“Who?” Ji Hyo wondered. She made her way to the main courtyard. Surprisingly, there a lot of people and things packed there.

Ji Hyo gasps, “Father?” She ran up quickly to him. Her father, Minister Song was there.

“Father,” Ji Hyo tries to catch her breath and remain her stance as she noticed her in laws were there too. She slightly bows to them all then peers back at her father. He sees her restrained contentment and knew what to do.

“They told me you wouldn’t get out of your room and eat at all. Is it just a plan to lure me here my child?” He smiles at his daughter.

Ji Hyo smiles in relief, noticing her father’s motion of trying to ease her. “Dad…”

He opened his arms wide open for a hug and Ji Hyo gladly did too as she hugged her father.

“Aigoo, you are so heavy, you must have been so stressed.” her father teases her, making Ji Hyo pout. He releases her and pats her head. “Look at your face, you are so thin.” He worriedly tells her his concerns.

“No, I’m just so glad to see you.”

“Glad to see me or the things I bring?” Ji Hyo looks behind them and sees her maid, Yeo Jin and the packs of food and items in the back.

She then turn to her father in delight. “Of course, I’m glad to see you father… and everyone.” Her father laughs as the in laws smile in joy.

“Please go inside in-law,” they greeted.

***

“Why haven’t I seen son-in-law Kim?” Her father asked amidst the conversation they held in the pavilion.

Ji Hyo smiles brightly. “Are you sure you are really here to see me, father?”

“You little-“ Her father smiled at her and they laughed it off.

“He’s busy training.” Ji Hyo tried to come with an excuse.

Her father nods in acknowledgement.

“You should stay the night in-law Song.” Her father-in-law suggested.

“Daughter-in-law Kim would love to spend time with you. I haven’t seen her smiled so brightly these few days,” chirp in her mother in law.

Minister Song smiles before turning to his daughter, his only treasure. She gave him the most demanding eyes, stony grumpy eyes.

“If you don’t mind then in-law,” he answered his in-laws. Ji Hyo immediately smiled again.

***

Ji Hyo ran around the courtyard after changing her clothes into something more comfortable, playing shuttlecock with her father. “Loser has to pay for dinner.” Ji Hyo claim.

Her father just smiles at his childish daughter. There are times that she could be so childish but there are times when she is just deadpanned serious.

“Deal.”

They kicked the shuttlecock back and forth. Minister Song never really learned how to play shuttlecocks as he was too busy with his studies early in his life. The first time he learn it was when he met Ji Hyo’s mother, a Chinese lady from a noble family. She died giving birth to their second child, however the child also passed away, leaving Ji Hyo as the only child.

“Yes!” Ji Hyo jumped in joy.

“I must be getting really old.” Her father started crouching in weakness.

“Dad~” Ji Hyo called him.

“Aigoo… you didn’t kick it right, running all over the place. Is this how the daughter-in-law of the Minister of Defense ad wife of the General Kim should be acting like?”

“But you still lost…” Ji Hyo states matter of factly.

Her father clicked his tongue, “Tch, look at you.” He complain.

“Father,” Ji Hyo ignored his complaints. “Can you braid my hair?” Making her father surprise.

*a few moments later

Her father sat on the chair in the pavilion as he braid Ji Hyo’s hair.

While braiding her hair, suddenly tears were glistening in his eyes.

“Dad, do you miss mom?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Just wondering because you don’t seem to talk about her anymore.” Ji Hyo stated.

“Life moves on.” Her father stated.

And death remains. Ji Hyo finished. She heard sniffs and stop playing with her hands.

“Are you crying?” Ji Hyo asked in almost a whisper.

“You bad child, what do you think I am? A waterfall of tears?” He joked but it was obvious to her.

A silent moment passed as he finishes braiding her hair. He puts the pin back in her hair.

“Just yesterday you were a child and today you are already a married woman. In the blink of an eye I will be gone too.”

Ji Hyo turned to her father. “Don’t say that. I will always be your child no matter where and who I am.”

“That’s what your mother told me too.” Her father’s word made Ji Hyo grew teary. She closes in and hugs her father.

Another moment of silence passed.

“I miss mom.” She admitted.

Her father patter her head. “I miss her too.” His voice almost cracking. Then they pull back. “Why did you lock yourself in your room? If your mother knew, do you know how mad she would be at me?”

“I just… missed you dad.”

“Lies.”

“I’m for real.” Ji Hyo tries to wear her truthful look.

“Being a wife is hard work. You have to be patient and then more patient, always righteous and fair. But don’t let anyone bully you. If anyone dares to hurt you, you must tell me alright.”

“Who would dare to hurt the only child of the Minister of Defense?” Ji Hyo kid in a commanding tone. “I can take care of myself.”

Her father flicks her head and they smile as Ji Hyo was able to dodge.

“You see that?” She shows off.

