Harang has finally fallen asleep. Setting her down carefully on the mattress her husband had spread a while ago, Kim Ji In is now able to stretch her tired shoulders and neck muscles. It’s already deep in the night and the full moon has already reached its highest point. It is then she realized that the day had been long for them.  They may be used to it, but packing their things, keeping important documents needed in their travel to China still sapped the energy from them.

She finds herself outside their room. Her husband is still with her father and mother, talking about final preparations. As she feels the cold and fresh air of the night, the wind delivered to her ears a sweet melody from Erhu. Sensing that it’s quite familiar, she tries to concentrate. In the end she smiles at herself.

Jonghyun’s long, slender fingers are like dancing while plucking the strings of his Erhu, creating a melodious music that envelopes the night. His head swayed side to side as he transfers the emotions he has inside to rhythm, melody and tempo, any person who hears his music will likely be unable to resist the temptation to gather around him. His music is soulful and relaxing to the tired bodies of commoners like him.

While still producing the so-called music from the heart, he looks at the moon and the recent memories of a certain woman flood him. The bright full moon reminded him of her light-brown, mesmerizing eyes. It didn’t change at all, he smiled at the thought.

“Can’t sleep?” a female voice from behind him surprised Jonghyun and caused him to pause from playing. Turning his head to the source of the voice, he finds his elder sister standing at the door.

“Ah. Noona,” Ji-in sits beside her youngest sibling. “Unfortunately, yes.” Jonghyun sets his Erhu aside and sits properly. For several months, he hasn’t met his eldest noona who is married and is currently living with his husband in the next town. “Is Harang asleep?”

“Yes. She made a fuss before sleeping. I have to dance like crazy while carrying her so she would stop,” Ji-in says while demonstrating how she found it hard to put Harang to sleep that night. The siblings laugh together after a long time of being away from one another. “I missed your music, Jonghyun-ah.” Ji-in confessed sincerely to her brother. “More than that, I missed you a lot.”

Although she didn’t receive a response like “I missed you too” from him, she completely understands. Being the manly person that he is, Jonghyun’s response of shy silent laugh is more than enough for her. After all, that part of him is what makes him more adorable. “How is your job in the Yoo household?”

He stopped momentarily from laughing and looked at his noona directly at her eyes before turning to the moon and answers, “It’s okay. More than okay.” He smirks at himself.

“I knew it. A woman is involved, isn’t? Did you meet her? How was she?” His response picked Ji-in’s full interest. She knows for a fact that her brother has the face that can defeat a thousand fleet. When he was still a baby, their relatives thoughts he was a girl because he’s too beautiful for his own good. His white skin is as white as the blood- beautiful people they read in tales. Just his calloused big hands emit his manly aura. Despite these God-like features of his that attracts women of different generation, Jonghyun rarely shows interest with them. That’s why is was remarkable moment to her, their other sister and mother when he came back from the Yoo household 10 years ago and expressed his desire to see someone again.

“Yes,” Jonghyun shyly answered.

“What was her name again? Since 10 years ago, you keep on bugging Father to allow you to accompany him back to that household.”

“Noona, please don’t make me remember those embarrassing memories.”

“Why not? It was so adorable to see you lose your calm demeanour in order to convince Father to bring you there.” Ji-in laughed at memories. Lee Jun-seo made a condition with his only son. If he will be able to master swordsmanship, then he will allow the child to go back to the capital. Otherwise, he is not allowed. Every day, Ji-in saw her brother turned from a child who loves poetry and music to someone who studied and practiced the art of the sword as if his life is dependent on it. He witnessed him grew up from a child to a dignified, young man. “So, what is was her name again?”

“Seungyeon, Noona. Yoo Seungyeon.” Jonghyun finally revealed the name.

“Oh. Yeah, yeah. How was she?”

Jonghyun stared at her as if he’s saying silently “Really? You ask me that?” Smiling widely, showing his two deep dimples. “Beautiful, Noona. I can’t believe that it is possible for someone as beautiful as she is 10 years ago when I saw her during the wake of Crowned Princess Soo Young to become more beautiful that she is right now. It’s too much for eyes and heart, actually,” he admitted.

“Now, you’re exaggerating!” Ji-in reacted. Her brother complimenting someone this much is very new for her.

“No, Noona! Seriously!”

“Then, tell me. How beautiful is she?” she trying to find a way to counter his brother’s delusions.

Finding for the closest thing her can compare Seungyeon’s beauty with, his eyes busily went around. Settling up above, he pointed to the moon. “She’s beautiful as that, Noona. Maybe, she’s more than that.”

Ji-in snorts at him. This is too much and she can’t take it anymore. She made crunches with her face, showing her disbelief.

“She made my world brighter, Noona.” Jonghyun sounded serious. “All those practice, cuts, bruises I endured were all gone when I saw her again. Such lady – smart, brave and brings herself with dignity. The way she hold her hanbok whenever I follow her walk, she’s like gliding. Can you imagine that Noona?”

Jonghyun the entire time is in all smile. But recalling how he just left a note and a letter to her before leaving more than a week ago because he has no time to give his goodbyes or see her wake from her slumber, he has no idea how is she at this moment. “Well, the last time I’m with her she was crying a lot that she slept with tears still flowing from her eyes. I felt really bad because I can’t do anything about it.”

Ji-in become tight-lipped suddenly. She can’t bring herself to comment because she has no idea what happened. Silence goes in between the two. The cold breeze of the midnight brings shiver to the both of them.

“I have to go, Jonghyun-ah. I have to feed Harang, rest because we have a long travel tomorrow. You too. You should rest. You have to leave early tomorrow, don’t you?” Ji-in who tries to wrap herself with the little clothing she has, has turned her back to her brother when she hear him apologize.

“Sorry, Noona. Sorry that you have to leave your life here momentarily and go to foreign land just because of Father and I.” Still sitting on the same position, Jonghyun can’t help himself but feel apologetic. Their family has been on constant move since they were children. Their Father, Lee Jun-seo is the 6^th Generation Leader of Geum Gae.

Geum Gae is a secret society of commoners. Their members are all over the kingdom. Mobilized only at times when the condition of the commoners will be affected by any instability of irregularities by the Joseon officials, Geum Gae served as the underground, unofficial police force of the dynasty. Working together with the Yoo household for centuries because they share the same philosophy of serving the poor, the force is directly under the control of the head of the Yoo’s, which is at this time, Prime Minister Min-joo.  Even the Kings do not have control over them.

Because Father perceived that the mission this time will be very dangerous, their entire family is asked to take refuge to China until the matter at hand is settled.

Smiling by herself, Ji-in says to her brother. “No need for that, Little Brother. Good night.”

The sun is yet to rise but Jun-seo and Jonghyun are already on their horses. Bidding their final goodbye to one another, Jonghyun tried to memorize the look his mother, two sisters, brother-in-law and niece. He bet it will be at least 6 months before they meet again.

“Jonghyun, it’s time. Let’s go.” Jun-seo went ahead. Jonghyun follows behind when he heard his sister behind him.

“JONGHYUN! BRING HER HERE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE!”

Raising his right hand in confirmation, Jonghyun promised himself to grant that wish in the future. The two horses gallops further away from the Lee household until they disappeared into the horizon.