Ever since her doppelgänger's seemingly unexplained reason to submerge herself in the princes' bathing pools and the fateful meeting with the Fourth Prince at said location, Hae-soo hadn't stepped a foot near the palace.

That appeared to be justify Lady Hae's decision to bring her along during one of the visits to Queen Hwangbo – the mother to the Eighth Prince.

There wasn't much she had known about the woman, apart from the fact she was the biological mother to both Wang Wook and Princess Yeonhwa, a thought that sent a straight chill down her spine. If her daughter had not taken kindly to her, how horribly would the consort treat her?

She had pleaded earnestly with her cousin, imploring her to change her mind about tagging along but to no avail.

Hae-soo could only stew huffily to herself, cursing at the rotten luck she had with the ladies of the imperial family.

Despite the growing fear at the prospect of meeting Queen Hwangbo, she couldn't help falling jaw-slacked when she finally took a step onto the palace grounds, experiencing for the first time the sights she had only seen on televisions.

They passed through several buildings – all regally constructed, unlike the ancient state she had glimpses of in sageuks – before stopping at a particular one, allowing the servants to announce their arrival and then entering through the threshold.

Hae-soo followed the couple into the room, peering around curiously to take in the extravagant decorations.

"Greetings, Your Majesty's." Wang Wook bowed politely with both hands folded above his abdomen, to the two women seated on both ends of the table.

Lady Hae bent forward after her husband, nudging her young cousin to hurriedly follow suit.

"Oh, you're here." One of the women straightened herself with a warm smile, nodding pleasantly before her eyes landed on the girl. "You must be Hae-soo."

Both of the queens were contrarily different in their choice of dressing and how they carried themselves – the one who was smiling at her had an amiable aura surrounding her, whereas the other was preoccupied with ignoring their new company, focusing instead on the snacks laid out on the table.

Her eyebrows knitted together in contemplation, wondering to herself the identities of the two women.

While one steadily disregarded their presence – which was awfully similar to how Princess Yeonhwa treated her – the other seemed comparatively friendlier, more easy-going, akin to Wang So's character than the former.

However, Hae-soo didn't take any chances and bowed in assent. "It's nice to meet you, Queen–"

She trailed off questioningly, giving her cousin the side-eye that hurled the matter of addressing in her face.

Lady Hae's eyes went wide like saucers, coughing discretely to assist her with a hushed whisper. "Queen Hwangbo."

"– Hwangbo." She finished with a grin, though it never quite met her eyes since it could only mean that the woman on the opposite end of the table was none other than the birth mother to the Fourth Prince, alongside Wang Yo and Wang Jung – Queen Yoo.

The same consort Wang Won had hinted at being a force to being reckoned with, the same consort Wang Eun feared ruffling her feathers to the extent of accepting a gift that would surely incur his father's wrath.

His mother, the one who had marred his face and caused him years of insecurities, sent him away as a hostage and deprived him of any form of affection, if she was somehow capable of providing such warmth, so as to speak.

The queen in question quirked a perfectly plucked eyebrow – almost as if she could read her mind, much like her son always did but in a manner that had her shuddering in her wake – doing nothing to ease the bubbling uneasiness.

"This is my daughter-in-law's sixth cousin." Queen Hwangbo had turned back to the woman, introducing her with the same warm smile that was never reciprocated by the nonchalant queen.

She simply waved off her words before catching herself, finally looking at Hae-soo.

"I've heard about you." Queen Yoo murmured, not even bothering to meet her eyes though she was addressing her, sipping at her cup of tea elegantly. "The princes have been talking about you non-stop."

Gulping, she remained silent. Did the Fourth Prince tell her about me?

The notion seemed impossible – given their strained ties – but she had the worst possible imagination in the whole of history, thereby reducing the chances of putting pieces together almost naught.

"Jung mentioned you two are great friends?" The queen clarified, when she was dealt with silence.

The Fourteenth Prince, of course.

She desperately wished to face-palm herself so hard, it would send her future self waking with a start.

"Ah, yes. We–"

"The king will enter now." A voice announced through the thin door, not giving anyone – Hae-soo, in particular – ample time to register the fact when it was pushed open.

A man dressed in unarguably the most finest robes she had ever laid eyes on strolled in leisurely, followed closely by the Crown Prince.

Taejo, Wang Geon? Founder of Goryeo?

Her eyes scanned his frame from head to toe, inspecting him with awe.

Wow, dramas do not do him justice, at all.

