(Morning, Soondeok rose early as usual and rode out of the city, to the tree she’s always been to. The ride didn’t cheer her up like she had hoped. Exhausted, she sat under the tree, thinking by herself. She touches her lips with her fingers, wondering if the prince’s kisses really did happen the night before, all it was all but a dream, a very nice dream.)

‘What’s gotten into him? Why’s he suddenly…so nice to me? Why all of a sudden…it’s like my dream has come true…Why?’

(The horse neighs)

‘Ya, what are you neighing for? I should be the one sighing now girl.’

(The horse continues munching on the grass)

‘You’re lucky you don’t have to worry about your husband you know. You don’t have to worry about him liking another horse…you should be grateful, you know that?’

‘Soondeok ah!!!!’

‘Guess I am getting crazy. Now I can even hear the prince calling my name…I must be having hallucinations…’

‘PARK SOONDEOK!!!!!!!!! SOONDEOK AH!!!!!!!!’

(Soondeok turns around and sure enough, from afar, she can see Eun riding towards her, calling her name, she’s not crazy after all.)

-------------------------------------------

‘Ya! Soondeok ah, I thought I told you we’d ride here together! Why did you dump me all alone at home?’

‘Your…your highness…how did you manage to find me here?’

‘This is your favourite spot, you think I wouldn’t know? How can you enjoy the morning ride all by yourself? What about me? And what if you faint or something? What if your heart fails all of a sudden? Who will take care of you then, huh?’

‘Your highness…how…how did you know about my heart’s problem? I…’

‘You fool, don’t you ever do that again, understand? You got me worried sick!’

‘I…I’m sorry…it won’t happen again.’

(Soondeok turns around to leave, Eun steps in front of her. She turns the other way, Eun gets in her way again.)

‘Deok ah, why are you avoiding me?’

‘I’m not, your highness…’

(Soondeok keeps her head down, dodging Eun’s eyes)

‘Oh yes I think you are. Ya, Park Soondeok, I thought you said you like me.’

‘I do! I mean…I…I do like you, your highness but…’

‘But?’

‘But you’re acting so strange lately. First the hug, then those sweet words, then the…the…k…anyway, you don’t have to do this you know…like what you’ve said on our first night, you’ll keep living the way you did and so will I…’

‘Honey, we’ve been married for 2 and a half years now-’

‘Two…two and a half years already? But…but…’

(Eun lets out a sigh)

‘Oh honey, I’ve been hesitating if I should tell you or not. Deok ah, you’ve lost your memory after getting shot by an arrow, after passing out for days.’

(Soondeok stares at him with questioning eyes)

‘Try to remember, Deok ah. You blocked the arrow to save me and-’

‘Wait. Your highness…hold on a second. So are you saying that I’ve lost my memory?’

‘Yes!’

‘And that…we only have around 6 months till our 3^rd anniversary?’

‘Yes! Oh thank goodness, please start remembering!’

‘Then…that means…we only have 6 months till the divorce, right?’

‘What?’

‘So that’s why you’re suddenly being so nice to me, because it’ll all be over in 6 months…is that right?’

(Eun facepalms himself)

‘Darn it, Deok ah! That’s not going to happen!’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I love you!’

‘Which is what I think is strange, your highness. You don’t love me but you say you do.’

‘Wa…wa just…daebak! Gosh! How do you want me to prove to you that I love you now? That I no longer want to be separated from you? That I want to spend the rest of my life with you? That I could even die for you? Tell me! How do you want me to prove it to you?’

‘I…I really don’t know, your highness…’

(Silence. Eun doing his best to calm down. Suddenly Soondeok’s stomach starts growling)

‘Was that you?’

‘I…I’m sorry, your highness.’

‘Sorry, what for? It’s not your fault that you’re hungry. Aigoo, this is what happens when you skip your breakfast, honey. You should thank me though, I’ve packed something for us to eat, here.’

(Eun places a box of rice balls on Soondeok’s lap after telling her to sit down)

‘No pickles inside this one, I know you don’t like pickles. Here, open wide, say ah~’

(Soondeok freezes)

‘Come on, open your mouth, Deok ah.’

(Soondeok remains motionless)

‘I…I can eat it myself, your highness…’

‘Fine.’

(Eun gives one to Soondeok then swallows one himself)

‘Your…your highness…’

‘Hmm?’

(Soondeok keeps staring at her food)

‘Is it true, everything that you said…is it true? You’re not lying to me, right?’

‘Of course it’s true! Why would I lie to you?’

‘Then…why would I forget something like that? If what you’ve said is true…if your highness really does love me, like what you’ve said and we’ve shared many happy moments together…why would I forget them? Those precious memories…how could I let that all go?’

‘Deok ah, don’t blame yourself. No one would’ve thought it’d end up this way.’

