Soondeok’s diary

Today’s the prince’s birthday! It’s still early in the morning, Eun’s still asleep. I’ll go to Yixing’s store to collect my gift after writing this so when the prince opens his eyes, he can see his gift. Wow, it’s been 2 years already, since I came back to the capital, since I met Eun again – time truly flies. I hope he’ll have a happy day today – thank goodness it didn’t rain! Eun hates rainy days, it’s great that today is yet another clear sunny day. I wonder what he wants to do today. Whatever it is, I’ll follow him, it’s his special day after all – he did so much for me on my birthday, now it’s my turn to cheer him up.

Eun’s birthday

Gosh! Is this going to become a regular thing of her? When I opened my eyes just then, Soondeok’s already left! She left a note this time though, thank goodness she did, telling me to wait for her – she better bring back something good or I’ll kill her for leaving me alone! ON MY BIRTHDAY!

Soondeok did what I told her to last night, she came into my dream, but man it was a weird one. I saw Soondeok holding a baby, her baby – I wanted to hold the baby too but before I got the chance to, I woke up. Is this a sign? Will we really have a baby? Will we? Then I suppose I’ll have to work hard for it! Tonight? Will I be able to do it tonight? Or should I just wait? Gosh! Every day waiting is a torture to me, I don’t know how long I can hold it.

Whatever, I need to keep my mind off these things – should I do push ups? Or should I run around in the garden? It’s my birthday, why am I so frustrated? Soondeok ah, please come back soon!!! I miss you! I want to hug you! I want to kiss you! I wish I’m her shadow so I can just follow her everywhere! And I’m hungry, I want to have breakfast now, but it seems wrong to have it without her.

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(Soondeok comes back with her gift, a big Gayageum)

‘Oppa! I’m back!’

(Soondeok puts it down and walks around the room, looking for Eun)

‘Oppa, where are you? I’m back!’

‘Oh, Deok ah, you’re back? I’m in the closet.’

(Soondeok walks to the closet)

‘Where have you been, Deok ah?’

‘AHHHH!!!’

(Soondeok covers her eyes)

‘Ya!!! Oppa! You should’ve warned me!’

‘Warn you? About what? Ah…that I’m ? Why should I?’

(Soondeok turns her back to Eun, Eun walks up to her – Soondeok senses it and keeps her eyes shut)

‘Ya, wife, just open your eyes already. There’s no need to hide from the sight, you’ve seen what there is to see.’

‘Put…put on your clothes first…Oppa…’

‘Deok ah, here’s a piece of information for you – I didn’t come in here to put on clothes, I came in here to take them off!’

‘What?’

‘Soondeok ah – it’s my birthday is it not? It’s only natural for me to wear my birthday suit on my birthday.’

‘YA! Oppa!’

(Eun walks about in his room , Soondeok tries to follow him with her eyes closed. Eun spins around joyously in his room and lies on his bed)

‘Ah, much better. Much cooler indeed. Deok ah, don’t you feel hot on summer days as today?’

‘It’s not even summer yet, Oppa – it’s still spring.’

‘Exactly! Imagine how hot it’ll be when summer comes! You know what? Before I married you, I used to walk around in my room – now, I’m gonna do that again.’

‘OPPA! You crazy? You out of your mind? Hurry up and put your clothes back on!’

(Eun walks up to Soondeok)

‘Out of my mind? Perhaps…you were out of your mind when you chose to marry me, Deok ah.’

(Soondeok continues to keep her eyes shut tight)

‘Aigoo, look at you, you’re sweating now…are you feeling hot too? You should take off your clothes as well, Deok ah.’

(Soondeok takes a step backward)

‘Never! Don’t get close, Oppa, I may not see you but I can feel you coming towards me.’

(Eun takes a step forward)

‘Oh, really?’

(Eun keeps inching forward, Soondeok keeps inching backward. Suddenly Soondeok trips and falls back, Eun catches her – Soondeok opens her eyes)

‘Gotcha! Ya, Deok ah, you need to be careful.’