She didn't even realize had been hanging open until her cousin tugged her back, isolating her from the king.

There was finally a trace of smile on Queen Yoo's lips as she stood up to greet her husband, stepping into the space Hae-soo had vacated. "You've arrived, Your Majesty."

He nodded, looking between his two consorts before registering the girl, still unable to close from his intimidating stance.

Cocking both eyebrows at her, Hae-soo gasped and lowered her head, mentally berating herself for the insolent act.

"Lift your head up and look at me." His gruff voice demanded, forcing her to avert her gaze upwards to comply.

Wide eyes met quizzical ones, albeit amused. "Are you afraid of me?"

"You're a wise king. I– I'm not afraid."

Easy, take a deep breath. It's just a regular monarch, except I'm not seeing him through a screen but in actuality. And the fact that he's the princes' father doesn't scare me in the least. Of course not.

It appeared to be the response he was seeking for all but one minute, to which his lips parted to direct the next query at her.

"Why do you think I'm a wise king?"

Her eyebrows shot up, almost till the point of her hairline.

Never once had she formulated a plan that involved her explaining the reasons for his greatness, having had naively assumed a simple compliment would tide her over.

But this was Taejo, for crying out loud. How could a flatter suffice?

Hae-soo stumbled over trying to think of his achievements over the years, as his patience waned and an angry expression overtook his features from the lack of response.

"Answer me." His voice boomed throughout the room, echoing loudly off the walls.

She swallowed past the lump formed in , before attempting to speak again, this time having finally remembered some basic historical facts.

"Well– You've united the three lands, and founded a new nation. You didn't discriminate against people from fallen lands and gave them high positions. And also– Balhae! It disappeared but you stayed loyal. That– That makes you a wise king."

There was silence as the king pondered over her words, everyone else remaining eerily soundless as Hae-soo's eyes darted around anxiously.

I offended his mother, and now his father? What's wrong with me?

To her greatest relief and causing a major heart attack in the process, Taejo started to guffaw, easing the tension in the room.

Her muscles had loosened visibly when the Crown Prince chimed in, smiling broadly. "She's very clever. I noted that myself."

The Fourth Prince worked so hard to earn his recognition, thank goodness I didn't just ruin everything for him.

"I ought to reward you." The king's smile stayed prominent, turning to his awaiting entourage just outside of the door. "Bestow upon her the rug recently gifted by the Persians."

The servant nodded in assent when Queen Yoo glanced between their exchange, her eyes narrowing. "It's too much of excessive to reward the child with such. Perhaps, allow me to find a more suitable–"

"Nonsense. It shall be given to her and only her."

Taejo looked at his other wife – who had her head lowered to show her approval – and to the remainder of the room, before breaking out into another hearty chuckle when there was no other protest.

Hae-soo could only laugh halfheartedly along with the king, rather perplexed at the incredulity of the situation.

"You need to thank him." Came a quiet whisper from beside her, in Wang Wook's direction.

In her state of disbelief, she actually forgot that in this era, she was supposed to express her gratitude rather verbally.

She gasped in understanding before doing the one thing she knew best – lifting both hands above her head and bent forward dramatically, just like every sageuk drama had played out. "You're very benevolent, Your Majesty!"

That only earned her more laughter erupting from the amused king's lips, who waved her off. "Bring her along to the dinner this evening, Wook."

"Yes, Your Majesty–" The Eighth Prince begun to speak, but Queen Yoo interrupted again, a frown fixed between her thinly shaped brows.

"It's a royal family dinner, Your Majesty. Surely this child isn't–"

The monarch held a hand up, effectively cutting her off. "It's decided, then."

Not allowing anyone else to question his authority any further, he simply whirled around and left, the Crown Prince hastily following behind after bowing towards the two queens.

The whole time, Hae-soo had been staring flabbergasted at everything that had just conspired right before her very eyes, barely noticing the queen glaring nastily at her.

 

---

 

 

It was an understatement to even describe how glad she was to be have the peony hairpin safely tucked in her hair, when she entered the venue with Lady Hae.

The Eighth Prince had gone ahead to consult with the king regarding the matter of assassination attempt, which investigation had led them nowhere.

She knew for a certainty that it was untrue, based on a conversation she had with Wang So the other day – when he stopped by for his brother's birthday celebrations. When she brought the subject up, his entire frame froze up immediately and brushed off the conversation like he had with the whole flawed-prince-would-doom-the-kingdom belief, fidgeting with his hands the whole time afterwards.

