This is a super long chapter... I'll be honest with you. It's the YooHyo ship. You can skip to the end as it adds in more info.

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Ji Hyo finds herself still in a daze as she played with the leaves on the plant.

It’s been 2 more days, a total of 4 days since he was gone.

She sighed.

“It will all die if you pull any more leaves,” a familiar voice.

She turns around and stands up. “Gong Yoo.”

She said his name without realizing.

“What?”

She startled herself. “Stop sneaking up on me.”

He thinks to himself. “That’s what friends do though.” He sits at the table in the garden. Ji Hyo sat in front of him.

He looks at her studious gaze. “Where is General Kim?” he asked.

Ji Hyo sighed. “He left.”

He left? Did he leave you here or is there something going on at the capital?

Yoo was lost in thought.

Ji Hyo waved her hand in his face.

“Rockhead?”

He snaps back at her. “I told you my name already.”

She chuckled, “Good, I thought you turned into a statue.” She leaned forward. “How did we meet? How do we know each other? How well do we know each other? Tell me everything you know.”

“Hold on, too many questions.”

Ji Hyo waited excitedly. He took a sip of tea.

“I am…”

She gulped.

“Your friend.”

Her face fell flat in frustration then glared at him, taking a sip of tea too.

“You were a thief and I caught you.”

Ji Hyo was annoyed. “You- What?! A thief?” She tried to think seriously. “How can I be a thief?” she pointed to herself.

He sees the arrow courtyard. “I bet I can shoot better than you.”

“Stop changing the subject,” she was in a hysteric mess. “Didn’t you tell me you will help me remember?”

He gets up, “But I have to keep myself busy too. Who knows, you might think of me as useless after I tell you everything.”

Ji Hyo ran to his side. “No, I won’t think like that. We’re friends aren’t we?” she asked like a child.

He smiled widely then flick her head lightly. Ji Hyo rubbed her forehead and gave him a death glare.

“It is so fun bullying now that you don’t remember anything.”

“You-!” She pointed at him.

“Race you.” He runs toward the arrow courtyard.

“Cheater!” She ran after him in her hanbok, trying to grab onto her big pink skirt.

***

( Listen to this if you would like to >< : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpUlaiYtSUk )

Ji Hyo and Yoo grumpily turned their backs to each other in a huff.

Their hair scraggily messy, strands of hair on the ground.

They were outside of the Song Mansion now.

Yoo couldn’t find his pendant and was annoyed.

Ji Hyo huffed and puffed hot air against her own face.

He turns to her, “See, I can’t find it because of you.”

She crossed her arms and turned to him. “Who told you to do that?”

“Then would you suggest I leave you here alone?” he bickered.

She turned away as he ruffled his hair.

*Flashback to moments ago*

Ji Hyo beat him archery. He frowned at her.

“The loser has to do something for the winner.”

“You didn’t say that.” he retorted.

Her puppy eyes stare at him in pity. He soften up.

“What do you want?” he gave in.

Her pitiful smile turned into a grin.

~She chased him around.

“Please, just this once.”

“No.” Yoo turned away.

“Please~” she ran around him in circles, clinging onto him.

He turns and glare at her. “Do you know how much trouble I will be in? Even your father ordered for you to stay in.”

“But you said so~” she pouted her lips.

He sees her puppy eyes again and swiped her face. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Yoo~” she called after him but he continued walking away.

Ji Hyo fidgeted. If she doesn’t call for him now, he will disappear again. He was walking away further.

She took a deep breath. “Drunk and dancing in the streets of Anyang was you right?”

As she expected, he stopped. He turned to her.

“Did you know you were a horrible drinker?” she asked.

He shifts his direction back to her, his gaze cold. She kept her face as calm as possible.

He stops right before they reached each other. “Do you… remember?”

His eyes pierced at hers. She hasn’t seen look at her this way before. Somehow, she felt strong now, even with his gaze over her, as if it was normal but a part was afraid.

