Walkin My Baby Back Home
((Oneshot, Fem!Minkey, ~1K))
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
(Based on the Nat King Cole song x)
“Baby, the dance is over. Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Gwiboon says as the band strikes their final chord.
Minjung whines but doesn’t resist when Gwiboon starts pulling her towards the door. It’s only 9:30pm; the dance -- which was supposed to go until midnight at least -- had to be stopped early due to electrical malfunctions. After helping Minjung into her coat, Gwiboon links their arms as they head outside of club.
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
Minjung smiles and holds onto Gwiboon’s arm a little tighter. They pass by store after store, street after street. Though Minjung keeps glancing at each crossroad they meet in some effort to predict Gwiboon’s path, Gwiboon simply continues on. They pass by a little restaurant where the jukebox can be heard from outside. Minjung starts to hum along and soon enough they’re both trying to sing the song despite not remembering the words. Eventually the stores and cross roads stop; for all intents and purposes, they’re walking straight out of town.
“Gwiboon, where are we going?” Minjung asks.
Minjung’s attempt at not sounding nervous is endearing to Gwiboon.
“Well, it’s Friday night, so the passion pit is going to be full to the brim. Lovers’ lane is probably fuller than the mall parking lot during a clearance sale. But, luckily for us, old man Jinki said that I can use that old shed on the edge of the farm as my own little hideout so I thought I’d take you ‘round to see what I’ve done with the place.”
“Oh, I see.”
Gwiboon laughs; it’s plain to see that Minjung’s not sold on the idea, but they continue walking on anyway. They continue trying to sing little bits of songs that the band played; it’s all in tune, but they get a laugh out of the mess of lyrics they come up with. After awhile, Minjung stops in her tracks with a gasp. Gwiboon worries that something’s wrong and puts her guard up.
“Look, Gwi! There’s an owl!” Minjung says excitedly, pointing off into the distance.
The streetlamp barely lights the tree where the owl sits. Gwiboon’s surprised that Minjung was able to spot it at all. Though she knows it’s not, Gwiboon could swear that it was giving her the eye. They continue on until the little red shed comes into view. Gwiboon unlocks the door, flips the door sign to “in”, and gestures for Minjung to go inside. It takes her a few seconds to find her lighter and a few minutes to get the lamps lit, but by the time she’s finished they’re both bathed in a warm glow. Half finished projects lay around on benches and the floor and Minjung goes around inspecting each one with interest. While her attention is occupied elsewhere, Gwiboon sets up a blanket in the corner, pulling out her little radio. Minjung gasps and a smile blossoms on her face when she sees it.
“Oh Gwi, it’s so romantic!”
“Just for you, baby.”
Minjung kisses her cheek. There’s an unmistakable glint in her eye and Gwiboon can’t help but be pleased with herself.
“I’m going to take my dress off so it doesn’t get all wrinkled when I sit, is that alright?” she asks, already undoing her buttons.
“Of course, baby, but only if I can get out of my suit as well.”
Minjung simply winks before pulling her dress over her head. Though Gwiboon always claims that she liked best when Minjung wears wiggle dresses to dances, she can’t deny the charm of her tiny waist exaggerated with all those petticoats when she wears swing dresses. Regardless of which she really preferred, at the end of the day, nothing pleased Gwiboon more than the sight of Minjung in her slip and stockings. She fumbles with the buttons on her vest as she watches Minjung slip out of her petticoats. Though she’s felt infinitely better since she started wearing suits rather than dresses, she can’t help but be jealous of the ease of which Minjung can undress.
“Need some help, my love?” Minjung teases.
With Minjung’s help, Gwiboon soon strips down to her shirt and drawers. They sit down and Gwiboon waits for Minjung to cuddle up to her chest before getting comfortable. They enjoy the radio for a while, but it’s soon clear by the lips on Gwiboon’s neck that it’s not enough for Minjung. Gwiboon reaches over to the lamp nearest them to turn down the lights a bit. By the time Minjung’s kisses and pets slow down with sleepiness, half her makeup is on Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“Guess I better actually walk you home now, shouldn’t I?” Gwiboon says, cupping Minjung’s cheek.
“But Gwi, I’m afraid of the dark!”
“Guess I’ll just have to hold you closer to me, won’t I?”
Minjung giggles a little and they both stand to get dressed. While Gwiboon wipes the powder off her nose, Minjung tries to use Gwiboon’s comb to make her hair half presentable again. Once Minjung straightens Gwiboon’s tie once more and they turn the lights and radio off, they set off in the direction of town. It doesn’t take long for them to circle around to Minjung’s house. The lights are all off inside, no car in the driveway. When they get to the door, Minjung searches her pockets for her keys.
“Give me a kiss for my walk home, baby?”
Minjung stops her search to pout at Gwiboon.
“Please don’t go home, Gwi! I don’t want to be here all by myself!”
“Baby, you know I shouldn’t. Come now, give me my kiss goodnight.”
“Don’t kiss me goodnight! I’ll cry if you do!”
From the light of the streetlamp, Gwiboon can see the tears welling in her eyes and knows she’s lost this battle already. She cups Minjung’s face in her hands and presses their foreheads together.
“I’ll stay, baby, I’ll stay. Please don’t cry.”
With a peck on the cheek, Minjung continues searching for her keys. As she unlocks the door, Gwiboon wonders if she should’ve taken up the Choi’s offer of their spare bedroom.
Junghee is a piercer and she gets to pierce Taeyeon.
The soft hip-hop music in the background was distracting Taeyeon who was flipping through a magazine without really reading it. She was sitting inside the tattoo and piercing shop waiting area, her leg was nervously bouncing up and down.
She heard the studio’s door close and she turned around to see a girl and a boy walking towards her. The bow bowed slightly to the girl before exiting the shop.
The girl looked around her and, as soon as she saw Taeyeon waiting, she neared her.
“Hi, can I help you?” she asked her smiling while taking off her black plastic gloves.
The girl - the owner of the shop - had her long blond hair put behind her ear on one side - making visible all the jewels she had pierced on it. Her well kept eyebrows framed her dark eyes, her petite nose was pierced by a barely visible septum while her plump lips were shiny. A pair of black sweats enveloped her legs, almost like a second skin and she was wearing a crop top revealing her bellybotton piercing.
“I had an appointment for a piercing,” Taeyeon replied after a few seconds.
“Taeyeon, right?” the other girl asked checking something on her phone, probably her scheduled appointments.
Taeyeon nodded and looked down at her shoes.
She heard the girl giggle softly before showing her the way. “Are you nervous?” she asked leading Taeyeon through the door she came out a few moments earlier.
“Mh, a little bit.“
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt that bad,” she said turning around to face her. “Personal experience,” she then winked at Taeyeon.
Taeyeon felt herself blush at those words. A complete stranger just told her she’s got a nipple piercing, nice.
Once inside the small studio, the girl directed Taeyeon to a bunk and asked her to take off her t-shirt and bra.
The blonde-haired girl sat down on a stool fumbled with what Taeyeon assumed was a new pair of gloves and a sterilized needle.
“Left, right or both?” the piercer asked, still busy with the needle.
“Right,” Taeyoen replied after a few seconds. She spent days trying to figure out which nipple she wanted to get pierced and she changed her mind million times.
The girl nodded, slid the stool her way until she was in front of Taeyeon and then waited for her to finish undress.
“I’ll mark the spots I’ll have to pierce to get the piercing through,” she explained uncapping the black marker she was holding.
Taeyeon nodded and took a deep breathe. She bit back a gasp when the piercer’s cold hands touched her breast.
“Sorry,” the girl murmured shifting away slightly once she was done marking. “Take a look and tell me if the spots are ok,” she said smiling while she showed Taeyeon the mirror hanging on the wall.
Taeyeon got off the bunk and placed herself in front of the mirror, she could see two small black dots on either side of her right nipple. She got back on the bunk and signalled the piercer to go ahead.
“Are you ready?” the blonde girl asked her, turning back to her desk where she took the needle.
“Yes,” Taeyeon replied without hesitation. Sure, she was anxious and a little scare but she was there already and nothing could make her change her mind.
The girl installed herself inbetween Taeyeon’s slightly opened legs. Taeyoen raised her gaze dumbfounded when she felt the same cold hand from earlier moving a strand of hair out of her face and putting it behind her ear.
“Much better,” she said smirking at her surprised reaction. “They were in the way.“
Taeyeon looked at her and couldn’t help smile, making sure the strand was secure behind her ear, where the other girl placed it.
Everything went by fast after that.
“Now I need you to take deep breaths,” she explained focusing on her work.
“Inhale,” she instructed and Taeyeon complied. “Now, exhale,” she instructed one again and Taeyeon complied again.
She felt the needle pierce through her skin and she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt a burning sensation going through her breast and then an annoying tingly one.
“Very good, now another deep breathe.“
And so she did, tightening her fists when the girl replaced the needle with a jewel. A simple metal bar with two little metal balls at its ends.
The piercer patted a cotton pad saturated with sanitizer around the two little wounds and the piercing.
"All done, you can go and check yourself out when you’re ready,” she said smiling once again.
Taeyeon took another deep breathe before getting up and standing in front of the mirror. Now, where there was nothing before, there was a little jewel embellished her right nipple.
She heard the girl making her way behind her back and she shifted her gaze until she was looking at her in the eye through the mirror.
“Looks good on you,” she said before removinf her gloves.
“Thank you,” Taeyeon murmured and she had to bite her lower lip to prevent herself of smiling like an idiot. She could feel the tips of her ears getting hot and she mentally cursed herself for her reaction at a stranger’s compliment, who probably said the exact same thing to every single person pierced.
There was something about that girl which left Taeyeon out of breath and made her blush for something so simple like that compliment.
Shaking slightly her head to make those thoughts disappear, she went back and got dressed, she took out her wallet to pay the piercer.
“You lnow, I really hope to see you again to pierce the left one too, I’m sure it’ll look even better on you if they were both pierced,” the blonds girl said leading Taeyeon to the exit, after she explained her with which products and how to clean her new piercing.
“You think so?” she asked her, curious. “Then maybe I will come back, but only if you’re the one piercing me,” she added turning to face the other girl.
“I wouldn’t miss that chance for the world,” she said and then she reached her right hand towards Taeyeon. “Junghee,” she introduced herself.
“Nice to meet you,” Taeyeon replied shaking her hand.
“Oh definitely my pleasure,” Junghee checked her out, from head to toe, smirking. She kept staring at her until she left the shop.
What just happened? Did she just flirt with me? And I flirted back? Did I just imagined that?
Imagined or not, Taeyeon got back home with a smile plastered on her face, threatening to split her face in half. The pain from the piercing already forgotten and the girl’s smile, Junghee’s smile, on her mind.
Jukebox Saturday Night
((Oneshot; OT5 ft fem!minkey; ~1K))
“What’s wrong, babydoll?” Jinki says, wiping grease off his chin.
“They’re already playing music but I’m not done eating yet!”
Jinki and Jonghyun softly chuckle. Out of the five of them, Minjung loved dancing the most.
None of them really remember how it became a tradition. Yet here they are, sitting in the corner booth at Rusty’s Diner, just like they do every Saturday night. Minjung sits on one end, so that her petticoats don’t get deflated too much. Jinki sits next to her, halfway through a double cheeseburger. In the middle is Taemin, math homework spread out as far as the others will let him. Next to him is Gwiboon, working on reapplying her lipstick. On the other end, Jonghyun sits sipping at his sarsaparilla soda. It’s 7 o’clock and other couples are finally starting to file in. Minjung is starting to pick up the pace on eating her cheese fries, seemingly racing Jonghyun.
“You two should be more careful,” Gwiboon scolds. “We can’t have jukebox Saturdays if you two choke.”
Both reluctantly slow and Taemin can’t help but chuckle. It takes another 15 minutes for someone to walk up to the jukebox and start putting in quarters. Minjung pouts as “String of Pearls” begins to play.
“What’s wrong, babydoll?” Jinki says, wiping grease off his chin.
“They’re already playing music but I’m not done eating yet!”
