Chapter 33: Seo Yeon

I had no idea what was running through his mind, and I didn't have time to think about it either. But I couldn't help but notice his eyes burn into me the whole time which wasn't a surprise to be honest but...the look he had on his face...and the way he was holding onto me so tight...the minute his father was arrested I felt a definite shift in our relationship, like a weight had been lifted off of us both in particular now that his father wasn't always lurking around us. There were definitely times were I could sense that Seon-Ho wanted to approach me and vice versa but whoever we sensed his father watching us he would just walk away. But he had the same look in his eyes now that he had then, it was even more intense. I didn't know how I was going to explain my journey to him, never mind my brother...wait, why was I more afraid of his reaction than my own brother?

It was a long journey to the palace on foot; at least I had never been there before. I was getting tired quickly after all I had been through for the past two days, unbeknownst to everyone else but Seon-Ho never loosened his grip on me and helped me a lot. It was bizarre; in the midst of all this I couldn't help but notice how gentle he was being with me, of all things. His hands were bigger than I had imagined, but they were blistered by the weapons he wielded in and outside of the palace. And they were cold. I just sighed; I couldn't begin to imagine the torture his father put him through; training in winter until all hours of the night. Without giving it a second thought; I placed his large hands into mine to heat them up, a move that totally took him by surprise and his face went red surprisingly quickly and I had to put my hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter. His face just grew even more red; I could tell he wasn't used to that reaction as he just intensely stared at me right back even more. We were both caught up in the moment until we realised her were almost left behind. He took my hand into his, grasping it tightly as he pulled me onto the path that lead to the gates of the palace. I knew I was in for it the moment I was left alone with them both, but I was relieved that Seon-ho didn't hate me; in fact during the long walk to the palace, he was taking care of me even more.

When we arrived at the palace, we were separated into rooms next to each other by the grace of the Prince on Hwi's behalf I guess. Seon-Ho was taken into the room next to us to be interrogated first. The minute we were alone, Hwi sat me down and made me confess to everything I had been through since I regained my memories secretly in the Nam mansion in a tone he had never used on me before but I couldn't blame him. Behind us I could sense that Seon-Ho pressed himself against the wall to listen to my confession in detail. I had no way of escaping this so all I could do was try to pacify him as I told him everything; how I met an old widowed master and convinced him to give me an education in exchange for keeping house and cooking for him, and all the trials and tribulations that came with all of it. He was getting from concerned to very angry but I could tell he was trying to hold it in for my sake but I knew nothing good would come from it so all I could do was take a few steps back and let him release his rage for the first time since I no longer suffered from epilepsy. He began shouting and smashing everything in sight; he was so engrossed in his rage that no one noticed that Seon-Ho was reacting in the same way outside our room if not even more so. He always had a temper on hims so I was worried that he would himself but I knew shouting at him to stop would achieve anything. All I could do was stay in the far back fo the room and wait for the Prince to introduce the matter in the morning court and hope to god that I could save Seon-Ho from the living hell he had been living in. Hopefully he wouldn't defend his father either; not after everything he had been through. The next few hours would determine if all my efforts throughout the four years I had been separated from by brother would pay off or all be for nothing. I kept my eyes on the wall that separated me from Seon-Ho all night...until we heard him give his statement and he was free to leave but he had to return for his father's trial.