Jongho had to knock on Hongjoong's door twice for him to acknowledge the butler. With a start, Hongjoong looked up from where he sat at his vanity and had stared at the tabletop mindlessly for the past indefinite amount of time.

"Y-Yes?" Hongjoong felt over his hair, suddenly dubious about whether he wore it. It took him a moment to regather his wits.

Jongho peered his head in to look at him. Worry showed in his round face.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, please enter," Hongjoong pleaded with a weak smile. His fingers clutched the fabric of his dress while Jongho made his way in.

"I just handed your letter for Wooyoung over to the coacher and he gave me this one in exchange. Are you fine? You seem distraught."

Hongjoong exhaled. He tried to regain his poise, but in front of Jongho, the man he trusted most, he saw no need to pretend.

"Just... Seonghwa was being a bastard again."

Jongho's brows drew together as he handed Hongjoong the letter. Quietly, he watched the man's trembling hands struggling to open the simple paper envelope.

"He occasionally listens well to me; shall I have a talk with him? Since you will live with each other for a while, this hatred needs not to be cultivated."

Hongjoong nearly dropped the letter. It had smudges of dirt on it and smelt faintly of tobacco as he opened it.

"No, that's not necessary." He said it in a rush, afraid that Seonghwa might disclose the truth to Jongho. After all, the butler was much closer to his master than he was to Hongjoong.

"If he said something you need to get off your chest, I can offer an ear to listen. Not both, though, the other one needs to react if he calls for me."

A smile ghosted over Hongjoong's face.

"That's kind, Jongho. For now, I shall brood in silence. I don't want to drag you or the other two into this fight. If I ever need it, I know you to be my ally."

Relieved at his cooperation, Jongho nodded.

"If Seonghwa looks for me at dinner, please tell him I am not hungry."

"Shall I still bring you food?"

Hongjoong's eyes glinted like those of a weasel.

"If he doesn't notice?"

"He won't," Jongho assured.

"Then yes, please. I shall eat up here and join you again downstairs once I cleared my mind."

Hongjoong was beyond confused. His hatred for Seonghwa had dwindled considerably ever since Seonghwa had shown more vulnerable sides to him, but this morning, the fury had returned tenfold. Hongjoong didn't know why he hated Seonghwa, he only knew that he hated him. How dare the earl kiss him out of the blue? Not as an unmarried couple nor as the enemies they had become, Seonghwa had any incentive to harbour romantic feelings.

He must have wanted to delude Hongjoong. And Hongjoong fell for his trap so efficiently.

After Jongho had excused himself, Hongjoong delved into Yeosang's letter. He hadn't mentioned the kiss to Wooyoung, though he believed his perplexity was palpable in the lines he had written to the other man.

Hongjoong shook his head as if that could free him from the memory. He kept thinking about it, kept trying to replicate the silky touch with the pads of his fingers. No matter how often he tried, he couldn't see into Seonghwa's head. He couldn't fathom the man's goal.

Hastily, Hongjoong read Yeosang's letter before his thoughts could wander again. The scrawls of the other man took a while to decipher, but they reminded Hongjoong of home.

Dear Hongjoong,

Your letter amused me greatly and had me smiling to myself about your lovely words all day. You certainly became eloquent in the graceful technique of the upper class to convey a message.

I must say, for your complaints, you sound vivacious. Recently, I received a letter from Seonghwa as well, thanking me for my hard work and asking me to come to visit the two of you at his mansion. I will be there a few days after writing this. We can chat about your contempt and you get a familiar shoulder to cry on.

I will also make sure to bring you another wig. With the new hair, perhaps make sure you don't wear it to fight with Seonghwa. I don't care for which reason he would fist his hand into your hair, but you might want to keep him at a safe distance.

I am anticipating my visit and to see you again, beautiful lady Hongjoong. May the deities of rage be with you.

Best Wishes
Yeosang

The letter both infuriated and amused Hongjoong. He could imagine Yeosang's smug little grin while he wrote this all too well, and it didn't help his situation. The mention of Seonghwa's fingers in his hair had his mind stutter.

His hair wasn't his own. Seonghwa's fingers would never thread through it quite how Hongjoong imagined. In general, Seonghwa would be very keen to withdraw his efforts and resort to hatred if he found out Hongjoong was a man. The earl had made his preference for women very clear.

Hongjoong gnawed on his nails. For what felt like hours, he just sat there in numbness. He wasted precious time he could have spent reading or writing letters.

Jongho returned later with his food. When he found Hongjoong in almost the same position he had left him in, more wonder flashed through his eyes.

"The master barely minded your absence; he seemed caught up in thoughts. Are you sure you don't feel unwell? I could bring fever medicines."

Touched by Jongho's concern, Hongjoong received his food. The steaming hot potatoes accompanied by green beans and meat had his mouth water. Glad to feel something, Hongjoong made space to eat at his vanity.

"I promise I am at best health. Perhaps the many rainy days disrupted my temper."

"The earl sent another flower. He said to deliver it personally since he feared you might not accept it otherwise."

He was right about that. Hongjoong would stomp on any flower that wretched man handed him.

Jongho pulled the flower from the chest pocket of his vest and cradled it in his hands. It was a pink orchid, one of the most popular flowers to gift to lovers, and Hongjoong's heart dropped into his stomach when he laid eyes on it.

Before he could open his mouth, Jongho produced a second flower from his breast pocket. This one looked exotic and eerie with how dark dots spread over the ruby petals like an illness. The stalk was wrapped in thin fabric to hold it.

"Please let me explain before you seek out your book and get flustered," Jongho begged, when he saw Hongjoong's round eyes.

