As the performance for the Hwarang men were getting near, two Hwarangs had volunteered to take the instruments to be placed near the stage in order for them to set up faster once it’s their turn to perform for the people of the capital.

However, destroyed instruments had greeted the two Hwarang men as they arrived at the tent where their instruments were placed.

“We must inform the Queen and cancel the performance!” Master Bu Jae, the Assistant Chief Instructor of Hwarang says the moment Master Wi Hwa and Master Wooreuk reached the tent where the destroyed instruments are placed.

“We cannot embarrass Hwarang in front of everyone.” he adds, looking frantically at the two.

Master Wi Hwa looked at him and then back to the destroyed instruments— he and Master Wooreuk shared a look.

“It looks like we have no choice.” Yeowool sighs as they watch the interaction of the elders from a distance.

“It’s Banryu.” Sooho speculates as he narrow his eyes in thought. “I will not let this slide.”

“I guess it’s over.” Hansung says thoughtfully, biting his finger. He looks at Sunwoo who was also observing the elders.

“We cannot dance then.”

“We will.” Sunwoo says confidently. Master Wooreuk who was holding one of the drum skins turned to look at him and they met eyes.

“The old man I know would not let things end here.”

Master Wooreuk nods at Sunwoo and he nods back.

Chunhwa had decided to visit the Hwarang men’s tent before going back to where the Queen and the princess are to seat with them. As she approached the tent, she noticed the Hwarang men were somehow looking troubled. A Hwarang approached her and bowed.

“What’s wrong?” Chunhwa asks, looking at the Hwarang who had approached her and then to the other Hwarang men in the area. “Why aren’t you preparing for your performance yet?”

Everyone looked at each other and back at Chunhwa as the Hwarang in front of her replied.

“I’m sorry Lady Heo, but it seems that someone had destroyed our instruments and we don’t know what to do.”

“What? Destroyed?” Chunhwa’s eyes turned wide at what she had heard. “What person on his right mind would destroy such precious instruments—“

“Banryu!”

Everyone turned their head at Banryu who was approaching the tent, still in his Hwarang uniform. Chunhwa watched him enter the tent, ignoring everyone and goes straight to where his Hwarang warrior clothes are hung to change but not before Sooho charges at him.

“You.” Sooho growls, his hand gripping the collar of his uniform. “Was this your idea all along?”

Banryu looks at Sooho with a blank expression and pushes him. He completely ignores him as he turned around and reached for his warrior clothes, angering Sooho more.

“You jerk—“ he was about to grab Banryu again but Yeowool immediately went behind him.

“Stop.” Yeowool says as he pulls Sooho away from Banryu, holding him back.

“That’s enough.” Chunhwa says at the same time, making her way towards the three of them.

Sooho looked at Chunhwa before looking back angrily at Banryu whose head was now turned towards him— still with a blank expression.

“If the performance is ruined, you are going to get it,” he glares at him. “If that happens, it’ll be over for you.”

“I said that’s enough.” Chunhwa speaks, looking at Sooho sternly.

“And you.” she turned to Banryu. “Change your clothes and meet me outside. We need to talk.”

She looked at Sooho again warningly before walking out of the tent. Banryu looked at everyone inside the tent before he started to change his clothes.

Not long after, Chunhwa and Banryu found themselves facing each other a few distance away from the tent. Sooho watches them from the Hwarang’s tent, eyes narrowed. Yeowool joined him and crossed his arms as he also watched the two with a thoughtful expression.

“Look at him acting so tough in front of Lady Heo.” Sooho says with a hard expression. “If it was confirmed that he was the one who destroyed the instruments I will end him myself.”

Yeowool shakes his head and sighed.

“Stop being hard on Banryu, will you?” he looks at him with an exasperated expression. “You’re just like that because Lady Heo is here.”

The other Hwarang turned his head towards him. “What?”

Yeowool shrugs before going inside the tent to get some seat.

“Be honest with me or face the consequences.” Chunhwa says, looking sternly at Banryu who was looking back at her with a blank expression.

“Was it you who destroyed the instruments?”

“If I told you that it wasn’t me who destroyed the instruments, would you easily believe me?” said Banryu, looking at her intensely.

He softly scoffed when Chunhwa didn’t answer him— he smiled bitterly.

“Of course, what proof do I have that it wasn’t me. After all, I never wanted to be in Hwarang in the first place.”

Chunhwa narrowed her eyes. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Park Banryu. Why?”

“Park Banryu?” she smiled a little at that. “Then you must be Minister Youngshil’s adoptive son?”

“What about it?” Banryu sneered, annoyed. “Just because he is my adoptive father it doesn’t mean that it’s already a proof that I am the one who destroyed the instruments!”

“I know.” she says, surprising him. “And I trust you.”

“What?” he looked at her suddenly confused.

“When you said that it wasn’t you who destroyed the instruments,” she says, “I believe you.”

“But why?” he feels suddenly feels lost and annoyed. “What’s the connection between that?”

“I don’t think I need to give you an explanation.” Chunhwa shrugs. “And I believing you when you said that you didn’t destroy the instruments should be enough for you.”

Banryu looked at her with a lost expression but she continued.

“As Master Wi Hwa had said when I came into the Hwarang House, I have watched and observed everyone.”

“And I do know you don’t like being in Hwarang,” she smiled secretively at him. “But I can tell that you have the potential to become a great Hwarang if you put your heart into it.”

“Do not become someone like a pawn on a chess piece controlled by a manipulative hand. That manipulative hand can use you to gain victory and throw you away to the enemy in the end.

