Soondeok’s diary

The prince’s still sleeping, not surprised, I bet he and his friends finished drinking all the wine in the restaurant last night, seeing how drunk he was. Was it because he’s drunk? He kept saying that we should fake a pregnancy, you know, to get away with the divorce law. He’s not serious right? It’s absolutely ridiculous! I bet he won’t even remember what he said when he wakes up today. I, on the other hand, will continue digging into the law books I have with me. Almost a quarter way through, I spent the entire night reading – my eyes were hurting, which is why I’m writing this now, to give myself a little break.

I haven’t read or focused on something this hard for a very long time, I must be getting old, my shoulder aches sooner than I expected. And now, I can’t even go into the garden to stretch about because the prince kind of locked us up for 3 days in our room. To make baby with me, he said. Gosh. The maids aren’t allowed to come in so they just left our meal outside, I’m hungry, but I can’t eat yet, Eun has to wake up first…

Eun’s diary

She thought I was joking? I clearly told her that we’re going to fake the pregnancy but she just kept telling me that it’s nonsense and that we shouldn’t do that. Nonsense? I’d say it’s the best plan in the world! I tried explaining to her again this morning but she’ll have none of it. She said she’ll only agree to it if we can’t find a solution within these 3 days, so now I’m locked in the room with her, for three whole days, and instead of sleeping with her all day long like what I’d hoped, I’m reading law books and taking notes for her.

Eun ah, why did you even let this happen?

I saw that maid again last night, it was horrifying. Her voice, her look, her words – she picked those words cautiously, making sure they hurt me deep. If only grandpa would just die! He’s supposed to die soon anyway, why’s he fussing about suddenly? For a million times, I’ve told him to leave me alone, to just let me live as a prince – a stupid, good-for-nothing prince, but why oh why must he make me a king? Why must he form bonds with the powerful?

I really don’t get it. What’s so important? Having money, power and all won’t make me happy – why’s he so concerned about these things? I don’t see why he needs money, he’s got lots already, almost as rich as His Majesty himself. Power, he’s got that too. Two of his daughters married my father, and the aunt staying with us now was married to the queen’s cousin – he’s got all the power he needs in Goryeo, it’s just that he’s never used them for a good cause.

Whatever, I don’t want to think about this anymore.

Soondeok’s having a nap now, she’s been up the entire night, reading, and there’re still lots of books left to be read. This solution will be better than my insane suggestion, she told me. Insane? If you ask me, I’m not the one who’s insane, she is! Who even reads law books? I can’t even finish one page without yawning!

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(Eun rolling on his bed, waiting for his wife to finish reading, he’s got his eyes fixed on her every move. At last, Soondeok closes the book she’s been reading for the past 3 hours with a sigh. Just as Eun’s about to jump up and welcome her to bed, Soondeok takes another book from the pile of unread books, flip the cover over and begins reading again. Eun gets up from his bed, extremely frustrated.)

‘YA! PARK SOONDEOK!’

(Eun’s scream almost made Soondeok jump out of her chair, she’s been so into her work that she has forgotten that Eun’s in the same room as her.)

‘Oh! Oppa, you’re here?’

(Eun puts his hands on his waist)

‘What? What did you just ask?’

‘Ah right…You’ve been here all day…You can take a nap first, I’ll let you know when dinner arrives.’

(Eun jumps down from the bed)

‘It’s almost midnight, Deok ah! We had dinner ages ago!’

‘Did we? Oh right…oh yes we did.’

(Soondeok got her eyes fixed on the book again. Eun stomps over to her desk and snatches the book away.)

‘Oppa! Careful! I need to return these!’

‘I didn’t lock us up for 3 whole days just to see you read and read and read and READ!’

‘Well, what…what should we do then?

‘You know what we should do.’

(Soondeok looks up, half-minding her husband really.)

‘Too bad. I really wanted to last night but you were too tired. Now, I don’t want to. End of discussion. If you’ll excuse me, give me back my book, I’ve got a lot to read.’

‘Gosh, why is it so hard to make you stop reading?’

‘Guess I’ll just read another book then. Try whatever you want, Oppa, but I ain’t leaving my books tonight.’

‘Ha. Wa…you…you still choose books over me? Does that never change? We’ve been married for almost 3 years, Deok ah!’

‘I suppose not. You ought to remember what you said when we got married, we should keep living the way we did. Well, I loved reading before we got married, so-’

‘Ya, you! Urgh! You made me!’

(Eun goes around the desk and pulls Soondeok up from the chair she’s been sitting on for hours. He makes room for them by pushing the piles of books aside then pins Soondeok down, her back on the desk – it wasn’t a large desk so her hair falls gracefully on the other end as Eun habitually pulls her hairpin away)

‘OPPA! Get off!’

‘Can’t leave the books, you say? Fine, we won’t then. It’s not like we haven’t done it here before.’

‘Stop! Careful! The books are going to fall off the desk!’

‘They’ll fall off sooner or later, once we start rocking.’

