It was a new day; the sun shined brighter than ever and the air was warm—the perfect time to go outside. It was beautiful. A gentle breeze combed through Youngjae's hair as he gazed out of the open window. The branches of Levert forest waved in the wind as if they were bidding Youngjae a safe trip. The tranquil silence of the area was a refreshing feeling. Youngjae sighed as he watched the birds flying high above the branches.

How nice would it be to have so much freedom? To be able to touch the sky like that? I wonder if birds know how special their ability to fly is.

A thought crossed his mind as he diverted his attention back to the seat opposite him, where Daehyun sat.

"Daehyun, what happened yesterday?" Youngjae recalled the memory. It was as if a ghost had appeared right before Daehyun’s eyes. As much as Youngjae wanted to know the reason behind Daehyun’s strange behavior, he made sure that he didn’t sound too forceful. Scaring away Daehyun was the last thing he wanted.

“I-it reminded me of when I lost my parents.”

“I see.” Youngjae’s heart grew heavier than stone and he looked down. He shouldn’t have asked. The boy deserved closure—they both did. The fact that he was taking Daehyun to Porles didn’t help at all. Surely, he should have known that the mere thought of that wretched place would only bring back unpleasant memories.

He sighed at his own inconsideration.

No. Why am I thinking like this? I’m not just taking him to Porles without reason.

Youngjae donned a smile so bright and unexpected that it almost scared Daehyun.

“Have you ever tried cheesecake?”

Daehyun shook his head.

Cheesecake? I’ve never heard of that before. Why would anyone put cheese in a cake? That doesn’t sound appetizing at all.

“You’ll love it. It’s delicious.” Youngjae chuckled. He sounded so sure of himself that Daehyun started doubting his previous thought.

“If you say so.”

Stepping out of the carriage and onto the cobblestone path, Youngjae drew in a deep breath. It was almost as if nothing had changed at all since he took Daehyun under his care; the same scents, same sounds, same faces. And out of all those faces, one of them was a lot less miserable.

“Come on, Daehyun.” Youngjae approached Daehyun and placed his arm around his shoulder. At a steady pace, he led them both to the heart of the city.

Before he met Youngjae, Daehyun rarely ever ventured into the center of Porles. And whenever he did, the richer townsfolk would look at him as if he was some sort of vermin and wasted no time in shooing him back to the slums.

That’s where rats like you belong, they would say.

And they weren’t wrong.

To all the passersby, the two simply looked like close friends. They wore similar clothing, polished shoes, well-groomed hair and both faces were free of displeasure—Daehyun didn’t seem out of place at all. No one would’ve guessed that a noble like Youngjae was, in fact, walking alongside a rat.

Daehyun had never seen the center of Porles within such proximity. The whole area was set out like a dartboard. At the middle—the bull’s eye; was a grandiose fountain. With its marble dolphins gushing out water, the gentle hums of its ripples were soothing to the ear. Circling the fountain was a flagstone path. Its width offered plenty of space for everyone to move around easily. Various shops lined the path, most of which were filled with customers. The place was a lot more sophisticated than the disheveled marketplace.

“Here we are.” Youngjae announced as he held the door open for Daehyun. Daehyun stepped inside with his mouth agape in awe. Wooden shelves lined the walls with cheese and wine proudly displayed on them. The tangy scent of exotic spices and finely-aged cheese were foreign to him. Slices of cured meats were bound by twine to a rack above their heads and could easily make full stomachs growl.

“This is Vindeciel—the best delicatessen in town.”

“Youngjae? Is that you?” A voice called out from behind the counter. A young woman peeked through the array of food blocking her view and jumped up when she saw the figure standing by the door.

“Dalas. It’s been a while.” Youngjae replied as she gave him a tight hug.

“It’s been too long.” Dalas broke off the hug and straightened out her dress.

“So what brings you here, Jae?”

‘Jae’? She called him ‘Jae’? Just how close are these two? Daehyun’s cheeks reddened at his thoughts. Wait, why is this bothering me so much?

