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yunacoeur · 1 year

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the worlds that collide

our last dance: chapter i

chapter synopsis: you, as the oldest royal child of your family, are up to take the throne. in your search for a partner to be consort, the royal family is throwing a party in your name for you to meet potential suitors.

this story begins with your first dance, and will end with our last.

word count: 4.2k

a/n: thank you guys so much for your patience with me while i’ve been preparing this series! i hope this chapter gets you excited for what’s to come!

taglist: @haesunflower @shiningstar-byulxx @kpoprhia @en-ct @dimplewonie @cherriegyu @harus-simp @taerrrrrae @zhanghaos-hairclips @zerobaseonefics @big-uwu-stan @seok02 @kpop17 please fill out this form if you want to be added to the taglist!

the invitation is small, just a white card with the insignia of the king on the back and a short message on the front. hundreds of these invitations have been sent out across all kingdoms in the land. the message reads:

“the oldest child of the great and honorable king and queen of zerose is to be wed soon. we ask that available suitors from all kingdoms come to a party being held in our dear royal’s honor. any and all questions may go to the royal staff.”

it’s a party held in your honor so you may find a husband. isn’t that wonderful? the only issue is that you don’t know most of them and it will be hard to decide on a husband. of course you don’t have to make the decision immediately, as this party is only being thrown as an introduction. still, it feels like you are on a time limit.

the party is in just a few hours, but the tension in your heart is only getting stronger by the second, but you must find a partner soon if only to unify the kingdoms in response to political conflict. the people need something good to focus on. a royal wedding would be enough.

your parents are good rulers, they are kind and giving, and it’s a difficult position that you will have to take up, but it must be done. they are tired of ruling, and likely just want to relax and let you take the wheel.

at the current moment, a royal staff member is helping you choose the attire you will wear during the event, but it is not enough to distract you from the looming task.

“i suppose i don’t know if i have it in me to make such a choice. what if ‘the one’ isn’t in that room tonight?” you tell her, and she continues working as she responds to you.

“well, your highness, i believe you will find who you are looking for. they will also not rank as highly as you in our kingdom, so if they turn out to be a poor ruler, you can easily override them,” she says, draping the cloth against your skin, “would you prefer a more saturated blue or a more greyish-blue?”

“whatever suits me the most. i trust your opinion,” you say. she’s right of course. there’s no reason why you should be worried on the political front. you will always outrank them, in your kingdom at least. you just worry that they may not be the one your heart truly desires. what if you pick the wrong one and never get the chance to be with one you love?

“thank you, your highness,” she says, brining you back to reality, “i think a less saturated color would suit you more. a bright blue may overpower your natural beauty.”

“okay then,” you hear the door open, turning your head over to see the person behind it.

it’s a maid you know well. she seems to be hurried, like the information she’s delivering is urgent. it worries you because she’s not usually like this.

“your highness,” the maid says, bowing, “your father requested that one of tonight’s guests come early so you may meet him before. he is waiting for you in the ballroom.”

“but isn’t that room still being set up?” you ask curiously, looking over at the staff preparing your clothes. she shrugs. the ballroom has been under preparation all week, but even still it feels like it is just barely coming together.

the maid nods, “yes, your majesty. this guest insisted on helping set up.”

you look back to the staff, who has picked out the final few options for your outfit, pointing to the one you like the most, “get that one ready for me, please. i’ll be back soon for it.”

“of course, your majesty.”

walking through the halls towards the ballroom, gazing out the large windows at the town below, you spend the whole time wondering why your father was insistent on you meeting this guest first. what is the necessity? there will be plenty of time to meet all the suitors tonight, why do any of them deserve a head-start?

and then you see him. you understand.

he’s more than beautiful. ethereal would probably be the best word. he’s laughing with one of the staff as they set up (or attempt to) a banner on the wall. he’s polite and respectful with even just the commoners lingering in the area, treating them so perfectly.

his mother must be so proud to have a son so perfect.

he looks over after hearing the door shut to see you, and he recognizes you immediately just like you did with him.

