Walking around the Gisaeng House, Miyoung took a moment to look around the place, noticing some of the women walking by. They were all poised and well-dressed, wearing light colored hanboks and pale make-up. Unique hairstyles seemed to be the representation of their social status among themselves, as Miyoung noticed the tea-brewers with common and simple braids and the dancers with the full blown crown hairdo polished with combs or laces.

Some of the women were gazing at Miyoung, their eyes following her steps and moves while walking past them. She even saw a couple of them holding their fans above their nose to hide their faces.

When she heard footsteps nearby, she turned her face around, noticing a young girl wearing a gold yellow hanbok. Her bottom skirt was predominant white but a rainbow waistband gave her a bright and uplifting look. She was so young and small, Miyoung actually thought for a second that the girl was a child.

The girl made a polite bow towards Miyoung. “Is there anything you are looking for, Milady?”

“Not specifically.” She answered, calmly. “But Madame Cho told me you guys have thermal saunas? Can you show me where it is?” If there was something Miyoung was desperately needing at that moment was a good bathing time.

“Of course, Milady.” The girl obeyed straight away, leading Miyoung to another building, a bathing lodge, where Miyoung could have her hygiene restored.

Miyoung didn’t waste much time chit-chatting with the girl and proceeded to remove her clothes and finally threw herself at the water so she would be clean from all the dust on her body and the dirty thoughts of her mind regarding Taeyeon.

~~*~~

Once she was finished, it was already dusk time. She felt completely clean and relaxed, and really thought that it was a blessing that they have found a house with such nice services in the lands where they were.

Miyoung found the same girl from before still at the bathing lodge, waiting for her to finish her bath.

“Is there anything you are looking for, Milady?”

Miyoung frowned, not exactly liking the question again. Was that girl following her? Why was she so eager to serve Miyoung like that? And where were Juhyun and Heechul? Miyoung hasn't seen them in a while.

“I came here earlier with two friends of mine, can you show me which room they are in?” She asked, politely.

The girl blinked. “Friends? Aren’t they servants of yours and your Lord Husband’s?”

Miyoung blinked, realizing that this was the very first time someone referred to Taeyeon as her Lord Husband. And she would be lying if that didn’t make her smile. Having Taeyeon as her official Lord Husband would be a dream come true.

“Yes. But they are also our friends.” She confirmed to the girl in front of her. “So bring me to their room. I need to talk to them.”

The gisaeng nodded, leading Miyoung to an area where the rooms were much less rich and expensive than the one she was with Taeyeon just some moments ago. Miyoung started to notice how there was almost a need in that place to please her and Taeyeon at the maximum level, yet for Juhyun and Heechul, they barely had the decency to get them a similar treatment.

Miyoung got mad a little bit for that. Yes, they weren’t of a higher status than her, but they were still guests in that house. And considering Heechul had some money left due to the journey they just had, he shouldn’t have been denied the services that she and Taeyeon were getting. If he had money with him enough to pay for those, shouldn’t he still be worthy of their services?

“There you go, Milady.” The girl bowed again, letting Miyoung at the front of their room.

“Thank you.” She thanked her. “You can leave now.”

“Madame Cho says we have to serve all our guests best, Milady, and it’s better for us to stay with you all the time so anytime you need us, we might be there right away.”

No way Miyoung would want a bunch of gisaeng girls sticking with her like glue. Especially when she wanted to talk to Juhyun in private.

“Just leave. In case I’mma be needing your services, I’ll ring the bell.”

The girl wasn’t entirely convinced but ended up nodding her head. “Understood, Milady. Excuse-me.”

Miyoung waited outside for the girl to actually leave the area before getting inside the room.

“Man, this is a weird place…” She added up, repeating Taeyeon’s words from before.

“It’s not that bad to be honest.” Heechul answered, smiling. He and Juhyun were sitting side by side around the small table, drinking some cups of beverages and eating breads and pieces of fruits. Juhyun actually had a scroll in hands but once Miyoung entered the room, the handmaiden stopped reading its content and greeted her with a nod.

