Chapter 15
At the corridor outside the queen dowager's quarter, Yo and Jung are exchanging a few playful hits with each other. They had just came from their mother's quarters having breakfast with her a while ago.
So arrives in the palace, about to meet Ji Mong and Mu at the sky tower. He walks in the corridor adjacent to where Yo and Jung is walking. They're loud banter draws So's attention to them. He stops in one of the post and quietly watch both of his brothers. The familiar loneliness worms its way on his chest.
As he watches them, he wonders how his older brother, Yo, can change into an unrecognisable murderer, all for a chance of being able to sit in the throne. Mu is also his brother, maybe half but that doesn't change the fact that the same blood flows in their veins. How can he and their mother orchestrate his brother's death just like that?
So is not naive, this isn't his first encounter with death or his first time to kill someone but he had never taken a life for no reason. He had also never thought ill of his biological family not even once, not even to his half brothers, not even after he was casted out of the palace. If anything, it only made him long for them.
As he watch his two brothers finish their playful banter and part ways, he goes the other way to meet Yo and confront him.
"How can you do that to our brother?!" So pushes Yo to the wall.
He puts the back of his right arm on Yo's neck while his left holds on to Yo's right arm.
"What are you talking about?" Yo tries to push him away, caught off guard from So's sudden outburst.
"The assassin sent to kill our brother Mu, the night of Spiritual Cleansing Spiritual. It was you."
The color on Yo's face drain. He doesn't know how So found out about it but he was sure he had clean after his self well. He contemplates whether to lie or not but this is So, his little brother, trained to mistrust people and to be cruel.
"He is not our full brother. Do you think he would still be our brother if he sits on that throne? Don't be stupid So-ya! No one sits on that throne and lets all his brother live." Yo tries to appeals to So's familial piety. "If I'm the one who sits on that throne, at least you're sure that I would never harm you and Jung because were full brothers."
So looks at his brother in the eye, gauging how deep his lie is. His anger peaks with the thought that every one of his half brother can be easily discarded by Yo.
"You're not even the king yet and you've already tried to kill our brother. Who's to say you won't discard us all once you get to the throne. Was it mother?" So's hold on Yo tightens.
"Mwo?!" The color on Yo's face drain.
It was his mother's order to make sure that it can never be traced back to her. Yo had only gotten back to his mother's grace as of late. He can't let their mother be disappointed with him again.
"I ask you if our mother is behind all of this!" So tightens his hold on Yo.
"Don't disgrace our mother like this!" Yo returns the shout.
He manages to push So away from him. So can feel Yo shaking, finally accepting that it really was their mother behind it. He looks at Yo with so much anger and walks away.
Yo can't let his brother leave with the information he had just gain. Their mother and their clan's position would be in danger if So reveals everything.
"Do-wa-chu-se-yo! Han beon-man… (Help me! Just this once.)" Desperate, Yo ask So for help, trying to turn him into an accomplice so he couldn't tell anyone.
Yo's pleading stops So on his tracks. He had never heard his brother plead before. So understands that Yo is being desperate at the moment. If he helps him, he knows he'll become an accomplice. He decides to walk away for now without glancing or answering his brother.
In the afternoon, Ha Jin sits under Hae Soo's reflection tree, taking a rest. On her lap is the same book, Cheonjamun (Thousand Character Classic). She was making an effort to study the characters but without translation and only context clues to guide her, she really couldn't understand it. She resolves to come clean and tell Myung Hee that she can't read nor can she write hanja letters so she could get help. If she's going to stay here from now on, she can't be illiterate anymore.
For now, she rests her back and head on the solid tree. Her hands grasp at her chest, feeling the fatigue of pacing back and forth at the jar stand this morning.
I guess I couldn't move well yet.
She closes her eyes, feeling the sunlight and letting the cold breeze lull her to sleep.
Wook had just finished writing a letter for Lady Myung Hee to sent to her parents up north and had instructed a servant to deliver it. He exits his study chambers and notices Hae Soo sitting under her usual tree. He stops to observe her, happy to see her finally up and about.
When he first heard from Chae Ryung that Hae Soo had woken-up, he doesn't have any expectation as to what kind of Hae Soo would he meet this time. It doesn't matter if she reverts back to the old Hae Soo who has all her memories but isn't close to him or this new Hae Soo that he had grown fond off but he was relieved that it was the new Hae Soo that came back to them. He had unconsciously come to look forward to seeing her surprised him with her spontaneous acts.
He approaches her and lowers his self to the ground, careful to not disturb her as he sits on her left side, just an inch away from her. He can feel her head sway beside him as she sleeps. Wook smiles, amused.
A few minutes later and Hae Soo's head falls to her left. Anticipating it already, Wook gently guides her head to his shoulder. Ha Jin wakes from the action and finds her self leaning to the 8th prince's shoulder. Flustered, she abruptly raises her head but Wook was quick to stop her,
"Gwaen-chanh-a, we can stay like this for a while." Wook softly leads Hae Soo's head back to his shoulder, touching the side her face gently.
Ha Jin is flustered to be caught sleeping again when she's supposed to be studying. She freezes at Wook's gentle touch on her face, sending her heart beat in double time. She clasp at her chest, hoping that the 8th prince can't feel it.
Wook notices the movement and takes it as Hae Soo not feeling well. "Are you alright? Shall I take you back to your room?"
