Work Text:
The sweetest of memories are often in the smallest of moments.
The smell of thick pine filled the air as the carriage rode in from the south, carving new tracks in the freshly fallen snow despite being one of many passing through. It housed a young woman named Yeji who was journeying north for Christmas.
She gazed upon the thick forest that shaded the carriage and held her hand out the window, letting the branches greet her like an old friend and shake the day's snow on her. The trees gave way to a stretch of the field leading up to Shin manor. While its usual lush green had been dusted over with powdered sugar for the season, the path was etched into the scene like a curl of smoke. The house itself was cast in sunlight. The Baroque structure had two symmetrical wings and a crowning central dome with Corinthian pilasters. The coronets and cherubs that adorned the building hung like ripe berries.
The young woman clutched a note in her lap. An invitation, with its ivory stationary, black trim and broken wax seal, read as follows:
Dearest Yeji,
The pleasure of your company is requested at the Annual Christmas Ball on the twenty-third day of December at Shin Manor in Yorkshire.
Join us for a night of dinner, dancing, and Christmas festivities, culminating in what is sure to be the merriest celebration of the season.
Ever your affectionate friend,
Ryujin
Yeji gripped the note tightly before hurriedly folding and tucking it into her overskirt as the carriage came to a stop at the base of the manor. It had been two years since the last time she saw Ryujin and something inside her had been aching for more time with her. Their last meeting was a brief stay in the summer when flowers bloomed and their friendship grew under the heat of the sun. After two years, however, Yeji worried if it would be the same. The trickle of longing and nerves over the last few years had pooled into an anticipation that swelled in her stomach as she stepped out of the coach with the hand of her handmaiden, Yuna. As she looked up, the heavy, intricately decorated doors opened to reveal her childhood friend and, as soon as Yeji’s eyes fell upon Ryujin’s warm smile, her stomach eased.
‘Long time no see, Yeji,’ she beamed.
‘Too long!’ Yeji smiled before lifting her skirt above the snow and running forward for a long-awaited embrace. Ryujin pulled her tightly against herself as two years worth of no visits and few letters amalgamated in a desperate display of affection.
‘Your hair! Oh my goodness, it’s so short!’ she exclaimed after finally stepping back and noticing the changes to her appearance.
‘Do you like it? I cut it myself. Mother was not pleased, to say the least.’ Yeji admired the dark crown of curls that toppled from her head and hung neatly above her shoulders.
‘I love it. It really suits you. Damn the long hair!’ Ryujin smiled affectionately and her eyes glistened at the compliment before spinning around and pulling her through the doors.
Laid out in front of them was a spacious foyer with golden furnishings and cream-coloured walls, just as it had been etched in her memory. Even despite the cold and the snow, sunlight pawed at the windows and sprawled across the floor, illuminating the festive decorations and mementoes that covered almost every surface. Freshly cut winter greenery dotted the side pieces and mantlepiece and the scent of mistletoe hung sweetly in the air. They moved through the bustle of house staff working to prepare everything in time for tomorrow’s events.
‘Do I have the same room as last time?’ Yeji asked Ryujin curiously, remembering the room’s blue floral walls and ornate woodwork.
‘No, I’ve moved you into the Peony room. You’ll like it more, and it’s closer to my room,’ she responded matter-of-factly.
‘I do love peonies so you’re probably right’ Yeji smiled back.
‘You’re acting as if I don’t remember your last visit’ she smirked as she remembered Yeji stealing a freshly bloomed peony from the garden.
After two flights of stairs, they had entered a wide corridor in the east wing of Shin manor when Ryujin pulled to the side and opened another oak door.
‘I present,’ she pushed the door open, ‘the Peony room. Your new home for the week.’ She gestured into the room and Yeji followed. She admired the four poster bed with a lavender veil draping to match the heavy velvet curtains in the same colour. Surrounded by pale green walls, smooth wooden furnishings, and a vase of blushing pink winter roses, Yeji stepped forward to join Ryujin by the window to see the view.
‘I’ve always loved this room because of the view of the garden below.’
‘I remember the garden from my last visit.’ Yeji looked tentatively out the window at the hedges and carefully cultivated plants as they fell into an unspoken agreement that yes, they both remember spending every second among the foxgloves and lilies together and yes, it had meant something but neither of them knew what exactly that something was.
* * *
The sun slid down behind the clouds like a drip of paint as Ryujin stood in its pinky-orange glow in front of the wardrobe, barefoot and in only a shift. She decided on a deep red gown with gold trim to match the festive season. As she turned to lay the woven silk fabric out on the bed, a frantic knock rapped on the door to her room. Confused, she briskly walked over to the door and was surprised to find a distressed Yeji in only her shift dress as well.
