Archive of Our Own

Dreadful, really. 

Absolutely, positively, dreadful. 

Minho’s night started on a bad note, and despite the pleasant smile he has maintained ever since, he suspects it will end on one as well.

Every day feels like a test of his patience. The expectations of those around him close in a little tighter with each passing year, pressing against his ribs until even the simplest family gathering feels suffocating.

Supper had been no exception.

His parents spent the meal bombarding him with questions about marriage, rattling off the names of suitable ladies from respectable families as though reading from a shopping catalogue. Which daughter had the best upbringing, which family had the strongest connections, which woman possessed the temperament to make a good wife and the hips to bear healthy children.

It is exhausting. Worse, it is insulting.

Minho has courted women. Kissed women. Shared beds with women. They are lovely in their own right, and he can appreciate the softness of their bodies and the elegance of their company. Yet no matter how hard he tries, there has never been anything about them that stirs him quite the way a man can.

He does not know why, or how he has this attraction to the same gender. But it seems this is not something he can change, so he has to live with it. And Minho does not believe he would want to change even if he could. Why should he have to stop being himself for everyone else?

Minho has heard it for so long that he scarcely notices it anymore. The judgment follows him the way a familiar presence follows a person through their own home—so constant that he often forgets it is there until something shifts and he becomes aware of it all over again.

For that reason, he has found it easiest to keep his attraction private.

Presently, he stands arm in arm with his mother near the refreshments, the woman not-so-subtly pointing out ladies drifting through the ballroom in beautiful gowns who would, according to her, make wonderful wives.

“Oh look there, near the piano.” she hums, tapping at her sons bicep. “Lady Stella’s daughter Laufey is from a wonderful family, the Stella’s are beautiful in every right, you want your children to be fair, yes Minho?” 

Minho rolls his eyes, sighing. He has had this conversation with her time and time again, but she just does not seem to get it. “Mother, if i am to marry, it will not be based on complexion or background alone. That is absurd…” he pauses, squinting. “Although it is rather important.” 

Minho and his mother snicker together, gravitating towards one another as they laugh quietly beneath the chatter of the ballroom. Mrs.Lee slaps her sons arm, shaking her head. “Oh Minho, you say that, but if you are not waiting for a star to shine brightly then why do you wait to grab one? Especially when there are millions in the sky.” she gestures to the ballroom full of life and people.

There is an actual response to this question. But Minho knows his mother, and he knows she would most certainly not like hearing the truth.

 Who would approve of their son having relations with his butler, after all? 

Instead, he smiled at her, holding her hand softly and giving her the only answer he knows she will accept. 

“The right time, the right person. And they will come, mother. But you must be patient.”
“Oh dear, as much as I want you to find a love match and be happy, that could take…ages. And your father and I will only be around for so long, I would like to attend your wedding. I would like to hold my grandchildren before I–”
“Mother.” Minho interrupts, turning to her. He takes the woman's hands tight in his hold, gripping them with a reassuring pressure that holds the womens attention as she looks up at her son. 

“You will be. I promise. But I mean it, you will have to trust me. Good matches do not fall into place overnight. These things take time. On the contrary, do not give up on the idea of living so easily, I am sure you and father still have at least another century on this planet to torcher me until you croak.”

Mrs.Lee scoffs a laugh, barely holding back a snort before the sound of it can reach anyone else in the ballroom. Minho smiles, watching as the women turns back towards the the ballroom and is called away by a crowd of mothers nearby, who wave her over, requesting her company. 

Minho loves his mother unconditionally, all would be well if she could do the same.

He sighs, a pitt forming in his stomach. Conversations like this seem to be becoming more frequent, and bothersome. As he ages closer to thirty, Minho finds himself comforting his mothers tender heart, at which longs to see him slide a ring onto a sweet womens finger and say “I do” before she dies.

Originally, it had only been a tactic to survive another day. An empty promise offered whenever his mother became particularly relentless, one that required no real commitment on his part beyond a reassuring smile and a vague assurance that he would “get around to it.”

The problem is that Minho is no longer twenty.

Each passing year makes the lie harder to maintain.

He cannot inherit until he marries. His mother dreams of grandchildren racing through the halls of their estate. She wants a daughter-in-law to fuss over and family dinners crowded with people she can call her own.

Minho wants those things for her. The trouble is that every path leading toward them seems built for someone else.

Nowadays, the more he reassures her, the worse he feels. It is not fair to lie to her, or to ease her with false truths. But then again, very little about his circumstances have ever been fair.

It was not fair when his nanny whipped him for kissing stable boys as a child. It was not fair when his father barred him from attending balls for a month after catching him standing a little too close to another gentleman during a festival.

Life had made one thing abundantly clear: men like Minho were not to be tolerated, let alone accepted.

You would think such a realization would make it difficult to find others who shared his inclinations.

So imagine Minho’s surprise when, at nineteen, he kissed his personal butler while his parents were away for the season.

Christopher Bang had been in his life for years already. He was dependable, intelligent, aggravatingly handsome, and entirely too kind. The kiss had happened almost by accident.

The second one had not.

Nor the third.

As Minho grows older, he realizes his understanding of society had been flawed from the start.

As a child, he believed people like him were rare. Strange exceptions. Unfortunate mistakes hidden away at the edges of the world.

He was incorrect. Those like him lurk in every ballroom and in every corner of the kingdom, silent as they force themselves to be picture perfect citizens. They are gentlemen and ladies. Nobles and servants. Merchants, laborers, scholars, artists. They exist in every corner of society, tucked behind polite smiles and careful words.

Knowing acceptance will never be freely given to them, most stop asking for it.

They shrink themselves. They lie. They marry people they do not love. They spend entire lifetimes performing versions of themselves that are easier for others to digest.

Not because there is anything wrong with them. But because society has convinced them there is.

It is a shameful way to live—lying to yourself and others all your life—but it is the only way to live it seems, in this society at least. The knowledge that there are others like him scattered throughout the ballroom leaves him strangely fascinated.

As he watches citizens socialize amongst themselves in the candle and curtain decorated ballroom, he feels as though an extra layer has been added to his awareness. It is as though they are all a part of the same play, and Minho is the only one aware that he has been handed a script. 

The chatter of the crowd hushes when a butler standing near the entrance has another card added to the tray he is holding. Despite this, he does not look at it. He as well as the rest of the occupants in the space know exactly who the lady entering is, no introduction needed. Still, the man gives her one anyways.

Minho’s mother rushes over to him, skirts in hand so that she does not trip as she clicks closer. She waves for him to lean down, he does, although with the urgency of a man being led to his own execution. He knows exactly what she is going to say, and why. She does this every time this specific lady is near. 

“Here she comes, Minho. Behave.”
“Mother, she is family. We are far past behaving.”

“Clearly. That is what worries me.”

“Besides, have you met her?”

“ I have. So I know she would give you a direct answer, yet you have not proposed to her, you are clearly doing something wrong. So again, behave.”

Minho scoffs, him and his mother turning their attention to the entrance as a womens name is announced.

“Ms. Kim Seungminnie.”

Through the ballroom doors sweeps a woman draped in Minho’s least favorite color.

Purple. Purple ribbons. Purple embroidery. Purple skirts. If Seungminnie could find a way to dye the sky lavender, Minho suspects she would.

The color follows behind her like spilled ink, the skirts of her gown trailing elegantly across the polished floor. Her posture is relaxed in a way noblewomen rarely allow themselves to be, her expression entirely unimpressed by the attention immediately directed her way.

Two maids follow close behind—one blonde, one brunette—both as familiar to Minho as the woman they accompany.

Anyone else might mistake her expression for boredom, but Minho knows her too well for that. She enjoys parties. She enjoys dancing. She enjoys people watching more than she will ever admit.

The problem is that appearing too enthusiastic encourages conversation, and Seungminnie considers unnecessary socialization one of life’s greatest inconveniences.

Maybe Minho’s night will not end on such a bad note after all.
Lady Kim was many things. Sharp-tongued. Opinionated. Entirely too fond of purple.

But she was also one of the few people in this city who treated him like a human first, Minho second and a prospective husband last.

“Mother, shall we make our presence known?” Mrs. Lee turns to her son, smiling with a nod. She is all too eager.
“Of course, my son.” the woman beams, hooking a hand through her childs arm. They sweep through the sea of guests to where the woman is being greeted by a crowd of bachelors and partygoers, the lady giving polite nods and openly avoiding letting any men kiss her gloved hand. Minho has to withhold a laugh at that. 

The lord clears his throat with an intentionally obnoxious volume, which pulls the women as well as the crowd's attention. The group makes space for the Lee’s to approach, Minho’s mother lowering her head to hide her giggles from his left where she is hanging from his arm. 

He does not miss how Ms. Kim presses her lips together to avoid showing her own amusement, nor does it go unnoticed that the two women accompanying her turn to each other to snicker about his unlawful entrance. 

“Ms. Kim.” he greets, opening his eyes exaggeratedly to signal to her that he is unmistakingly here to save her ass. She suppresses a smile at that too, even as she pulls off her glove by the finger, before extending her hand to him. Minho takes it, softly, pressing his lips to the back of her palm before turning to signal towards the center of the room.  “How lovely it is to see you. Shall we dance?”  he gets to the point quickly, she has always valued directness. They have that in common. 

