"Ahem!"

They sprang apart and Byulyi replaced the wood inside her corset before rolling her eyes upon seeing her brother's smug face appear around the hedge to their immediate left. Minseok grinned and mock covered his eyes as Yongsun looked anywhere but at him. "Don't be shy girls, personally I don't care what you do with each other but you should be more careful, what if I was mother? Or worse..the butler!", he chuckled and received a light punch on his shoulder for his cheek. He left shortly after as he heard his name called in the distance, he was wise enough to know never to ignore their mother and so he sighed before leaving. Even though she had been annoyed by his interruption, it was almost a blessing, because moments later, as they made their own awkward way back out of the maze, they almost collided with her father. He looked harrassed at best and he rushed by after bowing quickly, strange behaviour for a man so formal at most times. They watched him disappear into the maze and for a second forgot what they had been going to do. Walking back to the house, side by side, Yongsun fanned herself and took small breaths, not daring to look at Byulyi as they climbed the steps together and entered the building via the kitchen. 

Mrs Kim was inspecting the food as it was being prepared, she liked everything to be perfect and if she found even one minute thing that she didn't like, the entire meal would be scrapped and started over. She exclaimed as she saw them and as usual, made Yongsun come and try whatever broth/soup she was tasting, as if she really cared for her opinion in the first place. Once she had gotten her daughter's approval, the chefs continued their work uninhibited and the three women left the kitchen without another word. The doorway was small and whilst Mrs Kim walking alone passed through easily, the two girls behind her had accidentally chosen to walk through at the same time and Yongsun blushed as her fingers brushed against Byulyi's, their almost kiss in the maze, rapidly replaying in her mind. 

Mrs Moon was stood in the drawing room, listening to her son talking about his latest trip into town and what he had learned of their fellow inhabitants. They were deep into their conversation as the three women entered and as a result did not notice them entering. Stokes entered the room, bowing deeply as he carried a tray of tea things, placing them carefully on the small coffee table and making himself scarce. Yongsun had the sudden urge to pour her own tea and be done with it but there was still a certain level of ettiquette she lived by when in the presence of others. Her mother took charge as they all sat waiting and the usual silence engulfed the room once more. Byulyi waited, counting down silently under her breath, 5..4..3..2..1..and here it was. "So, Byulyi, how is the dating scene for young ladies now? Has any particular young suitor caught your eye?", out of politeness, she smiled falsely as she answered Mrs kim's predictable line of questioning by saying she had no idea of the dating scene as she spent most of her time learning the violin or at her finishing school during the day so she had no time to socialise at the moment. "My daughter is in a similar position, although many a suitor has professed his interest. She seems to never fit well with any of them, it is a complete mystery to myself and her father. Perhaps you might become good friends and in doing so, succeed in finding a suitable man for each of you?.". Yongsun tried not to sigh and roll her eyes, her mother had been obsessed with finding her a husband as soon as she had reached the age of 16. In her words, 'Good husbands did not wait around for long' and Yongsun should hurry up and get married or at least engaged before she was 20 years old and past her prime. 

For the rest of the day, idle chit-chat passed the time between them and eventually the sky outside had started to darken, Mr kim appeared moments after his wife had enquired about his whereabouts, his breathing a little ragged and an unfamiliar scent hanging around him as he greeted everyone. Byulyi let her mind wander as she stepped out of the room unnoticed and beckoned for Yongsun to follow. The two walked purposefully through the house and made their way upstairs, Yongsun leading the way into a small room and closing the door behind them. Byulyi sniffed the air and asked, "What is that smell?, I've smelled it recently". Yongsun took a sniff herself and moved nearer to the epicentre, it was a small bottle of cologne, she smiled a little at the now familiar scent. "It's my father's cologne, where have you smelled it before?", she crossed back over to where Byulyi stood as she asked and touched her waist gently, she wanted to make up for where they had left off but she could tell that Byulyi was distracted by this scent issue and so she waited for a response with only the minimal contact of a hand on her waist. It was a short while until a confused Byulyi responded and as she did, both women were left smirking. "I smelled it on my father as he came back in from the maze. What if they were doing what we almost did?". Yongsun grinned as she took a step closer, once again closing the gap between them in an instant, the slither of wood had been taken from Byulyi's corset and gentle fingers unfastened Yongsun's just enough to let her breathe. Their lips wereonly just seperate and they closed the gap just as the door creaked open behind them.