“Ahboeji… Ommoni… Where are you going?” asked a teary-eyed Sung-Kyung.

“My child… Listen to me…” said her father solemnly with a momentarily pause before he continued, “My brave daughter. I am sorry. Ahboeji has let you down.”

“What do you mean Ahboeji?”

“Your mother and I will have to go and you have to stay here.”

“But why?”

“You are my brave daughter right?” her father asked with much conviction to which Sung-Kyung nodded in reply.

“I know you are brave… You have always been brave and smart. But today will be the day that you have to gather as much courage as possible…”

“What are you saying Ahboeji?”

Without even replying to her question, her father hastened his speech, “You are to wait here for Jae-Joong to fetch you out of this place. Do not follow anyone else but him. Arasso?”

“But Ahboeji…”

“Do you understand? No one else except Jae-Joong,” as her father cut her sentence short.

Her mother was already in tears, trying to contain her emotions on the impending separation between her and her only child. Sung-Kyung’s parents hugged her one last time before making a move out of their hiding place, leaving behind their precious one.

12 years later…

It was a beautiful sunny day with softly blowing breeze brushing her cheeks as she washes a wooden bucket full of laundry by the stream. She put in just enough strength to ensure the cleanliness of the clothes that she was washing. When she was finally done, she began wringing the soaked clean clothes by hand to rid of excess water before packing up to make the journey back home. As she was walking,

“Bok Joo-ah~”

She turned towards the direction where the voice was coming from as a smile appeared across her face.

“Ji Soo Oppa~ what are you doing here?”

“Of course I’m here to see you”, said Ji Soo smiling.

“To see me? What for?”

“So I can walk you home and to protect you. That’s why...”

“Oppa~ Are you joking with me right now? Do you really think that I am someone that needs protection?”

“You are a lady after all…”

Bok Joo rolled her eyes at Ji Soo’s response before she replied, “Stretch out your hands Oppa…”

“My hands?” as Ji Soo willingly did so with Bok Joo placing the bucket right after.

“Why?”

“Since I am a lady after all… I cannot be carrying anything heavy with my own hands Oppa~” as she joked before skipping away, with Ji Soo catching up to her.

When they finally reached home, Bok Joo greeted her ill elder brother,

“Oppa~ I’m back…”

“Oh~ Bok Joo-ah~ what took you so long…” as he let out a cough while trying to sit up with Bok Joo assisting him.

“I was doing our laundry further up the stream since there are not many people there… And I got you a present on the way back…”

“Present?”

“Neh Oppa~”

“We should be saving money… I am already a huge burden to you… Now that I am unwell…”

“Oppa~ don’t say that… You are the one who has been taking care of me since young. And anyways the present does not cost much… Actually it does not even cost a penny…”

“Did you steal from somewhere?”

“Aigoo~ Oppa! How can you say that of your little sister?”

“Well you are always full of mischief since you were young… It’s not wrong of me to think that way…”

Bok Joo looked down with a pout on her face before Ji Soo came out from hiding and walked towards Bok Joo and her brother.

“More than anything I am upset that your sister thinks I don’t even cost a penny,” said Ji Soo much to the delight of his friend with Bok Joo excusing herself to hang the clothes to dry.

“Ji Soo ya~ It’s been a long time… How are you?”

“I’m doing well as you can see… But I am saddened that your health has deteriorate…”

“Sometimes I wish that it will deteriorate faster… Just so that I don’t have to trouble my sister ever again…”

“Ya~ Why are you saying such things? You should be thankful that you have such a wonderful sister to take care of you.”

“Precisely because she is such a wonderful sister that I have to remain here since I don’t feel assured to leave her all alone in this country.”

“You still can joke about such things?”

“It’s true Ji Soo… As long as I don’t feel assured… I don’t think I can leave this world in peace… Ahboeji and Ommoni will definitely be angry at me…”

“Whatever the reason for you to stay alive, I am fine with that.”

“By the way… What are you doing here? Don’t you have to be at the palace?”

“I’ve got some time off to get out of training the new soldiers. And I’ve been wanting to pay you a visit.”

“Is it really happening?” asked Kyung Tak with worried eyes.

“The war you mean?”

“Yes…”

“Well the enemy is closing in on our borders and I heard that negotiations between the two countries are not working at the moment…”

“When are you leaving?”

“We'll set off towards the northern border in three days time…”

“Please take care my friend…”

“I will… And I better make a move first… There are still a lot of things to be settled…”

“Arasso…”

“Bok Joo ya~ Oppa kanda~”

“Eh? So fast?”

“I am indeed a busy man… An important busy man… Who is worth a lot,” said Ji Soo smiling while Bok Joo was making faces.

Ji Soo finally reached the palace when suddenly he was ambushed from behind. He wanted to immediately withdraw the knife he had in his possession when he heard the familiar voice.

