𝔹𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟 | seongjoong

Conscience

1592

I didn't know what had possessed me to go to the river that night. Perhaps it was just by chance or something in the wind that told me I had to do it but, later that evening, after coming home from the marketplace, I waited until the moon rose high in the sky just like it was depicted in the picture Seonghwa had given me. I think a small part of me had hoped it was a message, a sign that he had wanted to see me...

And I was right.

It was cloudy that night, but as I walked up to the river bank, it seemed as if the sky Gods had been waiting for my appearance and decided to part the dark curtains. The shiver of moonlight broke through like glittering tapestry, and there he stood, shimmering in his elegant garb whilst half a shin-deep in the undoubtedly frigid waters. The cold didn't seem to bother him as he had a peaceful look on his face as it was tilted up to the sky above. I was breathless.

Unfortunately, I must have stepped on a small branch, for there was a crack and, quick as lightning, his head snapped in my direction. But, instead of anger at being intruded upon, his cupid bow lips broke into a soft smile almost as bright as the moonbeams descending upon him.

"I have been waiting for you." He spoke softly as if not to break the spell he surely knew that I was under and reached out a hand. Bewitched, I felt my body move forward as if on its own. I stretched out my fingers and closed the distance between us. Our hands touched, and time stopped.

That was five days ago. We've been meeting at the river every night since.

Seonghwa was both everything and nothing of what I expected a nobleman to be like. He was amazingly educated. Whenever I was with him, I left with more knowledge than I had come with, and it was always presented in a way that never made me feel inferior for not knowing a piece of information, given my status. I was already thankful enough for my current education compared to other servents I know of, but I am still very grateful for any extra learning opportunities. 

While he was smart, he was also incredibly naive and childlike. Seonghwa loved to stare out into the water as he weaved fantastical stories that I had to remind myself weren't real as the moonlight bathed his face in its soft, intimate glow. He seemed to love the water and lament the cold, waxing poetic about the upcoming spring months to where the water would be warm enough to wade through once more without risk of frostbite. 

I greatly enjoyed these small moments, but I still can't wrap my head around why someone like Seonghwa would want to spend time with me. It wasn't like we had spoken much before when he had visited the manor. Maybe it was true what some of the other servants gossiped about, that nobles jump from one thing to the next to entertain themselves from their monotonous lives. Either way, I'm not going to complain. I will cherish and enjoy these moments before something else comes along to occupy his time. 

XxX

Hongjoong yawned heavily as he made his way across campus, a cup of coffee he had nicked from the commissary burning in his hand. His day had already been a mess, and it was only lunchtime. He couldn't be more thankful for the free period he had now because, despite oversleeping his alarm, he felt dead tired. Almost as if he hadn't gotten any sleep at all that night.

What was even weirder was the situation that he had woken up to. At first, he had woken up with a start, as if his soul had slammed back into his body. On top of realizing he was late, the jerking motion had Hongjoong hopping as quickly as he could out of bed. In the process, he realized he must have left open his bedside drawer when he slammed his knee into the corner.