Kyungsoo was not happy with Minseok, not one bit. He had let his anger build up until he could take no more of it – unleashing his distaste for his employer’s recent behavior the morning after Baroness Ingram’s soiree.

“Sir, you have already lost one cravat, you come home with your clothes half wrinkled – do you understand what this does to me?” Kyungsoo’s mouth was held tightly in a grimace, as if it pained him to see his employer to be so reckless with his attire. Truth be told it did pain him, immensely.

“Sorry.” Minseok tried to apologize as best he could, which consisted of a lot of pouting and trying to act like an adorable but hapless employer that just couldn’t keep track of his clothes. Part of which was true, but he didn’t want Kyungsoo to actually understand why he was having so much trouble with his clothing of late.

“I will forgive you. If you give me the night off.” Kyungsoo crossed his arms, trying to stand tall. Kyungsoo was about Minseok’s height, a couple of centimeters shorter, so when either man attempted to tower over the other it was a lost cause.

“The night off?” Minseok was beyond curious “You haven’t asked me for a night off in….actually I don’t think you have ever asked me for a night off.”

Minseok did not miss the slight blush that crept over Kyungsoo’s cheeks before he cleared his throat and blurted out an explanation, “Yes, sir that is true. However tonight there is a lecture at the Royal Institute that I very much want to attend.”

“A lecture?” Minseok was well aware of Kyungsoo’s academic pursuits. Since they were children Kyungsoo had always been the most studious of the pair, which was surprising considering the fact his education was minimal in comparison to Minseok’s.

“Yes, on the potential benefits of the newly discovered laughing gas.” Kyungsoo answered.

“La-ugh-ing gas?” Minseok was confused, he had never heard of any such thing.

“Yes, sir. A curious gas that seems to cause euphoria when inhaled.”

“Hm. Yes, you can have the night off, you work very hard and should know I am forever thankful for it.” Minseok patted Kyungsoo on the shoulder, “Just please forgive me if I lose another cravat along the way.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir.” Kyungsoo smiled, going back to tidying up Minseok’s wardrobe.

Minseok couldn’t help but feel exceedingly embarrassed as he remembered why he was having so many clothing issues to begin with.

***

Luhan would have preferred to be riding his favorite horse, Phantom. Riding in a Phaeton alongside Baekhyun was not his preferred mode of transportation, especially not while traversing the long paths of the park. But Baekhyun hated to ride, hence the men ended up in a Phaeton, slowly maneuvering up the long paths as they stopped now and then to chat with other riders.

Truth be told Luhan wasn’t entirely happy to be traveling the path at all. He had a headache from drinking too much with Heechul the night before, he was still more than a little bit tortured by certain events in a greenhouse, and he had yet to figure out how exactly he was going to investigate D’Adderleigh's background without being too obvious or failing to find anything outright due to his own incompetence.

Baekhyun had shown up at his house a little after noon, waiting outside as was proper. Luhan knew that Baekhyun wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted. And what he wanted was for the world to see him sitting next to Luhan, the catch of the season, as they traversed the riding path popular with the social elite.

“Luhan, has your Father said anything more regarding our engagement?” Baekhyun asked casually, though he was extremely invested in the answer.

Luhan considered telling Baekhyun that his Father was very much leaning towards dismissing the engagement outright, but he didn’t want to cause a scene in the park. He guessed that such news would lead Baekhyun into a small fit. “No.”

“That is unfortunate.” Baekhyun pouted “Should we run away and marry? Would he disown you?”

Luhan nearly choked “You can’t be serious.”

“It may be easier than waiting for his approval.” Baekhyun offered.

“No.” Luhan was not going to entertain the idea. It occurred to him that he might have entertained it only weeks before, perhaps even gone through with it. But that was before D’Adderleigh, before…

“Isn’t that D’Adderleigh?” Baekhyun interrupted Luhan’s thoughts, nudging him in the side he pointed towards two approaching riders. Luhan tensed.

“I dare say it is. Should we stop to say hello?” Baekhyun asked.

