(Editor Note: I made a small change to their names. Eun Seol will now be Eunseol.)
****
The years, which were like hell to some and sweet honey to some, passed without delay.
The sun changed several times and a new sun rose. And under the hot sun, a woman is running fast.
“My lady Eunseol!”
With her soft-colored thick skirt clasped tightly, Eunseol darted away then turned around and stuck out her tongue cutely at the sound of calling for her.
The flower petals in full blooms embroidered the sky and streets beautifully.
After that, a woman who appears to be Eunseol’s servant hurriedly followed.
“Oh, my lady! Can you stop for a moment? What did you eat that made you run so fast?”
At that moment, Eunseol stopped her hard breathing when she heard all the chattering around her.
“Bring more alcohol! alcohol ..!”
“Hello! I am coming with more alcohol!”
“What masterpiece did you hear this time? The last masterpiece was too ugly! Hahaha!”
People were drinking and talking as they were watching a skit being performed on a stage. Eunseol, full of curiosity, grabbed the hem of her dress slightly and joined in the crowd. The performer was Yeon Hee, the most famous clown in the eight provinces in Joseon. At that time, a servant girl approached Eunseol’s side, grabbing her wrist and urging Eunseol to go. Eunseol pleaded.
“Can we stay a bit longer? Let’s watch a little bit!”
“You can’t, my lady! We will get in trouble if the master finds out.”
“This is the last play this year. If I go now, I can’t see it again until next year. They will go down far in the Cha-Gi province and play there.”
Eunseol frowned at the maid servant with a smiling face and acted cute. The maid servant was lost for words and quietly put Eunseol’s wrist down.
“Just for a bit, okay?”
“Okay, I got it!”
Eunseol answered excitedly. However, the play could not be seen properly because the tall people were standing in front of them. Eunseol grabbed the hand of the maid servant and stood on her tiptoes and began to watch the play.
“This is the King of Joseon! On a fictional day, he can kill, beat, knock and smash people! The tyrant! He will get your soul!”
“Hahahahahahahaha!”
The people clapped their hands and laughed loudly as if they were having fun. The place became crowded and Eunseol also couldn’t take her eyes off the play, twinkling her eyes with a small smile following them as the play continued.
“Will you make me drink poison like the King who died from poisoning?”
“Alas! No, I don’t want to be poisoned!”
“You were able to claim the throne because the stupid King was poisoned.”
The play was running towards its climax. Eunseol’s heart was beating loudly along with the laughing and cheering of the crowd.
There has been a lot of talk about the death of King Yoojun, who passed away almost 20 years ago. It was secretly and rapidly spreading among the people.
There were contrasting remarks about Lee Hak Soo, whether he was loyal to the King or he was a traitor. But it was only rumors. The truth of that day would only be known to them.
“I will put my son on the throne!”
( t/l: Lee Hak Soo’s son ascended the throne. Lee Haksoo was no longer called Counselor. He is now called Daewon-gun, a title customarily granted to the father of the reigning monarch when that father did not reign himself.)*
“What a foolish King, heh heh heh!”
However, a fatal scandal followed Lee Hak Soo’s son, Geum Sang.
He was called a vicious tyrant who often used sarcasm and only drank alcohol, beat people and destroyed everything in the palace. It is said that there were quite a few guards who died in the palace by wielding their swords willingly. And that they turned into ghosts and possessed the tyrant.
Perhaps it was the truth that came from the mouth of a person who knew the heinous nature of Daewon-gun Lee. Eunseol has also heard the rumors, so it seemed that the story of the play was realistic .
Eunseol’s heart began to skip a beat as the performer with a bottle of alcohol, pretending to be a drunk tyrant, walked staggering with a sword.
It was then.
“These crazy guys. I will have to throw them all into prison.”
A low voice with deep anger flowed. Eunseol turned her head and looked toward the sound. Then, there was a man with a great stature pressing his hat lowly and biting his lips hard.
The man’s throat swelled as he swallowed his anger. It felt as if he could cut off the play team with the sword that he had in his hand. Eunseol looked up at the man who was staring straight through the front. She was fixed on the newly visible eyes.
“Ah.”
He was a beautiful man with cold eyes. His gruesome and cold gaze catched the attention of others. And the strange aura was enough to make the viewer’s heart tremble.
How can his skin be that white and fine when he is not a woman? Eunseol gulped and couldn’t take her eyes off the man. His deep, beautiful eyes and firmly closed lips that were well placed under them were also red and bright. Unknowingly, Eunseol spoke out.
“How pretty!”
The sorrow that fell darkly over his straight nose shook Eunseol’s heart. Eunseol was staring at the man, spitting out the words as if she was possessed.
It was then.
The man who felt the uncomfortable gaze that someone was prying his face suddenly lowered his head and looked at Eunseol.
Her eyes and the man’s met each other. His eyes were indescribably cold. Eunseol was surprised and closed her mouth.
It seemed as if the heat was rising all over her body. Stuck and surprised, Eunseol hurriedly turned her head and tried to get out of the crowd. At that time, the crowd who was watching the play chattered and passed by her.
Eunseol was in a hurry to turn around, ran into them and stumbled back and fell over a man’s foot.
