“Your heart is the size of an ocean.
Go find yourself in its hidden depths.” 

                                                                      -Rumi

It's late at night. After her long day Nam Ji Hyun should have been exhausted. But instead she is on the patio swing behind the house, a blanket around her shoulders as she gazes at the dark sky. Her mind keeps going back to what had happened earlier.

Today's kiss had not been in her plans. Despite all her admonishments to keep things uncomplicated, the minute his lips touched hers, she had been lost. She forgot what she had come there to say.
 

For those few moments all she could feel or see or think about was how good it felt to be in his arms again. But as sanity returned she realized this was just an illusion. Nothing between them could be simple. Once he knew the deception there was no knowing what could happen.

Would he ever forgive her for kissing him while she was hiding such a huge secret from him?

"I'm sorry, I can't." She pulled away, the tears threatening to come. She had to put her daughter's future first and foremost. And nothing, not the least her own heart, should get in the way.

Then, because she couldn't escape her own weakness, she had ran.  Or as close to running as possible. He had been right on her footsteps of course. And she heard his demand for answers, the whys, the talk-to-me-damn-its.

Finally he pulled her aside and for a split second the truth had hovered on her lips. But at the sight of the frustration and anger in his eyes she knew spilling it out just like that was a terrible idea. This was not a conversation to be had while emotions were running high.

"I have something to tell you," she finally confessed, though her eyes could not look at his. She feared he would see the whole truth then. 
 

"What's going on JiHyun?"

"Please, can you meet me tomorrow? There's something you should know," she finally looked at him. He must have seen the desperation in her eyes for he lets go, a frown in his eyes.

"I'll do as you ask this time. But you better have a damn good explanation. I can't play this cat and mouse game anymore. I.. I just- if you mess with me JiHyun I'll f-king break."

"I'm sorry..." she whispers brokenly. 
 

He looks like he wants to say something more; but then with a tired sigh he just pulls her close and holds her. JiHyun lets him. Even though this was a bad idea, this might be the last time before... before he hated her. And so she allows it.

"I don't know what's going on," he says into the silence between them, "But just trust me JiHyun." 

The words should be reassuring but it makes her even more afraid. Because he didn't know what he was talking about. This truth she was hiding would upend everything. His career, his family. His entire reputation. The media would not be forgiving if it found out.

Would they have to build more lies to hide this one?

She stays silent in her fear. Finally he lets go and after one last searching look he turns and is gone. She watched as his tall form disappeared into the outer galleries.

Afterwards, she couldn't say exactly how she had made it home. All she remembers is that sometime later she's back in her neighbourhood, climbing wearily up the hill as the Autumn sun dipped low in the sky.

As she walked through the Villa's gates, JiHyun heard noises from the back of the house. A little squeal of laughter makes her smile despite her tiredness. She takes a deep breath, removing any trace of worry or sadness, and walks around the house to see Imo pushing little HyeSun on the baby swing. JiHyun had climbed the tree herself this past summer to hang it up and her little daredevil begged all the time to fly in it.

"Hello, darlings" she calls out.

"Ma-ma!" comes the excited little cry. JiHyun's Aunt turns around to give her a warm hug in greeting.

"How was your day, dear?" Imo asks quietly. She knew who JiHyun had gone to meet. 

JiHyun is tempted to just sink deeper into her Aunt's comforting arms; but right now a little sixteen month-old was anxious to get her share of attention so she gives her Aunt one tight hug and tries to smile reassuringly.
 

"It went fine, Imo," she murmurs before she turns to the precious little ball of energy who was excitedly babbling away. JiHyun laughs at the way her daughter's legs kicked with excitement.

"HyeSun-ah have you been a good girl for Halmoni?" She pushes the swing gently and pretends to catch the wriggly legs which causes even more giggles to burst out.

JiHyun gives it a few more swings, listening to the mix of words and adorable nonsense that was the toddler version of a play-by-play. She smiles happily and lifts her daughter up into her arms, stealing a hug.

"Oh you have had such a busy day! Our clever HyeSun," she sneaks a kiss on those sweet cheeks, "Shall we go get your bath now? Yes? Bath time and then storytime. Shall I tell you the tale of the mermaid's daughter who saved an island?"

For the next hour or so JiHyun keeps herself busy with all the little things that tiny humans require, soaking in each sweet word and giggle. She breathes in that special lotioned, baby scent as she holds her daughter on her lap reading books together after bath time.

Imo comes by to give good night kisses and soon it is time for bed. JiHyun settles little HyeSun in the crib, marveling with a mix of bittersweetness how quickly her baby was growing. Someone, however, was being chatty and refusing to close her eyes. JiHyun smiles at her antics.

"Shall I tell you that story? Ok, hush then sweet girl and close your eyes. That's right... no peeking." Tiny eyes squeeze shut and JiHyun smiles at the adorableness. She gently pats little HyeSun on the back and decides to tell one of her favorite stories about a brave Jeju girl who had faced impossible odds.

"Once upon a time, long, long ago there was a little girl named Kim Man Deok who lived on an island. Her mother was a mermaid who dived in the ocean to gather shells to sell. Her father was an exiled noble from far off lands; however, he never knew about her. Her mother feared that if the secret came out he and his clan would be punished by the King and so she kept ManDeok's birth a secret.

The years went by and sadly her mother passed away leaving little ManDeok orphaned. But the owner of a gisaeng house adopted her and soon she was in training to become a pretty courtesan.

But little ManDeok was also quite clever. Even though the life of a gisaeng serving and entertaining government officials would have been the most that was expected of her, she wanted to become her own woman and see the world. 

Her beauty and cleverness had become well known and soon, on the basis of her father's noble birth, she petitioned the officials to have her name removed from the gisaeng registry. Her witty arguments and charming ways convinced them and thus she was freed.

With her newfound freedom she became a merchant instead. She opened an inn and started selling goods. It wasn't easy for a woman all alone to make it; but through cleverness and hard work she soon grew rich trading rice and salt. Unlike the other merchants, she used boats instead of horses to transport goods. The risk were higher on the seas but she could ship her goods faster than anyone else.
 

She lived long and prospered greatly despite her humble beginnings. But her story is not yet at an end.
 

One day a great famine struck the island and the people were starving. Seeing their suffering, Kim Man Deok opened her stores and sold off all her wealth so she could buy rice to feed the people. In this way she saved many lives.
 

Word of her great deed reached the Joseon King and he sent a messenger asking her what she would like in reward. There was one thing Kim Man Deok had longed for all her life. For 200 years her island had been a place of exile and those born there had not been allowed to leave. Despite her ships and her goods from distant shores, Kim Man Deok had never been off her island.

And so, instead of riches or noble status, the one wish Kim Man Deok requested was that she be allowed to visit the capital of Hanyang and view the 12,000 peaks of the Diamond Mountains far north on the mainland. King Jeongjo readily granted this wish and along with it  he bestowed on her a government post, the highest in the land for a woman, and an official residence in Seoul.
 

As she travelled on her journey, Kim Man Deok was greeted by villagers and people who all wanted to meet this great heroine. Poets wrote her story and exalted her virtues and