Unnoticed-poison

..... Heh.

For a full minute, you could only stare blankly at the screen, reading the assigned task over and over until you could feel your eye starting to twitch.

[ Host? Are you alright? (⁠●⁠´⁠⌓⁠`⁠●⁠) ]

You were totally not panicking, nope.

[??]

''A thousand arrows, a thousand FLAMING ARROWS!? What kind of punishment is that!? ARE YOU CRAZY!!'

So if you fail it basically means you're done for!

The sudden screaming frightened the poor system, and he immediately rushed to comfort you, words flowing out frantically as he hurried to explain.

[No need to fret! You won't actually die; it's merely a simulation! Once the punishment is over you'll be back here completely unharmed!]

'Is that supposed to make me feel better?!'

You were in deep shit and he knew it.

'Oooook ok ok ok, deep breath, deep breath, DEEP BREATHHHH.'

You took a deep breath to calm your nerves and assured yourself, at the very least, even if you fail said task, the suffering won't be long as it will only take a few arrows piercing you for it to be done.

That's fine, it's fine, everything's fine.

[Ahhh yes, about that... (⁠๑⁠´⁠•⁠.̫⁠ ⁠•⁠ ⁠`⁠๑⁠) ]

You slowly turned your head towards him, eyes unblinking. "What."

What could possibly be worse?

[The thing is... The arrows won't rain down all at once so you could avoid the majority; they will be unleashed in waves and you'll be restored each time, only to face it all anew, shot again and again until every single one of the thousand arrows has been fired.... ]

And the pain will be real.

......

You slumped on the silk sheets, face buried on the pillow as you muffled a scream and kicked your legs aggressively against the bed.

The little system wisely chose to stay quiet. To him, the fact you didn't try to hit him like the previous ones did was fantastic!

Although he agreed this punishment was far too cruel for a beginner like yourself, there was nothing he could do to change it.

After a few moments of just lying there, you finally rolled over on your back and stared at the marble ceiling above. Finally, you spoke up.

"That village... has got to go."

The decision was clear, not like you had a choice in the matter from the start.

It was their destiny anyways, you reasoned. And why should you care? They were just insignificant fictional characters; you had to look out for yourself first, no one else mattered.

You'll find a way; you have to.

Buuuuut, that's a problem future you can worry about, you thought with a snort. Your dear husband will be back soon.

Welp, time to turn on the waterworks!

➽─────────────────────────────❥

Ho... a hot bath never fails to calm his nerves. Cale thought, his mood lightening after he settled into the tub. Letting out a low groan as he sank deeper into the warm water, the tension from his muscles slowly melting away, one arm draped over the edge while he leaned his head back with a distant look, watching the steam surrounding him.

Those past few days have been... eventful, to say the least.

It started when he spent the first night of his transmigration with his 'wife'.

"This is heaven..." You murmured with a blissful sigh, your anger from earlier long gone after celebrating the joyful news.

The man laid there like a salted fish, unsure of how to react while you nuzzled into his chest and inhaled his scent deeply, one leg thrown over his hip while your hands were clutching to his back in a tight grip as you pulled him closer, as if afraid he might disappear.

He was being used like a giant teddy bear.

"What's wrong?" You asked, looking up at him strangely. "You aren't petting my head like usual; is something bothering you?"

Your grip tightens. "Are you angry with me?"

.....

"I could never be angry at you." Cale finally spoke, hand dutifully stroking your hair as his other arm moved to wrap loosely around your waist.

He threw in a forehead kiss to seal the act.

It worked like a charm seeing as you practically melted and snuggled even closer if possible, feeling completely at peace in his arms.

Hm, this wasn't so bad... Wait no-!

Cale considered himself lucky you didn't tell anyone about what he tried to do that day so he went along with it to please you. And most definitely not because of how warm and fuzzy your touch made him feel.

Definitely.

Ahem, moving on.

And then, when he suspected that another person was feeding that damned tree and bribed the children to spill the beans, you can imagine his surprise when it turned out to be you, who supposedly has no memories whatsoever prior to the accident and has no way of knowing about the ancient power that tree held as far as he knows.

Cale wasted no time and confronted you the same day.

Which was a big mistake.

"I-I... I just wanted to protect our child from any possible danger!" You stuttered in fright under his harsh glare, tears already welling up.

Cale clicked his tongue, unsettled by your tears; seeing you cry like this made him uncomfortable, and so the man sat by your side, his hand hesitating briefly before gently rubbing your back in soothing circles. Who knew you could be so sensitive? He took a mental note of that for the future.

He noticed the thin book you were holding and tilted his head.

Leaning into his touch, you choked back another sob while pointing to the violet cover in your hand. "Shortly after we found out about my pregnancy, I found this at the library while looking for novels to help pass the time." You explained. "It said that a long time ago, during ancient times, there was a priestess who loved food so much that her gluttony got her kicked out of the temple. The poor woman ended up starving to death and a tree has grown on top of her body, the tree itself located in this very land."

You opened the book mid-explanation and showed it to him.

"I got curious, so I went to see for myself, and a voice came from the hole! The priestess told me she would give me a present, one that would grant me protection until the day I die; all I had to give in return was some food to satisfy her hunger. It was almost too good to be true!"

Cale narrowed his eyes at you before looking over the page, and sure enough, the tale of the priestess and her demise was all written there, including a small passage of what happens to the unfortunate ones that have taken their lives there.

"I had nothing to lose, so I agreed to feed her and see the results." You sighed, getting a handkerchief from the table. "I suspected someone was going there as well, but I didn't know it was you," you gestured to the book. "That must be how you found out about it too, huh?"

"...Yes, that's right."

He can't possibly say he knew from the novel now, can he?

"I was worried about that other person getting it before; I almost took some... drastic measures ." You wiped your tears using the handkerchief with a nod. "Since it's you, I have no issue."

His initial suspension turned to helplessness, Cale waited for you to continue.

And drastic measures?

"If you want the power so much, you can have it. I don't want something so trivial to come between us..." You said, looking at him with teary eyes and the sweetest smile while rubbing your belly. "I know you will protect us anyway; I trust you."

I trust you with my life.

Aigoo, Cale felt responsible now.

How this trash (not that he could call him that anymore it seemed) managed to turn you into a lovesick, loyal puppy in such a short amount of time was astonishing.

To give up such a power just because he wanted it?

Cale closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fingers. A young wife with a child on the way was not on his survival plan in this new world.

Aside from the pregnancy, once Choi Han gets here and informs the Count of the village massacre and your parent's demise, getting a divorce was out of the question and far too cruel for his liking.

In the end, you'll have to stay by his side.

Sigh.

Well, on the plus side, he won't have to worry about you causing him any trouble that's for sure. The least he could do in return is watch over the woman and their unborn child; he owes that much to Cale Henituse.

Cale opened his eyes, having made up his mind.

“It’s worth trying.”

After making this decision, the man stepped out of the tub and put on his bathrobe, loosely tying it at the waist as he exited the bathroom, expecting you to already be curled up under the blankets, waiting to use him for another night of cuddling.

The sight that greeted him made him choke on air; the towel he was using on his hair slipped from his grasp and onto the ground.

There you were, not under the covers like he initially thought, but posed elegantly on your side with your legs slightly bent at the knees, left elbow propped up on the pillow, swirling a wine glass playfully, the other resting on your hip.

His eyes trailed over your body, taking in the floor-length lingerie that suited your figure; its color went perfectly with your complexion, the sleeveless dress sported lace trimmed lace slits on both sides up to your hips.

Your eyes glinted with a mischievous smile as you tilted your head. "Took you long enough~"

"..................."

You were waiting for him alright.

In all 36 years of his existence, the man never felt more lost in his life than in this moment.

Just a few minutes ago you were crying your eyes out over your baby's safety, and now you are suddenly in the mood?

Are those the pregnancy mood swings he's heard about?

Cale gulped.

What has he gotten himself into?

➽─────────────────────────────❥

You on the other hand, was laughing your ass off on the inside when the man seemed to have malfunctioned at your display.

For the gluttonous priestess interrogation, you didn't lie; you really did stumble upon the book a while ago while looking for new stories to read and forgot about it, until now.

Ain't that convenient? A little too convenient for your liking, but eh, problem solved so no need to overthink it.

You just didn't expect him to believe you so easily given his suspicious nature.

As for what you were doing now? Well, what's wrong with having a little fun?

"I've been thinking... It's been a while since we've made love, hasn't it?" You slide off the bed in one smooth movement, put the wine glass filled with orange juice on the nightstand and strolled over to him. 

"You avoid me during the day and barely hold me at night unless I make the first move." You told him with a pout. "I can't stand this negligence anymore!"

You refuse to stand for this treatment!

