⁝ tavern.

@❀ choi jinseok “you’ve been drinking without me? already?” the female quirked an eyebrow as she took a sit in front of the other, her hands, out of practiced ease reaching to pour jinseok another cup of wine. “we’re not getting you drunk, not tonight, I won’t be able to carry you home and I do not want to face the wrath of your brother.” Her tone, stern, yet held no weight to it, not towards jinseok at least.

At his words, she could only click her tongue in feign annoyance. Picking up the small porcelain cup, she turned away, downing the opaque liquid in a single shot before facing him once more, “Pray and tell, my dear Lord Choi. But what has gotten your baji in a bunch that you’ve succumbed to sorrow drinking?” the lady continued, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she watched the male with little shake of her head, it was never clearer to her that this was going to be a long night for the both of them.

@✿ baek yejun “And you hurt me more when you leave.” Eun’s voice was hollowed, hiding no sign of her holding back the tears. She could tell he was trying. That was all she could ask for in this moment considering the circumstances. She lifted her hand, placing it above his. It was gentle but firm, holding his hand close so that he could not so easily run away.

“Yejun…”
The gisaeng leaned in against his hand, closing her eyes as she sought the comfort of his familiar touch. Even when drunk his hands were his. They still felt the same upon her skin, and in that she could find a bit of solace. “You are listening, but you are only hearing part of the message. I am trying to make you see that this is more complex than what you’ve boiled it down to.” She drew a deep breath before continuing, her voice sounding as if it was about to break: “I know I should not have kissed him. I cannot judge you for hearing of it and reacting.”

There was a momentary pause as she sat there, wishing she could have done things differently to save him from the pain. “I just wish you would have talked to me first. Given me a chance to explain, before assuming the worst. I know the sting of jealousy can sit deep, but this… This is not a thing to feel such emotions for.” Despite her best efforts, the damn was breaking. The tears she had managed to hold back for a bit returned. “I am such a fool…”

@✿ park yeongho Being more accustomed to fighting in the front lines or patrolling the borders, Sejin felt like a fish out of water with the sudden summons for the Royal Assembly. He did not expect for the higher ups to request his presence but still, as duty bound as he ever was, he attended and gave his input on the current state of affairs despite feeling like he has not contributed much. However, he was glad to see familiar faces. Among them was the kind, albeit awkward young general Park Yeongho. He has served with Yeongho during the war. Fighting alongside him and forming something akin to friendship as they shared their struggles

"You flatter me general Park." He says, a small smile gracing his lips. "I merely voiced out my concerns for the people. Despite publicly claiming ourselves as Norons, I know us siblings are secretly Sorons. Though perhaps people would have recognized my actual political stance now." Sejin sighs softly, it was of no consequence to him of course as he was not the head of house for the house of the blue lions but it was another gossip circulated amongst the yangbans once again painting him antagonistic towards his brother. They could not be any more wrong but he simply did not bother to correct their pressumptions.

"No..let us depart then. I think I need a drink after all the official business that we had to take part in." He replies and with that, the two men departed for the tavern.

Upon arrival, Sejin and Yeongho, two imposing figures instantly commanded attention as their brisk strides led them to two bar stools in front of the shop keep. Seijn nods at the man in recognition.
"One bottle of your finest cheongju, and two cups for me and my friend right here." He requests and when the shop keeper returns with his order, Sejin takes the liberty of pouring Yeongho a cup. Despite being older, the latter was still his superior in ranks.

"You did fair in the assembly as well Yeongho. I suppose its to be expected from a general." Sejin jests. Though it was rare, he had moments of ease. He showed it to only a few people and the general was one of them.

"so tell me, how have you been these days?" He reaches for his cup to drink all of its contents in one go before pouring himself another glass, immediately downing that one as well.

@✿ oh sejin after the royal assembly ended, yeongho saw his old navy comrades, lord oh sejin and hesitantly approached him. "sejin hyungnim." greets him with a shy and timid smile adorning his lips, as he bows his head respectfully towards the older guy. a shy and timid smile played on yeongho's lips as he mustered the courage to offer praise, "you truly excelled in the royal assembly earlier, your contributions were nothing short of impactful." his words were sincere, a reflection of his admiration for sejin's abilities.

"ah, I was wondering if you're doing something else after this? I mean, do you have any plans because I would like to invite you to join me at the tea house or maybe tavern to have some drinks. maybe we could offer each other stories too. " suggested him. yeongho isn't the type who will easily socialise with others, but somehow he wants to change that and making new friends, though sejin is already one of his navy colleagues, still, he thinks it would be better to strengthen them with some drinks and chat something over.

however, ever mindful of sejin's schedule and preferences, yeongho added, "but if it's too late or if you have prior commitments, I completely understand. we can always arrange another time. perhaps we could correspond through letters, or I can have my people inquire about your availability." his words were laced with sincerity, a genuine willingness to accommodate sejin's needs and preferences.

@❀ park heeryong Sungha kept his eyes trained on the pretty thing in front of him. It was rare to be approached, and he was enjoying every moment of it. The poor little mouse had just approached a tiger and he didn't even know it yet. And how, how Sungha enjoyed playing with his food! He could already imagine all the ways he could corrupt this pretty male, make him see things the way Sungha did. Would he mold easily? Fight back a bit? Or did the darkness already call to him? It had to, for him to be drawn to Sungha. He often heard he was off-putting, after all. Some people had some inane instinct to stay away from him.

