***

Drip

Drip

Drip

My eyes followed the water dripping from the tip of my fingers closely as they fall and splashed back into the bathtub, face avoid of emotion as my brain raced. So, I’ve been sitting there like a statue for almost two hours already, halfway drowning myself in the bath after going straight here as soon as I came back from the school earlier. I didn't even realize that the water has cooled down and the warmth has gone for awhile now,

Blinking twice, I shake my head awake when the last drop of water detached from my little finger before I bring my hand down to hold onto the edge of the bathtub and stand up, walking out of the water as I did so, dripping water everywhere onto the marbled floor,

I walked to the grand vanity table, tracing my fingertips on the elegant curves that adorning the furniture before finally found my eyes fixated onto the silver chain that laid on top of my jewelry box, it’s pendant catch my attention, and I brought my hand slowly to take it, holding it out on my open palm as I continued on staring at the sapphire,

The Lee’s signet ring glimmered under the cold light of my bathroom, looked as regal as I could remembered and I let out an empty chukles,

Funny how much an impact could such a little thing did to me. How many memories could it bring back to life just by staring at it. My bitter smile stay as I recalled the last time I wear this ring around my neck,

‘this is how your father died when he tried to take your mother back’

The cold anger boiling inside me and yet I feel my blood grew hotter from hatred inside me as the room temperature dropped significantly. I lift my eyes up and watch my reflection from the frozen surface of the mirror. Two gleaming silver orbs staring back at me,

I loathed what I saw,

I loathed the uncanny resemblance that we both have and I loathed how I can do nothing about it. Because no matter what I did, no matter what I told myself, the fact that we’re related, the fact that a part of her -more or less- lived within me as long as I live won't ever change. We were connected through the cursed blood we shared,

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I leaned my weight on top the vanity table, both hands balled in a tight fists as I squinted close my eyes for a second before opening them again and the previous gleaming eyes was back to their normal state. I let out a heavy sigh,

Not wanting to spoil my mood even more, I turn my attention back towards the ring in my hand and put it back on top of the jewelry box where it laying side by side with my Blood stone,

I turn around, grabbing my bathrobe that hanging on the rack beside the vanity and then proceed slowly to walk back into the bedroom before a sight of a figure lying leisurely on top of my bed -acting as if it’s his own quarter- stopped me dead on my track, hands freeze in the middle of tying the knot on my robe,

“what a sight to behold, indeed, HoSeok was dead right on this one, you are utterly ravishing, my dear” Yoongi commented, smirking slightly as he ran a thoughtful fingers on his chin,

I found myself scoffed in disbelief after shaking my head out of the momentary shock from finding him inside my room,

“he said that?” I ask lightly, finishing my task as I continue my walk to the other vanity table in my bedroom,

Yoongi nod his head as he stood from my bed and walk towards me with a big grin on his face, I found myself smiling out of amusement as I watch him from the mirror,

“he did, bragged if I may say, you should see the looks on JungKook and Jimin’s face when he said he saw you in this state, dripping, freshly out of the bath and smelled so heavenly, an embodiment of a goddess herself”,

I snorted at such comparison and couldn't help but cackled even more at the irony, a personification of death compared to a holy being? Never heard a better jokes, “hmm, what’re you doing here, oppa?”,

Yoongi laughed at my dismissal tone as play with the tip of my damp hair, head tilted lazily, clearly still in his gaming mood as he stared back at me “do I really need an excuse to visit my mate?” he playfully asked back instead of answering my question while feigning hurtful looks and I roll my eyes at his ridiculous antics,

“cut it out”,

The white haired boy snickered when he saw my annoyed face before leaning down to put his arms around my neck in a back hug and plant light kiss on my cheek, smiling when the kiss worked out as the corner of my lips tugged up a little by his sweet gestures,

“I… have a favor to ask” Yoongi said finally as he straightened his back and turn away to walk towards my bedside table, taking something that I haven't paid much attention to until he hold them out in both hands to show me. A bowl, a comb and a bottle of hair dye. I raised both of my eyebrows at this,

“favor?”, he nods his head, grinning from ear to ear as he walked back to my spot, setting all the ‘equipment’ in front of me on the vanity table as I eyed the black bottle before looking back at him,

“and what kind of favor required all these, may I  ask?”,

At this question, Yoongi’s cheshire grin seemingly grew bigger as he take the bottle from my hand, “dye my hair for me?”.

