The Peasants Prince [discontinued]

11. Wails of Solitude.

Gunhak stood on the bank of the river, tossing stones into the water. 

"Where is she?" He sighed. "I've been coming here for five days and she still won't come out here."

Gunhak turned back to his horse standing further back from the river. Then he picked up another stone, turned around and threw the stone with ferocious speed into the water. The biggest splash yet went all over a girl.

"Ah!" She cried out "What is wrong with you?!"

She looked up.

Puffy honey orbs met sharp obsidian spheres. 

"Oh," Young Mi said "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." Gunhak said with a smile.

Young Mi sniffled "Your timing skills are terrible."

"Why?"

Young Mi looked across the river. Then she sighed.

"Why are you hiding your hands?" Gunhak said, his eyes finally trailed down to her arms held behind her back.

Young Mi slowly brought her hands in front of her.

"I came out here to burry my knife." Young Mi said.

"Why?" Gunhak said "It's beautiful."

It was, made of steel, and carved with different words. The hilt was rapped with and old leather strap.

"Honour, Love, Respect," Young Mi said as she traced the words on her blade, "Our families values."

"How did you family get a knife as nice as that?" Gunhak said.

Young Mi's head snapped up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Young Mi said her voice low slow and sinister.

"I-Uh," Gunhak stuttered "I ment disre- I mean no disrespect"

"Uh-huh" Young Mi said. Walking on the stepping stones that ran across the river without breaking his gaze.

The fact that she didn't need to look to see where she was stepping made him ten times more scared.

Before he could think of what to say, she was on top of him pinning his arms down with her knees and putting the blade of the knife against his throat.

"My ancestors were noblemen, just like you," she said staring directly into his eyes. "If my grandfather had never married a plain farmer girl I would probably be lying on a comfortable bed, or eating Samgyetang (Ginseng chicken soup), I wouldn't have to bathe in a river shared by god knows how many people, and this knife wouldn't be the only nice thing I own."

"I'm sorry." Gunhak said "Just please don't kill me"

"Kill you?" Young Mi said "Your too handsome to kill. My brain wouldn't let me."

Young Mi got up "No matter how much I want to."

Gunhak looked up.

"Goddamn what are you doing to me?" He muttered

"What?" She said.

But he didn't answer. He just stood up and sat down by the river.

She put her feet in the water. Not long after a few Eun-Oh fish came and started to nibble on her toes and soles, eating the dead skin cells.
(AN: I don't know if this is their diet or if they do this but I just asked nana google about korean native fish so if I'm wrong please tell me i don't want to be culturally insensitive.)

"I don't think you should burry the knife." Gunhak said "And you didn't answer my question, why are you burrying the knife?"

"I don't trust myself with it." 

"Why?" 

"Dreams," Young Mi said, turning her head to look Gunhak in the eyes, "can affect people in many different ways. I had a dream last night, and I believe that it's trying to revive and old habit of mine that involved the knife."

It took a while for Gunhak to realise, "Oh." 

"Yeah." Young Mi said "That's why I want to burry the knife. If it's out of sight then it's out of mind."

"I beg to differ." Gunhak said "I haven't seen you for five days and I can't stop thinking of you."

Young Mi blushed which caused Gunhak to smirk.

"I prefer to live by the universal rule of mind over matter." Gunhak said, as he threw another stone into the water. "If i believe in myself I can control whatever goes on in my life."

"It must be nice to have that willpower." Young Mi said "I'd like to be strong like you."

A tear slipped out of her both her eyes, and another, and another. Then not long after sobs started crawling out of her mouth sobs turned into wails, wails that sounded so lonely they managed to make Gunhak start crying too.

Young Mi gripped the knife harder and tighter. Gunhak watched with red eyes as she lifted it up to her arm digging the blade into the inside of her elbow. 

"Don't." He gripped her hand and slowly took the knife out of her hand. He threw it behind him.

"You don't need to do this to yourself." Gunhak said "I can help you."

"You don't understand." Young Mi said "No one ever does."

"I can understand better than anyone." Gunhak said.

"Better than anyone" he whispered tears slipping out of his eyes.

***
Wow.
I'm a proud cookie. Now I'm hungry.
I'm risking my life posting this while I'm supposed to be sleeping for you.
College is crazy.
Heeeellppp!!!
I'm no longer single. But who cares about that....😖😖😖
I love you all my lion pride.
~Bethan