As promised, the second chapter is here! Yay! *no claps... slowly claps by myslef ^^*

enjoy this long~ chapter :)

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Ji Hyo slowly opens her eyes, blurry and hazy.

“She’s awake now,” she heard someone say.

She turns her head and sees her father sitting beside her.

“Father,” she called him and her father nodded his head and smiled. She tries to get up but her father tries to stop her.

“Lie down, you need to rest.”

Ji Hyo listens but then sees the door open. She could see her in-laws and the doctor talking. His mother turned the other way and wept while his father sighed. She turns back to her father and sees his clearly that he looks sad.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked. Her father looked away and Jong Kook comes in the room. Her father gets up and leaves. Ji Hyo gets up as Jong Kook took her father’s spot.

Somehow, his expression was different from before. He takes one look at her as their eyes lock. She felt wary as his eyes stare into hers. Before she could ask him anything, he puts his hands on her shoulders, drawing them close. Her head lied on his shoulder and she could feel his arms wrapped around her gently but firmly.

“Sire-“ she whispered anxiously as the quiet atmosphere starts to wear her down. But she heard him exhaled deeply and hold onto her tighter before he releases her, letting them look into each other’s eyes once more. She gulps, listening to him speak.

“Take care of your body well and eat a lot. Don’t stress.” Jong Kook looks at her sincerely just before gripping her hand. “And one more thing… the king wants you to stay at the palace for a few days to recover.”

“W-what?” Her eyes widen in shock. “Why?” Questions run in her mind, ringing in her head. She looks into his eyes desperately, trying to find an answer. “Why me? Why now? I’m fine-“

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE5vYZGEfRE&list=LL7KMQ_eu1RXU_NWKBXdhGng&index=10 )

He grasps her hand. “Lady Kim,” she stops and looks carefully at him. “You have miscarried.”

It was like pouring cold water over her head. Ji Hyo felt her world slowed down. “M-miscarried?”

Jong Kook looks down. “From now on, you have to take care of your health.” There was a big pause before she spoke again.

“But how?” she asked. “We never slept together… How can I…?” Horror stricken, Ji Hyo’s eyes widen. No way, it can’t be…

Images of her and a man embracing each other close to a fire pit emerges to her mind.

“We’ve been married for 3 months, what makes you think we haven’t slept together?” Jong Kook hugged her once again. Ji Hyo stopped and her eyes grew blurry.

No. Please tell me it’s not true.

He just patted her head as Ji Hyo started to wander off in her mind and cried. He heard her choked back a cry and started sobbing. Ji Hyo let him hug her and felt filthy as he held her.

His heart throb as he heard her wail.

***

Ji Hyo sat lifelessly in bed, her face pale and her stomach ached. Jong Kook walked in with a tray of food. He looked over at her and brings the bowl of congee as he sat beside her.

“Here, eat something.” He takes a spoonful of congee and blew it. But she shook her head lightly, refusing to. He tries it one more time.

“I’m not hungry.” Ji Hyo turns to sleep, leaving Jong Kook alone. He sighs before leaving the bowl of congee on the tray and left the room. Ji Hyo opened her eyes and sighed. She rolled around in bed and finally got up. She sees the bowl of congee on the table but ignored it.

She took a thicker robe and covered her body as she limped out of the room. Because her stomach was cramping, she had to walk slowly. She sits by the bridge in the pavilion and leaned on the rail.

How can she face him again? She accused him of cheating on her but who really is the one that cheated? She steps down and walks into the cold water and the water slowly covered from her waist up.

Miscarried. She miscarried. How? Her father is here, she had let everyone down. The water goes up to her shoulders as she continuing walking.

Then she heard splashes behind her and someone stood behind her, her body pressed against his. She could tell it was him. He holds her, making her stop. He swiftly holds her shoulders as he walks her back to the bridge.

He sat her down and took off his wet robe to cover her. Drenched in water, Ji Hyo looks at him as he tries to warm her up.

This time, he didn’t yell at her. He wasn’t angry.

“Aren’t you mad at me?” Ji Hyo broke the silence.

Jong Kook didn’t look at her as he rubbed her hands with his palms. “Why should I be mad at you? Did you do something wrong?”

“Yes,” she answered. “I did something very wrong. Worthy of death.”

He looks up at her and at that moment he caresses the side of her face. “Ji Hyo, listen to me carefully.”

“One day, when you are ready to be a mother, the baby will come back.” He takes a good look at her and bitterly smiles. “So, don’t torture yourself, it’s not your fault,” speaking softly to her.

Her eyes glimmer at him as he wipes the teardrop from her eye with his thumb.

He smiles a little. “I swear, you have too much tears for such a small body.” 

Ji Hyo didn’t care that he was teasing her but because he was there to support her.

“Come here, let’s go inside or you will get sick.” He helps her up and she sees blood on her clothes again. She panicked and didn’t know what to do. But he covered her tightly with his robe and carried her to the bedroom and got the doctor for her.

That night, he slept beside her as she tried to sleep. Ji Hyo rolled and squirmed around, unable to sleep. Jong Kook, who was staying still, decides to turn and look at her back, right as she turn she sees his face.

