The late sun descended slowly over the hills, stretching its golden fingers into a sky that within moments was almost purple. The leaves on the trees rustled gently in the breeze.  Lee Seryung stood silently in the uphill, watching the sky explode in various hues.  Her peripheral vision caught the rose undergrowth scattered on her right. She turned to look at the flowers. Reaching tentatively among the thorns, her fingers idly touched a single rose, just beginning to open, a faint blush of pink at the heart of the petals. Picking it up, she brought it to her nose and inhaled its fragrance.

She drew another long breath and released it slowly, fixing her attention on the landscape before her. Far below, the lake glittered pale green, like a misshapen jewel, capturing the late summer afternoon sunlight, sending it dancing over a windswept surface in glimmering shards. The inviting water rippled whenever the leaves happen to fall from the trees that are hovering above the lake. The dense forest stretched its green tentacle-like shrubbery, as it surrounds the old castle and the village.

Joseon Castle, that grim and ancient fortress, boasting three baileys and twice as many towers, loomed upon the southern shore. It stood majestically with the late sun perched on the backdrop. From her vantage point on the uphill, she could see the courtyard where the green uniformed soldiers stood erect on their places while they surround dozen officials in their customary red and violet hanboks.

Outside the massive walls, a huge line of palanquins gathered, being intercepted by the palace guards to inspect any suspicious visitors.  The silent, almost eerie atmosphere of the gigantic castle contrasted dramatically from the clamor of daily life at Port Mapo, a village with community of huts and hovels.

Not far from the castle, the village echoed the mingling of many sounds: birds chirping, horses neighing, shouts and clanking of swords as the men-at-arms practiced their art, and the market crowded with people. Other houses of the village stood apart from the others with sturdy structure of walls, gardens, and courtyards, owned by noble families with servants of their own.

For years, she had stood here, watching her beloved Port Mapo braved the hard life, while the Palace seemed to have no room for the common people. She heaved a sigh and offered a silent prayer. Suddenly, her senses were instantly and acutely attuned.   She heard approaching footsteps from behind her. She turned around abruptly and her eyes locked with startled brown eyes.

Almost as if time had suspended, her gaze lingered on the stranger, who in turn, stood watching her warily.  Seryung instinctively knew that the stranger belongs to a noble family. Her assumption had nothing to do with his richly textured violet and pale yellow hanbok. Rather, her guess had come right off when she recognized the stamped nobility of his aura, a sense of self-assurance and arrogance that only noble blood could provide.  He was startlingly tall, with powerful shoulders and long, muscular legs.

A shadow formed, playing tricks on his face as his low lying hat shaded him from the sun. But the hat didn’t hide his piercing brown eyes, which on the moment, narrowed in surprise or displeasure, Seryung wasn’t completely certain. She realized without a doubt, that his face was one of leashed sensuality and arrogant handsomeness, with his well-sculpted mouth and striking brown eyes. But she also noticed the ruthless set of his jaw and the undeniable cynicism of his eyes.  Everything about him exuded brute strength and masculinity that she felt herself involuntarily shiver.        

The moment quickly shattered when several voices and footsteps were heard on the background. Seryung automatically turned to look at the direction of the sound, but shrieked in surprise when the stranger suddenly yanked her down among the bushes.

“What do you think you’re do-” she started but her protest quickly died on when his left hand clamped shut. With disbelieving eyes, she felt his other hand d for her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Her face bumped on his chest, while she sat there beside him, too shocked to move or protest.

She felt her heart thundered wildly on her chest as she felt the stranger pressed her more tightly to his side. She could smell his masculine scent and his sharp intake of breaths that fanned her face. Despite herself, she felt her face reddened with the stranger’s alarming closeness. He was too close for her comfort and sanity.Seryung finally found herself squirming against him, trying futilely to wedge her elbows on his chest, but he only pulled her closer making her catch her breath. She tried to scream but the sound came muffled against his hand. Her eyes looked up sharply to his. His brown gaze narrowed down on hers. Seryung glared at him and began squirming once again.

 “Hold still, damn it!” he muttered under his breath and before she could recover from the shock of his rude words, his next statement rendered her nearly speechless.

“If you give me anymore trouble, I’m going to throw you on that cliff,” he warned.

Her momentary shock gave way to a sudden, almost uncontrollable burst of fury on her chest. How dare this man threat her?  She stopped struggling, more from fury than fear. It would be pointless to struggle when it was obvious that the man is far superior on strength than her. And she doesn’t want to risk herself being thrown to the cliff.

She felt his arm loosened its hold on her but he still held firmly against his hand. From a distance, she heard the approaching footsteps coming closer. Her companion led them deeper on the bushes, away from view.  She caught her breath when she found herself almost lying on top of him on the ground. She tried to control her mounting fury, while the shameless man seemed oblivious to her discomfort as he tried to peer on the bushes.         

