“Sunjeong... Nami... Hana...

Jinju... Moyeon... Sunha...”

Sehun sighed as he stopped for a moment, and started dragging Baekhyun into his mansion again.

“Wheein, Yongsun, Hwasa, Moonbyul...” the drunken Baekhyun continued chanting all the women’s names that came onto his mind.

“Hyung will you STOP THAT ALREADY?” Sehun hissed through gritted teeth as the two men entered Sehun’s mansion with great effort. “Why?” Baekhyun asked, barely managing to stand straight, and leaning on the taller youngster. “You get jealous when I recall all the women I hooked up with eh?” he asked, flashing a smirk with his eyes half closed.

“As if.” Sehun muttered to himself and dragged his hyung towards a guest’s room. As they walked past the room where Baekhyun usually slept in, he decided to stop and interrogate Sehun.

“Sehunie! Here’s my room! Why are we walking past it?” he turned to look up and pout at Sehun.

“Umm...you can use another room today hyung. a more cosier one.” Sehun blurted out. “Let’s go.” He tried to drag the drunken guy away, but Baekhyun had more questions to ask. “But why not this room?” he refused walking away and stood still. Just then, Yingyun stepped out of the room and froze at the entrance seeing the two guys.

“Ooo....” Baekhyun eyed her carefully from head to toe. “Sehunie...who’s this beautiful maiden?” he asked the younger one. Ying stood in silence, looking at Sehun with scared eyes, waiting for him to answer.

“She’s... She’s the new maid my mom brought to help her.” Sehun blurted out. “Let’s go hyung! You cannot even stand properly!” he dragged Baekhyun. But the latter refused to leave, and grinned at the girl.

“Anyeong...ha...se...yo... I’m Baekhyun.” He said with a cheeky grin. “I’m Hwang Baekhyun.” He introduced himself. “No wait, is it Choi Baekhyun? Or is it Oh Baekhyun?” he turned to give Sehun a creepy grin.

Sehun looked at his hyung with a poker face. “Hyung. That’s not funny at all.”

Baekhyun stuck his tongue out at Sehun and turned back to the girl. “Mind having a night stroll with me?” he gave her a smirk. Ying turned her head down and remained silent.

“HYUNG!” Sehun tugged the older male’s arm this time, with enough force to grab him a few feet away. “You’re drunk for goodness sake so LET’S GO!!!” he gave Ying a curt nod and dragged Baekhyun away.

“Seriously, what have I got as two hyungs for myself?” Sehun grumbled as he undid Baekhyun’s belt and took off his outer robe. “One ends up locking himself in the office in the palace because he couldn’t control his goddamn temper and fought with his wife. And here’s the other one, getting kicked out of his own house because he turned up drunk and wasted when his dad was having guests.”

“Is she really a maid?” Baekhyun muttered in his half-slumber. “What a waste...”

Sehun sighed. “Just go to sleep hyung.” with that he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. His mom approached him, and he gave her a tired smile. “Omma, please some water to hyung’s room. He’ll need it when he wakes up.” He said. His mom nodded to him and turned to go to the kitchen, but saw the Chinese girl walking towards them. “Ah Ying,” she called her, and the girl quickly came to her and bowed in silent. “Go to the kitchen and bring some water to this room.”

Ying bowed again and left for the kitchen. Sehun watched her walking away and turned to his mom again. “Is she alright with it omma?”

The lady nodded with a smile. “She herself started helping the maids this afternoon. I guess it’s her way of showing gratitude for saving her.” she explained. “However, she still doesn’t go near any man, not even the old male servants. She’s avoiding men completely.”

Sehun listened in silence. “I’ll be in my room.” He finally said before making his way to his room.

Ying brought a tray with a jug of water, and a porcelain cup, and entered the room. She looked over and saw Baekhyun in a deep slumber, and quietly made her way to place the tray on the table. And she turned to look around the room, and saw the warrior’s robe hanging on a hanger by the wall.

She quickly went to it, turned to check out whether he was still sound asleep, and started searching the robe thoroughly. She found a piece of parchment in one pocket, and quickly read it. It was a list of books, which looked like historical books. She had no idea what that list was, but she quickly took a parchment and quill from the table and copied down everything. And she shoved the original list back into his robe and left the room in silence.

* * * * * * * *

Jongin was sitting inside the guard’s room the next morning, leaning back on his chair and resting his feet on the window sill, his eyes closed and listening to the busy servants out in the yard.

“Jongin,”

His eyes shot open hearing his name, and he turned his head to see Seora standing by the door way of the guard’s room. He quickly jumped to his feet and bowed. “Yes my lady.”

“I’m...” she hesitated for a moment. “I’m leaving to visit my sister, can you accompany me?” she asked. “I’m asking because it’s not quite safe for me to go out alone.” She added.

“Of course my lady.” He grabbed his sward from the near table and stepped out of the room at the speed of lightening. “I’ll prepare a carriage.” He turned to leave but Seora stopped him. “I’m not going by carriage Jongin.” She said. “Just accompany Haesol and me. That’s enough.” She smiled at him.

Jongin stared at her for a while. He could see pain in her eyes, and those were swollen, giving evidence of her crying all night. Heaving a sigh, he looked at Haesol, who was standing behind Seora.

He bowed to the mistress, gestured her to follow him and walked a few yards away from her.

Haesol came to him in quick steps. “Did something happen between them yesterday?” he asked in a low voice. Haesol nodded, and released a strained sigh. “That’s why Lord Park didn’t return home last night.” She mumbled. Jongin looked over at the young lady standing alone a few yards away. His heart ached for the girl, seeing how she stared at the ground and stood still, lost in thoughts. “Let’s go.” He muttered and led the way for the maid to follow him.

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