"A visitor? And who may that be?" The King, Myungsoo, asks.

"I heard from the guards, it's a peasant," the maid says.

"A peasant, hmm?" Myungsoo asks, his tone prideful. "I'm coming."

--

A young boy with tattered clothing stands in front of the steps to the Throne. He is beautiful, Myungsoo thinks. But he is much too young for you, his brain pipes in.

"Ah, shut up, brain," Myungsoo mutters under his breath.

--

"A job? What can you do?" Myungsoo asks.

"Anything you require, your Highness," Sungjong squeaks out.

"Great. Then you will become my personal assistant. You will do anything I ask," Myungsoo says with a smile. "And if you do your job well, I will pay you well. A tit for a tat."

--

"Is there a Queen?" The peasant, Sungjong asks. In the main hall where the Throne is, all maids, butlers and guards have left under the command of Myungsoo.

"Sorry?" Myungsoo turns around, his cloak swishing at every direction he turns to.

"Is there," Sungjong begins. "A Queen?" His tone is louder and firmer this time.

"Why would you ask about that, peasant?" Myungsoo asks, his tone playful. He seems to like calling Sungjong a peasant, because that's what he is anyway. But he also does it because he likes the way Sungjong flinches when he calls the thin young boy a peasant.

Myungsoo Sungjong's chin lightly, his fingers lingering on the area. Sungjong shifts uncomfortably.

"No... there is no Queen," Sungjong muses to himself. Myungsoo's touch feels foreign on his skin.

"You guessed right," Myungsoo says gleefully. "There is no queen."