Eun’s diary

Yay! It’s my birthday tomorrow! I don’t know why, but I love birthdays, especially my own! I wonder what Soondeok will give me. To be honest, if she lets me sleep with her – by sleep I mean sleep sleep, that kind of sleep – I’d be over the moon! But that won’t ever happen, she doesn’t know anything! Nothing! Her head, gosh, I don’t know how to deal with her at times.

Ever since I’ve seen her body, it’s become even harder for me to sleep each night…gosh! A month or so till our wedding anniversary! Why’s it taking so long? I want to hold her, I want to touch her, I want to give her my everything. Oh, if only I can make time pass sooner!

Yesterday I can’t help but peek into the bath house as she was taking a bath – she looks so pretty from behind, her back is flawless, her every move makes my heart leap. It hurts me to see her wounded arm though, thank goodness it didn’t get infected and it’s healing up good. I hope she won’t get hurt again. Life seems to be just too good these days, Soondeok and I are closer than before, we talk about lots of things together, we play chess whenever we have time and we ride often, enjoying the country side. Sometimes I fear that this is all a dream, that I would wake up one day and discover that none of this had happened. I still am afraid my love for Soondeok will bring misfortune to her, but I can only hope for the best.

Soondeok’s diary

Yes! It’s finally arrived! Eun’s gift! I had it sent all the way from the middle lands – Yixing helped me get it, I hope Eun will love his birthday present. I’ll bring it home tomorrow morning and give Eun a surprise, I really wish he could play on it once – finally I’d be able to hear him play on a musical instrument! Oh how dashing he’d look! I hope mother will let him keep it this time. I’ve heard from the maids, Eun once spent much of his money buying this beautiful instrument and he played it on his mother’s birthday as her birthday present – yet the next day, mother had all the strings cut off and threw it out, not allowing Eun to ever touch it again. Eun, of course, secretly brought what’s left of it back home and kept it away in the storeroom. I feel sad for him – the pain of not being able to do what he wants to do, imagine I myself not being able to learn marital arts openly but have to do it secretly! I want Eun to enjoy himself more, I want him to be able to play at home as well instead of borrowing instruments from the inn and playing it there, and there only.

Yet I won’t be mad at mother for doing this to Eun, she has all the reasons to keep Eun away from music – she was just trying to protect Eun. She didn’t want Eun, a musical prodigy, to have too much of his father’s love – the king is a hard-core music lover, he had a concubine who’s an expert in music and he loved her very much. Seeing that, Queen Yoo in the end had that concubine framed and executed – and the king could do nothing about it. Mother had feared that the king would love Eun over his other sons, so she kept her son away from it.

I suppose what Eun said was right, being born into the royal family really isn’t that much of a blessing, despite having many things, having lots of money, having tonnes of servants.

-----------------------------

(Soondeok in the room where all the medicine is kept)

‘My lady, what brings you here?’

‘Oh, Hana! I didn’t know you’re here. I…um…I need to find something here, that’s all.’

‘What is it you need to find, my lady? Maybe I can find it for you.’

‘Umm…that’s not necessary. You can go outside now, thanks.’

‘Yes, my lady. If you need me, just come find me, I’ll be in the stable.’

(Maid leaves, Soondeok finds the things she needs to change her dressing on her wounded arm. She tries to wrap herself up but can’t.)

‘Aish…Soondeok ah, girl...you can do it…you can do it…’

(Soondeok tries again)

‘On the bright side…it’s healed up nice. But there’ll be a scar…the prince won’t hate it will he?’

‘I won’t hate it, Deok ah.’

‘OPPA! Gosh! You scared me! Don’t you knock before you come in?’

‘Don’t you tell your husband before you plan to sneak into the palace?’

(Eun sits next to Soondeok and grabs the gauze)

‘Here, Deok ah, give me your arm.’

(Eun helps Soondeok wrap up)

‘Does it still hurt?’

‘Not as much…but it’ll leave a scar…I’m sorry, Oppa.’