“Of course, my lord.” She nods, placing her digits in his extended hand. He tugs just slightly to pull her towards the dancefloor, heels clicking while she is lead away. Mrs.Lee stays with Lady Kim’s maids, who greet her kindly and kick up a conversation immediately once their responsibility is taken away. 

It is only after they are separated from the crowd and isolated from eavesdropping nobles does either of them speak freely, knowing they are in the presence of the only person they can be forward with. They take their places among the other dancers. Around them, young men stare at Seungmin as though they have never seen a beautiful woman before.

Seungmin notices exactly none of them. Or perhaps she notices and simply does not care.

“You and these annoying fucking purple dresses, I am quite tired of you and this color.”
Seungminnie breaks into a smirk at that, scoffing a laugh as they begin to dance together as though they are one. “You are commendable to talk, you wear the exact same suit in a different signature every time you are to make an appearance somewhere. Shall you have no shame?”

Minho spins her a little too quickly during one of the transitions, bringing her back to his chest with an unnecessarily aggressive catch. She is cheesing all too brightly when they are face to face again. “I will have you know, my mother picks these coats. She appreciates minimalist fashions.”

“Your mother is picking your clothing at 20 and 5? So not only do you have no taste, you have no individuality either. How sad, poor thing.”
Minho cannot help the chuckle that leaves his mouth, or the wide smile on his face. Seungminnie is his favorite lady for a reason. She is clever, waggish, and entirely fond of speaking her mind.  If Minho wanted to marry anyone regardless of gender, it would without a doubt be her. Their parents tell them they are more like a married couple anyways. 

“Do shut up, my mother needs to feel like she has some sort of control over me, or she will have a heart attack. I know your mother is the same. Unfortunately, this is the only compromise we have been able to figure out.”

Seungminnie gives Minho a thoughtful look, tilting her head like a yorkie. Minho does not like that he thinks it is adorable. Or that he adores her at all. But after years of friendship, it is only sensible that his attachment to her softens him. 

“Stop it.” he says. Seungminnie flattens her expression. “What? I have done nothing.” Minho scoffs as they dance into a box step, and even as he twirls her, he knows she is smirking. “Yes, you have. You are peering into my eyes and trying to find my vulnerable bits so you can poke at them.”

“What vulnerable bits? You are a man, you have no weakness according to society.” 

Minho narrows his eyes, smirking a bit at the women as they twirl about the dance floor. “But you and I know better than anyone that society is nearly always wrong.”
Seungminnie giggles, nodding. “Of course. Heavens know you are nowhere near perfect, still, you are forever at an advantage, so suck it up. I am sure you do not have to deal with viscount Wright touching your bum when you walk past him, so you ought to be grateful”

Minho’s smile fades immediately. He looks up to see none other than the viscount watching him and Minnie dance, and he cannot seem to help the way his grip on Seungminnie’s waist and hand tightens instinctively. 

“Do calm down, I can practically see the veins popping out of your forehead. Do not worry, i gave his testicles a swift lob, he is still walking funny.”

Minho scoffs, neglecting to pull his glare from the man. “Well he clearly has not learned his lesson. He stares at you as if you are a peace of meat to be auctioned off.”
“Well that is how most see women in todays time and age. Keep up, Minho.”

Minho does not acknowledge the joking tone she uses, too busy trying to think of a way to get rid of a body in such a crowded kingdom. “Minho.” Seungminnie calls, giving the man a stern yet pleading look that is nearly begging to the older of the two to behave himself. 

“What?” he blinks at her momentarily.
“Stop it with the plotting, there is nothing to be done about it.”
Minho groans, genuinely angered. “I could always kill him. Would you not like that?”

Seungminnie snorts at that, an undignified sound she’d not dare let escape her in front of anyone else. “You always say that.”

“And i am still waiting for you to accept”

“I am afraid that is not a good idea.”

“Coward.”

The dance comes to an end. Couples salute each other on the floor, Minho bows, Seungminnie curtseys, and their moment of solace with one another concludes. Partygoers go to either rejoin the crowd or get into position for the next dance, and within the commotion, Seungminnie grabs Minho’s hand and drags him towards the edge of the room, where the exit to the back door is. 

On the way there, Minho does not miss his opportunity. With the tiny window he is afforded within the noise of the room, he kicks in the back of Viscount Wright's knees when they pass him. The man yells in anguish as his legs give out, his drink splashing into the air as his weak older body affords him no reflex, and the ground meets his chest. Before anyone even turns around, Minho and Seungminnie are blended with the rest of the crowd.

“Oh dear viscount, are you alright?” Minho blinks innocently as staff are cleaning up the mess and helping the man off the ground, an expression on his face so nearly genuine that he would have fooled Seungminnie—who is hiding laughter behind lace gloves—had she not given him a reason to act.

Viscount Wright is cursing something about something as Minho guides Seungminnie away by her lower back, all too pleased with himself as the crowd continues to gather around the commotion. They slip out when no one is looking, and before they know it they are running through the backyard gardens of the estate where the party is taking place.  

Eventually, they approach a private area in the garden where  they plop down in finely trimmed grass, surrounded by kempt bushes and plants that only a noble family would have so dramatically upkept.

“You are terrible! What if someone had seen you? You would never hear the end of your mothers lectures.” Seungminnie says as soon as their sat, picking grass from the ground and throwing a handful of it at Minho.
“I am sure she would have had more to say, had I let him get away with assaulting you. I mean it. Say the word and I will call the bounty hunters on him. Or do the dirty work myself if you so wish it.”

Seungminnie scoffs, leaning forward just to slap the mans leg. “Do not say such things, and do not make such scary faces. You are supposed to be a gentleman, not a murderer.”
Minho rolls his eyes. “I am a gentleman, he is not. And as a gentleman, it is my responsibility to make sure he does not hurt anyone else. Especially those I care about. He has to pay. With his life.”
“Calm yourself, Hades.”

Minho laughs at that. He feels deeply for the women's struggles, but he also feels deeply for her sense of humor, which is much like his own. Many say they are too opinionated, that  Seungminnie is too ungracious for a lady, that Minho is too ill-mannered for a gentleman. But here, when it is just them, they are not too much of anything. They are just Minnie and Minho, not lady and gentlemen, not man and women, but two humans with a connection that is more than alliance or tolerance. 

“Onto more important matters, I will undoubtedly be going home soon.” Seungminnie acknowledges, crawling through the grass, closer to Minho. No regard for her noble gowns. She positions herself between his legs, leaning back against his chest, ignoring Minho’s sly comment about clingy puppies. Their connection is not romantic—not realistically—still, if anyone found them in such a position, Seungminnie’s virtue might as well be non-existent. Which is why these intimate moments only exist in the privacy of their presence.

 "Will you be attending the Beaumont Ball next week?"  Minho asks the other, giving her a chance to be bodacious about her response. Which she gladly takes. Seungminnie groans dramatically, going limp in the mans hold. 

"I do not wish it. Must I?"

 MInho rolls his eyes, holding her face in his hand and squishing her cheeks together. "Your mother will drag you there by your ankles if necessary."

  Seungminnie pushes his hand away, snapping her teeth at his digits, which does not elicit even the smallest flinch from the man. "A dreadful thought."

 Minho hums, grabbing her face again, squishing it a couple times just to annoy her, although he knows she enjoys roughhousing far too much to genuinely be upset. "Yes, I shall be there."

She lets the man squish her face until he lets go on his own, swiping her hair out of her eye when he finally releases her. "Ugh. Then I suppose I will survive it."  Minho raises a brow at that. "Only suppose?"  Seungminnie laughs, a menacing, evilly stilted sound of amusement. "Do not get ahead of yourself, my lord." that pulls giggles from both of them.

“---Minnie!”

“Shshshshut up, do you hear that?” Minho says, pausing so that he may more clearly make out the noise. Seungminnie squints into the darkness, straining her ears to find something, anything. But nothing comes. “Have you gone mad from all the blows you have received in boxing? I do not hear–”

“Seungminnie!” a voice comes again,
“We have lost her!” another, higher one says. “I told you we should have skipped champagne!”
“Qiuet!”

Seungminnie perks up when she recognizes the voices. But she does not jump away, like she undoubtedly would have had it been anyone else. “Fefe, Jisu, here! In here!’ She calls instead, beckoning them further into the garden, her nor Minho make a move to change their position, simply waiting to be found. “As if you were not annoying enough on your own.” 

“Over here!” They hears Fefe’s distant voice say, she must have found the entrance, which explains why it is a matter of seconds before the two make a correct turn, spotting Seungminnie and Minho nearly merging together in a patch of flowers and grass in the garden, they sigh as they lift their dresses, jogging closer. “There you two are! You are always going missing.” Fefe acknowledges as the two women draw near. “Yeah! We have to put a bell on you guys.”

With zero warning, the two women b line toward Minho and Seungminnie, dogpiling right on time of them without giving the two a moment to prepare. Seungminnie is already smiling before they even launch, and Minho is yelling dramatically as soon as they land though they weigh little to nothing on top of him. 

The three women laugh uncontrollably while Minho groans beneath them.

 Plenty nobles will not even allow their staff to touch them, but Seungminnie and her family value and uphold their workers, always have. And Fefe and Jisu specifically are a packaged deal with the Kim family’s daughter, so Minho has had to make room in his life for all three very loud, bratty and clingy women for the past couple years. And though he does not like any of them, he would lasso the moon if they said they wanted it.
But they do not need to know that. 

