﹟あお。

♡  :  profile // biography // connections.

( CUT ) Tsuki, was it? Chul frowned at himself as he realized that he had somehow unconsciously made his way to the main room balcony while lost in his thoughts. But as he watched over the Princess, a thought transpired….Well. He was done with his job now, and he had some time before he needed to head back to the Kingdom of Spades–and it wasn’t like she wanted anyone to know that they met tonight…so. Without another thought, Chul jumped down from the short distance of the roof and landed effortlessly onto the balcony right behind the Princess,  “I guess I’ve changed my mind. “

Chul couldn’t hold back the teasing smirk, “I’ve decided to join you tonight, and this can be our little secret.”

the thick veil of hope draped ever-so-lightly over tsuki’s body was rapidly ripped away by his brash response, her shoulders sagging and her features gaining the obvious touch of disappointment—perhaps she had been mistaken to believe she’d finally exchange more than a few words with the prince, after all, if judging by the wintry feel of his reply, he carried within himself no interest to share a conversation with her. and, as she watched him turn and leave without a second word or a chance for her to say goodbye, tsuki resgined to mimicking him and being on her way, an evident pout adorning her tiers.

walking through the dark halls of the castle again, tsuki thought of how she was used to being by herself. sure, she had made few friends along the years and, of course, her nurse-maid was constantly around her ( to the point it felt almost suffocating ) to protect her from harm. but, at moments like this, she was reminded of the time spent roaming aimlessly inside her family’s estate, deprived of other children to play with or other people to simply share the intricate reflections of the depths of her mind. how lonely it was—to desire company and have none.

at last, the ghost princess found herself by the presence of the glowing stars, the gentlest of breezes and the awe-worthy full moon, shining brightly miles and miles away, as lonely as tsuki ( a moon of her own ) felt, without her beloved sun to share the skies with. the girl’s arms met the cold surface of the stone balustrade as she allowed her frame to lean forward and against it, the set of brown jewels gleaming under the moonlight when she gazed up. enough being disappointed, she thought, for the scenery was far too perfect not to enjoy with a mind free of worries. so, she closed her eyes, the long strands of her hair lightly dancing at the stroke of the wind, a deep inhale filling her lungs with delight. that is, until she was startled for the second time that night.

tsuki’s eyes opened wide at the relatively loud thud behind her, her heart rate picking up pace as she dared to turn on her feet, completely lead by curiosity. but it’s when the familiar voice—his voice—reached her ears that she instantly relaxed, a smile making quick way to her lips; one she could not contain in her joy to find out he hadn’t fully turned her down. ”i’m beginning to think you’re particularly fond of startling me.. maybe i should send you away for being mean to my poor, weak heart.” she teased him back, words playfully dripping from her tongue as she looked up at his features with a renewed gleam to her eyes.

“did you just drop from the roof like some sort of spiderman rip off? or are you a gargoyle-come-to-life and i should be scared?” words are full of mischief, her head tipping to the side as she brought both her hands up and wagged her fingers. “if the second, you should know i’m a ghost. so you should be scared of me. wooo~”

( CUT ) “i’m sorry,” sunwoo says, his words finding real meaning for once in his life. he couldn’t imagine being sick all the time, not allowed to really leave your bed. where’s the fun in that, the challenge? “if you were a ghost, that’d be okay.” sunwoo gives her another smile. “i’m not scared of anything, especially not a ghost.” he stands up, his hands finding the insides of his pockets, his book under his arm. “i brought some food,” he says nodding to a brown paper bag sitting in the grass next to his leather one. “i was going to surprise my sister with lunch but i can’t find her. maybe you wanna join me instead?” 

“i’ve always wanted to have lunch with a ghost and you wouldn’t want it to go to waste, right?”

if there was one thing that triggered her insecurities was the mention of her ghostly figure, the paleness of her skin and the delicate look of her body reinforcing the stories surrounding her existence, or lack of thereof. she remembers crying about it as a child, wondering why the maids were whispering and giggling about the “lady ghost”, as their children had nicknamed the small noble girl. but, as years went on, she got used to the comparisons, even if it would still sour her mood in the slightest. 

that’s why his compliment to her dress and the following apology had her allowing her lips to curl into a soft smile, one that expressed her gratitude for the simple, yet sweet words. “thank you. as ironic as it is, white is my favourite colour.. maybe if i enjoyed yellow or blue more, people wouldn’t think i’m dead.” tsuki attempts a joke, a small chuckle leaving her lungs into the air as she hoped he would find humour in it as she did. 