‘And your highness is having a hard time because I can’t remember…’

‘I’m fine, honey. I’m just happy that you’re healthy and alive right now.’

‘I want to remember, I really do…What happened, your highness? What happened during the past year or so that made you…like me? What happened?’

‘It’s not something I can sum up in a single sentence, Deok ah.’

‘Is there anyway for me to know then?’

(Eun thinks real hard)

‘Ah! Deok ah, you still have your diary with you, right?’

‘How did you know I keep a diary, your highness? You…you didn’t read it did you?’

‘Relax, I didn’t read it, don’t you worry. I’m simply suggesting that you can read your diary, that way you’ll know what happened…the good moments…the sad moments…who knows, maybe you’ve written it all down in there.’

‘Sad moments? Like what?’

(Silence)

‘On second thought…maybe it’s because of the sad moments, Deok ah, that you have chosen to forget everything, to erase everything…maybe it’s best for you not to remember…’

‘Your highness, please tell me. What sad moments? How sad…how sad does it get?’

(Soondeok looks at Eun, wanting to know more. Eun can’t decide it himself, whether he’s doing the right thing or not. Maybe it’s best if Soondeok just forget all the sad parts of their marriage and move on.)

‘You don’t have to remember, honey…you can leave all the sad past behind you, we can just keep living the way we are now.’

(Soondeok keeps munching on her food, then replies after a long time)

‘But…no matter how sorrowful it may be…it’s still something that has happened. I don’t want to be kept away from something that’s already happened…’

‘Deok ah…’

‘I want to know, because…that’s what defines me, isn’t it?’

(Eun runs his fingers through Soondeok’s hair)

‘You sound just like yourself. I guess some things never change.’

--------------------------------------

Soondeok’s diary

I don’t know what to expect. I want to read this diary, I really do, but it seems odd, I can’t bring myself to flip through the pages. It’s my past, yet why do I feel like I’m invading someone’s privacy by reading it? What if, like what the prince said, it’s best to not read it at all and continue living like we are now? What if the things I’m about to read are too much for me to handle? What if I don’t want to face it?

The prince does seem sincere about his love for me, and I’m dying to know how it all ended up like so. Is he telling the truth or is it just pretending? Can I trust him? Can I trust myself?

Man, all these thoughts is driving me crazy! Oh I don’t care anymore, I’ll just read it, I’ll just read it and get it over and done with!

Eun’s dairy

Good news, my wife is awake.

Bad news, my wife can’t remember me. Not that she can’t remember who I am, but she literally forgot everything that has happened. All of a sudden, there’s a barrier between us, all of a sudden it’s like she’s become another person. How am I supposed to explain everything to her? I’ve done many things to her, many bad things to her, how can I bring myself to apologize to her again? How can she endure the loss once again? It’s all my fault.

I just hope that she won’t get blown too hard by it, all the events that she has written down in her diary. Soondeok, my dear Soondeok ah, please come back to me. Please wake up, please remember, please, oh please.

--------------------------------------

(Night. Eun gives Soondeok a cup of water to drink.)

‘How are you taking it all in, Deok ah?’

‘This diary…her diary, I mean…my diary…it’s like reading through a novel, your highness.’

‘Our marriage does seem like it, too eventful to be real.’

‘Like what you’ve said…many…unfortunate things did happen.’

‘You can cry if you want…’

‘Oh I don’t feel like crying…but this…it feels so distant. As if it has nothing to do with me…like I’m reading the story of someone else…someone not me.’

(Eun wraps his arms around her shoulders)

‘It’s getting late, Deok ah, you should sleep. You can read it again tomorrow.’

‘I love you, Oppa.’

‘Hm? Say that again?’

‘I love you, Oppa…I used to say that a lot, don’t I?’

‘Oh…um…yes, that’s right.’

‘Then…do you say it too? That you love me, to me?’

‘I…of course I do.’

(Soondeok touches the diary after closing it)

‘She’s lucky…to hear you say it.’

‘You’re her, she’s you, Deok ah.’

‘Still…’

(Soondeok walks over to their bed, tired – Eun thinks for a moment then calls from behind)

‘I love you, Soondeok ah!’

(Soondeok turns around, Eun smiles at her)

‘My wife, I love you~’

(Eun raises his hands and does a heart)

‘Your highness…’

(Eun walks up to her)

‘Don’t be envy of yourself, Deok ah, because I’ll be saying these words to you every single day. I promise. Come on, let’s sleep.’

-----------------------------------

(Both getting ready for bed)

‘Will it make you uncomfortable, your highness? Me sleeping with you on the same bed…’

‘It’s fine, just fine. I don’t kick around as much as I used to in my sleep…Ah right! I almost forgot!’

(Eun leaves the bed to get something then returns with a small make-up container)

‘Here.’

‘What’s this, your highness?’