‘Sorry? What for? There’s nothing to be sorry about. Just promise me you won’t ever do that again, understand?’

(Soondeok nods, Eun finishes up)

‘Deok ah, really, don’t you dare do that again…I don’t want to see you hurt, not ever, understand?’

‘I won’t, Oppa…’

‘Don’t think about it!’

‘What?’

‘You just had a thought, didn’t you? You plan to come up with a better excuse to sneak into the palace again – that you’ll be smarter this time so that I won’t find out, am I right?’

‘Wah…Oppa, Daebak…you can read my thoughts now?’

(Eun sighs)

‘Deok ah, if you’re going to do it, if you’re really going to do it, let me know, I’ll come with you.’

‘Oppa…stop kidding me, how are you going to-’

‘Let them slash me with their sword.’

‘Your highness…’

(Eun places Soondeok’s hand on his chest)

‘Let them shoot arrows at me instead, right here on my chest if they must. Let them sentence me to death, they can do that to me, but not you.’

‘This…Oppa, your joke’s a bit too far…’

‘Girl, who says it’s a joke? I’m serious!’

‘Then what? You expect me to just stay alive and cry at your grave? No way! If you die…I’ll die too Oppa, because I’m the one who deserves to die in the first place.’

(Eun looks into Soondeok’s eyes)

‘Soondeok ah.’

‘Yes, Oppa?’

‘Live.’

‘What?’

‘I’m telling you to live…if I ever sacrifice my life for you, you need to live well, understand?’

‘I won’t! I’ll die with you…if it ever happens...I’ll die with you!’

(Eun stares at Soondeok with his soft eyes)

‘Deok ah.’

‘Yes?’

‘Just let it go.’

‘Let…let what go?’

‘Mother… she’s accepted her fate as it is.’

‘Oppa…’

‘You don’t have to try and help her, Soondeok ah…ever since father died, regaining her title meant nothing anymore. So Deok ah, please don’t do anything this dangerous for her again, okay?’

‘Well…I wasn’t exactly-’

‘And you don’t have to do it for me as well.’

‘But…’

‘The past is the past – there’s no way of changing it…nothing we do will bring the dead back…’

‘I’m going to find out who did it, Oppa…I will…’

‘I won’t let you.’

‘Oppa!’

(Eun holds Soondeok’s wounded arm up to remind her)

‘Don’t you dare think about it again, understand? Don’t dig deeper into this…don’t hurt yourself. You hear my words? Next time you get a wound like this, I’ll wound myself too – if they slash your leg, I’ll slash my leg too. So don’t you dare do that again, unless you want to see me dead!’

(Soondeok looks down, dodging Eun’s sharp eyes)

‘I…I’m sorry Oppa…’

‘Stop apologizing for something you didn’t do, Deok ah.’

‘But really…I couldn’t do anything for you…I tried…’

(Eun sighs then hugs Soondeok)

‘Deok ah, it is I who should apologize…for making you worry about me. My incompetence…’

(Soondeok kisses Eun on the cheek then smiles at him)

‘Oppa, you’ve really changed a lot.’

‘Oh? Have I?’

‘More mature, more manly – you’ve become someone I can trust, I can totally rely on. It would seem that the childish prince I’ve fallen in love with has finally grown up.’

‘Oh? You don’t like the “me” now?’

‘No, Oppa, that’s not what I meant.’

‘Childish, huh? I can be childish!’

‘Oppa, what I meant is-’

(Eun does aegyo)

‘Deok ah~~ Play with me~~ Come play with me~’

‘Your highness! I like it the way you are now! Like a man. Heck, to be honest, whatever you’re like, I’ll like you…’

(Eun leans close to Soondeok)

‘Really?’

‘Really, Oppa – whether you’re mature or childish, I still love you, because you’re you – my one and only prince.’

(Eun smiles)

‘Well, tomorrow is your “one and only prince’s” special day. I’m looking forward to it.’

