Over Time

Time - 4

Chapter 4

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    "What are you thinking about, Uncle?," the princess' voice broke the mind train of the man who seemed enjoyed the lake view.

"O-oh.. you are here?," he asked back but to earned the princess' pout.

"I've been here for 15 minutes, you didn't hear me calling you?,"

"Hahaha I'm sorry little princess, Uncle have so many things to think about." He faced the lake again while took a deep breathe.

"Uncle, I'm not little anymore. I'm a woman now, mature enough to be your wife," she blushed at her own words. But not for long because her beloved uncle flicked her head.

"Aigoo, this girl, how long you want to fool your uncle around? You have your future husband now. Stop play around and be serious. I thought you were a woman already, hahaha~!,"

"Aish uncle! I don't want to marry him! I don't even like him!," she pouted even more.

"Slowly you'll come to love him. Trust me~ hahaha~ Alright, I need to do other things, be good girl, don't make your maids and guards in chaos, imma*," He walked towards the pavilion's exit.

"This is the hall where all ministers and the King have their meeting. They gather here for talking general and important stuffs. Mostly people who ask for King's present also will be escort here. Have you remember it, Ui-bin-mama?," the eunuch turned around to face the man behind him.

"I have," he said plainly.

But the eunuch stared at the man blankly. It was impossible for him to remember the palace. He practically lived there since he was young. But this young man remembered it in one day? It was impossible. So he dared himself to asked, "Are you sure, Ui-bin-mama? This humble servant could get the palace map for you."

"No thank you, I perfectly remember," He threw his smile to the eunuch whom the old man found it very enchanting.

"Very well then, Mama. This servant has done his task to show you around. Do you need anything else, Mama?," the eunuch once again bowed to the young man in front of him.

"No. I will back to my quarter to take a rest. The royal teachers will come to teach me right in the afternoon?."

"Yes, Mama. If that what you wish, this servant will escort you back to your quarter."

"No need. I will manage to go back by myself. So you can believe I remember the palace' places you showed me earlier," The princess' fiancé chuckled.

"But Mama....,"

"Don't worry. I'm still not the Gongju-mama's husband yet, I don't need protection"

"If that was what you wished for, my lord," The eunuch signaled the guards not to follow the young man closely. Because who knew, the head of the princess' future husband was worth for the killing.

--

Kyungtak walked through the path he remembered earlier. He hadn't thought anything bad about his status as princess' fiancé. It just something bothered him lately, bothered him since his engagement party. Well someone precisely. The King's youngest brother always sneaked into his mind lately. He couldn't rest assured at night, knowing the scent of Mooseok's lingered around him, aroused him, and made him lose himself.

He didn't know what to do. He never felt anything like that before. He felt really overwhelming by the feeling he felt. Sometimes he found himself being in dazed and his mind wandered to Mooseok's face and scent.

'Damn it Kyungtak, snap it out! Why you think about him that much!' Kyungtak felt like want to hit his head. He needed to forget it quick. He couldn't let someone in his mind while he was the princess' fiancé. He shook his head then took a deep breath. He needed to get his mind straight. Kyungtak streched his body a little and kept walking while took a note his mind about the location of places in the palace. He looked around, tried to rewind the words that the eunuch said to him earlier, until he arrived in front of a particular place. The place when he met Mooseok that night.

He looked up to the board that was written in hanja, 'The 5 Stars Pavilion'. Kyungtak felt that hotness crept up on his cheeks, while his mind wandered the moment Mooseok moved closer to him. The brother of the King's gaze was intense, like he could see what was in Kyungtak's mind. It was like he could hear Kyungtak was being lost in his own heart.

Kyungtak sighed and touched his chest. He needed to calm down. Once again he straightened his pose, ready to walk away from the pavilion. But before he could put one step, someone called him.

"Son of Minister Kim Taewoo," Kyungtak widened his eyes at the person who called him. For seconds he couldn't move, his body froze.

"Mooseok-daegun¹," in no time, he regained his composure and bowed down.

"Stand up, Son of Minister Kim Taewoo," Mooseok's low voice crept to Kyungtak's spine, made him slightly tremble. Kyungtak stayed still until Mooseok told him to stand up properly. Mooseok kept his eyes on Kyungtak, made a note in his mind about little gestures that Kyungtak did. "What are you doing here, Gun-ui²?"

"I ... just being mesmerized by this pavilion, Daegun, the color, especially the red paint is different with the other ones on other place," Kyungtak looked up to the pillar of the place that covered by the unusual red.

"Ah... you are right, this is the only place that used different red paint. Abamama³ asked for it when they built this pavilion. It is my mother's favorite color, pretty isn't it?"

"So, this is So-ui-mama⁴'s place?" Kyungtak asked with wide eyes which Mooseok didn't see.

"Yes, pretty, right?"

"I... I'm sorry Mooseok-daegun, this useless servant entered the place without knowing it is So-ui-mama's quarter, please punish me, Daegun!,"Kyungtak bowed really low. Mooseok turned around and chuckled.

"What are you doing, Gun-ui? You don't have to apologize, I don't mind it. Beside, mother would love someone great as you visit her place and even sang for her, hahahaha!"

"Daegun! Please accept my apology, I didn't mean to enter it, I-"

"I know, I know, this place lures everyone in, the prettiness and beautiful red really spoil the eyes of anyone who look at it. So, it's ok," Mooseok smiled while walk toward Kyungtak. "I forgive you, Gun-ui. Now.. now.. How about some tea while we talk? Sounds good?,"

Kyungtak surprised on how Mooseok hold his arm while half dragged him into the pavilion. "A-animnida, Daegun, I am sorry to decline but I need to get back to my room before the royal teachers come," For once Kyungtak wished in his heart that someone would believe his words.

"Really? I forget that you do have classes before become the crown princess' consort. Maybe some other time?,"

"Some other time, Daegun," Kyungtak relieved and smiled lightly. Mooseok smiled back and let Kyungtak's arm go.

Kyungtak bowed and turn around to walk away from the pavilion. In his heart he felt really relieved and tell himself to go to his quarter as fast as he can.

-

Mooseok looked at the back of Kyungtak that seemed in a hurry. He smiled to himself. He didn't know why but lately everything in his mind was Kyungtak. Mooseok kept looking for the right reason why he thought about Kyungtak.

Daegun1 (대군, 大君) : Grand Prince; legitimate son of a King. (Usually for concubines' sons)

Gun-ui2 (군의, 君尉) : Prince Consort. Consort of a Royal Princess.

Abamama3 (아바마마) : A term of address used by a royal child for his father. (usually from king's children to the king)

So-ui4 (소의, 昭儀) : 2nd senior rank in the royal concubines' rank. (From all concubines, Mooseok's mother is the 2nd concubine, but if including the Queen, she is the 3rd wife)