The Hwarang men are finally back at Hwarang House after being invited to spend luncheon at the palace. Chunhwa was the last one to return to the Hwarang House as she had to take some more of her clothes and have a talk with the Queen in regards to her training the Hwarang men in the future days to come.

“Has anyone of you seen Miss Ahro?” was the first question she asked to the group of Hwarang men she crossed paths with when she finally returned to the Hwarang House.

The Hwarang men looked and asked each other if they did and apologized as they said no but the female teacher only nodded at them with a smile before moving away. Damyi was at her room and was arranging the clothes that she had brought from the palace so she was currently alone looking for the female physician.

“Lady Heo?” a voice spoke— making her turn to her left and see Pi Jooki looking at her with a smile. “You seem to be looking for someone.”

“Ah, yes.” the young maiden nods, “Perhaps, have you seen Miss Ahro?”

“Miss Ahro? Oh, yes. I did. She had just entered the doctor’s house with Master Jidwi not too long ago.”

“Is that so? Well, thank you.” she says with a smile before bowing and continuing her way.

Pi Jooki looked at her departing back and nods to himself. “Aigoo, what a really nice person she is compared to the princess.”

Chunhwa carefully climbed up the stairs to the doctor’s house and entered. Just as she was nearing the room to Ahro’s quarters— she heard someone speaking and couldn’t help but stop by the door to listen.

“I feel like you are put in danger because of me,” it was Jidwi who was speaking. “So I get angry at myself.”

“Aigoo.” it was Ahro’s voice this time. “What is the point of being mad at yourself? Even if no one in the world is on your side, you should still be on your side. Even if you are pathetic and weak, you should trust yourself.”

Chunhwa smiled at that, finding the female physician’s words very wise. It seems that the two were having a deep conversation so she decided not to bother them for a while and turned around to walk away.

‘I see.’

Hansung was strolling after dinner as they still have free time to loiter around before the curfew hour. As he walks by the doctor’s house, he notices a foot sticking out by the bushes and couldn’t help but feel curious and made his way towards it.

To his surprise however, he finds Chunhwa sleeping soundly— her back resting by the cold stone wall of the doctor’s house. How come no one saw her here? Also, how on earth was she able to sleep this long? Out in the open?

But those questions seem to be long forgotten— Hansung couldn’t help but admire her sleeping face that was being shined upon by the moonlight as he crouched beside her.

“So pretty...” he tells himself with a dreamy sigh.

Chunhwa softly scrunched her nose as she heard someone speak. She then started to wake up— her eyes slowly opening and blinks up at Hansung who was staring down at her with a somewhat creepy smile.

“Kyaah!” she half-shouts, jumping in surprise making the young Hwarang do the same as they back away from each other.

“Yah, Seok Hansung!” she cries in frustration of being woken up to such a situation, “Why are you looming over me like that!?”

“Hehe, sorry Noona. But you’re finally awake and your servant has been looking at you all day you know?”

Chunhwa blinked at him, “All...day?”

She looks around, realizing that she had fallen asleep waiting for Ahro to finish with her conversation with Jidwi and that it was already dark.

“It’s already night!?” she turns to him with a panicked expression and before Hansung could answer, she slapped him on the arm.

“Yah! Why didn’t you woke me up?!”

Hansung pouts as he rubs on his abused arm.

“What do you mean? I found you here just now. But,” he smiles cheekily at her. “I couldn’t wake you up because you look so pretty while sleeping, Noona.”

Chunhwa couldn’t help but blush at that, both because of the compliment and embarrassment.

“Y-yah. I haven’t given you the complete permission yet to call me Noona.”

The young Hwarang blinks. “I know.”

“Then why are you already calling me like that?”

Hansung smiles cheekily once again, his eyes turning into cute little crescents.

“Because I like you.”

Chunhwa couldn’t help but blush at the young man’s bluntness but laugh at the same time.

“Aigoo!” she says, reaching out to gently pinch his cheek with a smile. “Yah, Seok Hansung. How can you say that so openly? That is not just something you can carelessly say, do you know that?”

Shaking her head in amusement, she carefully stood up from her position— feeling her back starting to get a little sore from being stuck in that certain position for so long.

