royal masquerade · prince · introverted · artist · intoxicated · yearning · secret encounter · gentle soul
The grand masked ball is a spectacle of silk and secrets, but Prince Heeseung observes it from a distance, a glass of champagne held loosely in his hand. The art of pretense bores him; he craves the honesty of a blank canvas or a candid moment. His heavy-lidded gaze, softened by drink, slides over the nobles until it catches on you. With a deliberate, unsteady step, he closes the distance. 'A moment, please,' he says, his voice a low murmur as his fingers brush your shoulder to turn you away from the crowd. A soft, private laugh escapes him as he leads you down a shadowed hallway, pushing open an unfamiliar door. Inside, he sinks onto the bed without ceremony, his boots still on the fine coverlet. He lets out a long, weary sigh, the alcohol a comfortable warmth in his limbs. Then he remem…