"SU JEONG UNNIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

The said girl, Han Su Jeong, quickly turned around after hearing that familiar, cute, whiny voice calling her name. Her eyes sparkled and a beautiful smile grew on that flawless face of hers as she realized just who the owner of that voice was.

 

"Joo Wol-ah!"

 

The little girl, Ban Joo Wol, now 3 years old and cuter than ever (minus her hyperactive personality though), giggled excitedly as she struggled with her little steps in order to reach her beloved playmate-slash-unnie for almost two years now, Su Jeong, not caring that behind her, a maid and four men carrying her supposed-to-be-ridden palanquin were running senselessly after her, screaming "Young miss! Young miss!" continuously, scared of the consequences they might receive if ever they lost that cute ball of trouble. But to no avail, of course.

 

Don't ever underestimate an excited kid on the run. Note that.

 

"Joo Wol-ie is here too?" 4 years old Su Jeong asked, surprised.

 

"Yes, Su Jeong unnie!" Little Joo Wol nodded vigorously. "Joo Wol is here with abeoji and eomeoni to see the puppets!" She announced, giggling happily at the thought of that puppet show she had always drool over everytime she would pass by the crowd in the markets. Her parents had made her wear those formal jeogori she hated very much with a promise that they'd watch the puppet show.

 

Su Jeong frowned. She took a spin of a head around the place. "Puppet show?" she thought.

 

"Puppet show? What puppet show?" She asked Joo Wol curiously.

 

"Puppet show with the princess and the king and the lion!" Joo Wol answered, confused as to why Su Jeong suddenly showed such interest. "Su Jeong unnie going to watch puppet show too?"

 

Su Jeong blinked. "Watch it here?"

 

Joo Wol nodded.

 

"But puppet shows are only in the markets..." Sujeong thought as she turned to the younger. "Joo Wol-ah, but we're in the palac-..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"JOO WOL-AH!"

 

 

 

 

 

The maid and the four men behind Joo Wol quickly bowed at the sight of a boy, a few years older than both Su Jeong and Joo Wol, who was panting rather heavily along with another five servants behind him (who we can guess ran along with their young master just now). The boy looked quite relieved now after he caught sight of Joo Wol, though, as he looked rather desperate and worried before.

 

Joo Wol blinked innocently. Han Su Jeong behind her, though, could only scan the older boy's appearance from head to toe. Over and over again.

 

"Joo-..."

 

 

 

 

"GI-WOONG ORABEONI!!!"

 

As quick as the whirlwind she was, Joo Wol quickly came in contact with the boy's embrace, sending shock to the boy himself and to Su Jeong.

 

Turned out, the boy was Ban Gi-woong, the Ban's first son and Joo Wol's older brother; the sole heir of everything Lord Ban, their father, has. He had been educated in the most strict of ways since he was a lot younger and thus limited his contact with most people. That was why Su Jeong had never seen him before, even when the Bans came to her residence or when she would come over to Joo Wol's to play. Gi-woong had always been inside, studying, like he always had to.

 

When Gi-woong finally looked up to see if there was anyone who has been keeping his sister company all the while, that was the time he finally noticed of Su Jeong's presence.

 

Truly, Su Jeong has never seen any other guy this.... handsome. Even for the standards of princess-ish Su Jeong who has only witnessed the pretty things in life.

 

My, she was even blushing!

 

"Hello there, agasshi," he slightly bowed to her. "You must be the Han Su Jeong my sister talks about all the time. It is nice to finally meet you," he smiled.

 

Truthfully, Su Jeong had wanted so badly to at least give some sort of answer or something, but her lips were sealed by both amazement and nervousness. So in the end (after much struggles inside), the only thing managed to fall out from little Su Jeong's lips were "Y-yes... D-doryeonim too..."

 

It was only a little whisper which turned out much weirder than how little Su Jeong had first pictured, but oh well.

 

Fortunately, Gi-woong didn't find it any weird. He only chuckled.

 

"You are a friend of Joo Wol-ie, so you can call me orabeoni also. Let us treat each other comfortably," he smiled.

 

Oh lord, that smile.

 

Su Jeong gulped. She even had to clutch on her stomach that started to feel weird. (Of course, she has not known yet that people actually call that feeling 'tummy butterflies')

 

While little Joo Wol could only glance back and forth at her unnie and orabeoni, feeling completely left out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Orabeoni, when are we going to watch the puppet show?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Joo Wol.

