Ten

"Janggi?"

Noh Ha Kyung shook her head.

"Embroidering?"

She shook her head again.

"We've been cooped up in here for two days now and that's all we've done," she whined to Yu Gong.

Taeyeon was sleeping peacefully in his little wooden bassinet, which he will probably soon outgrow.

"We can consult with Eunuch Hong and see if he has any good ideas to kill the boredom," Yu Gong suggested.

"No," Noh Ha Kyung replied flatly.

"I know!" Yu Gong exclaimed. "How about writing poetry for His Majesty just like you enjoyed doing when you were in the palace?!"

Noh Ha Kyung sighed helplessly and turned to her maid.

"You know I'm not the queen anymore and His Majesty and I aren't exactly...

"So?" Yu Gong snapped. "I can tell you still love him despite knowing the truth."

"Wait, is it really that obvious?!"

Yu Gong nodded in response to Noh Ha Kyung's question and bewildered expression.

"I just don't know why I can't move on from him," Noh Ha Kyung said with a frown. "It's like I've devoted my whole life to him despite knowing the truth, and even after knowing the truth, I love him more because he treats me so nice...

"You should express your affection," Yu Gong suggested, shoving a stack of paper and calligraphy brush to her.

Noh Ha Kyung nodded. It was worth a shot. If he doesn't care to read it or just indifferent about it then at least she'll have her answer.

"The sky holds the moon and stars. You, my dearest Lord, hold my purest heart."

Hwi looked up at Baek Jin Hee, who seemed as confused as he was.

"I didn't write that," she said.

"Of course not," said Hwi.

"You believe me?" she asked.

Hwi nodded and pointed to the bottom of the piece paper where the name "Baek Jin Hee" was signed.

"That's what gave it away," he told her, placing the piece of paper on her table. "No good young woman will sign her name on a piece of poetry she composes for a man she has feelings for."

Handsome, good heart, and clever, too, Baek Jin Hee thought to herself. All of these qualities she had always sought in a perfect husband. Too bad he was the king. Even worse, her father had committed irreversible crimes against him. She couldn't possibly feel any worse at the moment.

"I know who wrote that," she said.

"Your father?" Hwi guessed.

She nodded.

Honestly, he couldn't think of anyone else who would do such a thing.

"I have a confession," Baek Jin Hee finally stated after much contemplation.

She turned her back against him. It was easier to tell him the truth if she didn't stare at his face and look him in the eyes.

"A confession?" Hwi asked reassuringly.

"My father asked me to seduce you with hopes that his crimes can be forgiven if we had familial ties," she admitted.

Just as he had suspected! Although he didn't know exactly what, he just had a feeling something was off about this father-daughter pair.

"But you didn't," said Hwi.

"I couldn't bring myself to do that," she replied.

Baek Jin Hee dropped to her knees, taking Hwi by surprise.

"Please get up," he said.

"You can punish me however you want," she sobbed. "But please spare my father!"

"You're willing to die for him?" Hwi asked, refusing to believe that she was that filial of a daughter.

Baek Jin Hee nodded.

"Please rise," he repeated.

Hwi looked away, feeling uncomfortable and not to mention, guilty. He felt as though his heart could shatter if he stared at her any longer.

"Please know that I've never had any intention to punish you," he told her. "Your father has many offensive charges on him so I have to punish him accordingly. I cannot punish you, however, because you are innocent."

Devastated and at a complete loss for words, Baek Jin Hee fell back on the ground and cried as Hwi walked out of her room.

Although Hwi's mission of ousting Minister Baek turned out to be much more complicated than he had anticipated, he managed to have the guy arrested in just three days' time.

"He will be escorted back to the royal palace and imprisoned in the royal dungeons!" Hwi barked at the head security officer the following morning. "Without my permission, he is not allowed visitors!"

Hwi ignored the pleading minister, who was cuffed and ready to be taken away. He motioned for Kang Eun Soo to peel Baek Jin Hee off of her father. Instead, she fell to the ground and cried helplessly as the royal guards from the palace dragged him away.

"I'm sorry," said Hwi.

Kang Eun Soo nodded at Hwi, a sign for them to return to the inn after successfully completing their mission. As much as he wanted to hug Baek Jin Hee and console her, Hwi had to remind himself he couldn't, by any means, do that.

"He's back!" Eunuch Hong exclaimed, announcing Hwi's return loud enough so that Noh Ha Kyung could hear.

Without having to be asked, Yu Gong opened the door so that the cheerful Noh Ha Kyung could run out to greet him.

"It's so good to see you back, my lord," she shyly said to him.

"Hopefully, you all weren't too bored while I was away," said Hwi.

"Not at all," she answered.

"How's Taeyeon?" Hwi asked, remembering the infant nephew they shared.

"He's good," she quickly replied. "He's asleep in the room."

Hwi nodded and proceeded forward with the intention to enter his room.

"Wait, my lord."

