Soondeok’s diary

I can’t believe it, everything happened so quickly, like a dream. This morning when I woke up, I found myself in our house, I found Eun sleeping next to me, I found my left arm wounded, it wasn’t a dream – it was all real. I don’t know what to say, I now know why Queen Yoo hates Eun so…I can’t believe her reason is this. But like what they say, to a mother, their child means everything to them…I can’t bring myself to write anymore today, I think I need a rest – too many things happening, my heart’s been beating fast like mad since last night…since I saw Eun’s body, I didn’t exactly see everything, thank goodness I didn’t see everything, I don’t think I can bring myself to look at my husband anymore without blushing like crazy. And, he saw me – everything, I knew I should’ve lose some weight when I had the chance to. Dear me, Eun’s still sleeping, I think I’ll visit my old home now – to cool off, and to see how they’re up to – and to hide from my husband for a while...

Eun’s diary

How dare she? Soondeok’s left for her house before I woke up this morning, I didn’t even get to see her! I think she’s still shy, still embarrassed, still sorry about what happened last night. I wonder what she did…she sneaked into the palace, but why? Why must she sneak in instead of going there in broad daylight? What is she after? And her outfit, all black, reminds me of those assassins, don’t tell me she went there to kill the king! That's possible, I mean, her Onni’s love is the king – maybe she hates him for not loving her, maybe she did that for her Onni! But Soondeok is not that kind of girl, the Soondeok I know won’t even hurt a fly if she can help it. Once I woke up seeing a mouse on my bed, she came and took it away – I asked what she did with it afterwards, she said she let it go! My wife is this sort of person! Then why did she go there? Gosh, should I ask her? Yet, what if, it’s better for me not to know than to know? She said if she gets caught, she’ll probably be sentenced to death, what sin did she commit? Oh, Deok ah…I worry about you so.

On the bright side, we finally shared our first kiss last night!!!!!!!!! Static, powerful, shocking, sweet, memorable – BAAM! I can’t find the right word to describe it! That feeling, it’s like – you’ve been spending all day outside in this super cold freezing weather and finally you’re back home, you take off all your clothes and jump into a warm bath – that kind of feeling. Or…it’s like…chewing on your favourite food – you want to swallow it so badly but you don’t want it to end. And her body, my wife’s body really is hot, very y indeed. She’s just beautiful, from her head to her toes, beautiful. I sure am lucky to have her as my wife – it hurts me though, to see her arm in that state. Yes, she’s hurt, she got wounded last night in this sword fight, I’m told. When I cleansed her wound last night, my heart hurts, as if I myself has been cut by a sword. If only I can be the one bearing this pain for her, if only I can take all her pain and endure it in her place. I guess this is what love is – yes, I have finally said it to her, the words “I love you”, I said it to her last night. To be honest, I’m scared, I’m scared that my curse will get her – but like what she’s said, I can’t spend all my life thinking that I’m cursed and just shut myself away. From now on, I will be a changed person – I will be a husband who loves my wife, a man who can take care of his household, and maybe, a father who adores his children.

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(Soondeok reading story books to her nephews in their playroom which is on the second floor. Just before lunch time, they hear a voice calling from the garden below.)

‘Oh? Aunty! Hear that? Someone’s calling you!’

‘Luhan ah, you probably heard wrong.’

‘Really Aunty! Luhan’s right! I really heard it too, and I hear it now!’

‘See? Even Yifan hyung heard it!’

‘Guys, let us go over to the window and find out! Bro, ya, Tao! Come over here!’

(The boys rush over to the window and look down. There they see Eun shouting up at them.)

‘Aunty! It’s uncle, Uncle Eun!!’

‘What? What’s Oppa doing here?’

(Soondeok goes over and looks down – Eun stands in the garden, shouting up and waving at her)

‘Soondeok ah!!!!!!! My wife Soondeok ah!!!!! Hi!!!! I’m here!!!!’

(People working in the house gathers around, wondering what’s going on. Eun’s glad to have audience.)

‘Honey! Deok ah!! Why did you leave me this morning? I missed you, baby!!!’

‘Ya! Oppa!! Shhhh, everyone will hear you!’

‘Come down darling! Come to me!!’