“Oh, I see you had a bath yourself, Milady.” Juhyun quickly noticed.

“Yes, we were having a rough time in the desert there.”

“True.”

“Won’t you guys clean yourselves up as well?”

“Yeah, but the gisaengs said we should wait till ‘Lord Commander Taeyeon uses it.” Heechul screeched up, grimacing for the term. Miyoung chuckled. “He is not a lord. Or a commander.”

“They don’t need to know that.” Miyoung approached them, sighing. “Let them believe he is just for today, just so we can have a good night of rest.”

“How is he by the way?” He asked, curiously. “Bet he is getting all the best services for him. Stupid bastard always get the good stuff.”

“He is actually having a hard time.” Miyoung sighed.

“Is he?” Juhyun asked, frowning.

Heechul chuckled. “Taeyeon is a weird man.” He left it out, picking up a piece of grapefruit and eating it. “He is not really fond of brothels or gisaeng houses in general.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think he is too picky with women or something. He doesn’t really bed many girls. And to be honest I can count with my fingers the times I’ve seen him indulging in ual affairs or something.”

Miyoung felt her cheeks warming up when her mind thought of Taeyeon and his ual matters. She soon shook it off from her head. “He is very conscious about everyone’s safety.” She spoke up, recalling the conversation she had with him earlier. “He feels responsible for everyone’s well-being and isn't really keen on indulging himself with things because that might bring trouble to the group.”

“Yeah, sounds like him.” Heechul agreed.

“He is really pressured to be reliable and dependable. Makes him overthink everything.” Miyoung said. “And because he is the only one knowing how to swordfight, he feels like he has the duty to protect everyone.”

Heechul sighed. “He really shouldn’t feel this way.”

“Yeah, I told him the same thing.”

He blinked. “You did?”

“Yeah. I told him he can share responsibilities with the others. Just because he is the leader of the group, doesn’t mean he has to burden them all.”

“That... was actually nice.” He added and Miyoung smiled in gratitude. “It's good advice. Let’s see if that bastard sinks it in his head.”

“He is an incredible man.” Juhyun pointed it out. She lifted the paper in her hands again. “I can’t believe he has done all those things.”

“And there’s more to come.” Heechul chuckled.

“Did you know, Lady Miyoung? Heechul is writing Leader Taeyeon’s story?”

“Yeah, he told me that.”

“It’s amazing, really! Can’t wait to see if he is gonna find the scholarman he needs to find in Hanyang…”

“It’s the closure we are all asking for…”

Just as Heechul said that, Miyoung looked at Juhyun again, realizing something.

“Juhyun…”

“Yes…”

“Do you know how to read Hangul?” Miyoung just recalled the moment where Heechul showed up his book to her and Miyoung couldn’t read because it was in Hangul.

“Of course! Every female servant in the palace of Rosegarden knows how to read Hangul, Milady. Hangul is made for commoners, women and servants of all classes, Maester Choi once said.”

“I thought you could read chinese.”

“I can read chinese!” She confirmed. “Not as good as you or your family could with all those poems and books but I can read messages and vendor signs.”

Miyoung just blinked obliviously. Didn’t that make Juhyun more educated than she was? How come her servant knew how to read both scripts when Miyoung only learned how to read one?

“Interesting.”

“I thought you knew that.”

“No…” She frowned. “No, I didn’t.” She realized.

“Are you not okay with that?” She asked, frowning. “Shouldn’t I know how to read Hangul, Milady?”

Miyoung just shook her head sideways. “No, of course I’m okay with that. It’s not a problem for me that you can read Hangul! I just never….realized that… That’s all. It’s kinda cool though… I’m happy for you Juhyun…”

“Are you?” She found the question a bit weird.

“Yeah, it’s just… it’s like you have the best of both worlds, you know…”

“Best of both worlds?”

“Yeah, knowing how to read Hangul and Chinese? That is amazing! You should be proud of that!”

“Thanks...I guess…” Juhyun clearly was finding that weird as Miyoung never really expressed her opinions on servants learning Hangul and chinese before.

She looked at Heechul for a minute or two.

