Find me where our love remains - park jihoon historical au
Pairing: Park Jihoon x OC (Do Saemi) AU: Historical Korea/ Joseon AU - Arranged marriage – Military Noble!Jihoon x Apothecary!OC – slightly suggestive – ateez name drops – Ateez ship pairings warning (?) - descriptive - yearning! - Longing! - self doubt - perhaps slight ooc for ateez - war mention word count: 7.2k
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Please read! this is a sneak peak of my Jihoon x Actress/Idol oc pairing, I have a lot written for that new story, this is just a fun alternative universe for my oc/au for that fictional idol oc. Sneak peak of her is that she is kyungsoo’s cousin and also in kq and is close with ateez. But there is a lot of plot lines i have lined up for her because she is an actress oc so I have one original story for fictional kdrama she and jihoon starred in. I wrote this in one sitting, so please forgive any cringy or weird wording ahaha
I wrote this in a blur so idk
The promise had been etched into their lives before either could speak their own names—before the first cries of infancy had faded into memory. From the moment Jihoon drew breath, the royal decree had already bound him to the daughter of the Do family, a girl born mere months later beneath the same gilded stars that watched over the palace. Two children, two legacies, one fate. The Park lineage, a dynasty of warriors whose blood ran thick with the salt of battlefields and the iron of unsheathed swords. The Do family, healers whose hands carried the scent of medicinal herbs and the quiet power to stitch life back into broken bodies. And between them, the weight of a kingdom’s gratitude—and a king’s fond whim.
As children, they had been inseparable. Marriage, to their young minds, was little more than a grand adventure—a lifetime of shared secrets and stolen sweets, of hiding beneath the same embroidered blankets during summer storms. Jihoon, bold even then, would tug her along the palace corridors with a grin, declaring her his "future wife" to anyone who dared tease them. Saemi, bright-eyed and fearless, would only laugh and squeeze his hand tighter. They were innocently wrapped in silk, too young to understand the shadows that would one day stretch between them.
The Park Family is the military family, generations of warriors, generals, war strategists, war heros, war healers, and Jihoon was no different, now the military Commander-in Chief while his father was the general of the royal army.
While Saemi was from the royal apothecary family, known for healers, physicians, apothecaries, alchemists, forever tied to the royal family. The noble family Do served the royal family since the beginning of time, their loyalty never once faltered, witnessing the birth of every king.
It was natural that the three families were bound to grow close, the current king and queen, King HongJoong and Queen Seonghwa, also betrothed at birth, grew alongside the noble Park Family, General Jongho and his husband Yeosang, who was a military strategist, and the Do family as well, San the healer and his husband Wooyoung the Apothecary.
The 6 of them were remembered as the rowdiest teenagers in the palace, always scheming and causing trouble, now all adults, in seperate places, with their own families but when together, they carry the lightness of their teen years, almost as if all those years facing wars and challenges never affected them.
However, their youth did not last long. They were seperated. Jihoon was called out to assist his parents in defending their kingdom. Off to war, young but determined. Determined to come home. Come home to the girl who he still held dear to his heart, even though years had passed, they both grew into adults now.
He couldn't deny how nervous he was to return after they had won the war. He was different, older but mature, he had seen such pain and suffering, but also so much hope and joy. He doubted himself, worried that he would scare her.
Once the playful innocent boy who said goodbye with a pat on her head, a kiss on the cheek and a hug, now returned a hardened man who still held softness of the memory of his first and only love. His soldiers, who were his dear friends, teased him endlessly about her, always pretending to speak loudly of rumors of her beauty, making sure he'd hear. Rumors of her kindness, her cheerfulness, how she still maintained her fierceness and playfulness. It eased him to know she was still the same energetic girl he loved, but now more elegant and refined, also matured like fine wine. Although he would clench his jaw when he overheard other soldiers fawn over her, especially her beauty.
Over the years, Saemi had grown quite the reputation, being named by the king and queen the country's beauty. But she was also known amongst the military, for sending them their medical supplies, her name floated around their base like the scent of spring, a sign of a new beginning and hope for the kingdom. He couldn't help but grow anxious as they were traveling back into the Royal palace, on his horse who was happily trudging along, unaware of his rider's inner turmoil.
