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jiaecwn · 3 years
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clean slate.
with @cwnhyunsu location: the secret costume party in the spades palace
jiae finds herself standing behind one of refreshments table not too long after the secret costume party begins, and it's not just because there is an array of sweet treats that are calling to her for a taste. it’s this stupid costume’s fault. there isn't much she can do to cover herself up, but at least the table keeps the lower half of her body hidden out of sight. 
but, okay, maybe the food is the main reason she decided to stay here for a while instead of mingling with the other secret party-goers. after a couple bites of a few different snacks, jiae has begrudgingly realized that the spades palace chefs are better than the ones in the hearts palace. they know how to combine flavours and various textures to create a perfect harmony in a way that the hearts chefs could only dream of achieving.
(they're still not better than jiae herself).
it is getting a little lonely, though—hovering around the food all by herself. she feels too uncomfortable in this costume to drift into the middle of the room like she always does at parties, but jiae is literally itching to talk to someone right now. she all but pounces on the next guest who approaches the table, hoping to squeeze in at least some social interaction tonight.  
"the prosciutto tastes really good with the brie," jiae offers her advice to the stranger eyeing the charcuterie board beside her, before taking a bite of a particularly delectable red velvet cupcake. he doesn’t need to know that her recommendation is only to keep him (and others) away from her personal favourites. “the chorizo with the goat cheese is also a good combination, if you’re into that. don’t ask how i know. it’s kind of embarrassing.”
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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fever dream.
with @cwnmirae location: spades palace, on the night of the royal masquerade ball
after a night of dancing, jiae is exhausted. don't get her wrong; she loves attending royal balls, dressing up and chatting with others. she thrives in these kinds of events. but at some point, her feet start aching from dancing in heels. and when the clock shows her its well into the night (or the early morning, technically), she just wants to sleep in a soft bed, so she's eternally grateful that the spades kingdom had provided extra rooms for guests to stay overnight. 
she leaves the royal masquerade in a flurry of laughter and smiles, bidding farewell to the people she was talking to earlier. jiae likes to think she knows her way around the spades palace fairly well after years of royal visits, though not nearly as well as she knows the hearts palace. but for some reason, the hallways feel longer than they did on her way to the ball. it's probably because of how tired she is. 
jiae finds her room eventually, stepping into the unfamiliar space. she doesn't even bother to turn the lights on or change out of her gown before heading straight for the bed. slipping out of her heels, jiae flops back onto the bed, fully prepared to fall asleep right away. she rolls onto her side, only to scream when, in the darkness, she finds another body laying in her bed right beside her.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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how unfortunate.
with: @daulcwn​​ location: fortune teller shop in the diamond's town
jiae's knowledge of tarot is, admittedly, nonexistent. she knows there are cards and that each card has a meaning. she knows that a tarot reader will use these cards to predict what is going on in your life and what will happen in the future, or something like that.
there are people who believe these readings, and people who don't. jiae is the latter; it's a scam, she thinks, to take advantage of vulnerable people who are experiencing a period of struggling. 
and yet, for some reason, jiae finds herself leaving the fortune teller's shop in a sour mood, brows furrowed and lips set in a deep frown. what kind of a reading was that? what does that bastard know about jiae and her life? "you've been building on unstable foundations, chaos is upon you, your world will come crumbling down" blah blah blah. everyone probably gets similar false readings... right? right?
preoccupied in her thoughts, jiae bumps shoulders with someone right outside the shop. "sorry about that," she mumbles an apology, not even glancing at the man, before turning the corner. it's completely unlike her. usually, she would properly apologize even if it was just a commoner—it's all part of her image–but after a reading that basically said all her lies will lead to her downfall, she can't bring herself to do more than a vague head nod.
