𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏ヾ𝗌𝖾𝗈 𝗒𝗎𝗅

oo. somebody to you

ᅳ    𝗂  𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗅  𝗌𝖾𝖾  𝗒𝗈𝗎  𝗂𝗇  𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒  𝗌𝗎𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗍 💭
𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗌𝖾𝗈 𝗒𝘶𝗅

SPRING finally made the way to DAEHO ; the sweet song of the nightingale from the woods, the graceful swans filled the small ponds as some travelers sat beside the pond to admire the gracefulness. The poets writing down their poems as they enjoy the shade provided by the trees.

Yeongran sat beside Seo Yul at the room as she copied down some rules while Seo Yul corrected the answers paper for the recent exams. They were quiet, the soft smell of the incense filled the room with the sound of birds chirping from the window.

Master Seo wanted the two to spend some time together so he purposely made them to work together.

Yeongran peeked at the man beside her who have been sitting in the same posture from the last hour without saying anything but his concentration and the way his fingers slowly flipped the paper from time to time and marking the papers seems so graceful.

She noticed that SeoYul had matured a lot and was more handsome than before. No wonder all girls turn their heads wherever he go.

"Is there anything on my face?"

Yeongran was caught off-guard and shifted her gaze down to the notes she was copying but her cheeks were filled with soft pink shade and fingers fiddled around. Seo Yul chuckled and kept down his brush "Should we go and eat something?"

She nod her head and closed her book before heading out from the library together. Yeongran was not sure from where she got the confidence but she offered to cook for them which Seo Yul agreed to it so now they were at the kitchen.

Shin Yeongran was feeling nervous as she cut the vegetables in the sink as Seo Yul was sitting at the chair and watched what she was doing.

Seo Yul noticed the nervousness in her actions which he found cute. He wanted to tease her but he kept it to himself and decided to help her out

"Should I help you with anything?"

Yeongran handed him the cabbage to cut which he folded his sleeves and washed his hands then started cutting the cabbage while Yeongran started putting the seasonings needed.

They were quiet but they worked together fast and soon, the fresh smell of the freshly cooked rice and the tofu-kimchi stew filled the kitchen. Seo Yul brought out some of the side dishes the and set down with the stir-fried cabbage and carrots.

The egg roll placed neatly at the corner and soon the two started eating in silence as they savored the taste.

Seo Yul suddenly felt nostalgic as he remembered eating the kimchi stew when he was sick and Yeongran staying up the whole night taking care of him.

Yeongran saw that Yul's chopstick didn't move so she slowly look up to him, lost in his thoughts "Seo Yul...Seo Yul?"

"Huh?"

Seo Yul just gave an assuring smile and continued with his lunch. Yeongran felt something was off with him but still she didn't ask as she didn't want to be involved in his personal affairs so she kept her own curiosity to herself.

Soon they were done and Seo Yul decided to do the dishes — after failing to convince him not to do, Yeongran gave up and just sat on the chair and looked at the guy who was washing the dishes with care.

A noble man in a noble suit, handsome features, wearing the white apron that looks good on him and the slender fingers carefully washing up the porcelain bowls.

Yeongran felt her heartbeat increasing but she reminded herself not to act up and out of blue she saw the young Seo Yul when she first met him back when Park Jin brought him in the mansion where Yeongran used to trained.

The way Seo Yul would smile at her softly, the tenderness and the way he taught her how to carve on wood.

But she quickly snapped out of her dreams and handed the towel to him. Seo Yul dried his hands and sat beside Yeongran then took the washed strawberries handing some to the girl beside him.

"Daeho's strawberry doesn't disappoint at all"

Yeongran admitted that out of all the strawberries she had tasted, Daeho was always on top one as there was something unique about it — maybe it was the soil or maybe because it her own hometown or anything but to her, Daeho's strawberry always wins.

Seo Yul plucked out the leaves from the strawberry and handed to Yeongran from time to time "By the way, Father called us to come home as we have a wedding to attend. It's my eldest cousin so Dad wants both of us to come.. what do you think about it?"

It's been almost four years since she last went to the South Daeho Fortress. She barely met her father-in-law ever since she left the place ; Seo Yul's father is someone whom Yeongran had respect and love. He treated her well and helped her when she was a kid and pampered her as if she was his own daughter, saved her from dangers and took care of her when she was small and training under his wing.

"And by the end of this month marks our fourth anniversary"

Yeongran paused. She slowly swallowed the fruit and look at the one who just spoke in shock. Seo Yul was still calm as if he didn't say something important

"H-how did you r-remember?"

She never expected him to remember or either even know the date because so far all she know that he was not concerned with anything related to their "marriage"

"Let's leave tomorrow around 5am because it will at least take five hours to reach there. I'll prepare the horse"

"F-fine"

Why are you giving me hope ?