Yoo got off his horse, without announcing his arrival, he rushed inside the mansion. He didn’t even bother to greet his mother as he rushed passed the hall, still in his armor and uniform. He opened the door only to find his father sitting down peacefully.

His father, looking up notices his son as arrived.

“It seems you got the letter. I thought you will be return in 2 or 3 days but you return sooner than I expected.”

“Father,” Yoo greeted lightly but his gaze unchanging.

“Sit down first and we can talk,” his father gestured.

“I am not staying here, I only came to make my decision clear.”

His father looks up at him, a serious dark look, a little smirk.

“I decline the initiation of marriage of between the Mongolian Minister’s daughter and I.”

His father’s eyes almost flickers, burning.

“I have no intentions of marrying a woman I have no idea about and do not want to get mixed up in any of your political mess.”

His mother entered the room. “Yoo,”

Yoo and his father kept their gazes on each other, not willing to look away.

“I hope I have made myself clear.” Yoo lightly bowed before turning around to walk away.

Suddenly he sees a cup of tea flying and crashing at his feet. His father threw a tantrum violently.

Yoo stopped as the cup crashed into many pieces at his feet and his mother gasps. But Yoo continued walking away, almost out the door.

“You want to be like your brother?” His father asked sternly, the mention of his brother made Yoo stopped. “You want to marry a gisaeng instead and die like your brother did? With no support, no family?!”

Yoo clenched his fists and turn his head back to see his father. His mother had seen the two of them treating each other coldly but not once had she seen Yoo so angry.

“Then do you want me to become like my sister… father?” his voice shaking.

His father was furious, taken back. “What are you intending?”

“My sister, the one you left for dead at the Mongolian palace, the concubine that was tortured to death for being one of the royals at the Mongolian palace when they were overthrown by despicable official ranks.”

“Yoo-ah,” his mother tried to stop him.

He turned his body around and faced his father. “Or like my brother who you ridiculed for being the son of a slave, your illegitimate child, who in the end could not become an honorable scholar and chose to marry a gisaeng to run away from our Gong family. Remember? They were hunted down like animals by your official governors who had a liking to the gisaeng.”

“Gong Yoo!” His father shouted.

“Or!” Yoo shouted, “At least live like an honorable man in the eyes of his majesty, protecting the country, fighting for the people, and aiding help.” Yoo could feel his body trembling in anger as he shouted those words lower and lower.

His father and him had a staring session as they stared each other’s eyes.

Yoo’s eyes were filled with a glisten of water but there was no tears, his eyes were pink.

“Please,” Yoo kept his gaze on his father, turning into a softer glimpse, “Let me live my life.” Then he retreated and exit the mansion.

His father turned away and frowned as he pinched the center of his eyebrows. His mother seemed almost teary hearing him confess his thoughts.

Ever since Yoo had gone into the military, he had rarely returned home. His often home was the mansion close to his cousins.

Yoo walked away, dreaded into the market without his horse. Hearing the people talk, the music, stories and plays, he stops and stare. His heart clenched tight as he looks at the happy people. His only purpose was to become a savior to the people, to hear their laughter and harmony. But now, looking at them, he envies them.

*Flashback*

Yoo stands before his father, “I won’t be preparing for the imperial exam.”

His father looks up at him immediately. “Why?”

Yoo was nervous but took his stand. “I believe that Chul should become a scholar instead.” His father’s stares at him sternly.

“He has the work ethics, the skills, and will to become one.” Yoo began to speak fondly of his half-brother. “Also, his majesty seems to-“

“Leave.” his father interrupted. “I want to rest.”

“But father-“ Yoo tried to speak up again.

“I said leave!”

“Why?” Yoo questioned as he shook his head in disbelief. “Chul is my brother, why are you denying his rights to fulfil his dreams?”

“You want to know why?” His father looks up and walked up to him. Yoo gulped as his father walked toward him.

“Because he was born from a slave.” He said flatly, with no remorse.

Yoo’s eyes widen in disbelief. “A-and for that, you deny him?”

