- Lee Sugyeong, born to Lee Youngwoon and Yoon Minyoung in the Lee clan, after having served in the Royal Palace for more than six months, has again received grace from His Royal Highness, and is promoted and awarded the title 'Sugui'. Lee Sugui is expected to continue to serve the King and to assist the Queen in royal affairs. As you have been promoted and your title only ranks third after the Queen and Park Gwiin, you are also expected to guide and lead other concubines in the Palace. Do you accept this title vow to commit to the responsibilities that come with it?

The Head Eunuch announces loudly in the yard of Geoncheonggung.

Bowing his head and kneeling before the golden scroll, Sungmin replies as clearly as he can:

- I accept this title and vow to commit to the responsibilities. Thank you, Your Highness.

Behind him, Ryeowook cannot seem to hide his excitement, as if he himself is the one getting promoted, and not Sungmin.

After the ceremony, the Head Eunuch, along with other officials that had initiated the ceremony, quickly excuse themselves. Sungmin understands it. In this Palace, most officials, eunuchs and court ladies are either on the Queen's side or Park Gwiin's side. He has only been here for six months. Although he has been promoted quite fast, he still has not won anyone's favours. 'Screw it', he thinks to himself, 'I need not care what others think'. This world is too big, and there are already a lot of people in it. He cannot manage to make everyone happy at the same time.

Turning back to see a still-extremely-excited Ryeowook, he adds to his thoughts:

- Maybe I only need one Ryeowook, that's enough.

- Hyung, what are you thinking about??

Ryeowook's words pull Sungmin out of his long streak of thoughts.

- Nothing. Come inside, let me treat you with something.

- Yay! - Ryeowook cheers like a little kid seeing a candy for the first time - Hyung is the best.

If only the world is as pure as it is seen through Ryeowook's eyes, everything would be so much simpler.

*****

That night, the King spends the night in Geoncheonggung, as he has for the last two months. Geoncheonggung is the farthest gung from the King's residence, so normally, it feels like an isolated house on a prairie, rather than a royal residence. But, lately, Sungmin has found out that, just like he does, the King also likes to spend his time in peace.

Tonight, the King is in the mood for some poetry, so he has been talking to Sungmin about all his favourite pieces and his favourite authors. Sungmin could only nod and smile listening to every word spoken by the King.

- What's the matter? 

The King suddenly stops and asks him.

- Nothing, jeonha.

- You can tell me.

Sungmin hesitates for a while, then slowly admits.

- It's just that... I don't really enjoy poetry.

- Why not?

- There's no particular reason. I... just don't see a point to it.

- Really? - The King stops for a moment as if to study Sungmin's expressions, then continues - How about Yi Kyubo's 'Song of Obliviscence', where he describes his unbearable loneliness in the most beautiful words.

"The people of this world have all forgotten me;
I am alone in the four seas.
It's not just others who have forgotten me,
but my own brothers - they have forgotten me!
Today my wife forgot me;
tomorrow I'll forget myself.
Soon in heaven and earth
I'll have no ties close or distant."

The King cites the whole poem for Sungmin, as if it is something that has been engraved deep inside his brain, and is only waiting to come out.

Seeing that Sungmin is still looking hesitant, he continues.

- Or how about Chong Chol's 'Song of Mortality', where in just a few lines, she describes the tragic fate of every woman in that society. 

"If you weep for your dead husband

Your tears will roll down

Both your s.

Your milk will be salty,

your baby will be fractious.

You poor thing!

Why should anyone

Have to be born

A woman!"

- Don't you think that's beautiful?

The King looks at Sungmin expectingly. But Sungmin could only smile at him.

- You really love poetry.

- Of course, poetry is how people express themselves. It has the power to relieve one's heart, but it also has the power to touch others' hearts.

Nodding to the King's words, Sungmin slowly lets his words sink in his head.

- So, have I changed your mind? 

The King suddenly speaks up again, pulling Sungmin out of his thoughts.

- No! - Sungmin declines willfully - I still think there is no point to it!

Pulling Sungmin closer to him, the King says in the most loving way possible:

- Then starting tomorrow, I will bring one poem to you everyday, and we can study and see the point to poetry together.

- No! - Sungmin protests.

