Nicole sat outside the courtyard as she stared up at the sky that was tainted orange and pink. She thought about it and realized she would've really married off today if it wasn't for her father. Madam Jung took a seat next to her daughter as she began the side of her face.

"My Yong-Joo," she softly spoke, "is there someone that you have in mind?"

"Umma...I dare not..." She quickly lowered her head.

"I know it's Bang Yongguk," her mother lifted her chin up, "I wasn't suppose to tell you but your father and I would like for Yongguk to become our son in law ourselves too." She smiled.

"Then why isn't an arrangement happening?" Nicole asked confused.

"Your father wants him to come and ask for your hand himself..." She brushed back the small hair behind Nicole's ear, "Yongguk is a wise man, he'll figure it out somehow don't you think?" Her mother questioned her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the two of you, but Miss Nicole the Young Sir Bang came by earlier but was turned down because you guys had a visitor..."

"Yongguk came by?" Nicole stood up.

"Don't follow me, I'm just going out for some fresh air," Yongguk informed his servants as he step outside the front gates of their resident.

"Ari, don't wait up for me...I'll be back home okay?" Without being further questioned Nicole left her resident and made her way towards the hilltop.

The night breeze was calm as the willow tree swayed back and forth peacefully. Yongguk sat beside the willow tree as she stared out towards the river as the moons reflection shimmered. He wrapped both of his arms around his curled up knees against his chest.

"I thought I'll find you here..." Nicole said, as she slowly sat down beside him.

"Nicole..." His eyes widen surprised by Nicole's presence, "why did you come alone at such time?" He asked her worried.

"I'm okay right?" A small giggle escaped , "Yongguk..." she soften her tone, "someone came to ask for my hand today..."

"Really?" As he searched his sleeves for the jaded hairpin.

Nicole looked at Yongguk who didn't seem to care, wasn't he a bit hurt that someone had come and asked for her hand?  Wasn't he afraid of losing her? Did he not care? All these thoughts boiled deep down in her mind. She wanted to blurt out the words her mother had told her but she refused to, if he did truly love her he would come and ask himself without being notified.

"What did your father say?" He asked her while he was still searching his sleeves.

"He refused...because....because...." Nicole began faltering as she held back the words she wanted to say.

"Because you're his only daughter and he'll miss you," Yongguk gave up and realized he had left the hairpin in his dresser.

"Yeah...maybe..."

Yongguk saw Nicole's expression, he then stood up as he looked at the willow leafs, "Wah isn't this beautiful?" he asked trying to change the subject. He turned around to find Nicole already walking away as her hair and chima blouse swayed with the wind.

"It's not like her to leave silently..." he thought to himself as he quickly followed behind her, making sure she got home safety.

"What?!" Himchan complained in the early morning of his fathers study room, "a marriage?! Appa!" he was outraged.

"Don't worry she refused..."

"What?! she refused?!" he was now getting more angry due to being rejected though he didn't want this marriage anyways.

"But," Sir Kim let out a heavy sigh, "I'll go to the Jung's Residence myself and ask Sir Jung another request."

"Appa, why bother with a family who thinks their to good for ours?"

"Because their daughter Jung Nicole Yong Joo is the only girl in our town that I want as my daughter in law."

"Nicole?? What kind of name is they?" Himchan stook out his tongue displeased by her name, "Appa...have you ever thought about what I wanted?" he soften his voice as he lowered his head.

"You're already at the age where you should be finding yourself a wife, but since you lacked that I decided to step in. " He closed his book as he stared at his son who stood in front of him, "you refuse because you haven't seen her yet. You're not satisfied because of her name, but listen my son, Jung Nicole Yong Joo has a heart made of jade, she's beautiful kinda and loved by a lot of the townsmen, she's smart and have eyes like the moon." He smiled toward his son, "that's the kind of daughter law that I wish to have..."

"You can't always have what you want..." Himchan replied, "all the things I've done because of you...and now this, I just can't take it anymore!" Himchan slam his fathers desk before rushing out of the study room.

"Young Master where are you going?!" his servants followed behind.

"I'm going out for some fresh air!!! What else?!!!" Himchan barked, "Don't you guys dare follow behind!!"

"Let him go," Himchan turned around and saw his father standing by the front door of his study room, "let him go." Himchan heard his father repeating those words then turned back around and stormed off.

"Yongguk-ah," Sir Bang took the seat beside Yongguk who was sitting outside in the courtyard dazing off towards the morning sky.

"Oh Appa," Yongguk bowed toward his father, "do you have something to ask me?" he questioned.