“Instead, become someone of your own person. Be a person who does not let himself to be controlled to sacrifice everything he wants against his will. Do not let yourself to be treated like a mere toy.”

Banryu who was about to retort back at Chunhwa was cut off when a Hwarang came to them.

“Lady Heo, we have fixed the problem!” the Hwarang says, smiling brightly.

“Really?” Chunhwa breathes a sigh of relief and gave the Hwarang a small smile. “Then do your best on your performance. I will be watching in the front.”

The Hwarang beamed her yes and walked away. She then turned towards Banryu and gave his shoulder a soft pat.

“You should go, your performance is next.” she says with a smile before walking away.

Banryu glares at her departing back, frowning deeply. He was feeling confused yet annoyed at the same time.

“What does she even know?”

The crowd were silent with anticipation as the Hwarang men went up the stage. The Hwarangs who were assigned to the instruments went to their positions. Somehow, the crowd started whispering at each other when the Hwarangs were not yet starting and looked like they were just playing.

“What’s going on?”

“What is this?”

Suddenly, they started beating their drums in a fast, upbeat tone— the others strumming and playing the other instruments as the dancers made their way towards the middle, brandishing their swords.

They started to do their dance step sequence with flourish, moving their bodies in accordance to the rhythm of the music as the adrenaline rush consumes them. The cheering crowd who were watching them with awe as they performed slowly fades from their eyesight and everything became a blur as they let their bodies take them to the beat— having memorized every move and every turn by heart.

Chunhwa, who was sitting beside Princess Sookmyung watched the Hwarangs perform with a proud expression. She looked at where Minister Youngshil was sitting and smirked to herself.

‘That is right Minister Youngshil, these men will be the King’s Hwarang who will help the Royal family and the future of Silla to be a better country.’

As the Hwarang dancers made their final pose, the beat had also stopped and was replaced by the loud cheers of the capital citizens who gave them a standing ovation. Master Wi Hwa and Master Wooreuk looked at each other with bright smiles as they clapped their hands. The maidens couldn’t help but scream at the handsome Hwarangs who were catching their breaths as they stand up straight.

Minister Youngshil looked at Lord Ho in disbelief.

“I...I made sure to ruin the instruments.” Lord Ho says, unable to look at him straight in the eye and the minister scoffs at him.

Minister Youngshil stands up from his chair and walked away from the cheering people, Lord Ho and the other ministry officials on his side following him, confused.

Master Wi Hwa continued clapping, looking like a lunatic. He looked to his left and his lunatic smile slowly fades as he sees Chunhwa looking at him funnily. He turned his eyes towards the Queen Regent who stood up from her seat and nodded at him with a smile. He gave the Queen a bow and the Queen walks away— Princess Sookmyung and Chunhwa bowing to her from their seats.

Chunhwa looked at the Hwarangs, her eyes focusing on Sunwoo with a smile on her face as she watched him smiling and getting hugged by Sooho.

‘Sam Maekjong... it’s you, right?’

Jidwi who was smiling at the other Hwarangs suddenly had his eyes fixated towards Chunhwa— he gazed at her as one thought entered his head.

‘Heo Chunhwa...That’s right, how could I almost forget? How long has it been?’

It was now almost time to fly the paper lanterns in the sky. Princess Sookmyung excused herself earlier and now it was only Chunhwa and Damyi who were wandering along the capital when Chunhwa decided to get some paper lanterns to fly.

“It has been so long since I last did this!” she said excitedly towards Damyi when they purchased a red paper lantern for her and a yellow one for her maid who refused at first.

“Here,” she says, handing her maid the brush already dripped in ink. The other looked at her confused and she grins. “You should write your wish in the lantern so that when we fly it to the sky, the heaven will be able to read what you wish for and it will come true.”

Later, as they made their way towards an open space to fly their lanterns, Damyi asks Chunhwa.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what did you wish for, My Lady?”

“My wish?” Chunhwa blinks at her, “Hmm...well, I wished that Silla will have a brighter future.”

“Also, I wished that I could finally find my childhood friend.” she adds, smiling.

She was about to ask what did Damyi wished for in return when the people started the countdown to fly the lanterns.

“3...2...1...”

Chunhwa and Damyi slowly let go of their lanterns, the place were suddenly filled with colourful lights as the lanterns of different colors fly up in the sky. The two of them watched their lanterns join the others as it fly up higher and Chunhwa turns to her maid.

“How about you? What did you wish for?”

Damyi, who was busy watching the lanterns turned to look at Chunhwa with a smile.

“I wished for My Lady to always be in her best health and that for her to be happy.”

“You didn’t have to wish for me, Damyi.” Chunhwa looks at her with surprise, touched at her maid but smiled nonetheless.

“But thank you...for wishing me to be happy.”

As the two maidens turned to watch the lanterns in the sky, a Hwarang stood a good few distance away from them— his eyes glued towards Chunhwa who was smiling brightly.

“Hyung! What are you doing there? Let’s go!”

The Hwarang took one last look at Chunhwa before turning towards the other Hwarang who was calling him.

“Alright, let’s go.”

‘You look so beautiful surrounded by those colourful lanterns....like an angel.’

Author's Note:

Sometimes, I forget that I'm typing my dialogues in English
and not in Korean lol. Anyway, I don't have anything more
to say. Only that I had another fist fight with my writer's
block and I won the battle. /insert maniac laugh here/
Hope you guys like this chapter!! 
Comments and Feedback are appreciated!

- flyingjunmyeons [20170506]