsibilities that kept him from learning. Learning how to dance was something to prepare him for this dance right now. Ji-woo wanted to push back the inevitable as far as he could.
”Oh wait, that probably won’t make you feel better. Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. Just keep your eyes on me. Don’t look anywhere else. Imagine that there is no one else here, but us. We’re all alone dancing in a field of flowers, or something cheesy like that.” he laughs trying to lighten the mood a little bit. He thought maybe it would help her relax if he tried to make her laugh. His own cheesy pep talk was even helping him shed some of his own nervousness away.
tags;
astraeaaa
He has only recently learned how to ballroom dance, in preparation for this ball, and it made him nervous to show off this learned skill. Ji-woo was afraid he would mess up and bring shame on his family, and most of all he didn’t want to embarrass the princess in front of so many powerful figures. He may not care too much about his own image, but maybe Min-seo cared about hers? He didn’t want her to be laughed at and looked down upon because of his mistakes.
Ji-woo notices the girl take a few breathes, possibly to calm herself down. This was when he noticed how much he actually towered over the girl. He knew she was in heels, but even those shoes could help with the large height difference. Deciding to try to give the girl some kind of comfort, he grabs the other girls free hand, and using his thumbs to gently rub on the skin. He bends down slightly to try and close the height difference, without causing too much pain on his legs.
“If it helps, I’m also nervous about this dance. I only learned how to ballroom dance like a few weeks ago. I shouldn’t have procrastinated like that.” he sighs, honestly regretting not learning how to dance long before that. He had many opportunities throughout his life to learn, but he has always stalled for time. Making excuses about his work as an actor and academic responsibilities that kept him from learning. Learning how to dance was something to prepare him for this dance right now. Ji-woo wanted to push back the inevitable as far as he could.
”Oh wait, that probably won’t make you feel better. Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. Just keep your eyes on me. Don’t look anywhere else. Imagine that there is no one else here, but us. We’re all alone dancing in a field of flowers, or something cheesy like that.” he laughs trying to lighten the mood a little bit. He thought maybe it would help her relax if he tried to make her laugh. His own cheesy pep talk was even helping him shed some of his own nervousness away.
tags;
astraeaaa
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vcnilla
dolce
YEO HUI-JUN
code © vcnilla
Yunn
云
lee, wooshin
social
falling for you™
i'm just waiting for the moment that will never happen...
he was charming no doubt, much more so than what she remembered. the way he spoke so casually and moved, well it made dasom feel a bit more secure. comfortable even. though they hadn't seen each other in awhile, she remembered that wooshin had always given her a sense of security or rather just being very comfortable and content. she didn't feel pressured to always be picture perfect, it was that sort of feeling. of course he was far more forward than she expected, getting pulled close to his chest.
"yah, i never said i wanted us to be reintroduced. i'm just relieved that it's you and not someone i haven't spoken to yet" dasom said as she attempted to get ready to actually dance the usual dance that was most appropriate for a ballroom. but, once again, her partner surprised her. his strong arm easily wrapped around her slim waist and soon she found herself being dipped down, a laugh escaping her lips as she was brought back up. her gentle brown eyes had their usual spark to them, instead of being awkward and not knowing what to do.
laughing a bit, dasom, moved her free hand to rest on wooshin's shoulder, trying to stop her laughter. "you certainly are full of surprises. i can only imagine how other girls would act if you danced this way. maybe swept off their feet? fall head over heels for you?" she asked, not really minding any of the contact, nor the fact that there were people watching her, and of course the other couples. instead she was more focused on having conversation and getting to know her partner. yes, she didn't view him as a fiance. after all, she still had her boyfriend. but still, it didn't stop her from enjoying her time with him. the way he moved and spoke, it was fun. dasom just wanted to joke with him and have a relaxed conversation.
she didn't want to worry about everything else, who the other couples were, what they were doing, nothing. she just wanted to focus on a friendship with the man she was dancing with. he honestly had caught her attention whenever they were at the banquets, with his rather charming smile and way of speaking. he wasn't overly tall, which she was glad about, and he had a rather unique appearance. even if he wasn't as mysterious as the other princes who seemed to practically scream 'i have a secret you'll never know', wooshin was gentle.