Letting out a soft, thoughtful hum, Sungha took a sip of his wine before gently setting the cup down. "Is everyone in the capital like me? Oh, I would hope not. I think you will find, pretty little mouse, that not only am I unique to the capital, but to this world. I can promise you many things, the first of all being that you will never meet anyone else quite like me." A big grin spread Sungha's lips as he reached out towards the male, sliding a hand down the front of his hanbok, already imagining what the male would look like under the clothes.

His eyes flitted back up, a brow quirking. "Did you like that image? Me being /deeply/ ingrained in /you/?" Sungha's hand fisted lightly into the male's clothes, tugging him closer. Sungha leaned in and pressed his nose to the juncture between the male's jaw and neck, inhaling his scent and exhaling with a groan, a predator sampling his dinner. "Little mouse, little mouse, I am going to /devour/ you." He smiled against his skin, grabbing for the male's hip. He lifted his head, his other hand cupping the male's jaw as he studied him. "What's your name, little mouse? Mine is Sungha. We'll decide what you look prettiest calling me later."

@✿ go youngjae Geon watched the way Youngjae squirmed across from him. He was used to reading body language to assess for threats, but it really did not take any of his experience to see that Youngjae was nervous. That dark, wary feeling in his stomach was coiling tighter and tighter, settling low and heavy in his stomach. He really needed a drink, if his intuition was telling him anything. The younger's mouth opened, and Geon almost wished he had picked buttering him up with alcohol before starting. It would have helped them both.

Geon stayed very still as he listened to the younger speak. But even after he was done, Geon blinked a couple of times, his brain multiple steps behind on processing. Saemi. Marriage. Agreed. Commit. Husband. Oh, gods. Oh gods, oh gods. Geon knew someday he would have to give Saemi away to some man to marry--though he would also support her if she decided not to marry at all, or if she wanted to hide away with a female lover (gods knew Geon knew enough about same- attraction)--but he had never thought it would be to their wards.

The bodyguard's head was reeling, and he gripped the hilt of is sword to try to ground himself, staring at Youngjae blankly. It wasn't that Geon didn't like Youngjae, except...it was complicated. Their social rankings were incredibly different, it would put Saemi above their entire family, and others would undoubtedly wag their tongues at the thought of a yangban marrying a cheonmin, even if they were formerly yangbans themselves.

"You..." Geon started out, but had to stop to collect himself. "Since when did this start? I swear I never noticed anything different between the two of you." Perhaps that was his own fault. Geon often had a lot on his mind, and in the past few years he'd been too hung up on his own love life to even think of marriage for his siblings. "And maybe if you wanted my blessing, you should have asked /before/ she agreed."

With a sigh, Geon pinched the bridge of his nose. "I like you, Youngjae. You're like my own brother, and I love you as my family. But Saemi, she's...what will happen? She's just suddenly a lady of the house? She gives her siblings orders? She's shunned from social events because of her rank? You know what they will say. They will say she seduced you, maybe even used witchcraft, that she's a gold digger. Will you handle all of that? All of the gossip? How can I be sure you can protect her?"

@❃ seo eun Yejun stayed as that reluctance was still there. There’s something that stopped him. Her words was one of it. The other would probably be his heart. It was screaming asking him not to take a step away from her. It’s just that he felt that he didn’t deserve to stay at the same time.
“Can I really stay? I’ve hurt you.” He sighed, hand reaching out to her cheek to wipe her tears away. He had hurt her too much.
His mind was in constant battle of feeling hurt and hurting her. He wanted it to stop but also didn’t know what to do to make it stop.
“I want us to stop hurting. But I don’t know what I should do.” His lower lip slightly curled up from all the frustration and sadness he was feeling. “I feel that I have listened but you think that I don’t.” He decided to speak out his mind, trying to shake away his haze and doing his best in being rational and logical in the middle of sobering up.
“I hate myself for hurting you and I also hate myself for not being able to ignore the fact of you kissing him.” He tilted his head up to hide the tears that threatened to fall.

@❃ choi geon Youngjae shifted slightly in his seat, feeling a mixture of nerves and determination as Geon sat across from him. He straightened his posture, trying to exude a sense of confidence despite the unease swirling within him. This meeting was important, and he knew he had to approach it carefully. He respected Geon immensely through the years, seeing him not only as a friend and brotherly figure but also as someone who had well protected his older brother as well. So, when Geon was now across from him, Youngjae couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety in his chest.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts before meeting the other’s gaze. "Geon hyung," he began, his voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in his stomach. "I'll be upfront with you. There's something I need to discuss, and it's about Saemi."

Taking a deep breath, Youngjae continued, trying to maintain his calm. “I've asked for Saemi's hand in marriage, and she's agreed." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing. "We love each other deeply, and we both believe that we're ready to commit to each other for life."

He watched Geon closely, waiting for his reaction, hoping that he would understand and give his blessing. However, the intricate dynamics between both their families were hard to detail, and Youngjae knew that marrying Saemi would make that connection more complicated. But their love was sincere and he hoped it would shine through despite any reservations the other might have.

"I understand if this comes as a surprise, and I know that you'll want what's best for Saemi," Youngjae continued nervously. "But I'm here to ask for your blessing. I want to be a good husband to Saemi, and I promise to cherish and protect her for as long as I live."

He held Geon's gaze, awaiting his response.

@❃ heo jinyoung In the few years that she had operated her small matchmaking business, Seoyul had come across a few uneventful matches. A memorable one was Lady Boo Paengsoon who had failed to woo the man of her heart’s desire. But as Han Yeongsu spoke, explaining and apologizing for his actions, she did her best to listen intently.

