I recently caught up with this series and OMG! This couple is so damn cute! But they did not get the screen time they deserved together. So, I'm filling in the gaps. Mostly canon compliant as I attempt to fill in the gaps of Episode 16. The story starts from when Lee Gon, Kang Shin Jae and Jo Yeong come back to Kingdom of Corea. As I am writing it, the protagonists have a week in between coming back to Corea, and going back to kill Lee Lim once and for all. I won't be rewriting any of the canon scenes. This is all original scenes that will be looking to fill in the gaps. This chapter here outlines random events inside that week.
The characters don't belong to me, obviously.
1
Myeong Seung-ah sighed at the relief from sitting down after spending several hours on those stilettos. Even though she loved the shoes, cyan blue with metallic heels, but they did do a number on her feet. It complemented her outfit perfectly – a cyan blue tailored suit, that she had paired with a metallic shirt. She picked up her metal chopsticks and was about to pop a piece of tofu into her mouth when a crash startled her. She shared a surprised look with her coworker, Kim No-min, reaching a silent mutual decision. Both abandoned their lunches and ran into the garden that was adjacent to the patio of the palace cafeteria.
Reaching the source of the commotion, Seung-ah felt her mood turn sour. She was greeted by the sight of Ya Ha-joon from the Royal Treasury, and Jang Jin-ae, a cafeteria staff. A metal tray and some spoons lay on the grass, while the two people struggled. The kindest word that she could think for the large, heavy man was bully. Because that was what he was. He would verbally harass and tease the women all over the palace. But now, with Pheya being away… errr holed up in his study, and Jo Dejangnim in hospital, he seemed to have grown bolder and was now grabbing Jang Jin-ae's hand in a grasp that Seung-ah knew would leave a bruise.
"Please, let me go!" Jin-ae begged. Seung-ah could hear the tears in her voice.
"Come on, just fifteen minutes," the man said. "No one has to know."
Seung-ah opened her mouth to tell him to leave her alone, when suddenly, Ya Ha-joon stumbled backward. She blinked, before she could understand what was happening, someone was raining blows on Ha-joon. In the next instance, she recognized him, without even seeing his face. To Seung-ah, it was as though the Sun had shone through after a long dark night. Jo Yeong.
"He's back," she whispered.
"What do you mean?" Kim No-min said, "You mean Jo Dejangnim?"
"Yes, him."
Meanwhile, Jo Yeong picked the much larger man from the ground and punched him yet again. Ha-joon's face had several large bruises and he was sporting a split lip. The Captain pulled his hand back for yet anther punch when a voice told him to stop. A tall, good-looking man, whom Seung-ah had never seen before, strode into the scene and pulled the two men apart. A silent conversation passed between Jo Dejangnim and the newcomer before the Captain turned to face Ha-joon.
"Kim Ha-joon," it wasn't a question.
Ha-joon wrenched his hand from the newcomer's grasp and wiped his lips. "Jo Yeong. You have no idea what you just did. I will –"
As though the large man had not even spoken, Jo Yeong said, "You're fired."
"You can't do that! My Uncle –"
"If Ya Dong-ki has something to say, he can take it up with me."
Ignoring the screaming man, Jo Yeong walked to Jin-ae. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
The woman shook her head, "Thank you, Dejangnim."
He waved off the words of gratitude and summoned a female guard standing some way off. "Jin-ae, take the day off. Park Min-jee, take Jang Jin-ae to her home. Make sure she has something to eat and stay there till her husband comes home."
The guard bowed, while Jin-ae was staring with her jaw open. Without a backward glance at the small crowd that had gathered around them, Jo Yeong began to march off.
"Jo Yeong," Ha Joon yelled, making him stop in his path. "You will regret this."
Before the Captain could respond, the newcomer lay a hand on Ha-joon's shoulder and said, "A word of advice, don't piss that man off. You won't like what happens then."
Jo Yeong gave a quick nod to the newcomer and the two of them walked off. Seung-ah realized that the two men shared a deep mutual respect.
Kang Shin-jae… no…Kang Heyon-min walked over to Yeong and said, "You realize what you just did, don't you?"
"Kicked out a pest?"
"And gathered some female fans in the process," He said, popping a piece of candy in his mouth.
Jo Yeong sighed, "No."
"Yes," Heyon-min said with a grin. He was enjoying this way too much. Prick. "For a guy who's been doling out love advice to me and Ta-eul, you seem pretty oblivious about your own actions."
Yeong's brows tightened, as he shook his head. "Damn. It's going to start again."
"What is?"
"Fan mail."
"You get fan mail?"
"By the hundreds."
