“Minah!!! Minah!! Minah where are you?!?! The voice belonged to a male, not old enough to be a man but too mature to be a boy. He seemed frantic, looking for this girl named Minah. Where was she? Why was she making him worry like that?

Wait…Minah…is that me? She stared at the ceiling that reflected the angry red and orange colors of a fire spreading quickly, as she lay on her back, completely motionless and without control of her body.

Pain. There was pain, sharp and merciless. When she tried to move, she found that a large weight was pinning her down, and looked to see a stack of wooden beams crushed against the lower half of her body. With what little strength left, the girl tried to move the wood to no avail. Sulfur filled her longs and black burned her vision, the side of her head was throbbing. Something wet was dripping down her cheek and she didn’t have to look twice to understand that she was bleeding from a headwound. As her mind grew hazy and her arms grew weak, the panic drew away, and she accepted it then – she accepted death. That is, until the voice came again as a beacon of light and behind all the smoke, she saw his silhouette hover above her limp form.  “Minah!! Can you hear me?!”

“J-Jongin?”

“Hold on, I’m gonna get you outta here okay? Just hold on Minah!” The boy struggled, pushing off the wood one by one, looking to see that Minah had already accepted her fate in her slowly fading eyes, “Goddamnit! Minah! Hold on! Don’t you die on me!”

She remembered smiling then, feeling all the weight of suddenly pulled off her as she closed her eyes one last time, finally succumbing to the darkness, “…goodbye Jongin.”

“Minnaahhhh!!!”

And all that followed was the sound of a violent crash that forced her eyes open almost instantly.

It was cold now, the fire now diminished but Minah didn’t in the slightest recognize the place she had awoken, not that she had cared at the moment. All her attention was currently on the figure hunched on the floor as the moonlight reflected off the shards of glass around him. He had fallen through the window it seemed, his hand at his side where it seemed a stain of crimson was soaking through his tailcoat. Minah had come to the conclusion that he was the culprit behind her unplanned awakening by his breaking and entering, though the grogginess in her head delayed any logical reaction along the lines of screaming or calling for help. She was just curious now.

“Who is it?” The boy let out a startled gasp, looking up through his wild mass of ash blonde hair to see a pair of brown eyes staring back at him. It was then that all the questions that began to fill Minah’s head stopped in their tracks in exchange for her attention to the stranger’s undeniable beauty. He had large doe eyes, and soft features that must have made guessing his age a constant guessing game despite that strong profile outlined by the moon. It seemed as though her fingers suddenly ached to reach out and touch him to make sure he was real. Was he a walking doll? Or was he a fallen angel come to her to the other world?

“Minah!!” It appeared that his mind had finally processed that she was also in the room with him, and a smile, a most mesmerizing smile that made her heart flutter at the sight, spread across his face. In his hand, Minah noticed, was a white mask brimmed with gold ts, which he quickly stuffed in his pocket. The angel-like boy dashed to her then, taking her into his arms with a tight hug, catching her by surprise as she stiffened under his touch. “Oh thank god you’ve awoken.”

“Mi…nah?” Right. That’s my name. All she could do was stare at the vanity across the room, able to make out the unfamiliar girl in the reflection. Unconsciously she reached up to hug back the stranger that held her in a way that normal people would hardly think to approach someone they had just met, especially a lady. It all felt so strange. Minah didn’t seem to understand neither the way her heart beat erratically or nor why she didn’t want to let go. All she understood was this feeling, this feeling of being safe in his arms.

As Minah propped her chin against the stranger’s shoulder, the girl in the mirror gazed back. She was considerably pretty, with fair skin, almond shaped eyes that were garnered with thick lashes and long rivers of dirty blonde hair falling to her waist. She shivered slightly, feeling the stranger’s fingers suddenly comb through her hair with a familiar tenderness that she allowed. This is ridiculous, she thought, her arms loosening as they fell to his sides, I should been pushing him away, and yet…

What? She pulled away in alarm as he watched while her now red finger pointed to the spreading stain on his side. “You’re injured…”

“It’s nothing,” He admonished quickly, his gaze tearing her away from the fear that was slowly eating at her need to know this person’s identity more and more, “The important thing is that you’re awake now. How’s your head?”

“A bit fuzzy to tell the truth. You woke me up rather suddenly.” Sheas he broke out into a fit of laughter. The sound was so interesting and comforting at the same time, like everything else about this boy, Minah thought watching him as if she could see the light of his soul through his smile. When she took to studying his face in silence, the beautiful stranger immediately stopped in his hysterics, feeling as if he had unintentionally offended her by his actions.