You sighed. "I know you've been busy nowadays." Lie. "I know I seem spoiled, but I miss you." You didn't hold back, your voice thick with lust. "I miss the filthy words you whisper in my ear as your fingers wrap around my neck and squeeze it until I can barely breath. I miss it. I miss your cock."

The man stood there like a statue, eyes shifting between your face and the fingers subtly tugging at his robe tie.

"And look." You chuckled helplessly. "I appreciate you being careful last time but please— don't be so gentle with me; you know I like it when you're rough."

Yup, that's my cue, Xian decided as he logged off for the night, lighting a candle for the protagonist in his heart.

Why did he have to get such a shameless host? He can't handle hearing such dirty language! Shame on you! ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ

In your defense, you didn't have much hope from the start. As much as you wanted to pounce on Cale and fuck him silly, you knew the wannabe slacker would never agree to it. Sure you managed to make him hold you at night, but sex? Pfff. 

Even so, you lose every chance you don't take so why not just go for it?

"You're right."

Eh, disappointed but not surprised- wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait— WHAT!?

Are your ears working right?

"How could I be so blind to be missing all of this?" His arm wrapped around your waist and closed the gap between you; his fingers brushed against your throat, squeezing just enough to make you gasp. "You don't have to do anything; just lay back and I'll do all the work."

You want him to act like a doting husband? Fine then.

You want him to be rough? Game on.

He inches closer, his breath warm against your lips, eyes darkened with lust and something almost... dangerous. "Let's make up for all the lost time, shall we?"

You could feel the memories of your night with the real Cale flash before your eyes.

You gulped.

What have you gotten yourself into?!

➽─────────────────────────────❥

Slurping sound, whimpers, and pleasure filled whines echoed throughout the bedroom.

You, being the overconfident dumbass, now laying on the bed, wine forgotten and lingerie torn apart on the floor. Body trembling and toes curling as Cale did his work between your legs.

"Don't tease me like this-!...shi-!"

The bastard was taking his sweet time slowly scissoring your hole and stretching you open, his long fingers pumping and curling against your walls in all the right ways, hot tongue licking and toying at your folds in a torturously slow rhythm and nibbling at the bean.

"Aw, look at you, not even 10 minutes in. Is this all it takes to turn you into a dripping mess? Pathetic."

Your pants turned into desperate moans at those words. You wanted to cover your ears, but you didn't.

Your hips rocked against his hand, seeing you so starved for his touch sent a thrill through him.

"What a good girl you are for me." Cale murmured with a faint smirk, his unoccupied hand slowly sliding back up across your belly to your chest, taking hold of your nipple, pinching it sharply and twisting it between his fingers, making you squirm in pain and pleasure.

How is he so good at this?! You thought he was an 36 year old virgin for crying out loud!

When he pulled his fingers out suddenly and stopped licking you, you opened your eyes in a daze and you whined at the sudden emptiness. The man paid you no mind as he slid his wet fingers into his mouth, tongue slowly licking them clean of your juices, his eyes never leaving yours.

The bastard knows exactly what he's doing, and he's loving every second of it.

You buckled your hips towards him and pleaded with your eyes, wanting more.

You didn't have to wait for long when you felt his tongue replace his fingers inside your cunt, thrusting in and out of your dripping hole.

Your hands fisted in his hair, pressing harder into you at the sudden waves of pleasure racing through your body.

"Fuck Ki-! Cale!!" Gosh you hope he didn't catch that slip-up.

The man hummed, thumb rubbing your clit in circles  while he fucked you with his tongue. He spread your thighs wider, thrusting deeper and swirling inside your walls.

Your body tensed up, and you pushed his head harder against your pussy.

You were so close-!

You wrapped your legs around his head, trapping him in. "Cale! I- oh fuck..! Aaaaa!!"

The man took this as a sign and with your thighs threatening to crash his head, he sealed his mouth around your lips and sucked vigorously, driving you over the edge.

Your lips parted, fingers digging into the sheets eyes rolled back as an orgasm hit you with a silent scream, the white liquid dripping right into his waiting mouth, he lapped it all up like a starved dog.

With one final suck, Cale's tongue slowly slid out of your hole as he pulled his head back, relishing at the long, thick string of cum stretching between his tongue and your swollen folds.

He licked his lower lips slowly, savoring the taste.

He finally gazed at you, reddish-grey eyes glinting mischievously at your disheveled state. "Don't worry." He cooed, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his lips that glistened from your juices. "I'm not a wasteful man; every last bit of you will be savored."

Before you could even register his words, he leaned in once again, ignoring your weak protests as his tongue darted around relentlessly to collect every last drop, overstimulating you even further as your legs shook uncontrollably.

Once satisfied, he looked at you with that same damned smile he was known for.

"Now the real fun can begin."

Aye shit.

➽─────────────────────────────❥

"What happened? You were so eager for my cock and now look at you, crying like a little baby. Isn't this what you wanted?" Your husband's voice was low and taunting, every word accompanied by a thrust that made you see stars.

He had you against the wall, one hand holding up your thigh while the other was wrapped around your neck, fingers digging into your throat and tightening little by little till it was hard for you to breathe as he pounds into you mercilessly, chest heaving while your lower back being slammed repeatedly against the wall made you wince from the pain.

Tears welled up in your eyes and run down your cheeks as you could do nothing but muffle your screams by burying your face into his shoulder.

"No need to hide those pretty little noises; I want everyone to hear how much of a needy slut you are." He gave your neck another squeeze and was rewarded with a sharp gasp.

Shut up shut up!!! 

Cale let out a pained grunt, feeling your nails digging and dragging across his bare back, the familiar feeling of blood trickling down his back.

Ignoring the pain, he glanced to the side and an idea popped in his head. 

Oh, this was going to be fun.

You could only blink foggily feeling his cock slide out of you without warning, leaving you empty and needy. How fucking dare he.

Before a single word of complaint could form, you gasped out when your husband suddenly spun around so your back was now pressed against his chest. Grasping your thighs tightly, he lifted you effortlessly and started walking.

???

You were confused on what the fuck he was doing, that is, until you found yourself facing your reflection in the mirror.

Oh no. No no no no no anything but this!!

You immediately shut your eyes tightly and covered your burning face with your hands.

"Wh-whhat is this!?" You babbled out.

Cale tutted in your ear. "Don't get all shy now, Look at yourself."

"N-no..!" You frantically shook your head. You wanted to crawl into a hole and die. This was so embarrassing!! 

"Either you open your eyes or I'll stop everything right now and leave you like this."

No!! 

Left with no choice, you opened your eyes again and looked at yourself, and oh what a sight it was. 

Hair an absolute mess and body covered in sweat, eyes glazed over with mascara running down your cheeks and lips swollen from the intense kissing, your neck and chest were covered all over with marks and hickeys.

And the worst part of it all, with his arms spreading your legs wide open, you got a clear view of your abused pussy, mix of your juices and his semen from previous rounds practically leaking to the floor.

Pathetic, you looked absolutely and utterly pathetic.

Cale's eyes flickered, the man couldn't help but admire you.

"Isn't this what you wanted? Me, like this, ruining you."

To him, you looked absolutely divine.

"Let's see how you desperately want it." 

His hard cock slid along your folds teasingly, refusing to go in while he watched your reflection, smirking triumphantly as you whimpered helplessly. And that drove you crazy.

It was obvious he wanted you to beg for it.

Your lips quivered.

"Please..." A whisper.

Cale tilted his head. "I'm sorry, what was that? If you want something you have to use your words."

"Please..." you begged, louder this time, voice hoarse and needy.

"Please what."

Not able to bear it anymore, you cried out. "Please, please put your cock inside and fill me up with your cum again! Use me like a fucking cumdump I don't care just PLEASE—! I need it I need it Please please PLEASE!!"

The man let out a pleased hum and a nod of approval, clearly amused by your outburst. "Well, since you asked nicely..." Lifting you up, he pulled you down on his entire length in one smooth movement.

Your eyes fluttered and a sigh of pure bliss left your lips as you felt yourself get filled again with that delicious cock, and you almost thanked him for it. Almost.

The sound of skin slapping skin echoed throughout the room along with your pleasured shrieks. Watching your reflection being bounced on his cock, you were reduced to nothing but a drooling mess, unable to form coherent sentences. The fingers digging into your trembling thighs with such force would no doubt leave bruises in the morning.

While the real Cale was more enthusiastic than skilled, This. This was something else entirely, and you were enjoying every second of it.

You wanted more.

Cale panted heavily into your ear, his gaze unwavering through the mirror. "Mmm... Look at you, taking my cock good and deep, begging to be filled like a cheap whore, my perfect little cumdump."

"My cute little wife, the mother of my future children, my everything." He breathed. "All mine-" Mine to ruin.

Each word was followed by a hard thrust. His nasty words sounded like flattery to your ears now.

You were far too drowned in pleasure to bother keeping your voice down anymore. Fuck it, let the whole mansion hear for all you care!