( CUT ) “ahh! it’s so pretty!” she says, believing no one can hear her despite how loud she was being. “oh… i’m sure no one will mind if i get lost here, right? i don’t mind dealing with angry clover people if that means i can stay here for the night!” 

what a moron. 

after a week and a half of being confined to the walls of her chambers, tsuki was finally out and able to wander around the halls of the stunning palace she called home. no matter how many times it had happened, she still hated the fact she was so prone to sickness that even the smallest of colds put her in the worst of conditions, unable to do as much as get up from her bed and live her life like any ( normal ) human being would do when afflicted by such. as positive of a person as she was, it felt stark upsetting she was so fragile. especially, when all she ever wanted was to be strong.

today, she had no plans. in fact, she thought to simply stroll around the garden and catch a few rays of sunlight on her pale skin. perhaps she’d sit down under the shade of a tree and read a book of poetry, something to match the scenery and bring out the romantic hidden ( quite poorly, in all honesty ) inside of the ghost princess. it’d be a simple, yet enjoyable day.. nothing eventful to do, or say. no duties to attend to. no dinners, balls or diplomatic meetings. the few perks of being constantly ill, she thought, if she could say it had perks at all.

tsuki is brought out of her thoughts when the sound of an unfamiliar voice sparks her curiosity, the mention of ‘clover people’ urging her to make an unplanned turn in her steps and come closer to the source of the girl ( judging by the voice ) wishing to get lost. maybe her day wouldn’t be as uneventful as she thought.

“excuse me.. you’re not from around here, are you?” the princess’ sweet timbre fills the void left by the other’s silence, her words with no intentions to sound judgemental and, instead, meaning to satiate her need for answers, as she carries a small and welcoming smile on her lips. “i didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but i heard something about you getting lost..? is there somewhere you need to be and can’t find?”

( CUT ) “or, i will take your surrender, and pamper you with the freshest harvested berries and fruits, imported cheeses and handmade and baked crackers by moi, on a hand knitted blanket and some sparkling juice, because i am tired of wine.” she laughed a bit settling on one knee and pretending to bow.

“please princess, as i do not want to fight you, i love you too much to hurt you here, at the opera.” 

whenever they hung out, heon went out of her way to show tsuki a good time, she didn’t feel as if she was doing her job right as a friend if she wasn’t smiling or laughing, indulging in new foods or gifting her something to get through her spells of having to stay in her room. she’d even knitted her a little sock monkey to keep close, as being confined four walls she was sure was so lonely.

“i also brought homemade jams, my mom sent me here with them. and then just maaaaybe, we can get a visit by some ghoulies, or just see some really cool shit.”

with the ghost of the hug lingering on tsuki’s skin, the fragile princess giggled along with nanseolheon, watching the performance with overflowing amusement. from all the people she had met after opening up her world to royalty and palaces, the latter was surely between the ones she cherished the most. merriment came so easily when beside her that tsuki often found herself looking forward to the next time they’d meet. it felt as if whatever worries she had flew out of her mind the moment heon’s face came into view.

“so tempting of an offer, what could this humble princess wish for besides being offered treats by the one she cares for so much?” the lady in white began dramatically, the vividest of smiles adorning her features, lighting them up and adding further beauty to them as she held the back her hand over her forehead, as if she felt faint from being so close to her deepest wishes. “oh my gentle lady, when you tell me you love me i feel so much more eager to surrender!”

in between laughter, tsuki remembered the time when she and heon met. back then, they solely communicated through notes from heon’s part, not that it bothered tsuki. in fact, the princess looked fondly at how far their friendship had gotten in these few months they’ve known each other. blessed; that’s how she felt for being trusted enough to hear heon’s voice and share with her so many delightful memories. she’d be patient and do it all again a thousand times, if needed to.

