“Thank you Seulgi, and sorry for having to make you give up your room for the Princess,” Chanyeol said as he drained the wine in his cup.

Seulgi sighed as she said, “cannot have the Princess sleep out, can we?”

Seulgi, in contrast of her Captain, had been taking small, controlled sips. It turned out that Captain Chanyeol and Princess Seungwan had the same plans as them to visit the Lantern Festival during the Elite Troop’s break. However, unlike Seulgi and Joohyun, Chanyeol and his Princess had not the had the mind to depart from the camp earlier which was why they did not manage to find any rooms when they had arrived.  

“We cannot, but Seungwan said she really did not mind sleeping under the stars,” Chanyeol said with a rueful smile on his face, as if he was already missing his Princess.

Seungwan… Seulgi narrowed her eyes as she thought about how the alcohol must already be beginning to take effect on Chanyeol if he was using the Princess’s name.

“Seungwan… you must be thinking I am drunk right to call her name like that? But she prefers it that I drop the title “Princess” whenever we are alone together, she gives me the dagger-like stares every time I forget to do it,” Chanyeol sighed and then downed another cup.

Seulgi could totally relate to the Captain as Joohyun’s dagger-like stare came into her mind and Seulgi almost sputtered into laughter.

“It’s okay, I get it. No military rules here,” Seulgi said with a wave of her hand.

“God, I love Seungwan so much,” Chanyeol declared.

Seulgi nodded, she could tell her brother-in-arms was thoroughly infatuated from the way his eyes shone whenever he spoke about the Princess. An amused expression came into her face as Seulgi said, “I can tell,” then she took another sip.

They stayed silent for a moment, just drinking and letting time pass until Chanyeol broke the silence.

“Anyway, Colonel, how much do you love the Strategist? By the way, you do know that I already guessed right?” Chanyeol said, with that proud smirk on his alcohol-flushed face.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Seulgi replied, “a lot. More than you love the Princess. I would not be surprised that you knew since you always come to me for relationship advices.”

The slightly intoxicated Captain then broke out into a laughter. “That is because I really look up to you. Who else could capture the Strategist’s heart but you.”

With an equally proud smile on her face, Seulgi concurred, “That is true.”

“And who would have thought that I would be in a relationship with the Princess,” Chanyeol mused.

The Colonel did not know what to say to her Captain. There would be challenges, like her own relationship with the Strategist, extremely tough challenges. Seulgi suddenly felt it apt that the two of them were now drinking with each other, as the phrase goes, fellow sufferers empathise with each other.

Another moment of silence washed over the two soldiers. They were usually comfortable with silences, however, on this night, they were not. There were questions that they had to confront each other with and honest answers that they would demand.  

“Colonel, what are your plans with the Strategist?” Chanyeol asked suddenly. The Captain’s eyes were serious as he looked into Seulgi’s equally hard ones.  

Plans? If Chanyeol were to ask about tactical plans, Seulgi could come up with a hundred for him but this was future plans with the Strategist and Seulgi did not have one. Therefore, she would answer truthfully. “I have no plans.”

Chanyeol almost choked on his wine as his eyes widened with shock and amusement at the same time. “No plans?! The Strategist is older right? That makes her to be of marriageable age already. Aren’t you worried that the Lord Commander would marry her off to someone else?”

To be honest, Seulgi was extremely worried but she could not let it show. “I believe in the Strategist. You already know she is a stubborn one, no one can change her mind if she does not allow them to.”

The Captain had a look of enviousness on his face as he heard those words then he remained silent as he continued drinking. Sensing that Chanyeol had been troubled by the same question, Seulgi asked as well. “What are your plans with the Princess then?”

“We will elope.” Chanyeol said.

It was said with such a bravado that Seulgi knew that the Captain was not kidding but why would he dare to divulge his plans to the Colonel?

Seulgi swallowed, she had to tread carefully now for now that she knew, she would also be part of the plans. “The Princess’s idea?”

Chanyeol nodded and drained the alcohol from his bottle directly.

“Do you want it?”

The Captain’s eyes widened once more, as he set down his wine bottle onto the table with a clang and glared into the Colonel’s eyes, so intense that it made Seulgi forget about their ranks.  

“Of course I do!” Chanyeol said indignantly.

“But?” Seulgi pressed on.

“But… I am afraid I cannot give her happiness.” Chanyeol admitted, his face red with shame and perhaps from the alcohol.

Thereafter, the Colonel listened to the worries the Captain have had for the past six months while the Princess and himself have been dating. Amongst which included Chanyeol’s worries for not being able to give the Princess a life of luxury which she was already used to, the families and friends that they will be leaving behind and above all, capture and death. Countless of times, Seulgi had to keep her own emotions in check as she empathise with the man. Such was a love with a lot of complications and which they could not give up that easily. Seulgi knew it right from the moment Chanyeol began sharing about the Princess. This man was completely, utterly, irrevocably in love with the Princess, as Seulgi was with the Strategist.

The conversation finally ended with both the Colonel and Captain’s heads on the table, the bottles of alcohol s