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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bottoms up.
with @sooincwn location: a restaurant in a diamond town
jiae is starting to regret every decision she has made tonight.
the fall harvest celebrations were promising—all the stalls lined along the streets, the music playing loudly in the square, the beautiful lanterns lighting up the night. jiae thinks she should have spent more time admiring the whole set up, or even chosen a different restaurant to grab a quick bite before participating in some of the festivities herself. maybe then she could have avoided this situation.
she has never done something like this before, nor did she ever imagine it would happen. with how image-conscious she is, jiae would quite honestly rather die than make a fool of herself in front of a crowd of strangers! but when the person standing beside her volunteers jiae for the drinking competition, her protests fall upon deaf, probably tipsy ears as she's ushered to the main table and pushed into the chair beside another girl.
she glances down the table at the other participants so far. as the restaurant owner explains the rules of the contest, a mixture of confident and thrilled faces greet her. jiae can’t relate; she's not much of a drinker, preferring to be in complete control of herself at all times. the last time she took more than a few sips of alcohol was... well... she can’t really remember, and she doesn’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. 
shit. her palms are sweaty. distraction, she needs a distraction.
leaning over closer to the girl beside her, jiae whispers, "do you think it's too late to back out now?” ugh, she hates how cowardly that sounds of her. jiae clears her throat, hoping her anxiety isn’t leaking into her voice as she continues jokingly, “i mean, i don't know if i can beat that guy over there." she points towards the end of the table at a man who grips his mug, excitedly waiting for the minute he can start drinking.
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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hi guys and welcome to my very first plot call! i’m so excited and hoping to do lots of writing for this first event, so i’ve come up with a couple plot ideas below the cut. if any one of them catches your eye, please reply to this post with the corresponding emoji and i’ll message you about it asap! or if you have something else in mind that you’d like to do, i’m all ears; feel free to message me on tumblr, twitter (@p1nkup), or discord (fiddytiddy#3954) for plotting! ♡  
Keep reading
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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choi jiae’s secret costume
“hello, Rabbit,” he said, “is that you?” "let’s pretend it isn’t,” said Rabbit, “and see what happens.”
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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sugar rush.
with @cwnabi​ location: kingdom of hearts’ palace
with the weather getting colder, jiae finds herself craving sweet treats a little more than she usually is. unfortunately, she can't exactly abandon her duties during the day to bake whatever her stomach is begging for. not that she could do so even if she had enough time to spare. the palace chefs always usher her out of the kitchen the minute she steps into it, saying that the kitchen is not a place fit for a princess as highly regarded as jiae to be in. they promise they'd be happy to make any of her recommendations, though, but jiae is definitely biased when she thinks that food she makes with her own hands tastes the best.
so it's 1:03 am when jiae turns on the lights in the palace's kitchen. the place is spotless, proof that no one has stepped foot in the room since the staff cleaned up after dinner time. it's the only time she can sneak in and try out new recipes she has bookmarked.
tonight's menu includes s'mores brownies, perfect for the autumn season and jiae's sweet tooth. after years of figuring her way out around the kitchen, jiae knows where all the ingredients and baking utensils are. setting up the counter takes almost no time, and she's already preheating the oven when she hears it.
footsteps. they're soft, but audible in the silence of a mostly-sleeping palace. jiae curses under her breath as she rushes towards the light switch and plunges the room into darkness. ducking behind a counter, she crouches low and waits for the footsteps to recede. she's done this routine a few times; it's usually just a guard passing by on duty, unaware of the princess's baking escapades. she just has to let a few minutes pass and—
the oven beeps to signal it's heated, at the same time that the lights come on. jiae sheepishly stands from her hiding spot, knowing that she's busted (regardless of hiding) solely from the mess of ingredients on the counter. "i can explain."
