"How do you do, Ma'am?" Haneul asked when Mrs Kim walked in.

"Mama, are you quite alright?" Sooyeon asked, standing up as well. Their acquaintance had grown since the evening three weeks ago and Haneul had been invited to the estate on Sooyeon's request. She had wished for instructions on the piano, having heard Minah's recommendation for Haneul as a teacher. Haneul had wished to talk to the girl herself, having heard of Jaehwan's growing affections from the gentleman himself. He had been a regular caller and she was surprised he hadn't been here before her.

"Dearest, I wish to talk to you" Jinsil said, barely composing herself.

"I shall take your leave Ma'am" Haneul said.

"No perhaps you should stay Miss Kim. You need to know this" Jinsil said, waving everyone else away. Sooyeon rushed to her mother's side, helping her sit down on the sofa.

There was a knock on the door that interrupted Jinsil before she could speak. The door opened and Taekwoon came in, stopping still when he noted the women in the room.

"Oh dear, my poor mister Jung" Jinsil cried, causing Haneul to rush to her side as well. 

"If I may Ma''am, I must borrow Miss Kim" Taekwoon said.

"Oh my dearest Sooyeon, you must go" Jinsil said, crying and waving her off. Sooyeon stood up hesitantly, clearly confused and unwilling to leave her mother in such a state.

"The other Miss Kim" Taekwoon clarified. Sooyeon visibly relaxed and thanked him, letting Haneul leave the room.

"Thank you" Taekwoon said, clearly uncomfortable at the turn of events. Haneul made haste in her manner, grabbing her things and accompanying him out of the parlor. 

"I believe as you have guessed, something of a more serious manner has happened" Taekwoon started. 

"I gathered as such but I have no presumptions of the nature of events" Haneul confessed. She followed Taekwoon and recognised the route to Kim Wonshik's study.

"I must confess that I have never seen Mrs Kim in such a spirit, even though I am accounting for her excitable nature" Taekwoon said.

"I am quite afraid that this is becoming improper of me to remain if it is a personal matter of this nature" Haneul said.

"On the contrary, you might be the only one who can help us" Taekwoon said solemnly. He stopped short as Jaehwan came out of the study. Haneul stopped as well, noticing their grim expressions and the growing injury on Jaehwan's lips. It didn't take her long to understand what had transpired. Jaehwan nodded at her before leaving them. 

"Your expression tells me that no more words are required" Taekwoon said. 

"On the contrary my good sir, I shall require an explanation now more than ever" Haneul said, staring worriedly in Jaehwan's direction.

"Talk to Wonshik. Please. I shall look after your friend" Taekwoon promised her.

"Please. Make haste" Haneul begged. Taekwoon nodded and took off after Jaehwan. Haneul watched him go before turning to the study. She knocked, not knowing what she could do to improve the situation.

"Not now Taekwoon" Wonshik said, staring out of the window and not looking to the door.

"I'm afraid it is not Mr Jung" Haneul said. Wonshik turned to look at her.

"Miss Kim" he started, not expecting her to be here.

"I was instructing Sooyeon on the pianoforte" Haneul told me.

"You've been a good friend to her Miss Kim and this only serves to further my embarrassment" Wonshik said, taking the pen lying on his desk. He uncapped and capped it, afrais of looking at her after his confession.

"I suppose that I am not wrong in assuming that Lee Jaehwan has declared his intentions to court your sister and probably asked you and your mother for her hand in marriage" Haneul started.

"A vile thing to do, knowing as we do that he has always been promised to you" Wonshik said angrily. 

"He was never promised to me" Haneul said.

"Taekwoon saw him profess the same to you when he arrived at the countryside. The faithful evening at the lake and Minah confirmed the same to him on the day of our meeting at tea" Wonshik told her.

"Jaehwan never asked to court me or my hand in marriage. Our families hoped he would, considering how our parents have been good friends for years. Minah was likewise deceived" Haneul said. "She is a child after all, too young to have seen the difference between familiarity and affection."

"It does not absolve him of blame if everyone was deceived so" Wonshik debated.

"We do not have the best track record when it comes to gentleman's feelings for me" Haneul teased. 

"Do not take this so lightly" Wonshik begged, distressed by the entire affair.

"Is your only objection to this union the perceived slight against me?" Haneul asked. Wonshik opened his mouth to answer but closed it. "Or is there more that you object to?"

"I shall object to any man who wishes to take my sister away from me. Much less one of such jolly temperament that matches hers" he said petulently. 

