The dance competition continued well without any serious matters. A wide range of strings, winds, and percussion instruments were working in harmony with bland and graceful movements from all beautiful dancers. The clapping hands rumbled loudly adding a wide smiles from every dancers whom feeling nervous yet excited at the same time. All the placemen, retainers, and emissary were watching with joy while drinking the best rice wine and soju from Hanyang. But between those boisterousness, there were still some people whose mind was going elsewhere not much enjoying the current festival.

Kyuhyun took a glance to his concubine. Worries was faintly drawn from his eyes, curiosity was haunting his mind if Lady Seohyun were mad at him. Did she just discover his lie? He didn’t know what came into him yesterday. Why did he just say the truth that the black hairpin was meant for Queen Min. It was not a peculiar occassion to give his wife a small gift like that nor it’s the first time for him. Public image was important for royal family. Both he and lady Seohyun fully knew that his marriage with Sungmin only for political matter. No heart involved. Whatever he did in front of public with his queen only to make people knew their king and queen worked in harmony.

But this time was felt different and it scared him enough to realize that yes, a part of his heart inevitably involved in this. That was what made him couldn’t look directly at Seohyun’s eyes.

“Have you met Queen Min?” He nearly jolted as he heard his mother mentioned Sungmin’s name toward a courtlady.

“No, Daebi Mama. She is not in pavilion” the courtlady reported.

She sighed in disappoinment “Where is she now? Being a queen doesn’t mean she can avoid any custom in Gyeongbok palace!”

“Daebi Mama, please calm down” Lady Seohyun carressed her hand with concern.

Queen Mother Insoo patted her hand gently, she stared blankly toward the dance in front of her “She has changed. She is more like a stranger to me if she keep doing this”. Lady Seohyun stared at the old woman. Doubtness and a crack of the wall. That’s what she saw from Queen Mother Insoo if she looked closely. She glanced at Kyuhyun for a second, she could trace a sight of guilty a moment before he averted his eyes from her. He lied. She was sure for that. If her mother saying were true, then it might be the time for her to steal more than a heart to survive in this palace.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

It was going so fast. She cornered him to the nearest wall, planted her seducing stares toward him fused along with  a steamy breath which successfully made the male stucked like a statue. Then she tilted her head, his neck hardly, and let out a swishing moan which made any men might fall over heels begging for their desire to be fulfilled.

For a second he was nearly being drifted into it much for Hangeng to pull his sane back and take a good control of it as he pushed the female off from him “I think our conversation have to end here Hwang Miyoung-shi. I have someone to meet now and you also have competition to do” he said as he started to walk out but a pair of slender arms wrapped him again from behind.

“I love you, Hangeng shi. Don’t you realize that?” She said in desperate tones. For the first time in her life, the femme fatal Hwang Miyoung was begging for love. She rested her forehead on his back. Eyes closed as she tried to all his scent into her, not letting anyone to have him.

“Miyoung-shi”

“What does he have that I don’t? He’s man, Hangeng shi. You don’t know all about him. He’s dangerous. There is even a rumour about that Gisaeng becoming a part of these recent rebel society”

Hangeng shook his head, stood still with his former position “No. You’re lying”. He’s sure Heechul was merely an excentric guy who had an odd hobby of crossdressing. He would laugh out loud how a person who never even killed a fly like Heechul could be a member of a dangerous group like that.

Miyoung rolled his body to her direction “How if it is true?”

Hangeng looked at her and smiled “It’s worth the bet. I have nothing to lose... Umph!!!?” He didn’t expect it’s coming when Miyoung pulled him closer and attached their lip together. He tried to retreat but Miyoung tilted her head and locked their lip even tighter same as her hold on his arms. He nearly stopped to push her as he saw tears coming out from her eyes. Why she cried? For a second he just melted into the kiss but it was only before his eyes catched Heechul stood in front of him watching their kiss with shocking look.