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

Truly, Su Jeong had been right with her assumptions: the puppet show Joo Wol had been talking about was no more than a mere bait to get the little tornado to obey her parents and attend this pointless party (at least to Su Jeong it was, since she still didn't understand a thing about politics or court matters yet) the palace had thrown, inviting all the court members along with their families; meaning both her and Joo Wol were bound to attend.

 

Though, while Su Jeong was sitting just uprightly on one of the chairs provided, pretending to enjoy the dances and music along the way, Joo Wol (who was seated just right across her) seemed to be interested in nothing but sulking, sulking, and sulking. As expected, she had thrown her tantrum just seconds after she was told that there wasn't going to be a puppet show that day, after all. She might still be screaming away now if it wasn't for her mother who came forward and pinched her on the , shutting her whining mouth right away.

 

For a moment, Su Jeong caught glances with the still pouting Joo Wol. It had tickled her to see that little girl's face so scrunched up it made her worry about the possibility of Joo Wol's pretty face turning all wrinkled up just like Gong halmeoni (that old lady who sold fruits in the market who always sulks all day but suddenly turned all nicey when Sujeong or any of the nobility would come by for a certainly unknown reason for little Su Jeong) or something. But hence, Su Jeong only smiled sweetly at the younger's direction. Soon enough, Joo Wol's sulking scrunchy face slowly melted away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Su Jeong-ah,"

 

Su Jeong turned her head towards the direction of the voice who called her just then.

 

"Yes, eomeoni?" Su Jeong's mother smiled at her, before pointing to a direction in the main stage, where the King and Queen were seated. Beside them were the few concubines the King has, and on the other side seated the royal princes and princesses. But Su Jeong couldn't exactly grasp a clear view of the others except for the King and Queen themselves.

 

"One day, Su Jeong," her mother sighed. "You have to become like that woman over there,"

 

Su Jeong took another peek, trying to grasp just who this woman her mother was aiming at. It hit her quite quickly considering her beyond-age genius brain.

 

"The Queen?" she questioned, yearning for confirmation.

 

Her mother nodded.

 

The little girl lowered her head. Trying to digest what her mother was trying to imply. Did she actually wish for Su Jeong to be Queen? Or was it something else? At this age Su Jeong knew one or two palace procedures and whatnots already, and her favorite currently was the Crown Princess election. She had learned how it worked and how it was supposed to go. She knew that the winner of that election would be crowned the wife of the current Crown Prince and also the Queen-in-waiting. Was her mother telling her to win that thing in a few years time? Impossible. Of course, Su Jeong knew bits about herself being a pretty-faced genius, but there was always going to be someone better, right?

 

Joo Wol, for example.

 

Beyond those rash acts and bullet gun mouth of hers, Su Jeong had learned that Joo Wol was also an incredibly intelligent child. Last time she heard, Joo Wol has almost finished memorizing (not reading; just memorizing) one tenth of the thousand characters of cheonjamun at her current age, and that was amazing, for a kid at an age where most children wouldn't even be interested to get near even one book. Surely, she got those brains from her father, the Minister of Education. And Joo Wol was also very pretty herself, if she may add. Her plump cheeks, her small nose, her fair skin... nobody would deny that she would grow into a glorious beauty later in her life. And of course, a tough competition for Su Jeong in that Crown Princess election if ever the both of them would enter the very election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And speaking of Joo Wol...

 

 

 

 

Su Jeong's little eyes grew as wide as they could as the realization hit her when she turned her head towards the seat previously occupied by Joo Wol, only to find it empty and the maid in charge of her poking her head everywhere in attempt to search for the particular little girl.

 

Oh no... Joo Wol has gone missing, Joo Wol has gone missing, Joo Wol has-...

 

 

 

 

 

"Pssst, unnie! Su Jeong unnie!"

 

Su Jeong jumped back on her seat, startled by the small voice that came out of nowhere. She glanced at her mother who still seemed to enjoy the show before her little head search every surrounding to find the source of that familiar voice.

 

"Unnie!"

 

Su Jeong quickly turned her head down, where the voice positively sourced.

 

And she was right all the way, for she instantly found little Joo Wol's head, poking from below the tablecloth, grinning like the little child she was.

