The Hands of Time

Chapter 13: Hostage

To say that Jimin was conflicted was an understatement. She needed to attend the meeting they were holding for the plan, while also wondering if Kim Minjeong was looking for her alone in the open space.

Tapping her nails on the table, she looked up when she felt Han Ji Hoon nudged her, then turned to General Jung as she finally heard her name being called.

The man smiled in amusement. "Something on your mind, General Yu?"

"Sorry." She quickly straightened her posture as she refocused her eyes back on the map spreaded out on the huge table. "Where were we?"

"Are you worried about The Princess?"

The young woman left right after she said those words, after throwing Jimin another hateful glance, after her tears pooled in her eyes even more, and Jimin failed to keep the image out of her mind the whole day.

She knew that the stubborn princess would go look for her to warn her about the news. And she was worried.

"I just feel like she would sneak out to try and find her herself." She sighed, avoiding the gazes of two men in the room with her. "But I'll set that aside for now, when will The King be here? We were supposed to have this meeting earlier this morning."

"I don't think he's coming." General Jung confessed his thoughts. "I wonder who Kim Min Woo is. Do you have an idea?"

Jimin shook her head, recalling their conversation earlier. Telling this man would not give them any results. "I just thought he knew something of him, we still need more information."

"I think you're correct." Both Ji Hoon and Jimin looked back at him. "Based on his reaction, I think he knows something about the enemy that we don't." He frowned slightly. "Their surnames are the same, right? Do you think they're related somehow?"

It didn't take long for him to connect the dots, it was obvious but also vague at the same time. So, Jimin just shrugged. "I don't know, but we can't really do anything about it, can we?"

"You're right." He nodded, leaning away as he sighed. "For now, you should follow The Princess."

Squinting her eyes, Jimin also raised her brow at him. "Excuse me?"

"I think she's the key to finding this mysterious woman. She looked very upset when she found out about our plan." He nodded to himself. "She must know more than we do, maybe they have been meeting up in secret."

Sharp. "What makes you think that?" Ji Hoon asked him instead of Jimin.

"That woman rescued her," Making a gesture with his hands, he repeated Kim Minjeong's words. "Twice already. She also threatened General Kang while telling him to protect her. The Princess clearly means a lot to her."

Chuckling dryly at his words, Jimin gulped. "I wouldn't say that."

"No? Then what do you think her intentions are?"

"She's probably just doing it out of boredom." Bad reason, too nervous to think. Jimin might even be embarrassed that Han Ji Hoon was listening to them.

"I don't think so." Despite her ridiculous answer, General Jung still looked serious. "I think you should follow her. I would do it myself, but I'm afraid The Princess would be too shocked if she finds me tailing her." He looked at Jimin directly. "She clearly trusts you."

Whatever his true reason was, it was a way for Jimin to escape and relieve her worries. So she nodded. "Alright, then I guess I'll trust you in the planning?"

"Then I'll trust you in finding the woman."

Foolish. Jimin thought. She wondered if they found out about her, how stupid they would think of themselves?