#isa 💞 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sanjoongie · 24 days ago

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I can see you through a window (and tears stream down my face)

🏰title exchange collab, title given by @daemour (she wanted to know if I wanted an Ao3 type title and i thought why not meet a challenge 🤣)

↝Topaz to Flurry↝ Lace and Chains

↝Flurry to Isa↝ A Hundred No's

↝Isa to Dae↝ I wish you Roses

🏰Pairing: { Savior! Knight! Jeong Yunho x Cursed! Princess! Reader (f) } Editor! Yunho x Author! Reader ft {Bunny/Noble! Seonghwa and Dog/Guard! Yeosang} Publicist! Seonghwa and Agent! Yeosang ft ft Editor's Assistant! Wooyoung and Romance Novel Model! Hongjoong

🏰Au: Fantasy, Fairytale, Office, Publishing Company, Non-idol

🏰Trope: destined lovers, one-sided love, office romance

🏰Genre: fluff, romance, ANGST

🏰Warnings: mental cheating, betrayal, mentions of killing/murder

🏰Rating: 18+, MDNI (this piece has no smut or described violence)

🏰Word Count: 7,553 (apologies the fairy tale got away from me)

🏰Summary: You're in love with your editor, who is a married man and entertains, if not encourages, your adoration. But your heart can only take so much pining. So you decide your next book would help you work through some of your current to-date issues. Are you strong enough to break away or will your editor continue to lead you by your nose?

🏰Author's Note: this story is told by a back and forth method. The author and the editor are the real life part and the author is coming to terms with her situation and feelings through her writing. I hope I made it easy to follow 💞

🏰Beta readers: @downtoamagicalland

🏰divider by @cafekitsune

𝔒𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔘𝔭𝔬𝔫 𝔄 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢…

…there was a princess. She wasn't spoiled or rotten to the core. Bad things simply happen to good people. So she was cursed; cursed to live in a villa, away from her family and kingdom, away from everyone.

The princess didn't see it as a curse, however. She had her books and her loyal servants who raised her. She had a loyal hound and gentle bunny to keep her company.

But best of all, she had her imagination.

The bunny was her gentile courtier companion who danced with her and scolded her when she didn’t sit properly in her dress. Her hound was her steadfast knight who protected her while awake or sleeping. There were no bounds to her endless stories. She was content.

That was, until, an actual hero showed up.

🏰🏰🏰

“Princess!” One of the maid’s yelled, her skirts pulled high so she could run. “There is a visitor!”

Your head snapped upwards, in the middle of penning one of your daydreams. “What did you say?”

“A visitor!” The maid collapsed, hands braced on knees.

You eyed her suspiciously. “You can’t be serious.”

The maid gulped in air and sent you an incredulous look. “Do you really think… I’d run like that… for make believe?!”

She had a point.

You stood up and smoothed your skirts over your stomach subconsciously. You had never had to dress or prepare for a visitor before because there were never supposed to be any visitors.

“Does Cook know?” You asked.

The maid shook her head. “No, I came straight to you.”

You stepped quickly, gripping the maid’s arm. “Speak to cook. If it’s a visitor and from what I’ve learned about the lands around this villa, they’ll need good, hearty food. None of those frou-frou cucumber sandwiches she serves for late tea.”

The maid moved to run to the cook but you stopped her. “Then prepare the Ariel room to receive him. I’ll be there post-haste.”

The maid paused her panting, eying you up. “Where are you off to?”

“To appear as a princess,” You replied solidly.

You put on your dress that screamed princess to you. It was a lovely pastel color against your skin. It flowed around your hand-sewn pearl slippers. You felt… pretty. Isn’t that what the story books said all princesses were?

The visitor was sitting at one of the tables set by the tall windows in the Ariel room. One foot was cast outwards, as if he was lounging for a brief respite. The ray of sun hit him just perfectly so that you felt like you were the one stumbling upon the sleeping princess, instead of him.

“Sir…?” You coughed politely in order to draw his attention to yourself.

The visitor stood up. He was taller than his lanky form appeared sitting down. You curtsied nonetheless and he bowed deeply, sweeping an arm around his stomach. “Princess?”

You wanted to maintain decorum but your inquisitive mind got the better of you. “How did you get here? Is there an evil vine forest surrounding the grounds? Did you have to fight any goblins and/or ogres?”

The knight laughed, brightening up his face. “I can tell you all of my adventures. But first!” He stood up and shook his hair out of his face. “I need to do one thing.”

The visitor's long legs brought him quickly to your side and your heart picked up speed. “Kisses usually break the curse do they not?” He said in a low tone that made you feel light and heavy at the same time.

His hands crept along your jaw and cheeks, looking to hold you in place as his eyes became hooded. “May I bestow a kiss upon thy lips?” The knight asked.

