“The anguish that dug into my mind countless times, there’s no answer at the end of wandering.”

August D, The Last

“And this is the innermost part of the palace, the Rose Courtyard, whose doors are closed and locked at all times,” Lady Hong said, as we passed by a pair of large red doors, “Under no circumstances are you allowed to enter here.”

I stared at the large red doors, seeing the familiar mugunghwa carved into the wood. I ran my fingers over the embossed design.

There was something about the flower that left a bitter taste in my mouth; this was the reason why I was here, a single flower. And it was all I saw: on the pillars, growing around the palace courtyards...it was starting to feel like a sign of mockery.

I turned to her. “What’s inside?”

Viscount Kim folded his arms over his chest. “This is the master’s private domain. He lives within those doors,” he said.

“I see.”

Seconds passed. “I know what you’re thinking.”

I made a face, knowing exactly what he was thinking. “And what’s that?”

“You’re going to sneak around and enter it, because that’s what you crummy little criminals do.

I scoffed. “As if I would even dream of barging into his private chambers. Do I have a death wish? Obviously not.”

Lady Hong watched our little exchange with mild amusement. “Do you remember the layout of the palace now?”

I stuck out a tongue at Seok Jin, and turned to the roughly drawn pictures on the parchment that the viscount had given me earlier. “The palace has three gates. The front gates, which lead to the main courtyard of the palace. The middle gates, which also break off and lead to the living quarters. And finally we have these gates which lead to the innermost courtyard of the palace, whatever is inside other than the master’s own living domain.”

“Correct.”

“Where’s the throne room?”

Both of them blinked.

I frowned. “There is a throne room, right? I mean, every palace should have one,” I asked, “This is a palace, after all?”

“Don’t be silly, that would mean that the master is royalty!” Viscount Kim scoffed, throwing his head back and laughing airily, “Which he isn’t, by the way.”

I looked at Lady Hong. “You’ve only told me about the palace layout and how it was supposed to be abandoned when you came to work here, but you didn’t tell me about him,” I said, jerking my head to the door, “A family history, maybe? Where did you find him, maybe? When you came to work here, maybe?”

She gave a little smile. “You ask too many questions.”

“I like to think of myself well prepared before I do anything,” I replied smoothly, “Can’t make a fool of myself that way.”

“Indeed.”

“So which is it?” I pressed on, tapping my chin thoughtfully, “Did you find him as a baby in the forests and taught him how to be a gentleman?”

“Oh! Or was he a test sent down by the gods to imprison all of you and make you pay whatever debt you owed him, just as I’m doing right now?”

Lady Hong shrugged. “That sounds like a fair assumption.”

“A definite no, then,” I commented, “Hmm. Was he a freak of nature, an unholy union between man and beast- or perhaps, woman and beast? Although that would be just make things stranger-”

“That’s preposterous!” Viscount Kim cried, “How dare you even insinuate that the master is some kind of m-”

“Monster?” I supplied helpfully.

He blinked, speechlessly staring at me as his mouth opened and closed. No sound came out as he sputtered, and then his hand fluttered to his neck as he whipped his head to Lady Hong.

“I can’t say it,” he began, gesturing to his mouth. “Also, how bold of you to assume the master’s parents are primitive barbarians who would even- oh, they’d turn in their grave!”

I watched him, a slow smile spreading over my face. “Their grave? So he has parents then?” I asked, “And you know them? That means they’re either both creatures or they’re humans. Which is it?”

I was getting nowhere closer to finding out but this is something to ponder.

A moment of silence passed too long, before Viscount Kim slapped his hand over his mouth. “Yoo Kyung!” he said with a gasp, “For goodness’ sake, don’t just stand there!”

She sighed, turning back to me. “You are free to spend your day as you wish,” she told me, “We will make our leave now.”

“Are you dismissing me?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes.”

“Is it because I’m too nosy?”

“It has more to do with Seok Jin rather than you.”

“And what am I supposed to do now, since you won’t let me help in any palace tasks or chores?”

“Anything, really. I’m sure you will manage,” she replied breezily, “Dinner will be served in the Pheonix Hall this evening. We will you there to dine with the master.”

Sounds thrilling, I thought with a yawn. “I’ll be in my room, then. Probably getting that breakfast now, and maybe have a nap.”

...which, if one knew Eunji more, one would know she hates to sleep. It’s a waste of time.

“Certainly. Your handmaidens will be on hand to assist you.”

