[Note from author: WELL, I'm back! Sorry for the wait~ Anyway - SO! Today marks the 1st anniversary of Eundeok's SWEET SWEET scene in Scarlet Heart Ryeo Ep 15!!! To celebrate it, I'll update every day this week, a bit every day~ Even if I'm away, don't worry, I won't stop writing this, kkkkkkk. How can I stop? It's too good to stop.]

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(Soondeok running around the port, searching for Eun amongst the many boats there – people rushing in all directions, Soondeok shouts for Eun)

‘Your highness!!! Oppa! Where are you? Where are you, Oppa? Oh! Excuse me sir, have you seen a man…’

(Soondeok searches on and on, until at last, she sees Eun, he’s getting ready to get on a boat)

‘Oppa!’

(Soondeok rushes forward)

‘Oppa! Why are you here? Why are you leaving? Where are you going? Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Heck, what’s wrong with you?!’

‘Your highness…’

(Soondeok holds Eun’s arm but Eun won’t let her)

‘Don’t touch me!’

‘Oppa…’

‘You and your nagging, I’m sick and tired of it!’

‘Your highness…I’m sorry…I…’

‘And your stuttering, I hate that as well! Why did you come? Huh? Is it not enough that you made me marry you, now you want to chain me to this country as well?’

‘Where…where are you going, Oppa? When will you come back?’

‘I’m not coming back! I’m done with all this! I’m leaving!’

‘Then Oppa. Please…take me with you.’

‘You crazy? Let go of me!’

(Eun pushes Soondeok away, Soondeok falls on the floor)

‘Aish. Woman like you should’ve stayed in the battlefield. Should’ve DIED in the battlefield!’

(Soondeok grunts in pain as she gets up)

‘Was…was it something I’ve done? What did I do that made you hate me so? If it’s another wife you want…I’ve never stopped you from having any. Or maybe it’s-’

‘Shut up already! Gosh! It’s not what you did, Park Soondeok! It’s you! YOU! I hate you!’

‘Your highness…I thought…I thought you…you loved me.’

‘Ha! Love? Don’t make me laugh! You actually thought that I loved you? Wah…way to go, man, way to go!’

‘You…but…the picnics…the rides…the dates…I thought…’

‘Well, you thought wrong! I only did that to have you – to make you mine, that’s what all men are after, your body!’

‘Oppa…’

‘There! I said it! I only did it for that, nothing else! I sweetened you up so you’ll let me have you. Love? Ha! There’s no such thing as love, idiot! You don’t really think I made you mine because loved you, did you?’

‘I…yes, I did…I mean…I thought…’

‘Stop being so innocent, Park Soondeok. Wake up already! I don’t love you and I never will! Some things just NEVER change! NEVER! Now, let me go or I’ll miss the boat! Let go of me!’

‘Oppa! Please! What about mother? Are you going to leave her like that?’

‘She’s the reason I’m in this mess! If only she hadn’t married father, if only I’m not a prince, I wouldn’t have met you! I don’t care anymore, I want to be free! Free from this damn Goryeo, free from this suffocating city, free from rules and all – FREE FROM YOU!’

(Eun gets on the boat, Soondeok runs after him but was stopped – Soondeok keeps screaming for Eun as she sobs)

‘Oppa! Please! Please come back! I’ll agree to a divorce! Anything! Just…please don’t leave! Don’t leave me, Oppa! Oppa!! I have something to tell you! Please! I’m…’

(But the boat has already departed, Soondeok all by herself, kneeling in the port – wailing her heart out)

‘Don’t…don’t leave me…please…our child…you can’t leave our child like that…at least…give our child a name…please…please come back…’

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(Soondeok cries herself awake, it’s still dark – she sits up and looks around the room, feeling for Eun, he’s right there next to her. Soondeok wipes her tears away, telling herself that it was all just a dream, only a dream – yet a dream too real to ignore. She felt cold, know not if it’s because she’s not wearing anything, or from within – the thought of Eun leaving her, loathing her...)

‘Deok ah? You awake? What’s wrong?’

