#byulyidal

[dalruihan]

reasons foretold

━  ♞  @byulyidal​ 、  continued from 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 .

“ i don’t believe so. ” so he’d say, with a hum off pretty lips as they wrapped around a treat or two, taking his seat nearby a foreign deputy’s daughter hes found far more friendly and entertaining than people he’s been working with for countless lunar cycles —glancing at her from behind the mesh shadow of his hat and then glancing back at the wavering figures not being any different from the trembling lights of a candle ready to fall into the wet wax.

some of them were just meant to stumble down ruinously so.

( and he was ready to stand tall and watch. )

his tongue clicked, another little bite stolen —taking another sip of soju and morsel of spices  and bread. “your pronunciation and use of pronouns was perfect ruihan-ssi, but unfortunately can’t say the same about the education and cognitive abilities of those beings i won’t even dare calling gentlemen —it would just be like giving pearls to pigs. ”

relief floods her, as if gates that had been locked tight were rid of their chains and air descends into her very being. lightening her a little too much, it wasn’t something to blame on the wine -- as ruihan had barely sipped her share. fingers gracing the cup ever so often but upon feeling wandering eyes glance her way, those same fingertips toe away, folding into her lap as eyes seek sanctuary of the fallen. it’s only when she hears the clarity of byulyi’s voice that she feels a tiny bit of heaven drop into her lap -- a savior among the hordes of strangers whose faces become blurs within seconds. and the confusion that had once masked at the uproar of their laughter fades.

“thank you, my lord.” the acknowledgement is soft but a tide that pulls over the worst of the storm. 

the flush of embarrassment dims in time with his words and she takes them wholeheartedly. as they were much better suited for the mood than the likes that had once slipped past innocent ears. but like her mother had taught her, her tongue remains mute -- the slip up of such words had only caused a ruckus that goes unwarranted and a gal of slurs that ruihan knows better than to register as kind when in reality they were anything but ( and yet, she was to smile through it all ; her blinding breath hidden as she locks the disgrace she feels inside her fragile heart ) -- “i have been trying to practice more since we’ve last met. unfortunately, it seems it was not enough.” 

[dalxhynshk-blog]

“ this calls for a drink.”

He chuckles, eyes still trained on his family. His wife was currently chatting with the oldest princess, while his children ran along not too far from their mother. Hyunshik had excused himself for a few moments, needing to have a quick talk with another official before stumbling upon Byulyi. 

“Does it now?” He retorts, gesturing towards the servant who was handing out drinks. Perfectly timed with what the other man was saying, “did you get a new... look?” Eyes drifting towards the Byulyi’s styled hair, giving his good friend a knowing glance. 

[haeinha-blog]

@byulyidal

and how fake the stupor on his lips —how fake the way the glossy bits would draw a circle, and the voice go slightly dramatic ! but only slightly, only there to enhance the note of sarcasm of his rolling eyes, a hand to the side of his temple. “ oh ——and here i thought the dear and most respectable peers of our society had something better to do than yapping their breaths away over minutiae. ” it was always that, returning like a ghastly figure within the woods at night, the rumor concerning his marriage —how that day bae byulyi was so beautiful he turned his wife into something to be overlooked, to be shadowed.

but truth be told, real or not, byulyi already was sorry for his wife to have to deal with that mouthful of ignorance, byulyi knew already he wasn’t meant to be beautiful —because men were supposed to be strong and leading wars on top of a high and mighty horse, and play with rocket toys and sticks and stones, not to bat their lashes and look pretty.

( but he just was )

so he’d do it out of spite —he’d bat his lashes and make his eyes look doe and let the obsidian irises observe the world of hypocrites and spinnerets from beyond the meshed shadow of his gat, carefully slow when moving the fan back and forth, open to partially cover his visage, the taste of soju still against his palate, his stance relaxed, the pearls and beads shining and crowning his face and figure as a whole.