it might be a little soon for dasom to make that assumption, but in all honesty he was the person she was most content being paired with. he wasn't focused on complaining about the arrangement, or practically trying to act like a fiance yet. he was instead surprising dasom, and in her opinion, breaking any ice between them. and she was okay with that. the dance was fun and enjoyable, twirls, dips, laughter, and all.
statslocation | the palace
interactions | wooshin
tags |
Yunn
"yah, i never said i wanted us to be reintroduced. i'm just relieved that it's you and not someone i haven't spoken to yet" dasom said as she attempted to get ready to actually dance the usual dance that was most appropriate for a ballroom. but, once again, her partner surprised her. his strong arm easily wrapped around her slim waist and soon she found herself being dipped down, a laugh escaping her lips as she was brought back up. her gentle brown eyes had their usual spark to them, instead of being awkward and not knowing what to do.
laughing a bit, dasom, moved her free hand to rest on wooshin's shoulder, trying to stop her laughter. "you certainly are full of surprises. i can only imagine how other girls would act if you danced this way. maybe swept off their feet? fall head over heels for you?" she asked, not really minding any of the contact, nor the fact that there were people watching her, and of course the other couples. instead she was more focused on having conversation and getting to know her partner. yes, she didn't view him as a fiance. after all, she still had her boyfriend. but still, it didn't stop her from enjoying her time with him. the way he moved and spoke, it was fun. dasom just wanted to joke with him and have a relaxed conversation.
she didn't want to worry about everything else, who the other couples were, what they were doing, nothing. she just wanted to focus on a friendship with the man she was dancing with. he honestly had caught her attention whenever they were at the banquets, with his rather charming smile and way of speaking. he wasn't overly tall, which she was glad about, and he had a rather unique appearance. even if he wasn't as mysterious as the other princes who seemed to practically scream 'i have a secret you'll never know', wooshin was gentle.
it might be a little soon for dasom to make that assumption, but in all honesty he was the person she was most content being paired with. he wasn't focused on complaining about the arrangement, or practically trying to act like a fiance yet. he was instead surprising dasom, and in her opinion, breaking any ice between them. and she was okay with that. the dance was fun and enjoyable, twirls, dips, laughter, and all.
statslocation | the palace
interactions | wooshin
tags |
Yunn
constellation
𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋
nooraisin
- - - - - -
Last edited:
peachnim
fabulous *:･ﾟ✧
Step, step, twirl, dip—dip?!—step again.
Joo-Hwan had no idea how many times he had blinked thus far. How many times his eyes twinkled with amusement. How many times he finally burst into laughter. It seemed that no matter what this headstrong woman did, he found himself playing along. A part of him was shocked and irritated, particularly when she insisted on calling him her "servant", but the other half found himself strangely getting used to it.
Throughout the night, he told himself repeatedly not to get attached. To not find joy in her unsophisticated yet carefree behavior, her inappropriate humor, and of course, the smirks. He always thought smirks were his secret skill. It looked like he had a challenger.
So, after he was dipped before hundreds of people, Joo-Hwan decided to simply give in to her antics and have fun instead. Before he knew it, any and all thoughts of Na-Ra were at the back of his head.
"Okay, your highness. Two can play at this game." Joo-Hwan whispered, his eyes glinting mischievously at the girl before him. He twirled her around with the music, pulling her into an embrace from behind as the instrumental came to an end.
The prince leaned down to her ear to finally challenge, "This servant might be more demanding than you think, Miss Yeong-Hee. You definitely won't want to test him..."
He was about to add something, when his gaze stopped upon his sisters, who were giggling furiously at the two. With a shake of his head, Joo-Hwan released the girl from his arms, and lifted up his mask once the music ended. Ruffling back his hair, the man gave his partner a last smile and saw her off before returning to where his family was standing. (Of course, Yeong-Hee seemed to have something cheeky to say before he left.)
When Joo-Hwan approached his family, he groaned under his breath. Ji-Na immediately began slapping him on the arm, exclaiming things like "Wow, did you see that dip?!" or "She's so pretty, and totally into you! You're so lucky!" a little too loudly. At one point, he had to cup her sister's mouth out of embarrassment, as his face was feeling a bit hot from the commentary. It didn't help that even "cold" Si-Yeon was making suggestive faces in his direction, and commenting about the way they were looking at each other.
