They catch up with Baekhyun really fast and the guards let them past the moment Taeyong talked with them without any hesitation.

“Are you by any chance from the Lee family?” Jieun asked as he helped her climb down the horse but Taeyong just smiled in return. “of course he is. Why do you think they let us pass, because he is so smart?”

“I think he is smart,” she said, trying to make a balance between Baekhyun’s assholity and her kindness.

“thank you, my lady. And I think you're beautiful.” He said kissing her hand slightly. 

She blushed, trying hard not to let his word swayed her heart.

“follow me.” He turn around and started walking ahead of them.

“Are you always this-“ Baekhyun struggled to find the right word.

“This what?”

“flirty, my young lady.” He said mimicking, Taeyong’s voice.

“I am not, and I’ve never been. I wasn’t flirting with him, I was trying to help us, and not to let your bitter tongue get us in trouble.” She said matter of factly. “besides he is a nice person”

“sure he is, Lee Taeyong the first son of Lee family.”

“here.” Taeyong turned back suddenly and both of them stopped talking and give him a wide smile.

He knocked on the door softly, “Mrs. Kim?”

“Taeyong? Is that you?” an old lady poked her head out of the door, beaming at Taeyong.

“it’s me and my need for a favor.” He said, scratching his head, “I have a guest and they don’t have a place to stay.”

“because of the stupid fiesta.” An old man groaned from inside.

“he is always so naggy,” Mrs. Kim said, her eyes automatically went to their direction, “come inside.”

She went out of the way to let them in, but eyeing them carefully as if to read them.

“where are you from?” she asked, looking at her and it felt like she is absorbing her every move.

“we’re not from here.” Baekhyun butted in quickly before she could think of an answer. She would probably said Vulneria or Vinumia.

“clearly.” Mrs. Kim said, looking at Baekhyun, “but where? You know I love traveling, but I don’t have feet for that, I love whenever I get a chance to ask someone about the other cities.”

“oh, I travel a lot ma’am, I can keep you up all night,” Baekhyun said with a polite smile.

“I see.” She smiled, “I have all night for you young man.”

“Hello, Mr. Kim,” Taeyong said, bowing his head slightly.

“Hello to you too. You are always a trouble Taeyong no big deal.” The old man said throwing himself on the couch, it didn’t seem he care though.

“Insik, you grumpy old man.” Mrs. Kim scolded, shaking her head, she looked back at Taeyong to make sure that he was not offended, “ignore him, my dear, your friends are more than welcome here.”

“thank you. I wouldn’t do it if I had a choice.” He said shyly feeling a little embarrassed. “sorry Mr. Kim.”

“upstairs.” Mrs. Kim said, looking at her.

“Oh, thank you.”

“it had been my son’s old room, but now it’s empty.” She explained with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“did he move to another city?” she asked out of curiosity.

“he died.” Mr. Kim said, his face turned serious.

“oh, I’m really sorry-“

“don’t be.” He said, his voice firm, “upstairs.”

She almost flinched at the sharpness of his voice, but in the end, she keep herself from it.

“thank you.” Baekhyun bowed, place a hand on her wrist. Almost like sending a mute message to her.

She bowed as well, heading after Baekhyun who somehow was pulling her by her wrist.

They were half away upstairs when Taeyong called again, “so I see you this afternoon my lady.” And he headed out immediately, probably because of Baekhyun’s death glare. 

“what’s up this afternoon?” He asked through greeted teeth, letting go of her hand to cross his arms.

“oh, that,” she gulped, “Taeyong said that he wanted to show me the city.”

“and?”

“and he will.” She smirked and went pass Baekhyun.

There was no need to call for which room was theirs, cause there was only a single door in the corridor.

“We need to talk.” He said before grabbing her wrist again, but it felt different this time.

The first time it was reassuring and warm, it was almost protective but this time it was frim and if she wasn’t mistaken, it was angry.

He pulled her in and close the door behind.

