"Current time is 19:00, is everyone in their positions?" Jae stood firmly at the gates. Over 1000+ guards from all over the kingdom and some from the Southern Kingdom, Mingook, stood at attention within the palace boundaries. The sun has already dipped down towards the horizon leaving the sky with a red and orange tinge.

            "Yes, sir," TY saluted the head Palace Guard. "Shall I repeat over the report of each section to you?"

            "I think we’re good for now and just remember NCT, be on the lookout and alert for any signs of danger and have FUN!" Jaehyun clapped his hands and chuckled. Jaehyun lifted his hand to ear. "You may proceed to open the gates."

            Two palace guards pushed the large metal gates open with a screech as the gates scratched against the pebbled walkway. Crowds of thousands of citizens came strolling in their best attire and fancy handmade, personalized, and crafted masks. The women had to walk especially slowly for their long, flowy dresses might get caught in their tall heels. While the single men, raced up the hill excited to see who can get behind any girl’s mask first.

            *Knock knock*

            "Come in," KangYuna called out from her vanity table. She carefully colored her lips a light red in hopes of trying to not look like she wasn't wearing any lipstick at all. She had also applied really light eye makeup. KangYuna thought there wasn’t any use of heavily adding on the eyeshadow when it might be smudged underneath the mask, but she did need to brighten her eyes.

            Jaehyun walked in with his hands in his pockets as he glanced at KangYuna. He clapped his hands slowly. "Wahh~ my little KangYuna has grown to be a fine Princess and she may be queen one day and rule the Kingdom of Daehan!"

            "Yah, Jaehyun! Stop being so dramatic and embarrassing and help me in these heels, will you?" KangYuna lifted up her black heels from the table and leaned down to lift up her long skirt and pull her long leg up to her lap as she shimmied her foot into the cross strap platform heels.

            Jaehyun chuckled. "Head Palace Guard Jung Jaehyun at your service!" He lifted up the other foot as he gently placed it in to the form fitting heel.

            KangYuna then stood up and swept away any wrinkles on her dress. She stood tall, but still inches shorter than Jaehyun, her dress fit well around her body curves (although, it was not a tight fit around her body). The shoulder straps dangled with silver and black beads, which swooped down to a V-neck cut. A silver strap around her waist beaded with black beads made the skirt flow out in two different ways. The outer skirt flowed outwards, but falls down close to her legs. The inner skirt fell straight down to pool a little around her feet to accentuate her long legs.

            "Jaehyun, can you pass me my mask on my study?"

            Jaehyun walked across the room and picked the thin, hard plastic mask that was covered in glitter. It was a silver mask that gradient down to a red. Red glitter swirls like growing vines detailed into the silver paint top part of the mask, while silver glitter swirls through the bottom light red and dark reds of the mask.

            "Do you like it? I made designed it myself."

            "It's beautiful," Jaehyun responded and placed the mask onto KangYuna's face as he pushed passed her thick wavy hair and tied the black ribbon underneath a bundle of hair so the ribbon wasn't noticeable.

            "You must promise me you'll be safe out there, okay?" Jaehyun gripped her shoulder tightly and looked into her eyes even with his plain black and gold mask; KangYuna would always be able to tell that it was Jaehyun for the way his eyes would always seem to sparkle in the light.

            KangYuna placed her hand over his and smiled. "Don't worry, I will."

            "Here. In just in case if anything goes wrong," he placed mini earpiece that fit snug her ear. "Just put a finger up on the device and it will be immediately directed to me."

            "Thanks. Well, we have guests already piling into the palace. Let’s make our move, shall we?"

            "Yes, yes we shall, Princess," he extended out his left arm and KangYuna wrapped her arms around his as they exited her bedroom and quickly walked down the corridor.

            All the guards who lined up against the corridor stood tall and at attention as the Princess walked on by. Loud noises echoed off the walls, the two stopped in their tracks.

            "Ready?"

            KangYuna nodded her head and let go of his arm as she walked on by herself in order to help blend in with the citizens in the grand hall. She slowly travelled down the steps as crowds of people climbed up and down next to her.