"A-nim-ni-da hwangjanim. Gwaen-chanh-seub-ni-kka. (I'm alright) please don't worry. I was just tired from this morning." Ha Jin answers, shutting her eyes, afraid to be caught lying.
"We're approaching the end of autumn now and soon, the snow will fall. It would be best if you don't hang around outside anymore, you might catch a flu. You haven't even fully recovered yet." Wook tells Hae Soo, "How about you use my study chambers from now on? No one's using it anyway. You'd be more comfortable there."
Ha Jin had only been inside the 8th prince's study chamber once, when she got reprimanded for quarreling with Eun. She had like the warm atmosphere and the smell of books and scroll. She would have love to browse the books too but then again she can't read hanja anyway.
"May I?" Ha Jin asks thoughtfully.
Wook nods, liking the idea of seeing Hae Soo in between his bookshelves, browsing.
They stay like that for a while, slowly getting comfortable with each other.
"Hae Soo-ya, mi-an-hae-yo (I'm sorry). I never got to apologize for arriving late and failing to save you from the assassin." Wook breaks their silence first.
Ha Jin lifts her head at the sound of the 8th prince's apology, confused. She hates revisiting that memory of hers but she recalls it now one more time, sure that it was the 8th prince who threw the knife that killed the assassin who was holding her hostage.
"But you did. You killed the assassin who was holding a sword to my neck." Ha Jin looks at Wook. "I'm sorry you have to go through that. It must have given you nightmares after you… killed… someone."
Hae Soo's apology freezes Wook on his stead.
"I'm worried that you might have gotten post traumatic-stress disorder. No one goes through that kind of horror without losing something of their selves in the process. Please know that I would never want that kind of burden to anyone." Ha Jin tells the 8th prince, wanting to express her gratitude and apology at the same time.
"Nightmares…?" A bitter smile, forms in Wook's lips. "I can't have nightmares every time that kind of thing happens. How difficult would that be?" Wook tries to dismiss the thought; shaking the memory of the first time he took someone else's life.
It's Ha Jin's turn to freeze at the sudden heavy atmosphere settling between them. She had never seen the 8th prince struggle with his words before. He looks calms as always but having to sit an inch away from him, Ha Jin can feel every tense nerve from his body.
"I was 11… the first time I took a life." Wook stops for a bit, looking straight ahead, "I was 11."
It's their second year living at the east palace when it happened. Wook was exhausted from the day's training of archery. His tutor was relentless at scolding and hitting his arms, shoulder, back and legs every time he fails to observe the proper stance.
He had come back to his quarters and finds his sister, Yeonhwa, throwing a tantrum.
She was just scolded by their mother for wanting to visit the market with her servant. She had skipped dinner as a protest and went to cry at Wook's chambers instead.
Wook had wanted nothing but a peaceful night sleep but Yeonhwa had insisted on staying in his bed, wetting his pillows with her tears. He couldn't do anything about it so he took a long warm bath instead. When he emerged from his bath, Yeonhwa was fast asleep in his bed already. With no choice, he had opted to take his arrows and knives to sit on the steps of his foyer. From the dim light of his lantern, he polishes his arrow and knives one by one. It is well after midnight when he finished. Exhausted, he lied at the floor and fell asleep.
He awoke a few hours later, feeling a little sore from sleeping on the hard floor. As he stands-up to go back inside his room, he notices not really a person moving but a slight difference in the play of shadow along the walls of his mother's quarters. He stops to observe, careful to take a knife with him as he hides his self in one of the post. He was shaking as he stand hidden in the post, watching. He is only a kid but he's the only man in their family now so he needs to take care of his mother and his sister.
A scream was heard inside his mother's quarter, sending Wook to run hurriedly to his mother. As he nears his mother's quarter, he saw a shadow of a man wearing all black, standing guard beside the wall of his mother's quarter. Without thinking, Wook throws the knife he was holding and it lodges on the chest of the stranger. Caught of guard, the man fell on the ground with a thud. Wook hurriedly runs to the door.
A spray of blood splashes at the side of his face as he unceremoniously takes the knife from the man's chest. No time to think or react. He throws open his mother's door. He sees another man in a black coverall towering over his mother, tying her hands. The man, shocked of his sudden appearance, pushes his mother to the ground and throws a knife at the same time he did. The knife coming from the man, grazes his cheek and cuts a shallow line on his face while the knife coming from Wook went straight to the man's forehead instantly killing him. His mother runs to him as Wook falls to his knees, the shock finally taking full effect on him. No tears came out of his eyes but he fell, numbed, to his mother's arms afterwards.
"I never felt guilty over it. I was proud that I have protected my family and I would do it again if I have to." Wook explains, holding in his emotion, looking far away.
Ha Jin doesn't know what to say to that. People have their own way to cope after having a brush with death. She is in no position to judge. For her, after she witnessed people being killed, she didn't have the time to process how she felt about it. Her instinct to save her self kicked in so she had run away. She still refuses to think about it now, pushing it to the back of her brain like it never happened.
"But you still remember it, every detail of it so I guess you're just holding it inside and living with it. Mi-an-hae-yo, it must have been hard for you." Ha Jin bends her legs to hug both of her knees.
"It's nothing. There are many responsibilities that came with the privilege of being a prince. What kind of prince am I if I can't even do that for my own family." Wook tries to dismiss it.
