A man in a loose white shirt, slipping off of his shoulder slightly, and tight brown trousers stumbles through the hidden door in Wooyoung's bedroom. His clothes looked as though he makes very little and has better things to spend his money on than trying to dress to impress. Wooyoung's cheeks become noticeably redder at the man's exposed shoulder.

Up close, he looks even more familiar, but not completely ringing a bell in Wooyoung's head. He stands up from his bed, smiling in a friendly manner as he goes to greet the man.

"Hello," Wooyoung starts but doesn't get to say anything else because the man begins to remove his oversized shirt completely, revealing his thin, yet fit, torso.

Wooyoung instantly turns away from him, becoming flustered in his actions as the redness from his cheeks spread to his whole face, "Wh-What in the heavens are you doing?" Wooyoung stammers.

The man replies quickly with no hesitation in his husky tone of voice, "My job."

Wooyoung shakes his head, immensely uncomfortable with the current situation he's found himself in. He's about to call for his guards to escort the man out, but Wooyoung's head fills with intrusive and embarrassing thoughts, having never witnessed a man de-clothe like the man standing in front of him. They overtake any thought he had of once calling for help.

Wooyoung is unsure of what to think, but he presses on, keeping his head down, "Please clothe yourself immediately. I don't know why you've imagined it wise to de-clothe in front of your Prince, but I only wish to speak with you."

After a moment, Wooyoung hears some rustling and trusts that the man has put his shirt back on, so Wooyoung feels safe to return his eyes to him. Wooyoung goes over and sits on the chair facing the couch, beckoning for the man to sit on the couch across from him. He does as Wooyoung suggests in quick succession, allowing him to get a sense of his personality by the way he moves. He's light on his feet, but that could just be from his low weight. Wooyoung can't be sure.

He looks at Wooyoung questioningly as if he's never gotten this type of request before.

Wooyoung notices his soft brown eyes now that he's closer to him and he looks away, still embarrassed about the situation he was just in with him.

Wooyoung's always been the shiest and most modest of his family, so the past situation won't be able to leave his mind so easily.

Mother would not be happy about this. Wooyoung knows she would mock him for being so dull and call him all sorts of names imaginable.

A shirtless man in his bedroom with him? How improper. Especially for a young man such as himself looking for a decent person to marry.

Yeosang, Wooyoung's head maid, found him while out at the shops, remembering the clear description Wooyoung gave of him - and he happened to be wearing the exact clothes that he had described when he first witnessed him.

Perhaps his work attire?

Yeosang gave him a letter, explaining the hidden passageway that led to the hidden door into Wooyoung's room, where it was and when to come. Yeosang knows Wooyoung's schedule like the back of his hand, so it was easy for him to choose a time and date that would not be interrupted by Wooyoung's father or instructors.

He told Wooyoung as soon as he got back, explaining that he told him about the entrance and that he told the man that's how Wooyoung would want him to come in.

Wooyoung's father, the King, may not mind a visitor of the lower class, but his mother...?

She very much would mind.

Wooyoung's father has always been a kind and patient man, Yeosang always saying that he has a soft spot in his heart for Wooyoung. He's been one to almost always take Wooyoung's side in matters but is cautious when those matters involving his wife, the queen who is Wooyoung's mother.

"You wish to speak with me, Prince?" the man exclaims, seemingly shocked.

Wooyoung nods at him, "Yes, I have seen you in town from there," he points at the large window near his bed, "and for some reason, you piqued my interest. You look familiar to me somehow and I would like to know more about you, but first, I must know why you thought it wise to de-clothe upon entrance." Wooyoung demands, his voice rising a bit to show his authority.

The man looks frazzled, shaking his head and lowering it into a bow, "I am so sorry, Prince. I did not know the reason you called me up here, I thought it was a request for my services." He stops when he sees that Wooyoung's face has become confused.

"Services?" Wooyoung asks unsurely.

"Yes. You see, I am a courtesan at the Hide."

Wooyoung looks at him with widened eyes, never have expected for that to come out of his mouth when he asked.

Wooyoung's face heats up once again, realizing what the man thought he called him up here to his room to do and Wooyoung shakes his head in an embarrassed manner, "Oh, no no no... I didn't- I... I most definitely did not call you here for that," Wooyoung insists, "not that you aren't handsome and all, but that is not who I am."

Wooyoung stands his ground, not wanting the man to think of him in the same light as the likes of the people that do request those services from him. Wooyoung's heart falls a bit when he realizes how casual the man was about this whole thing in the beginning when he first arrived though...

He must get these kinds of requests from people high up in social ranking often and it makes Wooyoung shudder.