***

“You know what? I’ve been wondering if silvery blond is your natural hair color up until now and... knowing that wasn't the case was a wee bit disappointment actually” JooYeon said as she work on Yoongi locks, dyeing the soft light blonde strands back to black patiently while the owner of the hair playing with one of her hair clips,

“you prefer a blond?” he ask breezily,

Puckering her lips slightly, JooYeon hummed as she shake her head in slow motion “not really, I don't really pay attention to people appearance, you know what I mean?”,

Yoongi let out a contented sigh when JooYeon’s gloved fingers massaged his scalp gently and couldn't help but leaning back onto her touch even more as he answered with closed eyes “speaking of which, you do remember seeing me with my black hair when we first meet 12 years ago, right?”, he peeked from one eye as he asked that and the questioned girl stopped shortly to try to recall the memories but after a few second, she let out a playful smile as she shrugs her shoulders,

“don't know, can't remember, I was too busy avoiding Nara’s hatreds anyway, I just know that all of you were her knights in shining armors and I’ll just got in more trouble if I’m to concern myself with any of you, I ain’t got no time nor energy for that, let alone paying attention to what or how you looked like”,

Yoongi groaned at her answer and pouted like a child, making the girl let out a quiet chuckles as she resumed her task, ignoring the male’s grumbling as she did so,

“you are so insensitive”,

“oh, am I now? Then why did you let an insensitive person dye your hair for you? You could just go and dye it yourself”,

“that’s irrelevant and it won't be as good as when someone dye it for you, isn’t it? besides, is it wrong that I just wanted to be pampered by my own mate every once in awhile?”,

“just say that you are a spoiled brat and in a dire need of attention, there’s no need for some ludicrous reasons to sugar coat it, I won't judge”,

“I am not a brat”,

“yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that, who knows it would come true in the end”,

From other people’s perspective they would surely looked like a pair of bickering sibling with her being the older one instead of the other way around but JooYeon really doesn't mind this kind of atmosphere, she liked it even, it makes her forget about her problems temporarily, and the fact that Yoongi choose to let this other side of him around her is another thing she like about the situation, the boy’s usually acted cold and mysterious most of the time around other people and him letting down all those cold facade he always used almost twenty-four seven and being like this around her make her rather flattered,

After a few seconds working in silence, JooYeon pick another strands of hair and start leathering the locks with the black substance as she spoke again, “all of that aside, what’s with the sudden changes?”,

“the others kept on whining about how they keep mistaking me and TaeHyung ever since he dyed his hair blonde, I grew tired of it after awhile and just now Jimin throw a bunch of papers at me because he mistaken me for TaeHyung when I make my way up here, Lord knows how much I wanted to grind that idiot head for that but can't, it’s frustrating” Yoongi explained lengthily and JooYeon couldn't help but snorted, already picturing the scene inside her mind as she listening to his tattle,

“you are unbelievable” she said, shaking her head in defeat and Yoongi grumbled in return “you’ll do what I did if you were in my shoes, I mean, he could change his hair into a different shade, why’d it have to be blonde in the first place?”,

“d’you think they purposely mistaken me with TaeHyung to pick on me? Taking an advantage of our similar shade of hair. I mean our hair isn't that similar, right? His was golden blond while mine was silvery blond, it’s not that hard to spot the difference” Yoongi keep on blabbered while the girl listening to his whinging,

