Pocheon

Jin flipped through the stations with a frustrated sigh. "Will you stop that, Unni." Eun Ji rolled her eyes at her older sister. Finally, Jin found IU's Cherry Blossoms playing, she settled back in the seat and sang along. She stared out the window hoping Eun Ji didn't notice how nervous she was about visiting the house. Living as Hae Soo for ten years in Goryeo caused her to feel lost at times in her life as Ha Jin. She knew there were crucial piece of the puzzle she was missing, but she couldn't put her finger on what they were or where to find them. She blew against the glass, drawing a question mark in the fog and wished she could put the past to rest.

Eun Ji glanced over at Jin. It wasn't like Ha Jin to fidget this much. "So how did the trip down to Busan go?" Eun Ji inquired, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Splendid." Jin replied, turning her attention to Eun Ji. "Appa enjoyed grilling So about the palaces and Goryeo history. And Eomma fawned all over him the entire visit. She even forgave us for getting married once I told her we still planned on have a ceremony and reception later this year."

"So have you two set a date yet?" Eun Ji chirped brightly, "Oh, you know it would be great if you had the reception at the teahouse. You and So could have a traditional ceremony. I've always wanted to dress up in a Goryeo period hanbok."

Jin smiled softly as she remembered her first wedding as she was assisted from the palanquin to see So waiting for her, his eyes brimming with happiness and love behind the beads. "I think that would be lovely, Ji-ya."

"Looks like we're here." Eun Ji pulled into the drive. Apprehensively, both women got out of the car. Jin worriedly bit her bottom lip as she stared up at the house, she had fought so hard to keep. It was a cozy cottage style bungalow with wilting rose bushes in the front. Brief flashes of her excitement at owning her first house made her feel like it had all happened in another life and to another person. "Unni?"

She felt like an intruder as she pulled the keys out of her pocket, Jin let out the breath she had been holding and nodded. Determined to get it over with, she strode to the door and unlocked it. Eun Ji followed close on her heels. The air was stale since the AC hadn't been on in a couple of months. "I'll go open some windows up if you get packing material out of the car."

"Okay. The moving truck with my stuff will be here by noon, so we have the whole morning to go through what you want to keep." Eun Ji called out as she headed to the car.

Eying the white cloth couch and IKEA end tables set before the wide picture window, she vaguely remembered telling Myung Hee about how her life as Go Ha Jin had been a bad dream. Myung Hee had advised her to forget it all. Now, she was back, and it still felt like a dream. "I seriously don't think I will need a lot from here, Ji-ya."

Jin opened the windows in the living room and kitchen, checked the trash. Relieved that the bin was empty, she began to pick up the pots of dead plants and set them outside on the porch. "You'll have to repot or buy new plants." She sighed as Eun Ji walked past her, dumping the unfolded boxes and bag of packing material on the floor of the living room.

"Where do you want to start, Unni?" Eun Ji asked as Jin picked up one of the boxes and tape.

"The bedroom and master bathroom." Jin told her as they headed down the hall, opening up the bedroom door. "I just need to go through the closet. Of course, I'm taking my clothes. You can keep most everything else."

"Unni, are you sure? What about your TV?" Eun Ji sat on the bed.

"It's not like I need it, Ji-ya." Jin said as she threw open the closet doors. "So and I have been furniture shopping for the house so the only thing I need from here will be my personal items. You can keep the rest."

"The house is gorgeous." Eun Ji flopped back, staring at the ceiling. "I'm happy for you, Unni. After all the shit you went through, you deserve it. Have you heard anything from the dragon?"

"Not yet." Jin sighed as she began tossing dresses next to her sister's reclining body. "And may I remind you that you are dating her youngest son too. So now that you are moving to Pocheon, what will Hwang Jung Hwa do?"

Eun Ji leaned up, pursing her lips as she started folding the dresses and placing them in the box. "He's applied for a transfer out here."

Jin turned to stare at her little sister a chill running down her spine. "Has he proposed yet?" The chairwoman was going to have kittens once she found out another Go woman was in the picture.

"Not yet." Eun Ji admitted with a sigh. "It's funny, he can face any manner of criminal or dangerous situation as a cop, but he's terrified of his mother."

