Junior Year of High School

“Jongup are up here?” Salma asked poking her head out the door of the roof in their high school. It was the secret meet up place for Salma and Jongup; the place they sneaked out to, to get away from the sanity that high school brought. Despite it being off limits for students, Salma and Jongup never got caught nor did they even fear getting caught.

Salma walked out and searched for the lone pup whose been awfully quiet and distant lately. She spotted him leaning against one of the water tanks attentively reading a book as the sun shined down on him.

Salma couldn’t help but smile at the sight, it was so simple but placid. She quietly approached him making her best effort to not disturb him and keep him unaware of her presence.

“Hello Salma,” Jongup spoke out not removing his eyes from the book.

Salma grumped and sat down beside him. “How did you know it was me? I was so quiet.” She pouted.

Jongup closed his book and lightly tapped her on the head with it. “I always know when you’re around,” he smiled.

“Really,” Salma questioned raising and eyebrow. “How?”

“I can just feel you…when you’re nearby,” he responded in a soft voice that traveled through Salma’s ears making her smile.

“Since when did you read?” She teased.

Jongup chortled, “Himchan hyung recommended it to me.”

“What’s the book called?” She asked peaking at the book.

“The Canterbury Tales. It’s a bunch of tales written by a group of pilgrims that were on their way to a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. They were all a part of this story telling contest in which the winner’s prize was a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.” Jongup explained.

“Ohh free food, how tempting.” Salma grinned nudging him in the ribs softly. “So tell me your favorite tale from the collection.” She pressed eagerly.

Jongup chuckled, “don’t you have class in 6 minutes?”

 “You too mister,” She pointed out. “But that’s okay, let’s skip today.”

Jongup made a shocked face, “really, Miss. Perfect Attendance since preschool wants to ditch class. That doesn’t sound like her.”

Salma lightly hit Jongup’s thighs, “shut up. One day shouldn’t hurt. Besides I see you cutting practically every day this year and you’re still passing. So one day shouldn’t hurt me.”

“Arasoo arasoo,” Jongup said giving in.

“So tell me the story,” she pleaded making puppy dog eyes clinging onto his arm.

Jongup couldn’t help but smirk at her cute face and nodded. She gave a bright smile and rested her head on his shoulder’s waiting for him to start.

“My favorite tale would probably have to be The Knight’s Tale.” Jongup started. “It takes place in Ancient Greece. Theseus, who was a great conqueror, ruled the city of Athens. One day when this brilliant conqueror was passing by, he found four women crying in front of his horse. When he asked them what happened, the eldest lady responded saying that they were mourning for their deceased husbands who were killed during a siege in the city of Thebes. To make matters worse, the king of Thebes refused to neither bury nor cremate their husband’s bodies. When Theseus hears this, he becomes livid and marches to Thebes. There, he defeats Thebes and takes over easily.

He returns the bones of the four women’s husband’s to them. He also finds two deeply injured enemy soldiers named Palamon and Arcite who were cousins. Known for his merciful nature, he heals the two soldiers instead of killing them.  Nevertheless, they were still enemy soldiers so Theseus had to punish them; therefore he sentences them to a life of imprisonment in an Athenian tower.

The two prisoners stayed in the towers for years. Then one spring day, one of the cousins Palamon is awakened by this light, he wakes up and heads towards the window to see it. There he sees this beautiful fair-haired beauty named Emelye who was the sister-in-law of Theseus. 

So enamored by her, Palamon falls deeply in love with her. He starts sobbing due to a broken heart that he may never get to be with her. His cries wakes up his cousin, Arcite. Arcite goes to see what’s wrong with his beloved cousin. When Arcite looks out the windows and spots the ever graceful Emelye, he too is bewitched by her and falls in love with her. The two cousins get into an argument over her but ultimately realize the uselessness of arguing over such matter when neither of them can ever leave the prison.

In the meantime, a duke by the name of Perotheus who is a very close friend of Theseus and Arcite comes to make a plea to Theseus. He requests that Arcite is set free to which Theseus agrees to only on the condition that Arcite is banished from the kingdom of Athens.

When Arcite returns back to Thebes, he finds himself miserable. He becomes very jealous of his cousin Palamon who remained at Athens and is still able to see Emelye. Palamon on the other hand also becomes jealous with the idea that Arcite will rebel and take siege over Athens to claim Emelye by force.

Some years go by, and within this time, Arcite has a dream in which Mercury, the messenger god, appears and tries to persuade him to return to Athens. Around this time Arcite’s image has also changed drastically due to lovesickness to which he became thin and fragile. He makes himself understand that he can return to Athens and no one would recognize him.

After Arcite successfully enters the city of Athens once again, he takes on a job as a page in Emelye’s chamber under the penname Philostrate. Although he is able to be close to Emelye, it’s not enough for him.

He wanders into the woods one day and is confronted by Palamon who was able to escape from prison. When the two meet, they argue claiming their right to the same women they both desired. Then Arcite steps forward and challenges Palamon to a duel.

The once sworn brothers start brutally beat each other, but the duel is brought to a cease by the arrival of Theseus. Palamon immediately reveals their identities and his affection for Emelye. Angered, Theseus is about to kill them when his wife and Emelye herself intervenes and pleads for the two hopeless lovers lives.

Theseus gives in and proclaims that he will hold a tournament in fifty weeks. Palamon and Arcite were to set up an army that they would be a part of whichever army wins, the captain (Palamon or Arcite) will have Emelyes hand in marriage

While the forces are being assembled, Palamon, Arcite and Emelye go to the temples of different god’s and pray. Palamon prays to comfort his pains of love, asking Venus, goddess of love, to let Arcite murder him if Arcite will be the one to marry Emelye if he loved her more. The statue of Venus shook showing Palamon that the goddess of love was listening. Emelye prayed to Diana, the goddess of chastity, for harmony and friendship between the two cousins. She also prayed to be a maiden her whole life and remain pure but if it was written in her destiny to marry one against her will, she requested to have the one who wants her most. The idol of Diana shed tears of blood and then Diana appeared to Emelye telling her that she will be married to one of the two men that will fight for her hand. Lastly, Arcite prayed to Mars, the god of war. He prayed for victory in battle in which if he won would give him Emelye. The statue of Mars whispered to him the word “victory”.

Both god and goddess, Mars and Venus got into an argument over which one should have Emelye until Saturn found a way to content both of them.

On the day of the battle, Theseus lays out the rule of the battle. He stated that during the battle, no one was to suffer from a mortal injury, and if one was to break the rule they must leave, losing their chance to marry Emelye. Hearing the merciful rule, the crowd roared in happiness. The two armies were equipped with equal ability, nobility, and age.

During the fight one of Arcite’s men, Emetreus seizes Palamon and pierces a sword in him not wounding him mortally. Trying to save Palamon, King Lycurgus was also struck down. Theseus ends the fight proclaiming Arcite as the winner.

Seeing this Venus gets angry but is calmed down by Saturn who tells her that Mars got his plea, now she too would get hers too.

Just as Arcite was celebrating his victory, an unexpected earthquake hits and scares Arcite’s horse causing the horse to tilt up and dropping Arcite running over him. Arcite is now mortally wounded.

During his dying moment, he tells Emelye to marry Palamon as he could have no more worthy husband than Palamon. His died uttering “Emelye” as his last words.”

Jongup looked down at his very own beauty that was still clinging onto his arm resting her head in his shoulder. He notices some locks of her hair that had covered her glowing face and brushed the fallen locks of hair, tucking them behind her ears with his free hand.

“Did she get married?” she asked looking up at Jongup.

Jongup nodded. “She married Pala