Ha-Jin watched the swirls she just made in her coffee cup. People would think she’s weird for being too obsessed with stirring her cup of coffee, but it was her way of sorting out too many thoughts. Besides, it was her coffee. They didn’t have a say in it.

“…she’s not here, you idiot,”

“Ah Ji-Woo, why are you being like this?”

“I should ask you why you’re even here,” retorted Ji-Woo the Barista, “Rich kid like you working at a coffee shop for the sake of a girl.”

“Are you saying I’m stupid?”

“Yes, I am,”

“Why you little—“

It was three in the afternoon and Ha-Jin was having her Saturday cup of cocoa. The coffee shop had its fair share of customers, all well-attended despite the two young baristas squabbling behind the counter.

“Give your customer her hot chocolate first!” demanded Ji-Woo.

Ha-Jin’s short trance was broken by the head bopping happening in front of her. She suppressed a laugh. Three days ago, when she met Ji-Woo’s new friend (and heard why he wanted to be a barista), she almost choked on her coffee.

But then, it was nice to see Ji-Woo arguing with the Tenth Prince again. In this case, his name was Choi Ki-Joo.

Ki-Joo grudgingly presented the customer with his teaming cup of hot chocolate before arguing with his friend again.

“What’s wrong with being a rich kid working?” he asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be proud of me because I’m helping the economy instead of pigging out or sleeping around?”

“But for a girl who barely knows you? Please.”

“Aisht, I don’t even know why we’re friends,” complained Ki-Joo, “Back me up here, noona. I’m not being stupid right?”

“Hey, that’s my noona, not yours.”

“Why? I don’t see your name on her forehead,”

Ji-Woo was about to bop his friend on the head again when Ha-Jin gave him a knowing look. He placed the towel down.

“Well, I think it’s sweet that you’re here looking for that girl,” said Ha-Jin, “And I’m glad you’re contributing to the economy. Privileged spoiled brats aren’t cool.”

“Ha! See, Ji-Woo!” said Ki-Joo, a triumphant grin on his face.

“I’m not done yet,” said Ha-Jin, stirring her coffee, “While that’s cool and all, you’re still supposed to work well here. Forgetting customers’ orders just because you keep looking over the tables is no excuse.”

“Ha! See!” said Ji-Woo, “The manager will definitely fire you if you don’t take this seriously. Then you won’t see your precious…what’s her name?”

“Hanna. Park, Hanna,” replied Ki-Joo, his voice becoming dreamy, “My classmate in psychology. She likes to spend time at this café and her friends said this is her study hub.”

“I’ve seen her. But man, this is class A stalking,” said Ji-Woo, “Don’t you think so, noona?”

Ha-Jin didn’t hear Ji-Woo’s question. She couldn’t explain why she was dead nervous yet excited at the same time. Was she being as stupid as Ki-Joo was with that girl? The butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t give her a direct answer.

“Noona?”

“Ah yes?”

The two dongsaengs were staring at her curiously.

“Who are you waiting for again?” asked Ji-Woo.

“She’s obviously waiting for her date,” remarked Ki-Joo, “Look at how she’s dressed.”

“Why? What’s wrong with my dress?” she asked, her voice all tensed up. Was there something wrong with wearing a floral dress? Should she have gone with the professional look? Was this even a date?

It wasn’t, was it?

“Nothing, nothing!” exclaimed the dongsaeng, seeing his noona’s nervousness, “I just meant you look like you’re going on a date.”

“Are you going though?” asked Ji-Woo.

“Wait, what? No,” said Ha-Jin, “It’s not a date. It’s a business meeting.”

“Wah, you look pretty for a business meeting,” commented Ki-Joo, “If I didn’t like Hanna, I’d probably be pining after you.”

“Hey, stop that,” said Ji-Woo, “You’re scaring the noona!”

Just then, a black car pulled up the coffee shop’s parking. Ha-Jin peeked at the windows, wondering if that was him. Her phone lit up, signifying a text message.

I’m here.

--

(2 nights ago)

The rain had finally subsided but the ground was pretty wet. Ha-Jin could feel the puddles of water on her jeans as she sat on the steps but she didn’t care. She was soaked anyway; might as well make the most out of it.

Beside her was Jae-Yeong—soaking wet like she was.

He still hadn’t said a word since her little pep talk (was it even a pep talk? he said nothing). His face wasn’t as frustrated as she first saw a while ago; instead, he wore that blank expression she knew so well. His phone rang continuously but he didn’t pick it up. Probably, he knew who was on the other side.

Ha-Jin didn’t know what to say to him. Should she say anything more?

“Are you stressed?” he suddenly asked out of the blue.

“Eh?”

Jae-Yeong looked at her as if she didn’t just witness him see his step mother sort of disown him in front of the company advisers. He flashed a small, crooked smile.