“My friend, here, has never tried cheesecake.” Youngjae motioned to Daehyun.

“Hello, miss. My name is Jung Daehyun.” Daehyun said with a bow. A bow.

“Oh. Well, he sure is polite.” She stated as she stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

In front of Daehyun was a slice of cheesecake. It looked very plain and tasteless and he began to question Youngjae’s definition of ‘delicious’. People often eat with their eyes before their mouths and to Daehyun, it sure as Hell didn’t look delicious. But he decided to try it anyway. He dug his spoon into the cheesecake and brought the small chunk to his lips as Youngjae and Dalas watched, eagerly awaiting his reaction.

To his surprise, it tasted divine. It was rich, creamy and the biscuit base was sweeter than honey. It was delicious--and easily addictive. After he finished his own slice, he couldn't resist asking for some of Youngjae's. 

"Well? Do you like it?" The two asked Daehyun in unison.

Daehyun gulped down another bite of cheesecake before replying. "Are you kidding? This is delicious!"

Dalas smiled at him. "I'm glad. Vindeciel is well-known for its wine but the cheesecakes remain a hidden gem."

Daehyun and Youngjae stayed at the delicatessen until midday. Because it was lunch time for most people, Youngjae knew that Dalas would be busy soon. Besides, he had other plans too. He and Daehyun were going to aid Junhong with his swordsmanship. Excusing themselves, Youngjae exited Vindeciel--but not without one last hug from Dalas.

There it is again. What was Daehyun feeling? It seemed so foreign to him--whatever it was; it was making his heart pound. 

"Take care when going back to the manor. Rumor has it that there's an assassin lurking in Levert forest."

The carriage ride was no different from before. The still silence of their surroundings--it was loud. Muted birds flew above them; even the carriage's wheels rolling against the dirt path remained quiet. It wasn't awkward, but Daehyun had the urge to break the complete lack of sound.

"Youngjae, are you and Dalas perhaps--" Daehyun paused to let his mind gather the words he needed.

"Are you two in a relationship?"

Youngjae's cheeks burned bright red upon hearing Daehyun's question.

What? He hasn't fallen for Dalas, has he? No, he can't have. But then that can only mean--no. I'm sure it doesn't mean anything. He's just curious.

"No, we're not. Miss Dalas Otatop is actually my cousin." Youngjae chuckled. 

Interrupting the awkward pause that followed, Youngjae cleared his throat and turned to Junhong. The young man was sitting beside Daehyun and without a word, he ran his fingers along the blade of his new sword.

"Be careful with that sword, Junhong. If you get too good at it, you might get invited into The House Of Cards." Youngjae joked.

Daehyun gave them a convincing smile as he desperately tried to push his past back into its grave, where it belonged. "Let's just hope that you'll never need to use it."

The three slipped back into silence as the same oak trees they saw that morning came into view. Everything was still. There was no wind, no breeze--no movement at all apart from the carriage they were in. It was cold. The statuesque trees prevented any of the sun's warmth from seeping through. The seemingly lifeless forest, a carriage being pulled by two white horses and the metallic shine of a blade--Daehyun was getting a strong sense of Déjà vu.

From the corner of Daehyun's eye, a gray horse and its rider came into view. What was a peaceful sight of Levert forest merely moments ago, was suddenly ridden with a sense of danger. The cloaked rider dismounted the horse and threw himself into the carriage. With the shards of glass falling on them like hail and the cold air seeping into their skin, they knew the safety of their carriage was no more. Though he was just as afraid as a mouse would be in the face of a cat, Junhong wielded his sword. Though it was to no avail--before he could attack, a triangular blade from beneath the perpetrator's cloak pierced through his hand. With the stinging pain, he stumbled back and dropped his sword. Inhaling sharply, Junhong bit down hard on his lip to try to suppress the pain as he clutched his trembling hand. He watched as his blood trickled down his arm and fell to the floor in drops; its metallic odor was overwhelming.

Youngjae.

