As her husband liked to explore the city, so did Kim Go Eun. She was allowed to take a walk around too, accompanied by her maid Eun Seung and several guards.
"Why do I need so many guards? This is Busan, My Lord, not Hanyang!"
"Either you obey or I'll lock you within this palace forever," he had said sternly.
Sighing, she agreed.
She decided to visit the clinic that day, she liked to help feed the sick or listen to the grandmothers' chatting about their big family.
The summer just started and it was a rather hot day. There had not been rain for a month, so the air was dry, the kind of temperature that made you rather thirsty all the time.
She had never used her palanquin again since she arrived in the city, and that afternoon too, she walked to the clinic, with her maid shading her figure with an umbrella of course, protecting her from the blazing sun.
While they got closer to the clinic, they saw someone approaching the place too from the direction of the city gate. She seemed to come to the city on foot, her clothes were dirty and her face was full with dust. She was staggering, as if she would fall sometime soon.
It was no surprise that she really swayed in front of the clinic front doors.
Go Eun was staring worriedly at the woman for several minutes, wondering what illness she could have had. When the woman truly swayed in front of them, without thinking, she ran to catch her fall, resulting her to sit on the road, the failing body of the woman on her lap, with the citizens of Busan as their spectators.
"Princess Kim! She's making you dirty!"
"I'm fine! Get her some water! She's feverish!"
"Busan........Busan Clinic? I must go there even if I die......." the woman told breathlessly.
"Ne, you have arrived. You will get help soon."
Eun Seung brought a cup of water and Go Eun helped the woman drank, wetting her chapped lips.
"Best.....water.....I've tasted in my life......."
Go Eun smiled.
"Yeppeuda..........Noble Lady.........who are you? Are you a human or have I arrived in the
afterlife?"
"I'm Kim Go Eun, the wife of Grand Prince Lee Min Ho of Joseon."
The woman let out a strangled gasp, like she choked from her own breath, before she grasped on Go Eun's blouse violently.
"Jeongmalyo? You're his.......wife?"
"YAH! LET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF THE PRINCESS'S DRESS!" Eun Seung screamed angrily trying to take off the dirty hands that wrinkled the blouse of her lady.
"Yeoshin-nim (Goddess),.........mianhamnida..........jeongmal mianhamnida. I have sinned against you. Never again will I wish for someone that is too high for my reach! Let me live............please, let me live. I'll admire only from afar. Forgive me, forgive me! If you let me live, I'll be good, Yeoshin-nim. Jebalyo jebal........"
Go Eun was honestly afraid with the woman all of a sudden. Her first instinct was to push her away.
But when she suddenly rambled nonsense and wept so pitifully, she didn't have the heart to do that.
"LET THE PRINCESS GO, YOU PEASANT WOMAN!"
"Eun Seung-ah, don't! I think she's delirious. Her fever is really high. Tell the guards to bring her inside."
"Please, Yeoshin-nim, tell me you've forgiven me. Please......please......."
Go Eun didn't understand who she really meant, but thinking to ease her mind, she just answered, "Yes, yes, of course. I forgive you. Now, go get better."
"Gamsahamnida" the woman whispered, as the guards carried her inside the clinic, and Eun Seung helped Joo Hyeon stand up, trying her best to clean her lady's dress.
Go Eun walked inside the clinic and checked on the woman.
Young Ae-ssi said she was just extremely exhausted and starving. She seemed to arrive to Busan on foot, for her feet were full of scratches and blisters. She was also rather pretty too, they discovered it once after they wiped her face with water.
After resting for a week and eating nutritious meals, the woman recovered and was back on her feet. She said she had nothing except the clothes she was wearing, and would Lee Young Ae-ssi please accept her as a helper there. By then the clinic was always crowded with patients, so the head doctor accepted the woman gladly.
Interested by how she saw her for the first time, Go Eun often talked to the woman everytime she visited the clinic.
