Seora was wandering alone in the garden when suddenly the main entrance to the mansion opened and two royal guards stepped in. She watched them in surprise, as they made their way to them. And at the same time, she saw two male servants in the mansion holding open the gates while more than a dozen court ladies swarmed in, each with a designed wooden box in their hands.

“My lady.” The two royal guards bowed to her. She nodded accepting their greeting. “What’s this? Are you here to see Lord Minseok?” she asked.

“No my lady.” One guard answered. “Her majesty the Queen sent these gifts for you, Lady Shin Seora.” He answered curtly.

Seora widened her eyes and looked at the court ladies, who were now standing in the middle of the front yard, holding the mysterious looking boxes in their hands. “A gift for me?” She asked. “Fine, let’s go in then.” She nodded them to follow her and went into the mansion.

“Unnie, you must see this.” she dragged Bora out of her room, and brought her into the living room. And to Seora’s surprise, her sister at once understood what’s going on, and her face lit up in a smile.

“Were these sent for my sister?” she asked from one court lady, and who looked like she was the head of the group. She at once stepped forward, and handed over a red envelope to Bora. “Her majesty’s message is written here my lady.” She said with a bow.

Bora took the envelope and gave it to Seora. “This is for you. Read it.” She said, and looked back at the court ladies. “You can keep them here.” She said with a smile, and they placed the boxes in front of them in neat rows.

Seora opened the envelope. And out of it, she dragged out a parchment, which was written in beautiful and neat handwriting, which she assumed to be the queen’s. And she opened it.

My Dear Seora,

This is a tradition of noble families in Joseon, where all the jewellery that belonged to the women in a family are handed over to their next generation in the family, who are their daughters and daughter-in-laws. However, as I became the queen, I don’t need any of them now. I can have whatever I want. So I’m handing over everything to you Seora. Use them well, and protect them as the daughter-in-law of our family.

With love,

Queen Yoona.

Seora gapped at Bora. “But unnie! Lord Park hasn’t even agreed to this!” she exclaimed.

Bora ignored her and turned to the court ladies with a smile. “Tell her highness that we accepted her gift with utmost respect and gratitude. And let her know that we’ll be personally visiting her highness to thank her.”

The group of people bowed down and left the room.

Bora turned to her sister. “This means that she’s going to make it happen anyhow. So let’s do as she says alright?” she peeked into the younger girl’s face. “You like him very much don’t you” she asked giving her an amused look. Seora turned sideways to hide her suddenly blushing face. “Well...”

Bora grinned and patted her shoulder. “I’m impressed! My sister also has a good taste in men just like me!” she turned back to the jewellery boxes. “Let’s see...what our Seora is going to wear once she becomes Lord Park’s wife!”

Hair pins, gold and silver, that had gems in every colour engraved in them, rings and bangles, made with precious metals or ivory, and all kinds of Norigae (the jewel that Korean women hung on the hanbok), made with precious jewels. Seora gaped at the gift that was spread on the floor in front of where she was sitting, and gaped back at her sister.

“Unnie... Do I really suit such a big household?” she asked nervously.

Before Bora could answer her question, a maid came into the room in quick steps. “My lady,” she addressed Bora and looked nervously at Seora. “Lord Park is here and he asks to meet our lady Seora.”

Seora looked at her sister, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Bora stood up, and walked out of the house. And the younger one quickly got on to her feet as well, and tiptoed behind her.

And there he was, standing in front of their house, dressed in a coffee brown robe and a black hat, and his calm and arrogant demeanour making the maids of the house walk a few yards away from him while running their errands. Bora smiled and bowed to him, while Seora just remained to stand hidden behind her and peek at him.

“Welcome to our home, although it was unexpected my lord.” Bora greeted him, and the male bowed back to her. “Let’s go in first—”

“I came to meet Lady Seora, my lady.” Chanyeol said, cutting of Bora. “And if you don’t mind, I would like to talk with her in private.”

Bora was slightly taken aback with his straight forward request, and Seora was dumbstruck standing behind her.

“Well, alright I guess, take your time.” Bora gave him a forced smile, and went into the mansion at once, leaving Seora to deal with him all by herself. She went red, and nervously eyes him.

“Shall we talk in the garden?” he asked.

She nodded at once, and he started to walk towards the garden at the side of the mansion, where it was beautifully grown into a flower garden. And Seora quickly followed him.

He walked along the stoned tiled path, which was edged by white and yellow chrysanthemums, and came to a stop at the bank of the small pond.

“Lady Seora,” he turned to face her, his stern expression replacing by an earnest one. “Let me ask you one question.”

Seora listened to him eagerly, wondering what he might want to know.

“Have you ever loved someone?”

Seora shook her head. Chanyeol was the first man she had ever been interested in, and love, was completely foreign to her.

I like you very much, so thought you will become my love, that’d be my first love too. She thought, but;

“No my lord. I haven’t.” she answered.

Chanyeol nodded in silence. “Then it’d be harder for you to understand. Nevertheless, you should know this.” he stopped for a moment to take a look at her curious face.

“I love someone once, and I still love her. I cannot give my heart to anyone else because she’s the only one who lives in my heart.”

Seora bit her lower lip and nodded. “I understand.”

“So I don’t want to marry another woman and make her live alone for the rest of her life, as I will never love her and make her mine.” He went on. “So what I want to tell you is, Lady Seora, that I cannot marry you. It won’t do good to any of us. So do not get your hopes up by what my sister does, because I am the one who holds the right to take a decision. So this marriage won’t ever happen.”

Seora nodded again, biting in her lower lip as hard as she could. “I understand my lord, and...” she looked up at him and forced a smile. “I... I understand.” She couldn’t make out her emotions into proper words.

Chanyeol nodded, like a slight bow. “I’ll take my leave then. Thank you for your kind understanding.” He started walking away from her, to the exit of the mansion, but she called him to a stop.

“My lord! Take those jewellery with you. I don’t need