Author's note: Sorry this one took so long! As my way of penance, I exerted some extra effort in this chapter's image. Hope you like it! :)

Chapter 10

Mo-Yeon knew she was dreaming.

She was at the Queen’s Gardens and the sun was shining brightly, but gently, all over the fields. Everything looked heavenly, gentler, like a soft filter was fitted over her eyes, and the sound of everything came muffled to her ears. She saw the water dancing in the fountain right in front of her but it sounded as if it was miles away. She could see the servants scuttling behind her but she couldn’t hear their greetings as they walked past her.

She looked down at her own hands and feet and noticed how tiny they were, as if to complement the rather frilly dress that she knew she wouldn’t be caught wearing. Ah, she thought, this must be when I was nine.

Mo-Yeon, unlike her mother in her younger years, barely left the palace. If she was left to do as she pleased, she stayed in her room, read books, and colored pictures. This was actually one of the rare circumstances that she decided to wander outside the walls of her safe place because she and her mother had a bit of a fight. She was cranky for no reason and was shouting at her handmaids, which, unfortunately, caught her mother’s ears. Oh, what an earful she got from Ah-In, after that.

Which led to her being at the Queen’s Gardens, after telling herself she would run away to Denmark to be with Daniel instead.

Mo-Yeon still knew she was dreaming, but this dream was an exact recreation of a memory—although it’s a memory she vaguely remembers when she’s awake. She turned around in anticipation of the children that will be making an appearance around this time. Two boys and a girl started to approach her, with the girl tightly clinging on to the arms of the two boys.

“Hey, that’s the princess! She’s outside!” The girl pointed at her, letting go of one of the boys’ arm. The boy that the girl is still clinging on to just stared at Mo-Yeon.

Mo-Yeon was surprised that she was actually hearing them.

“The princess never goes out, does she? Maybe this is like a doppel…dopper…doppler—gah whatever you call that. Maybe she is an imposter!” The other boy said, taking a step towards Mo-Yeon.

Mo-Yeon took one step away from the trio, pissed off that they didn’t know the word doppelganger. She couldn’t spell it, she knew, but at least she knew what the word was. At least all the reading she did paid off.

“Hey, don’t be scared. I’m just kidding.” The boy who couldn’t pronounce doppelganger said, his two hands how reaching in front of him.

“Don’t go near her, she might bite you.” The girl frowned.

“I doubt that,” The boy replied. He was now smiling and getting closer. “Look at her, she looks lonely.”

The girl scoffed at the boy. “Come on, let’s go home. She doesn’t like playing with others.”

The boy was now an arm’s length from Mo-Yeon. He extended an arm towards her and he mouthed something, but the sounds were now muffled again and Mo-Yeon did not hear his words. She just stared at him as his m*uth continued to move. The boy then took her hand and shook it, sporting a grin on his pretty face. He said something in that voiceless dialect and waved goodbye, before taking off with the other two kids. Mo-Yeon stayed rooted to the spot, looking at the hand that the boy took in his. The image of the boy crossed her mind once more before she wiped the hand on the skirt of her dress and hurried back to her room.

Xxxxx

“You know, it’s really great sitting together like this, drinking tea, just like the old times.” Daniel says, which earns him a smile from Mo-Yeon. The two are seated across each other, enjoying a cup of Earl Grey amongst the blossoming flora housed in the glass greenhouse. Mo-Yeon examines the flowers near them and remembers her mother’s garden, and her long slender image standing happily amidst the plants that she sometimes talked to. Mo-Yeon always thought how silly Ah-In was, talking to her plants. But then again, Ah-In was a goddess to everyone, everything. Maybe even the flowers listened to her that’s why the Queen’s Gardens was always in bloom.

“When was the last time we just sat like this, Daniel?” Mo-Yeon asks, bringing the cup of tea to her lips. The cup was a beautiful piece of china, mimicking the abundance of colors that surround them.

“Ah, let me see.” Daniel brings one hand to his chin, scratching slightly, before he gives up. “You know what, it was so long ago I couldn’t even remember it anymore.”

Mo-Yeon frowns and makes a clicking sound with her tongue. “This is all my fault! I could have come to visit you. I just didn’t want to see your Queen that’s why I never did.”