He was scared to death, more than he ever was approaching battle, or when a sword was at his neck, because during those times, he was driven by determination to survive, to come home alive, to his fiancee. But now, he's alive and with the palace in view, he was filled with fear, fear that she wouldn't love him, at least not the same way as he did. Because he loves her.
Even after all these years, even though they have exchanged letters here and there, but only briefly as those letters were mostly discussing the war or updates from the royal family.
They weren't allowed the luxury to be teenagers sending messages back and forth, giggling about what the other said. What if she found someone else? What if she hadn't waited like he did? What if she hated him for leaving her? What if after she sees him now, she'll call off the engagement? his hands only clenched on this reins tighter, til his father noticed. His father questioned him, faking that he didn't know what, or who was causing his beloved son all this turmoil.
Everyone knew, everyone sensed the tension Jihoon had for the previous days leading up to their return. And everyone knew why, he was always extra engaged in conversations or standing closer when people had brought up Saemi.
How his entire body language, usually relaxed, would perk up at the mention of her family or her name. His father, reassured him, riding alongside him, comforting his only son, "from what I heard, she's be there at the palace too" his father said trying to calm his son unease, "Well, I'm sure the whole staff would be there to welcome us back...", Jihoon doubted, "No, It will only be the royal family, but I've been told she requested to be there as well."
Hearing that brought him hope. Maybe she did miss him, did she also yearn for him, like he did for her, did she have sleepless nights wondering what he was doing? Did she look at other couples and wish the same? did she reject other men's offers or advances like he did when noble women would approach him? Did she have struggles or cried and wish he was there to comfort her like he used to when they were children? He could only wonder.
But what he couldn’t have known was Saemi was standing beside the King and queen, playing with a hairpin she had taken out of her hair to fiddle with, unsure what to say or do while she wrestled with her overflowing thoughts that threatened to spill.
She too had her anxieties, what if he didn't love her anymore? What if he realised that his love back when they were children was just a foolish childs' understanding of love? what if he sacrificed too much for the war, he couldn't even think of her, or marriage, what if he tells her he isn't capable of love anymore? what if he met someone and fell for them? forgetting all about her? what if he was only agreeing to this union out of duty, sure she knew that was common but they were best friends, and did love each other.
She knew she had changed, she matured, she held a sense of elegance and gentleness to her, as she's been told, she lit up a room with her warmth and genuineness. Would that be enough? Would she be enough for someone like him? She too, hears the rumors, the reputation he held. His ruthlessness in battle. unafraid, unnerving, confident, as if violence was his true nature.
People fear him, but more so they admired and respected him, having accomplished so much before he even reached adulthood. Some held pity, he was never supposed to be leading a war so soon, he was still a child, yet they gave him an arrow and sword and threw him into the battlefield before he even could drink wine.
His parents and the royal family held guilt for this. But he was their only heir and son, he was the only one who could assist when they were treated as a country. They had little choice. So they sent him off. Not that he minded actually, he knew the military was second nature to him, it runs in his blood. And he would have gladly stayed defending their kingdom from afar, but there was one thing that kept him tied to the palace. Saemi.
Saemi, even though she was standing near the king and queen, who were quietly discussing the park families returns, was glancing over at the gentle young woman, whose gaze held on the hair pin she had taken out, caressing with such care. They knew what fears she had. Was the person who was returning still wanting her? She prayed at the very least he wasn’t dismissive of her. But she knew he wasn’t that type of person, but a small part of her fear was that he became someone she wouldn’t recognize.
But through those few letters, he seemed polite and mature to her, but in her heart she had hoped he would express or discuss their relationship in those letters. She assumed he avoided those topics because he held no affection for her. Even if people around her would report that he still held affection for her, she wouldn’t believe it. Her own self-doubt killed any childish thinking she had, she was an adult now, she had to be logical. How could he love someone he hadn’t seen in years? Barely even heard from? How can he love or even care for a memory? She knows she does, but how can she be so naive to think he would be as hopeless as her?