With a couple more thrusts, Cale grunted and his legs shook, teeth lightly digging into your shoulder as he finally came.

You arched your back and clenched around him with a high-pitched whine, the feeling of his cock throbbing and his hot semen filling you up to the brim drove you to your own climax.

For a while, neither of you spoke; the sound of heavy breathing was all that could be heard as he stayed buried deep inside you.

Cale panted, eyes on the mirror as your head hung low; hopefully that was enough to satisfy you for now.

"More...~" A low giggle.

Hm?

You slowly lifted your head, and he felt a sheer sense of terror at the pure look of lust and madness in your eyes; the dilated pupils and twitching grin almost caused him to drop you.

"Give me more!!"

You lost it.

Ah, well... he did say they have to make up for the lost time, didn't he?

Who was he to deny your request? He is nothing if not a doting husband.

With that, he pulled out, his seed leaking out of you like a flood as he carried you in his arms to the bathroom.

➽─────────────────────────────❥

The couple could be found in the tub, steam rising around you as you lay motionless on top of Cale, face flushed and panting like a dog, dull eyes looking off into the distance and mouth open as drool slid down your chin and into his pecs, both of which were now covered with the same amount of bite marks he left on you.

The man didn't seem to mind as he rubbed your back with tenderness.

With a sigh, he threaded a hand through his hair and pursed his lips in thought.

He could get used to this.

Yes, the corner of his mouth quirked up; the more he thought about it, the more he came to accept it.

It's worth trying.

Reaching out, he gently lifted your chin so your dazed eyes could meet his.

His thumb traced your bottom lip. What a pretty sight.

"I love you." He breathed, pressing his lips against your swollen ones.

And oh, how warm it made you feel; it was so gentle and loving, it felt real. And if you didn't know any better you would fall for his words.

You could only whine helplessly when you felt his fingers slowly enter your sloppy cunt. "Let's get you cleaned up, love."

Love? pffff right.

You didn't even bother to respond, having already drifted off to dreamland.

This. This was a night to remember.

➽─────────────────────────────❥

You woke up the following morning to an empty bed, your legs numb and body aching all over. You groaned softly as you struggled to sit up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes before turning and reaching over to pat the cold, empty side of the bed.

'Where the hell did Cale go? What time is it?'

How dare he let you wake up alone after wrecking your ass like that?

You stretched your arms above your head with a yawn, grunting at soreness from last night's activities.

Geez, you'll be surprised if you aren't actually pregnant by now. You thought to yourself, pushing the dirty cover and getting off the bed, only to let out a yelp as your legs buckled beneath you when you attempted to stand, causing you to collapse on your knees with a loud thump.

Holy shi-

Luckily for you, some maids entered the room at that moment to wake you up for breakfast. The first one gasped loudly upon seeing you and rushed to your side immediately.

"My lady, you mustn't strain yourself!" She turned to the others waiting on the side with a stern look. "Stop gossiping you two and help me pick her up."

Soon, you were back on the bed, one maid placing a few pillows behind your back for support while the other put a tray on your lap, containing a huge bowl of fruit salad and a glass of your favorite juice. Yum!

One of the women took a chair and sat beside you, holding the spoon. "The chef prepared this for you; he said it's good for the pregnancy." She spoke softly, voice filled with concern as she dipped the spoon into the bowl and held it up near your mouth. "Please don't move a muscle and let us handle everything!"

Ah. Well why not? Who doesn't like getting pampered anyways?

You took a bite and closed your eyes in satisfaction at the sweet flavors. 'It's so good!' 

That's when Xian decided to show himself again.

[ Good morning host! (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠) ] 

'Ah, you're back. Morning!' You responded as you opened your mouth again.

Chewing on the fruits, your eyes wandered to the women surrounding the bed and raised a brow in wonder at the way they whispered among themselves; one nudged another playfully while trying to conceal her giggles and pointing to the wall, whispering something that made the woman gasp, her face turning a deeper shade of red as she covered her mouth.

'Why are their faces red like that? Why are they avoiding looking at me and acting all shy? What the fuck is going on?'

Just now, you remembered the fact that you were setting on a broken bed with your neck, shoulder and cleavage exposed.

....No.

[ ....The walls are thin, host. ( ˶o˶˶o˶) ]

And you being as loud as you were didn't help.

You choked on the food, coughing loudly as the maid feeding you jumped in alarm and hurriedly patted your back in a panic. 

Uh-uh, no, there's no way.

[ Yes way :') ]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

➽─────────────────────────────❥

We have now bagged both Cale and Kim Rok Soon hooray!!

Doing the do now seemed rushed then I remembered this is my story and i can do whatever the hell i want and I want this man to fold FAST, let's just hope you don't end up preggy for real 😘

I'm not experienced with smut so hope this was good enough :3 wonder will be next tho hehe

(While the real Cale was more enthusiastic than skilled, This. This was something else entirely, and you were enjoying every second of it.

You wanted more.)

I really, really wanna see og Cale's reaction if he heard this ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ

+

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Thank you all so much, here." Jaha said, bowing his head with a smile as he set the tray on the table.

True to your words, you had sent out your friends, Mèng yáo, Huiying and Chunhua to replace the broken doors. To express his gratitude, Jaha tried to give them money but they refused, so he invited them in and prepared some drinks for everyone instead.

Huiying nodded at him as he poured her drink. "Don't mention it." She said. "Any friend of her is a friend of ours, right girls?"

In unison, the girls raised their cups in the air and exclaimed. "Yeah!"

Watching the lively women chat among themselves, the man nodded to himself. Now's the perfect opportunity.

Mastering up the courage, Jaha cleared his throat, getting their attention as he asked. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure?"

With a blush, Jaha added nervously. "It's about... her."

Oh?

A mischievous grin graced the women's faces as Mèng yáo leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. "Why? You fancy her or something~?"

Jaha swallowed hard, his cheek growing redder as he struggled to reply. "I...uh...well-!"

Seeing this, the girls erupted into laughter and teasing.

"Awww you DO have feelings for her!"

"So adorable."

"That girl gets admires left and right, I swear." Huiying grumbled as she lifted up her glasses.

"Can you blame them?"

"...No."

"Hmm." Chunhua eyed him up and down for a monent, before smirking with a glint in her eyes. "You are rather easy on the eye... alright then! You better remember everything because we ain't gonna say it twice."

Jaha's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and he nodded eagerly. "Ok!"

Ther started listing off everything, and I mean everything.

"Her favorite cake is-"

"Oh and don't forget-!"

Jaha listened intently, writing down everything the women said, some of which he already knew about from you, but wrote it down nonetheless.

He couldn't help but pause for a moment when they went to the books you usually read.

"She also loooves dark and obsessive romance books! The ones where the male or female lead would stop at nothing to get that person they're infatuated with; stalking, murder, you know, that type of stuff." Mèng yáo said. "Sure, she reads other genres too but boy, does she get crazy about this one."

Jaha blinked.

Oh, that's... interesting, but no matter!

"There's just one thing you have to be careful of."

Jaha looked up from the note book. "Hm?"

Why did they look so gloomy and serious now? Even the strict looking Huiying shuddered! 

Only Chunhua seemed to find this amusing as she sniggered at the two, urging the girl with a smirk. "Go on."

Sending a quick glare at her friend, Mèng yáo continued. "Never, and I mean never let anything happen to her books if you ever decide to borrow one, last time I accidentally spilled wine on her favorite novel, just some teeny tiiiiny drops and she tied me up, leaving me hanging from a tree brunch all day..."

The brown haired woman let out a gloomy sigh at the memory, when Huiying found her like that she tried to get her down and as a result, the poor woman ended up getting tied up next to her as well. You left them once more, this time with signs hanging from their necks.

{This is MèngMèng, MèngMèng is irresponsible. She ruined my book so she get air jail. Don't be like MèngMèng}

{Don't let them down unless you want to end up next to them ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡}

When Chunhua saw them like that, the little fuck had the nerve to laugh her ass off at them before leaving to her rehearsal with a skip in her steps.

Traitor.

"I said I was sorry for that, jeez." The red head grumbled while pouring herself another drink.

'We're still going to get revenge for that, just you wait.' the two thought, silently nodding at each other, making the woman sweatdrop.

Jaha chuckled at that, their friendship is so sweet. He thought as he wrote down the information.

"Oh yeah!" Chunhua spoke up. "There's one more thing you should know about-"

The woman was interrupted by loud banging on the door as a voice rang out.

"Jaha! Can you come out for a moment?"

!? You're back!

Jaha's face lit up with happiness as he hurriedly went to open the doors. "Welcome-!..."

What he saw made him stop in his tracks, the bright smile now frozen on his face as he was greeted by Chaehyang's cold, emotionless gaze.

....

Wha...what is she doing here!?