“your highness!” he calls out, as he walks over to you and bows slightly, “thank you for coming to meet me before the party. my name is sung hanbin, it is such a pleasure to meet you in person… may i?” he asks as he reaches for your hand. you nod and he lifts it up to press a chaste kiss to the side opposite your palm.

he explains to you his story, where he’s from. he’s a prince from another kingdom, younger than the one that should be in line to be king. you wonder if his being sent here is an offering for peace, one of unity, as there has been political tension between kingdoms in the past decades.

“your majesty, may i make a request?” he asks, and you tilt your head in slight confusion.

“you may. what is it?”

he seems bashful for just a second, “i wish to be your first dance of the night when the party starts,” he smiles, the dimples on his cheeks showing. it makes him look cute instead of drop dead gorgeous for just a moment, “can i reserve that spot?”

you laugh, smiling back at him, “i’m sure that can be arranged.”

“okay then. i look forward to it,” he says, but then someone asks for his help in setting up one of the tables, and he turns back to you, still smiling brightly, “excuse me, your majesty, i have to go back. i’ll see you tonight!”

and he’s off to continue helping set up and probably save puppies and solve world hunger while he's at it. you return to what you were doing until the time comes that you’ll come back to the ballroom.

and by what you were doing, you mean you return to the study you use as your safe haven when you’re stressed, the weight of the impending decision already so heavy.

you look up at your desk to see an old photo of you. you were so young and smiled so bright. what you’d give to go back to this moment and relive it. not a care in the world.

part of you hopes to see the boy you were with in the photo tonight.

after a while, you go back to your fitting room to dawn the outfit you picked out earlier. the blue tones are subtle but still there, complemented by bits of silver and black. the outfit is perfect for such an occasion.

as the staff helps you into the outfit, including any accompanying jewelry, you are walked back to the ballroom as the party is about to begin. so many people already fill the halls and the room itself doesn’t seem much quieter. it is bursting with people, and loud, bustling energy.

the first person who seems to be a suitor approaches you the moment you aren’t being smothered by people. he’s tall and well-proportioned, he’s everything in the looks department you could want out of someone.

and then he smiles at you, tripping as he walks over. you realize this man is more clumsy than charming, or maybe he’s just a different kind of charming.

“hi,” he says. nothing else to accompany. when you playfully raise an eyebrow, he remembers, “oh! i’m so sorry, your highness. i am prince kim gyuvin. it’s an honor to be in your presence.”

“i’m sure it is, kim gyuvin,” you smile back at him. he already feels at ease even though he can tell you’re teasing him. he doesn’t mind, “talk with me for a few moments. let’s get to know each other.”

“ah, yes of course, your highness,” he says as you pull him off to the side to chat, “what do you want to know about me?”

and it hits you that you don’t really have a plan for tonight,“ i don’t know what to ask, you’re the first one i’m meeting like this so i don’t really know what we’re supposed to do… what’s your favorite color?” you ask.

“blue. no- green. actually, i don’t really know-” he stumbles, and you just nod along like you too have to put this much thought into your favorite color. he flips it on you so he doesn’t have to think, “what’s yours?”

“mine is orange... uhm, if given the chance, do you want to rule?”

“not really. i’m too nervous to mess it up,” he answers, honest, always thinking too fast and too much, “i would like to be by your side when you rule your kingdom.”

“ah, good save,” you say. you’d laugh at his bluntness if it wasn’t so cute.

“can i ask you something, your highness?” he asks, and you nod, “if you could… like if you didn’t have a bunch of responsibility on your shoulders to rule the kingdom and everything… would you want to run away?”

“run away?”

“yeah! like elope with someone and get out of town and go somewhere no one knows you exist and live a simple life,” he smiles, this dreamy look in his eyes, “maybe even fall in love.”

“i can definitely tell that’s your dream,” you giggle, “but yeah, that does sound nice.”

he gets silent for just a second, but then his eyes light up, “maybe we could run away together?”

you smile sadly, it’s a sweet dream, but it can't be your reality, “don’t get too ahead of yourself now, gyuvin. i still have a country to take care of, and you might too if something happens to the first-in-line.”

