VIII

Kwon Eunbi, Officially Enters

Kwon Eunbi

21 years old.

Hailing from the line of Kwons that live in Hwanghae-do. 

The lineage is known for their great mastery of high class weapon and armor crafting, that even the royal army of the King of Joseon’s Royal Government has been relying for their supply of both, for centuries to this family, which made them also a rich powerhouse in Joseon.

Kwon Eunbi.

21 years old.

Is the eldest of the eleven beautiful daughters of the powerful and rich, Lord who serves as the main decision maker and leader of the House of Kwon.

Known in Hwanghae-do to be the epitome of athleticism, beauty, class, and charisma.

She is also known…

For her quiet yet terrifying frank demeanor, that earned her an infamous reputation around the rich society of Joseon, for making people feel trauma with her terrifying use of blunt words, if you wrongly crossed the beautiful woman.

And…

Kwon Eunbi.

21 years old.

Was the woman who made Shon Seungwan consider marriage 4 years ago.

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Kwon Eunbi and Shon Seungwan has not seen each other for years now, the last time they did it ended with tears and pleading from both sides.

The Kwon’s eldest beautiful daughter, was supposed to marry one of the handsome scholar from one of the richest and most powerful families in Hwanghae-do. So it made Shon Seungwan wonder, why Kwon Eunbi was now sitting opposite from her cheap office in the Makdong Hospital just staring at her, waiting for her as if to speak and ask for her purpose of visit in the capital.

“You’ve become more beautiful Eunbi…ssi.”

No one but Shon Seungwan.

No one but her, can make the silent beauty turn her dead stare, sparkle like you were looking at the crystal sparking water of the rivers reflecting the shining sun’s light.

She kept smiling at the doctor over her little praise about her beauty , unlike Seungwan who didn’t bother and was just drinking her green tea she spent a great deal of few minutes blowing to cool down.

“You too…unnie.”

Seungwan rushed to drink her tea and shushes the sparkling eyed beauty.

“Yahhh.”

“I’m sorry…but you did, you’ve become more beautiful Shon Seungwan.”

Eunbi slowly uses her hand to approach the doctor’s hand that was resting on her side of the table, but Seungwan herself, remove the hand her former fiancé was attempting to touch.

“Eunbi..ssi, just tell me the purpose of your visit so we can get this done.” A colder than snow reply, came out of the doctor’s mouth.

She had a hard time seeing the person that was once hers now spoke to her like she was just a stranger interrupting the doctor’s time now, the hurt Eunbi now gathered her strength to speak.

“My father was summoned by the King in Hanyang, and he wanted me to accompany him.”

The doctor just gave a nod as she continued to sip her drink.

“He…um…father…misses you too…oppa.”

“How long are you going to stay in Hanyang with your father?”

She didn’t even acknowledge the gentle beauty’s comment about Lord Kwon missing the former fiancé of his eldest daughter.

The truth was, Kwon Eunbi and Shon Seungwan have known each other when they were just little girls, Seungwan’s father Lord Shon Moo Sung, being one of the most trusted and respected generals of the King, had been good friends with Eunbi’s father. Shons would spend years visiting the Kwons in Hwanghae-do, mainly because Lord Moo Sung was responsible for the royal army’s weaponry and armor which the Kwons provided for.

These interactions has made the two, become good friends and even considered themselves as brothers, as they would spend vacations with each other’s families to bond.

Lord Moo Sung’s only daughter who was almost the same age as the Kwon’s eldest were introduced hoping to be just like their fathers to be best of friends, but Lord Kwon’s eldest already had an attitude and made Lord Moo Sung’s only daughter cry at every chance she can get. Unlike her younger sisters who little Seungwan befriended, little Eunbi would always leave a bad taste on the Shon’s kind only daughter’s mouth.

Seungwan would remember the porcelain skinned girl who had a mole on her left eye, even when they finally stop seeing the Kwons due to her father retiring from the army since he wanted to take of his ill wife and maintained their residence in Jeolla-do, that sadly was very far from Hwanghae-do, Shon Seungwan swore she will never let the younger girl of one year ever make her cry ever again.

