Eun’s diary

So many things just happened overnight. We lost our dog, our lovely pet, Mongryong. I didn’t dare cry in front of my wife, how could I? She was the one who had to end his life so that he no longer had to be in pain. It’s like she’s lost her son, indeed, Mongryong was like our son. I can’t write anymore, no words can express my feelings right now. Soondeok’s been lying in bed since we got here, her eyes kept shut, her face to the wall, and occasionally there’d be tears rolling down. It’s like I’ve been stabbed in the heart when I see her biting lips as she tries to cry silently, knowing I’d grow concerned if I hear her wail.

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(Prince So outside the room they’re staying, Eun comes out)

‘Hyung-nim.’

‘Eun-ah…so sorry to bother you but-’

‘No, no you can’t, hyung-nim.’

‘Eun-ah.’

‘I won’t let you, hyung-nim, she’s not ready. Please come back some other time.’

‘But the investigation-’

‘Did you see her last night, hyung-nim? DID YOU? She was crying her heart out! We’ve lost a son, hyung-nim! And now you’re here to make us talk about it?’

‘I understand…I completely understand. But that’s the only way we can find the culprit, Eun-ah, if we don’t catch him fast enough-’

‘Please go. Come back tomorrow, when my wife’s feeling better.’

‘Eun ah.’

‘HYUNG-NIM!’

(Just then, Soondeok stands between them – she’s been so silent, neither of them noticed her approaching.)

Soondeok: ‘So Oraboni, please come in.’

Eun: ‘Honey!’

Soondeok: ‘I’m fine, Oppa…would you mind letting Oraboni and I talk alone?’

(Eun looks at his brother than back at his wife, unwillingly, he nods)

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(Soondeok answers all of Prince So’s questions and just as the prince’s about to leave...)

‘Oraboni.’

‘Yes?’

‘You don’t have to look for the culprit. It’s no use.’

‘Soondeok ah, don’t you worry, I’m a wolf, remember? I’ll sniff him out as fast as I can and bring him to justice.’

‘You won’t have to, Oraboni. It’s almost noon, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘If my predication’s right, you ought to know by now.’

‘Know what?’

(A soldier comes running in – interrupting them)

Soldier: ‘Sir!’

So: ‘What’s wrong? It’d better be urgent.’

Soldier: ‘Reporting sir! The culprit has been found, sir!’

(So stands up immediately)

So: ‘Where is he? Are you sure he’s the one we’re looking for?’

Soldier: ‘Yes sir! He fits all the descriptions the other witnesses gave, sir!’

So: ‘Bring me to him, I’ll interrogate him myself.’

Soldier: ‘But sir-’

Soondeok: ‘Oraboni, you won’t have to.’

So: ‘What do you mean?’

Soldier: ‘Sir, the man is dead.’

So: ‘Dead?’

Soldier: ‘Yes sir! We found him hanging from a tree not too far from the city. He has a letter with him, a will saying why he did what he did last night, sir.’

(Soldier hands him the letter)

So: ‘Did you check his neck?’

Soldier: ‘Yes sir. We’re sure that he had hung himself up. No secondary injury found. Nothing to suspect.’

So: ‘How did he hang himself?’

Soldier: ‘We believe that he was standing on his horse and hung himself. The horse too had been found nearby, sir.’

(So looks at Soondeok, who remained calm)

So: ‘Bring me the horse, there could be more evidence.’

Soldier: ‘It’s on its way here right now, sir.’

So: ‘Good, you can go out now.’

(The soldier leaves. So sits down and looks at Soondeok.)

‘How did you know?’

‘I’ve trained with every single soldier in this country, Oraboni, you really think I wouldn’t know who I fought with last night?’

‘So you knew who it was?’

‘Yes…unfortunately yes.’

(Soondeok shuts her eyes and does a moment of silence.)

‘I know him…such a pity.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me last night?’

‘It’s the road he has chosen…I warned him.’