“Should I not know your name first, kind knight?” You squeaked.

“Jeong Yunho, at your service, Princess.”

You swallowed loudly. Why did his polite words sound like there was another meaning under them?

“You may proceed,” You said with as much neutrality as you could muster.

You closed your eyes and parted your lips. How would your first kiss--

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The knight looked around, annoyed at the interruption. You stomped your foot in annoyance as well. “What is it, goddamn, how am I supposed to finish this book if I cannot have a moment's peace?!”

The beautiful scene from the lovely Ariel room melted away and you were back in your office. You slammed your laptop down in frustration.

“What is it, goddamn, how am I supposed to finish this book if I cannot have a moment's peace?!” You demanded.

The same face that the prince in your novel wore stuck itself between the door and the door frame. “It's just me, checking to see how you're doing.”

Having Yunho as your editor was a pain in your behind. Not only was he extremely attractive, his work ethic was only outshined by his kind heart. He was the epitome of lead by example. In a word: he was perfect.

And perfectly off the market too.

“I am fine. I'm in the middle of the prince about to sweep the princess in the curse breaking kiss,” You grumbled.

Yunho pushed his way into your office and sat down on the chair across from you. Just like the prince, his lanky form could barely fit in the cramped place. He picked up a book you had for research. “The round table huh?” He began to rifle through the pages. “I don't suppose there's any good smut in here, huh?”

“Yunho, you know how much I love you, but that's not helping,” You sighed.

“Oh, I know,” Yunho winked.

An ugly feeling in the pit of your stomach threatened to burst. He didn't really mean that. He was referring to how you were famously a prickly author and only Yunho had managed to soothe down your hissy cat mood swings and get you to write best sellers.

“Are you sure starting with a kiss straight out the gate is a good idea?” You ventured for a moment. “Don't people usually want a slow burn or a build up?”

Yunho pretended to think about it, putting your King Arthur book right where he had plucked it from your mess of a desk. “I think that it's a hook that will surprise people and leave them wanting more.”

You let out a sigh of relief and then made a shooing motion. “I'm in the zone. Get out of here so I can continue my money making work.”

“I was just about to head out with Ella for dinner. I just wanted to check in and make sure you were good for the night. Did you want me to get--”

You pasted on a tight smile. Perhaps if Mr. Perfect stopped acting like the nation's boyfriend, you could kill this crush and stop writing him as the main romance lead in all your books. “No more interruptions, please.”

Yunho sent you a jaunty salute and then stood up. “Remember to eat before it gets too late.”

When he was gone, you threw a pen across the room in a temporary tantrum. This was a nightmare. Sure, it fueled you creatively but you weren’t entirely sure how much longer you could do this mentally.

You turned your head so you could crack your neck and then you opened your laptop. Your book wasn’t going to write itself. Perhaps you could finish it and then consider your contract with Aurora Publishing.

Your office misted away until in your mind’s eye you pictured the Ariel room once more. The sun shined through and Yunho was cupping your face once again.

Except you couldn't deny the pang of one-sided love that echoed in your heart at that moment. You put a hand on Yunho’s chest and gently pushed him away. “No, sir knight, I’ve changed my mind. A kiss must always be earned. A pointless one with no meaning would simply be just a kiss.”

Yunho let go of you and scratched the back of his head. The tips of his ears became pink. “How right you are, Princess.”

You moved gracefully to the table where Yunho had previously been sitting and patted the chair beside you. “Would you still tell me of your travels? How did you come to hear of my curse in the first place? Why are you even here?!”

Yunho ducked his head graciously and sat back at the table beside you. “Your sister hired me. Everyone seems to have forgotten about you except for her. Even I must admit, I thought I was chasing a wild goose. I’m just as surprised as you are to be here.”

“My sister?” You brightened up.

Your younger sister had been the one companion you could never replace. You missed spinning tales for her to sigh happily about.

Yunho nodded eagerly. “She’s quite the sorceress now. Secretly, of course, considering magic is the reason you’re here now.”

The knight reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled out a ring, a lilac colored stone cut into the shape of a heart. “She gave me this. If you put it on, you should be able to follow me out of the villa.”

Your eyes widened and you reached out for the ring hesitantly. Leave behind your life behind these walls and go back to your old life? But what about the servants who had dedicated their lives to your wellbeing? Would they be stuck here no without a purpose?

“I…” You dropped your hand into your lap before you could touch the ring.

Yunho quickly tucked it back into the pouch he had pulled it from. “You need some time to think about changing your life. I understand completely.”

“Could you…” You hesitated but you couldn't deny what else your heart wanted. “Could you tell me about my home?”

Yunho nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.”

🏰🏰🏰

“I don’t know why you don’t just fuck someone else and get it out of your system,” One of your friends shrugged, popping a piece of donut in their mouth.

