Hongjoong did his best not to cramp his fingers into his dress so he wouldn't mess up the expensive fabric. He needed something to clutch to ground himself from the searching gazes of the earl opposite of him on the bench. The man's misty eyes found Hongjoong every so often and they carried a polite intrigue that displeased Hongjoong greatly. He wanted to ignore the other man, but Seonghwa's curiosity did not alleviate Hongjoong's anxiety.

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa began, thoughtful. His fingers brushed the rim of his hat that he had taken off to hold on his lap during the ride to his home.

Hongjoong didn't enjoy the sound of his name on the other man's lips.

"A male name, isn't it?"

Hongjoong forced himself to a thin smile. On his face, it felt fabricated, but Seonghwa copied it with grace. His full lips drew higher in the right corner than the left and exposed his teeth in a sight reminiscent of the line of Orion's belt that Hongjoong admired on the rare clear nights when London was gloomy enough to expose the night sky. Hongjoong's father had told him how to read the stars, and Hongjoong was displeased at the reminder of happier days on this lord's face.

Though so far, Seonghwa had proved cordial towards Hongjoong. Playing his game, Hongjoong replied elegantly.

"My parents were blessed with the spirit of modernity when they gave it to me. A lady should be lovely enough to carry any name with grace." Hongjoong had to remind himself to soften his tone when his voice scratched in his throat in no feminine way.

"Ah, what a pleasure. A unique name for a beautiful lady like yourself. You carry it with charm."

Before Hongjoong could grimace into his face, Seonghwa directed his eyes at the window.

"Thank you," Hongjoong replied. The frost in his voice gained him another grin that would have been charming if not for the person who hid behind it.

As Yeosang had said, Hongjoong was lucky that Seonghwa didn't know of their end of the bargain. His amiability wouldn't apply if he didn't regard Hongjoong as pleasant.

The cushions under Hongjoong's body were unfairly soft, lulling him into false comfort. Nervously, he shifted his ankles together under his dress to remind himself to keep his legs closed. With how close his knees would be to Seonghwa's, if Hongjoong didn't angle them, they would have touched.

"I believe Yeosang introduced you to the intricacies of your role already? If you have questions he couldn't answer, it will be my pleasure to enlighten you." The perfect facade of the man was in place. Hongjoong didn't like how much of a smooth talker he was. If at least his ghastly self shone through, Hongjoong would have an easier time despising him without becoming the inferior counterpart.

Hongjoong assured himself that his confusion about Seonghwa was part of his act. How else could he pretend to not be self-conscious while wearing a soft yellow dress?

"He did. Though I couldn't help my curiosity. Is it considered inappropriate if I ask whether the rumour that led to this is true? I don't mean to overstep, but since I will help you out as a friend, that thought lingered."

Seonghwa chuckled; a low and timed sound. It was rich in his throat but carried no malice.

Hongjoong couldn't read the twinkle in his eyes. Under Seonghwa's dark hair, it could mean anything.

"I understand your concern well. I also appreciate your boldness to ask, though these matters aren't suited for a young girl's ears. Since we shall be friends as you said, however, I will reply honestly. The rumour is not true. One of the people I considered friends stabbed me in the back."

His voice was veiled with amusement so well that Hongjoong couldn't tell if he lied. Since he would live with this man for a while now, he might find out later.

"I see. Then shall I defend your virtue if I ever get asked about the affair?"

Seonghwa made a face at the scandalous word, but it was fleeting. Within a moment, his mask was back in place and never slipped, no matter how many potholes the wheels of the carriage hit to shake them up.

"Please don't bother yourself with those trivialities. You may assure any rude interviewer that you are the only one by my side. I ask of you only to play that role so well you will fool everyone. I don't think it will be an issue, though. Since you are lovely, I will have a simple time having eyes only for you, my fiancée, as I should."

A shiver wracked Hongjoong's spine. His scalp was hot and itchy under the wig, as it called him out for his lies. Would the society around Seonghwa rip him apart first, or would Seonghwa? If he ever found out, he hopefully would uphold the facade for his own image. His indications of liking what he saw had Hongjoong's toes curl.

Hongjoong's lips twitched, and he pretended it was a smile.

"But of course. I am delighted to help not one but two people with my meagre skill." No way he would throw back an empty compliment. He didn't like the way Seonghwa eyed him with those dark eyes that were those of a playful cat, and he wouldn't reinforce those looks.

"Don't undermine yourself by modesty. I believe Yeosang found the perfect person for this." Seonghwa's sentence drowned out when the carriage halted with an abrupt jerk. As the earl peered out of the window, Hongjoong spied a flash of bright lights on a big house.

"We have arrived. Do you need a second to breathe, or are you ready?"

Hongjoong's eyes flickered between the window, the shift of Seonghwa's body as he stretched out his hand for the door, and his dress. He gnawed on his lips, but there was no reason to overthink. The more he let his dread get to him, the more aware he became of the situation.

He numbed himself towards his surroundings as he nodded.

"I am ready."

Seonghwa's smile shone brilliantly in the night. While he opened the door to get out, Hongjoong had to sort himself for a moment.

There was an earl he didn't like.

Hongjoong as a woman pretending to like said earl.

And a bunch of vultures.

Despite growing up in the slums with barely any belongings to his name, Hongjoong's chilly heart knew his origin was the easier life than doing this.

Hongjoong's hands flew over his body, checking the position of his wig, his hat, his corset and his gloves. When he found everything in order, he nodded to himself and rose to grasp Seonghwa's hand.

For the money.

