7 ⚜️🌺 Guilt
Seon-in returned home before sunrise. Hye-shik ensured her safety back home before Jiyuk-han spotted them. Once Seon-in stepped inside her room, Hye-shik returned to Baek to report.
She groaned and hugged her pillow, pouting and frowning.
"How did His Majesty know that I was there?" she muttered. Then the rumors of his blindness ran through her head. She jolted up, her eyes widening. "Wait! Is he not really blind? Could he have seen me?"
She huffed before she glared at her pillow. She punched it repeatedly.
"Why?! Why did I get caught?! I thought no one saw me! I thought the king wouldn't go there at all because he couldn't see!"
A knock startled her as she jumped and turned her head. The door crept open and…
Hanjun squeezed through the door and smiled.
"Noona!"
Seon-in sighed in relief and chuckled nervously.
"Hanjun… what brings you here?"
Hanjun ran to hug her tightly and giggled.
"You promised to show me something today! I couldn't wait, so I woke up to check if you forgot!"
Seon-in paused and did her best to remember. Her eyes widened as her lips stretched.
"Yes… close your eyes," she stated. Hanjun covered his laughter as he closed his eyes. He stepped closer to her. She sat and reached her hands out to hold him. She pulled out her copy of Doctrine of the Mean. "Ta-da!"
"Wha!" Hanjun exasperated. He turned to look at her, then at the book instantly. "How did you get this?"
She laughed a little and kissed his cheek.
"I asked to borrow…" she lied, her chest tightening. I didn't steal if I returned it… why do I feel guilty? She shrugged her shoulders. "I even added my notes in it to make it easier for you to understand."
Hanjun lept out of her lap and grabbed the book. He hopped like a bunny, excitedly.
"Yay, I finally get to learn this!" he exclaimed.
Soon, she hushed him, and he stopped.
"Shh… we don't want Father to know, though… if he finds out, he might take away the book," she reminded him. Hanjun nodded excessively. "So don't let Father find out."
"Yes…" he whispered.
They smiled at each other before Hanjun hid the book inside the bag that Seon-in had made. Then he stepped out of the room and hurried to his room to study the book.
She sighed in relief, flopping back to her pillow with her arms stretched out.
"Will His Majesty really tell my father that I will be working at the palace? What will my father even say?" she frowned. She closed her eyes. Father, what will happen now? You told me to avoid the palace, but I couldn't because I needed to go for Hanjun. Now His Majesty caught me, and I have to make sure my punishment doesn't go to you and Hanjun.
She kicked her blanket in frustration as she cried quietly. Then—
"Yo…" she realized. "I can say I am visiting Lady Jung, who lives miles away, and pretends that I am living with her for a while!"
A slow smile spread across her face—the kind she'd seen cunning women wear in stories. She hoped it looked threatening.
"My father won't find out… then I can give His Majesty a reason that I can't serve him because I cannot read at all!"
She laughed with quiet satisfaction until the maid had summoned her to the breakfast table.
Seon-in entered the breakfast table and sat comfortably. Ji-kyung grabbed his bowl and looked at Seon-in and Hanjun, who acted improperly while dining.
"What are my two children laughing about without saying welcome back home to their father?"
They both straightened and darted their gazes at him.
"Welcome home, Father!" Seon-in yelled robotically.
Ji-kyung laughed as he stared at her.
"What are you up to now, my Seon-in?"
She took a deep breath and smiled through her mischievousness. It's time to start the plan!
"Father, I noticed that I have a hard time dealing with a lot of things…" she started, then she paused and frowned deliberately. "Is it okay if I go visit Lady Jung?"
Ji-kyung stopped grabbing food and furrowed his brows at her.
"Why? You're doing very well—"
"Yeah, Noona!"
"I just think I want to take a break… and maybe I will consider marriage after I see what Lady Jung is like," she explained as the thought just clicked.
Ji-kyung groaned, reading his daughter as best as he could. A few seconds later, he sighed heavily and placed his chopsticks down.
"Very well… when did you want to leave?"
"Why are you leaving me, Noona?" Hanjun sniffed as his eyes watered and widened like a puppy who had been abandoned.
"Tomorrow! And, my little Hanjun-ah!" she answered. Then she cupped his cheeks and smiled. "I'll be back, okay?"
Hanjun cried and refused to eat anymore. Seon-in chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head.
Ji-kyung watched them warmly. My child, you're all so grown up now. Your mother would be glad to hear that you finally spoke of marriage… Father would be happy to see his granddaughter moving on with life as well. Bless us all with this opportunity. He smiled and closed his eyes.
After they finished their meals, Seon-in walked Hanjun to his room, comforting him along the way. Once they were inside the room, Hanjun quickly closed the door and dismissed everyone. He opened the book that Seon-in copied and talked about it together.
Seon-in watched him trace each character with his finger, lips moving slightly, brow furrowed with the effort of a boy trying very hard to look serious. My little Hanjun-ah. Who knows when I will be able to come back and see you? I hope that His Majesty will let me go as soon as I tell him that I cannot read. She almost laughed at how simple it seemed.
Across the city, in the palace, Baek sneezed. He rubbed his nose and furrowed his brows.
"Who is talking about me?"
Hye-shik entered the room and handed a few scrolls to Baek.
"Your Majesty, here are the scrolls that you requested…" Hye-shik stated.
"What is My Queen doing at this time?" Baek asked curiously, a piece of guilt lingering on his chest.
"She remains in her quarters. She's been sending everyone out, resting alone in the room."
Baek's hand froze as he stared at the ink that slowly dropped onto the scroll. He looked up at Hye-shik, pondering.
"Should I go visit and apologize for what I did?" he wondered.
Hye-shik flinched upon hearing this question, his jaw tightening.
"Your Majesty, a king must never kneel—"
"I should at least apologize to her, consoling my legal wife…" Baek replied.
Hye-shik paused and lowered his head slowly. He closed his eyes and nodded.
"If your heart wants it, then I shall follow you to the Inner Palace," he claimed.
Baek then placed the papers on the ground and looked at Hye-shik. He smiled and stood, walking out of the library. He hurried to the Inner Palace, telling everyone not to announce his arrival. Once he reached the door, he pushed it open.
"Head Court Lady, I told you not to let anyone in…" Goo-eun's hoarse voice said.
"Even if it's me…?" Baek questioned.
Goo-eun swiftly turned around and gasped. She ran and bowed.
"Your Majesty… I—"
"It's okay… I came here unannounced…" he replied. He walked to the bosang and sat down. His eyes furrowed. The bosang… it's damp. But she hadn't had any tea served. He looked around.
"What brings you here, Your Majesty?" she asked, biting her lower lip anxiously. I hope he doesn't feel my liquid because I…
"I came here to apologize to you, My Queen…" Baek stated. She froze and stared at him as her lips parted. Her cheeks reddened. "I want to apologize for how I treated you that evening… I was quite surprised to hear you enter my chamber suddenly."
Goo-eun wept a little and smiled.
"Your Majesty, as long as you don't abandon me, I am pleased to say that I am your wife… I'll wait until you're ready," she expressed.
Baek smiled gently at her. She blushed harder at his smile and looked away. His Majesty just smiled at me. His smile is beautiful despite his being blind.
"You're my legal wife… I will never abandon you unless you've done me wrong, My Queen."
Wrong? The word entered her chest like a sliver of ice. Her smile held—it had to—but something behind her eyes went very still. The memories came anyway: Seonu's hands, the ground beneath her knees, the sound she had made. Her arms trembled. She did not breathe.