As Lady Dalrae, her reputation as a matchmaker was on the line as well as the credibility of her business, and to have her endeavors be treated so carelessly only brought her a pang of disappointment. She could understand his apprehension about the outcome of the prospective matching, but she didn't condone his methods. However, Seoyul chose to maintain her composure, nodding slightly to acknowledge his words without fully agreeing or dismissing his intention.

"Lord Han, I appreciate your honesty and coming forth to address this matter," she began with a calmness in her voice.

Yet, before she could finish her response, the unexpected entry of Lee Taebae disrupted the calmness of the conversation. Seoyul's keen eyes flickered over to him, noting his disheveled appearance and the bout of confusion that danced across his features.

"Ah, Sir Lee," she greeted him, "I see you've arrived." She gestured between the two men. "Please, have a seat. I was just discussing with Lord Han here about the unfortunate turnout of your date."

Taebae, however, seemed perplexed, his gaze darting between Seoyul and Yeongsu. His tone met with a sense of uncertainty, "I'm sorry, but who is this gentleman?"

Seoyul’s mind swirled, trying to navigate the unexpected turn of events. She knew that their date had not gone well, but was that enough reason for the tall man to dismiss the circumstances at hand?

"This is Lord Han Yeongsu," she said, observing the puzzled expression of Lee Taebae who still remained standing at the entrance. Seoyul felt a knot of unease form in her stomach. She had been the one to match them, ensuring their compatibility and chemistry, but the fact that Taebae didn't recognize Yeongsu only added to the mix of more confusion.

Had there been a mistake in her arrangements? It was unlike her to mix up clients, especially ones as important as these two.

Turning her attention to Yeongsu, Seoyul addressed him calmly, "Lord Han, could you please clarify something for us? Sir Lee seems to be under the impression that you were not the person he went on the date with?”

@❃ bang sungha The other's openness was... shocking, for a lack of better words. Never in his life had he met someone so direct. Back in his hometown, Heeryong was considered radically open-minded but he didn't hold a candle to this. Faced with such straight-forwardness, Heeryong was overcome with a flustered blush. 'Little mouse... do I look like a mouse?' That was new. He cleared his throat and used his mug as a prop to briefly hide behind as he took a sip. A nervous excitement bubbled up inside him as he eyed the other's cheshire grin. Heeryong almost choked on his drink. 'Bone-deep... well...', he thought to himself and laughed, setting down his drink. Hiding behind a mug was embarrassing and he refused to let the small shield tempt him further. So what if he was blushing? He'd blame it on the alcohol. Heeryong locked eyes with the young man and did his very best to appear calm and confident.

"Is everyone in the capital like you?", he asked, lips pulling into a smirk. His ears were burning. This guy, whoever he was, made him nervous and it wasn't just how straight-forward he was being. He couldn't exactly pin-point why. Or maybe he was just excited to meet such an interesting character? Nerves and excitement did feel hauntingly similar. 'That was boring. Say something more interesting!', Heeryong chastised himself mentally, eager to hold the attention of the other. He could have sworn that he was usually good at this, flirting, or at least decent. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of anything interesting to say. He was still reeling from the other's words.

"...I can't believe you opened with how deeply... ingrained you would be", he laughed, giving up on the cool, calm facade. He couldn't bring himself to add "in me". He was already red enough. He was missing his mug. Why did he have to set it down? Now would have been a great time to hide his face partially while he collected himself. Instead, with no shield, he chuckled in embarrassment and pressed his palms briefly to his face to try and cool the flushed skin.

@❀ park heeryong Sungha had spent the day out, performing. His skills with blades usually brought in a decent amount of cash, as did the few clients that sought him out personally. They wanted to see him perform up close and personal, they said. Sungha knew by now they were quite heavy on the /personal/ part. Funny, the types of patrons that sought him out. Usually always much older, married. They all had incredibly suppressed desires, most of them involving the tip of his blade and his more manic tendencies. But that was alright; Sungha almost never allowed them to touch him, and he always got to make such pretty pictures on their skin with his lovely blades.

Tonight Sungha had come to the tavern, wishing to spend a bit of the coin he'd earned. He deserved this treat, he decided. Sungha drank with his clients but tried not to partake outside of that. If he got drunk enough and someone made him angry...he had a hard time holding himself back at that point. It was a dangerous game, one he stopped himself from participating in for the sake of his younger (adopted) siblings. But tonight he would act like he was normal, drink a bit, perhaps find someone to take to his bed. The scholars were out tonight, celebrating their tests ending. Sungha wasn't a fan of most scholars. They were generally upper class, and thought themselves philosophers or the next great scholar of their generation. However, with a bit of alcohol, he found many of them revealing their desire to lay with a man.

Sungha sipped at his wine, motion catching the corner of his eye. He cocked his head slightly, watching as one of the scholars in his cute little hanbok approached him. Lazily, the performer's eyes ran up and down the male's form. Tall, likely around his own height, wide shoulders. He was quite pretty. Interest piqued, Sungha watched as he came closer, then waited for him to speak. The opening line made him bark out a laugh.

"Oh, no. I do not think so. I would have remembered a pretty face like yours, little mouse," Sungha cooed. Even if this man was not approaching him for /that/ purpose, Sungha didn't particularly care if the male got offended or shocked at his open flirting. It was well known in these parts that Sungha enjoyed both male and female company, after all. Sungha noted the reddening ears and grinned, the smile just slightly too wide. "And trust me, little mouse, if you had ever met me, you would remember me. I would be ingrained in you, bone-deep."

