#kyesook | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kirayaykimura · 2 years

Text

marriage of convenience au

Lili took a lot of convincing to agree to marry Soo-Won. There were just a lot of reasons to say no. Reasons she did say no three separate times before she caved. The first was that he was…Soo-Won. He was gentle and nice and got along with her father, which was frankly appalling. The other, more hidden parts of his personality - the icy ruthlessness and the fact that he murdered her best friend’s father - made him even less appealing as a life partner. The second reason she refused to marry him was because it was not a love match. Not that she would ever admit it out loud, but there was a time in her life when she had vowed to eschew politics and only marry someone she truly loved and couldn’t live without. It was a silly goal, but she did feel a pang of guilt over letting her ten year old self down by agreeing to marry for logistics rather than love. Reasons three through ten involved Soo-Won’s position as king.

The fact Lili was betrothed to the king was the exact reason she was forced to skulk through the halls of the palace, avoiding a certain advisor and very much regretting the fact that she had not refused the engagement a fourth time.

A flash of black at the end of the hall that couldn’t be anything but Kye-Sook’s bleak-ass robes had her diving for the first door to her left. She slipped inside Soo-Won’s office, shutting the door as quickly and quietly as possible, leaning her back against it for good measure. She wasn’t delusional enough to assume her weight could hold off a grown man attempting to push his way into the room, but she would certainly die trying.

With her back against the door, she belatedly realized the room was already occupied. Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a startled yelp.

Soo-Won watched her, a little curious and a little amused.

“What are you doing here?” Lili hissed, trying to get her breathing under control.

Soo-Won’s amusement only grew.

“This is my office,” he said.

“Yes, I know that. You’re supposed to be in a meeting.”

“It finished early.”

“Well, good for you.” Then, “Sorry, I guess. For bursting in on you.”

“That’s alright. Rough day?”

“You have no idea.”

He motioned for her to take a seat which she accepted with minimal fuss. She would lose her guardpost at the door, but if anyone was going to be a good buffer against Kye-Sook, it was going to be Soo-Won.

“Would you like some tea?” he asked. He flipped an unused teacup right-side up on a serving tray to his left and began to pour.

“Is it cold?”

He spared her a glance to ask, “Why would I offer you cold tea?”

“I just got here. How would I know how long it’s been sitting out?”

“I can assure you it’s still very warm. Be careful with it, please.”

If she focused, she could just barely make out steam coming off the top of the tea as he set the cup down in front of her. Though it was mid-morning, the end of the year was nearing and the chill in the air took longer and longer to dissipate each day. The heat she could leach from the cup was a welcome relief for her bare fingers.

“Are you hiding from Kye-Sook again?” Soo-Won asked.

“Your advisor,” she said, using his title like a curse, “has been following me all morning.”

“Any idea what he wants this time?” Soo-Won asked from behind the lip of his own cup of tea.

Lili looked him dead in the eyes and said, “He wants to talk about sex.”

Soo-Won choked on his tea.

“Procreation,” Lili said over his hacking. “Making babies.”

“What?” Soo-Won asked hoarsely.

“He has thoughts, Soo-Won. So many thoughts about the future heir to the throne.”

The future heir that was very far in the future. She knew logically that it would be their duty to do all that at some point, but it was like any responsibility Lili didn’t want: she was going to avoid even thinking about it for as long as possible. And then a little longer after that.

“Oh,” Soo-Won said.

That didn’t sound surprised enough for Lili. He sounded entirely too calm for her current state of utter torture.

“What do you mean oh?” Lili asked.

“He,” Soo-Won said, “does this a lot. Having a legitimate blood heir makes the succession process easier to navigate.”

“Does he talk to you about your moon cycles?”

Soo-Won choked on nothing this time.

“Tell him all conversations about heirs go through you from now on,” Lili said. “I don’t want him even speaking to me, let alone about that.”

“If I could talk him out of things he’s set his mind to, my life would be much easier.”

Lili gave him the darkest look she could muster.

It must have worked because Soo-Won added, “But I’ll see what I can do.”

“You do that.”