“Get off of me, you heathens.” he tells them instead.
“Aw, he missed us!” Jisu says within the confines of her and the other two girls giggles. Minho positively did not miss them, and his heart does not feel full with the three of them so close and safe. 

“Okay okay, we have to go! Your mother wants us home by dawn Seungminnie! You know she is Richt about us being alone too long! Come on!” Fefe is the first to stand, dusting off her skirts before reaching down and pulling Jisu and Seungminnie from the ground. Minho sits up in the grass as he watches the three of them fix each other's gowns and hair for a brief few moments, and before he knows it, the girls are speeding off into the garden, waving back at him with wide smiles as they race inside to make it to their carriage.

“Bye Min– I mean Lord Lee!”
“We will be sure to drag you home with us next time for supper!”
“Let the carriage door hit you on your way out.”


He waves, watching them go, waiting for a short while before entering again to find his mother and make his own way back to his estate after a too long night of socializing. 

The week between disappears with alarming speed.

One moment Minho is watching Seungminnie disappear into the night with Fefe and Jisu at her heels.  The next he is standing in Beaumont Manor wondering if it would be considered rude to end his life on their red carpet, just to avoid their event. 

He is greeted by the Beaumont’s as soon as he approached the door with his mother and father, the Beaumont’s are a lovely family generally, but they fit into the kingdom stereotypes for their family roles, almost sickeningly well. 

The father is a doctor, the mother is a stay at home parent, the eldest son is studying under his father to be the next head of household, and the eldest daughter is not out yet. But she already has half the men in the kingdom waiting to court her as soon as she is. 

It is quite disturbing actually, because the son is only 10 and 9 and a daughter is only 10 and 7. But in general, they are kind people, so Minho keep his opinions to himself. 

Lady Beaumont greets Minho with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, welcoming him inside despite his tardiness, over exaggerating how good it is to see Minho. He tries to dance away from her before she can ask him if he has any plans to court her daughter again when she is out, the very conversation making Minho too uncomfortable to even hide his dismay. 

It is a lovely party to say the least. Every detail of the event is ironed to perfection, and every noble family with a good name from the kingdom is present, except one person.  

 Minho gives the woman a few minutes to turn up, well aware that the picking of his outfit for this evening held him up at least an hour past the time he was supposed to already be accounted for at the ball. But as the time ticks past, he sees no blurs of purple embroidery and dark hair catch his attention. 

Naturally, after an hour has passed, Minho begins to get worried, and he puts his ear to the ground in hopes to figure out where the woman could possibly be. Though he would never admit it out loud, her presence makes a world of difference, and being without her at such a grand party feels wrong. 

He lurks against walls and near chocolate fountains, ears open and listening for a specific name as he sips his champagne. Minho does not know whether to be worried or relieved when he finds what he is looking for almost immediately well he is attempting to quietly chase down a staff member with wine cakes. 

“Lady Kim’s daughter is such a shy one, I almost feel bad that he approached her as he did.”

“Yes, almost. But if she is 20 and 3 and still available, maybe she needs the extra push.” 

Minho grips his glass, intentionally keeping his expression straight. Approach? Who has approached, and in what way?

He moves to the edge of the dance floor, where a group of women watch couples sway while they whisper over wine glasses. He keeps his eyes low and ears open, blending in with the surrounding crowd that mingles about nearby.

“ Well what do you think is wrong with her? She has rejected over a dozen proposals. Maybe she is the problem.”

“Words cannot express how humiliated I am on behalf of Ms.Kim. It is almost as if she is hiding something. She wouldn’t be the first. What do you think it is though? “

“ Well, she often encourages her family to donate to orphanages. She looks at children as if they are a dream she may never touch. Maybe she is infertile, and that is why—“ 

Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of a glass bursting. Minho tunes out and looks around to see where it had come from, just as surprised as a shocked crowd around him. One of the women turns to Minho, and he almost thinks he has been caught eavesdropping before she hands him a handkerchief with a concerned, look on her face. He raises the eyebrow at the woman who looks at him questioningly.

“ Lord Lee, are you all right?” she asks simply. Minho forces a smile, he knows it is likely in no way pleasant, but it cannot be helped. He is disturbed. “Of course, Lady Koda. Why do you ask?” he responds in the calmest way possible, but it does not sound natural, and they are both well aware.

“Well.. you have just broken your glass is all.”

 Minho looks down and, to his belated surprise, finds his glasses shattered into what must be a million tiny pieces across the floor and his hand.

 He clears his throat, taking the handkerchief and shaking the extra glass off before wrapping the cloth around his hand. “Yes of course, I was just startled is all. Thank you, very good of you to lend this to me. I am going to go clean this up, if you will excuse me.”

Lady Koda—and the rest of the women—give him a guilty smile before he turns away, exiting the ballroom. 

As soon as he is out of eye shot, he drops the handkerchiefs to the nearest disposal bin, and makes his way through the manner.

There had to have been some reason the entire party was talking about Kim Seungminnie, yet the woman was nowhere to be found. She said she was coming, and Minho received no send of word that she changed her mind. Minho trusts the woman with his life. If she said she was coming, then she came. And he is willing to bet she is still here. Seungminnie would not bail on her favorite person, after all. That does not even sound mildly correct.

Minho searches through the manor, ignoring any other mentions of the woman’s name, he hears between straying  guests and families.

He had never been particularly grateful that the party occupied only one wing of the estate. The family was disgustingly wealthy, and every room Minho couldn’t identify as a bedroom seemed designed for the sole purpose of reminding the rest of the kingdom that they were poor.

Minho walks up and down dark and deserted hallways, the rest of the house resembling that of a ghost town with the staff tending to the party, and the family tending to the guests. He listens for any form of life in the dark halls, growing more frustrated by the moment before finally, he notices candlelight dancing beneath a door at the end of the corridor.

He wonders if he has the right room when he approaches. A familiar voice drifts through the door—unmistakably Seungminnie’s—followed by a sound that has no business coming from a secluded room at this hour of the evening.

Minho slows his steps, straining to listen. Music from the ballroom echoes faintly down the corridor, swallowing most of whatever is happening on the other side of the door.

Another noise follows. Then another. Seungminnie is clearly not alone.

His brows knit together. He cannot imagine what she could possibly be doing hidden away during an event of this size, yet the sounds filtering through the door leave far too much room for interpretation.

He pushes the door open slowly when he gets to it, peeking through the widening gap of the archway as it grows. As it creeps inward, 1, 2, 3 figures are revealed in the corner of the room, crumpled in a pile of winter quilts and bedding. They appear to be having romantic exchanges, Minho would think nothing of it, had it been two married folk having a moment away from the commotion.

But it is not married folk, nor is it a couple, and it is far from a husband and wife. In the darkness of the space, Kim Seungminnie is propped on her knees—legs spread enough for easier access at such an angle—between two women who are latched onto her like corsets.

 The two women being Lee Felicity, and Hannie Jisoo. 

Minho cannot believe his eyes. Before him, the three women are virtually plastered together, Minnie moaning into Fefe’s mouth while attempting to kiss her back. Jisu is behind Seungminnie, arms reaching around her torso, one hand under her hiked pink dress, moving with precision, and the other gripping her bosom. 

Seungminnie’s left is beneath Fefe’s skirts, the other tucked into her shirt where the blonde women's udders are beneath her ladies thumb, her breast in hand. Jisu’s mouth is sucking on the soft skin of Seungminnie’s neck, the shoulders of her and Fefe’s dresses fallen completely off of their torso, little more than a skirt or shawl with the way they surround their tiny waists, unfastened and pulled lose, sitting over their arms.  

Seungminnie is the only one of the three who is remotely dressed, although if one had to guess, not for lack of trying. 

Her corset is lose, the ties in the back pulled slack just enough for it to slide down and show her brown paps peek out enough for view, and for Jisu to rub her fingers against them. 

Minho has no words, suddenly the attachment the three of them has had all these years is much more sensible. Looking back, the signs had been everywhere.

Fefe sitting in Seungminnie’s lap during family gatherings, Jisu sleeping in Seungminnie’s chambers despite having a room of her own, the way all three of them looked personally offended whenever someone suggested separating them.The fact that none of them had shown the slightest genuine interest in courtship despite being hounded about it for years.

Dear God.

They had not been subtle at all.

He had suspected, at times, that there might be something between them. Feelings, perhaps. An attachment beyond friendship. But this? This was not a secret affection hidden beneath years of companionship.

This was an established arrangement.

The revelation lasts all of three seconds before panic follows. Not because they are together. Frankly, that part explains more than it complicates. 

No, the problem is that they are together at a crowded noble function with hundreds of people wandering the estate. Seungminnie, apparently, had finally lost what little survival instinct she possessed.

Fefe’s lips travel from Seungminnie’s neck as she rides her ladies fingers like it is instinct, she meets Jisu there, and without so much as flinching, they switch to kiss one another with Seungminnie caught in the middle. That gives the women a moment to come back, and just then, her eyes wander over towards the door, spotting Minho standing there with a face of a man confounded and bewildered. 

It seems almost as if it takes a moment for her to register Minho as a threat when she gasps with a delayed reaction that almost has the man scoffing. “Minho!” she breathes, attempting to pull up Fefe’s dress and push the women off of her. The girls look over when they hear her reacting, following suit in trying to cover one another up. 

