Chapter 8: Smiles & Gifts

Hwayang couldn’t stop thinking about Yeonhwa as he was on his knees and cutting the wheats. In fact, he couldn’t stop thinking about her at all ever since she left and he got home last night. After his mother asked of his whereabouts yesterday, all he said was that he stumbled across an injured old man and had to accompany him to the medical house. Of course, only the part about accompanying someone was true.

When he pieced together all the information last night, he finally realized who he met - who he spent the whole day with - who he saved. Han Yeonhwa - the Crown Princess of Joseon. He never expected to see her so soon and sudden after the little conversation he heard from the girls in town and his talk with Jooyang.

Of course he felt more surprised than angry about her identity. He couldn’t blame her for not telling him in the beginning. She was a princess who had her duties and responsibilities to take care of, so he wasn’t upset she kept it a secret.

Hwayang stopped cutting the wheats when he sensed someone beside him. He turned his head and found a familiar, girl next to him before putting on a smile.

“Oh, Eunpil,” he said.

She smiled back, kneeling to the ground be at his level. “Hey,” she replied.

Eunpil was another close friend of Hwayang’s. She’s selfish and arrogant at times, but she’s also really brave and courageous. She was thin, pretty, about five foot tall, and always had her hair in two, loose braids. She wore simple clothes that were more simple and comfortable than stunning hanboks. She had always wanted to wear one, but she was also a poor commoner, so she couldn’t afford it.

Throughout the city, Eunpil was known for her incredible hunting skills. Whenever her father went up to the mountains to catch some wild animal to feast on, she would gladly tag along without him needing to ask. She had the skills of a soldier chasing down their enemy.  

“What are you doing here?” Hwayang asked, turning his attention back to the wheats. “I thought you were supposed to be selling your meats at the market today.”

“My shift is over,” Eunpil responded as she crossed her arms over her chest. “So I came here to see you.”

Hwayang smirked at her. “Oh, really?”

She nodded excitedly. “Really.”

To be honest, Eunpil just wanted to come see him. Today wasn’t even her shift at all. It was her mother’s. Actually, she liked Hwayang. A lot. Ever since they were little, and he saved her from a bunch of bullies, she liked him ever since. But he was always treating her as a friend. Even worse - a sister. She wanted to be more than that.

“How are your parents lately?” Hwayang asked. “I haven’t seen them in a while. And what about you? Anything interesting happened?”

“My mom and dad are fine,” the huntress answered. “They are still working very hard these days. And me?” She blinked. “No. Nothing’s happened lately.”

Hwayang put on a smuggish smile at her, then stood up after putting all of the wheats in the straw-basket. Eunpil followed after as they walked side by side through the farming field.

“What about you, huh?” Eunpil asked the young lad. “Anything new going on?”

Hwayang’s train of thoughts immediately landed on Yeonhwa, making him smile.

“You’re smiling. Why are you smiling?”

Hwayang bit his lip, trying to hide his happy expression. “What?” he said. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

“A smile that big isn’t nothing. It’s something. Come on, tell me. Why are you smiling so happily?”

A chuckle escaped Hwayang’s mouth, only making Eunpil more curious as to why he seemed so cheerful all of a sudden.

“There is only one reason out of two that you are smiling like this,” Eunpil held up her two fingers. “One, you won a reward. And two, it’s a girl.”

Hwayang looked at her with his cheeky smile. “Is it that noticeable?” he asked.

Eunpil’s eyes faltered as her expression fell in disappointment. She started to think about the possibility of the second option. “Tell me,” she put down her fingers. “Tell me you won a reward”

Unfortunately to her dismay, Hwayang shook his head. “I’m not that worthy to win a reward,” he said.

“Then… A girl?”

Hwayang pinked a bit and cleared his throat, but he didn’t answer her.

“Hwayang Oppa,” Eunpil grabbed his arm. “Is it because of a girl?”

The farmboy turned to her and got out of her grasp as he flipped her ponytail over her head.

“Hey! Oppa! Stop!”

Hwayang chuckled. “Maybe it is because of a girl,” he admitted. “But that’s all the answer you’ll get from me.”

Eunpil pouted at him as he smiled at her again, then walked away. She stood still, watching him leave, th