            'This is so weird,' KangYuna thought as a man rubbed against her arm. 'I don't know if I can do this! I’m getting so anxious. I can't breathe.... I can't'

            "Jaehyun, I don't think I can do this," KangYuna pressed a finger to her earpiece and spoke quickly as her breathing sped up and suddenly she was hyperventilating. A woman pushed past her almost making her trip on her dress. She let out a small yelp.

            "Princess? KangYuna, listen to my voice. I need you to stay calm and breath in and out," Jaehyun spoke, calmly to her.  "You just started out strong and now you must finish stronger!"

            KangYuna closed her eyes and inhaled then exhaled, deeply. Her heart settled down to a steady rate and she relaxed her tensed up muscles.

            "There, see? It's alright, Princess. Go on, I believe in you!"

            It's not because KangYuna was royalty that she couldn't stand very large crowds of people rudely pushing their way through her, she just was never used to it. She was always protected by the guards or placed in her throne far away from the people. She is nearly isolated from society. The cons of being a princess.

            "Good evening," KangYuna greeted the citizens with a smile and a bow.

            "I love your dress!" A girl with a simple slim-fit dark blue dress exclaimed. "Where'd you get it?"

            "Oh, umm..." KangYuna stumbled on her words. Not everyone gets their clothes royally hand-made or bought from another Kingdom. KangYuna's was from the Arabian Kingdom when she visited the royal family on her 18^th birthday. "I'm not sure, my mother found it somewhere within the provinces of the kingdom."

            The girl nodded her head and left when some other girls called out for her. KangYuna let out a sigh of relief. She continued to walk around and greeted the other guests. It was still quite awkward as they would reply with a short answer and walk away, which was the opposite reaction she usually got compared to how she would normally talk to people and they would go into at least a small conversation before heading off in different directions.

            'Well, what do I do now?' KangYuna wondered about the palace. It was a strange feeling to be able to walk around the palace with people and not be recognized as someone with high status, but as someone normal. She really liked the feeling of being a citizen.

            KangYuna walked towards to the snack table to grub out on all the delicious finger foods laid out. Mini sandwiches, fruits kabobs, cookies, veggie kabobs with cheese, fruit punch bowls, champagne, and many more deliciousness.

            "Not sure if I should take anything because you look you're going eat the whole table," KangYuna looked up from the plate after finishing off her 10th fruit kabob.

            A tall slender boy stood before her, his black hair swept up on the side of his head, which got out of the way of his black and silver mask and his suit was also a very outstanding part of this mysterious and handsome man. His black suit was encrust with silver beads on the shoulders of his blazer. A black collared shirt was also paired on the inside and the collar was also in crested with the same silver beads. Everything of this man perfectly matched so well.

            KangYuna covered and finished chewing the last strawberry left in . "I apologize. Go right on ahead, sir," KangYuna stepped back and pointed to the table.

            He grabbed a fruit kabob from the plate. "No need to call me sir, dear, you make me sound like an old man for which I am not."

            "I’m sorry, I didn't-"

            "I'm just joking. I'm only 26 and I take gander that you're 22?" He smirked and KangYuna nodded ever so shyly. "It sure is a beautiful night."

            "Yeah, it is," KangYuna spoke as she glanced out the window to see the stars twinkling in the night sky.

            "Not as a beautiful as you, though. Care to dance?" He held out his hand out towards KangYuna.

            "I would love to," KangYuna gladly took his hand as he guided her toward the dance floor.

            KangYuna placed one hand behind his shoulder and the other intertwined with his hand while he had one on her back and, of course, the other laced in her hand. At first, they danced in silence enjoying each other’s presence, although, for meeting for the first time, KangYuna felt a strange comfortable vibe with this man. It was as if she knew him from before.

            "So what's a lady, as lovely as you, doing here alone?” He asked, breaking the silence.

            KangYuna shrugged. "Just wanted to see what goes on at balls like these held at the Palace."

            "And yet, you came by yourself?" He stepped with the rhythm of the orchestra and KangYuna followed along from her many dance lessons.

            "Well, I had no one to really ask to come and no one asked me. What about you? You seem to be alone as well."