Ha Jin rest her cheeks to her knees and looks at Wook "Hwangjanim, I'm sorry that I have been a burden to you and my cousin lately. Don't worry from now on, you don't have to look after me anymore. I'll take care of myself so I can be a strength to you and Myung Hee unnie."
Ha Jin smiles and tries to cheer the 8th prince, lifting the heavy mood between them.
"See my shoulders, it's small but it can carry a lot, so you just lean on me when you need some rest." Ha Jin pats her shoulder to emphasize her point.
Wooks look at Hae Soo trying not to smile but failing. He lets himself laugh in her presence for once feeling light, as if all his burdens disappeared at the moment. "You lost all your memories and in its place, somehow a false bravado had taken place."
Ha Jin just laughs. Wook watches her as a few of her hair, slides in her shoulder, covering the bandage in her neck.
"Ah how's the wound in your neck?" Wook reaches at Hae Soo's neck and carefully lifts her hair that had fallen around her shoulders, revealing the bandage.
Wook's sudden action brings awareness to both of them on how close they are sitting together in terms of proximity. Wook takes his hand back smoothly but his heart is racing on his chest. Ha Jin looks away and touches the bandage on her neck awkwardly.
"It's fine now, I think it would be completely healed in a few days. Chae Ryung just puts a bandage to keep it clean." Ha Jin answers.
"We should put an ointment in it so it wouldn't scar. I'll send a servant to the market to buy you one." Wook suggests.
"It's alright but thank you your highness." Ha Jin smiles.
"Kuen-de what does s-teu-re-seu? What was that word? I do not understand it." Wook thinks back to the word that Hae Soo used to describe his condition.
"Ahhhhhh…. Ahahhaha." Ha Jin can only nervously laugh after her slip again.
Inside the sky tower, So stands in between the book shelves, pretending to be browsing at a few books. He had just told Mu and Ji Mong about what he had observed in the body of the assassin he had came to see yesterday. Torn between protecting his birth mother and protecting his 1st brother, the seja, So had conveniently withheld the information that he already knew who was behind it.
Mu and Ji Mong are at the square table discussing how to go about the information So had just told them. Ji Mong is watching So contemplating, aware that So is hiding something from them. He had asked to see the body but So had told them that he had gotten rid of it since its already decaying. It might bring illness to the community if the body was left like that.
That's another evidence down the drain. I wish you'd tell me what's bothering you so I could help.
Ji Mong stands-up and walks beside So. As So moves to the end of the shelves, he sees a painting hanging in the wall, it is one of the Buddhist inspired art, people were being swallowed by fire as they try to escape their demise. Ji Mong stops as he notices So looking at it.
"It's a depiction of Daegyuhwan hell, one of the seven hells in Buddhist doctrine. They cut off the tongues of those who commit murder or adultery." Ji Mong explains the painting, "So hwangja, we need to help each other if we don't want your father to have a reason to send you back to Shinju."
Ji Mong uses So's weakness of wanting to stay in the palace to convince him to help them instead of trying to protect his birth mother.
The reminder that So can be sent back to Shinju anytime if he doesn't secure his father's trust pressures So to tell them one more important information about the dead body. "The assassin had his tongue cut off. Not recent but maybe a long time ago. I think. Like the ones in this painting."
"Mwo ra-go-yo? (What did you just said?) The assassins tongue was cut off a long time ago?" Mu repeats the information So had just uttered, wanting a confirmation.
So nods and then walks to the balustrade of the balcony to sit, facing the grounds of the palace.
"Ji Mong-ah, have you heard of a group of assassins who have rituals of cutting their own tongues?" Mu asks Ji Mong as Ji Mong sits in front of him.
"Hmmmm… Gum Gye, Chil Sal? I don't think there's a group of assassin who would be willing to cut of their tongues no matter how high their pay is. Though I've heard a certain group of fallen monks who practice such act as their way of atoning for their… sins." Ji Mong locks gazes with the seja.
"Once the fallen monks are punished they are excluded from the holy order. From there, someone might have tapped them and used them as assassins." Mu catches-up with Ji Mong, finishing Ji Mong's conclusion.
So doesn't answer, not wanting to confirm nor deny it. He would have to make a decision soon. He can't stay in the middle if he doesn't want to be thrown away again.
"Ji Mong-ah take a look at the records of noble and royal families who sponsors Buddhist monasteries, maybe one of them maintains a secluded monasteries for fallen monks." Mu commands.
"Yie, your highness," Ji Mong answers while looking at So worried.
From the stairs, Baek-Ah announces his presence, bowing to his older brothers in greeting. His sudden arrival lifts the tension in the room. So turns around to acknowledge Baek-Ah then returns to looking in the palace ground again.
"Baek-Ah-ya, what brings you here?" Mu ask.
"Ah Hae Soo had finally woken-up yesterday so Myung Hee wants to send her gratitude to all of us who had looked after Hae Soo while she was ill." Baek-Ah happily delivers his message as he sits down in the table. "She's throwing a dinner for all of us in their household tonight."
"The girl is awake?" Mu asks surprise but happy.
Baek-Ah nods.
"Shall we go and see her tonight?" Mu looks at Ji Mong smiling.
Ji Mong's anxiety momentarily lifts as the news of Ha Jin waking-up hits his ear. He can finally focus on other matters now that his little queen is out of danger.
But it would be tricky to see her this time now that she's awake. Will she remember me?
