“When you said you had masochistic tendencies I didn’t expect it to be to this extent.” 

The echo of an amused voice cut through the cold night air to greet the duo the second they hopped off the black car and grins were exchanged with the odd calmness of clever criminals, a million secrets painting the edges of their lips and dripping to the dark colors of their clothes each time the lights hanging along the streets touched them.

Minji nodded to the familiar faces scattered on the proximities before her eyes landed on the woman standing not far away, Yoohyeon following by her side with a harmonious pace and similar delight towards their acquaintance.   

“Are you surprised? It’s not like I’m the only one who does it,” the two stopped, shaking hands with the woman. “There’s so many distraught hearts inside and out this place that I’m intrigued about how we’re going to make it before someone dies out of anguish. People say we don’t deserve good things, after all,” Minji’s hands went to the pockets of her trousers, her tone dangling between sarcasm and sour entertainment as she looked at the majestic construction behind them. A castle, of course. “It’s good to see you again, Seola. I hope you don’t die tonight.”  

The black haired woman chuckled, stepping closer just to leave an affectionate squeeze on Yoohyeon’s shoulder.

“Don’t treat this mission like something bigger than it really is, Minji,” she looked between the duo attentively. “We’re here for the fun, free alcohol and a hint of emotion, in your case. Maybe get a bit of info or cause some trouble, nothing more,” the teasing smile appeared but Minji could see through it, could see the well known sympathy only Seola dared to carry in the world they lived in. “We were also waiting for you princesses to arrive. May I remind you that being twenty minutes late isn’t elegant? Guess you two forgot we’re not invited,” she rolled over her eyes and turned, calling for the rest of the group to walk together towards one of the hidden entrances.

“What can I do? I trust you and your seduction powers,” Minji shrugged with a dramatic exhale, earning a scoff from her colleague and a stifled laugh from Yoohyeon. “You got us inside worse places than a private party in a highly protected castle already, don’t act like this will be hard. The ladies can’t resist you, so do the gentlemen.”  

Seola put an end to their firm steps and motioned for their men to free the entry, fragments of the lights and music reaching them easily.   

“Don’t flatter me, Your Highness,” she arched an eyebrow. “Get in there and do what you have to do; remember our agreement and don’t miss the signal, we don’t need anyone more hurt than you’ll be by the end of this and I hope you pay me well for everything I had to go through to make this encounter possible.” The last part came out in a sulky way and the duo motioned in comprehension, walking forward with short-lasting goodbyes.

With experienced steps they left the darkness to be met by an empty hallway and both Minji and Yoohyeon didn’t bother to admire the adornments, vases or paintings hanging on the golden walls, choosing, instead, to keep going to where the music and busy conversations led them. 

“It’s always the same,” Yoohyeon mumbled once their boots started to punch the shining floor full of brown, beige and light yellow patterns, the fancy chandeliers just then fully replacing the forgotten moon outside the thick walls. Disdain drew itself on the younger woman’s shoulders when the poisonous breeze of plastic giggles crashed against them. “I wish they could be at least a little bit more creative.”

 Despite not answering — she didn’t have to —, Minji agreed with all her soul, especially once they were forced to look at these fake faces and pretentious smiles once again after so long.     

She hated these parties back then. Hated the people, the retrograde etiquette, and hated even more the lies they all had to hold as a weapon while walking around and pretending to love everything and everyone. 

She hated it back then and hated it even more now.

“They’re rich people, Hyeonnie,” she swiftly stole two glasses of champagne from the table on their way and offered one for her partner, fondly touching Yoohyeon’s forearm to grab her attention and ease her discomfort with a knowing smile. “When have they been creative or considerate?”

“Never, if I’m not mistaken,” the younger one stated with twisted lips. “Even their parties are boring, that’s why I make sure you have real fun whenever we can,” the subtle whisper made her resemble a playful kid ready to set everything on fire and Minji shook her head lightheartedly, thankful for her friend’s support.

Yoohyeon didn’t have to be there, Minji figured for the hundredth time as a sip of the soft colored liquid ran down . None of them had to, actually, and Minji was glad that after the hell she went through she was able to find people like Yoohyeon, who regardless of how wrong and wicked the circumstances were still chose to stand by her, to walk with her and offer not only a home to come back to, but a heart to rest inside when things got too heavy.

That was why her partner decided to come even if Yoohyeon had stated that just the smell of places like this, of people like this, made her stomach angry. It was her way of showing consideration — Minji truly believed Yoohyeon was an angel in disguise. 

