ONCE UPON A TIME

JIYONG

Three o’clock across me, there she stood in her strapless long sleeve beaded V neck blue dress with her gold mask--yes, I could describe it in detail, blame it on the magazine I was forced to read every time. 

The only way to distinguished her was that gold necklace with a lion pendant. Whatever she wears, she won’t remove or replace that accessory. The way I can tell is because I’ve been shadowing her for the past months--not like a stalker-like shadow--well, yes, just like that, but I’m not a stalker stalker.

I’ve drunk the remainder of my champagne and place the glass on the serving tray of one staff that passed by. Quite a heavy drinker but I don’t want to risk being unsober when I’m working.

The mask covers almost all of her face except for that small smile--almost unnoticeable, but it’s there, the little lift on the corner of her red lips that I'm now very familiar with. 

The Beautiful Blue Danube started to play in the background and I cursed myself as I didn’t depart earlier because I became engrossed in observing her.

I tried to swim against the crowd but the majority of the attendee already stand in their formation.

“Hold up, young man. Where are you going? The dance is in this way.”

“But I’m not--” My resistance was futile when the old lady stopped me on my track and ushered me back to the dance floor.

I was positioned somewhere in the middle of the formation and I saw her starting to dance with the person in front of her.

Drat! The lady in front of me almost demanded my hand for dance and I obliged before we gathered attention. 

The interest of the crowd is not something I’m entitled to have.

I twirl the lady in front of me and steered her to the next gentleman. Then another female came into my arms.

But my eyes were fixed on the fairest lady on blue. Every twist and turn I check her out, making sure she’s safe.

The music pace up and another one came into my arms. The cycle continues when I spot her. Next to me.

Double drat! 

This is the first time I see her up close. My job became easier as I didn’t need to stretch my neck just to find her, but I probably miss a step or two.

“Ouch!” 

Yep, I even stepped on my partner’s foot, I’m not sure. Triple drat!

And there she is. In front of me, up close. The whip of woody floral scent of her made me so tense. She looks so unreal.

“You don’t dance, do you?” 

“E-Excuse me?” I mentally cursed myself for stuttering. The girl just insulted me and I still got time to be nervous because this is the first time I got to hold her hand?

“I don’t know. You seem so...stiff.”

No one questioned my dancing before, I am the best dancer in our town.

“It seems you are mistaken, lady.” My voice is not shaking anymore, it’s my pride that’s trembling right now.

“Oh, I’m not. Don’t worry, buddy. I don’t mean it as an insult. I called fact as it is.” She even winked.

The gritting of my teeth makes me wince. But stubbornness got the better of me.

At the next spin, I grab her again before she can even move to the next one. She must have taken the challenge because despite being obviously surprised, she smiled.

So what if I ruined the whole formation thing? 

Stiff? Ha! I can be stiff and hard most of the time but absolutely not in dancing.

“Oh, aren’t you worked up a bit, buddy?”

“No, Ma’am. It’s just that you’re mistaken and I’m eager to correct first impressions.”

“Uh-huh?” Her lips set into a flat line, but when I looked at her eyes, it’s twinkling with mischief. “But I was never wrong in my entire life.”

What kind of bull is that? I know that royalties have some serious crap but I didn’t know it was this bad.

“Even kings sometimes made mistakes.”

“Really?” As if considering the idea very thoroughly. “But my Papa never did.”

“Why, is your father a king?”  

I’ve got the reaction I’ve wanted because the amusement sparks again in her eyes. Of course, her father is the King. The music heightened once again and I’ve tightened my hold on her.

It’s time to show this girl some serious dancing skills.

DARA

It was only one lapse judgment. One stupid decision on my part and now my life faces imminent danger.

As a Princess, I was raised to depend my life on my people. From the most mundane to my safety, I trust that the people around me would do their part for the country.

As a Princess, my sole duty is to exist, to care for the nation and later on marry to secure the power we hold on the throne.

But I’ve gotten the mistake of doing something, doing something by my