Minho hears Fefe and Jisu curse in a foreign tongue as he watches the three scramble for their clothing with little urgency. “You are supposed to be at the party.” she huffs, like her mind is still hazy from her and the two womens…sexcapades. 

“YOU are the one who is supposed to be at the party!” Minho whisper yells, whipping around to check the hallway for any signs of life before slamming the door and flicking the lock on it closed. 

“I… I know! But we were–”
“You were what?! Putting your lives and careers on the line to dip your fingers and tongues inside of each other?! You stupid stupid women! All three of you!” Minho pulls Seungminnie from the ground with a grip on both her arms, not enough to hurt her but enough to maneuver her weight. He ignores the burning of hid own face and ears as he whips her around, rushing to tug her corset tight again and pull her dress over it.

“No! It was— it did not start that way!” she pouts in defense, giving the other two girls who are still barely covered a taut look of guilt.  “You hush! Girls get dressed! I will deal with you two later!” Fefe and Jisu nod without so much as an argument as Minho tugs Seungminnie to the door, hurriedly wiping their fingers on their clothing and fixing their dresses, culpable and quiet. 

“Min!” she whines.  “Hush!! Someone will hear you.” and she does.

He pulls a silent Seungminnie out of the room by her wrist, sure to close the door behind him before tugging her into an empty hall nearby. 

He stops only when they are far enough from the scene of the crime, as well crowds and attendees. He backs the women against a wall, finger up as if he is lecturing his wife.

“You. Damned. IDIOT. Are you absolutely mad? Positively out of your fucking mind?! What do you think you are doing?! With not one, but TWO other women in a public space, with hundreds of others near!? Not only in a public space, with two women, but two staff??”

“Do not speak ill of them and do not yell at me!” She says, stomping her feet. She looks as though she is trying her best not to cry.

Minho turns, walking a few paces away. Seungminnie watches, her breathing ragged from fast paced walking and the scare she had received upon being discovered. He inhales, exhales, deep and slow before reapproaching the women, much calmer than before. 

“I did not mean to yell, Minnie. I am sorry. And I am not speaking ill of your lovers, you are well aware I care about the both of them. I am simply describing their position. Your position.” he tries, and though the woman is blinking back tears, hands rubbing her eyes pitifully, she nods.

“Seungminnie.” He says, voice stern, his own heart rabbitting in his chest. The woman looks up at him, pouting. He almost feels bad, but this is a dangerous situation, he cannot afford to be lenient.

 “What would have happened had someone else discovered you? Someone who is not me? You are a lady, you are to remain virtually untouched until marriage, and not only have you been doing god knows what with someone you are unmarried to, you have been doing such things with two someones, and two women on your staff at that.”

Seungminnie crosses her arms under her chest, her pretty gold bracelets clink as she pouts, but Minho can see the guilt in her eyes. The fact that she knows he is in fact correct. That she put herself in a very bad situation tonight. 

“So I ask you, once again, are you crazy?”

Seungminnie seems to have nothing to say for herself, that much is obvious by the silence that fills the space between them. Minho sighs, shaking his head. A lady’s reputation was fragile enough on its own. A lady caught with two female lovers would not survive the scandal.

“For crying out loud, you are lucky we are at someone else's home. Lest I spank you for being such an irresponsible, stupid woman!”
Seungminnie scoffs a sigh at that, narrowing her eyes at his lordship. “I understand, for goodness sake. But you are one to talk, at least I do not eye fuck them when we are throwing public balls, butler boy kisser.”

Minho freezes.
He does not react, or jump out of his skin, or point out his pounding heart in his chest, he simply…stills. 

He stares at the woman, who stares back. There is silence between them, and for a few long and suffocating seconds, he replays every public occurrence that he has been seen within a hundred feet of the butler since he was 19, his life flashing before his eyes. But more importantly, Chan’s life. What will become of an untitled penniless worker, lest it be known by anyone that he was sleeping with a male noble. He would be ruined. His life would be over.

Minho inhales, the breath leaving him shaky.

Fear for Chan’s wellbeing speaks before logic can catch up.

“I will hurt you. Keep your voice down.”

He would say he regrets it immediately as soon as it leaves his mouth, but it is harder to regret when it seems his words have no impact. Seungminnie crosses her arms, staring blankly at the man.

“You would not, you idiot. Not unless I asked you to. Get it together.” she says after a moment. Her attitude does not falter or fail no matter how long they stand there, barely a foot apart, a man who could break her in half standing before her.

 Minho sighs, shaking his head, almost relieved.  “You are correct, I would not.. I could not.” 

It is clearly not news to Seungminnie, who is still pouting with her arms crossed, like a child. Seungminnie has known him for years. If anyone in the kingdom could identify the shape of his heart, it would be her.

“How do you know about that, you brat?”
“Well you do not make it hard to decipher! Especially not from my perspective. And you are lecturing me? I like women, so my purity is basically still intact. Is yours? I have read in multiple religious books that a proper gentleman's prostate is supposed to remain untouched!”

 “Shut up, you shit.. That does not matter.”
“How convenient. A gentleman may indulge himself, but a lady must remain pure?”

“Shhhhhhut up! You are going to get us both hung in the square!”

“I am sure you know a lot about someone being hung, you walk funny every time that butler of yours follows you out of a room.”

Minho’s hands fly to his head, pulling at his hair. He is absolutely speechless. He just cannot win with this woman. It is undoubtedly and annoyingly like arguing with his other half. 

“How do you even know about these things?! You are a fucking lady. You are not to be educated on sexual matters before the week of your wedding. I should spank you!”

“I do read, Minho! You are not one to speak to me like this, when you and your butler have been fooling around since you were a teen!”

“Uh-huh, and how long have you been engaging with your maids?? Do you always pounce on them at public appearances? At least I deal with me and Chan’s business at my estate in the security of my own home!”

Seungminnie is quiet at that, the woman avoiding eye contact, hiding behind the too-long frilly sleeves of her dress. Minho knows then that he has her.

“Minnie.” He sighs, gathering himself. Despite the ease with which they argue, the familiarity of it all, this conversation requires a different kind of energy.

“This… this is dangerous business we are engaged in. With our lovers, I mean. I already disliked that Chan and I were involved in it, but now you, Fefe, and Jisu too? We could all be cast out of society.” Minho shakes his head. “I can live as an outcast. I think I made peace with that possibility years ago. But I never want that for you. For any of you.”

He takes her hands in his own. They are soft and warm against his palms. So different from Chan’s hands—rough, calloused, and large from years of work. Yet no less important.

Seungminnie does not meet Minho’s eyes. Instead, she busies herself with his fingers, turning his hand over in hers as though the answer she is searching for might somehow be hidden there.

Minho narrows his eyes. He knows that look. He saw a version of it before she told him about Viscount Wright at the last ball they attended. It is the expression Seungminnie wears when she is trying to determine how much a truth will hurt before she says it aloud.

“Minnie,” he says quietly. “What is it?”

Seungminnie is silent for another couple seconds, before she gathers her courage, gripping his hand in hers like a lifeline. “I got another proposal tonight, Min.” she tells him. Minho waits for her to continue. She does not. His stomach sinks, naturally.

“Alright. What about it? You have rejected dozens of proposals, why is this one any different?”
Seungminnie huffs, resting her head against the wall behind her. “It…was a public proposal. But Earl Gueta.”

Minho should feel sympathy first. The urge to pull her into a hug and reassure her that she is safe. Instead, all he feels is rage, and the need to punch yet another man who has set a woman up for failure. 

“Here? Tonight? In front of everyone? Earl Gueta is nearly 50, he has seen enough proposals to know the pressure they put on women.”
“I am sure that is what he was counting on. He prepared an entire speech and got down on one knee in front of everyone, performing the role of a sincere gentleman while explaining what a perfect wife I would make for him, like I was just an arm decoration and reproduction machine.” 

Minho closes his eyes, attempting to appear calm and content. In reality, he is seething beneath the surface. 

Targeting a woman who is young enough to produce healthy heirs and old enough that she will be looked down upon for rejecting a public proposal is low, and Minho thinks the man ought to be embarrassed himself. His and her position tell Minho enough for him to know that it was not a coincidence, or an accident. He targeted Seungminnie, knowing wether she rejected or accepted him that he would be victorious.

“Fefe and Jisu were very upset, I was not trying to make my position or theirs worse. I just wanted to comfort them, as did they me. We simply… got carried away.” 

Though it was still reckless for the girls to lose their sense of awareness at such a bad time, MInho finds himself significantly less disappointed than he had been moments ago. He cannot help but feel like his soft spot for the three is far too tender. 

“So what would you have me do, Minho? Toss my lovers aside and fire them so I never see them again? Let them stay miserable on my behalf?” Seungminnie, grips Minho’s hands in her own, her lip quivering as she looks at him, pleadingly. “Would you do the same? Because I cannot. And I would never ask that of you.”

Something stirred in Minho’s chest at her expression. Seungminnie is dear to him, always has been, always will be. And she is far more intelligent and capable than your average lady. She reads, she practices, she learns, and clearly, she watches. She is what he wishes society was like, accepting, lovely, human. Had their orientations been the same, maybe they ought to have been married one day. 