Jinki and Jonghyun softly chuckle. Out of the five of them, Minjung loved dancing the most.
“Finish up and I’ll dance with you starting at the next song, how about that, babydoll?” Jonghyun offers, finally finishing his soda.
Minjung perks up and rushes to finish. Taemin steals a few fries and though she shoots him a dirty look she doesn’t say anything. She finishes just as the last notes play; they quickly wipe their faces and Jonghyun waits for her to properly refluff her skirt as “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” begins. Beside Jinki, Taemin starts giggling again.
“What’s so funny?” Gwiboon asks, now rearranging her hair.
“I know they’re only a few inches apart but it looks like their height difference is a foot or more! He’s singing the song but really he’s the one at the right height for shoulder resting.”
Gwiboon rolls her eyes and Jinki laughs. Jonghyun and Minjung’s relationship was an amusing one: filled with the utmost sincerity, the most tender support, and no shortage of affectionate joking.
“They look so cliche.” Gwiboon remarks.
“How so?” Taemin asks.
“A greaser and a cheerleader? Bad boy good girl has been a cliche for like a hundred years, kiddo.”
Though all five of them were romantically involved in some capacity, Taemin and Gwiboon’s relationship was the weakest. As he finishes his burger, Jinki amusedly watches them squabble: as cliche as Jonghyun and Minjung may be, the nerd and the popular girl was just as cliche in his opinion. After a few more songs, Jinki stands and makes his way over to where Jonghyun and Minjung are dancing.
“May I cut in?” he asks Jonghyun.
He nods and looks over at the table to wink at Gwiboon. She blushes and makes her way over as Minjung and Jinki start to sway.
“Which do you think is more cliche, you and Jonghyun as good girl bad boy couple or you and I as homecoming king and queen?” Jinki asks as the song changes.
Minjung laughs. “You’ve been spending too much time with Taemin.”
“So have you, if you know that he’s the one who brought it up.”
“I don’t know which is more cliche. All I know is I like riding around on the back of Jonghyun’s motorcycle just as much as I like giving you a good luck kiss before the quarter starts at the football games.”
Jinki smiles and reaches up to kiss her cheek. They continue dancing as someone else starts putting quarters in. Jinki’s foot starts to cramp and as if on cue, he feels a tap on his shoulder. It’s Gwiboon.
“Mind if I cut?” she asks.
Jinki disentagles himself from Minjung’s hold and after winking at Jonghyun, goes to sit down. Taemin’s still sitting, content to watch from afar.
“Why don’t you go dance with Jonghyun?” Jinki suggests as he sits down.
“Me? Oh I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“My mama says I have two left feet.”
“Luckily for you, Jonghyun has two right feet.”
Before Jinki can continue to push, however, Jonghyun comes back to the booth, another sarsaparilla in his hand.
“I got thirsty.” he explains.
“The fact that the girls are dancing has absolutely nothing to do with it?” Jinki asks teasingly.
Jonghyun blushes. “No, not at all.”
“What’s Gwiboon doing?” Taemin asks with confused interest.
Jonghyun and Jinki look and can’t help but laugh.
“Gwiboon is trying to feel Minjung up, but Minjung’s got so many petticoats on that she can’t get a grip on anything.” Jinki explains.
“Oh.”
Gwiboon’s skin tight dress is a sharp contrast to Minjung’s 8 petticoats, yet there’s something complementary in the sight of them dancing. Jonghyun and Taemin start talking about something else, but Jinki only half listens to it. He keeps a careful eye on Minjung and Gwiboon’s dancing; not because he finds it exciting like Jonghyun does but more of a preventative measure. Gwiboon and Minjung can dance all night, but they tend to get a little too handsy. When Minjung starts feeling Gwiboon up, he knows it’s time to intervene. He stands and walks over them, cutting in to dance with Gwiboon while yet a third person dumps quarters in. Minjung sways alone for a moment; Jinki and Gwiboon watch as she tries to persuade Taemin to come dance with her. Almost a whole song goes by before Jonghyun eventually pushes Taemin out of the booth. Though he acted as if dancing was the last thing he wanted to do, his cheeks are soon beaming after just a few minutes in Minjung’s arms.
“Regardless of who’s the most cliche couple out of all of us, they’re definitely the sweetest.” Gwiboon whispers fondly.
They dance two more songs, until the head waiter goes over and turns off the machine, announcing that the restaurant closes in 10 minutes. Gwiboon and Jinki walk back to the table to collect Jonghyun, only to turn around and realize that Minjung and Taemin are still kissing in the middle of the dance floor. Gwiboon laughs as she goes over and pulls them apart.
“Put it on hold, you two. We have to head out.”
Minjung looks disappointed, while Taemin’s dazed look and red cheeks show he probably didn’t hear what Gwiboon said. They all head out into the parking lot, agreeing to meet up at Jinki’s house. Gwiboon rides on the back of Jonghyun’s motorcycle and Minjung and Taemin pile into the backseat of Jinki’s tiny car. The clock in the dashboard reads midnight.
“Three hours of music without spending a dime? Can’t beat that.” Jinki says, pulling out of the spot.
For the Vows of Love: Vows of Consummation (Ch 5/5)
(Het!2min; ~3K)
AFF link
“You kept them!”
“Of course I kept them! Why wouldn’t I keep gifts from my wife?”
Minjung turns away shyly and looks through her paintings.
The prince’s bed curtains are pulled up tight around him and it takes a moment for Minjung to work up the courage to move them away. When they’re finally peeled back, she’s greeted by a somehow familiar back. Hot wax starts dripping onto her finger and she yelps. When the prince turns around, her heart drops. In front of her is the man she most and least wanted to see. He reaches out towards her and grabs the candle as it falls out of her hand. She flings herself back, almost falling onto her bed and nearly losing her grip on her blanket.
“Taemin?”
He smiles, sitting up properly to face her. “Yes, Minjung?”
“I thought...they said...but you...it can’t be you.” she stutters.
He pulls the string on his side and an unfamiliar servant knocks before entering.
“Yes, your highness?”
“Relight the lantern, so I may see my bride.” Taemin says, blowing out the candle in his hand.
The servant obliges before bowing and leaving again. There’s a strained silence between them for a long time.
“Are you happy it’s me?” Taemin asks.
Minjung stands and walks closer to his bed. Though her eyes know it’s Taemin, her mind has trouble believing it. She lifts a hand to his cheek, tracing the cut on his cheek. He smiles and she slaps his other cheek.
“For a month you made me think you didn’t want me. A month you let me sit and wait for you. All those times I told you I was frightened. Even when I tried to run away because I felt that I was torn between the man I’m contracted to marry and the man that sat in my garden with me. And none of those times you saw me, none of the stories I told you, none of those whispered fears made you think ‘ahh I should reveal myself’? What kind of monster am I engaged to?”
Minjung can feel herself starting to cry but she’s too angry to care. She bats away Taemin’s hands when they try to wipe her cheek and moves back to sit on her bed. He lets her cry for a while on her own. When she quiets down, he moves to kneel down in front of her. He reaches for her hands and she allows him one.
“I know I’ve been...to put to shortly I’ve been cruel. That’s how my mother put it when I asked for this arrangement. But I...wanted to know you. Not as Princess Minjung, not as my treaty bride, but simply as Minjung. Tell me, if I had presented myself to you as 8th prince from the first day, would you have told me so many things? Would you have told me that you don’t like yellow or that Yunho is your brother or that you were afraid of me?”
Minjung shakes her head.
“I wanted to see what you would do. If you would wait that long or if you would simply demand to see me. I’m sorry I caused you so much pain, Minjung. When you tried to run, I knew it had gone on too long. I thought...I was going to tell you then, when we were standing at the road. I thought by then you’d know that it was me all along. But when you confessed first, I felt so sorry. I lost my nerve. And Gwiboon and Kai had to keep up the charade.” Taemin holds a hand up to Minjung’s bruised cheek. “I didn’t know she would hit you. I’m so sorry, my princess.”
Minjung lifts a hand to cover Taemin’s. After a moment, he pulls away and bows with his head to the floor.
“Can you forgive this foolish heart, Minjung?”
“On one condition.”
Taemin sits back up, eyes full of nervous curiosity.
“Never lie to me like this again.”
He laughs and takes her hands into his own. “I swear on my life that I won’t.”
There’s a weird silence after and Taemin stands. He walks over to the table and from the middle of the pile, he pulls a nightgown out which he hands to her.
“I...I’m not really ready to actually....to see you yet. But I wanted to see if you would go through with my wishes even in the face of me having potentially sent myself away.”
She slips the nightgown on when he turns away from her.
“May I....might I sit with you? On your bed?”
“Isn’t that your right as prince?”
“It is, but that doesn’t mean you want me to.”
She nods and moves the blanket out of the way. He sits next to her, angling to face her better. He rests her chin on his finger, tracing her lips with his thumb.
“You’re so lovely, Minjung. I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, but I know I don’t deserve even your glances.”
Minjung looks at the floor, feeling her cheeks flush.
“Starting tomorrow, if it’s alright, I’m going to stop being a coward and start acting as your husband-to-be. I know I have no right to ask, but it would bring me the greatest happiness if you would wear the gifts I gave you that I asked you to save for me.”
She nods then kisses him before she fully realizing what she’s doing. It’s an electric feeling but it’s immediately clouded by shyness and she pulls away quickly. There’s a dumb grin on Taemin’s face and he moves forward to kiss her once, twice, thrice more.
“I’m not...we’re not...let’s not, tonight. We’ll be married soon so let’s save this for then.”
“Shall we go to sleep then?”
“It’d probably be best.”
“Do...would you...would you like to sleep in my bed?”
Taemin stands, obviously not having anticipated the question. He walks over to his bed and grabs his blanket before heading towards the long table. Minjung gets herself comfortable as he blows out the light. She thinks he might go back to his own bed but her worry is cleared when she feels he bed dip with his weight. It odd, having someone next to her, but as they get comfortable back to back, she thinks she could -- eventually -- get used to it.
*
Taemin’s already left when Minjung wakes up. By the light of coming in, she can tell that it’s close to noon and she’s surprised that no one has come to wake her. She knocks on the door and Soojung opens it.
“Is everything alright?” Minjung asks.
“Yes, princess. 8th prince gave instruction that you were to be allowed to sleep as long as you like, since you had to sleep outside the other night.”
A bell is rung and Gwiboon comes down the hallway.
“Somehow I knew you were going to discover him before he revealed himself.” She says, getting down on her knees and bows. “Please forgive me for the things I did in the name of his charade.”
“I forgive you, Gwiboon. I know it wasn’t your choice.”
Gwiboon stands, a fond and sorry smile on her face. They make their way to her dressing room, where the blue gown and other gifts are waiting. It doesn’t take long for Gwiboon to arrange everything. For the first time since she came to the palace, she feels properly pretty.
“Prince Taemin’s waiting for you in his chambers. Kai will come for you shortly. You’ll have your meal there, princess.”
As if on cue, there’s a knock on the door and Kai peeks in.
“Taemin is ready when you are, princess.”
Minjung nods and takes Kai’s arm as he leads her out and around. When he opens the door to Taemin’s wing, she’s nervous. Though she knows it’s just Taemin waiting for her, the knowledge of his actual position weighs heavy on her mind. They walk down two hallways until they reach a large room. Taemin’s waiting inside, surrounded by food. He’s dressed differently today: his hair hangs freely around his face unlike the top knot he wore before, his sash is much more elaborately decorated, and he wears a variety of thin gold jewelry including a thin circlet on his head. When Kai knocks, Taemin stands, bright smile on his face.
“The princess has come, sir.”
“Kai, I’ve told you before you can use plain names here.” Taemin gently scolds.
They both laugh.
“Yes, Taemin, but what happens when we go to the main palace? Your father loves me but he would have my head for announcing that Taemin has arrived to the royal wedding.”
“Fair enough. Even though you’re supposed to stand menacingly in the doorway to protect me, I’d like to spend some time alone with my bride. Sohee is in your chamber, along with some breakfast for you. She wants to discuss the trip with you. Or something like that.”