“then, let’s make a dream out of the lives we have,” he says, coming closer to hold your hand.

“you are so cheesy! oh my lord,” you shake your head in disbelief, but his hand in yours is so comforting and he’s so endearing, “okay fine. i’ll consider it.”

“good! and while you do that, i actually have something for you!” he says, reaching into his fancy suit jacket to pull it out.

“a gift?” you guess, unassuming. all suitors probably were expected to get you gifts.

but then he pulls out a dainty white poppy. the center is a soft yellow with a hint of red in the middle. it’s a beautiful flower. it reminds you of the soft dreams he tells you of, the simple wishes for freedom and peace and comfort from all the eyes on you.

you wonder if that’s your dream too, and he read you just like a book.

gyuvin has nothing more than his dashing smile and his lovely dreams, wishing for so much that he’ll never have. as you wish him well, telling him you’ll choose within the coming days who you will marry, you wonder, “tell me, why should i marry you?”

“oh, uhm- i…” he trails off, giving himself time to think, before settling on an answer he feels confident in.

he says, “because i would follow you anywhere.”

and, at least in that moment, looking into his honest eyes, you believe him.

you finish you up conversation with him as someone who recognizes him starts talking to him, and you assume they’re trying to whisk him away from you. you allow it for now. he still smiles brightly and waves at you goodbye.

as gyuvin is stolen from you view, you find someone new in front of you. he’s a little shorter than gyuvin, but he makes up for it with his bright smile and this cute charm he seems to exude.

this is no stranger at all. even if you didn’t know him, you did deep down.

“your highness, hello, it is a pleasure to make the acquaintance,” he bows, “i am the son of a duke in our kingdom. i have been sent here to be a possible suitor for you. my name is matthew.”

it’s very clear just by looking at him that he’s from your kingdom. you’ve never met, but you could swear you’ve seen his face before. he seems like he would be a safe pick for a husband. he’s already from your kingdom and also nobility, but just far enough out to where it isn’t weird. it wouldn’t require alliance brokering or having to rule over new territory and people who didn’t even know you. that would be the nice part.

in short: he’s a safe pick.

“hello, matthew, it is a pleasure to have you here tonight,” you smile at him as he reaches for your hand to place a kiss. a common theme of the night you assume, “what is your father up to these days?”

“nothing interesting to either of us,” he laughs to himself, “just royal duties. i’m surprised he sent me as his contribution. i totally thought he’d want my sister here.”

“ah, well i’m glad you are here. you are quite pleasant to be around, i can already tell,” you say. he takes it as the biggest compliment he’s ever gotten in his life, or at least that’s what it looks like.

“thank you, your highness,” he says after a moment of collecting himself, “do you wish to dance?”

you almost say yes, but you remember the promise you made to hanbin. did you already think of him as the one? why would you put yourself through the rest of this night if hanbin already ticked all the boxes? “not at the moment, but come find me again later and i’ll say yes, okay?”

“hmm, alright. i suppose that’s okay-”

he was talking but was cut off when someone’s elbow hit you from behind. the collision causes you to fall forward towards matthew, and he catches you before you take both you and him down. he holds you up by your waist as your hands reach to grasp onto his shoulders. you look up at him with panic in your eyes, and he has the same frightened look.

and it is only worsened by the fact that everyone saw it.

while everyone in that room was probably death glaring at the poor person who knocked you over, matthew just whispers, “i thought you didn’t want to dance?” his response is cheeky, finally smiling at you once he knows you’re alright. there’s a secret coolness to him that you didn’t know he had in him.

so this is why you waited it out.

he must be incredibly strong to still be holding you like he is after the fall, but the moment can’t last forever, so he pulls you up, “unrelated, but i have something for you," he says.

“is it a flower?” you ask with a daring smile, and he nods.

“your father included an amendment to the invitation for all the suitors. we were to bring you a flower. you’ll probably get more throughout the night, but hopefully, mine sticks out to you the most, your highness,” he hands it to you gently.

the flower is white, just like gyuvin’s, but it is a completely different style. one native to your kingdom.

