Jongho wordlessly looked between Hongjoong and Seonghwa.

Hongjoong smiled back, unperturbed by the sudden scrutiny, while Seonghwa, by his side, didn't even bother looking up from his paper.

With calculated slowness, Jongho placed the tray with bread and croissants in front of them. He didn't let Hongjoong out of his sight as he set down the rest of the items tucked under his arm.

"Are we expecting guests?" Jongho inquired with distant politeness, but the scepticism in his eyes remained.

"Not today," Seonghwa said, distracted by his readings. Perhaps it was about the killer again. Hongjoong wasn't up to date with Seonghwa's newest discoveries, but he hoped that nobody else had died.

"So... Why are you two sitting next to each other?"

Jongho's wary eyes calculated the distance between the two of them. Hongjoong sat with his legs drawn to the side, so his knees brushed Seonghwa's thigh under the table subtly. Between their upper bodies was space, but Jongho was right. Usually, they sat as far away from each other on opposite benches as possible.

Wordlessly, Seonghwa let the paper sink to look up at his butler. His stern expression had Jongho's eyes flickering to the fireplace.

"If you are cold, I can get more firewood," he proposed. The turmoil in his round face was adorable, though his suspicions clarified that the change between Seonghwa and Hongjoong was glaringly obvious.

"Thank you, it's fine." Seonghwa reached for a roll and ate. Hesitantly, Jongho backed away centimetre by centimetre as if he didn't dare take his eyes off the illusion that had unfolded in front of him. Back in the kitchen, Mingi and Emily fell quiet upon his arrival as he relayed the sudden change in atmosphere between their master and Hongjoong.

Seonghwa sighed to himself.

"I can be glad that my servants aren't the ones who spread rumours outside the house. Not that whispers about me being close with my fiancée would be improper."

Hongjoong chuckled and took the marmalade from Seonghwa after he was done with it.

"Their loyalty comes in your favour. Though by knowing how we usually are, their bewilderment must be even greater. I feel we will be put under watchful eyes for a couple of days," Hongjoong snickered. He wondered if the trio would be mad at him for not telling Seonghwa the truth about his gender. It was hardly appropriate to approach him with the pretence of being someone else when Seonghwa's adoration was genuine.

Hongjoong thought about how to tell him often these days. He knew that one day in the near future, he would. Preferably before Seonghwa found out by accident.

"Fine by me. They never had a mistress around to gush over, so I am sure they will have the time of their lives."

When Seonghwa leaned in to nudge his nose against Hongjoong's cheek, Hongjoong turned his head to kiss him. Their touches were still tentative, still shy under the prying eyes of social norms and their hard-earned peace. Yet, sharing occasional kisses while in a private setting didn't cause Hongjoong discomfort.

Once they parted to return to their breakfast, Hongjoong caught sight of the three servants peering into the room with only their heads sticking out behind the doorframe leading to the kitchen. He pretended not to have seen them.

"I will have to visit San tomorrow to pick something up from his place. Shall we use the time of being in the city by day for a walk? We may explore the stores if you see anything of interest."

Hongjoong allowed their shoulders to brush when he leaned to fetch his tea. Seonghwa's warm touch had his skin tingle.

"You want to buy me a present?" Hongjoong chuckled. In practised nonchalance, Seonghwa shrugged it off.

"We are near Christmas time still, so I have an excuse."

Hongjoong already pondered what he would gift Seonghwa back when the man brushed it off.

"Don't think about repaying me. I can give you gifts as I please."

Worried if the man was concerned about Hongjoong's financial situation in this matter, Hongjoong stared into his amber tea. The rich aroma tickled his nose.

"In that case, I can visit your room again at night to show my appreciation," Hongjoong said. Seonghwa choked on his bite and had to cough, but Hongjoong saw him grin through his blush.

"Then let's go to the city tomorrow. I can hand Wooyoung the letter I wrote him in person."

Seonghwa agreed before he delved back into his paper. Peacefully, Hongjoong watched the rain trailing down the windows.

They spent a lot of time in the cosy environment of the sitting room that day. They sat on a couch each, engrossed in their books, while they forgot to drink the tea prepared by their sides. Hongjoong preferred Seonghwa's silent company over the loneliness of his room, and he had to stifle his laughter every time when one of the servants passed them or brought them fresh tea and utter chaos showed in their eyes.

"Say, Hongjoong," Seonghwa said in the afternoon as the sun left to bathe the sky in early darkness behind the perpetual rain clouds.

Hongjoong finished reading his sentence but hummed to show Seonghwa he could go on.

"Your brother, how did he know everything about what happened between the two of us? Did you tell him every detail?" Hongjoong heard no annoyance in his voice, but he knew the earl was concerned enough that he brought it up again.

"I had to confide in someone since I found my presence here quite stifling. I didn't tell him every detail, and I also didn't tell him any vulnerable information about you," Hongjoong assured him. His finger marked the line he had stopped reading at as he glanced over at Seonghwa. At the break, the earl thoughtfully sipped his tea.

"So he doesn't know about..." Seonghwa gestured with his book as his words failed him. Hongjoong grinned, entertained by his bashful behaviour that had been hidden under the layers of arrogance.

"He doesn't," he said.

Relieved, Seonghwa went back to his reading. Hongjoong watched the cogs running behind his forehead for a moment before his expression smoothed out and he was taken over by the world he indulged in. After another sip of his lukewarm tea, Hongjoong went back to reading as well.