Kai nods to Taemin, bows to Minjung, then ducks of out of the room. They stand there for a moment, examining each other. Though all the changes in his look are minor, there’s no doubt that he seems properly prince-like now. A grin slowly spreads across Taemin’s face as he looks at her. He steps forward and takes both of her hands into his own, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.
“You look more beautiful than I had imagined.” he says before kissing the other cheek.
She feels herself blush as Taemin leads her to where all the food has been set out. They sit across from each other and begin eating in silence, each stealing glances at the other and doing their best to bump hands as they reach for more.
“Minjung,” Taemin starts, seemingly unsure of himself. “If...if I wanted to call you something, like a nickname, would that be alright with you? It would only be for when it’s just you and I.”
“Depending on the name, I would be fine with that.”
“What...what about ‘my lily’? Would that be agreeable?” Taemin asks, taking her free hand into his own.
“Yes...that would be agreeable.”
Minjung feels herself blushing again. The rest of the meal passes in comfortable silence.
“I...I want to show you something.” Taemin says suddenly, standing.
He holds out a hand to help Minjung up, then leads her through a hallway into another room. The only furniture inside is a large writing desk, but two of the walls are covered in paintings. Taemin gestures for her to look at them and upon closer inspection she realizes that they’re her own. She glances back at him to find him beaming once again.
“You kept them!”
“Of course I kept them! Why wouldn’t I keep gifts from my wife?”
Minjung turns away shyly and looks through her paintings.
“They cheer me up when I have to attend to business or continue lessons. The only problem is, I only have enough to cover these two walls. I know you’ve painted everything in your garden but I’m greedy for you work. Do you think you could paint some of mine?”
“You have a garden?”
“Of course I do, my lily. Come on, I’ll show you and we can talk there.”
He takes her hand once more and they make their way outside through a side door. His garden is very much like her own, though it’s filled with more trees than proper flowers. She recognizes dogwood and magnolia and peach trees at the front; the further back into the garden, the more unfamiliar the trees.
“My father planted these many years ago. There’s a tree for every son and a flowering bush for every daughter. It’s surprising there’s still room to walk around, considering how many of us there are.”
“It’s surprising there are enough nobility for you all to be married.”
Taemin laughs. “That’s fair. Luckily for me, I got the best pick of them all.”
“I’m a treaty bride, how could you pick me? It’s not like you went to a market and picked me from a bunch.”
Taemin sits down on a bench.
“I lived with my brother and your sister for a while. All of the princes go through a double education; there’s a political and philosophical education, by private tutors, and then there’s training at the royal guard academy. I know it’s hard to hear about her, but our sister...your sister...she always spoke so sweetly of you. No matter what was happening, she always had some little story of you that she could relate it to. I saw how happy their marriage was and thought that if I met you, maybe we could have that too. I had finished my training a week before she passed. I was being sent home and happened to travel with Yunho. I asked him about you, and he had new stories for me. Anytime he came to visit, he would tell me something new. And over time, I fell in love with the idea of you. Yunho and other people from your kingdom, they always talked about how you’re lovelier than Minji. She was the most beautiful woman I’d seen up to that point and couldn’t fathom how someone could be more than her. Technically, you should’ve been betrothed to 7th prince. He’s still unmarried but he has a sour, sour temperament and I...we knew you’d be unhappy with him. With Yunho’s help, I petitioned my father to let me marry you instead.”
“Am I lovelier than my sister?”
“If I hadn’t already been in love with the idea of you, I was sold from the moment you looked at me and expressed your disdain for me.”
Minjung blushes, feeling both elated and embarrassed.
“Anything else, my lily?”
“When you were gone away, with Kai, on that mission, who...who slept in your bed? I might’ve figured out it was you had there been an empty bed.”
“Ahh, I did that to throw you off. It was Sohee. She’s the only person my size. I really had you fooled, didn’t I?”
Minjung nods and he kisses her cheek.
“Did you expect it to be me? Had you figured it out that it was me, by the end?”
“I...I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have tried to run if I had known. But I hoped it was you. From the day Yunho visited, I had hoped it was you.”
Taemin looks pleased with himself and Minjung can’t help but laugh at him. They go quiet after a few moments, simply enjoying each others’ company.
“When we’re married, after the ceremony and everything finishes, we’ll be able to pick which palace we live in. This one is the smallest, but there’s four others we could choose from. I think mother and father intend for us to spend some time at each to get a feeling for them and for the different parts of the kingdom, since they’re in different provinces.”
“Which palace do you like best?”
Taemin looks down shyly. “I like this palace the most, it’s why I had you brought here. Plus, then we’d be close to your kingdom, you could go see your family on occasion. And-”
His sentiment is cut off by knocking behind them. Kai is standing in the doorway.
“I hate to interrupt your romantic moment, but your dinner is ready if you’ll come in for it.”
Dinner passes quickly, most of it spent laughing at Kai and Taemin’s banter. Afterwards they separate briefly before reuniting in their bedchamber. They sleep facing towards each other, Minjung drifting off listening to Taemin’s description of the main palace.
***
“It’s hard to believe that you two have lived here for five years now.” Yunho says with a sigh. “It feels like only yesterday I brought you here in tears and now look at you. A happy wife, mother of a healthy little prince; you’ve even managed to move up in line to be queen.”
Minjung sets her bowl down, looking out into the garden where Taemin is running around with their toddler son Jungwoo.
“I just got lucky.” she says softly.
“A sweet husband, an easy pregnancy, all three of you surviving the plague, and on top of all that Taemin being bumped up to 2nd in line to the throne? I don’t know if lucky is strong enough of a word!”
Minjung laughs gently. She glances outside when she hears a yelp but is relieved to see it’s just Taemin pretending to be hurt by Jungwoo’s tiny fake sword. Now that he’s big enough to properly hold his sword up, Taemin and Kai had been intent on teaching the 4th in line how to defend himself.
“You know, I was really worried that I was going to have to bring you home at the end of your engagement. But look at you now.” Yunho says, grabbing another piece of fruit of out of his bowl.
“It’s amazing how a few small vows can change life so much,” Minjung says with a smile. They finish eating and decide to join Taemin and Jungwoo out in the garden. It takes Minjung a while to stand, having to ask Yunho for help in the end.
“When’s the new baby due?” Yunho asks, putting his hand on Minjung’s swollen belly.
“One month from now. During the winter.”
It takes Jungwoo a few moments to realize that Minjung and Yunho have arrived outside, but once he has he runs as fast as his little legs will go.
“Mama! Mama!” he calls, clinging to Minjung’s dress.
“Yes, my little prince?”
“Up!”
He reaches his hands up, expecting her to bend down to pick him up. However, she’s too far in the pregnancy to oblige him. Noticing the impending fit, Taemin walks over and puts Jungwoo up on his shoulders. He bends at the knees so that Minjung can give Jungwoo the kiss he wants. He keeps reaching towards Minjung so she holds his little hand in her own.
“Well, I think it’s time for me to continue my journey.” Yunho says after a while.
The three follow him out to the courtyard where his carriage is waiting. As they wave goodbye, Minjung reflects on the way that one month of fear led her to a life of happiness. Taemin sets Jungwoo down on his feet and they watch him run in the direction of the gate where Kai is coming in. Taemin takes her hand as they follow behind, still as much in love as they were on their wedding day.
For the Vows of Love: Vows of Passion (Ch 4/5)
(Het!2min; ~3.4K)
AFF link
“We are from the same kingdom now, princess.”
“Am I married yet? There’s a contract, but no groom? Do not call me a citizen of your kingdom, not yet.”
Gwiboon sighs and keeps arranging fabric.
Gwiboon’s return marks Kai and Taemin’s departure. She explains their mission -- a diplomatic meeting with officials from the kingdom to the south -- and that the prince has not gone because of the engagement. Though Minjung’s relieved to hear that they’ll return within two days, she almost wishes the prince had gone as well, that she might’ve seen him off. Nothing has changed in their nightly routine -- he still comes in, touches her hair, then goes to his own bed -- but her feelings continue to. Fear turned into resentment, now turning into loathing. His letters haven’t changed either; they still claim shame at not meeting her, while still promising a future meeting. Gwiboon’s mood continues to sour with time as well.
***
Kai and Taemin are a marker out when Minjung is woken up. She tries to eat her breakfast calmly, but she can’t hide her excitement from herself, much less from Gwiboon or Sohee. Truthfully, she’s been lonely without Taemin’s odd company. Suddenly, there’s a calamity outside and all three rise to find out what’s going wrong. Just before they get to the door, a different servant comes rushing in.
“Is there a fire?” Gwiboon asks.
“No, no. It’s Kai and...and Taemin. They were attacked by marauders on the way back!”
Minjung and Sohee go running out of the room before Gwiboon can stop them. Kai and Taemin are coming in just as they make it to the front. Though both are still riding their respective horses, Taemin’s slouched over on his, Kai holding the reins for both. Kai dismounts as serverts rush to get Taemin down. Kai moves them out of the way, carrying Taemin himself into the main building. Sohee rushes after him. Minjung goes to follow, but feels Gwiboon’s hand around her wrist.
“I know you want to follow him, Minjung, but you can’t. The doctors won’t let you in.”
“Why can Sohee follow but I cannot?”
“She’s going to see Kai, to get a debriefing of the attack. She may be your guard, but do not forget that she is also a head guard of this palace. When and if he’s well enough to see you, he’ll call for you.”
There’s no annoyance in Gwiboon’s voice, no sense of anger or impatience, so Minjung lets her bring her back to her room. The afternoon is spent anxiously. No news comes out about Kai or Taemin; when Sohee comes back, it’s only to request to be relieved for the rest of the day. Soojung comes in around dinner time as a stand in. Just as they begin to eat, there’s a knock on the door.
“Enter.” Gwiboon says.
The door opens to reveal Kai. His hand is bandaged and he walks with a limp, but otherwise he seems fine. Minjung rushes to stand and help him to a seat and it seems to amuse him.
“There’s no need to fuss over me, princess.”
“Have you eaten?”
“No, I was about to but I thought I should stop and check in with you.”
“Please, you can eat with me.”
He chuckles and allows her make sure he’s comfortable.
“Are you alright?” she asks, once she’s sat again.
“Yes, princess. Just a few scratches, it’s nothing. Taemin took the brunt of it.”
Minjung nods, trying not to seem too upset. Kai and Gwiboon share a look.
“He’s doing fine, princess. I know you’re worried. A few cuts, but he should recover just fine. He said to send you his apologies, that you had to see him in such a state. The doctor wishes for him to be alone to recover tonight, but said that he could have a visitor tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Kai. I’m glad you’re not too hurt.”
***
It’s afternoon before Minjung’s allowed to see Taemin. He’s asleep when she comes in, so she sits down next to him in hopes that he’ll wake up. There’s a cut on his cheek, bandages on his side and shoulder. She traces just beneath the cut, pangs of sadness and some other unknown emotion hitting her as she does. To her surprise, he wakes up. She pulls her hand away, but he reaches out to grab it.
“I’m...touched, princess.”
Minjung can feel herself blushing as a small smile breaks out on his face.
“I...I was just...when I was younger I used to volunteer...used to go to the army and see the wounded.”
“How kind of you, princess.”
“How...how are you feeling? Kai said they said you would be alright.”
“I’m tired, but my wounds are just superficial. They hurt but I’ll be back to normal soon.”
“That’s good.”
Silence falls and Minjung realizes he’s still holding onto her hand. He lets go when she pulls away. Suddenly conflicted, she stands.
“I’ll let you rest, then.”
He simply continues to smile as she rushes out. It’s not until she gets back to her rooms, back to her garden, that she can put a name to the feeling.
***
Over the next three days, there’s a marked change in Minjung’s emotions. It becomes difficult to be around Taemin, to listen to Gwiboon talk of the marriage, to sleep in the prince’s presence. She becomes near hysteric and it’s clear that no one there knows what to do. Taemin heals enough to walk around, but becomes more distant, spending less time with her for fear of upsetting her; it only adds to her pain.
***
“Ambassador Yunho is coming by. He said he has news for you, Minjung.” Gwiboon says as she helps Minjung dress.
