The night is young

The weight of impending doom hung heavy in the air as Suyin's restless night pressed on, each passing moment a reminder of the inevitable fate awaiting her.

With a frustrated groan, she tossed and turned in her bed, the sheets tangling around her in a futile attempt to escape the suffocating reality closing in around her. "Damn it." Suyin's curse broke the silence of the night, her hands slamming against her lap in a gesture of frustration and defiance. With resolve burning in her veins, she knew she couldn't afford to waste any more time. The looming threat of her forced marriage propelled her into action, driving her to seek solace in the only ally she had left. She took off towards Areum's room, the only sanctuary she could find amidst the chaos of her own thoughts.

Knocking softly on the door, she whispered urgently, "Areum," her voice barely above a whisper, a fragile thread of hope tethering her to the possibility of salvation. There was no response at first, the silence of the night enveloping her in its eerie embrace. Suyin persisted, her whispers growing louder as she called out to her friend, "Arreuum."

With a half-conscious murmur, Areum stirred from her slumber, her eyes blinking sleepily as she struggled to shake off the fog of exhaustion that clung to her senses. "Hmm?" Areum's voice was laced with drowsiness, her gaze bleary as she cracked the door open, one eye closed in a futile attempt to shield herself from the intrusion of the outside world.

But Suyin wasted no time, her urgency propelling her forward as she slid the door open and slipped into the small, dimly lit room. Areum's confusion was palpable as she watched Suyin's frantic movements, her brows furrowing in concern as she tried to comprehend the sudden intrusion.

"W-What are you doing, my lady?" Her words were hushed, a whisper of worry in the stillness of the night. But Suyin silenced her with a gesture, pressing a finger to her lips in a silent plea for secrecy. Ignoring Areum's protests, Suyin lowered herself to the cold, hard floor, motioning for her friend to join her. With a mixture of reluctance and concern, Areum obeyed, settling herself beside Suyin with a cautious glance around the room. "My lady, you shouldn't be sitting on the ground..." Her whisper carried a note of gentle reprimand, but Suyin paid it no heed, her attention focused solely on the task at hand. Drawing closer to Areum, Suyin's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, her eyes gleaming with determination in the dim light of the room.

Suyin's words hung heavy in the air, laden with both determination and desperation as she laid bare her plans to Areum. The weight of her decision bore down on her shoulders, each word a testament to the depth of her resolve to break free from the chains of her family's expectations. "Areum. You said that you would follow me wherever I would go....right?" Suyin's voice trembled with uncertainty, her eyes searching Areum's for reassurance amidst the uncertainty that lay ahead. She needed to know if she would stand by her side, no matter the cost. "Yes. I've already promised you that I will follow where my lady goes, even in death." Areum's response was unwavering, her loyalty a beacon of strength in the darkness that threatened to engulf them. But Suyin's reaction was not what she expected. Suyin's frown deepened at Areum's solemn vow, her features contorting with frustration as she rejected the notion of sacrificing her life for their cause.

"Areum! I'm not going anywhere to die!" Her whisper held a sharp edge, a stark reminder of her defiance in the face of adversity.

But then, a spark of determination ignited within her, casting aside fear and doubt in favor of newfound purpose. "I...." Suyin's smirk held a hint of mischief, a glimmer of rebellion dancing in her eyes as she unveiled her daring plan. "I'm planning on running away from this hell---Ahem, this place." Her words dripped with sarcasm, a bitter reflection of the life she sought to leave behind. Areum's gaze wavered, torn between concern for her lady's safety and admiration for her courage. "My lady! You are the only daughter in this family. What would they do if they knew-" "They don't need to know. Look. I rather run away and take the chances whether I get killed or not rather than marry that old man." Suyin's resolve hardened with each word, her defiance unyielding in the face of adversity. And as she met Areum's gaze with unwavering determination, she knew that no matter the risks, she was prepared to carve out her own destiny, even if it meant defying the very fabric of her existence.

Areum's realization echoed in the stillness of the room, the gravity of Suyin's situation sinking in with each passing moment. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, connecting the dots of Suyin's actions and intentions with startling clarity. "Was that why you tried to learn how to ride a horse that one time?" Areum's question hung in the air, a revelation that illuminated the shadows of Suyin's past endeavors.

The memory resurfaced in Suyin's mind, a fleeting glimpse of a time when she had sought refuge in the freedom of the open fields, desperate to escape the confines of her predetermined fate. Suyin pondered Areum's words, her thoughts drifting back to that fateful day when she had attempted to master the art of horseback riding, only to be met with failure and frustration. Perhaps, deep down, she had known the truth all along, a subconscious realization of the impending doom that loomed on the horizon. "You knew that your father was going to marry you off already, huh?" Areum's observation cut through the silence, her voice tinged with a mixture of sympathy and understanding. It was a bitter truth that Suyin could no longer deny, a harsh reality that had been lurking in the shadows of her consciousness all along. "Yes. And I think it's finally time to run away for my own freedom and rights." Suyin's words carried a newfound sense of determination, her resolve unshakeable in the face of adversity.

