Mei and Chung Liên had always been best friends, sticking together through thick and thin as they survived by doing odd jobs in the massive nation of Holsoo. 

Mei, who was from the southern central eastern part of Holsoo known as Jiksan Province, and Chung Liên, who was born in the south eastern part of Holsoo known as Wangji, could be described as polar opposites. Mei had always been cheerful and brazen, her wild spirit untamable and oddly intriguing. Chung Liên, on the other hand, was cool, quiet, and calculating, her every movement precise and sharp. The girls had met when they were young, and after a long trip together, they were inseperable. Now they lived in the capital, Gyeongju.

It all began when the girls met a man named Chaiya. The day had been abnormally humid and hot, and the girls had been working in the rice fields, toiling under the hot sun. It was around lunch time when the girls finally were paid for their week's worth of work, receiving 764 Qixua(Their currency). The girls grinned at each other, and decided unanimously to go eat their favorite foods as a small spending splurge. 

Mei changed back from working clothes into her regular peach (or bright pink)-colored qipao with gold trim, long, flowing sleeves, and a long white skirt. She combed her hair until it was long and brown, with a wild curly strand sticking out on the right side of her head. She wore a large pink plum blossom in her hair, adding to her image of delicate beauty. Chung Liên, on the other hand, went for a much more convenient way of dressing. Her long, somewhat choppy dark brown hair that she wore in a low ponytail tied with a red scrap of fabric was clean but not immaculate like Mei's. She wore a bright green áo dài(Her dress) and wore nón lá(Her hat) tied to her back by a string. 

They girls wandered back into the city, and headed to find a place that served fengli su, which was Mei's favorite treat and a close favorite of Chung Liên's. They eventually found a cart and bought a box of 6 cakes. 

Chung Liên wandered through the streets looking for a place to eat while Mei was getting Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu, a rainbow- colored drink that was Chung Liên's favorite drink(honestly, it's really a dessert). Chung Liên eventually found an old table and chairs that was unoccupied, and set down her food. Now to let Mei know where she was. She focused, and soon a green flame appeared. It floated in front of her, and she told it a message. "Follow me Mei to find Chung Liên." The flame glowed and then took off, flying towards Mei.

Chung Liên  waited apprehensively, hoping her magic would work. It always had, but she'd also heard stories of messaging magic being stopped easily. She'd never know until Mei showed up. Suddenly, a rustle broke her train of thought. A man steeped out from behind a building, breathing hard. 

"Um... Please help me ma'am ana~!I'm really in a lot of danger ana~!"

 Chung Liên rose an eyebrow. The man had ruffled, almost spiky, brown hair, golden eyes, and rimmed glasses.

Chung Liên sounded unsure. "Why should I help someone with the likes like you? Why should I trust you, a random stranger I've never met in my life?"

The man rummaged quickly through a satchel he'd been carrying and brought out a dark red Protea flower pin. The Order of the Red Proteans. The resistance against both the Sileran and Aytr. "Here. I am a chairman of The Order. Do know I'm making a major risk by showing you this. Are you with me or not? Do you want emancipation from the chains their empire has wrapped around us?"

Chung Liên looked around nervously before finally nodding. "Here. Put this on. It'll make you appear as the least conspicuous person in the eyes of the viewer." Chung Liên handed the man her hat and he put it on curiously. Immediately he appeared to Chung Liên as Mei, and she tensed, fighting the urge to call the man Mei.

Aytrian guards ran past, and asked the couple if they'd seen a man with an elephant, brown spiky hair, and a white ceremonial outfit. Chung Liên said no and lied that she and her friend Mei were just enjoying some fengli su. The men nodded, and ran off. Chung Liên whispered carefully to the man not to take off the hat until 10 minutes had passed. The man obeyed, and they passed the time making small talk.

"Sorry about that ana~. I'm Chaiya Boonliang, Assistant head priest at the main church in Gyeongju as well as Chairman of the Order. Nice to meet you ana~."

Chung Liên held out her hand. "I'm Trấn Chung Lien, go-fer, multitasker, and rounded out help extraordinaire!"

Suddenly, Mei jumped down from a building, landing on her feet perfectly. "And I'm Xiao Mei, friend and helper of the amazing Chung Liên! Nice to meet you, Mr. Chaiya!"

Chaiya held and his hand and she shook it eagerly. "Hm, I really am grateful for your help, Chung Liên. As a reward, would you like to come with me to the church and stay there, in a separate guest bedroom of course, for the night, charge free ana~?"

The girls looked at each other. Why not? They nodded and Chaiya took them with him to the church. There, he set up their room and had dinner with them. Little did he know, 2 people were watching him the entire time.