Under the canopy of stars in a forest a day's walk from the capital, the campfire crackled, casting playful shadows on the faces of Young-Sik and Jin-Ri. They both found themselves mesmerized by the flames, each lost in their swirling thoughts.
"That moment didn't mean anything," Young-Sik thought, his eyes glued to the fowl they were cooking. "You just saved her from a tiger, and that's why she looked at you like that."
On the other hand, Jin-Ri was thinking, "He's just feeling pity for you. Seriously, who gets into so much trouble? You're just a clueless girl who almost got herself eaten!"
"What was it about holding her hand that shocked me? I mean an electric shock, really?" he pondered, glancing down at his palm as if it held the answer.
"Why did time freeze the moment he locked eyes with me?" Jin-ri wondered, her thoughts swirling like a romantic whirlwind.
Young-Sik's expression brightened like a sunrise a lightbulb flickered to life in his mind. "You're the prince! Of course, she would be sweet to you... and..." He trailed off, a shadow crossing his features. "Why does this realization fill me with such deep sadness?"
On the flip side, Jin-Ri had her own moment of clarity. "Come on, Jin-Ri! You're his court maiden! It's only natural to feel a bit daunted... just think about the prince you serve peering into your very essence!" She clutched her chest dramatically. "Is that all there is to it? Why does it hurt so much to admit it's just that?"
As if choreographed by fate, their eyes met, and suddenly, the air was thick with tension. Realizing they were caught in a moment of mutual admiration, they quickly scrambled for excuses, but much to their chagrin, they kept circling back to the same old phrases.
"The dinner's going up in smoke!" "Seriously, I'm not hungry at all." "I think I'll just call it a night."
Like clockwork, they found themselves lying on the cold earth, backs turned in a silent standoff. With smiles still glowing, their eyes gently closed as they drifted into a peaceful slumber.
The next day, it was past mid-day, when the pair reached the capital. The prince covered his face with a piece of cloth to conceal his identity. Jin-Ri used a headwear-skirt to cover her face. The prince directed the two of them to the Cherry Blossom.
The pair went in using the back entrance. A servant quickly greeted them and held the reins to Young-Sik's horse as he got off. He also held the reins to Jin-Ri's horse as the prince supported Jin-Ri by her waist as she dismounted. "Your Highness...your usual room is waiting for you, I will inform Lady Hu that you are here" the man courteously said with a bow.
Young-Sik nodded back, and gave a simple instruction "Have them bring food and refreshing drinks...we haven't eaten since last night"
"Omo...that must be hard for you, Your Highness, what happened?" The man asked with genuine concern
Young-Sik glanced at Jin-Ri who was staring at the sky "Uhm...just bring food and drinks, and feed the horses generously as well" The man bowed and brought their horses towards the stables.
"So, are you a regular here, Your Highness?" Jin-Ri asked, her voice laced with innocent curiosity.
"Just call me Yong. We can't let anyone catch on to my little secret," the prince said, glancing around as he led her to a hidden passage that led to his usual spot.
"Why would it matter if they knew you were a regular?" Jin-Ri asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Do I have to explain that? Can't you just figure it out?" Young-Sik replied with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
The pair entered the secret room and quickly, Jin-Ri snapped back, "You're right Yong, we don't want the people to think that the prince is a perverted woman-starved individual"
"Oh, you cheeky little thing! Do you think you can mock a prince of Chiongsun?" Young-Sik exclaimed, a mix of irritation and intrigue dancing in his voice as he eyed the audacious young woman before him.
With a playful sway and a mischievous grin, Jin-Ri shot back, "Well, it seems that fate has a sense of humor because right now, you're not Prince Young-Sik; you're just Yong the perv!"
"Oh, just you wait!" Young-Sik teased, his hands ready to pounce on Jin-Ri.
Feeling the playful tension in the air, Jin-Ri took a few steps back, her laughter bubbling up. "Your Highness... what are you doing?" she asked, a mischievous grin on her face.
"I'll tickle you until you can't breathe from laughing!" he declared a mock seriousness in his tone.
"Good luck with that! You'll have to catch me first," she shot back, her eyes sparkling with challenge.
For a fleeting moment, all their worries vanished, and they transformed into carefree kids, darting around the room in a playful chase. Lost in their world, they were blissfully unaware of the walls they were breaking down between them. Jin-Ri's face beamed with delight as she was pursued by the one person who made her feel completely at home. Meanwhile, Young-Sik's heart pounded in his chest as he chased after the girl who saw the man that he was and not a prince.
