Author's note: I apologize for the lack of updates. This chapter is going to be a very lengthy one so please brace yourself when reading it. I hope it doesn't make you sleepy either ^^

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Ji Hyo wakes up and stretches meekly. She looked around and remembers that Jong Kook left to sleep somewhere else. A bothered feeling but she brushed it off.

“Sure, I’m just scared.” The door opens and a servant enters with a bowl of warm water and a towel.

“Here is your morning wash, Lady Kim,”

Ji Hyo blinks blankly. “Uh… thank you.” Thanks to her husband last night, she was able to learn more terms.

She takes the wash cloth, not knowing what to do with it, she dipped it in water and lightly scrubs it on her neck then her hands. The servant was unaware but Ji Hyo quickly finishes it, without even washing her face.

*

Kenji screams as the two wooden flogs stretched between his bind feet.

“Who sent you?” Jong Kook repeated. He has been up all night, interrogating him.

Kenji groan from the deprivation of sleep, fatigue and bruising pain. But still no answer.

Jong Kook brings the hot iron stamp, engraved in the letter ‘traitor’, up. “Who sent you to kill me?” He puts the iron clad back down onto the steaming red fire.

“You’re a loyal one,” Jong Kook turns back to him. Kenji grin as sweat drips down his pale face. “Since torturing won’t open your mouth, I think I know of one.”

Kenji smirked and glared at him menacingly.

“Yeo Jin is dead.”

The smirk was quickly wiped from Kenji’s face, then he tries to grin. “You think I will fall for that?”

Jong Kook stepped closer, leaving their distance at an arm’s length. “Do I look like I’m lying?”

Kenji’s fake grin turned devious as his gaze darkens. He spits at Jong Kook, making Jong Kook turned his face away.

“They will come after you,”

Jong Kook turns back to face him and pulls Kenji’s dirty, bloody collar. “Are you sure it will be me they are after once they know your only burden is dead?”

“You!”

Jong Kook pushes him away and walks out of the torture room.

“I’m going to kill you! You’re dead Kim Jong Kook! Argh!” Kenji screams through the empty room that echoed through the halls.

“General,” one of the guards came by.

“Let him in the cell and guard it tightly. Contact me immediately if there is anything suspicious.”

“Yes, General.”

Jong Kook finally set foot up to the ground floor. He got out and saw that the day has already begun.

He enters the Kim’s mansion after a long night. He wasn’t that tired as he was used to traveling up to 3 days straight whenever there was a waging war in need.

He sees Ji Hyo sitting on the bridge by the pavilion by herself. She kept looking down at the pond of koi fishes then tried to sit in ‘elegant’ poses. She scratched her head back and forth, trying to pose nicely, which literally failed.

He walks behind her silently then, “Boo!”

Ji Hyo screamed a load curse words at him, making him halt in surprise. Knowing that it was him, Ji Hyo quickly repented.

“Sorry Sir Kim, I didn’t know it was you.” He was still in shock as she apologized. “Are you alright?” she sees the little blood on his sleeve.

“It’s nothing,” he fumbled then put his hands on his hips. “Who taught you how to say those words?”

Ji Hyo looked at him innocently. “It just came to me.” He squinted at her and swears that it’s true.

He almost smiles but keeps stone, “What are you doing here and not resting?”

Ji Hyo sat on the small bridge wall. “It’s too stuffy. I don’t want to sit in bed all day.”

“But if you don’t rest how will you get better?”

“If I don’t get up, how will I remember?” she asked back.

Early that morning, his mother came by and talked to her. Ji Hyo was more comfortable with his mother than him. But something draws her to Madam Kim, a motherly connection.

Jong Kook looks at her fumbling her feet. She dressed rather plain today. Her hair was in a plain braided bun and hanbok was plain yellow, but she was adorable with her big eyes and blank face.

He almost slaps himself in the face. Why are you thinking like that???

“I think I know someone that can help you remember.”

Ji Hyo gets up immediately, “Who?”

***

He led her to a room in the farther quarters. He knocked on the door as he opened it. Ji Hyo hesitated to walk in but she was afraid.

“It’s alright, I’m here,” he gave her an assuring smile.

Ji Hyo gulped and went inside. They turned and walked through the drapes only to a bed with a stiff body. Ji Hyo almost screams but Jong Kook covers . She tugged on Jong Kook’s shoulder and sleeve for support.

“What is that?” she whispers quickly.

“It’s the person I was talking about,”

“What??” Ji Hyo couldn’t believe it.

They walked closer with Ji Hyo behind him, holding onto the hinges of his military uniform.