“a heather flower, consider it a promise. even if you don’t pick me, i’ll have the best interests at heart for you,” he says, handing it off to you like an oath, “you don’t have to choose now, but no matter who it is you pick, i will be here to make sure they are up to your standards.”

“you don’t have to do that, matthew,” you say, but he shakes his head.

“my father has told me all my life that the royal crown is my only priority. i will make sure that whoever gets to call themself your consort will be fit for the role.”

you laugh at his intensity. he’s already so lost in his mind about it. you suppose that devotion to the crown is innately taught to everyone. it’s just weird to hear it out loud, “you say that like i already picked someone else. what if i do choose you?”

“i will absolutely hold myself to the same standard,” he says, like it’s obvious. commonplace. you laugh at how serious he is.

the dancing area may not be the best place to have a conversation, seeing as you’ve already been bumped into a couple times since the first big one.

“your highness,” he says, drawing your attention back to him, “it was nice meeting you. i’ll come back again for that dance you promised me.”

“i look forward to it,” you smile at him as he moves to walk away.

once matthew has left, there's really no one there to protect you from falling when people bump into you. you find yourself needing a moment to breathe, finding comfort in sipping one of the drinks being offered by the staff walking around. you decide to hide in the corner of the room, for lack of a better plan. the center is where all the dancing is happening, but it’s easier to hear yourself think in these more secluded spots.

although, just when you finally have a second to breathe and think through all that’s happened so far, something finds it’s way into your hair, and you freeze as you look up at the culprit. it feels like a flower.

“i’m sorry, your highness,” he says. he’s so beautiful (god, does every suitor in the damn land have to be so gorgeous?) that you could almost forgive him, “i know i should have asked, but that moment was too beautiful to pass up.”

“i don’t even know your name, and you’re already having to apologize? not a strong start, stranger,” you say, but you’re smiling. he knows you’re not really mad, and so do you.

you could have been mad, you could have kicked him out and banished him from the castle for putting a flower in your hair without permission.

but he’s pretty, so you’ll let it slide.

“stranger? i don’t want that as a nickname,” he frowns, “my name is zhang hao. please call me anything other than stranger.”

“an order? wow, how modern of you to order around royalty in their own castle,” you laugh at him, but it’s all in good fun, and you change the topic so he doesn’t get too embarrassed, “it’s quiet over here,” you murmur.

he silently thanks you for switching topics, “yes, indeed. i am not one for lots of noise,” he says, “did you need a break from the chaos too, your highness?”

“i suppose. everyone is so nice, but i am just..” you look down at the two flowers you hold in your hands. one poppy and one heather, “overwhelmed. the choice is a difficult one to make over just a conversation. what if none of it is even real?”

“real? why wouldn’t it be real?” he asks.

“there’s so much political advantage that comes with marrying me, so how would i be able to tell the difference?” you ask in return, “not to mention i’m not even sure i can judge someone’s character in just a few minutes of conversation,” he takes a second to think. maybe there isn’t even a good answer he could give.

you know you have more time. you know this party isn’t everything and you could abandon it all and be fine. god forbid you wanted to meet the one. maybe you even wanted to fall in love, is that so much to ask for?

“well, i can’t speak for anyone else, and there is no way for me to prove it to you, but…” he looks over at you, at the darling flower he had placed in your hair. he wonders how anyone could think to marry you just for prestige or power, “i am real.”

“you are?”

“i am,” he murmurs, “i’m not a lot of things, but i am real.”

you sigh, “i shouldn’t have put this decision on myself. i should have just let my father pick and gone with it,” you rub your temple with your free hand, your head suddenly aching dully, "why did i do this to myself?"

“you wanted to choose because somewhere deep down in there,” he says, pointing to your heart. it's flustering just how close he's getting, “you trust yourself and your judgment.”

you sit there for just a moment to take in his words. you initially thought he was incredibly wrong, but the more you think about it, the less wrong he becomes.

