With You Again (-너와 다시-)

An Act Of Kindness ❀

Two weeks later

"Mae-In!"

Mae-In looked back to see who was calling her.

She was getting bored, so Mae-In pleaded with General Hwang to accompany her to the market.

They had been getting along well as friends since the day Mae-In laughed at him and gave him the nickname Baby General Hwan-Sul. General Hwang could not help but get laughed at by the Crown Princess.

Turns out, that day he had mistaken Yoon-Hee for someone else and proposed to her instead of the other woman.

Mae-In loved the market in the heart of Hanseong so much. Though she had a market near her house too, this one was bustling with more people. Its warm and jolly atmosphere amused her very much and reminded her of home.

Before she could even make out who was calling her, a girl wearing a beige dress came up from behind her and hugged her, breaking her ribs.

"Mae-In! Oh my god! My best friend is a future Queen now!" the tall girl exclaimed. "Yoon-Hee!" Mae-In hugged her best friend back.

The two best friends laughed at each other. "What are you doing here?" Mae-In asked. "I came here with Father, now tell me, how did it happen?" asked Yoon-Hee.

"Well, you see..." Mae-In narrated everything in short, sighing in disbelief at the end.

"Do you have any idea how serious this is? You are going to marry the Crown Prince!" Yoon-Hee squealed. "Yeah, that's quite dreadful..." Mae-In recalled the event with the royals.

Yoon-Hee's eyes shot to General Hwang who was standing behind Mae-In. Her eyes widened and she whispered to Mae-In, pulling her closer, "What is this boy doing here?!"

"Oh! Him? He is Baby General Hwan-Sul! And mind you, he is twenty-two years old, he's a man! Are you not?" Mae-In exclaimed, tugging at General Hwang.

"Baby General Hwan-Sul?" Yoon-Hee repeated in confusion.

General Hwang flushed and bowed down to Yoon-Hee.

"Greetings, Young Lady Min. I am General Hwang Hwan-Sul from the Palace Army."

"Oh! I am sorry, General Hwang," Yoon-Hee bowed back in apology. They both lifted their heads in sync, which made their heads crash.

Both of them rubbed their heads and apologized again, and again, their heads bumped each other again, and they apologized.

Mae-In smiled secretly at the two awkward youths.

Perhaps it's fate?

"Mae-In, I should leave now. Father will be looking for me. Bye, I hope to meet you soon before your marriage!" Yoon-Hee left.

"So, Baby General Hwan-Sul, shall we continue our stroll?" Mae-In said, looking at the flushed General Hwang.

"Sure, Your Highness."

Mae-in walked about the market slowly, careful not to trip over her huge silk dress. Since the day she met the royals, Court Lady Jin-Hee has been giving her heavy silk dresses to wear every day.

"I am sorry Your Highness, but the dresses you usually wear are not elegant enough. Why don't you wear something more elegant?" she had said.
So now, she had no choice but to wear whatever she was given.

Mae-In came across a vase shop. The vases were beautifully craftedㅡ with dragons and flowers. But those were nowhere near the vases she sees every day in the palace. General Hwang also stopped, examining a gold utensil.