“I asked if you were stressed,” he repeated, “Are you as tired as I am of everything right now?”

She thought about it. “I guess I am,” she replied, “Too much work and being bossed around is stressful.” Ha-Jin then bit her lip. Was it right to complain about being bossed around when the one doing the bossing isn’t exactly in a good place.

Instead, Jae-Yeong chuckled and flicked her forehead.

“Are you blaming me?” he asked.

“Well, I mean…you asked me.”

Jae-Yeong didn’t retort back like he usually did. He nodded thoughtfully and then looked at his watch. Ha-Jin, on the other hand, watched his side profile. Was he okay? Is he going to act like nothing happened?

“Go Ha-Jin,” he spoke again, “Do you want to de-stress from all this bull?”

His eyes twinkled when he said those words, but it confused Ha-Jin more.

“Eh?”

--

She bid the two dongsaengs goodbye with the promise that she’ll tell them everything, despite it not being a date. Ha-Jin exited the café, not knowing what to expect. Everything seemed so sudden—and now here she was. Then, there he was too.

Jae-Yeong stood by the side of his car. There was an air of confidence and arrogance as he stood there with his glasses.

“Wah, what’s with the proud car pose?” she asked him.

He gazed at her. “What’s with pretty floral dress?” he shot back.

She shook her head at his annoying remarks, but was relieved with this side of him. It wasn’t guaranteed happiness, but it was far better than an unpredictable Jae-Yeong.

“Let’s get going,” he said, opening the door for her.

Fifteen minutes later, they were on the road.

She still didn’t know where he planned to bring her. All she knew was that he was a fast driver, love to one-hand the steering wheel, and play classical music. His phone kept ringing on the side, but for some reason he didn’t answer it.

“Where are we going?” she dared to ask.

“To the place I usually go to when I’m stressed,” he answered shortly.

“Why are you taking me?”

He cast her a side glance. “Because I figured you were fed up with life too,” he said, “And I needed someone to accompany me.”

“Tsk, what am I, a personal assistant you drag around?”

He laughed. “Wah, that feisty personality makes a comeback,” he remarked, “After weeks of being cold.”

Ha-Jin shook her head but hid a smile. It felt good to hear him laugh, even if it was on her expense. Despite him being a constant pain in the neck, she still looked after him. Seeing that crooked smile on his face made her feel better.

The sceneries changed. For a few minutes, she saw buildings after each one. Now, she saw trees and mountains.

An hour later, he pulled up on a building located far from the business districts. It was a secluded place surrounded by trees and other greenery. Ha-Jin found it weird that an Iron Man like him would be fond of a place like this.

When they got out of the car, she saw him take a deep breath, a sense of satisfaction came with breathing in the fresh air. She couldn’t blame him either; when she first stepped out in the open, she felt the fresh breeze kissing her face.

It was a good change of scenery.

“What is this place?” she asked.

“You’ll see,” he replied, “Follow me.”

Ha-Jin followed Jae-Yeong as he made his way towards a pathway with stones and bushes. The trees swayed lazily with the wind, giving the environment a calming and soothing atmosphere. He was headed towards a small cottage—it was a picturesque house, one you’d imagine the three bears living in.

She followed him till the end of the path.

“Baek Minsuk-ah! Come out of your house. I’m here!” he called out.

The wooden door opened, revealing a man who was anticipating Jae-Yeong’s arrival. He had a warm smile on his face, his eyes twinkling. Ha-Jin, on the other hand, immediately thought of one person.

Baek-ah?

Her recent flashbacks revealed his existence. Ha-Jin saw the 13^th Prince’s face in blurred patches but recently, she remembered him. Now, here he was…greeting his Fourth brother’s incarnate. Unlike his previous incarnation, this Baek-Ah sported shorter hair.

“Yah, Hwang Jae-Yeong. Are getting anxious all over again?” asked Baek Min-Suk, “My wife’s not appreciating the emergency visits.”

“You’re just making that up. You know your wife loves it when I visit,” said Jae-Yeong, “She hopes the baby will look like me, not you.”

As if on cue, a pretty woman stood by Baek-Ah’s (It’s Min-Suk. Baek Min-Suk!), caressing her baby bump, as she greeted Jae-Yeong with a smile. Ha-Jin couldn’t contain her surprise any further. Seeing the face of Princess Woo-Hee was the icing on top.

“Hello there!” she said, giving Jae-Yeong a hug, “It’s been long since you came here.”

“If you call a month long,” remarked Min-Suk, “It’s a miracle he’s visiting us. Probably suffering from too many migraines again.”

