12 ⚜️🌺 Improper
Seon-in bought fried rice cakes in the market before walking into another household. She knocked on the side door.
"Who is it?" a man's voice asked.
Seon-in tiptoed by the door, munching on one of the snacks.
"It's me—Seon-in… Is Unnie home?" she asked.
The man, who was the butler of the house, opened the side door. He smiled warmly at Seon-in.
"Lady Park, you're here… we were expecting you," he chimed.
She chuckled, scratching the back of her head with the cake on the corner of her lips.
"My bad… I got distracted on the way here," she stated.
The butler allowed her to walk inside. She munched as she walked inside.
"Lady Jung is in her room, waiting for you…" the butler said.
Seon-in smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, I will head right in," she replied. Then she walked to the western building. She knocked on the door.
"Seon-in, is that you?" a soothing lady's voice asked.
Seon-in giggled and leaned closer to the door.
"Yes, it is, Lady Jung," she answered. She opened the door and entered. Then she bowed.
"Sit, and tell me where you were all day," the noble lady, Lady Jung, wondered.
Seon-in sat and smiled.
"I… My apologies for coming later than I said I would. I went to visit Lady Lim," she explained.
Lady Jung stared at her, smiling faintly and knowingly.
"I see… how is she? We used to hang out, but now she doesn't talk to me anymore," Lady Jung wondered.
Seon-in jumped a little and shook her head.
"She misses us, but she feels like she should work until she is able to repent her father's sins…" she lied, clenching her elbow.
Lady Jung sipped and glanced at Seon-in's arm. Then she put the teacup down.
"Seon-in…"
"Yes?" Seon-in flinched.
"Do you know that you always fiddle when you lie?" Lady Jung questioned.
Seon-in gulped, scratching her head.
"I do… huh," she laughed. "But really… Lady Lim misses us. I'm glad to have seen her."
Lady Jung chuckled and took a deep breath.
"They call you the Dog-biting Park in the palace… did you go biting people, Seon-in?" Lady Jung asked callously.
Seon-in laughed and nodded.
"Yeah… Just protecting Lady Lim," Seon-in answered. Then she slammed her hands down. "By the way, Lady Jung, can you lie to my father that I have been living here with you for a while?"
"Why?" Lady Jung looked at Seon-in, raising one brow.
"Because… my father has been pressuring me to marry… I lied to him that since you're getting married soon, I will learn my etiquette as the lady of the house from you…"
Lady Jung paused. The silence between them stretched.
Then she laughed, turning away.
"Who told you that I was going to get married?"
"Your brother… Young Master—"
"Why would Brother say that to you?"
"He… mentioned that you will need a personal servant, and the most trusted one is me…" Seon-in answered willingly.
"I'm not getting married—"
"Ki Sia…" an older man's voice called outside the door.
Seon-in and Lady Jung Ki Sia turned their heads.
"Father?" Ki Sia called.
"I'm entering…" he answered. Then he opened the door and looked at Seon-in sternly.
Seon-in stood and bowed respectfully.
"Lord—"
"Get out. I want to talk to my daughter alone," he commanded.
"Father—"
"Now…"
"Yes, Lord…" Seon-in responded. Then she looked at Ki Sia and smiled. "I'll see you next time…"
"Seon-in…" Ki Sia called faintly. Seon-in walked out of the door and closed it for them. Ki Sia darted her glares at her father. "Why did you do that?!"
"I don't want you to hang out with a dirty person like her… when will you ever learn?!" her father asked.
"Father!"
"Her grandfather may have been a respected subject in the past, but they still bring bad luck everywhere they go," he argued.
"FATHER! She's a stepping stone closer to what you want me to accomplish. If you mistreat her, she cannot be your scapegoat for your bad deeds…" Ki Sia interrupted. Then she stood and took a deep breath. "Because of you, the Lim family has already been discarded… she has done nothing wrong."
"She will be an obstacle to you and your future."
"How?!"
"The King has been searching for an imperial Seungjeongwon official…" he added.
Ki Sia choked on the words that would have argued for a friend. Her eyes darkened. I'm trying to get His Majesty's favor… if I stay virtuous and kind.
Meanwhile, Seon-in munched on the snacks as she walked carefully to the exit. Before she turned—
"Hello, Seon-in," a boy's voice greeted.
Seon-in frowned and looked up.
"Young Master…" she bowed.
"I told you to call me Myeong Tae. Where are you planning to go this late?" he asked, grabbing her wrist.
She tightened her jaw as she allowed him to continue. If she hadn't, he would have thrown her behind bars for fighting back against a noble.
"Young Master… I beg you, it hurts," she murmured, her expression tightening in discomfort.
Myeong Tae smirked, blushing at the sight of her agony and discomfort. He slowly pulled her closer as his breath warmed her hair—
"ACK!" he screamed. Myeong Tae released Seon-in's wrist. She looked at him in fear, but then he darted around and looked behind him. "Who threw that?!"
Seon-in's eyes widened, looking away.
"Young Master… I—"
"Did you do this?!" Myeong Tae screeched at her.
"I… How can I?"
"ACK! What the fuck?!" he shouted, stepping away.
A crowd of servants came to his aid.
"Young Master, are you okay?" the butler asked. He glanced at Seon-in like a pest.
"This bitch just hit me with something!" Myeong Tae claimed.
Everyone turned their heads to Seon-in, faces darkening. She shook her head in disbelief.
"Young Master… I didn't… I don't even know what happened," she declared.
Myeong Tae stomped toward her, revealing two bruises on his face.
"You don't? Then I guess someone just happened to hit me in the face while you were seducing me?"
Everyone gasped, covering their mouths. Seon-in stayed silent, afraid to say anything. Ki Sia appeared behind the crowd and stared at Seon-in. Seon-in hesitantly shook her head until she locked eyes with Ki Sia.
"Lady Jung… I really didn't do anything… please believe me," Seon-in begged.
Ki Sia looked at Seon-in's eyes, unlike any Joseon. She's most likely one that he would favor because she is quite an intellectual lady. Her father's words echoed in her head. She slapped Seon-in's hand away.
Seon-in held her breath and froze.
"Did you really injure a nobleman, Seon-in? Did you really seduce my brother?"
"Lady…" Seon-in whispered, but choked on the words.
"Throw her into the shed… now," her father commanded.
The servants glanced at each other in fear, hesitantly. They grabbed Seon-in.
"I'm sorry…" a maid whispered.
Seon-in exhaled as she looked at everyone. She looked at Lady Jung, who averted her gaze.
"Now!" her father yelled.
Everyone jolted and tightened their grip on her arms. Myeong Tae grinned at the side and cackled.
"That's what you get for rejecting me…" he murmured.
Just then, another—
"ACK! My eye!" Myeong Tae screamed in agony.
The servants released Seon-in and faced Myeong Tae.
"My baby!" the lady of the house cried, running to Myeong Tae. "How could you, disgusting commoner?"
She glared at Seon-in.
"Madam, we were holding her hands… how can she really—?"
"You dare question me?!" the lady of the house questioned, slapping the servant. Then she stomped and slapped Seon-in. "Ladies like you are disgusting in Joseon… you should have left like your grandmother."
Seon-in bit her lower lip, taking the hit. How dare they…? She clenched her fists, holding her tongue.
"Take him to find a doctor," Ki Sia's father demanded.
The servants escorted Myeong Tae to the door, but the door slammed open—
"Is everything alright?" Hye-shik asked suddenly with Baek behind him.