Wo Chung Inn.
A few moments before the kisaeng was about to tell them the information, she requested some sort of proof that they can help her and the other girl. It also came to Dohyun's mind that they should continue their conversation elsewhere, hence, leading them to Wo Chung Inn where Dohyun rented two rooms for the both of them good enough for a week.
They now sat around a small table outside their area of the inn, Jaeyong and Dohyun beside each other while the woman on the opposite side and the other girl behind her. It was only now that Dohyun had the chance to clearly look at them, the woman in front of him was stunningly beautiful with an intense seductive charm. The other girl seemed to be younger than her but also had a charming allure. They were kisaengs after all.
"My name is Sam Mee Yon, my companion here is Sam Seonghwa", she said, glancing over to the one behind her.
Right, they had forgotten to even introduce themselves. The way they had met was a bit too eccentric, leaving not much time to think about such things.
"Ah, I'm Bu Dohyun", Dohyun replied.
"Dohyun…", Jaeyong whispered to his ear.
Dohyun was disoriented, what did- He told his real name!
"Bu Dohyun?" Sam Mee Yon repeated, "Your name is very familiar."
"This is Baek Jaeyong", Dohyun hurriedly said, hoping she would forget thinking why his name was familiar, of course it was, he was a prince!
"Anyway, Bu Dohyun-ssi, Baek Jaeyong-ssi, I hope you understand why I couldn't tell you so easily. The Golden Capital is no longer safe for Seonghwa and I, after all, not much of a future lies ahead for Seonghwa to keep staying with me with this sort of lifestyle."
So Seonghwa wasn't a kisaeng?
Dohyun nodded once, "I will keep my word to grant you the two favors, so please tell us everything."
"Those people have been transporting and storing their crates at the kisaeng house for who knows how long, I just know that our lady allowed it since they pay well. We don't know who receives them after they take them away but I am certain about one thing.
Every other crate has a pink ribbon-like cloth attached to it while the rest have none. That pink cloth can only be found in a town far away in the west mountains, Sasaeum Maeul."
Dohyun questioned, "How can you be sure because of a pink cloth?"
Sam Mee Yon raised her gaze as she responded, "Because that's my hometown. And only that specific pink cloth can be made there." She later added, "I'm not sure if those crates end up there but you should be able to find out who buys the cloth since I've never seen it elsewhere here in the Golden Capital."
It was only another lead, full of uncertainty but if it isn't used elsewhere in the capital then there must be a fair chance that the people would know who, that is if they will talk.
"There you are!" A familiar voice shouted from afar, "I've been looking all the hell over thinking of what happened to you guys!" Byung Ho said with a few curses.
Dohyun shrugged lightly, "We kinda ran into a few problems…"
"Uh obviously", Byung Ho dumbfoundedly retorted, "Royal guards were all over searching for 'two troublesome thieves.'"
After quickly scanning Dohyun his attention turned to the other two women… "You- why are you with…"
"With what?", Sam Mee Yon retaliated, "You can't say it but it is your kind who seek our company the most, isn't that right royal guard?" With that she crossed her arms.
"What do you mean our kind?" Byung Ho sneered, "Just because some people can't keep dignity to their names doesn't mean all of us can't."
For the first time the other girl raised her head, looking at Byung Ho she questioned, "Excuse me? I've known Mee Yon unnie as far as I can remember and never once has she done anything with indignity, perhaps it is your kind's prejudice that makes you think so."
Dohyun didn't like where this was going but he also knew Byung Ho wouldn't probe any further. He himself has tried his best to teach Byung Ho and Minhye what prejudice can do. What the girl said was right, and it must have hit Byung Ho by then.
He looked at the two then inclined his head, "Forgive me. I was in the wrong."
Due to the extreme change in personality, everyone except Dohyun was undeniably shocked. He knew it was because Byung Ho and Minhye would feel ashamed if they went against Dohyuns random teachings to them, because it was Dohyun's values and beliefs they mocked.
Jaeyong let out an amused click of the tongue, amazed at how subject Byung Ho was to certain things.
Dohyun spoke up, "Please dismiss his earlier statements, Sam Mee Yon-ssi, Seonghwa-ssi. This is An Byung Ho, he's fast to speak before thinking."
Finding it weird to not accept his apology given his current state, Sam Mee Yon nodded her head at the odd man. By this point, Byung Ho was practically dying inside.
"Hyung, this Sasaeum Maeul, have you been there?", Dohyun asked, facing Jaeyong.
Jaeyong shook his head, "No, I've only heard of it a few times."
"Mee Yon-ssi, you mentioned it would take around three weeks to get there, do you know the way?" Dohyun asked.
"I remember the way, horses should mostly get us there but we also have to walk certain places."
If this was the case, Dohyun would have to prepare first and think of a fool-proof excuse.
"You should have enough to get by in the next few days, I still have some things to arrange before we go. You also shouldn't worry, I'll be sending my men to protect you as per your request, is there anything you'd like in the meantime?" Dohyun asked.
Sam Mee Yon thought for a moment, "A set of mens clothes will do for now, nothing fancy just a regular pair."
Dohyun didn't feel like asking any further so he nodded his head, standing up to leave. The others also stood up and slightly bowed before moving.
"Ah", Seonghwa hissed.
"What is it?" Sam Mee Yon hastily asked.
"Nothing, I think I sprained my ankle earlier, I'm fine", Seonghwa said brushing it off.
"How can you be fine when we've been walking all this time?" Mee Yon replied.
"Sam Mee Yon-ssi is right", Byung Ho quietly said, raising his head, "Please allow me to tie a knot so that it won't worsen."
Was this his way of showing his forgiveness?
