THIRD PERSON
The general was uncertain if the building that he stopped upon is where he might find the queen of Goryeo. Every time he makes a move, the arrow leads him directly to the building.
"How?" He asked himself, curious of the front door that spins. He gripped tightly to the handle of his sword, readying himself while the lady passed next to him, entering the revolving door. He took his time before he leaped towards the door, running fast to enter the building he was suddenly brought outside by the door.
"What the-" he glanced back, confused.
He took another chance to enter the revolving door and he—again took a step that leads him outside the building.
"How in heaven will I ever get inside!?" He complains until an old lady appeared out of nowhere, she nonchalantly enters the door that spins before she managed to go inside the building.
The lady suddenly dabbed after she succeeds, taunting the general, resulting the latter to take the door seriously.
He slowly took a small step to the door, going in the revolving door with caution before he managed to get inside the building for the first time.
"Yes!" He jumped, smiling while the security woman behind the desk is confused. "Sir, what's your unit?" She asked while the general leaned on the counter, raising an eyebrow.
"What's a unit?" He asked.
The lady noticed that he's not from around here.
"Sir, I think I'm going to ask you to leave... it's too late for visits." The security is aware that the general seems like a crazy guy.
"What!? No! I can't!"
She readied her baton but the general persist. "Wait wait— I'm looking for the queen... her name is Yi Jeong Soo? Do you happened to know where she might be?" He went on while the woman checks the list of the owners and their unit.
"She's not here on the list, you better leave." The woman said, "No! She she has to be here somewhere!" He tried his best to confront the security but they don't believe him.
"Boys, take him outside!" The woman said, gesturing her co-workers to kick the general out of the building.
"Wait!" Hanyuk raised his hands. The latter cleared his throat, he raised his chin up before he takes a deep breath. "I'm General Hanyuk of the 1st district in Hanseong, a trusted general to protect the empress Yi Jeong Soo. I command you to let me in, this instant." He changed his voice but it didn't affect the officers.
"Get him out of here!"
"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO YOUR GENERAL!"
THE EMPRESS
After a lovely dinner with Lisa, I am starting to question everything. I have never been this comfortable in my entire life. It's so odd to feel this way, when I shouldn't be.
It's seem as though something is not right as it may seem.
Am I that bad? Can I change? Do I want to go back to the palace? Am I falling for a woman?
I kissed a girl.
My first kiss is Lisa.
So this is what date means.
The candles.
The food.
The stories.
The laughs we shared earlier.
Of all people... a girl.
I don't know how to react earlier when we kissed, I thought they'd judged us because we're both girls but... instead it's the kiss.
I never kissed anyone and I know I let Evelyn down.
I thought that Lisa's going to be dissapointed too, but it seems like she's alright with it. Of all people, why her?
Why a girl?
I leaned in to the sink, as I let the water ran down to this odd looking hole.
I shouldn't feel like this, how should I confront this fluttering feelings in me?
I have a reason to kiss her.
But why?
Why do I feel like I want more?
Every time she speak, I always feel so... annoyed yet at the same time, I want to listen to her voice all day especially when she sings. Oh for the love of hays, let's not forget about the way she sings—her voice is heavenly, calm, sugar, and beyond this world.
I can't put it in words.
I am no longer bothered by her tease or her annoying remarks after that kiss, I don't know why, every time she calls me nicknames, or making such baby language, I feel so light.
What is this feeling?
Is this true love?
"Jeongsoo unnie, are you done?" Somi called from the otherside, distracting me from my thoughts. I immediately shut the silver looking switch from the sink off. "Yes, give me a moment." I glanced to the bathroom mirror to find myself wearing a silk sleeveless night dress that Kai chose earlier.
It's too loose and it makes me feel uncomfortable when I'm wearing it, every time that man-lady decides what I should wear, it's always too revealing, and I can already see my chest from here. And Lisa's too tall, she might see this two hills on my chest.
I just need to cross my arms all the time, especially when I'm around Evelyn and Somi.
I finally opened the door to see Somi holding a bathroom towel, "Finally, I need to take a shit." She sighed in relief.
"Can you care to explain the meaning behind shit?" I asked, I still need to learn. There are words that are new to me, and there are things that I want to try in this new world.
Maybe I shouldn't go back.
It depends to Lisa.
"I'll explain later but first... excuse me." Somi gently pull me out of the bathroom before she slammed it in front of me.
If she were to slam the door like that in the palace, she's going to meet her end soon.
But then, I suddenly feel like I don't need to tell everyone that I'm the queen when it's not going to take me anywhere. After I heard the tragedy about Lisa's parents from her sisters, I somehow respect her even more.
She's too pure.
To think that she bought a house like this, they have a mode of transportation, and Lisa's the one who's paying their expenses.