The woman was always polite, saying she heard of her in Hanyang, the Goddess who shared the food and gave free medical care.
One day, out of the blue, the woman asked her, "Your Highness, how does it feel to have a perfect life?"
They were tending to a sick baby with a bad case of cold, he had been crying and whining for a long time. The woman had successfully made him ate enough porridge, as Go Eun held him. He seemed to be calmer when he was being carried around in someone's arms. His mother had died when she gave birth, so he was raised at the clinic.
Go Eun stopped swaying the baby gently left and right, looking awestruck at the woman.
She frowned.
Well. She was a prince's wife, and he had miraculously stayed loyal and vowed to always be. She had escaped death once, and was living a full life.
Compared to the woman standing in front of her, she was luckier in many ways.
It was rare that someone threw a question so soul digging as that, yet she was not mad.
She was surprised that she needed to think before answering.
"It feels.........like living a beautiful dream" she answered honestly, a soft smile appearing on her lips, "We had a hard time last year. But now everything runs smoothly, like everything bends to our wishes. I am grateful with each day. Still, I don't think my life is perfect.......yet."
She paused to hold the baby's cheek, who was sleeping in her arms, then.
"It's close to perfect. I wish it could be complete soon," she said, with a tone of longing that made the woman beside her confused.
"Princess Kim, the prince is waiting outside for you to walk home together."
"Ah, jjinjja? Ahrasseo. I'll be there soon," she put the baby down on a nearby cot.
It was Jo Yeong, dropping by after accompanying his lord to visit the city judge.
It's been a while since he last visited the clinic. One sweeping glance at the woman standing beside the princess and he immediately unsheathed his sword.
The woman hurriedly knelt on the floor in a burst of tears, while Go Eun screamed,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"
Jo Yeong said nothing, as the woman knelt trembling near the princess's feet.
"Cover your sword again! Why on earth are you doing this to a defenseless woman?"
"I order you to say your name!" Jo Yeong said sternly, his sword placed on the woman's shoulder.
"I – I – please—"
"SAY IT!"
"I'm – I'm Im Jin Ah, Sire."
"You're frightening her! Jo Yeong-ssi! This is a clinic!"
"Do you wish harm to Grand Princess Kim of Joseon?"
"N – no.........I swear I don't!"
"How do you guarantee that?"
"Wi—with my life, Sire."
"As if it means anything," Jo Yeong said cynically.
"JO YOUNG-SSI! THIS IS TOO MUCH! WHY ARE YOU INSULTING A WOMAN?"
"What's the matter?"
Min Ho had heard Go Eun screamed and rushed in.
He saw his guard holding a sword, resting it on a woman's shoulder, with a furious looking Go Eun beside them.
The woman looked up and he saw who she was.
He immediately reached for his wife's hand and pulled her away.
"Don't you ever stand near a filthy woman like her! What did she do to you? Did she hurt you?"
Go Eun was outraged. She never thought her husband could insult a poor woman so lowly like that.
"What is this? Why are you both behaving like this?"
"Take her to the judge's prison!" Min Ho ordered, pulling Go Eun by the hand, forcing her to mount his horse and taking her home immediately.
************************************
Go Eun was sure she had never been that angry to the man she called husband before, except when he had threatened to murder her whole family if she refused to marry him.
But this, this was more than she could tolerate.
How could he and his guard treat a woman like that? A poor woman too! They were both too paranoid, too scared for her safety and resulted in treating others cruelly.
She would not stand cruelty. Not from the person she loved dearly and the guard she had grown to trust.
"What was that, My Lord? Why the rudeness to a helpless woman? If you thought a stranger could harm me, you must change that way of thinking as soon as possible. This is getting irrational!
All Min Ho could see was the moment when that courtesan threw a dagger to his brother's direction. The horror of seeing her beside Go Eun was unbelievable.
"She's not a stranger."
"Ne? You know her?"
