There is something lizard-like in Kang Hyewon’s eyes as she squints at Eunbi who sit across the table. She has selected one of the most lavish, exclusive restaurants in the Kingdom for a simple lunch meeting, perhaps to prove something. She has been nothing but sweet as sugar to Sakura, but every address to Eunbi make it seems like her tongue has been dipped into sour vinegar. Eunbi can feel it. Sakura can see it. No one is blind to the tension that hovers in the air, and Eunbi endures it only as a favour to Sakura. Upon learning Eunbi's impression of her as a cheating playgirl, Sakura had been quick and desperate to organize this luncheon.   “So...” Eunbi begins slowly in a meagre attempt to dispel the tension in the air. “How did you and Sakura meet?”   “When we were children.” Hyewon responds with distaste heavy in her tone. “As you may have heard, I’m the Prime Minister’s daughter, and that gives you certain connections growing up.”   Hyewon shoots Sakura a look that Eunbi is not certain how to interpret because her face seems to be eternally frozen in a sour expression, but it looks like she’s glaring at her. It certainly makes Sakura more fidgety.   “So you two grew up together then?” Eunbi inquires, trying to ignore it. She is not sure what Sakura wants her to take away from this - she had only agreed because Sakura had been so distressed about the nature of her misunderstanding. Sakura nods.   “We did, we’re like sisters!” Sakura says, with a forced, uncomfortable laugh. “We even fought like siblings, she’d pull my hair when I steal her foods.”   “Enough about us though.” Hyewon says dismissively, leaning forward to eye Eunbi like a piece of prey she has just cornered. “Tell me more about you, Eunbi.”   There is something derisive and threatening in Hyewon’s tone, and from the way she watches Eunbi, something clicks into place - she’s sizing her up. This almost feels like a job interview, and Hyewon is testing her. Squaring her shoulders in response to the realisation, Eunbi begins to stare Hyewon down as well.   “What would you like to know?” Eunbi answers evenly. Hyewon tilts her head, squinting slightly.   “Why did you marry Sakura?” Hyewon asks. She stares at Eunbi easily. “If I were in your position, I wouldn’t have.”   Eunbi feels her wife tense beside her, and she cuts in before Eunbi can respond.   “Hyewon.” Sakura says, surprisingly firmly considering she had been so meek and flustered prior to this point. “That’s enough. Don’t make her uncomfortable.”   Eunbi is surprised. She is not ungrateful - Hyewon is well within her rights to ask such a question, but she is relieved and the feeling spreads through her warmly.   Things had changed between her and Sakura after their fight. Upon learning about Eunbi’s personal struggles, Sakura had been attentive and kind - almost too kind. But it isn’t just their behaviour that has changed - there is a certain air of familiarity and warmth that wasn’t there before. She feels like she gets Sakura, now that all the layers of misconception have been stripped back. Before, Sakura was a confusing mess of contradictions and she couldn’t figure out what was authentic and what wasn’t. Now she knows though.   “It’s ok, Sakura.” Eunbi reassures her with a tentative smile. The tension droops from Sakura's shoulders, but she still eyes Eunbi with concern. Eunbi turns her gaze to Hyewon, aware that Sakura continues to watch her with barely concealed unease. “I assure you, Hyewon, that if you were in my position, you most certainly would have.”   Interest sparks in Hyewon’s eyes, and she rests her chin in the palm of her hand.   “Oh?” Hyewon responds. “Is that so? And what is this position you speak of?”   Eunbi grits her teeth.   “I needed the money.” She admits, slightly ashamed now that she hears it aloud. It sounds like such a dirty motive.   To her surprise, rather than look disgusted or irritated, Hyewon grins wide, her eyes sharp and almost impressed.   “Hm, for a second I thought you would try and feed me some rubbish about her looks or her personality.” Hyewon responds. “I like that you’re honest.”   Eunbi blinks a few times in surprise before smiling hesitantly at Hyewon. At this, the grin drops from Hyewon's face, and she looks disgusted with herself, rolling her eyes.   “Ugh, fine.” Hyewon exclaims suddenly. “Fine, you were right Kkura, she’s not terrible. I’ll cancel my plans to ruin her life.”   Sakura begins to protest at the same time that Eunbi sputters in indignance.   “Ruin my life...“   “I said she is great, not ‘not terrible’...“   They both pause at their outbursts and meet each other’s eyes in confusion. To Eunbi’s great surprise, Sakura begins to laugh earnestly. It is nothing like the forced, uncomfortable laugh earlier. It is warm and full and Eunbi is abruptly reminded of why she agreed to come to this lunch.   Eunbi had been wrong. Completely and entirely wrong about Sakura and had let all her fears and insecurities and frustrations build up and she had taken it out on Sakura. It isn’t fair to Sakura, and, perhaps for the first time, she genuinely wants to see Sakura as more than a necessary evil in the path to save her father. The commitment she has made is a life long one, and for the first time since she signed her life away, she is starting to think that maybe it wasn’t the biggest mistake of her life. If Sakura’s good features could shine through enough to have her confused even while thinking Sakura was a lying, two-faced cheater; then she wants to know who Sakura is with the veil of her misconceptions lifted. She wants to know who her wife is, and that thought has her laughing along with Sakura, even if she is not sure why they are laughing.   