The woman stood there, a small pouch held in one hand, while you clung to her arm.

Jaha remained still, his eyes widening in shock as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"Wha..what's going on..? Why are you with her..!?"

The man's mind was filled with dread, fearing that the red-head somehow got to you and filled your head with nonsense, ruining his image in your eyes, just like those men did back then when he made a simple joke...

HE CAN'T HAVE THAT!!

"Surprise!" You exclaimed, stepping back and gently pushing Chaehyang towards him, your eyes shining with anticipation. "Now, just as we practiced."

"....."

Chaehyang tsked. Let's get this over with.

"I came here because of what happened that night; I..." She began, bowing her head. "I believed what those people were saying without even checking if it was true or just gossip; I'm deeply sorry for the misunderstanding."

Lifting her head, she held out the pouch. "I hope you accept this money as compensation for the damages caused to your home."

...WHAT?!

Jaha, baffled, looked back and forth between the two.

Despite the woman's voice being soft and filled with remorse, with you standing behind her, she didn't bother faking her facial expressions; the furious glare and twitching smile made it clear to the man that she wasn't doing this out of the goodness of her heart.

She was only doing this to gain your favor, he concluded.

After all, why would she come in person and apologize for something others have done? Even if she did feel pity for him.

Jaha doesn't know how and when the two of you got so close, but one's thing for sure.

He did not like this at all.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

Inside the restaurant, Jaha couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy stab at his heart as he watched you boasting about Chaehyang.

After that 'heartfelt' apology, Jaha tried to refuse the money, but Chaehyang was persistent, refusing to take no for an answer, causing them to go back and forth, until you ran out of patience and with a swift movement, snatched the pouch and forcedly placed it in his hand, leaving no room for further protest.

"There!"

"...."

Jaha just gave up and invited you inside. You beamed upon seeing your friends there as well and excitedly introduced the woman to them, going on and on about how great her singing is and how fun your visit to the pavilion was. Jaha had to stand there and listen to it all with a forced, twitching smile.

You've known each other for one day, yet you are chatting and laughing like old-time friends.

"And then she-!"

It was getting harder and harder for Jaha to keep his smile intact with every word you spoke. He tried to shake off the feeling, but the sight of you wrapping your arm around the redhead's shoulder and the way your eyes sparkled made his heart ache, hiding one hand behind his back and clenching it into a fist while the other impatiently tapped against the tray.

While Chaehyang was enjoying herself as she got along well with the other ladies, she would discreetly send smirks in his direction every once in a while when you weren't looking, and the man found himself fighting the urge to just toss the tray and punch her square in the face just to wipe that stupid smug look off her face, which was a wild contrast to his usual gentleness.

"..tsk...."

There's nothing he can do-....

An idea popped in his head.

Wait...there IS one thing he can do..

Picking up the empty bottles and putting them on the tray, Jaha spoke. "I'll be back in a moment; I'll make some fresh drinks."

"Oh thanks!"

"Take your time."

Chaehyang couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that settled in her stomach at the bright smile the man gave her before he headed to the kitchen.

This was not gonna be good.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

The woman's fears were confirmed when the man came back a little while later, carrying a big tray full of dishes.

"I thought you might be hungry with it being lunch time, so I prepared some food for everyone." Jaha stated with a soft smile, giving each woman a dish, leaving Chaehyang for last.

The man's smile grew larger as he placed the final dish in front of Chaehyang.

"I made this specially for you, Chaehyang."

Chaehyang's heart sank when she looked at the steaming bowl.

It was the chicken head noodle soup.

....Fuck.

There wasn't a single soul in llyang who wasn't painfully aware of just how bad the man sucked at making this particular dish, which was supposed to be one of the most basic meals of them all; even a little kid can make it by themselves.

And now this...this fucker, had the audacity to serve this to her, knowing full well she can't say anything in front of the others.

Her jaw clenched, narrowing her eyes while looking up with a furious glare at the guy, who still wore that same smug look, knowing he had her trapped.

"Enjoy~" he said with a soft, sly tone.

You sly little bastard-...!

The others have already started digging in, thanking Jaha for the meals.

Your mouth was full, your puffed cheeks resembling a hamster as you stuffed food in your mouth while your eyes were closed in bliss, savoring every bite.

In that moment, the two found themselves forgetting about their dispute for a brief moment as they silently watched you.

'Adorable...'

After swallowing, you spoke up. "It's so good!"

Jaha's heart skipped a beat, and with his face getting warmer, he scratched his head while averting his gaze. "T-thank you..."

After you offhandedly mentioned the type of food you liked during on of your visits, he stayed up late every single day in the kitchen, all just to be able to make something decent for you and show his appreciation, hell maybe even impress you!

And now, seeing the way you were devouring the food, it made all his hard work worthwhile.

Though his fantasy didn't include your friends nor the surprise, unwanted pes...guest.

Meanwhile, the other girls didn't share your enthusiasm; while it wasn't downright terrible, it was not something they considered 'delicious.'

Either something went horribly wrong with your taste buds, or the black-haired man was just good at this particular dish while he sucked at everything else.

"Oh right!" You suddenly spoke up, rummaging through your bag.

Hm?

The two blinked as you hold out two tickets that were golden in colour.

"Here." She handed one to each of them. "The first circus show starts tonight." You stated. "those are for the honored guests seats. If you two are free, that is."

"Of course I'll come!" The pair exclaimed in unison, both groaning internally at the thought of the other joining as well.

'Ugh, why did she have to invite him/her?'

Your face brightened. "Wonderful!"

Taking another bite of your food, you blinked at the singer. "What's wrong Chaehyang? You haven't touched your food yet."

Ah, right.

Shaking her head, Chaehyang tried to decline. "I'm not hungry-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as her stomach suddenly decided to betray her, letting out a loud grumble at this exact moment.

....

The woman cursed under her breath. Why did she decide to skip breakfast today!?

"Look like your stomach says otherwise; come on, just eat; I spent a lot of time on this." Jaha said in a cheerful tone.

"....."

Under Jaha's smug gaze, the woman braced herself before she slowly picked up the chopsticks, lifting the noodles up towards her mouth. With a nervous gulp, she shut her eyes close and took a bite.

...HOT!!!!

That was the woman's first thought, not able to hold back the look of absolute grimace on her face as she chewed slowly and painfully. The rumors didn't exaggerate about how awful this soup truly was; this was the most disgusting thing she ever had the misfortune of eating.

The noodles were under-cooked, with the chicken being the same along with being way over-seasoned. Not only was it overly salty, but the overwhelming amount of spice mixed in caused her tongue to burn as if it were on fire! How did he manage to fuck up this bad, she didn't know.

She wouldn't even have the heart to feed this to the stray dogs.

Chaehyang swallowed the food with a big gulp, trying her best not to spit it out.

This wasn't food; this was an abomination.

This should be considered attempted poisoning, and seeing the wicked glint in the man's eyes, it proved he's trying to do just that.

A little while later, the woman couldn't take it anymore and started coughing violently as tears formed in her eyes. You put down the chopsticks and patted her back. "What's wrong?!"

"Oh! The spice might have been too much for her to handle, here." Jaha said, pouring lemon juice into the cup. "This will help."

Too small!

The woman snatched the whole bottle from his hand and drank it all.

Big mistake.

Her eyes widened as the extremely salty taste assaulted her taste buds, she managed to stop herself from spitting it out as she swallowed it with a shudder, turning to the man with a furious look as tears streamed down her face.

This bastard had actually put salt in the drink!!

Jaha looked at her with feigned concern, his eyes looking sad as he took the bowl and bottle from her, solemnly shaking his head with a sigh. "I thought you'd be able to endure some spice since I heard spicy food was your favorite. But I was wrong, I apologize..."

FUCK YOU-

"It's...not a problem...no need to feel bad..." She forced the words out as she coughed some more.

There was a glint in his eyes as he spoke up again. "Why don't I bring you something sweet instead? I'll be right bac-"

"NO!!"

She'll rather cut off her tongue than try any of his cooking EVER again!!

"Aww that's too bad. Next time when you visit then, I'll make you the sweetest dish you'll ever taste!"

Chaehyang shivered. "Yeah..."

There will be no next time you mad demon!

Meanwhile, the other women weren't oblivious to what's going on as they communicated with their eyes.

'You all seeing this shit?'

'Uh huh'

'Affirmative.'

They discreetly observed the whole time, glancing at each other occasionally while giggling and grinning amongst themselves.

The tea was boillling~!

They can tell the man did something to the food. Hence the poor woman's reaction.

While their sweet, sweet, idiot friend was oblivious as always.

Will they clear it up?

Absolutely not; this was too entertaining. They hope to see more drama soon.

This is going to be so much fun.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

"The show starts at 9 pm so don't be late!"

Jaha chuckled. "I won't, I promise."

