HELLO ALL! So, sorry for the tardiness of this post, but I had University exams to attend. But guess what? Those end on Friday, which means I'll be back to updating! Granted, I have to go to school in Korea this summer, but I will still be updating on a much more regualr time frame. Hopefully even faster. Thank you for all the subs and comments while I was away - I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait! 

-Mistro-

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hye-ri noticed her arms were sore as soon as she picked up the wash basin. The stiffness in them almost caused her to spill its contents onto the wooden floor, had it not been for her sister’s fast thinking.

“You’re overworking yourself in the fields.” Na-ri would never know how much she sounded like their mother. “What is it that has you so worked up?”

Hye-ri wiped the sweat from her brow, trying to change the topic. “You sound like you’re eighty years old when you speak.”

Na-ri spun around, her braid as sharp as a wasp's tail. “When did it become a bad thing to act older than one’s age? I feel like society tells us to do it all the time, particularly as we're women.” Her small feet danced down the patio stairs, carrying her delicate frame to the middle of the fields. 

Hye-ri watched after her in a state of defeat. Even her baby sister seemed to have more of a grip on life than she did. Three days had passed without a visit to the palace, and Hye-ri knew that the longer she put off her father’s advice, the closer she got to marrying a stranger. She may have continued to lounge in her nest of pity, had it not been for an unexpected appearance at the side of their home.

“Oh!” It was Na-ri’s shriek that made them turn. “Y-you’re here! My Majesty!” Her body flopped to the ground in a heap, her skinny legs lost beneath the poof of her skirt. “I-I mean... Your Majesty!”

Lee Yeong laughed like the pouring of honey. Offering her his hand, she shakily took it. “Stand up, Kang Na-ri. What have I told you about bowing?”

She in her breath. “I can’t remember. Every time you speak, I just hear birds.”

Ha-ri laughed uncomfortably to hide her sister’s words. “Well, okay then! That’s enough of that, Na-ri. Get inside the house.” The girl simply stared, her eyes lost in a fantasy that could never be. “Na-ri, if you go inside, I’ll make yakgwa later.”

The older duo watched as the child's feet fly behind her. Her frame disappeared behind the door like a ghost, the hem of her white skirt not even daring to take a peek. “She’ll do anything for sweets,” Hye-ri smirked. “But I’m wondering what the Crown Prince will do anything for.” Turning back to him, her arms folded firmly across her chest. “To what do I owe the special appearance, my Prince?”

Lee Yeong smiled as if he had a secret. “I need you.”

“You need to stop saying that.”

“Aha, but I truly do need you. A woman with your skills is incredibly important to me.”

Hye-ri took a step closer. “I’m listening, but you’re making no sense. As per usual.”

Lee Yeong’s perfectly round eyes averted hers. She wanted to comment on how he was far more handsome dressed as an academic, that he was his true nature when he was anything but a Prince, but held her tongue. “There are accusations about me floating around the palace. Normally, these things could just be brushed off, but I’m afraid they’re making something of an impact.”

Hye-ri thought back to Sam-nom. Did it mean something that she instantly thought of the eunuch?

“Despite the whispered words having no validity, my stepmother seems to be taking them to heart. Her fierce aversion to me continues to grow with each passing day, the child inside of her more fit for the throne than me, without even being something akin to a human yet.” His brows knitted together in his forehead, as both of them seemed to forget what the purpose of his coming was. “This has, as you can imagine, been incredibly hard on my father. His insomnia has grown worse and his nightmares are unceasing. I need someone to calm him… to make him feel more at ease, you could say.”

Hye-ri’s arms fell to her side. The wind coldly kissed her palms. “What does any of this have to do with me?” Lee Yeong smiled, spinning around in a delicate circle. The implication was clear. “You want me to dance? … For the King of Joseon?”

“You must realize the gravity of the situation.” He took a step forward, his pouty lips now desperate. “If he could put his mind at ease, perhaps he could also calm some of the nerves of that woman who acts as Queen. You know how this could end, Hye-ri. I’m trying to find any way to slow down her plans.”

