== PROLOGUE ==

When the sun shining so bright, make sure to keep your promise that you’ll always be with me for the rest of your life. I will sacfrifice everything that I had, but I will never let you go. Although I need to suffer for the rest of my life, I can hold it for you.

(May 7^th, 2017)

 

== CHAPTER 1 ==

The wind shakes the tree until its leaves fallen to the ground. The strong wind is the one of the sign that autumn is coming. The leaves start to changes it color from green to brown. The weather is also cloudy. But although the weather is not that nice, the Sungkyungkwan Academy seems busy. They are preparing for the last examination for the scholar who already in last year to graduate. But there’s a scholar who already finished his task and he can go home early. His name is Yoo Ki Hyun. He is known as diligent scholar but came from poor family. Because of his intelligence, a King order him to study at Sungkyungkwan Academy.

On his way from the academy, he met his best friend.

“Oh, Min Hyuk-a…”

“Eottae? [How?]” ask Min Hyuk.

“Mwoga? [What?]” ask Ki Hyun back.

“Your coming up examination,” said Min Hyuk.

“Ah, gwaenchanhayo [it’s okay], I’m ready for it,” Ki Hyun answered Min Hyuk’s question with determination.

He is really excited for his up coming examination, because there’s something that he’ll do after finishing his examination. The thing that he really awaits for long time.

“You sounded so excited,”

“Geureomyo! [Of course!],

“Wae? [Why?]”

“Because there’s one thing that I really want to do after graduating,”

Ki Hyun smiles really brightly. He’s imagining the thing that he’ll do after graduating from Sungkyungkwan Academy.

“Ah, I need to go somewhere,” said Ki Hyun.

“Eodiga? [Where are you going?],” ask Min Hyuk.

“I have an appointment,” said Ki Hyun. “We’ll talk again later, bye…”

Ki Hyun left Min Hyuk alone in the middle of busy city. Min Hyuk only watched his friends left him alone. Meanwhile, Ki Hyun ran really fast to go to place where someone waiting for him.

***

 

At the quiet place where the river flows towards the lower place, the waterfalls sound breaks the quietness. The clean water flows on the river and its flow bring some leaves that fallen from the tree. The wind blows quite strong. But the smell of autumn makes that alongside with the wind, make it feels really relaxed and long for winter already stronger and stronger. At the big stone, there’s a long-haired girl who sat down there. She is really beautiful with her fair-skinned and pink hanbok that she wore. She really looks like river goddess who protects the river. But she looks sullen. But her sullen face can’t ruin her beautiful face. She throws some pebble to the water because she was there for a long time. Wait for someone.

“Ji Hyeon-a…”

Someone called her name. But she doesn’t want to turn her face, seeing who is coming and calling her. She already knows who that person is.

“Ji Hyeon-a…”

The honey-like voice owner starts to climb the big stone where Ji Hyeon sat down. He already knows that the girl is angry.

“Are you angry?” ask the young handsome man.

Ji Hyeon only pouted without even look at him.

“YA! [HEY!]”

The young handsome man still not gave up. He even tried to makes her more angry.

“Mwo? [What?]” ask Ji Hyeon.

In the end, he can hear her beautiful voice that always he longed for.

“Seonmul. [A gift],” said the young handsome while showing the beautiful red rose that he pick on his way.

“YOO KI HYUN!”

Rather than accept the red rose that he brought, Ji Hyeon yell to release her angry.

“Wae? [Why?],” ask Ki Hyun.

Ji Hyeon take the red rose from his hands and smile happily.

“How was your task? Do you think you can graduate this year?” ask Ji Hyeon.

Ki Hyun smile too.

“Do you underestimating me?” ask Ki Hyun.

“No, no,” Ji Hyeon shooks her head.

“Everything will be okay,” said Ki Hyun.

“I hope so,” said Ji Hyeon.

“So, you are not angry to me?” ask Ki Hyun.

“Why would I angry to you?” ask Ji Hyeon back.

“Because you waited for me here,” answer Ki Hyun.

Ji Hyeon only laughed.

“Why would I angry to you when I just arrived here too?” ask Ji Hyeon.

“Ah, yeokshi… [indeed…],” said Ki Hyun.

“You know that really well that I am the goddess of late,” said Ji Hyeon proudly.

Ki Hyun only laughed heard that kind of sentences from Ji Hyeon. Indeed, Ji Hyeon always can make him smile. Even Ji Hyeon can make him laughed. And of course, Ji Hyeon also can make his heart beating faster as well.

“You said that you’ll catch some fish,” said Ji Hyeon.

“That’s my best skill. I’ll catch some for us,”

Ki Hyun took off his shoes and come down to the water.

“Hand me that stick,” ask Ki Hyun.

Ji Hyeon hand a stick for him.

“Better you help me,” said Ki Hyun.