After they were all done, Jaha stood outside as he bid them farewell, satisfied to see Chaehyang's pale and sweary face as she held her stomach in discomfort while walking.

With the money the woman so 'generously' gave him, he doesn't have to worry about the fees this month, so he can close the inn early for the next few days.

Once you were out of sight, he examined the ticket in his hand; he could see his reflection on the shiny surface as a small smile formed on his face.

He couldn't wait.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

Reminds me of this lol

Now that I'm reareading this work I realized how much I used 'flush cheeks' and blush and shi man, oh well

Anyhow I got a little sick of the story cause of how long it's taking so the rest of the flashback might be written in short point sentences idk, might post on my other accounts

The days that followed were a breeze, doing your morning rehearsals and quick visits to Jaha to check on his health and make him some food. Poor thing's fever never seems to go down everytime you check his temperature, then finally exploring the small town during your spare time. Meanwhile, a few crew members were busy hanging up the posters and selling tickets for the upcoming show. 

Unfortunately, like every single place you visited, you found yourself facing harassment here and there by some creeps, but a few powerful punches and threats to chop off their dicks got them to back off and leave you alone.

Being attractive is such a curse sometimes, but what can you do? Gotta take the bad with the good.

After checking in on the errand boy once more, you decided to head out to shop for some new clothes. There, you met a nice woman, Chaewon--- or was it Chaehyang? You always had trouble remembering the names of people you just met.

As to how you met, you were getting yet again harassed by the ugly shop owner, who apparently never heard of personal space as he was blatantly being too close and flirty. Having promised that you wouldn't cause further trouble, you tried to be patient as you gave a fake smile and short but polite responses, but that patience soon reached its limit when the man had the actual audacity to lay his hand on your lower back and squeeze it with a grin, making you drop the brush you were looking at.

Just as you were about to lash out at the man and beat him senseless, Chaehyang appeared out of nowhere to your rescue.

After the beautiful woman gently moved you behind her, she slapped the man, her loud scolding instantly gathering people's attention; that alone forced the man to drop to his knees and bow his head on the ground, apologizing profusely to you, in fear that the entertainer would call for the pavilion guards to give him the same brutal beating as that errand boy a few days ago.

"Hmm~ what to do..." You watched with amusement as the woman thoughtfully tapped the fan against her chin at the cowering man. "I could overlook this incident if you let us shop here today, for free."

Your ears perked up at the word 'free', hell yeah!

"B-but- I.."

"Oh? You aren't willing? What a shame." Chaehyang responded with a small pout. "Guess I have no choice but to summon my boys here for a quick chat."

The unspoken threat was loud and clear.

.....

The man gave up and caved to her demands.

"Good." Chaehyang said, her voice carrying a hint of triumph before turning to you, her smile growing sly as she extended her hand. "Shall we?"

With a mischievous grin, you grasped her hand and exclaimed. "Let's make this hideous toad broke!"

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

And that you did. The two of you spent hours in the shop, trying on multiple expensive dresses and stylish accessories while chatting about each other's carriers. You were amazed upon hearing that the woman was a popular pavilion singer, but then again, with those stunning looks you weren't all that surprised.

Chaehyang wanted to try a new look for her next performance at the pavilion, and naturally you helped out with choosing the perfect attire.

A soft sky blue hanfu caught your eye, and you instantly had Chaehyang try it on while you looked for the ideal accessories to go with it. After a while you heard the sound of the curtain being pulled. 

"I'm done." 

You spun around as Chaehyang stepped out in the gown, she asked. "How does it look...?"

She knows she looks gorgeous, but she wanted to hear it from you.

"Wow.."

Chaehyang slightly titled her head with mock confusion. "Hm?"

"You look absolutely stunning!" You beamed as you clapped your hands. " I knew that one would be perfect for you! It's just messing a little something..." You trailed off, handing her a snowy white bamboo fan before gently placing some flowers blossom in her hair. "Bingo."

You then proceeded to circle around your new friend, eying her from head to toe with a pleased smile on your face. "You truly look like a fairy." You said, your eyes filled with admiration.

The woman blushed at the compliment, before wincing at the question that followed.

"All is left is the hairstyle, when was the last time you changed your hair?"

Chaehyang hesitated before answering. "A year."

.....

"Ah...yeah we've got change that real quick, I'm an expert so I can help you out if you want." 

Chaehyang nodded, a small smile on her face. "That would be wonderful." She was planning to get a new hairdo anyways, plus that's the perfect excuse to spend more time with you.

Now, Chaehyang wasn't the type to get attached to strangers this fast; heck that shop owner was infamous for his disgusting behavior but she didn't do anything about it till now because frankly, she doesn't like to get involved in matters that don't directly affect her.

"Not my circus, not my monkey" as they say.

But, the moment the woman set eyes on you, a spark of interest ignited within her, accompanied by a profound yet unexplainable pull to you. Which was a novelty to Chaehyang, who never had felt anything remotely close to those strange emotions till now.

And so with this hooligan who actually resembled a frog now that she had a closer look being himself gave her the opening for her to swoop in and make a good first impression.

"If you're free this evening, you could accompany me to the pavilion and help me prepare before my shift start; in return, I'll pay you accordingly. I can also..." Covering her flushed cheeks while averting her gaze in a coy gesture, she continued. "I could treat you to a private performance for you free of charge for the night; wine would be provided of course."

She's certain she can convince Seongtae to not send out the cheap knockoff stuff.

You shook your head, grinning as you put as much stuff as you could in the bags. "There's no need to pay me, but I'd love to hear you sing!" 

And drink till you're wasted! 

With the sun starting to set, the man watched on with tears and snot running down his nose at the amount of bags the two of you carried as you left the shop together. 

Please don't come again!

"I can't wait to shop here again!"

NOOO!!

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

When you arrived at the pavilion, you stood to the side, smiling sheepishly at the blonde guy who kept stealing glances in your direction while he discussed with Chaehyang about something.

"I'll work the remainder of the week without pay to cover the cost of the wine and the act." The redhead whispered in a hushed tone to ensure that you wouldn't hear and interfere.

"Hm, is that so? In that case..." Seongtae hummed as he shifted his attention back to you, his face instantly brightening up with a radiant smile. "Welcome in! You're in for a treat, our charming Chaehyang here will provide you with a performance you'll never forget!"

You smiled back. "I don't doubt it."

Hm~ the man examined you closely, taking in your appearance; you are rather easy on the eyes, and he saw the way some of the men here were discreetly eyeing you.

Perhaps you'll be interested in working here?

The calculating look on the blonde's face didn't go unnoticed by Chaehyang, who in response swiftly grabbed your hand and guided you away to her chamber before Seongtae could open his dumb mouth and offer you a job.

Seongtae just stood there and watched you get dragged off with an amused chuckle.

Guess the woman had found herself a new toy.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

After helping Chaehyang into her new gown and doing her makeup, you started working on her hair, all while she vented about the perverts she has to deal with on the daily. You listened patiently and nodded in agreement, recalling accidents where people pretended to be lost just to get into the back to have a private moment with the popular crew members, yourself included.

You agreed with everything she was saying. That is, until the woman started complaining about an accident that occurred recently...

You paused halfway through the braid; that sounded way too familiar...

"Hey.. what's the man's name?"

"Lee Jaha."

Ah shit.

Chaehyang noticed the way you tensed up and asked. "Is something the matter?"

"About that..."

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

"Oh." 

The woman stood motionless, letting your words sink in. Using the fan clutched in her hand to partially conceal her face, hiding her emotions, or lack thereof, from view. Her lips pursed together into a thin line as she thought back on that day. The man, whose face was bruised and stained with tears, wore an expression of deep anguish as he suffered at the hands of those guards. Now, looking back, she couldn't help but feel a little stupid.

However, that wasn't her problem.

Sure, she felt a flicker of sympathy for the errand boy, but she was quick to dismiss it; she had no reason to feel guilty; after all, she didn't do anything wrong; she didn't ask those guards to attack the man, nor did she ask them to wreck his inn. They had acted of their own accord. Without her uttering a single word or lifting a finger, they chose to do that, not her.

None of this is her fault.

Of course, she couldn't possibly say that to your face, knowing that doing so would only make her look like a heartless woman in your eyes.

Guess it's time to put her acting skills into action.

Gripping the fan's handle firmly with her delicate fingers, she lowered her head as her hands and shoulders started to tremble faintly. Her teeth dug into her lip hard enough to break the skin, drawing blood, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut as she began to tear up.

"How could I have been so foolish as to believe such baseless rumors...!" She murmured in disbelief, lifting up the fan to cover her face completely from view.

This should be enough.

And she was right, because you looked at her with such pity as you quickly moved to console her.

Now, Jaha refused to tell you what went down in detail; just stating that a careless remake he made about a singer as a light-hearted joke escalated and spiraled out of control, but with Chaehyang's story happening on the same day you found his bruised body, you were able to connect the dots.