While Jihoon’s father, Jongho was offering comforting words to his son, the King and Queen were also trying to do so as well, to the girl standing beside them, whom they also saw as their own child. The King and Queen saw both of them as their own kids. When they were children, Jihoon and Saemi brought them such joy, an escape from their duty, but that's how the Park and Do always were to the royal family. Three families forever intertwined.
“Saemi-ah, don’t you worry your little head off now dear, General Park assured us that Jihoon still remembers you and does care for you” The queen said softly pushing the strands of hair out of her face, while the king looked at them both with such fondness in his eyes. The king and queen wanted to have a daughter, but the gods blessed them with one son, Yunho, who was away with his husband Mingi on a diplomatic trip. Leaving them with only their goddaughter to coo over.
Saemi was everything they wanted in a child, so when Saemi’s parents were off on their own missions and duties as healers to deal with sickness and issues in the small towns of their kingdom. They were faithful to the people of their country, but they hesitated to leave their only daughter, as Saemi’s older brother Mingi had followed his husband Yunho the crown prince on a diplomatic trip.
But they entrusted her to the royal family, her parents grew up with the king and queen. King Hongjoong lowered his guard, “Dear, there is nothing to fear, Jihoon has matured but so have you, I’m sure you too will be good friends.” Saemi pouted, “I don’t want to be just friends. And he cares for the memory of me, not the current me. What if-” she lowered her voice, like a child getting scolded “- the person I am now, isn’t enough for him?”.
The king and queen glanced at each other with worry and sadness, though they were sure in their wisdom that she was worrying unnecessarily, it was hard to see their beloved granddaughter doubt herself. She is always sure of herself, she knows who she is and what she is capable of, she is the royal apothecary and physician for a reason.
“Oh, Saemi, you mustn't doubt Jihoon. I’m sure he knows you’re enough for him, if not you’re more than enough darling” Queen Seonghwa turned to face her fully, pushing the hair that fell over her shoulders down to her waist, over her shoulder so that it flowed behind her. It was pinned up into a bun at the top but the rest flowed down her back. It was decorated with the pin that was in Saemi’s hand, a gift from the king and queen.
A symbol of their engagement. They were both giving an item, matching to the other. Saemi was given a hair pin that matched Jihoon's Norigae which is an ornament with a tassel which he hung on his Hanbok. Saemi was given her Garakji, two rings that married women wore, to symbolize the harmony between husband and wife, and one would be taken off if the husband had passed. So when they had to part, Saemi gave Jihoon one of the rings, made of jade, saying that he has to return home to return that ring, so she could wear both and be a married woman, be his wife. She wore the single ring, the ring that was patiently waiting for its pair.
Although her fears had been eased by their assurance, she couldn’t help but still fiddle with the hair pin quietly. Usually this was improper, but as they were only in the privacy of the palace, just the three of them, awaiting the return of the park family, which included Jihoon’s parents, and himself. Yeosang had gone ahead of his father Jongho and him, as he had to assist with the injured soldiers first before rejoining them.
The three turned to the faint and distant sound of the three sets of hooves clattering against the polished palace stone ground, the three waited with baited breath as the sound halted behind the King and Queen’s private pavilon’s gates. And when they opened the King and queen grins widden at seeing them their friends return home safe.
But Saemi couldn’t look up at them, she wanted to be polite but also, she was nervous to meet his gaze, to finally see what he looked like after all these years, did he really bulked up like the rumors she overheard in the market? Was he as handsome as she heard the court ladies gossiped? The fiddling of the hair pin only paused, as her grip tightened around it.
The journey back, while Saemi had begun to fidget in anxiety, Jihoon’s confidence grew, he was struck by an epiphany. How? The Kingdom’s people, who they had to pass by as they entered the palace.
The people had celebrated them as they passed through the city. Showering them with praise, Jihoon would pretend not to hear the women gush over his looks, especially his eyes. His eyes were widely known for their beauty and how much emotion they held, he had very intense eyes. They could be relaxed and gentle one second then murderous and violent the next, or even relaxed as he was murdering enemies. One cant help but be enchanted by those big and full eyes, ones that glistened in joy and pride as he smiled, waved and bowed to the people.