Years would pass, Seungwan will be interested in medicine and due to only men being able to study it, she will disguise as a man successfully and even would top her class which she became classmates with the Prince of Joseon and Chanyeol to name a few.

Her father somehow learned this secret only after she became officially a doctor, he further learned his sons helped her by doctoring the papers which became even more convincing since Seungwan had a twin brother and now wanted her to stop before things turn for the worse.

But instead she used the opportunity to travel around Joseon and even in other countries like China and Japan, to escape the life he wanted her to live as a woman of this era under the patriarchal society, while trying to avoid her family who kept trying to track and find her.

She finally would visit Hwanghae-do, again and it was there she met the more mature yet sneakier infamous gentle beauty, Kwon Eunbi.

The eldest daughter of the richest and most influential man in Hwanghae-do, gained a reputation of making her suitors fall head over heels for her, but leave them drastically heartbroken when all of a sudden would announce how she was greatly interested with them and the next day would toss them like use toys on the ground.

Kwon Eunbi developed a thrill of chasing the most handsome and richest young noble men in Hwanghae-do out of boredom in her rich perfect life. She would leave them behind when she finally conquered them, hurting the men and people she had to go through to win them like women who fought for those young bachelors she stole, in the process.

It was the reputation of Seungwan as a ladies man that attracted her to the handsome doctor not knowing at first it was the same little girl who would repeatedly cry because of her mean streak.

How terrific it was to make the now gentle black haired and porcelain skin beauty so frustrated and puzzled when she kept wondering why the doctor would play hot and cold at her efforts of winning his heart. She ended up being rejected finally by the doctor which made her feel so insulted.

Since no man has turned down Kwon Eunbi!

It was always her and it will only be her who can toss men, not the other way around!   

Mad and hell bent on making the doctor taste his own medicine, it only took a few days when she learned through her father that Lord Shon came clean to his best of friend and confidante, by writing him that his daughter was actually missing and was disguising as a doctor, Lord Shon’s men last heard she was travelling by a ship from Jeju-do bound to stop in their province and was hoping he can keep it a secret at the same time help him locate his only daughter he hasn’t seen in ages.

Her suspicion of the doctor and the missing noble’s daughter being the same person, made her visit frequently the clinic the doctor was helping to gather solid evidences that would help her avenge her hurt pride. But instead of the gentle beauty’s evil plan, those frequent visit made her see what Seungwan really was…

A kind and amazing beautiful person.

It was the first time, Kwon Eunbi became aware of her own stupid and hurtful actions, that she finally realize how vile she was towards Seungwan when they were kids, for she remembered the kind little girl weeping repeatedly at how she treated her poorly when they were younger. She finally came clean to Seungwan, and apologized about her past actions towards her, and also informed her in the process of what her father and Lord Shon’s conversed about her.

The two decided to start over and became friends, so much so Kwon Eunbi would even assist the doctors and staff in the clinic, it was so surprising especially to the father, including his wife, who gave up disciplining his eldest for they were too scared of their eldest daughter whom they dearly favored, so when they witnessed their Eunbi became kinder and even humble, they just had to know what was the reason moreover, who was the person responsible for this great character development.

Seungwan and Eunbi came clean to her parents about the doctor’s real identity, their friendship and finally, how the two fell in love with each other as they spent almost everyday enjoying each other’s company. At that time the two women were ready to fight for their love if Lord Kwon would have disapprove of their relationship.

But instead, her parents and even younger sisters were all so happy and supportive of the relationship that blossomed between the two women, Lord Kwon didn’t even care that Seungwan was a woman, his only concerned was to make sure that the doctor will truly be loyal and love her daughter.

This support even caused a rift between the bffs, Lord Shon and Lord Kwon, since the traditional father could not believe his best of friend was enabling what he thought was a sin like Seungwan’s identity, preference and relationship with the same .