"Hey, no need to beat yourself up over this; I'm sure if you go there and apologize, he'll forget about this misunderstanding." You comforted the woman, pulling her into a hug and lightly rubbing her back in a soothing motion. "Throw in some money to compensate for the damage done to his inn as well."

Ugh, well, that was a small price to pay to gain your affection.

With a sob, she slowly raised her head to meet your eyes while lowering the fan, allowing you to see her pained expression. "A-Alright, thank you..."

Seeing the redhead's eyes well up with tears, you quickly, yet carefully wiped them away before wiping off the blood on her lip, looking intently into her eyes. "Hey hey no crying! I spent an hour on your makeup!"

The woman managed to compose herself and nodded. "Right, sorry." She managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Now, let's finish up your hair quick; I want to hear your voice!" And when are they going to bring the drinks? You couldn't wait any longer!

As you sat behind her and started working on that braid once more, you were unable to see the small smirk the woman had.

You are just so cute, and so gullible.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

Just after you finished styling the woman's hair and reapplying the lipstick, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by a soft voice speaking. "I brought the wine you requested."

"Fucking finally." Leaping to your feet, you pushed the door open to reveal a woman with flowing, silky violet hair and matching eyes, carrying a tray in her hands.

Not wasting another second, you took ahold of the tray. "Thank you, now byebye!"

"Hold on-!" Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by you slamming the door in her face before returning to Chaehyang.

Placing the tray down, you poured the wine into the two cups and handed one to Chaehyang. "Shall we~?"

With a warm smile, Chaehyang held the cup and brought it to her lips. At the same time, you both took a sip.

That's when shit hit the fan. 

There was a reason you weren't allowed to drink wine unsupervised.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

"Wake up!"

Stirring in the bed, you groaned, pulling the cozy pillow closer and nuzzling your face against its soothing warmth. Still half-asleep, you mumbled. "Five more minutes..."

This pillow is so soft and squishy, mm~

"Mhm~..!"

Hold on a sec...

You lifted your face and rubbed your eyes. After the blurriness cleared, your heart skipped a beat. Why? Because the 'pillow' you were cuddling with was none other than Chaehyang, with her chest pressed against your face. Looking up, you were met with the redhead's stern glare and flushed cheeks.

Ah oh.

You abruptly pulled away from the woman and sat upright on the bed, stumbling on your words as you backed up. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry I-FUCK!" You screamed out as you suddenly lost your balance and tumbled off the bed, landing on your back with a loud thud, hissing at the pain and sharp headache that hit you all at once.

Chaehyang, still on the bed, crawled forward and leaned over the edge, looking down at you with concern. "Are you alright!?" 

Rubbing your head, you replied with a grimace. "Yeah...just a hangover..ow.."

After helping you up, Chaehyang prepared some congee to help with the hangover while she made tea for herself.

While enjoying the warm bowl, you observed the woman's disheveled appearance.

The elegant hairdo you worked so hard on yesterday was now a mess; the baby pink lipstick now smeared across her lips, which, upon glancing at a mirror hanging on the wall, you spotted a smudge of the same shade on your right cheek.

Ah...

You gulped and fidgeted with the spoon in your hand; no matter how much you tried, you couldn't remember anything from last night.

"...What..what did I do..?" You gestured to her then to yourself. "Did we..?"

With a furious blush, Chaehyang slammed the teacup on the table. "Get your mind out of the gutter; nothing happened between us last night!"

You visibly relaxed while letting out a sigh of relief, but that relief was short-lived as the redhead continued.

"But, you DID cause some damages to the Pavilion in your drunken state."

Oh fuck.

According to the redhead, things started off normally, with you joyfully savoring the delicious wine, your face getting redder by the second while showering Chaehyang with praises and applause as she sang for you while skillfully playing the guqin, creating a beautiful melody that matched the song. 

Everything was fine and dandy, that is, until you finished your tenth (or was it the 20th? She lost count) cup.

That was the moment you went berserk.

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

Clapping eagerly, you went on and on about it being your turn to perform for Chaehyang and showcase your talents before suddenly you jumped to your feet and sprinted out of the chamber before the woman could fully process what was happening.

Oh no...

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

Snatching two long, colorful silky ribbon sticks from one of the entertainers in the hall, you started running while Chaehyang chased after you.

"Get back here!!"

The women looked at the scene, blinking several times in bewilderment, then turned to each other.

"What the hell was that?" One asked.

"I don't know and frankly I don't want to know; now come on the client's waiting."

Seongtae, who was passing by, saw you approaching with Chaehyang hot on your tail, and while he wasn't entirely sure what was going on, he moved to block the way by holding out his arms.

You, in turn, burst out laughing and didn't slow down. Once you got close enough, you took the man by surprise when you suddenly soared over him in the blink of an eye with a graceful leap. Seongtae didn't have time to react as the silken fabric spiraled around his body before tightening, successfully trapping him in place.

With a michievious grin, you pulled him towards you, sweeping him into your arms. Leaning in close, your eyes were full of glee. "Don't try and stop me, pretty boy~" you murmured, your lips just inches away from his.

Lost for words, Seongtae's eyes were wide, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he blushed lightly. Before he could utter a word, you turned and tossed him towards one of the vases nearby. Yelping as he found himself slamming face-first into the flowers, grabbing them just in time before you tugged him back to you.

"Oooh my~! For me? What a gentleman!" Letting out a gasp of delight, you took the bouquet from his hand and exclaimed, your voice laced with wonder. "Those are my favorite; how did you know!?"

With a dumbfounded Chaehyang looking on and not moving a muscle, you flicked your wrist once again, swiftly twisting Seongtae around, this time forcing the man to kiss the back of your hand over and over.

"Oh~ Oh~! What a tease~" With mock bashfulness, you looked to the side while lifting the bouquet over your mouth, letting out an amused giggle as you made him kiss your hand. "Aww stop now that's too much; you're making me blush~"

What is happening!??!

With one last kiss, you decided that was enough and stepped back, tossing Seongtae and freeing him from the ribbon, sending him spinning uncontrollably in Chaehyang's direction.

The woman let out a startled cry as the man collided into her, causing her to stumble back several steps, but she was able to regain her footing, instinctively wrapping her arms around his body firmly to keep them from toppling over.

Almost instantly, a vibrant scarlet ribbon spiraled around them, leaving them no time to react before it suddenly tightened, pressing their bodies against one another, completely entrapping them.

You skipped over to the duo, humming to yourself as you walked around them, observing them closely for a few moments before stepping behind with a grin. "You two would look so cute together!"

That comment made the redhead shiver in disgust. Seongtae, on the other hand, appeared dazed from all that twisting and turning; the world continued to spin around him.

"Now if you'll excuse me!"

You gave the woman a light push, sending them to the floor. 

"I've got people to enchant!" 

With that, you turned on your heel and sprinted down the hall, disappearing from view while Chaehyang called your name but to no avail.

.....

Seongtae spoke. "What is the meaning of this-!?"

"Oh just shut your mouth."

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

They were found shortly after by a maid; although confused to see the manager and Chaehyang in such a position, she made no comment as she simply freed them from the ribbon and went on with her business.

The pair hastily fixed their disheveled clothes as they raced down the halls, filled with dread from all the noises coming from the floor below.

"If your fucking toy causes any damages to the property it will come out of your pay check." Seongtae spat out as they rushed downstairs to the main area.

"Now's not the time!" She snapped back, her voice laced with urgency, fearing that the guards might have done something to you.

The sight that greeted them upon arriving left them speechless.

The previously empty room was now packed with people. The air was filled with music, coupled by excited cheers and whistles from the crowd gathered there.

With the ribbon fluttering and twisting in the air, the star of the night was dancing around, your body moving in grace like a swine despite your drunken state, each movement perfectly in tune with the music as you snatched a peony from one of the vases and twirled, only to drop on one knee, the ribbon going limp as you offered the blossom to a woman with a coy wink.

The woman, in turn, giggled as she accepted the flowers with an amused smile.

Upon seeing this, they also spotted several waitresses and women having the same dreamy smile on their faces. Some bashfully held flowers in their hands, while others had them tucked in their hair.

Orchid, Azalea, plum blossom...you name it.

Heck, even the women merrily playing on the instruments had some in their hair!

Holding on to the railings with their mouths agape, Chaehyang and Seongtae looked at each other in disbelief before turning their attention back to the scene, with you now performing a series of graceful leaps as you moved from table to table, each one accompanied by a mid-air twirl, the ribbon flowing in harmony with you as if it possessed a mind of its own.

Wait, why are you taking off your waistband...?

Gasps and cries of surprise followed by loud whistles erupted when you threw the ribbon in the air while making yet another leap with a smirk, your waistband and outer layer slipping off, leaving your bare shoulders and cleavage exposed for all to see.