She finally took a sip of the tea in front of her. It was slightly sweet and floral. Was there enough to drown Kye-Sook in? She’d make a valiant effort to find out.

“Give me your hand,” Soo-Won said. He reached his hand out, palm up, across the desk and various papers strewn about. There was probably some method of organization at play, but she had no idea what it was. Just like she had no idea why he would want her hand.

“What are you going to do with it?” she asked, eying his hand warily.

His fingers twitched in invitation. “Hand, please.”

Frowning, she slid her hand into his. It was warmer than hers, and she was very upset to admit deep in the recesses of her mind that it felt even nicer than the warm teacup. Her fingertips brushed the inside of his wrist, heel of her palm stopping halfway down his fingers. She could feel a callous at the base of his forefinger. A few more dragged rough on her skin as he curled his fingers around the base of her thumb in a very strange approximation of holding hands. It was as jarring as ever to feel the physical evidence that he was not nearly as soft as she had once assumed. Calluses formed from expert knowledge of deadly weapons contrasted with the almost featherlight hold he had on her and the gentle way he held her gaze. His gaze was a reason she’d once rejected his proposal; the curious dichotomy of his demeanor and actions was a reason she’d stuck around long enough to accept.

Soo-Won squeezed her hand gently once and said, “I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard morning.”

Lili snorted.

“You are welcome to hide in my office any time.”

“No, it’s fine,” Lili said with a dramatic sigh. “He has to give up eventually, right?”

Judging from Soo-Won’s grimace, she did just as poor a job convincing him as she had herself.

As if summoned, they heard two curt raps at the door before Kye-Sook let himself into the room.

“Your Majesty, I-“

Kye-Sook paused mid-sentence as he took in the unexpected scene before him.

“Stop,” Lili deadpanned. “Get out. We’re creating that heir you won’t stop terrorizing me about.”

Kye-Sook barely missed a beat before he said, “I certainly hope not. That would throw off the wedding timeframe catastrophically.”

Oh no, Lili mouthed at Soo-Won, rolling her eyes. She watched in satisfaction as the corners of his lips twitched in a repressed smile.

“In any case,” Kye-Sook continued, “it is not the best time of the month for you-“

“I will kill you,” Lili snapped as Soo-Won said, more politely but a tad more forceful than normal, “Kye-Sook, could you give us a few minutes alone, please?”

Kye-Sook exited the room with a bow.

“My first act as queen will be to fire him,” Lili said as soon as the door shut behind him.

Soo-Won hummed noncommittally.

“Okay,” Lili said. “I’m leaving now. Time to find a new hiding place.”

“Are you sure? You can stay as long as you’d like.”

“No, it’s fine. I have books to return to the library before Min-Su gives me those tragic eyes of his. It’s like he thinks I’m going to steal the books.”

Speaking of eyes, Soo-Won had bags under his. This was not an uncommon occurrence, but they looked especially dark today, like he hadn’t slept in a long while. She had no idea why couldn’t - or wouldn’t - keep a normal sleep schedule, but there were quite a few things she knew he was keeping from her. She found herself both intrigued by what he kept hidden and scared to know what he felt must stay private after everything she did know about him.

“You look exhausted,” she said. “You should take a nap.”

Though she couldn’t force him to tell her why he had such a contentious relationship with sleep or what he was keeping from her, she could try forcing him to take care of himself. She didn’t actually want to be the queen of Kohka, after all. If he left her to rule because he didn’t take care of his health and died, she would never forgive him.

“I don’t think I have time for a nap,” Soo-Won said ruefully.

“Make time.” Lili shrugged. “Decree it if you have to. Official Royal Nap Time.”

“The way you think the monarchy works is fascinating given the fact that you were raised by a politician.”

Soo-Won squeezed her hand one more time before slipping away, freeing her to stand and round the desk to the window behind him.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“That freak probably has his ear pressed to the door outside. There’s no way I’m getting out of here the normal way without being accosted about top five positions to guarantee impregnation.”

He silently unlatched the window for her and pushed it open.

She had one leg over the window ledge before she felt a hand at her back and another at her elbow, ready to hold her steady as she shimmied out.

“Good thing your office is so low to the ground,” Lili said.