People at first were intimated but seeing his gentle eyes and kind smile, they knew he wasn’t only the ruthless commander, but also a young man who loved and protected his people. And his handsome looks helped too. Although many women gushed and giggled to each other about his body and looks, they knew that he was betrothed to the most beautiful woman the kingdom had to offer.
His father Yeosang would giggle as he glanced back at Jihoon who was blushing when they overheard people commenting on how they would have such beautiful children thanks to both their enchanting visuals. “You two should give us a daughter, one that takes after Saemi” His father teased, but he was serious. His father could only laugh loudly at the threat. “Father—Please, we aren’t even married yet.. I haven’t even seen her in years”
As the Park family approach the three silhouette of people dressed in fancy hanboks the King dressed in gold and a deep red, the Queen in black and gold, fierce, and of course, the Pastel blue hanbok standing next to the queen seemed to soften both the strong colors of the king and queens hanboks.
Jihoon's breath was caught in his throat, lips slightly parted, gulping as he finally laid his eyes on the woman who had been haunting him every waking day. His grip on his reins relaxed, as if he could finally breathe now that he was definitely home safe with her. His brain almost had to reboot as he was taking in the girl in the distance, gaze turned downward, a part of him was thankful that she wasn’t staring at him, that would have been too intense for him to handle, but also he wished to see her eyes.
Those hazel eyes looking back at him. He was always enchanted by her colors, how they glowed when in the sun, a soft honey brown. Though many were always bewitched by his eyes, those that seem to hold the whole world in them, his eyes were always fleeting, scanning, searching for hers. And now, they found her, but they haven’t found those hazel eyes, ones that seemed more engrossed in the hair pin she was holding.
His eyes scanned her, like this view would escape from his grasp any moment, her pastel blue and white hanbok, flowy, gave her an angelic aura to her, her hair now long, down to her waist, as she was unmarried, her hair had to be let down. Which gave him a selfish thought, he loved her long hair, especially the way it slightly fluttered with the wind, but if she had her hair pinned up, it would solidify that she was married, she was finally his again.
But then another thought snuck its way into the forefront of his brain, that he would be able to see her with her hair down when they were in the privacy of their own room. He flushed at the thought of their married life, living in the same room, waking and falling asleep in the same bed. He quickly regained his composure as they were approaching the king and queen.
When the three got off their horses, and bowed to the king and queen, after a moment of silence, King Hongjoong rushed to hug his friend, General Jongho. And Queen Seonghwa to his father, Strategist Yeosang, old friends, who had seen each other fall in love, grow old, and raise their own children, held so much history amongst them, Saemi and Jihoon although standing in front of each other, smiled fondly at those four adults, who seemed to oddly turned back into teenagers, excited to see their friends.
While the adults were wrapped up in their own childish squealing and hugging, Saemi let out a giggle seeing Queen Seonghwa holding onto strategist Yeosang as they jumped around in a circle, yelling how much they missed each other, well it was mostly Queen Seonghwa who was louder, so different from the stoic and stern men they usually were. King Hongjoong and general Jongho hugged and swayed like teenage girls who found out they were in the same class.
But her giggle caught Jihoon’s attention, who was previously also watching their reunion, silently judging these adults who were important members of the kingdom, somehow reverting back to their teenage self. His eyes, once held with amusement, softened and appeared entranced by the girl in front of him.
She had grown, but still shorter than him by a little, just enough for him to slightly bend down to meet her lips- he was already thinking of kissing her? She is his fiancee, why should he be ashamed of such a thought. Feeling such an intense feeling radiating near her, she looked over to meet his eyes. She stilled. As if she had awakened a hungry tiger. He looked like he would pounce on her any second now, she could tell he was holding back, restraining himself from hugging her, or perhaps something bolder? But to hide her giddiness at the thought of him kissing her, she blinked confused at his prolonged stare, expecting him to say something.
During his intense silence, staring deep into her eyes, as if he was trying to decode her, she was finally taking in him like he was before. She realised how much he grew, although he wasn’t extremely tall where it would hurt her neck to crane it up, she was pleased she was at a perfect height difference for her to glance up and angle her chin a bit to meet his gaze. His eyes tired but soft as he studied her. Her soft smile directed at him finally. But she was silently gushing over his face and body, he had matured over the years.