"He has good reason to be." Jin muttered under her breath as she crawled on her hands and knees into the back of the closet. "Omo!"

"What is it?" Eun Ji moved out of the way, giving Jin some room to maneuver. Jin pulled a box wrapped in blue cloth out, sitting it in between them.

"Halmoni gave this to me before she died. I never opened it. She said that it had been passed down from eldest daughter to eldest daughter since the Joseon period at least." Jin explained as she ran her hands lovingly over the silk cloth. Gently, she untied the knot.

"Wow!" Eun Ji gasped; the box had intricate dragons carved into the ancient cherry wood paneling. "But she only had Appa?" Eun Ji blinked at Jin as she took the cloth, sitting it in her lap.

"She told me she held onto it until she was sure he would have only girls." Jin's grin faded as she lifted the lid. "You know she always claimed we could trace our family tree to the Hae clan and that we were related to the royal Wang clan." She said quietly as she pulled a book out. Opening it to the first page, she gasped.

"What is it?" Eun Ji quickly moved around to stare at the page over Jin's shoulder.

Jin traced her finger slowly over the names listed at the top on down. "I believe it's our family tree."

"Oh, and here it has Lady Hong Hae Soo who married Gwangjong, becoming queen." Eun Ji read, frowning, she turned to Jin who had turned pale. "Isn't she the one you said...?"

"Yes." Jin said, shaken to her core. Ji Mong, what the hell did you do? She nearly jumped out of her skin when the ringtone on her phone went off. "Annyong hasaeyol.."

"Go Ha Jin-ssi." A cultured feminine voice inquired pleasantly.

Jin tensed at the sound of her mother-in-law's voice. Well, we were both queens of Goryeo, she straightened her shoulders and answered with a bright tone. "Madam Yoo, it's nice to hear from you." Eun Ji took the book out of her slack grip, taking advantage of the situation to flip through the pages.

"I was wondering if you had the time to meet me for lunch, dear." The Chairwoman's tone sounded almost too congenial.

Jin frowned at Eun Ji while her sister purposely ignored her. "I can't today, but there is a teahouse we can have lunch at. If you want, I can give you the address and we can meet there tomorrow."

"That would be fine, dear." Jin could hear the purr over the line.

Jin rattled off the address then hung up. "What have I done?"

"Set up a lunch date with your mother-in-law." Eun Ji quipped back as she carefully turned a page. "Omo, this is amazing, Unni! Did you know that Hae Soo's daughter, Princess Wang Seol, also became a queen? However, she gave birth to a daughter who married back into the Hong Hae clan."

Seol. Tears pricked Jin's eyes at the mention of her daughter. "I wish I could have been there for her."

"Omo!" Eun Ji put the book down and wrapped her arms around Jin's shoulders. "She was the child?

Jin nodded as she wiped away her tears. "But she lived." Eun Ji said, confused by Jin's sadness. "Why are you so sad?"

"But... I died, Ji-ya. I don't remember hearing her first cry nor did I get to hold her or even see her." Jin whispered, her voice quavering on the verge of sobs. Eun Ji gently rocked her sister, patting her back while Jin cried of the loss of the woman she had once been and the child she had never known.

Seoul

Hwang Yoon crossed his legs, trying to relax in the folded-out chair as he surreptitiously watched his brother go through his sword forms while checking his phone. While the brothers had been placed into Tai Kwan Do classes at an early age, only So had taken it farther, obtaining master levels in Haidong Gumdo as well. He had to admit that So's form was perfect.

So expertly sheathed the practice sword, then bowed before leaving the mat. Heading over to Yoon, he placed the sword against the wall near his gear. "I just have to take a shower and get changed, then we can go get lunch."

"Don't worry, I have some emails to go through, so take your time." Yoon said, barely looking up.

"Okay, fine." So nodded as he picked up his gym bag and walked away. Yoon picked up the sword. He lifted the blade, staring at his reflection mirrored back from the steel. The curve of the gumdo blade was different than the double-edged swords from the Goryeo period. He carefully put it back against the wall. Everything was messed up. Maybe he could be the brother So needed him to be this time around.