She may not have been the original owner of this body, but she refused to surrender to the fate that had been thrust upon her. Though the memories of the past were fragmented and obscured, Suyin clung to the knowledge that she possessed, drawing strength from the echoes of a childhood spent in fleeting moments of joy and freedom.

-----------------

As the sun rose on the morning of their planned escape, a sense of anticipation hung heavy in the air, mingling with the nervous excitement that coursed through Suyin's veins. The weight of their impending departure loomed large, overshadowing the mundane tasks of daily life as they counted down the hours until their freedom beckoned. Suyin and Areum had meticulously crafted their plan, leaving no detail to chance as they prepared for the journey ahead. With Areum tasked with procuring the necessary supplies from town, Suyin remained confined within the walls of her home, a prisoner in her own gilded cage. Despite the constraints of her house arrest, Suyin refused to let fear and uncertainty cloud her resolve. With deft fingers, she sewed a handkerchief for her fictitious fiancé, a clever ruse to provide Areum with the opportunity to execute their plan without arousing suspicion. Each stitch served as a silent testament to their shared determination to break free from the shackles of their past. As the morning waned into afternoon, Suyin's anxiety mounted, her thoughts consumed by the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Every passing moment felt like an eternity, each heartbeat a drumbeat of anticipation as she awaited Areum's return with bated breath. Finally, as the sun began its descent towards the horizon, Areum returned, her steps heavy with the weight of their shared burden. With a quick exchange of glances, they communicated without words, their silent understanding a testament to the bond that bound them together in their quest for freedom. With the handkerchief delivered and the horse secured near Suyin's courtyard, Areum slipped back into the confines of their home, her task complete. And as night fell like a cloak of darkness over the land, Suyin knew that their moment of reckoning had arrived.

The fading light of the setting sun cast long shadows across the courtyard, a silent testament to the passage of time as day surrendered to night. With a whispered promise hanging in the air, Suyin and Areum exchanged a final embrace, their hands intertwined in a gesture of solidarity and resolve. "Don't be late," Areum's words lingered like a gentle breeze, a reminder of the urgency that fueled their daring escape. ----------------------- As the household settled into the quiet rhythm of bedtime rituals, the servants' voices echoed through the corridors, their mundane chatter a stark contrast to the clandestine plans unfolding in the darkness. Suyin watched in silence as the inhabitants of her home retreated to the safety of their chambers, their footsteps fading into the distance like echoes in the night. Alone in the stillness of her courtyard, Suyin's gaze lingered on the familiar surroundings, each corner holding memories of a life she was about to leave behind. This would be her final farewell, a bittersweet moment tinged with the weight of uncertainty and longing. With a heavy heart, Suyin traced the contours of her childhood home with trembling fingers, committing every detail to memory before she would depart into the unknown.

The thought of never returning filled her with a mixture of sadness and determination, a silent acknowledgment of the sacrifices she was willing to make for the sake of her freedom. As the night deepened and the world around her fell into slumber, Suyin retreated to the solitude of her chamber, her heart pounding with anticipation.

With each passing moment, she drew closer to the realization of her dreams, the flicker of hope burning bright amidst the darkness that surrounded her. "Just a little bit more and everyone should fall asleep," Suyin murmured to herself, her voice a whisper of determination in the stillness of the night.

The sudden knock on the door jolted Suyin from her thoughts, her heart racing with apprehension as she pondered the identity of the late-night visitor. With a sense of unease gnawing at her insides, she hastened to answer the summons, her mind racing with possibilities. "W-Who's that?!" Suyin's voice trembled with fear and confusion as she flung the door open, only to be met with the looming figure of a stranger standing before her.

Before she could react, the intruder's hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her startled cry as he pulled her into his embrace with a forceful grip. Panic surged through Suyin's veins as she struggled against the stranger's hold, her mind reeling with fear and uncertainty.

In the darkness of the night, she could not discern the man's features, his identity shrouded in shadows as he pressed closer, his presence suffocating her with a sense of dread. "I've been waiting since I first laid eyes on you to see you."

The man's voice cut through the silence like a knife, his words dripping with a sinister intent that sent a shiver down Suyin's spine. As the realization dawned upon her, her heart plummeted with dread. The elderly man to whom she had been promised in marriage stood before her, his grip unyielding as he reveled in her futile attempts to break free.

Suyin's breath caught in her throat as she struggled against his hold, the air thick with the palpable tension of their confrontation. "The day that you said you didn't want to marry me made my heart break, did you not know?" His words sent a chill down Suyin's spine, his proximity suffocating her with a sense of impending doom.

Despite her best efforts to escape, she could feel the predatory gleam in his eyes, his enjoyment of her struggle only serving to fuel her terror. With every fiber of her being, Suyin fought against the man's grasp, her mind racing with desperation as she searched for a means of escape. In the darkness of the night, she was alone, trapped in a nightmare from which there seemed to be no escape.