My big brother and his best friend called me a brat in my youth, and I never saw it as anything more than an endearing pet name for me. But now that I saw how close my big brother was getting to my only friend, I couldn't help but to feel a twinge of jealousy that my big brother wasn't only mine anymore. Not that I was unhappy with this, I needed him to get married already so he can continue our father's lineage and i wasn't willing to wait for him to turn 30 years or god forbid, even later than that. I used to resent Seon-Ho in the slightest for taking him from me even though I was more than grateful for his friendship. Now i hated the Third Prince to the bone for taking him away as they did with my father when he was forced to leave us on our own to work and provide for us. But Hyeon would never take Hwi away from me, just like Seon-Ho couldn't, even if he wanted to, which he didn't. Even i knew that this 'courtship' between myself and Seon-Ho was based on a lot of manipulation to exploit me for his work but on more gentler terms and to bring himself close to my brother once again just like before our lives were thrown into chaos.
"How comes you never get jealous like that over me?" My man's manifestation or ghost appeared right behind me as i was left to wander about my bedroom to ponder over my plans and get ready for the big banquet tonight that will be attended by the biggest officials that resided in neighbouring villages since Ihwaru was shut down. "Who says I don't? You are far prettier than any man or woman that we have ever come across, even Hui-Jae herself." "For goodness sake, do not take that ominous woman's name in your pretty little mouth." "And you have many women's eyes on you since you have become a rising star in the palace…" "I wasn't expecting that and you know it. But even now with all of this attention on me, no-one understands me like you do." He replied as he took my hairbrush from me and starting brushing my hair as gentle as he could.
"So you are not tempted in the least to have other women?" "I think we have already established the fact that I will never take in concubines or have mistresses due to the fact that I do not like women. I never even touched that kisaeng." "So what makes me so different?" "My connection with you is mostly emotional, I feel very safe and comfortable with you. And i like being psychical with you because i like you and…" "and you want me to breed an army with you? For you?" "We still have our fun, don't we?" He asked me as he began to slowly undress me with his marks bare on my back for him to see.
"Wear a blue dress, just for me." "I always wear blue for you, but you are not here to appreciate it. Maybe if I wear another colour, it will make you so angry so that you find me and…" "and what? What do you want me to do after finding you? Well? Should i stay here with you whilst you carry out your plans? Shall I take you away from here and make you elope with me? Or will you finally agree to marry me and give me what I want? Which only you can give to me?" "For your plans in advancement? Or for…" "for what? That thing called love?" "You absolute jerk…" "so if i say it, will you be mine? Or just suffer in irritable silence like you are now without me, and my touch…" he said as he placed his huge palm right against my hip, which he knew was one of my weak spots. "Stop laughing at me you jerk." "Then stop moaning when I touch you, or when I kiss your little neck like this…" "Stop it, stop torturing me like this…" "or maybe you want this!" He spun me around in his arms and pushed me against my chest of draws and…
"What do you want Yeon? Tell me what you want and i will give it to you, but you know that only i can give it to you." "You don't just want my help! You dangling my drams of having a marriage and children right in front of my eyes without anything sustainable to back them up! Will I only help you? Will I have a role in the palace? And what do we have in a marriage after the schemes have come and gone and when the children grow up? Tell me? While you are content in that god forsaken place and i am left alone with the children whilst you have your men chasing around after you and…" "have you ever considered the fact that you will get what you want when i do? Have you also considered the fact that I am doing this because you owe me for all of the secrets that you hid from me. You owe me for every single day that you have kept you distance from me after being released from my father's home. And I will without a doubt make you pay for every single day that you have stayed in a damned brothel, no matter what you reasons are." "But it wasn't my fault that i was captured here and…" "oh really? It wasn't your fault? Do you honestly expect me to believe that? It isn't a damned coincidence how you are always in the right place at the right time, and i will figure it out once i find you. You have a lot f making up to do for me before we can even discuss getting what you feel you want or what you are entitled to." "In that case, I can just walk way from you and…" "How will you walk away from me when you won't let anybody else touch you? Go near you? Or even converse with them? I will have you Seo Yeon, no matter what it costs me. You are very much worth the investment and having you when I want is just a bonus on the side, something that you also owe me…"
