One Night
Cupid at Heart
The Diamond kingdom was a stark contrast to Heart. While Heart was heavily influenced by European architecture and relied on grey bricks and stones to shape the buildings and castle within the kingdom, Diamond was more influenced by a modernized structure. It was a hybrid between the medieval style and fairytale design, having multiple towers form a majestic palace of white marble. Against the sunlight, certain angles were coated in pink, giving off a whimsical touch to the fantasy-themed design.
The visitors got off the carriage, Hoya being responsible to aid them by lending a hand. He seemed to be distracted, Hyunmi noticed, almost letting Hyoyeon trip when he obliviously scratched the back of his head the moment she wanted to grab onto him.
“Watch it!” Hyoyeon snarked, slapping his arm away when he attempted to atone his mistakes. Hoya remained as clueless when he resumed his task.
“Did anything happen to you, Sir Hoya?” Hyunmi questioned, being the last to leave the carriage. Though she was seated closest to the door, they exited by age order.
His eyes widened surreptitiously, and he straightened his back. “No, Your Highness,” he answered promptly, speaking like he had lost all sense of emotions.
“Hm,” the princess hummed, curving her lips into a grin. She proved her agility when she jumped off the carriage, gracefully landing on the tip of her heels, her gown tilted enough to keep it from touching the ground. Surely she could’ve done so all along, but she wouldn't miss an opportunity to be close to cupid, even if it meant having to fake her clumsiness.
“Thank you for your concern, but I am fine, Your Highness,” Hoya spoke again, and this time his tone softened. He was trying hard to convince her, not knowing it resulted in a sparked curiosity.
“If you ever need to talk about it, I am quite a good listener,” she spoke, offering him a smile before making her way past him.
“In all due respect, Your Highness, you don’t listen to your father whenever he tells you to not leave the castle,” Hoya said without an attempted humor. His stoic expression remained on his face.
Hyunmi stared at him at a loss for words and began to laugh. “Those are two different things, Sir Hoya,” she told him. “I shall lend a listening ear to a troubled friend. However, I shall also defy orders when necessary.”
“You are quite contradicting, Your Highness.”
“A trait you will come to find beneficial someday.”
Hyunmi curtsied to him before she strolled into the palace. Something bogged the knight’s mind, and she wished for him to open up at his own incentive.
The interior of the palace was as marvelous as its exterior. Pristine white walls glowed with endless decorative figures of paintings and statues. A sweet and sugary smell lingered in the air, like the chefs overdid themselves when cooking dessert. They soon learned the sweet aroma defined the Diamond kingdom.
They entered a large dining area where a long table decorated the center. It could fit a hundred people in total. On the far end, a tall and lean man was seated, his crown nearly disappearing over his small head. He got up to his feet when he sighted the guests—the fuchsia robe hanging above knee length—and greeted the King of Heart like long lost friends.
“I welcome you to the kingdom of Diamond. My daughter won’t be joining us as of yet, because it is a bad omen to see the bride before the wedding,” the king spoke and chuckled a little at his own humor. “Although this is an engagement party, the same rules apply.”
“That shan’t be a problem. My son, Prince Dongwoo, has never laid eyes on the princess prior to this,” the smaller and shorter King of Heart answered.
“Once you do lay your eyes on her, you won’t be able to look away. My daughter is a beauty,” the other spoke and engaged in another hearty chuckle. Then he paused, setting his eyes on Hyunmi instead, and it twinkled at her goddess-like visual. “This must be the youngest princess whom I have heard so many tales about. She truly is a work of art. The Spade Kingdom is lucky to have her as a daughter in law.”
Hyunmi’s lips twitched, not sure what to make of the compliment from a married man, a king at that, who was her father’s age. The mention of the engagement almost made her proper smile falter, almost.
She shared a look with her brother who knew when to take her hand and gave it a light squeeze of support. The same thing could not be expected of her two sisters who darted her sinister looks.
“Please make yourselves at home. Dinner will be served promptly at six tonight,” the King of Diamond informed, much to Kihyun’s delight. The rabbit worshipped punctuality. With a courteous bow, the king signalled the servants to show the guest to their individual rooms.
Once inside, one could notice the utmost detail placed into caring for their guests. The bedsheets smelled of fresh soap, but the entirety of the room indulged in a rosy scent, an admirable attempt to mimic the Heart kingdom. Red flower petals decorated the bed, as if an amorous act was about to take place.
Hyunmi quickly shook the thought from her head, lightly blushing. She shouldn’t have come to that conclusion when her experience was limited to cupid’s tender kisses within her dreams. She would never admit it to Woohyun, but their interrupted intimate moments were continued in her dreams at night.
She took a deep breath, and exhaled when she plopped herself down on the bed. Her fingers swayed over the red petals, rolling them out of boredom. Seulyi and Sungjong weren’t allowed to come along, leaving her in solitude. She hadn’t even sighted Woohyun on the day of the departure. How could her heart yearn for someone to the point it was drench without his presence? She couldn’t remember what life was like before meeting him.