It would be easy, too easy to expose him, Seryung thought. A little movement or sound from her and whoever this stranger is hiding from, would surely find them here.        

But then, she thought distressingly, what does she knew about those men? Are they even worth risking her neck for? Maybe they are group of bandits.  Better to deal with one despicable stranger, than a bunch of criminals, she thought.

Keeping that in mind, she kept herself utterly still, even though she is still seething with fury. A tense moment passed before she heard them moving away.  When she cannot take it anymore, Seryung sunk her teeth on the stranger’s palm and had the satisfaction of hearing his sharp gasp before he stifled the sound for fear that the others may hear him.

Seryung took in precious breaths as she scurried away from him hastily.  She stood up and pinned him with a hard look enough to pulverize a rock. He continued looking at his reddened palm, then regarded her incredulously.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” she demanded furiously.  The stranger stood up and began patting the dirt from his clothes nonchalantly. 

He turned to look at her and said calmly, “Thanks for your help.”

Seryung gritted her teeth for the stranger’s irritating nonchalance.  The rose slid unnoticed from her hand as she puts her hands on her hips.

“Who are you?! And why are they chasing you?” she demanded while peering below the cliff where the men had disappeared to. Her eyes widened when she recognized the dark green uniform clad soldiers of the magistrate.Abruptly, her gaze went back to his and regarded him in stupefaction. “W-Why are the magistrate’s soldiers after you?” she asked.

When the stranger didn’t answer, she added, “Are you a criminal?”

Her accusation seemed to echo in the silence that followed. The man turned to look at her abruptly, his brown eyes narrowed.

“No, I’m not,” came his terse response.

Seryung didn’t believe him and she cannot help adding, “Oh? Then why are you hiding from them?”

“That is none of your business,” he remarked coolly before producing a starched white fan and began fanning himself against the heat, then turned his back on her and began walking away.

She felt herself getting annoyed once again. “None of my business?” she exclaimed disbelievingly. “I just aided a fugitive and it’s none of my business? Do you know that I could be considered an accomplice here?” she exclaimed.

He snapped his fan shut against his hand and turned back. Seryung wondered his fan didn’t break. “I repeat, I am not a criminal,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Well, you did warn me that you’ll throw me there,” she retorted, inclining her head on the cliff’s direction. “Tell me that isn’t a common statement by fugitives.”

He heaved a sigh impatiently and regarded her with cool indifference, “You’re making too much noise like a hysterical pig a while ago. I need to shut you up then.”

His metaphor is not flattering and her glaring look told him so. She inhaled slowly, controlling her fury. She turned to look at him straightly. “Then, I need your apology right now,” she said evenly.

“What am I to apologize for?” he asked, still infuriatingly calm.

Gritting her teeth, she said, “For starters, start apologizing for manhandling me. Second, apologize for threatening me.” Hands on her hips, she waited impatiently for his apology.  When it didn’t come, she added impatiently, “Well?”

He looked at her in frigid silence before he finally spoke, “I had never apologized to anyone in my life. And I wouldn’t start now.”

Seryung scoffed and stared at him disbelievingly.   He was so arrogant!

Words stumbled on , waiting to spit on his face, but before she would stoop so low, she turned her back on him and walked on the cleared pathway that leads to the village.

 “Where are you going?” he inquired curiously.

She would like nothing but to give him silence but she could not help saying without looking at him, “I am going to report a criminal to the magistrate. Care to join me?” She had almost expected him to approach her after that parting remark but she didn’t expect the grasp on her forearm, stopping her on her tracks.  He gripped her firmly while he stared hard at her.

“No you won’t,” he warned, looming over her.

She raised a brow and cannot help taunting him, “Want to bet?”  She tried to wriggle her arm from his grasp but he only tightened his firm grip. “If you won’t take your hands off me for the next five seconds, I’ll add harassment on your list of crimes,” she warned. “Though, you’ve already done it to me a while ago,” she added scornfully.

She didn’t expect him to believe her threat but he loosened his hold on her but his hand still encircled her forearm. “If you will report me, I swear I’ll-”

“Oh please,” she cut off. “Adding another threat isn’t going to help you get away,” she said as she pushed him.  He didn’t even budge but he finally released her arm.  It infuriates her that her effort seemed futile against his strength.

 “I don’t know who you are,” he started. “But if you will report me to the magistrate, I swear I will find you and you wouldn’t like it,” he warned.

Gritting her teeth, she said, “Imprisonment seemed awfully kind for the likes of you. Why don’t you throw yourself on that cliff and do me a favor? Maybe, I won’t report you then.” She turned her back on him once again and proceeded walking. She rolled her eyes in annoyance when he kept pace with her. “Oh great,” she said sarcastically, casting him a hard look. “Keep walking with me. We’ll be at the jail in no time.” 

When he didn’t answer, she stopped in midstride.