***

Minseok hated riding in the park, almost as much as he hated attending the rigorous social events that were part of the season. The only thing he truly liked about the park was that he could ride, which he loved to do. Unfortunately the paths in the park restricted the speed in which a person could traverse the gravel and sand riding areas. For Minseok his enjoyment of riding came from tearing across field and meadow at his family’s estate, feeling the wind in his hair, the animal under him becoming an extension of his body. Riding in the city was the opposite, a slow and steady pace that was more about talking to those you rode past than the act of riding itself.

“My uncle should be waiting near the lake.” Jongdae informed Minseok. They were to meet Yunho to discuss the case of the jewel thief, Jongdae sharing his surprise that his uncle dared to leave his stuffy office for an outside meeting. “I think he must want some fresh air, all of the paperwork is probably getting to him.”

Minseok had been eager to meet with Yunho since Jongdae had filled him in – that his uncle was the reason he was working for the Home Office to begin with. They neared the path to the lake. Turning their horses to traverse the path they missed the slowly approaching phaeton, fortuitously avoiding a run in with Luhan and Baekhyun.

The lake was a long and winding man made creation, popular with boaters, painters, and those looking for a reprieve on an idyllic body of water in the middle of the city. Minseok had to admit that riding near the lake was much more pleasant than riding on the dusty see and be seen paths of the park.

After tying their horses alongside the path, Minseok and Jongdae made their way to where Yunho waited for them, sitting on a small bench under a large maple tree. As they neared the prearranged meeting location Jongdae noticed a second figure seated near his uncle. When the two men stood, having spotted Minseok and Jongdae approaching, it was clear who the other man was. The Duke of Hayden, Luhan’s Father. Minseok felt uneasy.

***

Luhan counted his blessings that Minseok had turned down another path before he had to greet him. Baekhyun on the other hand seemed disappointed. His disappointment was replaced by excitement when he noticed another group of riders some ways up the path, one of whom was Oh Sehun.

Luhan studied the man as he approached, noticing how bored he looked. Sehun seemed wholly disinterested in what his companions were chattering on about. Luhan recognized the other riders as well, most of whom Luhan knew from the Clubs or an association between his Father and theirs. He didn’t know any of them terribly well, which was unfortunate given the fact he currently wanted to know a lot more about Sehun – specifically what had happened three years ago between Sehun and Minseok.

Luhan knew passing the group without at least a hello was socially unacceptable. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Baekhyun pointedly asked the group if they would be attending that night’s largest social event, a ball being held at Lord Westover’s mansion. Luhan paid specific attention to Sehun’s answer. When Sehun stated he would be attending Luhan knew what he needed to do. And that was strike up a conversation with the bored looking young man, hopefully gain his trust, and most definitely make some kind of progress in his mission to discover Minseok’s past.

As their short conversation ended, the riders passing by, Baekhyun was all smiles “We should speak to them more this evening. I have always wanted to get to know the man who was so horribly injured by that rogue D’Adderleigh.”

“You seem rather focused on D’Adderleigh.” Luhan grimaced after he spoke, realizing calling attention to Baekhyun’s odd fascination could potentially reveal his own focus on the man.

“D’Adderleigh? Well of course I am. Who doesn’t love the drama a horrible, soulless scoundrel causes?” Baekhyun giggled.

***

“Thank you, my lord, for agreeing to help.” Jongdae was thrilled at the plan that his uncle had presented. The Duke was more than willing to aid in the investigation, apparently having his own ties to the home department as well as a long standing friendship with Jongdae’s uncle.

“The setup shall be more carefully controlled than that at the theater.” Yunho had explained, “The Duke has agreed to use his annual gala, occurring in a weeks’ time, as a trap – his wife’s jewels as bait.”

“Was it you- in the theater? The person who agreed to act as bait?” Minseok asked, the pieces coming together. Jongdae had said that someone was willing to help, acting as a potential victim for the thief. If Luhan’s father had aided them so willingly, did that mean Luhan was very likely not the thief?