“Something wrong, Lady Hwang?”

“Can you teach me how to read Hangul?” Heechul and Juhyun just exchanged looks.

“Uh…”

“Taeyeon told me it is easy to learn.”

“It is.” Heechul confirmed. “But you are a highborn, and highborns don’t read Hangul…”

“I’ll be the first highborn to learn how to read it then.” She said, shrugging her shoulders. “I want to read your book as well once it’s finished. On its integrity. No translations, no transcriptions from other men, you and your true words. I want to read your book and so every other common poet’s texts and tales!” She said excitedly. “I want to talk to the people of Rosegarden, to communicate with them using one common language. I want them to know I’m not estranged from them and that we can share a common knowledge. I want them to know they matter to me!” “I don’t really care that Hangul is not for nobleborns! I really want to learn it! I want to know both scripts!”

Heechul blinked. “Okay… That’s fair.” He cleared his throat. “Alright, I guess there is no problem in teaching how to read Hangul.”

“Great!” Miyoung nodded. “Any time you wish to start, I’ll be ready…”

“Okay, fine. ” He straightened up his posture and grabbed a piece of paper, a brush and ink. “Get ready, Lady Hwang, your Hangul lessons are about to begin!” He exclaimed, making Miyoung smile, excitedly.

~~*~~

“Now, try to read this…” Heechul suggested, pointing to a sentence he just wrote on the paper.

Miyoung grabbed the piece of paper, paying attention to the characters written in very neat calligraphy. “The book is on the table.”

“There you go. You’re fluent in common language, Lady Hwang.” He laughed.

“C’mon...it’s too easy.... Write something more challenging!” She asked, amused.

“Okay.” He thought for a second and then wrote another sentence just below the previous one.

“Matters of heart don’t follow stupid laws and conventions…” She blinked when finished reading that line. It resonated with her deeper than she would’ve expected.

“See?” Heechul backed up. “You’re totally ready to read anything.” He said, smiling.

“Why did you write that specific line, Heechul?” Juhyun asked him.

He scratched the top of his head. “I told Taeyeon that line once. You know, just from top of my head. He said it was a good line and I should put it in the book somehow. So I did some mental notes and I’m trying to use it in the proper situation.” He explained. “Didn’t quite manage so far.”

“It is a good line.” Juhyun confirmed.

“Thank you.” He appreciated it.

A knock on the door was made, grabbing their attention for a second. The gisaeng girl from before, who had brought Miyoung to that room, walked inside.

“Excuse me, Milady. But our performance of The Princess and The Cobbler is about to begin and Madame Cho welcomes you if you are interested.”

Miyoung nodded. “Okay, thank you.” She said. “Are you guys interested?”

“If we have to spend the night here…” Heechul spoke up. “Might as well enjoy what they have. Let’s watch it.”

“Pardon me, but Madame Cho doesn’t allow servants to watch the play. Only noblemen and their Lady Wives are allowed to watch it.” The girl revealed.

Miyoung looked at Heechul and Juhyun.

“It’s okay, Milady. You can go if you are interested. Heechul and I will stay here.”

“Yeah, we’ll finish eating and get ourselves ready to sleep. We meet tomorrow morning.”

Miyoung nodded, still not liking how that place was diminishing Juhyun and Heechul. “Alright, good night.” She said, standing up and following the maiden girl suit.

~~*~~

The performance was about to happen at an open area of the house. There were props made of paper-mache and a couple of lanterns already settled in the scene. There, Miyoung noticed other guests and visitors gathering up to watch the play. All the guests seemed to be of a higher-status as well, as the men wore fine vibrant clothes and tall hats and the women were japanese-silken hanboks and intricate wigs.

“Seems like everyone decided to come here.” Miyoung heard Taeyeon say nearby. She turned her head towards him and he placed himself beside her. He was the only man not wearing a tall hat in that place, which Miyoung was grateful for, as the hat would hide his magnificent hair and some of his facial features away.

"Everyone this place considers fancy enough..." Miyoung commented. Taeyeon smiled.

He had a bun of white bread in his hands, to which he