Jong Kook entered the room after Ji Hyo had finished bathing and combing her hair. She smiled, seeing his reflection in the mirror.

“Sir Kim,” she smiled gleefully.

“Finally, you smell better.”

Ji Hyo frown. “Are you saying I stink?”

He nodded a little.

“Sir Kim.” she glared at him.

He turns her around and takes the comb out of her hand.

She sits and pouts but he looks at the long, silky, black locks of hair on her back, contrasting with her white clothes.

It wasn’t lust, it was admiration.

The comb in his hand moved through her hair from root to tip softly. Ji Hyo’s pout turned into a thin smile.

“How do you woman take care of your hair? It’s already hard enough for me to take care of mine.” He sighs.

Ji Hyo did the same.

“Being a woman is too hard, just become a man will you?” he grinned.

Ji Hyo chuckled. “Then does husband want a man for a wife?”

Jong Kook found himself ruffling her head. “Of course not, but my wife keeps acting like a man so what can I do?”

Ji Hyo turns to him, “I haven’t acted like a man.”

He crossed his arms, “You are by far the manliness woman I have ever seen.”

“How so?” she wonders.

He scratched his chin. “Ordering me around, making me run after you, doing things without my permission, also, knowing how use weapons. Such a dangerous woman.”

Ji Hyo smirk. “But you still like me anyways.”

Jong Kook couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t men run chase after the woman they like?” she asked.

“Who told you that?”

“An aunty here did.”

He tried to compose himself. “Aigoo, you know so much now huh?” he turned her around and started brushing her hair again.

At the corner of her eye, she could see him blushing, making her smile bigger.

His face was burning. Now that Ji Hyo said that, the images starts to sink in. Why would he be mad at her if he didn’t like her? Would he have tried to save her life just to save a life? Would he take care of her when she clings onto him like a child just because he is responsible for her?

He liked her…? He starts to question himself internally while she smiled.

“Sir Kim,” she spoke loud and clear.

“What is it?” he finds himself daydreaming and wondering off too much. Is he sick or overthinking?

“Let’s sleep,” her face turns pink.

He halts immediately. Sleep?

His body starts to feel hot and weird as he nervously looked around. She turns around and looks at him deeply. His face reddens as her brown eyes laid on him. Her stare became uncomfortable and even more when she moved her hand to touch his chest.

“W-What?” he stuttered as he brings his hand to cover his chest from her. “Why are you touching me?”

Ji Hyo looked blankly at him. “I was just wondering if you are hot, your face is so pink.”

He quickly moves his hair from his face. “I’m fine and well. Just a bit hot in here. Isn’t it for you?” he tried to play it off but Ji Hyo shook her head.

“It must be because I took a bath, Sir Kim you should do the same.”

He covered his chest once again nervously. “I already did.”

“It seems like you are a hot blooded person, take off your clothes,”

(Hot-blooded, in this case, could mean that he is a man urging to have ual and desires. But she doesn’t know he took it that way.)

He gulped. Ji Hyo took a step towards and he instantly took one back.

Ji Hyo chuckled, “Are you that afraid of me, General?” She crosses her arms across her chest, “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.” She walks to the bed as he stood there alone, still feeling shy and wary.

He hesitantly went to the bed as she had already under the covers. He lightly sneak beside her, keeping distance between them.

Ji Hyo turned her head towards him and shifted her body to face his.

“W-What are you doing?”

Ji Hyo raised her brows, “What am I doing?”

It wasn’t because he was disgusted by her, it was the exact opposite. He feels like she is trying to seduce him, but it was done so effortlessly. At the same time, she doesn’t seem to be going toward that same thought as he is either.

She reached her hand over his chest, grabbing the covers. She inched in closer and closer as he closed his eyes. He tightly shut his eyes.

How could he underestimate her, that child-like attitude of hers?

Should he get up and run out? No, it would make people suspicious of them.

Should he stay still and let her do what she wants? No, he would be too easy. He peeked open one eye and sees nothing. Except, the covers moved up, covering his chest and her hand set on his arm.

Her eyes were closed as she snuggled up to him.

Nothing, nothing is happening. He looks at her intently confused.

“Oppa, go to sleep.” Her voice made him jumped. How did she know he was looking at her?

The slit of her eyes opened tiredly, “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.”

He lied back and sighed, then a small smile curved over his lips.

This woman…

The night past by to early dawn.

Jong Kook woke up and sat by Ji Hyo’s side as she was fast asleep. They were in the same bed but he can’t help but look at her.

It was almost morning.

He felt a sudden rush, wanting to see her face only.

“Why is it that even when you are beside me, I still think of you?” he whispered. He moves the strands of hair from her face and touched her brows, this sudden yearning to touch her.

Ji Hyo shifted and her hand moves on the bed, reaching for his sleeve. He gives her his hand, easing her sleepiness. Ji Hyo took his hand and clutched it.

“Don’t go…” she muttered and frowned. His chest ache, seeing her like this made him want to stay with her.

He lay beside her and turned to face her. He put one finger on in the middle of her brows and rubbed it gently. Her face eases back to a peaceful sleep.

He holds her hand that held his.

Ji Hyo, oh Ji Hyo, what have you done to me?