“I don’t want to fuck someone else,” You grumbled under your breath.

“Well maybe you should,” Your friend pushed. “What if it helps you see that you don’t really want Yunho, you’ve just allowed yourself to obsess over him?”

Your friend wasn’t exactly talking shit, even though on a surface level it sounded like she just wanted you to hook up and get over it.

You took a sip of your coffee and contemplated it. On the one hand, you appreciated Yunho being so hands on with you. It really showed that he gave a crap, and that was your problem with your last publishing house. But on the other hand, you had not drawn a line so you and Yunho were stuck in some kind of weird quicksand of grey area that sucked you in.

You sighed and slumped onto the table. “Maybe I should just leave. Cut ties from him completely.”

“Uhhh, maybe--”

“No, I think you’re right,” You cut your friend off. “I need to stop allowing myself to obsess over him. I’ve taken it too far. He can’t be blamed for just being himself. Maybe I’ll go back to being a freelancer. I’m popular enough I’d probably get a following publishing digitally on my own. Less stress, keep my own schedule--”

Your friend grabbed your shoulder and shook you aggressively. “Now is really not the time,” they hissed at you.

“Why not?” You shouted, sitting up and then it hit you.

There was Yunho, a tray of coffees in one hand and a handful of bags in another. With him was his assistant, Wooyoung. Yunho had a hesitant and awkward smile on his face. If looks could kill, the one Wooyoung was sending you right now would have lasered a hole in your head. Shit.

“Take this back to the office,” Yunho said resolutely, pushing everything into Wooyoung’s hands, despite the assistant opening and closing his mouth in protest.

“I’ll talk to you later.” Your friend stood up and dashed out of the coffee shop pretty quickly.

Wooyoung sent a hand gesture and mouthed “I’m watching you” but left with everything Yunho had handed you.

Yunho sat down, hands in his pockets casually. “Why didn’t you say something about wanting to leave?”

“I was just… thinking out loud.” You waved your hand in front of you like you were dismissing the words from the air. “It didn’t mean anything.”

Yunho pursed his lips to one side. “Also, who are you obsessed with that makes you want to leave?”

You shut down immediately. “None of your fucking business, Yunho.”

Yunho sat back as if you had physically slapped him. “Seriously? We’ve been friends for years. I’m more than your editor!” he protested.

“Maybe that’s a problem,” You grumbled under your breath.

Yunho pulled his hands from his pockets and shot across the table, taking yours into his own. “What’s wrong with you? Is it the book? I thought you were excited to start it? Do you need a break? I can pull up the contract, see what I can do before we get too far down the pipeline.”

You stared down at the hands that encompassed yours. There he was, doing it again. Were you making things to be more than they were because you felt some kind of way for Yunho? Or was he seriously acting more than just a friend?

You gently pulled your hands out of Yunho’s. “It's not the book,” and you left it at that.

Yunho still wasn’t going to give up, however. He moved his chair until he was beside you and not across from you. “Then how can I help?”

“I don’t--” You let out a little noise of frustration. “Yunho, I was just venting to a friend. If you had left with Wooyoung, that would have been amazing help.”

Yunho frowned at you. “I don’t understand.”

You began to rub your eyebrow, a tick of yours that you couldn't seem to ditch. “How about we just forget this whole thing happened. How about that?”

Yunho wiped a hand over his face. A very large hand. One that you had used in your stories time and time again-- you shook your head. This madness had to stop.

“Let's just go back to the office, yeah? Did you buy everyone drinks and snacks? What a nice man in power,” You simpered.

Yunho sent you a look that spoke of how he didn't believe your change of attitude but he was a good man--so he'd follow your lead.

Yunho got up from his chair and waved his arm out towards the door. “After you.”

🏰🏰🏰

“Oh, Your Highness.”

The maid you were speaking with had tears filling up her eyes. “We are here to serve you. If you have the chance to be free of this place, then you must take it. We are here because the crown has directed us to take care of you. But we are not trapped. You know this, otherwise how else would we be able to supply you with your clothes as you grew or baked cakes with sugar that we can’t grow here.”

You felt your own eyes fill with tears in response. You had accepted your curse long ago, when you had let go of any hope as a child of breaking it upon turning into an adult. The fact that this opportunity had stumbled its way into your life was beyond your wildest dreams. And it came with a knight to boot.

So you gathered your hound, and held your bunny on your lap and called Yunho to the Rapunzel room. You were ready to start your own adventure.

“Now, who are these fine fellows?” Yunho inquired, lifting his hand to pet your hound.

The dog raised his hackles, growling softly. He’d never snap but he was sure letting Yunho know that the pet was not appreciated.

You laughed softly. “His name is Yeosang. He is my fiercest protector. He’s not a lapdog like I have read other princesses are gifted with.”

