[The secret affair between Ju and Seol began as Hwangbo sisters and the princesses secretly cheer for them. Cheon Chu-Jeon becomes the great soldier he dreamed to be. Currently, Seol became Hwangbo Su’s mentor with archery and swordsmanship.]

Cheon Chu-Jeon and Hwangbo Su was practicing the archery, competing against one another. Jung and Baek-Ah was watching them proudly as Princess A-Ran was cheering for her husband. They drew their arrows and release at the same time. The arrows stabbed at the different area, but they missed the target. Oddly, they noticed one arrow on the target. They turned around to see Ju was holding the bow and arrows.

“Crown Prince.” Cheon Chu-Jeon bowed stiffly.

“Brother,” A-Ran approached, “did you shot that arrow?”

Ju nodded as he grinned proudly.

“Your archery skills are getting better.” Jung complimented.

“No…your daughter Seol taught me first. I should thank you since you might have taught her them.”

Jung blinked his eyes.

“Seol? Oh, yes. I taught her archery and swordsmanship. She said she wants to defend herself.” Jung explained with proud smile.

“I see…I’ll bet she could surpass yours someday.” He chuckled lightly as Baek-Ah stifled his laughter.

Ju drew another arrow and focused on the target. He didn’t forget the directions Seol taught him as his elbows made a straight line, stretching back and released it. The arrow was making another bull’s eye as it struck on the center.

“Oh, speaking of, Seol is also teaching me,” Hwangbo Su said, “we promised to try practice together.”

Jung couldn’t be more proud how Seol managed to get along with others and changed the Crown Prince much better. They heard another footsteps and saw Seol, with her magenta and gold training outfits. Her hair was tied as ponytail, revealing her think neck and collarbone.

“Seol!” Hwangbo Su called out.

Seol greeted back.

“You three seemed doing your best today,” then she looked at her brother, “Chu-Jeon, congratulation of becoming a soldier. You have managed to master the swordsmanship.”

“Perhaps, I would like to challenge you a duel someday.” Her brother smirked.

“Oh, try me.” She dared playfully.

Unable to hide his fond smile, Ju excused himself. When he walked closer to her, they made a brief moment as their hands held with their fingers intertwined. As he walked passed, he smiled as he felt the butterflies in his chest. Noticing their short physical contact, A-Ran and Hwangbo Su smiled mischievously, but hid as the others were looking at them.

Seol led the practice as she helped Su. She directed the oldest of Hwangbo sisters to stretch further with her elbows lowered and raised her chest with inhale and release. Su was surprised as her arrows stabbed close to the target. Seol still remember what Ju said before he left the archery field, when he secretly held her hand.

“Meet me at the pavilion outside Damiwon. I’ll wait for you.”

She smiled as her fair skinned cheeks were flushed with pink. What everyone didn’t realized was two men watching all along, from different location. Wang Chi’s eyes were slowly losing its light, glared at the spot where Ju left in envy. Above the field where the small pavilion located, the man in royal black robe, Gwangjong, was inspecting the field. More specifically, Seol, as he squinted his eyes when he noticed Ju and Seol’s hands held previously.

After the practice, Seol went back to her room and changed herself with simple hanbok with red chŏgori, long dark green skirt and had her long, raven hair decorated with her mother’s hairpin. She sneaked outside, managed to escape Jung and Baek-Ah’s presence. She walked pass Damiwon and went to the small pavilion where Ju was waiting. The Crown Prince Ju was wearing red robes with the white edges decorated with silver pattern, green pants and pair of black boots.

“Crown Prince.”

Hearing her voice, his anxious expression melt into a loving smile. She walked towards her and bowed with courtesy, much to his dismay.

“Let go off the formality. And what happened to our promise you’re calling me by my name?” He asked, slightly pouting.

“I’m sorry,…Ju.” She apologized, looking down.

Ju only giggled at her bashful attitude. He held his hand to her.

“Come. There’s a place I want to show you.”

Nodded her head, she accepted his hand and walked towards two horses. One brown horse and other was white horse. When he was about to help her up, she politely declined and hopped on the white steed. He hopped on his brown horse and lead the way to the place as she followed. Oblivious to them, the princesses were spying on them all along.

“O, spirit of love, it should better be good. It’s been three months they are together.” Bo-Hwa mused with sigh.

“I wonder what name they would come up for their future children.” A-Ran wondered with wide smile.

“Sister, don’t you think it’s too fast?” Moon-Duk gasped.

“Of course, they haven’t done it yet,” A-Ran shrugged off then stopped, “didn’t they?”

Both Ju and Seol was at the large pond, where they galloped pass the forest of Bamboo trees. Mesmerized with the beauty of the nature, Seol could only gasped and looked around.

“Do you like it?” He asked.

“Like it? I LOVE IT.” Seol answered as her doe-like eyes sparkled.

They couple walked around, holding their hands, talking and laughing along until they noticed a several raindrops. Despite it wasn’t a hard raining, Ju didn’t wish to have his Seol catching cold so he directed to the waterfall and found the gap between the water falling and the cave. They entered in deep inside and sat beside one another.

“We should wait until the rain stops. Judging by the amount of rains dropping, it won’t take long to be stopped.” Ju explained and he gently brushed off the droplets from her head.

“How long the rain will stop then?” Seol questioned.

“Perhaps…less than an hour.”

Despite her hairs were wet, he could feel the softness from them as he could compare her black, glowing hair as a silk. He also noticed her think neck and finely displayed collarbone. Blushed, he averted his gaze.

“By the way, since when did you married?” Seol asked curiously.

“When I was fifteen. The king told me once the country still need the support from Silla. It was arranged marriage. I may respect Hunsook, but I never loved her.” He explained bitterly.

Seol nodded her head, understanding.

“I still remember the time we used to dress ourselves as a commoners and you enjoyed running around the market,” Ju said with fond, yet nostalgic smile, “I wish we could have share such old times again.”

“Well that’s a greatest advantage of youth.” Seol giggled.

They rain continued to drop and the large, secure cave was silent.

“You know,” Ju began, “A-Ran told me ever since you came along, I have changed.”

Seol looked at him.

“It was like few days ago when I was nothing but a weak boy who cowered in fear when his majesty was around me. I was always lack of everything, but you have managed to change me into a better person.”

Ju’s eyes were now at her’s.

“When I’m with you, I have this peculiar feeling that my troubles, my fears were disappearing. So I decided to be selfish, that I won’t leave, or let you go.”

Ju’s lips curled into a sad smile. Then, he slowly leaned forward and kissed her cheeks. She shivered slightly as she could feel his lips steadily pecked closer to her ears, then reached down to her neck. Before it goes further, she stopped him with her hands pushed his chest slightly.

“Not permitted, yet.” Seol smiled.

As her hands moved away, Ju’s eyes sparkled in hope, like a little wolf-cub.

“Please?”

“No.” She replied bluntly.

He pouted, frowning.

Note:

Okay, some scene might remind you all the similar one at some episode from Moon Lovers~! But, next chapter, we should be extremely cautious—anxious, even as worse thing will happen.