The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 39 -

It was a cloudy and grey day. The snow crunched under the hooves of the horse on which Yeseul sat in front of Yeowool. The Hwarang was dressed in a black hanbok with a white floral pattern while the young girl wore a hanbok of multiple tones of dark grey. He had his arms around her, holding the reins and spending warmth with the big black fur coat that laid around their shoulders. Yeseul and her mother had made the coat themselves for about three months. The colouring process had taken especially long. The whole time mother and daughter had worked on this clothing piece Yeowool had already eyed on it to the point that it had become a joke between him and Yeseul's mother. And as they had finished it, he immediately went to buy it. It was the right choice to stay warm in this cold winter. But not only the coat but the Hwarang himself held her warm as she felt his chest in her back and how it moved when he breathed. It remembered her of when she first sat in front of him on that horse, on a snowy day as well. About two years ago was that now.

They arrived at a cave, got off the horse and entered it. Yeowool spread out the fur coat and laid down on it, his arms spread out.

»Come on«, he said and nodded to his left. Yeseul smiled and laid down next to him, her head on his left arm. Suddenly he pulled his arms together hugging Yeseul and wrapping the two of them into the black fur coat. They laughed for a moment before Yeseul put her head on his chest. For a while they just stayed like this. Cuddled up in the black fur. Listening to the light wind. Yeseul heard Yeowool's heartbeat as it beat in a steady pace.

They had not been able to resolve the situation with Yeowool's mother Princess Yoongmyeong. After the day Yeseul had fled from the residence in Yeowool's hanbok the princess had been more adamant with her son to forbid him any involvement with the seamstress. So Yeowool kept Yeseul a secret from his mother. He hated lying to his dear mother and felt guilty whenever he had to tell her a white lie. But there was no other way. The two lovers also minimized meeting in public places with a lot of people in hopes of the rumours dying down. They did ebb down. Only once in a while the concubine of the Hwarang was mentioned again when those who talk a lot spotted Yeseul on the streets. Meanwhile Yeowool kept spending a lot of time at the Hwan's helping wherever he could. Yeseul loved seeing him getting along with her family.

»Ah, wait«, Yeowool suddenly said and took something out of his pocket. Yeseul folded her arms on his chest and put her head on her hands looking at him curiously. »Look.«

The Hwarang held the golden hairpin in his hand. The one he had shown her for the first time when they had first met. He removed her wooden hairpin making the upper layer of her black hair fall on her shoulders as well. Then he picked up that same layer of hair again and skilfully placed the golden hairpin to hold it up again. Only a few shorter strands fell in her face again.

»Pretty«, he said and smiled fondly. Yeseul smiled flattered. She took her right hand from underneath her head a lightly touched his cheek.

»Handsome«, she said making him smile even wider. She leaned a little forward and gave him a light kiss. Then she put her head down on her hands again, this time looking to the side. Her eyes fell on the snow that slowly fell on the already existing layer of snow. It was a beautiful sight, so soothing.

»I used to not like the winter«, Yeseul said after some time in a calm voice.

»Why?«, Yeowool asked, his voice being calm as well. It took Yeseul a little longer until she answered.

»I actually have four siblings«, she stated, »A sister, that would be 15 now, a brother, that would be 13 now, another sister, who would be 11 now and well, you know Yejong already.«