Daniel chuckles and waves a dismissing hand in front of Mo-Yeon. “Don’t blame yourself. If I wasn’t too busy, then I would have dropped by Urk myself.” He pauses and takes a long sip of tea. “I hope you don’t take offense in what I’m about to say, Mo-Yeon, but I’m glad this happened and I finally get to see you again. It’s been ages and I worry about you.”

“You always do, Daniel. Your letters and e-mails never fail to remind me of that, too!” Mo-Yeon smiles in response.

“But how are you holding up, Mo-Yeon, honestly?”

Mo-Yeon pauses a moment and thinks. “Well, honestly, apart from the whole Chairman Han thing, it’s nice at the castle nowadays. It’s less quiet. In fact, I have been training, too! Look at these muscles.” Mo-Yeon holds up an arm and pretends to flex.

“Myeong-Joo finally finds the patience in her to train you?” Daniel laughs.

“It’s Captain Yoo, actually.” Mo-Yeon replies bitterly, folding her hands back into her lap. “He’s a real great help, and has a rotten sense of humor that works very well around the palace.”

“I am very happy you’ve got someone like him beside you, Mo-Yeon.” Daniel says, his voice more serious. “Judging by how protective he is of you, I can rest easier.”

“He is obnoxious and unpredictable, that much I know.” Mo-Yeon frowns, her eyes dodging Daniel’s. She spares a long look at her wrist watch and watches the small hand overtake the longer hand. The thought of Shi-Jin makes her a bit uncomfortable as she remembers their exchange last night.

Daniel senses the discomfort in Mo-Yeon and decides to change the subject. “By the way, do you have your phone with you? I’ve got something I’ve been meaning to show you”

“Yeah, it’s here.” Mo-Yeon fumbles for her pouch and brings out a pink iPhone.

“Could you open your AirDrop for me? I’ll send you something.”

As soon as her AirDrop is on, a notification that Daniel Spencer wants to send a file pops up. She hits OK to receive the file and a picture of a rather aged man opens in her Photos. “Who is this?”

“I was hoping you’d know, actually.” Daniel says, putting down his own. “We’ve received reports of this man causing trouble in the IF. I wonder if you’ve come across him during the gala?”

Mo-Yeon bites her lower lip as she racks her memory for the guy in the photo. “No, sorry, he doesn’t even look remotely familiar.”

Daniel nods. “That’s fine, I just thought you might have recognized him.”

Mo-Yeon looks at the photo of the man harder and then eyes Daniel. “Why are you looking for him, though, when you’re not even affiliated with the IF?”

“I just heard about him from the minister of France, is all. He asked if I could help ask around since he’s proving hard to track,” Daniel shrugs and puts his phone back into his coat pocket.

“I see.” Mo-Yeon nods and spares another glance at her watch.

“Did you have a schedule to keep, Mo-Yeon? It seems you’re wary of the time,” Daniel asks.

Mo-Yeon shakes her head violently. “Never mind me, it’s just a force of habit.”

Daniel, however, stands up and offers a hand to Mo-Yeon. “No, I think I should bring you back. I have some things to sort at the office, anyway, if that’s alright?”

Mo-Yeon doubles back and ponders if there’s anything she said that might have disappointed Daniel, prompting this early invitation to separate. Coming up with nothing, she takes his hand helplessly. “Okay, but you’ve got to make it up to me. I’ve missed you lots and I think you owe me stories, Daniel.”

Daniel smiles and starts to walk Mo-Yeon back to the palace. “Of course. I look forward to your stories, too, Mo-Yeon, maybe when you’re less distracted and I’m less busy.”

Mo-Yeon admonishes herself for getting worked up by Yoo Shi-Jin, not noticing that her hand is digging into Daniel’s arm in frustration. Daniel looks to her in concern.

“Could you bring me to Captain Yoo’s quarters instead, Daniel? I wish to arrange some things regarding my schedule, as well.”

“Of course.” Daniel replies and they spend the walk back to the palace talking about what’s new in Denmark and Urk, steering away from conversations about the gala, the IF, or Yoo Shi-Jin. As they approach Shi-Jin’s quarters, Daniel bids Mo-Yeon farewell as he heads back to his office at the other side of the palace.