@❃ bang sungha BACKDATED: Early Spring 1863

"Finally!" - "Exams are over!" - "Cheers!!!" - A group of young men in simple, elegant hanbok were sat around a large table, shoving their jugs together. Their laughter filled the tavern, but the owner didn't chastise them. It was well known that the scholars at Sungkyunkwan had just finished a series of very important exams. Heeryong sat amongst them, laughing along with the others as they filled themselves with drink and food. He wasn't big on studying, but he definitely loved this part of it. His entrance exam results had been desperately poor, which, to his surprise, actually secured him a good number of friends at the academy. Perhaps because they did not see him as a threat. Others might be offended, but Heeryong didn't care. There was only reason why he had wanted to enrol into the academy, and that was to avoid being married off for a few more years. Since his 21st birthday, his father had been shoving portraits of marriageable ladies in his face. Heeryong would rather fall on a sword than become an offspring-producing machine to feed his family lineage. He had been tempted once or twice when the face in the picture had been especially pretty, but he knew himself well enough to know that one pretty face would not be enough for a lifetime.

It had not been long since he'd come to the capital and he was making the most of exploring a new, large city. It was the capital after all, which was quite exciting to him who had spent all his life at the seaside. And so, here he was, getting barely passing grades while drinking himself to a near blackout every other day. A beautiful city only looked more beautiful when intoxicated.

Tonight, he was slow on the drinking. He'd drunk so much the past week his stomach hurt. Still, he sipped at his drunk along with his friends and watched as they one by one went from sober to drunk to completely wasted. Two had already made enough of a fool of themselves to be ushered out and were stumbling through the streets. Others were desperately trying to remember what they'd answered to this or that question and comparing notes... a sight that made Heeryong laugh. "Yah, what are you even going to remember at this point?", he teased and poked the one next to him with his elbow. The drunk guy grumbled something back, to which Heeryong just chuckled and shook his head.

As he did, a person he had not noticed before caught his eye. "..." Heeryong took another sip of his drink and discreetly looked at the man on the other side of the tavern. He looked a few years older. He had thick brows and pronounced cheekbones. He looked tall too. Most importantly he seemed... Hm. It was hard to put into words. Heeryong leaned back in his seat, hiding a smirk behind his mug. Ah, here it was. That familiar flutter of excitement when he recognised a person who might be similarly inclined. 'Should I go over?' Heeryong glanced at the person again. Nerves bubbled up and he shifted in his seat, taking a big gulp of his drink. He discreetly eyed the fellow students who remained in the tavern. 'They look distracted...' Heeryong didn't want rumours spreading. The thought of other people knowing he did not like just women scared him, most of all because he knew exactly how his father would react. And what if he was completely wrong about his hunch? That would be embarrassing. No, he needed some kind of cover story.

"Hey", he nudged the student next to him to get his attention, "I think there's a guy I know from Mokpo here. I'm going to go over." His friend just grunted in response, but that was enough for Heeryong. 'God I'm nervous.', he thought and laughed internally as he rose to his feet. 'Here goes nothing. It'll be fine. If things get weird, you can just say you mistook him for someone else.' Hyping himself mentally, Heeryong made his way over to the stranger with measured steps. He had approached people before, sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully, but here in the capital it was the first time. Perhaps he was particularly nervous because this wasn't his "home ground". Now just a few meters away, Heeryong made eyecontact with the stranger and smiled at him. ', what do I say though?' Panic.

"You look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?", Heeryong lied smoothly, secretly embarrassed for not thinking of anything better to say. The tips of his ears turned pink.

@✿ baek yejun The anger and sadness that was welling up inside her had already pushed to her eyes, producing small trails of tears down her cheek as she sat there debating her next move. It was tempting to let the anger win, to pour out her feelings to him loudly, ensuring he knew exactly how it had felt. But she remembered well how it had gone the last time she had let the anger win. So Eun in a shaky breath, hoping to restrain her own anger from flowing over.

“Just.. stop,” she instead repeated as she looked at him covering. “Stop drinking to escape. Stop hurting yourself. Stop trying to run. Stop hurting me… Just stop.” He was not a disappointment. Trouble, yes. But then again, she was trouble for him too. The best they could do was work together to overcome it. “I do not wish to see you gone. I just want the man I love to be with me, and to be able to speak with him and know he’s listening.”

His sudden shift caught her by surprise. Puffy red eyes stared up into his. What was he thinking? Was he thinking at all? Eun could not tell for certain, even as his hand came up to touch her cheek. The familiar warmth of his touch had her leaning towards him, pressing her tearstained cheek to his palm in hopes of feeling more. She just wanted to be close to him. “Yejun, why won’t you st-“ Her words were cut off by his lips, pressing gingerly to hers despite his drunken state. Perhaps he was slowly coming back to his senses.

“Yejun.”
His name was the one thing to pass her lips as he pulled back, her eyes still closed to keep her tears at bay. “Stop this. Just stay and sober up. We can talk more in the morrow when this poison is out of your system.” When he was her Yejun again, not this drunk version of him that she barely recognized.

@❁ hong gureum [h] Life could be so beautiful. Once upon a time, Jinseok had looked at the colors of the sunset and seen nothing but beauty. And then he had looked at a woman and had felt her beauty deep inside his bones, her smile lighting up the sky like the rising sun. Everything turned to ash, the moment he touched it. A sunset smile, a sunrise kiss. Both halves of his heart were withering like the colors of autumn as they gave way to the white and grays of winter, every flower-seamed path he had ventured on slowly turning into mud and gravel beneath his feet. Oh, God, he was feeling sorry for himself again. Perhaps drinking hadn't been the best idea, but he had desperately needed a way to flush this from his system. Whatever it was.

