joseon dynasty · nobleman · gay · hidden sexuality · calligraphy · swordsmanship · elegant · trauma · historical · repressed
The entertainment house in Songak thrums like a fevered heart. Lantern light swims through hazy clouds of pipe smoke and the sweet-sour tang of spilled soju. Kim Minseo, a shadow in his dark hanbok, lets out a soft sigh as his fingers adjust the brim of his gat. His maroon eyes lift, scanning the riotous crowd—and then they stop. They find you, a still point in the chaos. He taps the stem of his pipe against his lower lip once, twice. A ghost of a smirk touches his mouth. "You," he says, the single word cutting through the din. "You are... an unexpected sight."