( CUT ) for a moment when he looks up, he sees a flowing white dress and plays it off as over imagination. but the he hears the soft sound of grass being stepped on and another peak of the white dress, a woman standing alone a few feet away. for a moment he wonders if he’s seeing her or he’s fallen asleep under a tree like alice. but she looks far too real, unlike like the weak vagueness of a dream. sunwoo immediately recognizes her, she must be the lady in white. 

“should you be out wandering the grounds?” he wonders, looking for his bookmark. “i thought you were sick. isn’t that why people think you’re a ghost? your dress really helps the illusion though, huh.” 

tsuki could hear the loud complaints coming from her nurse-maid who searched for her as she rushed through the halls and down the main stairs of the place she called home, soft giggles leaving her throat whilst she did so. despite feeling faint earlier on the day and, quite possibly, coming down with a cold, judging from the fever ( that gladly subsided ) and scattered coughs, the princess had had enough of staying in bed, gazing thoughtlessly at the ceiling and drowning in waves upon waves of boredom.

the simple thought of wasting her morning away inside the walls of her room vexed her, for the sun was bright, the clouds were few and the sky was too pretty of a blue not to enjoy. she headed outside, into the greenery of the palace’s garden, inhaling the lovely scent that surrounded her as she walked further in, fingertips touching the leaves and petals. tsuki loved days like this—when nature nearly called for her name, begging her to approach the gardens and gaze unrestrainedly at the gorgeous scenery. she wished for more time spent in the company of flowers.

( CUT ) A smile crept over her face as the large, heavy doors opened, the slender figure of the goddess coming into her dim view, in the same stride she decided to click on the large flashlight, causing an eruption of rays through out the dimly lit room,

“I hope you haven’t eaten!” She called from her spot on the stage, standing to her feet to do a little dance in the spot light. “Isn’t it beautiful? Even at this time of night?” 

Heon had started speaking to Tsuki a month or two ago, the ghostly figure of her friend had garnered her so much comfort that it didn’t take to long for the anxious grip her fear had on her verbal abilities to slowly subside. 

excitement made tsuki’s heart thump inside her chest as she made her way towards the opera house. she hadn’t felt sick in over two days, which filled her with hope that nothing would go wrong on their adventure tonight. and, oh, what an adventure! tsuki herself didn’t quite believe in ghosts, but she was beyond thrilled to be ( possibly ) proven wrong while exploring the beautiful old building with the lovely heon. there was no better company than the girl who, in these past weeks, had been nothing but a gem in tsuki’s life.

that’s why whenever she’d hear from her personal nurse-maid that heon was a bad influence to her due to the fact she encouraged tsuki to sneak out for escapades, the fragile princess would readily dismiss the maid’s words and change the subject into something more pleasing. in part, she understood it was merely concern. however, those who hadn’t lived in conditions as prohibitive as the princess would never understand the need to acquire new experiences and simply live. although she knew the risks, tsuki wouldn’t allow anybody to convince her to confine herself in her room as she did in the past. 

tsuki’s lips instantly outstretched into the brightest of smiles the moment she caught sight of heon—a smile so luminous it almost shooed away the darkness surrounding them. “why?! did you bring treats?!” she called back, her voice was drenched in enthusiasm, the idea of a picnic in such an architectural gorgeousness making her body almost buzz in exhilaration as she took the stairs up the stage, opting not to attempt climbing it in case her body failed her.

( CUT ) And maybe it was because of all the tiring advances that he had faced all night or maybe it was because of how hyper-focused he had been for the whole day. But Chul couldn’t stop the deep chuckle that suddenly erupted from his lips as he loosened his grip on his weapon when he saw how she had reacted. He rolled his tense shoulders back and felt the corner of his lips twitch up slightly in disbelief of this whole situation and his late reaction. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been caught off guard. Looking back directly into her sparkling brown eyes, Chul swallowed another chuckle, “That tends to happen when you tread in the dark, Princess.” Then, with perfect etiquette, he bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment of the nameless lady. And his small grin from before melted into his usual emotionless mask as he pulled himself together, “I suggest sneaking around with a light source next time if you startle easily.”

tsuki’s eyes scrutinized the male’s features as soon as they adjusted fully to the dark with the aid of the moonlight shining through the enormous windows of the heart’s palace. as familiarity washed over the frail girl, realisation this hadn’t been the first time they met accidentally did too. at the back of her mind she wondered what were the odds she’d keep repeatedly bumping into someone. to her, it was as if fate had been toying with both of their souls, even if the girl did not have a clue in regards to the finality of such. that wasn’t one of her worries, though.