She stops and he rests on his folded arm, looking right at her. “Come here,” he stretches his arm. Ji Hyo slowly moves toward him and rested in his chest as he wraps his muscular arms around her. He patted her back and hummed to her. Slowly, her eyes grew hard and drifted to sleep.

***

The next morning came and Ji Hyo wakes up to see Jong Kook beside her. His natural scent made her realize he didn’t smell smoggy or mushy, but rather… clean.

“You’re up?” she sees his lips moving but his eyes were still closed. He squints his eyes opens and looks at her.

She nodded but stayed still looking at him. Her eyes ran over the features on his face. From his dark brown wavy hair to his small eyes then pointed small chin.

“Am I that handsome?” he asked again.

She nodded again only to get up. He chuckles as he sees her cheek blushed. He gets up and hands her the small chest for clothing and she took it from him instantly.

“I-I can do it myself.”

He chuckles and nods before wearing his clothes and heading out of the room. He orders for new bath water and clothes to bring to Ji Hyo as well as food.

After bathing, Jong Kook led Ji Hyo out to the pavilion where he brought her new books. Romance books.

She excitedly took the books from him and reads the titles.

“How did you know I like this genre?”

“Says the person who was so upset yesterday.” He takes the apple from the basket and starts peeling it. She notices that and tries to help him but he refused to. “Let me do something for you, this time.”

She finally let him peeled the apple and he fed her as she read through the books. Ji Hyo scooted over and sat beside him. “Let’s read it together.”

“Romance books are only for women.” He looks at her to see her frown and pout. He sighs and pinches her cheek lightly. “Fine.”

As she happily read the romance books, he listens to her narrating voice. Time passed by and the books were read through one by one.

“The scholar and maiden locked their lips as the sun starts to set. The brilliant orangy- pink sky glowed behind them.” Ji Hyo reads the last sentence and turns to see a sleeping Jong Kook lying on her shoulder, fast asleep. She grins seeing his hard face soften, relaxing.

She didn’t move and let him sleep as she just rested her head on his too.

The last page flips over as the light breeze winds over it.

When you are happy, time passes by quickly. When you are sad and angry, time takes its toll and slows down.

“Ji Hyo-ah,” he calls her softly.

“Hm?” she murmurs back with herself drifting asleep.

“Let’s not get divorce.”

Her breath stopped, “Why?”

“Because,” he pauses for a moment, “right now, we seem like a real couple.”

“So?”

“And I don’t want to let go of your hand.” She feels his hands holding hers, intertwine. She didn’t answer him and fell asleep.

He opened his eyes and looks at her hand, the one he held in his. Her hands were cold but he only held on tighter and closed his eyes too. The weather was great, a sunny day with breeze.  

Some time later, Ji Hyo stirs awake and sees the sun up high, around 12-2 in the afternoon. She turns to Jong Kook who still lay his head by her shoulder moving. “Did you sleep well?” she asked. He looks at her and smile.

“Your story-telling is splendid indeed.”

Delighted, she thanked him.

“What’s with you?” He chuckles, “I guess I should buy you more romance books so you will be more feminine.”

She pouts and ruffles his hair. “You are the one who needs to read more romance books.”

He gets up and held her hand. “What do you want to do today?”

“Anything…” she thinks, “something that will not hurt my healing body.”

He analyzes the situation only to look back at her. “Horse riding?”

She gives him a stare, “Didn’t you hear what Doctor Lee said yesterday?”

He scratched his head and tries to think again. No horse riding, sparring, training, etc. He sighs.

A light bulb lit up in her head and she held his hand firmly. “I know.”

~ they sat across each other in the pavilion

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqpZ84SYkIs )

Jong Kook holds the white baduk chess piece in his hand and bit his lip as Ji Hyo was making her next move. She places the black chess piece on the board and smiled in satisfaction. Jong Kook grin.

“Nice move.”

“Thank you sire.”

They were both tied. “But I don’t think you are ready for this one.” He places the white piece on another area. He trapped her move in a corner. But she stayed calm, disabling him from reading her expressions.

Then she made her move, making him lean back.

“Checkmate.” Ji Hyo declares.

“I admit, I didn’t think you would know how to play this.” He stated in admiration.

“You were being easy on me.”

He chuckles dryly, “Sure, I was.”

“Another game?” she pour him some tea. He competitively eyes her.

“Of course, loser gets punished.”

“Of course,” she grin as the board was cleaned and he placed the first move.

~Late evening

Jong Kook ends up piggybacking Ji Hyo around the mansion.

The sky was darkening, stars were shining. Ji Hyo rested on his shoulder as he complain about the punishment.

“The mansion is too big, don’t you think this punishment is too severe?”

“Should I have told you to carry me everywhere I wanted to go and not let my feet touch the ground then?”

“It’s not like either option is better than the other one,” he retorted.

Ji Hyo bit his shoulder, making him scream.

“Yah! If you bit me one more time, I’m going to drop you right here,” he growled, making her giggle.