Although her father never says anything, Ji Hyo always blamed herself for her mother’s death. She overheard the doctor telling her father that because of her mother’s first birth complications, she will have a slight chance of surviving the second birth, requesting her father to proceed with an abortion. However her mother refuses, saying that she wants to give a son to him and another sibling to Ji Hyo. But to Minister Song, Ji Hyo was the son he never had. She was more capable than a son. He raised her to be a capable human being.

***

Jong Kook came across pavilion from his training. He had already took Ara to her room. However, something keeps tugging at him. Is that what you call guilt?

Anyways, before knowing it he was already at his official bedroom quarter’s door. He was going to walk away but remembering how Ji Hyo looked at him the other day and night stirs confusion.

“Sir Kim, if you aren’t willing to treat me like a wife, please at least give me the dignity of being the official wife of the Kim household.”

Jong Kook decides to knock on the door. But no answer. The servants passing by gave him a weird look. Wary, not wanting others to think he got into a fight with his ‘wife’, Jong Kook quickly opened the door without further knocking.

He enters the room only to find someone behind the curtains in the bath tub. He immediately turns around and was about to leave.

“Yeo Jin, can you please hand me the facial cloth?” a female voice called.

Ji Hyo.

Jong Kook froze. Ji Hyo is bathing right now and he is in the same room as her. What if she thinks he’s a peeping tom?

“Yeo Jin-ah?” Ji Hyo called again.

So what? I’m her husband. No I can’t do that. Jong Kook sees the facial cloth and stares at the door’s distance. Ji Hyo is busy bathing herself and splashing water.

Okay, I’ll just give it to her and leave right away. He nods in determination and grabs the facial cloth before covering his eyes and walking backwards to her. He blindly hands it to her.

“Thank you.” Ji Hyo thanked him without looking back. Jong Kook was hurrying out but-

“Yeo Jin,” making him stop. What else does she want? A towel? He worriedly rolled his eyes, wanting to escape. Plus he can’t let Ara see him like this or else she will misunderstand.

“Is my father happy?” He turns back to her but reminded that she was bathing, he quickly turn away again. Yeo Jin… is that her personal maid? Wait, then father must be here-

“You don’t want to tell me? Fine.” Ji Hyo splashed the water and washes her face. “As long as he is happy, then I am too. *Sighs and chuckles* What am I saying? I was the one who wanted to leave.”

She wanted to leave? Why?

“Father must be so lonely… He refuses to remarry or take on a concubine. Men like that are hard to find,” she sighs. Jong Kook also sighs with her.

“But you know, men like that hard to find but they end up hurting others that love them.” Ji Hyo concluded.

Again Jong Kook nodded in agreement and crosses his arm.

“I. I might be one of those women…”

Jong Kook nodded again and let out another sigh, louder. Hearing himself, he immediately cover his mouth.

Ji Hyo heard the sigh, when did Yeo Jin start sighing like that?

“Yeo Jin-ah,” Ji Hyo stopped all movements.

Crap, crap. Jong Kook beated himself up internally.

“Yeo Jin-ah?”

With no choice, Jong Kook took a deep breath. “Yes?” he spoke in his highest pitched voice.

Ji Hyo looked confuse. “Are you sick?”

Pretending to cough, “*cough* Yes, *cough cough*”

Ji Hyo relaxed again. “I thought you were someone else.”

And she is correct. But Jong Kooks stays put.

“Take some medications, wait no. I’ll take you to the doctor tomorrow after father leaves and I finish my duties, alright.”

“Yes, *coughs*” Jong Kook squeaked again.

“You can leave now.” Ji Hyo told ‘Yeo Jin’. With her statement, Jong Kook ran in the speed of light to the door.

“Hmm… why does Yeo Jin sound so squeaky today?” Ji Hyo said to herself.

Jong Kook opens the door hurriedly and –bam!

“There you are son-in-law Kim. Visiting my daughter first?”

Jong Kook stops as he was about to close the door. Now, he is really caught. Ji Hyo stops in mid wash as she heard her father’s statement. He turns to his father-in-law. “Uh… Hello Minister Song.”

“Come on now, just call me father.”

“Yes, father.” Jong Kook spoke.

“I haven’t seen you all day.”

“Sorry, I was in training with the troops today and couldn’t greet you. My deepest apologies.” Jong Kook bowed.

“Now, now. I do understand.” Minister Song chuckles. “My wife was in the military too.”

“Oh really?” Jong Kook’s ears perk.

“Don’t you say we have a man to man drink?” Her father offers. Jong Kook nods in acceptance.

“Yes.” and they left.

Ji Hyo, still frozen in the tub. Father and Jong Kook. Jong Kook and father. OMG.

“Oh no.” Ji Hyo covers and looks at her self.

The doors open again.

“Who’s there?!” Ji Hyo frantically asked.

“It’s me, Yeo Jin.” Yeo Jin answered matter of factly.

Ji Hyo’s eyes widen and knows who it could have been now. You fool, Ji Hyo. She beated herself up internally. She could only grab her hair and hold her breath as she submerge herself under water in the tub.

“What’s wrong with her?” Yeo Jin wonders.

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