That day, the skies over Joseon were dim, even though the sun still shone.It was as if the heavens themselves knew that something was about to break — quietly, painfully.
Eun-bi was tending the back garden when a servant approached in haste."Han Eun-bi," she said nervously, "Lady Im requests your presence at the eastern pavilion. Immediately."
Eun-bi blinked. "Right now?""Yes. She said it's important. And…" the servant hesitated, "she said not to be late."
That last tone sent a chill down Eun-bi's spine.
The eastern pavilion was as serene as always —camellias in bloom, the scent of jasmine in the air.Too beautiful… for the kind of conversation Eun-bi knew awaited her.
She entered quietly.Lady Im Hwa-jin was already seated, dressed in an ivory hanbok embroidered with gold.Her face was gentle, her smile graceful — but her eyes were blades wrapped in silk.
"Sit," she said softly. "You look tired."
Eun-bi bowed and sat across from her."I'm fine, my lady."
"Fine?" Hwa-jin's smile curved faintly. "Are you sure?"
She poured tea into two cups, the movement slow and deliberate,then pushed one toward Eun-bi."Drink. Calm yourself before we speak."
Eun-bi accepted the cup, her hands trembling slightly.The air between them was heavy, as if filled with words neither dared to say aloud.
After a long silence, Hwa-jin finally spoke."Han Eun-bi… do you know why I called you here?"
"I… I'm not sure, my lady."
"Because I want to help you."
Eun-bi blinked in confusion. "Help me?"
"Yes."Her tone was gentle, but her words cut deep. "Someone like you… won't last long if you keep standing beside Lord Kang."
Eun-bi tightened her grip on the teacup. "I don't intend—"
"No need to lie," Hwa-jin interrupted softly, still smiling."You may not intend it… but love flows like water. Once it moves, it can't be stopped. And someone like me knows exactly where that water leads."
Eun-bi kept her head lowered, unable to meet her gaze.
Hwa-jin continued,"You may think this is about feelings. But in this world, feelings mean nothing compared to name and blood.When you cross that line, the world won't blame the man… it will destroy you."
Eun-bi bit her lip. "I never asked for anything from Lord Kang. I just want to work in peace."
"That's already enough to make you dangerous," Hwa-jin replied quietly."Because you don't even realize — you've already taken a place that wasn't yours."
Eun-bi's eyes glistened. "So I should leave?"
Hwa-jin gazed at her for a moment, then said gently,"No. I won't tell you to leave.I only want you to understand what silence means.Because sometimes, silence… is stronger than confession."
She stood gracefully, adjusting her hanbok.As she passed Eun-bi, she paused, her voice calm but edged with sorrow.
"If you truly care for Lord Kang, don't let your feelings cost him everything.Sometimes the truest love… is the kind that doesn't stay."
Eun-bi watched her walk away, her elegant figure fading beyond the camellia trees.The words lingered — sweet on the surface, but sharp enough to wound.
That night, Eun-bi sat by her small mirror, her reflection still and pale.Her fingers brushed the faint mark on her wrist —the place where Jun-yeol once tied his handkerchief.
She whispered softly,"If silence is how I protect him… does that mean I have to stop writing our story?"
She opened a sheet of paper and wrote slowly:
Sometimes, the one who loves most isn't the one who stays —but the one who dares to disappear without a sound.
Outside, the night breeze drifted through the air, carrying the faint scent of jasmine from the eastern pavilion.And somewhere in the distance, Jun-yeol stood beneath the same sky,a restless ache in his chest —unaware that their love was now being tested… in silence.