You lifted up your bunny from under his front legs. “And this is Seonghwa. He is a noble within my court.”

Yunho bowed at the waist, acknowledging both of your companions. “Do you intend to take them both with us?”

“They would never forgive me if I let the servants take them,” You admitted.

Yunho nodded as if he completely understood. “Of course. I will look over them as if they were my own page and charge.”

Yunho explained to you about the perilous journey you two were about to make in order to get you home. He spoke of forests dark and deep, stretches of sands and dunes, and icy tundras. How were you supposed to pack for all of those climates? And what about food?

“It’s going to be hard, Princess,” Yunho admitted. “But if your heart is true, then, I believe we can make it. Together.”

Your heart fluttered and you pressed a hand to your chest. This was silly. You couldn't just fall in love with the first man you came across in your long, cursed life. You’d have a silly little crush and then you’d move on. You were a princess, after all! You were destined for someone of royal nature.

You bid all the staff farewell and made them promise to find you once they returned to the castle--to your home--and then began the trek with the knight, the bunny and the hound. Or rather, that’s what you imagined.

The second you passed through a door that was covered with vines, Seonghwa hopped out of the pouch you had wrapped him in. Yeosang began to bark and dove into a bush as well. You cried out in alarm, terrified that your only constant companions were fleeing you. But to your complete astonishment, they transformed into men.

“Good Morning, Princess,” a man with red-brown hair bowed to you. He had a sword strapped to his side.

You studied him, perplexed, sure that you didn’t have any guards in the villa because no one could actually come and go with the exception of the staff. But then you spotted a mark by his left eye, one that you used to kiss softly every night.

“Yeosang?!” You gasped.

“At your service,” He smiled serenely, standing up.

Another man, with long black hair, brushed leaves from his suit. “That’s my least favorite part,” he frowned.

“Seonghwa!” Yeosang scolded the other man. “Address the princess properly before you start pampering yourself.”

“Ah!” Seonghwa closed his eyes, making them scrunch up in embarrassment. “Your highness, my most humble apologies. Did you sleep well? You appear as a vision this fine morning.”

Your jaw dropped. Your hound and your bunny were actually… men!?

“What is going on here?” Yunho demanded, twisting in his horse's saddle to glare down at your comrades.

You slipped off your horse and bounded towards the two men, throwing an arm around each of them for a group hug. After you squealed in excitement, you pulled back, feeling tears in your eyes and your throat tightening. “How is this possible?”

Seonghwa teared up as well and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “Please, Princess, don’t cry. Once you start I won’t be able to stop.”

Yeosang’s voice sounded gruff. “We were sent by a good sorceress who heard of your plight. We had to go undercover as animals of course, but did you really think that you would be banished without protectors?”

“Although I’m very happy to be accompanying you back to the castle, I will miss our make believe tea parties,” Seonghwa touched his handkerchief to his eyes, dabbing the tears away.

Yeosang laughed. “Don’t mind Seonghwa. He always gets emotional at the slightest things.”

Yunho was off his horse too now and coming closer with his face full of anger. “We did not plan for this! You’ll slow us down without horses, not to mention dwindle our small supplies!”

Seonghwa stood his full height, which wasn’t as tall as Yunho, but almost. “We can change back into our forms willingly now that we are outside of the villa’s magic. And you won’t be going anywhere with the princess without us.”

You put a hand on Yunho’s arm. “Yunho, remember your vow? You said you’d look over them.”

Yunho relented slowly, breathing in and out deeply. “I did. And I’m a man of my word. Very well. We shouldn’t let our first day be slow, however. Back to your other forms then.”

Seonghwa lifted his hand as if he was going to hit Yunho behind his back and you couldn't help but giggle. He was very much the sassy bunny you grew up with.

“I’ll maintain the rear. Nothing shall get past me, Princess,” Yeosang proclaimed, pulling at the ends of his gloves.

“Careful of my ears,” Seonghwa pouted slightly. “They’re very sensitive this time of year.”

“Oh, Seonghwa,” You smiled, happy to finally be able to speak with your friends.

🏰🏰🏰

“Ugh, I’m exhausted!” Seonghwa announced, falling over your desk and interrupting your writing.

“Awe, did your yapping zap all your energy?” You cooed mockingly at your publicist.

Seonghwa sat up, lips pressed into a thin line, clearly unimpressed by your response. “A thank you would be nice.”

You rolled your eyes. “What did you get done today?”

Seonghwa brightened, happy to be able to chatter away about his job. He was one of the two people you had taken over with you when you left your last publishing house and signed a contract with Yunho’s. He could be a pain in your butt sometimes but Seonghwa really knew how to sell your books.

“You’ll never guess who I convinced to be the model for the cover of this book!” Yeosang bursted into your office.

