The moon glistened like the eyes of a nightingale in the starry night sky. There wasn't a single cloud in the vast midnight blue canvas, allowing the stars to shine amidst the veil of darkness. By the palace's balcony, Princess Nari stood alone, allowing her thoughts to roam freely with the wind.
Footsteps approached her from behind. She didn't expect anyone to find her here, considering how her father wouldn't hear of her being out of bed. Half-expecting for it to be one of the maids, she turned around only to find herself face-to-face with Choi Beomgyu.
The latter bowed down before wanting to walk away—
"Wait!" The princess called out. Beomgyu turned around slowly. "Why don't you stay with me for a while? It's lonely," she said, motioning for him to come forward.
The guard did as he was told as he stood by the princess's side, the both of them gazing at the same night sky. J
ust when Beomgyu was about to speak, a mew came from behind them as a tabby cat treaded out of the darkness. Beomgyu gave a nervous jump as it sashayed towards them, its tail clinging around his leg as Nari gave a light-hearted laugh by his uneasiness.
"Scared of cats?" She asked, bending down as she gave the feline a stroke along its back.
"No, just caught by surprise," he breathed, bending down.
"It's a stray that often visits me in the palace. I called it Hobak." The princess scratched its chin as it purred in response, as if it agreed to her statement.
Beomgyu extended a hand too, but just before it could land on its fur, the cat stepped backwards before scurrying back inside.
"Must not like me," Beomgyu shrugged, earning another laugh from Nari.
After a long moment of silence, Beomgyu was the first to break it. "Why did you pick me back there? In the royal court," he asked.
The princess turned to him, intrigued by his sudden inquiry. "For your honesty," she answered simply, her gaze returning to the night sky, implying that it was all she had to say.
"But it could also mean that I can let you die anytime. Meaning that if I were to choose between yours or my own life to save, I would pick the latter. Even after knowing that, you still picked me. Why?"
"I know," the princess said calmly, "but I'd rather hear the truth than to believe a lie."
Beomgyu went silent for a few moments, allowing her words to sink in. "Is that all?"
"You seemed promising," Nari smiled delicately, the purity of her smile resembling a flower's, like a mirror to her soul.
Beomgyu lost himself in that smile for a few moments before reaffirming his ground once more. "I'm not an object—none of the men in the court just now were either to be labelled as 'promising' or not," he said brusquely.
"Is it so wrong for me to take an interest in someone?" She replied, the sudden involvement of herself and her feelings enough to silence Beomgyu. Nari studied his face, a smile forming on hers.
"Very well, I shall be heading to my room now. Goodnight, Beomgyu," she said gently before walking away, leaving the guard alone once more.
Taehyun woke up from his dream, the room he is in back to the present once more as he sat up, wide awake, and unable to process the kind of dream he just had. He reached for a cup of water on top of his drawer, allowing its coolness to signal that he was back to reality.
But was what he had seen earlier fake...?
It felt so real, yet it wasn't. His dream so vivid that he had momentarily mistaken it for the present.
Only it wasn't; the people were dressed in clothes from the Joseon era.
It was then when the realisation hit Taehyun just who the people in his dreams were.
Beomgyu.
And the gender-bent version of himself.
"Look. Hypothetically speaking here, but what does it mean if you dreamt about yourself but in the form of the opposite gender?" Taehyun asked Mr Yoon.
"Taehyun, it's 9 in the morning. What would make you ask such a question?" His assistant replied, looking at his boss disdainfully, almost as if he was concerned for the latter.
"'Hypothetically speaking'," Taehyun quoted.
"'Dreaming about being the opposite gender implies that you are a confusing and appealing person. You're full of duality. You have two faces,'" Mr Yoon read off the tablet in his hands. Taehyun frowned at him.
"Look, instead of worrying about you seeing yourself in your dreams in the body of the opposite sex, I suggest you prepare for the shareholder's meeting that will be happening in two days from now."
"It is moved up?" Taehyun said worriedly, getting up.
"Yes, and according to what I've heard, Kang Baekhyun will be attending it too."
That single piece of news didn't seem to reassure Taehyun any further as he got up hastily, getting ready to head out.
"If Baekhyun will be attending it, it means that my performance should and will be nothing but exceptional," Taehyun said, putting on his coat. "Please organise all my notes and presentations into a single folder and send it over to me tonight," he said to his assistant.
"Got it," Mr Yoon replied.
"By the way, do you know where's Beomgyu?"
"I think I saw him earlier in the lounge."
"Thank you," Taehyun replied.
"Oh, and one more thing," Mr Yoon called out as Taehyun turned around. "Ms Kang Seri's birthday is three days from now. She just sent an invitation to you and requests for your presence there. From what I heard, the theme for her birthday party this year is a Masquerade Ball. Since you're going out to buy some clothes, it'd be best if you picked up your costume for her party as well."
"And who said I was going?" Taehyun questioned.
"It'd be beneficial, wouldn't it? To know who has been sending those anonymous letters."
Taehyun raised an eyebrow, buying his point. "Let her know that I will be going then," he said before walking out of his office.