He quickly pushed Miyoung hard made the female forcely stepped backward “Hee...Heechul!!! ”

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

“Officer Park is here, Phea” Eunuch Kang reported the King of the said man arrival.

“I come to collect the vote, Phea” he said as he offered a paper roll toward the King.

Not in the mood to vote for best dance team since he couldn’t fully concentrating with the competition, he gave back the paper roll “My vote is as same as my mother’s. Just write the team she like the most”

The officer bowed down “Yes, Phea” said he before turned toward Queen Mother Insoo and gave her the paper roll.

When she opened the roll, the king’s mother eyes became wider as she saw Queen Min’s name which stated she had given her vote for a certain team which name was somewhat new “Queen Min has voted? Petals team? I never heard this name before. Are they good?” Kyuhyun and Seohyun’s eyes wided open, if Queen Min had voted for her favorite team, then she should be around here watching the competition.

“They aren’t new, Daebi Mama. It’s just this is their first time participates this competition”

“Which one the team is?”

“The team will be dancing just now, Daebi Mama” Officer Park said as he moved a side to make the queen mother to see clearly toward  a team dancers who just formed their first formation to perform The Sword Dance.

“But if the dance team just performing, how come Queen Min has voted before that?” Lady Seohyun protested with her logic.

Officer Park smiled “Min Mama said they were her favourite team. She had seen their dance before”

“Where is she now? The vote can’t be valid if she’s not here”

Officer Park looked hesitated for a second, doubting he could say it or not in front of the King and his mother “Actually.... Queen Min said she would watch the dance competition with common folks ”

A surprise smile was immediately pictured from Queen Mother’s face “Really? I don’t know she can be such a humble person like this. This is a good news, right lady Seohyun?”

Lady seohyun awkwardly smiled “Ye...Yes, Daebi Mama. She has changed a lot...”

“Then I want to take a look to her favourite team. They must be a great team that they can steal our Queen’s heart like this” She smiled widely as she focused to watch Petals performance for the first time.

Opposite with Queen Mother Insoo, instead of watching the performance before her, Lady Seohyun stared at Kyuhyun whose eyes seemed like to search something or maybe someone far in the crowd of folks. Failed to get what he looked for, he stood up and walked to leave his seat.

Feeling the sudden movement, Queen Mother Insoo turned to her son “Son, where are you going?!!”

The said male didn’t answer but kept walking away followed by his eunuch. Watching he left again like that, Lady Seohyun felt something inside her shrinked.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

All people watched Petals team performing sword dance in awe. It was like a new genre of dancing. Instead of showing the gentle movement of a ladylike flowers, Petals team danced with energy. It’s a military dance, but they could fuse it with smooth choreography which made it had more points for a dance of women dancers.

“What to do, what take Heenim so long to change his clothes!!” Hyoyeon showed her frustration.

“Don’t worry. He is sure our team will pass though. He is as narcisstic as that” commented Donghae while a rolled candy beside Sunkyu.

“Yes. This is the first time I agree with you fishy oppa” Sunkyu added.

“You’re welcome. Wanna candy too?” he offered his candy to her.

Sunkyu scoffed and stick her tounge “In your dream” she said before looking back at the dance performance.

Meanwhile, Sungmin also felt uneasy too. She had turned toward the entrance a couple of times. She was worried about Heechul. The man had intrude the palace once and she was sure it was just a lucky shot. If he was discovered by palace guard whom walked around as a man who wore a courtlady clothes, he would be damned. Palace rules were very strict especially about internal affair. A transgender sure was forbidden to enter the palace.

Without further ado, Sungmin stood up and walked out from the crowd. Sunkyu who noticed her movement quickly stood up  “Agashi, where do you want to go?!!”

“Let me go after her” Siwon prevented Sunkyu to follow her. Sungmin was walking so fast and he had a hunch where the exact place the Queen headed to since he was the one who inform Heechul where the safest place for him to change his courtlady clothes.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

“Heechul, Please !!” Hangeng tried to catch up Heechul but the said man just ignoring him and quickening his walks as far as possible from the chinese man.