"I'm ready, hyung. Where do you want to meet for lunch?" So asked as he picked up his gear and sword.

Startled, Yoon quickly hid his discomfort by switching his phone off. Standing up, he grinned at So. "I made reservation at Boccalino so I hope you are in the mood for Italian."

"Yoon." So frowned at his brother. Yoon was behaving too congenial. Something was wrong.

"It's important, So-ya." Yoon replied, meeting So's eyes. "I can't discuss it here."

"Okay." So agreed. Yoon held the door open for him. So called over his shoulder at Yoon while he stored his gear in the back of his car. "I'll meet you there."

Yoon waved, then drove away.

"I ordered a Heineken." Yoon said to So when he took the seat across from him. The waiter placed a menu in front of So and was about to explain the house special of the day when Yoon interrupted him. "Just bring my brother a Heineken too. I will have the Squid Ink Pasta. Thank you."

"Heineken does sound good." So replied cordially. "I'll have Chicken Picatta."

So waited until the waiter was out of earshot before turning to Yoon. "What's going on? Does it have anything to do with eommeoni?"

Yoon was about to say something when their beers arrived. He patiently waited as the beer was poured into glasses, then nodded at the waiter to leave. "Sort of. First off, she's not going to fight you on your marriage." He settled back in the chair. "Second, I advised her that I will take over Hwang Industries once she steps down."

"Okay. Are you saying she's going to retire soon?" So asked, frowning at Yoon.

"Not anytime soon. I think I will have to pry her butt out of that seat." Yoon grimaced. "But I'm not in any hurry either. However, I'm here because I haven't been the best brother to you. And I promise I will make it up to you."

"Hyung…?" So broke off, impatient as their lunch was served. "What the hell are you talking about? If it's about the comment I made before, I apologize. I know how she gets."

"It's more than that." Yoon put his fork down. "Cheondeokjeon."

Shocked, So stopped cutting into his chicken to stare at his older brother. "What do you remember?"

"I started remembering bits and pieces when I first saw her with you. Now, I remember everything." Yoon explained before he took a long draw from his beer.

So silently regarded his brother. Wang Yo never would have apologized, but Hwang Yoon was not the same man even if he had the same arrogance at times. Their lives had been hard at times here, but nothing like trying to survive in the palace. "Yoon, we are not living under those circumstances. I don't harbor any grudges against you."

Yoon closed his eyes in pain. "I don't know if I can forget it. I was there when she hurt you." Opening his eyes, he continued as if speaking the memory out loud could exorcise it. "We had come from Tae's funeral rites when father announced that I would be sent to the Kang clan. He was dressed to wed another consort. Mother was screaming at him. I was hiding behind one of the screens, when she grabbed you and put her knife to your heart. I feared her and father. I couldn't move or do anything when they fought, and the knife sliced your face."

"Yo-ya, you were barely older than I was at that time." So shook his head at the painful memory. He could still remember the searing pain of the knife slicing across his face. He was lucky that he hadn't lost his left eye or his life during that time period.

"But she sent you to Shinju instead of me. I didn't understand the reason why she did that was because you were considered damaged, and I was next in line for the throne after Mu. She drilled it into me that I was her perfect son and that I owed her my life." Yo sighed, regretting the choices of that life. "I'm having a hard time reconciling the woman I know now is the same woman from back then. I committed a lot of sins for her, only to realize at my death that I was only a pawn to her greed. I won't allow that to happen again."

"Yoon, let it go. We don't belong to that time anymore. Don't let it haunt you." So reached across the table, placing his hand over Yoon's fist to snap his brother out of his reverie.

"She remembers though. Right?" Yoon frowned at So. "Your wife."

"I can't speak for Ha Jin." So stared down at his untouched plate, not sure how to respond. "I'll talk to her, hyung. Maybe we can give this family dinner night another try." He suddenly grinned at Yoon. "We better eat. Our lunch has gotten cold. You want another beer?"

"I better not." Yoon smirked. "I have a deposition later this afternoon, so I'll have water."

So flagged down the waiter. "I'll have another beer and a Pierre for the lawyer who has to go back to work." He grinned broadly at Yoon as he cut into his chicken with gusto.

"Pierre?" Yoon grimaced.