“I do not know, Minnie. But if you have discovered me, and I have discovered you, there is only a matter of time till someone else discovers us both. We are at risk with what we are doing. And hiding while we cross our fingers hoping things will change does us no good.”

“But what can be done? I have nothing to look forward to, if not you and my family and my lovers. I cannot bare suffering for nothing. I behave only so that Fefe and Jisu can have a place to call home, a city to be loved. It is the same for my family, even though they do suffocate me with expectations. I do not wish to ruin them, though empress knows they would gladly ruin me if they found out. There is no winning this battle.”

There is a knot in Minho’s stomach, where he had felt his heart fall just minutes before. Is there really nothing they can do to assure their safety? That he can do to assure her safety? Suddenly the problem is much bigger than him, it is bigger than his reputation and his hushed relationships with his lover between the four walls of his chambers. They need a safekeep. 

Minho racks his brain, thoughts racing through his head. He cannot lose Chan, he cannot lose his family, he cannot lose Seungminnie, nor Fefe and Jisu. So what can he do about it?

In that moment, a conversation he had years prior at the gentlemen's club chooses to come back to him. It was a special day, nearly every man from the kingdom was present, the lot of them looking for sanctuary after a festival in the capital. 

Half of them were drunk, complaining about their wives, and another fraction of them were complaining about not wanting to settle down and pick a wife. Minho and Chan were having their own conversation with a group of their own friends—uninterested in feeding the bustling misogyny in the kingdom—when something one of his companions said had caught his attention.

“Me and my wife have a happy household.” 

It was a rare thing to hear at the time, when most men would be complaining about their home lives over booze.

“And how the hell did you manage that? It is like no matter what I do, she is unhappy. Which means our kids are unhappy, and her parents and siblings are mad at me. I was convinced pleasing women were impossible.”

“Well, did you choose the right women? Did you ever ask her what she would like you to do to fix things? Did you make sure your interests were the same?”

The man asked, Minho and Chan giving each other a look.

“Ahh come on, sir. Who has time to constantly ask a woman what she wants? She does not even work, and she barely wants to warm my bed. She seems more interested in her maid than in me.”

“Maybe that is because her maid gives a damn about her.” Minho had cut in, pulling drunken laughter from the group of men.

“Lord Lee is correct, if you do not care about making the one person you swore to protect happy, then why should anyone care about making you happy?”

Chatter buzzes amongst the group, the change of tone does not go unnoticed. “People always ask how Lady Hawthorne and I have remained happy for thirty years."

"And?" Chan had mused curiously, throwing back another shot. 

The older man shrugged. "Simple. We stopped trying to be husband and wife to satisfy everyone else, and started being partners. A partnership is the foundation of a marriage anyways. Partnership, and friendship. Everything just gets easier once you choose marriage for each other and yourselves, not for everyone else.” 

Others had teased the older noble, slapping at his arms and head as he laughs it off. But Minho stared at the man, perplexed, speaking over the crowd though the married men who were not so lucky tried their best to change the subject. 

“So what is the secret to a happy marriage?” he hums. It seems to be serious enough to the point everyone else had settled down to listen, curious of the answer. The man gives Minho a thoughtful look and smile while sipping from his glass, before setting it down on the table next to him. 

"Choosing someone whose happiness matters to you." 

The rest of that night was a blur of drunken laughter and intoxicated conversation. But out of it all, Minho remembers Lord Hawthorne's words. 

"Love is wonderful if you are fortunate enough to find it."

He glanced down at the ring on his hand, turning the band with steady fingers, like it is something he cherishes. As one should. "But friendship will carry you farther."

Minho watches as he caresses Seungminnie’s soft cheek, the woman leaning into it like he is one of the only places she truly feels safe. Which might not be too far from the truth, especially after the night she has had.

An idea forms in his head before Minho can even manage to get a good grasp on it, and it leaves his mouth before he truly has time to think about it. It is ridiculous, given this situation he just found the woman in and the situation he’s been in since he was 10 and 9, but for some reason, it does not discourage him.

“Seungminnie,” He calls, the woman's eyes wandering up to his face when her attention is summoned. 

“What if we were to get married.”

. . . 

Seungminnie tilts her head, but does not blink, nor speak, nor breath. 

The space between the two is empty, yet the atmosphere is thick enough that you can cut it with a dagger. 

Seungminnie seems to malfunction in that moment, she shakes her head, pressing her eyes closed for a long couple seconds while she struggles to find her words.

“I am sorry. I must be tired.” She starts. “I thought you just proposed marriage to me.” The woman holds her head like she can feel herself losing her mind. Minho scoffs, rolling his eyes. “You are not sick. That is correct.” 

Another silent moment. Seungminnie stares, this time she does blink, long and hard, once, twice, three times, before looking at him blankly. 

“Me?” she says, bewildered. Minho narrows his eyes at her. He already regrets this, and he has not even explained his perspective or reasoning. “NO, Fefe! You idiot. Yes you! Do not anger me on this lovely night.”

“I am sorry! But last time I checked, you were a boy kisser!” she says, stomping her foot, it seems she is also annoyed at the others tendency to fall behind. “Keep your voice down! And yes, you would… you would be correct.” Minho’s ears burn red, not only because he is brushing the idea of marriage after avoiding it for years, but because his attraction to men is something he has yet to admit out loud. This is in fact the first time he has had the opportunity to do so safely. 

“You are such an annoying brat, no wonder you are not wedded yet.”
Seungminnie scoffs. “I am sure if I was—and someone found us in this situation—we would be in a lot of trouble. You should be grateful.”

Minho takes into account their positions. There is less than a foot of space between them, Seungminnie’s face in his palm, her hands holding onto his wrist tenderly, Minho’s ears red and Seungminnie’s lips swollen, and to put the cherry on top, the both of them alone in the empty wing of someone's estate together. Touche.

Although curiously enough, neither of them change their position, even as they quarrel. 

He gives her a look, the woman shoots him the same expression in a more exaggerated, mocking manner. Annoyingly enough, it punches a laugh out of the man. She really does get on his nerves. 

But even in their complicated, serious situation, she aggravatingly manages to bring him joy. 

‘Partnership and friendship. Choose marriage for each other, not for everyone else. Friendship will carry you farther.’ The words echo in his head yet again, making Minho sigh, serious once more when he speaks.

“Minnie..” Minho relents, shaking his head like he is exhausted of their situation. No, actually, not like. He is—without a doubt—exhausted. And he has had just about enough of being who society wants him to be. He does not fit into the world around him, so it seems he will just have to carve a space into it for himself, and the people he cares for.

 “Marry me, Seungminnie.” he repeats. No jokes of deflection this time, just sincerity, honesty. 

Seungminnie stares at him for a moment, waiting to see if there is a punchline. When one does not come, her tender hold on his wrist turns into a grip, like she needs something to hold onto for the moment. “So you were serious, then?” she asks, thoughtful. Minho nods, he adds nothing, giving her a moment to think. 

Seungminnie finds herself unable to answer, still silently shocked at the nature of the question. “Minho, you do not want to be married. And you do not feel for me, you love Chan. And I love Fefe and Jisu.”

Minho sighs. “So what, Minnie? We love each other enough, in our own way. We might be friends, might not be sexually involved, and have never planned to marry someone of the opposite gender—or anyone other than our lovers—but if it is for a better future. For ourselves, each other, and those we love, we can do it, can we not?”

Seungmin minds the idea, thinking about what the situation could mean and what they could be. If she lives with Fefe and Jisu in her own house, there are no staff to hide from, no family to keep a secret from, no walls that can talk.

Seungminnie inhales and exhales, the gravity of the idea really settling in. She slipped away from Minho’s hand, walking back and forth in lines as she speaks. “So you mean, a marriage of convenience? Where we—as well as our lovers—could be happy?”

Minho nods, not moving, hoping not to suffocate the women. “What about children? Will you not suffer learning to lay next to a women?” 

Minho shakes his head, mindful as he speaks. “No. Because I am not learning to lay next to a woman, I’m learning to take care of you, a woman I have stood next to you for years. I would not ask if I thought I was robbing you of anything. I know you want children. As do I. But it is not as if we can get them from our current relationships. Our relationships can be nonmonogamous. You can bear children for all of us, only if you wish it. You are so much more than a baby maker, Minnie. But I cannot promise you anybody else will ever acknowledge that fact, outside of us and the people we care about.”

Seungminnie nods in understanding, not daring to look Minho straight in his eyes just yet. “It would mean no more pressure from the kingdom to get married, or from our families.”

“And no hiding in our own homes anymore. I will provide us with a grand estate, near the beach, so that you may watch the sunsets over the horizon, just like you dreamed of when we were children. You and Fefe and Jisu could run around naked in the salty water if you wished it. We could live happily, isolated from everything and everyone who wanted us to breathe the rules of society. We can live in peace with those we care about, Minnie.” the man adds, watching as the woman plays with her fingers. 

She breathes, eyes flicking up to finally meet Minho’s, her hands fiddling nervously with one another, like she physically cannot contain her nerves. “It is quite the commitment, even if it is a marriage of convenience. And will you not grow to resent me? Though I am aware you want children, I know you also never wanted to be married. I will not sacrifice our friendship at the expense of comfort. I do not want to make you miserable. I would like for you to also be happy. If you are not winning with me, I do not want to be victorious.”