He was lean but strong and firm. His arms at his side gripping his hanbok, as if restraining from grabbing her face and pressing his slightly chapped lips onto her plump and soft lips. Because his eyes did flicker to them. His hair tied up in a knot, as men in the Joseon dynasty didn’t let their hair down, covered by a hat and the hats ribbons that tied around his chin, framed his sculpted face.
His sleek black hanbok which also had black embroidery, quietly hiding itself until one looked closer did the pattern reveal itself. His status was quiet, but once someone looked a bit closer would they notice the details. And Saemi did. His own sword sat on his hip, accessible and quick to draw for him, a reminder of what he was truly capable of.
“Are you two done gazing into each other's eyes?” The king’s voice cut through, breaking the little world they had, where they were just staring at each other, but from an outside perspective, they held such a heavy and deep aura around them, something people wouldn’t dare interrupt or even could interrupt. But of course the king could.
Saemi rolled her eyes, looked at him with a look that said “really?”, almost like a scolding parent, while Jihoon appeared unbothered as his eyes lingered on her a little before turning to the king and queen with an amused smile. “Are you four done acting like teenagers yet?” The king’s deep laughter rang around the open court of their private wing, while the queen scoffed at his quick response, while his parents rolled their eyes at their son’s playfulness. “Ah, I’m glad you haven’t lost your quick and sharp tongue” the queen jokingly narrowed his eyes at him, but his smile still reached his glaring eyes.
Saemi was holding back her laughter but pressing her lips together, a habit she had as a child, one she hadn’t outgrown, one Jihoon noticed and was fond of. “Omo— you’ve grown so beautiful, Saemi” Yeosang gaze flickering all over Saemi’s now shy face as she tried to deny the compliment. “Oh don’t be so humble, you know she is named the three kingdom’s beauty for a reason” the King bragged as if it was him who was named the beauty of the kingdom,
“We know, do you know how much he bragged that she is his soon-to-be daughter-in-law to the other kingdoms generals? Even, I was embarrassed for Jihoon!” Yeosang scoldingly said, this information caused the king to bend over laughing as he clung onto general Jongho’s shoulders, almost falling over laughing so much he was struggling to breathe, Queen Seonghwa burst out laughing, disregarding his usual calm composure.
General Jongho only stood still with a deadpan face, while his friends and husband kept laughing at him. Jihoon and Saemi could only blush and look at each other with the same amused but tired expression, Saemi looked at him with raised eyebrows, to silently ask if it was true . Jihoon rolled his eyes to signal he was so tired of his parents’ antics but still held a grin,“Oh my god, my stomach hurts… as I wish the others were here right now”
As the laughter died down, the king, somewhat of the leader of their friend group, bittersweetly remembered the others, the others being Saemi’s parents, the energetic ones of the group, San and Wooyoung. They were still on their way back to the kingdom, as it took weeks to travel from a rural part of the kingdom.
Saemi’s parents were like her, or she was like them, her fathers were always the chaotic and energetic ones, always flirting or bantering while their friends could only roll their eyes at them, because they all knew, in private those two were the most in-love couple.
They were the last couple in the group to get together as they were too stubborn to confess. Only confessing when King Hongjoong and general Jongho forced them into a room and locked the doors. Slowly the friend group, missing two members but still able to fall back into a comfortableness, fell into a quiet and joy-filled discussion.
They didn’t even notice that Jihoon and Saemi had disappeared. While Saemi was content listening to their conversation, reminiscing about her parents’ love story, and the group's mission for them to get married. Jihoon had grown impatient, he wanted to talk to her without them teasing and hovering.
So when he slipped his hands into her like they did back then, it came naturally but this time it sent a spark through both their bodies at each other’s touch. Saemi let out a small gasp before looking up at him, to see him already looking at her with the same mischievous look in those eyes he had as a child, the ones who would sneak her a candy when she was studying. But as fast as the shock of his touch came, so did that comfortable warmth come too.