“Jesus, Yeosang,” You held your hand against your chest.

“Knocking would be a lot less heart-pumping!” Seonghwa scolded Yeosang as well.

Your publicist and your agent were long time friends, your power team who always supported you. They bickered but mostly they were joined together in supporting you.

“Guess!” Yeosang pushed, sweeping around your desk and crouched beside you, phone at the ready.

You blinked blankly and then it came to you. “No fucking way.”

“That’s right.” Yeosang stood up, unlocked his phone and showed you his email. “Kim fucking Hongjoong.”

“What?!” Seonghwa looked from you to Yeosang, eyes darting quickly. “How did that happen?”

“Well, our friend here said she wanted something different for this book…” Yeosang and Seonghwa exchanged a look of understanding. “So I thought, why not the biggest model for romance novels right now?”

You winced. This book was so fucking firmly Yunho in your mind, now that you’re halfway done, that you almost feel like you couldn't be happy that Yeosang had managed to snag you something so good.

But you pasted on a happy grin and hugged Yeosang. “You always fight hardest for me,” Your muffled thanks came out gruffly.

Seonghwa protested immediately. “Hey! I’m the one that’s made sure we have all the proper social media in place, including grabbing some big booktokers, but okay, let’s thank Yeosang with a hug because he got you a hot man on the front of your cover.”

You and Yeosang laughed under your breath but you released Yeosang and came over to hug Seonghwa. “Thank you, Hwa, you’re a lifesaver.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widened and then he embraced you. “I just want this to be the book that gets you over him.”

You jumped out of Seonghwa’s hug immediately. “The walls have ears, Seonghwa.”

Seonghwa blinked and when he looked at Yeosang for a clue, your agent shrugged his shoulders. You sighed, rubbing your eyebrow again. “Let’s just pretend that HE is always in the room and you can’t speak about him out loud, or he’ll hear.”

“Do I hear celebrating in here?” Yunho appeared in the open doorway, an inquiring smile on his lips.

“Ahhhhh,” Yeosang and Seonghwa chorused.

You put an arm around each of your team’s shoulders. “Seonghwa secured some big booktokers to review my book and Yeosang got Kim Hongjoong to model for the book cover.”

Yunho covered his mouth in shock. “Oh my god?”

If only he knew that he was the main character.

“I gotta text Ella, she’ll freak out!” Yunho shouted and then he was gone.

“Does he have your office bugged?” Yeosang said, eyes wide as he peered around said office.

“No, otherwise, he’d know everything by now,” You grumbled under your breath.

“So, how is it going?” Seonghwa inquired.

“Hmm, the book?” You tried to scrub the image of a happy Yunho from your mind. “The princess is starting to fall in love and her companions are trying to tell her that there’s something off about the knight.”

“Let me guess,” Yeosang’s tone got serious. “They’re going to tell her she needs to be careful and she’s going to tell them that they’re just jealous.”

“No.” You looked Yeosang right in the eye. “This princess is more perceptive than that. She also feels that there’s some darkness to the knight. She’s not a dumb-dumb princess. She’s read books all her life and has learned.”

“Not like some people,” Seonghwa muttered under his breath.

“There’s no saving me,” You whispered. “At least I can save her.”

🏰🏰🏰

“We’re almost there in your kingdom!” Yunho exclaimed.

The four of you stood on a high cliff that overlooked some rolling hills. Yunho pointed to the distance, where the horizon smudged into a bruised plum color.

A little thrill went through you. Would your parents cry when you returned? Would your sister still adore you as much as she had when she was a child? Would the kingdom throw a fete in your honor, that the cursed princess was back?

“You know,” Yunho pulled you in by the waist. “There’s still a chance that I could break your curse. The kiss has more meaning now.”

You pursed your lips. Yunho had been the very epitome of a gentleman. That was the problem. You may have lived a sheltered life but you knew that nothing was ever as cut and dry as a book. That’s why you liked to escape to them. There you couldn't get hurt. But here, with your life at stake! There was a huge chance that giving your heart to the knight that had rescued you could be the wrong choice.

You placed a hand on his chest and smiled. “Perhaps this fairy tale ends with the princess finally kissing her knight in shining armor,” you said instead.

Something flashed in Yunho’s eyes and it was something you had never seen there before, despite battling monsters and getting lost in the dunes. Yunho was afraid. But afraid of what? “That might be too late for you, Princess.”

Yeosang and Seonghwa interrupted with their bickering. They had been sent to get water. But they came back with a handful of flowers and berries instead.

“Really gentlemen,” You scoffed, breaking Yunho’s hold on you. “What happened to the water?”

Seonghwa smiled painfully. “We ran into some water sprites.”