“Stop following me,” she said.  Putting her hands once again on her hips, she added, “If you really want to save that useless hide of yours, I suggest you start going to the other direction. I go mine.”          

“I cannot possibly walk away when a hysterical woman is going to report me,” he retorted, giving her a hard look.          

She heaved a sigh impatiently. She glared at him and said, “If it will ease your mind, I will not report you.”           

Seeing his skeptical look, she added with annoyance, “Look. I have too many things to do to start reporting a crime that I knew will go unpunished.  Though I personally would have like you to roast in the fires of hell-,” she cut off, knowing that she’s endangering her mortal soul for the blasphemy, “-I knew it is pointless to report you. Much more horrible crimes had been reported but the justice system isn’t doing anything about them. So why would I report you, when I knew that I would only waste my breath?”

 He looked surprised which gave her a chance to slip away from him. It took him a moment to recover his composure and followed her.

 “What do you mean?” he asked.

 Seryung heaved a sigh wearily. “Just go, will you?” She started walking once again and when he kept pace with her, she mentally threw her hands in frustration.  “Now what?” she snapped without looking at him.

“I don’t really believe that you wouldn’t report me,” he said.

“So you’re going to follow me?” she asked, aghast. Looking at him straightly, she said, “Either you are brave or just plainly the most stupid criminal I’ve ever encountered.”

“I repeat,” he said through gritted teeth. “I am not a criminal.”

“Do you really think I’m a blind fool?” she demanded as she kept walking. “Why would you hide from those soldiers and why are they chasing you if you’re not a criminal in the first place? What are you, playing hide and seek?” she asked sarcastically.

“That is none of your concern,” he answered coolly as he kept pace with her.

“You know what?” she started, stopping in midstride to look at him. “I’ve had enough. I will not report you, though you don’t deserve any mercy at all. You go running away now if you have the chance.” When he doesn’t have any indication of doing so, she mentally threw her hands again in frustration. “Fine!” she said wearily. “Do whatever you want.”  She continued walking and from the corner of her eyes, she saw him followed her.

“So what are the crimes you committed?” she dared to ask. “Threatening weak ladies?” she cannot help taunting.

“How many times do I have to repeat?” he said exasperatingly. “I am not a criminal,” he voiced with conviction.

She raised a brow. “So, you just happened to piss them off with that insufferable attitude of yours?”

“Though, I wouldn’t be surprised at all,” she added as an afterthought.

“It’s none of your business,” he remarked coolly.  

“You said that already,” she muttered under her breath, her ears were getting irritated with his repetitive response. Seryung was really itchy to slap his face right now.  Trying to control her annoyance, she added, “I am not going to report you. In the first place, like what I’ve said, the Justice System had overlooked the crimes that are being reported to them.” When he didn’t say anything, she added with a sigh, “They are just too concerned with the welfare of the Royal Family to bother with us.”           

She felt rather than saw him stiffened. She continued without looking at him, “I don’t really understand why they protect the Royal Family too much. It’s not that there’s a threat to them everyday. Why are the soldiers spend too much of their precious time standing like statues in the palace?”

“They sacrificed their lives to protect the Royal Family,” the stranger said.

She turned to look at him. “Is that enough excuse for them to deprive the people’s security and right of the Justice System?” she asked.  His face reflected surprise before she averted her gaze. “In the first place-,” she continued. “-the Royal Family is not only the group of people that composed the dynasty.” She added, “In fact, they are only the accessories. The people can live without them. The Royal Family is useless.”

The stranger stiffened and turned sideways to look at her. She felt him study her profile and she had the overwhelming feeling of touching her braid and see if it is in order. Disgusted with her thought, she snapped, “What?”

“You know that you’ll have your head cut off with that insolent tongue of yours, right?” came his response. Seryung turned to look at him and she could see amusement lurking on his eyes.

Somehow, seeing that particular look in his eyes stopped her way of thinking. She would not have been surprised if he will push her to the cliff as he threatened a while ago, but amusement?  But that particular expression seemed to lighten his face and make him much more handsome.

Inwardly shaken with her thought, she cleared before averting her gaze. Absentmindedly she added, “Especially the crown prince.” She turned to look at him once again and she saw him stiffened, the amusement banished from his eyes while a frown formed on his forehead.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked.

She averted her gaze and shrugged. Before them, she could almost see the village. The mingling sounds of the busy life echoed in her ears. She sighed inwardly and took in the warming effect of seeing her beloved Port Mapo against the descending sun backdrop. 

“The Royal Family keeps this dynasty prosperous,” he said after a moment, breaking her train of thought. She turned to look at him as he continued, “In fact, scholars say that we are on a golden age compared to the past.”

“If that is true, they why are there starving children? Oppressed women? Corrupt officials?” she retorted.

His lips twitched. “The palace cannot see everything.”