"You know how this could end, Hye-ri."

She knew about Byung-yeon. About Baekwoonhwe. She knew all of it, but the Prince did not.

Hye-ri shook her head without giving it a minute’s pause. “I can’t do that.”

“Actually, you can. And you will. I’ve already prepared it.”

“What?”

The cheek in his smile could be seen from the next town. “I am the Crown Prince, after all.”

“Lee Yeong, this is-“ He raised a careful finger. “Crown Prince, even if I wanted to dance for your father, I have no time to prepare.”

“What do you need to prepare? It will be nothing dramatic or elaborate. It will simply be you and him in the main hall of the palace with several guards looking on. This is no different from when you dance in the town square. In fact, I suspect it would be even more relaxed.”

Hye-ri’s mind had already stopped after ‘guards’. “Will Byung-yeon be there?”

Lee Yeong paused. Of course she should have mentioned the third part of their trio, but it had been his mistake not to consider it as a ploy to agree. “Of course he will be there. He had rather insisted on it.”

Hye-ri nodded slowly. “I will consider it.”

There was only one thing he had yet to tell her. It would certainly make her refuse his offer, but he could command her and let that be the end of it. Granted, Hye-ri ever listened to his commands, but in this case he was something close to desperate. “Byung-yeon will not be the only person there that you know.”

Hye-ri raised a thin brow. “Yoon-sung?”

“Not exactly. This is a person that you have yet to meet.” The next words came carefully, as if they were swords on the edge of being sheathed. “When I spoke to your father about my proposition this morning at the palace, he made a small comment about… a visitor coming into town that very same day. Naturally, all I could do was invite him to meet you in the palace as well.” Hye-ri’s suspicion was growing like a black cloud. “Naturally, Farmer Kang suggested that this guest see you in your natural state, dancing, to… impress him, I suppose.”

“You’re talking about him. The man I’m supposed to marry.”

Lee Yeong’s face was blank. It was the first time his canvas of emotion had ever been so empty. “I’m sorry, Hye-ri.”

She looked away, the grey of her eyes expanding into the white sky behind them. “I wish that were true.” The silence stretched between them like rope. Lee Yeong knew he could say nothing to convince her of his regret. “That settles it. When do you need me?”

“In two days. You can prepare your outfit in the maid quarters just before dusk. The dance will take place in the evening, and I suspect my father will not be able to sit comfortably for more than twenty minutes.”

Hye-ri felt her head nod, but she was unsure if she was in control of her body, or if that power belonged to the universe. Her freedom had a structure in that moment. It felt like water. It was washing over her, slipping through her fingers and across her toes. It melted away from her body with ease, flooding into the Earth beneath her before vanishing to the next generation.

A single thought crossed Hye-ri's mind. There was no going back from this. Hye-ri may have had the duty to perform for the King, but there was one duty she required to fulfil for herself.

In two nights, it would either be the start or the end of something great.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The palace was quieter than usual. It even felt like the sun was giving up on staying awake, as darkness slipped in an hour earlier than normal.

On one side of the expansive house, Hye-ri sat alone. Her purple skirt billowed out beneath her like petals. She felt like anything but a flower. Her makeup rested, untouched, beside her. Nothing she did would ever make her feel as beautiful as when Byung-yeon had disguised her as a gisaeng. Her nose twitched when she realised how ironic the statement sounded.

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Hye-ri knew how fast time was passing. Her hair rested over her shoulders, flat and wavy. She liked her natural state. It was her, despite feeling most like herself in the steps of the dance. How could she perform tonight with decorations on her skin? It would be a lie to her future husband, whoever that may be.

On the other side of the palace, Byung-yeon paced about his room. Lee Yeong had informed him of Hye-ri’s arrival, along with the fact that her betrothed would be there to confirm the engagement. There was not a possibility that he would reject Hye-ri. Who could compare to her? There had certainly never been anyone else for him. Byung-yeon hated that he had realised that fact all too late.