Well, Gureum would tell him what it was. She always did.

"Don't you worry", he assured his friend, the smile that adorned his face a gentle one, curling the corners of his lips and creasing his eyes, his cheeks turning them into crescents. "I haven't been waiting for long. Enough to get a head start on you, though." He chuckled, gesturing to the small cups in front of him, the bottle of rice wine already touched, yet still over halfway full. "Come sit. It's been too long. I apologize for being so busy and... you'd call it avoiding you, I think. I'm really sorry."

@✿ seol juhwan the tavern was not exactly a place of peace, a typical scene there were drunks huffing and puffing their chests, amping themselves up for senseless fight over something simple like an accidental shove. alcohol and the house’s soup special of the day were thick in the air. hollering was the regular background noise there as music was to one of the many kibangs in hanseong. what mainly set the tavern and a kibang apart was the diversity with the mixes of classes in the establishment. perhaps, this was what made the tavern a preferred choice for tonight’s meeting. less eyes on the two seol men, oddly had a better sense of privacy in the mix of ruckus.

toying with the bowl of hot yukgaejang, constantly scooping it up and pouring back the fiery red broth back into the bowl, minhwan stopped. rather than his distant expression that he typically kept around most, he had a rather bitter laugh, “i guess i won’t escape this question? you’ve seen her, uncle.” the younger seol made sure to emphasize the title given to juhwan, despite it being a private conversation, he knew better in how to address his cousin. he kept his low voice enough for the two of them to hear, but shrugged his shoulders, “of course, i should like her. she seems kind and intelligent, an ideal partner. everyone who has met her told me that. the whole family likes her. aren’t those important traits for a decent marriage?”

for a moment, the count stops when someone stops by with another fresh bottle of rice wine. with a quick head bow of thanks, he poured two heavy glasses for the boy of them. “besides there is not much i can do. we’ve too far into this, not easy to end things, especially with the efforts grandfather has put into this betrothal. it’s difficult to maintain a relationship that grandfather doesn’t approve of,” minhwan trailed off at the end of his sentence, quiet afterwards. it was this silence and sullen look that took over that said everything that was on his mind. she was an open secret on the seol estate, one that the duke used to send a message to everyone there. if he was willing to do that his favourite grandson, there was little stopping him from punishing any other.

however, the senior official forced a small smile as he pushed the drink towards juhwan, “i just have to make it work. after all, it’s not fair to her when you consider the sacrifices she made to come here.” while out of character for him, he had to drink the first sip rather than waiting for his older cousin. the cheap liquor did its job, a nice sting burning in the back of his throat, hissing quietly at this. as he set his glass down, he crooked his head, “i know grandfather didn’t put you up to this. who wanted you to check up on me? father? mother? riah?”

@✿ go youngjae When Geon received the invitation to go out for a drink with the younger of the Go brothers, he was confused and wary. It wasn't like they didn't get along or anything like that. Geon saw him as a younger brother, growing up alongside him, though he was naturally closer to Miro. Either way, he had never gone out just with Youngjae, and the male had certainly never invited him out for a one-on-one.

Perhaps Youngjae wanted to get closer, or needed advice on something he couldn't go to Miro for. But a nagging feeling had wormed its way in Geon's stomach, and he doubted it was either of those things. He had an awful feeling this might involve his sister.

So he was wary and had his guard up as he walked to the tavern. He kept his sword on his hip, hand on its pummel. His younger brother was Youngjae's bodyguard, but seeing as he hadn't been invited either, Geon decided it would be best if he had some way of protecting the younger Go brother. Though perhaps the one he'd need protecting from would be none other than Geon himself.

Spotting the male sitting down, Geon slowly made his way over. He removed his hat, sitting across from Youngjae and lifting a brow. "Are you going to be upfront with this, or are you going to try to mellow me out with alcohol first?"

@❃ seo eun Yejun let go of her hand as she pulled it away and listened to her scolding. He ducked his head like a guilty person did. In the end, everything was his fault. Being drunk, punishing himself. In the end, he's just the failure his father and brother taught him as. Now, even Eun just thought the same.
His body trembled, shaking as he did his best to contain all of his sadness to himself. No more sharing his sorrow with her. "Then... what should I do?" He muttered in soft whisper. He was questioning himself more than to anyone. "I should just leave." he stated. "I'm only trouble and disappointment to you."
His tears dropped and stained his jeogori. He sighed and he flipped them around. He pined her down against the bed as he stared into her eyes one last time. His gaze felt with his love, his pain, his regret and his reluctance of leaving her behind. What he told her when he first saw her in the gala that she was his only treasure wouldn't change. That's why his reluctance was clear. However, if he only caused her pain and disappointment, it's better that he wasn't around her because from the very beginning, he only promised her happiness and wishing that for her. He gave her cheek one last caress, just like how one would leave their treasure behind, careful but a pity to do so. He sighed. "I always want you... but it seems that I don't deserve you." He leaned in to give her a last kiss, a kiss that maybe he also doesn't deserve.

@❃ choi geon Youngjae fidgeted nervously in his seat at the dimly lit tavern, his eyes darting anxiously towards the door with every passing minute. The weight of his decision bore heavily upon his shoulders, and he couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that gnawed at his insides.

