Rain poured down heavily from midnight till dawn. Sandara barely slept from worrying she might miss seeing Kwon Jiyong out. After washing up, she immediately dressed up and dashed outside her chamber only to feel disappointed.

It was still early and quite dark, around the ox hours, yet the lights at Kwon Jiyong's quarters were already out.

Her shoulders sagged.

Just because Kwon Jiyong told her he's leaving yesterday, doesn't mean he asked her to see him out today. But how about the food she prepared for him?

She was about to run into the rain when she was suddenly pulled into her tea room, making her fall into a cold yet comforting kind of cold embrace, and she didn't need to look up to know who was holding her.

"Daegam,"

"Stupid woman. Are you trying to catch cold?"

You're cold yourself. She wanted to say but Sandara only pulled away and looked up at him with a worried expression. "I thought you already left,"

"How could I leave without bringing any food?" He lied. Since when did he like eating?

"Right," Sandara laughed. "I'll just have it prepared, Daegam," she turned around to leave but her eyes widened when Kwon Jiyong pulled her back, not really aiming to embrace her but just to keep her in place, but Sandara's body seemed to have a mind of its own. Instinctively, she wrapped her small arms around his waist as her face bumped into his chest. Meanwhile Kwon Jiyong was wondering why this woman was so weak. He didn't even use much force when he tugged her. He stood upright, imposing and somewhat awkward now that it was Sandara who was hugging him.

"I need to be clear first about some rules. Even if you're allowed to go out, always bring Moo Yeon with you, understood?" He coldly said, clasping his hands behind him, amused that she still kept her tiny arms wrapped around his waist even if he wasn't holding her.

"Mhm..."

"Don't cause any trouble,"

"Mhm..."

"Always wear your this bangle,"

"Mhm..."

"Inform the Queen or the King if you're going to visit the palace."

"Mhm..."

"Don't keep that little bastard too close to you,"

"Daegam... Is there anything more? You should have written everything down on a paper so I won't forget!" Sandara pulled away and laughed as she looked up at him but Kwon Jiyong only bent down to silence her with his lips. Soon, her eyes drooped, as she allowed him to take the lead once more. It was a soft and lingering, gentle and caring kind of kiss that made her body languid, her head dizzy. 

Just how many kinds of kisses does this iceberg know? How very unlikely of him!

When Kwon Jiyong pulled away, he kissed her on her forehead for the last time, before tapping the tip of her nose, smiling at how she was still left in daze with her cheeks blushing in a beautiful.

Sandara was still looking foolishly at him, unable to say anything. Enjoying her dumbfounded expression, he bent down to whisper in her ear.

"Be good, or this Lord shall teach you a lesson you won't forget."

Sandara suddenly snapped out of her confusion. Lesson? The first time he taught her one was with a kiss. The second and just recently, was with a kiss but a on a different level, followed by a savage attack on her neck. Sandara shivered at what new lesson he would teach her if she misbehaves.

She mentally promised to be good and obedient while he's away.

Meanwhile, Moo Yeon hadn't been idle that entire week when his lord stayed in the residence. While Sandara could only wonder what was keeping Kwon Jiyong and Moo Yeon busy those past few days, it turned out Kwon Jiyong had tasked Moo Yeon to find out more about the boy.

After roaming around the entire capital with a painting of the boy's face, he found out that Ryung seemed to had been beaten so badly and had suffered a concussion. One store keeper told him he saw the unconscious boy and helped him treat his injury but didn't dare take him in permanently, afraid that the boy was a slave on the run.

But Kwon Jiyong had already left when Moo Yeon arrived, so he wrote down the result of his investigation then sent it to the Hidden Seclusion. Whether His Excellency was there or not, he knew his lord would definitely go back to the place before coming home.

The next day, the carriage from Busan finally came back. Head Mistress, the generous woman that she is, sent her five basketfuls of peaches. Usually, peaches come in season during the sixth month of the year. The fourth month was just about to end but the flowers and fruits at the Cherry Blossoms House blossoms and ripens earlier than usual.

"Aigoo... these are such great quality peaches, Manim!" Jo Sanggung marveled at the fruits while Ryung kept gulping down as he stood behind the old lady. When Jo Sanggung sensed the boy, she pinched his chubby cheeks and playfully scolded him. "Yah little stinky boy, you better behave yourself. These precious fruits are for Manim, you understand?"

Poor boy could only sulk and move away. Actually, Jo Sanggung was really strict to all the servants at the household, Ryung not being an exception. Since His Excellency tasked her to keep an eye on the boy, she made sure to discipline him and saw to it he doesn't make any mistake. But deep inside, having had no family of her own, she pampered the boy as if he was her own grandchild. She made him some clothes and even sewed the collars of his torn ones everytime their ice cold lord bullies him.

But all along, Sandara wasn't paying attention to the old woman and the little boy. All she could think of was sending some of the fruits to Kwon Jiyong.

But where could she find him? And where did he travel to this time? Having no idea at all, she called Moo Yeon as she sat at the main hall.