~ a lily among thorns~

"this is not how i end"

Nari sat contently on the edge of her bed, slowly combing her damp locks of hair. Since her first day in Hwarang, she'd figured the best time to shower was just before sunrise morning when the others were still asleep. This way, she could deal with all her womanly needs without worrying about being caught. She especially needed a rinse this particular morning as last night's exciting adventures had sent her soaking to the skin in sweat – an embarrassing trait for the poor girl, but nevertheless, helped her blend in with the males.

After tightly knotting her hair into a neat bun and wrapping her headband around her forehead, Nari glanced up at the space around her. She scanned each bed, watching carefully as the lumpy blankets moved up and down, signalling the sleeping state of her usually boisterous roommates. Her eyes eventually fell to where Ji-Dwi usually slept; and she immediately realised that his bed was empty. She thought nothing of it, and stood up, walking through the middle of the room. As she passed Suho's bunk, she noticed a large purple bump on his forehead. Curious, Nari leaned in closer to get a better look at it. The swelling bruise looked excruciatingly painful.

'How on earth did that happen?!' Nari asked herself, slightly concerned for her friend's wellbeing. 'That certainly wasn't there when we were at Octa...something must have happened after.'

Finished inspecting the wound, Nari let off a small shrug and continued walking, slipping on her outer robe as she did so. Reaching the door, she opened it and turned the corner, only to run into someone's chest.

"Ji-Dwi-?" she gasped as she stepped back in surprise, quickly bowing her head apologetically to the Hwarang she'd just run into.

Ji-Dwi only stared at her in return, examining every little feature on her small round face. Slightly uncomfortable, Nari slowly raised her eyebrows at him.

"If you paint me, it'll last longer," she jested, expecting him to laugh in return.

However, his eyes were still locked with hers; his mouth expressionless. She took the chance to stare back at him, observing his sharp jawline and tanned skin. For the first time, she started to realise just how handsome he was. She carelessly let off a dreamy smile before realising her mistake, abruptly smacking herself on the cheek. Still awkward with the fact Ji-Dwi was still staring, she cleared her throat stiffly and attempted to keep on walking past him.

Before she could even take another step, Ji-Dwi stopped her with his arm, still looking in front of him.

"You could die for this, Mouse," he said, his tone wired with an eerie seriousness.

Nari's eyes widened in horror and she slowly turned her head towards the side of his face. In return, he did the same, their eyes meeting.

"Wha-what do you mean?" she questioned nervously, his cold expression sending chills down her spine.

Ji-Dwi paused in thought for a second before answering her question with another question.

"What is a girl like you doing in Hwarang?"

Nari's heart stopped and her stomach twisted into a firm ball, causing her to lose her breath.

"G-girl?" she stuttered, her mind racing.

'If he knows, I'm surely going to die!' her mind screamed at her, sending Nari into an internal panic.

However, she cleared her thoughts abruptly and took in a deep breath.

'This is not how I end,' she told herself. 'I can play this off safely.'

Narrowing her eyes, Nari glared at the man before her.