Hong Yoo Kyung watched the girl wander off, back towards her chambers, before she turned to Seok Jin, poking his ribs sharply.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“What were you trying to show off about?” she hissed, “She’s not daft! She will question us, and you know we can’t let her know anything about the spell! What if she distrusts us even more?”

“It wasn’t my fault! You know I blabber a lot, why didn’t you stop me?!”

The doors to the Rose Courtyard opened, startling them as they turned to face their master, whose face poked through the doors curiously.

“I haven’t had to breathe that silently in my life,” he commented, “All this effort just to eavesdrop the whole time.”

“Oh, Your Highness, what are we going to do? The viscount is hopeless! He’s going to jeopardize this whole operation!”

“Absolutely not! Also, Your Highness, having to call you Master instead of your proper title has me feeling terribly inadequate and I am most apologetic about it.”

Yoongi shook his head. “I’m not concerned about that right now,” he said, looking towards the direction he had assumed Eunji had gone, “Do you think she will figure it out? She’s not stupid.”

Yoo Kyung let out a sigh. “That is the problem, sir. She isn’t stupid. Which, by all accounts, would mean that she would not hesitate to question you, sir, during dinner tonight,” she told him, “And we know you would never be able to properly answer her without the curse stopping your tongue from revealing anything about who you are and the curse that has befallen you.”

Yoongi seemed to regard this for a moment. “Join us for dinner, then.”

“Your Highness?”

The prince looked at each of them in turn. “Have dinner with me. We haven’t had a proper family meal in months.”

“I’m sorry to interject, sir, but it is hardly proper!” Seok Jin protested, “What would your father say?”

“That isn’t important right now. I need to have an arsenal of potential replies to her army of potential questions,” he said decisively, “Lady Hong.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Prepare for me a list of questions the girl might ask,” he told her, “I’m not entirely sure how girls think, to be completely honest with you.”

“I will do my best.”

“Viscount Kim, work with her to craft replies. Replies that I would actually say,” he added, “If I am stumped tonight, it would reflect on how much of a failure I am at the art of conversation and my father would really turn in his grave.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Yoongi in a breath. “Let’s have a good night tonight,” he said with a nervous smile, “Eunji thinks she has me figured out, but she is in for a surprise.”

”My room had undergone some refurbishment since I left it that morning. There were neatly hung dresses and clothes in the towering wardrobe, complete with matching hair accessories in the vanity, and the room smelled of fragrant oils.

I would have appreciated the room as I gave it a once-over, had the vase of roses by the window not caught my attention.

Whatever superficial happiness I had was wiped out as I stood there, staring at the vase of those beautiful, innocent flowers, positioned just well enough to catch the sunlight, the way Mistress Song had positioned hers.

When the girls had left my room, I immediately went to the doors, bolting it.

I walked to the vase, grabbing the stalks out, and walked out into my balcony, which overlooked the forests behind. Adrenaline and anger filled my veins, suppressing the voice of reason, but I didn’t care.

It wasn’t like Hoseok could be here to warn me not to lose my temper, or do something stupid that I was going to regret.

I looked past the wilderness of trees, throwing the flowers off as hard as I could, watching breathlessly as those flowers fell over the landscape, the soft lilac color disappearing into the canopy.

Of all the plants to decorate my room, he chose to put the ones he wanted to mock me with.

How dare he! Who does he think he is?

Stomping back into my room, I placed a hand on my forehead, feeling slightly dizzy.

I’m being grumpy because I’m hungry and lonely.

Well, I thought to myself, looking at the food Gayoon had personally delivered to the room.

At least I can solve one problem.

I settled onto the plush cushion as I watched the breakfast spread in front of me.

Who eats three tables worth of side dishes, I wondered. We would only have rice, watery soup, and whatever seasonal vegetables were growing in our garden.

I remembered there was a time we were so poor, long before we grew our own vegetables from the seeds Father had bartered for, we only had grass roots, barley that was harvested seasonally, and whatever bones we could get from the market.

It had been only me and Hoseok and Father, then, just the three of us, as we came to this village in the hopes that we would be able to make a life for ourselves. Hoseok and I were so frail, that even when all we ate was soup, we would be full enough.

I felt torn away from my twin brother; there never had been a time where I wasn’t sure if I would ever see him again.

Of course, save for that one time when he was caught by a travelling merchant and was almost pummelled to death had Namjoon intervened.

