Jung Hae Jin and her maid, Junbi, were getting ready to go celebrate their New Year out in the market street with everyone else. When they got there, they head to the lanterns first before exploring the big, loud crowd.

"Agassi, here." Junbi hand her a rectangle, cherry blossom lantern with brown borders on the outside. Haejin took the lantern and lit the candle inside of it. She hung it up on a string with some other lanterns and make her wish.

I wish....to have a happy life after tonight.

After making her wish, they head down the market to see what they're selling. Haejin and her maid accidentally entered a big crowd. Haejin reached out for Junbi and both made their way to the very front. A group of dancers were performing and doing action moves. Haejin face lit up and starting to clap her hands in excite.

"Agassi, it is interesting ?" Junbi smile at her. Heajin turn to her with a quick response. "Ye.."

"Junbi ah...Do you want to go see te fireworks ?" Haejin asks her maid. She look at Haejin with big, happy eyes.

"I'd love to, Agassi." She bowed down. Haejin took her hand and head to a firework shop. "Two firework sticks, please."

"Ye..." the owner bowed his head and quickly went to go grabbed them. "Here you go, agassi."

"Thank you." Haejin smile while bowing her head head down. She ran to Junbi, who was waiting for her at the corner of the shop. But when she got there, Junbi was gone, with no trace. Haejin dropped the fireworks onto the ground and look at every directions. But still no Junbi, just people smiling and laughing. 

"Junbi ahhh." Worries fill Haejin's body. "Junbi..where did you go ?" But there was no response from her.

"Agassi !!" Junbi look through every corner of every thatched houses. "Agassi !" She head down into the street, where more people are crowding at. Junbi make her way through a group of crowd that were dancing in joy. She suddenly bumped into a sotf, gentle body.

"I'm so sorry." She bowed down, not having the guts to look at the person. But instead, the person bend down and smile at her.

"It's okay. Happens everytime." Minseok give her a cheeky smile. But Junbi didn't dare to look at it.

"I'm really sorry....Na-eul-ri (My Lord)." The man next to Minseok whisper in his ear.

"Sejah, we should hurry up and go." Minseok stood up and clear his throat. "Should we at least help this maid find her Agassi ?" the man said nothing back, but nodded his head. Minseok turn his attention back at the maid. "I see that you're searching for your Agassi. Do you mind if we help ?" Junbi quickly react to that and stand straight. "Naeulri..."

"Junbi ahh...." Haejin sat down at a restaurant. A lady came over to her table, "Do you want anthing ?" Haejin shook her. "No thanks." the lady went back to do her business. Haejin sat queitly, thinking what could've happen to Junbi if she's not around. "My poor Junbi...where are you ?" She rubbed her chest.

 

"Agassi !!" Junbi shouted, along with the two men she just met. "Naeulri, I'll go check this way." Junbi took off after pointing to that direction. Minseok and his bodyguard took the opposite direction. After a couple of minutes of walking, they stop at a restaurant, the one Haejin was at earlier. "Ssh.." Minseok put his index finger against his lips. "Do you hear that ?"

His bodyguard nod his head, "Yes, I heard it too." They both got up and cautiously followed the sound of a weeping. It was getting closer and closer, when they spot a group of gang dragging a young lady. They covered so she couldn't scream or yell, she was struggling to escape from the man's grip, but couldn't.

"Will you be quiet?" The man turned Haejin to face him. "Shut up !" But Haejin didn't care and still tries to escape, she chop his arm outward and make her run but he grabbed her wrist causing her to swirl a bit. "Don't think you could run away from me." Haejin tries to pull her arm away from his tight grip. "Let go of me, you filty." 

The man stared at Haejin with fierce eyes and raised his hand up. "No one have taught you a lesson yet, huh ?" You pulled away right when he was about to slap you, but somehow the slap didn't come through. Something stops him, someone held his arm back.