“Yeo Jin-ssi?” Jong Kook calls the other woman softly. Yeo Jin weakly squints her eyes open to see them watching over her. Jong Kook scooted Ji Hyo forward to her, Ji Hyo tried her best to be strong and stepped up.

“My… my l-lady…” she weakly whispers. She tries to get up, barely able to, Ji Hyo quickly assists her.

“Be careful,” she held onto this new woman’s shoulders.

Yeo Jin has grown pale, her lips cracking, pink eyes, and sore throat. “My lady…” she looks at Ji Hyo who has grown a little pale and then her clothes. “Why are you…”

Ji Hyo looks back at Jong Kook then back at Yeo Jin.

“I’m sorry. I have memory loss.”

Yeo Jin’s eyes widen and stares at her in disbelief. “How…” then she looks back at Jong Kook. “Sire…”

Jong Kook looks down. “I’ll leave you both at ease.” then he heads out.

Yeo Jin looks over at the blank Ji Hyo then at the door. “That… that bastard.”

“Bastard?” Ji Hyo repeated.

Yeo Jin held her hand. “How could this…” Ji Hyo looks back at her. Seems like she was really concerned about Ji Hyo rather than other people she has met in the household. “It’s all my fault.”

Ji Hyo could see tears in the Yeo Jin’s eyes. “I am so sorry my lady.”

Ji Hyo didn’t know why but she couldn’t feel anything. She doesn’t even know why but seeing this woman here on the verge of crying makes her feel helpless. She holds her hand with the woman.

“No. It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.” Ji Hyo told her.

Yeo Jin cries as Ji Hyo holds her.

*

“So you are my maid?” Ji Hyo asked.

Yeo Jin nodded. “I assisted you everywhere you went.”

Ji Hyo sat beside her. “But how come I don’t remember you?”

Yeo pats her head. “It’s okay, you can start anew.”

“But how am I going to learn everything again?” Ji Hyo sighs, “I almost couldn’t fix my own hair into a bun and wore my clothes raggedly.

Yeo Jin smiles. “You will learn with time.”

Ji Hyo turns to, “Can I practice with your hair?”

Ji Hyo quickly lets down Yeo Jin’s hair. “Wow, your hair is really nice, so soft.” She starts learning to braid.

She fumbled with Yeo Jin’s fine hair over and over again, trying to act like she knows what she’s doing. Yeo Jin in turns chuckles lightly as Ji Hyo attempts to put her hair in a bun.

“I have always wanted someone to put my hair up.”

Ji Hyo smiles. “Don’t worry, I’ll put your hair up for you every day.”

“Not like that,” she shook her head. Ji Hyo turns to her.

“Like what?”

“To have your raised is to be married. Unmarried women have to style their hair down while married women must put their hair in a bun.”

Ji Hyo touches her bun, “Like mines?” Yeo Jin nods her head.

“Can you tell me how Sir Kim and I met?” Ji Hyo readily listens.

“That’s for you to remember.”

“But I can’t remember.”

“When was the first time you met him when you woke up?”

Ji Hyo tried to think, “In the tub.”

“Then that’s how you met,” Yeo Jin nods. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

Ji Hyo looked down in disappointment. “What about you? Is there a certain someone you want to raise your hair for?”

Yeo Jin almost lost her smile but retains it. “I do… but he is long gone.”

“Ten years, dead and living dim and draw apart.
I don’t try to remember,
But forgetting is hard.
Lonely grave a thousand miles off,
Cold thoughts, where can I talk them out?”

Ji Hyo was lost.

Yeo Jin smiles. Please, don’t remember anything my lady. It will only leave you in heartaches.

***

Later that night, Ji Hyo sits Jong Kook down.

“What is it?” he sees her take out the cosmetic box and stands up immediately.

But she quickly blocks the door. “Just this once.”

“No,”

“Please~”

“No,”

“Sir Kim~”

“I said no,” he resisted again and was ready to get out.

“Husband!” she called him.

“Huh?”

“Why are you so surprised?” Ji Hyo asked as she sees his eyes focus on her now. “Is it weird?”

“It’s- I mean no, absolutely not. It’s just…”

I told you not to treat me like a husband or call me one before.

She hold his arms and takes him back to the table. “I promise you, just this once.”

“I don’t want to,” he protests.

“Yeo Jin is very sick and I want to do her a favor.”

“What does her favor have to do with me wearing makeup like a woman?”

Ji Hyo was agitated. “She wants her hair to be raised.”

He stares back at her in confusion.

