39||Dynasty : The Building
“ Awful Attitude. ”
A-ro watched anxiously, ignoring Pi Joo Ki's incessant talking beside her.
Soo Ho and Ban Ryu stood infront of each other, preparing for a duel.
She looked up to where Eun-Ji is—sitting beside Sook Myung. She saw Eun-Ji having an eye contact with the Queen every now and then and occasional glares at Park Young Sil who doesn't notice any of it.
Then Ban Ryu received a damage from Soo Ho. He had his hand over his wound at his side and Soo Ho looked at the blood on his sword, somewhat displeased at what he had done to his fellow hwarang.
Eun-Ji's breath hitched at the sight. She was relieved that Soo Ho wasn't hurt but she felt bad for feeling relieved when Ban Ryu was wounded.
“ Stop being selfish, Eun-Ji! ” she scolded herself mentally.
“ She looks nothing like her Mother. ” Park Young Sil glanced discreetly at Eun-Ji. “ And yet she had the same foul attitude. ”
||Time Skip||
Eun-Ji gently yet firmly bandaged Ban Ryu's torso. Mi Sun watched with her brows furrowed, wincing whenever she see blood or whenever she hears Ban Ryu's pained groan.
“ Take this away. ” Eun-Ji handed Mi Sun the blood stained wastes. Mi Sun bowed and took the wastes then walked away.
Ban Ryu attempted to get up. Eun-Ji watched him, unimpressed. “ Would you do me a favor and cease your asinine attempts to look formidable? It looks stupid. ” she deadpanned.
Ban Ryu looked at her, surprised. He looks as though he was glaring at her.
“ You...what did you just say? ” he asked firmly. He did not care if she was a princess, she insulted him.
“ I stated the fact. It's stupid of you to try and pretend to be well, that no one and nothing can move you and that emotionless face of yours. I've been there before, all emotionless and mysterious. That will not help you. ” she explained.
To Ban Ryu, she seemed condescending and arrogant that the confident look she gives him didn't waver under his gaze that girls’ often get wobbly for.
“ Train harder. Get better at swordsmanship, your skills won't be enough to protect the ones you hold dear. ” she advised.
Soo Ho walked in the physician's house and bowed at Eun-Ji.
Ban Ryu saw how he acted around the princess, it looked odd of him to stand straight and act formal around Eun-Ji but he had to remind himself that she is Ji Eun, Princess Ji Eun of Silla and not Eun-Ji, the physician Soo Ho and Ji Dwi vies for. And yet he wondered, is she still the one who holds the two men's hearts? He couldn't answer his own question but he found himself standing with Soo Ho at his side, supporting him.
“ Be careful. ” Eun-Ji said. They heard footsteps and turned to see A-ro holding her forehand with Ji Dwi trailing behind her.
Eun-Ji felt her heart pounding twice harder in her chest. Just seeing him makes her want to curl up into a ball in a corner and cry her heart out.
Ban Ryu felt somewhat amused that he had to suppress his smirk. The look Ji Dwi gave the Princess was something, he acts as if he doesn't care but if you look into his eyes, you could see the resentment, jealousy and sorrow all mixed up and swirling inside him. He too spared Soo Ho a glance before looking at Ban Ryu then to the ground, his jaw clenched.
Soo Ho once again bowed to Eun-Ji and urged Ban Ryu to leave with him, knowing what's best for the three of them, he knew he had to let go.
Surprisingly enough, Ji Dwi heard the words Eun-Ji uttered and felt something nagging him. He clenched his fist as he keep his eyes on the ground, he was beyond annoyed at himself for feeling the world slow down the moment he saw her.
A-ro bowed at Eun-Ji and awkwardly walked to get an ointment-like substance and a bandage and decided to tend to herself.
Eun-Ji looked down, not knowing what to do. She hesitantly approached A-ro in hopes of treating her wound but Ji Dwi already had the bandage in his hand and gently wrapped the white cloth around A-ro's forehand.
Eun-Ji felt a small but firm tug in her heart, she was jealous, she knew that.
She spared them a small smile and turned to walk away. It was endearing but it annoys her—the way A-ro complains and the way Ji Dwi insists. It was all so adorable that Eun-Ji felt awful for feeling angry at A-ro and her whole damsel in distress personality. Then a wave of dizziness hit her again, knowing the feeling too well, she knew she had her karma.
And that was the last thought she had before succumbing into darkness, leaving her body to collapse.
Thud!
A gasp was heard. “ Gongjunim! ”
A-ro and Ji Dwi ran to where the sound came from and found Eun-Ji on the ground, unconscious with her servant, Mi Sun hovering over her, worried and panicking.