“From my kingdom or yours?”
“We are from the same kingdom now, princess.”
“Am I married yet? There’s a contract, but no groom? Do not call me a citizen of your kingdom, not yet.”
Gwiboon sighs and keeps arranging fabric.
“I don’t know what news Yunho brings.”
It’s noon when Yunho arrives. When he steps out of the carriage, Gwiboon pulls him out of earshot. They speak at length before they all move back to Minjung’s rooms. Gwiboon and Sohee step out, letting Yunho and Minjung speak in peace.
“Gwiboon says you bring news?”
“Yes. On the personal front, Boa and I are expecting again. On the political front, Crown Prince Minseok is set to assume the throne in two months time.”
“Is father well?”
“He’s healthy, but he’s losing his nerve. Minseok has been making most decisions anyway, so he felt that it’s time to let him reign.”
“I see.”
“The crowning ceremony is to take place in two months time. Invitations have been given to the king and queen. They have assured me that you’ll be allowed to come.”
Minjung feels tears well up and Yunho looks distressed.
“Princess, what’s the matter? Are you ill?”
“Yunho, please take me home. Please, I’m not happy here, please take me home.” she begs, tears spilling over.
He reaches for her hand.
“Minjung, you know I can’t...”
“I still haven’t met him, how I marry him if I still haven’t met him?”
“You still haven’t met 8th prince?” Yunho asks incredulously.
She shakes her head, crying harder.
“In that case it’s no wonder why you’re so hysterical. Lady Gwiboon made it seem as if there was something else wrong.”
He pulls her closer to him, letting her cry on his shoulder.
“I want to go home.” she says when she quiets down.
“I know you do, Jungie. We want you to come home too. Just three more days, Jungie. Can you make it three more days? I’ll come for you, I promise. It’s the best I can do.”
There’s a knock on the door and one of his valets comes in.
“Ambassador Yunho, we must be leaving, sir.”
Yunho tries to let go of Minjung, but her grip is too tight.
“I’ll come back for you, Jungie. Either to congratulate you or bring you home. I promise. Just three more days.”
Watching Yunho’s carriage leave is the last straw for Minjung. She becomes silent and listless the rest of the day. Though she wishes he would, Taemin doesn’t stop by at all. Gwiboon leaves her alone as much as she can, though she makes it clear that she’s unhappy about it.
*
Once she hears the prince’s breathing even out, once she knows he’s asleep, she makes her move. She goes out to the garden, to the very back. There’s a bench there, just close enough to the wall, and she’s just tall enough when she stands on it to be able to climb onto and over the wall. She makes her way back to the outerwall of the palace, taking care to stay quiet and avoid any lights. The gate at the back is small, just a single emergency door. It takes some effort, but she eventually gets it open. She shuts it behind herself and starts running as fast as she can. Unlike at the front gate, the path leading away from the rear of the palace has far fewer lights. As she runs, Minjung wishes she had hidden away slippers. The ground is cold and hard against her feet but she continues running as hard as she can. There’s yelling coming from the palace and she knows it’s been discovered that she’s missing. She desperately tries to find some hidden away energy to run faster. She starts glancing side to side for a place to hide but there’s little along the path. The sound of hooves approaches and Minjung trips in her panic. The horse and rider block her path, so she stays on her knees. The rider dismounts and Minjung half expects to be killed for her disobedience. When they make no move towards her, she looks up to see Taemin. His face is emotionless and for the first time, she’s frightened of him.
“Taemin please...” she says quietly.
When he offers no answer, she feels herself start to cry.
“I can’t love the 8th prince. Please, Taemin. I...I...I love you and I can’t...I won’t....please, take me away from here. I want a happy life, not one in fear of a man that I can’t see. I’m so scared, Taemin, please. Take me away from here or take me home to my father or or or kill me...please don’t take me back there please don’t make me go back. Please, I beg you. Take me away from here. I love you, I love you, I love you, please.”
Taemin takes his coat off and moves forward. For a second, Minjung thinks that he might actually cave in. As he wraps it around her shoulders and helps her stand however, it becomes clear what he’s doing.
“The night is cold, princess. They’ll be expecting us to return.”
He helps her up onto the horse and begins leading them back. Minjung tries to hold her tears, but it’s to no avail. When they return, Gwiboon, Soojung, and Kai are waiting for them. Taemin hands the reigns to Kai and immediately goes to Gwiboon. The two walk a distance away before turning their backs to them and speaking at length. Kai helps Minjung down and she can’t help but to cling to him. Soojung tries to pull her away, but her grip is too strong.
“Your month is almost over, princess. It’ll be easier soon.” Kai whispers, lifting Taemin’s jacket from her shoulders. “You have to let go of me now, it’ll be worse for us both if you don’t.”
Minjung composes herself and pulls away just before Taemin and Gwiboon turn back towards them. Gwiboon walks towards her as Kai leaves to put the horse in the stable. Taemin remains where he is. Without saying a word, Gwiboon slaps Minjung across the face.
“You’re a foolish girl, Minjung.”
Minjung starts crying again.
“Since you’re so against sleeping in your bedchamber, you’ll be sleeping outside in the garden tonight. In addition, you’ll be without food tomorrow in punishment for what you’ve done. You should be thankful for how kindly my brother has treated you. I understand that you’re upset at not meeting, but there’s many a crueller fate that could’ve befallen you. You of all people should know that.”
With another slap, Gwiboon storms off. Soojung offers her elbow.
“I’ll lead you back, princess.”
As they walk towards her wing, Minjung looks back to where Taemin had been standing. He’s gone, along with her last hope.
***
It’s not as terrible as Minjung expects to sleep outside. Whether it’s because the garden is actually enjoyable to sleep in or because she’s exhausted from the ordeal of the night before, Minjung finds herself somewhat rested when Soojung comes to wake her. As she’s led back to her dressing room, Minjung remembers her food punishment. She tries not to think about the breakfast she would’ve gotten as Gwiboon dresses her in yellow. Gwiboon doesn’t speak the whole time and once everything’s finished, she leaves. Minjung tries to get answers out of Sohee, but her guard answers her as little as possible. Afraid to go out and get into further trouble, Minjung stays in her garden. Gwiboon comes back, bringing along some needle craft with her. They sit in silence.
“May I speak to Taemin?” Minjung asks after an hour.
“Taemin has gone away.” Gwiboon states.
“The prince sent him away?” Minjung asks, trying not to let panic into her voice.
“Did I say that the prince sent him away? Taemin left on his own. He and Kai are allowed leave of duty so long as the other is in well enough health.”
Minjung sits down, taking Gwiboon’s hands into her own. “Tell me honestly, is Taemin married?”
Gwiboon finally looks at Minjung. Though her exterior presents annoyance, there’s something soft and sorry in her eyes. “Princess, if I could tell you, I would. But as it is, it does not matter if Taemin is married. For all intents and purposes, you are. If you were queen, you’d have the option of asking for him as a concubine of sorts, but as you are only marrying the 8th in line, that’s not a luxury you have.”
Gwiboon stands and sets about putting her work away.
“May I speak to Kai?”
“Why do you want to speak to him? Do you think he’s not under the same gag order as me?”
Minjung repeats her request, trying to sound firmer. Gwiboon sighs and looks out the door.
“Kai is in the stable. I didn’t see you walk over there. But please be advised, princess, if you try anything foolish with him, your punishment will not be as light this time.”
Minjung stands and walks as quickly as she can. As promised, she finds Kai in the stable, brushing down his horse. She takes note that Taemin’s is missing, along with all of the gear normally kept around it. She knocks on a beam and Kai smiles when he looks up at her.
“Hello, princess. What can I do for you?”
“Did the prince make Taemin leave?”
“No, princess. He only granted him the leave he requested.”
“Did...did he leave because of me?”
Kai stops his work and looks up at her. “He didn’t give a reason, princess. He was already gone by the time I woke this morning.”
Minjung thinks she might cry again but instead offers an apology. Kai smiles softly once more.
“I know, princess. He told me...he told me what happened. It’s hard, I know. I wish I could offer you something comforting, but all I can tell you is it will turn out brighter than you think it will.”
Kai continues brushing his horse and Minjung walks over to the stall Taemin’s horse previously occupied. It’s been emptied completely. She spots something in the far corner and as she gets close, she realizes it’s a candle. Once again, hope burns within her. She quickly picks it up and drops it into her pocket fold. There’s a knock and she looks up to see Gwiboon.
“Minjung, you need to come back now.”
She nods and goes to follow. She turns around as she exits.
“Thank you, Kai.”
He nods and she hurries to keep close to Gwiboon.
“Your engagement will end in two days time. At that day, you’ll be taken to the capital and it will be decided whether you will be married or sent home. There’s a few things that I need to go over with you about the process of it all.”
When they make it back to her wing, Gwiboon goes into a long lecture about the pomp and circumstance of being around the royal couple. Most of it is the same as in her father’s kingdom and Minjung finds herself listening less and less as time goes on.
“Why don’t you go take a break in the garden, Minjung? You look a bit....far away and I don’t want to repeat myself.”
Minjung tries to make her way outside slowly but her feet carry her quicker than she’d like. It takes a few moments for it to register that Sohee has stayed inside with Gwiboon. Making sure that no one else is in the garden, Minjung makes her way to the mutual wall with the bedchamber garden. She reaches into her pocket fold and pulls out the candle. She looks at it for a moment before throwing it over the wall, praying that she’s able to find it later. She stays outside for a while longer before heading inside. She tries harder to focus on Gwiboon’s lecture this time, assimilating most of the information. She’s disappointed again when no dinner comes, though she knows by the setting sun that it’s time for her bath away. She lets Gwiboon lead her back to the wash room and tries to stay still as the attendants go through their daily routine. The oils in her hair smell different today and it strikes Minjung as odd. When they’re done, Gwiboon goes about setting her veil.
“Where’s my nightgown?” Minjung asks, timidly.
“The prince has requested you not have one.”
“He’s requested me to be clothesless?”
“Yes, you could say it that way.”
Minjung feels sick to her stomach. While she knows she deserves the punishments coming to her, the humiliation aspect of it all feels like too much. She doesn’t argue with Gwiboon, knowing that it isn’t her choice. For once, she’s grateful for the lack of lighting. When they arrive at the bedchamber, she’s happy to see her blanket is still laying on her bed. Veil removed, Minjung hides underneath it as best she can. She lays towards the wall and waits for first Kai, then the prince to enter. She feels him walk over, like every day before, but instead of touching her hair, she feels his fingers tracing the small exposed part of her spine. Though she tries not to, she shivers at the touch. She’s worried that he’ll do more, that he’ll pull her blanket away and kill her before she has the chance to see his face, but he does nothing more. When she hears him get into bed and go quiet, she finally lets out her breath. She waits longer than she can stand before wrapping her blanket around herself and heading outside. It’s a windy night and much to her dismay, the lantern she’d threw the candle closest to has been blown out. She gets down on her hands and knees, feeling around the grass until she finds her candle. It takes a few tries, but she eventually gets it lit from one of the other lanterns. She takes a deep breath before heading inside. The prince’s bed curtains are pulled up tight around him and it takes a moment for Minjung to work up the courage to move them away. When they’re finally peeled back, she’s greeted by a somehow familiar back. Hot wax starts dripping onto her finger and she yelps. When the prince turns around, her heart drops.
For the Vows of Love: Vows of Companionship (Ch 3/5)
(Het!2min; ~4.9K)
AFF link
“Be kind, Lady Gwiboon. She may be in your kingdom now, but she’s still my princess. She’s only a child, and an unmarried one at that.” Yunho says sternly.
“She’s promised already and you and I both know that’s as good as married.” Gwiboon snaps back.
At the end of the week, Minjung is finally allowed to write her letter. Though she’s not surprised that she hasn’t met the 8th prince yet, Minjung has started to resent her groom-to-be. Taemin has continued visiting her everyday, with a different request of her. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she’s starting to feel friendship for the guard. Every night, she waits for the prince to do something, anything, but it’s always the same; he walks to her, touches her hair, and goes to his own bed. Another half week passes before she gets the response from her mother.