Mo-Yeon stands in front of the brass doors feeling uncertain. She releases a deep breath and summons a charm of calming, but she is unable to woo the angry beating of her heart against her chest. She tries to ask herself why she was going to Yoo Shi-Jin’s quarters again and remembers she wants—needs—to say sorry. Would it help if she rehearsed a piece or would it sound fake? Should she just go for it and say whatever’s on her mind? But then again, she remembers last night’s burst of emotions, which makes “saying whatever’s on her mind” not such a great idea after all. But before she makes her decision, she hears footsteps behind her and sees Yoo Shi-Jin and Seo Dae-Young approaching, with Shi-Jin laughing carelessly at something Dae-Young is saying. As Shi-Jin sees her, his m*uth suddenly draws back into a thin line, his face losing the gaiety it was just hosting.

Shi-Jin and Dae-Young stop a few feet from her and Dae-Young offers a salute before leaving the two. Shi-Jin gives Mo-Yeon an expressionless stare and pushes through her to open his door. Mo-Yeon bites her lip in anxiety and follows him inside his room.

The room is regal, clean and spotless. No sign that a man is staying here, except for the laptop that lounged on the desk at the end of the room. Shi-Jin goes for the closed window and draws the curtains back to allow sunlight to enter the room. He leans against the window which made looking at him quite difficult since his blocking against the harsh sunlight made him almost a block of shadow. Mo-Yeon stops a few feet from him, near the table with the laptop, and traces his profile against the window with her eyes.

“Did you need something, Doctor Kang? I thought we were free to enjoy the day,” Shi-Jin says mockingly. Mo-Yeon was used to Shi-Jin mocking him but it was always a playful banter between them. This kind of mocking, she finds, is not too pleasant.

“I came to say sorry about the things I said last night.” Mo-Yeon offers, her gaze shifting to nowhere, anywhere that is not Yoo Shi-Jin. Shi-Jin, too, is looking away from her, at a fixed spot on the dark blue wallpaper.

“Did you come to accept that you may have been wrong about Daniel? That I may be right and he should at least warrant an investigation?”

Mo-Yeon’s jaw tightens and her head snaps back to Shi-Jin, who still isn’t looking at him. She catches a whiff of something and lines appear in her face. “You’ve been drinking.”

“I have. But that doesn’t mean I’m drunk. It only means I’m upset. You told us to take the day off so we did, jeez.” Shi-Jin bites back at her. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Why are you being like this? I don’t get why all of you are so hostile against Daniel!” Mo-Yeon asks, her voice now dangerously rising again. She tries to keep her temper in check and reminds herself she’s come to say sorry about last night’s outburst. She shouldn’t be making another one.

“Why are you being like this? If he’s so goddamn clean then—” a ringtone suddenly cuts Shi-Jin, which makes him look at Mo-Yeon, who is the source of the mysterious ringing. “—then you should just let us prove it after clearing him of all contempt.”

Mo-Yeon fishes her cellphone out of her purse but lets it continue to ring as she recognizes the caller to be Myeong-Joo. She raises her voice to drown the continuous ringing. “You know what, I shouldn’t be talking to you if you’re drunk like this. There’s nothing useful that will come out of an inebriated man.”

“Really? You think the way you’re acting now is the more useful approach? You think the way you’re defending this guy—a guy that, let me remind you, has documented personal grudges against the IF—is the most useful way, as you have put it, in determining the mastermind behind Chairman Han’s death?” Shi-Jin’s voice was louder now, as well, to keep up with the relentless ringing of Mo-Yeon’s phone.

“Documented? Documented by who? By Argus’ testimonies? Wow, that’s hardly what I call documented!”

“Did you know that Argus’ statement about Daniel’s prejudice has been confirmed by one of our investigators? No? Of course not. Because you’re too googly-eyed about this, this Daniel, to even see if Argus’ statement against him checks out!” Shi-Jin opens his m*uth to continue, then closes it irritably, then opens it again to say, “And can you please just silence that phone? It’s too loud!”

“Wow, now even my phone is irrational, even my ringtone is a problem!” Mo-Yeon bursts out, unable to keep the cool she promised herself to bring into the discussion.