Min-Suk’s wife laughed; her beautiful laughter brought back Hae Soo’s memories of Woo Hee in Ha-Jin’s mind. There was an incredible sense of fondness as Ha-Jin refreshed her mind. With Baek-Ah (Min-Suk!) in tow, almost everything was complete.

“Oh, well, who’s this pretty lady with you?” asked Min-Suk’s wife, her face glowing with curiosity.

“Ah this is Go Ha-Jin,” introduced Jae-Yeong, “She’s a cosmetic specialist partnering with our company for a new makeup line,” then he looked at Ha-Jin and introduced his two friends, “Go Ha-Jin, this is Baek Min-Suk and his wife, Yoo-Hee.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Min-Suk, extending his hand for a shake. It took Ha-Jin a second before she got over the fact that he looked like Baek-Ah to shake his hand. His wife eagerly greeted her with a hug, bumping her with her pregnant belly.

“I’m sorry, he’s been growing,” she said.

“Just like his father,” remarked Jae-Yeong. Min-Suk consciously touched his belly (which showed no signs of growing) and glared at his friend. Jae-Yeong playfully punched Min-Suk followed by a “I was just joking,” comment.

“So, you’ve come to unwind again?” asked Yoo-Hee.

“Yep, need it. The city’s messed up,”

“I’ve read the papers. I was actually expecting you to come up sooner,” remarked Min-Suk as they entered the couple’s home, “Things aren’t going as well as we’d hope, huh?”

“It’s the same drama, with added flavor and more people annoying the hell out of me,”

Min-Suk then flashed Ha-Jin a smile. “Do you know the people annoying him?” he asked her.

“Ah…well…I don’t,” she replied, “I’m just a simple assistant at their company.”

“You’re not simple. Jae-Yeong’s never brought anyone here,” said Min-Suk, “You must be special—“

“Don’t make assumptions, you idiot,” remarked Jae-Yeong, “Don’t scare the makeup artist.”

The couple led them to their humble abode, which was simple yet beautiful in Ha-Jin’s opinion. She still wondered what Jae-Yeong did here, as well as his relationship with the Baek-Ah incarnate. It seems that even in this world, the two brothers were destined to be on the same side.

“Do you still know the techniques?” asked Min-Suk, “I’ve replenished the stocks in the room.”

“I guess I’m a little rusty. I haven’t been practicing much,” admitted Jae-Yeong.

“Don’t worry Jae-Yeongah. Once you tap into your inner peace, you’ll get the hang of it again,” said Yoo-Hee, “But you’ll be in charge of Ha-Jinsshi here. We can’t teach her as we have a class down at the main hall.”

“Nah, it’s all right,” he said, “I’ll take care of her. You guys enjoy.”

Min-Suk led them to the room at the end of the hallway. “We’ll see you guys afterwards for coffee then,” he said, “Miss Ha-Jin, I hope you have fun as much as this idiot does.”

She laughed as Jae-Yeong rolled his eyes. The couple bid them a polite goodbye as they made their way out of the cottage, leaving the two behind. Jae-Yeong took a deep breath before opening the door.

It revealed a spacious room filled with open windows—and paintings.

Lots of them.

Ha-Jin then remembered that day she met him. Ji-Hyun said he was going to introduce her to the man who painted the random scenarios that matched her memories. Jae-Yeong had just finished his ritual dance and off-handedly mentioned that he painted for fun.

So…this is his therapy?

The room was the perfect haven for the troubled or overworked. She walked around, taking in the fresh air from the windows and sighing.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said, “How could a guy like me be into a thing like this?”

He proceeded to the table filled with paint, brushes, and palettes, as well as aprons splattered with paint. Ha-Jin, on the other hand, gazed at the paintings on the walls. Most of them were images of nature, people…and the Goryeo era.

“Painting is fun, especially when you’re too stressed,” continued Jae-Yeong, “Min-Suk got me into it the first time we met. He and his wife, Yoo-Hee, have been helping me get through tough times with their so-called ‘holistic’ approach in life. So far, it’s helpful.”

He was already wearing one of those paint-stained aprons and pulling an easel and a canvass.

“Did you paint all of these?” she asked.

“They look like the hands of an amateur so yeah, I did,” he said, “You can paint too if you want but I’m not good at teaching so…free hand will be your thing. Just let me do mine.”

Ha-Jin didn’t know if she was up for painting so she let him do his thing in peace while she gazed at the portraits. There was one image of a young boy staring at the steady stream; another depicted a woman’s eyes looking behind her fan. Each painting was of intricate detail; she didn’t understand how he thought he painted like an amateur.

She then remembered how on-point his Goryeo paintings were. The scenes so precise, she wondered how he painted them on his canvass.

 “I like it when I draw. It’s a good break from the stress,” he began to say.

“How long have you been doing this?”