As you landed on the table, you threw your head back as you caught the ribbon stick.

"Oh no..."

This was turning into a striptease!!

"We have to stop her NOW!!"

Seongtae's mind was racing, blinking several times before he snapped back to reality when Chaehyang snapped her fingers in his face. "...."

He wasn't sure if he wanted to right now...

Chaehyang sneered, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the stairs.

Back to you, you leaned forward. Then slowly, you rose to your feet, spinning all the while, the fabric of your dress fluttering around you.

Holding up the stick high above your head. The long ribbon followed your movement, spiraling around your body for a few moments before coming to a stop when something caught your eye.

Bingo.

"Woohoo!"

Abandoning the ribbon, you jumped off the table and headed towards one of the guards.

Pulling him close with a sultry smile, you placed a kiss on his cheek, smirking when he got distracted enough that you snatched the spear from his hand and ran off with it.

"H-hey!"

Jumping onto the table in the middle of the room, you plunged the spear into the wood, spinning around it with agility. Winking at the crowd when you reached the end, you basked in their applause as the hem of your dress skirt slowly slid down your lifted leg, resulting in even more wolf whistles and lewd comments.

"Out of the way!!"

Hm?

Looking over your shoulder, your smile widened upon seeing Chaehyang and Seongtae heading towards you. Lowering your leg, you spoke. "Hello guys! Liked the show?"

"Get down. Now." Chaehyang ordered with a low voice, leaving no room for argument.

You pouted, rolling your eyes. "Fiiiine, fine, you're no fun..."

Rising to your feet, you launched yourself at Seongtae, who let out a startled cry as he hurriedly caught you in his arms, wobbling slightly as he stumbled back a step before regaining his balance.

With a hearty laugh, you announced to the crowd. "Don't forget to buy tickets to the circus bitches~!"

As soon as you finished that sentence, you blacked out.

......

· ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

"Thank you for the help, Seongtae; I appreciate it." Chaehyang said as she cradled you.

After they put your clothes back on, Seongtae gave Chaehyang the night off and escorted them to her home, with the woman explaining your job at the circus when the man asked about it.

"Don't mention it." With that, he left.

On the way back, Seongtae passed by the flyer poster he saw recently.

A circus show, huh?

He wasn't interested in going before, but now...

The man's lips curved into a smile, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

Guess he needed to take the next few nights off.

· ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

Entering the guest room, the redhead gently laid you on the bed. In a split second, arms shot up and wrapped around her neck, pulling her down as a pair of legs wrapped around her waist, drawing her close.

"Wha..-?"

You yawned, hugging her tightly like a koala.

"H-hey!"

Nuzzling your cheek against her face, refusing to let go. With a lazy smile, you murmured. "Let's do this again~ hehe~ goodnight...~"

Oh god...

After her attempts to loosen your grip failed, Chaehyang soon gave up with a sigh of defeat. She wrapped her arms around you, getting comfortable before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

This was an.. interesting day to say the least.

· ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

"And now here we are."

So, in short, you gave the pavilion a free show.

Aiya...

Chaehyang calmly removed her makeup while you pulled at your hair, berating yourself before slamming your head on the ground and apologizing frantically.

"I'm so sorry I thought I could control myself better this time. I'll pay-!"

"There's no need."

Huh?

Puzzled, you lifted your head, your forehead a little red from the slam. "What?"

Brushing her hair, Chaehyang explained. "My manager was quite impressed with what you did and he let us off. There's no need for you to feel bad; that little performance of yours brought in plenty of customers last night, surprisingly more women than men." She finished with a frown, still annoyed that you gave so many flowers and flattering compliments to those women yet didn't receive any herself.

Your eyes widened in surprise, hardly believing your ears. "...So I'm not in any trouble?"

The redhead nodded, checking herself in the mirror. "In fact, he wanted me to let you know that you're welcome to the pavilion any time, free of charge."

Well, that's a plus, but damnit! Your boss is going to kill you if he hears about this. Fuck, you lost the bet.

You sighed. Welp, nothing can be done about it now; that's a problem for future you.

Now, for the matter at hand...

· ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

Part 2 is dooone

Yeah you basically turn into a Casanova when drunk

Got inspired by Mei Mei from Kung Fu panda 3 plus Esmeralda from hunchback of notre dame!

Until next tiiiime (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)

"Well, this certainly is a surprise..."

As the long, dark-haired man stood before the mirror, examining his reflection closely, his eyes grew wide as he took in the cut on his lip and the numerous bruises on his face. However, instead of being appalled by the sight, his lips curled into a wicked grin, revealing his sharp teeth as he let out a low, menacing chuckle.

Jaha Lee did not expect he'd be given another chance, yet here he was, getting sent back in time to his 20-year-old self. Although he felt skeptical, who was he to complain?

After all, he'll finally get to catch his target.

You. 

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

"Hmm..."

The man stood in the middle of his inn, taking in the mess around him. Chairs and tables were overturned, tea cups and plates were broken into tiny shards that scattered across the floorboards. The doors were splintered and hung halfway from their hinges...

All in all, the place was a total wreck.

This confirmed at what point in time he was sent back in.

In that case...if he recalls correctly, you should arrive right about now-

"Alrighttt let's start cleaning- what are you doing out of bed!?"

Hearing that familiar voice made Jaha's body tense up, and he turned around.

The man didn't answer.

Here you are...

The man stood there in silence, letting out a shaky breath as he faced your worried expression; this is exactly like his first life...

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

"How dare a mere orphan boy without a dime to his name even think of ever laying his filthy hands upon our pavilion's most exquisite and renowned entertainer!? Have you lost your mind!?"

Upon uttering those words, the man seized Jaha Lee's hair in a painful grip and lifted his head, forcing him to face the scornful woman in question, whilst the other entertainers standing behind her were looking on in delight, giggling as he received harsh kicks and blows from the guards surrounding him.

When he met her eyes, he saw only disdain, staring back at him with utter contempt while fanning herself. Filled with despair, the man could do nothing but curse his luck.

How did things come to this...? How did his words spiral out of control so fast?

'To be honest...my dream is to hear a song from Chaehyang at the plum blossom pavilion.'

He wished he had just told those men the real reason he was saving up; he wouldn't have gotten himself into this situation otherwise.

With smirks on their faces, the guards stopped with their attacks and backed up as the leader released his grip, sending his face crashing into the dirt. "You should be grateful a simple beating is all you're getting; you're fortunate we're so merciful." He spat out with another powerful kick to the ribs, sending the man flying across the street. "Now scram before I change my mind!"

.....

Jaha didn't move an inch.

"Why isn't he moving?" One of the men asked, upon hearing that, Chaehyang stepped forward.

"Chaehyang?" 

The crowd of onlookers watched silently as the woman leisurely made her way to the figure lying on the ground with grace. Upon reaching him, she stood over him for a moment before bending down and using her fan to gently nudge his head.

....

"He's just unconscious," Chaehyang said, letting out a sigh of relief.

The woman was well aware that she was attractive, and thus, it was no wonder that many were drawn to her. After all, thanks to her captivating looks and alluring voice, countless men visited the pavilion every night in hopes of getting her to spend the night with them. 

That made her skin crawl with both rage and disgust; she would never have sex with just anyone; she's not a whore.

Still, that doesn't mean she wanted the poor boy dead; she's not heartless.

"HA! The bastard passed out!"

"Just leave him there! Let's get back to work; he wasted enough of our time."

Everyone went back to the pavilion, leaving Jaha unconscious on the streets. Chaehyang halted in her steps, glancing over her shoulder at the errand boy with pity.

Hopefully, he learned his lesson from this and would stop having such foolish dreams.

"Chaehyang, is something the matter?" One of her friends asked.

....

Chaehyang looked down at her fan with clear disdain before tossing it aside. "It's too dirty now; I need a new one."

The woman knew what she was referring to, causing her to giggle as she wrapped her arms around Chaehyang's while resting her head on her shoulder with a sweet smile. "Sister Chaehyang is such a kind soul!" she exclaimed with a cheerful air.

"Hmm."

With a clang, the doors closed and everyone went back to their businesses, as if nothing had happened. People passing by the unconscious man either snickered or just ignored his poor state.

........

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

"Agh..." 

"Did you see that?"

"HAHAHA That was hilarious!!"

"Aw I missed it, too bad." 

"There's always next time pal."

.....

The man has woken up long after the night has passed. His shoulders were slumped as he leaned heavily against the walls and trees for support, slowly making his way home with unsteady steps. The immense pain of his injuries caused him to clench his jaw tightly, trying to block out the mocking laughter and insults that were thrown his way.

Jaha Lee's neat hair bun had been disheveled and turned into a tangled mess. His clothes were in tatters, stained with mud and dirt, making him look like a beggar. On top of everything else, the little bit of money he had on him was stolen as well. It couldn't get any worse...