There was more to the matter than he let on, though it was irrefutable that he was withholding the information for the sake of keeping her safe.

They settled on the furthest end of the table – where mainly the women gathered, apart from the queens, who were situated in front with the male members of the imperial household.

Taejo arrived shortly afterwards with his sons, gesturing for everyone to settle down as they all took their respective seats.

Hae-soo didn't heed the princes much attention – solely riveted on the Fourth Prince, who had a pensive expression on his features – all up until he tipped his chin up, catching her unwavering eyes.

His face contorted into a semblance of sheer disbelief, mouthing an inquisitive Hae-soo?.

She merely nodded, the corners of her lips twitching into a smile to see his orbs traverse till her flawlessly coiled hairdo, where the tip of white peonies peeked at him unabashedly.

It washed away the confusion lathered on his handsome features, replacing it with a small, private smile that was undeniably reserved for her.

Without drawing scrutiny from the nearby members – which was fairly easy given everyone else had settled with a comfortable chatter around them – he gestured to the hairpin in her hair, lips parting for her to make out 'beautiful'.

Her cheekbones flaming with an outright blush, Hae-soo brought her hand above the table, curling her fingers enough for him to recognize the modernized sign she had shared with him on numerous occasions.

Baek-ah's head turned to his hyung-nim in bewilderment when a chuckle rumbled from the back of his throat, following his gaze to realize the source of his amusement.

They shared a look – to which the younger prince shook his head at them with mild exasperation – before turning to their father.

She, too, glanced at the king, witnessing him whisper something into the ears of a nearby man, who looked eerily familiar.

Comprehension dawned upon her as to where she had seen the man before – the same man who was with her when she decided to unceremoniously dive into the waters to save a child she had never seen before in the entirety of her life, the same man whom she was pursuing when Wang So came galloping through the streets with his horse.

The homeless man, who was donned in an even more dignified outfit than she had seen him last, was standing next to the king, nodding calmly to whatever was being murmured into his ears.

Her eyebrows arched bemusedly but before she could commit another impulsive act, the king rose the glass of wine in his hand up, signalling the rest of his family members gathered around to follow by raising to their feet.

The man took the opportunity to leave, like he had done so before, and Hae-soo was incapable of movement when the women stood.

Loud voices blasted through her eardrums and everyone else brought the cup to their lips, drinking.

She eyed the contents warily and took a whiff of the aroma invading her nostrils, before cautiously taking a sip, allowing the liquid to trickle down .

To her amazement, the taste wasn't strong. In fact, it was sweet and savory, causing her to down her cup in one shot.

"General Park." Taejo interrupted the chatter with the same gruff voice he applied with her earlier, visibly reducing the noise level.

A man seated near him – somewhere between the princes' table and hers – stood up abruptly, greeting the king with a polite bow.

"I heard your daughter has returned with you from the war."

The general nodded in assent. "Yes, she's come of age for us to decide a prospective groom for her."

Hae-soo heard an inward groan coming from her table and her head snapped in the direction, having noticed for the first time a girl – no older than her – was pinching the bridge of her nose, seemingly in irritation.

Even tipsy, she could tell that she didn't belong to the royal household, her appearance nothing resembling any of the princes or princesses, donned in a simple dress that barely concealed the armor hidden beneath it.

It was the first time that night she was made aware of the fact she wasn't the only unrelated company at the table.

"Is that so?" The king's eyebrows lifted in contemplation, humming to himself when the general reiterated his purpose. "I have just the person for her."

"Eun?" Taejo called his son out, startling the Tenth Prince, who hurriedly rose to his feet.

"You shall be wedded to Grand General Park's daughter. We'll set the date soon."

Hae-soo didn't miss the way the prince's lips quivered as the truth sank in for him, nor the way the tables have descended into an awful silence, eyes shifted to the ground.

"What– What?" He finally sputtered out, ignoring how Wang Jung slapped his back happily in lieu of a congratulations.

The king closed his eyelids in apparent displeasure, which the Crown Prince clocked and repeated the announcement. "You'll be getting married, Eun. To–"

"I don't want to get married." Wang Eun squeaked out, barely taming the way his fingers trembled by his sides.

The fury in the monarch's orbs were crystal clear, even for Hae-soo – who was seated the furthest from him – as he narrowed his eyes at his young son. "What did you just say?"