Hyewon looks vaguely nauseated at the site and begins to pick idly at her perfectly manicured nails. In that moment, Sakura’s phone begins to ring, and she pauses her mirth to smile apologetically and step away to answer the call.   It looks like the Prime Minister's daughter has been waiting the whole luncheon for this opportunity because she leans eagerly forward as soon as Sakura is out of earshot.   “I heard I wasn’t the only one you thought Sakura had a thing with.” Hyewon exclaims and Eunbi is taken aback. She can’t quite read the expression on Hyewon’s face, but it is close to anger and disgust. “I can handle you misunderstanding our relationship, because, well, we are super close and it would be super cute if we were to date cause of the whole childhood friends thing and the fact that we are both super hot, but not her. You’re not allowed to think there’s something there after what she did to Sakura. I can’t forgive that, or allow it to continue, so I will do you one favour and then I will never be nice to you again for the rest of my life.”   Eunbi pauses in confusion.   “You mean Yiren?” She asks, trying to puzzle through what it is Hyewon is trying to say. Hyewon’s lip curls in distaste.   “Please, don’t say her name in front of me.” Hyewon snaps. Eunbi pauses, leaning away from Hyewon.   “What did she do to Sakura?” Eunbi inquires, and Hyewon leans forward conspiratorially, glancing to where Sakura’s back is still turned, out of earshot.   “Sakura will kill me if I tell you, but whatever. That witch deserves to get the news of how awful she is spread around. I hate her.” Hyewon says. “I’ll even ignore my instinctive dislike of you if it means you’ll hate her too. In fact, if you promise to hate her I’ll actually consider you as a friend.”   “I’m not sure I want you to consider me a friend...” Eunbi protests, but Hyewon continues as if Eunbi didn’t interject.   “Do you want to know or not?” Hyewon asks. Eunbi hesitates, just the slightest bit. It is not her place to know, particularly if Sakura does not want this information disclosed, but she’s just so curious.   “I want to know.” Eunbi answers, though the words are sour and unpleasant in due to the knowledge that she is violating Sakura’s privacy.   “That witch grew up with Sakura too.” Hyewon begins, furtively glancing at Sakura every few moments to ensure she isn’t listening in. “Separate to me. She was an orphan in a program that Sakura's mother volunteered with, so they got to know each other through that. She was super keen on Sakura for most of their lives, but Sakura never really picked up on it or reciprocated. She couldn’t take the hint though.”   This news doesn’t surprise Eunbi. The whole reason she had misunderstood their dynamic in the first place was because she could see the desperation and love shining in Yiren’s eyes every time. Eunbi had tried not to feel uncomfortable or irritated, but she is unfortunately not a big enough person to quell the distaste that rises in her like a wave.   “And Sakura, being the sweet-natured, oblivious girl that she is, never did notice. At least not until Yiren decided to take matters into her own hands last year. Sakura’s father would never let anything happen between them, but that witch was too stubborn to let that stop her.” Hyewon explains. “That lying snake pretended she had found her birth parents, and convinced Sakura to come with her to meet them. And since Sakura is gullible to the point of stupidity, she agreed. However, that witch sent a message to King Shunsuke, telling them that they were eloping and was going to release it to the press as well, in the hope that Sakura would have to marry her to quell the scandal.”   Eunbi grimaces, the sheer amount of manipulation and plotting needed to execute a plan like that makes her slightly queasy.   “They managed to stop it going to the press, but that's only because bigger news broke - the Queen had collapsed due to complications with her illness. And of course, Sakura was oblivious the whole time and that snake made sure it stayed that way, but eventually she came clean. Sakura lost her chance to say goodbye to her mother because she died before Sakura could get back to the hospital. Naturally, her father was furious, and Sakura bore the brunt of it. The only good thing that came of it was that the witch was forbidden from ever seeing Sakura again.” Hyewon’s fists are clenched to the point they have gone white and her manicured nails dig into her palms. Her voice quakes with a quiet, restrained anger, and the intensity of the fury and pain in her eyes is a little scary. Eunbi is speechless. “Sakura loves her mother like you wouldn’t believe, and that witch took her last chance to send her mother away because she seemed to think her feelings were more important than Sakura's relationship with her mother. I’ll never forgive that sneaky snake, and as much as I’d love for your marriage to break down, you can’t think that there’s anything between them, or I’ll make your life miserable.”   In her anger, Hyewon has forgotten to keep an eye on Sakura as she approaches the table. At her words, she starts, looking in surprise from Hyewon to Eunbi, and takes in their expressions.   “You told her.” Sakura says softly, sounding hurt. Hyewon’s eyes widen, looking briefly regretful.   “Sakura! I-“ She begins, but Sakura cuts her off.   “It’s ok, you don’t have to make an excuse. It’s probably better you told her. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it myself.” The pitiful smile she sends Hyewon suggests that anything is not really ok, and Hyewon clamps shut. Sakura avoids Eunbi’s gaze as she reseats herself.   “Sakura...” Hyewon begins again, clearly picki