somehow, it felt comforting to be constantly pushed, by whatever forces of destiny, to meet the prince repeatedly. in her heart, tsuki almost felt as if she knew him already, despite the fact that, in all truth, they hadn’t exchanged a vast number of words before. a warm smile curled on her tiers as the light of an idea popped in her mind: maybe this could be their chance. after all, the thought of sneaking out was fun enough, but what if she had company as she did so? as years went by and she grew up into the person she is today, tsuki knew for sure that things were always better in company.

“i would.. if that wouldn’t announce my presence to passersby i wish to avoid.” her response is witty, one of her perfectly drawn eyebrows lifting questionably at him, her next words coming out in a teasing tone that didn’t match the coldness of his features. she had never seen him smile ( a full-teethed one, at that ), so she hoped to at least amuse him somehow. “i bet you didn’t think of that part, did you?”

allowing her hands to fold behind her back, tsuki’s expression turned sheepish as her mind worked on thinking of ways to invite him to follow in her small adventure. would she think her weird and unmannared to suggest they spend time together when they barely know each other? would it seem as if she’s a lovestruck lady wishing for his favours? what if she came off as desperate like she knew some of the court girls could be? tsuki dreaded that idea, she was solely interested in making friends, is all.. she hoped he’d not think her any of those things. 

but despite all the possibilities, the princess chose to focus on possible positive outcomes. so without further debating with herself, her head tilted softly, sweetness dripping off of her tongue aided by the toothy smile flashed towards him, as if the gesture would help in convincing him. “seen as i got caught by you.. would you like to join me?” she began, question uttered slowly as she avoided his brown orbs for no longer than a second in her insecurity, nervousness having her ramble a bit. “i was heading to the balcony of the main room, to look at the stars. the night is hot and i thought to catch a breeze, too. whether you say yes or no, though, you ought to promise me you wont tell a soul that you’ve seen me out of my room. it shall be our little secret, deal?”

♡  10:22PM AT THE KINGDOM OF HEARTS. starter for: @cwnchul​​.

the soft fabric of the bed’s comforter embraced tsuki’s petite body much like a veil of warmth as she attempted, for the nth time, to focus on the novel open in between delicate palms. for one ( endless ) hour, it had been like this—reading time and time again the same 5 lines as her brain refused to register the printed words and give her any semblance of understanding of whatever the characters seemed to be saying or doing. the only thing her brain could properly register, it seemed, was the fact there were people, music and food downstairs and that she wasn’t allowed to go there to enjoy it too. all because she had fainted earlier in the evening.. how unfair, she thought to herself with the deepest of sighs escaping past slightly dried tiers, finally dropping the book closed over the mattress.

through the years, tsuki had grown accustomed to the fact she often had to miss on events such as balls, meetings and, like tonight, dinners with guests she was sure were a lot more interesting than the 3rd book she had been reading only this week. it did not mean, however, that she didn’t wish she could have experienced them all. god, what would she give to be downstairs. but, if downstairs was off limits, then how about stretching her legs through the halls of the palace and, perhaps, if she’s lucky enough not to get caught, catching a glimpse of the stars outside through the second floor main room’s balcony? oh, how the idea put her body into a sudden spur of energy! 

it was decided, she’d go for a walk!, she thought while jumping out of her bed and making her way towards the door. anything to leave the restraining walls of her boring room.

with feet as light as feathers and hands as gentle as summer’s breeze, she left the closed espace and began to wander through the dark halls, looking around to be sure nobody was coming. what tsuki wasn’t counting on, however, was that she’d bump into something firm, that she’d belatedly recognized as a chest, her eyes were still adjusting to the shadows surrounding her and failing to notice the presence before it was too late. sparkly brown orbs widened, her breath hitched on her throat after a squeal escaped from it before she frantically took a step away from the figure, squinting in hopes to see them better. it’s only when she is able to take notice of the unfamiliar face, however, that she exhales in pure relief, even if she still feels slightly faint from the scare. “oh dear god, ” she began in a breath, with a hand on top of her frantically beating heart, “you’ve startled me.”