The journey to Busan was awful in many ways. The ship which Taeyeon and Heechul got on was not the best option they could’ve got. It was a small ship, with just one mast and sail, not having many ways to make the voyage faster. Due to the size of the ship, there were only 2 rooms available, with no spaces for beds, so Taeyeon and Heechul had to sleep on hammocks during the whole trip. That made them have pain on their backs and sore muscles during their trip. The waters were also a little higher and the waves much more pronounced, making Taeyeon feel twice as sick on that ship.

The ship was a family-business thing, mainly focused on trading materials from southern islands to the mainland of Joseon. The ship crew consisted of the owner and captain, Baek Jin-Ho, his wife Yoo Yujin and their sons, Baek Tae-il and Baek Dan-i, both already in the same age group of Heechul and Taeyeon.

The company of the family made the trip a little more bearable to Taeyeon as she found them very fun and nice people. Heechul became closer to the boys than she did, especially the youngest brother, Dan-i, who shared similar interests with him. Throughout the journey, Taeyeon had gathered the label of “never-fazed-Taeyeon” due to her seemingly cool, silent and collected manner. But she dared to blame her motion sickness for her ever-serious mood during the trip rather than her own personality.

When the ship finally anchored at Busan’s Harbour Port, the crew stood tall at the ramp of the boat, looking at the movement nearby.

“Ah, Busan!! You guys are gonna love it!” Baek Jin-Ho, the owner of the ship exhaled deeply, satisfied with the atmosphere of that port.

“Are we?” Heechul asked, curiously.

“Oh yeah!” His oldest son, Baek Tae-Il, spoke up just as excited. “Busan is the second biggest province of Joseon! And there is so much stuff to do! There are festivals, marketplaces, merchant routes, theater and public performances! It’s the most thrilling and exciting province of the land! We always come to Busan during this time of the year, not only Father gets the business going, but the city itself offers a lot of things!”

“Sounds fun.” Heechul agreed.

“I’d recommend you to stay for the Autumn Festival.” Yoo Yujin, the mother of the family, suggested.

“The Autumn Festival?”

“It lasts for a whole week. Some like to call it “the golden week”. There is so much food, attractions and events happening in town during the festival. It truly feels like a gift from the heavens!”

“It’s amazing.” Tae-il agreed. “Every day, it’s a different attraction. There is boat racing, the lifting of the lanterns, archery and fighting competitions, the dance of the dragon and many more!” His voice raised high in excitement. “One can not come to Busan and not enjoy the Autumn Festival!”

“When does it start?” Heechul asked him, seemingly excited as well.

“On the second week of the 10th month.” Baek Jin-Ho answered. “Autumn is often considered to be the best season for people around this area, so they like to go big in Autumn. It is indeed very special.” He smiled. “Tae-il enjoys sword competitions and Dan-i likes to watch the recital performances of the Hwarangs. There is always something for you at the Autumn Festivals in Busan.”

“What’s a Hwarang?” Heechul asked curiously.

“It’s a group of men involved in the fields of arts.” Dan-i himself answered. “The Hwarangs Academy was created hundreds and hundreds years ago, by Queen Sundeok, and it’s secluded to boys and men who want to pursue the fields of arts, ethics and law. I think there is a clan that also engages in combat skills or something, but it’s very exceptional.” He explained. “Busan is the land of Queen Sundeok, before Joseon became Joseon, and the province still tries to maintain traditions from her era to its present day. Both as a homage and as history of our land.”

“That’s kinda cool.” Heechul approved.

“Busan and other provinces in this coast worship Queen Sundeok a lot.” Yujin added up. “She united our land when it was divided by three kingdoms. Her conquests and battles are often depicted on scrolls, books, poetry and many other art forms.”

“The words of Busan follow her conquests through the three kingdoms.” Jin-Ho added up. “Ours is the Glory.”

“There is an old temple on a hill near this harbour, built in her honour.” Yujin continued, pointing her hand to the designated place. “If you go there, you can learn more about Queen Sundeok and her story. It’s very unique.”

Tae-il nodded his head. “It is said she led more than a hundred thousand men at one point! A hundred thousand warriors! Can you believe that? Kings and Queens of the past were on another level, man, I swear!”