“Guess what, yes, even your ringtone is a problem!”

“Well wouldn’t you like to point all the problems at me!”

“Well I would prefer not to, but you being like that doesn’t give me much of a choice!”

“And what exactly does me being like this even means?”

“Being like that! Being everything like that!”

“Being myself, you mean?”

“Yeah, maybe!”

“Well boo-hoo for you! If you hate this everything, then you’re free to resign!” Mo-Yeon snaps and throws her ringing phone at Shi-Jin. Despite his inebriated state, Shi-Jin catches the phone that Mo-Yeon throws at him before she makes her way out of the door. As he hits cancel to silence the phone, he notices that the phone is too hot in his hands. He makes large strides to catch up to Mo-Yeon before she leaves the room and grabs her wrist.

“Let go of my hand, Yoo Shi-Jin, or I swear I will call Daniel’s guards on you.” Mo-Yeon threatens coldly.

Shi-Jin gives one uncalculated tug at her wrist and he pulls her towards him, a little too forcefully. He then puts the now silent but still hot phone back into her palm, his hand still enclosed on her wrist. “Your phone is too hot,” he says between gritted teeth.

Mo-Yeon glares up at him, the smell of alcohol intoxicating her. “What, is that a problem now, too?” Mo-Yeon asks irritably, trying to yank her hand from Shi-Jin’s.

“No, yes. That’s a problem. Can you please just listen for a moment? Seriously. There’s something wrong with your phone.” Shi-Jin drags Mo-Yeon into the bed and pulls her down to sit beside him. He yanks the phone from her hand and examines it. “I think there’s a bug in your phone.”

“A what?”

“A bug. A listening or recording bug. We’ve seen one of these in Korea, where a file infiltrates the phone and it sends data back to the source of the bug,” Shi-Jin explains, one hand still clasped firmly on Mo-Yeon’s, while the other started opening apps and messages.

“Hey, don’t open my messages!” Mo-Yeon tries to grab the phone with her free hand and fails. “And how did you know my password?”

“Your birthday isn’t the hardest password in the world.” Shi-Jin ignores her lame attempts to grab the phone and is now going through her photos. “I can’t say for sure but we got to bring this to tech. This is too hot for an idle phone.”

“It’s not that hot actually, it’s just like when I leave my data on for hours.” Mo-Yeon shrugs, almost forgetting about the quarrel they were having.

“But your data’s not on. And no games are running in the background, too. What’s the last file you’ve downloaded from the internet?”

“Nothing since we came here. Just this one file Daniel sent a while ago.”

Shi-Jin stops and looks at Mo-Yeon. He lets out a deep breath and opens the latest photo on the phone’s gallery. He holds the phone in front of her. “Is this that photo?”

Mo-Yeon nods.

“That’s not even a good photo. I’ll bring this to tech.” Shi-Jin says and stands up abruptly. Before he is out of the door, he spares another look at Mo-Yeon. “We’ll continue this later.”

Mo-Yeon remains seated at the edge of his bed, unable to process everything that happened so quickly. Her head is still spinning from the confusion and anger, but she couldn’t be too sure which one she felt more anymore. But her eyes fall to the hand still resting on the bed, the hand that Shi-Jin held and kept so forcefully, and notices it was still sore, as if his hands never really left.

Xxxxx

The dining hall is somber despite the soft Bach and Debussy that echo from the speakers. Mo-Yeon is at her usual place at the end of the table, playing lifelessly with the olive that’s still on her plate. Dae-Young sits one chair apart from her, finishing his own plate of pasta. Mo-Yeon’s thoughts linger back to her earlier spat with Shi-Jin, which prompts her to release a deep and frustrated sigh.

Dae-Young was instructed by Shi-Jin to stay with Mo-Yeon for the time being since they cancelled all her schedules for the day—not that there was much to cancel. He told him he was still with the tech guy that they brought along, examining Mo-Yeon’s phone for the alleged bug. He looks at the restless Mo-Yeon and breaks the silence. “Your Highness—”

“Dae-Young, please, I’ve been insisting, for years, that you call me Mo-Yeon, like everyone else does,” Mo-Yeon cuts him, trying to sound cheerful but failing miserably. “You and Min-Ji are two of a bunch, honestly.”

