#sorry for making hyunjin mr collins lol
Synopsis: To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love. Or, a dance with the object of your disdain is more appealing than a conversation with the object of your displeasure. Regency AU/Pride and Prejudice AU inspired by @/mocimori’s art of Chan as Darcy.
Warning: one mention of gin
Word Count:2.5k
Pairing: Elizabeth Bennet!reader x Darcy!Bang Chan featuring Bingley!Felix and Jane Bennet!Yeji
The greatest mistake you have made in your life is believing that your mother had your best interests at heart. If she truly did, you would not be listening to Mr. Hwang regale you with tales of his esteemed patroness, the good, gracious Lady Suzy Bae. After your mother gifted your hand to him for the first two dances, you feigned exhaustion when you arrived at Netherfield Park. The ball barely began, but your dear sister fortunately explained your fatigue from too much sun during last afternoon’s long walk. And being the gentleman he is, Mr. Hwang offered to wait until you found yourself better rested, never mind that there were other ladies he could have danced with.
Now you solemnly nod at her ladyship’s latest act of charity. You have never wished ill upon another person, but you dare hope that a lady catches his gaze, and he finds himself enchanted by her. Then you shall be free for at least half an hour before he inevitably returns. The only benefit to this conversation is that you are in perfect view of the dance floor. Yeji and Mr. Lee look absolutely enamored with each other.
The music ends with a dreadful finality as the couples cheer, then part ways. Mr. Lee asks Yeji for a second dance, and beneath her composure, you sense her delight. Mr. Hwang notes this as well, and before he can do the same, you declare that you shall like some punch.
You slip into the eddying crowd around the refreshment room and out the other entrance where you find a moment of respite. Your neighboring friend, Ryujin Shin, nearly leaps up from her chair when she spots you.
“I have scarcely seen you all week. Where have you been all evening? Your sisters are dancing, and you are nowhere to be seen!”
You inform of your cousin’s generosity, and she sympathetically smiles. While the two of you walk around the hall, recounting the latest news about the soldiers staying in Meryton, you nearly forget about Mr. Hwang, awkward and solemn even among merry guests, until he appears at the opposite end of the room. You grab Ryujin’s arm and make to turn in the opposite direction before he notices you. But you are unfortunate and have to wait in mortification as Mr. Hwang takes stiff, measured steps towards you. Ryujin has the kindness to voice her condolences.
“I do believe I have run out of excuses,” you murmur to your friend. “Do you have any suitable ones?”
She quickly glances at the approaching Mr. Hwang while you keep your own eyes averted. “Surely he is not as disagreeable as you say.”
“He is to inherit the estate when my father passes, so you must understand my feelings. Aside from my future in the poorhouse, when I introduce you to him, you will understand. He is quite an odd man.”
She chides, “You must not speak like that! Mr. Lee seems to very much like Yeji, so the poorhouse may not house you and your sisters, after all. But very well, I shall try to see from your point of view.” She then leans in conspiratorially and says, “I hate to alarm you, but a certain gentleman from Derbyshire is coming our way.”
The sound of a set of approaching footsteps captures your attention, and you pretend to laugh at something Ryujin has said. The gentleman from Derbyshire, otherwise known as Mr. Bang to his contemporaries and to you as the most arrogant man you have ever had the pleasure of meeting, is a great source of resentment for not only you but your mother. Having insulted you and having the coldest manners, there is no lost sentiment between you and Mr. Bang.
Ryujin curtsies to Mr. Bang as he now stands imposingly at your side. Before you can do the same, to your complete shock, he asks you for your hand in the next dance, and in your state, you accept and thank him for the offer. In the happiest of moments, Mr. Bang departs and Mr. Hwang has finally made his way to you. You prepare to inform him that you are engaged for the next dance, but instead, he passes by you entirely! Your joy turns into horror when you realize that he is heading for Mr. Bang.
“Surely you are not going to introduce yourself to Mr. Bang,” you say.
“He is the nephew of Lady Suzy Bae, and I must inform him about how well his aunt has been faring. I did not think I would see a man of his standing at this assembly.”