She kissed his shoulder and sat straight, raising one arm to pretend to whip him and jumping around on his back, “Haiyah, let’s go. Quickly!”

“I’m not a horse.”

Ji Hyo chuckled and hooked her arms around his neck. He complained the whole time and they argued over the trivial things. But he smiled internally as he could hear her laugh whole-heartedly.

***

The next day, the palanquin was readied and Ji Hyo’s things were packed. The King wanted her to rest at the palace for the time being due to the miscarriage.

“Do I have to go?” Ji Hyo asked him again as she turns to him while they were still holding hands.

“The royal decree, no one dares to go against it. The King favors you as his daughter too, he must be worried.”

“Worrying about me is natural, but making me go to the palace and rest there instead of my own home is even more stressful.”

“Being invited to the palace is an honor, not everyone gets to do that,” he assures her, “And I will come visit you often.”

They reached the palanquin as the servants and guards takes her things. He turns around and hold her hands.

“Rest well, Lady Kim.”

“Yes, Sir Kim.” then she enters the palanquin. As the guards takes the palanquin away, he can only look at the palanquin and have plenty of guards surrounding her.

She peeks out of the palanquin and waves back at him through the small window as he waves back. As the palanquin moved further, he sighs.

“Are you missing the Lady?” the doctor asked him.

He sighs again. “I don’t know, but every time we are apart I can’t help but feel hurt.”

“Would you like me to give examine of you sire?”

Jong Kook shook his head. “No need,”

“But sire,” the doctor bowed his head, “Why did you lie to the Lady?”

Jong Kook put his hands behind his back and looks at the disappearing palanquin. “It’s for the best.”

“But lying to the King is a big crime.”

“If lying will ensure Ji Hyo’s life, then I’m willing to do more than just this.”

“But what if the Lady finds out?”

“Then she will find out.” Jong Kook turns to the doctor. “I almost forgot something, why didn’t you tell me that it was normal for women to bleed like that?”

“You were panicking and didn’t listen to me sire.”

*Flashback to two days ago, the day Ji Hyo fainted and bled*

“Doctor Lee!” Jong Kook yells through the hall as he carried the unconscious Ji Hyo in his arms. He puts Ji Hyo on the bed and starts screaming for the doctor all over again until he came to the room.

“Excuse me sire,” he sat beside Ji Hyo and took her pulse as Jong Kook clutched her sleeve. He looked at the doctor’s expression back and forth between Ji Hyo’s pale face.

“What’s wrong with her?”

The doctor turns back to him, worriedly. Jong Kook fussed over for the outcome. “Why did she faint and why is she bleeding?”

“Is the Lady stress or depressing over anything sire?”

Jong Kook frantically wonders. Is it because of her sudden memory comebacks, or Ara, or him, or what?! He starts to fear what might happen to Ji Hyo and turns back to the doctor.

“Is she going to be alright?” he grew teary and his voice cracking.

The doctor sighs, “Before, I have instructed for Lady Kim to rest well and not force herself to remember things. She must have stressed over the matter…”

Jong Kook’s face twisted into hopelessness. “Ji Hyo-ah,” he clutched her hand. “Plaease be ok, I promise you, I will be better to you. Please, don’t be hurt.”

Without realizing, he was starting to tear up and lets out sound that seems to be like crying but also choked back too, hiccupping.

“Sire,”

Jong Kook turns to him, “Please, save her. Save my wife. I’ll give you anything.”

The doctor was about to speak but Jong Kook turns back around and puts her hand on his cheek as he hiccup sobs.

“General Kim,” the doctor sounded more firm.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Bleeding is actually natural for women.”

“My wife is bleeding to death here and you’re saying it’s natural?” Jong Kook complained as he looks over at her bled through skirt. “Such a tyrant.”

The doctor clears his throat. “The Lady is having her menstrual cycle.”

“Menstrual-“ he stops and turns back to the doctor, wide eyed. “What?!”

“Lady Kim is having her menstrual cycle. Due to too much stress, she is probably having her menstrual cycle earlier than usual. Judging from her face, she must have been very fatigue these past few days. Please take care of her health. That is my report.”

“Huh?!” Jong Kook scoff to himself and looks back at Ji Hyo.

“I will have a nurse-maid come help her change.” the doctor backs out.

Jong Kook looks back at Ji Hyo pricelessly and quickly wipes away his watery eyes and covers his face in embarrassment.

*Flashback to present*

“You were beating around the bushes too much,” Jong Kook retorted.

The doctor grinned as Jong Kook fussed over everything and nagged to the doctor.

“Also,” after he finished nagging, “later one if she does find out, don’t tell her.”

“Tell her what sire?”

“That,” Jong Kook tries to be manly. “That… I … was- wet eyes-“

The doctor looked at him curiously.

Frustrated, Jong Kook blurted, “Don’t tell her what happen after I called for you,”

The doctor chuckle, “I see, General, you are embarrassed to show your feelings for the Lady. Well, it is natural for a married couple.”

“Well…” he couldn’t find the words to say.

“The Lady must be proud to have you as her husband, sire.”

Jong Kook runs off in the other direction as his face grew hotter.

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