‘Oppa…’

‘Come down!!! Deok ah, come down!!! Come down~~~~’

‘Oppa, shhh, be quiet!’

‘My darling! My wife ah!!! Come down!! I love you! I love you!! Come down now!!! If you don’t come down, I’ll sing!!!’

‘Oppa!’

‘I’m gonna sing now! One – for the only one I love! Two – for the 2 twinkling eyes you have! Three – for the words I have for you and for you only: I LOVE YOU!!!~~’

(Soondeok blushes. Eun keeps singing and wiggling in the garden for her. Soondeok runs downstairs to Eun.)

‘Uh? Deok ah, you’re here, finally!’

‘Oppa…’

(Soondeok goes over and smell Eun)

‘That’s weird…you’re not drunk…then why are you…’

‘Of course I’m not drunk!’

‘You just…not yourself today, your highness…’

‘Am I? Maybe because I’m happy – because something good happened last night. Should I tell everyone here what happened?’

‘Oppa!’

‘No? Then, Deok ah, let’s go for a picnic! I’ve packed everything, see?’

(Soondeok sees 2 horses already ready for herself and Eun)

‘Oppa, you prepared all this?’

‘Um! Of course I did! Come on, let’s go! Deok ah, I’ll race you to the tree!’

(Eun gets on the horse and heads out – Soondeok follows. Both of them race each other outside the city – both arriving at the tree at the same time.)

‘Not…you’re not bad, Oppa, you’ve improved, your riding skills. Phew…I’m hot…’

‘Well, I had a pretty good teacher, Deok ah.’

(Eun looks into Soondeok’s eyes. Soondeok gets shy and looks away. Eun clears his throat.)

‘Kmm…let’s…let’s eat, I’m starving!’

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(Both lying down on grass looking up the sky after lunch)

‘Ah…I love summer – you don’t see skies this blue in any other seasons, Deok ah.’

‘You’re right. The weather today sure is nice – perfect for a picnic like this.’

‘You think so too?’

(Soondeok nods. Eun holds Soondeok’s hand.)

‘Deok ah, let’s come here as often as we could. Next week…next month…next year – even 10 years later, 20 years later, let’s come here.’

‘Oppa, it sure sounds nice.’

‘Maybe I should just buy this piece of land…we can build a little house here – it’s not in the city, which is why I love it, yet it’s close so we can visit our parents whenever we want, perfect right?’

‘A little house? Sounds nice! Will you build it?’

‘I…hahaha, Deok ah, why are you asking me that? Of course I won’t! Hahaha, I don’t even know how to, aigoo…’

‘Maybe we can learn how to build one and we can do it together! It’s just a small one, it won’t be too hard.’

‘Small one…Ah, mistake, we need a big house.’

‘Uh? Why?’

‘Soondeok ah, we’ll have lots of kids, wouldn’t we? We need a big house with lots of rooms for them. One room for each child.’

‘One room for each child? That’s too much! My nephews live together, all 3 of them! Oppa, you may have grown up in the palace with your own room, but having your own room for us is luxury.’

‘You’re right…I guess you’re right.’

‘Oppa, how many kids do you want? You keep saying you don’t know…but surely you’ve thought about it already!’

‘Hmm…12!’

‘WHAT?! Oppa! That’s crazy! 12?! Aren’t you too much?’

‘What? You asked first! I like to have a big family, the more the merrier.’

‘Oppa…you’re saying that because you’re not the one carrying them and taking care of them! Imagine! Say, one child means 10 months being pregnant, that’s almost a year. Oppa! I’ll be spending 12 years of my life with a big belly!’

‘So?’

‘Oppa!’

‘Just pray that you’ll have twins then, shorten the time.’

(Soondeok fists Eun)

‘Oppa, please change your mind, 12 really is too much…Please~~~~?’

‘Fine…I’ll think about it.’

‘Uh? Think about it? Oppa! You out of your mind? What’s there to think about?’

‘Ya, Deok ah, to be honest, there’s no point worrying about this right now – we still haven’t…’

‘Haven’t started making them? Well, we need to plan first of course Oppa!’

‘Ugh…I hate planning…all these considerations…we may end up doing nothing in the end if we keep this up.’

‘Oppa, why do you want 12 then? Let me hear your reason.’

‘You know…just…12 seems like a good number, that’s all.’