One touch was all it took for them to fall back into a rhythm again. She tilted her head in question, and he answered with a jerk of his head to the garden, she glanced over to the garden, the one she frequented to collect herbs and plants for her concoctions and the one she would sneak into at night to sit by their pond, to watch the moon and wonder if he was awake and staring at the moon too.
Her smile grew as her eyes returned the mischief as she nodded and held a finger to her lips to signal him to secretly sneak away. He glanced back at the four adults who weren’t even facing them anymore, too wrapped up in what seemed to be his father trying to challenge the king to a round of drinking, Jihoon chuckled before quietly pulling her away from them.
The two slowly backed away from the four, and when they were out of sight, they paced up their steps as they kept looking back to see if they noticed their absences, they hadn’t.
They were experiencing the cliche sneaking away from parents, safe to say the thrill of it was bringing back the fleeting feelings of their youth. As they slowed down, finally entering the enormous garden, which was almost a forest, still hand in hand, leaning into each other as they laughed at their escape.
As they calmed down they were leisurely walking around, listening to the birds chirp and the splashes of the flowing water of the pond beside them that had a small man-made waterfall for the fishes to migrate for their eggs. Their intertwined hands swayed slightly between them, as they admired the nature around them, the air beginning to cool as a wave of slow clouds covered the sun, eclipsing the garden in shade.
Saemi began taking notice of his hands, they were gentle as they held hers, but if she focused on it enough she could feel the calluses on the warmth of his palm against hers, and the firm pressure of his blistered fingers. Skin there hardened due to years of trusting his sword, years of the pain and suffering he experienced was evident, or the pain and suffering he witnessed, or even caused by said hands. It was hard to grapple her mind around the fact that the same hand engulfing hers with warmth and gentle firmness, could have caused death and fear in others, but she is not naive to feel guilt for those enemies. She would have done the same if the safety of her people or family were at stake.
She was reasonable, nor did it scare her, she respected him. To be so determined and faithful to his kingdom, and fulfill his duty before he even reached adulthood, and not complaining once, especially to have his own wedding postponed to enlist out and lead an army, risking his own future. When any other boy would have complained, demanded praise and respect, or even quit, protested to live a more privileged and calm life back in the palace, especially the men she’s met, flirted with, could never even hold a candle to the strength Jihoon has.
“I’m proud of you, you know?” she blurted out, along with her inner monologue, Jihoon, who obviously didn’t know the context of that comment, only gaped at her stunned. He’s heard it many times, sure, but to hear it not only by her, but that be the first thing she said after years, the first thing he heard with her voice? His heart could have stopped beating and he would justify it. Oh how many times he imagined how her voice would sound, it was hard to imagine her sounding like a little girl when he thought of the memories. But to finally hear her soft voice, one that sounds like the cool breeze you feel when you close your eyes in the night air. It was everything he imagined it would be.
And now that he was standing so close to her, he got a whiff of her scent, the breeze that passed through them, picked up her scent and brought it to Jihoon. How the scent of her hanbok was of white tea and lilies, with a scent of the herbs she worked with at the sleeves, while her hair smelled like the oranges and citrus ‘she has in her work station. He assumed she still kept fresh citrus in her rooms to keep her awake when working.
He let out a small breath of delight that she hadn’t really changed, she was still a bright but calm girl he fell in love with. As he allowed her to ramble on and on about what was happening, like her parents, the king and queen, the palace staff, her fellow physicians, her work as an apothecary, he asked her about just her, he wanted to hear about her and what she does in her free time. She was at first flustered when she heard his voice for the first time, it was low and resonated deep in her chest, but it was so faint and gentle that it even surprised him. He never sounded like that to anyone. Well, he never had a softness for someone but her.
They had already done one lap of the garden when Jihoon was sharing now, Saemi was pouting and whining about how she wanted to know about what he was doing too. He said he was hesitant as “they aren’t as cheerful as yours” she quickly dismissed that and urged him to “just tell me anything and everything” he could only chuckle at her eagerness. And although the conversation got a little sad and dark, the mood was shifted when Saemi gasped and froze eyes widened.