“After she became Queen of Joseon, she opened up academies and institutes for the fields of art, science and warcraft.” Dan-i was the one speaking up this time. “The Hwarangs are one of them. It’s centuries old and there is a wide variety of opportunities for men who don’t want to follow a military path. Hwarangs often come to show their expertise on some days at the festival.” He continued. “Mostly their recital of poetry, their calligraphy and their painting.”

“That’s awesome!” Heechul said, his voice peaked in curiosity.

“It’s very boring.” Tae-il soon retorted. “The fighting competitions are the best to watch. Many great warriors are from Busan and their duels are a great sight! The fighting arenas are open to the public so everyone can participate. They often organize amateur championships and the finalists receive great prizes! Aren’t you interested in that, Taeyeon?”

Taeyeon blinked, looking at the boy between her and Heechul. “Me?”

“You’ve got a sword with you, don’t ya? Might give it a try while here…”

“I don’t take part in sword fighting competitions.” Taeyeon quickly dismissed it.

“C’mon! Let me see you fighting!” He insisted. “Heechul told me you are good. Why not take the opportunity you have here to try some luck? If you get in the finals, you can earn money! That ain’t bad.”

“I don’t take part in sword fighting competitions.”

“Why have a sword as cool as this one and not use it?”

“C’mon, Tae-il, no need to be so pushy like this.” His mother called. “Taeyeon has his reasons, don’t bug his feet about it so hard like this.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Taeyeon said. “I just think it’s always a hassle to fight in those tournaments. I much prefer just watching.”

“We can watch it together if you are interested!” He spoke up, excitedly. “Usually, it’s just me in the stands watching that. Might be fun having some company for a change.”

“I’m not sure if we can stay here for so long.” Taeyeon gave it a second thought. “If the festival is starting in the second week of the 10th month, we might need to wait 2 weeks for that... That’s a long time.”

“Man, you can’t come to Busan during Autumn season and not stay to see the festivals!” Tae-il quickly rejected Taeyeon’s thoughts. “What’s the point of even coming here if not for that?”

Taeyeon sighed, not really having much excitement about the festival. All she wanted was to reach Hanyang as fast as possible. “We have little to no money with us. I don’t think we can afford it.”

“The festivals are open to the public with no fees for entrance.” Captain Jin-Ho spoke up. “Unless you want to participate in one of those competitions. But watching them should not cost you anything.”

“If you are worried about your night stay, you can sleep on our ship.” Yujin offered, gently. “When it is anchored, you can’t feel motion sickness. Might give your brain a little time off.”

“We shouldn’t take so much off your time and resources…” Taeyeon tried to reject it. “This trip was already enough.”

Yujin smiled. “You are a young boy with no money, Taeyeon. You paid us to board this ship so you could reach Busan. But now that you are here, it doesn’t mean you should leave so soon. You guys were a good company for our boys, we don’t mind having you around.”

Taeyeon didn’t know what to say.

“If you are going to Hanyang, it could take you years till coming to Busan again. Enjoy this little chance you have. An adventurer like you shouldn’t miss an opportunity like this one.”

“I’m not an adventurer.”

Yujin smiled. “We’re all adventurers in this life, young boy. It’s the choices you take that make you get somewhere.”

Taeyeon blinked, feeling those words hit her differently. “What about you?” Taeyeon asked her. “What do you like to watch during the festival?”

“Yujin loves the theater plays.” Her husband answered on her behalf. “Some teach us history and others tell us stories and folk tales.”

“Like the Princess and the Cobbler?” Taeyeon asked, recalling the theatrical performance of that tale she watched when Miyoung and Taeyeon were hosting themselves at the gisaeng house on the way to Gwangju.

“Yes!” They both agreed.

“Some are performed by theater groups, others are sung as music.” Yujin said. “I find them very inspirational.”

“I see.”

“You should give it a try.” Jin-Ho spoke up towards Taeyeon. “Might put a smile on your face at last.” He joked, smiling.

Taeyeon blinked, not letting the words really affect her.

“Oh, come on, honey, he is just a serious boy with dry humour. No need to make him feel bad for his personality.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Taeyeon repeated, finding it kinda funny that both husband and sons were always being called by Yujin. The family had a light and good relationship despite the challenges of living on the waters from shore to shore. Taeyeon wondered if she had a family, they too would’ve been like this.

“Taeyeon is often sick at sea.” Heechul tried to defend her. “So he always looks grumpy when he is on a boat.”