***
She’s sitting in her room, eating breakfast, when Kai comes to the door.
“Princess, you have a guest coming from your kingdom.” he announces.
Minjung lights up. “Who is it? Is it my mother?”
“No, princess. Ambassador Yunho. He’s coming in for business at the capital and wanted to check in on how you’re adjusting. He’ll be here shortly.”
Gwiboon stands from where she’s been brushing out Minjung’s hair. She goes to get her veil and once it’s adjusted, she leads Minjung outside.
“I feel like this is my first time seeing you excited, Minjung.” Gwiboon says quietly.
Minjung can’t tell if she’s being honest or reprimanding, but she doesn’t care. They make it out front at the same time that Yunho’s carriage comes in through the gate. Gwiboon tries to hold Minjung still, but the moment that Yunho finishes stepping out of his carriage she runs up to hug him. He catches her and holds her close.
“Miss me that much, princess?” He teases when she finally loosens her grip.
“I hope my coming hasn’t given you any trouble. I won’t be here long.” he says.
Gwiboon nods and her countenance seems to regain some pleasantness.
“I’ve brought you a letter from your mother,” Yunho says, turning back to Minjung. “She was so happy to hear from you, she’s been an anxious mess since you left.”
He reaches into the carriage and fishes out the letter from his mass of papers. She slips it into one of the pocket folds of her dress before Gwiboon can reach for it.
“How is papa and crown prince?” Minjung asks.
“They’re well, they both miss you, as we all do. The king sent some sweets for you, I’ll give them to Gwiboon to hold on to.”
“Do you have time to sit with me for a while?” Minjung asks shyly.
Yunho smiles. “For the princess, I always have time.”
They make their way to her rooms; more food is brought out for Yunho. Although it’s only been 10 days since they’ve seen each other, it feels more like a year to Minjung. Though she’s been learning to get along nicely with her new staffs and guards, nothing can quiet beat old friendship. She recounts everything that’s happened, as well as those things which haven’t happened yet, and in return, Yunho gives her advice on how to continue on. All too soon, Yunho has to leave again. Her tears are too much to hide as they walk back out and Yunho gives her a tight hug before moving to step into his carriage.
“I’ll come back to see you on my return home, if I’m allowed. Chin up, princess, you’re doing well.” he says, kissing her hand.
She pulls at him and he gives her another hug. As he pulls away, she kisses his cheek.
Gwiboon yanks her back by the tie at her waist and Minjung feels ashamed of herself, hanging her head.
“Be kind, Lady Gwiboon. She may be in your kingdom now, but she’s still my princess. She’s only a child, and an unmarried one at that.” Yunho says sternly.
“She’s promised already and you and I both know that’s as good as married.” Gwiboon snaps back.
Yunho sighs. “Be good, Minjung. I’ll come back when I can.”
Minjung can’t bring herself to bring her head up to watch his carriage leave, watching her tears hit the soil instead. As he’s passing out, Taemin and Kai make their way in, having returned from some task. She stays still as Taemin dismounts and Gwiboon walks over to him. She can tell Gwiboon is furious, though she doesn’t even try to listen to what she’s telling him, and she feels like a fool. After she’s done, Gwiboon storms off towards the servants quarters and Kai eventually moves to follow. It’s just Minjung and Taemin now and she wishes he would go away as well. He doesn’t, however.
“Princess, would you like to go back to your garden?” he asks softly.
She nods and takes his arm when he holds it out. He walks slowly. It’s silent the whole walk, save Minjung’s sniffles and quiet sobs. When they get to the garden, Taemin takes care to remove her veil before sitting down with her on the stairs. He holds out a handkerchief for her and she wipes her face when she calms down.
“Is he angry?” she manages to ask.
“Is who angry? The prince?”
Minjung hums, tears threatening to spill over again.
“I don’t know. On one hand, he has a right to be, if you’re kissing at men besides him. On the other, if he keeps refusing to meet you, then he has no right. As long as it was a friendly gesture, I don’t think you need worry about it, princess. He may not have even seen. Gwiboon is just in a poor mood today, don’t beat yourself up for it.”
Taemin’s words are comforting and Minjung manages to put her tears away for the time being. They sit there in silence for a while.
“Princess, may I ask you a question?”
Minjung nods.
“Is the 8th prince the first that you’ve been betrothed to?”
Minjung shakes her head. “I mean, in the sense of having a marriage contract, yes. But not the first that I’ve been arranged with. When Minji left, when I was 8, there was talk of me marrying my half brother so that he could assume second in line. He’s a concubine’s child too, but my father’s only other son. Then when Minhee was sent to the north when I was 10, I was to marry my brother Minseok, the crown prince. I didn’t understand what marriage meant at those ages and was excited at the thought of being able to stay at home. When we took the east, they sent us their former crown princess for Minseok to marry. After that, there were several officials and sons of other nobility but none of them worked out. And now here I am, at 17, finally set to be married to a man who can’t even bear to meet me.”
“What does your half brother do?”
Minjung turns to look at him, then glances around.
“Yes. He’s the son of my father and his favorite concubine, Lady Siwon. A lot of the nobility think that father has been too kind to him, giving him such an important title, but he’s honestly the most suited for the role. He would’ve made a good prince. When they said I was to marry Minseok instead of him, he married his long time sweetheart, a woman named Boa. They suit each other well. When the east sent Namjoo to marry Minseok, it was too late for me to marry Yunho. I mean, he could’ve taken me as his second wife if there was really no one else, but he wouldn’t have gotten the title of 2nd prince since I wasn’t the first wife. They have three children. I spent a lot of time with them after...after my womanhood ceremony. I learned how to care for children then. Everyone seemed so pleased when it came easy to me.”
“Do you like children, princess?”
Minjung looks off to a far point in the garden. “I really do, but I’m afraid to bear them.”
Taemin reaches out and holds her hand. Minjung is surprised by it and moves her hand away.
“It makes sense, princess.”
“May I...might I have some time alone? I don’t mind your presence, Taemin, but I... think I’d like some privacy for a while.”
Minjung’s worried that he’ll react badly, but he immediately stands, bows, and walks out. When she’s sure he’s gone, she calls to Sohee and asks her to not let anyone in unless she has to. She reaches into her pocket fold and pulls out her mother’s letter.
My dearest Jungie,
I’m so glad to hear that the palace you’re at is nice and that the staffs are treating you pleasantly. I remember your sister mentioning it once or twice before. She had the same disdain for the clothing. When you feel up to painting again, you must send me a few of the palace and the gardens. We all miss you so, the palace isn’t quite the same here without your laughter. The garden feels empty without you, my blooms not so lovely. I’m so happy to hear that 2nd prince has given you some of our Jiji’s things and that they’re in such good condition. Hopefully, whenever he chooses to meet you, the 8th prince treats you with the same reverence. What an odd thing, that he won’t see you. It’s his loss, not to see such a lovely flower. I’m trusting this letter and the sweets from your father to Yunho. I almost think his boys miss you most out of all of us. Please write me again soon. It soothes my heart to hear from you. It’s so sad to have my baby gone away from me. I hope to come see you soon, Yunho is supposed to find out when I can come. Be strong, my baby. I know you’re upset that you have not met your prince, but be glad that you are still alive and left to your own devices for now.
All of my love,
Your mama, Queen Kyungsil
Minjung refolds the letter and puts it back into her pocket fold. She had thought that she would cry when she read the letter, but instead she just feels peaceful. She looks around the garden and decides to at least try painting again, even if it’s just to send sketches to her mother. There’s a rustling behind her, and Minjung turns to see Sohee coming.
“Lady Gwiboon says she feels ill and will be taking her leave of you for the rest of the day. I’ll still be here for you, but she wanted you to know. Taemin would like to know if he can come back, he has a gift from the prince.”
“Oh, thank you for telling me. He may, if it pleases the prince. Could you bring me some painting supplies out as well, if it’s not too much trouble?”
Sohee nods and disappears inside. A few minutes later, two servants come out, carrying a table. They set it down and open it, revealing built in compartments for inkwells and paintbrushes. They bow and return inside and Taemin comes out with two packages.
“Are you feeling better, princess?” he asks softly, setting both presents down on the bench.
She nods as she moves down to the painting desk.
“The prince sent this for you,” he says, gesturing at the larger package. “This one is whatever Yunho sent for you. They had to check it to make sure it wasn’t anything dangerous, but Kai watched over it and says they disrupted it as little as possible.”
He hands her the package from home first. When she opens it, the sight of little flower like cakes warms her heart.
“What are those?” Taemin asks.
Minjung gasps. “You don’t have dasik here?”
Taemin shakes his head and she reaches in and breaks one in half.
“They’re little tea cakes of flour and honey. The designs are always a little bit different, they make these big presses for them in honor of special occasions. This one was made in commemoration of my birth. Try it.”
Taemin tentatively takes the cake and takes a small bite before stuffing the rest in his mouth.
“That’s so good!” he exclaims.
She smiles, closing the lid. “I always eat too many in one go. The cooks at the main palace could make a full table of them and I would still eat all of them.”
Taemin laughs. Minjung finally sets to painting, deciding on doing the garden as a whole.
“Is today the first day you’ve painted here, princess?”
Minjung nods, loading her brush with blue.
“Shall I take my leave again?” Taemin asks, moving to stand.
“No, stay. I like it better when someone talks to me while I paint.”
He retakes his seat. “What should I talk to you about?”
“Tell me a story of the prince.”
Taemin sits back and recounts the first time he, the prince, and Kai were sent on a diplomatic mission to the south. The way the prince lost his horse in the stable, how Kai initially lost his pack and then ended up with two, the way Taemin almost accidentally poisoned himself because he was too nervous to ask for clarification. Minjung laughs for most of the tale, doing her best to faithfully recreate the garden before her. When he’s done, the sun is beginning to set and Minjung’s putting the last few touches on her painting. Taemin stands.
“Before I forget and have to bother you again, please, open the gift from the prince.”
She puts down her paintbrush and takes the package out of his hands. There’s a letter on the top, which she opens first.
Dear Princess Minjung,
I’m so sorry I continue to put our meeting off. From the way my guards describe you, I must be committing a terrible crime. I hope in the future, I’ll find the strength to go to you quickly, so that we may have some attempt at happiness.
Yours,
8th prince.
Minjung puts the letter in her pocket fold, then sets about undoing the ribbons on the package. She’s greeted by navy blue, and when she pulls it out, she realizes it’s a gown. It’s been made with fabric dyed in her kingdom with a multitude of water lilies in white and gold floss.
“The prince got permission to allow you to wear this color. It’s the only one that was approved out of all the ones you suggested. It’s still in our style, but he hopes the color pleases you more.”
“It’s gorgeous” she says.
“If it pleases you, he would like you to save it for when he finds the strength to greet you properly.”
She nods, folding it back into the box. She reaches down to her painting desk.
“Please, take these to him, as a thank you and a token of...hopeful affections.” she says, holding out the painting and one of her dasik.
Taemin takes the gifts and bows.
“I’ll take these to him now. Be well, princess.”
He starts walking out but turns around once more.
“Also, if Gwiboon didn’t tell you, 8th prince has said that anything you put into the trunks that belonged to your sister are to remain your own. That is, that we, the guards and servants, are not allowed to touch anything in them without your permission.”
Minjung nods and Taemin continues out. When Taemin leaves, Sohee comes out with the servants to bring Minjung inside. It’s weird, not having Gwiboon to fuss over things, but she’s thankful for a quiet dinner. She’s slowly getting comfortable with Sohee but conversation is still a bit awkward between them. When it’s time for her to go bed, she stores her mother’s letter and her presents in Minji’s trunk. Sohee oversees her night preparations and walks her to the bedroom. When Kai announces the prince coming in, Minjung’s hopeful that maybe the prince will say something, anything. For the 10th night, she’s left alone.
