Two weeks went by. Yoon Shik noticed that the exercises Jae Shin put her through became easier and easier. For the first time in her life, she felt physically strong.

"Senior," she said, grabbing her toes and pulling. "When can I begin to learn fighting techniques? As you can see," she reached past her toes and wiggled her fingers, "this is quite easy now."

"It's easy, is it?" Jae Shin grunted. He fit the soles of his feet against hers and grabbed her hands. He gently pulled and she squeaked in protest. "Just breathe," he warned, pulling a little further. She complied and felt her muscles lengthen to impossible limits.

"Now do it to me," he said. They spent the next few minutes stretching together, pushing their sinews to the brink.

"Wow. That was amazing," Yoon Shik breathed, trying to get to her feet. But her legs were loose and wobbly. She pitched forward and fell straight onto Jae Shin. He caught her before she brained him, but their faces were only an inch apart. She wetted her lips nervously and he quickly set her on the grass next to him.

Both of them were silent on the walk back to their room.

***

Jae Shin tossed and turned on his futon. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Yoon Shik's glistening lips an inch from his. He had finally gotten over the hiccups only to replace them with lucid dreams!

He shook his head to clear it and rolled over to his left side. Yoon Shik lay on her back, eyes closed, breathing deep and relaxed. Jae Shin couldn't help but drink in her smooth skin, breathtaking lips-

He looked across Yoon Shik to find Sun Joon staring at her as well. Sun Joon met his eyes and both glared across the narrow space. Sun Joon slowly turned his back to Jae Shin and some of the tension dissipated.

Jae Shin rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling, mind racing. Was it possible that Sun Joon knew that Yoon Shik was a woman?

***

Two days later, the head official of Sunkyunkwan announced that all classes were cancelled for two days. All students were allowed to come and go for 48 hours without curfew. The excitement of the campus was palpable.

The Jalgeum Quartet stood in front of the main gates under a dense, cloudy sky.

"I'm going to visit my favorite…uh…lady friend. See you gents later," Yong Ha called over his well-appointed shoulder as he swept through the gates, grinning like an idiot.

Sun Joon watched him go before placing a hand on Yoon Shik's shoulder. "I must meet with my father today. But tomorrow I recommend you study for the Analects test next week. I will meet you in the library at noon to help you prepare." He turned on his heel and left, not even waiting for a response.

Yoon Shik frowned. Why was Sun Joon suddenly acting like an overbearing big brother?

Jae Shin came up next to her. "Let's move to the next step of training today. Go change into your least-favorite robes. We may get dirty."

She sighed, knowing Jae Shin wasn't going to let her off with easy training forever. "Yes, Senior. Be back soon."

Yoon Shik returned wearing a set of light yellow robes and no hat. "Is this okay, Senior?"

She looked like an errant ray of sunlight. Jae Shin gave her a small smile. "It'll do, Daemul."

Yoon Shik grinned back. A gust of early spring wind blew on her back. The clouds were thick but light, not like rain clouds. No matter if there was rain or not, she relished the chance to be with Jae Shin outside of Sunkyunkwan. Maybe he will open up and actually chat like a normal human being, she thought wistfully.

He handed her a weighty backpack identical to his own and headed out the gates. They veered right and were soon swallowed up by dense forest. They hiked in silence up a gradual hill that turned out to be a mountain. Yoon Shik tripped often as her eyes were on the grand, soaring trees and scampering squirrels leaping along their branches. The wind was chilly but constant.

They reached the top in three hours. Jae Shin found a downed tree trunk to sit on. He fished a pot of rice, boiled eggs, and kimchi from his backpack.

"A picnic!" Yoon Shik cried in delight. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten outside under a canopy of trees. They ate heartily.

"So how did I do today?" She asked around a mouthful of boiled egg.

Jae Shin grunted and took a swig of water from his jug. "You're too distracted," he growled. She frowned and he added, "But you're legs have gotten stronger."

She smiled and drank some water, "Thank you, Senior."

A strong gust nearly blew away the remnants of their meal. Jae Shin looked uneasily at the darkening clouds above. "We better get back."

They quickly packed their meal. And began the slow descent down the mountain when the clouds opened up and heavy, chilly rain began pounding their bodies.

Yoon Shik was soaked in an instant. She tried to descend faster but ended up slipping on a patch of clay and twisting her ankle. She lay in the mud, holding her ankle and gritting her teeth against the pain.

Jae Shin caught up to her and probed the ankle. It was swelling quickly. A bolt of lightning illuminated the sky for an instant and he knew they weren't going to make it back to Sungkyunkwan. They needed shelter.

He managed to get her on his back and turned to once again go up the mountain. "There's a cabin used for hunting and trapping somewhere up here. We'll stay there until the storm is over," he shouted over his shoulder. He received only shivers in response.

Trekking up the mountain was arduous and painstaking. The ground was slippery with wet branches and mud, and the wind seemed to force Jae Shin back for every step he took forward. After an hour, he found the cabin tucked near a rock shelf. He set a shuddering Yoon Shik on a stump and went to check the cabin for life.

The cabin was small but dry. Dust and cobwebs hung from the rafters but a stone fireplace and a stack of wood waited invitingly.

He lost all pretense and picked up Yoon Shik, cradling her in his arms. He lay her by the cold hearth before quickly stacking and lighting a fire. He then searched through two wooden trunks and found dusty blankets and one thin futon.

"Kim Yoon Shik! Look at me," he growled, panicking at her glazed eyes and blue lips. She slowly moved her pupils his direction, blinking slowly and deliberately. "You have to get out of your wet clothes. You have to get warm."

She blinked several times at him in confusion. His words must have sunk in a moment later because she shook her head violently. "N-n-n-o-"

"There's no choice. I'm sorry." He draped one of the blankets around her and began removing her robes. She fought weakly, making pitiful mewling sounds. "Kim Yoon Shik, look at me!" He shouted.

She ceased moving and stared at him with eyes wide with shock. "I know what you are. I know you're a woman. But right now, that doesn't matter. I have to get you warm or you're going to die. Do you understand?"

For what seemed like an eternity, she didn't breathe. She just sat there, starting at him with doe eyes as shivers racked her small frame. Finally, she nodded.

He slowed his movements and tried to carefully remove her clothes from under the blanket to preserve her modesty. When she was fully naked, he used the blanket to rub her body briskly all over. He tried hard not to focus on the soft curves his rough hands covered. He just wanted her to stop trembling.

He shook out the futon and threw it on the ground right in front of the fire. A dry blanket replaced the damp one now wrapping Yoon Shik's body; he hung the damp one on the rafters to dry.

He quickly removed all of his soaked clothes except for his pants. Covering himself in the other dry blanket, Jae Shin gently pushed the unresponsive woman to the futon so she faced the fire. He curled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Eventually, her shivers subsided and her breathing became deep and even.