He sighed, knowing his answer would start a row of unpleasant discussion that he would rather not have.
"She's the courtesan that Park Hae Soo bought for me."
"WHAT?"
She looked like she'd explode with fury, but he'd rather told her himself than letting her hear it from anyone else.
"Yes."
"When was this?"
"After we marry.........it was just one of Hae Soo's insane plots. He knew I already care for you so he wanted to mess with us. He hated anything normal and decent, rying to make me cheat on you was fun for him."
"And did you?"
The room was silent for some time, as her words hung between them like rusting knives closing in to the chest.
"I was still pretending to be his ally, acting like a bastard. It was close to the end of my mission......"
He inhaled, feeling every word got heavier and heavier.
"I had to make him think I haven't changed."
"So did you? Did you take her?"
They were standing face to face, meters apart, at the edge of breaking down.
She was not sure she would like the answer, yet she couldn't stop herself from wanting to know. Her body felt it's freezing, as if the winter returned.
"...............I touched her. But I did not really slept with her."
She began crying.
"How did you touch her?"
It was unbelievable. Why did she have to ask? Why should he answer? If every answer would just hurt her, why did she need to know?
However, if it's the truth that she wanted, she'd have it. She had a full right for that.
He fought his own unwillingness to say the words, but he finally did.
"My hand. Between her legs."
She fell to the floor.
He rushed to hold her.
Sobs pierced through her like blows of gavels yet she went on, "Did you – enjoy it?"
"No. I was utterly nauseated with it."
But you still did it!
She was crying so hard her body shook.
"No – one else?"
"No."
"Will you ever do that again with – another woman?"
"Never!"
"Promise me!"
"I promise. I swear, Go Eun. Only you. I swear."
For the multiple times since she married him, she curled in pain and cried her heart out, sobbing until she had to fight to let air into her lungs.
And for the countless times since he began to love her, he had to witness her crying bitterly, because of him.
Who said sincerely loving someone was easy? It was never easy even if you already gave everything you had and more.
"Rest assured," he said after her sobs subsided, "I'll make her get her deserved punishment. She'll get the trial."
For one of the darkest moments of her life, Go Eun loved the idea, wanting that Im Jin Ah to be beaten to death. Maybe it would console her from knowing her husband had touched someone else.
And then she remembered the ramblings the woman said when she first arrived at the temple with high fever. Everything she said made sense then.
"Andwae. Let her go."
"What? Go Eun-ah! She tried to kill Hyeong!"
"I know. But I'm sure she was just ordered by Park Hae Soo. Let her go. She came all the way here because she loves you."
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?"
"She loves you. I can feel it. And she means no harm. If she does, she would have been trying to get to you by now. Let her go. Let her work back at the clinic."
"But—"
"No more deaths. Sung Kyung was one victim. Sung Kyung was enough. I want no more deaths."
"Are you sure?"
"Definitely."
"Ahrasseo."
"I want your loyalty," she said all of a sudden. Her tears drying and her face pale, her eyes fiery and her hands were gripping his shoulders tight, "I refuse to live with you without it."
Min Ho held her chin and spoke while looking straight into her eyes.
"I already promised you. Others can take another woman, but not me. You almost died once. No more pain for you. You have to trust me. There's nothing else I can say. Trust me. You have to."
"Algesseumnida" she answered, hugging him tight with her heart and soul. She's scarred, but choosing not to let go.
It was not like she had any other option anyway. She loved him too much to ever part with him.
**************************************
Im Jin Ah didn't even stay in the prison for one day before she was released again.
Min Ho wanted to throw her out of town but Go Eun forbade him from doing it.
What she did was coming to Im Jin Ah's room in the clinic's house for the doctors and nurses, and spoke to him straight forwardly.
Min Ho sent Jo Yeong to accompany her. She wanted to talk with her alone, but Jo Yeong insisted to enter the bedroom too.