“I picked it for just this sort of occasion,” Soo-Won said.

“Wait, really?”

She shifted her weight to the foot on the grass outside and let Soo-Won hold her hand to balance while she threaded her other leg through to freedom.

“No,” he said.

“Is there a reason you picked this room?”

Soo-Won hummed. “A story for another day.”

She shivered in the cold mid-morning, immediately regretting leaving the warm comforts of Soo-Won’s office. She felt ridiculous and weak, but the palace was more north than she was used to; the winters were especially brutal for someone used to a more temperate clime.

“Get back inside soon. I’ll cover for you,” Soo-Won said.

“How so?” Lili asked.

“Kye-Sook,” Soo-Won called, eyes never leaving Lili’s.

She caught the faintest hint of amusement from him when she startled, ducking out of view of the window as his office door swung open far too quickly for someone who wasn’t standing right next to it.

Gross.

It probably meant something that not even Kye-Sook and his inappropriate investment in her and Soo-Won’s nonexistent sex life could scare her off from marrying Soo-Won. Because she hated Kye-Sook. She hated Soo-Won’s position. She hated that she liked Soo-Won’s pretty face and nice hands that were bigger than hers.

Don’t connect those dots just yet, she begged her brain. She wanted to continue to live in avoidance for just a little bit longer. Because the second she stopped running, she knew she’d have to face the fact that she had somehow, at some point, maybe fallen in love with her fiancé.

Shit.

#look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t think kyesook would be inappropriately invested in future heirs to the throne #yona of the dawn #akatsuki no yona #lili x soo won #lili/soo won #liliwon #(jen if you see this i’m going with your preference for ship name. we’re committing)#soo won: your company is my favorite part of the day. i am very busy but will make time for you. stay forever.#lili: i'm doomed to a loveless marriage full of angst and pining. my life is a greek tragedy #so uhhhhh yeah i had originally written this idea as a joke in a pwp #might tack on a happy smutty second chapter to this because i want to practice writing smut #i just have to get over myself first you know?#my fic

