Authors note: yessss saida. yessss the plot is coming together. yesssss. Also im in school again so updates might be slow, but hopefully ill be more motivated to write now that we are in the fun part of the plot. 

TW // alcohol , drinking , fever , sick

“Sana come on, what are you so grumpy for? This is literally your party.” Momo said, pulling the princess towards the bar. She really wasn’t in the mood to drink but seeing as the party had started several hours ago and there was still no sign of coffee girl, what else was there to do. 

“I’m surprised you aren’t hitting on the short-haired brunette over there.” Momo continued, referred to the girl who showed up to cater instead of her coffee girl. It’s not that the girl wasn’t cute, Sana just couldn’t get coffee girl out of her head.

“It’d be a good distraction, I’m just not in the mood.” Sana shrugged it off. Momo looked a little shocked but Sana knew that was because she was ‘always’ in the mood to flirt. She rolled her eyes at her friend, “Plus Mina is clearly interested in her. I mean really, who goes to talk to a cafe employee ‘just to ask the recipe’ for some dumb crossaint, she’s clearly going to flirt.” 

“Good point, but Mina’s never exactly been subtle.” They both laugh, until they’re interrupted by Momo’s phone ringing. “It’s my dad, I’ll be right back. He’s probably checking in on your safety or whatever.” 

“Oh, you definitely shouldn't leave me alone then. It might be unsafe.” She . Momo’s dad was her father’s royal advisor, so when her dad had to go on ambassador trips Momo’s father went with him. It’s actually the reason Momo and her became friends in the first place, their dad’s were basically best friends since they were teens and they encouraged their daughters to be friends as well. She watched Momo walk away, probably heading into the gardens to take the call. It was always too loud in the ballroom to hear anyone on the phone, and you also never knew who was listening in just in case it was something private. 

Sana was trying her very best not to look super bored while sitting at the bar, as much as she was in a bad mood she didn’t want anyone else to know. The last time that she got upset because of coffee girl, a bunch of rumors started spreading around about who ‘broke the princesses heart’ and she didn’t want a repeat of said ‘scandals’. She’d gotten an earful from her mother about that and did not want a repeat of those events, the kingdom was too interested in her for her own liking. None of the rumors were about her liking boys and girls though, no one cared about that in this kingdom, but the people in general were always curious about who might share Sana’s future throne. So obviously, they kept a close watch on her dating life. 

“Sooyoung.” She called the bartender over, she needed a distraction in the form of a drink. 

“Your highness, I told you to call me Yves.” Sooyoung smiled at her, already starting to prep her drink. Sana had her favorites after all, and Sooyoung had them all memorized. 

“And I told you that a fancy nickname isn’t going to make you more popular with the ladies.” Sana teased the bartender, whose cheeks had reddened. She knew Sooyoung only wanted a nickname because the girl she was interested in had one. They both went silent, lost in their thoughts, while Sooyoung got the drink ready. Sana was already back to thinking about coffee girl and she was beyond frustrated with how much she cared about her, she never catches feelings this fast. She’s pretty sure that coffee girl hates her actually, which is why she's teasing Sooyoung. At least Jiwoo likes Sooyoung, so she has a chance. Sana might as well be pursuing a brick wall with how well their encounters have gone. 

“You know, Jiwoo already likes you. You just need to be confident enough to hit on her without embarrassing yourself.” She said once Sooyoung had handed her the drink. The bartender laughed at the advice. 

“Says the girl who got wasted after one rejection. How's that going for you by the way?” 

Sana rolled her eyes, ignoring the tease, but looked away. She was still slightly embarrassed at overreacting about it. Coffee girl was just that amazing, the princess couldn’t help but be a little bit upset and offended at the rejection. If only she could just see coffee girl again, she’d clear everything up. 

It was at that moment, as she was looking at the crowd around her thinking about what she’d say to coffee girl if she had a chance, that she nearly dropped her drink. 

“Impossible.” The princess almost yells, so shocked at who she sees that she can’t contain her voice. Ignoring everyone who just heard her, including Sooyoung who is giving her a look, she only focuses on one person now.

In the direction of the front door, a girl was walking around in these god awful plaid yellow pajama pants and an oversized shirt. Her hair was disheveled and she looked so confused, not to mention she was stumbling a little bit. Was she . . . sick? Why was she here? Is she going to be okay? Sana looked at the people near the girl, but she didn’t see anyone who looked like they were with her. 

“I have to take care of her.” Sana said, extremely concerned; she had to stop herself from leaping out of her seat to chase after coffee girl. Luckily no one was close enough to hear exactly what she said, aside from Sooyoung, but she trusted her to stay quiet. She’d confided many things in the bartender over the years, but she managed to keep every secret. 