Tonight was the night he had chosen to reveal his intentions to Geon, the guard of his older brother, a person whom they had grown up through the years with given that the Choi’s work for the Go’s through numerous seasons. But, Youngjae could not help but worry that the impending news he is about to share would shatter the delicate balance their families had managed to maintain over the years.

It was a complicated family connection, with Geon and Saemi both being valued employees in his estate and to add another layer of complexity to the mix was his accepted proposal to Saemi, which was a risk Youngjae was all too aware of.

But despite his doubts and fears, he couldn't deny the depth of his love for her, nor the certainty in his heart that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with despite what the families would say. And so, he had come to the tavern tonight, hoping against the odds that Geon would understand and offer his blessing to them.

As the door creaked open, Youngjae's heart leaped into his throat. The moment of truth had arrived, and there was no turning back now.

@❁ jeong hamin the hustle and the bustle were like music to his ears. everyone exchanging a symphony of vibrant exchanges, and conversations, some more somber than others and some rather erupting into laughter almost every other second. the tavern has always been a comfortable place to visit for yongha ever since he's learned how to handle his drink.

his work is chronically engaged with liquor and the art-making conversations, and where would it be more fitting to engage in all these without being in a working setting than the tavern? he found some kind of solace that his passions were still able to thrive without needing to think about it as a job.

from far away, yongha gaze was already fixated on a certain someone as soon as he walked into the establishment. a furrow etched itself upon his brow as he realized how this man barely ever visits the tavern, and yet he's here before the night has deepened. it was indeed a rather perplexing sight as he knew this man like the back of his hand, and he wasn't sure what jeong hamin was doing with liquor in his cup.

he approached his friend with a nonchalant tap on his shoulder, occupying the seat in front of him immediately. "of all the people i expected to see here, it is you i am surprised to meet." he said as he took the cup off of hamin's grip and downed the liquor. "in the years i've known you, you've only drunk a couple of times alone like this."

yongha had been a steadfast confidante ever since that one fateful night that they met during their younger days. during the rocky moments of the younger man's life, yongha was one of those people who formed a solid brotherhood with jeong hamin. with a gentle yet inquisitive tone, he broached the subject that could possibly be the reason why his friend was hunched over a drink alone. "might this be connected to that lady you're currently employed by?" he gracefully motioned to the tavern's server asking for another cup as he spoke. "lady yoon, was it?"

@✿ baek yejun To say she was feeling conflicted would only be half of it. Eun’s mind was a battlefield, raging between anger, apathy and sorrow. Each emotion fought with a force stronger than any army, doing its best to win way and sway over her being. To see him this broken even now that things were going their way made her unsure if there ever was a way she could truly help him. Even with her best of efforts the past would continue existing, haunting his mind and distracting from the future, like a malicious haze just waiting to drag him back under.

It all felt hopeless as she listened to him apologizing, and yet changing nothing about the predicament they were in. He begged forgiveness for having lost sight, yet remained willingly blinded by his own intoxication. Where he could have searched out her comfort and conversation, he had instead sought the bottle. She was as always a second choice to him.

“Stop it, Yejun,” the gisaeng had pleaded as he gently guided her hand to slap his cheek. It had been physically light, yet the emotional weight of the impact rung out in her mind. So when he repeated it a second time with more force, she raised her voice without even thinking. “Yejun stop!” Her breath heaved as she wrenched her wrist from his grip. Horror reflected on her face as she sat there, feeling almost violated from him using her to punish himself. Was he not punishing them both enough already?

@❀ choi jinseok The sun had started its descend that evening, casting long shadows across the snow covered pathways, painting the sky in hues of fiery orange and soft pink as the chill of winter finally started to settle in.

That evening, Gureum has shut her doors to her little rice cake establishment early than she typically would. she would have loved to keep it open for a little while longer, however, tonight, she had a different plan or rather, a meeting with a dear friend she had missed over the last few weeks.

As expected, the tavern was as rowdy as ever, and the sangmin would have judged her best friend for choosing such an unbefitting place for a catch up if not for the fact that she, herself, needed more than a glass or two. “jinseok!” Gureum called out as she made a beeline towards him, a smile adorning her usual cold visage as soon she spotted the male sitting around the table. “sorry to keep you waiting!”

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@✿ seol minhwan within the walls of the seol estate, the potential marriage between the true heir of the seol family and a woman from a prosperous family in japan had sparked considerable discussion. while their engagement announcement had caused a stir in society, it was even more intense within the confines of the estate. the impending marriage signified a further solidification of the duke's support for the count. this time, minhwan wasn't resisting the duke's will but instead, yielding to his desires.

meanwhile, juhwan found himself stuck in yet another of duke seol's discussions, one he was never fond of: marriage. he had been content to silently pine over his friend for the longest time, and the mere suggestion of the duke trying to arrange a marriage for him threatened to disrupt everything. while juhwan had fought hard to earn respect, he had no interest in using marriage as a means to further gain power. he believed in marrying for love, just as his father had done when marrying his mother decades ago. if he was to commit himself to someone for eternity, he wanted it to be with someone he truly loved. yet, he was too afraid to confess his feelings, so he remained on the sidelines. nevertheless, being by her side was something he didn't mind at all.

the heated argument between the duke and the marquess ended prematurely as juhwan stormed out. he had plans to meet minhwan at the tavern, as they hadn't had time to talk and catch up as of late. both men were constantly consumed by their work, driven by a shared need to overachieve. his journey to the tavern was brief, and upon entering, he wasted no time in downing a bowl of makgeolli to kick off their stress-free night together.
despite the complex familial ties between the goo and seol bloodlines, juhwan was grateful for the close relationship with his nephew. perhaps their closeness in age or their mutual need for something genuine early on had played a role in their strong bond, or maybe it was the valuable lessons they had to offer each other.