“Shirheoyo [I don’t want to],” said Ji Hyeon.

Ji Hyeon only sat on the big stone while watching Ki Hyun trying to catch some fish for her.

“Ji Hyeon-a, come here, I found something,” said Ki Hyun.

Although she said that she don’t want to, in the end, she took off her shoes and goes down to the water, even walk carefully to go to Ki Hyun’s place.

“Mwoga? [What is it?]” ask Ji Hyeon.

“A river goddess,” answer Ki Hyun while splashing water towards Ji Hyeon.

“YA! [HEY!],” Ji Hyeon yelling because Ki Hyun tricked her.

Ki Hyun only laughed.

“So, do you want water fight?” ask Ji Hyeon.

Ji Hyeon splashs water towards Ki Hyun too. They’re playing water fight. Always like that since their childhood. Right, they’re growing together in a small village in the capital. Both of them are from petty noble family. They’re even at the same age. There’s no more youngster at their age. Even Ki Hyun’s cousin is a lot younger than them. So they only can play together and became best friend since their childhood. And of course, because they are always together from their childhood, does not out the possibility that they starts to grow some kind of feelings that more than best friend.

Without Ji Hyeon and Ki Hyun realizes, there’s a man with his subordinates who watching them playing together. There’s no certain expression on that man’s face. But seems like he is envying the beautiful and lovely scene right before his eyes. But he can’t do anything because of his position that can’t allow him to be friends with Ki Hyun and Ji Hyeon.

“Seja Joha [Crown Prince], it’s your time to back to the palace because you need to attends the meeting with the officials,” said his subordinates.

“Arasseo [I know],” said the Crown Prince.

***

 

Tonight, the moon seems hidden itself under the dark could. Although it’s the period for full moon to appear at the Joseon’s night view, even the stars seems doesn’t want to shine this quiet night. At the quite room, there’s a man with dark blue robe sitting under the window. He let his windows to be opened widely. He let the air enter his quiet room. He is alone there, while he can’t take his eyes off from the moonlight that hidden under the dark cloud. Seems like he is thinking of something that doesn’t went off easily from his mind.

“Eotteokhajyo? [What should I do?],”

A slight smile appears on his handsome face. A slight smile that full of loneliness and sadness because he can’t even be with the people he loved. A smile that also full of regret, when he thinks of something that only makes him in pain again and again. Because of his position that he can’t do anything about. He has too much fear, but he is in the great of loneliness and must face everything that can happen anytime. He really needs someone to be by his side.

***

 

Today is the day before the examination for the leat year scholar at Sungkyungwan Academy would be held. Most of the scholars of Sungkyungkwan Academy use this opportunity to be with their family, meanwhile the other use this opportunity to go to the library and spend the day with study for the upcoming exam that would be held in several hours. As the one of Sungkyungkwan Scholar, Ki Hyun also uses this opportunity to be with his family. He wants to be his beloved one, so that he can gain so much strength for the examination.

But after spend his time with his family, he decide to back to the dorm to prepare for his examination. On the way to the academy, he meets his friend, Min Hyuk.

“Ki Hyun-a…”

“Where are you going at this hour?” ask Ki Hyun.

“Ey, I need to meet you before your examination tomorrow,” answer Min Hyuk.

“Wae? [Why?],” ask Ki Hyun.

“I want to give you some support, of course,” answer Min Hyuk.

“Gomawo,” said Ki Hyun.

“What would you like to do after graduating?” ask Min Hyuk. “With your intelligence, you can work at the palace or you can work as officials at any government office,”

“I would consider about which office that I would work to after do something that more sacred for me,”

“What’s that?”

“Bimil [secret],”

“You dare to keep a secret from your best friend?”

“There’s a lot of secret that I hide from you though,”

Ki Hyun and Min Hyuk laughed.

“Fine, if you won’t tell me about that,”

“Anyway, I must do this before someone else,”

“Aigoo, you make me really curious now,”

“But I won’t tell you,”

“Fine! But I hope you can pass this examination then graduate with the best score. Then, there’s nothng to worry about since you can be placed in any government office,”

“Arrasseo, gomawo… [I understand, thank you…],”

“If you didn’t graduate this year, I’ll beat you until you turn into an eggplant,”

“Oh, how scary,”

They laughed again together. They’re befriends for a long time. They’re really loyal to each other. They are really close even some people always mistaken them as a couple. So that some people always look at them with strange gaze. Thinks that Ki Hyun and Min Hyuk are weirds because they’re always together wherever they are. Although Ki Hyun comes from petty noble family and Min Hyuk comes from well-known noble family, but they can befriends without regarding their social-rank. And although Min Hyuk didn’t attend to Sungkyungkwan Academy, but he always support his friends.

Such a beautiful friendships when social-rank is not the thing that hinder the good relationship between two persons who cames from different background.

