[During the beginning of winter Seol, just like her mother, decides to make cosmetics. But the main reason why she was making them, was because of her uncle So. Mainly for his scar. After she finished for him, she and Wang Chi take a walk on the snowy garden.]

It was winter and the snow covered the garden of palace. Seol hummed as she packed the cosmetic sets in the large box. Noticing her singing, Ju, Chi, the princesses, and Hwangbo sisters came to her.

“Seol, what are you doing?” Hwangbo Su asked.

Seol jumped in surprise as she turned and faced her. Noticing the box, Ju smiled.

“These are for the king.” Seol admitted.

“I see.” Ju said as he blocked his sisters’ mouth who were trying to ask further and shoved them outside, letting Seol went to the king’s chamber.

Seol knew since it is snow, it wouldn’t be easy to get ingredients to make a cosmetics, so she quickly gained them during the autumn. She remembered the time when she was only six years old, the time when she saw her uncle sad. His face. His tears…his scar.

Six years old Seol was wandering around, searching for her uncle. Her father told her the king was tired from his duties from the court. Even uncle Baek-Ah answered the same. Pouting, she sneaked outside her chamber and decided to look for her uncle all by herself, but she got lost.

“Curse uncle’s big house…” She quietly muttered, stomping with her feet as the soldiers and the court ladies tried not to chuckle at her adorable attitudes.

She then, made an idea as she rushed outside the palace and reached to the lake Dongji. She walked around, glancing at the trees until she heard the voice—the voice of a man who was presumably sniffling, preventing any sobs. Curious, she quickly yet silently walked to the source of the voice. And there she found the man in front of the stone tower, who was actually the king. His one hand covered his eyes, biting his lips, gritting his teeth but Seol could see the water-drops dripping down from his eyes. She swore she saw the red line from his left eye, in which she could see, it was a scar.

She walked out of the tree and stood behind him.

“Uncle?”

The king gasped as he turned around, accidentally revealed his scar, then hid it with his hand. His watery eyes were on Seol, whose large innocent eyes were on his. She walked closer to him to take a closer look.

“Were you sad, because that hurt you?” Seol asked as she pointed at his left eye, where the scar remained.

He kneeled down to match the line of his gaze towards her. His hand slowly revealed the long scar that marred his left eye. With his failed attempt at smiling, he nodded his head.

“Yes…it does.”

With her eyes widened, her hands touched his left cheek where the scar stills, then she ran around chanting words as her arms flew up for countless times.

“Shoo, scars, fly way~! Hurt things, go away from uncle~! Stop hurt him!”

She kept saying it over and over as she skipped around him as a spell, hoping her uncle could feel no pain. Hoping that he would stop cry. Finding her behaviors adorable, the king embraced the child from behind.

“It’s alright now…I feel much better now.” He said as he smiled.

Seol blinked her eyes, then giggled happy that her uncle’s no longer felt any pain and that he was smiling just like he always had when she was around.

Seol didn’t realized she was arrived to the king’s chamber until eunuch announced her arrival to the king, who was inside. He let her in, and she bowed.

“Greetings to the king.”

Gwangjong only smiled.

“Now, now. You don’t need to be formal when it’s only us. I miss the days you called me uncle.” He said with warm smile.

Seol grinned as she opened the chest, revealing the cosmetics she made for him.

“You were out of the makeups, so I made one,” Seol explained as she brought the brushes and tried to match the same color of his skin, “I may not be good as my mother, but I hope this could help…”

Gwangjong only smiled and closed his eyes, letting her start. As she managed to make a same color, she used the brush and began to brushed onto his left cheek and forehead where his scar lingered. With his half-lidded eyes, he could see a closer look on her face.

Her white skin with rosy cheeks, pouty pinkish lips, and doe-like eyes…she was indeed a spitting image of Hae Soo. He silently sighed, feeling his eyes start to get blur, watery so he blinked back. He wondered how was the girl’s childhood was like. Was she clumsy as her mother? Did Jung was there when he heard her first words? Seen her first steps? The king wished he was there to see her growing up.

“It’s done now, uncle.”

He looked at the mirror, then smiled.

“Your skills could surpass your mother’s. Well done.” He commented.

“Thank you.” She thanked as she bowed again.

“You must have been tired from making them, you are allowed to go now.”

Seol bowed again and dismissed herself, not noticing the king’s wistful look as she left. She ran to the entrance and saw the man who was waiting for her outside.

“Prince Chi!”

She greeted him as she waved her hand at him. The first-born of Hwangbo smiled back as he approached to her.

“Did you finished already?” He asked.

“Yes. Now that I’m done, I don’t know what will I do for the rest of the day.” She sighed.

He stared at his residence, then looked back at her.

“You can stay at my place. My sisters will be glad to see you there.”

With that Seol followed behind him.

They walked at the snow in silence. He turned back and saw Seol following…more like stepping on his footprints. Tilting his head, he take several steps more and stopped to see her continue to stepping on his footprints, focusing as she giggled like a little girl he knew a long time ago. Forming a rather mischievous smile, he take a larger steps this time. Confused, Seol tried to step on each until her feet stumbled and she was about to fall back. Alarmed, Chi grabbed her hand but he also tripped along with her. She groaned in pain but looked up, saw Chi almost leaned to her and their eyes briefly met one another.

Then they laughed heartily as they stood up. Chi glanced at her tenderly.

‘I do not wish to…but just by standing and laughing with her, it’s enough for me.’

He coughed as he could feel the warmness on his cheeks.

“L—let’s go inside. You will catch a cold. I’ll let the servants know to bring new clothes for you.” He stuttered a little, blushing as he averted his gaze.

“Okay, then.” Soo only nodded her head, oblivious of his conflicted feelings.

He pouted slightly.

‘Is she that dense?’

However, he grinned as he grabbed her hand and escorted her inside his residence, only to be greeted by his two sisters pound on them, happy to see Seol in their house.

Note:

Does the scene remind you something? Quite familiar one here…