"Please, Princess. It's the Grand Prince's order. He didn't want me to leave your side even for one second. Especially with her."
Go Eun relented, since she already had a fight with Min Ho in the morning, who wanted her nowhere near the courtesan.
The room was small and only had the most necessary furnitures. There was a roll of mattress was placed in one corner, a small wardrobe, and a wooden desk in the middle of the room, of which they stood on either side.
"You love my husband," Go Eun began with the fact she was sure of.
Im Jin Ah looked down, unable to answer.
"You wouldn't come all the way here from Hanyang, working in this clinic, if you don't love him. You want to live in the same city with him, aren't you?"
It was not actually a question, so Im Jin Ah stayed silent.
"Do you still want to get him or not?"
Im Jin Ah began crying, not daring to look into Go Eun's eyes, feeling like the lowliest creature ever lived on this earth.
"No, Your Highness. I swear I don't."
"Because if you still do, I won't share him with you. Ever."
Im Jin Ah looked up to see the beautiful young woman people deemed as a Goddess looking at her with cold rage.
"He has told me what he once did with you. I don't think I will ever be able to forgive you. I won't say I don't hate you. Because I do. I want to ask you to undo what happened between you and my husband, but it's a foolish thought."
"I know it's not entirely your fault. Still, I can not forgive you for that time you spent with my husband. Despite every thing that people said about me, there is this shallow part of myself that wants my husband for myself."
"I will be a better wife from now on. I will not give him to anyone else, including you. He is mine, and mine alone. Like I am his."
"A part of me wants to hurt you, but I can't do that. If this conversation is painful to you, then you better know that I am in pain too. I am aware of your feelings, and I don't believe feelings can be erased. So there's nothing I can do about that."
"What's done is done. Maybe time will wash away my anger after all."
"After this day, starting from when I leave the door of this room, let's continue like we were two days ago. You can continue to live here as long as you don't try to get near the Grand Prince. And the clinic needs you."
Every word said hurt Im Jin Ah like a chain whipping on her skin, yet she felt she deserved all of it.
"If you don't have anything else to say, I'll leave now," Go Eun said, standing up.
"Yo—your Highness! I apologize. Really. And I will try to be useful now, that's all I want."
"..........ahrasseo."
With that, Go Eun left the room, hearing faint sobs from the closed door afterwards.
***********************************
Go Eun passed the clinic and met Lee Young Ae who was trying to comfort a baby to sleep, the same baby Go Eun often held whenever she came to the clinic. The baby started to whine when she passed.
"Oh, Baby, you know the princess is here?"
Her anxiety melted down and she approached them to greet the baby.
She felt restless, like she was going to either fly or fall down soon.
"Young Ae-ssi. I need to talk to you. Please come to my palace as soon as you can."
"Ne, Your Highnesss."
Lee Young Ae was able to leave the clinic at sunset and went directly to the palace.
Go Eun was waiting for her with tea and snack.
"What is it, Your Highness? What can I help you?"
"Young Ae-ssi, am I.......healthy enough to try having a child again?"
The doctor smiled in understanding, "Yes, Your Highness. You are. It's been more than six months since you were wounded."
"So I can........serve the prince again?"
The princess was blushing profusely, but was determined to ask the question.
"He actually can do that for some time already, Your Highness. I only asked him to wait for you for three months. I guess he is just concerned for your health."
"Ah, jeongmal? I'm glad to know I'm already healthy, then."
"If you saw how he looked when you were unconscious last autumn, Your Highness, your heart will suffer. He looked ashen-faced everyday, as if he was the dying one, instead of you."
Go Eun smiled, "It must be so hard for him. May that be the last of that kind of experiences."
"Indeed, Your Highness."
"Thank you for your time, Young Ae-ssi"
The doctor bowed to her before leaving the sitting room.