Minseok had discussed the facts with Jongdae as they rode to meet Yunho. The reality of who was on both the guest list of the Kim family masquerade ball and the Baroness’s soiree turned out to be a who’s who of society, an essentially useless clue given the magnitude of the list of names attending both events. The guest list was a disappointing place to start looking for the culprit, which made Minseok nervous that Luhan had perhaps jumped into one of the top positions of possible suspects.

Minseok had tried to reason why Luhan could never have anything to do with such criminal acts. Luhan’s father aiding in the investigation boosted his resolve that Luhan was innocent.

 “Well, yes, I was hoping to bait the thief at the theater. Unfortunately the thief wasn’t willing to show that night.” The Duke answered.

“I expect that the thief will have little trouble appearing at the gala – not when word spreads that the famous Hayden jewels will be taken out of the family vault for the occasion.” Yunho looked from Minseok to Jongdae “I will be counting on you boys.”

“We will do our best not to disappoint you sir.” Jongdae stood tall. They had to succeed this time.

***

Minseok was overjoyed that there was not a single event he had to attend that night. Jongdae and Junmyeon were invited to the Westover Ball, an event that Minseok knew very well he would never receive an invitation to. Not after Westover had been one of his most vocal critics following his father’s death.

He decided to busy himself with reading the latest periodicals his Uncle had sent him from France. The three years he had spent in Normandy had been a blissful reprieve from life in the city. He had time to indulge in his burgeoning interest in agriculture, a subject he had taken great delight in back on his family's estate.

It had been three years since he had visited the D’Adderleigh country estate – one of the sprawling great houses of the country. A sizable portion of the estate was devoted to tenant farmers. Minseok’s father had taken great pride in his knowledge of the estate’s farming operations, taking a ride to greet the farmers every morning without fail. Minseok used to ride along with him, learning the lay of the land, the rotation of the crops, taking an interest in the families that owed their livelihood to the D’Adderleigh lands.

Minseok wondered how those families were doing now. He had left an estate manager in charge of running the expansive lands, a very capable man by the name of Yixing. He received letters from the man monthly reporting the details of the estate’s management. Minseok poured over those letters, reading and rereading them, recalling the names of the children that were now entering adulthood and helping their parent’s farm the land. He would be lying if he said he didn’t miss the house, the people, and the land acutely. It was just too painful to go back, he wasn’t ready. He wondered if he ever would be.

***

Luhan felt thankful to see Chanyeol at the Westover ball, probably for the first time in his life. Baekhyun was distracted by his friend, allowing Luhan some time to hunt down the Earl of Presley’s son. He had considered how he would approach Sehun. He had to be discreet in his intentions – he highly doubted Sehun would want to associate with him if he knew Luhan’s true reasons for seeking him out.

Sehun was standing in the corner of the ballroom, looking as bored and disinterested as he had appeared earlier in the day when Luhan encountered him at the park. He was chatting periodically with one of the men that had been riding with him, Luhan recognized him as the heir to a large mercantile fortune.

Luhan took a deep breath as he approached the pair, repeating in his head to stay calm and not be too obvious.

“A fine ball, is it not?” Luhan wanted to smack himself in the face after asking such a mundane and boring question. Sehun raised an eyebrow, looking Luhan up and down.

“Yes. It is.” Sehun bowed, his friend doing the same. Introductions were exchanged.

“Your family estate, it is in the north?” Luhan bridged a topic that he had thought could be roped back to the subject of D’Adderleigh. One thing he had managed to uncover – which wasn’t really a secret considering how much the peerage enjoyed documenting every facet of their lineage and landholdings – was that the Pressley estate was bordering the D’Adderleigh estate.

“Yes.” Sehun answered.

Luhan was struggling with how best to engage the man. “I have not had the privilege to visit that area of the country” Luhan noted how little his words interested Sehun, so he dove into a potentially perilous turn of words “Though I have made the acquaintance of another man who hails from that region.”

“Is that so?” Sehun asked, clearly finding more enjoyment observing the dancers flutter across the dance floor than conversing with Luhan.

