It was that mysterious beauty again, walking alone in the dark hallway with a dim lantern in his hand. Wonshik had encountered him several times, in the different properties of the same corrupted rich nobleman. And every time, this mysterious beauty always gave him pointers about where the Lord and the guards were, where to find the treasuries, and what he shouldn’t take away. Wonshik listened to him every time, earning questions from his crews, but he ignored it all.

“The guards are standing by at all treasuries and blocking all exits. If you’re with your friends, tell them to just go home tonight,” the mysterious beauty talked first, voice firm and commanding as usual, without any space for argument.

“We can’t just return empty-handed,” said Wonshik, and the beauty rolled his eyes.

“Either you return with nothing or you won’t return at all. That’s your only choices,” said the beauty. Wonshik sighed in resignation, then nodded.

But before he jumped out from the window where he got in from, he turned and asked, “May I at least return with your name in my memory?”

The beauty rolled his eyes again, sighing, and Wonshik thought he’d just shoo him away. But no, he smiled in the way that made Wonshik’s heart skipped a beat and answered, “Hakyeon.”

If that’s the only treasure he got to bring home that night, he’s content.

Except that his whole crew wasn’t as content as he was. They asked him why they should retreat, why they should even listen to a total stranger, and some who disagreed then ignored his warnings to go back and try stealing some golds.

Just as Hakyeon warned him, those who went back into that mansion never returned to their home. Their heads were lined up at the front gate, a warning for others.

His crews never doubted anything he said anymore, and Wonshik stopped targeting that specific nobleman for some time.

Whether it’s fate or coincidence, Wonshik ran into Hakyeon again when he broke in to another nobleman’s mansion. As usual, Hakyeon quickly shushed him, then proceeded to tell him about the guards and the treasuries.

“Why are you here, though?” asked Wonshik.

“Because the Lord who owns me is here. Now off you go,” replied Hakyeon hurriedly.

“Wait, what? Owns you?” asked Wonshik again, resisting Hakyeon’s powerful push.

“Yes. I am a property owned by that filthy man. Now go,” pushed Hakyeon again. Wonshik didn’t resist this time, too shocked to digest Hakyeon’s words.

But before he jumped out, he asked, “Shall I steal you away as well?”

Hakyeon gave him a pained look and a soft caress on his cheek, “I don’t want to see your face as a gate accessory. Go. Hurry.”

They met again in the broad daylight. Wonshik was hired to pull a carriage, which happened to be the nobleman’s ornate carriage, which also happened to be the carriage where Hakyeon was brought with. Seeing him under plenty of light let him saw every single details of his face, of the beauty marks scattering on his right neck and ear, of his slightly tanned skin, and the curl of his hair. But the most memorable thing was his eyes. They were grey instead of brown, like a pair of full moon. Wonshik never really noticed it in the darkness, but when he finally did, he felt his heart skipped a beat.

Their eyes met and Wonshik bowed in respect, just like he always did to his richer clients. He doubted that Hakyeon recognized him, mostly because he was always wearing a mask whenever he’s out at night. But even if he did, he said nothing, and simply got into the carriage with the help of other servants. The Lord’s carriage set off first, and Wonshik followed behind.

“What are you planning to do in this broad daylight, Young Thief?” asked Hakyeon softly from inside the carriage. Wonshik was surprised at first, but it quickly melted into a chuckle.

“As unthinkable as it is, my daily job is carriage puller for hire. Usually I got hired for pulling carts in the market, but sometimes I got better offer like this time,” explained Wonshik calmly.

“Oh,” said Hakyeon softly, “I almost thought that you’re here to steal me in a flashy way.”

“And I thought you don’t want to see my face as gate accessory,” quipped Wonshik. Hakyeon chuckled at the joke, and it managed to make Wonshik’s heart skipped a beat. For a second, he really considered stealing this beauty away. But then again, the carriage was too heavy and he didn’t think he could run fast enough to avoid all the guards.

Silence fell between them for the rest of the journey. When they arrived, as Wonshik helped Hakyeon to step down from the carriage, Hakyeon softly whispered to him with such wistful expression.

“I hope that the next time we meet again, it won’t be in a dark hallway as you sneak in to steal things from my master.”

Wonshik smiled at him, a gentle one that was greatly different than his business one.

“Then let’s make the next one an intimate one, just you and me, behind the closed doors,” whispered Wonshik in return. Hakyeon snorted at him, but the smile lingered until Wonshik had to return to his post.

Seeing Wonshik actually keeping his promise left Hakyeon speechless. He didn’t know just how Wonshik managed to find the chamber he was kept in, and how he sneaked in without being caught by any of the guards.

This time, it was Wonshik who shushed him first. “The Lord is currently sleeping, and the guards were enjoying their share of liquor at the banquet hall. If you want to be free, follow me right now,” whispered Wonshik as he offered his hand. Hakyeon didn’t take it directly, staring widely at it, then to Wonshik’s face that was painted with a sweet smile, then back to his hand.

“We can’t possibly just run away like that,” his logical side spoke first.

“Either you leave with me now or never leave at all. That’s your only choices,” said Wonshik. Hakyeon snorted at his words, shaking his head at just how cheeky Wonshik was, and took his hand.

“Do you even have a plan?” teased Hakyeon. Wonshik smiled widely and Hakyeon swore his heart had just skipped a beat.

“How good are you at communicating in Japanese?” asked Wonshik with a fluent Japanese.

“Better than you think,” replied Hakyeon smoothly.

The two of them smiled widely, and that night they fled across the sea, leaving their pasts behind to start anew from the very beginning.