Seonghwa smiled as he helped Hongjoong exit the carriage. Once Hongjoong stood on the paved ground of an area of London he had never seen before, Seonghwa let go of him to put his hat on his head. After a dismissive glance at the coacher, Seonghwa offered his arm with an elegant bow. Hongjoong took it.

"Have you ever been to London before?" Seonghwa asked as they made their way up the stairs to an illuminated establishment. Just like in the slums, the houses here squeezed wall against wall like chickens in a cage. These houses, however, were decorated with useless stone ornaments and some had tall windows or pillars holding them up. No homeless lay on the side of the streets in various states of living, and the stench wasn't half as bad.

Money transformed things a lot. As well as people.

"I haven't," Hongjoong replied to excuse his curious gazes around. He felt out of place, especially when he noticed his dress from his peripherals once more.

"It's not the prettiest place I have ever been to, but it makes do. It illuminates you enough for me to appreciate your entire beauty for once."

When Hongjoong glanced at Seonghwa, he found the earl eyeing him from the side. Repelled, Hongjoong looked away. Seonghwa's chuckle gave away that the earl had mistaken Hongjoong's reaction for bashfulness.

Hongjoong lifted some of his skirts in one hand in the way he had seen other women do it as they ascended the stairs. The door ahead had a lion-shaped doorknocker in shiny gold staring at them, but the butler on its side addressed them before Hongjoong got to act on his wish to sound it.

"Lord Park. Thank you for the honour of your visit. Shall I inform my lord of your unexpected acceptance?" The butler held his nose high in the air, but he wasn't as tall as Seonghwa as they came to stand next to him.

"That is not necessary. I shall tell him myself and introduce my company to him right away," Seonghwa smiled. When the butler bowed and opened the door, Hongjoong nodded at him politely. He got a funny gaze from Seonghwa for that, but the earl didn't comment.

They entered a narrow corridor brightly lit by several small chandeliers dotting their way. From left and right, spacious living areas branched off, and voices mingled in synthetic laughter and empty compliments. Hongjoong tried to listen to all of them at once, not used to big groups of people that weren't barking at each other to get to their food rations.

"May I take your coat, my countess to be?"

Seonghwa's voice startled Hongjoong out of his fascination with the flower tapestry. He hurried to open the button that held his cape together over the bow of his corset. Polite fingers slipped under the seam and helped take the weight off Hongjoong.

The warm air of the house was cosy, even in the flimsy fabric of Hongjoong's blouse. He went back to studying the carpeted stairs leading to the upper floor while Seonghwa took off his cloak and hat.

By the time Seonghwa was done, a lady passed between the two rooms. The surprised gaze she cast upon them got carried over to the conversation nearby.

Seonghwa grinned at Hongjoong as they linked arms again. As Seonghwa led Hongjoong into the living area, he patted Hongjoong's hand on his arm.

"Worry not, lovely Hongjoong. I shall be at your side."

Not soothed, Hongjoong accompanied him inside the maw. He noticed the gazes of five different people fixating them immediately. He was about to duck his head and brush past when the gentle tug of Seonghwa's arm in his reminded him that these weren't the Londoner alleys.

Within a moment, the couple got swarmed and received in a round full of people. Fancy, colourful dresses blurred with expensive jewellery glistening on the women. The men's faces, some with beards and some without, were all unfamiliar and threatening to Hongjoong. The shine of alcohol in their cheeks and eyes delighted them in unnatural ways.

Instinctively, Hongjoong shifted closer to Seonghwa. The warmth of the other man soothed him in this threatening surrounding.

"Lord Seonghwa! What a thrill to see you here! Who did you bring with you?" A man addressed Seonghwa, but his eyes laid on Hongjoong's features. Petrified, Hongjoong froze his smile on his face and grasped at Seonghwa tighter.

"I came specifically to introduce you to my heart's jewel. Gentlemen, meet Hongjoong. We will marry next year in autumn."

Hongjoong was about to curtsy shakily when Seonghwa wrapped an arm around him. His hand on Hongjoong's hip felt absurdly dominant because of the fragile corset.

Hongjoong gave a smile when he came back up and faced the awestruck crowd. If Seonghwa noticed him trembling in his arm, he blamed it on the spotlight on them.

"Overjoyed to meet you, lords and ladies," Hongjoong said. He fell quiet after that, his tongue heavy as a piece of lead in his mouth. Smugness radiated off Seonghwa when the assembled people begrudgingly had to consider this new woman who had appeared so conveniently with the rumour.

"You never told us about her!" A lady exclaimed. The glee in her smile was stiff, so she hid it behind her fan as she regarded Hongjoong with the eyes of a vicious predator. He sweated under the scrutiny, sure that he would get exposed as being a male.

"She lives outside of town and I had to discuss with her father first to get approval. Now that she is here, I can't help my pride." Seonghwa sounded too pleased with his ploy. Hongjoong prayed it got interpreted as him gloating over Hongjoong.

"Oh, she needs to tell us everything about it! Come, join our round and let's celebrate this fabulous news!" The man laughed boisterously as he led them over. Hungry for gossip, the group followed them to a table where they could sit and play a card game. Hongjoong didn't doubt that even those outside of their assembly pricked their ears at their conference.

With his hand on Hongjoong's waist, Seonghwa led Hongjoong to his chair and pulled it out for him to sit on. Once his touch disappeared, Hongjoong dared a careful breath.

He was in the lion's den. The first impression would shape future encounters with people in the same area. Hongjoong would concentrate on acting well, so he would have an easier time dealing with Seonghwa's peers later.

He would think of them as rats he had to catch. Like that, he could move in familiar surroundings.