"Keu-reom-yo! (Of course, you should!)" Baek-Ah answers for Ji Mong and So.
Ha Jin sits in front of her vanity table bored. Her servants had just finished dressing her up in layers of elegant hanbok and Chae Ryung is at the middle of doing her hair. She picks-up one of the origami that the 10th prince brought her while she was ill, and plays with it. She suddenly puts down her forehead on the table.
"Chae Ryung-ah, I think I'm still sick. I'll go and lie down on my bed." Ha Jin pretends to be sick so she could skip the dinner with everyone.
"Agassi, please don't do this to me again, uh? The dinner is being held for you, Lady Myung Hee will surely hang me if I let you skip this dinner." Chae Ryung continues to put a braided wig as a headband on Hae Soo's head undeterred.
Can I at least see all of them when I'm ready? Not like this?
Ha Jin hits her head to the table a few times, unable to do anything. As Chae Ryung puts Hae Soo's orange ribbon next, she stops, remembering the orange lantern that the 8th prince gave to Hae Soo. If there was a little doubt before that the 8th prince might just be fond of Hae Soo because she is Myung Hee's cousin, after Chae Ryung observed him this past one week, she is now sure that the 8th prince harbors more than a familial concern for Hae Soo but then she had also walked-in at the 4th prince being quite intimate with her lady too. Did she miss something? Since when is Hae Soo close to the 4th prince?
"Keun-de Agassi," Chae Ryung starts, a little reluctant to ask her lady.
"Hmmm?"
"Since when are you and the 4th prince close? I don't think I've seen you have conversation with him after that one in the bridge. Are you no longer scared of him?" Chae Ryung puts the box of Hae Soo's dwikkoji (1) in front of her to let her choose.
Ha Jin stills in her seat, her hand unconsciously hovers at So's dwikkoji. She recalls her memories of So this past one month. "The 4th prince? Hmmmm… I think he's just a boy who likes wearing a lot of black. I guess the color makes him look intimidating but he seems warm to me."
It's Chae Ryung's turn to freeze in her position, shocked. Although she had gotten accustomed to her lady's weird actions lately, this new disposition of hers is still surprising to her. "Agassi, can I ask? When did you became friends with the 4th prince?"
Friends? Are we friends? We've only talked thrice? What about Hae Soo's future with him? Am I changing their future now that I failed to come back to my own time?
Then Jung? What about Hae Soo and Jung?
Ha Jin suddenly feels bad, burdened to know that things are changing and must change from now on.
But how much change? I hope it isn't too great.
Lost in thought, Ha Jin forgets to answer Chae Ryung.
"I heard the 4th prince jumped off the cliff to save you when you fell to the water." Chae Ryung secures the braided headband with the orange ribbon underneath hae Soo's hair, allowing the full length of her hair hide the ribbon.
"Hmmm? Mwo ra-go? (What did you say?)" It's Ha Jin's first time to hear about that incident.
Her memory of that night is a little blurred. Everything happened so fast and she was busy surviving so she didn't have the time to observe everything. She can vaguely remember someone breaking into the water and saving her but she didn't actually think it was the 4th prince.
Is that why he was asking me to thank him a while ago?
"Omo! Was he really the one who saved me? I remember the 8th prince throwing the knife but I don't remember much after I fell into the water. It was too cold and I couldn't swim. Then someone broke in… to the water … and pulled me in his arms…"
Ha Jin tries hard to recall the memory now. After she fell in the water, she remembers losing consciousness, then being trapped in that recurring dream of the girl who looks like her. That girl was at the middle of water too, a lake it seems. Then someone had pulled Ha Jin back to the present, waking her-up. When she came back, semi-conscious, she can feel someone breathing on her, giving her oxygen long enough for her to survive until they break through the surface of water.
Omo! Jam-kkan! (wait!) It was the 4th prince?
Ha Jin covers her mouth as realization hits her.
Did he just gave Hae Soo a kiss? A-ni-ya! Ne-ga? (me?) Did we…?
A bloom of red colors Ha Jin's neck and cheeks, suddenly feeling hot. Chae Ryung did not miss Hae Soo's weird reaction.
"Wae-yo? (why?) What happened in the water after he pulled you?" Chae Ryung asks, too curious.
"Mol-la-yo! (I don't know!)" Ha Jin stands flustered. She fans herself using her hand.
"Agassi mus-eun il-e-yo? (what's wrong?) Gwaen-chanh-a-yo? (Are you alright?) " Chae Ryung follows Hae Soo as she paces.
"Kue-nyang, we're done right? I mean my hair, your done with my hair right?" Ha Jin sits back on her chair, fidgeting. She takes a brush to put a light powder on her face but her mind isn't in it.
"I'll just need to put a dwikkoji in your hair and we're done." Chae Ryung unknowingly chooses So's dwikkoji, the one with a butterfly and pink beads, and pins it at Hae Soo's first layer chignon.
She then takes a long cloth and loosely ties it around Hae Soo's neck to cover her wound.
Ku-man-hae Ha Jin! What are you 16? It's not like this is your first time. Besides he was just trying to save you.
Keu-re, he was just trying to save me. That's all. It doesn't mean anything.
Ha Jin tries to convince herself and then remembers she really is 16 in this period. Hae Soo is 16 and it might really be her first time.
