Uk stepped slowly, making several prints on the snow-covered ground. Winter had arrived just two days ago, turning everything from the yellowish autumn to a fluffy white. The trees lining the front of the house were also wrapped in snow.
The convoy from the Red Ruby had just returned the same day the snow first hit. They decided to hold a small party at the newly built hall, which dragged on until late at night. Now, everyone was still in a dreamland.
As Uk paced back and forth, his instincts told him he was being watched. Slowly, his hand reached for the short dagger at his waist.
And he waited.
A whooshing sound came from behind, forcing Uk to draw his dagger and slice the air blindly.
"Yarh! Be careful!" Dan shrieked, jumping away from Uk, shrinking himself like a ball.
Uk let out a huge sigh, sheathing his dagger, and frowned.
"Let me tell you something. Never sneak up behind someone who used to fight in wars. Keep that in mind for the sake of your life," Uk warned softly.
"Sorry... I kind of forgot," Dan apologized. Uk tapped his shoulder, indicating reassurance after clearing the situation.
"Alright, now... Why are we here?" Dan asked, confused by the message Uk had sent, specifying this morning's meeting location. He could have stopped by the Red Ruby, but Uk insisted on meeting somewhere more remote.
Uk watched Dan, who stood like a tall tree—sturdy and firm. He discreetly calculated how to approach the matter he wanted to discuss. Trust issues were one thing; his relationship with Miju was another matter to consider.
"I have a new theory from a conversation with Soo Young two days ago..."
"Soo Young? As in Kim Soo Young, the General's daughter?!" Dan looked surprised. Uk calmly nodded, though he found Dan's reaction odd and exaggerated.
"How did you end up talking to her?" Dan hastily asked Uk about the matter.
"Is there something I don't know about her that explains your over-the-top reaction?" Uk inquired.
"Oh, you have no idea! That girl... She's the most eligible in the nation but shocked everyone when she withdrew from the Crown Prince's consort test to become a physician!" Dan marveled.
"What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong—You're asking what's wrong? She was this close to being sejabin but rejected it! To make it worse, the marriage was supposed to strengthen the military, since her father is the General. When she withdrew, she almost got banished from her family, but jeonha mama persuaded the General to let her follow her own path and even granted her a scholarship. Her brave move is something to be admire, you know!" Uk chuckled at Dan's excitement while talking about Soo Young.
"You have feelings for her, don't you?" Uk asked, teasing. Dan sheepishly laughed, sighing deeply as he shut his eyes, perhaps imagining things.
"Snap out of it, friend!" Uk smacked Dan's shoulder, startling him.
"Pardon me, Uk ssi..." Dan quickly apologized for his weird behavior. Uk sneered and shook his head slightly.
"So, I found out something while talking to Soo Young ssi..."
"What is it?" again, Dan's eyes sparkle whilst Uk mentioned the name.
Uk smacked his lips together, cautious with his words.
"Uk ssi, if you don't trust me, how can we solve the problem?" Dan gave him a stern look.
"How did you know I don't trust you?"
"So, you don't trust me..."
"No! It's just—" Uk's words crumbled in his throat. He suddenly remembered something Soo Young had said the day before.
By the end of the day, I'm just like a boy crying wolf...
"Believe me, no one would go down the rabbit hole like I did for you, Uk ssi. Do you think it's easy for me to chase down Sunhwa agassi? You know who she is, right? She's the number one rat in the kingdom! Dealing with her means dealing with the death itself. And still, we're dealing with this trust issue again?" There was anger and disappointment in Dan's tone.
"I don't know, Dan... I have to be careful because what I'm about to say could cost me my life," Uk said.
"Spill it out. We'll see. You're fast, right? So, you can always run if I draw my sword," Dan said sarcastically, making Uk glare at him with an unamused look.
"Fine..." Uk took a moment to choose his words. "I heard that seja jeoha had a dispute with daegun," Uk tried to fish for information.
"Correction. It wasn't seja but the royal council made it seem that way. To be honest, daegun didn't care about the throne; he knew no one wanted a King with a terminal illness," Dan explained. "But some people felt Miju seja wasn't fit for the role due to his reputation, which caused tension among the council members," he continued as Uk tried to grasp the truth.
"So, they have no bad blood then?" Uk inquired Dan. The prince's cousin shook his head, putting a disagreement in that statement.
"I suspected seja jeoha might had something to do with the attack, not only because of that, but because of the incident between him, daegun, and Soo Young ssi..."
"You mean, the birthday incident?" Dan's response shocked Uk.
"You know about it?" he blurted. Dan nodded, letting out a huge sigh.
"Everyone knows. But nothing can be done because both Soo Young ssi and daegun refused to drag matters further," Dan sighed.
"Or maybe someone forced them not to..."
"Yes, that could be true. Who could fight seja jeoha? Daegun and Soo Young were just teenagers. To fight someone like seja jaga, they needed knowledge and power," Dan explained.
Dan's words rang true. What power did a sixteen and seventeen-year-old have to fight the heir to the throne? Soo Young's "crying wolf" sentiment made sense.
"Whatever it is, we have to investigate first. You made a serious accusation, and it could cost your life. What matters most now is to check the spot Sunhwa ssi mentioned, and we'll see from there," Dan advised Uk to drop the matter until it was proven.
"When are we going?" Uk asked.
"I've secured a table for us. Actually, Sunhwa arranged it. We'll go tonight," Dan said, while rolling up his eyes.
"Tonight?"
"Why are you shuddering like that?" Dan crinkled his brows.
"I have to figure out how to sneak out tonight!" Uk faltered.
"That's why I told you we should talk to daegun, but you refused to involve him!" Dan sighed, looking just as devastated.
"Involving him is like handing him directly to the enemy," Uk gave Dan a sharp gaze.
"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you! I can guarantee, once daegun finds out, he'll make a ruckus, and you'll be done!" Dan warned. He knew his cousin well enough to predict the prince's reaction once he found out they were keeping this from him.
Uk would never get away with it.
"Wait... Why are you suddenly concerned about how to escape from the Red Ruby. You can just leave, right?" Dan's inquiry made Uk taken aback a bit. The prince's cousin gave him a snare look, glaring his eyes at the bodyguard.
"Unless... You feel like betraying daegum..."
"Of course I'll feel that way! We were sneaking behind his back!" Uk quickly put an agreement with Dan's statement.
"Oh, you're right... But..." Dan turned his head again, looking at Uk with his suspicious gaze. "Like he would care about your where being! It's not like you're clinging to him... Or... Is he?"
"He's not! Of course he wouldn't care, right? Ahahaha! What am I thinking!" Uk awkwardly slapped Dan's back, hiding the truth about his relationship with Min Jun.
"You know, you do look like a husband who is afraid of his wife...."
"Let's go back now! It's cold!"
Uk quickly fleet from the spot, leaving Dan who still lurking behind the reason why Uk acting so weird.
"I better sticking my nose up!" Dan sneered by himself.