“and why should i trust you?”

he seems taken about, but answers anyway,“i am… not extremely good at the press and public image stuff, but i am quiet. and calm. i cannot be exciting, but i can be soothing,” he smiles so softly, “i can help you forget it all for just a moment.”

he’s convincing, you’ll give him that.

and you can tell he’s genuine. there was no bone in his body capable of lying, “i can care for you. i will be real for you. there will be no act, no fake love to attempt to satisfy some image. you can take care of your kingdom, and i will take care of you.”

“that’s how you’ll love me?”

“that is how i will love you,” he repeats, tucking your fallen hair behind your ear.

“what flower did you put in my hair?”

he looks at it one more time, “a bluebell. it’s native to the land of my kingdom.”

“ah, i see,” you say, seeing the blue petal out of the corner of your eye, “thank you.” he pulls it out of your hair to hand it to you, making it the third flower you’re holding as of now.

“you should go now, your highness. there’s lots more for you to do and people for you to meet.”

and you want to, but it is still so noisy out there, and you feel the nerves in your stomach again as you look back out to the crowd. you ask him, “what if i need a break again from the noise?”

he smiles at you, his voice as soft as ever, “come find me, of course.”

so you leave him there, his eyes following you as you step back out onto the floor, feeling the energy come back to you after you have rested.

you give zhang hao one last look before you look away from him for a while. he seems like the type to never want your eyes off of him.

he’s looking at you too. suddenly it all feels too real.

he smiles at you, waving you off, like a mother bird telling its baby bird to be free, only this time there’s still a nest to return to when you are tired.

you walk back out onto the floor, hoping someone will come to take your hand and ask you for a dance. it doesn’t take long for someone to come hoping to do just that.

“don’t tell me someone beat me to it, your highness,” they say. as you look up, you see familiar eyes and dimples, with a hand outstretched for you to grab.

“hanbin,” you smile at him, taking his hand as he leads you to the area people are dancing in. it is significantly louder, but the energy feels good, the music flowing through your veins, “of course not. i told you it was yours.”

“i’m sorry, but i have another favor to ask you,” he says, grabbing your right hand with his left and holding your waist with his right as you sway to the music, not quite dancing yet. just swaying with him.

“so greedy,” you say with a giggle, “what can i do for you?”

“i know i have already asked for so much by taking this first dance,” he says, eyes almost looking into your soul, “but i want your last dance as well.”

it stuns you for just a moment. that was a taller order than your first dance, “i’m sorry, do you mean of the night? like tonight? or…” you trail off, wondering if there was a way to eloquently word ‘the last dance i do ever in my life’. you never finish the thought.

he doesn’t respond to that thought either, just giving you a smile that almost seems cheeky, “let’s dance.”

and suddenly you are reminded of the fact you are not very blessed in the coordination department, “hanbin- i am so sorry to disappoint you because i’m sure you were thinking this would be a magical moment or something, i forgot to say i am a terrible dancer. maybe we should-”

“shh, don’t worry about anything. i’ll lead, just follow what i do,” he tells you.

the dance is not extremely technical, but even still it is so obvious to both you, him, and everyone watching how skilled of a dancer he is. is this all he’s been doing his entire life?

it’s just a simple, repetitive step, and at one point he twirls you around and pulls you just a little bit closer. even still, you still find yourself being clumsy and tense, even when he whispers to just relax.

it’s over too fast, but he assures you, “i wish we could keep going, too, but you have other people to dance with. i can’t be that demanding. i’ll be back for your last.”

you laugh because he’s kind of right to say he’s been demanding. it’s not like you mind, “i’ll wait for you, hanbin.”

he smiles, so sweetly, “as will i, your majesty.”

and as he walks away, leaving you to watch him smile at someone else and offer to dance with them, you notice the unconventional bouquet you’ve been holding: a poppy for the boy with the wild dreams, a heather for the guy who saved you from falling (even though you might have fallen in a different way), and a bluebell from the one who gave you a brief moment of peace.

yet, from looking at it, it has one more flower in it than you remember it having.

a yellow tulip.

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