Minho wants to laugh, he has never seen the women so adorably disturbed. But he can tell her concerns are genuine. So he saves humor for another time.

“Seungminnie.” he says, taking her hands in his.
“If I have to marry a women, there is no one I would rather end up with. As annoying as you are, I could never resent you. I care for you too much, and I know you feel the same. Mark my words, I will be the best husband to you that I can be. I will not raise my voice at you, or harm you, or ever force you to do anything that is not in your best interest. Me—and Chan—will stake our lives on protecting you, as well as Jisu and Fefe. Not that I believe you are incapable, but I would never want to burden you with doing it yourself. Not in a world like this, where it is impossible for a women to be anything but a mother and a wife. You can be so much more. And I want to help you get there. You once said I was your favorite person, Minnie. Prove it. Help protect me, those you love, and yourself.” 

Minho tries not to cringe at how outwardly affectionate he is being. And towards the women who has been bratting her way into his world for years. But this issue is bigger than both of them, and they need a solution. Additionally, shamefully enough, Minho cares about her. And he means every word.

“Kim Seungminnie.” Minho kneels, the woman's hands in his. Seungminnie watches him lower, breath caught in her chest.  “Will you marry me?”

𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡

It is simple to imagine the chaos that erupts in the ballroom when Minho and Seungminnie return. Some nosey noble gives them the perfect opportunity to launch their engagement to the public, right after questioning their prolonged time isolated from the eyes of the kingdom. 

“Well if you must know, we are engaged!” Seungminnie had declared, and the look of shock on everyone's face was comical. There was a moment where it seemed the woman was simply fibbing, before Minho begrudgingly shouted, proudly and loudly. “You dare doubt my fiance??”

Minho’s mother—who was standing in front of the crowd—immediently cried out in joy. “Oh, heavens!" She had shrieked, nearly falling over herself to rush forward before the crowd and throw her arms around Seungminnie.

While the kingdom celebrated the unity of, perhaps, their most stubborn eligible lady and handsomest bachelor, Seungminnie took the time to explain their situation to her lovers, and Minho left early to do the same with his. 

It is not that they had assumed they would protest, it is simply that lovers are complicated relations, and the engaged couple were well aware of who should be amongst the first to hear of it. And the real reason they have chosen their course of action. 

Fefe and Jisu were overjoyed immediately upon hearing the news. Their hearts lighter knowing that their looming stormcloud of marriage and societal expectation is to come to an end. They jumped and cheered hysterically with zero consideration for the time and place, like they are the ones engaged, before jumping Seungminnie together like terror twins. 

Chan was a trip for Minho. One would think it appropriate to have nerves about telling your lover that he has adopted a wife, and by extension, two wives in law as well. But he was ecstatic to walk into his chambers and find Chan waiting in his bed that night, before breaking down with relief in the man's arms as he explained their situation. 

“I think…I have just solved all of our problems, Christopher.”

Chan held him that night while Minho was still dressed in his tux, listening and nodding as Minho explained the evening's events detail by detail. When he was finished, Chan kissed him with a smile on his face, securing the whole thing with just a couple of words.

“You have laid the foundation of a safe, loving home for many outcast and oppressed people, Minho. I have never been prouder of you. All will be well, as long as I get to plan the wedding!”

Their engagement is short, only long enough for Minho to research houses and compare them with Seungminnie, Chan, Fefe and Jisu over afternoon tea, the three lovers playing the role as staff happily for just a bit longer, all too aware that soon, their submissive inferiority act is to come to end.

 It takes exactly three viewings before the five of them settle on a seaside estate several days trip from the capital. The property is large enough to house all of them comfortably, secluded enough to discourage uninvited guests, and blessed with a private stretch of beach that causes Fefe and Jisu to erupt into another fit of excitement.

Minho had barely signed the purchase papers before the women were arguing over which rooms they wanted and whether swimming in the ocean at midnight was a reasonable activity for respectable ladies.
Apparently, it was. And they were ‘only regular citizens’ anyways, as Fefe has helpfully added. 

The kingdom takes their engagement as well as expected.

Which is to say, not calmly at all.

Every ball becomes an interrogation, every luncheon a celebration. Every noble in the capital seems determined to congratulate them on finding love. Minho closes his eyes and clenches his teeth when it comes to backhanded comments about snagging the least marritable lady in the kingdom, holding Seungminnie close and steering her clear of folk with bad manners as best he can. 

Marriage of convenience or not, Minho is an engaged man now, and his wife will only be accounted for in spaces where she is respected so long as he, Chan, Fefe and Jisu are alive. Now that they are engaged, they have to follow no one's rules but their own. 

Other than crowd pleasing, Minho feels he genuinely enjoys the time he spends preparing to take the next step in life with the man he loves, and the group of women he cares deeply about. Their rituals are certainly unpracticed, considering the fact that the bride nor groom nor their families prove particularly useful during the planning process. 

Most days, the staff for whoever's estate they meet in will be dismissed, so that the 5 of them can discard social norms and plop in the middle of the greeting room floor, Minho and Seungminnie painting each others nails while Chan does the wedding planning, and Jisu and Fefe assist him occasionally. While also designing the bride and groom's outfits for their big day. 

Between the three of them, invitations are sent, flowers selected, menus approved, decorations chosen, and a wedding is assembled from seemingly nothing. Minho and Seungminnie are consulted exactly once. And it is to make sure that the two of them understand the phrase “What is ours is yours. Our marriage. Our wedding.”

They rope a few other people into their little lovers paradise during their engagement. Yang Jooeun—the girls close friend who worked with them in the Kim estate who is an expert with makeup and styling—was given a personal invite to work at the new Lee-Kim estate. She is a ginger who knows already of Lady Kim’s relationship with her ladies maids and has sworn to secrecy. All too happy to get away from society so that she may live and work by her own rules. 

Chan invites two companions he met at an underground pub for men of their ‘type’ to meet and mingle, by the name Changbin and Hyunjin. They are made aware of Minho, Chan and Seungminnie’s situation, and are quote “ecstatic” to work and live with a group of people who flutter to the feel of their own fans, and do not make them live underground out of fear of mingling with lower classes.

As their circle grows, so does the affection it swells with, and Minho finds himself counting down the hours until his wedding day. Sure, he will be leaving everything he has ever known, his parents, his kingdom, the company he was supposed to take over, the family he was supposed to be head of. But should that factor bother him when the only good thing it has afforded him is money and newer, more supportive relations?

Minho thinks the answer to that is no. No, it should not. So it does not.
That is exactly why he is committed to taking his bit of happiness, and racing off into the sunset with it as soon as possible. 

The wedding feels like it could not arrive faster with the way the kingdom has apparently made it a local holiday. But one moment, Chan is fitting the bride and groom for their outfits while Jooeun color corrects Seungminnie’s blush, the next, they are all waking up on the big day. 

There is commotion in the hallways, staff rushing to prepare themselves and their noble family for the event of the season. But in Minho’s bed, behind his locked door, he lays intertwined with the only man he has wanted since his adolescence. His hands pull Chan closer by his strong arms, fingers chasing the claw marks on the older man's back as he tumbles over Minho, yet again attempting to detangle himself from the sheets before he is locked against a hard body with two legs around his waist. 

Chan laughs, high and happy as Minho kisses down his neck, nearly wrestling the man to keep him in the bed. “Let us go, groom. Our bride is waiting.” he says
Minho scoffs, biting the man's shoulder, earning him a shriek. “There is still 20 minutes before I am to wake.” 

“20 minutes at which you were supposed to be using to bath, Seungminnie said you were ripe when we parted last night.” Chan smiles, catching the pillow Minho throws at him with a laugh once he finally manages to get out of the bed. “I am no such thing. Her sense of smell is simply made delicate from her always being wrapped up with women. She just does not know what a man smells like.”

“And according to her, she wants to keep it that way if the truth resembles what she smelled last night. So I will ring for the staff to bring up the bath. I put buckets over heat before I came, so it will be nice and broiling just like you like it.”

Chan is putting his clothes back on as Minho watches from the bed, an expression on his face that Chan cannot quite name.

“What is the matter, Min? You are making a long face again. And do not tell me it is nothing, you have been inside me, I know when there is something bothering you.”

Minho ignores that, fighting a smirk so that they may stay on the topic of vulnerable matters. “It is simply.. That tonight me and Seungminnie are to consummate our marriage. And I have just been..thinking .. a bit about it.” he explains carefully. Minho looks away. “And the more I think about it, the more I realize I have been avoiding thinking about it entirely.”

Chan gives him a peculiar look as he steps into his pants, buttoning them swiftly. “Is this about us? You do not feel guilt, do you? We all agreed to non monogamy, and our freedom comes with a small price that is not that hard to accept. The girls are very respectful–”

“No no no. We have all said we want children, and that me and Seungminnie would be the sole contributors to that. Intercourse is inevitable, that is blatant. It is just that..”
“What is it? Speak your mind, Minho.” Chan encourages.

Minho sighs, rolling over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling of his canopy bed. “It is just..she is used to women, and I am used to men. She is undoubtedly softer and less compact in body than a man. I just do not want to…hurt her? No, more accurately.. Break her? Scare her? I am not sure.. It is our wedding night, I do want her to enjoy it. Even if we do prefer different things, normally.”