Does Wooyoung really know everyone as well as he thought he did?

Wooyoung begins to wonder about the man sitting in front of him, getting curious about how he ended up in this type of job.

"What is your name?" Wooyoung asks, figuring to start here after remembering that he has no idea what his name is.

"My name is San,"

"That's an interesting name," Wooyoung smiles, knowing that his name means 'mountain' and hoping that being friendly will calm both of their nerves, but maybe it's just his own acting up, "San, could you tell me more about your... Profession?"

San chuckles at Woooyoung's hesitation in mentioning his work, "Do you want all of the gory details or the squeaky clean version?" He smirks towards him and Wooyoung recoils in his seat.

A man has never spoken to him in such a way before and he doesn't know what to think about it.

San shakes his head and chuckles once again, "I'm just yanking your chain, Prince. You seem a little tense, especially with how our first encounter went when I arrived... I mean, I can understand why, but you don't have to be so on-edge. I know my place and I would never think of doing something like that again now that I know of your true intentions."

"Of course," Wooyoung smiles, straightening his posture so that his shoulders are even, "the clean version, if you will."

San nods and begins talking about his life as a courtesan, "For me, it's a little easier than for the other courtesans -- especially the new ones. I've been working at the Hide since I was around 13-years-old, and yes, I know the legal age for courtesans to start is 16-years-of-age, but that's just when I arrived there. From thirteen until I was sixteen, I trained and did chores around the place. Lucky for me, the head of the Hide, Seonghwa, took me under his wing and I spent most of my teen years with him. He taught me the courtesan ways, having been one himself, but now he just sees over us and trains us to be great at what we do. Well... Back to what I meant about it being easier for me now... Most people set up appointments for my services due to my clients' busy schedules. My week is full of these appointments, but if I'm ever free, I do not decline if someone comes in requesting me without one. Much like you did when you sent your, I assume maid, to talk to me."

Wooyoung shifts in his chair, smiling at him as he speaks, finding everything he says about his job intriguing, to say the least.

Wooyoung wonders how many people he's gotten to talk to so casually like this. He also wonders how San's quality of life truly is... Surely it cannot be that fantastic, especially worrying about all of the disease possibilities, or possible pregnancy issues that could happen. Wooyoung thinks about asking him more about all of these little details that keep his mind wandering.

"I'm sure it can be left to your imagination with what happens during these appointments," San smirks again, but it fades back quickly. He's not used to the formal setting they're in and his normal flirty ways he must act like with his clients tends to slip out.

Wooyoung nods, not wanting to think about all of that, happy that San left out those details as he asked.

San opens his mouth again, "Now, Prince, what do you do in your everyday life, if I may ask?"

"What do I do?" Wooyoung clarifies, probably looking similarly as San did when he told him he just wanted to speak with him. Wooyoung doesn't really have many friends to talk to about his life with or get asked how he's doing much anymore, "I get my breakfast brought to my room to me every morning by Yeosang, always my favorite - a bagel spread with cream cheese," he giggles, "Very royal, I know. Then, I get dressed in whatever Yeosang thinks suits the day ahead of me. Recently, I've been meeting with my father, discussing the people he and my mother have chosen as my potential suitors,"

Wooyoung rolls his eyes just thinking about it, let alone mentioning it, "As you know, the marrying age for princes and princesses is sixteen, and I've just turned eighteen. My mother has been pushing for me to get married, having wanted me out as soon as I turned sixteen, but father let me stay and continue my studies like I wanted to do. I'm wrapping up with my court instructors now, but I've been dragging my feet about it a lot..."

Wooyoung trails off, realizing that he went on a slight tangent, never having had someone to talk about these things other than Yeosang since his best friend Yunho was wedded off not too long ago. Wooyoung really hopes that he is doing well. He was always apprehensive of marriage similarly to how Wooyoung is.

San takes everything Wooyoung says in, nodding as he speaks, not thinking to interrupt at any point. How gentlemanly.

"You are not enticed by the idea of marriage, my Prince?" San asks, finding it a bit surprising because he always hears of everyone being excited about finally getting married. San, though, knows marriage is not all it's made out to be, having remembered his own parents' relationship.

Wooyoung sighs, "I just do not know a lot about men other than the ones around the castle. I also know I don't want to have a marriage as my father has with my mother," Wooyoung says, it just slips out of his mouth.

Wooyoung looks up at San sitting on the couch across from him after he says that, but he has no judgment on his face at all, so he continues, "I know my father has grown to love my mother and now loves her very much, but my mother... Sh-She's just... not a good person. I don't believe that she loves him back in the same way that he loves her, and I would never want a marriage like that. I don't want to have to force my feelings for the person I have to marry. I want those feelings to be real. A true feeling of love and happiness. I wouldn't want to have to fake my love in front of all of my people."