“ do you believe them, though, your highness ? ” he’ll make them scream, then, how much, much pretty he was. “ do you believe i turned my wife into a small little daisy the day of our marriage, and obscured her with my own light ? ”

inha, ever the instigator, can feel his own lips quirk up into a small but delighted smile - though treacherous and dangerous -- he loved to hear the ideals and the nature of their society being criticized. he makes barely en effort to hide it, covering his mouth with one long sleeve of his robes as he schools his expression back into his handsome, bored state. 

he’s always found it a fun past time-- irritating the people who have the misfortune of being around him quite constantly. the man assigned to him, by some bad stroke of luck, was definitely no exception. if anything, the poor man was likely one of inha’s most favorite ( victims ) acquaintances. and he’ll admit that he enjoys bickering with his assigned teacher. it, at least, made his days interesting and more enjoyable. 

and inha, much more observant than others give him credit for-- knows the cloud of rumors that surrounds the older man. has heard it more than a few times in this night alone. and truth be told-- as much as inha loves hearing about drama and scandalous acts and being able to soak in rumors and truths like a sponge to hold it over people’s heads-- something didn’t quite sit right with him about the narrative that has been forced on byulyi ( not that he’d ever admit this, of course ).

so he just lowers his hand and gives the older man a pleasant smile, something rebellious, as always, glinting in the dark of his irises. “i don’t believe anything i hear, without reason, teacher-nim. if anything,” he comments blandly, gaze drifting around the scene as he continues conversationally, “it seems as though the people who find you more eye-catching are the ones at fault-- what business is it of theirs? to point out something like that and turn it into such a big issue, and to take such great notice of you... that’s more laughable, don’t you think?” he finishes with a snicker, sighing and taking a sip of whatever drink he’d picked up at some point in the night.

“people just don’t know what to do with themselves-- if they don’t have something to talk about.”

[dalruihan]

“ i don’t recognize anyone here.”

━  ♞  @byulyidal 、  𝟎𝟎𝟏 ⋮ THE QUEEN MUNJEONG’S BIRTHDAY .

a giggle escapes her ; a twinkle of rhythmic laughter that is very much like her: a breath of air that escapes her lips a little too quickly; softly, still, almost breathily as she takes in what the other says once more before turning to him. stowing her starlight gaze upon his face with her own amused grin, “i find that a little hard to believe,” a slight accent rolls off the tongue, something she’s tried for months to rid of but never really succeeding. 

and while it was starting to frustrate the living daylights out of her, this was no time to be meddling with something as trivial as the way her words roll off the tongue when she wasn’t speaking her mother tongue. she should be thankful she was the least bit understandable when speaking – at most, her mother deemed it was okay so ruihan saw no reason not to speak when spoken to at least.

other times, that was a different story.

“out of everyone, i thought you’d know at least someone. you always seem to know someone, byulyi-ssi.”  she adds, fingers finding her lips as she hides another hint of laughter behind her words ; smile radiating warmth and amusement much like her words entail. they’re not teasing, truth through and through but the delivery is always something ruihan is fluid, a soft departure filled in with a faint charm of smiles and laughter. comfort laid between two souls who’ve become better acquainted in the passing months. 

[dalhyunsoo]

“ avert your eyes.”

queen munjeong birthday prompts - @byulyidal

Zoning out was not something Hyunsoo did unless he was at home or somewhere he knew he could put his guard down but he found himself doing that without meaning to as his mind went back to his dilemma.  One moment he was staring at a vacant corner of the room and the next someone was saying something as his eyes caught a glimpse of the situation before focusing his attention on the person next to him.

“I… hello teacher Bae.” Hyunsoo nodded as his mind tried to process the scene that he somehow didn’t notice was happening almost in front of him and it the two individuals that were part of it had seen him, he knew that he would have found himself in an embarrassing situation.  At the same time, he was not sure why Byulyi helped him when his family belonged to the opposite faction but of course, Hyunsoo had no intention to ask him that.

“How have you been? Well, I hope and please in case I don’t get the chance to greet your father, please give him my best regards.” He offered the younger a smile that was polite enough for this situation but if he was honest, he would leave his father to deal with Byulyi’s father, unless it was truly necessary.  Maybe he should have thanked the other for helping him out but at the moment, he wasn’t planning on doing that.