35 notes · View notes

koukaimagines · 4 months

Note

Soowon being jealous

Hello! Thank you for your request! Sorry for the wait! Soowon being jealous would certainly be a sight to behold! I'm not sure what kind of relationship you'd like Soowon and reader to have, so I wrote about soowon and reader in an exclusive romantic relationship! I hope you enjoy these HCs!

~~~~~~~~~~

Soowon

Soowon is someone who is calculated and logical. He doesn't and actively refuses to let himself be swayed by anything he might deem unnecessary. But in your case, it's different.

Having you by his side was already a poor blunder on his part. Falling for you was even worse— but now that he's realized he can't let go of you, he'll work things out. He always does. But his relationship with you is proving difficult. Despite his condition and position, he's selfish and determined to keep you close to him, even if physical distances rip you apart.

When that physical distance favoured another man in the palace over him, he stared blankly at you. But with Kyesook and Joodoh behind him asking what's wrong, he tears his gaze from the hand you bring to your lips as you stand there giggling with one of the soldiers. Despite the familiar ache in his chest, he must keep up appearances. Even though it doesn't fool his retainers, Kyesook and Joodoh both opt to stay quiet. When it's about you, things get more complicated.

When Soowon's jealous, you wouldn't know. He'd cage those raw feelings within the depths of his soul and act as though they never came to being. Loving you was forcing a vulnerability out of him that was hard to stand, often shining through minor missteps. Jealousy was no exception.

His Majesty would be said to seem a little more airheaded than usual from how frequent it seemed that he was not in the present moment. Things would go in through one ear and out the other. He'd be spoken to and ask the speaker to repeat themselves. He'd stare blankly at the table or his book, not making out the wood nor the words— as if he was looking at something completely different.

And he is. He's much too occupied by the sight of you with another man, and it's becoming needlessly annoying to navigate. The more he tries to focus on his work, the worse the ache gets.

You already don't get to see him as often as he'd like, so when jealousy comes in the picture, Soowon struggles quite a bit. It's not until Joodoh throws you at him that he may even realize it's jealousy that's building fog in his head.

Despite Soowon's intelligence, when it comes to romantic love, he's completely dumbfounded. The jealousy he feels with you is different from that he felt when he was younger, seeing Hak and Yona dream about a future that would never come to be. Different from the envy he felt for various things. Instead, jealousy with you was ugly, childish, needlessly selfish, rearing its head during the most undesirable of times. It felt like something out of his control, and he hated that.

He wouldn't even know what to tell you if his feelings slipped into his behaviour—if you noticed. He knows himself there's no real, tangible solution you could offer to clear the ache and the fog.

He knew that, but when he'd see you after having a bout of jealousy sprout, his body would move on its own, seeking a solution he couldn't comprehend: having you within his embrace. His hands would be drawn to you no matter how much he told them to stay at his sides.

There's that lack of insight and control he hated so much. When it's you, things are different. He selfishly acts according to his own desires as simply Soowon, not a King. You bring out a childishness in him that he dislikes, because it's unnecessary.

But he can't help but feel more at ease as the ache and fog disperses.

#soowon x reader #soowon #soo won #akatsuki no yona #akayona x reader #akatsuki no yona soowon #yona of the dawn #yotd #suwon #su won #suwon x reader

31 notes · View notes

mythical-donut · 5 months

Text

Akatsuki no Yona chapter 251 thoughts part 1....

Wow things sure are escalating quick. Um...where did that guard captain with the ponytail come from? Was he always there and I wasn't paying attention? Or maybe he was just a background character that suddenly made center stage when the plot demanded. This guy is the knew discord-maker I would say. Now that Kyesook and Judo have softened to Yona and the dragons.

Could this lead to civil war? Maybe. Maybe not. If they continue to attack the dragons this is going to bad news for everyone. These dragons are potentially even more dangerous in this unstable state than what we've seen so far. Kusanagi mentioned in a twitter post on something like this chapter being the start of the main point of the story. If this is where the action is headed. I'm all for it!

That being said. Zeno. You are totes suspicious. Every single one and their mother is not trusting you right now. What is that blood on your chest? It wasn't there before when Shinah saw him. The Shinah disappeared now suddenly he has a mark. HMMMM. He is totally playing ignorant about the missing dragons and the chalice (which he was holding in the dream). I have more to say about this later.

Anyway the end of the chapter tells me this might lead to an all out fight between Yona and co. and this King's division against the dragons. Could this lead to another dragon transformation? Is it Kija's time to turn and disappear? Is this all part of Zeno's plan? We shall wait and see.

