Another Choice

Chapter 11- Incident

The next morning, Haneul awake early at the dawn, the air felt so cold and making her wanted to hide behind her blanket. But, she need to get up to clean herself. She get up and make up her bed. She take the clothes that the maid prepared and tie up her hair in a bun. She wanted to clean up herself before her traning. The last time, she take a proper bath is been a long time. Usually she just wipe her body with wet cloth. Since she been in the mansion, she hasn't went to the bathing place. She went around the mansion trying to find the bathing place. She doesn't want to ask the maid, it will be to embarrasing if they knew that she doesn't even know the bathing place. After went around, she finally find a place that seems to be a bathing place.

She went inside and started to take off all her clothes. 'Woah! This bathing place is pretty big and nice.' She soaked herself inside the hot water. She closed her eyes and soaked herself completely under the hot water. She felt that she wanted to forget everything and went back to the time when her parent is still alive. Where they all live happily together even though they live in poverty. 'It felt really nice to be able to close my eyes like this. Everything is in silence. How nice...' she thought.

Suddenly, she heard someone opened the door. 'Maybe there is some maid who wants to take bath too.'She thought. She doesn't really mind it and get herself fully soaked again under the hot water. She let her body full drown under the water.

Tal Tal awakes early that morning. He prepared his clothes and went to the bathing place. She opened the bathing place's door and went in. He started taking off his upper clothes and pants. Once he finished he takes his towel and put it on his shoulder. He walked towards the hot water when he is shocked when he saw Haneul's body fully drown under the water. He thought Haneul fainted because her body is fully drowned under the water. He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled up her body up. Haneul was shocked when she felt someone has grabbed her hand up and pulled her up from the water. She opened her eyes to see who is pulling her. Her eyes a
were wide opened in shock when she saw Tal Tal is the one who pulls her.

She pulled her hand from Tal Tal's grip and hide her body under the water. She tried to cover herself with her hand. She ventured herself to ask, "Sa-Sabonim! What are you doing here? This suppose to be woman bathing place right? And why you pull me up from the water?" When she talked to him, she also just realized that Tal Tal was naked and she immediately closes her eyes.

Tal Tal also looked away immediately and replied back to her, "This suppose to be men bathing place. Most of my soldiers get their bath here. Woman's bathing place is at the east of the mansion and why you drowned yourself under the water, I thought you fainted!"

"I-I'm just thought that it might be relaxing to fully soaked yourself under the hot water. Can you close your eyes, I need to get my clothes."

While they were talking, they suddenly heard some soldiers talking outside. They can hear their steps is coming towards the bathing place. Haneul started to getting panic as she isn't wearing any clothes on.

"I won't let them in just quickly get dressed!" Tal Tal said assuring her. He got up from the hot water and quickly got his pants on. Then, he went outside the bathing place.

"Can you all just clean yourselves, later. General Baek Ahn is taking a bath and he doesn't want to get disturb." Tal Tal said ordering his men to leave.

All the soldiers bowed and replied, "We understand, Sir. Then we'll leave now." They left and Tal Tal felt relieved. Not long after, Haneul went outside already fully dressed.

Haneul bowed to him and said, "Thank you, Sabonim. I'm really grateful. "

Tal Tal sighed and looked at her, "Just don't mistake this place as woman bathing place ever again, alright! Also don't ever drowned yourself again, someone might think you've fainted! One more thing, I'm really sorry to have accidentally seen you in the bath. He bowed deeply to Haneul and his eyes are full of guilt

Her face flushed as red as a tomato when she remembers the moment Tal Tal pulled her from the water. 'Right, he must have seen my naked body. Oh Great Budha, it is really embarrassing.'

"N-No, It is alright. Is my fault that I mistaken the men's bathing place as women's. Then I'll take my leave, now." She bowed and turned her back away to leave. When suddenly Tal Tal grabbed her hand and said," Don't forget that the woman bathing place is at the east and meet me in the front yard to have your archery training."

She nodded as a sign that she understands and went away. "Oh Budha, this morning accident is embarrassing enough for me and now I even need to face him again." She bites her tongue to hide her resentment. "I just really hope that I'll do well and not making my embarrassment on myself again."

Tal Tal sighed when he sees Haneul went away. He can see that she is feeling really embarrassed right now, he can't blame her because is mostly is his fault. He never shows her around the mansion. He doesn't even order the maids to show her around.