"I hope you didn't have to wait terribly long" Haneul said, rushing over to where Jaehwan stood. She had intended to be by the lake quicker for their stroll together, but had been held back by Sanghyuk attempting to flee his lessons and Soojung being vocally angry about it. 

"I didn't. You look flushed, my dear. Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Only quite embarrassed at having to inconvenience you like this" she confessed.

"It's not an inconvenience at all" he declared, offering her his hand. She took it and they decided to walk along the edges of the lake.

"How are Mr and Mrs Lee doing?" Haneul asked, making small talk. 

"Mother is quite happy with the success of the ball. She's been in high spirits since. Papa is... well Papa about it." he told her. Haneul laughed. Over the years, Mr Lee had settled into a rather sobre persona. He was charming at balls as required of gentlemen of good pedigree but his distaste would come out soon afterwards. It irked Jaehwan no end for he loved to spend his nights with music and dancing.

"It was a lovely ball, I must say" Haneul said genuinely.

"Was that because you opened it with a quadrille with the most handsome gentleman in the room?" Jaehwan asked cheekily. 

"Oh no. My father opened his dances at the ball with Mama, you see. I only danced the third dance with him" Haneul replied causing Jaehwan to frown.

"Well you see I loved the ball because I danced my fifth with Minah and a sixth with her and she was positively charming" Jaehwan replied in the same town. Haneul smiled at how his words gave away his displeasure at her unexpected rebuttal.

"Didn't you dance your sixth with the vivacious Kim Sooyeon?" Haneul asked, not hiding her amusement at how Jaehwan blushed.

"So you were noticing?" he asked her.

"I merely wished to tease you as friends do" she said.

"You're unexpectedly cruel to me" he sighed.

"So I've been told. But you did seem quite taken by her" Haneul prodded. 

"She is beautiful and spirited. She was easily the belle of the ball. But she was not the most beautiful woman in the room. I am afraid that title rests with you" Jaehwan insisted.

"You sir, are a no good liar. If you think I didn't notice how smitten you were by the end of the ball, you are sorely mistaken" she affirmed.

"You are mistaking my attentions" he protested.

"No I think I have them right for the first time" she said, smiling knowingly at her companion. Jaehwan struggled, opening his mouth to say something but then closing it.

"If I were to hazard a guess. A mere guess and no more. I would say that you are quite taken with Kim Sooyeon and you only doubt your own affections because you feel guilty about your promises to me" she ventured further.

"I am a man of my word Haneul. You have no reason to doubt my promises" he replied.

"You give your word and heart away easily. I understand that we mistook our childhood affections and I also understand that you aren't bound by it" she said gently She intertwined their hands and Jaehwan looked to the ground. 

"There's just something about her" he started. "She's beautiful yes, but she is so full of life and we like the same things. We even love the same performance of a Mid Summer Night's Dream that we coincidentally saw on the same night in the royal opera house."

"She is perfect for you then" Haneul concluded.

"But what of you? What gentleman abandons his own fiance so recklessly?" he demanded, feeling ashamed of his own conduct to her.

"I never said yes to marrying you" Haneul said, a mischievous grin on her face. "I merely asked you to ask again at the end of the season."

"You anticipated this?" he asked, incredulously.

"Of you falling in love? No. I did hope you understood your own heart clearer and then asked me with a sound reason. But I did not await it with bated breathe" she answered. "So if you wish to court Miss Kim then you can do so with my blessings."

"This feels worse than leaving you at the altar" he said ruefully.

"I am vindicated that you do feel guilty. Forgive my ego for that. But in the long run, we shall be happier this way" she promised.

"And what of our parents who so clearly expect the union?" he asked her.

"They shall love Sooyeon even more. Even Mama likes her and she is quite hard to please" she assured him.

"And if she doesn't like me?" he asked her.

"You won't know till you court her and declare your intentions. But why wouldn't she love you?" Haneul asked playfully. Jaehwan blushed. It was an expression she had never seen on him. when courting her, he had been childishly forthright about his affections. But now he practiced caution and sensibility. Sooyeon was going to be good for him. They would be a happy couple, Haneul could tell.

"Perhaps, you should begin by inviting Wonshik and her to tea" she suggested.

"I dare not" Jaehwan said at once.

"You should write to her, right away" Haneul said. Jaehwan protested indignantly but Haneul would have none of it. "If you do not, then I shall write to invite you both to the cottage and expressly forbid you from declining it."

"You are..."

"So cruel? Yes I know. Now off with you sir, you have a lady to woo."

Jaehwan untangled their hands and paced around the grass laden walkway. He debated with himself internally before stopping to ask her. "Are you sure you are quite alright about this?" he asked her.

"As fine as a lovely summer day" she said, quoting his own words from the night of the ball.

"You will forgive me for this one day, I dare to hope?"

"I bear no ill will to you and wish you happiness now and forever."

"I am sorry" he said, with a deep bow. "I will take your leave and write to her. I did love you for a very long time you know?"

"I did. Now you must make haste" she insisted. He kissed her hand and took off in the direction of town.

Haneul sighed, spotting a bench to sit down on. She felt uplifted, overwhelmed by the sudden lack of burdening expectations. She felt happy, breaking into a smile she couldn't contain. She thought fondly of Jaehwan and how he kissed her hand and had ended things so smoothly. 

"I did not expect to run into you here, Miss Kim" a familiar voice said, distracting her.

"Mr Jung!" she said, surprised at the unexpected appearance. She did remember Wonshik telling her of his expected arrival, but hadn't known when to expect to see the man himself.

"Such a lovely day is it not?" she asked him, smiling at the thoughtful and pensive man.

"Yes quite" he admitted. 

"Would you like to join me for a stroll around the lake. I'm afraid my companion had some urgent personal matters to deal with" she told him.

"It seemed so from a distance. It would be my pleasure to accompany you for the afternoon" Taekwoon agreed.

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