*****************************************
Min ho had dinner with the members of the farmers' union, discussing about their prediction of this year's crop and a new route to market it within the province. He expected to come home, bathe, and sleep in his wife's embrace, wondering whether he should ask about her conversation with Im Jin Ah or not. He already knew everything from Jo Yeong. Maybe it's better not to mention it again.
The last thing he expected was seeing Go Eun in that state.
He could hear her playing the gayageum before he even entered the room. What surprised him was what she wore.
She had only one layer of robe, like what she usually wore after having her bath.
She usually slept with layers of robes, never that revealing lately.
"Good evening, My Lord," she greeted smoothly, getting up to stand in front of him.
His pulse started to run faster the closer she got, for he could smell her flowery scent better with each step she took.
From the way the robe moved on her, he could see that she was not wearing anything underneath.
What was happening?
"Go Eun-ah. What are you doing?"
"Young Ae-ssi said I'm ready for you."
She walked closer, closer, and closer.
"You are?"
"Ne. You've waited for me patiently enough. If you want me tonight, you can have me. Besides, I'm also wishing to have your child soon."
"Are you really healthy, now, Lady? I can wait longer if you need to. Don't force yourself."
"My Lord, it's been six months. I'm ready to serve you again. Afterall, I......"
"Afterall? You? What?"
"I miss feeling that close to you."
One second or one lifetime passed, he didn't remember.
He only remembered giving up to his longing and reached for her, kissing her hungrily and rushing to take off her robe. His hands roamed urgently on the length of skin and curves he had missed so much while carrying her to the bed. He didn't even have the patience to undress himself properly and was already diving inside her with most of his clothes still on.
Thinking back, he wasn't proud of what he did that night.
The first time having her after such a long period of waiting should have been gentler, more considerate, and slower.
But he forgot everything after one touch. Faster than they both could comprehend, he was already pushing in and out of her, lips kissing her madly.
She felt unbelievably tight, so he pinned her shoulders on the bed and aimed deep into her wildly. His mind died. All he knew was the heavenly feeling of consuming her again, fingers squeezing her body greedily, hitting, hitting and hitting to oblivion until he broke down above her, filling her with his seeds.
He was horrified to open his eyes again, sitting on her naked form, her shoulders red from being pushed, and how fast it all ended.
What have you done, you stupid fool? He's your wife, not your whore! How dare you treat her like this?
"Go Eun-ah! I –"
"Don't apologize. I'm fine," she was smiling at him.
And then he was able to remember the legs locking him in place and the satisfied cries she was making.
She didn't hate it.
Excellent.
Still, he felt like he had to make up for it.
He unattached their body gently, taking off his clothes, and sat back down to admire her.
There was a big wound mark on her belly, already getting brown and soon would peel into new fair skin. But he could tell there would always be a faint mark there.
He traced the mark with his finger.
"Does it still hurt?"
"Not anymore."
He bent down to kiss and lick it, wishing he could erase the memory of the pain from her body.
"Come here, I want to hold you," he said, pulling her to sit on him, his fingers combing her long, fragrant black hair, before kissing her lips slowly but passionately, tongue sweeping her mouth, something he hadn't let himself done for the past months.
He caressed her back and kissed her neck, exchanging from soft pecks to biting and sucking her skin.
She was entirely hipnotyzed, clinging on him as she closed her eyes, sighing with the delicious tease.
"This feels the best with you. I need you to know that."
"Ne?"
"This. Making love. It didn't feel this amazing and addictive with anyone else."
"Jeongmal?"
"Ne"
"Jeongmal, jeongmal?"
"Ne, my wife."
She felt she was about to cry from happiness so she caught his lips and kissed him.
He engaged her in long, intoxicating kisses, hands molding her breasts and bottom until her breaths turned to short gasps. With every heated caress she felt, she pressed her body firmer into him, until her breasts were flushed on his chest, and her core was pressing on his belly.