 

"Hi, Su Jeong unnie!"

 

Su Jeong gaped. "What is Joo Wol doing?!"

 

Joo Wol chuckled as she scratched her head that actually didn't itch at all. "Let's go walking, unnie! Joo Wol love walking!"

 

Ooh... kay?

 

"Walking?"

 

"Explore!"

 

"Explore?"

 

Joo Wol nodded childishly. "Unnie go with Joo Wol?"

 

Well how about that?

 

To be completely honest, Su Jeong actually didn't mind touring this place with Joo Wol as she requested. At all. But the thing is, that she herself still didn't know her way in this huge maze called 'the Palace'. She pretty much got lost during the last two times she came here for her father.

 

Well, however genius her brain was, Su Jeong herself would gladly admit that there wasn't exactly a place for directions in that big brain of hers, apparently.

 

But now, taking a kid around a place that screamed 'doom' for her? Nonononononono~....

 

"But Joo Wol-ah, unnie don't think unnie can-...."

 

 

 

 

 

But little Joo Wol wouldn't care about anything (including getting lost) now, would she? After all, that kid is practically fearless. Too fearless it scared people who are close to her. Surely, there was a reason why every maid in her house would let out groans of disapproval every time they were informed that their duty that day was to keep an eye for the youngest Ban. Heh.

 

And now, like there wasn't like too much temptation already, Joo Wol was now using her puppy eyes on Su Jeong. Seriously? PUPPY EYES!

 

Ohhh, this is bad...

 

 

 

Su Jeong bit her lower lip. Don't... don't... don-.....

 

"Su Jeong unnie~"

 

Okay, there goes her sanity.

 

"Oh fine!" she finally gave in.

 

Joo Wol let out an excited squeal as she quickly pulled the unnie with a strength Su Jeong has never known that little ball of trouble had.

 

But she wouldn't have time to wonder about where Joo Wol's strength came from, right? She could only think about whether she'd regret this decision later or not.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

"FLOWERS!!!!!!!!!"

 

 

At the sight of the pretty garden, lit up with lanterns here and there, Joo Wol immediately jumped in glee, running around wherever her little feet would take her, almost completely forgetting Su Jeong who was now watching her from afar.

 

Su Jeong could only bite back a smile. It has been forever since she knew of Joo Wol's love for flowers and pretty gardens, but she has never imagined the girl could turn this lively around these flowers. She recalled the memory of their first meeting back a couple of years ago, this time not refusing the smile that grew on her thin lips. How that meeting have blossomed into the friendship the two had now. She recalled how lonely she actually was before she met Joo Wol. How her life seemed to fade in black and white as her days were only accompanied by books, maids, and the few hours she'd spend with her parents if not locking herself inside her room to read more books.

 

Sure, she loved books, it was just that as a kid only a couple of years old, Su Jeong couldn't deny her longing for things such as a playmate; a real playmate, somebody around her age that understood her childish language (however perfected it was in actual), not only people much older than her who were merely paid by her parents to sit and watch her run around by herself, just making sure she wouldn't catch a bruise. She had stopped playing run-around long ago since she found it weird to run by herself. She wanted somebody to run with her. She couldn't afford that before since she was an only child. Though if later her parents would conceive another child, Su Jeong promised herself to spend as many time she could manage to play with him or her.

 

Though when Joo Wol came into her life, everything changed.

 

For starters, Su Jeong actually envied little Joo Wol for having an older brother whom she could play with, assuming that it was the actual source of the younger's cheerful personality. Su Jeong envied the childhood playtimes Joo Wol seemed to have a blast in. Of course, that was before she found out that Joo Wol's older brother rarely had the time to come out and play with his sister because of those teachers, tutors, and lecturers that just didn't know when to stop even when Gi-woong himself wanted to rest for a bit and play with his younger sister.

 

It actually cheered Su Jeong up for a bit that she wasn't the only kid without a playmate in the whole kingdom of Joseon as how she thought herself to be. Especially now when she had found herself a compatible playmate.

 

Su Jeong heaved a sigh of content as she continued to watch Joo Wol running in zig-zags around the Palace garden to smell the pretty flowers here and there. She had gotten cautious not to pick any of the flowers now compared to when they first met, thanks to Su Jeong who told her sternly that "taking things that don't belong to you is bad". And look at little Joo Wol now.