‘Oppa…’

(Eun hears Soondeok’s shaky voice)

‘Deok ah! You alright? Are you crying?’

(Eun lights a candle and sees Soondeok’s face, like somebody who’s been crying for ages)

‘Honey! What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Chest pain? Headache? Stomach ache?’

(Eun touches his wife's face to make sure she's okay. Soondeok shakes her head, not knowing what to say. Eun moves forward to embrace her)

‘Oh darling…was it another nightmare?’

(Silence)

‘Deok ah, you can tell me what it’s all about, hm?’

‘Oppa…I’m scared…’

‘There there, honey, don’t be. I’m here, aren’t I?’

(Soondeok forces a smile on her face as she gazes upon Eun’s smile – the Eun in her dream and the Eun in front of her now is completely different, she felt different. Soondeok brings the blanket towards her, covering up her body.)

‘You must be cold, Deok ah. I’ll grab your pyjamas for you, hold on.’

(Eun goes to get dressed himself and to get Soondeok’s pyjamas for her. Soondeok tries to shake the dream away)

‘It’s just a dream…girl…it’s just a dream…the prince…look how nice he is to you now. It’s just a dream. Forget about it, Park Soondeok.’

(Eun returns and helps Soondeok get dressed)

‘Feeling better?’

‘Oppa…’

‘What is it, darling?’

‘You won’t leave me, right? You won’t leave me even when I’m fat right? You won’t leave me even when I’m old, right? You won’t leave me even when I’m dying, right? Oh please tell me…’

‘Oh honey, of course I won’t. Didn’t we make a vow? Only death can separate us, Deok ah.’

(Soondeok sobs, Eun pulls Soondeok to him and embraces her tight)

‘I will never leave you, Deok ah, never. So, get back to sleep now, I’ll make sure you’ll get a good night’s sleep tonight, I promise.’

(Soondeok presses her ears against Eun’s chest, praying that the sound of his heartbeat would somehow calm her down)

‘I love you, your highness.’

‘I love you too, Soondeok ah.’

(Eun brings Soondeok closer to him)

‘Soondeok ah.’

‘Yes, Oppa?’

‘I’ve been thinking…what say we move out of the city for good?’

‘Move…move out?’

‘Yes, go somewhere far away, away from this suffocating cage. We could build a house, and around it we can have a large field, you know, for riding, shooting and stuff. And when we have kids, I can build a tree house for them to play in. Sounds nice?’

‘It sounds great…if we can actually make it happen…I thought you didn’t like the idea of building things.’

‘Well, I suppose I can try. I want to grow too, Deok ah, I want to learn new things, only when I do something I’m not capable of can I truly grow into a better person.’

‘You’ve been reading, haven’t you? I remember this quote.’

‘Indeed, I think I’ve started to remember the joy of reading, Deok ah, thanks to you.’

‘Why did you stop?’

‘You know why.’

‘Other than your father…other than your brothers…’

‘Let’s not talk about that now, Deok ah. What I’m trying to say is, just think about all the happy times coming our way! Then you’ll be able to sleep well.’

‘Kids…’

(Soondeok immediately recalls her dream, about her carrying Eun’s child but he left without knowing it)

‘Oppa…’

‘What is it?’

‘Nothing…just want to call out to you…and hear your reply…so softly and so sweetly…that’s all.’

‘You can call me 100 times and I’ll still answer you, Deok ah.’

‘Oppa~ Oppa~ Oppa~’

‘Aigoo…to be honest, Deok ah. Oppa seems a bit…dull now. Let’s try something new.’

‘Like…like what?’

‘Hmm…call me baby.’

‘Baby? Oppa…that’s too much.’

(Soondeok blushes)

‘Why? Baby sounds cute, doesn’t it?’

‘I know…but I can’t call you that in public, can I?’

‘Why not?’

‘People will stare at us.’

‘Let them. We don’t need them to judge our love. Right, baby?’

‘Oppa!’

‘Baby~ Baby~ Baby~~~ I love you~’

(Soondeok giggles)

--------------------------------- to be continued