‘Thanks…Oppa…’

(Eun smiles, Soondeok realizes she has her eyes opened so she shuts her eyes again)

‘Ya, Deok ah – just open them already, huh? I want to see your pretty eyes. It’s my birthday, remember?’

(Soondeok slowly opens her eyes and fixes her stare at Eun’s eyes, making sure she’s not looking at anywhere else)

‘There, that wasn’t too hard, right?’

‘Oppa…’

‘Get used to it, Deok ah – I’ll walk around during summer all day long.’

‘Kkmm…Anyway…Oppa, happy birthday – your gift, I put it over there…’

‘Really? You should’ve said so earlier!’

(Eun opens the box and sees the instrument inside – He grins brightly but then it disappears)

‘Oppa…do you not like it?’

‘No, not at all! Soondeok ah, I love it! It’s just that…’

‘Oppa, I want to hear you play, please?’

‘You…how did you know I know how to play?’

‘Yixing Oraboni told me…and because I heard from the servants…you go to the inn often just to hear musicians play, don’t you? And you would borrow their instruments when they’re not performing, playing in their storeroom, right? I know everything, Oppa… Oppa, can you play it for me?’

(Eun touches the Gayageum)

‘This is a beautiful piece, Deok ah…I’m sure the sound will come out nicely. But Deok ah, I’ll play it later, right now, I want to go out with you after breakfast.’

‘Uh? Go out? Where to?’

‘Nowhere.’

‘Nowhere?’

‘Just, you know, walking around the market and do things we want to do spontaneously. How about that, hm?’

‘If that’s what you want for your birthday, Oppa, I’d be more than glad to come with you.’

(Eun gets up to walk to the closet, but then Soondeok pulls him back down on the bed and lies on top of him)

‘Uh? My dear wife, what are you doing? It’s day time.’

‘Oppa, did you really like my present?’

‘Of course I did, Deok ah.’

‘Actually, I have another present for you, Oppa.’

‘Wow! Really? Where is it?’

‘It’s not something big…but I hope you’ll like it…’

‘I’ll have to see what it is, don’t I?’

(Soondeok kisses Eun on the lips, over and over again, for 24 times)

‘Oppa…happy birthday…happy 24^th birthday.’

‘Oh! That’s new!’

‘I…gosh, that was embarrassing…’

‘Deok ah, why are you feeling shy? I love your present, really, I do! Your kissing skills is much better now!’

‘Come to think of it, I don’t know why I did that…that was stupid of me, Oppa.’

‘No! Not at all, it’s wonderful! I love this present, Deok ah.’

(Soondeok hides her faces behind her hands, Eun flips Soondeok over and kisses her)

‘Deok ah, I’m feeling great right now, thanks.’

‘It’s your birthday after all, Oppa, I want to make you feel great.’

‘I do feel great. Ah~ Morning kisses, birthday presents, sunny day – I’m loving my birthday already.’

‘Hope you’ll continue to feel happy today, Oppa.’

‘I sure will, because you’ll be with me, Deok ah.’

‘Enough talk. Oppa, hurry up and get changed – then let’s have breakfast.’

‘But I don’t want to put on clothes~’

‘Yet you want to have a date outside, don’t you? What? You want to walk out ?’

‘Not a bad idea, Deok ah.’

‘Oppa!!!’

‘Come to think of it, Deok ah, why didn’t you tell me to get off of you, hm?’

‘Huh?’

‘You like me being on top, don’t you? Wah, what a scene we’re in now! I’m totally , ha!’

(Soondeok blushes)

‘I…I’ve gotten used to it I guess…that’s all. Now, Oppa, please get off and get changed.’

(Eun laughs)

‘Why are you laughing, Oppa?’

‘Nothing…it’s just that, I think I’ve taken a step closer today.’

‘A step closer? What do you mean?’

‘Never mind, Deok ah. Come on, let’s get changed. You tell me what to wear.’

‘You put your trust in my fashion sense? Oppa, you sure? Think over it again.’

