Forever It's You (It's You Series #2)

15 ✽ Punishment

Senior Court Lady Yi stood a couple of feet away, shooting daggers with her maniac eyes. A chill ran down Eun-bi's spine and she could only muster a sheepish smile.

"Senior Court Lady Yi, please. Don't be too angry or else you'll grow more wrinkles..."

"Whose fault do you think that is?!"

When the older woman lurched forward, Eun-bi sprang off once again, almost flying down the flight of stone stairs until she rammed into a tall figure. Strong arms caught her shoulders, holding her steady on her feet. The familiar curves of his muscles had Eun-bi sinking in relief and she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Seeking for security.

"Save me, Yul! I'm being chased!"

The only person whom Senior Court Lady Yi would never go against was finally here. Yul glanced down at Eun-bi, then at the angry, dishevelled court lady.

His eyes wandered to the spot where Eun-bi had hidden with Accountant Cha earlier, but the man had already vanished from sight.

Yul's arm tightened around her. "What did you do this time?" he asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead with his sleeve.

"Well, I..." Eun-bi felt slightly embarrassed. "I played cards with my court ladies. It wasn't gambling, I swear!"

"That's all?" When she nodded nervously, he asked Senior Court Lady Yi. "What is the punishment?"

"A thousand lines from a text on page twenty-four of A Princess's Etiquette, Your Highness. I shall have her properly educated—"

"It is fine." Yul waved her away. "You're all dismissed."

She grew flabbergasted. "Y-Your Highness?"

"I do not repeat my order twice," he said in an icy tone. "I believe it will not be a problem if I punish and educate her myself." When nobody dared to raise objections, he turned around and led Eun-bi away, leaving all at a loss for words.

It wasn't until they arrived at his office did she finally gather the courage to speak up.

"Yul? Senior Court Lady Yi never told us how long I can take to write my lines. Does this mean I can stay in your quarters for a few days?"

The edge of his lips twitched, but it wasn't quite close to a smile yet. "A week."

She grinned up at him, but her smile faded when she realised he didn't reciprocate. The remote expression on his face told her that a storm was brewing in his head.

Oh no.

She stifled a groan. She had definitely made him angry this time, but why? On most days, when she caused a ruckus in the palace, he wouldn't even care or blink his eyes.

What caused the difference this time?

While her own thoughts distracted her, he grabbed a hold of her waist and lifted her onto his office table. Startled, she yelped and held onto his shoulders. "W-what?"

He placed his hands on the table beside her knees. "Are you aware of your mistake?"

The sudden lack of warmth in his tone took aback her. He had never treated her like this after they courted each other. "I—well... I'm sorry that I played cards and was a bad influence on my court ladies?"

"It's not that," he answered, which only seemed to cause her more confusion. "I do not think you did anything wrong about that."

"You mean to say I've made other mistakes?"

"Yes."

"I—" She thought hard. "Is it because... I ran around away from my servants and guards? Or because I kept climbing onto walls and rooftops? Or because I kept asking for midnight snacks in secret?"