Because Duke Donghae can have a happy ending.

She chewed on her lower lip feeling rather out of place in the large gathering the metal cage around her chest tightening as she tried to breathe. Though her debut had been rather fantastic, with gentlemen of the highest class buzzing around her like bees and the only thing that had bothered her the entire time was her corset digging into her back and maybe a certain charming gentleman, or rather Duke, not that she’d ever admit the latter. Now the feeling was back, both, the painful corset digging into her skin and the butterflies swarming in her stomach. All she wanted to do was stand up and take her leave but watching her brother Count Minseok engage in deep conversation her Ladyship Choi Dambi, she sighed before leaning back into her seat earning her a glare from one of the older pompous ladies sitting not too far away.

No, Minah definitely didn’t like such gatherings, especially when she could be doing other things which didn’t involve sitting upright with a tight smile and hairpins sticking into her skull as airheaded men flitted by only speaking to her about redundant things such as the weather or the number of people who had come to the gathering. Sitting in one spot was difficult enough let alone sitting in a spot and listening to boorish talk that could never stimulate the mind.

The only reason she was here was because of the lavish food.

And maybe the host of the ball who she was watching the entire time as he made himself sociable, mostly to the ladies who had arrived.

Minah had already mentally shot these new entrants a dozen times with her beloved rifle, but that was besides the point.

"You're rather silent you're Ladyship, very unlike you. Why don't you dance with me instead of sitting here like a rock?" A familiar voice cut through her unobvious (very obvious) observations. She turned up to see Viscount Oh Sehun smirking down at her. She rolled her eyes.

Duke Lee Donghae spotted the object of his affections sitting rather silently (which was odd, for she was a restless woman) as Viscount Oh Sehun; who, had been his acquaintance for a short time, approched her. All of the sudden, Donghae's attention was completely diverted from the "extremely interesting" talk with the ladies on his excellent skills as a host and the multiple questions on his latest compositions. But all of the sudden he wasn't paying attention to anything but Viscount Oh Sehun's hand gently grazing Lady Minah's shoulder and then reaching behind her back.

His feet moved across the large hall rather quickly as his mind raced, wondering why on earth Lady Minah hadn't landed a punch on the Viscount's pretty visage. After all, her greeting to him had been rather similar, where she had fenced him into a corner after a heated duel (he had imagined he was dueling a master) during one of his first visit to Count Minseok's estate. It was only when the fencing mask (which she had insisted on wearing to avoid an unfair bias) came off that he realized he was face to face with the Count's little sister. He could never forget the impression she had left behind, declaring to her brother that this was proof that women could do anything men could an extremely scandalous statement, but her wild expression endeared her to the Duke.

So when Oh Sehun approached this dear person, the Duke was more than willing to snap his hand off. As he approached, he saw Minah’s reproachful frown at Sehun as he childishly tugged at her elegantly styled hair.

“Cousin Sehun, do not trouble me or you will face my wrath once we leave.” She growled lowly as the Viscount smirked back at her and Donghae let out a sigh of relief before stepping closer.

“Will you hunt me down with that dratted rifle of yours?” Sehun chuckled as Minah rolled her eyes and when they did land on the Duke’s handsome face, she let out a loud curse, trying to shove her silly cousin away. Her narrowed eyes met his as she stood and curtsied while the Viscount tried hard to control his laughter.

“Do forgive me your Grace,” Sehun bowed as Donghae nodded in greeting “do let me introduce to you my cousin…”

“I have the pleasure of being Lady Kim’s acquaintance,” Donghae replied, his lips curling into a smirk as Minah shot him a glare. He enjoyed watching her squirm under his gaze knowing that the nonchalant expression gracing his face was causing her great anger before bowing with a flourish “how do you do you’re Ladyship?”

Minah shot him a short curtsey much to his amusement as he held out his hand to press a kiss on the back of her hand. Sehun watched his cousin’s eyes flutter between confusion and pure anger as she drew her hand back.

“Cousin Sehun, weren’t we going to dance?” she said through gritted teeth as Sehun turned to her with a bewildered look before noticing.

“Oh, I had drawn closer to request a dance from you, for I noticed you had scarcely danced a single dance.” Donghae smiled as Sehun bowed.

“You’re Grace, you can dance with my cousin, for I was only teasing her.” he hissed as Minah’s foot very firmly pressed down on his. He turned to her and nudged her forward by pressing her forward into Donghae’s outstretched hand as the next dance began almost on cue. His gloved hand intertwined with her ungloved one as Minah felt herself being pulled towards the man. She halted.

“You’re Grace,” Donghae flinched as her voice reached his ears “I haven’t accepted.” Donghae’s brain let out a couple of colourful words before turning back to her.

“Would you have said no?” he sent her a charming smile that momentarily blinded her as she pursed her lips “and how many times have I told you, we are close enough to end the formalities between us.”

“No.” she looked down as she found herself being whirled into the dance. Minah was an adept dancer, but she didn’t enjoy it as much as she enjoyed going hunting with her brother or reading. She particularly squirmed in the arms of the man who immensely attracted her yet remained aloof in most ways. Her Ladyship Kim Minah knew her charms, she knew exactly how to use them and the fact that the Duke showed interest yet remained aloof enough caused her to lose the little cool she had. She was torn between physically hurting him or, breaking down and confessing her liking for him and the former idea seemed to appeal to her more and more as his dark mischievous eyes and handsome smile looked down at her.