At one point she managed to push him to lie on the bed and she lied on him, kissing his lips thoroughly. The prince held her tight, arms and limbs crushing her body to him, as if he wanted to blend their bodies together, his mouth opened to receive her kisses.
When she was breathless, he turned her around to proceed kissing her body, from her throat, down to her breasts, wetting her mounds completely and running his tongue on her white belly. He then moved to kiss her legs, up from her ankles, knees, and thighs, sending her writhing under him.
Without her realizing it, he was pushing her legs apart, wider and wider.
"Go Eun-ah" he called, making her opened her eyes, fighting to focus on him instead of what he was making her felt and experienced.
She lifted herself and reached for him, her hands moved along his back, then up and down his chest. She climbed back onto his lap, and held his cheeks, before she sought his lips and kissed him passionately.
His heart skipped to a race, and he held her too, his hands roaming all over her. When he felt her tongue began moving inside his mouth, he groaned.
"What's gotten into you???" he asked, bewildered with her wildness.
"I want to have your child. And I want to be your only woman."
"You will. You are."
She reached for his right hand and brought it to the lips of her core. "Do it to me, what you did with her."
Her expression was angry, mixed with lust and determination.
He sucked his own index and middle finger, wetting it thoroughly, before entering them to her, slowly, stroking her gently.
"I'm going to satisfy you," she declared, her face flushed, "You won't be able to even look at another woman."
His kiss then, was fierce. He ate her lips as if she was a rare delicacy he wouldn't encounter again.
His hand guided hers to his length, and he ordered, "Stroke me."
She did as she was told.
His fingers moved in and out her core, as she caressed his length with her hand.
He pushed into her.
She knelt up and rode his hand inside her.
Something had snapped within the princess. She didn't want to behave anymore. She loved her prince, and she wanted everything she could get from him.
She knew only a little about sex, and everything she knew, she learnt from him.
But he was staring when she pushed his hand away, climbed him, then let his hardened length back into her core.
His mouth hung opened, as she sat down and began riding him.
For a few seconds, she relished the feel of him, big and throbbing inside her, sending flushes of fire all over her.
When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her in awe.
Her whole body was flushing pink. Her hair was falling down her shoulders, her breasts and nipples hard for him.
She's blooming in her lust, and he almost salivated.
Then she did it again, moving her hips on him, her walls tightly gripping him inside.
"Saranghae," he breathed out.
He moved forward, holding her tighter.
Above him, she picked up space.
He held then squeezed her butt, before he thrust upwards and hit her steadily.
She began moaning out loud.
She didn't stop moving, only gaining speed.
The faster she moved, the better it felt, and the louder she became.
"I've never cared for any other woman before you," he said.
Hearing that when she's riding him made everything more intense. They both felt she was getting wetter.
"You had me since that day on the lake," he confessed.
"Oh, Gods," she breathed out, "Oh, Heavens!"
He placed his thumb on her core and caressed her there, making everything a lot more unbearable. It felt too good, her body begged to explode.
He knew it, so he bent to lick and suck her nipple.
She grounded her hips and began shuddering, then exploded on him, shaking all over.
Before she stopped, he held her nape and kissed her, swiping his tongue inside.
She practically screamed into his mouth, as her body convulsed hard.
When she's done, she opened her eyes and panted.
He stared at her like a satisfied wolf, before lowering her down the bed.
"Open your legs wide, Yeobo. I want to see them high in the air as I take you."
She gave him that, opening her legs far apart and lifting them high in the air.
He thrust into her happily, hiting gently then suddenly hard, swaying softly then suddenly attacking her sharply. He's never like that before. His pace used to be slow, a little fast, then fast. But that night, she couldn't guess what he would do next. He changed the pace from slow to fast over and over again, then he changed the pressure many times. From sweet and tender to so hard and deep.
He did it until she's so sticky and wet. He had come inside her once, and she had come thrice before he began playing with the pace.
Then he suddenly gripped her foot, and licked her sole. She's ticklish, and jumped when she felt his tongue.
