.twenty nine.
Minji stood in between the two young princes as Jung glared at his younger brother. She stood in front of Jung to prevent him from taking any action against his brother out of jealousy. Turning towards Eun, she thanked him with a bow of her head. "Thank you for stepping in." Her hand reached up to touch the sore spot on her arm where Yo's fingers dug into. "I didn't know what to do."
Eun became flustered again and repeated the same reasoning he had given Yo. "I would have done it for any woman. My grandfather says its proper for a man to step in when a woman is in danger." He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"I'll take it from here, hyung." Jung said, urging him to go away. "Thank you."
The seventeen year old prince nodded and walked off.
The moment he was gone, Minji turned towards her boyfriend and issued him a glare of her own. Jung's expression had already softened significantly, knowing it was just him and Minji there. But it was far from over and Minji was far from pleased to see his behavior towards his brother. It was like he wanted to see the two of them at each other's throats when they were just starting to get along. "Why are you acting like that?" She asked him.
"Acting like what?" He wondered.
"You were being rude to your brother." She pointed out.
He heaved a sigh and his shoulders dropped before explaining to her. With her he didn't need to be the tough guy. He could talk to her about his worries because he knew she would comfort him. It was the only time Wang Jung could ever let his guard down. "I've already explained it to you. It just...makes me jealous that you two are spending so much time together lately. We're going to get married, and yet he gets to see you more often than I do."
Minji's expression softened at his words. He really had mentioned it to her before, but she didn't realize how serious it was. And to her, it was like he was worrying over nothing. Cupping his face in her hands, she had to get on her tiptoes, to do this. She gathered her courage, closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his, taking him by surprise. Jung's eyes widened in shock at first, but then he relaxed in her hold, his hands settling on her waist. It was her first kiss in Goryeo, as Park Hak Soon, and she couldn't imagine kissing anyone. When they pulled away breathless, she looked up at him shyly. Her words were ones of reassurance for him. "There's really no reason for you to be jealous of him. You're the one I want to marry. I've just been trying to make ammends with Eun for your sake, because he's your brother and I want to get along."
"I'm just scared that you'll leave me for him." He said, for once looking like an insecure little child.
Minji bit down on her lip, thinking about the way Wang Eun had stepped in to save her from Yo. Or the time that he walked her home in the middle of the night. Or the time that he had given her a ride to the eighth prince's home on his horse. Those things seemed like nothing to her, but they were making Jung have his doubts.
She got on her tiptoes again and with more bravery and gave him another peck on the lips. "Stop worrying, okay. No one or nothing in this life will separate us."
-
The search for a wife for Wang Eun continued as the days before his birthday came to a close. The king was in talks with his trusted astronomer Ji Mong, who had no possible candidates for the tenth prince. Although, through looking at the stars, he was able to read that though the prince would not be marrying too close to his birthday, he would be definitely finding a wife before the end of that year. The news pleased the king, who continued his search without his son knowing about it. Eun wasn't thrilled about the thought of marrying so young.