(Eun thought for a second)

‘Hmm…on second thought…what say I pick out something for you? You’re right, Deok ah, I don’t trust your fashion sense. Really, you’re good at everything, but when it comes to girly stuff or fashion, you’re really poor at it. Come on.’

(Both walks towards closet)

‘Ouch!’

‘What’s wrong? Ya, Deok ah! Just open your eyes already! You really gonna walk around with our eyes closed all day?’

‘I will if you’ll keep wearing your birthday suit…I don’t want to look at your .’

‘My ? What’s wrong with my ? Aigoo…you’re no fun, Soondeok ah…watch out, there’s a table to your left. Careful! Aish.’

(Eun grabs Soondeok by the hand and leads her to the closet)

‘Here, Deok ah, you wear this. I’ll wear this. Let’s get changed.’

‘What? Here? Now? Together?’

‘Uh, together, why not?’

‘I…Oppa~~ Please don’t…’

(Eun sighs)

‘Fine…you step out first, I’ll change first then you come in to change. Aigoo…I give up…’

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(Night, before bedtime, Soondeok laying on her bed already, waiting for Eun who’s changing into his pajamas)

‘Oppa, answer me. No lies. You don’t like my present, right?’

(Eun coming out as he ties his top up)

‘Hmm? What do you mean?’

‘You haven’t even played on it once today…’

‘I was just going to do that! Aish, Deok ah, patience man! Patience!’

(Eun sits on the floor and picks up the instrument)

‘Woah~ Oppa, you look really dashing now, you know that? Like a real gentleman.’

‘“Like a real gentleman”? Ya! Deok ah, I am a real gentleman!’

(Soondeok goes up to Eun and lies on her belly on the floor in front of Eun)

‘Deok ah, what are you doing?’

‘I want to look at you up close from here, and I want to listen well as you play, Oppa. Didn’t I say so once? You look the deadliest when you’re concentrating on something.’

(Eun tuning the instrument)

‘You’re my first audience in a very long time, Soondeok ah…I’m kinda nervous now…’

‘Just pretend I’m not here.’

(Eun looks at Soondeok then beams as he finishes off tuning)

‘How can I? I’m playing it for you, how can I pretend you’re not here?’

(Eun plays a piece, finishes flawlessly, followed by Soondeok’s endless praises)

‘Gosh! Oppa! That was wonderful! I can’t believe no one knew about it! When I listened to it, it’s as if I could see the entire picture!’

‘Oh? What picture did you see?’

‘That tree! The tree we always rest under, the place we had our picnic – the melody is warm, just like our date back then, that same feeling.’

‘Looks like you have a great sense for music too, Deok ah.’

‘Ayyy, of course I don’t! I’m a music dummy.’

‘Oh? That’s not what I think.’

‘I mean it, Oppa! I don’t know how to play music on anything…’

‘But you can dance, can’t you?’

‘What?’

‘You know…once, your friend Jongin came and he wanted to invite you to perform in some event…’

‘Ah…he did? But my dancing is just…’

‘So I was right? You do dance! Ya! How is it that he knows something about you that I don’t? That jerk! Have you per chance danced in front of him but not me? Wanna die?’

‘Oppa, calm down! I do dance, a bit – I took lessons when I was young only because Onni wanted me to, and I do admit, I’m kinda good at it, but I’m not a professional!’

‘That Jongin guy, how did he know then?’

‘Well…since I usually practised at my home, and he came over to play with my Oraboni often, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has ever seen me dancing in the garden…Oppa, are you jealous again?’

‘I am, of course I am!’

‘Then…what should I do?’

‘Dance! I played this for you, haven’t I? Now I want to see you dance!’

‘Ayy…Oppa, I haven’t danced in like ages! I don’t remember the steps, it’ll be a mess, Oppa. Forget it…’

(Eun stands up and offers his hand to Soondeok, Soondeok looks at him in confusion)

‘What are you doing, Oppa?’

‘Dance. Dance with me, Deok ah.’

‘Daebak! Oppa, you know how to dance too?’

‘Sadly, all princes must learn how to dance if we are to survive in the palace…come on, get up now, I’ll teach you.’

