Miyoung sat in her room, her head slightly peeking from the doorway as she watched the young man sitting at the back porch, seemingly meditating. With each day that had passed she could not help but survey him at everything he does. He helped with the farm work, from feeding the animals to sowing the crops and even with the cooking. To her, it did not seem like they had a guest but a distant relative who had not been visiting them for a long time. Miyoung kept having this strange feeling in her chest everytime she would watch him work. This particular feeling went wild that one time she saw him tilling the soil without his upper clothing on. He had a well-sculpted body. His frame was just right, muscular and lean. She felt a familiar warmth in her cheeks as she remembered that day.

“You know, it is rude to keep your eyes on someone without them knowing.” The girl was shocked when she heard the young man speak. He stood up and went closer to her. “You have been watching me all this time?” She did not know how to answer him as she was frozen from their close proximity. The man chuckled and ruffled the girl’s hair. “It is all right. If you want to talk, all you have to do is ask, I do not mind. There is no need to keep a close eye on me as I assure you, I have no bad intentions.”

“D-de. J-joeseonghamnida, Taeng-ssi.” She could not look him in the eye. He smiled at the cute sight and went back to the back porch to continue his meditating. “J-jamkkanman!” Taeyeon was halted and looked back the girl. “W-would you m-mind if I j-join you?” Miyoung did not understand why she was stuttering. She has met many a young man but this was the first time she would be shy around one. Taeyeon smiled and nodded, letting her join him. The girl sat beside the young man and resumed eyeing him once more. “T-taeng-ssi?” He opened his eyes and faced her. She took a deep breath before speaking. “I was—.” suddenly went dry. She cleared it and continued on with her question. “I was wondering, but only if you do not mind, how did you come across our house that night?” Miyoung waited until Taeyeon eventually answered.

“Your mother has not told you yet? Algesseumnida. I was attacked by a mob while I was travelling that night.” She carefully observed the young man’s facial expressions. There was no change at all. “I tried fighting back, but I ended up getting injured. I ran, fighting for my life until I saw your house.” Taeyeon looked at his wound and remembered what really happened that night. Miyoung saw his fists go white as he clenched them tightly.

“That night seems to haunt you. It is fine if you do not wish to talk about it.” Taeyeon relaxed his hands when he heard the girl.

“Gwaenchanayo, I just cannot get over merchandise that was stolen.” He smiled at the girl and she smiled back. “I have been meaning to ask, you and your mother live here alone?”

“Ah, de. My father has been serving the feudal lord since before my birth. I barely got to know him as he was always fighting in a war or guarding his master.” Miyoung could feel the tears form at the corners of her eyes. “Then one day, umma and I received a letter. Father never came back after that day.” She wiped her tears away, accepting the truth that she had known since she was a young girl.

“I am sorry. I did not know and did not mean to pry.” Taeyeon searched his pocket for a handkerchief and gave it to the girl beside him. “He must have been a good man and did his duty as a father when he had the chance.” He did not know if it was the right thing to do but nonetheless, he sat closer to the girl and rubbed her back.

Miyoung was stunned by his sudden action, but she acknowledged the young man’s silent message. “G-gomawoyo, Taeng-ssi.” She smiled bitterly but he definitely understood why. “De, I think I should go help umma with the crops.” She wiped the rest of her tears and stood up. A hand grabbed hold of her wrist.

“Rest for a while. I will help your mother.” He smiled at her told her to go back to her room to relieve her sudden grief. She tried insisting but Taeyeon shook his head and pushed the girl lightly to get her going. She watched as he went to the field, grabbing one of the hoes and started digging beside her mother.

“How come I always get this strange feeling everytime I talk to him? Why do I feel like I have known him for a long time?”

Days passed by and in turn, weeks. Taeyeon had gotten closer to Miyoung and her mother. He felt like he was also a part of their small family. It was the first time in his life that he felt so loved and cared for. He practically grew up alone in this world since his parents died when he was still a child. There were no relatives that would take him in from both sides aside from a single cousin, who also passed away in the battlefield. He came to like this way of living but he knew that it would be detrimental to him somehow, most especially to Miyoung and her mother. Today he had accompanied Miyoung to the nearby village to sell some of their crops in hopes of getting enough money to buy meat from the butcher.

“So, Taeng-ssi. What is your family like?” Her question seemed to have dumbfounded the young man beside her. “I am sorry, I did not mean to—.”

“It is fine.” He smiled at the girl. “To tell you the truth, I never had a family. I had parents, of course, but they both died when I was relatively young.” Taeyeon looked back to when he was a young boy, when his parents were still with him in this world. “My father was also a soldier and fell in the war as well. He left me and my mother but soon after, sh