***
Over the next half week, Taemin becomes a sort of messenger between Minjung and the prince. Every afternoon, when Minjung sits down to paint, he brings a gift and a note from the prince. The notes are almost always the same, some variation of “I’m sorry today isn’t the day, but your gift was lovely.” The gifts tend to fall into one of two categories. At first, they’re all gifts meant for their first meeting: a pearl necklace, pretty perfume, a veil and ornaments for her hair. Soon, though, they turn into gifts that were seemingly suggested by Taemin: new paints and brushes, special sweets from around the kingdom, even a few paintings from the Queen. In return, Minjung sends a painting every day. She finds herself eagerly waiting each day’s gift even if she’s upset that it’s Taemin and not the prince delivering them. Gwiboon seems annoyed at the gifts and even more annoyed with her half-brother, but Minjung does her best not to let that affect her happiness.
***
When Minjung wakes, it’s just before dawn. It takes little time for her to identify the familiar pains in her belly as the cause. She does her best to find a comfortable position to lay in, doing her best not to cry. Soon though, it’s too much and tears spill over anyway. She hears the prince stirring and fears for what’s to come. He gets up and goes outside. When he comes back in, Minjung shuts her eyes; there’s a knock on her door, though she can’t tell if it’s the prince or Soojung. Either way, the prince departs and Soojung comes in before leaving again. Left alone, Minjung lets herself cry a little more. Moments later, Gwiboon comes rushing in.
“Minjung, are you alright?” she asks.
“No” Minjung croaks after a minute.
There’s whispering but Minjung’s too focused on her pain to listen to it.
“Minjung, do you think you can stand?”
Minjung shakes her head.
“You can’t stay in here if you’re bleeding. Would it be okay if Soojung carries you to another room?”
It takes a few minutes but eventually Minjung nods. Soojung lays a new blanket over her before picking her up and carrying her back down the hallway. They pass through the dressing room and into one of the back hallways, eventually reaching a dark room in what Minjung assumes must be the back of her wing. There’s a tub and a bed but not much else in the room. Soojung puts Minjung down on the floor next to the basin.
“Gwiboon will be in soon, princess.”
Before Minjung has a chance to say anything, Soojung leaves. It’s not long before Gwiboon comes. She’s got two baskets with her that she sets down before turning to Minjung.
“Can you stand now?”
Minjung shakes her head. Gwiboon sighs.
“I need your nightdress.”
“Why?”
“It has to be sent with your sheets.”
“Sent where?”
“To the palace. Queen Junghee sent strict orders that we were to send your nightdress and sheets the first night you bleed.”
Minjung goes cold.
“Why?”
“So they know that you bleed.”
“I already had a womanhood ceremony, everyone knows that I bleed.”
“But they weren’t there to see that. They want to know for themselves that you bleed. So they know that you’re old enough to bear children.”
Minjung starts crying at the mention. Gwiboon doesn’t move any closer.
“Minjung, please. I need your nightdress.”
Minjung puts her arms up, expecting Gwiboon to come pull it off like normal.
“You have to take it off, I can’t take it off for you.”
“Why not? You always take it off.”
“Oh you sweet child, they didn’t tell you, did they?”
“Tell me what?”
Gwiboon finds a stool and sits down.
“I know in your kingdom that things are different about this. That this....that bleeding is something sort of celebrated and is seen as fine. But that’s not how it is here. You have to stay in here, in this room, as long as you’re still bleeding. No one is allowed to touch you, besides a mother or sister. There’s only a few foods your allowed and only at certain times of day.”
As Gwiboon explains, Minjung does her best to remove her nightgown. She hands it to Gwiboon and it gets placed in the bigger basket. Gwiboon hands her a sheet.
“Sohee and a servant will bring in water for you to clean off with soon. You can cover yourself with this until then. Here’s a nightgown for you to wear once you’re clean. After that your food will be brought. I have to accompany these,” she explains, holding up the basket with the sheets. “I’ll be gone for a few days but Sohee will stay with you.”
***
It’s a week before Minjung is allowed to roam the grounds once more. She stops bleeding after five days, but stays bound by custom for the last two days. Gwiboon has yet to return, falling ill once more. It’s after lunch before she finally gets to go out into her garden, and she’s unsurprised to see Taemin waiting for her.
“Princess, it’s nice to see you.” he says with a bow.
“If you’re 8th prince’s top guard, why do you spend all your time in my garden?”
He laughs. “A fair critique. As top guard, I have two tasks. To guard the prince and to do whatever he asks. This just happens to fall under the latter. Kai guards the gate, the prince can handle himself amongst the staff.”
Minjung walks further into the garden, sitting on a bench. Though she disliked wearing only shifts for a week, she still hates the kingdom’s clothing more.
“Might I ask you a question, princess.”
“I suppose, if it pleases the prince.”
“It’s not a question from the prince. It’s...it’s a question of my own.”
She looks up at him, mildly surprised. He sits next to her, though he still keeps as much of a distance as he can.
“Sohee was telling me how distressed you were at Gwiboon’s leave. I have a sister, so I know what it was for, that’s not my question. It’s just...what upset you so much about it, princess? Surely you must’ve known something like this was going to happen.”
She looks away, watching bees zip around a bush.
“It’s not the bleeding that scared me, nor the fact that she had to take...my things. It’s the implications, the after that scares me.”
“You’re scared of the king and queen knowing that you are of that age?”
“That’s how both my sisters died.” she admits, barely above a whisper.
“What do you mean? What happened to Minji?”
Minjung turns to Taemin; he’s completely confused.
“They didn’t tell you what happened to Minji?”
“No, they...they just said she was gone....that she died.”
“She died from complications of childbirth. She bled out.”
Taemin’s confusion turns to horror and Minjung feels guilty for being the one to tell him.
“That’s why m- why 2nd prince wouldn’t have children with his second wife, isn’t it?”
“Between that and the fact that he doesn’t seem to love her, yes.”
Taemin stands and begins pacing around.
“I’m sorry, Taemin.”
“No, no...don’t be sorry. I should’ve...I should’ve seen it I should’ve known.”
Minjung watches him pace around a while longer, waiting for him to say something. Eventually he turns around to face her, walking back and sitting next to her once more. He takes her hand.
“Princess...Minjung...what...forgive me for asking, but what happened to your other sister? Minji would tell us about you, she always spoke of you so fondly, but she wouldn’t talk about her at all, why?”
Minjung sighs. Though the loss of Minji was not easy to discuss, the loss of Minhee was twice as painful. She holds Taemin’s hand and does her best to steel herself.
“Minhee was sent north.”
“North as in where 2nd prince’s second wife is from?”
Minjung nods before continuing. “Our treaty with your kingdom was not as strong then. They were attacking our mutual border and so father asked for a peace treaty. She was given as part of it, sent to be married to their crown prince.”
She pauses, trying to hush the impending tears. Taemin squeezes her hand but stays silent.
“A different ambassador was sent with her, not Yunho. She and Yunho didn’t get along, though they are...were the same age. At the wedding feast, there were ceremonial foods that she had to eat. They made her sick and so she asked if...if the consummation part could be put off a day or two, so that she’d be well. The crown prince was so furious he beat her to death. They...they sent her body back to us. If it hadn’t been for Ambassador Suho accompanying her...Minhee was the prettiest, out of the three of us. There wasn’t a soul in the kingdom that would deny it. And to see her like that...We received the news about Minji the week after. It was like the world was ending. My mama wouldn’t let me out of her sight after that, she was so afraid she’d lose me too.”
Finally, tears well over and Minjung can’t help but let herself cry. Beside her, Taemin remains quiet; she can tell that he wants to help, but simply doesn’t know what to do.
“You think the 8th prince is going to kill you?” he asks after a while.
“Maybe not purposely, but the worry is still there.”
It’s silent as Minjung wipes her face and rearranges herself.
“Does the 8th prince...does he like children?”
“We’ve always joked that he’d need the right kind of wife to have children. He’s not preferential one way or the other.”
“I wish he would chose.”
“Chose what, princess?”
“If he wants me or not. I’ve been here 20 days and he hasn’t called to look upon my face once. I know...I know I’m not the prettiest wife he could’ve had and that I’m not as important or good as I could be, but at least he could address me. When I came, and I was first told that he and I would share a chamber, I was afraid. That I’d...that it’d end like Minhee. After a week, I was scared that I would end like Minji. But I’m...now I’m afraid I’ll be sent home without even knowing who I was engaged to. Or that I’ll find out I was just engaged to a ghost.”
There’s a cough behind them and Kai walks into the garden.
“Taemin, 8th prince wishes to speak with us about the convoy.”
Taemin stands, though he doesn’t let go of Minjung’s hand.
“Yes, I’ll be there momentarily.”
Kai departs again and Taemin looks down at Minjung.
“I must go, princess.”
If she didn’t know better, he almost sounded sad. She grabs at his other hand, moving so that she’s kneeling in front of him.
“Please...please don’t tell him the things I said.”
“Princess, I’m bound to the prince. If he asks, I must say. But I will do my best to limit what he hears.”
Taemin smiles softly before pulling his hands away. As Gwiboon pulls her inside for dinner, she now starts to fear what 8th prince will do with Taemin’s information. In some small way she hopes he tells, so that the he may be urged to move faster; but she more so fears the consequences.
**
Later that night, as she listens to the sound of 8th prince getting into his bed, she can’t even bring herself to be disappointed. She thinks to say something, to ask if he missed her during her week locked away. In the end, she silences herself, thinking about how nice it was to hold Taemin’s hand that afternoon.
Minjung stands and leaves, grabbing a robe off a hook on her way out. Once she shuts the door, Gwiboon and Junghee look at each other.
“She is, without a doubt, the sweetest and most thoughtful person I’ve ever met.” Junghee says, almost starting to cry again.
“Normally I’d be upset that you didn’t say after me but I can’t even be mad because it’s true.”
When Junghee wakes up, she’s confused. She feels Gwiboon’s hand holding on to her boob, per usual, but there’s a second hand resting at her waist as well and she’s wearing a nightgown she doesn’t remember buying. She does her best to turn around without waking up Gwiboon, to see if it helps to jog her memory. While there’s nothing about Gwiboon that seems odd, save the her own unfamiliar pajamas, everything is made clear when Junghee spots Minjung’s sleeping form on the far side of the bed. Excitement bubbles up and she finishes turning to face Gwiboon and Minjung. How she’d ended up on the far end of Minjung is a mystery to her, but she’s still more than happy to have woken up here. She moves hair out of Gwiboon’s face, strokes her cheek, then reaches and does the same for Minjung. They’d been drunk enough and tired enough that they’d all gone to bed after little more than a few kisses. Though she doesn’t want to rush things and she’s surprised that things have made it this far, she’s still a little sad that things didn’t go any further. Gwiboon starts huffing before opening one eye. She sees Junghee and looks vaguely perplexed by the arm on her waist. Junghee has to mouth ‘Minjung’ a few times before she catches on. Gwibbon moves and holds Minjung’s hand. Junghee half expects Minjung to start waking up too, but she remains deeply asleep. She leans to give Gwiboon a good morning kiss and the phone starts ringing. She gets out of bed and makes her way to the living room as quickly as she can.
“Hello?” she asks, hoping it’s not a personal call.
“This is Officer Joon. Is this Ms. Choi?”
“This is Ms. Choi’s line, but I’m Kim Junghee. Ms. Choi isn’t able to come to the phone at the moment.”
“That’s perfectly fine, I was calling to speak to you and the other Ms. Kim anyways. I regret to inform you that your agent, one Mr. Kwon, has been arrested.”
Junghee is struck with fear. “Arrested? On what charges?”
“Miss, I don’t want to upset you with the details, but they are particularly unsavory and involve some of the...younger girls of your agency.”
“Oh. Thank you for your call, Officer Joon.”
“Has there been any occurrences between yourself and Mr. Kwon or the other Ms. Kim and Mr. Kwon that you would like to report at this time?”
“No sir. We’re pretty new to the agency and seem to have been lucky.”
“That’s a relief, Miss. If I need to get ahold of you again, should I call this number again?”
“For the time being, yes. I’ll leave our other number with Ms. Choi if we leave this residency.”
“Thank you, Miss. I’m sorry that I had to tell you this.”