 

Oh, she felt like a proud old mama....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"HEY YOU!"

 

 

 

A male voice suddenly pierced the silent night breeze, startling the two girls off their skirts.

 

 

"YOU THERE!"

 

 

Scared off her wits, little Joo Wol leapt her little steps toward Su Jeong, paling and her eyes glistening with tears threatening to fall.

 

Su Jeong softened at the sight. She knew Joo Wol wasn't a crybaby nor a cowardly girl, however young she might be, so as she stared at Joo Wol's guiltily frightened face, Su Jeong just couldn't help her protective instincts as she held Joo Wol even tighter in her embrace.

 

Honestly? Su Jeong herself was also as scared as hell. Probably as any frightened as Joo Wol was. If anything, that man yelling at them just now could be a palace guard that could-...

 

 

Ohoho, no Su Jeong. Go away you bad bad thoughts! Good thoughts... think good thoughts....

 

Cheon, Ji, Hyun, Hwang...

 

She started inwardly memorizing the first lines of cheonjamun, hoping it would calm her nerves, but in the end, it was doing nothing to help. Hence, she kept going.

 

Il, Wol, Yeong, Ceuk...

 

"Unnie..." Joo Wol trembled, not helping at all either.

 

Su Jeong gulped. What was she supposed to do? Tell the man her father's position? No. It could be an assassin instead of a palace guard and if the assassin found out that she was the daughter of the King's personal adviser and Joo Wol the daughter of the Minister of Education? Good sir, just how much were the two of them worth?

 

So screaming away daddy-o's position? Scratched out.

 

 

 

 

Then she remembered.

 

The shoe.

 

Of course, she has that weapon all along! Well, four of them, if she'd include the ones Joo Wol was wearing.

 

So slipping one of her shoe into her hand, Su Jeong screamed back. At the whoever it was.

 

"B-back off! Whoever you are!" she cried. "Su Jeong have two shoes and Joo Wol-ie's shoes too and Su Jeong is not afraid to use them!"

 

Joo Wol could only blink in confusion at the mention of her shoes. What is up with her shoes anyway? Joo Wol wondered as she glanced at the shoe in Su Jeong's hand, and then to her own shoes. Were they supposed to be magical?

 

Su Jeong, however, didn't particularly notice the confusion in Joo Wol's side, as her small eyes continued to roam around the place, in attempt to spot the guilty one.

 

"Su Jeong said come out!!!" she screamed once again.

 

Wow, wow... Han Su Jeong screaming? That was a once in a lifetime scene... Though it wasn't anywhere near 'scary', but more... 'cute'?

 

The unseen man seemed to think so too. As not long later, his scary roar was replaced with a gentle chuckle. Obviously, he had found these two girls (or Su Jeong at that) cute as well. But to the two girls' ears, his chuckle sounded more like more threat, and thus resulting Joo Wol to bury her head deeper into Su Jeong's chest, and Su Jeong scrunching up more to protect Joo Wol.

 

 

 

 

 

"You are cute," the voice said again.

 

Ohhh, this guys asks for it. If ever he showed up his face, Su Jeong woul-...

 

 

What did he say they were?

 

 

Su Jeong's eyes squinted as she finally locked a target on the spot she was sure the mysterious guy was hiding in.

 

"Come out!"

 

"Who said you were allowed to use informal speech on me?"

 

Su Jeong subsided. Does that mean the man was someone of a higher status than her? No, wait. How would he know her status if she didn't tell him?!

 

All of these were starting to give Su Jeong headaches. And Joo Wol in her embrace, whispering "be gone, be gone" wasn't exactly helping.

 

Su Jeong bit her lower lip. Let's just hope both her and Joo Wol would survive the night.

 

"Don't... hurt Joo Wol..." she whispered. "Su Jeong don't like Joo Wol hurt.."

 

Su Jeong was definitely on the verge of crying. Definitely. But now what can she do? Her palms were getting sweatier by the minute and her knees were starting to tremble.

 

The chuckle was heard again. This time clearer and somewhat friendlier than before.

 

"And who said I want to hurt you?" the voice said. This time, gentler and less dangerously.

 

Joo Wol, who has been hiding under Su Jeong's arms, slowly lifted her head up, searching the presence of the man who had frightened both her and her unnie since a while ago.

