Mulan [Daragon]

Part 2: Ending

"When are you getting married?"

Sandara choked on her rice, and started coughing madly that her hands start to flail. Her grandmother eases her out of the uncomfortable state by making her drink water while she rubbed her back. Soon enough, her coughing stopped and grandmother went back to her spot beside Sanghyun.

"What makes you say that?" Sandara asked as casual as she can get. In truth, she badly wanted to have a boyfriend, get married, and have kids. Of course, being a hated by boys since she was a child caused her to be frustrated with love, and to top it all up, her father died and Sanghyun refuses to show his love through words. How beautiful would it be for her to feel embarrassed, flustered and tingly with a man.

Sanghyun placed his head on top of his interlaced fingers, looked at her, and said, "I mean, surely after being the Hero of South Korea, you have garnered yourself some suitors."

Grandmother now looked interested with the talk, as she put her tea down hastily and suggested, "Then what about Kwon Jiyong?"

Sandara found herself blushing and shaking her hands in front of her while denying, "No, we're not anything. We're just friends."

"If I were you, I won't talk that quickly about the relationship with the person I like." Sanghyun commented, lazily but he was somewhat amused with his sister's reaction. Sandara felt her face burn hotter and she qucikly chill them using her hands.

Mother smiled behind her cup of tea, and said, "But why he would come over every day if the two of you are just friends?"

"Mom!" Sandara felt her face burn even hotter and said, "I told you that he isn't courting me!"

She was so caught up defending her relationship with her former captain that she found herself standing up from her spot. Sandara looked at the other side and said, "I'm sorry. I-I—" She closed her eyes and started to the door. "I should get going to the marketplace."

Grandmother worriedly and reluctantly said, "Okay then, dear."

Sandara walked out of the tea room in her pink hanbok as she raise it up a couple of centimeters up so she could walk freely, and started to undress herself on the hallway as she slowly reach her room. She didn't care about manners anymore and just stripped until she's in her normal clothes: black pants and a simple shirt. Before going out of the house, she left her hanbok in her room. Oddly, even though they live like in Joseon era, people have adopted to modernity. They can wear different kinds of clothes outside and just wear hanbok on occasions, inside the house and if issued by the government.

Sandara wore her shoes and finally walked the expanse of their front yard, crossing the pond her mother always liked, the stables—where An was whinnying loudly—and finally the marble archway that leads to the road.

"Ahhh!" She shouted loudly and felt her heart going to escape from her chest. In front of her, and suddenly popping out from the side, was none other than the person she doesn't like to see today—Kwon Jiyong.

He looked shock himself upon seeing her but quickly regained himself, and smiled at her brightly. Sandara stared at him for a few seconds before realizing she haven't greeted him. Frantically, she finds her voice and said, "A-Ah, good afternoon!"

Jiyong smiled at her and bowed his head slightly. "Good afternoon."

Sandara pointed outside with her index finger and said, "I am going to the marketplace today."

"Oh." He said and then, smiled. "Then I'm going with you."

Sandara felt her face burn and reluctantly, she nodded. Though he has been nice a couple of times, this was the first time he volunteered to come with her.