The standard background check ensues. You've become a Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tinder detective. Really now, you're only checking to make sure he's not a serial killer and what college he went to and the kind of girls he takes pictures with...

“AMBER!” Krystal burst through the door of Amber’s bedroom at the ungodly hour of 9 am.  The older girl scrambled off the bed and fell with a dull thud on the floor.  She groaned and squinted at the blurry figure by her door.  Krystal crossed her arms impatiently as her friend sat up, still dressed in last night’s clothes.

“Up, stupid!”—Krystal yanked the poor girl roughly to her feet and watched as Amber swayed like a stringless marionette before falling back onto her bed, clutching her swimming head.

“Wha’s’it?” Amber slurred tiredly.

“I need to find the name of the girl who helped me!” Krystal pulled at Amber’s shirt like a petulant child and pouted when her llama did no more than weakly slap her hands away.

“I’unno…”—Amber murmured as she slowly fell back to sleep—“’sk’Enry.”  With shut eyes and slow hands, she tossed her phone in Krystal’s general direction.  The younger girl snatched the phone like a drowning man being thrown a lifeline.  She shook her head in fond exasperation at the sight of one of her best friends fast asleep once more.  Krystal left the room and wandered quietly back into her own, her fingers punched in the familiar passcode, then she quickly called Henry. 

When he picked up and greeted Krystal with a yawn and a grumbled “—llo?”

Krystal rolled her eyes at how similar he and Amber were before answering, “Oppa! I need your help?”

“Huh? Since when’d you use oppa, Am?” Henry squinted at the name on his contact screen before putting it back to his ear.

“It’s Krystal. Anyway, I need to— D’you know who’s the Prince at Incognito?” Her question tumbled hastily from at the sound of Henry’s second yawn, for fear of him following Amber back into dreamland.

“I dunno any princes.  Check the fanpage?”

Krystal smacked her forehead, no duh! The fanpage! She was on it just before they left the dorm lastnight.

“Thanks, oppa!”

A snore was her only reply – Henry was fast asleep again.  Krystal huffed annoyedly and disconnected the call and tossed the phone on her bed.  In an excited frenzy, she logged back in her laptop and found the only online source of information available about the Club.  No phones, no cameras or any other recording devices were allowed in the club.  They took their policy of anonymity very seriously.  As such the only information she could find about the club online was a discussion blog where people posted reviews, gossip about the DJ line up, theme nights and anything else. 

Krystal scoured the site for any mentions of ‘Prince’ or white masks.  There were only a couple, but a lot of it made it sound like she was no more than a legend or myth. 

[I heard the Prince is actual royalty and he comes to INCOGNITO as a regular!]—Krystal scoffed, the Prince was a girl, this blogger didn’t know a thing.

[Really? I thought he was the owner’s son! SO he comes and goes as he pleases]

[He? Wasn’t Prince a girl with tomboy hair????]

[He. She. Whatever. Thought it was some politician’s kid or something.]

[Is it true he’s got a white mask?]

[Lol there are only 4 masks, black, bronze, silver, gold. It was probs just a silver one]

[I THINK I SAW A WHITE MASK LAST NIGHT ASSDAHKGFADLKGFKLASDG HE’S REAL]

Krystal groaned and shut her laptop lid with an audible snap!  None of those helped her find the Prince, there was no name or any hint to the girl’s identity.

For the second time that day Krystal barged into Amber’s room, “AM!”

“Jesus!” Amber jumped up from the bed and clutched her frantic heart, “What the heck Krys?!?”

Krystal ignored the older girl’s grumbling, “We’re going to INCOGNITO tonight.”

“W-Wha?” The short haired blonde shook her head as if that would fix the mental whiplash Krystal had subjected her to.

“I need to find the Prince.  Go tell Henry,” Krystal threw Amber’s phone back to her and strutted out of the room.

