CHAPTER TEN

    the summer breeze whipped through hee-song's hair. her lips dry and painfully chapped, her face pale and loss of color, and her eyes closed shut not wanting to look at the world. she felt her body being held tightly to another; perhaps even bridal-style. she tried to open her eyes, but they stayed shut. 

she groaned in pain from all the pain she had endured while being questioned, "why did you do it? why couldn't you just answer honestly? wae?" the familiar voice asked. hee-song felt her eyes water under her eyelids and then opened her eyes slowly; adjusting the brightness of the sun, she could identify the man who held her in his arms.

"let me down. please, don't try to help me anymore. we don't have a relationship whatsoever. it was all a mistake! i get it! we were never meant for each other!" she cried and tried to push herself out of se-hun's arms, but his strong grip held her close to his chest. she could feel his heart beating faster every second. every living second.

he gripped her and gritted his teeth, "hee-song, please don't do this. we need to tend your wounds or else you can die from letting those open wounds be exposed to bacteria." se-hun then stopped at the servant's quarters and politely asked for alcohol. hee-song bit her lower lip, "it doesn't hurt. i did this so you can be joseon's king, so please just leave me alone!" she cried. the king didn't look at her, "what king? king of joseon? are you really my hee-song? hee-song who flew off the cliff with me in 2012? the hee-song i loved even if i was a kingka? the hee-song that-" she enloped him in a lingering kiss.

se-hun's shaking head wrapped around hee-song's neck, and she pulled away from the kiss, "i can't... i can't do this anymore se-hun. you're the king, married to a beautiful queen, and i'm a palace maid who is engaged to a player. se-hun, i want to go back home!" she sobbed in his chest. 

the king softly patted her back, "it's okay hee-song... i will love you even as king of joseon..." he laid his head on hers.

      jong-in waited outside of the king's quarters, pacing back and forth, he thought about hee-song. how was she? was she okay? did she ... die? he shook his head at the thought and kicked a rock in anger. why didn't he go save her? if it was him, would he have a better chance to be with her?

he heard the familiar storm of many feet walking towards the king's quarters and quickly stood out of the way and bowed as se-hun walked towards him, "your wife is waiting for you... she's in the servant's quarters." he mumbled and walked past his friend.

jong-in stayed in his bowing position and felt his legs start to shake, 'your wife is waiting for you...' he stood up glaring after se-hun's back and his heel. jealousy fired up inside jong-in's heart.

'i usually don't like only one girl, but... i really like her.' he thought.

'i really like her...'

      hee-song adjusted her skirt and limped over to the doors, and was surprised by jong-in suddenly opening them. she hicupped and placed her hand on her chest, "omo, you scared me," she sighed in relief. the player grinned, "are you okay? did they treat you?" he asked trying to hold back all the questions in his head. 

hee-song gave him a small smile, "i feel much better after i applied alcohol. what are you doing here? i won't be getting home until dusk..." she asked oblivious to the fact that the boy has a strong admiration towards her. jong-in cocked his head; didn't se-hun just say she was waiting for him? 

"i came to check up on you..." he began but was cut off by hee-song, "don't worry. i'm a strong girl, and i can take care of myself. just because we're engaged does not mean you need to play the role too. don't you know? marriage in joseon is only to bear children for the family and live out the family name." she coldly walked pass him and sniffed. 

jong-in couldn't take his eyes off her, "hee-song-ssi... how come you don't stay at home and be pretty like the other girls? why must you be a palace maid?" he asked. hee-song dropped a tea-pot and cut herself as she picked the broken glasses. she began to cry, and jong-in grabbed a cloth and wrapped it around her bloody hand, and picked up the other broken glass pieces.

"stop trying to be strong. i know you're just as sensitive as a three year-old." he said calmly. hee-song pouted at him, "shut up. you don't know anything about me..." jong-in looked up at her from his hat and smirked, "i know you much more than you think i do... truth is, we're very alike hee-song-ssi." 

the maid scoffed, "you just want to-" "you think you're very strong, but inside you bury all your feelings. you act like everything is okay, but it's not so you waste your time on meaningless things. also... you think you really love someone, but you feel that your heart is trying to push them away... we're very alike." jong-in interrupted. the maid stayed silent for a while, "jong-in-ssi... do you like me?" 

"yes. a lot." he answered calmly not even hesitating. jong-in, himself, was as shocked as she was. she blushed and looked away, "well... it takes time, but ... i hope we become friends first."

"yes. very good friends." he mumbled and looked back up in hee-song's eyes, "what's this? are you blushing? ha-finally you smile at me!" he chuckled with a lop-sided smile. hee-song tried to form her lips into a pout, but ended up smiling wider, "no... i'm just thinking about the good things in life. i hate being sad and mopey."

jong-in looked down, "don't we all?" he asked. hee-song looked down at him, and was quickly greeted with a peck on the lips. jong-in stood up and set the broken glass pieces on the wooden table, "be careful with the glass. i'll see you sometime later. take care, hee-song."

hee-song watched the boy leave, and slowly make his way to the gate. she sighed and puffed out her cheeks, "aish, this puzzling life..." 

"chonna..." ji-young bowed with her fake smile plastered on her face. se-hun gave her a sour look and then looked away, "what? what do you want besides me heart, which you won't ever have." he coldly asked. the queen's eyes hardened and she gritted her teeth, "chonna, why do you assume i want something?" 

the king glared at ji-young and snarled, "i know you want the throne for you and your family. i'm not stupid."

the queen raised an eyebrow at the statement and breathed out through her nose, "chonna, i have never thought of such a thing. my family is not that evil." she simply forced a smile at se-hun who was tapping his finger on his table as he glared at her.

he smiled in amusement and sighed, "ah, my queen, i know you're a good liar. it's about time you told the truth... besides... the consumption date is nearing, and i believe you're anxious for a baby boy... especially if he looks like me." he bluffed.

ji-young stared at him in shock, "chonna, you musn't speak of the crown prince in that way. mocking your own future son-" "so you have been thinking about it. ah-you really want your family to take over the thrown. forget it. i'd rather have the child with a concubine than you." 

the queen was taken aback and looked away in embarrassment, "a concubine eh? must be that girl you loved... i hate her now." 

"you really should because she almost became queen. but now, she's getting married to my best friend-oh! also, she works here as well, but i doubt you'll find her. she's too nice for you to fire. also, she's beautiful." se-hun mocked while resting his chin on the palm of his hand, "also, you probably won't like this... she has my child in her stomach."