But the King only laughs at his protests, and pulls him down to the mattress. It is a sign that it is bedtime for him, and so Sungmin lies still with the King's arms gently wrapped around him.

But a few hours pass, and the King suddenly raises his question at Sungmin again.

- Sungmin, why do you hate poetry?

The King asks patiently. His eyes look at Sungmin still as gently as ever.

Hesitant for a while, Sungmin finally finds the right words to voice his thoughts. 

- Because, people should act on their feelings and desires, not write poems on them.

The King takes a long time to think about. Then, as if saddened by what was said, he replies slowly.

- But, sometimes, in life, you have no other choice than to write about what you feel. Sometimes, you can't even decide your own destiny. You're young. You're an idealist. And too naive. Some day, you will understand.

- But... you're the King. You have the most power out of anyone in this country.

- The King is probably the least powerful person in this whole country. I decide the fate of the hundreds of thousands of people in this country, but I cannot even decide my own fate.

At this, Sungmin turns to look more closely at the King, but in the darkness, he could not see clearly his facial expressions. He could only see those bright eyes staring at the ceiling. For a very long time, the room falls silent again.

Then, after what feels like forever, the King turns to wrap his arms around Sungmin and says softly into his ears.

- Sleep, my innocent darling. I hope you will never have to understand what I just said.

But Sungmin does not sleep for the next few hours. He simply cannot sleep. His mind keeps going back to distant memories of a familiar figure that once was sitting with him all night discussing poetry and tutoring him in poetry. His mind keeps going back to the lessons that his father keeps teaching him, that a person has to take their own destinies into their hands. He thinks back to all the words that Kim Heechul has always taught in his classes: "If you want something, you have to take it for yourself. No one can take care of yourself better than you".

'Even if I cannot take charge of my own fate, I will die trying'. He thinks to himself.

And sleep comes to him unpeacefully in the darkest and gloomiest of nights.

*****

The next morning, when Sungmin wakes up, the King is nowhere to be found. He must have gotten up early for a meeting, and did not want to wake him up.

Sungmin feels a little dizzy today, and his eyes are all puffy from a restless night. He gets up to dress up and calls out for Kim Jongwoon. Jongwoon is a servant that his father had secretly put in the Palace, after the events that happened in his residence last time. Jongwoon was also trained at Seowangmyeong, and he is now skilled in both martial arts and fencing. 

Jongwoon appears at his door in just a moment, bowing his head before approaching Sungmin to help him get dressed.

- Mama, is there something you need?

- Yes, did... uhm... has there been any response from Jo Yeonggam? 

- No, mama. There's been nothing, just like yesterday. 

Sungmin closes his eyes for a moment. He had expected this answer from Jongwoon, and is still disappointed to hear it. He has not received any response from Kyuhyun for the last few weeks, despite the many times that he has tried to contact him. 

- But, mama, Lee Daegam has sent you this.

Sungmin takes a small piece of paper from Jongwoon and excuses him.

When Sungmin is alone again, he takes out a book from his shelf and begins to look for the pages as written down on the piece of paper. This is a kind of code that the members of the Operation have to use in order to keep secret the information sent to each other. They would write a series of numbers, where the first number would be the page number of the book they had decided on, and then the second number is the number of columns that the word is word. The third number is the number of the word from the top to the bottom of the page. 

Sungmin quickly decodes the letter that his father had sent him and finally reads to himself the words that had been decoded.

"My dear Sungminnie,

I hope that you are still keeping safe. Have you been staying out of trouble like I had told you to? I have heard the news that you have been promoted, and makes me proud and terrified at the same time. I am scared for my child, as the higher your rank, the more eyes are on you. Please be careful, more now than ever. If you have any problem, send me a letter through Jongwoon. We back at Seowangmyeong will stop at nothing to help you.

Your father.

P/S: To answer your many letters, Kyuhyun is doing fine. He is only busy with his job and with training. If you need, I will tell him to contact you."

His father's letter always makes Sungmin feel better, but this time, it also makes Sungmin feel somewhat relieved. Kyuhyun is doing fine, he said. He is only busy, he said.

But deep down inside, Sungmin feels as if a dark cloud has resided in him, and no amount of comforting words from anyone, except for one person, can ever bring back the sunshine in him. 

'Kyuhyun ah, what are you doing now?'