But being a warrior with trained muscle as he was, he successfully grabbed Heechul’s hand and stopped him “Heechul, I can explain!!”

Heechul stopped and glared dagger toward Hangeng “There’s nothing you need to explain” he pulled his hand hardly from the chinese man “I am sorry for interupting your y moment Hangeng shi. The place is dark, you even can make a baby there” he scoffed then walked away again. Heechul was pissed up. Really pissed up and the fact that he didn’t have right to be upset pissed up even more.

He hated himself. Why he was being like that. Being like a woman was his hobby, didn’t mean he should have a weak heart like a woman too. But what was this liquid that just coming out from his eyes? Was he crying. He blamed the dust which flying on the air, intruding his eyes and made them released the water to clear it all.

Then a familiar hand pulled him again. He struggled but the latter’s grip was too strong “Listen to me!!”

“No!!! Why I have to listen to you?!!”

“BECAUSE THERE’S THING I NEED TO EXPLAIN !!!!!” Hangeng shouted at him for the first time. Hangeng always been gentle. Never he had shouted to people who went harsh toward him nor he cursed at them. He’s only the one who could stay cool when Heechul was being like a menopause and throw tanthrum to everyone. This was a new thing for Heechul. His eyes grew bigger while his body frozed with his position, staring blankly at the chinese man and questioning himself was this really Hangeng the person who just shouted at him earlier.

“Do you have any idea why I comeback to Hanyang again?”

A flash of the kissing scene between Hangeng and Miyoung came into his mind again. Angers which paused for a moment earlier soon running crazily behind his eyes “I said I don’t need your explanation, right?” he said then scoffed. He pulled his own hand but failed because the chinese man stayed still grabbing his wrist tightly.

Heechul didn’t know what made him became this weak all of a sudden. He could retreat or even hit his face with his pure strength if he truly wanted it. But the other male’s eyes made him drowning not had a single chance to take a breath as he pulled him into a kiss, pressed his lip hard then bit his lower lip without a single tenderness for every gentleman should have.

Words were useless for Heechul. Hangeng was sure about it. That’s why he choosed act before speaking his true feeling. He knew this was much different from all the kiss he got with women. He also knew he just taking a risk for a forbidden relationship which still considered as taboo in Jonseong. He had thought about this so long after all.

Meanwhile, not so far from them, Prince Yesung with Jongjin and Sungjin were accidentally watching Hangeng and Heechul were kissing. Jongjin and Sungjin who never experienced a kiss by lip and lip before,  were frozed with mouth hanging open “Wo... Woaaaa.... I don’t know Hangeng Gege could be like this...”

“Me neither” Sungjin agreed with Jongjin.

But Yesung thought different. He could recognized Hangeng, but what more surprised him was the person that chinese man kissed. He was sure that person was the courtlady King Kyuhyun scolded to before because of her unpolite manner but this time with a different clothes.

 Then suddenly his eyes were blocked “Hyung, you can’t see this”

Yesung quickly dismissed Jongjin’s hand from his eyes “Yah, I am older than you!”

“Hyung, is there Queen Min?!!!” Sungjin pointed out toward a female who stood as opposite direction as them, also watching the couple kissing. But what made prince Yesung concerned about was not the reason why Queen Min stood there outside the palace with regular clothes but more to the person who stood not far behind her watching the queen with unreadable expression.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

The kiss slowly ended when Heechul stopped struggling but giving up. He was shocked yet couldn’t believe this was happening. He thought his love for the chinese man was only one sided “Hang—Hangeng...”

“Call me Hankyung, just like the way you called me 3 years ago...” He gently whispered.

“I...I thought you left Jonseong because of me. Because you felt disgusted after getting a confession from a person like m—umph” Hangeng stopped his mouth with a finger.