She suffered enough already.
She deserves anything in this world.
How could I be so rude without even knowing their history? I should've respected my people in Hanseong.
All these thoughts because of Lisa.
I suddenly was met by a horrible stench coming from the bathroom. It even made me teared up as I pinch my nose. "Hallelujah! it's out!" Somi shouted from the bathroom.
I guess that's the meaning behind shit.
I finally made my way to Lisa's quarters to find her still drinking the wine earlier while she stared down to the piano.
What is she thinking of?
"Lisa." I greeted her, I'm not sure if my tone is right, but I hope it doesn't bother her.
I hope I don't sound off.
"Your highness..." Lisa formed her lips into a smile, she pressed her fingers down to the piano, producing a single sound sustaining for a few seconds.
I guess I didn't bother her.
"What are you playing?" I asked, shutting the door behind me. She just shrugged, "Just random keys..."
"I see." I smiled, "And there she is..." She leaned in before she gave me this weird heart shape hand sign.
"What?" I honestly have no idea to what she's pertaining to.
"Just my queen, smiling." She winked.
"Very funny." I rolled my eyes, nudging my shoulder against hers, "I told you-"
"I know, I look beautiful I get it." I smirked, cutting her off.
"That's true." She said, chuckling. I honestly don't know how to respond after, it feels as though I'm content with just her presence.
But the way she looks at me, I'm starting to swallow all those words that I said to her these past few days.
Now it's me who's giving a meaning to everything.
"Oh uhm... Jeongsoo." She breaks the silence between us, "When are you planning to go back to the palace?" She asked.
I really don't know if I ever want to go back.
I'm not even sure if the emperor is coming to save me.
Nor he is going to send guards here, I haven't seen any palace guards in their uniform around.
"I'm not sure..."
"Well I was hoping if you'd like to watch me play... if you want before you go back." She retrieves something from her overcoat, "You can just play it to me, like right now." I crossed my arms, gesturing my head to the piano.
Maybe she can sing me another song, maybe then I might make it up to her for that ugly kiss earlier.
"Nope, you must watch me play it live infront of the audience." She handed me a piece of small paper, "Artaud Theater: The Orchestra?"
"What's this?" I asked, observing the paper, it's has a bit of a texture and it smells good, reminds me of the scented candles earlier from our date.
"It's a ticket for the show..." she replied, "I see... I'll think about it." I answered her.
Of course, I'll go.
If there's anything in this world, I would trade anything just to watch her play.
Or maybe I want her all to myself.
Maybe both.
"If only you want to go... I'm not pressuring you or anything." she said while I can only ignore her as I observe her face.
How do I confront this?
"Earth to Jeongsoo."
"Hello?"
"Say something."
"Well, you must be tired... I should go... goodnight, your majesty." She picked up her glass wine from the piano. As much as I want her to stay, I was too afraid to even move when she started to walk out of the room.
"Lisa, wait." I shut my eyes, clenching my fist, finally breaking the silence for a long time.
This is making me nervous.
"Yeah?"
"It's something about the kiss awhile ago." I said, finally peeking my eyes open. "What about it?" She leaned back against the door.
"I have this feeling deep inside me-"
"Oh! Okay I get it." She sighed, laughing.
I can already see the blush on her cheeks.
What does she mean?
"So what you're experiencing is a tingle."
A what?
"You see, during puberty—"
"No no! That's not what I meant!" I'm not dumb, I studied this after I had my first period back in my early years. I even have to change sheet from time to time, sometimes I use this special leaves that the late empress dowager gave me.
"So you're not horny?" She asked.
"What's horny?" I raised an eyebrow, "It's —Nevermind, okay you can tell me..." she took a step closer.
"I just want to get this over with... I'm utterly lost right now." I inched myself closer to her face. Oh Hades! I've never been this scared in my entire life.
It's only now that I find myself appreciating her beauty when in the first place she really is.
"Are you lost, baby girl?" She snorts, "Okay, I'm just joking." She fixed her hair.
Now that ruined my moment.
"What is it, my queen?" She asked again.
"This feeling... I don't know if it's appropriate for both of us... I suddenly feel like..." I paused, realizing that I'm tracing my fingers down to her heart. "You feel what?" She pressed on, I hardly read the tone from her voice.
How do I tell her?
"Jeongsoo, I get it." She removed my hand from her chest. "There's no point in depriving yourself from what you're feeling, but you should know your place as a woman who has a husband waiting for you... I feel the same but it's not right." She sighed.
"What if I regret it?" I couldn't hold back the tears, "You won't, it's just not me. I'm not the person for you, Jeongsoo." She took a step back while I stare down to the floor.
I can feel myself breaking into pieces.