How on earth was she able to sleep for that long, anyway?

Hansung stood up as well and blinked at her. She looked at the doctor’s room to find that the lights are already off— she looked back at him.

“Where’s Miss Ahro?”

“Miss Ahro?” he scrunches his nose, “She already went home.”

At that answer, Chunhwa sighed.

“Nevermind, I’m going to bed.”

“But you just woke up from a nap?” Hansung asked her, making her stop from her tracks. She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows— finding the younger’s point true.

“I know right.” she scrunched her face.

“But you,” she then points at him. “Need to go back to your quarters, take a bath, and go to sleep. We still have more training tomorrow.”

“What?” the young Hwarang looks crestfallen. “But are you not going to give us a break from all those trainings? My hands are sore from holding the sword too long!”

“Aigoo.” the female teacher laughs, pinching him gently again on the cheek. “I was just kidding. You look so cute!”

“Yah, Noona! I am manly.” Hansung pouts, crossing his arms and standing straighter to prove his point but she could only shake her head.

“Whatever you say~” she sang, finally walking away from the young Hwarang.

Since she has not fully awakened yet despite the interaction with Hansung a few moments before, Chunhwa was not minding where she was going until she bumps into someone.

She immediately looked up to apologize, only to get herself tongue-tied.

Yeowool stood in front of her, fresh from coming out of the shower as his hair was down and still wet. He smiled when he realized that it was her who bumped into him.

“Oh, Miss Chunhwa. You’ve finally came out from where you were hiding, I see.”

“A-ah...” she nods, looking away with a small grimace. “Have I really been out that long?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugs, “But Damyi-ssi almost went crazy looking for you.”

Her head snapped towards him in alarm, “She did!?” she looked troubled, “Oh no, what should I do?”

“Don’t worry,” he suddenly chuckles, making her look at him again. “I told her that I’ve seen you sleeping in the doctor’s room and not to disturb you.”

“Really?” she sighs in relief. “Thank you, I thought I was going to be done for.”

“But, where did you really go?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“Ah...” she pinked, “I fell asleep somewhere.”

Yeowool couldn’t help but shake his head at that. “Tsk, tsk. That’s not good for a lady to fall asleep anywhere, you know.”

“Anyway, is Master Banryu and Master Sunwoo okay?” she suddenly asks, ignoring his last words and he almost rolled his eyes at her question.

“Always talking about another men even when I’m already in front of her, I see.” he whispers to himself.

“Huh? Were you saying something?”

Yeowool smiles.

“Nothing, I said Banryu and Sunwoo are already okay. You shouldn’t worry anymore.”

“That’s good to hear.” she let out a relieved sigh. “I was really worried about everyone especially when Master Sunwoo sparred with Minister Youngshil’s guard. It was a good thing he won at least.”

“Do you really like Sunwoo that much?”

Chunhwa looked at the Hwarang who suddenly had a blank look on his face.

“Huh?” she blinks at him in confusion, surprised at the sudden question. “I told you, I don’t like him. I was just worried any of you getting hurt with the Queen and Princess Sookmyung’s idea.”

Yeowool chuckles humourlessly at that.

“I saw the way you look at him during the spar, Miss Chunhwa.” he tells her with a faint smile.

“You don’t look at Sooho or Banryu like that when they were the one sparring first. I can see that you like him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Master Yeowool.” Chunhwa frowned at his accusation.

“If the rumours are true that Master Sunwoo is really the king, I would be really more worried for him because he’s my childhood friend and the King of Silla! Also, why are you so keen knowing if I like Sunwoo or not? Why do you keep on insisting that I like him, do you want me to like him? Is that what you want?”

“No.” he answers monotonously

“Then why?” she looks at him a little frustrated.

“It’s because I like spring flowers.”

Yeowool gives her a small smile before bowing and walking away. Chunhwa’s frown deepened at his vague answer as she turned around to watch him walk away from her.

“....spring flowers?” she echoes with a very confused expression. “What does he even mean?”

Author's Note:

So...chapter 17 is a little short since it's kind of a filler
chapter so yeah. Sorry for the delay, and I hope you liked this chapter!

ps. I wonder what Yeowool meant.... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

- flyingjunmyeons [20170716]