The breeze was cool outside causing Dohyun's cheeks to tint a light pink, faint floral scents filled the air, the entire backyard surrounding the place was a large garden with bushes, trees, and shrubs of all sizes creating the illusion that there were many pathways.
As Jung Ji Ho said, there were many small ponds as they walked by, Dohyun stopped at one enclosed with medium sized bushes and two large flat stones in the middle of the pond. Moonlight illuminated the area in the middle, making him want to go there.
Without thinking much he rolled up his pants to his ankles and took off his socks and boots, "Dohyun?" Jaeyong said. "It's fine, look, the water only goes up to ankle length." With that said, he walked into the pond, the water was cool like the air causing him to shiver at first touch. He made his way to the stones in the middle and sat down, resting his feet in the water.
Jaeyong watched him the whole way, not saying anything more, he watched how Dohyun's movement caused small ripples in the water, how the light of the moon casted a shadow over him. For a brief moment the two locked eyes, Jaeyong's strong gaze watching him intently and Dohyun's wavering eyes struggling to look anywhere else. Snapping out of it, Dohyun lightly called, "Hyung, come over, it's nice here."
Nodding once, Jaeyong did the same as Dohyun, rolling up his pants and removing his boots and socks. Moments later, he stepped into the water, making his way over to where Dohyun was sitting. Dohyun scooted over making sure there was plenty of room for him.
"I never thought this kind of place existed", Dohyun said, a sanctuary hidden away, it was peaceful, similar to Stone Village but with a more lively feel to it.
"It's a pretty place", Jaeyong remarked. His comment causing Dohyun to suddenly remember something from the past, he smiled, saying, "It is indeed a pretty place, when I was younger I always wanted to visit pretty places."
"You don't now?" Jaeyong asked. "I do", Dohyun solemnly replied.
Jaeyong faced him asking, "Then why don't you? As a prince, you should be able to go anywhere you want."
Dohyun softly shook his head, there were many things he couldn't explain in words. "I can't", he said. "Besides, I'm not exactly good at negotiating in matters unrelated to the palace."
In the water floated a small wooden plank catching Dohyun's eyes, he reached down to pick it up. An idea suddenly came to him, "Hyung, did you bring your dagger?" Jaeyong pulled it out from his robes and handed it to him, "Let me borrow for a minute", Dohyun said.
He softly carved out symbols on the plank with the sharp tip of the dagger, when he was satisfied he showed it to Jaeyong. It was the symbols the wonhwa used to communicate, well at least the ones Jaeyong showed him before. A circle representing the moon with two lines underneath meaning 'safe'. The only thing different was that beside the moon, Dohyun had added a star.
"What is this?" Jaeyong asked.
"The star is you, I figured that you should also have your own symbol." Dohyun sheathed the dagger, adding, "I think star would be most appropriate, the sun might have also been a good choice but the sun isn't next to the moon. The stars are." If he was the moon, then they were all stars in the night sky.
"Your highness", Jaeyong said almost whispering, what master would think as far as him? What master in the world would give importance to mere people like him? The next moment, Jaeyong stood in front of him bowing his head, "It is my greatest honour to serve you, your highness. The Wonhwa will never know a better master to serve than you."
His words were sudden and rushed, Dohyun had heard many words similar to that before but it was the first time he could feel the person speaking mean it, Jaeyong spoke like he meant it will all his being. "I-" Dohyun didn't know what to say, he would usually brush it off when people spoke like that but facing sincerity, he was speechless.
"Thank you, I really mean it hyung."
Just then an annoyed voice called out from afar, "What the hell are you doing?" Byung Ho looked at them with an unamused face, both barefoot in the middle of a pond, it was quite a sight!
Dohyun hurriedly explained, "We just walked upon this nice pond, I wanted to walk in the water, um… are you okay Byung Ho? What's wrong?"
Byung Ho turned around, "Nothing, I'm heading back now", mumbling to himself as he took off, "So annoying, just like children!"
"Your highness, must he really come along?" Jaeyong asked unamused.
Dohyun wearily smiled, "Just let him be, he has his better days." It's just that ever since Jaeyong and the wonhwa arrived, he'd been more grumpy than usual. "It's getting late, we should head back now too."
With that, they left the pond following the way Byung Ho left but he was already out of sight. Meanwhile, Byung Ho decided to go around and enter through the main door since his room was closest to there. As he neared the door, he saw Seonghwa and Ji Ho in front of it.
Ji Ho, "Well then, I'll be leaving for the night, I'll visit again tomorrow before you guys leave." With that, he pulled Seonghwa into another hug.
'Well isn't he just touchy feely?' Byung Ho thought to himself.
"Ahem!" Byung Ho grunted as he approached them, "Isn't it inappropriate to be hugging at such a time?"
Ji Ho let go of Seonghwa, "Perhaps, if it was a man and a woman but it's not like Seonghwa is-"
Byung Ho raised his eyebrow, "What? He's clearly dressed as a woman, man or not, some basic decorum couldn't hurt right?"
"Byung Ho-ssi, it's fine, really…" Seonghwa said. Byung Ho glanced at him once, before rolling his eyes, "Whatever suits you", he said walking inside.
Shortly after, Ji Ho left and Seonghwa returned to his room. By this time, it was now already very late into the night, after the last candles were blown out the house was silent with sleeping people.
The next morning, Dohyun woke up as usual just before the sun began to appear in the sky. Jaeyong was already up and about gazing outside the window from their room. The two walked out to the living space where Moon Daseum was seated, "Good morning my guests, breakfast will be in a little while, why don't you join the girls outside for now?"
"Good morning Moon Daseum-ssi", Dohyun greeted, "May I ask what they are doing?"
Moon Daseum smirked, "Nothing much, just throwing daggers and showing off their skills."
The wonhwa??
"Pardon", Dohyun said, making sure he didn't hear wrong.
"Just go see for yourself, I didn't know they could get so competitive", she said, taking a sip of her tea.
Jaeyong was also intrigued, waking in front of him making his way to the back door.
Outside there was a line of targets positioned near and far, both the wonhwa and the ladies were engaging in a friendly competition of throwing daggers to the targets. Dohyun thought it was a comical scene before one of the kisaeng ladies threw her knife and landed a perfect score on the target earning a series of claps from both sides.
The next contestant threw her knife and almost landed a perfect score, as they took turns throwing, more and more of them proved their skill which left Dohyun in awe. Just how did they learn to throw so accurately?
Sam Mee Yon walked up and elbowed him with a laugh, "I told you this was no ordinary kisaeng house, didn't I?" Dohyun faced her, "Mee Yon-ssi, do you also know how?" referring to throwing daggers and weapons of such design.
"Daseum unnie taught us elegance, confidence, and well, other special things of the sort. But she also taught us one of the most important skills, how to defend ourselves. She never really said what she used to do before starting a kisaeng house here but her martial art skills are exceptional."
"Would you like to challenge me Dohyun-ssi?" Mee Yon said with a taunting smirk. He wasn't just going to be walked over by anyone, having many brothers he was always competitive and disliked the idea of losing, "May the highest score win?" Dohyun said, accepting the challenge.
There wasn't much to be afraid of, he himself was skilled in martial arts, all the princes were. It was a part of their daily practices to master certain skills, one would certainly have confidence in himself after years and years of practice. They made their way in front of the targets, Mee Yon raised her hand, "Move them further back, this would be too easy, right Dohyun-ssi?"
Dohyun chuckled and nodded his head, "Fair enough."