San nods, "I understand that, my Prince. No one should be forced to love. Love is a very special thing, that seems like very few get to ever truly experience. Seonghwa has told me stories of when he was young and deeply in love with a man of high status."

Wooyoung smiles, happy that they think similarly on this topic, "I'd like to hear that story if I ever get to meet this Seonghwa man."

Wooyoung turns and sees that the light from his window has begun to darken, indicating the lengthy-time passed while talking with San, "I had an interesting time with you today, San. I'm sorry if I intervened with any appointments you had set up for today, I will be sure that you're compensated for your time here talking with me," He says, keeping his voice prim and proper as he's been taught.

Wooyoung gets up, patting his dress pants out as he walks over to the small hidden entrance by his dresser, "I'd actually like for you to come back here to talk with me once a week... Only if you enjoyed talking to me, that is. Don't worry, I will pay you like all of your normal appointments," he proposes to him, hoping San agrees. There's something about him that Wooyoung finds so... Intriguing.

Wooyoung really misses having someone to talk to like a friend would, and he thinks San would be the perfect fit. He knows it would also give the courtesan a rest from his typical appointment, so he's hopeful that he will want to continue seeing him after this.

San comes next to Wooyoung, looking at him as he speaks to him and he nods, a nice smile coming across San's face, "That would be a lovely change from my usual routine. I think I'll take you up on that offer, Prince, but you really don't have to pay me. I'm not actually performing any services," San says, knowing he really needs the money, but he would hate taking from the Prince like this when he's not even doing his job.

Wooyoung shakes his head, pointing his finger to San's chest, insisting, "No, since I will be taking away from you earning money, I will pay you just like a normal customer. It will be nice to talk to someone, I don't get to talk to many people anymore as I said. Life has been very busy recently with this whole finding a suitor business and it would be a nice break for both of us to have one day a week where we can just talk," Wooyoung ends, speaking with a bright smile, letting his finger lower back down when he realizes it's still pressed against his chest accusingly, "and please San, you can just call me Wooyoung."

"Alright, Princ- I mean, Wooyoung..." San says his name quietly, "I agree. It will be nice to meet here to talk with you every week," he smiles warmly, bowing at his prince, "I had a wonderful evening with you today, Prince Wooyoung. I will see you at the same time next week." He rises, giving Wooyoung one last smile before going through the hidden door by the dresser and out into the city.

After San leaves the room, Wooyoung goes and falls onto his bed, calling for Yeosang. While waiting for his maid to arrive, he thinks about the mysterious courtesan.

San has brilliant brown eyes, the middle of them reminding Wooyoung of the honey Yeosang would put into his tea when he felt ill. That seems fitting, too, because it seems like he would make any day a brighter one. Wooyoung thinks about San's tousled brown hair that seems like it would sometimes fall into his face and disrupt his vision, but it adds to his appeal.

He starts to wonder if it would be soft to the touch but quickly wipes that thought out of his mind. Wooyoung must be thinking too much about this marriage thing. Boys on the brain never do a man any good anyway.

What a boy, though...

Wooyoung tells Yeosang about the meeting and he tells him that San is the most requested courtesan at the Hide. This doesn't surprise Wooyoung at all, but he can't help but feel a twisted feeling inside of his stomach when he thinks about it too much. San has this attractiveness to him that people seem to be drawn to. Wooyoung can see it as clear as day.

Wooyoung also tells Yeosang about San coming once a week to talk together and Yeosang seems happy, happy that Wooyoung's found a friend to talk with since Yunho's marriage. Really, he's probably just glad he's not the only one that has to listen to Wooyoung complaining anymore.

Wooyoung giggles at the thought, knowing that Yeosang sees you like he would see his own son, but even a parental figure can get tired of his son-like friend's ranting.

Wooyoung lays in bed that night, dreading the next day, knowing that he's going to have to face his current situation of picking a suitor eventually. He decides that he'll have to talk to his instructor about trying to lengthen the final course, the art of cooking, as much as he possibly can.

Wooyoung's eyes begin to close after he thinks of his plan, his last thoughts being of excitement for the coming week, when he will get to see his new friend San again...

End of Chapter One

-----------------------------

I rewrote an old story into a Woosan fic, so I hope you all enjoy <3 

This story will update on Tuesdays, Bi-weekly. I hope to see you all for chapter two! After chapter two is where I began writing new, so if these first two seem a bit off~ you know why. Thank you so much.