Omo. Mi-an-hae Hae Soo-ya! I'll take better care of you next time. Mi-an-hae, jjinja, mi-an-hae. (I'm really sorry Hae Soo)
Kuen-de this is going to be my life from now on, isn't it? Mine. Not Hae Soo's anymore. So is that my first time again?
A-ni-ya, a-ni-ya, a-ni-ya. Don't even think about it.
Ha Jin places her forehead in the vanity table again, at a loss on how she will face the 4th prince and the 14th prince later on. The dinner is looking more and more like a bad idea by the minute.
Chae Ryung is dragging Hae Soo against her will at the foyer of sarangchae. Ha Jin had seriously contemplated if she should make a run for it. She had tried pretending sick and then hurting her ankle and then lying but Chae Ryung wouldn't budge.
As they both arrive at the door, Chae Ryung still holding her lady's wrist, a few of the people inside looks up at them. Myung Hee and Princess Yeonhwa are busy over looking at the preparation of their dinner. Eun, Jung and Baek-Ah are standing at the window on the left wall, talking about Jung's playful match at the market yesterday. Wook is sitting at the head of the table discussing some palace matters with Yo, who is sitting on his left while Won is standing in between them. Mu, So and Ji Mong haven't arrived yet.
Without a choice, Hae Soo meekly bows to everyone in greetings, holding on to Chae Ryung's back. She shadows behind Chae Ryung as much as she can. Chae Ryung walks awkwardly with Hae Soo in tow, also bowing to everyone.
Jung, Baek-Ah and Eun's faces light up as they see Hae Soo enter. Eun runs beside Hae Soo, extracting her from behind Chae Ryung. Chae Ryung sighs a relief as Hae Soo leaves her back. She's beginning to be nervous that her lady might pull something crazy again.
Ha Jin smiles awkwardly as she high fives Baek-Ah and then bows to Jung. She proceeds to where Myung Hee is. She gives her a back hug, disappearing behind Myung Hee
"Wae? (why?)" Myung Hee asks, surprise by Hae Soo's sudden affection.
"Kue-nyang, po-go sip-euss-eo.(I just miss you)." Ha Jin answers without letting Myung Hee go.
Myung Hee pats Hae Soo's head and smiles. Wook leaves his chair to stand beside Hae Soo and Myung Hee.
"You should go around and say thank you to everyone." Myung Hee detaches Hae Soo from her with a little difficulty.
Ha Jin stands awkwardly on her feet, chewing her lips. Wook smiles at her in greetings
"Hae Soo-ya did you see the folded animals in your vanity cabinet? I made those everyday for you." Eun follows Hae Soo around.
"Ne, kam-sa-hab-ni-da Eun hwangjanim." Ha Jin bows to Eun.
"Chal chi-naess-eo? (How have you been?)" Baek-Ah pulls Hae Soo into a hug, "We were really worried about you."
"Yie, I'm alright now. I'm sorry if I worried all of you. I'll try my best to not worry any of you again." Ha Jin hugs Baek-Ah back, surprised by his physical affection but comforting nevertheless.
Baek-Ah breaks their embrace, "Ya! I shall be playing my gayageum to wake you every time your sick."
A true smile finally breaks at Ha Jin's face, amused at Baek-Ah's joke.
"I'm really glad you're finally awake." Jung tells Hae Soo, as he stand beside her too.
"So am I." Ha Jin answers as compose as she can.
She tries to reign in her nervousness at being beside the 14th prince. She doesn't know how will she tell him that his Hae Soo hasn't come back yet or that maybe she won't ever come back.
It would be cruel to leave him hanging, waiting for Hae Soo to remember. I will never remember. I will never be her.
"Shall we all seat as we wait for the seja and the 4th prince to arrive?" Wook announces, breaking Ha Jin's reverie.
Ha Jin smiles at Jung one more time and leaves to give greetings to the 3rd prince and 9th prince. Yo looks at Hae Soo as she approaches, he wonders how this little fragile girl can actually sway his two powerful brothers, So and Wook. He takes note of her, thinking how he can use her to persuade his brother So to choose their family over the seja.
Ha Jin bows in front of Yo and Won, giving her gratitude to them.
"It's good that you're finally up and about again." Yo smiles at Hae Soo, hiding his intentions well.
"It had been so quiet while you were asleep. We actually miss your brewing of troubles." Won comments.
"Go-cheong ha-ji-ma-se-yo hwangjanim, (Don't worry your highness) I will try to cause as much trouble as I can from now on." Ha Jin lifts her nervousness by playing a joke.
"Gue-reo-chi! (of course you should!) It would be fun." Won encourages.
As everyone takes their seat, a servant comes in to announce the arrival of the seja, his astronomer and the 4th prince. Myung Hee and Wook take Hae Soo beside the door to greet the seja. Ha Jin fidgets behind Myung Hee, chewing her lower lip. She takes a peak behind Myung Hee as the 4th prince enters the door first. They catch each other's gaze. Ha Jin unconsciously touches her lips, remembering what happened under the water. She blushes as she lowers her eyes, giving her greetings.
So bows to his 8th brother and Lady Myung Hee. He looks at Hae Soo and notices the dwikkoji that she is wearing. It looks familiar, like the dwikkoji he had lost. He saunters pass her as if he didn't notice her but is taking notes of her touching her lips again, wondering if her allergy is still bothering her.
Ha Jin lifts her head as the 4th prince passes over her.
Uh? is he pretending that he didn't see me? Wae? We were okay this morning.