She lightly nodded her head and she could hear his breath. She could see his face darken even more.

“Only that part.” she quickly stuttered. His face brighten a little. She smiled again. “Why? Is there more that I should know?”

He didn’t answer her, only his shoulders felt lighter.

Ji Hyo chirped by his side. “Can we go now?”

He looks at her and ruffles her hair. “Change your clothes and come to the back door.”

As soon as he disappears, Ji Hyo happily made a fist in victory.

~ She had changed her clothes into a man’s outfit. She put on the clothes correctly.

No wonder Jong Kook said she was a manly woman. She found these clothes in a box under her bed, plenty of them. She promised not to dress up improperly but she was dying to leave the mansion.

She prayed to herself. He won’t be mad when he actually sees her.

That’s right. She planning to surprise him by secretly going back to the Kim’s Mansion.

Hmph, just wait until I see you Sir Kim.

She was still upset that he didn’t send her any letter these past 4 days. A few days? Tch, lies. She didn’t see a letter or hear his footsteps.

She tied the bag around her body and sneaked out of her room.

Ji Hyo peeks out and sees Yoo standing out the back door waiting for her. He was talking to the guards about something. He sees her at the corner of his eye and she waved at him.

Ji Hyo slipped out to the side of the building and Yoo comes over to her.

He holds her hand, “Hold tight,” and she nodded.

He made sure no one was looking before he holds her hand, running towards the wall, then latched onto the sidings, pulling her up swiftly, throwing her behind the wall.

Ji Hyo felt her body light as he threw her over.

I’m… flying. She smiled.

Bam! She hit the ground. She was about to yell and turned to grit her teeth at Yoo who is now beside her, landing perfectly.

He puts a finger to his lips, signaling for her hush.

Ugh, I’ll save it for later. But my bum~

He holds her hand and takes her running before the guards came to that area.

Ji Hyo ran with him and the bag on her back was still latched on tightly.

As soon as they hit the market, Yoo let go of her.

“Only before night time.” He turns to her but found that she had disappeared. He alarmed instantly and ran to look for her.

That brat!

He sees a similar figure in the back of the market. It is her. When did she get all the way over there? And what is she doing?

He squints his eyes then gritted his teeth. He charged through the crowd as Ji Hyo got on the horse and started riding away.

Ji Hyo got far enough before Yoo was running after her with another horse.

“Stop it right there!” he ordered her.

Instead, she rode even faster. If she stops now, she will be confined home again, waiting forever~

She can’t be sent back, she misses Jong Kook so much, she couldn’t wait any longer.

Yoo, pissed, rode to her side and with her timing, he jumped onto her horse.

Ji Hyo felt his behind hers.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?” he pulled the reins. But as he stopped, there were bandits that jumped out of nowhere. The horse pulled back and they tried to latched on.

“Give us everything you have and we’ll let you live!” a bandit shouted out.

Yoo glares at them. “Do you know who you are targeting?”

One bandit laughed, “Who needs to know? Nobles are the bad ones, laundering money and treating the poor badly. We’re just trying to help ourselves!”

Yoo held on tightly to the reins which puts his hands over Ji Hyo’s. “Hold tight.”

She felt a sense of assurance.

The horse turned around to head back to town but another group of bandits blocked them. They were dressed differently.

“Give us your things!” The blue team shouted.

The first group of bandits, dressed in green. “You dare to steal our goods?”

“So what? We’re all thieves.” the blue one shouted.

Yoo held the reins and readied to ride back to town but the blue team threw a bee’s nest at the horse, making the horse jump back, making them fall off the horse.

Yoo and Ji Hyo fell on the ground as the bandits ran toward them.

He grabbed her hand and charged towards the opposite way because the bandits blocked their way to go back to Pohang. With no choice, they ran as fast as they could down the road.

After running really far, they ran into the forest and hid as the bandits look for them.

The bandits searched around, poking everywhere. But they were gone. Angry, they ran away to fight each other for letting their only victim ran away.