"The master said nothing about these, but he never gifted dendrobiums for their meanings of love. This particular one carries a special meaning. Gifted to a person; it conveys a compliment of beauty, but yet selfishness in that beauty. Two-faced, if you will. The receiver's beauty brings suffering."

Hongjoong gulped as he studied the intimidating flower.

"This one is called hellebore, and it is full of mystery. It can mean many things, most shrouded by enchantment and fear at the same time. Perhaps it means witchcraft, perhaps it means a scandal."

Shocked into silence, Hongjoong sat there. He didn't know what to say at the sudden confession of Seonghwa's feelings. They seemed to be just as overwhelmed as Hongjoong's, and just as spiteful.

"Hongjoong... What happened between you and Seonghwa to warrant this? Hellebores are a terrible gift, they are extremely poisonous."

Hongjoong's tongue felt like a piece of fur stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"I- I don't know if that is my place to tell. I appreciate your concern, but I don't know if I-" Helpless, Hongjoong ducked his head between his shoulders. The hellebore judged him from Jongho's hand.

Jongho looked upset, but he didn't dig.

"Please, take this one while I get rid of the hellebore. Enjoy your food, and if you need to tell me, don't hesitate. I can do my best to help." With a smile that was more of a grimace, Jongho ducked out of the room. The orchid laid next to Hongjoong and called him a selfish beauty while he gulped down his food through his constricted throat.

The memory of the hellebore rung in his mind and followed him even into his dreams where he dreamt of suffocating on the poison of the deadly flower that Seonghwa had sent his way so maliciously.

When Hongjoong awoke, he didn't feel rested. He curled up in his room all day to read and pretended he was faint because of the rapidly changing weather. In truth, he had long since got used to winter creeping through the walls.

As always, Jongho understood without a word, and Seonghwa overlooked it. He didn't send any more flowers, and Hongjoong didn't send any back to him.

Hongjoong read through all of his books and Jongho supplied him with new ones since Hongjoong didn't dare sneaking over into the library to expose himself to a certain earl's inquisitive eyes. The butler was troubled with this new game of evasion since Hongjoong had become so much jumpier around every step he heard, but he stayed patient with Hongjoong's struggles to open up.

Since all servants had picked up on Hongjoong's recent exclusivity, they did their best to introduce him back to their cosy circle. One evening, after Seonghwa had disappeared in his study behind the library, Jongho fetched Hongjoong from his room. At Hongjoong's puzzled gaze, the butler mysteriously pressed his finger to his smiling lips and ushered Hongjoong downstairs.

Despite the late hour, Mingi and Emily were still in the kitchen. It smelled of cinnamon and oranges, perfect for the upcoming Christmas festivities. The pleasant aroma soothed Hongjoong's strained nerves while Jongho closed the door to the kitchen behind him.

"We wanted to offer a distraction for your fatigued mind. Perhaps for tonight at least, you get to have fun and bake with us once more?"

Hongjoong smiled, touched by their effort.

"I would love to bake with you."

Gleeful at not having to convince him, the trio sat him down at the desk and handed him his utensils. As he mindlessly worked away and basked in the peaceful mood of the three servants interacting with each other, Hongjoong could ignore his agitation for a while.

"Say, Hongjoong, do you have someone you love outside of this place? Recently, I wondered whether Seonghwa might have ripped you away from a content relationship to act as his fiancée," Emily asked him after a while of unbothered conversations with Mingi. At the mention, the tall cook turned to peer at Hongjoong over his shoulder.

Hongjoong chuckled.

"Do I seem the type? Relationships, as they are cultivated in the upper class for enjoyment and favourable business deals, are most uncommon in the underworld. At most, you find the parents of a kid they adored enough not to part."

"We don't know what sort of man you are outside of your acting. Perhaps you are the type that charms many girls with his looks? Or perhaps you are one whom the girls flock to without having to do anything! Or could it be-" Emily covered her mouth with a flour-dusted hand. Amused, Hongjoong awaited her verdict.

"You couldn't possibly be married or have children, right? Did you leave behind an entire family?"

Hongjoong had to laugh at that. The noise made the other servants snicker as well. Jongho smiled to himself while he sorted the formed cookies onto the metal tray.

"I certainly wouldn't have come here if I had a wife and child. Even if my payment is good, the hassle here wouldn't beat making sure my family gets through the winter. I suppose women approach me occasionally since I am young and I have a job, which means a lot to them. I belong to the people not interested in a relationship, though. It means even more financial instability and having to deal with the anxieties of two people instead of one."

Emily frowned, but nodded in understanding.

"That sounds terrible."

"Your thoughts about Seonghwa's situation must match with this matter, no? Seeing him play out a relationship for his own gain when people down there struggle so much to allow themselves to love must resonate in you," Mingi suggested with his deep voice. Hongjoong agreed with a hum while his fingers busily made cookies.

"The earl gives me lots of reasons to hate him. Though this one I can forgive him since I knew it was part of the deal when I conceded to come here. Now I can at least be glad that his servants are sympathetic people who ease the weight on my shoulders," Hongjoong grinned at them all. Mingi beamed back until his eyes disappeared, and Emily snickered to herself.

"We are just as glad to help. Your presence brought a fresh wind to this home, and Seonghwa has been much more invested in his life ever since. Both of you have become a joy to be around," Emily said. Happy at the praise, even if it threw Hongjoong in the same drawer as Seonghwa, Hongjoong continued to work.

For the rest of the evening, he didn't waste another thought about the earl.

******

This story will have 40 chapters by the way!