Yesteryear

Gambling

"What is the game?" Wooyoung asked. He didn't hide his natural accent from slipping in some more of his heritage. Both women smiled at him, charmed at the exoticism, while the men chuckled.

"Whist. Will everyone play?" Jongho looked around between them and accepted the drink handed to him. Wooyoung's smelled of alcohol, but he trusted these people wouldn't get too drunk to uphold their facades. San's drink looked the same, so Wooyoung sipped trustingly. It was expensive cognac.

"I will just watch this round and team up with my beloved," Lady Wellington announced. With a dreamy bat of her lashes, she leaned her head against her husband's shoulder while he dealt the cards. Wooyoung got seven of them and looked at them privately.

San leaned in discreetly to murmur into Wooyoung's ear. They weren't too close to be suspicious, but Wooyoung lowered his eyes to establish privacy while he listened to the man's whisper.

"Do you know how to play?"

Wooyoung nodded.

"I do, don't worry about me."

The trump card was a Jack of Spades. They used a German deck that had colourful Bavarian paintings on the Honour Cards.

Wooyoung looked at his cards while everyone sorted their hands.

"Usually, Lord Wooyoung would begin, but let's not stress him out with a first move. Lady Farley, if you would be so kind?"

The woman smiled gracefully before she put her first card down. Their rules were different to the modern ones and the way history books would teach how this game was played, but Wooyoung adjusted soon. With attentive eyes, he watched every move until San gave the turn over to him.

All eyes were on Wooyoung and Lady Wellington smiled behind her hand elegant fan that she used to whisk the smoke away.

San had made it easy for Wooyoung by playing a card with a lower worth than his best one. Wooyoung couldn't do better than Sir Jones' card, but he held up well as he put his card down.

Pleased that he understood their rules, Lady Wellington hummed. The next round started while she noted their points on the side.

"So, what brought you to London? Visiting our dear Lord Everly?" Lady Farley kept her voice nonplussed as she addressed Wooyoung. The subtle distraction from the game didn't bother Wooyoung. He kept close tabs on the game development.

"Not quite. I came here for personal studies. Upon his last visit to Italy, I got to know Alisander, so he offered to meet up when I told him I would explore London. He has become an excellent guide for me." Wooyoung sorted his cards with elegant fingers. Living in lavish elegance usually bordered a sexual sensuality for him, so he tried hard to keep himself in check. Apart from San, he had no interest in seducing anyone in this room.

"What are you studying?" Lord Jones inquired as he put his card down. When San playfully scowled at the Heart King, Lord Jones giggled. They snickered in good fun while Wooyoung sipped his drink. He didn't feel comfortable enough around these people to get drunk, and he was still on his mission.

"I have an interest in ancient myths and stories. About the supernatural, mostly." Wooyoung pretended not to see the gaze that Jongho threw him from his peripherals. The bait was thrown; now Jongho just needed to latch onto it.

"Oh! Isn't that what our dear Lord Choi also has an interest in?"

Before Jongho got to narrow his eyes at Wooyoung, San spoke up. He classily sipped from his drink before talking over the rim. His dark outfit gave him the handsome air of a more modern upper class than the other guests.

"I had hoped the two of them could have a talk about that, yes. I couldn't respond to all the interesting questions Wooyoung challenged me with." With a click, he set his drink down and crossed his legs. Wooyoung eyed his thighs, holding back the need to reach out for them.

"Here I was thinking you would have a lot to say about that?" Lady Farley's brow rose at her deck when she put her card down. The air between her and San crackled, but San played it off with an indulgent smile.

"Whatever could you mean by that?"

A brief glance into everyone's faces told Wooyoung that the uncomfortable tension between the two wasn't new. The others held their tongues, but they veiled their annoyance with the gazes passing between them.

When Wooyoung met Lady Wellington's eyes, she smiled brightly at him.

"You always have a lot to say about anything, even about things you shouldn't get involved in. Naturally, I would have assumed that you already talked his ear off," the lady bit back. Wooyoung peered at San, interested in that gossip. Did they have an actual affair or were their rumours baseless? They seemed so familiar with each other, and the presence of a lady without her husband alone was already scandalous. She would be the perfect pick for San to snatch when drunk.

Wooyoung played off his envy to put his card down. Jongho won that round and he mixed the cards again for another one.

"I can detect when somebody's genius overpowers mine. Those people are rare treasures, but I respect them."

San's smile was that of a venomous snake. It bit into Lady Farley's chilly eyes, calling her out for being someone San had no particular interest in.

Wooyoung gazed into his new cards with great interest before she could stab him with her laser gaze. In this role, he had nothing to do with whom San fancied and whom not.

"Don't fight, you two. Let's play with our guest in peace. Wooyoung, why don't you tell us about the wines down in Italy? I find they are the most delicious, but French drinks make my blood sing as well," Lord Wellington diverted the topic elsewhere. Wooyoung grinned at his bearded face as he took up the chance to distract from the catfight to their left.

Wooyoung told them everything he knew about wines and how Italian wines surpassed French wines in matters of flavour and variety. The assembled gentlemen and ladies amused themselves with him and never missed a chance to add their own anecdotes. They tried all the Italian drinks the bar offered as well, sipping and discussing them merrily while they played.

San won the entirety of Whist at the end. To Wooyoung, it came to no surprise, and the others looked nonplussed by that result, too. They fanned out to create new game groups or rested with the others on the couch. Wooyoung lingered with San and Jongho at the table while the latter put the cards away.

"Ever played pool? I will consider making some time to talk to you about your myths if you can beat me at it," Jongho grinned at Wooyoung. His initial guard had dropped after several drinks and he appreciated the unfamiliar face in their round that brought some fresh air in and carried less hidden malice than the rest.

Wooyoung smiled back.

"I would love to, but I'm afraid I'm quite the stripling at that game. Will you allow me to team up with San?"

Jongho put the deck on the table neatly and stood. The other two men followed and brought their drinks along as they moved over to the pool table.

"No way, he is a master at all of these, even if he pretends not to be. I will allow him to be our referee, however, even if I suspect he will count in your favour."

Wooyoung picked up a cue and handed one to Jongho, as well.

"Fair then; he will count points and you will overview his counting to make it fair; how about that?"

The gummy grin on Jongho's face gave away his delight that Wooyoung was so upfront with him. He went into position to start their game. Wooyoung leaned onto his cue and watched while San stood with one hand in his pocket and the other one holding his drink. When he noticed Wooyoung ogling him, San winked at him before he hid his smirk with his drink.

Wooyoung fully delved into the game and his desire to beat Jongho. He knew he would have fun still, and hopefully, Jongho would as well, so that in case Wooyoung lost - which was unlikely since he was just as good at this game as San - he would still sit down with the two of them outside of the prying gazes from the other guests and talk about immortality with them.