(Soondeok gets up, Eun gets in the position of waltz)

‘Oppa, what kind of dance is this? I’ve never seen this kind of dance before…why are we sticking so close together?’

‘The dance we’re taught in the country are done independently, Deok ah, but from the stories I’ve heard – stories from the far west, they have developed a kind of dance so that both boys and girls can dance together!’

‘Really?’

‘Their ideas amaze me every time, Deok ah. Here, you keep your hand on my shoulder while I hold your other hand out here…I think that’s how they showed me…can’t remember much.’

‘What’s next? Do we spin?’

‘We can just do whatever we want, no one can tell us if we danced right or wrong anyway.’

‘True.’

‘Deok ah, try spinning! Here, try spinning without letting go of my hand!’

‘But we have no music, Oppa! What rhythm should we follow?’

‘How about this? Bum-cha-cha bum-cha-cha bum-cha-cha.’

‘It sounds funny, Oppa!’

‘Just enjoy yourself, Deok ah. Wiggle your like this~ Can you?’

(Both dance around for a while, giggling as they do, finally both collapse on the floor – tired.)

‘Phew! Oppa! This is really fun! I didn’t know dancing could be so much fun!’

‘Oh! Deok ah, I just thought of a nice dance move!’

‘What is it?’

‘Horse riding dance!’

(Eun gets up again and gets into position)

‘Oh my gosh! Oppa! It looks like you’re riding a horse!’

‘I know right! And horses gallop like this! Watch me!’

(Soodeok sits up to watch. After that, Eun collapses back on the floor and rests his head on Soondeok’s lap.)

‘Deok ah, I don’t want my birthday to end…’

‘What did you like about most today, Oppa?’

‘Hmmm…your gift. Oh! And that show we saw in the market today! That puppet show! Heck it was funny!’

‘I loved that too.’

(Eun thought of an idea, he gets up then puts the gayageum on Soondeok’s lap)

‘Oppa, what are you doing?’

‘I’m teaching you how to play!’

‘Oppa…I’m not like you…I don’t have talent for this sort of things…you can put a sword in my hand… but this?’

‘That’s why I’ll be your teacher! Where in the world will you be able to find another teacher as handsome and as kind to my student as myself, hmm? Here, hold this stick with your right hand for plucking the strings. For your left hand, you need to move the strings to give it the right vibration. Get it?’

‘Let’s just sleep, Oppa…’

(Eun sits behind Soondeok and puts his hands over Soondeok’s)

‘I’ll play it with you, I’ll hold onto your hands, like so. Relax your hand a bit, Deok ah. Relax~’

(Eun plays a bit with Soondeok)

‘Wow! This is just mind-blowing! You can play this even when holding my hands? Oppa, you’re a genius!’

(Soondeok turns her neck to look at Eun behind her, Eun grins)

‘I like teaching you, playing music with you is 10 times more fun than playing by myself.’

‘Really? Do you really mean it?’

‘How can I lie about something like this?’

(Both stares at each other, their faces only inches away. Eun softens his voice.)

‘You look beautiful tonight, Soondeok ah. Especially from this angle.’

‘And you look charming tonight, Oppa – especially from this angle.’

(Eun lets go of Soondeok’s hands and pulls her to himself with one hand while bringing her face towards his lips with another, he kisses Soondeok on the lips – long. Finally, Soondeok pushes herself away.)

‘Oppa, you wanna break my neck?’

‘Hm? What do you mean?’

‘I had to turn my neck to kiss you just then…’

‘Oh, sorry, I was…I was too mesmerized by you back then…sorry…’

(Soondeok gets up and orders Eun)

‘Cross your legs, Oppa.’

(Eun whines)

‘Oh, what now? Are you gonna make me do stretches or something as punishment? What? Push ups? Sit ups?’

‘Just cross your legs already, Oppa…’

(Eun crosses his legs)

‘There, I crossed my legs. What now? Flicking my forehead? Smacking my palm? Or-’

(Soondeok sits on Eun’s legs, makes herself comfortable, wrapping her arms around Eun’s neck)

‘Now, my dear husband, we can kiss comfortably.’