It seemed he was not the only one in a sense of crisis. When he glanced at Sam-nom, the eunuch’s small face was buried in his even smaller hands. “Did something happen?” Byung-yeon's genuine concern surprised even himself. 

The eunuch sat up in unwarranted defence. “Kim Hyung! Those words are really harsh!”

“I… Excuse me?” That’s what I get for trying to be nice, he thought glumly.  

“Asking if something happened... when nothing did! T-that’s a bit impolite, don't you think?” Even Sam-nom didn’t appear convinced with his own argument.

“Really?” Byung-yeon glanced to the side awkwardly. “I’m sorry.” He cursed himself inwardly for attempting to be polite. Just as he began to leave, Sam-nom jolted upwards.

“Kim Hyung! Can I ask you something?”

His black eyes flickered with annoyance. “What is it?”

Hesitation was etched all over the poor boy’s face. Byung-yeon was certain 'he' was a woman now, but the reason as to why she had put herself in such danger was still unclear. “From what I understand, you are the person that His Highness cherishes the most, and Eunuch Jang is the second… but, by any chance, has he ever liked a woman?”

Byung-yeon’s head tilted slightly with warning. It was a dangerous question to ask in terms of the Prince’s privacy, but even more so now that he had discovered her big secret. “No." Each word had emphasis. "Not. Once.”

“… N-not once?”

Byung-yeon was smiling to himself as he pulled his light jacket on. He could see the girl's frantic gestures through the mirror on the wall, but decided it was best to let her panic in privacy. After all, Hye-ri was in the palace. It would be a mistake to see her unchaperoned, but he also knew it would be a mistake not to. Lee Yeong had certainly not said that she was in the maid quarters, alone, for nothing. It was likely an urge to bring the two together, for whatever reason.

The grass was soft and slightly damp beneath his padded feet. Byung-yeon might have taken notice of the crickets' dim song had his mind not been so lost. Hye-ri was just in the hut ahead, the flickering candlelight no doubt the result of her steady hands.

Unsure of how to capture her attention, Byung-yeon lightly twisted the door ring between his fingers. He could still see his bandages creeping from beneath his sleeves, the memory of her literally glued to his skin. “Kang Hye-ri. Are you in there?”

From outside, he could hear her body shoot upwards. “What are you doing here?”

Byung-yeon smiled against the wood of the door. “If you let me in, you’ll see.”

The few seconds that passed seem fatalistic, as if she would never appear. But sure enough, the door was delicately pulled back from its place. On the other side stood Hye-ri, her hair loose for the first time since they were children. He couldn’t help but note its length, almost double that of his.

“You look beautiful.” The words rushed from his lips without a barrier to stop them. Hye-ri stood in silence, unsure of how to react. “But you haven’t done your makeup. There’s little time, Hye-ri. The King is expecting you.”

I can’t ask him to do my makeup, she said to herself. I can’t ask him to touch me. “I should get back to work.”

Byung-yeon stepped over the threshold, his mere presence pushing her back inside. His hands closed the door with a forcefulness that was unfamiliar to his normal passivity. When he turned to look at her, she seemed to cower in the darkest corner of the room. “I heard that your fiancée will be here.” Hye-ri nodded. If she opened , she would say something they both regretted. “Is this the first time…?” She nodded again, more weakly this time. “Of course it is.” A gentle smile broke through. “You’ve rarely been out of my sight. How could you have met him?”

That seemed to be the trigger. “Byung-yeon.” Her feet took a proud step forward. “I need to ask you something.”

The world seemed to pause on its axis. Crickets stopped in their song to hear the sweet music of another, waiting for that single note that may never come.

“... Will you marry me?”

Byung-yeon felt his heart stop. Hye-ri was beginning to lose her breath, but that was beyond her control. Her words came out shakily, more afraid than upset. His own emotions verged on the edge of love and pain, the soul of him stuck somewhere unreachable. 

“Byung-yeon… would you have me?”

Yes.

Yes.

To the edge of the world and back, yes.