“Exactly,” she agreed. “The palace cannot ‘see.’ They are too confined within the four walls of the palace. Tell me, how can one rule the people if he doesn’t know the people?”

She could clearly see that she had surprised him once again before he hid it. His imperturbable gaze looked at her steadily that Seryung caught her breath with the intense look on his eyes.  Despite his irritating attitude, Seryung cannot help but think that this stranger must be the most handsome man she had ever met.  The brown flecks of his irises seemed to dance with the late afternoon light as he continued staring at her.

Too bad he was a criminal, she thought. She realized that she had stopped breathing literally and released it slowly. “The Royal Family should get to learn the people,” she blurted abruptly, trying to conceal what she is thinking.

“They learn through records, written texts by scholars,” he answered. 

She shook her head.  “Those texts, how sure are they with their accuracy? Those scholars who wrote them, are they entirely honest? Or do they record what they only want to record?” she asked.

Silence passed before he said, “It’s the law.”

“Then the law is wrong,” she answered. “The people looked up to the Royal Family. If one will ask me, the Royal Family should look up to the people.” They finally entered the market full of people with the lively sounds of people chattering animatedly on the background. Several products of the vendors paraded before them in rows. Seryung swiftly scanned the crowd before them as they continued walking. “These people tend to themselves. They do not even depend to the Royal Family. They defend themselves when others oppress them. The people make the dynasty, not the Royal family.”

 She stopped to look at the display of colorful silks of hanboks before proceeding. “What do you have against the Royal Family?” he finally asked, as they turned a sharp bend on the right.

She shrugged. “It is not that I loathe them or something. It just makes me angry that those sworn with power cannot make any difference. I believed that responsibility walks hand in hand with capacity and power.” She turned to regard him with raised brows. “Don’t you think so?”

He raised a brow in return. “You know that you’re risking your neck with what you’re saying.”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re the only one here listening.”

He smirked and she almost caught her breath. When he smiled, though sardonically, it just made him more handsome. “How sure are you that I won’t say a thing?” he asked mildly.  

It took her a moment to answer; too preoccupied is she with his unexpected smile. She cleared and said evenly, “The moment you do, I would not hesitate to call on the attention of the magistrate and report a fugitive.”

That remark had effectively erased the smirk off his face. She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.

“I am not a criminal,” he muttered under his breath.

She shrugged. She turned to gaze at the array of norigae on her right. Absently, her fingers touched a particular piece. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him stopped in midstride and continued staring at her. “It’s not that I am judging you personally because of what you do-”

“How many times do I have to say it?!” he snapped. Her head turned to look at him, at his unexpected brusqueness. “I am not a criminal.”  

“Really? Then why are the magistrate’s soldiers after you?” she retorted.

“That was-”

Seryung raised a brow, waiting.

His lips twitched in annoyance. “That’s none of your business,” he said brusquely. She shrugged. “Like what you said, it’s none of my business.” She turned away from the stand of norigaes and proceeded walking.

“Well, are you not going to lecture me about my crimes?” he asked sarcastically, keeping pace with her.           

“It would take me weeks to finish,” she remarked.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” he drawled.                   

Smothering a laugh she said, “Like what you said, it’s really none of my business.”         

“You’re ready to forget the crimes of a criminal, but why not the royal family?” he asked, clear surprise on his voice.           

She looked at him straightly. “So you finally admitted that you’re a criminal then?”

“You’re twisting my words,” he said, annoyed. “That is a rhetorical question.”

She shrugged. “It’s because there’s not enough evidence for me to judge you yet,” she started, answering his question. She looked at him sideways, “Though you’ve done enough for me to brand you as a conniving, blackmailing, shrewd, arrogant, pompous-”          

“I think I have the general idea,” he cut off, obviously annoyed.

“All I’m saying is that I’ve only known you for less than an hour while the Royal Family? That is a different thing,” she said.

“What do you mean?” he asked as they turned to watch female participants riding the swings, a contest in progress, where a huge crowd had already gathered.

“They have been on the throne for the last twenty years. Yet this ‘prosperous’ kingdom as you say it, had not even flourished in the eyes of the common people. They have twenty years to prove their worth. It’s enough for me to judge them,” she said, as she sat on a wooden bench. She had almost expected him to sit beside her but she didn’t count having him place his right foot beside her hip and braced his left hand on the trunk of tree beside her. He leaned towards her and she cannot help but notice again the fascinating brown flecks looking down on her.

At the same time, she felt her heart begin to beat furiously against her chest as he continued staring at her, silently scrutinizing her. She cleared before retreating herself to keep a distance between them. She averted her gaze from him and fixed them on the ongoing game before them before saying, “Some mistakes can be corrected, but not the mistake of wasted time. When time goes, it has gone forever.”

The silence that followed stretched to more seconds before he voiced out, “For someone who is not inside the palace, you sure have a lot to say.”           