Junghee hangs up the phone and makes her way back to Minjung’s bedroom. When she gets back, Gwiboon is in the process of waking up Minjung.
“Jungie, what’s wrong, my dove?” she asks.
Junghee is almost in tears. “Remember how we said that it seemed that there were inappropriate dealings with those two teens in our company? Between them and Mr. Kwon? Apparently we weren’t wrong. He’s been arrested as of this morning.”
Gwiboon sits up, mouth and eyes wide in disbelief.
“Arrested?”
Junghee nods and sits on the edge of the bed. Minjung finally starts rubbing her eyes and manages to sit up by the time Junghee properly starts crying. Gwiboon seems too in shock to comfort her, so Minjung reaches out and takes Junghee’s hand. She says something about making a call and slips out of the room. Gwiboon finally comes to and wraps an arm around Junghee, pulling her back so that they’re laying face to face.
“Gwi, what are we going to do?” Junghee asks through tears.
“I don’t know, Jungie, but it’ll be okay, I know it will be.”
They’re almost asleep by the time that Minjung comes back. She sits at the edge of the bed between them.
“I called Jinki, my manager. He said that one of our other agents, Suho, who I know fairly well, has just had his two models retire and that the company has a pretty good knowledge of you two. I know this is really sudden, and I’m sorry if it feels like I’m meddling, but if you’re interested, they’ll sign you on so that you’re not out of work or anything. If you’re interested, they said to let them know and they’ll swing by for lunch to discuss it. They also said that for now, it might be easiest if you stay with me for a while while this whole thing is still going on. Though I don’t mind you continuing to borrow my things, they can also stop by your house and grab things for you if you’d like. I’m going to go make breakfast so you two can talk about it. Just come out whenever you’re ready and decided.”
Minjung stands and leaves, grabbing a robe off a hook on her way out. Once she shuts the door, Gwiboon and Junghee look at each other.
“She is, without a doubt, the sweetest and most thoughtful person I’ve ever met.” Junghee says, almost starting to cry again.
“Normally I’d be upset that you didn’t say after me but I can’t even be mad because it’s true.”
“What do you think we should do, Gwi?”
“I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to at least look at the terms they’re offering. If they’re familiar with us and still willing to sign us that must mean that they are at least interested in us.”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
“I know this is off topic and we’re having an important discussion but this is the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept on and I would not mind sleeping in it for the rest of my life.”
Junghee giggles. “I was thinking that this morning.”
“Should we go out?”
Junghee nods and they both sit up. They grab two other robes off the hook and make their way into the kitchen. Minjung’s in the kitchen ladling pancake batter into a pan.
“I hope you don’t mind pancakes,” she says when she notices them. “I usually make eggs in the morning but I thought you two could probably use a little pick-me-up instead.”
“I can’t remember the last time I had pancakes, I’m so excited.” Junghee says, creeping up behind Minjung.
She wraps an arm around Minjung’s waist and again, Gwiboon is more than content with the view. She sits at the table and watches the other two with a faint smile. When everything’s cooked, Minjung hands the plate of pancakes to Junghee to carry as she brings out cups and orange juice. Once everyone’s seated pancakes are distributed.
“So, what did you two decide?” Minjung asks shyly after a few bites.
“As long as the terms are good, I think we’re both more than willing to sign with your agency.” Junghee explains, trying her best to sound sure of herself.
Gwiboon reaches out and takes Minjung’s empty hand. “Thank you for setting this up. It really means a lot, especially with how little you know us.”
Minjung smiles. “You’re welcome, don’t worry about it. I’ve known more than a few girls that this kind of thing has happened to and I’d feel awful if I didn’t try to help.”
Once breakfast is finished, they all get dressed and then call to the agency is made. Soon enough, Jinki and Suho arrive. Most of the afternoon is spent going through the new contracts; they’re much more fair than their former ones and they’re almost glad that this happened. As part of the contract, they agree to move in with Minjung, at least temporarily, until everything is sorted. It’s well passed dinnertime by the time they leave and Gwiboon and Junghee are more than exhausted. Minjung makes more sandwiches for dinner and she lets them take a bath while she sits in bed and reads. Once they’re done, she takes one herself. Soon enough they’re all ready for bed. Junghee lays in the middle of them this time, with Gwiboon to her right and Minjung to her left. Idle chatter soon turns to talk of past romance. Gwiboon and Junghee talk at length about their former pursuits while Minjung stays mostly quiet.
“Minjung, if you don’t mind me prying,” Junghee starts unsurely, “have you ever had a proper girlfriend? Like I know you said you had one, but was she just a friend or more?”
Minjung sighs a little and Gwiboon can tell she’s poked something that probably ought to have been left alone.
“She was...something in between.” she says quietly.
“Is it the girl in the picture at the beach?” Gwiboon asks before she can stop herself.
“Yes. Her name is Taeyeon. We grew up together. I’ve always known that I liked girls, and when we were around 14 I confessed that I had feelings for her. When we were 16, she decided that she had feelings for me too. Her parents are very religious, she comes from a Catholic family. So her feelings were very on-off. Some days, I really could believe that she loved me and wanted me. She’d kiss me and hold my hand and say that we’d always be together. Other days, she’d be almost cold. Even if I was just touching her arm to get her attention, she’d act like I was trying to do something indecent. She eventually went to school at a university near here, so her parents were fine with her coming to live with me, since they didn’t know. When she dropped out, she moved back home and I tried to be understanding. A few weeks later, she called me to tell me not to come around anymore. That she’d found a good Christian man at school that she’d been seeing for a few months behind my back and as of that day they were engaged. I was heartbroken. Six years I had done my best to respect her and love her as she wanted and I was thrown out like leftovers just like that. That was almost two years ago. She has a son now.”
She’s understandably close to tears, and next to her, softhearted Junghee is also close to crying. She kisses Minjung’s cheek.
“That’s so cruel! I can’t believe anyone would do that, least of all to you!”
Minjung laughs bitterly. “I guess you better start believing.”
Gwiboon reaches across Junghee and takes Minjung’s hand. “Though I’m sorry you’ve been hurting over this and think it’s awful that she did that, I’m thankful for her evil ways. If you were still with her, then we wouldn’t get to be the luckiest girls ever and be in your bed. I know eight years is a long time to grow accustomed to loving someone, but I’ve only really know you for eight days and I’m already ready to declare my undying love for you. As long as you don’t mind sharing and being shared with Junghee, that is.”
Minjung moves their hands up so that she can place soft kisses to Gwiboon’s palm. “Eight years is a long time to love someone, but eight days can be good enough to start loving someone new. Taeyeon always said I was too clingy and greedy with her time. Maybe being shared would be nice, if it meant always being wanted.”
Gwiboon longs to say more, but she feels Junghee falling asleep in her arms and knows they've said enough for one night. She signals it to Minjung and both kiss her cheek. After a goodnight kiss between the two of them, Minjung reaches over and turns off the light. As she moves to get comfortable, Gwiboon can’t help but to wonder what the future will bring.
“I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
It’s just before dawn when Gwiboon leaves. She dresses herself as quickly and quietly as she can before she grabs her basket out from its hiding place. She climbs over the fence, fearing the gate with creak too much if she tries to open it. Until she gets passed the last house on the lane she walks properly, dignified. No one should be awake at this hour but she doesn’t want to run the risk of making a scene. Once she’s reached the part of the road where the trees thicken, however, she picks up her skirts and run as fast as her legs will take her. Dawn has come by the time she reaches the edge of the lake. A dense fog covers it, and she almost loses her nerve, but she puts her basket in the first rowboat she can get loose and sets off. Growing up, she’d always been told how important it was to stay within sight of the shore, how important it is not to get trapped in the fog, how the people who ventured too far sent home empty boats. As she rows away from the shore, she goes as far as she can before she turns and travels perpendicular to the shore. The lake is huge, practically a sea, and she wants to get as far away from her town as she can before anyone else ventures out.
An hour later, she can no longer see the dock that she left from nor any similar looking outcroppings. It’s getting brighter out but the fog on the lake doesn’t dissipate at all. Birds flit around in the trees, but none venture over the water. Gwiboon stops rowing and takes an apple out of her basket. She doesn’t have much food with her and even less money, but she’s hopeful that wherever she lands that the people will be kind. After another hour of rowing, she hears a noise coming from the fog. It’s high pitch, almost like the sound of someone crying. Gwiboon keeps rowing and tries to ignore the sound. The fog has her on edge enough and nothing good has ever come from following strange noises. Yet, over time, Gwiboon finds herself peering into the fog, trying to find the source of the noise. The shore gets further and further away until finally Gwiboon turns her boat fully away from it. The fog doesn’t envelop her like she thinks it will; there’s a gap around her, almost as if she’s sitting in a bubble, extending more than an arm’s length beyond the sides of the boat. The noise is getting louder and Gwiboon realizes that it’s not crying, but singing. She gets excited as the song grows clearer. She rows as hard as she can until she seems to find a clearing. The song is loud and wonderful and nearby. She scans around, looking for another boat, looking for the singer. She notices someone swimming around and the song stops.
“Hello?” she calls out.
The swimmer -- a woman -- turns around. When their eyes meet, she swims to the side of Gwiboon’s boat.
“Hello.” the woman whispers, reaching a hand up onto the edge of the boat.
“Are you safe? Where’s your boat?” Gwiboon asks, concerned.
The woman laughs. “I don’t need a boat.”
“Was...was that you singing?”
“Maybe. Did you like it?”
“Oh yes. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
The woman beams. “Yes, it was me.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“I’m doing what I please.”
“Oh.”
“What are you doing out here? It’s not often I see girls alone in boats, very rarely so pretty as you.”
Gwiboon hesitates. “I’m...leaving.”
“Where to, pretty girl?”
“I...I haven’t decided yet.”
“Running away, then?”
“Yeah...yeah. I’m running away from my husband.”
“What’s your name, pretty girl?”
“Gwi-Gwiboon.” she says, blushing deeply.
“That’s a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty girl.” The woman reaches up a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek. “I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
“Where would I hide at?”
“I have a house close.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?”
The woman laughs. “If I wanted to hurt you, Gwiboon, I would’ve done it already.”
Gwiboon becomes acutely aware of just how far out of the water the woman is, how naked she seems to be.
“Is there...what do you want in return?”
“For hiding you away? A kiss.”
Gwiboon swallows hard. The only person she’s ever kissed has been her husband, none of them ever pleasant.
“Are you...sure that’s what you want?”
The woman laughs. “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, what else have you to offer me? I’m not interested in first borns. I have no use for money. I’m not going to eat you. So instead, just a kiss and perhaps a thank you will suffice for my efforts.”
Gwiboon stays still, trying her best to look away from the woman.
“It’s a fair deal, isn’t it? Just close your pretty eyes for me, Gwiboon.”
Gwiboon looks back and nods. The woman reaches her other hand up, cupping Gwiboon’s face and she does her best to mentally prepare. Kisses from her husband have always been rough, unkind, taken from her. Gwiboon half expects the woman to pull her over the side of the boat in an attempt to drown her. When the woman puts her lips to Gwiboon’s, however, the feeling is completely new. It feels soft and warm and lovelier than anything Gwiboon’s ever felt before. When the woman pulls away, Gwiboon feels herself instinctively try to follow her for more. The woman laughs.
“See? Not so bad, is it?”
Gwiboon blushes deeply again and shakes her head shyly.
“Do you have the strength to keep rowing? My house is close by.”
Gwiboon nods and the woman starts swimming away.
“Just follow me, pretty girl. We’ll be there soon and then you can rest.”
Eventually, they reach what Gwiboon assumes must be the woman’s house. There’s a clearing, right in the middle of the fog, with a large island. On it sits a quaint little house, surrounded by bushes full of roses and strawberries. A forest extends behind it. It’s warm and lovely and looks more inviting than any home back in Gwiboon’s old town. The woman stops swimming a good distance out from the shore.
“I...I can go no further, but my home is yours for now. There’s not much, but you’re welcome to anything you need. When you reach the shore, take your dress off, just the outer layer, and put it back in the boat. Then push the boat back to me. I’ll be back in two days time.”