‘You’re not gonna punish me?’

‘Oppa, you talk too much lately.’

(Soondeok attacks Eun with her kisses, Eun brings Soondeok closer to him, embracing her tight as he runs his hands up and down Soondeok’s back. They start to pick up the pace. Eun pushes himself forward and has Soondeok lie on her back. Eun takes off his top as he feels himself boiling up. Soondeok doesn’t stop him this time, she drags Eun’s lower lip as she finishes every kiss)

‘Mmmm…Deok ah, did you just tease me?’

‘Oh? Did I?’

‘Oh yes you did, you naughty girl, with your drag. Why did you do that, hm?’

‘Why did you fall for my teasing then, Oppa, hm?’

‘Tease me more, Deok ah, I love it.’

(Deok runs her hands down Eun’s chest)

‘Oppa…you’ve been working out haven’t you?’

‘Not really, why?’

‘Your chest…not that baby-fatty chest you had when we first got married anymore.’

‘You like it? Feel it more if you want. My body is yours anyway. As yours is mine.’

‘Just wait a bit more, Oppa…our 2^nd anniversary is not too far off.’

‘2^nd anniversary? What do you mean?’

‘Oppa, on that day…let’s come clean.’

‘What?’

(Eun tries to hide his excitement)

‘Let’s…take a bath together that night…Oppa…’

‘You won’t take your words back, will you?’

‘If I do, then my name is not Park Soondeok. If I run away from that again, you can walk around all summer and I won’t shut my eyes.’

‘I take your words for it!’

‘Oppa, don’t you want that day to come sooner? I want to…’

‘Ooohhh…You’re tempting me now, you girl, you’re swimming in dangerous water, Deok ah.’

‘Enough talk, Oppa, kiss me more.’

‘I will, but not on your lips. Soondeok ah, time to move down, don’t you think?’

(Eun unties Soondeok’s top, Soondeok stops him)

‘Oppa…’

‘Don’t worry, Deok ah, just open it up a bit – makes things easier for me and more pleasurable for you. I promise.’

(Eun unties the ribbon and opens the top up a bit, exposing his wife’s collarbones and her smooth flawless shoulders. Eun starts to kiss Soondeok’s jaw and neck, then slowly moves to her collarbone, pecking it softly as he goes.)

‘Oppa…I…’

‘Hm?’

‘Oppa…’

‘How’d you feel, my wife?’

‘I feel…weird…’

‘You do? Describe it to me.’

‘I…I feel…Oppa…it’s hard to describe it. My heart is beating like crazy now, but my chest doesn’t hurt. I feel like I need you, Oppa – that’s what I feel. I want you, but I don’t know what I want from you.’

‘Anything else?’

‘I…I feel hot, Oppa…and a bit faint.’

(Eun looks down at his wife with satisfaction. Finally, he smiles and carries Soondeok to their bed)

‘This feeling means that you’re tired, Deok ah. Let’s call it a day.’

(Eun wears his top back and blows out the candles before getting in bed, Soondeok hugs him)

‘Goodnight Oppa, I love you.’

‘I love you too, my darling. I’ll prove it to you soon, very soon, how much I love you.’

‘Oppa, you said I’m feeling tired now, but the thing is…I don’t want to sleep.’

(Eun touches Soondeok’s face)

‘Still, you have to rest – I too, have to rest. I’m afraid if I spend another waking moment with you, I’ll fall deeper in love with you and do things that I shouldn’t yet, Deok ah.’

‘Like what?’

‘None of your concern now. Good night.’

‘Oppa, thank you for being born – thank you for being here, for coming into this world so that I can meet you…I love you.’

‘Me too, Soondeok ah, me too. Oh, right – let me help you tie your top back up again.’

(Soondeok holds his hands)

‘Oppa, just leave it like this. I’m hot.’

(Soondeok gives Eun one last peck)

‘Good night my Prince Charming.’

‘Good night, my dear angel.’