“Hye-ri…” His words were careful. They did not match what was in his heart, but they were phrases etched from the stone of truth. They struck the body as sharply as a carved spear, the crushing pain surrounding you before even coming into contact with skin. “... I could never marry you.”

Hye-ri’s head fell in an instant. "I understand." The long curtains of black hair covered her face as if it were the finale of a show. With a pathetic murmur laced with the holding back of a sob, she whispered to him. “You need to leave." 

 Byung-yeon did as he was told. He had always trusted Hye-ri. Always listened to her. Always believed her. That particular situation changed nothing. If she asked him to grab a snake by the neck, he would do it. If she told him to carry her across the country, his body would obey.

If she had just asked him once more, he may have said yes.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Hye-ri knew Byung-yeon was not watching the performance. Her eyes focussed only on the soft dirt beneath her feet as she danced, the sorrow she was meant to express in her eyes entirely real. The trick was the smile on her lips, which stung like the quick kiss of a candle.

Her hair was made up perfectly, her rogue evenly applied. She was a true masterpiece, and it did not go unnoticed by a single eye in the room. That included the King. He was captivated by the girl's effortless turns, her precise tilting of the chin, the woeful sadness with which she carried his sins.

There was another man equally as impressed. His name was Park Hong-min. He built canals, both designing and digging them into existence. Many viewed him as an innovator or saviour to their water supply, but he only considered himself a common man. If anything, he knew he was entirely worthless of the woman dancing before him.

It was a shame they were not allowed to interact, and judging by her downcast eyes, she had no interest in stealing a glance at his tall and slender frame. He was close to her, just off the edge of the stage, but it was as if her mind were in the stars.

Hong-min wondered why she had accepted the marriage proposal just before the show. There seemed a sense of urgency in her choice, as if she merely wanted to get it over with. Did she want children? It didn’t appear so, not when she herself was so ambitious. Was her father in need of his money? When working for the palace, one had to suspect they had a somewhat steady income.

What was her reasoning?

There was some speculation within him that the girl had known love. Perhaps it was forbidden or unrequited, but evidence of its existence could be found in the turn of her toes. Hong-min had never felt as passionately as she moved, meaning that there was inspiration from another man in her heart.

In that moment, he thought that perhaps with Hye-ri at his side, he could one day understand that kind of love.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hye-ri did not meet her betrothed, much to his disappointment. He did not come after her either, a fact of which she was unsure was honourable or disappointing. After all, she had accepted his hand. Was that not something to be grateful for?

Her father had already begun wedding preparations the next morning. Park’s parents were in the house, sending Hye-ri far from it. Her mind dug through the thick pages of books as she roamed the town shops, the fantasy life far more appealing than what lay at her feet.

Rain began to pour through the village at midday. Life seemed to halt due to its appearance, but Hye-ri was grateful for it. After her mother had died, the rain was the only thing she had to hide her tears.

Making her way through the small huts, Hye-ri finally came to her destination as the sun began to set.

“Kang Hye-ri. You’re soaking wet.”

“Yak-yong,” Hye-ri panted, unsure of what was rain or sweat. “I’ve been walking all day.”

He stood up a bit straighter. There was a wobble in his action, making the soju bottle beside him all the more clear. “Well, that’s no good. Take a seat.” He slammed his fist against the spot beside him. “Take a seat, girl! Come, come.” She joined him under the jutting roof, the water spilling off of it as much as it came from her. “Drink this.” He ed the bottle forward. “It will warm you up.”

“I-I can’t.” Her fingers wrapped around it. “As much as I would like to…”

“There’s nobody here. Nobody likes to spend time with an old drunk.” She felt his elbow enter her rib. “Just try it.”

Hye-ri ignored the cups before her and took a swig directly from the bottle. It was hot as it passed through , the invisible flames growing inside of her stomach. “Oh,” she whispered. “That’s nice.”

“Now you know why I never wear a jacket.” He watched her take a second sip. “What brings you here?”

“Medicine.” A hiccup interrupted her words. “I was hoping you would have some.”

“For what?”

“A broken heart.”

