~ a lily among thorns~

"i have an idea"

The Hwarangs befriended the evening shadows as they snuck ever so silently through the House. With Suho leading the pack up front, they creeped up to the entrance with full confidence the guards would be absent...until they ran straight into the path of one.

"What?!" Suho shrieked quietly, falling to the ground behind a wall, the other Hwarangs after him. "Did the liquor not work?"

The group shared fearful expressions with one another dreading their impending punishment. Yeo-Wool slowly tried to sit up to get a better gaze at the guard they were hiding from.

"Did it not?" he exclaimed, shocked. "I gave him a bottle! They cannot resist but drink it...just by smelling it."

Suho grimaced in frustration, getting another look at the guard.

"The liquor didn't work and now we're doomed!" he whined, grabbing onto Yeo-Wool's robe.

Yeo-Wool shook his head in confusion at how this could have possibly happened, whilst Suho sat up to get another look.

"What is this...?" Suho muttered in bewilderment as he stared at the guard.

One by one, each Hwarang's head popped up from behind the wall to see. The armed man before them was pacing back and forth...running into the pillars. Ji-Dwi furrowed his eyebrows at the sight, Nari doing the same beside him. A sly grin crept across Yeo-Wool's face.

"What did I say," he crowed. "I said the liquor would work."

Suho speculated the situation.

"What if it didn't? One of us should sacrifice themselves and go first," he suggested, looking over the men behind him. "Who's going to go?"

They glanced around at each other, trying to decide who. Eventually, all eyes fell on Nari.

"M—me?!" she stuttered, pointing to herself timidly. "You want ME to go out there first? By myself?"

The Hwarangs nodded with a lack of sympathy, nudging her forward.

"Go on Mouse," Yeo-Wool urged.

Nari glared at him, and quietly stood up. She took a few steps forward, before looking back at her roommates.

"Do I have to?" she groaned.

Suho frowned at her, motioning for her to keep going.

"Aish!" Nari hissed with a pout, spinning around to face the guard.

She softly crept forward to the entrance, trying to avoid the drunken guard. However, the man strode straight towards her. Paralysed with fear, her eyes widened as he drew closer, as did those of her fellow Hwarangs. Nari began to mutter prayers to the spirits to save her, but she already knew she was doomed. But, as soon as the guard reached her, he stopped and stood still. Her roommates gawked in confusion at the scene unfolding. Nari gulped, beginning to back away from the guard cautiously. However, before she could move any more, the guard raised his still-sheathed sword and whacked her on the head. She cried out in agony, cradling her swelling forehead. Suho snorted, smacking his hands over his mouth to contain the laughter. The guard then turned around and continued pacing.

"Let's go," Suho laughed, standing up and slinking past the entrance. The other Hwarangs followed, leaving Nari to tag along slowly behind them.

They climbing the Hwarang House wall, landing in the grass behind it. Gathered together, they schemed their plan of return.

"Let's all meet back here at three o'clock, and go in together," Suho proposed, receiving nods from his peers.

The Hwarangs began to split up to go their separate ways. Yeo-Wool closely followed behind Nari.

"Mouse!" he called, Nari turning to face him. "Where do you have to go at this hour anyway?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied, folding her arms. "Where are you going?"

Yeo-Wool pretended to think for a minute before speaking up.

"Octa."

"Ha! Typical guy!" Nari blurted, before shutting her mouth in realisation she was being careless with her words. "I mean...good idea..."

Yeo-Wool smirked.

"You can come along if you want," he offered, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "There are a lot of good-looking men there."

Nari turned bright red at his words.

"Yah!" she cried, hitting him in anger. "How many times do I have to make it clear to you that I like women?!"

"Obviously you're not doing a very good job," Yeo-Wool snickered, acquiring a nasty glance from Mouse. "Nevertheless, you should come along."

Nari rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'll come. But I have to go do something first so I'll meet you all there."

Yeo-Wool smiled with accomplishment and walked off.

'I can't believe that man!' Nari consoled to herself, watching him disappear down the path to Octa.

Turning around, she came face to face with Ah-Ro.

"You startled me!" Nari cried with a jump.

Ah-Ro laughed.

"I was just going over to the late night store to buy some incense," she explained. "It's the anniversary of Mother's death."

"Oh..." Nari murmured in reply, remembering how Seonu had mentioned it.

"It's okay," Ah-Ro continued. "I think I'm used to her absence now. It'll be the same for you after a while."

Nari's eyes fell to the ground as she hummed in agreement. Ah-Ro looked on in sympathy.

"Isn't it ironic?" she began. "My mother died by the Queen's hand...and yours by the King's."

Nari's expression hardened at the mention of the king.

"I'll kill him," she muttered.

Ah-Ro grabbed Nari's hand.

"Don't make any rash decisions Nari. Plotting to kill the king is the same as anticipating your own death. You'll regret it."

Ignoring Ah-Ro's advice, Nari forced her friend a smile.

"Let's not dwell on this right now," she urged. "I have other problems to face."

"Other problems?" Ah-Ro inquired. "What do you mean?"

"Don't get me started!" Nari exclaimed with a grin. "Just the mention of Yeo-Wool makes my blood boil!"

"Yeo-Wool?" Ah-Ro chuckled. "What has he done?"

"Everything!" Nari cried, waving her hands in frustration.

She continued to explain to her friend about his annoying antics, and about every time he had teased her about liking men.

"What do I do?"

Ah-Ro thought for a minute, before a sly smile crept upon her face.

"I have an idea!" she cried. "Leave it to me!"

"What is it?" Nari asked with excitement.

"You'll see," Ah-Ro answered. "I'll be back shortly. If you see Seonu, keep him distracted until I return."

"O-okay," Nari stuttered as her friend ran off. "Where are you going?"

"Octa!" Ah-Ro called in reply, before disappearing into the night streets.

"Octa?" Nari said to herself. "Why is she going there?"

She turned to the road behind her, only to see the silhouette of a man coming towards her.

'And this would be Seonu,' Nari schemed. 'Let's have some fun.'