“How can the future General of this country behave this way? Getting ambushed by me of all people…”

“Your Highness… What are you doing here?”

“I miss my friend… That’s why… And remember the rule… Between you and me… Please don’t call me ‘Your Highness’… Arasso?”

“But how can I do that, Your High…?” but before Ji Soo could continue, Joo-Hyuk cut his sentence short by changing the topic.

“Where were you? How come you went out of the palace without informing me? I could have escaped with you.”

“I needed to meet someone…”

“Who?”

“Someone important to me…”

“A woman? Do you have a girlfriend? A wife? That I do not know of?”

“Aniyo a friend…” came a simple reply from Ji Soo.

Joo-Hyuk who did not believe what Ji Soo had just said, began to observe his friend’s face for signs of him lying before he used his royal card, “As a Prince, I hereby order you to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth… If not you will be sent to prison…”

“I’m sorry ‘Your Highness’ but didn’t you just say that between you and me… We are just friends?” as Ji Soo much to the dismay of his friend.

“Fine… I’ll let you off this time… But if I ever find out that you have a special lady in your life without telling me… I’m not going to let you off then…”

“Arasso… Arasso…”

As the two were walking in towards the inner palace, one of the eunuchs called for Joo-Hyuk.

“Your Highness… The King is looking for you…”

Joo-Hyuk immediately showed his dislike with Ji Soo whispering to him, “Did you cause trouble again?”

Without an answer, Joo-Hyuk followed the order and made his way to the King’s chamber.

“Jeonha…” as Joo-Hyuk addressed him in a solemn manner.

“I heard you skipped your lessons again today…”

Joo-Hyuk remained silent as he stood in front of his father, the King.

“How long are you going to be like this? Even the simplest things you can’t do… How can I expect you to run the country?! You are nothing but a failure!”

“I’ve never once thought about running the country. You have Hyung to do that for you…” stated Joo-Hyuk in a rebellious manner.

“Just get out! Get out!”

“As you wish Ahboenim…” as he bowed before taking his leave. He was walking back to his room when he saw Ji Soo was waiting for him.

“What happened?”

“The King doesn’t want to see me…”

“So you just left?”

“Yes. I left.”

“Without apologizing?”

“Why should I? He gets what he wants, he is the King after all…” as he stepped into his room and started to pack some of his things up.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“I will not be getting many chances like this so I think you should worry about yourself instead of me… I am leaving… Take care, my friend…”

“When will you be back?”

“Soon…” as Joo-Hyuk carried his packed belongings, got on the horse and rode away into the evening sun at full speed.

As the sun was setting, it was getting difficult for Joo-Hyuk to maneuver his way through the thick dense forest away from the city; he got down from his horse and began walking when suddenly he bumped into someone!

“Ouch! Look where you’re going!”

“I’m sorry… But I would if I could…” said Joo-Hyuk with a hint of sarcasm.

“Oh~ somebody is trying to be smart… So why didn’t you carry a light source?”

“Ooh~ A feisty lady I see… And you didn’t bring any either…”

“I’m not the one who bumped into you and I have my reasons...”

“Well I have my reasons too for not having any light source,” said Joo-Hyuk in retaliation.

“Whatever… I’m making a move first…”

“Ya~~”

“What is it?”

“Can you please help me in showing the way out?”

“Aigoo~~ what a burden~ Just my luck!”

“I’ll reward you handsomely if you help me…”

“Oh really? What are you? A rich merchant? Or is it a son of a rich merchant who is simply spending away his family fortune?”

Joo-Hyuk almost blurted out his identity but stopped short, gathering his senses back with a simple reply, “You must be a genius for knowing that my father is a merchant… So will you please help me now?” as he pleaded in a humble manner. Though reluctant, Bok Joo decided to help him out by leading the way, “Fine follow me...” But Joo-Hyuk did not move an inch.

“Ya~ what are you waiting for? Let’s go before I change my mind…”

“I really can’t see… How do you expect me to follow you?”

“Aish~” as Bok Joo walked towards him before placing his hand on her shoulder, “Now can we go?”

While they were walking, Joo-Hyuk decided to continue with their conversation,

“So what was a young lady doing in a dark forest alone?”

“How do you know whether I’m a young lady or not? I thought you couldn’t see in the dark?”

“Your voice… It doesn’t sound like you’re old.”

“Voice? You expect me to believe you? The ahjumma I know who sells dumplings at the market has a better voice than I do…”

“It’s up to you whether to believe me or not but I believe in my instincts. So? What were you doing?”

“Picking wild herbs…”

“Ah~ no wonder…”

“What do you mean?”

“No wonder your hands were coarse…”

Even though it was a short contact, her hand tells a story. And his comment certainly made her self-conscious for a moment.

“I think you should not talk and that I should have just left you back there.”

“Please don’t… And I apologize for what I said…”

“Apology accepted.”

“Great~ so did you manage to gather anything today?”<