Amber, Henry and Krystal stood waiting in line for the club that night; the other f(x) members were too busy with schedules to join the Prince investigation.  The longer they waited, the testier Krystal got.  Amber and Henry subtly edged away from the Ice Princess as each minute passed.  Krystal started tapping her foot, then she crossed her arms and drummed her fingers on her forearm, her glare grew colder and colder—till Amber and Henry were shivering comically by her side like two frightened servants wary of their master’s wrath.  Even the guys who stopped to admire Krystal’s beauty were soon sent scampering away with one frozen glare.

Someone walked straight past them in a dark green button up and black skinny jeans.  There was nothing of note… Except they walked straight past everyone who had been waiting in line and headed right up to bouncers.  Some people murmured, others shrugged and a few appeared disgruntled by the appearance of the newcomer jumping straight to the front of the line.

Then…. There was Krystal.  The sight of another person keeping her away from her plans tonight set off the ice princess.

“HEY! DON’T CUT IN LINE, JERK!”  She leaned over the rope that edged the queue and shook her fist, her brown eyes shooting lasers at the newcomer.  Everyone froze.  Every single person in the line froze and eagerly waited with baited breath for any entertainment that broke the monotony of waiting in line.  The person up ahead, a girl Krystal noted, stopped and spun smoothly and slowly on her heels— Krystal stiffened as the crowd gasped.

It was a white mask.  The Prince’s eyes locked on the only person leaning over the rope and glaring at her.  With slow steps, she walked towards the frozen girl till they were face to face.  She smirked.

Prince reached up and gently took Krystal’s outstretched hand in her own and lowered it.  Krystal watched her without a word, but made no move to retract her hand.  Amber and Henry shifted uneasily at the showdown happening right in front of them.

The Prince brought Krystal’s hand to her lips and brushed a light kiss on her knuckles with a murmured, “Princess.”

A pink blush creeped up Krystal’s neck and onto her cheeks.  The heat of the brown eyes staring into her own was only dampened by the amusement that shone in them.  She snatched her hand back and clutched it to her chest as if she would try steal it again

Prince chuckled lowly and asked, “Who is your member?”

“M-me,” Henry raised his hand like an errant schoolboy called on by his teacher.

Prince shook the hand of the bronze-masked singer with a firm grasp, “Come. You’ll be my guests tonight.”

She lifted the rope for Amber and Henry to duck through.  When Krystal made no move to follow, she held out her hand, “Are you fit to dance with royalty, Princess?”

There was no mistaking the challenge in her tone.  Krystal bristled at that and took the offered hand, “Lead the way, Prince.”

Prince placed her hand in the crook of her elbow and the four of them made their way to the front, Amber and Henry trailed behind like an entourage.

Inside was as dark and as loud as Krystal could remember from last night.  But this time all she could hear was her own erratic heartbeat as it sped up and skipped beats here and there.  All she could feel was the slim, but toned muscles under her hands.

Prince grabbed Henry’s arm, pulled him close and shouted above the music, “You two head to the bar or something, tell them to put you on my tab. Say ‘It’s for royal business’, they’ll know it’s from me.”

Henry nodded and took Amber’s hand.  The two of them eagerly dived into the crowd and put distance between themselves and the two royals.

Prince leaned over to speak to her, Krystal shivered as her breath washed over her ear, she almost missed what the other girl said, “Follow me.”

They headed upstairs where the music was still loud, but somewhat muted.  There were private rooms all along the corridor which members could book for the night.  The other girl pulled Krystal past all the identical dark wooden doors to the double doors at the end of the hall.  The Prince took a key out of her pocket, unlocked the door and ushered her in.

It was a wide spacious room with a black U-shape leather couch on one side, a large TV on the other and a coffee table in the middle.

Prince threw herself onto the couch with a happy sigh.  Krystal quirked an eyebrow at the display and perched herself gingerly on the edge.

“You came back,” Prince her side to face the ice princess and propped her head on her hand.

“Obviously,” with a little bit of time to get her bearings back, Krystal was relieved to know her sarcasm and personality had made a comeback too.

Prince smiled as if she was happy to hear the sass again, “I’m glad.”

“Why?”