‘Who is he? Why did he attack Eun’s mother?’

‘It’s not him, Oraboni, it’s the person who sent him.’

‘He’s working for someone else?’

‘Obviously. And most loyally, when he figured out he failed, for the sake of protecting the rest of his family, he killed himself. If he hadn’t done so, his wife, his children, his parents, everyone will die. They’ll kill them all, just to keep them silent.’

‘Then, who? You know, Soondeok ah, I know you know. You know who’s behind this. Who is it?’

‘I’ll handle this case myself, Oraboni, so please, close the case as the evidences show for now.’

‘What?’

‘Close this case, say that the culprit has been found dead and that no further investigation is to be carried out.’

‘But-’

‘Please.’

(So thinks for a moment.)

‘You’re sure you know what you’re doing?’

‘Yes, Oraboni.’

‘Then I suppose I can only trust you with that…are you going to tell Eun?’

‘No, not this…there are some things best kept secret.’

‘Well…let me know if you need anything else, any help of some sort, I’d do my best to help you out in any way.’

‘Thanks. I can always count on you. And one more thing.’

‘Keep this away from your father, right?’

‘Yes…that’s right.’

‘He’s not a fool, he’ll know sooner or later, he’s my teacher after all.’

‘The longer…the better…I don’t want my old man to get involved in this.’

‘I understand. Well, I should get going.’

‘I won’t see you out then, my body feels heavy today.’

‘Oh please stay here, I can see myself out. You do look a bit pale today, Soondeok ah, should I ask someone to make you some herbal tea? Ginger tea maybe?’

‘No need, I’m fine.’

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(Night time, Eun gets in bed after playing on his flute for hours straight.)

‘Oppa…’

‘Deok ah, I’m here. Wait, hold on, let me prepare some handkerchieves first.’

‘Oppa~ I’m not going to cry.’

‘You…you’re not?’

(Soondeok turns herself around and looks at her husband)

‘Oppa…I’ve made up my mind.’

(Eun gulps hard.)

‘W…what? What did you decide to do?’

‘The game is on.’

‘What?’

‘I said, the game is on.’

‘What…what game?’

‘A game we must not lose, so that we can stay together forever. That game.’

‘Honey…’

‘I’ll study hard for it, starting from tomorrow, I’ll be sure to become a flawless actress for the coming 10 months.’

‘Oh darling…do you mean…’

(Soondeok puts Eun’s hand on her tummy)

‘Yes, Oppa, I meant that.’

‘Oh…oh my. You don’t need to worry, you’re a perfect actress already.’

(Soondeok wraps her arms around Eun)

‘Nothing will go wrong, right?’

‘Of course, don’t you worry.’

‘If this fails…don’t stop me.’

‘Stop you what?’

‘Don’t stop me from becoming a maid.’

‘Deok ah!’

‘No matter what, I’ll stay with you, Oppa. As your wife, as your maid, as your slave, whatever it takes. I’ve had enough of it all, Oppa, I won’t ever leave you…If I leave you, I don’t think I’ll survive.’

(Eun touches his wife gently, brushing her hair with is fingers and hooking them behind her ear, reassuring her with his deep honey-like voice)

‘I can’t survive without you too, Deok ah…that’s why we have to stay together. And we will. I promise.’

(Eun kisses her on the forehead)

‘But Deok ah, I don’t think I’m ready to be a father yet.’

(Soondeok giggles)

‘So true. You’re still a kid yourself…oh dear, what are we going to do with you?’

‘Teach me then~’

(Eun pulls Soondeok closer to him)

‘Rule number one, don’t touch me like what you’re doing now in front of our kids.’

(Eun lifts up his hand from Soondeok’s hip)

‘I…I can do that.’

‘Rule number two, no kissing in front of the kids.’

‘Oh? So I can’t kiss you like this?’