#akatsuki no yona #yona of the dawn #four dragons #yona #shinah #zeno #jae ha #hak #akayona #soowon

12 notes · View notes

sabraeal · 9 months

Text

to all the ghost still standing in this room, Chapter 2

[Read on AO3]

Written for @kirayaykimura for her birthday! Starting this got pushed back SO MANY TIMES due to bingo, and so when I finally got to it and asked if she had a last minute change in request...she finally admitted she wanted more liliwon 🤣 It’s been a nice little break from the months of frantic obiyuki writing!

A king must act decisively. Kyesook had told him that, back when they were simply Yuhon’s heir and the boy his supporters had trusted to mold him. Barely six years his senior, he’d given his lessons with all the airs of a priest reciting a sacred truths. But a king must also be cautious. And above all else-- even now his expectations weigh heavy on him --he must be in control.

Control, ha. Soowon marvels at the trembling wrist in his grip; at the thick, mottled skin now streaked by the pale band of his fingers, silvered like long-healed scars instead of shackles. A pulse throbs against his fingertips, slippery with rage and thwarted wrath, but there’s no fear in his eyes, no sense of how close he’s come to death.

Not yet, at least.

“As much as the lady might annoy...” His grip tightens, just a hair, but his tone never strays from pointed civility. “Striking a woman is unnecessary.”

“Annoy?” Ah, of course. A man’s fist might quiver inches from the delicate bridge of An Lili’s nose, but that’s the stone that change’s the river’s course. “This man shakes a poor woman down in the middle of the streets, but I’m annoying for trying to--”

“Shake her down?” The man’s eyes bulge in their sockets, no longer a blade but a bullfrog belching its complaints to a ripple that’s splashed too close. “This girl is getting in the way of my business--”

“Your illegal business.” Lili surges toward him, heedless of the danger she so narrowly avoided. “I don’t think Kouren is going around, letting men like you issue permits--”

If she keeps this up, she might well win this argument by default, if only because the man’s died of apoplexy. “What do you know if it, you little--”

“I think you will find--” it’s in his softest, most dulcet tones that Soowon speaks, smile stretching his lips like a rack does a skin “--that denying this young woman’s wishes might cause more problems for you than it solves.”

He might be slender where this man is meaty, calm where he seethes, but when Soowon looms head and shoulders over him, bones groaning in his grasp, the man finally recognizes him the same way a rabbit recognizes a fox in the brush: as the superior being that cradles both his life and his death in its grip.

One that squeezes a little tighter as he says, “I speak, of course, from experience.”

Those bulging eyes no longer fix to Lili, no; they swing back to him, trembling like the rest of his squat body. Soowon, for his part, tries to find no pleasure in it. He fails of course. Ah, what his old minder might make of this mess? Nothing that would earn that man’s sparing praise, that’s for certain.

“F-fine then.” That man’s lips may flap but all that falls from them is this false bravado, useless save as a salve to his own pride. “Guess she can have her way, if it’s so important to her.”

“How kind.” Soowon’s grip springs open, sudden as a trap. The man stumbles, catching himself on his back foot. “Your graciousness will not be forgotten.”

There’s a threat in those soft words, hidden beneath the cushion of civility. A cleverer scoundrel would take it, a lesson learned about what a fair man might hide behind his sweet smile, but this one-- this one cradles his wrist against his chest and spits, “But if she gets in my way again...”

It is the work of a single step to slide between them, to break the furious path of his glare.

“That won’t be a problem. Or at least--” his voice drops to his chest, eyes falling open from their squint “--you better hope it is not.”

He’s impossible, that’s the problem here. When Lili left camp-- hours ago now, coaxing the most biddable mare in their entourage with the dried fruits she smuggled into her skirts during breakfast-- Soowon had still been in his tent. Sleeping, she assumed, or sulking if he couldn’t bring himself to have regular, basic needs like all the rest of those lesser mortals. He was still supposed to be doing that now, only inside that terrible darkened cage that passed for a palanquin.

And instead he’s-- he’s here. Haunting her heroic moment. Just swooping in and handling things when she definitely didn’t ask him to. Sure, he’s got that scumbag already scurrying into the gutters where he belongs, but he’s stooped over the woman too, wearing that stupid smile of his, the kind he squints into so no one notices it doesn’t reach his eyes.

A slender hand slips out from beneath the gleaming white of his robe, and oh, he’s stealing her rescue, too! Here she is, the one who bothered to step in to begin with, but that poor woman is all eyes for that beanpole, flushed and stammering as he guides her to her feet. Which is something Lili would have been happy to do, as soon as her own legs quit trembling. Just a few minutes and she would have been the one to gallantly offer her hand, the one to dust off the woman’s dirty knees. But instead--