“I liked you.”

“W-what?” Krystal spluttered at the straightforward reply, she had a feeling she would never get used to this girl’s audacity.

“I liked you,”—she repeated with another smile—“So I wanted to know who you were.”

“That’s against club rules, you know,” Krystal answered coyly with a smirk.

“Only if you find out without consent,” Prince leaned closer, “How ‘bout it Princess? Care to tell this Prince your name?”

“Shouldn’t the gentleman lead?” Krystal leaned till their faces were mere centimetres apart, clearly accepting whatever challenge she had set, “Why don’t you go first, Prince?”

“Aren’t you eager?” She whispered with a smirk of her own, “Have you been trying to find out my identity?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Krystal snorted, “I was just curious.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you then,”—Krystal’s eyes widened in desperation for a fraction of a second before the haughty blank stare returned, but she caught it— “The anonymity keeps you interested in me.”

“Who said I was interested in you?” Krystal had meant for that to be biting, but instead it came out as a breathy whisper that washed over the other girl’s lips like a caress.

“I did.”

That was the last thing she heard before her lips were on hers.  Krystal will deny it in future, but she responded immediately. There was no pause for shock, just instant reciprocation of the kiss that seared her lips.  The taste of mint mingled with her cherry chapstick to make a flavor she could get addicted to.  Krystal buried her fingers in the other girl’s long hair and pulled her impossibly closer.  Her Prince gave no resistance to the pull, she followed willingly.  Her hands wound their way around Krystal’s waist and pulled her till she fell on top of her.  Prince breathed in the scent of sweet vanilla that seemed to radiate naturally from Krystal.  While the smell of familiar perfume wrapped around Krystal. 

They pulled apart for one quick intake of breath before the Prince caught her bottom lip between her own and they were kissing again.  Krystal moaned a little at the feel of such soft lips moving against her own.  After this there could be no one else, there was no way Krystal could ever have another’s kiss.

Slowly they pulled away, panting.  Eyes still closed to lock the memory in place, lips tingling with the afterimages of their passion and hearts beating frantically with the other’s proximity.  When they finally opened their eyes, the two of them stared at each other.  Krystal lay on top of the other girl with bruised red lips, smeared lip gloss and eyes that were almost black.  Prince was no better with her hair a mess, chest rising rapidly and her lips just as abused.

Prince reached up slowly, giving Krystal plenty of time to move away, and found the end of the ribbon holding her mask in place.  She looked into Krystal’s eyes, asking for silent permission.  Krystal reached up without breaking eye contact, grasped the other girl’s hand and pulled.  Taking the ribbon with her.

The black mask fell.

Neither of them paid it any mind. Prince drank in the unobstructed sight of the face that had haunted her every waking moment since last night.  She caressed her cheek with a thumb, nothing more than featherlight touches on her skin, but Krystal closed her eyes for a moment and leaned in to the touch.

It was Krystal’s turn to reach for the ribbon on her white mask.  She pulled it loose and lifted the mask off.  Her breath caught at the sight of those brown eyes staring straight at her.  High cheekbones, a sharp but feminine jawline and impossibly long eyelashes greeted her.

“Isobel,” Prince whispered, as if to speak any louder would ruin the moment.

“Hmmm?” Krystal had been too busy etching the face she had been thinking of to memory.

“My name is Isobel.”

This time Krystal focused on her words and a small smile played upon her lips, “Krystal.”

Isobel smirked, “I know,”—Krystal scrunched her eyebrows cutely in confusion and frowned—“I recognized you as soon as your mask came off.”

“…….You’re a kpop fan?” The corner of Krystal’s lips twitched as if the very thought of it was funny.

Isobel grinned sheepishly, “Maybe.”

Krystal laughed and lay her head on Isobel’s chest.  It warmed the Ice Princess’ heart to see such a soft expression on someone she had only ever seen as strong and in control.  In return, it warmed Isobel’s heart to see Krystal look so comfortable in her arms.

They gazed at each other with their hearts in their eyes for the first time in their lives.