Haesoo carefully inserted the silver hairpin into her hair and smiled, "Unnie, it is done." She held up the mirror and Myung Hee was astonished at her transformation-her formally pale and wan face looked blooming and healthy.
"Beautiful", Myung Hee said happily while still admiring her reflection.
"Is it? Then allow me to do your makeup and hairstyle on special occasions", Haesoo said, putting away the brushes.
"Of course. But where did you learn this from? You were never interested in such things before", Myung Hee asked curiously.
"Unnie, I love pampering myself so I learned it on my own." Haesoo thought of the time when she used to get up early in the morning to prepare herself for college or office. In my modern world almost every girl more or less knows how to do makeup so it is not unusual that I have some talent too, she chuckled.
"Haven't I told you not to bring up our past again?" Haesoo pouted. "You are the only one who remembers everything. Do you realize how much it upsets me when I think that I might not ever recover our precious childhood memories?" If there is one thing Goryeo has made Haesoo expert in then that is lying. It was difficult at first since her real self was never a good liar but Myung Hee once told her that she likes new Haesoo better. This encouraged Haesoo to become more shameless.
"It just slipped out of my mouth. I should have been more considerate of you", Myung Hee said apologetically.
Haesoo told her it's not her fault either and took a seat before her. "I had a dream. In that dream, I was selling perfume. I opened a perfume shop with all my savings. It also met with moderate success. But my lover who was losing customers because of my shop spread negative rumors about my products around the market and in the end I had to close my shop." She ended her dream with a sigh.
"So you had a nightmare"
"Nightmare?"
"You should forget them quickly. Remembering them will only bring you pain." Myung Hee advised her.
Haesoo nodded, smilingly she promised, "I will forget it. I am going to forget it all. From now on, I will live happily with Unnie. I can do it right?" Her face was still smiling but her voice trembled.
Myung Hee didn't notice it and answered yes without knowing the gravity of Haesoo's question.
"Your Highness, may I come in?"
"Yes".
Haesoo entered the 8th Prince Wook's library with a tea tray.
"Why did you bring it? Where are the servants?"
"I wanted to apologize for what happened that day in the courtyard. I heard because of me you were reprimand by His Majesty."
She carefully put the tray in the table and bowed deeply, "I am extremely sorry for causing trouble to you, Your Highness. I had promised that I wouldn't be a burden to you but..." She looked down, feeling ashamed.
Wook could feel that she was sincerely sorry for her actions. "What's done is done. Just be more cautious from now on. His Majesty would not always be merciful."
"Thank you so much. I was worried that His Majesty would hang me for laying a hand on a Prince. I didn't even know that he was a Prince." Haesoo confessed.
"Does that mean you wouldn't have confronted him if you had known?" Wook finally looked straight into her eyes.
"No", she firmly answered. "He was an ill-mannered snob. I would have still confronted him but maybe a bit more tactfully", she giggled like a child.
Her laugh was infectious and he found himself smiling without even realizing.
"Wait. Am I bad-mouthing your brother in front of you?" She immediately covered her mouth, "Why am I such a fool? Are you going to punish me now?" She hesitantly asked.
"Well, since you have understood on your own what you should say and what you should not, I don't have any reason to punish you anymore. You can leave now."
Haesoo bowed and instantly disappeared from the library.
As long as she is here days won't be boring, I guess. Mused Wook.
Haesoo saw Chaeryung anxiously pacing back and forth outside the library door.
"You will faint at this rate."
"Agassi, what to do? 10th Prince is coming here to meet you."
"10th Prince?" She said while trying to remember. "That little kid Prince with whom I fought in the courtyard that day." Haesoo's eyes widened in shock.
"Is he coming to punish me personally? I don't want to die yet. But His Majesty already pardoned me. Since His Majesty already forgiven me and I am 8th Prince's wife's cousin so he cannot possibly kill me. Then by any chance is he going to cut off my arms and legs? Such an unfair world it is I have to be punished even though I did the right thing." She stomped her feet.
Seoul was better in this respect. At least I didn't have to worry about losing my arms there.
Worried Haesoo was waiting at the main gate with Chaeryung when she saw 10th Prince proudly and enthusiastically galloping in.
"Were you waiting for me?" Eun excitedly asked while waking up the stairs.
You wanted me to wait for you. Isn't that why you informed us of your arrival beforehand? Haesoo gritted her teeth.
