"Pstt!" Soo Young was passing by the main house when she heard someone call her. She looked around, only to find Dan hiding behind a bush in front of the house.
"Hmm, what do you want?" Soo Young asked indifferently. Dan quickly pulled the physician into the bush, forcing her to hide with him.
"Yarh! What the hell are you doing!? You want to die?!" Soo Young smacked Dan's head hard. He whined in pain but only for a moment.
"I just want to talk, that's all!"
"You could've just called me nicely!"
"You're too busy with daegum! When we met in the corridor just now, you just brushed me off!" Dan whined again like a child. Soo Young looked at him, clearly fed up with his childish, immature behavior.
"What should I do, then? Hug you?" she replied sarcastically.
"I would love that..." Dan grinned widely, making Soo Young even more annoyed. She hissed at him in frustration, and Dan shrank back in fear.
"Enough of that. What do you want, exactly?" Soo Young asked. Dan gave her a suggestive look, but soon his expression turned serious.
"Come with me."
***
"What?!"
"At least that's what daegum told me," Dan said. They were hanging out by the riverbank, a bit far from the Red Ruby.
"You told me that daegum jaga was planning something to prove his theory?"
Dan nodded, furrowing his eyebrows as he tossed a small rock on the snowy ground.
"I have a bad feeling about it. But, I guess, even daegum didn't mean it. He just became protective..."
"Does Uk ssi know about this?"
Dan shook his head, worry becoming even more visible in his eyes.
"I've known daegum since we were kids. I know how he acts when he loves someone. But this time, I think he's going to have a major heartbreak. If it's true, he'll lose everything he has. Even the love he treasures most," Dan said, feeling helpless. All he could do was stay by Min Jun's side, but even he knew that wouldn't be enough for the prince.
"Dan ssi... What would you do if the same thing happened to you?" Soo Young asked suddenly. He sighed deeply, his gaze lost in the empty space in front of him.
"It's hard to decide. But one thing's for sure..." Dan glanced slowly at Soo Young. "If you were my lover, I might ask you to elope!"
"Very funny, sir!" Soo Young gave him a death stare. Dan chuckled as he jumped off the boulder and reached out to her.
"You know, I'm not a wangja, so I have nothing to think about. Rather than lose the one I love most, I'd rather run away with them instead," Dan said. "For love, I'd do anything. Even face death myself," he added, raising his eyebrows with a smile. He was about to leave, but then he paused.
"I do mean it, Soo Young ssi. I'd rather die than part ways. Especially if that person is you," Dan continued before walking away towards the Red Ruby.
Soo Young stood there, her eyes wide. She tried to calm herself, but the excitement was hard to ignore. She could feel her cheeks heating up, her legs trembling.
"I must be cold!" Soo Young brushed off the thought, choosing to stay in denial.
There's no way Dan ever meant it!
***
The snow had melted a few days ago, revealing the earthy ground beneath. The Red Ruby compound was lively this morning because of it. The whole house was having a small picnic, cooking together while chatting away.
Min Jun watched them from his room's window, a smile playing on his lips as he rested his chin on the window frame. Everyone was helping each other, cooking budae jjigae in a huge cauldron. He could see a glimpse of Uk helping the kitchen maid with the table setup, and Soo Young and Dan arguing with each other while cooking.
The sight was warm and domestic, something that hadn't happened in quite a long time.
The Red Ruby had changed a lot over the past five years. Lately, it was lively and bright. Everyone worked hard to maintain the peace of the house. The head eunuch told Min Jun that it was because his health had improved lately. Everyone was eager to see him get better every day. That's why they worked hard—to provide the best for the prince.
Watching those happy faces made Min Jun crumble inside. He fell into deep thought, questioning the decisions he had made. Regret started to creep in out of nowhere. He began to wonder:
Am I doing the right thing?
As the compound bustled with activity, they heard the sound of feet thumping on the ground. Soon, someone approached the Red Ruby—a cavalryman from the messenger unit. The whole house immediately knelt when they saw the Emerald Dragon banner.
There must be a message from the main palace.
Min Jun slowly came out of the house, standing there in his royal robe. The cavalryman dismounted his horse, walking straight to the ground and bowing politely to Min Jun.
"Greetings, du beonjjae wangja Min Jun. This is a message from the Grand Palace of the House of the Emerald Dragon!" the cavalryman announced formally.
"Go ahead," Min Jun said, looking calm as he watched the cavalryman unroll the scroll.
"Attention everyone! I, Wang Ki, the King of the Realm, head of the Royal Family of Ki, hereby summon Gisa Ahn Uk for the mission to escort Myung Yu gongju on a diplomatic convoy to the North. Gisa Ahn shall report to the Phoenix tomorrow!"
All eyes turned to Uk. He bowed as he slowly retrieved the scroll from the cavalryman. His eyes met Min Jun's, who stood tall, his face marked by sorrow. After the messenger left, Min Jun quietly left the compound.
Uk looked around and saw Dan and Soo Young watching him from afar, sharing the same concern as Min Jun. He felt uneasy and started towards the house to meet Min Jun. But halfway there, Soo Young stopped him.
"Uk ssi, I think you should start packing your things. The journey to the North requires a lot of preparation, especially in this cold weather. Dan and I will talk to daegum about this," Soo Young said, trying to comfort him.
With a heavy heart, Uk turned around and walked straight to his quarters.