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The next morning, Jandi again woke up surrounded by maids already stripping her of her nightgown and brushing out her hair. Thankfully, this time she wasn’t being scrubbed and primped for a press conference, but instead for a walk through the imperial gardens with her husband.

“The media loves you, Young Mistress,” said Hyemin, the outspoken young maid from the day before. “They say you’re the epitome of a… a charming country girl.”

Wryly, Jandi thought Hyemin had put a rather nice twist on what the media was truly saying about her. They were only seeing what they wanted to see, anyway, considering that the way she had been dressed and treated at the press conference was not at all an accurate depiction of Jandi.

“Master Do wants you to go on a walk with Young Master in the imperial gardens, which are just private enough to be romantic and just public enough for the media to see,” Hyemin continued, yanking a brush through a particularly stubborn knot in Jandi’s hair. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Jandi grimaced and tried to ignore the sting of her scalp. More media play, then. Not exactly a wonderful way to spend the morning by her standards. But at least if the Kyungsoo she had met last night was anything to judge by, the walk with her husband wouldn’t be entirely unpleasant. A maid shoved her arm through a sleeve and yanked the dress down, smoothing it over her body in an amazingly efficient way considering Jandi was still in bed, and before she knew it, Jandi was again trussed up in an ugly dress, although it wasn’t nearly as horrid as the press conference dress from the day before.

“Off you go now, Young Mistress,” another maid said, and Jandi was fairly pushed down the stairs to where Kyungsoo was waiting.

He really looked unfairly handsome, considering how early in the morning it was, Jandi decided. It was hard not to feel upstaged by her own husband when he looked so smart with his button-down shirt with the first few buttons undone, hair slicked back, shoes polished, and hands casually shoved in his pockets. Jandi wasn’t a vain girl, not now and not ever, but she couldn’t help wishing she could be dressed in something less abominable when standing by his side.

Kyungsoo offered her a polite smile and his arm. “Are you ready for our walk?”

“Oh, yes.” She accepted his arm. “To the imperial gardens, is it?”

“Yes.”

They took a car to the imperial gardens, which Jandi found ridiculous considering the whole point of this outing was for them to be seen out walking in public. The entire ride was spent in near silence. Jandi asked a few questions about how Kyungsoo had slept and whether he enjoyed the imperial gardens very much, all of which her husband answered with short one- or two-word answers. By the time they arrived at the gardens, Jandi was wondering if someone had come and replaced her husband in the night. What had happened to the sandwich-holding man with the teasing grin and velvety voice of the night before?

Before they exited the car, Jandi hesitated. “Kyungsoo, have I... done something wrong?”

He turned to frown at her, a little crease developing between his eyebrows. “No.”

“Then why?”

“Why what?”

She bit her lip. Maybe she was imagining things. Maybe she had imagined last night. Either way, it wasn’t her place to be questioning his behavior now. “Never mind,” she said, forcing a smile. “Let’s go for a walk. I can’t wait to see the gardens.”

***

The imperial gardens were absolutely glorious. Jandi could barely hold back a cry of delight as they stepped through the ivy arch entrance. Spray after gorgeous spray of blossoms lined the path as far as the eye could see, and the perfume of the flowers made her want to inhale deeply and never exhale. Fruit trees bursting with ripe cherries and sweet-smelling fruits she didn’t know the names of beckoned in the distance.

Kyungsoo’s smooth voice brought her back to the moment. “Do you not have plants like these in the countryside then?” He was watching her carefully, monitoring her reaction.

It was the first real attempt at conversation he had made all day, and Jandi noted her husband seemed to have relaxed ever so slightly after entering the garden. She beamed at him, too excited by the garden to restrain her emotions.

“Not like this! We do have trees and clearings and flowers, beautiful ones of course, but nothing so wondrous as this!” She tugged at his arm unconsciously, rushing over to one side of the path to point out an especially lovely rose bush. “I didn’t know roses could be this shade of gold!”

“Ah yes,” her husband said, the faint note of amusement she had heard last night coloring his voice again. “This particular rose bush was genetically engineered to match the shade of gold in the imperial crest. Commissioned by the late emperor, of course.”

“A man of good taste, then!” Jandi exclaimed, squatting to examine the rose in greater detail. Kyungsoo’s smile widened slightly at that.

“Yes, exceedingly good taste.”

Realizing belatedly how unladylike her behavior was, Jandi flushed and stood again, brushing invisible dust off her skirt. All she wanted was to take off these detestable shoes and run wild through the garden like she would have if she were at home in Geumdo, but she knew she couldn’t do that here. Not anymore.

“Shall we move on?” Her husband nodded at the path. “There’s more to see farther down.”

She tried to preserve what dignity remained and nodded, holding onto his arm. “Of course.” They strolled for a while longer until they reached the outskirts of the garden, where the path bordered a fence keeping out unwanted visitors. Eyes sweeping around them, Kyungsoo slowed his pace and bent to her ear.

“Reporters and photographers are just beyond that fence,” he said quietly. “Don’t speak unless I speak to you, and just keep walking until I tell you to stop.”

Jandi’s eyes widened. “Yes,” she breathed, not daring to look at the fence. They drew closer to where the reporters waited, and Kyungsoo drew her closer.

“It’s a lovely day today, isn’t it, wife?” he asked a little louder than his normal speaking voice. “Perfect for a stroll.”

“Yes,” she squeaked.

“A lovely day and lovely flowers,” he continued, “but none so lovely as you.” Tugging her hand to make her stop walki