Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

—

Mr John Jun Suh, Johnny to close friends, blinked at the sudden knocking on the door, awakening him from his memories. He looked up from his vanity desk to greet the manservant that had come to him, the willow bark tea Johnny had been drinking now cold next to him.

"Young master, Mistress requests your presence at her private drawing room, if you may."

"I– Yes, of course. Tell my mother I shall head there shortly," he said, waving down at his robes, the man nodding and curtsying away. His valet walked in from the adjacent toiletries closet, and helped him get into clean clothes.

Johnny held a pained yet brilliant smile on his face as his valet made small talk with him, asking about his headache and if he should keep his schedule closed for the day for him to rest. Johnny replied with a negative, he should be as good as ever after breaking his fast. Johnny’s head throbbed as if in retaliation, and he winced, asking his servant to bring up more willow bark tea to his mother’s dressing room. 

He had been summoned to his mother as soon as he woke up, which was not uncommon, yet there was an uneasy feeling in his stomach, and he could not tell if it was due to the slight hangover he was nursing or the fact he had taken such a big step last night. One thing was very clear, he was feeling extremely accomplished, and, yes, happy. If he felt a little less sick, he would have been jumping with joy. Figuratively. 

After spending last evening conversing and drinking with his dear friend -and longtime owner of his heart- Viscount Yuta Nakamoto, Johnny had come home in high spirits, announcing to everyone who crossed paths with him that he was the happiest man alive without exactly revealing. His mother had just retired from the library and Johnny recalled her confused smile at his excited blabbering and sent him to his rooms to rest. He had slept like a rock and awoke with a start, his brain providing echoes of his mother’s reassurances that they would talk in the morning when he recovered his senses. 

Johnny knew he had to tell his parents his happy news as soon as possible, but had not intended to do so immediately. He would have liked to prepare them for revelation, since he knew it was not the most…sensible of options. Curse his weak, whisky-influenced mouth that had alerted his mother. 

“I hope you had no trouble sleeping well, my son?” said his mother as soon as he entered her rooms, signaling to a plush chair by the fire for him to take, next to her settee. There were cups of steaming tea already by the small table in front of them.

“None at all, mother. I had trouble leaving bed, though.”

“Oh? What pressed you on, if I might ask?”

“You.” Johnny said, a grin blossoming on his face with his mother’s offended gasp.

“Excuse me, I only sent for you because I was told you were already up!”

“I know,” laughed Johnny, “I am jesting.”

“Oh you! Anyway, last night you left me quite intrigued.”

Johnny cleared his throat. “Remind me please, what did I say?”

“That life was beautiful and worth living,” his mother chuckled, “and some other nonsense about the moon shining so bright it blinded you. I suppose that was the wine speaking, because last night was so cloudy there was no moon visible, silly boy.”

“Ah, well you see–”

“ –And I was reminded of this great news I got yesterday. You will not believe who has arrived in town?”

“Uhm, some friend of yours I suppose?” offered Johnny, grateful for the interruption as his head pounded again, and he leaned over to grab his tea..

“Oh no my dear, a friend of yours! Or rather, his family.”

Johnny paused mid sip. What? He had no recollection of any of his out-of-town friends writing about visiting in their letters. He quirked an eyebrow at his mother, who clapped excitedly, obviously happy to be able to deliver such an apparent surprise.

“Duke Valentine is in town!”

Coughing as discreetly as he could, Johnny hurried to let down his teacup. “Mother, the Duke passed away last year.”

“Oh Johnny, how can you be so tiresome! I know that, I meant his son! The new Duke! The Dowager Duchess came yesterday to visit us while you were out, they are all out of mourning and she brought an incredible proposal with her. You are twenty-six, dearest. It is time you settle down, do you not think?”

Johnny thanked the Lord he had put down his tea, otherwise he might have dropped it on himself. “I do not think I suit a widow, actually I have already–”

His mother laughed, interrupting him, and raised one delicate hand, “You are confused, dear! The Dowager Duchess does not want to marry you, she wants you to marry her son. Marry the Duke! Oh Johnny, can you believe our luck?! How wonderful will it be! Just imagine the carriages, what events, what noble people shall we meet–”

Johnny stared in horror at his mother. She was talking as if he was as good as married to the young Duke of Valentine already. He needed to stop her.