The man was sourly mistaken, because soon after the sky grew dark and rain began to pour down, the clothes offered little protection as the heavy rain drenched him from head to toe, soaking through his ruined clothes. The streets were empty almost immediately as people hurried to their homes, leaving him all alone, which was a relief.

His eyelids felt heavy as he fought to keep them open. Despite the exhaustion, he kept going, the occasional thunder echoing in the distance and the sound of his footsteps squelching in the muddy ground filling his ears while pushing through the strong winds.

Almost there...!

Then finally, in the distance, the inn came into view, his heart filled with relief, his lips curling into a small, shaky smile, but just as he was about to keep going, his legs gave way, and he fell face-first into the cold, muddy ground.

Ah oh.

With no more strength remaining, the man layed motionless on the ground, allowing the harsh chilling drops to drench him to the bone. He'll...just lay here for a while before using his arms to drag himself to the inn.

Unbeknownst to the man, he didn't hear the footsteps heading his way, nor the way the rain abruptly stopped hitting his body as a shadow fell upon him.

"Oh god... I knew I wasn't seeing things! Hey mister! You awake? You dead?" The voice asked as she nudged him with her foot.

Huh...?

Slowly, Jaha opened his eyes and lifted his head. Next to him stood a cloaked woman, an umbrella held tightly in her hand, shielding them from the rain as she loomed above him. The lower half of her face was covered by a black mask, leaving only her eyes and brow visible as she gazed down upon him.

Breathing out a sigh of relief when she saw him finally move, she spoke. "Glad you're still breathing; do you need help? Where is your home?" Does he even have a place to go? He looks like a beggar.

....

Jaha swallowed hard, gathering up the last bit of his strength to lift his arm and point to his inn. "The..there.." he managed to choke out.

The woman turned her gaze to where he was pointing, spotting the little house in the distance before nodding. "Very well."

Closing the umbrella and stashing it within her cloak, she crunched down, making Jaha blink in confusion before letting out a startled cry as the woman swiftly scooped him up into her arms before standing up, cradling him like a groom carrying his bride. Despite the contact with his wounds making him grunt out in discomfort, he could feel a twinge of warmth spread across his cheeks at the way she was carrying him, firmly yet gently.

Even though the rain soaked her clothes, the woman didn't seem to be phased by it as she continued to walk at a slow pace to keep her footing in the mud, humming a soft tone as she carried him effortlessly, like he weighted nothing.

Her soothing voice helped the man feel more at ease, forgetting about his pain as he relaxed and leaned more into her embrace, savoring the warmth and comfort she provided while listening to her. That is, until she suddenly came to a stop.

"Here we are-...."

???

Jaha's eyes shot open, looking up at her stunned expression before slowly turning his head.

....

Why are the doors broken...?

The woman glanced at him with concern before stepping forward and walking through the doorway.

"Oh god..."

Jaha's eyes widened in dismay as he took in the state of his inn.

"M..my h-home..!" he stammered. His inn, the place he worked so hard to maintain, pouring his heart and soul into, was in ruin. Feeling tears well up in his eyes, he sobbed.

What has he done to deserve this...? All for a silly joke?

The unfairness of it all was too much for the man to bear, and he fainted right then and there.

"Oh god- great, he fainted." 

Her boss is going to be so furious with her when she goes back, but she can't leave the man like this!

 "...Damnit!"

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── ·

Hours had gone by, and Jaha's eyes slowly fluttered open, disturbed by the sunlight streaming through the window and the sound of birds chirping loudly outside. Immediately, he let out a low grunt of discomfort as he felt his head throbbing with a pulsing ache.

This was just getting worse and worse, he thought when he brought his hand to his forehead, wincing at the intense heat. Did he get a fever? Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he struggled to sit up right, aching all over.

At first, he had thought, hoped it was all a terrible nightmare, but the stinging pain and the sight of raindrops trickling down the window proved otherwise.

In that case...his inn..!

Bolting out of the bed, the man rushed to the other room, his eyes darting around; the place was in shambles.

....

Jaha stood motionless, ignoring the sudden sting that shot through his feet upon stepping on the fragments of glass lying beneath him. 

"Alrighttt let's start cleaning- what are you doing out of bed!?"

The woman was back!?

"I..." Jaha trailed off, captivated by your appearance. Gone was the mask, allowing him to see your full face, and god, you were gorgeous. 

Even the so famed Chaehyang paled in comparison to you.

Is this what falling in love at first technically second sight felt like?

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

Being part of a travelling circus, you were used to living life on the move, never staying in one place for long. You travelled far and wide across countless cities and villages, and with each stop, you captivated the hearts of your audience with your enthralling performance. You adored seeing the joy and wonder in the eyes of children and adults alike; it made every ounce of effort put in worthwhile, so when your circus came to this small town, you had no doubt that it would be the same old dance.

What you didn't expect was for the rain to pour down the second you arrived, meaning everyone would be cooped up in their carriages for the time being. After doing your skin care routine, you lounged lazily on the cozy chair next to your window, enjoying your favorite drink while reading a novel to pass the time, glancing out the window every once in a while.

As you took a sip of your drink and casually glanced out the window once again, something caught your eye. A lone figure was walking through the rain, swaying unsteadily from side to side until they eventually collapsed to the ground with a splash.

That made you wince, ouch.

....why aren't they moving?

Should you...?? You didn't really wanna move from this comfy position and go out into the cold though....

You shrugged and turned back to your book. "Nah, not my problem."

.....

Seconds later, the door to the carriage slammed open as you stepped out and opened your umbrella.

You shivered, man it is cold out here!!

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

Long story short, you took him to his home, which looked like a tornado ran through the place, and with the man fainting right in your arms, you had no choice but to stay and assist him.

Plus, with the rain halting the show and the rehearsal for today you have nothing to do so might as well!

Aren't you such a kind-hearted soul?

Now the guy who turned out to be a cutie was staring at you like a fool.

You snapped your fingers in front of his face. "Helloo? Earth to Jaha!" 

That made him snap out of his daze as he looked at you with surprise. "H-how do you know my name?" He managed to stutter out.

"Heard the village gossip about an errand boy getting his ass beat while I was shopping, plus there's a sign outside with your name on it, sooo...yeah!" You replied, guiding him towards his room and pushing him gently into the bed. "Don't move." 

Jaha obeyed, staying still as he watched you kneel down and gently grasp his foot. Carefully removing the embedded shards of glass before running some alcohol on his feet, making him hiss at the sting.

"Now you lay down and don't move a muscle alright? I'll go clean up."

He wanted to protest, but the pain and fatigue made him shut his mouth, nodding reluctantly and just did as he was told.

Might as well; it's not like he has anything of value you can steal if that was your plan.

He soon dismissed the thought and scolded himself for being paranoid and thinking ill of the kind woman, stupid! If that were the case you would have just rummaged through his belongings while he was unconscious, yet you chose to come back and help him instead.

You finished cleaning sooner than anticipated, and thus you entered the room with a smile, holding a tray in your hands. "I'm done!"

"...That was.. fast." 

"There's only the doors left but I'll send some of my buddies to fix it up for ya! So no need to worry about it." You said, walking over and placing the tray on his lap. "I made you some chicken soup, it should help with the fever."

Jaha stared at the steaming bowl before him for a moment, then took a spoonful and cautiously brought it to his lips. As the warm, savory liquid filled his mouth, his eyes lit up in surprise at the taste.

You looked smug when you saw his reaction. "Tastes good right?"

"It's amazing!"

"Of course it does." You said, your voice laced with pride as you turned to leave. "I have to head back now or my friends will get worried. Goodbye for now."

The man was grateful for the help, but..

"Why are you helping me?" He blurted out before he could stop himself.

You halted, turning your head to look at him over your shoulder, your brow furrowing slightly. "Pardon?" 

He repeated himself.

"Why are you helping me? I'm a stranger to you, after all."

With a nonchalant shrug, you responded. "....I'm just a bit bored I guess? helping you gave me something to do."

The man blinked at such an answer. "Bored?"

"Yup, plus...why not? You're a cutie." You added with a sly smile, you did not expect to see a handsome and fit guy under all that mud, but it was a pleasant surprise.

Jaha could feel his cheeks growing hotter, and he lowered his eyes. "Thank you." He mumbled.

"No problem! Also, I washed your dirty clothes from yesterday after I bathed you! Bye-bye now!"

He waved as he watched you leave, before freezing as he realized what you just said.

B..bathed him?? So that means...

....FUCK!!

His face burned further with embarrassment as he covered it with his hands. 

How could he possibly look you in the eye after that!?

Oh god...

·  ──── · · ─────── ·𑁍· ─────── · · ──── · 

This is supposed to be like a flashback to how you met which is a long fic in itself then headcanons right after

It was fun for practice so it's worth it!