‘That’s your reason? Oppa! You serious?’

(Eun rolls over and sits on Soondeok)

‘Oppa! Get off me! What if someone passes by and sees us? We’re not in our bedroom now!’

‘Uh? So does that mean if we’re in our bedroom, we can?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Soondeok ah, I want to make you mine…’

‘I AM yours already, Oppa…am I not?’

(Eun tickles Soondeok, Soondeok giggles but then Eun accidentally puts pressure on her left arm)

‘Ouch!!!’

‘Oh! Sorry! Honey, you alright?’

‘Ugh…I’m…I’m fine…just my arm…that’s all…’

‘Deok ah…How’s your arm? I’m sorry…’

‘Oh…it’s…it doesn’t hurt as much as it did last night…that is, before you squashed my arm just then…’

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to…’

(Silence)

‘Oppa, about what happened last night…I was…’

(Eun kisses Soondeok on her lips to stop her from telling him)

‘Deok ah, I don’t want to know about it – you don’t need to explain it to me.’

‘You sure?’

‘I believe in you, Deok ah.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

‘But Oppa…what if I become pregnant?’

‘Hm? What?’

‘You…you kissed me on the lips last night, didn’t you? And…just then… maybe it’s easy for you to forget, Oppa, but I can’t…’

‘Deok ah, don’t you worry, you WON’T get pregnant with just a kiss, I’m sure of it. The process is much more complicated than that.’

‘Really? Oh thank goodness! Phew…’

(Soondeok sighs, Eun turns to look at her, resting his head on his hand. Soondeok dodges his eyes.)

‘Deok ah~’

‘W-what…what is it, Oppa?’

‘How did you like my body, hm? You saw it last night, didn’t you?’

(Soondeok blushes)

‘I…I didn’t see anything…so I don’t know…your highness…’

(Eun sits up and looks down at Soondeok)

‘Ya! How can you say that? I’m sure you saw it! Tell me, which part of my body do you like the most?’

‘Oppa! Please don’t talk about it…gosh…it’s embarrassing…’

(Eun loves teasing Soondeok so he continues)

‘Soondeok ah – I may not be tall, but I’m big in other area~’

‘W-what do you mean, Oppa?’

‘I’ve got a big nose, Deok ah. Surely you’ve seen it last night!’

(Eun proud of himself. Soondeok blinks.)

‘Nose? What do you mean I saw it last night? I see it every day! Here.’

(Soondeok touches Eun’s nose)

‘To be honest, your nose is nice – pointy-ish, but not big…’

(Eun sighs)

‘Not this nose…forget it…Deok ah, answer me – did you see my chest?’

‘Oppa…’

‘Did you?’

‘Well, it’s not muscular but…it’s nice…’

‘Good, and my belly?’

‘Yes…but why-’

‘And my belly button?’

‘That…not sure…I don’t think I saw it…’

‘So you didn’t see anything below that?’

‘No…why do you ask?’

‘Darn it! You missed the best part! Heck! How could you?’

‘Oppa, what’re you angry about? I should be the one that’s angry right now! You saw my everything! You stared at me over and over again…like a ert…’

‘Ya, Deok ah, I’m your husband, husband’s different from a ert!’

‘Then why did you keep staring at my body last night, huh?’

‘Because you’re beautiful.’

‘Liar…’

‘You are! Your entire body is beautiful, Deok ah. Especially…your…your two -’

(Soondeok covers her ears and shuts her eyes tight, Eun smiles and leans close to her face then removes her hands from her ears)

‘I meant your two eyes, Deok ah~ What did you think I’d say? Hm? Naughty girl.’

(Eun smirks)

‘Eyes? You never liked my eyes…Oppa, you’re lying again, aren’t you? Forget it, all men are the same…always after our body…’

‘Oh? How did you know about what we men want?’

‘That’s what the soldiers talked about a lot of times – all men are only after one thing.’

‘What’s that thing we’re after, Deok ah?’

‘You know…up here…this part of the body…’

(Eun laughs)

‘Aigoo, Deok ah~ Yes, you’re right, most of men only care about that. Hahahaha!’