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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hi guys and welcome to my very first plot call! i’m so excited and hoping to do lots of writing for this first event, so i’ve come up with a couple plot ideas below the cut. if any one of them catches your eye, please reply to this post with the corresponding emoji and i’ll message you about it asap! or if you have something else in mind that you’d like to do, i’m all ears; feel free to message me on tumblr, twitter (@p1nkup), or discord (fiddytiddy#3954) for plotting! ♡  
Keep reading
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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cwnyunseo​:
[ ... ]
he would never admit this, but yunseo also did have a face that many have said is fit for a prince. his tall, soft-boyish looks paired with the casual nature of his sweet smiles just screamed to be dressed in the costume of kings.
back in reality, however, yunseo was having a ‘day’-off. thi meant his full uniform was hung up, and rather, he had a more appealing costume on for the day as he took a stroll through the village. part of his time off was always spent exploring, trying not to let his introversion take over.
it's not often that jiae can escape the duties of a princess. even the rare days that she's allowed to leave the palace for personal matters, rather than diplomatic visits to the other kingdoms, are somehow still spent as political outings. for once, she has a real day-off, and she's not about to risk letting her free time be interrupted by her admirers in the hearts kingdom. jiae manages to arrange a trip into spades territory, where the common person does not bother to interrupt her peaceful strolls and she doesn't have to listen to rants about poor infrastructure.
(plus, jiae has heard whispers about a spades cafe that offers a mean pastry—her ultimate weakness. so yes, she spent half a day travelling just for a treat).
all her mental plans for sweet eclairs and flaky puffs are squashed when she notices someone across the street. the man feels familiar, what with his handsome face and somewhat regal aura. jiae figures he must be another royal spending their day-off out of the limelight, though she can't seem to recall ever meeting him at any royal events (and trust when she says her memory is as sharp as a tack).
now, jiae knows that if she were in the stranger's shoes, she would not want her very limited free time to be interrupted by another royal. on the other hand, she's been raised with manners and knows it would be rude to completely avoid him. if word got out that princess jiae turned her back on a spade prince while in spade territory...
her reputation always comes first. 
she crosses the street swiftly, stepping into the path of the prince with a polite smile. "your highness, hello, i'm terribly sorry to bother you! i just thought i should introduce myself since i'm in the area. i'm princess jiae, from the kingdom of hearts." she tries to keep it subtle, the fact that she's scanning him from head to toe. jiae swears she would remember such an attractive prince. what is wrong with her brain right now? "i'm sure we've met somewhere before, but i don't seem to recall your name...?" 
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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hi guys and welcome to my very first plot call! i’m so excited and hoping to do lots of writing for this first event, so i’ve come up with a couple plot ideas below the cut. if any one of them catches your eye, please reply to this post with the corresponding emoji and i’ll message you about it asap! or if you have something else in mind that you’d like to do, i’m all ears; feel free to message me on tumblr, twitter (@p1nkup), or discord (fiddytiddy#3954) for plotting! ♡  
FALL HARVEST
🍺  — your muse and jiae participate in one of the eating/drinking competitions and both of them end up losing to someone else. what better way is there to bond with someone than to drunkenly complain about another person winning when obviously one of them should have?
💃 — jiae is still drunk from her drinking competition when she stumbles upon the town square where the locals are teaching dances. deciding to join in, she doesn’t realize that she has no control over her limbs until she accidentally smacks your muse right in the face
🔮 — jiae gets a particularly awful crystal/tarot reading and your muse is the person standing next in line. out of the goodness of their heart, or maybe because princess jiae is rarely ever seen so distraught, sacrifices their own reading to check up on her and find out what the hell her reading said
💎 — your muse and jiae visit kang yooah and kang joonmin's shop and craft trinkets together (or they both meet while in the shop and end up sitting together as they work). after helping each other throughout the process, they decide to exchange their good luck charms, even if they’re a complete mess, because god this is hard
ROYAL MASQUERADE
🎀 — your muse and jiae both sneak off together during the royal masquerade. did they leave to make out in a corridor? are they escaping out to the courtyard for some fresh air? are they about to play a prank on one of the other royals that's staying the night in the palace? only the two of them know (possible nsfw depending on what we decide on!)