She raised her brows as she returned her gaze on him, “Because I am outside the palace. I would even risk my neck to say that I know more than the ignorant and too secluded crown prince.”          

She saw him stiffened once again. She shrugged as she continued without looking at him, “No one even know what he looks like except those working on the palace.  He is too surrounded by old officials leading him by the leash, guiding him what to do.”         

She felt him leaned closer or maybe it’s just a figment of her imagination. “It’s the officials’ job, otherwise they are not needed. And don’t talk about the crown prince being led by a leash. You make it sound like a dog.”

“Forgive my manner. But he is a dog,” she voiced with conviction.

She saw his jaw tightened before he sat beside her, almost crowding the space of the small bench. She continued while gazing at the crowd before them, “A dog on a leash and confined in a cage couldn’t and wouldn’t know how to survive on its own.” He brought out his fan and began fanning himself against the heat. Seryung’s lips grimaced when he didn’t even bother fanning her. 

What a gentleman, she thought cynically.

“Which family do you belong to?” he asked abruptly.

She cannot help the little laugh that escaped from her lips. “What? So you could report me?”

“I’m thinking about it,” he said calmly.

She smothered another laugh as she looked at him sideways, “For someone who has a criminal record, you sure have a tendency to get riled and surprised with these kind of conversation.”

“Stop insinuating that I am a criminal,” he said impatiently. He glared at her. “I am not a criminal. I told you that already.”

Ignoring his outburst, she said, “If only I could meet His Highness, I’ll ask him to unleash himself. To be free. To learn his own people. Share their experience. Lead them like what a true king should do.” She raised her face against the sunlight and closed her eyes briefly. Unaware of the searching intensity of his gaze on her face, Seryung continued with her lids closed, “We are not created to be eaten up by anxiety, but to walk erect, be free, and unafraid in a world where there is work to do, truth to seek, and love to give.”A small smile formed on her lips as she opened her eyes slowly. She regarded her raised brows, “Am I not right?”

His mouth opened to speak but he was momentarily distracted by a sudden yelp of pain coming from their back. Both their heads turned to the direction of the sound and saw a boy dressed in peasant clothes lying helplessly on the ground while he was being kicked relentlessly by an aging stout man dressed in bright hanbok.  No one seemed to have any plans on helping the child as others watched on the sideline feebly.

Seryung was already on her feet and had gathered the child on her arms before another kick was delivered on his bruised body. Gathering the child securely behind her back, she regarded the now red-faced old man.

“Sir, what do you think you’re doing with this poor child?” she demanded.

“Who do you think you’re talking to woman?!” he snapped, as his furious gaze raked on the trembling child behind her back. “That useless little thief stole my bread! Yet he is a slave of mine! I do what I do with my slaves! They are mine! And you-,” he cut off as he turned the full force of his fury on her, “-you don’t have any business on this matter! Don’t you know who I am?!”

Giving the child a reassuring squeeze, she said, “Ofcourse I know who you are Sir.” Seeing the triumphant look on his face, she continued, “An old weak man who beats children.” She saw his face reddened. Raking her gaze on his richly textured red hanbok, she said, “Do you really need to emphasize that you are powerful by beating helpless children?  Why don’t you find someone your own size?”

“How dare you?!” he shouted, outraged. “I would have you whipped for your impudence-”

“No sir. How dare you,” she cut off. “This helpless child doesn’t deserve brutal beatings from the likes of you. As a child, he deserves love and care from us adults. And you are giving him a bad impression of us.”

Raking her gaze on his clothes, she added, “You said this poor child stole your bread? Are you even feeding him? Looks like you don’t even treat your slaves properly. You have the look of a useless noble man who starves and beats his slaves while dressed so lavishly enough to feed an army.”

“You insolent woman!” he bellowed in rage. She saw his hand rose to strike her but before it reach her, another hand smoothly took hold of the old man’s wrist and flung it nonchalantly, making the old man tripped on one of the vendor stalls. The old man’s shout was lost on the noise of the spectators around them.

Seryung turned her surprised gaze on her companion.  He looked at her in obvious anger before he took hold of her arm and began dragging her from the place.

“After them!” she heard the old man shouted.

“Wait! The child,” she said as she stopped in midstride.

“Leave him! He is his slave,” he said impatiently.

“No we can’t!” she retorted. “Please, we can’t leave him.”

He heaved a sigh impatiently as he loosened his hold on her and turned to the child. He immediately took hold of the child’s forearm and going back on Seryung’s side, his other hand took hold of her arm as he began dragging them along on his wake.  They made a hasty run when the other slaves of the old man started to run after them.

They found themselves hiding on an abandoned warehouse.  Gazing at the hole on the wall, Seryung tried to peer outside for signs of the men chasing them. She said without thinking, “It’s really fortunate that you have experience with this before.”