Ji Hyo sighed as she let out a sigh of relief.

They had climbed a tree just in time to hide from the bandits. She looked up and in horror, she scream, letting go of the tree. Yoo was behind her and he fell too.

He rubbed his back, “What this time?!”

Ji Hyo pointed up and there he saw it too.

A nest of wasps were flying around and a piece of it fell right beside them. Their faces twisted in fear and started running away as the wasps attacked them, running further into the forest. Their screams echoed through the forest like cries for help.

*Flashback to present*

Yoo confronted her. “You planned on escaping from the beginning didn’t you?”

Ji Hyo raised her head high, although her face got shabby with leaves in her hair.

He storms up to her. “Do you know how much trouble we are in?”

Ji Hyo didn’t care to look at him and held onto the bag on her back.

He rustle his hair, worried, annoyed, upset.

Because they were running from the bandits, they were pretty far from the town. Because of the army of wasps, they even ran through a creek and over a mountain.

Ji Hyo turned to him, slightly peeking. His hair was messy, clothes roughly on his body.

He turns to look at her once more and she looks away, still with her head high. “We have to head back.”

Ji Hyo turned to him. “Those bad people are probably there waiting for us.”

“And whose fault is it that my pendent went missing?”

She put her hand on her hips, “Who told you not to hold on to it better?” She pointed to the bag on her back, “Tie it onto yourself like me.”

“You’re so smart,” he sarcastically remarked. “Why are you running away?”

She took her hands off her waist, “To see my husband.”

Yoo looked at her unbelievably. “From Pohang to Anyang??? You- You’re crazy.”

Ji Hyo nodded. “Crazily in love with my husband.”

Yoo was about to speak but became powerless. Ji Hyo, whether or not she remembered, is still heads over heels Jong Kook.

He sighed. At least she was happy…

“Can you accept what happens in the future?” He asked. Ji Hyo nodded without hesitation. He turns to her.

“What if I told you, your marriage is a void?”

Ji Hyo froze, confused. “What are you saying?”

“A marriage only for benefits and power,” Yoo studied her face, “One where love didn’t spring out from. Can you accept that?”

“How do I know you are telling me the truth?” Ji Hyo denied.

“Your father is a minister, his father is a minister, he is a general and you are favored by the King. This is a perfect marriage to gain power, do you say so?”

This is the first time she heard about herself being favored by the King.

“King?” she asked.

“No one told you anything right?” Yoo asked again. They really do intend to keep her in the dark. “Did you even get to sit down and talk with your father?”

Ji Hyo’s silence was the answer.

“Instead of running to your husband, run back to your father first. That’s how you will know about everything sooner and it will be the truth. Your father is the minister of justice, he won’t lie to you.”

Ji Hyo stopped what she was doing, contemplating to go back to her father’s or to Jong Kook.

“I…-“

If they were to go back, there will be many bandits waiting to kill them. If they were to continue back to Anyang, it will be dangerous too but that is where it will be the safest. There she will be closer to the capital.

She made a mistake. What will the old her act like? She doesn’t even know herself anymore.

The atmosphere at the Song Mansion and Kim Mansion were exact opposites. She felt safe in her own home. But at there, she felt scared, distant, and had the urge to leave. That’s how she was able to encounter Yoo and he took her back inside.

Scared, Ji Hyo finally realized it now. She squatted down on the ground.

She doesn’t remember anything, only fragments of herself.

But last night…

*Flashback to last night*

Ji Hyo was busy practicing calligraphy when she heard the maids talking.

“I heard that General Kim hurriedly returned home because his mother became sick.”

Ji Hyo turned toward the door as two maids were carrying out the clothes.

“Really? I also heard that he got injured on the way back that’s why he hasn’t been able to send a letter to Miss.”

“Poor them. Miss got hurt and couldn’t remember anything. Her husband got injured too. What if something bad happens, like you know-“

“Shh don’t say that.”

Ji Hyo stood up urgently and went to the door.

The two maids saw her and bowed.