Noh Ha Kyung grabbed Hwi's left arm and smiled shyly at him. She definitely seemed different from when he left...

"Yes?"

She was beginning to remind him of the bubbly Queen Noh Ha Kyung.

"This is?" asked Hwi, taking the folded piece of paper she handed him.

"It's just a few words to express my affection for you," Noh Ha Kyung blushed.

"Oh," said Hwi, surprised by her honest response. "T-thank you."

He disappeared into the room and Eunuch Hong followed. Kang Eun Soo, on the other hand, stood guard outside the doors.

"She has been writing a lot of poetry," Eunuch Hong told Hwi.

Even Eunuch Hong was smiling brightly.

"And?" Hwi snapped.

"Ah, well she just wants to express her affections for you," replied Eunuch Hong. "Just like the old days."

"I don't know...

"You could at least just read it," Eunuch Hong suggested.

"You're going to annoy me to death one of these days, Bok Dong."

Hwi rolled his eyes and unfolded the piece of paper.

"Cherry blossoms bloom, a pair of skylarks dancing, true love at first sight."

She does love him.

Hwi felt as though he had just swallowed a hard, bitter pill. Her writing skills had significantly improved, which proves she must've been practicing to impress him. He looked up at Eunuch Hong.

"She truly loves you," he winked.

Hwi let out a sigh. This was not what he expected at all. This was... way beyond his imagination.

"Stand back!"

Kang Eun Soo's loud voice made Hwi jump.

"What on Earth?" Eunuch Hong blurted.

They both dashed outside at once. Noh Ha Kyung and Yu Gong did, too.

"Miss Baek?"

Hwi's eyes widened. He didn't expect to see her again, at least so soon.

"Sheathe your sword!" Hwi exclaimed at Kang Eun Soo.

"Miss...

Without warning, Baek Jin Hee flung her arms around Hwi, nearly knocking him backwards. As he tried to detach himself from her, he unintentionally caught a glimpse of Noh Ha Kyung, who was evidently upset. She and Yu Gong stormed back into their room and shut the door with a slam.

"Miss Baek!" Hwi gasped. "What are you doing?!"

"You said you couldn't punish me because I am innocent," she replied. "Well now you can for I have harassed you."

"Miss Baek!"

Hwi finally to peel her off but she didn't stop there. She began to undo her outer robe.

"No!" Hwi exclaimed. "Please don't do that!"

He motioned for Eunuch Hong and Kang Eun Soo to leave. At first, they hesitated but eventually agreed to upon seeing the pleading expression in Hwi's eyes.

"Miss Baek! Please respect yourself!"

Although he managed to stop her from stripping her clothes off, he knew he couldn't possibly soothe the crying.

"I've offended you!" she exclaimed. "You may punish me now!"

Hwi bit his lip and looked away.

"I won't do that," he said.

"Why?!"

"I'm not really sure why you must do this," Hwi began. "But no matter what you do, your father must go through with the trial and will possibly face an execution."

"That is why I must do it!" she shot back.

"No," said Hwi. "Regardless of the outcome, you must live on to show the world what a wonderful daughter your father had."

Baek Jin Hee was silent. She only had enough strength to sob.

"Although he did some terrible things, you can, and you must, live on to do good things to show the world that as despicable as he was, he raised a wonderful daughter."

"You say all of these nice things yet all I can say is I'm sorry," she croaked. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, for my foolishness."

"I only seized what your father stole from the people," Hwi told her. "I left everything else and the manor for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said with a smile.

Hwi nodded and ordered for Kang Eun Soo to escort her home. Meanwhile, he contemplated on whether or not he wanted to explain the unexpected situation to Noh Ha Kyung.

"It's the right thing to do," said Eunuch Hong as he prepared Hwi's bed. "You owe her a response for her poem, anyway."

Hwi pinched his forehead with his index finger and thumb. Eunuch Hong was right. After letting out a heavy sigh, Hwi got up and reached for the door.

"I assume you didn't ask me to join you for a walk to admire the night sky," Noh Ha Kyung said coldly.

There must've been a million stars in the sky yet she didn't pay the slightest attention.

"I... uh...

"I heard it all," she said, turning to face him. "Your conversation with that woman."

"You did?" Hwi asked.

Noh Ha Kyung nodded.

"There was a reason why I responded the way I did when she threw her arms around you," she explained. "There was a reason why I was so upset."

"I'm sorry," said Hwi. "I didn't think she would do that."

"I can tell that she secretly loves you too," she replied.

Hwi looked away and looked up suddenly again. Did she just say what he thought she had said?

"Did you...

"What did you think of my poem?" she asked.

She inched closer to him, causing his heart to palpitate faster than it should. 

"I- I know how you feel," Hwi stammered. "I know you've dedicated a lot of time to impress me... and, I was impressed by your haiku."

Noh Ha Kyung smiled brightly and slowly leaned in closer. What could've been a romantic kiss ended up to be a peck on the cheek.