After an umpteenth checkup with a doctor, I got freed from the big red bedroom.

“Go with Eun Hui. She will take care of you.” Minho told me.

I followed her into the palace filling myself with wonder. That place was amazing.

“This is your room. Everything had been prepared. You can go in. I’ll come for you tomorrow.” Eun Hui informed me once in the least decorated part of this maze.

I opened the door and came in. The place was small. The walls were light yellow.  A single bed was against the right wall. In front of it, on the left wall, was a wardrobe full of clothes and uniforms. At the opposite of the door was a window. Finally, on the same side of the door a small desk was against the wall.  I was full of hope, like a newborn coming on earth. I walked in, touching everything, trying the bed and sitting on the desk chair. Then suddenly I saw it. A small black leather book was left on my desk.

Mi Yeong heard a lot of things about the out world by Eun Hui and the others. Like, the story of this woman who fought with her husband and went to a hotel to stay for some days. She couldn’t remember the name of the place since she didn’t give it attention at that time. But she was sure that there’ll be other hotels. Many of the palace guest stays at hotels which have different name. So here she was with the idea to find a hotel.

However, the big front door of the palace was like a huge and scary obstacle. She never went further; she didn’t know what was behind. She swallowed a last time and grabbed the handle with her trembling hand.

Behind the door, the world seemed infinite. The palace was huge right, but there, it had no end, no wall and it was so noisy. Of course, Mi Yeong knew what the world looked like out of the palace thanks to the television, but seeing it with her own eyes was something different. She felt out place…

One last look at the palace and she walked away.

After one hour, she got used of the noise and the street lights but not the people. They were bumping into her by not being cautious, they were running, biking, laughing, drunk… How could they behave this way?

Many men tried to talk to her, insisting on giving her drinks and on how she looked pretty. Each time she would escape them by running a bit. Where could she find a hotel? She tried to ask for a road but no one was taking time for her. She really felt lost and invisible. She missed the peace and calm of the palace. She looked at the night sky but couldn’t see anything except the black sky.

Another hour of wander passed when suddenly she saw a LED panel saying “Hotel” on a building’s side. She sighed of relief and entered.

“135.00* won per day. How long will you stay?” said the old woman at the lobby. (120.54$)*

Mi Yeong looked at her purse. She never thought that hotel would be that expensive. If she stays there only for 30 days, she would lose all her economies.

“I changed my mind.” She answered.

She bowed and left the place. Hotels were too expensive. She wouldn’t be able to stay too long. She needed another idea. She went back to walk but her stomach started to growl. She was hungry. Of course she didn’t eat her dinner before living her room. She looked at people from a restaurant behind a window. Even the food was expansive. How will she survive the world? At least, she thought food would be at a reachable price.

“Are you hungry?” asked an old lady passing by her. “Did you left home sweetie?”

Mi Yeong looked at her with eyes saying everything.

“Come with me. Granny will cook you something.”

Minho couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about Mi Yeong’s words. He couldn’t stop thinking of Ga Eun. He remembered how at first she just ignored him after he got transfer in her college class. He was the super star of all the university. He couldn’t walk without getting love letter or screams. Only she was ignoring him. But as time passed they both fell in love and they married against his mother will. He remembered her voice on the day she said “I love you”, he remembered the day they exchanged their vows and rings. He remembered everything as if it was yesterday, but Ga Eun wasn’t here anymore. Ga Eun disappeared of his sight; she disappeared from this world, only memory was left.

He kept moving in his bed from one side to the other, facing the roof of his room or facing his pillow, he couldn’t sleep at all. He got up and went for a walk into the greenhouse. He took the main path and met Min Gyeong’s rose tree. It was Ga Eun will. She wanted to plant tree for each child’s birth. That is why a peach tree had been plant into the garden for Min Ah birth and a rose tree had been plant for Min Gyeong’s. Ga Eun was excited to see that pretty rose tree she chose for her son. But because she got involved in this accident she never saw it.

Suddenly Ga Eun disappeared of his mind to be replaced by Mi Yeong. Right, that tree was also a memory of his first meeting with her. It was where he found her, that pretty lady with no memory. This place where instead of finding his wife, he found a crying and hurt woman looking at the roses as if they were the most precious things on earth.