“Why are you laughing?” She asked quietly with confusion.

“Because you sound as if I woke you from a nap Minah. You’ve been in a coma for three months.” He explained, as she looked at him in astonishment, “Do you not remember?”

Minah shook her head, looking around the darkness from the fine quilted bed to the white furniture brimmed in gold before laying her eyes on the smiling boy before her once more. “Three months?” She rubbed the skin under her bangs as her eyebrows knit together furiously, “All I remember is a fire…and then…and then I woke up. I can’t seem to remember anything really.”

He smiled warmly at her with an aura of optimism,” It’s alright, you’ve just awoken.  It’ll take some time and—“

“No," She cut him off, the stranger watching her with concern when her hand went up to clutch her chest, “I mean. I don’t remember.”

“I want to….I feel it…I want to remember you, but I can’t. It’s like there’s something blocking the way in my mind and I can’t seem for the life of me to move past it,” As she finished her plight, Minah then looked to him with a pitiful, tired gaze to see that he looked as if the blood had drained from his face , “Not anything at all.”

“Nothing?” He repeated, as if the air was knocked right from his chest, “So, you don’t know…you don’t know who I am?” She shook her head slowly and then he turned away then, his expression hidden under his hair that swept wildly around his face a handsome manner, “The doctors said you might not have remembered, but…”

It was as if all of a sudden, a pain with the force of a sharp blade ripped through her head, and Minah cried out in pain, clutching her head as Luhan stiffened at the sound, panic writing itself across his face in and instant.

“Minah!” He cried with concern, his hands on her shoulders, “Are you alright?”

She went still as the images flowed through her mind like a cinematic machine, imagining a brightly lit field, and a smiling boy with a crown of blonde hair laughing. Then she saw his different faces as if someone had shown her a series of photographs. She saw his happiness, his sadness, his anger and even more troubling, his pain.

Opening her eyes again, she was back in the room, the same boy looking at her now with large eyes filled with concern. "Yes, I…I just need to lie down a bit.” She said with a smile that was paired with an aching heart, not necessarily for her, but for this boy that she had just met, or perhaps, just remembered.

He seemed so quiet since then, sitting at her side with his back facing her, the moonlight shining on him as his mind was elsewhere. His silence bore a bit of an innate concern out of Minah, feeling as if he was one of those people who let his darker thoughts eat him from the inside, a person who carries pain and shows it to no one.

“If I may ask,” She asked after a while, perking his interest as he turned around, suddenly looking so much more tired than her within minutes, “Were we close?”

His eyes widened, and Minah immediately regretted asking. It was as if he was a mirror and she had ruthlessly tossed a rock at him without a single thought of the consequences. But, to her surprise, his expression softened to an unreadable smile and he leaned into her. Immediately, Minah felt her blood run wild in her veins, her heart dancing erratically as the space between them grew smaller as his voice grew into a soft whisper, “Why do you ask?”

“Because…because you make me feel safe.” She admitted, feeling a blush rising on her cheeks as she smiled, raising her hand to touch his cheek as his eyes widened at her bold response. Minah blamed sleep dragging her slowly, but she fully understood now, why she hadn’t pushed him away earlier. “And because your face is as open as a book.”

Her words had shocked him. The boy's jaw grew slack as he looked to Minah in astonishment before responding with a smirk, brushing the hair from her face tenderly. At that moment, Minah believed that they were the only two people left in the world, and she would bet whatever was left of her memory that this stranger could feel it too.

“I think it’s time for you to go back to sleep Minah.” He whispered as she closed her eyes, sleep pulling her away. But to her surprise, the boy pulled her back, if only for a moment, as he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes as well.

“Will you stay?” She asked in a whisper as he reached out for her hand then and squeezed tightly. The bed groaned as he leaned lower to her, pressing his lips to her forehead before sleep completely took her for the remainder of the night. But before she could submit to the dreamworld, Minah bat her lashes one last time as the reluctantly man withdrew from her. Maybe she was already dreaming, but she could have sworn that she saw a ghost of sadness sweep over his personable features and perhaps, just maybe, a tear cast down his cheek.

The morning breeze is what awoke Minah this time, but to her dismay, her nightly visitor had left her bedside cold and vacant. 

“Will you stay?”

