"Jay...I didn't know that... I didn't know any of that. You have to believe me." I said sadly. This was not what I expected at all. I guess I was too naive to think that I would just beat everyone up again and pretend everything is normal.

"Yeah, I believe you. But what's that gonna do? Huh? If I believe you, are you gonna get my mom back? And my dad? What about my brothers that lost their lives to the devil?" He stared me down. He was still on top of me, but not in the y way anymore. Now, his weight seemed to press down on me and I felt the guilt rising up in my stomach.

"No, I can't do any of that." He slowly got off of me and stood in grief for his family.

"I know." He said to the ground.

"I'm sorry that I can't change what has already happened." I said. "But I can change the future for both my family and your family. Maybe I can get your whole family a house and financial support. If I can convince my father, I can also invite you and your brothers to meals at my house. How many brothers do you have? I'll get you seats at the dining ta"--

"No."

I was confused. First he sobs to me about his terrible past...and then rejects a super great deal?

"Why?" I asked, almost at loss of words.

"Thanks for the offer, but your father's an . He won't allow any of that to happen."

"Hey, that's my father you're talking about!" I stood up and glared at him. But I immediately lowered my eyes when I remembered that this wasn't the best time to defend my family. "I'm...just kidding. I mean... I know my father can be really mean sometimes."

"Really mean? Sending my mom to ion and killing my dad in a brutal way is mean? No, that's cruel. It's inhumane. Barbaric. Satanic."

My face grew red in anger, because he insulted my father. King Abel does have a good side, Jay just haven't seen it yet. I was mad. Really mad. But what could I have done? I understood why he would say things like that about my father.

"I know." I forced myself to say.

"Really?" He looked confused and hesitant to believe me.

"Yes, really." I said with a smile. But a question popped into my head. "However, I have one thing that I'm curious about. Why do you think my father did...all that stuff to your family?"

"I can't be so sure about the reason. But it was probably what my parents did from their wild personalities and strong beliefs about love and freedom." Jay explained, trying to wipe his tears and calm himself down. I saw that he was trying really hard not to lash out on me since I proved myself innocent of the crimes. "My parents were good people. All they wanted was for their beliefs to be public."

I nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll try to do something about this, okay?" I took a small step towards him, a little nervous that he'll jump out at me again, but I wanted him to know that I cared.

"You'd better get back to your palace. King Abel is probably looking for you, since you're his precious daughter that will take over the village one day." He tightly smiled.

"Yeah, I'd better get back and save my country."

"Save your country from what?" The corner of his lip twitched in anger.

"O-oh no! I meant I better keep everyone from fighting each other! I didn't mean that your family are the bad guys here, I swear! I-I just meant to say that I'd b-better go end the fighting! I'm sorry!" I quickly explained.

"No, no." He shook his head and laughed apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It just slipped out. You don't have to be sorry, really. You can go back now, you probably have more important things to do anyway."

"No," I laughed, but I halted when I heard my echo through the forest. "This encounter with you was the only important thing that happened to me all my life. My life if pretty boring and strictly rountined, but this wasn't planned at all. And although I sort of wish that all of the things you said were lies, I'm glad I got to know the truth."

He smiled slightly at me. "You're not as bad as your papa."

I giggled a little, and wiped my dry tears. My heart was burdened with the heavy truth, but I was glad to know that Jay was actually a very heartfelt guy, not just some gang criminal.

"Okay, well I'd better get going." I said reluctantly. He nodded as he understood, and I started walking backwards to stare at him until I was too far to see him. But even when I couldn't see him anymore, I still looked his way.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Taeyeon's POV

"What happened? How did the battle end?" I asked, running up to Jessica as she dragged her bare feet inside her room.

"A lot of things happened, but it's not like I'll tell you any of it. You're just a maid." Jessica smirked. Even if her face was dirty and her dress was covered in dirt, she still had her Iceprin sass.

"Okay, whatever." I rolled my eyes. "I hope nobody got severely hurt."

"Not even the gang?" Jessica suddenly turned serious.

"Of course, I don't want the gang to be hurt. Their lives are precious too." I laughed. I mean, it was ridiculous that Jessica thought that I want someone getting hurt. All lives are precious.

"How can you be so nice?" Jessica sighed and shook her head. "I wish I was more like you. I wish I would never judge anyone like I did today."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Nothing." She quickly shut .

"Okay...."

I stared at her suspiciously, but I ignored my feelings because now that the battle was over, all I could think about was Yoona and the seduction plan. It was nine thirty at night now...Only a few hours away until tomorrow, when Yoona will be hurt and used for pretend love. The seduction thing wasn't even a well-thought plan, and I hadn't heard what will happen to Yoona after the plan, but I knew that it would be something terrible since the king doesn't want Siwon being with her. Siwon is such a coward who can't stand up for his own girl. Seriously.

"Well, anyways, sit down princess! You seem exhausted. Shall I get you a cold cup of water? Maybe some orange juice?" Yoona said in her bubbly voice. My heart just sank even more. How can this sweet girl be hurt so badly?

Jessica shook her head for the juice, but agreed to sit down on her bed. She looked like she needed a rest; or in other words, she looked terrible.

Then the room door swung open and Siwon was standing there. My eyes grew wide. Has the seduction plan been moved to today???