His heart ached. He was torn between his lost love and his new attraction. Yes, he developed attachment for her. He cherished her, but he couldn’t forget Ga Eun, not yet. It was only a year ago. It was too recent. He couldn’t let her go that easily as if she hadn’t existed. But if he’d renounced to Mi Yeong, he could lost her too. Minho closed his eyes and hit his chest with his fist. Why was it so complicated? Why would destiny draw this for him?

He needed to talk to her. He needed to see Mi Yeong. It hurt so much that he could barely breathe. He needed to see her. Only her presence was releasing his anxieties. He turned tail and headed to her room.

The house of the grandmother was small but she felt the warmth of it. After eating the good and hot meal the granny cooked for her, Mi Yeong gave her some money even if the old lady refused it at first.

“You should try the public bath sweetie. It would be low cost solution until you find something better.” The old lady advised her.

Mi Yeong bowed and thanked her until the granny got back indoors. “Public bath…” she whispered “why not…” She walked following the grandmother directions and entered the warm place.

“8000* won” said the lobby boy. (7.15$)*

Right! That was better, really affordable. The boy gave her a pink uniform and towels before letting her go inside.

It was clean, it was warm and seemed so comfortable. She will be good here. She remembered that colleague that walk away from his wife with his kids and stayed there for days. She should have thought of this before!

After taking a shower she entered the main shared room. She took a small pillow and after finding a quiet corner she tried to sleep.

Minho was standing in front of Mi Yeong’s door. He was hesitating. Like it was late, she might be sleeping and with the way she ran away… Maybe she didn’t wish to see him. But… but he wanted to see her, he needed her, he was craving for her presence… He bit his lower lip and knocked on the door.

“Mi Yeong, may I enter?”

Of course, he got no answer. He knocked a second time but as it stayed silent he grabbed the handle.

“Mi Yeong, are you in?” he said by passing his head by the door.

When he saw that all the room was messy and the bed sheets undone, he panicked. He opened widely the door, stepped in the small room and the light. It was as if someone rubbed the place. Her clothes were on the floor, her book upon the clothes and the desk… What was that painting of Ga Eun doing on the desk? How Mi Yeong did get it? He grabbed the painting with way more strength that should be necessary damaging it on its sides. That painting was… that painting should have stayed lost. It shouldn’t be in the real world. He raised his arm up to throw it on the floor with rage, but he couldn’t. His pain was too big to do this. He couldn’t talk to Mi Yeong anymore... He wasn’t able to face her that night… Always having the painting in his hand he left Mi Yeong’s room.

Seeing Minho leaving with that much energy Eun Hui got curious. What happened with Mi Yeong for the King to be that angry? She walked the few steps separating her room from Mi Yeong’s. But in front of it she got scared and ran into it. What happened in here?

“Mi Yeong you there? Mi Yeong are you alright?!” Eun Hui screamed at her friend.

She looked under the clothes, under the books, the bed, the desk but her friend was nowhere. She found it weird… where would she be if not here? Did she hide in the palace scared of what Minho did to her?? Eun Hui got up from under the desk decided to look in the palace. But before she made a step she saw a small piece of paper at her feet.

“To Eun Hui,

I walked away from the palace. You were right. How can a small servant be in love with her King? How can I believe that I can conquer his heart? This is ridiculous. I don’t know what I hoped?

Please tell our King to not to worry about me.

Do not try to look for me I will be alright.

Thank you for all you did for me.

- From Mi Yeong”

She was… gone? What was this mess? She needed to tell the King! She was under his protection after all. Since the day they found her in the greenhouse, she and the King promised that they would be her guardians. She ran, heading to the King’s room but suddenly remembered his mood. She walked back to her room.

The next morning Mi Yeong analyzed how people would “live” in this place. How they would eat, how they would talk, how they would behave with others. It was interesting in a way. It was like living in the TV. The outer world was really different from the palace world. Did these people know that difference? She wondered…

She was sat in her corner, eating eggs and drinking tea, making her analyze. She was quiet on her pillow, asking for nothing, disturbing no one, but some mother suddenly called her out.

“Hey girl, why are you looking at us that way?!”

At first she wished the ahjumma would talk about someone else but her hope got destroyed when she called her out a second time.