“Mother, I am engaged.”

“I beg your pardon?” she said, clutching at her delicate string of coral beads adorning her neck.

“I am to be married.”

“To whom? Since when?”

“Last night, Viscount Nakamoto  and I– ”

“No!” his mother gasped, jumping to her feet, “this shall not be born! Dearest, you know I appreciate Viscount Nakamoto  as your good friend, and I am aware you hold him in high esteem ever since you met at school, but I cannot think kindly of him with this news. How dare he take advantage of your closeness and propose? Does he think we are not aware of his predicament?”

Johnny clenched his jaw at the veiled insult. Yes, he knew Lord Nakamoto  and his family were in financial decline, had been since before any of them were born; but the viscount had recently made some investments through a friend of Johnny’s, which had already turned successful revenues and looked like there would be more. Johnny was sure Viscount Nakamoto  would be out of debt in less than ten years, eight even if things continued their course. Johnny planned to invest his inheritance to make it happen even faster. 

Also, his mother had some facts wrong. This high esteem she mentioned had long ago grown far from friendship, at least on his side, and Johnny could not bear it longer. Last night Lord Nakamoto  had been so ecstatic about the news delivered about his business venture, that Johnny had been sure they should at least celebrate with a glass of wine. The viscount’s smile as he agreed had been so bright and light, as if a heavy burden had lifted off his shoulders; and of course it had. Debt weighted like a boulder. In the midst of their private celebration, the wine was swapped for whiskey and it had gone to Johnny’s head. One look at Yuta Nakamoto’s happy intoxicated face had convinced Johnny he wanted to protect that smile and do his utmost best to keep it in place. So he proposed, spurred on by his feelings and a bottle of twelve year old whiskey.

 He had not expected Yuta to say yes. Johnny was not naive, he was aware his feelings were not reciprocated, but perhaps with time and cohabitation, something would bloom in Yuta and change his feelings eventually.

“We shall do as follows," exclaimed Mrs Suh as she paced across the carpeted floorboards, bringing him out of his musings, "You are going to Nakamoto Manor later today and you will excuse yourself for your hasty actions. You were drunk, you were tired, you did not know what overcame you.”

“No. I shall not go back on my word! I lov–”

“John. Johnny, son. We have our family name to uphold, generations of hard work and effort have finally brought us this opportunity. Think of our station, dear.”

“Yuta Nakamoto is a Viscount,” Johnny passionately argued, standing up too and towering over his mother, “I am definitely marrying above our station, mother.”

“Only to sink into poverty in a few years?! Why throw yourself away on an impoverished noble when you can marry a young, flourishing duke whose father cared for you and loved you as his own, enough to wish you truly become family? A Duke’s hand in marriage, on a silver platter!”

“Mother, please. It is not up for discussion. I am sorry.”

“Goodness, why are we frowning so early in the morning? Especially when we have got such great news to share with our son, wife?”

Mr Suh’s voice carried a hint of amusement from an adjacent door to Johnny’s mother's dressing room, soon appearing before them, fully dressed and ready for his day. Mr Suh was a tall lanky man, with a jolly temper and deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, proof that he was prone to laughter. 

“Oh my dearest, please talk some sense into your son, he is not listening to me,” said Mrs Suh, flopping dramatically onto her settee.

Johnny immediately knew his father would not be laughing anytime soon.

—

Yoonoh Jaehyun Jung, the Third Duke of Valentine, itched for a walk but one glance at the clock over the marble mantelpiece and he realized he would not be able to wander into the grove and return on time. He took a yearning glance outside the window of his favorite drawing room at his newly purchased country manor, and smiled at the vast green lawn and perfectly manicured gardens, complete with a prettyish kind of a wilderness on one side. His mother had hoped for a sumptuous grotto –they were extremely fashionable lately– but Duke Valentine had firmly decided against it. Building it would have meant tearing down some of the trees, including some magnificent ancient oaks, and those had played a major part in his choosing this estate.