🛏 — after the masquerade, jiae is so exhausted that she mixes up which room she’s staying in the palace overnight. she accidentally stumbles into your muse’s room and crashes on the bed... only to realize she’s not the only person in the room
👄 —jiae can tell your muse is getting a little tipsy. she uses this chance to appear as a good samaritan, topping off your drinks throughout the night and then helping you stand upright. the whole time, she digs into your muse’s life, asking questions that might be gossip-worthy to spread around later.
SECRET COSTUME PARTY
👀 — your muse suggested a costume idea to jiae and she actually shows up to the party in it. so much for keeping identities a secret! it’s time to tease her about it 
👻 — your muse dislikes jiae for whatever reason, so it’s ironic when the two of them get to chatting during the party and she actually seems like a decent person. good thing you don’t know who’s under that mask
👠 —jiae is super uncomfortable with her costume and she doesn’t hesitate to show it. she’s constantly crossing her arms or tugging at the hem. your muse takes notice and can’t help but ask why she would choose a costume out of her comfort zone. bonus points if your muse has an extra jacket or layer that they offer he to cover up with!
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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cwnchul​:
[ ... ]
“Now why would a Princess of Hearts be out during this time of night?” Chul asked slowly, letting his words sink into her, “All alone so near the border of her country?” He lowered his hand gently and took a step back to analyze the situation. It would do no good for him to kill her here. The Hearts Kingdom would go crazy hunting down the killer of their favorite princess and no doubt it would start a war between the Hearts Kingdom and the Spades Kingdom with her death being so close to the borders. But Chul tests the waters with the princess none the less, because why would a tier one princess be meeting a nobody like Hajin in the middle of the night? He made sure to keep his face blank and his voice sharp as he stated,
“You should give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right here, right now, Princess.”
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jiae prides herself on her adaptability. she's quick-witted, always has a response ready for any occasion. she can spot opportunities from a mile away and plan according to them. she's a master at controlling others without her targets even realizing her intentions. yet, there was nothing she could have done at any moment tonight to prepare herself for this encounter. for once in her life, jiae is simply speechless.
it's hard to focus on the familiar face—prince chul, jiae thinks incredulously—when there is a knife trained on her and a bloodied corpse in the immediate vicinity. it's even harder to come up with a decent response when she can barely hear what he's saying in the first place, the roaring of adrenaline in her ears and her rapidly beating heart drowning everything else out. it's like she's underwater and he's above the surface, words garbled and sounding far-away.
dumbly, jiae asks, "huh?"
it's only when he seems to ease up a little that jiae can roll her shoulders back and straighten stiffly. eyes flickering between the steel clasped in his hand and chul's blank face, jiae is finally able to form a coherent sentence again. "you can't kill me."
that's right. she's the daughter of the king and queen of hearts, the nation's favourite princess. people wouldn't just notice if she was missing, they would actively seek her out. her death would send the kingdom into chaos and anger, the need to avenge her overpowering the desire for peace.
jiae crosses her arms over her chest, her confidence slowly creeping back into her veins. chul can't risk hurting her. if he could, he wouldn't be engaging in this conversation. she's sure of it now. "i have every right to be here. i care about checking up on how well every town, village, and person in my kingdom is doing. you, on the other hand? i'm guessing that murder is as illegal in your realm as it is in mine, and yet here you are. a prince of the spades with b-blood splattered on your cheek and a bo—" her voice is shaking. she can hear it, and that means chul can hear it too. "—a body at your feet."
she doesn't care about hajin, never did. it took her months just to memorize his name, for god's sake. he was a tool for jiae to further her own success, someone easily replaceable and... now he's dead, and she shouldn't be affected by it at all but jiae has to take a deep breath to make sure she doesn't start crying in front of someone who could take her out in seconds. (he won't. he won't).
her voice sounds small, even to her, when the question slips out. "why... why did you kill him?"