Morning came quickly. The preparations were ready and he looked at her once more as they stood at the gate.

He pats her head, “Why are you looking so sad? I told you I’ll come back to pick you up.”

Ji Hyo pouted, “I know, but how can I be happy sending off my husband home?”

He pinched her cheek and found his arms around her. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

She nodded and they bid farewell as he got on his horse.

After a distance, he finally look back but he could see her still standing by the gate, looking at him. A part of him wanted to run back and take her with him but another part told him he was doing the right thing, settle down his matters first.

***

He finally reached the Kim’s Mansion after a day and night of traveling. Exhausted but still strong, he entered the mansion.

His mother greeted him.

“You’ve come home my son, but where is Lady Kim?”

“I left her there to finish some business first.”

“Jong Kook-“ his mother called him angrily.

He was about to move forward when a guard came running in.

“General Kim, the Capital guard requests to see you immediately.”

“Let him in,” Jong Kook ordered.

The Capital guard rushed in and bowed his head. “I have news to report to you, General.”

“What is it that you have requested to meet me immediately?”

“The assassin, Kenji Wu, have escaped from the capital prison yesterday.”

“What?!” he clenched his fist. He rushed out to the capital prison only to see the remnants of Kenji’s prison place.

“Are there any investigations on how he escaped?” he asked.

“Reporting to General, there were indeed men in black clothes. We managed to capture 2 of them.”

“Where are they?”

He was led to the prison room where there were more guards. The two men were tortured and locked down.

He walked up to one of them, “Who sent you?”

No answer as the men glared at him.

Infuriated, Jong Kook pulled off the man’s clothes that covered his arm. It revealed what he was looking for, his worries. These men are sent from the Japanese pirates. He couldn’t find a trace of tattoo from Kenji during the torturing sessions. He knew it now. His suspicions were correct.

Just then the man bit his own tongue, committing suicide. Jong Kook realized that and tried to stop him but it was too late, the man had died. The other one did the same.

Jong Kook clenched his fist tight as he held onto the black clothing.

“Find Kenji no matter what. He is a Japanese descendent from the Yuan.”

The Capital guard gasp. This is high treason from Yuan. Yuan and Goryeo were allies and had allied marriages but one of their people had allied with the Japanese pirates to infiltrate Goryo. This is even darker news to Jong Kook. His father-in-law was constantly targeted and so was he himself and Ji Hyo. There must be something going on in the Yuan dynasty that they are not aware of.

Little did he know he was right…

***

Ara sat in the corner of her bedroom, it was messy with the bed covers, refusing to go out. Her hair ruffled around her and her thin, white clothes covered her body hastily. Her head rested on the wall as she curled to herself in the corner.

The maid heard no answer and could only retreat with the other one.

Ara hasn’t gone out for 2 days now, not even eating or drinking anything, starving herself.

“Miss Go must be so heartbroken,” a maid stated.

The other one nodded. “General Kim has not come see her for days now. Even I would be sad.” They look back at the room.

One sighed, “Living in a big and beautiful house, but all alone.”

“Ugh, my head is hurting. I don’t know why.”

“Me too, the other night, I fell asleep so fast. I must have been too tired.” The maids walked away to the put the food away.

Ara sat in the room as she heard their voices echoed through the house. Her lifeless eyes stared at nothing.

No, they didn’t fall asleep because they were tired. It was because that bastard assassin drugged them and the guards. He knocked them out, cutting her off from any help, and shamed her.

Ara clumps the clothes that covered her, her teeth grinding.

She felt so helpless, dirty, and upset.

Before she knew it, it was nightfall. She heard a knocking on the door.

She refused to answer, or maybe it was because she was too weak.

The door slid open.

“Leave.” her voice weakly ordered.

The footsteps stop for a moment but continued. “My Lady,”

“I said leave,” Ara repeated.

“But-“

“Leave me alone!” she yelled and turned to look at the maid. The maid bow down in fear and scurried off.

There she finally saw him again, the only person she wished to see even in her dreams.

Jong Kook stood in front of her.

Her eyes well up in tears.

The look on his face in stone to see her in this state. Ara kept looking at him without blinking. It wasn’t until Jong Kook lean forward did she finally moved.

Before he could he could say anything, she wrapped her arms around him. Tears rolled her face as she snuggled in his chest and on his shoulder.

He didn’t know how to react. It felt so foreign. He could feel her body trembling then the cries.

He reluctantly patted her back. “It’s okay, everything is fine now.”

She nodded her head as she closed her eyes tight. Then she started crying out loud to him.

“Why did you only come back now?” she asked through sobs.

Jong Kook looked conflicted, afraid of what he might do or say will hurt her. He let her cry her heart out.

***

At the Song Mansion, Ji Hyo walked in circles around the garden, counting the stars. She finally sat down and huffed.

“That bad man, it’s been 2 days and he hasn’t even sent me a message…” she scowled.

Sir Kim, you meanie.

She pouted and looks to her side as she sat on the stairs. She remembers when Jong Kook would sit by her when she was done training, letting her lean on his shoulder. Ji Hyo frowns.

“I miss you~ husband~”

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Yay! Double update :)