‘What’s the matter, are you alright?’ she asked with concern.
‘I don’t have a thing to wear and I cannot get this damned corset on for the life of me,’ Yeji blurted out as she gestured wildly, ‘usually Yuna helps me but I have no clue where she is and I don’t know anyone else here.’ Yeji finished and stood defeated in the hallway, a small pout forming as nerves squeezed at her brow.
‘Is this your way of asking for help?’ Ryujin jovially responded as she cooed at her adorable exasperation.
‘Yes, please. If you wouldn’t mind…’ she trailed off so as not to completely impose.
‘Of course, come in. But you have to help me too,’ Ryujin insisted. ‘How about I get dressed first as I’ve already prepared my gown. Here,’ she suggested as she handed Yeji a corset.
Stunned by the gesture, although common among female friends getting ready together, she could not help the feeling of bubbles rising in her belly.
‘Yes,’ she stammered, ‘good plan.’ Ryujin raised her arms and Yeji lowered the corset over her head and down to her middle, her movements slow and measured so as not to cause any discomfort.
The room grew silent as she fixed the corset around her waist.
‘Can you turn around, please?’ whispered Yeji. Ryujin obliged and faced the window. She felt the fabric tighten around her middle, along with the muscles in her stomach, as Yeji pulled on the laces. She loosely placed her hands on Ryujin’s waist to hold the garment in place as she adjusted it’s fit. As Yeji’s hands mindlessly gripped her more firmly, Ryujin could feel the heat of the taller girl’s breath on her neck where it was exposed by the shift dress. The laces pulled tighter once more and she stumbled back.
‘Sorry, are you alright?’ Yeji asked in a panic.
‘Yes, I think that’s done it’ Ryujin laughed before turning and looking up at Yeji’s apologetic expression.
‘I’m good, I promise,’ she reassured and collected herself.
‘If you say so,’ Yeji replied. ‘Should we put the rest of your things on?’ she looked over at the red evening gown spread out against the bed.
‘Let’s put your corset on first,’ Ryujin urged, suddenly not wanting to get dressed just yet. Yeji handed her the corset and lifted her arms, bending slightly so Ryujin could pull the corset over head. She adjusted the undergarment around her figure and made sure it was positioned just above her hips.
‘Turn around,’ breathed Ryujin. Yeji did as she was told, turning on the spot with Ryujin’s hands loosely guiding her. She began to lace up the back by slowly pulling the laces and holding Yeji’s waist, her delicate fingers moving masterfully with the silk ties.
Ryujin leant forward, her breath lightly touching the curve of the taller girl’s shoulder, ‘Tighter?’
All Yeji could manage was a single nod. Ryujin pulled quickly on the laces, the fabric instantly tightening around her body and eliciting a sharp inhale from Yeji. Pleased with herself, Ryujin turned Yeji’s body around in her palms and smiled sweetly, ‘There. All done,’ before walking over to the bed and beginning to pull on her crinoline petticoat, leaving Yeji in the middle of the now darkened room with only a few candles to light the space.
She watched as she walked away, noticing the dip in her waist and curve of her hips for the first time. The candle light on her shoulders made her skin glow as her hair fell in strands on her neck. She hadn’t noticed these things about anyone before, least of all her dearest friend. Something had changed between them. A new comfortability had arisen and nestled itself inside their shared glances and lingering touches. It was a shame they needed to attend the ball tonight; neither could be bothered with the ridiculous stipulations of high society the majority of the time, let alone now in the presence of each other.
* * *
Shin manor was one of the most beautiful structures in the whole country but the ballroom was truly something special. Its high ceilings were painted with clouds and angels stretching into the heavens with the glass chandeliers mapping out constellations. The gilded archways dripped with a golden lustre that perfectly accompanied the red velvet curtains held by thick golden ties. The room was filled with other friends, acquaintances and members of established groups and societies of whom all gathered to celebrate the season with a night of food and dancing.
An orchestra began to play and men and women graced the dance floor. It wasn’t long before some young men asked each of the young women to dance. They begrudgingly accepted and swept their way around the room, dancing their way through complex dance patterns they’d been taught since they were little girls. After more dances and hours of pleasing their parents and generally fulfilling their respective expectations, Ryujin noticed that Yeji was missing.
With growing concern, she expertly dodged strange suitors who could only offer poor conversation and two left feet in order to sneak out of the ballroom and check the Peony room. Yeji’s room.