Does he also remember what he did in the water?
Stupid Ha Jin, of course he does. I'm the only one who was semi unconscious at that time. He is probably waiting for me to thank him seriously this time. Heol! How do I say thank you for that?
"Thank you for accepting our invitation your highness. It is our pleasure to receive you in our household." Myung Hee bows to give greetings to the seja.
"A-nim-ni-da. It is us, who are imposing in your kindness. You have a lovely home Myung Hee Ssi." Mu returns the greeting, smiling.
He turns to Hae Soo behind Myung Hee and greets her, "An-nyeong Ha-seub-ni-kka Hae Soo Ssi, Deu-di-eo man-na-seo pan-gap-seub-ni-da. (It is nice to finally meet you). I've heard so much about you."
Ha Jin bows awkwardly to receive the seja's greeting, "Ah yie, man-na-seo pan-gap-seub-ni-da wangseja. (It's nice to meet you too, crown prince.) I'm sorry if my illness had cause any trouble for you."
"None at all, I've been wanting to meet you ever since I've heard about the incident in the forest. Please forgive my brother's rush action." Mu apologizes for So as he glances over where he is. He then returns his look to Hae Soo and say,
"My brother, So, is quite warm when you get to know him." Mu smoothly paints his brother in a better light. "Ah we brought you a gift. It's a warm cocoa, I've heard you like this drink."
Mu turns to reveal Ji Mong behind him. Ji Mong smiles and hands the cylindrical package he was holding to Mu. Mu turns to give the gift to Hae Soo but Hae Soo was looking straight at Ji Mong, confused.
Oh! Hold on! He looks like the ajeossi who was talking to me at the quarry?
Ha Jin steps toward Ji Mong, recognition dawning on her, "Ajeossi, haven't we met before?"
Everyone looks at the two of them, baffled.
"A-nim-ni-da Agassi. I have never met you before. Cheo-song-hab-ni-da. You must have mistaken me for someone else." Ji Mong smoothly stands his ground but is really nervous.
"A-ni-yo! Ajeossi na-ya! gi-eok-i a-ni-ye-yo? (It's me, don't you remember?) I'm sure it was you." Ha Jins step closer to Ji Mong.
Ji Mong steps back from Ha Jin, aware that all eyes are on them right now. He needs to stop Ha Jin before she gives away too much but how.
The princes and princess Yeonhwa who were all sitting at the table had became quite interested with the exchange happening between Ji Mong and Hae Soo even So walks back quietly beside Mu, looking from Mu to Ji Mong and Hae Soo.
"We were sitting beside the water on a picnic ground. I was drinking soju, frustrated and you sat down beside me and I even gave you what I was drinking." Ha Jin keeps advancing to Ji Mong even though she felt Myung Hee touch her arms. She reaches to Ji Mong's arm to stop him from backing away from her.
Panicking, Ji Mong grabs Ha Jin in the arms to stop her from talking, "My lady, I have never been out of the palace or Songak for a long time. I have never been in any quarry let alone met you. Please stop this."
As Ji Mong desperately grabs Ha Jin by the arms, Ha Jin couldn't hear the pleading in his voice nor his words at all, she can feel herself sway, lurching forward to the darkness.
She is under the water struggling to swim above. It's slightly dark and the water around her is a little hot, like she's swimming in a hot spring. The surface above water isn't far, she could even reach it with her hands but two strong arms are preventing her from surfacing above, drowning her. She panics as she feels her supply of oxygen diminishing by the second. She tries to push those hands away from her shoulders but the hands were too strong and the water is making it hard for her to move. A few more second and she feels herself loosing consciousness. As she closes her eyes, she looks above to see the owner of the hands trying to drown her. It's a little blurred but he resembles the ajeossi standing in front of her right now.
Ha Jin comes back to the present shaking, grasping for air. When she lurched into the memory she had momentarily lost consciousness swaying in Ji Mong's arms. She only catches the last two lines of Ji Mong,
"…. Never been in any quarry let alone met you. Please stop."
Myung Hee and Wook had moved to support her, preventing her to completely fall. Ha Jin looks up at Ji Mong, her hands still on Ji Mong as Ji Mong supports her weight too. Someone's asking her if she's alright but she couldn't focus. She can still feel the water filling her lungs as she grasps for oxygen. She could never get use to the feeling of drowning. No one can. She hates it.
This memory is different, almost as if I was really there experiencing it.
"Agassi, gwaen-chanh-a-yo? (are you alright my lady?)" Ji Mong asks Ha Jin, worried after witnessing her loose consciousness.
He wonders if Ha Jin can see or glimpse something too. Whether it's a memory or premonition, Ji Mong is not sure. They would have to talk at some point.
Ha Jin steps back from Ji Mong, scared. She tries to calm herself as she wipes the bead of sweat on her forehead. She look around finally becoming aware that everyone is watching her.
"I'm alright, I must have over exerted myself." Ha Jin smiles exuding her utmost collected self. She turns to Ji Mong and apologizes. "Choe-song-hae-yo, I guess I've mistaken you for someone else."
She extracts herself from Wook and Myung Hee. She then bows to the seja and the 4th prince and walks to the table, as steady as she can, as if nothing happened.
Myung Hee and Wook exchange a confused look as So and Mu watch Hae Soo takes her sit.