Lord Kwon’s support of their relationship even led to discussion of marriage, since he did want to see his daughter get married already to the woman of her dreams, and the fact that Seungwan proved how amazing she was in winning the Kwons with her charms and kindness, finally made him ask Seungwan to marry his daughter.

Shon Seungwan still remembered it like it was yesterday, the weather was very similar to what she was seeing in her small office’s window in Makdong. The cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom when she asked Kwon Eunbi to marry her and finally begin their new chapter as a married couple, and of course the very much in love younger woman of one year didn’t even hesitate to say yes.

But an unexpected tragedy, made Seungwan withdraw from the near wedding they had arrange.

Maybe it was immaturity or the fear and panic of the thought she was losing Seungwan, but Eunbi didn’t expect her own reaction towards the withdrawal of the doctor, was selfishly making Seungwan choose between her and the responsibility she took for herself from that tragedy that has befallen her.

Seungwan begged her to understand, but the hardheaded gentle beauty wasn’t able to do so and refuse.

Kwon Eunbi still remembered it like it was yesterday, the weather was very opposite to what she was seeing in this small office’s window in Makdong. The cherry blossoms were beginning to wilt, when she asked Shon Seungwan to choose her, for one last time or finally end their relationship right there and there, and of course the very much in pain older woman of one year, refused and finally decided to end things with her.

 “You know I spent the few days I visited here, interrogating –I mean, asking Doctor Chanyeol about you and he said you went to Weonju…for this woman…a known beautiful gisaeng coveted by all men, in one of the gisaeng houses here, he made it appear like the two of you were more than friends.”

She hoped with that statement, the doctor would react and deny, but Seungwan just continued drinking her tea and avoiding the eyes of her former fiancé who tried finding and failing to see an ounce of denial on her face, Eunbi lets out a weak laugh.

“Does Bae Joohyun really look like me?”

Her unexpected topic of question made Seungwan finally stare at Eunbi, it was kinda painful for her to see that the first time she would look into her eyes since they sat opposite of each other was the mention of another woman’s name, with a similar appearance. 

“I bet…we just have a striking similar feature…that’s why people kept saying we look alike, since oppa wouldn’t have fallen for someone who looks like the woman he hates right?”

“Eunbi..ssi…”

“Of course, anyone who would make you choose between her and your mother…”

“Eunbi-“

“…Instead of understanding your predicaments would end up being hated by anyone since it’s selfish and very unforgivable, to think that-”

“Eunbi, I don’t hate you.”

Seungwan paused for a few seconds.

“I never hated you, I got upset for a long time…but there wasn’t any hatred for you.”

“So….what do you mean by being upset?”

The doctor shook her head and sarcastically grinned.

“Imagine all those four years, I have waited for you and you’ve never even contacted me…so yeah, I was upset…but I just accepted it that you didn’t wanna contact me since we did end in bad terms…and I decided to let it go and let time heal both of us.” She smiled.

Her eyes were so full of longing and agitation as if she wanted to explain herself to the handsome doctor she has known for almost two decades now.

 “I heard you are about to get married to that handsome rich scholar in Hwanghae-do right? Congratulations, Eunbi…ssi.”

She didn’t know what was more painful, Seungwan kept repeating the formal word in her name that insinuated that they were no longer close anymore or just her tone of voice with her greeting that sounded so warm and yet giving a hint that she was finally letting Eunbi go.

“Oppa…what if I told you….”

The former fiancé and first love of Seungwan was shaking, so she cleared and spoke again.

“…what if I told you, my real purpose of visit here is that I finally realized that I wanna be by your side no matter what, as your lover…and if you do permit it…to be finally your wife, supporting you wherever, whenever or whatever comes your way, while you find a cure for your mother?”

If she heard that 4 years ago, Seungwan would have been so delighted to hear it from her first love she intended to spend her forever with, before. But, things have changed now…and one woman in particular that she was waiting to get back in Hanyang made her instead look at Eunbi with sorrow in her eyes.

Eunbi crumpled her right shaking fist by her thigh, she hoped as she was waiting for Seungwan’s reaction and words, she will be glad to give her another chance to show how much she has grown and change, but all the expression she saw on the doctor’s face was nothing but the opposite.

