Ji Hyo stood in the kitchen as she made some food for Jong Kook. Her mind blank as she stood there.

The pot was boiling when she snapped back to reality.

Ji Hyo quickly grabs the pot only to set it down on the counter, rubbing her fingers together. She hissed and clenched her hand. She bit down her lip, trying to suppress her pain.

Someone took her hand as she look up. To her surprise, Jong Kook took her hand and searched for the burn. His face remained in the same manner when they were outside.

“Didn’t I tell you to be careful?” he muttered sternly. Ji Hyo blinks, clearly. It is Jong Kook.

He sits her down and walks away to get the ointment on the shelves. He sat in front of her, applying the ointment to her finger.

He bandage her fingers as she cringe. Ji Hyo kept her eyes down but as he bandaged her fingers like before, she stole a glance at him. Somehow, she found herself in utter speechlessness. Just like before, his wavy black hair covered his forehead. His eyes concentrated on her hand.

Just as he finished and looks at her, she looks away immediately.

He shifted before standing up. “What were you cooking?”

Ji Hyo moved her hands back to her lap. “Food.”

He put his hands behind his back, “Let’s eat,” he walks away. Ji Hyo looks back up at his back as he walks away. But before he went through the door, “Let the maids do it.” he calls the maid as he exits the kitchen and they rushed in before Ji Hyo could protest.

***

They sat across from each other as they each took a spoonful of rice. Ji Hyo meekly had a loss of appetite but Jong Kook only ate the food down like normal.

She peeks at him as she slowly picks a piece of vegetable from the plate.

Maybe she’s just tired. Today has been a great confusion to her. She nibbled the carrot down.

“I’m sorry,” his voice broke the silence, making her stop. Her eyes immediately shift to his.

“Huh?”

Somehow, his appearance seems meek, stiffer. He took another bite. “I said, I’m sorry,” he took another bite of the food.

Ji Hyo’s eyes flutter and widen. “Why… are you sorry?”

He gulped down the lump in his throat. “For yelling at you.”

Ji Hyo puts down her chopsticks and looks straight at him, leaning forward. “Why?”

He stops eating and sat straight, his eyes finally looked up at hers, a bit angry. “Fine, I take it back.” He sipped down the cup of tea and was about to leave before Ji Hyo grabbed his hand.

He stops and looks back at her.

Why was she smiling? Even without realizing it, Ji Hyo doesn’t know why but seeing Jong Kook react that way made her felt somewhat satisfied.

“I meant, why are you apologizing?”

Jong Kook stares back at her, a bit taken back.

Ji Hyo smiled. “Thank you for apologizing, although you shouting did scare me a bit.”

He looked guilty, he had not yelled at her once before after she lost her memories but here he finally apologized. It felt so foreign after her actions earlier. He just couldn’t stay in the bedroom knowing he acted out on impulse.

“Did I go out without telling you before?” her words interrupt his thoughts. He looks up at her.

Should he pretend like nothing happened or tell her the truth?

She waited for his answer patiently then finally,

“Yes.”

Ji Hyo nodded and let go of his hand. His eyes followed her face as she looked away.

Again, another wave of satisfaction came through. She wasn’t seeing things, it did happen. He was telling her the truth.

“Actually,” she interrupted him, “I remembered something.”

Jong Kook froze in alarm.

She looks up at him. “I sneak out in improper clothes to go outside and you were really angry when I returned.”

He almost lets out a breath of relief.

“I must have been a headache to deal with right?”

“Ji Hyo,” he whispers her name.

“Oppa, I will not dress like that and leave without telling you again.” She raised her hand to the ceiling. “But you must also promise not to leave me behind too. Ever since I woke up, you were never in bed with me.”

True, the only time he stayed with her was before and after she got hurt.

Speechless at her words and actions he can only go with the flow. She waited for his response.

“That,” he knew she was going to be disappointed. “I cannot promise.”

“Why?” her big eyes grew soft again.

He nudged around, “There will be times when I am busy from the social affairs and can’t come back.”