"Wangsejanim, let me take the gift instead and let's all sit then. Please forgive our little Hae Soo, she seemed a little strange ever since her drowning but she is a nice girl." Myung Hee tries to break the tension.
"Yes, please have it. Don't worry, a lot of strange things happen when it involves our astronomer." Mu lightens the mood by joking around. He pulls Ji Mong by the arm and explains, "He's the strange one not the little lady."
Wook and Myung Hee smile, their anxieties a little less pronounce. They all walk back to the table, taking their places.
"Do you know her?" Mu asks Ji Mong in a whisper.
"A-nim-ni-da, I told you she's a little different but she's a sweet girl. Please give her some time." Ji Mong answers in a whisper too.
Wook sits at the head of the table at the far side. To his right is Myung Hee then Hae Soo. Eun wanted to sit beside Hae Soo but Baek-Ah had beaten him into it, so he sits to Baek-Ah's right. Beside Eun is Ji Mong, they exchange pleasantries as they sit. Mu sits at the other end of the table completely opposite of Wook. To his right is So, whom they would have sit beside Hae Soo if the girl wasn't so far away from them. Beside So is Jung and then Won. Yeonhwa sits beside Won, right in front of Hae Soo observing her. To Wook's left beside Yeonhwa is Yo, quietly watching everyone, amused.
Wook had stood up and greeted everyone, thanking them for coming and asking them to enjoy their selves. Everyone commences eating and talking to each other.
Ha Jin busies herself talking with Baek-ah, not wanting to think about the memory she just saw. She isn't even sure what it is. She'll think about it later when she is in the safety of her room. Baek-Ah brings up their upcoming trip to the temple at Mt. Songak.
"Myung Hee unnie, let's take Baek-Ah hwangja with us at the temple in the mountains, it would be great to have him accompany us." Ha Jin asks Myung Hee in between eating.
"Keu-reol-kka? (shall we?) if he wants to, alright." Myung Hee looks at Baek-Ah, happy to see the two spending time together.
"Keu-reom-yo (of course I want to!) Can I also bring Jung with us?" Baek-ah points at Jung over the table.
Their conversation isn't exactly hush or loud but everyone can hear it. Jung looks over at Hae Soo smiling.
"Of course, I'll come. No one's going to beat my 13th brother if I'm not there." Jung answers excited.
Wook feels uncomfortable taking too many people. The trip is supposed to be quiet and relaxing. "Keu-re, let's take Jung with us too but I think we should stop with him, we don't want to bring the whole town with us do we?"
Ha Jin, Myung Hee and Baek-Ah smile like kids getting reprimanded.
"Eoh?! Then I can't come? Wae-yo? Wook hyungnim that is not fair." Eun whines.
"Eun-ah will take you with us next time alright? The ladies need to relax and meditate. We can't bring too many people with us, princes especially since it would draw too much attention to our group. Please understand." Wook says no with finality.
Eun makes face with his brother.
"That's too bad then, I would have wanted to come too. The palace work had become tedious lately that it would be nice to have a break every now and then." Mu says to no one in particular. He genuinely wants to come.
"Then wangsejanim do you want to run away with us?" Ha Jin answers, surprising everyone with her infectious bright smile. "I used to be like that too. I was always busy and focused with getting my job done that I've never once stop to appreciate my life before. I was always putting off going somewhere or spending time with my love ones until all of them became strangers to me at some point."
Ha Jin suddenly feels sad for her family that she would never see again.
Everyone looks at Hae Soo dumbfounded.
"But you're 16 and your family is here. Lady Myung Hee is." Won points out the obvious.
Ha Jin shuts her mouth, catching herself making a mistake. She smiles awkwardly.
"What the lady means to say is that, it's alright to stop and appreciate life every now and then because you never know when you'll wake-up one day and find that the life you're going to live is no longer the life you used to have." Ji Mong covers for Ha Jin.
So you know me, isn't it ajeossi?
Ha Jin exchange looks with Ji Mong, gauging each other.
"Wah, the two of you are really the same." Yo voices his observation. "You both died and came back to life and now have this different perception of how a world should work. Hae Soo-ya can you also see the future?"
Yo zeroes in at Hae Soo, curious as to how his two brothers will react. Ha Jin freezes in her seat, glancing at So from the side, remembering all the flashes of memory she saw of Hae Soo and So.
Future? Can I really see the future?
The one where me or Hae Soo is drowning, is't also a future? My future? I don't even know what I see.
I lived in the present times, a thousand years from now. That's a future of this period. Is that counted?
That's not really seeing, that's me living my real life.
"See the future? She can't even remember being literate." Yeonhwa smiles arrogantly, annoyed at Hae Soo. She didn't know she had just foiled Yo's trap.
Ha Jin looks up from her food, irritated. She should be happy that the princess had just drew everyone away from the fact that she is strange but she can't help but be annoyed with her.
"Princess Yeonhwa, shall I tell you what your future holds?" Ha Jin speaks up quietly but with such command, locking gazes with Yeonhwa. Her stance, challenging.
Everyone can feel the tension rising inside the room. Ji Mong's brain races to stop Ha Jin from doing anything reckless but he can't think of any. Everyone is waiting for any one to diffuse the tension.
"But I can't." Ha Jin smiles, a sweet innocent annoying smile. "I can't see the future. I'm just a strange girl who happens to be full of luck. But you see, seeing the future and being literate isn't really correlated in the same way that being well educated equates to being well mannered. Well it should but in your case…"
Ha Jin pauses, shakes her head like a mother reprimanding a kid, "I guess it doesn't."