“Is it her?”

The doctor was caught by surprise of the question.

“H-Huh?”

“Are the two of you dating already?”

“W-Well…not really, we are still in the get to know stage…b-but…she is indeed -Joohyun’s special to me.”

She began making her two index fingers meet since she remembered how intimate they have gone now and almost went to dangerous territories when they stayed together in one room during that rainy thundering night back in Weonju. The younger woman of one year can’t help but feel hurt and annoyed by this woman who now she has to compete over the doctor she dearly wants to return to her, which made her click her tongue gently.

“Does she know about your real identity oppa?”

“My real identity?”

That somehow made Seungwan felt a huge pain in her chest and stomach, as she pictured the trusting eyes and smile of Joohyun, she realized she has not yet come clean with her, about her real identity and the longer this unlabeled romantic relationship she had with Joohyun the longer she was betraying the said woman’s trust.

Her fear suddenly kicked in, what if…

What if Joohyun will feel mad and betrayed by Doctor Shon’s lie?

And what if…what if, she does forgive her but learning of her identity she will break things off with Seungwan before they can even start things with each other?

She began hanging her head in shame and worry, it made Eunbi feel more protective and guilty at the same time of feeling that she contributed in Seungwan’s weak willed heart and now wanted to make sure no one can hurt the doctor’s heart ever again.

“I….haven’t told Joohyun the truth, we don’t even have an official romantic relationship…but…but I am waiting for her, once she comes back from Weonju she and I will talk, I don’t know what will be her reaction is, but I have prepared myself to whatever her answer will be to me.” Seungwan says with a cheerful pout and tone.

The handsome doctor’s positive outlook, made Eunbi smile at how adorable she was and was so happy that during those four years of being separated the cheerful and kind Seungwan, she hurt and scarred, wasn’t ruined. Which somehow made the gentle beauty more eager to win back the heart of the doctor to prove to her that she has indeed grown for her.

She suddenly stood and now approach where the doctor was shaking her adorable hamster looking fist, she seemed like she was about to leaned to the doctor, that it made Seungwan panic.

“Y-Yah, Kwon Eunbi what are you-“

Long nailed pink colored nails hand that belonged to the gentle beauty now touches the doctor’s chin and Eunbi suddenly leaned to the doctor who got so nervous, from her alluring aggressive charm.

 “Shon Seungwan, I’m going to take advantage that Bae Joohyun is not here, and show you how much I grown up, enough for you to give another chance to this woman who regrets letting a very special person like you, go.”

Eunbi now moves away and goes to the door to exit.

“Yah…I told you…I’m waiting for Joohyun already.”

She stopped and now turns to grin at the doctor.

“But you aren’t dating yet right? You have no label of your relationship yet…so all is fair game in love and war, since you’re technically still single Doctor Shon.” Kwon Eunbi shows a dangerous coy smile.

One of the smiles she would show before to Seungwan that made her weak to her knees with how beautiful and irresistible Eunbi to her before….and even now.

“Eunbi! Y-Yah! I’m quite serious with Bae Joohyun!” She stood and slapped her desk.

“See you around, Doctor~”

The gentle beauty ignores the doctor’s weak plea of making her stop whatever she was planning, and finally flips her long black hair and leaves the flustered doctor.

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Seungwan runs outside the newly built part outside of the hospital, she chases for Eunbi but she already entered her carriage and ignored the calls and shout of the doctor who wanted her to stop whatever she was planning.

“Aish! Kwon Eunbi!” The doctor shouted again in frustration.

The second in command doctor, Chanyeol was peeking from the corner along with Seunghoon who was hiding with him since they were waiting for the gentle beauty’s leave.

“”H-Hey, did…she leave already?”

Seungwan turns around to see the frenemies together by the corner.

“Yahhh, what are the two of you doing there?”

The little protégé automatically runs to hug the waist of his hyung, while Chanyeol now began whining.

