The Hands of Time

Chapter 17: Rescued

The news of General Yu's death traveled around the village quickly. They were dejected since they were hoping the man who saved them would also rescue the rest of them who were still held captive somewhere unknown. Jimin found out when she visited the village to get some necessary items for daily needs with Aeri.

Usually, she wouldn't care much. But after spending her time here with a certain someone, Jimin wished she could put their worries to rest somehow. Minjeong really had changed her.

Not having her around was difficult. It had been three days since The Princess last visited Jimin. She had gone back to the palace reluctantly, but willingly, after Jimin promised she would still be there waiting for her. And after Ningning told her that Jimin wouldn't disappear without her.

It was difficult really, she was whining a lot, earning sets of eyerolls from Aeri, that was why Jimin chose to cook their breakfast alone.

And how happy she was when she heard the cheerful voice coming from behind her. "Jimin!"

She quickly turned around as her heart thumping loudly, a wide toothy grin appeared on her face instantly when she saw Minjeong running towards her. Opening her arms, she caught the woman with a huff and laughed cheerfully. "Hey!" She breathed out along with her laughter. "You came!"

The sounds of Minjeong's own laughter made her all fluttery inside, the gentle squeeze warmed her body. "Of course, I miss you." She felt the woman turn her head slightly. "You're wearing the necklace?"

"Yes. Does it look good on me?" Jimin grinned, stealing kisses on the soft skin of her exposed neck.

"It does. It makes me really happy."

Breathing her scent in deeply, Jimin closed her eyes before opening them again, letting go of the woman as she nodded at Ji Hoon who calmly walked from the same direction with a beaming smile on his face.

The man looked around, searching for Aeri. "You're cooking breakfast alone?"

Jimin nodded in confirmation, hand holding one of the woman's next to her. "Aeri is still reading the map since the last base was empty."

He frowned in concern. "Has she been doing that all morning?"

"Try all night." Jimin sighed. "I get her frustration though, if we don't act fast, they might be as good as dead." She didn't want to say these things in front of Minjeong, but since they weren't able to spend as much time as they wanted, she knew they were going to stick to each other as she spent her short time here. "Have the forces found anything yet?"

"They're focusing on the road project right now."

Jimin groaned and felt gentle strokes on her back right after. "I need to do something about it."

"No." Minjeong quickly shook her head. "I'll ask General Kang, you are not going to do anything about it." Jimin opened her mouth to protest but Minjeong quickly pulled on her hand slightly. "No arguing."

Firmly but still gently, she pushed Jimin to sit down on a chair, then started to pick up the firewoods, making Ji Hoon smile, and Jimin chuckled. "Don't cook for me, you're literally a princess."

"I'm your Winter, and I'm going to bring you calmness." When she looked up, her smile faltered a bit because she caught Ji Hoon looking away in embarrassment.

He knew that he should be more prepared because they had been like this every time they spent their time together.

"Are you going to excuse yourself independently or am I going to have to ask you to do something useless so you would leave us alone?" Jimin quirked her eyebrow at the man who chuckled, he shook his head and walked up to the front door, only after he ruffled her hair as he passed by. "Bastard."