“I have no idea how you endured such a circus for half of your life,” she breathed out in discontent, protectively laying a hand on Minji’s back to guide them to the stairs. “I would’ve gone crazy if I were in your shoes.”

“Why do you think I made enough escape plans for a lifetime?” They looked at each other in a knowing way, breaking into mischievous chuckles a second later. “I’m still unsure if I resent more the fact that I couldn’t put any of them into action or the terrible reality that my parents took away my chance of escaping peacefully for the sake of dooming me to it,” she clicked her tongue, bending on the support in front of them while their eyes roamed over the heads moving on the ballroom, silently searching for the special one.

“Good thing you found us before they could destroy your life more,” Yoohyeon mirrored Minji’s positions, their twin suits hugging their bodies comfortably in complete opposite to the colorful dresses the respected girls liked to show off.

“Enough is enough, right?” A slightly upset sigh left her lips, just then a crack being allowed on her armor as memories of a fading past crawled under the cold edges of her existence.

Minji had once been on the other side, with the needy women in search of a rich husband and the disgusting men who believed they owned the world; she had been right there where falseness was a faint white powder sprinkled on top of fabricated truths and she had felt on her own skin the side effects of the rotten luxury. Happiness, for them, wasn’t something to be reached but an object to be displayed, and she had seen all kinds of revolting things one could, unfortunately, come across while being the daughter of an elite family that couldn't care less about anything apart from their own filthy, little perfect lives.   

The extravagant clothes, the exaggerated makeup, and the exhausting poise had accompanied her early years like a promise to a future that would bring light, pure prosperity for everyone she knew, and the annoyingly bright gold staining the chairs she used to sit on reaffirmed over and over again the position of power belonging to her and everything her name could influence.  

But if there’s one thing she learned with the ups and downs arranged by fate is that empty richness and dirty money comes wrapped in a tempting package that doesn’t warn the dangers of opening it: the climb may be shorter and less tiring this way but the fall… Destroys every strong building and offers no way out, letting the devil devour and have fun with the remaining life of the cursed sinners as they cry for help.   

Years after her family’s ruin, Minji could tear these notions apart and see what a young and foolish kid refused to acknowledge. Never in her life did she imagine being treated like those outside her circle but one day, after all her parent’s crimes and misdeed were exposed to the sun of a world that no longer wanted them, she was the one being pushed to the ground by repulsed hands, being cursed at as if she worthed less than a loaf of bread, and the one to be left completely alone to deal with a life she didn’t get the chance to meet before.

Her polite ways had to be thrown to the back to give space to roughness and cynicism. The delicate tea parties were replaced by violent fights in the dead of the night and her soft, affectionate tones were restricted to her people — her found family, her anchor —, the mask she wore becoming so integrated to her persona that the unlucky souls who stumbled on her couldn’t even be sure about what was right or wrong about her. 

Minji left the throne as the future pride of her lineage with a shameful faith strangling her and now, rather than holding a crown at the top of her head, she held loaded guns, sharp silver swords, and a smile so deadly that could haunt her victims until the very last second of their passage to purgatory. 

Those who still remembered her face made little effort in hiding their joy towards her family’s disgrace and she knew about the talk, knew about the acid laughter that followed her everywhere as insistently as her own shadow; she would never be free from it and the only good thing about the whole situation was the myth created by those who knew her name, could even recite stories about her life, but couldn’t quite give her figure clear features.    

You have become everything you once feared, her father had said with repugnance the last time they met. Minji couldn’t, and wouldn’t, deny it.  

“I heard the Duke didn’t agree with this party happening,” Yoohyeon commented after a moment of silence. “He is worried about his niece getting married, the suitors aren’t good enough,” she chuckled while running a hand through her hair. She was teasing. “He is more worried about her than about his own daughters. Funny, isn’t it?” Minji narrowed her eyes while Yoohyeon dismissed it, pointing with her head towards the ballroom. “Speaking of the devil… Look who just decided to honor us with her presence.” 

Her eyes didn’t have to land on said person for her whole body to react like a volcano aching to erupt. Minji recognized who it was just by the way people started to move differently to welcome the woman — the girls almost swooned once faced by her charming aura and the boys wanted her just as much as they wanted to be her —, how the music became brighter, gaining warmer melodies just for the sake of pleasing the well-defined taste of someone who loved the art with all her might.  

Time itself felt pleased by that woman, moving in slower