Chapter 16.
Saving Ah-ro.
As Sa-do was walking back towards the tent she heard a scream. It was Ah-ro. Breaking into a sprint; she chased the sound and the sight made her blood cold. She had to find the boys. Without thinking or looking properly she ran back. Suddenly she crashed into someone. It was Ji-dwi, she realized with relief.
Ji-dwi barely had time to move when a familiar figure collided with him. His arms wrapped around her waist before Sa-do could fall. She looked at him and Ji-dwi had never seen her so frightened since when Park Young-shil had come to Seonmoon.
She was on the verge of breakdown as two glistening tears slid down her cheeks. This sent Ji-dwi into full alert. "Sa-do," he whispered as he cupped her cheeks and inspected her face followed by the rest of her body trying to find any injury. No. She wasn't hurt. He had never seen her like this and he didn't know what to do and it made him feel uselessly helpless.
"Help." Ji-dwi's eyes snapped back up to her charcoal ones. "Ah-ro... they took her... I don't know what to do." Sa-do was shaking by now as more tears streamed down her face, her eyes pleading with him.
Placing his hands on her shoulders to hold her still he asked, "who took her?" Who would dare to kidnap the doctor of Seonmoon. It was too dangerous, even for a high rank noble. The punishment for it couldn't be worth the risk.
"The head of the royal guard."
His mother had taken Ah-ro? But why? Sa-do was already muttering incomprehensibly about anything and everything, her unfocused eyes darting everywhere. "Jae-won?" Ji-dwi called out gently, trying to get her attention but to no avail. "Jae-won?" he tried again, a bit louder, as he shook her shoulders. Nothing. "SA-DO!"
That finally snapped her out of it and her eyes bore into his once more. The fear and vulnerability in them softened him.
"I will find her. Trust me."
Sa-do nodded mutely. Cupping her cheeks again and leaning down to look straight into her eyes, he continued, his tone firm but pleading, "but I need you to head back to Seonmoon with the others. Please?"
Sa-do opened her mouth to protest but Ji-dwi was already done talking and had taken a hold of her hand as he pulled her towards their tent. Their roommates were waiting outside for them. Ji-dwi placed her hand in Ban-ryu's, who just happened to be nearest to him.
"Take her back to Seonmoon with you. Make sure she doesn't leave. Do not let her out of your sight," he ordered the other Hwarang before promptly exiting, leaving behind four highly perplexed roommates in his wake.
Sa-do finally seemed to snap out of her reverie. No. He can't go alone. What if he got killed? She made a move to follow Ji-dwi.
Ban-ryu stopped her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back. "You heard what he said."
"I don't care what he said. I can't let him go alone," she snapped at him as she struggled in his grip. Her heart was racing as panic seized her chest making it harder for her to breathe. This didn't go unnoticed and Ban-ryu brought her into his side in a half embrace as he tried to soothe her.
"Jae-won calm down. Stop making a scene. You are grabbing attention," Soo-ho told her quietly. And it was true. Her reckless behavior had turned a lot of eyes of the loitering Hwarangs who were basking in the glory of a great performance.
"But I need to go. He can't go alone," she whined as she continued trying to pull away from Ban-ryu desperately.
Seon-woo approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ji-dwi will be fine. He is not an idiot or an amateur. He can handle himself just fine," he tried to assure her and Sa-do knew that it was true. Ji-dwi was capable enough to look after himself. She trusted him. But that did not ease her concern. She stopped fighting Ban-ryu and slumped dejectedly in defeat.
"Oh Sa-do," Yeo-wool murmured comfortingly in a hushed tone as he took her in his arms, hugging her tightly. Sa-do's arms went around his waist and as she buried her head in his shoulder and let the tears fall. Ji-dwi will be fine. He had to be.
...
It must have been past midnight. The others were already asleep while Sa-do lay awake as she stared into the darkness. Ji-dwi had yet to return.
The room's door creaked opened and there were muffled footsteps. It had to be him. In a rush to climb down, Sa-do missed her footing on the ladder but someone steadied her. It was Ji-dwi. She just knew it. "You are-"
Ji-dwi clamped a hand over her mouth, lest she woke the others. It had been a long night and they deserved a good, peaceful sleep. "Come outside," he whispered as he interlaced his fingers through hers and quietly guided her out of the dark room. They checked once for any other late-night wanderers or the guard before heading out.
They stopped at the wooden bridge over the stream. Sa-do rested her hands against Ji-dwi's forearms as she looked over to see if he had gotten hurt in moonlight. On finding nothing, she released him with a relieved sigh. Suddenly she shoved him. And again. And again. "Don't you ever do that again! Do you know how terrified I was?"
Ji-dwi caught her small wrists in his before she ended up hurting herself. She was worried about him? The thought made him warm inside, but he just informed, "Ah-ro is fine. I dropped her off at home."
She nodded. She didn't want to think of what would have happened without him. Ji-dwi rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uhh I caught up to the guard and freed her," he said although the doubt in his voice made it sound more like a question.
Sa-do smiled. "It's alright. I know you are the King. You don't have to lie."
Her statement caught Ji-dwi so off guard that he stumbled but the girl quickly grabbed his hand, balancing him. "I am what?!" he coughed, fully ready to decline the accusations but then gave up. "How did you know?" he asked instead in a hushed voice, sounding more vulnerable than Sa-do was accustomed to him being.
A laugh escaped her lips, her black eyes twinkling with mirth. "That man that keeps following you around is not as stealthy and invisible as he thinks he is, and your conversations are not as quiet as you think they are. One doesn't have to even try to eavesdrop to hear you both."
That withdrew a chuckle from Ji-dwi. They remained quiet for a while. "Since when?" He didn't need to elaborate. She understood perfectly.
"Since the night we sneaked out."
There was silence again as he chewed over this piece of information. She had known since then. She had known and she didn't say a word. She protected his secret without being asked. She didn't expose him. She didn't as much as confront him.
As if reading his mind, Sa-do said, "you seemed insistent on being Ji-dwi. I had no qualms with it. I think it was easier being your friend too."
"Why? You think I would be a bad friend if I was King?" He tried to joke about it but some of the bitterness leaked into his voice.
"Not at all. It is just a formidable title. I could get used to it with some time. I don't think I want to lose your friendship for a title."
That calmed down Ji-dwi's racing heart. The thought of losing her had scared him. Suddenly overcome by gratitude he wrapped his arms around Sa-do's shoulders pulling her into a tight embrace. "It is a relief," he mumbled, hiding his face in her shoulder before adding, "it really is a relief... that you are the first one to find my secret."
Sa-do froze. She didn't know how to react and his slow breaths grazing her neck were not helping her think. Ji-dwi pulled her further into his frame and the warmth and comfort of his embrace allowed Sa-do to relax. She patted his back comfortingly before saying in the sternest tone she could muster, "if you run away alone like that ever again you will be in huge trouble Kim Ji-dwi."
Ji-dwi smiled and nodded.