"I– I don't see why I should be getting married when So hyung-nim hasn't wedded, yet." He cried out petulantly, pointing his finger at the Fourth Prince, who startled at the address.

Wang So exchanged glances with her, his lips pursed with unspoken fear at being embroiled into the argument, and Hae-soo simply stared back with the equal amount of dread, distressed that the king could betroth the general's daughter to him instead.

"She's closer to you in age." Taejo replied. "And besides, you need to have a stronger backing as part of the royal family member. So has the Kang clan; he doesn't need anything more."

At that, she felt both relief and worry wash over her – solace that he wasn't in contest from the girl's hand in marriage and the latter at the mention of his 'adopted' family, apparent in the way he gnawed uneasily on his bottom lip, undoubtedly refraining himself from lashing out.

"I'm still young." Wang Eun seemed to be his wits' end, citing every possible reason he could find in order to avoid being forced into a loveless marriage. "I refuse to get married."

"Would you rather die than obey my command?"

The king was thoroughly outraged, fuming and towering over the young prince menacingly. The rest of the imperial household appeared to be holding their breaths just as Hae-soo did, fearful of incurring his wrath.

Even as a prince, he couldn't escape his fate if he had dishonored the king.

One word could change his life. He'll kill him if he dares to question his authority again.

The tension was broken when the Crown Prince stepped forward – acting as a shield between his father and brother. "Eun doesn't mean that. I'm sure he's so excited he's simply blabbering."

He nudged the Tenth Prince's shoulders, prodding him. "Go on and thank the king."

Wang Eun glanced towards the table where the women sat, seeking out Hae-soo like he had did during his birthday celebrations when Wang Yo manipulated him into accepting the gift.

She didn't have much of answer to his imploring eyes like she had just days prior, yet the weigh was heavier now with a direct threat hanging over his head.

The prince seemed to have reached the same conclusion as she did when he bowed resignedly in front of his father, his voice barely above a hushed whisper. "T– Thank you for your benevolence, Your Majesty."

His answer finally caused the furrow between the king's eyebrows to dissipate, a soft laugh erupting from his lips as he clasped his hand on his shoulders. "Good. I heard Soon-deok is attending this dinner, as well. Where is she?"

A quiet gasp was heard and it was evident it came from the annoyed girl Hae-soo saw, only now she stood up and greeted the king.

He beckoned her over and she complied, stepping towards the elegant table such that the two future spouses were next to each other.

They bowed again, in sync this time, thanking the king again.

It was only then Hae-soo registered the fact Wang So had left the scene, in midst of all the commotion.

 

---

 

No one had bothered with her sneaking out after the announcement – the atmosphere subdued – and she took the opportunity to tell Lady Hae she desperately needed fresh air, in attempt to find the prince, whose disappearance had gone unnoticed.

Her cousin was skeptical but indulged her nonetheless, merely requesting her to come back before they head back to the residence.

It wasn't hard to find Wang So, seeing how he always sought out a secluded spot with a perfect view of overlooking the scenery whenever he decided to mope.

"I was wondering where did you run off to." Hae-soo spoke once she was close enough, settling down by his side on the rock.

He didn't seem astonished by her presence – something his keen senses probably picked up – and hummed absently, not looking at her.

"You're doing that, again." She expelled out a long sigh, folding her hands neatly across her dress.

That finally garnered his attention, to which two eyebrows rose in inquiry. "I'm doing what?"

"This." Her hands lifted to gesture vaguely around his frame, rolling her eyes. "I don't know."

At least, he had the decency of allowing an apologetic smile tug on the corners of his lips, shrugging. "Sorry."

"I understand you're protecting me, but I don't need it. I want to share your burden, if you would let me."

"Soo-yah." It was the first time he had ever shortened her name, letting it roll off the tip of his tongue in a low, resigned whisper.

It should have been an intimate gesture, but he was in agony and it didn't make her feel any better for pushing him to his limits yet again.

"You have no idea how much in the world I want to safeguard you from." Wang So murmured, burying his face into his palms. "This isn't something I can freely divulge to you. I couldn't put you at risk. No, I can't."

The torment appeared to be killing him – both inside and out – when the close proximity permitted her to see the lack of sleep on his features, how his shoulders slump with weariness and the way his lids were closed so tightly it seemed to be sewn permanently to his face.

"I know." Hae-soo rested a hand on his shoulders, digging her fingers against the fabric to hopefully ease some of his tense muscles. "I'm just telling you, you can share it with me whenever you're ready."