‘Oppa, why? I don’t understand…what’s so special about our s? I really don’t get it! You men have them too…just not as big, that’s all…’

(Eun laughs even harder)

‘Oppa…stop laughing, it makes me look stupid…’

‘Oh dear me…man, Deok ah, your questions always entertain me so. How do I say it…it’s like…instinct?’

‘Instinct?’

‘We just like it, no explanation…when we see it – the feeling comes – we can’t control it…’

‘Then…Oppa…did you…’

(Silence)

‘What is it that you were going to ask, Soondeok ah?’

‘N-never mind…’

(Eun lies down again and gives Soondeok a back hug)

‘Deok ah, I think your’s is just gorgeous.’

‘Oppa…’

‘Really, I do. Besides…I didn’t fall in love with you because of your body – I love you because you’re you, that’s all to it. Good gentleman like myself won’t care about the girl’s figure.’

‘So are you saying that…you’ll love me even if I have a flat chest?’

‘Soondeok ah…’

‘Will you still love me?’

‘But you don’t, Soondeok ah!’

‘See? You do care!’

‘Deok ah…’

‘You say you don’t but you do, Mr. Liar! Ha! All men are the same…’

(Eun smirks as he thinks of something)

‘Well…actually, Deok ah, I only saw it for a brief moment last night so I’m not sure if yours is flat or not, maybe I should check it out now. Come here girl.’

‘Ya! Oppa!!!!’

(Soondeok gets up and starts running, Eun chases after her. He catches her from the back and swings her about, both end up falling on each other upon the grass, rolling about)

‘Are you that shy, Deok ah? Why did you run away, huh?’

‘I’m not shy, it’s just that…’

‘Not shy? Good! That’s good then! See? We’re closer to each other now! Me and my hyungs used to shower together so we’re really close, people say seeing each other plain helps them get closer – well, now we are!’

‘I suppose so…’

‘So Deok ah, you don’t have to feel shy anymore, understand? Next time when you take off your clothes, you don’t have to be shy, get it?’

‘L-Like when I’ll ever do that?’

‘Well…I don’t know, maybe on our 2^nd anniversary?’

‘Speaking of which…Oppa, looks like we’ll have to postpone the lifting of our kiss ban.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘You said you would kiss me on our 2^nd anniversary, we made a deal, but you kissed me last night, didn’t you? And just then – today. So that’s 2 days, 2 days after our wedding anniversary, then you can kiss me on the lips again.’

‘Heck! Why? Why?!’

‘Just because…you violated the rule first!’

‘Wa…Deok ah…YAAAA! Kissing won’t make you pregnant, I said that already! What are you worried about?’

‘I’m not worried…’

‘Deok ah, since we had our first kiss yesterday, what say we just…lift the ban?’

‘Our first kiss was a mess Oppa! I mean…I imagined it to be beautiful…sweet…romantic…you know…not like what we did last night!’

‘Oh? You didn’t think it was beautiful? I thought it was…’

(Soondeok pouts and fists Eun)

‘Selfish jerk…that was my first kiss your highness…you ruined it…I hate you.’

(Soondeok gets up, Eun gets up too, he embraces Soondeok and pins her to the tree.)

‘Oppa! What now?’

‘Deok ah, last night was MY first kiss too…’

‘Liar…you probably kissed other girls before you married me…’

‘Nope! I had no interest in girls before I met Haesoo…and I didn’t kiss her – you’re my first one, Deok ah.’

‘So…what are you suggesting, Oppa?’

‘See that sky, feel this breeze, our nice picnic date today… Isn’t it nice? Romantic enough? What say we make THIS our first kiss, hm? Will you like that?’

(Eun grins, he brushes Soondeok’s hair gently, admiring every inch of her face.)

‘Honey. My darling, Soondeok ah.’

(Soondeok looks down from being shy, Eun lifts her head up and says this in his sweet deep voice)

‘My love, Deok ah, thank you for coming into my life. Thank you, for being my wife. Thank you for not giving up on me. I love you.’

‘Really? Do you really love me?’

‘I swear, I do. This tree is our witness.’

‘Oppa…then, kiss me...’

(Eun shuts his eyes and leans closer)

‘That is…IF YOU CAN CATCH ME!’

(Soondeok runs away)

‘YA!! PARK SOONDEOK! COME BACK HERE!!!’

‘Come and catch me Oppa! See if you can!’