She heard him scoffed before saying, “I already told you a thousand times that I am not a fugitive!”

Ignoring him, Seryung turned her attention on the silent child. Crouching, she put her hands on his small shoulders and smiled reassuringly, “I am Seryung. What is your name?”

“H-Hyo Jung,” the child answered after a moment.

“Well, Hyo Jung you are safe now,” she reassured him.

“T-Thank you agasshi. B-But you shouldn’t have done it. I’m a slave,” he managed to say weakly, his small voice b with tears.

“See? Even that child is smarter than you. Let’s bring him back to his master,” the stranger murmured.

Seryung glared at him. “No we’re not.” Turning her gaze on Hyo Jung, she smiled and said, “You’re not a slave Hyo Jung. Not anymore. Do you want to come with me?”

She saw the child’s eyes widened then he could only nod several times. His eyes were b with tears.  “I only want a piece of bread, a-agassshi,” he sobbed. “I t-thought h-he is going to t-throw it away. I-I didn’t k-know he’s going to feed the breads to his d-dogs.”

Seryung swallowed her fury, unable to believe that the old man doesn’t mind starving his slaves as long as he could feed his dogs. Controlling her mounting fury, she smiled reassuringly at him.  “I understand Hyo Jung. From today onwards, I am your sister. You could live with me. But, do you still have a family?” she asked, almost expecting the answer to her question.

He shook his head, while tears began streaming on his cheeks. “M-My family died y-years ago,” he answered. “I-I became a slave after m-my appa and a-amma died together with the king.”

She saw the stranger behind them suddenly looked up sharply. She disregarded that as she looked at the child reassuringly, “You must be talking about the dead good king. God rests his soul. I’m sorry Hyo Jung. That must have been awful. I know the feeling because I am an orphan too.”

His eyes widened. “Y-You are?”

She smiled.  “Yes, I am. That is why I need a brother. And you need a sister to look after you. Do you want us to be a family Hyo Jung?”

She was genuinely surprised when the child abruptly s his small arms around her and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

“T-Thank you a-agasshi,” he sobbed noisily.  She smiled as she patted his head softly. When Hyo Jung had finally recovered his composure, he disentangled his arms from her and regarded the tall man behind them.

“T-Then, ahjussi will also become my brother?” he asked. When he didn’t answer, the child turned his head on Seryung and asked, “Since he is your husband agassi, then he will also be my brother?”

She felt her cheeks reddened, especially when the man turned his gaze on her. She looked up to him and she could see the amusement lurking on his eyes. She averted her gaze and cleared .

“N-No we’re not Hyo Jung. W-We just met,” she stammered.

Hyo Jung frowned in confusion. “Then why did ahjussi help us agasshi?”

It was her turn to looked up to the stranger curiously. The man averted his gaze. Seryung smiled. It seems like the man is not too bad at all, she thought.

“He just wanted to compensate for his crimes by doing some good things, Hyo Jung,” she said.

He glared at her. “No, I don’t,” he said through gritted teeth.

Hyo Jung’s eyes widened as he regarded the stranger with a mixture of shock and fear, “Y-You’re a criminal ahjussi?”

The stranger rolled his eyes. “You two must be lost siblings. You think alike.”

Seryung cannot help but laugh as she affectionately ruffled the child’s hair. She grasped for Hyo Jung’s hand. “They must have stopped searching for us already. What about food Hyo Jung? Do you want something to eat?”

The child nodded shyly. Seryung smiled as she stood. “Then, let us go eat. I am hungry too.” She peered one last time on the hole of the wall before opening it slowly.  The afternoon light crept on the shadowed warehouse.

Seryung looked back on the stranger and regarded him through raised brows, “How about it? Do you want to come with us?” As soon as she said it, Seryung was inwardly shaken of how natural it had taken her to invite him for lunch. Didn’t he just threaten her a while ago that he will throw her on the cliff? And that he is a criminal? How could she still be civil with him after that? It would have been better if he will just leave her alone.

The man hesitated but he was momentarily distracted by what he saw behind her head. Seryung turned her gaze on the direction of his gaze. Seeing the magistrate’s soldiers, she returned her gaze on him and regarded him knowingly and smothering a laugh, she asked, “Well?”

He glared at her and he began walking with them, their backs on the soldiers. Hyo Jung began to make series of yelp. Seryung realized that the child must still be hurting from the beating that he had received a while ago. Before a thought formed on her head, the stranger wordlessly picked Hyo Jung and brought him on his wide shoulders. The child squealed in surprise, then delight. Seryung stopped in midstride and watched him walked easily with the child on his shoulders. The man is physically strong and she could feel the brute strength emanating from his very aura but the way he held the child in his arms is firm yet gentle.  No matter what crimes he had committed and the terrible attitude he had manifested so far, he seemed to have a softer side.  She smiled as she followed them.