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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cwnheon​:
[ ... ]
both heon and the lingering staff turned to the door in surprise, the princess casually readying her room, clad in baggy jeans and a tight fitting shirt, barefoot assuming she’d get the chance to be alone if even for a few hours. but it was short lived when the familiar face of who supposedly held the title of her other half sister, the twins vibes were completely different, but jiae posed a more sinister aura than eunae did. and even the darkness of her loomed into the bedroom as she peaked into the door way.
all heon could do was nod and wave shyly, not able to grab a suitable communication tool.
as if she needed more of a reason for her ever-growing animosity, the girl doesn't even offer jiae a response. she's a princess, an actual daughter of both the king and queen of hearts, and yet she's being treated without even an ounce of respect by some low-life, country bumpkin bastard. a wave, that's all she's worth to this child. no “hello,” no “thank you.” nothing.
jiae can feel her eye twitch. 
she takes the silence as an invitation, and steps past the door with a strained smile. a quick discreet scan of the room shows exactly what jiae was expecting from such a humble person. every single one of her belongings looks cheap and dirty (not to mention her comfortable choice of clothing), and jiae thinks she now understands why nanseolheon decided to reveal who she really was. who wouldn't want a better life, one where she can have the most expensive and beautiful effects while living in a palace grander than anything she has ever experienced? perhaps this lifestyle is worth holding the title of an illegitimate child, to her.
(she knows nothing of this world. she should have stayed where she belonged).
"how do you like the palace so far?" jiae tries again, hoping to elicit something more than simple gestures. "i know this situation is a little jarring for everyone involved, but i trust that you’re being given the royal treatment. have you talked to eunae or jaejin yet?"
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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yuryecwn​:
[ ... ]
as yurye starts preparing himself mentally to return to the banquet, he feels a sudden touch on his arm. surprised at who would be approaching him - and like so - so late into the evening, yurye turns to greet the stranger when he comes face to face with a rather unfortunate presence.
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“p-princess jiae, how do you do?”
jiae doesn't consider herself as someone who needs a lot of friends in her life, but she truly loves socializing with people. she doesn't feel like she can interact with the royals from the kingdom of hearts the same way she can with the royals from other kingdoms that visit during big events. in that way, these events are often the highlight of her weeks. but they also provide the perfect environment to sabotage those that she might have to worry about. everyone is focused on conversations, the delightful food laid out on fancy tables, and wishing the birthday girl (whoever that is). and despite what some might claim, jiae knows a few of them are at least a little bit tipsy (not enough that it shows, but enough that they’re not fully aware of everyone around them). the only people she has to worry about are the knights, but jiae has mastered the art of sneaking out and on-the-spot excuses since she was a child.
she's just about to approach a particularly handsome royal who looks like he'd be of great entertainment, when her ears perk up almost on instinct. eunae. who is talking about her? what are they saying about her?
jiae turns sharply, just in time to catch a spade prince as he ducks out into a corridor. ah, it's yurye—he must be looking for her sister. jiae doesn't have the knowledge a normal sister might have about her twin, considering the two princesses are far from confidants. but from what she's noticed, yurye pays a lot more attention to eunae than any other royal. it's not enough to be suspicious about his intentions, but enough for jiae to know a prime opportunity is presenting itself to her in this moment. so, she follows him.
she passes a maid dusting a statue and taps on the woman's shoulder, glancing past her silhouette to make sure yurye had left the banquete hall. "excuse me? i noticed there was a spill down that way," jiae points in the same direction the spades prince had just disappeared out of sight, already starting to move after him. "when you're done with this, please head over there. thank you!"
jiae picks up her pace to catch up with yurye down the corridor. when she finally does, she grips his forearm to grab his attention. "yurye! so it is you!" straightening up when his attention falls on her, jiae loosens her grip on his arm but allows her hand to still rest there, as if she's telling him he's not allowed to leave any time soon. "i thought i saw you in there but i wasn't sure! oh, i was already having such a wonderful evening but seeing you here has made it even better."
flattery. it gets jiae everywhere.