“He will think of you impertinent! Mr. Hwang, I recognize that you have your duties to your patroness, but this is improper, and I assure you that he will take it unkindly. Please, I am certain that he will be willing to introduce himself to you once he learns of your devotion to his aunt.”
Your dissuasion is unsuccessful, and you watch with unprecedented embarrassment as Mr. Bang replies with civil contempt for your cousin’s follies. Mr. Hwang believes himself to be held in the highest regard now that Mr. Bang received him, and he struts away like a peacock. The music for the next dance begins, and he again asks your hand. When you inform him that you have been spoken for by someone else, his disappointment is clear. Ryujin, the compassionate woman she is, offers her hand instead. She does not need to be kind to that miserable man, but you suppose that she can learn of his oddities throughout the number.
During the beginning of the dance, Mr. Bang seems content to not speak, and you yourself are satisfied by the silence until it becomes too tiresome to bear. To not have conversation for a whole dance is a punishment in itself, but for your prideful partner, it is most likely a delight. You still vividly remember how cold he was during his first ball at Hertfordshire. In your own insolence and perhaps in defense of your cousin, you ask about the Lady Suzy you have been hearing about. He makes a noncommittal answer and becomes quiet again, though you are certain he is vexed by the question.
After another moment of nothingness, you ask, “Is there something occupying your thoughts, Mr. Bang? Most couples talk at least a little bit during a dance. It would be strange, otherwise. But if you are not confident in your words, I understand completely.”
You have offended him, but Mr. Bang’s good opinion matters less the more you are in his presence. He is either unskilled at conversing while dancing or rude, and you have firmly decided that he is simply rude.
“What occupies your thoughts?” he says.
“Usually my books or my sisters. Now it is your turn to share.”
“You enjoy reading then?”
“I am fond of a great deal of things, reading books being one of them and socializing another. I imagine you prefer reading more, considering your reluctance to be in the company of anyone but your own circle. You have deprived us all the honor of knowing such a fine gentleman.”
“As you stated in our last meeting, a fine gentleman ought to have happy manners and a good heart. Do you declare me one then?”
“Yes, even if you are lacking, but I will not fault you for that. It is difficult to be everything all at once.”
“I wonder where you get your audaciousness from.”
You archly reply, “My mother. It is a family trait. Do you take after your aunt?”
At the mention of Lady Suzy, his face loses what little cheer it had. “Do all Hwangs desire to know about my aunt?”
“We are disposed to be in awe of anyone of such gracious character. My cousin speaks so favorably of her, so it is only natural that I want to learn more.”
After a moment, he answers, “No, I do not believe I take after her.”
Having only heard of her ladyship, you cannot confirm or deny whether that is a fine thing or not. The dance continues in silence once more, and you have resolved to not speak to Mr. Bang anymore. His sullenness is beginning to affect you, and you refuse to let him ruin the rest of the night. As you pass Ryujin who is directing Mr. Hwang to the correct position, you exchange a look of sympathy with her. There are more miserable partners than yours, however strange that may sound.
“What would you give a sister for her birthday?” he suddenly asks. “You have four, and I seek advice for what to give my own.”
The thought of Mr. Bang having a sister flummoxes you, but even more astonishing is the warmth in his voice. You have never heard him speak to or of anyone in such a manner, not even Mr. Lee who seems to be his closest friend. He adores her very much, you realize.
“It depends on which sister.” You do not know if Mr. Bang knows all your sisters’ names, but that does not prevent you from listing them all. “For Yeji since she is the eldest and my favorite, the embroidered handkerchief I have been working on. Lia sings often, so new sheet music for her. Chaeryeong would want a book of poetry, and I saw Yuna admiring a bonnet in one of the shops in town, so a new bonnet for her. How old is your sister?”
“Ten years my junior. She will be sixteen.”
“Yuna is nearly sixteen, so perhaps your sister would like a new bonnet.”
“Thank you. I shall consider it.”
His haughty tone belies his gratitude, and your cheeks flush with indignation. However, you nod back, wondering why you initially answered so goodnaturedly. You could have misguided him completely or at least teased him for being unaware of his sister’s taste, but instead you were perfectly cordial. He is the one who misled you.