***

“So your name is Seryung,” he said abruptly when they almost finished their meal. She nodded and regarded him with curiosity. “What about you? Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” she asked. She looked towards the ceiling as she added, “I mean, considering what we’ve been through so far, I don’t even know your name.”

When he didn’t answer, Seryung sighed wearily and said with false misery, “Ofcourse you won’t tell me. You don’t trust me enough that I wouldn’t utter your name on the authorities.”

He glowered at her. Seryung smothered a laugh. “You should really learn to take some teasing,” she chided. “It’s good for you.”

He took a bite on his rice cake before he spoke, “Not when ‘teasing’ is insulting.”

“Come now,” she retorted. “I’m not insulting you. In fact, I want to thank you.” When he looked at her in surprise, she added sincerely, “Thank you for what you’ve done for Hyo Jung. And for me as well. If you didn’t interfere, I don’t know what would have happened.”

He averted his gaze and drank a long swallow of his ale.

“I didn’t think you have it in you,” she added as an afterthought. 

He almost coughed on his mug. He looked at her straightly. “That’s a compliment right?”

She was momentarily distracted by the stain on Hyo Jung’s lips. Turning her attention to the child, she reached for his lips and wiped the stain with her thumb.  Unaware of the intense searching gaze of the man beside her, she said to Hyo Jung, “Are the foods satisfactory Hyo Jung?”

The child smiled, beaming with joy and satisfaction, as he munched another spicy rice cake.

“Seung Yu,” the man interrupted.           

She turned to look at him. “What?” she asked, confused

He cleared his throat and he said without looking at her, “You asked for my name. It’s Seung Yu.”

opened, aghast. She closed it and regarded him through raised brows. “If I report your name now, will I get a bail in return?” she teased. A slow smile formed on his lips that Seryung doubted what she just saw.  “That’s the first time you smiled with sincerity. You should do it more often,” she said almost absentmindedly.

The smile was replaced by a frown. “How could I? When you’re insulting me this past hour,” he remarked.  Then he stood up.

“I’m paying,” he said as he turned his back and started for the place’s owner.

“No, you’re not,” she opposed as she stood on her feet and reached his side. “I am the one who invited you for a meal. I should be paying.”

“Men don’t let women pay their food,” he said impatiently as he proceeded walking.

She rolled her eyes and followed him. “How typical. You men are too full of yourself. Does it really matter to your pride for us women to pay the food?”

They finally reached the owner and Seung Yu started to reach inside his hanbok. “I can’t believe I’m arguing about this,” he said, more to himself. “Just let me pay. End of discussion.”

She rolled her eyes once again and threw her hands. “Fine,” she said.  Then she noticed his difficulty locating his money inside his hanbok and after several more search, he heaved a sigh and looked at her evenly. 

Then, Seryung smiled knowingly.

“Yes?” she asked, her brows raised, waiting.

“I concede,” he said, averting his gaze. She smothered a laugh as she produced her coins.

***

“The next time we see each other, I will surely pay you,” Seung Yu said as they stepped outside the eating place. She shrugged. “There’s really no need. Really,” she answered.

“I insist,” he said.

“Surely you need the money for other things,” she said without thinking. She looked at him straightly and asked, “If you don’t mind me asking and please, don’t get insulted, but do you commit crimes because you need money?”

“I am insulted,” he drawled.

Despite herself, Seryung felt embarrassed by her callousness. “I’m sorry,” she said sincerely. “It’s just that- Well, I know I don’t have any right at all to ask. And I know that I said I won’t judge you. And don’t misunderstand, I am not judging you. It’s just that I cannot help but think that despite what you seemed to be, I feel that you are not a bad person at all.”

He stopped in midstride and turned to look at her, making her stopped walking too. Hyo Jung beside them stopped to look at the swing competition before them. “How can you say that?” he asked.  “You don’t know me well enough.”

Seryung cleared and turned to look at Hyo Jung. “Hyo Jung, why don’t you go and watch the contest there?” she said, pointing at a vacant bench. “I’ll come back for you,” she added. The child smiled excitedly and proceeded. When the child was out of earshot, Seryung said, “You helped me and Hyo Jung today, right? That is not an action of a bad man.”

He shrugged. “That was nothing,” he said. “Others will do what I did.”

“And the way you held Hyo Jung today?” she persisted. “You’re very gentle,” she said softly.

“Why are you interpreting those trivial matters? And even if I am a good man, what are you trying to insinuate?” he asked impatiently.

Seryung cleared and averted her gaze from his and focused them on the competition before them. “I-I am thinking that you may have people who care about you,” she started. She looked at him inquiringly. “Your family?”

A tense silence passed before he answered abruptly, “My mother died giving birth to me. My father is the only one left. I don’t have any brothers and sisters. But I don’t think that has anything to do with what you are trying to wring from me.”