"Ya, i-nom (2)! (this rascal!)" Yeonhwa couldn't help but be angry. She feels disrespected.
"Kue-re! (You're right!)" Ha Jin cuts Yeonhwa midsentence. "I can't remember anything at all. I can't read nor write so that makes me illiterate!"
Ha Jin turns to Myung Hee and flashes her best smile like a kid, "Keu-reo-ni-kka unnie, can't you just teach me again? I'll work hard. I'll listen well and I'll do everything you tell me. Uh? I'm a fast learner, I can catch up easily."
Ha Jin lets it all out, bargaining like a kid with her mother. She hugs Myung Hee with so much fondness. Her sudden change from standing up against Yeonhwa to a little kid pleading with her mother looks comical. Mu couldn't help but laugh, surprised and amused of Hae Soo. The tension in the room lift as everyone gets charmed with Hae Soo's raw honesty. Yeonhwa sips water from her glass instead, still angry. She wanted to say more but Wook look at her, commanding her to drop it.
"Wook-ah, why don't you get her a tutor then." Mu tells Wook then turns to Hae Soo. "Hae Soo ssi, can I address you informally like everyone else?"
Ha Jin turns to the seja, letting go of Myung Hee. "Yie, your highness, please do so."
"Hae Soo-ya, then. Do you want me to find you a tutor from the palace? I'm sure you'll enjoy learning from our teachers. Our 4th prince here had just come back from Shinju and is also catching up with his studies. Do you want to join him?" Mu explains, finding a way for his 4th brother and Hae Soo to spend some time together.
"Hyungnim! An-dwae-yo (I can't)." So whispers quietly to his brother, caught off guard.
"I've never seen a girl so enthusiastic to learn. Why don't you help her out?" Mu answers in a whisper too, patting his brother's shoulder.
"Wah! Cheong-mal? Kam-sa-hab-ni-da wangsejanim (Really? Thank you your highness.)" Ha Jin thanks the seja and looks at So then turns to Myung Hee excitedly, "Unnie, can I get a tutor?"
"Keu-reom-yo! (of course!) You should have told me from the beginning, we would have corrected it sooner." Myung Hee affectionately touches Hae Soo's cheeks.
"Our Ji Mong here is our resident astronomer and advisor to the king. If you want you can also learn from him." Mu volunteers Ji Mong.
Ha Jin turns to Ji Mong reluctant, still scared of him but she can't help but ask, "You're an astronomer?"
Ji Mong tries to give his best smile to not scare his little queen away.
"When is the next super moon then?" Ha Jin asks.
Ji Mong's smile falters on his face, understanding well, the meaning behind Ha Jin's question. "Drop it. It's 50 years from now."
"Mwo ra-go-yo? (What did you say?) 50 years?!" Ha Jin exclaims.
"Ne, 50 years. So please don't think about it from now on." Ji Mong tries to explain it as much as he can in a littlest words that no one can understand but just the two of them.
'Eii what's with a super moon?" Eun asks…
Ji Mong and Mu rides their horses slowly back to the palace well after midnight. Mu had enjoyed the dinner and meeting Hae Soo.
"I see now why my 4th brother likes the girl. She's a breathe of fresh air, cheerful and bright. There's a mixture of realness and dreamlike about her." Mu discusses his inference about Hae Soo with Ji Mong. "She's raw and honest with her intentions but sweet and innocent with the way she perceive our lives. She has that certain reckless abandonment that I think draws my 4th brother to her.
"Yie, She's just what our 4th prince need." Ji mong smiles.
"But I'm worried." Mu glances back to Ji Mong. "She is a good candidate as a second wife but she can never be the first wife, especially if my 4th brother would take the throne. She doesn't have a powerful family to back her up. The king and the royal officials would never see her for a queen."
At the mention of the throne, Ji Mong becomes nervous. He knows the 4th prince would become king eventually. It's his fate after all. So as Gwangjeong, is a great king but not necessarily good or bad. He is great because he was able to curve the power of aristocrats, strengthen the royal family and maintain their throne for 50 years but at the cost of so many lives and where did it left his little queen again? Died in the arms of the 14th prince.
We can't have the same history repeat again.
And then there is also Ha Jin's standing in their society. Yes, she is of noble birth but she is an orphan. If Myung Hee dies, she will no longer have a backing of a powerful family. She needs to be officially get adopted to a powerful family. The seja is right, the king would never choose her as a first wife for the 4th prince.
Jen-jang! (Damn it!) Did I pick the wrong lifetime to change?
"Keu-reo-ni-kka wangsejanim, when you become a king, you should marry those two first and keep the throne to yourself for a long time." Ji Mong turns it to a joke, hoping that the seja would see the logic past the joke.
This time, let's make sure you keep the throne for a long time!
"Keu-reol-kka? (should I?) Then my first edict would be for those two to get married." Mu laughs, glad at the prospect of seeing his brother finally happy with someone.
1 A traditional hairpin ornament use to hold a lady's chignon and has a sharp end.
2 Is the lowest, crudest and most disrespectful name you can address someone.
Editor's note;
I like it too when Ji Mong and Mu teams up to push for Hae Soo and So's relationship but Ji Mong has a tendency to be consumed with madness.