“Yes.” Luhan took a deep breath, realizing his next few words could ruin everything but not knowing how best to continue without at least one mention of the man, “One D’-“

“Luhan!” Baekhyun certainly knew when to make an appearance. He crossed the ballroom quickly, eying Sehun up suspiciously “I didn’t know you were friends with the Lord Sehun?”

Sehun didn’t utter a word one way or another, Luhan laughed awkwardly “I was only engaging the young lord in talk about his family’s estate.”

“The one that is next to D’Adderleigh’s? Were you not engaged to him at one time, my lord? ” Baekhyun blurted out. Luhan quickly looked at Sehun to gauge his reaction. Sehun tensed, his posture become noticeably stiff.

“If you will excuse me.” Sehun and his friend offered curt bows as they left the conversation quickly, deliberately after Baekhyun had blurted out the Viscount’s name.

“Where is Chanyeol? I thought you were busy speaking with him.” Luhan’s words were delivered sharply, the annoyance clear in his tone. Baekhyun slightly recoiled, then laughed off Luhan’s annoyance, managing to only further anger Luhan.

“Would you like to dance?” Baekhyun wiggled his eyebrows, attempting to look cute.

“Do you live to make people uncomfortable?” Luhan asked, Baekhyun looking hurt.

“I – why do you have to always be talking with everyone other than me? Is it so hard to converse with your future husband?” Baekhyun’s voice rose ever so slightly as he spoke, causing more than one person who was standing nearby to cast the pair a curious look.

“I wish you wouldn’t say that so loudly.” Luhan was severely annoyed at Baekhyun’s tact.

“Are you embarrassed?” Baekhyun countered, his expression turning sour “Is it that difficult to be seen with me?”

Luhan blushed. People were staring now, Baekhyun speaking far too loudly, as though he wanted everyone to hear him.

“My two favorite people!”

Thank the lord for Kim Heechul. He was dressed outlandishly, as was usual, a pink waistcoat and bright blue cravat topping off cream colored pants.

Baekhyun fumed, but knew better than to alienate Heechul. He remained quiet as Heechul sidled up to the pair, putting an arm over Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Now why is my adorable puppy angry?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, his face red “Perhaps you should ask Luhan.”

“Perhaps I should. Or perhaps I should you to the dance floor and make everyone in this sad excuse for a ball jealous at my dance partner.”

“I don’t feel like dancing.” Baekhyun looked at the floor, crossing his arms.

“Oh, that is too bad. Because I have the juiciest piece of gossip to tell you. It is regretful you, my favorite person to gossip with, is so disinterested in me tonight.” Heechul winked at Luhan, Baekhyun blind to the action as he was still staring at the floor and pouting.

“What type of gossip?” Baekhyun asked slowly.

“Hmmm. That a boy. How about I tell you over a waltz or two.” Heechul yanked at Baekhyun’s arm playfully, “after all our famous Earl here is being called home.”

“Called home?” Luhan and Baekhyun asked simultaneously.

“My lord, your Father left a message with Westover and I am the chosen one to relay it. It seems your presence is required at your family’s home.” Heechul pushed a piece of paper into Luhan’s hands.

Luhan was dumbfounded, opening the piece of paper and looking from Heechul to the paper and back to Heechul. “Um, yes…it seems as though I regretfully need to take my leave. I am sorry.”

“Now you are stuck with me my young puppy.” Heechul latched onto Baekhyun “So about that dance…”

***

Luhan had unfolded, folded, and unfolded the paper time and time again. Heechul was a sly man that was for sure. Of course Luhan could have ignored the paper, actually went to his parents, maybe just went back to his bachelor apartment and slept.

D’Adderleigh XXX St. James Circle

What exactly was he planning to do when he arrived at D’Adderleigh’s house? They had barely uttered two words to each other since the time in the greenhouse.  A more awkward greeting he could not imagine.

Luhan bristled at the reality of his current situation. How had he, the catch of the season, a man with such an impeccable reputation, ended up on a nighttime jaunt to a notorious Viscount’s house? How…had it happened?