"It's about time you find yourself a wife don't you think?" He smiled.

"Appa..."

"Is there someone that you like or love?"

"Appa, I dare not think of love." He quickly lowered his head, "but I do have a request..."

"Jung Nicole Yong Joo?" His father smiled, "me and your mother have already talk about it with one another...she's a girl with a heart made of jade...beautiful, kind, smart and loving."

"Appa, are you serious?" Yongguk's smile appeared as his father nod his head in agreement.

"Listen closely..." his father now tighten his tone, "remember a man of his own voice is able to pick the hand of his own wife, a man of another voice is unable to take the hand of a wife."

"A man of his own voice is able to pick the hand of his wife..." Yongguk whispered those words to himself, "Ah I understand," Yongguk smiled, "I understand..."

Ari stared at Nicole who seemed weak and fragile that morning. The dark circle under her eyes told itself. Nicole step out from the living space after having eaten her breakfast, the suns ray hit her pale skin as she squinted her tired eyes.

"Ari, let's go to the market today." She requested.

"You don't look to well miss..." Ari replied, "maybe you should rest today."

Nicole ignored Ari and walked out the gates, Ari unable to sway Nicole's mind followed behind. When they got to the market, Ari realized Nicole who kept touching the side of her forehead. Nicole felt her vision going in and out of blurryness but yet she kept on walking. She thought about the dream that she had last night, Nicole turned around to face Ari.

"Ari..." Nicole seemed out of breath, "it's a bit...it's a bit.." Nicole felt her knees giving up as everything around her started moving in slow motion before her eyes closed she say Ari standing in front of her and then a man who seemed about Yongguk's age rushing to grab for Nicole, "Yongguk-ah..." Nicole then blackout.

"She isn't home?" Yongguk asked disappointed being turned twice in a row now, "just tell her I had come by." he head back home.

Nicole opened her eyes as she examined the room she was in, she turned her head to the right side of her and saw Ari sitting down with her head down, beside Ari was the man that seemed to be about Yongguk's age. 

"I'm sorry to have brought you to the towns hospital though your servant refused, you didn't seem to be in a good condition and I couldn't risk your life."

"Thank you," Nicole smiled lightly as she sat up, "I must pay you back somehow..."

"No need," he smiled.

"No, I owe you a favor then." She smiled.

"I should be going now," He stood up to leave.

"I'm sorry but may I know your name?" Nicole asked.

"My names Kim Himchan," with that Himchan left.

"I'm sorry miss Nicole." Ari lowered her head.

"It's okay," She smiled," let's go home Ari."

"But..."

"When we get home I promise to drink some medicine and rest..." Nicole stood up and Ari followed behind.

To Nicole's surprise it was already dark outside, she must've slept for a long time she thought to herself. The two reached Nicole's house as they entered quickly.  She changed into her sleepwear, before she was about to blow out her candle light Ari enter room.

"I'm sorry to bother you miss, but the young Sir Bang came by once again." Ari smiled as she then left Nicole to be alone.

"Yongguk came by?" Nicole smiled to herself before she blew out the candle and laid on her mattress in the dark, "he came by once again...." she then fell asleep. 

"What a beautiful girl she is..." Himchan lied on his cotton mattress in the dark, "that Nicole Yong Joo better be twice as beautiful as the girl that I met today..." he pouted his lips in the dark, "what a shame I didn't get her name..." he sigh, "but if fate allows, I'll meet her again..." he smiled at the thought of Nicole he then slowly closed his eyes, "me a favor?" was the last thing that escaped Himchan's lip before he doze off to a deep sleep.

The morning air filled Yongguk's lung as he inhale it in and the exhaling it out. He had finished breakfast as he stretched outside in the courtyard. Nicole was now standing outside the Bangs residence to her surprise their gates were open, Nicole hid behind the wall as she slowly peeked behind the gate doors as she spotted Yongguk, as he turned towards her direction she quickly hid back. Yongguk smiled to himself from the corner of his eyes he had already caught Nicole.

"Waaah, I can't believe that in the early morning I would have such a stalker following me." He said out loud as a smile crossed his face.

"Who are you calling a stalker?!" Nicole quickly revealed herself as she pouted her lips....she then sheepishly lowered her head.

"What are you doing here?" He asked inching towards her.

"Stop," she held out her hands, and smiled.

Nicole then used her right hand as she stuck out her pinky then bowing before walking away. Yongguk and Nicole had used that as their secret code to meet up at the hilltop since they were little kids.

"Wah," he let out a heavy sigh as a smile swept across his face.