“now what is this tour around the city thing?” he said, trying to be as gentle as possible. He brought her to Xikown so she can heal faster, not so… well, not so she can go wander around with someone.

“I just told you.” She said like she couldn’t believe what he just asked.

“no, no; it seems like you forgot why we’re here.” He said, eyes fixed on her.

“do I?”

“clearly. I brought you here so you can heal faster, with proper food and medicine. You should rest.” He gave her a look of concern.

“you do, and I appreciate it. But I’m a healer, fresh air is good for wound and also my mind.” She said, looking at him with equally concerned eyes. “I need to make up my mind, I’m sure you understand.”

“you come here to get to know about your father, don’t you?”

“yes, I won't lie but you already knew it. Now you don’t lie and tell me you don’t want to know about him.”

She knew it would shut Baekhyun up, and it did.

“what are you doing?” Baekhyun asked a tray with two plates in his hand.

“putting on my best clothes?” she said, a hint of happiness in her voice.

“ah, for your little date, guess I should bring just one.” He said, referring to two plates on his tray. 

She looked at him apologetically.

She saw herself one more time on the old stand mirror. She didn’t even dare to adjust it, afraid of breaking it with any touch. “do I look good?”

She was ready a few minutes before Baekhyun walked in the room. But she wanted Baekhyun to see her. She was sizing up about whatever she should ask him or not.

“why does it matter?” Baekhyun shrugged lazily, like it wasn’t a big deal.

It was the only remain dress that was clean from the two dresses that Baekhyun bought for her. Probably the cheapest dress that Taeyong had ever saw in his whole life.

“I mean, I’m not the one who should say it,” Baekhyun add, almost mumbling.

Was her face that obvious?

“But I want to know.”

“why?”

“cause-“

“cause?”

“I guess, I’m comfortable around you like a friend.” She said.

They were the usual words she would always use every now and then, she’d been comfortable with Yoohwa too and always asked her if she looked okay, she was her best friend after Baekbom. But it felt like they made a whole new sentence.

“why?”

Why? Really?

She didn’t have the answer.

“Jieun, Taeyong is at the front door.”

And she was so glad he was there. Not because he was going to see him but because she was going to run away from the answer. From Baekhyun.

“I have to go.” She said, turning on her heel and running away from the question to the beautiful night in Xikown.

‘What do those words mean?’

He tried to read between the line although he was unsuccessful so he gave up after half an hour.

They weren’t the only thing that gave him an uneasy feeling. He gave a brief look around the room. The room wasn’t for just one kid. It was for two. Every toy was in pairs. But there was only one little bed at the right corner of the room, opposite the front door and one couple bed in the middle.

He stood up again to take a careful look when suddenly the knock on the door distracted him.

“Mr. Park?” Mrs. Kim called.

Yes, he decided to use Chanyeol’s sir name as a fake sir name.

“yes?” he answered, spinning around to face the door. “you don’t bring down the tray.” She said nodding at the tray on the bigger bed. “she didn’t eat anything?”

“oh, I’m sorry, I forgot.”

“I’ll bring them down.”

“you had two sons, didn’t you?”

He saw her freeze on her spot for a moment. It seemed like she was a statue.

“grandsons.” She said, gulping visibly, “I have two grandsons. I don’t know where they are now, though.”

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to expl-“

“They were so young when their mother died, after that they left.” She put the tray on the table beside the bed. “Xiujuan. It was her name. When the war with the northlands start, my son went to war. He was only 19. When he back, he wasn’t alone, he brought back a girl and a beautiful baby boy. He said the girl was the girl of her dream, but she was from the northlands. And due to law, she had to be a servant.” She finished unexpectedly, a grim masked on her face.

“wait, how did he die?”

The old woman turned around, but Baekhyun saw the tears clearly, “the next time he went back to the battlefield.”

She felt baffled and she knew it wasn’t because of the fact that she was walking with Taeyong in the most beautiful street she’d ever seen. And that was worrisome. His voice was falling deaf on the background.