“Raise her hair not like holding it up. It’s like getting married like me. You see my hair?”

He nodded.

“I want to make tomorrow a good day for her,” she sadly states then looks up at him. I wonder how she will react. How did I react when you raised my hair?”

“Umm…”

She waited for his answer.

“I…” he gulps. He never raised her hair.

Ji Hyo waited and waited. “Did you not raise my hair?”

“It’s not like that?”

“Then why can’t you answer me?” she folded her hands.

“It’s just, I didn’t raise your hair. I mean yes we got married but you raised your own hair when we did the ceremony.”

Ji Hyo was a little disappointed. “Then how did we meet?”

He struggled to find words and changed the subject, “If you’re not going to use the makeup then I’m leaving,” he gets up to leave but she quickly holds him with a big smile.

“Of course not,” she fold her sleeves and grin.

“What’s that face supposed to mean?” but she just smiles bigger

*

Jong Kook looks at the mirror. “You’re kidding me right?” He moves the mirror out of the way and Ji Hyo snorted in laughter.

He had a big bun on top of his head, his lips are super red, his cheeks rosy pink, his eyes were very black, and his face was extra white.

He glares at her, “It’s not funny.”

But she smiles, “Of course not, you’re just,” she looks at him again, “you are too pretty ahahaha,” she burst in laughter and rolled on the mat.

He glares at her and acts all cutesy, tucking the loose strands behind his ear on both sides. “There is no one as pretty as me,” he uses his high voice, making Ji Hyo laugh more. But on the serious not, he wasn’t impress. He grabs the white face powder and leans over to Ji Hyo before patting it all over her face.

“Yah!” Ji Hyo screamed and laugh.

“Come on, we need to make your face whiter too, so that you’ll be prettier than a ghost, here so more lipstick so you’ll look more alive.”

They laughed at each other while she was struggling but he was stronger than her as he was on top of her.

His mother heard them screaming in the room and feared that Jong Kook tried to hurt her. She quickly opened the doors with her servants.

“What is-“ she yells only to see the scene in front of her.

Jong Kook and Ji Hyo stops what they were doing as Jong Kook realizes it was his mother.

“Ah!” his mother screamed in shock.

“Ah!” he yells at the top of his lungs in a high pitched voice and hid behind Ji Hyo. He can’t let anyone see him like this, he’s a General.

His face reddens in embarrassment as he hides behind her, making her his protectant shield from his mother and the servants.

“Who is that?” his mother asked.

“It’s Jong Kook oppa, mother,” Ji Hyo tried not to laugh.

“And what happen to you…”

Ji Hyo wipes away the smudged makeup with the back of her hand. “Oh, it’s nothing. We were just… playing with the makeup.” she smiles.

His mother nodded and chuckles, but gave them a weird look. “I’ll leave you two alone then,” she smiled. “Get me a grandchild soon,” she said after herself as the door closes.

“Mom!” Jong Kook removes himself from behind Ji Hyo. “It’s not like that.” He turns back to Ji Hyo, “You should have told her- Ah!” he screams again then started laughing at Ji Hyo.

Ji Hyo, looks at him in confusion and wipes her face again, “What?”

She takes the mirror and looks at herself then screams, dropping the mirror.

She had smeared the white powder and red powder together and created a mustache with a little flick of black paint.

***

Ji Hyo came to Yeo Jin again as Jong Kook assist her.

Ji Hyo brought a bag with her. She could see Yeo Jin was sicker than yesterday. She tried to be cheerful. Yeo Jin weakly gets up.

“You’re here again my lady,”

“Again? This is only the second time.” She sits beside Yeo Jin. “You won’t believe what I brought today.”

She opened the bag to reveal the cosmetics and ornaments.

“This is…”

Ji Hyo nods. “Come one here. Let me get you ready.”

She loosens Yeo Jin’s hair and ties it into a bun, better than last night’s. Then she applied makeup on her, following with a set of new clothes. She had to practice so long with Jong Kook last night.

Then she hands the mirror to Yeo Jin. Her pale skin turned rosy and her cheeks beautify. She almost couldn’t smile but can’t help it.

“This is me…”

Yeo Jin starts crying but then immediately starts coughing blood. “Yeo Jin-ssi, Yeo Jin-ssi!” Ji Hyo helps her.

Yeo Jin looks at the blood on her hand, dark purple red blood. Then she wipes it away as Ji Hyo tries to help her.

“Go find Minister Song.” Yeo Jin quickly instructs her. “He is your father, he will be able to help you.”

“My father… Minister Song?”