“I told you I didn’t have any reason to not come back. I left Jonseong not because of you. You know my job, don’t you? I also had thought about this while I was in China” Hangeng explained with smile.

Right when Hangeng started to carress Heechul’s face, rain started drizzling slowly from the sky above them. Heechul was quickly reminded with the dance competition so he took a step behind from their recent body contact “We have to go to meet the others...” Heechul said a bit shyly as he turned to go back to his friends but he stopped when saw Sungmin stood before him.

“Su...sungmin-shi?!! Since when...” Heechul said with surprise. Seeing how Sungmin looked, he felt worried. Not because he might be caught kissing with Hangeng but more about how Sungmin’s expression toward him. He didn’t care what people thought about his preference toward men since he’s as free spirit as he was. If they didn’t like then let they be. But Sungmin’s hurtful expression spoke different. The tears from her eyes were telling him that the fact Heechul liked men not the issue. For all tears he saw in his life, watching Sungmin’s tears was the only woman tears that made him feeling uneasy.

As Heechul tried to approach her, Sungmin was back to her sense and turning back then ran away through the drizzling. She was tired of this. She told herself many times. She knew from begining that she and Heechul not meant to be together but secretly friend. She’s the queen of Jonseong with high pride yet a married woman. Then Heechul, a transgender gisaeng who could pull her weakness out to the surface and embraced her without asking any recompense.

However why she could feel the same jealousy as like she watched Kyuhyun and lady Seohyun were kissing before her eyes? She kept shaking her head that the hurtful feeling was different. But her tears said just opposite. She felt enough. There’s no place in her heart to store this new feeling. She came to Heechul was to seek comfort, to forget who she was, to make time running faster.

But this can’t be...

Not another love...

She was running and running. But soon she had to stop once a hand stopped her and pulled her hand. Sungmin tried to retreat not knowing who the person was. She didn’t see the person’s face, a slight of fear came to her that it would be a hand of a stranger. The grip was tightened as she kept struggling to escape. She wanted to scream but she knew it’s useless.

“Gongjunim, it’s me!!!!”

Sungmin stopped as she recognized who the person was.

‘Siwon....’

“Are you okay? It’s raining, you could have a cold” Siwon said with worries after loosening his hold on Sungmin. After then, he circled his over cloak to cover her head.

Sungmin stared at him for a second then threw herself to Siwon’s chest. She clutched the fabric of his clothes then let out small sniffles as she buried her face on it. Siwon felt surprised that this was the closest contact he ever got with the queen. His heart were racing rapidly, maybe more faster than the shaking shoulder of the female. But he could deal with his heart later, the most important thing right now was Sungmin. He wanted to comfort her so he moved his arms to wrap the female to keep her warm. For Siwon, this moment, was the most beautiful thing he ever had.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

Back to the place where Heechul and Hangeng were, as he saw Sungmin ran away from him with tears, Heechul couldn’t hold the urge to go after her. He didn’t know what came on to him as he thought he needed to explain to Sungmin, eventhough he wasn’t sure what exactly he had to explain since there’s nothing to be explained from begining.

But he had to stop once someone held his fore arm harshly then pushed him quite hard as he had to step backward to stay balance.

“What the—“ Heechul shouted at the person but quickly pulled his curse back as he saw who the person who just glared dagger toward him. He recognized the person eventhough he was wearing a cloak right now. He just met him in the Gyeongbok palace this day. The King.

“Phea...” Hangeng who just come after Heechul bowed toward King Cho. But the man only saved his eyes to the gisaeng.

“Who are you?!” he said with grithing his teeth.

Heechul frozed. He didn’t what to say after. He could introduce himself again as Kim Heesun if he was still wearing the courtlady costume. But this time was not. Right when he opened his mouth, a group of men with uniform came.

“Excuse me, are you Kim Heechul?”

Heechul glanced at the man. The man with Jonseong police uniform showed his badge then said “You’re under arrest”

TBC