✧　royalty au

@･ﾟ✧ kim doyoung With the tips of her fingers, Soobin gently smoothed out the creases that had gathered in the rich fabric while she had been lounging after finally rising to her feet. Her eyes, however, still carried the flicker of playful defiance, a subtle pout gracing her lips as she considered Doyoung's words. Her dramatic gasp, followed by a soft chuckle, echoed in the air, a light moment suspended in the delicate balance of their complicated responsibilities. "I hate to say it, but you are always right," she conceded, her eyes twinkling with both mischief and sincerity. "I'm going to hear another mouthful from my mother if she catches me stepping on another lord's feet."

As she closed the distance between them, her eyes met his and caught that brief flicker of distraction clouding his gaze. It wasn't just a simple distraction; it was a weighty look, almost as if he were somewhere far away, lost in a labyrinth of thoughts she could only guess at. With a gentle but decisive movement, she took his hand into hers. The act broke a thousand rules of decorum, yet it felt as natural as breathing. With him, she wasn't just a princess confined by duty and expectations. She was simply Soobin, and he was Doyoung—two souls tethered by an indefinable connection, yet pulled apart by the harsh reality of their stations.

Her fingers wrapped around his hand, hoping to draw his focus back to her, back to this moment that they stole from time. "I wish that I could just practice with you instead," she mused, her voice tinged with wistfulness. "It's always so awkward with random strangers, but with you, it wouldn't be awkward at all! I bet I could improve much faster." Soobin allowed herself to be escorted into the ballroom where practice awaited her, where they would each play their designated roles. And for them to separate once more.

@･ﾟ✧ chae soobin it should be studied, he thinks, the way she makes his entire world stop with the simple utterance of three words. every time he looks at her, it feels as though he's gazing at a painting, unable to look away as if she's the whole museum and he's simply a passerby, only allowed to admire but never touch. if things had been different, if the universe had favored him, he would have let her have her way in a heartbeat. but he couldn't. regardless of his status, he still belonged to a life of servitude and he could never truly be hers.

"you know your father would punish the both of us if i let you do that, your highness." a soft smile rests on his face at the sight of her pout. he can't seem to help it. "i'd much prefer to live to see tomorrow and besides, the faster we attend the rehearsal, the sooner it will be over." he claps his hands together before gesturing her to rise to her feet, now wearing a playful grin. "you could use some more practice, you know. i do recall you stepped on quite a few feet at the last ball you attended."

his tone is lighthearted and teasing but his eyes become distracted, momentarily taken back to that night. she had looked even more angelic - something he still couldn't believe was possible - and he recalled how he simply stood by the wall, a mere chess piece frozen to his place on the board, as he could only gaze on from afar. in a room of thousands, she was the only one he saw. he couldn't help but wonder if he was also seen, if he could someday be worth a single glance in the midst of her life.

@･ﾟ✧ kim doyoung The gazebo stood like a timeless guardian amidst the sea of blooming roses, hydrangeas, and tulips that adorned the royal garden. Its intricate wooden framework, adorned with subtle carvings of mythical creatures and intertwined vines, provided just enough shade to balance the generous offerings of the summer sun. Lattice panels created dancing patterns on the floor, each movement of the leaves casting playful shadows that seemed to tell stories of their own. It was the epitome of a beautiful summer day, the sky an unblemished expanse of cerulean, occasionally visited by wisps of cottony clouds drifting lazily by, as if too enamored by the planet’s beauty to hasten their journey.

Soobin had found her solace here, away from the hustle of palace life and the societal roles she had to play. She lay against the railings of the gazebo, her legs extended out to the side, casually crossed at the ankles. Her right arm folded under her chin, providing a soft cushion against the railing as she cradled her head. Her eyes, usually so alert and expressive, had a far-off glint as they stared into the dreamy horizon.

But the serenity of the moment was about to be complemented, rather than disturbed. Before she even looked, she knew who it was. Turning her head, her face immediately lit up with a warm, expansive smile at the sight of her knight, his silver armor dulled only by the shadows of overhanging trees. "You found me," she said softly, her eyes twinkling.

Her face, so full of light moments before, underwent a subtle transformation at his next words. "Already?" Her voice held a note of disappointment as her head sank a bit lower, the garden beyond blurring into a distant canvas. "You already know how much I don't want to attend." A pout graced her lips, lending her an almost childlike vulnerability. "I don't want to dance with all these strangers. Can’t I just stay here and hang out with you instead."

@･ﾟ✧ chae soobin as he leaned against a pillar of the gazebo, he couldn't help the fondness in his eyes as he gazed over at the one person who had unknowingly stolen his whole heart. chae soobin. she could simply exist and he would still find her breathtaking. of course, it wasn't just her beauty he was enamored with. it was the way he could tell that gentle kindness came so naturally to her. or maybe it was the melodious sound of her laughter. at the very least, it was how she always tried her best to stay true to herself. she had the qualities of the perfect princess. not one that was made up of gowns and tiaras but one with a good and genuine heart.

and yet, as he watched her, he knew that this was the way it would be forever. her in her perfect world and him, only able to look on from afar. this was the proper order. this was how it should be. with a tired sigh, he pushed himself away from the pillar and slowly made his way over to her, hands clasped behind his back. "your highness. your father requests that you attend the rehearsal for the ball this afternoon. we should hurry or we'll be late." he wants to extend out a hand for her to take. he doesn't. for someone who's job is to protect and fight, he was quite cowardly.