And then Father taught us our skills to survive, and we had to resort to careful thievery to sneak in a few gold coins out of a rich man’s pocket; after all, these feudal lords and noblemen would harangue the commonfolk for taxes they couldn’t pay.

It was a justified crime, really.

And a necessity, if we were to become a bigger family.

How ironic that, now, I had to be torn away from them, just as things were going so well over the foundation my father had built.

I picked up my chopsticks gingerly, feeling tears clouding my vision as I bit my trembling lip.

I remembered when Jungkook had been into painting once; he had specially crafted me chopsticks for my birthday, with little curlicues painted at the top.

I wonder what he was doing now.

I reached for the bowl of kimchi, gingerly trying it.

Tasty, but Jimin’s one is so much nicer to eat, I thought, my shoulders starting to shake as I put the bowl down. Jimin puts other people’s food to shame.

Jimin himself puts other people to shame.

I miss my brothers. I never got to see them.

Are they thinking of me?

Are they wishing I were there?

Do they even know why I’m gone?

I threw my chopsticks down, covering my face with my hands as my body wracked with sobs. An inexplicable pain lodged itself inside my chest, drowning me in pain as I shut my eyes.

Only one thought kept repeating in my mind, like a cruel mantra that was slowly and steadily beating down my spirit, and as I lay on my side, curling up into how I always did whenever I felt cold, I tried to let the sounds of my haggard breaths push my desperation away, but it was no use.

I’m never going to see them again, the thought echoed in my skull like a gong.

I’m never going to see them again.

I’m never going to see them again.

Jung Hoseok was livid, grabbing a fistful of his father’s collar and wringing the man. “This is preposterous, where is she?” he yelled, “Why aren’t you telling us?”

Beside him, Jimin was looking frantic, trying to pull him away.

Hoseok let out a guttural sound of frustration, shoving his father backwards. “What did you do?” he growled, baring his teeth, “What did you do to her?”

His father - face streaked with tears as he stumbled back against the steps of their hanok - didn’t reply.

Hoseok threw up his hands. “So I’m just supposed to believe you when you say she’s ‘fine,’ as if she is,” he spat, “And you won’t even tell me where she is. Or who she is with. What happened to family? What happened to the whole ‘do it for each other’ crap?”

“Hyung-”

“Don’t touch me!” Hoseok growled, whipping his hand away, “I don’t know what she’s doing out there for you, but I can tell you this-”

He stabbed his finger against his father’s chest. “You know she would do anything for you, even when she doesn’t want to do it,” he seethed, “Eunji loves you out of the most of us, and yet, you always manipulate her love for you, and you know it. She’d do anything for your validation. And now, what, you actually left her with whoever it is out there? You are disgusting.”

Jungkook’s voice was sharp. “Hyung!”

“Shut up,” Hoseok said, his eyes fiery as he glared at his father, “You are a disgusting human being. And Eunji never listens to me when I tell her you’re never going to treat her the way she deserves to be. You’re never going to let her become the person she’s meant to be, and that is a fact you will never be able to dispute.”

He let that hang in the air for a few moments, as he turned to the other members of the family, staring them down one by one.

The fury inside of him was hot, making him see red, and he realized he was not going to have Eunji cool him down like she always did.

He shut his eyes, taking deep breaths, feeling the anger simmer down slightly.

What would Eunji do?

He gritted his teeth together, swallowing down the bitterness as he stormed out of the house, throwing open the large wooden doors as if they were hollow wood blocks.

As the rest of the family watched, Jimin turned to his father.

“Is she safe?” he asked softly.

The man swallowed, nodding soundlessly as he began to wail.

Hoseok could hear his father, but he soldiered on angrily. He was a stormcloud waiting to happen as he stomped to Namjoon’s house, banging on the door of the smithy as he yelled out his friend’s name.

“Namjoon! Let me in!”

Hoseok rapped harder. “I know you’re in there, goddamit!”

The door opened, revealing his friend’s confused face. “Didn’t hear you over the noise,” he said, as Hoseok almost sent him tumbling back as he pushed his way in, “Hoseok? What is it, what’s wrong?”

“Eunji’s gone,” he muttered, standing over his friend’s workbench, as Namjoon shut the door and hurried to his side. “My father won’t tell me, but he went missing yesterday and she must’ve known where he had gone, and now he’s back, but she isn’t and he won’t tell me the she went.”

Namjoon’s eyebrows rose at the unexpected exple