DRABBLES AND SERIES [ jinbyul ]

entangled in joseon; part three

"do you miss your father, that much?"

seokjin asks, busily holding into the umbrella while byulyi remained a little silent, boringly looking around the village that she has been looking forward to for so long.

if venturing out from the palace means not seeing the king for so long, what is the point of it?

she felt a little empty, even if she is amazed over the horizon, she still feels sad about the king leaving the palace for a long time.

"the king means a lot to the second princess," byulyi speaks with a faint chuckle, whispering. "he had been so harsh of me when i was a child, but we grew closer after i've realized why."

seokjin never replied, but he looks at her, asking for her to continue.

"my mother have died after giving birth to me, and it even is painful since everyone in the palace is expecting the second child after joohyun would be a royal man."

"is that why you were never that related physically to the third princess?" he asks, as byulyi giggled, nodding. "yes."

she then continued, whispering. "he had really hated me a lot since my mother's birth was never worth it for i was just a princess."

"i'm sorry to hear that."

byulyi laughs at jin's awkwardness, murmuring. "things have been better, kim seokjin. i am already happy."

the royal guard could only grin, nodding. "how did the king changed his mind?"

he took a short look over the second princess, only to find it cute for her to look like as if she's reminiscing something before breaking into a genuine smile.

that small movement made him smile as well, realizing her charm that had always drawn admirers inside her zone.

"when i was in a young age... i've told him something about my genuine grudge." she smiles a little, adding. "he says that i never met my mother, but i was like a duplicate of her."

"you mean?"

"he told me that when i was a child, the mistake that he once did was making me know that i was the cause of the queen's death, and that i should've been a man."

jin then pauses, unaware of the king's harsh side that he had never shown him personally.

"so i fought back and pestered my court maids, forcing myself into a prince's activities, learning swords instead of knitting." she chuckled at the thought, seeing how jin looks genuinely surprised by her story.

"then one time, within' my absurd mind after practicing too many times, i've challenged the king into a sword fight because he always had his anger towards me." she giggles, but she never received a laugh back.

to her surprise, she receives a smile of amazement, yet she never brought that up, she was busily telling her story.

maybe when she finishes?

if she'll remember to ask him.

"i was expecting him to execute me or fight me back, and i told him that it was all or nothing." byulyi recalls, before warmly breaking into a smile. "but he suddenly cried, hugging me for the first time."

now he looks stunned, whispering. "really?"

she nods in reply, muttering. "that's when he told me that even if i had never met my mother, that was just like how he had fallen for her, challenging him when he's being selfish for himself."

the two of them had stumbled upon an empty village house, deciding to take a rest while they chatter as they admire the silence with them.

"and it was even funny, he told me that i never cried back after that- i told him to finally change after two ladies have confronted him about his selfishness."