Dae-Young hesitates for a moment and continues to talk. “Your Highness—” This earns him a reproachful look from Mo-Yeon but he decides to ignore it. “—I want to apologize in behalf of Shi-Jin for his behavior. He has always been stubborn and I think it’s improper for him to act like this towards the Queen.”

Mo-Yeon shakes her head. “No, don’t. It’s also been improper for me to act as I have been acting. I have been unbelievably stubborn myself since the gala and the pressure is just getting to us both, to all of us, in fact. This is why I want to thank you for keeping your cool and head above the water, unlike the two of us.”

“Commander Yoon will reprimand me quite thoroughly if I cause you any more stress and believe me, Your Highness, I fear her more than anything,” Dae-Young replies, his voice unusually gentler.

“I am very much afraid of her too, if that helps.” Mo-Yeon chuckles slightly as she thinks about Myeong-Joo scolding her back at the castle.

“You won’t believe it but when we were younger—this was the time you spent years studying overseas—the Captain was the least patient of us three. Myeong-Joo had to watch him and sometimes rein him in since he always complained about everything and challenged everyone. Even Her Majesty Queen Ah-In sometimes would have to save Shi-Jin from getting punished by his father for saying some things out of line,” Dae-Young reminisces, his eyes scanning his plate as he speaks. “He has a strong sense of morality, of honor, and pride. And he will fight for what he believes is right, even though sometimes he tends to cross the line. This is why we though Queen Ah-In sent him abroad, too. For him to gain more experience, see more of the world, evaluate and remodel his principles. Not that we thought his principles lie in the wrong, no. But it’s how he acted on these principles that maybe the Queen wanted him to re-examine.”

Mo-Yeon watches Dae-Young as he gets absorbed in his own story, and notices how fondly and highly he speaks of Shi-Jin. “Well I wouldn’t say he is the most patient man, but I’m not the easiest Queen to deal with either so props to all of you for keeping up with this Kardashian.”

Dae-Young lifts his eye from his plate to meet Mo-Yeon’s and they quietly stare at each other before he gets distracted by his phone vibrating in his chest pocket. He fishes out his phone and reads the message to Mo-Yeon. “Captain Yoo says he can’t be sure just yet, tech is still trying to trace the source of the bug. But it’s confirmed that a malware is downloaded into your phone.”

Mo-Yeon frowns as she hears this and stands up abruptly, prompting Dae-Young to do the same. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t sit idly by without knowing anymore. I’m asking Daniel, right now.”

Mo-Yeon marches out of the dining hall towards Daniel’s office, with Dae-Young and three other guards in tow. One short hallway and two left turns later, she’s outside a set of wooden doors. She lets out one deep exhale and lets herself inside his office without knocking.

Daniel gets caught by surprise as Mo-Yeon suddenly emerges into his room and by the look on her face, he already knew she knew. He leaves his chair and crosses his desk to stand in front of her. “Mo-Yeon…”

“Did you place a bug on my phone, Daniel? Did the file you sent me do that?” Mo-Yeon asks calmly, tears dangerously forming on her eyes. She is biting her lower lip a little harder than usual to keep her words and reaction in check. Why she feels like crying, she’s not entirely sure, but if she were to write down the list of emotions that’s made a battlefield of her sanity, frustration is certainly right there at the top.

“Mo-Yeon, I’m sorry, it’s not what you think—”

“Then tell me what to think, Daniel!” Mo-Yeon cries, streams of tears now gushing out from her eyes. Her efforts to wipe her face are futile as tears continue to stain her cheeks. “I’ve been defending you from everyone, non-stop, because I know you and I trust you. But a bug? What am I supposed to tell them now, huh? That you’re just protective of me that’s why you planted that bug? Or that you’re a just looking through my photos? Tell me, Daniel! It feels like I don’t even believe what I’m saying anymore!”

“Mo-Yeon, look, please calm down, and let me explain,” Daniel says, reaching out to Mo-Yeon. She steps back so he could not reach him. “I’m sorry, but yes, that bug was mine. They probably won’t be able to trace the bug back to the file I sent but I’m telling you now, yes, it’s from me. And it’s programmed to send to me all the messages and calls you’ll be making and receiving.”