“That girl is really scary, you know what she’s equally as scary as Bae Joohyun! She kept asking me stuff about you, and when I refused to talk she would retaliate by commenting about how poor my work was, even commanded me to do stuff like she was a doctor herself! A-And when I kept failing meeting her demands she would glare at me and make me repeat the process! Granted she seems very knowledgeable about it! But still! That woman is a bully!”   

Eunbi can be scary and serious over medical stuff since she did become an unofficial intern in the clinic that Doctor Shon had in Hwanghae-do, she was so good at her job that Seungwan even considered that the gentle beauty herself could be a nurse…or doctor too, if she wanted to be. Realizing that Eunbi never forgot the training she did four years ago with Doctor Shon in the clinic, Shon Seungwan can’t help but show a proud grin to one of her (unofficial) protégé.

“Yahhhh! Seungwan-ah, you think it’s funny? Your bully former fiancé just bullied your friend! How can you let this be!”

“And I will do it again, if you keep slacking off during work hours, when you’re especially the doctor of this hospital, and carrying Doctor Shon’s name.”

Eunbi interrupted the ranting of the tall doctor from her ex.

“Eeep!” Chanyeol hid behind the handsome small doctor.

“Oppa, can we talk tomorrow for lunch?”

She asked as she makes her way to Seungwan.

“I can’t I’m busy.”

“How about the next day?”

“Busy.”

“The whole week?”

“Busy, busy, busy.”  Seungwan even shakes her head at every time she pronounced the word “busy”. 

Eunbi sighed and now approaches the doctor to hand an expensive wrapped gift, judging by the expensive fabric she used.

“Oppa, I almost forgot this is my gift to you from Hwanghae-do.”

“W-What is this?”

“You know the ginsaeng you use to love there…the one you would drink…

“In the morning…after, we-”

Seungwan covered the little innocent protégé’s ears.

“Yah! Kwon Eunbi language!”

“After we had our morning walks before, doctor~ Oh my…what are you even getting at.” She blushes and now even gently pushes Seungwan to tease the doctor of whatever she might have been thinking about that they were doing.

Seunghoon might be young, but he knew when people had ulterior motives, and seeing the gentle beauty as she kept giggling like a squirming beautiful bird, he now was glaring at the potential love rival of his Joohyun noona, whom he promise that he will take care of his hyung while she wasn’t around.

“Villain noona! Leave my hyung alone! And stop coming here, you are not welcome!”

“V-Villain what? A-And by the way! Who made you the boss of this hospital you little worm?”

“Worm!? I’m not a worm! Arf, arf, arf! *hissing cat sounds*” The catdog boy started growling at Eunbi.

The gentle beauty was about to choke the boy when it’s Seungwan herself who stood in between the little protégé and her gentle ex fiance.

“Anyways! Eunbi thank you for the gift! You can go now, we are going to be busy 24/7 since we are renovating the hospital now and are about to hire a new staff, so please don’t pressure yourself coming here since I will be busy too!” Seungwan lets out an awkward laugh.  

“Hmp, fine!”  

She glared for one last time at the little protégé and finally left the scene.

“Anyways come on Seunghoon.”

“Where are we going hyung?”

“Well didn’t you wanna buy a kite for the contest you wanted to participate? We can buy it out now, since the adults in Makdong will be busy starting tomorrow since we will be hiring the new staff for the Makdong Hospital!”

Seungwan threw her fist in the air as she rejoices for the blooming new hospital she was in charge that she was happy to be a part of.

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The night illuminating the crescent moon.

Seungwan already had her own room since the renovation prioritized other than creating larger rooms to accommodate patients, were the doctors and nurses living quarters that needed to be upgraded since they will hire more doctors and nurses in the future, but she was still sleeping with little Seunghoon since the boy refuses to sleep in the room that was created for him, as the doctor was finish fixing their sleeping futons she wondered where was the little protégé and why he hasn’t prepared for sleep time.

“Seunghoon?”

She walks to the hallway and now heard the boy whimper, the handsome woman pretending to be a man now ran outside to the garden.