“About a year. Min-Suk came to the right place at the right time; he got me through hard stuff by teaching about clearing my mind through painting. They own the center by the foot of the mountain, by the way.”

Ha-Jin continued to browse the selection of images. One painting was of the Goryeo era; it was the image of a gisaeng in Gyobang, dancing with her swords.

“When things don’t go according to plan, I go here. It helps me focus on other things except work and family,” he continued, “When you’re adopted, you gotta make adjustments.”

“So…you’re adopted,” she repeated.

Jae-Yeong looked at her from his easel and shook his head. “I think you’ve heard about that one too many times,” he remarked, “Don’t act surprised.”

“No, I mean…uh…how?”

“The usual. A couple didn’t want their baby boy, thought I still deserved the good life, so they placed me outside the doorstep of one of South Korea’s CEOs,” he said, “During that time, Grandfather had arranged Father’s marriage to my step-mother. His way of getting back at everyone was by taking me in.”

“And no one complained?”

“No one dared, I guess. After all, they gave him a pretty hard time,” said Jae-Yeong, “And he couldn’t say no to a crying baby outside his house.”

Ha-Jin sat on a stool positioned directly in front of him. She stared as he slathered paint on the canvass, shedding that tough tycoon exterior by being an arrogant guy in love with colors. It was a good image—a weird one, at that.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, by the way,” he said, “Meetings are supposed to be closed-door. For some reason, it became a semi-closed door one. You didn’t have to hear all those things.”

“What? No, I’m okay. It’s you who should actually be—“

Okay Ha-Jinah, you might say something wrong.

Jae-Yeong peeked at her from his easel, a crooked smile on his face.

“Sorry?” he asked, “I’m fine. I’m used to seeing my step-mother talk behind my back. And to be honest, I understand why she’s like that.”

“How can you understand that?” she exclaimed, “She’s supposed to be your mother.”

“Well, she’s not. I’m not her son. It’s only normal for her to want one of her own to take over her husband’s company,” said Jae-Yeong, “Don’t be too harsh on her. That’s just how it is.”

Ha-Jin couldn’t understand how he could still feel a sense of understanding for such a woman. She remembered Wang So and his unconditional love for his unloving mother. Was fate being cruel to Jae-Yeong by repeating the same scenario over and over again?

“To be fair, she wasn’t like this when Father hadn’t named me as the next successor,” said Jae-Yeong, “She wasn’t too warm with me but she wasn’t that cold either. She tried her best to care for me like one of her sons. I guess that succession thing got to her.” He then looked at her.

“Do you feel bad for me?” he asked.

His face suggested he didn’t want Ha-Jin’s pity. But if she was going to be honest, she didn’t feel pity for him. She just thought that he deserved better.

“Not really,” she replied, “How can I feel bad for someone who constantly mocks me?”

Jae-Yeong laughed as he continued his work.

There was something fascinating in how focused he was with his craft. His face, usually in a smirk or a frown, was relaxed and smiled more than often. His hands seamlessly swept through the canvass with the brush, like he already knew what he was doing.

She then realized her next question.

“What’s your inspiration behind the paintings?” she asked.

He mixed two shades before answering. “The images in my head,” he said, “I paint the pictures my brain tells me to.”

“Kind of like an outlet?”

“Exactly.”

He smudged some of the corners before looking at her. “You’re seeing me in a way others haven’t,” he remarked, “I should probably leave you here or something.”

“Well, I didn’t tell you talk more,” she shot back.

He sighed. “That’s true. This place has a relaxing effect on me; make me feel more open,” he explained, “Or maybe I’m just opening up more than I should.”

The wind blew the chimes, which resulted in calming tinkling noises. Jae-Yeong remained focused on his painting, taking a step back every now and then to see his work. Ha-Jin enjoyed watching him. While it was weird to see this Wang So incarnate paint (because the Fourth Prince had always been the brawn type of guy), it was also fascinating.

“Aisht, I spilled paint on the floor,” he complained, “I’ll get some thinner to clean it easier.” Jae-Yeong exited the room, leaving Ha-Jin to her thoughts.

She was curious to see what the young business tycoon painted. Before he could return, Ha-Jin peeked at his artwork.

It wasn’t finished but it was all too familiar—the greenery, the beautiful leaves, and the clear water.

“It’s a lake called Dongji. It’s the first place the sun rises in the palace.”

“I paint the pictures my brain tells me to.”

Ha-Jin touched the canvass, her eyes widening. She hadn’t been to that place, but as Hae Soo, she was a constant visitor.

What?

A/N: It’s been a roller coaster ride of emotions, but I hope you appreciate this recent addition to my take on Scarlet Heart Ryeo 2. I’m usually an angsty writer, but I’m trying to do the story justice by balancing good and bad times. After all, not everything should be terrible, don’t you think?