white rose. // jinjoo

III: cyssan

"Your Highness! Wake up~"

Minjoo stifled a groan, and snuggled further into her warm and fuzzy blankets, ready to go back to sleep again after being disturbed by Yujin, but the latter doesn't want her to be back on her little dreamland.

The warrior grabbed the hem of the fluffy blanket and tugged it away from her, and with that, Minjoo's eyes shot open, her expression screamed annoyance. Her irritation just got more visible when she saw Yujin smirking at her, giving her a smug look as she draped her precious blanket around her shoulders.

"Early in the morning and you're already annoying me!" She hissed, kicking the young guard off her bed and threw a pillow at her direction which Yujin swiftly caught with her hand, not even flinching.

Yujin barked out a laugh and placed the pillow at the foot of the princess' soft and feathery mattress. "Princess, it's your eighteenth birthday today and you're already grumpy! Princess Wonyoung and Lady Chaewon are already downstairs, waiting for your presence!" She said, shaking her head and just chuckled when Minjoo's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh my! I completely forgot about my birthday!" The princess of the Beairterre Kingdom exclaimed, sitting up on her bed. "Mother also said there would be an important guest later at the ball!" She said, hurrying over to fix herself.

Yujin shrugged, plopping down at Minjoo's bed, watching her Highness roam around her room while panicking. Of course, there would be a grand ball to be held at the palace as a celebration for Minjoo's eighteenth birthday which means, the princess is also an official adult now and Yujin needs to be more protective over her because of the potential and determined suitors— more like threats. She also needs to be more extra careful on her because she's officially the Crown-Princess of the lovely wide kingdom of Beairterre now.

"The ball will be held later in the evening, don't panic, Princess. Just wash up and let me escort you down, the two highnesses are patiently waiting for you downstairs." She said, yawning and closed her eyes, embracing Minjoo's soft pillow.

She heard some shuffling and didn't mind it, Minjoo is probably just getting her stuff— she instead just took her little time to have a very short rest while she waits for the princess to get ready. Familiar scent of jasmine and vanilla entering her nose, it's so pleasant, calming, and addicting that it almost made Yujin fall asleep within a few seconds. Minjoo's scent is like a drug to her.

"Oh, yeah... By the way, young warrior." Minjoo spoke and Yujin just hummed, a sign for her to continue as she's listening intently.

"You'll be there at the grand ball, yes?" Yujin's eyes slowly fluttered open, meeting with Minjoo's droopy ones.

"Of course! I'm your guard anyway, I need to be around you all the time." She replied and puckered her lips a bit.

"Please be my escort too, that's possible, right? I'll ask Father about that. I don't want no prince beside me, I only want you."

And Yujin's heart, again, skipped a beat.

"U-Uh, I'm not quite certain with that, princess. A lot of princes will definitely ask you for a dance!" The warrior stuttered and cleared her throat, she was surprised at the sudden request and her heart couldn't take it because of how Minjoo said those words with her honey-ed voice.

"Well, I can refuse? I'm not interested in them anyway, I suppose I'll let them kiss my hand only but I do not want to dance or associate myself with them. As much as possible I only want you to dance me, and hold me through the night." Minjoo responded again with a serious yet gentle tone making Yujin gulp.

The warrior took a deep breath and nodded in defeat, it's not like she can disobey Minjoo's orders. "If it's possible, why not? I'm more than willing to accompany you for the whole night, princess." She replied, and Minjoo smiled, giving her a thumbs up. "You are really the best, warrior! Wait for me, I'll be quick, let's go down together." She said, and ran to the bathroom, almost losing her balance because of hurriedness