He studies her face and loosens his grip. He plasters a smile. “No.”

Ji Hyo, in turn, smiles. “I remember… some memories only.”

“What did you remember?”

She takes out the blue headband embroider with gold threads. She hands it to him. “Your most proud battle?”

The memories trotted back to him.

“General Kim… Warrior Kim… husband Kim.”

Jong Kook takes the headband away from her hand and studies it. “… You kept this? After all these years?”

Ji Hyo looks away. “Why didn’t you…” she bit her lips and looks over at him, “come look for me?”

He said nothing with his face harden, Ji Hyo huffs and walks away.

Jong Kook clenches onto the headband and he stood like a statue, watching her walk away.

*flashback*

12 year old Jong Kook fights in the royal competition to join the army. He was to be recruited by his uncle who became the General. However, the 13^th prince accuse him of getting recruited because of connections and not real skills. Therefore, Jong Kook entered the recruitment for young boys in the military, starting from the basics to prove he is more than connections.

However, during the competition, Jong Kook’s bow was tampered, snapping and the bow flings back to hit him. His hands bleed as the string flings back.

He clenched his fist as he glares at the 13^th prince who smirks gleefully. Taking another arrow, he pulls the string back with his bloody hand. He hits the target head on, although, the string grazes on his already open wound. The crowd cheered for him, making the 13^th prince’s face sour.

Jong Kook leaves the stage, feeling light headed. He turns around only to see a wild horse charging towards him. Before he knew it, he was pushe across the path and the horse jumps over him. He gasps, holding his breath in all shock, only to find something heavy on top of him.

A tiny kid looks down at him, seemingly about 7 years old.

“Are you alright?” the voice squeaks.

“I-I-“ then he looks up, seeing the guard running to catch the wild horse. He sits up quickly. “Did you- just now-“ he points at the child.

“Yes and yes.” the child nodded. Then he realizes it was a little girl from her way of speaking.

He couldn’t believe it, a mere little girl just saved him from getting run over by a wild horse right after he just prove he could enter the military. But there was something the little girl that captivated him, her big brown chest nut eyes.

“When someone saves you, you’re supposed to be grateful, not stare with your eyes wide open,” she says and gets up, walking to her father.

He stares at her dumbfounded. “D-Did that little girl just mock me?” he scratches his head. Seeing all eyes on him, he awkwardly gets up and glares at the girl dressed in male clothing.

Later he finds the little girl alone in the court yard, waiting for her father. With her hands behind her back, he find her to be adorable. Wait what was he thinking, a 12 year old gawking over a 7 year old? Ew.

Putting up his best attitude, tough and gentleman, noble, he walks to her. The little girl turns around and see the boy running toward him.

He hands her a blue headband embroider with delicate gold threading.

“Here, keep this.”

“What’s this?” the girl asked.

He smiled as politely as possible, “Thank you for saving my life.” The little girl look back at him curiously and her brows furrowed.

“Instead of thanking me, next time you should be more careful,” she scolded him.

Intimidated, Jong Kook scoff, “If you don’t want it,” he drew his hand back but the girl grabbed it first and they both held the head band.

“It’s mine,” she said. He smirks and loosen his hand and let her take it. She was mesmerized by the headband, the silk was soft, and looks back at him. “Thank you.”

He smiles back, happy that she accepted it. “What’s your name?”

“Song Ji Hyo.”

Song Ji Hyo? “Nice name,” he stated, “I thought it was going to be manlier, like Joo Myung or Hae Shin,” he chuckles. She glares at him and puts her hand behind her back.

“When in distress, whether men or women, we all jump.”

He chuckles, “Yes scholar.” If this little kid grows up, she might be very naggy and bratty but very intelligent too, he thought.

She bows her head and walked away. He watches her walk away. She stops and turns back to him. One of the first time he had taken in admiration to someone younger than him ever since he grew up under the strict managing of his father and uncle.

“Since I saved your life, you cannot die.”

He paused at her statement. He was about to speak, who was this kid to tell him to live or die???

“Come find me after you win your most proud battle, alive and healthy.” She told him, “Only then I will address you as a true warrior.”

She walks away as his lips curled.

“Yes sir.” he saluted after her. Something tugs him in confidence, he will show her and the whole palace he is worthy of being a warrior to protect the country. “Just you wait,” he whispers mightily.

“Jong Kook-ah,” a woman calls him. He turns and sees the woman waving at him.

“Aunt!” he runs to the older woman.