Yeosang folded his arms across his chest. “Correction: YOU got distracted by a few water spirits, started flirting with them, and I had to save you.”

“Potato, potahto,” Seonghwa waved one of his hands. “We do have these though. You could make tea!”

“With what water, Seonghwa?” Yeosang deadpanned.

You fell into a fit of giggles. It was just like the time bunny Seonghwa had gotten scared of a bird landing on the iron table during a tea party, knocked over the hot tea pot, which scalded your lap, and Yeosang barked and chased Seonghwa around the garden until they both collapsed into an exhausted pile and you forgot about your pains.

“I will go and fetch us water,” Yunho grumbled, clearly unimpressed by your two favorite people in the world. “You two watch the princess, for what you’re worth.”

Seonghwa glared and Yeosang commented, “We’ve done a good job so far.”

“Yeah, behind a magical wall,” Yunho shot back, disappearing into the foliage.

“Princess,” Seonghwa began, rubbing his hands together anxiously.

“Don’t start, Seonghwa.” You put a hand up to halt whatever he was going to say. “We do need him to guide us back home. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Yeosang’s face was grim. “I’m worried he’s leading us to a trap. He’s got my hackles raised.”

You felt a shiver travel along your spine in response to Yeosang’s words. “Me too, Yeosang, me too.”

“Well.” Seonghwa busied himself with attempting to start a fire. “We do need Yunho to guide us back to the kingdom and we need to be on our guard against any trickery. What’s left to do but get ready for some tea?”

Later, when the four of you were around the fire, you brought up your family.

“Can you tell me a little bit about my sister?” You asked eagerly.

Yunho flinched and dropped the tin cup he had been drinking out of. “Huh? Your sister? Why do you want to hear about her?”

“Well, she was so young when I left. Is she still into stories? No, she’s a grown woman now, perhaps she’s heir to the throne since I was cursed?” You wondered.

“Always with the questions,” Yunho smiled, but this was tight and withheld. “Your sister was devastated when you were cursed and set away. She’s become a strong capable woman but she will be more than delighted to find that you’re back amongst us once again,” Yunho provided.

Your heart hurt a little hearing that your sister was so cut up about your banishment but that only made you more eager to get home and fix everything.

“Once I get home, it’ll be better,” You announced.

“Yes,” Yunho said, licking his lips. “I’m sure it will.”

🏰🏰🏰

The launch party for your finished book was an extravagant affair. It was a black tie dress code. Aurora Publishing booked the ballroom of a fancy hotel and had an open bar. Champagne was flowing and everyone who was anyone in the industry was there.

This book was sold, thanks to Seonghwa, as your best book yet. A shift in tone, but a delight nonetheless. Everyone wanted to laud you with congratulations and hear what you had to say about the book from your mouth. You were spinning with the amount of conversations you had had and hadn't had a moment to yourself.

“There you are!” Yunho’s voice cut through the crowd.

Your editor was dressed in a tuxedo with a cute little bowtie. He looked dashing and the cut of his suit only emphasized his broad shoulders and long form. By the time he stood toe to toe with you, you had to crane your neck to keep eye contact with him.

“Here I am,” You said sarcastically.

“You look amazing,” Yunho said, his voice quiet in awe.

You sent him a warning look. “Careful.”

A small, teasing smile pulled at Yunho’s lips. “Or?”

“Or a girl would think you’re hitting on her,” You said sourly, downing a gulp of your champagne.

“I’m simply giving credit where credit is due,” Yunho denied.

Then he took a step even closer. He leaned into you, so that his lips were level with your ear. “Did I tell you that this might be some of your best work yet?”

You felt your face and neck warm up at the compliment. Why did he have to say it like that? “Thank you, Yunho.”

Yunho leaned back, a shit-eating grin on his face full blown. “I was hoping now that you’re done with your frantic writer moment that you’d let me book you a vacation. I was thinking somewhere warm, maybe southern France?”

You sent him an odd look. There he was again, taking care of you, thinking about your needs. Your heart burst but you attempted to suffocate it anyways. “I feel like I’m gaining momentum. Maybe an anthology of books that follow the same theme as the first. Fairy tales that aren’t happy endings.”

Yunho’s hand went up, almost boxing you into the wall of the ballroom. “Tahiti then? Maybe you could do a mix up of Ariel and Moana this time. The Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast mixture was oddly compelling.”

“Yunho…” You could feel the man’s heat emanating off of him, that’s how close he was.

“I could visit you, you know? Check in on you, make sure you’ve got plenty of inspiration.” Yunho’s voice was getting deeper and more intimate.

What the hell was going on right now?

“Yunho!” Wooyoung’s screech managed to jolt Yunho out of whatever he was attempting at this very moment. “Your wife is looking for you. The company’s newsletter wants a photo op.”