Always on high alert, Jihoon abruptly turned to her frantically asking what's wrong. When she made eye contact with his panicked ones, she barroled out laughing, saying in between gasps and giggles that she was just pranking him to see his reaction, not thinking he was that paranoid. His shoulders relaxed as his eyes narrowed at her, his face deadpanning, but his eyes showed he was amused without a smile. Her laughter only grew at his exasperated expression, head leaning back, almost falling back as she slapped his chest.
His eyes glanced down to her hands gently hitting his hard chest, then back up to her closed eyes that were almost tearing up from laughing. She was leaning on him slightly so as to not fall over, instinctively he wrapped his warm around her waist, a firm pressure against her. And with a smirk as he looked at her up and down, too distracted by laughing to notice he had grabbed the hand that was hitting him, and placed it flat against his chest where his heart was beating loud and clear.
The sensation of his beating heart brought her back to reality and calmed her enough to realise the position he had put them in. Her flushed against him, their hips meeting, his face hovering above hers, his gaze low on her face scanning every feature, his hand still wrapped around hers to keep it against his chest and he gently stroked his thumb against the back of her wrist, and a small squeeze on her waist as he made eye contact with her and then lingering his gaze on her lips. Her body had relaxed against his, slowly realising in her head, how much she really did fall for him.
His breath hitched when she noticed his gaze lingering on her lips, he licked his lips and gulped before looking back up at her, searching for permission. And when he saw her eyes transition from surprise to a glazed over look, he agonizing leaned down to capture her lips.
She responded with leaning her clutching his hanbok in her hands, and let out a small squeak, which only made him respond with pulling her impossibly closer and groaning against her before tilting his head to devour her lips, cause he might as well be a starved man. When her knees felt weak and threatened to buckle, the arm around her waist grew strong and gripped her while guiding backwards til her back met a tree, his hand reaching to protect her head from hitting the tree.
They were clinging onto each other, pushing against each other to somehow eliminate all space between them, his hands navigating their way down to her nape, angling her face slightly. When he pushed himself between her legs she let out a small gasp, both hands tightening on his shoulders, she could feel him smirk against her swollen lips, when he used his tongue to explore her mouth, which evoked a whiney moan from her.
Her sound shot through his entire body, his grip on her waist and face tighten, enough to show her how much she was affecting him, but not enough to hurt her. They continued to make up for all those years without interacting without any professional pressures and burdens, they could finally indulge in their own selfish desires.
Until Jihoon realised that if he didn’t stop now, he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from taking her right then and there, before their wedding and in the king and queen’s garden. He knew he was already hard under all his layers, and his hands had traveled under her hanbok to feel her skin, she could feel his hands trail down, she wanted him to hurry up before- “Where did they go?”. Jihoon’s hands froze, they pulled apart breathing heavily staring at each other.
He retracted his hand, instead he leaned his forehead against her, sighing in almost disappointment or restraint. She only giggled at his frustration. He glared at her amusement at his pain, he pinched her which is when she let out a yelp, which he took as an opportunity to seal her lips again to silence her. He pulled away after a bit, but only to continue pecking her with kisses after, til she covered his lips with her hands, “we should go, before they find us like this”.
With his mouth still covered, he slowly shook his head, putting one arm against the tree and the other still around her waist. Saemi rolled her eyes before pouting, looking up at him with wide eyes, “Jihoon-ah, please? You can always come to my room at night, they put your room next to mine” His eyes lit up almost cartoonishly, not only at the fact his room was next to hers, she allowed him to come visit her room at night, but also at the fact she called him Jihoon-ah for the first time in years. He nodded eagerly, which caused her to laugh and he stepped back to release her, but still held her hand.
As Saemi was teasing him about his reaction, his other hand reach forward to fix her hair which was a little frizzy, once he smoothed her hair out, he suddenly remembered the hair pin that she held in her hands earlier, she dropped it when he pushed her against the tree, he could only vaguely remember hearing the metal echo against the ground.
He looked around before bending down to pick it up, he blew and wiped the dirt off, then he pushed it back into her hair. Leaning back slightly to get a better look of his work. They quickly fell back into a light conversation, “I see you still have the ornament Queen Seonghwa gave you?” She traced the embroidery of the pendant that hung around his waist, “Of course, it’s the reason I stayed alive” She glanced up to meet his longing gaze, “a reminder to come home”.