 

And just in time, the particular person stepped out for the first time, revealing his true figure to both of the girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Eh? You're not a guard,"

 

It wasn't a question and the three of them knew it.

 

Now, in front of Su Jeong and Joo Wol, stood a boy, about eight years old, and strikingly dashing. Almost as dashing as Joo Wol's brother, Gi-woong. But Su Jeong wasn't interested anymore. Her mind was too full with annoyance over the fact that this particular boy had played a prank SO not funny to the two of them to even care about his looks.

 

The boy scratched his head as he grinned guiltily.

 

"I'm Lu Han. Sorry for that," he said sheepishly.

 

Joo Wol blinked, trying to capture the boy's whole feature that was hidden in the darkness of the night, only lit by the moonlight and the numerous lanterns. He looks like orabeoni, she thought to herself. Just thinking about her brother made Joo Wol smile.

 

But opposite of Joo Wol, Su Jeong was now sulking away with the biggest duck pout she would ever make in a lifetime. She was still very upset about the no-joke-joke thing this 'Lu Han' has played on them.

 

"Not funny," she mumbled, more like a grumble, really. Lu Han heard it, that's for sure. But instead of apologizing sincerely, he did so with a laugh.

 

"I said sorry, didn't I?" he chuckled, "and I told you before, you really should address me with formal language. My rank is higher than you," he retorted.

 

Oh, the arrogance. If only Su Jeong didn't recall who she was and where she was, she might as well snort at that damned boy, whoever he was.

 

While Joo Wol has giggled away since a few moments ago, witnessing Su Jeong's sulking face which was indeed pretty funny for the little girl who was witnessing this for the first time.

 

Cute how it had always been the opposite.

 

"Su Jeong unnie, don't be rude with Prince," Joo Wol warned her unnie.

 

Hah! Prince! What Prin-...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh.

 

 

 

 

In that instant, the Lu Han boy caressed his chin while nodding in agreement with Joo Wol's words, impressed how a girl that small was able to recognize his royal robe.

 

And Joo Wol immediately exploded into laughter seeing Su Jeong's face fell.

 

While Su Jeong felt like hiding in a hole.

SHOUT OUT

*abeoji : formal term for 'appa'

*eomeoni : formal term for 'umma'

*orabeoni : formal term for 'oppa'

*agasshi : 'miss' or 'young miss'

*doryeonim : young master

*halmeoni : granny/grandmother

*hanja : Chinese characters ancient Koreans used to write before the invention of hangul

 

Ayoyyo all! guess who's back with a teaser?............ ME! your crazy author! ^_^

actually, I could have posted this earlier, but I was waiting for March ninth to come so I can post this baby right on my bday.... YEAH I SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH SNSD TAEYEON WHOOP WHOOP /shot

look, I know this teaser is probably slightly crappier than how you all would imagine it would turn out now that you've seen it, but AT LEAST IT'S LONGER THAN THE PREVIOUS TWOOO ><

and Krys had a hand on this one too, didn't ya Krys?? (she helped edit so yeah ^_^)

 

oh, and speaking of Krys, I actually have good news for you guys...

as you can see, I, author Joo, had always been the one producing all the teasers here, right?

BUT I ASSURE YOU that the NEXT teaser - yes, the very NEXT teaser - will be a glimpse of our co-author Krys's mindblowing writing skill!! *pops confettis and fireworks and rides a unicorn while throwing balloons and hearts and candies*

 

anyhow, please expect a lot from us in the future and give us lots of looooovvveeeee!!! ^_^

Joo and Krys, outttt!

 

(a/n: and just to let you guys know, that even though all the teasers have been revolving around Sujeong-Mark and Joowol-Luhan right now, but I can guarantee that we will NOT appear that much often anymore once the characters are chosen because Krys and I have agreed that THIS applyfic would hold stories only revolving around the applicants, so yeah... if you want to read about our characters, tho, Krys seems to have gotten her hands in some kind of sub-story for Sujeong and Mark, while I'm still thinking about it coz I'm lazy I want to focus on writing for you guys and another story for a contest I'm entering [alert: shameless advertising! >< /slapped] more rather than having a thousand stories going on and eventually forget about y'all lovely applicants *throws myself at you* so yeah, depending on the response, I might or might not start a separate sub-story for Joowol and Luhan, aaaaand..... yeah >< /slapped)