“Who are you talking about? Sana is everything okay?” The bartender put a hand on Sana’s arm, when the princess turned she saw the look of concern on her friend's face. She wanted to explain so Sooyoung wouldn’t worry, but she feared that if she didn't chase after coffee girl now then she’d never see her again.

“Well, uh, the . . . '' Sana turned back to where coffee girl was and could see that the girl was just about to head straight into a crowd. Sana stood so abruptly that everyone in the area turned to look at her, she wasn’t paying attention though. All that mattered to her right now was that coffee girl was okay. She turned back to Sooyoung, “When Momo comes back, tell her I got an important call and that I’ll explain it to her later. Also I was serious before, just talk to Jiwoo. She really likes you.” Sana quickly turns and heads in the direction she last saw coffee girl, hoping she wasn’t already lost in the crowd. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dahyun jolted up in a cold sweat, coughing loudly. She puts a fist up to for cover, much like coughing into a microphone. Once the fit is over she reaches to the dresser by her bed, its pitch black so she can barely even see shapes, but she manages to find the glass of water. When she takes a sip, she realizes how warm the water is. is parched and she really wants cold water, so she unhappily throws the covers off. She shivers at the chill in the air, making her way to the kitchen, bumping into the wall a few times and stumbling.

When she gets to the kitchen table, more tired than she thought she’d be, she looks outside the window at the cars and streets lit up. It seems that she’s not the only one up, but she's probably the only one that doesn't want to be. She feels wrong and a little gross, she might be sick but she doesn't have time to be. When she turns on the kitchen light, she notices a pile of slightly marked up papers on the table. Dahyun blinks at it for a second, trying to figure out whose it is. 

“Wait-” She hoarsely whispers to the silence of her apartment. It’s the essay that Chaeyoung was working on today, what did she say about it? It was due soon right? Was it in two days or tomorrow? Dahyun thinks she said it’s due tomorrow, she looks at the clock and sees its past midnight, or rather it’s due today. Wait - if it’s due today then she has to get it to her, Chaeyoung doesn’t get as stressed about school as she does but that doesn’t mean she likes turning things in late. She walks towards the sink and washes her face in cold water before heading back to her room to change into something she can wear outside. She checks the snap app, Chaeyoung always has her location on ‘just in case’. Dahyun never really understood it, but it’s been helpful for times like now so she’s not complaining.  

“That’s weird.” She mutters, it says Chaeyoung’s at the castle. Maybe there was another event? Dahyun assumed that she would’ve been the one being sent there though, since she’s already been. It doesn't matter. Chaeyoung is there and that's where she needs to go. She rubs her eyes, almost tripping in the entryway when she slips on a pair of sneakers. She barely remembers to grab her house keys on the way out, let alone locking the door behind her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Why was it so hot? Dahyun wiped her forehead and flapped the collar of her shirt, it was the middle of the night. It shouldn’t be this hot. 

Well it's fine, she just needs to make it to Chaeyoung, and give her the essay she left and then she could- 

She could just- 

Dahyun stumbles into the brick wall, leaning against it for support. She wants to just lie down, but she's come this far, she just has a few minutes longer and then she can go home. Or maybe she’ll just crash with Chaeyoung. She should’ve taken some medicine before leaving home, now she’ll just have to pull through. 

Dahyun closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose, continuing to walk, she keeps a hand on the wall beside her. When she opens them again, she’s at the gates of the castle. She rubs her eyes and stops for a second, trying not to fall. She just needs to give Chaeyoung the paper. The paper in her hands. Where’s the paper? Did she drop it? Did she even leave the house with it? She shakes her head, she can’t go back and look right now, she has to find Chaeyoung. She slowly approaches the front door, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms.

It’s so hot, and the marble floor looks so cool, she thinks as she enters the foyer. She really just wants to lie down, but that would probably be rude. She stumbles into a familiar ballroom, there's so many people. Why is there so many people? There’s just so, so many people. Too many people. She grimaces at a sudden headache. Maybe Chaeyoung is somewhere in all the people. She tries to walk into a crowd to search, but she feels a little unstable. 

Dahyun feels her legs give out from under her, but she doesn't collapse, she’s being held up by someone. 

“Hot.” Dahyun says, grimacing at how bright the lights in the room are. She looks up at the girl holding her, why does she look so sad? Dahyun puts a hand on her cheek, trying to comfort her. The girl's face is so cold that Dahyun leans against her, hoping to cool down. The girl smells like summer, and the specific scent is familia