Daehyun eyed the forgotten sword and mustered up the courage to pick it up. Swords weren't too different from daggers, were they? Surely, Daehyun could use a sword just as well as a dagger.

I need to protect Youngjae.

A pale arm extended out from beneath the cloak's shadows with a peculiar weapon in-hand. Like a boomerang, a bladed fan of blackened silk flew across the carriage--and it was aimed straight for Youngjae's throat. Daehyun tightened his grip on the hilt as he swung at the airborne fan. Before Youngjae could even react, the sword's blade obstructed the fan's path and it fell onto the seat beside him. Everything was a blur--with his thoughts hazy from agitation, Daehyun slashed the sword at the perpetrator. The assassin collapsed and the hood that concealed their face slipped off. The assassin was a young woman. She gasped for air as her arms wrapped around her wounded torso in pain. She looked up at Daehyun in defeat.

"Who are you?" She coughed up blood and her voice became weaker than a fallen leaf. 

"Those eyes...Daryn?" With those words, her voice faded away and her comatose body was without movement.

With their hearts pounding louder than a stampede and lungs showing no signs of slowing, the three stared at the woman. Her seemingly lifeless body was submerged in a pool of her own blood. Regardless, they still needed to know if she was truly dead or not. Youngjae approached her and gently pressed two of his fingers below her jaw. Everyone was silent and nothing but the galloping of the horses could be heard as they awaited the verdict.

Youngjae sighed. "She's still alive. We need to take her to Aya." 

"But what if she tries to kill you again?"

Youngjae shook his head. "With an injury like that, she won't have the strength. And I am capable of self-defense. Besides," He looked out of the window and stared up at the sky.

"She can lead us to The House Of Cards."

Though he was reluctant, Daehyun nodded in agreement. What else was he supposed to do? He was only twelve when he left The House Of Cards, anyway. Surely, nobody would recognize him. 

Wait...did she call me Daryn?

Daryn. It had been so long since he heard that name.

Back when Daehyun was still an assassin, he was known by three different names. Most people around the country knew him as the infamous Black Butterfly. All of his friends called him Daryn. Nobody knew Daehyun's real name except for his mother. He wanted to keep those two different sides of him separate. Daehyun was the poor peasant boy who could never hurt even a fly; Daryn was the bloodthirsty demon that kept Daehyun alive.

The carriage stopped outside the manor's gates. With Youngjae and Daehyun carrying the unconscious woman, the four got off the carriage and ran to the gates.

"Yoongi, go back to Porles and bring Seokjin here, now!" Youngjae yelled over his shoulder. Yoongi simply nodded and returned to Porles as fast as the horses could take him. 

"Jongup! Jongup hyung! Open the gates!" Junhong yelled so loud, his throat began to ache.

Jongup ran out of his little cottage and wasted no time in opening the gates.

"Junhong? What the Hell happened?" Jongup asked with growing panic in his voice.

"We were attacked."

Jongup turned to Youngjae and saw him and Daehyun carrying the injured woman. In her comatose state, she looked so harmless. 

"Junhong, did that woman do this to you?" Jongup clenched his fists tightly. Tighter, tighter, until his knuckles turned white. 

Junhong nodded and Jongup furrowed his eyebrows. He clenched his fists tighter, tighter, until his nails broke through skin.

"Youngjae, sir, why are you bringing a killer to your home? Only a fool would do such a thing and surely, you're no fool."

Daehyun gave a slight grimace as he heard those words. The twinges of guilt he felt was sickening. 

Youngjae didn't answer and instead, he commanded Jongup to open the gates when Yoongi and Seokjin arrived.

The manor's wooden doors stood tall, beckoning them. They ran towards the entrance as if Heaven was behind those closed doors. With his usual smile, they were welcomed in by Yongguk. 

"Welcome ba--" Yongguk’s eyes widened in shock and his tongue-tied smile decayed into a grim frown. The grotesque sight of blood and the woman's open wounds sent chills up his spine.