The rest of the day carried out like a standard procedure. They had dinner that night, quail with rose petals, and it tasted exquisite. The guests complimented the food, and the host gratefully accepted their appreciation. But an empty chair remained on the king’s right hand, reserved for the missing princess.
“Are we certain of the princess’ existence?” Hyunmi leaned in to whisper to her brother seated on her left side.
It made him chuckle as he stared at her with a hint of mischief. “Are you suggesting I’ll marry a ghost, dear sister?”
“One has no option but to doubt when absolutely no one has met the princess before.”
“I apologize for her absence,” the King of Diamond suddenly spoke, his voice loud but sympathetic. “The truth is, the princess’ health is a little weak since birth. She needs a few treatment before joining us. I hope that sits well with you, Princess Hyunmi.”
Hyunmi flinched, not expecting her conversation to be caught by anyone other than her brother, especially not by the king himself. How embarrassing.
“Forgive me for coming across rather rude. I am eager to meet the woman who would make my brother the happiest man alive,” she quickly said, hoping her words rang true. She wanted Dongwoo to experience a better fate than hers.
The king looked pleased at once, and raised his glass of red wine. “Splendid,” he turned to the King of Heart, “What a fine daughter you have. I believe she will become a great queen someday. Cheers.”
The rest mirrored his movement and raised up their wine glass to engage in a royal toast.
“She gets away with everything because of her beauty,” Hyoyeon’s voice sounded from the opposing side.
“The world looks at outer appearance nowadays. Men are living proof of that. Prince Sunggyu isn’t an exception,” Soonkyu added, throwing side glances to their little sister.
Hyunmi overheard the conversation. Whether or not they intentionally spoke in loud whispers, it shouldn’t have bothered her. Sunggyu saw her beauty as a prized asset, but how foolish he was. To Woohyun, she was beautiful inside and out, and his words mattered more than society’s opinion.
As she found herself lying down in bed that night, disturbing thoughts continued to invade her mind. The curse plagued her since birth and she had no choice but to live with the judgement of a condemning society, even becoming the victim of women’s envy. No one understood the true extent of the curse.
All images of her worries faded when a small ticking resonated against the window. Fear creeped inside, and the princess hastily looked sideways, wondering what was outside the window of her room located on the fourth floor of the castle.
Dear Lord, it was Woohyun.
She had never jumped off the bed as quickly before, and sprinted to open the window. Woohyun was riding the pegasus, real in flesh and not a projection of her imagination. The wind blew the dark locks of his hair aside, and his strong gaze remained on her. Darkness failed to hide his divine quality.
“May I enter the room?” He asked, his voice as sweet as honey, and gentle enough to resurrect her heart from its scorched state.
“You have never been fond of using the front entrance, like others would,” she stated with a grin. Then she stepped aside, curtsying to allow his entrance into the room.
“I am unlike others, Hyunmi. I am cupid.” He scoffed, easily swinging himself through the small opening of the window. As soon as he steadied himself, the princess welcomed him by wrapping her arms around his waist. She laid her head against his chest, allowing him to whiff the floral scent from her hair.
“I missed you,” she whispered, fluttering her eyes tightly shut, and keeping the trembling of her lips to a minimum.
Woohyun smiled, letting his fingers caress the top of her head with such gentle and affectionate motions. “I should’ve been more patient awaiting your return, but it is impossible to be away from you,” he spoke, softly pressing his lips between her tangled hair.
Then he pulled his head away, and his gaze fell on the bedsheet covered in red rose petals. The glint in his eyes shifted and his lips pulled into a grin. “Should you have paired it with candlelights, I would’ve mistaken you for trying to seduce me,” he spoke daringly.
Hyunmi blinked rapidly, and produced incoherent sounds at the accusation. Even if the thought did cross her mind at some point, it was another secret she would not share with him. “Don’t be ridiculous. The bed was decorated that way when I got here.”
“It’s beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as you,” he smoothly uttered, the dimples sunken in his cheeks.
How could he make everything better using mere words? How could he define the goodness in the world? It wasn’t until then when she realized how much she needed him in her life. He was her ecstasy.
“Seeing you puts my heart at ease. However, I should depart again for it isn’t safe for me to be here,” Woohyun then spoke. When his hand left her waist, she grabbed unto his arm entirely.
“You can’t possibly believe these few seconds would suffice. You just arrived here,” she said determinedly. The longing reflected through her glistening eyes, and she hoped it was enough to make him stay.
Woohyun wished for nothing more than to be in her presence, but the situation was not as ideal. Yet, he knew she was reluctant to let go, and the feeling was mutual. “I saw a small garden on my way here. Perhaps we could go there for a moment,” he surrendered.
As expected, the suggestion made the princess brim from ear to ear. She’d do anything to spend more time with him, even at the cost of lacking sleep, or breaking rules by means of escaping the castle. She’d return before anyone could notice her absence.
Woohyun was the first to pass through the window, easily hopping unto the white pegasus that had been waiting for him. Then he stretched a hand out to Hyunmi, awaiting her actions. “This would be a perfect time to show your true nimbleness. Acting clumsy might come with severe consequences this time round,” he grinned teasingly.
So he had known about her pretenses, but willingly played along and caught her fall every single time.