Mo-Yeon’s hands fly to her face as she hears his confession. Her hands, now trembling in anger and surprise, cover her m*uth, muffling the words she’s too dumbfounded to form or say.

“I planted that bug because I know you’ve been investigating me. Not you, maybe, but your men. And I couldn’t risk being found out because if they uncover my tracks, they’ll try to pin Chairman Han’s murder on me and believe me, Mo-Yeon, I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that.”

Mo-Yeon shakes her head, unable to say any more. Daniel takes this cue to keep explaining. He reaches out to a drawer on his desk and opens a folder that read “Confidential” for Mo-Yeon to see. “These are the tracks I’ve been trying to hide. My investigation into the IF. The reason why I’m not affiliated with the IF is that I have been trying to uncover the corruption that long has settled into the foundation, its roots going back to Chairman Han. I’ve uncovered IF funds getting transferred into dummy accounts, ammunitions donated by IF members unaccounted for, black market transactions and deals. This is why I have been investigating him and keeping it under the radar. But imagine, Mo-Yeon, if investigators find out that I have been keeping tabs on him. What does that make me look? If they don’t find the real perpetrators, it’s so easy to pin the blame on me because I have the motive and means to do it. And I swear, I didn’t do it, Mo-Yeon. You know I’m not that kind of man.”

Mo-Yeon sniffs and carelessly wipes the tears on her face with the back of her hand. She looks at Daniel, at how helplessly sorry he looks. But then again, he deceived her. The person she thought she could trust with her life deceived her. “I’m sorry, Daniel, I don’t know I can believe all of this just yet.” She then runs out of the office and heads back to her room.

Mo-Yeon falls into the floor, her back leaning against the bed. Her knees are curled towards her and her arms are hugging her legs. Tears continue to leak and stain her skirt but she makes no noise. Just tears, silent tears, escaping her eyes, rolling on her cheeks, and falling on her dress. There is nothing else she can think of—or rather, nothing else she wants to think of. She empties her mind, she empties her emotions, and just focuses on the splotches of wetness on her dress. Feeling weakness settling in, she lets her arms fall on the floor beside her and her eyes shut.

It felt as if only a few heartbeats have passed when a warm hand finally encloses on her left hand. She keeps her eyes closed, her body against the bed, and focuses her senses on the hand that is now steady and unmoving on hers. The hand is huge and tough; a hand that has seen many things and experienced many heartaches. The hand is unmoving, unflinching; a hand that has resolve, that will fight for what it believes is right and just. The hand is warm and comforting; a hand that she can hold for minutes, hours, maybe even eternities, able to keep the coldness at bay, the monsters lurking in the dark, and the sadness threatening to spill in the most quiet of moments.

Nothing else makes a sound but Mo-Yeon’s ragged breathing from the all the crying. Then a voice comes from behind them and breaks the spell. “Mo-Yeon, do you want to talk?”

The voice is Daniel’s. But Daniel couldn’t see them, sitting against the large bed. The huge bed and frame hid them from Daniel’s view and somehow, Mo-Yeon felt that comforting.

“Mo-Yeon, I know you’re in there.” Daniel calls again.

Mo-Yeon sniffs and clears , speaking softly, but enough for Daniel to hear on the other side of the room. “I’ll talk to you in the morning, Daniel. I have some things to think about first.”

Daniel sighs and nods, and takes the hint to leave. As Mo-Yeon hears the door shut, she opens her eyes and sees in her periphery the outline of Yoo Shi-Jin, staring intently ahead, at the tiny peak of light made by the small gap between the carelessly drawn curtains. Mo-Yeon doesn’t move, doesn’t look at Shi-Jin, and stares at the same spot that holds his gaze, at the tiny gap of light made by the setting sun, soft and warm and comforting.

She then wriggles her hand from the weight of his, and shifts it sideways to interlock hers with his. Mo-Yeon realizes this is the first time she’s held hands like this with anybody other than Daniel. It’s gentle yet assuring. It’s a little firm yet snug. And somehow, although it’s the same kind of hand-holding, interlocked like this, it’s also different. Too different. And it’s a different kind of feeling she could get used to.