***

 

Today is the examination day for Sungkyungkwan Academy. The Capital seems really quiet today because the King order that no activity when the examination is held. Even the today’s examination is held at the court field at the palace. Minister of Education Chae even attends the examination himself to monitor the examination. Before the examination starts, Minister of Education Chae give some word to the scholars that already gathers at the court field.

“Today is the examination that will determine whether you can graduate from Sungkyungkwan Academy this year or you should take the examination again next year. For those who can gradute from Sungkyungkwan Academy would be given the title as Sungkyungkwan Academy Bachelor, also got the chance to works at any government office for the best graduate scholar. But those who got the standard result would be placed at government office based on their skills. So use this opportunity as much as you can to get the best result as you want. But I’ll never tolerate those who cheat on this examination. If you got caught do some deceitful manner, you’ll be disqualified and would be expelled from Sungkyungkwan Academy as well. So, do your best,”

After giving some speech, Minister of Education Chae officially start the examination. Some eunuch and Sungkyungkwan Academy official pay their attention to all scholars. Some scholars looks really nervous because the eunuch and the official who watch them carefully. Even those who prepared some cheating tricks looked really anxious. While some another scholar looked confused and seemed like they can’t answer the question that given. But, Ki Hyun is different case. He sat and calmly writes down his answer on the paper sheet in front of him.

Meanwhile, at the Crown Prince’s quarters. The Crown Prince sits on the bench at his pavilion. He read some book, but he can’t be concentrating.

“Seja Joha [Crown Prince], may I ask you something?” ask Eunuch Song.

“Malhae [Say it],” answer Crown Prince.

“I’m sorry to ask this, but you look can’t be concentrating. Do you have something in mind? Or does something bother your mind?” ask Eunuch Song.

Again, the slight smile appears on the Crown Prince’s face.

“Gwaenchanha, geunyang… [It’s okay, just…],” answer Crown Prince.

Eunuch Song been assigned for the Crown Prince’s side since Crown Prince born. So he knows really well when something bothers the Crown Prince.

“Geokjeongma… [Don’t worry],” said Crown Prince.

So do the Crown Prince. He really knows that Eunuch Song always worried about him if he shows even for a little change in his expression. He really close with Eunuch Song, even take Eunuch Song as his own father because Eunuch Song who always be by his side and never leave him.

“I heard that the examination be held at court field, how does the examination?” ask Crown Prince.

“I heard that the examination goes well, even Minister of Education Chae attends the examination himself,” answer Eunuch Song.

Crown Prince only shook his head as if he knows of he thinks about something that related to the examination.

***

 

After the examination, Ki Hyun rushes to a place where he can find someone that he long for. Right, he goes to Ji Hyeon’s place. But he only sees Ji Hyeon’s mother.

“Lee Ajumeoni, is Ji Hyeon home?”

“No, she’s not,”

“Then, where is she?”

“She said that she’ll go to the flower garden,”

“Ah, arasseo…”

 As he heard where Ji Hyeon at, he rushed to the river. On the way to the river, he meets Ah Young, her cousin.

“Orabeoni! [Brother!],”

But Ki Hyun ignores her.

 “Orabeoni!”

“We’ll talk again later, I’m in a hurry,”

The closer his distance to the river, he takes his steps slowly. He arranged his breath until he reach Ji Hyeon’s place. From far away, can be seen that Ji Hyeon sat down at the big stone while throwing some peebels to the river.

“Ji Hyeon-a…”

As she heard the honey-like voice that she knows, she turned her face and stand up right away.

“Ki Hyun-a…”

Ki Hyun hugged her tight.

“Wae gabjagi… [Why you suddenly…],”

“Just let me stay like this for a while,”

He closed his eyes as he hugged Ji Hyeon. He smells the fragrant from Ji Hyeon’s hair. He felt the warm slowly into his body even his heart. He wants to stay like this forever. The beautiful smile reflected on his handsome face.

After a while…

“Did you commited a sin? Or did you fail the examination? Why did you suddenly---“

He cut off Ji Hyeon’s question.

“Aniya… [No…],”

“Geuraseo, wae? [Then, why?]

Ki Hyun smile brightly.

“Neomu bogoshipeoseo…[Because I miss you so much],”

Ji Hyeon got startled by Ki Hyun’s sudden statement.

“I want to ask you something,” said Ki Hyun.

“Mwoya? [What is it?],”

“But you must promise me before that you’ll answer to my question sincerely, honestly, with your heart,”

“Sure,”

Ki Hyun holds her hand and looked into her beautiful eyes.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment really long time. Finally, I can meet you today to ask the question that always haunts my mind. I hope you feel the same way as I feel,”

Ji Hyeon anticipated for every word that he said.

“Would you marry me?”

 

To be continued…