There was a taste of disappointment left in as she touched her forehead where his lips had touched. Perhaps it was normal to lament over a late night encounter with a handsome stranger. It seemed romantic enough. But the feeling left in her chest was not of a petty heroine’s admiration for striking leading man, but rather something else. There was an emptiness that he left behind, as if his very presence was what had stolen her memory along with his leave.

Sitting up, Minah left her bed as the skirt of her white nightgown fell to her feet, along with faint tug around her neck. “Hmm?” The girl looked down tiredly to see a gold object hanging from her neck by a thin chain as the sunlight bounced off of it. Inspecting the heartshaped object closely, she hadn’t recalled ever wearing it before. But then again, what kind of alibi was a person with amnesia even granted?

“Maybe it was all just a dream.”  And yet, she thought clutching the golden heart close, it all felt so real.

“I suppose I should get dressed and find out exactly where I am.” She proposed with a sigh to no one in particular while staring at the large dresser before her. Though she was lost, she still had an inborn light step as she walked to the closet, opening it to a large collection of dresses that nearly exploded upon opening the doors.

“Are these all mine?” She was speechless, her fingers raking the beautiful fabrics, some of them looking more expensive and elaborate than others. A knocking came from her door then, startling Minah before she pulled open the door to see a young girl not much older than her with a timid expression. She stood slightly shorter than Minah, her hair brown in waves, a ruffled apron that matched the frills that crowned her hair over a bell-sleeved navy dress that came just below her knees.

“G-Good morning Miss, I’m your personal maid, my name is Raina.” The girl said with a nervous smile, bowing slightly. “I hope I didn’t wake you but I was sent early with concern of your current condition. Do you need assistance in freshening up?”

Though she was very pretty with her round cheeks and bright eyes, she looked like a frightened kitten as she made eye contact with Minah every few seconds before looking back down at her feet. With a sympathetic smile, Minah felt as if she wanted to protect her maid instead of the other way around. She then frowned at the thought. A maid? What would she need a personal maid for? But when she looked to the dresses hanging behind her, she suddenly found herself reconsidering and sighed. Well, it couldn’t hurt. Raina was correct, she hadn’t the slightest clue how to dress herself.

“If I may say My Lady, your hair is a beautiful color.” Raina said with praise, her hand Minah's hair that looked like golden waves in the sunlight with a brush while the Minah was still trying her best to breathe through her new corset.

“By God do they really have to be this tight?” She groaned, wiggling in her seat, though she did appreciate the curves it gave to where she was lacking. She also appreicated the  deep red colored gown with gold accents on the sleeves and chest area that they had settled on together. Though she couldn’t recall the last couple years of her life, that didn’t mean she didn’t know how to dress herself.

Raina let out a small series of giggles that were like bells during Christmas, “Well why yes, I suppose a girl such as yourself would be used to this by now My Lady.”

“A girl such as myself?” Minah repeated under her breath. Her hand felt for the peculiar locket around her neck. She then spent a good but of time struggling with opening it before turning it to its side in frustration where a small keyhole made itself known. “How curious.”

“Seems as though its missing a key.” Raina concluded over her shoulder, pulling the rollers out of Minah’s hair as it fell to her shoulders with grace.

“It’s not the only thing that’s missing.” Minah whispered to her reflection with an adamant stare as Raina applied a red stain to her lips. But I’m not about to give up finding out just what it is I’ve lost.

“Oh, why it is rather beautiful outside with this view.” Minah found herself standing before the hallway windows where the sight of the vast gardens was opened up to anyone lucky enough to pass by and see its beauty.

“Isn’t it My Lady?” Raina sighed from her side with equal admiration.

“You two girls act as if this is your first time here.” An old voice chuckled as a shadow came over the two of them, Raina nearly jumped out of her shoes as Minah merely turned with curiosity to see an older man staring back up at her with warm smile. His suit was finely tailored in comparison to some of the younger butlers she had come across previously. His graying hair was combed back, combined with expensive looking pair of silver chains that hanging from the sides of his thick frames.

“And just who are you?” She asked, narrowing her eyes, surprised at the superior tone of her voice, but when she looked to the older man, he simply kept that joyful expression on his face as if he hadn’t heard her at all.

“My apologies for my manners Miss Minah,” He bowed then before straightening back up, “Hello, I am the head Butler of this establishment, Butler Zhang.”

Butler Zhang?

“It’s curious that I found you girls coming this way, I was just on the way to drop off a gift for you.” He announced, holding a square package wrapped in simple brown paper and tied with a hemp-like string.