"Yongguk, go before us and tell Aya that we're bringing her two injured people."

Without question, Yongguk ran off to the infirmary and sprinted up the stairs with bounds and leaps. The two proceeded to carry the woman up the stairs with Junhong following closely behind them. Ignoring the drops of blood they had left behind on the white marble, they climbed the stairs at a steady pace. Making their way through the maze-like hallway and knocking over one of the decorative Poinsettias, they finally arrived at the infirmary. As they entered the room, Aya ran to them with a bundle of white cloth in her hands. 

"Bring them here!" She yelped with a frantic voice before taking notice of the blade embedded in Junhong's hand. 

"Oh, you poor child! Your hand! Youngjae, please tell me you sent someone to fetch Seokjin."

Youngjae nodded at her as he and Daehyun gently set the woman down on the bed. Aya sighed in relief as she turned back to Junhong.

"Junhong, dear, I need to do as much as I can to keep that young lady alive. You're strong--please, just endure it for now. Can you do that for me?" Her tone was awash with pity as she placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Okay." Junhong grunted as he sat down on another bed. Raising his hand up to his eyes, he observed the blade. An 'A' and a heart were engraved into the blade. 

Ace of hearts? So she really is a member of The House Of Cards. 

Not too long after, Seokjin arrived and hurriedly began unpacking his equipment.

"Bless the Lord!" Exclaimed Aya as she ran across the room towards Junhong.

"Please come and help that woman, Jin. I can do nothing more for her."

Sitting beside Junhong on the bed, she took his hand in hers and inspected the wound. She looked at him with pained eyes before saying in a gentle voice,

"Would you like something to bite down on? It'll make it hurt less."

Junhong shook his head and Aya shrugged her shoulders, as if to say 'suit yourself'. 

It was as if all of the air was knocked out of his lungs when he felt a sharp pain in his hand. The blood in the wound had dried and the skin surrounding it was stuck to the blade. And just as he felt that it couldn't get any worse, Aya began pulling it back and forth, trying to dislodge it. Though she was trying to be as gentle as she could, Junhong still writhed in pain with every move she made. His distressed wails and helpless cries--along with an occasional expletive filled the room; perhaps even the whole manor.

'Watch your language, young man!" Aya scolded as she dropped the blade onto the metal tray beside her. 

Taking notice of the blade, Junhong looked straight down at his hand and sighed in relief. Sure, the wound had started to bleed again and the sight alone made him feel nauseous but at least there wasn't a piece of metal inside his hand. 

Junhong leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. The unpleasant feelings faded as relaxation seeped in. Breathing in, breathing out, he slipped into the calm darkness. 

When all of this is over, I'm going to give Jongup-hyung a big hug.

Junhong yawned as he slowly felt himself falling prey to the sweet allure of sleep. The metallic odor of blood was replaced by another strong scent. It smelled like--

Alcohol?

Quicker than the fluttering wings of a bird, Aya pressed a cloth soaked in alcohol onto Junhong's hand. Fighting against his resistance, Aya called for Daehyun to help her keep Junhong still. Though she knew she was only trying to help him, she couldn't help but feel sorry for making him go through such pain.

It's for the best.

His distressed cries were much louder than before and tears began rolling down his cheeks. 

Eventually, the burning sensation in his hand had gone and Aya wrapped Junhong's hand in what felt like the softest bandages he'd ever felt. 

Sitting down beside Junhong, Daehyun placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Good man, you managed to endure it--you're stronger than most people."

Comforting smiles were exchanged and Youngjae too sat beside him.

"You should take the rest of this day off, Junhong. And don't do anything with that hand. Understand?"

Junhong gave a smile almost as endearing as Yongguk's and nodded.

"Thank you, sir."

Youngjae reached up and patted Junhong's hair.

"Go on then. Tell Jongup that you're fine--he seemed worried about you."