“I’m sorry about your mother,” she said softly.

He could do nothing but shrugged. “It was a long time ago,” he said nonchalantly but Seryung noticed the clenching of his jaw.

“Your father? Does he know what you are doing?” she asked.

He stiffened and he stared hard at her.

“No matter what the reason why you’re committing crimes, it is still against the law, against morality, no matter how much you reasoned.  Don’t you think your father would be disappointed?”

She saw his eyes darkened. “Don’t say things you don’t understand,” he warned.

“Your father only has you now,” she persisted, trying to ignore a sense of alarm within her with the dangerous way he is looking at her right now.

“Believe me. You couldn’t be more wrong. My father doesn’t need me. In fact, he’s ashamed of me,” he said irately.  He averted his gaze. “That is why I am here,” he added.

“So you’re rebelling this way? Destroying your life?  Running away from the law? And you need criticisms to keep you awake. It will make you see your weakness, so that you may correct them.” she persevered.

He turned his gaze abruptly to her face, his jaw tightened.  “Then do not criticize me.  You don’t have any right to lecture me. In fact, I want you to shut up right now!”

She caught her breath as she stared at him disbelievingly. “I think-” she started. “-your father’s shame is justified,” she said softly.

She gasped when his hand d for her shoulder and pushed her until her back hit the tree.  His other hand rose to rest on the trunk above her head. She inhaled sharp intake of breaths as his eyes darkened until they were coal black.  Maybe she had crossed the line, she thought fearfully.

“When you don’t have anything good to say about me, just button up your lips and you’ll feel better. In fact, do shut up right now. And because you’re a woman, I’ll spare your life,” he started, his voice tinged with warning. “But the next time you insult me again, pray for your quick death.”

Her eyes widened in stunned surprise. A small smirk formed on his lips as he studied her.

“Why? Are you afraid?” he mocked. When she didn’t answer, he said, “You should be. All this time, you’re thinking of me as a criminal. Don’t think because we spent the afternoon together means you know me well enough.”

Seryung could do nothing but stare at him in a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and most of all, disappointment. His eyes raked her features before he loosened his hold on her and set a distance between them. Without giving her a courtesy of a farewell, he turned his back on her and she was left there, watching his broad back disappear in the midst of people.

***

“Agasshi, is there something wrong?” Hyo Jung asked worriedly. Distracted, Seryung looked down at the child beside her.  Dusk had finally fallen to the place and she and Hyo Jung had already started on the way home. She smiled reassuringly. “There’s nothing wrong,” she managed to say.

The child frowned. “Where is Ahjussi?”

Again, Seryung felt the prick of disappointment in her chest and she mentally shook her head, refusing to let that emotion affect her too much. She should be grateful that they had parted ways, she thought. After all, associating herself with a man with an uncertain past is too complicated for her already complicated life. But why does she keep on feeling like this?

“H-He needs to go home too, Hyo Jung,” she said.  Hyo Jung stopped in midstride and gasped.  Seeing his reaction, Seryung frowned and looked at the direction of his gaze and had her share of gasped surprise.

“There they are!” the noble man pointed at their direction.  Seryung instantly recognized the man awhile ago. 

“That’s my slave! Arrest her! She stole my slave!”  he shouted incessantly to the soldiers beside him.  Seryung felt paralyzed when the magistrate’s soldiers began to run in their direction.  She felt the tug of Hyo Jung on her hand.

“Agasshi, let’s go!” the child said.  Clutching her skirt, she turned to the other direction and began running together with him.

“After them!” the man bellowed behind them.

Seryung felt her heart raced wildly as they ran through the crowd.  She saw an open gate several meters infront of them. “Hyo Jung, listen to me. Hide to that gate. Then after the coast is clear, get yourself to Hongwen Gisaeng House at the northern shore. Ask for Madam Taehee. Tell her Seryung agasshi sent you. She’ll know what to do,” she said desperately. Snatching her norigae from her hanbok, she tucked it on his hand and said, “Show this to her.  Remember Hyo Jung, Hongwen Gisaeng House, Madam Taehee.”  Pushing him to the gate, she said, “Go Hyo Jung!”

His tearful gaze jerked to hers. “H-How about you agasshi?”

She tried to smile bravely at him, although she felt herself wanting to faint. “Don’t worry about me, Hyo Jung. I’ll meet you there later. Go! Hide! I’ll distract them.  Take care of yourself.”

She looked behind her and started running. She wedged her elbows against the crowd. A tug on her braid made her stopped abruptly and she was catapulted back.  A green uniformed soldier held her firmly infront of him but her gaze was fixed to the approaching man in red hanbok.

 She stared in horror at the old man’s face, a cruel satisfied smile pasted on his lips before she felt his backhanded fist hit her cheek. She lay sprawled on the ground. Through blurred vision, she could see the soldiers began to circle her before the surroundings darkened.

***