‘Gift. Mother bought it for you. It’ll help remove the scar, she said. See, just put the lotion on your scar twice a day, it’ll be gone before long.’

‘S…should I do it now?’

‘Yes you should. Go on.’

‘Well…’

(Awkward silence)

‘What are you waiting for, Deok ah?’

(Soondeok blushes)

‘I…your highness…I…’

(Eun suddenly gets it)

‘Ah…oh I see, I’ll leave the room, you can put it on alone.’

‘Thank you, your highness…’

‘No worries.’

-----------------------------

(Eun returns to the room after a while)

‘Done?’

‘Yeah, done.’

‘Good, let’s sleep.’

(Eun blows out the candle, Soondeok pulls the blanket up high, all the way up to her nose. Eun laughs.)

‘Ya~ Honey, what are you doing? You don’t have to pull the blanket up, it’s not like I’ll attack you or something.’

‘Just…in case…Your highness can be real bad sometimes, I’m told.’

‘Told by whom? Yourself? From the diary?’

‘It’s best you keep your distance, your highness, or I might break your bone by accident.’

‘Well, I should be happy that you didn’t when I kissed you last night.’

‘Please stop mentioning it, your highness, it’s embarrassing…’

‘Ya! What’s so embarrassing about that?  We’re husband and wife, there’s nothing wrong with it. Kissing is nothing compared with what we’re capable of doing. Want me to demonstrate?’

(Soondeok shuffles away a bit)

‘I’ll break your bones, really I will - if your highness do it. I’m serious.’

‘Well, if you break my bone, will you be the one taking care of me then? If so, please break every single bone in my body.’

‘Your highness!’

‘Just kidding! Gosh, stop being so serious! Ha! Aigoo…not sure how long I can hold it in…’

(Silence)

‘Your highness.’

‘Hm? What?’

‘We had a baby…right?’

‘That…that’s right. Why ask so unexpectedly?’

‘Your highness, why did you name the baby? Byul…Why did you bother naming the baby even though it died?’

‘You’ve never asked this question before, about our Byul…’

‘Oh, I’m sorry…I…I didn’t mean to make you remember…I’m sorry…forget it-’

‘Maybe it’s because I don’t want to forget, Deok ah. I want to give our child a name, so that I won’t have to call our child “it”…By giving our baby a name, it’s kind of reminding the universe…reminding myself, that a child, a special child, has once been here, that our child is not…not just nothing…’

(Silence)

‘Your highness.’

‘Hm?’

‘After our house is finished, let’s start adopting kids.’

‘Why the hurry?’

‘It’s not like we’re getting any younger, your highness…’

‘Still, I’d like to spend just a bit more time with you, alone.’

‘You think I’ll love you less if we have kids? Do you not have confidence in yourself, your highness?’

‘I…of…of course not! Ya, Park Soondeok, I’m simply saying that I’d like to, you know, be a little bit more mature before I become a father.’

‘But your highness…will you ever become mature?’

‘Are you saying I’m still a kid?’

‘No! I’m just-’

(But before Soondeok can defend herself, Eun flips over and pins her down)

‘Ya! Your highness! What are you doing?’

(Eun deepens his voice)

‘This is what happens when you start doubting my age.’

‘I’m not, I’m just saying that-’

‘Defending yourself now, hm? Just admit it Soondeok ah, you still think I’m a kid, a prince who knows nothing.’

‘Certainly not, your highness! I…I…well I…’

(Soondeok’s heart racing like mad, she’s scared of what her husband might do next, yet she’s kind of happy. At long last, Eun kisses her on the forehead then gets back to his side of the bed.)

‘Consider yourself lucky. If it was your old self, I would’ve…’

‘Would’ve what?’

‘I would’ve made you beg for mercy by now…oh never mind.’

(Silence)

‘Your highness…What if my memories will never come back? Will you hate me then? After all…it’s not me you’ve fallen in love with…it’s her…’

‘Honey, what nonsense is that? I love you, you, Soondeok. Just because you’re sick right now doesn’t mean I’ll abandon you. I’ll never do that, Deok ah, never. I’m not like my father.’

(Touched, Soondeok feels for Eun’s face in the dark, then gently lifting her head up to kiss her husband…for the ‘first time’. Eun swiftly grasps his chance and grins as he receives her kiss passionately.)

‘Oh Deok ah…’

(Soondeok’s hand moves down to his neck, her fingers running behind his ears as both of them keeps their lips busy. Soondeok doesn’t have to think, it’s like her body knows what to do next. Eun takes a deep breath then leaves the bed, after struggling a great deal.)

‘I…I’ll have to go.’

‘Where are you going, your highness?’

‘Out to jog. It’s been a long time…Don’t worry, I won’t rush you, go ahead and sleep first, I’ll be back soon.’

‘Is it my fault, your highness?’

‘It’s not your fault, rest assure it’s not. I just need to get some fresh air. Night.’