Choosing the neutral side, JooYeon just shrugged her shoulders lightly without words, small smile decorating her face as she continued her works until the last strands covered completely and she stepped aside to checked her job, huffing in satisfaction when she found there’s no more white strands on Yoongi’s head before put the brush down into the emptied bowl and set them on top of her vanity table to take off her gloves before dumping them right into the trash bin just below the table,

Yoongi checked himself in the mirror then turn his eyes towards the girl with his rare gummy grin on his face “thanks, dear, you’re the best”,

“you’re welcome, you owe me one by the way, now if you’ll excuse me” JooYeon answered, smiling back at him as she take the bowl and brush from the table before walking into the bathroom to wash the them, Yoongi quietly following her behind,

He watch her wash the bowl in silence, smile never leave his face as he did so and the thought of how much he realized the impact that this girl have in his life come crossing his mind. He could -and would- do anything for her, funny how just a few months back they’re still onto each other neck then then next thing he know, she was everything to him, to all of them,

JooYeon was unaware of her mate eyes on her as she let her mind running around aimlessly while washing her hands before her head turn around unconsciously towards her jewelry box and the thing inside the white box catches her attention again for the second time this night and she opened even before she could comprehend anything,

“Oppa, I have a favor of my own to ask you” she started slowly, eyes still glued onto the ring as she speak,

Yoongi hummed to let her know that he’s listening and JooYeon finally tear her eyes off of the ring to look at her mate while sporting her infamous poker face on and Yoongi lift an eyebrow at her sudden change in behavior,

“what is it?” he asked as he walked closer towards her and immediately sneaked his arms around the girl’s waist, hugging her side as he careful to not let his damp hair touch her. JooYeon tug the corner of her lips slightly as she looked back,

“your father was the one who take care of our kingdom criminal files, if I’m not mistaken?” she spoke carefully and Yoongi couldn't help but frowned at the mention of his father but nodded anyway. JooYeon noticed uncomfort and the slight changes in his expression but decided to brush it off for now and continued,

“say, do you remember the rebellion case that happened a few years ago, almost one year after my father disappearance and who the perpetrator was?”, Yoongi nodded again before he answered,

“yeah, it’s Lord Lee’s broth…” his voice fading when suddenly the thoughts clicked about just what JooYeon’s wants from him and why she suddenly brought this seemingly random conversation into the light and he stared at his mate with a deep crease evident in between his perfectly shaped brows,

“what’d you want from your uncle, JooYeon? You know he was banished and stripped off of his title as a Lord for a cause”,

JooYeon sighed tiredly at her mate reaction. She already expected such reaction to be honest, her father’s little brother was accused as the one who wanted to start a rebellion years ago when he reported attacked one of the Council members and her father wasn't around to stood up for him when he was dragged away without being able to defend himself. The evidences was too overwhelming and no one in Lee faction could do anything to prevent the young Lord from being taken into custody,

JooYeon was nothing but a child back then but she still remember him vaguely and how he treated her. They have meet a few times -about three or four times- and each times she could remember the man treated her with kindness. He’s among a few people her father trusted with where JooYeon and her mother reside at that time,

“do you really believe my uncle would do such things as attacking one of the Council members without consent, oppa?”, Yoongi frowned as his eyes trailing away towards the other side of the room as his minds raced and JooYeon choose this silent moment to continue,

“I know you knew him longer than I did, I barely spend time with the man and even I could tell that something was off with the whole ordeal”,

JooYeon waited until Yoongi finally turn his dark eyes back to her and instead of answering, he turn to ask “what did you planned, JooYeon?”, Yoongi didn't like the idea of having anything to do with a former traitor of the Kingdom, no matter how much he wanted to believe and respected the great man,

A moment passed between them before JooYeon sighed heavily, turning her whole body away from her mate, putting a slight distance from each other bodies and Yoongi instantly felt his brows creased even more,

“earlier this evening, I said I'm going to put all of you on the