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she grins, a harmless appearance that contrasts her next words. "may i ask though, where were you heading off to? do we have another party in the palace?"
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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@thecrownseer
a simple envelope arrives at your room, so nondescript you may wonder if it’s actually meant for you — until you notice your name written on the front in black, cursive letters. there is no sender but the envelope has been closed shut with a wax seal you know to be from THE SEER. it seems you have a message of upmost importance… but will you open it?
“you find out that a royal advisor has been embezzling royal funds for their personal use. do you report them for treason to earn more favor with the king and queen or do you make a deal with them in exchange for their servitude?”
jiae is on high alert as soon as she spots the envelope. the lack of decoration on the envelope immediately rules out anything sent from her "fans” (never mind that they have to go through official channels to send things to the palace and it doesn’t just show up at her door unannounced), along with official mail from other kingdoms or acquaintances. jiae briefly wonders if it’s some form of blackmail, if the tides have turned and she’s now being terrorized in the same way she’s done to others before.
all of that disappears when she finally notices the wax seal. the seer, of course. she doesn’t physically relax, but her mind is more at ease knowing that she’s not about to be threatened for the throne.
her eyebrows further the more she reads through the note. it’s a puzzling scenario; jiae can’t decide on an answer right away. reporting a royal advisor for their misconduct would be the right thing to do, but since when has jiae ever cared about that? rather, she dwells on how much favour she would gain. if only the king and queen know of her “loyalty,” does it really matter? everyone should know of how moral, how trustworthy she really is, in order for jiae to gain anything from reporting the situation.
but making a deal with them is dangerous. if anyone were to find out the truth, or if the royal advisor were to throw her under the bus, that would ruin years’ worth of work on jiae’s part. it would entirely ruin her chances at becoming the queen. taking risks is normal for jiae, but why would she risk everything when she’s so close to getting what she wants already?
on a blank sheet of paper, jiae writes her response.
i would report the royal advisor for treason. making a deal with him would do more harm than good right now. it would be better to prove my loyalty and dedication to the crown.
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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have you heard? there was heavy smoke seen billowing from the seer’s tower. not long after that, the carriage of the seer was seen leaving the gates of the country. it seems they have an urgent message to deliver personally.
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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cwnsunwoo​:
[ ... ]
the plan had backfired because he couldn’t really be there unofficially, pretending not to have a reason to be in the kingdom of hearts, without also technically having an open schedule. so when jiae asked him to get lunch with her, he didn’t have the wit to give her an excuse in time. he begrudgingly says yes after some time being poked and prodded and is now prisoner in the back of the car, wishing he had been a little more sneaky. 
sunwoo sighs, bouncing his knees and looking out of the window, taking every other moment to check his phone. 
it takes a great amount of difficulty for jiae to stop staring at sunwoo. he's seemed utterly uncomfortable ever since she had slung an arm over unsuspecting shoulders and steered him away from the palace halls. his smiles don't reach his eyes, he barely utters a word, and he seems distracted. from the palace to the car, he's been avoiding looking at jiae for too long. it's quite comical, really, watching him glance between his phone and out the window as she chatters away to fill the silence. he looks like a puppy that's been locked in a crate for poor behaviour, disappointed that he can't play around with his friends anymore. 
but it's also quite annoying. jiae doesn't know what sunwoo's relationship with nanseolheon is, but she'd be a blind fool not to have noticed that there is something there. she doesn't care about the truth of it all, just that she can use whatever it is to her advantage. the plan was to see if sunwoo would slip up and give her more information to use—just the smallest hint of attraction to the girl, or anything that can brand nanseolheon as improper or unfit to be a ruler at present—but he's so tight-lipped that it's just bordering on rude.