‘Oh, is it? What day is it tomorrow then?’

‘You know, Deok ah, don’t pretend you don’t.’

(Soondeok looks innocently at Eun)

‘I really don’t know, Oppa. Anyways, Oppa, what say we play a game of chess?’

‘Nice! I was just thinking about that! Deok ah, see if you can beat me this time! I won’t go easy on you!’

------------------------------

(Night time, bed time)

‘Deok ah…talk to me. Seriously! Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me!’

‘It was my turn, but then you said it was your’s! I could’ve won, Oppa!’

‘How many times do I have to tell you? It was MY turn! I won! Fair and square!’

‘Yeah yeah yeah…whatever…’

‘Soondeok ah…please don’t be mad, I’ll let you win next time…’

‘Why are you speaking as if there WILL be a next time?’

‘Deok ah, are you saying that you won’t play chess with me no more? Ya!’

‘It was clearly my turn Oppa!’

‘It was not!’

‘It was too!’

‘Aigoo, forget it! Deok ah, you’re so stubborn! Aish!’

(Silence, both with their backs turn to each other. Eventually, Eun gives Soondeok a backhug)

‘I…I’m sorry, Deok ah…It was my fault, I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?’

(Soondeok touches Eun’s hand)

‘I forgive you, Oppa…To be honest, you didn’t do anything wrong, I just felt bad…that’s all.’

‘So you’re not mad now?’

‘Thanks to you, I’m not now.’

(Soondeok turns around to face Eun)

‘Aigoo, my dear husband, you actually said sorry…I’m surprised!’

‘Well…like what my hyungs always say – better say sorry before you really am sorry.’

‘Your hyungs are clever.’

‘Learnt from experience, I’m afraid. They said to me once, if there’s ever an argument between you and your wife, the husband should apologize first if he wants to live.’

‘Hahahaha! Really? They said that?’

‘My hyungs are scared of their wives, most of them do.’

‘What about you, your highness? Are you scared of me?’

‘I…well, you’re strong and you know how to kick people real hard…and you know how to flip people over if they ever attack you so, yeah…kinda scared.’

‘Come to think of it…I don’t think I’ve ever hit you, Oppa. Have I?’

‘No, don’t think so…I hit you a lot…I used to…Deok ah, I was a bad husband then…when we first got married…I’m sorry.’

‘Oppa, why are you bringing this up again? You didn’t exactly hit me…just, you know, push me around a bit, that’s all.’

‘I just do…feel sorry…I was such a jerk back then…’

‘What’s important now, Oppa, is that you love me, right?’

‘Right.’

‘That’s all I need to remember, Oppa.’

(Just then, the midnight bell rings. Soondeok gives Eun a kiss)

‘Happy birthday Oppa!’

‘Uh? You remember! I thought you said-’

‘You honestly think I’d forget a day as important as your birthday?’

‘For a moment, I really thought so.’

(Soondeok leans close and kisses Eun again)

‘Happy birthday…Oppa. Today, as your wife, I’ll do whatever you tell me to!’

‘Really? Soondeok ah, you’ll do whatever I tell you to?’

‘Of course! It’s your birthday, your highness.’

‘Then take off your clothes!’

‘Oppa!’

‘Ha! Just kidding! I knew you wouldn’t listen. Gosh! Do you really hate it that much? Don’t you feel hot? Don’t you want to take off your clothes? I do!’

‘Not really…Oppa, tell me to do other things, but not that…’

(Eun kisses Soondeok’s forehead)

‘Then Soondeok ah…promise me you’ll appear in my dream tonight.’

‘Huh? In your dream? How? Do you know how to?’

‘Yes I do! You can come into my dream by thinking about me. Keep thinking about me when you fall asleep, then we’ll meet each other in our dreams, I promise.’

‘But honey, won’t you get annoyed if I appear in your dream as well? I mean, I’ve been with you day and night already…I’m just afraid you’ll grow tired of me...’

‘That will never happen.’

