𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆

The jade rings burned over his collarbone as Wook made up different excuses to anyone who asked why Gaeun wasn't at Chwiseonru. He had left Kim Dojoo in the dark as well, muttering a fib that Gaeun was preoccupied with her stately affairs. However, there were only so many lies he could tell before people started cross-examining them.

Wook thought that he could push the whole issue to the back of his mind and enjoy the celebration, even if it was for a few hours. But faking laughter after the first three times became exhausting and his friends had begun to notice his desperate glances directed at the Chwiseonru gates.

Wook had wanted to be a mage his entire life. But now that he had achieved it, it didn't seem like a win when the one person he wanted to prove himself to wasn't here to share his joy. He flitted from group to group, laughing and exchanging drinks, all the while thinking that it would have felt more fulfilling had it only been him and Gaeun sitting together.

Though he hadn't told them what had happened, Danggu and Yul seemed to be very well aware of why Gaeun was absent. Wook had seen the tautness in Danggu's jaw when the blond had smiled at him and Yul seemed a little more distant than his usual self.

In fact, halfway through the night, Yul had disappeared into the gardens after drinking far more than he usually did. A while later, Mu Deok had returned looking perturbed in a way Wook hadn't seen before.

She pulled him away from his fellow mages-to-be into an empty corner. "I think he knows," Mu Deok mumbled, making Wook strain his ears to hear her through the gisaeng's loud singing, "He knows what we're up to. And he knows who I am. I..."

"Didn't you two know each other before?" Wook asked, having joined the dots long ago, "He used to see you in Danhyangok."

"Yes but..." she shifted her gaze nervously across the room, "My lies aren't working on him. He doesn't believe that this face is in love with him."

Wook frowned, "Well, aren't you?"

"No," she bristled, turning pink under the party lighting, "Yes—maybe—I don't know, okay? But that's not important. What if he snitches? I told you we should've killed him!"

"He won't," he insisted, "That's how friendship works, Mu Deok-ah. Seo Yul is honourable but he is also a loyal friend. He won't tell but he'll..."

Mu Deok raised a suspicious brow, "He'll what?"

"He'll...suffer in silence," Wook finished with regret, "Yul can keep secrets but the stress wears him out."

The maid eyed the backdoors of the party hall warily. Wook couldn't tell who she was worried about—herself or Yul. But knowing who she was, she was most likely concerned that Yul would tell Lord Park.

Wook began to draw away from her, "If he never revealed to anyone that he was meeting you when you two were younger, what makes you think he'd endanger you now?"

From the gallery upstairs, Danggu beckoned him to join the table where Lord Park, Master Heo, and a slightly flushed Yul were already seated. Wook didn't want to. This party was terrible. He wanted to see Gaeun instead. He complied anyway. However, before Wook could even reach the stairs, a commotion at the entrance caught his attention. One of the courtesan house guards came running, sweating and flustered, and darted up the staircase to Lord Park.

"My Lord," Wook heard him huff when he slowly climbed up after him, "My Lord, the—the Crown Prince is here." The guard wheezed and Wook rolled his eyes, feeling a headache coming. However, the poor man wasn't done. "A party from Yeol is accompanying him," he exclaimed, making Lord Park shoot out of his seat, "It's...the, uh, the Crown Prince and High Prince of Yeol are at the gates."