"I'm sorry.."
"It's alright-" I cracked, running my hair back. I have my reasons why I never believed in true love.
This is such a huge slap for a queen.
I should've been aware of the consequences of falling in love.
"I know it's just a weird feeling... this shall pass." I added.
"It will...but for now, we should get some rest..." She said frowning, before walking towards the door, leaving the room.
THIRD PERSON
Midnight.
The queen can only watch the city lights by the window as the tears rolled down to her cheeks with a broken heart. She has no reason to stay, and she has no purpose but to go back to where she came from.
And that's where it hits her.
She remembered jumping off to the lake while she's being chased by the rebels before she meets Lisa for the first time.
If the king is not going to look for her himself then the empress must rely on her own.
She took a pen and she tore an empty music sheet from Lisa's desk.
And as for Lisa, she stared at the ceiling while she laid back against the couch filled with guilt and regrets.
She thought of the what ifs.
She pictured how things would go if she kissed the empress in her bedroom.
It took her awhile to find her rest while the general concedes to sleep on the trash bag on the street in front of where Lisa's apartment is located.
The night meets day, and Lisa peak her eyes open to find a letter perched on the coffee table with the queen's handwriting. She fixed her bangs while she squint her eyes to read the letter carefully.
Her jaw dropped and she suddenly dashed directly to the front door, taking Somi's vintage windbreaker jacket before leaving her apartment.
The pianist ran to the elevator, clicking the ground floor button in such a rush.
Jeongsoo's gone.
Lisa managed to pass through the revolving door, her eyes darted around the area to look for the queen, but she's already gone.
It's too late.
She continue to ran until she tripped over to a bunch of trash bags near the spilled garbage can. "Fuck!" Lisa stumbled to the ground, disgusted as she removed the skin of the banana off from her jacket.
"Yi Jeongsoo..." Lisa suddenly heard a guy mumbling the name of the queen.
"What the?"
The pianist started to remove several layers of trash bags only to find a handsome young guy wearing a dark hanbok underneath. He has a long jet black hair, his skin is pale, he got thinner than before, he haven't eaten for days and there are dark bags under his eyes.
"Sir... are you alright?" Lisa lightly shake him by using her toes to move his arm.
"Must find the queen..." he mumbled, Lisa immediately grab him by his collar, gently sitting him up. "Sir?" She shakes him again, "W-what?" He opened his eyes, and the first thing he noticed was Lisa's bangs and her brown dolly doe eyes.
"What's going on?" He asked, with his voice low. The general is too tired to even understand the situation he's in.
"Yi Jeongsoo, do you know her?" Lisa asked in a serious manner while the general squint his eyes, he couldn't believe it.
"DO YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS!?" He asked, raising his voice, finally awake. "I'm looking for her too." Lisa said in a tone of a question. She have no idea who he is, but it seems like they're related because of the hanbok.
"Oh what the horse sack." Hanyuk sighed as he retrieve his compass from his pocket. The arrow points to a new direction where it leads to the lake in the park. "Aish! I'm starting to think that darn old lady is crazy!" He grumbled.
"Huh?" Lisa raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Anyways, how are you related to the queen? When was the last time you have seen our queen?" The general adjust his hat before his sword. "Last night she was with me..." Lisa said, remembering the look that Jeongsoo gave her after she rejected her.
"We're friends." She added, sounding bleak yet she's regrets that she let it happen.
"That's impossible, empress Yi Jeongsoo doesn't have any friends, no one can even go near that woman." He raised an eyebrow, cocking his head, his hands on hist waist while the pianist can only shrug.
"In fact, the emperor doesn't even love the empress." He added, "What? Wait—hold on, can you tell me what's going on?" Lisa pressed on, following the general as they walk.
"We need to find the queen fast, before she gets killed by the corrupted king... I have this intuition that the concubine is behind all of this." He said and Lisa managed to block his way, confused. "What do you mean she'll get killed?" Lisa asked again, worried.
"Lady, I don't have time for this! You could've hold on to her when you still had a chance!" The general said, pushing Lisa aside.
The pianist was a bit offended but at the same time he slapped her with the truth.
"Then I'm coming with you." Lisa said, grabbing the sleeve of the general's hanbok "But I'm not going to walk." She added.
"You have a horse then?" He asked, already judging her.
"No, I have a car."
The queen took a bus on the way to the lake, she doesn't have a money to pay the driver back but much to her pouty face and he was too tired to even confront her about it since he worked all night, he pitied the queen and he offered her a ride for free.
"Thank you." The queen exudes a small smile while the driver waves her off. "Next time, bring your wallet. Not everything is free." He grumbled.
Instead of telling him that she's a queen, Jeongsoo smiled and said.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"In another life, Lisa..."