Instead it’s Soowon fussing over her, offering with his stupid voice-- not even his real one, but the one he uses to come off as gentle and inoffensive, for all the good it does him-- to take her home. And it’s to him she clings even as her she insists he’s done enough.

Shameless, that’s what he is. Doesn’t even bother to look sorry when he finally glances her way either. Oh no, for her, he’s smug. Bastard.

Well, he’s not going to have the satisfaction of floating over here and pulling that angel act on her, oh no. Lili storms over to him first, legs stronger with every stomp, and demands, “What on earth are you doing here?”

Oh, he smiles and simpers for all the smallfolk, playing benevolent savior, but for her-- for her there’s no squint, no pretense that he’s doing anything but looking down on her when he says, “Saving you, it seems.”

“You?” It’s stupid that he’s so tall; if he’s going to be so obnoxious, she should at least be able to put her hands around his throat without having to jump. “Saving me?”

It’s ridiculous. Absurd, even. And worse yet, terrible, because if she’s being generous-- which she shouldn’t be; he doesn’t deserve it-- it might even be true.

That insufferable smile widens when he reaches out for her, and she means to duck, to sidestep, to do something if only to keep him from acting whatever way he likes, but--

But she’s frozen instead, breath caught up in her lungs as his fingers graze past her ears, disrupting the flyaway hairs that always gather just there no matter what Tetora does. A shiver traces down her spine, trembling her already weak knees, and it’s-- it’s nothing. Only that he never gets this close to anyone, not on purpose, so it feels...different. Weird.

That is, until her hood tumbles over her eyes, leaving her with only slash of his smirk in her vision. “Yes. Like always.”

She wrestles with the fabric until it sits properly back from her face, sputtering and spitting but never quite forming words. Always. The gall of him. “Where’s your babysitter?”

His eyebrows lift, two elegant questions over the still seas of his eyes. “Where is yours?”

Lili scowls; it’s not until her palms prickle that she even realizes she’s clenched her fists. “I don’t need one! I can take care of myself just fine.”

He doesn’t even bother to open his mouth, just pointedly glances at where she’d stood, too stupid to see a punch coming, and-- and--

“I can!” A hit like that would hardly kill her. “But now that you’re here, Joodoh is going to be tearing across the whole countryside to find--”

Funny, she wouldn’t have though his spindly hands it could fit so perfectly over her mouth. Or that his grip could bite so harshly into her wrist.

She glares up at him, ready to give him a piece of her mind, muffled or not, and finds a smile that is all teeth.

“Why don’t we move this discussion to a more amenable location?” he asks, and oh, it’s phrased like a suggestion, but every twitch of his eyes says, you’re making a scene.

Ha. If he thinks this is a scene, she’d be happy to show him what it looks like when she does a whole production--

Until she follows the quick flick of his eyes, gaze quickly drawn to the gleam of pauldrons, to the tooled leather insignia branded across the chest of more than a few men now lingering at the edge of the market, watching them.

With a quick catch of her breath, his hand peels away. “Come.” He tugs at her wrist. “This way.”

“All right.” Lili slips like water from his fingers, one moment solid under his grip, and the next idling behind him in the alley, arms-crossed. “What are you doing here, really?”

Ah well, it’s fine enough; he hadn’t thought she would allow him to lead her this far from the market, let alone to somewhere properly secluded. “I might ask you the same thing.”

“Ugh, yeah you could,” she huffs, hands flailing wildly beside her already listing hood. “Or you could just answer the question like a normal person!”

He blinks at her, stymied. That’s hardly a standard he’s ever been expected to aspire to. Exceptional, certainly; superior might as well go without saying; but normal...?

“Fine!” Her head flings back with a groan, and ah, that explains how it keeps falling. “I’m here because Lady Lili only gets to see flower gardens and tapestries and maybe a decorative pond or two. And that’s fine or whatever, but Yona isn’t going to care about whether or not the castle’s lilies are growing well this year. For that matter, neither do I!”

His mouth opens, only to find that there’s nothing to say. “Ah...hm.”

“And also you’re horrible to travel with,” she continues, quite unnecessarily. “That’s a big part of it.”

“Well.” There’s a half dozen idiosyncrasies he could lay at her door as well, a litany of habits that could make even the most pious of the priesthood rethink temperance, but what comes out is a stilted, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“So...there.” Her fluttering hands finally perch on her hips, ready to take flight with a single shift in the wind of her moods. “Your turn now.”