“It has been quite a while since we have met.” Donghae commented, his eyes sweeping over the face that had charmed him almost as soon as he had seen it. The deep brown eyes that betrayed most of her emotions met his in an intense gaze as the memory of their last meeting flashed through the Duke’s mind. It had a rather…lasting impression.

It had been a rather chilly day when the Duke had visited Count Kim Minseok to join him on a hunt. The party had been joined by the Count’s little sister, much to Lee Donghae’s amusement as she arrived, hair bound by a single ribbon, out of its usual elegant up do. Her skin was bare of all ornamentation except those that were required of her. Donghae had never found a woman more attractive in his life.

The parties had departed, armed with their respective rifles and hounds, trudging through the marshy ground as Donghae had kept close to Minah, offering to help her over the slushy soil, only to have her purse her lips and reluctantly take his hand. Donghae had realized one thing, he quite liked holding the soft hands of the Lady and had taken multiple opportunities of doing so throughout the hunt. Donghae remembered Minah had stayed close to her brother occasionally calling out to the hounds if they sniffed too long at unnecessary things, caressing their soft large heads if they bounded close to her. Donghae remembers the citrus smell of her mingling with the smell of the wet earth as she turned around to him with a smile.

“You’re Grace, do keep up. The dogs have split, so choose your party for my brother, the Count and I will be competing.”

Donghae inadvertently found himself siding with the fierce lady as Minseok shot him a smirk before turning to his sister.

“We all know who is going to win.”

“I shall prove you wrong dear brother.”

“Yes, you looked rather surprised when my fist met your face Lee Donghae.” The citrus smelling woman not bothering with formalities anymore as Donghae raised his eyebrow at her, wondering whether he liked the way his name rolled off her tongue or if he was a masochist to find the manner she had punched him rather amusing. His grip around her waist tightened as he narrowed his eyes.

“That was great disrespect Kim Minah,” he felt her shiver just like she had when the two had taken shelter under a tree due to the unexpected rain during the hunt. Her eyes widened just like they had when his breath had ghosted over her face and her cheeks lit up just like they had when their lips nearly brushed “I didn’t like that” his voice whispered into her heated ear as the dance came to a close. Minah almost let out a whimper before pushing away from him though his hand still held on to hers. The last time she had landed a punch on his face before storming off with a thick blush painting her face but this time, didn’t want her to leave just yet.

“Come with me,” He whispered as she shook her head but still followed him along as Donghae tried to make an escape from the annoyingly crowded ballroom “I remember you liked dogs.” He said, still leading her towards the doors, only to have a group of ladies blocking the way.

“You’re Grace!” one crooned, fluttering her eyelashes at him as Minah paused, looking at the airheaded women who were starting to throw themselves at him, rolling her eyes.

“Have you fine ladies made Lady Kim’s acquaintance?” the Duke interrupted, as the many eyes turned to her with in surprise. Minah chose to curtsy stiffly before shooting them a glare which made them back away before turning to him.

“You wished to show me your hunters you’re Grace?”

Whispers between the ladies.

“Of course my dear lady,” he smiled, noticing the glares Minah was throwing at the ladies trying to get to close. He bowed to the ladies “I will take your leave now, please do enjoy yourselves.”

They could never reach the Duke’s kennels without the multiple interruptions from the many hopeful ladies at the ball, much to Minah’s anger. Sure she was attracted to the man beyond belief, but his charming nature seemed to affect everything and everybody! Minah’s greeting started to get more caustic and rude as the ladies simpered and batted their eyelids at the unaffected man who took it all with a smile. No, he enjoyed Minah’s reactions far more, he liked watching the bubbling jealousy which was apparent in her eyes as she moved closer to him and he pretended to be unaffected, causing her to be more aggressive about it. Donghae wasn’t complaining at all.

So by the time they did reach anywhere near the kennel, Minah’s  fingers were intertwined with Donghae’s and her face was sit with a determined look combined with a blush as Donghae’s thumb danced over her knuckles.

“You’re rather popular with the ladies.” Minah managed to choke out as Donghae chuckled, raising her hand to press a kiss on the firm knuckles he had just ran his thumb over. Minah nearly pulled her hand back in surprise as Donghae shook his head.

“No, not always.” He replied.

“So you’re kind to every woman.” Minah rolled her eyes only to feel a sharp tug at her arm and her body being pulled towards Donghae’s chest. She looked up to meet his dark warm eyes looking down at her as his arm wound around her waist.

“Lee Donghae!” she began, her face red and her lips parted in a defiance only to fall silent as she looked back into his eyes.

“Not always this kind my dear lady.” He whispered, before pulling away, much to Minah’s frustration. Donghae smirked before his eyes widened as Minah’s fingers dug into the lapels of his coat and yanked him forward, sealing their lips together with a ferocity that expressed her feeling of latent attraction and frustration, Donghae’s arms wound back around her waist, pulling her impossibly close as her returned the kiss fervently, his tongue swiped over her lip as her hands moved up his chest and around his neck.

When they did part, Minah glared at Donghae “Well, you’d better not be this kind to anyone else you’re Grace.”

Donghae’s arm wound around her waist yet again “I wouldn’t dream of it lady, I’ll be this kind to you as long as you’ll be my Duchess,” he chuckled watching Minah’s face turn redder than possible “do I take that as a yes my Lady?” he began only to feel a sharp jerk at his coat yet again as her lips met with his yet again. Donghae smiled as he deepened the kiss as the sounds of barking and yapping dogs echoed in the distance, mingling with the music from the ballroom not too far away.

Asking Count Minseok for his approval could always come later