"Hitting a girl is not a genlteman's job." A wise, healthy voice said. Then he pulled the man's arm back and push him away. Haejin look at them with fear eyes as she saw the gang all over the ground. "Don't be scare, we're here to help you." Haejin step back as he step forward. "Wh..who are you ?"

Minseok ignored her question and continued to walk towards her. "Didn't you hear me ? Who are you ?" she asks again. Then someone pulled her other arm. She blinked at that person, "Junbi...."

Junbi smile and hug her tightly. "Agassi. I thought I would never find you." Haejin hugged her back and tears fill her eyes. "It's okay, at least we found each other then that's all it matters." Junbi pulled back and peek her head over Haejin's right shoulder. Minseok and his bodyguard are still standig behind her.

"Agassi, these are the two men that save you ?" Haejin turn around, "Ye, they did." Junbi walk to the side of her, while the two men come towards them, face to face. "These two men, helps me find you." Haejin's face look surprised. "Help...?"

"Ye..Agassi." Junbi answered. Minseok and the bodyguard both clear their throats, then Minseok spoke. "I'm sure you're going to be okay, right ?" Haejin stood quiet, not sure if that question was to her maid or her. There was a 30 seconds of quietness, then she finally respond to him. "Oh...yes..thank you for saving me, Naeulri." she bowed down, Junbi did the same.

Haejin and Junbi departed from that place and head back home. Minseok and his bodyguard head the other way, back to the palace. The night sky was navy blue, filled with beautiful stars. And a bright full moon, that lights their way home. Haejin and Junbi reached to the front door, "Agassi, please go in." Junbi opened door, making a hinging sound.

"Junbi, you could go rest first. I'm going to check on Father." Haejin send her maid away and head to her father's room. "Father, are you asleep ?" No respond. Haejin worriedly opened the door, "Father..."

Her father was peacefully sleeping in his cozy blankets. Haejin sat down next to him and held his hand. "Father...it must have been hard on you." She coo at him. "I've met a genlteman today, Father. And if it wasn't for him, then I wouldn't be sitting here, holding your hand." Emotions ran through her body, "I was so scared. I thought that...I'm not going to see you, ever again." Then there was a grip on her hand. "Father...."

Her father tiredly opened his old eyes. "Uri Haejin is back already...." He smoothly pushed himself upright. Haejin reach out her arms to help him sit.              "Haejin....." She scoot closer to him. "Ye..Father." A smile ran through his face. He pat her hand as she held his tightly in her grip. "Don't be scared, remember that Father will always be with you. To help you go through all your problems."

Haejin lowered her head then back up, "Ye..Father. I'll keep that in mind." Her father nodded, "Good, now go rest. You must be very tired."

Haejin closed her father's door and head to her room, finding Junbi waiting outside. "Junbi ahh.." She called out. Junbi startled and motion her to hurried over. 

"Is something wrong, Junbi ?" Haejin got to her maid. Junbi grabbed her hand intensively. "Agassi...." she stop, to think of another way to explain to Haejin. "What is it Junbi ?" 

She finally spoke, "Tomorrow, Jeonah will make a visit to see Naeulri (Haejin's father)." Haejin raised both of her eyebrows, "What ? J...Jeonah....?" Junbi nodded, "Ye, Agassi." Haejin stared back at her father's room, then back at her maid. "F-for what ?"

Junbi shrug her shoulders, "I also don't know, Agassi." They both head into Haejin's room to discuss about the situation. Haejin pulled her turquoise skirt up and sat on her sheet. Junbi put her hands on the small table in front of her. Both staring into space, thinking why Jeonah will visit her father. "Junbi...how did you.."

"Find out ?" She finished. Haejin nod her head. "I was walking to my room, when I over heard the two men saying that Jeonah will visit." Haejin put her finger under her bottom lip. "Could it be a bestfriend visit ?" She jumped into the conclusion. Junbi tilted her head then back straight again. "Perhaps...it could be, Agassi."

