My deep soul

Chapter 13

At the corner of Okta, Jidiwi sat alone beneath a lantern that flickered against the evening wind. His mind was restless, circling the words Jinyoen had said to him the day before.

“What do you mean by the same situation?”

He didn’t know her full meaning, but something inside him told him he could trust her. When Jinyoen was near, the world seemed to quiet, all its noise and shadows stripped away until only her remained. He remembered the day at the shop—how her small hand clutched his by fear, how her dark eyes widened when he whispered for her not to make a sound, how she trembled yet still tried to protect him.

“You cared about me even though you didn’t know who I was,” he murmured to himself. “Paoh was right. You really are a caring person, Jinyoen. I won’t let anything happen to you. I wish the world were kind and gentle like you, instead of filled with hate and cruelty.”

He pressed a hand to his chest, almost startled at how fast his heart had begun to beat. His feelings for her kept growing, impossible to deny.

---

The next day, Jinyoen walked quickly through the busy capital streets, her braid bouncing against her back. She had urgent news to share.

When she arrived at Sooyeon’s house, she blurted out, “Sunwoo is to join the Hwarang!”

Sooyeon’s mouth dropped. “So, you mean Ahro’s brother too?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.”

“My brother joined as well,” Sooyeon said brightly. “Oh, and did you hear about Master Banryu?”

Jinyoen frowned. “What do you mean by Banryu joining as a Hwarang?”

“You don’t know? He’s been chosen too.”

“What? How come?” Jinyoen muttered, half to herself, shaking her head in disbelief.

Sooyeon tugged her sleeve. “Come on, let’s go to see Ahro!”

But Jinyoen suddenly stopped in her tracks. “I just remembered something… You go ahead. I’ll catch up later.”

Before Sooyeon could protest, Jinyoen was gone.

---

Later, she arrived at Ahro’s place leading two horses. Her hair was windblown, her cheeks flushed from haste.

“I came to teach him to ride,” she declared. “So, where is Orabeoni?”

They directed her to the riverbank, where Sunwoo was crouched, tracing his name in the dirt with a stick. He looked up at her approach, his face brightening.

“Excuse me,” she teased, hands on her hips. “You haven’t ridden a horse before, have you?”

Sunwoo blinked in confusion. “What?”

“I’ll take that as a no. Come on, I’ll teach you.”

---

At the training grounds, Jinyoen handed him the reins of one horse and mounted the other gracefully. Sunwoo followed awkwardly, wobbling so much that he nearly slid forward onto the horse’s neck.

Jinyoen burst into laughter, covering her mouth. “Oh dear… don’t bend forward like that! Sit upright. Horses can sense when you’re afraid—don’t let it feel your fear.”

He adjusted himself nervously, and little by little managed to balance. Jinyoen clapped, her smile dazzling. “See? I told you you could do it!”

Sunwoo grinned back, the corners of his lips stretching in a way that made his eyes crinkle.

“You should smile more, Orabeoni,” Jinyoen said, tilting her head playfully. “You look good when you smile.”

His ears flushed, and he nodded, unable to refuse her when she looked at him like that.

Children played nearby, tossing sticks and a leather ball, their laughter ringing across the field. Then, in an unlucky instant, one stick flew astray and struck Jinyoen’s horse.

The animal bolted.

“Jinyoen!” Sunwoo shouted, kicking his horse to follow.

She clutched the reins tightly, terror freezing her. The horse charged past the fields, straight toward the woods. Her breath came in ragged gasps; her knuckles whitened. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying.

Unbeknownst to her, Jidiwi had been trailing them silently. His heart stopped when he saw her horse bolt. He spurred his mount forward, racing ahead to cut her off.

The frightened horse reared up on its hind legs, neighing wildly. Jinyoen lost her grip and screamed as she toppled backward.

But instead of striking the ground, strong arms caught her mid-fall.

She opened her eyes—and saw Sunwoo beneath her, his face tense with effort. Relief broke over her, and she clung to him tightly, sobbing softly into his chest.

“Are you hurt?” he asked breathlessly, setting her gently on her feet. He brushed dirt from her sleeves, checking her hands and arms.

Her tears spilled freely, the fear crashing over her in delayed waves. Sunwoo lifted a hand, wiping them away with his thumb, then pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

Jidiwi dismounted nearby, his jaw tight as he watched the scene unfold. He froze when his gaze fell upon the bracelet on Sunwoo’s wrist—an unmistakable token he recognized.

His chest clenched. 'So that’s who you are…'

And for the first time, the jealousy burning inside him tangled with something far more dangerous: realization.