Jaehyun and his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Valentine, had only recently come down to the countryside at New Joseon parish from Grand Seoul City, and had yet to explore the town or meet its people. He knew for a fact they had some acquaintances a couple of miles away: the Qian and the Suh. One was the family of a dear friend from his time at school; the other had been friends with his late father. 

And he was expecting one of them to visit soon.

Duke Valentine bit his lip and frowned, ringing for tea and something to nibble on as he waited. As the tray was brought to him, he almost asked for coffee instead, but remembered his parents warning him off the ‘foul concoction’ as his mother called it, his late father deeming it a drink for pretentious upstarts and bluestockings. Jaehyun did not particularly care about its social connotations, he just liked the taste, but he supposed it would be best to keep to tea in case his visitor thought like his parents.

From the little information he could gather, that could very well be the case with Mr John Suh. Duke Valentine did not know how they had met his father, although the gentleman’s club was probable.

“I want you to meet John Suh, Jaehyun,” his father had repeatedly said. “You will certainly like him, clever fellow he is.”

Jaehyun sighed ruefully at the memory of his old man, languishing in bed but still smiling, the dimples on his once handsome face made deeper by the wrinkles of age and pain. Needless to say, the meeting never happened. Last year’s winter came unexpectedly early, and the sudden ice had turned every walking surface into dangerous ground. Jung Seyoon, second Duke of Valentine, had been one of its many unfortunate victims. He suffered a bad fall on the outer steps of their townhouse back in Grand Seoul City, and never recovered. 

The newly appointed Third Duke of Valentine and his mother had retired to one of his father’s favorite homes to the south and remained there for the majority of their mourning period, until last month when the Dowager Duchess began insisting they should relocate because Jaehyun should try his hand at purchasing a home to establish himself, like his predecessors had done. Jaehyun did not see the point of acquiring more property when his family already had plenty, yet one look at this estate and the papers had been signed immediately.

Jaehyun suspected his mother was planning something the moment she mentioned New Joseon as a place to begin looking for a home, and her giddiness at his decision to stay in the countryside soon made her reveal her plans. She had handed him a letter, penned by his own father, where the late duke asked his wife to do anything in her power for Mr John J. Suh and Jaehyun to finally meet, and if possible, secure their union by spring. 

To say that Jaehyun had been shocked would be an understatement. He would have directly refused, but truth to be told, he had begun wondering about this unknown man of good fortune and grand charisma that had charmed his mostly stoic father. And Jaehyun had no other prospects, not for the lack of candidates, rather he had not been looking even if he was almost twenty four and in his prime. The Dowager assured him John Suh was a handsome man, tall, amiable and everything polite. Jaehyun had his doubts; he had seen her mother compliment some rather unfortunate fellows at banquets and parties, all for the sake of appearances. His mother was an expert 'truth withholder', to call her something nice.

He had planned to honor his father’s request to meet, then excuse himself. But then his dear mother informed him she had already visited him to deliver their joyful news, which had been enthusiastically accepted. So, he ended up engaged to this old friend of his parents without even knowing the person; a common occurrence in their social circles. Jaehyun took the news with aplomb, as his education demanded of him, and began thinking of his future tied down to an aging man. 

He had the invading thought of a wedding night and wrinkly skin, and he shuddered with barely concealed disgust. Certainly being older, Mr Suh would not demand too much of Jaehyun? Displeasing thoughts aside, the most he could do was wait until his soon-to-be husband eventually faded with age and died, Jaehyun had a whole life ahead of him. Maybe he could take a lover, like he knew his peers did… The duke bit his lip and sniffed, chastising himself for his unkind wishes on family friends.

From his vantage point near the big windows, Jaehyun saw an elegant carriage arrive, and felt his stomach twist into a knot. His palms became sweaty but he was not one to wear gloves in his own home. Would Mr John Suh be offended if Jaehyun withheld a handshake? Maybe a courteous nod would suffice? Would that make him seem haughty? No, he was a Duke, and a superior to this man, even if John Suh was much older than him. He could do whatever he pleased.

"Your Grace, you have a visitor. A Mr John Suh to see you," announced a footman from outside the drawing room, and Jaehyun nervously took a sip of his lukewarm tea.