"minhwan, tell me honestly, do you see yourself loving this woman?" juhwan asked, his question devoid of hesitation. he needed to know the truth, his curiosity gnawing at him relentlessly. juhwan understood that minhwan's heart had once belonged to another woman, but circumstances caused by the duke had prevented anything more from blossoming. all he desired was for minhwan to find happiness and contentment in his life, and to know that his uncle (cousin) would always be there as a confidant.

@❃ seo eun Yejun felt a mix of emotions coursing through him as Eun's words pierced through the haze of his turmoil. He had acted impulsively, driven by his own insecurities and fears, and now he was faced with the consequences of his actions. As Eun's arms moved to block his, shielding him from his own self-inflicted pain, Yejun felt a surge of guilt wash over him. He hadn't meant to cause her any harm, yet here he was, causing her even more distress.
"Eun..." His voice was hoarse with emotion as he struggled to find the right words to express his remorse. He reached out to gently wipe away the tears that stained her cheeks, his touch tender and filled with regret. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, my love."
Her words cut through him like a knife, reminding him of the depth of her love and the pain he had caused her. He couldn't bear to see her in such agony, knowing that he was the cause of it all. Everything sobered him up from his alcohol haze. the guilt for hurting his beloved, physically and mentally.
"You're right," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've lost sight of what truly matters... of what's important." He took her hands in his, holding them gently as he met her gaze with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "I love you, Eun. More than anything in this world." he thumbed the back of her hands. "If I'm being stupid again, you should slap me like this." he muttered as he let her hand landed on his cheek in light slap but the second one went a bit harder as a punishment for hurting her.

@❀ moon jinhee @✿ cha seonhye (née chae) [h] Although she arrived the latest, the missive sent to her was not unnoticed by any means. Deep down, however, she wished Seonhye had more discernment in regards to the taverns in Hanseong, unless she was more attuned to the rowdy environment than the two of them. Despite the passage of time moving quickly, it seems Joseon was going through an everlasting run of rendezvous and ceremonies, followed by much fanfare. She briefly entertained thoughts of her own ceremony, now that the woman freed herself from her entanglements and became even closer to Jinhee.

"I believe this upcoming wedding you are referring to is to Lady Ryu Yeonhwa's? Sending blessings on her way in case of my absence." Heejin regarded them with a curt nod as she politely responded.

Upon hearing the sudden announcement from Seonhye, it was hard to suspend her disbelief. Surprise crossed her features, her eyebrow raised and a frown on her lips. The light-hearted contentment from earlier faded into moroseness, as the air became more glum at her words. There was something amiss in the way she relayed the news, as motherhood and matrimony were the pinnacles of being a woman in Joseon. The glow reminiscent of women undergoing pregnancy seemed to be replaced by an uncharacteristic meekness, hesitance while her body settles in this new state.

Cautious in letting suspicion slip into her tone, she sighed after taking in the news. Then she squeezed Seonhye's hand gently, as if reassuring her but also herself from the premonition of the happenings in her recent marriage.

"Seonhye, I'm happy for you and your future child. However, I am a little concerned for you, as this feels quite soon after your wedding."

She stated her concerns more tentatively than she liked.

"Jinhee-yah, what are your thoughts on this?"

@❀ moon jinhee @❀ kang heejin It had been a while since Seonhye had sought both her best friend out, undoubtedly, they were all busy with their individual lives, and such cherished moments were hard to come by. Upon agreeing a time and date, the anticipated meeting approached faster than she had expected — not that the young duchess had minded at all, it was a breath of fresh air from the palpable tension in her own estate.

It was her who reached the tavern first, if she had to admit, it was such a unconventional place for three ladies of stature to be meeting up, a tavern filled with drunkards and rowdy men, seonhye could already imagine the look on her husband’s face should he know about her whereabouts, without a doubt though, she knew a certain bodyguard would have reported it to his lordship.

But as soon as she spots the first arrival of her best friend, jinhee, she casted the thought of being found out to solely focusing on her at the new arrival. “Jinhee! Over here!” She called out with a frantic wave of her hand, alas, she was not alone. “I was starting to get worried.” Seonhye jest as she reached out to hold her best friend’s hand.

“now where is heejin, surely she did receive the missive?…or not!” At the speak of the little devil, Seonhye spots her walking in from a far. And despite the ‘subtleness’ she assumed both her friends were going for, Seonhye doesn’t miss the gaze that both of them had upon each other that lingered for a while. \+ much for being subtle. now when would either one of them ever admit?

“so um..i’m pregnant.”

@✿ baek yejun Eun could do little but nod in agreement to her question. She knew he hadn’t meant it. Deep down she knew that it was the alcohol and darkness in his mind talking, knowing how destructive those forces could be when they mixed. And yet it hurt no less to hear it coming directly from his tongue. Though she knew better it stung like white hot flames upon her heart. For though they were words of a man worried and hurt, they were fuelled by her actions and decisions.

A small gasp escaped her as his hand struck his own face. Before he could repeat the action her arms shot up to block his, taking the impact against her forearm before nailing him with her gaze again. “Stop that!” Her breath was uneven from the desperate gasps of air between her sobs, and yet she managed to get some power into her voice. “Hurting yourself only propagates the problem further. We need not fuel the pain more than we already have.”