“Why you don’t answer? I asked you why you looking at us that way?!”

She pointed a finger at her and the ahjumma nodded. All the bath clients were now looking at her.

“I don’t mean any harm. I was just thinking that you look like a happy family.” She answered a bit shy.

It was right; she was watching them, thinking how it should feel good to have a family, to feel secure in your mother arms.

The ahjumma looked very pleased by her answer and walked to Mi Yeong. She grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the family round.

“Don’t stay alone then! Come and eat with us! I’m Kim Hae Won, and this is Hyun Ok, Hyun Shik, Hyun Ki and Hyun Jae. But you can call them 1, 2, 3 or 4. That’s easier and they are used too. My husband is gone to grab more food, he is called Kim Jung Hwa. Welcome into the family!” said the mother all excited.

“I’m Mi Yeong. Thank you for welcoming me.” said Mi Yeong all thankful.

She also explained why she had no family name and she begun to be friend with the whole family. When they left she felt suddenly very lonely. She missed the palace…

“It’s me, your majesty” the spy said in front of the dowager Queen door.

“Enter” she answered.

The spy kneeled in front of her Queen and showed her a small paper. “Yesterday night, Mi Yeong walked out and disappeared. Inside her room she had left this paper. What should we do your majesty?”

Minho was heading to his office after he had placed the painting back into the garden house. It was its place. Anything from that house should stay there. That small room was the guardians of the hurt memory, of the things you wish could stop hurting… He went there very early after taking his breakfast.

On his way back, going through the garden he couldn’t help but look for Mi Yeong. It was as if seeing her from afar had become a habit. But to his surprise, he couldn’t find her. She wasn’t with the outdoor group, she wasn’t in the greenhouse, and neither in the corridor of his quarter… She was nowhere. He remembered her messy room and her absence of last night.  Worries filled his head and the worse idea crossed his mind: abduction!

“Was she… NO! Jong Suk! Jong Suk where are you!?” he yelled in the corridors in front of his room.

Where was Jong Suk in that situation! What was he doing! He is usually always behind him.

“Jong Suk!” he repeated strongly.

The bodyguard was running to his King. He seemed really scared. Something was going wrong!

“I’m here Minho, what is it?!” he yelled back form the end of the path all sweaty.

When Minho saw him he ran to him not waiting. He was really worried. Mi Yeong couldn’t disappear from the palace! She couldn’t be in trouble, it would be too dangerous for the palace!

“Mi Yeong has disappeared! That’s not good… You know what I mean… What if…” Minho told his friend.

“She… what? HOW? This is a real problem… Do you think someone…?” Jong Suk understood and started to worry too. That wasn’t a good thing at all!

“I don’t know Jong Suk… It can really be dangerous…”

“Did you ask Eun Hui?” Jong Suk tried to keep his mind awake. The King shook his head. “Then let’s start here!”

Both followed the corridor leading to the staff’s area.

“Eun Hui?” said the manager “She is on permission outside. She said her mother relapse last night. So I gave her the permission to go see her at the hospital. Why are you looking for her?”

“Mi Yeong disappeared.” told the bodyguard.

“Ah! Right, we couldn’t find her this morning. We looked in her room but it was if she never lived in.”

“What?” exclaimed Minho.

He hurried in her room followed by the both palace servants. How was his surprise when he saw the room fully tidied? The clothes were folded, the papers and book on their shelves. She was right, it was if no one ever lived here. How was this possible?

Eun Hui was running from one hotel to the other. She started from the closest to the palace to the furthest. She couldn’t do all the hotel of Seoul. It was impossible! She was losing hopes until she entered this hotel.

“Ah! I saw that young lady!” said the lobby woman after Eun Hui show her a picture of Mi Yeong. “But she isn’t in our hotel. She left when I told her the price.”

Eun Hui followed back her friend’s way once the lobby lady told her which way she took. It was going to be tough… It was almost noon and she felt hungry. It was none sense to run everywhere like this with an empty stomach. She entered the first restaurant she found, letting things on the table.

“Ah!” said the waiter at the picture.

“Do you know her?” Eun Hui told him full of hope!

“Yes! She was looking inside from the window. She didn’t enter but she went with granny Min Jun. She is well known in the neighborhood.”

“Do you know where she lives?”