And with that, Junhong ran out of the room, past the drops of blood on the marble stairs, towards the little cottage and into Jongup's tight embrace. Seokjin watched them from outside the infirmary's window as he cleansed his bloodied hands with a damp cloth and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He smiled at the sweet sight in the distance.

"How nice; nobody's dead and everyone's happy." Seokjin sighed as he began packing up his equipment. He looked back at the woman lying asleep in the bed.

"She should wake up in perhaps a few hours."

  
Thanking Seokjin for his help and bidding him a safe trip back to Porles, they waved goodbye to him. They watched as the carriage's silhouette became nothing more than a speck of dust before returning inside the manor. It had been a hectic day but at least then, just as the wind picked up its pace, they could all rest.

That night was rather cold. A light drizzle fell onto dry ground and quenched the garden's constant thirst. Though the curtains were drawn shut, it was easy to guess that it would be another restless night for Levert forest. It makes one wonder; with the wind howling its melancholic song and the clouds weeping softly; was the world upset? And though at that moment, dark shadows reigned, it was disrupted by a golden glow that was almost brighter than the sun. The seemingly ethereal light came from none other than the grandiose chandeliers within Yoo manor.

The remarkable scent of food skillfully prepared by the hands of expert chefs was mouth-watering. Just like the notes that make up a song, every herb and spice used were complimentary to each other and were divine together. And just as the picturesque presentation was appealing to the eye, its taste was even greater.

First, baked chicken and mushrooms in béchamel sauce--with an assortment of sliced cheese on the side. Served on a thin wooden board and garnished with chives, its rustic elegance and creamy textures were a delightful way to start their dinner. Next, roasted potatoes and venison steak in cranberry sauce. With the thyme and pomegranate seeds scattered onto the dish, it was almost as if it was too festive. And finally, for dessert; a cloud-like dark chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream and crushed hazelnuts strewn on top.

Looking over at Daehyun, Youngjae noticed that he had barely eaten anything. He himself finished most of his dishes and thought that they were simply delicious. So why were there so many untouched dishes in front of Daehyun?

"Daehyun, what's the matter? Aren't you feeling well?" Youngjae asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

Daehyun shook his head as he reached for his teacup.

"I'm just...I don't feel hungry."

As he brought the teacup to his lips, the distant sound of running feet could be heard through the walls. And with a loud, thunderous noise, the dining hall doors were slammed open. Alarmed, the two turned towards the sound and saw Aya leaning against the door frame. 

"Sh-she's...she's awake!" She shouted between shallow breaths.

Abandoning their food, Youngjae and Daehyun followed Aya back to the infirmary. Making sure that the frail old woman didn't collapse, the two helped her up the stairs. Barging into the infirmary, the three ran in and found the young lady reaching for a scalpel that Seokjin had left behind on the bedside table.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, ? Put that down!” Aya yelped from behind Daehyun.

Startled, the woman pulled her arm back and stared at them in confusion.

“Where have you taken me?” She asked. Though she appeared weak and helpless, her voice was demanding, resisting defeat—an attribute one would expect from a member of The House Of Cards.

“You are in Yoo manor.” Youngjae answered.

“You were brought here when you passed out trying to kill me.”

She lowered her eyes and her hands followed.

“Oh. Is that so?”

Burying her hands beneath the blanket that covered her, she felt the bandaged wound on her torso.

No.

Daehyun’s hand went to the glass jug beside him. As his fingers glided up the smooth surface, he tightly squeezed the handle.

No. She’s hiding something.

How fortunate he was that he listened to his instinctive mistrust. For at that moment, the hands of time were moving slowly and every movement they made lasted for an eternity. The airborne scalpel that slipped from the woman’s slender fingers stood motionless and completely parallel to the ground. And once more, Youngjae was targeted by a sharpened blade—only this time, it was aimed right between his eyes.

I need to protect Youngjae.

Same thoughts, same movements—Daehyun lifted up the jug and held it out in front of them. Upon impact, the jug shattered in his hand and the water it held cascaded down, dragging the scalpel along with it.

Disgruntled, the woman glared at the two before letting out a small chuckle.