Anyhow Seonghwa allowed him to tie a knot around her small ankle making it so it wouldn't move. Sam Mee Yon watched with a stern face, "You should fix that habit of yours really, how would your master feel if you acted that way after findin-"
"Sam Mee Yon-ssi!" Dohyun blurted having a good sense where her talk was going, "It isn't like that, it's just- it's just-"
"It's just what?" Byung Ho questioned.
"Nothing! We were in an emergency, no need to talk about it anymore", Dohyun quickly said, he could already feel his entire face heating up again and didn't dare look at Jaeyong right now.
Sam Mee Yon let out a suppressed chuckle, did she really see everything? Dohyun thought.
He couldn't even bear to think about it right now, except for the unfortunate way his mind worked, all he could think of right now was that short lived kiss between him and Jaeyong!
With that they snuck back to the palace entering behind the walls near Dohyun's residence, a few of the wonhwa greeted them as they arrived. The rest were still probably heading back, Minhye should also be returning in a few days.
"We'll talk tomorrow", Dohyun said to Byung Ho before immediately entering his house and proceeded to hide on his bed behind the paper divider.
Byung Ho gave Jayong a weird look before leaving, 'Just what happened?'
Jaeyong also entered, his state much more calm. They hadn't had dinner yet, he didn't feel like eating but it was best to make sure Dohyun wasn't hungry. " Dohyun-ah, do you want anything to eat?" Jaeyong's voice sounded from where he was standing near the door.
Dohyun squeaked, "No!"
Perhaps he didn't feel like eating either.
Jaeyong carried out his usual routine, laying out his bedding, removing his outer robes, placing them neatly to the side and blowing out the last candle. On the other hand, Dohyun failed to do anything aside from dread thinking about his actions earlier, he was too rash, he should have thought of a different way to deal with it. But it was the only thing he could think of. 'Oh, whatever! Whatever!' He thought, in the end those nameless romance books he had read as a teenager helped him in a way.
It was just that they were both men! This also made him wonder if he had offended Jaeyong in any way. Pondering on that thought made him sit there in guilt, he should apologize. But he really didn't want to look him in the eye right now.
With that, an idea passed his mind. Inching closer to the paper divider, he moved as close as he could facing Jaeyong's direction.
"Hyung?" he said.
"Yeah?" Jaeyong replied.
"Hyung I wanna say something to you but I really can't look you in the eye right now so just sit there and face my direction okay?"
Jaeyong tilted his head at first, unsure of why Dohyun was acting this way but agreed anyway, "Alright", he said, allowing himself to criss-cross position his face in front of the paper divider.
Dohyun rubbed his hands, he started to sweat all over but pushed himself to speak, "I'm really, really sorry if I offended you in any way earlier…I invaded your personal space without your permission..." His voice low and his lips almost touching the divider. Jaeyong's reply was something he wouldn't have expected.
"No matter what you do you cannot offend me your highness, you do not need to apologize for anything. Given the situation, no one could have reacted as fast as you. And personally, I really don't mind."
Jaeyong spoke in his usual tone which made him wonder what his face looked like right now, he was sure if it was anyone else, they would have at least thrown a couple bricks at him but Jaeyong casually said he didn't mind. Was it because he was experienced? Did he perhaps date any of the wonhwa?
It also made him wonder if it was that bad for the other not to mind. Perhaps he didn't even consider it a kiss at all. At this point he was going to drive himself insane, imagining all kinds of things.
"Ah, right, well then we should rest now", Dohyun said laying down.
He didn't know why but he wanted to know if it really was that bad. Given that, he didn't get a blink of sleep that night.
The next morning Dohyun woke up to the sun lightly seeping in, he felt like the undead and peaked over to Jaeyong. He was up and was setting the table but also in a sluggish manner, Dohyun looked at him more and came to the conclusion that they both looked like the undead.
He thought Jaeyong should have at least had a better night considering how laid back he had been. Well anyway, it had to be for completely different reasons. Noticing that he was up, Jaeyong said, "Let's eat."
Some time later Byung Ho arrived bringing Seung Hyun Ki along since they had met along the way.
"Hyun Ki-ssi, how's your investigation going?" Dohyun inquired.
Hyun Ki held up a few scrolls saying, "I gathered the report his highness the crown prince made and compared it to yours and prince Junwoos, they are indeed oddly similar. As for finding out what the ministry heads have to do with buying so much gold and products all over, I'll have to wait until this friday to enter the department. I've studied their schedules and planned out a time convenient to enter and search for the rest."
"Good job, let me know if we can help you", Dohyun said, pouring him and Byung Ho tea.
"By the way your highness, I don't mean to be rude but Baek Jaeyong-ssi sleeps here?" Hyun Ki said, looking over to the bedding that was yet to be put away. Dohyun slyly smiled, "They all do when it gets this busy", although he knew for himself that Byung Ho and Minhye haven't slept in there for a long time now and that the only time they had been so occupied was right now.
However, he didn't mind because what he said did have truth to it. An Byung Ho squinted his eyes and snorted.
"Ah, Byung Ho, that reminds me, did you bring the stuff Sam Mee Yon-ssi requested?" Dohyun asked.
"What? You mean the clothes? Yeah." He replied, rolling his eyes, "Aren't you being a little too lenient with them?"
Dohyun sighed, "Maybe, but right now Sam Mee Yon-ssi is our best chance to get closer to whoever is doing this. And if I hadn't acted so rashly the other night then perhaps she would have still had her job and managed to figure things out.
All she asked for right now was shelter, food, and protection. Things no one should really have to worry about."
"Hyun Ki-ssi, as you've heard, I'm going to have to travel somewhere, in the meantime I need you to stay here and find out whatever you can, even the smallest coincidences."
"Byung Ho, in two days we'll leave, Minhye should arrive by that time. Right now, I need to think of what I'm going to tell the others." Dohyun said, resting his head in his hand.