It would be simple to answer; he had prepared a response to that very question before he even left camp. Not the truth-- no one liked that, no matter what they said-- but the sort of regal humility expected of a cousin to the crown. I wanted to see the people of this land with my own two eyes, he would say, gaze fixed to the middle distance, properly melancholic. The care my cousin shows our people has taught me to seek its like wherever I go.

But as pretty as the words are, as melodic a cadence as he had composed to cradle them, it feels...inadequate. Lili may not speak to him with eloquence, but she is earnest, the way he had once been with...

Ah. An uncomfortable thought.

“The last time I was here, I came with an army at my back.” An invader, hoping to subdue a weakened rival with an application of suitable force. “I have to admit I was...curious. About what may remain after...everything.”

About what they might say about King Soowon, the man who failed where Princess Yona flew. Ah, Empress Yona, now.

The answer had been surprisingly little. He’s not sure what would have been worse: for his name being synonymous as their oppressor, or the fact that his gambit left so little mark that few remember it.

“It’s so different now, isn’t it?” The tightness around Lili’s eyes eases, the whole of her face softening as she skims the streets. “There’s scars where Kai and the nadai carved them, but...”

“I expected more,” he agrees. “A testament to Kouren’s leadership.”

“Oh?” One of her narrow brows quirk, too interested. “Is that so? Do you find that an attractive trait in an ally, or--?”

“Don’t start,” he grumbles, tucking his hands into his sleeves. “It’s insulting enough that Yona has tried to dress this up as a...a diplomatic mission, I don’t need this from you too.”

“But it is a diplomatic mission.” For once he wishes An Lili was a better liar; then he wouldn’t have to suffer her subterfuge. “Kouka has to send someone to the coronation, and who better than Yona’s own cousin, a--”

“An usurper and kin-killer.” His teeth ache as he strains his well-earned titles through them. “And though my lovely cousin would never admit it, I am a superfluous and inconvenient member of the royal family. She might well have spared me her mercy and killed me instead, the reception might have been kinder.”

For all that it’s true, Lili scowls at him, as if he’s a disappointment. “Yona has spent the past two years trying to involve you in every aspect of Kouka’s governance. She made you the Sky Advisor! You can’t really think sending you here to--”

“Woo a queen who has every reason to hate me?” For all her hot air, Lili deflates. Ah, so they had not thought he would figure out this portion of their plan until it was already well underway. “Yona would never be so rude as to suggest it outright, but I’m sure it would put her most at ease if I found Xing so diverting I never return to Kouka.”

Lili unleashes a groan so weary it practically creaks. “She would like you to be happy, instead of just...haunting your end of the castle and finding new ways to make yourself miserable.”

“Haunting.”

Her sharp little finger stings where it prods his chest. “You’ve spooked several servants, mister. Surprising we can still get people to go clean down that way when they’re all spun up about restless spirits wandering the halls.”

Soowon smooths the dimple she leaves in the fabric. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“You said it, Yona’s too nice to tell you the stuff you need to hear.” Her mouth gives an insufferable little twist. “Like that you need to go out and get some fresh air.”

“And you’re...not.” It’s not a question. He has met her, after all. It’s one of the most tolerable things about her.

One of her slim shoulders lift, unconcerned. “Someone has to.”

“How...” He lets a few possibilities roll around on his tongue, savoring each one. “Considerate.”

“Listen, if you’re so concerned about why Yona chose you for this party--” her tone implies heavily that he shouldn’t be “--you’re a royal, like you said. It’s an honor for people to host you. Fussing over you makes them feel important. And the fact that Yona’s letting them do it makes her seem magnanimous.”

His eyes narrow. “I see. And the fact that I am the highest ranking unattached member of the imperial court...”

“Fine,” she sighs. “Yeah, if by some cosmic coincidence you somehow fell wildly in love with one of Yona’s staunchest allies and the strongest queen of her vassal countries, I’m sure she wouldn’t be mad about it.”

The only queen of her vassal countries. His breath whistles out through his nose. At least it’s a more flattering option than Mei-nyan. “How optimistic of her, considering how the last time I was in Xing, its first princess was calling for my head.”

“That’s Yona for you. Now...” Lili cranes her neck, peering around his side to-- ah, to his pockets. “Are those rice cakes?”

Ha. He had quite forgotten those were there. “Is there a reason you are asking?”

A grin splits her face as she threads her arm through his, all teeth. “Because if you’re going to show me around this place, you’re gonna have to share them.”

#liliwon #wonlili #akatsuki no yona #yona of the dawn #my fic #future fic #to all the ghosts #any #after i struggled so mightily with the first chapter this was written in like two days #most of it spent of futzing with soowon's pov #because the background music when i write him is so fiddly #lili is like. here is my pop mix on spotify let's go

17 notes · View notes