Minah blinked at the object in his hands, “A gift? For me?”

Butler Zhang chuckled as his crows’ feet crinkled up alongside his eyes that were shaped like two crescents. The fact that he remained so content with the world made him appear decades younger, in a way that Minah believed that he was a charming young man in his prime. Surely he was old enough to have a son or even a grandson her age by now.

“Miss Minah, even with your amnesia, you still carry the same appearances in the way your mannerisms.” He straightened up then, placing two comforting hands on her shoulders with that smile hidden under his thick grey moustache. “But, rest assured, I will do my very best to carry out my duties to your steady recovery.” There was a twinkle in his eye, as if he was finding amusement in not telling her something before letting go of her shoulders.

“I suppose I should be on my way then,” He bowed to both girls once more before walking away with the gift under his arm.

“See to it that Luhan treats you well now!” The elder butler called, waving his arm to them as they stared at his back in bewilderment.

Luhan?

“Wait, why can’t you just give me the gift now?” Minah called, finding that the old man had already made it down the long hallway, though she could faintly make out the shaking of his shoulders as if he had heard her anyways. “Is he laughing at me?” Minah asked incredulously, turning to Raina who was stifling a giggle before straightening herself up after being caught.

“What’s so funny? Am I missing something?” Minah asked with a frown. I know I have memory loss but that doesn’t mean I’m a complete idiot.

“Nothing My Lady,” Raina stuttered, “Butler Zhang’s laughter is just a contagious thing, don’t you think?”

“Such a strange old man that’s for sure.” Minah mumbled, watching the doors close at the end of the hall. And it seems as though everyone here already knows about me more than I do.

“Where are we going anyways?” Minah asked as they made their way down the hall as several maids made their way down the hall, bowing to Minah on their way out. Meanwhile, Minah didn’t understand whether to bow back or just keep walking until they eventually cleared out.

“Breakfast My Lady.” Raina anwered, “Aren’t you hungry after sleeping for so long?”

“Raina.” She digressed suddenly as her handmaiden stiffened at the call of her name, “Why do you keep calling me that?” Minah asked curiously as Raina turned around with a confused expression, “Why is everyone treating me so politely? Am I an important figure or something?”

“I suppose you could say that.” The girl responded nervously.

“Then tell me something Raina,” Minah stepped closer to the girl then, catching her by surprise once more, “What happened to me?”

Raina gave a sad look then and sighed with disappointment in herself, “My apologies My Lady, but I haven’t the slightest clue. This is the first time we’ve met.”

“What?”

But before Raina could elaborate more, they had reached the end of the hall where two doors opened before them, and Minah’s breath hitched in . The dining room was the size of an opera room, the very faint footsteps of a kitchen maid walking echoed across the marble floor. Golden Silk curtains and paintings were hung across the walls as potted plants taller than even she decorated the room while the morning light poured in from the stainless glass windows above.

But Minah’s attention was focused elsewhere, to the figure leaning back against his chair against the very end of the table that seemed to stretch for miles as the light created a halo around his being. Again, she thought of an angel that visited her in the late of night.

It was him.

But there was something different about him, and Minah couldn’t exactly put her tongue on it, that is, until he opened his mouth.

“You’re late.” The blonde boy said, harshly, not looking up at her as she entered. In response, Minah flinched, surprised at his tone. What? “Well? What are you doing standing there like an idiot?” He asked, his words like a hard shove to the ground. And for the first time since she could remember, Minah felt anger bubbling in her chest, suddenly wishing the expensive looking chandelier above his head would fall any second now. “Sit down and eat before I lose my appetite.”

“You use the silverware from the outside in,” Raina whispered in Minah’s ear as the girl sat staring at her full plate for a few seconds with confusion and the many utensils presented to her.

“Thank you,” She responded gratefully, taking the delicately crafted fork into her hand before stabbing into the very second of her egg, the yolk bursting open and bleeding across her breakfast like a fresh wound. A wound. She looked up to the handsome lad now, cleaned up in a new black suit, with his light blonde hair done up so that it swept upwards in a way that more than suited him, so much so that Minah found it utterly distracting.

Last night, you came to me when you were injured. Did you not? You knew my name. You held me so tightly like your life depended on it. Or so I thought. How could someone like you speak so coldly without a reason? Was it all just an act? A Dream? Was I the one who had forgotten everything, or was it you?

“Zhang,” The boy spoke up, Minah nearly jumping as the old man entered the dining hall with a bow to the maids tending to the dining area, “Where have you been all morning?”