Just when Jin-Ri thought she had it all together, her clumsiness struck again! As she stepped onto the rug, it slid out of position and sent her stumbling. Young-Sik was there in an instant, catching her by the hand and pulling her into a warm embrace, his arm securely around her back.
"Are you okay?" Young-Sik inquired; his voice laced with genuine concern.
Jin-Ri took a moment to catch her breath, still feeling the adrenaline from her near tumble. "A little shaken, but all in one piece... all thanks to you," she replied, her gaze softening as it locked onto his. "I guess I'm a bit heavy, huh?" she teased playfully.
"Heavy? Not at all! You're as light as a feather," Young-Sik replied, staring at the girl locked in his embrace.
But then, out of nowhere, came a loud "Ahem!" that jolted them back to reality. They turned in unison, eyes wide, to see Lady Hu standing in the doorway, flanked by a small army of servants carrying a feast fit for royalty. In a flurry of embarrassment, Young-Sik let go Jin-Ri, who promptly found herself flat on her back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief.
As the realization hit him like a ton of bricks, Young-Sik scooped up Jin-Ri, who looked at him with her eyes wide open, a mix of disbelief and surprise painting her face.
The servants efficiently laid out the food and drinks on the table before making a swift exit, closing the door behind them. Lady Hu took the opportunity to start the meeting, addressing the prince with, "This is rather unexpected, Your Highness. You usually inform us of your arrival, and it's quite rare for you to bring anyone, let alone a young woman, I'd rather that you brought Captain Gi instead"
Young-Sik, who sat at the head of the table, responded, "The situation I discovered compelled me to return from Gyong, and I must keep my presence hidden until my investigation is complete."
"What could be so critical that the prince feels the need to conceal his presence in his own city?" Lady Hu asked, her curiosity ignited by the prince's unusual behavior.
Jin-Ri pulled out a piece of parchment from her sleeve pocket and handed it over to Lady Hu. She gave a puzzled look at the prince. She read the contents of the parchment and her eyes widened with shock "Your Highness, they used your name to raise and collect taxes in several villages"
"You know that it's a forgery?" Jin-Ri asked Lady Hu, wondering how she could have known it was a fake document.
"Of course, I know," Lady Hu proudly answered, "I have known the prince for so long that I know this is not his seal."
Lady Hu looked at the prince, "You are trying to find out who might have made this forgery?"
"Not just the one who made it, but the one who commissioned it." Prince Young-Sik answered, "We just found out that people posing as Chiongsun soldiers distributed these fake posters, so they can steal money from these villages"
"I don't employ forgers, Your Highness...but I might have someone who knows one of them," Lady Hu answered, she pulled the golden cord and a servant came rushing in. "Call in the old man" she ordered the servant, who quickly ran out of the room, to do as told.
"What's your story?" Lady Hu asked the court maiden as she poured a generous amount of wine into the prince's cup, "Should I trust this country bumpkin, like Captain Gi?"
Jin-Ri looked at Young-Sik trying to look cute with a childlike smile, "She's okay, you can trust her as well"
"Well, if you say she can be trusted, I will defer to your good judgment," Lady Hu asked, demanding an answer
While serving Young-Sik his food, Jin-Ri could not help but brag. "My friend works here as a Kisaeng," she said, presenting him with a chilled cup of honey orange.
"Oh? She must be something special," Lady Hu remarked, her sarcasm as thick as honey. "What is your friend's name?"
Young-Sik almost spilled his drink, since Jin-Ri was not paying attention to what she was doing, "Yeng!, her name is Yeng"
"Yeng? Ah Yeng, one of the new girls, pretty, self-absorbed with her looks? Lady Hu said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Jin-Ri beamed with pride that the Owner of the establishment knew her friend, "Yes, that's the one, can you call her?"
The words hung in the air like a bad smell, Lady Hu turned down her request. "Oh, my goodness, I don't know how they think in your little village, but honestly, we are in the prince's secret room. I thought the word secret would have made you understand"
"Oh, sorry, I must have forgotten what 'secret' means," Jin-Ri shot back, irritated by Lady Hu's reprimand. "She could have just said no instead of giving me a long lecture," she whispered to herself.
Lady Hu glanced at Young-Sik, who was viciously shaking his head. The two women exchanged glances that could light up the night sky. It was a battle of wills, with sparks flying and a mischievous glint in their eyes, each one daring the other to make the first move in this electrifying standoff.
Just then, Young-Sik jumped in, exasperated. "Okay, that's quite enough! Where is that person you summoned?"
Just then, an old man enters the room. Young-Sik quickly greets the old man, "Oh my goodness, thank you, you're here! Please sit and start talking before these two start talking again"