“Look at the bright side of things. This boat is so bad that if you manage to handle this voyage alright, you can handle anything.” Jin-ho said, smiling, making everyone in the group laugh.

Taeyeon just chuckled. Even though she looked “grumpy” and sick, she was actually glad that their journey to Busan ended up alright. The Baek family was very warm and their company made Taeyeon switch her brain off from everything that happened at Mokpo Island for a while.

If possible, Taeyeon wanted to forget everything that happened in Mokpo and just move on.

With no stupid rumours about lost princes.

And no more feelings towards Miyoung.

~~*~~

“If I ask you to stay for the festival, would you get mad at me?” Heechul asked her, during their tea time together.

“Why would I get mad at you for asking that?”

“We didn’t quite manage to stay around a big city for much longer. Especially to witness a grand festival. You always made us move before that could happen. So I thought this time would be the same.”

Taeyeon sighed, still in doubt. “I don’t know Heechul. We have to wait two weeks till the festivals begin, and then stay for the entire week during the celebrations, making a total of three weeks in total. Three weeks in this place is a long time.”

“I don’t think we lose much by staying here for a couple of weeks in order to see the attractions.” He tried once again. “Now that Lady Miyoung isn’t with us, what’s the hurry we really need to have to go north?”

Taeyeon pondered for a second. “You wanna watch the Hwarangs, don’t you?” Taeyeon asked him, trying to guess his reasons.

“Well, yes.” He confirmed it. “But I also think the festival would do you some good.”

Taeyeon frowned. “Do me some good?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you smiling ever since arriving at Mokpo.” Taeyeon looked downwards. “Something happened on that island that broke you, Taeyeon, and it’s not only about Lady Miyoung, is it?”

Taeyeon didn’t answer it. She never really told Heechul about the rumour of the lost prince and never even dared to mention that Nam Yong-Su takes her as the son of King Jaeyong.

If she was the child of the former king, and that information got out of control, that would make her a target to the higher noble clans. Something Taeyeon was not very interested in being. And if she was the child of the former king, she could only be sure about that when getting to Hanyang and finding Park Minshik. And if this was the way Master Kim wanted her to find out, so be it. The best course of action was keeping that to herself and following the plan she always had.

“It was tough for me in many ways.” Taeyeon recalled. “It’s not entirely related to Lady Miyoung, but that certainly took a big part of it.”

“She just abandoned you, Taeyeon.” Heechul commented on it. “After everything you did, she just bluntly let you on your own without an ounce of support.”

Taeyeon took a sip of her tea. “Thanks for the remainder.” She said, a little sarcastic. “But I can’t really blame her for that. I always knew that would happen.”

“You always knew?”

“Yes. Her and everyone else. I always knew that it would happen, why do you think I’ve kept it hidden away from you all for so long?”

“Were you planning to go on with that lie till reaching Hanyang?”

“Yes!” Taeyeon confirmed. “It wasn’t hurting anyone, was it? Till Lady Miyoung messed things up.”

Heechul chuckled ironically. “I told you so.”

Taeyeon sighed. “I’m not regretting having her around for that time being, if that’s what you get from that. I saved her one time, she saved me another. And it was nice to have some girls in the group to balance things out. All you boys do is talk about , and have bottles of beer.” She complained. “At least I had proper conversations with Lady Miyoung.”

“You have proper conversations with me.”

“It’s not the same.” Taeyeon said it, making Heechul blink his eyes, a little shaken with that. “I don’t mean in this way.” She quickly tried to correct it. “I mean like… it’s nice to have some female friends for a change after so long. It’s a different type of connection.”

Heechul sighed, seemingly understanding. “Is that why you decided to help her in the first place? Back there in Midsummar?”

“Yes.” She answered honestly. “I had a feeling that if I didn’t, no one would. Especially because she was disguised as a servant. Life is already hard for lowborn people, a poor servant girl from a northern province? That would be hell. Things just snowballed afterwards. Didn’t really count for her being the Lady of Rosegarden. Or she having feelings for me.”

“You really didn’t count for that?”

“I tried to be really, painfully careful with that. But it didn’t work.”

“Of course it didn’t. Why would she not develop feelings for you after everything you did for her? Considering your looks and behavior and the general assumption of your gender?”

Taeyeon just exhaled. “I don’t know. I was just hoping and dreaming.”

Heechul looked at her deeply for a second or two.

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