She climbed the two flights of stairs and ran down the corridor, her red skirt floating behind her. She was met with an empty room and empty bed. She paced silently, the soles of her shoes softly echoing against the hard floor. At a loss, she sat by the window sill and looked out at the blackened sky and searched for stars. Her eyes wandered down to the blurry trees in the distance, to the frosted-over plains, to the garden below, to a face. Yeji’s face.
Ryujin snatched a blanket from her bed and went running downstairs towards the kitchen to avoid the ballroom. Her feet moved quickly and all of a sudden burst through the wooden door by the ovens and met the snow. Instantly chilled by the winter evening air, she wrapped the blanket around herself like a shoal and desperately ran towards the frosty garden. Closed flower buds and hardened leaves brushed her arms as she finally found Yeji, sitting on a log in the middle of the plants, by an angel statue.
‘What on earth are you doing out here? You’ll catch a cold! Or worse!’ Ryujin exclaimed, rubbing her own shivering shoulders.
‘I just needed to get away, it was getting so intense,’ Yeji explained.
‘I understand. These parties can be overwhelming,’ she responded with a sympathetic look.
‘Here, I brought this blanket for us so we don’t freeze to death,’ Ryujin said, already taking the blanket off to share.
‘Can you distract me, please?’ asked Yeji.
‘Of course. In the spring, I saw Tchaikovsky’s new ballet and it was magnificent,’ she started, Yeji already starting to calm down, ‘Father took me to watch The Nutcracker at Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre in Russia. It’s about this girl who befriends a nutcracker who becomes sentient on Christmas Eve and they have to battle the evil mouse king.’ Ryujin was always so good at this, taking Yeji’s mind off things. Her heart swelled as she listened to Ryujin detail her thoughts about the performance.
‘My favourite ballet is of course Swan Lake because the storyline is just so beautifully tragic, not to mention the music.’
‘What was your favourite part of The Nutcracker?’ Yeji interrupts.
‘Definitely the pas de deux in Act Two to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,’ she says with no hesitation.
‘Can you teach me?’ Yeji smiles, teeth-chattering, needing to move around to prevent her bones from seizing in the cold. Ryujin stands and offers her hand, ‘May I have this dance?’ She smiles giddily.
‘Yes, you may,’ Yeji stands and follows Ryujin’s swift movements through the snow. She feels at peace in her arms, she feels at home. As she pulls and dips and spins Yeji around, Ryujin’s infectious smile never leaves her lips. Finally, as Ryujin spins her away for a last flourish, Yeji runs away, flashing a cheeky grin.
‘If you want to finish the dance, you’ll have to catch me!’ a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Ryujin sprung from her spot and chased after her through the snow, soaking the hem of her dress. She followed the giggles floating just above the hedge line, the stems of yet-to-bloom flowers pointing and guiding the way. Yeji ran left and right and left again, getting dizzy among the dormant dianthus. Ryujin came to a halt and listened out for the other girl’s laugh in hopes of tracing back to its owner. With another burst of giddiness, she knew exactly where she was and ran straight into her.
‘Ah! Got you!’ Ryujin triumphantly exclaimed.
‘Damn, I thought I almost had you.’ Yeji admired Ryujin’s glowing face in the dark. She looked up, surprised to see that the clouds had parted and the moon shone down brightly on them. As she looked back down, she noticed a curl had fallen from Ryujin’s sophisticated updo. She lifted a hand and tucked it away back into place. Ryujin smiled and shook her head, the curl bouncing back down again.
‘God, you’re so adorable,’ breathed Yeji. Ryujin’s expression was stunned by the unexpected comment before a new smile stretched across her face. A smile Yeji had never seen on her before; a smile of possibility and confidence and desire all splayed across her lips.
Slowly, she leaned forward, her hands reaching up to Yeji’s waist where they had sat so perfectly mere hours before and held her in place. Their eyes fluttered shut as they agreed upon what was about to happen. She placed a tender kiss on Yeji ’s lips. Made dizzy with the sweetness of the kiss, their minds cleared and their stomach filled with fuzzy fox gloves and hazy clouds. As they pulled away, Yeji’s eyes lit up under the moonlight, their hazel hue awash with wanting. Wanting to do it again. Wanting to stay in this sacred garden forever. Wanting to be with her.
‘Merry Christmas, my Yeji,’ Ryujin spoke in a soft voice, her eyes warm and shining.
‘Merry Christmas to you, too, my love,’ swooned Yeji with an indelible smile and doe-eyed gaze.
At last, Yeji and Ryujin were able to share the sweetest of moments and fulfil their Christmas wishes.
The End :)