"Thank you Bertin, tell Mrs Wang to bring him in and an extra tea service, please."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Jaehyun cleared his throat, glancing at his reflection on the windows, and put himself back in the hands of fate decided for him.

The doors opened.

"Excuse me, Your Grace.  Mr John Suh," another servant announced, letting the guest in then immediately closing the doors as much as propriety would allow.

Yoonoh Jaehyun Jung, Third Duke of Valentine, stared wide eyed as the most handsome man he had ever seen crossed the threshold of his favorite drawing room in his recently purchased home, and silently thanked his father in heaven for his insistence, and his mother for having been truthful in her praises for once.

“Your Grace, it is an honor to meet you. Thank you for receiving me on such a short notice. I believe our parents deemed it urgent enough, yet forgot to consider we might have had business to attend,” John Suh said with a calm voice, eyes averted to the floor in reverence.

Jaehyun remained silent and simply…stared in awe, his thoughts crashing into one another in quick succession. Mr John Suh was not an old man, quite the contrary! And he was so handsome, so stylish! So tall! Taller than himself! The duke let his gaze trail from the man’s beautiful long brown locks to his handsome face,  small nose and plush lips…to the long neck hidden by a pristine white cravat, wide shoulders draped in a black velvet jacket, his long torso accentuated by a deep red silk vest with tiny delicate embroidery… 

“Did I truly come at a bad moment? You seem surprised to see me, Your Grace. ”

Jaehyun jolted, and caught himself just in time as his eyes reached the hem of cream colored breeches– 

“Huh,” Jaehyun eloquently said, clearing his throat, “No, I– the– the honor is mine, please excuse my lack of manners, I was expecting someone…older.”

Jaehyun was sure the deep sigh that escaped John Suh’s lips was one of annoyance. His next words had a hint of acerbity in them.

“Deeply sorry to disappoint. I am barely two years older than Your Grace.”

“No! I did not mean–” The Duke of Valentine felt his face flush with embarrassment and looked away from his visitor –his intended fiance! – in an attempt to dissimulate, but to no avail. “I am quite relieved, actually. That you are not a– Because I was told you were a good friend of my father’s, so I assumed you would be around his age, at least three decades older than me. But I was wrong! And I am so glad! You– you are quite– you are very–! Goodness, I was rambling. My apologies, Mr Suh.”

Jaehyun tugged on his cravat, trying to do something lest his hands kept shaking. He should control himself, he was a duke for Lord’s sake! Taking one shuddering breath, he cleared his throat and finally turned his eyes to the man in his drawing room, only to find John Suh staring at him, wide eyed. Jaehyun’s heart hammered away in his chest. Such a rich amber color…like honey– 

“That is my father, Your Grace.”

“What?” Jaehyun asked, confused by the sudden softness in John Suh’s voice.

“Mr Suh. That is my father. I am John, Your Grace.”

If he ran out to the balcony, would that be too unsightly of him? Jaehyun wondered, feeling his face burning with shame and something else. No, he must get his bearings back. He was a duke. A duke talking with his future fiance–

“Please call me Valentine. Or– Or Jaehyun, I do not think there is need for such formalities if we truly are to be married, Mr Su– Mr John.”

John Suh gave him a tiny smile, and the duke felt his stomach turning to butterflies–

“I could not possibly take such liberties, Your Grace, we have just met–”

The butterflies turned to stones. Had Jaehyun misunderstood the offer of calling him John–

“–But there are three months left until the date our parents agreed, perhaps we shall grow closer by then, Your Grace.”

The tiny smile was back on John Suh’s face, and he looked… kinder. Now that he allowed himself to blatantly stare, Jaehyun noticed the deep circles under the man’s eyes. Jaehyun smiled back, sheepishly pointing at the tea that lay forgotten on the table behind them.

“Would you care for some tea and refreshments, Mr J–John?”

“Ah,” John blinked. “Would it be too forward of me to ask for coffee instead?”

Jaehyun’s smile turned brighter; less nervous, more open and true. A spark had ignited in him. Jaehyun knew he would enjoy their courtship; felt he would like John Suh very much. He could not wait to see what their future would be like.

“Not at all Mr John, I actually enjoy coffee very much.”