‘What if you get tired of me one day?’

‘Nonsense! I’ll never get tired of seeing you! You know what? I wish I could sleep with my eyes open just so I can gaze upon you all night, Deok ah!’

‘Really? My prince, really?’

‘Really really, my little dove.’

(Eun pinches Soondeok’s nose tenderly then smooths her hair)

‘Aigoo, my beautiful wife. I can’t believe it’s been 2 years already…since my birthday party.’

‘You mean the one Haesoo prepared for you?’

(Eun frowns then clears his throat)

‘Ya, why are you bringing her up again, huh? Stop mentioning her!’

‘Oppa, you can’t treat her like a stranger now, she is still your first love after all…’

(Eun sighs)

‘Deok ah, won’t you be upset? Me having someone else as my first love?’

‘Not really…we all need that, don’t we? A first love. Most don’t succeed, I’m glad mine did.’

‘Still, it doesn’t seem right…’

‘Oppa, first loves are special. The feeling of truly loving someone, how many times do you think it comes in a lifetime? You don’t know how precious and rare that feeling is, Oppa, do you?’

‘Deok ah, I’m glad you think so…my hyungs were right, you’re really a good wife, Deok ah, a good wife indeed.’

(Eun smiles)

‘Oppa, to be honest, you liked it, didn’t you, that party she did for you…’

‘Not…not really…’

‘I saw it with my own eyes, Oppa, how you clapped and laughed as she danced and sang at your birthday. I envied her much back then…’

‘Deok ah…let’s not talk about her.’

(Soondeok suddenly laughs as she thinks of something while patting on Eun’s shoulder)

‘And then, hahahahaha, I scared you with that bear fur! Oppa, remember?’

‘How can I forget? That scared the wits out of me! Now that I think about it again, it’s kinda funny.’

‘I’m sorry I scared you, Oppa. Oh dear, that was funny!’

‘Speaking of which…where is it now?’

‘Hm? Where’s what?’

‘That fur! Deok ah, where is it now?’

‘I’ve heard you gave it to Prince Jung, didn’t you? He told me himself.’

‘Ah…that’s right. I ought to get it back.’

‘Why?’

‘What do you mean why? Soondeok ah, that was your gift for me, of course I’ll have to get it back!’

‘Ayy, just forget it, Oppa – I’ll get you a new one, okay?’

‘Uh? Really? When?’

‘Umm…this autumn? We can hunt together with So Oraboni! Wouldn’t that be fun? We can invite Prince Jung as well!’

‘I’ll go. So Deok ah, you need to teach me how to hunt…I’ve never been on a hunt in my entire life!’

‘Oppa, I did! Shooting arrows is like the most basic thing, but you kept complaining!’

‘I did not complain! I was just…expressing my opinions, that’s all.’

‘Aigoo…sure you were.’

(Eun yawns)

‘Soondeok ah, hug me tight, as your birthday present to me. I want to sleep in your arms.’

(Soondeok hugs Eun)

‘Like this?’

‘Yes, like this. Oh my, it feels so good. Your heartbeat…I like its rhythm.’

‘My heart’s abnormal, Oppa…You know that.’

‘Hmm…abnormal…I’d rather use the word “special”. Your heartbeat is unique, say if I ever go blind and if I hear it, I can recognize you right away. Dub lub, dub lub, dub lub…’

‘Oppa, what will you miss seeing the most if you ever go blind?’

‘What about you?’

‘Hmm…I’ll miss the blue sky, I’ll miss painting, that’s for sure.’

‘Deok ah, I’ll miss looking upon your pretty face if I go blind.’

‘Liar.’

‘Really, I will. But I suppose that won’t ever happen, let’s just be thankful we can look at each other now.’

(Soondeok kisses Eun’s forehead)

‘Happy birthday, Oppa. I’ll try to appear in your dream tonight. Sleep tight. I love you.’

‘I love you too, Deok ah. Sleep well. See you in my dream.’