Monique sighed, spinning around slowly to look in the mirror.
     "I don't know if I want to go through with this," she whispered.
     "Unnie~" Monique's little sister, Mai, whined, "why not?"
Monique bit her lip and bowed her head.
     "You wouldn't understand, Mai."
Mai shrugged.
     "Father says if you don't go, you're not allowed to go out into the forest again."
Monique swore under her breath.
     "He's such a manipulative bastard."
     "I heard that!" Mai giggled.
Monique shook her head, her eyes angry.
     "I don't want to marry. I'm too young..."
Mai's eyes were big.
     "I want my unnie to be happy~"
Monique patted her sister's head, fondly, and smiled sadly.
     "I'll be fine, Mai. Just take care of yourself."
But as Monique looked at the floor length plum red dress, and the black heels, and her black eyes and red lips...she felt like she'd never be free again.

     "Introducing Sir Philip Chong and his two daughters, Miss Mai, and...Lady Monique." Even the announcer was shocked by Monique's beauty. As soon as she walked into the room, her head bowed, everyone went silent. Of course, they all knew why she was here. Monique knelt down before the young prince, and stared at the floor.
     "Annyeonghaseyo. My name is---"
     "Lady Monique Chong. Yes, I know." The prince said softly, holding out his hand.
Monique looked up at him in disgust. Did he expect her to kiss his hand. The prince seemed to read her mind, because he laughed.
     "Stand up. I'm holding out my hand to help you up."
Monique blinked, slightly surprised at how polite he was. She took his hand and the prince pulled her up. He bowed.
     "You know my name, right?"
Monique nodded slightly.
     "Yoseob---err, I mean Prince Yoseob."
Yoseob chuckled.
     "Just Yoseob. Please."
Monique blushed as he kissed her hand delicately.
     "Such dainty hands." Yoseob murmured.
He pulled her close.
     "Y-Yoseob..." Monique gasped as he put his lips to her ear.
     "Do you dance, Monique?" Yoseob whispered.
Monique swallowed. Yes. She danced. But never in front of people.
     "I...I...no."
Yoseob tilted his head.
     "Let me teach you then."
Monique stuttered incoherently as Yoseob pulled her on to the ballroom floor. He gently put his arm around her waist, and the other on her shoulder.
     "Do the same." Yoseob ordered.
Monique couldn't believe how forward and fast he was being, but she reluctantly obliged. As they swayed slowly, Yoseob couldn't help but smile.
     "You've danced before, haven't you? Yah, don't lie to me, Monique! You're so elegant...and you move with such grace."
Monique smiled slightly, going red.
     "Thank you."
Yoseob suddenly pulled Monique closer.
     "Neither of us want to get married this young, and we're not in love. So, we could just pretend. We'll take it slow, and tell everyone we're just "dating". And that we don't want to marry yet. I don't want to make your father angry, and I'm sure you don't want to anger mine either, but as long as we stay close enough, I'm sure we can pull this off."
Monique bit her lip.
     "And then what? We'll still have to marry. And what if it doesn't work? We'd both get done for trying to trick them..."
     "It will work and...no, we won't have to marry. If we pull it off for long enough, I'm going to England in a few months time, and I'm not coming back for 2 years. And in that time, you will marry another man...or run away. Your choice."
Monique met Yoseob's sparkling eyes.
     "What will I have to do...when we're pretending?"
Yoseob smirked slightly.
     "You'll have to kiss me. And let me hold and touch you. And...other things."
Monique knew their father's were watching them carefully, so she resisted the sudden urge to slap him.
      "Fine," Monique snapped, "just...don't go too far."
Yoseob shrugged.
      "We'll have to see what happens," he teased, making Monique's eyes narrow with irritation.
      "Great. I just can't wait."
Yoseob tutted.
      "Don't be rude. I'm still the prince."
Monique pulled away and curtseyed sarcastically.
      "Oh I'm sorry, your highness."
Yoseob laughed.
      "I like you. You're fiesty. Now...kiss me," he added quietly.
Monique's mouth dropped open and she froze.
What?