Yunho smiled boyishly. “Think about it.”

You wanted to collapse to the floor but you managed to simply let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding. The look on Wooyoung’s face basically screamed that you were a homewrecker. You needed some cold air.

In your rush to get outside, you passed where Yunho and his wife Ella were posing for photos. It was like staring at a car crash; you couldn't help yourself. Yunho was staring down at Ella like she was his whole world. They slowly waltzed, to seem as if they were dancing, and in their own world. His wife beamed up at him like Yunho made her unbelievably happy.

Your crush shattered into a million pieces.

You raised your skirts and began to run for the doors. Shameful tears made rivulets run down your face. You felt disgust at yourself. No matter what feelings you had for Yunho, he was married. He wasn’t yours. He could never be yours. You had deluded yourself for too long. And you let Yunho feed into those delusions. You were a fool.

It was time for you to take a page out of your own book and save yourself.

🏰🏰🏰

“The prodigal princess of Aurora returns,” Your sister announced with grandeur.

She threw open her arms wide above her head. Ella was at the top of the steps before the throne. You looked around, confused. There was no court. Your parent’s were nowhere to be seen. What was going on here?

“Ella?” You took a cautious step forward.

“Yes, it's your baby sister,” Ella smiled but it had a cruel edge to it. “Do you not recognize me? Do I seem different?” She casted her head back and cackled.

The air shimmered around her and her dress and image changed. Her entire wardrobe was black as night, with her hair twisted into two horns. She held a staff with a gem at the tip. “Take a guess as to what's different.”

You gasped, covering your mouth with both your hands. “You’re a sorceress now?”

Your sister smiled like she was the cat with the cream. “I’ve made a greater name for myself than my poor cursed sister. The entire kingdom fears me.”

You whipped around to look at Yunho. “Did you know about this?”

Ella made a happy, pleased noise. “Yes, Yunho, tell my dear sister what’s surpassed.”

Yunho’s face was cold and stoic. “Your sister sent me to get you.”

“I’m so confused,” You admitted.

Your thumb fiddled with the ring that kept your curse under wraps and had allowed you to leave the villa you were trapped in. You had to think quickly. Seonghwa and Yeosang were outside of the throne room, and had been ordered to remain there because this was family business. What could you do? You had no power or weapons. You had only your knowledge that you had absorbed while spending your life behind sheltered walls.

“Let me paint you a pretty picture,” Your sister said. “You see, when you were banished to the villa because you were cursed, I was so sad. So, secretly I found all the books I could on curses and magic. I was determined to break your curse and free you. But the more time I spent learning, the more I realized that I didn’t need you. I could amass enough power for myself and I could be the ruler. I found myself a prince charming to trick our parents into thinking i was being a filial daughter.”

Ella descended the stairs and started to curl her arms and body around Yunho like he was her possession. “Yunho’s a second son, just like I am a second daughter. We’re expendable and only there as a back up if the heir’s get killed. He decided to join my quest. I killed our parents once they realized I was planning all this treachery behind their backs. But then when the nobles wouldn’t recognize me as the true ruler, I realized I would have to kill you.”

Yunho took Ella’s hand and kissed the back. You felt a chill run down your spine. Everything Yunho had shown to you was a lie. He wasn’t the golden knight in shining armor, here to save you and steal your heart. He was a black piece on the board, meant to lure you from your safe space so that your sister could attain her dark ambitions. You felt betrayed, utterly and completely.

“I, of course, could not go myself. The villa is made to contain your blood curse, so that’s why our parents could never visit you, and I was sure it would trap me in there too. So I sent my prince charming to retrieve you. I wanted to kill you with my own hands of course. What better way to show the kingdom that I’m the queen they were meant to have than by killing you? The one that didn’t deserve her curse, the princess everyone always talked about.”

It was at that moment that you saw your little sister. The love of adoration had twisted into hatred because no one ever recognized her. You felt sadness seep through your heart. You never wanted anything but good things for your sister, no matter the fact that you were the one trapped and cursed.

Your sister saw your sadness and immediately boiled over like an angry cauldron. “Don't you dare pity me!” She screamed, pointing a finger at you. “I will kill you and be done with you.”

You sent one more look at Yunho, wondering if there was any truth to the good man who you had traveled with for weeks. Yunho couldn't meet your gaze. The coward.

It was in that moment that you decided that there was only one decision that you could make to finally be in control of your own destiny. You grabbed the ring that held back your curse and pulled it off.

“No, what are you doing?” Your sister shrieked. “Yunho, take your sword and kill her!”

The world seemed to freeze. Yunho was partway drawing his sword, your sister’s face red with anger and spewing spit. If she was so powerful, why would she be angry about you removing your ring? And why ordered Yunho to kill you when she was so excited to kill you herself?

Then it hit you.