‘Okay fine, I’ll let you, just let me put the books on the floor! You know where I got these books from? From the royal library! We can’t damage any of them-’

‘You should’ve listened to me in the first place, now it’s too late. Let’s see…uh? What have we here?’

(Eun finally discovers the undergarment Soondeok’s been dying to get his attention on last night – the one-piece see-through silk undergarment. The moment Eun rests his eyes on it, Soondeok knows she’s done for – his smirk says it all.)

‘Don’t tell me you had this on last night as well. You wicked~’

‘Well, if someone had paid attention last night-’

‘Oh don’t worry, I’ll pay my full attention on it tonight. Oh? It’s one-piece? Naughty~ Where did you get this?’

‘None of your business. Ya, Oppa! Get your hands off!’

‘Didn’t you wear this just so I can get my hands on you?’

(Soondeok blushes, even her ears are burning. Eun starts putting weight on her, she grunts at the ache on her body.)

‘Oppa! Not here, please. I’ve been reading all day my body is hurting like mad…the bed, please…the bed.’

‘You were the one who said you can’t leave your books behind~’

‘I was wrong. I didn’t know you’d just-’

‘Well then darling, wrap yourself around me, I’ll take us to bed.’

(Obediently, Soondeok sits up then wraps her legs around Eun’s waist, her arms around his neck)

‘Oppa, candle.’

‘Got it.’

(Eun quickly blows out the candle then carries his wife to their love bed, he starts kissing her passionately on every single inch of skin of her’s he’s capable of getting his lips on.)

‘Deok ah, you smell nice tonight.’

‘I didn’t even bath today.’

‘Exactly.’

‘ert.’

‘Deok ah, don’t stop me tonight…promise?’

‘I-’

(Just then, as if even the heavens are against Eun, his mother calls from outside their room, telling Eun to let her in)

‘I guess I won’t have to stop you after all, Oppa.’

‘Aish…why, every single time…MOTHER! I’M BUSY! CAN’T YOU COME BACK IN THE MORNING?’

‘Eun ah…please…please son. I…’

‘I suppose it’s serious…Deok ah, wait for me, okay? COMING MOTHER!’

(Eun opens the door and stares at his mother, annoyed.)

‘Mother, it’d better be REAL important. You literally halted us from making a life-’

‘Eun ah…what should we do?’

(Eun’s mother sounds like she’s about to collapse any minute, looks like she’s been crying, it was something urgent. Eun quickly straightens up.)

‘Mother, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Is it aunt? Is she alright?’

(Eun holds his mother by the arm, in case her legs give away)

‘It’s…it’s your grandpa.’

‘Grandpa?’

‘Yes…him…’

‘What is it this time? What does that old man want from us this time?’

‘He’s going to be…aigoo…he’s going to be living with us…’

‘WHAT?!’

‘Gosh! Eun ah, you scared me! Oh my heart…’

‘Sorry mother…but…what?! WHY? Just send him away! Tell him…tell him we don’t have any more rooms-’

‘He’s bought the house next to our’s and he’s planning on tearing down the walls between our place and his place…so…in a way, we’re going to be living together now.’

‘Why can’t that old man just DIE? WHY?!’

‘Eun ah-’

‘Don’t worry mother, I’ll talk to him and tell him to move out at once-’

‘It won’t help. He’s already moved in, everything…he even started tearing off some parts of the wall today.’

‘Heck, why didn’t you tell me sooner?’

‘We didn’t know! Until…just then…when some servants reported to me…seems like he planned to work at night so we can’t stop him…’

‘I’ll talk to him. I’ll do whatever it takes to kick him far away from me!’

‘Eun ah…’

(Eun storms away, while his mother weakly leans onto the door. Seeing that, Soondeok quickly tidies herself and goes over to her)

‘Mother, are you alright?’

‘I’m fine, my daughter…I’m fine…’

‘I’ll take you back to your room.’

‘It’s all my fault…I should’ve…should’ve run away when I had the chance…’

‘Mother…’

‘I should’ve…taken Eun with me and run away with him when I had the chance…’

‘Mother, let’s not dwell in the past. Let’s go. Watch your step.’

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(Eun shuts the door behind him as he returns to his bedroom. The room is dim, he calls out to his wife.)

‘Deok ah.’

(He slowly walks to the bed and sees her sitting on the bed, head resting on her knees as she has her back to the wall. She must’ve fallen asleep while waiting for Eun. Without a sound, Eun gets on the bed and helps Soondeok lie down, lowering her head onto the pillow. Carefully, he pulls the blanket out and covers her without disturbing her much. Eun then gets under the blanket himself and lies on his side, gazing at his sleeping wife. The candle’s dying out, it’s getting dimmer and dimmer inide the room.)

‘If only we lived this way from the very beginning…if only we ran away together from the very beginning…’

(Eun hooks her hair behind her ear, he forces a smile – at least now, at least this moment, he can still be with his wife, at least now, he can love her to his heart’s content. Enjoy the peace, before the storm.)

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[Note from author: Check out my new story 'Baekhera texting' if you're interested~]