“Ouchiiiieeee.” Seunghoon cried.

Seunghoon almost tripped from the uneven ground as he tried flying his large colorful kite that he, Seungwan and Chanyeol bought a while ago in the market.

“Seunghoon-ahhhh, didn’t I tell you to just fly that thing tomorrow?”

He got startled as he realized his elder brother / mentor was just behind him.

“Oh…hyung, I’m sorry I just wanted to try flying it.”

Little Seunghoon was now panicking as he rolled the thread of the big colorful kite with his little hands, Seungwan crouched to him as he help his little protégé fix the kite.

“Hyung….thank you so much for buying this expensive kite, I promise you I will win the contest and win the pork set!” The always teary eyed boy sniff his tears away and stared at his hyung he loved dearly.

“Aigoo, no need to win anything for me, you know how much I adore you Seunghoon, of course hyung will buy you anything you want since you have been always a good obedient protégé!” Doctor Shon pinches his cheek.

Filled with gratitude Seunghoon wraps his little arms on the doctor’s shoulders.

“Thank you hyung.”

Seungwan giggled at how cute the boy was whining to her and now rubs the little back that her protégé had, she wondered for a sec as she remembered that when they were in the kite store, the little boy seemed so knowledgeable about the materials and even was asking the owner of the store about kite specifics, that the two adults that accompanied him called Seungwan and Chanyeol were so impressed by him.

 “Seunghoon.”

“Hmmm?”

“How come you know a lot of stuff about kites?”

The boy paused for a few seconds.

“My papa is actually the locale champion in Hanyang Kite flying festival hyung! Sometimes we would play by the rice fields our family had, that even my mama would even beat papa when we would play with each other!”

He says with a great proud giggling smile to the doctor who adopted him.

“It was…kinda…how my family bonded, when papa and hyung was done toiling our fields, while I helped mama cook for the day.”

Seunghoon was quick to tears but oddly enough this part of his life he was sharing to his mentor didn’t even make himself cry.

“My brother…and I…promised…when hopefully….things got better, we will join the kite competition held every year in Hanyang…so papa and mama would see us from above….and, hoping they don’t worry anymore, and instead will feel happy and proud of what we have become…but since…my hyung is gone….I’m hoping I can make the three of them proud in their loving memory.” Little Seunghoon says with an innocent smile.

His innocent voice, and how calmly he told the story behind the kite knowledge he had, made Seungwan feel a bit of pang in her chest since she was realizing all over again how quickly this boy had to mature when he was just really a little boy who was pushed to maturity all because of the tragedies he had face.

“Yahhhhh, the two of you sleep already! Stop making our kind boss lose sleep over your need to for playtime Seunghoon!”

The tall doctor who didn’t know the father-esque and his son were sharing a tender moment, comes out to lecture the two while he was putting his own concocted mud mask on his face. 

“Deh, doctor!”

“Tell you what, why don’t we practice together tomorrow after work? Hyung will cheer you on?” Seungwan now puts her fist onto the air to cheer for Seunghoon.

“I like that hyung!”

“Okay, now you go wash up so you can prepare for bed.”

The doctor tells her little protégé who now began running to inside the sleeping quarters of the staff of the Makdong Hospital, Seungwan sees his tall friend, Chanyeol staring at him.

“Aren’t you gonna sleep as well?”

“Yah, you aren’t gonna turn to those protagonist I read in romantic novels, wherein just because their former special flame comes back you will have a hard time to choose between who will you end up with, right?”

Seungwan is caught by surprise by the doctor who keeps applying his special mask on his face.

“What?”

“Well, I don’t really know Miss Kwon that much…other than she can be pretty scary and rude…but judging by how patient she was in waiting for you, it seems like she is indeed here to win you back, question is…are you going to entertain that idea or stick with a particular gisaeng that is in Weonju?”

“I thought you don’t read those type of books doctor Chanyeol? My my, what an intriguing side you have my friend~” She says with a grin on her face.

“W-Well…I meant…I just…Nurse Choi likes to read them not me! Anyways whatever, just get some sleep since