Haesoo bowed, "Greetings to Your Highness. Are you here to punish me?" She asked hesitatingly.
"Do you think I am that petty? You know, you should thank me for begging the King for forgiveness on your behalf. I asked him if a girl who hit a prince were to be punished, what happens to the prince who got hit by a girl?" Eun puffed up in pride.
As expected from such patriarchal society. "That is very generous of you. I will remember your kindness, Your Highness." She bowed. "If there is nothing else, then I will take your leave." She was about to turn and leave but when she lifted her leg, she heard, "You're the first woman to treat me like that."
Chaeryung and all the servants gasped in surprise.
"YES?" What is he? An elementary kid? And the line? I didn't know this line was invented thousands years ago.
"Yes. Does that mean you are accepting my heart?" Excited Eun asked.
"No no." How should I reject a Prince without offending him? "What I meant to say is that you don't even know much about me. How can you fall for someone you have met only once?"
"Well, It was the first time someone fought with me. Others don't even dare to touch me or just let me win so I have never fought with anyone properly before."
I also would not have fought with you if I had known you were a Prince, at least not openly and physically. Because of my recklessness 8th Prince was scolded by his father.
He shyly continued, "It was fun fighting with you. But if this too fast for you then we can be friends first."
Friends? Right, I can be his friend and then slowly make him realize that it is just his infatuation. He looks harmless too. "Fine then let's be friends." She stretched out her hand for a handshake with a smile.
Eun stared at her hand in confusion. He tilted his head quizzically, "Do you want us to hold hands?" Understanding that the Prince is not familiar with handshakes, Soo explained, "This is how two people begin their friendship." She motioned him to hold her hand and shook them. Her voice became stern again, "But on one condition you cannot spy on girls again."
"Can you please not bring up this again? I am already embarrassed and for your information that was my first time."
"And that should be your last time too."
Eun promised.
"Fine then we are friends now", She declared smilingly.
The capital was filled with song and dance. The gauzes that decorated throughout and the luminous pearls that were placed made the entire roof to be filled with brilliant lights and vibrant colors. It was a completely new but wonderful experience for Haesoo and she did her best to enjoy them along with Chaeryung.
At one point Soo spots 4th Prince while taking a break from sight-seeing. After checking if she still had his hairpin with her, she ran after him. The chase took her into the woods and it didn't take her long to lose 4th Prince's sight due to the darkness. She belatedly realized she made a blunder entering the woods alone and wondered around the woods to find a way out.
Haesoo, how can you be such a fool? What are you going to do if some wild animals attack you?
She heard a rustling noise, thinking it came from the 4th Prince she followed it. But the scene she witnessed there was terrifying. She quietly retreated and ran frantically, knowing that her life is not in danger from animals only but also from humans.
She happened upon So and an unknown man pointing swords at each other. She hid behind a tree, looking at So, her only hope of returning home now. Sensing that the man was unwilling to surrender, she picked up a nearby stone and threw with all her might hoping she won't miss her aim. The stone slightly touched the man's shoulder but it was enough to distract him. The Prince took this chance to move closer toward him but that man was faster. He bit something inside his mouth and within seconds white foam came out of his mouth and he fell down on the ground, dead.
Haesoo trembled with horror. It was the first time she has ever seen a person dying with her own eyes. So dragged her out of her hiding place and pressed his sword close to her neck. "All because of a girl like you I lost him."
"I...I had only lost my way. Please let me go." She pleaded. But he only pulled her closer. "If only you hadn't appeared then I could have made him talk." His eyes were murderous, his tone was dangerous and his sword...if he brings it any little closer then blood would spill.
"That man... he never had any intention of speaking otherwise he wouldn't have kept poison inside his mouth." Soo tried to reason with him. She felt him loosening his grip.
"There are some dead people over there." She said to distract him and it worked. His questions were now all about those dead bodies. Before she could answer him, she saw Prince Wook approaching them. Seeing him Prince So let go her, Soo did not waste time to run to Wook.
Surprised to see Haesoo in the middle of the forest, Wook rushed towards her. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be in the market. Are you okay?" He asked in concern.
Soo nodded. She breathed a sigh of relief and finally let the tears fall that she'd held back. She tells him about what she had seen before and then led the brothers and soldiers to that spot. But when they reached there the place was empty.
Wang So asked suspiciously, "How dead bodies could have disappeared?"
"It was definitely here. They were stabbed from behind." She said, looking around confusedly.