(Eun chases after her – both calling out each other’s name, giggling and laughing under the sun. Suddenly Eun trips over and falls into a mud pit, Soondeok runs up to him.)

‘YA!! Gosh! Look at this mess!’

‘Oppa! You alright? Oh dear me, did you fall in? Hahahahahaha!!!’

‘You’re laughing?! Deok ah! Look at this! I’ve got mud all over me now!’

‘Sorry Oppa, here, take my hand, stand up, come on.’

(Eun stands up, Soondeok takes out her handkerchief and wipes Eun’s face clean)

‘There, better? We need to go back, you need a bath Oppa!’

‘Oh~ Will you help me with it?’

‘Oppa! Of course not!’

(Eun pretends to have a headache)

‘Ouch…ouch…’

‘Oppa…you okay?’

‘Hmm…hold on, Deok ah, I think I’ve forgotten something…Did I hit my head too hard?’

‘What did you forget Oppa?’

‘Uhh…I was just going to do something but then I forgot what it was…do you know?’

‘No…you alright?’

‘Ah! I remember!’

(Eun picks Soondeok up and rushes back to the tree)

‘Oppa!’

‘Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the kiss, Deok ah. Just because I’m all dirty and muddy now doesn’t mean I’ll give up kissing you~ I’ve caught you!’

‘Aigoo…such a kid, fine, go ahead.’

‘Really?’

‘I’m letting you because I made you fall into the mud pit and you’ve caught me, that’s all. Don’t have any funny id-’

(Eun kisses Soondeok on the lips before she could finish her sentence – a couple of quick shallow ones before Eun kisses longer, deeper. Soondeok’s hands runs from Eun’s head down to his neck, his shoulders, then to his chest. Eun keeps bringing himself closer to closer to Soondeok – suddenly, he pulls himself away and both stare at each other.)

‘Uh? Oppa…what’s wrong? Why did you stop?’

‘Deok ah, you want more?’

‘I…’

‘Well too bad, I’m not gonna give you that. Ha!’

(Soondeok pouts)

‘You’re mean, Oppa…’

‘Pay back! Ha!’

‘Well…Oppa, you’re a pretty good kisser.’

‘Ya! Deok ah, don’t sound like you’re an expert, I’m the only one you’ve kissed.’

‘True…Oh! Wait…maybe not…’

‘What? You kissed someone else before? Who? Who?!’

(Soondeok laughs)

‘My dad! When I was young. Happy now?’

‘Gosh! You almost gave me a heart attack back there! Deok ah! Don’t you dare kiss anyone else, understand?’

‘Say that to yourself, Oppa. When I grow old…you may find some other girls and make them your second wife…’

‘Nonsense! I won’t! I promise!’

‘Then what about our kids, can I kiss them?’

‘With my permission.’

‘Aigoo…2 years ago you would kick me out of your room and make me sleep outside all night, now you want to kiss me? What a life.’

‘I was blind back then…I didn’t see the precious jewel I have before me…’

‘Oppa…then what about our 2^nd anniversary…now it’s like…plain – we can’t do anything special on that day anymore…we need to think of something else.’

‘Deok ah, don’t you worry – I’ll prepare something real special for you that night.’

‘What is it?’

‘I’ll teach you how to make love!’

‘Love? Oh right! We need to learn how to do that before we can make our own baby, right?’

‘Kinda right.’

(Eun smiles at his own wits)

‘Oppa, let’s go back, it’s getting late.’

‘Race you back home?’

‘Oppa, wanna make a bet?’

‘Sure! What should we bet on, Deok ah?’

‘Mm…’

‘If I win, Soondeok ah, we take bath together today, how’s that?’

‘Oppa!’

‘Your turn! Come on, what do you want? Something big!’

‘I…if I win, I want Oppa come hunting with me next time.’

‘Uh? Really? I’d love to!’

‘You’d love to? I thought you hated it! Then cancel it! I won’t make that a bet!’

‘Nope! You’ve already said it! Can’t cancel it!’

‘Oppa!! It’s not fair!! I’ll bet something else!’

‘Deok ah, race you back! You better be fast or be prepared to scrub my back!’

(Eun runs towards the horse, Soondeok grabs him by the leg causing him to trip over again. Both giggling as they try to stop one another from getting on the horse.)