 

Minseok and his bodyguard got his pavilion, "Uhm....." Minseok point his finger up. His breath unstable, "Th..that..Agassi..." he blushed. His bodyguard move his body towards his. "Seja, are you not feeling...well ?" Minseok nodded his head. And continued to walk to his room. The servants and maids at his porch bowed at him as he make his way in.

"Omma-mama ?!" He jumped in surprised as his mother sat quietly in his room. "Why sit so quietly ?" His mother look at him. Minseok felt nervous as he smoothly sit down. "Where were you ?" His eyes widen, not knowing how to answer back. He pressed his lips together, forming a straight line. "Nowhere, Omma-mama."

His mother took a deep breath in, "Were you wandering around outside.....of the palace ?" Minseok pressed his lips again, but harder this time. He too, take a deep breath in. "Ye, I did." He squinted his eyes, waiting for his mother to yell at him. But instead, no anger came out of her lips. "Get some rest then." His mother got up. "You must be tired."

Minseok smile in relieve, "Ye, Omma-mama." She left his room and head to king's pavilion. Her maids and eunuchs followed behind her. When they reach there, the king barely made it to his own room. "Daebi."

"Jeonah..." she smile at his silly face. "What are you so scared of ?" She asks, but he stood quiet.

 

"Ye...Jeonah ?" Daebi shockingly said. She tuck her hands under her long silk shirt, right over her petticoat skirt. "You're going to visit Jung Hae Joo ?" the king nodded, "Apparently, he has been ill for a couple of weeks now. And since we are bestfriend, I'd like to visit him." Daebi protested, she would not let any bacteria on him. "However, Jeonah, suppose you get sick ?"

"Its not contagious, I already check it with the royal doctors." He explain to her. Her expression looks more understandable now. "I see..."

 

An warm, cozy afternoon hit the day. The king was getting ready to visit his bestfriend, "Ask him again. Maybe this time he wants to go ?" His eunuch bowed and head down to Minseok's pavilion. "Sejah. Jeonah asks if you'll still be interested on his trip to see his friend ?" Minseok got out of his room annoyingly. "For the last time, I am not interested okay." The eunuch bow his head and went back to report to the king.

"What did he say ?" The king asks as the eunuch greet him.

"No was his final answer." the eunuch told him. The king nodded his head and got on his horse. "Let's go."

The king and his two other men head towards to the exit of the palace and into the market streets. Their horses galloping loudly, causing the commoners to moving away for them to get through. And because of king's clothes, they did not know that he was the King. He arrived at the front gate, debating to go in first or let his two men go. Then he got off from his horse and head inside.

"Come in..." the man by the door said, leading the kingto his friend's room. When he got there, he encounter the daughter of his friend. Haejin step away as the king came in. "Jeonah..."

"Sorry to say this, but could you step outside for a bit." Jeonah said. Haejin stumble, "What...what do you mean by that ?" But the king ignored her question and at his men to take her back to her room. They both put a tight grip on Haejin's arms. "Let go ! What are you doing ?!" Her voice faded as they turned at the corner of the house. The king sat down next to his pale friend.

"Jeonah...." Hae Joo held the king's hand. "Please take care of my daughter." he coughed in pain while trying to catch his breath at the same time. "Don't worry, my friend. You daughter will be in good hands." The king's tears stream down his face as he tighten onto Hae Joo's hand. Hae Joo continued trying to catch his breath, "Remember the promise...J..Jeonah.."

"Yes, I remember every single words that we promised." The king couldn't resist the pain in Hae Joo's face. So he encourage him to go. "My best friend, please don't suffer like this. It pains me, go ahead and close your eyes." Hae Joo gags and breathes heavier. "Go on, take your sleep. You need a beautiful sleep, my friend." Hae Joo didn't fight to open his eyes, instead he trust his best friend and closes his eyes. 

The king weeps at his friend. "I'll take care of my daughter-in-law."

 

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Chapter 1 finally ended. And now for a short summary:

Haejin and Minseok met while helping her. Jeonah visit his best friend who is sickly ill. They made their promise and Haejin's father died. Jeonah is now taking Haejin into the palace.