“That’s how the world is.” His father put his hand on Yoo’s shoulder. “Go rest and study for the imperial exam, I expect to see you on the placement ranks on the results.” then his father walked away.

Yoo stood agape, his posture of confidence shrunk, his defense for his brother crumbled down. He lifelessly walked out of the room to bump into his brother, who had happened to listen to the whole conversation.

He guiltily looks at his younger brother. Yoo couldn’t smile or say any encouraging words to him.

Chul looks back at him and smiles thinly before lightly bowing. He then walked passed Yoo to the backyard to help his mother with the chores. Yoo was left standing powerless as he fight back his tears. Those few words broke the heart of a 16 year old.

Later, Chul couldn’t even sign up for the imperial exam. He returned home defeated. Then he fell in love with gisaeng he saved from a bunch of thugs where Yoo went to help save them.

Yoo was surprised when his brother asked for his help one last time: to help Chul and his wife flee from the capital. Yoo knew that they were in trouble but he also knew his father would not help them either.

“Go hide up in the mountains,” Yoo told them seriously. “I will find a way to come aid you.” He handed Chul his jade pendent. “Stay safe, Chul.”

Chul looks back at Yoo, smiling proudly. “Thank you, brother.” Then he took his wife hand-in-hand before fleeing from the scene.

Little did Yoo know, there were govern officials who had a great ling to his brother’s wife. They had already started looking for them. Yoo found out that they had brought wild dogs up to the forests and mountains to look for them, labeling them as runaway slaves.

He hurried to warn them but was knocked out by a group of thugs and dragged back home to the storage house in the back courtyard.

Only when he woke up did he know what had happened. He broke free to runout the gate of the mansion to find one of the servants dragging a carriage, his brother and his wife’s body. The mat covered their bodies as he slowly revealed their faces. Their bodies were in such bad shapes, their clothes covered in mud. in his brother’s hand was the jade pendent Yoo had given him.

The sky turned gray and started to rain. Yoo kneeled down in disbelief, blaming himself for sending his brother to his death. He cried to them as the servant sadly glances at Yoo and Chul’s mother.

The servant was about to drag the carriage away but Chul’s mother stopped him. “W-wait. Let me look at him once more. Let me see my son for the last time.”

His father came out and order the servant to take the ‘filthy’ bodies away.

Yoo suddenly turn around and begged his father. “Father, please. Please don’t turn Chul away like this. He has return home, please bury him with our ancestors.”

His father slapped his hands away and walks away.

“Father! Father!” Yoo tried to ask but his father orders the servants to lock him up in the storage away. “No! Father!”

He was dragged back into the storage room and locked up for a few days. He refused to talk to anyone but only Chul’s mother and his own came to feed and dressed him.

Yoo was devastated. As soon as he was able to get out, he found out where the servant had buried their bodies. The servant told him he had cremated the bodies and buried them on a hill, high on the mountains, beautifully, at least he tried to. Yoo could only thank him tearfully as he walks away and starts hiccupping cries for the loss of his brother.

*Flashback to present*

Yoo looked away and sat down in an inn and started drinking.

***

Ji Hyo had just finished helping the newcomers and dressed in her male clothes, she wandered around the markets and town. There was music and dances, she played along and avoided being the center of attention. Today was her first day to be alone.

She sat down at one of the tables, ordering drinks and food. She watches the play come to life as she sit up high.

The play was about the current reign of the Joseon, in honor of the King.

She laughs and giggles to herself. It was a while before she felt someone’s presence at her table as she was about to take a cup of drink. A man had just sat himself down at her table without her permission. Ji Hyo turned around to see who it was: Gong Yoo.

She almost spat out her drink all over the table as she end up coughing.

“L-Lieutenant Y-“ she stuttered.

“SHhh~” he put one finger to his lips to signal her to quiet down. Then cover his mouth into an ‘O’ shape with both hands, like he was whispering, “Be respectful of the audiences and actors.”

Ji Hyo sat up uncomfortable. “Why are you here?” she whispered.

“Why are you here?” he repeated the question. Ji Hyo tried to think of something quick. “I… I came to watch the play what else.”