He pulled his face out of his palms and inspected her, as if to contemplate her words, before his lips curved into a tiny, tired smile. "I will."

"Besides," he continued, this time his smile widening into a mischievous smirk. "You can't possibly protect yourself. Being feisty isn't the equivalent."

She huffed out an indignant breath, crossing her arms defiantly across her chest – though she was mentally thankful he appeared to have regained some of his usual demeanor. "Who says so? If I recall, I was about to punish the Tenth Prince when you stopped me."

"In my defense, I was preventing you from being charged of assault. And in Eun's defense, he doesn't even know martial arts, aside from the childish fights he had with Jung."

They chuckled together in remembrance, before he exhaled out loudly. "Though he wouldn't be getting into those petty brawls anytime soon."

A surge of belated sympathy rushed up in Hae-soo's veins. While she had been entirely concerned about him implicating his brother and being switched out as the prospective groom instead, she had forgotten that it was her friend being forced into an arranged marriage.

As royalty, I thought they'd be powerful and have more access to unrestricted freedom, unlike commoners who do not get a choice at all. But I was wrong. Being a prince doesn't mean you get to make your own decision, doesn't mean you can choose who to love.

She was suddenly afraid. What if Wang So was in his brother's shoes that evening, taking another woman as his wife? Walking the streets with her, loving her, having children with her?

Hae-soo couldn't bear the thought.

"Soon-deok's a good person, though." He mused, not realizing she was in her own train of thought about the prospect of him being forced against his wishes. "Eun will be happy with her."

She narrowed her eyes at him and the prince gulped nervously under her scrutiny, holding up both of his hands.

"I mean– We used to spar when she's younger. She's a really great warrior."

"Really, now?" Hae-soo remained dubious, which wasn't aided by the doubts already swirling around in her mind.

"We were both taught by her father, General Park. He came to Shinju and taught me everything I knew, so that's how we met. She's a younger sister to me, I promise."

She didn't respond, gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Please don't tell me you misunderstand–"

"What if–" She interrupted him, causing his mouth to close immediately. "What if the king arranges a marriage on your behalf, too? What will you do?"

His lips parted to answer before shutting, mulling. It didn't soothe her nerves to find him contemplating in utmost seriousness, his eyebrows knitted together.

"I'll refuse." Wang So returned simply, as if he didn't spend the last few minutes thinking of a proper answer. "I won't marry her."

"Why not?" It came out as a timid squeak, unable to tame her fingers from shaking.

"I will only marry for love. And I have someone in mind, if she reciprocates."

Hae-soo felt relieved for the briefest moment but wouldn't listen to her heart, as even her brain protested he hadn't named her specifically. "Who?"

The prince rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I thought it was obvious from the poems I sent you."

"M– Me?"

"Yes, you silly, feisty, illiterate yet awfully lovely and adorable girl. I was referring to you."

She gasped, covering with her hands. "You knew?"

Wang So chuckled fondly, lulling his head backwards. "Of course. Which reminds me of why haven't you bothered to share the fact you can't read or write with me? You do know that Baek-ah has been pestering me non-stop about getting that expensive set of drawing materials."

Turning away to prevent him from seeing how her cheeks flushed pink, she made a mental note to berate the Thirteenth Prince later. "I didn't want you to know I couldn't. I was afraid you would look down on me."

"Me?" The prince looked astounded by her admission, to which she nodded meekly. "Soo-yah, I would never. You didn't even run away when you saw my scar. How could I?"

She was about to counter his statement, when he held his index finger up, effectively cutting her off.

"Though I deserved being blackmailed. I thought the handwriting looked familiar, but I didn't suspect a thing." He mused, thoroughly tickled at the memory.

Hae-soo snorted out a 'I'm going to find Baek-ah after this', earning a hearty chuckle eliciting from his lips.

"I'm serious about what I said, though." He uttered after a moment, the earlier amusement gone from his face.

"I know."

He furrowed his eyebrows at her, before shaking his head. "I thought you'd answer me with a 'yes'."

She practically choked on air itself, composing herself enough to respond. "Wait. Was that a proposal?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Wang So averted his gaze guiltily. "Yes?"

Literally jumping to her feet – a notion that startled him enough for him to mimic her movement – Hae-soo pushed him back when he tried coming closer. "I can't believe you expected me to agree to that."

"Why not?" The prince seemed genuinely curious as to where his proposal went wrong, not ceasing his attempts to approach her even though it was met with her resistance.