Yak-yong’s abrupt laugh scared the nearby chickens into a squawk. “Oh, wait. You’re not joking, are you?”

Hye-ri shook her head, the world spinning with her third swallow. “I was never a comedian.”

Yak-yong felt sober just looking at her. “Does this have to do with Byung-yeon? Don’t act like I haven’t noticed the two of you. I think these chickens are even smart enough to realise your little games.”

Hye-ri’s head shook slowly. The bottle was empty, and it made her head feel the same. “The game has finished. Byung-yeon was declared the winner and I’m getting passed onto the next player.” She stumbled into the shed behind her in search of more rice wine. “If you can’t cure me of a broken heart, at least tell me about a woman’s first night with a man.”

Yak-yong turned as red as the King's robes. “Kang Hye-ri, that’s certainly not a conversation the two of us are going to have.”

She sat back down in defeat, her hands empty. “You drank all of the soju.”

“No, Hye-ri. You did that.” He flicked her chin. “Can’t you speak to your mother about this?”

She thought she could see her mother’s grey eyes in the holes of the plaster ahead of her. “She died ten years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

The two of them sat in silence to watch the rain. It always seemed faster when you were viewing it indoors, but the sensation was not strong when actually in its midst. Hye-ri itched to feel its kiss again, to let herself drown in nature’s weeping. If she hadn’t drunk half of the soju bottle, the figure approaching her would have seemed more real.

“Speak of the devil,” Yak-yong snorted. “It looks like you have a visitor.”

Hye-ri's eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Kang Hye-ri.”

The drunkards glanced up, albeit somewhat slowly, to meet the face of Byung-yeon. His chest was heaving, as they could note through the open gap of his shirt. Black robes stuck to the guard's skin like Hye-ri’s arms wanted to, the rain trickling easily through his tied black hair.

“Byung-yeon,” she said slowly. “Welcome.”

He chose to ignore the droop of her eyes. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You weren’t at your house. You weren’t in the village. I had to gave Mister Choi half of my pocket money for him to tell me where you went.”

Hye-ri suddenly felt more sober. “Why does it suddenly matter where I am?”

Yak-yong stood up uncomfortably. “That’s my cue to leave.”

“No!” Hye-ri gripped his sleeve, pulling him back beside her. “Anything he can say to me, he can say to you.”

Byung-yeon glanced awkwardly between them. “Hye-ri, you need to go home. You’ve been out all day and could catch a cold.”

“I’m not the only one, apparently.”

“Hye-ri, please.” There was desperation in his voice that she did not recognise. Whatever state of mind he was in, it was not a healthy one. “Please just come with me; I need to speak with you.”

Hye-ri laughed heartily, startling the chickens into a cluck once more. “Now you need to speak with me.” Her head rolled to Yak-yong. “What’s interesting about this entire scene is that yesterday, I asked him to-“ Her sentence was cut short by his hand slipping through hers. It was not a pull or a tug, but a gentle move that entirely won her over. Byung-yeon led her through the open courtyard with only the soft squeeze of his hand. “Hey!” He felt her fists on his back. “Let go of me! This is entirely unfair, not to mention the fact that I’m engaged and you can’t be-“

“Hye-ri!” Byung-yeon hated the sound of his raised voice. They were alone in a small alley, windowless walls trapping them with only a few feet to spare. “I need you to listen to me.”

If she wasn’t sober before, she certainly was then. The rain was falling over them, harder now, as the moon reached its highest.

“Yesterday, you asked me to marry you. I gave you an honest answer.”

Her stomach fell between her feet. “Thank you for reminding me. Now, if you’ll excuse me-“

His arm stopped her exit. Any other man would have grabbed her, but he kept to himself. “You can leave if that's what you truly want. I won’t stop you next time, but I think you should hear me out.”

Rain slid between her eyelashes. “I’m listening.”

“When you asked me if we could be together, I said that I could never marry you.”

“Hye-ri… I could never marry you.”