“I am too.” Yoo answered. She could smell the stench of alcohol all over him and pinched her nose.

“By chance, are you drunk?” Ji Hyo asked blankly.

He stares at her with a thin smile. “No.” then turned serious. “What do you expect? Yes.” then he leaned forward, lifting his chin with the palm of his hands to sit up straight and closed his eyes.

Ji Hyo looked at him ridiculously. “Oh… I didn’t know that you had such a weird side too.”

His eyes shot open and pointed to himself, “Nope. This is my truthful side.”

“Huh?” Ji Hyo was confused then seeing him close his eyes again, she thought of something. She was going to leave. She slowly waved her hand in front of his face and tried to tiptoe away before-

“Stop it right there.” Ji Hyo bit her lips as she was caught by Yoo. “I know you’re trying to run away so don’t you dare move another foot.”

Ji Hyo slowly stood up and turned back to face him and smiled awkwardly as his eyes were staring drunkly, in a state of “I-have-my-eyes-on-you”. She walked back toward the table but noticing he had closed his eyes again, Ji Hyo made a run for it.

Then she felt a pull at the back of collar, making her halt. She shut her eyes and cursed to herself. She turned her head back and smile.

“Hi.”

Yoo only look at her a little teasingly, “Going somewhere?”

***

Ji Hyo ended up dragging Yoo out of the inn after he caused a huge commotion in the crowd. She dragged through the streets with one of his arm over her shoulder and the other waving around.

Ji Hyo had to take a few breaks as he was floundering around too much.

I really wish I know some kind of kungfu that can knock you out right now. Ji Hyo grunted to herself.

“Sir,” she tried to stop him from staggering at the market owners.

As they had exit the market, she really had no idea where to take him. She doesn’t even know where he lives. In the end, Ji Hyo decided to take him to the Kim household, at least he’ll be safer there. He is Jong Kook’s cousin after all.

As they almost reached the mansion, Yoo pulled away from her to twirl in circles, chanting songs and dances, imitation the theatrical play from earlier, but in a more disoriented manner.

Irritated, Ji Hyo went to grab him again.

“Sir, it’s this way.” Ji Hyo tried to be as patient as she could be. Somehow with Yoo, she always found herself to be quick tempered.

Yoo’s cheeks were pink and glowing. His hands up in the air singing made him look funny. Ji Hyo finally gave up and just observe him. She laughed at him and decided to turn in circles along with him as he imitates the singing of the stories.

The first time she had seem Yoo smiled so freely, such a different opposition from before. But she liked it.

Suddenly they bumped into each other as Yoo falls over and holds onto Ji Hyo’s shoulders. Ji Hyo, unaware of the fall, almost falls over as Yoo tries to stand up.

Their faces were inches apart as she could smell his hot breath. His eyes were closed as he kept quiet. Ji Hyo could feel her heart beating irregularly.

Then Yoo opens his eyes slowly, looking directly at Ji Hyo. He pulled her into a sudden hug.

“S-Sir Yoo,”

“Shh~” He said. Ji Hyo froze as she feels him hugging her tightly. She tried to move out of his grasp but he held on tighter.

“Sir-“

“Brother,” he took a deep breath, “is so sorry.” She heard his voice cracking.

“What are you saying? I think you’re mistaken-“ Ji Hyo tries to talk.

Yoo breathes deeply as he started softly patting her head, touching her hair. Ji Hyo felt a sudden warmness from Yoo. His actions were a 180-360 degree change but somehow, she could feel it. The sorrow in his voice and actions.

Ji Hyo let him hug her as she raised her arms to pat his back. She stayed silent as she listen to him. She could hear him crying, but it was as if he had stopped himself. Ji Hyo could only console in him in that way.

Just from the gate was a familiar man, witnessing the scene between these two. His heart started beating irregularly as he couldn’t find the courage to look away or any words to say. What do you call this feeling?

Jong Kook stood from the gate as he kept his eyes on them, hugging each other.

*****************************************************************

To express my apologies and gratefulness, I am double updating today! I hope it's not too bad or draggy. Goodnight bunnies!