He ordered the carriage driver to drop him off a block from the address, reassuring his driver he would traverse the surprisingly small distance to his own home, no need to wait for him. Minseok lived very close to where Luhan kept his own apartment.

Walking up the carefully maintained sidewalk Luhan tried to identify the most suitable greeting. There was none, he quickly decided, given their level of familiarity in conjunction with their lack of a relationship - other than a very passionate physical one that is.

A crash sounded somewhere close ahead. Luhan, alarmed, tried to see what had caused the noise. Walking up the sidewalk he found a man collapsed on the ground, smiling as he counted the leaves on an overhanging tree, pointing as he identified one leaf than another.

“Are you in need of a doctor?” Luhan asked, crouching down to help the man up. He appeared to be a servant of some sort judging by his attire.

“Do you know what I want to do?” The man asked, his large eyes darting all around.

“Do you need me to call someone?” Luhan was sure the man was ill.

The man laughed loudly then stopped abruptly, suddenly scowling “I have to iron his cravat!”

Luhan watched, shocked, as the man sprung up and dashed towards the front door of a home. Luhan followed him, concerned. Then he realized the door that the man was busy knocking on was none other than the address which Kim Heechul had so discreetly given him. An interesting turn of events.

***

Minseok had fallen asleep at his desk, the candle burning down as he drifted off to the latest news of farming equipment. When the knock sounded on the front door he groaned, waiting for Kyungsoo to answer it.

Minseok was a bit of an anomaly among the upper class in that Kyungsoo was his only servant. He didn’t employ a house full of maids or enjoy the service of a butler to answer each knock on the door. Kyungsoo did it all.

When the knocking continued Minseok rubbed his eyes, recalling the fact he had given Kyungsoo the night off. He stretched lazily before making his way to the front door, wondering who could be calling at such an hour.

Minseok opened the door, eyes widening as he took in the sight. Luhan was there, a very out of sorts Kyungsoo leaning on his shoulder.

“Sir!” Kyungsoo stumbled through the door “Did you lose your cravat again tonight?!”

Minseok caught his stumbling valet, managing to stifle a blush over the question – his attention focused more on his ailing valet and less on his valet’s awkward question.

“I found him like this.” Luhan sputtered, not sure what else to say.

“Kyungsoo, what happened?” Minseok held the smaller man in his arms, frightened to see his friend like this.

“That la-u-gh-ing gas is …”Kyungsoo suddenly pushed Minseok’s chest playfully “I need to iron!”

“You need to go to bed old boy.” Minseok regretted thinking that giving Kyungsoo some time at a weird scientific lecture was a good idea, “Let’s get you to bed.”

Luhan remained silent, helping Minseok to drag the drugged valet to his feet and towards the servant’s bedroom.

***

Minseok shut Kyungsoo’s bedroom door quietly. He had stayed next to his friend’s bedside until he was sure the man was sleeping – albeit also acting a bit more lucid than when he had first stumbled in.

Luhan was outside the room, looking around the hallway as if he was examining an exhibit at a museum, all awkward glances and unsure movements.

“I should thank you for helping Kyungsoo. Lord knows what may have befallen him if you weren’t there.”

Luhan blushed at Minseok’s words. “It really wasn’t a problem.”

“Nonetheless I am grateful to you.” Minseok felt the awkwardness in the air, heavy and unsure. He cleared his throat.

“I..um…should probably be going.” Luhan couldn’t imagine a less awkward moment. He turned to leave, ready to chalk the entire series of events up to his own foolishness. Then he felt a hand on his wrist. Turning, he was faced with those beautiful eyes.

“You can stay.” Minseok said quietly. He was staring into his eyes, Luhan felt like his insides had been turned into mush “If you would like to, that is.”

Luhan moved first, crashing their lips together, releasing the tension that had been building between them.

----------------------

a/n- Luhan at Minseok’s house with a passed out Kyungsoo none the wiser? Yes please! I wonder if the next chapter will consist of …..wink wink.

Thank you to all of the new readers, subbers, and voters. And thank you to everyone that has been here since chapter 1. I really appreciate it! I wish I could buy you all a puppy!