"Stabbed...Who was stabbed? Who stabbed them?" So pressed her for answers.
Ignoring So, Haesoo looked at Wook. "It was dark so I could not see anything clearly but...people with swords stabbed the people with masks from behind. There wasn't any struggle."
Although they couldn't found any body, Wook discovered clues in the surroundings-blood spatters and sword cuts-and he deduced that the same person who mobilized the assassins also killed them.
Hearing this So's frustration doubled. He grabbed Soo's one arm, "That man was the last witness. Do you know how important it was for me to catch him? If you hadn't interfered-"
"Then you could have taken him to the palace." She cuts him off. "Do you really think that would have been possible? No, he would have killed himself on the way to the palace or after entering the palace." She kept her voice calm. "I understand you are frustrated for being unable to catch the assassins. But it's not my fault just like it's not yours. Then why...why are you venting your frustration on me?"
Her heart was beating faster in fear but she chose to remain calm. As she believed panicking would only make the situation worse. The pain was numbing her hand but she could tell from his tight grip that it would be useless to try. Her eyes never left his face and nor his eyes left hers. There was something in his eyes or many things, she noticed. Anger, frustration, disappointment, despair. Although despair was clearly overpowering the others.
So opened his mouth to say something but Wook freed Soo's hand and pulled her behind him protectively.
"Hyungnim, Haesoo already told us everything she knew. If we search for some more time then we will definitely find something."
Wook ordered one of the guards to escort Haesoo home and forbid Soo from mentioning this incident to Myung Hee or anyone. Just when she was about to leave, she remembered another important detail. She whirled around, "There was one man who was wearing fur. He seemed to be the leader. That's all I remember." She added just in case 4th Prince comes after her again for answers.
Wook was returning to his quarters when his eyes fell upon Soo standing outside her room, looking at the stars. Assuming she is disturbed by what she went through in the evening, he approached her.
"Can't sleep?"
Haesoo watched him as he slowly walked up to her and stood beside her. He was looking at the sky with a gentle smile on his face. A smile she has gotten used to.
She turned her head to the sky. "I want to but when I close my eyes I see blood and lifeless bodies. My whole body is tired and I really want to have a good sleep but I am scared of what I will see in my dreams."
She was still looking at the sky when she asked in a soft voice, "Your Highness, when you first experienced such thing how did you deal with it?"
"I don't know. I just remember my mother washing my bloody hand repeatedly and Yeonhwa's crying sounds. I was eleven years then. A thief entered the quarter where Mother and Yeonhwa were. I protected my family with my own hands, which made me happy. I was proud." He almost struggled to say the words. "I do not remember what happened next. Maybe I had slept that night. Maybe I hadn't slept that night. I am not sure. I do not remember."
Soo stared at him with wide eyes. As he was a Prince she expected him to be more familiar with such matters than her. But she never thought that his first experience would be like that. She felt bad for him but she was also moved by his courage.
"It's only right for you to be proud of yourself. You didn't kill anyone rather you saved someone. Moreover, you didn't have any choice. But...you were just eleven then. How difficult it must have been for you!"
He turned around to face her. "You really changed a lot or maybe I never knew you properly. Before whenever we met, you hardly ever looked into my eyes, too timid, too meek." "But today the way you stood your ground", he chuckled. "I never thought of you as someone who would not be intimidated by my 4th brother."
She smiled melancholically, "Honestly I..." She looked down, hesitating, "What if 4th Prince was right? What if it was my interference that killed that man? What if 4th Prince was right to blame me?"
"But you looked quite confident when you were insisting that it was not your fault."
"That's because I was scared. I thought if I don't get him believe me then he would actually hurt me." Her voice broke and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Wook placed a hand on her shoulder. "Soo-ya, trust me none of that was your fault. Don't blame yourself for something you are not guilty of. Even if you were wrong still don't blame yourself. It's okay for humans to make mistakes sometimes."
She sniffled and raised her head to look into his eyes. "Then it must be okay for you to make mistakes sometimes too, Your Highness."
"What?" He asked in confusion.
"I always see you forcing smile and retraining yourself. The weariness that you hide behind your smile is visible. You see, there is no such rule that a kind person should always be perfect and smiling. You are a good person, Your Highness. Even if you don't force yourself to smile, it won't change that fact.
He averted his eyes. "I never forced myself to smile. He told her in a serious tone. You must have been mistaken."
Haesoo gently smiled, "I truly hope so."