“Oh you know, running errands. I don’t know why you’re complaining Master Luhan, you can dress yourself after all at this age, can’t you?” The old butler mused, walking towards the end of the table to a now flustered looking Luhan, winking with a chuckle at Minah as if he had easily sedated a wild beast with one hand.

Minah smiled in reply before taking a bite of her French toast, eyeing the frowning boy who took the newspaper from Butler Zhang’s extended hand and opened it hastily to block the view of his face.  Luhan? So that’s his name.

“Honestly My lady, you should talk to him.” Said the older girl by her side, tall and slender with sharp beautiful features that defined how mature beyond her years she was. Her hair was a near amber blonde, and she was dressed in an outfit very similarly to Raina’s as she held an umbrella over Minah's head to protect from the sun. They were sitting by the fountains in the garden, glancing through the windows to where Luhan had the attention of several men in suits, most likely in the middle of an important conference. “You may find that behind that brashness that you both have many things in common.”

Minah heard herself scoffing, tearing her eyes reluctantly from the handsome man to her thick skirt, “That’s enough….”

“Miss Minah?” Raina said with concern as Minah found herself leaning against her elbow while massaging her forehead with a groan.

“Jungah.” Minah suddenly said, making Luhan instantly shoot her a look, stopping mid-sip of his tea. Butler Zhang remained unfazed, though he side-eyed the girl before glancing at his young master curiously with that undying playful smile.

“What is it My Lady?” The kitchen lady immediately, and rather frantically, addressed her though it didn’t seem like she was afraid of Minah as she much was afraid of the young man at the end of the table. Call it a gut feeling. Especially with the way she was quickly glancing down the table to see his reaction. The very fact that Luhan hadn’t moved and his eyes didn’t seem to have grazed across the page since Minah spoke up reminded her of a ticking bomb ready to go off at any second. And it was certainly not what she wanted right now.

“N-No, it’s fine. I just, I remembered something just now.” She smiled at the plump woman then, “Thank you for the concern. It’s delicious.” With that, the older woman let out a sigh of relief, “All that memory loss must just be from your lack of appetitive. I will bring you an early dessert to get some sugar into your system Young Miss, you’re so thin!” The woman said in a very mother-like manner before hurrying away. Though Minah was smiling, on the inside, she wasn’t as hungry as she was nervous at the boy named Luhan who sat so far away at the other end of the table. The bigger question was now: who was he to her?

“Disgusting.” Minah was nearly finished with her plate before she and Raina looked to Luhan once more who wore an unpleasant twist of his lips.

“The tea not to your liking Young Master?”

“It’s absolutely dreadful Zhang.” Luhan said, placing down the tea without looking away from his paper as the older man picked up the cup, his smile not faltering for a second. “I’ve had about enough of this new staff screwing up my taste buds for their own pleasure.”

“I hardly believe they would find amusement in your anger my young Lord. Would you like me to personally make you a new brew?”

“I suppose since you’re the only one here who has even the slightest clue not to test my temper.” Luhan muttered under his breath as his butler walked to nearby tea station. There, he began to dispense boiling water into a tea filter with a hand so experienced and graceful that Minah watched in awe even until he walked back to hand a new cup to Luhan.

“You should train them better so you don’t have to work so hard Zhang.” Luhan picked up the cup then, and took a sip as Minah and Raina were patiently awaiting his response in comparison to Butler Zhang, who looked completely and totally confident in his skills.

And to their surprise, Luhan nodded his head in approval and let out a relieved sigh. Afterwards, he winced slightly and rubbed his side, his face signifying discomfort and pain, if only for a second.

“You’re wounded.” So it hadn’t been a dream after all, Minah discovered. But her hope was short lived as Luhan narrowed his eyes across the table as if reading her mind. Immediately he reached for his tea again while clearing his throat.

“Well, what is it? Are you just going to stare at me the whole time?”

“What?” Minah blinked, caught off guard as her cheeks began to heat up while Luhan merely smirked like he was humored by her embarrassment. Of course she wanted to ask so many things, like what had happened last night, who she was, were her parents were, and why Luhan was acting so different as opposed to the boy she had met the night before. Instead, she withdrew her breath and busied herself with her biscuit that had already gotten cold with a minute response, “I….nothing.”

Raina and Butler Zhang the only ones to catch Luhan’s look of humor fade to one of astonishment, his lip growing slack at her unexpected reply. He looked around then, trying to regain his previous composure, opening his mouth to say something when the doors opened again, and a young maid walked in with an urgency in her step.