“So this is where they went” Yeosang said in relief as they four of them stood from a far “I should include this in my letter to Wooyoung and San” Queen Seonghwa said to King Hongjoong “Oo! You should draw a little illustration of this too!” the king gasped in excited at the thought of telling them “They should write this day in the records” Jongho said with a dead serious voice and face, til his stoic face faltered when he notice that Jihoon’s hanbok was slightly disheveled, both his lips still swollen, and Saemi’s sash loosened, a knowing grin fell on his face.
“They kissed.” The four of them went rigid, staring at him as if he just said the most absurd thing., but then almost comically three heads whipped towards the couple walking in the distance, mouth agape. A silence fell before the storm erupted. As they stuck their head forward to get a closer look, their eyes peeled at things slightly out of place, and when they put all the pieces together, just like Jongho did, did they start gasping, almost falling backwards or out-right screaming.
Seonghwa could only whisper, gaze still set on Jihoon’s hanbok slightly wrinkled from Saemi’s grip on them, “Oh my god… they did… I thought they would only kiss after the wedding”, before Hongjoong slowly raised a shaking accusatory finger at the two in the distance still conversing blissfully unaware of the chaos they just put the king and queen and his parents through, “I think they did more than kiss…?”
“The hairpin looks beautiful on you, it was too heavy for you back then wasn’t it?” They continue to reminisce as they decide to make another lap around the pond, completely so wrapped up in each other, understandably, that they didn’t even notice the frenzy four people were going through in the distance.
“Umn.. Jihoon…” Saemi started avoiding his gaze, which made him uneasy “Why, what's wrong?” he slowed to a stop, causing her to stop fully too as they were still holding hands “I just- um wanted to ask…. about the… you know…” He didn’t know. So he stepped in front of her to fully face her again, “Saemi?” She still wouldn’t say it, eyes flickering on him and then around them, he was getting anxious, “Darling please just tell me, you’re scaring me here” She finally locked eyes with him, mostly shocked at the nickname. “Darling?”
She questioned tauntingly til he cut her off sharply “Don’t change the subject Do Saemi” she immediately pouted at the use of her full name, her expression grew upset, his gaze softened from the serious one he held earlier, realising his mistake, forgetting she had always disliked him calling her by her full name.
“Sorry, I forgot you don’t- I’m sorry darling…” he apologized quickly, kissing her quickly on the temple, hand on her hips, other stroking her hand, “Can you please just tell me what’s wrong?” she sighed, “It’s not a big deal, it's just- did you lose, you know? The ring?” she said as she started to fiddle with the ring that was already on her finger.
Jihoon quickly got over his brief surprise before he looked down at her hand with the ring on it, then backed up at her, before he started softly laughing. “Don’t make fun of me”, she slapped his arm at his teasing, his laughter died down quickly at her whines, “I’m sorry, I thought something bad happened…Of course I still have it” He calmed her down by pulling out a pouch that his pendant was tied to, she didn’t even notice the imprint of the object inside yet, he withdrew one hand from hers and opened the pouch and pulled out the other ring of the pair.
“See? I always keep it next to my ornament, so I don’t lose it in case of an ambush”. He handed it to her, as she glanced between it and the one already on her finger, and as his eyes followed her gaze, he knew what she was thinking of, “Soon, I can put this on with the other ring, and they won’t be separated ever again” He softly whispered as his hand held the hand with the ring on it, she chuckled as he leaned into to kiss her forehead as his thumb continued to stroke the ring that sat comfortably on her finger.
The sun had set, the four adults had long left, to give the two privacy, privacy to embrace each other after all those years of longing, yearning, years of waiting, years of only glimpses of each other through overheard conversations, name mentions, and subconsciously searching for each other in crowd and in every person they met.
But now, finally able to touch, to kiss, to hear, to say, will they never have to search or long for each other ever again. As there is no world where they will be separated again, even if the gods try as they might, they can’t undo what’s written in the fabric of time.