It's a strange combination, his tongue on her sole, his length deep within her. She begged him to stop when he licked a point that made her jolted.
He held her foot then licked her fast there. She squirmed beneath him, and he drilled into her.
Then he let her foot go, and lied completely above her.
"You want to satisfy me?" he asked wickedly, his hips dancing above her.
"Prepare to be exhausted."
Her heart jumped faster, if that was even possible.
"I'm going to do all the wicked things I thought a husband shouldn't do to a ladylike wife. But from now on, I'm going to ask everything from you. You better not deny me after offering yourself life this."
He was lying above her, his arms caging her face between them. She had nothing else to look but his face, got no air to breathe in but his exhales.
She moaned because he had gone so deep.
"I'm going to take you often," he declared. "And whenever I want to."
He pounded on her and she shut her eyes.
She gave in, and climaxed for the fourth time.
When she opened her eyes again, he began his race.
She lied for him, arms and legs holding him tight, as he thrust within her, fast and hard. Deeply, until he began moaning carelessly, then shot his seeds into her.
She kissed his face all over, then let him lie above her, crushing her with his weight.
When they finished, he turned her until she was lying on top of him.
He silently held her, enjoying how her weight covered him.
"I hope that could give me your child."
"Well........if that didn't make it, we can always try again."
She chuckled above him, her breasts shaking on his over sensitive body, making him biting his lips from the feeling her nipples tickling him.
"My Lord?"
"Ne?"
"Nae nampyeon.........."
"What is it, Gongjoo? Wae the sweet tone? Are you asking for more?"
"Aniya. I just........"
"Like calling me?"
"Maybe."
"Admit it, you like me since we first met too."
"No, I didn't!"
He turned her to lie beside him, noticing how she held her breath as he pulled out of her.
"Then when you agreed to marry me?"
"You were threatening to kill my entire family! I hate you most that time!"
He chuckled, placing a long lock of her hair behind her ears.
"On our wedding night?"
"I really wanted to kill you that night!"
"A bride who carried a blade to her wedding bed, aigoo. What a rebel. Should've just taken you without mercy."
"I thought you were just going to force me. I'm glad you didn't."
"I wanted you to surrender, instead of forcing you to have me."
She clucked her tongue in annoyance.
"But I'm amazed I had the strength not to take you that day, when I see your body for
the first time. In the bathtub."
She gasped angrily, "I really wanted to leave your palace that day!"
"Why didn't you?" he asked challengingly.
"I don't like to take back my vow to be your wife, no matter how annoying you were!"
"I'm glad the free food and clinic made you offered yourself."
"..............don't say it like that!"
"Wae? It's true, Lady. You were the one who came to me and offered yourself. You knew that night what would happen if you came to my room."
"Well.................."
"Well, what?"
"I was really grateful. I wouldn't feel like that if you gave me jewels or gold."
"I know. I can read you. And it was a very, very satisfying night. The best in my life."
She felt shy remembering their first time and turned around.
"Yah!" he exclaimed, laughing at her, pulling her shoulder, "Listen! I'll never forget how you were that first time. How you surrendered and listened to every word I said."
"Geumanheyo. I don't want to listen anymore.",
"You felt better than I imagined"
She squealed in embarrassment, placing a palm to cover his mouth, wanting him to stop talking.
He kissed her palm and held her hand, "I'm merely telling the truth."
"Algesseumnida."
"But you feel even better tonight, after I haven't touched you for so long."
"Hem."
With that, he aimed for her already reddening lips.
********************************************
The letter that The Emperor received on the next year's autumn informed that Princess Kim had safely delivered a healthy son.
"He was born one day after your birthday, Hyeong. So I'm hoping he could be as good as his uncle."
The Imperial Palace and Hanyang hadn't changed much after Min Ho left. Life still went on as it should.