“Sorry to interrupt your meal, but the Queen asks for the Prince’s presence.”

And with that Luhan pushed his seat up with a sigh, tossing his newspaper onto the table before straightening his jacket and adjusting his tie with a disgruntled face.

“What the hell does she want now?” He muttered as Butler Zhang followed, fixing the back of Luhan’s collar accordingly.

“Prince?” Minah’s question left her lips before she could catch it, the sound of pure astonishment carrying to Luhan who finally look at her again, this time with an almost arrogant smirk.

“Yes, Prince Luhan. Are you surprised?”

It was barely before ten and Luhan had already begun grumbling to Butler Zhang, questioning just what his mother would want at this time of day when he was clearly occupied doing absolutely nothing with his day. Meanwhile, the older man simply chuckled at his cute Young Master who continued to curse under his breath until they reached the oak doors. There, two guards flanked at either side of them simultaneously bowed at the appearance of the prince before pushing the heavy doors open.

“Oh god not these two.” Luhan scowled, as he saw his mother, Queen Victoria Her Majesty’s Grace behind a desk placed three-quarters of the way down the long corridor of a room, the red carpet under Luhan’s feet taking him towards her almost against his will. By the left of her desk were two men, more or less about Luhan’s age though they weren’t nearly of his status. The taller was of a lanky build with windblown brown hair, sporting a simple khaki colored peacoat and a scarf Luhan had seen on just about everyone at the Scotland Yard. The shorter man wore a messenger boy’s hat that had a ketchup stain at the tip, a simple dress shirt with a navy tie and vest covered by a dull colored, itchy looking cardigan, and a camera around his neck.

They continued to stare at the prince before he found that he was walking alone, and Luhan turned around to notice his butler merely standing with that absurd jolly expression and his arms folded behind his back. “Are you not coming Butler Zhang? You aren’t honestly thinking of leaving me here by myself.”

“I’m sorry my Lord,” The elder man said from the doorway, “But I must tend to all the new servants while you carry on with Her Majesty. Have to make appearances at least once a week you know, she gets concerned.”

“Tch, you act as if I’m actually staying for more than 5 minutes.” Luhan mumbled under his breath with annoyance.

“Ta-ta my Lord, and remember to smile!” The doors slammed closed but not before Butler Zhang could see the smoke escaping Luhan’s scalp. Now that there was definitely no escape, Luhan took a deep breath and started forward in a reluctant march.

“Fine to see to see that you decided to bless us with your presence your Highness.” The shorter man said with a frown.

“And what are you two imbeciles doing here soiling the fine name of our Queen with your presence?”

“It’s so nice to see you too Luhan.” The taller inspector remarked dryly at the Prince.

“Don’t I get any honorifics for being from either of you?” Luhan scoffed, sitting down and tossing his feet onto the table. “It’s not like I’m the Queen’s son and all.”

“Please Luhan dear, put your feet down it’s not good for the furniture.” Her Majesty scolded as Luhan sighed and withdrew his feet, leaning back against the red velvet upholstery with mixture exhaustion and boredom.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for your son’s behavior on our behalf.” The shorter one sighed. “Truly, it must be dreadful.”

“How is it that the police force always sends you two dimwits to the palace? Don’t you have more, you know, competent men to send to us?” Luhan spat, tossing his hand in the air as his eyes glanced at them as if they were street cats.

“That’s enough. Luhan behave.” The Queen reprimanded before turning to the young inspectors with a gentle smile. “Now that Luhan is here, please continue to tell us about why you’ve come to visit with such urgency Inspectors Park and Byun.”

“Yes, please enlighten us about just what is this about and why you found it necessary to waste my time with your presence.”

The two of them bowed, the taller clearing his throat, shooting Luhan a look. Clearly he was the calmer of the two, especially when Inspector Byun looked as if he was about to jump the young Lord. “It’s happened again My Lady Victoria. Jack the Ripper has killed another woman last night, though this time it wasn’t just a young e on the street but the new clergywoman by the name of Bomi. This takes the count up to 52 deaths since last year.” Chanyeol announced, glancing at Luhan who remained unmoving and disinterested in everything but the carpet.

“Oh my goodness,” The older woman cried with shock, her hand over heart. “What are we ever going to do about this criminal? He must be stopped!”

Luhan sighed tiredly, rubbing his temples, “Mother please.”