“Why so long?”
“I’ll explain when I get back.”
Gwiboon starts rowing towards shore, then stops again.
“What’s your name?”
“Minjung. Now hurry. I can’t stay long.”
Gwiboon does her best to reach the shore quickly, removing her overdress and sending the boat back out. It drifts to Minjung quickly and soon she’s waving goodbye and heading back into the fog. Gwiboon stands on the shore for a while, looking at where Minjung’s disappeared. When it’s clear she’s not coming back, she heads inside. True to Minjung’s word, there’s not much inside: a cot, a few baskets of food, flowers drying on a string, a basket of fabric. Gwiboon goes to the food and grabs a roll of bread before sitting down on the cot. She’s exhausted from rowing all morning, so she decides to sleep. After all, she has two days to wait for Minjung to come back.
Gwiboon wakes to Minjung’s song. Thinking she’s come home early, Gwiboon rushes outside. She’s still alone though, the sound simply drifting through the fog. Judging by the amount of light coming through, it’s early afternoon. She walks around the house, inspecting everything she can. She sits on the shore, as close to the water as she can, and closes her eyes, listening to Minjung’s song. When she opens her eyes again, it’s dark, She goes inside, eats something, and goes to bed.
Minjung returns around noon. Gwiboon’s sitting in the doorway, waiting, when she spots Minjung’s head peek up out of the water. She stands and walks to the water’s edge as she comes walking up onto shore. Minjung’s taller than she thought she would be; when Gwiboon realizes that Minjung is in fact naked, long hair clinging to her body but doing little to cover her, she tries to look away.
“I sent your boat back; they stopped looking for you at nightfall.” Minjung explains.
“Did he...was anyone upset?”
“If they were, I didn’t hear it. I heard whispers that they were surprised it took this long. They seem to be under the impression that he killed you.”
Gwiboon looks down at the ground, unsure of what to feel about the situation.
“Do you know where you want to go? From here?” Minjung asks, walking into the house.
“Not really, I’ve never...I haven’t....”
“You’ve never been outside before, have you?”
Gwiboon shakes her head. Minjung sighs and starts digging through a basket.
“Aha! Here’s a map. It’s a little old, so take it with a grain of salt. If there’s a place that tickles your fancy, I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“What if there isn’t?”
“There’s no rush, pretty girl.”
Minjung looks Gwiboon over and there’s something to her gaze that makes her shiver. Gwiboon is still trying not to look at Minjung, though it’s getting increasingly hard.
“Can you...would you mind putting something on?” she asks.
Minjung glances down at herself and then smiles.
“I can if it bothers you.”
“It’s not that it bothers me, I just...it just....you see...”
“Gwiboon, your body is no different than mine. Is it something to be ashamed of?”
Gwiboon feels her cheeks turning red. “How am I supposed to know?”
“Haven’t you seen yourself before?”
Gwiboon shakes her head and Minjung’s shocked face makes her feel even more embarrassed.
“Women aren’t allowed to look into mirrors, in my...in my old town. They say it makes us bad if we do.”
“That’s terrible! Come here, come stand by me.” Minjung instructs, pulling a curtain away from the wall.
Gwiboon does as she’s told but avoids looking at the now exposed mirror. Minjung puts a hand on either side of her waist, positioning her properly in front of the mirror.
“Don’t you want to know what you look like, pretty girl?”
She looks up and tries not to be afraid of her own reflection. She can’t look long at her own face, instead moving down to look at the parts of her underdress. Minjung takes notice and turns Gwiboon around.
“Let’s take these off, yeah? Your town is the only one that refuses to let them go. You might as well get used to it as soon as you can.”
Though she thinks to protest, Gwiboon finds herself allowing Minjung to unlace her corset, untie her petticoats. When she’s naked, Minjung turns her back around. She can’t bring herself to look, no matter how much Minjung tries to coax her to. Eventually she gives up and starts rummaging through the fabric basket again. She pulls out two dresses, much thinner and simpler than Gwiboon’s used to; she hands one to Gwiboon and puts the other on herself. Though she’s the one that asked for this, Gwiboon’s disappointed.
“Where were you yesterday?” Gwiboon asks after almost two hours of silence.
Minjung looks up from where she’s descaling fish. “I was in the lake.”
“But how?”
“Gwiboon, you know the answer.”
When she was little, Gwiboon had heard stories about things -- people -- who lived in the lake. That’s part of why it was forbidden to swim in it. But she never for a second had thought that maybe those stories were true.
“But you’re on land now? If you...how can....”
Minjung laughs. “It’s simple, really. For seven days, I stay in the water. I move around as a please, drown sailors who are foolish enough to try and net me. Then, I get to spend the eighth day on land. I get to smell my roses and eat my strawberries. Wear dresses if I please. Then it’s back to the water to start again.”
“Oh. So tomorrow...”
“Tomorrow noon, I go back for a week. Well, one fo your weeks. My weeks are eight days.”
“So if I don’t know where I want to go, you’ll let me stay until you come back again?”
“Of course. Where else are you going to go, pretty girl? We both know you can’t swim.”
Gwiboon spends the whole night watching Minjung from a distance. They eat dinner together, Gwiboon telling Minjung about the reasons she left. An angry mother, a cruel husband, a lack of anything to do. In turn, Minjung tells Gwiboon about the people she’s seen -- and drowned. When Gwiboon lays down to sleep, she remembers her kiss in payment on the boat. She sneaks glances at Minjung’s lips until she falls asleep, dreaming about their softness. Minjung’s gone when Gwiboon wakes. She feels a pang of loneliness, but tries to get along.
Most of her week is spent in front of Minjung’s mirror. Getting acquainted with every line on her face, every curve of her body. She figures that if she left home for freedom, she might as well exercise it to the full amount. The rest of her time is spent thinking about Minjung. The sound of her voice, the curve of her lips, the shape of her body. She tries to look at the map, tries to find a place to go -- after all, she doesn’t want to overstay her welcome -- but no where sounds appealing.
When Minjung comes home again, Gwiboon’s waiting at the water’s edge. After her week of self-discovery, she’s decided to forgo her dress. She can feel Minjung’s eyes locked on her the moment her head comes out of the water.
“Busy week alone?” Minjung asks as she walks out of the water.
Gwiboon blushes, but reaches out for Minjung’s hands.
“Kiss me. Please. Like you did when you found me. Please.”
Minjung’s hands move to Gwiboon’s face, lips on hers in a second. The warm feeling returns to Gwiboon, just as before, but it disappears when Minjung pulls away.
“Just one kiss, pretty girl?” She asks, keeping her face just out of reach.
“No, not one, as many as you can fit into a day.”
Minjung’s lips are back on Gwiboon’s almost before she finishes her sentence. Gwiboon wraps first her arms around Minjung’s neck, then her legs around her waist. Minjung lets go of Gwiboon’s face in order to support her, carrying her inside. Once on Minjung’s cot, they spend no more than a moment of out each other’s arms. Gwiboon’s unable to stop asking for more and Minjung’s equally unable to stop giving. By the time dawn comes, Gwiboon thinks she might die from so many sweet kisses, so many gentle touches. Even when the lake calls to Minjung, Gwiboon can’t let go. She holds tight onto her, Minjung doing her best to walk backwards into the lake.
“Gwiboon....Gwi you need...you have to go...go back” Minjung instructs between kisses.
Gwiboon ignores her, stealing more kisses as they get knee deep.
“You can’t....Gwi you can’t....can’t swim go back.”
“Don’t...don’t leave”
“We both...both know I...I have to...Gwiboon...go...go back.”
When the water is waist deep, Minjung starts trying to push Gwi away, sets her back on the ground. At chest level, the ground suddenly drops off. Gwiboon goes to wrap herself around Minjung, to stay close to her, but she’s pushed back. The water carries her to the shore.
“I’m sorry.” Minjung calls out just before she dips under the water.
For the next seven days, Gwiboon can only cry and watch the waters. She tries to explore the forest behind the house; no matter how far back she goes, however, she finds herself back on the waterfront. She knows it’s days before Minjung will return, but she can’t help but be on guard at all times. When Minjung does return, there’s something different. Her kisses are still soft, but her body is colder than before, weaker than before. She falls asleep twice and Gwiboon feels guilty waking her up in order for them to have their time. When the lake calls for her, Gwiboon half carries her to the water. The week is spent anxiously; Minjung’s song grows weaker and quieter with each passing day.
She washes up on the shore just after dawn. Gwiboon just happens to wake up in time, rushing out to bring her inside. She’s almost as cold as the lake water, struggling to stay awake.
“Minjung, can you hear me?” Gwiboon asks as she lays her on the cot.
Minjung turns her head, tries to put a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek.
“My pretty girl.” she whispers before coughing.
“What’s wrong, Minjung? What’s happening?”
“I’m a fool.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m dying.”
Tears start running down Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“What do you mean you’re dying?”
“I’m a fool in love and I’m dying.”
She starts coughing again and Gwiboon helps her sit up. When it subsides, Gwiboon does her best to hold her, pressing kisses to her neck and shoulder. She coughs again and pulls away enough to rest their foreheads against each other.
“Gwi...Gwi, my pretty girl, do you love me?” she whispers.
“I do. Since the first time you came back.”
Minjung smiles and starts crying as well. Gwiboon’s confused and frightened and when Minjung starts coughing again, she fears the worst. But like before it subsides, but it’s clear that Minjung’s coughed something up. She holds it in her hand, before offering it to Gwiboon. As Gwiboon looks at it, she realizes it’s a pearl.
“If...if you love me, take it.”
“What do I...do I just hold it?”
“You have to swallow it”
“Why?”
“It’ll bind us together. It’s...think of it as a marriage.”
“What happens if I don’t?”
“If you don’t swallow it, I’m going to die. If you swallow it, but you don’t love me, I’m going to die. This is me giving you my heart. Me saying that I can’t live without you.”
Without a second thought, Gwiboon swallows the pearl.
Gwiboon wakes up holding Minjung. She kisses the top of her head, delighted to feel that she’s warm once again. She reaches down and grabs one of Minjung’s hands, pressing kisses into her palm until she wakes up. She seems surprised, touching Gwiboon’s face as if to make sure they’re both still real.
“When did you know you loved me?” Gwiboon asks softly.
“When I found you in your boat. For us -- for my people --, when you meet the person you’re destined for, you find your song. I’d never sang before I met you. And then all of a sudden, I saw your form through the fog and my heart was filled with song and I knew it had to be you.”
“So if I hadn’t been your...soulmate, then you would’ve drowned me?”
Minjung hums, scooting up so that they’re laying face to face. “I was a fool for you from the moment I saw you. I shouldn’t have kissed you that day. There’s a sort of internal watch that starts ticking down time after the first kiss, only so much time to develop love. I risked so much because I wanted you so bad.”
“I guess it’s lucky for us that I loved you back,”
For the first time since their meeting, Minjung gets shy.
“When did you...when did you know? That you loved me?”
“The first night you came back. When I was trying to go to sleep but was having so much trouble falling asleep because I was trying to will you to kiss me.”
“I guess you don’t have to worry about that now.”
“That’s true.” Gwiboon says, reaching over for a kiss.
Over time, it gets easier to let Minjung return to the water. Out of desperation, Gwiboon learns to swim. Everyday that Minjung must spend in the lake, they meet in the water at the edge of the fog. Days when Minjung gets to come home, Gwiboon meets her out in the water. It makes Minjung laugh, the way Gwiboon pulls her ashore with such desperation, but she’s happy and plays along. One day, Minjung finds a boat. She brings it to Gwiboon and shows her the paths to the towns. Soon enough, Gwiboon’s spending her seven days on the real shore. She takes the little allowances Minjung steals from boats to buy candies and treats and trinkets to take home. There’s whispers about her -- the woman who kisses the water and never stays longer than a week -- but she doesn’t mind them at all. Even when she chances upon her former husband, who runs away at the sight of her, she remains carefree. No matter what happens, she knows that on the eighth day of the week, she gets to go home to their island and be loved.