Her hand shifted, fingers gently wrapping around his wrist to lower his arm. “Please, Yejun… We are human. We do foolish things, but… do not harm yourself further.” A tear streaked down her cheek, trailing the path already laid out by the tears that had run it before. “Yah… Listen to yourself,” she shot back when he asked his question, trying her best to ignore the pain that followed with it. “What part of this is me taking his side? Who’s lap am I crying in? What man am I trying to comfort here?”

Eunn would have kicked her past self if she could, all because of that one decision. So much could have gone by easier if she had not needed to test what she already should have known to be true. “I love you, Yejun. And hearing you talk as if that means nothing to you is what hurts.”

@❀ yang seoyul jinyoung had expected a thunderous tantrum that turn tables and concern servers, a reprimand in cold fury on his lack of respect and consideration for pushing the topic despite taebae’s clear resistance, but what threw him for a loop was the abrupt finale to the afternoon they’d shared.

something was about to go horribly wrong. call it instinct, or call it experience, he could feel it in his bones. shoulders squared, jinyoung’s narrowed eyes considered the bundle of nerves before him. one, two. the veterinarian’s visage contorted into fifty shades of green. he moved in an attempt to prop him up, but someone else was quicker. the waiter’s commendable efficiency had borne the full brunt of the poor man’s extremely visceral reaction to the mercenary’s vivid telling.

shock stilled the entire restaurant. everyone stared for what seemed like an eternity, as the hapless soul tried to collect himself, and pitiful remains of his dignity. “taebae-shi.” jinyoung wasted no time stepping in, his muscular frame breaking the curious gazes. pretences be damned, his jeopardized remuneration be damned, everything be damned. the taller man deserved nothing but utter compassion right now. “let’s get you cleaned up.” he murmured, gentle enough for only both their ears.

but taebae wouldn’t have it. after mustering some hurried parting words, he left. when a familiar, wrinkled face walked out from the shadows, nodding at jinyoung before putting himself to work, he sighed resignedly.

-----

as the sun began to crest over the hills, yeongsu found himself in the office of the renowned matchmaker, lady dalrae, arms crossed, lips curled petulantly at the impasse that wedged between them.

earlier, the young jungin painter had just woken up from catching a wink or two that he'd lost from his nightly activities, blissfully absent from his supposed date, when his personal attendant handed him an official letter stating the disengagement of lady dalrae's services, effective immediately. his reciprocity of sincerity with farce had landed him in hot waters.

lady dalrae was best of the best in hanseong, and most importantly, none was as discreet or tactful as her when it comes to matters of the heart that required a little more care. yeongsu would do himself little favour losing her good graces.

"madame dalrae, before everything else, i'd like to apologize for my abhorrent breach of trust. it was unethical of me, insulting even, to bait and switch my involvement in the date you've painstakingly arranged for me."

yeongsu continued to plead his case, "however, i couldn't help but have unquelled reservations about a complete stranger i've only learnt about on paper. as you are aware, i am in a precarious position as a member of the upper society with unconventional proclivities. while i don't doubt your gauge in character, i would like to err on the side of caution with my own assessment of taebae. i hope you understand."

ah, speak of the devil. the final piece finally slotted itself into the last gap of the puzzle when taebae stumbled into their dispute, appearing worse for wear.

@❃ seo eun Yejun tried to process what she had said. He felt frustrated with himself for finding himself being so slow about it. He only knew to hold her closer as she let her words out, letting her cling to him.
“Because of me?” He repeated in a daze. His right hand trailed down her beautiful white locks. His heart bled as he let those words sink in. He had hurt her when he promised not to. “I‘ve hurt you.” He weakly said, devastation was clear. He started to feel guilty and he blamed himself over it.
Hearing how heartbreaking her sobbing was and all of it was because of him, he started to hit his own face as he had said that he would punish whomever that hurt her and it was him. So, he would beat himself as a punishment. Other than that, he also wanted to sober up. He hated his slow and sluggish brain right now. If he could sober up faster, maybe he could think better and she wouldn’t be upset to him anymore.
As he was getting sober, her kiss with Jaehoon came back to mind but this time along with her crying in his arms. Now, he was stuck in two conflicting feelings. It felt like he was being blamed. “You hurt me first and how am I hurting you? Are you standing on his side now again?” He asked weakly. He didn’t want to argue but if he could just get it clear with his partially sober brain, maybe it would be less messy, with the condition if he remembered tomorrow morning.

@✿ yoon junho perhaps it was the alcohol slowing ilseong's reactions. or maybe it was the late hours of the night, finally catching up to him. but he blinked a couple of times from the rapid fire questions prattled off by junho and it made him laugh. oh, it was such a cute and charming display.

"i do frequent this place. i come here often, with my friends, or by myself. there's a certain....peace that comes from spending some time alone, i think. anything to get me out of the estate for a while," he admitted casually. being at home was the last place he wanted to be on most days. between the never ending responsibilities that were upon him, to the ever watchful eye of his mother, being at the jang estate felt more hostile than the battlefields he was used to.

maybe he should cut back on the alcohol for the rest of the night. he had reached his sweet spot.

leaning back from the counter, he continued, "for a living... i'm a commander in the military, as well as a duke. although, i find one job environment a bit more pleasant than the other. being outside in nature, me and my birds, leading my men.... i find it very rewarding."

"my friends come from all walks of life. i like to get to know people, as i'm sure you've gathered already," ilseong smiled. "but what about you? what does a shy gentleman like yourself do for a living? do you frequent this establishment? and are your friends yangbans?"