"It is a serious matter no doubt. Both of them shall have such violent disagreements if their opinions do not match on the art they are admiring. Or on which poet is to be held authority on every matter there have ever been poems on. And they shall constantly exhaust their society by being the most energetic couple at picnics. A terrible state of affairs" Haneul said. Wonshik smiled despite himself, putting his pen down.

"Do you believe that he is a good man?"

"The best I have known"

He nodded to himself, wandering to the window. "Though I suppose it is the way of men to assert that they shall never like anyone enough for their daughters or sisters. I will not fault you if you consent to the marriage but glare him down at Christmas dinners" Haneul said, joining him as they looked out at the park.

She could see Jaehwan and Taekwoon sitting in the garden. Taekwoon was no doubt, assuring Jaehwan that all would be alright. Haneul believed so as Wonshik's stance had softened. Sooyeon would no doubt enlighten Mrs Kim that she truly loved Jaehwan and Taekwoon hadn't made any promises of this nature.

"I do not wish to say yes" Wonshik admitted.

"But you must" Haneul insisted.

"And what of your feelings?" he asked her.

"The two of them love each other dearly. My feelings on this matter are irrelevant. I do not even belong to the family. As it is, my being here is highly inappropriate" she confessed.

"Your honesty is appreciated Miss Kim" Wonshik told her. She took the cue for her dismissal.

"Pray, do not make your sister suffer too long" she requested before closing the door behind her. 

-

"Where is Haneul??" Minjun yelled the moment she stepped out of the carriage. 

"My dearest be careful" Hyunshik warned, holding his wife steady when she almost tripped on the gravel. 

"I wish to speak to my daughter this instant" she announced the moment she walked in. The servants went scurrying to find Haneul, who had been sketching in the parlor. 

"I have never been so embarrassed in my entire life. So cheated by ones I considered my friends!" Minjun said, walking in. 

"Mama, what happened?" Haneul asked, standing up. 

"I have never been so humiliated in my entire life the way I have been today" she exclaimed. Haneul looked to her father who was greivous and silent, clearly as affronted as her mother had been.

"Lee Jaehwan is to be married to Kim Sooyeon, Kim Wonshik's sister" Minjun told her.

"Well that is good news" Haneul said. It had been two days since the faithful talk in the study and it looked like Wonshik and Mrs Kim had consented. The Lees had naturally agreed, this being an advantageous match for Jaehwan in terms of fortune.

"Good news? Good news she says! You foolish child how can you be so calm when your own love has been so cruelly enticed away by the vice of wealth?" Minjun cried. 

"I was never in love with Jaehwan. He made no promises of marriage to me" Haneul said carefully. 

"Then he has deceived you too. Cruelly used you" Hyunshik said angrily.

"Papa, you misunderstand. I was not deceived. I knew of his affections for her" Haneul told him.

"What" Minjun blanched.

"I was there... on the day he asked for her hand in marriage as well" she said in a smaller voice.

"Oh you foolish, foolish child" Minjun cried. She came forward and slapped Haneul who staggered by the force of it. "What overcame you to do such a foolish thing?!"

"Why didn't you tell us this?" Hyunshik asked. holding Minjun who had only been further distressed by the revelation.

"It wasn't appropriate of me to say it. It wasn't my place" Haneul said, holding her cheek and holding back tears.

"Idiocy. Sheer idiocy. Your one last chance at a good future and you ruin it yourself! Did the devil himself possess you that you took such terrible decisions?" Minjun asked.

"My dearest, you must compose yourself. What is done is done" Hyunshik said. "I don't agree with your actions Haneul. But what is done cannot be undone now."

"But Papa" she started only to be cut off by Minjun.

"What were you thinking? Do you have an abundance of good men waiting to propose to you once Jaehwan stepped back? First Kim Wonshik and now Lee Jaehwan, do you not see how very little chance you have? And yet you squander it so!" Minjun yelled. "Do you think men would come running to you now? You're old and God knows we can't afford a rich dowry! Do you wish to die an old maid, alone and unloved?? Because at the rate you are going, you might as well be. What pleasure are to derive from watching you be jilted so?" 

Haneul fought back tears as Minjun continued and Hyunshik comforted her. Haneul left the room, not waiting for a dismissal and hurried up stairs to her room. She avoided looking at anyone for surely everyone in the house now knew why the mistress was in such a state.

"Hannie! Tell Minah I don't want to go" Sanghyuk yelled running into her.

"What?" Haneul asked, dazed and distracted. 

"There is a letter. From Mama. She has asked us to come home before the season in London starts" Minah told her. 

"Oh I see. Well, you must reply to her soon. Excuse me" Haneul said, pushing Sanghyuk away. The siblings noticed her mood and let her through, letting her walk away. Minah watched as Haneul closed the door behind her and sighed.