𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦, Go Won

𝟬𝟲𝟳. 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗴𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗼-𝘆𝗲𝗼𝗻?

Da-hye had learned of what had happened from Na-ri. Apparently, Naksu was one of the musicians at the Banquet. And she ended up running wild and killed Bu-yeon. But it was not Jin Bu-yeon it was a relic called Gwiseo which took on the form of Jin Bu-yeon. Then, Jang Uk got rid of Naksu.

But Da-hye knew that it could not be Naksu. She really regretted not being there to witness it, then she could tell if "Naksu" noticed that Jin Bu-yeon had a almost identical face as hers.  And then Da-hye told Dang-gu about what had happened. That was when Jin Cho-yeon had asked to meet with Dang-gu. So now, Da-hye was spying on them.

"Your sister gave this to me." Jin Cho-yeon said as she held the jewelry box. "I see that they are precious diamonds."

"Are you giving them back?" Dang-gu asked with a sad expression on his face. It really hurt Da-hye to see him like this. 

"Please take them." Jin Cho-yeon said, trying to hand the box to Dang-gu.

"So it is a rejection." Dang-gu said with sad eyes.  Da-hye felt so bad, maybe she should just have kept the hair clips for herself. "I understand." Dang-gu said as he hesitated to take the box.

"Why are you trembling so much?" Cho-yeon asked. 

"For the past three years,  I was anxious I would come face to face with a situation like this." Dang-gu explained. "I teared up just from thinking about it." Dang-gu said. Da-hye remembered that sometimes she would walk into Dang-gu's room only to see him crying and she could do nothing more than just hug him. She really lacked the ability to be able to somehow comfort him.  "Now that it is happening, the pain is unbearable." Dang-gu told Cho-yeon. 

"Was that the only thought you had during that time?" Cho-yeon asked. She took Dang-gu's hand and place the jewelry box on top of it. "Then see for yourself what my past three years were like." Dang-gu opened the box. Da-hye tried to peak over the window to see what was in the box, but she could not see.

"This is the charm that helps two people become lovers, did you have it all along?" Dang-gu asked Jin Cho-yeon. Da-hye remembered it, that was when they found out that Dang-gu and Cho-yeon liked each other. 

"I have never thought that you would forget me...unless I abandoned you first."  Cho-yeon explained.

"Then...does this mean you wanted to show me...that you had kept it all this time?" Dang-gu asked.

"I would have throw it away if I wanted to, not brought it to show you." Jin Cho-yeon said.

"Thank you." Dang-gu said. "Just knowing you did not discard it gives me a sense of relief." Dang-gu explained. 

"I appreciate your heartfelt gift." Jin Cho-yeon said. She pulled the hairclip out of her pocket. "But I cannot wear this in public for now." Cho-yeon said as she tried to give it back to Dang-gu.

"That is fine." Dang-gu said. "You can just hold on to it."

"But it is a gift, after all." Cho-yeon said. "It would be a waste just to hold on to it." She explained. Da-hye  did not know how she should feel, should she be happy for her brother or should she be... mad?

"Then would you like to wear it right now?" Dang-gu asked. Cho-yeon stepped closer to Dang-gu and kissed him on the cheek. Causing Da-hye to gasp.

Then, Jin Cho-yeon put the hair clip on. "What do you think?" Cho-yeon asked. "Do I look pretty?"

Dang-gu nodded his head as he admired her. "Yes." He responded. "You are truly radiant and beautiful." Dang-gu said. 

• • •

Da-hye fell asleep stretched out on her bed. Her left foot was hanging off the bed and her arms were outstretched. Her hair was messy and some of it had fallen into her mouth as she was snoring loudly. Surprisingly, this was the best sleep that she had, had in a while. 

Na-ri came into her room to wake her up. "Young Lady Park!" Na-ri said. "Why are you sleeping like that? You need to wake up!" Na-ri said as she patted Da-hye to wake her up.

"Just let me sleep...a little bit more." Da-hye mumbled as she used her hand to lightly push Na-ri away. Da-hye turned herself on her side and almost fell of her bed, but she was able to stop herself by immediately creating a foothold underneath herself.

"You should get up." Na-ri said. "And get ready."

"Sure." Da-hye mumbled while getting up. "Get a bath ready for me." Da-hye told Na-ri. She nodded her head as she left Da-hye's room. 

Da-hye sat down on her vanity and she looked in the mirror. Her hair was all messy, and there was dried drool near her mouth. She made a disgusted face as she wiped it off using her sleeve.

The bath was relaxing and Da-hye finally felt clean. After the getting ready for the day, Da-hye had heard that Master Lee was back. And of course, no one was more happy than Master Heo.

Da-hye, Uncle Jin, Master Heo, and Master Lee were now in Jeongjingak. Uncle Jin and Master Heo were were walking behind Master Lee and Da-hye was walking behind them. "For the price of sparing Jang Uk, who had the ice stone, the mages from all the other families left Jeongjingak." Uncle Jin explained.

"Master Seo Gyeong, my former master, built this place." Master Lee said. "But now it is empty."

"They are excluding us out of jealousy and fear that Songrim has the ice stone." Master Heo explained. Since Uk was part of Songrim, that mean that the ice stone was also part of Songrim. "Thanks to Jang Uk, Songrim's power has not diminished even by a bit." Master Heo said.

"Yeom, you have not matured despite growing three years older." Master Lee said. It was still weird to see someone call Master Heo by his name, specially someone who looked younger but was actually way older. "Master Seo did not build Jeongjingak to see which mage was the strongest but for unity and education." Master Lee explained.

"I apologize, Master Lee." Uncle Jin said. "I have failed to honor his wishes."

"No, you did your best, Jin." Master Lee said. Da-hye found it funny how Master Lee was nicer to Uncle Jin than Master Heo. "You swore on your life and protected Uk. You pacified the mages from other families. You also retired at such a young age." Master Lee said as he patted Uncle Jin's shoulder. 

"You always favor Jin over me." Master Heo said. Da-hye felt bad for the old man.

"I heard that you treated Jin Bu-yeon." Uncle Jin said. 

"Right, remember what she said last time?" Master Heo asked. "She said she was treated by the best physician in Daeho Fortress. And that physician was our master." Master Heo told Uncle Jin. 

"Lady Jin desperately begged me to treat her daughter in secret." Master Lee explained. "Now that she has wedded Jang Uk and her existence has been revealed, there is nothing to hide anymore." Master Lee said. 

"Jang Uk must be the one who took her way on her wedding day." Da-hye finally spoke. 

"He recklessly declared their marriage and brought the Unanimous Assembly into turmoil." Master Heo explained. 

Master Lee turned around and sighed. "So that is what you call fate." Master Lee said. "Something...that humans cannot control." Master Lee said. Da-hye was curious what Master Lee meant by that.