Yeo Jin holds her hand. “No matter how much *inhales* I want you to remember… please. Forget everything, begin anew.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ji Hyo was confused.

“Kenji… *cough* traitorous assassin from Yuan…” Yeo Jin gasps for air. “You must stay s-strong.”

Ji Hyo tried to process everything that Yeo Jin just said. “I-I-“

Yeo Jin turns away as she groans in pain. She struggled to breathe and her chest struck with a sharp pain.

“Yeo Jin-ssi,”

Yeo Jin clutches onto her arm as Ji Hyo pulls her to her lap.

“Sir Kim! Jong Kook!” She yells for help. Yeo Jin squeezed her hand tightly as she bit her lips, going through rezenderous pain.

***

Ji Hyo squatted outside as she thought about what Yeo Jin had said. The doctor comes out and Jong Kook confronts him.

“How is she?”

The doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid that we are too late, Sire.”

Ji Hyo stands up immediately.

“The poison have spread to her chest. It’s only a matter of time before she dies.”

“Isn’t the poison the same from battle grounds?” Jong Kook asked.

The doctor shook his head. “This one is more poisonous, used with different poisons that will case a torturous death. The only cure is the antidote or a kind of plant. But like I said, it is too late.”

“What plant could it be?” Ji Hyo interrupted.

“Lady Kim,” the doctor bowed to her. “It is curable with an herb, Zui, but it is very far away in the mountains, it is rare to find them in the city,”

Ji Hyo hurries out before the doctor could finish talking. Jong Kook bows to the doctor.

“Please, try your best to prolong her life.” Jong Kook requested before running after Ji Hyo.

Ji Hyo ran out of the mansion as Jong Kook ran after her. She encountered the market, bustling with people.

“Excuse me, do you have an herb call Zui?” the seller was taken back but shook his head. Ji Hyo quickly goes from seller to seller, abruptly asking for the herb.

Jong Kook finds her in the crowd, desperately looking for the herb.

“Does anyone here sell the herb Zui?” she shouted in the crowd.

Jong Kook grabs her by the arm, dragging her back to the mansion while she continue to ask the people on the way back.

(The Rose Cloth ( Paj Ntaub ) Official Instrumental OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgPRnX2JN8A )

“Ji Hyo,” he shakes her by the shoulders. “Listen to me, we can’t be out here like this.”

“We have to find the herb.”

“I know but we can’t be out here recklessly asking for the herb.”

“Why?” Ji Hyo asked. “Do you not want to save her?”

“Song Ji Hyo.” He almost raised his voice.

Ji Hyo took a deep breath. “Didn’t you say she can help me remember?” Her voice was cracking, “but why do you refuse to find the herb for her?” She pushed his arms away.

“I want to save her Ji Hyo.” he holds her again. “I want to save her as much as you do but we can’t go out especially unprotected and we don’t even know who is targeting us.”

“So you’re just going to let her die?” Tears pool in her eyes. “I only met her two times and I could feel it, the connection between me and her.”

“Ji Hyo-ah,” he calls softer. Ji Hyo turned away and wiped away her tears. Jong Kook hesitated to touch her again but went for it anyway.

He hugged her lightly. Ji Hyo continue to cry as she knew they can’t help Yeo Jin anymore. “I am so scared oppa.” she whispers as she holds onto him.

He nods as he sighs. “I know.” He hugged her tighter. “I know.”

Ji Hyo continued to hold him as tears stream down her face. It was a while before he pulls back and sees her pink, puffy eyes.

“Let’s go back inside for now. She must be waiting for you and here you are, running out like this.”

Ji Hyo can’ help it but cry more like a child. He wipes her tears and holds her shoulder, leading them back inside.

When they reached the room, Ji Hyo could see that despite the makeup, Yeo Jin was paler than ever, almost purplish gray. She was dying.

She sits beside her, holding her hand.

Yeo Jin couldn’t even move anymore as Ji Hyo sits on the bed and rubs her head,

“It’s me Yeo Jin-ah.” Ji Hyo calls her gently. But Yeo Jin didn’t seem to hear her anymore.

“While I lean against the banister of a tall tower,
The breeze gently blows.
As I look into the distance,
The end of Spring arouses melancholy in my mind.
Surrounded by dewy grass at sunset,
I wonder who is able to understand my longing.”

She mumbles between breaths. Ji Hyo cries as she understood it now. Yeo Jin longed for her lover.

*Flashback*

“Don’t go,” Yeo Jin begged Kenji. “Don’t leave me like this.”

He held her hand in his, “I’m sorry.”