Your curse was that you were magical. Magic was seen as a dark, twisted element in your kingdom. You had been sent to that villa because no one could bear to execute the beloved princess. You lived a normal life because magic was null on those grounds. The ring that Yunho had given you had suppressed your powers, because that was the only way your little sister could kill you. All the pieces fell into place.

You snapped your fingers and suddenly Yeosang and Seonghwa were there. The world around you three still moved slowly, simply because you wished it. Magic was evil, it was the people and their intent that dictated if it was good or evil. And you intended to do some good.

“You were my protectors from the beginning, weren’t you?”

Seonghwa’s eyes began to tear up. “Princess, you figured it out.”

“We were forced to take animal forms because of the enchantment around the villa. But we were placed in this kingdom to be your companions through your journey. You are the goddess reincarnate. Your parents feared the world would corrupt you and you would bring the end of the world. While being confined to the villa, you encountered nothing but love and you had all the time to learn and absorb stories and tales about good rulers,” Yeosang unloaded everything to you.

“You were never cursed, Princess,” Seonghwa took your hand and kissed the back of it, much like how Yunho did to your sister, but his was complete trust in that you were the right, good person in this world. “You were blessed.”

The world sped up suddenly. Your sister sent a wicked bolt of black energy at you but it glanced off a purple shield that came up in your defense. It covered both you and your companions. Yunho completed unsheathing his sword but looked hesitant. “Princess?”

You held up a hand and it began to glow with pure, golden light. “I banish thee, Ella the sorceress, and thee, Yunho the betrayer, to the villa where I grew up. No light will ever reach there, in a reflection of your dark hearts. You two deserve each other.”

“No!” screeched Ella but it was too late.

A popping noise echoed through the throne room and then they were gone.

“Now what?” Seonghwa blinked at you.

You breathed in and deeply sighed the air out. “First, see if any of my citizen’s are in the dungeons. I’m sure Ella took great pleasure in torturing the people that used to be in power. She wouldn’t have killed everyone, otherwise she wouldn’t have an audience.”

“At once, Your Majesty,” Yeosang saluted smartly, fist thumping against his chest and then he left the throne room.

“And what should I do, oh wise and beautiful Queen,” Seonghwa said with grandeur, falling to one knee.

You couldn't help but laugh through your new broken heart. Even in a serious setting, that one always found a way to make you laugh. “Why, Duke Park, I believe I need a coronation ceremony. Do you think you could find ways to get out a message that the cursed princess has reclaimed her queendom?”

Seonghwa cocked his head, a crooked smile pulling at his lips. “I can plan a coronation ceremony, but you are the goddess reincarnate; whatever you think can be made real.”

You closed your eyes and imagined a glorious flowing dress of gold and a crown of flowers on your head. You connected with anyone who had ever prayed for the world to get better while being under Ella’s rule and then you were.

“Ella the Sorceress has been banished, never to return. The cursed princess is now the Queen of Aurora. You need not bend the knee to her but she would enjoy your presence for her coronation. All are welcome, poor or noble blood. I wish to simply bask in the presence of my citizens that I have missed.”

You disconnected from all those consciences but you felt your heart fill with hope. The people had hope once again in their lives and that was because of you. You hadn't needed a knight in shining armor to save you. You had saved yourself.

🏰🏰🏰

“The view is wonderful!” Seonghwa said, hands on his hips and staring out through the ceiling to floor windows.

Yeosang sent a look of disgust at Seonghwa. “Of course it’s wonderful. She needed a new start and I found the best of the best for her.”

Seonghwa turned around and he looked unsure. “Is this really what’s best for you?”

You put down a box and dusted your clothes off. “Yes. I needed a clean cut from Yunho. I appreciate everything he’s done for me but that place was not what I needed.”

Yeosang grinned. “The royalties from The Cursed Princess are rolling in and it doesn’t look to be halting anytime soon.”

Seonghwa puffed out his chest. “I told you, I worked hard for this novel. The booktokers love it.”

Yeosang rolled his eyes. “They love it because of the esteemed author in the room, Seonghwa.”

Seonghwa pouted. “Yes, but I guided them to the great book. Come on, Yeosang, give me this at least.”

“I’ll give you something,” Yeosang grumbled and put Seonghwa in a headlock.

You could hear grunts under Yeosang’s breath about ‘entitled shit’ and Seonghwa whining about unfair arm strength advantage and you started to laugh.

Maybe you didn’t need a grand life to keep you inspired. Maybe you simply needed to live your life, free of anything holding you down or keeping you in one lane. Sure, having Seonghwa and Yeosang as your support was going to help, but at the end of the day, it was up to you to save yourself.

And you had managed just that. Everything was going just fine. You only had to put your mind to the task and it would get done.

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕰𝖓𝖉

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