a group of orphaned girls, down on their luck, infiltrate high society in order to live the high life. but the socialites they're trying to trick may very well find a place in their hearts.
a riize apply fic | closed
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Early autumn, surprisingly, was the perfect season for festivals in London. Despite the somewhat capricious weather and the constant threat of rain, the streets had filled with stalls, live music blasting from morning to night. Sungchan had even suggested attending the BFI London Film Festival, a more prestigious event, but Sangah had swiftly shut it down in favor of food stalls and folk activities.
Yuhwa would have thought the girl would prefer somewhere she could meet more influential people, but she had to admit she was happier with that choice. She'd found a small market tucked in a corner of the city, where a nice older woman sold stacks upon stacks of old poetry books. In her youth, these books had often been her only respite from the torment of losing her entire family. In fact, they were the only thing she'd ever dared spend the money James, her sister's American boyfriend, sometimes sent her on, as he'd suggested himself in one of the last letters she'd received from him.
And so, today too, she'd bought a few. Just enough to keep her occupied, to calm her mind whenever the anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. Every page would be bursting with painful memories of the past, but sometimes, it almost felt peaceful to look back. Despite all the suffering, it wasn't a time Yuhwa wanted to forget.
Her paper bag dangling from her hand, she continued her way through the festival, snaking between jammed stalls and long lines. Without needing to look, she knew Shotaro was following not far behind, enjoying the music and lively ambience. He rarely ever left her side, as embarrassing as the thought was, and Yuhwa couldn't quite find it in herself to dislike that. He was good company, after all...
She stopped in her tracks when a warm, sweet smell reached her nose from the other side of the street. There stood a stall selling all sorts of pastries and desserts, but one in particular had caught her eye: pretzels. And not just any kind of pretzels.
"Chocolate covered pretzels..." she murmured to herself, narrowing her eyes to read the sign.
Only when she heard a chuckle in her ear did she realize Shotaro had caught up to her. "Heh, so you like chocolate?"
"I, well..." She pinched her lips together, feeling warmth reach her cheeks. "It's a bit of a guilty pleasure."
It always had been, even in her youth, when her parents repeated again and again she shouldn’t eat so much of it. Yuhwa, even little, had never been much of a rulebreaker, but that obedience never extended to her sweet tooth. She kept tiny chocolates stacked and hidden everywhere, from her pockets to her backpacks, and in every drawer of her room. Then, she'd liked the soft, sugary taste of milk chocolate. Now, she felt the bitter, more refined taste of dark chocolate suited her just fine.