Heyon-min laughed. "This is too funny.
"Never thought you were one for cheap thrills."
"At your expense? Always," Heyon-min's chuckles died and he said, "What about that guy, Ya Dong-ki?"
Yeong shrugged, "The Chief Treasurer? He's no threat."
"You just beat up and fired his nephew. Won't he create a fuss?"
Yeong simply shook his head. "Not if he knows what's good for him. Which he does."
Ya Dong-ki was, in his heart, a selfish man. He would do nothing that would jeopardize his position in the palace.
Later that night, Yeong took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. Meyong Na-ri's coffee had spoiled him. He no longer enjoyed the black coffee that he used to drink. She made the best coffee he had ever had and before leaving the Republic of Korea, he had pretty much begged her to teach him a recipe or two. Of course, getting Na-ri to do something was much like moving a boulder. Ultimately, he had to bribe her for a recipe, which she had agreed to, after a lot of grumbling.
He eyed the files he still had to go through, detailed security reports of the time he had spent in The Republic of Korea and realized that he would be pulling an all-nighter. Not something he could do while drinking this swill. He dumped the contents in the sink behind him and decided to head to the cafeteria to whip up a cup of Na-ri's coffee. Besides, he could do with the exercise. His mind made up, he picked up the brown cup and stepped out of his office. As he raced down the stairs to mostly empty corridors, dotted by the patrolling night guards, Yeong suddenly felt a pang of loneliness, something he had never felt before. Living his life as Eun Sup had shown him what it was like to have a house full of people and someone to talk to. Even if he didn't say much. But now, the enormous palace was threatening to swallow him up. He briefly debated if he should wake Hyeon-min, if only to talk, but then decided against it. That man was probably going to punch him if he woke him up at this hour.
What's wrong with you, Yeong? He scolded himself. This is who you are. This is your reality. Companionship is not for you.
Just then, a door opened further ahead in the corridor and Meyong Seung-ah stepped out into the corridor. Before he could realize what, he was doing, Yeong walked over to her. "Hello."
Seung-ah gave a comical yelp before grinning, "Oh Jo Dejangnim. Welcome back."
Back? He wondered and then remembered the cover story. After Eun-sup was injured in the Lunar New Year, Ho-pil had taken over his duties and it was stated that he was in recovery. Realizing that she was alluding to his release from the hospital and rejoining the service, and not his return from Republic of Korea, he gave a small nod. "Yes, I am back."
"Good. The medicines made you very strange."
The loneliness that he had squashed not a minute ago, reared its head again as he acknowledged something he had been denying. Eun-sup's absence was noticed by Na-ri, Eun-bi, and Kka-bi. No one noticed that Jeong was gone. Of course, it could be because Eun-sup was a better actor and Yeong wasn't, but Yeong knew that was not the case. He was not missed, because there was no one to miss him. Pheya knew where he was, so he had no reason to miss him. Rest, no one cared. Swallowing the sudden bout of pain, he forced himself to focus on the present.
He cleared his throat and said, "Yes… well… the medicines were strong."
Seung-ah shrugged, "I guess. But really, you seemed like a totally different person."
Yeong did not like the strange churning in his stomach at those words. Change the topic, now. "Working late?"
Seung-ah sighed, "Yes. Pheya stayed in the study a bit too long, and rather often the past few days. So, people have come up with some very interesting conspiracy theories. I'm putting out fires. I'll probably be up all night. I was heading to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee."
"Come, I'll walk with you," at her incredulous expression, he held up his cup and said, "I was headed there as well."
"Ah, okay. Let's go, then."
The two of them walked in silence for a bit before, predictably, Seung-ah spoke, "Thank you, Jo Dejangnim."
"For what?"
"Earlier today. Ya Ha-joon was becoming a menace."
"Was he? Why wasn't he reported?" he asked, genuinely confused.
Seung-ah smiled, "He works… worked in the treasury. We all get our salaries from there. Reporting him might have caused problems."
"Still, he should have been reported."
"You know, not everyone thinks like you."
He frowned, "What does that mean?"
"You have a strong moral compass. Not many do."
Yeong frowned, unsure of what to say. So, he chose to remain quiet. Upon reaching the cafeteria, Yeong walked to the kitchenette while Seung-ah reached the coffee machine.
"What are you doing?" he asked, pausing half-way through grabbing the milk.
"Making coffee?"
"That tastes disgusting," he declared. "Hold on. I'll give you something. No dietary restrictions, if I remember correctly?"
Seung-ah blinked, looking confused. "How… how did you know that?"
"It's my job," Yeong replied as he whisked the milk.