(Eun pushes himself forward to give his wife a wet kiss – he’s been waiting all day for this)

‘Ya! Oppa! I said don’t!’

‘Any other rules?’

‘Yes, one final rule. You’ll have to change their diapers and feed them when they’re hungry. Oh, you’ll also have to bathe them, go shopping with them, take them to school in the morning and pick them up after school…’

‘Ya! I can’t do all that!’

‘Why not?’

‘I mean, diapers, I suppose I can but…feeding?! I can’t feed them!’

‘Oh…you’re right. So true you can’t feed them milk when they’re still a baby, but when they grow up and starts munching on stuff, you’ll take care of them.’

‘Okie! That’s easy, I think I’m going to be a good dad!’

‘Then…the orphanage-’

‘Shhh.’

(Eun whispers)

‘Someone might hear us. We shall not speak about this anymore, okay? And don’t worry honey, I’ll deal with that. You just focus on yourself, okay?’

‘Okay…’

(Eun ends his whispering with a loud yawn)

‘Ah~ Let’s sleep…Aigoo~ By the way, what did you and hyung-nim say today? I heard that the culprit killed himself.’

‘Y…yes, that’s right.’

‘Too bad…I would’ve wanted to torture him myself…’

‘Oppa…’

‘Anyway…’

(Eun wiggles close to Soondeok, his nose brushing on her neck.)

‘Deok ah~ We did a super slow version last night…can we speed things up tonight?’

‘What?’

‘You know…you know what I mean. Can we, tonight, please?’

‘Oppa! Shouldn’t we rest at least one night in between?’

‘Please~’

(Soondeok pushes him away a bit and points at her tummy)

‘Oppa, imagine if I have a baby in here right now, you’re gonna him dead! No sir, I won’t let my child live through an earthquake, no thanks.’

‘But it was just-’

(Soondeok gave him the well-you’re-the-one-who-suggested-me-pretending-to-be-pregnant-so-serves-you-right stare)

‘You didn’t complain about it last night.’

‘Our tempo was slow last night.’

‘Then I’ll go slow too tonight.’

‘Forget it.’

(Soondeok turns her back to her husband. Eun’s not planning to stop – giving up? No way! Not that easily, he won’t!)

‘Deok ah…oh my darling…oh my dear wife…come on baby…’

(He whispers softly into her ears, the way that gave her goosebumps all over her body.)

‘My dear beautiful wife…I love you.’

(That made Soondeok’s heart race, it’s that feeling, that battle you have inside yourself of whether you should eat that cake or not in the middle of your diet. Soondeok can’t take it anymore, she sits up and looks down at Eun)

‘Oppa!’

‘So it’s a yes? You want to be on top? Ok fine, you go first, I’ll have my turn later.’

(Soondeok takes a deep breath before looking down at him again – giving him a fair warning through her cold smile)

‘Oppa, if you want to keep your bones intact, you’d better stop this now. I really don’t want to break your bones in the middle of the night.’

(Soondeok starts cracking her knuckles, Eun gulps hard and pulls his hand away from his wife.)

‘Good…good night, dear.’

‘Good boy.’

(Eun says under his breath as he blows out the candle)

‘Gosh…the scary wife suddenly jumped out.’

‘What did you say?’

‘Nothing.’

‘I thought I heard something.’

‘I was just saying “I love you”, that’s all.’

‘Liar~’

(Soondeok suddenly rests her head next to Eun’s chest)

‘Ya. You’re the one who don’t want it.’

‘I know. So stay still.’

‘You.’

‘Stay still.’

‘This is torture, Deok ah.’

‘Exactly~ You’ve got to yearn for something a bit longer before you get them to double the fun, right?’

‘WA…honey…’

‘Good night my prince~’

‘Good night for you. It’ll be a tough night for me, honey.’

‘That means you still love me, right?’

‘Right…Gosh, why do I love you so much?’

(And thanks to Soondeok, their child had a peaceful sleep that evening)