"Why not?" She echoed incredulously, huffing out a breath. "You should do a better proposal than that. I won't agree unless you try something impressive."

Wang So finally got around to her sides – ignoring her feeble attempts at shoving him backwards again – smiling when he looked down at her. "Alright, I'll think of something that make you wouldn't want to reject me."

His arms circled around her waist and she gave up pretending she didn't like the way his hands wrapped around her in fierce protection, pressing their bodies close.

"I'm your person, Soo-yah." The prince murmured, breathing hotly against her forehead. "Don't forget it."

"Your Highness–"

"Are you really still referring me by my title? I thought we had already passed that stage." He pouted petulantly, making her giggle involuntarily despite the hammering against her chest.

"What should I call you then, Your Highness?"

"My name." He replied simply, tightening his hold on her. "When we're alone, of course."

Hae-soo glanced around quickly, ensuring that no one else was within earshot. He prompted her with a gentle smile, the anticipation heavy in the air.

"So?" She tested warily, watching how a glint of affection had appeared in his irises. "Wang So?"

The prince nodded in assent and she smiled herself, savoring the sensation of being in the warmth of his arms.

Their eyes locked and she didn't miss the way his eyes flickered down to her lips and back to her orbs again, his lips absently.

Understanding his silent query, she gave a tentative nod of consent, making his grin widen.

Hae-soo observed how his tongue darted out to moisten his lips before focusing on their destination, curving his neck so that he could reach her lips. Her own eyelids fluttered shut, waiting for the inevitable as the sweet taste of his mouth started to descend upon hers–

"Your Highness, are you–" A voice called out, effectively ruining their moment of solitude.

Both of them bolted apart, smoothing their clothes to erase any possible evidence of what they had been doing prior to the interruption.

The figure approached them, clearing his throat before the moonlight illuminated his features. "I apologize. I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's fine." Wang So coughed awkwardly, folding his hands behind him. "We weren't doing anything."

Hae-soo looked to the intruder, falling agape to see him up close.

It was the homeless man she had been so desperately seeking since her arrival at Goryeo. The only familiar face she had known from her time, except he was staring as though he didn't recognize her.

"Ah," The prince gestured towards the other man, who bowed in greeting. "He's Choi Ji-mong, the king's right-hand man."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Soo." He tipped his chin up, enough to send a wink in her direction.

She gasped. Surely, he doesn't–

Wang So didn't seemed to have caught it when he waved his hand around, gaining his attention again. "Are you looking for me?"

"Yes, Your Highness. The king requests your presence. And the Eighth Prince is similarly searching for Lady Soo, as well. You've been gone a while."

He nodded in understanding, glancing in the direction of the forgotten dinner gathering. "I'll get going, then. See to it that she's sent to Wook, will you?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Please rest assured." Ji-mong affirmed.

The prince pulled her aside which the other man respected by turning away, feigning interest in a nearby tree. "We're always getting interrupted."

She laughed despite herself, slipping her hand inside his clasp. "I know. Perhaps it's fate."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Not a chance. I'll be getting that–" He gestured at her lips, a look of determination plastered on his face. "–soon."

Squeezing their intertwined hands and using his free hand to caress her scarlet cheeks tenderly, he whispered a quick farewell before striding off.

"Shall we head back to your cousin?" Ji-mong queried, pointing towards the venue of the gathering.

Hae-soo nodded mutely and fell into sync with him as they walked side by side.

"Don't you recognize me?" She blurted out, finally asking the question that had haunted her ever since she first laid eyes on him in Goryeo.

He seemed to have startled, pausing in his tracks with his head cocked to the side. "Pardon?"

"We had a drink together, remember? Back when you were a homeless man, which I guess you aren't anymore since you work for the king and dressed in such attire. But I–"

"But I don't know you." Ji-mong interrupted her rambling, continuing to walk.

"We've met, alright. One thousand years into the future–"

He interrupted her again, this time sternly. "Be careful, Lady Soo. If you ended up living here, you should abide by the norms here. Your life can't change just because you want it to."

His response had her pupils dilating, to which he mused. "Although– From what I've just seen, your life did change. The question is, do you want it to be the same as it is now? Or do you still wish to go back?"

When Hae-soo still hadn't been able to reply, Ji-mong added, "Think about it."

That was what she did, long after he had brought her back to Lady Hae and she was trudging after the Eighth Prince and her cousin back to their residence.