            "Emm... I guess the same as you," He smiled. KangYuna blushed at his pearly whites. She has never seen a smile so genuine like his. "I can't tell if you’re blushing or if it’s just your beautiful red dress reflecting off your pristine white, glossy skin, but I like both."

            This made KangYuna flush a dark red. "You know you're not so bad yourself. You look just like a prince."

            "Why thank you. I was always known as the handsome one within my brothers," he playfully smiled.

            "Oh, so you're not an only child?" He elegantly spun KangYuna around and back into his hold. This man sure does know how to dance.

            "Technically, they're not my real brothers. I just grew up with them since birth," he explained. "Do you have any siblings?"

            "No, I wish. It gets a little lonely in my pal- in my home."

            "Aw, that's sad. I was hoping you had another hot sibling," he chuckled. He noticed KangYuna's mood change to a bitter one, even though her mask disguised her emotions, he felt it. "I'm just joking."

            "You can be a real jokester," KangYuna scoffed.

            "I can tell you more if you want?" He smiled.

            "Emm.... maybe," KangYuna tapped a finger to her lips.

            The orchestra finished their piece. The crowd stopped in their dance formation and clapped for the musicians. KangYuna quickly dragged the man away, down and around the grand staircase, through the hallway of columns. There were citizens hovering about, but overall the place was surprisingly empty. He leaned against the column and looked down at the young, unrecognizable Princess.

            "Parents?" the Princess wiggled her eyebrows, although, the older boy couldn't see.

            "Hmm, they’re around somewhere in the kingdom. Before they’d be home or not; travelling, mainly. My family is always moving around," he shrugged his shoulders. "Yours?"

            "I have to say the same. My parents are actually travelling the different kingdoms of the world at this moment and yet, I'm always stuck at home to watch things."

            "Rich kid, huh?"

            "You can say that… Say, you haven't mentioned a name yet, mister," KangYuna stood tall to look into his eyes.

            "I have to say the same, dear," He bent his head closer to KangYuna's face. "But I believe you wouldn't want to know my name."

            "And why is that?"

            He snuck an arm around KangYuna's waist and pulled her closer to him, but not as close to touch chest to chest. "Well, I'm not they type you should be hanging around. I'm always on the move and-" his lips grazed the top her ear. "I'm kind of bad." He flashed his pearly whites again at her. His voice was in a low whisper that made him sound quite y.

            "Oh, really now?"

            "Uh-huh," he leaned his head back and nodded.

            "And how do you know that I'm not bad as well?"

            "You seem more like princess to me," He squinted his glowing eyes down at her. "You seem like the type to be cherished and taken care of."

            "You wanna bet?"

            "Getting a little sassy, but why not? Try me."

            And with that KangYuna went right up on her tip toes, she leaned in and pressed her lips up onto the stranger’s. He pulled her much closer now to initiate full on contact to reciprocate the kiss. A feeling of warmth spread throughout the couples’ bodies before KangYuna leaned back after a couple seconds out of breath.

            "Wow..." He stood there speechless.

            KangYuna shuffled her feet feeling bits of embarrassment building up in her. She just initiated her first kiss with a complete random stranger. However, it was kind of exhilarating for her. Something she has never done before goes back to her words of “I must take risks”.

            "Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun. I think I need to see you again after this."

            "If you hang around the forest, sometimes you can find me there," KangYuna whispered into Baekhyun's ear.

            "Deal." Baekhyun leaned down to capture another kiss from KangYuna.

            "Hey, you two!" The couple turned their heads towards the angry voice.

            KangYuna gasped and quickly separated herself from Baekhyun. "Jaehyun..."

            "Yah, what do you think you're doing?!" Jaehyun whispered, angrily.

            "Nothing!" KangYuna responded.

            "Who was that guy who looked like he was about to kiss you?!" KangYuna turned around and Baekhyun was gone without a trace.

            "No one. He's no one," KangYuna trudged back out into the crowd of people without another word.

            'Who is he? Will I ever find this mysterious man again?'

+++++++++++

Here's Masquerade Ball Baekhyun!!! I couldn't find a better picture *sad*  I miss the Overdose era. They all looked so good~