He does not attempt to strike up another short conversation, and you do not either. It is a waste to spend your words on him. You dare believe that he scoffed when Mr. Hwang knocked against his shoulder. While you normally would be the one to do the same since your cousin declares himself an uncannily excellent dancer when the opposite is true, you can hardly stand anymore of Mr. Bang’s pomposity.
With as much cheer as you can muster, you finish the dance in good spirits and try to not to seem too eager to leave Mr. Bang. You curtsy and thank him for the incomparable honor of being his partner, but before you can separate from his presence, he asks if you may accompany you for a refreshment. He is determined to provoke you.
“My friend requires me, sir,” you say with faux disappointment. “I beg your pardon.”
You hurry away to Ryujin who is entertaining Mr. Hwang’s demonstration of a one-person cotillion by clapping rhythmically. When she sees you, she says something to Mr. Hwang and walks over to you. As the two of you take a turn about the ballroom, you exchange recountings of your own partners.
“He is a suitable partner,” Ryujin remarks, “not nearly as disagreeable as you described. You ought to give him a chance. The poor gentleman is so nervous, all he can talk about is his patroness.”
It is indiscernible whether she is serious or not. “I would rather dance with Mr. Bang a second time. Long-winded speech is more insufferable than an awkward air.”
“Be careful unless you want him to overhear. He stares at you a great deal, you know. Far more than he should if he truly disliked you.”
“He finds me barely tolerable. He is watching me because he truly dislikes me. Come now, let us forget about our horrible partners and find someone else to dance with. I refuse to let them occupy my mind at such a merry ball.”
But they cannot escape your mind, for you still owe two dances to your cousin, and he will only stop pursuing you once you have fulfilled your mother’s promises. After the first one with Mr. Hwang, you declare that you need a refreshment, and this time, you truly do. The punch is strong, remedied with gin to keep its enjoyer lively for the duration of the ball.
“How are you faring?”
You swallow one last mouthful of punch and set your cup down. “Mr. Bang. Perfectly well, thank you. If you have come to me for more birthday gift ideas, then you will find me unsatisfactory. I am afraid that a lavishly trimmed bonnet is the best that I can suggest.”
“Do you not think that it is too frivolous, especially for a girl of her age?”
“Frivolous!” you cried. “Please tell that to my mother. What is less frivolous than protecting your face and neck from the sun? So long as she uses it, I see not how it would be. Yuna certainly wears every bonnet she owns.”
“And what of Miss Hwang? What is she like?”
His eyes land where Yeji and Mr. Lee are, smiling as they chat with each other. She danced with him twice, you remember. Twice! For a brief moment, you forget about your anger as you take in her joy.
“Yeji is the kindest, most wonderful person I know. She is generous and sweet, with hardly any malice in her. What is your design?”
“If I recall, you once said it was difficult to be everything at once.”
“Difficult, not impossible. Some are more blessed than others, and some more unfortunate. It is our family’s great fortune to have a dearest daughter and sister like her. I do not pretend to understand why she is so lucky, but I will not tolerate anyone who has such objections. Would you not feel the same about your own sister if someone had suggested something deplorable about her?”
“I would.”
“Then we are in agreement. A rare instance, so let us delight in this moment.”
You hope that it will be enough to deter him from talking to you further, but Mr. Bang is resolved to have the last word. “If we are truly in agreement, will you accept if I ask for the next dance?”
“You intend to prove me wrong, but I also have a game: I shall accept only if we have a proper conversation, and from our last acquaintance, that has shown to be your weakness. If you wish to withdraw, I shall harbor no ill feelings.”
“Then let us delight.”
You fully expect to tease him mercilessly, but it is quite a shock to you and the rest of the attendees when Mr. Bang begins to share his favorite books with you, unprompted. His taste and yours do not differ much, and you no longer know what to make of him.
Evidently, neither does the rest of Hertfordshire because the word the following day is that the two eldest Hwang sisters have caught the fancy of two of the county’s most eligible gentlemen when surely only one has.