"we're not going far, i promise. i think you'll love the restaurant i've chosen, though. i'm close with the owner and he makes the best food in the kingdom of hearts—even more so than the palace chefs!" jiae smiles sweetly, but of course, sunwoo isn't looking so she lets it fade out naturally. god, seriously, can he at least pretend to care about her presence? a true princess has asked him to accompany her for a meal, and all he can do is check his phone over and over again. 
finally, when she's had enough and is physically unable to act unbothered anymore, jiae arches an eyebrow and carefully probes, "do you have somewhere else to be, sunwoo? i'm terribly sorry if i interrupted some plans, but i don't think it's polite of you either to keep checking the time." she knows he's not really keeping watch of the clock on his phone; jiae isn't stupid. it's more likely that he's talking to the person he came to visit at the palace, but she can't accuse him of such a thing yet. "if there's somewhere else you'd rather be, i can have you dropped off there instead?"
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jiaecwn · 3 years
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what happens to snitches.
with @cwnchul location: near the border between the kingdom of spades and the kingdom of hearts
[ 14:31 ✉ ← Spade Pigeon 2: have smth important to tell u, lets meet today ] [ 16:03 ✉ → Spade Pigeon 2: Sure! Same time and place as usual? ] [ 16:05 ✉ ← Spade Pigeon 2: 👍 😍  see u soon! ]
the best part about being the beloved princess of the kingdom of hearts is that there’s always someone willing to lend a helping hand. jiae has all kinds of connections throughout the people, from members of organizations that she’s volunteered for to the owners of shops that she frequents. everyone feels like they owe her, whether in exchange for the favours she’s done for them or out of the goodness in their heart, because that’s just how the kingdom is. 
but even jiae has her favourite helpers. they come in the form of fans, or pigeons as she likes to call them. those whose love for her exceeds spoken words, who would do anything for the one they idolize, especially if they get the chance to meet her more than the average admirer of royals. all she has to do is smile at them and maintain a conversation for an hour, and in return they give jiae more than just helpful tips on “how to improve the kingdom.” they cross jurisdictions, passing along whispers from the surrounding kingdoms. it’s all unofficial, of course, but jiae has learned that you can do a lot of damage with mere rumours.
they have specific locations for their meetings, depending on who she’s meeting and what information they have for her. it’s always after dark, but the meeting today is on the outskirts of a village that lies near the border they share with the kingdom of spades. they’re her target these days; the queen of hearts has been antsy lately, something to do with a mistake she’s made that might have affected more than just their kingdom, but also a nearby spade town, and jiae promised to scour the place for concrete answers (she’s still debating on what she’ll do with those answers when she gets them).
12:42. she’s a few minutes late by the time she ducks into the alley, though it shouldn’t be a problem. her pigeon should already be here, and he'll probably just be excited to see her regardless of the time. but when she glances in both directions, there’s no one else here that she can see.
okay. jiae knows she would never be stood up, so maybe he’s the one running late instead. she’s not overly fond of waiting, but if it’s for something important—
there’s a THUD! from around the corner, and jiae whips her head towards the sudden noise. “hello? hajin, is that you?” she whispers, squinting to discern whoever or whatever made the noise through the dark. no one else is supposed to be here (they’re always alone), so it has to be him.
jiae takes tentative steps towards the sound, clutching onto the side of the building as she peeks out at the other side. a gasp escapes past her lips before she can even register what she sees (oh my god, is that hajin on the ground?), alerting the intruder of her presence. belatedly, she clamps a hand over her mouth as she takes in the scene before her. it’s only for a split second, because her survival instincts kick in immediately and she retreats behind her cover to avoid being discovered. the garbage bag that she rather noisily stumbles over in her haste reminds her that it’s too late. her chances of escaping this unscathed have just dwindled, so jiae does something she has never done before: she begs. “please, don’t hurt me.”
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