It is silent for a moment, the equivalent of Minho putting his heart on a platter, and Chan simply letting it get cold until it stops beating. It is an annoying quiet, Minho tries to wait it out, but nothing comes, which just slightly pisses the younger of the two off. He sits up to curse the other man out, but before he can, something hits his face. “Agh!-- hey!” 

He groans on impact, taking a short moment to comprehend what just happened. Before long, he realizes Chan has just slapped him, with a damn pillow. 

Minho bolts up, giving his lover a deadly, questioning stare, looking at the butler's stupid smug face and thinking twice before giving him a mean right hook. “What was that for, you broot?”  He asks instead.

Chan looks like he has no regrets, and it only irritates Minho more. “Are you underestimating her because she is a woman?” he asks with a look of curiosity. Minho is shocked silent, eyes widening at the accusation. Him? Of all people? “What?! No! I–”
“OH really? Because it sure sounds like it. Last time I checked, we were not a part of the group of men who believe women incapable of performance in any category for the mere fact that they are women.”

Minho tries to defend himself, but the butler is having none of it. “But I was not—”
“You were. Last time I checked, men who think all women naturally fragile fit into that category.” Chan cuts him off as he is buttoning his uniform, giving him a chastising look with a tilt of his head, a habit that reminds him a lot of a certain girl kisser. 

“If you want to be the change in the girls' lives, you must always remember, even as their husband, Seungminnie is a human—a person—before she is a woman. So are Jisu and Fefe. They could be just as rough or even rougher than we are. You do not know simply because of their sex. She is just as capable of performance as you and I. Pleasure is pleasure, you should be trying to figure out how to please Seungminnie, a human, not just some women. You are partners, so treat her as an equal.”

Chan does not give Minho an opportunity to respond before he leans down and places one last kiss on the man's lips. “And you and I both know Minnie likes a little aggression anyways. So do not overthink it. See you later.”

Chan makes his way through the archway that leads into the connected chamber, closing the door just in time for someone to knock politely from the hallway, likely assigned with waking him to wash up. 

Minho ignores it, in disbelief. He is all too grateful to have nobody bare witness to his being schooled on his wedding date, of all days. 

“Fuck” he huffs into the isolation of the space around him. “I am getting married today.”

𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡・𓂃𓈒⟡

“We are going skinny dipping the first night there! I will not argue with you!” Jisu shrieks as she pours another bucket of hot water over the edge of the Seungminnie’s bath. The woman shrinks into the water, sighing at both the heat and her lovers volumw. “Do you not believe that you will be tired after a long journey ? We will be traveling for hours.”

“What she means–” Fefe cuts in as she is cutting lavender into the water. “Is that she will be tired after the journey, heaven knows she will be worn out when Minho is finished with her. Have you seen that man in his slacks?” she pointedly looks over at Jisu, who laughs hysterically, scooping her hand in the water and splashing the blonde with what she picks up.

“Do you two have no shame?? Why are you speaking of the poor man as if he is a piece of meat?”
“What?? The man has seen us all naked for crying out loud! I think we are even.” Jisu objects as she pulls another bucket from the fire, hauling it to the tub. 

“And he has certainly got a piece of meat on him worth seeing. I bet it is quite hefty too!”
“Oh my goodness!” It is Seungminnie's turn now to splash the blonde, drawing giggles from them both as they scrub the woman's legs clean. 

“Oh come on Minnie! Minho is pretty sturdy! Chan is too. Imagine being between the two of them and just getting absolutely wrecked! It sounds quite like a fever dream. I would kill to just bounce on it!”
“Fefe! Have you no grace?.... But she is right, those are fine men if I have ever seen them. I might end up being the one with child after long!” Jisu is smiling as she positions herself behind Seungminnie, pouring soap into her hands and massaging it into her head. 

“Goodness! You are both crazy! How can you be practically salivating over men? I admit they are.. Easy on the eyes but the both of you can be mistaken for cannibals the way you are talking!”

Fefe laughs, scrubbing Seungminnie’s arms clean. “How would you know? You have never been with a man. But I promise it is worth the chatter after the first couple times. Do not fear, we will help you walk after it is all over.” she promises, wiggling her eyebrows at the other. 

The playful atmosphere calms, and the two maids prepare Seungminnie’s robes as she soaks in the oiled, floral water, thinking. 

“So, from the perspective of you two—who have dealt with men before—will it be uncomfortable?”

Fefe and Jisu look up from where they are pulling warm towels from the fireplace, glancing at the women in the bath before they look back at each other. Jisu is the first to speak. “Would you like the honest answer, or the sugar coated one?” 

Seungminnie whines at that, sinking into the tub until the water comes up over her mouth. “Oh do not take her word for it, Jisu cried her first time.”
“Hey!”

Fefe approaches the tub, kneeling next to it. She reaches into the water, grabbing the girl's hand softly and speaking to her in a manner so delicate it would seem as though she was attempting not to scare a rabbit.

“In truth? Yes, it will be uncomfortable your first time, and maybe the first couple times. But most are more scared of the pain, which is not a problem for you. So you will likely just have to ease into it, and take your time.” 

Jisu nods behind her in agreement, smiling. “You take our fingers well, but me and Fe have pretty tiny hands. Still, you are strong, you are beautiful and even if he is a boy kisser, he is going to love and take care of you just like we do! So do not worry too much. Seriously! It is your wedding day, let us have fun one last time in this hellish kingdom before we run away together!” 

Seungminnie smiles at the reassurance, nodding. She trusts the two with her life, so naturally, any nerves she might have had soothe into excitement. “Now, let us go! We need to get out of here so the others can empty the tub, and dress you so we can head to the castle. You—no—we are to be married today.” Jisu is cheesing, gesturing for their lover to stand.

Seungminnie does, pulling her hair forward over her shoulder to remove it from plastering to her back. The blonde and brunette stare shamelessly as she lifts from the water, making no movement to wrap the women in the towels they hold hostage.

“Mhm, he is certainly going to have a time with you.” Fefe says, biting her bottom lip. Jisu nods in agreement next to her, eyes low as they travel over wet, exposed skin. “Agreed, if I only liked men I would change my mind immediately.

Seungminnie covers her face with her hands, cheeks getting hot. “You are both ridiculous, I am cold! Stop playing around!” She attempts to reach over the rim of the tub and grab the towel, but Fefe is quicker, giggling shamelessly as she pulls the cloth out of reach. 

“You know, jisu, I think we should make sure her virtue is still intact, just in case!” she smirks, Jisu bounces on the heels of her shiny black boots next to her, practically vibrating in excitement. “Agreed! To be safe.”

Seungminnie slaps her arms over herself, turning away from the pair. “Do not get any ideas, you have already rang for the other maids and we must be on the way to the capital courthouse within the hour!”
But it is already far too late, the two had stopped listening as soon as they dropped their towels, making grabby hands like concubines on fertility herbs. All Seungminnie can do now is brace herself.

Jooeun is waiting for the girls when they arrive at the capital, cursing them out for being late to a wedding they planned. They are rushed inside to be dressed and dolled, only after Jooeun is assured that they had all bathed for the event, and that their skin is rid of anything she had not put on them. 

Fefe and Jisu sit in a mess of white lace and ruffles on the floor, gossiping about everything and nothing as they put the final details on Seungminnie’s wedding dress.

“You guys can totally let me watch, there are no rules!”
“Let us watch! We promise to be quiet!”

They sew in last minute pearls and lace, small details that are only addable day off due to their delicacy. 

Seungminnie stares blankly at her reflection in the antique mirror in front of her. She watches as her complexion shifts slowly in real time from just another noble, to noble bride minutes away from walking down the aisle. Her parents wait outside the door, her lovers sit behind her with her dress, and yet still she feels as if she is trapped in an isolated void.

It is not a negative feeling, per se. She is simply coming to terms with the fact that a moment she thought would never come has suddenly arrived, and that no matter the manner at which it is set up, the people she cares about most are right here with her. Her freedom is before her, so close she can grab it, and all she has to say is ‘I do.’

Her breathing seems to stop when Fefe zips her dress, and not because of the extremely tiny french corset she wears; although that might certainly play a part. But because it is all catching up to her. Leaving her family behind to start a new one, marrying a man with a lover whilst she has two partners of her own, the changing of her surname to Lee-Kim, marrying into non monogamy for the rest of her days. It all just feels so heavy. And it only dawns her after Jisu and Fefe run off, a blur of curled hair and lace as they disappear.

“I can see you are having a meltdown, Seungminnie. Please breathe. We cannot have you swooning before you are even married. And I would like for you to survive, I am becoming very fond of you, against my will of course.” Jooeun begins fanning Seungminnie frantically, trying to calm her down and cool her heating face. 

“I am getting married.” the woman says, swaying. She ungracefully snatches the fan from the other woman's hands, her grip on it steel as she hunches over, stumbling to the nearest sofa. “Yes, Mrs.Lee-Kim, you are. And you are going to be so happy. We will all be very happy, uhh— dammit it all.. the beach!” the woman blurts, as if she is starting to panic along with the bride.

“Think of the beach! You never have to wear another suffocating corset, and your husband adores you. Your husbands lover adores you for crying out loud, your lovers adore you! You make a wonderful bride and you will make a wonderful mother one day if you wish it. But— but listen—  the best part?” Jooeun kneels next to her, taking her hand and trying her best to look Seungminnie in her eyes while the bride proceeds to lose color.