The words played in her mind more clearly than the rain surrounding her. Hearing his former rejection once more made her arms react without will. She pushed him away, taking a step back as if his very touch were poison. “Why are you saying all of this? If you’re trying to hurt me, I can guarantee that it’s working. For both of our sakes, why don’t we just put this to rest?”

 Byung-yeon was past his limit. His hands met her waist, pulling her into him without warning. She stumbled against the mud, her wet palms meeting his exposed chest. The sensation of the cool water against his heated skin led her thoughts somewhere she could only describe as ‘red’.

“I said that I couldn’t, but I never said that I didn’t want to.”

Hye-ri’s eyes helplessly met his. She scanned his face like a target in war, spotting the slight curve of his nose, the thickness of his brow, and the sharp way his eyes came to a point.

He was perfect, really.

Perfect for anyone but her.

“What are you saying?”

The rain fell hard around them, sinking them further into the soft earth. Byung-yeon didn’t mind the pull of the ground; he would have died there, risking his life in the middle of a village full of men who wanted to kill him. For her. Enemies of the Baekwoonhwe had seen his face, but risking the journey for Hye-ri was more important.

“I don’t know. I just need time, Hye-ri.”

“Time for what?”

 Her lips were turning white. The breath that came from them danced through the rain like smoke before it was struck down with another droplet. There was a force pulling her to him, unexplainable and entirely real. Letting his inhibitions go, he felt the small of her back against his palm. His fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress, his desire no longer hidden behind the excuse of blood loss or confusion.

“I want you, Hye-ri.”

Before she could respond, his lips were on hers. She felt his thumb trace over her jaw, the rest of his fingers pulling her chin upwards. There was urgency, once again, as if they had no time. Perhaps they didn't. Surrendering herself to fear, Hye-ri let her lips part. There was a dance in her stomach before she felt his tongue on hers, their lips constantly desperate to meet again.

Unable to control her desire against the twinge of alcohol, Hye-ri found herself falling backwards. Her back hit the nearby wall with a thud, which only seemed to propel their actions into a new stage. Byung-yeon’s body drew near, his hips meeting hers with a strange closeness Hye-ri struggled to describe. She felt her legs grow weak when she stared up at him, breaking their kiss for an involuntary gasp.

His arms sunk around her waist just as she began to fall. “Hye-ri, don’t marry him. You can’t.”

“Byung-yeon, we-“

His voice shook, the fog escaping his lips broken into slivers of mist. “Please. I could never see you again if you became his wife.”

Hye-ri could feel herself crying now. She was ashamed to do so in front of him, but meanwhile felt safe. He already knew every inch of her soul; crying was merely her sadness put into visuals. “If I do not marry, the village will shun me. They’ll shun my family… I’ll lose my job or be outcast.” His fingers shook against the cold wind, despite his attempts to bury them deep into her black hair. It had fallen from its plait, the long waves sticking to her face like drying ink on canvas. “Even if that would allow me to see you, what sort of life does that mean for the both of us?”

“I just need time.” He drew close again, his lips only meeting her bottom lip. She tasted new each time, but was always soft. He wanted to live in the space between their bodies, filling it with the two of them equally. 

“What will time give you?” Her voice had lost its strength. 

“I don’t know.” His head lay in strands as he shook his head. “I just need more time to think. If you get married within the week, there won’t be enough of it.”

Hye-ri released the grip that had been clinging to his waist. It felt like leaving a part of herself behind. “We can't afford more time. My father has already made arrangements. If that changes, I will lose the only certain suitor that I have.” Hye-ri was about to leave him with an ultimatum, but chose to halt her path. It was unfair to abandom him with the idea that she did not care. Of course, his eyes were still on her when she turned. “If I could change things, I would. What I’m doing now is for my family, not because I want this life.”

Byung-yeon’s chest was heaving. It was the first time he noticed how much pain lingered there, how the curves of his heart seemed to grow against his ribcage. The sensation of the wind across his cheeks confused his mind with tears, and for a moment he was uncertain about what lingered there. “Is that your answer, Hye-ri?”

She hesitated with an open mouth, her whispered words laced against the rain. “My answer will always be you.”