“I’ve had just about enough of that mouth young man,” The Queen reproached as Luhan’s face wore a slight pout at being yelled at in front of the likes of Chanyeol and Baekhyun. “You should be the most concerned in this situation.”

“And what makes you think that?"

"Well" Baekhyun spoke up, in a tone almost mocking Luhan's, "At the crime scene last night we had gathered witness accounts of a young man, 52 kilograms in weight, about 178 centimeters in height around the crime scene at the time, a witness described his likeness to that of our 'beloved young prince'.”

“Damn those bloody rats.” Luhan cursed under his breath before Chanyeol’s voice continued even more serious this time.

“Prince Luhan, we’d like to bring you into questioning of what you were doing last night by the Thames River around 9:30 PM. Because of the repuation of the Queen's Court, we decided to come in person to halt any speculation that may damage the public's view of the government in hopes of your full cooperation as a possible suspect of the Scotland Yard.”

“Really? You don’t honestly believe that I’m Jack the Ripper?”  The blonde asked incredulously, before looking around at them wide-eyed, “By God, you’ve all gone and lost your minds.”

“Luhan…” The Queen eyed her son warily as he carelessly propped his chin on the back of his hand as he gazed out the window. “Tell these men the truth, were you out late last night by the London Bridge?”

A few moments passed before the prince let out a sigh, waving his hands about, “ Fine fine, you got me. I was out at a brothel again. Happy?”

“Honestly!” The Queen scoffed with disappointment, “If word gets out that you’re besmirching the name of the Royal Court with your lollygagging about in such disgusting places—"

“My Lady if I may,” announced her personal butler, Zhou Mi who had been standing quietly by her side for ages now, starting the two detectives who weren’t used to his ghostly appearances about the mansion, “He is a young man with his own tendencies too.”

“Yes but he is also a young man who has a reputation to uphold.” She drawled. “Need I remind you Luhan that we as a family represent the power of England. I thought we had raised you to be a respectable gentleman up until now.”

“I cannot honestly understand how fair Lady Minah could withstand his wonderful behavior.” Baekhyun commented under his breath as Luhan shot him a viscious glare before daring to speak even louder, “Seems as though you’ve completely lost sense of yourself since the Fire.”

“I don’t understand how mutt off the street like you feel like you has the audacity to talk so comfortably around me without believing that I could have your heads cut off at the guillotine in a second.” Luhan commented sharply, his eyes burning as Baekhyun smugly grinned at him, “Just you wait until I become King, Byun Baekhyun.”

“That is if you become King.” Her Majesty noted as Luhan immediately stood up in protest.

“But Mother—!”Luhan jested as she immediately cut him off again.

“But nothing. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, I ought to have Butler Zhang wash your mouth out with soap like a child. Clearly I was wrong. You have not matured even the slightest bit to wear the crown. Now, go with Inspectors Baekhyun and Chanyeol and see to it that your reputation is not tarnished by this rumor, that is your mission for today.”

“You want me to find a bloody lunatic with these morons?”

“HEY! WHY I OUGHTA--!”

“Calm down Baek.” Chanyeol admonished with a sigh, pulling the shorter back by the collar of his shirt with a roll of his eyes. “He’s still royalty.”

“It would be good for you to get some fresh air. Show the public that the Prince is actually concerned for its people by stepping out of the castle for once. And not to just to see the ladies.” The Queen instructed with a hard tone, pointing to her son accusingly.

"But I’m doing the exact opposite by going out there Mother. You want me to lie to them?”

“I want you to make them respect you.” She emphasized, “Now enough, be off on your way. No more excuses from you young man.”

“For the love of God.” And with that, Luhan jumped out of his seat, stuffing his fists into his pockets like a child as Butler Zhang opened the door on cue, giving the Queen and everyone else in the room an apologetic look.

“Was he as well behaved as usual My Lady Victoria?” When her Majesty rolled her eyes with a tired sigh, the old butler let out a chuckle, “My apologies for the Young Master, My Lady. His temper seems to get the best of him when his morning tea isn’t to his liking.”

“You’ve spoiled him too much Zhang,” The Queen admonished but gave her usual sweet smile, “But I suppose that even I am guilty of such that. Such a beautiful young boy, who woudn’t give into that face?”

“Well I for one would—OW!” Baekhyun hissed as Chanyeol elbowed him, though his height had forced his blow a bit higher than intended, hitting directly into the center of  Baekhyun's ribcage instead.