“You will never have to consider the kingdom's opinion, or your parents opinion, or even the empress's opinion after today. It will always be up to you, and those you chose to build a life with.” Seungminnie looks down at the women, her jagged breathing finally beginning to even out.

Jooeun catches on quickly, she nods, inhaling and exhaling, hoping the bride will follow. “Yes yes, good, Minnie. It is okay, because it is all up to us. For once, us women get a say. Now, the easy part that seems hard is approaching, and it is scary. I understand. We are all leaving a lot behind to chase this dream. Someone has to though. You are strong, and you look ethereal, so please calm down before you sweat off my hard work.”

Seungminnie puffs a final, panicked exhale of air into a laugh. She nods, out of breath, head spinning. She is marrying her favorite person, and spending the rest of her days with those in her life who matter the most. It is simply nerves that eat at her, not fear, not hate, but excitement, and awe. 

She will be alright. Married, and in an unfamiliar place, but alright. She is ready. As ready as she will ever be.

“Where is my veil?” she asks, standing only when her vision has cleared, and her thoughts stop attempting to suffocate her more than the corset snug around her torso. 

“Eh– I do believe Fefe went to fetch it with Jisu’s help. They should be returning with that and something for you to drink.”

Seungminnie nods, focusing on not spiraling again for the few minutes it takes the pair to return, tea tray, cakes, and veil in hand. Seungminnie’s face contorts as soon as she sees it, and she can feel tears well in her eyes before Jisu gets a chance to explain it.

The blonde and brunette are already crying as they place it over her head, watching her face partially shield as they flip it forward. “We made it ourselves, and even though we technically will not be your maids anymore, we love you so much, and we would take care of you in a million lifetimes if it means we can fall for you in each of them. No matter how long anyone else thinks it is.” Jisu sneaks beneath the veil, kissing Seungminnie so passionately the woman thinks her soul might be with child.

Felix is a mess next to her, she seemed to be holding it together when they first re-entered the room, but she has always been the most emotional of the three. Her face is completely contorted, her makeup ruined and tears running like she is in mourning. Seungminnie makes a pitiful sound, letting the blonde beneath her veil and wiping her running makeup before she kisses her as well. 

“I am grateful for you both. Let us live well.”

The blonde and brunette nod frantically, leaning in to hug Seungminnie tightly one last time, before they freshen up and head towards the ceremony. 

The music plays, the designated pairs going ahead as Seungminnie waits with her parents and lovers, waiting to be revealed.
“Oh look, a smile. Oh, Minnie. You are terribly breathtaking, and you are lucky we are not stingy with you.” Jisu giggles, Felix next to her, holding the bride's other hand. “Alright, gorgeous. ‘Tis showtime. Let us enjoy our last moments here. It will be a while before we see this kingdom again.”

“Goodness dear, do you not believe your farewell to be a bit excessive?” Lady Kim—Seungminnie’s mother—steps forward. She pointedly takes Seungminnie’s hands out of Fefe and Jisu’s, interrupting their moment. Seungminnie’s smile fades, and she gives the two women a sympathetic look right before their que comes, and they turn to descend the aisle.

Seungminnie scoffs, glaring at the women as she fixes her veil. “Oh do not look at me like that, I am painfully aware you three are a unit. I just… do not know why you would choose them as your maids of honor when have 2 perfectly capable sisters.”

Seungminnie scoffs, she cannot even be free of parental expectations when she is about to be given away. “I have my reasons, mother. And it is my wedding day, out of all times for you to be so—judgemental?”

“Well, had you married sooner and chosen your family in your special moments, we would not be having this conversation. I always thought you were too dependent on those two anyways, maybe I made a mistake letting you keep them around. You are far too–”

“Let her be dear.” Mr.Kim—Seungminnie’s father—approaches, extending his arm. Seungminnie pushes a smile, hooking her hand over her arm. “We will talk of the maids later, but now, it is her day. Besides, she has finally married, I suppose that is something she has done right at last.”

Mrs.Kim scoffs. “Fine, another time then.” she surrenders, scooping her daughters hand in her own. She pats the back of Seungminnie’s gloved palm, nodding twice as the music changes, the cue for the doors to open and the bride to walk down the aisle. Seungminnie grits her teeth and bites her tongue, none of this will matter after she is hours away, relaxing with her lovers on the sand. 

She pushes the disdain aside, smiling only when she spots Minho standing at the altar at the end of the aisle. He winks at her when he spots the women—well, attempts to wink—he has a boyish habit of winking with both eyes, and even now, years later, it makes Seungminnie giggle.

She walks, one foot in front of the other through the pedals on the ground. Chan, Fefe and Jisu had chosen ‘storybook garden’ as the theme, so gorgeous green vines and lace hang from the ceiling, making the women feel like she is a botanical princess of some sort.

The set up is gorgeous, the crowd is stunning, the groom is beautiful, and her lovers—where they stand next to her spot near the altar—are the most ethereal thing she has seen this lifetime. 

She sees Fefe breaking down again next to Jisu, who looks proud yet pouty, her eyes glued to Seungminnie’s approaching figure. She feels her eyes beginning to water again when she looks over to see both Minho and Chan wiping tears from their eyes. Everyone is a mess, but somehow, it makes it all the more sublime. 

Seungminnie smiles despite her tears, even after she makes it to the altar, even after Minho slides a rock on her finger the size of marble, even after the two of them finally say “I Do."

The guests of the wedding are busy having fun while Seungminnie and Minho play the part of a happy hetero couple for the kingdom. 

They are not wrong to think that the pair are enjoying themselves, but even as they do so, they send word to Changbin, Hyunjin, Chan and Jeoun to keep up with the progress of moving all their things to the carriages. Every detail from how many horses to how many articles of clothing are coming with them is accounted for, and they make sure of it even while they get drunk off of spiked cakes and wine. 

Fefe and Jisu are intoxicated and happy, letting themselves go as soon as they are finished helping Seungminnie into her celebratory evening gown. Seungminnie is reassured of something she has known for a long time; that Minho has an extremely high alcohol tolerance. He keeps it together, pristine as he was when the ceremony started, even as the three women hang off of him like christmas ornaments, growing more and more sloppy as the hours pass.

At the very least, he is entertained. He eavesdrops while Fefe talks in slurs to every guest at the party, an arm around Seungminnie as she tries to dance whilst 2 cakes away from black out, and eye on Jisu where she shoves every dessert on the table ungracefully in her mouth.

They have quite a bit of fun, and when it is finally time the bride and groom leave for their ‘honeymoon’ there are already four carriages packed with personal luggage waiting on the outside of the kingdom, and  two women hiding away inside of their carriage. 

Seungminnie tosses her bouquet, Minho packs up the rest of the cake for Jisu, and as the sun begins to set, the two run down the aisle, hand in hand as they cheese uncontrollably and run straight for their carriage. Everyone expects their return after the honeymoon, completely unaware that the happy couple said their goodbyes to their siblings and friends during the celebration, and that they will not be back for a long, long time. 

On the way out of the kingdom, the women are still intoxicated when they stop at an inn to change their clothes and buy supplies. Minho laughs at them hysterically, even as they whine and bite at his arms while he helps them change. 

It is a long journey to their new estate. Hours and acres of bumpy roads and farmlands. Still, the three of them find solace in each other each occasion they climb in and out of the carriage. And it matters not how long it has been, the space they share is never quiet. 

Minho, Hyunjin, Changbin, Chan and Jeooun rotate driver duty on each of the carriages what feels like a million times, before the air they travel to begins to feel more humid than it does hot. During their last day of travel, Felix and Jisu practically hang out of the carriages window, screaming like wounded puppies when the ocean finally finally comes into view, and they approach a coastal civilization near the water.

Though Jisu and Fefe are just as loud as they were the entire ride there, the atmosphere changes noticeably as they begin to approach the estate. The ocean in their view has the same effect as human hearing music for the first time.

Seungminnie’s heart swells as she watches the two holler out the window in excitement. Jisu gasps, in awe, entirely entranced by the wide, blue body of water looking back at them, and Fefe is immediately in tears. Seungminnie laughs so hard she nearly chokes on it, her girls truly are the cutest thing ever. 

"Look!" Jisu shrieks, pointing as though the water might disappear if she does not keep track of it. "Look! Look! It is bigger than I thought!"

"That is because it is an ocean, you idiot!" Fefe shouts back through tears, Jisu shoving her in a bout of giggles. Seungminnie and Minho are hanging out of the windows along with Jisu and Fefe like unruly children during the last few minutes of the ride, and their eagerness is rewarded when they approach the edge of the coastal villages. Nestled near the shoreline sits the estate they selected months ago. The sea stretches endlessly behind it, blue meeting blue at the horizon. Sunlight dances across the water. White curtains billow from open windows. The private beach below is completely untouched. 

The carriages are parked immediately once they arrive, the horses and wagons of belongings they spent hours going through forgotten on the stone roads.

Seungminnie is the first to climb from the carriage, trekking towards the water in silence. Behind, the others follow, and nobody utters a word. 

This house has been their key to escape for months, a place where there would be no more planning, no more scheming, no more hiding, and no more lying to satisfy everyone who taught them that the world did not accept their kind.  

And now, at last, they have their paradise. Today, at this moment, it has become real.