She nodded and sat on a barstool across him. "That's how you knew Jin-ae was married and who Ha-joon's Uncle is?"
"Hmm."
"Can I ask you something?" She said, leaning forward.
"You just did."
"No, I mean, can I ask something else?"
"You just did, again."
"Ah! Is this payback for the time I teased you about the phone?"
His lips twitched in mirth, as he poured measured and poured the coffee, "Ask."
"Where did you learn to make coffee like that?"
"I met someone recently. She taught me."
"She? Your girlfriend?"
He snorted, "Far from it. She was just as likely to pour hot coffee on me as she was to teach me."
He put the coffee in front of her and leaned on the counter, sipping his own. He was surprised at how much he was talking. It was uncharacteristic of him. Perhaps he had been craving human interaction more than he had realized.
She took a sip of her coffee and squealed in delight. "This is wonderful! Whoever taught you did a great job. Do let her know."
He simply nodded. He had no desire to meet Meyong Na-ri again.
"By the way, did you ever have a girlfriend?"
He raised his eyebrows. Other than Lady Noh, no one had ever asked him this. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he spoke, "No. Never had the time. You?"
"I don't have a girlfriend either," she said with a straight face.
"I know a few pretty ones, if you are interested," he replied, without skipping a beat.
She grinned and said, "It's okay. I'll pass. My eyes are set elsewhere."
He raised a brow, "Is that so?"
"You know it."
"I do," Wait. Are we flirting? Shit. Retreat! He straightened and before she could say anything, he said, "Good night. I have security reports to read and you have fires to put out. See you."
Seung-ah got off the barstool and said, "Thank you for the coffee."
Two days later, Seung-ah handed a tablet to Lady Noh, who read through the details she had provided. She was writing an article speaking about the new infrastructure development that Pheya had approved and Lady Noh needed the article published by midnight. Mamanim read through the article and suggested a couple of minor changes but was mostly okay with the contents.
"Good work, Seung-ah nim. After this article is published, you can head home."
She bowed and said, "Yes, Mamanim."
Backing away respectfully, Seung-ah stepped into the corridor. Her heels made a clack-clack noise as she walked along the corridor. She had just turned around the corner, she almost bumped into a tall and burly looking guard. She managed to hold the tablet, but the papers in her hand dropped to the floor.
"Ah, sorry madam," the guard said.
"Please, it's okay," she said, dropping down to the floor to grab the papers. As she began to gather them, a staple that was poking out pricked her finger. The guard handed her the papers he had picked up, bowed to her, and walked away. Sucking on the little droplet of blood, Seung-ah was making her way to her office when she had the sudden urge to turn left. She would never be able to explain why she turned into the dark corridor, but it was almost as though something commanded her to, and she obeyed without question.
She walked a good twenty paces, beginning to wonder what she was doing, when she spotted him. Jo Yeoung was leaning against a wall, almost concealed in the shadows thanks to his all black clothes. Had it not been for the dim light trickling from the second floor, she would not have seen him. One of his arms was across his chest, nestling the elbow of his other arm, as he kneaded the bridge of his nose.
He has a headache.
She walked over to him and in a low voice she said, "Hi."
He straightened instantly, back to his rigid posture, the frown in place. "Meyong Seung-ah, can I help you?"
"I think I am supposed to help you here."
"Huh?"
"You have a headache, don't you?"
He blinked, looking puzzled.
"Come with me. An aspirin will help."
"Uh… It's nothing. I can handle it."
"Jo Dejangnim, I would not presume to tell you how to do your job, but doesn't it require you to be alert at all times? How are you going to do that when you have a headache?"
"What makes you think I have one?"
He is right. Why am I certain he has one? "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I just know that you do. Now, will you come?"
He sighed, apparently too tired to fight, "Fine, lead the way."
She felt a smile blossom on her lips as she heard him walk behind her. Even though he was silent, his presence was not something she could ignore. She walked to her office, dropped the tablet and papers on her desk and picked up the aspirin bottle from her drawer.
"Here. Have one. Or…perhaps, with your built, you should have two."
Yeong grabbed the bottle and without a word, popped two pills into his mouth. He washed it down with a gulp of water, muttered a thanks and walked out. It was only after he had left that Seung-ah realized that he drank from her bottle, which had her name written on it.
"Go out and get some fresh air, Yeong," Pheya said, not looking up from his calculations. He was trying to figure out a way to stop Lee Lim once and for all. "If I come up with something, I will let you know."
He took a deep breath and said, "Promise me you won't go away all alone."
"I won't. I promise. You have been locked in this room with me for a while. You are a man of action. You can't stay cooped in at all times. Go."