I eyed Yoona and Siwon as they looked at each other awkwardly. Yoona quickly hid her gigantic bandages over her calves, and Siwon hid his red hot face with his hands. He rubbed his face with his cold hands and inhaled.

"What are you doing here, Siwon?" I snapped at him disgustingly. He looked surprised.

"W-well I'm here to tell you ladies of the good news." He said.

"What good news? There's no room for good news here, because it's so full with the bad ones." I hissed, almost hinting at him that I know about his plans.

But he didn't notice. "The battle is over and nobody got severely injured. I was informed by the village hospital that only about three people were injured, but they said the victims will heal quickly."

"I'm glad to hear that, but I'm sure that the emotional wounds won't be healed in time." I said.

"In time for what?"

"In time for more wounds." I glared.

"Okay, Taeyeon, you are acting weird again. Why are you being so mean to Siwon?" Jessica asked in spite of her exhaustedness. 

"Because," I snarled, "he hurt our dear Yoona physically and emotionally until she bled a pound. She could have died from blood loss. What were you thinking!?"

Siwon's face reddened once again, and Yoona tugged on my arm to make me stop.

"Unnie, I understand that you care for me, but it wasn't Siwon's fault. It was mine, I told you!" Yoona whispered desperately. How sweet was she, caring for her boyfriend like that, while her boyfriend is planning to ruin her?

"Yeah, it was your fault for breaking the dishes." I said. "But it wasn't your fault that you made a mistake. I think making you shed your tears and making you bleed til you are weak by hitting you with a bamboo stick wasn't a very reasonable punishment for making a mistake. The king probably has a million more dishes that looks exactly the same as the ones you broke. There must have been another reason that Siwon did this to you."

"Hey!" I saw the panic in Siwon's face. "I'm older than you, Taeyeon, and I'm the highest butler here. You better respect me and don't accuse me of unreasonable punishment."

I was going to push onto him more, but I noticed the pain in Yoona's face as she was reminded of the painful memories of yesterday. I decided to shut up and let it go...for now.

Siwon sighed in relief when I stopped. But I realized that he didn't sigh of relief. He sighed of hesitance, because he then said, "Yoona, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?"

Yoona was taken aback, and so was I.

"I-I guess--"

"NO!" I shouted. "No, you may not talk to Yoona alone. You may speak to her right now, in front of me."

"Taeyeon, what is up with you? Just let them talk." Jessica rolled her eyes.

"You just be quiet and go to sleep or something. I won't allow Yoona to be near Siwon alone again. Who knows what else he might to do her?" I said.

"I won't do anything, I promise. I just want to talk to her." Siwon said, getting frustrated with me.

"No, you may not." I said bluntly.

Siwon marched in front of Yoona, and I had to fling my body in front of her to protect her.

"Unnie, what's wrong?" Yoona asked. "Why can't I talk to Sir Siwon?"

"Because you'll bleed again. In your heart and in your skin." I said.

"Yoona, you choose for yourself; Taeyeon isn't the boss of you. Do you want to talk with me, or not?" Siwon said forcefully.

I turned sharply to Yoona, and panicked when she was hesitating. She was actually thinking about it!

"What's there to think about!? Just reject!" I urged, but she remained mute.

"Ugh, Taeyeon, stop being such an annoying and let them talk!" Jessica pulled my hands away from Yoona and pushed Yoona towards Siwon.

"NO!" I threw my body at Yoona, but I was too late. Siwon carried her on his shoulder and ran from the room. I fell onto the ground in disappointment. "Jessica, WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

"WHAT. ARE. YOU. TALKING. ABOUT. Talk and explain why you're acting so weird, and maybe I'll understand!" Jessica screamed, like she had enough of me already.

"I overheard King Abel telling Siwon to get in bed with Yoona and to hurt her emotionally and just use Yoona to prove to the king that he no longer has feelings for her! And now Siwon took her away to do just that! Don't you see it!?" I yelled.

"What?" Jessica screeched. "What are you talking about???" I could tell she was frustrated to hell. She didn't know what I was saying at all.

"Siwon and Yoona are secretly dating. Or...were secretly dating. King Abel is making them break up." I tried to explain.

"Why would my father make them break up? There's no problem with them dating." Jessica said.

"No problem for you maybe, but lots of problems for the king. Siwon's ancestors were serving your father's ancestors for the longest time ever. It's no problem to fall in love with someone and make a family and still serve the king, but Yoona is the lowest of the lowest class. And she probably hates your father to his guts."

"Why would she hate my father?"

"Um, maybe because she has to live in the basement and wash dishes 24/7. I mean, I'm not saying that Yoona hates your father really, but the king might think it. She's living in a terrible condition. And another reason that he might want them to break up is because Siwon is still young and has many more years of serving the king. If he gets sidetracked now and sets his mind on another priority, your father will be moved to second place in Siwon's heart and Siwon will lack in his job as a butler. Anyways, I really can't explain the whole thing to you. I don't even know the whole thing, I just heard this plan, like, yesterday."

"Okay, okay. So what do we do now?" She asked cluelessly.

"We get her back from Siwon before he causes Yoona to emotionally break down! Duh! Hurry!" I urged, running for the door.

"Wait up," Jessica called, running close behind me.

But I halted when I saw the rows and rows of doors down the hall, each one leading to a different room. Which one can they be in?