She regretted her last conversation with Baekhyun, thinking she would erase it from his memory if she can. She didn’t want him to stay away from her again, these days he was much better and nicer, and ruining it was the last thing she wanted but again she screwed it just because she wanted to be honest with him.

“they are brand new cherry blossom,” Taeyong said, pulling her out of her imaginary world.

“They are so beautiful.” She comment on the only thing she heard from his words.

“not as beautiful as you are.” He said smiling at her, a charming smile.

“Are you flirting with me?” she asked, her mind still tangled to her last thought. If Baekhyun was there he would probably roll his eyes or snort.

“maybe?” Taeyong said a little shyly.

“I like it.” She said, blushing but looking at him still.

Taeyong smirked, “okay, where are you most excited about?”

“the stores.”

“oh, I expect you to say ‘your home’ but that’s okay.” He said playfully and it made her laugh, “but you could actually see that tomorrow at the ball, it’s at our house.”

“oh, I can’t sorry.” She said quickly, not wanting to force Baekhyun into this again, he would go ballistic.

“why not? It’s fiesta, you deserve some fun.” He said, leading their way to the store place, “there would be tons of people, new people to chat with and befriend.”

 “I want to come but- it’s we have to leave soon.”

“is it because of your brother?”

She didn’t answer and just trailed behind him.

The stores wasn’t anything near the Tela’s store place but still big compere to Vinumia and Vulneria. But she never saw the Tela’s this busy. People swaying around all of them had a bag, in their hands.

“it’s busy because of fiesta.” Taeyong whisper.

“I see.”

“Should we buy clothing first?” Taeyong said, looking around.

“is my dress that bad?” she said, embarrassed.

“no, no, my bad. I just suggest that maybe we should start with that.” He scratched his head shyly.

“that’s okay.”

Taeyong looked around a little as he was searching for someone or something in the busy line of woman dress, full of beautiful dresses of every single color you could imagine.

“Hey, Sulgi.” Taeyong finally stopped in front of the largest store in the street.

“Is she your new girlfriend?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“n-no, I’m not. I just come to the city and he was nice enough to show me around.” She sputtered before, she got any more wrong idea.

“yes, he’s always such a saint.” She said sarcastically, folding some clothes on the counter.

“look, you turned me down, so why are you angry now,” Taeyong said loudly, but nit angrily.

“I’m not,” Sulgi said defensively then turned back to her work.

It felt so awkward that she just wanted to pass them as if she don’t know any of them, she would probably be missed the first step she took.

“So why are you here?” Sulgi said, putting his hand on the now clear counter.

“A dress.”

“oh, I don’t think a dress would fit you.” She smirked looking at Taeyong with amusement.

“for her smarty.” He rolled his eyes.

“told you so.” She said, looking at her, “always a saint.”

“you should let me buy it for you,” Taeyong said, referring to champagnes white dress that Sulgi suggested.

“no, I couldn’t pay for that. Even if I work in your mansion for the ball.” She said, “also I’m not even coming.”

“ now you exaggerating.” He laughed, giving her the other dress she both to where tomorrow, “about the ball, is there any chance that you, you know, change your mind?”

“there is.” She said, stealing her gaze.

“tell me what it is, I will do it.”

“do you know anything about Kim Inguk?” she said dead serious.

His face fell and she saw mixed of feelings in it. He was scared, no horrified and nervous. It was as if the time stopped and all the background was nothing. He could only see her and hear her voice repeating in his head.

And suddenly she laughed out loud, “it was so funny. You should see your face.” She said trying to act silly, “I was just joking.”

Not. “oh my god. It really scare me for a moment.”

So he knew something, and she knew it too.

“Since you wouldn’t do it, I guess I wouldn’t come.” She said smiling widely at him. She turned around, walking toward the staircase. “is it because of Baekhyun?”

“maybe.” She said, “I don’t want to lose him again.” She whispered so he wouldn’t hear it before going up.