Starfall. |Lee Know

Nineteen.

A soft knock echoed in Dabin's room, but it didn't pull her attention from the book she was reading. It wasn't some boring book with no plot that she was obligated to read for the discussion in the book club with the spoiled noble ladies. It was a book on people and self-development that she came across while working on the library project with Minho.

"Hey!" Changbin yelled, startling the poor girl.

"Oh, God!" Dabin gasped and placed a hand over her chest before shoving her eyes to her brother who was standing by the door, leaning against it and giving her a smirk. "What's wrong with you?" She glared at him.

"What's wrong with you?" Changbin fired back. "I've been knocking and calling your name for forever." He looked at the book in her hand. "New book?"

"Yes, and I want to finish it so, get lost!" She swatted her hand and looked down at her book again.

"Hmm, I guess you don't need the invitation then." Changbin smirked.

Dabin's head shot up and she looked at him. "What invitation?"

"A Royal Ball." Changbin wiggled his brows. "At the Lee Kingdom."

Dabin's eyes widened. "WHAT?" She gasped.

"Yes, just as you heard." He chuckled. "The first ever to be hosted by Prince Lee." He swiped his hand in the air dramatically. "He's celebrating the success of his second project. And of course, you are invited as a Guest of Honor since you worked along with him on this project."

Changbin's heart swelled when he saw how her face lightened up with excitement. The past six months since the opening ceremony of the culture center had been nothing but Dabin flourishing. She looked so beautiful now with how her eyes sparkled with happiness and anticipation.

"When? What's the dress code? Will it be at the Royal Palace or his Private Palace? Is it an official event? Or just a closed ball?" Dabin showered her brother with questions, making him giggle.

"Calm down, Princess." He walked deeper into her room. "Two days from now. In the Royal Palace. And the dress code," Changbin smirked. "Blue."

Dabin's smile dropped and scoffed at her brother. "Like I will ever trust you again with this."

"It is really blue this time, I swear." He walked to her loveseat where she was seated and handed her a blue little box with silver stars decorating it. "Here, read the invitation yourself."

Dabin looked at him weirdly but received the box. She unlocked it to find a wrapped paper in it, tied with a blue ribbon. Dabin pulled the ribbon and unwrapped the paper to read the invitation. She was reading it silently with her eyes. True to Changbin's words, the dress code mentioned was blue, but what caught her eyes was her name, Her Royal Highness Princess Seo Dabin.

Dabin sighed and looked at him with irritation. "What are you trying to do now?"

"What?" Changbin was confused.

"You are not done with tricking me yet?" She closed the box and shoved it to him. "Since when do I receive private invitations with my name? They are always for 'The Royal Family of Seo'. They are not even mentioned!"

Changbin rolled his eyes at her. "I'm not that bored to print a fake invitation, Dabin. Plus, your beloved family received a separate invitation."

She narrowed her eyes at him, still not believing his words. "An invitation? Just one for all of them while I received one for my own? Do you want me to believe this?"

"You can call your dear friend Minho and ask him yourself." Changbin huffed.

"Okay, fine." She pulled the box out of his hands again and hugged it while smiling stupidly at it.

"One more thing." Changbin uttered excitedly and stood up. He rushed to the door and exited the room. A second later he came back with a big box, carrying it with his two hands. He placed the box softly on the loveseat ahead of Dabin. "Open it." He smiled down at her.

Dabin looked at the very light blue box with suspicion. Her hands grabbed the edges cautiously and pushed it open. Dabin gasped in awe once her eyes laid on the fabric inside the box. The most delicate lace she had ever seen, making a very simple yet noticeable blue dress. It wasn't bright blue, it was two softer shades of it. Sea blue just as the sky starts to darken above it. It looked like a sea and a night sky merged together and met in the middle of the dress in a darker shade.

Still awed, Dabin pulled the dress out of the box. That dress would be a perfect fit for her with its soft fabric, off-shoulders, and long sleeves.

"It was Minho's idea," Changbin said and Dabin jolted.

No way!

Minho was the one who chose this dress?

"He wanted to get you a dress but he was afraid it might be inappropriate for him to do so." Changbin elaborated. "He asked me to choose the dress that I thought would fit you and you would like." He smiled softly at his sister who was still having wide eyes and a dropped jaw. "I chose it, but he practically was the one to pick it up." He chuckled. "That freak's eyes were glued on that dress when the Lee's Royal Stylist showed us the options."

"This is-.." Dabin breathed. "Why?"

Changbin chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I wonder why would he finally host a ball, invite you separately, and suck the life out of me for two weeks to pick a dress for you? What would that might be?" He gave her a knowing look.

Dabin's butterflies were doing wonders in her stomach. They were flapping their wings, tickling and kicking. Her face was turning bright red and she felt the urge of fanning it from the heat that was rising up. Dabin didn't want to be ahead of herself. She didn't want to be worked up.

What if he was just being generous and courteous to her?

What if he was just thanking her for her help and support?

What if he was just being nice to the younger sister of his friend?

Dabin was too immersed in her thoughts and butterflies to notice how Changbin stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders as she was still seated, lost and not focusing at all.

Changbin lowered himself to her ears to whisper. "What will you name your kids?"

"Akoya and Spinel," Dabin replied in a sleepy tone almost immediately as if she was brainwashed. It was just a second before she realized what she had done, but it was too late cause Changbin was having the smugest grin ever. Dabin jumped to her feet and started pushing Changbin outside her room, who was laughing the loudest ever. 

"Oh God!" Changbin's laugh echoed. "He should've picked a wedding dress instead!" He teased and continued laughing loudly.

"Get the hell out!" She yelled while pushing, kicking, and slapping. Somehow, she managed to kick him out and slam the door closed but she could still hear his stereo laughter shaking the whole palace.

Dabin rested her back against the door and placed a hand on her chest that had her heart hammering against it.

What the hell was that?

Did she just think of their kids' names?