Yoseob rolled his eyes, stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Monique's small waist, and gently slipped his tongue into her open mouth, which immediately closed again. Yoseob pushed into the kiss, Monique's lips tasting surprisingly good. His arms tightened around her waist and Monique closed her eyes. She had never kissed like this before, and weirdly, it felt amazing. Everybody stared at the pair, especially Yoseob and Monique's fathers. As soon as Yoseob pulled away, Monique took one last look at Yoseob and fainted.

     "Monique? Monique, are you okay?"
Monique's eyes fluttered open and she groaned.
     "Mai?"
     "Oh my god, Monique unnie, are you okay?" Mai cried, hugging her sister tightly.
Monique sat up slowly.
     "Where am I?"
She looked at the person sitting in the chair next to the bed.
     "In my bed," Yoseob said softly, looking up to meet Monique's eyes.
Monique retched.
     "What? Oh god, get me out of here!"
Yoseob looked hurt.
     "I'm not a disgusting pig. My bed's clean."
Monique swallowed, realising she'd spoken disrespectfully.
     "I'm sorry," she said, bowing her head.
Yoseob smiled.
     "It's fine."
     "What happened?" Monique moaned.
     "You fainted," Yoseob explained.
Mai giggled.
     "Yoseob immediately picked you up and brought you here. He looked really worried."
Monique blinked and blushed.
     "Th-Thank you. I must have been heavy..."
Yoseob shook his head.
     "Nah. Not really."
     "See? Isn't Yoseob nice? If you get married to him, I wouldn't mind. He got me some sweets and look--" Mai held up sweets and child friendly drink of juice.
     "Mai..." Monique started, but Mai carried on.
     "Yoseob's sweet, and he's funny. He told me not to worry when you had fainted. He also persuaded father to stay out of the room until you'd fully recovered!"
Monique looked at the now red Yoseob. She smiled.
     "Yes...that's sweet."
Yoseob bowed his head, suddenly shy.
     "How are you feeling now, Monique?"
Monique sighed.
     "Still don't wan to talk to my father..."
Yoseob closed his eyes.
     "Neither do I to be honest...maybe I shouldn't have kissed you."
     "What do you mean?"
     "My father's going to kill me. He doesn't like it when I flirt. He says I should "save myself" for when I'm married. I could see the hatred in his eyes when I kissed you," Yoseob explained.
     "But...it was only a kiss," Monique frowned.
Yoseob rolled his eyes.
     "Oh sweetie, why don't you get this? I kissed you. In my father's eyes, we either go all the way now, or I get yelled at, and most probably punished for being a ""."
     "That...makes no sense..." Monique muttered.
Yoseob shrugged and suddenly the door burst open.
     "Monique!" Sir Chong snarled.
Monique swallowed.
     "F-Father..."
     "You pathetic little --" Sir Chong began, before Yoseob cut across him angrily.
     "You dare speak to her like that?"
     "I'm her father---"
     "Exactly. Treat her with respect. You're in the prince's presence, do as I say, before I force you to do so," Yoseob snapped.
Monique and Mai stared at Yoseob, their mouths open in shock.
     "Fine. You think you can treat her properly after living with her day and night? Then by all means, have a go. Monique, stay here tonight. I'll bring your things tomorrow. Mai, come along now." Sir Chong said coldly, grabbing Mai's wrist.
Yoseob, his father and Monique blinked, surprised.
     "W-What?"
Yoseob held onto Monique's hand, tightly.
     "That's not a good idea..."
     "Oh, it's a good idea. Sleep with the , feed the , love the , do whatever the hell you want with the , I don't want anything more to do with her." Sir Chong hissed, before storming out with the crying Mai.
     "She's your responsabilty now, Yoseob. Let's hope that kiss meant something," Yoseob's father said quietly.
Yoseob bowed his head.
     "Yes father."
As the king turned and left the room, Monique let out a cry.
     "You selfish jerk!"
Yoseob blinked, confused.
     "What?"
     "My father's going to kill Mai. She's too young to do the work I did...we're daughters of a very, very rich man...but we always did the work a servant does. Now...now she's left alone...and I'm stuck with you!" Monique hissed.
Yoseob's eyes narrowed.
      "Just be glad I'm actually going to let you stay here, and not chuck you out onto the streets."