In This Life

Jun Ho's Discovery

Jeon Song Ji

It's been several days since Song Ji left the palace walls, but once she took her first step outside, it felt like a boulder was lifted from her shoulders. The chief nodded his head towards one of the guards who deeply bowed to him and inevitably let them passed the gate without another glance.

The Grand Palace was located in the center of the city where the metropolis, Kaesong, seemed to be built around it like ancient, connected roots of a tree spreading across the Korean soil. At first, she was prepared for the raucous of shouts and hollering from the city, and the sound of the horses trampling on the dusty grounds, but instead, she was greeted by the gentle sound of a stream and thin cherry blossom trees, renounce of their fluffy petals. A narrow bridge separated the palace from the village, and a river sat beneath-- its sparkling blue water mirrored the clear sky.

It was beautiful.

Song Ji recalled the grounds of the Palace to be so massive that there were specific, distinct passageways that led to different sides of the city, and apparently, the Chief of Guard took them to a much quieter path, away from the hectic energy of Kaesong and its residents.

The familiar tranquility left her frozen and speechless, her eyes widen as she took in the small homes arranges in designless order, the sparse number of people walking across the uneven pavements, and wondered how long it would take for Song Ji to walk back home; to simply cross the bridge, and up the hills, naturally letting her feet guide her to their small house with its library; to find her mother sitting upstairs reading her precious novels. She could smell the cut grass outside and the hear soft whispers of the lake while she sat on her front yard, watching people walk by.

How easy it was to remember the past and forget the present.

"Joon Young, are you okay? Your face is feverishly pale," Pang inquired as he placed his hands on her forehead, "You were fine minutes ago."

"Huh?" She murmured, shaken back to reality, "Oh no, I'm... just remembering something."

The chief of guards stopped in his tracks and turned back to the two of them, "Shall we continue, or would you like to return to the palace?"

Both of them shook their heads and scampered after him as the trio made their way across the stream with Song Ji's head glued to her shoes, wondering where they would take her this time.

"Joon Young," The Cheif called out.

It was the first time he had said her false name out loud, "Yes, my lord?"

"What were you instructed to do?"

"Lady Yin Jidam ordered me to retrieve a parcel from Madam Sok Hee's emporium, sir," She answered.

The Cheif turned his face to look at her, and for a moment, Song Ji thought he could see through her disguise. Instead, he tilted his head and inquired, "You are serving Lady Yin Jidam?"

She nodded and he looked forward with his hands clutched together behind his back.

"We're you there at the ball?" He asked.

Song Ji gulped down her anxiety, "No, my lord. She only wanted her handmaidens."

"I see... did she perhaps drink any concoctions going to the ball, or medicine, herbs, anything of that sort?"

"Pardon?" She frowned.

The prince cleared his throat, "It's just she was slightly different from the last time I saw her."

"Oh, "Song Ji whispered and quickly recovered, "She was perfectly fine to me. Did you talk to her at the ball?"

"No," he instantly replied, "The crowned prince mentioned it to me, he had wanted to know what had caused her to change so drastically."