Yeo Jin cries and tries to hold him. “Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Just tell me…” she couldn’t help it tears burn in her eyes.

Kenji looks at her pitifully. “I can’t marry you…”

Tears drip down the corners of her eyes as she let go of his hand. He took a small glimpse at her before whispering another apology and walked away to his horse.

Devastated, Yeo Jin watches him leave. He got on his horse, leaving her alone.

He was of a high position in Yuan while she was only a slave, a commoner for the Song household. She should’ve known, he would never marry her.

Yeo Jin decided to turn her back and walked away as she covered through cries with the back of her hand until she squatted down to cry uncontrollably.

*Flashback to present*

A tear dripped down the corner of her eyes, sliding on the side of her face. She closed her eyes and continue reciting the poem.

“I would rather drink to intoxication.
One should sing when one has wine in hand,
But drinking to escape offers no reprieve.
I do not mind that my clothes are getting looser.
My lover is worthy of desire.”

Ji Hyo couldn’t help it as she heard Yeo Jin grunting in pain, her body trembling, turning cold.

It was seconds until she breathe her last breath, lying lifeless in Ji Hyo’s lap.

Ji Hyo tried to control herself but she too cry to herself silently, biting her lips tightly, almost making it bleed.

The only person who can help her is gone. She is left all alone in this strange place where she calls home, with a man who seems to treat her nice at times but also nags a lot.

Everyone keeps telling her who she is but she isn’t convinced. If she was happy, why did she have the urge to leave this place since day 1 when she woke up? Why did it feel strange to be around her husband and that other man? Why did she like his mother?

Why, why, why?

 Her head was a mess as she sat by the steps.

***

It was the next day as Yeo Jin was buried properly. Ji Hyo bowed to her as Jong Kook waits for her from afar.

He sees her trying to keep a strong a front but could see her crumbling.

Ji Hyo walked aimlessly from the grave as her eyes grew puffy. She bumps into a hard wall = Jong Kook. He stares at her in which she ignores him.

But he suddenly takes her by the hand, following him. She looked up at his back, although it was amusing, she found it familiar but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

He takes her to the grassy mountain. She watches the windy cliff and back at him.

“Scream your heart out, ignore me as if I’m not here.” He tells her. Ji Hyo stares back at him with her blank face.

“As if.” she turns away.

“Ah!” he yells, making her jump. He turns back to her and chuckles. “Try it.”

Ji Hyo reluctantly yells an off tone, “Ah~” then peers back at him.

“Louder!” he ordered.

“Ah!”

“More,”

“AH~!”

“Now cry.”

She turns back to him, “Why?”

“You cry too much, your eyes are like oysters. So small~”

She touches her face and pats it.

“And after crying this time, don’t cry anymore, understand?” he pinches her nose.

Ji Hyo cringes then glares at him.

“See, look at this, look at this, giving me that face.” He points at her before facing the mountains. “Let it all out and let her go in peace. It must have been torturous for her.”

Ji Hyo lightly nods as she thought of Yeo Jin’s state.

Don’t be sick anymore. Don’t get hurt anymore. Find your lover Yeo Jin.

“Yeo Jin-ah!” She yells, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything for you! I’m sorry that I can’t even remember you until the very end! For that, I apologize! If I could ever remember, I will remember you first! I’m~”

Her voice lowers as it crack and quivers. “I’m… sorry.” then she turns to Jong Kook. “I’m sorry.”

He looks back at her as her words were directed at him.

“Why are you sorry?” he seemed almost confused.

“For being a burden,” she finished.

He stays still, not sure what to say. “Y-you’re not a burden. Don’t think like that-“

“I don’t even remember who I am. I don’t even know the basic things to say or do. I’m a dummy.”

He tries lighten up the situation but she shook her head. “I am the world’s biggest dummy. I don’t even remember you,” she cried.

He was left speechless. His heart aching.

Don’t remember me… It will hurt you.

He holds her hand in his, “It’s okay if you don’t, I will remember you.” He smiles.

“Aish you’re not helping at all,” she turns away and wipes away her tears.

“How?” he chuckles. “I’ll remember you for you.”

Ji Hyo pouted her lips. “If I don’t remember you, how am I supposed to know anything about you?”

He stops talking there and just sits next to her as she cries to herself.

Should he tell her or not? Would it be better if she does not remember at all?

“Ji Hyo-ah,”

“What?” she turns to him pouty.

He looks at her carefully. “Let’s go visit your father,” he was hesitant but it was the best way he can help her without hurting her.

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Thank you for reading until the end of this chapter! Kudos to you readers :D