A Tiger Called Rapunzel ✓ || TaeGyu || HYBEPride 2021

The Yudeung Lighting

Over the next few hours, Taehyun and Cholongkkoch wandered the Tiger Festival, free to pursue their own interests. Since Taehyun could put the cape's hood above his head, and Cholongkkoch's dress was packed in her knapsack, they could cross the streets without fear of being recognized by possessive mothers or castle guards.

They stopped for a strawberry cake on the way to the library, and Cholongkkoch was so hungry that she ate two. When Taehyun bought her a sandwich, she picked the tomato off and handed it to him. And when she spilled strawberry icing on her new uniform, Taehyun deftly cleaned it so the uniform jacket would not be ruined.

Then, they made their way to the library. The huge first floor was packed with people; Taehyun and Cholongkkoch ascended two floors to a hidden nook, where all sorts of children's novels from around the world sat on long shelves. Taehyun told Cholongkkoch that she could borrow whatever she wanted and that he would return the books for her, so she picked out everything she could, finding Arabian tales and scenes from the new world that the library in Shinkisoku had not carried.

She stopped on a cover that was not an adventure novel, but somehow still looked promising. It featured a woman curtsying to a man. Pride and Prejudice was the title, and Cholongkkoch couldn't resist peeking inside. The first line read, It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

The line stayed with her as she settled for three books, hoping that she would be able to come back some day, slipping them into her knapsack. It stayed with her as the two of them watched an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet in a makeshift theater. It stayed with her as they played games and she found herself extraordinarily good at ring toss, winning a stuffed animal as a prize and giving it to Taehyun.

And it was still on her mind when the sun was at its blue hour, and the trumpets called all at the Tiger Festival to the water's edge.

The Naeil Kingdom's castle, serving as its capital, was located on the edge of a huge ocean that separated the Kingdom from the United Colonies and other far-off lands. The port was on the northern side of the city in a natural harbor, to keep the ships protected from war. This left the southern shore open for a boardwalk and watering place during the summer. During the Tiger Festival, the boardwalk was transformed into a queue for all festival-goers to receive their yudeung.

Taehyun and Cholongkkoch hurried to arrive early so they would have enough time to get to the Prince's bedchambers (not that Cholongkkoch knew this). They found themselves toward the front of the line, and Taehyun put his hood up as the nearest guard handed him a folded lantern. He hadn't done this part since he was a child, forced to come to the festival and pay his respects by the orphanage, but it still brought back memories.

"So they have pens up there, and you're supposed to write a message to Prince Beomgyu at the bottom of your lantern. Then, you unfold it, and when you get to the dock, you can receive a candle and place the lantern in the water. Then the guards will make sure it gets out to sea."

"Sounds simple enough. What should I write to Prince Beomgyu? What if I wrote a wish? Will he make it come true?"

Taehyun laughed. "Sure, you know what? I'll write a message to him, too. But no sharing, or else it won't come true, okay?"

Cholongkkoch nodded. "Okay!"

When it was their turn, Taehyun and Cholongkkoch wrote their messages separately, then waited in line again. The Tiger Pier was a long dock that extended out into the ocean. At the front of the dock was a shelter, decorated in ribbons and exquisitely crafted, where King Namjoon and his consort Yoongi sat, watching the lanterns float out to their long-lost son. Taehyun wondered if they would recognize Cholongkkoch with all of her hair off, that maybe they'd just instinctively know somehow that she might be the long-lost son they were looking for. But they walked onto the pier, and nothing happened.

The pier dipped down so it was level with the water; Taehyun approached a guard at the end of the pier, a very handsome man. Taehyun immediately recognized him as Park Jimin, a guard just under Yeonjun in rank and status. Jimin handed Taehyun a candle and lit it, assumingly with magic. He was unfazed at Taehyun's appearance; Taehyun deduced that Jimin could not arrest him in the middle of the yudeung lighting, but he would have to be more sly from here on out.

Taehyun placed the lantern in the water without ceremony, letting it join thousands of others. The waves would take them all out to shore, guided by other magic users who were part of the castle guard and who used their magic only to serve their King.

Then Cholongkkoch approached. "Can you please make sure this gets to him?" she asked Jimin. "I have a very important wish that I want fulfilled."

Jimin gave Cholongkkoch a small, but sad, smile, then gave her a candle. Cholongkkoch carefully placed the candle inside the lantern like Taehyun had shown her how to, then watched it float off, no longer able to tell which one was hers.

"Cho-yah." Taehyun was further up the dock now; he beckoned to her. "We've got places we need to be."

He took her by the hand and led her across the castle grounds, through nooks and crannies and then into a side door in the castle. They went easily now, since Taehyun knew the castle by heart, dodging through corridors and stepping into a long hallway. "The weather is good on Mount Everest," Taehyun called out in a hushed voice as he stepped into the corridor.

"Hey!" he heard Soobin call back, and Taehyun pulled Cholongkkoch along, the servants' hallway dimly lit by a torch or two.

"Cholongkkoch, this is Soobin, my brother," Taehyun introduced. "Soobin, this is the girl I was telling you about."

"Well, she doesn't look like much of a girl now, does she?" Soobin's jab was meant for Taehyun, but Cholongkkoch took it as an honest compliment.

"Since we work in the castle, we decided we would make this night extra special for you," Taehyun explained as the three of them walked into Prince Beomgyu's chambers. He already knew Soobin had checked to make sure the coast was clear; the three of them were alone. "Nobody comes in this room, but we found a way in. We've been doing this since we were little kids. You gotta climb down a rope, though, but I know you know how to do that."

"Of course I do." Cholongkkoch grabbed the rope that was on the balcony and easily slid down it, landing on the ground below. She placed her knapsack by the wall, out of harm's way.

Taehyun quickly turned to Soobin. "I'll keep an ear open."

"Got it." Soobin slid down next, then Taehyun, taking Cholongkkoch by the shoulder. He walked her over to the big window.

"You gotta see this."