They were at dinner and ate in silence, interrupted only by the occasional light-hearted remark, when the three servants couldn't help their curiosity any longer. One after the other, they marched in a row out of the kitchen to line up next to the table. Amused, Seonghwa watched the display while he dabbed some sauce off his chin.

"Lord Seonghwa, lady Hongjoong," Jongho began and bowed his head politely at each of them. "The three of us together are burning with a question ever since this morning. Since it's a rather brusque invasion of your privacy, we want to apologise ahead of time. If you are unwilling to answer, we will accept any punishments." Jongho nodded, solid and broad between the other two. Mingi fiddled with his hands as he exchanged gazes with the duo while Emily studied Hongjoong as if trying to find something on him that stood out differently than before.

Seonghwa let his fork and knife sink. In anticipation, Hongjoong observed how he handled the situation.

"Then speak. What is it you need to know so direly?"

The three shuffled in their spots like kids nervous about their first theatre audition.

Jongho cleared his throat, ever the frontman.

"Could it be..." He looked between them meaningfully, but neither helped. "That you two have started courting outside of the usual pretence?"

Seonghwa glanced at Hongjoong as if making sure he had his consent to reply. Motioning him to go on, Hongjoong watched the scene unfold.

"We can't quite call it courting yet, but yes, I have made advances at lady Hongjoong and she has accepted them," Seonghwa announced. Excited, Emily clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

Jongho's mouth dropped open in shock.

"More than a brush?" Jongho squawked, manners slipping as if he had never expected that Hongjoong could be willing for anything more than a single night's affair with the earl.

When Hongjoong nodded, Jongho's mouth opened further. Hongjoong's grin spurred the group's curiosity.

"Did you already engage in making faces? Is that the change we can sense?" Mingi asked, ever so straight to the point.

Both halves of the fresh couple blushed, and Seonghwa waved it off first.

"None of the like, and that is outside of your asking allowance, Mingi." Seonghwa threatened Mingi with his finger, but the cook's grin was unperturbed.

"I am so happy! I had hoped for you to find someone you liked for a long while, master, but I feared, despite the positive impression lady Hongjoong left on us, that your hatred for each other would be too great to overcome." Emily clapped her hands, touched by the newest development.

Seonghwa was adorably flustered by the praise and the questions at the same time. Hongjoong cradled his chin in his hand as he watched the man fumble about.

None of his arrogance remained. The cool exterior had flaked off under the exposure of the people he had learned to appreciate.

"It's not as if I would have failed at courting everyone I like. I just liked none of the women who visited us here," Seonghwa grumbled under his breath. He didn't let Emily's delight deter him.

"You barely got me to stay until this could happen, so we need to work on that still."

Seonghwa glared at Hongjoong over the table, but it held no spite. Rather, he looked glad that he had failed at scaring Hongjoong off before their development had to halt.

When the two of them turned to face the bunch of inquisitive servants again, Seonghwa looked much more fond.

"Any other questions?"

Jongho had one burning behind his eyes, but it was one that couldn't get worded yet. His nervous gaze on Hongjoong had the rat catcher grimace. He knew it was about the last secret he kept from Seonghwa. Since Seonghwa would learn of it one day with no possibility of avoiding it from happening, Hongjoong would have to figure it out fast. Jongho looked displeased with the possibility that this mystery had been kept from Seonghwa despite their tightening bonds.

Hongjoong tried to put as much reassurance into his eyes as possible. Perhaps he could use Jongho's help in laying out his deck.

Emily's little chuckle was out for the details. Her eyes shone with interest as she glanced between them, opposite of each other on the table that was long enough that both could stretch their legs out under it without touching.

"Did you already kiss?" She whispered into her white glove. Shining with the prospect of their closeness - even when she knew Hongjoong was a man - she beamed at them. Hongjoong could be glad none of the servants minded a gay relationship, even if the earl might.

But the servants also didn't know of the newest development in Seonghwa's spectre of interest. His sudden tendency for men came in Hongjoong's favour. Since the only man who had ever made Seonghwa question his sexuality and what he liked or didn't like was Hongjoong himself.

With matching animated faces, the three vibrated in their spots like children with a Christmas tree. Seonghwa buried his face in his hands to hide away while Hongjoong watched him with a lazy grin.

"We did," he announced, unbothered. "But these things stay confidential between us, so no matter your excitement, please respect our privacy."

"Of course!" Emily giggled as she hooped her arm around Mingi's. Satisfied with the news of the day, the cook wished them a nice evening with a very ambiguous grin before he let her drag him off.

Jongho remained for a moment to pour both of them their drinks anew. In his frown, Hongjoong recognised his speculation about how the hellebore matched this story. His concern warmed Hongjoong's heart.

"Please feel no need to hide your relationship or to hold back your affection while around us. If Mingi and Emily get too nosy, I will remind them of their places," Jongho assured with perfect poise. Belated, Seonghwa picked his fork back up.

"Thank you, Jongho."

"It's my pleasure."

Before Jongho left for the kitchen, he cast another glance at Hongjoong. 'You will have to explain this,' it said. Hongjoong figured they would discuss the circumstances later.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa finished their meal in peace before they retreated to their rooms. Despite his passion for the newest developments, Hongjoong stayed in his chamber that night. He didn't trust his body not to betray his attraction to the earl, and he feared losing what he just gained all too quickly.

He would consult Jongho first and then confess to Seonghwa. If everything the man had said about his weakness for Hongjoong's male self was true, then exposing Hongjoong's gender shouldn't be such a tremendous loss for the earl.

Hongjoong could just hope that their affection for each other that was built on such fragile stilts would withhold the shock of having been lied to all along.