“I’m so sorry boys for Luhan, I’m sure the three of you are well acquainted enough to dismiss his attitude by now.” The Queen humored before turning to the older butler, “Butler Zhang, see to it that the our favorite young inspectors get the best of our hospitality until Luhan is comfortable enough to leave.”

“Until Luhan is comfortable enough to leave.” Baekhyun repeated with a sour taste in his mouth as they followed Butler Zhang out, “He’s such an angry little man isn’t he?” Baekhyun asked dryly as Chanyeol chuckled to his side.

“Oh you’re one to talk.”

After breakfast, Minah retreated back to her room, allowing Raina to leave and tend to other tasks around the estate, assuring her Lady that she was a simple bell ring away should Minah be in need of something.

As Minah closed the door behind her handmaiden with an uneasy smile, she let out the deep breath she had been holding since breakfast. Prince? The Queen? How was this possible? And what was Minah doing here in the first place when why couldn’t she recall even her last name?

And then there was Luhan. Oh there was so much she wanted to ask about him but something told her he was going to a stressful nut to crack should she choose to encounter him at full force.

“It would be a lot more fitting if they allowed me the company of someone who could help me remember who I am.” She groaned out loud, remembering the previous night once more, clutching the locket around her neck and rubbing her forehead where it continued to burn when she remembered his kiss.

“Bastard.”

Leaning against her door, Minah stared out inyo the bedroom that she had awoken up in previously. The walls were of a Rococco style pastel design of pink flowers and song birds over baby blue with ascents of gold. The bed was a canopy raised high with curtains tied up to dismiss the sunlight should Minah ever decide to take a mid day nap. Both the windows were open, each left untouched, which had aided Minah’s previous conclusion that her nightly visitor was merely a figment of her imagination. But now, she wasn't sure what was going on, recalling Luhan's apparent injury.

There were no pictures to show of past family, no books to show interest of avant-garde arts that would peak the interest of any young girl her age, or even dolls to show of a pleasant childhood for that matter. Minah began to wonder if there was even a person left to rediscover as her room was furnished like any other guest bedroom she had passed by, aside from a few feminine touches here and there like flowers at the bedside, etcetera.

On each side of the bed where matching tables, and to the right of the bed was the large dresser filled with beautiful expensive dresses to her taste. In the very corner of the room was a dressing screen of oriental design, most likely shipped form overseas and across from the bed was the vanity were Raina had prepared Minah well for the day.It was there that something curious had caught Minah’s attention. It was a book, or what seemed like one, the kind that was bound in a hard case to protect it from the elements of wear and tear.

“Is this what Butler Zhang left behind?” She asked, inspecting the square object and tossing aside its previous paper packaging. It was charred at the corners despite its intentions of use, and smell of ashes.

It looked rather expensive, perhaps vintage, and was unique in the way that it’s gold locking was not a usual keyhole but in the shape of a heart.

A heart?

Slowly, Minah looked to her reflection as her hand drew to the gold locket around her neck and fit it perfecrlt into the shape, hearing a click as the case opened to a journal inside. But, as she opened the cover, Minah found all that the pages had been hastily ripped from their bindings, all except the last page.

“My lady where are you?” A voice in the back of her heard echoed from the recesses of an old memory coming back to light. It was the voice of the woman before, Jungah. Suddenly Minah felt overwhelmed with anxiety of being caught, her heart rate accelerating as she quickly stuffed a piece of paper into the novel in her hand.

“I’m in the library! I’m coming!” Minah heard herself calling before quickly hiding the book back onto the shelf and jumping down the step ladder.

“That title….” Immediately, Minah reached for the bell by her bedside, reading over and over the simple sentence written in a hauntingly familiar calligraphic penmanship:

“Find Jongin before it’s too late.”

~Notes From the Author~

Hello everyone! This is my new fic set in the London 19th century with the main male lead of interest being primarilly Luhan and Jongin, but we've already met out adorable investigators Chanyeol and Baekhyun it seems! Be sure to keep a look out for even more recognizable people in future chapters. Let me know what you think! This is my first time working with something that is partially historic and I've been itching to toss out a new fic with Luhan for ages now. Let's see how it goes, shall we? As I was writing, I was gaining the best love for Butler Zhang, and I hope you will all love him too! As for my readers of my other stories, please be patient, as I want to give all my stories an equal amount of love. Hope to see you all soon!

~EXO-Dreamer~

Introducing our 'lovable' Prince Luhan, our Inspector Chanyeol (which I imaged in his Twinkle outfit, and Inspector Byun!