He bowed slightly and walked away. Stepping out, he instructed Ho Pil to take his place. Pheya was right, he definitely needed some fresh air. He grabbed his car keys from his locker and was making his way to the car park when someone called him.
"Yeong!"
He turned around to find his Uncle hurrying up to him. "Uncle?"
"Young ah,I need help."
"What?"
"Can you lend me one of your men? I need to drop this pen drive off."
"Drop it where?"
"You know that girl who works here? Meyong Seung-ah? Well, she was supposed to get this flash drive, but I gave her the wrong one."
"And you need a guard for what, exactly?"
His uncle sighed dramatically, "She's gone home for the day. She was not feeling too well. But she needs to prepare the report by tomorrow morning, and she needs this flash drive for that."
Not well? What happened to her? Aloud, he said, "Fine, give it to me. I'll take it over."
Jo Hyun Do's eyebrow's shot up. "Why are you bothering with something so trivial?"
"I was headed out for a drive anyway," he said, taking care to keep his expression neutral. "Why bother someone else when I am already going out?"
"Okay," Jo Hyun Do said, drawing out the vowels, as he dropped the flash drive in Yeong's hand.
Pocketing the drive, he walked out before his uncle could press further. Settling down in his black car, he began to drive. As he passed the gates, nodding at the guard's salutes, he realized that he had no idea where to go. Her address, which was in the file, was not something he had memorized. He knew the general location but not the exact house. Clicking in frustration, he called his uncle to text him the address.
"I would have thought you would know it," Hyun Do said.
"Why would you think that?"
"I mean… you know everyone's details, after all."
"I don't remember addresses," he snapped back. "Now are you giving me the address or not?"
"Okay, okay, sending. Oh, and Yeong ah."
"Yes?"
"Buy some flowers on the way."
"Flowers? Why?"
"You're visiting a girl's house for the first time in your life. Shouldn't you –"
Yeong disconnected the call. Moments later, the address popped on his screen. He fed it to the GPS and began making his way to her house. Twenty minutes later, he was at a middle-class neighborhood, parking in front of a two-story house. From what he understood, she lived on the second floor with a roommate. A quick check of the watch told him it was nine-thirty in the night. Already a little too late for a man to show up unannounced at the house of two young girls.
You're here for a job, nothing else. He told himself. And to check up on a sick colleague. Nothing wrong with that, was it? Yeong shook his head and raced up the stairs. There was wreath of pink flowers on the white door, making him wonder when he last saw a wreath on someone's door and could not remember it. Recognizing that he was delaying, he rang the bell.
"Coming!" Seung-ah's voice came from inside.
Before Yeong could understand why his heart was beating so loudly, she had wrenched open the door and he was looking at her beautiful blue face. Wait… blue?
"J-Jo Dejangnim? Wha-what are you doing here?"
He pulled out the flash-drive from his pocket and held it out to her. "My Uncle gave you the wrong one. You were supposed to have this one."
"Oh! Okay. I haven't started working on the report yet, so I didn't notice. I'll grab the other flash drive, just one minute," saying so, she ran inside.
Yeong stood there, looking at the photograph of a family hung on the wall that was facing him. He supposed it was her roommate's because he did not see anyone he knew.
"The pizza isn't here yet?" The roommate's voice sounded and all of a sudden, a young girl he did not know, stood facing him. "Whoa! You're the sexiest pizza guy I have ever seen."
Yeong shook his head slowly, "Not –"
"Yah, Hee-young, he's not a pizza guy!" Seung-ah appeared at the door, looking mortified. "He's Jo Yeoung. Captain of the Royal Guard."
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" the girl's eyes flew wide and she said, "But Seung-ah, isn't he the one… Oh shit, Seung-ah!"
"Shh!" Seung-ah hissed, evidently embarrassed, even as a voice in Yeong's mind whispered, with a tinge of pride, Yes, I am the one. "Hee-young, go inside."
"But Seung-ah –"
"Go. Now."
The girl gave a sheepish look at her, then him, and scurried away.
"Sorry about her, this is the other flash drive."
"Thanks," he said and pocketed the drive. "Uncle said you were not well. Is everything okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, don't worry. I'm okay now."
"Are you sure? You need something?"
She shook her head and smiled, "No, no, it's okay. It's nothing. Just usual stuff."
Realizing what she might have meant, he nodded, maintaining a careful expressionless face. "I'll go then. Good night. Looking nice, by the way."
Surprise was written large in her eyes as she raised her hand to cover her mouth. As her fingers touched the blue face pack and understanding dawned on her.
"Oh my God!" She screamed in English and slammed the door. Left alone, Yeong smiled.