As Jung Jae stood in the tower, viewing his country from one side to the other, he reread again the last paragraph of Min Ho's letter.
"I have found everything I wished for, Hyeong. May the Gods bless you with the same happiness."
Jung Jae smiled.
He missed his brother. But he knew he made the right choice in letting him go to Busan.
He then proceeded to sit down and wrote his reply.
"Congratulations, for a healthy son. You asked for a name, and I think "Jong In" sounds good. Educate him well to be as good as his father. Then how about sending him to Hanyang when he's ready? Reveal he's the grand prince's son or have him do the usual scholars examination for a position in the government. Who knows, maybe his name will be noted down in the history of Joseon too."
Min Ho's reply arrived a week later. Containing only one word, "No."
Jung Jae wrote again, "If you say so."
Min Ho didn't write for a month before saying, "The idea of having him gain a position from his own capability is indeed interesting. You are aiming for my interest in that part, aren't you? Let me see how he grows first, I'll consider it carefully."
Jin Dae Goon reached the tower after Jung Jae was done reading the letter.
"I am terribly bored, Father. Can I go outside the palace and find friends?"
"No, Son. You can't."
"Always playing with guards is not fun anymore. I wish I could have friends to talk and play together with."
Jung Jae chuckled.
"Maybe you will have a trusted friend one day, Son. If you are good enough."
"Ye? Really? A friend? Then........only one friend?"
"One trusted friend is enough if you could trust him forever."
"Jjinjja?"
"Ne. But study hard, or you will be embarrassed because your friend might be smarter than you."
"If I study hard, you will give me a friend, Father?"
"No. You must gain his trust yourself."
"When will we start playing?"
"Not now. When you are older. When you need someone to share your thoughts with."
"When I am older? But Father, it will be so long before I get old!"
Jung Jae chuckled with glee. "Older, Son. Not old. And don't worry. Time could go by so fast. Before you know it, a decade or two will pass by. And maybe, I say maybe, ahrasseo? Maybe you'll meet your true friend. Remember though, he will be someone good in many things. You have to study hard and practice martial arts or you'll make a fool out of yourself. You won't want that, right?"
"No. I'll be good and study hard, Father."
"Good" Jung Jae responded, patting his son's head, before holding his little hand to continue looking at the entire Hanyang.
The future would be better than that day, Jung Jae was sure of that.
*************************************
Author's Note :
^______^
And together, we have arrived to the last chapter of Unmasking Souls.
I wanted to write a story in Joseon period, like a historical drama. I also wanted to write a fighting scene with swords and weapons. I wanted to write deaths and violence too, together with bittersweet pain, and the struggle of being honest and showing one true soul.
I like the idea of a misunderstood person, someone who could only open his heart to his dearest love. This is how Mineun in this story are.
I imagine that after the banquet, there was a chaos, and Im Jin Ah ran away. Everyone then was too busy trying to make sure Park Hae Soo would die that they forgot about her. Besides, she tried to kill the emperor only because she was ordered. I think all her friends would be released after the investigation, and after Hae Soo died, because they were actually victims too.
Like I said, this story was first written by me for Yongseo couple in my livejournal. I adapted some scenes for Mineun.
I didn't realize the banquet scene was so gruesome, haha.
Thank you for commenting and for following the journey of Unmasking Souls. I truly appreciate all the support. Perhaps this story is a bit too dark, but I love it. This is one of my most important stories
Next is hopefully RMS, lol. Don't get tired with me saying this. Also a short update of You're Always Mean to be Mine due to a certain photo of Kim Go Eun in a cute yet sexy black dress.
Then back to Catching Moonbeams, I think.
Work is getting harder. Funny, I thought when I get older, I would be less busier. But I'm a lot busier now than when I'm in my 20s, hahah. On Friday, I had 6 classes to teach. It's insane. But I'm still here, trying to be grateful with what I have.
Thank you again for following Unmasking Souls. See you soon!