“This does not entail I no longer wish to be held by you,” she clarified, remembering their earlier conversation.
“Hyunmi, I would hold unto you for as long as you let me,” Woohyun reassured, convincing the princess to show her true abilities.
The mischievous grin appeared on her face, and she slightly lifted her nightgown to allow easier movements as she passed through the window.
The sight of her exposed legs quickly made him reek his gaze elsewhere. It wasn’t proper for a man to see that much skin unless they were married. The smallest amount of imagery was enough to provoke the completion of the picture in his mind. A deity was not immune to such desires.
The princess, oblivious, easily seated herself in front of him. The moment he touched the bare skin of her shoulder to hold her steady, he found himself gulping nervously. His breathings turned a notch heavier. The only time he experienced similar feelings was during the time of his confession.
He commanded the pegasus to move right away, hoping the flight would distract him. But in her presence, the desire only begged to be nurtured. He made excuses to sneak his arm around her: reaching forward to pat the pegasus’ neck, rubbing her arm to make sure she wasn’t cold, and looping his hand around her waist for safety reasons. Honestly, he didn't know why he had to opt for excuses when the princess would certainly welcome his attempts.
“Where were you this morning?” Hyunmi asked, slightly turning around to meet him. But realizing how close he was to her, she blushed and kept her gaze to the front.
“My mother summoned me for a discussion.”
“Oh.”
Woohyun noted her short reply, knowing she was drawing conclusions in her own mind. He leaned in closer to her ear, and softly whispered. “Nothing to worry about, love. All is well.”
His breath lingered so warmly against her skin, and she had to shut her eyes and bite her lips to contain herself. He called her love. It gauged her heart with a new sensation, similar to the way he had whispered her name for the first time.
The flight ended when the pegasus landed his hoofs against the trottoir of the nearby garden. The two got off—Hyunmi on her own accord this time.
The place was a garden of Utopia, decorated with vines stemming from the wall. Flowers in all sorts of colors were illuminated brightly against the moonlight. A small water fountain stood at the center, and the sound of rushing water echoed the realization they were completely alone.
“Now it’s perfect,” Woohyun suddenly spoke, taking a step back to admire the view. “The garden, though beautiful on its own, was still lacking without you. I now realize everything in my life will always be lacking without you in it.”
The moon glow softened his facial features, and Hyunmi read the genuinity of every word spoken. She willingly drowned herself in cupid’s pool of endless affection, refusing to escape.
He stepped closer to lessen their distance, and his hand grazed her cheek. His breathing staggered when realization of their close distance took over.
“If you ask me to run away with you, you know I will,” she whispered, soaking the heat from his touch. For once, she’d like to forget about the courtship, her responsibilities, and her status as a princess. She wanted to love him without being bound to restrictions.
He smiled, bringing himself closer. “It seems I have taken your heart, dear princess.”
“No,” Hyunmi shook her head, her fingers resting on top of his. “You can’t take what is already yours to begin with. My heart has always been yours, Woohyun.”
Her confession made him lose a part of himself, knowing he’d willingly throw away all sorts of rationale to be with her. He could no longer restrain what he wished to do, and leaned in closer.
“I am beginning to understand what it feels like,” he whispered against her lips, caressing the side of her cheek with his thumb, “To be in love.”
She looked at him with wide eyes of surprise, afraid to blink herself awake from a beautiful dream. But as seconds passed, she was still indulged in her euphoria. His lips was only an inch away from her, and she could feel his warm breath ghosting over her skin. There was a shift in his glint, one that was hungrier and darker than a polite gentleman’s, but lovely nonetheless.
“What would that be?” She barely voiced out her voice in a whisper.
“You,” Woohyun whispered, his voice smothered in huskiness. His eyes were no longer trailing on hers, but subconsciously lowered to her lips. “Every second spent with you teaches me what love is. There is no better way to put it, Your Highness. I have fallen in love with you.”
Hyunmi was rendered speechless as she drowned herself in the goodness of his presence. She was drunk for him, craving every bit of his affection and touch. She wanted him, she needed him. And Woohyun replied in the most perfect way possible when he gently leaned in, pressing his soft lips against her anticipating ones.
Her heart experienced millions of different emotions at once, all leading to the adoration she felt towards this man. The kiss elicited an unforgettable spark she had been craving for. Ever since the day she met him at the balcony, she knew she was drawn to him. Perhaps her heart had always recognized her other half, and in the spur moment of the kiss, was certain he felt the same way.
He wrapped his arms around her waist displaying his gentleman mannerism, exchanging tenderness for a chance of indulgence. The soft brush of his lips continued to set her heart ablaze, melting the frozen bits of her guarded heart. Nothing could stop the heated passion in the middle of a cold night.
Nothing but the rustling leaves from a nearby bush, causing the appearance of an unexpected visitor to halt everything.
I literally rewrote that kiss scene 10 different times just to get it right, and even now, it still isn't exactly what I wanted it to be. I shall blame it on that unxpected visitor who ruins the moment XD Still hope it was heart fluttering enough for you lovely readers. Thank you all for reading and commenting! <333
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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