Her lips pouted. “But you said you wouldn’t leave me alone before…”

He remembers now. He sighs, a string nudged at him, seeing her pouty lips and big puppy eyes begging him. “Fine.”

Ji Hyo gleamed in joy.

“I will leave you a message or tell you before I leave you alone, ok?”

Ji Hyo thought to herself before nodding.

Just like that, Ji Hyo let go of her suspicions. She placed a piece of meat on his bowl of rice.

“Sir Kim has not tried my cooking before, eat a lot.”

At that statement, Jong Kook did come to realization. He had never tried her cooking before, even until now.

Seeing her staring and waiting, he takes the food and plopped more in his mouth.

How should he say it?

“How is it?” she anticipated.

He chewed a few times before looking at her. “Oily.”

She frowned. “Is it good?”

“It’s… good.” Honestly, it was good. The flavors seeped into his mouth and tender.

“Is this as good as my cooking from before?”

What should he say? He never really ate her food knowingly before. But seeing her rising spirit he couldn’t help but become soft hearted.

He slightly nodded his head. “It’s too oily,” then continued eating.

She quickly grabs the ladle and present him a bowl of the soup she made earlier. “Drink up, it is less oily. From now on, I will try to cook better like before.”

He takes the bowl of soup and watched her continue eating. This time she seemed livelier, eating more. His lips curved and sipped the bowl of soup.

Somehow, tonight seemed lively too. Ji Hyo started chatting like usual and childishly asked him so many questions.

Jong Kook didn’t know why but tonight, it seemed like he was mesmerized by her curiosity. He was moved by her naïve and innocent self.

After dinner, they took a walk in the courtyard after greeting her father.

They walked side by side, discussing the things they have done and learn while living in the Song Mansion. Ji Hyo stopped and turned to him.

“Sir Kim, we have stayed here for 9 days now.”

He nodded, “It’s already been 9 days,”

“Let’s,” she smiled brightly, “go back home.”

He stopped and stare at her. “Don’t you want to stay with your father for a bit longer?”

Honestly, he planned to leave after 7 days but staying here just became a habit to him. It was a place he saw her smiled brightly than before, a place where he could read her emotions, you may call it his limbo.

“Sir Kim?” she called him again.

He snapped back and look at her worried expression.

“Is there something bothering you?”

“N-not at all.”

Ji Hyo took his hand in hers. “I promise you, when we get back home, I try my best to be the perfect wife for you. I will learn everything about being the wife of the Kim Mansion.”

Home…

Such determination from a woman who was once rejected from him and was determined to be free wants to go back to his home. Their home…

“Ji Hyo-ah,” he should say it now. He should tell her everything before going back. Tell her about the truth behind the marriage and his secret wife. His secret wife. He has already forgotten about her.

“What if,” he gulped, “I want you to stay here longer?”

Ji Hyo’s brows furrowed.

“Just for a few more days, wait here and I’ll pick you up.”

She wasn’t good at hiding her expressions. He could clearly tell there was a hint of disappointment.

He grabbed both of her hands, “Just a few days, give me a few days to prepare everything for you to return home.”

Was it the fear of losing her that made him rambled words or was it the fear of her remembering everything?

Ji Hyo looked down then up at him. “But you said you won’t leave me alone here… That’s what you said when we were coming here.”

“I know, but there are some things I have to take care of.” His grip tighten. “Please?”

Ji Hyo pondered before her eyes grew teary as he waited for her response. “Only this one time,” she mumbled.

He pulled her into a hug. He sighed and hugged her tightly. “Thank you Ji Hyo-ah. Thank you so much.”

Although she was upset, she tried to understand him. Being a general meant big work. She had to understand him.

He, on the other hand, was relieved. He will come back for her.

***

In the suburban area of Anyang, in the green forest that has now turn to night, cricket chirped and soldiers stayed on guard.

In the beautiful house, Ara sat down after she finished bathing. She waved to the maids and they left her alone. She combed her long silky hair as she looked in the mirror.

It has been 9 days and 10 nights that she hasn’t seen Jong Kook. These few days felt like months and years. Her heart stirred up in nervousness.

