Youngbae wrote silently in his notebook, writing down what he had earned from Seunghyun and Daesung. He wanted everything to be perfect, yet whenever he got to writing about Daesung, he erased and scribbled not sure if he was truly getting him correctly. Daesung's beauty had captivated him thoroughly, but there was torment hidden behind his eyes, souring the pure beauty that he was.

He looked at his notebook, reading over the small passages that he had written on the two, a small sigh escaping his lips as he did so.

Seunghyun, a man of rich standings, very self-aware of the way he looks and how important he is. He is handsome, but he is arrogant. Seeing in his eyes he is a true product of society, thinking not from himself, but from the public. Saying and repeating what he has learned from anyone else, too learned, and too unseeing of the world around him. A shame for a man with such looks to be so oblivious.

Daesung, a beauty unseen by my eyes before, yet shrouded in a great darkness. He is shy, yet when he speaks his words are other wordly. The inside is a turmoil...

Youngbae stopped, he couldn't get it out, all his studies were for not as he could not figure Daesung out. He was bemused, and for once without words.

He stood up and took his notebook with him, seeking out Daesung and the young master. There were plans he had for the day, and he couldn't wait much longer to implement them. As he had an idea of what was to occur under his experiment he almost didn't want Daesung to participate, he wished to preserve the inner beauty within the man, for it all to be tarnished would be a great loss.

There was a quiet chatter as Youngbae walked through the corridors, maids cleaning, cooks getting supper ready, all his servants working quietly and around him as he walked. He stood in front of Seunghyun's door, prepared to knock politely before hearing the faint talk of Seunghyun of Daesung. The words shared seemed hostile, and Youngbae poised his pen over his notebook, ready to write.

“You must serve me Daesung, as per usual.”

Seunghyun's words cold and calculating as he spoke, Youngbae was unaware that such coldness could be uttered from Seunghyun's mouth. He put in notes in his journal and poised his hand to knock.

“As you wish, Master Choi.”

Youngbae stopped once again, eyes wide, and he stood back, taking in a deep breath, then turned to leave and come back later.

He was settled in his study when he heard a faint knock on his door. He closed the book he was reading and prompted a come in as he knew who it was; no one knocked as quietly as Daesung did.

“I'm sorry to bother you sir, but Master Choi has heard from one of your servants that you wanted to see us,”

“Ah yes,” Youngbae took a look at Daesung, accessing his flushed cheeks and eyes that were glued to the ground, “Come here Daesung, you must sit.”

Daesung flushed, moving by Youngbae's side and sat next to him, “May I serve you? Is there anything you need?”

“No, you are not here to serve me in the ways you serve the young master. I would like to speak with you about your well being.”

“My well being, Sir?”

The pure confusion on Daesung's face did not serve Youngbae well, and he took him by the hand, “Daesung, are you fairing well?”

Daesung looked at their interlocked hands and closed his eyes, only to open them with a heavy sadness he carried with him, “Fairing, well? As a servant to master Choi, it is a question I can not answer.”

“And why is that.”

“I can not answer a question that is filled with ignorance, no servant bodes well serving he arrogant.”

Youngbae drew his hand to his chest and looked Daesung in the eye, “I am sorry for my ignorance.”

Daesung looked away and out the window of Youngbae's study, “No need to apologize, as everyone is filled with ignorance. It is stupidity-” Daesung looked back at Youngbae, “That we must look out for.”

“How insightful,” Youngbae stood up and stretched, “Tell me more, Daesung. Your inner beauty is intriguing.”

“I wouldn't call my inner beauty, beauty at all,” his voice was wispy and tired as he spoke, “It is too filled with loathing to be beauty anymore. Neither can I call my outer shell that as well.”

“I disagree, whether it is pain that taints you, or a tormenting life that does so, you are beautiful I can tell,” he sat back down and leaned into the chair, “Pain does not destroy beauty, it only hides it.”

“Well then I can say mine is fairly hidden,” Daesung felt as if their conversation was steering into dangerous waters, “As no one has seemed to find me handsome, yet you have gone above and have called me beautiful not once but many of times. You claim to see an inner beauty, but you do not know me. So forgive me if I'm hard at believing.”

“You are forgiven, now if you must, I have something we all must do.”

“And that is?”

“You will find out soon enough,” Youngbae smiled at Daesung, though it was not sincere in the way he showed it, it was only for politeness.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pardon me for such a short chapter, I figured I must upload something before I take another long hiatus next month. I will work on finishing this chapter before I leave, though. Good day.