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"What are you thinking about again?" "Yonug Master! Pease forgive my manners, i didn't know that you would sneak up behind me like this. Did you..sleep well? You were knocked out for hours." "I did, thank you." "You must be very hungry indeed, i have already had the kitchens send you a plate of food to my room just for you, since there is still time for the banquet to start…what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" "I was just a little startled when I couldn't find you as soon as I woke up, a man likes it when his woman keeps him company for as long as she can when she is home, especially when he travels a lot for work." Why was this man so intent on making me blush as much as he could today? Watching him walk besides me once again was all I could do to keep my heart from bursting out of my chest when he said that. "Forgive me, it will not happen again…" "it had better not. But thank you for at least lighting up a fire near me and having for ready for me, I haven't experienced that in a while." "So…what else do you like? Apart from fires and food and…" "I quite like jasmine tea that my sister gave me, and jasmine scents overall. Mint usually helps me when i contract colds and I am in desperate need of fur-lined outfits that i haven't received since my sister's business went bust." "Very well, i have just the thing in my room…" "no, I do not want knockoff gifts from other men. I want in hand-stitched personally with my initials on everything, you can get my measurements from my sister. I need at least 2 pairs of fur-lined boots as well instead of paying for a fortune for them in the market…" "I shall also make you a pair of gloves and kneepads." I couldn't believe it, was it really this easy and natural to curled by somebody that you liked? And who liked you back? The sun was setting nicely, the conversation was flowing naturally and just being around him gave me peace that I had never known before. I truly felt safe for the very first time in my life and for that, it made me want to make this man happy. If he wanted me to make him clothes and food myself, then I would do it. If he wanted to keep me in a home then i would do it and if he wanted children soon…then i would be the one to give it to him. He wasn't a man who was interested in showing off his new found wealth, so if he wanted t continue working with the people, then i would help him with that as well.
"There are many apricot flowers in bloom now." "Apricots are not as bright as peaches or as cold as plums, but they are indeed modest and gentle. People and flowers are rather like in some ways, it just takes a person to see that to realise it. But only a modest and gentle person can be attracted to flowers." "So do you like these flowers?" "Not really." "Oh? So what do you like then?" "Despite the beauty of the flower, apricots are typically sour and their seeds are bitter. Life would then be meaningless if it begins well and ends badly. I would much prefer evergreen plants like cypresses and pine that does not bare any fruits or even bloom at all." "I have never heard such a curious point of view before. I would love to hear more if we were not so busy today." "Are you going somewhere, Young Master?" I have a favour to complete for my sister before i set about doing my own work." "How long shall you be gone for this time?" "Just a day or two before coming back here again, and then maybe up to about 2 weeks until i see my sister again. But I have a feeling that she might escape in that time, who knows?" "Will you really come again in 2 weeks?" "Why? Will you miss me?" "I…would just like to give you a gift before you leave. For your…companionship…" "may i ask you for a gift instead?" "Yes, please, go on?" "Get rid of every other gift that you have received from everyone else other than myself. And if you do not by the time that I return, i shall have my answer and never bother you again."
He walked away without even saying anything back to my room where i had his clothes waiting for him; pressed, heated and perfumed exactly how his sister taught me whilst she was playing with the children like she did in every free moment that she had. Yeon, to her credit, had done everything that she could to protect me, even though i had done little to deserve it, but now what could i do? What would happen at the banquet tonight? Why wasn't she telling me anything? Would something happen to me? Would Seo Hwi be besides me? To protect me? Will he elope with me? Did he already have something set up for us? And what about Yeon? Would I be forced to part from her? For how long? Would i ever see her again? Or would i finally be free of this place once and for all?