*Flashback to present*

Jong Kook lies on the bed as he chugs down the jar of wine.

So she kept the headband…

He closed his eyes, inhaling the fragrance in the room.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,”

The guard came in as Jong Kook sat up.

“Did you find out who it was?”

The guard nodded and stood nervously.

“Who was it?”

The guard sighed before answering. “A maid from… 13^th Prince…”

Jong Kook became sober immediately.

~ switches scene

Ji Hyo stands in the training yard again. Hitting the wooden stand as she practices wielding a sword.

She finally stops and huffs, looking at the sword in her hand. These sword are so much lighter… But why does Jong Kook’s sword feel so heavy? Did he purposely made it heavy?

*Flashback*

She grabs Jong Kook’s sword on the ground with all her strength. Her hands held on tightly to the sword.

The man and his assassins moved in, ready to fight her. Ji Hyo closed her eyes, then open them with the most deadly look. The man and her fought, twirling around the cliff, slashing each other.

Suddenly an assassin pulls out 2 swords, double-edged and darted at her. Ji Hyo, unaware, blocks the attack but the sword was too heavy for her as she crouch down to one knee, holding off the attack.

The assassin pressed down the sword with his own, making Ji Hyo lose strength as the sword slowly moves against her shoulders, cutting her. The sword slowly cuts on her right shoulder, making blood seep out. The assassin manages to push hard enough that his own sword grazes against her skin.

*Flashback to present*

She touches her right shoulder, while holding the sword in her right hand. Suddenly someone walks behind her, reflectively, Ji Hyo turns around only to be forcefully hugged by someone.

“Did you miss me?” the voice asked lowly, exciting.

Aware now, Ji Hyo struggles to get out of the person’s grasp. Ji Hyo back kicks in the middle so it will hit the other person’s private area then she throws back her head to knock his.

The person grunts and stumbles back, holding onto his chin.

Ji Hyo turns around with the sword in her hand, pointing it at him.

13^th prince, Kim Hanbin. (BI from IKON)

He grins at her. “Wah… You’re really not going easy on me huh?”

Ji Hyo frowns at him. He steps forward with his taunting gaze.

“How dare you raise your sword at me?!” he roars and laughs menacingly. Ji Hyo did not react a wink, standing firm and slowly puts down the sword, bowing to him. He smirks and walks toward her. Ji Hyo steps back as he stood in front of her. “Are you scared of me now?”

“If you have nothing to say then, excuse me,” she turns to leave but he stands in her way.

“Eh~” he teases her, “We haven’t seen each other for a while now, you’re just going to leave like this? Tsk~Tsk,” He takes her hand, “how about a drink and some music?”

Ji Hyo was about to speak but another grabs onto Ji Hyo’s hand that the prince held. Jong Kook pulled her behind him. They meet head to head and Jong Kook lightly bows.

“Greetings your highness,” Jong Kook then looks up at him seriously, “Did Lady Kim offend you by any means?”

Hanbin scoff, “No, not at all. Just… a little bit,” he measured with the tip of his fingers and rubs his chin, “And raising a sword at me, that’s what,” he exclaims. “But don’t worry, since we are good friends, I’ll let her off this time.”

“Thank you for your mercy. Lady Kim has lost her memories and is still hazy,” Jong Kook whispers. Then a maid was thrown on the ground at their feet. “May I ask if your highness know who this is?”

Hanbin glances at the maid and smiles tauntingly, lying through his teeth, “No. Is there something wrong?”

Jong Kook fakes a smile, “Earlier today, this maid pushed Lady Kim into the pond. As a General and her husband, it is only right that I investigate this matter.”

“Oh…” Hanbin smiles, “This maid dare to do that?” He looks down at the maid who was fidgeting nervously.

“I-I, your h-highness…”

“Throw her in prison, 50 flogs.” Hanbin smiled in Jong Kook’s face. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

Jong Kook frowns and bows lightly. “Thank you for your justice, however, I would like to investigate who is behind this act.”

“Who would dare plot this act? Of course it’s because the maids are jealous that Lady Kim is causing a scene in the palace because she is fair and just. Is it not?” Han bin whispered the last words.

Jong Kook didn’t take the bait. “Then excuse us, your highness,” he takes Ji Hyo’s hand and leads her back to their chambers of the palace. As they passed the entrance of the training grounds, Hanbin drops the act as the maid is dragged away to prison.

He rubs his chin menacingly, “She lost her memory, huh? This is interesting,” before smirking.

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