A/N: I've been on hiatus for far too long so I'll be updating more than just one chapter. Probably two.

Without anything else to say, enjoy!

'Aishhh Ahjussi!! Watch where you're going!!!!' A young woman no more than 18 years old growled in frustration. Her gifts she packed for her younger sister's wedding was knocked to the ground and laid open like a feast to the morning sun. Can you even call it a gift now?

She stomped her feet in frustration. Now what? Her mother will surely grab brooms and sticks to beat the life out of her. It's a very important day for her sister. It should have been a very joyous and perfect day for two people to be joined by marriage out of..... force? It is no surprise that her sister and her husband-to-be has never even shared any romantic feelings for each other. And such connections with each other is common without the aid of love. No couple in the middle to upper class society of Goryeo ever truly loved each other. It is all just business and politics. 

And while her younger sister is off to a good and wealthy marriage for a middle class family, she is still a maiden whose descriptions inly go as far as "too manly for a girl". Oh but her favourite one is this: your attitude never suited your lovely face that I gave you!

As if! The deity up in heavens above are the ones who bestowed her with such lovely face! Her mother did not need to brag. She should have just take care of her wrinkles on her forehead! The young lady sighed in frustration and annoyance.

But that is true. Even with such a lovely face, no man ever truly considered her suitable as a wife. She does not act like her face, nor her name. Bi, that is her given name by her parents. Her father said this a lot, that she was born when the day was not heavily pouring nor sunny, just light drizzle. A beautiful rain that day, her father exclaimed and that is how they named her. Bi, which means rain. 

But she is not as gentle as the rain, nor as calming. She is like the tornadoes on the desserts, the rough sand that burn soles of feet; the thorns instead the roses. But her sister is the opposite. Her sister is all that with grace and charm that can command the hearts of thousands.

Bi would have said that she had never minded that, that it does not matter to her who is prettier, or more ladylike or who married first. But deep down, she does mind. Which woman on Earth doesn't. 

And it hurts her like scores through her heart.

And yes, she was punished by her very beautiful mother for ruining her sister's wedding gifts. In the scorching heat, Bi shouldered the enormous tank of water. The drought is coming. She heard those whispers even more frequently now. The water supply cannot accommodate the demand and so the civilians make do with fetching water from the river.

As another salty sweat passed over her face, Bi tried not to howl in frustration and anger. She shifted her balance and readjusted hr hold on the tank on the back of her shoulder and tried not to imagine the soreness she'll feel tomorrow day. As she shifted again, her left ankle gave way and made an impossible twist. It was as if time slowed down. Her balance was off, her body gave in and before her brain could register what was happening, her body reacted first. And reacted badly it did. She lurched forward, the tank made a huge thud to the dry ground and soon mud splattered all over her clothes, face and hair. 

"Of all the asinine bull-raging —" She never got to finish her sentence when she heard a silken voice calling out to her.

"Are you alright?" the voice asked.

"Does it look like I'm alright you fool!" She huffed.

It would've lessen her frustration if he reacted but he didn't. He just kept a cool straight face. It is safe to say that Bi, well she snapped.

"And you just stand there with your cool expression!! Can't you see I'm on the ground..." She exclaimed, trying so hard to not shout or raise her voice. 

"Can't do anything right. Ruined the gifts and now spilled the water. Gotta go and fetch it again and..." she felt her eyes welling up. She can't afford to break down. Not at this time. Not today.

The man bent down. She prepared herself to fight just in case but instead he reached for the tank, picked it up and stood. Then he smiled. No not smile. Because smiling would mean stretching both ends of your lips in a downward curve motion. No, that wasn't a smile. It wasn't even a smirk. 

Bi didn't know what it was but she was willing to bet all of her money (and she only had a few) that for that man, this strange mysterious man, it was a smile nonetheless. 

"I'll go fetch the water for you. Go find somewhere to rest," he said, shouldering the tank with an ease that made her gape in awe.

"I'll find you," his voice has a confident quality to it laced with a subtle surge of absoluteness bordering autocratic. He almost sounded dangerous.

Which should have been enough for her to run the other way and forget about the damned water but somehow her brain and her heart are disassociated now.

Because now, she felt thrilled.