"Heck, even I'd want to kiss her. I don't blame your raging hormones at all, big bro." Si-Yeon cackled, causing the man in question to blush even harder. Joo-Hwan quickly shut her up with a comment about her not being able to land any dates for the night because she scared everyone away, but internally, he was still a confused mess.
What was up with him? Was he that weak of a man, to forget Na-Ra throughout that entire dance? And... all because of that woman...?
He shook his head furiously, then took a swig of alcohol. His features contorted a bit at the strong liquid.
No, that wasn't possible. It was just because Yeong-Hee was so different from his first love that he was thrown off. They were just having fun, like friends should. That, or it was simply the wine plus the heat of the party...
When Joo-Hwan glanced over at his fiance, he held his breath, and tried to shrug his thoughts off. He was going to be fine. Yeah, just fine—
"—Hwannie, you do know you're going to be sleeping with her tonight, right?"
Joo-Hwan swiveled around to face Si-Yeon, his mouth ajar. "What?!"
Somehow, Joo-Hwan found himself standing before elegantly adorned bedroom doors, his fingers folding and unfolding.
I'm fine... I'm perfectly fine...
Then, the man looked to the side, only to find Graille's princess right next to him.
He was, in fact, not perfectly fine.
With each passing second, his heartbeats thudded faster and faster. To Joo-Hwan, sharing a bed with a woman other than Na-Ra was unthinkable. Rather, sharing a bed with any woman was far from how he imagined his first night at Alfaria to go.
Never before had he felt so conflicted in his entire life. He couldn't just change into his pajamas and sleep next to Yeong-Hee like it was no big deal. That would make things extremely awkward.
He had serious concerns. What if she jumped on him? What if he snored? What if she felt so uncomfortable that she ended up sleeping on the couch?
"...The couch...!" Joo-Hwan's head suddenly jerked up in revelation, his eyes lighting up as well. Of course, he could just do the right thing and sleep on the couch! That way no one would be inconvenienced—
One might have already guessed, but, things did not go quite as planned.
After much bickering and arguing (not before an appreciation of the decor), the couple somehow ended up sleeping on the same bed. To be more exact, Yeong-Hee threatened to make him sleep outside if he didn't come into bed with her. Of course, that won him over.
When Joo-Hwan reluctantly slipped into the sheets beside his fiance, he swallowed back the anxiety and tried to get some sleep. He found himself unable to get any rest, and his eyes immediately snapped open. With both hands folded over his chest, the prince thought for a moment, then uttered a soft, "Good night, Miss Yeong-Hee."
He wondered if she was even listening.
That question was answered immediately when he felt her form move, and a kiss was planted on his cheek.
His body froze, and a color darker than any red hue known to man took over his features. Thank the heavens it was dark in their room, because if not, Yeong-Hee would have laughed at the expression on his face.
Just what had he gotten himself into?! The prince quickly brushed off the action, assuming it was just her way to mess around now that they were engaged, but the sensation of her lips lingered on his skin.
By morning, when Joo-Hwan had gotten dressed and entered the banquet hall, he felt himself rushing to sit at an empty seat. He greeted the kings and queens first of course, as well as turning to Alfaria's princess and giving her a warm smile. However, his thoughts continued to fall back to a certain, short-haired girl, who was sleeping when he lastran away from left her.
"I'm sorry, princess. I didn't hear what you said."
Joo-Hwan had no idea how many times he had blinked thus far. How many times his eyes twinkled with amusement. How many times he finally burst into laughter. It seemed that no matter what this headstrong woman did, he found himself playing along. A part of him was shocked and irritated, particularly when she insisted on calling him her "servant", but the other half found himself strangely getting used to it.
Throughout the night, he told himself repeatedly not to get attached. To not find joy in her unsophisticated yet carefree behavior, her inappropriate humor, and of course, the smirks. He always thought smirks were his secret skill. It looked like he had a challenger.
So, after he was dipped before hundreds of people, Joo-Hwan decided to simply give in to her antics and have fun instead. Before he knew it, any and all thoughts of Na-Ra were at the back of his head.
"Okay, your highness. Two can play at this game." Joo-Hwan whispered, his eyes glinting mischievously at the girl before him. He twirled her around with the music, pulling her into an embrace from behind as the instrumental came to an end.