“What a stupid move, don’t you think? Why would you bring an assassin to your home?” With that last sentence, her glare was locked onto Daehyun before returning to Youngjae.

“You know, I’m surprised you’re not dead yet. Who would have thought that Yoo Youngjae, the young duke of Porles, was actually an idiot?” She laughed.

Aya leaned forward to Youngjae.

“She ought to be taken to the cells. The attacked you with a scalpel, for Christ’s sake! And who knows what else she’s capable of?”

Youngjae nodded at Aya and motioned for Daehyun to come closer.

“Do you remember where the cells are?”

Daehyun nodded.

“I’d like you to take her to one of the cells. I-if you don’t mind, that is.”

. I stuttered.

Following Youngjae’s command, Daehyun approached the woman and lifted her off the bed.

Huh. This is the same way Youngjae carried me to his carriage.

“What are you doing? Put me down!”

Well, except I never resisted.

Youngjae looked at Daehyun carrying the young woman. They almost, almost looked like a couple. Youngjae blushed. Hiding the twinges of jealousy that coursed through his veins, he smirked at the woman.

“The lady gets what the lady wants. Let her walk, Daehyun.”

Obeying Youngjae’s request, Daehyun set the woman’s feet down and allowed her to walk. Standing either side of her, the two held each of her wrists and disallowed her to neither fight nor flee. And though she resisted with impressive force, they managed to drag her down to the cells.

The cells were in the basement. They hadn’t been used in many years. After all, Jinsoo did always frown upon taking people as prisoners. It was cruel, inhumane, he would say. And he wasn’t wrong. The cells were a horrible place. It was dark—the entire basement was lit up by dim candlelight. The air was cold and smelled of dust. The concrete floor was icy and damp—any leaks form upper flows ended up in the basement. The place was home to rats and roaches—not people. Even Daehyun would much rather live out on the streets than in the cells.

The woman lay on the cold floor as Youngjae and Daehyun stood outside her cell.

“Tell us who you are.”

The woman only sulked at them.

“What’s the point? You’re going to have me executed, are you not?"

Daehyun continued to ask her questions as Youngjae looked through a bag of her belongings. Makeup, hair accessories, a small pouch filled with coins--but what he was really looking for was at the bottom of the bag.

"You...You're the one the people call 'The Geisha'." Youngjae stated as he pulled out her two folded fans. Being close to the weapons, he could see all of the intricate designs. Branches of red cherry blossoms were painted onto the black silk and rhinestones were stuck onto the fabric. 

"Oh? You know about me?" She sneered.

"A promiscuous woman, you are. You seduce your victims at night and you kill them when they're at their most vulnerable. Really, I don't see why you would go to such measures. It seems like a very inconvenient way to eliminate your targets, is it not?"

"It is inconvenient." The Geisha smiled.

"But I have fun doing it."

Daehyun glowered at her.

"Who sent you to kill Youngjae?" He shouted, his voice echoing around the basement. 

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Someone desperately wanted the pocket watch that his father left him. I don't know what's so special about it but it's none of my business."

Youngjae reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocketwatch. He ran his thumb along the rose design engraved into its golden surface and sighed. Sure, it was a gift from his beloved father but he no longer wanted it. That pocketwatch was nothing more than a sad reminder that his father was dead.  

Youngjae tossed the pocketwatch to the woman and she watched it fall before her perplexed eyes.

"Have it. In exchange for your name, Geisha." 

She paused momentarily before reaching down to pick it up.

"Juno."

Daehyun stared at the ground in shock. 

Juno? I was friends with someone named Juno. I wonder...is this her?

"Daehyun, it's getting late. You should go to bed."

Youngjae waited for the sound of the basement door closing before continuing. 

"Juno, was it? Tell me, how do I enter The House Of Cards?"

"I think your dear friend knows." She sneered at him.

"So it's true then? Daehyun is an assassin like you?" Youngjae sighed.

"It's best if you hear it from him. But yes, it's true."