What if he starts to fall for Ji Hyo? What if he doesn’t want her anymore? Will he forget her?

She quickly shook away the thoughts.

No, Jong Kook oppa isn’t like that. He won’t do that to me.

She tried to comfort herself with their loving memories. Although he married the Minister’s daughter, he was still doting on her. He never spent one night in bed with Ji Hyo.

She trusted him. But these days seems to have thinned out her trust. She became wary and afraid.

Just as she put down the comb, she finally heard the door slide open.

“What is it at this time of the nigh-“

She froze in horror as she saw the figure in black clothes.

She was about to scream when the figure grabs her swiftly, knocking her on the floor. It was a man.

“How have you been darling?”

She recognized the voice. It was that man.

“You.”

“Of course it’s me, did you miss me?” he chuckled deeply.

She shivered at his words. Those were the same words he told her when she was tied up in the barrel at the Kim’s Mansion.

A chill ran through her spine.

“Do you know where this is?” she tried strongly counter him. “This is the General’s personal place and a person like dare to barge in here? Do you want your head to be chopped off?” She hissed those words.

She could see him grinning behind the black cloth that covered his face.

“I missed you too much to worry about that.”

She bit her lips, “Guards! Is there anyone out there?! Help!”

However he lowly chuckled. “No matter how much you scream, no one can come help you.”

A cold sweat swiped over her temple.

“W-What did you do?”

He got off her and stood up, wiping away his clothes. She quickly sat up, away from him.

“Getting into the General’s place was no joke but there were loopholes. What makes you think I wouldn’t be able to enter a house of 2 guards and maids?”

He turns back to her, “Where is that General Kim of yours? I thought you said he will protect you no matter what. Where is he now, leaving you alone in the woods with barely any protection?”

“What do you want?” Her voice grew meek and afraid.

He turns back to her.

“Don’t you think that by now, he is probably in bed with his wife, cuddling and sleeping together?”

She looked away, her eyes grew pink.

“Miss Go, aren’t you worried at all? A man and a woman under one roof in the same room, what could they be doing, especially when they are husband and wife?”

These past few days, she had been denying all those thoughts but now that someone else say’s it, she can’t help but feel helpless.

“H-He’s not like that,”

“Some of my men told me how these two lovebirds were living at the mansion, leaning onto each other like glue. They could been seen as almost having s-“

“Stop it!” she yelled and glared at him, her eyes pink. “You don’t know anything about Jong Kook oppa, don’t act like you do.” She gritted her teeth.

He walks forward and leans in as he takes off his mask, revealing his face. Kenji Wu.

“If I don’t know about him, I must know about you though.”

“You are just a worthless assassin who wants to hurt Jong Kook. Do you think that hurting me will let you be free?” Ara glared at him and hissed every word at him.

“Don’t run your mouth so much yet, I might just kiss you.” He smiled arrogantly as he reached and touched her chin.

She tried to move his hand but his grip on her chin was tight.

“Why don’t you go kiss that dead maid?” she scorned.

His face darkens.

“Yeo Jin right?” Ara tried to feign ignorance, she has to distract him. “I heard she and you were lovers… But you abandon and even poisoned her. What a great love you have.” Her lips moved up into a smirk. “No wonder you don’t know what it is to be loved by someone sincerely. You are nobody who backstabbed those closest to you.”

His grip tightens as he grabbed her chin, paining her. She could see the fire in his eyes, she has really offended him. To her left hand, she was able to grab onto the comb from before and timely as he was focused on her face, she drew up the comb to scratch him.

The comb slightly scratched the side of his jaw but he caught it in time, tightly gripping onto her left wrists. Ara griped in pain as he slowly twists her hand a bit to make her powerless against him.

“You messed with the wrong person.” His words were cold and distant from before. “Originally I wasn’t going to do this but you have pushed my limit. I wonder how the General slept in bed with this supposedly innocent but venom words like yours?”

Ara tried to release her wrists but she couldn’t. He shadowed over her and she could only scream for help.

“I would like to try it for myself,” he grinned.

The night grows windy yet slowly…

******************************************************************************