“Uh, huh?!”
“Oh!”
The two fell on the dirt floor in a pleasing way. Eunseol bumped her forehead against the man’s hard chest. At the same time, the tightly tied strap of the man’s hat broke loose and his shade peeled off.
It was a moment when the face, which had been hidden deeply by the shade, was clearly revealed.
“Ah …..I’m sorry.”
Eunseol got up in a hurry, touching her forehead as if she was in trouble. Then, again and again, she apologized to the fallen man, bowing her head.
The man who was staring at her, frowning heavily, also stood up from his position and avoided the gaze of those who were focused on him.
Eunseol, whose face was burning red, turned away from the man in a hurry, but he grabbed her wrist roughly. Suddenly, the unfamiliar warmth touched her, as if in trouble, she stopped. She then quietly turned back, and the eyes that were looking down at her were deathly.
“Yes?”
“Who are you?”
Eunseol twisted her body to remove her wrist. However, the more she moved, the more power was put in the man’s grasp. She couldn’t escape and yelled out.
“Let my hand go, let me go!”
Eunseol creased her forehead and stepped back, trying to escape from the man.
“I asked who you are.”
“Why are you curious about who I am?”
“Weren’t you staring at my face just now?”
“Hmp, you were yelling so I just turned to the sound and looked.”
Eunseol also looked at the man with a crumpled face as if he was in a bad mood. Then, the man’s dark eyebrows raised up and fell down.
“Weren’t you also complimenting my face?”
“Because you looked nice, but that’s all. Now please let go.”
Still holding Eunseol’s wrist painfully, the man looked more ferocious than before and approached her. Eunseol fell on the ground as the two were getting closer.
“Who sent you? You dare to stare at someone’s face. I asked you, who ordered you to kill me?”
Eunseol started to get scared as if she had made a mistake.
“What do you mean to kill?! I just stumbled and fell… That’s not going to kill anyone. And is there anyone who said that I can’t look at you?”
“What? And why are you speaking informally to me at first sight? Miss, do you know who I am?”
“Ha, you are a bully!”
Eunseol stared at the man with angry eyes, but their eyes painfully clashed. Then she started to look around as if asking for help, however, the maid who was completely immersed in the play wasn’t aware that Eunseol was going through such a dilemma.
Eunseol clenched her teeth and pushed at the man’s chest, who was still holding her wrist, and pulled out her hand. The man who couldn’t even make a sound at Eunseol’s sudden attack, had to retreat. Then he turned and stood in front of Eunseol, blocking her way.
“I asked what your name was! How dare you not answer?”
At the yelling man, Eunseol shouted with an even louder voice.
“What kind of nonsense is this?! If you don’t want people to look at you then you shouldn’t display that face on the street. And I can’t undo what I did so please apologize right away!”
“What do you…..How dare you?”
“Okay! My name is Eunseol, and what is your name?!”
Eunseol yelled at the man who was in front of her without hesitation. The man who was looking down silently at Eunseol with his eyes raised upright and quietly muttered the woman’s name.
“It’s Eunseol”.
“I heard a lot of things, and no one has told me that you can treat innocent people so harshly and unruly even if you’re higher than them. I’m so sick that I don’t even want to know how high ranking you are. What an ugly person you are!!”
Eunseol looked straight at the man and screamed with a stern face and full of energy. The man hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should reveal his status to break down the great momentum of this woman.
“Do you know who I am and you dare to look at me with your head so firmly raised?”
The man tightened his tongue with a colder and lower voice than a little while ago. Eunseol approached the man without being shaken. The man’s gaze stayed under Eunseol’s little feet.
“You are truly just an empty shell or were you born with a rag in your mouth?”
“…..”
Eunseol opened her lips and shouted in a firm voice to the man. She didn’t even know that her neck was so stiff while looking at the face of a man who was much taller than her.
The man looked at Eunseol with a shocked face after hearing rude words that he was born with a rag in his mouth.He wondered, what kind of woman is this? Why is she so fearless to a man? He wanted to instruct his subordinate to find out whose family Eunseol belonged to.
“If you stand in my sight one more time. I’m really going to kill you then.”
“What? I will remember your arrogant way of speaking. I will!!!!”
And Eunseol turned her head and stepped back from the man. Then, the cool voice of the man caught up with Eunseol.
“My name is….Lee Doyoon.”
The voice was quite deep. Eunseol looked back at Doyoon without knowing it and bit her red lips. Doyoon kept on.
“Someday you will learn the meaning of my name, you will regret this moment right now.”
Was it because of the cool energy? Eunseol trembled unknowingly and couldn’t look straight into his eyes. At that time, another man with a sword streaked over and whispered something to Doyoon’s ears. Soon, Doyoon nodded a little, took his gaze off Eunseol and turned around.
Doyoon’s wide and large shoulders caught Eunseol’s gaze and she kept staring at him as he was walking away. Doyoon, who had taken a couple of steps, suddenly stopped and looked back at Eunseol.
When Doyoon’s gaze suddenly met hers, Eunseol could not hide her surprise. Then he spoke.
“I am looking forward to seeing you again, Miss Eunseol.”