“Is it true?”

They looked at each other then nodded, “Yes, Miss.”

Ji Hyo waved for them to leave. She went to her father’s study but he was gone.

“Where did my father go?” she asked the butler.

“He left for the capital at noon, Young Miss.”

Ji Hyo frowned. Even her father left without informing her.

*Flashback to present*

Ji Hyo shook her head. “I can accept it.”

She stood up. “My father and husband are both in the capital. It’s not safe for me to stay here alone when even someone like you could run in and out easily. Who knows what could happen to me there?”

Even her father left too? No wonder the guards watching were heavier.

Yoo looks up at her. “But I…” his worried expression whipped over his face, “can’t accept it.”

She stopped. What is he saying?

His gaze stayed unmoved. “I can’t accept this journey.”

Her lips were about to move but her mind said nothing.

“It would mean then end for me,” his lips quiver.

Was he waiting for an answer? He didn’t know why either.

Because this road back to the capital would be the beginning of their relationship as friends… and the end to his hope.

Going back meant he will have to face all those drama. Jong Kook, his father, and… his arranged marriage.

“Did you runaway too?” Ji Hyo managed to say after thinking for a while.

He looked on the ground. Even when she forgot everything, she is still able to read people.

Ji Hyo walked up to him, he looked so pathetic now. His hair all messed up. It made her soften up. He ran away too. There must have been things that bothered him and here she wants to go back there.

She sat beside him.

“You are lucky, you know?” They both looked on the ground. “You can move around however you want but I can’t. I didn’t know who I was. Even if I wanted to run away, I can’t. But you, Yoo, are different. You know who you are and what goes on around you. My father and Sir Kim are all I have now.”

She sighed. “They are my purpose to live each day.”

He turns his head to her.

“Honestly, the day when I woke up in the Kim’s mansion…” she took a deep breath, “I felt dirty. I don’t know why, but waking up to a man I didn’t know, I felt dirty. That’s why I went to the bathhouse…”

She looked at him, “And the moments later when I tried to leave, I actually wanted to… kill myself.”

His eyes widen.

“But you were there… you told me… I’m just afraid. And I believed you.” she smiled thinly. “So don’t give up yet. It’s not the end of the world.”

She pat his back playfully. “What I’m trying to say is that if a stupid person like me is able to live on and face the difficulty of my identity, then you are more than capable too.”

(listen à https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT6keCFwu2w )

He sees her, her eyes glistening as the wind blew across her face.

She was beautiful. His eyes were glued on her.

She stood up, “Come on, let’s go.” She walked away towards the road. “Quick, quick~” She ran forward.

Seeing her figure further and further a smile crept over his lips.

Even with her back far away, he could still feel her aura, her presence.

Ji Hyo waved her hand in the distance, “Quick~ Rock head!” She made a mean face and kept running further.

Ji Hyo looks at him as she ran forward. “If you don’t come… then you are really a rock head.” she whispered. (Rock head = stubborn)

He smiled and finally stood up, with determination.

“Wait for me you pabo!” then he ran after her.

Even if our path will split up, at least I know that it crosses over, even if it is only for a while, Ji Hyo.

Yoo ran after Ji Hyo as she saw him, she smiled.

A sweet sensation brushed past her heart.

Yoo moved up and down gallantly on his horse, his hair flew up and down as Ji Hyo notices him. Now that she looks at him carefully, he is tall. Not only tall but manly, his shoulders were not a broad as Jong Kook’s but he has a spike to him. He was… a beautifully gorgeous man. He was dressed in his black and white uniform with hints of red stitches.

Her smile faded…

***

At the Song Mansion~

“There is a letter for Miss Song.” the messenger announced.

The butler went up to him. “Who is from?”

“From General Kim in Anyang.”

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Yay! an update for you! I hope the plot is not moving like a snail and is interesting...

Comments pls!

PS: Goblin is airing tmr, Dec. 2!

Thanks to brava1 for mentioning it! I forgot!