The prince leaned down to her ear to finally challenge, "This servant might be more demanding than you think, Miss Yeong-Hee. You definitely won't want to test him..."
He was about to add something, when his gaze stopped upon his sisters, who were giggling furiously at the two. With a shake of his head, Joo-Hwan released the girl from his arms, and lifted up his mask once the music ended. Ruffling back his hair, the man gave his partner a last smile and saw her off before returning to where his family was standing. (Of course, Yeong-Hee seemed to have something cheeky to say before he left.)
When Joo-Hwan approached his family, he groaned under his breath. Ji-Na immediately began slapping him on the arm, exclaiming things like "Wow, did you see that dip?!" or "She's so pretty, and totally into you! You're so lucky!" a little too loudly. At one point, he had to cup her sister's mouth out of embarrassment, as his face was feeling a bit hot from the commentary. It didn't help that even "cold" Si-Yeon was making suggestive faces in his direction, and commenting about the way they were looking at each other.
"Heck, even I'd want to kiss her. I don't blame your raging hormones at all, big bro." Si-Yeon cackled, causing the man in question to blush even harder. Joo-Hwan quickly shut her up with a comment about her not being able to land any dates for the night because she scared everyone away, but internally, he was still a confused mess.
What was up with him? Was he that weak of a man, to forget Na-Ra throughout that entire dance? And... all because of that woman...?
He shook his head furiously, then took a swig of alcohol. His features contorted a bit at the strong liquid.
No, that wasn't possible. It was just because Yeong-Hee was so different from his first love that he was thrown off. They were just having fun, like friends should. That, or it was simply the wine plus the heat of the party...
When Joo-Hwan glanced over at his fiance, he held his breath, and tried to shrug his thoughts off. He was going to be fine. Yeah, just fine—
"—Hwannie, you do know you're going to be sleeping with her tonight, right?"
Joo-Hwan swiveled around to face Si-Yeon, his mouth ajar. "What?!"
♔♔♔
Somehow, Joo-Hwan found himself standing before elegantly adorned bedroom doors, his fingers folding and unfolding.
I'm fine... I'm perfectly fine...
Then, the man looked to the side, only to find Graille's princess right next to him.
He was, in fact, not perfectly fine.
With each passing second, his heartbeats thudded faster and faster. To Joo-Hwan, sharing a bed with a woman other than Na-Ra was unthinkable. Rather, sharing a bed with any woman was far from how he imagined his first night at Alfaria to go.
Never before had he felt so conflicted in his entire life. He couldn't just change into his pajamas and sleep next to Yeong-Hee like it was no big deal. That would make things extremely awkward.
He had serious concerns. What if she jumped on him? What if he snored? What if she felt so uncomfortable that she ended up sleeping on the couch?
"...The couch...!" Joo-Hwan's head suddenly jerked up in revelation, his eyes lighting up as well. Of course, he could just do the right thing and sleep on the couch! That way no one would be inconvenienced—
One might have already guessed, but, things did not go quite as planned.
After much bickering and arguing (not before an appreciation of the decor), the couple somehow ended up sleeping on the same bed. To be more exact, Yeong-Hee threatened to make him sleep outside if he didn't come into bed with her. Of course, that won him over.
When Joo-Hwan reluctantly slipped into the sheets beside his fiance, he swallowed back the anxiety and tried to get some sleep. He found himself unable to get any rest, and his eyes immediately snapped open. With both hands folded over his chest, the prince thought for a moment, then uttered a soft, "Good night, Miss Yeong-Hee."
He wondered if she was even listening.
That question was answered immediately when he felt her form move, and a kiss was planted on his cheek.
His body froze, and a color darker than any red hue known to man took over his features. Thank the heavens it was dark in their room, because if not, Yeong-Hee would have laughed at the expression on his face.
Just what had he gotten himself into?! The prince quickly brushed off the action, assuming it was just her way to mess around now that they were engaged, but the sensation of her lips lingered on his skin.
By morning, when Joo-Hwan had gotten dressed and entered the banquet hall, he felt himself rushing to sit at an empty seat. He greeted the kings and queens first of course, as well as turning to Alfaria's princess and giving her a warm smile. However, his thoughts continued to fall back to a certain, short-haired girl, who was sleeping when he last
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